Summary:
After gaining their first win at winter cup, Seirin are beyond exhausted. Our beloved phantom unable to even walk out of their locker room. Not to mention walking home. So our angelic tiger took him home. || Starring: Seirin team.
Disclaimer:
Kuroko no Basuke and all its glory belong to the one and only Fujimaki Tadatoshi.
Let's Enjoy ^_^
Beta: alibananas
Euphoria, Warmth, Presence
It was just after the final match of their first winter cup. Their never ending struggle was not fruitless. Defeating Rakuzan, even if only by slight tiny margin, still crowned them as the strongest of this year high school basketball team. Seirin are beyond exhausted, but the wide, joyous smiles plastered on their face never waver in the slightest. They were ecstatic; their journey so far was not without struggle. And they come out on top.
All of them basked in euphoria. They defeated each and every member of the Generation of Miracles, along with their almost equally amazing and annoying sidekicks. The dark horse of this competition, came and stormed to the top.
Their smiles were wide and borderline to madness, but who cares? They won.
Their shouts of joy and victory resonated with the cheers from the audience. It was a good game, and everyone who watched their journey would say that all their games were awe-inspiring. They never gave up. Not even when all odds were against them. Seirin always bounced back to grasp their goal.
In the midst of that madness, a first year with light blue locks and a slender build was barely standing. To say that he was exhausted is understatement. His breaths are erratic, his eyes covered behind his bangs, sweat drenching all his body, But a tiny smile could be seen on his face, for once, clear for the whole world to see. The only thing that kept him from kissing the court was the support he got by grabbing onto his teammate's jersey: jersey number 10. His light, his best friends, his pillars of support. Grinning madly, which was befitting of his name, the tiger's roar claimed their victory. His one hand thrusting upwards in triumphant while the other supporting his shadows by his hips, doing the best he could despite his own fatigue. They were not mere light and shadows, they were partners. They win together; they support each other.
"One hundred and two to one hundred and one, Seirin!"
"Thank you very much!"
At Seirin's basketball team's locker room after that, eleven teenage boys with varying degree of exhaustion sprawled around the room.
"Geez… I can't believe we won." Said Koganei from a corner of locker room as he munches his second banana.
"Yeah… truthfully, it feel kind of dream." Said Tsuchida with wide smile.
"…" nods Mitobe from another corner, soft smile adorning his face.
Their daze disturbed by a sudden outburst from their locker room's entrance. A girl with short brown hair and a pink whistle hanging on her neck came in without any remorse whatsoever, only clear proud and euphoria from her boy's triumph.
"Good work boys, now let's go!" said Aida Riko cheerfully.
"Wait, coach… sorry… we can't…" said Seirin's captain pathetically.
It's not just the captain, the other, especially their starter player who played almost through full four quarters are barely standing like zombie. Not to mention walking home, they even had difficulties for standing up straight. Hyuga Junpei pitifully kissing down the floor after his pathetic attempt to stand up earlier failed magnificently.
"Why do I feel like deja vu…" mutter the only girl in the room softly.
"This is much worse than when we facing two kings in a row!" whisper their point guard lifelessly. Don't even have any energy spared to come up with another lame pun.
"Kiyoshi… wake up… don't die there…" mutter Hyuga from where he lay half dead.
"You're not the one to talk, Hyuga…" retort their resident crownless king who lay not far from him, in similar position.
Riko literally face palmed at his boy's antic. Can't blame them though, they did work hard beyond their limits to get this victory. The devilish coach can only smile fondly at her team.
"Still, we can't stay here, let's go somewhere first."
"Hai…" said the boys collectively. They somehow manage to stand and walk after rest for a while.
Halfway to the exit, Riko abruptly halt her step and turned to the team. "Hold on guys… 1, 2, 3, …, 8, 9,… we're missing two guys!" exclaimed her exasperatedly.
This kind of plot really is happening too often for them. "Where is Kuroko?" ask Hyuga suspiciously. If there someone missing in their team, the phantom kouhai surely is their prime suspect.
"Oi…. Kuroko…?" call Koganei out to nowhere particular. Half expecting the overly polite teen to suddenly appear beside them as usual.
"Again? He really do like disappear…" sweat dropped Izuki.
"Just how many times does this make, huh?" wailed Riko exasperatedly.
"You sure he's not at the very back?" ask Tsuchida expectantly.
"Nah, he's not." Answer Fukuda who currently at the back of the group.
"Oi, Kagami, go and look for him." Said Hyuga to the phantom's partner. Their tiger is their best shot to find Kuroko.
"Wait! Where is Kagami?" ask Kiyoshi all of a sudden.
"What? He's gone to!?" wailed Koganei.
"Geez what's wrong with freshman this year? They always disappear one after another." Said Riko with menacing aura as she clomps down one of the freshman trio on the head with deadly grip.
"Wait, coach, why me….?" Cry the unfortunate victim.
"Hmm… is there a problem, Fu~ri~ha~ta~kun?"
Poor Furihata could only gulp fearfully at the devil incarnation before him. "Nno… nothing, coach."
"Geez…. Where could that idiot duo possibly go…" groan an annoyed Riko.
"Wait, do any of you remember seeing Kagami out of locker room? I mean, if it is Kuroko, there's high possibility he goes without our notice, but Kagami?" said Izuki after a while.
"You're right, let's get back to the locker room for now." Decide Riko swiftly.
Collective groan can't be avoided, most of them are tired beyond believe and now forced to make a detour? They miss their futon, thank you very much.
They walk back to their previous locker room reluctantly. Being the most energetic one, Riko abusing the poor door with a firm kick and slam the door. One glace to the room, and she stood speechless at the entrance. Imaginary flower and sparkle show up as background, just like when she saw nigou at the first time, something cute and adorable.
The teams can't hold their curiosity much longer. They briskly enter the room, and all their extra effort was paid off. The sight before them made even Hyuga abandon his scowl and had imaginary rainbow as his background. Fond smile adoring their face at the sight of sleeping tiger, who somehow holding their phantom player in between his leg.
Kagami fall asleep in sitting position on the floor, his back rest on the wall at the corner of locker room. His usually ever present scowl gone, giving his regularly fierce face an innocent look. Meanwhile, Kuroko fall asleep with his back on his partner's chest. His usually serious and deadpanned face looks peaceful and almost childlike.
In accordance of the further declined in temperature since the door are open, the light blue haired teen manages to snuggle into Kagami's as if looking for more warmth in this chilly winter. And as if to respond to his shadow unconscious plea for warmth, the redhead teen instinctively wraps his hand around the smaller teen in his lap. Both still deep in their slumber.
Seirin can't help but squeal inwardly. 'Awww… how cute…'
Their ace and their phantom surely give all they had and more in the previous match. They both work as hard, if not much harder than anyone on court today. The light and shadow duo of Seirin successfully bring them to the top, with a lot of hard work and hindrance, they work side by side, trusting at each other and never give up.
"I don't know Kagami and Kuroko are together." said Kiyoshi out of blue.
"What? They are?" ask Hyuga.
"Eh, they don't?" ask Kiyoshi again.
"Kiyoshi…" growl the clutch shooter menacingly.
"That doesn't matter, right. The problem is… should we… wake them up?" ask Koganei hesitantly.
"We have no choice. We can't leave them here like this. They'll catch cold." Answer Riko reluctantly.
"But… I don't feel like disturbing them like this…" said Izuki undecidedly.
"We can't leave them either…" said Hyuga with a sigh.
"Yeah… you're right…"
"So…"
"…"
"Somebody go and wake them up!" decide Riko at the end.
"But, Kantoku…"
"Urgh… fine. I'll do it myself." said Riko reluctantly, but they need to end with this situation quickly. No matter how much she loved to see his boys this cute, she still can't let them catch cold with sleeping on the floor in the middle of winter like this. So she steps forward to the sleeping tiger and phantom while the entire team still crowded at the entrance.
"Oi. Kagami-kun, Kuroko-kun, wake up!" shout the brunette girl loudly as she shake them up.
The redhead's eyes flutter before opened slowly. Deep frown appear at his face since he can't recognize the place where he wake. "… Urgh… Kantoku…?" mutter Kagami uncertainly. His brain clearly hasn't fully loaded yet.
"Wake up, Kagami-kun, you and Kuroko-kun can't sleep here. You'll catch cold."
Seirin ace blink once, twice, and ask "…Hmm… Kuroko…?" His brain starts to process his surroundings. Where is he? Their locker room after winter cup finals. Where Kuroko? Here. Here? As his slower than usual brain try hard to wake, Kagami notice light blue locks that tickle his chin. He lean farther and glance down, only to found his shadow, literally snuggle in his embrace. 'Ah, there you are.'
"Oi, Kuroko, teme! Wake up. We can't camp here." Said Kagami briskly, but with apparent warmth in his tone. He not even take his hand off his partner, realizing how cold Kuroko if he do so.
"… I can't, Kagami-kun. I can't even move a muscle."
The power jumper eyeing his shadow for a moment and heaved a sigh. "Fine." He does realize his partner exhaustion. So Kagami put his arm around Kuroko's shoulder and back knee and hoist him up bridal style. Earning surprise gasp from their team.
"Sorry for the wait." Said Kagami drowsily.
"Ah, yeah, no problem. Anyway, Kagami-kun, Kuroko-kun, we're about to have dinner somewhere, coming?" ask Riko.
"Nah, this guy won't survive much longer without a bed and blanket. We're going home." Reply Kagami.
"Okay then…"
Seirin team proceeds to get out once more, Kagami holding the heavily sleeping Kuroko at the very back. The redhead suddenly halts his step just before the door, earning questionable looks from his team mates. And Kagami ignore them, or to be more precise, he doesn't even realize their glare.
"Oi, Kuroko, moved to my back. You'll hit the door frame like this."
"… Hai…" murmur Kuroko almost inaudibly.
Kagami lower Kuroko to the floor gently. He then turn his body and squat down, waiting patiently while the light blue haired teen drowsily climb his back and secure his grip. The redhead stands up gently and ducks down a little as he through the door. Extra careful at his every movement, a complete opposite of his usual demeanor.
Outside the locker room, Kagami found up his entire team give him a look he can't understand. Something like amuse, incredulous, fond? He doesn't get it. The redhead is exhausted, and his brain is not brilliant for this kind of things to begin with, so he deliberately shrugs it off.
"Ne, Kagami-kun, you know where Kuroko's house is?" ask Riko curiously. As far as she knows, Kuroko never mention anything about his house and family before.
"Nah, his house is too far. I'll let him crush at my place."
"… Is that so…? Well then, take care of him, okay, Kagami-kun." said Riko with suspicious smile on her face.
"Huh? Of course I will."
"Well, then, ja ne~ Kagami-kun, Kuroko-kun."
"Osu…"
Their walk home, or rather his walk home, are spent in silent. Not surprising considering one of them most probably deep in dreamland whilst the other not far from it. But Kagami doesn't complain. Not when they just won against that psychopath redhead in basketball jersey. Even if Kuroko had assured him that the Satan incarnated had change for better, there's no way Kagami would let the psycho captain get the radius of ten meter from his partner unsupervised.
Before long, Kagami manage to reach his apartment. After stumbling for a while at the entrance, courtesy of his occupied hand and his overly careful movement, the redhead finally successful at entering his apartment without disturbing the sleeping teen on his back.
Kagami goes straight to his room and placed the light blue haired teen gently on the bed. Seirin ace carefully took of Kuroko's shoes and jacket and put a blanket over him. He then turns around to place the shoes at the genkan and turn on the heater, but something holds his jacket tight and halts him.
"… Kagami-kun…? Where would you go?" ask the dazed phantom drowsily. 'Stay, don't leave me alone…'
The usually ever scowled teen smile fondly at his partner. The silent plea gets through even if the other doesn't actually say it out. "I'll just placed your shoes and turn on the heater, Kuroko. I'll be right back." said Kagami reassuringly as he placed his hand on the pale hand that grips his jacket tightly.
"… Okay…" mutter Kuroko after a while. He let go his hand hesitantly. But fatigue took over as he slowly drifted to slumber once more.
Kagami watched warmly as Kuroko let go of him and make quick peck to Kuroko's forehead and whispered softly on his ears, "I'll be back, Tetsuya."
The power jumper then makes a quick visit to the genkan after he adjusts the heater. He even forgo dinner, something he never done willingly and consciously over sixteen years of his life. One, he is exhausted, he have no spare energy to make even the simplest dish. Two, he made promise to be right back, and curse him if he left Kuroko alone after he promise otherwise.
Kagami quickly back to his room and barely change his clothes, he only takes off his jacket. The redhead pulled out another blanket from his closet since tonight is much more chilly as winter nearing its peak. He carefully lay down and snuggles inside the first blanket beside Kuroko and spread the second over them both.
Feeling the sudden extra warmth from the presence beside him, Kuroko instinctively nestle closer to the redhead.
Slightly amused by the light blue haired action, Kagami smiled fondly and wrap his hand around the smaller teen frame protectively, brought them both closer together.
"Oyasumi, Tetsuya." whisper Kagami softly.
Few second pass without any response from the pale teen inside his embrace. He shrugs it off as the phantom had fallen asleep, deeply.
"Oyasuminasai, Taiga-kun." murmur Kuroko gently.
And sleep they are, at the presence of each other.
end of Euphoria, Warmth, Presence
A/n:
I've been trapped in KagaKuro Madness, fufufufufuuu…
Well, just got the urge to write this, that's all. Feel like write something fluff and warm around those two. It just feels right. More so since I've been depressed after finals and one of the series I'm working on is in serious state, pardon me to write this one to balanced my overall mood.
Ne, ne is there anyone else who felt that we need character tag for Seirin and another team? coz I felt I need one for this story...
Special thanks for alibananas for wrapped out my error despite he sudden emerge of request :P
Anyway, hope you guys like this. Feels free to comment at anything. Constructive critiques are always welcomed.
Thank you~