Warnings: Hinted AkaKuro.


It's strange how often the redhead across the street is home and stares out the window at the same time as Kuroko.

It doesn't look like his parents are forcing him to stay in, though; in fact Kuroko doesn't even know if the other has parents living with him at all. He's just always there, staring out absentmindedly.

Kuroko would love to know more about the boy, but how could that ever happen? When his father is home, he gets to go out and do whatever he wants, but there's no guarantee that the redhead would be away from his house at the same time as Kuroko. And when his father isn't home, Kuroko is confined to his room with no exceptions.

Right now, Kuroko's alone with his stepmother. The woman hates Kuroko more than anything, which is why she locks him up in his room whenever she gets the chance. Which happens often, as Kuroko's father is away from home most of the time. Work is work, and Kuroko really appreciates that his father does his best to ensure his son's education, but there are times the boy wishes his father was home more.

It's not like he can help not being his stepmother's son (the main reason she hates him so). He can't really do much about hearing things no one else can hear either, or seeing dreams that make him wake up in the middle of the night screaming and crying.

He really can't help being fucked in the head, as his stepmother says, so why does she have to make it worse by locking his door, thus forcing him to be alone with his thoughts?

On the rare occasions his father is home, Kuroko gets to go out. He always hangs out with his classmates after school when he can, or goes to some fast food restaurant to buy his favourite milkshake (vanilla flavour), or just stays at the school library until it closes.

Anything so that he wouldn't have to face his stepmother again for as long as possible.

On the other hand, ever since he noticed the redheaded teenager across the street, being confined in the safety of his room hasn't seemed so obnoxious after all.


It's a secret, but Kuroko thinks he might have a crush on a classmate. The classmate is someone Kuroko almost considers a friend; almost, because he can't really develop real friendships with other people due to being stuck in his room so much.

The reason his crush is a secret is because the object of his feelings is a guy. He's pretty sure the friend is straight and even if he wasn't, Kuroko wouldn't want to risk their almost friendship for the sake of confessing.

Or that's what he tells himself; in reality he would probably take his chances and confess right away if the guy showed even a little interest in guys.

Fate is cruel, though, as it turns out that Kuroko ends up being the first one to hear that his crush is actually dating someone. A guy from another school. But it's a secret, the guy tells him and blushes. Kuroko remains expressionless, as usual, but really all he wants to do is cry and scream and bang his head against a wall.

So his life is nothing but shitty things happening one after another, and Kuroko is so tired of it all. He takes his meds like a good boy should, at least he won't hear the voices if he does that, and stays in his room whenever it's just him and his stepmother at home, but he's so tired of it all.

So tired of crying to no end every bloody day. So tired of his stepmother yelling at him, calling him worthless, a waste of skin, whatever, whenever. So tired of his life never changing.


His stepmother pushes him into the room once again, and Kuroko runs to the door. He bangs on it, and begs for her to open the door, he'll do anything, he'll go out, stay at a friend's, he just wants out. All she wants is to not see him around the house, so it should be okay for him to go out, right?

She listens for a moment, and then tells him to shut up and stop causing problems. There's no way she'll let him go, he's crazy after all, hearing voices in his head; as if anyone would even want him around. He just has to be a good boy and keep quiet. What will the neighbours think, hearing all that yelling and banging!

Kuroko flops to the floor like an emptied balloon. His mind is a chaos; he's forgot to take his pills today, so the voices are coming back, telling him all kinds of things, things he does not want to hear.

After a while he gets up, a bit shakily, but his legs support him to the window sill. He sits there and stares out.

No one would notice if I disappeared.

The redhead's home. Kuroko sees a flash of bright red before his brain registers the rest of the boy, and a faint smile tugs at his lips.

He's there. He hasn't left me yet, right?

Maybe he would miss me if I died?

As if. It's not like Kuroko's even sure if the other boy has been looking at him and not something else, let alone talked to him; why would he miss a complete stranger?


Kuroko doesn't want to sleep because the dreams he has are scary. Instead he wanders around his room, practicing the skill of practically making himself invisible; he calls it misdirection.

When he stays up for too many nights in a row, he gets massive nose bleeds and usually ends up passing out at school. He's even been prescribed sleeping pills because the school nurse suspects insomnia.

The thing is, Kuroko could sleep just fine if he wanted. He just forces himself to stay up to rescue himself from the horrible nightmares he usually has the moment he shuts his eyes.

That's another thing on his list of reasons for why he doesn't really want to live anymore.

The last straw for Kuroko is when he meets his crush's boyfriend. He really has no way of competing against that tall, slim body and the dazzling smile the boy flashes him when Kuroko's unsuspecting crush introduces them to each other.

Outside, Kuroko appears as unfazed as ever, but the truth is he can't take it. He runs home, and for once he's glad his stepmother doesn't care about him. He really couldn't bear to answer any questions regarding his school day or why he's crying right now.

But isn't it pointless to cry? Nothing's ever changed because of his tears, and if he's going to die, he might as well stop crying for the last few minutes of his life.

So he flops down on the window sill, and swallows his tears. Once he's sure he's regained his composure, he gets up and opens the window.

The wind feels refreshing against his skin, and for a moment he just stands there and enjoys the breeze.

Then his eyes happen upon the redhead across the street.

Well, I guess I'll never know whether you will miss me or not. It's a shame, really. I have a feeling we might've liked each other if we'd met.

It feels like it's been hours, maybe even days since Kuroko opened the window, and he almost regrets his decision.

But no, what does he have to live for? Nothing's ever going to change, he's always going to be the boy with the voices in his head, the invisible boy, the one whose stepmother hates him with passion.

The one who has a hopeless crush on someone taken. And might also be falling in love with a guy he's never even talked to.

Kuroko blames the red hair; he's always found redheads attractive.

Kuroko climbs on the window sill and glances down. The cars and the people on the street look so small from above, it's as if he could crush them with his bare hands.

"Please don't jump!"

Maybe it's his imagination, maybe he really doesn't want to die after all, but Kuroko's pretty sure he hears someone shouting, asking him not to jump. He raises his head, and sees the redhead leaning against his window on the other side of the street. The window's open, only a crack, though, but still.

"Was it you? Did you ask me not to jump?" Kuroko knows the other boy can't hear him, but that's okay. Body language tells him all he needs to know; the redhead's whole body is tense and only when Kuroko pulls away from his window and closes it does the other boy do the same.

"You really care, right? You would miss me if I died?"

He can't hear you.

I know. But it's better if he doesn't.

How so?

If he could hear me, he might say he wouldn't really miss me since we don't even know each other. As long as we never speak, I can tell myself that he prevented me from jumping because it was me, not because that's the done thing in a situation like that.

What do you think he would say if he ever found out you hear voices and talk to yourself? Do you think he'd still be glad he stopped you from jumping?

.please be quiet now.


A/N: Okay first of all I want to say that I did not expect this to become so popular? I mean the first chapter was pretty much just word vomit that I had to get out, and this chapter isn't the best either, but I'm of course happy if you like it. Just saying that it isn't necessarily my best work. :D

The rating will most likely go up in the future, or at least if the story progresses the way I want it to (which rarely happens, but I'll do my best!). So stay tuned for… idek what exactly yet, but I'd really like to include some level of smut. Oh and there's probably going to be angst as well. (sorry, but I happen to really like angst x_x)

Reviews, favourites and follows are welcome, as always!