As Time Passes Us By
as time passes us by, moments like these exist
AN: I wrote this when I was a dark place. Please excuse the crappy language… School just started this week and I feel like I've been through the ringer. Even if junior year just started with all the hard classes and whatnot not yet getting that hard, coupled with tennis season and therapeutic sessions with friends, it's just way too much. Sorry, but updates will be very sporadic. I love you all very much, you know? You guys never cease to put a smile on my face when I read your reviews, even when I'm feeling really down. :) Plus, my face is paralyzed on one side. Its super annoying but I've gotten used to it. But it had to happen just before school started. I'll shut up now and let you enjoy.
Title: Long, Deep, and Silent
Starring: Kuroko and Akashi
Summary: Akashi's shoulder is bony and digs uncomfortably into one of his tender spots, but Kuroko wouldn't trade this hold for anything in the world.
Set when Kise's already joined the Teikou first string, but before their third year.
Tetsuya feels pain. This Akashi knows firsthand through experience when he witnesses the second year fall in gym class, a classmate's stray elbow catching him in the side of his ribs. And although the boy apologizes immediately afterwards and Tetsuya brushes him off, saying its fine and he shouldn't worry about it, Akashi knows. During practice, he eyes the blue-haired boy in front of him and doesn't comment when Tetsuya's passes lack the energy and vitality that the boy normally puts so painstakingly into his basketball. Even when Atsushi of all people notice and makes a comment about it, Akashi brushes it off and watches Tetsuya out of the corner of his eye. He seems fine, wielding off Ryouta's flying tackles and Daiki's casual slinging of his arm across small, frail shoulders. However, when Ryouta's outstretched hands brush across the side of the torso, Tetsuya just barely winces. It's so slight that no one catches it and Tetsuya mercilessly shoves Ryouta over and Daiki descends like a furious tropical storm. But Akashi sees it.
Kuroko isn't as oblivious as everyone thinks he is. He sees a lot after all; his ability to seamlessly blend into the background allows him to see things in a perspective that most people would miss. But that itself is a blessing and a curse. Just today, his ability hindered a classmate from seeing him and accidentally elbowed him with a sharp clip to his ribs. And because of this, sometimes Kuroko wonders. He wonders why he's here. Just simply existing. He wonders if he would have ever amount to anything had Akashi not found him and developed him into the player that he is today. Where would he be now? Then Aomine's arm slings around his shoulders and Kise comes over to tackle him into a hug or whatever Kise calls those death grips of his and Kuroko knows that today, he doesn't have to wonder. He has them afterall. Although Kise really should watch where he flings those hands of his; Kuroko can feel several bruises over his body screaming with protest.
Akashi watches Kuroko go home after practice. He watches unnervingly at Kuroko, but Kuroko doesn't get that I am mad at you so come hither before I release my infernal anger upon you vibe from Akashi. He just feels vaguely uncomfortable as he leaves with Aomine, Akashi's stare lingering and Kuroko feels a ghost of a shiver run down his back.
Akashi knows that Tetsuya isn't the quiet person that everyone believes him to be. Tetsuya has a knack for saying things that ring closer to the truth than most people would be able to say. However, Akashi knows that when Tetsuya has an issue, the boy clams up faster than Atsushi after that super rare new snack that finally came out today. And Atsushi is fast. So one day, when he finds Tetsuya behind the gym, sheer frustration faintly wrinkling his brow (and its then that Akashi definitely knows something is up because Kuroko rarely shows emotion so blatantly on his face), cheeks slightly ruddy, and stained with tear tracks, he doesn't ask but envelops Tetsuya into his arms. Tetsuya stiffens between his arms, but Akashi doesn't let go. Tetsuya tries to fight it, but the warmth emanating from Akashi's arms just melt his frustration and worries away and Akashi feels Tetsuya slump bonelessly into his hold, his slender frame racked with silent sobs. His shirt dampens slightly, but Akashi still holds on. Everything is silent; even the whispering of the wind filtering through the tree leaves is muted. Even after listening to the near-silent sobs even out into light puffs of breath, Akashi holds Tetsuya in his arms, cradling him like the boy is made of fragilely-spun glass. It is something that Akashi can finally offer the boy as a friend and a companion, not as captain.
Kuroko should have known a long time ago that Akashi had an unusual penchant for simply knowing what was bothering his players. As he sobs silently into Akashi's t-shirt, his hands clutching at the faded-red fabric, Kuroko just about hates and loves that intuition that Akashi possesses. And he is grateful that Akashi doesn't ask what's wrong (because Kuroko would be mortified and would run away as fast as possible into the distance), but just tightens his hold on Kuroko, offering silent comfort and a strong support for one of the more sensitive players. Akashi's shoulder is bony and digs uncomfortably into one of his tender spots, but he wouldn't trade this for anything in the world.
It's because Akashi worries and Kuroko knows that he cares.
Owari
