p class="p1"span class="s1"By the time Taiga had made it to his gate, he was told that it was already closed and that he had missed the last call. The plane would be grounded for Taiga's bags to be removed and Kuroko, thankfully, hadn't gone far when Taiga had texted him. Taiga's partner, so much sassier than anyone first expected, had scarily slipped past the airport security to wait with him at the baggage class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"With one raised eyebrow and a sarcastic: 'you said twelve hours, Kagami-kun,' it was almost easy to look past Kuroko's bloodshot eyes and flushed cheeks. Kuroko was always putting this strong front up./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga rolled his eyes though and tangled their fingers together. 'You complaining?' he demands as he pulls Kuroko onto the free seat next to him. Kuroko goes along without compliant and he is the warmth in Taiga's side he solely needs in the cool, with the airports air class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko blinks up innocently at Taiga as if to say "who me?" but otherwise stays silent. Kuroko is typically a guy of few words but he had been quiet since Taiga had gotten that phone call, quieter still today. It wouldn't be forever though, he just had to prove to Kuroko that he wasn't leaving like they class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Maybe missing his flight would have some class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"It was late evening by the time Taiga, Kuroko and his luggage stumbled back to his apartment. There wasn't another flight today and the travel funds wouldn't transfer from his Dad's account until tomorrow, if then, so he was stuck until he had the money to rebook. Taiga hadn't asked if Kuroko would follow him back and Kuroko hadn't offered./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga had called back home outside of the airport before they had left, holding stubbornly onto Kuroko without a care what anyone around them would think about it. Kuroko would have given him space; privacy, but neither of them really needed it. Kuroko lightened up a bit at hearing Taiga's Dad's laughter and then Alex's exclamations on the second call, to let them know not to come and pick him class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko hadn't called his own family to tell them not to expect back tonight, but that wasn't anything new and Taiga still never brought it up. Kuroko was a private person by nature and would bring it up when he wanted to and not before./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Luckily, Taiga's keys had still been in his back pocket with his phone and wallet out of habit. It was dark when he unlocked the door but the power would still be working until next week. The basic furniture was still here too, though everything else was boxed and ready to make the trip across the class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"He fumbles for the light switch, toeing his shoes off in the entrance way. Kuroko takes his time on his own; he's always going at his own pace and Taiga grew to like that but now, with his own heart racing, it just made him feel more class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'Do - do you want anything to eat?' Taiga asks out of routine alone. He has manners dammit, no matter what anyone said on the class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko looks up. '…do you even have anything in?' he enquires impassively but they both know the answer to that: no. No, he didn't. The food had been the first thing to go with what Taiga hadn't eaten being given to other eager class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga swallows and Kuroko returns to untying his trainers. He's basically pulling the laces out of each loop and Taiga - he isn't sure what to do. He doesn't remember the last time he felt this type of uncertainty around Kuroko./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'Have I - have I made things weird, with the stuff at the airport?' Taiga finally breaks enough to ask. He'd instigated where he would have waited a bit longer, but he hadn't wanted to leave things as they were, knowing that he had to prove himself and without the time to do it class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko stills and the silence is heavy. Taiga's stomach begins to knot when bright blue eyes address his own with a clarity all their own. 'That would depend, Kagami-kun,' he responds quietly, 'on your intentions.'span class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga feels his face grow hot. Kuroko could be so painfully straightforward that Taiga often times didn't know what to do with him. It wasn't a thing in America and it emcertainly /emwasn't a thing in Japan. Usually Taiga would try and reestablish some sense of class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Now - wasn't the class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'I…kinda hoped you'd be able to tell,' Taiga admits clumsily. Kuroko just blinks long and slow at him, waiting, it reminds him of a cat. 'Sorry, I thought we were on the same page. I er…really like you.'span class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Dai suki da yo." It sounds foreign on his tongue. Japanese, no matter how familiar to Taiga, would always be strange after he had spent so long in America. The intricacies of the language were sort of lost on him though he had been picking more things up since he had come to class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko blinks again, shoes off and stands. He seems small somehow, hesitant in ways Taiga hadn't truly experienced before, never mind directed emat /emhim./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Confessing was harder here, though. Different. With the thing he had with Kuroko, he sort of hoped he wouldn't have to but the more he thought of that, the more guilty he felt about it. So he takes he breath and steps forward, reaches forward for Kuroko's hand and tangles their fingers together in a way he hopes will they can never come class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko lets him tug them closer and Taiga is always careful with his reactions; Kuroko is the kind of person who would always let you know when he was unhappy about something, usually, but there was also something fragile about him, where the damage the Miracles' had done and gone and class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"In contrast, Kuroko's hand couldn't be more strong no matter how small. Calloused and class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga swallows. Kuroko had been so important for so long, even right at the beginning when he didn't realise where basketball was taking them. Unclogging his throat, he tries not to hesitate with Kuroko so class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'I love you,' Taiga manages to get out through the embarrassment and the raging heartbeat engaging in violence. He's not good at this type of thing but - what he had with Kuroko was worth it and if it allowed kuroko to believe that this wasn't the end, that Taiga was coming back, he'd force it out as many times as it took./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Ai shiteru yo," is heavier but no less true and the slight widening of Kuroko's eyes, the explosion of a heavy blush against the milk of his cheeks is worth it. It makes him look alive, more vibrant than he has in class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko swallows, grips Taiga's hand tightly. 'It's not nice to mess with people, Kagami-kun,' he states with a chiding tone he managed to make sound sincere no matter how mocking it was said with. Punk Kuroko class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'Oy -' Taiga goes to protest but Kuroko stepping forward silences class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'I love you,' Kuroko says in English with a thick class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I love you" is just as odd in a language Taiga knows. His ears are burning but he smiles as he leans down, hesitating just for a moment in a silent ask for permission that isn't refused before joining their lips in a slide that is easy, class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga would Kuroko forever, if he'd let him. Taiga just had to try and keep class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"With one raised eyebrow and a sarcastic: 'you said twelve hours, Kagami-kun,' it was almost easy to look past Kuroko's bloodshot eyes and flushed cheeks. Kuroko was always putting this strong front up./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga rolled his eyes though and tangled their fingers together. 'You complaining?' he demands as he pulls Kuroko onto the free seat next to him. Kuroko goes along without compliant and he is the warmth in Taiga's side he solely needs in the cool, with the airports air class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko blinks up innocently at Taiga as if to say "who me?" but otherwise stays silent. Kuroko is typically a guy of few words but he had been quiet since Taiga had gotten that phone call, quieter still today. It wouldn't be forever though, he just had to prove to Kuroko that he wasn't leaving like they class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Maybe missing his flight would have some class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"It was late evening by the time Taiga, Kuroko and his luggage stumbled back to his apartment. There wasn't another flight today and the travel funds wouldn't transfer from his Dad's account until tomorrow, if then, so he was stuck until he had the money to rebook. Taiga hadn't asked if Kuroko would follow him back and Kuroko hadn't offered./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga had called back home outside of the airport before they had left, holding stubbornly onto Kuroko without a care what anyone around them would think about it. Kuroko would have given him space; privacy, but neither of them really needed it. Kuroko lightened up a bit at hearing Taiga's Dad's laughter and then Alex's exclamations on the second call, to let them know not to come and pick him class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko hadn't called his own family to tell them not to expect back tonight, but that wasn't anything new and Taiga still never brought it up. Kuroko was a private person by nature and would bring it up when he wanted to and not before./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Luckily, Taiga's keys had still been in his back pocket with his phone and wallet out of habit. It was dark when he unlocked the door but the power would still be working until next week. The basic furniture was still here too, though everything else was boxed and ready to make the trip across the class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"He fumbles for the light switch, toeing his shoes off in the entrance way. Kuroko takes his time on his own; he's always going at his own pace and Taiga grew to like that but now, with his own heart racing, it just made him feel more class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'Do - do you want anything to eat?' Taiga asks out of routine alone. He has manners dammit, no matter what anyone said on the class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko looks up. '…do you even have anything in?' he enquires impassively but they both know the answer to that: no. No, he didn't. The food had been the first thing to go with what Taiga hadn't eaten being given to other eager class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga swallows and Kuroko returns to untying his trainers. He's basically pulling the laces out of each loop and Taiga - he isn't sure what to do. He doesn't remember the last time he felt this type of uncertainty around Kuroko./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'Have I - have I made things weird, with the stuff at the airport?' Taiga finally breaks enough to ask. He'd instigated where he would have waited a bit longer, but he hadn't wanted to leave things as they were, knowing that he had to prove himself and without the time to do it class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko stills and the silence is heavy. Taiga's stomach begins to knot when bright blue eyes address his own with a clarity all their own. 'That would depend, Kagami-kun,' he responds quietly, 'on your intentions.'span class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga feels his face grow hot. Kuroko could be so painfully straightforward that Taiga often times didn't know what to do with him. It wasn't a thing in America and it emcertainly /emwasn't a thing in Japan. Usually Taiga would try and reestablish some sense of class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Now - wasn't the class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'I…kinda hoped you'd be able to tell,' Taiga admits clumsily. Kuroko just blinks long and slow at him, waiting, it reminds him of a cat. 'Sorry, I thought we were on the same page. I er…really like you.'span class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Dai suki da yo." It sounds foreign on his tongue. Japanese, no matter how familiar to Taiga, would always be strange after he had spent so long in America. The intricacies of the language were sort of lost on him though he had been picking more things up since he had come to class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko blinks again, shoes off and stands. He seems small somehow, hesitant in ways Taiga hadn't truly experienced before, never mind directed emat /emhim./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Confessing was harder here, though. Different. With the thing he had with Kuroko, he sort of hoped he wouldn't have to but the more he thought of that, the more guilty he felt about it. So he takes he breath and steps forward, reaches forward for Kuroko's hand and tangles their fingers together in a way he hopes will they can never come class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko lets him tug them closer and Taiga is always careful with his reactions; Kuroko is the kind of person who would always let you know when he was unhappy about something, usually, but there was also something fragile about him, where the damage the Miracles' had done and gone and class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"In contrast, Kuroko's hand couldn't be more strong no matter how small. Calloused and class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga swallows. Kuroko had been so important for so long, even right at the beginning when he didn't realise where basketball was taking them. Unclogging his throat, he tries not to hesitate with Kuroko so class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'I love you,' Taiga manages to get out through the embarrassment and the raging heartbeat engaging in violence. He's not good at this type of thing but - what he had with Kuroko was worth it and if it allowed kuroko to believe that this wasn't the end, that Taiga was coming back, he'd force it out as many times as it took./span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""Ai shiteru yo," is heavier but no less true and the slight widening of Kuroko's eyes, the explosion of a heavy blush against the milk of his cheeks is worth it. It makes him look alive, more vibrant than he has in class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Kuroko swallows, grips Taiga's hand tightly. 'It's not nice to mess with people, Kagami-kun,' he states with a chiding tone he managed to make sound sincere no matter how mocking it was said with. Punk Kuroko class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'Oy -' Taiga goes to protest but Kuroko stepping forward silences class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"'I love you,' Kuroko says in English with a thick class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1""I love you" is just as odd in a language Taiga knows. His ears are burning but he smiles as he leans down, hesitating just for a moment in a silent ask for permission that isn't refused before joining their lips in a slide that is easy, class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p
p class="p2" /p
p class="p1"span class="s1"Taiga would Kuroko forever, if he'd let him. Taiga just had to try and keep class="Apple-converted-space" /span/span/p