disclaimer: i don't own any of the kurobas characters.
page four; boxed lunch and best friends
Kuroko didn't exactly like it when he walked down the hallways in the following week. He could feel the eyes of the students digging a hole in his back and hear his name every time he passes someone. He didn't like the attention because he knows exactly what they were talking about. This is why he didn't really like Teikou, he never did. He continues walking down the hallway that seemed to go on forever. When he enters his classroom, he is immediately surrounded by (mainly) his female classmates. They grab him by the arm and questions him with all their might. It takes them at least 5 minutes to realize that Kuroko is on the verge of fainting from all their questions and lets him take his seat before continuing to (politely, this time) question him.
"Nothing happened," Kuroko says, before any of his classmates could open their mouths.
"Nothing?"
Kuroko only nods as he brings out his textbooks, briefly glancing over at his classmate's disappointed face.
"Really, nothing?" Fukuda asks in a whisper.
Kuroko reconfirms that nothing had happened that night and wonders why would his classmates look so disappointed at the news of the safety of his chastity. Teikou Private High students are weird, Kuroko thinks.
Aomine had passed out after muttering a name Kuroko was not familiar with. It took Kuroko a good five minutes before he managed to push Aomine off him (wriggling away, would be the accurate term). Sighing, he got himself some water and wondered why would people fall for someone with the likes of Aomine. He had neither a face of a Greek god, nor a personality of a priest, he just couldn't understand why. He probably wouldn't even if you gave him a good 30 years to understand the perks of being Aomine Daiki.
It was a little late, but he finally realized what an extravagant room it was. It was most definitely larger than his own bedroom. He debated internally whether to stay for the night or to go home and finally decided to stay for the night after glancing over at the clock that read 3am because it wasn't like there was going to be anyone at home anyway.
In addition, he had forgotten to bring his house keys due to the Aomine's sudden touch-and-go visit.
As he was drinking the bottled water from the fridge, there was two knocks on the door. It was the third knock when Kuroko opened the door after recapping his bottle.
"You should always check before opening the door," said the person on the other side.
Kuroko stood there dumbfounded before lowering his head in response, "I'm sorry, I'll be careful in the future."
"I'm surprised you're not…. busy," Akashi said before glancing over Kuroko's shoulder, implying that he was almost sure Aomine would completely eaten Kuroko whole.
"He got drunk," Kuroko looked at the occupied bed without a change in expression. He glanced back at Akashi when he heard a slight snicker, "Would you like to come over to my room because it doesn't seem like you have space to sleep tonight. Or would you rather head home for the night?" Akashi's tone reminded Kuroko of a loving mother, something he hadn't felt in a long time. He only laughed a little in response, "It's alright. I wouldn't want to bother you (not to mention that he wasn't exactly friends with Akashi yet, they only spoke for the first time this evening. It would be rude to invade someone else's privacy)"
Akashi had accepted Kuroko's answer without much thought and excused himself for the night. Kuroko wondered what did Akashi drop by for. Before he had completely disappeared from Kuroko's sight, he took the chance to ask.
"Um, may I ask a question?"
Akashi raised an eyebrow, "I can't guarantee you an answer."
"Who is Kise?"
Akashi blinked once, twice and during the third blink he answered with another question, "Did Daiki say that?"
Kuroko nodded and Akashi's answer was somewhere along between a sigh and a smile. It didn't really answer Kuroko's curiosity but he let it go, it wasn't really his problem anyway.
He couldn't sleep that night. Maybe due to all the things that happened in a day, or maybe due to a different bed (couch, to be exact), or maybe something else. Dawn came and Kuroko had left the hotel without another word. He didn't want to be involved with any of the Royalties, or so his gut feeling told him.
It is the first time that people actually paid attention to Kuroko. It isn't like he didn't like it. He had grown up in such an elite environment that he was a tad bit too ordinary for anyone to pay attention to. He had always unconsciously shunned himself away from society, especially from those parties he was forced to smile to random strangers and I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, it's a pleasure to meet you greetings. Kuroko isn't an attention-hungry boy. He was fine with it, really, by just being ordinary.
It didn't take him long to slip past the crowd that had gathered at the doors of his classroom, hoping to get some juicy gossip from Kuroko. Even if Kuroko said nothing had happened, everyone had refused to believe him because Aomine Daiki is apparently an insatiable sex beast and there is no way you can resist the charms of Aomine Daiki-sama, says the girls who had grabbed his arms so hard that Kuroko is almost sure there will be bruises visible once the moon decides to claim the skies.
Kuroko proceeds to skip classes for the day, he is tired of being chased. And also that the lessons conducted in Teikou are surprisingly easy to understand. He flops down against the marble tiles (why would Teikou put marble floors on a school rooftop, Kuroko did not understand) and watches the clouds float. He had observed them for so long that he starts to see images, such as the one on the left looks a little like his best friend, the one on the right looks completely like his pet dog he used to care for last year and the one further back looks like Aom-
Kuroko shoots straight up from his position.
He is completely sick of the word Aomine Daiki, and he didn't need the clouds to remind him about that.
"Playing hooky?"
He isn't surprised when he sees Akashi by the door, a book in his left and a lunch box in his right.
"Lunch box?" He had expected the elite of all elites, the head of the Royalties to eat in a special VIP room served with the best dishes around the world. But this has probably proved that Kuroko's imagination has gone a little too wild.
"Satsuki made them, I couldn't refuse," Akashi holds up the wrapped lunch box and Kuroko could somehow sense that the lunch box isn't exactly filled with the best dishes in the world because he could see some kind of sauce spilled over on the bottom of the red cloth and probably (but most likely) some wasabi stains. "Do you want it?" Akashi asks gently, a smile plastered over his face.
Kuroko wonders why he finds Akashi's presence so comforting.
"Isn't that your lunch?"
"I can last a day without lunch."
Akashi walks over next to Kuroko and seats himself.
"You're the first to talk to me so comfortably like this."
"Is it really that rare to find someone like me?"
Akashi lets out an airy chuckle, Kuroko is a little taken aback by Akashi's laugher. He had the impression that the leaders of the Royalty is more of a strict, composed noble and less of a commoner's laugh. Kuroko had always watched the nobles and elites laugh with a certain kind of awkward posture, but none so comfortable like Akashi's. He snaps out of it when Akashi catches him staring.
"Actually, yes."
Akashi's honest answer comes as a surprise, in which Kuroko laughs back.
"The last I've spoken with someone so comfortably was last month," Kuroko says. It comes more like a statement than a friendly exchange of getting-to-know-each-other-more.
The head of the Royalties props an elbow on his folded knees to support his chin. He smiles, the edges of his eyes crinkling into crescent shape and points out, "It's the first time I've seen you smile." Kuroko blushes, much to Akashi's surprise. It is past lunch, but Akashi continues his talk with Kuroko. It's the kind of talk he hasn't had in a while, the kind where he doesn't need to care about the other party's response and just the kind of talk where he can speak his mind.
They decide to try out Satsuki's lunch, much to Akashi's dismay.
Akashi prompts Kuroko for the first bite. Before he takes the second bite, Kuroko mutters, "I think I make better egg rolls."
"You can make egg rolls?"
The elite boy manages to talk Kuroko into making him lunch boxes, filled with the dishes only commoners would have because he's never tried them in his entire life. Akashi stands up after a few conversations over basketball and being a good student (they deliberately avoid the topics of the Royalties), brushes off imaginary dust from his pants and Kuroko stands up in response.
"I should get going."
Kuroko merely nods and hands the unfinished lunch box back to him, but this time, wrapped in a much neater way as compared to how Momoi had done it for Akashi. "Thanks for the company, I'll look forward to tomorrow." Akashi leans in and gives him a peck on the cheek before leaving the rooftop gracefully. Kuroko can only stand in shock, softly caressing the spot Akashi had kissed just seconds ago.
Kuroko had never been kissed by a boy before. There were a few occasions like Valentines' Day when a girl had confessed to him. She took him by the arm and forcefully kissed him. There was also the other time during a social party arranged by his parents when some lady with social status had kissed him as a greeting. There were a few other occasions, but never once a boy. Akashi had barely got to know Kuroko, but then again, those girls had barely gotten to know Kuroko too.
He looks up, finally deciding to head back to the classroom until he comes into eye contact with a certain someone he didn't exactly want to see today.
"Yo," he greets with a knowing smirk.
This person is exactly the reason why Kuroko couldn't have a peace of mind in school the entire day and also the reason why Kuroko had skipped classes for the first time in his entire life. Nevertheless, Kuroko never forgets his manners. "Good afternoon to you," he greets with a slight bow. He didn't hate Aomine Daiki, to be completely honest. He just found him, hard to deal with. He was pushy, selfish yet that somehow reminded him of his best friend.
"Tonight, at the bar down the street. How about it?" Aomine slings an arm around Kuroko's shoulders (why are the Royalties getting all so comfortably with him) "I heard you took care of me during the party last week." Kuroko takes back the thought that Aomine reminds him of his best friend.
Kuroko sighs and looks up, "I shall politely decline your offer and you're very welcome."
Aomine grins and laughs, "I like you, you're cool! You must have been very disappointed that night, I suppose?"
"As a matter of fact, I wasn't. Now if you may, I'd like to head back to class."
"Come on, don't be such a tight wad! I'll make it up to you."
Kuroko didn't exactly like where this is going, but he smiles and says once more, "I shall politely decline your offer once again."
"Lets forget about the bar," Aomine had clearly decide to completely ignore Kuroko's polite protests, "How about a date? Let's go on a date tomorrow! Okay! That's decided! I'll see you at the station behind the school at 10 in the morning tomorrow!"
Aomine rushes off without listening to Kuroko's unheard protests.
"But tomorrow's a Tuesday…"
Author's Note: So I am back after playing MIA for a month, haha. I did enjoy my fair share of procrastination, with the google docs document of this chapter on tab the entire time. Regarding the poll, I was surprised to find the choices for Akashi much more overwhelming as compared to Aomine's choice. I may or may not change the ending, I have yet to decide. However, I would also like to focus on the other members of the Royalties, it would be unfair if I were just to focus on Kuroko's almost (actually completely) shoujo manga love life HAHA. Now here's a question from me, is there anything in particular you'd like to see from this fic? I'm currently at a writer's block, I have got the main points in this story done, but I just can't seem to find how to develop the characters. Nevertheless, thanks for reading and don't forget to review!