A/N: Hello, I know I said this before but I am sorry for the way too long wait! To be honest, I haven't touched this in weeks, but finally felt like writing it, and knew that I really needed to hurry up and do something with it. So I put in some work yesterday and an hour or two tonight/it's technically now morning for me and finished off this chapter and made a start on the next one. I'm really having fun with what I've started for the next chapter now, but I feel like this one ends in a way that doesn't really let me just continue on in the same chapter, so until I get the entirety of next chapter finished I can't publish what I've started for it. But oh well, you will get it in time. As I say in I think every A/N I have ever written: Enjoy!
Kuroko's POV:
"So… where does everyone want to go first?" I ask the five men around me, only regretting it after the words have left my mouth. Noise erupts from all around.
"I was the one who invited Tetsu out in the first place! And I asked him to come shopping for basketball shoes so that's where we're going!"
"Being first does not allow you the right to choose. You will all be in danger if we do not have our lucky items for tomorrow, we should buy them now."
"We don't care about your stupid lucky items Midorimachi! I don't mind where we go though, as long as I get to sit with Kurokochi!"
"Why is everyone so noisy? We should just hurry up and go to the convenience store! We can all get popsicles and I can get more sweets! I've run out and I'm hungry."
"If the rest of you would stop arguing, I'd like to get through all your crap already so that I can take Tetsuya to the dinner reservations I made." I can barely keep track of who is saying what. At times like this, when the whole team is arguing around me; I wish I could disappear for real.
"What? Akashichi made dinner reservations with Kurokochi? That's not fair!" Kise yells out in shock, and admittedly; I'm surprised too. I didn't know that Akashi kun was planning on taking me out to dinner at all. I'm kind of scared of it; being alone with him.
"I hate to agree with the idiot but he's going a point. No way am I letting you spend time alone with Tetsu!" Aomine yells, following suite from Kise. While I don't appreciated all the arguing going on around me, I'm kind of glad that Aomine kun is trying to stop Akashi kun from being alone with me. Usually I would spend time with him with just the two of us without a thought, it would just be a normal thing, but right now I can barely even look him in the eye. I'm too confused to do anything more, so I really am happy that Aomine kun is trying to protect me.
"We'll see about that, Daiki." There he goes again, with his ominous tone; whenever Akashi kun talks like that, you know there's some other meaning behind his words.
"What was that Akashi?!"
"Just calm down Aominechi! Akashichi is just playing around, right?"
"If that's what you want to believe, Ryouta. Anyway, we should be going now. Daiki invited Tetsuya out first, so we shall go to the shoe shop. Then, we can just follow the order you all got invited; does that please you all?" Everyone takes a moment to think about Akashi-kun's suggestion, and eventually all agree to it. Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun walk in front of the group, discussing something I can't hear. Next to me are Aomine-kun and Kise-kun, and Murasakibara-kun trails behind, reaching over my shoulder offering me sweets every now and then. As we walk, the tense atmosphere seems to lighten, and the people around me talk freely of trivial matters; who scored the most points in the last game, how Kise's modelling is going. I find myself slipping into our usual routine so easily. Laughing with Aomine, laughing at Kise, hearing Akashi and Midorima chat between each other, and sharing sweets with Murasakibara. These are my friends, and even if they argue, or make me feel uncomfortable sometimes, I really do like them.
"It looks like we've arrived. Daiki, be quick."
"Yeah, yeah. Come on Tetsu, everyone else I guess." We all walk inside the shop and have a look around. I don't need new shoes at the moment, but it's cool to see all the designs- blue ones, red ones, there's a colour for everyone actually. When I think about it, we really are a colourful bunch. I guess Aomine kun and I are the most similar in that regard, with both of us having blue hair. But when I think about it, we're a lot more similar than just that. I feel like the only person who can truly rival my love for basketball is Aomine kun, and I'd hope that the opposite is true as well. I really like everyone in the generation of miracles, but Aomine kun is the only one who I call my best friend, and he was the first one who reached out to me, just some loser in the third string. I still remember the first time I met him, when he decided he'd practice with me, even though at the time his basketball skills probably could have quadrupled mine, maybe even more. Ever since then we just seemed to click, and now I can't imagine us not being friends. Maybe I'm getting a little too sentimental over this, it probably is weird to get so nostalgic in the middle of a sports shoe shop. But who cares, as long as I'm waiting for Aomine I might as well be doing something.
Aomine's POV:
I walk away from the group to the spot where I know what I'm looking for will be. After all, I just bought a new pair of these last week. When I notice that Tetsu has gone off by himself, while everyone else waits near the front of the store, I hesitate for a second, wondering if I should go over. After everything that happened this afternoon, I feel like it'd be so awkward to walk over and start talking to him like normal. Just before was ok, we were all in a group, so he wasn't just focusing on me. I could be my usual totally overconfident self and not worry about him judging me for it. But now he's standing in the middle of the store all alone, looking so undeniably innocent. Ok, seriously; I may get nervous around Tetsu, but he's the person I like; that's what's meant to happen. It's not weird. And I'm a confident guy; why am I doubting myself? We're best friends, of course I can talk to him! Ok Aomine, you don't need to do anything big, just talk to him normally. My heart starts to beat faster as I walk up to him but I ignore it as best I can.
Kuroko's POV:
"What do you think of these Tetsu?" Aomine comes walking up to me with a smile on his face, holding a pair of basketball shoes with dark and light blue on them. How predictable.
"They look nice, the colour suites you." I smile as I talk, looking up at my best friend. I think it makes him a bit embarrassed though; he looks away from me but I can see the redness spread through his face.
"Thanks, I'll buy them then." He says in reply, meekly at first. But the more he talks the more his usual confidence returns.
"Maybe I should buy you a pair too Tetsu! To thank you for coming with me." His smile is all over his face now, but I decline the offer. I won't ask him to buy me something I don't even need.
"That's too bad. Oh well, I'll just have to be extra fun to be with this afternoon to pay you back!" With that, he goes to the counter to pay.
Aomine's POV:
I walk to the counter to pay for my shoes with a smile on my face, running through our conversation. It wasn't anything special; about half a year or so ago, before I realised how in love with Tetsu I am it wouldn't have even remembered what I'd said five minutes later. But now every word the both of us said is ingrained in my mind, I can imagine the tone he spoke in, bring up images of how his face moved as he talked. I start to think that I might be going just a little bit insane, or maybe a lot. We literally spoke about 6 sentences between us, but I'm still excited over it. Excited by the fact that I was able to get through those 6 sentences without stuttering, blushing or sounding like an idiot. I really shouldn't be proud of myself over this but I really am. I'm not up to the stage of confessing yet, but I can talk to him normally and be a good friend to him. For now, that's good enough; but I know that's not going to be the same for long. I have to confess some time, maybe not right now, but I know I'm going to get it done.
Kuroko's POV:
While I'm waiting I see the rest of the team hanging around near the door. Akashi kun is talking to them. A sudden surge of nervousness hits me, as I remember our kiss this afternoon. But it'll be okay, he wouldn't do anything while everyone else is here. I take a deep breath and walk over.
"Hey, Aomine kun is almost done here, so we can all leave soon. Where are we going next?" I ask the whole group but surprisingly, it's Midorima who answers me.
"Like Akashi said before, we should be going in order, so we should buy my lucky items next." He takes a pause before continuing, looking embarrassed for whatever reason. "Just so you know, I'm only saying this so that we have at least some order. I don't really want to hang out with Kuroko all that much." Midorima kun is as rude as ever when he replies, some people call him a tsundere, but whenever he's around me at least he's just rude all the time. I know we're not the best of friends like Aomine kun and I, but I do want to try and change that. We're on the same team after all, and Midorima kun has his good points. But whenever he speaks it's always just: "Why would I like Kuroko?" or, "I'm not doing this for you, I'm doing it because I'll get something out of it." But I guess that can't be helped, whether I like it or not; that's who Midorima kun is.
Midorima's POV:
Damn it. Goddamn it! I did it again! Why couldn't I have just stopped my stupid mouth after I suggested going to buy Lucky Items? Why did I have to keep going, saying that I didn't want to be around Kuroko. I keep asking myself these questions, but I already know the answers. I was embarrassed. I was afraid. Afraid that someone would figure out my feelings if I was nice to Kuroko. As if that would actually happen, being nice to someone doesn't mean you love them, it would just make you a decent person; which I apparently am not. So much for not being rude to him this afternoon, and I can definitely give up on confessing to him. Now that everyone is coming I won't even get a chance to be alone with him. Great job me, great job.
Kuroko's POV:
"Ok then, Lucky Item shopping it is then." I try to keep a smile, in hopes that Midorima kun will give me one in return. He doesn't.
"Yo, if you guys are ready we can keep going." Aomine hollers to us as he joins the group, holding his bag of new shoes out like a prize.
"Let's get going then. We need to hurry if we're going to be on time for my plans. Tetsuya, would you like to walk to wherever Shintarou needs to go with me?" The words come alongside a sense of fear. I turn to face Akashi kun, nervous in my movements.
"How about we all walk together?" I thought I would be able to talk to him normally when I walked up to the group before. But it's so much harder when he's talking directly to me, images of before won't stop themselves from piercing my thoughts. I hope that Akashi kun will accept my idea, I don't want to be, I wish I wasn't, but I am still afraid to walk alone with him.
"Fine, if that's what Tetsuya wants. Let's go." I breath a sigh of relief, and start to walk with everyone. The first shop we visit is a mask shop. I would speak up to question the absurdity, but by this point I don't even need to. I know all about Midorima kun's far from normal tendencies. He walks into the store alone, and when he comes back, he is holding a robot mask.
"Kuroko, this is for you." He thrusts the mask towards me without even looking me in the eyes. As if the look of my face was too disgusting for him. I take it from him and observe its intricacies; a silver robot face with cute little eyes. I like it.
"Thank you Midorima kun, it's cute! I'll try and remember to wear it tomorrow." I say to him with genuine happiness. But what I get back isn't a 'your welcome', or 'it's okay'. Instead, he starts to scream at me.
"No, that isn't good enough! Tomorrow Aquarius is in second last place, if you don't have your lucky item on you you're in danger! You could die tomorrow! I don't care about it, but you should be doing everything you can to stop that." I stand in shock in the aftermath of Midorima kun's outburst, I see him yelling all the time but I didn't expect him to do it now.
"Mido chin why are you yelling at Kuro chin? You don't need to be so mean to him all the time!" Murasakibara kun questions him, an angry look on his face. One I've only seen a handful of times before. I'm not the best at reading people's emotions, but even I can tell how angry this makes Midorima kun. It's as if I can see the thoughts stop in his brain, as annoyance at Murasakibara kun takes him over.
"Is it so bad for me to worry about Kuroko?! Why should I let you, the guy who doesn't even care about the sport he plays lecture me about anything? I'm the one who's looking out for Kuroko, making sure he's safe! You should be thanking me, not berating me! And anyway, could you just watch as someone you cared about so much, someone you loved was in danger?! Could you, Murasaki-" He stops suddenly, halfway through a word.
Midorima's POV:
I stop myself halfway through yelling Murasakibara's name as I finally realise what I am doing. What I am screaming. Oh my god. What have I done. What did I just say. I called Kuroko someone I cared about, no, that's not right. I said; 'someone you cared about so much, someone you loved.' Oh god. I really said that. I stare down at the ground, but I can still feel everyone's eyes on me.
"Midorimachi, are you okay? What was that?" I hear Kise's voice but I block it out.
"I didn't quite hear you before Shintarou, would you mind repeating yourself? You were saying something about Tetsuya and 'love'?" I hear Akashi's voice as well, but I don't pay it any attention either. I don't know what to do with myself, I simply don't. I can't just play this off. I just confessed to Kuroko. I didn't even mean to, I wasn't going to.
"Midorima kun, you love me?" There it is, the one voice I can't ignore. I look up in what I can only imagine is a pathetic display of mortification. Words fails me. I can't just act like my usual self and say something like; "I was just making fun of you, of course I would never like someone like you." No one would believe that. I take a pause and think about how I can explain my way out of this, somehow save myself from further embarrassment and obvious rejection from Kuroko. But as soon as I open my mouth to speak it's as if my brain deserts me, and is taken over by my heart. Goddamn heart.
"S,S,So what if I do? Have you got a problem with that?!"
Kuroko's POV:
"S,S,So what if I do? Have you got a problem with that?!"
You'd think after everything with Akashi kun yesterday, as well as Kise and Murasakibara telling me the same thing; even if I didn't think they were being serious, I would be more prepared when someone told me they loved me. But that doesn't seem to be the case. I am at a loss for words. Only silence fills the air around me. Midorima kun barely able of speaking, and everyone else including myself completely unable of the feat. Midorima kun said he loved me. He wasn't making fun of me, or being rude like normal, I'm sure. Why would he say that though? He always says how much he hates me, that Cancer and Aquarius don't get along. So, why?
"W-what?" This is all I am capable of saying, with a dumbfounded look on my face. My reaction only makes Midorima kuns face grow redder, and his voice raise.
"I said I love you! Ok! You've all heard me say it already and I know none of you will ever shut up about it so I might as well just say it and get it all over and done with finally. I love you Kuroko, but I know you'd just reject me anyway so there's really no point in me even saying this is there?" This side of Midorima is so foreign to me. One that is yelling his innermost feelings for anyone around to hear, speaking of love. I'm glad he's not being rude like he always is, but at least I know how to react to him when he is like that. Right now I have no clue how I'm supposed to do so.
"I,I. I don't know what to say." I stutter, trying and failing to find the right words. Midorima kun turns away again, looking like he's ready to leave all of us and run home.
"Don't even bother saying anything, we're not even good friends. I know that you'd never say yes to me. I'm just being an annoyance here, I'm going home. Sorry for yelling at you Murasakibara." He starts to walk away from the group with hunched shoulders, pushing away Kise's hand when he tries to give it in comfort. I can't just let him leave like this. I run after him.
"Wait, Midorima kun!" I call out to an unresponsive back, disappearing from in front of me. When I call out his name he starts to run, seemingly intent on not letting me catch up. But I don't give up. I run my hardest behind him, and notice that everyone else follows me. When I finally catch up I wrench my arm up to his and grab hold, stopping him from running any further. When he turns around to face me, I see tears in his eyes.
"Midorima kun, you're crying?" I ask him as he struggles against my grip.
"Of course I'm not crying, you idiot. I just got something in my eye while I was running. Now let me go!" He yells at me but I know he's not telling the truth. And as long as he's not being truthful, I won't let go.
"I'm not letting go Midorima kun. I can't just let you run off home. Please, can we at least talk about this? My day today has been the furthest from normal you could possibly get, and I'm more confused than I've ever been in my life. But I want to sort everything out! I want to learn my own feelings!" For the first time today I actually say what I have been feeling out loud. I really don't know half of what has happened today. I want to sort things out with Midorima kun. I want to know why Akashi kun did what he did to me this afternoon. I want to know why Aomine kun was so upset before and I want to know if the words of confession I assumed were simple jokes from Kise and Murasakibara were actually the truth. And most of all, I need to know how I feel about all this. When I look up at Midorima, pleading for answers, it looks like he's about to speak, but before he can Aomine kun is suddenly interjecting into the conversation, having caught up to Midorima kun and I along with the group.
"What do you think you two are doing leaving the rest of us in the dirt? And Midorima, what the hell are you doing? Trying to get ahead of me, huh?! I may not have said it yet but I still love Tetsu too! And I was the first one who met him! How dare you try and beat me."
"Trying to get ahead of you? I've been telling Kurokochi I've loved him for ages now! Ever since I saw him play basketball properly for the first time! It doesn't matter if you met him first, you never did anything about it so you lose! Shouldn't I be the one complaining about this?!"
"Kise chin, Mine chin you're both wrong! Kuro chin belongs to me! I won't let you steal him from me Mido chin! I said I loved him this afternoon, we were even going to play the pocky game, I bet you haven't stupid Mido chin!"
"If any of you think you have a chance with my Tetsuya you are poorly mistaken. I have already claimed him as my own earlier this afternoon, if you want proof just look at the bite on his lip."
I count them up, Midorima kun-1. Aomine kun-2. Kise kun-3. Murasakibara kun-4. And Akashi kun-5. 5 confessions. 5 confessions from my 5 teammates, my friends. This is too much, far too much for me; the last thing I think of before I can feel a sweet lull of darkness take me. I can't help it, I can't stop myself. I faint.
