Chapter 7

Thank you for following this fic even though I seemed to have given up on it. It has been a really busy year and seriously speaking, I have not been able to keep up with the manga even. However, all those PM from Hanacchi and Ajilika11, as well as all those who reviewed encouraged me to continue writing. I really appreciate your comments!

Here's Chapter 7 for you. I hope it doesn't disappoint.

Disclaimer: Fujimaki Tadatoshi owns Kuroko no Basket


"All right! That's it for today!"

Groans of relief and exhaustion followed Akashi's dismissal.

"Uwa! Akashicchi's trainings are getting crazier!" Kise whined as he plopped his bottom on the bench beside Momoi. Not getting the expected pacifying from Momoi, he turned and looked at her, to find her gaze directed at Aomine. "Momoicchi?"

"Ah! Ryota-kun! You've worked hard! Your skills are getting better much faster than I expected!" Momoi replied with a usual zest.

Deciding that Momoi's abnormality was just her in a daze, Kise continued to ramble about the trainings and the new skills he acquired. However, Momoi's mind had drifted somewhere else right after her reply.

With heavy steps, he walked towards the door. His breath caught in his throat as he finally got to the door separating himself and the person who had been on his mind the past few weeks. His fist hung hesitantly before the door as he ran through what he wanted to say once more. Taking a deep breath, he knocked.

"Come in," came that familiar, soft, calm voice, as he gently pushed the door open.

"Hey, Tetsu."

"Aomine-kun," he gasped, his eyes wide like saucers. "Er, training's over?"

"Yea..."

There was an awkward silence.

Does he know? Did Akashi tell him anything? B-but I'm not ready to have that conversation with him...

"Are you alright? Akashi said you came down with dengue..."

At that, Kuroko gave a little pause as his heart erratic heartbeat slowed down and the weight upon his shoulders was miraculously lifted.

"Ah, yes. I'm much better thank doctor's just keeping me here for observation. It was thanks to Kise-kun and you."

Yet another awkward pause fell between them before Aomine sighed deeply. Knowing that Aomine only did that when he was about to say something that he'd given a lot of thought and found hard to convey, Kuroko tensed up.

"You know, Tetsu. Do you remember that conversation we had about you observing people? And what you told me after that?"

Kuroko raised an eyebrow as he looked up to meet Aomine's gaze.

"You told me that I look away when I lie..." Aomine explained as he took a step towards the bed, "Well, since then, I started observing you as well and you know what, Tetsu? When you lie, you seem normal but you probably didn't know that your breath would catch for a moment."

Kuroko felt his cheeks flush as he swallowed, trying to calm his pounding heart. Nervously entwining his fingers, he directed his gaze at his blanket as his mind scattered in various directions, considering how this conversation would continue.

"But like you said, just because I know you're lying doesn't mean you have to tell me about it. As much as I would like to know what's going on, I'm going to wait for you to be ready. Whenever you feel like talking, I'm here."

Tears pooled as Kuroko's very own words were directed back at him.

Aomine-kun... I can't. I'm sorry but I can't... You're the last person I'd want to know about it. I don't want you to feel pity for me...

He heard Aomine shift before a big, warm hand rested against his cheeks, fingers wiping away his tears.

"Don't cry... I can tell that this is something difficult for you to talk about and I don't blame you. All I ask for is that you to try and tell someone. I can see that it's eating you away from within but you don't have to face this alone. Remember that no matter what happens, you'll always be my best partner, my best teammate, friend and... the one who holds my heart..."

At that, Kuroko lost it. The dam which held the bulk of his tears and guilt was opened, causing him to sob uncontrollably until the exhaustion pulled him into a deep sleep. Aomine sighed deeply as he gently wiped Kuroko's tears away and ran his fingers through his soft hair.

"Why won't you rely on me?" Aomine whispered as he held the hand that seemed so small.

xxx

With a shaking hand hovering over the sliding doors, Kuroko hesitated. Two weeks was a long time to be away from practices especially with the competitions coming up. However, that was not what worried him. How his teammates would look at him and treat him was the reason for the nagging unease in him.

Taking in a deep breath, he entered the training hall. Not unexpectedly, no one noticed him. Afterall, he didn't have a great presence. Moreover, everyone was highly engrossed in their own training that they hardly had the time to look around. Or so he thought until a deep voice called out, "Tetsu! You're back already? Are you sure you're fit enough to train?"

Kuroko groaned inwardly as everyone's attention instantly flew to him.

"Kurokocchi!" yelled Kise before a great mass landed on him, "You have been missed!" Kise stood there ruffling his hair while the rest of the team flooded him with incessant questions.

"Stop crowding him!" Momoi snapped as she smacked each of their heads. Kuroko looked at her gratefully with a half-smile. That smile disappeared immediately upon noticing a certain red-haired captain who flashed him a look.

"The rest of you get back to your training. Kuroko, come with me for a moment," Akashi instructed sternly before swiftly turning towards the benches in a secluded corner.

"Have my words fallen on deaf ears."

"No, Akashi-kun. After talking to my doctor, it has been decided that I won't be having the operation but will be undergoing a series of radiotherapy treatment. The doctor has conceded to my request to put off the operation and said that the therapy should be able to hold out for now."

Akashi glared at him, seemingly having an internal debate and concealing his fury at having been disobeyed. After a few moments, he seemed to have composed himself and said curtly, "Fine, but this doesn't mean you'll still be taking part in the competition," Kuroko's eyes widened at that and prepared to retaliate, "I will monitor your progress and will decide if you are fit to compete or not, nearer to the date, and that is final."

With that, Akashi dictated that the conversation was over.

Kuroko then proceeded to start on his rounds to warm up, before beginning his stamina training. As he slowed down upon finishing his stipulated number of rounds, he caught some whisperings from those at the bench taking a break.

"In a club with hundreds of members, we don't need someone so weak..."

"I don't see what's so great about him. I don't know why the captain thinks so highly of him."

"Yeah! We are easily ten times better than him!"

Though no names were mentioned, Kuroko knew that the disgruntlement among the second years was directed at him. However, he wasn't going to let it get to him. He would show them his determination and make them eat their words. Silently, he turned the other way.

An hour into his training, Kuroko was covered in perspiration and started to feel the stress on his muscles. He was panting hard while doing his sprints and his limbs started shaking but he would not stop. Not after what he had heard. Alas, his left leg gave way as he was executing a sharp turn and he crashed onto the ground with a loud thud. Several people paused in their tracks, shocked, while some rushed towards him in concern.

"Tetsu! Are you alright?" Aomine's voice was laced with worry.

"Kurokocchi" Kise shouted as he approached to help him up. However, Aomine budged between them and lifted Kuroko up and placed him in a nearby chair despite his protests.

"I'm fine! Stop treating me like a frail stalk of flower!" Kuroko said angrily, mainly annoyed with himself for not being able to keep up with the training.

Frustrated at not being able to help and at Kuroko's lack of concern for his own well-being, Aomine growled back, "No you're not! You're pushing yourself too hard when your body is still obviously recovering. Stop trying to overdo things! What are you trying to prove?"

Kuroko's gaze snapped up to meet his. "What am I trying to prove?" He of all people should be able to understand the need to exhibit strength and ability. How could Aomine be asking him this? His embarrassment and anger overwhelmed him as he added, "Who says I'm trying to prove something? Even if I was, what business is it of yours!"

Aomine froze.

Kuroko realised the seriousness of what he had just said and the hurt it had caused Aomine. He began to apologise but Aomine stepped back just then and walked away without a word.

The rest of the training took place awkwardly and the tension in the training hall was intense. Hardly anyone said anything, with the exception of Momoi and Akashi's commands, and the silence was nerve-wrecking.

The moment the debrief for that day's training was over, Aomine left before anyone noticed.

xxx

Bam! Thud, thud, swoosh!

The sun had long set and the only light that illuminated a quiet street basketball court was from the old, flickering streetlight. Aomine vent his frustrations by wrecking the hoop with his dunks one after another. However, Kuroko's words still bugged him. He knew Kuroko wanted to pick up where he had left off, proving himself useful but Aomine couldn't help but feel that last statement was a sign of Kuroko's rejection. From the time he had confessed his feelings, Kuroko had not outrightly accepted him or responded that he felt the same. He was growing increasingly uneasy about the lack of response to his declaration. Sure, he could tell Kuroko still treated him as someone important and close but that could just be his feelings towards a friend or a partner on the courts.

"Argh! How can I be thinking about this when Kuroko is obviously suffering from something? I'm such an asshole!" With that, Aomine made up his mind to walk away from all of it.

Meanwhile, Kuroko was having yet another intense conversation. This time, with Momoi.

"Tetsu-kun."

"Momoi-san..."

Momoi sighed. She didn't really know how to start this conversation. Taking a few moments, she decided to start by addressing what happened earlier.

"Tetsu-kun, don't be angry with Daiki... You know he's just worried about you. Not just him, all of us are."

Kuroko kept silent for a beat or two, not liking where this conversation was going.

"Yes, I know and I really appreciate it."

Momoi's eyes met his and they seemed to look straight into his soul.

"You never did answer my question at the resort. You're suffering from something aren't you? My job is to observe all the team members. You can't lie to me..."

Kuroko swayed a little as the blood drained away from his head. He gulped several times before he stammered, "What?"

"Don't bother trying to deny it. I know Akashi knows something but he isn't letting it on. It would be easier trying to get it out of you than trying to get Akashi to say something about it."

"...but I don't want the others to treat me differently..."

"Do I look like a blabbermouth to you?" Momoi demanded, hands akimbo. "Of course, I'm not going to be telling everyone else! I just need to know so I can help you! To plan a training menu for you such that you will progress without taking a toll on your body. Kuroko," she said as took his hands in hers, looking at him seriously, "let me help you. And I can't help you if I don't know what's going on..."

Kuroko looked down, his mind racing.

Just when Momoi thought that she hadn't been able to convince him, she heard Kuroko say in a voice so soft she wasn't sure she heard him correctly.

"Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia? As in like leukemia? Oh my god..."

"But I'm undergoing treatment now, so I'm not going to off and die. I know what you're thinking, Momoi-san."

"What? No... I mean, yeah that's good to hear but... are you sure you want to do this? It could make things worse, Tetsu-kun..."

"I don't want my life to change just because of my illness! I'm not useless I'm still young and alive and I won't allow this illness to take away my dreams!"

Momoi sighed. " Alright... I'll try my very best to help you, but you have to promise to let me know if anything changes or if you don't think you can keep up with the training regime."

"Okay, but don't tell anyone else about it alright? I trust that you will keep this a secret between the two of us."

"Not even Daiki?"

"Most of all not him... I don't want him to worry. Not when he's improving by leaps and bounds. I don't want to be the one to hold him back..."

Momoi gave him a sad look as she wrapped her arms around him in a quiet embrace.


A/N: I typed this in a hurry so there might be lots of mistakes. I hope it isn't too disappointing.

Reviews will be appreciated!

P/S: I updated this after making some amendments to fit the rest of the storyline.