Series: Kuroko no Basket
Genre: Romance, Drama
Rating: PG-13/ T
Pairing: AominexKuroko, hint of KisexKuroko
All original characters belongs to Fujimaki Tadatoshi.
Contain some OCCness.
He opened his eyes and sneezed almost instantly.
Kuroko got up with his hands and sat on the bed which looked like no one had just slept on it. He wasn't able to cover himself with a blanket last night so he was probably coming down with a light flu. He tried to sniff but his nose was clogged. Great...
The boy looked at clock on his nightstand. It was 7 a.m.
He made up his mind and decided to lie back down on the bed this time pulling out the quilt and covering his body. They're still on their winter breaks anyway.
Aomine couldn't sleep at all. When he does, dreams invade his head and wake him up.
He lied on his bed, his mind shifting between reality and unconsciousness. Minutes passed by, until it became hours. At 1 or 2 a.m. the light downstairs were turned off and his mother went to her room. But Aomine was almost sure that she won't get much sleep either.
Tic, tac...
The clock pisses him off. Everything seems off to him now, the window, the curtains, even his basketball at the corner.
Daiki hid his face under the quilt and waited for morning to come, when everything would end, even though it won't be possible. It was naive thinking that tomorrow everything will be at peace. But he had no other choice but to do so.
Only when did the sun started to rise on the horizon that he somehow calmed down and went to a shallow sleep.
Unfortunately his little sisters woke him up, jumped on his bed and pestered him to play.
Although he didn't mind it. He couldn't sleep properly anyway.
Daiki got up still in his pyjamas and the girls dragged him downstairs to the living room where their console and TV were turned on.
He took the pad and let himself get distracted for a few hours.
Kuroko decided to finally get up at around 12 pm. He was usually a morning person so it was a surprise that he had woke up this late.
Tetsuya walked to the bathroom first, washed his face and brushed his teeth, before he changed clothes. He went to the kitchen where he turned on the electric kettle.
He still had some time before training with Aomine.
The bluenet made breakfast and tea for his self. After that he decided to do some house chores. He did laundry, washed the dishes, cleared the furniture from dust, then vacuumed the floor and wiped it.
When he was done, he opened almost every window in the house to let the fresh air in. He leaned on one of the windowsill.
The wind softly blew the fringe of his hair from his forehead, cooling him a little. It was a nice feeling, and even though he felt cold in his short sleeved t-shirt he didn't want to move from there just yet.
Tetsuya turned around and looked at the empty living room. How long had he been here anyway...He remembers sitting here when he was still a kid. This room brought out a lot of memories. But the sad thing about nostalgia is knowing that the past will never come back.
Losing his good mood, the boy closed the window. He sneezed one more time.
Maybe he shouldn't have opened the window at all.
For the rest of the day he made his homework. The task was difficult but after some hours he managed to do some of them.
When he looked at the clock it was almost time for him to go out. He changed into some warmer clothes, and took his bag and ball. He went out of house and locked it, the sound echoing as he did.
"I'm going..." He says that often that it already slipped pass his lips naturally.
Kuroko moved slowly without looking around. He knew this place already. He remembers all shop windows, all signs and every hole in the pavement. The only thing that changed were the people (who most of the time he recognizes) and cars passing by. Everything else was almost unchanging. The building only got older, but they were still a constant reminder of his past, like a close friend he always sees. They always remind him of many happy and sad moments. Tetsuya stared at the walls. He remembered looking at them when he was purely happy and at the same time he also remembered when he was very deplorable.
He shook his head to clear his mind.
The time knocked out to a full hour and the boy quickened his pace. He wasn't late, but somehow he wanted to be there early.
As he predicted the court was empty. Aomine was never early anyway, most of time he was late even. Very late.
He should start practicing then.
As what both his lights had suggested, Tetsuya tried to angle his wrist differently. He put his hand a little bit on the left, then on the right, higher, and then lower, but nothing changed.
He started to feel irritated. He just wanted to hit the ball with Ignite Pass, best of Kai, like when he's passing it but he knew that wouldn't help.
Wait... passing...
The boy caught the ball, circling it around as he looked at it.
Maybe if he put his palm like...
But he was interrupted when someone walked in rather loudly. The person bumped into the metal fence causing the noise.
Kuroko got startled and jumped a little.
He turned his head to look at the Touou Ace massaging his arm and hissing in annoyance.
He looked somewhat... depressed. His empty and dark eyes told him so, and the way his head moved when he winced in pain.
"Aomine-kun..."
The tanned boy didn't even lift his head as he walked to him.
"Have you thought about something yet?" His voice was a little irritated, but Tetsuya feels that it was not directed at him.
"Yes, I just got the idea how it may work..." he murmured.
Daiki finally opened his eyes.
Kuroko was right. He looks miserable.
"Okay, try using it..."
The tall boy turned and headed to the wall, where once again he slumped.
Kuroko clenched his fingers. He couldn't put his thoughts together. He was worried about Aomine.
"Ano Aomine-kun..." Tetsuya turned his head.
Daiki had his eyes closed. He walked up to him slowly as to not wake him up.
The bluenet crouched in front of him, putting his hands on his legs to balance his self.
His eyes traveled over Aomine's face. He saw small wrinkles from the corners of his eyes and mouth. His eyebrows were a little down and furrowed. One of his eyelids twitched. Daiki's lips were pale, partly opened and slowly brushing about each other, as if he was murmuring something.
Tetsuya got worried. Something must've happened to put him into this state. Not many people had seen a really angry Aomine. And maybe it was for the best...
But right now...
He pressed his cold hand on the other's cheek, causing him to shiver under his touch. The Seirin player caressed the lightly dry skin tilting his head to the side to take a good look at it.
The boy looked handsome even in his current situation. But that wasn't the only thing.
Kuroko really liked him, not because he's good-looking. There was more to it. He felt in...love...with him because of how he acts, and how he really was on the inside; How his eyes shines brightly when he talks about something he likes, how his lips twitched when he doesn't like something, how he looks like when he's embarrassed. He loved all these little things about him.
Daiki's eyes suddenly fluttered. He still had a dazed look, but there isn't a way he won't see him.
Kuroko felt his heart beat faster. He must do something to not blow his cover. First, he brushed off the smile he had on his face.
The tanned boy opened his eyes fully, dark navy blue eyes looking at him.
Tetsuya quickly moved his hand away, but then it was caught.
Daiki softly held his now quite sweaty palm and placed it back on his cheek.
He felt blush creeping up his face. He desperately wanted to hide it from him, but somehow, he just couldn't look away.
Aomine almost completely leaned on his touch, still holding it with his own hand.
He felt so happy and sad at the same time. Seeing him in such vulnerable position…It's like he had seen something he should not. But, he wanted to be here.
"Aomine-kun?" he asked after minutes have passed. His legs got numb already.
"Hmm..." He answered with long hum. It looked like he had been awake for some time. Or he wasn't asleep in the beginning at all.
This thought made him feel warmer inside.
"I don't want to interfere with you personal problems..." He started "But if you ever want..."
He lifted his face.
"I know... thank you..." His voice was soft, but trembled a little at the end.
Aomine still sat there clinging to his hand.
"Thank you..."
For what? He did nothing special... All he ever did was be there for him since the beginning.
His feelings for him have been inside of him for a long time already.
And Aomine probably never knew about it. And it was better that way.
Just staying by his side was enough for Kuroko.
And he always thought like that.
So why now, when he stared at his face, he wanted something more? Something only for him. Only for him.
'No, stop thinking like that.' It was useless.
His palm was cold and nice. And he wondered how long he was allowed to hold it.
He didn't want to open his eyes and come back to reality. He was scared, terrified, and aghast. All because of that man.
Were they safe now? What if he comes back to threaten them? What if he destroys what they had built in all these years? He doesn't want to see that fearful look in his mother ever again. Never...
"I'm scared" those words were spoken.
He felt Tetsu's hand tensed.
He must've said his thoughts out loud. Ah that reminds him, he never did told Tetsu about him. His past.
Maybe it was time to do so.
"Aomine-kun..." His voice was so warm and calm, but the worry was present there. He was worried about him.
"If I told you something, will you listen till the end?"
What a stupid question. But he needed to ask that. He needed to know if Tetsu will be here with him...
"Of course..."
He felt Kuroko sat next to him. He wanted to free his hand, but Aomine clenched his fist.
"Please don't let go."
He didn't understand what he was saying, only that he needs someone close to him, next to him, to hold.
The boy didn't answer and only tightened fingers on his hand.
From where to begin. Daiki didn't know. His heart bumped fast. His blood rushed to his head and he started to feel a little bit dazed.
"Before Masahiro-san my mother was married to someone else..." He started "From her stories he was a nice guy at first so they quickly got engaged and then married. She got pregnant with me. I was born and we lived probably happy for some time. After that my father..." The word was caught in his throat. He wanted to vomit, cough or just do anything to let it out. "...lost his work due to some fight. He broke another man's arm and a few of the guy's ribs. He was sent to custody for three months... When he got back, he started to become aggressive. He couldn't find proper job and when he does, he loses it almost immediately. He fell into depression and started to drink... way too much..."
Daiki felt the blunet's stare but he didn't want to look at him. If he does, he might not be able to continue.
"Once, he got home drunk and yelled at us about a lot of things. But after some time he started to hit my mother... On the cheek, on the head, on the back... It just worsened. She didn't work much, because most of the money we got was from him. He hit me sometimes too, but my mother had always protected me... I was miserable during those times. I couldn't do anything...I was too scared. We live in that state for few more years... until it reached the worst. My mother lost consciousness. She was taken to the hospital. Broken arms, bruised stomach and pancreas, not to mention missing teeth... In the hospital she met Masahiro-san who persuaded her to press charges against him and she did so after few months. The trial was held pretty long, but we won and that man was put in jail for ten years. I was 6 then..."
The story was incomplete, dashed. He felt like he talked forever but it was only for minutes. It was a frantic story, constructed nervously. But after telling it, he felt as if a big burden was lifted from his heart. He now shares his secret with someone. And that was Tetsu.
He wouldn't want it any other way, he knew it. He was glad that he was there for him. His beloved Tetsu.
He then added, "After some time my mother started to date Masahiro-san and then they got married. And that's how my sisters came to life. We all lived together since then... Now that I'm 16..."
He hoped it won't end. He really does.
He wished his hand did not sweat as he held Tetsu's hand. But with how he's feeling right now, that seems impossible.
"Since when did you know..." the voice of the boy next to him was soft but shaky a little. Aomine clenched his palms more. "For how long?"
Daiki didn't know. His mother just told him recently.
"Maybe few days ago..."
"Does he know what you look like now?"
"No..." He said quickly, but after thinking about it he added, "But I don't think he wouldn't recognize me... I just got that feeling..."
He didn't want to think about accidentally coming across that man. As much as possible he doesn't want to meet him again. But he knows that won't happen. He'll encounter him again, sooner or later.
And that was the scariest thing to think about. The certainty about it.
"Thank you for telling me…"
What?
Aomine opened his eyes a bit surprised by that statement and turned to Kuroko.
He gasped, as the small boy hugged him, wrapping his arm on his back.
He can smell Tetsu's scent. He can feel Tetsu's skin on his cheek and the warmth of his body.
If only Tetsu knew about his feelings...
"Don't worry. I'll be right here with you. Everything's going to be alright..."
He know that wasn't true. But with Kuroko's promise that he will stay with him, everything felt a little lighter, easier, and simpler.
Daiki lifted his hand and slowly put them on Tetsuya's back. Oh, he really was small.
Tetsu started to stroke his back.
They knew they had to break apart, but neither wanted to pull away first. Daiki wanted to stay like this a little longer even though he knew they can't but...
Let them just stay like this. Just for a few more seconds, few more minutes. He'll be happy with that.
Tetsuya felt like the luckiest person in the world.
The feeling of Aomine's hand holding him…. His heart started to beat fast that he got scared the other would hear it.
After hearing his story, he didn't know what to think. His view on Aomine, though, didn't change because why should it? He just felt a little sad about his past.
He wanted to lift his mood somehow, say that everything's gonna be alright even if it's far from it.
He moved and wrapped his hands around him. Ah he was so warm, so nice... The butterflies in his stomach danced around. Blood rushed to his head, but he paid no mind to it.
Slowly he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment. Just a little more.
Then he moved away, and avoided staring at the other. He knew he was blushing and didn't want to show it to him. Just in case it will give him a hint about his feelings.
"It's quite late already. We need to get going…" His voice sounded weird as his words drifted off.
"Yeah..."
They both got up still not looking at each other and walked out of the court.
When Aomine got home he felt rejuvenated. He hugged both of his sisters who were pretty surprised at the action, and he even greeted his step-father with a smile on his lips.
"What happened?" asked the man with a playful grin from the living room. He was sitting on the sofa. On the floor was a board game they were playing together.
"Nothing..." He said rather too quickly.
Masahiro lifted one of his eyebrow in wonder, but then his lips curved into a smirk.
"Ah you were training with Tetsuya!" He said like it would explain everything.
'No, don't grin, don't grin like some kind of love-sick girl. No.' he ordered himself.
"I wonder what happened~ By the way, lovely blush..."
'Cheeks you traitor!'
He humphed and sat with them on the floor.
"Give me extra pawns..."
Playing with your family could be good.
Kuroko walked inside his house almost skipping. Even the usual darkness in his house shouldn't bother him now. However, it did. On the contrary though because the lights in their house were turned on.
He ran to the kitchen to find his father sitting next to the table with a big cup of, probably, coffee in his hands.
"Good evening..."
The man snapped back to reality. His face slowly turned to him.
He looked older than usual. His eye bags, dark and big, had indicated so.
"Good evening" His voice was very faint.
The bluenet checked if there was water in the kettle and then touched it to check if it was still hot. Both were a yes, so he got his cup and put a bag of tea.
"When are you coming back to school...?" his father asked.
Tetsuya turned to him.
"Next week..."
With a game with Yosen, he wanted to add, but he decided not to, finding no reason why he should.
"Okay..."
Tetsuya took a sip from his tea.
They didn't talk because they didn't have a topic that seems to interest the two of them.
His tea was bitter, but he didn't want to add sugar. The only thing he likes sweetened is his vanilla shakes. He prefers the rest of his drinks bitter.
He quickly finished his tea so he can go back to his room.
But once again, as he moved from the sink, his legs failed. Quickly, he grabbed the counter. His heart started beating fast, because he was almost sure he would've fell right there.
Just few big breaths and he'll be back to normal.
"Are you alright?"
His father spoke. He got up and leaned over him. He put one hand on his back and another on his arm.
There was nothing wrong with him. His muscles were only tired.
"Yes, I'm fine..." Tetsuya murmured.
The man wanted to help him, but Kuroko moved his hands away. He could handle it alone. By himself.
"I'm fine, father. Don't worry. I'm just tired..."
He nodded though he was skeptical about it.
Kuroko thanked him and walked to his room.
It has been happening very often. Maybe he should visit a doctor? No, he doesn't want to do that. He had matches coming up and he wants to be there with his team.
Seirin is his team. His friends.
He smiled under his nose.
He loves them and he wants nothing but to win with them. Really.
Kuroko went to wash himself and put on his pyjamas. He went to bed and laid down.
Today day was good.
But he needs to work on his technique more. Now he got a little bit of an idea on how it should look. He hoped that this will work.
Yahoo. I totally don't know what is in this chapter. I have few chapters written beside published so please forgive me D: .
But still as I said it like million times writing this give me a lot of fun... My one other fanfiction is pretty dark and the other one is just... different.
Anyway, great thanks to:
Crystalbutterfly04 - for checking it :3. And for being with me till now :3. You're amazing and good luck on your work from now on!
And thank you Reader for sticking to this story. Hope you like it.
See ya :3!