When the storm passed, Kuroko was exhausted. He remained where he was, curled up into Kagami's side with his knees pulled up against his body and his head on Kagami's shoulder. The material of Kagami's t-shirt, still clutched between his fingers, felt damp. Everything felt damp. His head was heavy and felt like it had been stuffed full of cotton, everything muffled and a little distant, and his entire body ached. His eyes ached, his throat ached, and his nose might have still been running, leaking fluid all over.

And Kagami just kept holding him. He was careful, so careful, one arm wrapped around Kuroko's shoulders where the welts were the least concentrated, the other cradling Kuroko's head, fingers buried in his hair. He had to be uncomfortable from sitting on the hard hallway floor for so long, had to be cramped from holding the same position, had to be disgusted by the tears and snot that soaked him from Kuroko's crying fit. And yet he sat there, reliable as a mountain, revealing none of this.

Kuroko wanted to apologize for being so troublesome. He had a feeling, though, that Kagami wouldn't accept it. He was being very stubborn, lately. That didn't stop Kuroko from feeling guilty, but it did stop him from saying anything about it.

After a minute or so had passed with no more tears, no more sobs, Kagami cautiously bent his head down so he could look in Kuroko's face. "Feeling better?" he asked. His face was so concerned, so kind, that a lump rose in Kuroko's throat.

He wanted to nod. He wanted to tell Kagami that everything was fixed now, that this storm of emotions had somehow swept everything away and left a clean slate, a refreshed spirit. It wasn't true. Kuroko's heart was still heavy with loss and despair, with all that he'd done and all that he'd failed to do.

But it was true that he had needed this outburst, loud, messy, disgusting, sustained, and he was grateful that Kagami had allowed it. "A little," he croaked, his throat rough and dry.

Kagami nodded and looked forward again. His fingers pushed deeper into Kuroko's sweaty, matted hair, cupping the back of his head. "I meant what I said." His voice was suddenly fierce. "We're going to get it back for you."

Kuroko appreciated the sentiment. But he didn't know if he believed it was possible. There was something broken in him now. He could feel it, deep down inside. And somehow, it had taken away his basketball. It felt terrible. It felt irreparable. It felt like everything he'd worked for, everything he'd fought for over years and years of struggle and pain and setback and rejection and late, eventual, hard-won success... It felt like it had all been ripped from his fingers, and it was never coming back.

Just contemplating it made him want to start crying again.

"Kuroko?" Kagami asked. "Did you hear me?"

"I...yes."

"Do you believe me?"

Kuroko wanted to say yes. He said nothing. After a moment, he curled up tighter and pressed his face into the front of Kagami's shoulder again so he wouldn't have to answer.

Kagami sighed and bumped his head back against the wall. "Yeah, I didn't expect it to be that easy. Don't worry. I'll prove it to you."

A foot scuffed on the floor. "Kagami? Kuroko?" Coach Riko's voice.

They looked up, Kagami sharply, Kuroko sluggishly. Riko wasn't alone. Kiyoshi and Hyuuga both stood at her shoulders, looking tall and awkward and very uncomfortable. "Is it all right if we talk with you?" Riko asked.

Kagami looked at Kuroko. Kuroko blinked and managed a nod, weary and slow. They didn't really need his permission, but if they asked for it, he would give it.

Neither he nor Kagami moved at all from their positions. Kuroko was too tired, too overwhelmed to be embarrassed at being seen like this. And Kagami had no shame, as usual.

Riko's shoulders slumped, and the three of them stepped forward and knelt down in front of Kagami and Kuroko, forming a small semi-circle. They all still looked awkward and uncomfortable, especially Captain Hyuuga, but they were determined, too. Kuroko did not understand what was going on.

"Everyone else has gone home for the day," Riko said. "So we can talk freely. Whatever we say in this circle will stay between the five of us. We swear that by all we hold holy." She looked at Kiyoshi, then Hyuuga, and they both nodded in turn, grim and firm.

Riko sighed and looked back to Kuroko. Her face was still sad, and Kuroko squirmed again with that oppressive sense of guilt. He was making everything so difficult for everyone. "First, though, we need to apologize to you, Kuroko."

Kuroko held very still. "Wh...what?"

"All three of us hurt you today. So we came to apologize. We're very sorry. Please forgive us."

"I don't...understand."

The three of them looked at each other again. Then Kiyoshi and Riko both focused on Hyuuga. He looked scandalized for a moment, then sighed and closed his eyes. When he opened them, he looked at Kuroko. "I shouldn't have yelled at you," he said. His voice was entirely contrite, not a hint of his occasional sarcasm. "A captain is supposed to help his teammates, not hurt them, and I hurt you. Please forgive me."

Hyuuga bowed deeply where he knelt on the floor, bracing his hands against the tile for a moment. Then he straightened and looked at Riko, raising his eyebrows.

Riko nodded and looked to Kuroko. "I shouldn't have pushed you when you were vulnerable, and when I saw that my plan wasn't working, I should have stopped it earlier. A coach is supposed to lead and guide their team members, and my actions caused you to break down, instead. Please forgive me." She bowed, too.

Kiyoshi needed no prompting. His eyes never wavered from Kuroko. He offered a sad, sad smile. "I shouldn't have struck you. It doesn't matter that I only meant to help—I caused you immense pain. That is not the way it should be. Please forgive me." He bowed.

Kuroko stared at the three of them in dull astonishment. He couldn't believe this was happening to him. "None of you did anything wrong. At all. There's nothing to forgive."

Riko crossed her arms over her chest. "It's as Kiyoshi said. It doesn't matter that our intentions were good. We hurt you, and we regret it deeply. We won't be satisfied until you forgive us."

"It's all right if you need time," Kiyoshi said gently.

"I don't need time." Kuroko still didn't understand this, but if they wanted his forgiveness, they had it. "I forgive you. Please stop being sad."

Kiyoshi slumped in relief, and Riko and Hyuuga relaxed as well, glancing at each other almost triumphantly. Kiyoshi was still watching Kuroko. "There's a problem with that," he said quietly.

Kuroko could not muster the energy to ask what it was. He just blinked.

"We're sad because you are wounded, Kuroko. We won't be able to stop being sad until you are mended."

Riko nodded. "We know that something difficult and serious is happening to you. And if you are willing to share your troubles with us, we would very much like to help you in any way we can."

Kuroko went very, very still. Kagami's arms tightened around him.

Hyuuga grimaced. "You don't have to tell us everything. But if we just know a little, maybe at least it will help us avoid hurting you in the future."

Kiyoshi reached out one big hand, open and conciliatory. His face was apologetic. "I know...your back is hurt. I felt something of the wounds when I touched you. I apologize, but I did tell Junpei and Riko about it. We know that part of it."

He glanced at Riko. She nodded. "And I told these two idiots that Kagami suspected you were being bullied. I'm sorry if you didn't want anyone else to know."

"I didn't tell anyone anything," Hyuuga said, straightening up with his arms crossed over his chest. "So don't you look at me with those big, sad eyes. It wasn't me."

"That's because you didn't know anything," Kiyoshi said, smiling beatifically. "Fearless captain."

"Shut up!" Hyuuga reached across Riko to punch Kiyoshi in the arm. She ducked to let him do it.

Kagami chuckled, and the sound vibrated his chest against Kuroko's head. Kuroko wanted to smile, but couldn't yet. He had relaxed, though. The banter of his senpai reminded him that some things didn't change. Kiyoshi still got on Hyuuga's nerves without even trying. Riko still put up with them both despite her loud, exaggerated sighs. The world still turned.

Then Kiyoshi looked back to Kuroko, and his face turned sad again. "Besides those two things, we all heard what you said, Kuroko." His voice was just above a whisper. "'He took it away.' So...we know someone has been hurting you. And we know that Kagami is doing everything he can to help. But if you can let us in, just a little, we'd like to help you too."

"Please tell us," Riko said. "As much you can. Even just a hint. We only want to help."

Hyuuga nodded. His lips were pressed firmly together, as if to hold back words that he knew wouldn't be useful, and his eyes were sharp behind his glasses.

Kuroko leaned more heavily into Kagami's shoulder. At this point, he didn't mind them knowing. It didn't feel like much of a secret anymore, since he'd fallen to pieces in the middle of the gym in front of everybody, and he trusted these three senpai as much as he trusted anyone in the world. But he didn't know if he could say it himself.

"Kagami..."

Kagami tilted his head. "You want me to tell them?"

Kuroko nodded.

Kagami drew a breath. His shoulders stiffened, and every muscle went tight for a moment. Kuroko glanced up at him in alarm. Was this difficult for Kagami to say, too? Why?

Kagami gave a full body shiver, then opened his mouth. "It's not a bully. It's Kuroko's father."

The others stopped breathing.

Riko let out a breath and slumped back on her heels as if she couldn't hold herself up anymore. Kiyoshi's eyes filled with tears. Hyuuga's face slowly turned very, very red. Then he very calmly stood up, walked away, and kicked the wall.

"Damn it!"

The shout echoed in the empty hall, ringing from one end to the other. Kuroko startled helplessly at the sudden noise, his heart jumping in his chest, but he settled quickly. Hyuuga stared at the wall, his shoulders heaving, his hands clenched into fists. Then he very visibly forced himself to be calm again, and he turned back, returned to the circle, and sat down.

"Where does he live?" Hyuuga asked through gritted teeth.

The others stared at him.

"You can't go punch Kuroko's father," Kagami said.

"Why not?"

"Because if anyone's going to punch him, I get first dibs."

Hyuuga ground his teeth. "Idiot kouhai, respect your captain! If there are any privileges at all that come with this position, and not just a lot of trouble and pain, I should at least get to punch the guy who's been hurting Kuroko. Dibs don't count!"

Kagami had to protest at that. "Oi, this has nothing to do with basketball! You being captain doesn't apply to this."

"Me being captain applies to everything."

"Bastard..."

"Boys!" Riko thundered, and everyone shut up and looked at her, startled into silence. "You're making Kuroko uncomfortable."

Hyuuga and Kagami settled back again, though not without some grumbling. Kagami reaffirmed his grip on Kuroko, which had loosened during the argument. "Sorry, Kuroko," he said.

"Sorry, Kuroko," Hyuuga echoed, less graciously.

Riko glared at them both. "And no one is going to punch Kuroko's father. We all know that Kuroko doesn't like violence. He wouldn't appreciate it." She looked at Kuroko. "Right?"

Kuroko nodded. His entire chest felt like a big mass of confused, churning emotions. He didn't want anyone to get punched, not even his father. He still loved his father, even though he'd hurt Kuroko so badly and for so long. Even though he'd taken away his basketball somehow.

But he was still grateful to know that there were people out there who wanted to punch his father for him. It meant more than he could say to have these friends, these teammates, these brothers fighting over who would get to avenge him. It made him feel weak and helpless and very, very small, but it also felt good and comforting.

They cared about him. They really, really cared.

Kagami just grunted in response to Riko's admonishment. "I know. I know Kuroko doesn't like violence. That's why I didn't punch the bastard when I had the chance."

They all fell quiet again.

Kiyoshi looked at Kuroko. "How can we help? We'll do anything we can."

Kuroko shook his head and looked away. He had no idea. "Kagami-kun is taking good care of me," he murmured.

The others looked at Kagami for confirmation. He nodded. "I got him out of there. He's staying with me now. We're gonna figure it out."

Riko opened her mouth, then thought better and closed it again. Her expression was troubled, but she must have been able to see how Kuroko had shut down already, unwilling to discuss it any further. "...All right," she said reluctantly. "If you think of anything we can do to help, let us know right away."

"Now, you should go home," Kiyoshi said, watching Kuroko carefully. "Kuroko needs a bath. And some rest."

Kagami nodded. "I know. When Kuroko's ready to move, we'll go."

Hyuuga popped to his feet. "I'll get you guys some water. Crying is thirsty work."

Kiyoshi stood, too. "I'll fetch your things. Koganei and Mitobe already packed them up for you."

Riko knelt there for a little longer, watching them sadly. "Are you really going to be okay?" she asked. "Is there nothing I can do at all?"

Kagami started to shake his head, then hesitated. "You could go grocery shopping for us."

Riko blinked. "Groceries?"

"Yeah. Kuroko wants natto for tomorrow morning." Kagami nudged Kuroko's shoulder. "Right, Kuroko? What else do you want?"

Riko squinted her eyes at them. Then she slumped, sighed, and magically produced a clipboard from somewhere. She flipped to a back page and held her pen poised. "Okay. Give me your list."

They wouldn't leave Kuroko alone until he listed at least five foods that he wanted that Kagami didn't already have. It was rather a strange end to the afternoon. In the end, Riko, Hyuuga, and Kiyoshi left together, she shoving them from behind and declaring that they were all going grocery shopping together, because they said they would help and that's what they were going to do. Kagami watched them go with a grin, and Kuroko couldn't help smiling, too.

They had good senpai, they really did.