"So, uh, Valentine's Day is coming up."
Kuroko blinked, looking up at Kagami as the redhead seemingly purposefully averted his gaze. A small sigh passed through Kuroko's lips, barely audible, as he turned back to the TV. Kagami had called him over this morning, because his TV had gone sporadic and he was afraid he wouldn't be able to watch the game that afternoon. As Kuroko had fixed the device many times when he lived with him, the bluenette was of course his best bet.
He really needed a new TV.
"So it is."
"… You gonna do something nice with, uh, Akashi?"
Kuroko frowned, his fingers pausing once more as he looked back up at his friend. "Probably. Why are you asking such things?"
The redhead shrugged, rubbing at the back of his neck. "Just curious," he grumbled.
Kuroko regarded him solemnly before returning to his ministrations. "I suppose I should ask what you're doing for Valentine's Day?"
Kagami sighed, finally looking at Kuroko's blank expression. "Nothing, of course… Kuroko, listen, I'm really sorry about-"
"Kagami, we've been through this." The bluenette sighed at Kagami's protesting grunts, and he stood to face him directly. "I've told you before, that may have been the reason we broke up, but it's not the reason I didn't come back."
The redhead frowned, looking at the floor beneath his feet. "I know, but…" He sighed. "You really like him, then?"
Kuroko paused, before slowly replying with a single word, "love."
Kagami visibly flinched, but he smiled anyway, lifting his gaze to meet his friend's. "That's good. You deserve someone that'll treat you right, especially after…"
"Ayumi would want me to move on. Weren't you the first person to tell me that?"
He sighed, "Yeah, and I meant it. But I can't help that I wish it was with me."
Kuroko frowned, looking down at the TV. "It should work now."
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Thanks, man."
The bluenette nodded, turning to grab his coat. Kagami frowned as he watched him. "Kuroko… I really am happy for you. And, I'm glad we're still friends." He stopped immediately at Kuroko's sudden flinch.
"Kagami, I'm sorry for the way things went. Honestly, if I wasn't so selfish, I'd tell you to move on and never speak to me again." He looked at him then, his eyes serious and sad, almost matching Kagami's own feelings- almost. "But I value your friendship far too much to do that, even though I know your heart hurts every time I say the word 'friend.'"
Kagami sighed heavily, running a hand down his face in exasperation. "Dammit, Kuroko, you know I can't live without you! Don't say shit like that!" His breath hitched in his throat at the small sad smile on Kuroko's lips.
"It's funny, isn't it?" he asked quietly, "How that temper of yours, the reason we broke apart back then, is the very thing keeping us together now?" His own words hit him hard, as they were more than true. If Kagami hadn't blow up every time he mentioned severing their friendship, he would've done so long ago. For the redhead's sake, of course. He really didn't want to lose him.
The redhead sighed, hating himself for being so weak. Maybe that was why Kuroko didn't love him back. He shook the thought from his head, he knew it was nothing like that. The simple fact was, Kuroko was in love with another. It hurt, but he'd be fine. He'd been fine through these, what, twelve years now? Almost thirteen…
"Just… if he ever hurts you-"
"You'll be the first I run to."
XXX
Akashi was pacing the main room as he waited for Kuroko to return. Sakura and Takeru were both watching him curiously, even trying to coax conversation out of him, but the redhead was too deep within his own mind to even hear them. He perked up immediately, though, at the sound of the door opening.
"Tetsuya!"
The bluenette's eyes widened drastically as Akashi crashed into him, holding him tightly against his body. "E-eh, Akashi, you're as bad as the children."
Akashi laughed softly before pulling back, looking him over as if he expected him to be hurt. "How'd it go?"
Kuroko raised a brow at his antics, shedding himself of his coat. "It was fine. It was just a tv."
The redhead frowned, and the look on his face was enough for Sakura to feel uncomfortable.
"Come on, Taku," she whispered, grasping his hand, "let's give Daddy and Papa a minute to talk about grown up stuff."
Takeru was obviously confused, but he followed his sister out of the room quietly.
Kuroko's brows furrowed. "What's wrong?"
"I was standing next to you when you got that call, Tetsuya."
The bluenette tilted his head. "I know, what of it?"
A sigh fell from Akashi's lips as he moved to sit on the sofa, Kuroko following suit. "I could tell by the way he talked to you that he loves you. You mentioned staying with him once, you were in a relationship at the time, right?"
Kuroko frowned. He had left Kagami's with the hope that this wouldn't come up again for some time. He sighed. "Yes, we dated for about two and a half years, until graduation." He watched as Akashi's expression changed, his mind processing his words and conjuring up a response. He looked rather hesitant for a moment, and Kuroko already knew what he was going to say.
"What.. happened?"
The bluenette's frown deepened as he thought of that night, the night that was supposed to be somewhat magical for him, symbolizing that he had made it through high school alive, and would continue to live in the 'real world.' It had also been the night that the pain of the 'real world' fell upon his shoulders, fully resting on his own now that he had no one to turn to.
"After graduation, Kagami and I went back to our apartment, just to hang out and stuff. All was well until after dinner, when we were sitting on his bed. He was running his fingers through my hair whilst I told him what I wanted to do with my life. He'd asked, because, well.." He paused, not sure if he should put the scene in Akashi's mind, lest he take it for the present. He sighed when he found no way around it. "A few months before, he had asked me to move back to America with him. I was supposed to give him my answer before graduation, but I had managed to stall…"
Akashi's expression was oddly blank, and quite unnerving to the bluenette. He sighed, his fingers trembling. "Please don't look at me like that…" The redhead frowned, nodding his apologies as he let his emotions filter through into his expressions once more. He had a way of forgetting to wear them, when he was rather upset.
"Anyway, when I told him I wanted to stay here, and attend Tokyo University, he kind of, lost it. I'd always known he was self-conscious, but he had a way of hiding it, and I just forgot sometimes. I should've explained beforehand, but he assumed it was his fault, that I didn't like him anymore or something… So he started yelling, or well, it wasn't really yelling. Just, louder than usual. Until my hopelessly blank expression angered him further, then he really started to yell…"
Akashi looked away from Kuroko as his hand balled into a fist. Seeing Kuroko look so hurt over another guy was more painful than he'd expected.
Kuroko sighed at the gesture, feeling as lost as he had back then. "H-he lost his temper and, well, to put it simply, he hit me. It wasn't too hard, but the emotional blow was.. Well, I try not to look so passive anymore…"
The redhead breathed out a long, controlled sigh. "So you broke it off with him, because he hit you."
Kuroko nodded, and he was not expecting Akashi to look at him with such a mixture of pain, anger, and.. defeat. His brows knitted together, but before he could ask about it, Akashi supplied his answer.
"Do you still love him?"
The bluenette's eyes widened as the words echoed in his head. He quickly moved himself into Akashi's lap, holding his face firmly in his hands as he stared into his crimson eyes. "No, Akashi, my feelings for him died within a year. And besides that, the only two people I have ever loved, are Ayumi, and you."
Akashi stared at him, surprise evident on his face, for a long while. His eyes searched Kuroko's, exploring every corner, every miniscule emotion. His heart began hammering in his chest as he realized how close Kuroko's face was to his, and exactly where the bluenette was sitting. He bit the inside of his cheek at that thought, ignoring it for the moment.
"I'm sorry, Tetsuya, I just.. had to know."
Kuroko rolled his eyes, forcefully smashing his lips onto the redhead's. They stayed like that for a while, with Kuroko controlling the kiss, until the bluenette had to break away for much needed air. "Idiot," he panted, "I love you."
"I love you too."
They shared another kiss, and Kuroko suddenly pulled away, a hesitant yet mischievous smile on his lips. Akashi raised a brow skeptically. "What is it?"
"Heh, well.. Just, don't ever hurt me, okay?"
The redhead's brows furrowed. "I would never hurt you. But, why are you telling me this?"
Kuroko giggled nervously, slowly standing to his feet. "I might've told Kagami that if you ever did, I'd run straight to him."
Akashi's eyes flared dangerously at the thought, and before he could stand, Kuroko was running out of the room, screeching apologies. The redhead chased after him, yelling, "Tetsuya, come back here this instant! I have to make sure you know you're mine!"
"And how're you going to do that?" came the muffled reply behind Kuroko's locked door.
Akashi smirked, leaning against the frame. "With kisses, of course. And maybe a few bites." He wasn't surprised at all when the door slowly creaked open, the bluenette sheepishly smiling back at him.
"Well why didn't you say so..~?"
XXX
Valentine's Day rolled around, and Kuroko was thankful the holiday had landed on a Sunday this year. Akashi had stayed over the night before, so he was greeted with the precious sight of his lover the moment he woke up. Needless to say, it was the perfect start to his day.
As the four later sat around the table for breakfast, Akashi pulled out a small tin of candy hearts. Whilst the children were squealing in delight, eager to read the tiny messages engraved in the treats, Kuroko tilted his head in thought, wondering where the hell Akashi had pulled that from. His cheeks turned a bright shade of red when he realized the still shirtless man was only wearing a pair of pocketless-sweatpants, which only left one place.
Akashi smirked as the thought registered in Kuroko's mind, having clearly seen the outcome of this ordeal already. "You alright, Tetsuya?"
The bluenette only blushed harder as he stole a candy from his son's hands, popping it into his mouth.
After a while, Kuroko decided the children had far surpassed their normal candy limit, and he sent them to get dressed properly so that they could all go out for lunch later. The two groaned about their loss of candy, but one wink from Akashi and they were skipping happily to their room.
Kuroko smiled at their retreating forms as he plucked another heart into his mouth. Akashi suddenly leaned over the table, his eyes curious and intense as his fingers ran along the bluenette's jaw. Kuroko's heart sped up and his cheeks flushed as the redhead gently opened his mouth.
"Wha ah you duing?"
Akashi smiled lightly at the other's attempt to talk in such a state. "Bite me."
Kuroko's brows furrowed as his jaw was released, but the redhead made no move to move away. "What?"
"That's what your heart said, 'bite me.'"
"Oh…" Kuroko's eyes became distant for all of a single second, until they widened in realization, just in time for Akashi's lips to attack his own. He gasped as he felt Akashi's teeth nip at his bottom lip, earning him a low chuckle from the redhead. He pulled away soon after, smirking at the evident blush across Kuroko's cheeks.
"You should be more careful of the hearts you pick," he said, sending a wink toward his lover before standing and waltzing to the bluenette's room to get dressed.