Series: Kuroko no Basket

Genre: Angst, Family

Rating: PG-13/T

All original characters belong to Fujimaki Tadatoshi. OC characters belong to me.

Kagami hated that saying: easier said than done, because he was a man of action, not words. But with the passing years, he came to the conclusion that there's a giant meaning behind these few words.

It's not that he was a coward (he was far from it), he just didn't know how he can do it. Forgiving. He isn't even sure if he could that.

Kise and Momoi left them pretty late in the evening and Kagami was both happy and mad at them for it. Before they walked out, Kise patted him on the back and smiled, like he wanted to show that everything will be alright.

But you know... Taiga somehow knew that for him, some kind of era just ended and he couldn't find himself in the new put the last dish away and turned his head. The TV was silenced a long time ago and Retsuki asked to go to sleep. He wondered if he was in his dreamland by now.

Slowly and as quietly as he could, he walked past the living room and into the hall where both their sleeprooms were. It was so quiet, he could hear his foot stomping and he was afraid that even this sound would wake Retsuki up.

But it didn't.

Kagami slowly opened the door and peeked inside to spot the boy laying on his bed, with his head directed at him with closed eyes. Even from his, position he could see the small movemeant of the quilt showing that Retsuki was sleeping peacefully.

He wondered if he was having some kind of dream and if yes, then what kind? About the past, about the future or maybe just some kind of dream where nothing makes sense?

Will he say goodbye to him soon?

Kagami shook his head. No, this was a bad way of thinking. He knows it doesn't work that way, yet this thought was still there. That this is the end of something. And he desperately holds onto the past, because he was afraid of what might come.

Slowly, he walked inside and-still on his tiptoes-sat on the floor just next to the bed. He lifted his hand and brushed the boy's cheek slowly. The boy grumbled something under his nose.

Of course Retsuki wasn't his son, but Kagami felt like he really was. It was hard to raise a child, when you have no experience, but everyone mobilized and helped him. He remember those days when he just wanted to shut the door and drove away somewhere and left everything behind. But he never did. It all stayed in his mind as an dumb idea.

And he was glad for it. He know that he made a good decision.

He loved him and because of that, it was hard to let him go. It was hard to let go of the future he imagined and hoped for. He really wanted to spend some more time, to live, to play basketball, to talk with him.

He made plans that maybe one day they will cook together, they will go on vacation. Kagami imagined Retsuki going to middle school, to high school, join the basketball team, he dreamed about going to match with Kise and the rest.

Of course, it all could happen even if Retsuki... even if Retsuki...

The man it was hard to even think about it, how he can comply with the thing actually happening. He wasn't sure if he even could.

The boy murmured something and turned on his bed.

Kagami stood up, but before straightening his body, he leaned and planted a soft kiss on boy's head.

He exited the room and walked to his own.

He laid down on the bed and stared at the ceiling, with his hands under his head. He felt that he won't have much sleep that night. He had many things to think about, after Kise left.

And he had a feeling he will be having another visitor.

He wasn't wrong, because as soon as he entered his office, he heard his phone buzzing in his pocket. At first, he thought that it was Tatsuya or someone from work calling to tell that he will be late and asking for a cover, so he flipped it open in one move and casually answered.

"Hello?"

But he was wrong, as soon as he heard the voice.

"Good morning, Taiga..."

No matter how many times Akashi actually called him by his first name (and he heard it many, many times) it still felt awkward and weird.

He hang his coat and sat on the chair, still holding his phone near his ear.

"It's a surprise you called me. I suppose there is a problem right?"

Akashi never called just to talk, well for him he never did and he doubted he ever called Kise to chat.

"I'll come straight to point. We need to talk..."

Kagami somehow knew it would end this way. His mind was telling him that this isn't the end.

He sighed and took the pen in his hand.

"Okay, when?"

"Tomorrow, maybe 4 p.m.?"

Taiga quickly glanced at the calendar and counted the hours of work in his mind. He could do that. No, he needed to do that. He couldn't say 'no' to him.

"I'm free..."

"I'll be waiting at Rosarium."

That fancy restaruant. Kagami wasn't a fan of that kind of place, but if Akashi wanted...

They ended the call and Kagami put his phone on the desk and stared with helpless eyes at the piles of extra work he said he would do. Now, it looked almost impossible to do that and he only have one week.

Not to mention the matter of Retsuki and that bastard Aomine was still on his mind. He needed to do something with this, but he knew he couldn't just pick up the first solution that came to his mind. He needed to think this through.

He heard someone entering and as everyone else, he welcomed him or her without lifting up his head.

But this someone walked to him and patted him on the head.

"Hello, Taiga~!"

The redhead lifted his head to stare at the brightly smiling blackhaired man. Wow, it looked like he was in a great mood.

Something that Kagami couldn't say about himself lately.

"Hey. Something happened? Your smile is bigger than usual."

Tatsuya chuckled.

"Nothing happened." Then he glanced at the documents Kagami holds in his hands.

"Extra work?"

Kagami nodded and pushed the paper away.

"Hey, maybe after you finish it, we can go somewhere. For a drink to chill up."

Yeah, that sounds nice.

"Great idea..."

Himuro patted him on the arm and smiled.

Kagami stared as his friend walked away to his own desk, then he returned to work.

Kagami sighed.

Can he really do it in one week?

„You're going somewhere today?"

Kagami nodded and zipped Retsuki's jacket to the very top. He then turned the boy around and corrected the hoodie.

"Yeah, I have a very important meeting."

The boy hummed under his nose, but Kagami could see as he frowned. He knew him all to well.

"Don't worry. We don't have problems."

Retsuki turned to him.

"Then that's fine..."

The man stood up and turned around to grab his bag and jacket. Yesterday, he came home around 9. Of course earlier, he called Momoi to pick up Retsuki and he already found the boy asleep on the couch when he came back.

He felt guilty for doing so. But he need to bear with it for one more week. It was only six days and for him it felt like an eternity.

But soon it will be all over.

He put on his jacket and turned to the boy. He was staring at him with his two big, blue eyes expectantly.

Yes, those eyes.

Kagami felt something swirling and twirling in his stomach.

"Let's go..."

„Hello Retsu-kun."

The boy lifted his head. He expected her to appear today, he knew his uncle can't pick him up today, but the disappointment was still there.

"Hello, Momoi-san."

The woman smiled and showed him her hand which the boy took.

They all said goodbye to the woman behind the counter and Kurika who stood at the doorway waving at them.

They walked in silence, but the peachhaired woman was humming under her nose. She looked happier than ever. Her eyes shone with this excitment and happiness whenever she looked at him or spoke with Kise-ji on the telephone.

Retsuki was glad for them. He loved seeing her and Kise happy.

"Are you living with Kise-ji?"

The woman turned to him with her cheeks colored in light red, but she quickly smiled.

"N-no not yet. I mean, we're only together for a few days."

Retsuki nodded.

"I m-mean in the future maybe yes, but now we're enjoying just spending time together..."

The boy tightened his grip on her hand.

"I'm happy for you."

Momoi stared at him to finally (and Retsuki should expect it because it was so momoish) kneeled down and give him the tightest hug in his entire life.

Most of the time, the woman hugged him he often wanted to get out, because it was literally choking him. But not now, not this time.

He didn't know if it was her embrace now, or his mood, but now, he wanted this hug to never end. He felt safe here, like there were no problems.

And slowly, he lifted his hand and put them on her back.

She was warm and Retsuki kind of needed it right now.

Kagami was never good in official talks. Of course, he wasn't going to one, but he felt like it really was. Was it because of Akashi's attitude? When they are alone at home, or even in a group, he has no problem with talking. But in some fancy restaurant with rich people around him... it was a totally different story.

He was glad he needed to wear a white shirt to work, because he didn't look so out of place. Not to mention it was almost summer which could also be an excuse why he have no suit with himself.

When he entered, the old man approached him and Kagami just opened his mouth to say why he was here, but the man only ordered him to follow. Nothing more, nothing less. He maybe only glanced at his clothes with disgust, but only for a brief moment.

There were many people dressed in beautiful dresses or elegant suits with shiny jewelry and silver watches. Kagami felt totally out of place, with his used bag and a little bit dirty trousers, but no one paid attention to him.

The man took him to a small platform, surrounded by thin walls. There was only one table.

Akashi was talking with someone on the phone at the same time, he was playing with the fork laying on the table. When they were near him, he glanced and nodded at the waiter.

Taiga sat on the chair in front of Akashi and took the menu from the waiter.

Akashi was still talking and Kagami wasn't the type to be mad about it or to interrupt so he opened the menu, but as fast as he did it, he closed it. Prizes here were way too high for his wallet.

He took this time to look around the place.

"I'm sorry, but it was a very important call..." He finally heard after a minute or two if his head moving from one spot to another.

"Don't worry. I totally understand that."

Akashi shut his phone and put it in his pocket. After that, he grabbed the menu.

"Have you chosen something? I saw you shutting it quite spontaneously." He said not

looking at him. His heterochromatic eyes read through the names on the list.

"No, I don't want anything..."

Akashi put away the menu and with a movement of his hand, asked the same waiter to approach him.

He ordered two meals whichnames Kagami couldn't even repeat, but that wasn't a problem.

"I said I don't want anything..."

The man's lips twitched and it almost looked like he smiled.

"I know that the food here is expensive. I'll pay for you so don't worry, Taiga. I asked you for a meeting.

"Ah, thanks then..."

Man, it really was so weird.

Talking at home, even in public was no problem to him. But here...

"You can relax. It may look fancy, but you don't have to worry. People here pay no attention to others. They just come here to talk with each other and enjoy food..."

It was always so frightening how this smaller man always know what he was thinking.

"I'm not used to places like this..."

"If you really want, we can go somewhere else..."

Kagami quickly shook his head.

"No, don't worry. I'll be fine."

"So how's work?"

"Could be better. I have some extra work to do, but I think I will finish it in a week. And yours?"

"Hard as ever..."

Maybe it would be better if he started to talk about things he really came here to talk about. He doesn't mind talking with him, but... he started to get nervous, he had many things on his mind and he just want it to happen, not wait.

"I called you to talk about Daiki..."

Of course he knew it. It was the first idea that came to his mind. Because all this happened because of Akashi.

"I know."

Kagami put his hands on his trousers and brushed it. His hands started to become sweaty with all this stress put on him.

"I'm not going to teach you on what you should do. It's your life. But I want to ask you to do something probably all of us are asking you to do now..."

Yeah, Taiga was tired of it now.

"I know, I know, I know! I'm trying okay, but it's not my fault!"

He became silent in an instant as the waiter approached them holding two plates with something (that in the firefighter's opinion looked like some kind of fish) in his hand. He put both dishes in front of them and walked away.

Maybe it was better this way, because Kagami needed to calm down in a very short time, what he did.

"I'm not blaming you. I think it was Aomine's fault for making you angry..."

Akashi took the fork and knife and Kagami did the same thing. He wasn't sure which cutlery was for what, so he decided to do the same thing as the redhaired man.

Kagami didn't want to ask from where he know what happened, because he knows Akashi had his own ways.

"Everyone is telling me to give him a chance, like they asking to forget what happened and move on..." He started and put some food on his fork and put it in his mouth. Wow, it really was delicious. "But i can't simply do that. You know how much time had passed for me to finally forgive you for attacking me with scissors?"

Akashi smiled, like literally smiled and it looked like even his eyes shone with happiness. What scared him a little bit, but he knew him for many years now and he knows how Akashi act... in most cases.

"Yeah, that time. It was funny, I must say."

"Not for me though."

He shivered-suddenly remembering the cold steel near his cheek. Not funny times.

"But the point is, I'm bad at forgiving people."

"We're not asking you to forgive him. I think some of us are still mad at him. Do you think Seirin could totally forgive him?"

Like the people from old Seirin team? Kagami wasn't sure. Maybe some of them, but most will still be mad. Espiecially as some of them weren't very fond of Aomine.

"Me too. But we spent much more time with him than them..."

Then, for a few minutes, they didn't speak and only ate.

Kagami didn't know where was Akashi going, what he wanted to say.

Akashi suddenly put away the fork and knife and took the napkin, which he used to brush the invisible dirt from the corner of his mouth.

"Can I ask you something?"

Kagami immediately nodded, only after he made this movement, he realized that it was pretty weird. Akashi asking him if he can do something.

This was off.

Kagami took deep breath.

"Do you miss Daiki?"

Huh? That was... very unexpected. Like for a moment, Kagami only processed the question in his head.

Did he miss him? Of course, before it all happened they were friends, maybe not best buddies in the world, but friends... Heck, almost best friends. Both Kuroko and Aomine often visited him and vice versa. If they or he wanted to go out to drink the second part immediately agrees. Have a problem at 3 a.m.? No, prob he could always call them. Want to play? Kagami always have his things ready to go.

Of course most of the time, they spend time with three or four of them (usually Kise or Momoi), but Kagami never felt that he was the spare prick at the wedding. They are always balanced between them. Of course from time to time, they hold hands or peck each other's cheek, but that was all.

It was very nostalgic.

Sometimes they even hang out together, like searching for something at shops, playing, drinking. It didn't happen very often, but wasn't so rare to not miss it.

Kagami of course missed Kuroko. He missed talking with him, he missed sending him stupid messages whenever he saw something funny, he missed his monotone replies, he missed coming to their house without invitation and eating with them for dinner. He missed spending time together...

And it was undeniable fact.

But Aomine? That dumb Aomine that always laughed at him for losing. That dumb Aomine that always took the last part of food from his plate when they ate at Maji. That really dumb Aomine who somehow was able to make him laugh when he had a really bad mood (he still remember that day, it was the second day on his work and he got a reprimand)... That Aomine who with Kuroko made him the best surprise birthday party... The same Aomine that drove him home drunk many times... That damn friendly, but not bad Aomine he used to be in past.

He kind of missed him. But the Aomine that appeared after Kuroko's death was not the Aomine he missed.

"Maybe I miss the old him..." He finally said.

Akashi took the water in front of him and took a sip. Still with the glass near his mouth, he started to speak:

"I miss him too. We know each other from the first year of middle school. We also spend time together, maybe less than you, but still..." Then he took another sip. His eyes wandered to it, like he was contemplating if he need it or no. He finally put it down. "After Tetsuya died and Daiki left us I felt like something broke. Losing both my friends in such a short period of time was too much... even for me..."

Ah...

Kagami never saw Akashi cry. He wasn't sure if anyone saw him crying. But he remembered that when Retsuki was born Akashi locked himself in a room for pretty long time.

Was he crying there?

Back then he wasn't thinking about it, because everyone felt the same as him. Devastated, tired, detroyed, despaired.

"Back then I also thought I can't just simply forgive him. But time passed, we grew up, my memory is not as good as before." Kagami tried really hard not to smile at that.

"And I though I should give him a try..."

"But why now?"

It totally makes no sense. He could do it earlier or later, much later than he did now.

So why now? What happened that Akashi decided to do it now?

Kagami stared at him, holding his breath, his eyes drilling holes in his face. He expected everything, literally everything.

But not this.

"I don't know..."

What?

The man let out the breath he was holding and it came out in something like a hiss or a whistle.

"I just suddenly thought it was enough..." Akashi then looked at the side. It didn't look like he was evading his look. It just felt like he needed to concentrate on something else. "Maybe part of it was my own selfishness?"

Selfish? Kagami didn't think so, Akashi was never selfish. Well, after they beat him he never was.

"I kind of wanted at least one of us back. And I just thought that... this wasn't something Tetsuya wanted..."

Ah Kuroko...

Of course he never wanted all of this to happen. He didn't want to cause so much pain to his friends and family, he didn't want to cause so many problems. Kagami knew he didn't want to cause all of it.

And he never blamed him. No one blamed him.

"So I just thought I can try to fix it. Help repair what is broken and this way, I think Tetsuya will be more happy..."

Kuroko... Kagami never thought about it like that.

He knew that both he and Aomine were happy when they found out about Retsuki. Heck, they were all happy and curious about child.

Back then, they thought everything will be alright. They all made plans.

And only a few of them really happened.

He remembered when Kagami visited Kuroko and Aomine's newly bought house. They had wanted to move out a long time ago, but only then, they realized it was time. Not to mention this place was a little bit farther from the city.

He wondered what happened to it now...

He knew Kuroko dreamt of a calm, normal life with family.

And what was now wasn't what he really wanted.

Oh... OH...

"Yeah, I thought so too. So I decided to do something myself..."

Akashi was staring right at him. Right in his eyes and probably for the first time in his entire life and probably the last he saw them almost pleading him.

Kagami opened his mouth.

Retsuki got up from the sofa he was currently laying on. He looked at the clock. It looked like Kagami wasn't coming back anytime sooner.

The boy sighed. He was slowly starting to get hungry. Momoi couldn't stay with him for long, because she also had some kind of meeting from work, so Retsuki needed to stay alone at home.

Usually, he doesn't mind. He wasn't scared or anything and sometimes he even liked it.

But not now...

Retsuki looked at the clock above the tv. Near 6 p.m.

He knows Kagami was mad at him for going out last time, but heck, he was hungry! And there wasn't much in the fridge.

He can always come back before Kagami does. Yeah, that seemed like a plan...

He quickly got up, gathered his things (wallet and jacket). He also took spare keys that hang on the hook in the corridor near the front door and stopped.

Should he write a quick note? You know... just in case. Yeah, better hush on cold.

From his room he took a small paper and wrote a few quick words on it and put it on the counter in the kitchen. It was almost the first place where Kagami goes when he entered the house.

He left the house and locked the door.

Lately, he often does that. Wandering alone or doing something without his uncle's permission, but it's just... unfair.

He took an elevator and rode down and exited the bulding. He quickly turned and started walking. He put attention that he wasn't walking too fast, to not get noticed by the police.

It would be terrible. No, Retsuki didn't even want to know how Kagami would react if he would be caught one more time.

Not to mention he was still a child. In kindergarten!

With a little brighten up mood, he lifted his head and walked forward.

It didn't took him to long to get to his goal. Maji Burger. His beloved fast food restaurant. Maybe he should eat here so much, of course he heard that fastfoods aren't good, but heck, he was a kid, he can worry about health later.

The boy stood in the line behind some woman and waited patiently for his turn. But in just a few minutes, he was near the cash register and ordering food (of course vanilla shake and cheeseburger).

He turned around to actually walk out of the bar, but was stopped by a familiar voice.

"I didn't expect to see you here."

Retsuki looked to the side to spot the policeman with cheesburger in his hands.

What day was today? Tuesday... That"s right.

At first he felt something stinging in his heart, like he was doing something wrong, or maybe terribly wrong, but in an instant this feeling was replaced by happiness and joy.

"Good afternoon."

The boy quickly walked to the table and sat in front of the man.

"You're suprisingly everywhere where I am..." the man said after he took another bite. Retsuki was able to unwrap his own in that time.

He looked up.

"Maybe it's you mister who is everywhere where I am..."

"Nah, pretty sure you visited my policestation the last time."

And Retsuki chuckled. Of course it triggered not so happy flow of memories in his mind, but the way the man said it seemed too funny for him, to not laugh at that.

"Well, here you're right mister, but it was you who visited my kindergarten."

"Are we gonna argue who is stalking who?"

Retsuki shrugged.

"You know Aomine-san, I can always sue you for it... I don't think any policeman would trust you if you say that you're being stalked by a seven year old boy."

He saw as the tanned man blinked a few times, then his eyebrows moved closer to each other and a few wrinkles appeared on his nose. He smirked.

"You're surprisingly smart and mischievous for a seven year old."

"Maybe just a little."

Retsuki took a sip of his vanilla shake. For another moment they didn't talk, only eat and both of them didn't mind (Retsuki didn't mind and it looked like Aomine too).

The boy recalled the last events that happened in his life, the man being in his house, then visit to the policestation and meeting...

Yeah, there was someone.

"Can I ask you a weird question?"

The tanned man brushed away the souce from the corner of his mouth with his hands and nodded, not even looking at him.

"What do you think about your boss?"

It looked like he really didn't expect that question, because his mouth dropped down and his eyes became wide.

"Well that was really weird question. I must say. Can I ask why he interest you that much?"

Retsuki put away the cup."When I was at you policestation, he suddenly approach me and said..."

Should he tell it? Well why Aomine should be even interested in that matter. Retsuki know he and his mother were friends but still... "That he knows something that I want to know too..."

Aomine lifted his eyebrow in wonder. It was clearly visible on his face, the fight between asking further or leaving it and Retsuki really hoped he choose the second option.

But he knows he chose differently, as he slowly opened his mouth...

"What are you doing here?"

Retsuki jumped and a cold shiver ran down his spine. Oh no.

The boy lifted his head and turned on his chair to look right into the angry, red eyes of his uncle.

"Um... h-hey..."

The man frowned then turned his head. His gaze landed on the policeman and even Retsuki saw as Aomine flinched.

"So?"

Ah, yes, Kagami asked him something.

"I was hungry... so I went out to eat and Aomine-san was here..."

This time it was the truth, because most of the time he did it on purpose. But not this time. This time he really spoke the truth.

Something flashed through his crimson orbs and for a second, Retsuki saw guilt there, but maybe it was only his imagination.

Then Kagami glanced and for brief moment, it looked like he would start to yell and Retsuki wanted to catch his hand to prevent him from doing so.

It looked like Aomine also thought that, because he put both of his hands on the table and stood up a little.

"Kagami, listen..."

"Just come back before it gets dark. And you better take him home..." He then glanced at Aomine and as quickly as he appeared, he disappeared.

It took Retsuki a few seconds to understand what happened.

He looked at Aomine but, he too, had this surprised look.

Yahoo. I caught up with writing and publishing (I'm writing chapter 24 :3). I hope you enjoyed this chapter :3.

Answers:

Shereads - I like questions xD. Yeah very noisy xDDD. But they're still cute together :3. I like imagining Aomine saying or thinking 'wow'. It making me laugh. Almost... muhahahaha xD! I'm happy about every review =D.

And great thanks to:

Scarlet - for her hard work and being amazing person :3.

And thank you Reader for being here with me and my fanfiction.

See ya!