A/N: This chapter might be a little triggering so please… viewer discretion advised. Please read warnings before continuing. I won't be putting any line breaks during the story to signify the triggers, so y'all just need to look out. Skip any parts if necessary or don't read at all.
Anywaysssss, on a calmer and happier tone, thank you for almost 900 reads (on Wattpad) and thank you for 2.7k reads (on ). I love you all and I hope you will enjoy this chapter – it's another long one, so prepare yourself. Also, from now on the chapters will be longer and I won't be giving a warning :D
Trigger Warning: Mentions of suicide and ghosts!
Warning: BoyxBoy / Yaoi – don't like, don't read! (Profanity and future M-rated content).
Pairings: AkaKuro – possible side-pairings.
xXx
Kuroko was confused. No wait, beyond confused!
He thought things were starting to change. He must have been so terribly wrong. One moment, Akashi is nice and tolerable, then haughty and arrogant the next. What in the name of bipolar is this shit?
After last night, he was sure he had finally gotten the redhead to accept him–guess he was wrong. Oh, so wrong. That morning, Akashi had woken up everyone but him to go run laps in the forest (he was only given a note to suggest their absences). This was supposed to be a trip for them to relax… guess someone like Akashi Seijuro just couldn't stop himself from being imperious; even on vacation.
To be honest, he didn't mind all too much. He wasn't one for hardcore, phyiscal activities so he was glad to have sat this one out. He just didn't understand why Momoi had gone with them. She was their manager so he guessed she went to observe them? He wasn't completely sure.
In any case, it shouldn't have bothered him as much as it did. He barely knew any of them so this kind of routine was probably normal. He would just have to get used to it. A part of him sort of felt happy that Akashi might have actually been thinking about him. The redhead might have considered the fact that Kuroko wasn't big on carnal efforts–if his lack of sports clubs was any indication.
Though, at the very least, Akashi could have woken him up and let him know that they were leaving. Instead, he awoke to an empty and lone cabin, void of any life (other than himself, of course).
He was an easygoing person. Kuroko didn't like to dwell or mope over things for too long so not even a moment later, he was exploring the house. By himself.
It appeared effective because he now memorized the dining room, the kitchen, and the bathroom's location. The family home wasn't too large, but it was certainly bigger than most. Larger than any home Kuroko's ever lived in, anyways.
By the time he finished taking a bath and changed into fresh clothes, the time read about a quarter past eight o'clock. Not too late, but they had certainly been gone for over an hour.
He was starving but didn't want to make something lest the others come back. Maybe he should have gone to find the others. They couldn't have gotten too far, Akashi would most likely be wary of the possibility of getting lost. Especially in such a large and selfsame forest.
He considered going for a walk, hoping for the prospect of running into the others, but decided against it. What if they came back while he went out looking for them? He was sure most of them wouldn't be too concerned but he didn't want to risk alarming Kise or Aomine.
Releasing a sigh, Kuroko decided to snatch a book from his bag and lounge on the couches in the front of the fireplace. It was much too warm to set a fire, but the atmosphere was homey and domestic. He yearned for this feeling back at his small apartment.
After getting through about a quarter of his book, he heard the front doors creek open. He instantly jolted to his feet, practically running to meet them at the door. Stopping midway, he was greeted with the sight of panting and sweaty teens, basically swaying on their feet (with the exception of Akashi and Momoi).
"Glad you guys made it back safe."
Aomine seemed to jerk at the sudden voice, instantly lighting up at the sight of his friend–though his face appeared guilty. "Hey Tetsu… sorry for leaving you behind. But trust me, be lucky you were. Akashi's regime, even for summer, is crazier than you'd ever know!"
"I'm standing right here, Daiki. If I hear anymore complaining I will double it tomorrow, understand me?" The navy-head flinched before nodding his head vehemently. "Good."
Kuroko handed each of them a towel (ones he had gotten shortly before reading. He assumed they'd be sweaty by the time they got back). "You all should go shower."
"I couldn't agree more. This grime is gonna make me break-out. I call dibs on going first!" Kise proclaimed rather quickly, racing toward the bathroom nearest to his and Aomine's bedroom. The ganguro almost squawked, instead, ran after the blonde; they pushed and shoved each other all the way up the stairs. It appeared that Aomine won, if not for his shout of victory and the notorious, "Suck it, Kise!" that was heard.
"Morons," Midorima commented while taking off his glasses, cleaning them on his (almost) sweat-less shirt. Out of the others, beside Akashi, the male was the least clammy. Kuroko wondered why.
"There is a bathroom near mine and Akashi-kun's room. One of you can use that one. I'm sure there is one downstairs too." Akashi nodded at his statement before adding, "The one downstairs is small but manageable. I recommend using it if none are open."
With that, the redhead made his way upstairs–most likely planning to claim the unoccupied shower while everyone else was distracted. Kuroko didn't say anything more, simply sat back down on the couch, reading his novel again.
Momoi seemed to notice his distant behavior since she came and sat next to him with a small smile. "We really are sorry for leaving you behind, Tetsu-kun. We didn't want to bother you with the training." Kuroko almost felt guilty for making the pinkette worry.
"It's alright, Momoi-san. Believe me, I'm not all that mad. I would have just appreciated a more thorough head's up, is all." Momoi's smile grew and she hugged the male tightly, exclaiming, "I promise I will let Tetsu-kun know myself if we leave unannounced again!"
Kuroko chuckled, patting her head. Thank you, Momoi-san."
"Of course, Tetsu-kun!" Over the past few days (at least, during finals) the two had coerced over small arrangements pertaining to the trip. Nothing too big, but if he was being honest, he was the one who suggested teaming Aomine and Kise together. They were closest to him and he didn't want them fighting all the time. They could use some extra bonding.
Sometimes, the pink and blue haired duo would exchange notes and study during lunch for their exams. The two had one or two classes together so they decided to help each other out a bit. Momoi was eternally grateful. Out of all the brutes she was close to, Kuroko was the nicest. She would be lying if she said she hadn't developed a small crush for the male–despite knowing that him and Akashi might have something going on.
She kept it hidden, of course. But, sometimes it seeped out a bit–just like the hug she had given him just now and the… bold words she stated.
Momoi released the male a few moments after, offering another smile before rising to her feet. "Well, we better get started on breakfast!" Blue eyes blinked owlishly. "Shouldn't we wait to ask the others what they want to eat?"
Momoi waved her hand dismissively. "Nah~ They will just have to eat what we make!" Giving in, Kuroko simply nodded and walked toward the kitchen, the pinkette in tow.
"What do you suggest we make?" Momoi looked thoughtful for a second, searching through the fridge. "How about rice balls, miso soup and… eggs?" The pinkette finished rather unsurely, pulling out the small carton of eggs.
Kuroko felt sort of relieved. He knew how to make those three items relatively well – the eggs probably better than anyone would ever know. "Sure."
Momoi grinned, quickly grabbing the food items and setting them out on the table. Kuroko promptly interjected when he saw her start opening the carton of eggs. "I can make a mean boil egg. Leave it to me."
The pinkette appeared shocked for a second before she started giggling with a simple, "Alright then."
Momoi took charge of the rice balls while Kuroko started heating up a pot of water. At that moment, Aomine came stalking down the stairs. "Oi, Tetsu! Where did you go?"
"In the kitchen, Aomine-kun." The tan teen approached the duo, immediately palling as his sights settled on the pinkette. "Satsuki, what the hell are you doing?"
Pink eyes narrowed dangerously. "Cooking. What does it look like, Dai-chan?" Aomine slapped a hand to his forehead, slowly dragging it down in exasperation. "You can't cook, Satsuki."
Momoi balked. "Excuse me?! I most certainly can!"
"No you can't! You are lying to yourself!"
"Dai-chan, stop being so mean!"
"Stop trying to convince yourself that you can cook then!"
Teal eyes glanced passively, albeit a bit nervously, between the bickering duo. There isn't really anything for him to say. He has never tasted Momoi's cooking so he was certainly in no place to judge.
Opting to ignore them, Kuroko dunked the eggs into the boiling water, seeing how it started bubbling. Maybe he set it too high. Turning down the heat, Kuroko barely missed the overmit flying by his face. Okay, now this was going too far.
"Aomine-kun, Momoi-san, please stop." The two didn't even acknowledge him. He sighed ever so slightly.
Suddenly, a voice spoke up. This time it actually stopped the din.
"Daiki, Momoi, stop fighting at once." Kuroko almost laughed when he saw the two flinch. Serves them right. Well, not Momoi. Aomine was to blame. Mostly.
Akashi came into the kitchen dressed rather smartly in a white dress shirt shrouded in a navy vest – black pants accompanied the attire. "I'll help Tetsuya with breakfast. You two can sort this out elsewhere."
Kuroko paled – well paler than he already was – and averted his attention back to the eggs. Akashi was gonna help him? Seriously? Well, it could be worse.
Aomine rolled his eyes but eventually obliged – he didn't care as long as Momoi was told to leave as well. Who knows what kind of sickness she'd end up giving them with her horrendous cooking skills. Momoi looked like she wanted to protest but gave in, reluctantly. Heterochromatic eyes watched them leave the premises before focusing on the bluenette.
"What were you planning to make?" Akashi asked after a few moments. Kuroko was hesitant at first but answered, "Just a simple japanese breakfast. Maybe some rice with miso soup and eggs."
Akashi nodded, insightful. "Then, I shall accompany you." Blue eyes shot him a look making the redhead chuckle. "Yes, I know how to cook. Though, I'm surprised you do."
Kuroko would have felt offended if he actually did know how to cook. Despite himself, he admitted, "Well, I don't really… I just know how to make the simple stuff. Eggs are my speciality."
Those red and gold eyes surveyed him; the look making him uncomfortable. Kuroko cleared his throat, gesturing to the rice cooker. "Do you wanna make the rice? I can make the soup–"
"Actually, miso soup happens to be my speciality. I'll make that while you make rice and eggs, alright?" Kuroko was shocked at that revelation. But, he should have expected this. Nodding curtly, Kuroko finished up the eggs leaving Akashi room to prepare the soup.
The blunette strained the rice before heating some more water and placing the rice inside. He stirred the rice occasionally, glancing over at the redhead ever so furtively. After about 15 or so minutes, Kuroko took the pot off before dampening his hands and handling the rice. While separating the portions, Kuroko couldn't help but flash a peek toward the silent redhead.
A blue eyebrow quirked at the sight of Akashi cutting… tofu? They had bought tofu, seriously? Brushing off his shock, Kuroko finished up the rice balls, setting them on the table with some sliced eggs. By the time the blunette finished setting up the table, Akashi was done with the soup.
"Do you want me to get a few bowls down, Akashi-kun?" the Teiko captain simply nodded so Kuroko obeyed. They poured some soup into each bowl and placed utensils on the table before calling everyone down. Luckily, everyone had finished showering and were either in the living room or upstairs.
"Wow, this looks amazing!" Kise praised while taking a seat. Midorima grunted in agreement, albeit hesitantly. Murasakibara's eyes seemed to light up at the sight which almost made Kuroko laugh.
Momoi plopped into her seat with a sigh. "I wished I could have helped." Everyone went silent at that comment. Kuroko wasn't completely sure why.
Being the reassuring person he was, Kuroko provided a, "Don't worry, Momoi-san. I'm sure you can help prepare another meal at some point during this trip–"
"NO!" Almost everyone shouted, emitting a jolt from the tealnette. "H-huh?"
"Tetsu, don't even suggest that! Satsuki can't cook for shit–!" He was interrupted by the smack landed on the back of his head. "I can cook, Dai-chan! I don't know why you all disagree!"
Midorima cleared his throat, looking sheepish – for once. "Momoi, your cooking happens to be repulsive… at times." The pinkette's frown deepened and Kuroko tilted his head slightly, shocked. He had never heard such a… despicable comment come from Midorima – at least not one that was directed toward Momoi.
"You could have said that a bit more nicely, Midorimacchi!" The greenette sighed, rubbing his temples. Kise looked back at the pinkette and gave her a reassuring smile. "It's not that bad."
"It's bad." Murasakibara, who had been forgotten on multiple occasions, finally decided to pipe in. "Sa-chin is bad at cooking."
"Murasakibaracchi!" Kise shouted after hearing Momoi wail.
"How about we eat before everything gets cold." Kuroko demanded, a bit more forceful than intended. He sort of felt responsible for this little mishap so he felt the need to cease it. Kuroko caught Akashi's shocked gaze but didn't have the energy to comment on it.
Everyone seemed content with complying as they all started devouring the food. There were a few small conversations here and there but otherwise, it was silent. Save for the utensils clicking against dishes.
Once everyone was done, they concluded on having Aomine and Kise washing the dishes since, according to Akashi, they slacked off the most during 'practice'. Kuroko was grateful he hadn't gone with them.
"So what exactly are we supposed to do the rest of the time?" Aomine inquired shortly after him and Kise finished putting the dishes away. As if in sync, everyone's heads snapped toward Kise and Momoi.
"U-uh, we… hadn't thought about that…" Almost everyone sighed, expecting that response.
"Do you know of anything interesting around these parts, Akashi?" The redhead looked pensive before he shook his head. "No, nothing really happens around these parts. All there is, is the forest."
"Y-you know… now that you say that. Is it even safe to be going through the forest?" Kise stammered. "Remember what that old man sa–"
"That man was delusional and, most likely, intoxicated. You shouldn't believe everything you hear, Kise," Midorima scolded, wrapping his infamous tape around his fingers. The blonde wasn't assured.
"Y-yeah but–"
Kuroko had almost forgotten about the story that the old man had told. He had woken up alone and didn't feel an inch of severity. He felt calm… but now, he wasn't so sure he wanted to stay at the cabin alone. It could all be rumors, but how could any of them truly know?
"I thought you guys went for a run through the forest. Did you not?" Kuroko was more than confused now. Akashi had said, in the note, that the six of them were going into the forest that morning. Why had he lied? Or was it just a change of plans?
"We were but Akashi decided to make us run down into town and back… fifty times!" Aomine explained, finishing with a small glare toward the redhead. Kuroko simply nodded in understanding.
"And~ Akashi already said those tales were fake. Stop being such a pest, Kise," Aomine berated, slouching back down on the couch. Kise just sighed, by no means satisfied.
"In any case, this doesn't solve our issue. Does anyone have any ideas on what we should do for the remainder of the day?" Akashi ended up redirecting the topic, sensing the uneasiness coming from a few members.
"Oo! Is there a lake near here, Akashi-kun?" Momoi asked, not even waiting for an answer before adding, "We should all go swimming! Doesn't that sound fun?" Everyone either grunted or nodded in agreement.
"That's not a bad idea," Midorima started. "Good thinking, Momoi." The pinkette grinned cordially.
Many pairs of eyes settled onto the reflecting redhead, waiting for his response, which of course, came not even a second later. "Yes, I indeed remember one near here. It's about a ten minute walk, however."
Aomine crimped a hand dismissively. "Psh, that's nothing." Akashi simply shrugged. "If you say so. Well, since that's decided, let's all head upstairs and get ready." With that, everyone set off with terse acceptances.
Once everyone finished, they set off into the woods. Kise stood behind Aomine, trembling and glancing 'this way and that' at anything that made a noise. Kuroko patted his shoulder reassuringly with a small frown. "Calm down, Kise-kun. Nothing is going to attack us."
"Thanks for the solace, Kurokocchi, but I don't really feel any better…" Midorima scoffed, pushing his glasses up with taped fingers. "Don't be a fool. Even if there were ghosts, they wouldn't come out in such broad daylight." That response only seemed to scare the blonde more.
"S-so we aren't even safe in our sleep?!" The tan teen in front turned abruptly before smacking the small forward on the head. "Relax, idiot. The ghosts wouldn't want to haunt your annoying ass anyways. You'd end up scaring them away."
Kise held the assaulted area before hollering, "Itai! Why are you so mean, Aominecchi?!"
"It's called tough love. If you wanna keep acting like a dumbass, then you should expect it."
"You–!"
"Kise-kun please just try to calm down a bit. Nothing is going to get you out here. I'm sure there is a reasonable explanation for why that man at the shop was acting so weird. He probably doesn't get much business so anxiety and hallucination is probably common for him," Kuroko tried – key word: tried – to assure the blonde but it didn't seem very convincing, especially coming from him. The blunette didn't even believe his own words. If he was being honest, he was just as frightening as Kise, not that he would admit it.
"I agree with Tetsu-kun. Akashi-kun already told us not to worry because there is no reason to. Akashi-kun is always right, remember?" Momoi smiled wryly, having restated one of Akashi's famous (probably one of his favorites) statements.
Kise released a breath. "Fine. Sorry for being such a nuisance."
"You are never a nuisance, Kise-kun. It's okay to get scared." The model's eyes filled with tears as he pulled Kuroko into a tight embrace. "Wah~ Kurokocchi is being nice to me!"
"Isn't that better than being mean to you?" Kuroko deadpanned. Kise just nodded his head vigorously.
The rest of the walk continued almost silently. Kise and Kuroko conversed over a few things while Murasakibara munched on a few snacks. Eventually, they reached their destination. The sight was beautiful; specifically if you compared it to the forest it populated.
The water looked relatively clean despite the bits of moss and algae that grew in some places. Trees seemed to lean over it, giving it this surreal, idealistic appearance. The atmosphere gave off calm vibes which appeased everyone's nerves, much to their pleasure.
"Wow, this place looks amazing, Akashi-kun!" Momoi commented, immediately rushing over to touch the lukewarm water. There didn't seem to be any fish living it, which she found odd, but didn't note.
"Alright, let's get in!" Aomine acclaimed, dropping his bag onto the ground before pulling his shirt off hastily. Kise followed shortly after and the two plunged into the unsullied liquid. Midorima shook his head at their brutelike behavior, pulling out his towel and placing it on the floor before taking a seat; a small potted bonsai tree planted in his tapped hand. Kuroko always wondered where he got those items. How did it even survive in his luggage?!
Shaking off his perplexity, Kuroko followed the same process as the greenette, although a bit further away. Murasakibara didn't seem to care, simply plopping onto the ground while munching down another bag of chips. Akashi, to Kuroko's surprise, took the spot right next to him, yet didn't even spare him a glance. The blunette took that as a sign to ignore him.
Momoi had followed the two boorish guys into the water after taking off her outer garments. The three splashed and hollered at each other in such joyful tones that Kuroko almost laughed.
Aomine seemed to catch his gaze because he came toward the edge before splashing the teal-head in the face. "Come in, Tetsu! It's hella refreshing!" Kuroko instantly sent the teen a glare. Great. Aomine had just gotten his only pair of dry clothes drenched. Payback time.
Pulling off his soaked camisole, Kuroko jumped onto the navy-head's turned back, pulling them both underwater. The water wasn't all that deep. If he had to guess, maybe four or five feet. He could stand relatively easily and the water came to about Aomine's chest. If they went out further, though, he was almost positive it would be way deeper.
As they came back up for air, Kuroko could hear Kise's overdramatic guffaws and Momoi's muffled giggles. Aomine ruffled his clammy teal hair with a chortle. "Really got me with that one, Tetsu."
Kuroko made a noise, obviously proud of himself. "That was payback for getting my clothes all wet." Aomine gave him a mock, disbelieving, grin. "You sure are something else. Only you'd think of that as 'payback'."
"Do I need to drown you to prove my point?"
Aomine jerked back at that and waved his hands in pleading dismissiveness. "N-no! Of course not! Sorry for wetting you Tetsu." Kuroko, for once, let a victorious smirk grace his face. "That's what I like to hear."
The four of them continued to enjoy themselves in the soothing waters. Eventually, Akashi and Midorima joined them; Murasakibara having been too focused on his snacks. Kise tried to convince him but the purplenette seemed far too invested with his treats, not accepting persuasion.
"We should have gone into town and bought a ball or something. Maybe some games too," Aomine pointed out, leaning on the edge near Murasakibara. Everyone was either relaxing or simply swimming (namely Kise and Momoi).
"That would have been a good idea…" Momoi added, a finger rubbing her chin. "We can always come back. If we have enough time, we can head down there tonight and grab some stuff. Or tomorrow, it doesn't really matter." Kise nodded in agreement.
"Speaking of tonight, do you guys wanna have a bonfire in front of the cabin?" Kise proposed, while floating on his back. Kuroko's eyes gleamed at that suggestion.
"I like your thinking, Ryouta," Akashi praised, much to Kise's surprise – ultimately causing him to fall back into the water. However, Aomine looked a bit unsure.
"I thought you were scared of those ghosts or whatever." Kise blanched, having forgotten about that little tidbit. The navy-head sighed. "Idiot."
The model shrank into himself, head half submerged under the water. "On second thought, I take that back–"
"Nope. It's decided. We shall all have a bonfire outside the cabin when it gets dark," Akashi interrupted in his usual 'if you dare to defy me, I'll kill you' tone, making Kise gulp. "A-alright…"
Kuroko made his way toward the blonde and patted his sunken shoulder. "I'm sure it'll be fine, Kise-kun. We will all be together, remember. Nothing will harm us." Kuroko still wasn't sure he believed his own words, but having everyone together made him feel a bit better. At least he wouldn't be alone.
Kise nodded shakily. "Y-yeah, thanks Kurokocchi."
"Anytime, Kise-kun."
About twenty or so minutes passed before Kuroko decided to get out. He was sensitive to most things and was starting to get a bit cold. Snatching his towel from the ground, the blunette wrapped it around his small frame before taking a seat beside the purple-headed teen. Murasakibara didn't seem to mind, obviously still too engrossed with his snacks to pay attention to anything else.
The others continued to splash and have fun, Midorima simply stood to the side while sighing. Surprisingly, Akashi joined him, claiming he would be victorious since he won everything. It wasn't really a game but that didn't stop them from enjoying themselves.
Murasakibara seemed to have noticed his presence finally because he stared at him for a relatively long time. Feeling slightly unnerved, Kuroko met his gaze. "Is there something I can do for you, Murasakibara-kun?"
The giant didn't say anything for a while before suddenly thrusting a box of pocky toward the blue haired teen. "Kuro-chin should eat more." Kuroko didn't know whether to feel offended or not. The blunette happened to be rather skinny for a boy his age but he wasn't unhealthy.
Shrugging, Kuroko accepted the treat (it was vanilla, so why not?), moving his towel to make a makeshift seat again. His hair was still dripping a bit but his skin was pretty much dry at this point. As he started munching on the cracker, Kise came up toward the ledge, topaz eyes blinking owlishly.
Why was everyone staring at him today? Kuroko sighed before glancing at the male. "Yes, Kise-kun?"
"Kurokocchi is so pale."
…
"P-pardon?"
That was unexpected. Of all things, that was the last thing he expected Kise to say. It was said so bluntly; no hesitation whatsoever. It startled him so much he stuttered. Fucking stuttered! Kuroko Tetsuya never stutters.
On the flip side, the blasted blonde looked rather amused with the reaction he induced. That taunting smirk was starting to piss Kuroko off.
"Kurokocchi is pale. That's all I said." Damn, why was everyone criticizing his body today? First Murasakibara, now Kise. Couldn't they just leave him alone?!
Instead of cursing the blonde out for idiotically stating the obvious, Kuroko gave a deadpanned, "Yes. I am very much aware of this fact." The model's annoying grin was gone, now replaced with mock disappointment. Probably from having received such an indifferent response.
"I was just sayin'..." Kise pouted, turning his back toward the blunette, but Kuroko could tell he had crossed his arms–almost like a child would. He inwardly sighed.
"What is this about Tetsu?" Of course the ganguro would get involved in anything relating to Kuroko. Both a blessing and a curse… though Kuroko was leaning toward it being more of a curse.
"Nothin-"
"All I was saying is that Kurokocchi is unnaturally pale!" Oh, the blonde had a death wish now, didn't he? 'Unnaturally pale'? Almost everyone around him was pale! – besides Aomine, of course.
"Now that you mention it… Tetsu, you are really pale."
"Definitely, compared to you."
"Hey! My skin color is natural!" Aomine huffed. Kuroko almost laughed at his sulking demeanor.
"Apologies, Aomine-kun." The blunette atoned. Even though he didn't look very sorry, the navy haired teen simply snorted.
"Whatever you bastard."
"Is everyone ready to go?"
They didn't stay for very long after their previous engagement. Another hour or two was spent relaxing in the water before Aomine and Kise started complaining about being hungry. Of course the one thing they forgot to pack was food–aside from Murasakibara's sack of snacks. It's not like he'd let anyone have some anyways, so they decided to just head back to the cabin.
And that leads us back to present time. It was now a little ways past noon but it wasn't too hot out. The trees provided plenty of shade and the wind passed through them rather nicely. It would have been perfect... if Kuroko had dry clothes.
"They're still not dry." The statement was said so calmly, you wouldn't have thought the owner of the voice was actually miffed. But alas, Aomine knew of the hidden anger behind those words.
Slowly withdrawing, Aomine stated, "Ah… sorry 'bout that, Tetsu. I completely forgot I wet your clothes…"
On any other day, Kuroko would have dismissed this, but at the moment he was surrounded by people he barely knew, almost dry, yet only a stark wet towel as coverage. He wasn't insecure or anything, just modest. He wasn't big on walking around half-naked like some people *cough* Aomine *cough*.
"I don't think I can forgive you for this, Aomine-kun." It was obviously a joke, but everyone knows Kuroko isn't very good at those. The ganguro flinched, rubbing his nape sheepishly. Then a thought suddenly came to him.
Aomine held out his spare sweater, saying, "You can us–"
"You can use my jacket, Tetsuya." Kuroko jumped at the unexpected feel of cloth touching his bare skin. Whipping his head to the side, blue eyes widened at the sight of a smirking Akashi. The man looked all too dreamlike then–Kuroko wanted to slap himself for even thinking that.
"U-uh, thank you…" Okay, maybe Kuroko did stutter a tiny bit. Somehow, Akashi was always the one to emit such a thing from deep inside Kuroko's candid persona. How strange…
"Well, looks like that is solved then…" Aomine commented after finally getting over the shock of being interrupted. If he was being honest, he was surprised Kuroko didn't refuse Akashi's offer. The tan teen always thought Kuroko disliked the male… Great, now thoughts of his previous conversation with Momoi and Kise were returning.
'Stop it brain. Stop it!'
"Alright, let's start heading out," Akashi directed, his usual 'I am the boss' front now restored. Hearing no protests, the redhead took that as a sign to start leading them out of the forest. Everyone followed without complaint.
To say Kuroko was stunned would be an understatement. Akashi has been acting… weird ever since they arrived at his family home. The incident with that old man back at the town was one indication… Not to mention, Akashi had a weird burst of fatigue the day before too…
But that wasn't even the most shocking part. What surprised the blunette most was the captain's sudden kindness towards him. Yes, he did leave Kuroko back at the cabin all alone with only a note to go off of–but it was better than just being left in the dark!
And, the meek conversation they had the night before was… nice. Kuroko guessed Akashi could be tolerable at times. At least when he wanted to be–
Kuroko froze at the sound of ruffling bushes coming from behind him. Despite himself, he slowly turned around, only to come face to face with... nothing. All he saw was the remainder of the forest–however, he felt as though something was watching him...
What was that? Was he going crazy? No, of course not. There is wildlife in the forest… it could have just been a squirrel or something… Right?
"Oi Tetsu, hurry or we are gonna leave your scrawny ass behind!"
"I'm coming." Hesitantly turning away, Kuroko started off back towards his friends. Was it really just a squirrel?
xXx
"Ah~ That was so much fun!" Momoi exclaimed while stretching her arms above her head. Kise came up beside her while laughing heartily. "Couldn't agree more, Momoicchi."
"I don't know about the rest of you but I certainly need a nap now." Aomine yawned loudly, dropping unceremoniously on the couch with a thud. Kuroko was the first one on him. "Aomine-kun, please don't lounge on the couch while covered in nasty river water."
The navy haired teen sent him a glare. "But I took a shower this morning–"
"That doesn't mean you don't need to take another one! We just went swimming in nature's water! It has grime and dirt in it! Don't be nasty Dai-chan!" At that, Aomine groaned gaudily. "Fine~!"
Akashi shook his head disapprovingly while Midorima uttered an almost inaudible, "Simpleton". Murasakibara had already taken off to claim a shower, same with Momoi. Kise, sensing Aomine was finally complying, hurriedly raced upstairs into their bathroom, actually winning this time.
"Damn you, Kise!"
"You snooze, you lose!" Kise cackled.
Kuroko rubbed his temples. Those two behaved like children sometimes. It was over exasperating. Suddenly, a moment of realization came over the tealnette. Turning to the only other person in the room, Kuroko quickly took off the piece of borrowed clothing (not by his choice, of course) and held it out to the redhead.
"Here you go, Akashi-kun. Thank you for letting me borrow it." Akashi blinked a couple times before taking it with an unreadable smile–much to Kuroko's confusion. "It was no problem." Settling with a simple, miniscule smile, the blunette excused himself back to their room.
After everyone finished showering and cleaning up, it was a little ways past three. They all decided to just relax on the couch for a bit before heading into town again. There were a few things needed in order to have a successful bonfire – as quoted by Akashi.
Momoi took the liberty in making a small list of essentials (one for each of them) and they coordinated who would get what. In the end, they decided Aomine and Murasakibara would stay behind at the cabin to collect firewood while the rest went into town.
Midorima and Kise were in charge of buying games and a decent sized basketball for future reference. Akashi chose to be in charge of finding matches while Momoi and Kuroko went searching for the food items. Content with their arrangements, everyone set off.
"Later."
"Mhm~"
Aomine swayed his feet a bit from his sprawled out position on the couch – arms rested as a pillow behind his head. Across from him seated a purple haired giant who was still munching on his never ending pile of snacks.
"It's still early, should we start getting to work before the sun sets?" Not that the sun was gonna set anytime soon. If anything, they had about five or so hours before it actually went down–though, he felt obligated to ask since the task would probably take a while, especially when you have to work with someone as lazy as Murasakibara.
Then again, Aomine didn't want to face Akashi's wrath if he came back and noticed they had done absolutely nothing. Navy blue eyes glanced at the center after not having received an answer. "Well?"
"Aka-chin will get mad if we don't do anything. Plus, Kise-chin will start whining and that would be annoying." That was one thing Aomine could agree on. The ganguro smirked while jumping to his feet, hands shoved in his pockets. "Let's get to work then."
It didn't take too long for them to find an axe and chainsaw from inside the first-floor closet. Aomine found it a bit odd to have such dangerous equipment in such an obvious place but simply shook it off. It wasn't his business, anyways.
Aomine chose to be 'nice' – dare he say – and opted for giving Murasakibara the chainsaw. It's not like they were gonna be chopping any trees down or anything, it was mostly for defense. Who knows what kind of animals lurk inside that creepy forest.
"We should probably go a bit further in. There will most likely be more fallen trees inside." The giant merely grunted, following the shorter teen through the overgrown woodlands. If he was being honest, he could care less about scary animals or ghosts. Not a lot of things scared him–well maybe besides crows.
"There's a smaller tree over there." The ace's sudden exclamation brought Murasakibara from his daydream – ahem nightmare – about crows stealing his food. His purple eyes watched as the tree fell on it's side after a few choppings from Aomine's axe.
"Phew, alright. Let's slice it up and take it back to the cabin." The tree wasn't the largest but a few chopped up pieces should be good enough to make a fire – one that should last them a few hours. "I expected this to be way harder. Guess I was wrong."
Setting his axe on the ground, Aomine grabbed the chainsaw from the purplenette and pulled the toggle switch, which in turn, had it roaring on. The noise was a bit loud but the navy-head didn't care at the moment. He felt so powerful using something his parents would usually forbid him from getting near. He had no idea why they prohibited him from touching one. It was so cool!
After cutting a few, relatively decent sized, pieces, Aomine switched off the chainsaw and placed it back on the ground. "Okay, let's get these babies home!"
Placing the axe back in the pack he had on his waist (he and Murasakibara decided to bring bags just in case they couldn't carry everything – it's a good thing they did) before taking a few pieces of wood into his arms. "Oi Murasakibara, are you gonna carry some or–?!"
"Do you see that?"
"Hah?" Aomine quirked a brow, somewhat irked. "What are you daydreamin' about? Take this seriously, would ya?"
"I'm not daydreaming, Mine-chin." Murasakibara pointed a finger towards some bushes opposite of them. "I see eyes."
The tan teen flinched, head instantly turning toward the direction the center was gesturing to. And true to his word – and much to Aomine's apprehension – a pair of glowing blue eyes seemed to peer directly into his soul. It's owner's body was shrouded by the bushes surrounding it so Aomine couldn't make out exactly what it was–but he sure as hell would not like to stick around to find out. Who knows what it could be!
"U-uh, I think we should go."
"But it's not doing anything–"
"It's not doing anything yet!" Aomine shoved his pile of firewood into the giant's arms before snatching the remaining pile from the ground. "And I don't want to be around when it does decide to do 'something'!"
Suddenly the bushes around the creature shifted slightly and those bewitching eyes disappeared. Aomine felt dread running through his mind.
Where the hell did it go?!
"Let's get out of here before it attacks us!" Murasakibara pouted slightly but nodded anyway. That seemed to be all the confirmation Aomine needed for he took off running, much to the purplenette's surprise. "Why are you running, Mine-chin?"
"Idiot! Because I don't wanna be eaten!" Murasakibara rolled his eyes but, in the end, took off after the ganguro. "Mm~"
Not too far away, about twenty or minutes prior, a duo with pink and blue hair were just then entering a small convenience store – virtually empty, barring the shop owner. The two had decided to avoid the small shop they had visited the first night, not wanting to run into that old man again. They were equally freaked out by the stories he had told them that day, so they found a new store to shop at.
"So we need marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate, correct?" That question might have been a bit stupid considering they had a list but Kuroko just wanted to confirm. This would be the first time he's ever had a bonfire, especially with such a large group of friends. You couldn't blame him for being overcautious and not wanting to screw everything up.
Momoi didn't seem to find anything weird about his inquiry, in fact she looked a bit too happy about it. "Yup! I'm pretty sure they have a section with all three items so this should be a simple task!"
Kuroko simply nodded while following the pinkette through the small store. And just as she said, there they were, all in the same aisle. They grabbed two bags/boxes of each before making their way to the checking stand.
There, a middle-aged man sat while reading, what looked to be, a worn out newspaper. He looked indifferent as his eyes watched them approach his desk. "Will that be all?" Momoi almost flinched at his tedious tone. "Yes sir."
The man scanned all their items rather slowly, and his eyes never left the two in front of him. The duo looked unfazed, however inside, they were somewhat uncomfortable. The shop worker's gaze was slightly unnerving.
All of a sudden, the man stopped midway through scanning and leaned a hand on his table while giving them a sultry stare. "Say, are you newcomers around here?"
Kuroko was hesitant to answer (especially with being given such a look), but gave in after a moment of awkward silence. "Yes sir." The man pursed his lips looking almost intrigued. "Fascinating. Where are you folks traveling from?"
This time Momoi answered, though she looked a bit bothered; peeved you may say. "Tokyo."
He looked between the two before a smirk grew on his face. "Teenagers I presume," he stated more than asked, much to their trepidation. "Y-yes sir."
There was a moment of silence before the man's gaze shifted solely to Kuroko. "And you… are you a girl?" Wide blue eyes blinked owlishly before the owner stammered out a small, "H-huh?"
"I asked if you were a girl." The man seemed a bit irked at not having received a proper answer. Though, it wasn't entirely Kuroko's fault. It's not everyday you get weird looks and asked 'are you a girl' when he was clearly a guy. You couldn't blame him for being shocked.
"I-I uh…" Why couldn't he give out an answer? It was a simple 'yes' or 'no', yet he couldn't seem to bring himself to speak. Whether it was from the shock or anxiety, he wasn't quite sure.
Ultimately, all this seemed to do was upset the man more for he yanked at the blunette's trembling wrist. "Answer me correctly, dammit!" Suddenly, everything seemed to click for Kuroko at that moment.
The man's face was so close he could clearly smell the scent of alcohol drifting from his mouth. Kuroko almost gagged at the stench. It was almost unbearable. This man was clearly intoxicated and delusory–he probably couldn't even see him nor Momoi through his bleary vision.
Thankfully, Momoi seemed to be in enough state of mind to exclaim, "Please release my friend sir! We are just here to buy some things to bring back to our friends. We don't mean any trouble." The man scoffed, sending a small scowl toward the pinkette before examining the male in front of him.
Kuroko averted his gaze, blue eyes glaring daggers into the cash register. He didn't want to even look at the man in front of him. Not when they were being openly harassed. Hmm, this seems a bit familiar.
The sudden grip on his chin caused the blunette to release a small yelp – he could faintly hear Momoi screeching, "Hey!" in the background. The grasp was a bit too tight that Kuroko inwardly cringed from pain. "So are you gonna answer me or no?"
Finally finding his voice, Kuroko huffed out a simple, "No, I am a boy… sir."
The man rose a brow. "Really now? You look a bit too cute for a boy. I don't know if I believe you." Kuroko scrunched his nose up slightly. Was this man serious?
"I assure you. I am a male." Kuroko tried his damn hardest to keep his voice even; it was a success but that didn't mean his mind was at ease. He had to think. This was a tricky situation, especially with Momoi. If he was alone, he probably wouldn't have felt so restless, but with Momoi… who knows what the man might do to her.
"Please release me," Kuroko demanded after a few silent seconds. The man hadn't said anything so he took that as his sign to do so.
Instead of doing as told, the man looked him up and down before averting his attention back to Momoi – or rather… a specific part of her. He chuckled all too sickly. "You're a cute one too. Nice chest you got there."
Momoi reeled into herself, arms moving protectively in front of her bust. She sent the man a nervous grimace. "Please don't make such comments toward your customers."
"You're in my store. I can do whatever the fuck I want to you." Okay, he's gone too far now. Feeling a bit rebellious, Kuroko jerked his head from the man's hold and tried yanking his wrist away – yet to no avail. This sudden movement seemed to shock the worker, however he recovered rather quickly. "Where do you think you're going?"
"We only came here to buy some things but if you aren't willing to let us do that, then we shall leave." Kuroko mentally patted himself on the back for being able to hold his usual deadpanned tone. Although, that only looked to piss the man off more.
The grip on his wrist tightened and Kuroko almost gasped from pain. "I said let go–"
"And why should I listen to a brat like you?" A gross-looking smirk formed on his lips again. "How about you two follow me to the back and we can have some fun~"
Blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly. Okay, sure. The man was most likely drunk, but that was no excuse for such vulgar behavior. This man was probably in his late forties while they were mere highschool students. Isn't this illegal?
"We politely decline your offer. We will not be going anywhere with you so please cash us out or let us leave. No other options will be permitted." Kuroko doesn't usually force his voice, but he could make an exception today. Okay yes; when those guys at school tried to make that deal with him, he was absolutely useless against them, but now it was different. This time it was only one man. However, Momoi was with him. He couldn't let anything happen to her, otherwise he wouldn't be able to forgive himself.
The owner only scoffed at his claim. "You really think you have a say in this? Cute, but it ain't gonna work on me." Kuroko sent the male a rare glower. What else could he do at this point? Trying to yank his arm away again would only end with him getting some pretty nasty bruises, but was that worth whatever the man was gonna do to them otherwise?
The blunette could feel sweat trickling down the side of his face. He quickly glanced at Momoi, only to see her in no better state than him. She looked scared yet… angry? I mean, who wouldn't be in this sort of situation?
Kuroko swallowed the lump forming in his throat. He had to get them out of here? But how? He could just tell Momoi to make a run for it while he held off this guy, but would she listen? Probably no–
Before his thoughts could continue any further, a deep, smooth voice cut through the seemingly tense atmosphere.
"Is there a problem here?" Kuroko almost felt relief when an all too familiar redhead came into his line of vision. Akashi.
"Hah?" The worker looked almost surprised, not expecting a new presence to enter his store. "What do ya' want? Hurry and scram brat!" Akashi simply chuckled.
"I don't think I can do that. Not when you are assaulting my friend right before my very eyes." Akashi crossed his arms over his chest as he strolled over towards the trio. "So would you please release him?"
"Oh? So you're friends with this brat, eh?" The worker's smirk only grew. Suddenly, Kuroko felt the grip on his wrist vanish, instead replaced with a tight grasp to his hair. "Itai..."
"H-hey! Let him go!" Kuroko could faintly hear Momoi screaming in the background – but the pain was fogging up his mind. This man had some serious issues when intoxicated…
Those mismatched eyes didn't falter, nor did they look any more amused. Instead, Akashi's face seemed almost unexpressive. "I already told you once. Release my friend… now. You should know… I am not very fond of repeating myself."
The man gave a curt chuckle. "Whatever, kid. This is my store so whatever I say…" The worker started reaching under his desk for something, unexpectedly bringing out a small box cutter. "Goes."
The man brought the knife closer toward Kuroko's neck, a nasty sneer drawn over his face. "So leave or I'll cut his pretty head off and hang it on my door." Kuroko wanted to fucking vomit at this point. The man's breath, mixed with his words was enough to make anyone feel sick.
Kuroko looked toward Akashi for some sort of guidance, yet only received a look that screamed 'enthralled'. What the hell is going through that redhead's mind now?!
"I must say, you are quite daring." Akashi advanced toward the duo (Momoi watching anxiously from the side) with a sly smirk. Slamming a hand on the desk separating him from the man, Akashi gave a bold, "But you messed with the wrong person."
Saying the man was shocked would be an understatement. He looked downright raging. "Who the hell do you think you are?!" All of a sudden, the boxcutter by Kuroko's neck went flying toward the redhead. Kuroko's eyes widened in horror.
Luckily, Akashi was able to avoid the attack, however Kuroko could see the trickle of blood flowing from a small cut on his left cheek. Kuroko tried to catch his eyes to make sure he was okay, but the redhead never looked back up.
Okay. That was the last straw.
The man cackled loudly. "Not so tough anymore, are ya?" Placing the boxcutter down on the table, he slowly looked back at the blunette. "Now, about earlier–" The man stopped midway, his voice caught in his throat suddenly.
Kuroko watched with narrowed eyes as the worker's face twitched with shock and a bit of fear.
What is this?
The man wouldn't admit it out loud, but something in those glaring, sky blue eyes set something off in him. His confidence just… deflated. The grip he had on the blunette's head loosened and he shakily pushed the teen away. "W-what the hell?"
Kuroko caught himself before he could fall onto the dirty floors. Momoi rushed over to him asking if he was alright. The blunette didn't reply right away, his gaze was fixed wholly on the redhead. "Akashi-kun…"
The sound of his name only seemed to bring him from his trance for he moved a bit too quickly. Snatching the abandoned knife (which leaving unattended was a mistake from the beginning), Akashi slammed the blade between the man's fingers – not hurting him, just scaring him.
Allowing his full attention to focus on the frightened male in front of him, Akashi let an, all too happy, smirk grace his face – though you could clearly see the veins popping from the side of his temple. "You have some nerve…"
"U-uh… I-I…"
"'U-uh… I-I'–shut up." Kuroko was slightly bewildered with this new side of Akashi. The redhead never used such indecent words… not even towards him!
Twisting the knife closer toward the man's trembling fingers, Akashi spoke again. "Alright then. How about you check us out and we'll be out of your hair in no time." The man didn't have to be told twice… this time.
In less than a minute, the trio were paying for their items and exiting the store. The man hadn't said a word to them.
Kuroko didn't know how to feel. On one hand, he felt grateful that Akashi had shown up when he did but on the other hand… he felt like he could have handled the situation on his own. Not to mention, the redhead had gotten 'injured' while dealing with that drunkard.
Speaking of which, blue eyes nervously glanced back up at Akashi, examining the small cut still oozing with blood. Despite himself, Kuroko pulled out a tissue from his pocket and pressed it against the captain's cheek. "You should clean it out when we get home. You wouldn't want it to get infected."
If Akashi was surprised, he didn't show it. Instead, merely accepted the handkerchief with a small, "Arigatou." Kuroko didn't mind. That whole event was enough to leave them all in shock for a while.
Looking behind him at the quiet pinkette, Kuroko asked, "Are you alright, Momoi-san?"
The manager jumped, pink eyes blink owlishly for a second before she offered a miniature smile. He could tell she was still a bit on edge. "Y-yeah. Gomen… I'm just a bit…"
"Staggered?" Momoi giggled slightly. "Yeah… that's the word."
Kuroko slowed his pace a bit to match with hers. He patted her head gently. "Don't worry about it too much. It's all over now. We now know for the next time we come into town, we should shop at another store." Momoi pursed her pink lips together.
"You don't seem affected at all. How do you do it?" Kuroko gave her a rare, comforting smile. "I've dealt with people like him before. You don't want to let it get to you all that much, otherwise you'll only be more miserable."
The pinkette tilted her head, somewhat concerned. "If you don't mind me asking… What happened? Did you get hurt?" Kuroko shook his head. "No, I wasn't hurt, so don't worry about it. It's in the past."
Momoi looked hesitant to accept that answer but gave in anyway. It wasn't her business, she shouldn't pry. "If you say so."
Akashi was silent until they met up with Midorima and Kise again. The blonde bombarded the redhead with questions after seeing the bloodstained tissue in his hands. Akashi simply waved him off saying, "We'll explain later," which didn't really satisfy the blonde, but he accepted it nonetheless.
As they made their way back toward the cabin (Akashi leading from the front) Kise came up beside the blunette, albeit a bit nervously. "Hey, what happened with Akashicchi? Why does he have a cut on his face?"
"Didn't he say we'd explain once we got back to the cabin? Please be patient, Kise-kun."
"Yeah but…" Kuroko could feel those topaz eyes staring intently at his darkening wrists. It was unsettling to say the least.
"Kise-kun…"
"Gomen… I'll be patient."
"Arigatou."
xXx
"What the hell happened?!" Was the first thing out of Aomine's mouth once they stepped through the door. Apparently the tension among the group was enough to concern even Murasakibara who usually just sat on the couch eating, with no care in the world.
"That's what I'd like to know too." Kise's serious tone was quite a shock, especially to Kuroko. Kise wasn't as much of an idiot as others make him out to be. He may be a happy-go-lucky person, but when he gets angry… he becomes a whole other person.
"What? You mean not even you know? You were with them!"
"I–"
"We split into groups, Aomine-kun." The tan teen looked Kuroko up and down, instantly taking note of the dark handprint on the teen's pale wrist. It certainly stuck out like a sore thumb. "Please stop staring."
"Ah, my bad..."
"I think we deserve an explanation, Akashi," Midorima said while taking a seat on the couch. Readjusting his glasses, the teen added, "Don't think you can play this off forever."
Any normal person would have thought Akashi's expression was mere disinterest, but to the people in the room, his irritation was evident. Fully, so. "If I'm being honest, I wasn't there the whole time. If anything, ask Tetsuya or Momoi. It is their tale, not mine."
A series of eyes immediately shifted toward the duo, unnerving them. Thankfully, Momoi was the first to speak. "It's really not that big a deal…"
"'Not a big deal'?! Akashi has a fucking cut on his face and Tetsu has a big ass bruise on his wrist! You cannot tell me this was 'no big deal'!" Aomine was fuming at this point. He didn't like being kept in the dark, especially if his friends had been put in harm's way.
Luckily, Kuroko was there to ease his worries. "Calm down, Aomine-kun. We just so happened to choose a store run by some drunk old man. He harassed us a bit but Akashi-kun came to help us. The man was… a bit crazy and he tried slashing Akashi-kun with a knife. That's it."
…
No one said a word. To Kuroko, the silence was louder than ever.
"Y-yeah… okay sure, whatever. But that doesn't explain your wrist!" Kuroko released a strangled exhale while kneading his temples. "He just yanked on my arm a few times. It's nothing, it'll heal in a few days."
Aomine and Kise exchanged glances. There had to be more to the story? Right?
"I deeply apologize. I don't remember the workers around town being this audacious. I'm glad no one was seriously injured." Everyone – though some reluctant – nodded in agreement. Midorima piped up next. "I think it'd be best to just rest for the time being. We can start setting things up in a few hours."
With that, everyone went to do their own thing. Whether it be sleeping or simply lounging around in the cabin. Though, a certain blue and red duo seemed a bit restless.
"Akashi-kun, let me clean out that cut for you."
Heterochromatic eyes stared unblinkingly at the teen before him. "I can handle it myself. Do not trouble yourself with such mundane things, Kuroko."
Kuroko was a bit surprised with the sudden last-name basis, but shrugged it off after a moment. There were more important things at hand. "Please, Akashi-kun. It's the least I can do, especially since I am the cause for it."
Exhaling a long sigh, Akashi shrugged before heading in the direction of the stairs. Kuroko took that as his sign to follow–however, he stopped mid-step at the sound of his name being called. "Kuroko."
"Yes, Midorima-kun?"
As the bespectacled male approached, Kuroko took note of the small first-aid kit planted in his tapped hand. "Here, you might want to use this. There are a few bandages and some antibiotics in there. I always carry this with me in case things like this happen."
How often does this happen?! Is what Kuroko wanted to say… but didn't, for obvious reasons.
"Arigatou. I will put this to good use." Kuroko gave the male a small smile before heading up the stairs – just as Akashi had done moments prior. Briefly, Kuroko could hear Midorima exclaim, "Make sure to wrap that wrist of yours up too, alright?"
Kuroko didn't bother replying; for he was already at the top of the stairs, steps away from his and Akashi's bedroom. Taking a moment to calm his nerves, Kuroko quickly went into the bathroom and grabbed a damp paper towel before rapping his knuckles on the door. "Akashi-kun?"
"Come in." He didn't need to be told that twice.
The blunette quickly entered the room, instantly taking note of the redhead sitting leisurely on his bed. "Midorima-kun gave me a first-aid kit."
"I can see that."
Kuroko's lips quivered downward, ever so slightly, into a small frown. What was with that tone? Was he still mad about earlier–? Okay… he had every right to be. That man tried to stab him… but he didn't need to take his frustrations out on his frien–
What is he thinking? Friends? Him and Akashi certainly weren't anything of the like. Not even a week ago, they were arguing and annoying the hell out of each other. What changed? Was it Akashi's sudden personality switch, or was it something completely different?
During this entire trip, Akashi hadn't said anything rude or demeaning to him–all he's been was kind. But why? It couldn't be that Kuroko was finally someone of interest to him. Surely not. There had to be some sort of reason… right?
Shaking his head as a means of clearing his troublesome thoughts, Kuroko took a seat beside the redhead while opening up the small kit. Kuroko handed the damp paper towel to Akashi while searching for antibiotics. "Clean up all the blood for me."
He didn't receive a reply, but he could briefly see the captain raise the towel to his cut cheek. Kuroko inwardly smiled.
Finally finding what he needed (a small tube bottle of polysporin) the blunette shut the small kit and motioned for Akashi to hand him the towel. Squeezing a bit of the gel onto his finger, Kuroko gingerly spread the mixture onto the gash.
"Sorry if this stings a bit. I'm sure you can take it like a man, though." Kuroko tried to make a joke–but everyone knows just how terrible he is at those. Akashi didn't seem very amused by it either, but it didn't look like the antiseptic was stinging him in any way.
"And… done," Kuroko announced, wiping his finger clean of excess gel. Ruffing through the kit again, Kuroko pulled out a small bandage before applying it onto the redhead's cheek. "There you go."
As Kuroko was collecting all of the trash (as well as putting things away) Akashi was, more or less, rather torpid. He carefully caressed his bandaged cheek while keeping his gaze directed toward the ground.
"Akashi-kun."
Said redhead jumped slightly, somewhat shocking the slightly shorter male in front him. "Akashi-kun, are you alright?"
"Mmm."
Kuroko quirked a brow. What the actual hell?
Feeling a bit bold, Kuroko slowly raised the closed, first-aid kit into the air before bringing it down hard onto the back of Akashi's head. To say this sparked a nerve would be an understatement.
"Tetsuya..." Akashi's drawled tone almost made Kuroko regret his actions. Almost. If he was being honest, Akashi always needed a serious smack over the head for always being such a stuck up pretty boy. Not that Kuroko would admit that aloud.
"Apologies Akashi-kun, but you should answer people when they are talking to you."
"What are you? My mother?"
"No. Just a concerned..." Friend? No, that wasn't the right word. Especially not in this situation. "Just concerned."
Those mismatched eyes stared at him with so much doubt that Kuroko almost dropped a sweat. "I'm sure everyone else is worried too. You've been unusually quiet and distant…"
"So I've really been that obvious, huh?"
"Pardon..?"
Akashi released another sigh as his hand came to drag down the side of his face. "I don't think I should be talking about this sort of thing with you of all people…" For some unknown reason, Kuroko felt… irritated with that response. Fair, the two of them don't get along that much, but he thought things were going a bit better. What's stopping Akashi now?
"Why do you say that?"
"It's nothing personal. To be frank, I wouldn't want to discuss this matter with anyone else either." That didn't seem very convincing. If anything, it made Kuroko slightly more curious.
"Okay, I'll respect that. However, I feel like I deserve to know the reason behind your sudden… behavior change?" Kuroko placed the first-aid kit onto the bedside table before taking a seat beside the redhead again. "You've been sending me mixed signals lately. I know that's a weird way of saying it but it's, nonetheless, very true."
"Care to elaborate?"
"This is sort of back to the topic of you acting… weird. During the expanse of this entire trip, you've been… nice to me. What's with that? Are you trying to mock me?" Akashi looked a bit taken aback by that statement. He looked – almost too honestly – thoughtful, as if he was completely unaware of his previous behavior.
What came next just irked Kuroko even more. "I don't see anything wrong with my current attitude, Tetsuya." At least he was back to first-name basis. That was normal… at least as normal as Akashi Seijurou can get.
Wait…
"You may not, but I'm sure everyone else can. I thought you were all knowing, Akashi-kun. Surely you would have noticed whether yourself was acting differently or not. Hmm, I guess you aren't as attentive as I thought."
…
Oh yes. He definitely struck a nerve.
"Are you trying to make me angry?"
That's the Akashi Seijuro he has come to know. Kuroko let a small smirk grow on his lips. "Hmm, I don't know. What do you think?"
Clicking his tongue, the redhead plopped backwards onto the bed, an arm covering his eyes. "You sure know how to piss me off…" Kuroko couldn't help but chuckle. "I suppose I do."
A couple more moments of silence went by before Kuroko asked, "Okay, I see that you don't really feel like talking right now, and that's fine." Rising from his seated position, the blunette started for the door.
"Just know that you have friends that are here to help and listen to you. You aren't alone."
Akashi wasn't sure why… but listening to the opening and closing of the door made his heart ache. He desperately wanted to stop Kuroko from leaving, but he just couldn't bring himself to do it.
God… there certainly was something wrong with him. Slapping himself in the face, Akashi berated himself for being so obvious. Why? Why Kuroko of all people? Why not some pretty girl?
He wasn't completely sure… but he knew that what he was feeling right now for the bluenette was normal; especially for some like him. Earlier in the store, he just couldn't help feeling so… angry with the man who dared hurt Kuroko… as cheesy as that sounds.
He wanted to murder the man. But… Why?! Kuroko was just an acquaintance, he was nobody to Akashi, yet… he felt so happy whenever he was around. Akashi hated to admit it… but he knew these feelings were something someone would feel for a friend.
Akashi wasn't oblivious to feelings, he was a healthy, teenage boy. And right now, Akashi couldn't help but reprimand himself for feeling such ways for some random blue-haired boy with no presence.
Dammit Akashi. You have fallen for Kuroko Tetsuya.
xXx
A/N: Hello my children. The date is currently… 6/15/2022. Yet, I have come back almost a year later to update this extremely weird fanfiction. I don't think anyone even remembers it but… yeah. I honestly wrote this chapter in September of last year so… if my ending doesn't really fit the story, I am sorry.
This chapter is… 25 fukcing pages in my google docs so y'all better enjoy it.. It certainly is long as fukc. Anyways, have a good day and I will try to update but I can't promise anything will be soon. Don't forget to comment! I love criticism.
To be continued…
~Rin