Authors Note: Hello there! For those of you who read the original version of the story, I would suggest you give this a read. It clarifies things a little better and I hope is easier to read. But his is more for my benefit because I want to further characterize and expand a little so I can feel the flow fo the story a little better. So thank you guys deeply for understanding and continuing to favorite/follow and review! All three mean a lot to me! I hope the wait was worth it! Plus, I know there are major structure and grammatical issues that drive me crazy ^^;; I'm really excited to go through this all again, since it's been so long! Let's get to it!
Disclaimer: I don't own Kuroko no Basuke or Haikyuu, the characters or make any profit from this story. All characters and concepts belong to their respective owners. I just like writing. Please support official releases.
Chapter 1: Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Ash and dust filled her lungs as she coughed and hacked, looking up with tears in her eyes at the outstretched hand. She could hear them calling for her, telling her to return to them, but her eyes were locked with his.
"You said that they're your world, but there's more to the world than those guys," his voice was louder than anyone else's in the world right now. "you're not caged. You're free!" His truth finally reached her, crashing through the walls of deception she had helped them build around her. Without another thought, she lunged for his hand, gasping in desperation.
Bang.
"Threads
Around and round
Twist and bind together-
If they (and we) meet not, what
Will become of my life's jeweled belt?"
"Ne, Kotomi, what is that you're spouting?" The tanned young man looked up from his position, resting his head of royal blue upon the lap of a young girl with dark hair and the eyes of the cornflowers that grew in the garden outside their home. His short, wildly tousled hair tickled the bare skin of her thighs as he stares up at her with innocent, curious eyes the same royal blue of his hair. Her back is to the plum blossom tree that grew on the outskirts of the city they called home. The girl looked to him with a small giggle.
"It's a classic poem from the Kokinshu, a collection gathered by the imperial court. They're ancient, long before the Citadel was even conceived. These aren't even the original poems, but instead approximations by scholars who learned by word of mouth and what little records were left in the Old Citadel." Her voice is gentle and melodic; and yet, there's a bounce to her words. The questioning boy stared at her intently, lips parted slightly as if he were in awe of something. "Hey, Daiki, are you even listening?"
"Not really."
"Ugh, figures!" She pouted as she rested raven locks against the bark, eyes scanning the lines of the poem as she read it over and over, soaking in every word. "Forget I even said anything."
"I shouldn't be surprised that you know of such things, Kotomi-chan." A powder blue haired boy offered from his spot beside her. Their shoulders touched as he helped himself to reading over her shoulder with a peaceful expression gracing his matching eyes. "If I had known this kind of thing interested you, I would have done more research myself." He said, and though there was hardly any emotion in his voice, Kotomi knew he was really invested. Kotomi looked up with a laugh, leaning closer to him and nuzzling his shoulder. He was soft and child-like, hair seeming so pale and wispy that it felt like her hand would phase right through if she tried to run her hands through it.
"It's a lesser known collection," announced a forest green haired boy as he pushed his black frames up the bridge of his nose, reading a book of his own. Though, he seems much more interested in listening to Kotomi read, even while he's sitting on the opposite side of the tree. He was quite beautiful, with emerald green set in sharp, sternly-shaped sockets and equally sharp, petite features. He fiddled with a red clay teapot in his taped hands thoughtfully. His expression seemed soft as he glanced behind him to watch the girl study intensely, only to blush and look away when he caught Kuroko's gaze as well, huffing indignantly. "Or should I say, one of the less popular ones."
"Even thought it's from the Old Citadel,1, its critics said that the influences were too much like the Middle Land culture2, but I don't think it means you can't enjoy them. It seems like a nice day to read short, pretty things like this." A warm summer breeze caressed them as if to emphasize this, the grass blades undulating like a sea of green through the fields and towards the city, a distant backdrop to their idyllic scene. Bright green earth met endless blue sky, two star-crossed lovers finding rendezvous in that distant city worlds away. The sight of the city was a painful reminder that this day wasn't like the others.
"You might be right about that…" Midorima agreed quietly, turning back to his book.
"Read something else, Koto-chin." The purple-haired giant yawned from the side unoccupied by Kuroko as he rubbed his eyes and patted the now empty bag of cookies. He ate much slower when he was with Kotomi, but he still ran out long before his stomach was ready for him to stop. When he couldn't find anymore crumbs to lick, he settled for leaning on Kotomi again, resting his head on top of hers. "Or sing for us, but this is boring." Despite his massive height at 13 making him look like a mythical being of sorts to some, his violet-themed smooth hair and droopy, deep-set eyes paired gave him a perpetually drowsy countenance. As such, he benefitted from a more balanced countenance.
"But Kotomicchi's voice sounds so pretty speaking in that Old Citadel Language," announced the golden blonde, using Kotomi's lap to rest his head as well. His hair was almost like the sun, framing his pretty face and long eyelashes. He could be a model, one day, though he announced he would hate that, since it meant that dating and marrying Kotomi before they turned 18 would be quite difficult.
"I can't even understand half of that."
"That's because Kise-chin is stupid." The blonde gasped indignantly at the purple haired giant's insult, huffing.
"So mean! Ne, Kotomicchi, comfort me!" He wrapped slender fingers around her hand, pressing her warm fingers to his cheek and whining childishly. Kotomi patted his cheek to placate him, though she was still looking at her book.
"Play nice, you two."
"Tch', Kise, you're too loud. Shut up a little, you'll wake me up." Aomine complained.
"You're ruining the atmosphere, Kise. Leave." Midorima ordered.
"Please quiet down, Kise-kun. I would like to hear Kotomi-chan a little better." Kuroko's condemnation was the final nail in Kise's coffin, and the blonde cried out, flailing and kicking.
"Kurokocchi too!? You guys are the worst!" A soft laugh distracted them from their rising quarrel. Kotomi couldn't hold back her amusement. cornflower blue eyes disappeared behind long, fluttering lashes as she tilted her head to the side. A dainty hand reached up to hide her smile, though the corners of her lips could be seen through the gaps of her slender fingers. It sent a collective throb to all around to witness it. Kise whined and nuzzled the skin of Kotomi's leg, which earned a choked sound from the green-haired boy.
"Ah, I could spend all day like this." Kise sighed and turned his head to smile at Kotomi, who blushed slightly.
If only he(she) knew how cute she(he) looks right now...3
"Kise, you're so improper…" Aomine grinned wolfishly as her reached up and wrapped his arms around Kotomi's waist.
"Come on, Midorima, you just wish it was you." Another choked noise escaped Midorima's throat as he turns a bright red color, taking on a Christmas theme.
"I-I am not vulgar, so I don't wish anything like that!"
"Mine-chin and Kise-chin are perverts. I'll crush the both of you…" Murasakibara complained, wrinkling the bag of snacks in his large hands.
"I am also annoyed." Kuroko said stiffly. Kotomi smiled tenderly at this and ran gentle hands through royal blue and golden blonde locks. This earned surprised, but embarrassed expressions from her childhood friends. Kotomi smiled at them, her eyes glittering in the early afternoon sun.
"It makes me happy to be with you guys like this..." Though her smile seemed to deflate, her high-spirited mood saddening.
"We probably…won't be able to do this for a while, huh…? Once you guys start your training at the end of this week, and all…" The faces of the young boys around her faltered from their previously peaceful demeanors, as reality began to rear its ugly head once more.
"I thought we came out here to forget shit like that." Kotomi flicked Aomine's head, which made him flinch and glare softly at her. But she knew she didn't have to scold him for his language. Besides, there was no helping it. Now everyone remembered the elephant in the room. These peaceful days were nothing but calm before the storm.
Kotomi and her friends had been born in the midst of a global war spanning over 150 years. At one point, one large nuclear disaster essentially tore civilization apart, and forced people to adapt to the world being almost 90% wasteland. According to her history teachers, the area they lived in had once been part of a country that called itself 'the Land of the Rising Sun' before foreign invaders and corruption destroyed its infrastructure. The more colloquial name was simply 'the Old Citadel.' Because the Old Citadel had been quite technologically advanced and prone to all kinds of disasters, the metropolitan areas more or less survived.
What was left of the government managed to establish a cutthroat border around the perimeter of the most salvageable parts of the city, protected by the finest soldiers, hand-picked and trained for that very purpose. For the last century, the government has continuously churned out the perfect soldiers, sending them out to fight the threat directly in enemy territory, or having them guard the border here. But in more recent years, the people who were left out of the border, called Wastelanders, have started to rebuild as well. It was only 4 years ago that the government, an oligarchy in collaboration with the Citadel Defense Army leaders, announced that strong, able-bodied young men would enlist at age 16, rather than 18 like before.
It was a cruel and unforgiving labor, with harsh conditions, murderous training, and little gratitude from the people; but the government rewarded them and their loved ones generously with plenty of food, electricity, and housing. All of them were orphans protected by the state and the Akashi family, who ran the Army and worked directly with the Diet.4 Technically, since Akashi Masaomi, the current patriarch of the family, already served the Army, there was no need for any of them to go. But it was already agreed once they had all arrived that it was for the sake of the Akashi family reputation would suffer if they didn't enlist. More than that, they had all made a promise to see to the end of the war however they could, even if Kotomi and Satsuki themselves couldn't go, since Akashi Masaomi saw it as a disgrace to send women to the battlefields.
"The training is for three years…so we'll be back when we're 16…" Midorima stated more to himself than anyone else, but the fact seemed to deflate their already dampened mood even further. Kotomi stared down at her poem book, particularly at the small paper crane book mark Midorima had folded for his Lucky Item once. Cable was rare. The government rationed it to a few hours a day, but Midorima never missed Oha-Asa, the fortune-telling program that old women and conspirators watched. While he was of neither sort, he was definitely unique in that sense. Most Lucky Items typically sat in his room once the day was over, mostly waiting to be recycled again one day. But she admired its perfection so much that Midorima gave it to her when they were 11 and she's had it ever since. It had become routine for them to hear his programs every morning.
Reminiscing doesn't help at all...the thought of all of them being gone for so long...Kotomi bit her lip as she tried to keep herself composed. A hand over hers distracted her, and Kotomi found herself looking at Kuroko, who stared at her with a furrowed brow and pursed lips. When she noticed how silent it was, Kotomi noticed that the other three young men were staring at her too. If she glanced behind her, she would have seen Midorima glancing from behind the tree, as well.
Right, they're all as worried as I am, maybe even more...Kotomi shook her head and patted her cheeks, forcing a smile onto her face.
"It'll be hard without you guys here," She confessed. "I want to go to training with you guys, too…" Kise flailed a little and sat up so quickly he almost smashed his golden head into her nose if she hadn't moved away in time, though her jerk to avoid him knocked a pensive Aomine out of his position.
"Oi!" The young man groaned and rolled over in the grass and gritted his teeth.
"Kotomicchi, don't even joke!" Kise despaired at the thought of Kotomi. He knew the others felt the same panic. Who wouldn't, looking at someone like Kotomi? A young slender girl of 13, bearing heavy tactical gear, carrying a gun, crawling through the mud and dirt, her hair getting caught in its barbs, her slender arms becoming bruised, her gentle spirit crushed. No one in their right mind would let something like that happen.
"Kotomi, women can't join the Army." Midorima reminded her. Kotomi sighed, still not contented with that being an excuse.
"They changed the age of drafting, why can't we change that rule, too? Besides, women can be battlefield healers. I don't understand the distinction of why I can't train along with you." Kotomi huffed and crossed her arms.
"The healers are explicitly non-combat roles." Kuroko said. He was the most concerned by Kotomi's interest. "There's no way that Masaomi-san would let you go into a battlefield without any combat expereince." Kotomi whipped her head over to look at Kuroko with an indignant glare.
"So, it's okay for other women to go, but because I'm a ward of the Akashi family, I'm not allowed? Isn't that awful, to put someone above others just becuase they're affiliated with someone important? If that's the case, why are you guys going?" Kuroko paused, unable to find the answer himself. It didn't sound right, either. But he didn't want to agree and support the idea.
Every young man was meant to serve. In the case of Kise, Kuroko, Murasakibara, Midorima, Aomine, and Akashi Masaomi's own son, Akashi Seijurou, their physical exams suggested they would excel without them trying very hard. So even if it was difficult, their chances of surviving the training and even the war were higher than most. But for Kotomi, who was deemed fragile physically, mentally, and emotional fragile by a team of doctors, even if women were allowed on the front lines, it just seemed like she deserved to live a life of comfort. But saying that would only escalate the conversation.
"I know it'll be difficult without us," Kuroko fell back on reassuring her, since he figured that it wasn't that she was itching to fight, but rather that she was lonely. He moved closer to her and brushed a strand of hair away from her face, so that he could peer into those cornflower blue eyes more clearly. "But we'll be back before you know it, and things will be the same." Kise sat up and placed a hand on her head, smiling handsomely at her.
"That's right. You're such a good girl, Kotomi-cchi, so you've gotta behave while we're gone, okay?"
"The only difference is that we'll be a lot stronger!" Aomine nodded triumphantly, flexing his muscles. "Strong enough to protect you from anything in the world!"
"It'll be a pain, so prepare lots of snacks for us when we come back, okay, Koto-chin?"
"So long as we do all that we can do, we will surely return to you in those three years. But for now…" Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose once again. "Keep coming to this tree and read like you always do. And think of us." Kotomi let out a long exhale and nodded slowly.
"...Uuu..." Kotomi sniffled and felt her eyes sting as they filled with tears. That's right, she couldn't be so down. They were the ones going to war, eventually. She had to be strong for them. It was hard for them too. They've been through everything together, after all. They would miss her just as much as she would miss them. But that didn't mean she wouldn't do all she could from where she was as well.
"Ah! Midorimacchi made Kotomicchi cry!" Kise gasped loudly.
"Wha-!? I did not! Kise!" Kise wrapped his arms around Kotomi and pressed his nose into the top of her head while nuzzling her happily. He tangled one hand in her hair and the other pulled her close by the waist. Kotomi hid her face in his shoulder and sniffled, fighting the urge to wail and cry.
"Ahh, Kotomicchi is such a good girl…"
"Kise. Get your hands off her."
"Kise-kun, please stop."
"What? I'm just comforting her!"
"Kise-chin, I'll crush you with everything I have."
"That's horrible!" Kotomi smiled serenely, her heart sad but full. She wished that Momoi and Akashi were here to enjoy it, too. Kotomi finally pulled away when she was fully composed, rubbing her eye.
"Sei-kun is probably waiting for us to come back so let's go, yes?" The rest of them paused their plan to publicly execute the poor blonde sunshine, and at Kotomi's words they seemed forget, as if something in the air around her soothed any ills they held towards each other, for just a moment. But Kotomi knew there wasn't really much to worry about. This was just how they were. In reality, no matter how much they bickered, each of them had an unbreakable bond forged by their lives together in the Akashi house. They were practically family.
As they all stood and started heading towards that distant city, Kotomi glanced back past the tree, her eyes following the expanse lines of grass in the direction opposite to her friends, watching with an unreadable expression as the grass began to thin and pale in color, shifting to an ugly brown of decay and desiccation as it disappeared into the horizon.
"Kotomi-chan, are you alright?" Kotomi blinked away some ebbing and flowing thought on the shores of her memories and turned to Kuroko, whose apathetic disposition read just an edge of concern for her behavior. Kotomi smiled and ran towards him and the retreating backs of her other friends. She could already see Kise's far away silhouette waving to the both of them, though he seemed to flinch as Aomine appeared to chuck something at him. Kotomi blinked and giggled, covering her mouth.
"They're running off without us, even though they were so clingy just before." Kuroko offered his hand to her with the ghost of a smile, and Kotomi found her cheeks warming just a little. He was quite handsome himself, despite his lack of presence.
"I prefer that, so that I can be clingy as well." Kotomi took his hand, returning the reassuring squeeze he gave her as they began to head back, Kotomi's poem book tucked tightly under her arm.
Akashi Residence: Citadel
"Tetsu-kun!" Kotomi promptly released Kuroko's hand as he was tackled to the ground by a beautiful pink haired girl. She said a silent prayer and moved to stand beside Murasakibara.
Rest in peace, Tetsuya...
"The deadliness of Momoi Satsuki's hugs are directly proportionate to the amount of time she's spent away from Kuroko." Midorima murmured with a glint in his glasses.
"Satsuki, you don't hafta do that every time…" Aomine shouted. Kotomi sighed as she watched Kuroko flail and beg for air as he tried to fight off the grip of their childhood friend. "Oi, Tetsu, how are you gonna fight if you can't even fight off Satsuki?"
"The power of love is truly something ." Kotomi giggled while the purple haired boy played with her hair, running his long hands through her hair with a vacant disinterest for what occurred in front of them. Akashi Seijurou, a beautiful young man with crimson hair and blood red eyes of a similar shade, chuckled as he came to stand beside Kotomi.
"Momoi was working quite hard, Aomine, let her have this."
"This is why she's such a brat." Aomine complained, sticking a finger in his ear. His eye caught a cheeky Kotomi, who raised an eyebrow at him, to his annoyance. "What?"
"You say that, Daiki, but you spoil her the most." Aomine turned red as he vehemently denied her claim. "T-That's because she gets on my nerves if I don't!" Kotomi rocked on her heels and shrugged away his denial. She knew he couldn't deny that the girl was special to him. They had arrived at the Akashi estate together, after all. Momoi was also an orphan rescued by the Akashi family. As far as Kotomi knew, her parents had been researchers for the Old Citadel, and had left Momoi with Aomine's family when they lived out in the Wastelands.
After they were killed in a Wastelander attack, Momoi and Aomine were sent away together when the latter's parents went searching for the bodies of their friends. Needless to say, they never returned.
"A-Anyway, she's not special, I would..." Kotomi tilted her head when Aomine trailed off, his face turned a deeper red and he shoved his hands into his pockets as he looked away.
"What?"
"I would spoil you too...if you asked..." Kotomi blushed and held her cheeks, reaching out to place a hand on the taller's boy with a tiny curve of her lips.
"What a good kid!" Aomine bristled and tried to shove her hands off, but at the same time, his tensed expression softened. But the moment was short-lived. Kise promptly threw himself on the short girl, while Murasakibara tugged insistently on her long locks.
"Koto-chin, pay attention to me, now."
"Kotomi-cchi, pet my head too!" But a hand reached out to wrap around Kotomi's wrist. The redheaded Akashi pulled the raven-haired girl to his side, keeping his hand wrapped around hers with a serene smile.
"Oh, Sei-kun?" Kotomi asked, wondering why he intercepted, but was silently grateful.
"You're bothering her, you three." Kise, Murasakibara, and Aomine all pouted and shrunk away, becoming silent. Akashi had always been like this, as long as Kotomi had known him. Akashi and his family were the sole reason they were alive today, so everyone saw him as the unofficial leader of their friend group,
His family's legacy dated back to the Old Citadel. Akashi Seijirou's mother and father, Shiori and Masaomi, funded a rescue effort in the chaos of war to extract children from Japan's ruins. That was how they had found Kise, Kuroko, and Kotomi, the last three to join the group.
Kotomi could vaguely remember rats and dripping water before a recovery team found her and brought her to her new home in the Akashi estate, in the heart of the city. It was in these very halls where she met Kuroko and the others. She was 8 years old at the time. Where her parents were or how long she'd been surviving on her own, she didn't know. The doctors said it wasn't uncommon for traumatized children to repress their memories, so Kotomi didn't think on it that much. It was probably for the best that she didn't look into it if she had forgotten it in the first place.
"Koto-chan!" Momoi seemed satisfied with her furious hugging of Kuroko, and so her target changed to the only other girl in the group. Kotomi opened her arms instinctively.
"Satsuki-chan!" Kotomi caught the cute pink haired girl in her arms, more prepared for the tackle than poor Kuroko, who was lying on his back, unconscious on the floor. "We missed you!"
"Barely." Aomine picked his nose while he looks away.
"That's okay. I was getting everyone's data ready! I helped the researchers a lot! It's the least I can do for you guys. This way, you won't have to do the extra examinations and you can get right to training! Then you can come back, faster…" Momoi's voice lacked its usually bouncy energy, and Kotomi realized her friend had been dreading this day as well, but she had been productive with her sadness. Kotomi seems a little put off by this. And here she had just been sitting around…
"Kotomi," Akashi's gentle voice snapped her out of her disappointment. Cornflower met crimson as she looked up at Akashi, who squeezed her hand affectionately. "I can see how refreshed everyone looks, thanks to you."
"Akashi-kun talks like they're wild animals." Momoi giggles, holding a hand to her cheek.
"Hey! What the hell?" Aomine protested.
"Don't lump me in with them." Midorima grated.
"Momoicchi!"
"Sa-chin, that's mean…"
"Oh, not you though, Tetsu-kun!" A quiet groan. He was still recovering. Kotomi sighed, but kept her smile for them.
"You don't have to comfort me, Akashi-kun, but thank you…I can't analyze data like Satsuki-chan can, but I know what I want to do to help you guys."
"Oh? What's that?" Akashi tensed, already aware of Kotomi's proclivity for being a tad headstrong at times. He knew it wasn't something plausible, with the way Kuroko and the others tensed.
"I'll be a medic!" Kotomi's eyes shined, and the 7 of them breathed a sigh of relief. "That way when you guys come back, I can be the first to see you!"
"I think you'd be very good at it, Kotomi-chan." Kuroko rasped as he clambered to his feet again, rubbing his back.
"Have fun patching up these guys, I won't ever have a scratch on me!" Aomine puffed his chest out.
"But Kotomicchi will be touching other guys if she's a medic, won't she? I'll be super jealous!" Kise shook his fists with frustration.
"You're so childish, Kise. She needs to heal everyone as a medic, she can't have any preference for her patients." Midorima huffed.
"Well…" Kotomi pokes her fingers together and smiles sheepishly, tilting her head to the side as she giggles a little. "I…I'm also a little jealous that someone might get to welcome you home before I do, so…that's also why."
There was single heartbeat of a pause before Kise pounced. Aomine preemptively grabbed Kotomi and pulled her out of the way before he could latch onto her. He was like a damn golden retriever, that Kise. As if he was going to let him cuddle up to her after she went and said something so goddamn adorable. No way.
"Kotomicchi, marry me right now!"
"She'd never marry a loser like you, Kise."
"Please don't say such a cruel thing to Kise, Daiki…"
"See? She wants to marry me!"
"I never said that…"
"Then marry me."
"Aominecchi, you sneaky-!" Kotomi ducked out of the way before she can get caught up in that brawl, standing beside Akashi once more. He smiled fondly as he glanced at her.
"You'll make a fine medic, Kotomi-chan. I'll be sure to talk to Father about enrolling you in the classes before we leave." Kotomi took his hand in hers by habit, humming softly. He was always so efficient. It worried her.
"We'll work hard on our end, but try not to overdo it. I know you act all mighty, but you're really bad about pushing yourself." His response was a soft chuckle.
"Of course not, but the faster we finish training, the sooner we come back home."
"That doesn't reassure me at all, you dummy" Akashi responded by lacing their fingers together with a small laugh that made Kotomi's heart skip a beat. She pouted and puffed her cheeks, wondering why her chest felt so strange. But she didn't have much time to think on it, as Momoi threw her arms around Kotomi and Akashi, nuzzling the redhead like a puppy would its mother.
"No matter how much time passes, we'll be together forever, won't we?" She asked softly, her smile was practically angelic. Kotomi nodded firmly as she fondly watches as Murasakibara tried to bribe the blonde and bluenette from fighting with his snacks, albeit using only a single biscuit, but that was considered an arm and a leg in Murasakibara's book. Midorima was trying to grab one of them, though a rogue fist knocked the glasses clean off his face. Kuroko was just watching Aomine as he shoved his foot in Kise's face. Kotomi laughed brightly, cheeks turning pink and nose crinkling.
"Yes! Forever!"
Their last few days together were spent in normalcy, trying to make it seem like this would just be a weekend apart. Kotomi was lying awake in her bed the night before they'd be leaving, staring at the ceiling; sleep was far away from her mind. If she had a choice, she would gladly join the military, as well. But Akashi would never allow it. She loved that she was so loved, but Kotomi wished they weren't so protective all the time. She felt like she would be able to do more as an on-field medic than one who waited for the bodies to come rolling in.
I want to do more. I have to do more. I can't just sit here while they go and risk everything…but what could I possibly do for them that didn't make them worry? Kotomi sat up from her bed and hurried over to her desk to search. What could she do for them? What did they need?
"You soothe them." Akashi's voice in her head made her pause. A bout of frustration bubbled up in her chest as she flopped down into her desk chair with a heavy sigh. It had comforted her in the moment, but she knew that it was only trying to make her feel less inferior in comparison to the brilliant Momoi. Understanding data and applying it to real life was like breathing to the other girl. She was going to be indispensible to the Citadel when she was older, which was why Akashi Masaomi was giving her so many opportunities to sharpen her skills. But what about her? She wasn't really good at anything that would be particularly useful.
No, now wasn't the time to be pitying herself. She had to focus on the task at hand. She opened up the drawers of her desk. In the last one found an array of fabric scraps, string, her sewing kit and paper.
Inspiration struck.
"Seven hours until sunrise, eight until they leave. That gives me some time…" She murmured, she worked on cutting apart the fabric, setting one out for the color corresponding to each of her technicolored friends. If this was all she could do for now, then it would have to do until she was stronger.
Kuroko was awake before all the others, too anxious about what was coming. It was no secret that he was the least physically capable of his friends. As soon as he was able to understand what the Citadel Army was, he took the Aptitude test given in their first year of middle school with his friends. But in terms of physical capability...he wasn't encouraged by his performance, esepcially in comparison to the others.
So Kuroko Tetsuya was conflicted when his results came back, and discovered that he had an aptitude for stealth, when the others had been assigned tactical combat training. He thought that Akashi would pull some strings and insist that Kuroko stay home with Kotomi and Satsuki, but...
"Just as expected, it's a relief to know you'll be there." Akashi said with his never-wavering confidence. And in that moment, Kuroko felt the painful duality of what that meant for him.
Kuroko paused while was changing into the tight, high collar spandex top that all trainees were supposed to wear. He had wanted to make a difference, and of course he was going to work hard. But he worried endlessly for Kotomi. He hated leaving her alone.
He still remembered the day she arrived at Akashi's house, just days after he had. She was an unkempt, ratty little thing with no muscle or fat on her bones and hollowed out cheeks. Kuroko was not much more than her, but he had had his elderly grandparents and his mother to care for him. He went to bed hungry a lot, but he was warm, and loved.
That's why he was so broken when raiders from the Wastelands slaughtered his family. His lack of presence helped him hide in the laundry basket his mother placed him in, just after kissing his head and hugging him one last time. He remembered the agony in his tiny heart the first month at the Akashi house. He went to bed sobbing every night and woke up sniffling every morning. He couldn't feel happy for so long; he felt lost.
But Kotomi had been alone a long time, according to Akashi. She spoke to no one, but she didn't cry or scream. She had been lost for such a long time. Kuroko was scared of her at first. He had never seen someone who had completely shut down like that before.
The first time Kotomi had ever looked at anyone was Kuroko. It was a seemingly normal day, when Kuroko had finally recovered enough to start playing with the other children. But he got tired easily, and the maids would ask him to sit with Kotomi to keep her company when he was resting, since everyone else had been too scared of her silence to do so. Despite his reluctance at first, Kuroko did as they asked, since he liked the maids.
For hours upon hours while the others played, he just watched her or occupied himself with something quiet. Even though Aomine used to call her a 'creepy doll', Kuroko always came to her defense. Secretly, he wished that one day she would thank him suddenly. He just wanted her to speak, because her silence was scary. Perhaps it was for that reason, he was able to sit with her for so long. After a while, he began to stop expecting anything and j ust sat with her because it was easier to read peacefully without ebing interrupted by a wrestling match or a barrage of flying toys.
And finally, on a day no different than other, a breakthrough. Kotomi turned her head to face him, when she heard him approaching. Her eyes widened, and she spoke for the first time. Her voice was raspy and small from disuse, but her words surprised Kuroko enough to make him jump.
"When…did you get here?" Everyone said that, any time that he approached them, be it the maids, his friends, or even Akashi's parents. So to hear it from this girl he thought would never look his way, it felt a little strange. Suddenly, the creepy doll looked like everyone else in that house.
"I've been here." He answered. She blinked once, clueless, and then she nodded. And like that, they didn't speak another word to each other for the rest of the day, but Kotomi scooted closer to him. Perhaps it was just because she liked the warmth of another person, but Kuroko was glad she was alright with him, and even more amazed that even when everyone noticed him last, he was the first she acknowledged.
The maids used to joke about how Akashi Shiori, Seijurou's mother, cried when she saw Kotomi trailing behind Kuroko for the first month. She tugged on his shirt and tottered behind him like a baby duckling. But as she became more lively, it was soon Kuroko who followed Kotomi around when she was up and playing with the others. The maids teased him, to this day, about how Kuroko cried if she didn't pay enough attention to him. He even used to quarrel with Kise for her attention when they were just kids, through his roundabout way of scaring the small blonde or tripping him often. Kuroko was only 9 years old when he realized that he couldn't imagine a life without her.
And since then, they were never apart for more than a day, so how was he supposed to go three years without her, now? His thoughts were suddenly interrupted.
Knock knock.
Were they supposed to gather already? Kuroko walked over to the door and was surprised to see the dark-haired teen, still in her pajamas, at his door. She had her hands tucked behind her back.
"Kotomi-chan, is something wrong…?"
"No, I…I wanted to give you something before you guys left. I couldn't wait, so…" She held out her hand, which contained a small envelop of powder blue fabric, stuffed full of old something soft, sewn together to create something reminiscent of a charm. The string was looped, so that it could hang off something, and had the character for "Protection" clumsily sewn on it in dark blue thread. Kuroko opened his palm and let her drop it into his hand. Kotomi fidgeted a little, poking her bandaged fingers together. A smile welled up and threatened to spill onto Kuroko's face, though to her it looked the twitch of his lips.
"I got scared I was going to run out of time, so I rushed it. I'm sorry…"
"Thank you, Kotomi-chan. It's very cute." She openly sighed in relief.
"I just…I know I can't be there with you, so I want you to think of me when you hold that. " Kuroko squeezed the charm tightly in his hand, his eyes softening as he pursed his lips.
"I'm always thinking of you, Kotomi."
"Really? That makes me-wah!" She's surprised when he suddenly dropped the honorifics on her name, and even more so when he wrapped his arms around her back, being the same height as her. Kuroko pressed his face into the crook of her neck, the floral scent of rose filling his senses and calming the storm in his chest. Kuroko sighed, squeezing both her and his new charm tight.
Kotomi's eyes stung, and she placed her hands on his back just above his shoulder blades, squeezing him tight for a moment before she pulled away. She couldn't handle anymore, she might not be able to leave his side, at this point. Kuroko smiled gently at her, and Kotomi felt her cheeks warm again.
"See you soon." Her eyes brightened at this, and she nodded, her smile growing and the bridge of her nose crinkling slightly.
"See you soon, Tetsuya."
Aomine threw his sweat-soaked shirt onto the bed as chugged the bottle of water in his room, staring out the window at the night sky. At this point, midnight black had already shifted to a cerulean blue. Unable to sleep, he ended up going out for a run around the estate. Soon, the sun would come over the horizon, and so would the van that would take them away from the home he's known for 8 years of his life. Of course, he was thrilled for a new adventure, a chance to become stronger, and a way to stop depending on Akashi and his family, but…there were things here that were too precious to leave. The knock at his door got his attention. It made him scoff. Momoi had already stood at his door and cried, so it wasn't her. If this was Kise saying he had a nightmare, the blonde kid was getting a water bottle shoved down his throat.
"Kise, I'm not going to- " But he didn't get to finish his sentence.
"Uwah!" Aomine jumped at the high-pitched squeak that met his ears. Not to mention, she looked really cute as she turned bright red from embarrassment. "D-Don't surprise me like that!"
"I didn't, you're the one in front of my room." Aomine leaned against the door frame and smirks. "But sneaking into a boy's room in the middle of the night? Have you finally hit your rebel phase? You come to have some 'fun?'" Kotomi rolled her eyes a little, but she smiled lightheartedly.
"As if you would even know what to do. You just say what the older kids say at school. Remember when you asked the teacher about-"A hand clapped over her mouth before she could say anymore. The dark red of tanned cheeks could be seen even at night. Aomine hissed at her.
"Okay! I get it, sorry!" He slowly pulled his hand away, as if fearing that she would say more. He forgot about her spunky tendencies. He always forgot she was cheekier when it was just the two of them. He liked it. It was like a secret between just the two of them. "So? What's up?" He was leaning against the door frame. Kotomi pulled Aomine's navy blue charm with white thread out of her little pouch, smiling.
"For you." Aomine looked down at the trinket and grinned brightly, clutching it tightly in his hand.
"Man, I already feel stronger." Kotomi blushed and she threw her arms around him, even if he smelled kind of bad.
"You smell like sweat, you should shower." Aomine was inches away from returning the hug before he raised his hands in embarrassment. "Also, put a shirt on."
"It's your fault for coming here so suddenly-!"
"No, it's okay." Aomine wasn't so sure about leaving. Kotomi couldn't pull away. She didn't want him to see her face. Aomine was always so optimisic about the end of this war. She loved that about him. "Hug me anyway, I want to remember you just like this until you come back to me." If only she could see the tender expression on his face as he wrapped his hands around her. Though he tried to hide it with a pout, his hand clutched the charm tightly.
"I'll never let go." And as he tightened the hug ever so slightly, his doubts disappeared.
There were precious things, here.
When Kotomi discovered the trail of snacks leading out of Murasakibara's room and down the hall, she sighed and moved towards the kitchen. He really seemed like the only one not too concerned about going. When she entered the kitchen, she could see the light of the fridge casting a shadow upon the tall, lanky figure digging away into biscuits and slices of ham.
"Atsushi," the purple-haired boy popped out of from the fridge like a rabbit from its hidey-hole, eyes adorable wide, as he was caught quite literally with his hand in the cookie jar. "The maids will get angry." He seemed undeterred by this news, licking his lips as he closed the fridge. He balanced his haul precariously with one long, slender arm.
"Oh, Koto-chin, did you get hungry, too? Let's have snacks together."
"Your snacks are like meals, for me." She responded. Kotomi walked over to the fridge, and Murasakibara preemptively picked her up by the waist and placed her on the island kitchen, so that she could speak to him at relatively eye-level. They did this every time they talked, since he was old enough to lift her up since their height difference was a bit ridiculous.
"I came to give you something." Murasakibara opened his giant hand to receive the charm, brow raised when he realized it wasn't edible. Though, Akashi told him that he shouldn't show that he was upset when a girl gave him a gift he didn't want. He didn't really care that much about other girls that weren't Momoi or Kotomi. When he made either of them cry, it gave him a bitter taste in his mouth, and none of his snacks tasted good anymore.
"Thanks…" Kotomi laughed. He wasn't very good at hiding his confusion and slight distaste. He was still a kid, despite his height.
"Just think of me when you look at it."
"I don't need this. I'll remember Koto-chin whenever I smell something sweet." There was something odd about the way he said that, but Kotomi didn't get much time to question him on that before Murasakibara pushed a cookie in between Kotomi's lips, leaning in a moment later to take a bite from it.
"Sweet," Murasakibara licked his lips and smiled in rare satisfaction. "Goodnight, Koto-chin." As he walked away, Kotomi let the other half of the cookie fall from her mouth, cheeks burning so hot she thought they'd boil water.
Okay, so maybe be wasn't a kid.
"Kotomicchi! A late night visit? Oh! Are you finally going to elope with me?"
"I'm not going to marry you, Ryota.." The blonde gasped, clutching his chest and backing up slightly, as if it were the first time he was hearing this. Kotomi handed him the charm and waved to him, not able to stay long. She was going to run out of time, soon, and she still had to see Akashi and Midorima. She turned to go before she heard Kise speak, his bubbly voice suddenly lacked its usual energy.
"We're really leaving you…" She turned to look at him, eyes softened when she saw that his mask had cracked and chipped away, revealing the fear and anxiety he hid behind his smile. Kotomi turned to face him properly, knowing that this was not his usual dramatics.
"You're taking a trip. I'll still be here when you come back. I think of it like that."
"And you won't be married?"
"I don't plan on being married at 16, Ryota."
"Not to anyone else but me."
"To anyone." She smiled despite the firmness of her voice, and slowly grasped his hand with both of hers, bringing the knuckle of his middle finger to her lips. Kise malfunctioned a moment, eyes wide and starting to become a little blurry as his face turned red. His fangirls would surely pass out if they were to see this.
"But I'll be waiting right here for you. Then you can try to win my heart." Kise's eyes brightened impossibly, and he threw his arms around her tightly, holding the small of her back and the back of her head so she couldn't push him away. If this was going to be the last time he was going to see her for the next three years, he wanted to feel her close to him just one more time.
For once, Kotomi allowed it without any resistance, wrapping her arms tightly around him and sighing softly.
"I'll win your heart for sure. I like you more than anyone in the world, after all, Kotomicchi." He pulled away and pressed his lips to her forehead, grinning brightly despite the looming deadline.
"I don't need a charm, I have my Lucky Item." Despite his words, Midorima seemed pleased about the little trinket she offered him, holding it carefully between half-taped fingers.
"I know, I know, but just keep it on you for my sake, please?" She asked quietly. Midorima made a sound of affirmation, staring at his farewell present while Kotomi pulled out her other present for him. She held it out to him. "And here. An extra from me." Midorima raised a brow as he recognized the item in her hands.
"This is...the book you were reading today."
"Mhm, you told me to think of you when I missed you guys, right? So, with that you can remember a good place and a good time when you're feeling homesick." Midorima remembered his advice to her from last week, the memory caused the tips of his ears to turn red.
"I'll be sure to return it to you." As he pulled his hand away, Kotomi took the unfinished taped hand in hers and looked up at him, smiling gently.
"Let me do it?" A small sound choked his throat but Midorima nodded stiffly, sitting down wordlessly; he calmly set his present on his nightstand, right beside his glasses and handed her a roll of tape. Kotomi sat across from him on the bed, starting to delicately wrap his fingers. She wasn't quite sure when this habit started, but she remembered how much he struggled as a kid, his hands always dropped the roll of tape and let it roll away from him, only to be trampled by a running Kise and Aomine. Before he could start crying, Kotomi was at his side, with Kuroko holding onto the back of her shirt as she sat across from him, just like now.
"I know you know how to do this, but I'm glad you let me, still."
"Just for tonight." Kotomi paused as she was wrapping his ring finger down to the knuckle, smiling.
"Yes, just for tonight." There was a long pause, with only the sound of tape crinkling every now and then. This was mostly because Midorima was so tense it felt like his jaw was locked in place. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears. "Shintaro?"
"Y-Yes…?"
"I'll miss you." Her sincerity melted his tension, and he felt his heart lurch.
"…As will I." As Kotomi finished the last finger, and Midorima pulled his hands back, eyes wandering over to the charm once more. But he didn't have time to admire it for long, and he threw his arms out when Kotomi suddenly launched herself at him. His hands caught her waist,, face turning red and fingers twitching as his hands fell limp at his sides. His first instinct was to fling her off him and run for the nearest hole to die of embarrasment in, but he knew he would regret upsetting her before she left.
Not to mention, if this was the last time for a while he would be able to see her and touch her so casually, then he couldn't push her away for either of their sakes. So while he didn't hug her back, he looked away and sighed, closing his eyes. It smelled of rose. He felt her small, petite shoulders shaking. And he realized he must do absolutely everything he could to return home safely to her, now and every time afterwards. He remembered Oha-Asa's fortune for the day.
"Keep your precious one close. Dark storms lie ahead! Don't be afraid to stand in the rain but shield others from the lightning! The rainbow afterward will be worth the tempest!"
As the sun rose in the sky, Kotomi realized that it would soon be time for them to leave, and for the first time in years, they would be separated. As she walked to Akashi's room, her steps slowed, her shoulders began to droop, and her vision blurred and stung. She had been holding it back for so long, she just had to endure Akashi's farewell, so…why was she breaking down now?
"Kotomi?" Kotomi looked up from the carpet, spotting Akashi.
"Oh, I…I have something for you! I'm glad you're already out. You always seem to know, don't you? Anyway, I wanted to give this to you!" She pushed the crimson charm with gold accents into his hand, holding his fist closed and hiding her face behind her bags, her voice was already shaking. He had his bags and his training uniform on. It suddenly felt real. She bit her lip, throwing herself into his arms right after. He caught her without dropping a single bag, perfect as per usual. He couldn't help a small chuckle.
"We haven't even left yet, and you're crying already?" He took note of her trembling shoulders, his smile turning more tender by the second.
"How am I going to go on without you guys? I can't, my heart hurts, and I can't breathe when I think about you guys being gone." Akashi set his bags down so that he could properly cup her cheeks, tilting her head up to look at him, and smiling handsomely at her as he drew small circles into her soft cheeks with his thumbs.
"We all feel the same about leaving you. But I know you're strong, and you'll be alright. At least until we come back."
"How do you know?" Akashi brushed a hand through her hair, pressing her forehead into his shoulder, looking ahead of him.
"Because you made it to us by yourself. You have the capability, and you're strong, but you didn't have to be alone. For now, you'll have to be strong on own again."
"But I don't- "
"We're all doing things we don't want to do, Kotomi." Ah, and even though Kotomi wanted to be a baby around Akashi, he never let her do so for too long.
"… You're right, I'm being selfish, I'm sorry…"
"We do spoil you, so it's to be expected."
"Sei!" He laughed as Kotomi's head popped up to pout and whine at him, and he took the opportunity to press his lips to her cheek, seeming to enjoy the way her cheeks turn pink and she pouted more, puffing her cheeks out.
If only you knew how much I want to spoil you… He thought fondly.
"Thank you for loving us so deeply, Kotomi." She smiled at this, a deep sigh settling her nerves. The morning sun finally arrived with the calm, and all was well as they watched the sun rise on their farewell.
Departure Day: Akashi Residence
"There there, Satsuki…" Kotomi hugged her pink haired best friend tightly as the girl cried into her shoulder. They watched from the front door of the Akashi estate as their friends climbed into a black van, placing their bags in one by one before they entered through those big car doors. Kise, Akashi, and Kuroko waved until they're just about to climb in, but Midorima, Aomine, and Murasakibara didn't look back, climbing in without another glance.
"Be safe!" Kotomi called out to them. "Eat plenty, and train hard! Don't bother anyone by being brats!" She called out to them. She still felt so helpless, unable to do anything more for them, for the cause they were risking their lives for.
Kotomi didn't hold the lack of response against them, but it didn't help her feel less like a freeloader. All she could do was watch as the engine sputtered to life. She ran her fingers through Momoi's soft peach colored locks, patting her back in rhythm with her sobs. She felt like crying too, but her time with Akashi had calmed her heart. She offered them a gentle smile right up until the doors closed and the van finally disappeared through the gates of the property. Her tears welled up again, but this time they didn't fall.
"Satsuki, let's go out and have some tea, okay?" As she ushered Momoi inside, a butler was there to meet her, holding a manila folder out to Kotomi.
"Sorry to interrupt, Miss, but here is the paperwork for the on-site medic position. Master Akashi requested that you bring it to the medical clinic yourself today." Today? His son just left. But, that was just like him. Business. That's why his son was such a workaholic, too.
"Thank you." But she didn't really want to think about anything other than tea time. As she took Momoi back inside, Kotomi tucked the papers under her arm, heading back to the much emptier house.
The van was silent as it drove down the near empty streets of the town. Despite its pristine conditions, it was rather empty. Not many people lived here, anymore, what with the elderly dying and the young being shipped off to die in battle, there wasn't much opportunity to procreate and fill the streets. In terms of manpower, they were solid. For how long it would remain that way, there was no telling. But it was a problem for another day. And it was the farthest thing from the minds of the teen boys who were being shipped off to become soldiers. Not long into the 8-hour drive to the training grounds, small sniffles still filled the stagnant air.
"Oi, Murasakibara, quit crying. It's annoying."
"Mine-chin, you're the one crying."
"Am not. It's Kise."
"I…I miss Momocchi and Kotomicchi." Kuroko and Midorima were silent, but Akashi could feel how terrible they felt. Of course, they were acting strong in front of the girls. They couldn't let them worry anymore than they had to, but now the weight of their duty bore down on their young shoulders like a bag of cement.
"Our girls are strong. They'll be alright. The best we can do is make this place safer for them to grow up in. We're doing a great thing. They know that, too."
"Akashicchi…" The red-headed young man smiled as he patted Murasakibara's back comfortingly, trying to ignore the tiny ball of unease resting in his stomach. He had a better idea of what was coming than the others.
"We're strong, too. That's why we just have to endure. This is our chance to make a change in the world. And protect the things that are precious to us." At this, some of the tears dried, as they were able to picture a smiling pair of girls waiting at home for them. While the mood did not lighten, they didn't break down, thanks to Akashi's steadfast certainty and the memories of home.
Kotomi helped Momoi fall asleep after she had some tea and was done crying. And then Kotomi had a driver take her to the hospital, which was fielding the applications for medical occupations. The butler had said the paperwork was complete and she didn't have to do anything else but sign it. But as Kotomi set the papers out in front of her, heart and head heavy with her worries renewed and no Akashi to soothe them.
Is this really all I can do...? She asked herself bitterly, lowering her pen to sign her adolescence away to years of watching war victims die, unable to do much else. But inspiration struck her yet again, just as she was about to sign. She swallowed hard as her pen hovered over one of the sections of the paper. There was no way they'd find out unless she told them, or until it was too late. So it was now or never.
Name: Fujisaki Kotomi
Age: 13
Occupation of Choice: Medic.
(If Applicable) On Site or Off Site:
ON SITE/BATTLEFIELD
1 Japan
2 China
3 Kise and Kotomi are thinking this about the other haha
4 In Japan, the Diet is the legislative party, but in this context I am referring to the oligarchy which runs the infrastructure and resources
Author's Note: I am much happier with this chapter. When I first wrote this, it was only my second story after several years. So it took me some time to get back into the groove and really grasp my writing style again. So I hope these rewrites are worth the wait! If you've got any thoughts, feel free to leave a review!
Thanks for the favorites, reviews and follows!
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Aphremis C: Omg make sure you're breathing haha. So glad you enjoyed! I myself love angst and fluff so I feel these comments in my SOUL. I am cold-hearted bitch though, so the torture will continue for everyone, including me LOL. TBH, if I could make every story of mine a reverse harem ending I absolutely would. All jokes aside, thank you so much for your sweet comment! I am so excited to continue writing! Stay strong, try not to die before the climax of the story please; or, you know, don't die at all because I would be very upset ^^;;
PortgasDTatze: Thank you for reading, and staying by the story! I hope the rewrite continues to be good!
lilith20047: I feel really bad about restarting the series, so I hope it's worth it in the end! Please continue to support this story and thank you so much for your praise!
Anime Sports Lover : BBY is u ok please sleep and get some rest 3