a/n: i know i'm cross-posting this to ffnet late but i wanted to write a crimmis fic so i wrote one, sorta? it's more like vaguely christmas, a sprinkle of chrysler, an excuse for these two to be together. anyway they're like. mid-20's here.

"Where is your plus-one, Akashi-san?"

Akashi smiles. Kuroko is at his shoulder but just barely behind him. "Oh, around here somewhere."

The woman sighs. "Well, we are all interested in meeting them, you know."

"I'm sure."

She bustles off and Akashi tilts his head towards Kuroko. "Ever a shadow."

Kuroko shrugs. He goes back to picking at his plate of hors d'oeuvres and looking around the ballroom. Akashi can scan the people, their faces and their identities in a heartbeat, leaving him plenty of time to watch Kuroko instead. Kuroko's hair appears barely brushed despite Akashi personally taking a comb to it himself. Akashi has decided he enjoys knowing it's his suit that Kuroko is wearing, that it looks especially good on him-blue accents were never his thing anyway-and doesn't pass up any chance to steal glances at how well it fits Kuroko's frame.

Akashi takes a sip of champagne, eyes never leaving Kuroko. If Akashi loses track of him he's concerned Kuroko will slip away somewhere he can't go but desperately would rather be. He does need to gaze over the crowds of guests, though, lest he drag attention to his own guest, which is the last thing he wants to do tonight.

Unfortunately he catches the eye of another businessman and his wife, both clad in Santa hats, who excuse themselves from their conversation to make their way towards him. Wonderful. Akashi downs the rest of his champagne and smoothly exchanges his empty glass for a full one from a passing waiter.

"They won't stop coming, will they?" he sighs.

Kuroko nudges him. "You keep looking at people."

"I remember when that would make them stop."

Kuroko huffs in the way he does when coupled with a smile. "You have kind eyes, Akashi-kun."

Akashi has to be satisfied with ending their back-and-forth there as the businessman arrives with his wife and begins chatting with him. They ask the same sorts of things as everyone else-about his father, the business, basketball, "do you still play shogi?", where his guest is, all the same. Akashi's answers are just as repetitive. He's good at these parties and doesn't mind too much with mingling in general, but having to come prepared with a script for the same few questions gets boring very quickly.

Not to mention, as quiet and out of sight as Kuroko is, his guest is very distracting.

Akashi turns to where Kuroko should be to suggest they move to the other side of the ballroom for a change of pace but Kuroko is nowhere to be found. He sighs. Kuroko probably went off to refill his plate again. He sips his champagne. Then he sips it again. Then he answers more of the same questions, this time with a more honest version of not knowing where his invisible guest is. He sips one more time.

He looks around towards the hors d'oeuvres table and doesn't see Kuroko anywhere near there. Where could he have gone? The bathroom is one option, but how could Kuroko know where it is? This building is new to both of them. Maybe he stepped outside. Akashi moves enough away from his spot to look out at the balcony only to find it empty. Well, there are more balconies, but why venture so far towards another?

So lost in thought over where Kuroko could've gone, Akashi doesn't sense Kuroko come up next to him with two Santa hats in hand.

"Akashi-kun."

Akashi startles a little and the remaining champagne in his glass nearly splashes out. He stares at Kuroko and then down at the hats. "Where did you find those?"

Kuroko gestures vaguely to his left. "I followed where people were coming from with them."

Akashi follows the line of people Kuroko mentioned and sees it: in the corner of the room there's a booth. "In exchange for donations, I assume."

"I left a check."

"They didn't see you, did they?" Akashi chuckles.

Kuroko smiles and holds one out to Akashi. "It's not like I do it on purpose."

Akashi exchanges his glass for the hat. "Not all the time, hm?"

He puts the ridiculous hat on, feeling a spark of joy knowing that his father would find the display embarrassing and unbecoming. He takes his glass back and nods with approval as Kuroko also dons his hat.

"Not all the time."

Akashi greets a few more people in more numbers now that the Santa hat has made him more approachable than before. The conversations last a little longer, the questions deviate a little more. Someone even sees Kuroko when Kuroko moves too fast and his hat flops over and opens up an entire new web of conversation. Kuroko obviously gets dragged into that one, and Akashi does offer his help here and there when he can tell Kuroko's struggling.

That guest leaves and Kuroko sighs. "That was a lot."

Akashi sips what barely remains of his champagne. "It's not so terrible the more times you do it."

Kuroko pouts. Akashi looks back up at the open balcony. He finishes off his champagne with a swift chug, leaves it on the edge of a table, grabs Kuroko's hand and leads him through the crowd of people. He hears Kuroko call his name in surprise, but he doesn't respond. He gets them out to the balcony. Although he thought it was empty it actually has another couple quietly sitting on a bench. It doesn't matter.

Akashi notices that Kuroko hasn't tried to get his hand back. In fact, he's held him in return. They hold hands as Akashi takes them towards the railing of the balcony, then releases Kuroko's hand so he can fold his arms up on the edge. He looks out at the massive garden lit up by the full moon. He looks at Kuroko, whose cheeks are undeniably tinged pink.

"We've been getting close lately, Kuroko."

Kuroko shuffles his feet. He then copies Akashi's posture on the railing. "Yes?"

"...I wanted to...do you know why I invited you to this party?"

Akashi glances at Kuroko. Kuroko is glancing at Akashi.

"You needed a plus-one."

"And?"

Kuroko pauses. "Am I on a game show, Akashi-kun?"

Akashi chuckles. "No, you're not. I suppose I'm putting it off." He pushes himself off the railing, turns around and leans back on it, then gestures out to the guests inside. "Whether I like it or not, that may be my entire world someday. All the people, the same questions, the hors d'oeuvres, the needling into my personal life...I wanted to see if you could handle it."

Kuroko hums. "It's not the worst."

"I didn't want to make you uncomfortable."

"This suit is uncomfortable."

Akashi smirks. "You look very handsome, though."

Kuroko blushes but his expression remains fairly neutral. "Right..."

"So there's one last thing I wanted to do while you're here," Akashi says, "but I have to ask you."

Akashi moves off the railing again and this time closes in on Kuroko, shoulders against shoulders, backs of their hands touching, heads dipped down close enough to whisper without needing to be in each other's ears. Akashi takes a breath.

"This is hard for me to ask, Kuroko."

Kuroko nudges his hand. "Something's too hard for you, Akashi-kun?"

Akashi smiles. "Almost."

"Ah..."

Akashi twists his hand enough to take Kuroko's thumb into his hand, where he runs his thumb over it. "You...have changed my life. And I believe that you may understand me better than anyone else we know, not just because we've known each other since middle school. I simply cannot stress how much you mean to me, Kuroko."

Kuroko's sharp intake of breath worries Akashi for a moment, but the relaxation that follows soothes him again.

"I was hoping...you would do me the honor of going out with me?"

Akashi doesn't watch Kuroko for this one; he watches their hands. He watches Kuroko's hand tighten up for a moment, maybe while he thinks, then it relaxes in tandem with Kuroko's body exhaling a deep breath. Akashi doesn't know what to expect, but at least Kuroko isn't pulling away from him.

Kuroko grumbles a little. "I was going to ask you out."

Akashi, shocked, nearly drops Kuroko's hand. He looks at him, jaw slack. "You-what?"

Kuroko's pouting. "I was going to ask you out but you beat me to it."

Once he recovers from his shock, Akashi chuckles. "Oh, I see. I'm sorry, Kuroko."

Kuroko shrugs. He's smiling. "I'll go out with you, Akashi-kun."

Akashi breathes a sigh of relief. "Thank you...thank you, Kuroko." He puts his other hand over Kuroko's, holding it tightly between them. "I've...wanted to ask you for so long."

"So you waited until a giant Christmas party to do it?"

"...Yes."

Kuroko laughs a little into his hand and Akashi loves the sound. They talk outside a while longer, pressed together as they were, heads ducked in close. However, the chilly air eventually gets to them and they decide it's about time to move back inside. The other couple on the bench had left at some point, too, and Akashi wonders just how much of their confessions those strangers heard. He supposes that he should have been more careful in case they were gossip writers, but he's sure it's fine.

As they are walking in they get stopped. "Look up!"

They look up to see a comically large dangling mistletoe that they must have missed in their rush to get outside. Akashi shakes his head. "No, no, I'm afraid we're not going to participate in that."

Kuroko nods from behind him and they bustle off before anyone else can try to pressure them into such a silly tradition. Akashi meant to only drag them back in so far to get back to the hors d'oeuvres table but he kept going and going until he hit an empty hallway, away from everyone all over again. Kuroko looks him in the eye, leans back against the wall.

"What are we doing back here?"

Akashi leans against his arm on one side of Kuroko and touches their foreheads together. "I just kept going..."

Kuroko nuzzles him. He speaks softer, more hushed. "It's dark down here."

"They must not be using this hallway, or someone turned the lights off."

"Seems...stupid."

Akashi chuckles. He puts his hand on Kuroko's face. "But I can always see you."

Kuroko swallows.

Akashi lets their noses touch. "Can I...kiss you, Kuroko?"

"...Even without mistletoe?"

"Especially without mistletoe."

"I guess that's acceptable."

Akashi smirks, tilts his head and kisses Kuroko softly. He caresses his cheek, ghosting his thumb over his cheekbone as he presses their lips together with loving gentleness. When Akashi parts from Kuroko he moves his hand to touch slightly at the corner of Kuroko's mouth.

"Was that acceptable?"

Kuroko opens his eyes and sighs. He nods and touches Akashi's hand with his. "More than acceptable."

Akashi kisses him again, then again, until all they've been doing in the dark, secluded hallway for a few minutes is kissing each other with breaks of whispering in between.

Kuroko, with a shaky breath, puts his finger on Akashi's lips to stop him for a moment. "I need to see what time it is," he says. Akashi nods and waits for Kuroko to fish out his phone from his pockets. A few moments later Kuroko has his answer and he hums. "Hm...Akashi-kun, it's 1am."

Akashi walks down the hallway to look back out at the party, still in full swing. He comes back to Kuroko, shrugging. "I suppose you want to leave, then."

Kuroko nods. "Kagami-kun seems worried." He shows Akashi the two text messages of Kagami's mild concern that Kuroko staying out past 9pm is very odd. He's charmed that the two have stayed roommates even after all these years.

Akashi holds out his arm for Kuroko to take hold of. "Shall we, then?"

Kuroko takes it after a bit of confusion, then smiles. "Yes."

After managing to dodge most people trying to bid him farewell-and a thanks for his donation-Akashi navigates him and Kuroko out of the ballroom and to where they wait for his limo to pick them up. Akashi insists on taking Kuroko straight home, that he can keep the suit, and that this just means that Kuroko has to come back to his house to pick up the clothes he left behind. Kuroko blushes slightly at the whole plan but agrees to it.

Once in the limo Akashi puts up the divider between them and the driver. They kiss a little but ultimately feel better suited to cuddling and talking. Their conversation hasn't changed much now that they're officially dating, just the proximity in which they have it. Kuroko folds his arms in on himself as he leans against Akashi who has his arm wrapped around him, hand firm on his waist. Halfway through the ride Kuroko reaches out and grabs Akashi's free hand to hold, threading their fingers together and holding on tight.

The limo pulls up to Kuroko's apartment building and Kuroko looks up at it. "Kagami-kun is going to make fun of the suit. And the hat."

Akashi chuckles. "Tell him I'm sure we have one that fits him somewhere, too."

Kuroko smiles a little.

"You can tell him about us if you want to, Kuroko. I don't mind."

Kuroko seems shocked, as if Akashi read his mind, then settles down. "I see. I'm glad, I like to tell him things."

Akashi leans in and kisses him. "I know. And I trust him, too."

Kuroko smiles. They kiss one more time, bid farewell, then Kuroko leaves the limo.

About an hour after Akashi gets home and he still hasn't gone to bed yet, he gets a text from Kuroko:

Kagami-kun thought I was joking

But he says congratulations

And he did laugh at the suit but not at your joke

Akashi chuckles.

I'm glad to hear his sense of humor hasn't changed.

I hope you sleep well tonight, Kuroko.

Akashi's phone buzzes.

You too

3

Akashi texts him back, then finally falls asleep.

3