What makes us humans different from any other species? Is it our capacity of knowledge? Perhaps. But in fact, it has been shown that every other species only needs water, food and shelter to survive while humans need water, food, shelter and communication with others. Human beings have a high need to communicate so that their mind continues to function with the thoughts of others around them.
Loneliness is a human's fear.
Akashi was thirteen years old at the time his parents decided to adopt a child. They said they didn't want those children to feel lonely, so if they could just save one and give him or her a home, they would be happy. The redhead wasn't so excited about the situation since he was at the difficult teenage age, but he said he didn't mind.
When they all went to the orphanage together, Akashi decided to look around while his parents were discussing who they would like to adopt. As the redhead searched the empty rooms, he found a boy all by himself curled up in a corner.
Akashi felt his curiosity peak at the sight of the boy so he slowly approached him. The boy had blue hair and when he looked up, Akashi saw the most beautiful blue eyes. The boy hissed and said, "Stay away. You're one of them."
"Them?" Akashi asked.
"An outsider. Here to adopt children." The blue haired boy said angrily.
The redhead sat down in front of Kuroko and held out his hand, "What's making you so angry?"
The blue haired boy slapped Akashi's hand away and said, "You. Everyone who comes in here is either like 'Oh I must save one of these poor little children' and I agree, some of us do need a home. Others are like 'My child needs a brother or sister because they're so lonely but we don't want to have sex again'. This is just picking a child out of a box to me and I hate that. We're not pets. Which one are you?"
Akashi sighed, "My parents are both I guess. Mostly the first one though."
"Then what about you?"
"I'm none. I don't really want a brother or a sister. I'm not lonely; I'm happy where I am and I'm happy with who I am. You're the same as I, right?"
Kuroko nodded and smiled, "Yeah! I'm happy where I am."
"I'm Akashi Seijuro, thirteen years old. How about you?"
The blue haired boy held Akashi's hand and squeezed it tight, "My name is…Kuroko Tetsuya and I'm ten years old."
Akashi smiled and talked with the blue haired boy until his parents finally came looking for him. However, when his parents saw Kuroko, they immediately took a liking to him.
"Ah! Mom, dad! We can't take him." The redhead said to defend Kuroko.
"Well why not, Sei-chan?" His mother asked with a light laugh. Akashi saw that the blue haired boy didn't want to go anywhere and he definitely didn't like being watched by the redhead's parents.
"He's happy here."
"Sei-chan, how could you say that? Don't you see the misery on his face?"
"Uh…no?" The redhead said while standing in front of Kuroko, acting like a shield.
The blue haired boy peeked over Akashi's shoulder and said, "A-Akashi-san…I'm happy where I am. I like your son but I don't wish to be adopted."
Akashi's mother's expression softened and she kneeled down and asked, "Do you wish to stay with my son?"
Kuroko suddenly felt a surge of conflicted feelings. It was true he wanted to be with Akashi but he really really didn't want to be adopted. The blue haired boy was tossed around often and in the end, nobody wanted him. He just wanted to be alone.
"…No…" The blue haired boy mumbled, then he walked off to his bed and hid under the covers. When Akashi and his parents left the room, Kuroko peeked out and sighed. He knew he couldn't stay at the orphanage forever. The moment he hit sixteen, they would kick him out to go find work. After an hour, Akashi came back and held his hand out to the blue haired boy.
"Come with me." The redhead said.
Kuroko slapped Akashi's hand away and muttered a 'no'. He liked being alone, it was quiet and he didn't have to think about other people's feelings.
The woman who ran the orphanage entered the room and said, "Kuroko…Akashi's parents adopted you."
The blue haired boy's eyes widened, "…What? But I…I don't want to go."
The woman just shook her head and said, "The papers are already signed dear. You belong to them."
"Belong…I belong to them? Are you kidding me? Don't I have rights? Am I not a human being? Am I just a thing now?!" Kuroko yelled in frustration.
The redhead's parents pat the blue haired boy's back and slowly took him to the car. Kuroko followed depressingly and was silent for the whole car ride. When Akashi tried to talk with the blue haired boy, Kuroko said,
"I hate you." Then went back to staring out the window.
The redhead understood why Kuroko would say that so he also stayed silent and decided to leave the blue haired boy alone.
When they got to Akashi's house, his mother said, "We signed the papers saying that we would be your guardians, not your parents. So just think of this place as your home and we're your caretakers. You don't have to warm up to us as if we're your parents if that makes you comfortable."
Kuroko sighed and nodded then he mumbled, "Thank you." Knowing that it was only normal to be polite even if he wasn't happy about the situation.
Akashi's mother showed the blue haired boy to his room and said, "If you ever need anything don't be afraid to ask me or Sei-chan. It's best to avoid asking questions to my husband, he'll end up giving you a lecture about life or something."
"Thank you, Akashi-san." The blue haired boy said with a bow.
When Akashi's mother left, Kuroko fell back on the bed and took a deep breath.
This is my home now…Get used to it, other than the fact that they pulled me out of a box to take care of me. The blue haired boy thought and then he went to sleep.
Kuroko felt someone shaking his shoulder and when he turned around, he noticed it was Akashi.
"Dinner's ready." He whispered.
The blue haired boy glared at Akashi and got up. Without saying a word to the redhead, Kuroko followed him to the dinner table.
The blue haired boy ate without a word and then thanked Akashi's mother for the meal when he was done. Kuroko gently put his dishes away and went back up to his room.
"Sei-chan…" Akashi's mother said, "Why don't you go talk to him?"
"He hates me." The redhead said. His mother sighed and said,
"I don't believe he hates you. He just hates the situation he's in. He's scared. Imagine if you had a new home that you didn't want to be in and it's filled with strangers; at least try to make him feel comfortable and safe."
Akashi nodded and headed towards Kuroko's room. The redhead lightly knocked on the door and heard a muffled, "Come in."
The blue haired boy was sitting by the window and staring up at the night sky. When he turned to face Akashi, his blue eyes seemed to glow.
"What do you want?" Kuroko asked, the anger in his voice was evident.
"Look, I don't understand why you're so mad at me. You like me, right? We were talking like best friends a few hours ago." The redhead said, feeling frustrated with Kuroko even though he was supposed to stay calm and make the blue haired boy feel safe and comfortable.
The blue haired boy stood up and walked towards Akashi, his eyes glowing with anger, "I liked you. Now I hate you. I hate everything about you. Your voice, your appearance, your kindness, your scent; everything makes me angry."
"Because you were adopted." Akashi finished the blue haired boy's thoughts and then left the room.
Kuroko looked down at the ground and then decided to get ready for bed. During the night, the blue haired boy thought hard about how he felt with the situation. He knew that he didn't actually hate Akashi; but at the same time Kuroko wanted to slap the redhead across the face. In a way, he felt betrayed by the redhead. Kuroko thought that Akashi was the first person to understand him, but he knew in the end even the redhead would leave him.
The next day, the blue haired boy woke up before anyone else and decided to explore around the house. He quietly climbed down the stairs and took his time in every room. Kuroko was amazed at how huge Akashi's house was and it amazed him even further that he was living here. But the moment the blue haired boy remembered that he was adopted, he reminded himself to hate the redhead. Kuroko sat by the window and stared at what was outside; he watched as the clouds moved in the sky and the birds flying in flocks. The blue haired boy felt as if he was back in the orphanage and felt as if he was trapped in the building. Akashi's mother came down an hour later to see Kuroko curled up on the couch, sleeping soundly.
She gently wrapped him in a blanket and then started to make breakfast. After a while, Akashi came downstairs and exclaimed, "Mom! I can't find Kuroko! What if he ran away?! What if he's lost?! Call the police!"
His mother laughed and pointed towards the couch. The redhead walked over and peered over the edge to see the blue haired boy sleeping. Akashi fell to the ground in relief and mumbled, "Thank god."
"Sei-chan, can you wake him up for me please?"
The redhead stared at Kuroko's peaceful face and didn't want to burst his bubble, so Akashi just continued to stare. After a few minutes, the redhead lightly put a hand on Kuroko's shoulder and shook him awake.
"Kuroko…Breakfast is ready." Akashi said.
The blue haired boy mumbled something that made no sense and tried to go back to sleep. When Akashi shook him again, Kuroko kept his back to the redhead and muttered, "Go away."
The redhead looked at his mother for help but she just shrugged and set the table. Akashi thought for a while and then smiled. When he started tickling Kuroko, the blue haired boy jolted awake and started laughing.
"Stop! A-Akashi-kun! I can't breathe. I'm gonna die!" Kuroko yelled while the redhead sat on top of him to make sure he didn't escape and tickled him.
"I did ask you nicely to wake up." Akashi said as he continued.
The blue haired boy tried to slap away Akashi's hands but he was completely pinned to the couch. Kuroko was able to feel tears streaming down his face from laughing and his chest heaving for oxygen. The blue haired boy used all his strength to roll over, resulting in both of them on the ground, trying to calm down.
Kuroko felt the redhead's arm resting on his waist from tumbling off of the couch and for some reason, it felt familiar. The blue haired boy's face felt hot and he didn't know why, he just knew that he was reacting to Akashi and Kuroko didn't want that. The blue haired boy pushed out with his arms and tried to hide his blushing face. Akashi let his arms slip off of the blue haired boy's waist and then he noticed the blush streaking Kuroko's face. Before both of them said anything, Akashi's mother called them to the table. Once again, silence filled the air; none of them spoke. Akashi's mother kept giving her son a stare and gestured towards Kuroko in an attempt to say, "Talk to him."
"Uh…So Kuroko, you'll be going to school with me soon." Akashi stated and then received an evil glare from the blue haired boy. Kuroko turned his attention to his plate again and mumbled,
"Okay…"
After breakfast, the blue haired boy brushed his teeth and got ready for the day. Akashi's mother took Kuroko shopping for clothes, school supplies and things he wanted to eat. When they came back home, Kuroko continued to ignore the redhead at all costs and only answered when necessary. No matter how much the blue haired boy ignored Akashi, the redhead would always somehow poke at his nerves.
"Hey Kuroko," Akashi started, "why are you so stubborn?"
The blue haired boy's face heated up in embarrassment and he said, "I'm not stubborn! I was just born this way."
The redhead grinned and praised himself for getting Kuroko to talk, "So you were born stubborn."
"Ah…I was not! I didn't mean it like that." Kuroko exclaimed and then threw a pillow at Akashi's face. The pillow was caught easily and the redhead muttered,
"Why can't you just accept me then? You've accepted my mother and father, so why am I the only one you won't accept?"
Because you feel too familiar. You're strange; you make me feel weird! Kuroko wanted to yell, but instead he said, "I just hate you."
The redhead didn't feel hurt by these words; he simply got up and left to get ready to go to sleep. Kuroko did the same after a while and before going to bed, Akashi said, "My room is right beside yours, so if you need anything don't be afraid to barge in."
"As if I'll need anything from you." The blue haired boy said and then slammed the door.
Kuroko fell asleep quickly but immediately woke up half an hour later to the sound of thunder. He sat up on his bed and stared in horror at the flashing lights behind his window. The blue haired boy felt his breath quicken and he didn't feel safe in his room. So instead of sitting around being terrified, he slid his legs off of the bed and left his room.
Lightning flashed through the house followed by the deafening crack of thunder. Kuroko flinched and whimpered at the noise and felt lost in the house. He barely knew how to get around the house and he felt alone in the darkness. Remembering what Akashi had told him, the blue haired boy walked to the redhead's door and swung it open.
Akashi was sitting at his desk and studying for a test. He was startled when he heard the door to his room open and even more surprised to see that it was Kuroko who had come to his room.
"What's wrong?" he redhead asked while putting his pencil down. The lights in Akashi's room were off and the only source of light was the lamp on his desk. Kuroko hesitantly reached out for the redhead and mumbled,
"The thunder…I don't like it."
The redhead sighed and said, "You can sleep in my bed. I hope you don't mind the lamp being on, I still need to study a bit."
Kuroko crawled into the redhead's bed and stared at him while he was studying. The blue haired boy thought that the way Akashi's bangs fell across his eyes was pretty and that his appearance seemed that of someone very smart and kind.
He kinda looks like a prince... Kuroko forgot about the thunder and closed his eyes. The sound of Akashi's pencil scratching against the paper made the blue haired boy feel calm and after a while, he fell asleep.
When Kuroko got up the next morning, he felt an arm around him, holding him tightly. The blue haired boy yawned and buried his face into the warmth in front of him. When Kuroko came to his senses, he looked up to see Akashi's sleeping face and then took a deep breath. The scent which the blue haired boy once thought as disgusting and something he hated was actually a light scent of vanilla which he loved. Kuroko noticed that he started to love all the things he claimed he had hated about Akashi and it scared the blue haired boy because he still felt strange around Akashi; like he was a long lost memory.
When Kuroko went to school, he was constantly bullied and teased because his parents abandoned him. The blue haired boy would often cry during lunch while people ganged up on him, but Akashi would always butt in and yell at them to leave Kuroko alone. Then, he would hug Kuroko and tell him that he was perfect the way he was and that it didn't matter whether he was an orphan or not.
"But Akashi-kun, it's true that I don't have a family and that they abandoned me!" Kuroko exclaimed while trying to stop crying. The redhead sighed and brushed the tears from his face and said,
"You do have a family. My mom's your guardian, that counts as family. My dad's your guardian, that counts as family as well. I'm your friend, that's like family too. You're not alone Kuroko. You have me and my parents; eventually you'll find others too."
Kuroko would always stop crying after the redhead hugged him and they would walk home together, usually Akashi would give the blue haired boy a piggy back ride.
As they grew older, they grew closer. Kuroko never got over his fear of thunderstorms, so during rainy seasons, he would just move into Akashi's room.
One day, they got into a fight; Akashi had told the blue haired boy to grow up and sleep in his own room during a storm and Kuroko felt shocked, his heart broke. He felt like the redhead was leaving him.
"Akashi-kun…Do you hate it when I sleep in your room?" The blue haired boy asked.
The redhead frowned and said, "No, it's just that you're fourteen, you should be able to sleep on your own."
"What if I still can't? Who made that rule? Is there really an age where I have to just 'grow up'? Can I not be who I am anymore? Am I not allowed to change at my pace?"
"Kuroko…no… I didn't mean it like that." Akashi said while moving towards the blue haired boy. Kuroko stepped back onto the carpet in the redhead's room and shook his head,
"Is sleeping in my own room really 'growing up'? I think it's just splitting apart. Does that mean…You don't want to be with me?" He asked.
"No, that's not it. Kuroko…You're not listenin—"
"Do you hate me, Akashi-kun?" Kuroko interrupted. He felt tears sting his eyes as he did his best to keep eye contact with the redhead.
"Oh god, no! Kuroko…" Akashi grabbed onto the blue haired boy's arm and tried to pull him into a hug but Kuroko rejected it by pushing him away. They both slipped on the smooth carpet and fell to the ground.
Their eyes were wide when they noticed that their lips were touching. Akashi pulled away from Kuroko quickly and apologized. The tears that welled up in Kuroko from their argument fell onto the redhead's kiss and he simply stared down at Akashi in silence. The accidental kiss made their boiling emotions cool down and soon all they could really feel was that they needed each other, both of them remembered everything.
Akashi raised his hand and rested it on the blue haired boy's cheek. The redhead smiled and asked, "Do you remember me?"
Kuroko couldn't form words so he just nodded and then leaned his head on Akashi's chest.
"I'm sorry." Kuroko muttered.
"For what?" The redhead asked while stroking the blue hair in front of him.
The blue haired boy laughed slightly, "For being born stubborn."
Akashi smiled and said, "It's alright. I like you as a stubborn person. You wouldn't be Kuroko Tetsuya if you weren't stubborn, especially when it comes to winning basketball."
After a while, the two of them went out and got their tattoo without Akashi's parents knowing and then they had to act like best friends until they were able to move out. Finally, when Kuroko graduated high school, he moved into the redhead's apartment and from there they started to go on more dates.
After many years, the blue haired boy passed away, followed by Akashi a few years later.