Author's Note: Behold, another scene that is in two pieces! There was nothing to do - it was too long. And I hope you'd like this version of Akashi's father - I quite liked him.

The first part was so much fun to write! I hope it would be as much fun to read :)

5 - Good Ol' Dates

Kuroko leaned back on his fake leather seat with a satisfied sigh. He turned his plate so the chips were closer to him and pulled his soda to the table's edge. Akashi cut a piece of his steak - he was complained to be too elegant, he didn't get it - tapping his feet to the beat of the American country music playing in the restaurant.

Kuroko sipped his drink before putting it back to the table. "I've waited the whole week for Akashi-kun to open the subject but it was for vain; I have to ask it."

Akashi paused with his fork in the air. "What is it?"

Kuroko leaned forward; theirs was a small table. His heart speeded up at Kuroko's sudden proximity and his intense look. "How many Valentine's chocolates did you get?"

He literally threw his bite to his mouth - so it would be busy. Kuroko making fun of him, throwing such looks for stupid questions as if he was trying to make him blush. The restaurant was already quite warm and he kept on accidentally hitting Kuroko's feet under the table -

"Around ten," he mumbled.

"Hmm," Kuroko leaned even closer, Akashi regretted wearing a jacket. "Did you eat them?"

"I, yeah, some. I shared with the team but - it would be a waste -"

"Did they taste good?"

Akashi put his fork to his plate, leaned back and studied Kuroko's expression, behind his usual blank mask. Was this a jealous questioning? He hoped not. "Sure," he said, nonchalant. "Chocolate is chocolate."

With a sigh, Kuroko leaned back. Then eyed his chips and threw a crunchy one to his mouth. "Not one pimple. Your skin looks as smooth as ever."

"P - pimple?" He shook his head - Kuroko was making fun of him, now he was sure - but he was already grinning. "I don't have much, true."

"Akashi-kun's skin is also absolute."

Akashi giggled - a high one that would horrify his other-self. He had to cover his mouth when he couldn't stop.

"What is absolute skin?" He asked, breathless.

Kuroko erased his expression and widened his eyes, at mock-shock on how ignorant Akashi was. Giggles rose inside him like bubbles; he had to lean on the table to support himself.

"The skin that doesn't have pimples," Kuroko announced.

Their neighbor couple glanced at them when Akashi held his stomach with his free arm, his body shaking uncontrollably. When Kuroko hit him under the table, he raised his head - Kuroko's eyes were bright while his laughter was as soft and kind as him.

Feeling like a fly around a light, Akashi leaned forward with his trembling hand raised. He touched Kuroko's cheek as if to make sure his happiness was real.

He spurted out another giggle. A pimple was right under his palm.

"How many chocolates did you eat last week?"

Another first in his life - Kuroko pouted. He wore a mock-petulant look but his eyes were still shining with laughter - Akashi felt breathless.

"Akashi-kun is most unkind, with his absolute skin and more than a dozen chocolates - not counting the friendship ones -"

"You know that none of them was as precious as the one you gave me."

Kuroko nodded and turned his head slightly so his cheek fit Akashi's palm. "How did they taste? I worked hard on yours but I don't know your preferences about desserts, so…"

"So, I like the next year's one more?"

Kuroko closed his eyes, leaned on Akashi's palm and murmured, "Why not?" Akashi caressed his smile with his thumb, all his awareness focused on his palm and finger pad. Kuroko's skin was soft and smooth, except his pimple, and his lips were warm. Akashi put a hand on the table so he could lean in more, trying to discern Kuroko's fresh scent over the commotion of smells in the restaurant - his eyes slid towards his lips and Akashi licked his -

Then Kuroko opened his eyes and stiffened. After one millisecond of confusion, Akashi froze.

-caressed Kuroko's smile-

He slowly took back his arm and then flew to his place - he had to half stand up to reach Kuroko across the table. His face was beyond burning; it was so hot that it was cold. Suddenly, his last bites of steak took his entire attention. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Kuroko drink half of his glass in a gulp and then look at the cashier with a murmur of "we should leave. The Movie will start soon."

Akashi nodded, looking at his empty plate while chewing his too-large piece of meat with concentration. Then, because it was unbecoming of an Akashi, he raised his head but his eyes met Kuroko's -

He decided if anyone asked, he would deny his surname for this evening. Surely with his face as red as his hair, he didn't look like he had -

Absolute skin.

Akashi hid his face in his hands.

Their small journey to the movie theatre was in bits and pieces for Akashi: Kuroko kept on touching his hand while walking, electrifying Akashi each time. He jumped apart and two steps later, Kuroko did the same thing again. Until they reached the escalator and Kuroko gave him a playful look -

Thankfully, his priorities changed to drinks and popcorn when they reached their destination.

Akashi took a breath and imagined his embarrassment flowing away with it. The theatre had low light and they were going to watch a movie so - it was fine.

When Kuroko returned with his purchases, he gave the popcorn and a drink to Akashi, who took them with puzzlement - until he noticed how cold the drink was, then he was putting it to the crook of his elbow, eyeing it with mistrust - and Kuroko took his free hand.

Ignoring the statue of Akashi next to him, he checked their tickets. "It says salon 5, let's go Akashi-kun," he said, pulling until Akashi stumbled.

Then, he threw an impish look over his shoulder.

Of course, Kuroko didn't release his hand - even when they had to do acrobatics to seat themselves or when their palms sweated and their arms numbed with the constant position. The first time Kuroko caressed his hand with his thumb, Akashi's arm jerked like he received a shock. And then the second time, and the third time - until his heart got bored of reacting every time. When it happened, Kuroko grinned at him - at which his heart skipped a beat.

Eating the shared popcorn between them with their other hands was awkward - when Kuroko was chewing it, Akashi felt like he was sitting too close to him - Akashi listened Kuroko's chewing over the noise of their action movie. When he checked it, they were sitting at a respectable distance.

Kuroko's face illuminated by the movie looked so - so fascinating. When he noticed his staring and glanced at him, his eyes reflected the blue light of the movie. Then Kuroko smiled and tightened his hold. Akashi didn't want to let him go.

His face was still warm as he waited for his driver outside of the mall, though. The cold wind felt good on his cheeks. He looked at Kuroko's blue head walking down the stairs of the station - Akashi could still see his red ears - Kuroko was also quite pink when they left the theatre, and his smile was large and bright -

Akashi looked at the sky and laughed.

The manor's heavy and thick door only made a small click when Akashi closed it behind him. With quiet movements, he took off his shoes and coat; his father wouldn't sleep yet but he didn't want to disturb anyone either. He put on his slippers, opened the hallway door - and came face to face with his father.

Akashi tried to discern his expression in the low light before he noticed the mug in his hand and the tea bag he kept on bouncing.

"Green tea?" He asked, closing the door behind him.

His father huffed. "It is too late for caffeine. This is a new mixture and said to be" he read the label, "relaxing."

"Do you have trouble sleeping?"

"No, son. I also don't feel under the weather." He nodded towards the kitchen. "Share a cup with me - it has cinnamon."

Akashi grinned at his father's weakness and followed him down the kitchen. With practiced ease, they ignored the enormous counters filled with shiny silver pieces of equipment and the large island with the stove. As his father took out a mug and prepared another drink with the water he boiled minutes ago, Akashi sat at the small wooden table next to the window.

Their garden was illuminated with soft lights and looked lovely even in winter. Like the park Kuroko took him to on their first date. Both had a leave-less sakura tree, too.

His lips curled up when he thought of Kuroko. He tapped his fingers to the theme song of the movie - then warmed up because it might be the only thing he remembered of it.

Father put a mug in front of Akashi - it had a business conference's logo from a few years ago. "I get that your date was good," he said as he sat down in front of him.

Akashi smiled at his father - and - and froze. Except for his heart that skipped a beat, his hands that trembled and his stomach that clenched.

"I - what?" He heard himself stutter - the slight echo must be his mind's added effect.

"Son, you've been coming to Tokyo every weekend for a month. It is good to see you frequently but I hope your visits aren't for me. Especially around Valentine's."

Akashi's mouth opened but no sound came. His father leaned back in his chair and propped his mug to his chest - like waiting away the commercial break in a comedy show, the amused tilt of his mouth still present.

He had always looked so approachable like this. Like the father his mother must have loved - instead of the stern, perfectionist and demanding one giving him orders from the end of a long table. For a moment, Akashi wondered if his father also had a personality problem.

It wouldn't be a surprise.

Rubbing the back of his neck but giving in to a smile because Akashi loved his father like this, he took in a cinnamon-filled breath. "Is it so obvious?" He asked in a small voice.

"You smile rather much these days."

"Oh," he said and felt himself blushing, much to his embarrassment. He ducked his head when his father chuckled.

"It is a happy smile, son. Don't hide it."

Which made him smile and blush more, of course. He covered his cheeks with his palms, which didn't cool them down as he had been holding his mug, then turned his hands around.

His father chuckled at him and drank his tea. Taking the hint, Akashi took out his teabag and gave an experimental sip. Rather - cinnamony.

The smell of cinnamon always calmed Akashi down because even at the end of a long dinner table, his father always sprinkled it over his food, not caring if it suited or not. It was a sign that this chucking and kind father was there somewhere.

As his father watched him until he took a larger sip, Akashi wondered if his obsession with the spice was intentional. He wouldn't put it past him.

Knowing his father wouldn't open up the subject, Akashi breathed in and asked, "what do you want to learn about?"

"Just seeing you happy is enough, son," he said, light and benevolent.

Akashi narrowed his eyes. He watched like a hawk while his father took another sip of his drink with his compassionate expression and looked outside, adoring their garden. As if he had no worries in life and sharing this moment with their hibernating plants was the most joyous thing ever - until his lips twitched. When he returned Akashi's gaze, he wore a small smirk.

"I know plenty about Kuroko Tetsuya, anyway."

Akashi hit his knee to the table with his jerk, spilling his tea.

"He is your middle school teammate - that precious phantom boy of your team."

He just gasped, right?

"Didn't know you felt anything more for him though, especially after his team defeated yours," his father sighed. "Subtle emotions and long distances don't make a good informative circle."

With the last vestiges of his dignity, Akashi crossed his arms on the table and put down his burning face on them. Father's laughter surpassed his pitiful moan.

Then, father started patting his head. "There, there," he said, out of breath. Akashi tightened his arms in mortification.

"Whe - how?" He murmured to the tabletop. The spilled tea wetted his elbow. It felt cold - even his arms must be flustered.

After one last chuckled and pat, father leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "Your school informed me; your coach was worried about it distracting you."

Akashi raised his head, wishing to show as little of his hair-red skin as possible, but he must have heard wrong. "What?"

Father gave a kind smile. "Remember my lesson about being too valuable to any team? Any distraction is too much."

"But - it was one time! I am not behaving any different since then!"

"You think that but - you smile more, son. And with the shock of your sudden change in the final game, they must be attentive and cautious about the changes in your behavior."

"But, this isn't - like that."

"We both know it. But to them, it looked like one of your moves were neutralized and you suddenly didn't know what to do - until your whole demeanor changed. And now you are dating its initiator."

Akashi looked at the spilled tea - then noticed then he had risen. He faced his father and coughed, rubbing the wet spot in his jacket. "I - I guess it looks - weird."

"And that Kuroko - such a small and unnoticeable boy. With a huge heart, I assume."

"Yeah," he said softly, his lips turning into a smile. His hand tingled.

"Look at that smile. I remember smiling like that for weeks after I kissed your mother for the first time." Akashi startled - unless in a really good mood, his father didn't talk about his mother. "Good days," he sighed. "Did you also give a nice kiss to your boyfriend?"

Akashi slid down the chair; he was going to boil himself away at this rate. "We held hands at the cinema," he mumbled.

His father barked out a laugh. "This is it? I don't remember Akashis being a modest bunch!" Akashi's mouth fell open. "Do you also sit at respectable distances in dates?"

He nodded. His father put his mug back to the table, lest his laughing spill his drink. Akashi held his in front of him, like a shield against the mortification.

(It didn't work.)

"It is just our third date!"

"And you didn't even kiss?"

"Wha - When did you kiss mother?"

His father waved a hand. "Our relationship was quite backward - it being an arranged marriage and all."