Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basket is owned by Fujimaki Tadatoshi

Pairing: AkaKuro

A/N: Happy AkaKuroWeek everyone! It's this fic's 1st birthday/anniversary! I'm so happy *cries* (But we're still only at chap 13 Imsosorry)

Thanks to my reviewers: Girl-luvs-manga, kanadeakemi, asdfghjklove09, yoshan-chan, Kuro13Dead, xXoAnonymousoXx, Akakuro Seiya, Shiro-chan1827, ringochii, The Mafia-ish Addiction, PhoenixFireBlade, AoiC, Kottori, Purpley97, Tamani, Guest, Silvinukas, StrawberryDemon, KurokoTetsuya101, 123ANIMEfun, miki565, PrideViola, ShinseiShinwa, mitsuyo-chan, silver woman, Dark Cat Food Lover, Misa, lumiere du soliel, BerryBliss, noah03, bioman, Liana Legaspi, Knight Yuuki, Kujo Kasuza, Alexiella, Hasuki-chan, XienRue, My Own Pitiful Daydreams, BlueBird22, Korin Hunter, Kitahara Rosalie, AJ, emiliefiilthomsen, lulubeck, shadowhunters morgestern, Jazza343 and AquaticSilver. Thanks for the favorite and follow alerts, too.


Thirteenth Night: A Resolute Inception


Kuroko stared at the three vampires in front of him with a blank expression on his face. His mind still muddled with sleep since Akashi woke him up so early. He was still sore even after resting his body for two days. And now, he might be a little bit cranky for getting up at the break of dawn. He glanced up at the dark night sky as it gave way to the golden hue of the sunrise. He shivered a little as a cool soft breeze past by him. They were in the middle of autumn and it was chilly with winter coming close.

Sighing, Kuroko watched as his breath came out like a puff of smoke. He also knew his nose was a bit red, too due to the weather. He blew another breath to warm up his cold freezing hands. He should have accepted the cup of coffee that Kise offered him a while ago even if he wasn't a fan of it.

"Um," Kuroko called out to Akashi, Aomine and Kise, wearing tracksuits just like him. The vampires seemed unperturbed by the cold weather as they stretched their bodies. Maybe it was their thing? "Why are we all here?"

"It's for your training, my love," Akashi answered as he slowly zipped up his jacket up to his neck. Kuroko wasn't watching the vampire do that with rapt attention. No, really, he wasn't. He was just sleep deprived, that was all. Judging by the amusement twinkling in Akashi's eyes, he wasn't fooling anyone. "You said you wanted to support us and for that to happen, you need to get stronger."

Kuroko shook his head to get rid of inappropriate thoughts and fought off the urge to yawn. "I understand that," he muttered. "But why do we need to do this at an early hour?"

"No time like the present Tetsu. You have a lot to work on like your strength, fighting instinct but most especially your weak stamina," said Aomine as he stretched his arms above his head with a grin on his face. Aomine seemed excited for a workout.

"Huh…" was the only thing that came out of Kuroko's lips.

"Daiki and Ryouta will supervise your physical training as well as teach you how to use various weapons," Akashi explained as he took a step forward, taking Kuroko's hands and rubbed them together for warmth. Kuroko sighed in pleasure for that. "Shintarou will continue some of your previous lessons and arm you with knowledge about vampires. Atsushi will regulate your diet."

Hearing that last bit made Kuroko paused for a second. Regulate his diet? Did that mean he wouldn't get his vanilla milkshake anytime he wanted? "And what about you, Akashi-kun?" Kuroko asked instead.

"I'll oversee your progress," said Akashi and gave him a smirk. "And I'll, of course, pamper and spoil you after your grueling, hard day."

Kuroko sighed in defeat. He couldn't worm his way out of this one. And besides, he was the one who asked for this, the others were just helping him. "So what am I supposed to do now?"

"Stretch and then we're jogging!" Kise chirpily exclaimed, vibrant so early in the morning. Weren't vampires nightly creatures? Why were they so active at the crack of dawn?

In any case, jogging sounded easy enough.

(And Kuroko already rested enough anyway.)

xXx

Kuroko wanted to take back what he said. This was so not easy.

(And he should have savored those last two resting days if he knew this would happen.)

Kuroko swiped his mouth with the back of his hand after puking his gut out. He didn't know how many times he did that. And he still couldn't believe they made him ran laps around the mansion. At least it was only the mansion itself and not the whole estate or so Aomine told him. Kuroko jabbed Aomine hard on the stomach for that; not like it did any damage but it still made him feel better.

"Here, Kurokocchi," Kise said as he bent down and offered Kuroko a bottle of water. "You can do this, just one more lap."

Kuroko gurgle the water in his mouth to erase the sickening bitter taste of his vomit and spat it out before drinking all the water. He looked up at Kise beseechingly as he handed back the empty bottle. "Please tell me after that lap, I can go back to sleep."

"Of course not, Tetsu," Aomine butted in, slowly walking up to them. "This is just warm up. Your real training starts after this."

Kuroko felt like vomiting again when he heard that. Were they blind or couldn't they see he was already having enough trouble standing up? And they expected him to finish one lap and train after that? Were they crazy or are they trying to torture him?

"Tetsuya, if you give up now. You won't get stronger," Akashi said, coming up behind Aomine and took hold of Kuroko's hand, helping him stand up. Kuroko was wobbly but Akashi was there to steady him. "You can't achieve something just because you want it. You have to work hard for it. You showed me your determination, love. Now show me you can back it up. Can you do that, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko closed his eyes and took a deep breath then released it, calming himself; Akashi's words reverberating in his mind. He opened his eyes and resolutely looked back at Akashi's crimson eyes. "Yes, I want—no, I will get stronger. I'll do anything to make that happen."

Akashi smiled proudly at him. "Then, start running. We'll take it slow but I'll assure, love, we'll get there."

Kuroko nodded and started running, slow but steady. He pushed the vampires following behind him at the back of his mind. He concentrated on his jogging, in taking a tired step after tired step forward. He worked to stable his breathing, his mind not on the goal itself but the part of going there. He felt lighter and suddenly fatigue wasn't on the forefront of his mind but the way his body work and to keep going.

So he kept running and running and running, unaware of his own surroundings.

Kuroko slowed to a stop, resting hands on his knees as he panted for air but for the first time he didn't feel like retching his empty stomach. He closed his eyes while calming his wild beating heart and breathed in the cool fresh morning air. He opened his eyes after exhaling and straightened up, looking for the others.

"That was great Kurokocchi!"

Kuroko looked back and found Kise smiling widely and even Aomine was grinning. Akashi still looked the same but there was a genuine smile on his face as he stared at Kuroko. "I finished that last lap," he said.

"What do you mean last lap Tetsu?" Aomine looked stunned. "You kept going for two more laps without stopping. I'm surprised you're not even puking again right now."

He blinked. "Eh? Really?"

"You can do anything if you set your mind to," said Akashi as he threw a towel at Kuroko. "Now that we're done warming up, it's time for your real training Tetsuya."

Kuroko paled at those words.

xXx

Kuroko thought Midorima's training was hard but as it turned out, it didn't hold a candle to his training with Aomine and Kise. It was grueling and demanding. The two vampires were surprisingly Spartan in their lessons especially Aomine. He glared at them after Aomine said that they weren't serious and was just assessing him.

But Kuroko had to admit, as difficult as it was, he was learning a lot. Aomine and Kise have distinctive styles in fighting that perfectly suits them. Kise moved with precision and elegance, his movements were like a careful dance, fluid but at the same time deadly. Aomine, on the other hand, was the opposite. Aomine's actions were more wild and unpredictable since he relied more on his keen instincts. Still, his moves were eye-catching just like Kise but in a different way.

Kuroko absorbed all the lessons and with the two polar opposite styles as well as Aomine and Kise guiding him, he discovered a type of fighting style that was entirely his own. It was like a blend of the two vampire's styles but was slightly altered as he added his weak presence. It still wasn't perfect and he was still developing it. But according to Akashi and Midorima, it was only a matter of time until Kuroko mastered it. He just needed experience, Murasakibara added.

As weeks and days went by, Kuroko felt he was growing a little stronger.

The only thing that didn't change though was…

"Tetsu, it's only been three hours. Don't play dead on the floor."

…His weak stamina.

"At least Kurokocchi lasted up to three hours now, Aominecchi. In our first lesson, Kurokocchi fainted after thirty minutes."

Kuroko ignored them as he lied on the floor on his back, his left arm resting over his eyes as he tried to catch up his breath. They could be so condescending at times that he often disregarded their comments or else he would get pissed. And as Akashi said (when he occasionally watched over his training), anger wasn't a good fuel to fight as it affect his rational thoughts. He had to keep his calm at all times.

Kuroko felt a waft of air above him, probably Kise, who has a paper fan ready to cool him off. "Tetsu, wake up," he heard Aomine mutter to his right. Even if he couldn't see the vampire, he knew Aomine was crouching next to him with a scowl on his face.

"Maybe we should take a rest Aominecchi," said Kise. "It's almost time for dinner anyway."

"Fine," Aomine grumbled in assent. "But only because I'm hungry."

Kuroko was silent through all this. He brought his arm to his side as he opened his eyes and saw Kise sitting on his left while waving the fan. Kise smiled when he noticed Kuroko was awake. Kuroko shifted his gaze to the right and saw Aomine on the other side of the room holding a shinai and doing drills. Sometimes he envied the vampires for their endurance.

Kuroko never seemed to fail in watching any of them moved in captivation. Entranced at Aomine, watching hum swung the bamboo sword with thoroughness, battling an invisible enemy; Kuroko paid no attention to the fingers running through his hair, thinking it was Kise.

"Do you want to learn swordsmanship, too, my love?"

Kuroko blinked when he heard that familiar voice and turned to look at where Kise was previously been and instead saw Akashi kneeling beside him with his crimson eyes staring right at him. Kuroko saw Kise a few ways behind Akashi, checking his phone, most likely giving them a semblance of privacy. (How you could have privacy with all these vampires hearing your every word was anyone's guess.)

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko greeted. He tried to sit up even if he was too tired to do it. He felt a little vulnerable with Akashi looming over him. "What are you doing here?"

Akashi tipped his head to the side. "Is it so bad that I want to see you, my love?"

"We see each other every day," Kuroko responded. We even sleep together every night, he silently added.

Akashi's lips twitched in a small smile at his retort. Kuroko watched as Akashi dipped his head and Kuroko knew he was going to kiss him (in the lips, forehead or his cheeks, Kuroko didn't know nor did he had time to think about it). He quickly brought his hand to cover Akashi's mouth, stopping him. Akashi seemed untroubled at his actions and Kuroko could see in those ruby eyes that he was amused. Akashi leaned back, removing Kuroko's hand and raised an eyebrow at him.

"I'm all sweaty," Kuroko answered the silent question. "Please, don't get close to me."

"Don't worry, love. You still smell good."

Kuroko frowned at Akashi as he took his time to stand up. At the corner of his eye, he saw Akashi following suit. "Is there something you need Akashi-kun?"

"I'm just checking if you have a letter to send to your parents," Akashi said as he looked over at Aomine, who seemed to not notice Akashi's presence as Aomine was too focused on his maneuvers. "It's been days since you got their letter and you haven't given me your reply yet."

Kuroko almost forgot about that. Ever since that first letter he got from his parents, he never forgot to send a reply. They mailed back and forth just about every week. Kuroko didn't dare asked how those letters got sent or who even delivered them. He also didn't inquire his parents on their location, thinking it was for the best.

Those letters were short most of the time (except for the first one with his mother asking too many questions like his safety, his health, if he was eating enough or if he was getting along with the other vampires. He also noticed that his mother painstakingly avoided the topic of Akashi) but he could feel the love and worry they have for him in there.

Kuroko's replies were mostly brief only saying that he was safe and what he was doing, taking an account at what Midorima said not to reveal many things for their safety. But sometimes he regaled his parents of amusing stories concerning the coven like Kise and Aomine always bickering, or Murasakibara pranking Aomine because he ate his hidden cream puffs or when Kise accidentally put natto on Midorima's food which he hated, those instances.

(Kuroko didn't put the close moments between him and Akashi that were always interrupted by any of the coven since his mother would have a heart attack if she knew. Inwardly, he was having fun at Akashi's annoyed expressions whenever that happened.)

"Can I give it to you tomorrow instead?" Kuroko asked, making a mental note to finish writing his letter later.

"Of course," Akashi nodded and then tilted his head to the side as if listening to something Kuroko can't hear. "Atsushi said dinner is ready."

At the word dinner, Aomine immediately put down the shinai and went over to them. "Finally," he said, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension on his muscles. "Let's go. I'm starving."

Dinner in a mansion full of vampires plus Kuroko was always lively. Kuroko still couldn't believe when one time Kise told him that the coven only started eating dinner together when Kuroko arrived. They were like a family as eccentric as they were. It was the primary reason why Kuroko cemented his decision to stay.

Kuroko took a glance at the Akashi sitting across from him. Akashi noticed his stare and gave him a small smile.

Then again, maybe there was another reason, too.

xXx

Kuroko stretched his hands in front of him as soon as he put down his pen. He just finished writing his letter to his parents. They were worried when he said in his previous letters that he was training and learning how to fight, even how to use some weapons. But they understood why he was doing that and supported his decision. His father even said that it was a good thing not to rely on Akashi and everyone else too much.

Kuroko didn't turn around when he heard the door to his room opened, already knowing who it was. He just folded the paper sealing it on the envelope.

"Are you done, my love?"

"Yes," Kuroko answered as he stood up from his chair and handed the letter to Akashi.

Akashi only stared at the mail in his hand. "Don't you find it archaic to write letters in this day and age?"

"You're the one who suggested writing letters Akashi-kun," he retorted. "Besides, I do know why you're doing this. When the right time comes, I look forward to having my own phone."

Akashi gazed at him as if contemplating something. "That's not a bad idea. Maybe you do need one," he mused, more to himself than to Kuroko.

"That would be impractical since I don't go out and all of you are vampires with acute sense of hearing," Kuroko said, wondering what was wrong with Akashi. "And if by chance I get in trouble"—he brought up his left wrist, showing the black bracelet with rubies Akashi gave him before—"this will be more convenient."

"That is true," Akashi agreed. "But it never hurt to be more prepared. By the way, Tetsuya, when is your birthday?"

What an odd segue, Kuroko thought. "January 31st," he answered. "Why do you ask?"

"So just two more months," Akashi muttered under his breath. "Do you want to go somewhere on your birthday, my love? We could visit your family if you want."

Kuroko's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected suggestion. "Really, Akashi-kun?"

"Yes," Akashi smiled. "Anything for you, love."

Kuroko couldn't hide the pleased smile on his face. "Then, I want to see them. I want to celebrate my birthday with them." He then added, "With everyone, too. My parents did say they wanted to meet the whole coven."

Akashi's eyes softened when he saw his smile. "It's settled then. We'll go." Akashi opened his arms and Kuroko willingly stepped into them, Akashi's arms wrapping around him.

With Akashi's warmth seeping through his body, Kuroko asked in a whisper. "When is your birthday?" Kuroko felt Akashi stiffened for a second at his question and the silence arising from it was too uncomfortable to bear. He brought his arms around Akashi's waist, silently telling him that it was fine if Akashi ignored his question.

"We should go to sleep," Akashi murmured, his voice oddly neutral.

Kuroko had this feeling of wanting to comfort Akashi. "Do you want my blood Akashi-kun?" he asked. "The last time you fed was last week."

"I already have sufficient amount of your blood, Tetsuya," said Akashi. "You're spoiling me too much."

Kuroko leaned back to look at the vampire. "How much blood does a vampire need anyway?" he asked, curious. "I mean, I know an ordinary one needs blood twice a month or just once if the vampire drained a human dry. But Akashi-kun and everyone else doesn't seem normal so how much blood do you regularly take?"

Akashi paused to think over his question. "The same as any other vampire. We just have a good control of our blood thirst so we don't need to feed regularly. Moreover, Tetsuya's blood is special. In my case, drinking your blood twice or thrice a year is already enough for me."

"And if a regular vampire took my blood?"

Akashi cocked an eyebrow at that. "If, hypothetically, a vampire took your blood then they only need to feed every other month or two months at most."

Hypothetical, huh. Akashi sure didn't like to think of anyone other than him to drink his blood. Well, it wasn't like Kuroko wanted another vampire aside from Akashi to drink his blood anyway. The coven was fine if it was necessary like what happened to Aomine before.

"So Akashi-kun doesn't want to drink my blood?"

"Love," Akashi started, dipping his head closer to Kuroko's ear. Goosebumps spread over him with Akashi's hot breath ghosting on his skin. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you want me to drink your blood. You want it, don't you? That anticipation when my mouth is on your neck. My fangs prickling on your sensitive skin. That first bite. The heady pleasure you get when blood leaves your blood and pours into my mouth. All your senses and body pliant to my desires."

Kuroko bit his lower lip to stifle the moan threatening to come out of his mouth. There were times when he was amenable to Akashi's seduction. This was one of them. Being fed on by Akashi was one of his secret weaknesses.

Well, maybe not so secret since Akashi was using it to exploit him.

"But," Akashi continued to whisper and Kuroko gulped nervously, "maybe some other time."

Kuroko blinked and let out a silent gasp when Akashi carried him to bed in vampire speed. Kuroko glared at Akashi posed above him. "Please stop doing that. It's disconcerting." Akashi's eyes gleamed in amusement and Kuroko knew his plea would be ignored.

"As tempting as your offer is, Tetsuya," Akashi whispered as he dipped his head closer to Kuroko. "You will need all your strength in your training tomorrow. We can't have you passing out in the middle of it. Again."

Kuroko's mouth turned downward. "That was one time," he protested.

"Once is enough," said Akashi, his lips brushing against Kuroko's lightly. Kuroko closed his eyes as he pressed their lips together. Akashi took rein as they kissed slowly, languidly as if they all have time in the world. Akashi broke the kiss, his thumb brushing across Kuroko's cheek. "You should sleep now, my love."

"Aren't you going to sleep yet Akashi-kun?"

Akashi shook his head. "Not yet. I need to finish some paperwork."

"Alright," Kuroko sighed. "Good night Akashi-kun."

Akashi leaned forward to kiss Kuroko's forehead. "Good night Tetsuya."

xXx

"Tetsu!"

Kuroko blinked at the shout of his name and instinctively ducked down, avoiding Aomine's punch aimed his way. He swiftly curled his hand to give Aomine a punch in his solar plexus. He bit his lip in frustration when Aomine grabbed his wrist and pushed him away. Kuroko steadied himself and then sighed, wiping away the sweat off his face.

Aomine scowled at him. "What's gotten into you, Tetsu?" he asked. "You seem distracted."

"I'm sorry," Kuroko mumbled and shook his head to clear his head. "I'll be more focused now."

Aomine stared at him with his hands on his hips. He glanced around the training room; it was sparse saved for the mats in the center and some bamboo swords, boxing gloves and some bo staffs lying on one side of the room. (Kuroko knew Midorima would be mad again if they didn't return them to the armory.) "Should we take a break?" Aomine suggested.

"No, I'm fine Aomine-kun," Kuroko insisted.

"You don't look fine," Aomine stated and grabbed Kuroko's hand, dragging him out of the training room and to the garden. Kuroko was too tired to fight him off and let Aomine do what he wanted. They stopped by below a tree and Aomine pulled Kuroko down to sit with him.

Knowing Aomine was trying to help him relax; Kuroko eased the tension in his body and leaned back against the bark of the tree, the chilly wind helping him clear his thoughts as he closed his eyes. It wasn't like he was thinking anything deep. But all these past few weeks were all about training and training, soaking up lessons the vampires gave him that he didn't have time to just breathe. He took breaks but it was mostly to rest his body and not his mind.

Kuroko was grateful Aomine has the foresight to take him in the garden to unwind. A comfortable silence passed between them until Kuroko broke it off. "By the way Aomine-kun, where did Kise-kun go?" he asked, opening his eyes to look at Aomine.

"Don't know," Aomine shrugged his shoulders, his hand absentmindedly pulling the grass. "Akashi ordered him to run some errand. Kise looked excited when I saw him this morning."

As if reminding him, Kuroko remembered those times Kise kept complaining that he and Murasakibara were the only ones who hadn't met Kuroko's parents yet. A hunch brewed in his mind. "Kise-kun must be delivering my letter to my parents," he deduced.

Aomine turned to him in surprise at his deduction. "What made you say that?"

"Just a guess," said Kuroko. "Aomine-kun did say to always trust my instincts."

"Yeah," Aomine agreed. "But how does Kise being excited led to that?"

Kuroko stared at Aomine. He didn't know if Aomine was this clueless or just faking it. He gazed at Aomine some more. No, he didn't seem to hide anything. Plus, Aomine wasn't like Akashi. "Aomine-kun, you already know my parents were attacked before. Akashi-kun wouldn't let that happen again. In other words, either one of this coven or some other people Akashi-kun trusts were personally transporting the letters back and forth."

Aomine thought about that. "That kind of suits Akashi's thinking," he mused. "But how come it's Kise and not me? I mean, your parents already know me. And I think they like me, too."

"Probably because Kise-kun kept begging Akashi-kun to see them," Kuroko answered. "It might be Murasakibara-kun next time."

Aomine was silent for a moment, shifting his eyes to the side before returning his gaze back to Kuroko. "Do you miss them?"

"Of course, I do," Kuroko nodded. "They are my parents. And it's been three months since I last saw them. It's natural to miss someone you love."

Kuroko thoughtfully regarded Aomine, who looked pensive. It was in the tip of his tongue to ask Aomine about his parents but he knew it wasn't the right time. He would patiently wait when Aomine was ready to talk. "Should we go back inside?" he asked to sidetrack Aomine. "Midorima-kun will get mad if he found us slacking off."

"Nah," Aomine shook his head before yawning. "Let's stay here. It's nice to take a breather every once in a while."

Kuroko raised an eyebrow at Aomine. "This is coming from you, Aomine-kun?"

"Hey, I ain't the type to keep working every day, you know. And we can just ignore Midorima when he lectures us later."

Kuroko supposed Aomine had a point (and really, he heard enough of Midorima's lectures that he could tune him out). It was nice to just relax and wind down plus, he wasn't in the mood to train anyway. "Aomine-kun, do you think I'll get stronger, that I'm not wasting everyone's time?" he asked out of the blue.

Aomine scrunched his eyebrows at him. "Where is this coming from? Are you giving up?"

"No," Kuroko shook his head. "But sometimes I get these ideas. Even if I train as best as I could, I still don't have a chance against a vampire. That what I'm doing is useless."

Aomine sighed. "Tetsu, it's true that physically vampires are stronger than humans and we have keen senses but it doesn't mean we're invincible. We could still get killed by other vampires or even humans. You just have to be crafty enough to outwit a vampire. And Tetsu, you have your own weapon."

"I do?"

"Your weak presence," said Aomine. "Tetsu, you're an extraordinary human who was living in a normal world but now you're not. You're now here in a supernatural world and being extraordinary is normal. Your misdirection is useless there but in our world it's a powerful weapon. So don't ever think that you're weak 'cause once you think that way you'll never get strong. So keep doing your best, not every effort is useless."

Kuroko gazed at Aomine, wide-eyed. Then, he let out a small smile. "Thank you, Aomine-kun," he said. "You always managed to cheer me up."

Clearly flustered, Aomine cleared his throat to hide his awkwardness as he averted his eyes from Kuroko's. "You're welcome," he mumbled.

"You know, my life changed when I met all of you," Kuroko said, looking up at the clear blue sky. "I was invisible to other people, a shadow to their existence. Then one day, I was caught by a vampire and my phantom existence suddenly became no more." He turned his gaze back to Aomine. "I'm glad that I met Aomine-kun and everyone."

Aomine scratched the back of his head in discomfort. "Jeez, Tetsu, sometimes you can be embarrassingly blunt," he muttered but he grinned and brought his fist up. "I'm glad you're here, too Tetsu."

Kuroko smiled back and bumped his fist with Aomine.

xXx

It seemed Kuroko was right on the mark when Kise came home in time for dinner, looking like he just had an adventure while carrying a handful of paper bags. Souvenirs from his parents, Kise said while handing a paper bag to each of the coven and handed the rest to Kuroko. From what Kuroko could see, everyone seemed surprised that they got presents. They looked like it was the first time they received gifts.

Murasakibara was the first one who took out his gift which was a small light blue jar. The vampire instantly opened it and Kuroko figured out why when Murasakibara took out a cookie and munched on it. Kuroko maybe hopeless in cooking but he could proudly say his mother was a great cook and the best baker he knew (barring Murasakibara, of course). There was also a notebook that Kuroko knew was entries of family recipes, it seemed like his mother handed it down to Murasakibara instead.

Aomine was the next one who opened his gift which was probably the biggest out of all of them. Aomine's eyes shone in excitement when he saw a sheathed katana and brought it up, taking the sword out its scabbard to check its sharpness. "So cool! This one's an antique but well-taken care of," he uttered in delight, still inspecting the sword and weighed it on his hands to get its rhythm. Kuroko perfectly well knew who gave that present. It wasn't a secret that his father had some shady connections.

Unlike the two, Midorima opened his present meticulously and then stared at it, revealing it was books—medicinal books to be exact. Midorima leafed through one, nodding his head while reading. Even if Midorima outwardly didn't show it, Kuroko knew he was happy with his gift. Kuroko also noticed a thick folder in Midorima's present but he didn't peruse it so Kuroko didn't know what it was.

Kise, on the other hand, was surprisingly secretive about his present. Everyone was curious even Kuroko but then he got this feeling that he should leave it alone or else he would regret it so everyone stopped pestering Kise on his gift.

Then, all of them turned to Akashi, who hadn't opened his present yet which was also the smallest one and Kuroko was unabashedly curious as to what his parents gave Akashi. But Akashi just gave them an enigmatic smile and said that he would open his gift later.

Since they all knew they couldn't change Akashi's mind, they started dinner with Kise entertaining everyone about his visit to Kuroko's parents. Murasakibara insisted that he would go next to which Akashi permitted. Hearing that his parents were fine and safe in another's person's eyes made Kuroko happy. At least, he would have a peace of mind that his parents were out of harm's way with Akashi's protection.

After dinner, Kuroko volunteered to do the dishes with Murasakibara and Akashi stayed to keep them company. Kise excused himself to sleep early and Midorima went to his own room to read the books he got while Aomine went to do his own thing as usual.

Murasakibara was scanning the notebook of recipes Kuroko's mother gave after peeling and cutting some apples into bunny shapes for them to eat. The purple head asked Kuroko which were his favorites which he answered to, pointing at the pages and Murasakibara seemed excited in trying out those dishes.

Kuroko took a glance at Akashi, who was calmly sipping his tea. "I'm curious. What did my parents give you, Akashi-kun?" Kuroko asked as he put his cup of tea down.

"Would you like to take a guess, my love?" Akashi said instead of answering, taking the small velvet box out of his pocket and placed it on the table.

Kuroko gave Akashi an even stare. "A family heirloom," he deduced.

"Eh?" Murasakibara looked up from his reading. "What made you say that Kuro-chin?"

Kuroko stared at the box and as much as he wanted to take it to see what it was, he refrained from doing so. He didn't respond to Murasakibara and just gazed at Akashi, silently daring him to open it. Akashi seemed to understand and opened the box, revealing a princess cut black diamond ring shining in brilliance.

Murasakibara stared at the ring before looking at Akashi and Kuroko. "Aka-chin, are you proposing to Kuro-chin?"

Akashi didn't have a chance to reply when they heard a loud crash and commotion upstairs. They weren't surprised when Kise and Aomine dashed to the kitchen, giving a look of shock to Kuroko and Akashi, gaping like a fish while trying to talk but was incomprehensible since they couldn't articulate what they wanted to say.

"I'm not proposing," Akashi said which made Aomine and Kise stopped their spluttering.

"T-Then, what the hell is that?" Aomine demanded, pointing at the velvet box in Akashi's hand. "Where did that came from?"

"It's my parents' gift to Akashi-kun," Kuroko answered. He motioned for Akashi to give him the box and took out the ring, inspecting it. "I was right. It is my family's heirloom. It's my grandmother's engagement ring."

Kise and Aomine crowded around Kuroko with Aomine complaining to Murasakibara, who was beside Kuroko to scoot over since he couldn't see. "But why did they give it to Akashicchi?" Kise asked as he stared at the ring to examine if it was real or not.

"Are they like giving their blessing to Akashi to marry you or something?" Aomine assumed which made Kuroko frowned. "I thought your mom doesn't like Akashi."

Kise nodded in agreement. "Miyako-san did say that you deserved more than Akashicchi."

"Oh? Is that so?" Akashi hummed, making Kise and Aomine stiffened in fear.

Thankfully, Kuroko saved the two from danger. "It isn't like that. My grandmother was superstitious and Okaa-sama and Otou-sama perhaps thought it will be appropriate to give this ring to Akashi-kun, who is a vampire."

"I don't get it," Murasakibara, Kise and Aomine simultaneously said while Akashi just listened to Kuroko, appearing curious as well.

"Obaa-sama is…was…a great storyteller. She was a fictional writer but her works weren't that popular in Japan though she was famous in western countries," Kuroko started, looking at the ring with nostalgia. "Not many knew but the reason she was good at talking about anything supernatural was because she believed in them. I believed in them, too when I was child but I grew up. My parents just indulged Obaa-sama but in their hearts they don't believe her."

"Woah, wait just a second," Aomine cut in Kuroko's story. "Does that mean your grandmother knows about us vampires? Did she meet one?"

Kuroko tried to remember his grandmother's stories. "I don't think so. She believed there were werewolves, fairies, trolls and ghouls, too but Midorima-kun said they don't exist. So not everything Obaa-sama said was real."

"Okay, so what's the connection between your grandmother and the ring?" Kise asked, entranced at the tale. "And what's it got to do with Akashicchi?"

"When I said that this was Obaa-sama's engagement ring, it wasn't exactly right," Kuroko recounted. "This ring was actually passed down from generation to generation in my mother's family—from mother to daughter. This isn't an engagement ring but Obaa-sama treated it as one when she pawned it and my grandfather bought it back for her."

Kuroko paused as he wore the ring on his left ring finger, surprised that it perfectly fit. "Obaa-sama said that the ring is magical. She said that it protects the wearer from danger."

"So they gave the ring to Aka-chin to protect him?" said Murasakibara.

"No," Kuroko shook his head and took off the ring. "There's another side to the story, too. If the ring was given to someone not part of the family, that person will be granted prosperity. And in a case where it gets stolen, misfortune will befall on the thief to the point of death."

Aomine scowled at Kuroko's narration. "Wait, that's it, prosperity? Akashi is rich enough already. He doesn't need more money."

"It is a story passed down so of course, there's going to be inconsistencies," Kuroko pointed out. "And this is the first time that this ring will be handed down to someone outside of the family so I don't know if the story is real or just an imaginative mind at work."

Akashi, who was silent throughout the story, took the ring from Kuroko. "From your story, why is it only the mother handing the ring down to their daughter? What about the father or the son?"

"A boy being born in my mother's family is rare. They're mostly composed of girls," Kuroko answered. "Obaa-sama told me that I'm the third male born in the family."

"No wonder Miyako-san is so protective," Kuroko heard Kise murmured beside him. He was sure the others heard Kise, too.

Murasakibara took a slice of the forgotten apple on the table. "But why did Kuro-chin's parents give Aka-chin the ring? Mine-chin is right. Aka-chin is already rich. It doesn't make sense."

Kuroko thought of that, too. But he knew his parents especially his father wouldn't do something like this without a definite reason. Kuroko turned to Akashi and blinked when he looked like he figured it out.

"Akashi-kun?" Kuroko called out, wanting to know what Akashi had in mind. The others turned to Akashi, too but he paid no heed to their stares and put the ring back to its box before pocketing it.

"It's getting late," Akashi said, standing up. "Tetsuya, you have a busy day tomorrow. We should turn in for the night."

"But—" Kuroko objected only to stop when Akashi pinned him an inscrutable stare. He blew out a breath as he stood up and bid goodnight to the three vampires. He took the hand Akashi offered as they made their way upstairs hand-in-hand.

"You're not going to tell me, are you?" Kuroko supposed, certain.

Kuroko thought Akashi would ignore him, until he spoke. "Your father sent me the ring, didn't he? He must have persuaded your mother to give it to me." They stopped in front of Kuroko's room and Akashi opened it as they stepped inside. "Your father didn't give me the ring because of its magic just like your story," Akashi disclosed. "He sent it to me as a clue."

"A clue for what?"

Akashi leveled him a still stare. "I'll tell you when I gather sufficient proof. But for now, you'll just have to trust me." He reached out a hand to brush Kuroko's cheek affectionately. "You know I won't do anything to harm you, right?"

"Yes," Kuroko whispered as he brought his hand atop Akashi's. "I trust Akashi-kun."

Akashi let out a small smile and then Kuroko was tugged forward to his arms. As he was in comfort of Akashi's embrace, Kuroko's mind was still in turmoil, confusion prominent in him. He didn't know why Akashi was being cryptic, more so than usual. Akashi trusted him but there were still things he wasn't privy to.

Kuroko wondered when the time Akashi fully trust him would come.


Q&A CORNER!

Q1: Is there gonna be a scene when someone (KiseDai, maybe) have a 'talk' to Kuroko about Akashi that maybe stabbing enough? I always wonder about it since everyone always have a 'talk' to Akashi about Kuroko but not vice versa. Because even though it isn't revealed yet, I have a hunch that Akashi's past must be hurt (and long-life isn't particulary nice though). Its looks like if anything wrong with Kuroko, Akashi got the blames, and they brush off Akashi's feelings. Are you gonna keep it this way or not? Sorry, just curious, cuz I share some sentiments with cannon Akashi and I'm really sensitive with people's treatments toward him. (Shiro-chan1827)
A: No, there won't be any talk particularly since Kuroko doesn't need it as he and Akashi do work their problems by themselves. Also, Akashi is a private person and always keeps his personal problems to himself so the coven doesn't really know if he has troubles or not. If anything, the only thing they can do is to advise Kuroko in handling Akashi. And you're right, out of everyone, Akashi's past is the most painful one (and that even includes his former human life). The coven aren't being insensitive to Akashi when they 'blame' him, they were just worried about him and Kuroko even if they have a poor way of showing it. The coven are worried that Akashi might do what he did to his ex and they have firsthand experience on how it affected Akashi and they don't want to see that happen again (especially with Kuroko, the result would be more devastating). Akashi knows that so he's okay when Aomine or anyone else criticizes him and tries his best to reassure them (and in a way, to reassure himself, too).

Q2: Btw, is there a chapter/part that contain Akashi real feelings and weakness? Like he only shows them to Kuroko, like breaking point? (ringochii)
A: Um, you mean like what he thinks and his real feelings, right? Akashi will show that only to Kuroko. Those moments will come soon.

Q3: And where's Nigou?/I miss Nigou! When will you introduce him to Kuroko? (ringochii/silver woman)
A: Nigou will show up on Arc VI.

Q4: ...How long does it usually take you to update a chapter?/...Do you have a regular schedule for when you are putting up new chapters, or is it random? (PhoenixFireBlade/emiliefiilthomsen)
A: I update at least once or twice a month. I'll try to update regularly since this fic is too long. No promises but I'll try.

Q5: ...When Akashi and Aomine talk privately, is it Kagami who will got the role? (AoiC)
A: I think it's obvious so yes, it is Kagami. (And it's okay to ask questions. I like answering them.)

Q6: ...Could it be Aomine will end up with Kagami and Kise with Kasamatsu? (AoiC)
A: No, there's no AoKaga. Those two treat each other like rivals, nothing more than that. Kise and Kasamatsu's relationship are like siblings. Well, more like Kasamatsu is Kise's temperamental caretaker. There's no romance between them.

Q7: Kuroko-kun, you did feel good when Akashi drank your blood from the neck, right? How does it compare to being kissed by Akashi? How do you describe your feeling from back then and now? (Guest)
Kuroko: [blushes] Um... [clears throat] A vampire drinking your blood is pleasurable since their saliva has antitoxin that numbs your senses. Midorima-kun used too many medical jargons so I can't understand it well. But that's the gist of it, I think. Akashi-kun's kiss is... I'm sorry but rather keep that to myself. To compare them is somewhat difficult.

Q8: Also little question, Aomine said that he would pick Kuroko over Akashi, so like will there be time when he will have to choose either one of them? Or was it just kind like to show how he feels towards Kuroko? (Silvinukas)
A: Actually, I almost wrote that scene but decided against it and instead came up with Arc VII & VIII. So yeah, I wrote Aomine & Akashi's scene just to show who Aomine prefers more.

Q9: Are the mysteries in this chapter the ones which were said previously? (Kuroko and the GoM talking but them unable to tell Kuroko the secret.) (KurokoTetsuya101)
A: Some of them are, some are new. (Since when did this story turn into a mystery? Sorry, excuse my thoughts.)

Q10: Also, we know nobody else will drink Kuroko's blood apart from Akashi but what about kissing? Will someone else kiss Kuroko? (KurokoTetsuya101)
A: No one else but Akashi will kiss Kuroko's lips.

Q11: And what is Aomine's feelings towards him? Does he love him? I'm really interested in Aomine and Kuroko's relationship (KurokoTetsuya101)
A: Aomine does love Kuroko but only like a best friend or a brother. Nothing romantic about their relationship.

Q12: Not a big fan of Kagami, but will he appear in the fanfic again? Hopefully not as a potential antagonist to our main pairing! (123ANIMEfun)
A: Kagami will appear on Arc III and no, not as an antagonist. He will turn into one of the main characters alongside the GOM and Kuroko.

Q13: I know that Kuroko is technically in lockdown but will he and Akashi ever date? Or just go out? Or something? (silver woman)
A: After Arc II. As you can see from this chapter, they'll see Kuroko's parents for his birthday.

Q14: I know that Kuroko's parents are safe now but when will you tell their story? Do they even have a story to begin with? Will they still appear in future chapters? (silver woman)
A: They do have their own story. Kuroko's parents/family isn't as normal as it seems. The important bits of their story will be covered after Arc II. Plus, we'll know new things about Kuroko, too. And yes, they'll show up in later chapters.

Q15: I love the kikuro moment in the previous chapter...will there be another one like it? (silver woman)
A: Yes, of course.

Q16: You mentioned that Akashi might do something to Kuroko that he will regret, is it cheating? (Misa)
A: No, Akashi-kun wouldn't do that...was my first thought but then I remembered Arc VIII... (Was that considered cheating? I don't know anymore...)

Q17: ...What was that about when Aomine said that he could 'choose Tetsu too'? (BerryBliss)
A: It suggests that when a time comes for Aomine to choose a side between Akashi and Kuroko, he'll pick Kuroko. (And dear, it's okay. That's what this Q&A is for. For anyone to ask questions or when they're confuse.)

Q18: Are there soon going to be like any incidents where Kuroko are going to be hurt, and Akashi being a little overprotective? (emiliefiilthomsen)
A: Yes, there are.

Q19: ...Earlier you said Kuroko's nightmares are memories of someone else, how is that possible? Is that memory someone from his lineage or someone else projecting? Maybe someone performed an experiment on him when he was a kid? Say copy their consciousness and put into him? (shadowhunters morgestern)
A: It's a memory from his lineage.