Disclaimer: I do not own KnB (Kuroko no Basuke) nor to I own DR: KnGtZnK (Dangan Ronpa: Kibou no Gakuen to Zetsubou no Koukousei).
Warnings: Foul language, nightmares, possible/implied PTSD symptoms, and physical violence.
Kuroko no Hope and Despair: Part 2
Kuroko's first thought upon seeing the outside world? 'Wow'. His second?
'Enoshima lied. Huh.'
The sky is a bright, bright sapphire blue above him, and the air is crisp and fresh with the sharp, bitter smell of car exhaust floating by and the grass is so brightly green that it makes his heart ache. She had lied. Liedliedlied, and now they're free and under the sky and he feels like he could just fly away any moment because they're free and the world is still alive and not destroyed and just—he's free. Japanese is completely inadequate to describe the sudden lightness that he feels, and he doesn't think that any other language could even approach it either.
He's free. Freefreefree, and he's never—never—going to be trapped like that again. Ever.
(And then the adults come.)
(And he learns that adults just want to shackle him again in chains of youth and responsibility and education and justice—)
…
The next few days are overwhelming—everyone is speaking and questioning and pushingpushingpushing them. Kuroko could deal with that; it's not like they can find—see—him anyway, and he has the others too.
Then he finds out that the adults want to separate them, want Asahina and Hagakure and Fukawa and Naegi and him to go back to their parents, back to their 'homes', which is absolute crap, because they went through that horrible, horrible 'game' together and now the adults want him to leave the only support system he has left.
It's only when Kirigiri—who is the daughter of the headmaster before Monobear, Kirigiri Jin, and God, she's an orphan now, has been for what seems like forever—puts her foot down and says in that cold, calculated way of hers that says 'I-don't-have-time-for-you-idiots-so-shut-up-and-listen-to-my-goddamn-genius' that they are staying together, screw whatever the adults want.
And then Togami follows it up with his condescending 'you-absolute-pieces-of-dirt-are-so-far-beneath-me-that-you-are-below-the-dirt-under-my-feet' tone and states that if they keep pushing it, the Togami Corporation would see to it that they would loose their jobs.
Not in so many words, of course, because Togami is too much of a jerk to say it directly, but the threat is there and the adults back off, murmuring about 'parents' and 'children' and 'protection'.
Since when did they need protection? They had gone through that nightmarish hell without any protection but their own wits and their words, no adults in sight.
It is him against the world again, Kuroko realizes, just the world is a whole lot bigger now and he isn't alone—he has six people at his back, ready to help him and support him and he's ready to do the same for them. It's them against the world, really, and the fight's only just beginning.
(But that's alright; he's got the others.)
(Except, he has to wonder—will they abandon him like they did?)
…
The nightmares are something they all share. It's horrible, and it seems that it's Kuroko's turn tonight, because all he can think of is the suffocating walls of Hope's Peak closing in around him, and crazed laughing of Enoshima entwined with the steady, measured pounding of the trash disposal.
He wakes up with a jolt, covered in sweat and shaking so badly he can barely think because ohgodohgodohgod nononononononono—
—and then Naegi's arms are around his shoulders, quietly whispering into his ear a litany of it'salright-we'resafe-she'sgone-we'resafe-you'refine-nodanger, and Kuroko feels almost mortified as he feels wetness on his face, and realizes that he's crying, crying and sobbing and begging nonononono in his panic.
But Naegi's warm, and his warm arms feel safe and kind and warm and safesafesafe and slowly (oh-so-slowly) Kuroko begins to calm down and he can feel himself go limp in Naegi's warm arms—he's safe—and thinks to himself vaguely as he drifts away into sleep that Naegi must be uncomfortable with how Kuroko's practically laying on top of him as a deadweight.
(Even now, Enoshima haunts them from the grave, and he's so, so scared.)
(But she's dead, and that is a small measure of comfort.)
…
Aomine is frozen, staring at the door in front of him. He's come here to try and see Kuroko, to try and apologize, but now he just…can't move.
It's pathetic, and he hates himself for this cowardice, because he is so very tempted to turn away and run away and never face this, but he knows that he needs to do this.
He won't be able to live with himself, otherwise.
He knocks on the door, and there's an abrupt silence in the soft, murmured conversation behind the door. Then there are footsteps and the door opens with a creak.
He swallows as he sees the person who opened it—a girl in a red sports jacket with a hella-good-rack (but that's not what he came for; mind out of the gutter you idiot)—and looks around the room, searching for that familiar head of blue hair, and realizes with a jolt that he can't see it. Is he not there? Is Kuroko not here?
And then he hears the quiet, faintly accusing voice that is sososo familiar, and his eyes are drawn to the suddenly appearing figure that he knows far too well even though it's been three—three long, long—years since he saw him.
"Aomine-kun?"
(It's painful to see the pain and anger in his once-friend's eyes.)
(He hates himself even more when he sees just how the others group around Kuroko as though to protect him.)
…
Kuroko can feel bile rising in he back of his throat at the sight of his former teammate, and can feel himself tensing with horrible, horrible hatehatehate that makes his heart clench and his mouth taste like ash and charcoal.
The other bluenet clears his throat, staring at Kuroko with trepidation, and Kuroko realizes that he looks different—older, taller, less arrogant, somehow. Then he speaks, and Kuroko wants to jab him in the ribs at what he says.
"Hey, Tetsu."
(How dare he?)
(Aomine's an asshole, just like before; did he think that after all they did, that after all he did, that he could just waltz back into his life with a "Hey, Tetsu"?!)
…
Aomine instantly realizes he's said the wrong thing. He wanted to hit himself, take it back, because—"Hey, Tetsu". Was that seriously the only thing he could say? Maybe he really was a basketball idiot like Satsuki and that coach from Seirin (Aido? Aide? Something like that) were always telling him he was. Nevertheless, it was too late to take it back, so he took a deep breath and pushed on, hoping that he wasn't just digging his grave deeper.
"Look, I know it's been a while, and what we did—God, we were such idiots—it's unforgivable, and I—I…I just—" he's babbling, and trying to get his point across and he wishes that he had a basketball in his hands because he's so much better at communicating through his favorite sport.
"I'm sorry!" he bows at the waist, shoving aside his ego and pride, because Tetsu—no, Kuroko, he doesn't deserve to call him Tetsu anymore—deserves an apology, deserves to know that he's sorry and he just wants to tell him that he wishes that he could go back and shake him younger self and scream at him and say "you idiot, what the f*ck do you think you're doing?! You're giving up the best damn thing in your f*ck*ng life you goddamn nimrod!" but he can't so he just has to apologize and hope that Te—Kuroko can find it in his heart to hear him out, to let him apologize the way that he f*ck*ng deserves because they were such idiots.
(There's an absolute silence.)
(And Aomine dares to hope, just hope that maybe Tet—Kuroko will hear him out.)
…
Kuroko can feel himself shaking, and all he can think of is 'it's not enough', and it makes him feel like a horrible, selfish person because here's the person who had been one of his only friends (one of his best friends) and he's apologizing for what he did and trying to make it better and all he can think is 'it's not enough'.
And then he standing, moving over to Aomine before he realizes it and Aomine doesn't look up, staring at the floor, waiting for Kuroko to do something. It's abundantly clear that he'll take anything Kuroko gives him, whether it's a hug or a knife in the back, and Kuroko feels vaguely guilty for what he's going to do next.
He tilts Aomine's chin up so that he's looking him right in the face before punching him in the face. Hard.
Aomine's head is slammed to the side, and he close his eyes and says simply, "I deserved that", but all it does is make Kuroko angrier. He lashes out, jabbing Aomine in the side, his fingers landing painfully between the ribs. Aomine flinches, hand going to hold his side where a bruise is undoubtedly forming, but Kuroko is already moving again, this time kicking Aomine between his legs.
Aomine doubles over with a cry, hands going between his legs and Kuroko knocks his feet out from under him and he lands on all fours. Aomine's wheezing, shaking, but Kuroko only feels vindicated as he lands his last attack, stomping on Aomine's back so that he collapses and the air is knocked out of him as he slumps.
Aomine begins to struggle to his feet after a moment, pushing himself up and Kuroko lashes out one last time as Aomine begins to speak.
"Okay, I deser—"
He kicks him in the chest, and a vicious satisfaction blooms in his chest and Aomine falls back on the floor and curls up with a gasp.
He turns away and then Asahina is wrapping him in a hug, chattering away in his ear about how cool that was and did he learn that from Sakura-chan and Kuroko feels her arms tighten around him and he can just tell that Asahina is glaring horribly at Aomine. Naegi is staring at him with wide eyes before he shakes his head bit, smiling warmly at Kuroko.
Aomine pushes himself up with a groan after a moment, and looks up and Kuroko only to be met with Asahina's venomous glare, and he shrinks back. He stares at Kuroko for a moment before saying quietly, "I'm sorry, Tet—Kuroko. I was an asshole. Just…can we try again? I want to make it up to you."
Kuroko doesn't answer, because it honestly feels like nothing could ever make it up to him because they left him, and he had trusted them not to leave him, not like his parents who were supposed to be there and never were, and they still left him behind, moving away so quickly that a tiny weakling like him had never had any chance of catching up. And yeah, he found something better, but that doesn't make what they did alright, just less of an ache is his chest. Not a hole, just an open wound. Aomine lets out a breath before speaking, and Kuroko can feel himself tense at the words.
"Okay, just…one chance. I know it's a lot to ask, because god, I know I don't deserve it, but…please." Kuroko still doesn't answer, and Aomine ploughs forward. "Look, we—me, Kise, Midorima, Murasakibara, and Akashi—meet up every Saturday at that old street court by my house along with our teams. If you want to come, you're welcome to—you're all welcome to—just…give me a chance to make it up to you. I know I won't ever be able to make it better, but…please, just give me one chance. Let me prove that I've changed in three years."
And it's that last sentence that makes Kuroko freeze because three years? It's still their freshman year, right?! He turns, about to ask Aomine "What do you mean by three years?!" when he realizes that Aomine's already stepped out the door, gonegonegone and he's lost the chance to ask because—whatonearth?! Three years?!
Just what was going on?
(And then the Future Foundation approached them.)
(And they start to remember…it's not pretty, and Kuroko hates himself.)
…
The next few weeks are busy, filled with paperwork and fighting and talking and interviews, and Kuroko absently notes that none of them have even attempted to visit him after Aomine. He must have warned them off, which makes Kuroko both a little disappointed and a little more relaxed. Disappointed because he would have liked to deal them the same treatment that he dealt Aomine, relaxed because he just didn't have any time right now to deal with this crap.
There was too much going on, and Kuroko can't even think he's so busy.
So when the break finally comes, he's stunned, and can't think of anything stopping him. He looks at the calendar. Two weeks. Two weeks to do with as he chose, and god knew that they were going to be spending that time together because there were still nightmares, damnit!
And when he brings it up, hesitantly and carefully, Naegi just smiles at him, and Hagakure ruffles his hair with his massive, long fingered hands.
Because they didn't come this far just to fall apart.
(And Kuroko finally lets himself be free, stops dancing around the adults' shackles and spreads his wings and flies.)
(Because nothing was going to stop them now.)
(Not even assholes of former friends.)
/End.\
Right. So, I finally got this done, and it looks almost like it's either going to be a threeshot or a drabble series because wow this universe is so big and addictive to write. Because, I mean, just…so much to do!
Also, I hope Aomine was in character, because I don't have a lot of practice writing him. Also, Hagakure's hands? I mean, have you seen that scene in the anime where he's holding that crystal ball in the first episode? His hands are huge. And a piano player's dream. Do you know how far I could reach if I had his hands?! *sobs* It's unfair!
Also, the explanation as to how Kuroko manages to put Aomine on the floor? Well, I always see Kuroko as being the quiet one who has more strength than he looks to have, so that's part of it. The other part is the fact that I have this headcannon for this 'verse where Oogami ends up teaching Kuroko some martial arts. Allow me my guilty pleasures!
Anyway, my b-day was Tuesday, which was, coincidentally, also my second anniversary on this site. Trippy, yo. (Sorry. I've been playing Crisis Core and have just seen Reno for the first time. It's getting to me.) Which is actually why I'm uploading this—a birthday present to myself!
So, I hope you all like this and review. (Please review. It always makes me so happy!)
~Happy