Clarity
Chapter Three
"No. No. No. You can't wear that Kurokocchi!"
Kuroko originally met Kise through Aomine. To be honest, Kuroko can't say that he'd changed much over the years, if at all.
"You should wear my birthday present to you. Have you ever even worn it?"
Kuroko was kicked out of his room while the blond model searched through Kuroko's things. He was sure there would be a mess when he was done as he heard various noises coming from his room. "Ow. Why is your room so small?" Kise probably bumped his head while trying to reach something. It wouldn't be the first time.
"I found it!" Kise came out holding a white and blue horizontally stripped shirt and some sweater like thing. Except it wasn't meant to be zipped, had no hood and the sleeves were only long enough to reach three quarters down his arms. Again, he wasn't a fashion expert. He didn't know the first thing, so it wasn't like he knew what it was called. "You should wear these with your black pants."
"What I'm wearing is fine."
"You're not going to get girls that way, Tetsu."
"I didn't invite you in, Aomine-kun," Kuroko said to his intruder.
"But you let Kise in!"
"He entered without permission when I opened the door."
"You would never let me in otherwise ssu."
"More importantly, you've never done it have you Tetsu?"
Kise gawked that Aomine was talking to Kuroko about this.
"What do you think you're saying to Kurokocchi!"
"Stop acting innocent Kise," said Aomine. "We all know you've done it. Plus, isn't that the reason you're trying to get him dressed up."
Kise sputtered.
Aomine raided Kuroko's fridge for a bottle of water. Kuroko was exasperated. This is why he doesn't let people in. They make a mess and take his things. Aomine looked at Kuroko expectantly when he remained quiet. "Wait. Have you?! You're supposed to tell me these things."
"I haven't," Kuroko rejected before Aomine began to think weird things.
Aomine looked at Kuroko in thought. Kuroko almost missed Aomine's teenage moody and rebellious phase. He would have been more hesitant to inquire this kind of stuff.
As far as love is concerned, I—
Kuroko blinked when Aomine waved a hand in front of his face. He blinked in confusion as Aomine looked as if he was waiting for a reply while Kise was behind Aomine and looked a little nervous. "I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?"
"I asked if you've ever gone out with anyone." It was only natural that Aomine was curious. The two of them never really talked about things like relationships.
Kise grabbed Aomine's arm and started pulling him to the door. "C'mon Aominecchi! I still have to check up on Kagamicchi."
Aomine struggled in the blond's hold. "What does that have to do with me? I don't want to see that bastard. Hey! Let go!"
Kuroko locked the door to make sure they wouldn't come back in when they were out of his apartment. Kuroko stood at the doorway of his room and saw the mess. His clothes were thrown everywhere, his futon out of place, drawers open and a shelf of books off his bookshelf. His lamp also dangling from the cord in front of his desk.
This is why people weren't allowed in his home.
He spent the next half hour cleaning his room.
.
Midorima changed his attire five times, checked his horoscope 7 times, and checked the location and time 3 times. As expected, Takao picked him up to their destination.
"Eh. There's so many people," said Takao as he looked around the large crowded room. "Expected of Kise."
"I don't want to be here."
Takao pat Midorima's back a little too hard. "You're being a tsundere again, Shin-chan. Or are you upset that you came second in your piano competition."
"I'm not," insisted Midorima with a flat expression. Cancers were listed as second by Oha Asa but Sagittarius was ranked first, so it shouldn't come to a surprise that a Sagittarius defeated him.
"Is that Kimchi?" Takao wondered off in the crowd. Honestly, Takao was more suited to this kind of event then he was. Midorima looked around. There was lots of food, people, and entertainment. This wasn't a normal party was it? There was too much. Well, it was Kise, so the oddity and flashiness of it wasn't so surprising.
While looking around, trying to figure what he should do in such situation alone—why did Takao have to leave him, he spotted someone familiar. Kuroko? Why was he here? Did Akashi invite him? But he hadn't seen Akashi yet. Invited by someone else or did he know the blond model as well. Kise was annoying but Kuroko was weird, so he couldn't be sure.
Then he spotted someone else he was familiar with. That was Momoi Satsuki from the Mathematics department, wasn't it? She was quite literally clinging off of Kuroko. They knew each other too. (Takao better not know Kuroko because it seemed like everyone else he knew suddenly did.)
Then a tall tanned man came and pulled her off of him and dragged her away as she reached for Kuroko to save her.
This was all too weird for him.
.
"Mou, Dai-chan that was mean."
"Tetsu doesn't need you hanging off of him."
Momoi pouted to her childhood friend. Tetsu-kun was a really nice person. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be around him. "But now he's alone."
"Yeah, and now he has the chance to pick up a chick." She punched Aomine though it didn't really hurt. Only a minor sting. "Ow! What was that for?"
"You're dense when it comes to the heart. And this is Tetsu-kun not you Ahomine." Momoi crossed her arms.
"I thought you said you've given up on him? Don't tell me you still have that stupid crush."
Momoi used her bag to hit Aomine this time. "It's never been stupid. Tetsu-kun is a good person and he's really nice and considerate." Her nostalgic smile changed into a small frown. "But I did give up on him so stop talking about it."
"If it's in the past it shouldn't be a problem to talk about it." Aomine shrugged as he looked around to see what he should do. He was fully planning on taking advantage of the buffet. When was the last time he had a decent meal? Not to mention he wanted to shake Satsuki off. It was a party. He wanted fun, food, and maybe a bit of alcohol. Satsuki didn't fit into that list and in return would probably ruin them.
"Idiot. Stupid idiot." She left on her own. At least that was one less thing he had to worry about.
.
Kuroko walked outside where Kise left. He was acting off lately. The fact that he preferred to be alone right now than indoors with everyone to an event he hosted proved it.
"What's wrong Kise?"
"Kurokocchi?" Kise turned to see Kuroko. "You should be inside having fun ssu. You even wore the clothes I gave you."
"That's because I spilt my dinner on my other shirt and need to do laundry."
"You could at least pretend you like it. It suits you so well. And the blue stripes make you stand out more." Kise leaned back into the wall and looked up to the dark starry sky. "My contract is done next month. If I renew it, I'll be a model for another three years."
Ah. So this is what it's about. If he renewed his contract it would interfere with becoming a pilot if he got the opportunity after graduating this coming year. Kuroko thought the occupation fit Kise really. He like going places and didn't like being tied down. The thought of being a pilot was probably an eternal freedom to him. "What do you want to do?"
"I don't know. Being a pilot can be held back a bit but once I quit modelling that's it for me." Kise had to choose between two things he loved.
"Things aren't always how you want them to be Kise-kun."
A solemn laughter escaped Kise's lips as he stared down at Kuroko. "You said that to me before, didn't you?" Kise thought back to that time. "What should I choose?"
"Whatever Kise-kun wants to choose."
"You could tell me your thoughts you know." So much for getting a second opinion.
"Kise-kun wouldn't be happy if he only does what I tell him." Kuroko wasn't one to interfere in his friends' lives. Not in that way. Occasionally keep them in line or a mental support when they need it, but he never crossed any boundaries with any of his friends.
"You never choose," Kise whined as he looked back up to the sky, only to look back down when Kurokocchi began to speak again.
"It must be difficult to choose between things you love, but…" Kuroko thought about how to phrase what he wanted to say. "Kise-kun is a very honest person, so I think in the end he'll decide what's best for him."
"Kurokocchi," Kise said in a soft whisper. Yes, this really reminded him too much of last time.
And once again there could only be loss for the model…well soon to be ex-model.
.
"So you did come."
"Yes, my schedule allowed it."
Midorima was surprised that Akashi actually came. He usually didn't partake in social events; however, much like him, Akashi was by the wall watching everyone else.
He didn't really know what to say, so Midorima said the first thing that came to mind.
"Can you make Kuroko stop?"
Akashi suddenly turned an inquiring look to Midorima. "Kuroko?"
"He's been telling me to get mental help, so I'd appreciate it if you could tell him otherwise. I'm fine." Midorima scowled how the blunet would tell him so in a nonchalant manner.
Akashi's eyes sharpened, suddenly putting Midorima on edge. This sharpness was something Midorima hardly saw since high school. To experience that sharp, piercing gaze on yourself was an entire different experience. "Tetsuya said that did he?"
This couldn't be good. Akashi switched to given names. Akashi looked over Midorima's body, searching. Finally, Akashi stared intently into Midorima's eyes. Midorima couldn't handle the intensity and turned away. What was Akashi doing?
"Alright then." Huh? Midorima looked back at Akashi who appeared to be back to normal. Hopefully it stays that way. "I'll book you an appointment and send you the details. You should take care of yourself, Midorima."
"Why are you taking his side?" This wasn't going according to plan.
"Because it's Kuroko." Midorima missed the flicker of emotion in Akashi's eyes as he tried to understand the answer. It was always the same answer but it didn't explain anything. "You should be grateful."
"I don't need a psychiatrist."
"I meant you should be grateful to Tetsuya, not me. However, Shintarō, I am doing you a favour so you shouldn't act like a child who doesn't want their needle." And the other Akashi returned once again putting Midorima on edge.
He may be too scared of Akashi at the moment—he wouldn't admit it to anyone—but that didn't mean he was going.
Because he wasn't.
"Was that Akashi-kun?"
"What are you doing there?" Midorima found Kuroko beside him. Perhaps he should give the man a bell.
"Kise-kun invited me." His cute, round eyes as unreadable as normal. His answer wasn't the one he was looking for, but it did confirm that Kuroko knew Kise. "So was that Akashi?"
Midorima scowled. Of course it was Akashi. "Yes it is." He pushed up his glasses. "Don't go putting stupid thoughts in his head, Kuroko."
"I can't make Akashi-kun think anything he doesn't want to, Midorima-kun."
Midorima was about to retort when Takao came over. "Shin-chan made a friend!"
"We're not friends," Midorima and Kuroko said together. The two looked at each other as Takao grinned.
"I was worried when I left you alone. You're not very good with people because you always hide under that mask of yours." Takao put an arm around Kuroko's shoulders. "But looks like you're even synchronized. I'm Takao Kazunari. Who are you?"
"Kuroko Tetsuya," he said in a formal manner.
"So polite too."
"Don't imagine things, Takao." It was times like these that Midorima dreaded ever meeting Takao. Their sisters were friends, though, so he could never escape him. "I only know him through Akashi."
"That doesn't mean you're not friends."
As Takao began to pick on Midorima, Kuroko slipped away.
This was me: I know what I want to write…[enter party scene with Midorima] er… how would Midorima act at a party? Hmmmm….contemplate for hours….er…rely on other people? Question mark? Let's try to write it anyhow.
And I couldn't help but add in "cute, round eyes". Lol. The best part is that thought is canon. :D
