Okay, here is the next chapter. Unlike what I expected, school is still as demanding as a few weeks ago (unfortunately). Still, I think I would be able to update again the following week. For now, read and enjoy this chapter!

Chapter six: More than I expected

Midorima walked slowly back home, not hurrying at all even though it had gotten dark a few hours ago. He felt a little guilty for running away like a pussy and not going back the whole day, but he couldn't possible handle looking at Takao right now. He felt like his world was slowly, but ever so certainly falling apart and coming back together again. In a way he wasn't sure he liked. He had come to care for, to be too affected by Takao. A part of him labelled himself a fool. The black haired boy needed him right now more than anything and Midorima knew it. But another part, one that was still clinging to the stupid excuse that he was getting too attached, was stronger. The green haired boy stopped in front of his house and looked up. He frowned and gripped the ball in his hands harder. Every room was dark except one. The living room still had it's lights turned on and Midorima was very much aware of who was waiting for him.

He gathered every part of his bravery and walked inside, shutting the door softly. He didn't turn on the lights. Instead, he bent down and left the ball on the floor before unzipping his sweatshirt and kicking off his shoes. Midorima inched closer to the living room, torn between going straight to his room and actually facing Takao instead of acting like a coward.

He was surprised to find his friend lying on the sofa only in a T-shirt and sweat pants. The green haired boy paused by the door and watched silently how Takao stared at the roof, his expression grim. He swallowed hard.

"Oi, Takao," he tried to get the other's attention and stepped inside the room. All of his stupid worries about turning into something like Kise or Aomine vanished away when he saw the pain on his friend's face. He was such a fool to leave Takao alone. "Go to bed, don't sleep here."

The other boy turned his head slowly to the side and Midorima was at a loss. He had never seen his friend look so miserable and vulnerable like in that moment. Those blue eyes stabbed him right into the heart with their intensity. Takao's usual cheerfulness, which he had managed to keep a little in the past few days, was completely gone now and he looked like he was about to fall apart. His eyes looked so sad. His facial features radiated his desperation.

"Shin-chan," he wasn't sure if it was a murmur or a pained whine, but at that moment Takao broke down.

Midorima rushed to the sofa at the moment he saw the first tears fall down. He pushed away every thought and just gathered Takao in his arms and pulled him close. He muttered stupid, incoherent words of comfort as he rocked the black haired boy like a baby.

"Sh," he whispered and stroked the soft back locks. He could already feel the tears dampen his neck, but he didn't care. How long had Takao kept all of his emotions chained down? How long had it been since the boy had slept without any nightmares? Midorima was afraid that the black circles under his team mate's eyes were enough to prove it had been too long. "Don't cry," his voice sounded so out of character, but everything seemed to be getting out the ordinary. On a usual day he would never see Takao cry. "Everything's fine now."

Takao gripped the front of his shirt tightly and bit his lip to silence the soft whimpers. His squeezed his eyes shut.

"I..."he tried, but the sobs cut out his words and Takao just pressed himself closer to Midorima, relishing in the way the green haired's body heat was warming him up. It felt so good after days; weeks spend alone in the cold darkness. His whole body shook and Midorima closed his eyes, feeling useless.

He wasn't sure what to say or do, how to act in order to calm his friend down. All he could come up with was hold him and let him cry until everything was taken out of his heart.

"It's okay, Takao," he muttered again and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy tighter. "It's okay."

He wasn't sure how long they stayed like this but at some point Takao finally managed to calm down. Little by little the sobs died down, but the trembling continued. Now the dark haired boy was sitting in his team mate's lap, snuggled against the warm body, his head resting on Midorima's shoulder and his eyes closed tiredly. His breathing was shallow and uneven.

The green haired boy rubbed Takao's back when it became clear that the shorter one was cold.

"Are you feeling better?" He whispered and pulled back slightly to take off his sweatshirt. "Here, put this on, you will warm up."

Takao nodded absentmindedly and allowed his friend to dress him. Then he returned to his previous position and curled into a ball in Midorima's lap.

"Takao," the green haired boy called and ran a hand through the other's hair. "You know you can talk to me."

The dark haired boy looked up with his bloodshot eyes and smiled sadly. He pulled the sweatshirt tighter around his body and closed his eyelids.

"She left me," Takao mutter at last and his smile wavered. "Mom left me after he came back."

Midorima was surprised to hear that. He knew that Takao had family issues and that his father was away, but he never knew that things could be so bad.

"Why did he come back?" The shooting guard asked and continued to caress the other's hair in comforting way. He was talking softly, urging his friend to go on.

Takao stared at the wall for a long while before he spoke up again in a quiet voice.

"I don't know..." he said at last and covered his eyes, afraid he would start crying again. "The day you went to America I got home and he was there. My mom was already packing her things then." Takao fell silent again, but this time he seemed to have better control over his emotions. "I couldn't do anything to stop her."

Midorima sensed the next wave of tears coming closer and he moved his fingers to Takao's forehead, hoping the touch would comfort him.

"You don't have to talk now if you don't want to," he reminded him and rubbed gently the temples, trying to ease the tension in his friend's body. "You must be tired."

Takao let his eyes closed again and sighed softly. He tipped his head back , trying to get closer to Midorima's fingers. It was strange how the simple touch made him feel better.

"He would get drunk almost every day," Takao whispered and fought to keep the unpleasant memories away. "And then he would take all of his anger out on me," he could still feel the pain in his body, where it was hit countless times.

Midorima tensed, the thought of Takao getting hit again and again was making him feel sick. Then the image of Takao in the hospital bed crossed his mind and Midorima swallowed hard, his fingers tightening slightly in the dark locks of his friend's hair.

"He is not here anymore," he green haired boy whispered and let his head rest against Takao's. "You have a new family now, Takao," he reminded him and brushed away the awkward feeling in his chest. Now wasn't the time to act like a pussy. "No one is going to cause you pain again."

Takao didn't say anything. He just let his eyelids slide down slowly and relaxed in Midorima's hands. He knew that he didn't have the right to feel calm and secure when Midorima was the one holding him. He knew that his friend would despise him if he ever found out just how much Takao had been yearning to be held like this. But now he couldn't really bring himself to care. All he could do was be egoistic.

Sorry, Shin-chan… I guess I need you more that I expected.