Lovely Jewels
Return to a Battle…and Date?
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Kuroko quickly moved to hide his face in the shadows. He did not dare look at the approaching figure, already knowing who he was. Placing his hand on the barrier, Kuroko pushed against it, causing it to shimmer.
"Hmm? Mizuiro? What are you doing here?" Akashi asked, slightly suspicious of the hunched over figure, but the light-blue hair was certainly unmistakable.
Kuroko squinted his eyes closed, ready for the worst, when he suddenly remembered the dagger. Slipping his hand into his yukata, Kuroko grabbed the weapon and began focusing power into it. He was unsure if the dagger would be able to break the barrier, but it was better to try than face the consequences of Akashi finding out that he wasn't Mizuiro.
Akashi arched a brow at the silence that met him. He started approaching the figure and used his Emperor's Eye to identify whether it was a foe or friend. The figure did not shine red, but at this point Akashi was sure that the person before him was not Mizuiro.
Kuroko swiftly pulled the charged dagger out of his yukata and stabbed the barrier. The barrier at first merely cracked at the force, leaving Kuroko dismayed. Then suddenly it shattered and the Time Traveler wasted no time in dashing for the backyard. Before Kuroko could step outside Akashi appeared in front of him.
"You," Akashi uttered, obviously shocked to see a look-a-like of his charge standing before him.
Kuroko locked eyes with Akashi and both paused for a moment. Although Kuroko was looking at the same red and gold heterochromatic eyes that he was used to, this pair seemed oddly foreign. Taking a small breath, he prepared to push forward with the dagger to make his escape but a loud yell interrupted his thoughts.
"Aka-kun!"
Kuroko watched as a boy similar looking to him tackle Akashi to the ground. The boy looked up and winked at Kuroko before turning back to Akashi. Nodding his thanks, Kuroko took the moment of distraction to disappear just as the rest of the guardians arrived. The night air was refreshing after his heated encounter and the brush that Kuroko passed gently tugged at his clothes. He could see the sakura tree not too far off from his position.
Akashi looked up at his assailant with tempered annoyance. He turned to look at the other guardians. "Capture the intruder. He ran to the garden," were the only words that Akashi uttered, and given his current mood, the other members were quick to comply. Akashi turned back to look at Mizuiro who was now lying on his chest. "Mizuiro, what are you doing?"
The light-blue head smirked; his gray eyes sparkled with mischievousness. "Nothing, Aka-kun." He drummed his fingers on Akashi's chest.
Akashi narrowed his eyes even further and resisted the urge to wipe Mizuiro's shit-eating grin off of his face. Sitting up, Mizuiro fell to Akashi's lap and was face to face with the red head. Mizuiro pouted at his guardian before jumping up and dashing off.
"I may or may have not done something to your room!" Mizuiro called over his shoulder, grinning the entire time. He quickly disappeared behind a corner and burst into laughter.
Akashi could only massage his temples as he stood up. Surely by now the others would have captured that look-alike. He was about to move towards the garden when another presence caught his attention. Akashi's eyes widened and he sprinted down the hallway that Mizuiro had gone down.
Kuroko fought to calm his breathing. Without even asking, Kuroko knew that the other blue head was a time traveler as well, and according to Akashi, his ancestor. It was like there was some unspoken vow to help out other time travelers when they happened to appear in the wrong era. Either way, he was grateful for the interference. Looking across the garden, Kuroko spotted the lone sakura tree. The garden was eerily silent, as if the cicadas had suddenly gone mute. Kuroko's body suddenly shivered and he forced himself to duck to the left, stealthily rolling into a circle of dense bushes.
"Ara~, looks like no one's here."
Staying frozen, Kuroko merely heightened his hearing to see where his pursuers were. With the Kiseki no Sedai, moving now would certainly draw attention to his hiding spot, so if he could only lower his presence more…
"Are you saying you lost him, Murasakibara?" Midorima questioned, placing his finger upon the bridge of his glasses and pointedly glaring at the giant.
Murasakibara rolled his eyes and looked away. He mumbled something about it not being his job, but otherwise remained stoically silent.
"Eh? But, maybe if we look over here," Kise started, slyness edging his voice.
Kuroko found that he absolutely could not move, even if he wanted to. Fear gripped his body as Kise's footsteps neared his hiding place. These were his guardians, yet in this time and era, they had no obligation to protect him. Kuroko was so close to his objective, so time traveling at this point was not an option. It took too long either way and Kuroko was sure that he would get captured.
"We should probably check the bushes," Kise said lowly, his eyes lighting up at the possibility that someone was hidden among the grasses. He slowly reached a hand out toward the bush that Kuroko was in.
"Wait, stop," Midorima stated shortly.
Kise turned around in annoyance. "What, why?"
"We need to head back, Planaedius is here," Midorima hurriedly replied as he and the others immediately began rushing back to the mansion.
"Damn! Do they have Mizuiro?" Aomine asked in slight panic.
The guardians' voices slowly disappeared into the night and Kuroko dared a glance around his area. The garden had returned to its prior peaceful state with even the crickets continuing to sing their songs. He crept out of the bushes and was mindful of pulling out a leaf from his hair. Wasting no more time, Kuroko ran for the sakura tree, feet pounding on the bridge that joined the island to the rest of the garden. He stopped and panted a bit as he searched the tree for a suitable hiding spot.
Kuroko place a hand on the tree and felt small vibrations coming from it. He blinked, confused, but soon realized that he was unconsciously reading the tree's time-lines. Reaching into his hakama, he pulled out the key and placed it within a small crevice of the tree. In Kuroko's time, the tree would have surely grown around it, theoretically keeping it safe. He calmed his breathing and immediately concentrated on returning to his own time. The world dissolved before his closed eyelids and he felt himself falling as the floor collapsed beneath him. Kuroko reached out, pulling a particular invisible string and suddenly he felt himself thrown to the ground.
Akashi looked up from where he was standing. His eyes glowed in the night's darkness as he fended off another attack from a Planaedian thug. He knew that the sudden burst of energy was Kuroko's return to this time era, but making a run for him right now would only bring danger to him as well.
Tetsuya has returned, Akashi telepathically spoke. Murasakibara, retrieve him.
Akashi merely glared at another enemy, causing him to combust into flames and screams. He was separated from the other members, but according to the telepathic messages they were sending each other, Aomine and Kise were together, Midorima was on his own, and Murasakibara was out of the fighting zone. Using his Emperor's Eye, Akashi was keen on stopping any of the Planaedian members from getting too close to the Momoi family who was hidden behind him in a room.
Kuroko looked around the darkened room in a daze. He jolted into a sitting position as soon as he realized that none of the members were in the room with him. Far off he could hear screaming and he scrambled to stand, realizing that something was amiss. The air around the room felt strangely static and a sick feeling began to form in the pit of his stomach. Stumbling towards the door, Kuroko tried to call out to someone but found that he had no strength to. Suddenly the wall on the far end of the room burst open, causing Kuroko to fall forward onto the door.
"Hm? What do we have here?" a familiar voice inquired in a sickly sweet tone.
Kuroko forced himself to turnover so he could at least see his assailant. He was fast losing strength in his body, a result of overexertion of his power. Through half-lidded eyes, Kuroko spotted a familiar head of blonde hair, however no matter how much he wanted it to be Kise, it wasn't.
"Ah! Time Traveler-kun!" Ryou cried out in feigned surprise. He stepped through the hole in the wall that he just made with grace. His green eyes sparkled with mischievousness as he looked Kuroko up and down. "And it looks like you can't move."
Kuroko flinched as Ryou casually waltzed over to him. I'm paralyzed, he thought helplessly as he found that every ounce of strength had left his body. All he could do was move his head a bit when Ryou crouched down in front of him.
"Awwww, you look so helpless Time Traveler-kun," Ryou cooed as he brushed the back of his hand against the side of Kuroko's cheek. "So helpless," Ryou continued to whisper, leaning in closer to Kuroko's face.
Kuroko's eyes showed his panic as Ryou moved to nuzzle his neck. If he could he would forcibly push away the blonde, but as for right now, all Kuroko could do was close his eyes and bear with it. He felt a hand snake around his waist and suddenly he was pulled into Ryou's embrace. Ryou stood up with Kuroko in his arms and dashed out of the room. He had failed last time when retrieving the small light-blue head and amazingly only suffered a long lecture about how useless he was. Not this time though. With the other members being kept busy, Ryou would surely have no trouble taking away the time traveler.
Ryou was out of the room and closing in on the front exit of the estate. He glanced down briefly to spot a tired Kuroko fighting to keep his eyes open. Smirking, the blonde thought of how cute the little boy was. His green eyes narrowed and he suddenly side jumped, watching as a large rock landed in the spot where he once stood. He spun around his heel, causing Kuroko to let out a grunt.
"Somehow I knew we would be seeing each other again," Ryou said, grinning widely with his eyes closed. "I just really didn't want it to happen."
Murasakibara rolled his eyes in annoyance. He was surprised to see Kuroko gone by the time that he reached the room, but it was easy to follow where he went. "I didn't want to see you either," the purple-haired giant shot back. He carefully eyed Kuroko who was nestled in the blonde's arms.
"But don't you think this is unfair?" Ryou asked innocently. He looked down at Kuroko before turning his gaze back to Murasakibara. "I'm handicapped."
"Then just give him back," Murasakibara replied shortly. Using his telekinesis, he tried pulling Kuroko from Ryou's arms.
"Ah, ah, ah!" Ryou interrupted, electric shocks appearing around him. "You know I can't do that. And you also don't want poor Time Traveler-kun to get electrocuted either, right?"
Murasakibara reluctantly stopped his advance. Kuroko forced his head to turn away from Ryou's chest so that he could see his guardian. His eyes gave Murasakibara the silent okay to attack Ryou. Somehow, Kuroko would protect himself.
Ryou jumped backwards as Murasakibara rushed him. He juggled Kuroko to his left arm before using his right to shoot a bolt of lightning out at the giant. Murasakibara dodged quickly to the left, never stopping his advance towards Ryou. Ryou clucked his tongue in annoyance as Murasakibara lunged towards him. Using his powers, Murasakibara forced Ryou's arm to let go of Kuroko, causing him to fall away. Ryou quickly shot out a talisman, exploding it in Murasakibara's face.
Kuroko tumbled to the ground, and though still weak, pushed himself up enough to see the smoke clear from the explosion and Murasakibara lying face down. Ryou smirked as he walked up to the giant.
"I know your powers, Mura-kun," Ryou laughed as he raised his foot to stomp on Murasakibara's head. "So I was nice and got you a present that nullified them."
Murasakibara winced as he turned his head to look up at the Planaedian lackey. "Y-You asshole," he muttered before coughing violently.
Kuroko's eyes were widening in horror as Ryou repeatedly brought his foot down on Murasakibara's head, creating a depression in the softened ground. He vainly reached out to his guardian, his friend. "M-Murasakibara-kun," Kuroko whispered, but his whispering was nothing compared to Ryou's maniacal laughing. Kuroko's outreached hand closed to a fist as he fought back the tears threatening to spill over in his eyes. He squinted his eyes shut, allowing tears to squeeze out of them and forced a yell from his lungs. "MURASAKIBARA-KUN!"
It seemed for a split second that time stopped in its entirety before Murasakibara's hand shot out and grabbed Ryou's foot. Ryou paused momentarily and was about to make a snarky retort when he was abruptly blasted away. Kuroko watched in shock as his guardian pushed himself to stand. He was even more surprised at the change in Murasakibara's appearance. The entirety of his eyes glowed purple and dark purple vine-like markings covered his face. Everything around a twenty-foot radius began to rise into the air and the earth seemed to tremble. Ryou looked back at Murasakibara, fear evident on his face.
"This can't be…" Ryou murmured to himself. He found his body unable to move, but panic seeped through his veins as light began to swirl around Murasakibara's hand.
The power that Murasakibara was emanating was crushing to Kuroko. He hadn't felt this kind of power since Akashi had cornered him back at the apartment. His eyelids were falling closed, but opened sharply when he heard his guardian let out a growl.
"Die, you little shit," Murasakibara spat out in a lower voice than usual.
The light ball that had formed in Murasakibara's hand shot out towards Ryou who still refused to remove from the spot that he was rooted at. Kuroko disregarded the fact that his body screamed and ached with every movement that he made and dashed towards Murasakibara. The power coming from his guardian was too much and Kuroko was afraid that it would go out of control. Looking to where the light ball had shot to, Kuroko found the spot to be empty. He pushed the thought out of his mind and somehow managed to trip in front of Murasakibara.
Ryou had given in and thought that at that point, this would be the end of him. Even as the light blinded his vision he found that he simply could not move. Then before he could get hit someone swept him up and he was out of the Momoi estate.
"Ryou!"
Ryou blinked confusedly, trying to find his breath.
"You stupid piece of shit! Wake up, Ryou!"
Ryou's eyes finally focused on the white haired man above him. He pushed him away and stumbled to a half-sitting, half-kneeling position. "Y-You saved me?"
Haizaki looked deadly annoyed at Ryou's weak remark. "God, what the hell happened back there?" Haizaki asked, fighting to keep his voice low. Ryou remained quiet and Haizaki dropped the issue, already knowing what had happened. He turned swiftly and began walking away. "Get up, we need to head back to headquarters and make our report."
Ryou nodded and limped to catch up Haizaki.
"Murasakibara-kun, calm down," Kuroko breathed weakly. He forced himself to look up at the towering giant who eyes were still glowing.
The glow in Murasakibara's eyes began to dissipate with Kuroko's words, the overwhelming control of the Time Traveler overriding Murasakibara's take-over. The markings on his skin faded and he immediately bent down just in time to catch Kuroko. The small light-blue head had finally fainted from over-exertion.
"Atsushi," Akashi called out as he landed in the area behind Murasakibara.
The other guardians landed after Akashi and all rushed towards Kuroko who lay peacefully sleeping in Murasakibara's arms. Midorima softly pushed past the others and knelt in front of Murasakibara, reaching out to slowly wave his hands over Kuroko. His hands glowed light green and Midorima's eyes narrowed in concentration.
Pulling back, Midorima reported, "No internal injuries, no broken bones, but both his power capacity and body are exhausted." He backed up more when Akashi reached forward to gently pry Kuroko from Murasakibara's arms.
"Rest for the remainder of tonight," Akashi commanded as he held Kuroko closer to his chest. Gazing at the boy's face in his arms he added, while softly brushing the bangs from Kuroko's forehead, "I'll watch over him tonight. We meet with the elders tomorrow." With that Akashi began to walk off, not waiting to see if the others would follow him.
Kuroko awoke, feeling slightly dazed and disoriented. His pillow happened to be warm and…breathing!? He slowly raised his head and spotted Akashi above him. He glanced down quickly and found that he was not only sleeping on Akashi, but he was also entangled in his arms. Kuroko sighed and reached up to poke Akashi's face. The redhead grunted and opened his eyes to see Kuroko looking up at him with a slight glare on his face. He smirked and tightened his hold around the other's waist.
"Good morning, Tetsuya," Akashi greeted, his morning voice alluringly low.
"Aka-" Kuroko began, but suddenly an image of Akashi pressing down on his throat flashed across his vision and Kuroko flailed.
Kuroko broke from Akashi's arms with a start and fell onto the floor beside the futon the two had been sleeping in. His breathing quickened and blue light began to spin around him as the wind picked up. The exhausting use of his power from the night before was still taking its toll on Kuroko's body and he almost let out a scream in pain from being forced to use his powers once again.
Akashi quickly pulled Kuroko into his arms once again. "Tetsuya, calm down. You know who I am. You know what's a lie," he recited in a stern voice. He held Kuroko tightly to his chest and felt relief flood through his body as the lights disappeared and the wind in the room calmed. Footsteps could be heard approaching their room and Akashi showed no surprise to seeing the door suddenly slide open to reveal Midorima.
"What's go-" Midorima started, but quickly let the words fall from his mouth after Akashi brought a finger up to his lips.
Akashi picked up Kuroko, who once again had fallen asleep, and placed him on the bed. He tucked in the slightly smaller male and cupped his cheek with his right hand. Akashi leaned down and placed his forehead against Kuroko's, closing his eyes for a brief moment before straightening himself up and turning to Midorima. He walked passed the greenhead and motioned for him to follow.
"Shōgo seems to still have a hold on Tetsuya," Akashi testily admitted. The plain fear that had invaded Kuroko's sky blue eyes were all the testimony that Akashi would ever need. He hated it.
Midorima's eyes widened, but he quickly shook his head. "I'll start trying to find a way to get around the after effects."
"Good," Akashi replied. He stopped and looked over his shoulder. "Get the others and make sure Tetsuya is prepared to leave today. We depart after our meeting with the elders."
Murasakibara stretched his arms above his head and let out a loud yawn. The meeting with the elders went fairly well. Satsuki had defended herself throughout the night and came out unharmed, but she showed great concern after Kuroko failed to show up. The Momoi family was grateful for the Time Traveler's help and had also been able to retrieve the key from where the Kuroko had it. After being treated to a light breakfast the guardians and Kuroko left for Midorima's mansion.
Kuroko sat cross-legged in front of a tea-table with his summer homework set out in front of him. Although his face was void of any noticeable emotion, the atmosphere surrounding the small male spoke otherwise. His eyes closed slowly and he allowed himself to take in a deep calming breath, holding it in for seven seconds before exhaling. His eyes averted to gaze out the backyard. A couple of common butterflies flitted across what he could see of the garden, twirling with each other in a graceful dance. Just as Kuroko was about to stand up to take a break, his phone rang.
~ Everybody give me an attention! ~
Kuroko reached out across the table and picked up his phone, checking the caller ID. Hmm, Father?
~ mada nani mo shira-click
"Hello Father," Kuroko immediately greeted. He held the phone closer to his ear as he leaned on the table with his elbows. "How are you doing?"
"Great son! Glad you asked!" his father cheerfully chirped from the other end of the call. "I was actually calling to see if you could head back to the city for a week or so-"
Kuroko's eyes widened slightly. Is something wrong? Did Planaedius take his father hostage? Kuroko thought, sitting up as panic pounced through him.
"-Your mother came back from her business trip and we would love to see you!" Kuroko breathed in silent relief as his father briefly paused. "Of course, your mother and I understand if you want to spend the summer with your current room-"
"I'll come Father," Kuroko quickly interrupted.
"Really? That's great to hear! Though I don't want to force you to leave them, so why don't they come along with you?"
Kuroko let a small smile grace his lips. His father was always very considerate of him. "Thank you, I was just about to ask that," Kuroko replied. "I'll be able to come up in a couple of days."
"We're looking forward to seeing you again! Stay safe son!"
"I will, and you too Father."
Click.
Kuroko stood up, phone in hand, as he approached to door. He would have to inform the guardians of the trip, and hopefully they would comply with him. His arms stretched above his head as he arched to ease the strain in his muscles. Kuroko was still sore from time traveling, but today was much better than before. Before he could open the door, his phone rang once again. He picked up without looking.
"Hello?" Kuroko inquired, placing his hand on the door and leaning on it.
"Yo, Kuroko!"
"Kagami-kun?" Kuroko leaned his forehead against the door, seeming to be in content after hearing the redhead's voice.
"Let's hangout when you come back! Everyone's been looking for you and I just heard from your parents that you'll be returning from the city," Kagami continued. "Well, everyone heard…they sent out a group text…haha."
Kuroko nodded. "Mm, when I come we can go hang-"
The door suddenly slid open and Kuroko found himself pitching forward into a warm chest. Arms wrapped around his waist as he let out a startled gasp, causing Kagami to ask if he was okay. Kuroko's eyes closed briefly, enjoying the warmth, but he awkwardly tried to pull away and straighten himself. Looking up, a pair of familiar heterochromatic eyes stared down at him. However, the mouth paired with the eyes was frowning.
"Kuroko? Kuroko, you okay?"
Kuroko let his mouth fall open slightly as Akashi swiftly snatched the phone from him. He frowned and tried to get the phone back, but Akashi turned around and placed the phone to his ear.
"Tetsuya is busy," Akashi stated in a stern voice. "So refrain from ever calling him again."
"Wha"-click
Akashi turned once again and handed the phone back to Kuroko. The stiffness of his shoulders told Kuroko that the leader of the guardians was in a foul mood. Akashi sighed and took a step forward, causing Kuroko to step back into his room. He took another step, crossing the threshold and closed the door behind him. Kuroko looked up at him in confusion and was about to question his actions when Akashi wrapped his arms around his waist once again. Akashi leaned back against the door and pulled Kuroko against him.
"Akashi-san," Kuroko started, sounding slightly annoyed. "That was rude."
"Hmm?" Akashi murmured. Leaving one arm wrapped around Kuroko's waist, Akashi used his other hand to cup the light-blue head's cheek.
Suddenly Kuroko remembered running into Akashi during his travel. "Akashi-san, you saw me in the past. Did I ruin anything?"
Akashi slyly smiled. "No, Tetsuya."
Looking suspiciously at the redhead, Kuroko muttered, "What is it?"
"The moment I saw you," Akashi started, still smiling, "I fell in love with you."
Kuroko couldn't help but snort. He was never able to take the leader seriously, especially when he kept suddenly confessing like this.
"So," Akashi began, dropping his voice. "Bond with me."
Kuroko cocked his head. "Bond?" He vaguely remembered the redhead talking about this before.
Akashi's thumb rubbed gentle circles in Kuroko's face. "During the attack, did you notice something different with Atsushi," Akashi asked, changing the topic, already used to Kuroko's coldness. He'll come around…eventually, Akashi told himself.
Kuroko brushed off Akashi's hand, feeling too warm and pulled away successfully. He turned and looked out to the backyard once again. "Yes, his eyes were glowing and markings appeared on his face."
Akashi walked towards Kuroko and attempted to envelop the slightly smaller male in his embrace again. His arms hovered above Kuroko's abdomen, silently asking for permission. "All that was due to the fact that you have bonded with him."
Kuroko rolled his eyes and turned around to face Akashi, taking note of Akashi dropping his arms. "He became stronger because…we bonded?" He found the close proximity between the two of them a bit unnerving, but he managed to look up into Akashi's red and gold eyes.
Akashi nodded his head and decided to cross his arms, trying very hard to not hold or touch any part of his Time Traveler. "Think about Atsushi, tell me what you hear."
Murasakibara-kun, Kuroko thought. He closed his eyes and drifted into the recesses of his mind.
Hmm, Muro-kun bought me food somewhere…Where did I-Oh, found it.
Kuroko's eyes opened abruptly. "Food? I hear Murasakibara-kun thinking about food."
Akashi's eyes twinkled in amusement. "When in danger, activate the bond between you and Murasakibara and he'll become stronger. The closer you two are, the easier it'll be for him to control his power." Akashi turned towards the door, preparing to leave. "And you are able to connect to him telepathically."
Kuroko watched as Akashi began to walk away from him and he instinctively reached out to grab onto the hem of Akashi's shirt. Akashi turned back to look at Kuroko questioningly. "Did I…Did I do something wrong?"
Akashi detached Kuroko's hand and held it in his. His eyes darkened slightly in seriousness. "What do you mean, Tetsuya?"
Kuroko flushed. "I mean before…I went back in time." He locked eyes with Akashi. "You were acting weird."
Akashi's eyes softened and he lifted Kuroko's hand to his lips. "You're cruel, Tetsuya." His eyes closed as he pressed a soft kiss on the knuckles of Kuroko's hand. "So cruel." When his eyes opened he took in the adorable confused face in front of him. "When we get to the city, let's spend time together."
"Time together?" Kuroko inquired, his hand falling as Akashi loosened his grip. "Are you asking me out on a date, Akashi-san?"
Akashi's eyes widened and he covered his mouth as he chuckled. "I would love a date with you, my Tetsuya."
"Not funny, Akashi-san," Kuroko quickly retorted. He pouted a bit. "But we haven't spent much time together lately…"
Akashi couldn't help himself and he leaned close to Kuroko's face. "Then it'll be a date." He watched a pink color invade Kuroko's pale cheeks. "Just the two of us." He remained close to Kuroko, refraining from actually physically touching him. He closed his eyes and flashed a devilishly handsome smile.
Kuroko leaned forward and rested his forehead on Akashi's chest, surprising the redhead. "I feel like there's a wall between us, Akashi-san. It's dark, ominous…it's almost as if my memories are twisted," Kuroko shakily admitted. "I don't really understand it."
Akashi clenched his fists and his eyes pressed closed. He pulled Kuroko into his arms, a hand on the back of Kuroko's head. "We'll overcome it, Tetsuya. Together." He felt Kuroko reach up and grip the front of Akashi's shirt. "Calm down, don't think about it right now."
Akashi, I need to talk to you, Midorima stated.
His eyebrows furrowed in annoyance and he leaned back to look at Kuroko, surprised to find him fast asleep. Hmm, he must still be tired. He picked up Kuroko, bridal style, and laid him on the futon. He pulled a blanket over Kuroko's body, gently tracing the other's lips. Akashi couldn't hide the troubled face of his, knowing that Kuroko was aware of what went wrong with his memories. He leaned down, placed a chaste kiss on Kuroko's forehead and quickly left the room after closing the door to the backyard.
What is it Shintarou?
Heeeey! It hasn't been a year! Yaaay! XD In all honesty though, I ran into major writer's block with this chapter...I think it borders on crap and decent work...So I apologize if it isn't up to standard, but wow...I really can't write haha! The fluffy parts were so awkward for me to write and oh gee this chapter is SO LONG! I also apologize for its longness...I usually try for around 3000 words, but this one went to 5000! DX Again, thank you for all the support! YOU ARE ALL LOVELY HUMAN BEINGS!
Okay, next chapter I'm planning on giving you guys more insight to Akashi's relationship with Mizuiro!
Special thanks to all who faved, followed, silent readers, and those who reviewed:
Cutie-Pie-Angel - Thank you and I'm super happy that it wasn't boring for you! XD
Rinfantasy - Thank you for the review and I really hoped this chapter didn't disappoint!
AugustInk - Ahhh, I'm glad you liked the way I describe time traveling, haha, there are just so many ways it can be interpreted, but thank you!
Shiro-chan1827 - ...I'm sorry for all the lateness...Haha, but thank you for the review! I haven't heard that point of view before, but now I realize...POOR AKASHI! Haha, but I'm really glad you like the character development too! And no, you aren't crazy!
Chisato Morohiko - Hahahahaha! Thank you so much! I work hard on them, so I'm glad it makes you laugh!
KurokoTetsuya101 - Wahhhhh! You were rereading it! *blushes* That's quite the compliment! I'm really happy that you are enjoying the story! Thank you for the support!
BashyBunny - Yes, and I apologize for the hiatus! Thank you for the continued support! Hopefully this chapter put some ease to your worries!
Airka Yumeko - Haha, thank you so much! I'm slowly getting back! XD
Yami-The Lord of Darkness - Here's your update! Thanks for the support!
Kurogamine-The Light Shadow - Wow! Thank you! I'll keep working hard! Hahaha...what do you mean? I don't see anything going on between them haha! XD XD XD
milefanis-cullen - Hola! Muchos gracias! Estoy muy contento de que te gusta la historia! Lo siento para malo espanol...
bright oblivion of abyss 09 - Here's your update! Thank you for the review!
daneekuq - Don't worry about it! I'm just happy you're reading my story! No, Akashi did not have any past relationships with any of his charges, but he cared about each of them a lot.
Alright! Tell me what you think of this chapter! At this point, if there is something off about my writing style, please tell me about it! I'll try to make it better! XD Thank you everyone for sticking with me and continuing to read and enjoy the story!
- Jin Juhua Lang