Chapter 6
Akashi Seijuro walked into their private area with simmering anger under his skin. What had all his bond mates been doing? All through the day whilst he was on his meetings he felt on-and-off echoes of bond formations through their links and it left him with faint traces of emptiness that he did not appreciate. Striding towards the common lounge area, he was met with all of his bond mates sitting in a pile on their massive couch. He was about to demand an answer from them when he spotted a compact body with a face framed with silky, sky blue hair leaning on Daiki's shoulder sleeping.
Akashi's face must have shown the utter shock at the scene in front of him, but his mind was already processing the shock and moving on to the realization that the person his four bond mates have been with is their last link.
The feelings of anger and irritation bubbling under his skin evaporated in an instant, and he was left with hope and eagerness. His bond mates must have felt the roiling mix of eagerness, excitement and muted joy inside his mind. They met his eyes and gave him smiles of confirmation and reassurance.
"Yo, Seijuuro glad to see you back from those tedious meetings", was Daiki's greeting followed by Midorima's simple and smooth greeting.
"Welcome back."
"I see that I have been missing out a lot", Akashi wryly replied.
"Aka-chin should stay around more. You could have met Kuro-chin earlier."
Akashi was surprised at the level of interest displayed on Murasakibara's face, although he should have known that the presence of their last bond mate would finally provide utter completeness and peace in everybody. Akashi was eager to meet his new bond mate but decided that leaving it for a bit wouldn't hurt, so he left to the showers with a "I'll meet him later, for now I will not disturb his rest. I'll be in the showers if you need me."
And with that Akashi turned around and headed down the hallway towards his room.
Kuroko was wide awake and sitting there watching a movie when a person with striking, flaming-red hair and crimson eyes walked towards the lounge room half-naked and dripping wet with a towel slung over his shoulders. He felt his face light up in embarrassment so fast he was sure he looked like a heated tomato. He was utterly mortified by his reaction and ducked his head to hide his flaming face hoping to save his already damaged reputation from its further demise.
Kuroko could hear the others chuckling at his mortification and and his embarrassment grew. It wasn't his fault that people were so comfortable with exposing their body like that. He had the urge to turn around and glare at the snickering traitors sitting around him, but he was not ready to face the new stranger. So he tried to act nonchalant, in hopes that the whole incident could be dismissed but Lady luck doesn't appear to favour him.
"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. My name is Akashi Seijuuro and I am also your bond mate."
Kuroko was so sure that his mind short-circuited when he heard the bluntness and absolute certainty in Akashi's voice.
"Um..i-it's nice to meet you too, I'm Kuroko Tetsuya."
He couldn't help fidgeting under Akashi's penetrating gaze when he introduced himself. His gaze got even sharper and Kuroko was aware that if Akashi's stare became any sharper it would cut glass. There was no malice in his eyes though, only an unwavering scrutinizing stare.
Abruptly Akashi crossed the space separating them and perched on Kuroko's right, leaning against the arm rest of the couch, his eyes were still on Kuroko but his hand was placed pliantly on top of Murasakibara's head. Murasakibara was sprawled against Akashi's thigh, snacking on a big bag of salted chips.
The air around them stilled and it seemed like every molecule of the universe was waiting for them. Kuroko was obsessively aware that Akashi was the last link and that bonding with him meant that there will be no return. The life of loneliness and isolation he had lived with for so long would disappear. His mind will be so full all the time. Full of feelings that float from the soul bonds and every sensation and touch will be amplified and echoed within the brimming confines of his mind.
He will become so aware and in sync with his bond mates that their communication would not consist of words but with a bone-deep knowledge of one another learned through the bond and through their time spent together.
And he craved that. The feeling of warmth and unconditional contentment in his mind. The feeling of learning to know someone so well that every unconscious twitch of their body is never foreign to you. The feeling of knowing someone so well that you can delve into their darkest places to drag them out and brave it with them.
He realized that he wanted that life. He wanted to live his whole life with these amazing people. To live and breath in near perfect synchronization with them. To love all the parts that they hate and to save them when they can't save themselves. To be each other's unmovable constants, but at the same time be each other's evening stars and safe havens. He wanted to experience life in all its faces- both the painfully difficult and the easy -with them. He wanted the promise of a true home, a place where he's accepted for who he is. He wanted them.
So Kuroko took the first step this time. He wanted to show them that he desired this as much as they did. He held out his hand and said "Welcome home, Akashi-kun."
As soon as he finished his statement, two warm hands enveloped his.
There was nothing to stop his free fall this time. No safety net, no back up plans, no protecting his sense of self by running away.
Everything that he had hoped it would be was easily surpassed by the true impact of the experience. Nothing in the world could have prepared him for the sheer incredibleness of it. It was like finally being able to breathe in a drowning world. Everything was brighter and fuller in colour and detail and it was akin to being born into a new world.
A world where he was finally blessed with something good to keep and hold.
