a/n: this is actually chapter 2, the previous one was chapter 0,5. sorry if it's confusing ;v;

Kuroko no Basuke © Tadatoshi Fujimaki and I'm not gaining any profit from writing this fanfiction

2: under the starless sky

"Ryouta-kun."

He turns his head, and finds Tetsuya standing, two, three—five steps from him, without his black coat on, though he still keeps his shirt buttoned up and tie in place. The peonies are still in his hand, like it belongs there; Ryouta frowns at them, but forces a smile as he lifts his face.

"Tetsuyacchi."

"What are you doing up here?" Tetsuya asks, and Ryouta can see that his eyes are sweeping the surroundings; they are on the rooftop of the apartment building, with a swimming pool in the middle and a tiny bar in one corner. When in the mood, Ryouta likes to ride the elevator up to top, where it's roofless, just so he can gaze into the sky above (which reminds him very much of Tetsuya's hair and eyes, and as the night descends, the dark horizon tinted by the city lights is always the best remedy for his tired soul).

"I don't want to disturb you."

"You know I wasn't sleeping."

"I do."

They were silent for a moment, and Ryouta cannot help but to hope, for the whistling of the wind is enough to voice all of the unspoken words.

"It's late," the blue haired then says, "the pool will be closed soon."

"Then I'll just wait here until they ask me to go." Ryouta smiles, this time for real. He waits, but the other doesn't reply. He then pats a spot on the wooden bench he's sitting on, gesturing for Tetsuya to place himself besides him. Tetsuya complies, and they sit side by side facing the pool, watching the faint underwater lights tinge the surface with yellowish glow. Gently, once more, the night wind blows; the two are close enough for Ryouta to feel Tetsuya's hair strands brushing against his cheek.

Neither says anything, and they know each other well enough to know that Tetsuya is usually not the talkative one, while at times Ryouta can be the taciturn. Not they always need words to begin with; now and then, there'll be times when they communicate solely through glances and hand movements, and part of Ryouta wants to believe, that this is one proof of them having a connection.

The blond closes his eyes, and he can clearly picture the whole scene happened earlier in that evening. It feels like only yesterday they had entered middle school, back then when things like jobs and spouses seemed like a very distant concept, and yet, they just attended one of their friends' wedding, or to be more precise, two of their friends. Akashi and Midorima are together now, together—together. It's not like they could have it officially listed in the civil registration or anything, nevertheless, the two still held a small party consisted of closest friends and families. The former regulars of Teikou basketball club were of course included—and seeing even the seemingly ignorant Murasakibara (who now lives in Sapporo) flew all the way to Tokyo—Ryouta simply couldn't afford not to come. Not that he holds grudge or anything similar, but he was just more concern about Tetsuya, who actually, had been the one to drag Ryouta to the gathering.

"It's a must," he said, "it's a must that we attend Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun's wedding," Tetsuya had said. But his eyes were cold, the light blue went frozen and looked so unnatural, as if someone had gouged out the real ones and replaced them with a pair of ice cubes. And that is exactly why, in the last few years, Ryouta has always been, intently and unconsciously, avoiding to mention anything that has to do with their former captain and vice-captain.

Avoiding is akin to running for him; running from others, running from this poignant reality, and even sometimes from himself. Yet he now finds that his escape has come to a halt, and when he looks down, his feet are battered and flaked; he has been running for too far and too long.

"How are you feeling, Tetsuyacchi?" All of a sudden he blurts out.

Ryouta has always been clinging to the hope of getting requited, he hangs his hope high in the sky like an artificial star, and there will be a day when he looks up to find out that it has become a genuine one.

"I'm just fine."

"Even though now Akashicchi is really with Midorimacchi?" On the spur of the moment Ryouta decides that he'll no longer run, he can't forever act like there's nothing going on. He can't keep looking at the starless sky while waiting for one of them to come out and notice him.

"I said I'm fine." His voice falters.

"You know," Ryouta says, "these past three years, I don't really mind, even until now, I don't really mind that you still love Akashicchi."

Tetsuya's head turn, eyes quickly widens, then narrows just as fast. He opens his mouth, but immediately closes it again. Not a word comes out from him.

"And I can't force you to love me wholeheartedly if you just simply don't," cold fingers finding their way to Tetsuya's hands, "but would it be too much if I asked you to try?"