Week 3 - 3rd POV/femslash + Fears/Expectations

- Despite her lack of facial expressions, Kuroko was a typical girl, just like any other. She smiled, she laughed, she had fun with her friends. And, as human as she can be, she also felt sad – she also had fears and things she really, really wanted.

Love Is All That Matters

Despite her lack of facial expressions, Kuroko was a typical girl, just like any other. She smiled, she laughed, she had fun with her friends. She wore skirts, went to the café and to parties. She also enjoyed staying at home, on her sofa, while reading a good book and cuddling with her puppy Nigou. Even if she didn't show it often, she enjoyed herself to the fullest everyday of her life. And, as human as she can be, she also felt sad – she also had fears and things she really, really wanted.

The only thing that lacked in her life was, surely, a romantic relationship. Every friend of hers had a boyfriend or a girlfriend already: Kise-san had met Aomine-san on a bar one night and that was "love at first sight", like the blonde had said (more like "bed at first sight"). Aomine-san was a tall, tanned, rude girl who looked like she was ready to punch the world at any given moment, but even so, Kise-san looked happy, as well as Aomine-san (even if she wouldn't admit it in a million years). Murasakibara-kun had finally found a suitable girl who was able to stand his laziness and lack of motivation – she was a beautiful American girl he met at school, and her patience had no limits. Midorima-kun could be your usual tsundere, but he too had found a boy who understood him and even found his tsundereness cute and appealing – even if that got on Midorima-kun's nerves sometimes.

Everyone was getting along with their respective partners, and Kuroko was just there – waiting for that someone who would make her heart race since the first glance.

And that actually happened one day.

Taiga was impolite, nervous and oh so unsettling, but she was also gentle, caring and tall and warm – everything Kuroko needed and wanted in her life.

They met on their first day of high school, on the entrance ceremony. As Taiga was one of the tallest girls, she had to stay at the back, and while Kuroko was walking to the front, they collided with each other (really, 9 a.m. speeches after a night of playing games and reading books shouldn't be allowed). When Kuroko thinks about it, she now knows that those crimson eyes caught her attention since the first glance – they were almost shining under the first rays of sun and were simply beautiful.

When Kuroko came to her senses, she was on the ground, had a pain on her butt and a big person right above her, shaking her and yelling on her ears, asking if she was alright, or if said person had killed someone on her first day of school. "Cute", Kuroko had thought.

After the incident (and after Taiga had made sure Kuroko had all her pieces glued to herself), they just became friends: Kuroko came to know that Taiga had come from the States, that she knew a lot of English but was very bad with her kanji. She also got to know that the tall girl with red hair liked to eat – a lot – and that basketball was her dream and pleasure.

Taiga was very different from any typical girl on that school (from Japan probably, mind you): she was loud, rude and liked to eat burgers like no one. She didn't really know how to talk or interact with people, so she did what she was used to do on the States: invite all the girls in her class to play basketball after classes were over. Of course that didn't really work, because there was that little detail that almost every friend she had made before was a male. Before she knew, she was all alone on her desk near the window, sulking receiving weird glances from her colleagues – all but Kuroko, of course. The small girl with blue hair touched her shoulder and then she knew – she knew that that tall, rude, cute sulking girl was the one and only in her life.

They started to hang out together – Taiga taught Kuroko how to play basketball and, turns out, the small girl actually had a small gift for the sport. She had little presence on court (on life, actually), and that was a big benefit. Both of them developed a good connection on court and that reflected itself on life in general: after three months, they felt like they knew each other since forever, as they would do everything together – walk to school and home, have lunch, play basketball, visit each other's houses, spend the nights together watching games or simply talking about their pasts and their futures. They felt so close that Kuroko knew when Taiga wasn't feeling so well and Taiga got to the point of remembering every dish Kuroko liked or disliked (the girl could be tall and rude sometimes, but she was one hell of a good cook). Their relationship evolved in a good way, and Kuroko was truly happy.

One day, when they were on Taiga's apartment – Kuroko sitting on Taiga's lap on the sofa, reading a magazine, while the other girl was enjoying a basketball game on TV – it struck her. They were so close, and Kuroko was so happy she completely missed the most important thing – her feelings for the red haired girl had grown throughout time.

Without even thinking, Kuroko called Taiga's name and turned around on the other girl's lap, facing her. Then, slowly and gently, she cupped Taiga's cheeks on her hands and brought their lips together in a brief, light kiss. Taiga's lips were warm, just like Kuroko had thought, and the kiss was pleasant. When she broke it, Taiga was gaping, mouth wide open and a bright red spreading on her cheeks. Kuroko felt herself blush too, but now she couldn't just go back – she had to tell her everything.

"Taiga-san, I love you."

Taiga sputtered and stuttered, but she finally said what she wanted to say – "I… I l-love you t-too…"

Kuroko was sure she had never felt like this before – this happy, this light. It was like there was one less weight on her shoulders and she just enjoyed every second of her new life (it wasn't really new, because the only thing that changed were the kisses and cuddles and the naughty moments). She already knew that Taiga was a gentle, caring person, but after they started dating this got more evident in her actions: Taiga would wake her up with light kisses on her nose and eyelids in the mornings, when she spent the night at her apartment; sometimes, she woke up earlier just to prepare a special breakfast, that would be served on bed and smothered with kisses. She was always attentive and preoccupied, looking after her smaller girlfriend so that she wouldn't be hungry (Kuroko loved to just drink vanilla shakes all day long) or tired, but never being suffocating or annoying. The blue haired girl had never been treated this way, and was really enjoying every bit of it.

When they were dating for almost two months, it was time to tell their closest friends, Taiga told Kuroko. The red haired girl had already told her best friend Tatsuya about Kuroko – and then they got to the conclusion that Murasakibara-kun's girlfriend and Tatsuya were the same person. When the purple haired boy found out about Kuroko and Taiga, he didn't really mind nor found any objection to their relationship – after all, it was Murasakibara-kun. Then came Kise-san and Aomine-san: the blonde was ecstatic, because now she had someone who she could ask for advice and complain to. Aomine-san and Taiga didn't really got along with each other – not the first time, not any time they met after that. Midorima-kun also didn't find any objection – he didn't really like Taiga, but Takao-kun (his boyfriend) told Kuroko later that he was just being stubborn because he liked her too much.

Everything was going as perfect as it could go - their love was something Kuroko never thought she would find, but she was glad she did.

Until her parents found out.

Kuroko knows she should have been more careful – bringing Kagami to her house and enrolling in some rather "steamy" exercises instead of actually studying two hours before her parents were home shouldn't be a good idea. Just when they were both almost naked and Kagami was on top of Kuroko, trying to steal her bra in a very original way, her bedroom door opens and her mother was right there, watching them with eyes wide open and a blush spreading through her cheeks. None of the three females could say a word, and Kuroko's mother just slammed the door and ran downstairs. When Kuroko heard the front door closing with a bang, the tears ran down her face and she knew – she knew her mother would never accept Taiga as her girlfriend.

This was one of her biggest fears since she started dating the red haired girl: her parents finding out and not accepting her sexual orientation nor her partner. In her head, it would be the most painful thing it could happen to her, and she always thought that, when the time came for her to tell them, she would be strong and would arrange the best scenario, so that everything would go pretty smoothly.

Finding out this way was not in her plans at all.

When her father came home, an hour later, he already knew about everything and was accompanied by her mother. Taiga also stayed with Kuroko, she just couldn't leave her girlfriend alone in a time like this. The four of them sat by the kitchen table and Kuroko's father spoke first, in a rather calm way, and Kuroko felt herself drown in his words.

"Don't cry Tetsuya, we're your parents, we love you very much."

"I was startled at first – and of course I would be, what kind of manners are those, young lady?!" Kuroko's father put a hand on her mother's shoulder to calm her down. "But I'm not mad because you have a girlfriend, if that's what you're thinking. I don't care either way – I just want you to be happy – and please do not do those kinds of things in this house again, okay?! We're a respectful family, I don't remember teaching you that!"

Kuroko's father was giggling lightly. "Either way, please don't cry, we're here for you – both of you – and you're more than welcome to bring…"

"Kagami Taiga, nice to meet you…desu." Taiga was blushing hard now, and Kuroko was holding her hand under the table.

"…Taiga-san here. Please treat our daughter with care."

Kuroko started to cry again and buried herself on Taiga's arms – and then, on her parents'. She was crying again, but this time for a good reason – she was happy and couldn't have asked for a better life so far.

Later, when she was told Taiga could spend the night there (with some restraint, her mother stressed) and they we're both preparing the futons, Taiga hugged Kuroko from behind and told her what she needed to hear the most at the moment.

"I love you very much, you know? And I'm not letting you go so soon, so prepare yourself!"

Kuroko closed her eyes and enjoyed that sweet warmth that came from her girlfriend. "I know. I wouldn't want it any other way."

A kiss was exchanged and Kuroko was sure she would sleep so very well that night.

-The End-