ND WE ARE BAAAAAACK *confetti and fanfares* HOHOHO sorry for the delay guys.More importantly KICCHIN IS BACK TO PRESENT CHAPTER 16! How did you like the previous Chapter? Lol with all honestly someone actually drilled that idea of Takao becoming blind in my mind, a friend who isn't shipping MIDOTAKA but an avid TAKAO KAZUNARI fan asked me that, the 'what if Takao becomes blind, what do you think will Shuutoku do?' question and I got all this MIDOTAKA ideas lol. So yeah I THANK HIM very much for that, though I'll bet my stash of doujins that he will not be wandering here.

So can I share something with you guys, promise you wont tell anyone? Okay. Here it goes. Yesterday I went cleaning mys stuffs at our old house and I found some letters, uhm can I cry now? LOL sorry, Kicchin is just a being her stupid self. Can I tell you guys something, I honestly have no idea how to tell others this so yeah, you can skip my rant anyways and go directly to the story. But yeah, forgive me but I'll go on, I just wanna get it out of my chest. Remember guys the one time I told you about a guy, who was like Takao to me(AUTHOR'S NOTE IN MONOGATARI). Back in the days before we went to a different Uni, he gave me a letter, a long ass letter. I never really read the whole thing, I appreciated the drawing but i didnt have enough courage to read it. I wished I did though, I read them and I-damn, Author-san is being ridiculously emotional, but damn STRAIGHT IN THE KOKORO words there. We had a dispute when he told me about his feelings, I wasn't ready yet, I was too hurt from my past relationSHIT and I didn't want to use him just to forget the other guy. I said a few words, okay, AWFUL words. So in short I kinda turned him down, I like him too but I was damn scared and so guilty 'cause I wasn't over with the first guy yet. Today I cleaned the house and found a strange poorly stapled make-shift envelope, when I opened it I was curious 'cause I cant remember that I got it so I read it, and that was*burst out crying* He was Takao-Kuroko like, he prefers to sit on a corner quietly observing everyone but he does ever selfish request I had. On his letter he said 'I am ready for the result, negative or positive.' he thanked me for all the shitty things we did, like talking over some ridiculously, poorly drawn manga, or some unbelievably low budget anime, he thanked me that he was now able to talk with others and make him a bit optimistic in things. I almost choked at the near end of the letter where he wrote, 'I'd do anything to earn your forgiveness...' Why didnt I ever read this? Why? WHHHHHY! I AM SUCH A COWARD, damn anyoooone comfoooort me. I wonder if he ever knew I like him as well, naaah, I never told him and I was a huge damn tsundere then I SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIIIM. Ahaha anyways, past is past. I guess, KICCHIN IS BOUND TO BE SINGLE from here on to the time I rot six feet under?

So yeah, where is Kuroko, what happened to Kise, can Furi have a chance for happy ever after? I can feel Kiyoshi winking at you guys, LOL let's see what happens to our favourite pairs! BTW thank you guys who reviewed! ILOVEYOUSOOOO MUCH PLEASE NEVER NEVER EVER FORGET THAT, though I cant mention you loves 'cause I'm on GTG mode. But yeah THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH! BTW I am launching another KnB Fanfic, the title will be *drum rolls*

HOLLOW THY MACABRE

And yes, it's an assassin AU, I do love trying to kill my characters and making them run around with something dangerous in hand. Look at the prologue and the chapter if you have time and yep, if you like it, please drop me a few words on the review there, I'LL BE SUPER HAPPY! AGAIN LOVE YOU AND HOPE YOU LIKE CHAPTER 16, *whispers*PLEASE REVIEEEEW!

And INTERACTION CORNEEEER! If you only got an hour at most before the whole world evaporates into nothingness, how will you spend it?

Chapter 16: Another Time

The silence was deafening, the annoying sound of the machine had somehow became a normal noise for him for the past few days. It has been almost a week now and he had no idea how he came to last this long waiting for him to wake up. But somehow he knows he cannot forgive himself if wasn't the first thing he sees when he wakes up. The beeping of the heart monitor had become so normal it sounded almost similar to his own breathing. He couldn't tear his eyes off him afraid he'd lose him the moment he does. He remember the horror in Momoi's face as she held in her hand her phone shaking.

"Dai-chan…I…think I found Ki-chan."

He could not forget the way he saw Kise that killed him right away, he rushed through the emergency room seeing three people being brought in. The familiar mop of blonde hair, but the usual bright smile was not there. He sat there in his usual seat next to his bed watching the blonde in his sleep that had lasted for painful four days. Ever since the day Kise was confined he decided not to leave his side. Ever singke day that the blonde would not open his eyes was like a slowly sinking in a quicksand. His body felt heavy, he didn't even felt hunger at all. When they settled Kise in the room the doctor told him about the blonde's situation, a severe head concussion and multiple bruises and a broken rib. Usually the broken rib didn't need so much time for hospital confinement but since the day he was confined the blonde hasn't woken up.

"We're afraid he has fallen in coma."

He couldn't believe it, Kise's bright cheery demeanour was no longer, he laid there quiet in an oxygen mask, tubes all over his body and a heart monitor in his side. His fair complexion had gone from fair to pale, deathly pale. He looked so fragile, so small, so vulnerable. For days he watched the rise and fall of his chest in hope that one moment he'll wake up calling his name in that sick ass nickname. He had changed his places, at one night he sat on the floor reading some magazine, the morning after he played some mellow music inside the room courtesy of Momoi's pink cellphone, he talked to the sleeping figure while he was at it, the afternoon Momoi came with a take-out, they ate in Kise's room as Momoi joked about how zombie like he looks—though he knew she was merely sating the fact. Before the day end, Momoi said she will go visit Kagami's room. The idiot was stabbed and was in coma, for some extremely swish of bad luck.

Today he heard from Momoi that the red head basketball idiot had woken up, he wanted to be happy, at least he didn't get a minus one from the few real challenge in the court, but somehow he couldn't. he sat there in the same position watching the sleeping figure wishing the same luck would get in Kise as well. How many times had he whispered his name, begging, pleading for him to wake up from his almost eternal slumber.

He wondered briefly as the thought of Kagami is now awake, he wondered about that Kurokocchi. He wondered if he was there as well, but as far as he could remember there wasn't someone with that name in the same hospital. He had guessed that the three guys that was rushed with Kise were his brother, he heard that the green haired guy—Midorima—was already allowed to leave only the day after they were admitted. The guy had asked about Kise's situation a few times already, sometimes he's find him standing by the doorway whenever Momoi leaves it open then he'd leave quickly. He had figured out that this man has his own way of showing his concern for the blonde idiot of a brother he has. He had figured that this guy was an angel as well, but the thing was it was least of his concern of the moment.

Knock…Knock

Aomine perked up at the sound of the heavy yet polite knock on the door, completely not Momoi. He looked towards the door, "Come in." he said and the door opened revealing Kagami in his hospital clothes with a dark maroon jacket draped on his shoulder.

"Sorry for butting in." he said as he stepped closer, he pulled a chair just almost behind Aomine and he sat there quietly. Aomine breathed in running a hand on his short hair as he looked at Kagami. "You look like shit." The red haired basketball player said to his not -a-best friend.

"Same goes for you."

That wasn't wrong, they both looked awful, Aomine had bags under his eyes while Kagami looked no better. Aomine scoffed and looked over at Kise, "Heard you know this Kurokocchi guy?"

"Kurokocchi?" Kagami raised an eyebrow, "Kuro…Oh, you mean Kuroko?"

"Ah…well, yeah, that make sense if that really was his name."

Kagami was silent a sad expression washed over his face as he reminded of the fact that the teal haired male was still missing, "I don't know. I wish I know where he is but…I don't. I could take it if he's dead, or is he's injured, whatever shape he is in, I could take it but…" Kagami chuckled dryly as he shifted his eyes to the two, "Oh yeah, what was his name again?"

"Kise." Aomine said.

"Mn, yeah, that make sense, he did said his brother, Kise, had blonde hair."

"Ironic?"

"Weird, you mean."

The two laughed, "I saw the other one, uhm, what was that, Mido—"

"Midorima?"

"Yeah, that guy, he has this seaweed head."

"You bet."

For a moment they laughed, but then they were engulfed by silence until Kagami broke it, "I heard from Momoi that you're here, watching over Ki-chan."

"Yeah," Aomine replied easily, "why you sad that I didn't visit you?"

Kagami scoffed slapping the back of Aomine's head, "Like hell nigga."

"What did you call me?" Aomine roused to his seat with eyebrows twitching.

"Nigga."

"Bakagami."

"HA?!"

"You heard me."

"Kiss my ass."

"I'd rather not."

"Ahem?"

The two stopped bickering as they found Momoi standing at the doorway arms crossed over her chest with a playful smirk. She walked in with smiling at the two. She was glad to see Aomine back to his asshole self aka normal self. Ever since they came to the hospital the air around the tanned skin basketball player had been very heavy and tense, he fell in gloom saying it was his fault that Kise was in this condition—

"If I had been stronger, i-if I had only any power, this wouldn't have happened…I could have helped him instead of just sending him away."

He called himself a coward for just letting Kise go, but for Momoi it was the bravest thing Aomine did in his life. Knowing Aomine ever since they were little, Momoi knew that Aomine had always been comfortable at his own zone where everything goes the way he likes it, where his talent gave him a life where he need not to worry of anything. And he never gambled, he played and win—always win. Aomine had never encountered the word let go, because that word meant being unsure of the results, if he win or lose, it was unknown. The words let go was new and fresh to him. And yet he took it, he gambled for the very first time.

"Good afternoon Ki-chan!" Momoi greeted the sleeping blonde.

She remember back in the evacuation center where Aomine and Furihata had their confrontation, she couldn't believe those words honestly, at first everything sounded like they were pulled straight from a novel. But the look at Aomine's eyes and Furihata were real, true emotions. Besides what's the point in making her believe that Kise is an angel, and they were out to stop the awakening of Micheal and his battle with their brother Luicfer? What's the point in making such elaborate prank, Aomine's brain cells are too few and functional to do this such grandiose prank. And the way Aomine reacted when he saw Kise being wheeled to the E.R. was too sincere to be just a joke.

Momoi couldn't be thankful enough that Kagami and his equally air of a head was there, somehow Aomine looked much better. Even if he didn't say it, Kagami was his best friend and that said despite those two hating each other's guts they somehow inspire the other to be better—feel better. "You two should tone it down, this is a hospital." She said to the two. Kagami muttered something in between the lines of it was AHOmine's fault or something and the other replied with a huff.

"Fuck you."

"No thank you I'd rather get laid outside the hospital and most especially not you."

"Mou!" Momoi exclaimed, "You two are so indecent!"

"It his fault!" the two said in unison.

…

"I told them not to close the door," he repeated staring at the darkness that engulfed his vision. "I told them my guardian angel may not be able to see or visist me if they did so." He remember the first night of his stay. He woke up in frantic, he cannot see anything—literally, he couldn't actually settle in describing it as darkness, there was just—nothing, and maybe the lack of appropriate description ended him up to settle for that word, dark. There was nothing, not light, no image, no hazy, no blur, just empty. He was sure he opened his eyes yet he couldn't see anything, he heard an unfamiliar voice and loud sirens, he felt being lifted and being carefully placed in a cushion before he felt as if he was being. Someone kept saying to him everything was alright but the first thing that clicked to him was, where was Kagami? He asked them and they said he will be alright. The next time he woke up, the same thing washed his vision. This time someone was there, he was sure as the sound of shuffling and footsteps assaulted his sensitive ears.

They explained to him how they were found. After the frightening Tokyo Tragedy, a rescue was sent all over the metro to seek anyone who was perhaps trapped after the earthquake and storm, they were lucky—as the rescue team said. It was cold and freezing the morning and Takao almost suffered I hypothermia of it weren't for Kagami's body heat. The doctor happened to be someone he knew from the medical school and was baffled by the fact that he was blind. Takao couldn't tell him the truth, the real reason behind the loss of his sight, he only said it was an accident just a few months ago, which rendered him unable to leave the Post Office. The doctor insisted to check up on Takao's eyes saying his talents will be wasted if his eyes will not be of use anymore, he said he'll find a way to restore them. But Takao knew better—it was impossible. Days passed, he wondered if Midorima and his brothers went back to heaven after successfully stopping the end of the world. Somehow he knew this was how things should have been, but for some reason as well, something painful swells in his chest whenever the thought crosses his mind.

Unfortunately, Kagami had slipped into a coma and Takao could only sympathize for the young man when he wakes up and learns the truth. He firmly believes the teenager will wake up, he just have that much faith on him, after all what he had showed him, all those courage and bravery by taking on this kind of things, staying in Kuroko's side despite all the complications. An admirable young man. Takao chuckled to himself as the thought pass, Kuroko and Kagami's relationship could be him and Midorima but then again, Midorima was far too uptight, and he was just…what was he again? Midorima had only called him names like imbecile, idiot, fool, very not romantic, unlike those two who seems like inseparable from the start. Before the day ended on his first night he heard from the doctor another set of patients came into the hospital, a blonde young man who had a severe head trauma and a broken rib, a tall purple haired guy who appeared bruised and had cuts, and lastly a young man with emerald green hair that had slight burns in his arms, all three were unconscious. The thought of a green haired young man scared Takao, could this young man be…

"Do you…know him Takao-san?"

"Yes. I…I know him, he is—"

Midorima Shinataro, the name slipped in his tongue like a fond way a man would say his former lover's name as he thought of the days they spent. The very next day he heard that Midorima woke up and identified the blonde young man and the purple haired guy who was with him. Takao being acquainted with the doctor attending him was able to persuade him into telling him further the details. Hesitantly the man did, the blonde was said to be Kise Ryouta and the purple haired guy as Murasakibara Atsushi, both were half-brothers of Midorima. But what made Takao surprised was the fact that Midorima was already admitted out the day he woke up, they said aside from the light burns were nothing serious so they let him out already to give room for the flooding of the patients.

"Did he…know I am here?"

"Now that you said it, he did asked if a patient named Takao Kazunari is admitted."

"What did you guys said?"

"We told him the truth."

And yet he never visited, or so said something. On the second night of Takao's stay he asked for the first time that ridiculous favour for his nurses, and like a miracle on that night as the nurse came to give him his vitamins he heard a familiar footsteps on the tiled floor. He didn't know how he became so fond of the weight of his feet against the floor, or how he knew it was him, but every single cell in his body said it was him. But he just stood there, the footsteps ended there a few feet away from the door and he never went further. He wondered why. And since then, Takao would sometimes hear that familiar sound walking close to his room and stopping close by but never inside his room, and he never said anything. He wondered what may be playing in his complicated mind that caused him not to say a word. Maybe he thought he didn't know. How stupid can he be, Takao had memorized him by now.

That day Miyaji and Ootsubo came by, he was surprised to be honest, the two came to cheer him up without of course deliberately saying things along those lines. Miyaji brought him a basketball, he held it in his fingertips, when he was in high school his eyes had been very helpful in the court, their team came close to the Winter Cup because of it. It was what brought them close to victory. But now…his eyes were just useless. But hearing those two spoke, he told himself that maybe, it was all worth it. As the two spoke he felt the familiar footsteps again, stopping extremely close to the door. When the two left, he wondered what may that man be thinking right now. Maybe right now he had find out what he did.

When Takao repeated those words, he knew he may not reply, the chances that him brushing it off is big. But this was what he meant by those words. He still did hope that he cares for him. He hoped in his heart that he felt the same way the raven haired doctor did. His eyes widen as he heard a noise, the footsteps came closer, and he knew by the echo of those sets of sound he had come step into his room. He swallowed a lump in his throat as he felt the tension in the air, he guessed it was due to his lack of eyesight that his other senses had become hypersensitive. He chuckled trying to lighten him up, he setteled the ball in his lap before he turned to where the sound came.

"Shin-chan." He said in his usual cheery demeanour.

He didn't spoke again, but this time Takao is sure more than anytime he ever was, this was his Shin-chan. It almost made him cry of happiness but he held back, there was something off about the taller male.

"Shin-chan, you're frowning again."

It was true, but Midorima couldn't help it, Takao was looking his way, but not to him, he couldn't even say he is looking. He can't see anymore. The thought crushed him to pieces. When he woke up he found Nijimura sitting nonchalantly in a seat next to his bed holding up a regent. He should have known that the idiot of a doctor would do anything, just everything to help him. It was stupid, it sounded very Takao-like.

"He gave me his eyesight in return for the information to stop apocalypse. Did you know how important his eyes were to him? The Hawk's Eyes were a very special sets of eyes, they could see in a wide range of field simultaneously, a very great tool for a doctor himself."

Takao gave up his precious eyes for him, for his family. For a moment he didn't understand but now he does, Takao is someone who easily gets attached to people. He cries over a death of a patient, he cries over the misery of people he hasn't even met. Takao was that kind of person, that was why he rather suffer than to make others do. That was the kind of human Takao was. It almost reminded him of Kise, he was sometimes too affected. It was also why he felt the extreme guilt. It wasn't Takao's fault though, if there was anything to blame it was his weakness. If he wasn't much of an idiot and coward to take risks, someone else shouldn't have to sacrifice himself for them. He stare at Takao's form, he look pale and thinner, he wondered if he was even eating properly.

How can he still smile, how can he still chuckle knowing the fact he can no longer see? How can he know him so well? Midorima wouldn't deny the fact that he was quite shock when Takao spoke and called his name. How did he know?

"Somehow, I have this feeling that tells me its you." Takao said as if answering the mental question Midorima has. "I know you visited me the second night I was here. I knew…it was you."

"Come on, don't frown like that Shin-chan."

Midorima felt like he had been hit and pushed against a hard wall, he knew all along. And he didn't say anything at all. He chose to wait until he would speak to him directly. Midorima honestly has no idea when will that time be, the time when he can finally tell him all those feelings seated deep in him. The guilt he had for all the things the doctor did and yet he couldn't repay. He felt slumping on the ground and mutter apologies to the human. He felt so little over him, over all the things he had done for them. He was so powerful yet he wasn't able to do a thing. And as if on impulse the words slipped in his tongue—

"I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?"

"Everything." He said a pain slowly swelling in his chest, "I'm sorry, for the pain I have caused you, for this ordeal, for this, for losing your eyes…this is—"

"Not your fault." Takao said finishing the sentence, "This is my decision."

"Its not something you should have done, this isn't what should have happened!" Midorima said running a hand through his hair, "Look at you, this…this isn't what I wanted."

"Things don't always happen the way we want it to," Takao said, "you should know this by now."

"No, no, I can't accept this." Midorima said. Takao almost gasped as he heard Midorima stepped back, was he leaving now? "I…I promised…I said I'd protect you."

"And you di—"

"No I did not! Stop trying to make me feel better about my self!" Midorima's voice louder this time, "I…I can't sleep every night thinking that you will live the rest of your life like this because of us. I could have been there, I should have stopped you in making that stupid deal, I should have done something. Takao do you understand how I feel? Do you have—"

"Do you?"

Midorima was silenced, he didn't quite understand what Takao meant.

"Do you?" he repeated the question, "Do you understand what I feel? Do you realize…how I felt?"

Midorima stared baffled by the sudden question.

"Do you…know how I felt when you left, and all there was left for me to do was wait? The feeling of being useless while the one you love is in there risking all he has for you? Shin-chan do you understand how I feel, I'd rather be blind than know you died with the rest of humanity. You're not the only one who left someone behind, your brothers as well."

"This is our problem."

"And how long will you think that way?" Takao said, "Shin-chan, you cannot live alone, your problem affects us, this isn't just your battle to win!"

"So you chose to sacrifice yourself?"

"Yes!" Takao exclaimed, "I am trying to be brave or anything like that, hell I'm supposed to be rational, I'm a damn freaking doctor, and I know should know I should have saved myself first, but you, Kagami, Kuroko as well, how can I just leave it like that? How can I just turn away and save myself when I thought of you guys? I've lost everything. I got nothing else to lose, but you guys came and you gave me something to fear to lose without my permission. I was scared that I'll lose the only thing I can call mine. Do you know that fear Shin-chan? The moment when you're so close to losing every single thing that you don't care anymore what happens to yourself just to save it?"

Midorima was silence, suddenly he remember Akashi. That desperation in those pair of rubies and without a second thought flying towards his death, the fear of losing everything, he saw them in his eyes that moment. Humans were so intricately beautiful, so complex yet so simple. That one thing they didn't learn in heaven, it was this. The basic emotion that made everything begin—love. He didn't understand why his father loved them, but right now he understand him now. How can one not love them at all?

"Aren't you angry at me?" Midorima asked as Takao calmed himself.

Takao shook his head, "Why, have you found someone else to love aside from me?" he said teasingly.

Midorima was surprised at the question, "Are you accusing me that I have exchanged you for someone else?"

.

.

.

Takao's eyes widen, did Midorima Shintarou accidentally admitted that he likes him? Takao raised a hand over his lips as he found heat spreading over his cheeks, he didn't know he'd say something like that, he thought he'd brush him off like usual but—he was sure Midorima was blushing as well knowing the tsundere of the guy was surely surprised he said those words as well. Takao chuckled nervously as he tried to fill his mind with other things aside from the loud beating of his heart, "I-I mean, uhm, w-why would I be angry to Shin-chan?" Takao asked cursing himself for stuttering.

"Of course, this was all due to my ppresence if only I have—"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence Shin-chan." Takao said taking a sigh, "If I was born again and have to meet you, I wouldn't mind, even if I would end up blind every time."

Midorima smiled, his Takao is back, that smartass comment yet somehow quite scandalously sweet. He walked closer to the bed, "How would you know it was me if you were blind?" he asked as he stood just a few inches away from Takao's bed, he bent a little watching as Takao's line of sight didn't change, he was really pale and it somehow made him frown, there was a small bruise as well almost near his bottom lip. If only he has his powers with him still he'd make those ugly things disappear, how dare they blemish his perfect existence? Midorima inwardly smirk as for the first time he found Takao blush, he could probably sense him closing the distance.

Takao wasn't sure if his senses were playing tricks on him but did he just felt Midorima inched closer? He could feel the familiar warmth close to him, and he could smell him, like that cool scent of the meadow after a light rain. Swallowing the lump in his throat Takao answered, "I…I'd know because i-its Shin-chan, I would know if its you instantly."

Takao's eyes went wide as saucers as he felt a warm hand brushing over his bangs, somehow his whole body was so sensitive for some reason, he could hear his heart pounding loudly, his palms were sweating and those taunting fingertips ghostly brushing over his skin. He cursed his eyes for the fact that he cannot see what kind of face Midorima has right then. Suddenly Takao forgot how to breath as he felt warm breath dangerously close to his face, he could feel it in his cheeks, and then a pair of strong arms wrapped around him protectively. He could feel the taller male's arms were slightly shaking for some reason.

"Shin-cha—"

"What am I gonna do to you?" he heard him whisper, "You just drive me crazy."