Kagami sat in the hospital room, biting his nails as he stared through Kuroko's unconscious body. The doctors had told him Kuroko was no longer in danger, as they had successfully pumped his stomach and made sure he was fine. As soon as the bluenette woke up, he would be released rather quickly. But that wasn't the issue in Kagami's mind.

All he could think of was how he'd found him. He'd felt something in his gut the moment he woke up, having rushed over to the bluenette's house earlier than he'd planned. When he'd knocked on the door, loudly, four consecutive times, panic had set in. When he'd told the landlord he needed to get in that apartment because his friend was suicidal and unresponsive, he'd never truly expected that to be the case.

His mind replayed the scene over and over in his head, in vivid detail. The apartment had had a heavy atmosphere surrounding it, the only sound being the TV in the background. He'd stepped in slowly at first, afraid for what he might find, then he was running down the hall. Though it was only a few paces for the large man, it had seemed like an eternity before Kagami reached the bathroom, his heart stopping in his chest at the sight of his friend's unconscious body lying on the floor.

He vaguely remembered checking Kuroko's pulse, wiping the vomit from the corner of his mouth as he held him in his lap. He could almost remember calling out to the landlord, still standing dumbfounded in the doorway. But more than anything, he remembered the way Kuroko felt in his arms. Eerily still, barely breathing, his skin ice cold. He'd looked paler than ever before, his veins seeming to stretch out of his skin. Lifeless, weightless, and oh so cold.

The redhead shivered in his chair at the memory, still dancing in his head.

"Why did you do this, Kuroko?" he whispered, his voice raw from crying all morning. "Is living without him really so unbearable?"

XXX

When Midorima had rushed into Akashi's room with wide emerald eyes, the redhead had immediately given him his attention. Chiyoko, on the other hand, was not as kind, for she was in the middle of another screaming match with her fiancé.

"Seijuro! Hello! I'm still talking here!"

"Shh," Akashi demanded, crossing the room to Midorima. "What's wrong?"

"K-Kuroko," was all he managed to say before Chiyoko groaned loudly.

"Him again? What, did you tell Mr. Foureyes here to keep an eye on him or something?"

"As a matter of fact, I did. Shintaro, what is going on?"

The green haired boy choked on his own words, "H-hospital."

Akashi's crimson eyes widened to their fullest extent, and without missing a beat, he ran out the door.

"Seijuro! If you choose him over me, we are done!"

The redhead stopped only for a moment, turning a wickedly sinister smile toward the woman. "Good, get the fuck out of my house." And off he was again.

In hindsight, it probably would have been better to take the car, but the redhead was so preoccupied with the thought of his beloved laying up in a hospital bed, that the thought never occurred to him. He arrived at the hospital in record time, panting heavily as he made his way to the receptionist.

"I need to see Kuroko Tetsuya."

The woman's brows furrowed as she looked up the name. She frowned. "It says here that that patient is not allowed to have visitors, other than the man that brought him in."

Akashi groaned. "I'm his boyfriend, for fuck's sake!"

The receptionist flinched back into her chair, her eyes wide with fear. "W-What's your name, sir?"

"Akashi Seijuro."

And that was enough to let him through. As soon as the name passed through the woman's ears, she waved him on, hitting the button that would unlock the double doors separating the lobby from the main floor.

"Room 114!" she called after his retreating form.

When Akashi found the room, he didn't hesitate to barge in, his eyes already filled with tears. He was relieved to find Kuroko sitting up, awake, his big blue eyes wide with shock.

"A-Akashi?"

The redhead smiled, his tears overflowing as he wrapped the slightly smaller male in a tight embrace, still being careful not to hurt him. "I'm so sorry, Tetsuya," he whispered before pulling back. "What happened?"

Kuroko continued to simply blink up at him, still amazed that he was even here. Kagami sighed, bringing Akashi's attention to himself.

"Kuroko attempted suicide this morning."

Akashi's eyes widened, his tears momentarily ceasing at the new information. "W-what?" He turned his questioning gaze to the bluenette, still wrapped in his arms, but Kuroko was doing all he could to avoid his crimson eyes.

"He saw your interview, the one where you announced his birthday present."

Akashi flinched, not only at the taller man's words, but the venom that laced them. Though he did deserve it. He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That was her fucking idea. I mentioned what we'd planned for your birthday, and that was her solution."

"I kn-ow."

Both redheads became eerily still at the new voice. Kuroko's eyes were brimmed with tears, but now he was facing Akashi's gaze head on.

"S-she winked…"

Akashi felt his chest tighten, and he couldn't help but squeeze the bluenette to his chest again. "I'm so sorry. I had no idea any of this would happen."

Kuroko opened his mouth to reply, when the doctor came in, smiling lightly at the scene before him. "Oh, Kuroko, it seems your boyfriend really did arrive in time to see you off."

The bluenette's brows furrowed as he looked up at the redhead questioningly. Akashi smiled sheepishly, shrugging. "I might've told the receptionist I was your boyfriend, out of instinct…"

Kuroko blinked, looking back to the doctor, but his words were meant for Akashi. "Go back to your fiancé."

Akashi sighed, releasing Kuroko from his grasp. "There's no fiancé to go back to," he muttered.

That certainly got Kuroko's attention. His wide blue eyes stared at him intently, waiting for him to explain. The redhead's lips turned up in a nervous half smile as he scratched the back of his neck. "She told me if I came to see you, our arrangement was off."

Kagami butted in then, "And you said?"

"I told her to get the fuck out of my house."

Kuroko stared at Akashi for a long, painfully silent moment, before flinging himself into his arms. His arms wrapped around the other male's neck so tightly, Akashi could barely breathe, but he didn't dare move an inch, except to twist his own arms around the smaller man's body. He smiled softly to himself as he felt the bluenette's warm tears soak his chest.

Akashi kissed the mop of blue hair soothingly, rubbing calming circles in Kuroko's back. "I know I don't deserve it," Akashi whispered, his tears resurfacing, "but will you come back to me, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko's fists clenched around the redhead's shirt as he buried his face deeper into his chest. "I-idiot…" was all he mumbled, but Akashi understood. He had one more chance.

"I won't fuck up this time," he whispered, "I won't lose you again."

Quick note to the reviewer that said they wanted Kuroko to completely forget Akashi's existence: I actually thought about that. But, it's not quite where I wanted this to go. I hope you can forgive Akashi eventually, it'll take time for Kuroko as well.