Jesus christ, this took way too long to update. i'll be honest with you here, I almost gave this story up entirely because of the immense writer's block I've been experiencing. I just didn't know how to make up a new story every time for each unique character, so I needed to take some time off.

I am not, I refuse to abandon another story. I am not letting any reader down ever again. It may take months and maybe years to upload again but I am not abandoning it in any case.

For the time being, I think I'm going to make this drabble very short, only focusing on the supporting characters and maybe some who have had very questionable personalities. Tell me what you guys want to see next chapter, and I'll also update the poll on my profile

Hope you like this chapter and don't forget to review and tell me what you think :)

So, without further ado, here is the next chapter!


HEADS UP

1. This will completely ignore the time schemes. I'm going to upload the characters the order in which I want to write them at. So, for example, en chapter could be after the Winter Cup, and the next could be in the time when Seirin beat Kaijo at a practice match. I will put the time in which the chapter will be at, but I'm saying this now so you guys don't get confused.

2. It is highly likely that the characters, aka victims, will be out of character. One because the plot demands it, and two because I can't get out of my comfort zone to write really mean characters (cough cough Hanamiya, Haizaki etc). So, forgive me if I can't really write these types of characters well and let us hope that I will be able to write them better i the near future.

3. The portraits/paintings that I will mention in each chapter are pictures I found on the Internet. To give you guys a better perspective on the what the victims will be witnessing, I'll put the links up both at the end of the chapter and at my profile. Just remember to take away the spaces if you're too lazy to go click on my profile and find it there. There will sometimes be more than one painting the characters will witness. Also, in my profile, the links don't work if you click them, so you have to copy paste them, so heads up on that


Title: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Rating: T

Pairings: Himuro X Kagami (implied if you look really close but it's barely called a pairing here)

Time frame: After Kaijo VS Fukuda Sougo Match

Warning: none

Fifith Victim: Himuro Tatsuya


Himuro couldn't help but wince as he touched his abdomen, exactly where he was kicked by a horrible man named Haizaki Shougo, who merely sought violence for the sake of violence. After losing to Seirin and meeting Alex and eventually him, his basketball team urged him to go to the closest hospital from the stadium straight away. Murasakibara was about to follow him like a lost puppy when the coach had stopped him and told him to watch the match of Kaijo and Fukuda Sougo, to see what Kise was going to do and who would ultimately win.

The checkup took longer than he had expected. He was so sure it would have ended in mere minutes and he would still have time to see the outcome of the match. Then he realized he would never be able to make it, especially since the nurses took their time talking and flirting with him.

Himuro sighed, holding his head as a raving headache threatened to take over his body. The ladies would not stop, and as the gentleman he was, he couldn't just outright reject them. Now the smell of the perfume was everywhere and the checkup did absolutely nothing for him. His whole body still hurt, both from the street fight and the intense basketball battle, and all he wanted to do now was to go back to the hotel room and sleep it out.

He began calling Murasakibara. A lazy yet alert voice picked up. "Muro-chin? What took you so long?" The purple-haired basketball prodigy asked. They both decided not to speak about the punch during their time out. It was for the better.

Himuro put on a tired smile, though he knew Murasakibara wasn't there to see it. "The checkup took some time to finish up. I'm out of the hospital now, but I have no idea where to go." Himuro sighed, cursing inwardly on his terrible sense of direction. It was already bad enough that he could barely walk out the streets in LA without getting lost, but he was living in Japan now, and he lived in a dormitory, for crying out loud. There wasn't particularly any reason to get out of the neighborhood unless it was for trips like this.

"Ah, what should we do? We already left to our hotel rooms and I don't know if you can get any more taxis." Murasakibara answered, his question dragging lazily. Murasakibara was right; there were no more taxis to roam the area, and if there were, they would most certainly not go through this dilapidated area where he was at.

Himuro resisted the urge to scream. "What should we do? I barely know where I am right now." He said calmly, and while his face and tone was tranquil, he was secretly panicking inside. If there was one thing Himuro hated, it was having no idea what to do.

Then, "Muro-chin, which hospital did you go, anyways?"

Himuro scratched his head. "I just told the taxi driver to drive me to the nearest hospital. I think it was Chukyo Hospital. Why?"

There was a slight pause before Murasakibara started talking once more. "I think I know what you should do, Muro-chin. Do you see a small hill in front of you?"

Himuro looked carefully, the darkness shading most of his view. When he saw a small bump, he nodded. "Yeah, I do. I'm guessing I should go there?"

He heard some rustling, which he assumed were his grabbing another bag of chips. "Keep walking forward and there's going to a small alleyway to your left." Murasakibara said while munching on something. Himuro knew Murasakibara too well.

He started running to catch up with Murasakibara's instruction pace. He started forward and, as he ignored the pain in his abdomen, he found the small alleyway that the giant was talking about. It was suspicious, Himuro had to admit, but then again, when did dark, small, almost unseeable alleyways mean something good?

"Atsushi, I think I found the alleyway you're talking about. Exactly why am I going this way?"

"Trust me, Muro-chin. Take the alleyway and turn right when you get out."

"Why?" Himuro asked once more and Murasakibara gave him an annoyed grunt.

"Muro-chin, your questions are annoying." Murasakibara said and Himuro sighed, knowing better than to ask again. He slid his way through, carefully checking to see if there were any gangsters or bandits lying around, and he soon found himself walking in an empty street, void of anything except for a few flickering lights.

"Atsushi, I'm not imposing on your instructions in any way, but this seems very… suspicious to me." Himuro couldn't help but say and Murasakibara snorted.

"Imagine how we felt when we first went there." He replied, almost talking to himself, and Himuro raised an eyebrow. Was he talking about the rest of the Generation of Miracles? Nevertheless, he didn't question it and turned right, just like Murasakibara ordered.

It felt like he was walking aimlessly. "Where am I going?" He finally asked, exasperated.

"You're almost there, Muro-chin." Murasakibara answered vaguely and Himuro was extremely close to yelling at him to stop being so annoying (Murasakibara was starting to grow on him) when he finally saw it.

A giant mansion that was barely illuminated with the surrounding lights.

His jaw literally dropped. "Atsushi." He said, dumbfounded by the view.

"Yes, Muro-chin?" Murasakibara sounded annoyingly smug.

"What am I seeing right now exactly?"

"Are you seeing a really big house?"

Himuro nodded on the phone. "I do. What is this place? How did you know about it?"

"Press the doorbell. I'm sure he'll let you in if he knows you're hurt." Murasakibara then yawned. "I'm going to bed, Muro-chin. See you in the morning." And just like that, without any explanation of how he knew where this mansion was and who the owner of the house was, the phone clicked off.

Himuro cursed in a whisper as he put his phone back in his sports bag. Then, taking a deep breath, he rang the doorbell, anxiously waiting for a response.

"Hello?" An unfamiliar woman's voice answered and Himuro cleared his voice.

"Hello." He answered confidently. "I'm a bit lost and haven't the slightest idea where to go. Would you mind helping me?"

"Who is it?" Himuro heard a far away voice ask, which sounded very familiar to him, and the woman answered, "A person who says he's a bit lost." He could a hear a bit of rusting and whispering before the woman returned back to the inter phone. "May I ask who you are?"

"Himuro Tatsuya." He replied, a bit confused.

"Let him in." The familiar voice said and he could practically hear the woman nodding. The gates opened silently, ominously, and Himuro wondered if he was walking into a potential death trap. There was an enormous door waiting for him, and before he could knock on it, the door opened from the inside and out came a beautiful woman with a tightly wrapped bun, stance confident and slightly menacing.

She looked slightly surprised when she saw him. "You must be Himuro-san. Please, come in." She said, hiding her small blush that was forming on her cheeks. Himuro pretended not to notice as he entered carefully.

His breath was taken away as he was hit by the sight of the interior of the mansion. It was beautifully decorated, gold and white lacing together to make a serene mood. There were stairs, also laced with the same colors, that curved upward, and Himuro had the sudden urge to know what was up there.

"Hello, Himuro-san." The same voice from the inter phone said and Himuro scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. Who just…?

"Himuro-san?" He looked down to where the voice was and jumped in surprise, seeing Kuroko Tetsuya in the flesh.

"K-Kuroko-san?" Himuro asked in disbelief, and the boy in front of him looked unfazed by his reaction. Himuro should've known that he'd be used to it.

"What brings you to my home?" Kuroko asked politely and for a second, they were both silent, the words sinking in. Then,

"This is your home?" HImuro asked, his voice loud and completely unlike himself. To be honest, it was a perfectly normal reaction when one finds out that one of his rivals turns out to be extremely rich.

"It is." Kuroko answered simply, nodding once. His eyes then scanned Himuro and widened slightly. "Himuro-san, are you hurt?"

HImuro was taken back. "I am. How did you know?"

"Your clothes have a footprint on it. Did you get kicked?" Kuroko asked bluntly and Himuro laughed softly while the rubbing the back of his neck.

"It would seem so. Now, I'm sorry to impose, but I am a bit lost, so would you mind -"

"Nakashima-san, can you bring us the first aid kit?" He ordered and the woman who opened the door, Nakashima, bowed before leaving the room. Kuroko looked slightly uncomfortable with that that Himuro couldn't help but laugh a bit.

"Are you not used to people bowing to you like that?" He asked casually and Kuroko smiled slightly.

"I do not like it when people bow to me. I have done nothing to deserve it."

"You do technically own this house." Himuro pointed out.

"My father does. I am merely his son." Kuroko replied curtly and Nakashima soon came back with the first aid kit, which looked battered and old. They moved to a room that had a glass island with various chairs and a neatly made bed for some reason.

The three people sat down and Kuroko turned to Himuro with his swirling chair.

"Himuro-san, where did you get hurt?" Kuroko asked and while HImuro dreaded having another check up with a woman in the same room, he unconsciously touched his still stinging abdomen. Kuroko noticed and looked at him worryingly.

"Does it hurt badly?" He asked and Himuro shook his head with a smile.

"I've already gone to the hospital, so I don't need to have another -" Himuro yelped as Kuroko suddenly touched his stomach.

"Himuro-san, you are clearly not ok. Pardon my rudeness, but I must ask you to take off your jacket and shirt so that we can see the damage."

Himuro coughed uncomfortably, eyeing Nakashima, and she took the hint instantly.

"Tetsuya-sama, I'll be out for a moment. Can you take care of this yourself?" She asked politely and Kuroko, getting the hint as well, nodded.

"Of course, Nakashima-san. While you're out, would you mind getting the guest room ready?"

Nakashima gave Kuroko a caring smile. "I will be right on it." And with that, she left the room.

Kuroko turned to Himuro, giving him a questioning look which Himuro answered with a satisfied one.

"Sorry, I was feeling a bit uncomfortable." Himuro said awkwardly.

Kuroko shook his head. "It is understandable. Would you mind taking off your shirt now?" Himuro complied and a bruise that was still ripe and purple was exposed. Kuroko's eyebrows furrowed at the sight of it. Then, he took out a bottle and sprayed a generous amount of the solution to it.

Himuro gasped at the sudden coldness but soon started feeling better, more alleviated by the second. The pain seemed to disappear instantaneously.

"That is wonderful." Himuro said, his voice getting drowsy. "What is that?"

"Something for bruises. Of course, it will still hurt in the morning but until then, it will help with the pain. Do you feel better?"

"Absolutely marvelous. Thank you, Kuroko-san."

"It is my pleasure." Kuroko replied, and they both got out the room. "I am sure Nakashima-san has finished preparing the room, so let us go."

"Oh no, I don't need to -"

"Himuro-san, it is almost midnight. It is too dangerous to go out." Kuroko said and Himuro looked at the grandfather clock, the minute hand almost striking 12. Himuro sighed, and finally understood how Murasakibara knew where this place was. The Generation of Miracles must have been great friends in middle school. Of course, there would be a time when they would visit or at least find Kuroko's house. He was just surprised Murasakibara could remember the directions so well.

"Well then, please pardon my intrusion." He said and they started going up the stairs. Kuroko went first, as he knew the place, and Himuro saw a blotch of paint on the back of his shirt.

"Do you paint, Kuroko-san?" Himuro asked and Kuroko hesitated for a second.

"Ah, where did you get that conclusion, Himuro-san?" He asked as he turned around and Himuro pointed to the back of his shirt.

"There's some paint here." He answered and Kuroko looked at the blotch for a second before sighing.

"Another shirt to be washed, I suppose. Yes, I do paint when I have free time. I am actually working on a project that I must finish so I've been focusing on that lately. Of course, tomorrow we have the match with Kaijo, so I won't be able to do much, but I can squeeze in a few hours to keep working."

"So Kaijo did win, didn't it? It was to be expected. Kise-san is a Generation of Miracle, after all." Himuro said, regret and disappointment slightly covering his normal, poke face tone. Kuroko caught it but merely shrugged.

"It was a very close match."

"Was it really?" Himuro asked in surprise.

Kuroko nodded, and they finally reached the top of the staircase that now led to a large hallway. "Kise-kun was up against Haizaki-kun," Himuro hesitated slightly at the name, "and they never could get along with each other, even in middle school. They had very similar styles in basketball, but Kise-kun persevered." Kuroko's eyes hardened. "We are up against Kaijo tomorrow. We will win." Kuroko said, his voice filled with determination, and Himuro somehow knew that he and Seirin would win against them. It was a small probability but hey, they won against Yosen, didn't they? Himuro was sure Seirin could conquer anything.

Himuro smiled at Kuroko and they walked down the hallway silently but comfortably. Himuro couldn't help but admire the scenery bestowed upon him. The chandeliers that dangled and sparkled with the golden light, the colorful pots of flowers, especially the bouquets of water lilies, that prevented the hallways from being dull and dragged down, and finally, the various paintings that were hung on the walls. Himuro's breath was taken away once again, and a particular painting of a man with a cape carelessly slung over and a crown that was close to falling off his head pulled him in. It felt as though it was talking to him, telling him that he had been and would always be a fallen king.

"Kuroko-san, did you paint all of these?" He asked, eyes gazed towards that one painting. Kuroko stopped and turned around, nodding. "I did."

"They are beautiful. They just suck you in." Himuro said dazedly. Kuroko grabbed his wrist and pulled him, snapping Himuro out of his stupor.

"I apologize for being so rude, Himuro-san, but you must be tired and still hurt."

Himuro didn't listen to him. In fact, he wasn't thinking straight at all. "Do you think you can make that same effect with me as a model?" He asked bluntly, and immediately came back to his senses, covering his mouth in shock.

"I - What did I just say?" Himuro stuttered to himself, having no idea what just happened, and was about to apologize to Kuroko for his sudden imposition, when Kuroko nodded to his plan. Himuro's eyes widened confusion.

"Eh? Wait, really?" He asked and Kuroko nodded once more.

"I would actually love to, Himuro-san."

"But, you have one of your most important matches tomorrow, don't you?" Himuro pointed out, still wondering why he had asked such a silly question in the first place.

Kuroko shrugged. "A simple portrait will not take that much time. I will be ok." Kuroko brushed off and they started walking once more until they arrived at a simple door, which was unadorned unlike the other rooms.

"My room is a bit… messy. Please watch your step." Kuroko warned as he opened the door. Himuro was met with the epitome of an art studio. It was filled with newspapers, both old and new that were covered with splatters of paint, canvases spread out, paintbrushes and paint buckets scattered, and several finished paintings that hung on the wall. Himuro stepped in and immediately went to the canvases that held amazing portraits of various people, some he never met before and some he had.

The most eye-catching one was of his brother, Kagami Taiga, fist bumping a smaller drawn Kuroko Tetsuya. They were filled with sweat, but their expressions were determined and passionate. The water that flicked off them glistened, almost making them shine like main lights at a stage. The words Seirin blared in red and the black clashed with it harmoniously, furthering the impact.

The main point was their fist bump, surely the sign of an eternal bond being formed. It was so elegantly placed, and showed so much promise and hope that his heart secretly hurt. He remembered when he and Kagami had that kind of bond. He wondered if it was there at all anymore.

Himuro couldn't help but admire his brother, though he secretly hated him for being so talented at basketball. He couldn't help but loathe his talent, and at the same time, he was immensely proud. The expression Kagami had in the painting was not the first time he saw it. It was also there when they had played against each other, when they went all out in the Seirin-Yosen match. He had also seen it when they were in America, in LA, playing street ball with their friends in the scorching sun, caring for nothing but having fun.

He missed those days terribly.

"Himuro-san?" Kuroko's voice penetrated through is thoughts and Himuro turned around to see Kuroko sitting on a wooden chair in front of a white, empty canvas. "Are you ready?" He asked and Himuro walked over to him.

"I am."


"Did you draw that, Kuroko-san?" Himuro asked, trying to keep his face frozen. He glanced sideways at Kuroko and saw his intense concentration. Himuro decided not to question him while Kuroko was at work, but just when he figured Kuroko hadn't heard him, he answered.

"I did." Kuroko answered simply.

Himuro took it as a sign to keep going. "It is a lovely painting. It really portrays the bond you two have. The fist bump makes it all better. You truly are a well-matching pair." He complimented, also feeling something stab his heart.

Kuroko stayed silent for a moment, and Himuro focused on his pencil strokes. It looked careless but at the same time, completely in control.

"I believe it will never match the bond you two have had in the past. You are his brother, are you not?" Kuroko then said and Himuro shrugged.

"We were. But not anymore. You heard our promise in the match, didn't you? Since Taiga won, I have no right to call myself his big brother anymore." Himuro said, feeling immensely saddened for some reason. There was an inexplicable burden landing on his chest as he spoke those words. It felt as though he didn't really mean it.

Kuroko got the implication and gave him a pointed look. "Did you know that Kagami-kun went out to find you and talk to you about that?"

Himuro nodded, remembering when Kagami suddenly came to protect him. He would never admit it but at that moment, it felt as if Kagami were the bigger brother, protecting Himuro from the bad guys they had encountered many times back in LA.

"He still wants to be your little brother, HImuro-san." Kuroko stated and Himuro couldn't help but snort slightly at that.

"Really? Because it doesn't feel like that."

"How so?" Kurt asked, a simple yet profound question that made Himuro hesitate.

He never really delved deep into it. He thought about it. "I don't know. Maybe it's just the pride of being the older brother? I was the one who taught him basketball, you know?"

"Really?" Kuroko then asked, still focused on the portrait but listening intently as well.

Himuro smiled at the memory. "Yeah. Taiga was so socially awkward, especially since he had just moved and didn't know any English at the time. I saw him walking, asked him if he wanted to join me and my friends to a basketball match, and from then on, I taught him everything I knew about basketball. Then Alex came in and helped even further."

"It seems Kagami-kun has really been influenced by you, Himuro-san. Had you not approached him, he would have never played basketball."

The thought had never occurred to him before, Kagami not picking up a basketball. "I guess not." Himuro answered reluctantly.

"I can understand why Kagami-kun didn't want to lose you as an older brother. It was all because of you that he could develop this passion for basketball."

Himuro shrugged and then remembered to keep still. "I suppose so. But now, it seems Taiga is the older brother now." He confessed and sighed soon afterwards. Kuroko was still working on the portrait, now moving onto shading. "You're not going to paint?" He asked as Kuroko got up to sharpen his pencil.

Kuroko shook his head. "I believe that shading would suit you better, Himuro-san." Himuro respected the judgement and let Kuroko finish his work.

"Why do you believe that Kagami-kun has become the older brother? It seems Kagami-kun still relies on you the most."

"Well," Himuro started, "Taiga has grown so much. He's become into something that I can only aspire to be. He's passed me long ago, but I still hold onto the hope that I can still get there, still get to the level that Taiga has gone to." Himuro's eyes casted down as his words echoed back to him.

There it was. The confession he dreaded to say, out in the open.

Just as he was about close his eyes in misery, a flash of pink caught his eye and he narrowed his eyes to get a better view of it. It looked like a background of cheery blossoms, but there was a hint of skin as well. Curious and completely forgetting about Kuroko, he walked over to that flash of pink. He picked it up slowly and glanced at it once before seeing his own brother looking at him.

Himuro turned around, a surprised yet uncertain look flashing over him, and showed Kuroko the painting he found. Kuroko said nothing, merely letting Himuro become overcome by his struggling emotions.

"What is this?" Himuro said with much effort.

"It is a picture of Kagami-kun." Kuroko replied.

Himuro lost his temper. "I know it's Taiga! What I'm asking is what this painting is! What are you trying to portray?"

Kuroko was not fazed by the sudden outburst. Instead of answering his question, Kuroko replied with a question of his own. "What do you think it portrays?"

Himuro froze before looking back the painting, his eyes skimming over every detail he could catch. The clear blue sky, each painful detail of the cherry blossoms in the background, the ray of sunshine in a form of a basketball, and Kagami Taiga looking down, holding the ball on the top while another hand was on the bottom. Kagami looked almost ethereal, as if he were an angel bestowed upon them. It felt as if Kagami was a blessing to be given.

HImuro started smiling. "Taiga's gift of making people feel wanted." He finally answered, the terrible burden in his chest lifting slowly. A few drops of tears touched it, and Himuro quickly wiped them away.

Kuroko smiled and got off his stool to admire the painting with Himuro. "I painted this after our rematch with Aomine-kun. I had just realized how blessed I was to have met Kagami-kun. Had it not been for him, we never would have gotten this far."

"He really is something, isn't he?" Himuro mused, looking at Kagami's soft smile. He then looked at the hand at the bottom of the painting. "Is that you?" He pointed out and Kuroko shook his head.

"I had originally wanted that, but after a while, I could see not only myself but the rest of the team."

"So you left it ambiguous on purpose."

Kuroko nodded. "The hand is for anyone who has been touched by Kagami-kun's generosity and kindness. He has done so much for us, even if he does not know it."

"An angel's blessing, huh?" Himuro told himself softly. Kuroko still nodded and went back to his stool, finishing the final touches of Himuro's profile. The room was silent as Kuroko kept scratching the canvas with his various pencils and Himuro still gazing at the painting. Kuroko could really capture the depth of his subject.

He realized he couldn't stop crying.

Then, "Himuro-san?" Kuroko asked and Himuro turned away from him, wiping away more tears before presenting himself as best as possible.

"Yes?" He answered, voice hoarse. Kuroko gestured him to sit down, which he did, and he finally flipped the canvas over to show Himuro the portrait of himself.

Needless to say, he was breathless.


It was a few months after the end of the Winter Cup when Himuro stumbled upon Kuroko's house again. It really wasn't his fault, to be honest. He was lost again, though he adamantly refused to admit it.

Himuro sighed as combed his hand through his hair. Yosen was back in action, starting basketball practice once more and as the newly appointed captain, he needed to lead his team to victory. They decided to stay a week or so in Tokyo to get some good practice matches, mainly Seirin and the Generation of Miracles, and after settling into their regular hotel, Murasakibara came into his room groaning, telling him that he may or may not have eaten something rotten and needed to go to the hospital.

They went to Chukyo Hospital but with Murasakibara drowsy from the medicine he ate, he was in no way functional to help Himuro with directions. So, he had no choice but to rely on his own memory to find their way back. That backfired immediately because he ended up unconsciously coming back here, with Murasakibara leaning on his shoulder for support.

After his embarrassing moment with Kuroko a few months back, in which he was a crying mess in front of him, he wished to never relive it again by coming back here, but at the moment, he had no choice but to get some help because Murasakibara was close to crushing him to the ground.

He rang the doorbell with great difficulty and a familiar woman's voice answered.

"Yes? Who is this?"

"Himuro… Tatsuya." He managed to say as he hoisted Murasakibara up. Nakashima took a second to open the gates and Himuro had to literally pull Murasakibara to the door. Thankfully, there were servants working outside to help him and when he got to the door, it was already opened for him.

Nakashima greeted him with a kind smile, which he immediately returned.

"Hello, Nakashima-san."

"Hello to you, too, Himuro-kun. Tetsuya-sama has just woken up."

"Really? It's almost 4 in the afternoon." He commented in surprise. Nakashima shrugged.

"Apparently he stayed up all night to finish a painting." She answered vaguely, giving him a curious smile. A familiar figure walked down the stairs, and Himuro couldn't help but chuckle at Kuroko's teal-colored polka dotted pajamas. His hair was ungodly as they spiked in various directions that seemed impossible to achieve. Kuroko yawned as he rubbed his eye and took a moment to register the people in his house.

Then, he tilted his head. "Himuro-san? What a surprise." He said in his regular monotone voice. Himuro smiled. "You don't sound surprised at all, Kuroko-kun."

Kuroko shrugged and took a glance at a still drowsy Murasakibara. "I am surprised. This is how I normally react." Somehow, that was easy to believe.

"Hello, Murasakibara-kun." Kuroko then directed his attention to Murasakibara, who was hoisted by several butlers. The giant waved lazily.

"Heeeeey, Kuro-chin~" He answered sleepily. "Can I go to bed now?"

"Of course, we still have your room ready, just for you." Kuroko said with a smile and Murasakibara giggled like a five-year old kid. He clapped his hands eagerly.

"Yay~ Let's have another sleepover, Kuro-chin. I miss our sleepovers~"

"Maybe next time, Murasakibara-kun. Please take care of him." Kuroko bowed to the butlers, who looked extremely uncomfortable with that, and hurriedly dragged the purple-haired giant to his room.

"What happened to him? He seems drowsier than usual." Kuroko commented and Himuro shrugged.

"He got a bit sick eating rotten food."

Kuroko's eyes widened for a second. "Really? He's never gotten sick when he ate rotten food in middle school."

"Wait, are you saying Atsushi never got a stomachache before?"

Kuroko nodded his head in confirmation. "Not once in middle school, even when we advised him not to eat them."

Himuro shook his head in disbelief. "Atsushi is amazing."

"He is." A sudden lightbulb lit up above Kuroko's head. "Ah, this is a great opportunity. Himuro-san, would you mind coming to my room? There is something I must show you." Kuroko said and Himuro hesitated. Did he really want to go back to the place where he couldn't compose himself throughout the entire night?

Kuroko noticed the faltering human and smiled softly. "It won't be long."

Himuro couldn't say no to a face like that. He smiled back and they both started walking to the stairs. The black haired beauty remembered all the details that the hallways contained, though now, for some reason, the new paintings hung had more color and happiness to it.

"When did you change all these paintings?" He asked as they passed by a painting of two people holding hands and being surrounding by petals of cherry blossom flowers. If he remember correctly, that was the same place the fallen king had stood.

Kuroko shrugged. "I had some time to myself. I decided to change the mood up a bit."

"Do your parents mind?"

"My parents are rarely here to see it. Even if they did, they wouldn't care as much. They like my paintings." Himuro could see the happiness in Kuroko's eyes when the teal-haired student mentioned that.

The finally arrived to Kuroko's room, which was still unadorned as before, and opened it carefully, the newspaper rustling from behind. Himuro saw that it was still as messy as, if not more than, before. He stepped in, careful not to accidentally step on a random paintbrush on the ground, and followed Kuroko to the center of the room, which had nothing except piles of finished canvases.

Kuroko began searching, placing the trivial canvases beside the pile, making another one in the process. Halfway through, he stopped and grabbed the chosen canvas. He looked at Himuro expectantly and Himuro remembered when Kuroko gave him the portrait he had done of him the next morning, right after they both fell asleep from comforting Himuro. He'd rather not talk about that moment, his lowest point.

"This is for you. I hope you like it." Kuroko said as he handed the canvas to Himuro. For a moment, he refused to look down, and mentally prepared himself for the worst. He was not going to be the emotional wreck he was like last time.

He took a deep breath and look down. Immediately, he gasped and almost lost his grip on the painting. He looked at Kuroko in shock and disbelief and once more looked back to the painting.

"H-how?" He could barely whisper and Kuroko gave him a small smile.

"I asked Kagami-kun on his experiences in America once and he showed him a picture that Alex-san had taken while you two were playing. I could barely stop myself from drawing as soon as I started."

Himuro kept looking at the painted canvas, the two boys smiling happily at each other, their rings gleaming against a clear blue sky. The younger versions of themselves gazed at each other attentively, just waiting for the chance to make another basket, and their rings were swinging to the rhythm of their body movements. They seemed happy, completely oblivious to the future that lied ahead, and they looked as if they hadn't a care in the world.

Himuro hated himself for still crying even after mentally preparing himself.

Before he knew it, he hugged Kuroko tightly, his hand still gripped on the painting, and buried his head against Kuroko's shoulder to hide the tears that were trailing down his cheek.

"I don't know why you did this, even though I've done nothing for you, but thank you so much." Himuro said, his voice muffled but still extremely clear to hear.

Kuroko returned the hug. "What do you mean you have done nothing? Understanding my sorrows and happiness is gift enough." And that was when Himuro realized how much pain Kuroko had gone through to be the person he was today.


So how was it? Good, bad, meh? Tell me in the reviews!

Kagami X Kuroko: 2 . bp . blogspot -qpc6jel1oaU / UmX6iTgsbEI / AAAAAAAAKRQ / f7evm-7cu5A / s2560 / kuroko . no . basket . tetsuya . kuroko . kagami . taiga . playing . basketball . wallpaper404 . com . 1440x900 . jpg

Kagami Taiga: static . zerochan Kagami . Taiga . full . 1540801 . jpg

Himuro X Kagami: images6 . fanpop image / photos / 35700000 / - KnB-Kagami - Himuro-kuroko-no-basuke - 35755413 - 600-519 . jpg

Just a little heads up: I won't be uploading much for my other stories because I've recently been focusing on this one completely new story that I just need to finish. It is something that I really want it to turn out well and I won't be posting it until I am done writing it. Please await it and understand the situation I'm in.

Tell me who you'd like to see be the sixth victim and I'll try my best to think of a good scenario :)

Peace,

FlyAndDontLookBack