a/n= It has been a long ride, and this fanfic has come to an end.
First of all, I would like to apologize for the slow updates for the last three chapters because of college. I am so busy lately and I realize that writing Fanfiction is not all I do *glance at tumblr and doujins* so yeah you get what I mean. My projects in campus are one of them.
But putting the rant aside, I am grateful for all of you readers to support the story from beginning to end.
I would like to hear your opinions/ reviews for this last chapters...or even if I can make another epilogue or additional chapters about the other pairings in this story to milk this fic. :D
So here we go...
Reviews would be appreciated!
2 weeks later:
Men and women in black garments clustered in front of the wooden casket. As low murmurs and sobbing rumbled from the crowd, people came and went placing a bucket of lilies beside the mahogany coffin. Above the casket was a Takao's picture. Behind the photo frame, his dazzling grin radiated with sheer life.
Today was Takao's funeral ceremony. Somewhere within the crowd, Kise burrowed under Aomine's tight grasp and let out a dramatic gurgling cry. In spite of the mild protest, Aomine steeled his embrace and caressed Kise's blonde mane with a scowl. Standing beside the couple was Midorima. Head dipped down, nobody could tell the expression hidden behind Midorima's thick-frame glasses.
Kuroko and Akashi stood behind him.
Kuroko's eyes locked against Midorima's back. Pulling his lips into a thin line, the teal-haired male tried to detect an emotion from his four-eyed friend. However, a thick twinging substance clogged on his heart and clouded his judgement. Kuroko scoffed inwardly. Of course – he had no right to analyze Midorima's anguish; he possessed the similar sinking feeling lately.
Before Kuroko plunged into his self-loathing loop, warm fingers squeezed his palms. Kuroko's eyes widened and stared at the pair of crimson eyes beside him. Akashi smiled. The tousled hair male mouthed it's all right and offered Kuroko another grin before turning his attention towards the priest that had just arrived to deliver the memorial speech.
As the priest ranted biblical quotes and preached about Takao as if he had known the late boy, Kuroko couldn't help but scowl at the hypocrisy. Tugged by an uneasy feeling on his chest, the bluenet's eyes fleeted across the crowd. Takao's death was commemorated by his friends and colleagues, not his loved ones. Based on Midorima's story, Takao's family abandoned him and left him at his uncle's care. The bluenet gritted his teeth at the palpable adversity.
Life is unfair was the first thing came into Kuroko's mind. Akashi Seijuuro was gifted with a loving father who accepted his illness and prayed for his recovery in spite of harboring physical disorder himself. Then, there was Takao who was deserted by his loved ones. Kuroko cringed at the injustice treatment the world had placed upon Takao's shoulders. It's overwhelming.
The priest closed the speech with a biblical quote from Matthews, "Blessed are those who mourn…."
Hearing the statement, a face of a crimson-haired teen with a pair of heterochromatic eyes drifted into Kuroko's mind. Seijuuro's aggressive advances and kindness engulfed his chest with longing. As memories of Seijuuro rolled in his mind like a gray-scale movie, a whip interlaced around his heart, suffocating his chest with interminable ache.
Then suddenly, Kuroko felt warmth shrouded his fingertips. Intertwining their fingers together, Akashi planted a small peck above Kuroko's palm. With a reassuring gaze, he smiled at Kuroko.
"….For they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4." The priest ended the speech.
Kuroko smiled back at Akashi. Like a spell, the twinge on his chest abated, replaced with a new welcoming warmth.
"Thank you for coming, both of you," Midorima smiled thinly at Kuroko and Akashi. "I'm really glad that everything is going to be okay from now."
Kuroko reciprocated with a nod. "Yes, Midorima-kun. I hope Kazunari-san is going to be happy up there in heaven."
There was something sparking behind Midorima's eyes, but the four-eyed blinked so quickly and maintained his demeanor. "Yes, I think Takao is happy to be released from all his suffering. The same goes to Seijuuro, Kuroko."
Akashi's shoulders stiffened. Kuroko managed a smile. "Yes exactly Midorima-kun. I believe Seijuuro is somewhere out there drifting as a new soul."
Midorima smiled and headed towards the casket before bidding goodbye with the couple. As Midorima sprinted towards where his former lover's body was placed, Kuroko fixed his gaze on Midorima's back. Kuroko wondered the weight of clustered burden on Midorima's shoulders all this time, yet the green-haired male could smile and put up a strong front to inform the world he was okay. A warm unfurling feeling of admiration knotted around his heart, which reflected on Kuroko's gaze flashed with sheer respect towards his friend.
Suddenly, a familiar and nerve protruding voice dragged Kuroko from his trance.
"Kurokocchi!" Kise bolted towards the shorter male with arms stretched wide. Tears fountained from his eyes. "Kurokochhi! I can't believe Takaocchi has left us! I –"
"Shut the fuck up Kise!" Aomine snapped, pulling the back of Kise's shirt and halting him from reaching Kuroko. "Don't be noisy. We are in the funeral ceremony for goddamn sake."
"But the ceremony just ended!" Kise protested while sniffing.
Aomine heaved a sigh. "It would be disrespectful to Kazunari, you know."
Kuroko and Akashi stared at the couple with a similar deadpanned expression. Kise continued sobbing, but then Aomine stroke his hair and whispered a few words that washed the sadness in Kise's eyes in an instant. Kise flashed him a toothy grin. Aomine reciprocated him in the same manner. Witnessing this scene, Kuroko offered them a reassuring smile.
"I'm really happy for both of you."
Kuroko's statement snapped them both from their little word. Clearing his throat, Aomine first spoke. "There are lots of things we need to talk about, Tetsu. You know, like Teiko…then my disorder, and…"
Kuroko halted him with a wave of his hand. "Save the time for later. For now, please enjoy your time with Kise-kun. It would be nice if we leave this place and leave Midorima and Takao alone."
"I agree with Kuroko," Akashi commented. "I think we should leave them for their own privacy. Dead or alive, they are lovers after all."
Kise and Aomine traded peculiar glances and nodded. After having a quick exchange with the couple, Kuroko and Akashi bid their goodbyes. Kise and Aomine disappeared to the parking lot with another roundabout of argument. Kuroko sweat dropped. He wondered if their relationship would last.
"Shall we go now?" Akashi squeezed Kuroko's hands with a smile. "Where do you want to go next?"
Kuroko's gaze fell upon their interlaced fingers and blushed. "Umm…I'm fine anywhere. Let's get something to eat. I'm starving."
"Me too," Akashi agreed. "I already planned a reservation at the restaurant buffet nearby –"
Kuroko stifled a gasp, cutting Akashi from speaking. "We don't need to go anywhere fancy, Akashi-kun!"
Akashi huffed a breath and smiled wearily. "I'm not finished speaking Kuroko-kun. I said why don't we take a visit to Maji Burger to get your vanilla milkshake before heading to the buffet?"
Kuroko wanted to protest, but the mention of 'vanilla milkshake' churned his stomach. Pouting in embarrassment, Kuroko confided with Akashi's decision.
Tokyo Ritz Carlton Dining
With wide eyes threatened to pull off from his sockets, Kuroko's gaze fell upon the extravagant arrangement before him.
A huge platter of sizzling and juicy lamb leg was served before him. Kuroko's confused eyes flitted back and forth from the thick-creamy salmon soup to the fresh green-garden lobster salad and finally to the sparkling water inside the wine-glass. Kuroko blinked. Every food and beverage arranged on this dining table screamed luxury.
"Do you like it?" Akashi curled his fingers around the curvy glassware and took a sip.
"I-I thought you said it was going to be a buffet!" Kuroko protested. He frantically snapped his head back and forth, trying to find a row of silver trays leaned against the corner of the room. Lavish table arrangements and golden silverwares stared back at him. The atmosphere reminded Kuroko of those romantic lunch dates from cheesy box office movies.
Akashi furrowed his brow and noted. "Isn't this a buffet?"
"No, it's a lunch service," Kuroko said flatly. "And an expensive one."
Akashi's cheeks reddened and cleared his throat. "I-I see. My mistake, Kuroko."
"You live in a prestigious family, Akashi-kun," Kuroko remarked. "Aren't you supposed to be familiar with all of this?"
Akashi chuckled sheepishly and rubbed his temples. "Forgive me Kuroko. Food and Beverage or Event Service wasn't my favorite subject."
Kuroko raised a brow, intrigued. "So, your father required you to learn all these things?"
"Of course." Akashi planted the fork's jagged end on his lamb meat. "The Akashi family is required to learn all subjects from different backgrounds. Well personally, my favorite subject is Japanese Literature and history."
Kuroko mouthed an 'o' in response and carefully placed his fingers around the sinuous glass. "I see…so do you have a tutor to help you study the subjects you dislike?"
Akashi froze. He rolled his palms into a fist. "Well…I had a friend."
Kuroko stifled a gasp. His stomach roiled uneasily like the waves during the storm.
They knew who they were talking about.
As Kuroko hitched his breath, guilt spikes hammered on his ribcages. Memories of Seijuuro's last moments conjured on his mind in a myriad of gray-scale flashback. Deep down, Kuroko knew that his heart still belonged to Seijuuro, but the said man's soul had drifted away, leaving his physical form healthy and vigor with life. It was ironic. Kuroko fell in love with the thief instead of the owner of the beautiful vessel sitting before him. Before Kuroko realized it, a bead of tear escaped from his eyes, cascaded down to his cheeks.
He wasn't aware of Akashi's burning gaze.
On that day:
Seijuuro was gone.
Seijuuro was no longer inside Akashi's body.
Seijuuro was back as a lingering soul.
Seijuuro was free.
Seijuuro was lonely.
Kuroko let out a despairing scream, followed by the booming thunder from above.
Then, he heard another voice.
"Even if he is not here, will you stay with me?"
Kuroko looked down, and he met a pair of identical crimson-eyes.
They would never turn gold again.
On that day:
Reds met blue.
It wasn't gold or red – or even both – it was a pair of two identical ruby eyes. It was those crimson eyes that spellbind Kuroko into this compelling attraction.
The first time they met in Teiko as a vice captain and regular player.
The first time they met in Tokyo Psychological Clinic as patient and a doctor.
It was those exact eyes that lured Kuroko into a trap that had trapped his fate and tangled his life into a disarray of emotions and memory.
As Kuroko stared deeply into those red pools, raindrops pelted against his freezing shoulders. In spite of the blood curling atmosphere –grey, stormy sky above a field of marble stones – Kuroko saw nothing but those crimson pairs of eyes that would never turn gold again.
"Hey, Kuroko." Akashi's fingers gingerly reached out to touch Kuroko's cheeks. "Answer me. Will you still stay with me?"
Kuroko said nothing.
Thick mist filmed over his baby-blue eyes. His jaw half dropped. Scarcely, he caressed his shaky fingers all over Akashi's face, as if he was tracing the redhead's features for the first time.
"You should have never asked for his help."
Akashi blinked, his iris slanted. His lips trembled. "What?"
Kuroko dug his nails into Akashi's cheeks, forming a few chubby dents between the sides of his cheeks. He whispered while sniffing. "If you just have faith yourself, nothing of this would have ever happened."
Akashi's eyes flew wide in disbelief. Tears rolled down his cheeks, together with the pouring rain from the dark sky above. His heart stopped, clogged up by sheer betrayal and thickening ache that was too heavy for his chest to bear. Akashi couldn't believe it –Kuroko blamed him it for everything.
But it's not like Kuroko was far from the truth, though.
If only he was strong enough to cope his mother's death…
If only he was smart enough to dig the study materials into his little brain alone…
If only he didn't ask Seijuuro to take over his interpersonal problems…
If only…
If only he never met Seijuuro…
No…
If only…
He never called for help…
Then none of this would have ever happened.
"I always know I'm weaker than him." Akashi uttered a weak laugh. "Seijuuro could be vulgar sometimes, but he is kind at heart. Very kind indeed. He is stronger and better than me in every way."
Kuroko let out a half-heart chuckle. "I know right. But you're amazing in your own way, Akashi. Well, let's just say you guys complete each other."
Akashi sobbed at the statement. He slung his arms around Kuroko's neck and brushed his hair against the bluenet's shoulders.
"For Seijuuro's sake, let's start over," Akashi said. "Will you stay with me, Kuroko?"
Kuroko uttered a light laugh.
"It's not for Seijuuro's sake." Tears streamed down towards his chin. "It's because of meeting you that I fell in love, get it silly?"
Present Day:
After Akashi paid the bill to today's lunch, the couple strode towards the nearby bench on the street. They sat there in silence.
Ever since that day, Kuroko and Akashi never mentioned anything about Seijuuro. Even though deep down both of them had accepted Seijuuro's death, none of them knew how to melt the wall between them ever since the whole DID episode.
However, sitting together with Akashi and doing nothing was…comforting. At least that's what Kuroko had taught.
"By the way Kuroko, I think I know where to go next." Akashi sounded unusually upbeat than usual.
Kuroko looked at him peculiarly. "Hmm? Where?"
And for the first time in weeks, a genuine smile creased on the corners of Akashi's lips.
He blinked. "Let's finish where we left off."
To Kuroko's surprise, they visited the amusement park.
It was the location of the first date since Kuroko met Akashi as a psychologist.
Myriad shades of red bloomed on Kuroko's cheeks when he remembered their first gondola ride. "A-Akashi-kun! Are you serious?"
Akashi took Kuroko's hands and squeezed them together. "What are you talking about? Sei interrupted us time last time."
Panicked, Kuroko's eyes darted back and forth. He saw nothing but straight couples walking to and fro around the amusement park with smiles and interlocked fingers.
Gulping, Kuroko concluded. "There are couples everywhere, Akashi."
"So what? Are we not a couple, Kuroko-kun?" Akashi whispered seductively.
Kuroko pouted inwardly. As much as he hated to admit, it seemed like Akashi learned a thing or two from his soul-partner.
"Fine." Kuroko conceded, his cheeks deflated to a pout. "Where are we going first, Mr. Akashi?"
Akashi smirked and aimed his finger upwards. Nervously, Kuroko's eyes followed Akashi's outstretched hand. He flinched. His pulse quickened, and his hasty heartbeat thrummed underneath his chest. A rush of nostalgia gushed into Kuroko's brain and formed a smile on his lips.
Kuroko's eyes landed on the monumental Ferris wheel.
Kuroko sat opposite of Akashi. As the cart slowly ascended, Kuroko felt his stomach dropped and threatened to fill him with nausea, but in an instant, the marvelous view filling his visions halted that from happening.
"Isn't it beautiful?" Akashi inquired, his eyes fixed on the glass window. "Too bad it's too crowded today. Next time, we should come at night to get the place for ourselves."
Kuroko chuckled. "You don't have to. I'm fine like this."
Akashi's gaze slid towards the bluenet and smiled. "Well, if you're not feeling fine, just tell me. I'm here for you, Kuroko."
Kuroko's eyes dilated. A blush slowly crept towards his cheeks. "Y-You're so kind to me, Akashi-kun."
Akashi blinked, and to Kuroko's surprise, he broke into a fit of giggle. "My my, what a Deja Vu."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Kuroko asked Akashi, eyes wide.
"I remember you're saying the exact same thing when we are riding this thing," Akashi replied. "Before Sei interrupts."
As Kuroko processed Akashi's words, his mind reeled back when Seijuuro suddenly took over Akashi's body in this exact place. Kuroko expected his chest to ache, but instead his chest felt light. Reminiscing the memory felt like as if he was watching somebody else's life.
"Then answer me Tetsuya," Seijuuro grabbed his cheeks while smirking. "If you need to kill one person, which one would you kill? Would it be Akashi or Seijuuro?"
"By the way Kuroko." Akashi's sudden address pulled Kuroko from his trance. "Do you regret your decision?"
Kuroko pulled his lips to a frown. He knew what Akashi was addressing. "No, not at all."
"Why?"
Kuroko shifted uncomfortably on his seat and fiddled his fingers. But he smiled. "Because I make the right decision after all. Seijuuro wants you to be healed, yet on the other hand, you wanted to kill yourself. But in order to heal you, Seijuuro needs to be "killed"."
Akashi dipped his head down, muttering an apology. "I…"
"You don't have to feel guilty for it, Akashi-kun," Kuroko stated with a smile. "Everything has happened anyways. In fact, I think Seijuuro is happy with my decision…"
Akashi rubbed the bridge of his nose. "So kill Seijuuro and heal Akashi…huh."
Kuroko nodded. "Or the other way around. It works either way. Implicitly."
The couple shared a chuckle and grinned at each other. Suddenly, Kuroko blinked when he felt soft fingers grazed under his chin, and before he knew it, a pair of crimson eyes caught his baby blue eyes. Kuroko blushed at the close proximity.
"Akashi-kun…"
Akashi whispered. "I love you Kuroko. I love you so much."
With that, Akashi closed the distance between them and locked their lips.
Unlike Seijuuro's aggressive advances, Akashi's lips were soft and tender. Kuroko slipped his arms around Akashi's neck, trying to feel the light brushes underneath his bottom lip. Even though this vessel with ruby hair and eyes possessed two souls, the way they used their lips to stir desire in Kuroko was different in a good way. While Seijuuro's style screamed with fervor affection and lust, Akashi's style thrummed with tenderness and care.
And Kuroko loved both of them.
However, he knew the true answer from the bottom of his heart. He chuckled inwardly. It seemed like he could get used to the second one more. Because if you really loved the first one, you wouldn't even fell for the second.
"Akashi-kun."
"Hmm?"
"I love you too."
Akashi formed circles around Kuroko's back and smiled. "I know that, idiot."
The next day:
Kuroko woke up in his apartment with a loud bark beside him. He grimaced at the incessant barking and got up to his feet to silence his beloved pet.
"Oi Nigou," Kuroko rubbed the sleepiness of his eyes. "Keep it down. The neighbors are still sleeping."
However, the little husky didn't obey his master's wishes. Instead, he scuttled towards Kuroko's direction and barked louder. His baby blue eyes –like his master's – twinkled in delight.
Kuroko sighed and lifted the husky's body and cradled in between his arms. "What are you excited about early in the morning?"
Suddenly, Kuroko heard the bell to his apartment rung. Groaning, the bluenet stride towards the door and twisted the doorknob to open the door. The drowsiness in him dissolved away when he saw Akashi stood by the door…with an identical husky in hand.
"Akashi-kun. What are you doing here?"
Akashi shoved his husky to Kuroko's chest. "Kuroko, look! I found this husky in front of my mansion. Maybe he could be a good friend to Nigou."
Kuroko tried to study the given Husky. Suddenly, his eyes widened when his blue beads fell upon the husky's golden iris. Those eyes seemed familiar, and Kuroko couldn't help but let the warm feeling engulfed on his chest.
"See Kuroko? What kind of name should we give him?"
"Hmm…" Kuroko rubbed the husky's ears fondly and grinned. "Then, why not call him Sei?"
~Kill Me, Heal Me~
~THE END~
A/N= And that's it! I am looking forward to what you all think of the ending :3
Finally, thank you to all readers that have been supporting me since the first chapter. The reviews, followers, and favorites...I appreciate them all! I am sorry if my writing is not as great as other writers - English is not my first language but I'm serious of being a good writer. Additionally, sorry for all the tears I managed to put into your eyes *chop onions* but I'm glad if this story reached you and it has been a good escape for me from depressing reality XD
Special thanks to:
Rinfantasy: No matter what chapter I post, you will always be the first one who review my story...every single damn chapter. Thank you so much Rin for supporting my story from the beginning. Your fics are great too and I've been reading them.
ShinseiShiwa: Thank you for supporting my stories as well. I saw your name on the review sections for a few times and thank you so much for supporting this story! It has been a good ride!
ScarletAkichin: A friend I found in this trash hole call Fanfiction. 3
Kurogamine LightandShadow: Your name appears frequently in the review section. Thank you so much!
7blueHana: THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR LENGTHY REVIEWS! Your reviews are always my favorite and some of them even reached through me...Thank you so goddamn much!
Thank you readers for supporting this story! I was wondering if I should make an extra chapter of something for another epilogue, side character focus or just leave it as it is!
Reviews are appreciated!
Arigatoo Gozaimasu!
Otsukare Readers! May Akakuro soul live inside you ~!