Okay, so I just want to apologize in advance for any mistakes you may find. It's one in the morning here, and I don't have spellcheck, and yeah. -On another note, I'd just like to tell you all that you are amazing, and I love you, and that this story will probably only have around ten chapters. (I've got most of them written already, too :P) Butttt~ I am already planning a "sequel" so please stick around for that~ ^-^

Alright, I'm done for now 3

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Weeks passed by, and Aomine and Kise had managed to keep the two apart and still hang out with the both of them. It put a terrible strain on their mentality, but neither of them could bear to force their friends into that situation again. Of course, Kise still loved being around Kuroko, but Aomine had more trouble with Akashi. He was furious that his friend had been hurt by this man, and Akashi wasn't making it any easier. It was almost like he wanted to be hated.

One day, the three of them were watching a basketball game at Kise's place. Kise was very excited, of course, but the two other men were eerily quiet. This worried the blond, as he was well aware of how much both Akashi and Aomine loved basketball. Finally, he found the tension too much to handle. "Eh, I'll go make some tea," he said as he ran out of the room and to the kitchen.

The room was silent for a long moment before Akashi spoke, low and emotionless as he continued staring at the television screen. "How's Tetsuya?"

Aomine grimaced. "He's fine, no thanks to you. And he said not to call him that."

Akashi merely shrugged. "He's not here."

The bluenette clenched his fists, glaring openly at the redhead. "That doesn't matter, Akashi. You will respect him."

Akashi laughed, finally turning his cold red eyes to Aomine. "Are you going to make me?"

Kise had just finished pouring the tea when he'd heard a loud thump and the sound of something being broken. The blond rushed back into the room to find Akashi slumped against the wall, glaring up at Aomine as he stood towering above him. Beside the redhead lay a broken picture frame, the one he'd been thrown into.

"What the hell is going on?" Kise asked. Neither men made any move to answer, and Kise's patience began to wear thin. "Daiki, what happened?"

"He's a disrespectful brat, Ryouta."

Akashi laughed, "I'm disrespectful? You're the one that threw me into a wall for saying Tet~su~ya."

Aomine growled, his fists clenching at his sides. "And I'll do it again, you-"

"Enough!" Akashi and Aomine stared wide eyed at an obviously enraged Kise, a rare sight to see. "Why can't we all just get along? Fuck!"

Aomine sighed, releasing the tension he'd been building. "I'm sorry, Ryouta."

The blond shook his head. "Akashi, respect Kuroko's wishes. Daiki, don't touch him."

The redhead scoffed as he pulled himself to his feet, but he didn't say anything. Kise looked beween tthe two again before letting out a long, tired sigh.

"Forgive me," he said, "but I'll have to ask the two of you to leave. I need a nap."

Akashi simply walked out without a word, whilst Aomine planted a short, sweet kiss onto his blond's lips. "I'm sorry," he whispered, then he followed Akashi out.

XXXXXXXXXX

Aomine wasn't sure where Akashi had gone, but he didn't really care at all. He knew that if he saw him again that day there would be another quarrel. Part of him wanted to hint the thredhead down, whilst the other part wanted to obey Kise's orders. In the end, the bluenette found himself outside of Kuroko's apartment, knocking lightly on the door. He heard the yelp of a puppy and a few soft footsteps before the door opened to reveal a very unkempt Kuroko. Aomine stared at him, looking him up and down as he pushed his way through.

"You look terrible."

Kuroko laughed humorlessly. "Gee, thanks." But it was true.

Kuroko's eyes were dark and glazed, surrounded by dark circles. His hair was an utter mess, his skin paler than usual, and Aomine thought he looked significantly smaller.

"Oi, have you been eating?"

Kuroko shrugged, walking over to where Nigou sat on the floor, wagging his tail happily. The bluenette sunk beside the dog and scratched behind his ears. "I eat when I'm hungry," he said finally.

Aomine frowned as he followed him, sitting on the other side of Nigou. "And how often is that?"

"Eh... three or four times a week?"

"...Tetsu."

The smaller man looked up then, finally meeting Aomine's gaze. "I'm fine," he said simply.

Aomine laughed and shook his head. "No, you're not. When's the last time you slept? Or showered?" Kuroko was silent, and Aomine could tsee him trying to count the days in his head. He sighed.

"Is this about Akashi?"

Kuroko visibly flinched at the name, but his expression was incredulous. "As if! I would never let him get to me like that again!" Aomine cocked a brow, a knowing look in his eye. Kuroko sighed. "Fine. Yeah. I'm not handling it very well."

Aomine sighed again, his thoughts turning over one another as he tried to think of a way to help his friend. "You could stay with me if you want," he said finally. "I can make sure you eat and take care of yourself. And that you don't see him. "

He could see Kuroko thinking it over, but in the end he just shook his head. "Ryouta will want to visit, and more often than not, Akashi will follow."

The tan man's heart clenched, as did his fist, instinctively. "I'm so sorry, Tetsu."

Kuroko smiled softly, almost reassuringly. "It's fine, Aomine. I"m fine."

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Akashi had found his way to Murasakibara's apartment, and the two were lying on the giant's bed, staring at the ceiling. "Aka-chin, I'm hungry."

"You're always hungry."

"Yeah, but now I'm bored too."

Akashi sighed. "Atsushi," he said seriously, "what do you think of me?"

The purple headed man blinked a couple of times, seemingly in thought. "Well if you were a candy, I definitely wouldn't eat you."

"...What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're sour."

The redhead bolted upright, staring at the other man incredulously. "I am not!"

"Ne, you are, though. You're even here right now because of it."

"That was all Tetsuya's fault."

Murasakibara stared at him for a long while. "Why do you lie, Aka-chin?"

Akashi laughed. "What are you-"

"You know how you feel. Why are you trying to deny it?"

The redhead stared at him in shocked silence for what seemed like an eternity. Since when did Atsushi have a single mature thought?

"Now," he continued, interruping his thoughts, "let's get some snacks. Before I crush something."

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A couple of weeks had passed, and Aomine was still very worried for Kuroko. As the two sat at Maji Burger, Aomine eyed the smaller man up and down, analying his condtition.

"Oi, you've got to eat something."

Kuroko shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

Aomine frowned deeply. "I'm going to order you something anyway." Before Kuroko could protest, he was already up and halfway through his order. After a moment, he came back with six burgers and two vanilla milkshakes. He sat one burger on his side of the table and pushed everything else toward Kuroko. "Eat up."

Kuroko's eyes widened as he stared at Aomine, dumbfounded. He opened his mouth to ask how he was even supposed to eat this much when Aomine's phone began to ring. Sighing and grumbling under his breath, the larger man excused himself and stepped away to answer the call. Kuroko sighed heavily as he stared at the pile of food before him.

Meanwhile, AKashi, having been roped into following Murasakibara for the day, was currently walking past Maji Burger, when he noticed a shock of pastel blue hair through the window. He frowned as he noted the fragility of the boy, and the untouched food in front of him.

"Hey, Atsushi, you want a shake?"

The purple headed man almost ran inside at the thought, Akashi calmly following behind.

Once inside, he simply made his way over to where Kuroko sat. "Hm, are you really going to eat all of that, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko went from looking like a lifeless doll to resembling a serial killer about to snap. "Don't call me that. And what do you care if I eat it all?"

AKashi forced a seemingly amused smirk, watching as Kuroko began to shake lightly from his anger. "Well I just don't want you to over do yourself, you know? I mean, we all know that your body can hardly handle half of that. You poor, fragile thing~"

The two were locked in a silent staring contest of sudden death until Murasakibara sepped up beside them, slurping on his milkshake.

"Aka-chin, I'm bored. Let's go."

Akashi nodded. "See you around, Tetsuya~"

It wasn't until they were outside did Akashi's facade fall.

"Aka-chin, why did you do that?"

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Atsushi."

Aomine sighed as he was finally able to convince Satsuki that she didn't need to cook for Kuroko. The poor boy was already sick enough after all. The bluenette walked back to the table and stood in utter disbelief as he watched Kuroko down two burgers in forty seconds, not to mention half a milkshake. What the hell happened while he was gone?