Sorry for the late update! I was waiting for Oracleshadow to finish beta'ing chapter 8 when suddenly I lost contact with her... again.

This is very embarassing but this is still unbeta'ed so sorry for any grammar mistakes and typos. Hope you all could still enoy this chapter nontheless~

Edit : This chapter is already beta'ed by C.C Brittania

Chapter 9 :Their Contract –Red Truth-

"-shi... Akashi-kun..."

As if he were on a trance before, Akashi suddenly became aware of his surrounding. He then realized that Kuroko stood right in front of him. "Yes, what is it, Tetsuya?" He asked.

"What happened? I've been trying to gain your attention for a while, yet you didn't respond." Kuroko asked.

"No... It's nothing. What is it?"

"Ahh... we recieved another contact from Aomine-kun and Kise-kun. This time it's from Kise-kun, saying that they managed to catch our target's attention and that the target already took a liking to him. It requires a short-term part time job at a certain bar he didn't want to name." Kuroko reported.

"Bar he didn't want to name? Find out what bar it is from the next contact. If Ryouta already made a contact with the target, it would take him approximately two days to draw information from him and kill him."

"Yes." Kuroko said, nodding. It has been three days since Kuroko overheard Akashi's and Midorima's conversation in the library, yet he hasn't asked anything regarding that topic to Akashi, because he felt that the topic was not something he should know. Something he shouldn't touch. Seeing the air those two were in, choosing the library as the place of the conversation and the fact that there should have been only the two of them in that place...

"Tetsuya?" Akashi asked, effectively distracting Kuroko from his thought.

"Ah... Yes? What is it?"

Akashi eyed Kuroko for a few minutes, his eyes assesing Kuroko. "What are you thinking about?"

"I'm thinking about... you, of our contract." Kuroko said, careful not to say any lie. His answer was not a lie, but it wasn't specific either. "Akashi-kun, you look tired."

Noticing that Kuroko just changed the topic, Akashi raised one of his eyebrows. After looking at Kuroko's eyes for a few miutes, he ceased to continued with the initial topic. If Kuroko didn't want to talk about his thought, then Akashi wouldn't force him to talk.

"It's alright. The jobs were straining me." Akashi said.

"Your skin is paler." Kuroko pointed out.

"It's my skin's natural color."

"You're sweating."

"Sweating is normal. It felt very hot recently." He was lying, obviously.

"How can you lie to me?" Kuroko suddenly blurted out. Kuroko could see that Akashi was lying, and he was confused. How can he lie without breaking the contract?

Again, Akashi looked at Kuroko's face, before sighing "You heard our conversation in the library." Akashi stated. "Then you should have heard what Shintarou said at the end about our contract." Kuroko nodded.

"If one of you said a lie in that commanding voice, the 'should be unbreakable' contract would break, and the one that will die is the person who ensued that command." Kuroko recited perfectly.

"You have a great memorizing skill." Akashi praised. "But you didn't really pay attention to the words. He said if we used our commanding voice, right?"

"Yeah..." His voice trailed off as realization hit him. "I'm so stupid..." He muttered.

"No you're not. You are just not paying enough attention to those words' meaning." Akashi said as he stood up from his chair, walking to Kuroko. "The effect would only happen if we use our commanding voice. Normal voice doesn't count."

"I'm sorry..."

"For what? You didn't do anything wrong." Akashi said as he reached out his right hand and ruffled Kuroko's hair.

"For eavesdropping on your conversation, yet I didn't tell you..."

"It's also my fault for not telling you about that, so don't worry. Whenever you want to know anything you don't know yet or just want to clarify things, come to me. I'll tell you anything." Akashi reassured.

"Then, I want you to tell me why you've looked so empty for the past few days."

"Empty?" Akashi queried.

"Yeah. Sometimes, I noticed that even if you're here, you're not actually here. Like your soul left your body, leaving it lifeless. I don't know why, but I can't feel anything from you when you're in that condition." Kuroko explained. "For example, when I called you a few minutes ago, you didn't answer until I shook your body."

"Ah... I also don't know what happened. I kinda knew when I felt dazed, empty as you said it, but I didn't really pay attention to it. My consciouness kinda slipped away." Akashi said truthfully. "But I, more or less, know what's causing it."

"You know the reason?"

"It's just a speculation. After all, we're the third pair that has succeeded in doing this kind of soul-binding contract. There aren't many books that explain how to maintain it. In fact, I only read two books regarding this soul-binding contract and one of them was my grandfather's personal journal." Akashi explained.

"Then, the first contractor was your grandfather?"

"Yes, with my grandmother. It's written in the journal that they did it purely for testing how far the contract could reach and control their bodies."

"But your grandparents are already dead now." Kuroko said.

"Not long after they did the contract, grandmother-"

"Was attacked by ten hunters." Both Akashi and Kuroko said at the same time. "I'm sorry Akashi-kun, I didn't mean to remind you of unpleasant memories." Kuroko said, eyes downcast.

"It's alright. When the hunters attacked grandmother, at the same time, grandfather also felt being attacked. When she passed away, grandfather also passed away. They didn't live long enough to test all the contract's possibilities." Akashi said.

"Then, what is this speculation you came up with?"

"I need blood." Akashi stated and Kuroko stood dumbfounded.

"Well... you can just drink blood from those girls." Kuroko said, referring to the girls that became Kise's and Aomine's 'blood supplies'.

"I can't. I already tried but my body rejects their blood. Now, I think I can only drink your blood, the only person that shares my blood and this contract. I did say to let my blood became one with you after all." Akashi explained. "It meant that not only do you need my blood, I need yours also."

"So... you're saying that you have to drink my blood?"

"Yes. It's still a speculation though. I don't have any means to prove it." Akashi said. After Akashi was done talking, Kuroko started loosen his necktie and unbutton his dress-shirt. "Tetsuya, what are you doing?"

"I'm undressing." Kuroko said bluntly. He stopped at the third button, showing the pale skin of his chest, neck and shoulder. "You didn't hesitate to give me your blood, so I also won't hesitate to give mine. This is only fair."

"But I don't know if this speculation is right or not. Your blood is your power. You need it to summon the gods."

"I trust you, Akashi-kun." Kuroko said without hesitation. "I trust you with my life and power, just like you do to me." Kuroko said again, walking closer to Akashi. "This contract made us one, yet we're still not 'one' in physical terms." He said as he held Akashi's hand, before interwining it together. "Even now, I can feel you inside me. Your existence. Your life. So please, use me."

"You're talking as if you're a tool."

"I should be dead after all. It may be possible that the person that is standing here beside you is just a souless doll that only moved because you wished it to."

"Don't joke. If you can feel myself inside you, the same goes for me." Akashi said as he guided Kuroko's hand and placed it on his unbeating heart. "I can feel you. You're here, inside my unbeating heart. Your existence is right here, inside me. I can see your shadow behind my light."

Kuroko smiled at Akashi's words, heat spread to his cheek as he lowered his gaze. "Thank you Akashi-kun." He said as he finally let his eyes meet Akashi's. "You can drink my blood, Akashi-kun."

"Then, I will take you up on your offer." Akashi smiled. Kuroko only nodded then closed his eyes and tilted his head, exposing the nape of his neck. Akashi inched closer, leaning more to Kuroko's side. His hands wrapped around Kuroko's waist as he pulled him closer. On instinct, Akashi took a deep breath, taking Kuroko's scent before exhaling, tickling Kuroko's neck with his warm breath.

pAkashi proceeded to lick Kuroko's nape, around the area of the vein so that when it's bitten, it wouldn't hurt... much. Though Akashi himself doesn't know whether doing this will help or not. Kuroko visibly shuddered when Akashi's fangs grazed his skin, he felt himself clutching Akashi's shoulder through his dress shirt.

Akashi bit his neck slowly, his fangs punctured the skin, letting the blood in the vein flow out. Akashi then licked it, feeling no rejection from his body, he kept on lapping the blood until there was no more. He then sucked Kuroko's blood from the two small holes he made at the skin, drinking more of the blood as he let out a small growl.

Kuroko, on the other hand, started to feel lightheaded. Probably because the amount of blood Akashi took was too much, or the pain from Akashi's fang slowly becoming numb. Maybe because of the slightly ticklish feeling he felt when the other male licked his neck. It might be because of the soothing feeling when the cold air hit his rapidly heating flesh and warm blood. Or it might be a mixture of all of those feelings.

They couldn't think straight anymore. One lost his mind and drowned in the new feelings of pleasure and pain, while the other concentrated on not hurting the male in his arm. Both of their thoughts wandered to each other. They were filled with the thoughts of each other.

Thinking it was enough, Akashi retracted his fangs and licked the wound before kissing it tenderly. Kuroko also got back to his senses and exhaled the breath he didn't realize he was holding. Akashi then assessed his face, checking to see if there was any kind of discomfort that graced his face. Seeing none, Akashi caressed Kuroko's cheeks slowly and carefully.

"Thank you, Tetsuya." Akashi said as he brought his forhead together with Kuroko's. "It worked." He said in a low tone.

"That's great then. Another discovery for this soul-binding contract." Kuroko said as he closed his eyes, then sighed. Not minding the closeness they both shared.

"Are you tired?" Akashi asked, worry laced his voice. He began to stroke Kuroko's hair down to his neck, before repeating the same movement over and over again. Kuroko visibly relaxed under Akashi's movement.

"I'm a little drowsy." Kuroko said, leaning into the comforting touch.

"Then sleep. You're dismissed from the rest of your duties for today." Akashi said softly.

"That would be great." Kuroko said as he dozed off. "Please don't let me go, Akashi-kun..." Kuroko slurred, his head moved down to Akashi's shoulder as he leaned his weight completely on Akashi.

"I'll never let you go, Tetsuya." Were the last words Kuroko heard before he drifted off to the unknown land of peaceful slumber.

And Kuroko slept peacefully in Akashi's arm.

Piece of Information:

There is a difference in Kuroko's need for blood and Akashi's need for blood. Kuroko need Akashi's blood to slow down the darkness that could consume him when he uses too much of his Darkness Spell. He doesn't necessarily need to drink any blood to live as long as he doesn't use the Darkness Spell. However if he over-uses his summoning power, there will come a time when he needs to drink blood to live, as explained in the Chapter 2.

For Akashi, since he's a pure-blooded vampire, he needs blood to live. His body doesn't produce any blood, in return for gaining more power. A pure blood has power at least five times stronger than any other vampire. They have a more balanced power between their offensive and defensive spells, making them have a more stable mind.

The difference between Kuroko and the rest of the Akashi branch house/clan (In the past, they were called the Akashi Clan, but now, they're called the Akashi House.) is Kuroko's family affinity for dark magic. No vampire could do the dark magic except for Kuroko's because of the massive amount of the natural blood of Vampires inside their bodies. Even if they called themselves a half-blood, the vampire blood inside them more or less rivals the pure-blood. That's why they're able to do many strong spells.

Pureblood don't produce any blood, while half blood does. Kise and Aomine are half bloods but they need blood because their own blood cannot support their body anymore. Their power already broke pass the Limiter so their power became stronger, as a side effect, they need blood to live.

I think I didn't rush the relationship progress since they didn't do anything... yet. But all of you, reader, opinion will sure help me with this story~