Day 8: Rebirths and Majestic Tattoos

Summary: Akashi has returned after a year of studying abroad. He tells Kuroko that he has a surprise for him but he can't show him the surprise until that evening, leading Kuroko to the question of what is this surprise that Akashi is hiding from him?

"Kuroko, I have a surprise for you, but I can't show it to you until tonight."

This was the first thing Akashi told Kuroko the second they returned home from the airport. The couple hadn't seen each other for an entire year because Akashi was studying abroad in the United Kingdom. It sparked Kuroko's curiosity. Akashi had just returned home after an entire year and has a surprise for him. That could be anything from a ridiculously expensive souvenir, an autograph from someone in the royal family, anything really.

One thing that always bothered Kuroko yet he couldn't help was how his curiosity always got the better of him. Even after Akashi told him that he couldn't see the surprise yet, he continued questioning Akashi as to what that surprise was.

"Can I guess what it is?" Kuroko asked, watching as Akashi unzipped one of his suitcases.

"If you insist. However I can assure you that you won't guess it correctly," he merely replied nonchalantly, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Was that a challenge? "I think I can figure it out, Akashi-kun."

Akashi turned towards his significant other, crimson eyes peering in interest, a smirk forming across his face. "Try me, Kuroko."

"You got an autograph from the Queen," he guessed, maintaining eye contact with Akashi.

His smirk only grew. Shaking his head, Akashi replied; "Nope."

Eyebrows furrowing, Kuroko guessed again. "An autograph from Prince Charles."

"No."

"…an autograph from Prince Harry?"

"It's not an autograph, Kuroko," Akashi stated, grabbing a pile of clothes from the suitcase and carried them into another room, frustrating Kuroko. Normally Kuroko was more patient than this, but he hasn't seen his lover in over a year and he wants to hear everything that's happened in the United Kingdom since they last seen each other, especially what the heck that surprise is!

However, Akashi would be busy for the rest of the afternoon unpacking and getting situated into their home again, forcing Kuroko to play the waiting game until evening.

Throughout the entire rest of the afternoon, Kuroko couldn't help but fidget from curiosity and anticipation on what Akashi had waiting for him. He attempted to take his mind off of it by helping Akashi unpack, making themselves a quick dinner, and even watching television but nothing truly helped distract him for more than a few minutes. He bit back any attempts to guess what the surprise was; he already asked Akashi about souvenirs and listed pretty much every kind of knick-knack and gimmick that one would usually buy as a souvenir as a guess but Akashi denied each one. This left Kuroko stumped and frustrated, even going so far as to say that Akashi was lying, but he knew that he wasn't. Akashi was too honest of a man to ever lie to Kuroko and if he did lie to him, it was for good reason such as a surprise party or something like that. And this wasn't a surprise party. It was just a surprise period. Seriously though, what the heck was Akashi hiding!?

After powering through the longest afternoon one could possibly imagine, the sun had set and evening had finally arrived, Kuroko breathing a sigh of relief when he peered at the glimmering stars of the night sky. He had just finished watching a 2 hour long movie to pass the time and distract him from thinking about the surprise.

Turning off the television, Kuroko exited the living room and walked towards his and Akashi's shared bedroom, complete with expensive drawers, nightstands and one king-sized bed. His lover laid on said king-sized bed, wearing rather inexpensive red flannel pajamas that Kuroko had bought for him as a present. He was laying on his stomach, adjusting one of the fluffy pillows adorned on the bed. Kuroko smiled at the sight. It had been so long since he had shared that large bed with Akashi. Those lonely nights were a thing of the past.

But then Kuroko remembered the surprise. And it seems that Akashi hadn't forgotten either.

"Kuroko, its evening," he stated matter-of-factly, focusing his attention on the pillow and not at Kuroko.

"Yes it is, Akashi-kun," he replied, his voice not giving away any evidence of anticipation.

"Would you like me to show you the surprise that I mentioned earlier?"

Kuroko wanted to scream 'of course I want to see it, Akashi-kun. Show me the fucking surprise already!' However, Kuroko was way too reserved and polite to ever do that so he resorted to only doing that in his head instead.

His outward reply, was more reserved but he couldn't help his anticipation. "Of course, Akashi-kun."

"Ah, then I'll show you," Akashi stood up and turned towards Kuroko, his crimson orbs peering directly at Kuroko's sky blue ones. His hand makes a gesture for Kuroko to come closer, to which his lover obliges, kneeling on the bed and maintaining eye contact with Akashi.

He smiles lovingly, not saying a word to Kuroko before turning around so that his back was towards him. Kuroko gave him a questioning look, one that Akashi couldn't see since his back was turned but as Kuroko looked closer, he noticed Akashi's arms move and his shirt begin to ruffle. Was Akashi taking his shirt off? He wondered why he would do that when he's supposed to show him his surprise.

"Akashi-kun, are you taking your shirt off?" Kuroko asked, even though he was pretty sure that the answer was yes.

"I am," a simple reply as he continued his ministrations.

"Why?"

"Well it's been a long time since you've seen me shirtless hasn't it, Kuroko?" he asked in a tone in-between sly and seductive. Kuroko had to give him that and he did miss seeing his lover shirtless everyday but he's seen this way too many times to count. Unless this was the surprise.

As Akashi finished unbuttoning the last button of his flannel shirt, Kuroko asked one last question.

"Did you gain muscle mass or something? Is that the surprise?"

Akashi laughed softly and replied in an amused tone, "I did put on a little muscle to be honest, but that's not what I'm showing you. This is what I wanted to show you, Kuroko."

And with that, Akashi stripped himself of his shirt, letting it fall onto the bed, exposing his back to Kuroko. Kuroko's eyes widened in shock at the sight of his back. What he's witnessing was something that he did not expect to see, especially from his lover. But the sight of it all was just breathtaking and Kuroko was in awe.

His lover, Akashi Seijūrō, had gotten a tattoo on his back.

The tattoo itself that covered the entirety of his back was that of a majestic phoenix. Gorgeous vibrant colors of fiery red and orange covered his back in a flurry of feathers. One wing covered most of the upper left side of his back, adorned in orange-red primary and secondary feathers. Its primary coverts contrasted to the flame colored primaries and secondaries in a sheen iridescent lilac. The edges of that stunning wing stretched all the way to Akashi's mid-back. The opposite wing, barely visible showed the same beautiful colored feathers but only traced the upper right side of Akashi's back. In his mid-back carried the head of the majestic bird. An open golden beak and flame colored head, the bird showed cream eyes with no pupils, a look of wisdom and profound knowledge. Past its head, the phoenix adorned a striking golden crest that waved across its body like flames, riveting across the bird's neck and past its wings like the bird itself was on fire, located right below the back of Akashi's neck. Down to Akashi's lower back were the 3 large tail feathers of the phoenix. Steaks of persimmon covered the feather's plumage. The eye of the feathers matched that of the phoenix's eye and primary coverts in cream and lilac.

Overall, it was a tattoo of the utmost beauty and majesty that fit Akashi to a tee, and Kuroko couldn't be in more awe of its beauty.

"Akashi-kun, it's beautiful…"Kuroko mentioned softly, his desire to touch the striking tattoo growing stronger by the second.

"Ah, I'm glad you like it. You may touch it if you'd like," Akashi replied, his voice like silk and his back completely still. With that permission being granted, Kuroko took a shaky hand and placed it on the tattoo, right next to the phoenix's head. He stroked the head, his hand then tracing the bird's body, stoking the crest of flames and petting the bird's majestic wings, as if the phoenix was actually a bona fide bird and not a piece of eternal art on his lover's back. Hands temporarily moving to the other wings, they delicately moved to the tail feathers, stroking them gently like precious jewels, baby blue eyes mesmerized the beauty of their strikingly bright colors and detail. He barely registered the goosebumps that had emerged on Akashi's back from his delicate touch. Kuroko was filled with so much wonderment that he almost forgot that this tattoo wasn't just an empowering painting but rather a piece of eternal art and craftsmanship, handmade by an artist and forever sculpted onto Akashi's skin. He will forever carry this stunning image of the majestic phoenix on his back, a living work of art and Kuroko knew he would forever be amazed by its beauty.

"Akashi-kun, why?" Kuroko needed to know the reasoning for why Akashi would forever paint his back in an eternal tattoo. What drove him to this decision and nonetheless keep it from Kuroko.

Akashi in turn turned around, hiding the image of the tattoo from Kuroko's view but replacing it with his handsome fiery crimson locks and matching eyes. He placed a hand on Kuroko's cheek, stroking it softly, a smile adorned his face.

"Do you know of the symbolism behind the phoenix? It represents rebirth. I as a man have changed so much since our years at Teikou and my time at Rakuzan. I'm not the same cold, lonely and victory-complied and pressured man burdened of the responsibility of maintaining excellence in all aspects of life, pressured to master task upon task to keep up the name of the Akashi household. I once was the bearer of the responsibility of being heir to the esteemed Akashi Corporation and a duty to be perfect in every way,"

"Though I was trained since birth to be that man, I am not truly that man, anymore. You were the one to help me realize that, Kuroko. That's why I left everything, my responsibilities, my position as heir, my home and soon, even my name as an Akashi will be forever gone. I've been reborn as an entirely new person, with my own goals and aspirations that I desire to achieve, no longer being forced a future I don't desire against my own will, I'm free to live my life in a new home, with the one that I love in peace and prosperity,"

"That's why I got the tattoo, Kuroko. The phoenix symbolizes how I've been reborn as an individual and have broken free of the chains wrapped around me by my father for so many years. It's my freedom, my rebirth as a work of art that will forever be marked on my skin."

Akashi's response was beyond anything Kuroko expected. The yearning to be free, to be reborn anew, it was exactly who Akashi was and now that Kuroko knew that, the tattoo fit him much more than he could ever imagine. Kuroko smiled at the thought, nuzzling into Akashi's hand and planning a gentle kiss on the palm.

"You're right, Akashi-kun. I couldn't have said it better myself," Kuroko replied, not really sure what else to say, if he could even say anything that would match the tone of what Akashi had just told him. But that could come later, just for the moment, Kuroko just wanted to sleep while being held in Akashi's arms for the 1st time in a year. The yawn that occurred shortly afterwards was enough proof of that.

Akashi smile, leaning forward and planted a soft kiss on Kuroko's lips.

"Why don't we get some rest? We can talk about whatever we want in the morning, okay?"

Kuroko nodded, yawning for a second time. Akashi was about to grab his flannel shirt but Kuroko eyes widened at the realization and retaliated by grabbing Akashi's wrist. Akashi gazed at Kuroko with a hint of confusion on his face.

"Please keep your shirt off. Just for tonight," Kuroko murmured, admittedly desiring not for Akashi to cover up.

Akashi smiled and nodded. "Alright, I'll leave the shirt off. Just for you, my love," Akashi replied, tossing the flannel shirt across the room, not caring where it landed. Kuroko removed his grip on Akashi's wrist and the two of them both got under the warm covers of their bed. Akashi wrapped his arms around Kuroko's waist while Kuroko snuggled into Akashi's toned chest, placing an arm around Akashi's back, fingers stroking the tattooed skin lovingly.

"Good night, Akashi-kun. I missed you," Kuroko mumbled, mind slowly clouding over by sleep.

"I missed you too, Kuroko. Sweet dreams, my love," Akashi whispered, kissing Kuroko on top of the head before dozing off into dreamland.

Notes: Comments, Reviews and Feedback is appreciated and welcomed! :)

Also you can go to this link for the inspiration for the tattoo :) .