Day 27: Writer's Block and a Lover's Advice

Summary: Novelist Kuroko Tetsuya is suffering from one of the worst things that happens to writers: writer's block!

Kuroko had no idea what happened. Just an hour ago, he was typing furiously at the keyboard, the words pouring out of him like a cascade, creating an imaginary scenario out of nothing but pure imagination. But then suddenly, there was nothing.

His mind became empty, the ideas seemingly escaping his mind and new one's no longer being conjured. At first, the writer was confused. He thought that he had loads of ideas that he could just pick from in order to get his story going. However, nothing worked, the beat that was pumping out ideas suddenly flat lined.

Kuroko is suffering from writer's block.

He sighed in defeat and frustration. Why did it have to be now? Kuroko only has 4 more chapters left until he's completed his 30 chapter novel, he's nearing the climax and his mind has just…run out of ideas. It's true that he's done some pre-writing and brainstorming before writing the novel, however with the way that the story is progressing, he just doesn't know how he's going to initiate the climax to his story. Not to mention that he has a deadline that was fast-approaching.

He took a sip of the tea that was sitting on his desk. Not even the calming taste of chamomile tea could soothe his mind into slipping from this dreaded writer's block.

The normally relaxing music that escaped his speakers irked him, no longer fueling his typing but rather inhibiting his ability to think of an idea to implant in his writer. Annoyed, Kuroko turned off the speakers, the room once filled with soft, relaxing violin music now replaced by thickened silence.

This wasn't helping. Nothing was helping at all. Kuroko knew that he had to come up with something, anything in order to make the words flow once again. But nothing came to mind. He was stumped, frustrated, and only wished that someone or something could help from get out of this predicament.

"Kuroko."

Kuroko blinked in surprise, turning around to see his lover, Akashi Seijūrō standing in the door corridor.

"Akashi-kun, you're home early," he replied, expecting Akashi to still be at the gym. His lover usually went to the gym during this hour. Honestly, Kuroko wasn't expecting him for another 2 hours so he couldn't help but be a little surprised at seeing his significant other home so early.

"The gym closed early today. Anyways, I heard you sighing from the other room. Is there something wrong with your novel?" he asked, taking a few steps closer before grabbing the back of Kuroko's chair with one hand and leaning forward to skim at Kuroko's ongoing manuscript.

Kuroko could only frown. He didn't want to be reminded of his frustrating predicament. However, he had no reason not to tell Akashi about it.

"The novel is fine, I'm just suffering from writer's block, that's all."

"Ah, I see," Akashi pondered, eyes darting back and forth as he read Kuroko's manuscript. Kuroko merely sat there in silence, not really sure what to do. His body fidgeted with impatience, his mind yearning for many things to happen: an idea to conjure up, for Akashi to say something, anything of relevance to fix this problem and for time to slow down. He didn't need this. He was doing so well, meeting all of his deadlines, whether they be a few hours early or having less than 50 minutes to spare, he's always made every deadline without fail. Now with this writer's block, and the fact that his one salvation, the redhead wasn't saying a peep at him admittedly bothered the writer.

However, one of his wishes was finally granted when Akashi opened his mouth.

"Your manuscript is really good. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself,"

That comment confused the writer. He wasn't being hard on himself. Or at least he didn't think he was.

"You're forcing yourself to come up with an idea that in reality, it's pushing away possible ideas from occurring. Ideas come naturally, on a whim, they aren't meant to be forced upon," Akashi continued thoughtfully.

"So you're saying that by being too hard on myself to come up with an idea that I'm only making the writer's block worse?' Kuroko questioned, needing clarification. He's always known the redhead to be a good teacher and amazing at explaining situations, however sometimes just for Kuroko's benefit, he needs to have that clarification just so that he gets the point.

Akashi nodded in response, his gaze flickering towards Kuroko's workspace. He placed a hand on his desk, almost admiring it.

"If I may add, writer's block can be actually be treated by lots of things."

Kuroko glanced back at his significant other, blinking in surprise. It's true that Akashi told him about what the writer could do to treat the writer's block, but not necessarily more than one.

Kuroko smiled, playfully gesturing his hands in a continuing motion.

"Please do go on, Akashi-kun," the writer requested. Even though the threat of the deadline drew nearer and nearer with each passing second, the light-hearted side of him desired to remain optimistic, intending to listen attentively to his lover's advice.

Akashi smiled at the sudden playfulness and obliging in Kuroko's request. "You're doing a good job at maintaining a deadline and making sure that you stay on time. That's good as it helps you focus more on the writing assignment at hand.

"Sometimes a change in your writing space can help too. It doesn't necessarily have to be anything huge such as writing in a coffee shop, but sometimes switching chairs or adjusting the lighting in your writing space can do wonders and open up new ideas that eliminate writers block."

Akashi was so informative and Kuroko wished that he had a notepad to take notes in. This advice he was being given was so simple yet efficient. This is one of those precious moments that Kuroko was glad that Akashi was so intelligent and so great at giving him advice, since especially in this situation, it was sparing him from writer's block.

"Also Kuroko," he began, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, Akashi-kun?"

"One last piece of advice that I have to give you is this," he pushes on Kuroko's shoulder, causing the wheeled chair that he was on to swivel so that Kuroko was now facing Akashi. Kuroko's gaze flickered up towards the now kneeling Akashi's, baby blue hues gazing intently into ruby red ones.

"Remember why you began writing in the first place. It's something that you love to do, right? By remembering the joy, the euphoric feeling that you get by writing words on paper, or typing on a computer, that feeling will help sustain you even through the hardest of obstacles, whether that be in life, or in a stubborn writer's block. Remember that, okay, love?" Akashi smiled gently, taking one hand and placing it on Kuroko's and another began to stroke Kuroko's cheek softly.

Kuroko couldn't resist the smile he was holding, both from Akashi himself, and the words he had been given. Of course he could remember that feeling. The joy he felt when he wrote his very 1st story, the bliss that he felt when people began complimenting his work, loving the words that he stated, the imaginary universe that he had created from simply an idea in his mind. It was such a magical feeling that Kuroko wanted to continue to do it over and over again. Creating different scenarios, from fluffy romance plots to tear-jerking angst and even adding prompts filled with laughter and pure comedy. He loves writing stories, and it's something that he doesn't ever want to give up.

Kuroko nodded, pecking Akashi on the lips as a thank you. "Okay, Akashi-kun. Thank you for helping me," he added, maintaining the most pure of smiles. Akashi has been his supporter ever since he became a writer, he's the one that's given him inspiration to write so many of his works, he has given him comfort and advice when he's needed it most like he's doing right now. Overall, Akashi has been his number 1 supporter in this adventure called writing, and Kuroko couldn't be more grateful for all that his significant other has done.

"I think that I can overcome this writer's block now, thanks again for being there for me, Akashi-kun."

Akashi smiled, kissing Kuroko's forehead. "You're very welcome, love," his gaze moved past Kuroko for a moment to rest on Kuroko's desk, staring at the now empty cup of tea Kuroko had drank earlier.

"It seems that you're out of tea. Would you like me to pour you some more?" he offered.

"That's so nice of you. Yes I would like another," Kuroko replied, watching as his lover stood up and grabbed the empty tea cup from the desk.

"Alright, I'll go pour you some more. Be back, love," Akashi stated, leaning down one last time to give Kuroko a quick peck on the cheek before exiting the room to make more tea.

Meanwhile, Kuroko was once again all alone with nothing but the manuscript and his thoughts. The advice that Akashi had given the writer now resonating in his mind. He allowed himself to take a deep breath, mind and body relaxing.

He thought about his significant other. There was a reason why he refers to Akashi as his significant other and not his boyfriend. It's because Akashi was significant to Kuroko. The man had been with him through thick and thin, before his writing career and even in the present day. Kuroko could barely fathom what it must be like if he were to lose someone so important and precious to him such as the love of his life.

That's when it hit him. Kuroko's eyes widened and he immediately glanced at his manuscript, skimming the words that he had already printed on the virtual screen.

This could work. This could definitely work!

To think that this idea would come from him reminiscing about his love, and now Kuroko knows that his writer's block has truly been defeated as he begins to type out word after word in a blinding fast fury.

I know exactly how I'm going to write this next chapter. I'll kill one of the main characters!

Notes: So this Day was pretty interesting. I was suffering through writer's block and I decided to write a fanfic about writer's block. I still don't know if I've either sunken to a new low or if that was genius. I'll let you decide that I guess.

So some parts of this Day were based on true story regarding me suffering writer's block while actually writing this fanfic challenge. Some other parts are based off of experiences that I've had while writing in general and of course there's parts that's made up :)

So yeah, reviews, comments and so forth are welcomed and appreciated! :)