Before anyone else could even realize what was happening, Akashi leapt forward and caught Kuroko in his arms. His skin was sickly pale and beads of sweat were rolling off his forehead in great multitudes. A strand of hair was stuck to his face.

Akashi gently picked him up and brushed the hair aside. "Kuroko?"

His breath grew increasingly ragged, unable to speak. He weakly smiled and managed to wheeze out, "Don't... worry." But this only made them more anxious.

"Midorima! What injuries does he have at this moment?"

"He.. a few broken ribs, it's possible that they pierced his lungs, other broken bones, some flesh wounds (but it looks like they were created from his bones poking his skin)..."

They all grimaced. "Let's get Kurokocchi out of here for now and discuss all this later, shall we?"

The group escaped the warehouse district frighteningly easily. Was he not being guarded by armed men? Why was it so easy to leave? Not to mention that it was extremely quiet. They worried about countless things but managed to slip out unnoticed nonetheless.

"Akashi," Aomine whispered, "I think we should bring him to your family's hospital this time."

"You... said something smart for once."

"You shouldn't be talking!"

"This isn't the time to be arguing!" Momoi interjected. "Akashi-kun, could you call a chauffeur? I think that'd be faster and safer than running there on foot."

Akashi passed Kuroko to Midorima and quickly whipped out his phone. "Hello, is this Juro? Yes, could you come to..."

It seemed like an eternity. Kuroko's breaths grew shorter and sharper and it was obvious that he was in pain. His eyes were unfocused and his consciousness was fading away. "Oi, Kuroko! Don't fall asleep on us now! We need you awake!"

"Tetsu-kun..."

He burst into a coughing fit. Midorima tightened his hold and his eyes didn't miss the blood that came flying out from his mouth. "Akashi! Is he here yet?"

"He should be here any seco- there he is!"

As they ran to the posh limousine, their minds in disarray, Midorima was the only one who realized that Akashi not calling his chauffeur the moment they secured Kuroko was strange. He would have normally stayed calm and collected, no matter which Akashi he was. And what he was muttering before. Just what were those two to each other?

"Mmmm..." The teal headed boy stirred from his deep sleep. He slowly opened his eyes.

Seven heads whipped around and stared at him in silence.

"A whiiite ceeeeeiling, weird cuuuurtains, and a looooot of machiiiiines! Whereeee aaam I?" Drowsy from his anesthesia which hadn't completely worn off just yet, his words slurred.

The teenagers that had so anxiously waited for him to awaken had all of their tension released in one moment and went into a fit of uncontrollable laughter.

"I have to record this and show it to him later," Aomine snorted.

"This is so out of character..." Kagami clutched the wall and tried his hardest to suppress his laughter, but it ended up coming out in sudden loud shouts.

"T-Tetsu-kun... s-so cute!"

"It doesn't look like he'd be able to hold his lucky item if I gave it to him nanodayo."

"Kuuro-chiiiin... your hair looks like cotton candy..."

"Kurokocchi! You're awake!" Kise jumped towards Kuroko's hospital bed in an attempt to hug him. Unfortunately for him, Akashi caught him before he reached his destination and blocked his path.

"Kise. He has broken ribs and you're going to hug him?"

"Oh." Kise withdrew and returned to his seat.

Akashi was the only one who remained standing. He walked over to the bed and kneeled down, leaning his face close to Kuroko's. The others looked on in surprise.

"Ohaiyo, Kuroko. How do you feel?"

"I feeeeel greaaat!" Kuroko turned his head toward Akashi. "Oh? It's Seiiii-kuuuun!"

"S-Sei-kun?!" Everyone gasped in shock. Akashi moved back a tiny bit.

"Wow... you look... really hot today..." He smiled.

"W-what? Kuroko what are you sayin-" He blushed slightly and his stuttering did not go unnoticed.

Kuroko propped his arm up on the bed railings and whispered, "I'm saying that you're really smokin' hot."

"Kuroko, you should go back to sleep."

"No need to be shy." Kuroko reached out his arm and dragged Akashi towards him by the shirt.

The others, watching silently, thought, I hope he doesn't kill him.

Completely different from what the others had been expecting, Akashi chuckled and smiled affectionately at Kuroko. He ruffled his hair and said, "Just go to sleep. We can talk later."

Kuroko pouted and slid back onto his mattress. Within seconds of his eyes closing, he was fast asleep.

An awkward silence filled the room. Akashi did not turn around to look at the others; he did not want to see their smirks. He thumbed the edge of his eyepatch and announced, "He'll be asleep for a while longer so we might as well go eat food now."

"Pft..."

Akashi whirled around, face red. "Who was the person who laughed just now?"

No one made a sound, but all of their faces were red from holding their laughter in. Akashi pulled out his scissors and repeated, "Who was the person who laughed just now?"

three years later

Akashi stood on the balcony of his summer home, looking out at the gentle waves that were lightly pounding against the shoreline. The flapping of seagulls overhead and the smell of the ocean never failed to give him a feeling of serenity.

"Sei-kun!"

Akashi turned around to face the caller. "Kuroko," he smiled. "How do you like this house?"

"It's very nice."

"I'm sorry, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have ever been..."

"No, it wasn't your fault. You're doing more than enough for me right now by taking care of me, anyway."

"Okay..." Knowing that it would be useless to continue further, he stopped talking. But to him, he would never be convinced.

Three years ago, Kuroko had been kidnapped by a large group of men. Until the previous year, the Miracles were clueless about what the reason was for his kidnapping. His family wasn't rich, and if they were people related to Hanamiya who were thirsting for revenge, he would have been hurt instead of simply being held safely in a warehouse.

He was kidnapped because of Akashi, because of him. Spies noticed that Akashi and Kuroko spent a lot of time together and realized how much Kuroko meant to the red haired teen. The plan was to take advantage of this and drag Akashi out, kidnap him in exchange for Kuroko, and then demand a ransom. Of course, this plan of theirs went awry when Kuroko fought back and the Miracles were able to find him. But still, he had put Kuroko's well being in danger. Additionally, Kuroko was unable to play basketball for a while after his injuries.

The least Akashi could do was take Kuroko in and keep him by his side, where he was easiest to protect. This way, he'd be able to react right away if he were to go missing or be hurt.

But besides that, he just... loved having him by his side.

"Ne, Tetsuya?"

"Hai, Sei-kun?"

Akashi raised his palm to Kuroko's face and gently turned his face away from the ocean and towards him. Caressing his face, he leaned in and whispered, "I love you."

Face tomato red but face emotionless, Kuroko stood still in shock. They had been dating for several years now, but this was the first time he had said the words that he most wanted to hear. Filled with elation, his poker face was replaced with a small smile and his stagnant breathing was replaced with the words that the two of them had been waiting an eternity for:

"You are my other half. Without you, I can't survive. I need you here by my side,

and I just wanted you to know...

I love you."