Pairing: Eventual Hanakuro (Hanamiya/Kuroko)

Word Count: 2,229 Words

Something I wrote in my spare time when I could not concentrate on my other Kuroko no Basuke fanfic. I want to continue it, but I don't know if it is any good. Maybe when I lose concentration again on the other fanfic, I'll write stuff for this one.

Kuroko woke up with a headache that was fiercely panging and rattling his skull. A familiar, pink set of eyes were staring at him with worry and relief, and a petite, gentle hand cradled his own. The shadow of Teiko Middle School remembered that he had gotten injured during the semifinals match by the genius twins, and fell unconscious due to the combination of the injury, fatigue, and the unease that had not dissipated since he woke up that morning, causing him to feel nausea and dizziness. A soft, feminine voice barely above a whisper asked the phantom, sixth man if he was still feeling tired.

"A little bit Momoi-san, but I would really like to see the game." Kuroko began to sit up, the position allowed him to breathe easier and feel less exhausted. "I am not sure if I can walk on my own though. Momoi-san, forgive me for troubling you but do you think that you could hold onto my arm and keep an eye on me, in case I collapse?" She gasped in excitement and could only nod in response. Not only would she be doing the sky-blue boy a favor, but the bright-pink lady would also get to link her arm around his like an actual girlfriend would. Once she had calmed down and Kuroko had gotten up from the flimsy, infirmary cot, cotton-candy pink and milky-blue slowly walked out of the sick ward's bed area to the basketball arena.

Kuroko could feel his heart thump heavily in excitement when he heard the cheers of a large crowd. The pale, slim, teenage boy hoped that Akashi truly kept his promise about not going easy or taunting Meiko Middle School. As the petite pair of students walked down the hallway together, Kuroko noticed a laminated, plastic card that was carelessly lying on the floor. It belonged to a first year, Seirin High School student named Kiyoshi Teppei.

"Ah, I think Seirin is playing their Winter Cup match with Kirisaki Daiichi right now. You can give it back to them after our match is over." Momoi suggested, knowing the phantom would never be impolite or forgetful enough to not return the item to its owner. The invisible man agreed, pocketed the object, and with the sound of another cheer from the crowd the injured player was energized to watch. Both manager and basketball player rushed to the sounds. Momoi could barely keep up with Kuroko's pace, but she knew how desperately he wanted to be a spectator in this match between his old friends and new ones.

When they arrived into the stadium, they quickly sat on the bench reserved for their team. The score drastically favored Teiko, but Meiko's hard work had managed to gain them eleven points. Satsuki was thoroughly impressed; according to the data she gathered, the other Middle School was not skilled enough to score past Murisakibara's defenses or Akashi's skills. She glanced in Akashi and Aomine's direction, surprised that neither of two were horrified by the events. Momoi expected the commanding, strict, red-head to scold the purple giant and her childhood friend for not tightening up their defenses and keeping offense consistent, and there was no amount of anger in the intimidating Captain's face. She saw an amused smile and a tinge of laughter at the corner of Akashi's smirk. Was the Captain happy by the other team's unexpected success against them?

"No… Akashi-kun, how could you?" Kuroko gasped. His breathing became erratic.

"Tetsu-kun, what's wrong?" The concerned manager asked. Kuroko grasped her hand with his. It was cold and wet from a flash of nervous and frightened sweat. The shadow pointed their conjoined hands at Murisakibara guarding the net. She was confused until she saw Meiko score. The violet-colored teen would jump and flick the ball, causing the orange sphere to pass through the hoop and give the opposing team two points. Teiko was mocking Meiko; saying that the only way the other team could even get on the scoreboard was if the Generation of Miracles generously gave it to them by subtly putting it in through the net for them so the spectators could not tell, only the players. "Tetsu-kun, why are they doing that?" She gasped. Kuroko lowered both of their arms and his head in shame. He could not face a woman when he was on the verge of tears. A gentleman never did that.

"I specifically asked Akashi-kun to not do this. Ogiwara-kun and I promised, even if the other side couldn't score a point that it was better that we both played our best. That we would play our best with a smile, so we could proudly shake each other's hands and be happy to play the game we love so much. The game he introduced me to." Kuroko shuddered as he pointed at Meiko's ace. "Momoi-san, please place the garbage can between my feet. While I would wish to never show such weakness such as vomiting in front of a lady, I do not know if I can keep my composure. This kind of basketball makes me sick. It makes me… hate it so much, like my body wants to violently reject such poisonous bile." Momoi couldn't breathe after those heated words. She never heard the kindhearted, sky-blue teen say something so defeated in nature. The pink-haired girl never thought she would hear the shadow of the team declare a hatred for the sport. His broken voice, the shivering body, and the balled fists made her want to cry.

"Oh Tetsu-kun," She sighed worriedly. She did as he requested, putting the metal bucket between his sneakers. The lovely, young woman did not know what else she could do, so Momoi placed a comforting hand on her crush's tense and quivering shoulders. The sixth man of the Generation of Miracles felt even smaller and weaker than he appeared. The flow of the match was really affecting him. Satsuki desperately wanted to say something to break the heated tension, but knew in a way that it would be absolutely disrespectful. There was nothing she could say that would excuse or dismiss the wrongs of the others. To try to do so would be even more hurtful to her favorite man. Eventually Kuroko rested his shaky and uneasy hand over her hand, and whispered a gracious thank you for the support. Yet both of them knew what he was actually silently thanking her for. Thank you for not being a monster like the others, and please cling to your humanity as tightly as you can. Don't you dare slip like they did. "Do you want to leave Tetsu-kun?"

"I would love to Momoi-san, but I cannot leave it like this… I need to be here for him." Kuroko heaved out as if it were his dying words. Momoi gulped but knew it was the right thing to do. She would stay by his side, even if he broke down. They held hands during the first half of the grueling match. Kuroko would instinctively tense with every point given to Meiko, but the roar of Shigehiro's fighting words perking up the team were powerful enough to lift the phantom's struggling mind as well. Momoi did not know how long she could stand such a senseless game, so she could not begin to imagine the pain Tetsuya was experiencing. Teetering on the point of snapping, both prayed that this agonizing game would end soon.

As soon as Ogiwara found out just how badly the Generation of Miracles were taunting him and his team, the strong, dependable ace and power forward turned to the opposing side's bench with hot, painful tears slicing his innocent face. The words he mouthed to his childhood friend were what made Momoi's and Kuroko's hearts feel like an icy blizzard was threatening to tear it apart. Why? How could you do this to me Tetsuya? Kuroko clenched Momoi's hand tight and his own tears that he had forcefully held back were flooding out of his reddening and puffy eyes. He mouthed a gut-wrenching apology to Shigehiro, but could not blame his friend's answer back. I don't believe you. Your eyes are cold, just like these monsters tormenting me.

"I need to leave Momoi-san. Please don't follow." The phantom commanded and sped off. He did not know where he was running, but anything was better than that sight. The fuel of nightmares, an innocent boy that was the sun that breathed basketball into his lungs was dying and turning cold and black. Those fiery, orange locks, passionate and charismatic eyes, and beaming smile, all of it stomped on by his friends that betrayed his trust and Shigehiro's dreams. Despite having low stamina, the phantom player felt his legs keep running down the corridors, swiftly navigating through the empty spaces, and somehow found himself in the stadium that contained the high school, basketball game between Seirin and Kirisaki Daiichi. He stayed by the entrance, using the wall as support as he watched.

Kirisaki Daiichi was losing by ten points and in the last three minutes, they switched players. An average player was getting benched and being replaced with the team's best player and strategist, Hanamiya Makoto, to somehow counter Seirin's powerful Center player Kiyoshi Teppei. The dark-haired point guard was intelligent and part of the five, Uncrowned Kinds (just as Kiyoshi was) that Kuroko and the other Generation of Miracles dethroned with their debut, but he was not particularly strong looking and significantly shorter than the support of Seirin's team. What could he do during this important time in a game that would possibly clench the win for his team? Enchanted by the unusual point guard, the invisible player focused on the match.

At first, Hanamiya's plays were simple and textbook. Kuroko knew the elder man had to have something else in his arsenal. With the snap of his fingers during a defensive rebound, it happened. Kiyoshi Teppei, the Iron Heart, was purposely injured by the cleverly hidden orders of Makoto, and no one could prove such a foul play occurred. Kuroko's blood boiled but not in distaste. Was that it? He would not damage his opponents' spirits that way! If you are going to injure a man, you needed to do so in a way so that you would never fear his revenge. Shatter him, crush him, suffocate the soul of any light… consume everything in darkness. As he watched the match progress, the observing shadow knew Kirisaki Daiichi would clench the win now the strongest player on Seirin's team was eliminated, but everyone still felt uneasy and questioned the outcome of the game. The darkness the team relied on was not strong enough. Hanamiya was missing a piece in his brilliant plans and Kuroko believed he knew what the dark, Uncrowned King needed.

The transparent teen raced to the locker rooms, not wanting to miss the opportunity fate had given him. Just as Kirisaki Daiichi was exiting the changing rooms, Kuroko made his presence known. He scared the elder players, but Hanamiya quickly composed himself and regained a sinister scowl on his face. The Uncrowned King examined the Miracle boy, knowing exactly who he was. The question he had however was why was basketball's pride and joy bothering him?

"What do you want brat? Don't tell me you were cheering for that team of weaklings we were playing today?" Hanamiya asked, obviously very annoyed.

"No, I did not wish for Seirin to win. I only came for a request." Kuroko bowed his head respectfully, startling the devious, basketball team. "Hanamiya-san, please allow me next semester to go to your school and join the basketball team. I want to help you beat the Generation of Miracles and the other Uncrowned Kings in next year's Winter Cup." The sixth man of the Generation of Miracles hoped the other said yes. Makoto was shocked. Teiko Middle School's passing and misdirection specialist wanted to join their school and beat his fellow comrades? Perhaps the group of colorful youngsters was not just a bunch of goodie-goodies as the point guard previously thought. Hanamiya smirked and turned to his regulars, happy to see that they were glad for this lucky opportunity to have a Generation of Miracles joining their team.

"Oh really? And do tell me what motivated you to do such a thing, phantom of Teiko?" The Kirisaki Daiichi Captain asked with an amused tone. Kuroko looked at him with his wide eyes. Orbs that at first glance appeared blank, but Hanamiya was an expert in recognizing the storm of emotions brewing in the Middle School student. Seething anger, sadness with unfathomable depths, and a soul starved for revenge were inside the slender shadow.

"Your plays are brilliant Hanamiya-san, but your darkness is naked and too exposed in the harsh light. I want to change that." Kuroko paused to angrily clench his fists. "I want to be the shadow that will intensify Kirisaki Daiichi's darkness and help you extinguish the offending light." His determined declaration moved the High School students, and everyone turned to the genius Captain. Hanamiya gave a sly grin and removed his varsity jacket. He tossed the heavy, article of clothing to the teal-haired boy, gesturing for Kuroko to put it on.

"Resign from Teiko's basketball club and register for classes at Kirisaki Daiichi immediately." Hanamiya ordered.

Let me know your thoughts. I feel like I made Kuroko too out-of-character.