Akashi Seijuro was a poor farm boy. His family used to have a lot of influence but when his father passed away, their name dissipated to nearly nothing. After his father passed, shortly after the birth of his sister, Akashi resorted to farming to help support his mother and younger sister. He worked hard every day and made daily trips to town in an attempt to sell his goods. Things seemed ok until a green haired man arrived on their farm in a carriage.

"Good day, sir. Are you Akashi Seijuro? The heir to the Akashi family."

The redhead put down his shovel and eyed the green haired man wearing a luxurious waistcoat, "Yes, that would be me."

They shook hands, "I'm Midorima Shintaro. Many years back when you were still a child, your father signed a contract with us. He said that when you come of age, we would allow for an arranged marriage between yourself and the heir to the family which I serve."

Akashi gaped like a fish, "I'm sorry. What?"

Midorima brought out a piece of paper and handed it to the redhead. Sure enough, it was a contract signed by his father to agree to an arranged marriage. Akashi sighed, "Listen, I would love to withhold this contract but my father passed away years ago. I need to work for my family…"

"Your family, of course, would live in our household with us."

"And who exactly do you serve?"

"The Kuroko family."

Oh shit… They're powerful. This could be a good opportunity for my sister. If she could grow up in a better environment and get an education, maybe she'll have a better chance at living a better life than me… Akashi thought to himself before nodding to Midorima,

"Let me inform my family and we can begin packing."

Akashi explained the situation briefly to his mother and then crouched down in front of his 8 year old sister. He brushed her hair away from her dirty face,

"Ichigo, your brother is getting married soon and we're being invited to stay at another house. Is that alright?"

The little girl's red hair fell over her shoulders and stuck out in all directions from playing out in the field. She smiled wide and hugged her brother, "As long as you're happy, I'll go anywhere with you!"

Akashi mirrored her dazzling smile and helped her pack a bag. The family looked back at their farm for the last time and departed to the Kuroko estate.

The estate was huge and it was right by a lake. The glass windows shined bright as light filled the entire manor, the grass was spotless and green, a large colorfully lit fountain shot out water at the entrance. It was, for a lack of a better word, beautiful.

Midorima helped Akashi unpack and then ordered a couple of butlers to show Akashi's mother and his sister to their rooms. Ichigo was a little hesitant to part with her brother but the green haired man smiled and reassured her,

"You'll see each other for dinner, go get some rest. Akashi-san needs to stay to meet his fiance who was supposed to meet us at the gate but hasn't showed up yet because he loves to stress me out and give me grey hairs."

Akashi and Midorima waited at the gate for a couple of minutes but nobody showed up. The butler sighed, "I knew he would do this. I apologize, Akashi-san. We don't mean to disrespect you. I shall go look for Tetsuya, feel free to walk around the estate and make yourself at home."

The butler rushed off quickly and left Akashi to wander. He walked absentmindedly around the estate and thought about what this Kuroko Tetsuya would look like. Akashi was worried. He didn't exactly want to get married but since he had to, he wanted to be a good husband. When he got to the back of the estate, he saw a greenhouse and a large pool. Their backyard seemed to extend forever until it met with the lake nearby.

They certainly know how to spend their money… Akashi turned to face the rich manor. On the second floor, he saw a balcony pool made completely of glass, a glass pool...looks scary.

A blue haired boy peeked his head over the side of the glass. The water dripped from his hair to his pale skin and he looked down at Akashi who stood on the lawn. He smiled.

"Hello, husband."

Akashi swallowed hard. He couldn't peel his eyes away from the stunning man in the glass pool. Kuroko simply laughed, it sounded like church bells ringing in Akashi's ears. He spoke again,

"Stay there, I'll be down shortly."

Akashi couldn't move even if he wanted to.

Kuroko walked down the stairs to the backyard where Akashi was standing. He moved elegantly, one foot right in front of the other towards the redhead. Kuroko wore a long silk black robe, but Akashi could tell he wasn't wearing anything else underneath it. His smooth thighs peeked out from the slit of the robe as he walked, water droplets still dripping from his hair. His pretty pink lips parted slightly once he stood in front of Akashi.

Kuroko smirked, "So did you come for my body or did you come for my money?"

Akashi blinked once. Twice. His brain short circuited. He watched as Kuroko's expression changed from pure and innocent to disgust and contempt.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." Kuroko circled around Akashi, his fingers dancing on his shoulders, "People come here for one of two things. Oh? Maybe you came here for both? How disappointing."

Akashi grabbed Kuroko's hand and shoved it off of his shoulder, "Look, I didn't come here for anything. I don't even want to be here."

The blue haired boy tilted his head to the side, his silk robe slipping off of his shoulder, "Interesting."

"Kuroko!" Midorima ran towards them, "I see you've met Akashi Seijuro. Please get dressed, it's time for supper."

Kuroko turned to walk back to his room, his robe trailing behind him. He looked over his shoulder and stared at Akashi with cold eyes, "I look forward to being better acquainted with you, husband."

When Kuroko was out of sight, Akashi let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed,

"Wow, is he always like that?"

Midorima gave a small apologetic smile, "Ah...I see he's shown you his true colors. You'll be more shocked when you see his behavior around his parents. Tetsuya hasn't been in the brightest moods since he became of age to marry. Many suitors have been trying to court him for years. He sends them running."

Akashi chuckled, "I'm sure he does."

Dinner was even more interesting. They sat in a large banquet hall, much too large for their small families, and discussed light topics to get to know each other. Akashi's mother and Kuroko's parents got along fine. Kuroko and Akashi sat across from each other in silence and Ichigo sat glued to her brother's side, her tiny red pigtails bouncing in excitement as she saw the variety of food being served.

Before beginning dinner, Akashi decided to speak up. He faced Kuroko's parents and bowed, "I apologize. Although my name is that of a rich family, we are no longer an influential name as we have once been. I fear I will not be able to contribute financially through this marriage."

Kuroko's father laughed, "That's quite alright, my son. We did not expect you to have money. We are simply looking for a trusted man to take Tetsuya's hand in marriage. Your father was a noble man, he did not sign that contract to get rid of you. He signed it because he trusts you, and I, as one of his old friends, will trust his word."

Akashi felt relief flood his system. At least he wasn't despised by Kuroko's parents, it was just his actual to-be husband that he had to win over. He glanced at Kuroko who simply focused on his dinner plate with a delicate smile. Akashi knew better than to fall for that smile.

"So Kuroko-san," Akashi helped Ichigo cut her steak while staring at the blue haired boy, "I never got to properly explore the town before, I was wondering if you could show me around tomorrow?"

Kuroko's smile fell and he gave Akashi a sharp glance. The parents agreed, "That sounds like a wonderful idea. I'm sure Tetsuya would love to take you around, isn't that right?"

Kuroko's fake smile quickly replaced his frown, "Of course, father." He lightly kicked Akashi under the table, "It would be my pleasure."

Akashi smirked, "Ah and since we are to be wed, perhaps we should spend some time discussing wedding plans."

If Kuroko could grit his teeth any harder, he felt his teeth would shatter. The blue haired boy was practically stabbing his steak but he sweetly said, "I would love that. I have so many ideas I want to discuss with you. Would you like to come to my chambers for tea after supper?"

"Nothing would please me more."

After supper, Ichigo grabbed her brother's hand and refused to let go. "I'm scared, this house is so big."

Akashi picked her up and cradled his sister in his arms, he gently whispered, "I know but think about the good things. You get to play in the pool in the backyard, there's a huge library for you to read in, you can play in the greenhouse…"

Kuroko silently walked in front of Akashi to help him find Ichigo's room. The little girl began to cry, "I want to sleep in your bed. Mom won't let me sleep in hers anymore!"

"Shh, shh, I know. But you have to learn to sleep alone eventually, Ichigo." Akashi gently put her down on the bed and tucked her in, "What do we do when we're scared?"

Ichigo reluctantly let go and pouted, "I go to your room."

Akashi laughed and shook his head, "You know the answer. Come on, what do we do when we're scared?"

"We find a way to solve the problem so we're not scared anymore."

"Good, so how are we going to solve the problem of the house being too big?" Akashi asked as he took out her pigtails and brushed her hair.

Ichigo slowly closed her eyes and drifted to sleep, "I'll explore tomorrow until it doesn't feel big anymore."

"Sounds like a fun plan." Akashi kissed her forehead and turned to follow Kuroko to his room.

The blue haired boy stood at the entrance of Ichigo's room and watched the lighthearted exchange between the siblings. It was sweet, but it didn't change his contempt towards Akashi.

"You're a good older brother." Kuroko said blandly as they walked down the long halls, "She looks up to you quite a lot."

"She doesn't really have anyone else to look up to. I wouldn't say I'm good."

They sat at a small coffee table in Kuroko's room. His room was spacious but fairly empty. It was also spotless. There was a door near the back of the room that led out to the balcony and the glass pool. They sipped on their warm tea in a comfortable silence.

Kuroko's shoulders relaxed as he let his facade fade away, "I don't plan on getting along with you so don't expect me to accept you as my husband even after we get married. I'll go through with the wedding because I have to."

Ah...I see we're getting right into it. Akashi thought to himself as he gently put down his teacup, "As long as my sister has a better life than I do, I don't care what happens to me."

"So you are in it for the money. Makes sense coming from a poor boy like you."

"Why do you hate me so much?" Akashi crossed his legs and leaned back in the chair to observe his future husband.

Kuroko frowned. Even when he was upset, Akashi couldn't deny the fact that he was gorgeous. The redhead was a gentleman through and through. He didn't have to be nice to Kuroko but he wanted to be. He wanted to win his affections and at least get along occasionally.

"All my suitors are here for money and think that they own me. I'm not an object and I refuse to simply stand by and submit to some man."

Akashi stood up, "Not all people are like that. I don't think I need to stand here and have some rich sheltered boy tell me what I want and what I'm here for. Good evening, Kuroko-san."

Kuroko watched him leave and stared out his window. The night sky was dark, but the stars shined bright. He sighed and slipped out of his clothes, maybe I'll go for a swim to clear my head.

In the morning, Akashi was up early to get ready for the day and help his sister get ready as well. He watched as their mother brushed and braided her hair. It was a sight he thought he'd never see. They had been living on day to day earnings for so long, Akashi never got the chance to see how much his sister had grown. He smiled warmly, his heart blooming with emotion, and then he made his way to Kuroko's room.

He knocked lightly and pushed the door open to peek his head in. Akashi felt his soul leave his body when he saw Kuroko sleeping soundly. Despite his sour attitude, there was something about Kuroko that was simply breathtaking and Akashi wanted to win him over. The blue haired boy yawned and rolled over onto his side. He opened his eyes slowly until he noticed Akashi was standing in his room. Kuroko sat up and tried to fix his horrible bedhead.

"You...what are you," He pulled his bedsheets over his body as if he were fully exposed, "what are you doing here? Come to make a move on me already?"

Akashi scoffed as he entered Kuroko's room and drew the curtains back to let in the sunlight, "As if. I'm just here to wake my lovely husband so we can spend the day together around town."

The blue haired boy groaned as he plopped back down on the bed. Akashi smiled, he's so proper around his parents but he's a complete mess around me… It's kind of cute really.

Ichigo ran into the room with her cute little braid and hopped onto Kuroko's bed, "Wake up, Tet-chan!"

She giggled as the blue haired boy cuddled and tickled her. Akashi watched in shock, he didn't realize that they became close.

"She had a bad dream last night. I found her wandering in the halls so I helped her." Kuroko explained as he got out of bed.

"I see," Akashi picked up his sister to give the other some space, "thank you."

After Kuroko washed up, they went down to the dining room to have breakfast. Kuroko's parents started a small argument with their son. It was a trivial matter; what color flowers would they use during the wedding?

His parents wanted white and pink, Kuroko wanted lilac and pink. It was really just a single color difference: white or lilac. They bickered over breakfast non-stop. Akashi's mother tried to diffuse the situation but Akashi and his family learned quickly that when the Kuroko family argued, it was best to stay out of it.

"Tetsuya, you're being ridiculous! I know how to plan these things." His mother exclaimed as she stared down her son from across the table.

"It's my wedding, I don't understand why you need to micromanage everything." Kuroko said as calmly as he could manage, but the redhead could tell he was fairly upset.

Kuroko's father shook his head in disapproval, "We didn't raise you to be such a rebellious son. We want you to have the best wedding so we just want to help you."

"You know what, I think Akashi should pick. He should have a say in the wedding plans as well." Kuroko said as he crossed his arms.

Ah...He's using me. Akashi thought to himself, to be fair, I would do the same thing too. I don't think it really matters between white and lilac.

The redhead smiled sweetly, "I think lilac and pink would be beautiful for the flowers."

That seemed to work. Kuroko's parents liked Akashi a lot so they agreed to it and the argument was forgotten just like that. When breakfast was over, Akashi cleaned up a little and took a small walk around the estate while Kuroko got ready.

He visited the greenhouse since he didn't get the chance to last night. It was incredibly organized. There were three different sections for vegetables, fruit, and flowers. One of the butlers who managed the garden peeked his head out from around the corner and waved at Akashi,

"Hello! You must be the suitor for our Kurokocchi. I'm Kise Ryouta, it's nice to meet you!"

"Ah, hello, Akashi Seijuro. Do you take care of the plants? You've done a wonderful job."

The blond laughed, "I just water the plants. Kurokocchi manages them, I just follow his orders. He's very particular about his plants."

"That's fascinating. He grew this entire greenhouse himself?" Akashi walked around and admired the amount of effort Kuroko put into the greenhouse, "Is there a part of the greenhouse that I can use, maybe an area that Kuroko-san won't notice?"

Kise pursed his lips, "There's some empty rows near the back that you can use, but I'm not sure how Kurokocchi will react to that."

Akashi laughed, "That's alright, I'm sure he can't hate me more than he already does. I just want to plant something for him. If I bring back some seeds today, do you think you can help me later in the evening?"

The gardener smiled, he could tell Akashi was different from the other suitors, "Of course."

Akashi left the greenhouse in a good mood. He wanted to plant some flowers for Kuroko. He wanted to court the blue haired boy like a suitor would. He wanted to win over his heart.

They met at the entrance of the house and left together in a carriage. The atmosphere was a little tense but then Kuroko muttered, "Thanks for choosing the flowers this morning."

Akashi gave him a small smile, "No problem, thank you for taking care of my sister last night."

The redhead didn't expect the other to continue talking but Kuroko suddenly said, "It's just so frustrating."

"What is?" Akashi asked as he turned to face the blue haired boy and give him his full attention.

"I was raised to be an obedient rich heir. But I want to do more. I want to write my own papers, I want to make my own decisions, I want to take my own photographs with my own camera, did you know my parents won't even let me have my own possessions? A camera! Of all things that they won't let me have. For what reason I have no clue!"

"So do it then." Akashi leaned back and relaxed, "I don't see an issue in it. You have the power and influence so just do it."

"I can't just do whatever I want," Kuroko exclaimed, "father says it's improper."

"Sounds like you're just scared. So you've been commanded to do things a certain way for the majority of your life. So what? It's never too late to change that. You've already taken charge of that entire greenhouse yourself."

"No one wants a husband who has a mind of his own. I just have to sit and look pretty." Kuroko mumbled.

Akashi raised an eyebrow at that, "Is that what your father says?"

He let out a dry laugh, "No, that's actually what my mother says."

"Hm," Akashi shuffled forward until he was inches away from Kuroko, "I grew up living day to day to survive and provide for my family. People who sit and look pretty mean nothing to me. It's quite disappointing."

They stared at each other in the cramped space of the carriage. The distance between them only seemed to get smaller. The carriage creaked to a stop, signifying their arrival at town. Akashi exited the carriage first and offered his hand to the blue haired boy. Kuroko refused to take the extended hand and said, "I wouldn't want to disappoint you, now would I?"

Their trip to town was comfortable. Kuroko spent a lot of time examining fabrics while Akashi explored every stall he could see. It was his first time in town as a customer instead of as a merchant, he didn't realize there was so much to see. The first thing the redhead did was go buy some flower seeds and then he spent the rest of his time looking for presents for Ichigo.

In the corner of his eye, he saw an item that caught his interest but it was a little too expensive to buy today. He asked the merchant if he could put the item aside for a couple of days and promised he would come back and purchase it. The merchant agreed to put it aside if Akashi also traded him a couple of the flower seeds he had bought. The redhead grinned and shook his hand while giving him half of the seeds.

They spent nearly the whole day in town. The sun was starting to set and Kuroko observed Akashi as he ran around town looking like an excited child. He couldn't help but laugh a little at the sight, he's always so serious, it's strange seeing him with this much energy.

"What are you laughing at?"

Kuroko covered his mouth with his hand and tried to stop himself from laughing as Akashi approached him with a bunch of bags at hand.

"It's nothing. You just look very happy is all."

"You shouldn't hide your smile like that," Akashi shoved all his shopping bags into one hand so he could grab Kuroko's hand, "you're wonderful. You know, when you're not being such an ass to me."

Kuroko had heard many compliments from suitors before. Beautiful. Gorgeous. Pretty. Any compliment about his appearance, he has heard it. But it was the first time someone had called him wonderful. And it was the first time someone had grabbed his hand so gently.

Akashi dragged him down the cobble path of the town, "Come on! I wanted to show you something."

Kuroko didn't let go. He let out a giggle as he followed Akashi deeper into town.

They stood on a bridge that crossed over a stream which separated the town in two. Akashi put down the bags and let go of Kuroko's hand.

"Wait here for a second. I need to buy something to show you." The redhead ran off with a couple of coins at hand.

Kuroko smiled to himself. It had been a long time since he had this much fun and a small part of him started to wish that Akashi was different from others. But a poor man such as him could only be after his money. He waited. And waited.

Suddenly, Kuroko was hit with the fear that Akashi had left him. Not that there would be a point in leaving me, I can just go home but that would be one way to tell me that he hates me… Akashi wouldn't do that. Would he? No, he seemed so genuine. He really wanted to show me something. Maybe I should look for him?

Kuroko grabbed the bags and moved to look for Akashi but then he saw him standing at the base of the bridge with a person he had never seen before. It was a taller man with purple hair. Akashi was smiling, he leaned in and hugged the man. Kuroko felt something tug at his heart.

Of course, Akashi had a life before this arranged marriage situation. He has friends in town, probably ex-lovers, maybe a current lover. I've been locked away at home but he has a life.

Akashi ran towards him with two sparklers in his hand, "A lot of people in town light sparklers in the evening and it looks really nice in the reflection of the stream. I never got to do it because I was busy working plus it was never an option to spend money on anything else but I always wanted to try it and I wanted to try it with you!"

"You don't have to pretend, Akashi." Kuroko mumbled, he pushed the bags into the redhead's hands, "I want to go home."

"What?" His expression fell but he knew better than to press any further. Akashi put the sparklers in one of the bags and sighed, "Alright…let's go home."

The ride back was silent. Kuroko looked out into the night, refusing to meet the redhead's gaze, and Akashi spent the entire time trying to figure out what had happened.

Perhaps I misinterpreted our time together? Akashi thought to himself, maybe I was the only one enjoying myself…

When they got home, Kuroko embraced Ichigo and gave her some gifts. He bought her a new dress and a couple of hair pins. After excusing himself for the evening, the blue haired boy simply retreated to his chambers.

Akashi headed to the greenhouse to find Kise. As they worked to plant the seeds, the redhead kept wanting to ask questions about Kuroko but it was hard to figure out what question he wanted to ask first. Thankfully, the gardener noticed Akashi's hesitation and decided to speak first.

"He is a little difficult, isn't he?"

The redhead nodded, "I just don't know what to do. I don't have any experience with...people and romance and...all of this."

Kise laughed, "It's hard to tell what he's thinking sometimes. When we were kids, Midorimacchi, Kurokocchi, and I used to play all the time so we're all pretty close. His parents started to separate us as he got older and he slowly started to slip into the proper image you see now. In the end, he also doesn't know what to do nor does he have experience. He's quite innocent despite being so sensual."

When Akashi finished planting the seeds, he walked back into the estate to give his sister her gifts. Akashi had bought Ichigo a bunch of strawberries. Fruit was a luxury to them and she usually only got them on her birthday, but now that they were living more comfortably, the redhead wanted to spoil his sister. She ate them happily and then said, "Tet-chan is sad."

"Is he now?" Akashi said with an amused expression as he sliced more strawberries for her.

"When he hugged me earlier, he was smiling but his eyes looked like he was going to cry."

"I see." He abruptly stood up and pushed in his chair, "Ichigo, did you do a lot of exploring today? Can you find your room now? I just really need to see Kuroko-san."

His little sister nodded frantically and gave him a thumbs up, her mouth full of strawberries.

Akashi quickly walked down the long halls to Kuroko's room and gently knocked on the door. When there was no answer, he called out his name.

"Kuroko-san…"

He knocked again, a bit louder this time.

"Tetsuya, please let me in."

There was a muffled shuffling heard on the other side of the door. Kuroko took a deep breath and rested his head against his door before opening it slightly, "You may speak from there."

"I'm sorry."

"You don't even know why I'm upset, why are you apologizing?" Kuroko whispered as he tried to push his bedroom door shut.

Akashi wedged his foot in the door and continued, "No, I'm sorry for not coming to you sooner. I knew you were upset but I didn't ask why because I was nervous. I want you to know that everything that happened today was real, that's all."

"I saw you with that man. I don't know your connection with him but an affair will look bad on the family name. You should learn to be discrete should you choose to be with another person… Not that I'm accusing you of having an affair but it just crossed my mind and-"

"Hold on, hold on… I'm not even following the first part." Akashi pushed the door open a little more, wanting to understand Kuroko who was just mumbling nonstop.

"The man with the purple hair. I saw you two embrace."

Suddenly Akashi was laughing. Kuroko felt the embarrassment rise to his cheeks and he moved to close his bedroom door again but the redhead gently pushed the door open until they were both exposed. They stood before each other, it was a silly misunderstanding and Akashi wasn't one to sleep well after upsetting someone.

"That was Atsushi. He used to sell pastries beside me when I had a stall to sell goods. He heard I was getting married and wanted to congratulate me. He's just a friend, nothing more. And I'm not one to have an affair, just so you know."

They were both blushing but the dimly lit hall hid their bashful exchange. Kuroko recovered quickly, "I apologize for the misunderstanding, Seijuro."

Akashi smiled, "Not at all, we had a long day. I'll let you get some rest. Goodnight, Tetsuya."

The redhead turned to walk to his own room but Kuroko's soft voice called out to him once more. His own name sounded like a siren's call.

"Seijuro?"

Akashi faced Kuroko once again, "Yes?"

"The sparklers. Let's light them together some time."

"I would like that."

A couple of days passed. Kuroko was still alluring and distant with Akashi but the latter liked to think that the distance was a little bit smaller now.

Kuroko decided to spend the day by the lake with Ichigo, so Akashi snuck out to town to purchase the item he had left on hold. He took his stash of coins that he had been saving up and bought a polaroid camera. It seemed to be an older model compared to the cameras that Akashi had seen more recently but he wanted to give it to a certain blue haired boy.

When Akashi got back to the estate, he went straight to the lake to see Kuroko. He sat under a parasol, his hair was getting longer so he had it clipped back. Akashi had only seen him in a suit or a black silk robe, so he was pleasantly surprised to see Kuroko lounging in just a normal pair of shorts and a white button up shirt.

"Tetsuya!" They had gotten used to calling each other by their first names. After the misunderstanding a couple nights before, it just came naturally to them.

"Where did you run off to? You missed Ichigo's sea monster impression."

"I got you a present."

"A present? Seijuro, you really didn't have to. I mean I know we have to get married but don't feel obligated or anything."

Akashi sat down beside Kuroko under the parasol, "Let's just say that with this present, I've made my decision."

"Oh? And what is this decision?"

He brought out the camera from behind his back and handed it to Kuroko, "I've decided to officially court you."

Kuroko's eyes widened as he turned the camera in his hands. While the camera was already shocking to receive, it was Akashi's words that seemed to make him fall apart. He didn't know what to say. A part of him was incredibly pleased and another part of him still rejected the idea of being forced to marry.

"Brother! You're back! Did you get the present for Tet-chan?" Ichigo jumped into Akashi's arms, completely soaked from swimming in the lake. Akashi and Kuroko snapped out of their little moment together as they redirected their focus on the child.

Kuroko showed her the camera and explained what it does. She touched the camera gently and examined it with curiosity. Akashi got up awkwardly and dusted his pants,

"I'm going to head in first, Tetsuya. Ichigo, don't bother him too much."

"Seijuro," Kuroko looked up to meet his fiery eyes, "Don't disappoint me."

Akashi bit his lip in an attempt to stop the grin spreading across his face. He quickly turned around to hide his expression, "I won't."

Months passed and the wedding plans were going smoothly. Kuroko had accepted Akashi as a good friend, but he was still hesitant to accept his courtship. Akashi, on the other hand, was enjoying every moment he spent at the Kuroko estate. His sister was getting a proper education, his mother was relaxed, Akashi was relaxed. And he was in love.

While Kuroko had been incredibly intimidating at first. Akashi learned that Kuroko was just a stubborn, strong-willed, 27 year old man. He was the perfect, polite man in the public eye but in privacy, Kuroko wasn't too different from Akashi.

The amount of polaroids on Kuroko's walls kept growing and growing. There were photos of new flowers that he saw during his walks, photos of Ichigo, his family, even photos of Akashi. They were precious memories that Kuroko never wanted to forget. His empty room not only slowly filled with more photos, but there were countless gifts from Akashi on nearly every flat surface of his room.

The redhead had gotten him so many journals and books, new stationery, more film for his camera, different types of seeds, paints, the list went on and on. Kuroko knew Akashi still worked to get these gifts for him. He felt loved and slowly, he felt himself fall for him.

Akashi went to the greenhouse every couple of days to check on the flowers he had planted. The stems and leaves had grown nice and strong and it looked like it would bloom soon. He couldn't wait to show Kuroko the work he had done.

They were all sitting at the dinner table when Kuroko's parents started another argument with their son. This time it was about the wedding cake.

"Mayuzumi is the most renowned chef in this country. It would be an honor for him to make your wedding cake!" His father said.

"Like I said, I don't want Mayuzumi-san to make the cake. I don't want some fancy world class cake."

"Tetsuya," His mother pleaded, "how about Aomine-san then? He's been our chef for the longest time, I'm sure he will do a great job."

Kuroko shook his head, "Can you just let me make the decision? I already thought of someone…"

"Who?" His father questioned, "We can't let you make the decision unless you produce results."

Ichigo, Akashi, and their mother all glanced at each other while the Kuroko family argued. They didn't interfere but they also felt weird eating when they were yelling at each other so they usually opted to staring at their plates and pretending to move their utensils.

"I was going to ask Seijuro if his friend would like to bake the cake. He's a local right from town."

Akashi's head perked up at the sound of Kuroko's voice and he quickly caught onto the blue haired boy's train of thought, "If it's alright with all of you, I'm sure Atsushi would love to bake a cake for us."

Kuroko's parents pondered it for a minute and eventually agreed as long as they could sample the cakes beforehand to approve it.

Akashi and Kuroko sat in his room after dinner to have tea. It became a sort of safe space whenever they wanted to talk.

"Did you really mean what you said at dinner? About Atsushi baking a cake for us?" Akashi asked.

"Yes, of course. It may be an arranged marriage but I want you to be a part of it. That includes your friends."

They smiled at each other and stared out the window to bask in the comforting silence. Spring was coming to an end and their wedding would take place in the summer. They were nervous about how things would change between them.

"Do you still have those sparklers?" Kuroko asked softly as he put down his teacup.

Akashi sat up straight, "Yes, of course! They're in my room."

The blue haired boy pursed his lips and felt his cheeks flush slightly, "When it gets a little darker, would you like to light them by the lake with me?"

This can't be happening, Akashi thought to himself, Tetsuya is initiating something with me. Insane. This is insane. He wants to spend time with me.

"Yes!" Too eager, Seijuro! Try again. Akashi cleared his throat, "Yes, of course."

"Then...it's a date." Kuroko said confidently with a small smile, he stood up and headed towards the washroom, "I'll wash up and get dressed and then meet you in the foyer?"

The redhead stood up as well, nearly knocking over his chair in the process. He quickly excused himself and rushed to his room to filter through his closet. He didn't have many clothes, but Kuroko's parents have been really nice to provide some outfits for events or parties. In the end, they were just going down to the beach by the lake so Akashi opted to wear a simple navy dress shirt and black pants. Well...simple for the Kuroko estate. He did one more quick check in the mirror and grabbed a light jacket and the sparklers before walking out to the foyer.

Kuroko came downstairs shortly after and no matter how many times Akashi saw him, he couldn't help but think about how handsome he was. His hair was clipped back as usual and he wore a light pink sweater with white pants.

Absolutely stunning…

"You really think so?" Kuroko let out a small laugh, "You were thinking out loud."

"Ah! No, I mean well yes, I do think so." Akashi took a deep breath, "Let's just take a walk, shall we?"

He offered his arm to Kuroko as usual, not expecting him to take it. But today, Kuroko lightly placed his hand on Akashi's arm and they walked together. Akashi was so used to seeing Kuroko's back whenever they walked. The blue haired boy would always be running ahead doing something, he was always busy, always taking the lead. It was admirable. He definitely wasn't someone who would idly sit back and look pretty.

When they got to the lake, they kicked off their shoes, rolled up the edge of their pants, and walked to the shore. Akashi hissed when the cold water brushed over his feet but he was excited to see how the light would shimmer over the water.

Kuroko followed him and felt a warmth in his chest. In the past couple of months of knowing Akashi, Kuroko began to understand that not all people were out to get his money or his virginity. Not all people were trying to manipulate him and stop him from doing what he wanted to do. Akashi had continued to support him and he continued to stand by his side. He was patient, kind, and in general, a good man.

Akashi handed a sparkler to Kuroko and lit them. They crackled brightly, the gold light shimmering on the calm waters and revealing their expressions in the dark night. Kuroko glanced at the redhead and noticed that he was looking at him with a soft expression. It was an emotion that Kuroko couldn't quite explain. It sent shivers down his spine and made him feel vulnerable. He averted his eyes from Akashi's gaze.

They both learned that sparklers, in fact, do not burn very long. About two minutes later, their light began to fade and soon they were enveloped by the dark again. Akashi didn't want the light to go out. Not after spending this much time kindling it. Not after spending this much time trying to get Kuroko to like him.

"Tetsuya, thanks for spending time with me."

"No worries, it was nice. I've never seen a sparkler like this before and you were right, they do look beautiful when reflecting off the water."

Akashi reached out to hold Kuroko's hand but then stopped himself, he didn't dare touch him without his permission. He turned away, "Let's head back to the house, it's getting late."

"Wait, Seijuro." Kuroko grabbed his hand and Akashi's heart threatened to explode. He felt Kuroko's lips press against his cheek. It was light like a feather and the contact disappeared nearly the second it was made, but Akashi felt like he was floating.

Kuroko took his arm and dragged him out of the shallow water. Akashi brushed his fingers against his cheek where he had felt Kuroko's kiss and smiled to himself. It was a good day.

He draped his jacket over the blue haired boy's shoulders and carried their shoes as they walked back to the estate. They simply enjoyed the evening breeze and the warmth between them where their arms met.

Akashi escorted Kuroko to his room and then retreated back to his room where he threw himself on the bed and stared blankly at the ceiling.

He pinched himself, good I'm not dreaming. He kissed me. He actually kissed me. My lord, I want to marry him. Really marry him.

Another month flew by quickly. Akashi continued to court Kuroko with more vigor than before and Kuroko began to respond to the advances. When Akashi bought him fruit, Kuroko would bake and leave a small fruit pie by the redhead's door. When Akashi bought him new fabrics, Kuroko would have a tie made with the extra material and give it to him. It was sweet and it made both of them happy. If anything, Kuroko felt less guilty to only be the one receiving gifts and he enjoyed spending his time using his skills to make presents for Akashi.

They set an official date for the wedding: July 12th. There was no actual reason for that day, Akashi and Kuroko were fooling around one evening and thought it would be funny to pull a date out of a hat. July 12th just happened to be the date that was drawn.

The flowers which Akashi planted a couple months before had now started to fully bloom. He wanted to show Kuroko right away but also wanted to have a serious chat with his parents beforehand.

Akashi sat before Kuroko's father and bowed to him, "Kuroko-san, I understand that I am to have an arranged marriage with Tetsuya and I've come here today to ask you officially and formally for his hand in marriage. Not because my father signed a contract but because I am hopelessly in love with your son. I will admit at the beginning I saw this arrangement as more of an advantage for my poor family however, over time I have come to see how truly magnificent Tetsuya is and I wish to show him every day how much I love him."

His father motioned for Akashi to stand, "My son, do you know why your father signed that contract to begin with?"

He shook his head and sat down in the chair across from Kuroko's father. He didn't hear much about his father but he suspected he was good friends with Kuroko's father.

"Your father was my best friend. He worked with me before he got married and I later found out he had a son three years younger than mine. We stayed in touch through letters and met up occasionally." Kuroko's father dug around his office cabinet and brought out a small box, "He knew he didn't have much time left. His health was deteriorating quickly and you were still so young. He told me a lot about you. How you were prideful, always trying to do things on your own. You never let anyone take you anywhere unless by force. But he also said that you would abandon everything to protect the ones you love."

Akashi watched as Kuroko's father brought out a copy of the contract from the box. He slid the contract across the table along with a letter, "Your father wrote me a letter a couple months before he passed. He asked me to make you an offer you can't resist. An offer that you won't be able to say no to. Something arranged. And so, I made a contract for an arranged marriage with my son. You would be forced to come here to withhold the contract and you would abandon your life to provide a better one for your sister and mother. Tetsuya didn't know about it and to be honest, I didn't expect him to accept you. But when you showed up to the estate, he didn't complain to me and ask me to send you away like he did with the other suitors."

He took out two rings from the box and placed them in Akashi's hand, "He also sent me this with his last letter and told me to give it to you when the time was right. It's your family ring and his wedding band. Your family ring is your signet, it is meant to symbolize your influence as an Akashi. He told me to tell you that the wedding band can be used however you choose to use it, but he has given you permission to propose with it. And I, of course, give you my blessing to wed Tetsuya."

Akashi fiddled with the rings in his hand. He slipped the signet ring onto his pinky and stared at the wedding band. He was really going to do it. He was going to propose.

"Can I…" Akashi choked up, he never really got to talk with anyone about his father, much less grieve his death, "Can I have the contract? I just want to get rid of it so Tetsuya knows it's real."

Kuroko's father smiled and handed him the entire box full of letters, "You may have all these memories. They're for you."

"Thank you," He stood up and bowed again, "I shall excuse myself. There's much to plan for the proposal."

Akashi walked down the halls with the box clutched tight in his hands, he didn't know what he should do with all the emotions that threatened to surface. Did he want to cry? Did he want to curse his father for playing him so expertly? Did he want to laugh? He didn't know. He didn't know anything anymore.

"Seijuro?"

The redhead looked up from the box to see Kuroko leaning against his door frame. He looked concerned. Kuroko quickly approached him and brought his hands up to his face, "Are you alright? You're crying."

Akashi drew in a shaky breath as Kuroko wiped away the tears that involuntarily rolled down his cheeks, "Tetsuya…"

He pulled the blue haired boy into a tight embrace. Kuroko hesitantly rubbed Akashi's back in comfort and held him as he sobbed. It was the first time Kuroko had seen him crumble like this. He wanted to take away all of his misery and replace it with joy. They stood by the entrance of Kuroko's room, entangled in each other's arms, and Akashi cried.

He cried over the loss of his father. It had been 8 years since his death but this was the first time he cried. Kuroko silently trailed his fingers through Akashi's red hair and listened.

Before Akashi could stop himself, he mumbled into Kuroko's neck, "Stay with me."

The redhead quickly grabbed Kuroko's shoulders and pushed himself away, "I...um, that's not what I meant-"

"Ok."

"What?"

Kuroko grabbed Akashi's hand and pulled him into his bedroom. He shut the door gently, "I said ok. I'll stay with you. You're clearly upset and you look exhausted. You can lie down on my bed, I'm just going to grab my book. I wanted to get some reading in before sleeping."

Akashi placed the box on the bedside table and crawled into Kuroko's bed. He made himself comfortable under the warm sheets. Everything smelled like Kuroko; like seawater and flowers.

When he returned with a book, Kuroko slipped right under the covers beside Akashi as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He rested his back against the headboard and put on his reading glasses. He kept the small bedside lamp lit so he could read, one hand held the book firmly and the other opted to run through Akashi's hair.

Akashi leaned into his touch and eventually found himself wrapping his arms around Kuroko's waist and resting his head against his stomach. He listened to the paper scratch against each other as Kuroko flipped the pages of his book almost rhythmically. The gentle rise and fall of his body as he breathed steadily. The quiet chirping of the crickets and the sound of the waves from the lake. The dimly lit room, Kuroko's hand in his hair, his tears dried up, he closed his eyes, and for the first time, Akashi couldn't think of anywhere else he wanted to be.

About an hour or two later, Kuroko yawned and closed his book. Akashi was fast asleep yet he still clung onto the blue haired boy like a child. He smiled as he put the book on his bedside table and blew out the light. Kuroko gently maneuvered himself to not wake the other and let sleep overtake him. Kuroko learned that night that it was nice to sleep beside someone.

Akashi woke up late in the morning. He rolled onto his back and took in his surroundings.

Right…This is Tetsuya's room. I fell asleep after crying my eyes out, how unsightly of me.

The redhead sat up and rubbed his eyes. Kuroko came back to his room a minute later, his hair was shorter.

"Good morning, husband." He said teasingly.

"You cut your hair!" Akashi reached out to touch the soft edges of his hair, "It's beautiful."

"Thank you. I figured I should cut it before the wedding so I don't look like a mess. Are you feeling better?"

The redhead smiled and got out of bed, "Yes, thank you. There's actually something I want to show you today, if you have time."

"I have time before dinner. I just have to run a couple of errands in the afternoon." Kuroko said while grabbing a suit jacket from his closet.

Akashi helped him put it on and they both froze at how domestic the scene must look. Their eyes met in the full body mirror in front of the closet and quickly averted their gaze.

"Then, I'll see you in the evening." Kuroko said as he left.

Once he saw Kuroko's carriage leave the estate, Akashi flew into action. He grabbed the box and went to his room to wash up. He threw on a casual white dress shirt and black pants to not raise any suspicion from the blue haired boy. Akashi stood in front of his mirror and practiced.

"Tetsuya, will you do me the honor of becoming my husband? Gross no...that's not it." He took a deep breath and fiddled with the wedding band, "Marry me? No, that's definitely not it."

After an hour of talking to himself in the mirror, he gave up altogether and decided the words would come to him. With some help from Kise, Akashi watered the flowers that he had planted.

"Ryouta… Do you think Tetsuya likes being around me?" Akashi asked, suddenly feeling a little unconfident.

The gardener laughed a little, "I'll let you in on a secret. Kurokocchi doesn't let suitors stay at the estate for long. He truly does send them running. He's absolutely terrifying, last time he put a snake in the suitor's bed and he slapped him across the face when the suitors tried to touch him. Saying that he likes being around you is an understatement at this point. And when he comes to the garden, he talks about you."

"Good things only, I hope."

"At first it was a lot of ranting. Not so much about you, but more about his father for putting him in an arranged marriage without him knowing. He definitely thought you were here for his money and his body. A month after you arrived, he started to say that maybe he was wrong about you."

Akashi smiled and brushed his fingers against the lilac colored petals, "Tetsuya should be coming back soon. I'll go wait for him. Thanks for helping me these past couple of months with the flowers."

Akashi paced back and forth in the foyer, his shoes clicking on the marble floor with every step. His anxiety could be felt throughout the entire estate, everyone knew that today was a special day for him.

When Kuroko came back, the redhead was practically fidgeting as he offered his hand to help him out of the carriage.

"Welcome back, Tetsuya! May I take you somewhere?"

Kuroko looked surprised with Akashi's enthusiasm, did he miss me that much? He laughed and took his hand, "Yes, you may take me anywhere you please."

"Perfect! Close your eyes and don't peek."

The blue haired boy did as he was told and let Akashi lead him to wherever they were going. Kuroko could immediately tell they were in the greenhouse, it was just warmer and more humid, plus it smelled like flowers. Akashi's hands were firmly on his shoulders as he guided him through the greenhouse. He knew this greenhouse like the back of his hand but Akashi seemed to guide him to a corner of the greenhouse that was supposed to be empty.

"Alright, you can open your eyes."

Kuroko gasped when he saw rows and rows of lilac and purple geraniums. The water droplets on the petals reflected the light making them sparkle. The late afternoon sun warmed the entire greenhouse, leaving the two of them to bask in the heat. Kuroko didn't know what to say, he stepped forward and touched the flowers gently.

"I know you wanted lilac and pink for the wedding so I wanted to plant something for you. It's ok if you don't want to use them!" Akashi mumbled, he wasn't sure if Kuroko's silence was a positive thing or a negative thing.

Kuroko let out a light-hearted laugh and Akashi swore there was nothing more beautiful than his future husband smiling while surrounded by a garden of flowers.

"Seijuro," Kuroko grabbed his hand, "I want to marry you."

"Wait! No!" Akashi yelled.

"N-no…?"

"You beat me to it!" Akashi ruffled his hair in frustration, he brought out the contract and ripped it in front of Kuroko, "I was going to do this!"

He got down on one knee and took out the ring, "And then I was going to do this! And then I was going to ask you to marry me! How could you ruin such a romantic plan by telling me that you want to marry me first, Tetsuya!"

Kuroko dissolved into laughter. He didn't realize Akashi had been this anxious, he must've been planning this for some time if he's freaking out this much about it.

He kneeled on the ground with Akashi and offered his left hand, "Then ask me now."

They sat on the dirty greenhouse floor as Akashi slipped the golden wedding band onto Kuroko's ring finger, "I want to make you the happiest man in the world. As long as I breathe, I swear I will do everything to support and protect you. Tetsuya, will you marry me?"

"Yes, Seijuro." Kuroko grabbed Akashi's face and pulled him into a searing kiss. They melted against each other, Akashi's hand cradled the back of his head and Kuroko sighed against his lips, "Yes."

They returned to the estate a couple of minutes later, their pants covered in soil from kneeling on the ground. Kuroko put a golden wedding band on Akashi's finger so they could match and they showed it off to their families. Ichigo immediately started calling Kuroko 'brother' once she was given permission to do so and the plans for the wedding were finalized.

The wedding went perfectly. The rings glistened on their fingers as they shared their first kiss as husbands, their families celebrated the union of two strong names, their friends congratulated them. The cake Atsushi made was wonderful, the lilac geraniums and pink lilies filled the venue, they lit sparklers by the lake in the evening. Akashi's arm firmly wrapped around Kuroko's waist, he pressed a kiss to his forehead as they watched their sparklers crackle with light.

As the festivities came to an end, Kuroko dragged Akashi to his room by the tie, champagne flute still half full in his hand. He shut the door and locked it behind him. The mischievous smile on Kuroko's face filled Akashi with anticipation.

He swallowed hard as Kuroko slipped off his confining wedding suit and walked towards the balcony. Kuroko gave one last look over his shoulder, his eyes running up and down Akashi's body in a lustful glance, and then he stepped out onto the balcony.

Akashi downed the rest of his champagne glass and shook his suit jacket off along with his tie. When he got out onto the balcony, Kuroko grabbed him and yanked him into the glass pool. Akashi yelped as he was submerged under the water, Kuroko's lips met his own.

His hands slid up Kuroko's bare thighs as the blue haired boy wrapped his legs around Akashi. They resurfaced with a gasp, Kuroko's back pressed against the glass wall of the pool.

"You're wearing too many clothes." Kuroko muttered as he wiped Akashi's wet hair away from his face.

"Mm," Akashi hummed as he leaned in for another addicting kiss, "you're the one who pulled me in before I could take them off."

"You're just too slow." He tried to unbutton Akashi's dress shirt, only to get frustrated by the soaked cloth and pulled it over Akashi's head. Their lips met again the moment the shirt was out of the way, Kuroko's fingers brushing against every inch of skin, "Touch me, I want you to."

Akashi became suddenly aware of the fact that Kuroko was completely stripped bare before him. He flushed red and hesitated, "I must admit, I've never done this before."

"Really? I always assumed you had some experience."

Akashi shook his head, "I was never interested in anyone."

Kuroko grinned, his arms wrapping around Akashi's neck. The water in the pool was warm, but wherever their skin met was warmer, "Then I guess we can be each other's firsts."

They smiled at each other. Akashi pressed the blue haired boy against the glass of the pool and kissed down his neck. Kuroko's eyes fluttered closed, his hands gripped Akashi's shoulders tight as they lost themselves in the pleasure.

In the morning, they awoke with their memories intact. Akashi had his face buried into Kuroko's chest, his arms holding his waist gently. He traced his fingers up and down Kuroko's sides and over the hickeys that he had left the night before. The blue haired boy let out a small groan as he was roused from his sleep.

"Hello husband." Akashi whispered as he littered small kisses all over Kuroko's chest.

Kuroko let out a soft laugh, "Sei, that tickles. Kiss me properly."

The redhead propped himself onto his elbows and gave his husband a loving kiss.

"Do you think your parents would let you have a tattoo in this time period? Isn't it more for criminals in this age?" Akashi asked as he lightly brushed his hand downwards until it was resting against Kuroko's hip.

"Oh, they wouldn't allow it." Kuroko grabbed Akashi's hand and guided it to where he wanted to be touched, "We can get one anyways. They don't have to know. But first, I need you right now."

Akashi laughed and he dove into their soft bed sheets for more.

Akashi and Kuroko lived long fulfilling lives as a strong, influential family. They spent a lot of their time funding charities and organizations. They watched Ichigo grow to become an elegant young lady who eventually married and had kids of her own. Akashi and Kuroko decided not to adopt and to simply spend the time they had together. As they aged, they eventually turned the Kuroko estate into an orphanage. They had renovations done to make the rooms more comfortable for the children and they watched over them alongside a couple of caretakers.

Kuroko passed away in his sleep. It was a somber night for Akashi as he grieved the death of his husband and the love of his life. He continued to live and help run the orphanage, but it was difficult without Kuroko. Everything was more difficult without Kuroko. Akashi passed away 17 years later.

Author's Note:

I will be on a short hiatus because school is starting up soon so I have to prepare for it! I'll be back shortly 3