A/N: Hello~! Desty here and with my very first KnB fic! (Please be gentle with me _) I wrote this short-story as a birthday gift to a bestie of mine from Wattpad - and this is where I shamelessly encourage you all to check out Wattpad and come be apart of some close writers, we're all like family. ^-^

This is in Third POV, but mostly from Kagami... Yeah, I hope you all enjoy this! ^_^

{DISCLAIMER} I do not own Kuroko no Basket! If I did, well... KagaKuro + more would be canon xD

[WARNING(S)] Cursing, Yaoi (boyxboy, don't like, don't read)

Basket [01] Dreamy

This was it, He thought, as the sudden atmosphere seemed a lot hotter as he drew in to the boy sitting mere feet away from him.

His red eyes were locked on light blue as their faces inched closer. If the air was hot before, it was now sizzling as warm breaths ghosted over his face from the parted pink lips in front of him. A light hint of vanilla assaulted his nose and he gulped — he always found it cute how the normally impassive teen would light up at the taste of his favorite milkshake. Those rare moments always reflected back at Kagami when he was at home alone.

But now, the vision of creamy pale skin and short pale blue strands was all Kagami could focus on. The guy he's known as his partner on the court was all Kagami wanted to see. He wanted the teen all to himself, to be his partner both on and off the court of the game they loved so much.

Kagami leaned in even closer, their noses almost touching, and he breathed in a shaky breath. He's always wanted to be close to the other like this, how often has he looked on the shorter boy when no one was looking? It might sound silly to some, but he always loved the looks they would share, when his own eyes would meet with light blue... Even if they gave off a blank look, if you look long and hard enough you could make out some emotion within them.

Anticipation, excitement.

Kagami gazed down at the soft looking lips, how tempting they were... He leaned in even further to finally taste his shadow when a loud shrill ringing broke the still and live air.

Kagami awoke with a start, flustered and panting as he grasped the dark blanket over him. His wild red eyes were staring up at his bedroom ceiling, and not the blue-haired boy from moments ago. When the piercing noise once again erupted, Kagami's mind lost the sleepy haze and he slammed the alarm clock off.

He had been dreaming?! Kagami groaned, sitting up now and he leaned over with his face in his hands. He ran one through his slightly damp red and maroon hair. It was the same thing. Again. Kagami had been having these wild dreams for the past week — always of him and Kuroko, in different themes, but always ending with them drawing near and just about to kiss.

What the hell?! Was it not enough that Kagami couldn't keep his hands to himself now when around his teammate? He just has to have perverted dreams of him at night, too?!

Kagami let out a harsh groan then, feeling like his head was about to explode. He got out of bed and trudged through the empty apartment to get ready for school.

Another day, even more time to spend with his shadow... And Kagami couldn't help the smile that warped his face then.

. * . * .

He supposed it happened before he even knew it did, but the moment he realized his feelings, was the day he remembered the most. It was after Seirin's devastating defeat in the Inter-High against Touou, and when he decided to stay away from his shadow in order to become stronger. And also... Because he felt like he failed him, and the team, but most of all Kuroko.

The game was more important in meaning to the phantom sixth member of the Generation of Miracles, as it was supposed to help open that bastard Aomine's eyes. Kuroko's old light, and man did that really irk Kagami in all the wrong ways. He had been pissed when he found that out, and it still ate at him that Aomine had (and may still do) a special place in his shadow's heart. The possibility that the two former teammates may have had a stronger bond than what he had with his shadow really grabbed at Kagami's heart.

So he trained, because he wanted to get stronger. He didn't want to sit on the bench next time they faced opponents like that due to his own injury and weakness. He wanted to be there... Right alongside Kuroko, because he was Kuroko's light, right? And he would prove to that Ahomine that he wasn't dim!

But the long days of not hanging out with Kuroko hit him hard. Ever since coming back to Japan in middle school, it was like his first days in America all over again. No one to talk to, he was shunned because he was the 'outsider.' And no one seemed to want to give him a chance. Even the basketball here just didn't relate to him with the style he learned and grew up with in America — so he considered it weak. His love for the sport drove him to stick with it, even when he entered high school.

Every where he went, he stuck out, yet no one approached him. It slightly hurt because it brought back old memories of his childhood, but he didn't have Tatsuya here to acknowledge him like before. Kuroko was the first person to actually seek him out, to converse with him without feeling intimidated at doing so. Sure, that emotionless face really got on Kagami's nerves, but at least he was there, and not out of fear like so many before.

After some time, before even Kagami realized it himself, he was hanging out with the phantom guy after school. Both of them either heading to Maji Burger, or the private nearby court where they first played together. It also only helped their 'partnership' that they sat together in class. But their partnership slowly turned into friendship, and that's when Kagami found himself lightening up, showing his true self and smiling more. He just couldn't help it! He didn't feel like an outsider anymore, he had someone to talk to, someone who would hang out with him.

But Kuroko was a deep and complicated puzzle, one that Kagami slowly delved into bit by bit. His shadow seemed to want to be around him as much as he wanted to be around him. It was refreshing.

So when he went days avoiding Kuroko, he started feeling it again. Lonely. An outsider again, because no one had bothered to hang out and get to know the ace as much as Kuroko did. Not because they were partners on the court, but because they were friends. And even though Kagami told himself that they were still friends, for some reason the thought really hurt him. 'Til the point that he really wanted to reach out to the bluenette, instead of avoiding him like he was.

He had been practicing (again) at the same basketball court that him and Kuroko always went to when the gym wasn't open to use. He heard his name being called out, and turned to the source.

Now, Kagami Taiga only ever had basketball on the brain — hence why everyone always called him a 'basketball idiot.' His heart only beat fast while on the court, playing the game he loved. His mother was a romantic, but he never acquired the same taste as her, so romance had always been far from his mind.

So why did his heart start beating so fast — Kagami was surprised it didn't beat out of his chest — when he saw him? Under the bright lights, gasping as he took in air — he must have been running here. His blue hair seemed lighter than it was, and his eyes and features just seemed so soft.

Kagami only wanted to be near the teen at that moment, to touch that pale face... And then Kagami blanched, just what the heck was he thinking?!

But it didn't stop. His heart stayed the same frantic beat when he was in Kuroko's presence. It was only when they were walking home together and Kuroko said, "I'm glad I can still call Kagami-kun my friend." That Kagami's whole being shut down.

Friend. Why did that word hurt so much now? Shouldn't he be happy that him and Kuroko were close enough to be called as such? Isn't this what he wanted?

It was only by laying awake in bed that night that he discovered his true feelings. He felt sick when thinking of his shadow, and all he could picture was the small, genuine smile that seemed to light up Kuroko's stoic face when they fist-bumped. He wanted to see that smile more, to know that he was the cause of it.

Tossing and turning into the wee hours of the morning, Kagami finally pieced all of his experiences and emotions together. He wanted to be more than just friends with Kuroko. He wanted to the closest person to the phantom, the only one able to break that blank mask of his (and he often did so, to his enjoyment).

He couldn't believe it, but maybe he should have listened to his mom some more... He was in love. In love with his partner, his teammate, his shadow... Kuroko Tetsuya.

Ever since that realization, it almost seemed like the two grew closer — of course that could have been Kagami's wishful thinking, or by his own subtle actions in trying to get closer to the phantom. He was sure that Kuroko, with his close observation skills, would notice this change and tell Kagami (bluntly) to stop what he was doing, but he was never reprimanded. In fact, Kuroko seemed to have gone along with the flow of things, too. Offering more smiles his way, and even joking and becoming more open with Kagami.

It was a secret, gloating pleasure of Kagami's that Kuroko was only like this when the two were alone together.

With all of that, going through the Winter Cup, and then coming out on top, was the highest joy they've shared. But now basketball season was over, and until it came around, there wasn't really any official matches, only practice ones that coach managed to make every once in a while. So without the heat of competition to distract him, Kagami was suddenly up against a challenge that he had never been faced with.

To not touch Kuroko any more than what was deemed friendly. They were hanging out even more now, as their bond seemed to have just grown even more after their victory. Kuroko had lightened up even more at seeing his ex-teammates fall back in love with the sport that brought them all together, and for the first time, Kagami had seen Kuroko's genuine happy face when he gazed at all of the Generation of Miracles when they gathered together after the competition to exchange words. Even Kagami could feel the change between all of them, and he suddenly felt happy himself for helping Kuroko bring about this change. Sure they were all a bunch of weirdos, but they were his basketball rivals, and he wanted them at least happy when playing the sport.

Now they were in their next semester of school, and Kagami didn't know if it was the spring cherry blossoms in the air, or his growing bond with Kuroko, or both, but he just could not keep his hands to himself. He always found himself ruffling those pale blue locks whenever he was close — even when around the team, but they seemed to not notice, or care. Kuroko used to hit his hand away whenever he would try to mess with his hair, but the every day habit (because, yes, they even hung out on Sundays when there wasn't any school) must have waned Kuroko's annoyance, because now all he did was sigh when Kagami messed with his hair.

It wasn't just the hair thing either. Whenever they walked side-by-side, they used to walk a respectable distance away from each other, but now their arms almost touched when walking. Kuroko never showed any different facial reaction when Kagami would 'accidentally' brush their hands together when there happened to be a bump in the road. In fact, Kagami seemed to be the only one affected by this change in friendly gestures, as most of the time Kagami would have to hide his blush and try not to get so flustered.

Kagami sighed as he walked into the school building. Having a crush was hard, especially since he's never had to deal with this kind of stuff before. Now Kuroko took more of his time and mind-span than even basketball!

And then it didn't help any when his heart picked up in speed (as if he were about to go into a game) when he saw the object of his thoughts and affections sitting across the room. In his usual seat behind Kagami's, sitting nonchalantly in the sun as he read a book. Like always, but Kagami's mouth went dry. Kuroko may be a 'shadow' but he looked so beautiful in the light...

Kagami wanted to bang his head against the wall for thinking that. Yep, hopeless romantic.

"Hey, Kuroko." Kagami greeted as he sauntered up to his desk, determined to keep his hands to himself for at least the first period.

Instead of the usual polite greeting he normally gets from the elusive boy, this time there was only silence. Which caused Kagami to turn around in his seat to look at the boy.

Kuroko was still intently reading the book in front of him — one of the many novels his shadow liked to read on a daily basis — and Kagami couldn't tell what kind of book it was as there was a gray book cover over it. He remembered seeing the same cover over some other books in the past, but only now did it seem important to the ace.

Because whatever this book was, it was completely absorbing all of Kuroko's attention, and that was just not cool with Kagami.

"Hey, Kuroko!" Kagami tried shouting at the quiet teen, but all Kuroko did was flip to the next page, his eyes roaming the new page with vigor. Kagami continued talking to Kuroko, in an effort to get his attention, but it was no good. For some reason, Kuroko was completely focused in on that book!

Kagami, having had enough, reached out and grasped the small pale wrists (making sure to be gentle as they seemed so fragile) and pulled them lightly down so the book was further away from his shadow's face.

At the contact, the concentration was broken for Kuroko, and he instantly locked eyes with Kagami.

"Oh, good morning Kagami-kun." Kuroko spoke blankly (albeit politely) as ever, only Kagami was able to make out the hidden surprise in his calm facade. So he caught Kuroko by surprise? But he's always in-tune with his surroundings!

"Don't 'good morning' me, idiot! I've been trying to get your attention for the past five minutes and all you did was keep your nose in that book!" Kagami was starting to get pissed off.

Kuroko studied the fuming red-head before looking down at his book and where Kagami still gently held his wrists. "I didn't realize Kagami-kun was seeking my attention so badly."

Kagami, blushing slightly at the phantom's words, followed his blue gaze down to where he still held pale wrists in his tanned large hands. Immediately, he let go of the soft skin as if it burned him and grew flustered. Didn't he just tell himself that he wasn't going to touch the teen?! Damn it!

"I—well, you wouldn't answer me and—" Kagami had to breathe in to settle his nerves and hammering heart — seriously, he's going to get a heart attack one day from Kuroko! Kagami gritted his teeth and pointed to the little gray book. "Just what the hell is in that that has you focused so much?! Aren't you usually more aware of your surroundings?"

Kuroko marked his place in the book and shut it lightly before tucking it away in his school bag. "Forgive me, I was engrossed in reading an important part of the story. I couldn't contain my excitement."

"You don't look excited at all!" Kagami pointed to his blank eyes and stoic face.

Kuroko seemed to want to smile, but hid it since the classroom was beginning to get full with arriving students. "I apologize for not noticing Kagami-kun sooner. That was rude of me."

That was another thing Kagami had come to notice of the quiet teen. He always hid his emotions and smiles when others were around... but why? Kagami always wondered why Kuroko hid himself from others so much... The bluenette was already cute on his own, but when he showed what he was truly feeling — like a smile — he became radiant.

But, in a way, Kagami really liked that Kuroko didn't open up and show anyone his adorable expressions, that way Kagami was the only one who saw them...

"Kagami-kun, you're staring." Kuroko deadpanned, and once again it sent Kagami's heart a flutter.

"Oh, uh, sorry..." Kagami lightly scratched at his burning cheek. Get a hold of yourself! You're worse than a lovestruck girl!

Kuroko couldn't contain his smile then, as he was both amused and found a flustered Kagami endearing.

That smile only made it worse for Kagami.

. * . * .

A/N: Please let me know what you all think of this, as I'm not used to writing lovey-dovey stuff all of a sudden. ^_^'' I really like to, though. I get them warm and fuzzy feelings inside ^-^ *hugs self* (Plus, Kagami in love with Kuroko is so freakin fun to write xD)