Here I go again~ I know I shouldn't start another multi-chaptered fic, but this has been bugging me for months! I had to write it.

The Fall of the Emperor is all about Akashi and his relationship with the Generation of Miracles. As always, it has a serious tone, just like all my writing. This idea came to me when I read someone asking what did Akashi's father think about the loss and that he was disappointed. I don't remember where I read it, probably the fanbook...I'm not so sure. Anyway, this is a what-if situation. What if the Winter Cup finals didn't end the way it did? What if Akashi's problem got worse?

Warning: Dark-themes, triggers, depression, psychological problems, unbeta-d, slow updates. Will add more if needed.

Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basket is not mine.

The Fall of the Emperor

Prologue: Red Is the Color of Blood

Akashi stared at the scoreboard, eyes wide with disbelief. Cheers erupted from all around, but it seemed so far away. The area around him seemed to darken, slowly closing in, muffling all sounds, until there was only a single spotlight on him. He opened his mouth to speak, his voice loud, piercing the silence that suddenly settled in.

"I lost."

A single tear fell from his golden eye.

It was a month after the Winter Cup finals—Akashi was staring at the mirror, once he held an immaculate appearance, one that showed confidence and strong pride, but as he stared at the mirror now, he could only see what was left of it. His hair, a beautiful red, had lost its luster, now nothing more than a dishevelled mess, eyes that once shone with brilliance and wisdom beyond his age, now hollow and dead. He remembered standing tall, back straight and shoulders squared, but now he was far from that.

He smiled. It was a bitter smile, one that tasted of defeat and humiliation.

Oh, how far and hard he had fallen from his throne. It was laughable.

And so, he laughed, voice laced with madness as it reverberated around the room.

He brought up two pale arms, slowly and carefully. He could see red, the wonderful crimson that his name was associated with—it was a reminder of what he was, why he existed—to be the heir of the Akashi family. He had given up everything for it...only to have what he had worked his entire life for ripped away from him by one mistake—just one.

Just one, and it was all over.

Transferring his gaze back to the mirror, he stared straight at his reflection, stepping closer, disregarding the splashing sound that seemed so far away.

Heterochromatic eyes stared back.

It was mocking him, that golden eye. It reminded him of what he had lost and what he had now.

A trembling hand covered it, drops of liquid dripped down his arm. Now, he only saw red, but it still wasn't enough. He needed more—it was the only thing he had and he wanted more.

Madness crept around the edges, slowly closing in, surrounding him with black abyss. A flash of gold and madness struck, quickly devouring him.

The hand over his left eye plunged in, red splattered against the mirror as pain exploded—unimaginable pain. He gasped as his hand delved deeper. He was now shaking, the pain was even more torturous—it was a miracle that he hadn't passed out yet. In a quick snap of a hand, he pulled. A loud scream tore out from his throat. How undignified of him.

His body fell like a puppet whose strings had been cut. Red liquid splashed, it was wet and cold.

The pain from before seemed to lessen as time passed by, it wasn't soon until he was numb. All the pain and agony that he felt before disappeared, he was finally free.

Something rolled away from his hand, stopping in front of his line of vision. He stared at it as it stared back, red and gold clashing as darkness crept around the corner, always waiting.

The last thing he heard was the sound of the door slamming followed by a shrilling scream.

Darkness consumed him.

So? What did you guys think?

Please review~~ It motivates me to write~~