Holy shit, it's a Christmas fucking miracle. After practically a year of not updating this story, I have finally made a comeback. I am so sorry for taking so long but I know I'm going to have to keep this story short. I'm going to do one more with Rakuzan, a special chapter, and finally get to both GoM and Seirin. Thankfully, I know what to do for three of them but Rakuzan is a bit of a worry. Tell me which character from Rakuzan you'd like to see me write about in the reviews :)

Anyways, this chapter is gonna clash a bit with Himuro's chapter because the timeline is a bit messed up. Let's just assume that, for this universe, Himuro's story didn't happen. I really did try my best to have the timeline going ok but Kasamatsu's situation couldn't fit anywhere else other than this particular period. So please, just assume that Himuro's story didn't happen for this drabble.

Hope you like this chapter and I'll try to update soon (sigh)

So, without further ado, here is the next chapter!

HEADS UP

1. This will completely ignore the time schemes. I'm going to upload the characters the order in which I want to write them at. So, for example, en chapter could be after the Winter Cup, and the next could be in the time when Seirin beat Kaijo at a practice match. I will put the time in which the chapter will be at, but I'm saying this now so you guys don't get confused.

2. It is highly likely that the characters, aka victims, will be out of character. One because the plot demands it, and two because I can't get out of my comfort zone to write really mean characters (cough cough Hanamiya, Haizaki etc). So, forgive me if I can't really write these types of characters well and let us hope that I will be able to write them better i the near future.

portraits/paintings that I will mention in each chapter are pictures I found on the Internet. To give you guys a better perspective on the what the victims will be witnessing, I'll put the links up both at the end of the chapter and at my profile. Just remember to take away the spaces if you're too lazy to go click on my profile and find it there. There will sometimes be more than one painting the characters will witness. Also, in my profile, the links don't work if you click them, so you have to copy paste them, so heads up on that

Title: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Rating: T

Pairing: implied Kasamatsu X Kise (very very implied)

Time frame:Right after Kaijo VS Fukuda Sougo match

Warning: implied, extremely subtle rape mention (trigger warning)

Sixth victim: Kasamatsu Yukio

"Do you think I wanted to leave him alone in the hospital? The nurses chucked me out before I could even open my mouth to protest! Vile women, I swear." Kasamatsu swore as he walked away from Chukyo hospital, the only hospital that was closest to the stadium.

"Are you sure that they chucked you out or did you just leave the room the moment they came in?" Kasamatsu's friend, Moriyama, commented and Kasamatsu's eyes narrowed slightly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He asked skeptically and he could imagine Moriyama shrug.

"I mean, you've always had an irrational fear of them. I just assumed that you didn't want the nurses touching you, so that's why you just willingly left."

"I didn't willingly leave. They really did chuck me out." Kasamatsu said but that was only half true.

Moriyama merely sighed, noticing the half-baked lie. "Whatever you say. In any case, maybe they wanted some alone time with Kise. He is a model, you know."

"Shit, should I go back?" He asked in worry.

Moriyama chuckled. "I think he's going to be just fine. Anyways, Kasamatsu, everyone's already at the hotel. When are you coming?"

Kasamatsu cursed. "When do the taxis stop running?"

"At 10."

"And it's already 10:30. Shit, how am I going to go back? I really should go back to the hospital, shouldn't I? I'm worried about Kise, too, so it's going to be a good opportunity."

"Would you really be able to do that? Do you really think the nurses will let you?"

"I could sneak in."

Moriyama sounded unconvinced. "Maybe. Call Kise and check if the nurses are all there. Call me if you find some shelter. Oh, and if you find any cute nurses who are willing to give out their phone numbers, definitely call me back."

"I will smack you if you don't shut it." Kasamatsu said in annoyance and ended the call with the ever failing womanizer. He then called Kise, praying that there would be no women inside.

His prayers were not answered. "Yes?" He heard Kise whisper on the phone. Kasamatsu could distinctly hear all the feminine chatter in the background.

"Kise, are all the nurses still there?" Kasamatsu asked and he could practically see Kise nodding his head vigorously.

"Help me, senpai. There are so many of them and I don't think they're here to check on my foot. What do I do?"

"I can't sneak in, can I?"

"Please just get me out of here."

Kasamatsu rubbed the back of his head. "I wish I could but I can't go back to your room with all those nurses there."

"I think you could. You could just have to say you're a visitor and the nurses would leave." Kise explained but Kasamatsu rubbed the back of his neck. Just the thought of going in a room filled with women made him want to vomit. If he didn't know any better, he would say he was afraid to go in. Not that he was ever going to admit it, though.

"I highly doubt they would just leave like that. Sorry Kise, but I won't be able to go."

There was pause on the phone and he could then hear Kise talking to one of the nurses who sounded like she was flirting. "Right, I guess it would be difficult. What should I do?"

"You're the patient, aren't you? Tell them you're tired and want to be alone. They have to listen to you then."

"I already tried but they won't listen to me."

Kasamatsu swore. "Shit, and I needed some place to stay. I can't even get a taxi because they don't operate at this time anymore."

"Senpai, you're stranded?" Kise asked in surprise and Kasamatsu shut his mouth in a hurry. He didn't want to sound so desperate.

"Ah, yeah." He replied awkwardly and there was a silence from the blond model, the only sound being the decreasing volume of chatter. He then heard Kise asking for permission to take a call from his manager in quiet and the door closing shut.

"Finally, I can think clearer. Senpai, if you don't have anywhere to go —"

"It's fine, Kise. I can walk to the hotel. You don't have to worry so much." Kasamatsu hurriedly said, cutting Kise off before he could finish his sentence. No matter how worried he was about the blond, he couldn't, for the sake of his life, go back to the place where there were so many women. He couldn't because he knew he would end up collapsing.

"Senpai, where are you right now?" Kise suddenly asked with a weird tone of voice that he's never heard before.

Kasamatsu looked around. "Still a bit close to the hospital you're staying at. Why?"

"I think there might be a place for you to stay in for the night, senpai."

"Really, where?" Kasamatsu said, his interest peaking. Kise was silent for a second, almost like he was taking a moment to draw up a plan.

Then, "Just stay there. Let me call someone up to pick you up because it's a bit difficult to navigate."

"Wait, who's this someone? Is it someone I know? Where exactly am I going to go?"

"I'll have to hang up. Just stay where you are, senpai!" The phone clicked, ending the call and the beeping echoing in the sullen night. Kasamatsu looked at his phone skeptically, albeit a bit angrily, and quickly called Kise's phone number, only to have the automated voice say that it was currently busy.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance but was a bit curious and desperate to see who this person was. It was obviously someone Kise knew, meaning that they couldn't be dangerous people, and even if his underclassman did know some sketchy individuals, Kasamatsu was certain that Kise wouldn't send one his way. Then again, he wondered who Kise was thinking of. Kise, being the model he is, had various connections with different people, so it wouldn't be that surprising to have someone he knew live in this part of the street. But it worried the steely-eyed man if the person Kise was thinking of was a woman.

He absolutely could not handle women.

About 5 minutes passed after his phone call with Kise and Kasamatsu was getting jittery. The thought that a woman would come to take him in was terrifying and just thinking about it more made him want to throw up. His hands started to shake a bit, his knees turning weak, and he was almost out of saliva, his mouth going dry.

He couldn't take the suspense anymore. Quickly, he dialed Kise's number. Thankfully, after the third ring, he picked up.

"Are you on your way?" Kise asked the first thing he picked up.

"No, and I am this close to going to the hospital and hitting you. Who is this person you're talking about and what are you not telling me?"

"Ah, you don't have to worry, senpai. It's only K —"

"Is that him?" Kasamatsu heard a female voice call out. He whipped his head to that direction, squinting a bit because it was too dark to make out the shadow coming from the opposite side. Immediately, he went on guard, his body frozen in place. The phone in his hand dropped, leaving Kise's voice to a whisper.

Soon, a woman with a petite form, her hair tied to a bun and slightly tossled, came jogging his way. Kasamatsu took a step back, intimidated, but couldn't actually run away. He didn't know why but he assumed that maybe this was the person Kise mentioned. He looked at his hand that didn't have his phone anymore, and he quickly looked down to see his phone lying there in oblivion. Kasamatsu crouched, trying his best to ignore the woman that was right in front of him, and very rudely, he started talking on the phone without acknowledging the woman's presence.

"Kise, you better have a good explanation for this." Kasamatsu growled, purposefully avoiding his eyes from the woman who was patiently waiting for his call to end.

"Did you meet him yet?"

"Him? What are you talking about? There's only —"

"Is that Kise-kun? May I speak with him?" A very familiar voice asked and Kasamatsu made a very confused face. Where in the world did that voice come from? And why was that voice so familiar to him?

"Kasamatsu-san?" The voice said and Kasamatsu jumped at the fact that a ghost he couldn't see, who was apparently extremely close to him, knew his name.

Ghost? Familiar voice?

Kasamatsu looked down and narrowed his eyes a bit to focus. And just like that, he could see teal hair, almost blinding in the moonless night. He jumped a few steps back at the sudden appearance of Kuroko Tetsuya, his opponent and Kise's old friend.

"Kuroko! When the hell did you come here?"

"I was always here, Kasamatsu-san. May I talk to Kise-kun?" Kuroko merely asked, not at all fazed by Kasamatsu's reaction. He, feeling a bit guilty at his sudden action, nodded and gave Kuroko his phone.

He took it with a bow and walked a few feet away from where Kasamatsu was standing. While the phantom man was talking the call, he suddenly realized there was another presence in front of him, one that made him uncomfortable to the bone.

Remembering his rudeness in the beginning, he bowed formally but no words could come out. When he stood back up, he saw that the woman was also bowing and Kasamatsu took that moment to see that she was wearing very formal, almost servant-like clothing. If his eyes were not deceiving, this woman was most likely working as a maid from a rich family.

"I apologize for the sudden appearance. The young master was extremely worried and was rushing to find you." The woman apologized.

Kasamatsu couldn't speak. The words in his mouth died down as he tried to stutter a simple apology back or at least ask who this 'young master' was. Instead, the only thing he could answer back was "Ah, yes."

The woman glanced at him with a confused look and Kasamatsu bit his lip in embarrassment. When the woman stood up again to inspect him, taking a step forward to look at him closer, he unconsciously took a few steps back further. The woman stopped in her steps, looking extremely guilty, and that made Kasamatsu's day even worse. Not only did Kise injure his foot, but he had also just hurt a stranger's feelings because of his stupid mistake. It was bad enough that Kise's injury made him feel so small and helpless as a captain, but now he was absolutely weak in the eyes of a woman he had never met before.

It was infuriating for him to be like this.

Before he could try once again to apologize, Kuroko came back with his phone.

"Thank you for lending me your phone, Kasamatsu-san. Let us go." Kuroko said as he gave his phone back. Kasamatsu took and saw how hot it was. How long did he stay out here with the woman? What was Kuroko even talking to Kise about?

"Wait, where are we going?" He asked and Kuroko glanced back at him for a second.

"To my home. Kise-kun told me your situation and I would be more than happy to lend you our guest room."

Kasamatsu looked at the woman next to Kuroko for a second and, as if she had eyes behind her back, she turned around and met his gaze. Kasamatsu froze, his legs going in shock, and the woman's eyes widened as she bowed down hastily.

"I apologize. My actions were a bit rude." She commented, her posture formal and her hands on top of each other. Kuroko watched Kasamatsu with unreadable eyes and stayed quiet. Said person was struggling to speak, to tell her that it was ok and she didn't need to bow every time something happened.

She wasn't the one at wrong. He was the wrong one here.

"Um, Kuroko, I just need a ride to the hotel. I don't need to —"

"Kasamatsu-san, I would not mind at all. And it is too late to drive around. It would be too dangerous as well."

"But —"

Kuroko was persistent but that didn't mean Kasamatsu was as well. They began arguing, rival between rival, stranger between stranger, and it grew on until both Kuroko and the woman stopped in front of very intimidating gates.

Kasamatsu stopped his reasoning to gaze at the enormous shadow in his perspective. The lights in the windows shone, giving him more view of what was in front of him, and his jaw dropped when he realized he was seeing a mansion. An actual mansion, one that would only be imaginable in movies. Did Japan even have the space for something as huge as this?

And what was more, the woman was opening the door and Kuroko was going in as if he had done this a thousand times.

"Young master?" Kasamatsu muttered under his breath, remembering what the woman had said previously, and he was still very skeptical with his own train of thought; that is, until the door opened and he was exposed to a ray of gold and white. Servants were lined up in two straight lines, and all bowed as they entered.

"Welcome back, Tetsuya-sama." They all said and that was all it took to let the puzzle pieces click and Kasamatsu's mind to completely shatter.

"Tet— Wh— What?" Kasamatsu bellowed in utter puzzlement and like the little shit he was, Kuroko didn't even blink at his reaction. Instead he asked one of the servants if he could get the guest room prepared and asked another to heat up some left over chicken.

"But young master, we can prepare a cuisine instead. Why the leftovers?" The servant said in a distressed voice and Kuroko looked at Kasamatsu for approval.

Cuisine? Did he mean something fancy at 11 at night? As much as he was curious to see what he meant by cuisine, that was just imposing too much. He shook his head, equally as distressed. "I'm not that hungry. You don't have to prepare any dinner for me."

"You need to eat Kasamatsu-san." Kuroko stated and Kasamatsu's stomach growled angrily. He held onto it to be quiet, but he couldn't lie to both himself and Kuroko.

With a broken smile, he answered, "Chicken would be great, actually." The servant bowed and Kuroko tried to get him to stand up. The look on his face was something the senior hadn't seen before, and it made him want to laugh.

Then, he felt something touch his shoulder and saw that a maid, not the woman he walked with, was tapping him slightly.

"Sir, if you would like to accompany me, I shall —"

Her words were lost as Kasamatsu yelled in surprise. "Get away!" He screamed and the mansion, if it wasn't quiet before, was definitely silent now. Everyone, the servants, the maids, even Kuroko himself, looked at the scene with wide eyes. Kasamatsu was trembling, holding his shoulder tightly, and the maid looked both lost and terrified.

She bowed as quickly as she could. "I'm so sorry. I'll leave right this instant. Excuse me." She said, covering her face in embarrassment.

He looked at her scuttling body with immense hate for himself. He wanted to call out to her, telling her it was his fault, not hers, but the words just wouldn't come out. So, in shame, he looked down, unable to meet anyone's eyes. Slowly, the mansion started running again and another servant, a man this time, asked him to follow him to a hallway.

They were silent throughout the walk, and while Kasamatsu did want to talk to the servant and ask him if he could send a message to the maid who had been so kind to him that he was sorry, his glance fixated on the paintings that were graciously hung in the walls. Every few times, he would stop for a second to really appreciate and take in the beautiful artworks and the servant, who must have sensed the same thing the first time around, let him stay there.

Quietly, the art spoke to him, encouraging him, pushing him forward, letting him live. There was one painting in particular in which there were two shadows close to holding hands. As shadows, there was no distinction between man and woman but it was obvious that they were at the painful stage of moving into something more than love. It was chilling and warming at the same time, and he wondered if he would ever be like the shadow, cautiously, curiously wanting to hold someone's hand.

But there was another that chilled him straight to the bone, in which he was close to stop completely and fall to the ground. It was a portrait of a very beautiful woman with luscious blond curls, plump red lips, and blue eyes that begged to be looked upon. She was smiling slightly, as if she was reminiscing something nice, but the look in her eyes made Kasamatsu want to run away, far, far away.

Close to collapsing, he put his hand on the wall for support.

"Sir, are you ok?" The servant said in a worried voice and Kasamatsu swallowed a lump in his throat before nodding.

"I'm fine. Exactly where are we going?"

"We have prepared a bath for you while the food is being prepared."

"I don't really need one, though."

"Tetsuya-sama has requested it. He is also in his room washing up."

Kasamatsu was about to protest more but they had already arrived. He had to marvel for a bit at the size of the bathroom, which could probably fit a family of six, and realized a bit later that everything was laid out for him, even new clothes for him to wear for the night. The bath was filled with sweetly scented bubbles and there were even candles by the side, which could be lit to make it more romantic or peaceful.

Kasamatsu stripped and dipped into the bath, exhaling a wondrous sigh of relief. It was like all the loss, the stress, and the pressure all flew off into the heavens and he was here, oblivious to the chaos inside him.

He could have stayed there forever, but there was only so much he do before the uncomfortable feeling settled in again. The guilt, the shame, the embarrassment, and his own internal turmoil stacked up against him and he couldn't feel calm anymore. Quickly, he got out the bath, draining the water that slowly swirled away, and put on clothes that were not his. Curiously, they fit him well and it was so comfortable that he almost mistook it for his own. Once he opened the door to leave, a butler was waiting patiently for him.

"Sorry, I think I took a long time." Kasamatsu said sheepishly but the butler shook his head and smiled.

"No worries. Come, dinner is ready." Kasamatsu silently followed the black attired man, who was taller than he. He did his best to not look at the paintings hung and definitely looked away to the other side when he encountered the woman with blonde locks.

Once they got to the main table, Kuroko was already there, talking to the petite woman from before. Kasamatsu avoided eye contact, sitting a few seats away from Kuroko and the servants immediately served them the apparently 'leftover chicken.' Kasamatsu's eyes widened at the sight of it; it looked like it could be served in one of the most fanciest restaurants in Europe.

"Uh Kuroko, you sure this leftover chicken?"

Kuroko sighed. "It is. I told them to just heat it up but they wouldn't accept that."

"Were you always this… um…" Kasamatsu started to ask awkwardly.

"Rich?" Kuroko finished and gave him a small smile. "Yes, I was born to a rich family."

"But you don't really show it. Your former captain, the red-head, flaunts it every chance he gets."

"I do not believe that status marks who you are. Many have different concepts to how a rich person should be, how they should look like and how they should act, and while some do relate to that stereotype, there is so much more to a rich person. Akashi-kun was taught and raised to show his status and how that has impacted his life, and while that is not necessarily bad, he has become restricted of his freedom from a very young age. I, however, was not raised to be like that. My parents are very liberal and when they had me, they always made me promise not to tell anybody of my status unless I could truly appreciate them as friends."

"Admirable. Your parents raised you right."

Kuroko gave him a small smile. "Thank you."

"So, were the Generation of Miracles the first ones to visit your home?"

At that, Kuroko grew gloomy, his poker face melting that into a sad smile. "No. When I was in elementary school, I had a friend who did not care much about my financial status, even after I had told him. instead, he stayed with me because he saw my passion for basketball and admired how relentless I was in the sport."

Kasamatsu's eyes softened, already knowing that something bad had happened between these two. "He sounds like a great friend. What happened?"

Kuroko grew even gloomier, if that were even possible. "It was my fault. I did something unnecessary and that forced him to quit basketball."

Kasamatsu couldn't even imagine it. How would someone like Kuroko do such a thing? "I highly doubt you could cause something as severe as that. There must be some other reason."

Kuroko twiddled his thumbs in an uncomfortable manner. The chicken was already cold but neither was hungry enough to notice. Kasamatsu sighed. "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. Sorry for asking such a personal question."

"No, you do not have to apologize Kasamatsu-san."

"In any case, thanks for letting me stay. I don't know what I would've done if Kise hadn't called you." Kasamatsu changed the topic smoothly and Kuroko looked grateful for that.

"How is Kise-kun?" Kuroko asked in worry.

Kasamatsu rubbed the back of his neck. "I wish I could tell you but I was forced to leave before the doctor could give us the analysis. The only thing I could see was that Kise's foot was messed up pretty badly. There's a chance that he might have to go to rehabilitation."

"No. But tomorrow…" Kuroko's eyes widened and Kasamatsu bitterly smiled.

"Yeah, I know. No one noticed until it was too late. That idiot, pushing himself that hard to the point of going into rehabilitation. I should smack him when I see him tomorrow. Hopefully, they'll do something to make it a bit better."

"Please smack him for me as well, Kasamatsu-san."

The senior smiled and ruffled Kuroko's hair, not feeling as awkward as he expected it to. "No problem. I'll hit him extra hard."

The two were in a comfortable silence and Kuroko politely asked the chef if he could reheat the chicken. The chef bowed, smiling as he took the chicken, and left for a few minutes to recook it without damaging the overall structure. Then, the petite woman came back and whispered something in Kuroko's ears. Kasamatsu saw the gesture and he involuntarily stiffened, his fists clenching in an attempt to stop shivering.

Kuroko looked towards his way and frowned slightly, but not enough for Kasamatsu to see. The woman saw as well and quickly left the table. Kasamatsu hit himself on the forehead for making the servants here so uncomfortable.

He saw Kuroko studying him. "I'm sorry Kuroko. I just made things really awkward. I should apologize to her and —"

"Kasamatsu-san, it is ok. Nakashima-san will not mind it."

"Still, I made her really awkward and I probably should. Oh, and the other maid who I accidentally screamed to. It wasn't my place but I just— It was completely out of reflex."

"Kasamatsu-san, it is ok." Kuroko reassured and Kasamatsu sighed, running his hand through his hair in distress.

After another uncomfortable silence, Kasamatsu broke it with a slight shrill in his voice. "So, did you draw all those portraits hung in the hallway?"

Kuroko nodded. "Yes, I did."

"I had no idea you could paint. You're really talented."

"You do not have to flatter me, Kasamatsu-san. But thank you."

Kasamatsu felt a lump in his throat. "So, um, who is he blonde woman?"

Kuroko tilted his head. "A blonde woman?"

"Yeah, a blonde haired woman with really long curls and red lips…"

Kuroko took a moment to remember. Then, a lightbulb it up above his head. "She is merely from my imagination. I was inspired to try and draw a 'perfect woman' after seeing the Mona Lisa in real life."

"So, she's not real?" Kasamatsu asked in shock.

Kuroko shook his head. "No, she is not. Do you believe I achieved what I wanted?"

Kasamatsu unconsciously brought the image to his mind. When he did, he accidentally punched his leg. He yelped and Kuroko jumped with him.

"What is the matter?"

"Sorry, just remembered something bad."

Kuroko examined him but said nothing. Thankfully, the chef came back with the chicken and the rest of the night was spent with the two focusing only on the food.

Kasamatsu couldn't sleep. No matter how hard he tried, he just kept tossing and turning around the bed which was too soft to even describe. With such a beautifully made bed, he was so sure he would forget all his troubles; instead, he just kept recalling them and ended up turning on the lights after a particularly horrible remembrance.

He decided he would walk around and tire himself out more. He shouldn't have had to do this; after such an intense match with Fukuda Sougo, he was sure he would drop like a rock. But with the blonde woman who was apparently imaginary to those around him was right outside the guest room, and the two women he had scared away kept coming back to him, which Kasamatsu could only hung his head in shame.

Quietly, he opened the door and checked to see if there were any servants or bodyguards surrounding the room. Thankfully, the hallways were silent and he began to explore. It was a terribly large hallway, with its twists and turns that lead to other mysterious doors, and after a while, after wandering around in the darkness, Kasamatsu decided to go back. He had already imposed too much.

The really good thing about being a point guard was his exceptional sense of direction. He could tackle even the most difficult mazes on the first try. While he wasn't as good as Seirin's Izuki, who had his Eagle Eye, or Takao from Shuutoku, who was even better with his Hawk Eye, Kasamatsu still took pride in his own steely eyes.

But just as he was about to go back, he became curious. Curious to see what other rooms there were, to gaze at all the other portraits. He was traumatized but he was still compelled to look at them; there was a certain fling to the all of the portraits that just made alluring. He got the general basis of the structure of the mansion and was sure that even if he took the other way, he would still end up in the guest room. So, he went the opposite direction and touched the golden lining ion the walls. And just as he was about to turn, he saw a small gleam of light that radiated the darkened hallways.

"Who's still awake?" He muttered to himself and walked over there, tiptoeing to not make a sound. Once he got there, curiosity embodied him and he began to place his ear close to the door, to see if he could hear anything. When he heard nothing, he shrugged.

"Maybe no one's here. I should probably turn off the lights then." He said to himself as he opened the door without much care. But as he did, the golden light blinded him and for a second, he saw white. Stunned, he stood right at the door way, trying to blink away the whiteness to let himself see the bigger picture. And when he did, he gasped.

Inside was none other than a room that looked so much like an art studio, with paint splattered across the walls and floor, with canvases sprawled messily on the ground, and portraits everywhere. He would have assumed it was just an art studio had it not been for a small bed that was at the corner of the room, barely visible.

"What in the world is this?" He whispered to himself, completely mesmerized.

"Kasamatsu-san, why are you not sleeping?" A voice said and he looked down to see Kuroko, his eyes wide and slightly confused.

Kasamatsu gave out a small yelp because he wasn't expecting Kuroko at all. Then he understood.

"Shit Kuroko, I didn't know this was your room. I thought there was no one there so I thought I would turn off the lights. Sorry for barging in." Kasamatsu immediately apologized.

Kuroko didn't mind at all. "It is alright Kasamatsu-san. It is not the first time this kind of thing has happened."

"Damn, your artistic skills are amazing. You're a true artist." Kasamatsu said, peering above Kuroko's head to see all the canvases that were hung up.

Kuroko shrugged. "I wouldn't necessarily call myself an artist."

Kasamatsu lifted an eyebrow in skepticism. "I think you're highly diminishing your potential, Kuroko."

Kuroko saw that Kasamatsu was struggling to look at his work. "Would you like to come in?"

"Can I?"

"Of course. It would be my pleasure. I needed to ask you a favor anyways. Would that be ok?"

"Kuroko, you let me into your home. One favor isn't enough to show my gratitude."

Kuroko gave him a small smile. "Thank you Kasamatsu-san. Please, enter." And as Kasamatsu did, he took a small breath, marveling at the room.

Kuroko pointed to a stool that was faced the back of a medium sized canvas. "Would you mind sitting there so I can draw you?"

Kasamatsu blinked. "Draw me?"

"Yes, I finished half of the painting but I realized that I never really got a good look at you, which made it extremely difficult to finish. Is it a bit too much to ask?" Kuroko asked, his voice getting more dejected. Kasamatsu thought he was looking at a puppy for a second.

He smiled and unconsciously ruffled Kuroko's already unruly hair. "Not at all. If anything, I'm honored." He said as he sat on the stool. Kuroko's head lifted and Kasamatsu wondered if he was always this expressive. Then he realized how much Kuroko had gone through during the period of time since the first time they had a match to now. He wondered how much love Kuroko had received from Seirin to become the person he was today: happy.

He frowned for a second. "We're going have two of the most important matches tomorrow. Seirin versus Kaijo and Rakuzan versus Shuutoku."

Kuroko nodded solemnly, his hand still moving smoothly across the canvas. "Yes."

"I don't doubt our team at all. I am worried for Kise, whose foot got hurt because of the jackass Haizaki, but I will lead my team to victory."

"Seirin will not give you an easy time, Kasamatsu-san."

Kasamatsu smiled at the answer. "We'll see. Who do you think will win between Shuutoku and Rakuzan?"

Kuroko shook his head in uncertainty. "Akashi-kun is absolute. Midorima-kun will have a hard time." Then the tips of his lips raised. "But Midorima-kun will not go down without a fight."

Kasamatsu smiled as well. "Just like you guys today with Yosen. It's truly amazing, what you're trying to do here."

"What do you mean?"

Kasamatsu gave hi ma half-smile. "Please, don't even act like you don't even know. You're trying to get them to change, aren't you? Make them less into douchebags and more into really human beings."

"Do you think I am doing a good job?"

"Are you kidding? You're doing an amazing job. Kise changed so much after our first match with you guys. Soon enough, he came to practice, making strategies with us… It was almost like a miracle, having him work with us so willingly."

Kuroko nodded once more, unable to respond because he was too focused on drawing.

Kasamatsu kept going. "It just makes me wonder, you know? He must have been a complete ass during middle school. The whole Generation of Miracles, even."

"They had lost their love for basketball. They believed that no one could defeat them." Kuroko answered and Kasamatsu could see it, the five prodigies losing their smiles for a sport they once loved to death. It was almost heartbreaking.

"That's no excuse for how they acted. They were cocky players."

"I agree." Kuroko said simply.

"But now, because of you and your determination to win against them, they've all changed. I've seen some snippets of Touo's ace, Aomine. After you guys beat him, his demeanor completely changed. He's even lost his signature glare, if you know what I mean." Kasamatsu joked and Kuroko couldn't help but smile as well.

"Aomine-kun is still Aomine-kun, but I am just glad that he has changed. It is all thanks to Kagami-kun, however."

"Now, don't sell yourself short, Kuroko. If it wasn't for you, who knows what would've happened to them? You gave them their hearts back. Do you realize how hard that is to do?" Kasamatsu complimented with utmost passion and Kuroko nodded in gratitude.

"Thank you for telling me that, Kasamatsu-san. It really does mean the world to me. I am almost done with the drawing."

"Already? Can I see it after you're done?"

"Of course."

A comfortable silence fell upon them as Kasamatsu focused mainly on Kuroko's brushstrokes. They were mesmerizing and Kasamatsu felt like he was getting hypnotized.

Then, a bright red color caught the corner of his eye and he turned his head to that direction. His breath hitched and his heart started to quicken. Kuroko noticed immediately and he turned his head to see what Kasamatsu was seeing.

There, at the corner of the only dark part of the room, was a portrait of a beautiful woman wearing a revealing red dress, her red lips enrapturing anyone whose eyes bestowed upon her. Her blond curls were as radiant as ever. It looked so much like the woman he had seen in the hallways, so much like the woman who has been haunting him for years.

Kasamatsu gulped as he eyes widened. He started to shake. Why was she there?

Kuroko ran, understanding the situation immediately, and knocked the portrait from the wall. The canvas fell to the ground with a clunk and Kuroko huffed from the sudden exercise.

"Kasamatsu-san, are you alright?" He asked in a panicked tone but as he turned his attention to the upperclassman, he realized how late his question was. Kasamatsu was still shaking, no longer looking at anything. His eyes were diluted and he started muttering incoherent sentences.

Kuroko remembered Kise's words as he talked to him on the phone a few hours before.

"Kurokocchi, please be careful with Kasamatsu-senpai."

"Careful? What do you mean?"

"You'd probably never believe me but Kasamatsu-senpai is afraid of women."

Kuroko blinked. "Excuse me?"

"I think he had a childhood trauma involving a woman or something. I don't know the specifics either. I don't think anyone in our team knows for sure, not even Moriyama-senpai. Kurokocchi, please be careful. And if he does lash out at anyone, even Nakashima-san, please forgive him."

"Of course, Kise-kun. I'll keep it in mind."

Seeing the upperclassman breaking down in front of him, Kuroko clicked the final pieces of the puzzle together. Immediately he went over to him and tried to get him to snap out of it. Kasamatsu was talking to himself, muttering and muttering, not listening to anything around him.

"Please go away."

"I don't want you here."

"Don't touch me."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Kasamatsu repeated the same phrases over and over again and Kuroko needed to do something, anything. His first instinct was to hug.

The sudden contact made Kasamatsu immediately push Kuroko away harshly. The teal-haired player tumbled, hitting the stand that held the canvas. Just like the portrait with the woman, this one also fell with a loud clunk. It was enough to get Kasamatsu to snap out of it . He looked at the scene before him and saw that two things had fallen because of him: the canvas that Kuroko was working so hard on and Kuroko himself.

"Shit, shit, shit. I'm so sorry Kuroko, are you ok?" He asked in a panicked state and Kuroko nodded as he picked himself back up. Kasamatsu ran towards the fallen canvas and checked if there were any mishaps. Luckily on the back, there were none. The front was what scared him. Still, he quickly turned it around and almost lost his grip when he saw what Kuroko had painted.

It was him and Kise, right after they had lost to Aomine in Inter High. He remembered that moment so well. Kise had finally perfected his ability, the Perfect Copy, and was able to imitate Aomine so well that it was like seeing two of the same person. Kise had tried so hard, to the point where he pushed himself too hard and hurt his foot, and they still couldn't beat him. Because in the end, his power was nothing compared to the original and Aomine had left Kise on the ground after the game. He couldn't stand up on his own and was punching the floor in frustration. The simple reminder of it made Kasamatsu's heart tighten in sadness.

Kasamatsu had held out his hand for Kise to grab and in that moment, they knew they could depend on each other. It was the moment Kise knew that these were people whom he could always trust, always be with, always connect with. That moment when their hands connected was the moment Kise was finally part of the team.

Sweat marred their faces, and Kise had tears in his eyes, making it hard to distinguish between the two, and Kasamatsu was drawn to the pose that Kuroko had drawn. Kise leaned onto Kasamatsu's shoulder and the senior could tell that Kise now trusted them to be their allies and friends. And with the ruffle Kasamatsu was giving Kise, he felt something in heart that was painful but comforting.

Before he knew it, Kasamatsu had stopped shaking. Kuroko was beside him, looking at the canvas with him.

"Kuroko, you —" Kasamatsu started to say but quickly shut his mouth because he didn't really know what to say. It was overwhelming, this feeling he had, and he didn't know how to process it. It was like all the emotions he was bottling up was suddenly opened and spilling out uncontrollably.

"Why did you draw this?" Kasamatsu finally asked, not knowing how to phrase it well.

Kuroko looked at him with a hard gaze. "Because it was the moment in which I knew that Kise-kun was in good hands. He was finally able to copy one of the Generation of Miracles, Aomine-kun at that, and though he had lost, he was with reliable people. Kaijou seemed to be in a rough place, as if they had hit rock bottom."

"We had, but we got up."

Kuroko smiled. "Which is why I drew this, Kasamatsu-san. Because your past does not define who you are today. Kaijou has grown immensely strong."

That phrase. It stuck to the steely-eyed man. "The past doesn't define the person I am today?" Kasamatsu echoed and Kuroko nodded.

"It is completely irrelevant to what you are now."

"T-Then, I don't have to think about it anymore? I don't have to worry about her anymore?" Kasamatsu whispered and Kuroko nodded once more, this time more determined.

"Kasamatsu-san, you, as a captain, player, student, individual, are an amazing person who knows what it takes to survive in this world. You may have had troubling times as a child, and maybe the past haunts you, but it cannot define who you are today. You have proven to yourself countless of times how strong you are both inside and outside, and if you cannot see that for yourself, ask no further than to your own teammates. Kise-kun talks about you all the time, Kasamatsu-san, about how reliable you are as a person, how strong you are as a person. You were the one who picked up Kise-kun, were you not?"

"I was."

"Then what more proof do you need?"

"It's because… I am just so, so scared." Kasamatsu whispered, his shoulders trembling. Kuroko said nothing and merely stood by him, waiting patiently, calmly.

"I'm so scared. Scared that one day, my life will turn into shambles; that one person will just come and ruin it all for me. I've built myself up and distracted myself as much as possible, but anything, anything, will trigger my anxiety, my fear. I don't know what to do. I'm not the strong person you think I am, Kuroko. I— I'm just so scared."

"And why is that so bad? Everyone can be scared."

"But it's not me."

"Because you let yourself think that way, Kasamatsu-san. I will not ask what happened, nor do I particularly want to pry it out from you. That is something for you to confront and decide whether you want to tell me or not, but regardless of what happened, it will not ruin you, Kasamatsu-san. You told me you have built yourself up, right?"

"Yeah, what of it?"

"That just proves how much your past has influenced you to do great things. Yes, the past is a turning point to the present, but only you can control what will happen. The present is in your hands and the past has already flown away. Do not try to catch something you cannot catch. Instead, focus on taking care of what you have on your hands now."

Kasamatsu stared at the canvas, stared at Kise's tears and his own will and determination.

'We'll make it to the Winter Cup and we'll win there. We'll win.' He had said to the blond as they walked to the sidelines. Reassurance was key but it was also having the ignorance for what had just happened and a focus for what would happen now.

'The past doesn't define the person I am today, huh?' Kasamatsu thought as his eyes began to close. Kuroko led him to the bed at the corner of the room, which had the fallen canvas of the beautiful woman with red lips and blond curls. Somehow, it didn't make him worry anymore.

All he had to do was let go of the past that had been chasing him for so long.

That night, for once, he slept with no nightmares.

"We'll see you in the match, Kuroko." Kasamatsu said as they walked out of the mansion. It was early in the morning, with the sun barely rising, and both got ready to go their separate ways.

"Seirin will win." Kuroko declared and Kasamatsu ruffled his hair.

"Sure, keep saying that. Kaijou won't go easy on you."

"I would not have it any other way." Kuroko said and they both smiled at each other, albeit Kuroko's was a lot more subtle.

Kasamatsu began to rub the back of his neck as an awkward silence approached. "Um, do you mind telling the maid from before that I am really sorry for what happened? I just— I wasn't thinking at all."

"Of course, Kasamatsu-san. We both know that you did not mean it."

"Still, it was unsightly of me. I wish I could apologize myself but…"

Kuroko noticed the pause and nodded in understanding. "Please do not force yourself, Kasamatsu-san. Take it a step at a time. No one blames you."

"Thank you. I really appreciate it. I'll see you later." Kasamatsu thus bid farewell and started to walk towards the hospital. He recalled the last few moments of the night and smiled a bit embarrassingly to himself. But for some reason, he didn't feel a burden on his shoulders anymore. Instead, he felt lighter, almost like he could jump to the moon.

Several people were out already, maybe doing their morning jobs, maybe catching an early train, and he saw that within certain crowds, there were women making small talk with their companions. When he saw that, his heart clenched for a second but quickly let go. It would be hard to let go of the past but he knew that it wasn't impossible.

And for that lesson, he could never thank Kuroko enough.

"Senpai!" A bubbly, worried voice called out from a distance and Kasamatsu narrowed his eyes to see Kise Ryouta waving vigorously to him. He smiled, happy to see the sunshine so early in the morning, and waved back.

He then ran, ran as fast as he could, and slowly began to leave his past behind.

So, how was it? Good, bad, meh? Tell me in the reviews!

Portrait of Kasamatsu X Kise: s - media - cache - ak0 . pinimg originals / 9f / 28/bb / 9f28bb2 cd015328 b027315719c 0a71d6 . jpg

i'm a bit rusty with my writing because I haven't had time whatsoever to write, which I'm so sorry about it. I'm workinf on college applications and school homework because I am in my last year of high school, so things are getting pretty hectic. Still, since it is Christmas and I didn't upload anything for who knows how long, I really wanted to get this done. Hopefully it does match to your expectations and I'll try to see ya'll next year haha

Peace,

FlyAndDontLookBack