I was braced for a rain of hate with my last chapter, so I wanted to thank those who supported (and those who politely decried the chapter, because free speech still matters to me). I never want to sound preachy (and I rarely read authors' comments, because so many do), but I wanted to explain a little what I did there.

In my life, I have only gotten two tips for writing stories that I find truly useful. The first is 'show, don't tell,' meaning if I have to spell out the fact that the characters are in love, I haven't done a good enough job of portraying it through their words and actions. The second is 'stay true to the characters.' There are scenes I wanted to have happen, but I hold this rule as absolute, so if it means having characters behave in a way they wouldn't, I need to either be able to explain the change or cut the scene. Initially, when I started this story, I had intended Mido/Taka without Mido/Kuro; I didn't want being a Miracle to be enough to guarantee him as one of Kuroko's boyfriends, and out of all the KnB characters, I feel like Midorima goes through the greatest character development in the canon. That said, as I worked on this story, I realized that Midorima wasn't as over Kuroko as I thought. I'm telling you this, because I won't guarantee the success or failure of any relationship which emerges in this story until it is complete. I can control outside factors like the weather, characters meeting new people, or catching colds, but once I have set the scene, I need to do my very best to have them stay true to themselves. I hope you feel this is reflected in my work.

I had hoped to get this to you yesterday, and obviously I'm still struggling, but I hope you enjoy this chapter. Since no one decried me as a criminal, I'm going forward on the assumption that I'm not. To my astonishment, we are over 300 follows and at 240 favourites, so I wanted to thank you all for your support!

Enjoy your holidays!

It's too much.

Kuroko had never imagined that you could have too much vanilla, but Murasakibara had managed the impossible. They had vanilla pudding in the morning, vanilla cupcakes, vanilla ice cream, vanilla cookies, vanilla fudge, vanilla gum, vanilla creme brule, vanilla tooth paste, vanilla body cream...

Maybe it's my mood, Kuroko mused, because it really can't be vanilla's fault. Loosing to Rakuzan by five points in the finals had been frustrating, especially since they'd beaten Too and Kaijo to get there. Kuroko had known that Akashi would understand his technique, but his counter in anticipating Kuroko's every move had been flawless. Privately, Kuroko had wondered if Akashi was nervous about loosing to Murasakibara again, and had pushed himself extra hard for victory. Then again, Kuroko thought, Akashi isn't someone who needs an excuse to push himself. Kuroko sighed looking at the vanilla feast in front of him, before moving that aside and pulling out his homework.

"Kuro-chin?" Murasakibara asked, walking into the room. "Are you ticklish?" As far as Kuroko was concerned, his question came out of the blue.

"No," Kuroko replied, a little too quickly.

"Eh?" A smile slowly bloomed on the giant's face. Kuroko cursed himself for his knee-jerk reaction. "So Kuro-chin is ticklish."

"Don't be absurd," Kuroko denied, a little frantically.

"Hmm," Murasakibara pondered, eyes lit with mischief, as he moved towards the bluenette, "then there's no problem if I try, right Kuro-chin?"

"I don't think there's any need for that." Kuroko was fighting desperately to keep his panic out of his voice, but the gleam in his friend's eyes told him that he wasn't getting away. I'm lucky no one thought of this earlier, Kuroko admitted, getting up and trying to make a dash for the door. Inevitably, Murasakibara intercepted him before he got more than a few steps towards it. He faced the giant, gauging the situation.

"Where are you ticklish, Kuro-chin?" Murasakibara asked, looking fully engaged in the conversation, for once. Kuroko tried to use his misdirection to escape, but Murasakibara had known him too long for that to be effective. "Hmm, I guess I'll just have to try everywhere." Kuroko wiggled past the giant, but in his haste, tripped. Before he knew what was happening, Murasakibara had caught him, shifting them to land in a tangle of limbs on the sofa, Kuroko settled on top. "Are you ok, Kuro-chin?" Murasakibara asked, genuinely concerned.

"Yes, thank you for catching me," Kuroko replied evenly. "Now, if you'll just let me get up -" Between one breath and the next, Murasakibara flipped Kuroko over and pinned his arms together above his head.

"I'll try here." Murasakibara resumed his play, reaching with his free hand for Kuroko's sides. Kuroko squirmed, trying to break free.

"Ah!" He yelped as Murasakibara successfully tickled him. Kuroko writhed under Murasakibara's ministrations, growing flush and panting as he struggled for breath; his poker face was nowhere in evidence. He was distantly glad that they had ended up on the couch; the floor was too hard for this.

"Heh," Murasakibara murmured, visibly pleased with Kuroko's reaction. Kuroko's shirt had ridden up in the struggle, and Murasakibara took the opportunity to slide his hand under the shirt.

"Ah," Kuroko gasped, the warmth of skin on skin startling him.

"Hmm, I like this." Murasakibara's hand glided across Kuroko's chest, sliding the shirt further up.

"What?" Kuroko asked, still disoriented and trying to catch his breath.

"Kuro-chin looks so sexy right now." Kuroko's face, already flushed, went bright red. "What does Kuro-chin taste like?" Before Kuroko could assemble a reply to that, or even fully understand the question, Murasakibara dipped his head down and licked one of Kuroko's nipples, finding out for himself. His hair brushed across Kuroko's chest, adding to the stimulus. They had never gone this far before, but Kuroko felt comfortable with him now, in a way he hadn't when he arrived in Akita. Murasakibara's kindness had not not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.

"Ah!" Kuroko's voice turned hoarse.

"Hmm," Murasakibara murmured, examining the bluenette pinned beneath him. "I'll stop if Kuro-chin tells me to," but before Kuroko could tell him anything, Murasakibara was lapping his other nipple.

"Murasakibara-kun," Kuroko groaned. Murasakibara met his eyes, then reached down with his free hand and cupped Kuroko's cock through his jeans. Kuroko's breath caught at the sensation.

"I wonder what Kuro-chin tastes like here," Murasakibara pondered, rubbing Kuroko's quickly hardening cock. Kuroko's breath was coming out in harsh gasps, but he made no effort to stop his friend. After giving Kuroko a minute to decide, Murasakibara unzipped the bluenette, and freed the now stiff member. "So cute," he commented, examining the flesh he now held. Kuroko tried to glare, but a moan came out instead as Murasakibara shifted, letting go of Kuroko's hands, and swallowing the bluenette's cock.

"Murasakibara-kun!" Kuroko cried out, as much in pleasure as in shock. Murasakibara kept his eyes locked with the bluenette's as he worked his mouth up and down Kuroko's cock. Kuroko was vaguely aware that he should stop this, but no one in his life had ever tried to pleasure him like this, and it was so nice to have someone think of him. If Murasakibara's tongue felt good in his mouth, it felt...oh, there were no words... for how it felt licking and circling his cock. It didn't take long for Kuroko to come, spilling down Murasakibara's throat, who swallowed every drop.

"Feel good, Kuro-chin?" Murasakibara asked, looking far too pleased with himself as the bluenette tried to assemble his scattered wits. His lovers really did look far too smug when they made him come. He'd have to do something about that.

"Not.. just me," Kuroko eventually ground out, sitting up and pushing Murasakibara down on the sofa.

"Eh?" Murasakibara asked, patently shocked, "is Kuro-chin going to suck me off, too?"

"Yes," Kuroko answered, fighting for composure. He unzipped Murasakibara's pants, and pulled out his friend's already straining cock. Kuroko stared at it, nestled in the patch of violet hair.

"What is it?" Murasakibara questioned, as Kuroko simply ran his hand over the warm flesh.

"...it's large," Kuroko forced himself to reply.

"Eh? I think it's proportional though?" Kuroko resisted the urge to bite Murasakibara for that remark. Kuroko sniffed Murasakibara's cock before darting his tongue out to taste the tip.

"Hmm," Kuroko murmured pensively. It didn't taste as bad as he remembered. Was it the situation that made it seem different, or had Murasakibara's love of sweets changed his flavour from the norm? Either way, Kuroko found it encouraging, and tried taking the tip in his mouth before slowly working his way down. It was the first time he had been able to take his time and really examine someone else's cock. "You can lick, too," Murasakibara suggested as the bluenette struggled with his length. Kuroko hummed his agreement with his mouth around the tip of Murasakibara's cock and the latter shivered at the sensation. Kuroko wanted to please Murasakibara, but struggled with his length, and wasn't comfortable swallowing him all down, as he had intended.

"Sorry," he murmured, when old memories forced him to back off.

"Don't worry, Kuro-chin, this feels good," Murasakibara assured him. Feeling that his friend was far too composed, Kuroko renewed his efforts. He worked his way up and down, licking, sucking, and using his hands to pump. He rolled Murasakibara's tight balls in one hand, and this seemed to push the giant to the edge. Murasakibara grabbed Kuroko's hair and pulled him back just before he came, which meant that Kuroko ended up with cum dripping down his face.

"We'll need to clean up," Kuroko finally commented, looking for a cloth to wipe his face with. He didn't, honestly, know how to feel after that, or how that had just escalated so quickly.

"Does Kuro-chin regret doing that with me?" Murasakibara asked, strangely perceptive, as Kuroko stood up. The question froze the bluenette in his tracks.

"No, I don't regret it, Murasakibara-kun," he answered gently, realizing that, at least, was true. The giant hummed, satisfied.

"What started this?" Kuroko questioned as he dampened a cloth in the kitchen.

"Some girls in class were talking about being really ticklish," Murasakibara replied, sitting up and watching Kuroko wipe off his face, "and it made me wonder if Kuro-chin is too." Great, Kuroko thought, just great.

"I hear Kurokocchi's ticklish," Kise said gleefully, sitting next to him on the bench in the change room. Kuroko gave Murasakibara a stink eye, but the giant only shrugged in reply.

"Kise-chin asked what we did yesterday, so I told him," Murasakibara explained, pulling on his new jersey. At that, Kuroko flushed and couldn't bring himself to meet the blond's eyes. Murasakibara had no doubt told Kise everything.

"That's a great way to relax before a game!" Kise exclaimed, apparently supportive. Well, Kuroko hadn't really expected anything else from the blond, but it was still awkward.

"What is?" Aomine asked, joining them.

"Blow jobs!" Kise replied, without visible embarrassment. Then again, it was hard for Kuroko to judge since he was staring down resolutely. He could see the hem of their new jerseys - and why did they need new jerseys for a single match? - and his knees. He had to admit, though, that he really liked the jerseys. He wasn't sure he deserved to have the word Miracle printed in bold white letters on his black shirt, but they looked good. Aomine made a strangled sound.

"Blow-" He choked out.

"Haven't you ever had one?" Kise asked, tilting his head curiously.

"Not everyone is a player like you!" Aomine snapped defensively.

"Aominicchi! It's not good to be jealous! We're all dating Kurokocchi now!" Kuroko buried his hands in his face. Kise was way too loud. If they didn't have a game starting, Kuroko would have tried to escape altogether.

"What's up?" Kagami asked, coming in with Himuro. Kuroko prayed for a meteorite to strike them. Something, anything, needed to stop this train wreck of a conversation.

"Have you ever had a blow job, Kagamicchi?" Kise asked. Without looking, Kuroko knew that Kagami was beet red.

"Uh, well, no," he answered reluctantly.

"Really?" Kise questioned, sounding so genuinely surprised Kuroko almost turned to stare at him. "It depends on who's doing you, of course, but it can feel really great. Well, it always feels good, but..."

"Why are we discussing blow jobs?" Aomine interrupted, sounding irritated.

"We aren't," Akashi declared firmly, walking over with Midorima and Takao trailing behind him. Kuroko raised his head enough to smile at Takao, who was, predictably, snickering. Ever since their talk at Maji Burger, they'd been texting daily. Now that the tension had been removed, he had found he had a lot in common with Takao, and was always happy to hear Midorima stories. Takao was an excellent narrator - he saw the humour in practically everything - and Kuroko was glad that things seemed to be going well between Midorima and Takao, even if it highlighted the distance between them. "Since everyone is dressed -" Kuroko glanced around, surprised to realize that was true, "I'll have Momoi-san join us for a last minute walk-through of our strategy." She must have been waiting right outside the door, because a moment later she was there, armed with her clipboard and ready for battle. None of her usual playfulness was present, and anyone who met her now would understand that she was not someone you could afford to underestimate.

"Remember," she recapped, "they don't exactly play dirty, but they're not afraid of fouls. This will be a rough game, especially since their physique is overall better." Kuroko fought not to flinch at that statement. Of all the people on the team, his strength was the worst, and he hated bringing the standard down.

"It's not just you, Kuroko," Akashi assured him, forcing Momoi to pause in her explanations. "Excluding Murasakibara, none of us are able to use our full strength for an entire game yet. And Murasakibara," the red head added, turning to the giant, who froze with a chip headed for his mouth, "I know that you normally hold back to avoid injuring your teammates." Several people shifted at that remark. "If you do that today, I will personally devise your training menu for the remainder of your high school career."

"Aka-chin," Murasakibara protested, his eyes wide.

"We are not so weak that you need to hold back on our account," Akashi stated unequivocally, "and our opponents are strong enough to hold their own. Don't hold back." The words were a command, and Kuroko shivered at the intensity of them. Although the words had been meant for Murasakibara, all of the players stirred, as though moved by the force of them.

Today, they were going all out.