The days flowed past much faster than before, now that Kuroko was living with Kagami. Kagami could barely keep track of what day it was now that he didn't have to worry about what bruises Kuroko would have on him the next day. He was able to experience his school days languidly and in relaxation, and he couldn't be happier. He could say the same for Kuroko, as well. In fact, Kagami's days were so filled with utter joy that he couldn't recall any times he'd been unhappy. He wasn't even hungry in Algebra anymore.

He couldn't explain it. Just the way Kuroko looked, the smile he always wore, the lightness he carried with him. He was a different person, completely remodelled from the quiet, battered boy he'd been before. He was even better than when he'd been living alone, by himself. Every time Kagami laid eyes on Kuroko and saw just how much happiness he exuded, his heart couldn't help but give an involuntary flutter. He could barely keep his eyes off the boy. His pale skin, marked with the smallest details; his dark, thick eyelashes; his slightly pink lips. His fingers clenched as he saw the azure boy lightly press his lips together, stumped on an equation. Kagami was startled suddenly by Kuroko looking up into his eyes.

"Do you need help on another question, Kagami-kun?" Kuroko asked softly, brushing his hair out of his face. It had grown just enough to impede his vision when he needed to meet the taller boy's eyes.

"Oh! Uh…y-yeah…" Kagami stammered. He wasn't ready to turn around just yet. He scrambled for something to say, to keep the other boy's lips moving. "What's, er, the answer to #15?"

Kuroko blinked in confusion. "Er… Kagami-kun, we're not supposed to do #15. It's just #3 to #11, remember?" he responded.

"Oh…oh yeah, I remember now," Kagami murmured, rubbing the back of his neck. He still didn't feel like turning around. Kuroko smiled slightly, turning back to his paper. Before Kagami reluctantly returned to his own, he noticed that the other boy was breathing rather laboriously.

Is he tired? Kagami pondered. He was up pretty late last night…

Algebra ended without further incident, leaving Kagami with little to look forward to in Chemistry. At least his Chemistry textbook was easier to read than his Algebra one. Despite this, he was even more distracted in his next class. He no longer had to steal glances behind his back at that feathery, blue hair or those sculpted back muscles that could just barely be seen through Kuroko's shirt. He merely had to glace sideways, or pretend he was looking at something else to get an eyeful of Kuroko's lightly blushed cheeks.

Blushed? Kagami thought. He noticed Kuroko's cheeks were a lot pinker than usual. His heart sank as an undeniably plausible possibility came to mind. Is he sick?! Without thinking, Kagami reached out to Kuroko, placing his proportionately huge hand under his fringe and across his forehead. Kuroko flinched ever so slightly, and began looking around confusedly at the sudden touch. Kagami could feel quite a bit of heat emanating from Kuroko's skin.

"Ah…Kagami-kun, people are staring…" Kuroko murmured, his cheeks flushing even brighter. He tried drawing away from the sudden touch, but Kagami simply pressed his hand more firmly into Kuroko's forehead.

"Kuroko, you're burning up!" Kagami whispered sternly, removing his hand.

"I'm wearing two pairs of socks today…" Kuroko responded quietly, turning away from the red-haired man.

"I'm taking you home. You're not going to school if you're sick," Kagami ordered sternly yet quietly. He began shoving his work papers into his textbook and zipping up his jacket.

"N-No, Kagami-kun, we can't leave! We're in the middle of class…!" Kuroko whispered, grabbing the other by the arm. Kagami responded with an unintelligible grunt. "T-Tell you what, I'll go to the nurse after this class, how about that…?"

Kagami paused, his textbook half-way into his shoulder bag. He met Kuroko's eyes, a hardness in his gaze. "You promise?" he murmured softly. Kuroko was suddenly taken aback by Kagami's piercing eyes. He had never been met with such a look from the boy before; one filled with such determination, such worry. He couldn't help but nod, and was overcome with happiness when he saw Kagami's gaze become one of relief. He would say anything if he could see that look again. Kagami reluctantly dragged his text book from his bag, placing it back on his desk. He seemed to slump in his chair for the rest of the period.

"Alright, you promised. Off to the nurses," Kagami ordered once the bell had rung. As soon as Kuroko had all of his school work packed up, he was promptly lifted by his collar from his chair and escorted out of the classroom.

"K-Kagami-kun, I can walk…" Kuroko muttered as he was pushed down the hallway, Kagami with a firm hand on his back. "I'll be alr-" he tried to continue, but began coughing violently into his sleeve.

"See?! I knew I should have taken you home, you probably picked up some disease from another student…" Kagami sneered sourly, moving his hand to Kuroko's shoulder. He steered him in the right direction as the boy finished coughing. Kuroko straightened his back, shivering slightly as Kagami's pinky lightly touched his skin. Kuroko couldn't help but clench and unclench his fingers in an emotion he couldn't place. No one had ever shown something such as this to him. He had been sick many times through the years he had spent with his parents as a child, thanks to his weak constitution; they hadn't even bothered to buy him medicine.

He could remember a time back when he was young, where he was particularly ill; he could do little more than squirm in his sweat-drenched bed sheets as his body was cooked from the inside from a debilitating fever. He had vomited up all his supper and couldn't even keep water down. He had prayed to his parents for something, anything to alleviate the utter torture raging through his mind and had gotten a kick to the rear for "being such a greedy little child." He began to fear for his very life, and seeing no reprieve in his own home, snuck out through the back door. He padded across the backyard barefoot to his neighbor's house, where upon knocking on the door, had been whisked to the hospital by the kind elderly folk living there.

His parents had been called to claim the poor, sickly boy and had shown uttermost sorrow towards the condition of their son. It turned out that Kuroko merely had a slight case of food poisoning, and was given some medication to take home. Of course, the events that followed his arrival home granted him 13 stitches in the back of his head. He never sought help for his illnesses again.

Broken from his not-so-fond memory, he found himself in the nurse's office of Seirin. He looked around lethargically, then up at Kagami who was explaining Kuroko's condition to the nurse.

"His forehead is hot, er…he's been breathing heavily. Coughing, and, er… what else, Kuroko?" Kagami asked the smaller boy, looking down at him.

"Ah…my throat is a little sore…" Kuroko squeaked, looking down at his shoes. He couldn't help but feel guilty, even after all this time. It was hard-wired into his brain since childhood that any illness that befell him would cause nothing but trouble to those around him. He was sure it was nothing, just a slight cold, maybe the flu, even. He prayed it wasn't something serious; as serious afflictions require medication, and medication is expensive. The last thing he wanted to do was cause Kagami financial trouble after all he'd done for him.

"Well, Tetsu-kun, why don't you come into the back room so I can take your temperature," the nurse asked softly. Kuroko nodded slightly, following the woman back behind the counter. Kagami waited begrudgingly for the boy in the waiting room, unable to follow his friend into the diagnosis room. 10 minutes later, Kuroko and the nurse emerged from behind the counter once more.

"His temperature is 103.2, so he's definitely got something. Nothing serious, I'd imagine. Just make sure he gets plenty of rest, and lots of water," the nurse explained. She bowed slightly, then returned to the desk. Kuroko felt relieved that it wasn't something that demanded intensive care. Kagami was equally relieved that Kuroko wasn't dying of some disease.

"Alright, let's get you home." Kagami spoke softly, as if he were speaking to a child with the Chicken Pox.

"Home…? The day is only half over…" Kuroko murmured as he was gently directed from the office.

"For me it is. It's resting time for you," Kagami responded. He placed his hand in its former spot upon Kuroko's shoulder, who couldn't help but notice that the taller boy was shaking slightly. He decided not to push it, and go home.

"I'll be alright, Kagami-kun…" said Kuroko softly. He wasn't sure whether it was to convince Kagami or himself, but the red-haired boy smiled nevertheless, squeezing his shoulder slightly. Kuroko's stomach fluttered as Kagami became more relaxed. He'd say whatever the other needed to hear, just so long as he was happy. "I'll be alright."