A/N: Yep. Last chapter. My personal note on this is at the end of the page. (;-;) This is it, guys. *sniffles* It's been such an emotional roller coaster. It's been a pleasure. While I can't promise a sweet-sweet ending, as life is in fact, bittersweet. It has its bitter and sweet moments. Also extra long chapter cos it's been a while, I got so many things I wanted to write.

Warning: Smut at the end of chapter.

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Beastly Call

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Chapter 19: The Future

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"It's Media Manipulation. I leaked the information to the press yesterday, regarding the Abduction Case, at the same time we sent the evidence to the police department." Akashi told them.

"Of course, it was a measure taken in case foul play exists in the Judicial system to ensure the investigation couldn't be tempered with. This way, we bring the public's attention into the case. When the mass learns of the Abduction, they will demand for the criminals to be punished lawfully, as people abhor those who'd harm minors. This, is my original intention."

He paused.

"It was never about making Kuroko a target. However, I can't say that I hadn't taken the possibility into consideration. After all, as soon as they'd gotten the leak, they would do their own investigation and draw conclusions. Unfortunately, that includes Kuroko's true identity as a Retrograde Arctic Fox. With your name spearheading the headlines, you will attract sympathy, but also curiosity and undesirable attention. I do think that sooner or later, the truth will come out — for it is a large-scale incident. This method has simply accelerated the process."

Kuroko held his breath, the gears in his head worked tirelessly to process the information. Kagami on his side, was frowning, the furrows between his eyebrows deepened.

"Think you could've told us earlier? I don't like how you kept us in the dark until this mess with paparazzi erupts." He barked out, his tone scorched in fury. "Kuroko's suffered enough of this shit, he could use a fucking break. Didn't you think about that!?" Kagami was genuinely angry, his beastly features started emerging. Kuroko realised, if he wasn't bedridden, Kagami could very possibly assault Akashi right there and then.

Akashi held his gaze, quiet. Furihata seemed tense — he kept throwing anxious glances at them. Midorima was standing by the door, crossing his arms over his chest. He was observing the scene in silence. The air was heavy, thick with mixed the scents of three alphas — the peace between them was hanging on a balance.

Kuroko placed a hand over Kagami's hand to lessen the tension, but the tiger was far too upset for such a small gesture.

"I agree. I hold responsibility for this." Akashi nodded. "I will do my best to keep Kuroko safe from the crowd, I'm well aware that he is in no condition to give his … opinions, regarding the matter. He only needs to deal with the investigation, not the media."

Kagami glared at him, and Kuroko squeezed his hand. It worked this time, Kagami breathed in deeply, the stiffness softened by half a degree. He pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing.

"It's not that I don't trust you or that I don't appreciate what you've done for us." He started. "I just don't want Kuroko to experience this kind of shitty thing. I want my mate safe and happy. I don't want him to worry or feel like he has to be on his guard all the time."

"I'm afraid, it's a luxury at this point." Akashi offered him a sympathetic smile.

"Kuroko had managed to live undetected due to the fact that he's registered as a normal dog breed and that he was from an ordinary family, but this incident with the Abduction, has brought light to his status as a victim subjected to multiple criminal offences. Once they've investigated his family registry and found out his grandmother had been the last known Arctic Fox … all shall break loose."

He looked over his shoulders and looked at Furihata.

"This isn't something that I could control fully. I can attempt to minimise the effect, but I can't stop the headlines from emerging unfiltered. Besides the point. This is not only about Kuroko, Kagami. Kouki, Kise and Kasamatsu. Aomine. Even you, those involved will inevitably fall into the same category."

A solid silence seeped out into the air, the realisation of what Akashi suggested made Kuroko look at Furihata — brown eyes wide and mouth hung agape. He wouldn't be the only one whose life going to be changed from this, he wasn't the only target. Furihata, Kise and Kasamatsu. They were victims to this case, and this wasn't enough?

"No." Kuroko choked out, shaking his head slightly. "They can't make them - no!" He said, abruptly getting off the bed and standing up.

Everyone whipped their heads to look at him, Kagami's expression appeared in the corner of his vision. "Kuroko?"

"No. They can't - they can't make Furihata-kun, or Kise-kun and Kasamatsu-san, targets. They're innocent! I - if it weren't because of me, none of them would have to experience this! It's my fault!" He yelled, losing control of the volume of his voice.

Furihata, wounded because he tried to help. Kise and Kasamatsu, dragged down to this mess. Because he was born a Retrograde Arctic Fox. He knew it wasn't his fault, that it wasn't him who'd given Furihata his injuries or kidnapped Kasamatsu when he was expecting, or forced Kise to a mating he never wanted — but the knowledge that he was partly responsible for it and had been the reason it started — how helpless he was at preventing it from happening, how weak — he couldn't take it.

"Isn't it enough, just me? I don't want them to have to go through this, too!" He shook his head, eyes burning with wet heat.

The built up frustration, the rage and the grief that he'd kept at bay, broke out all at once, an uncontrollable storm set free and wiped off everything else within the minuscule world of his mind. He couldn't stop the tears from spilling out, dripping down his cheeks and falling to the floor. He was so angry and frustrated, his shoulders and fists trembled violently.

"Enough. It's enough! I don't want this! I never wanted to be a Retrograde or an Arctic Fox! I didn't want Furihata-kun to sacrifice himself for me. I didn't want to drag Kasamatsu-san and Kise-kun to this madness, or for everyone to be involved and hurt — I don't want to have to witness Kagami-kun lying unconscious, covered in his own blood! I don't want other people to get hurt because of me, ever again!"

He staggered backwards, throat dry and ached from unburdening the pressure, and yet it hurt. When the anger had been spilt, the grief remained and the frustration lingered. It was stifling.

"I couldn't help anyone. I couldn't stop anything." He muttered, watching droplets of salty water dripping down, pooling on the floor. In an instant, the scene overlapped, the puddle became red, staining the ground that wasn't the porcelain white of the patient room's floor. The palm of his bandaged hand was wet, the warmth quickly fading away. "If that day, I lost Kagami-kun, I — "

"Kuroko." He felt a sudden tug on his left arm. Kagami had caught a hold of his wrist, the grip was firm. He looked at him in the eyes. "Kuroko, you didn't lose me. I'm here. I'm alright."

"No, you're not." He shook his head, a sob escaped his lips.

He'd tried to convince himself otherwise, but the image would still be there, in the back of his mind. The horror he felt when he held Kagami's body in his arms, or when he held Furihata's small, listless form. Both weak and so cold. The sights of his friends, bruised and cut and bloodied. He'd seen one too many, and it broke something inside of him. " … I still see you, sometimes, in that forest. Your eyes closed. You're not moving. There was blood everywhere. I tried to stop the bleeding, but it just wouldn't stop — "

He suddenly was pulled down into a strong embrace.

"Stop it." Kagami whispered, his skin was warm. Feverish. "I'm here. Nobody is blaming you for what happened. Stop thinking like that."

"I know. But … I can't help it." He sobbed against the redhead's shoulder, closing his eyes. His voice was small and weak. Nobody blamed him, but it didn't mean it hurt less.

"Kuroko…"

When he opened his eyes, Furihata was standing by the bed, brown eyes glazed, shining with concern. "I know you feel responsible for everything, but… but I wanted to go with you, I know it was stupid of me and maybe I shouldn't have followed you. Please don't blame yourself. I did it because I wanted to. I - I couldn't bring myself to leave you alone with those guys, and I know I got hurt and everything, but I — " He paused and inhaled deeply, before continuing.

"I don't regret anything, and you shouldn't, too." He said, lips twitching to form a smile. He brought a hand onto his shoulder. "I'm just so happy we can go home safely. I'm already grateful for that."

Kagami loosened his hold and Kuroko looked up at the brunette. "Furihata-kun, I know. But, I still — " felt like it was all on him. He couldn't stop the dark thoughts, the guilt. How would he continue to live with this weight on his shoulders?

Akashi and Midorima remained silent, all the while, until Midorima opened his mouth.

"Don't be ridiculous." He stated, in a cold tone. "If you feel responsible for what happened, then do something to make up for it. It's that simple."

Kagami sharply turned his attention towards the jade-eyed teen, gaze burnt with rage and expression infuriated. "What the fuck, Midorima!? You jackass! Say that again, I dare you!" He leaned forward as if wanting to launch himself at him, but the wounds and Kuroko's arms forced him back — he overexerted himself and soon yelled in pain, breaking in cold sweat. "Shit! Fuckin' lame … " He muttered under his great, slamming a fist onto the bed.

"Kagami-kun, don't force yourself too much!" Kuroko gently pushed him, the skin under his fingers felt wet.

"… I believe, what Midorima meant, was that if you feel responsible for everything, you should try asking for everyone's opinion on this, Kuroko. But I'm sure you know that nobody will hold this against you, and nobody would wish for you to be burdened by guilt." Akashi shot a hard look at Midorima, who frowned and visibly changed his stance, straightening his back.

"Right. There is no use to lament what has happened when it was obviously beyond your control. After all, we all do our best to protect those we love, even should it be of questionable method." Midorima paused, a strange sort of glimmer appeared and disappeared from his eyes. "I merely went with the plan because I needed to settle some things, for Takao's sake. Do not feel like you owe me, Kuroko."

"If you're concerned about the press, I've done my share of fixes to conceal the identities of the rest of the witnesses. I don't know how they've learnt of Kise and Kuroko's identities, I would think it was due to the fact that Kise is a well-known model and that Kuroko possesses a unique circumstance, thus it'd make better headlines. Otherwise, Kasamatsu, Kouki, Kagami and Murasakibara's identities are yet to be exposed at the moment. I will do my best to contain the media's knowledge of this matter." Akashi added.

Kuroko couldn't begin to describe how relieved he was, hearing that.

"Is that true? I'm so … glad." He uttered, the tension in his body and mind lessened significantly. He used the sleeve of his shirt to wipe his wet cheeks. "At least, Furihata-kun and Kasamatsu-san wouldn't be subjected to … unwanted attention." He gripped the sheets tightly. Especially with Kasamatsu's situation. With Kise's identity exposed — he wished it wouldn't make things worse for them.

"Kuroko." Akashi called him, drawing his attention. The redhead had a serious look about him as he resumed speaking.

"I would advise you to seek help with an expert and consider attending therapy sessions. It seems to me, that you may be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Given what you've experienced, it's not at all implausible." He remarked. "In fact, I advise this to all of you. It's not merely the matter of physical wounds, it's also a matter of psychological trauma you may have acquired during captive. We must do well to attend to both aspects."

What the redhead suggested, rendered him quiet. It made sense — while he virtually had no serious physical injuries, his mind was more than a little disturbed by what he'd witnessed. Flashes of dreadful images flickered in the back of his eyes. He felt a shiver ran up his spines every time he remembered. "I … will consider it." He said, a hand sought Kagami's, wanting an assuring touch. The latter gladly gave it to him, both exchanging looks and a silent understanding.

Akashi nodded, casting a glance to Furihata. "Kouki, you too. You don't have to hold back anymore."

"I - I'm okay. I'll consider it too." Furihata said, hanging his head. His gaze fixated on the floor.

Kagami looked at him with a sort of sadness in his eyes, a thumb caressed his cheek. Kuroko tilted his head and wondered. He opened his mouth to speak but remained soundless when Kagami pressed his lips against his forehead. When he withdrew, the same look was still present, growing solemn and determined.

" … Akashi, could you do me a favour?" He turned to speak with the other redhead. "Kuroko's done with the investigation, right? Take him home."

Kuroko stared at him, his mind blank. "Kagami-kun? Why…?"

He saw his jawline clenching, his gaze flickered down and he paused, before turning to him again. "The press thinks you're here. This is a good chance. You'll meet your family again, because at this rate — they can't come to visit. So, you should go to them." He pulled on a forced smile. "I'll be fine, Kuroko. Go home and see your mom, she's worried about you."

He felt his throat dry, all of a sudden. "Kagami-kun, I can't leave you alone. Who's going to look after you? You cannot move around."

"That won't be a problem. Kagami's parents are in the country."

Both turned to Akashi at the revelation, Kagami in particular, had a baffled look on his face. "My parents? Here?"

Akashi nodded.

"You contacted them, correct? Part of the reasons why I could accelerate the process of gathering support, was because they'd contacted the Akashi family and offered their assistance, several days ago. I must say, the influence of a Heavy Seeds couple is a force to be reckoned with." He smiled, admiration hinted in his voice. "They're currently engaged with my lawyers to discuss the steps necessary to deal with the aftermath of the arrest, but surely they would come for you, Kagami."

"Oh. Yeah, I emailed them back then. I forgot." The redhead remarked, scratching his head. "I didn't think they'd go so far. I mean, they're always so busy."

"You're their son. It's not that much of a surprise, isn't it?" The other redhead laughed good-naturedly.

"And yes, regarding your favour. It is indeed possible to trick the media into thinking he is being hospitalised, meanwhile we could smuggle him out of the hospital. We'll leak the false info and I'd take Kuroko out from the front gates as some of them would probably be waiting in the back door, assuming we'd be careless enough not take it to account. My car would suffice. Kuroko may use misdirection to conceal his presence. It'll be ready whenever you are, Kuroko. Maybe you'd like to stay for a bit longer?" He thoughtfully asked.

"I — " Kuroko took a few moments to think. This was sudden, but not entirely unwelcome. Although he was reluctant to be apart from Kagami … but one look at him, and he knew the redhead would attempt to talk him into accepting. "Kagami-kun…"

Kagami shook his head, offering Kuroko an assuring grin,. "Go. Don't worry about me. I prefer that you're somewhere I know you'll feel safe."

He hesitated, eyes glancing down at the where their hands overlapped. "I … want to talk to Kagami-kun first."

"Of course." Akashi said, standing up from his seat. "I'll give you some time. Midorima and I are going to wait outside. Come, Midorima."

He gestured to Midorima, who nodded, then walked out of the room with him. The door clicked shut behind them, silence surfaced the moment it did — Kuroko let out a heavy sigh, glancing down at the floor before turning to Kagami and Furihata. He gritted his teeth, quietly sucking the air through his nose.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to have an outburst like that." The words escaped his mouth slowly, in a soft voice. He couldn't look at either of them in the eyes, ashamed that he'd yelled and imposed on people who needed no such disturbance. He knew it was unbecoming of him, but he wasn't thinking, overcame by emotions and the exhaustion at the face of another problem.

"Kuroko, don't be sorry. I understand." Furihata kindly offered.

Meanwhile, Kagami stared at him blankly. " … and here I thought you were never going to let it out. You're such a poker face — could've fooled me. I knew you were holding it in, but it still shocked me when you did lose it." A grin grew on his lips, he brought a hand to mess with Kuroko's hair. "You stupid idiot, you think I'm angry just 'cos you get emotional? Didn't you realise I'm always trying to get you to open up to me? Not to mention I lost my shit way more times than you did."

The latter blinked, confused.

"Kagami-kun, 'stupid' and 'idiot' are the same thing." He pointed out.

Kagami ruffled his hair more until it might have gotten as bad as his usual morning bed hair. "How could you miss the point, you little asshole. I was being romantic and stuff…" He mumbled, a light flush stained his cheeks. "My point is, I'm glad you let it out. Sure, I don't like that you're thinking negative things like it's all your fault, but god knows it's better than you keeping it in and it gets worse later. I need you to be healthy, mind and body. I want you to be happy. You get me?"

"Yes." Kuroko blushed, leaning his head against Kagami's shoulder. He felt happier already. Kagami had such potent effects on him, it should be criminal. "Yes, I do."

Kagami patted his back, rubbing soothing circles over it. "Good. You gotta go home, come back to me when the reporters are gone and you're feeling better. I'll miss you." He pushed Kuroko only to press their foreheads to one another. "I hate to be away from you, but I don't want you to see me weak like this. I couldn't even stand and take you away from this place myself. Get those paparazzi off your back." He murmured, softly.

"Kagami-kun, that's silly." Kuroko whispered, running a hand down his bandaged arm. "You're like this because you saved me. You're strong."

"I know, but guys don't wanna look lame in front of their crush." The redhead grinned, seemingly troubled.

"I'm a guy too, Kagami-kun. Are you implying that I am not masculine enough? Should I show you my guns?" Kuroko deadpanned, about to roll up his sleeves.

Kagami cringed, pulling away and sighing heavily. "Dude, you're manly enough already — and stop that, there's nothing there to show off and you know it."

"Hmph — !" Furihata suddenly laughed, causing both of them to turn to him.

The brunette was clutching his stomach, one hand covered his mouth. His shoulders were shaking violently with muffled laughter. Kagami and Kuroko blinked and looked at each other, before each cracking a smile themselves. It didn't take two seconds later, for them to burst out laughing, so loudly that Kagami's bed trembled and he soon yelped in pain because he was shaking too much.

The redhead looked at him once more, grinning. "I'll see you."

Kuroko in turn, smiled. "I'll see you, too."

He bade goodbye to Furihata too, before Kuroko got off the bed and rose to his feet, taking one last long look at the redhead. Their hands were still entwined. His heart felt heavy, and Kagami seemed reluctant when they broke the hold, then Kuroko walked towards the entrance. He hesitated for a second, a hand clutching the door knob. He looked over his shoulder, and smiled. "I'll be back soon."

"Yeah. I'll wait."

"Take care, Kuroko."

Akashi and Midorima were waiting for him outside of the room, by the entrance. Kuroko was surprised when he saw Murasakibara and Himuro were present in the hallway. The former was leaning against the wall across of the door, while the latter approached Kuroko, offering him a gentle smile. In the corner of his eyes, he could see a few uniformed men standing by, chatting to themselves. It looked like the investigation was still going.

"Himuro-san. Good morning." Kuroko bowed and greeted politely, turning his attention to the other man.

"Hey. How are you?" Himuro greeted, a little awkwardly as if he wasn't expecting a bow, placing a hand over his shoulder instead. It occurred to Kuroko that Himuro might have not been used to his way of greeting. "I haven't visited Taiga yet. Is he awake?" He asked, gaze drifting towards the door.

"Kagami-kun is awake. You may come in if you wish." Kuroko sidestepped, to show him the way.

"Yeah, thanks." The older boy told him. "Also, I'm sorry for what happened. Atsushi told me all about it. It's been hard for you all, especially with the mess after." A slight crease appeared in between his eyebrows, although the other pair was hidden behind a curtain of black. His visible eye glanced briefly at the group of policemen.

"Yes, we hadn't been expecting it." He admitted, looking down slightly before lifting his jaw. He smiled to Himuro. "Thank you, for the concern."

Himuro shot him a sympathetic look. "Don't mention it. I, ah, I'll look after Taiga in the mean time, because I see that you're leaving? It's probably for the best. You need a break." He looked at Akashi and nodded once.

"Thank you very much. I appreciate it." He quickly said, sighing in relief.

Meanwhile Murasakibara had come to Himuro's side and stared at him in a sluggish way. "Kuro-chin, are you leaving?" He asked, scratching the side of his head.

"Yes, Murasakibara-kun. I'll come back when it's quieter. I'm surprised to see you two here, so early in the morning."

"Aka-chin said I gotta do the interview with the police, so — " He yawned a big one, before continuing. " — Muro-chin dragged me out of the bed. I feel sleepy." At that, Himuro shot him a frown and nudged his side with an elbow. The purple-haired giant didn't look fazed, merely giving his lover a lazy stare.

Kuroko nodded in understanding. Everyone had been called for the questioning, he concluded. The interview itself only took about 10 - 15 minutes, with the detective asking him details about his abduction and taking photographic evidence of him. So far, Kagami and Furihata hadn't been summoned, because Akashi had come for his explanation and suggested the police to inspect the other witnesses in the mean time.

He looked to his right, at where Akashi was standing. "Um, Kasamatsu-san and Kise-kun…?" He started. "I've wanted to visit them. Could we go see them before we leave…?"

The redhead gave him an apologetic smile. "They're being questioned right now. Maybe it's better that you visit them at a latter date." He urged. "I've called your home to inform your family of your arrival. Your mother wants to see you very much."

Kuroko immediately backtracked his intention. If he could help it, he wanted to see his mother as soon as possible. "Ah. Then, next time. Please do send my regards to them."

"Of course. Then, we must go now. My car is in the basement. Do excuse us, Murasakibara. Himuro-san."

Akashi was in hurry, he noticed. He must have other business to attend to, all these problems that served as the aftermath of something truly enormous, the investigation and media, the charges and the law. He must have been the one managing them. They rode the elevator to get to the basement, where a seemingly ordinary Honda Civic with tinted windows was parked. Kuroko sat at the back with Midorima, while Akashi sat at the front passenger seat.

The media people were waiting outside of the gates, unaware of Kuroko's existence in the car. Instead, some of them attempted to enter the compounds when the gates opened for the car to leave. A few of the security staff managed to catch them and saw them off. It was still morning, although the traffic wasn't as bad as he thought it would be.

On his left, Midorima didn't talk much. He had been following the redhead's instructions without much ado — Kuroko was reminded of how it used to be with the two of them, during Teikou. Midorima had always admired Akashi, always stayed by his side back then, like a personal aide. He didn't question Akashi's methods, however it might be.

"You're staring." The green-haired uttered, without looking at him.

"Pardon me." Kuroko glanced at his lap. "I was wondering what happened to Takao-kun. I'd thought he would come with you." He said, which wasn't exactly untrue. He had expected Takao would show up with Midorima, but he hadn't been around.

"I told him to go home. I'm not going to drag him into this case. He has nothing to do with it." Midorima replied, voice cold and indifferent. Yet his words clearly hinted concern for the missing teen. And something else, Kuroko could't detect it very well.

"That is not exactly correct, is it? Takao-kun was searching for something back in the institution, Kagami-kun told me. Although I have no idea what he was looking for."

Midorima visibly flinched, quickly masking the subtle giveaway with a heavy huff.

"He's found nothing. He didn't touch anything." His tone sounded much more strained, gaze stubbornly looked at the sight in front of him. His fingers clawed at his forearm, winkling the fabric. His nails became slightly sharper. "I will take care of everything. It's my responsibility. He's not a part of this."

Kuroko had a feeling Midorima didn't tell him the truth. Something had happened back in the institution, something that was enough to rattle Midorima's composure and it had everything to do with Takao. He was trying to protect his mate. From what, he didn't know. He didn't ask further. He knew it wasn't his business and he didn't think Midorima would be willing to tell him. Kuroko opted silence then, ending their short-lived conversation.

The rest of their trip was fairly quiet.

He perked up when the car entered his neighbourhood, overcame with a sense of relief over the familiar sights of the humble houses, the quiet shallow streets and a kid's playground near the station. The streets were narrow, there was a dent in the underside of that swing in the playground, it had been there since he was in kindergarten. The paint of the monkey bars used to be halfway peeled, and just recently re-painted again, in bright yellow colour. Kuroko found himself staring at the playground just about five minutes walk from his house, breaths batting in anticipation.

"I forgot to tell you something, Kuroko. I think this is yours?" Akashi's voice drew his attention, when he turned he caught the sight of a familiar cellphone in the redhead's hand. His eyes widened, the cellphone was his, the one the Snake guy took from him.

He quickly took the phone, inspecting the black screen. He couldn't turn it on, it might have run out of battery. "This… I thought they'd thrown it away…"

"The police found those after they'd swept off the crime scenes. They found two cellphones from the staff's lockers. We had one of the bodyguards confessing that they were yours and Kouki's, we also found some of your belongings. Unfortunately, I did not bring them with me as of today. I will send it to your house." He looked at Kuroko through the front mirror.

"Furihata-kun's cellphone? Was it the one you gave him yesterday?"

"Ah, no. I gave mine to Kouki. His cellphone is still with me."

Akashi's eyes narrowed in the mirror's reflection. He didn't mention anything about giving Furihata his phone back — which was a little odd, but Kuroko was too preoccupied by the thoughts of going home to pursue the subject.

The car stopped in front of an ordinary two-story house with earthy red roofs, light brown walls and washed-out steel fence that had rusted over years. As he got out of the car, Kuroko held his breath at the sight of potted flowers placed towards the doorway to the entrance. A bush of whitish pink peonies stood near the grey mailbox, the one his mom planted in their shallow lawn the month after his grandmother died. They smelled awfully familiar, that it brought hot pricking sensation in the back of his eyes, moisture gathering there.

He forgot about Akashi and Midorima who were still standing by the car — his legs brought him to the entrance in slow, uneven steps.

The fragrance of flowers, of the wet soil, the dusts gathering at the corner of the door and the musk of the damp moss growing under the roofs … felt so nostalgic, it overwhelmed him. He couldn't describe the sensation with words, he could only feel it. Gingerly, Kuroko held up a trembling hand and pressed the door bell.

The melody was followed by the sounds of footsteps, excited barks of a dog and the feminine voice of a woman he knew well, telling Nigou not to scratch the door. He didn't know why he couldn't bring himself to just enter the house, as if it wasn't his own.

The door knob turned, the gears clicking. The door flung open. The puppy dog in question took advantage of the slight gap, then launched himself at Kuroko's feet, sniffing and rubbing his furry head at his shins. Kuroko crouched and took Nigou into his arms, stroking his thick tufts. The puppy barked happily and started licking his face, slobbering him with saliva. A few seconds later, a slim black-haired woman in her forties, with blue eyes and a distraught expression emerged from behind the door.

"Nigou-chan! I'm so sorry, our dog just — " She said, lifted her jaw and froze.

"Mom … "

She looked at him, thinner and smaller than he remembered. Her cheeks were hollow and a pair of dark shadows hung beneath her eyes, exhaustion and age written on her visage. He could barely recognise her as the mother he'd see over a week ago.

"Tetsu-chan!" She burst into tears and hugged him, her shoulders trembling. She sobbed and cried and clung to him so tightly he'd thought she would never let go, her voice weak and small, repeating the words 'thank god', 'you're safe', 'I was so scared' and just his name, over and over again.

Kuroko couldn't fight it, warm tears started streaming down his cheeks and he wrapped his arms around her much smaller frame. He could feel the harsh result of her constant worries with his own eyes, and he'd thought what an awful son he'd been.

"I'm sorry, mom … I'm sorry." He choked, he couldn't find anything else to say. She shook her head, but didn't say anything. She gave him a shaky smile, tears beading down in rivulets. The front of his shirt was soaked with her tears, blots of wetness apparent over the white fabric.

He rested his head next to hers, vision blurry and throat jammed with a pressure that choked him. He couldn't stop the tears. How could it be possible to feel so much happiness and grief at the same time?

"I'm home."

—

Akashi and Midorima stayed for an hour to explain of what had occurred in the past week.

He left out the fine details about the werepeople and their intentions for Kuroko. He spun the story that would sound more believable to a Primate, making it seem that the criminal had wanted to use Kuroko and a few of other teenagers in a human-trafficking case. And that the police and his friends worked together to find the criminal's headquarters and busted the operation before anything worse could happen.

Kuroko guessed that was the story the werepeople section of the police department would feed the Primate media, in order to mask the truth of their community. They would need to explain the large-scale arrest that occurred yesterday, which suggested the ones who'd gone after Kuroko earlier in the morning, were from the Werepeople press, less so from the Primate media. They didn't have much cause to chase him around the clock, other than his experience as a victim and witness.

His mother had been mortified and angered, but ultimately she was just happy Kuroko was home safe and sound, even with the few scratches here and there

"Ah, yes. Kagami-san, your friend, promised me he was going to find you. I haven't heard from him in the past few days, I wonder how is he?" She had wondered.

Kuroko swallowed. "He … he's in the hospital. Kagami-kun did find me, but he sustains some injuries during the process." He explained to her a cleaner version of what had happened, that Kagami contacted the others of his abduction and went all the way to find him, then got injured as a result of protecting Kuroko.

His mother had gasped in horror and shock. She made him tell her where Kagami was being hospitalised and declared she would go to visit him to thank the redhead properly. She was very grateful to him. Kuroko began to think maybe she would be the first to support their relationship when they'd decide to come out to her. That was an uplifting thought. It would be trickier with his dad, a Primate and a Japanese, in a community that was still reserved from homosexuality.

But that was a concern for another day.

When his dad came home later on, Kuroko and his mom were in the living room. His dad took a step in the room, seemingly exhausted and weary. He took a look at Kuroko, dropped his leather bag, hurried to him and pulled Kuroko into a tight embrace. It was a few seconds later of faint sounds of his dad sobbing and the trembling shoulders, that made him realise how much his parents had suffered during his captive.

That night, the three of them and Nigou, spent hours together in the living room, only went to bed when it was past midnight.

The strangest thing happened. He found his parents followed him to his bedroom and wouldn't leave until he was tucked in by his mom, while his dad stood by the bedroom door, staring at him with a look of worry as if he'd vanish suddenly. His mother gave him a goodnight kiss — something she hadn't done since he was thirteen. They took their time before leaving the room for good, when they finally left, they had seemed reluctant.

The door wasn't close entirely and he could see, from the slight gap, that his parents were standing outside, mumbling incoherently. They left five minutes later.

His bed was warm. Although, Kuroko found much of Nigou's furs covering the bedsheets and pillows, which prompted him to shoot the puppy a rather annoyed look. "Have you been sleeping on my bed?" He pointed an index at a dog bedding at a corner of the room, next to a bookshelf. "That's your bed. It's big enough for you. And didn't I train you to sleep there?"

Nigou stared at him, cocking his head and whining softly.

Kuroko sighed. Now his bed smelled a lot like Nigou. Nigou was already used to the dog bed he purchased a month ago, because Kuroko's single bed had become too cramped for a growing Husky pup. He'd patiently trained him to use the dog bed for two months, it was unlikely for Nigou to go against his instruction now.

"Did you miss me? Is that why you were sleeping on my bed?" He asked, coming up with a plausible explanation to Nigou's disobedience.

Nigou merely looked at him, then leaned forward to rub his snout against Kuroko's face. He whined in a sad way, placing his head and a paw on the bed next to Kuroko. He couldn't help but to ruffle Nigou's head. "Thanks, Nigou." He smiled. "I bet you've missed Kagami-kun. I miss him, too." The Husky's blue eyes looked into his own, tilting his head as if replying.

"Okay, you can sleep with me tonight. But tomorrow you'll sleep in your own bed." He said, opening the blanket for him to climb to.

Nigou perked up, licked his nose and jumped to his bed, tail wagging. He licked Kuroko's face two more times before settling down, the latter wrapped the blanket around the Husky. He felt warm, nostalgic. It felt like home. Kuroko felt happy. Safe. This was what Kagami intended for him. The redhead knew him so well, sometimes he wondered if he deserved Kagami, he'd been nothing but absolutely wonderful to Kuroko.

"Kagami-kun… Taiga-kun…" Nigou glanced at him and made a quizzical sound.

He chuckled. "Let's sleep. I … want to see him as soon as possible. I don't know if it's tomorrow, but I hope so."

Nigou barked, as if asking if he could go, too. Kuroko laughed. "I can't bring pets into the hospital, I'm sorry." The Husky's ears flopped down in disappointment, whining. "Maybe when he's out of the hospital. We'll take a walk together." Gently, he stroked the Husky's head, along his spines, repeating the soothing pace to console Nigou.

The Husky's eyes fluttered open and close, he let out a big yawn. Kuroko was getting sleepy, as well, everything in this room felt comfortable. The smell, the feel of it — felt so right. He couldn't resist the temptation to close his eyes and drift into slumber. "Good night."

On his right, Nigou made a soft sound of approval.

—

However, as much as he wanted to meet Kagami again, his mother wasn't willing to let him go just yet.

She made Kuroko stay at home for two whole days. She'd contacted the school to explain about his situation and the school granted him a week off for the purpose of recovering from the incident. He got several texts from Akashi suggesting Kuroko to lay low for a while until the media sensation calmed down somewhat. It looked like the press thought he was being hospitalised, and that was why the neighbourhood was peaceful and there wasn't any nosy reporter. Still, Akashi warned him not to leave the house unless necessary.

Kuroko kept in touch with Kagami via phone calls and texts. When his mother wasn't around, he'd dash for his bedroom and spend hours on the phone with Kagami until his ears burned with the heat of the device, or until he ran out of balance.

He found the normalcy of the situation comforting, and Kagami told him of Furihata, the visitors and how disturbed he was, when he woke up after an afternoon's nap, to find Himuro and Murasakibara making out by his bed. He claimed to have been traumatised by the sight of his childhood friend been dry-humped into a chair by a purple-haired giant. Furihata apparently saw it too, and he couldn't bring himself to look at Himuro or Murasakibara for the rest of the day, face flushing as red as a boiled crab.

He'd laughed at the stories, a little regretful as he wished he had been there himself.

Kuroko was happy to be home, but he was missing Kagami after two days of separation. He wanted to see how Furihata was doing — he also wanted to visit Kasamatsu. But the reporters were still lurking about, so he couldn't go even when he really wanted to. But at least it seemed like Furihata's family had finally visited. His older brother and mom took turns to look after him. Kagami's parents had dropped by as well.

There was another thing happened recently, that he was reluctant to tell Kagami.

The nightmares.

At first, he thought it was due to physical and mental exertion. But since the first night he was home, the disturbing dreams started haunting him. He would wake up in midnight, sweating bullets and labouring for breath, distraught. The visions of the dream became more and more vivid, so much that he couldn't fall back to sleep after being woken up. Even when he was awake at day he could remember the nightmares fairly clearly, for they were of the unpleasant memories from that horrid place he couldn't forget easily.

The third night, it was worse. Visions of chaos, of smears of crimson on the wall, of Furihata's small, weakened body, lying on the ground — and then the nightmare switched, became that of Kagami dying in his arms, the two of them alone in that forest — Kagami wasn't moving and Kuroko was holding him tightly, screaming for help. He screamed until his throat hurt and his voice broke, yet nobody came. The blood gradually created a steady pool around them, while Kagami grew colder and colder. His body bathed in red.

When he woke up from the nightmare with a sudden jolt, tears were spilling out of his eyes, drenching the pillow.

He was shaking, his lips trembled and his shirt was soaked through with sweat. Kuroko had a difficulty in breathing as the gruesome images flashed before his eyelids, his heart beating in his ribcage, hard and harsh, rapid. He could see the red of the blood and the coldness on his fingertips, the warmth fading away along with the chill of the sweat. Nigou was awoken by his sobbing, he'd come to his bedside and stared up at him, whimpering sadly as if asking him what happened.

Kuroko couldn't stop the fear from overloading his senses, it was illogical and uncontrollable. There was a moment in which he thought the dreams were real and that he was merely imagining Kagami's survival, that he was driven to madness from grief. He was scared of the possibility, scared that he'd lost his mind — he wasn't thinking properly, he knew, yet he couldn't stop it.

He reached for his cellphone that was on the bedside table, nearly toppling it down due to his shaking hand. His breathing ragged, vision blurry from the tears — Kuroko had to wipe his eyes to be able to see the screen and dial Kagami's numbers.

Be alive, please be alive. He chanted over and over again in his mind, squeezing his eyes shut and tightening the hold around the phone. It took a while. The dial tone kept beeping repeatedy, for what seemed to be an eternity, before the line was picked up and he heard Kagami's sluggish voice.

He didn't stop himself when he started weeping, meanwhile Kagami sounded increasingly panicked, from across the line.

After he'd calmed down, Kuroko explained himself, ashamed for being emotional over a nightmare — over practically nothing. "I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. It's so late, too." He whispered into the phone, a hand clutched his chest. Nigou lifted his jaw from Kuroko's lap to stare at him, blinking sadly. Stroking him made Kuroko felt better, calmer.

Kagami was silent as he listened to him, only speaking after he was done. "Kuroko, can you come here? Akashi said there's gonna be a press conference about the case. The reporters won't be around." He told him. "You can come tomorrow."

He bit his lips.

He wanted to go, badly. Kuroko wanted to see Kagami with his own eyes, feel the heat of his skin with his fingers, to make sure he was alive and well. It was an excruciating need.

"I'll come." He said. His voice was a little too soft. "Tomorrow, I'll be there."

The day after, despite his mother's insistent for him to stay at home. At noon, a car came by to pick him up. Another ordinary, small car that didn't look out of place. He guessed Kagami had asked Akashi to send a car for him as a precaution. Just as he was about to climb into the car with one leg in, Nigou stopped him, biting the hem of his jeans and refused to let go.

"Nigou…" The Husky kept tugging, growling lowly. Kuroko had to stop for a moment to persuade the dog to let him go. "I have to go see Kagami-kun." Nigou looked at him, whimpered and barked twice, his ears flopped down.

"… do you want to come with me?" It was a mere guess, yet the way the Husky perked his ears and wagged his tail enthusiastically, was a clear answer to that question.

Kuroko took a moment to ponder his decision. Indeed, he felt much better if he wasn't alone, but the hospital wouldn't let Nigou come inside the building. Kuroko could leave him outside, maybe under a shaded tree in the garden area. In truth, he was reluctant to go to the hospital, especially alone, as the place roused certain unpleasant memories and forced him to be alert, cautious, for no apparent reason. This paranoia was starting to gnaw at his conscience.

In the end, Kuroko went back into his house to retrieve Nigou's leash and harness, putting it on before allowing the dog to enter the car. Thankfully, the driver didn't seem to mind Nigou's presence. The latter had grown quite a lot lately, he seemed larger than the last time Kuroko saw him before the abduction.

Nigou had behaved well during the ride, obediently lying his head on Kuroko's lap as the latter stroked his fluffy head.

There didn't seem any sign of disturbance, when they arrived in the hospital. The front gates were open for public and everything looked normal. The outer parking lot was fairly empty, which was why the driver chose a spot near the entrance of the hospital. Kuroko held Nigou's leash, opened the door and stepped out, the Husky jumped off the seat and onto the asphalt road.

He wondered whether he'd have to leave Nigou outside of the hospital, yet he didn't want to leave him alone for a couple of hours. Maybe, just maybe, the hospital would allow him to at least accompany Kuroko a little bit more? It wouldn't hurt to ask.

A kindly nurse in the front lobby reception instructed him that the hospital would only allow therapy dogs to enter the hospital. However, since Nigou wasn't a trained therapy dog, he couldn't be allowed to enter the building due to risks of causing disturbance. With a heavy heart, Kuroko went out to the parking lot to find the driver and asked whether he could take care of Nigou in the mean time, which the driver, a man in his fifties, smiled and accepted the leash. He said he had two dogs at home and he'd gladly watch Nigou for him.

Nigou had whined petulantly for being left alone. Kuroko could only apologise and promised him that he wouldn't be long.

As he strolled along the hospital's seemingly identical hallways, Kuroko had to push down the feelings of discomfort. He'd kept his gaze down, taking long, steady breaths, self-consciously listening to the sounds around him for signs of danger. It was odd. He knew there was no need to feel alarmed, but he couldn't help himself. All he needed to do was look at the immaculately clean, white walls and porcelain floors — smell the unnatural scents of drugs and chemicals, then a sense of inexplicable anxiety grew from within.

You may be suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. He remembered Akashi told him to check himself to a doctor and consider doing therapy. Kuroko began to think that wouldn't be a bad idea.

When he entered the patient room, the moment he saw Kagami, Murasakibara and Furihata's faces, smiling and greeting him — Kuroko felt a surge of relief washing over him.

"Hey." The redhead grinned, his cheeks had regained its healthy colours. "Took you long enough. I was dying of loneliness."

Furihata looked much better, the bruises on his face had partially faded off. He beamed at him, a bright smile plastered on his face. "Kuroko! It's been a while! How are you?"

"Hello, Kuro-chin." Murasakibara waved, lips peppered with crumbs of chips.

Kuroko gave them a smile for each of them, walking over towards Kagami's bed past Murasakibara's chair. "Kagami-kun. How are you?" He called him, the name rolled out of his mouth like silky honey. The redhead smiled and took his hand, lightly squeezing it.

"I feel much better now." Kagami looked up at him, flashing his teeth. "I've been taking my medicines and eating all my food. I can get off the bed and walk by myself. Don't I get a reward for good behaviour?"

He flushed a little. "… when you're well enough, then yes. You will." Kuroko said, in a soft whisper. He turned his head to Furihata to greet him. "Furihata-kun, how are you — ?"

He almost halted in mid-question when he noticed another person in the room. Sitting on a chair by the brunette's bed, was a young man with brown hair and freckled cheeks. He looked older, possessing features familiar to Furihata's own, except his jaw was sharper and the light freckles. The stranger stared at him back, smiling lopsidedly. He hadn't noticed due to the bed curtain and the angle from the entrance.

Furihata noticed the look, offering him an explanatory smile. "Oh, this is my older bro. Aniki, this is Kuroko, I told you all about him." He gave his sibling a light nudge.

The young man stood up and cocked his head. The smile was still attached, as he bowed slightly in introduction. Kuroko immediately returned the gesture. "Yeah, the ghostly kid with the awesome play right? I watched your matches. I'm Furihata Keisuke, nice to meet you. Pretty sure my lil' bro's been a bother to ya. Sorry about that."

"I'm Kuroko Tetsuya, nice to meet you. And um, on contrary, Furihata-kun has helped me quite a number of times. He's no bother at all." Kuroko paused, frowning. "If anything, I should be the one to apologise — "

"What for?" The older Furihata cut him off. "I heard the story from Kou. Is this about how he got hurt? He's a dude. He could take a beating or two! Don'tcha, Kou?" He laughed good-naturedly, then proceeded to grab Furihata by his head and ruffled his hair, roughly. The latter winced and half-begged him to stop, flushing embarrassedly.

"Aniki! Stop that!" He semi-shouted, face red.

The older brother grinned, patting him in a gentler manner. "Good job, Kou. You protected your friend. That's real cool."

Furihata appeared to flush darker, for a different reason. They seemed to get along well, Kuroko thought, how nice. He was an only child and this was something at some point in life, had wanted for himself. It seemed like the brunette was doing better. "You really are. Cool. Furihata-kun."

"Oh, stop it! You guys are embarrassing me." Furihata shook his head and gaped, mumbling softly.

"Always worried for someone else. Come on, sit down." Without warning, Kagami tugged his arm, urging him to sit on the side of the bed, slightly over his lap. The position was a little suggestive, really, with Kagami loosely circling his arms around his waist and face closing in. "Tell me how you've been. I missed you."

"Oops, better give them some privacy."

Kuroko heard the older Furihata whispered, reaching out to grab the hem of the curtain and dragging it to cover the side where Furihata's bed was. As if agreeing, Murasakibara nodded lazily, getting off his chair and leaving the room after declaring he was going to look for Himuro in the cafeteria.

Everyone was being considerate, and that was embarrassing.

Ignoring, the heat on his cheeks, Kuroko started explaining. "I … came here with Nigou, he's outside now, with Akashi's driver … Nigou's been a little insistent on accompanying everywhere, lately. My mom too, she wanted me to stay home and had been cooking my favourite foods because she said I was too skinny. Dad's been like usual. But he keeps staring at me when I wasn't looking… I haven't been going out at all. Seirin's giving me a week off to rest."

"Hmm," Kagami hummed, the tip of his nose was touching his neck. He was breathing in Kuroko's scent. "They missed you. I can only imagined how worried they were when you were missing."

"I know." Kuroko said, voice a little strained. "When I saw her again, my mom looked like she hadn't been sleeping for days. And she's so thin."

"Hey, that's not your fault, okay?"

Kagami pulled back slightly to look at him. A hand went up to caress his cheek. "She loves you, of course she'd be worried. You're no worse for wear either. You're so thin, and look at these dark circles — " He made a point by brushing a thumb over the under side of his left eye. He frowned. "You've been having nightmares."

Kuroko swallowed.

"Yes."

The redhead fell silent. "I don't want to remind you of it since last night you sounded so … scared." He inhaled sharply. "Tell me about the nightmares. Take it slow, though. If it's too much to talk about, you don't have to tell me." He told Kuroko, tone gentle and soft, slipping into a whisper.

Truthfully, he didn't want to remember the nightmare. The images were still fresh in his mind, still affecting him. But Kagami was right in front of him, the real Kagami. Alive. Breathing. His hand was warm. Kuroko took a deep breath, before speaking. "I … I don't mind, but … I can't tell you about… details. I don't want to remember it." He stated.

Kagami nodded. "Just general explanation is alright by me."

So Kuroko told him. About the memories of the institution, about the images and visions, distorted by the dreams and changed into his worst fear. It was unsettling, unnerving. They genuinely terrified him, how seemingly realistic they felt. How vivid it had been, the pain he felt jamming in his throat, as he screamed in the dream. How he feared that the dream was real and the reality was merely a wishful delusion.

He was scared of losing Kagami, of hurting his friends again. He didn't want to have to feel that way, to see the nightmares came alive at night every time he closed his eyes. Sleep became something he didn't look forward to at the end of the day. He didn't feel save, walking outside alone. Not because of the reporters, but because he felt anxious, as if danger was waiting him in every corner of the streets — his beastly instincts were constantly on alert, his senses subconsciously became sharper, overloading his head.

That was why Kuroko didn't leave his house for three whole days. Nigou accompanied him today, which was something he found soothing, and the thought of seeing Kagami was enough motivation to brave the outside world again.

"This is bad." Kagami commented after his explanation. "Besides the fact that you've had a traumatic experience, we also need to fix the issue with your animal instincts. Right now, you're on survival mode, are you?"

Kuroko paused, thinking over the question. Although he didn't feel immediate danger, but the signs of anxiety and constant anticipation were there. "I wouldn't say that I can differentiate it just yet, but I do feel like I'm more … on edge lately. Maybe a bit irritable." He admitted. "Is that a problem?"

Kagami sighed, idly playing with a stray strand of hair on Kuroko's face.

"It's a worse problem for us, because we're Werepeople. Our animal instincts mingled with that of human psychology — in short, if you're anxious and anticipating danger for long periods of time, it could get out of hand. Because then the animal side of us, could overwhelm the human rationality, since you're in a defensive mode. Have you heard of a cornered rat that'll bite back? That's you right now. There's a possibility if we don't quickly calm the instincts first, you could hurt yourself or other people in a fit of panic."

It took him a few moments to let the information sink in. "I… I did not know that." Kuroko said, lowering his gaze. "I thought I would consider Akashi-kun's suggestion to seek therapy session."

"That'll be helpful. Although I'm more worried because you've been having the nightmares and the anxiety, instead of relieved of all this mess." Two red eyes looked into Kuroko, the centre seemed to waver, in a pool of dark red. He patted his head. "It's just that, distress is more dangerous to us, Werepeople, than it is to Primates. Sometimes it's a pain."

Kuroko fell silent. Post-Traumatic Stress was worse for Werepeople, he repeated the info in his mind. Because they could transform at any moment, he could've hurt someone due to paranoia.

"Not to eavesdrop on you or anything, but Kou's been having consultation with a psychiatrist."

Keisuke's head peeked out from the curtain of Furihata's bed. Meanwhile, he could hear Furihata's hushed whispers about how rude his older brother was being. The older Furihata opened the curtain, revealing himself and a mildly horrified younger Furihata behind him.

The older guy ignored his younger brother, facing Kagami and Kuroko, one thumb pointing over his shoulder towards Furihata's direction. "How about you guys go together? It's not a bad idea, and I think it's better since you said you don't feel safe being alone, right?"

… just how much did he listen to? Kuroko brushed away the thought.

"I don't know, if Furihata-kun doesn't mind…" He hesitated, glancing at the younger brunette.

Furihata perked up. "No! Of course I don't mind! We can go together." He flashed him a nervous smile, gaze darting at his older brother.

Keisuke grinned. "Okay, that's settled. The sooner the better, right?"

Kagami flinched, he grumbled irritatedly because the mood had been changed suddenly. "Stealing my lines …" Kuroko heard him grumble, sticking out his bottom lip in secret. He couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Alright, but I think I have to inform my mom about this first. I'll contact you soon, Furihata-kun." He said, smiling. He felt better already.

He spent two hours chatting with Kagami, Furihata and his brother, until Kuroko realised he couldn't stay for long because his mother would start worrying — she had been rather too paranoid lately — and right on the point, she called his cell to ask when would Kuroko come home. Besides, Nigou would whine nonstop for being left alone for hours with a stranger. He bade goodbye to them, his heart heavy with the thought of having to leave Kagami, so soon.

"I'll come back tomorrow." Kuroko promised, running a hand over Kagami's face. The redhead had his hands over Kuroko's waist, smiling up at him.

"I'll be waiting."

After making sure the Furihata brothers were averting their eyes on purpose, Kuroko shyly leaned down to kiss Kagami. It was slow and sweet, nothing lustful, full of feelings that they couldn't properly communicate in front of others. He would prefer they be alone, but Kagami was still unwell. They withdrew and exchanged looks one more time, smiling to each other. "See you." The redhead whispered.

Kuroko smiled. "I'll see you."

Nigou was happily barking when he returned to the parking lot, tugging at his leash to run after Kuroko. He crouched and petted the excited puppy, letting him slobber and lick his face. "We'll be back tomorrow." He told Nigou, which the puppy answered with another loud bark, tail wagging excitedly.

—

The next day, Kuroko visited the hospital with his mother.

The same driver and the same car picked them up in front of their house, which made her wonder, Kuroko made an excuse that the car was a precaution by the police. Which she accepted and didn't really question, much to his relief. Nigou was left back home this time, to keep the house occupied. The puppy wasn't happy about it. He was the protector of their home, Kuroko reminded him, which made him jolt up with pride, letting the two leave with a sense of purpose.

The car parked in the basement of the hospital today, because there were a few reporters lurking about. Surprisingly, the first thing his mother said when they arrived, was that she wanted to see Kagami immediately.

"I want to thank him. Why, he was so nice to offer his sympathy back when he called! You don't see such good manners in young boys nowadays. He was so attentive when you were missing, so reassuring." She chirped, having taken a shine on Kagami after Kuroko told her how he was the reason he was able to go home. "In fact, you've told me a lot about him, but I've barely seen him. Is he a handsome boy, Tetsu-chan?"

"I um, yes, Kagami-kun is … quite attractive." He was very attractive, in fact. To be honest, to Kuroko, Kagami was always the most attractive man in the room. He blushed at such an embarrassing idea, which his mother noticed and pointed out, his heated cheeks must have looked flushed.

She smiled. "Well, I'd love to meet him in person. Tetsu-chan you always looked so animated when you were talking about him."

"I — I did?" He sweated a little. He wasn't ready to confess anything to his mom yet, so he opted silence as his mother went on about random things she'd like to speak with Kagami.

He'd texted Kagami last night, about his mother coming to the hospital, yet the redhead still went completely stiff at the sight of them entering the room. Kuroko could practically see the beads of cold sweat dribbling down his temples. He noticed the shirt Kagami was wearing wasn't the usual pyjamas, instead it was a grey sweatshirt with no. 5 emblazoned at the front, looking freshly ironed. He couldn't see his pants because Kagami was confined in bed. His hair was tidier too, and there was a faint fragrance of cologne that was vaguely familiar to how Himuro smelled.

"Ah, Kagami-san and Furihata-san, is it? Good afternoon, I am Tetsuya's mother." She greeted the both of them, smiling politely.

Furihata gave a slight bow, smiling. "Good afternoon, ma'am. I'm Furihata Kouki, Tetsuya-kun's teammate."

Meanwhile, Kagami's movement was stiff and awkward. He kept stammering his words.

"M - m - my name is T - Taiga. Nice to meet you, ma'am." Kagami cleared his throat, then gestured a hand towards a chair that was inexplicably covered with white cloth and a small cushion for the seating. Kuroko didn't remember it being that way yesterday. "Please, have a seat. W - would you like something to drink?"

She took a seat just as offered, but refused the drink. "Oh, how thoughtful! But you shouldn't have, I feel bad for barging in all of the sudden. I'm here to thank you for helping Tetsuya, I'm so grateful … "

While they chatted, Kuroko and Furihata had to go for the doctor's appointment. The brunette was well enough to walk around on his own with a pair of crutches, even though he was slow, Kuroko patiently guided him by his side. Furihata instructed him the directions. They got the patient numbers from the registration counter and waited until it was Kuroko's turn for consultation. There were some other people in the waiting bench outside of the clinic, which prompted random thoughts of guesses what kind of psychological problems they had.

They had a separate psychiatrist for the Werepeople, due to the difference in the nature of their mental states with that of the Primates. Kuroko learned more and more, every day. To think he was that much ignorant of his own community. He wouldn't have thought that having stronger bestial instincts meant mental illness could prove to be worse for the Werepeople.

They went in when his numbers flashed on the digital board. Kuroko and Furihata sat down before the doctor's desk, then the doctor proceeded to ask him a few questions such as family's history with mental illness or depression. After the questions were answered, he allowed Kuroko to explain himself.

The first thing he told the doctor was of the kidnapping, of the horrible things he'd witnessed, then the nightmares, the inexplicable anxiety and the flashes of memories that were triggered by certain things, like the sight of the hospital corridors and the smell of antiseptic. His fists were clenching and unclenching on his lap when Kuroko explained he was unable to sleep at night because of the nightmares, and the lack of sleep made his anxiety and paranoia worse.

Furihata gave him a look of sympathy, trying to give him words of encouragement to let his feelings out.

The doctor scribbled on his notes and nodded along with his explanation. After Kuroko was done, the doctor put down his notebook, placing his folded arms over the desk.

"You have PTSD." He started. "It's not a improbable case. You've gone through a kidnapping and witnessed abuse. It's a common cause." That confirmed everybody's suspicion.

"However, it doesn't seem like I'd need to prescribe medications for your symptoms. I'll recommend attending several therapy sessions, before deciding whether antidepressants are necessary." He gave him a calm smile. "Don't worry, Kuroko-san. PTSD can be cured with proper treatments and with time. If you want, I can speak to your family and explain to them the steps necessary for your recovery, such as activities you may try to participate or support groups you can join. It's important to have strong support in your surroundings."

Kuroko sighed deeply. "Thank you. It's reassuring."

The doctor scribbled something on a small notebook, ripped off the page and gave it to nurse next to him. She accepted the note and pinned the paper onto a file. "We can start the session as soon as possible. However, I believe as a student you may need to adjust your schedule before making appointments. Please do keep that in mind."

He nodded. "I will. Thank you very much."

The two left the clinic after that.

"I … have nightmares too." Furihata mentioned, with a small voice, as they strolled along a rather empty hallway. He gave Kuroko a weak smile. "Actually, I've been waking up at night and couldn't fall back to sleep. I don't think Kagami noticed though. He usually sleeps like a log, unless it's Kuroko's Special Ringtone playing."

… Kagami had a special ringtone for him? That was new. "You didn't tell him?" He asked.

Furihata shook his head. "I didn't want to make him worry." He looked down, his movement with the crutches was awkward and slow. "I didn't tell Aniki either, but he knew. He noticed the dark circles. Um, Akashi did, too. Though he only visits in the evening …" His cheeks reddened slightly, then he suddenly laughed as if remembering something funny.

"Aniki thought Akashi was creepy." He said, when Kuroko threw him a questioning glance. "He whispered to me 'that guy gives me the creeps, what's with him?' on their first meeting, can you believe that? He's so rude."

Well, Akashi could indeed be a little strange at times. Nobody really knew what he was thinking. The older Furihata's guess might not be too far off from that — and the younger Furihata's opinions on the current Akashi might've been the result of the redhead's efforts to bury the shovel of the previous fiasco with his other personality.

As long as Akashi did nothing hurtful to Furihata, Kuroko was fine with it. Although he did find his romantic attraction for the brunette was rather surprising.

"Ah," Kuroko said, remembering something. He turned to Furihata. "I forgot, I've been wanting to visit Kasamatsu-san. How is he? Has he been well?"

"Kasamatsu-san? Well, he's fine, but…" Furihata hesitated, looking like he was trying to find the right words to describe. "I'm not really sure. I visit him every day and he 'seems' fine every time. But … I don't know, I just don't think that it's true."

He stared at the brunette, furrowing his eyebrows slightly. "What do you mean?"

Furihata sighed. "In short, I don't think Kasamatsu-san is really alright. I mean, he's been through what we did and he has added problems, but … somehow. The way he's acting. He's awfully calm. It's strange." His gaze lowered. "I mean, Kuroko, even you weren't actually that composed during the whole thing, were you? I'm not sure if Kasamatsu-san has ever let go of the bad things since we're freed. Like he's avoiding the subject."

In a second, Kuroko knew what Furihata meant.

"I'd like to visit Kasamatsu-san." Kuroko told him. "Furihata-kun, would you come with me, or…?"

"I'll go with you. I haven't visited him today." The other boy nodded.

Furihata navigated them through the way to Kasamatsu's room. The room was on a different floor from where Kagami and Furihata resided, as it was located close to the nursery for the Werepeople children. He caught a glimpse of the newborn cubs and hatchlings sleeping inside of their beds or incubators, wondering whether Kasamatsu would go out of his room and take a look at the babies by himself. They were small, helpless and needy. Kuroko couldn't imagine having children so young in age.

A nurse opened up the locked corridor for them, which both thanked her for. Furihata told him Kasamatsu's room was at the end of the hall, in which Kuroko nodded, chest raising in anticipation.

In front of the door, Furihata knocked three times first and announced themselves. "Kasamatsu-san. Fuyuki-kun. It's Furihata and Kuroko, may we come in?"

Fuyuki? Kuroko didn't recognise that name.

The door flung open just as he was about to ask Furihata, revealing a tall dark-haired boy with steely blue eyes and a face that looked awfully familiar — like Kasamatsu, he realised. The boy looked a lot like Kasamatsu, only taller and his eyebrows were thinner. There was an absent of several hard lines on his forehead, making him look like a younger version of the former Kaijou Captain. His hairstyle was different too, slightly longer.

"Come in." The boy sidestepped, opening the door for them. Kuroko helped Furihata get through the cramped door, all the while staring at the unfamiliar person in the room. The more he looked at him, the more he found similarities.

More so when he caught the sight of Kasamatsu in bed, smiling at them. "Hey, Furihata. Kuroko. I haven't seen you for a while, how are you?" He asked, Before he noticed the way Kuroko stare at the unfamiliar, he added with a chuckle. "That's Fuyuki. My younger brother. Fuyu, introduce yourself."

The boy named Fuyuki cocked his head to one side, his lips remained in a thin line as he introduced himself. "Kasamatsu Fuyuki. Second year student of Sannan Middle School. Nice to meet you, Kuroko Tetsuya-san."

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Kuroko bowed slightly out of politeness, then he lifted his chin. Wait, he hadn't introduced his name yet. "You know my name…?"

"Your name is everywhere on the news right now, though they blurred your face. I know because I watched your matches with Nii-san's team." He answered, seemingly disinterested, but a short smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Your techniques are really unique. You're a Small Forward, correct? I'm also an SF in my own team. The way you support your Ace impressed me."

"Ah, thank you. Kasamatsu-kun. I'm glad you think so."

"Fuyuki is alright."

"Fuyuki-kun, then." Kuroko returned his smile. He looked around the room, finding there were only the four of them present. "Um, is Kise-kun not around? I'd thought he would be here."

Suddenly, the smile on Fuyuki's visage fell. Slight creases appeared in between knitted eyebrows, his demeanour changed in a fraction of a second. "He's not here." He said, tone a little harsh. He sighed and threw an irritated look on the floor, frowning. "Nii-san has enough problems, he doesn't need that deadbeat around to mess things up — "

"FUYUKI!"

Kasamatsu's yell resounded in the room, drawing the other three's attention. Kasamatsu looked angry, glaring at the younger Kasamatsu heatedly.

"Watch your mouth. You're in front of the guests." He growled. Fuyuki flinched and backed off — the displeased look was apparent on his face, but he didn't say anything. Both Kuroko and Furihata were silent, feeling the tension had tightened in the room. After a short moment, Kasamatsu sighed. "… go on. You said you were hungry, go find something to eat. I'm going to talk with Kuroko and Furihata."

Fuyuki lifted his chin and looked at Kasamatsu, wanting to apologise. "Nii-san — "

"Go. Now." Kasamatsu firmly said.

The younger brother didn't dare to object. He quietly looked down, turned on his heels and left the room without any word.

"Sorry you had to see that." Kasamatsu sighed, rubbing the flat of his forehead tiredly. "Please excuse my little brother, he's in a difficult age right now. He gets irritated with the smallest things, and the language he's using — I'm sorry, you're not here for that. Please take a seat." He gave them an apologetic smile, gesturing to the chairs by the bed side.

"Don't mind it, Kasamatsu-san. How are you feeling?" Kuroko asked soon after he'd taken a seat.

"I'm alright. Thank you for the concern. How are you, Kuroko? I haven't seen you in a while." Kasamatsu smiled at him, although it had looked slightly lethargic. There were dark circles beneath his eyes, signs of sleep deprivation. Kuroko couldn't help but to feel sorry for him.

"I have some … problems, regarding the Post-Traumatic Stress." He explained a brief version of what had been going on, recently. Kasamatsu and Furihata listened quietly, the former's expression turned serious when he told them of his nightmares and anxiety. "But it shouldn't be that bad, I'm planning to attend therapy sessions with Furihata-kun. Everyone recommends it." He finished, glancing at Kasamatsu.

"Kasamatsu-san, maybe you should see a doctor about this concern as well, just as a precaution. Our circumstances were unique and there are bound to be issues in the aftermath of the case." He urged, slowly. "It won't hurt to check, because in the end it's about your health, both mental and physical aspects of it."

The older Kasamatsu was quiet, seemingly thoughtful.

"You're right. I'll consider it. I've been under a lot of stress." He sighed, staring absently at the wrinkled bedsheets. He heaved a heavy sigh. "… things haven't been going so well, lately. The issues with Kise, my family and … the pregnancy. You've seen how Fuyuki reacted. My brothers were furious, so were my parents, when they found out." He bit his lips, fingers clenching at the sheets. The furrows between his eyebrows deepened, jawline tight. He clenched his eyes shut.

"I just feel so … helpless. I can't control the situation anymore."

It was an expected reaction, yet it didn't make things better. Kuroko was more than a little irritated with Kise, not only because he'd made Kasamatsu suffer, but also because he was the blonde's friend and he'd unknowingly helped him accomplish this. Kuroko made a mental note to give Kise a piece of his mind later, although now the most important thing was to help Kasamatsu go through this. He felt responsible, as part of the cause.

"Kasamatsu-san, have you talked to Kise about this? About the baby? I mean, I always heard same-sex pregnancy is difficult and expensive. But I don't know about it much 'cos it's still rare in Japan." Furihata asked, he had worry written all over his face.

"Yes, Kasamatsu-san. If you wish to speak with Kise-kun, I can relay the message for you." Kuroko offered. It didn't seem like his younger brothers would allow Kise to enter the room without clashing with each other, if he'd read Fuyuki's reaction right. "I think you two need to talk about this."

Kasamatsu's frown tightened. "We haven't spoken for a few days, since … since my family found out. I haven't seen or heard from him."

… that idiotic blonde, Kuroko swore to hit him again in the face next time they met. "Please. If you want to hit him, I'll gladly do it for you." Kuroko deadpanned, quietly fuming. "I can't believe he hasn't called — Kise-kun might be irresponsible, but I am very disappointed with him right now."

"It's not him. It's me."

Kuroko blinked. He'd thought he misheard it when Kasamatsu spoke. "You — what? What do you mean, Kasamatsu-san?"

"I'm the one who pushed him away." The older boy stared at his balled fists, ashamed. "He called and texted me several times, but … I wanted to be alone, so I didn't reply him. With Fuyu or Aki around, Kise can't come to visit either. I told him to go home, after I told my family I'm pregnant."

He looked at Kasamatsu, confused. "Why would you do that? Why … push him away? I thought you and Kise-kun are going to make it work?"

Kasamatsu didn't reply immediately.

"He's young." He choked out, voice so small it was barely above a whisper. "Kise … is only seventeen. How could I — how could I drag him down with this? He has a bright future ahead of him. I … I shouldn't be ruining that chance."

Kuroko didn't understand. "Kasamatsu-san, the one who caused this in the first place is Kise. It's not your fault, why are you speaking as if it is? " He paused when Kasamatsu shifted his gaze, and he thought he caught something odd from the way he looked. He fell silent, an idea crossed his mind.

"… then, why don't you get rid of it? Have an abortion."

Furihata sharply turned to him, gaping. "Kuroko!? What are you talking about?"

Kasamatsu lifted his gaze and stared at Kuroko, wide-eyed. Kuroko ignored the brunette, and continued. "It's a logical solution. After all, the pregnancy was unintentional, at least on your part. With the way it is now, it could be hazardous to your health and you have to think of the economy hardship of having an unplanned child at such a young age. This way, you and Kise-kun do not have to suffer from this. You don't have to force yourself."

"Kuroko, that's … but, that's…" Furihata never finished what he tried to say. From the look on his face, he knew what Kuroko said made sense. They both looked at the older boy and waited for his reaction with anticipation.

Kasamatsu seemed baffled, gaze downcast, a hand clutched his stomach.

" … no." He uttered, voice trembling. "I don't want to abort."

"Why?"

He looked at Kuroko in the eyes, dark pupils blown. "I — because — " He stuttered. "This is … Kise's …"

Kuroko sighed. "Yes, indeed it is Kise-kun's child. But the one who carries the child is you. Your body is yours, Kasamatsu-san. It is not his." He calmly said. "Or, if you wish to give birth to the child, there is also an option to hand the baby to Kise-kun's family or put the baby up for adoption. There're plenty of options available — "

Unexpectedly, Kasamatsu overreacted, wrapping his arms around his stomach possessively and features turning savage in a matter of seconds.

"NO! I won't give it up!"

He roared, throat rumbling with vibration. The yelled echoed in the empty space and rattled the surface of the stilled water of a clear glass on the table. Both Kuroko and Furihata were stunned. Kasamatsu himself looked surprised by his own actions. Slowly, he regained his human features — tears had started welling up in his eyes, one drop trickled down his cheek.

Kasamatsu quickly wiped it away and averted his gaze.

"I won't give it up … this baby is … mine." He whispered without looking at either of them. The arms were still folded over his belly.

Kuroko tightened his lips. He had gotten the answer to his pondering. But perhaps he had gone too far. "I see. I'm sorry, Kasamatsu-san. I didn't mean to upset you. Please forgive me." He stood up and bowed deeply. He felt guilty. Awful.

When he straightened his back, Kasamatsu was smiling at him. A troubled, hesitant smile. "No, you … you made a fair point, really. There are other options. But I — I guess I need time to think it over." He breathed in, his eyes were devoid of emotion. " … could you two please leave me alone? I'd like to rest." He rubbed his temples. He looked very exhausted.

"Of course. My mom is waiting for me as well. Let's go, Furihata-kun."

Kuroko pulled up the bemused brunette's arm, bowed once more and bade his goodbye, he apologised once again before he left the room, in which Kasamatsu responded with a wave of his hand. He dragged Furihata outside of the room, sighing heavily once he door closed behind him. They started walking off — it wasn't a lie that he said his mother was waiting for him, although she currently had Kagami as companion. She wouldn't be rushing to go home any time soon.

"That was really awful of me." He murmured to himself. "I should've known better than to do that, but I had to make sure … "

"Make sure of what? You were acting really strange back there, Kuroko. I didn't expect you'd say things like that to Kasamatsu-san." Furihata pointed out, for once he looked visibly annoyed, features twisted in unconcealed irritation.

Kuroko gave him an apologetic look. "I had to make sure of Kasamatsu-san's feelings for Kise-kun. I wasn't sure if he feels the same for him." He admitted. After all, Kasamatsu was hard to read. Although, provoking someone under intense stress wasn't the most ethical method to do so.

"Oh, I guess I can understand that." Furihata caught up beside him with his crutches. "One would wonder why Kasamatsu-san would date someone like Kise … they're kind of … very contrasting."

"They really are." He nodded in agreement. "The difference in age and in personality. I was trying to seek the root of their problem, it seems to me that they have a lot of miscommunication issues. Kise-kun's tendency to appear frivolous and shallow could be the cause of mistrust, but Kasamatsu-san … he's different. How many siblings does he have, Furihata-kun?"

"Huh? Oh, um, two younger brothers. Fuyuki the one we met earlier, and Akira, they're about same age, several months apart. If I'm not wrong. I met them both around two days ago when I dropped by to visit Kasamatsu-san. I also met Kasamatsu-san's mother."

"I see." Kuroko could see a pattern here. Kasamatsu Yukio was the eldest of three. The Former Captain of Kaijou. The third year senior. It was so obvious. "That's why he's like that, Kasamatsu-san."

Gave up his desires for the younger siblings. Shouldered the burden as the Captain. Carried the responsibility as the senior. If Kise had a childish arrogance, Kasamatsu possessed an adult's pride — he took everything upon himself, never let anyone see his weakness. The oldest, the most reliable, the most mature — a pride that could break him when the accumulation built up far too much, especially when he was barely of age. A kid with the mind of an adult. How long had he been like that?

For someone like that to genuinely fall in love with Kise … he didn't know whether it was a good thing, or not.

"Kasamatsu-san won't opt for abortion or adoption, because it's Kise-kun's child." Kuroko concluded. "… I just hope things will become better for them."

For everyone. Kuroko could only hope.

—

The doctor suggested to start the counselling session soon, the next day he went to the hospital.

"Just an introductory session, nothing serious yet." The doctor had smiled kindly. "It's a way to make you more familiar with the idea of opening up. Of course, it won't take long. I will give you a referral to a good therapist. She is specialised in the treatment of trauma and PTSD. If you're not comfortable with the session, I can refer you to a different person."

The doctor plucked a card from a box and handed it to Kuroko, which he accepted, reading the name and the contact details typed neatly on the champagne-coloured surface. Enoki Shizuka, a psychiatrist and professional counsellor. The doctor told him to book an appointment with the clinic by phone. The address to her practice was noted as part of the contact details.

"Thank you, doctor." Kuroko chatted with him about the appointment, then he left, twenty minutes later. The card was in his pocket.

Of course, he still had nightmares at night. Kuroko couldn't get a peaceful slumber after he was woken up in midnight, trembling and sweating bullets — the memories came back every day as if to punish him. Relentless and cruel. He couldn't stop it. As he was shaking, Kuroko would call Kagami. He wanted to make sure the dream stayed a dream, that it hadn't seeped into reality. Kagami would answer before the third dial tone finished as if he was anticipating it. He'd stay in the line for hours, until Kuroko was calm enough to sleep again.

Nigou also stayed by his side. Kuroko found it soothing to have him around, thus he allowed the Husky to sleep with him more and more often. He was comforted by the warmth of Nigou's body, the nightmares weren't so cruel when he was next to him. Kuroko was able to fall asleep better, after he'd cooled down.

In the other hand, it turned out that his mother was quite fond of Kagami. She couldn't stop talking about the redhead and the good things she had to say about him.

"Kagami-san is so nice, he's offered me drinks when he couldn't move by himself. It was so adorably thoughtful of him. And do you know that he's living on his own? He said he's used to cooking and housekeeping, such rare qualities in a man!" She'd gushed as Kuroko helped her wash the dishes. "Oh, Tetsu-chan, if only you were a girl, Kagami-san would be the perfect boyfriend I'd want you to bring home and introduce to me!"

Meanwhile, Kuroko was coughing violently to mask the sudden choked noises his throat had abruptly produced.

Kuroko smiled fondly when he remembered the scene last night, turning the knob to get into Kagami and Furihata's room. He wondered whether he'd go to visit Kasamatsu, because the latter would be discharged today.

"Hey, Kuroko. How was it? Are you okay?" Furihata immediately greeted him, looking concerned. He was referring to the anxiety Kuroko felt when walking alone in the hospital corridors — which he was still experiencing, but the clinic wasn't that far away to begin with. The exposure wasn't intense.

"I'm alright." He smiled, taking a seat on a chair by Kagami's bed side.

He looked around the room, the older Furihata wasn't present. "Aniki's out to buy food in the cafeteria. I got a little hungry and the hospital food is bland…" Furihata explained, before he asked. The brunette smiled sheepishly.

"You just missed Akashi and Midorima, they left like five minutes ago."

Kagami was devouring a bunch of meat buns presumably Himuro had smuggled from the cafeteria. Kuroko frowned, but didn't say anything. The hospital meal portion wasn't enough for the redhead's enormous appetite, anyway.

"Akashi-kun and Midorima-kun were here? I thought Akashi-kun only visits in evening." Because Akashi was busy taking care of the investigation and the court charges against the hospital, now that in the future, said institution would have shared ownership with Akashi's family — only if they managed to get it back, legally. Which was why he could only visit after the day ended.

Kagami swallowed first, before he replied. "Yeah, well. They only dropped by to tell us a few instructions." He said. His voice took a grim tone.

"Instructions…? Is it about the press conference from the other day?"

"… yes and no." He put away the plate. Kagami went still for a few seconds, ears twitching. Furihata looked awfully quiet, all of a sudden. "Good, looks like there's only us here. Okay, it's about the case investigation. A update of it, anyhow. Just in case the cops come back to question us about it." He started.

"The cops are sweeping off the hospital for evidence, right? It's part of the procedure. The place's pretty big, so it took a while for them to get everything in check." Kuroko nodded. He wondered where this was going. A pair of red eyes drifted off to the empty space. "The police found out that there were a few rooms that were burnt down. More specifically, a few of the hospital's laboratories."

That got his attention. "What? But the fire was a deception. There wasn't supposed to be a real one."

"That's what I said, too." He said.

"Just today, the forensic result came out. It suggested the fire had multiple sources, using flammable chemicals found in the rack of the lab itself — spread around like gasoline. Someone purposely set them on fire, but nobody knows specifically the exact time of the burning. The hospital staff and patients testified that the fire alarms went off, so the police figured that was the cause, or that someone was trying to get rid of evidence."

"Get rid of evidence? Someone under Former Director's order?"

"Maybe. Akashi said there's no need for us to testify because we don't know anything about it anyway, but something's bothering me. One of the lab rooms that got burned … was the West Building's basement." Kagami's lips tightened into a slit. "I remember a while ago, Takao asked me if I knew there was a basement in that building. I don't know, it's a vague lead, and it's probably nothing. But … he was looking for something — something the Former Director took from Midorima. He was pretty bent on finding it."

Kuroko unconsciously swallowed, he was reminded of Midorima's strange behaviour the other day.

"… are you suggesting that Takao-kun … was the arsonist?"

"It's a wild guess. There's no real evidence he did it." The redhead sighed and kneaded his neck. "But, even if he did, I wouldn't blame him. That's for sure. But the cops can't know. They won't get it."

If the police knew Takao was the one who got rid of the evidence, he could be charged with obstruction of justice and arson. It made sense, Midorima had acted strangely because he was trying to protect him. Kuroko realised. Takao wasn't a witness and he didn't have a direct connection to the case, the police wouldn't think of him as a suspect, would they?

"Then, we mustn't speak of this in front of anyone else." Kuroko uttered, softly. There were enough damages the case had left them to deal with. For Midorima and Takao to be dragged in more than necessary — he didn't want that.

Nobody in the room objected.

—

Kuroko had contacted the clinic of the therapist his doctor recommended, and scheduled a Saturday morning appointment.

Looking at the calendar, he noticed Kagami would be discharged in the same day, as he had marked the date with a red circle. Come to think of it, he had been visiting the hospital a lot recently, yet he hadn't seen any of his school mates and the Seirin Team due to his condition. He'd heard from Kagami and Furihata they'd visited once or twice, but Kuroko kept missing them because they'd visited in the evening, after practice — he usually had gone home by then, by his mother's urging.

Kuroko was feeling much better than previously. His wounds were almost completely healed and the doctor suggested him not to be too cooped up at home. Officially, he was given a week off by the school to recover. But it didn't mean he couldn't drop by.

"Maybe I should go visit them today." He mumbled softly, turning to Nigou. "What do you think, Nigou? Do you want to go to Seirin with me?"

Nigou's answer was to bark energetically, wagging his tail and ran around in circles three times. Kuroko took that as a 'yes'.

He informed his mother where he would be going, in which she remarked not to go for too long — which she always reminded him, possibly afraid that Kuroko would go missing again. He promised her he would be back before dinner. In the end, his mother let Kuroko go with Nigou as his bodyguard, leash in hand.

However, he couldn't bring Nigou along with him to ride the train. Kuroko had to use his allowance to book a cab.

During the cab ride, he actually felt a little nervous. He hadn't seen his teammates in a while. He had heard from the others that his name was everywhere on the news (but his face remained in mosaic), and he'd wondered whether it would affect his school life or his teammates would think different of him now that everything's out, including his true identity. Nigou looked at him and licked his face once, when Kuroko frowned at the pessimistic thought.

He couldn't help but to feel this way, things felt so different now after he'd been abducted. His whole perception about himself and the amount of efforts he had to make just to feel normal again, to fit in — it was unnerving. Kuroko did not want for his Seirin teammates to see him like strangers saw him; the Arctic Fox. The Endangered Species. The Premium Retrograde.

So many titles he hadn't wanted.

The last period was still in session when he arrived. Kuroko checked his watch. It looked like it would take around half an hour until school ended and club practice started. He pondered for a minute, before Kuroko decided to go to the gym and wait for the guys to come in.

The gym was empty when he got there. The steel mesh basket were full of orange balls, some of which were scattered around the court. Someone hadn't been tidying up properly, he thought, his shoes were making the room echo with the sounds of footsteps. Nigou followed him by his side, looking excited with his tongue out and tail wagging. Kuroko looked around and breathed in the smell of old floorings, the rubber of the balls and the hints of sweat mingling in the air. It felt so nostalgic.

Kuroko sat on a wooden bench on the side, while Nigou ran around the court, playing with the stray basketballs and chasing them.

He absently watched Nigou as he waited, the clock ticking by the second.

A while later, he perked up when he heard the sounds of familiar voices chatting and footsteps, the gym door creaked open. The first person to enter the room was Riko, who didn't notice him at first — busy talking with someone behind her — until she turned her eyes forward, then she froze, eyes staring at him.

Kuroko stood up automatically, but didn't know what to say. The female coach looked surprised, eyes blinking.

A second person, Izuki, appeared on her side. "Riko? What are you doing standing in the middle of — " He paused, sight making a beeline towards Kuroko. "Wha — Kuroko!?"

Before either of them could say anything else, Riko suddenly burst into tears. Kuroko was stunned and apparently so was Izuki, staring wide-eyed at her, when she started sobbing. Then Riko took off towards Kuroko, tears dribbling down her jaw. Kuroko didn't quite expect it when she wrapped her arms around him, crying into his shoulder.

"Idiot! We were so worried! Why didn't you say anything!? You could've called!" She yelled, hitting him with her fists — it didn't hurt. It hit much deeper into Kuroko's core, when he took in the sight of Riko, cheeks flushed and wet, her nose red, sniffling. A sense of guilt rose from within him.

"I'm — I'm sorry. Riko-Senpai."

He didn't know what to say, other than to apologise.

Hyuuga came into the gym next to Izuki, the latter had to explain what happened before the Seirin Captain exploded from the sight of Riko in Kuroko's arms. Kuroko brought her to sit on the bench and consoled her until she stopped crying, the other seniors stood by them as he did. Meanwhile Nigou had stopped playing and came over, licking Riko's fingers. She finally smiled a little and petted the Husky.

"Glad you look alright." Hyuuga said, crossing his arms over his chest. He had a concerned frown plastered over his face. "The last time we seen Kagami, he's in a bad condition. Furihata, too. I wasn't sure what happened to you, other than what they told us."

"I wasn't hurt badly. Kagami-kun and Furihata-kun … they weren't so lucky." He answered.

" … really? Seems to me, you're not much better either. You look thin." The Captain pointed out, eyes going up and down to inspect Kuroko.

"You got a week off, right? As a Captain I'm going to allow you leeway until you've recovered properly. I know there's the Spring Tournament to worry about, but I'm not letting injured people representing my team. No practice until the doctor said you can play, otherwise, you're staying on the bench. Is that okay, Riko?" He turned to Riko, who was being entertained by Nigou.

She nodded. "Kuroko, you can come to our gym if you need physical rehabilitation. Kagami and Furihata too. My dad can be your trainer. You can get yourself checked out."

"I — yes, Senpai. I will do as you instructed." Kuroko obediently agreed.

"They were really worried, you know?" Izuki placed a hand over his shoulder, smiling. "Imagine the panic when he learned you got kidnapped. Coach and Hyuuga wouldn't let the team practice and sent us out to look for you guys, of course we couldn't find you but we tried. Our Ace and his partner, gone. Furihata too. It was chaos." He chuckled.

Kuroko felt bad for making them worry. "I'm sorry I didn't contact you sooner."

"Don't worry about it. Though, are you really okay to be outside? I heard from Kagami the media's been hounding you."

"Well, they won't notice since my presence is weak. I can move around undetected if I put effort into it." And they hadn't reached his house yet, oddly enough. He suspected Akashi might have something to do with it.

The seniors looked stunned.

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that!" Izuki cracked a smile, which grew to be a laughter. Hyuuga followed suit, cackling openly. Riko tried to cover her mouth, her shoulders shaking. Kuroko couldn't find what was so funny about that, so he opted silence.

"Aaah, good old Kuroko." Izuki wiped away a tear. "I'm so glad you're alright. That's the most important."

Kuroko tried to hold back the sudden rush of heat that gathered behind his eyes, in truth, he was glad that nobody tried to bring up the subject of his lineage. Which he appreciated greatly. "Thank you, Izuki-Senpai."

The rest of the team came in later on. Koganei, Tsuchida and Mitobe were the second batch to greet Kuroko with enthusiasm, the former quite practically bounced to him and gave him a hug, in which he urged Mitobe and Tsuchida to do the same. They ended up having a group hug that made Kuroko blush in embarrassment, although he wasn't opposed to the friendly gesture. It was even more awkward when Izuki and Hyuuga jokingly joined them, shocking the rest of the first years when they stepped into the gym for practice.

Kuroko watched the practice on the side with Riko, occasionally commenting and helping the Coach assess their training match. It had been a while. He was eager to help out, wanted to play himself, but knew he still had to fully recover, or Hyuuga wouldn't let him get in the court.

"How's Kagami? Is he recovering well?" Hyuuga flopped down next to Kuroko, outfit soaked through from over an hour of practicing. They got fifteen minutes of break. Koganei was drinking water vigorously next to Kuroko, while Izuki was wiping his face with a towel. Riko was displeased by something the First Years did, so she told them to give her a hundred push-ups each.

"Kagami-kun will be discharged this Saturday around afternoon." Kuroko told him. "The doctor said he'll still have to be careful and not do exerting physical activities in the mean time, but he can rest at home."

"This Saturday, huh." Hyuuga rubbed the underside of his chin. Two seconds later, a grin grew on his lips, flashing his teeth. "How about we do a surprise party for him?"

Kuroko blinked. "A surprise party?"

The Seirin Captain nodded. "To commemorate his discharge from the hospital, of course. Izuki. Koga. What do you think? Should we plan a party?"

The other seniors looked at each other — Koganei looked like he was immediately into the plan, but Izuki hesitated for a bit. "As long as we aren't letting Coach cook the food, I'm game." He whispered, a hand covered his mouth. He threw a wary glance at Riko, who was currently watching over the First Year doing their push-ups.

Koganei pumped a fist up in the air. "I totally agree! Let's party!"

Kuroko couldn't really reject the plan when the whole team was getting pumped up with the idea of planning a surprise party for Kagami — he could only smile as he looked at their enthusiasm. Kuroko couldn't wait to be playing basketball with the whole team, with Kagami and Furihata in the mix.

After ending the practice early, everyone gathered around to plan the surprise party for Kagami and Furihata. They agreed to sneak into his apartment later in the morning, set up the place and wait until Kuroko brought Kagami in. He was exempted from the preparation for being one of the victims, so Kuroko was tasked in making sure he dragged him at the right time and getting Kagami's spare key. He was a bit concerned what the Seirin team would do to Kagami's flat, but otherwise agreed to it.

Furihata supposed to be discharged later that day, so they could convince the brunette to join in on the scheme. Fukuda offered to call Furihata to inform him of the plan.

Kuroko left and went home a little later than his supposed curfew, his mother scolded him for it, but she wasn't too hard on him — she understood that Kuroko needed to see his friends again. She sighed, smiled and hugged him after the scolding.

"At least you're looking more energetic now." She whispered, the soft stroke on his back made Kuroko felt better.

On Saturday, Kuroko managed to get Kagami's spare key (hidden in the mailbox) and gave it to the team before he went to the therapist's clinic with his mother, for the morning appointment.

The tryout session was a fairly short one. The therapist started with an explanation of Post-Traumatic Stress to his mother, informed her of the symptoms and the ways to treat it, which she did so slowly and informatively. His mother listened to her quietly, occasionally asked him whether he had the symptoms because she hadn't noticed much changes in Kuroko. He had to admit everything, including the nightmares and the anxiety. She had gasped in surprise — her eyes welling up with tears.

The therapist patiently offered consolation for her. They resumed the introductory session, which Kuroko found to be quite soothing. She informed him the sessions would mostly consist of consultations, to work through the problems and learn how to cope with intrusive memories. She suggested to bring along his mother for each session in order to assist the healing process, starting with the family.

They finished early, a little over 11 A.M. Kuroko went to see Kagami later that day.

The redhead was already dressed up with a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, he sat next to a pair of crutches laid against the side of the bed .His suitcase was packed up neatly. Furihata's bed was empty as he was discharged the day before. Himuro and Murasakibara were in the room.

"Kuro-chin. Morning." Murasakibara greeted.

"Hey, Kuroko. Taiga's been waiting for you." Himuro said, smiling. "We're here to say goodbye."

"Are you going back to Yosen today?" Kuroko asked. Now that Murasakibara was well enough, both of them could go back to Akita.

"We were planning to go home once Taiga's alright. The Coach must be fuming right now, because technically I'm playing hookey to accompany Atsushi — eventually, we need to go back to school and club practice." The oldest of them told him, chuckling.

Kagami snorted derisively. "Seriously, you could've gone back earlier for all I care. My eyes wouldn't have gotten spoiled by you guys making out."

"Now, now. Taiga. That's not very nice, I've looked after you all this time and I even dressed you up nicely when Kuroko's mom came to visit." Himuro seemed mildly amused, folding his arms.

The purple-haired giant tilted his head. "Kaga-chin used my hair mousse."

Kagami had blushed furiously at the revelation, vehemently denying all accusations pointed at him. "Bastards, just go away. Shoo!" He waved his hand his dismissal, cheeks red.

"Don't mind if we do." Himuro laughed, beckoning Murasakibara to come with him. "I'll contact you once we arrive in Akita, Taiga." Then they left the room, after biding goodbye to both of them.

"Geez. I can't believe this." Kagami scratched his neck, fuming. Kuroko sniggered, which prompted a half-smile from the redhead. "How's the therapy? Did it go well?" He asked softly, taking a hold of Kuroko's hand.

"It went rather well. I wouldn't really know, it's my first time going to counselling. But the doctor is nice." He told him. "Oh, I forgot to tell you. Riko-Senpai said you should consider getting rehabilitation with her dad, Kagami-kun. With Furihata-kun as well."

"From yesterday? Yeah, I'm thinking about it."

"Momoi-san texted me the other day for some recommendations, but I think Coach Aida would be the best option since we know him personally."

Momoi and Aomine had visited his home once, but they hadn't been showing up much in the hospital due to school. Midorima and Takao were probably back to Shuutoku, so were Kise and the others, since the investigation had gone smoothly. Nearly everyone had returned back to their homes and school life.

"I agree. It's closer to school too. I want to get back to practice ASAP." Kagami picked up the crutches and got off the bed. Kuroko encircled one arm around the redhead's waist for support, he was going to be the one bringing the redhead's luggage. "You ready?" He asked, grinning.

Kuroko smiled. "Yes."

Akashi sent them a car for them to use on the day of his discharge. Kagami hadn't wanted to make a big deal out of it, out of concern that would attract unwanted attention towards Kuroko. Even though the press had been fairly quiet recently, focusing more on the results of the case investigation rather than chasing the victims since the day of the press conference. Just as a precaution, though, Akashi suggested using his car one last time.

"My mom wants to meet you." Kagami suddenly said, as they were riding the vehicle. He was staring at the front, crutches laid on his lap, scratching the tip of his nose shyly with one finger.

"Your mom? Why?" Kuroko repeated. He knew Kagami's parents were in town, but he hadn't the chance of seeing them, because apparently they'd been working on the case to get justice for the victims. Kuroko spent most of his time at home, so he'd missed the timing of their visits.

"You know why. You're my mate and we're s - serious. So naturally, I told her all about you. To my dad too." The redhead flushed almost as red as his hair, turning to him.

"There's also the thing about your current status. You'd be officially registered as Arctic Fox Endangered Species. Because you're still underage and your parents are Primates, they're offering to take you under our household's protection. In short, they'd be some sort of benefactor for you. They'll take care of the papers. You'll receive an official summon when everything's finished. Of course, they need your parents' consent for that, first."

"I haven't heard of such a thing." Kuroko remarked, a little baffled. He remembered the one who did his official registration was his grandmother — as a dog light seed of a common breed. Now that wasn't true anymore, the documents would need to be updated, would it? He'd be officially known as an Arctic Fox and an Endangered Species. Kuroko fell silent.

Kagami put a hand over his own. "Don't worry about it, it's just formal business. Nothing'll change much, except you'll get a set of privileges for being an Endangered Species."

"I'll be put under surveillance."

Just like Kise, he grimly thought.

He saw his jawline tightened. "Yeah. It can't be helped. You're the last of your kind in Japan."

Kuroko looked down, squeezing Kagami's hand.

"I guess … as long as it doesn't bother my life with Kagami-kun and Seirin … I don't mind."

Kagami leaned to kiss the crown of his head. "I know, Kuroko."

Kuroko forced a shaky smile at Kagami, masking the anxiety beneath.

Before they arrived, Kuroko had sent a text to warn the Seirin team of their arrival. He'd received a reply from Hyuuga which cited they were ready any time. Kuroko was curious what they'd done to the place, being exempted from the preparation of it. He was excited to find out. Kagami was oblivious. They paid for the cab and rode the elevator, the redhead sneaked a kiss or two inside of the empty room, for the lack of actual privacy throughout the week.

Kuroko pushed him off — not that he didn't want to have some alone time with Kagami, but he didn't want to look like he was blushing with wet lips, and spoiling the fun of the surprise party. "Not here. Not now." He urged, taking Kagami's arm in his, to leave the elevator when it had reached their destination. The redhead looked disappointed but obliged, after all, they'd have plenty of time for later.

He unlocked the front door for Kagami, heart pounding with anticipation.

Once the door opened, he noticed the room was dark. Kuroko ushered Kagami in first, before taking the luggage past the threshold. Just as Kagami's hand shuffled through the walls for the light switch, Kuroko had closed the door behind him — the light went on with a flip of the switch, then resounding yells of multiple sources simultaneously emerged in unison.

"SURPRISE!"

His eyes were blinded, ears deafened for a fraction of second when loud cracks and pops followed suit. Suddenly, Kagami was covered in colourful ribbons and square-shaped paper cutouts — and he saw a huge hand-drawn decorated foam board with "CONGRATULATION ON YOUR RECOVERY" written on it in shiny red glitters, triangle-shaped banners of multi-colors were attached to the ceilings, along the walls of the living room. Half of the Seirin team were wearing party hats. There were even balloons.

In fact, the whole scene looked like the birthday party of a ten year old.

Kagami was clearly stunned, facing the group of highschool boys and a girl who were grinning from ear to ear, meanwhile the redhead just stood there frozen. Hyuuga was the first to step up, slapping a hand to his shoulder. "Too surprised? Well, that's kind of the point." He laughed.

The redhead looked at him, gaping. "Hyuuga-Senpai…"

Hyuuga leaned closely to whisper, Kuroko just barely heard what he said. "Glad to have you back, Ace." He said. "We're expecting you to recover quickly enough for the Spring Tournament."

Kagami visibly gulped.

"Guys, guys! What are you doing there? Let's get the party started!" Koganei whined, holding up a can of drink that looked suspiciously like beer. There were plates of chinese takeouts laid on the table in the living room, seemingly edible. Maybe they really did prevent Riko from cooking up something terrible.

"Have a seat, Kagami. You're the main attraction here. Hyuuga, forget about practice for a moment, would you? It's his party. Let him relax." Izuki approached them, effectively pulling Kagami towards the couch. "You too, Kuroko. Come on." He added.

Kuroko obliged, taking a seat next to Kagami as the rest of the Seirin team made a circle around the living room table. Furihata sat next to Kuroko, giving him a sheepish smile. He had looked much better now. Kuroko returned the sentiment. By then, the brunette didn't need to use the crutches to walk anymore.

"There's not much 'cos it's pretty sudden. We ended up getting everything from kids' party shop." Izuki chuckled. "Mitobe helped prepared some of the food, most of it are takeouts though."

"I wanted to cook too, but these guys said there's no time for that." Riko said and pouted, crossing her arms. "What a load of bull!"

" … Riko, please. Kagami needs to heal, not the opposite…"

Kagami was all grins and faint blushes. "Thanks, guys. I appreciate it."

Apparently some of the boys were able to smuggle some beers into the party, which, after a few cans, Kagami confiscated on the grounds of not wanting them drunk off their asses and passed out on the floor like that one night after winning Winter Cup. He was the one who had to clean up the mess they'd left in his flat. The majority of the seniors were protesting at first, but couldn't very well back up their argument since it was Kagami's house.

So each of them was restricted to one can of beer, no more than that. Kuroko wasn't used to beer, drinking it sip by sip, slowly. It tasted bitter.

Everyone chatted, joked and laughed. The seniors occasionally 'accidentally' slapped their hands onto Kagami's back, causing the redhead wince every time and biting back a scream. They declared it was payback for making them worry to death, what with suddenly disappearing on them for days. The redhead was forced to endure their teasing. Even Kuroko got dragged into it, being treated like a kidnapped princess waiting for Plumber Kagami to save him. It was humiliating, yet he couldn't help but laugh at the references to the video games characters.

The party ended in the evening.

Everyone cleaned up the remains of the party before they left. "You're coming back to school right? See you guys next Monday!" Koganei waved at them.

"Kagami, Kuroko. Make sure you'll come early for morning practice! Bakagami still needs to rest, but I won't let him slack off!" Riko warned, wagging a warning finger at them. "Kagami can stay in the bench and I'll ask dad about the kinds of light exercises you can do in the mean time."

"G - got it, Coach." Kagami had stiffly said.

"Of course. Thank you for today, Riko-Senpai."

Kuroko and Kagami saw the Seirin Team off until they disappeared behind the elevator's steel doors. Suddenly it was quiet again, Kuroko sighed contentedly. That was the most relaxed he'd been all week, being with Seirin and Kagami, as if nothing bad had ever happened. "Our seniors were really worried about us." He remarked, softly. "Riko-Senpai cried when I went to visit them. I felt bad."

"So did I. We both made them worry." Kagami replied, taking Kuroko's hand and squeezing it. "It's getting late. Are you staying over for the night?"

"Yes. I've got my mom's permission." He'd told his mom he'd be staying at Kagami's place. Due to her growing fondness of Kagami, she had been quick to give her permission.

"Great. We're finally alone." As soon as the door closed behind them, Kagami leaned in to kiss Kuroko. "I'm glad our friends are around, but I wanna spend time with you. In private."

Kuroko blushed. He tiptoed to peck Kagami's lips. " … me too."

The living room floors were swept, the dishes were washed, Kagami's parents were staying in a hotel at downtown Tokyo — they really had the place all for themselves. Such a thing was a luxury for them. Soon they'd be busy with school, practice, Kagami's rehabilitation and Kuroko's therapy. Not to mention, the abduction case. It had been fairly quiet, but he didn't think the peace would last for long.

According to Akashi and Aomine, the investigation had progressed very smoothly and soon the court would summon the Former President Daichi, where he'd receive his just punishment. Akashi predicted around 20 to 30 years in prison without bail, for the accumulated charges and evidence. They were going to be called in as witnesses to the crime, which meant there would also be media exposure. Kuroko's name was already plastered everywhere, he wondered if it was only about time until someone got a clear shot of his face — for everyone to see.

But that would be a problem for another day.

"What are you thinking about?" Kagami brushed a stray strand away from his face, gazing down at him. Both of them were lying on Kagami's bed, lazily staring at the ceilings.

"The future." Kuroko replied, shifting his attention from the ceiling to Kagami.

"I'm wondering what's going to happen next. In the past few weeks, I've seen and experienced so many things. For the better and for worse, I don't know. The case. Furihata-kun. Kise-kun and Kasamatsu-san. Aomine-kun, Takao-kun and Midorima-kun. And — " He paused, looking up into Kagami's eyes to look for an answer. The crimson pools stared back at him, displaying a reflection of himself.

"I'm wondering what's going to happen to me. I — I don't know what the future holds for me. I still have to attend the therapy, get used to school again and about my … status." He held his breath, finding the thoughts of it were making him uncomfortable.

"Nobody can know for sure. It's not only you, Kuroko." Kagami ran a hand over his hair, stroking in a slow pace. "The only things we can do are to learn from the past, do our best in the present and prepare for the future. We are all in the same boat."

Kuroko clenched his eyes shut.

"I know." He whispered. His voice sounded shakier than he'd intended. "But … I'm scared. Kagami-kun. What if something bad happens in the future? To me, to you or to someone close to us? When I think of that, I — I can't help but to feel afraid. For us, for them. I don't know why."

Kagami didn't reply immediately, his gaze momentarily stilled. He seemed thoughtful.

" … well, if that's what you're worried about. I have a suggestion, it's probably not the best thing, but that's all I can offer you right now." His caresses were gentle, reassuring. Kuroko opened his eyes to see Kagami smiling down at him. "Let's face it together. That way it's not that scary, right? The two of us. Your future will be mine, and my future will be yours. We'll face it together."

"My future will be … yours." Kuroko blinked in slight confusion.

The redhead laughed. "Yeah, and mine, is yours. We're gonna be together always, anyway. So, let's merge them."

Kuroko fell silent.

"Kagami-kun is so cheesy." He blurted out.

A blood vein popped in Kagami's head, his strokes came onto a sudden halt. His features abruptly scrunched up. "Ugh, god. You're awful." He sighed deeply, and ran a hand over his face, seemingly disappointed. "And I was just being — "

He had no time to finish his sentence, because Kuroko had risen up, pushing the other boy down against the mattress, straddling his hips and kissing him. He took Kagami's lips into his. The redhead was taken aback, blinking his eyes — he hadn't quite understood what was happening, so he didn't respond to his kiss. Kuroko broke it off, withdrawing slightly.

"Kagami-kun is cheesy. But I don't dislike it." He whispered against Kagami's lips, a hand went up and down Kagami's chest, slow and unhurried. The room, the bed and Kagami beneath him — they emitted such a delicious scent, it made Kuroko lose a little bit of self-control. He descended again, kissing Kagami a second time, careful not to put his weight on top of the other boy.

This time, Kagami reacted properly.

He groaned vigorously, tilted his head and devoured Kuroko's mouth, eager. His hands went down to glide over his thighs, rubbing up to his hips and going behind, kneading his ass. Kuroko let out a soft moan and Kagami took advantage of it to push his tongue deeper, licking the insides of his mouth and sucking the tender flesh he'd found there. Heat had started building up, especially down in the southern region of his body, some of which went up to his face.

"Aah … hmmm." Kuroko jerked slightly when Kagami bucked his hips upwards, colliding against his crotch, creating a wonderful friction.

"Kagami-kun…"

Kagami's hands snaked under his shirt, running up his chest and pulling at a nipple. The pleasurable sting reached his cheek, causing him to shudder. "Mmm, Kuroko … " He breathed, lips trailing down his neck. Kuroko felt the wet warmth of Kagami's tongue and the sharpness of his teeth, biting and nipping on the thin layer of skin, sometimes sucking. He was leaving his marks on Kuroko, and it felt arousing, exciting. The musks of their combined pheromones were making him dizzy.

"Haa…" He clenched his eyes shut, enjoying the sensation Kagami was giving him.

Soon it was becoming too hot. He was sweating and his jeans was too tight.

"Too hot." Kuroko tried to say, withdrawing to strip his shirt off. Kagami watched him closely, his eyes drunk the sight of Kuroko's exposed bare skin. Kuroko was topless on top of Kagami, breaths labouring and eyes glazing with lust. He started tugging at Kagami's shirt, wanted a fair trade.

"Take it off." He demanded. Kagami merely chuckled, pushing himself up to let Kuroko pull the shirt over his head.

Kuroko always found the sight of Kagami's well-built body to be extremely arousing, after all, he'd worked so hard for the team. To bring them victory. He gazed at the well defined chest and abs, running his hands over the curves and hard lines, mapping every nook and cranny. He could feel himself getting harder, Kagami's grin was making him more excited.

"Like what you see?" He teased. "Sometimes I worry that you'd only go for my body, Tetsuya."

Kuroko blushed darkly. The name-calling from the redhead wasn't something he was used to, yet. "I don't only want your body…" He growled, snaking a hand down his jeans and into Kagami's boxer. The redhead's eyes snapped wide when Kuroko found the hardening shaft, wrapping his fingers around him. It felt a bit damp, especially at the tip.

"I want everything of Taiga-kun."

He started pumping Kagami, finding it hard to do so with the jeans on. Kuroko frowned, he used his other hand to unbutton and unzip the jeans, making it easier for him to pump Kagami's dick now that it was freed. But it was huge — he had slight difficulty in grabbing the length properly to set a steady pace.

"Shit — "

He heard Kagami gasp, gritting his teeth. He was breathing raggedly. It looked like his clumsy movement felt good for the redhead, he was twitching and becoming harder in Kuroko's hand, standing to full attention. Kuroko licked his lips. He watched as the shaft grew flushed and leaked more of fluid at the slit of the head, making it easier for him to stroke, down to the base of his cock and upwards towards the slick head.

Kagami bucked up against his hand, but a hand halted him "W - wait. Stop." Kagami said, flashing a set of predatory eyes at him. "I want to do yours too."

He shivered at the offer, unable to resist the temptation because Kuroko was growing needy for attention on his own dick. Kagami tugged at the hem of his jeans, unbuttoning and unzipping the front. He decided it would easier to just strip everything off, including Kagami's own. He stripped off his jeans and boxers first before assisting Kagami with his. Now both fully nude, they started kissing again, Kuroko hovered over Kagami, they were stroking each other, building the pleasure bit by bit.

"Hnnm… more…" Kuroko whined, he became breathless as Kagami's mouth went down to suck his nipple, one hand on his dick and another was playing with his backside, shallowly dipping his fingers in between the crack. They flicked against his hole every so often. His knees were buckling from the pleasure, his nails started to sharpen, tearing tiny holes into the sheets.

"Taiga-kun, more … " He moaned, nearly begging.

Kagami's grip on his hip tightened, his own nails digging into Kuroko's skin. He detached his mouth from his chest, smirking devilishly at Kuroko. Something about it sent chills up his spines. "Sadly, I can't move too much — doctor's orders, you see. So, Tetsuya, can you do the prep yourself?" His smirk widened. "I'll watch."

Kuroko swallowed.

"How — " He hesitated. "I don't know how to do it … myself."

"I'll show you. Don't worry."

What Kagami asked of him, was something he was still ashamed to do, but didn't refuse — after all, it was Kagami. He'd promised a reward for his mate. The redhead guided him. Because he had to watch for his injury, he opted to sit comfortably against the bed post, while Kuroko was on his hands and knees — his ass sticking up in the air. His face was laid over Kagami's thighs, just several inches from his erection. It was a very embarrassing pose, as Kagami could see everything in plain view.

"Are you okay? Do you feel uncomfortable?" Came Kagami's voice from behind him, sounding concerned. Kuroko vaguely remembered the last time this sort of position had intimidated him too much that he'd refused it. But this time, it was just shameful. He wiggled slightly, taking deep breaths.

"I'm - I'm okay." Kuroko said. "Just a bit embarrassed."

A chuckle.

Kuroko flushed hotly. "Please don't laugh at me, Kagami-kun. It's rude."

"I'm not laughing at you. I thought that it's really adorable that you're doing this for me." Kagami ran his rough palms over the inner of his thighs, then something soft and warm pressed against his backside. He had a vague guess it was a kiss. "Alright, if you're okay with it, we're continuing. Give me your hand."

He obliged, outreaching his right arm towards the back. His shoulder sloped sideway from the lack of support. He heard some rustling noises and noticed Kagami was opening the top drawer of the nightstand, withdrawing what looked like a small bottle and a string of condom packets. A short moment later, he heard a click of the bottle's lid being uncapped. He felt his hand was grabbed, something cold and slimy poured onto it.

"You have to finger yourself. You know how to do it, right?" Kagami asked, spreading the lubricant all over Kuroko's fingers.

He gulped. "Yes…"

Kagami made a pleased sound of approval, taking his index finger and guiding his hand to the backside. Kuroko quietly blushed. He positioned his own digits to enter the hole, his mind remembering how Kagami usually did it for him. "Take it easy and slow. One finger in, first. Try to widen the rims." The redhead's voice instructed, he sounded calm, with tinges of growls.

Inhaling deeply, Kuroko prodded one finger in.

It felt strange at first, yet it wasn't entirely unfamiliar. His finger was surrounded by a gripping warmth. He could barely let in the tip, let alone the entire length. It had been a while, he thought. He was tighter. Kuroko realised he had to loosen himself up for Kagami, so he attempted to prod deeper. The slickness of the lube helped him achieve it. He circled the tip around, widening the entrance, then slowly inching deeper before circling around the muscles again. He repeated the process.

"That's it. Good. Take your time." He heard Kagami say, his voice low and hoarse.

Slowly but surely, the sensation and the memories of being filled started crowding his mind. Kuroko began taking in more of the finger, thrusting it in and pulling it out, repeatedly. The movement became smoother with each stroke, until there was enough space for something bigger. Instinctively, he added another digit. It was tight and hot, he was clenching in his own fingers, widening and scissoring from the inside.

"Aah, ah… Taiga-kun, oh …"

Clenching his eyes, Kuroko started gasping, his breaths were coming out short and uneven. His dick twitched animatedly, the muscles around the fingers gripped at him. He laid his face flushed against Kagami's thighs, the upper side of his body giving in to the pleasure. The fingers were slamming in and out quickly, fucking himself. He knew there was a sweet spot somewhere there that could relief him of the building pressure, but he couldn't find it. It was a little frustrating.

Sweat beaded on his temples, trickling down the side of his face. Kuroko was moaning shamelessly, putting on a show for Kagami to watch. He could feel the accumulated wetness dripping out of his asshole, down to the inner side of his thigh. It felt dirty, messy, yet if felt so arousing, Kuroko couldn't stop himself.

"Haa — !"

Before he knew it, Kagami had began touching himself, one hand reached for his dick and started pumping. "Fuck, you should see how you look right now." He heard the tiger growled, no longer holding onto his composure. He sounded wild, full with primal needs. "I want to fuck you so bad."

Kuroko shivered. He was very aware of how hard and big Kagami was, the sight of the redhead touching himself was strangely enticing. Kuroko purposely took out his fingers and let the excess of the lubricant trickle out of him. He shook his hips enticingly, looking over his shoulder with half-lidded eyes.

"Do whatever you want, Taiga-kun. Fuck me, finger me, lick me … anything." He uttered, releasing more of his pheromone to seduce the tiger.

"… don't be regretting those words later."

A pair of strong hands grabbed his hips, forcing Kuroko's whole body to move back. He gasped loudly when he felt a familiar sensation of a lively, wet flesh pushing into his asshole. In that moment, his mind scattered with pleasure so intense it nullified the thought of anything else.

"Aah, aah! Taiga-kun, wait — " But Kagami didn't wait, the tongue mercilessly moved inside of him, wiggling about, reducing him into incoherent babbles.

He couldn't move away because Kagami held him firmly, arms looping around his thighs. Kuroko could do nothing but being washed over by the pleasure, especially when the redhead started using his own fingers to touch that bundle of nerves that he couldn't find, shaking his whole body. "T - Taiga-kun, oh …" Kuroko couldn't take it anymore, he grabbed his own dick and started pumping desperately. He was close. So close.

In the end, he came first, spilling onto Kagami's chest. The murky white sprays were mixed with droplets of sweat, creating a watery mix.

Kagami gave him a minute to collect himself, mind still flaring with the first orgasm. Kuroko breathed in and out, deep and shallow, simultaneously. His limbs had turned to jelly, and he slumped on top of Kagami, hips still held up. He felt the tongue slip out of him, causing him to whimper.

"Are you okay?" Came a gentle question.

Truthfully, Kuroko's arms were sore from supporting his weight. He glanced over his shoulder, panting. "A bit … sore. My arms. This position is tiring."

"Alright. Let's change it. Come here." He released his hold on Kuroko.

They changed position, now Kuroko straddled Kagami on his lap, legs wrapped around the latter's waist. They were facing each other. Kuroko put his arms around his neck, a hand clutched the back of his head as they kissed, deeply and passionately. The redhead was stroking him to hardness again, another hand was on his backside, fingering his hole. It was still tight. "Is it good?" Kagami asked, their lips smacking against each other's.

"It's good… hmm. Good…" Kuroko mewled in between kisses, arching his back slightly.

He detached his mouth and moaned when the pace quickened, meanwhile Kagami had busied his lips with creating more marks on his shoulder. His neck was already full of them, there were thin scores of nails along his hips and thighs. Kuroko himself was clawing at Kagami's shoulders, occasionally leaving some hickeys on his neck. They were leisurely making all sorts of marks on their mate.

In no time, he was fully hard again. His hole was slack, loose enough to accommodate Kagami. Kuroko sighed, giving his lover a soft peck on the lips. "Taiga-kun, enter me. I'm ready." He urged, propping himself up, just over the redhead's standing erection.

Kagami returned the kiss with a more fervent one, taking his fingers out and gripping at the either side of Kuroko's hips. He'd put on the condom when they changed position. All he needed to do was to dive into Kuroko.

"I want to fuck you." Kagami whispered near his ear. "You're so sexy, Tetsuya … I want to do this everyday if I could."

Before he could reply, something much bigger and hotter than fingers entered him. Kuroko gasped, nails dug onto the blades of Kagami's shoulders, feeling the head going in past his rims, driving slowly into the core. "… uungh." There was a sting of dull pressure emerging from the depths, likely because it had been a while since they had sex. He inhaled sharply and tried to relax.

Kagami noticed his discomfort and stopped hallway, going in with a slower pace. "If it's painful, tell me. I'll stop." He said, eyes flashing golden with desire. Kuroko knew how hard it was to hold back at this point, when Kagami had become so hard inside of him.

"I'm okay. Just — give me a second." He breathed in and out, letting his nerves relax and his heart rate slow down. Kuroko leaned in and kissed Kagami, urging him to continue. "Do it slowly. It's been a while."

A nod was his answer.

Kagami inched in, until he was fully sheathed inside of Kuroko, then he paused, giving the latter a chance to get used to his size. Unlike his first time, Kuroko got used to it far quicker, once his body remembered the memories of Kagami driving into him and the pleasure it gave him. He could hear the beast growled animalistically in the back of his mind, then he gave a suggestive bounce, earning Kagami's lustful groan.

Kuroko chuckled devilishly and repeated the motion, setting a slow pace on his own.

"Saucy little fox…" Kagami growled, slender black stripes flickering over his skin.

He bucked up all of a sudden, the head of his cock hitting the exact same spot he'd been abusing with his fingers, making Kuroko see white. Kagami began to slide in and out of him from below, detaining his hips up for easier, smoother access. Kuroko had to use his knees to support his weight so his body wouldn't give in from the sharp jolts of pleasure Kagami slammed into him repeatedly.

He couldn't contain his voice, as it was growing louder and louder, his rationality swept away at once. "Haa — ! Taiga-kun! Aah, aah — " He clung to Kagami's shoulders tighter, eyes clenching shut. It felt good. Really good. The sensations were building up, fast and relentless. His crotch was heavy with pressure, his dick bobbing up and down with their pace, leaking at the tip. The smears glistened over Kagami's abs.

The sounds of skin slapping against skin echoed throughout the room, their moans and gasps filled the empty space. It was obscene, how loud Kuroko was being, but he couldn't help it. Kagami had always found ways to release his inhibitions, revealing the part of himself that he never knew existed.

"Tetsuya — fuck!" Kagami drove into him wilder, his movement became more erratic, uncontrollable. He thrust into Kuroko, faster and harder, brushing against that switch inside of him that made him squirm. He could feel more wetness trickling down his thighs, a mix of his own pre-come and something else.

Kuroko didn't even need to touch himself, he was so hard now, hid dick flushed and his balls felt tight. Each time Kagami slammed hard into him, his knees buckled violently, growing weak. It was as if his entire body was created for the sole purpose of reaching the peak, his mind refused to think of anything else but of Kagami and the way he made Kuroko feel.

"Taiga-kun— aah, … so good — " He whispered his name into his ear, again and again. He knew how much Kagami loved it. He could feel him twitch animatedly inside, growing bigger and hotter. Kagami was close, and so was he. He was going to come a second time.

"I'm close." Kagami warned, his features twisted, still human but appearing more beastly.

Without warning, the redhead grabbed Kuroko's dick and stroked him. He snapped his eyes wide and threw his head back, spurting into Kagami's hand and soiling their stomachs. A few more thrusts and he felt Kagami shuddered inside of him, there was a surge of warmth without the feeling of wetness. Kagami stiffened momentarily, his shaft gave out short jerks before it started deflating.

Kuroko's chest was heaving up and down, lips parted to swallow the air quicker. His entire body was soaked with sweat, flushing with the leftover heat. Kagami rested his forehead against his shoulder, panting harshly. They took a few moments of refractory period to rest. He let out a soft sound when Kagami pulled out, the condom heavy with his come. Kuroko shuffled off of the redhead's lap, flopping down onto the mattress, too tired to move.

Kagami grinned and kissed him. He withdrew to pull a box of wet tissues from the nightstand, wiping his dick with a sheet of tissue after he'd taken off the soiled condom. He tied it up and tossed it at the trash bin nearby, along with the ball of tissue. Kuroko pulled a sheet of wet tissue to clean up.

After they'd tidied up, the both of them were too spent to shower, instead they washed their faces and changed clothes. Kuroko wore one of Kagami's shirts and a pair of boxers, he'd also borrowed a spare toothbrush. The latter was already waiting by the bed, shirtless and was stretching his limbs.

Kuroko sat on the bed next to him.

"Taiga-kun, are you okay? Are you hurt?" He asked, concerned. Maybe sex was too soon, after all. Kagami could've been forcing himself too much. He stared at the large scars on Kagami's back, the flesh was pink and tender. It looked like it'd hurt to touch, despite having closed up completely.

Kagami looked at him, maybe he noticed Kuroko had gone pale with worry, which was why he quickly laughed it off. "It's nothing. Just a bit sore. I've been spending my time in bed and all. I gotta start exercising soon." He assured.

"… are you sure?" Kuroko wasn't convinced.

"Hey, I'm okay." He was pulled into Kagami's arms, ruffling Kuroko's already messy head. He flashed his teeth at him. "Don't worry so much. I'm pretty sturdy. Besides, even if it did hurt, it wouldn't stop me from having sex with you. I mean, I really, really wanted to. You have no idea." He said, in a totally serious manner.

Kuroko blushed at that. "Bakagami. You're not only an idiot, you're also a pervert … the worst combination." He grumbled, embarrassed.

Kagami huffed, looking annoyed. "And yet, you love this idiotic pervert." He joked.

"Yes. Indeed. It must be my luck."

"What — what did you say?" Kagami looked at him, eyes widened and mouth hung open, like he didn't expect Kuroko to seriously respond in such a way. "I could've sworn that you said — "

Kuroko blinked "Yes. I merely agreed to what you've claimed, Taiga-kun, that I love you. Indeed, I do."

Kagami quite literarily exploded in red hot flush, a second later. "You — ! You could've just — " He stuttered, seemingly lost. He looked shocked, glad, mortified and disappointed all in the same time. So many emotions crossed his visage. "My god, I can't believe how you just blurted it out like that! Like it's nothing!" He settled with angry instead, still blushing inexplicably.

He didn't really understand why Kagami was blowing up. Then it occurred to Kuroko, that Kagami would be the type to wait until a certain mood was created, before he would confess to someone since he was secretly a romantic. He was probably expecting Kuroko to do the same, and yet he hadn't been sensitive enough to realise that.

"Ah. I'm sorry. That was awfully inconsiderate of me. Please forget everything I just said and act like it never happened." He said, attempting to retrace his mistake.

It seemed to have the opposite effect, however. "… huh!? Are you kidding me!?" Kagami was even angrier, instead. "You — ugh, forget it. I'm too tired for this." Abruptly, just as soon as his anger came, it vanished. He sighed heavily instead, disappointed, mumbling something incoherent by himself.

Meanwhile, Kuroko was at loss of words, unsure of what to do.

"Let's just sleep. Come on."

Kagami flopped onto the bed, then pulled Kuroko along with him, snuggling against him from behind. He pulled up the blanket to tuck in both of them. "I'm not mad, just so you know." He whispered softly. Kuroko tilted his head to look over his shoulder, Kagami was staring at him, gaze warm and loving. "I'm just — well, it's kind of hard to explain. I wanted to be the one to say it first, okay? Properly."

"But you've said it before." Kuroko said. "I haven't told you my reply."

"That didn't count. I wasn't really conscious back then. I wasn't planning on blurting it out that crudely." Kagami retorted, frustratedly running a hand up his hair. "I like you. I really, really like you. So I want everything to be perfect when I confess to you, but I just had to get these stupid wounds … "

Oh that was just silly, Kuroko thought.

He wiggled out of Kagami's hold to turn around, facing the redhead head-on. "It's not stupid, Taiga-kun. You're wounded because you protected me. It was brave of you. Please don't say it like that." He put a hand over Kagami's chest. He was about to say something, but Kuroko spoke sooner. " — and as far as I'm concerned. I don't need a big confession or anything dramatic like that. I like you, too. I really, really like you. The most important thing to me, is that you feel the same way as I do."

Kuroko inhaled.

"I love you, Kagami Taiga-kun. You're the only one I want to be with, right now and in the future."

Kagami stared at him, eyes wide and lips moving, but no sounds escaped him. Kuroko smiled at him, leaning in to kiss him. " … let's sleep. I'm quite tired. I promised my mom I'll be back home at noon tomorrow. Good night, Taiga-kun."

Kuroko didn't wait for a reply, shifting his position so his back was on Kagami again. He sighed contentedly. Kuroko was about to pull the blanket more snugly to his neck, when he was suddenly surrounded by a pair of strong arms, embracing him tightly from behind. His back had felt intensely warm.

"I love you." He heard Kagami say, in a tone that was barely above a whisper. "I love you, Kuroko Tetsuya. I want to be with you, now and in the future."

Kuroko held his breath.

"That's all I want to say. I'm … happy enough with this." Kagami's breath brushed against his ear. He looked over and saw him look at Kuroko, gentler than he'd ever been. His hold around Kuroko tightened. "Good night, Tetsuya."

He couldn't help but to smile, squeezing the arms that held him. He closed his eyes, lulled by the sense of comfort Kagami's warmth brought him. For once, maybe, tonight the nightmares would stay at bay — because right now, nothing could make Kuroko happier than this moment.

—

The next morning, they woke up next to each other.

The first thing he saw when he opened his eyes, was the sight of Kagami sleeping. He was unable to move because Kagami had a vice grip on him, so he was forced to stay immobile in the same position, staring blankly at the faint red stubbles on his chin. As he was shifting his sight at the slightly parted lips — the skin was dry and cracked — up at his dark lashes and the shades beneath his closed eyes, Kuroko realised this was the first time in a week that he'd slept through the night and into the morning without any nightmares.

How curious.

Idly, he trailed a finger along Kagami's cracked lips, lightly picking at the peeled skin he found there. For some reasons, he felt like laughing. Kagami Taiga the formidable Tiger, was so defenceless right now. Even if he decided to pull a prank on him, Kagami probably wouldn't be waking up. Not that he could, by the way, Kuroko was pretty much tied up at the moment. He had no choice but to wait until Kagami was awake.

He leaned closer, their lips almost touching.

" … maybe next time, I'll say it properly, the way you like it."

Kagami made a soft noise, the corners of his lips tugging up into a smile.

—

The End.

—

Overtime Note:

I've been thinking of what I want to say when I finally end this story, it's been such a long run! It had been tough, but it's worth it! Well, folks, thank you for bearing with me so far into the end of the story. The support has been amazing. Everything I've written is what I've wanted it to be. I know it's not perfect; I don't think I get all of the characters' portrayals right, I tweaked them to my own interpretation, or there's some weird stuff here and there (no, actually there are a lot). Some may not like how it turned out. But hey, I'm pretty damn satisfied with it!

KagaKuro is my ultimate OTP in KuroBasu, and I've delivered my own version of dedication to this pairing. The theme "Werebeasts" is something I've been into for a while. I've always loved the "Hybrid/Biologically-Diverse Races" concept in games, comics, films and etc. I'm fascinated with Sex Pistols manga with its potentials for development and the animalistic nature of A/O/B dynamics, so with that universe's established facts, my own understanding and some research put into the mix, thus Beastly Call was born.

It's been a hella great fun ride for me! I don't think I'd ever do something as batshit insane as this for a long while! To those who've sent their loves and support to this story; thank you and I love you, too! No homo! ;-) That being said, this series will have some continuation in the form of spinoffs! Also the comics are gonna take a while, but I'll get to it. :D

Thank you for reading! See you next time. :-}

Love & Hugs,

TCon