I'm... err. I'm back ?

So sorry for the long wait, I didn't think I would continue the story. I just had a spark of inspiration during the confinement so... here I am. I hope you'll like it!

Pairing : Akakuro - GoM!Kuroko

Warning : Violence, murder, yaoi. Non-con in this chapter.

Chapter 02

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The ache in his ankle caused his awakening. Kuroko shot his eyelids open, wincing in pain as he started to waggle. He quickly became aware of his surroundings. He lied in a king-size bed with pure white sheets and a blanket under him. He was still wearing the clothes from his escape, a worn black jeans and dark blue cotton jacket on which a crimson stain has dried since long. Kuroko sat up, trying to ignore the pain on his foot. His tired eyes looked down at the bandages wrapped around the injured ankle, as well as his shoulder where the bullet has penetrated.

He then realized where he's just woken up. He was back in Rakuzan. With them.

A sudden shiver ran through his spine. Kuroko tried to crawl out of the bed, but a solid weight on the undamaged ankle held him still. The silver glow of the manacle connected to the bed leg by a chain made him understand he would not leave this place anytime soon. A wave of panic froze him from the inside. They had him.

Clack-

The sound of the opening door startled the bluenette as he was desperately trying to keep himself from hiding under the blanket. A tiny pang of relief coursed through his crisped muscles as soon as cerulean eyes locked onto purple glints of hair coming from a towering silhouette that Kuroko immediately recognized.

"Ah. Kurochin is awake."

The giant made his way towards the bed, pulling a small trolley from where Kuroko could smell the delicious scent of a meal which was intended for him. He sat next to Kuroko who cringed when the mattress dug under the weight, unintentionally budging his injured foot.

"Murasakibara-kun" Kuroko greeted with a little nod.

"Are you feeling better?" He asked while removing one of the plate's lid. The divine smell became even more intense. Despite the fact Kuroko had clearly intended to leave them, Murasakibara was treating him as though nothing happened. It had been like this every time the bluenette had tried to flee from this place. As if Murasakibara knew he wouldn't be able to disappear from their life, as if Kuroko was doomed to return to them whenever he wanted to oppose Akashi.

"I'm not hungry" Kuroko calmly said when the purple-haired man brought the spoon to his mouth to feed him. Murasakibara frowned.

"Kurochin has to eat. He's been sleeping for two days." Kuroko's eyes grew wider. Has he been unconscious that long?

"What?"

"Akachin said you need to regain your strength. Nothing good will happen disobeying his orders." Yeah, that's what he has attempted to do for two years now. See where that led him, a bullet in his shoulder and a freshly sprained ankle. Nothing good, indeed.

"I am really not hungry, Murasakiba-" Before he finished talking, the taller one shoved the spoon in his mouth without warning. Kuroko wanted to glare at him, but the marvellous taste of the broth prevented him to do so. A feeling of warm soothed the bluenette right away.

"Do you like it?"

Kuroko wished to deny it. He wanted to shake his head, and push the spoon away. Yet, all he could do was nod and welcome the delightful liquid on his tongue as Murasakibara calmly kept feeding the wounded teen.

Why was this happening. Why his body still felt relaxed around this man or his surroundings after all that happened? Why dis he still see Murasakibara as a fellow, as a friend? He knew the latter only followed Akashi's order without questioning the man himself, or without measuring the consequences of his obedience. But he knew Murasakibara was still caring about him and the others. It was something Kuroko has always respected about his companion. Maybe that was why he still couldn't hate him, although he had wished to never see them again.

Kuroko finished the soup faster than expected. Murasakibara seemed rather pleased as he looked at the empty bowl with a hidden smile and went to take the others plates. The youngest stopped him, his face paling at the sight of the amount of food waiting for him on the trolley.

"I can't eat more." He stated, expecting the other teen to consider his very small appetite.

"But you have to."

"No."

Had Murasakibara not been so lazy and emotionless, he'd have rolled his eyes. "Kurochin, don't make me feed you by force."

"Is this Akashi-kun's order again?"

The giant didn't say anything. Frowning, he put the spoon down and stood up next to the bed, his monstrous height shading the bluenette. Kuroko's eyes didn't waver. His stare kept glaring right at those amethyst pearls that were dangerously fixed on him. The expression of Murasakibara darkened. He took a step forward, extending his shadow all over Kuroko's body.

"Don't look at me with those eyes, Kurochin." He reached out his hands, almost closing around the teen's head. "Makes me want to crush you."

"Atsushi."

Both of them tensed when the cold voice rose at the entrance. Their gaze slide to the sudden appearance of the man Kuroko feared the most. Red hair, heterochrome and menacing eyes staring right back at his soul... Akashi was standing by the door with his arms crossed over his chest. The hand of Murasakibara retreated, but Kuroko didn't feel relieved nonetheless.

Kuroko clenched his fists, gripping the sheets so much that his knuckles whitened.

"Don't bother. I knew this would happen anyway."

Murasakibara stepped back. "Leave us, we have something to settle."

"Okay, Akachin" the purple-haired nodded before putting his hands over the turquoise hair under his giant palm, ruffling them like he was patting a pet. "Rest well" he told Kuroko and left the room with the trolley.

Its crunching wheels echoed through the whole corridor before fading away in the mansion, leaving the two remaining people in the room. Kuroko kept his gaze on the blanket, not once glancing at Akashi. His heart was beating furiously inside his chest. He was not ready to face him. He held his breath when he felt Akashi approach the bed he was lying in.

"How do you feel?" His sharpened tone let the other know that he was just being polite. He couldn't care less about his answer. But Kuroko responded anyway.

"I've been better." Although the fear inside him was stiffening his whole body, Kuroko wasn't going to give Akashi the satisfaction by showing his raging emotions.

"You could have been so if you had just behaved," Akashi said with a cold glare. "But I guess it was my mistake for not being careful enough around you after all this time as you were pretending to be obedient."

He sighed and sat at the edge of the bed. Kuroko tensed but did nothing to increase the distance between them, although he couldn't have been able to do so given that his ankle and shoulder were aching. The following silence lasts one long minute before Akashi speaks again.

"How many times will I have to remind you where you belong? You have nowhere to go, Tetsuya."

"I have my home." Kuroko said almost instantly. He didn't forget his father. He had tried to see him again these past two years in Rakuzan. Kuroko unfortunately never managed to make contact with him again, but he wasn't going to give up anytime soon. Akashi must have read the resoluteness in those precious turquoise pearls, because his eyes retracted threateningly.

"Your home, yes." He put himself closer to Kuroko, reaching his eye-level in an instant. That surprised the bluenette who tried to avert his gaze from the redhead's but failed as Akashi grabbed his chin, immobilizing the wounded teen. Kuroko stopped himself from gulping uncomfortably.

"So stubborn. I should just put you in the basement, torture you and beat you to death like I'd normally do with anyone else."

Kuroko suppressed a shudder that didn't go unnoticed by the other.

"Or should I put a bullet inside that pretty head of yours to clear your mind and make you understand how stupid you are?"

"Then do it."

The teen's trembling voice was a delight to Akashi's ears. It was even more gorgeous when he saw the shining tears appear in the corner of his eyes.

"Go ahead and kill me. I don't see why I should keep living if I am going to remain a prisoner for the rest of my life."

Kuroko was truly terrified in the bottom of his heart. But if he really was going to die, he would do so while opposing Akashi to the bitter end.

"My, not only stubborn but also very fierce I see." Akashi stated, his expression slightly amused this time. Of course, he knew his favourite victim was not going to break so easily. He didn't take an interest in him for nothing after all. He took his cellphone out and began to type a message without attracting Kuroko's attention.

"Unfortunately for you, I do not intend to kill you right now. Losing you would not be worth it. Definitely a silly decision I would never take."

He smirked. "But."

He slowly stood up as the door opened and two men entered the room, dragging another person forcefully behind them. The man Kuroko recognized straight away had his face covered in blood, beaten in places where even he couldn't see the damages. He was sure his torso and legs had bruises absolutely everywhere under the rags that had once served as clothes. Kuroko's body stiffened.

"The fact I'm sparing you doesn't mean I can't punish you." His smirk grew wider.

"I would like to introduce you both but I have the feeling you already know each other, right?"

Yes, he knew him. He was the neighbourhood's grocer whom Kuroko liked to visit sometimes, when he had free time away from 'work'. That man helped him escape two days ago. He'd hidden Kuroko in the storage room of his shop while Akashi's men were patrolling in the district. He was a kind and honourable man who has always been nice to him ever since Kuroko was forced to live in Rakuzan.

"Tanaka-san..!"

"K...Kuroko...?"

"Akashi-kun, please let him go. He has nothing to do with this, he didn't know what was going on-"

"Worried, Tetsuya?" Akashi cut off his lies while approaching Tanaka. He kept his gaze on the man but his words were definitely addressed to Tetsuya. "You know it's too late to repent. I gave you multiple chances before but it seems that chances are not what you need anymore."

Kuroko immediately knew what was coming. He tried to get out of bed, only to be restrained by the cuff around the ankle. He couldn't even leave the damn mattress without leaning on his injured foot. A whimper came out of Kuroko's mouth as soon as he involuntarily moved the wrong one while trying to reach Akashi.

Tetsuya saw the leader of Rakuzan take a gun out and stop before Tanaka. "You need consequences."

"N-No please," Kuroko gasped.

Akashi turned to look at the bluenette. Tears were pouring down his pale cheeks now that Kuroko could no longer control his emotions. He was prepared to suffer the consequences, not watch someone else be punished instead of him. "N-Not him, please. Punish me, Akashi-kun. I... I will do anything- I won't try to escape anymore! I was wrong, please let him go!"

He struggled even more when Akashi aim Tanaka's head with the gun. "Maybe this will finally make you stay put. Watch and learn Tetsuya. It's time you realize that that foolishness of yours will only bring misfortune on others."

"No, no no no no—"

The bang echoed through the whole room until it reaches the corridor and all other rooms of the mansion. "NO!"

Kuroko yelled and cried, still struggling to reach Tanaka who collapsed heavily at Akashi's feet, a large puddle of viscous red encircling his body underneath. Someone lost their life. Because of him. Kuroko closed his fists until the nails in his palms made them bleed. He killed someone. He thought he could be smarter than Akashi and override his threats. Instead, his idiocy just killed a man.

A man who had a family. A lovely wife, an adorable daughter and overprotective son, all three probably waiting for him to come home. He just ruined all of that. His body began to tremble.

It was not the first time he saw someone being killed before him. But most of the time they were dealing with unethical thugs, people who were killing for fun or money, usually both. Tetsuya still couldn't stand murder, hated how lives were so poorly valued by those who thought they were above the law. But none of them had been his friends. None of them had been innocent and caring, just doing what they thought was morally right. Like Tanaka.

Totally numb with shock, Kuroko did nothing when they dragged the corpse out of the room. He did nothing when Akashi got rid of his weapon and came closer to the bed.

He did nothing when he sat next to him and softly caressed his cheek, collecting one of the last tears still flowing down his pale skin. Akashi's eye were cold- but not as fierce as earlier. A gentleness has taken over his burning orbs, but Kuroko was still too shaken to notice such a small detail.

"You could have avoid all of this, Tetsuya," Akashi said softly against his face. "You brought this upon yourself."

"I... I didn't... want this, Akashi-kun... I didn't...!"

"Shh, it's alright." The young man slowly pushed him back on the mattress, towering Kuroko who could do nothing but let the redhead manhandle him. He didn't want to be here, helplessly lying in a fancy bed trapped in a fancy mansion ruled by a ruthless leader enjoying the sight of him being drown in utter despair for years. Kuroko didn't want to work for them anymore.

He had enough of these people heavily indebted and being cruelly crushed by the Rakuzan's system, he had enough of these gangs they were fighting everyday, killing them in cold blood while Kuroko was forced to watch like a public execution. He didn't understand. Murasakibara and the others were kind and caring when it came to Kuroko. They laugh and spend time together, sometimes they take him outside and pay him his favourite milkshakes while whining about unfair treatments from Akashi and the amount of work they were forced to do in their so-called free time. They... kind of became his friends.

Despite the fact they took him from his only family and forced him to become like them, Kuroko didn't manage to hate them as much as he would have liked. He understood that they had to put a mask at times, hiding their true feelings when on a mission with Akashi. Kise confessed to him that he would've gladly let Kuroko talk to his father if he knew Akashi wasn't going to find out. Midorima would occasionally slip news of Libra's horoscopes randomly as if he wasn't aware of his father's date of birth, Murasakibara orders his favourite cake on his birthday and Aomine, although not as skilful in emotional talk as the others, tries to make him believe he'll see his family again when Akashi gets bored. But Kuroko knew, and Aomine too, Akashi will never grow tired of his unhealthy interest.

Akashi's lips ghosted over Kuroko's. "That foolishness is a part of you after all. You're too loving, Tetsuya. But all this love that you possess will cause the tragedy upon the people you care for."

"You... didn't have to... to kill him..." Tetsuya whispered with a sob. "Tanaka-san... didn't do a...anything wrong! It was... my fault that he- oh god."

"No one has to die if you stay still. It seems last time wasn't enough for you. Even though you've been severely punished you still had the gall to do it again."

Kuroko shook his head feebly. It seemed he has regained some of his senses. "They don't have to suffer Akashi-kun... only I have to."

"Oh, but you are suffering, Tetsuya. You're in pain already, feeling guilt and regret, hoping you'd died in his stead. It is enough for me."

This time, Kuroko tried to get the redhead off him but miserably failed, Akashi letting more weight crush the bluenette instead. He started to struggle. "It is not for you to decide who can live or not!"

Akashi appeared suddenly too close, and Kuroko fought the urge to scream and call for help. Akashi's elbows landed on either side of his head. He leaned over Kuroko's shaking form, trapping the teen completely.

"My empire, my rules."

"This is not right! You... you can't just-"

Lips descended upon his before he could finish. Kuroko took some seconds to realize what was happening, and when he did he could do nothing but struggle under Akashi. As he tried to pull away from the man, the redhead pressed his hands against Kuroko's cheeks, forcing his head upwards. Tetsuya ignored the tongue pressing on his lips, refusing to give Akashi what he wanted. The leader of Rakuzan paused at his little rebellion, before smirking against the teen's mouth.

There were many ways to force it open.

He took his hand away from the bluenette's face without stopping the kiss. Kuroko barely had time to take advantage of it when he felt cold fingers slide under his tee shirt, slowly exploring the warm skin. He stayed like that for a moment, before suddenly reaching over his injured shoulder to press the wound, making Kuroko unconsciously gasp in the kiss. Akashi wasted no time in furthering what he had started. He plunged his tongue in the hot cavern and entangled the wet muscle with Kuroko's. The teen whimpered in surprise, the sound instantly muffled by the other mouth.

"Aka...! Nn-"

The expert hand roam the firm torso of the trembling teen while the other wrapped around his neck, restraining his little resistance. Things quickly escalated from there. The hand previously on the chest slithered down his waist, until its warmth ended up on the waistband of his trousers. When fingers went past the underwear, Kuroko started to flounder more savagely under the man.

No, no, no no this was not going to happen. Not again. Not like this. Not when Tanaka-san has just...! Kuroko sought to free his mouth in order to yell, fight or beg, he didn't know. He wanted it to stop. Last time had been bad enough.

Abashment overcame the bluenette as Akashi began touching him slowly, tenderly like a man pleasuring his lover. No, Kuroko was no lover. And certainly not his. Akashi let go of his mouth, allowing Kuroko to breath for the first time in what seemed like an eternity.

He didn't pay any mind to the small trail of saliva drawing a line across his chin. "P... Please! Stop it... not that..!"

"Did you learn your lesson?" asked the redhead while diving on his neck. He gave a sharp lick, teasing and tasting the reddening area of his skin. Kuroko stifled a gasp, nodding furiously to make him stop before it got worse.

"Will you try to defy me again?"

"N...No. I won't! I... I promi-" The hand gripping the lower part of his body gripped him tighter. The cuff around his ankle clattered as he jolted without warning. He met the burning glare of Akashi above him.

"You're lying! I know you'll pull your little stunt all over again as soon as you see the chance to do so."

"No! No, Akashi-kun! Please, don't-!" He forced his mouth shut, muffling an embarrassing noise as Akashi resumed the motions around his length. It's wasn't right. His mind knew it was wrong, but his body didn't care about morals as it betrayed Kuroko when he felt himself hardening by Akashi's hand.

"How many times will I have to remind you of your place, Tetsuya? How many punishments will you face until you behave? How many deaths to come until you learn that fighting me is useless?"

New tears poured down the crimson cheeks of the turquoise-haired teen. He cried and weakly fought under the dominant frame, unable to stop this shameful act. Teeth kept teasing the pale flesh of his neck, biting and licking the same spot until the skin became a stain of dark red.

Something stirred within his pelvis. The rhythm of the hand around him didn't appear to be slowing down any time soon. It didn't take long for lust to take control over his entire being and it drowned Kuroko in a fog of anger and pleasure together. The teen could no longer distinguish protests from moans, there were just some kinds of sounds coming out of his throat, ineffectively muffled by trembling lips that Akashi didn't hesitate to seize with his own again.

It went on for few long minutes before Kuroko saw white. All muscles going limp, he convulsed in the merciless hand of the leader of Rakuzan, a sobbing cry greeted by the mouth working on his. It was only when he stopped shaking that the redhead withdrawn from his lips.

"That's right. This is where you belong." A loving hand caressed him on the face. A tear was gently swept by the inch resting on his cheekbone.

Akashi's gaze looked down the teen, weak and sprawled under him like a shattered piece of fragile glass. Blue sky eyes were locked onto his heterochrome orbs, dull and completely unfocused due to what just happened. Kuroko was covered in sweat and shame, all provided by Akashi, standing proud and satisfied above him, a winner triumphing over a sure-fire victory.

"Defeated, broken, desperate, powerless... Mine."

Fingers pressed on his chin, forcing Kuroko's head upwards. Kuroko wanted to resist. Wanted to deny his claim and try to put some senses in this ruthless ruler's mind. But all he could do is clench his teeth and stay trapped into those dangerous eyes.

"Do you want to suffer like that again?" Akashi asked the sobbing teen. Kuroko weakly shook his head. "Do you intend to bring more deaths into your little rebellion?"

"N-No...no!"

"Do you want your father to stay alive?"

It almost earned him a sputter from the smaller teen. Unable to form a coherent sentence he just nodded as much as he could.

"Then. Don't. Defy. Me. Next time we have to pick you off the streets, I promise there will be hell to pay. I won't be as merciful as I'd been today. One death won't be enough, neither will my hand."

His grip held him tightener. "Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Good."

After a moment, the redhead had the decency to clean him up with a tissue before wiping the evidence of his shameless deed off his hand.

The weight disappeared as Akashi get up from the bed. It was like a sudden freedom that allowed him to breath anew. He could feel the salty tears drying up on the sheets below. He was too shocked and tired to move. He felt dirty. Pathetic. Ashamed. Like Akashi wanted him to be. That thought only fueled Kuroko with another wave of anger that he managed to control in time.

"You will stay here until your ankle heals. You will not get out of the bed except for going to the bathroom and shower. Shintarou is going to check your condition everyday from now on and Atsushi will bring you your meals. I expect you to finish all of them or I will personally see that you do."

Kuroko suppressed a shudder. Seeing that Akashi was waiting for a vocal response, he nodded again, "Yes, Akashi-kun."

"Kise will bring you new clothes later."

After one last look at the bluenette chained on the bed, Akashi walked to the door and left the room. Kuroko was all alone now, condemned to remain lying on the bed until further notice.

It wasn't as relieving as he thought it would be. The prolonged silence made him aware of absolutely everything. From the ragged breath coming out of his mouth, to small details everywhere in the bedroom, meaningless but here nonetheless. He smelled like sweat and disinfectant. He could even discern the slight metallic odour of blood not far from the exit, at the exact spot Tanaka-san had been ten minutes ago before he collapsed. A choking sound slipped out between his swollen lips. Images of gunshot, of the horrified expression of Tanaka before life fades in his eyes came to haunt him like a punch.

Eyes closed, Kuroko painfully banished the fresh memories and tried to focus on the arabesques patterns on the ceiling. He wanted to clear his mind, forget what happened just for a moment. But whenever he was about to relax, the scenes from earlier would come back and hit him hard from inside. The gunshot. The body. Akashi. Akashi's hand—

He wanted to vomit.

It was not the first time he'd touched him like that. It has happened several times before, having found a way to taunt him, to subdue him by overcoming all his weaknesses at once. Akashi was trying to break Kuroko little by little without making his mind totally numb and lifeless, but just enough to keep the sparks of raging anger and fear behind those bright eyes usually devoid of any emotions.

Akashi never went all the way every time it happened. But Kuroko knew more than anyone, one day his threats will not go unheeded.

-o-

True to his words, Midorima came in the evening to change the bandages and clean the wound. He didn't apologize, even though he was the one to pull the trigger. It would be pointless to do so. Midorima didn't regret it, in fact, he would gladly accept to shoot him again if it meant securing Kuroko and indulging Akashi's mood. Although Kuroko was sure Midorima didn't enjoy putting him in pain.

"You never learn..." he said finally after spending an entire hour in silence.

Kuroko tried to smile but miserably failed, so he just shrugged, wincing as he forgot the healing hole in his shoulder.

He gave him pills to help him sleep and Kuroko didn't wake up until around eleven in the morning the next day. Kise was there when he opened his eyes, and the blond guy has only smiled shyly at him for a moment. It was weird, because Kuroko was well aware of his friend's behaviour, and this one had nothing to do with the usual.

His fears did not take long to disappear however, for the next second it was in a tearful cry that the young man suddenly threw himself upon the teen, holding him in a mortal embrace while screaming several 'Kurokocchiiiiiiiii!' between each sobs for what seemed to be dozens of minutes.

"I'm fine Kise-kun," Kuroko made an attempt to calm the blond. Unfortunately Kise was crushing the injured part of his shoulder and the bluenette was not fast enough to suppress the loud whining that made Kise jumped in an instant.

"Oh my god! I'm sorry Kurokocchi, I was just- I... I was so excited to see you again that I...! I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright."

"No it's not!" The tears resumed their fall, making the blond look more miserable. He wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve. "You don't know how worried we were... You've run a lot further than your second try, Kurokocchi! A little more and you'd have crossed the border of Tōō."

"I would have made it if you hadn't stopped me."

A wave of guilt tied his belly when he saw the sadness in the other's eyes. He called it back immediately. A long silence settled between them, plunging the room into an obvious tension.

"Do we disgust you that much?" Kise asked, and Kuroko's eyes suddenly met the golden orbs, fixing him with a surprisingly unusual composure.

"I..."

What could he say to that? He knew he'd have to confront his friends at some point. That he would try to make them understand the immorality of their daily lives and that he didn't belong in this world ruled by crime and blood. But he didn't expect to see such an expression on Kise; a pained face behind a mask that he forced himself to keep neutral when he was ready to explode.

"I am... suffocating. This world is eating me up inside. I don't belong here, Kise-kun. All this blood, all these fights. One day I am a mere teenager preparing for exams, deciding which university to attend next year and suddenly I find myself surrounded by dangerous guys carrying guns days and nights, forcing me to watch hundred of people die, forcing me to let go of all of my principles I have established since I was old enough to understand the value of life. I hate that you took me away from my father. I hate that you have no problem taking lives, oppressing penniless families. I hate the fact that even though I cannot hate you, even though you have become my friends, you are holding me prisoner in this place against my will. And... and I can't...!"

The rest of his sentence got stuck in the back of his throat. When he came to his senses, he realized that he had closed his eyes somewhere during his monologue. He reopened them to face Kise, whose face had suddenly moved closer to his own.

"I'm disgusted with myself."

Arms encircled his frail frame before he was suddenly pulled against a firm chest. He didn't try to pull away, neither did he scowl at Kise like he used to do whenever the blond got a little too tactile for his liking.

"I can't hate you, Kise-kun," he said, noting the cracking of his voice at the end.

"And I'm glad you can't. I don't know how I would survive if Kurokocchi were to hate me."

"I don't regret my escape, and I... I won't stop seeking for my freedom. I won't stop thinking about my father, about my friend outside of here. I just can't..."

"It's okay. I understand."

Kise patted him on the back, resting his head on top of the shimmering mass of electric blue hair. Kuroko couldn't say if the other was being honest or if he said that just to comfort him, and in the end it didn't matter because those heartwarming words, as simple as they might be took a considerable weight off his shoulders. It made him forget Tanaka-san for a short period. He even forgot Akashi in his moment of distress.

"I can't hate you, but I don't want you to hate me."

"I will never hate you. Ever."

"Even if I manage to disappear from your life?"

There was no hesitation in Kise's answer, "Yes. Because even if I want you to stay with us, even if I would do whatever I can to track you down were you to run away again, I'm always going to find you Kurokocchi."

This was the most sincere, disturbing and reassuring thing Kuroko had ever heard from Kise.

Disturbing because he meant every words he said; He would naturally forgive Kuroko but will not hesitate to stand in his way to drag him back here. He had a kind of unconditional love for Kuroko, as well as a limitless obsessiveness generally leading him to egoistical reckless acts.

Reassuring because no matter where he goes, there will always be someone waiting for him.

"Kise-kun... thank you."

"Anything for my precious Kurokocchi."

They remained in each other's arms for a long time, cradled in a soothing calm that Kuroko never thought he'd find after what he did two days ago. That is, until Kuroko realized that Kise's presence wasn't a friendly visit -although for him it could have been exactly that- so he separated softly from Kise and met his curious golden eyes.

"Why are you here?"

"...AH!" Kise suddenly jumped out of the bed, looking completely alarmed. "That's right! I came here 'cause Akashicchi told me to give you a bath. I totally forgot!"

"Calm down Kise-kun. It's not like I'm going to be late or something."

"I am going to be late if I don't hurry!" he exclaimed while he worked on the manacle around Kuroko's ankle.

"Why?"

"There's some... business we need to settle with a nasty group pf thugs that has been illegally invading our territory for weeks now."

"I see." He felt his leg grew instantly lighter when Kise removed the metallic band off his foot. He let the blond take off his dirty shirt, being extremely careful when slipping it over his shoulders. "When will you be meeting them?"

"Not now. It seems that other districts have had the same problem, so we're going to hold a meeting with Shūtoku, Yōsen and Kaijō in less than an hour."

"What about Tōō?"

"Their leader is in France for the time being. He won't be back until next week."

His body went stiff when Kise lifted him out of bed and let out a groan as the other positioned him in a bridal-style in his arms. Kise looked barely apologetic. A wide grin split his face into two.

"Sorry Kurokocchi, that way you'll be less uncomfortable!"

"I hate you," he said, his face totally devoid of any expression. Kise gasped dramatically.

"I'm being very considerate! Besides, you said you can't hate me!"

"I take it back. I can't hate you because in fact I loathe you."

"WHAT?! You can't do that! Say you love me, Kurokocchi!"

"Please, be quiet Kise-kun. I'm trying to imagine that you don't exist."

"THAT'S SO MEAN!"

As they walked through the bathroom door, Kuroko ignored the outraged protests of his friend and let himself be lulled into the odd feeling of nostalgia. Kise's attitude and facial expressions were somehow similar to those of his childhood friend. It reminded him of high school, a time when recklessness was not necessarily fatal, when it was still allowed to be immature live without having anything to lose.

He could almost heard Ogiwara's voice through Kise's smile.

Yes, he regretted to be back here, of all places.

But he could never reject Kise's warmth and affection that made him feel a little more alive in spite of everything.

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My first time writting a semi-smut scene in english. I didn't mess up, did I? T-T

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