UPDATE: (December 5, 13) lenniemoo here! It's been more than a year since I first published this fanfiction! I finished it back in April 2013, and some of you are still discovering this fic. I just want to put a little notice: I wrote this fanfiction in the wee hours of the night for almost every single chapter, with barely no editing… so there are many grammar mistakes. Please excuse them! Also, I have made several errors in the fic concerning cultural customs, and stuff like that. So, try to just turn a blind eye to them! I'm so honoured that this fic tops the TakaMido filter for both reviews, and favourites! (As Luck Would Have It tops follows haha.) This isn't my best work, but it's a significant accomplishment for me. Please enjoy!

Authors Note: Hey y'all! This is my first KuroBasu fic, so please be kind! I have high hopes for this fic, and I hope that you all will like it.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own Kuroko no Basuke.

The Shuutoku basketball team was gathered outside their school gym, sitting on benches and drinking their choice of drink. The cloudless sky was slowly blushing into a pink that reminded the team of the summer, a time when the heat was stifling and the crickets were chirping in a seemingly harmoniously manner. There was a slight chill as the wind blew gently and gave several of the boy's headaches.

It was the transition between summer and autumn, and Midorima wondered if he should have bought a warm shiruko instead of the cold one he now regretfully held within his hands. He had already taped up his left hand, but he could still feel the chill seeping through the tape. Beside him, Takao shivered in his t-shirt and crossed his arms, leaving his water bottle on the floor forgotten.

"Damn, it's chilly." Takao sighed and stretched his legs out on the bench that he and Midorima were sharing.

"Idiot. It's your fault for forgetting your jacket." Midorima chided him as he pushed up his glasses with his left hand. Takao was always forgetting things, and Midorima was the one who had to pick up after him.

"I hope it gets so cold that it chases my cousin back to America." Ootsubo grumbled under his breath and crinkled his can. There was a serious air of dishevelment around the boy who was usually very much put together.

"Oi… you little punk. Don't say things like that about your relatives." Miyaji shook his head.

"What's wrong with your cousin?" Kimura asked.

Midorima noticed that Takao had started to lean forward, eager to hear the story. Typical Takao, he always wanted a piece of the action.

"He's a nice person and all… but since he came to stay with us for a few months since the summer, I can't stand him at all." Ootsubo clutched his hair and groaned. "He spends too long in the washroom when I need it in the morning, leaves everything in a mess when he leaves, and uses my bath towel after he showers!"

Takao snickered softly and Midorima hit him on the back of his head.

Kimura nodded apathetically. "That always happens. You live with someone for too long and all their annoying quirks come into play and you just can't help but hate them!"

There was a small silence between the team members until Takao piped up.

"Well guys, good thing we don't live together because I wouldn't want to end up hating you all!" He snorted.

"Yeah. I certainly wouldn't want to live with you, Takao." Midorima shot Takao a glare before taking another sip of his shiruko.

Ootsubo, Kimura, and Miyaji couldn't help but burst into laughter. Midorima rarely said anything not stern or serious, but even though he was serious this time, they all found it funny.

"Ooooh!" Kimura slapped Takao on the back as he adopted a false look of disappointment on his face.

Takao crossed his arms and frowned. "You're an ass, Shin-chan! This is how you repay me for carrying you around on a rickshaw?"

"I never said I would pay you." Midorima shrugged.

"Well, anyways." Ootsubo cleared his throat. "My cousin isn't a bad person. If we didn't live together, I wouldn't dislike him so much."

Midorima suddenly felt his phone vibrate and he withdrew it from his pocket, to see an SMS from his mother.

6:23 p.m. Mom: Shintarou! Remember to bring Takao-kun home for dinner! We have something important to discuss with him.

Something important? Midorima shook his head. This could not turn out well His Oha-Asa horoscope did say that today would an unexpected turn of events for Cancers. Midorima raised his head to interrupt the babble of conversation had continued without him.

"Takao. Let's head back."

His partner raised his head to look at him.

"Eh? Why so early? Do you want to go yourself?"

Midorima grunted and shook his head. He didn't want to admit to the whole team that Takao was acquainted with his family. "No, we gotta go back." He started to ignore Takao's protests, grabbed their respective bags, and started to drag him away from the benches.

Takao sighed and slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"Okay," he turned around and waved to the team, "Bye guys!"

A chorus of sayonaras reached them from across the field, and Takao turned back towards Midorima.

"So, why did we have to leave?" He placed his hands behind his head after snatching bag from Midorima's possession.

"My mom wants you over for dinner." Midorima muttered.

"Eeeeeeeeh?" Takao exclaimed. "That's rare. What's the occasion?"

Midorima, who was growing more and more uncomfortable due to the fact that he wasn't sure what his mother wanted from Takao either, pushed up his glasses again and said. "Nothing. She wants to ask you something…probably." He tacked on lamely.

Midorima's parents didn't interact with Takao much, but his parents and Takao's were on pretty good terms. Since the two families lived in the same neighbourhood, they ran into each other frequently.

"Hmm…" Takao didn't seem to notice Midorima's discomfort. They walked in silence until they finally reached the gate of Midorima's home. A small sign with their family name stood proudly on a wall, and a neatly trimmed lawn greeted the pair.

Midorima silently opened the gate and let Takao walk ahead before closing it behind him.

"Are you hungry yet?" Takao broke the silence.

"Not particularly. My stomach isn't feeling too good right now. Oha-Asa said that today would have an unexpected turn of events."

Takao snickered just as the door to the house opened and Midorima's dark-haired mother stepped out to greet them.

"Takao-kun! It's been a long time!" She smiled confidently and stooped down to give Takao a hug. She was taller than Takao, but shorter than her son. "Just so you know, I called your parents to let them know you're eating here tonight."

"Hello, it's great to see you again, and thanks." Takao said politely.

"Tadaima." Midorima muttered and his mother waved them into the house.

As Takao stepped in, Midorima held his mother back by the elbow.

"Mom, what is going on?" He whispered urgently.

"Relax, honey. You'll see in due time." She reached up and patted his hair. He gave the floor a sour look before entering the house himself and taking off his shoes.

Takao had already disappeared, but Midorima could guess that he was upstairs, doing who-knows-what in Midorima's room. He shook his head, hoping that Takao didn't already ruin the order of his belongings.

"I'll call you two down for dinner when it's ready!" His mother called from downstairs.

"Got it!" Midorima called back.

When he got to his room, the door was already thrown open and Takao was sprawled on his bed. A sudden annoyance took over him and he grabbed the boy by his waist and dumped him on the floor.

"Oi! What was that for!"

"How many times have I told you that you're not allowed on my bed!" Midorima clenched his jaw. "It's one of my pet peeves."

"But I even threw off the sheets first this time!" Takao grumbled.

"Doesn't matter. You're absolutely filthy from practice and I don't want to sleep on that shit."

"I definitely do not want to live with you. I'm already on the verge of hating you as is anyways." The smaller boy got up and took a seat in the chair in front of Midorima's desk.

"Vice-versa." Midorima started to fold his sheets again and placed them back onto the bed. "Ootsubo was completely on the dot. I spend two minutes in with you in my house and I already want to kill you."

"That's because you have a low threshold for annoying things." Takao spun in the chair idly. "What are we gonna do until your mom calls us down?"

"Not sure. I already tried asking her what she wants with you, but she wouldn't say anything."

"Well, go ahead and change out of your practice clothes because I must say, you stink." Takao waved a hand in front of his nose.

"Shut up! I definitely do not stink! If there was anyone who was smelly right now, it would be you." Midorima shot back.

"That's a lie and you know it. Small people don't have stinky sweat."

"Oh yeah, and who made that up?" Midorima crossed his arms and towered over Takao.

"Me." Takao cackled gleefully and gave Midorima a small kick.

He gave Takao one last glare before turning to his closet, and grabbing a fresh t-shirt. He was in the middle of peeling of his shirt when his mother opened the door and took a look at the two.

"Takao-kun! You're supposed to be looking at him when he's taking off his shirt for you!"

"W-w-what?!" Midorima sputtered after fully removing the shirt.

Takao had fallen off the chair and was now laying facedown on the floor, shaking with laughter.

"I'm just kidding boys." She waved her hand and laughed.

"Mom! Don't say embarrassing things like that!" Midorima was still red.

"Relax, Midorima! I don't mind." Takao shot Midorima a wolfish grin and the latter sent him a death glare.

"Anyways, come down for dinner!" She turned and left the two, also leaving behind an awkward silence.

Midorima quickly donned his new shirt before bolting to the door.

"Come on!" He called back before descending the stairs.

Takao caught up to him at the dinner table, where both Midorima's mother and father were seated.

"Thanks for joining us for dinner." Midorima's father greeted Takao and he returned the greeting with the same degree of politeness.

Takao and Midorima sat side-by-side, and Midorima grumbled as he realized Takao had sat to his left.

After they had all said itadakimasu, they all began to eat with good humour. Midorima sat silently as his parents bombarded Takao with questions to fill the spaces in which it would otherwise be awkward. Takao cheerfully played along and answered them all with a smile.

Midorima thought that he should probably be glad that Takao was so friendly, otherwise that would have made his life harder.

Midway through the meal, Takao's elbow knocked into Midorima's left one and he had to bite back a snarl.

"…" Midorima settled for a dark look instead.

"Ah, sorry!" Takao gave him a super-fake smile that infuriated Midorima even further. He must have done it on purpose.

"Alright you two, don't get into a fight just yet." Midorima's father set down his chopstick and addressed the two.

A sudden air of seriousness filled the dining room and Midorima shifted uneasily in his seat.

"Sorry." They apologized.

"Now, I'm sure you're both wondering why Takao's here tonight…"

Takao and Midorima exchanged looks that said, "Do you know what he's going to say?"

"…and I wanted to let you two know that Midorima's mother and I are planning on a year-long business trip to the States. A great opportunity came up there and it would be really great for us if we took it."

Midorima jolted up within his seat.

"What?" The two echoed. He froze, unable to process the information. He wasn't exactly sure if he was pleased by the news, or not.

Midorima's mother piped up.

"And Takao, we know that your parents often leave you at home alone, so we know that you're used to living alone."

The black-haired boy nodded slowly and gave Midorima a hard kick under the table.

He tried to hide his grimace and returned the kick.

"So, we were wondering if you would gracious enough to stay with Midorima while we were gone."

The kicking suddenly stopped and there was a dead silence.

"You mean… you want me to live with him?"

/rolls

See you next time!