So...

It's been a while. *nervous laughter*

I'll spare everyone the excuses, and just say that yep, I'm working on it again. I've been gone for an embarrassingly long time, but this story has a special place in my mind because there are so many things I want it to be.

Apologies, though, since my writing style has changed quite a bit since my last update. I hope it doesn't bother anyone too much.

Thanks to everyone who PM'ed me and left me those amazing reviews! You know who you are ;) It made me feel awfully guilty that this story was getting so much love, and I wasn't doing anything about it. I hope this chapter might redeem myself a little bit.

As always, enjoy, and let me know what you think!

"There's still time to change your mind, you know."

Kuroko looks up from the luggage bag he had been arranging his clothes in. Kagami, shoulder propped against the door frame of Kuroko's room, was watching him intently. He turns back to the task before him.

"We both know that if I told him that I had changed my mind, things will get ugly," he replies.

"Not if we're not around when it hits the fan." Kuroko hears the shrug in Kagami's voice. He turns again to eye his friend.

"You know I can't leave yet," he says. "The job's not done."

Kagami says nothing for several seconds as they stare at each other. Suddenly, his shoulders sag and he heaves a sigh as he runs a hand roughly through already wild red hair. One long stride takes him to the bed, and he flops onto his back, knocking over the neat piles of clothes that Kuroko had made.

"They're going to start asking questions soon," Kagami directs at the ceiling. Kuroko stands up and retrieves a stack of clothes from the foot of his bed. Leveling himself on his elbows, the redhead watches Kuroko return to his bag with the pile. "We've been here too long."

"You and Momoi-san are welcome to leave, if you'd like." Kuroko responds, voice betraying no emotion. "If you remember, I did say I wouldn't leave until this was dealt with. I will hold nothing against either of you if you felt that this endeavor is not worth your time."

Kagami snorts. "Shut your trap before you say something you'll regret. We ain't leaving as long as you're here, and you know that."

Kuroko was glad that his back was turned so that Kagami wouldn't notice the slight tilt to his lips at his friend's callous words. He was rough around the edges, but Kuroko had never met a more loyal person. Trustworthy people were in short supply in his world. When death was but a breath away, it was understandable that a person's loyalty would be to himself first.

"… there might be another way we can do this," Kagami was saying. "You don't have to play games with this Akashi guy, he's obviously not one of the dumb ones."

It was said casually enough, but Kagami did not usually find other people to be a threat. His words only reinforced Kuroko's suspicions. If Kagami – a man who typically operated on a plane of gut feeling – was wary of Akashi Seijuurou, then the quiet discomfort he felt in his chest was unlikely to be wrong. He was walking into trouble, and only time would tell if his gamble would pay off.

Kuroko turns to flash a small smile at his oldest friend.

"What is life, but a game?"

Kagami rolls his eyes at Kuroko's words and flops back down. The blue-haired man lets his smile widen slightly and continues packing his things.

xxxx

"Kurokocchi! Good morning!" The said man blinks at the blond who has bounded into his practice, looking far too cheerful for how early it was.

"Good morning, Kise-san," he greets with a polite incline of his head. His attention shifts to the dark-skinned man that was a step behind Kise. "Good morning, Aomine-san."

"Hey," Aomine mumbles gruffly, turning to inspect the nearest box. His curtness was a lot more befitting for the time of day, Kuroko thought approvingly. "That's a lot of boxes you're bringing."

Kuroko threw an appraising glance over the reception area of his office. He had intended to make neat stacks by the door to ease the transition, but had not anticipated the sheer amount of things that had been stashed away in all the cupboards. It had taken him longer than he had thought to pack up, and he hadn't had much time to finish his packing.

"Don't worry, I will only be needing half of these," he says, gesturing to one haphazard pile of six boxes and two medium-sized luggage bags nearest to the door. There were several more boxes scattered around the room behind him, but they were mostly things that belonged to his friends. "Kagami-kun will come and pick up the rest of them later today."

At the mention of the redhead, Aomine scowls. The two of them had been at loggerheads since the first time Aomine had shown up. Kise and Aomine's subsequent visits had only added fuel to the animosity between the two.

"Good thing we brought the van, then," Aomine mutters. He picked up the closest box with ease. Kuroko watched him with mild interest. His equipment was hardly light, and the particular box that Aomine had picked up held quite a few hardcover books. "Let's get this done with."

It took each of them only two trips to fill up the van. Kuroko returned to his office to lock up and grab the last bag while the other two remained in the van, keeping out of the chilly wind. As he walked through the place one final time to see if he had missed anything, he pauses abruptly in front of the door to his consultation room.

He had only been running his practice for a few months, but for that short amount of time, things had been peaceful. He had met some decent people who had come to him for help, and it had been nice to feel like his work had made a positive impact on someone's life. He sighs heavily as he shuts the door to the now-empty room. It had been nice to pretend for a while, but the bad things had caught up to him again.

He padded to the front door, and turned off the last few lights, dousing the room in darkness that the weak early-morning sun was not able to dispel.

It always caught up.

xxxx

"And this is your room!" Kise exclaimes enthusiastically as he throws the door open. As he follows the blond into the room, Kuroko wonders absently if he would be able to find his room again if he left. Akashi had alluded how big his compound was, but Kuroko hadn't realized just what he was walking into. It had taken them twenty minutes to walk from the front of the house to what appeared to be the back of the series of buildings, interconnected with each other by raised wooden corridors. They had taken a number of turns to get here, and Kuroko wasn't entirely sure he would be able to retrace his steps. It was worrisome, really, that in the heart of Tokyo, there would be enough land for a sprawling estate.

He couldn't figure out why anyone would need this much space.

"You've got the best view in the place," Kise hadn't stopped talking since they picked him up that morning, and Kuroko was starting to get a headache from listening to his incessant chattering. "The room faces the forest, and if you're lucky, you might even get to see some deer when they wander close..."

A forest, Kuroko thought sardonically, as Kise rambled on. If the place had belonged to anyone else besides Akashi Seijuurou, Kuroko might've decided he was dealing with a madman. As it was, he was beginning to feel like he had a few screws loose himself for choosing to be here.

"That's the last of it," Kise finally stops talking long enough to flash a grin at the man who had spoken. He was one of three men who had met them at the driveway and helped lug Kuroko's things through the house. He felt slightly guilty for having made them walk the entire way bearing his boxes. He bows to them.

"Thank you for your kind assistance," he says as he straightens, not missing the looks of surprise. They were clearly not used to such a gesture.

"No problem," came the gruff reply, and they began to leave. "We'll let Midorima know you're here."

"Thanks, guys!" Kise calls after them as the door swings shut. Kuroko turned back to the room. It was large, spacious, and brightly lit. The furniture was nondescript in a way that made him suspect that they would have cost an absurd amount of money, and there were three other doors that led away from it.

"Welcome to your new home, Kurokocchi!" Kise chirps, bounding over to Kuroko's side. He gestures at the room at large. "This is the main living space, with your dining area over there, and a kitchen around that corner."

Pale blue eyes follow the pointing finger, and he notes that what had appeared to be a wall from where he was standing was in fact, the entrance to the kitchen.

"The first door on the right goes to your room, and there's an ensuite in there," Kise continued, moving his finger to point out the door in question. "The middle door goes into the lab you asked for, and the last one on the left goes outside."

"Outside?" Kuroko asked, unable to hide his surprise. He hadn't thought that he would be allowed outside.

Kise chuckled, "Yeah, Akashicchi figured that since you worked with plants and whatnot that you might like a garden for whatever stuff you want to grow. There's nothing there yet, but the gardener has cleared up a space for you so you can get started."

"I see," Kuroko said, arranging his face into a carefully blank expression.

The blond didn't seem to notice anything amiss as he grins brightly at Kuroko. "Well, I'll let you get settled in. I'll come back at seven to take you to dinner. Midorimacchi said he wanted to meet you."

Kuroko blinked once. "Who?"

"Oh, I forgot to tell you about him!" Kise exclaimed with a smack to his forehead. "He's Akashicchi's right-hand guy. And his secretary. And his physician. And, like, his mom, pretty much."

The blond grinned at his last words, and despite himself, Kuroko felt an answering pull at the corner of his lips.

"I see," Kuroko repeated. He bowed slightly. "I will be ready for dinner, then. Thank you for looking after me."

Kise's laugh was delighted. "You don't have to be so formal with me, Kurokocchi! We're basically colleagues now."

Kuroko thought about it for a second. Then he flashed a smile at Kise, who blinked owlishly at him in surprise. "I suppose you are right, Kise-kun. Please take care of me."

Kise continued to stare at him for a few long moments, and Kuroko was beginning to wonder what he had done wrong, when the blond man burst out into laughter. He gave Kuroko a crooked grin. "That's the first time I've seen you smile, Kurokocchi. You should do it more often."

With that, Kise breezed past the shorter man, and with a wave, closed the door behind himself. Kuroko stood where he was for a few quiet seconds, and then took a few more steps into the room. Straightening from the slight stoop that he had affected while the others were around, he moved quickly and methodologically, checking under, behind, and inside the furniture. Slightly surprised to not have found anything, he steps into his new bedroom and eyes it critically.

It was large, nearly as large as the main living space was, and was flooded with light that speared through the huge windows on the opposite wall from where he stood by the door. He swept through this room and the adjacent bathroom in the same fashion as he had gone through the other, stopping momentarily by the windows to examine them. He was pleased to note that they were triple-glazed – it meant that the room was well insulated from any noise outside. It was probably also safe to assume that it was bulletproof glass. It was the house of a yakuza lord, after all.

Filing that information away, he stepped into the next room, and faltered. The lab, as Kise had called it, was not really quite as such. It was another spacious room, an exact copy of the layout of his bedroom. The only difference was that instead of a large bed in the centre, there was a work table, made of dark wood, that stretched nearly the full length of the room.

There were a few stools pushed under the table, and another counter ran along the adjacent wall, home to a sink, and a small stove. There was a line of shelves below the windows, and Kuroko felt his chest constrict as he let his eyes roam over the neat row of potted plants arranged on top of the shelves. They were mostly herbs, some common ones found in kitchens around the world, and some that were quite rare, that the average man would not be familiar with.

Giving in to temptation, he walked around the work table and began inspecting the plants. He wondered idly if Akashi had bothered to research these plants himself, or if he had tasked the gardener with preparing the room for Kuroko. He glanced around again. It was laid out as though whoever planned it was familiar with his line of work. The latter, then. It was unlikely that a man as busy as Akashi would involve himself in such a thing, anyway.

Hand stilling on the plant he had been studying, he frowned slightly. He wasn't entirely sure why that conclusion bothered him.

Shaking himself out of his contemplation, he moved through the room quickly, searching for anything out of place.

A few minutes later, he was back where he had started in the centre of the living space. Lips pursed slightly, and an almost imperceptible furrow between his brows, he looks around again.

He knew what kind of situation he had walked himself into. People like Akashi would never leave a stranger unsupervised, especially right in the midst of their own. He knew that not finding any bugs likely meant that they were there.

He spins in a slow circle, thoughtfully eyeing the things scattered throughout the room. The artwork on the walls were the first, and most obvious choices, but he had predictably found nothing there. He allowed himself a small smile – he was dealing with professionals, after all.

At the thought, he looked up sharply at the air-conditioning unit mounted to the wall. He couldn't believe that he had missed it. Dragging a stool out from the laboratory, he hauled himself onto it and began inspecting the unit.

Nothing.

Growing frustrated, and beginning to question his own abilities, he steps off the stool, picks it up and returns it to its spot. He freezes suddenly, realizing for the first time that he was standing on a mat. It was an unremarkable item, made to blend in with its surroundings. Perfect.

Carefully, Kuroko picks it up, not at all surprised that there was nothing underneath. He places it on the workstation upside-down, and inspects it closely. It was a simple mat, made of woven black and brown strands. Each strand was just a few millimeters wide, but it would be enough for a small camera or microphone – the technology was already pretty mainstream. He prodded at the thing, feeling for something that wasn't quite right – and smiled slightly in victory as his fingers landed on a strand that didn't have as much give as the others. A couple experimental flexes of the mat confirmed his suspicions. The particular strand moved, but not nearly as easily as its neighbors.

He looks around the room again. If they were listening to him, it seemed highly likely that they would also be watching. His eyes land on a tiny black piece attached to the end of the curtain rail. At first glance, it looked like the cap for the curtain railing, but there was a nearly unnoticeable dot in the centre of it. Kuroko bit back a full-blown grin.

He really was dealing with professionals.

xxxx

When Kise returned to collect him for dinner, Kuroko was ready. The blond was slightly less bubbly than the last time Kuroko had seen him, and appeared to be somewhat distracted. They navigated the place in near-silence, broken only occasionally as Kise pointed out an interesting room that they passed.

Kuroko was ushered into a huge dining room, and quickly noted that the table was only set for two people. He turned to the blond, question on the tip of his tongue.

"Sorry Kurokocchi, but I won't be joining you guys for dinner," Kise said, looking sheepish. "I've got somewhere else to be in a bit."

"Is that so?" Kuroko responded, polite as ever. He tilted his head forward in a small bow. "Thank you for being my guide, then. I hope you enjoy your night."

Kise shook his head with a laugh. "Stop it, Kurokocchi. You're making me blush."

Just then, someone cleared their throat behind Kise. Both men turned to look at the newcomer. Intelligent emerald eyes took Kuroko in, thin lips thinning further as he noted the jeans and t-shirt that Kuroko wore.

"You are blocking the door, Kise," he stated. He nodded curtly at Kuroko. "I presume that you are Kuroko-san?"

"Yep," Kise spoke up blithely, flashing the green-haired man a bright smile and making no move to get out of the way. "Try not to scare him away, Midorimacchi. Akashicchi wouldn't like that."

With a wink at Kuroko, he stepped around the green-eyed man and disappeared around a nearby corner before Midorima could splutter a response.

Looking more than a little irritated, Midorima gestured to the room behind Kuroko. "After you."

xxxx

"I understand from Akashi that you saved his life." Kuroko blinked once, lifting his eyes from the steak he had been cutting into. They had been eating in silence for an uncomfortable twenty minutes, and he had been wondering how quickly he could excuse himself without appearing rude.

Putting down his utensils, he picked up his glass of wine. He was hardly an expert, but he knew enough about alcohol to know that what he was having tasted exquisite. His answer was muttered. "So he tells me."

He received a sharp look for that. Midorima continued to chew on his food for another quiet minute. A sip of his wine later, "You have our deepest gratitude."

Kuroko sighed and leaned back in his chair. He turned serious eyes onto the other man. "Do you know why I am here, Midorima-san?"

"I was under the impression that Akashi had hired you." To his credit, Midorima only blinked at him slowly, seemingly unperturbed by his abruptness. Before Kuroko could say anything, he went on. "It is an honour, you know, to be allowed into Akashi's inner sanctum. Only the people he trusts the most are ever allowed to move around freely in his home."

Silently, Kuroko fished out the contents of his pocket and dumped them on the table. He heard a soft intake of breath, and locked eyes with wide emerald ones.

"I must give credit to whomever hid them," he said, affecting a small tilt to his lips. "They were very difficult to find."

Midorima seemed to be struggling for what to say next, but finally gave a small sigh.

"Thank you," he said stiffly. They resumed their meal, the silence thicker than before. Kuroko paid no heed to the glances that he received from the other man, focusing intently on cutting up the meat on his plate. He knew he was being sized up. He only hoped that he had not given too much away.

xxxx

A few days later, while Kuroko was in the midst of unpacking the things he had brought, there was a loud knock on his door. He paused what he was doing and went to open it, absently wiping his hands on his jeans.

"Yo," Aomine greeted, grinning at him. The dark-skinned man had disappeared the night he had arrived, after he had driven the van up to the front door, and Kuroko was mildly surprised to see him again so soon. He had figured that Akashi's men were always busy running errands for their boss.

"Good afternoon, Aomine-san," he replied, taking a step back and gesturing toward his new quarters. "Would you like to come in?"

"Nah, that's fine," he responded with a wave of his hand. "I was heading down to the dojo for a bit of fun with some of the guys. Figured it would be a good time to introduce you to them, if you want."

"Oh," Kuroko suspected that the idea to introduce him to the rest of the household had not been an original idea that the other man had come up with. He didn't seem the type to be particularly observant of subtle courtesies. Lifting a shoulder in a half-shrug, he said, "Sure, why not?"

The dojo was closer to his rooms than he had thought, and was relatively easy to find – he only needed to follow the shouting. He trailed in after Aomine, and joined the loose circle of people that stood watching the ongoing fight. His companion had drawn some attention when he had first walked in, receiving a few greetings and a couple slaps on the back. Not for the first time, Kuroko was thankful for his ability to blend into the background. He watched as Aomine turned partway as though to talk to him, and then threw a startled glance around the room in search for the missing bluenette. Confusion crossing his face, he took a step toward the door, but hesitated when someone called out to him.

The fight had ended, and Aomine was bundled into the makeshift ring with the victor, anticipation lighting up his face, and teeth bared in a rakish grin. Kuroko watched, quietly contemplative, as he began to get a sense of the people in the room. It was obvious quickly enough that these men were fighters. There were smiles all around, and rowdy laughter, but it was hard to miss the scars on some of the faces, and the particular glint in a few expressions. It was a casual affair, but he was well aware that partaking in the fighting was about more than just winning.

"He's a natural, isn't he?"

Kuroko managed to stop the frown from showing on his face just in time. He quirked his head to his side and stared, surprised, at the man who had spoken. The words had been casual enough, and could've been directed at anybody, if not for the sly smile that was slung in his direction as their eyes met.

"Kiyoshi-san," he greets after a long pause, mindful of their surroundings. "It is a surprise to see you here."

The larger man laughed good-humoredly. "I could say the same for you, Kuroko." He shot the shorter man a grin, and adds, "Can't keep yourself out of trouble for long, eh?"

Allowing himself a small sigh, he smiled faintly. "It appears so. Kagami-kun has begun to despair."

Another laugh, and a smack on the back that nearly made him wince. In the ring, Aomine tosses his second opponent over a shoulder easily, inciting a roar of of approval from the crowd. Kuroko only vaguely notices what was happening. He had a lot of questions for his surprise companion, but knew better than to mention anything where they were.

"Is that the best you can do?" Aomine's bellow cut through his musing. A laugh picks up among the crowd, but no one moves to step forward. It was clear that Aomine was in his element. And that this wasn't the first time this was happening. "C'mon guys," Aomine's grin was taunting. "Try a little harder."

Later, he would berate himself for getting so caught up in the surprise of seeing a familiar face that he had allowed himself to be shoved forward by the very same man whom he had been considering as a potential ally amidst the strange faces. He stumbled to a stop just inside of the ring, and swallowed an annoyed huff when the men closest to him took a step back, forcing the spotlight on him. He turned a baleful eye on Kiyoshi, who stood in the back, nearly a head taller than everyone else, and resisted the urge to toss him an obscene gesture.

"Hey, Kuroko!" Aomine all but shouts in delight. Kuroko straightens, and resigns himself to his fate. He was being watched by a room full of yakuza. He needed to keep his wits about him. "I was wondering where you went."

Keeping his tone even, and grateful for the blank mask that slipped automatically into place, he responds. "I was in the back, watching."

"Oh?" Aomine replies, grin widening. "Want a piece of the action now, eh?"

He lifts his shoulders in a vague shrug. The whispers behind him told him that the others in the room knew that he had not stepped forward willingly. It was a test – if he walked away now, it would leave a bad impression. Out loud, he said, "I'm afraid I am not very well acquainted with Judo."

Aomine mirrored his shrug. "It doesn't have to be Judo. Whatever gets the job done."

Kuroko nodded once, curtly, and pushes up the long sleeves of his shirt messily. "Let's get this over with," he murmurs under his breath, and it's barely a grumble.

He pushes a foot back, and lets his body fall into a familiar, neutral pose. The murmuring behind him picks up in anticipation. He tunes it out in favour of casting a keen eye over the man before him, who settles into his own pose, ready. Aomine radiated raw energy. His technique was fluid, natural, and it was evident in his movements that he acted on impulse. Kuroko could have smiled. There was something familiar about his opponent.

The referee steps forward, a hand raised, and both men tense slightly in anticipation. Mind racing, Kuroko shoots a quick glance at Aomine's feet, reaching a decision in the few seconds before the call to start. He freezes, keeping his face carefully devoid of any emotion as the hand passes between them, the signal to begin. Aomine takes a step to the right, a move which Kuroko mimics. They circle slowly, sizing each other up.

Kuroko knew from the look on Aomine's face that he was drawing this out on purpose. The man had a flair for the dramatic, and there was little doubt in his mind that the room full of yakuza was watching them intently.

"You don't have to be so careful, y'know," Aomine says with a lopsided grin. He takes another step. "I promise I'll go easy on you."

He lets out a short laugh. "That is very kind of you, Aomine-san. It would be a blow to my ego if I were to lose to you too badly."

Aomine chuckled at that, and Kuroko saw his shoulders relax a little. And then a step forward, and the predatory glint in those dark eyes was back. "I'll make it quick." He promises, taking another quick step. This time, Kuroko could tell that he was bracing himself to attack. He pulled back, and disappeared.

For a split second, Aomine could only blink confusedly at the spot where Kuroko had been, before there was a sharp jab in the back of his knee, forcing him forward with a surprised yelp. Landing hard on his other knee, he was pitched forward, and then there was an intense bloom of pain in his shoulder as his arm was grabbed and twisted up his back.

He was breathing hard as he registered the weight of the smaller man leaning into his arm. There was a knee in the small of his back. Struggling, he winced as he unintentionally pulled too hard on his imprisoned arm. Under normal circumstances, Kuroko's weight would hardly hold him down, but the twisting agony that was building up in his quickly-numbing arm, and the acute awareness that the knee was digging slightly into the base of his spine kept him effectively trapped.

The referee was counting down, and for possibly the first time in his life, Aomine conceded his defeat. There was an uproar of excitement and a flurry of activity as Kuroko was proclaimed the victor, and the pressure on his body eased up. He accepts the hand held out to him, and pushes himself off the floor.

Kuroko bowed deeply to him. "Thank you for letting me win, Aomine-san."

Eyebrow quirked, Aomine studied the shorter man with a purse of his lips. He grinned suddenly, startling the bluenette. "You're a weird one, eh, Tetsu?"

A faint smile ghosts over Kuroko's face. He hadn't missed the casual nickname, but decides against commenting on it. "So I've been told."

xxxx

There was a quiet knock on his door later that day, and Kuroko wasn't surprised to see Kiyoshi standing there when he opened it. He had been swept up by the crowd after his match with Aomine, and by the time he had managed to extract himself and return to his rooms, they had already marked him as one of their own. He supposed that he owed Kiyoshi a word of thanks, even if he had a few things to say about his method of getting things done.

Wordlessly, he held the door open for the other man, and ushered him in. The door shuts behind them with a barely perceptible click. They stand there, eyeing each other for a few seconds.

"Would you like some tea?" Kuroko finally asks. Nodding, Kiyoshi turns to take in the room.

"Yes, please."

"Please make yourself comfortable," he says, as he walks away to the small kitchen.

When he returned with two steaming cups, it was to find Kiyoshi studying the curtains intently. He bit back a smile.

"The place is clean," he offers, setting the cups down on the dining table.

His companion flashes a quick grin at him, and moves to join him as he settles into a seat. "Doesn't hurt to be sure."

Nodding in agreement, he leans back in his seat and sips quietly at his drink.

"So," Kiyoshi starts, breaking the silence. "What are you doing in Akashi Seijuurou's home?"

Kuroko's answering shrug in deceptively nonchalant, giving no hint to the fact that he had asked himself the same question repeatedly over the past couple of days.

"What about you?" He returns, as though the soundless gesture had been answer enough. "I didn't know that they had sent anyone to Japan."

"Akashi has been making his way onto the watchlist," he replies, lips quirked in a knowing smile. Kiyoshi echoes Kuroko's shrug. "I only just got here a week ago, in fact."

"I see," Kuroko murmured, putting down his drink. He exhales messily. "I don't know how I got involved with him," he admits, shutting his eyes for a moment. "I came to Japan for a break."

Kiyoshi's laugh was short and amused. "Trouble finds you," he advises sagely, and takes a big gulp of his drink. He gestures to the room at large. "At least you've got a nice place here."

"I suppose," he smiled wanly. It was nice to have a familiar face in such a strange setting. They were not quite friends, but it was a relief that there was someone he could possibly trust here with him. Kagami and Momoi were nearby, but it was not the same thing.

"Hyuuga's around here, too, somewhere," Kiyoshi pipes up, and then pauses. "Well, not here here, but around, if you know what I mean."

"I see," Kuroko repeats with a nod. He had been expecting it. "Momoi-san is here too."

"I'll let Hyuuga know, then." Kiyoshi says with an incline to his head, and then downs the rest of drink, before standing up. "Anyway, I need to get going. Got a job to run with some of the guys. I just dropped by to say hi."

Kuroko stands up with him and follows him to the door. Hand on the knob, Kiyoshi turns a contemplative look to Kuroko.

"I heard about what's been going on here," he begins, and Kuroko knows precisely what he's talking about. "I know that's why you're here. We won't say anything, but I think they already know. Watch yourself around Akashi, okay? You've got to keep your head on straight when you're dealing with him."

He nods in acknowledgement. "Thank you, Kiyoshi-san. I wish you well on your job."

The brunette leaves with a wave, and Kuroko turns back to an empty room. With a sigh, he stalks over to the nearest box, and picks up where he left off.

xxxx

It had been a week since he had moved in, and his new home was starting to look a lot more lived-in. He had put away most of his things in the first few days, and had run into the gardener on his fourth day. He was an older man, – possibly in his mid-fifties – with a shock of white hair and a slight stoop to his shoulders. He had come by Kuroko's room to check on the small garden out back, he was informed. They had bonded over a cup of tea and mutual delight in finding someone else who was interested in the same things.

Besides him, there hadn't been any other visitors since Kiyoshi had dropped by, and his rooms were far enough from the main populace that there were very few people who passed by his place. He didn't mind at all, preferring to acquaint himself with his new home without having to play host to anyone.

He kept in touch with Momoi and Kagami through a portable laptop and a burner phone that he had brought along. They were modified to send encrypted information out, and operated without wifi. It didn't hurt to be careful.

Despite his discomfort at being in his predicament – he had to constantly remind himself of why he was there – he was beginning to enjoy the space he was given. The lab, as he had come to refer to it, too, was bright and airy, and the work table allowed him to spread out his things while he worked. There were a few more pots of plants that he had added to the shelves, brought from his old office.

He had been chopping up an assortment of leaves, preparing them for the hot water that was heating up in the pot on the nearby stove, when he heard the faint sound of someone knocking on his front door.

"Come in," he called loudly, not wanting to leave the bubbling pot alone. The click was hardly audible as the door shut behind his guest, but Kuroko had superb hearing. The man that soon stood framed in his doorway still drew a surprised look from him, however. "Akashi-san."

"Good morning, Kuroko," the redhead greeted, with a small smile and an incline of his head.

Kuroko hadn't been expecting Akashi to visit him. He was under no delusions that Akashi would make time to personally attend to him. In fact, he had assumed that he had seen the last of the other man. He was, after all, merely hired to brew things. And the reigning crime lord of Tokyo would probably have plenty on his plate.

"Good morning," he returned. Chopping the last of the leaves, he scoops them up, dumps them into the rolling water, and turns down the heat to a simmer. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"I came to see how you were settling in," Akashi replied, pulling out a stool and sitting down without waiting for an invitation. He watched the blue-haired man closely as he did so, mildly impressed when his actions garnered little more than a glance. "I hear that you've been… making an impression."

This time, the pale hand stilled for a nearly imperceptible moment as he reached out for a small jar. "I have been introduced to a few of your men, yes."

"Daiki and Shintarou appear to be quite impressed with you," Akashi continued, sounding amused. Kuroko remained silent, his movements even as he measured some things from a few jars and added them to the pot. "Shintarou was rather upset that you had removed his bugs, however. He was quite proud of them."

Kuroko allowed a small tilt to his lips. "I apologize for the inconvenience. I'm afraid I don't enjoy being spied on very much."

There was a sound like a chuckle, and Akashi reached for one of the jars closest to him to study it's contents. "I hope you don't think too badly of us for that."

"It hadn't occurred to me to think badly of you," Kuroko responded truthfully. He was used to it – had even expected it. In a strange way, Kuroko would have been disappointed if they hadn't shown any suspicion of him. The thought brought to mind an image of Kagami rolling his eyes in exasperation. He bit back on another smile.

"That's a relief," Akashi said, replacing the jar. His next words took on a business-like tone, but there was still an undertone of amusement. "So, when will you be able to prepare me another bottle of sleep?"

Wordlessly, Kuroko gestured to the pot. The water had taken on the murky shade that Akashi was starting to recognize, and the room was now filled with a herbal scent.

"It will be ready by evening," Kuroko said. "You can send someone to pick it up at seven."

Akashi hummed, watching Kuroko curiously. His skin was almost translucent in the bright sunlight streaming in through the windows. He moved with an air of ease and confidence here. Akashi had never seen him like this, and was strangely mesmerized by the way Kuroko reached for things without looking, and the serene expression that he suspected was unconscious as Kuroko did what came naturally to him.

"You can deliver it yourself, when you join me for dinner tonight," he replied, the casual lilt to his voice intentional. He noted, with pleasure, as a subtle wince passed over Kuroko's face. His statement brooked no argument, but he was curious to see if the blue-haired man would at least try.

A silent moment passed, and then with a sigh, Kuroko said quietly, "If you'd like."

"Wonderful. I will have Ryouta show you the way." Akashi announces, and stands up abruptly. Their eyes meet over the table, and he is once again drawn into the calm blue depths, seemingly unaffected. He turned with an anticipatory smile.

Kuroko Tetsuya was a very interesting man.

xxxx

Kuroko waited for a few minutes after the door had shut behind the redhead before heaving a sigh, his shoulders sagging.

He moved to a nearby cupboard, and retrieved a bottle of vodka that he had distilled himself. It was meant to be added to some of the medicinal substances that he prepared, but he decided that he needed the fortifying burn of alcohol after an experience like an unexpected Akashi Seijuurou. Absently, he picked up a jar that was mostly clean, and poured himself a drink. He grimaced as he took a large swig of it, feeling the reassuring trail of fire it left down his throat.

Akashi had looked out of place, perched as he had been on the stool at the end of his work table. His words had been friendly enough, but Kuroko had been highly conscious of the dichromatic eyes of the other man watching him closely the entire time. He wondered if it should be cause for him to worry, that Akashi could look around so casually, and yet leave little doubt in the bluenette's mind that he had seen everything. The man held himself in a way that managed to provoke the impression that he was simultaneously at ease, and prepped to spring into action.

It was disconcerting, and it put Kuroko on high alert whenever he was around. He took another gulp of his drink, and put the empty jar down. He needed to keep his head on straight, as Kiyoshi had said. He had just agreed to a dance with the devil.

xxxx

"Kurokocchi!" Kise chirped, as soon as he opened the door. He wrinkled his nose slightly. "What's that weird smell?"

"I was brewing something earlier," Kuroko replied. The brew in question had been put into a bottle – slightly smaller than the one he had given to Akashi on their second encounter – and bundled in paper. He had gotten used to the herbal scent, and hardly noticed it in the room anymore. There was no need to worry, though, as the vent in his lab was working hard to dispel it.

"Huh," Kise huffed, as Kuroko shut the door behind himself and fell into step beside him. "Was that something the thing that Akashicchi hired you to make?"

"Yes," he nodded once. He didn't know how much Akashi's men knew about his trouble sleeping, so he wasn't going to be the one to bring it up.

Kise let out a short laugh. "Well, whatever it is, I don't envy him." He smiles at Kuroko's look, and adds, "It doesn't smell like it'd taste very good."

Kuroko hummed noncommittally. "It depends on what you prefer."

"I prefer never having to take it," Kise retorted, chuckling. Kuroko smiled at the blond. Despite himself, he was growing fond of the bubbly man. It was so easy to be around him that Kuroko sometimes forgot that they weren't quite friends. He fell into a comfortable silence, more than willing to let the taller man do the talking for both of them as he prepared himself for dinner.

xxxx

"Good evening, Akashi-san," Kuroko said, with a small bow after he had been ushered in by an impassive-looking Midorima. Resisting the urge to look around, he waited for the redhead to nod his greeting and rise from his seat at his desk.

He was in what appeared to be Akashi's office. Kuroko had expected to be taken back to the big dining room he had been in previously, and was surprised to see that dinner was going to be a far less formal affair – there was a small table set for two in the corner of the room.

"Thank you for joining me, Kuroko," Akashi was saying, a small smile playing about his lips. Kuroko manages a stiff nod in response. They both knew that he hadn't really had a choice. "Please, have a seat."

He does as he's instructed, settling into the seat across from Akashi. The redhead was looking far too pleased – like a cat that had gotten the canary. It set his senses on edge. Pushing his package across the table, he says, "This is a more potent version of what I prepared for you last time. Since you are no longer ill, it is a simple drink that will help you sleep. A small shot-glass of this before you go to bed will be enough."

Akashi raises an eyebrow at his words, but accepts the package with a quiet word of thanks. He makes a show of getting up and putting it on his desk, and when he returns to their table, Kuroko is feeling a bit more collected. As though on cue, there is a muted knock on the door, and a maid rolls in a heaped trolley. She pours them both a glass of wine, and then takes her leave with a bow.

Kuroko observes as Akashi reaches over and begins to pile up his plate with food from the cart. It looked to be a buffet of sorts. Following Akashi's example, he reaches over and loads his plate, too.

"How are you finding the place, so far?" Akashi asks, as he's picking up his knife and fork to dig in.

"It's massive," he admits, guiding a fork-load of food into his mouth. Resisting the urge to close his eyes in bliss when the flavors explode, he continues, "I fear I might get lost if I wander too far."

Akashi chuckles, and it's becoming a familiar sound. "You can always request a guide to show you around. In fact, I believe that was what I had instructed Ryouta to do."

Not liking the slightly displeased look that settles on Akashi's face, Kuroko lets the lie slip out easily, "He did show me around, but my memory for directions is rather terrible. I did not wish to trouble him again."

There was a contemplative tilt to Akashi's head as he murmurs, "I see," and then adds, "You do not need to worry about troubling him. Ryouta seems quite fond of you, and I did tell him to look after you. I understand that it can be difficult to adjust to a strange new place."

Kuroko nods, wondering if the lie had gone undetected, or if Akashi had just decided not to pursue the matter. He was usually a very good liar – he'd had practice, and his permanently blank expression did a lot to help. The man seated across the table from him, however, seemed to be able to see right through his mask. He took a sip of the wine. The thought was worrying.

Akashi was impressed. More so than he had been before. If he had not known for a fact that Ryouta hadn't shown Kuroko around – Midorima always kept him abreast with what was happening – he would not have noticed the lie. The man before him was becoming a more intriguing puzzle with every new thing he was discovering about him. He took a contemplative sip of his drink, and turned his attention to his food, allowing the silence to settle over them as he considered the other man with interest.

Kuroko was living in the property of a crime lord, under a fake alias, brewing things that put people to sleep. A gifted liar, and from all accounts, a capable fighter. Despite his claims that he wanted a quiet life away from the yakuza, he had found the bugs that Shintarou had expertly hidden with relative ease, and then made a show of returning them.

The blue-haired man, seeming to sense his thoughts, looked up from his plate, and once again, met his eyes evenly. Akashi lets a slow smile slide into place, knowing that he looks positively predatory when he does, and wanting to examine Kuroko's reaction to that.

Kuroko stares back at him, expressionless for a few seconds, before he does something that stuns him, and makes him blink.

He smiles.

"The food is delicious, Akashi-san," he says, voice brighter than usual. He looks around the room, affecting a conspiratorial tone as he leans forward. "Forgive my crudeness, but this feels very much like a date," he says, and continues when Akashi only blinks at him. "I didn't think you were interested."

Akashi couldn't help himself, he burst out laughing as Kuroko leans back and takes another sip from his glass. He picks up his own, and mimics the other man's actions. And maybe it's because he hasn't slept well in nearly a week, or that he's incredibly intrigued, or even probably a mixture of both, but he folds his arms atop the table and leans forward, a small grin on his lips.

"If I wasn't before, I am now." He says, and it almost doesn't surprise him that it's the truth.

xxxx

Kuroko lets himself into his place, mentally giving himself a pat on the back for finding it without any help. Dinner with Akashi had gone as well as he could have hoped. The trick he had pulled when Akashi had tried to intimidate him had been spontaneous, and no doubt fueled by the vodka he had been sipping on throughout the day in anticipation. There were some things that he could only say with a straight face when aided by alcohol.

Sighing messily, he scrubs a hand over his face, finally letting the control slip. He sways slightly on his next step. Normally, he would never allow himself to imbibe so much alcohol. He was lucky that he had been able to leave when he did. Another glass of wine, and Akashi would have no illusions about how drunk Kuroko actually was.

Stumbling a little, he makes his way into his lab, and fumblingly gathers a few items by the light of the full moon streaming into the room. He rolls up a mismatched bunch of leaves, and lights them with the fire from the stove. Dropping them into an empty bowl nearby, he leans over and inhales the smoke sharply, and immediately pushes away with a cough, his eyes watering.

It does the job. He straightens, head clear, and wafts the gentle trails of smoke emitting from the bowl towards himself, breathing in slower, but deeper this time. Kagami had always hated this cure, but even he had to admit that it was nice to not have to deal with the hangover in the morning. He grabs a glass and fills it up with water from the tap.

At the thought of his friend, he glances up to check the time with half a mind to check in on him. Six minutes past midnight. Dinner had lasted five hours. Letting a grin creep onto his face as he stands alone in the near-darkness, Kuroko raises the glass of water in mock salute.

To alcohol.

xxxx

Kuroko had been gone for a month.

The first week without the blue-haired man had been surprisingly quiet. It was odd, really, because Kuroko could hardly be considered a noisy person, but Kagami had gotten used to the quiet sounds of him watching TV in the living room, or banging about in the kitchen as he put together something foul-smelling on the stove.

Momoi had laughed when he had voiced the thought. Her smile had been rueful. "Yeah, I know what you mean. I miss him too."

Kagami wasn't sure if he would ever admit to missing Kuroko, but he hadn't refuted Momoi's statement either.

He had returned to work soon after his leg had healed. The two months that he had been cooped up at home had nearly driven him nuts, and he was more than glad to get back to the screaming mess that was the kitchen at the Sheraton.

"Oi, Kagami, I thought I told you we need three orders of these," there was a yell from the head chef. "Can't you fucking count?"

Oh man, he had missed the insults and casual expletives. He yelled back, "Calm the fuck down, I'm working on the last one."

He flips the omelette expertly onto a plate from the pan and puts it up to be whisked away by a passing waiter.

He grins at the chaos milling around him. It more than made up for the quiet at home.

xxxx

Despite working in a five-star hotel restaurant – or, because of it – Kagami rarely ate anything fancy. Most of his dinners were quick ones from the convenience store, or the fast food place on his way home. Momoi had informed him that morning that she had plans to meet with Hyuuga, who had called her out of the blue a few days ago. Kagami had wanted to tag along, but he had ended up staying late to help clean up the kitchen, and was feeling too tired to join them.

He was just walking out of the convenience store, bag of food in hand, when he heard it.

Turning towards the source of hushed voices, he quirks an eyebrow as his eyes land on a group of men standing in the shadow of the buildings to his right. They were partially hidden in the alleyway between two buildings, and were all looking down at something on the ground. He'd been around the block enough to know what was going on, and was about to turn away and leave them to it, when a glint catches his eye.

He drew in a sharp breath. One of the men had just pulled out a gun. It was normal to have people beaten up in the streets; hell, he'd been a part of a few of those beatings himself – on both ends – but when firearms got involved, things had a habit of getting messy really quickly.

Before he could second-guess himself, he starts off at a slow jog towards the group. His gut tells him to stop, to turn and flee, but he had always been stubborn, and he wasn't about to stop now.

"Hey," he calls out as he nears them. A few heads swivel towards him. He counts six, and mentally curses. They were built like bullies. He slows down to a stop a few feet away. "What's going on over here?"

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Kagami blinks, and leans around until he catches a glimpse of the man on the ground. It's all he can do to keep his eyebrows from disappearing into his hairline.

He frowns, "Aomine?"

Two of the men who had turned to him share a glance. One nudges Aomine with a foot.

"You know this guy?"

Kagami grimaces. Aomine looks away from him to scowl at the offending foot. "He's just some guy I play basketball with," he says before Kagami can open his mouth.

"Look, I don't know what the fuck you guys want with me, alright?" He continues, eyes flashing at the group above him. Kagami resists the urge to shake his head. It was like he didn't realize he was at a disadvantage. "I already gave you all my money, now leave me the fuck alone."

There was a small voice in the back of his mind – possibly the logical part of his brain – that told him that when he looked back on this when the dust had settled, he would regret doing what he did.

Right at that moment though, when things seemed to move in slow motion, and he saw from the tick in the face of one of the men that Aomine had just talked his way into his death, he reacted.

The pain bloomed in his shoulder, familiar and completely unwelcome, as the bullet tore through muscle. He fell with a curse, and only managed to heave himself upright by turning off his brain, and letting his body take over. His body knew what to do. It had had a lot of practice. At a time like this, his mind did little to help, besides pointing out that he probably shouldn't be fighting with a bullet lodged in his shoulder.

He reaches for the gun first, grabs it, and yanks it out of the hand of the surprised assailant. Relying on his reflexes, and his instincts, he rams the butt of the gun into the side of his shooter's head, and then spins around and clocks another one just above the ear as he tries to attack Kagami from behind. He lands a vicious punch into a third guy's face, and turns around just in time to see Aomine haul himself to his feet and charge at another guy.

Aomine knocks him out easily, but yelps an expletive when a bullet grazes his arm as he stands up. He spins around, an angry glint in his glare as he stalks towards the man who was now taking fumbling steps backwards.

He grabs a hold of the trembling muzzle a second before he collapses to the ground, unconscious.

Kagami rounds on the man who had smashed an empty glass bottle on the back of Aomine's head, knocks him out cold with his injured arm, and watches as the last man runs off, sluggishly wondering if he should give chase. A glance down at the prone body by his feet has him deciding against it.

With a sigh, and a forlorn look at the heap of trampled food that was supposed to have been his dinner, he hoists the unconscious man up with his good arm and begins the slow trudge home.

Momoi was not going to be happy about this.

xxxx

He wakes with a groan.

His head is pounding, his throat is dry, and his muscles were protesting any movement. It felt like a hangover, but worse. He thinks about sitting up, but then decides against it when the ceiling overhead swims in his vision.

Eyes closing, he takes a deep breath, and then splutters. His ribs were sore, probably from all the kicking. He lies still for a few seconds, taking stock of his body. The only conclusion he can draw is that everything hurts. Great. When he opens his eyes again, he is cautiously pleased to see that the ceiling had stopped moving.

It takes a moment, but his eyes narrow. The ceiling was unfamiliar. He glances around the room. He wasn't in his own bed, and this was definitely not a hospital. Struggling into a sitting position, he glares blearily at the clock on the bedside table. The hands point to a quarter past eleven. He isn't sure which half of the day it is.

Catching sight of the glass of water there, he reaches out with a wince. His arm was wrapped neatly in a bandage, and he suddenly recalls that he had been shot at. He scowls. If his memory served him right, then that would mean that Kagami had rescued him.

He'd rather be dead.

Downing the contents of the glass, he takes a couple fortifying breaths and hauls himself out of bed. Nudging the door open a little, he throws a cautious look down the hallway. One end opens up into the living room, so he inches towards it, keeping close to the wall. He hears them over the TV when he's a few feet away from the corner.

"Does it look like we run a charity here?" A shrill female voice asked, and Aomine frowns as it tickles at a memory.

"You weren't so pissed off when Kuroko saved Akashi!" Kagami yells back. The dark-skinned man shut his eyes in horror. It hadn't been a dream.

"That's because Tet-kun hadn't been so stupid."

"Ah, you're awake." His mind belatedly supplied that the last voice had come from behind him. He spins around, and then shoots a hand out to steady himself against the wall. He blinks, and his eyes focus slowly on Kuroko.

"Tetsu," he whispers, glad that there was a familiar face at last. "What's going on?"

Kuroko sighs, and smiles at him wryly. "I was hoping you could tell me, Aomine-kun."

"I -" he begins with a frown, but is cut off by the hand on his wrist. The next thing he knows, he's being dragged out into the living room. He barely stifles the urge to hiss at the bright light. It's morning, his brain unhelpfully points out.

"Our patient is awake," Kuroko announces as they appear around the corner. The bickering pair fall into a guilty silence. Kuroko bundles him onto the sofa and pushes a drink into his hand. "Drink," he advises.

Dutifully, Aomine takes a big gulp, and nearly spits it out. He swallows it only because there are three pairs of probing eyes trailed on him. Coughs as it burns down his throat. "What's in this?"

Kuroko shrugs. "It will help with the healing."

Aomine opens his mouth to voice his doubt about that, but thinks better of it when he sees the frown Kagami sends his way.

"So, Aomine-kun," Kuroko begins, settling down on the other end of the sofa. "Kagami-kun tells me that he found you in an alleyway getting robbed."

Even though the words were said in a monotone, Aomine wants to sink through the ground. It made him sound so pathetic.

"I, uh," he starts, clears his throat, and then sags, suddenly feeling worn out. "Yeah, okay, I was getting my ass handed to me."

Kuroko hummed in response, and turns inquisitive eyes to Kagami, who merely shrugged in reply. Aomine had the distinct impression that he was being treated very delicately when Kuroko turned back to him. "What exactly happened?"

Aomine frowns. Trying to remember what happened made his head hurt, but there was something urgent about the way Kuroko was watching him.

"I was heading home when I stopped by the convenience store to get some drinks, and a couple of punks were harassing some girl when I walked out, so I told them to fuck off. They started mouthing off at me, and then, uh, I don't know how it happened, but I was fighting them, and then a bunch of other guys showed up. They took my money and then Kagami shows up. He pisses them off or something -" Kagami's snort cuts in, but he goes on, "- and this guy tries to shoot me, but Kagami decides to save the day by throwing himself in front of the bullet, and then starts beating them up. I manage to grab a guy and knock him out, get shot at, and then the rest is just black."

Silence follows the recounting of his story. And then with a snort, Momoi throws her hands up in the air in defeat. "Great," she says, "He remembers the whole damn thing and now we're fucked."

Aomine doesn't realize that his frown is echoed on Kagami's face, but before he can say anything, Kuroko speaks up.

"Are you sure that was what happened, Aomine-kun?"

He shoots the smaller man a strange look. "Yeah, of course I am. Just ask Kagami, he was there the whole time, he's even got a – hey, what happened to your arm?!"

Kagami sighs, and looks at Kuroko in mute appeal. In response, he gets a shrug.

"You're being very calm about this," he says to the pale-skinned man, ignoring Aomine.

Kuroko shrugged again. "I suppose it would be hypocritical of me to say you should have acted otherwise."

The redhead smiled slightly. Aomine shoots narrowed glances between the pair. "Can someone explain what the fuck is going on? Why aren't you bleeding anymore?" He stabs an accusatory finger at Kagami.

"I'm going to make some tea," Kuroko announces, and then leaves. The remaining pair watch his retreating back for a second, and then turn back to each other.

Aomine raises an eyebrow in askance. Kagami sighs again, and drops down into the spot Kuroko had just vacated.

The voice in his head gloats.