Demure

In a world where specific children are forbidden to speak, the rowdy falls for the reserved. — Kagami/Kuroko.

chapter two - ring

Aomine wasn't patient.

Everyone who knew him personally was aware of that. Actually, a more accurate statement would be that anyone who had ever been acquainted with him would be aware of this. Therefore, when Kagami hadn't shown up for breakfast at his house (they alternated meals between each other's houses), or in History class that afternoon, or for dinner at his own house that evening, he was tired of waiting around for someone to give him answers.

Kagami's parents, who were often away on business trips, had returned to an empty house. Both were immediately frantic, immediately rushing over to Aomine's house, asking him whether or not he saw Taiga in class or if Taiga had ate lunch with him. Frankly, he wanted to tell the both of them to "fuck off," because they weren't worried about Taiga when they were off in various countries on "business trips."

Aomine humored Kagami's parents for about thirty minutes before making up an excuse about homework and promptly shutting the door in their pompous faces. He then retreated to his room, pissed off. Collapsing on his bed, Aomine thought of all the possible places Kagami could have disappeared to. Besides him, Kagami didn't really associate with anyone else their age considering that everyone annoyed him. Kagami also didn't have much interest in anything except...

Shit.

Aomine jumped up and ran over to his closet, grabbing clothes and other items to throw into a duffle bag. He couldn't believe it'd took him this long to think of this, but he also praised himself over even bothering to think this hard of his supposed friend's whereabouts. Kagami was an idiot if he thought he'd spend more than a day in that...in that slum.

He guessed that he should be partially blamed for influencing Kagami's decision to pursue his curiosity since he'd told him exactly what he thought of those Mutes without explaining why.

Aomine sighed, closing his closet, turning off the light in his room, and throwing the duffle's strap over his shoulder.

He would head back to the Silent Sanctuary for Kagami, but he wouldn't be tricked into trusting a Mute ever again.

6:35 PM

Aomine easily found the Silent Sanctuary.

When he was younger, him and his friend had met on the outskirts. His father had said his late mother had been an advocate for communication between Vocals and Mutes and therefore, he decided to bring Aomine to see the Silent Sanctuary. It hadn't been ten minutes before they'd gotten separated and Aomine had wandered off in search of his father, slightly teary-eyed.

It wasn't long before a Mute around his age had found him. Aomine had instantly become friends with the Mute, despite the lack of verbal communication.

He shook his head, bringing himself back to reality. That was in the past. That same Mute, who had become his best friend before long and eventually the person who he'd establish his first "crush" (if you would call it that) on, betrayed him. Just thinking about it made him want to turn around, but he was a better friend (kinda) than the Mute had been to him and so he wouldn't leave Kagami to be hurt by scum like Mutes.

Aomine walked straight through the Entrance without any trouble. The Silent Sanctuary had no need for protection from the Vocals, considering the average Vocal was scared of them.

He shuffled through the alley ways that he knew wouldn't be occupied by anyone at this time, choosing the discreet way to get to the main streets where he was sure Kagami would be wandering around, lost.

He fished his Messenger out of his duffle. Kagami hadn't answered earlier as was expected, but that didn't mean Aomine couldn't still hear the ring of it when he tried to call. He held the device away from his ear, called Kagami for the umpteenth time, and began to walk.

Same time.

After the impromptu "tour" Kuroko had given him, Kagami proceeded to follow Kuroko into a more public place, the Square. Basically a market, the Square included hundreds of small booths which advertised various items. There weren't many Mutes around since it was getting dark and most of the shops had closed. However, it amazed Kagami that the few Mutes who were purchasing things wrote down what they needed and continued to communicate with the shopkeeper in this manner. Everything seemed so different and yet so normal.

Kuroko shuffled into a rather large clothing shop, promptly writing down quick instructions towards Kagami. "I'll be right back. Stay here and don't speak."

Kagami scoffed quietly but said no more. Kuroko gave him a look that was akin to skepticism and turned away to enter the shop. Kagami turned his gaze back to the Square. In its own way, the Mute civilization was beautiful. In the middle of nowhere, they had built things like the Square and the Entrance which were amazing by themselves but even more amazing that they did so without any communication.

He sighed and pulled out his ignored Messenger. It'd been hours so the device was close to dead. He had at least eleven calls from Aomine and a couple from his parents, and although that was worrying, he had better things to do than bother with them. His curiosity in favor of the Mutes only grew with each minute and Kuroko was his ticket to fueling it. Only then would he return to the less interesting Vocals.

Ring.

His Messenger vibrated in his hand as it rung. Checking the screen, he seen it was Aomine again. He almost pressed ignore again.

Almost.

But then it was too late.

Hurried footsteps and seconds later, his said friend was standing in front of him, panting, his own Messenger hanging out of his hand. Kagami didn't even have time to gape or try to escape while he still could. Aomine smoothed his hair back, cursing. "Shit, what the hell were you thinking?!" he shouted. He ran up to Kagami, grabbing the red head by the collar. "Do you know where the fuck you are?"

Kagami didn't reply. Not just because Kuroko had told him not to speak for anything. Not just because they were causing a scene, making Mutes of all ages gather in the Square in shock. But because he couldn't. Aomine had warned him, had basically told him that the Mutes deserved all the hate they'd been getting, and yet he had ignored everything he said and ran away to the Silent Sanctuary. Kagami could basically feel whatever trust Aomine had for him draining away.

"Say something, you idiot!" Aomine shouted. "We're not like them! You don't belong here! Speak, Kagami!"

"I...," Kagami started. "I don't..."

Kagami couldn't speak. The Mutes closed in around them, their eyes boring into him as well as Aomine and he began to panic. The silence was deafening. Why didn't they speak? Why didn't they even try? His head began to spin. Maybe Aomine was right. Maybe they hated Vocals just as much as Vocals hated them. If that was the case, then what where they going to do to him and Aomine? He shouldn't have come here. He shouldn't-

Bang.

Kagami and Aomine as well as the crowd of Mutes turned to Kuroko who had dropped all of the clothing he had in his hands. For once, Kuroko was showing more than his "bored" expression on his face. But it wasn't directed towards him or Aomine like Kagami thought. Kuroko's eyes were focused on a child. A child of about four who was pulling on what Kagami presumed was his mom's sleeve, his mouth moving. Was he...speaking? Kagami couldn't hear what was being said (if anything was at all) because of the distance but Kuroko could apparently.

Kagami watched as Kuroko rushed forward and quickly used his notepad to communicate with the mother who quickly put her hand over her child's mouth. Immediately, Kagami's head was clear and he focused on his angry friend in front of him, eyes narrowed.

"And what the hell is going on, Kagami?" Aomine continued. "Did you make friends with them or something?"

Kuroko approached Kagami after the mother and her child had went on their way. Kagami noted to ask Kuroko about that later. "An acquaintance of yours, Kagami-kun?" he held up his notepad for Kagami to read.

"You could say that," Kagami sighed while pulling Aomine's hands off of him. "Kuroko, this bastard is Aomine Daiki. This is Kuroko Tetsuya, you asshole."

Aomine's eyes narrowed in Kuroko's direction. "A Mute?"

"Yes," wrote Kuroko. "It's nice to meet another Vocal."

Aomine scoffed. "It's not nice to meet another one of you bastards. Not only did you people ruin my life but now you're trying to ruin my friend's too? I wish I could say it was a pleasure but it wasn't, you fucking nuisance."

"Ah, um," Kuroko wrote. "How exactly did we ruin your life?"

"You're all the same," Aomine said. "No use talking to you."

He turned his back to Kuroko, cutting the conversation short. "Kagami, I don't know if you're coming with me or if you'd rather hang out with the lowest of the food chain, but you're welcome back home any time. And your home sure as hell ain't here."

With that, Aomine began to stalk off. "I'll be waiting at the Entrance."

Kagami stared after him. As soon as Aomine walked out of the Entrance without Kagami, that would be the end. Kagami would be giving up everything to a bought of curiosity. On the other hand, as soon as he left the Silent Sanctuary, that would be it. When his parents heard about this, they'd personally see to it that he never found his way to the Entrance ever again.

"Kuroko, what should I do?" he asked the silent boy next to him without realizing he had opened his mouth.

"Go home," Kuroko wrote. "We aren't worth it."

"But-," began Kagami.

"I'm not worth it," wrote Kuroko. "Don't give up your Vocal life for a friendship you've had for twelve hours."

"I'm not-."

"This is goodbye, Kagami-kun." Kuroko wrote and turned back in the direction of his home.

Kagami didn't stop him but as he turned around in the opposite direction to follow Aomine back to the Vocal Vicinity, he felt as if he just severed something important and surprisingly...

It hurt.

Author's Note: The OOC is strong. Let's see if you guys can figure out all of the foreshadowing and hints that I threw into this chapter. But yeah, do you guys hate me yet? I think I only update when I realize that people are still reading. I'm a horrible person, I know. I can promise you that I'll update after this chapter but I can't promise that it'll be before next year, haha...sorry, everyone. :

Nevertheless, thanks for the reviews, messages, favs, etc. I love you guys! :

Demure Dictionary

The Kagamis - Kagami's parents are constantly on various vacations that don't include their son. Aomine hates them for the fact that they don't really care about what Kagami does, but they do try to keep Kagami out of trouble when they are around.

The Aomines - Aomine's mother died when he was really young while his father is still alive. His mother was an advocate for peace between Vocals and Mutes while his father supported separation. However, in spite of this, he and Aomine still frequently visited the Silent Sanctuary when Aomine was young as a tribute to Aomine's late mother.

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