Recently, Kuroko no Basuke has been my fictional obsession, and I've been coming up with ideas for stories left and right, thought a few ( maybe most ) are inspired by other stories to the point where I would like to take the concept and write my own version of it — I'm not very good at being original! ( This is the part where I'm ashamed in the corner. ) The Weather Tomorrow was originally posted on AO3 ( Archive of Our Own ), but I decided that I should also share it here, too because my AoKuro feels are . . . intense; in one phrase, AoKuro fucking hurts, but I love it dearly and it's my newest otp. ( My otp after that is GoM x Kuroko because who doesn't like a male harem? )

This story is based on The Weather Tomorrow, a Kuroko no Basuke dōjinshi by guzari [ pixiv ID: 328608 ]. Her art style is just really wonderful, and everyone should definitely check her out!

Enjoy !

"At least you didn't call me here looking for absolution." Midorima Shintarō pushed his glasses up his nose, "I was thinking that I might hit you if you did."

A stunned, tanned face stared at him, but then scowled and huffed, looking out the window into the misty evening. "If I was gonna do that, I don't think I'd turn to you . . . Or any of the others." Aomine Daiki replied, resting his head on his arm that was placed in the crook of his neck, "I just . . ."

"You're waiting, right?" Midorima asked, "You're so hopeless, Ahomine."

Aomine scowled again at the name. Ahh, stupid Midorima. Why did I even call him here?! He thought to himself.

[ 雨の日 / AMEFURI NO HI / A RAINY DAY ]

It wasn't like I didn't feel awkward as hell, standing here next to him, but what could I do? Nothing, not without making a scene . . . It was still hard to believe that he came here, that he even remembered. Then again, it was him, and I'd put money on me forgetting before he did. Ahh, somehow, that made me feel pretty shitty.

The familiar sound of thunder rumbled on in the distance and I sighed. It'd been raining a lot lately, hadn't it? I listened to the train station intercom with my hands stubbornly shoved in my pockets, purposefully angling my body away from him. I felt bad enough, didn't I?

"It seems that the trains are going to be out of commission, Aomine-kun."

Hearing this makes me listen again to the intercom.

"Due to the weather, all lines are put to a stop. We're sorry for any inconveniences this might cause."

I sighed heavily and ran a hand through my hair. Great, now how was I supposed to get home? This station was too far away from my house. Damn, what a drag.

"What are you going to do, Aomine-kun?" he asked me, and I rubbed the back of my neck.

Without replying, I turned away from the crowd around one of the entrances of the trains, reaching into my bag to pull out an umbrella. Hopefully the wind wasn't blowing too much, but I doubted it. I opened it up and began walking out of the hub and up the stairs.

When I realized that footsteps weren't following me, I turned around, looking back to where we were standing, "Oi, Tetsu, aren't you co - "

"Aomine-kun, I'm right here."

I yelped and jumped back, my eyes frantically shooting to look at the spot next to me. Man, I can't believe he was still able to do that to me! Jeez, you'd think after three years of working together, I'd be completely immune to his weak presence, but . . . Well, the match against Seirin completely proved me wrong. I clicked my tongue at the thoughts and flashbacks that ran through my mind.

I looked to see if he was holding an umbrella or anything of his own, but then sighed when I didn't see one. "You're usually more prepared than me, Tetsu. Where's your umbrella?"

He glanced down at the ground and then back up at me, "I was planning on taking the train because . . ."

Right, right. I didn't forget, but still.

"But this is perfect, right? It's raining, and . . ."

He trailed off again.

He was right; it was perfect.

On rainy days, we'd walk. Sunny days, we road a bike together. Then there were the other times; the same train station, the same car, the same times . . . It wasn't like we planned it or anything, y'know? It just sort of formed, an unspoken routine that we kept to wordlessly. In the summer, it was ice cream. In the winter, it would be oden¹ instead. Weekdays had us riding the 9:30pm train, and then on the weekends, it would be the 7:30.

. . . And it would be like that, up until the day Tetsu quit the team.

Tetsu had been here though, just like he always would have been, back then, with me. As if I could ask him about something like that, though. It wasn't my place anymore to ask. Considering . . . Considering all things, it wasn't something either of us could easily bring up, like the weather.

"C'mon, before it gets too bad."

I ushered him under my clear umbrella that was just wide enough for the both of us, given that Tetsu had to stand so damn close. Damn him, and damn that scent that always seemed to follow him. The guy goes around smelling like vanilla all of the time – it even used to be like that back in our Teikō days. Murasakibara always said he was going to eat him, given the chance.

I coughed a little laugh, and Tetsu glanced oddly up at me.

Yeah, like I would let Murasakibara eat him before I did.

When we got outside and on the sidewalk, it looked like Tetsu wasn't the only person unprepared for the turn of weather, even though getting rain around this time of year wasn't really that unusual. The stifling, almost suffocating silence between us was pretty unbearable for me, and I hated it. We used to be able to talk so easily, used to be able to be in comfortable quiet so easily, and now here I was, acting like a complete ass and avoiding everything that needed to be said between us. I felt like I couldn't say anything so easily though, not with everything that happened . . .

I clicked my tongue again, not realizing it wasn't just a mental action.

"What's wrong, Aomine-kun?" he asks me, and I don't look down at him.

"Nothing." I say, copping out.

The rain around us is getting harder and heavier, and pretty soon I know that my umbrella will feel the force of it. A crack of thunder sounds off and I feel Tetsu pressing ever so slightly into my side. Right, I remember . . . He was scared of thunder, wasn't he? No one could really tell if they weren't paying attention ( not that most did ), but his facial expression would hint at a grimace every time there was a clap.

The wind was blowing harder now, and I sighed. "If we don't hurry, we're going to be trapped in this rain."

"I don't think we'll make it very far." Tetsu noted, and then looked off to the side. I followed his line of sight and he was looking at a playground, with a tunneled jungle gym that we could take shelter in.

Without thinking about it, I grabbed his hand and began to stride off in that direction. We could hole up there until it stopped raining. Before we could reach sanctuary, I accidentally lost control of my umbrella, resulting in the both of us getting a little more than soaked.

"Ahhchoo!"

I rubbed the towel into Tetsu's face that I draped over him while he leans into my shoulder. "C'mon, dry yourself off properly!" I chided, doing the job for him.

He sniffed and winced slightly, "Aomine-kun . . . That hurts, a little. Please be more gentle."

Feeling exasperated, I let go and look to the side, resting my chin in my hand. "Damn, this sucks!"

A moment of silence passed, and I'm suddenly aware that Tetsu is really leaning on my shoulder, breathing deeply. "Does it really?" he asks me, and I close my eyes, That was a good question; did it really suck, that I was here with him, stuck in this situation? Wasn't this something like I'd always wanted? The chance . . . to do what, exactly?

Brushing the thoughts of a chance away, I scowled, "'Course it does." I replied, and then another few silent moments passed. I can't let it keep going like this. It's annoying. "You're gonna be useless in practice if you let your body go bad. Dry off properly." I grabbed one of his wrists and placed his hand on his head, puppeteering him into a rubbing motion. He gives a little laugh that catches me off guard and I let go, eyes slightly widened.

The rain beats on the hollow plastic of the jungle gym, filling the void that I'm leaving. Why can't I just talk normally to him? What makes him so damned different from any of the others? Ahh. I can answer that. I can. I can. I know the answer. This . . . feeling . . . This thing that he makes me feel, it's different, and I know it's special. Being here, stuck in this place with him, being in such close proximity to him has made me come to see –

"I enjoyed myself."

The words filled the air around us, and I stop looking out of the tunnel.

"While we walked. It was nice, and . . . brought back memories."

Startled, I turn my head to face him, and we're so close that I can feel a warmth radiating off of his face and onto mine. Have I noticed that his eyes are so pale, so much like a misty sky's before? I've never thought about it. That his skin is so smooth-looking, so fragile, so much like a porcelain doll's? ( When the hell did I become such a fucking priss with descriptions? ) His eyes bore into mine, and I get the feeling that he's expecting something.

Ahh – . . . This is bad.

Our faces are at perfect angles. Holy shit, how did it end up like this? I leaned closer anyway. Closer. Closer. Until I can't stand it anymore, because I'm such a wimp. I completely turned away, looking out the tunnel again, and my hand is on his shoulder. I can feel his form slumping, as if disappointed. But I'm used to that, right? I'm always disappointing you, aren't I, Tetsu? Every missed practice, every careless word, every nap spent away from the court, every skipped training trip. Always disappointing him.

. . . And then I guess it just became too much for him, and I couldn't do anything to stop myself. I couldn't help that I was too good, that the only person who could beat me was me. I couldn't help that I was an unstoppable force – and finally . . . I couldn't help that I forgot how to catch his passes. I undid him. I undid what he was, and what his role was on the court – the most important place to the both of us, where we had done the most important things . . . Always disappointing you.

Ahh, I think to myself as I slid my hand up his shoulder, I'm going to regret this.

I whip around, slip my hand behind his head, furling my fingers into his soft, wet hair, pull him up to me, and then we're kissing — . . . it's this weird, soft, amazing, unreal, bright, dizzying, warm, ten thousand kinds of awesome that I can't even begin to explain – and it's just a kiss, no tongue or stuff like that . . . Because he's Tetsu, and I'm Daiki, and I can't bring myself to defile him like that. Haha. Even if my hand his running up his shirt as I pull away.

His expression is different, and he looks different. It's pretty rare to see an expression on Tetsu's face on such a scale as this one. His eyes are big, round, bright, shocked, and his face is actually pinking up, and we're both breathing fast, hard. I kiss him again, but this time it's more; more desperate, more hopeful, more intense, and the warmth between us grows gigantically in those few minutes.

Hey, hey, Tetsu . . . Can I tell you that maybe I've always wanted this? I've missed you. I'm sorry. To me, you're . . .

[ 霧の日 / KIRI NO HI / A MISTY DAY ]

"You're not very good at explaining things, are you?" Midorima commented, holding his bowl of rice in one hand and his thin chopsticks in the other, motioning them at Aomine. "I was right to peg you as the type that's bad with their feelings."

"Shut up." Aomine retorted childishly. "I'm trying, okay?" he added in a smaller voice, and then he sighed, turning his head to look out the window, "I just . . . The person that I like is not . . . normal, I guess. Like, I can't be too forward with them. I think it's more like I'm scared? Nervous. I don't know. They're kinda like . . . like fine china, y'know?"

Midorima looked thoughtful for a moment as Aomine rested his forehead on his forearm. "This isn't about Momoi, is it?" he asked, "Even though I never really thought you two were more than friends. Or ever could be. Then again, your compatibility is one of the highest on the charts . . ."

The other snorted. Weird Midorima and his crazy horoscope science. He didn't even think about Satsuki like that anyway; she was too overbearing and annoying. "Nah, it ain't her . . ." Well, when he thought about it, Tetsu did kind of stand in the same area as her . . . Then he thought about how much she prodded him about stuff and dramatically shoved that thought away. Bad, bad comparison! "Well . . . But this person is so important to me that it's pretty much like thinking about them when I'm jacking off, or wanting to make a move on them, or doing this and that . . . That kind of stuff is like, out-of-bounds."

The green-haired teenager had a moment of clarity, and then closed his eyes, "Ah, I see. This is about Kuroko, then." Aomine's head shot up, his mouth agape and his face astonished, and Midorima knew he'd hit the nail on the head. "You're not very good at this Aomine, and . . . Well, he's the only boy you're close to – as far as I know."

Aomine face-planted onto the table top, feeling completely sullen and petulant. Damn this guy. He thought to himself, closing his eyes tightly.

"Stop that, it's bad manners."

Bad manners, his ass!

"That brings us to a point," Midorima began, and Aomine shifted, head still on the table for a moment until he lifted it, "Have you made a move on him, yet?" he asked, pointing his chopsticks in the tanned teenager's direction.

Aomine stared at Midorima for a long moment, his eyes slightly widened at the question. It wasn't like he wanted to lie, but to be asked so directly . . . Well, it had been a few days since then, hadn't it? And it was all he could think about. That face, those lips, that warmth . . . His face relaxed and he looked completely nonchalant as he replied.

". . . Yeah."

Midorima pursed his lips and his face was rather serious. Long moments of silence passed before he replied, "You must be thrilled to be alive. I'm surprised he didn't punch you in the gut."

Off to the side, Aomine scowled and looked petulant, "It would be surprising if I did make it out of there unscathed. Heh." He patted his stomach, wincing a little.

A trail of quiet thoughtfulness followed.

"At least you didn't call me here looking for absolution." Midorima pushed his glasses up his nose, "I was thinking that I might hit you if you did."

A stunned, tanned face stared at him, but then scowled and huffed, looking out the window into the misty evening. "If I was gonna do that, I don't think I'd turn to you . . . Or any of the others." Aomine replied, resting his head on his arm that was placed in the crook of his neck, "I just . . ."

"You're waiting, right?" Midorima asked, "You're so hopeless, Ahomine."

Aomine scowled again at the name. Ahh, stupid Midorima. Why did I even call him here?! He thought to himself. Before he could think about the reason why, the green-haired boy said it himself.

"You were insecure about meeting Kuroko yourself, weren't you?" he asked, and Aomine's facial expression answered for him.

"W – Well, it's not that I'm meeting him, it's just that . . ." He knew that Tetsu would show up, just because it had been another one of those things from back then. "Ahh. I know that if I do this wrong, he'll start avoiding me. And I'm not really meeting him. More like -"

"Ambushing him?"

"Bullseye."

Aomine was clearly irritated by Midorima's right guess.

[ 嵐の日 / ARASHI NO HI / A STORMY DAY ]

He was practically sitting in my lap now, and I had my jacket draped over him. It was just like I remembered; he weighed next to nothing. A small part of me wondered if he was eating right and began to worry, but I couldn't bring myself to be more distracted because his lips were still locked to mine and everything was feeling hot, even if it was cold as hell around us.

I felt a little shameful at the pooling feeling in my lower stomach, but at this point, I stopped caring. Letting the feeling get the better of me, I bit his soft, lower lip and he let out an adorable, mewling cry of pain, his smaller hands fisted at my white shirt. I pulled back slightly and trailed my breathing down his neck until I was nipping at it, and with my other hand, drew up his shirt again, feeling the silky flesh of his flat stomach.

"A – Aomine-kun . . ." he lets out weakly.

". . . Sorry, Tetsu." I murmur against his neck. Even though I feel bad, I can't really stop myself. Everything feels like it's just crashing down around me, and I'm ready to break. He's here, in my arms, and there's everything in the world that I want to say to him, but nothing comes out that matters. "Don't you hate me, Tetsu?" Such a stupid thing to ask.

And when he doesn't reply immediately, it scares me, and my heart is beating a mile a minute, even faster than before. I begin to worry that I'm a complete dumbass and this was a complete dumbass move, and that I'm just the most stupid fuck to ever walk the earth. Even if he maybe, maybe, maybe would have felt that way in the first place, any traces of those feelings would have completely disappeared when he left Teikō, and I just . . . Ah, shit. I just couldn't stop disappointing him, could I?

Hey, Tetsu . . . I'm sorry.

"I could never hate Aomine-kun." he whispers, and I can feel his throat vibrating against my lips. "But . . . Ah, my stomach is cold . . ."

"Dammit!" What the fuck? Ahh, I just let that come out of my mouth so suddenly, and I don't even know why, "I know, I know . . . I know! I'm sorry . . ." I run one of my hands up his cool stomach, wishing I could warm him instantly.

What is wrong with me? I hug him, pull him closer, like he's just going to fade away, and there's nothing I can do about it – because he's a phantom, right? He's a shadow – my shadow. Shadows fade when the light isn't bright enough and I've dimmed down . . . a lot. He's going to fade away . . . He's not mine, not anymore, and it wasn't like I could ever keep a firm hold on him anyway. It was always up and down in those last two years. It was hard. I wasn't right.

Even after we got to high school, I was still never right. And whenever I saw him, it was just . . . It was hard. I looked down on him because it was the only thing I could do – and it wasn't his skill, because he's the most amazing basketball player ever, but his choice in school, and then there was that guy, and it felt like I was going to lose him forever, and there was nothing I could do about it, and . . . And . . . And . . . And.

"If I ate you, would you belong to me . . . ?" I wrapped my arms around him tighter, burying my face into his neck. Any minute now, he'll be gone. I'm goddamned helpless to stop it.

He let out warm breath against my shoulder, "Probably not." he replies, and it stings a little. He must think I'm stupid for asking that kind of question.

"What do I do, Tetsu . . . Should I tie you up? Keep you in a safe that only I can reach . . . I wish I could shrink you so that I could put you in my pocket. You would be with me, forever. You wouldn't have to wait for me, Tetsu. What do you think?"

Being with me all of the time, wouldn't you like that, Tetsu?

One of his thin arms wraps around my back and pulls me even more in, "I don't understand what you're trying to say, Aomine-kun."

This frustrates me. How many ways do I have to say it?! But then . . . I could say it every way, except for the right one – the one that would make the most sense, and he still wouldn't understand because that's just how Tetsu is. Direct, to the point, doesn't like beating around the bush, and I just can't . . . be that way. I think I'm scared? "You should really let me off easy, Tetsu . . . You're being so mean . . ." I whispered.

He sighs.

I need you to . . .

To understand just how important . . .

You're so incredibly important to me.

And yet, I can't . . . let you be defiled, because we both know, don't we, Tetsu? I'll just disappoint you again, won't I? But I can't help myself. I want you to be more than just a shadow to me, Tetsu. Come into the light with me, because you of all people deserve it. I want to lay my hands on you and share my warmth wherever you're cold. If you're mine again, Tetsu, I can do that, can't I? Won't you let me . . . I'm grateful to you.

You showed me a new path that I thought was long gone, and gave me back one of the things I loved the most in the world. Before that, it was just routine; I was decaying on the inside, and pretty soon, that Aomine Daiki would have died forever.

Just . . .

"Just how much have I been saved by you . . . ?"

[ 冬の日 / FUYU NO HI / A WINTER'S DAY ]

Midorima looked out the window just in time to see a small, coated-and-scarved figure walking amongst a crowd that didn't even know he was there. He put his hand up to the cold surface, "It seems the person you're waiting for is here."

"Hmm, he wouldn't get off here to come home from Seirin, would he?" commented the boy with glasses, looking out once more. "Maybe he's on his way back from training, or . . . Well, he also wouldn't stop here to go to Seirin, either." When he found he wasn't being replied to, he took a glimpse back at Aomine to see him slowly raise his hand and place two forefingers on the frosty, cold glass while wearing a dazed yet intense expression. "Aomine . . . ?"

Clearly, Midorima wasn't being paid much attention to anymore. The expression on the tanned teenager's face was intense, and his eyebrows were knitted together, but the overall look was definitely longing, Midorima decided. He was completely struck by Kuroko, and was at a loss for what to do.

If I don't tell him now, I might never get the chance again. I might lose him.

Aomine's tanned fingers trailed over Kuroko's small and distant figure from the window, water droplets being left in their stead.

Midorima wasn't sure if he could believe his eyes or not, but then he sighed, pulled off his glasses, and began to clean them. "Ah, I don't need to see this." he murmured, and somewhere in between everything, he faded into the background.

Just as he had said those words though, on the outside, Kuroko had turned around and found Aomine's eyes from inside the restaurant, a peculiar look on his face.

- - - • - - - • - - - • - - - • - - - • - - -

In the snowy evening, two bundled-up teenagers walked along the empty, slightly-iced sidewalk, side by side. For a long time, the only sounds were the blowing of the wind and their feet clicking along the icy concrete.

Eventually, Kuroko broke the silence. "I was surprised . . . To see Aomine-kun with such a strange expression as soon as I looked back."

". . . Yeah."

"Isn't it also strange for you to be hanging out with Midorima-kun?"

". . . Yeah."

Kuroko glanced sidelong at his companion, curiosity lining his features. "What were you two talking about?"

Aomine closed his dark blue eyes and sighed. He knew that Kuroko wouldn't want him to not answer, and there was pretty much no way around it now. ". . . About Tetsu." he replied plainly, and they continued to walk as he went on, "He got mad at me, I think, but I don't really know why."

"What did you say to him?" the smaller teenager asked, and a few moments later, found himself running into his friend's back, who had suddenly stopped.

Flurries of snow danced to the ground around them as the wind became less harsh. Aomine decided that if he was going to do or say anything, it was either now or never. He grasped onto Kuroko's thin wrist, "Just listen where you're standing . . ." he began slowly, trying to find his voice properly. He gained a little confidence when Kuroko leaned his forehead onto his back, and then took a breath, "About before . . . I'm sorry."

Against the warmth of his back, under the warmth of his grasp, Kuroko's pale eyes widened at the apology.

"You know that I've never been good with feelings or words, or stuff like that. I'm not the romantic type or anything, and . . . with you, it's even more hard because I still can't tell what you're thinking, no matter how much I try. You said no before, but I really do wonder if you hate me, Tetsu . . . For every stupid thing that I've ever done. I was always letting you down, wasn't I?"

He didn't expect the other to answer, so he continued.

"I . . . have probably liked you since middle school." he finally confessed, his voice quiet, "I get anxious when you're not near me, and I don't like it when you hang out with other guys . . . That really irritates me. And I miss you, Tetsu. A lot. I'm not sure if you . . . if you know how much it bothers me that things aren't . . ." Ahh, he was really starting to choke up now, "They aren't the way they used to be. It's nightmarish, really. All this guilt eating me. All I ever did was let you down, and I'm sorry."

Finally, he had gotten everything out. Well, mostly, anyway.

"And to be honest, I . . . I really want to do it with you!"

. . .

The words came out like a gunshot, and rather comically too. In all of two seconds, the atmosphere was ruined with Aomine opening his big mouth like that. Kuroko wasn't pleased. ". . . Did you really have to spoil it like that?" he asked, feeling exasperated and irked.

Aomine didn't seem to catch the cue, "Ahh, Tetsu, I really want to do you – "

"If you don't keep your voice down, I will punch you."

It was quiet again, and the atmosphere returned to its previously heavy state. Aomine looked up at the dark, cloudy sky, his eyes distant. "Hey Tetsu . . . I like you." he murmured, and then looked to the ground with glossy eyes, "So please, Tetsu . . . Like me, too."

Kuroko leaned his head even more onto Aomine's back, pressing his face into it and inhaling the familiar, comfortable earthy scent and warmth. All of his irritation was fading away with the feeling of a giant weight being lifted from his shoulders. A rosy blush colored his pale cheeks and he closed his eyes, letting out a little sigh of hot breath, "Daiki is as stupid as always . . ."

His small form was suddenly tugged on as Aomine adjusted his his larger hand to grasp onto Kuroko's, causing the blue-haired boy to exclaim, and then he was being pulled along the icy side walk. He quickly shuffled his feet to keep up, and then gazed up at the back of the taller teenager's head.

"Let's go home."

"Wait – Aomine-kun . . ." Kuroko let out, wincing at the odd position of his hand and wrist, "Aomine-kun, please let go of my hand." he asked.

The other didn't receive the request very well, "As if, moron! You might disappear!"

The quiet fell again as Kuroko realized the heaviness of those words, and his face softened.

"Please, take my other hand instead."

[ 黒子のバスケ• 天候明日 / KUROKO NO BASUKE • THE WEATHER TOMORROW ]

Maybe you underestimate just how kind you are. Perhaps you haven't thought about it . . .

I . . . was cold and weak until I had met you. This fleeting shadow that is me, isolated from everyone who wouldn't pay me an ounce of attention . . . In retrospect, perhaps I did mind that fact more than I let on, especially when such a burden was lifted by you, and your hands . . .

These hands that touch me, and warm me, little by little; these hands that forcefully drag me into the light.

. . . Just how much have I been saved by you?

¹oden: A Japanese Winter dish.

Thanks for reading, and please leave a review. Be expecting more Kuroko no Basuke stories somewhere in the . . . far-ish future. Ahh, I'm not very good with keeping my word, though. Edited August 23rd.

I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.