And its done! Hope you enjoy(ed) and see you at the bottom!

DISCLAIMER I DO NOT OWN KNB OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS

The fifth time that Kuroko stayed over was after he told the story of Teiko. Everyone left in groups or pairs. No one was heading in the direction of the phantom player. Kuroko had also stayed to help him clean up; which really wasn't needed but the red-head didn't mind having just a little bit of alone time with his shadow. It had been like that ever since they had woken up that morning and kissed.

They cleaned in silence but it was companionable; unlike after that game. Suddenly Kuroko spoke up. "Kagami-kun doesn't care if I spend the night?"

Kagami's mind flashed back to after they versed Aomine for the first time.

I don't like the dark!

Kagami still hadn't figured out if he meant literally or if he was continuing with the light and shadow metaphor. "Yeah; you can."

Kuroko looked incredibly relieved. He masked himself in his usual blank face before speaking once more. "I will get my shower then."

Kagami nodded. He went to his room to straighten the semi-permanent bed. It was the bed he made up for Kuroko but never got around to actually put it up.

While he was making the bed his mind was filled with the past few weeks. He and Kuroko were in this strange not quite platonic friendship. They hadn't officially started to date but it wasn't as if the kiss hadn't meant anything. In fact they had kissed several more time since then, and they hadn't been any less amazing.

The red-haired ace was also more aware of his shadow. He could tell when the other was in the same room as him or if the phantom player had left. He noticed the smallest details that people overlook.

Kuroko walked into his room sometime later, hair still slightly dripping, and wearing the baggy shirt.

"Your hair is still wet." Kagami muttered.

Kuroko shrugged.

"You'll get sick."

Another shrug.

"Come here and let me dry it."

There was silence before the other complied. Walking over to Kagami's bed, and sitting cross legged in the middle. Kagami rolled his eyes before he grabbed the discarded towel and sat directly behind the smaller male.

Slowly he began to rub the towel over Kuroko's hair, soaking up the water and messing up the already unruly hair. They sat in silence for another ten minutes, then it was broken by Kuroko.

"Kagami-kun?"

"Hmmm?" The other hummed.

"Can I sleep with you tonight?"

Kagami had to spend a few seconds dragging his mind out of the gutter. When he finally did, he was still blushing.

"Why?"

"I don't want to sleep alone tonight." Kuroko spoke bluntly, almost like he wasn't affected by the words he said. That was before Kagami noticed the tips of the phantom player's ears turning red.

He understood where the other was coming from, more or less. It had to have been difficult for Kuroko to divulge such personal information to so many people at one time. Not to mention how many painful memories he had to relive telling the story.

Kagami growled in his throat as he thought about how much pain the Generation of Bastards put Kuroko through his seventh and eighth grade years. Kuroko inclined his head towards Kagami, waiting for an answer.

"Do what you want." Kagami tried to act cool when his face was still lightly tinged in red.

Kuroko nodded, before he turned around and began to burrow himself in the covers. Kagami watched him amused before he turned off of the light and got under the covers himself. The moment he was situated Kuroko pulled himself as close as he could.

The phantom player threaded his legs through the larger male's. Small hands, for a basketball player's, gripped Kagami's shirt, and nestled his face into the ace's broad chest. Kagami for his part wrapped his arms around the smaller male protectively. They fell asleep rather quickly.

Kagami once again was up at an hour that nobody should be up at. It took him a few seconds to figure out what was disturbing his sleeping schedule. Sleep was still clinging to his consciousness but bolted when he felt trembling in his arms. He woke up fully.

Even when he's sleeping in my arms? Kagami wondered, turning his crimson gaze onto his shadow.

Sure enough the phantom player was curled up tightly, shaking, silent tears streaming down his face.

Kagami removed his hand from where it was resting comfortably on Kuroko's hip to swipe the tear trail. Kuroko leaned into his palm. There was something different about this nightmare though, this time Kuroko wasn't murmuring in his sleep, but was staying silent.

"Kuroko, wake up." Kagami said tiredly.

Nothing but more trembling.

Kagami shook the younger male this time while saying. "Wake up."

Still nothing but trembling.

"Hey!" Kagami raised his voice slightly.

When nothing seemed to be waking Kuroko up, Kagami inhaled; preparing for the hard smack he was going to receive from doing this. He leant down and placed his lips on Kuroko's.

It apparently worked as he felt the other stirring. A few more minutes and Kuroko was blinking at him. Probably blinking away the tears.

"Kagami?" The name was followed by a long yawn.

"Nightmare again." Kagami muttered, watching his shadow intently.

"Oh."

"What about?"

"Nothing."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because I was yawning."

"Trembling?"

"I was cold."

Kagami sighed in slight irritation. He knew that this conversation was going to go nowhere because Kuroko was being stubborn.

"I know when you're lying to me." Kagami tried once more.

Kuroko looked away; almost ashamed.

"Kuroko?" Kagami called gently. When he got no response he tried something completely different. "Tetsu?"

As expected baby blue eyes returned to him rather quickly. Surprise dancing in the normally blank voids.

"Please tell me what it was about. I'm worried about you."

Yes, Kagmai Taiga was begging. But it was true that he was worried about the smaller teen, they were partners and kind of dating after all.

"It's really not a big deal." Kuroko attempted to argue back.

Kagami shrugged. "Then you should have no problem telling me."

Kuroko watched him. "Kagami-kun can be smart sometimes."

Kagami arched a parted eyebrow, he had all night after all. He watched as Kuroko stared back in defiance for a few more seconds before he began to chew on his bottom lip, he noticed that the blue orbs were no longer staring at him finding the bed sheet to be rather interesting.

"I dreamt about you giving us up, because you realized how pathetic I am, and got tired of having to compete with the Miracles. You left through the front door and when I went to look for you, you were already in America again."

Seriously? How worried can this guy get?

"Why would you even think that?" Kagami asked seriously.

"You heard how it was at Teiko, I couldn't do anything." Kuroko mumbled.

It occurred to Kagami that nights like these were probably the most he ever heard Kuroko talk at once, to him at least.

"It's not that you couldn't. It's that you didn't realize that you could."

Kuroko arched an eyebrow at him.

"You were so hurt you couldn't think straight, but if you had really talked to Aomine, you could've got him to go to practice every day. The same with Kise and Murasakibara. They do listen to you."

Kuroko was about to speak but Kagami cut him off. "But that's in the past. Let me tell you one thing, I really don't know what this us is at the moment, but I wouldn't give it up for the world."

With that Kagami leant down and placed his lips to Kuroko's. "And you're not pathetic. So if I ever hear you say that you are, I won't forgive you."

"Your words contradict themselves, but I understand what you're trying to say." Kuroko mumbled resituating himself in his former position, curled up into Kagami's chest.

"You're lucky I'm tired otherwise I would've hit you."

All he got was a sleepy chuckle that turned into a light snore.

"You really are something." Kagami sleepily muttered. "But that's why I love you."

Because yes, this is love. Was Kagami's last thought before he followed his shadow into the world of peaceful dreams.

Hope you enjoyed this short little story and introspect into the finer dynamics of the progression of Kagami and Kuroko's relationship. I accomplished what I wanted to, and I didn't know how to end this, but it works. Leave your thoughts below. Later! ~IF