I Never Explained The Story Title
Someone had asked a while back why I used the name Diagnosis, so I gave them a similar explanation to this. It was a bit clearer with the old summary being a hospital scene, but now it’s probably really obscure. O)-(
The name Diagnosis was actually a last minute choice. At first it was called ‘O Light’ after a song by Kikuo (an amazing producer btw) and drawing a bit of inspo from the song Fix You by Coldplay, but I changed my mind literally right before posting. Long story short, this is kind of a fix-it fic. There are a lot of stories where the GoM reconnect, but I’ve rarely seen people address Teiko Era beyond ‘Sorry we were jerks.’ I really wanted to explore the characters, their relationships with Tetsuya, and possible subtle effects of their time in Teiko. I want them to have real, in-depth conversations with each other and continuously work to repair their friendships rather than having one apology mend it all. Tetsuya will have some wrongs to right himself. I also really wanted to see the GoM repay Kuroko’s kindness and learn to support each other in times of need, even outside of basketball.
This isn’t just about the GoM though. His friends at Seirin are basically a control sample. His bonds with them are pretty much the healthiest he has, so he learns to notice when he’s been slighted by their reactions.
Abuse is a really common trope in whump fics, and I’m not saying these kinds of situations don’t happen, but abuse isn’t always about the balding pot-bellied monster who beats his family for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; then forces the victim to limp to school with a concussion and both arms broken. I want to make a point about escalation, cause and effect, the cycle of abuse and other factors that make bad situations turn dangerous. Emotional abuse and neglect are just as horrible and I want demonstrate that the power of friendship can’t instantly fix psychological damage either.
TL;DR It’s called Diagnosis because the story is about identifying issues in Kuroko’s mentality and interpersonal relationships. Once these issues are identified, Tetsuya then works towards seeking help to fix them. I just hope I’m not biting off more than I can chew though…
