The tension between the two council members stayed heated, untouched, and for who knows how long — irrevocably silent that everybody around them thought they despised each other. It wasn't entirely false. Maybe that 'hate' was something much deeper.
Good evening, to whom this may concern.
I've wrote this email to you in regards to an incident that had happened between us this semester. One that included proximity too intimate for two colleagues.
I sincerely apologize — that line of action from you must have stemmed from something I had did — that served solely as punishment. I am aware that our partnership, from the outside, looks like it threatens your position as the President of the Council.
I assure you — you are, and will stay — the Saikou Heiress, the President, and the leader we all look up to.
I will stay as your vice president in command, yours truly.
To my dear, superior: Saikou, Megami.
"My dear, superior."
Was it an accidental mis-click for you to add a comma before the word 'superior?' Or had you meant it, Kamenaga?
Throughout all these years, I have seen you as an equal, my right hand in command, a.. partner. In a colleague point of view.
That show of intimacy was not a punishment. You must hate me that much to see my love as punishment, Vice President.
I kissed you because I wanted to. I look at you and I do not see someone below me, I see someone who is fully capable of holding her place.
I had always admired that aspect of you, Kuroko.
I always had.
Do not take my affection as a sign of pity.
I want you to take it as wholeheartedly, and as pure as possible. What tension between us has always been a taut string, and I've been destined to break it.
Signed by yours, truly: Saikou, Megami.
Kagami didn’t mean to get so drunk, really. It’s just that Alex had bought alcohol, and Himuro was some kind of magical bartender, mixing gin slings (why had Alex bought gin? Who drinks gin?) like it was second nature to him. He’d had beer a couple times before, also courtesy of Alex, and knew that he could handle about four drinks with no real problem. Call him a lightweight, but at least he knew his limits.
It turns out, beer drinks and gin drinks are very different. Kagami found himself uncomfortably drunk. Sloppily drunk. Just a real mess of a drunk.
“Taiga, are you okay?” Himuro asked.
Kagami blinked slowly. “Mistakes were made.”
Himuro frowned. “I should have cut you off.”
“Bros don’t let bros get sloppy drunk,” Kagami said, frowning right back at him.
“You are remarkably self-aware,” Himuro said.
Kagami was beginning to wonder how much Himuro had imbibed himself. His voice was about the same, but his movements were a little slower than his usual lightnihg-quick reflexes. “I miss Kuroko,” Kagami said. He plopped down on the couch and frowned harder.
“Taiga. He’s right there.”
Kuroko was either smarter than Kagami, more skeptical of Himuro’s bartending skills, or wasn’t a fan of gin (which probably also fell under “smarter than Kagami”), because he was still stone-cold sober.
Kagami looked over at Kuroko and his face lit up. Kuroko was standing across the room, deep in conversation with Kiyoshi and Furihata.
“Kuroko!” he yelled across the room. “Come here!”
Kuroko made his excuses and hurried over to check on Kagami. “Kagami-kun, are you all right?” he asked when he got there.
“I’m drunk,” Kagami said. “Tatsuya poisoned me.”
“I am pretty sure you poisoned yourself,” Kuroko said. “It’s the alcohol, you see. You drank a good bit of it.”
“I drank a perfectly normal amount for a big guy. But then…Now I’m drunk.”
He wasn’t the only one. Kuroko looked over to where Murasakibara was asleep on the floor. But then again, Murasakibara was known for consuming anything that got near him, and he’d been able to pregame by charming his boyfriend into giving him drinks for “practice bartending.” He also noticed that Kiyoshi was flushed and grinning more than usual.
And then there was Akashi.
He walked over to Kuroko and slung an arm around his shoulders.
“Kuroko! Is everything all right?”
He grinned at him and Kagami.
“Kagami! Are you all right? You look a bit out of sorts. Is there anything I can do?”
“I’m drunk,” Kagami said. He frowned at Akashi. “You’re drunk.” Kagami did a lot of frowning while he was drunk, it seemed.
“I may have imbibed, yes,” Akashi said. “You’re one to talk. You seem pretty out of it.” He moved from where he’d draped himself around Kuroko to put a hand on Kagami’s head. “I don’t say this enough, but I value your friendship. I hope that you are not overly intoxicated.”
Kagami looked at Kuroko in horror. “Who is this, and what has he done with Akashi?”
Kagami looked around the room, desperately wishing for someone to come disentangle the obviously very drunk Akashi from them. His eyes landed on Midorima, who was tangled up with Takao on the couch.
“Oi!” Kagami yelled. “Keep your shirt on!”
Midorima sat up, blushing furiously. “Takao I told you—”
“Loosen up,” Takao said. “It’s a party! Don’t be so serious all the time.”
Takao was bright red for another reason: the gin slings. He climbed out of Midorima’s lap and took a sip of one.
“Do you regret the chaos you’ve unleashed?” Kagami turned and yelled at Himuro, who was attempting to rouse his giant boyfriend.
“Yes. Yes I do.”
“Do you regret it enough to not get us drunk next time?”
Himuro grinned. “Absolutely not.”
“Don’t worry so much,” Akashi said. “Everything is going to be fine.”
Kagami turned to Kuroko. “I’m going to wake up to a bunch of hungover Miracles in my apartment, aren’t I?”
“Absolutely, yes you are.” Kuroko said. “You should have asked me that before you let Himuro-kun start mixing drinks.”
“To be fair, it’s not like he actually asked me. He just shoved one in my face, like ‘here, Taiga, drink this Taiga’ and then suddenly there was Seirin and the entire Generation of Miracles in my apartment drunk off their multicolored asses.”
“Well I hope that you are able to get them all out of your apartment tomorrow with minimal property damage,” Kuroko said, holding back laughter.
“Why aren’t you drunk, anyway?” Kagami asked. “You’re so tiny. Real tiny. Bet you’re a total lightweight. I bet I could bench-press you. Why haven’t I tried to bench-press you, Kuroko?”
“Please do not.”
“Here, c’mere. Why haven’t I tried to lift you? I wanna lift you. I wanna do lots of things.”
“Kagami-kun, please come with me,” Kuroko said. “Before you embarass yourself in front of everyone.”
“Am I embarassing you?” Kagami asked.
“Not yet,” Kuroko said. “But I suspect you are about to, and I am concerned you may say something you’d rather not say in front of Akashi.”
Akashi waved lazily from where he’d returned to being wound around Kuroko’s neck.
“So those two get to suck face all they want and I can’t say nothing?” Kagami asked. “All I was gonna say is you’re nice, and pretty, and—”
“And taking you outside!” Kuroko finished.
Kise wolf-whistled as Kuroko disentangled himself from Akashi, grabbed Kagami’s wrist, and dragged him outside onto the balcony.
“I was just gonna say you smell nice,” Kagami said.
Kuroko turned red enough that if Kagami didn’t know better, he’d think he’d been drinking too.
“So why are you sober anyhow?” Kagami asked.
“I thought that someone had to be,” Kuroko said, shrugging. “I have seen my friends drunk before and it is not a pretty picture, overall.”
Kagami thought back to the scene in his apartment and nodded.
“Fair enough,” he said. “But next time you’re getting drunk. ‘S not fair I’m the only one thinking ‘bout how nice you are, and pretty, and handsome, and…” he trailed off. “Lotsa stuff.”
“Thank you, Kagami-kun.”
“No, no, no,” Kagami said. “Call me Taiga. We’ve been through more ‘n enough for that.”
“You’re very welcome,” Kagami said. “The most welcome. You deserve all the nice compliments and things. People should be nicer to you, Kuroko.”
“You can call me Tetsuya,” Kuroko said in a moment of impossible courage.
“Tetsuya,” Kagami said. The flush on his face wasn’t only from the alcohol. “People should be nicer to you.”
“I think they just don’t notice me,” Kuroko said.
Kagami’s frown deepened. “Well they should. Because you’re the best. And I really like you.”
Kuroko smiled. “Thank you, Kaga—Taiga-kun.”
Kagami shook his head. “No, you don’t get it. I like you, Tetsuya.”
“You…” Kuroko’s eyes widened, but he rearranged his face into a mask of impassivity. “Are you sure you want to do this while you’re drunk?”
“I sure as hell wasn’t gonna do it sober,” Kagami said. “So I’ll do it drunk if I have to.”
“You better remember this tomorrow,” Kuroko said.
“Aren’t you going to respond to my confession?” Kagami said. His frown returned. “Unless… Oh no. Did I ruin everything? Did I ruin our friendship? Do you not like me? I hoped you did, but I should have known that there was no way you could—”
“Stop talking, K—Taiga-kun,” Kuroko said. “Please. You’re working yourself up.”
“But I ruined our friendship! Please just let me be friends with you, even if you don’t l—”
“I love you,” Kuroko said. Even he was shocked by how frankly the words came out, and stone-cold sober to boot.
“You what?” Kagami said. “You…really?”
“I love you, Taiga-kun. I have since the day we first played Kaijo.”
Kagami stared at Kuroko with something that looked a lot like wonder.
“Can…can I kiss you?” he asked.
“You’re drunk,” Kuroko said. “Your breath smells like a still and I can’t kiss you knowing you might regret it tomorrow.”
“I’m not going to regret it tomorrow,” Kagami said.
“I hope not,” Kuroko said. “But still. You’re drunk. I’m not going to kiss you.”
Kagami wrapped Kuroko in his arms. “Well, I can still do this.”
He pulled Kuroko close and nestled his head on top of Kuroko’s, pressing a kiss to pale blue hair.
“I love you, Tetsuya,” he said. “Can I kiss you tomorrow?”
Kuroko smiled. “Of course you can. If you still want to kiss me in the morning, you can kiss me as much as you want.’
Kagami pushed Kuroko back and looked him in the eyes, holding onto his shoulders.
“All I want? Really?”
“All you want. Really.”
“Pinky swear?” Kagami said, holding up his pinky.
Kuroko smiled. “Pinky swear.” He linked pinkies with Kagami and Kagami shook their hands.
“You two making out out there?” Aomine said, pushing the door to the balcony open. “You better be, dipshits. Stop pining and—” He looked at Kagami and Kuroko staring into each other’s eyes, grinning, and grimaced. “Okay, I didn’t actually mean it!”
“Midorima-kun is making out with Takao-kun and you did not protest.” Kuroko shrugged.
“That’s because he’s a kissy drunk and I don’t want him kissing me.”
“Wait, are we going to make out?” Kagami said.
Aomine gaped at them. “Wait a second. You mean you actually— I mean, you really—Good on you, Tetsu!”
“Actually, Taiga-kun was the one to confess,” Kuroko said.
“Wow, first names and everything,” Aomine said. “What’d I miss? Wait, actually, don’t tell me.”
“I got drunk, I confessed, K—Tetsuya confessed back, and now we’re—wait, Tetsuya. What are we?”
“Boyfriends, I think?”
“Well we sure aren’t girlfriends,” Kagami said, grinning. “Now we’re boyfriends, and Tetsuya said that tomorrow I can—”
Kuroko slapped his hand over Kagami’s mouth. “Make yourself a nutritious breakfast to stave off the hangover!”
“You’re going to make out,” Aomine said. “Thanks for sharing, gross, I hate it.”
“Stop trying to pick fights over me,” Kuroko said. “It’s childish and embarassing and Aomine-kun doesn’t see me like that anyway.”
“He’s just jealous that I won,” Kagami said. “Who wouldn’t see you like that?”
Kuroko shrugged. “Most people.”
“Well, they’re all clueless,” Kagami said. “I don’t know why they wouldn’t see in you what I see in you.” He wrapped Kuroko back up in his arms.
“Welp! That’s enough of this absolutely cavity-inducing public display of intense devotion for me,” Aomine said. “I’m going back to where the worst display of affection is Midorima and Takao sucking face on the couch.”
“Oh gross,” Kagami said. “Tetsuya is way cuter than that.” He kissed Kuroko’s hair again, and Kuroko beamed.
“Wait a second,” Kagami said. “That’s my couch. This is my apartment!”
“Good job, Bakagami,” Aomine said. “This is your apartment.”
“Well I’d prefer they don’t make out on my couch!”
“Would you prefer they make out on your floor? Because I don’t think you should be encouraging them to get any more horizontal than they already are.”
“Tetsuyaaaaa,” Kagami whined. “Will you kick your friends out of my apartment?”
“Fine,” Aomine said. “I get the hint. I’ll leave you lovebirds alone.”
“First,” Kuroko said as he closed the balcony door,” they’re your friends too.”
“They’re your friends when they’re being shitheads.”
“Second, how do you expect them to get home when they’re this drunk?”
“Let overly-affectionate Akashi figure it out. He’s resourceful. I’m sure he can handle it.”
“Third, what about Himuro-kun? Who all am I kicking out of your apartment?”
“He’s got a place to stay! He and his giant boyfriend can stay there!”
“So you want everyone gone?”
Kagami pouted. “It’s too loud and I just want to go to bed.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Kuroko said, “But Murasakibara-kun might be hard to wake up. Then I’ll head home so you can get some rest.”
“No,” Kagami said, catching Kuroko’s wrist as he turned to go inside. “Stay.” He looked at Kuroko pleadingly. “Snuggle.”
Kuroko turned around and went inside at lightning speed. “All right!” he said, louder than Kagami had ever heard him. “Everybody out! Wake up and go home!”
“But Kuroko—” Akashi said from where he’d wrapped himself around Kise. Kise was just standing there talking to Kiyoshi, completely disregarding the koala clinging to his side.
“But Kuroko nothing,” Kagami said, coming in from the balcony. “It is cold out there and I want to go to bed!”
He took Kuroko’s hand and Kise’s gaze almost visibly zoomed in on the two of them.
“Wait,” he said. “You two…finally?”
Kagami nodded, and cheerfully said, “Get out of my apartment so I can cuddle my boyfriend.”
This wasn’t exactly how they’d envisioned making the announcement, and he was pretty sure some of them wouldn’t remember it tomorrow. But it was a good way, anyway.
Eventually they were able to sweep the last few stragglers out of his apartment. Kiyoshi, who somehow became even jollier when drunk, volunteered to stay and help until everyone was left, and then started cleaning up a bit before he gave them each a long, warm hug goodbye, congratulating them enthusiastically on their newfound relationship, and headed out. It was definitely the second-best hug Kagami had had in a long time, first place obviously going to the hug he'd given Kuroko after they’d confessed to each other.
“So,” Kagami said once the door closed behind Kiyoshi. “Snuggles?”
“Snuggles,” Kuroko said, nodding. “But brush your teeth first.”
“Yes sir!” Kagami said, making for the bathroom. “Did you bring your pajamas?”
“I have no idea where my bag went in the chaos,” Kuroko confessed.
“That’s fine,” Kagami said. “You can wear some of my stuff.”
He secretly thrilled at Kuroko wearing his clothes, though he wouldn’t admit it out loud. He turned from his current trajectory towards the bathroom and went into his room, where he rummaged through the drawers to find some basketball shorts he’d worn in middle school and a t-shirt that would be too large on Kuroko by far. He handed them to Kuroko, grabbing a set of pajamas of his own, and went to brush his teeth.
“You can change while I’m in the bathroom,” Kagami said. “If you like. Or you can change in the bathroom when I’m done.”
Kuroko nodded. “Thank you, Taiga-kun.”
Kagami brushed his teeth and changed into his own pajamas.
“You know where your toothbrush is?” Kagami said, walking out of the bathroom to find Kuroko still in his own clothes. At some point, Kuroko had stayed over enough times that it made more sense to just leave him a toothbrush at Kagami’s. Plus, it made Kagami’s toothbrush look a little less lonely in the holder to have a blue one beside it.
Wow. That was pretty gay of him, in retrospect. Then again, he was gay, so what harm was it, really? And besides, it’d paid off. Because Kuroko would be more comfortable tonight. While they shared a bed. And cuddled.
He was going to have to send Himuro a fruit basket for getting him drunk enough to admit his feelings.
“I know,” Kuroko said, and smiled at Kagami. “You get situated, okay? I’ll be right back.”
Kagami climbed into bed and yawned. He carefully situated himself, leaving enough space for Kuroko. He wondered if Kuroko would want to be the big spoon or the little spoon. Their sizes said little spoon, but was Kuroko really a little spoon kind of person? Kagami mused about it until Kuroko opened the door to the bedroom, dressed in Kagami’s clothes.
“You look nice,” Kagami said, face red again. He did. There was something primal in Kagami’s gut that was soothed by seeing Kuroko wearing his clothes, the shirt hanging off his shoulders and exposing his collarbones.
Kuroko ducked his head. “Thank you.”
He climbed into bed next to Kagami, who asked, “How do you want to do this?”
Kuroko situated himself so his head was resting on Kagami’s chest, and pulled one of Kagami’s arms so it wrapped around him.
“That’s very nice,” Kagami said, “Thank you.” He mentally smacked himself for how he must have sounded. Thanking his boyfriend for cuddling with him? “Please don’t judge me Tetsuya; I am still so drunk right now.”
“I know,” Kuroko said, and stretched up to peck his cheek. “You’re doing amazing.”
Kagami blushed. “Thank you,” he said. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Taiga-kun,” Kuroko said. He reached over and turned off the light. “Rest time now.”
“Sweet dreams, Tetsuya,” Kagami whispered.
“Sweet dreams.”
The next morning, Kagami woke to an empty bed, and wondered if it was all an elaborate dream. Then the sunset his his eyes and he grimaced, distracted from his thoughts by the pain.
“Good morning, Taiga-kun,” Kuroko said quietly, walking into the room holding a water bottle and two asprin.
“I love you,” Kagami said, popping the asprin into his mouth and swallowing them. “You’re so good to me.”
“You deserve it,” Kuroko said. “I made breakfast?” He phrased it as a question, in case Kagami didn’t feel up to it.
Kagami’s stomach rebelled at the thought of food, but he knew that he’d feel better once he got something in him.
“You’re an angel.”
“I thought I was a phantom,” Kuroko said.
“You can be more than one thing. Like I’m a basketball star and a lovestruck idiot.”
“Is that so?” Kuroko said.
And then Kagami remembered something that made it worth it to fight through the pain.
“You said I could kiss you in the morning,” Kagami said.
“I did,” Kuroko said.
“It’s morning,” Kagami said.
Kuroko sat down on the bed and leaned down over Kagami.
“It is.”
Their faces were so close together, close enough that the slightest movement would let their lips meet.
Summary: Based on the prompt: Person A is Person B’s guardian angel. As kids, they used to look out for each other and be best friends, but only B could see them and feel them... (click for full prompt)
Author’s notes: It turned out a bit different than the prompt though, sorry. Haha, please enjoy :) You can also view it in [ao3] and [ffn]. If you like it then please leave comments, kudos on archive and or ffn. Thank you!
Am I Real Enough For You?
“Why am I the only one who can see you?” Kagami Taiga, five-years-old, asks as he chews on the ear of his stuffed rabbit. He turns big eyes towards the light haired angel beside him.
Kuroko Tetsuya looked like a kid but his age was measured differently in angel years. The time in heaven passes differently from earth and it couldn’t be measured in years, not exactly. And angels grew not on time, but based on their experiences and skills. Still, if humans were able to see him, Kuroko physically looked like he and Kagami were close in age.
The young angel hums and leans against Kagami. Though he was light, Kagami still squirms and pushes him away to lean against the wall instead. When the baby angel did so, the red head pushes his stuffed rabbit on Kuroko’s side and then sprawls over his two most favourite playmates. Kuroko didn’t mind, it was warm.
“Why?” Kagami pouts up close, eyebrows scrunched together and Kuroko blinks at him.
“Light,” Kuroko tilts his head. “You’re my light, Shirogane-san told me.”
“Light?” Kagami repeats, eyes wide. “Like the sun?”
Kuroko thinks about that and then speaks, “Brighter than the sun I think? You’re special,” the angel says quietly, “That’s why you can see me. You believe in me and it makes you special. Shirogane-san says our special people are our light.”
“Okay,” Kagami flops on the smaller kid, snuggling closer. Then he asks in a muffled voice, “Does that make you my light?”
“I’m your shadow,” Kuroko corrects, not caring that Kagami was basically smothering him, he was an angel after all. He could take it if it meant he was always warm like this. “I’ll always be beside you and I’ll protect you and I’ll help you be what you want to be.”
“I want to be a NBA player like the one on t.v.” Kagami yawns, eyes closing. “Or… or a fireman.”
“Okay,” Kuroko snuggles in closer, “whatever you want to be.”
Kagami mumbles and turns sleepy red eyes at the other, “Tell me a story?”
“A fairy tale?” Kagami nods at his side, “What about?”
“About you, about angels…” Kagami grumbles sleepily.
“Okay,” Kuroko thinks and then says, “Have you heard the story…”
Kagami closes his eyes.
“…about an angel who…”
He falls asleep.
“-gami! Kagami!”
Thee redhead flinches and looks up at the first year trio from his basketball team. They had his desk surrounded and were looking at him in various degrees of worry.
“You almost slept through lunch,” Kawahara explains his reason for waking him up, “You okay?”
The red head pinches the bridge of his nose, trying to wake himself up, “Yeah, just couldn’t sleep well last night.”
Furihata frowns at him, “Why? We don’t have any games coming up and from what I saw at training camp, you can sleep anywhere.”
“Weird dreams.” Kagami shakes his head and stretches his arms.
“Nightmares?”
“Nah, just stuff,” Kagami vaguely explains, before he gets up and yawns again. “I’ll go buy something from the cafeteria before the bell rings.”
“You have ten minutes!” Fukuda yells after him. Kagami waves at them in thanks as he makes his way out of the classroom.
Kagami-kun.
The redhead turns abruptly, eyes wide, but the halls were basically deserted since classes were about to start. Kagami shakes his head and slaps his face a bit to wake up. He keeps walking feeling uncertain.
It would’ve been more worrisome if he’d seen something. If he did see something then he was halfway to being crazy.
After all, Kuroko was nothing more than a child’s imaginary friend.
“I’m getting worried. He’s ten, shouldn’t he have moved on from having imaginary friends?” Kagami hears his mother argue with his father out in the living room.
“You’re thinking of booking another appointment, aren’t you?”
“There’re some good therapists in New York.” Kagami’s mother insists, “I don’t want my son to grow up crazy.”
His father sighs, “He’s not crazy, he’s just a kid. He’ll grow out of it. You’re traumatizing him with all these visits to the doctor.”
“That’s easy for you to say when you’re rarely home and you don’t have to pretend with him!”
Their voices were getting louder and Kagami crawls under his bed, covering his ears.
“Kagami-kun,” Came a soft voice from beside him. Kagami sniffles, too sad to be surprised.
“Kuroko, I don’t want to go to the doctor again.” Kagami whispers.
Kuroko doesn’t say anything, blue eyes sad.
“They keep telling me you’re not real. They said you’re imaginary, that you’re all in my head.” Kagami continues, eyes locked on the floor.
Kuroko shakes his head, he seems almost luminous in the dark. He was like Kagami’s own personal nightlight. “You know that’s not true. Remember how I helped protect you from that dog? I’m real.”
Kagami closes his eyes, “But if you are, then why can’t anybody else see you?”
“Because you’re special,” Kuroko explains, eyes sincere. “You’re my light.”
Kagami doesn’t look at him, he turns instead to look at his closed door where his parents were still arguing. “Or maybe I’m crazy.”
“Kagami-ku-”
The redhead starts to tremble, he really wanted his stuffed rabbit back but his mother told him he was too old to sleep with stuffed animals, just like how she told him he was too old to have imaginary friends. Because, maybe that was what Kuroko was all along... Not an angel like he said, but an imaginary friend, something Kagami made up in his mind because he didn’t have any friends back then.
“Don’t think about that right now,” Kuroko tells him, a sad smile on his face. “Let’s play instead or we can tell stories. I can tell you that fairy tale again, you know the one about the angel who-”
“Kuroko,” The tone in Kagami’s voice stops Kuroko’s words. The angel could feel heavy dread weighing on his chest. “Maybe mom’s right.” Kuroko’s breath hitches and he starts to shake his head. “Maybe I just made you up because I didn’t have any friends. But I have a friend now. I’m not lonely, I have mom and dad and- and I even have a few friends now…” Kagami stutters as he breathes, “Kuroko, I don’t think you’re real.”
And when Kagami turns his head towards Kuroko, to see what he thought…
It was dark and no one was there.
“What did we tell you, Tetsuya?” Kuroko straightens in his perch. He was standing by Kagami’s window, looking down at the boy hidden beneath his bed and crying because he thought his parents was right. Kagami was crying because he thought Kuroko wasn’t real.
“Akashi-kun,” Kuroko murmurs quietly, “Now is not the time for your lectures.”
Akashi ignores him, as he usually did these days, ever since Sanada replaced Shirogane as their Guide Angel. “We warned you that playing with humans would only hurt you.”
“It’s not his fault.” Kuroko says firmly, “Believing in me was hurting him, it’s only natural that he doubts.”
“You don’t have to make excuses for humanity, they’re below us. We may be ordained to protect them but it’s not necessary to interact with them. It’ll be for your best interest if you distance yourself from this child, Tetsuya.” Akashi proclaims in an imperious tone. “Let him continue to believe that you are a mere figment of his imagination.”
With that, Akashi’s presence vanishes from behind him and Kuroko is left alone to watch over Kagami as he always has.
“Watch out!” Kagami snaps out of his thoughts and turns just in time to see bright headlights and hear a loud honking noise. He closes his eyes on instinct, bracing for impact.
Then…
Then… nothing.
“Taiga,” Kagami grumbles and opens his eyes. He squints at the bright light and turns his head to see Himuro frowning by his bedside.
“Tatsuya…?”
Himuro sighs in relief, “Thank God, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
“What… happened?” Kagami asks, trying to sit up. HImuro grabs him a glass of water and hands it to him when he finally manages to right himself.
“There was a drunk driver who ran the red light. You and your friends were crossing the street when it just came out of nowhere.” Himuro explains. Kagami snaps his attention towards the Yousen player, eyes wide.
“What? Are Furi and the others okay?”
“They’re fine, not even a scratch.” He assures him, “The car was heading your way and thankfully, you don’t seem injured. Just a few scratches, not even a bump on your head. But you lost consciousness, so they called me. I came as soon as I could.” Himuro says an upset look on his face.
Kagami sighs in relief, “All I remember was something bright and a loud beeping noise. I remember I froze…”
Himuro nodded seriously, “Your friends in Seirin were really worried for you, they thought for sure…” He shook his head, “Anyway they don’t remember it clearly, probably from the shock, but the next thing they knew you were by the side of the road, unconscious. You weren’t injured much, so they thought: maybe you were able to jump away.”
“Yeah… maybe.” Kagami agrees absently, a frown on his face. Somehow that didn’t sound right.
Kuroko’s hands were clenched into fists, unable to take his eyes away from Kagami sitting up on the hospital bed. This wasn’t the first time he’d saved Kagami from something. It wasn’t the first time he interfered before the redhead could become gravely injured. He’d lost count how many times he’d protected Kagami, always watching over him, keeping him safe. But he knew this wasn’t the last time Kagami would be in danger. He tried to imagine it, he could see his future laid out in front of him if he continued as he was: invisible in Kagami’s eyes, always watching over him.
Kagami would grow old and Kuroko would remain unchanged. He truly believed deep in his heart that one day, Kagami would be able to see him again.
But that might take some time and maybe, when they meet again, it would be too late.
Kuroko watches silently as Himuro leaves the room and Kagami lies back down, eyes open and turned towards the window where Kuroko stood. It was unnerving to see Kagami’s gaze go through him.
Kagami closes his eyes, drifting off to sleep. Kuroko comes closer to his bedside and places a hand over the redhead’s forehead. He imagines Kagami could see him now and that his touch was the reason the other relaxed further into sleep.
“Kagami-kun,” Kuroko whispers, “Do you remember the story I used to tell you when we were younger?”
Kagami didn’t say anything but Kuroko told him anyway.
Kagami was dreaming. He knew he was, because the person in front of him was Kuroko, his imaginary angel friend. He was amazed by his own imagination, the Kuroko in his memories was a child and he had never been able to picture Kuroko as a grown up, but for some reason he could see it perfectly in his dreams.
The angel was dressed in some sort of chlemys-type of clothing, colored white and light blue. His wings weren’t visible, just that there was some sort of bright light on his back making him look hazy in Kagami’s dreamscape. His light blue hair was longer, his face had matured, but his eyes were sad.
“Kagami-kun,” Kuroko says and even his tone was sad. “I’m glad you’re okay.”
Kagami jumps, “How did you- oh, right, you’re in my head. Of course you’d know.”
At those words, Kuroko frowns, “I know because I was there. I saved you.”
“Right, of course you did.” Kagami plays along, looking away.
“I’m real.” Kuroko says.
“You’re not.” Kagami sighs and crosses his arms, “You’re not real. You’re something I made up when I was a kid. A story I told myself when I didn’t have any friends. You’re a fairy tale and I don’t believe in fairy tales.”
Kuroko looks at him, face carefully blank but his eyes remained sad. He took a step forward and Kagami took a step back. The angel reaches out and brushes Kagami’s bangs to the side.
“Even fairy tales are based on reality.” Kuroko says instead, “One day, you’ll see I’m right. For now, all you have to know is that I’m with you and I’m watching over you like I promised.”
Kagami stands firm in his belief, “But you’re not real.”
“But I am.” Kuroko says and he doesn’t explain further, doesn’t try to defend himself or give proof of his words. Instead he says, “You’ll see.”
Kagami shakes his head but Kuroko merely drops his hands to take Kagami’s into his, “Do you remember that story I used to tell you a lot when we were kids?”
“You told me a lot of things,” Kagami says, resigned, “I don’t remember most of them.”
“I’m glad you’re okay.” Furi whispers to him during their Japanese history class together. “We really thought you were done for.”
“I don’t really remember much,” Kagami admits, “It’s all just a blur.”
“Furihata, Kagami! Face front!” The two athletes straightened automatically as their names were called.
“Right! Sorry!” Furihata apologizes, looking down at his book in embarrassment. Kagami grumbles a half-hearted apology before he turns to the window, getting lost in his thoughts again.
“Hey, we’re heading out for lunch,” Fukuda pats him on the back, “Wanna come with?”
Kagami just hums distractedly. The first year trio exchange looks before they reluctantly left Kagami to his brooding.
I’ll remind you. The words rings clear in his head despite it all being nothing but a dream and Kagami huffs, running a hand through his hair in frustration.
“Angel my ass,” He grumbles. “He’s not real, just some stupid imaginary fri- ow!” Something sharp, like someone elbow poked him on his side. Kagami jumps and startles, turning bewildered eyes at-
“Am I still an imaginary friend, now?”
Kagami chokes, taking in startled breaths, because this was- he was-
It was Kuroko. It was Kuroko in their Seirin school uniform and he looked like how he did in the dream. Sad blue eyes, light blue hair, an impassive expression on his face.
Kuroko’s expression gave nothing away but his eyes seem to be glaring at Kagami anyway. Then he raises his hand and pokes Kagami’s eyes with two fingers.
“ARGH!”
“You’re an idiot.” Kuroko says as Kagami covers his eyes, groaning exaggeratedly in pain. He turns towards the front where the teacher was packing up his things. “Sensei.”
“Wah!” The teacher jumps in surprise, “Oh, Kuroko-san, it’s you. Wait, did you just come in now?”
“No, I’ve been in class the whole time.” Kuroko says patiently and Kagami finally looks up.
“Wait, sensei, you-” Can see him? Kagami wanted to ask.
The teacher gives Kagami an unimpressed look. “If you were paying attention earlier Kagami-san, you’d know that I told the class we were getting a transfer student named Kuroko Tetsuya.” He closes his bag with a snap, “Stop sleeping during class or you’re getting detention.” He said before leaving the classroom.
Kagami turns wide eyes at Kuroko who just looks back at him. “Are you really…?” Kagami asks hesitantly.
“Real? Your teacher can see me. Am I real enough yet?” Kuroko answers quietly.
“But you’re an-”
“An angel? I was.” He verifies, eyes still locked with the redhead’s. It was making Kagami blush and he looks away first.
Then he realizes what Kuroko said, “Wait, was?”
Kuroko smiles sadly and says, “There’s this story-”
Kagami looks startled and then he glares, “This again?”
Kuroko continues, “Do you remember it?”
The redhead shakes his head, “Just that it’s about an angel.” He mumbles and then he jumps in surprise when Kuroko leans in.
“Then let me remind you…” Kuroko says, blue eyes intent and Kagami blushes in surprise. “Because now, that story is my story too.”
