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Kuroko had honestly forgotten that his parents were coming home that day, even though they'd only called on Sunday, after being away for ten weeks – most definitely one of their shorter trips. School and spending time with Akashi and the rest of the Kiseki group had taken up most of his thinking and planning. He had done some basic cleaning after he'd gotten the call, but it wasn't as if he lived with anyone else, so the amount that wasn't cleaned wasn't all that visible or noticeable. He'd also put Nigou in the kennels, just in case anything went wrong, as it so often did when his parents came home – he usually ended up staying around Akashi's, Aomine's or Kagami's house for a few days and Nigou was better off being in the kennels for a few nights. He'd done the same when his parents weren't home and he needed to do a thorough clean of the house, something that simply couldn't be done with a dog in the house, no matter how conscientious Nigou was of what was wanted of him.
He'd walked through his front door, planning on fixing himself a simple meal of rice and fish for dinner, when he'd noticed the living room lights on and the low murmur of conversation. He paused, frowning a little, before sighing to himself and walking through the doorway. His parents were sitting on the sofa, with a guest in one of the armchairs. The chatter had paused as he walked in, eyes going to him, and he bowed.
"Welcome home, Mother, Father." He greeted his parents before turning to the guest, noting that they were a woman, but not particularly caring. Maybe she was some daughter or wife to some company CEO his parents were doing business with. "Pardon my intrusion. My name is Kuroko Tetsuya, it's nice to meet you." The woman smiled.
"It is nice to meet you as well, Kuroko-kun." Kuroko blinked at the lack of formality, but didn't otherwise react. "My name is Kamigawa Mariko." He bowed again, looking between Kamigawa and his parents.
"If you will excuse me then, Mother, Father, Kamigawa-san." Kamigawa laughed daintily, bringing one hand to her mouth to cover it slightly. His parent's eyes narrowed at him.
"Tetsuya, sit." His mother's voice was hard. He sat, briefly mourning his dinner. He was quite hungry, even if he didn't have much of an appetite. "Kamigawa-san here is the prospective partner we have chosen for you." Kuroko froze, panic twisting his stomach. If anyone in the room noticed his rapidly paling face, no one said anything. "You have one week to get to know each other, before you give us an heir, Tetsuya." His father glared at him.
"This is not up for negotiation. You should have been allowed your freedom up until now, but we are not getting any younger, and you will most definitely not be taking over our business when we retire. Instead, we have chosen our successor, and then the child that you conceive will be the next one to take over. This asexuality business you have gone on about for the last two and a half years has gone on long enough, and we will no longer stand for it." Kuroko felt sweat dripping down his temple, and he knew that his nails were digging too far into his palms when he felt something slick shifting his fingers. He didn't say a word, throat tight with disgust and pain, and the three of them took it as implicit agreement, despite the denial they must see on his face. He stood and began to make his way out of the room, for once not caring to be polite.
"Tetsuya." He paused in place. "You will not see any of your friends outside of university. You will come straight back here to come and get to know Kamiawa-san. Is that clear?" He turned his head slightly and eyed his parents. Hatred momentarily filled his being, despite him not being the kind of person who could hate, but this really was going too far. He'd forgotten about his 'deadline' and the hurt it had caused, and he'd hoped that it was a bluff. It was apparent now that it wasn't. His parents' eyes widened at whatever they saw on his face and in his eyes. He looked away again.
"I'm going out. I'll be back in two hours." His voice was low, angry, and his vision was still tainted by the need to rip something apart. He'd go to one of the street basketball courts and work out his anger there. His parents were obviously not willing to allow him any freedom now that he'd met his future sex partner, because they spoke again.
"You will take Kamigawa-san with you." His mother's voice was filled with false courtesy. "You might as well start now." He didn't reply, merely walking out and putting on his shoes. He heard Kamigawa following him, but he ignored her completely and picked up his basketball. The only sign he gave that he acknowledged her presence was that he held the door open for her as he exited the house – no matter how angry he was, manners were drummed into him from when he was two years old.
She followed him to the local court and sat on one of the benches. They didn't say a word to each other, but he could see her wincing when he shot the ball harder than necessary or span too sharply in place as he imagined an opponent marking him closely. When he was a little calmer though, he began dribbling the ball and doing exercises to help his control over it. She apparently thought that meant he was receptive to conversation (which he wasn't, not at all) because she spoke.
"So, how long have you been playing basketball?" He sent her a sidelong glance. Well, if he was going to talk about anything, it would be basketball.
"Since I was ten." He replied, wrapping the ball around his body without looking at it. Her eyes widened.
"Wow." She appeared sincere in her amazement, but Kuroko wasn't too sure. He was, after all, good at masks. "Did you join any teams?" He gazed at the hoop and did his Phantom Shot, smiling a little nostalgically.
"Yes. Teiko Middle School, and Seirin High School." After retrieving the ball, he glanced at her and walked a little closer. "I was on the first string in Teiko, one of the regulars, and in Seirin I was a starter as well." Kamigawa smiled.
"You must have made many friends." He frowned, remembering he wasn't able to spend time with any of his friends this week.
"Yes." He replied, voice low. He sat down, putting a moderate amount of space between them. He didn't want to get to know her, didn't want to open up to her. There was silence for a moment, before he couldn't hold his curiosity in anymore and asked, "Why did you agree to do this?" He didn't look at her, gaze locked on the opposite fence, but felt her turn to look at him.
"Because I want to." Her reply was simple, but it made no sense.
"You don't know me." She shrugged at his blunt, closed statement.
"I don't need to. Your parents will provide everything I need for the rest of my life in exchange for having this child and raising it." He looked at her in surprise, and her gaze darkened with contempt. "Don't misunderstand me. I want the comfortable life your parents are willing to give me, and I'm the only one who has to deal with the brat. The only thing you have to do it give me it." He felt sick. He fiddled with the basketball still in his hands to distract his mind.
"Kamigawa-san. I don't care what my parents offered you." He stared at her, eyes sharp and hard. "This child will not be conceived." She blinked.
"Why not? All you have to do is have sex with me when I'm fertile, which begins on Sunday. You have the easiest job to do." He felt a bitter laugh claw its way up his throat and swallowed it.
"I don't think you understand. This child cannot be conceived." He shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't like sex." This bit was a slight lie, as the activities he and Akashi indulged themselves in were wonderfully fun, but he had no interest in this shallow woman. "I doubt I'll even be able to have an erection when the time comes." Kamigawa snorted.
"You're such a liar. Who doesn't like sex?" And Kuroko was so glad that he had wonderful and supportive friends, otherwise this kind of comment would have cut pretty deep. As it was, he sort-of (?) pitied her ignorance.
"Asexuals, usually." He deadpanned. "I am, as it happens, an asexual." She eyed him suspiciously.
"Right." She said slowly. "Say I believe you, and say that people who don't like sex actually exist," Kuroko inwardly rose one eyebrow, now believing this woman to be quite pathetic, "what would it take for you to have sex with me? Am I not attractive?" He was silent for a moment, just mulling over how dense this woman must be to not realise that if someone doesn't like sex, then it would 'take' Kamigawa finding another man to have sex with her.
He kept his voice as impassive as ever, and just layered boredom over it. "You are aesthetically pleasing, I suppose. I don't feel any sexual attraction to you at all." He met her shocked gaze blankly. "I honestly suggest you find someone else to give you the life you want, because I won't." He let his lips twitch into a mockery of a smile. "I have no desire for you; therefore, I can't have sex with you." Hoping she was get the message and give up, he stood, bowed a little to her and began to leave. "I wish you the best in your… endeavours, Kamigawa-san." He didn't want to associate with people like her.
Unfortunately, that wasn't the end of it, as much as he'd hoped it was. She came back the next day, and the next, and the next. His parents had taken away his phone, making sure he couldn't tell anyone easily about what was going on.
By Monday, he'd had enough. They were having lunch, one that his mother, surprisingly enough, had prepared. It was rare for her to do so, usually she just cooked for herself and her husband. Maybe she just wanted to make an impression on Kamigawa. Since their first conversation, they didn't speak much, and Kuroko merely continued with his usual routine when she was around – namely writing essays, reviewing his notes made during the lectures, and doing the reading he was set – so the atmosphere was understandably frosty. They ate silently, beyond the both of them sending their gratitude to Kuroko's mother for the food.
Kuroko was suspicious when his mother and father decided to go shopping soon after the food was served, and more so when Kamigawa frequently glanced at him and couldn't keep a smile off her face. He didn't finish his meal – his mother had never understood his tiny appetite – and sent Kamigawa a look, overall annoyance with both her and the situation he was stuck in grinding against his nerves.
He missed his friends.
He missed Akashi even more.
"What has you so amused?" He asked dully, not really interested in the answer, resting an elbow on the table and propping his head on his palm. She shook her head, still grinned obnoxiously as she took a sip of her drink.
"Nothing. Just wondering when the fun will start." Fun? His eyebrows furrowed, breaking his impassive mask, as a foreboding feeling made his heart face. The way she was eyeing him… he felt like prey.
"Fun?" He echoed. "What do you –" He exhaled sharply, his eyes widening. A horrible, unnatural heat spread its way through his stomach. He gripped the table, the hand propping his head up quickly moving to his chest, feeling his heart rate speed up. Kamigawa's grin widened. "You." He hissed venomously. "What did you do?" The grin diminished into a smug smile. She copied his posture from before, chin on her palm.
"You told me you wouldn't be able to get it up. So I told your parents about it, and they said they knew just the thing to help with that." The hairs on the back of Kuroko's neck stood up and sweat trailed down his temple. He recognised this heat.
Every now and again, when he and Akashi were together, when he was helping Akashi with his needs (and enjoying every second of seeing that pretty face flushed from pleasure), he too became aroused. Sometimes, he would leave it alone, sometimes he would deal with it, and sometimes Akashi would offer to help him. Sometimes he took that offer – and oh it was glorious.
He didn't want this heat.
Not here. Not so unnaturally.
Not with this bitch, who must know that what she was doing was wrong.
He panted, blinking his thoughts into order. What should he do? Obviously, he most definitely would not be having sex with the creature that did this to him. Then… where…? He closed his eyes, exhaling softly, forcing his breathing to slow.
Akashi… Seijuurou would help him. He promised to, after all, when he'd first told the redhead what his parents had planned for him.
"You gave me an aphrodisiac." He murmured quietly, leashing the rage building in him, keeping his eyes shut. She hummed, sounding pleased.
"Yes. See? Now we don't have the problem of you not being able to perform." He heard her get up and he opened his eyes. He didn't look at her though, keeping his eyes on the table, watching in his peripheral as she moved to stand near him. "Your parents have left us alone for the rest of today, so let's get on with it." He heard the triumph in her voice, and it made him sick. Why did she think that drugging him was okay? Her hand moved towards the unwelcome bulge in his trousers, and he caught her wrist in his hand. "Wha –" He tightened his grip.
"I don't recall giving you permission to touch me." He slowly met her eyes, and she gulped. His eyes, so far from their usual iciness that she'd seen from him before, were burning. They seared her to the bone, and she knew that the fire was not from desire. Her legs shook, fear tightening her throat and keeping her meeting his gaze. "I didn't give you permission to drug me. In fact, I didn't give you any indication I wished to spend time with you at all." Contrary to the heated rage in his eyes, his voice was glacial. Looking at him, and hearing him, Kamigawa could very clearly tell he hated her with every inch of his being in that moment. Before, he was distant. He didn't like her in any way, didn't care for her presence, and she'd seen the non-existent relationship between he and his parents. They gave him rules, and he mostly obeyed.
But this, with this she knew Kuroko had finally had enough.
(Deep down, in the part of her heart that still contained the compassion she hadn't really received, she was glad he was finally standing up for himself. There was something horribly wrong with the way they were forcing him to feel things he clearly didn't want or wish to feel.
Deep, deep down.)
"If you ever come near me again," His grip tightened on her wrist, painfully so, and she winced, but didn't dare make a sound, nor did she look away. She watched the fire in his eyes chill to hardened steel, sharp and cutting. "If you ever try to touch me again, I will break the wrist your hand is attached to." He stated murderously, but with a strange distance that told her he would do it, would have no regrets, and it chilled her blood. "The fact you are a woman and manners be dammed." He released his grip slowly, and she immediately cradled her wrist to her chest, still keeping eye contact. His eyes narrowed. "Move away." She staggered back until she was almost halfway across the room from him.
Kuroko hissed as he stood, agitated. His erection was not helping. He really wanted to leave, but first... "How long does this last?"
"You parents said about thirty-six hours." He sent Kamigawa a disbelieving look, and she shifted uncomfortably. "They wanted to make sure." Ice flooded his veins, cooling his overheated body (at least, to his perception) and making his mind crystal clear. He began to move towards the door.
"My parents are lucky that murder is illegal." The fabric of his underwear and trousers rubbed against him, forcing him to stop a moment. How on earth was he supposed to last to Akashi's house? It was only around the corner, Akashi having moved back to Tokyo for university, but right now, that seemed too far. "Scratch that." He snarled to himself. "They are lucky they aren't here right now. I'd happily murder them and dance in their blood." So maybe Akashi had rubbed off on him. Kamigawa made a worried squeak. "Don't worry," He assured her, "My partner would definitely make sure I got away with it." He said, almost cheerfully. The woman whimpered, backing away a little further.
Akashi had definitely rubbed off on him.
Akashi was enjoying his day. It was one of his days off – no lectures, he'd completed his essays, and his books were read. He debated calling Kuroko to, see if he wanted to meet today. It'd be nice; they hadn't seen each other in a week. He was relaxing in an armchair when the doorbell rang. He got up, wondering who it was. His father was in the study, so it could be for him. Or, Akashi thought with a smile, Kuroko may have had the same thought as him and came to visit.
Except, when he opened the door, perhaps the last thing he'd wanted to see was Kuroko, flushed and panting, his eyes and expression screaming that he was distressed. Frowning in concern, he tugged Kuroko inside, took off his coat, and pulled him up the stairs to his room. Kuroko leaned against the door, eyes lowered.
"Kuroko, what's wrong?" Kuroko's lips trembled, and alarm filtered through Akashi. What on earth happened?
"Seijuurou…" Kuroko's voice choked on a sob, and he collapsed to the floor, Akashi quickly following him. Kuroko finally looked at him. The tealette panted, cheeks pink and pupils dilated. But tears were welling up in his eyes, making their way down his cheeks. He swallowed.
"Kuroko?" He reached out, shocked and even further alarmed when Kuroko slapped his hand away.
"Don't touch me!"
Silence…
"I'm sorry..." Kuroko wrapped his arms around himself and buried his head in his knees. "Do you remember two years ago, when I told you how my parents reacted to me being asexual?" Akashi nodded slowly, cautiously eyeing his lover, before what he said actually registered.
"They actually tried to force a girl on you?" He asked incredulously. Kuroko nodded morosely.
"They introduced me on Thursday to her, and then made me spend time with her. I didn't want anything to do with her, and I made that clear. They just didn't care." He muttered bitterly. "Today, Mother made lunch for the two of us, and then left the house with Father. I couldn't care less, I just wanted her to leave." He scowled. "I didn't suspect a thing, well, until that bitch –" Akashi blinked – he'd never heard Kuroko insult anyone that viciously, let alone a woman, "started grinning. Apparently, she and my parents tried to get around my asexuality by giving me aphrodisiac." Akashi stiffened, rage coursing through him.
"Kuroko." He raised a hand, but didn't touch his lover. "How long does it have an effect?" Kuroko curled in on himself.
"She said about thirty-six hours." Hissing, Akashi sat back on his haunches. Kuroko clenched his fists. "I'm so angry." Akashi wasn't surprised by the iciness in his voice at all, as he watched Kuroko bite his lip when he shifted uncomfortably. He, too, was furious. Kuroko's parents were certainly going to hear from him – and his father. He shuffled closer and kept his voice gentle.
"What would you like me to do?" Kuroko peaked at him through his lashes, and the horrible sadness and hurt he felt lessened a bit. Inwardly smiling, the tealette held Akashi's hand.
"Hold me." Kuroko didn't say anything else, and didn't need to. Akashi could read everything he needed in the words, and he smiled a little. Pulling on the hand that Kuroko held, he pulled the other teen to his feet and lead him to the bed. He sat down first, climbing to the middle and leaning against the pillows. Kuroko sat next to him, leaning against his chest with his face against the redheads' shoulder. Wrapping his arms around Kuroko, Akashi leant his head on the tealette's, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the physical contact he hadn't had for a week despite the situation.
Kuroko closed his eyes and did his best to ignore the heat in his belly, keeping his breathing as steady as he could. "Seijuurou-kun, can I stay here?" Akashi chuckled.
"Of course." His voice was light-hearted, the only thing he bothered to control, unable to keep the angry narrowing of his eyes. His left eye burned, and he knew that his other self was just as angry, if not more so than he was. "I promised, didn't I? I wouldn't let that happen to you." He paused, a thought occurring to him, making his other self take control in sheer fury. "Tetsuya." He tried not to make it so, but his voice was cold. Kuroko stiffened at the sudden change in demeanour, trying to pull away, but Akashi just held him tighter. "Why didn't you tell me this was happing earlier?" Kuroko fisted Akashi's shirt, curling in on himself a little.
"My parents forbade me from seeing anyone outside of university. I was to come straight home from university, where I was to 'get to know' Kamigawa-san." Kuroko said quietly. "I only had Friday left, and Midorima-kun wasn't around that day. They took away my phone and kept an eye on the landline. I had no way to get a message to you." Gritting his teeth, Akashi struggled to stay calm. As if his parents weren't already stepping into illegal territory, they essentially forced Kuroko to stay home.
"Why didn't you leave? Just walk out?" Even though Akashi couldn't see it, Kuroko lowered his gaze in a strange mixture between guilt, regret, and shame. He frowned at himself.
"We had a week to get to know each other. I told Kamigawa-san from the first day that no child was going to be conceived – not in the least because I had no desire to whatsoever. I told her outright that I didn't find her attractive and that she would have better luck finding the comfortable life my parents had promised her elsewhere. Even though I had to continue to spend time with her, and my parents knew I didn't like her –" Kuroko's voice lowered, tone biting as he added to himself, "– as if anyone could like someone that, willing to have a child with a man she's never met before just so that someone else will pay for all of her needs." The tealette muttered a few other things to himself in a way that Akashi would, in any other situation, find amusing. "But anyway, I assumed that they'd give me the week, and then if I didn't want to have sex with her, they'd shoo her away… just try again with someone else." His voice lowered further, whispering now, and Akashi had to strain himself to hear him even though his ear was very close to Kuroko's mouth. "I didn't think they'd go so far as to drug me on the fourth day…" Akashi ran his fingers through his hair, trying to comfort him a little.
"Tetsuya, do you want to go back?" Kuroko shook his head quietly. Akashi kissed his temple. "Then you don't have to. Live with me." Kuroko pulled back in shock and just stared as Akashi smiled at him. They sat in silence for a moment, until Akashi sweat-dropped, but kept his smile. "Tetsuya?"
"You would do that for me?" Akashi rolled his eyes.
"Of course I would. I told you, as your friend, that I wouldn't let your parents force you to have sex with anyone. As your partner, that still stands. The difference is that I have more sway over your decision to live with me as a result." Calmed, Kuroko rose an eyebrow, playfulness glinting in the depths of his eyes.
"Is that so? And what 'sway' is that?" Akashi looked amused, but his tone was serious.
"You can't refuse the offer on the grounds that you'll be a 'bother' to me, or that you'll be 'intruding'." Pressing a kiss to Kuroko's forehead, he continued, a little more quietly, "If I didn't want you here, I wouldn't offer." Kuroko couldn't deny the happiness swelling inside him and smiled.
"Then, I'll accept." Smile widening into a small grin, Kuroko looked at Akashi unsurprised face knowingly. "As you knew I would." Akashi smiled teasingly.
"Of course ~ I am absolute, after all." Kuroko shook his head, amused, the twist of his lips mocking as he hummed.
"I'm fairly sure I remember a few times when I proved that you weren't –" Akashi slapped his hand over Kuroko's mouth.
"None of that happened." He hissed, eyes wide, heterochromatic orbs glinting. He ignored the tealette's mirthful look. "Those times were your imagination." Kuroko's eyebrows both rose, his whole expression screaming 'how deep are you in denial?'. He gently pushed Akashi's hand away, revealing a smirk.
"I've never known Seijuurou-kun to lie to himself." He tangled their fingers together, and watched Akashi's lips morph into something that Kuroko had to call a pout. He also tried to keep his uncharacteristic giggles silent when his lover refused to respond to the comment. A single look from the redhead showed Kuroko his playfully betrayed expression, mixed in with all the love and affection Kuroko had never dared to imagine he would receive… and he knew that, as he smiled back gently, Akashi could see everything he felt for him in return.
"I love you ~" Akashi cooed. Kuroko kissed him softly and smiled when he pulled away.
"I love you too."
Akashi met his father's gaze straight on the next morning. He'd forgotten to let Kuroko know that his father visited his house from Monday to Wednesday – not only to see him, but also because he had to visit the Tokyo building of the company. His father would have merely stayed in a hotel for those days, but Akashi had offered, and due to their closer bond that was still in the middle of repairing itself, his father had accepted.
"… Seijuurou." Masaomi greeted. Akashi nodded.
"Father, would you like tea?" He asked, as if Kuroko lying face-first on his sofa with an ice-pack on the back of his neck to cool him down was normal. Not knowing what to say, his father nodded and sat on one of the armchairs.
When Akashi had returned and set the tea down in front of his father, he decided to sit on Kuroko's leg because it was straight across from his father, and because he liked the close contact with his partner. Kuroko shifted a little, but stayed where he was, dozing slightly as the aphrodisiac kept him uncomfortable, even if the ice-pack allowed him some relief.
"Seijuurou, what is going on?" Akashi frowned, eyes sharpening as the left one began to turn a little orange. His father winced a little.
"Tetsuya's parents pushed a line they shouldn't have, so he's staying here from now on." Masaomi's eyebrows lifted a little.
"A line?" Kuroko groaned a little, shifting a little more in place as his eyebrows furrowing in discomfort. Akashi immediately carded his hand gently through the tealette's hair, shushing him a little. He murmured a little to him as his other hand went to the cooling bag at his feet and pulled out another ice-pack, wrapping it up in a small towel and placing it on Kuroko's lower back. Kuroko sighed in relief, relaxing.
"A line." Akashi confirmed. "They will not get away unpunished." His voice was low, but vicious, as his eye turned fully gold. Disturbed, Masaomi's gaze shifted between the two teens.
"What exactly did they do?"
Akashi frowned at his tea. "His parents, upon discovering Tetsuya's romantic and sexual identity, decided that, when he was nineteen, he was going to have sex with a woman of their choice to conceive a child, because he was so obviously a disappointment to them. He refused on Thursday when he was actually introduced to her. He thought that would be the end of it, but yesterday, they tried to force him to have sex with her." His eyes flashed dangerously. "They gave him an aphrodisiac in his food, one that lasts for over thirty hours." Masaomi gaped.
"But that's illegal! And why didn't he come to you earlier?" Akashi's lips tightened.
"Tetsuya's phone was taken away, and his movements were restricted to the house and his university. Unfortunately, Shintarou wasn't at university on Friday, so Tetsuya couldn't get a message to me." Akashi rubbed Kuroko's shoulder gently, not quite enough to wake him. "He stopped the woman's advances and came to me." His voice lowered, almost to the point where Masaomi couldn't hear him. "I've never seen him so upset, so scared." He shot a glance to his father. "You know a little about Tetsuya already, but I don't think I've ever heard true hate from him until this happened, and even then, I know that he'll rationalize it away so that he doesn't hate anymore." He smiled wryly, affection in his gaze at he looked at Kuroko's teal head. "He says he doesn't like the concept of hate and what it makes people do, but I think that it's more like it feels like slime to him, unclean – I've seen seem take hours-long baths when he gets angry at people and that, until now, is the closest I think he'd ever been to hating someone." Masaomi looked at the tealette.
"If he has hated these people by even a little, then, Seijuurou, they deserve your full animosity." He cracked a small smile, the look almost impsh. "After all, you appear to be very much the opposite in nature to your Tetsuya." Akashi blinked, his cheeks turning a little red.
"…. 'My'….?" His father's smile widened.
"Did you think I don't realise the relationship you two have?" When Akashi looked a little abashed, he asked, "Can I ask what he identifies as if his parents have taken such offence?" Akashi scowled a little at the reminder.
"He's quasi-romantic and asexual." Masaomi blinked in surprise, but nodded. "And Tetsuya and I aren't so different." Akashi offered his own impish smile. "Ryouta once said that no one, not even I, was more thirsty than Tetsuya for victory. He has spades of determination for what he believes in, and he'll do anything it takes to get what he wants." Masaomi remembered what occurred just after the Winter Cup when his son had just turned sixteen, and huffed a small laugh.
"And what he wanted was your original self, was it not?" Akashi blinked in surprise, staring at his father.
"How did you know?" Raising an eyebrow, Masaomi gazed at Akashi.
"I know that your final game for that Winter Cup was Seirin, where a certain tealette went, and after that game, I saw your red-eyed self again." Akashi chuckled.
"Yes," He murmured, eyes soft, "the return of my other self was what he wanted. He also wanted me and the others to enjoy playing basketball again, and he got that, too." Kuroko took that moment to shift in discomfort again, a small whimper making its way out of his mouth. Masaomi pitied him.
"I bet that aphrodisiac is tough on him, huh?" Akashi frowned again, his left eye once again turning red.
"It is. At first it was his rage that kept his mind clear, but it gets worse as time goes on, so he's been trying to sleep some of the time away. Keeping the ice-packs is helping too." He sighed wearily. "There's only so much I can do to help." Masaomi thought for a moment.
"Isn't aphrodisiac supposed to wear off a little when you relieve it?" Akashi looked at the wall stubbornly, refusing to meet his father's eyes, which he knew were taking the utmost delight in his discomfort with the topic his father had brought up.
"He, ah, refuses." His brows furrowed. "It scares him, being forced to feel what he doesn't want to and knowing that it won't go away for another day and a half." Masaomi sighed heavily and stood.
"Well, I had better be off. I'll stay in a hotel this time." He sent a wink to the astonished Akashi. "The last thing I imagine Tetsuya-kun needs is to be around someone he doesn't know that well. Also," He added, collecting his things and walking to the door, with Akashi unconsciously following him, "I suggest trying to persuade him to relieve it – it'll at least make it lessen for a bit to allow him to sleep." Akashi grimaced, but nodded.
"Then, I'll see you next week, Father." Akashi bowed a little, and Masaomi nodded, opening the door and stepping out.
"Send my best wishes to Tetsuya-kun, won't you?" His father didn't pause to listen for a response and shut the door behind him.
Akashi stood there for a moment blankly, before groaning and raking his fingers through his hair in conflict. He understood what his father meant, but Kuroko… Kuroko didn't want the arousal that ached in him anyway. Akashi would offer to help him with it, but that might come across as Akashi taking advantage of the fact that Kuroko was suddenly constantly aroused to satisfy his own needs - he shook his head, refusing to fall to his worries and fears.
Kuroko trusted him.
And they hadn't spent two years together building that trust further and enjoying the full range of activities they could enjoy with it for nothing.
Akashi nodded to himself. It was decided. He'd ask Kuroko if he wanted help with his problem, and if he didn't, that was fine, he'd continue to talk to him and feed him and hug him and… supply ice-packs.
"Seijuurou-kun?" Akashi went back to his partner and smiled down at his confused form. "Where did you go? … I had this weird dream that I had a snake coiled around my legs and I couldn't move. But the snake didn't try to eat me or anything," He reassured quickly at Akashi's concerned expression, "I think it just laid its head on my shoulder and went to sleep." Akashi stared at him, before blinking as he realised what had happened and coughed to hide his laugh.
"Ah, I believe I know why you had that dream." He supplied while Kuroko moved to sit on the sofa properly to allow him space to sit down next to him. "My father visited and I sat on your legs." Kuroko blinked, not quite sure what to say as Akashi's index finger touched his own lip in curiosity. "I wonder why I was a snake in your dream?" Kuroko tilted his head.
"I think it suits you." Akashi spluttered.
"S-suits me? Why would something that's usually said as an insult suit me?" Kuroko gave a small smile.
"Your pupils are rather like a snakes." Akashi sweat-dropped. That was it? "And I felt safe, in my dream. The coils around my legs felt protective and possessive, and sometimes when you hold me I can feel the same from you." Akashi cleared his throat awkwardly, and Kuroko's eyes glinted in amusement. "Oh, I'm sorry, am I embarrassing you?" The red-head huffed, unamused. Then his eyes softened when he recognised the signs of discomfort in Kuroko's face, even if he kept it out of his voice.
"Kuroko…" Akashi began tentatively. "I told my father the basics of what happened, and he, well, he advised that you would feel better if you… relieved… yourself?" Akashi outwardly cringed at his uncertain delivery, which amused Kuroko a little, even if he wasn't pleased by the subject. But he was glad that Akashi had brought it up, glad that they were communicating and Akashi wouldn't just stay silent because Kuroko was stubborn.
Akashi felt his other self roll his eyes. You're hopeless. He frowned. Well, he'd like to see him do a better job – Okay then, I will.
'Wait, that wasn't a challenge.' His other self snorted.
Do you think I care? I'm going to take it as one anyway. And then his other self took over, but instead of talking, he merely pulled the tealette from the sofa and lead him to the bedroom, where he shoved him to the bed. Flopping a little onto the soft mattress, Kuroko turned to him to ask what the hell was going on, but paused at the sight of the golden eye.
"Seijuurou-kun, what are you planning?" Akashi grinned, ignoring the 'That's what I'd like to know too' inside his head, and stood in front of Kuroko, his hands on his hips. He trailed his gaze over the tealette's baggy top and loose-legged trousers.
"Tetsuya, as my other self so incompetently explained –" 'Hey!' "– this is only going to get worse if you don't deal with it." He softened a little at Kuroko's reluctant expression. "It should at least let up for a few hours, which would give you a break." Sighing as Kuroko stayed silent, he moved forward, pushing his partner up the bed as he crawled up it until Kuroko's head was on the pillows, stretched out underneath him. Akashi smiled, letting his eyelids lower a little. "Of course," He purred down at the tealette, and revelled in the way Kuroko swallowed, "I wouldn't mind giving you a hand." He massaged his hip and waited.
Kuroko almost reflexively said no, but then wasn't this why he came to Akashi? Because he'd help him, in whatever way he needed? He knew the other man would back off if he asked, just as he knew he'd continue if he asked. And the point Akashi was making made sense – the aphrodisiac would let up for a little bit if he dealt with it for a while.
So, smiling gently, Kuroko pulled Akashi's head down to kiss him. "Alright," He murmured when he pulled away, letting his mouth form a smirk, "I'll let you help. Now then, Seijuurou-kun, what will you do with me, I wonder?" His lovers' eyes sparkled deviously as he drew Kuroko's hands up behind his head.
"Keep these here." He smiled, "Okay?" Akashi watched Kuroko nod and relax, and felt excitement course through him. It wasn't often that he got this chance, so he would savour it while it lasted, while Kuroko allowed him to do so. He trailed his hand down the tealette's chest, pulling up the t-shirt the other was wearing and encouraging him to let him pull it off. "You look a little warm, love – surely wearing clothing isn't helping." Kuroko chuckled quietly and let him do as he pleased. Then his eyes widened in surprise as a yip escaped his throat when Akashi pulled off his trousers without quite so much ceremony – or permission. Akashi laughed at him. "Oh? What that too fast?"
"Bakashi-kun." Kuroko pouted, making Akashi laugh more at the old insult. He planted kisses down the inside of Kuroko's thighs to sooth him a little.
"Well, at least they're not making you too hot now, Tetsuya." Kuroko rolled his eyes, breath hitching as Akashi moved a warm hand from his stomach to his chest and back down again. The redhead moved forward and kissed his lover before pulling away, trailing them across his jaw and down his neck. He smiled into the tealette's shoulder before biting down. Not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to be felt, and definitely enough to leave a bruise. He smirked when Kuroko yelped, flinching away, but didn't move his hands.
"Sei –" Kuroko, began to ask, not understanding why Akashi had decided to bite him.
"Shh, Tetsuya." Akashi purred, pulling away a little and letting his palm press lightly over Kuroko's erection, making the other man shudder. "Don't you trust me to take care of you?" The tealette recognised the way Akashi's eyes widened, a slight grin on his lips, and despite the way that it still inspired a little fear, the main thing he was feeling was anticipation. He grinned as much as he ever did, bucking his hips into Akashi's hand.
"Get on with it then." He dared, and laughed under his breath when the redhead snapped his teeth at him. Then he moaned as Akashi did exactly that, sliding a hand under his boxers, passing over his erection before pulling the last piece of clothing Kuroko had off. Akashi had begun kissing his hips, leading his attention to that very heated space between his legs, when a thought occurred to him. "Seijuurou-kun." He said, blank-faced apart from the flushed cheeks and dilated pupils, with a hint of pout in his voice. "Why are you still clothed?" Akashi blinked.
"What?" He breathed against the tealette's thigh while he marvelled at Kuroko's ability to think while his body was surely burning with lust.
Kuroko frowned a little. "Why are you still dressed?" He repeated, not understanding what it was Akashi was asking. The redhead, smiling inwardly, decided to play with his lover a little.
"Why, you ask?" He rose up a little, looking down at Kuroko. "Don't you think it arousing, Tetsuya, the fact that I have you in all your naked glory, with your hands above your head, while I am still clothed?" Kuroko cocked his head, a mischievous light shining in his eyes.
"Not as much as the sight of you naked." Akashi choked a little (he would have stuck out his tongue at his original self, who was laughing gleefully, had he been undignified enough) at the bold statement. Kuroko giggled at his reaction, turning his head to unsuccessfully hide his amusement. He sighed, laughing a little, before giving his real reason for not disrobing.
"I didn't think you'd want to, well, you know… considering the aphrodisiac, and both my original self and I don't want you to think that we'd take advantage of you in this state for some sex, Tetsuya." Kuroko laughed freely.
"That is why I want to, Seijuurou-kun. I'm well aware that you wouldn't take advantage of me this way, nor have you ever made me think that you aren't satisfied with the way things are at the moment. However," He licked his lower lip salaciously, and Akashi swallowed heavily, "I was thinking that if I'm stuck with this, why not enjoy it while it lasts? I give you what you want, and I get what I need to lessen the effects of the aphrodisiac for a little while." He hooked a leg around Akashi's hip, bringing him closer. "So, Seijuurou-kun, take off your clothes, and get the lube." Akashi didn't move for a few moments, just blinking. Kuroko rolled his eyes, his expression somehow not changing during the movement, and kissed his cheek. "Any time soon would be wonderful." He said dryly. The remark snapped Akashi out of his surprise and he glared playfully at his lover.
"Alright, alright, keep your pants on." He muttered as he got off the bed and began to strip. Kuroko shifted to watch him and chuckled.
"Ah, I believe it's a little late for that, Seijuurou-kun. They are already off, if you would recall, as you took them off." Akashi groaned at the terrible wit, and a few moments later he was wondering where Kuroko was getting these lines, as Kuroko followed his monotone comment up with, "And now yours are off too. What are we to do, when neither of us can keep our pants on?", in an equally bland tone, despite the mirth in his eyes, as if he knew that Akashi just wasn't finding the joke funny.
Akashi pounced on him, lube in hand, just to shut him up.
A few days later, and Akashi was accompanying Kuroko to his house to collect his things. Kuroko hadn't called ahead, hadn't told his parents a thing, didn't want to tell his parents a thing – what right did they have to him anymore?
However, fortune wasn't in Kuroko's favour that day, despite his happiness that he was finally going to get away from the two uncaring people who had raised him, as his parents were home. As was Kamigawa Mariko. His parent's obviously didn't see Akashi, who'd tensed when he realised that they were not the only ones in the house, as they rounded on Kuroko, while Kamigawa turned a rather alarming shade of white and avoided Kuroko's person as if her life depended on it.
Kuroko looked calmer than when he'd left the house, but she still remembered the fire in his eyes before they'd cooled to sharp steel in threat and determination. She'd seen the looseness in his posture and the warmth in his eyes vanish when he noticed Mr. and Mrs. Kuroko, and looking at him now, she could see a typhoon swirling chaotically behind his eyes. And who was that redhead behind him, who'd apparently taken notice of his companion's change in mood and narrowed his eyes threateningly in response?
"What do you think you're doing, Tetsuya?!" Kuroko's father spat. "How dare you leave without our permission!" His mother joined in.
"Where did you go, you stupid child? If you went to another person's house, how dare you impose on them! From now on, you will be doing exactly as we tell you to, do you understand me, Tetsuya?" Kuroko looked at them coolly, ignoring Akashi for the moment (who happened to be horrified that this was what his lover had had to put up with since he was young, all the while leaving everyone around him none-the-wiser).
"No." He said bluntly. His parents gaped, but his mother recovered faster than his father and retaliated.
"What's difficult to understand? You do as we tell you, nothing more, nothing less."
"You drugged me." His mother rolled her eyes at the statement, clearly unrepentant.
"If you had been a normal child and would just agree to sire a child with Kamigawa-san, then I wouldn't have had to. But no, you couldn't stop with your 'asexual' nonsense, so we had to go to extreme measures, didn't we sweetheart?" She asked her husband while glaring at her son. His father nodded.
"You should have just done as you were told, then none of this would have happened, and we wouldn't have had to go to all this effort – effort that you wasted, you ungrateful brat!" Kamigawa cringed when she saw Kuroko's eyes flare with heat.
"Are you telling me," He murmured lowly, face expressionless. "That I should have been grateful that you drugged me without my consent after I told you that I didn't want to have sex with any of the women you may have chosen? That you were expecting me to be grateful that you were going to have a woman rape me to sire a child that I don't want?" Akashi looked at his lover with surprise. He'd never seen Kuroko this angry, and to be honest, he never wanted to ever again. It was scary, with the way that his voice went all quiet and his eyes became intense and burning with a fire that wasn't going to be put out. Kuroko's parent's didn't seem to notice that they'd pushed their child over the edge, and continued.
"Don't be stupid." His father scoffed disdainfully. "Men can't be raped – and with the aphrodisiac you would have enjoyed it. It's not rape if you enjoy it." His mother nodded in agreement, while Akashi and even Kamigawa gaped at them, unable to even comprehend the utter bullshit that came out of their mouths. The air around Kuroko suddenly became freezing, and Kamigawa openly cowered as Kuroko's eyes sharpened, that steely light she'd seen before coming back. He closed his eyes, exhaling through his mouth for a long moment while he bowed his head and forcefully relaxed himself.
Finally, he opened his eyes, disgust curling his mouth as he said wistfully, "I almost wish that murder was legal. If it was, I would most definitely kill you." His voice was light. Akashi snarled inwardly. How dare these people actually drive someone like Kuroko, who hated to even be angry, to want to commit murder? He wrapped an arm around Kuroko's waist, stepping up behind him and plastering himself to the tealette's back.
"Don't worry, love," He purred darkly, letting all the possessive rage he felt be seen on his face and in his eyes, "I would make sure you got away with it." He heard the woman nearby whimper fearfully, and wondered who she actually was. "But, Kuroko, I wouldn't want your hands dirtied by them, so why don't you go and pack, as we planned, and I'll talk to them a little?" He pressed a kiss to Kuroko's neck in comfort, not caring that the other three occupants could see them, and felt Kuroko relax a little. He nodded and moved away to the staircase and walked up them.
As soon as he was out of sight and out of hearing range, Akashi straightened to his full height – which, while he was still only a little taller than Kuroko, was usually enough to cow people when he glared at them, and Kuroko's parents were no different (which was a shame, because Kuroko had always seemed impervious to Akashi's intimidation tactics, and Akashi had wondered where he got those traits from, and had hoped-not-hoped that it was genetic, but apparently not).
"Now, while Tetsuya has refused to report you to the police – something I was definitely encouraging – he did not explicitly say that I couldn't do anything with you myself." He hissed, eyes wide and a manic smile on his lips, while his left eye turned gold. Kuroko's parents' eyes also widened, but for an entirely different reason. "And I have thought long and hard about my decision. Would you like to know what it is?" He asked liltingly, cocking his head. They didn't respond, but when his face stared to darken, they quickly nodded. "I'm going to ruin you." He whispered malevolently. "I'm going to make sure you get fired and then I'm going to freeze your accounts, leaving you just enough to live for a few months." He smiled slickly. "I can't have you going elsewhere, after all, because when you're desperate, I'm going to have you quietly taken care of, isn't that nice? I'm not even going to prolong your suffering like I really want to." They gaped, before the mother protested.
"You can't do that! Who the hell are you?! I'll have you arrested for trying to threaten me!" She snapped, but her voice wavered, and Akashi's smile widened.
"I'm not trying, Kuroko-san. I am succeeding in threatening you, if I was threatening at all – no, you see, I'm telling you what will happen. It's a promise, see? And who I am? I'm Akashi Seijuurou." They both paled and he nodded, pleased that they recognised the name. "Yes, and to do anything to you, all I need is my computer. I don't even need my father's help. But, of course, he knows what I'm doing, and he approves." He frowned. "He thinks you're despicable human beings too, but he doesn't have the viciousness I do." The married couple looked at each other in worry and fear, leaving Akashi to look at the other woman, who paled under his consideration, shivering in fear enough that he could see it from several feet away. "And who are you?"
Kamigawa's mouth went dry and she stared at the ground. "Kamigawa Mariko, Akashi-san." The redhead hummed, a thoughtful sound, before it stopped suddenly.
"Kamigawa? As in, the Kamigawa who allowed these pathetic scum to drug my Tetsuya, and then tried to seduce him?" Hands clenched in her lap, she nodded. She didn't dare look up at Akashi, even when she heard him coming closer. He tugged her head up by a hand on her chin, watching her carefully and she looked away fearfully. "What did Tetsuya say that frightened you so much, Kamigawa-san?" He murmured.
"He told me not to come near him again – or touch him, because he'd break the wrist of the hand that touched him. He… also spoke of his desire that murder was legal, and that he didn't care if it was or not, as his partner would let get away with it anyway." Akashi laughed gleefully, despite the fact that he was quite worried that Kuroko would regret his words about murder.
"Well, he most certainly wasn't wrong." He said pleasantly before he heard footsteps coming down the stairs and walked to meet him at the bottom. Kuroko sent a glance to his parents and Kamigawa and looked at Akashi curiously. The redhead smiled innocently. "What?"
"What did they say?" Akashi continued to smile.
"Nothing, I just had a few things I wanted to get off my chest." A small smile tucked itself into the corner of Kuroko's lips. "Shall we go?" Sending another glance to his parents, the tealette nodded.
"Yeah, let's go. I have everything I need here so I don't need to come back." He began to walk to the door, before he realised that he'd left Nigou's bed in the kitchen and went to collect it, and at Akashi's raised eyebrow – which clearly stated 'why do you need that when we can buy another one?' – defended, "He loves this one." Admittedly, it was a weak defence, but the bed was the first one Kuroko had bought for his little puppy, who wasn't a puppy nor little anymore, and despite being nearly unable to curl up in it, Nigou slept in it whenever he got the chance. He did have another bed that would fit him, in this house and (surprisingly) Kagami's house, but if this bed was available, then Nigou would be found in it.
Akashi smiled indulgently. "Right. Well I'm sure he misses you." Kuroko nodded. And then they walked out of the house. Kuroko had never thought that he'd ever get the courage to leave, but there were some lines that should never be crossed, and his parents managed to cross several of them.
Later, when Kuroko had put all of his stuff away and put Nigou's things down ready for when the tealette collected him, Akashi realised something was wrong. Kuroko's movements were mechanical and lacking his usual ease, his eyes were distant, and when he was finished he just… stood in the middle of the room like he had no idea what to do with himself. He frowned. They can't have that, not on such a joyous occasion as Kuroko getting away from his neglectful parents.
"Kuroko?" He asked, walking to the other man, searching out his eyes. It took a moment for his lover to respond, lifting his head a little to meet his gaze. There was a moment of quiet before it all came pouring out.
"Was it wrong, Seijuurou-kun? To talk to them like that? To want to hurt them for what they did to me – almost did to me?" Kuroko's eyes were turning misty with tears, so Akashi wrapped his arms around his waist, hugging him.
"No, Kuroko. The anger you felt was – is – completely natural. You were hurt, so you wished to hurt back." His eyes twinkled with dangerous amusement. "Besides, you are nowhere near as bad as me." He grinned down at his partner. "If you remember comparing me to a snake, then I have to say that I have a tendency to strike quickly and lethally, and then wait for my prey to die, merely watching the process, just as a snake can do." Akashi could see Kuroko trying to smile, but while he failed, there was a light that wasn't there in his eyes a few moments ago, so Akashi imagined patting himself on the back for a job well-done. And oh he couldn't wait to strike Kuroko's parents. The tealette no longer wanted anything to do with them, as they'd discussed on the third day of Kuroko's unexpected visit, when the aphrodisiac was finally wearing off. So Akashi had free reign to have his revenge. And he would have it. Soon.
"Still…" The tealette bit his lip, hesitating. "I'm not comfortable about it in myself… and I feel dirty." Akashi kissed him chastely.
"Take a bath then." Kuroko blinked, bemused.
"Okay." Then he sent a considering look to the redhead. "Join me?" Akashi didn't bother answering, merely pulling an amused Kuroko into the bathroom, stripping himself of his tie as he went. "I'll take that as a yes."