Chapter Text
Rain pattered against the two windows in the luminated bedroom. Kuroko rolled over onto his side, facing the darkened skies peeking through the glass. The chain around his ankles rattled with every adjustment he made. The blue haired boy ruffled his head against the pillow, making himself comfortable given the current situation.
“So fluffy,” Kuroko mumbled to himself, kicking the silky covers down, threading the material in between his legs.
The retired shadow, now at the age of 23, found himself in an unusual predicament. One moment he had been on his way to visit Kagami Taiga. His childhood best friend, light and current contracted Chicago Bulls NBA player from the recommendation of his mentor and retired WNBA player Alexandra Garcia. Kagami gave him tickets to fly to the United States and watch his games as he did for years. Kuroko would always go to support his light. So what went wrong?
Kuroko could remember getting off the train with his suitcase in hand. He remembered walking down the bustling streets to Haneda International Airport. Kagami had been on the phone with him discussing their itinerary for when he landed. Then there was darkness.
“I hope Kagami-kun isn’t worried…,” He yawned, “He better win that game.”
He folded the pillow against his head, feeling the cold silky case against his cheek. Realistically, he should be panicking. Fortunately for him and his love of detective novels, Kuroko remained eerily calm, much to his namesake. He could take a guess on what had happened. Years of running away from a certain group of people had finally caught up to him.
It was a game and Kuroko finally lost, much to his dismay. An unspoken game of cat and mouse between each other. He never liked losing, especially to them. So when Kuroko decided to disappear after his second year of highschool, he tried his hardest to not be found. He was a shadow after all.
Now he was locked away in a room, yet to meet his captors. He felt like a princess stuck in a tower awaiting a prince from a children's book. It peeved him slightly, Kagami would definitely be laughing at him if he was here. A bird in a cage.
“We searched for you for years, Kuroko,” A familiar deep voice reverberated against the bedroom walls, laced with annoyance, “And the first thing I hear you mention is about Kagami Taiga.”
Kuroko sat up in his bed, scooting to the back of the headboard taking the comforter with him. He placed a pillow in between his legs, shielding him from the sudden infiltrator. Lost in thought, he didn’t hear the person who strolled into the locked room. The man’s silhouette is tall. He kept himself in the shadows of the room where the dim light did not hit. Kuroko rubbed his eyes trying to discern who it was.
Within a split second of Kuroko adjusting himself, someone yanked down the duvet covers and pillow, keeping Kuroko protected . The gray skies gave some light to his current appearance he chose to disregard earlier and was now regretting. He wore silk black shorts and a short sleeve button up. He wrinkled his nose, it was stuffy to his taste.
“You should be worried about your current situation, Kuroko. Not with what that idiot of yours is doing.”
“Oh, Midorima-kun. Nice to see you.” Kuroko nodded his head slightly, greeting the green haired male.
Wordlessly, Midorima yanked at Kuroko’s leg causing the male to slide down to the foot of the bed. Kuroko’s back hit the stiff mattress, his eyes unfocused from the sudden movement. Midorima stood at the base of the bed, wrestling with Kuroko’s legs. The chains hooked around both ankles rattled in agitation.
“Midorima-kun?” Kuroko felt a little nervous, struggling in his grip.
Kuroko heard a pop of a cap open. Midorima propped one of Kuroko’s legs up over his own shoulder, towering over the latter. The chain was long enough to keep his other foot splayed out on the bed. Kuroko couldn’t see what was happening. He tried to sit himself up with his hands to no avail. The male in front of him had been stronger.
Delicate hands massaged Kuroko’s calf, poking and prodding his soft skin. His fingers squeezed between the metal cuffs and his ankle, kneading the bruised area. Midorima slowly moved down to his thigh, rubbing in circular motions. He dug his slender fingers into the knots in the shorter male’s muscle. The cold air in the room caused his skin to prickle whenever Midorima moved on to the next spot, the warmth of his hands followed.
Kuroko twitched and shivered, not knowing how to handle this onslaught of emotions. His mouth opened slightly, puffing out air. The feeling that rose up in him surpassed his current list of emotions he allowed himself to have. It was pleasing to say the least. He gripped on the fitted sheet as best as he could, grounding himself. Fingers danced around his sensitive points skillfully.
Midorima swapped to the other leg, repeating a similar motion, massaging back and forth. His hands slid down past his pajama shorts dangerously low, applying pressure enough to bruise. Kuroko could feel a syrupy texture rub against his thighs as he tried to pull away from Midorima once more. The male ignored his attempts and continued his ministrations. Kuroko ran his own hands down his free leg, spreading the substance all over.
“Is this lotion? Midorima-kun, what are you doing?”
The rain continued to splatter against the window. Thunder roared through the room. Midorima dropped the boy's leg back down, satisfied with his work. He maneuvered Kuroko to sit up, leaving his legs to dangle off the oversized bed. Pink dusted both of the male's faces. Kuroko glanced up at the man towering over him. Lightning struck the ground, flashing enough light for Kuroko to read the man's expression.
“Concerned? Worried? Why was he…” Kuroko thought to himself, pulling at his short sleeves.
Midorima adorned an apprehensive look. His brows furrowed, pushing his glasses slightly upwards. His nose scrunched in contemplation. He began recapping the bottles of ointment and lotion. The man ruffled Kuroko’s hair, before turning around to head to the door. Midorima stopped at the entrance, turning slightly back at the confused male.
“It’s just lotion, Kuroko. I put ointment to protect your ankles as well. Those chains can’t be comfortable, but.” Midorima hesitated, not finishing his sentence.
“You… They don't trust me enough to unchain me.” Kuroko mused to himself, completing his sentence for him.
“We’re about to have dinner soon. Akashi would like you to join us.” Midorima changed the subject, pointing to his glistening hands still drying from the lotion, “We’ll let you shower and change into a new set of pajamas after you eat. Head down the stairs on your left when you’re ready.”
“How do you know I won't escape?”
Midorima met Kuroko’s eyes, a smirk gracing his lips for the first time since they interacted. That look said it all. Try to escape if you dare. Kuroko made an assumption there were cameras everywhere that he could and could not see. Leaving this place would be no easy matter. Kuroko covered his face with his hand, a grin of his own slipping past his usual listless face.
He watched Midorima shut the door, listening to the mixture of footsteps fading into the distance and rain pummeling against the house. It had been no secret the Generation of Miracles, including the shadow himself, were thrill-seekers in a way. Running from boredom and chasing the adrenaline that greets them in open arms. None of them were reckless by any means, unless it came to each other.
During his own disappearance, he made sure to keep tabs on his Miracles. Kagami, Momoi, and Takao kept him informed on their life decisions, while he kept to his own path. He watched Akashi graduate early on from a well known university, taking over his father’s conglomerate business, as he was born to do. Becoming a ruthless CEO was in his blood.
“Too bad his father’s strictness reigned over his mother’s empathy most days.” Kuroko contemplated, “Though it might not be entirely true.” Only the miracles saw his mercy. His split personality had never completely been treated even after the events of the Winter Cup. Something like that does not heal overnight.
Midorima Shintarou followed his parents path as well, ending up in the medical field. From how Takao described it, Midorima had been aiming to be a neurologist. Though he always had been ahead in school, he still had many years to go to finish his field of study. Kuroko assumed Midorima picked his degree to help Akashi at some point. His own-created shadow, Takao followed a sisterpath in nursing and psychology, mainly because he worried about the spectacled man. They were a duo, like Kagami and him. Aomine and him .
The curse of being a shadow to a light.
Murasakibara Atsushi kept to his food passion. Managing to guest star in many renowned food channel shows and competitions, he quickly managed to make a name for himself. Culinary school had been a breeze for him. The giant male stood out amongst his competition and he became the most threatening critic of them all. It wasn’t hard to keep track of the purple haired male, his TV presence aired 24/7. He even managed to, with Akashi’s help, open several renowned patisseries. Kuroko certainly enjoyed his vanilla sweet treats from the local shop nearby.
Kise Ryouta, ex model and current high fashion media star. The blonde managed to create an online presence himself during the booming business of social media consumerism. Kuroko couldn’t search for any item that hadn’t been endorsed or sponsored by Kise in the past. He had become the It-Person in the world of fashion and vlogging. His luxury life and his ever changing looks brought in a huge fanbase of all genders from all over the world.
“If only his fans knew what he really thought about everyone around him,” Kuroko sighed. Kise thought everyone was easy. If the blonde man really wanted to, he could bed anyone, manipulate his way to the top, or start a cult if he felt bored enough. Akashi would never let him though, he held Kise’s leash and Kise seemed to be fine with that.
Aomine Daiki, his precious ex-light and best friend. Like Kagami, Aomine had been recruited to the NBA in North America. The only one in the Generation of Miracles to keep playing basketball as part of an official team. The Cleveland Cavaliers signed him during his university debut a couple years back. Kuroko adored watching him play with people at his level. When he visited Kagami in America to watch his games, he would sneak off on a flight to watch Aomine’s. When he couldn’t watch, Kagami kept him updated on everything.
Unfortunately for Kagami, the two lights butted heads whenever they met, following Aomine’s question of, “Where’s Tetsu?” That question agitated the redheaded light, but a sick part of him had been pleased that he knew where Kuroko was and not the Miracles. Kagami informed Kuroko a little less than a year prior that Aomine had stopped harassing him about the shadows' location.
"So, how did they find me?” Kuroko brooded, standing up onto the floor. Momoi would not have exposed his location. She was on his side, most of the time, unless it came down to Aomine. A bond of childhood friends is no laughing matter. Momoi grew to be a beautiful woman, following Aomine into the sports world once again, becoming a sports newscaster. She could find out anything for Kuroko if she was asked. He didn’t think she would do the same for the Miracles.
The captee wandered over to the windows of his room, peeking out to the outside world. Kuroko couldn’t see anything at all between the pouring rain and fog that covered the horizon. He could make out the tips of trees, but the ground below was far down. It would be too risky to climb down.
Kuroko resigned to his fate, headed to the exit, chains rattling behind him. He gave a once over of the room he woke up in. The bed laid center in the room, larger than a king size bed. No colors presented on the painted walls. Everything in the room had been consistently kept uniform to a black and white code. Kuroko could only guess the room may have been a guest room at some point. They would not keep him there alone.
The young male left the room, quietly shutting the door behind him. Tiptoeing down the monochromatic hallway, he stopped at the top of the spiral stairs. The entire house he had been trapped in felt unreal, almost similar to a celebrity-model home being sold. It held no life, no color. Kuroko silently walked down the stairs, void of any noise. He tested his abilities, blending into the nothingness. If his lack of presence withstood against the group of males, then he still had an advantage.
“Let the games begin, Akashi-kun. Everyone.”
Kuroko stopped at the bottom of the staircase, holding the chains tethered to his ankles with his hands to quiet the noise.. Idle chit chat rumbled against the room. Kuroko first saw an open space living room that led into the kitchen, only separated by the island counter. The living room was large, a giant sectional sofa had been placed in the center of the room, alongside a brick fireplace with a mounted flat screen. The sofa had a square coffee table too large to blend in, a simple black tablecloth covered it. The table looked out of place in Kuroko’s opinion. Who was he to judge when a fashion designer lived here?
To his right, Kuroko saw an extended doorless archway that revealed the dining hall. His heart began beating fast. He observed that the house resides no other humans besides the six of them. No maids, chefs, or bodyguards seen anywhere.
His miracles gathered together, side by side. He was shocked to see Akashi sitting in the middle opposed to the head of the table. Nobody sat at the head. The sight reminded Kuroko of their Teiko days. Akashi sat in the middle between Midorima and Murasakibara, their backs facing the wall. His presence dominated even after sitting next to the two tallest members. The chairs that sat by the entryway had Aomine and Kise on either side, leaving the middle seat open for him. A plate stacked with all sorts of food lay steaming in wait for Kuroko.
“Oi, Murasakibara, this might be the best thing you’ve made!” Aomine acclaimed, waving his fork and knife around.
“I made it for our special guest, Minechin~” Murasakibara replied, “He feels too light…”
Midorima chimed in matter-of-factly, stabbing at the food on his plate, “He no longer carries around muscle from his athletics.”
“Midorimacchi, stop rubbing it in our faces that you got to touch Kurokocchi already!”
“I didn’t touch him inappropriately, Kise! I was putting ointment on him! Ointment!”
Kuroko raised an eyebrow, thinking to himself, “So where did the bottle of lotion come from, Midorima-kun.”
“Ha! Yeah that’s bull, Midorima. You came down blushing.”
“Midochin’s lucky item today is lotion.” Murasakibara aided, throwing him under the bus.
Akashi remained silent, an eerie smile masked his face. He was too calm for Kuroko’s taste. He couldn’t figure out which Akashi he was seeing. The Akashi who is absolute in dominance in all his tangible ruling or the Akashi that commands allegiance in rhetoric. Kuroko may have been able to watch them for years, but he would not know how they changed mentally. Their public personas were always a mask of what they could have been.
“Would you like to join us, Kuroko? Or are you going to stand there and watch. ” Akashi’s voice rang, causing the room to go silent.
All eyes turned to Kuroko. He had not had this kind of attention in a long time and he could not tell if he liked this feeling. On the plus side, it looks like he gets the calmer Akashi to work with. Kuroko unglued himself from the spot at the bottom of the stairwell.
“It’s been awhile, everyone.” Kuroko deadpanned, pulling out the open chair in front of him.
“Ah, Kurokocchi! Let me get that for you! Sit down, sit down.” Kise jumped up suddenly, taking the chair out of his grip and pulling it backwards.
Not wanting to question why, the small male quickly sat down on the cushioned seats. Kise scooted the chair forward with the smaller male on it until he was pushed far enough in he couldn’t leave the table. Kuroko gripped on to the side of the armless chair, nerves kicking in.
“Welcome home, Kuroko. How many years has it been? Six, almost seven?” Their leader hummed.
“So glad you’re finally home! We missed you, right Aominecchi?” Kise cried, wrapping his arms around Kuroko’s neck from behind.
Kuroko grabbed the blonde's arms, struggling to breathe, “K-Kise-kun, I can’t breathe.” He frantically tapped at the man's hands for release.
“Kise, let go of Tetsu!” Aomine shoved the media star from behind Kuroko.
Kise landed back in his seat with a big sigh, “Rude!”
Aomine wrapped his own calloused hand around Kuroko’s neck, applying pressure safely around his airways. Kuroko froze at the contact. Aomine never was the type to show his control over him, unlike Akashi. Aomine scooped up his own food and shoveled it down his own throat, his arm remained draped around the shadow and the chair.
Kuroko observed the food in front of him, it was western food. A six ounce filet mignon is the main dish. Fries and asparagus resided on the side. Kuroko scrunched up his nose at the familiar sight. It was similar to Kagami’s and his go-to dish. Kagami preferred his steak rarer than Kuroko ever did. The two of them would go to a specific steakhouse chain restaurant every time they met up in America. They actually had a plan to go as soon as Kuroko landed in Chicago, Illinois. Steak filet and asparagus may have been a common dish, but this felt too coincidental.
The sixth member of their little group whipped up his head and gave a scrutinizing stare to the leader, “What did you do to Kagami-kun?”
The grip around his neck tightened, Aomine paused his eating to stare at his shadow.
“That birdbrained light of yours is fine, Kuroko.” Midorima shook his head.
“We have not harmed Kagami Taiga. Just gave him a little warning for aiding in your disappearance.” Akashi declared, staring back at the youngest.
“Kagamicchi has too much of a TV presence now! We couldn’t do anything physical if we tried to!”
That’s a lie.
“Just wait until the Bulls are in my bracket again, I will destroy that bastard.” Aomine snarled, causing Kuroko to flinch.
“Oh, Minechin don’t scare Kurochin.” Murasakibara bossed, scooping another batch of fries onto the NBA players plate.
“Where is he, Akashi-kun?” Kuroko demanded, the food on his plate growing lukewarm.
“Now, now, Tetsuya, this is supposed to be a happy reunion. Look, we even brought you a gift.” A look flashed in Akashi’s eyes, Kuroko knew all too well. He no longer was dealing with the “reasonable” Akashi, but the domineering one. Kuroko felt a hand grip his thigh. He looked down to see Kise rubbing circles with his thumb, fingers indenting his soft skin. Aomine moved in similar fashion. The hand looped around his neck squeezed and unsqueezed, keeping the shadow from being distracted.
“-But Akachin,” Murasakibara whined, “They’re not allowed in the kitchen and dining room.”
Akashi patted Murasakibara’s head to comfort the male, shaking his head in amusement, “Just this once, okay? Atsushi, it’ll make Tetsuya very happy.”
“A gift?” Kuroko cocked his head. He is getting more confused.
“We were afraid you’d become lonely when we’re not here, Kurokocchi!” Kise stated happily, wiping fake tears from his eyes with his free hand.
“Shintarou, would you do the honor?” Akashi directed his attention to the green haired male,
“Must I?” Midorima grumbled, getting up from his seat. Anyone who actually knew Midorima knew he was not genuinely complaining.
Midorima strided over to the living room, heading in front of the sofa. He grabbed onto the fabric covering the coffee table, sliding it off. Kuroko couldn’t see what else he was doing, the couch blocking his view along with Aomine’s loosened grip. He heard rattling sounds, similar to a cage.
“Wake up, your owner is here.” Midorima ordered, unlocking a clasp to the crate.
Two large dogs exited the cage in a calm fashion, walking on either side of Midorima as they headed back into the dining room. Kuroko recognized the dogs immediately. Pulling himself out of Aomine and Kise’s grip, he stood up and walked a few steps to kneel down.
“Nigou and Kagami-Nigou?” He gasped softly, holding out his arms for the dogs to come to him.
The two dogs stayed sitting still beside Midorima, waiting for a command. They were wagging their tails which temporarily calmed Kuroko slightly, not long before the unusual behavior made him uneasy. Tetsuya-Nigou was a street dog. Sweet and loving. Kuroko was not aware of Nigou’s genetics, but he always assumed he was a husky mix of sorts. Nigou was a larger dog compared to when he was a puppy. HIs black and white fur coat remained fluffy and shedded everywhere he moved.
Meanwhile, Kagami-Nigou was a complete and total mutt. Bold and stubborn. Kuroko gave Kagami-Nigou to one of Midorima’s teammates back in the day, but eventually he ended up with him again once he graduated out of his own college and got an apartment of his own. The mutt had reddish brown fur, not too dissimilar to Kagami and if you looked closely enough Kagami-Nigou had Kagami’s eyebrows!
Kuroko loved these two dogs more than anything. They were basketball playing dogs, who wouldn’t love that! Even Kagami enjoyed, albeit reluctantly, playing with them on the court, putting aside his fear of dogs. He remembered those days vividly. Those puppies were full of energy and shined. The dogs Kuroko saw in front of him now seemed different.
“I hope you don’t mind Tetsuya,” Akashi began smugly, “We made a pitstop to the people dogsitting your pets that you boarded early. They quickly surrendered them with a small incentive.” He rubbed his fingers together symbolizing the money he spent.
“Kurochin needs to hire better dogsitters. What if we were strangers?”
Kuroko kept his focus on the dogs in front of him, ignoring the condescending voices behind him.
“Nigou, Kagami-Nigou. Come here.” Kuroko demanded.
The dogs did not budge. Midorima lifted up a hand, a small dog treat appearing in the tips of fingers. Kagami-Nigou and Tetsuya-Nigou turned to face away from their owner, looking at the green haired man instead.
“Aren’t dogs fascinating, Tetsuya?” Akashi hummed, slicing into his steak, “It only took a few days, but with enough classical conditioning they will respond to our every word.”
“You don’t like dogs, Akashi-kun.”
“Yes, but these ones are different. Brilliant just like their owner. Well, maybe not the mutt that looks like your light,” Their leader continued, “Tetsuya-Nigou has been easier to train. Just like his human.” Like all of us.
Kuroko frowned, falling into silence. They were taking things too far.
“Oi, Midorima let the dogs go, even I can tell Tetsu might cry.” Aomine pointed out.
Midorima tossed a treat into each of the dogs' mouths, rewarding them for their behavior. The two dogs scarfed down their treats in seconds, remaining at a heel beside Midorima. Midorima gave a signal to Kuroko’s dogs, relieving them of their commands. Tetsuya-Nigou and Kagami-Nigou ran towards their owner, tackling him to the ground. Kuroko fell on his bottom, petting and roughhousing with the pair.
“Isn’t this nice, Tetsuya?”
Kuroko ignored Akashi, playing with his pets. He released soft giggles from his lips. His pets crowded around him, licking his face and ears. A chair screeched behind him, someone stood up from their seat. He chose to disregard the footsteps coming around the table, pausing a few steps away from the dogpile. Silence filled the room.
“Dogs, come.” Akashi ordered, snapping his fingers.
Kagami-Nigou and Tetsuya-Nigou stopped playing immediately, turning to the dominant figure and headed beside him. Kuroko glanced at Akashi, face apathetic, if not a touch bit annoyed.
“Why…?” Kuroko cocked his head to the side.
“I don’t enjoy being ignored, Tetsuya,” Akashi acknowledged, “Let’s try this again. Isn’t this nice, Tetsuya?”
Kuroko wanted to be speechless. Akashi’s behavior had always been demanding, but he couldn’t figure out what his objective was. There had been a point to be made here, and Kuroko did not understand it. He felt the eyes of his ex-teammates
“This is nice, thank you Akashi-kun,” he remained seated on the floor, looking up at his ex-captain with big round eyes.
Akashi signaled to Kuroko’s pets to roam around freely. It seemed as long as they remained out of certain areas they would be safe. Kagami-Nigou and Tetsuya-Nigou whimpered their farewell before taking off up the stairs.
“How can I escape if they have my dogs…” Kuroko contemplated his thoughts.
“Good boy, Tetsuya.” Akashi praised, walking over to the sitting male. He crouched down beside Kuroko, holding his hand out, something rested in the palm of his hand. Not sure what to do, Kuroko stuck out both his hands forming a cup. The leader dropped a piece of candy in his hands.
Kuroko looked at the candy in his palms. The candy was wrapped in thin rice paper, with a particular logo he knew well. It was some vanilla flavored sweet he came to love one day when he ventured into one of Murasakibara’s bakeries. The candy had his name written all over, it was simple and plain like him. Vanilla could never go wrong. He figured Murasakibara would lure him out with something like this one day, but this seemed offensive.
“Really, Akashi-kun?” Kuroko felt vexed.
“Really.” Akashi grinned, his eyes flashed with anticipation. He adored their shadow, just as he adored each of the savant Miracles. This reunion was destined in Akashi’s eyes, whether he forced his fate or not. If only Kuroko paid attention to Oha Asa, he could have been safe. Their leader bent down, towering over Kuroko.
Kuroko squeezed the candy tight in his hand, holding his arms to his chest. He glanced halfheartedly at the CEO in front of him. Akashi’s presence exuded authority. The red-haired man opened his arms and crushed the latter in a deep embrace. Kuroko felt Akashi’s heartbeat accelerate in his arms. The smaller male hesitated before wrapping his own arms around the latter.
This felt right, but is it right?
“We really missed you Kurokocchi!” Kise chimed in from behind.
“It’s not the same when we’re all separated.” Midorima noted, nodding his head in agreement.
“Ha! You even made Midorima sentimental.” Aomine snickered at the medical student.
Murasakibara, partially paying attention while piling more food onto his plate, mumbled “If only Kurochin didn’t leave us to begin with…”
Akashi stood up, taking Kuroko with him and guiding the male back into his seat. He wrapped his arms around Kuroko in a similar manner to Kise’s hug, softly speaking, “Kuroko, I have one last gift for you, if you would like to open it?”
Kuroko was going to get whiplash at this rate, everyone's inconsistent emotions were overwhelming him. He nodded to Akashi, confirming his answer. The group leader handed over a gray, rectangular jewelry box. He flipped open the case, revealing a silver, iridescent flat banded bracelet with a hidden clasp.
“A bracelet? Akashi-kun it looks expensive, I couldn’t-”
“Nonsense, Kuroko. It’s our gift to you,” Akashi coerced, running his thumb in circles around Kuroko’s wrist. This action soothed Kuroko, but still unnerved him. He played with the bracelet around his fingers, feeling the smooth texture. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with the jewelry piece, but he knew to trust his gut feeling.
Unluckily for him, Aomine took the matters into his own hands, coveting the bracelet out of his shadow's hand and placing it on his wrist where Akashi directed him too. The iridescent jewelry reflected off the chandelier light. It fit snugly around his wrist, like a watch band.
“It looks lovely on you, Kuroko.” Akashi smirked, still kneading around his wrist, “I worried it wasn’t going to fit.”
“Ha, why worry when Satsuki knew what size to get!” Aomine guffawed.
“So Momoi-san really…?” Kuroko muttered under his breath.
“What was that, Kurochin?” Murasakibara hummed, amused at the complex look plastered on the usual listless shadow’s face.
“Nothing, Murasakibara-kun… Akashi-kun, what is this bracelet for?”
“To keep you safe, Kuroko. We all have one.” Akashi pointed out his own jewelry. He adorned an iridescent band on his right ring finger. He took off the ring to show Kuroko. The blue haired male played with the ring, examining every inch. Six colored stones laid embedded on the inside of the ring, hidden to the public.
“That’s endearing…” Kuroko noted, handing the ring back to Akashi.
“Kurokocchi! Do you like mine?” Kise flashed his one earring to his mentor. Kise always had that piercing since their middle school days. Too scared to pierce the otherside, he only kept the one hoop in. At some point he must have changed it to the small hoop earring that Akashi provided.
A leg suddenly swung up onto Kuroko’s lap. Aomine poked his slipper-covered foot against Kuroko’s stomach. The shadow really did not feel pleased to have this unwanted weight in his lap. He grabbed Aomine’s ankle to shove it back down, feeling a band of some sort underneath his sock.
“Mine’s an anklet,” The NBA player noted, rubbing his nose, “Looks pretty similar to yours, right Tetsu? Can’t legally play basketball with visible accessories without being penalized so this had to do.”
Kuroko pulled down Aomine’s sock, revealing an anklet version of his own new accessory. It made sense he wore an anklet opposed to a bracelet. The league would flag him for such a thing, potentially harming other players by accident. An occupational hazard.
“It’s a miracle that the NBA hasn’t fined you for that yet, Aomine.” Midorima observed. Aomine shrugged in response.
“What jewelry did you get Midorima-kun? Murasakibara-kun?”
Midorima took off his glasses, pointing to the inside of the arm, six miniscule jewels lodged in, similar to Akashi’s. The frames remained the same style he always wore, the only difference had been whatever their leader implanted in the spectacles. Kuroko nodded his thanks, letting Midorima situate his glasses back on.
“Kurochin, Kurochin~ Look, mine is a chain.” Murasakibara unbuttoned his collared shirt, revealing a coruscating chain necklace.
The jewelry held no pendant, looking empty. Kuroko glanced back at Akashi’s ring resting on his finger. Kuroko wondered if Murasakibara subconsciously picked the chain to wear to mimic Himuro Tatsuya and his own necklace. Kagami and Himuro, once upon a time, wore necklaces with paired rings.
“Very pretty, Murasakibara-kun.”
Murasakibara shot a lazy grin in response.
“On that note. Kuroko, you have responded well to us so far,” Akashi returned to his seat, commencing his next order of business, “Almost a little disappointed you haven’t attempted to run.”
What are you thinking, my shadow?
Kuroko remained silent, picking his utensils back up. He prodded at the lukewarm food, disappointed he could not share this with Kagami. Like a second sense, Aomine grabbed Kuroko’s bare thigh, fingers indenting his pale skin. It’s like he knew he was thinking about his replacement.
“That, or he just wanted to touch me.” Kuroko debated to himself, wondering if he should take a fork to the hand wandering dangerously below.
“Luckily for you, we will not keep you up too late tonight if you remain on your best behavior,” Their leader continued, “You may not show it on your face, but we know how low your stamina is.”
“It’s in your best interest if you try to escape, Kurokocchi!” Kise jumped in.
Kuroko felt another hand wander onto his skin, his other thigh being assaulted by thinner, manicured hands. Kise’s nails imprinted on his flesh, isolated dark crescent shapes appearing in each spot. Aomine, on the other hand, had kept to his ministrations. Teasing and rough, inching under his pajama shorts before sliding back down again. Kuroko shifted, his heart thumping suddenly. He felt a knot rise in his stomach.
“...And if I do try to escape?” Kuroko asked, poking the bear.
“Try and find out, Tetsu.” Aomine retorted, pinching his thigh.
Kuroko put down his fork and knife. Food would not be able to settle his stomach tonight, his nerves felt on fire.
“Murasakibara, would you make us a batch of cookies and milk?” Akashi asked, squeezing the taller male's hand, “In celebration of Kuroko coming home to us, we should have a movie night and sleep in the living room.”
Soft pink dusted Murasakibara’s cheeks, squeezing Akashi’s hand back in response, “Of course, Akachin.”
“Meanwhile, Aomine and Kise will help Kuroko bathe while Midorima and I set up. Can I trust you to behave?”
“Throw me to the wolves, Akashi-kun. They would be gentler.” Kuroko mumbled.
“Oi, what’s that supposed to mean, Tetsu?” His light snorted, amused.
Kise slid out from his chair, pulling Kuroko’s chair back with him. The blonde lifted Kuroko up under his arms and dangled him over his shoulder. The model was stronger than he looked. Kuroko laid limply, surrendering to his fate.
“Let’s go Kurokocchi! Aominecchi!” Kise shouted animatedly. Aomine stood up from his own spot, plate cleaned of all food. The pair plus Aomine staggered up the stairs, leaving the remaining three in the dining room to pick up and set up for their nightly affairs.
“Are you sure sending those two up with Kuroko was a good idea?” Midorima raised concern to Akashi.
Heterochromatic eyes flashed at Midorima, the mood changing abruptly, “Tetsuya has not been taking his current situation seriously. Sending those two up with him will be a wake up call.”
“Hmm… Kurochin’s going to be in trouble.”
Midorima sighed, adjusting his glasses. He worried for the shadow the most, but he too wanted to see Kuroko begging on his knees, tears welling in his doe eyes. Midorima felt his morals mixing. They all wanted Kuroko to repent for disappearing on them. After all, their sixth member up and left again after forgiving them? They finally became one again and he chose to abandon them again and again.
They will get to the bottom of his reasoning sooner or later.
---
“Wow~ Doesn’t this feel nice?” Kise sang.
Kuroko rolled his stiff neck, sweat dripped down his face. Aomine and Kise had thrown him in an unnecessarily large tub that could hold two-to-three smaller sized people if they tried. Of course, Aomine and Kise tried. Kise propped himself on the porcelain tub, hugging Kuroko flesh to his body. Aomine sat opposite of the two, threading his bent legs with theirs.
“Gah! My muscles needed this.” Aomine stretched his aching arms.
They were all in the nude like the day they were born. Kuroko settled himself deeper in Kise’s arms, cheeks pink from the heat of the water. His current plans to escape had been aborted. He could not leave without his two dogs, knowing that the Miracles would hold them ransom until his return.
It did not mean he could not test the waters though and try to escape.
“Aomine-kun’s basketball has gotten really good.” Kuroko praised, reaching over to pat his light’s wet hair, “Kagami-kun has been jealous.”
“As he should be!” Kise joined in, smugness radiating, “Aominecchi is unbeatable.”
Aomine nodded, basking in the praise, “That idiot could never compare to me… He’s holding out well though.”
Kuroko’s eyes widened, hands splashing water accidentally, “Have you finally acknowledged Kagami-kun after all these years?”
“Ha, no, don’t get your hopes up, Tetsu.”
Kuroko yawned, shaking his head in disapproval. He curled up closer into Kise’s arms, fading faster. He knew he could not fall asleep yet. Akashi prepared a movie for them to watch and he had escape plans to make, but he never felt more secure in the embrace of someone he feared and loved.
“Aw, Aominecchi. Look, he’s getting sleepy.” Kise cooed, brushing his hair away from his face.
The younger male ignored the blonde's comment. He needed to focus on his next course of action. He thought about contacting Kagami, Momoi, or his oldest friend, Ogiwara. Kagami would definitely help him, even though he believed Kuroko to be idiotic for disappearing on them. Momoi may or may not help. He was not sure after tonight. Ogiwara played a big role in his disappearance. He did not want to risk exposing him to the people he disliked.
“Come on Tetsu, let’s dry you off.” Kuroko heard his light say from outside his thoughts.
Kuroko could give many excuses as to why he disappeared from his old teammates. He doubts the Miracles would respond well to his reasons. One may say he did it for his mental health, his sanity, but anyone who actually knew the shadow, would know he lost that long ago. His other reasoning may have been that he wanted a final chase. A game he knew he could win for a while until they had enough.
“Ah! Aominecchi! You’re dripping water everywhere!”
A sick part of him wanted revenge for the way they treated him. He knew it wasn’t the miracles fault either, but their unhealthy bonds tied them together in middle school and high school. Kuroko wanted to know how far he could stretch the bond tethering them together before it would snap, but they all knotted to each other. An unbreakable web, and Kuroko fell in.
“Tetsu should wear my shirt.”
“He should wear mine!”
“How about you wear mine then, Kise.”
Kuroko shivered in the aerated bedroom, naked down to his underwear. Kise handed him his shirt to wear, while Aomine gave Kise his. The NBA player chose to be shirtless himself. Kise had given him some designer shirt that hit right above his knee in length. Kuroko fidgeted with the hem. He began his search for the nearest door, looking around the room.
“Kurokocchi, you forgot this,” Kise handed him his abandoned candy from earlier, “You should eat before it gets sticky and melts. Murasakibaracchi will be sad if you waste it.”
He unraveled the sweet candy in his palm.
“It’s nice seeing you not resist us, Tetsu.” Aomine smiled, “Didn’t you miss this?”
Kuroko placed the treat in his mouth, chewing softly. He felt subdued and leashed. His options were limited. Part of him enjoyed whatever this was. The pampering and attention he so rarely received. In a way, it felt like a reward, but he would be damned if he did not go down without a fight. His legs were not yet chained back together.
“It’s really nice to be around you all again.” Kuroko spoke softly, peering at the two.
The moonlight shimmered through the room. The nightly bugs chirped and sang, filling the quiet air. Aomine and Kise were joined at the hip, arms wrapped around each other's waist. They watched him like a hawk. Kuroko took one step backwards.
“Kurokocchi~ You were being so good,” Kise whined, “Akashi’s going to be mad we rewarded this behavior.”
“You shouldn’t do what you’re about to do.” Aomine huffed, he knew his shadow inside and out. That delicate body of his would not last long escaping from their home.
Kuroko took one more step, challenging the two. He knew they were fast, but this was his experiment. His first offense would not be a severe punishment, knowing Akashi. The blue haired male prayed that their retired captain still had a soft spot for him enough he would go easy. They wanted entertainment, so be it.
Kuroko took one last longer step back, hand reaching for the doorknob behind him.