A/N: I'm surprisingly happy with this chapter, anyways enjoy!

Warnings: Mentions of mental illnesses and self-destructive behavior. Strong language is present in this book. Canon-divergence(ish?). Kuroko/Takao. More warnings will be added as the story progresses.

Summary: "Sometimes, I just want to be noticed by those around me."

"Really? Well guess what, I noticed you the moment we met, and honestly, I couldn't take my eyes off of you after that."

"Thinking"

'Texting'

'Calls'

"Talking"

Chapter One: So Quiet

"The silence allows my demons to roam free.

My thoughts and emotions consume me.

It's so quiet I can't take it anymore.

The silence is something I can't ignore."

After Seirin's match with Shutoku, Kuroko found himself aimlessly walking around a park. Seirin's celebrations had already ended with everyone at home. Kuroko didn't want to go home, if he could even call it that. His home was always empty, his parents were never home, and they were always occupied with work.

Houses were usually meant to be filled with warmth and laughter, but Kuroko's house was cold and quiet.

"Hmn, it's fitting… I guess," he mused, "I'm supposedly a ghost, right? It makes sense that my house is devoid of life."

His thoughts then shifted onto the topic of himself. It wasn't widely known, but Kuroko, hated himself. He absolutely hated that he had no presence, he hated how no one spared him a glance, he hated that he couldn't express his emotions. You would think he would be used to this since things have always been like this, but he isn't and he doubts he could.

Kuroko took out his phone and earphones and played some random song from a playlist Kagami showed him to distract himself. A soft melody started playing, and Kuroko started walking towards a park bench. He lazily kicked some rocks and decided to lose himself to his thoughts again.

Kuroko didn't know why he had such a low presence, and he's tried many times before to stand out. It didn't work, and all attempts to stand out failed.

He sat on the bench and grew frustrated. He has blue hair for fuck's sake, that isn't a common hair color.

Even in basketball he doesn't stand out. Technically, he is a part of the Generation of Miracles, but even then, he's the rumored 'Phantom Sixth Man'.

Phantom, there's the word that Kuroko resents the most.

His eyes started to water as a new song starts playing. He's just so frustrated with everything. Sure, being a phantom is great since he's a passing specialist, but Takao was able to see him, and Kuroko was useless during the game. What the hell is Kuroko supposed to do when his only weapon and advantage in basketball is proved to be useless?

By now his tears are running freely down his face. He didn't say anything during the game, but Takao's ability to shut him down scared Kuroko.

"What if the team comes to the conclusion that I'm useless?" Suddenly, it starts to rain covering Kuroko's tears. He doesn't move and allowed himself to get soaked by the rain.

"What if Kagami doesn't want to be my light anymore," he closes his eyes, "it wouldn't matter, he's already a great basketball player. He doesn't need me to support him."

Kuroko just sat there on the bench with the rain drenching his body, and just cries his heart out. All the pain, stress, and frustrations finally got to him. He bottled up his emotions, and it became too much for him to handle, he snapped.

He's just so hurt and confused, and he doesn't know what to do anymore.

He felt the rain suddenly stop, and he opened his eyes. He saw a clear umbrella covering him and turned his body to look at the owner.

He saw Takao, dressed in sweats, holding the umbrella with his left hand and the other in his pocket.

"Hey," Takao said sounding a bit uncomfortable and out of his element. Kuroko shivered now feeling the chill from being soaked.

"Hey," Kuroko replied.

Takao shifted so that the umbrella is in his right hand.

"Why are you out so late and in the rain?"

"Do you want an honest answer?" Kuroko asked, and seeing Takao's nod he continued, "Well, I've bottled up all my feelings and it came to bite me in the ass. Now I'm crying in the rain at twelve in the morning. I'm probably going to get a cold too, so I'll have to skip practice for a few days. Coach is going to be furious with me and will double my training. What are you doing out here Takao-san?"

Takao is left speechless; he thought Kuroko didn't talk this much. "I decided to go for a walk, I'm still bugged about our loss and I wanted fresh air."

Kuroko hummed in response. No one said anything for a few moments, trying to figure out what to say next.

"Uhm, well if you want, you could rant to me, and I could rant to you," Takao offered, breaking the silence. He didn't know Kuroko very well, but from what he had heard from Midorima, he knew the boy was kind. He was kind of curious about him as well and he found that seeing him crying in the rain at night didn't sit well with him.

"We can, but let's move to a different location. Maybe my house? If you're comfortable going to a stranger's house, we can talk there. I really need to change my clothes," Kuroko suggested after thinking over it for a moment.

Takao smiled. "Sure."

Takao honestly did not expect to be comforting Kuroko at twelve in the morning. He was peacefully walking around the park and saw Kuroko just sitting there, and originally, he was just going to ignore him. He acted on impulse and approached the blue haired teen, and now they're standing inside of Kuroko's house.

"Uhm, I'm going to go get a dry set of clothes on, make yourself at home Takao-san," Kuroko said while rubbing the back of his neck. Takao nodded and put his umbrella off to the side to dry while Kuroko went upstairs.

Takao hesitantly headed towards the living room and sat down on one of the couches. Looking around the room, he noticed that Kuroko's living room was plain and lacked any personal touch. Takao couldn't explain it, but there were no family pictures, decorations, or anything really. There was only furniture.

Takao felt as if this place wasn't a home and that fact bugged him more than it should have.

He heard shuffling from the direction of the stairs and turned his head. He saw Kuroko in some sleep wear coming down the stairs and heading towards the kitchen.

"I'll prepare some snacks," he told Takao. A few seconds later he came back with some crackers and water. It was extremely awkward between the two. It finally sunk in that they were strangers and that they didn't really know each other.

Kuroko wanted to smack himself because everyone knew to not invite strangers into their house during late hours.

Takao couldn't take the awkward silence anymore and decided to start the conversation.

"So, are you going to tell me the reason why you were sitting in the rain at 12 in the morning?"

"Well, I was thinking."

"What were you thinking about? I could tell you were crying."

Kuroko sipped his water before answering, "Long story short, I'm just sick of everything, I guess. I hate my current skills in basketball, and now that you shut down my only advantage I had in basketball, I'm probably going to be kicked off the team."

Takao nodded, understanding where the other teen came from.

"Kuroko-san, I highly doubt your team will do that to you. I hate to admit it, but you are a formidable opponent. I had quite the hard time playing against you. Besides, your skills are unique and amazing, don't put yourself down."

When Takao finished, he smiled at Kuroko to try and cheer him up.

"I guess you're right. What about you Takao-san? What's wrong?" asked the blue haired teen.

"Hah, I'd never thought I'd be venting to you, it's funny actually. Anyway, I guess I'm a bit frustrated too. After we lost, I guess I feel like it was my fault? I don't know, it's just one of those times where you're sad for no reason, I guess."

"I completely understand, well I don't know if I can be of any help, but I can try to cheer you up? I'm not very good at it though."

Takao grinned. "It's okay Kuroko-san, talking with you is pretty fun. We should just stop thinking about it. Maybe we could get to know each other?" He surprised himself when he asked this question, but Takao had a feeling that he wouldn't regret this.

"That's sounds like a great idea Takao."

They spent the rest of the night talking, and when Takao left, they exchanged numbers. Kuroko's chest felt a little lighter and Takao couldn't stop smiling. It was obvious to both that spending time with each other really helped to improve their moods.

Kuroko and Takao have been talking a lot recently and formed some kind of friendship. They both decided to hang out, after realizing that they liked being in each other's presence. Takao was always amused whenever he thought about their friendship. They are an unlikely pair, but they also get along. It was weird, in a good way.

It was a Saturday, and Takao stood at Kuroko's door dressed in jeans and a plain shirt. He pressed the doorbell and patiently waited for his friend to answer the door. When Kuroko finally did come out, he smiled. Kuroko was wearing a plain, white shirt with jeans and a oversized blue jacket on top. He looked really nice.

"You look great! You ready Kuroko?"

Kuroko smiled lightly. "Thank you, and you look good too. Yes I am ready."

They went out to eat lunch at a pizzeria. Kuroko genuinely enjoyed eating lunch with Takao. He'd gotten to order vanilla milkshakes as well so that was another plus. Takao kept the conversation going and made sure that Kuroko was comfortable. Kuroko allowed Takao to rant sometimes too and he would listen because he knew his friend enjoyed talking.

Once he got excited about things he just wouldn't stop talking. Kuroko wasn't mad about it though because he understands his friend is very passionate about things he liked

Their lunch was pleasant, and they headed on to their next destination. They walked around not really knowing where they wanted to go. The pair would walk into shops lining the streets and buy small trinkets or things they needed.

"We could stop at one more place before I'm due to go home," Takao said after exiting the fifth shop they went into. "Any suggestions?'

Kuroko hummed and looked around before his eyes landed on a building.

"How about the arcade?"

They both agreed on going to an arcade, and it was there that Takao learned that Kuroko absolutely sucked at playing games. They tried playing a racing game together, and Kuroko came in last because he constantly went the opposite way.

He laughed, while Kuroko pouted.

"It's not funny Takao-kun."

Takao wiped tears from his eyes before replying, "Yes it is Kuroko, you were going backwards. I don't know how, but you did." He looked at Kuroko again, and Takao burst into laughter once more. He was clutching at his sides and could barely stand straight.

"Takao-kun is mean, and I am never hanging out with him again," Kuroko said before trying to run away, but Takao grabbed his wrist to stop him.

"Don't forget I can see you Kuroko, your misdirection doesn't work on me," Takao said while pointing to his eyes. The Seirin player could see the mischief in the other's eyes and couldn't stop a smile from forming on his usually blank face.

He really liked this.

He liked hanging out with Takao and having fun.

Takao started to crack some jokes and Kuroko started laughing. They were stupid jokes, but that's what made them so funny. They made their way to their next game, and Takao ended up tripping on the way. Kuroko snickered while Takao sent him a glare.

Kuroko was happy and things weren't so quiet anymore with Takao in his life.

A/N: Okay, before some of you go "Another story? You don't even update the other two stories." Ah well, I'm currently writing out all the chapters for each story (I also just want to write Kuroko/Takao okay). I've been frustrated with both stories lately, and I just can't bring myself to upload chapters that I feel aren't good enough. I've had no time to really write, it's been a crazy few months. I had to deal with school, and sadly there has been a lot of deaths in my family. The Scars of the Past is going to have it's 1 year anniversary soon, and I find it sad that there's only a few chapters. Don't worry though, I am definitely going to finish these stories, it may take long though, oops. Thankfully, it's summer and I am going to be working hard and trying to get chapters out :)

MARCH 21, 2020 - Some changes were made, things were added, and I hope i managed to correct my mistakes.

- The Mysterious Rhea