Pairing: Akashi Seijuro/Kuroko Tetsuya (Kuroko no Basuke)

Rated: T

Summary: After GoM's final reunion, Akashi walked Kuroko Home. Akakuro Oneshot

Disclaimer: Not mine.

Unbetad. Sorry for the mistakes.

The Sound of Fire

"You've changed, Tetsuya."

The former captain stated casually. Looking up with glassy-eyes and an expression of blank, Said person in Akashi's words could not help but letting his thoughts drifting to some irrelevant trifles. Kuroko suddenly found it is rare for him to actual "lead" the redhead-Akashi was always the one to lead, the one in control in any kind of relationship between the former captain and anyone, be it Kuroko himself or the others.

"In a bad way? Since you have pointed it out, this chang must be really bad in your eyes, Akashi-kun. By the way, I believe your hotel is in another direction."

"No hurry, I get enough time. It is no harm to have a little walk around. So is it safe to take your words as a hint of unwillingness to invite me in?"

"Is this cheating, Akashi-kun? I don't have the intention to begin a love affair."

Akashi chuckled. His faint footsteps were nearly inaudible in the silent dark night.

"No, absolutely not. Just a chit-chat with old time friends. Hardly counts."

It was eleven o'clock in the night. Thursday. One hour after GoM's final reunion. Two kilometers from Kuroko's home. Three days before GoM's entrance into colleges. Four steps between Kuroko and the former captain.

Perhaps,far more than that.

"Not that you've changed much, maybe you've not changed at all. Tetsuya, you are different from the image of you in my mind. So it seems that the problems lie in me: I did not know you so much as I believed."

Kuroko stopped and turned around in confusion; Akashi's face was just a few inches away. Above their heads, dim streetlights intermittently went out. The soft yellow light fell into Akashi's eyes, sparking a strange yet breathtaking shade in them. Then it exploded, with all the world merging into darkness.

Kuroko always liked this darkness. This darkness could embody everything, and without it Kuroko felt like that his whole existence had been denied. After all, it was the darkness who created the "shadow" and provided the latter a place to reside. Without him he would be nothing.

But he was gone; All the residue was mocking counterfeit.

"I'm bad at words play, Akashi-kun please just spell it out."

"As straightforward as always, Tetsuya, but not as honest as always, hum?"

Kuroko's face remains unemotional. His lips parted but muted, trying to say something of which he even was not sure. In the end, the bluenette opted to ask instead.

"What are you implying, Akashi-kun?"

"Let's not ruin all the fun, shall we?" Akashi took off his scarf and wrapped it around Kuroko's neck. Autumn was written in the whistling of wind; it was really getting cold in the night.

"Thank you, Akashi-kun, but I'm not cold."

"Don't lie to me, Tetsuya," Focusing on the scarf, Akashi did not look into Kuroko's eyes while he was answering. The former captain upturned his corners of mouth, which indicated his unusual good mood, tying the scarf around Kuroko's neck neatly. "Not pointing out doesn't mean that I am in the dark. You know the better."

"Please stop teasing with me. It's so tired for me to talk with Akashi-kun."

"Why, Tetsuya, actually I find our conversation quite entertaining. It's a pity that we did not talk much back our Teiko days."

"Actually we talked, and talked a lot in the first two years. It is Akashi-kun who didn't want to talk in the third year, all you want is to win."

"Present tense?" Akashi mused, "I'm afraid that accusation applies to me. I want to win, that's for sure."

"Akashi-kun was so blindfold back then, but Aomine-kun might be even worse."

"I can hardly agree with you concerning the former part: Victory is still my priority, although now I see I was blinded by it, missing the other things wich were also very important to me. However, I have to say about Daiki, your statement is undeniably exact, Tetsuya."

"Excuse me, Akashi-kun,"Kuroko monotoned. "My ears might play tricks on me. Did you just say that except victory, you find other things worth your efforts?"

"Are you questioning my humanity?"Akashi walked after Kuroko in a leisurely yet steady pace. Even without the sight of Akashi's face, from the tone of red-head, Kuroko knew too well that Akashi now was raising one of his eyebrow. "Otherwise, I will take it that Tetsuya is flirting with me."

"Please, Akashi-kun." Kuroko slowed down his steps, now the two ex-teammates and ex-rivals were walking side by side. "How does my question relate to flirting?"

"Good question, but as what I've said earlier, " Akashi paused for a moment, then he smiles, not a smirk, but a smile, a real smile which reaches his usually cold yellow eye. "Let's not ruin all the fun."

A smiling Akashi, that's weird.

Even back the Teiko days, that Akashi seldom smiled.

"Forgive me for my rudeness,but you are all acting strange," Kuroko tilted his head. "I mean, yes, it's the last time we reunion before we go to college. Is it necessary to act like that we will never meet again?"

"It is not about necessary, it's about inevitability. No matter how you try to deny it, but Tetsuya, you will start a new life, you will cut off the connections with the past, you will forget about Teiko, about Seirin, about the follies we've committed , and of course, you will forget the GoM."

"I will not."

"Don't forget I know you much more than you do know about yourself. So tell me, Tetsuya, why did you leave Teiko in the first place?"

Kuroko rubbed his forehead; he was really getting tired of this.

"I had my reasons, you knew, Akashi-kun. I didn't want to hate basketball-"

"Then it was unharmful to hate your old teammates?"

"What? Akashi-kun you can't..."

There was a hint of impatience in Akashi's eyes. Kuroko immediately shut up, knowing better not to challenge Akashi's tolerance of being opposed and interrupted.

"Let me rephrase this: Is it unharmful to discard your old teammates, because some of them were stupid, some of them were naive, some of them held the ideas and believes you cannot understand?"

"My apologies for my previous inconsideration and immaturity. However, I must clarify on this point that people will change. Like what Aomine-kun introspected his deeds earlier, I also make up my mind that I will never evade in the future."

"No, you won't."Akashi did not hesitate to reply. His tone was light, and his expression could almost be described as pleasant.

"Why so sure, Akashi-kun. You have to admit that you will make mistakes sometimes, you are human, human beings are supposed to make mistakes."

"Winter Cup did not count for a mistake, considering it's you, my perfect work, who I lost." Akashi narrowed his eyes before he continued, "I doubt whether I've made or I'll make a mistake, but I want to save the argument, so let's leave the point here. What I want to say is: Tetsuya you will evade, you will evade again and again. It's not concerning my judgment, but the truth."

"I will not."

"Then what are you doing here?" Akashi looked into Kuroko's eyes. The bluenette did not turn away, but his expression was not as composed as his usual self. Though it was really hard to the difference, considering Kuroko invariably worn the same emotionless face all the time.

"What are you implying, Akashi-kun?"

"You know it. Perhaps it's efficient on Daiki, but playing dumb does not work on me."

Kuroko was now irritated.

"Can you please stop it, Akashi-kun? I said that I did not want to play mind games with you. Why is it so hard for you to show some affection towards your old teammates, just as what the other members of GoM did? Like what you said, it may be the last time for us being together. Why you are trying to make everything so hard?"

"Ah, affection. so it's back to the old flirting stuff." Akashi drawled. "And I would like to remind you Tetsuya, do not challenge me too much."

Kuroko signed. He is tired, really tired.

"You are impossible, Akashi-kun."

"And you are being stubborn again, Tetsuya."

The red scarf did not match Kuroko, not at all. The fire of fierce red was consuming the watery blue, making Kuroko appeared even smaller in the scarf. Kuroko felt dizzy and suffocated; the wind, together with Akashi's smell, was too much to take.

Kuroko looked around. He wanted to find something to distract him, anything. As long as he was free from the danger of smother, he cared little about the consequences of his irresponsible actions.

He did, a long time ago.

Akashi was still by his side, composed as usual. He lifted his hand and held Kuroko's freezing fingertips in.

"You are cold." It was a statement.

"Akashi-kun, I've already said I don't have the wish to cheat."

"Remember the terms we made for 'cheating' earlier? I've told you that bodily interacts only counts for cheating when they are involved with sexual intentions."

"I think Akashi-kun is misguiding me with these self-made terms," Kuroko half-halfheartedly complained. Akashi did not answer to that, instead he chuckled again.

They were now on a graveled path where streetlights cannot reach. Sliver moonlight spread on the stone, decorating the dark night with the atmosphere of coldness.

"Tonight you are in control, so do with me what you will," Akashi's hot palms were melting down the icy in Kuroko's fingertips, which annoys the latter to no end.

"Akashi-kun, I sincerely appreciate your efforts, but I'm fine with the coldness. I'm a hopeless case, so stop wasting your time to warm me up."

"A pun, hum?" Akashi savored the response on his tone. There was a confident look in his mismatched eyes, screaming that the red-head already had everything in control, which Kuroko did not at all. Then the red-head mimicked. "Why so sure, Tetsuya."

Kuroko frowned at this.

"Apologize for my rudeness, but I really don't like Akashi-kun's arrogant attitude."

"Why, my Tetsuya, arrogant is a word for Daiki in Teiko days. As for me, I would appreciate it if you can use the more fittable word 'confident'."

"Then Akashi-kun's confidence must be overflowing."

"You amuse me to no end, Tetsuya," Akashi slightly chuckled. He stretched out his hands towards the soft-looking hair of Kuroko, ruffing it. "I'm not that confident; I have my own weakness. Maybe you would not believe it, but I do have fears."

"What fears?" Kuroko asked spontaneously. When the words were out of mouth, he instantly regretted.

"Do you think I'm a little pushy today?" Instead of answering Kuroko directly, the red-head inquired with a strange question. Kuroko resisted the urge to raise his eyebrows.

"You are always pushy, Akashi-kun."

"No, you know that is not true. I've never pushed you once, never, not when you wanted to quit Teiko basketball team, or when you decided you will choose Seirin instead of Rakuzan."

"I suppose that is true." Kuroko paused, pondering on what Akashi had said. "Yes, you could force me, but you didn't."

"Good. Now give a guess why I'm being pushy today."

"I would rather not, Akashi-kun."

"Stubborn and no sense of humor? Troublesome, but that is what lies in you I like the most."

"That is really a close call, Akashi-kun. Please don't flirt with me."

"You do not like your friends?"

"No, I did not say that."

"Am I not your friend, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko hesitated, he went on nonetheless.

"That is not what I said."

"Can't friend be attached to each other because of each other's personalities?"

"You said that."

"So why on earth would you relate my sentence to flirting, Tetsuya?"

"Please don't be so pushy, Akashi-kun."

"Pushy, ah," Akashi's tone is delighted. "Do you know why I'm being pushy today?"

"No, please enlighten me with this, Akashi-kun."

"It is because," Akashi spoke slowly, making sure each syllable is clearly heard by the bluenette besides him. He tightened his left hand which now was holding Kuroko's hand in it. "I have a fear."

"What?" Kuroko looked at the red-head in mild surprise. He did not except this.

"I'm being pushy because I have a fear today. Honestly, what else do you expect?"

"Except this one."

"You don't want me to elaborate on this, do you?"

"No, please don't, Akashi-kun."

"Good."

Silence accompanied them all the rest way to Kuroko's home. It's rare for them to talk so much in each other's presents, since neither of them was a speaker. Finally Kuroko's home came into view, the bluenette mentally sighed with a relief, loosing the scarf which was tightly wrapped around his neck.

"Akashi-kun, thank you for your accompany and your scarf, here-"

"Keep it."

Kuroko looked up; Akashi stood in front of him with a face which reminded Kuroko of Akashi in earlier Teiko days. These remote, warm memories were in a blur, dangling on the edge of being totally forgotten. It is not saying that the merciless of time pained him. After all, humans were meant to walk forward, not to be trapped in the memories.

"Don't ask, just keep it." Akashi tightened the loosened scarf around Kuroko's neck. "You don't want the truth, and I don't want to make excuses."

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko opened his mouth. He actually don't know what should he say. As always, Akashi Seijuro was still the man full of unexpectness. "Then thank you I suppose. I hope I did not delay you or something."

"No, you didn't. Though I shall say a little cooperation from you will make it much easier."

"I'm always cooperative, Akashi-kun," Kuroko softened his voice and his face for the first time during their walk. It was the end, so repression was not necessary.

"Really?" Akashi stepped upwards, now he was facing directly to Kuroko's emotionless eyes. "Then stand still, Tetsuya."

The shape and harsh voice, somehow melted on the mention of "Tetsuya". The spiky edges were grinded to the extend which can almost be called as tenderness, which was weird, since tenderness was not a word created for Akashi Seijuro. At least not for the Akashi Seijuro right here.

Maybe not.

A kiss was pressed on the lips. It was not about lust or desire, not even about obsession, lacking in the usual demanding and harshness which was replaced by tenderness. Fierce tenderness nonetheless, burnt up like fire with thousands of emotion boiling in it. All of these, Along with what was unsaid and what was in no longer need to say, embodied in one single kiss.

This fierce would ruin him.

"Akashi-kun," Kuroko found it hard to get back his voice. The usual comfort coldness was swept up by mind-blanking heat, which was transported through Akashi's inches away breathes. "You cannot fool me with the terms any more. This definitely counts for cheats, right?"

Akashi did not answer at first. Gazing into Kuroko's eyes, his orbs poured out too much sentiment, which Kuroko did not want to interpret at all. Before Kuroko was strangled by the overwhelming attention, Akashi finally spoke.

"No, since it is not sexual intention which is involved."

Kuroko waited, although he did know what was about to come and he did not want that at all. However, he could not escape like what he usually did, especially when he was now trapped in the burning embrace of redness. He had no other choice but waited, before he saw Akashi's lips move again.

"It is the affection."

So that was it. How could he escape? Where could he escape to? He was created, if not born, in the hands of Akashi Seijuro. His value of living, his wills of living, were all decided by his former captain. No, Akashi is not his former captain, but the creator of him. It was not a secret that Kuroko wanted to escape, since the day Akashi, changed from the reliable comforting darkness to the unstable burning grumpiness, turning into someone who he did not recognize any more. Resigned from Teiko basketball team, he ran and ran, and attended Seirin because in this way he could be as far from Akashi as possible. Yet where were the meaning lying in? His acts were all futile.

Because he had to run, otherwise, he would be burnt alive.

"The decision lies in you. I can wait, I have enough time." Akashi whispered.

Kuroko looked into Akashi's eyes. There was a tint of warm red flowing in the color of yellow. He could not stop. He just couldn't.

"Can't you just change back?"

Kuroko asked in a tone which was more like a murmur to himself.

"You know I can't."

"But you are so close," Kuroko stared at the scars around his wrists, "And I, I've done so much. I won. I won for everyone, everyone changed. Aomine-kun changed. You changed somehow too. I thought I brought you back and you acted more gentle and I thought I succeed but you just..."

"Tetsuya," Akashi interrupted Kuroko as he caressing the bottom lip of the latter by the thumb, "You know once the monster is out, there is no turning back."

His voice is no louder than the rustling of wind, but Kuroko could hear it clearly as the other day in his memory.

"I'm Akashi Seijuro, who else can I be." Tools. Property of Mine. "You want freedom? I can give you." Minemineimine. "Do remember who create you, don't let them ruin you." WERE ALL FUTILE. Otherwise. "I don't need useless Shoji, the same goes to people. So don't oppose me." MINE. MINE. MINE. MINE. Obedience and all the other things. MINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEAKASHISEIJUROISDEADANDHEWOULDNEVEREVERRETURNMINEMINEMINEMINEMINEMINE. "Because, victory is,"

Absolute. You don't even have the idea of what I'm talking about.

The time Kuroko opened the door, he almost collapsed on the floor. He was exhausted, with a feeling that he died several times and now finally came back to life. Dragging himself to the refrigerator, the bluenette took out his cell with the intention to text Kagami, who matched up his lies by telling the GoM Kuroko got a lover. Upon seeing his phone, Kuroko's knees almost give out.

The illuminating light coldly showed there was a text for him. It's from Akashi. With shaking hands, Kuroko gulped, trying his best to calm himself, and he opened it.

It was blank. Not a single letter was attached.

Kuroko took some cold water from the refrigerator, sweating like he is on fire. He sat quietly in the dark, drinking his water sip by sip. Staring blankly at the ceiling, he did not want to turn the light on. It was fine in the dark. He was used to be embraced by this absolute darkness.

He waited and waited, and finally lost track of time. Long after he finished his water, his phone vibrated again.

He grabbed the phone, hating that the phone was so hot, all the things around him was heated like there was no tomorrow. Slowly he Breathed, opening the text.

It read, "Goodbye".

The moment it ended felt like the apocalypse, and he didn't know why.

Didn't want to.

-END-

A/N:

In case you guys do not understand:

Kuroko wanted to bring back Akashi's gentle personality, but he failed. So he prepared to avoid all the GoM after he entered into college. However Akashi' second personality does not think so, he does not want to disappear or give up his belief, and most of all he does not want to give up Kuroko. Now that Kuroko is totally out of Akashi's control, he fears it may be the last time he sees Kuroko. As a result, Akashi in this one-shot keeps strike around the bush, waiting Kuroko's surrender, while Kuroko is stubborn enough not to give in.