Author's note: Yay I finally got this up! I'm still not fully pleased with it, but I literally give up editing. I hope it's not too OOC. Enjoy~

Disclaimer: I do not own Kuroko no Basuke.

Chapter 4

Kuroko flipped through the medical files idly, scanning through line after line of diagnoses. He understood most of the medical jargon, but the substantial list of symptoms present made him wonder how any of those doctors had missed such an important differential diagnosis. Every doctor diagnosed him with a different infectious agent, and understandably, none of their treatments were successful.

He sighed heavily, then tucked the papers away neatly and tossed the file onto the side table. Maybe I should give up faith in humanity after all. How could I have endured that for five years?

Could they have diagnosed me wrongly on purpose?

...some people are so selfish.

Soft knocking was heard at the door, and Akashi walked in, stack of papers in hand. "Good morning, Tetsuya."

"Good morning, Akashi-kun. Where is Midorima-sensei?"

"Oh, would you rather have Shintarou as your doctor instead?" Akashi teased. "I can go get him, he's just down the hall-"

"Oh no, please don't." Kuroko said hurriedly. Akashi raised an eyebrow, and a faint blush spread over Kuroko's cheeks. "He seems rather…aloof. And very stiff."

Akashi chuckled as he set about checking the blunette's vitals. "That is an accurate description. You have no objections to me taking over your treatments, then?"

"No, Akashi-kun. Thank you for making the switch."

"It's no issue at all, Tetsuya. After all, I did mention that I trust no one else after the little stint at the A and E. Honestly, youngsters nowadays have no respect for the hierarchy system." He muttered darkly, and a small grin appeared on Kuroko's face.

He doesn't seem very scary at all. Why is everyone so apprehensive about him being my doctor?

"You say that as if you are very old. How old is Akashi-kun?"

"It's not polite to enquire about someone else's age, you know." Akashi gave him a mock-hurt look.

"I thought that only applied to females. Come now, Akashi-kun. Someone as dashing as you shouldn't be worried about his age." Kuroko teased. Akashi's eyes lit up, and he leaned towards Kuroko, smirking.

"Did you just say that I was handsome, Tetsuya?"

"If that is what you wish to interpret it as, Akashi-kun. Your age?" Kuroko prodded gently, unfazed by their close proximity. Akashi drew back with a sigh, slumping into a chair at his bedside.

"If you must know, I'm turning twenty-six this year. Now, don't go spreading that around, or my image will be tarnished."

"I would never," Kuroko said solemnly. "Twenty-six is pretty young. You're a very accomplished person, Akashi-kun."

"Thank you, Tetsuya. Now I believe it is your turn to tell me your age."

"That was not in our agreement."

"No, but it is courtesy to repay the favour."

"You have seen my medical files, you should know my age."

"It is only polite to enquire. It would make me seem like a stalker if I were to remember all these facts about you, wouldn't it?"

In truth, Akashi did already memorise all of Kuroko's details – but the cerulean-haired man didn't need to know that.

"I will be twenty-seven next January. If I live that long," he whispered sadly. A cool hand caught his own, and he jerked in surprise, automatically looking up into Akashi's heterochromatic eyes.

"I will do everything in my power to make sure you live to see your next birthday, Tetsuya." Akashi promised, and Kuroko nodded slowly. He could feel the weight of the words, and knew how difficult it would be to keep such a promise, especially with his condition. But gazing into the red-and-gold depths of Akashi's eyes, he somehow knew that that promise could be made a reality.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

The following weeks in the hospital were quiet - meaning that there were no emergencies, and Kuroko's health did not deteriorate any faster. He was transferred to a normal ward (private, at Akashi and Kagami's insistence) and even managed to start physiotherapy - his aching joints began to restrict his movements, and Akashi thought it would be the best long-term solution.

"Shintarou and I agreed that detaining you within the hospital would be the best way to keep an eye on your condition. While you are here, we should start you on a proper recovery plan." He said while comparing various sets of notes. He glanced up at Kuroko, red and gold eyes calculating. "Is that agreeable?"

Kuroko shrugged. "If you say so, Akashi-kun. You're the doctor, you know best."

"It's settled, then. I'll have someone come in tomorrow."

The physiotherapist was a tall, tan man named Aomine Daiki, and from their first meeting, he had been very friendly towards Kuroko. (That was, of course, after Kuroko had scared him half to death by not announcing his presence.) His foul mouth was somewhat an issue, but at least he kept it under wraps most of the time.

"Yo, Tetsu."

The nickname had stuck from the first moment Aomine met Kuroko, but the cerulean-haired man couldn't bring himself to rebuke him. Their relationship was very casual, like that of siblings, and Aomine wasn't afraid of roughing him up a little for fun. It made Kuroko feel more grounded, especially since most other doctors and nurses treated him as if he was already on his deathbed.

"Good morning, Aomine-kun. What's today's exercise?"

"Some light stretching, then Akashi says we can go take a walk in the garden. I hear Bakagami brought Nigou."

Aomine adored Nigou, but often clashed with Kagami due to their similar personalities. It worried Kuroko a little, but he knew that they actually got along pretty well. Watching their crazy antics cheered him up for some reason, so he never stopped them, unless it was escalating into a fight - which, he conceded, occurred fairly often.

They ran through the exercises like clockwork, and as they headed towards the garden, Aomine asked, oh-so-casually, "Say, Tetsu. Who's your next-of-kin?"

Kuroko shot him a sharp look - which he missed - and an elbow to his side - which had him howling in pain. "Ow! Tetsu!"

"Are you dumb or tactless, Aomine-kun?" Kuroko deadpanned. "You know I have no family left."

Aomine rubbed his aching side. Damn, the guy could pack a punch if he wanted to.

"Parents, I know. What about grandparents?"

"Never knew them."

"Uncles, aunties?"

"My parents were the only child in their families."

"...right. So then, theoretically, if you had a long lost-sibling, what would you do?"

"...my parents would not have had an affair."

"You don't know that. Humans are fickle creatur- Ow!"

"Do not speak ill of the dead, Aomine-kun." Kuroko said mildly, as if he did not just jab the man in the ribs for the second time in three minutes.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. Honestly though, what if?"

Kuroko was silent for a moment. "I don't know. I've never thought about such things. It seems like something out of a novel - completely irrational and unrealistic."

Why would Aomine-kun, of all people, be thinking about something like this?

Aomine sighed, then grabbed Kuroko and knuckled his head. "Live a little, bro. I know Akashi promised he'll find a cure, but you and I both know the stats aren't good."

"I know." Came the muffled, despondent answer. "But there's still a possibility, even in the smallest percentage."

"That's the spirit." Aomine switched back to his jovial, carefree attitude so quickly, Kuroko had to wonder if he was truly being serious before.

"Oh hey, Nigou! You've grown larger! What has Bakagami been feeding you, you're growing so fast..."

Time flew as Kuroko alternated between playing with them and resting, but the conversation with Aomine was still stuck in his mind.

He didn't have many memories. His old ones refused to come back, except at inopportune timings, and they usually were not of great importance. Any thoughts that came to mind lately seemed so unreal that he could not tell if they were fabricated lies, dreams or memories. That meant that he couldn't trust himself, and he was certainly not inclined to believe the medical staff either. (After all, they were obligated to tell white lies. There was probably a clause in their medical contract about it.)

Yet, for some reason, Aomine's words struck a chord in his heart.

Again, there was that feeling of remembering something, but the full memory was still tantalisingly out of reach. All he had to go on with was red hair, a tinkling laugh, and maybe, just maybe, a sweet little voice shouting, "Nii-chan!"

Was it possible that he did have a lost sibling after all?

And was that the reason why he was drawn to people with red hair?

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Akashi and Kuroko sat in companionable silence, one reading a novel, the other, research papers. Ever since Akashi had promised to find a cure for Kuroko, he had been visiting the blunette more often. They did not talk much, and for the most part did their own work. Akashi claimed that it was easier to concentrate in Kuroko's room – apparently, his office was constantly being invaded by irritating subordinates.

They didn't speak much at first, but after a brief period of apprehension, they began confiding in and ranting to each other. Contrary to hearsay, Kuroko found Akashi easy to talk to. He was more like a familiar old friend than the malevolent god that the other staff painted him as.

Most conversations between them usually dissolved into heated debates on various topics. Despite what others said about their terrifying exchanges, Kuroko felt as if he were learning something new every time.

Other times, they discussed lighter matters. They spoke briefly of their families – Kuroko had been raised by his father, as his mother had died in childbirth. Akashi knew his mother for a little longer – she died when he was four years old. Both fathers spent most of their time working, but where Kuroko's father was a loving man, Akashi's father was strict, and demanded only the very best from his son.

"I admit I am a perfectionist, and I expect nothing less than exceptional results. According to Shintarou, it's because of that that many people find me terrifying."

"I don't think Akashi-kun is terrifying. Maybe sometimes, but I find that Akashi-kun is in general, a very pleasant person."

"Thank you, Tetsuya. I believe I heard Kazunari mention in passing that I am less scary now that you have become my patient. However, such implications may not be good for my reputation. Perhaps I should step up the intimidation act." He added thoughtfully.

"Akashi-kun. Not all working relationships are defined by an intimidation factor. There has to be mutual respect between the two parties."

"That is an interesting theory. Perhaps I should test it out sometime…"

With the increasing amount of conversations they shared, Akashi found himself quite fascinated by the blunette. He was not afraid to contest the redhead's views, and brought fair and logical arguments to the table. Unlike many others he knew, Kuroko had substance, and he began to thoroughly enjoy himself in the blunette's company.

Of course, he was well aware of the line between them, the line he could not cross. It wasn't just a matter of ethics, there was also the fact that Kuroko was dying to be considered. Despite all that, he couldn't stop himself from feeling the way he did – it had been so long since he had felt this relaxed in anyone's company. Anyway, Aomine was always encouraging him to 'live a little' and 'let go sometimes' – surely this slight indulgence counted?

He didn't understand it completely, but Kuroko knew he was becoming increasingly enamoured with Akashi. He was very accomplished for someone of his age, and while Kuroko understood that his upbringing played a part in it, he couldn't help but admire the easy and confident manner in which the redhead carried himself. He earnestly looked forward to every one of Akashi's visits, and tried his best to hide his disappointment when the redhead couldn't come.

Kagami didn't laugh when Kuroko told him about his abject fascination with Akashi. He merely shrugged and said, "You used to have a thing for chasing redheads before you lost your memory. You never fully told me the reason for it, and I never asked."

When told about Aomine's lost sibling theory and the faint recollection of red hair that came with it, Kagami didn't look that surprised. "It's possible," he had said. "It would explain a lot of things."

Aomine, on the other hand, had howled with laughter when he caught Kuroko staring at Akashi one day. Before either could question him, he dragged Kuroko off for physiotherapy, still giggling madly.

"Oh God, Tetsu," he gasped, when they were finally behind closed doors. "You better explain why you like that devil so much. You look like a smitten schoolgirl, I'm not even kidding."

The navy-haired man listened with amusement to Kuroko's spluttering, refusing all his protests and half-witted explanations, including the sibling theory. He rejected so many of Kuroko's half-formed excuses that the cerulean-haired man gave up in favour of ignoring him. Unfortunately, that only caused Aomine to dissolve into another bout of laughter.

After he had calmed down sufficiently, he hooked an arm around Kuroko's neck, his demeanour turning serious.

"Look, Tetsu. Me and you are realists. We know that your chances of surviving without treatment are low, and even with treatment, the chances aren't high. I say you go and snag the guy if you like him so much. What do you have to lose?"

Everything. Nothing.

"Oh, and you should watch your expression more closely. You look like a freaking kicked puppy every time he sends a note saying he can't come visit."

Aomine-kun is sort of right, I have nothing to lose. But do I want this?

Kuroko had never thought about such things before, never considered his sexuality. Heck, when people he knew had been getting into relationships, he had been holed up in a library, reading. Although, he secretly admitted that he had not been joking when he had accidentally complimented Akashi's looks. He noticed that the more time they spent together, the more time he took to admire the redhead under the guise of reading.

The scarlet locks which constantly fell in his eyes when he was working. His smooth skin, fair and unblemished. His long, deft fingers, which were constantly dotted with ink when he was writing. His face, beautifully sculpted, that had an unreadable expression most of the time. And his eyes – ruby and molten gold.

He had overheard the orderlies talking numerous times, and every one of them was terrified of being sentenced under Akashi's heterochromatic glare. Yet Kuroko couldn't bring himself to see as they did. To him, those eyes held nothing but promise and comfort…and something else, an emotion he had no name for.

"Tetsuya, you're staring again." Akashi's voice jerked him out of his reverie, and he let his eyes move back to his book.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Akashi-kun."

"You can't fool me, Tetsuya. You've been at the same page for the past ten minutes."

"The book's in English, it's more difficult to read." Kuroko countered.

"Maybe so, but I've seen you read faster than this, even with books in foreign languages. You're noticeably distracted."

"I am not."

"You can't fool me, Tetsuya. You're blushing."

"Am not." Mumbled Kuroko, though he could feel the slight heat in his cheeks.

Akashi stared at him fondly, then shrugged and returned to his work. After a few minutes, just as Kuroko was actually getting drawn into the story, he casually mentioned, "I think we may have found an kidney donor for you."

"Mmhmm-" Kuroko nodded distractedly. The full impact of the words hit him a second later, and he dropped the book to stare open-mouthed at Akashi. "Really?"

"Yes. In your condition, I thought it was best to have a living donor, as compared to someone recently deceased. As such, he was the only suitable match we could find on such short notice. If you are willing, we can schedule the surgery for later next week."

"Yes!" Kuroko was ecstatic. "Yes, of course. Who is he? Can I thank him in person?"

Akashi shook his head, and Kuroko's heart fell a little. "He wants to remain anonymous. You can write him a letter though, we'll pass it on to him."

"Alright. I understand. Thank you very much, Akashi-kun. Oh. I better tell Kagami-kun, it's his money, after all." Kuroko added, and scrambled for his phone, missing the ugly look that flitted over Akashi's face.

"Tetsuya, what exactly is your relationship with Taiga?" Akashi couldn't stop the words from escaping, and he hoped they didn't sound as bitter as he thought they did.

"We are apparently friends from university. I saved him from drug overdose, and he took me in after my dad died. He's been paying for my treatments as a form of compensation, or so he says. I still cannot remember that." Kuroko looked up with an apologetic glance.

Looks like he didn't notice, then. "What are your feelings for him?"

"He's like an overprotective brother, just like Aomine-kun. I couldn't see him any other way." Kuroko replaced the phone on the table, then looked at Akashi curiously. "Why are you asking all of a sudden, Akashi-kun?"

"Oh, no reason." Akashi said airily, turning back to his notes. "It is one of our responsibilities as medical staff to understand our patients' relationships, so that we can communicate with their families and loved ones more effectively."

"I see." Akashi spared a glance at Kuroko; the blunette's expression was as unreadable as ever, but Akashi thought he detected a hint of disappointment in his voice.

Trust me, Tetsuya. I'm as disappointed as you are.

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~

Two soft knocks came at Akashi's office door. When no one barged in, he called out wearily, "Enter."

Midorima stepped inside, looking over Akashi's haggard appearance with a sigh. "You should stop wearing yourself out."

"There's so much to be done, and nobody is cooperating." Akashi muttered darkly as he scribbled more annotations on the already worn-out paper. "How go the preparations? Is everything I asked for ready?"

"Yes. Are you sure you want to do this, Akashi? There is still time for you to back out of it."

"Yes, I'm sure. It is my duty to do this."

"Why? Several months ago, the two of you were complete strangers. And now you are willing to forfeit this much, for someone you still barely know? It is a huge sacrifice, especially for a patient we did not make plans for in the beginning. What, exactly, are you thinking?" Midorima's tone was admonishing but Akashi didn't have the energy to glare at him.

"You know the results of the DNA test that Daiki ran. We even had it sent to another lab just to be sure. Their results were the same as ours. It shows that he is no longer just another patient. I have an obligation, Shintarou, as his last living relative, to shoulder this burden. "

"Why, then, are you writing your will?" Midorima was unfazed.

"It is good to be prepared in all situations."

"That's not what I meant, Akashi, and you know it." Midorima's voice was growing increasingly desperate. "I know what you're up to, and I'm asking you, as a friend, to stop it. You have a full life ahead of you, you should take it and live it well. Weren't you the one that said, 'the weak have to pave the way for the strong'?"

"That is not the issue here, Shintarou, and you know it!" Akashi slammed a hand onto the table, his eyes fiery. The tension in the room shot up, almost suffocating Midorima.

"You don't know what I know. You never had to suffer the same kind of torture my father liked to call 'education'. Tetsuya is not only the last link to my past, he is also the only person who was kind to me back in the days before we were separated, after my- our mother, died. Is it so wrong to want to repay the favour?"

"You can remember that far back?" The greenhead was shocked.

"Vaguely. I remember feeling happy, Shintarou. Tell me, when was the last time, before we met Tetsuya, that you have seen me express such an emotion?" Akashi demanded. Midorima lowered his eyes. "Never. You know that as well as I do. Let me do what I want – Tetsuya deserves a second chance at life, with everything that I can provide him with. There are people waiting for him to recover. There's no one waiting for me."

"That's not true." Midorima muttered, and Akashi squinted at him.

"Say that again."

"I said, that's not true." Midorima growled, clenching his fists. He lifted his head to meet Akashi's gaze, hard emerald clashing with blazing ruby and gold. "I admit that many of us are still afraid of you, but that does not mean we will not miss you. Your insight and guidance are invaluable. Our department would not be where it is today without you. If that's not argument enough, think of Kuroko. Don't dismiss his feelings as nothing!"

"Tetsuya does not see me in that manner. He does not know about our shared blood either, and I forbid you from telling him until this is all over." Akashi's voice was heavy, and there was a tinge of regret in it.

"Yes, he does 'see you in that manner'. I highly disapprove, but I must admit that he does." Midorima snarled, and Akashi's eyes widened a fraction before he schooled them back into neutrality.

"Oh? Pray tell. What have you seen that I haven't?"

"His expressions." The greenhead said sharply. "I didn't believe it at first when Aomine told me. Takao had also mentioned it in passing, but I did not believe him either. It was not until that day I was sent with your note of apology that I saw it.

"Do you know how sad he looks whenever he receives an apology note from you? In Aomine's words, he looks like a 'freaking kicked puppy', but it's more than that. The light completely leaves his eyes, and when he thanks us for taking the time to deliver the apology, his voice is so dead I would have believed a cadaver came back to life in his stead. He doesn't move or engage in any activities after he realises you're not visiting. He doesn't read, picks at his food, and once, he turned away an offer to see his dog." Midorima was almost shouting, and seeing Akashi's face express faint alarm, he took a few deep breaths to calm himself.

"How do you not notice that every time you enter his room, he smiles as if Christmas came early? Sometimes he manages to catch himself, but you can feel it. From halfway down the hall, we can feel the happiness radiating off him. From just outside the room, we can hear the life return to his voice. Can you tell me now that you don't know how much you mean to him?"

Akashi lowered his eyes, clicking a pen uneasily. It was true, he had no idea before Midorima brought it up. He thought Kuroko treated him differently, but he wasn't sure, and didn't want to push his luck.

After all, if Kuroko ever said one word against him, another doctor would take over his treatment, and they would probably never meet again. He couldn't risk that.

Midorima saw Akashi's hesitance, so he lowered his voice and softened his tone.

"Akashi. I know, and I remember what you have been through. But I want you to think about it before you rush into this decision. From an uninvolved person's perspective, I can safely say that you are as good for Kuroko as he is for you. As a friend, I want you to find happiness, and I certainly do not want you to throw your life away.

"You are not an unintelligent man, Akashi. I trust that you will make the correct decision, both in this matter and in your dealings with Kuroko. Fate always has more than one path to follow, and I trust that you will find the path you were destined to walk."

Midorima left, the click of the door behind him echoing in the empty space. Akashi fisted a hand in his hair, groaning in frustration as he slumped on the table. How had things become this complicated so quickly?

What am I supposed to do now?