DISCLAIMER: Kuroko no Basuke belongs to the one and only, Tadatoshi Fujimaka-sensei!

Chapter 10.2:

SNOWFLAKES

"All different in our own, beautiful way."

"I'm sorry." Seijuurou heard the other whisper when he came back inside. Tetsuya covered his face with his gloved hand, trembling. The captain said nothing. He never wanted his apology anyway. The Akashi heir sighed thoughtfully when the shorter male let his arm fall, the former wiping his tears when he approached. Seijuurou noticed his lips opening as if wanting to say something albeit hesitating.

"Seijuurou," Tetsuya looked up, dumbfounded. Another stray tear fell, the Rakuzan captain brushing his cheek dry with his thumb once more. With a ghost of a smile, he put his finger against Tetsuya's lips and spoke. "Call me by my name, Tetsuya."

Seirin's phantom man frowned. It was such a strange request, even for him, but the shorter male adhered. Tetsuya let the words flow in a whisper. Was it always so easy to say his name? He heard him chuckle before Seijuurou brushed his lips lightly against him. He didn't pull away though, warm breath ghosting over his, and murmured. "Try again."

"Sei-"

Baby blue widened when the former stole another kiss, lingering for a few seconds before pulling back. Tetsuya frowned when he attempted another, Seijuurou kissing him much longer than the previous one. He barely opened his lips when the captain strikes once again. This time, the shorter male came prepared.

"What were you doing, Seijuurou-kun?" The redhaired didn't answer. Instead, he removed his hands covering the other male's lips and the Akashi heir captured his lips languidly. Unlike the butterfly kisses they shared, this kiss was listing from teasing to a slow, passionate one.

Intimate and comforting. The feeling was more than explosive; it was purely magical the way their lips moved in a perfect dance. The world seemingly burned away with Tetsuya's hands on the back of his neck pulling him closer, his chiseled chest against the shorter male and his arms wrapped around his waist. All he, Akashi Seijuurou, can feel was his Tetsuya- his familiar warmth, his touch and soft lips on his. Until the shorter male pushed himself away.

"Tetsuya." Seijuurou could hear Tetsuya's voice cracking when the latter male whirled on his feet and spoke.

"I have to go," Tetsuya whispered, crouching to pick up his violin and bow and stepped away. As for the captain, he heard nothing. All he can see was Tetsuya walking away from him. For eternity.

Seijuurou curled his fists unknowingly. And the next thing he knew, Tetsuya was looking at him with wide eyes and shaking his forearm. Only then did he realized that he has spoken out of desperation.

"I renounced myself from my family, Tetsuya."

"Akashi-kun, you-!" No words could describe the Seirin's phantom player when he saw his expression. "S-stop fooling around. . ."

"I am not, Tetsuya."

"You can't do that to your father, Akashi-kun! He's the only family you have-" Tetsuya bowed his head. "-and your fiancée, what will happen to her now?"

"What about her? I have yet to meet her and here you are, worrying for someone else?"

Grief turned to anger as Tetsuya pounded against his chest, shouting. "Are you doing this to spite me? Because I left you days ago? Because I'm leaving you now for your own sake? Why, Akashi-kun?"

"If so, I'm begging you..." The Seirin player collapsed to his feet, hand grasping his chest. "Don't make this harder for me to let you go."

"Don't go." Larger hands removed his from his face causing the shorter male to look at the younger Akashi kneeling before him. Hiccups escaped his mouth as he watched Seijuurou kissing his knuckles one by one. "Please."

"A-Akashi-kun..."

"Whenever I was alone, I couldn't help but remember our time back in Teiko. I ruined it all, have I not? Our friendship. Our family." Was it the moonlight tricking Tetsuya's eyes or was his captain so close to crying? "I treasure those silly, little things we shared with everyone. Certainly, they helped ease the pain when I lose Mother but with you, it's different. It will always be different."

Tetsuya could feel his heart going wild. He was inches away from stepping out of the captain's life but Seijuurou pulled him back. He always did.

"Tetsuya made me long for the days that there was only you and me, on the world that we created. Everything seemed insignificant when we are together. Time surely belongs to us. But then, we drifted apart. Before I realized it, everyone I loved for disappeared."

No.

"Until last year's Winter Cup, I was nothing but a husk of my former self. A cold, heartless man. Powerful. Invincible. Yet broken. Alas, I found you- burning alight with newfound hope and vigor. You left me breathless and confused. I was sure I left you in pieces but you held your head high, determination on your face."

"Akashi-kun, I - " The Rakuzan captain hushed him with a finger pressed to his lips. Red eyes bore unto cerulean, silently asking him to listen.

"I was a fool for driving you away. I hurt you when I left you. Due to my cowardice, I caused you suffering after we reconciled. I could not blame you if you hate me now. Regardless, I am here with my heart on the line." This time, when his eyes met Seijuurou's, he found them in tears. "Tetsuya, I cannot promise you that the road ahead of us will be smooth but I vow to do everything, anything, to be the perfect match for you. To become someone that you deserve. I want to become your happy ever after since the day you became my inspiration, my motivation, and my goal. And I wanted nothing but let the whole world know about my endless love for you."

Tetsuya could feel his heart exploding with emotions when the stern, serious Akashi Seijuurou he knew pulled out a velvet box, an intricate gold ring sitting inside.

Oh, gods.

"I am looking forward to the day when my last name- or yours will become ours and-"

"M-Masaomi-san will throw a fit when it happens." Seijuurou laughed, shaking his head in disbelief before he continued.

"Kuroko Tetsuya . . ."

Unaware, the church doors creaked open.

"A simple 'yes' will make me, Akashi Seijuurou, the happiest man alive to this question of mine. Will you marry me?"

"Oh my god!" Both males turned their heads towards the loud gasps that erupted. Tetsuya could feel the heat spreading across his cheeks when he found themselves looking at their respective teammates. Seirin members stood side-by-side with Hayama and Nebuya, their mouths hanging open. On the other hand, Kagami and Aomine were staring at the two. Mad but otherwise unbelieving from what they heard.

Meanwhile, Momoi and Kise were crying. Mibuchi was smiling despite a few tears himself. Beside the Rakuzan vice-captain stood Midorima, pushing his glasses nonchalantly and thoroughly unamused with their behaviors. The way his lips curled didn't escape their sight though. Murasakibara was munching on a cookie with his thumb directed towards them, Himuro chuckling beside him.

Basically, everyone they knew was there. And were witnesses to Akashi's proposal.

Tetsuya could feel his cheeks burning. How did they even find them? The area was closed off to the public!

"Tet-chan." The crowd parted, and his parents alongside Masaomi came in. Tetsuya froze, his ears suddenly filled with nothing but his own heartbeats. His mind remained blank and his lips refused to move nor utter a sound. Sayaka simply stared him down, leaving him suffocating and in discomfort.

Seijuurou suddenly moved in to block his view, his hand grasping his own.

"Seijuurou." Masaomi began, appearing beside his mother. Crimson eyes that his beloved inherit looked at the said man, authority brimming along with his voice. The others flinched; Most of them felt wary towards the man. "I am willing to forgive your impudence if you come with me now."

Tetsuya tightened his hold on the other. His mother's eyes glinted when she saw the gesture.

"I remember telling you that I am withdrawing from the family if you do not accept my decision," Seijuurou replied with finality, his face hard. The elder Akashi bristled.

"Your supposed marriage with Yamaguchi-san's daughter is a deal-breaker! Imagine the consequences that our company will face!" The man roared, accusing even. "I will not lose face in there just because of your own selfishness, Seijuurou. If I have to drag you, I will do so."

"And why should I clean after your own mess, Father? All my life, I did everything that you've told me to do. Every single thing that you've asked me, I did it whole-heartedly and without question."

"You are my son!"

"I am doing nothing but fulfill Mother's last wishes." Masaomi looked quite taken aback at that. Seijuurou was having none of it, though. "I'm not blind, Father. You loved Mother and losing her, after years of fighting her sickness, was painful. I understand that you needed the time to recover, to heal. I tried to convince myself of that over the first few months that Mother was gone. Instead, you fell into depression."

"If-" he continued, wistfully, "If I were to fall in love and ended up the same, I'd rather be alone than this. I vowed to never follow in your steps, to never fall in love. But, everything changed when Tetsuya came into my life. He taught me to take a chance, to see that there's more to life than pain and tribulations. Lastly, he showed me how to love once again and be loved in return."

"Even if many will not approve of your relationship?" Sayaka interrupted, her own blues darting from her son to the younger Akashi. Seijuurou said nothing, knowing that there was more than she let on.

"Seijuurou-kun, if I may be so blunt. You are the only son of a business tycoon and heir to one of the top contenders in the business industry. You have everything! Money. Fame. Right connections. You should know by now that many will be expecting from you, much more when it comes to your marriage. Specifically to the woman that will carry on your bloodline."

Tetsuya felt his throat drying up. His mother was right. Once word got out that Akashi Seijuurou, a soon-to-be prominent figure in the business industry, is to be wed, many would be looking at him with high expectations. Not to mention, he was a man. Both of them were.

"Consequences will be high, Seijuurou-kun." The said captain smirked and held up Tetsuya's left hand, engagement ring glinting against the moonlight. When did he slipped it on his finger?

"Knowing the risks, I am still determined to marry your son, Eito-san." The older Kuroko bowed his head, pondering about something. Then, Seijuurou narrowed his eyes and spoke as if annoyed by something.

"As such, I would appreciate it if you stop with whatever you are doing at this instance. You are confusing Tetsuya and everyone else with your nonsensical performance."

Kuroko could feel the underlying threat there, followed by an awkward silence. Clearly, no one had any idea what the Rakuzan captain was saying. Neither was Kuroko for that matter. That was until Masaomi scoffed, crossing his arms. His own mother began laughing with her own arms wrapped around her stomach.

The bewildered looks that their former and present teammates were completely justified.

"Well, that was fun while it lasted." The female Kuroko said, wiping tears of joy off her cheeks. Facing her friend, Sayaka playfully pointed a finger on Masaomi's direction. "Gods above, Shiori-chan was right! Seijuurou-kun definitely inherits your obstinacy, Masaomi-san."

The elder Akashi huffed.

Sayaka burst into another giggle. Masaomi shook his head and turned his heel. The horde of people cleaved a path once again for the elder, the man stopping on his midst and glanced at his precious son. Seijuurou met his gaze head-on without fear. And the older Akashi smirked, causing shivers from some.

Idiots, Midorima though while pushing his glasses against his nose.

"Do not forget that feeling, Seijuurou."

"I will certainly not."

"I do not have to remind you this but I hope you and Tetsuya consider adopting a child or two." Everyone gaped. Masaomi raised an eyebrow when he saw his son wearing an amused yet exhausted look. "We are not getting any younger. I hope to see our grandchildren's face, Seijuurou."

Tetsuya sputtered. Seijuurou shook his head. "Do not be hasty, Father. We have a lot of time, you see."

"Akashi-kun, you!" The Rakuzan captain sealed his lips with another kiss before he could even protest. His father said nothing at the display. He simply nodded and walked out of the chapel. Eito followed the eccentric man along with Sayaka, his wife waving a hand as she hollered, "We'll see you downstairs, Tet-chan~".

And they were gone... Like a blink of an eye. Tetsuya practically collapsed on his feet the moment he felt his hand slipping from Seijjurou's grasp. The accusatory look he threw made the former chuckle as their friends ran, circling the two like children. They all had different degrees of joy on their faces.

"You knew all along . . ." Tetsuya blurted, causing Seijuurou to smile and knelt in front of the shorter male. Momoi and Kise shrieked in adoration when he kissed his knuckles.

"Not at all, love."

Kuroko hung his head in exhaustion. "Unbelievable. . ."

"So..." Everyone turned to Murasakibara when he drawled on. The center licked his fingers clean before facing the two. "Are you two together or not?"

"That's right!"

"Oi, oi! Seriously?!"

"Are you an idiot, Kagami? We were all there when Akashi proposed."

"I'm not asking for your opinion, Ahoumine!"

"HUH?! You wanna go, Bakagami?"

"Now, now, you two~ let's be civil, okay?"

"SPEAK FOR YOURSELF, KISE!"

"YOU'VE BEEN BAWLING LIKE A BRAT SINCE EARLIER!"

"Rude! And totally uncalled for!"

"Idiots."

"GOT A PROBLEM, MIDORIMA?"

"Akashi Tetsuya, huh? Well, it does have a nice ring in it, don't you all agree?"

"THAT'S NOT WHAT WE WERE WORRIED ABOUT, KIYOSHI!"

The Seirin player shook his head at the chaos which was his friends. They never changed. Seijuurou seemed amused beside him, his lips curling into his trademark smirk. "I am waiting, love."

Tetsuya rolled his eyes in exasperation. He's such a baby. Seijuurou said nothing as the latter pulled his necktie closer, cheeks aflame. "I thought it's already been decided?"

"I want your answer." Tetsuya mumbled something underneath his breath before pressing his lips at the corner of his mouth. "I-if you'll have me then yes, I will gladly marry you, Akashi-kun."

A kiss. "Seijuurou. And you are not allowed to call me anything other than my name."

Tetsuya was undeterred. "Are you not ashamed that you are being bold in front of the others, Akashi-kun?"

"Not at all. After all, you are officially mine now, Kuroko Tetsuya. Now and forever." Seijuurou replied, tilting his head slightly and captured his lips in a passionate kiss once again.

"You are unbelievable, Mother. And to think that you even pull Masaomi-san into this!" Sayaka laughed, drawing her son close to hug him tightly. Once the party settled down, both Kurokos and Masaomi had them all gathered that same night and told them everything. From the moment the Akashi patriarch came home with news of his son's impromptu engagement announcement, their grand scheme and Tetsuya's brief stay at London and acceptance letter to Cambridge- needless to say, everyone looked exasperated. Aomine and Kagami chose to forget everything and just slept through the ordeal.

Seijuurou crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Clearly, my father looked like he enjoyed their little game." He remarked, his eyes never leaving Masaomi. The Akashi patriarch smirked in return.

"It was oddly satisfying, to be honest." Masaomi replied. His mind were full of his son's flustered self the whole time. The older man couldn't help but smile wider when he remembered how his son lost all control just because Tetsuya was involved. The younger Akashi narrowed his eyes towards him when he saw the smile getting wider.

Ah, must be nice to be young.

Masaomi chuckled when he saw his son frowning at his direction. Eito embraced his wife's shoulder when she pulled away first, their flight being called overhead currently. Patting his son's head affectionately, the Kuroko patriarch faced Seijuurou and smiled.

"Please take care of our Tet-chan, son."

Seijuurou bowed, his lips now turning to smile. "Always, Eito-san."

"Oh please, drop the honorifics! You can call us 'Mom' and 'Dad', dear Sei-kun~" Sayaka tutted.

"If it makes you happy, Mother."

The scandalized look Kuroko threw at his partner made the Akashi heir chuckle. "You are enjoying this, are you not, Akashi-kun?"

"I wonder." The Kuroko couple sniggered. Masaomi decided to move forward then, putting a hand on Tetsuya's shoulder.

"I apologize for intimidating you earlier, Tetsuya-kun, but please treat me as your own father as well." The Akashi patriarch thought that he frightened the younger Kuroko. The small smile and customary bow he gifted Masaomi was worth Seijuurou's accusing look.

"Well, I suppose this is goodbye. At least for now." Sayaka commented, removing her sunglasses while turning to her beloved son.

"Thank you, Mother, for everything." He whispered. Sayaka laughed softly and patted his head affectionately. Tetsuya simply reveled on his mother's touch, a blissful smile on his lips. Despite how much he detested his own mother for putting him up on etiquette and manners lessons during his stay on London, in the end, he was truly grateful.

"Anything for you, Tet-chan."

Tetsuya watched his parents- two sets of parents walked passed their gates to their respective destinations until they all disappeared from their sight.

The bluenette sighed internally. A lot happened during the past weeks he decided to face Akashi Seijuurou. He could almost say that the ordeal was the craziest one he encountered. Surely, having both of your parents and the ever stoic Akashi Masaomi meddling with his relationship with his former captain was in no way enjoyable.

They had no issues about distance but they almost gave each other up! If not for the fake marriage to Yamaguchi's daughter, which by the way, was born through the massive imagination Sayaka has, both of them would have ended in misery. Tetsuya felt his heart throb at the thought.

"What is on your mind, Tetsuya?" Seijuurou murmured beside him as if sensing the dangerous waters his mind kept treading. Tetsuya chose not to answer. Instead, he searched for the red-haired captain's hand. Seijuurou immediately grabbed his, squeezing it as to soothe his fear.

"What…" Tetsuya began. "I was thinking about what could have happened if I were to walk away from you that night."

Seijuurou shook his hand from his grasp in favor of forcing the latter to face him, both hands settling on his cheeks. Blue met his undeterred reds, kind, and understanding. "You do not know how terrified I was when you nearly do so, Tetsuya."

If he didn't saw the expression he made, Tetsuya would surely doubt the man before him because 'Akashi Seijuurou' and 'afraid' can't be in one sentence altogether.

"I was but you are here, right beside me now. And that's all it matters."

Tetsuya couldn't help it. The bluenette laughed softly as he leaned his forehead halfway, his former captain- now, lover- doing the same. "I didn't know that Akashi Seijuurou was capable of being such a romantic."

"Only for you, Tetsuya." Seijuurou declared, kissing his lover on his forehead. Tetsuya shook his head, laughing as he let the former lead them out of the airport. The band of gold sitting on their ring finger glimmered against the sunlight before it all but vanished.

FIN

Author's Note: For my fellow writers and readers who have given me the strength to continue, I thank you. This is, by far, the first fiction that I have published and finished and I'm glad that everyone who read them enjoyed the story. To my friends, thank you for the push when I'm down and depressed and everything. I couldn't have done it all without your never ending support~

Is this truly the end? Hm, I wonder...