Disclaimer:

All plot, setting, characters, and etc. of Kuroko no Basuke belong to Tadatoshi Fujimaki. No money was being made off this piece of fiction.

Warnings:

alternate universe, HaremxKuroko, Kuroko/Imayoshi moments,

Roles to Play

Clearly, the impression Tetsuya left on his arrival meant a red flag to the guests which only leads his lover to save the day.

As he guides him to the guestroom, Tatsuya glances at his blue-eyed lover in concern. "Are you all right, Tetsuya?"

"...I've been better." After this answer, there is a tense silence between them.

"Go back to your guests, Tatsuya."

A stir of alarm comes into him from that rebuff.

"No. You always must come first." Why does Tetsuya refuse to share his pain? Can't he see that this rejection makes it ten times worse?

Tetsuya sighs. "You are the birthday celebrant. It's your day—"

"—And I prefer to be with you right now more than anything else," Tatsuya interrupts with steel insistence.

"Leaving your guests who set aside their appointments for you is impolite and ungrateful," Tetsuya reminds Tatsuya in a quiet and even tone, implying that he will not budge an inch to Tatsuya's persuasion.

"Tetsu—"

"Please, Tatsuya." And there is that tired and weary dimmed blue eyes pleading at him to stop.

Tatsuya frowns in defeat. "I will go back."

Why won't you let me in, Tetsuya?

~07~

The rest of the former basketball players are discreetly impersonating as bodyguards for their respective members of Generation of Miracles in warding off the other guests.

Tatsuya has to applaud their voluntary response. Most likely from the alpha captain's absolute orders.

Huh. So this is it then.

A face-off between him and the Generation of Miracles.

Tatsuya observes the group that greets his unannounced return through the one-way glass doors from the pool.

Atsushi's downcast face is the first thing he has noticed, the tall man is sitting on the sofa seemingly trying his best to make himself as small as possible even with the disadvantage of his height.

Aomine recovering from the fourth degree burn dealt by Tetsuya's remark of 'We. Are. Friends.' is on his feet pacing like a panther on his cage, worrying the carpet.

Kise is tapping his fingertips in rising agitation and is turn between joining Aomine and eyeing Midorima with Takao next to him. Golden eyes are glinting suspiciously at the duo.

Midorima, remains unconcern from the golden laser aimed at him as his green eyes in turn, shoots through the one-way glass to Tatsuya, not really seeing him at all but it's the principle of the matter.

Akashi's face is inscrutable, looking perfectly calm and saintly patient to an art form as ever, practically like an emperor waiting for his wayward messenger.

Tatsuya shakes off any feelings of concern he might have felt towards his long-time friend, Atsushi. His main goal is to put this Generation of Miracles right back to their place. He is not far of his depth not to realize that they had messed up royally in the past. And for someone like Tetsuya to be compelled by his inner vindictiveness to take revenge, what the Generation of Miracles had done must be borderline unforgivable.

Pushing the glass door opened, Tatsuya's appearance sets off a chain reaction to the group. Most of them converge at his way like predators.

"Where is Tetsu?" Aomine is the first to ask brazenly.

The shorter version of his lover's name spoken with such intimate familiarity irks Tatsuya to a certain level. He and them are the only ones privileged enough to use that name.

Still, Tatsuya did not reveal his annoyance in physical form.

"Somewhere beyond your reach," Is his reply, poking the proverbial panther to bristle in anger.

"How is he?" Midorima's words effectively cut off Aomine's next words. At this, all eyes transfer from Tatsuya to the green-eyed doctor for there are a lot of implied meanings from that single question alone.

"He's been better," Tatsuya repeats Tetsuya's answer. It's the truth after all.

Takao immediately offers his professional assistance, "Shin-chan and I are doctors." He pauses, feeling awkward at the obvious general fact most of them knew but continues anyway, "I can assure you that we can—"

"Physical ailments, yes. But I doubt both of you can help in this case." Both doctors fall silent at Tatsuya's words.

Midorima is frowning in contemplation while Takao looks progressively uncertain as his observant eyes darts back and forth at Tatsuya and the rest of the Generation of Miracles.

Another figure steps forward from the shadows, it is Imayoshi Shouichi. The dark haired man saunters forward on his ways to Tatsuya's direction, his purposeful act stirs Kise to action.

"Where are you going, Imayoshi-san?"

Shouichi put on his most genial a smile that in Tatsuya's opinion is just a push forward to the condescending level kind of expression. "As Tetsuya's lover, it is my utmost priority to see his needs."

"L-Lover?!" Kise splutters gracelessly, an expression doing badly to his good looks.

"Which is frankly none of your business," Shouichi goads silkily, directing this statement at Aomine.

Aomine smirks with his own brand of superior arrogance in return. "Kuroko Tetsuya is always will be our business. He's one of us, regardless of the distance and time between us."

An alarming sense of inevitability rises on Tatsuya's gut from these condemning words.

"And look how well that turned out," Shouichi notes, voice oozing with honeyed venom. The ever-present provoking smile is still curling over the man's face but Tatsuya recognizes the irritation simmering underneath the blasé surface.

"You bastard," Aomine bits out through gritted teeth.

"Daiki." Aomine's name is softly stressed with chilling calm.

They all divert their eyes at the former Rakuzan red-head captain.

"As Imayoshi-san just said, Tetsuya is none of our business—"

"Akashi?!"

"—For now."

Those heterochromatic eyes are unnervingly blank as they shoot a brief staredown at Aomine, who looks properly cowed to submission and Kise, who pauses rising from his seat.

The rest of the Generation of Miracles is watching restlessly even the revived Atsushi, protests at the tip of their tongue visibly dying a swift death. They all visibly waver. But in the end, they all yield from the diplomatic and yet uncompromising power of their former captain.

Tatsuya can't help but be impressed on how Akashi Seijuurou wielded his words with such enviable efficiency like a compulsion spell in fiction.

Satisfied that his former teammates would follow through the letter of his orders, Akashi focuses at him and Shouichi.

There is a fast forward pace of emotions fleetingly pass over those heterochromatic eyes. Weariness and fear. Concern even. But they are gone in a flash, that Tatsuya thinks it's all just a stretch of his imagination.

"I trust Tetsuya's well-being to your capable hands." Those parting words sounded like permission is being generously granted to Tatsuya's ears.

And they should be very grateful at it, is left implied. An unwelcome insight that sends no little amount of irritation to Tatsuya.

As Akashi vacates their presence, Atsushi follows. In contrast to his monstrous strength is the vulnerable picture that overwhelms his whole character. Kise is next, an increasingly worried look into those golden eyes towing a resigned Aomine, who throws Shouichi a fierce glare.

An uncomfortable silence prevails as the duo doctor remains standing parallel to Shouichi and Tatsuya.

Green eyes are piercingly probing them with searching intensity.

"How much do you know?" Is asks after the long inspection.

Tatsuya refuses to show his ignorance at the subject, so he keeps his silence.

On the other hand, Shouichi smiles all teeth and no dark amusement at Midorima. "I know enough."

His answer shut any semblance of emotion from Midorima. Takao has a reflecting gleam in his eyes, calculative like a hawk.

"Midorima-san, even with heartfelt words of apology and regret are not enough to undo one's mistake," Shouichi recommends so gently, resulting Tatsuya to close his eyes to hide his disbelief.

What is Shouichi playing at?

Among Tetsuya's circle of lovers, Imayoshi Shouichi is the most twistingly dark in personality. He would nurse a grudge the size of the world if possible. And the glasses wearing man did not bother to hide that carefully restrained vindictiveness from Tetsuya and them.

But then again, they all are unreasonable when Kuroko Tetsuya is concerned.

For the time being, Tatsuya will take the charitable recommendation at face-value for there is a small part of him pleased, as Midoriima can't seem to find the energy to throw back against Shouichi's words.

Tossing a meaningful look at Shouichi to take care of Tetsuya, Tatsuya fully arms himself with the spirit of a gentleman's cordiality to steer the doctors back to his birthday party.

~07~

Tonight's fiasco plays over-and over to his mind's eye.

That person will surely get a laugh from the openly display of his temper especially since there are a lot of strangers involved. And for that person, there is nothing more satisfying than ripping his control away whenever that person wanted to.

Tetsuya has of course anticipated that their paths would cross. It is a bitter, grudging acknowledgement of a dreadful truth. Memories still tethers them together. Their fates tangle into one thread like a collage of fractured pictures. He knew what is coming, but to be confronted with the real deal is another level entirely.

To top it all, the rest of the Generation of Miracles unawarely annexed themselves to the computation. The near forgotten, deeply buried resentment he has of them kick-started his distinct memories, overloading his senses like a full-strength tsunami. That, did completely drain Tetsuya of his control.

And he flipped. Dramatically at that, in full view.

How far I have fallen, I am really pathetic, Tetsuya admits only to himself.

He can't go on like this. This unfinished business is between him and Akashi Seijuurou.

Blue eyes stares at his trembling hands. That cold fire from within him is raging to lash out. Tetsuya stomps it down hard, trapping the avenging fury. For now.

There will be a right time to unleash this heartaching pain from his heart.

A soft touch on his shoulders knocks him off from his depressing thought. In a span of moment, he wonders who needed comfort between them at the sight presenting at him.

He frowns faintly, perceiving the underscored worry mixed with fear coming from Shouichi. Not a very good combination from this particular lover of his.

Tetsuya sucks in a mental fortifying breath, realizing this will be a long night.

~07~

"I know that look, Tetsuya."

"What look?"

The play of emotions makes a fascinating display over his lover's blue eyes. But in this moment, Shouichi loathes that kind of reaction.

"I don't want to talk about my issues with you of all people." Tetsuya is elusive as always. And chillingly prickly.

"What issues are these exactly, Tetsuya?" Shouichi demands, his eyes darkens decidedly domineering and menacing at once.

Tetsuya proceeds to be silent as a grave.

With a jerk of his hand, Shouichi yanks Tetsuya on his chest. "Fine. Don't talk about them. There are more that I desire of greater value in the present."

~07~

"Nn…"

The room was filled with resonating sounds and grunts.

They ended up on the bed's headboard, the blue-haired's cock in his mouth. A hand gripping firmly Tetsuya's head back down, refusing him to look away as Shouichi gazes right back at him. Shouichi is sucking him as much as he can so that Tetsuya's sole focus is him.

Only him. No one else.

Running his tongue from base to tip to bathe the tongue with his saliva, Shouichi drinks the dilated, lust consumed blue eyes of his lover. For the two of them, their way of communication is through sex. It's their physical way of conquering any doubts and lingering fears of each other's status.

"Mmmmph..." Shouichi swirls around the head with his tongue alternately giving him long licks and short licks. Then in tantalizing slowness, pulls his lover's cock all the way into the back of his mouth. And expertly relaxes his throat muscles to deep throat Tetsuya, vigorously bobbing up and down asTetsuya's moans grow louder.

"Ngh…!"

It didn't take long before Tetsuya is whimpering softly, pushing now at Shouichi's head in warning.

"S-Shouichiii... I...I'm...A-ah!" Tetsuya moans, his sperm pouring down to the throat that pleasures him.

Shouichi hums in appreciation as he milks and swallows Tetsuya's essence. With one last hard sucking and soft kisses, he earnestly surveys the beautiful flushed sight above him.

"Hah…"

Shouichi smirks, hearing the gasps slipping past from Tetsuya's lips as he lazily thrusts slick fingers into his tight hole, stimulating the other for another round. He was painfully hard, his own erection urging him to be inside into the incredible heat of Tetsuya's ass.

"Nngh..."

Shouichi bents eye-to-eye with Tetsuya, sliding forward at the shell of Tetsuya's ear. "Relax." It is the only warning given as he enters Tetsuya to the hilt with one forceful thrust.

"Hmph…" Tetsuya slightly glares at him but resignedly prepares himself into position.

Shouichi offers no respite, setting an unforgiving, animalistic rhythm that reduces Tetsuya to a series of low whimpers. That, did not satisfy Shouichi.

You are only tempting me to hear you more, Tetsuya, Shouichi thought to himself.

He withdraws only to flip Tetsuya on his knees. Shouichi pistons back, watching how Tetsuya seems to suck him into his tight, constricting walls. He moves in and out back inside Tetsuya with deeper force and unforgiving speed.

"A-ah..!" Tetsuya's hands gripping the bedsheets near to shreds.

Time passes by, as Shouichi spends it torturing Tetsuya's prostate to the brink of release and edged off again and again, claiming Tetsuya in hours repeatedly with his own marks of release.

~07~

"Thank you, Shouichi," Tetsuya speaks still breathless from their prior activities.

It is near dawn that the full weight of Shouichi's body landed on Tetsuya. He lies on top of him disregarding the sticky and smelly mess they left on each other's bodies.

Shouichi has to give his thanks for the privacy granted to him by Tatsuya. Such thing is quite rare in Tetsuya's circle of harem. The following days to come will be unmistakeably shared by others, personally knowing how in demand Tetsuya is to the inner and outside world...

Shouichi shuts down the disappointing thought, focusing to pet Tetsuya's blue locks which are now resembling a bird's nest. "What for?"

He senses a smile curving those kiss-bruised lips. "Your understanding."

Shouichi smiles softly. As if he would give anything less to the person who tamed him. "I will give you anything you ask of me." Then, he tilts Tetsuya's face. "Except your freedom of me."

Tetsuya just studies him carefully. "I am asking too much from you."

The weary tone arches a brow in Shouichi's face. "I already know what I'm getting into when our games began."

He hovers over Tetsuya like a predator. A positively evil leer graces his face next. "Besides, you do offer a far more rewarding irresistible compensation. And who am I to resist, you?"

Tetsuya can't help but snort. "If you keep this up, I may become loose against your taste."

Something bitter settles inside his chest in a fraction of a second. Shouichi instinctively shields his eyes from those perceptive blue orbs. "That's your fault. I'm not the only one plowing your ass."

Since his eyes left Tetsuya's, Shouichi did not see the slight frown that disappears in a flash from his lover's face.

Tetsuya reaches down, languidly coaxing Shouichi's shaft to hardness. "Have your way with me then. Devour me."

Leaning up to Shouichi's ear, licking it then as he whispers, "Fuck me to no end."

The uncharacteristic crude command instantly rouses the beast from Shouichi.

"As you wish."

~07~

I can't believe I fell for someone like you, someone selfish and ruthlessly manipulative as I am. But I never regret it. Even with repercussion that I'm not the only one...

I won't let that minor detail, from holding me back from what I desire, Shouichi thinks, his forefinger stroking possessively over the curve of Tetsuya's ass, his vow something akin to chains as he wraps himself around his lover like a watchful guardian.

~07~

[Phone Call]

"How is Tetsu, Tatsuya?"

"Your manners are taking several levels down, Taiga," Tatsuya mildly admonishes his sworned brother, who made a call the day after his birthday celebration.

"Your deflection isn't working."

"Tetsuya's been better," Tatsuya answers mechanically.

"I have this feeling that those words are being repeated not just at me."

"Tetsuya was the one who said that," Tatsuya divulges, tone deceptively light, covering his apprehension from the night before.

"Now, I'm getting worried."

A faint smile curves Tatsuya's smile at the mental image of a bristling protective tiger in Taiga's place. "Don't worry, Shouichi is already taking care of it."

Taiga scoffs from the other end. "That creepy psychoanalizing man's definition of taking care of Tetsuya is the miracle all-cure with the use of his libido, Tatsuya."

Now, Taiga sets himself openly for this one. "Can you really blame him, Taiga? And I for that matter? Long distant relationship takes a heavy price to a healthy man's needs, Taiga."

"A-A t-threesome?" Taiga splutters in horrified awe.

"Prude."

"...I'm going to mind-wipe myself later from those mental images you suffered me through," is the deadpanned reply from Taiga, who quickly redirected the conversation to a much sanity safer zone. "And we are drifting off from the topic. Assuming that you coincidentally forget to call the knight of Tetsu's presence, I had done the liberty."

Tatsuya is amused. "You are watching too much sci-fi action flicks, Taiga." And his brows furrow. "Do you really have to? Sharing space is big time inconvenience, you know."

"If you are tired of it, the door is very much open," Taiga offers to him like a lifeline.

Tatsuya's eyes narrow at the jab. "Haha. No thanks."

"Your barely veiled sarcasm is duly noted. You must be near at the end of your patience, my gentleman brother," Taiga observes.

Knowing him so well, Tatsuya does not need to say the words at the dozens of reasons asking why Tetsuya is hoarding secrets at him in arm's length.

"Don't harass Tetsu. If you really want to know what's between him and the rainbow rangers, just listen with an open mind. Tetsu has way with words, brother." And with those parting caution, Taiga hungs up on him.

Really, Tatsuya does not need that reminder. Nonetheless, he appreciates it. Sniffing Tetsuya's history with the Generation of Miracles will only distress him and clam him up airtight. That will also serve the other lovers the right to be fiercely territorial of him.

Neither option is cost effective.

One thing he can surely count on is the Tetsuya's songs. They tell stories. The only way to understand the murky history between the Generation of Miracles is for him to listen.

Although, it's a perfect spot for the cavalry to make his move, Tatsuya muses with a grudging smile.

[Chapter 08 Sneak Peak]

Shougo can't help but feel offended as Momoi Satsuki and her female companion, Ryuuzaki Toru gaze up at the sky to check out if it is going to fall or something equally much impossible.

His notorious past as a semi-gangster was the past. Surely that did not oust him to become a servant of justice or in this special case, a personal bodyguard.

Come to think of it, the person he is assigned to is somewhat familiar to him. Shougo is sure though that this is the first time they met.

Or is it?

Author's Notes:

My grovelling apologies for almost a year hiatus of Firestorm T_T the past year of entering college was hectic at worst. Why did I ever dunk myself in its maze of brainstorming? Still, my absence had the benefit of fruits of labor. Let me squeal on hot guy with glasses. Shouichi-kun is one of my fave characters and some others lumped in together in Kuroko's harem fantasy of mine. Taiga, Makoto, Tatsuya, and Shouichi are now down in the count. The rest are for the wait *smiles* and thank you so much for your stretched patience and steadfast support, I and my muse really do appreciate your reviews/comments/kudos.

PS: Concert is in the near future. If any of you wanted to suggest a song that might possibly relate to Kuroko and any KnB characters in this AU, send me a review or better yet a pm that might serve as inspiring motivation for my plot dragons and KnB muse.

Thank you for the faves and the follows!

Special thanks to the following reviewers:

iivogelchen, Guest, clarit, ben4kevin, silver woman, deadlycute17, x10TIMEx, NarupokeeAurorafan, booklover1209, Crystalbutterfly04, tfortyo, Takucchi, kuroshirodot19, Kitahara Rosalie, iSnowflake, gsinbyk, Fiammie, jalapeno-sama, mizuretetsu18, ilove0t6forever, Tweedledeedee, shiarein, evangeliondark, AngelTricks, CatVns, icecream2000, Ikillatfirstsight, and Guest.

Need and love REVIEWS, they are my booster—and a portion of this story's lifeblood.

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