Archive of Our Own ^beta

All good things came to an end.

Akashi had had a good taste of that when his mother died. After that, he had promised himself he would throw himself into his work so that he never had to be emotionally invested in another person again. (To be frank, his father did not quite count.) 

Then, he met a rather plain, blue-haired boy named Kuroko Tetsuya. 

When Kuroko smiled at him for the very first time, Akashi knew fighting against his feelings would be hopeless. 

And when he and Kuroko first kissed, he knew he was in love. 

He loved Kuroko more than anything else in this world. He would probably even abandon his position at his father's company for the man. Sometimes, he loved him so much that it hurt, and he dreaded every moment he spent away from him. 

And after that... 

After taking his mother away from him... 

After letting him fall in love... 

Was the world really so cruel? Was the world cruel enough to take away Kuroko from him? 

Akashi hadn't left the bedside of his lover since he arrived. Eight hours and thirty-nine minutes ago, Akashi received a call from the hospital, informing him that Kuroko had been in a car accident. Akashi was Kuroko's emergency contact, so if he could come down if possible... 

Akashi shook his head, tightening his grip on Kuroko's hand. Once he arrived, a couple of police officers who had been waiting for Kuroko's emergency contact explained to him what happened. Kuroko was crossing the street, and a speeding car didn't notice him. When they finally did, it was too late. Apparently, the driver was currently in custody. 

As angry as Akashi was, he was more worried about Kuroko, so he decided to leave the case to the police. If proper punishment wasn't delivered, then the department would be hearing from the Akashi Company. 

Kuroko was in stable condition at the moment. The injuries he sustained were a head injury, a broken arm, and some bruised ribs, but he would be alright. He would... he would live, as long as nothing went horribly wrong. 

And Akashi could not stop thanking whatever lucky stars he had that that was the case. If Kuroko had died... 

He vigorously shook his head again. No, he wouldn't go there. 

A groan alerted him to Kuroko waking up. "Tetsuya?" He asked, half-worried and half-hopeful. He leaned over his lover, searching for those deep blue eyes he loved so much. 

Slowly, Kuroko's eyelids fluttered open, revealing those hazy blue eyes. Akashi's own red eyes lit up, and he nearly started crying in relief. But the next thing Kuroko said stopped him cold. 

"Who... Who are you?"

From what Kuroko could gather, he was a twenty-two year old college graduate who worked at a café. He had pale blue hair and eyes a couple shades darker, accompanied by pale skin and a slight build. He had a few friends, including this redhead that visited him every day... Akashi Seijuurou, he was half-sure. 

He'd lost his memory in a car accident. He felt a bit bitter, though that was to be expected. He didn't remember a single thing about himself, and everything he did know was because Akashi was a nice person and patiently explained it to him. He really was nice. Kuroko wondered if there was something he could do to thank him. He'd probably just say that they were friends, so it was no big deal, though. 

"...and you have this cute dog named Tetsuya #2, or Nigou, for short," Akashi told him, his smile warm as he spoke of the dog. Kuroko felt safe around him despite knowing virtually nothing about him. His heart just told him that he could trust the redhead. They must have been close before. "I don't like disobedient dogs, but Nigou is a good dog, so I like him." 

Kuroko wondered what his dog was like, or if Nigou was worried about him. "May I see a picture of him?" He asked, quietly, and he thought he detected a shimmer in Akashi's eyes before the other man smiled again. Maybe it was just his imagination. 

"Of course you may," Akashi replied, taking out his phone. It occurred to him belatedly that it was a little strange for Akashi to have a picture of Kuroko's dog--but they had been friends, so maybe not. Akashi showed him a picture of a small black and white dog that had eyes just like Kuroko's. Oh. So that was why he was named Nigou. In the picture, Kuroko was holding Nigou in his lap as they both smiled (or panted in Nigou's case) at the camera. 

"Did you take this?" Kuroko asked, curious. When Akashi nodded, he couldn't help his curiosity any longer and asked, "Were we really close?"
There it was again. That shimmer. But Akashi looked away, not letting Kuroko see those red, red eyes anymore, as he said, his voice hoarse, "... Yes. We were very close."

Kuroko's heart clenched at the sight, and even if he didn't remember the other, his first instinct was to reach out to him and hug him. But all he could do was clench his fists, frustrated, as he mumbled, "I'm sorry that I don't remember you."

Akashi made a strangled sound that might have been a laugh or a cry. "Don't be sorry. It's not your fault."

Kuroko didn't understand what he meant when he quietly added, "I guess I don't have that many, after all."

A couple days later, Kuroko was more or less ready to be released from the hospital, but he was staying one more night just in case. Akashi was getting ready to leave for the day because visiting hours were about to be up, but Kuroko impulsively reached out to grab his hand before he could go. 

"Tetsuya?" Akashi questioned, surprised, as he turned back to face the blue-haired man. Kuroko stared at their joined hands, and the ludicrous thought of it meant to be that way crossed his mind. He quickly shook off that notion and let go of Akashi's hand—but the redhead had captured his again just a moment later. "Tetsuya, is something wrong?" He asked, concerned, as he sat down next to him on his bed. Kuroko was furiously trying not to blush at their proximity and joined hands. 

"No, nothing's wrong," he assured him, making the redhead sigh in relief. "It's just... I had something to ask you..." 

Akashi tilted his head. "Of course. Go ahead," he encouraged, moving around to get more comfortable. Kuroko stared at their hands again. Akashi wasn't letting him go, though Kuroko didn't really mind. 

"I... Who is Kuroko Tetsuya?" 

It had been bothering him. Akashi had told him many things about himself, but he didn't truly know who Kuroko Tetsuya was. He didn't know himself, and that was scary. He was terrified because he didn't remember himself. 

It must have shown on his face because Akashi quickly moved forward to embrace him tightly, one hand gently cradling his bandaged head and the other wrapped firmly around an uninjured part of his abdomen. "It's okay," he soothed, voice velvet soft as his long fingers combed through Kuroko's hair. "I understand."

Kuroko held onto Akashi with his good arm, eyes closing. Despite not remembering hearing it before, Akashi's heartbeat calmed him down, and he somehow didn't doubt it had before. 

"Kuroko Tetsuya is a person who didn't give up on me when I gave up on myself." 

Kuroko shifted upward, slightly surprised, but Akashi didn't loosen his grip enough to let him see his face. The taller man continued, his voice gentle and spinning a tale that painted stars across the ceiling. 

"Once upon a time—forgive me if that's cliché—I was someone who only thought about work, perfection, and expectations. I didn't even have time for the game of basketball, which my mother loved so dearly. I was going through a life completely void of color. My friends, Midorima Shintarou and Murasakibara Atsushi, always told me to take a rest and have fun, but I honestly didn't even know what that meant anymore. 

"And then, I met this plain boy named Kuroko Tetsuya, with pale blue hair and eyes the color of the summer sky. With him came two noisy nuisances named Aomine Daiki and Kise Ryouta, but I couldn't bring myself to mind. With these three, my life was then complete, and a burst of color shot across my horizons, giving me... well, hope." 

Akashi sighed softly, nuzzling into Kuroko's hair. The smaller man was trying not to blush. "However, all good things must come to an end, you see. We all went our separate ways in high school, because we were all going to do different things. Our views clashed too much. I'd given up on that colorful life soon enough, and my world went back to being gray." 

Kuroko waited for the next part of the story, but Akashi paused for so long that he was beginning to wonder if that's all the redhead was going to say. Just as Kuroko was getting ready to ask him, Akashi continued, his voice quieter than before. 

"But, in the fall, I met Tetsuya again. He wouldn't let me give up so easily, and he reminded me that life is not just about work, perfection, and expectations. No one is perfect, he said. Not even you. It was not a truth I was quite willing to accept, but he dragged me back into that colorful world, re-introducing me to our friends and forcing me to spend time with them. Slowly, the world opened and bled with color once more. And, eventually, I was willing to accept that truth. I'm not perfect. I understand that now. Even if Father tells me that an Akashi needs to be perfect, there is no such thing as that. I'll do my best, but I'm done withering away as someone who only works. I know what fun is now and... And I'm truly grateful for the friends I have, who brought me back from that gray place. 

"So, yes. Kuroko Tetsuya is a person who didn't give up on me when I gave up on myself." 

Kuroko was slightly awed by Akashi's story. But at the same time, he felt... sad. And maybe frustrated. It sounded like Akashi had had a hard life. And Kuroko didn't remember a single thing about him. If they truly had been that close... Wasn't Akashi sad? Wasn't he miserable? Did he cry because his friend didn't remember him anymore? 

Guilt weighed heavily on Kuroko's chest. Akashi was such a nice person, but... Kuroko had nothing to give him. He couldn't, without his memories. And that was just so... so unfair. 

"Tetsuya," Akashi said firmly, and the blue-haired man looked up, startled. Akashi had put him at arm's length to stare into his eyes. "Don't feel bad. None of this is your fault. You don't need to feel guilty." 

Kuroko averted his gaze, biting down on his lip. What was he supposed to say? He knew Akashi was right, but... 

"But I do feel guilty," he muttered, dragging his hand through his hair. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. Akashi had said that Kuroko wasn't generally a very expressive person, but that was the old him. These days, he never knew how to wrangle in his emotions. Maybe it was the painkillers getting to him. "I feel guilty because here you are, trying to help me piece together who I am, but I can't give you anything in return." 

Akashi placed his hands on both sides of Kuroko's face and forced the blue-haired man to look at him. His red eyes were disapproving. "I don't care about rewards or anything of the sort. I am helping you because I care about you, and I don't need anything in return." He swallowed hard, his expression flickering with pain for a second. It was gone before Kuroko could question it. "After all, we're... friends, right? Friends help each other out." 

Kuroko thought Akashi stumbled a little over the word 'friends,' but that could be his imagination again. Dismissing it, he nodded slowly. "Yes... I guess," he replied, unsure. Why did his heart pulse painfully at being called Akashi's friend? Shouldn't it have made him happy? That the redhead still considered him a friend, even though he didn't remember him? 

Akashi smiled, but it seemed forced and empty. "Good." He released Kuroko's face and stood up. Kuroko nearly reached out to him again, but he stopped himself at the last second. No, he didn't want to bother Akashi anymore tonight. "I'll be here in the morning to take you back to the apartment, okay?" 

Kuroko nodded. "Okay." 

Akashi smiled again, this one less forced, and waved. Kuroko waved back with his good arm until Akashi was out of sight. When he was gone, Kuroko slumped down on his bed. 

He didn't understand his body's weird reaction to Akashi being around it. 

He always felt happier with Akashi around. He was sad when he left. And his heart always skipped a beat when he heard Akashi laugh. The redhead seemed amused and teased him for a few minutes the first time it happened—curse that heart monitor. 

But sometimes he wondered... 

Could it be possible...

Am I the one who put that broken look in your eyes that I sometimes glimpse? Was I the one to make you laugh? Were we... 

Kuroko buried his face in his blankets. 

It couldn't be.

Akashi was, surprisingly, nervous. 

And Akashi Seijuurou was never supposed to be nervous. 

As much as it pained him to do it, he had put away any proof of his relationship with Kuroko inside their apartment. It had taken hours to rid the small space of those memories, and Akashi's fingers had been shaking practically the whole time. He hadn't wanted to make such a big deal out of it, because he was supposed to be strong, but pretending like these last four years spent together in their apartment didn't happen... Well, it wasn't easy. 

The only problem with the apartment lay with their bedroom. First of all, their apartment was small, with just a kitchen, living room, bathroom, and one bedroom as their living space. Since there was no other bedroom, Akashi couldn't make the excuse that he was his roommate and lived in the other bedroom. It was obvious that they could only sleep in the same room. And there was a bed big enough to fit two in there, and that was it. Akashi had made a half of an effort to put a futon on the floor, but he still wasn't sure how this was going to go over with Kuroko. 

It was too late now. He and Kuroko were already back to the apartment, with Akashi fishing out his set of keys to unlock the door. "We live together?" Kuroko asked, sounding slightly surprised. Akashi nearly dropped his keys, not because he was surprised, exactly—it was because he had miscalculated and missed a crucial point. 

He hadn't meant for Kuroko to find that out until a bit later. "Oh... yes," he said, his voice carefully in check. "We became roommates because we ended up going to the same university. Well, here we are." He opened the door and gestured for Kuroko to go in first. 

He had already had a conversation with Nigou about Kuroko, and as absurd as it might have sounded, he knew the dog understood his instructions. He had told him that Kuroko was injured, so Nigou needed to be careful with him. The obedient dog had sat down and wagged his tail, barking once like he understood him. Akashi patted his head with a smile before leaving. 

Kuroko went inside, and was immediately greeted by a round of enthusiastic yaps. Kuroko jumped, startled, while Akashi peered over his lover's shoulder to observe the situation. Nigou was still sitting where Akashi had left him, but his tail was wagging enthusiastically as he waited for Kuroko to greet him. 

"Ah," the blue-haired man started, a small smile overtaking his face, "you're Nigou. I'm sorry I don't remember you, but I feel like I've missed you, somehow." He kneeled down, able to do that since his ribs weren't as sore as before. Nigou immediately got up to jump into his lap, standing on his hind paws in order to lick Kuroko's face. Kuroko chuckled, patting his dog affectionately. Akashi smiled at the sight, quietly closing the door behind him and taking Kuroko's bag into their room. 

He sorted out Kuroko's possessions in just a few minutes, but he lingered inside the room, double-checking to make sure that he had put their pictures away. Akashi's things were still scattered around, but they were roommates who had to share a room, so it didn't matter, right? So Kuroko would hopefully think, anyway. 

"Akashi-kun?" Kuroko called for him, still in the living room. Akashi ran out to make sure that nothing had happened to him, but Kuroko was just standing in front of the bookshelf, staring at something on it. Akashi furrowed his brow, walking over to him. 

"Tetsuya? What's—" Akashi abruptly stopped talking, eyes widening a little. There had been one picture he had hesitated in putting away because it was a long-standing favorite of both him and Kuroko. It was the picture they took the day they moved in together, and Akashi's arm was wrapped around Kuroko's shoulders as they both smiled at the camera. Considering that Kuroko was butting Akashi's head with his own affectionately, it was apparent how close they were. 

It didn't give away their relationship, per say, but it could arouse Kuroko's suspicions. And Kuroko was such an observant person, even now...
Akashi was trying to keep their relationship a secret from Kuroko for now because it was the best path to take. If he told him that they were actually together, it would put pressure on Kuroko, and it even might push him away.

Akashi could handle almost anything, except for that. He couldn't lose Kuroko—not now, not ever. He loved him too much. So he would do everything he could as he waited for him to regain his memory. 

Even if it meant lying to him and keeping at a (slight) distance. 

Kuroko glanced at him, tilting his head slightly. Tucked under his good arm was Nigou, who was panting happily. "When was this taken?" He asked, his voice curious. Akashi almost sighed in relief that Kuroko didn't suspect anything yet. 

"Ah, it's been a while," he explained, sitting down on the couch. Kuroko sat down beside him, letting Nigou go, but the dog didn't move away from his master. Akashi smiled and scratched Nigou's chin. "Four years, actually. Like I said, we moved in together since we were both going to the same nearby university." 

Akashi's father hadn't approved of his son moving into such a small space—at least get a penthouse, was what he said. But Kuroko wanted a small, cozy apartment, and Akashi loved this place more than any spacious penthouse and wasn't going to give it up. So it was futile to argue with Akashi about it any further. 

Kuroko seemed to be mulling over something, and Akashi thought he was going to say something, but suddenly, he just shook his head. "I see," was all he said. Akashi wanted to ask what Kuroko wanted to ask him, but he didn't want to pry at the same time. So he just nodded and sat back. 

This was going to be hard.

That night, as Kuroko fell down on his bed, he noticed how big it was. Akashi was working at the desk in the corner. The apartment was so small that they had to share a room, it seemed. 

"Are you sure you'll be okay on that futon?" Kuroko asked, eyeing the already made futon. It looked like Akashi would be retiring soon, too. Nigou was already asleep in his bed beneath Akashi's desk. 

"Why wouldn't I be?" The redhead asked, distracted, as his fingers gracefully flew across his laptop's keys. 

"Don't we sleep in the same bed?" 

Akashi whipped around to face him so fast that Kuroko was surprised he didn't get whiplash. Akashi's red eyes were wide with shock. "How did you... I mean, how do you figure?" He asked, hastily correcting himself. It was kind of amusing to see him this surprised. 

Kuroko gestured to the bed. "There's only one bedroom, and this bed is huge. It would only make sense if we slept together." It was kind of a strange thought, but if they were really close, then it made sense. And Kuroko didn't think he would mind even now, so why not? 

Akashi looked unsure. "If you're okay with it..." He trailed off. 

Kuroko smiled reassuringly. "It's fine. Just don't stay up too late, okay?" He shot him a warning look before lying down, pulling the covers over his body as he switched off his lamp. He heard the quiet squeak of Akashi's chair as he turned around to continue quietly tapping at his keys. 

Kuroko wasn't able to fall asleep right away, so he was still awake when he heard Akashi close his laptop and stand up. He also heard the telltale shedding of his clothes as he put on his pajamas before crawling into bed next to Kuroko. 

"Sweet dreams, Tetsuya." 

Kuroko didn't know how he knew that he was still awake, but he mumbled, "You too, Akashi-kun."

A few days after Kuroko was released from the hospital, Akashi had to deal with the blue-haired man's workplace because they couldn't afford to keep giving him time off to recover. Kuroko would need to go back if he wished to keep his job. Akashi was going to negotiate something with them, but Kuroko overheard the conversation and told him that it was fine and that he was sure he could manage to figure out his job again. So, he went back to work. 

As long as Kuroko didn't hurt himself or overwork himself, then Akashi would be fine with that. He was just trying to stabilize Kuroko's life again. Maybe a sense of normalcy would bring back his memories. That was what Akashi hoped, anyway. 

It wasn't easy for him, or any of them, really. Kise and Aomine visited the most frequently, despite the former being a pilot and the latter being a busy police officer—who, by the way, would not stop pestering the other officers about Kuroko's case, to the point where they told him they would suspend him if they heard his complaints for the case to hurry up one more time. Akashi couldn't help but chuckle at the memory of Aomine telling them what happened, a scowl on his face. 

Kise and Aomine were understandably sad that their best friend didn't remember them. Akashi had told Kuroko about them, and he took to them easily enough despite not remembering them, but it wasn't the same. 

As for Midorima and Murasakibara, who became friends with Kuroko along with Akashi years ago, they visited less often, but that didn't mean they didn't care. Midorima, a doctor, had been upset that he wasn't allowed to treat Kuroko when he was brought into the hospital (though he would deny it), so as if to make up for it, he bombarded the poor blue-haired man with lucky items. Kuroko didn't seem to know what to make of him, but he did make fun of him sometimes, just like Kuroko used to when he had his memories. 

Murasakibara, on the other hand, brought lots of vanilla sweets whenever he visited, fresh from his bakery. He also sent some to them, his bakery's delivery boy being the one to bring it to them. The purple-haired giant had easily become one of Kuroko's favorites after he sent him a particularly good vanilla cake. 

In a way, things had returned to normal, but it wouldn't truly be normal until Kuroko regained his memories.

"Tetsu!"

Kuroko looked up from his book as Aomine jogged toward him, a lopsided grin on his face. Kuroko felt himself smile, as he closed his book. "Aomine-kun," he greeted, accepting the head ruffle from the tanned man when he got close. It had been three months since his accident, and he was completely healed. Except for his memories, that is. 

Aomine sat down beside him, spinning a basketball on his finger with a practiced and lazy ease. "Wanna play a bit?" He asked, nodding toward the spinning basketball. 

Kuroko, apparently, had played basketball, and while he hadn't been particularly good at it, it seemed that he was some sort of passing specialist. He had gotten used to playing with Aomine and Kise when they visited him. Akashi had said that he could also play, but he was always busy, so he never joined their streetball matches. 

"Okay," Kuroko accepted, setting aside his book on the bench. He followed Aomine onto the court, carefully stretching his arms and back as he walked. "Just the two of us?" Normally Kise came with Aomine, or sometimes Aomine's firefighter friend, Kagami, would come. Well, it was hard to say if they were actually friends because they always argued, but... 

"Yeah. Oh, and I'm feeling kinda tired today, so can you give me a pass to energize me?" Aomine asked, running around in circles as he waited for them to start. 

Kuroko tilted his head. "Passing to you will energize you?" He didn't understand how that would work. 

Aomine grinned at him. "Yeah, it will. Your passes are the best. Think fast!" He shouted, throwing the ball to him before taking off for the other side of the court. Kuroko blinked in shock, his mind freezing up, but his arms and legs moved on their own, purely on muscle memory. He caught the ball in one hand and spun around once before launching it across the court, right into Aomine's waiting hands. As he was finishing the motion, a scene flashed behind his eyelids of a similar sequence, only they were standing on an indoor court and there were other players on the court. He stumbled, startled from the sudden flash, and gripped the pole of the nearby net to steady himself. 

"Tetsu! You okay?" Kuroko could hear the concern in Aomine's voice as he ran back to him. He had already dunked the ball, and it was rolling, abandoned, beneath the net on the other side of the court. 

"I... I'm fine," Kuroko reassured his friend, shaking his head. "I think I... just remembered something." The reality hit him at the same time it hit Aomine. 

"What? Seriously?!" 

Kuroko had remembered something. A memory that seemed old, but that didn't matter. A memory was a memory. So... did that mean... he could get his memory back? Even if it was piece by piece, he was okay with that. Because that meant... 

Kuroko suddenly smiled, one hand slowly coming up to clench his shirt.

"Yes. I really just remembered something."

"I am not leaving now—"

A pause. 

“Father, please, I need—" 

Another pause. 

"Father! I just—"

This time, after the pause, there was a groan and then the sound of a phone being thrown at the bed. Akashi glared down at the device, and if it hadn't been an inanimate object, it probably would have died from how intense his glare was. 

He heard the door hesitantly squeak open. "Akashi-kun? Is everything alright?" Kuroko asked, his voice clearly worried. Akashi closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Well, that was just the cherry on the cake, wasn't it? He had worried Kuroko. 

After he was sure he had regained his composure, he turned to Kuroko, beckoning him over. The blue-haired man walked forward until they were only a few centimeters apart. "Tetsuya," Akashi started, his tone serious yet weary, "I have to leave for business." 

Kuroko's brow furrowed slightly in confusion. "Business...?" He asked, frowning. Akashi sighed, resisting the urge to wrap his arms around his lover and never let him go. It had been over three months. He missed his Tetsuya. And now that he was finally starting to remember bits and pieces of his life from before his accident...

Akashi couldn't leave now.

But he had no choice. 

"Yes, business, for my father. I'll be gone for a few weeks. I can have someone stay over with you..." Akashi trailed off, noticing the disheartened expression on Kuroko's face. He was suddenly glad that Kuroko was more expressive than before, even if he didn't mean to be. "Is there something wrong, Tetsuya?"

Kuroko frowned, obviously thinking, before shaking his head. "No, nothing's wrong." He was lying. Akashi could tell right away. "I'll be fine on my own. I can take care of myself." 

Akashi debated on whether or not to call him out on his lie, but Kuroko was looking away, unwilling to meet his eyes. Not wanting to make this harder than it had to be, Akashi sighed and decided not to ask him. 

"Well," he gently ruffled Kuroko's hair, "please take good care of yourself while I'm away. I promise I'll come back soon." He bumped foreheads with his lover before moving onto packing. He had to leave the very next day—just one more thing to be so happy about. 

He heard Kuroko shuffling around for a little while before sitting down on the bed. When Akashi had to fetch his bag from beneath the bed, Kuroko stared down at him, chin tucked into his legs, which were pulled up against his chest.
"Akashi-kun," he started, hesitant. Akashi paused and looked up at him, raising an eyebrow in question. "I was..." He tightened his grip on his legs, eyes flickering away from Akashi's face and then back. "I was... wondering..." He paused, swallowing hard. 

Even if Kuroko had been able to continue, he would have been cut off by Akashi's phone ringing. The redhead heaved a sigh, knowing he couldn't ignore any calls at the moment. "I'm sorry, Tetsuya. I have to take this. We can continue this conversation later," he promised, grabbing his phone before leaving for another room to take the call. 

He didn't see Kuroko sigh and flop back onto the bed.

In the end, Akashi was too busy to finish his conversation with Kuroko, so the blue-haired man just went to bed. He was woken at five in the morning by Akashi getting out of bed and preparing for his flight, which would be leaving in an hour. Apparently, his family had a private jet. How fancy. 

Kuroko pretended to be asleep as Akashi approached his side of the bed. The redhead bent down and kissed his hair before whispering, "I'll see you soon, Tetsuya." He quietly shuffled out of the room, closing the door behind him. 

Kuroko had barely managed to keep his emotions and breathing in check. He had been fairly sure after living with Akashi for three months, but that moment just now had all but confirmed it.

Akashi wasn't just his friend. He was more than that. And for some reason, the redhead had decided that Kuroko shouldn't know about their relationship.
Biting his lip, Kuroko opened his eyes and got out of bed. He wasn't sure if Akashi was gone yet, so he was as quiet as possible as he searched their room. Why wouldn't Akashi tell him that they were in a relationship? It would have explained so much. The way Kuroko's heart throbbed whenever he looked at Akashi, or the way the redhead looked at him sometimes—like he was the most precious thing in the whole world. 

Kuroko sighed. He couldn't dwell on that now. There must have been proof, pictures or mementos, of the time they spent together. There were some pictures he had already seen, but he was looking for something more intimate. He checked under the bed, but there was nothing there except empty duffel bags and suitcases that didn't fit in their closet outside. He checked the closet in their room, but aside from clothes and a few other things, there was nothing to speak of. 

Finally, he turned to Akashi's desk. It had three drawers on the right side, none of them locked because he probably trusted Kuroko not to snoop through his business. Nigou was sleeping in his bed beneath Akashi's desk. 

Kuroko hesitantly approached Akashi's desk. If he looked through them... would Akashi be mad at him? He didn't want that. But he couldn't find anything, and he was beginning to get desperate. 

After a brief internal debate, Kuroko decided to open the top drawer. The squeaks it made as he pulled it out made him cringe. The sound seemed to be amplified to his ears. 

Surprisingly, the top drawer only contained business files. If Akashi had any personal possessions in his desk, Kuroko had thought it would be in here. A bit disheartened, he pulled out the second drawer. This one contained more files and papers. Frowning now, Kuroko pulled out the third and last drawer—and promptly caught his breath. 

The drawer was packed to the brim with things, none of them looking even remotely related to business. On top was a couple of postcards from London. The first from London had a picture of Aomine chasing Kise through a park, with Murasakibara making a peace sign while taking the picture. The message said: Mine-chin and Kise-chin can fight in different countries, too, huh... Mido-chin is at a fancy museum right now. Aka-chin and Kuro-chin, sorry you couldn't come. Hopefully your dog gets better.

The second one must have been from the same trip, but it featured Aomine and Kise making kissy faces at the camera. Midorima was writing the message this time, because Murasakibara was off in the corner of the photo, stuffing his face with food. Aomine and Kise think you two lied about your dog getting sick so you could spend "couple time" together. I don't know where they get these ideas, nanodayo. It's not true, right? Not that I care or anything. 

Kuroko's suspicions were confirmed. He wasn't sure how to feel about that. Akashi had lied to him about their relationship... maybe to prevent things from being awkward? Three months ago, Kuroko might not have known what to do with the knowledge that he and Akashi were together before his accident. But after all this time together... 

Kuroko was cursing his amnesia right now. Of course he had done so before—of course he wanted his memories back—but his emotions were stronger this time. He barely remembered his friends, just bits and pieces of them, and it was the same with Akashi. The redhead was willing to tell him things about himself, but it wasn't the same as remembering them. 

Kuroko placed the postcards to the side and peered into the drawer once more. There were middle school and high school yearbooks, a framed photo of a woman who Kuroko assumed to be Akashi's mother, and finally, a photo book. The blue and red cover gave away what its contents must have been. 

Kuroko picked up the book and was surprised to find his hands shaking with anticipation. Trying to calm down, he fixed Akashi's drawer before closing it and then sitting in his chair. He placed the photo book on Akashi's desk and opened it to the first page. 

Two photos were displayed on the opening page. The first was of a much, much younger Akashi and Kuroko, probably barely in middle school, and Akashi was smiling at Kuroko as they walked to class. There was a note written in Murasakibara's lazy scrawl to the right. Aka-chin sure likes his new friend. 

The second picture was Kuroko awkwardly smiling at the camera. The note was written neatly by Akashi. Kuroko doesn't smile often enough, but when he does, a lot of them come out like this. 

The other pictures were filled with triggers. Each one seemed to cause a spot of color to bloom into memory inside Kuroko's brain. And those flickering colors burst to life when he finally found what he would later remember as his personal favorite picture. 

Akashi was smiling fondly as he kissed Kuroko's cheek, and Kuroko himself was smiling, genuinely, as he took the picture. Kuroko had written the note. Seijuurou-kun and I have been together for two years. I wonder what awaits us in the future... 

I wonder...

"Tetsuya?" Akashi asked, peering into their bedroom. Kuroko looked up from where he was sitting on their bed, and he smiled at his lover. 

"Seijuurou-kun, welcome back," he greeted, setting aside his book. Akashi smiled back at him. 

"I'm home," he returned in a teasing tone, climbing onto the bed. He pulled Kuroko closer to him before claiming his seat on his lap, straddling him as he leaned down to kiss him. 

After they parted, Kuroko pouted at him. "Seijuurou-kun is so embarrassing. I wonder how someone so talented can be so embarrassing," he grumbled, trying and failing to push Akashi off his lap. The redhead smirked. 

"Well, if you don't want me on your lap..." He suddenly fell onto his side, pulling Kuroko down with him. He tucked Kuroko's head under his chin before hooking a leg over the smaller man's hip. Kuroko sighed, but he was used to this, so he wrapped his arms around Akashi's waist and burrowed closer to him. "I love you," Akashi murmured, nuzzling Kuroko's hair. 

Kuroko pretended to be exasperated, but it only lasted about two seconds. He smiled, closing his eyes. 

"I love you, too."

Kuroko was out the door even before the memory was finished replaying. He had grabbed a coat on his way out and put on shoes, but he was still shivering violently as he raced down the snowy, empty streets. With every step he took, more of his memories returned until they were a vivid stream running through his mind. He remembered growing up virtually alone, with only his grandmother to rely on, but she passed away when he was eight. Just a day after her funeral, he met two boys named Aomine and Kise who volunteered to let him live alternately with them because none of his relatives wanted him. So one day he would stay with Aomine, and the next was with Kise. 

Then, in middle school, he met Akashi, Midorima, and Murasakibara. Murasakibara was easy enough to get along with, and Kuroko got used to his occasional (non)threats of crushing him. Midorima was a little harder, but Kuroko eventually became friends with him, too. And finally, Akashi. He was busy, even as a middle school student, but Kuroko thought he should get to experience being a kid, and so convinced him to join himself and the others more and more often. 

In high school, they parted ways, and Kuroko had been sad about it at first, but he resolved to piece them back together. So, one by one, he reached out and reunited his friends until they were whole again. And then, in their second year, Akashi finally asked him out. Kuroko had been so happy. 

When Akashi and Kuroko began living together, Kuroko realized that he finally had a place to call home. Aomine's and Kise's families were great, of course, but they weren't really 'home.' But Kuroko finally found that with Akashi.
The car accident had nearly ripped all of that away. It took away his precious memories of his friends and his life, but now... Now...

Kuroko stopped at a corner, lungs screaming for air. The cold air wasn't helping any; it felt like needles stabbing him. He hopelessly looked up and down the streets for that familiar splash of red, but he couldn't find it anywhere. Was he already gone? Kuroko didn't want Akashi to leave without knowing that he had regained his memories. 

He took off down the street again, and when he slipped and fell, he groaned but got right back up. He knew he had scratched himself and was dirty, but he didn't care. He needed to find Akashi before he left. He just hoped that it wasn't too late. 

Kuroko was fairly sure that the Akashi private airstrip was around here somewhere. His eyes desperately scanned the empty street before him, and he almost burst into tears on the spot when he saw Akashi approaching the gate to the airstrip. Kuroko launched across the street, closing the distance between them. 

Akashi paused when he heard the running footsteps behind him, and he turned around just in time to catch Kuroko in his arms. "What—Tetsuya?" Akashi asked in disbelief as Kuroko buried his face in Akashi's chest. The redhead was warm, which was an incredible relief to the freezing blue-haired man. 

"Don't leave... yet... Seijuurou-kun," he managed between breaths, hugging the redhead tightly, partially because he wanted to and partially because he really liked how warm Akashi was. 

Akashi froze when Kuroko called him by his first name. When he lost his memories, he had started to call him 'Akashi-kun' again, and as much as that hurt, he didn't say anything about it to anyone. 

"Tetsuya...?" Akashi's voice was hesitant and unsure now, as he slowly put his hands on Kuroko's shoulders. The smaller man was still in his pajamas. And he was scratched up and dirty... Akashi bit back his exasperated sigh. Kuroko wasn't looking out for his own well-being as usual. 

Kuroko finally caught his breath and pulled back just enough to look at Akashi. His expression wavered when he saw the concern on the other's face. Akashi must have been heartbroken when he found out that Kuroko didn't remember him. 

Not wanting to put Akashi through any of that anymore, Kuroko smiled, shakily, his eyes watering with tears. "I remember you, Seijuurou-kun," he whispered before leaning up onto his tip-toes in order to kiss his lover. Akashi's wide crimson eyes stared down into his too-bright sky blue ones, but when he realized what was happening, he snapped his eyes shut and kissed Kuroko back, letting his emotions bleed into the kiss. Frustration, sadness, and heartache; relief, happiness, and love. So much love that it felt like Kuroko was drowning in it. 

They had to eventually part for air. Akashi kept his hand on the back of Kuroko's neck, leaning his forehead against his. "Please don't tell me that this is a dream," Akashi whispered, using his free hand to stroke Kuroko's cheek. The latter leaned into his touch with a contented sigh, smiling slightly at his lover. 

"It's not a dream, Seijuurou-kun. I really do remember you," he murmured, watching as tears gathered in Akashi's eyes. He smiled a little more, leaning up once more, but this time, it was to kiss away his lover's tears. "I love you." 

"I... I love you, too," Akashi choked out, wrapping his arms around Kuroko's shivering frame. "Do you want another jacket?" He asked, concerned. 

Kuroko shook his head. "No, it's fine. I know you have to go, but..." He bit his lip, his throat closing up. He didn't want Akashi to leave. Not now. 

But Akashi knew him, and he knew what he was thinking. "I don't want to leave now, either," he mumbled, shaking his head. He chuckled, but the sound was dry. "You're so cruel, Tetsuya. You're making this hard on me." 

Kuroko pouted, lightly hitting the redhead. "I didn't want you to leave without knowing that I remember you," he muttered, just a bit sour. Akashi genuinely chuckled at that, kissing the top of the blue-haired man's hair.

"I know. Thank you. I don't have a choice, but... I'll come back soon, okay?" 

Kuroko sighed, reluctantly pulling back from Akashi's warmth. He absentmindedly rubbed the scrape on his elbow. "Okay," he nodded. He smiled sadly. "I'll miss you." 

Akashi's heart thumped painfully at his words, and he swiftly stepped forward to capture Kuroko's lips in a kiss again. He kissed his forehead and cheeks for good measure. "I'll miss you, too. I won't be long. Don't worry." 

Kuroko's cheeks were red, but not quite from the cold. "...Mhm. I won't," he mumbled, and Akashi smiled in satisfaction. 

"I love you." 

"I love you, too."

They parted with a wave, and when Akashi was gone, Kuroko sighed. He was alone again. 

But he knew Akashi would be back soon enough.

Three weeks later saw an exhausted Akashi dragging himself toward the bedroom he shared with his boyfriend of six years, Kuroko Tetsuya. It was after midnight, and he had abandoned his luggage at the door. 

He poked his head inside the bedroom, and he saw Kuroko sleeping on the bed, with Nigou next to him. The small dog perked up when Akashi entered the room, and he jumped down to greet him. "Shh," Akashi whispered as Nigou made a little yipping noise. He patted Nigou affectionately. "Don't wake Tetsuya." Nigou, intelligent as ever, kept quiet and eventually went over to his own bed beneath Akashi's desk, curling up to go to sleep once more. 

Akashi smiled before standing up to check on Kuroko. The blue-haired man was sleeping peacefully, his breaths even. Though Akashi had managed to talk to him every few days, ensuring that their reunion before he left was not a dream, he only felt all the worry leave him when he saw Kuroko in person again. He was fine, and he was here, and Akashi had nothing to worry about.
The redhead let out a soft sigh. He really would like to talk to Kuroko right away, but he didn't want to wake him. As he was changing into his pajamas, a piece of paper on his nightstand caught his eye. Curious, he pulled his shirt over his head before picking it up. 

In case I'm asleep when you come home— 

"Welcome home," Kuroko mumbled sleepily, before Akashi could finish reading the note that said those exact words. He was startled and turned to his lover who was squinting his eyes in his general direction and tiredly lifting an arm toward him. 

Akashi couldn't help but smile as he put the note back on the table before sliding into bed next to Kuroko. He let Kuroko's arm drop over his body and then wrapped his own arms around Kuroko, pulling him up against him. Kuroko was too tired and happy to have Akashi home to protest being dragged out of his comfortable spot on the bed. 

"I'm home," Akashi hummed, kissing Kuroko. The blue-haired man wasn't really in the state of mind to respond, so Akashi just chuckled and covered his face in kisses. 

"Stop it," Kuroko groaned as Akashi kissed his eyelid. His open eye half-heartedly glared at the redhead. "Go to sleep, Sei-kun."

He must have been really tired if he used the nickname he only used when he wasn't in the presence of mind of saying Akashi's whole first name. It mostly happened when he was tired. Akashi wished he would say it more often. 

"Alright," Akashi relented, leaning back. He watched as Kuroko's eyes fluttered shut again. He smiled fondly at his lover before remembering something he had been thinking about during his trip. "I guess I do have them, after all." 

Kuroko's eyes flickered open as he furrowed his brow. "Have what, Sei-kun?" He asked, his voice sleepy but curious. 

Akashi smiled briefly. "I don't really believe in luck, honestly, but after everything that's happened, I can't help but think I must have lucky stars," he explained, which made Kuroko raise an eyebrow. 

"Don't let Midorima-kun hear you say that."

Akashi chuckled lightly, pecking Kuroko on the forehead. "I won't. Okay, then, I suppose we should get to sleep. Good night, Tetsuya. I love you."

"Good night, Sei-kun. I love you, too."

And finally, they were able to fall asleep in each other's arms, content and happy. 

If there is such a thing as lucky stars, we surely must have a few.