Archive of Our Own

Kagami cheered as the basketball flew through the rusty hoop, the street ball court old but trusty as always. Kuroko huffed a sigh as he bent over his knees to catch his breath after their one-on-one round. Summer vacation had flown by so fast, and for most of it, Kagami had been away in America, to see his dad and catch up with old friends. It was fun, don't get him wrong, but Kagami wished he planned his time better. It was the summer before their senior year, and probably the last chance they had to be carefree as they wanted.

Kagami had caught up with the guys from Seirin for an all-you-can-eat lunch at a sushi train place, but he and Kuroko had opted to stray off together (as they so often did) and play some street ball. He hadn't realised they'd been playing for so long though - nearly two hours at this point. Sunset was sliding into place across the sky, dappling it with warm oranges, soft pinks and dashes of purple. Their first day together after Kagami came back from his vacation was ending on such a perfect scene, it almost made Kagami wish it would never end.

"It was real close that time, but I beat you again," Kagami flashed Kuroko a triumphant grin as he retrieved the basketball and swung around with a light-hearted swagger. His mood had elevated since coming back to Tokyo, and it was even better when it was just him and Kuroko. Kagami had missed spending time with him, and while they had texted and called a lot, nothing could replace the feeling of being together in person, in the same time and place. 

Kuroko let out a breath and stood up, cheeks pink from exertion as he panted softly, "Perhaps I just chose to let Kagami-kun have the win," Kuroko replied in that deadpan tone, but the light in his eyes gave away his mischievous intentions. 

Kagami blinked at him, then burst out laughing, as he stepped closer and bounced the ball idly up and down, "Hah! Yeah, right! You're just as competitive as I am, you'd never throw a game. Not even an informal one like this. How long do you think I've known you now?"

Then, Kagami shook his head, a fond nostalgia entering his voice as he continued, "I can't believe we've already known each other for two years. Feels way longer, right?"

Kuroko nodded, as he grabbed a towel from his sports bag and wiped down his face, "Yes, it does. Also, this year will make it three years. We started high school together, and will end it together," then, Kuroko pulled down the towel so only his eyes were showing, as he peeked up at Kagami in that quirky, yet endearing manner he possessed. 

"That's the plan," Kagami nodded with a grin, as he put down the basketball and picked up his drink. After taking a sip, he turned to Kuroko, feeling the sudden urge to reassure him as Kagami rapped his knuckles on Kuroko's forehead gently, "But don't get it wrong, it won't end after we graduate. There's still gonna be a lot more years we have to look forward to, being together," Kagami smiled at him, because he truly meant it.

Imagining life without Kuroko now was not possible - Kagami could not pretend to live a life where he did not know him. He would always make time and space for Kuroko, no matter the distance between them. Even if they were only friends, that was okay, as long as they were still together sometimes...

Kuroko stared at him for a while, and it was quiet between them. Then, he set down the towel and looked back at Kagami with his blue eyes, that shone with a dewy glow in the sunset, “I have something I have been wanting to tell Kagami-kun for some time. Will you hear it?”

“‘Course I will, dummy. Go ahead,” Kagami nodded, not hesitating at all. 

“Everyday, since the first day our summer break started and you left Japan, I wished to see Kagami-kun," Kuroko said, and the sad lilt in his tone was unmistakeable, which made Kagami's heart jostle uncomfortably in his chest. Before he could say anything to reassure him, though, Kuroko's regained some spirit as he continued, "But, with every single day that passed, it felt like one less day until I would see you again. And now, you are here. Next to me, again, just like that.”

“You always say the most embarrassing stuff,” Kagami mumbled, suddenly flustered at being the centre of Kuroko's attention, his cheeks slightly red as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. 

Kuroko suppressed a smile and shrugged, “I know that Kagami-kun secretly enjoys it.”

"Oi, you," Kagami growled half-heartedly at him, but truthfully, he was hanging onto Kuroko's every word like a lifeline. 

“Before we met, I never would have known I needed a person like Kagami-kun in my life. Now, I cannot imagine a life where I do not know you," the heartfelt words pierced straight through Kagami's heart, as he realised with stunning clarity and ina rollercoaster rush of emotions that everything he felt for Kuroko, was what Kuroko felt for him.

So, Kagami stared down at him, transfixed and silent, as Kuroko looked down for a moment, and the early evening breeze ruffled through his hair. Then, Kuroko's eyes drew back up to look at Kagami, a bubble of warmth encapsulating between them, "Everything shines brighter when I am with you, and I am so grateful you came to Japan and that we were able to meet. Being your basketball partner makes me so proud, and I will hold onto that title forever.”

“Kuroko,” Kagami called his name, because words escaped him in that moment. He wanted to respond, to say how much the words meant to him, but all he could do was call for Kuroko - to hope that he would stay there, with Kagami. 

“I want to be with you. I...like you so much, Kagami-kun,” then, Kuroko smiled sweetly at him, the wind still making his hair flutter around. 

Then, as if a switch was flipped in his brain, Kagami's confidence bloomed as he stepped closer, minimising the distance between them, “I dunno much about romance and all that, but I know what my heart is saying."

Taking a silent, deep breath in, Kagami took the plunge and reached out to grab hold of one of Kuroko's hands, startling the other - yet Kuroko didn't pull away. It gave Kagami encouragement, as he went on to say, "While I was in America, I thought of you every day. I wished you were with me, and even the littlest, stupidest things reminded me of you. I want you by my side, and never out of my sight again. You get me? I want us to be together so much that your misdirection won’t work on me anymore. Just you and me, Kuroko. What do you say?”

“Kagami-kun...” Kuroko's blue eyes quivered, and his hand squeezed around Kagami's, which Kagami returned with a strong squeeze of his own. 

And then, without exchanging any words, a signal passed between them. A spark of electricity they both felt, and a pull that was impossible to deny anymore. So, they leaned in, until their faces were inches apart. There were a few seconds where neither of them did anything, but then Kagami glanced down at Kuroko's lips, and Kuroko did the same thing to him. In a split second, their eyes met again, and their lips eventually met in the middle. Kagami's eyes slipped closed, as he leaned into it.

It was his first kiss. More importantly, it was his first kiss with the person that he liked. It wasn’t perfect; Kagami was clumsy, and Kuroko was slow. If anything, it was really awkward. But, Kagami would never forget it. Because this perfectly imperfect kiss was the start of something, the opening of a door Kagami didn’t ever believe would open for him. 

And so, that night marked the beginning of a new chapter in his relationship with Kuroko. 

"Have you tried this place before?" Kagami asked, as he opened the door for both of them into the boba tea shop. It was spacious, with a cool, mint green interior and comfortable seats and booths scattered around the place, with the counter in the middle. 

"No, I haven't. I have heard good things, though," Kuroko nodded his thanks as Kagami closed the door behind them and they moved over to get a closer look at the menu on the overhead boards. 

"What do you want? I'll buy it for you," Kagami offered straight away, as he picked up one of the laminated, hand-held menus when he noticed Kuroko straining to read what was written on the boards. 

Kuroko looked up at him in surprise, "Really? You don't mind? They are a bit expensive, maybe I'll pick a cheaper one," then, he looked back down at the menu with a tiny frown, and it made Kagami smile. He's such a worrywart, seriously.

He placed a hand gently on Kuroko's back, using it as a steady anchor to reassure him, "Don't worry about it. Just pick what you like," and Kuroko looked up at him, and at the sight of Kagami's smile, a small one appeared on Kuroko's lips in return. Despite how they spent most of their time together, it wasn't as common as everyone thought that he and Kuroko got time alone together, just the two of them. Man, this is nice, Kagami thought, I think we finally found a spot where no one we know is around-

“KUROKOCCHI!!”

Damn, there it was. That annoying voice and that annoying nickname – Kise was here. And by the way he was bounding towards them and immediately enveloped Kuroko in a hug, he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Kise was…he was alright, but damn, if he still wasn’t so goddamn irritating half the time! If Taiga had to say it, then he’d definitely name Kise as the easiest to get along with out of all the Generation of Miracles. But he was so whiny, and clingy, and touchy – especially with Kuroko. And Taiga tried not to be a jealous guy because he knew that wasn’t an attractive quality, but damn, how much can a guy take when a freakin’ model cuddles up next to his boyfriend?

So, Kagami does what any reasonable person would do - he grabs Kise by the back of his stupidly shiny, satin vest and yanks him backwards.

"Knock it off already!" Kagami snapped at him, pulling Kise back until all physical contact with Kuroko was cut. 

"Ow! Don't be so grumpy, Kagamicchi! There's no need to be jealous!" Kise frowned at him while he tried to straighten out the wrinkles Kagami had made in his vest, "Friends hug all the time! Kurokocchi and I have been friends for a long time, you know!"

"Not any longer than I have been with anyone else. Actually, I've been friends with you the shortest amount of time out of all of the Generation of Miracles," Kuroko supplied helpfully, undercutting Kise in that understated yet brutal way only he possessed. 

"So cold, Kurokocchi! Why do you always shut me down?" Kise wailed, as he pretended to wipe away the tears from his eyes and sulked. 

"What are you doing here anyway?" Kagami grumbled, and Kise became vivacious once more. 

"I just so happened to have done a modelling ad for this shop! I seriously love their boba tea, and after I did the modelling ad for them, their popularity skyrocketed! Now they've given me a lifetime discount! How cool is that, right? Right?" Kise grinned, overbearing as ever, and not ashamed in the slightest to gloat about his success. Kuroko nodded politely in response, while Kagami just narrowed his eyes at the guy and kept up his disgruntled disposition. 

Not deterred by their lukewarm response to his earlier words, Kise eagerly made a suggestion, "Hey, why don't we all hang out together?"

"Hell no," Kagami swiftly rejected the idea in an instant. 

"Why not!?" Kise balked, as if taken aback and offended that anyone would deny them his company.  

"We're on a date, dumbass!" Kagami snapped at him, as he grabbed Kuroko's hand and held it up to show as 'proof' for Kise (and the few other bystanders in the shop) to see. 

"Well, you two are always together anyway! It's like you're on constant dates, so I should be able to join for at least today! Why do I get left out every single time?"

Kagami's face spasmed and he tried so hard not to lose his shit right there in the boba tea shop. This damn flashy bastard always finds a way, somehow, to make every single situation revolve right around back to him.

"Kise-kun, you can stay with us," Kuroko piped up, and Kagami whirled around at the unexpected betrayal. 

"Hah!?"

"Kurokocchi!" Kise practically beamed, his smile annoyingly dazzling.

Kuroko nodded, "We would enjoy spending time together as friends. Also, please buy our drinks with your discount, if you don't mind."

Kise immediately slumped, his bright smile transforming into a bratty pout, as he huffed, "That's your angle, huh?"

"We will pay you the difference afterwards," Kuroko clarified.

Kise then waved the words off and shook his head effusively, "No way! I want to shout a delicious drink for my friends! No need to pay me back, just tell me what you guys want and I'll get it."

So, he and Kuroko had another look through the menu, and gave their requests to Kise. Then, Kise flounced off to make the orders and purchase the drinks from the counter, causing the barista to blush and giggle. Ugh, what a pain, Kagami rolled his eyes and shook his head. 

Then, Kagami felt a small hand grasp around his, and he turned to look down to see Kuroko looking up at him apologetically, "I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind that Kise-kun will stay. I thought this way, Kagami-kun can save his money and Kise-kun can pay for our date instead."

"You're pretty crafty, huh?" Kagami's lips curled in an amused, half-smile, and he linked his fingers through Kuroko's and felt his irritation melt away, "It's fine, I guess."

"All ordered! They should be ready in about ten minutes they said!" Kise announced as he returned, and then the front door of the shop jingled and just when Kagami thought he couldn't get any more annoyed, Kise said this:

"Midorimacchi!"

Damn it all, these Generation of Miracle jerks are everywhere in this city!

And sure enough, when they turned around, none other than Midorima stood opposite them, his perpetual stern and serious expression in place, "Kise. Kuroko. And Kagami. You are all here, too, it seems."

"Midorima-kun, nice to see you again," Kuroko greeted him nicely, but Kagami's patience didn't stretch that far, and his filter was not as good as Kuroko's.

"Another one, damn it! Why are you here too, bastard?" Kagami demanded, pointing at Midorima frustratingly. 

Midorima readjusted his glasses, "If you must know, I am purchasing my lucky item for tomorrow."

"You really buy those things in advance? I thought they only tell you on the day," Kise stated, his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. 

"Only fools would leave it to the last minute like that. I have obviously subscribed to Oha-Asa's premium service to receive instant updates and benefits, one of which includes receiving notification of what my lucky item is for the next day in advance to avoid any possible chance for misfortune," Midorima explained primly, and it was honestly weird how this guy was still so invested in horoscopes - even now, in his senior year of high school. 

"That's beyond superstitious at this point, that's just damn obsessive," Kagami scoffed at him, which made Kise chuckle and earned him a nasty, side-eyed glare from the shooter. 

"What is the lucky item you are looking for, Midorima-kun?" Kuroko asked, because he was kind enough to actually give a crap about the oddities that Midorima surrounded himself with. 

"It is the branded sustainable cup you can purchase from this establishment."

"You should stay and have a drink with us, Midorimacchi!" Kise chirped out of the blue, and Kagami felt like tearing his hair out at this point. 

"I have already made the order online and only came here to pick it up, though I suppose I can stay for a while. I do not care much for the drink itself, but as it necessary to obtain the cup, I had no choice but to buy one," Midorima said, his roundabout way of speaking to sound like he was not too keen on the idea yet looking for a reason to stay coming in clutch. 

"You can just buy the damn cup separately y'know," Kagami grumbled under his breath.

"By the way, Oha-Asa does provide a sign reading for couples. You two should look into it. Especially you, Kagami. You strike me as the type who would need all the help he can get," Midorima suggested, like he was trying to help, but all it did was make Kagami even more pissed. 

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Kagami glowered at him, "As if I need your help! Kuroko and I are doing great on our own!"

"Thank you for the recommendation, Midorima-kun. I appreciate you supporting our relationship," Kuroko added, smoothing things over nicely, not accepting the advice either but showing gratitude at least. But damn, did Kuroko have a point? Was this Midorima's strange way of showing his acceptance for them?

"Hmph, think what you will," Midorima looked away, and Kagami was like 90% sure Kuroko was right - but that didn't lessen his annoyance with the four-eyed bastard. 

"Ah, the drinks are ready! I'll go grab them - you guys find a place to sit!!" Kise hurried over to the counter to pick up the drinks, and Kagami let out a deep sigh as he followed Kuroko's lead and headed over towards one of the larger booths, with Midorima in tow as well. 

It was Friday afternoon, school was finished for another week and Kagami was so excited not to see his desk or those classrooms for another two days. He was more excited to spend some time with Kuroko outside of school or basketball, too. So, he and Kuroko had made their way to Maji Burger to have dinner. Actually, it wouldn't be just the two of them, which Kagami was yet again disappointed with, but not too badly. After all, the person they were meeting with was someone much better than the damn Generation of Miracles-

“Tetsu-kun! I missed you!”

Momoi's voice called out happily as they walked into the fast-food restaurant, and before they knew it she was right beside them. She linked arms with Kuroko instantly and beamed a sparkly smile towards them both. 

"Hi, Kagamin! It's good to see you both!" she greeted him sweetly, and he nodded back to her.

"Yeah, hey. Same, sorry if you were waiting long," he apologised, and she shook her head, still smiling as she replied. 

"No, no, not at all! Thanks for agreeing to hang out, feels like we haven't caught up in forever!"

He flashed a brief smile in her direction, as she and Kuroko started talking about their latest updates in their college application processes. Dealing with Momoi wasn’t so bad, she was actually really nice to hang around with and they got along well. Though Taiga didn’t have a lot of friends that were girls and felt a bit awkward at times, she made it easy for their friendship to just naturally develop.

“Why did you have to show up too, Bakagami? Ugh, don't ruin my appetite, I was looking forward to this tonight. Can you like, go sit by the window or somethin'?”

Not that voice, Kagami internally groaned, his frustration steadily rising by the second.

The problem was that unfortunately, Momoi rarely ever spent time with them by herself. Because almost 95% of the time, she had that bastard Aomine in tow with her, and dealing with Aomine was an entirely different ball game. Literally.

Taiga just got so damn annoyed at the guy, his attitude sucked and even though he’d gotten somewhat slightly more tolerable after they won against him and Touou, he was still Aomine. He was the worst out of all the Generation of Miracle guys – and that was no easy title to take (especially when you considered Akashi who was borderline mentally unstable at the best of times).

Kagami grit his teeth and whirled around, firing off at the guy already, “Shut the fuck up, Ahomine! And don’t call me that! Only my friends can do that!”

“Aww, but aren’t you guys already kind of friends?” Momoi asked, as she tipped her head to the side and looked between them questioningly. 

“Hell no!” Aomine barked out harshly. 

“Abso-fucking-lutely not!” Kagami snarled back. 

“Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun, can you please quiet down a little? Other people are trying to place their orders,” Kuroko reminded them, his expression neutral but the slight wrinkle in between his brows spoke volumes about how irritated he was at their antics. 

"It's his fault, he's such a loser he can't even handle a little harmless trash talk," Aomine shrugged, and Kagami seethed at him. 

Momoi sighed and shook her head, as she joined in the chastising, “Dai-chan, stop being so rude! Especially when you’re the one who kept asking me if Kagamin was coming because you wanted to show off to him!”

“I did not! Stop lying, Satsuki!” Aomine snapped back, immediately agitated. But the guy was a shitty liar and everyone saw through his words in an instant. 

“Oh, come on! You went on and on about it!" Momoi nudged him cheerily with her elbow, beaming brightly as she looked between Aomine and Kagami, "I tuned a lot of it out, but I definitely remember you said something like you’ve been itching to play against him again, right?”

“As if! That didn’t happen!” Aomine kept up the act of indignance, and Kagami smirked at seeing his facade fall apart. 

“Heh, what’s that? Feelin’ jealous because I’ve been showing you up in the ranks, Aomine?”

Kagami's stats had improved greatly now that he was in his senior year, and he was considered one of the star players amongst all the promising high school basketball athletes. Definitely on the same level as Aomine now and depending on who you asked - some people believed he was better than Aomine. As much as Kagami wished that to be the truth, he still felt he had a long way to go by himself compared to Aomine. But as if Kagami would ever admit that to the conceited asshole. 

“Shut up, bastard. I’m gonna destroy you later on,” Aomine growled warningly at him, and Kagami recognised a challenge when he saw one.

"One-on-one? I'm game!"

"Mou, you two! Come on, you're next in line! Tetsu-kun and I have ordered already!" Momoi huffed and pouted at them, as she shoved Aomine in the back towards the counter. Kuroko was no less gentle in his approach, as he jabbed Kagami in the ribs to get him moving.

"Oi, Satsuki! Quit it!"

"Damn it, Kuroko! That hurt!"

"I agree with Momoi-san, please order your food. Of course, I understand how you both feel, and we will play basketball. But let's eat first," Kuroko explained, and he and Aomine sheepishly hunched their shoulders at being scolded and made their (gigantic) orders before the four of them found a table and sat down. 

An hour later, Kagami and Aomine had finished all of their food, while Kuroko and Momoi were only halfway through their own. Graciously, the two allowed Kagami and Aomine to go on ahead of them and play a few warm-up matches before they joined them. 

"Look at that, my win again. What a surprise," Aomine smirked smugly, while Kagami fizzled with rage. 

"One more time! I'll definitely get you this round! C'mon, let's go!" Kagami declared, as he picked up the basketball and stood opposite Aomine challengingly. 

"Hah? No way, I'm tired. Give me a break," Aomine waved him off as he sauntered to the side of the court and plonked himself down on the bench.

"Don't give me that shit, Aho! I know your stamina is better than that!" Kagami growled at him, as he stalked after Aomine and towered over him with obvious annoyance. 

“Hey,” Aomine said after a short pause, and the tone in his voice was different - less taunting, and more serious.

Kagami straightened and frowned, then sat down beside him, an arm's length away, "What?"

Aomine's eyes narrowed, as he stared up at the sky, the last streaks of sunset fading to be replaced by the beginnings of the night sky, “You…you’re a better partner.”

“Huh?” Kagami reared back, because he didn't expect that. 

“For Tetsu. You’re better than I ever was, and he was always meant to find you. I abandoned him, while you held onto him. All this time, he was waiting for someone like you, and now you’re finally here," Aomine said, and his tone was sincere as he looked away from the sky and over at Kagami, "You’re not stupid like I was, so don’t you dare mess it up when you’ve made it this far, you hear?”

Kagami stared back at him, as he tried to figure out what to say. He hadn't really known what sort of reaction Aomine would have to his and Kuroko's new relationship status, but this was completing throwing him for a loop. But really, despite all the bullshit he put on, Aomine had changed from the person Kagami had met three years ago. This was proof of that.

"What the hell? Since when did you start lecturing others and say such deep stuff, huh?" Kagami had a go at him, because that was how he and Aomine communicated - they gave each other shit, but could be straight up with each other like that. 

"It doesn't suit you, so cut it out. I'm not gonna mess anything up, no damn way. Kuroko's the best thing that's ever happened to me, so why the hell would I ruin that?" Kagami asked, and he genuinely meant it. A smile overtook his face without his knowledge, just from thinking about Kuroko, "I won't let him go, not now and not ever. That's for sure,"

Aomine looked at him measurably for a few seconds, then cracked a smirk as he shook his head, "Heh, now who's the one spouting sentimental shit, idiot?"

"Hey, you two! We finished eating! Let us join in too!" Momoi called out cheerfully, as she waved to the two of them, with Kuroko walking along beside her as they entered the court, "By the way, I want to be on a team with Tetsu-kun!"

"Wait, but it's gonna be two-on-two, that means-" Kagami furrowed his brows, then a look of dread overcame his facial features as he and Aomine exchanged an outraged look with each other. 

"Oh, fuck no. I'm not being on a team with this bastard," Aomine shot it down immediately, throwing his hands up and heading towards the exit. It took a lot of yelling from Kagami, pleading from Momoi, and firm patience from Kuroko for them to get themselves sorted.

All Kagami would say was that on that night, he actually lost to Kuroko for the first time. Scratch that, he lost to Kuroko and Momoi - because he and Aomine were fucking idiots who couldn't work together to save themselves.

Well, Kagami supposed you couldn't expect miracles to happen overnight. 

"Tatsuya! I'm glad you could make it!" Kagami beamed as he swung the door of his Tokyo apartment. Kagami was planning on making Korean hotpot and some other side dishes, since Tatsuya was visiting Tokyo for the weekend on a break from university. He, Tatsuya and Kuroko were all going to catch up and eat some good food together, and he had been looking forward to it all week. 

"Neh, are you gonna let us in or what?"

"Murasakibara!?" Taiga exclaimed, reflexively exasperated, and his eyes twitched as they were drawn to a large, hulking figure that suddenly materialised behind Tatsuya. Damn his luck, seriously, what had Taiga done to deserve this?

"Why the hell did you bring him!?" Kagami demanded, eyes narrowed in a furious frown at his brother, who blinked back at him innocently. 

"Now, now, Taiga, don't be like that," Tatsuya attempted to assuage Taiga's frustration, softly chiding yet considerate, "Besides, you two get along better these days, right?"

"Not at all!" Kagami refused straight away. 

Murasakibara nodded, "He's right, Muro-chin. Even though I hate saying it," he grumbled, and exchanged a petty glare with Kagami. 

"Che, whatever. Come in, I guess," Taiga pushed the door open wider and turned around, heading back to the kitchen in an attempt to cool his head. 

"Then, sorry for our intrusion," Himuro bowed on his and Murasakibara's behalf, as the two of them shuffled inside and shut the door behind themselves. 

And right on cue, Kuroko popped up out of nowhere (last Taiga had seen him he was sitting on the couch in the living room reading a book) to greet the visitors as they walked out of the genkan, "Hello, Himuro-san, you have arrived. Oh, Murasakibara-kun. You're here too," Kuroko nodded politely to the both of them.

Murasakibara stepped forward closer, and smiled hopefully down at Kuroko, "Hey, Kuro-chin. Those snacks you gave me last time were really good. Do you have more?"

"I don't. But I can tell you where I bought them if you would like to purchase some for yourself?" Kuroko asked, as he pulled out his phone, likely to look up the name of the place to give to Murasakibara to buy the damn snacks. 

And sure enough, Murasakibara nodded and leaned in closer eagerly, "Yeah, tell me."

Taiga scowled and shook his head as he started to chop up some spring onion - much more aggressively than he needed to, but he didn't care even if it made marks in his chopping board. Then, another chopping board was placed down on the countertop next to him, and Kagami stopped chopping to look up and find Tatsuya next to him.

"I'll help you out, Taiga," his brother offered amiably, as he reached for the bok choy and cabbage. 

"Thanks, that'd be great," Taiga flashed him a thankful smile, distracted from the big, purple-haired annoyance in his apartment for a few blissful minutes as he chatted and caught up with his brother. 

But alas, this did not last long, as soon Murasakibara had lumbered his way over to the kitchen, and of course had something to add, "Hey, make sure to prepare large servings. I didn't eat a lot at breakfast today since I slept in."

"Yes, yes, Atsushi. We'll do that," Tatsuya said appeasingly, but Taiga was not having it. 

"Like hell we will! I'm not making food for him! That guy's gonna eat it all before you and Kuroko even get a bite!" Kagami fumed, shooting an accusatory look in Murasakibara's direction. 

Murasakibara didn't like that, apparently, since his face screwed up as if he'd just eaten a sour lemon, "Hah? I'll share with Kuro-chin and Muro-chin. You're the only one I won't share with," he retorted petulantly, like a child. 

"I'm the one doing the cooking, you jerk!" Taiga griped back at him, but then he felt an arm nudge against his and he looked over to see Tatsuya looking between them both with a firm gaze. 

"We'll be doing the cooking, you mean. Come on, let's stop quarrelling and get to it."

"I agree with Himuro-san," Kuroko chimed in, and Kagami glanced across the counter, where Kuroko was leaning over, "You know how to make large portions very well, so I believe you can fulfil such a request easily. Can't you, Kagami-kun?"

The sight of Kuroko peering up at him with that (cute) hopeful gleam in his eyes was Kagami's weakness, and his resistance crumbled as he muttered under his breath, "Of course I can. It's not a problem."

"Atsushi won't make a fuss either, right?" Himuro added, turning to Murasakibara with an expectant, imploring expression.  

And just as Kagami had fallen victim against Kuroko's earnest insistence, Murasakibara gave in to Himuro's gentle nagging, "Hmm, I guess not."

The rest of the time was spent in a neutral ceasefire of sorts, where the four of them (or well, mostly Kuroko and Himuro) chatted about recent updates in their lives, and Kagami and Murasakibara would offer up some of their own thoughts here and there. Before they knew it, the hotpot and side dishes were all ready, and they sat down, gave their thanks for the meal, and began to eat. Taiga was proud of him and Himuro for their efforts, and judging by the happy expression on Kuroko's face, his boyfriend was very satisfied with the taste, which made Taiga's mood lift even higher. 

"Oh, this isn't bad," Murasakibara said after a few spoonful's into his meal, a compliment - as sparse as it was - passing through his lips for Kagami's efforts.

And though Kagami would admit he was a little satisfied he had been able to sate the bastard's appetite, he still had to jerk the guy around as per their ritual, "Wow, that's a huge vocabulary you've got there. Say less, seriously, I dare you."

"Shut up, you're so annoying," Murasakibara groaned, but Taiga could tell the difference now when the guy was genuinely irritated and when he was just acting difficult for the sake of it. He hid a smirk as he raised a cup of water to his lips and took a drink. 

Maybe he was starting to get the hang of how to deal with these ex-Teiko guys. 

It was just after 6 PM on Saturday night, and Kagami was out grocery shopping with Kuroko. Though Kuroko wouldn't be sleeping over with him - both his dad and Kuroko's parents were strict about the no sleepover rule, ugh, it was so lame - as if he and Kuroko would do anything! Well...maybe they might do a few things, but nothing that went too far! They weren't ready for that yet anyway!

But yeah, Kuroko was staying over for dinner and they'd get to spend most of the evening together before Kuroko needed to get the train back home at 10 PM. So, for tonight, Kuroko wanted them to do some baking together, and had compiled a list of things he needed - hence why Kagami was currently pushing a shopping trolley around the store idly, while Kuroko had disappeared. Kagami remembered his boyfriend had said he'd go to look for the cake mix, and then he'd lost track of him. Ah, well, Kuroko will come and find me eventually. I'll just wait for him here.

And so, Kagami had decided to wait near the refrigerated section of the store. He heard footsteps coming his way, and Kagami looked up, ready to either greet Kuroko or get out of the way of whoever was coming down this aisle. What he didn't expect though, was to be met face to face with Akashi Seijuurou.

Akashi's magenta eyes widened slightly upon recognising him, and then a small smile slid in place as Akashi nodded in greeting towards him, "Ah, Kagami. Good evening, it is nice to see you."

"Akashi!? Why are you here!?" Kagami gawked at him, leaning back in shock and almost losing his trolley but he managed to grab hold of it before it got away from him. 

"I fancied an evening snack and took it upon myself to do some shopping at this particular grocery store. I am hoping to attempt making this quick recipe I saw online for Custard Yoghurt Toast," Akashi explained, and Kagami's eyes flicked down to the basket Akashi carried in his hand, which was filled with some fruit, a loaf of bread, eggs and yoghurt. 

"Do you really shop at convenience stores like this? I thought you had all your meals prepared by a chef, or somethin'," Kagami asked with a furrowed brow - the juxtaposition of someone so affluent as Akashi buying such simple, everyday items was so strange Kagami almost burst out laughing. But he didn't, because this was Akashi and yeah - Kagami still didn't know how to act around the guy most of the time. He was insanely hard to read - even more so than Kuroko. 

However, Akashi nodded, unbothered by the question, "That is true, however with my impending graduation, I am making more of an effort to shop for myself and learn new recipes. I understand you have a talent for cooking, perhaps you can give me some helpful tips," Akashi smiled briefly at Kagami, and Kagami scratched the back of his head and frowned. 

"There's something kinda weird about a guy like me giving a guy like you 'tips', don't ya think? I still can't believe I ran into you here of all places," Kagami murmured.

"I find it very coincidental that I should bump into you both here too. Ah, I am assuming Kuroko is with you as well?" Akashi added, and he cast a cursory glance around, as if waiting for Kuroko to show up out of thin air as he tended to do. 

"Yeah, he's just gone to look for a packet cake mix. He wanted us to try and make the new flavour they've got out, Vanilla and Blueberry, and I ended up needing to pick up some stuff too," Kagami explained, as he gestured to the trolley that was half-full of rice, vegetables, fruit and meat. 

"It sounds like you have a nice evening together planned. By the way, how are you and Kuroko handling your change in relationship status?" Akashi asked, and though his tone was casual, his eyes got that intense sorta glint in them that showed how serious he actually was. 

Kagami was never one to back down from a challenge though and breathed out a heavy sigh as he answered straightforwardly, "It's going great, we're really happy together. It would be going even better though if it wasn't for a bunch of meddlesome ex-teammates crashing in on us at every turn."

Akashi's intense gaze simmered down, to be replaced with a quiet comprehension, as he answered, "You seem frustrated. Though, I can understand where you are coming from. The Generation of Miracles all possess strong personalities, and now that we have become an active part of Kuroko's and your life, it is difficult to ignore us even if you try."

And yeah, Kagami couldn't have put it better himself. 

"You can say that again. You guys are all a handful. I don't know how Kuroko keeps up with you all, it's so freakin' exhausting," Kagami groaned, and Akashi flashed him a grin - and Kagami could have sworn that the bastard actually looked amused at Taiga's plight. 

"Indeed, you're putting in a lot of effort. I think we can agree, though, because we all have something in common. That is, we all care for Kuroko very much and want the best for him," Akashi stated sincerely, and this was one of the few times where Taiga could see eye to eye with the guy. 

"Yeah, you've got that damn right. Well, I don't think there's much you get wrong really, Akashi, but I get what you're trying to say," Kagami said, and then smiled for a few seconds at the other. Now that Akashi was actively working on his mental health, the guy wasn't actually that bad to deal with most of the time. Just a little intense, that's all. 

“Please continue taking care of Kuroko as you have been so far over the past three years. If we find out you are making him unhappy in any way, well, let me put it this way. You might have to hide your scissors if you have any lying around,” Akashi said, and Kagami's smile fell off his face as he stepped back, unsure if Akashi was actually serious or not. 

But then, Akashi held up a hand and said in a reassuring tone, “I was merely joking, please do not look so concerned.”

“You can’t joke about that kind of thing!” Taiga snapped back at him, letting out a sigh both out of frustration and relief. Yep, definitely still can't get an accurate read on this guy. Even if he's joking, I have no idea. Admittedly, though, Taiga was sort of impressed that Akashi was trying to crack jokes with him. The effort to be amicable was not one-sided, which is something Kagami had been learning more and more with each of his growing interactions with each member of the Generation of Miracles. They were trying their best to get along with Kagami, too.

"I found the cake mix, Kagami-kun. It looks like while I was gone, you found Akashi-kun," Kuroko's soft voice said, and Kagami looked to his left to find his boyfriend standing by his side, cake mix in hand. 

"Kuroko! Shit! Don't sneak up on us like that!" Kagami gasped, jolting in place at Kuroko's sudden reappearance. As much as Kagami had improved in sensing Kuroko's presence, there were still times when his boyfriend could catch him off guard - like right now. 

"Hello, Kuroko. It's good to see you," Akashi smiled kindly at Kuroko, who nodded in return as he placed the cake mix in the trolley alongside the other food items. 

"Yes, it's a nice surprise to see you here too, Akashi-kun. Are you planning to bake something as well?" Kuroko's curious gaze shifted to the basket Akashi was carrying, and Akashi's smile widened.

"Something like that," he replied, and then went on to discuss the yoghurt toast recipe he'd found with Kuroko, which then made Kuroko want to make it too. And then Kagami had to persuade Kuroko they would make it next weekend since they already had the cake mix for tonight. Akashi actually helped with that and assured Kuroko he would send through the recipe later, but to enjoy the cake mix for tonight and to let Akashi know how it tasted - because Akashi might make that next. 

These guys can be helpful and kinda nice when they wanna be. Maybe this friendship thing could actually work...one day. 

.

.

“You know. I’ve noticed that Kagami-kun is getting along better with the others lately," Kuroko observed frankly, as they poured the cupcake mixture into the cupcake wrappers inside the tray. 

Kagami stilled for a moment, having stopped pouring the mixture, as he then tried to play it off coolly, "Huh, really? You think so?"

Kuroko nodded, not buying into Kagami's act for a second, "Yes, it is obvious to me. You have been going out of your way to talk to them and spend time with them more than before. Even when you get frustrated by them, you still do things like meet up with them outside school and let them come over to eat with us."

"It's nothing much, and it's not like I'm gonna be rude to them. I can show basic manners, y'know," Kagami murmured, brushing off the words as they finished filling the cupcake tins, and he placed the pan into the oven. 

“Was it for my sake?” Kuroko asked bluntly, and Kagami froze, staring at the closed oven door for a few seconds. Then, he leaned back up and turned to face Kuroko properly. His boyfriend was gazing up at him with curious, bright blue eyes - yet there was also something heartfelt in Kuroko's face, like he already knew the whole truth of the matter and wanted to confirm it. 

“Why do you ask embarrassing questions that you already know the answer to?” Kagami deflected, a dash of red on his cheeks as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. Then, he cleared his throat and locked eyes with Kuroko again, as he said seriously, “‘Course it was. There ain’t much that I wouldn’t do for your sake, Kuroko.”

Just as soon as Kagami said the words, those blue eyes glittered happily, and the corners of his lips tugged upwards in a sweet smile, which did things to Kagami's heart. Kuroko really was the most striking person when he smiled - it was impossible to ignore him or forget about him when you were the one that smile was aimed towards. Kagami had made it a personal goal of his to keep that smile on Kuroko's face as much as possible.

“Besides, they’re not that bad. Some of them are more tolerable than others, but they’re not as obnoxious as they used to be!” Kagami said in a voice that was way too loud, as his blush remained and he tried to push away his embarrassment and giddiness at seeing Kuroko so happy because of him. 

"Neither is Kagami-kun. You have all improved in your attitudes, which makes me very proud to see. What promising personal growth you have all had," Kuroko teased him, as he stepped closer and poked Kagami on the cheek brazenly - like the little shit he was. He thinks he can get away with anything he likes, huh?

Well, two could play at that game - and Kagami was always ready to step up to the plate. So, he wrapped his arms around Kuroko's waist and drew him in close, revelling in the way those blue eyes widened with surprise at Kagami's boldness, "Oi, are you trying to make me jealous or what? It's fine if you praise them a little, but you should be more generous with me."

"Should I do that?" Kuroko hummed, as he tilted his head to side and considered it. Then, he came to a decision, and gave a nod of certainty, "Alright, then."

Before Kagami could react, Kuroko leant up to press a soft, lingering kiss on his cheek. Then, he moved back and smiled that gorgeous smile up at Kagami, "Thank you very much, Kagami-kun. I am so lucky to have a partner as wonderful and supportive as you by my side."

And damn, if Kagami didn't melt upon hearing that. His crimson eyes softened, as he bent at the knees and lowered himself down until his forehead pressed warmly against Kuroko's, "I'm the lucky one, stupid."

Their lips met in the middle for a tender kiss, and Kagami thought that if keeping up with the Generation of Miracles antics and improving his bond with them all made Kuroko this happy - he'd keep doing it for the rest of his life.