berry-cat7

[berry-cat7]

Discord Drabble Dump

The sun is shining brightly but the air is crisp and refreshing. His father isn't home and his favoured red cloak has been freshly laundered

It's the perfect day for riding.

Yukimaru stirs in excitement at the sight of his riding cape, neighing and throwing his head to and fro. Akashi puts a hand to his snout. "Easy Yukimaru, I'll let you out I'm a moment."

It takes a bit of time, but with a steady hand Yukimaru settles back to his usually calm temperament. Had the horse not been so antsy, Seijurou would have taken the time to brush him, but now that activity can be reserved for their post-riding care. He grabs the horse's reigns and unlatches the lock to his pen, leading the horse out of his well-insulated stable. There are other horses, of different breeds for different jobs but Yukimaru is his and his alone.

They start off with the forest path, a trail naturally carved through the undergrowth. Fossil-like hoof prints of their last ride are impressed upon the ground, the once moist earth now packed and dry. He only brings Yukimaru to a trot, enjoying the scenery, the flashes of sunlight sparkling through the canopy. While they're hardly moving fast enough for his cape to flutter, this is the perfect speed to draw up his hood. When Yukimaru really runs, the hood is always ripped back by the wind whipping through his hair.

It's definitely ridiculous, a frivolous, childish habit but there are worst vices. Besides, what's the point of being rich if he can't do as he wishes on his own property?

[berry-cat7]

About Chapter 11

So Enthanol poisioning is the theme of the chapter!  

Fun fact, in a twist of irony drinking alcohol can slow the effects of enthanol poisoning – which is commonly caused by ingesting antifreeze! Please take yourself or your pet to the appropriate medical service if such a thing happens, but drinking will buy you some extra time.

There are a lot of similar traits to alcohol intoxication at first, like the euphoria and slurred speech, but the effects become more toxic as the enthanol is processed by the body and can eventually lead to death.  

Full disclosure, I started off knowing nothing about how the Lunar New Year's is celebrated, and even less about Seollal in particular. So I apologize for any inaccuracies but in my defense I gave myself some wiggle room by saying that they don't celebrate it very passionately. That being said, I'm a bit of a quasi-perfectionist so there are some staple rites I intentionally left out because I couldn't find enough information to comfortably portray it in the story. I'll add links to info when I'm in less of a hurry.

I intended to have a scene with Tetsuya at Halmeoni's urn earlier but I didn't have a place in mind for it. I thought it would be an appropriate substitute for an ancestral rite that is usually performed. I ended up dropping a lot more sketchy tid-bits of the past than I intended, but the next chapter will delve right into some of that. I hope you guys appreciate how much rum I drank to write this chapter...it was such a chore...gosh, and now I got some tequila to help with the next chapter...darn...lol.

Chiyume is pretty sure that Tetsuya had some of what she assumed to be sake. She walked away thinking that Cool Dad Tsukio allowed Tetsuya to have a sip so he'd feel like a big boy, and when he didn't like it, made him something else to drink so he wouldn't feel left out. She is under the impression that her husband is responsible.

He is not.

There are a lot of factors to take in about a situation like this (and from what I've researched, Japan is surprisingly lax about underage drinking) but an adult should never be convincing a minor to drink. Not even in the safety of their home. Tsukio is very emotionally neglectful despite some of these initial interactions, and you'll be seeing more of that later. So the next chapter will be getting kinda serious, and I hope to see you all on time!

[berry-cat7]

*Crawls out of a well*

For those of you following Diagnosis, hey-o! Long time, zero news huh?

Lol my apologies _(:3｣∠)_

I'll make a full speech in the AN when I post chapter 11 - what's that I said?? An update?? This story isn't abandoned?!

Yep, we're still trucking. I said this was a long haul right?? Anyways time got very far away from me, but I will be posting on the 26th no matter what as a personal ultimatum. I have some other stuff going on, so of all times to get my ass in gear...but! I shall post!

See you then!

[berry-cat7]

One Shot, One Kill

Can be read on AO3 or Fanfiction.net

Summary: One does not need to be a God to become omnipotent, just really rich. (AKA how Akashi launches scissors at his friends no matter where they are.)

Kuroko no Basuke

G Rating

635 Words

Warnings: Crack, Fanon Akashi

Seijurou guides Yukimura to a slow trot as he feels a vibration in his breast pocket. An overwhelming sense of rage wells up from deep within him as he flips open his phone.

As an Akashi, he commissioned someone to make him a flip smart phone.

It’s one of his men.

His voice is hard; as cold and sharp as his scissors when he hisses, “What is it?”

Nobody interrupts his time with Yukimaru. Not without consequences.

His eye burns gold.

He hears the phone clatter as the man falls to his knees in terror. “I-I’m sorry Akashi-sama, I know you said not to call during your bonding sessions but…we got another hit.”

Yukimaru stops on the dime.

“Who?” Seijuro snarls, but it’s a rhetorical question when he already knows. He has a live feed of the transcripts always running on his smart watch, keyed in to certain trigger words.

 "Line number 347, Ki-“

"Kise Ryouta. A level five transgression will occur in the next 47 seconds correct? Take the shot, on my mark.” He orders, pulling out his riding tablet from Yukimura’s saddle to connect to the cameras.

He sees Kise, lounging on his living room couch talking into his cellphone. A quick check to his watch confirms it’s Aomine he’s speaking to, so he splits his screen to observe them both. He patches himself into the line, listening into their conversation for his cue.

“Just to be thorough, line up a shot on Daiki as well.”

 "As you wish Sir.“

 ”-I mean, Akashichi is almost as small as Kurokochi, and if we worked together, I’m sure we could take down the ru-“

 "NOW!”  

At his command, on both screens a pair of scissors are thrown with pinpoint accuracy at bullet-like speed. The athletes turn deathly pale as strands of their hair fall to the floor, and a pair of cutting utensils embed themselves in the surfaces next to their heads.

Making sure both parties can hear him, he says, “Ryouta. Daiki. Your training menus have been octupled.”

Kise is trembling. It’s barely coherent through his sobs but he chokes out, “B-But Aka- shichi! We- we’ll die!”

“Then perish. You should’ve thought about that before you disobeyed me.” He watches with empty eyes as Kise loses consciousness, hears the phone clatter to the floor as it slips from his grasp.

Aomine whimpers as he listens to Kise fade. “Y-You can’t do this…you live in Kyoto now…you aren’t my captain anymore…this is illegal!” He shouts hysterically, curling into a ball to make himself a smaller target.

Seijuro goes silent at the accusations. He quakes with rage from the fact that this cretin dare to challenge his authority. Using the speakers he installed into Aomine’s house, Seijuro’s voice booms around him.

 "̸̸F̢́͟ớ̕҉ơ̧̛͞͞ĺ̷͞.̷̷͏͡ ̨͘͘͠I̸̧̢͘͜ ̵̡͡͡À̶́͡ḿ҉ ͏A̧͘͢b̴̛̀̀ś̕͡o̴̢҉҉l̵̀́̕ú̡t̡̧͝͡e͞҉̢͏̶.̢̧"҉̶

Aomine shrieks before he starts to work through the exercises with manic speed, all in the vein hope of appeasing his new God.

Seijuro hangs up and closes the feed.

If Aomine takes a break, he will Know.

He lets his eye fade back to red as he addresses the agents still on the line. “Alright, everyone in Ryouta’s branch take five, he wont wake up for another two hours. However, everyone in Tetsuya’s branch is going to have to put in some overtime, he’s spending the night at a teammate’s house and I want eyes on the situation at all times. Tetsuya is aware of the radius, but in case there are any touchy upstarts, be ready to interfere. Good work everyone, I apologize for snapping earlier. This wouldn’t be possible without you. Unless we get another level five, please refrain from contacting me and proceed as normal.” Seijuro flips his phone shut with a satisfying snap.

The phone definitely pays for itself.

[berry-cat7]

If you don't think Kuroko Tetsuya performs magic tricks for children, You Are Wrong.

[berry-cat7]

Philia

Summary: Indirect kiss and indirect insults.

Characters: Kuroko Tetsuya, Murasakibara (Ft. The rest of the GoM, Momoi Satsuki and Haizaki Shougo)

Pairing: MuraKuro

Kuroko no Basuke

T Rating

Warnings: Cursing

972 Words

Can be read on AO3 or Fanfiction

<<Previous - Next>>

Chapter 2: Lunch

Kuroko blinks in surprise when he notes that there is a bento placed in his usual spot at their table. Everyone else is already seated and tucking into their food, so he can't figure out who it belongs to.

"Is someone joining us today?" He asks curiously, looking around the table for another place to squeeze in for today's lunch.

Murasakibara shakes his head. "Kuro-chin, I made that for you."

"Oh. You didn't need to, I already brought my own." He lifts his bag for emphasis as he takes his seat.

"Kise-chin said we have to do couple things if I want people to believe it. And Kuro-chin doesn’t eat enough anyways." Murasakibara explains as he unpacks his lunch.

Kuroko frowns. "This is too much." However, as to not be completely ungrateful he unwraps the bento and takes the top layer of the three-tiered lunch. He pushes the rest back to Murasakibara, who shrugs and is about take the food himself when Kise smacks his hand away.

"Wait, wait! Let Kurokocchi feed you." He suggests excitedly.

Murasakibara gives him a look. "Why?"

"It's another couple-y thing, and it'll be really cute." He explains with pleading eyes.

Momoi hums in agreement, "I'm sure some rumors will start floating around when people see."

Murasakibara eyes them suspiciously.

It's become quite obvious to the table that certain people have taken to dating Kuroko vicariously.

But as he glances around the cafeteria he does notice quite a few eyes flickering in their direction. Even with their table tucked into a more isolated alcove, between the noise they make and the feathered neon atrocity around Midorima's neck today, they naturally draw attention. It's as good a place to start as any.

He sighs. "Fine. Kuro-chin, feed me."

"I'm reading. You could feed me though."

"But I'm hungry."

"And I'm reading. You should take responsibility, we're doing this for your sake after all."  

"But then how will I eat?"

"How will I read?"

Akashi cuts it. "It's lunch time Kuroko, you shouldn't be reading at all."

"I thought chewing stopped the chatter Akashi-kun." Kuroko grumbles, but finally closes his book.

The redhead frowns at the laughter his quip inspires, and just to cause further irritation Haizaki stage-whispers, "Oh shit, get fucked Akashi. You just gunna take that?"

"I think you need to work off all that food you've been stealing Haizaki. Your warm-up laps have been doubled."

Aomine mockingly echoes, "Oh shit, get fucked Haizaki. You just gunna take that?"

The delinquent clicks his tongue in anger, but wisely keeps his mouth shut.

Almost ten minutes into their lunch break without a bite of food, Murasakibara is starting to feel weak.   "Kuro-chin. Feed me. I'll die." He mumbles.

Without any conscious agreement, they fall into a staring contest. A silent battle of wills as Murasakibara peers out from behind his long bangs and Kuroko meets him with a blank gaze.

Midorima quirks a brow, "Why can't they just eat normally? I've never seen-"

"Hush Midorin, they're concentrating." Interrupts Momoi, yet she and Kise look much more invested in this dilemma than the couple themselves. She's poised in her seat with her phone camera at the ready while Kise is muttering 'Win Kurokocchi, win Kurokocchi,' under his breath like a dark hex.

"Jesus, this really isn't hard." Grumbles Haizaki.

Murasakibara sighs. He's well aware just how stubborn Kuroko can be, and it's really not worth the effort to even compete. "Fine." He grumbles, ignoring Kise's quiet cheer as he picks up his spoon. He scoops up a bit of curry and rice from his lunch and holds his other hand underneath to catch any dripping sauce. "Say aaah."  

Kuroko leans forward to meet him and does as instructed with a comically flat tone. He can't say he's even been fed by someone else before and Murasakibara couldn't remember shoving food into a mouth that wasn't his own. It's an odd experience for both of them, made even stranger by people watching and Momoi taking photos. God forbid it's a video.

Kuroko takes his time chewing and swallowing, while Murasakibara watches with impatience. "It's good, thank you for the meal."  

Aomine gapes. "Is that all you're eating?!"  

"I still have my own lunch."

"Kurokocchi, now you have to feed him." Reminds Kise.

"I don't have a spoon."

Murasakibara groans as he hands over his. "This is too slow, I'm hungry."

Despite the whining Kuroko still moves at his own pace, refilling the spoon with more curry. "Open."

Murasakibara does not need to be told twice. Rather than being fed, it would be more apt to say that Kuroko merely held the utensil as his 'boyfriend' helped himself to the offering. In the face of a still expectant look, Kuroko simply surrenders the spoon before turning to Kise. "This is impractical. That was enough right?"  

The blond's face pulls into a frown. "Well that was pretty quick. Even if people were watching they probably thought he was just offering you a taste or something..."

Midorima loudly clears his throat. "As I was saying earlier-" He casts Momoi an irritated glance. "-This is far from natural. If you simply take turns like that, you won't be able to eat half of it before class." He then takes a moment to rifle through his bag. "Here, you’re lucky I brought a few extra. It’s my lucky item so please wash it before you return it." A second spoon which he offers to Kuroko.

"Thank you Midorima-kun."  

Murasakibara gulps down his mouthful of food. "Do we still have to feed each other?"

Akashi shakes his head. "Just eat from the same container.”

Haizaki narrows his eyes, staring pointedly at Midorima neck. “Are we really going to ignore what green bean just implied?”

Completely unperturbed, Kise turns to Aomine and says, “Did you hear something?”

AN: I'm convinced that half of the wacky stuff Midorima carries around aren't even lucky items. He'll have the real one on his person of course, but if someone asks he'll say it's the Hello Kitty bucket hat. Now I'm tempted to write a fic where people figure it out but they all silently agree not to talk about it until someone is tactless enough to call him out.

[berry-cat7]

10 Questions Every Fic Writer Secretly Wants to be Asked

There are a lot of fic questions that float around online, but rarely do they ever ask specific questions about the fics themselves. Ask any writer one or more of these ten questions to learn more about the fic and show support.

1. Of the fics you’ve written, which is your favorite and why?

2. Which scene was your favorite to write in [title of fic]?

3. Which part of [title] was hardest to write?

4. If you could change anything in [title], what would it be?

5. Did you make an outline for [title]? Did you stick to it?

6. Which scenes did you cut, and which were added in [title]?

7. Who was your favorite character to write in [title]?

8. Which came first, the title or the fic?

9. Which idea came to you first in [title]?

10. What are some facts readers may not know about [title]?

[berry-cat7]

Desolate

@kurokolovesakashi You’re killing me. I can only start so many fics so enjoy a drabble.

Based on the Unrequited Akakuro Au where Akashi is married but they still long for what almost was.

Kuroko no Basuke

G Rating

Akashi Seijurou/Kuroko Tetsuya, Akashi Seijurou/OC wife

 354 Words

Warnings: Emotional infidelity

Akashi Himiko is no fool.

She knows that the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, but she would have to be blind to miss the way her husband wakes and sleeps with the coming and going of That Man. Akashi Seijurou may be hers in name, but That Man is the one who holds his heart.  

Seijurou can smile. And he can slip his hands into hers, intertwining their fingers. And he can promise with a honeyed voice as warm as his palms that her lips are the only ones he will kiss.  

And maybe they are.

But his heart is somewhere in the south side of Tokyo, and this beautiful effigy trapped between her arms is little more than a discarded shell.  

It’s unfair.

They never married for love. This would’ve been bearable if he was horrid. Her sister is married to a man with a mistress for each sports car he owns, but Akashi Seijurou is an honorable man. He comes home as promised, and they go out for dinner dates at the finest restaurants. Sometimes he says I love you and she is able to honestly believe it.

But then she remembers all those nights he stays late at the office. Not in the arms of That Man, but working all hours through the night in order to make time for Him. The morning he held her close and they stayed in bed until well after noon simply because she smelled divine. He combed through her hair with gentle fingers and she could hear his heart thumping as she rested an ear over his bare chest. She had treasured that morning, kept it in her memories like a butterfly pinned to a board.

Just two weeks after she met That Man she stopped buying vanilla shampoo.

It’s not right.

That ring on his finger is a claim, a tether that should link body and soul but she is married to a ghost of a man. The real Seijurou has long been spirited away by a phantom, and now she is the one mistake still haunting him.

[berry-cat7]

Philia

Summary: That time Murasakibara and Kuroko started kinda-sorta fake dating, and kinda-sorta never bothered to brake up. (Or, the queerplatonic fake dating AU where nothing goes wrong.)

Characters: Kuroko Tetsuya, Murasakibara Atsushi (Ft. Momoi Satsuki, Haizaki Shougo, and the rest of the GoM)

Kuroko no Basuke

T Rating

Warnings: Cursing (Haizaki)

976 Words

Can be read on AO3 or Fanfiction

Next>>

The Beginning (Ch1)

Murasakibara carelessly flops into his chair, which squeals in protest. He groans and runs a hand through his long hair in frustration. "Kise-chin, how do I get rid of them?"  

Kise sets down his chopsticks in surprise while everyone else at the lunch table looks on in interest. It's rare that their tallest friend asks anything of anyone if it doesn't involve food, and it's usually Akashi or Kuroko that he goes to, so this is particularly strange. "Eh? You finally wanna know?! Gosh, I thought you didn't care! Okay, so I don't think shampoo is going to cut it at this point, because those split ends are bad. But don't worry! I'm pretty sure I can save at least-"

Murasakibara growls. "No. Girls. How do I get rid of them?"

"Girls?" Momoi repeats curiously.

Kise's face scrunches in confusion. "Isn't your face usually scary enough?" Murasakibara scowls at him but Kise feels vindicated by the cold sweat beading on his forehead. "S-Sorry, but I thought they usually avoided you..."

"It's the Home Economics class isn't it?" Deducts Akashi, before taking another dignified sip of his tea.

Murasakibara grunts his confirmation but Aomine still scratches his head at the conclusion. "What's Home Ec. gotta do with it?"

Midorima scoffs, pushing up his glasses with the finesse of any good Megane-type. "He recently transferred into that class after there was an opening, remember? That's the only obvious change in his school routine that comes to mind. Not to mention it's a predominantly female course."  

Aomine rolls his eyes. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize this was all so obvious. Thanks Wattson."

"Hey. Help." Murasakibara pokes Kise in the cheek for emphasis, which the blond bats away.

"Okay, so what's the problem?"  

"They won't leave me alone."

Kise sighs. "Meaning?"    

"They keep trying to cling onto me and confess, it's a bother." The giant slumps into his seat, reaching into his pocket to pull out a stick of Umaibo to eat.

Haizaki snorts, rolling his eyes. "Oh no. What a dilemma. God, what suffering you must endure. My heart goes out to you in these trying times-"

"Shut it Haizakicchi!...Ahem. Murasakibaracchi, what did you do to attract them anyways?" Kise laces his fingers together on the table and leans towards his friend as if to project a professional air.

"Haaaah, I don't know. The teacher was impressed with my cooking so he had me assist some people."  

"I...I see..." Momoi mutters with a glazed look in her eyes.

They could all see it. Murasakibara with his long hair pulled back into a ponytail, showing off his surprisingly handsome face. Him, tottering around the classroom in an apron, accidentally spewing lines out of a shoujo manga as he helps a bunch of very single and very imaginative teenage girls. No doubt they've clicked him into the trope of Jerk-With-A-Heart-Of-Gold who's both excitingly rugged and cute boyfriend material.  

"Just tell them you aren't interested." Reasons Midorima.

"I did, but then they try harder."

Much like an insect caught in a web, the more he struggles the worse he’s entangled.

"Then just be meaner!" Then, as if to lead by example, Haizaki nabs a piece of sushi from Kuroko's lunch box and is quick to shove it in his mouth before anyone can object.

Just as Aomine angers on his behalf, Kuroko says, "It's fine." He then pushes the rest of his lunch towards Haizaki to avoid further drama and focuses on reading his book.

"Tch, don't encourage him Tetsu." Grumbles Aomine, leaning back in his seat and crossing his arms petulantly.

"Kise-chiiiin," Whines Murasakibara. "Help."

Kise can only shrug unsurely. "I don't know what to tell you, I usually just flirt with them a bit and excuse myself. I don't think that's really your style thought..."

"Ugh."

Seeing how disheartened he's becoming, Momoi thinks fast. "Hey Mu-kun, sometimes I just say I'm already taken. Maybe that'll work for you too?" She suggests.

"But what if they ask for proof?" Prods Midorima.

"You wouldn't owe them anything." Argues Akashi, setting down his cup.

Kise grimaces. "Fangirls are pretty persistent Akashicchi, I've had to deal with a stalker or two." He shutters at the memory. He never did get those shirts back.

Aomine gets a smug look on his face as he comes up with a solution. "Just pretend to date someone."

Haizaki immediately shoots him down. "That's fucking stupid."

Momoi cringes "He's right, fake-dating never works."

Kise agrees, even nodding knowledgably. "Someone always gets hurt, and since Murasakibaracchi isn't interested in anyone, it'll be the other person."  

Haizaki snorts. "Who gives a shit, it's a problem solved. If they catch feelings, that's on them."

Akashi is the only one to notice that Murasakibara has been suspiciously quiet.

"That's not how it works Haizakicchi, haven't you watched a Rom-Com?!" Screeches Kise.

"Pfft, I'm not a pussy. I'm not surprised you watch that garbage though-"  

Murasakibara cuts over Haizaki mid-sentence. "Hey, Kuro-chin,"  

"Yes Murasakibara-kun?"

"Be my boyfriend."

"Okay." Kuroko fails to even lower his book throughout the exchange.

There's a pregnant pause where everyone but the two involved look absolutely gobsmacked.

Momoi and Kise shriek in unison, almost as if practiced. "Heeeeh?!"  

Even Aomine is in a state of disbelief. "Wait, what?"  

"Are you fucking serious?! Why him?!"  

Calmly, as if he isn't causing total anarchy at their table, Kuroko simply shrugs and replies with, "He asked."

Kise practically leaps from his chair and slams his hands against the tabletop with a loud smack. "Kurokocchi, be my boyfriend!"

"I'm sorry, I'm in a committed relationship."

"Ack! Kurokocchi stop playing with my heart!" Kise collapses back into his seat, dropping his head against the table with a sound thud. Momoi rubs his back in sympathy, a rather defeated expression on her face as well.

"Congratulations on your relationship, you have my support."

"Thanks Aka-chin."

AN: Idk?? What this is?? But I just love their relationship so I thought, 'Lets write a MuraKuro fic because there are none!' But then I thought, 'I just can't imagine them actually kissing.' and this beautiful AU was born. I ship Kuroko with too many people and I ship Murasakibara with Himuro, but I also feel it in my soul that they're somehow Ace.Not sure how many chapters this will have either, but I have some ideas. This'll also probably be a series of drabbles, so don't expect an over-arching plot or tight continuity.

Feel free to send it requests for future chapters! If you're Ace I'd love to hear from you in particular, since I myself am not. Updates will be sporadic o)-(

[berry-cat7]

Treasure

@kurokolovesakashi

For AkaKuro Month! The prompt is Fairy tale AU, so I went with trapped in a tower with a dragon, but with my own twist.

Can be read on AO3 or Fanfiction.

Kuroko no Basuke

G Rating

Brief mention of nudity

2,032 Words

Characters: Akashi Seijurou, Kuroko Tetsuya, Momoi Satsuki (Ft. Aomine)

Summary: A new knight approaches Kuroko's tower. It goes better than expected.

"Oh dear." Kuroko remarks rather flatly.  

His reaction is more appropriate for noting an impending rain, rather than the sight of another knight preparing to storm his tower. However, he feels mild annoyance towards both phenomena, so perhaps it is quite fitting. If they were a messenger, they wouldn't have been so heavily armored, and nobody lugs around a broadsword for fun.

This knight can't be too unreasonable if they decided to make their approach from the forest though. While it is filled with many dangerous creatures and the terrain quite treacherous in general, it does provide excellent cover from the dragon's fiery gaze. The last fool who thought to take the mountain path directly to the western face of his tower saw their death approaching long before they had a chance to even catch a glimpse of the 'damsel' himself. Admittedly his keeper was feeling rather agitated that day, since that was the fourth challenger that week; usually the dragon is charitable enough to at least let them approach his fence, and give him a chance to send them away with their lives.  

Not that they ever listen.

Between their greed towards the ridiculous amounts of riches the dragon has amassed in this castle, their desire to slay a mighty beast, and the power they've attached to his name; many chose to ignore him and press on.  This usually results in the forest fauna coming out for a midnight snack on the remains if the dragon is out of sight. Kuroko doesn't like it when the dragon chars his lawn to burn the bodies, and the dragon refuses to actually eat them, so what isn't scavenged, is scattered along his grounds in warning.  

This knight is definitely promising though.

Rather than charging in blindly while the dragon is still out of sight, they slow their steed to a trot and carefully examine the area. Kuroko knows that his companion has taken to the skies, silently observing the situation. The knight is too far for Kuroko to read the insignia painted onto their shield, but the powder blue of their cloak, and the style of the horse's reigns match those of Teiko, his kingdom of origin. Despite their cautious pace, the knight approaches with absolute confidence. The vibrant red plume decorating their helmet wavers in the wind, and their cape billows artistically as they draw nearer. Honestly, Kuroko is rather impressed. Usually people don't have that kind of flair for dramatics anymore.

At this distance, the golden dragon insignia of Teiko is clear and just as they reach they the barrier around his tower, they pull their horse to a halt. The knight is silent for a moment, before they reach up to remove their helmet. Messy pink hair drawn up into a loose bun, and a feminine face. It seems to be another woman this time.

The knight's voice rings loud and true through the clearing. "Fair prince, I am Sir Momo! Momoi Satsuki! And I have heard tales of your beauty and virtue! They say you are held captive by a fearsome beast and I have arrive to rescue you, and offer my hand in marriage! Where is your captor?"

It's a pain to strain his voice, but Kuroko addresses the challenger from his window. "Fair knight, I thank you for coming all this way, but I fear your quest has been for naught! I am in no peril! And I am no prince! Nor am I looking to marry!"

Her eyes widen in surprise.

"...Then who are you? There are many tales of your royal status!"

"I was but a humble farmhand! I befriended the local dragon, and moved into this tower! People have come and gone, spinning ridiculous fables of increasing fantasy!" That's quite an over-simplification of the situation, but it's unwise to shout such a long and personal story out of a window to a potentially dangerous stranger.

Overall, he's not quite sure how things escalated to this point himself. At first a few travelers stumbled across his little abode and the dragon was content to watch from afar. But once he had almost been killed by a roving band of looters, he supposes some rumours had begun to spread once the survivors regaled their harrowing tales. The average wanderers stopped appearing, and the warriors and knights started flocking in for various reasons.

Kuroko is far from captive when he travels back into town every other week for supplies. Not that many can recognize him.  

"I apologize that you have come all this way! I can only offer my regrets." The last time he had bribed away an intruder, the dragon had sulked for days, curling around the tower's treasures possessively until Kuroko polished quite a few in repentance.

The knight shifts on her saddle as she thinks over this new development. "...Are you sure you require no aid? Are you truly unthreatened by the dragon?"

"Not unless you offer repair services." All of the rain has been rather troublesome. His wood fence is starting to rot from all of the moisture.

"Unfortunately, my main craft is the blade. My apologies for the disturbance then. Though I do hope you won't mind if I return for a visit? Someone as lovely as you should at least have human company every now and then." Ironically, he gets plenty of human company, it's just that they're usually hostile while the dragon is a reprieve.

She's been polite, outwardly nonthreatening and respectful, patient. Kuroko is about to grant tentative permission when a distant roar echoes in warning. It seems the dragon has grown tired of their guest. Thankfully she's aware enough to understand this unsubtle warning herself. "It seems I've overstayed my welcome. I bid you farewell, and may our paths cross again." She says with a sweet smile and a wave. Quite the juxtaposition from the worn armor broadening her frame and the gleaming blade strapped to her back.

Although she intended to take her leave, it seems her horse has other ideas. It continues to graze on the lush grass of his property, regardless of its rider pulling at its reigns. "Oh come on! Dai-chan, you can eat later!" The horse takes its time chewing through one more mouthful before it finally heeds its master's cries. And once the knight disappears into the forest from whence she came, the dragon is quick to land.

Kuroko rolls his eyes to himself once he is safely out of sight, and heads to his front door in order to greet the dragon in person, taking the spare cloak with him. He really is a sight to behold, gleaming wine-coloured scales and magnificent wings. Large eyes focus on him, one cranberry red and the other daffodil gold, both scanning for a hair out of place even though the knight hadn't even unsheathed her weapon. It's ridiculous and over-protective, but he can't complain when it's done for his sake. The dragon sort of sighs out a puff of smoke and a flurry of embers, a sign that he is satisfied with what he sees and Kuroko is permitted to move.

"See? I'm fine. But thank you Seijurou."

The dragon's lipless mouth is unmoving, but a velvety smooth voice can still be heard. "I don't understand why you won't just leave with me, and be done with these vermin."  

Kuroko puts a hand on the dragon's warm snout, each nostril almost half of his height and every exhale a visible heatwave. "As hot as you can keep the cave and as lavishly as you furnish it, I'd rather not actually live in a cave. Kagami-kun already claims that I'm so isolated I may as well live under a rock, the last thing he needs is validation."

The dragon releases a burst of hot air at the mention of one of his few friends. He's close enough that the twin jets of scalding steam billow out past him without harm, but it's still uncomfortably hot at this distance. He smacks the dragon with a frown in reprimand, but the gesture is more symbolic since he doubts it was really felt through such thick skin.  

"I can be human too." Kuroko is sure it's supposed to sound ominous or maybe even vaguely threatening, but he's learned to associate that tone with a petulant child. He absently resumes running his hand against the dragon's face. The larger, shield-sized scales covering the rest of his body are mostly cold and sharp, but his face is covered with smooth snake-like soft-scaled skin.  

He has to tread carefully, because the last thing he wants to do is offend. Inter-species relationships – romantic or otherwise – are always complicated. "...Yes, I know, but even I would like to see other faces every now and then. I'm not a jewel Seijurou, I need more than just safety."

He can feel scales heating beneath his palm, just shy of painful as the dragon shifts. He closes his eyes against the bright light but he can already feel a feverishly warm cheek resting in his hand. Two very human hands grab onto him. One rests overtop of his, while the other carefully grips his fragile wrist. It wouldn't take much to turn his joints into mush, break his legs and render him immobile – completely helpless and dependent. But the dragon is careful, his touch always almost annoyingly feather-light with his unspoken fear.  

He opens his eyes to meet red and gold.

There is a possessive look in Seijurou's eyes as he speaks, low and reverently. "I know human's require a lot of care to remain in optimal condition, but I can't help but place your physical well-being before your happiness. It's fine if you hate me. As long as you are alive and within my sights, I don't care what you do if it's not detrimental to your health. Your life is short as it is. You are my most precious treasure." The dragon places a tender kiss over the pulse point of Kuroko's inner wrist, and the human flushes a bright red as he recalls Seijurou's bare state. Seijurou himself always stands proud, completely unbothered by his nudity because he only wears what Kuroko forces onto him.

Without context, that whole speech would be rather concerning, no doubt that knight would come sweeping back to rescue him had she heard some of the other things he's said. But Kuroko knows that the dragon would never treat him like that. An object to be hoarded in the dark. He's merely voicing his opinion, the disgruntled grumbling of the guard of a particularly troublesome treasure. Kuroko pulls Seijurou into an embrace, surrounding himself with the dragon's heat. He rests his chin over the other's shoulder. "I know. You're my most important person too."  

In all of his years of life as a simple farmhand, Kuroko Tetsuya had never seen much value in his life. He considered it a good life, but like any peasant, he thought he wasn't worth more than the mud he toiled in. It was mere chance that he had stumbled across this abandoned structure filled with wealth, and perhaps some would call it misfortune that it turned out to belong to a dragon; but his restraint had been his saving grace, and once the dragon had located him further down the path the rest had become history.

It's another irony, one he thinks about every day, that a dragon – creatures notorious for their material greed – believes that his life is worth more than his weight in gold.

It's easy to slip out of Seijurou's hold, all hard muscles and soft grip. It's not as bad as it used to be, but he's still embarrassed that he was in the arms of a naked man out in the open. He carefully throws the cloak he brought over Seijurou's shoulders, one of the only articles of clothing he'll wear without a word of complain, and leads the dragon by the hand into his castle.

The lifeblood rushing through his veins, every breath he draws, every day for the rest of his days – all of it, Kuroko is more than happy to give him to cherish.

[berry-cat7]

Thoughtful

Guess who barely came through! I’ve been very busy the last few days so I wasn’t sure if I’d make it, but I actually doubled the goal! Special thanks to @jczala​ and @breedafool​ super glad to hear you guys were interested! Can be

Read on AO3 or Fanfiction

Kuroko no Basuke

G Rating

Kuroko Tetsuya/Furihata Kouki

1,919 Words

Warnings: Tooth-rotting fluff

Summary: "Furihata Kouki is very nervous. That in itself is nothing new, however right now he has an appropriate cause." Furihata delivers a gift, and receives many subtle ones in return.

Furihata Kouki is very nervous.

That in itself is nothing new, however right now he has an appropriate cause. In his hands is a Christmas gift he painstakingly wrapped last night after spending weeks brainstorming the perfect item to give to Kuroko Tetsuya. His teammate and crush. This morning he had carefully slipped the package into his satchel, where he's been hyper-conscious of its weight resting against his hip. Fukuda – who is both his best friend, and worst enemy – went through all of the trouble of arranging a meetup for all of the first-years on the basketball team, just to give him this opportunity. And if he doesn't hand it over to Kuroko now, he'll never get this chance again!

...Until the end of the winter break.

But he swore that today would be The Day. Ever since the Winter Cup he promised himself to be confident and step out of his comfort zone more often. Besides, it's not like he's actually confessing to Kuroko, just giving him a gift that could very easily be interpreted as platonic. Yeah. It's not so scary.  

But the more time he spends psyching himself up, the less he has to actually deliver the package. It's sitting on his lap still in his sweaty grasp, underneath the table and hopefully hidden from the phantom's seemingly omniscient gaze. Of course, Fukuda had dragged Kawahara with him when he left to accompany Kagami in the long queue to order more food. Kuroko was still content with his milkshake, and when Furihata himself tried to join them, Fukuda offered to get something for him if he kept Kuroko company. He couldn't say no to that, because then it would look like he didn't like Kuroko or something, which was the opposite of what he was going for, and it provided him with the perfect timing. So now he's caught between cursing Fukuda's name and wondering how to thank him for this perfect chance.  

"Are you alright Furihata-kun?" Kuroko's sudden inquiry makes him jolt in his seat. He's staring at Furihata with his usual blank expression, cool as a cucumber as he takes another sip from his drink, unlike the sweaty disaster across from him.

"I, uh, yes! Uh...why do you ask?" Stutters Furihata, sounding not at all suspicious .  

Blue eyes blink languidly. "You look very nervous. You've been quiet all day and it seems like your fidgeting with something under the table."

'Stupid, stupid, stupid.' Furihata berates in his head. But for a moment he's also flattered that Kuroko has been watching him so closely before he reminds himself that Kuroko watches everyone, so he isn't that special.

"Er...I uh." Kuroko is content to watch him flounder, the almost bored way he drinks from his straw just screams that he could watch this without interference for hours. "I just...um." Furihata chances a quick search for Fukuda, but he and the others are still out of sight. Briefly, he worries that the moisture of his palms are warping the paper wrapping. He should say something. He should say something.

Anything coherent at this point.

But he makes the mistake of locking eyes with Kuroko and it leaves him absolutely tongue-tied. Any eye colour other than an inky dark brown is naturally attention grabbing, but even compared to the intensity of Akashi's heterochromatic cat-like eyes (which still appear in his nightmares to this day,) Kuroko's are uniquely captivating. Placid and tranquil, like an undisturbed pond, nary a waver in his steady gaze. Furihata allows himself to sink into their calm acceptance and he tries to remember than no matter what, at least Kuroko will always be his friend. Besides, it's not like he's confessing.  

Yet his nerves have still rendered him speechless so with a burst of courage all he can do to thrust the gift into Kuroko's face, red and white stripped with a stick-on green bow. Unfortunately, he jammed it into Kuroko's face. Kuroko stoically takes the hit with nothing more than a grunt, but Furihata is thrown head-first into a crisis.

"Ooohmygod I'm so so sorry! I-I-I oh no, I-" Furihata drops the gift onto the table with a solid thud so his hands are free to wave frantically.  

Kuroko gently prods his reddened cheek. "It's fine."

Despite his assurance, Furihata jumps from his seat creating a loud screech that briefly draws a few eyes. "I-I'll get you some ice! I- does't it hurt? I'm so sorry!"  

"Furihata-kun." Kuroko interrupts. "Please sit down."

"I- okay." He meekly complies, dragging his chair back in with a quieter squeak. Furihata can't help but add on, "Again, that was a complete accident. Are you alright?"

"Yes, Furihata-kun, I don't think it will even bruise." Furihata searches his face for any lingering resentment, but his eyes are still warm, twinkling with amusement even, so Furihata tries to fall back into that comfortable place. He sinks into his chair a little less stiffly. "So what's this?" Kuroko glances at the gift that had been dumped haphazardly on the table.

Furihata flushes red, ducks his head and laces his hands together on the table space in front of him. "It's a...it's a Christmas presant. F-For you..."  

"For me?" He's unable to look at Kuroko's face for his reaction. He can't help but start picking at his cuticle, plucking at the peeling skin around his thumb to quell the next wave of anxiety. A paler hand covers his, pleasantly cold and little moist from the milkshake cup. Furihata looks up in sheer surprise.

There's...Something different about Kuroko's expression. The distinction isn't made clear by any visible variation from his usual deadpan but, the air around him, the atmosphere between them feels different now. "Yeah it's...for you." Furihata whispers. There's still a crowd in the greasy food-chain they're currently sheltered, people walking by their table and the ambient noise, while not unruly, is far from quiet. But sitting here with Kuroko, Furihata feels as though it's just the two of them.

"Thank you very much Furihata-kun, but I thought Izuki-senpai was your secret santa target." He asks curiously.

"Uh, he was, but when I was buying his joke book I saw something I thought you'd like?" Furihata is not sure why he turned the statement into a question, but he's glad it gets a smile out of Kuroko.

"Thank you very much Furihata-kun. Unfortunately I had only thought of Mitobe-senpai when I purchased his gift."

"Eh? No, no, I don't need anything in return, I just..." Wanted to make you smile. "I just, thought you would like it. 'Tis the season right?" Furihata chuckles nervously. He's grateful that Kuroko's slowly warming hand is over top of his, because his palms are uncomfortably clammy. But it's more than bareable since he's afraid the slightest twitch will remind Kuroko of their current posision, and he's retract his hand.

"That's very kind of you. You're a very generous person."

Furihata looks away in abashment. "Eh? Well, I don't know about that, I mean I didn't buy gifts for anyone else on the team."  

"So I'm special then?"

Furihata tries to cover his face to hide his mortification, but the weight of Kuroko's hand prevents them from moving very far. "No! I mean- Ye- I- You're-" Furihata lets out a keening sound, quite befitting of a dog in distress.

Kuroko quietly snorts, a puff of air that is his sign of amusement where others would outright laugh. "I understand." And that sends a lightning strike of fear through Furihata, because if he understands-

Kurko withdraws his hand and Furihata's almost chase after it before he can stop himself. Instead he watches with a thundering heart as Kuroko grasps his gift, taking his time to inspect the wrapping before he picks it up. Furihata's heart then swells with affection as he watches Kuroko pick at the tape with the utmost caution. Perhaps some would find it annoying to see Kuroko taking his time, but to Furihata its endearing to see him unwrap the package with as much care as he put into wrapping it.

With the paper unfolded and completely intact, Kuroko studies his reward. "13 Steps to Mentalism." He reads curiously.

Furihata rushes to explain. "It's a type of magic. I remembered that you use a lot of magic fundamentals in your playing style. I know you used up a lot of your tricks at the Winter Cup, and when Fukuda asked Kagami-kun what kind of gifts you might like, it was mentioned that you were trying to think up new tricks. Um, I know blurting out the name of someone's aunt isn't much use mid-game, but I thought about your new eye thing – did you name it yet? - and I thought it might be useful. Or maybe it's useless. I don't know, maybe it'll at least be interesting to read for fun?"  

While he was rambling, Kuroko had turned the book around to study its synopsis, but Furihata can still feel the weight of his attention. "No, this is a brilliant idea Furihata-kun. I would have never considered this myself. I'm actually not very familiar with mentalism so I'm certain there will be some points of inspiration. Thank you very much Furihata-kun, I wish I had a gift for you in return."

Kuroko sets down the book with a visible smile, and that's more than enough for him. "Just keep showing them why Seirin's basketball is the best." He's not sure if that was cheesy, but it feels right, and Kuroko is still smiling at him.

"I expect the same from you as well, Furihata-kun. Even more so now, I wish I could repay you."  

"Oh, no please, it's fine." Furihata insists.

Abruptly, Kuroko asks, "Are you free tomorrow?"

"Eh?" Furihata tries not to get his hopes up, but it sounds an awful lot like he's being asked on a date. Which is ridiculous, because Kuroko would never like someone as plain as him like that.

"I would offer to take you out for lunch or a hot drink, but we're already out with everyone. So I was wondering if you would like to meet again tomorrow, so I can treat you to something as a thanks."

Furihata is in a state of disbelief. "You really don't need to-"

"I like spending time with you. You're very thoughtful and observant Furihata-kun, if anyone can help me with this book, I imagine you to be a prime candidate."

All the blood rushing to his head is making Furihata feels faint. "I...I-I, yeah! I, would love to!" Too eager, pull it back! "I mean, what time?"

"Since I invited you out, please pick a time most convenient for you."

"I'm free all day." Furihata blurts out, before mentally cringing because that sounded desperate. Somehow, Kuroko seems to find it charming and laughs. A soft, quiet rumble of mirth, more than just a snort but stunning chortle.

"As am I. Perhaps you would like to come over to my house for lunch?"

"Sounds great."

"Wonderful."

They lull into a glowing silence, the bustle of the restaurant like the white noise crackle of a fireplace. Furihata watches Kuroko trace the cover of the book, his fingers drifting over each raised letter of the title as if it's holy scripture. Furihata recalls the feeling of those hands on top of his, and even if it's not a confession today, Furihata is starting to think that perhaps it's something to keep in mind.

[berry-cat7]

Christmas Quick Fic!

I’ve been multitasking!

I have a few different things in the works, and since I haven’t been very good about running this blog I’ll start posting some summaries and samples. I’ll start with this new one-shot I’ve been writing since yesterday.

A KuroFuri story. Yes you read that right. Kuroko Tetsuya/Furihata Kouki.

I’m not even sure where the idea came from or how I started low-key shipping it but could you imagine?? Such soft boys being good to each other?? Insisting their bf is the best thing in the world?? I can, and it’s glorious, and I will show you the light.

I don’t have the focus to write anything complicated, so that’s why I’m calling this a quick fic (which I hope to post on Christmas, wish me luck for the deadline!) And basically Furihata is giving Kuroko a Christmas gift ft. Fukuda as the wingman. Just super fluffy, something fun and new. I have 275 words down so far, and I think this might reach 1K at most. 

[berry-cat7]

About Chapter 10

I picked hyperacusi for this chapter's title because Kuroko is going to start boiling like a frog in a pot. Everyday life will become more and more of a struggle as we get further along, and the emotional burdens he was previously able to bear will become strenuous. I would recommend giving the site a quick skim if you want to draw up more foreshadowing as well.

My dudes, have you ever played with Moon Sand?? Or Kinetic Sand or Cloud Dough (the easy and inexpensive DIY if you want to try)?? It changes your life. I wish I owned some and as I write this, I am remembering that I’m a legal adult with money and internet access, and should open at tab for acquisition by the end of this sentence. Anyways, unless it comes up in-story I’m going to leave the type(s) of neuro-divergence a character may be living with, unspoken for maximum headcanon space, and even if I do specify something I welcome you to overwrite it with yours. All I ask is that you tell me so I can enjoy your headcanon as well.  

Seollal is actually a three-day holiday; the day before, New Year’s Day, and the day after (kinda like Japan’s New Years). When I was picking dates I was basing it off of the actual date in 2018 which is February 16th, year of the dog. I used an actuall

calendar to help plot out this story, so I'm not just doling out random dates as well. If you really wanted to you could figure out the date without me mentioning it by counting days. The exact date of Seollal changes every year so I kinda fudged the numbers and put it earlier so the Eve would land on Valentine’s Day for plot sake. I just felt like the Kuroko's would only really celebrate the day itself but vaguely acknowledge the other two.

About Kise and Kuroko’s part.

Kise objectively knows Kuroko likes him, and would fight someone twice his size for Kuroko's sake, but he’s also aware that he annoys him sometimes. I think he sees himself as a bit distant from everyone else in the GoM. Closer than most, but he’s not quite on equal ground either. He really respects Kuroko and values his opinions, so when Kuroko clearly stated all of those nice things it made him super emotional because Kuroko doesn’t exaggerate either. It just made him feel super special and he’s prone to crying so he just did not hold back. My friends and I trash-talk each other all the time but it's really easy to slide from friendly teasing to verbal abuse, so it’s super important to say and do things to reaffirm friendships, and know boundaries.  

Unless you have a question, I'm not going to say much about Tsukiyo. Next chapter is going to be something 😕...

[berry-cat7]

It’s Been Forever...

So sorry for the radio silence! I was actually planning to update one more time in October and I was totally on-track for it too, but then I had one of those episodes where you just want to delete your entire account and forget you even wrote a single word because each one is garbage.

Luckily for everyone I didn’t! I just re-read all of your super kind comments and reviews whenever I started beating myself up and took some time off of writing. I’m back on it though and I’ve been doing a massive amount of research! It’s been really fun, and I’ve learned so much about different disabilities and illnesses. I really want to learn as much as possible about them so I can represent them accurately and respectfully.

Probably  should’ve (really should’ve) done this a long time ago, but I’ve also been writing up character maps. I pretty much only had info for Tetsuya and the OCs, but I found that writing down core traits and motivations for all the important characters has really solidified my confidence in consistent characterizations and overall organization. I’m about 3.5K deep into chapter 10 out of the minimum 5K so you’re going to have to keep waiting, sorry. On the bright side, my enthusiasm to write is back at 100% and I have a good amount of time on my hands next week, so it is in the works at least.

About Idle Hands, I actually have been working on chapter 2 as well. I’ll be putting some time into that as well, so it hasn’t been forgotten either. Thank you for your support and patience.

[berry-cat7]

So I just finished writing chapter 1 and posted it in just a few hours total because I have no self-control.

AO3 Fanfiction.net

It’s Now In The Works!

The thing about saying you’re not going to do the self-indulgent thing, is that 9 times out of ten it’s a lie.

I started writing the Kurozaki fic. What is the ship name???

So far I have 4 chapters completely plotted out and more keep coming! Save me from myself please. I’m having a great time writing this, and I’m super excited to finish the first one since some of you are interested. Diagnosis still has priority, but I also can’t promise this will go on the back burner either if it gets enough attention, because I crave compliments. This is going to be a bit more episodic rather than straight continuity because a) that’s less work on my part b) stylistically (to me at least) it gives it a looser ‘chance encounter’ kind of feel that I want to establish and c) this isn’t supposed to be an elaborate project.

Also note some of the characterizations are going to be different, and Kuroko’s parents will be a lot more absent. I’m actually starting to really like writing Haizaki, because his info is vague enough to allow for creative license within canon, but there’s also a solid base unlike Ogiwara so I don’t feel as timid about him. Kuroko is going to be a lot more jaded in this story because I changed his family dynamic and Haizaki is there to fan the flames. Again, ultimately he’s going to get back on track, but it’s going to put his canon actions into a context that makes it less about being selfless or chasing toxic friends. He’s going to make mistakes (minor and fixable if he even gets punished) before deciding Haizaki isn’t the type of person he wants to be like. He’ll have a clearer understanding of himself and his motivation to save GoM from themselves.

At least that’s the current plan. I’d love to hear anything from you guys once the first chapter is up or even now, because I crave reader interaction. The updates will probably be sporadic as well.

[berry-cat7]

It’s Now In The Works!

The thing about saying you’re not going to do the self-indulgent thing, is that 9 times out of ten it’s a lie.

I started writing the Kurozaki fic. What is the ship name???

So far I have 4 chapters completely plotted out and more keep coming! Save me from myself please. I’m having a great time writing this, and I’m super excited to finish the first one since some of you are interested. Diagnosis still has priority, but I also can’t promise this will go on the back burner either if it gets enough attention, because I crave compliments. This is going to be a bit more episodic rather than straight continuity because a) that’s less work on my part b) stylistically (to me at least) it gives it a looser ‘chance encounter’ kind of feel that I want to establish and c) this isn’t supposed to be an elaborate project.

Also note some of the characterizations are going to be different, and Kuroko’s parents will be a lot more absent. I’m actually starting to really like writing Haizaki, because his info is vague enough to allow for creative license within canon, but there’s also a solid base unlike Ogiwara so I don’t feel as timid about him. Kuroko is going to be a lot more jaded in this story because I changed his family dynamic and Haizaki is there to fan the flames. Again, ultimately he’s going to get back on track, but it’s going to put his canon actions into a context that makes it less about being selfless or chasing toxic friends. He’s going to make mistakes (minor and fixable if he even gets punished) before deciding Haizaki isn’t the type of person he wants to be like. He’ll have a clearer understanding of himself and his motivation to save GoM from themselves.

At least that’s the current plan. I’d love to hear anything from you guys once the first chapter is up or even now, because I crave reader interaction. The updates will probably be sporadic as well.

[berry-cat7]

I Never Explained The Story Title

Someone had asked a while back why I used the name Diagnosis, so I gave them a similar explanation to this. It was a bit clearer with the old summary being a hospital scene, but now it’s probably really obscure. O)-(

The name Diagnosis was actually a last minute choice. At first it was called ‘O Light’ after a song by Kikuo (an amazing producer btw) and drawing a bit of inspo from the song Fix You by Coldplay, but I changed my mind literally right before posting. Long story short, this is kind of a fix-it fic. There are a lot of stories where the GoM reconnect, but I’ve rarely seen people address Teiko Era beyond ‘Sorry we were jerks.’ I really wanted to explore the characters, their relationships with Tetsuya, and possible subtle effects of their time in Teiko. I want them to have real, in-depth conversations with each other and continuously work to repair their friendships rather than having one apology mend it all. Tetsuya will have some wrongs to right himself. I also really wanted to see the GoM repay Kuroko’s kindness and learn to support each other in times of need, even outside of basketball.

This isn’t just about the GoM though. His friends at Seirin are basically a control sample. His bonds with them are pretty much the healthiest he has, so he learns to notice when he’s been slighted by their reactions.

Abuse is a really common trope in whump fics, and I’m not saying these kinds of situations don’t happen, but abuse isn’t always about the balding pot-bellied monster who beats his family for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; then forces the victim to limp to school with a concussion and both arms broken. I want to make a point about escalation, cause and effect, the cycle of abuse and other factors that make bad situations turn dangerous. Emotional abuse and neglect are just as horrible and I want demonstrate that the power of friendship can’t instantly fix psychological damage either.

TL;DR It’s called Diagnosis because the story is about identifying issues in Kuroko’s mentality and interpersonal relationships. Once these issues are identified, Tetsuya then works towards seeking help to fix them. I just hope I’m not biting off more than I can chew though…