Stay [KagaKuro One-Shot]

Stay | KagaKuro

To Kuroko, it first happened at Seirin's practice game. It was a low-key school that Coach had managed to get a response from when basketball season was relatively over.

They were on offense when Kuroko stumbled away from a sudden harsh block - whether the opposing player realized it or not.

"Kuroko!"

And suddenly Kagami was there, catching him by the shoulders. Concern showed in his features and none too clearly in his red eyes. "Are you okay?" he asked, and it was something Kuroko found familiar by now.

Since when? When had that phrase become so normal to him from his partner?

"Yes, Kagami-kun." Kuroko told him, and he could feel warmth radiate from his back, where Kagami's hands happened to be located... "Um, you can let go now...?" Why did that come out as a question?

"Oh, uh. er, right..." And Kagami pulled away but shot a glare toward the opposing player. "You should be more careful!"

The guy held up his hands in mock-surrender. "Hey, he's invisible! I didn't know he was there, what do you want me to do?"

"Wow, Kagami sure is a mother-hen when it comes to Kuroko..." Koganei mentioned from the bench.

"Huh?" Furihata mumbled beside him.

"You've never noticed?" Koganei said in outrage, even Mitobe looked incredulous at the freshman.

Hyuga growled, "What does Kagami think he's doing? This is a match! Not some love quarrel."

"Uh, Hyuga... There's no quarrel." Kiyoshi mentioned and the captain snapped his head toward him.

"There as cute as a couple!" Izuki returned with his one line he used before, flashing a smile and Hyuga's mood only worsened at that.

Kiyoshi looked serious. "I didn't know Kagami and Kuroko were a couple. When did this happen?"

"It never did!" Hyuga shouted.

Riko groaned to herself. "What a bunch of idiots..."

-

For Kagami, that had only been the beginning.

Okay, yeah... He couldn't help how protective he had become over Kuroko. After being on the team with him for a while, it started. Then when he learned of his past... Well, that 'protective instinct' only increased.

He couldn't help it, really. He liked Kuroko, a lot. It was a type of closeness he had with Kuroko that he just couldn't achieve with anyone else. It was weird, but he didn't mind it.

They were always together and people around them seemed to know it. Their friendship was close, and that was it. Though... that isn't to say that Kagami necessarily wouldn't mind it developing into something more, but there was no rush. They both had the rest of their highschool years, and whatever came after that.

Or so he thought.

Since during the Winter Cup, Kuroko had started to become more noticed. Even at school and everywhere they went. Kagami had been helping him come up with a new style of basketball to take advantage of this, but shortly after things started to... return back to normal?

Kagami noticed how Kuroko started becoming less noticed now, like he was slowly reverting back to the 'invisible phantom.' Which was good, and kinda bad. Kinda bad because all that progress they were making on developing a new style was going to waste and now they both had to put up with the whole 'surprise! Kuroko had been here the whole time' thing. It was good because Kuroko seemed to be more comfortable like this, and he could keep using his misdirection style.