Kuroko no Basket Imagines {Continued}.

Stay With Me.(Kiyoshi Teppei)

-ANGST-
You watch silently with your arms crossed over each other as you watch Kiyoshi's broad back. He was packing for his flight to America for his surgery, and he refused to let you come along.

"Tell me again why you won't let me go with you?" You ask almost angrily.

"You know why (Your Name). We discussed this." He sighs as he continues to fold the clothes he was organizing into the suitcase.

"Kiyoshi. I don't care about school right now. How can you expect me to study when you'll be taking a surgery this serious?" You ask again; a bit distraught.

"The last thing I want to be is a burden." He answers, his back still turned to you.

"Stop saying that. It makes me so pissed that you think that you bring me down. You're the only thing that keeps me alive, yet you keep pushing me away!" Your voice is raised a bit higher than usual.

At that sentence, he turns around slowly and walks over to you. He wraps his long arms around your body and gives you a long hug as he rests his head on yours.

His scent wafted into your nose and you took a long sniff as you try to burn it into your mind. You weren't going to see him for such a long time anyway. Tears fill your eyes automatically as you cannot bear to be apart from him.

"I promise that I'll come back soon. Time will fly by fast. Wait for me." He says as he looks into your eyes, while wiping away your tears with his thumb.

He gives you his signature smile as you nod a little.

As you walk through the airport, you don't once let go of his hand, and he didn't seem to want to let go either. You wrap your arms around his and cling on tightly. You weren't usually this clingy, but it was the only thing stopping you from bursting into tears again.

The rest of Seirin's third years also came to see Kiyoshi off. Riko was there too. You felt a pang of pain as you remembered that Kiyoshi was fond of her, and you disliked the fact that he was so close to her, even if you knew he was only devoted to you.

"We'll be waiting."

After all the farewells he gave to the rest of the team. He turned to you and brought you very close, not caring that the others were watching. He trails his fingers along your cheekbone and leans in to give you a long and passionate kiss. You don't break the kiss until the announcement for his flight echoes loudly. He breaks apart unwillingly and leans his forehead against yours as he sighs.

"I love you." You breathe and you hear him take a shaky breath.

"I love you more." He answers and drops a kiss to your forehead before breaking away entirely as he grips his suitcase.

As he was about to disappear into the gates, you watch earnestly with your hands against your hurting chest.

Conveniently, as soon as he disappears, you crumble to your knees and before anyone could react, your body hits the ground full force. Before you go, you hear the muffled exclaims of your name. You feel multiple hands lift you up, then you surrender to the darkness.

Your body was always weak from the start of your life. You frequently got sick, and you weren't allowed to do things other normal kids were allowed to do. But ever since you met Kiyoshi, he thrived you to be your best. He showed you that physical limitations would never be the cause of failure. You learned to play basketball with him and even got into the first string.

What Kiyoshi never noticed was that you were getting bad again. Skipping practices often, and also sleeping for way too long. You knew what was happening to your body, but you didn't want to be the same burden Kiyoshi never wanted to be.

He really was the one thing fueling you to survive. Now that he was gone for god knows how long, your mental and physical body begins to shut down.

You forbade anyone from telling Kiyoshi that you were in the hospital after collapsing and coming to again. You knew that if he found out, he would rush back and forget everything about his own injury. They all agreed painfully until one day where they all witnessed your near death experience in person. Your heart had failed suddenly, but the doctors managed to bring you back.

"I called Kiyoshi and told him what happened." Hyuuga grits his teeth as he tells you the news.

"I...I figured.." You answer weakly through your breathing mask as you didn't even have the strength to tilt your head.

"It's the first time he ever yelled at me." Hyuuga continues with a pained expression. He suddenly turns to you angrily.

"You have to survive till he gets here. You have to, you hear me?" Hyuuga demands and you don't respond.

"I want to see him one last time before I..." You whisper weakly as a tear drops along your cheek as your eyes flutter closed, the monitor going crazy as Hyuuga rushes for a doctor.

"Where is she?!" A panting Kiyoshi runs to where the rest of his former teammates were sitting. They all looking grave and tired as they motioned to the operating sign.

"The doctors don't think she..." Riko begins but Kiyoshi lunges for Hyuuga and slams him up against the wall.

"Why didn't you tell me?! Why were you hiding it!!" He roars and Hyuuga looks away as he answers.

"I couldn't do that to her." He whispers as he hangs his head.

Upon hearing those words, Kiyoshi breaks as he lets him go, Riko rushing to his aid. Kiyoshi clenches his fists as he slides down the wall, clearly his iron heart was being beaten into nothing.

After a few hours, the doctor emerges from the room and they all stand up anxiously.

"We did all we could, but she won't make it. She'll be gone by tonight if lucky." He passes on the heart wrenching news and Kiyoshi's eyes well with tears as a choking sob escapes his mouth.

"Can I please. Can I please see her." He chokes out and they let him through.

Kiyoshi caught sight of your frail body lying on the bed, connected to tubes that were keeping you alive. He approaches your bed and takes your hand softly in his big ones. At the touch, your eyes flutter open softly and focus to meet his.

"(Your Name)..." He weeps as he brings his lips to yours softly, his tears dripping on your cheek.

"You know I'll always love you right? I'm right...I'll be right here." He sniffs as he tries to stay strong for your sake.

Your own eyes fill with tears as you cradle his face with your weak hands. You run your finger along his cheekbones and every facial feature, burning his image in your mind for the last time.

"Please don't go." He whispers again as sobs rack his body.

You take in a shaky breath and never exhale again. As you close your eyes, tears roll down your cheeks as your hand goes slack.

"(Your Name)......!"