It Started With A Game

#4 Behind the door

"Well then Akashi-kun, thank you for walking me back." Kuroko said, the blush on his cheeks now permanently residing on his pale cheeks.

" Where are you staying for the night anyway Akashi-kun? "

" Hmm.. I have not booked one yet." Akashi replied. Well, actually he didn't need to. There are plenty of hotels in Tokyo that are owned by the Akashi family, he could drop in any moment and sleep comfortably in the V.I.P suite room.

" But isn't it hard to find a hotel now? Especially at this time...." Kuroko replied , concerned about his .... friend?

" That's true. Then..., " Akashi said and stopped, thinking about the question that he might not even know the asnwer which will pour out of Kuroko's dainty lips.

" Will you let me stay in your house for the night , Kuroko?"   Akashi asked, he was taking a huge risk to be asking this question.

Kuroko looked at Akashi for a while and Akashi could notice Kuroko biting his lips slightly. Akashi waited for a few seconds, hoping that whatever going through Kuroko's head was not rejection.

"Are you fine with staying here, Akashi-kun? If Akashi-kun is fine then I will be glad to have you here tonight" Kuroko said politely. Kuroko was trying his hardest to keep his heart within the small capacity of his chest as it was beating so hard and fast he was sure it was going to come out and say 'BOO'.

Akashi instead, was trying to keep his face gentlemanly and preventing that stupid grin from appearing on his face when he heard that.

"I wouldn't mind at all."

What greeted Akashi when he first stepped in was the creaking wooden floor and modest plain walls that made this humble house. Kuroko lead him up the stairs and they went in to what he suspected to be Kuroko's room. With minimal decoration except for several pictures when Kuroko was young that he got to land his eyes on and was secretly bursting with glee, Kuroko's room was neat and tidy.

"Akashi-kun , you can stay here for the night. Ano.... I'm sorry I couldn't prepare the guest room at such notice so we um..."

" Cat got your tongue?" Akashi said mockingly after a moment of silence and consequently gained a small glare from Kuroko. " I'm just joking . I'm totally fine with us sharing a room, Kuroko. We can share stories from when we were young before sleeping... like... what I see here." Akashi said while holding up a picture of baby Kuroko trying vanilla milkshake for the first time.

" As I suspected, I think it's better to not share a room, Akashi-kun." Kuroko deadpanned while taking away the picture and putting it back to it's original position.

"Kuroko..." Akashi said while chuckling as Kuroko went out and back in carrying a thin partition made of paper and set it up between the room without blocking the door but enough to block them from each others view.

"I'm going to bath first. The mattress that Akashi-kun need will be in the cupboard." Kuroko said monotonously.

Akashi only continued laughing and spreading that soothing and warm sound throughout the room that made Kuroko smile unconsciously as he went out to the bathroom to take a bath and more importantly take a break from his angelic and sometimes demonic .... friend?

****** In the bathroom *******

Kuroko dipped into the bathtub filled with lukewarm water and let out a huge sigh. It was something he did very often now and was no doubt caused by a certain redhead.

Kuroko curled up and hugged his knees when he mentally replayed the scenario that happened in the court that led to this confusing war occuring between his heart and his brain.