Kuroko No Basket × Reader Oneshots

"Can I paint you?!": Kagami Taiga

"Why did your class end early?" [Y/n] steadied herself on the train, balancing her heavy backpack on her sore shoulders. "In my case, the political science students started throwing chairs at each other when they didn't agree on their mock debate. One of them threw a chair and shattered our window."

Kagami paled. Not at just imagining students throwing furniture at each other, but how she spoke so calmy about it. Then again, she was the type to nonchalantly get herself into trouble.

"One of the tanks in the kitchen ran out of gas. That's why."

She looked at her watch, and with a grin asked, "Wanna hang out?"

"Where?" He asked hopefully, but the grin on her face was wiped off with a glare when a passenger already drunk in the afternoon pushed her on purpose. "Calm down will ya." Even if she was as hot-headed as he was, he was only versed in street fighting. She, however, was a black belt and ready to throw a punch. 

"I have no idea." Her attention averted back to him.

"What about Harajuku? Don't you go there with Hiyori?"

"If you're willing to go in a lingerie store with  me, why not?"

"What about my apartment?" 

His question earned a weird look from her. He had to look away to hide the blush from imagining her in lingerie. "We like each other and live alone, what do you think can happen hm? Do you wanna learn biology all over again, Kagami?"

"I'm sorry," he apologized, face matching his hair.

"What about the park where you kissed me!" She exclaimed, her voice raising an octave in excitement. He was glad that their conversations were in English. Had it been in Japanese the stares they received wouldn't be just because of her loud excited voice but also because of her statement.

--

They sat underneath the tree just across the spot where he kissed her. Kagami laid his head on his bag, resting while she sat crossed-leg. She rolled her shoulders, glaring at the heavy bag. "Don't you leave your books at home?"

"On specific days, I bring them." She answered pulling out two mason jars stained with paint and a thick sketchbook. Again, Kagami paled. How can someone like her of average height be able to carry around something twice her size?

The air blowing past them invited sleep. So, he closed his eyes and started counting imaginary basketballs he shot. Yes, even in his sleep basketball was on his mind.

"Taiga, can I paint you?"

He cracked an eye open, his eyebrows furrowed. "You look handsome under the light. Just keep sleeping, kay?"

Now he felt insecure. He opened his eyes only for it to widen when he saw her pulled out an easel from her backpack. "WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR BACKPACK?"

Pulling out more items from her backpack, she stopped midway. "I was supposed to have an art class today. Now go back to sleep will ya."

When he woke up the first thing he heard was the sounds of children screaming in the playground from afar and above that were the sounds of leaves rustling. Next was her stomach growling. "You hungry?" He asked, turning to her only to see her hunched over her sketchbook, hair falling into place. How could she be so beautiful even when college stress and the future's worries weighed into her.

And now both of them balanced plastic bento boxes on their laps. Shoes almost touching each other. They ate in silence except for the occasional, 'Meat.' from [Y/n] followed by her placing the meat on his bento.

"I'm in love with," he nonchalantly reminded her followed by a mouthful of rice. Every time the two of them sat in serene silence and got comfortable, he'd bring up his crush. And then remind her that his heart was hers. It was always 'I'm in love with you' never 'I like you' or 'I love you'. Even when he didn't receive answers from her, he continued to remind her since he placed that kiss on her forehead. He thought she was too flustered to even reply. And that even the boldest authors armed with the greatest comebacks were no match for reality.

"And even if it means waiting for graduation until for you to say 'yes', then I'll wait for you."

She set her finished lunch down. Her face showing sadness. "We can never be together, Taiga."

It shattered both their hearts. For her to say it. For him to hear it.

"What?"

"We're still young. You don't know if it's really love. Maybe because we ride the train together or because we hang out."

"You're being pessimistic again."

"I'm not, Taiga. I'm being realistic here for the first time. You don't know that I overheard you and Himuro talk to that blond woman. You're leaving after you write your exams."

"[Y/n], I can wait for you to graduate." He was pleading by now.

"By that time, you'll be a basketball player. Surrounded by pretty girls with nicer bodies. When you tell me that you love me, it hurts. I'm afraid to love you back, Taiga. It's been bothering me since you kissed me too, okay." She wanted to say more, but she stopped. Her tears were clouding her vision now. "I-I need to go home now."

"[Y/n], WAIT!" Kagami stood up to chase her until something heavy behind his knees landed atop of it.

"It's best to leave her alone, Kagami-kun," Kuroko said, never failing to startle Kagami again. What was he doing here?

"Do I really love her?" He thought, snooping through the thick sketchbook she forgot at the park. He lounged on his bed while his gut yelled at him for violating her privacy. But it was the only thing that provided him proof that she did exist. That she wasn't an illusion that he fell in love with.

She never responded to his texts. Never called back after leaving countless voice messages. His calls were ignored. Soon their friends started asking her, but she refused to speak.

When he reached the page that he always stopped at, his desperation fueled him to finally turn the next page.

A loving couple.

It was the two of them. In a relationship that only lived in her mind.

"Taiga, can I paint you?" He remembered her voice when he saw his face on the last page of her book. 'No,' he thought. It wouldn't practical to just come banging on her door at 4.30 am. He just had to wait until tomorrow. If time allowed him to.

After all tomorrow was also his flight.