Fading Dream

No, no, no, no, no, no, no! He can't fade away! His beloved shadow. Why didn't he realize how short their time was together? Why didn't anyone tell him?! It's fucking unfair! Bring back the time that was stolen from him! This damn fucking cruel reality of fate.

Please don't go.... Testu! Stay with me longer! Please! I love you!

"Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Why?! Why didn't any of you bastards tell me?!" Aomine yells out angrily in agony. “I can't lose him! I just can't!”

Aomine couldn't stop the tears from overflowing. No one knows or even can comfort the broken Aomine. They lost Kuroko. They all knew somewhere in their hearts Kuroko was just a fleeting dream. No one wanted to admit it even when Kuroko confirmed it himself. They knew Aomine was an idiot for not seeing it. But.....But who knew Aomine would fall in love with the shadow.

It was painful. So painful they turned into a blind eye. Pretend it was just all a joke. Laughter lasting for an eternity. Smiles. Just smiles. Smiles of joy. No heartbreak. No sadness to speak of. An illusion of happiness. Together forever. The funnest they ever have. The Teiko golden years. Short, yet bittersweet.

Seeing Aomine and Kuroko's love for each other made it harder for anyone to tell Aomine. They knew.... They knew it would break him completely apart just as it's doing to him now. If they had told him sooner, Aomine would ruin his life in finding a way to keep Kuroko around longer. No one wanted that, especially Kuroko. That's why, that's why they kept it a secret.

'Please don't be sad, Aomine-kun. I will always be in your heart for as long you don't forget me. I love you. Thank you for loving me back,' Kuroko whispers those words softly to Aomine as Kuroko fades away from Aomine's embrace.

"A-Ahh....!" Aomine cries. "T-Tetsu... Dammit! DAMMIT ALL!!!!"

"A-Aomine....kun...." Momoi cries silently, knees buckles before collapsing onto the floor, giving into sadness.

No one else moved a muscle. What can they do? Nothing they do or say will ever be any comfort to Aomine. Kuroko was special. A precious member of Teiko. If only they knew how to bring Kuroko back, then maybe..... maybe everything will go back to the way things were before. However, reality shows no mercy.

Ever since the day Kuroko faded away in Aomine's arms, Aomine refuses to leave his room. Momoi tries multiple times to get Aomine out of his room, but with no avail. How could Aomine face everyone? He lost Kuroko and he cried in front of everyone. Aomine never felt so weak his entire life. He couldn't even save the person he loves so much with all his heart.

Tetsu...... I missed you so much..... Why did you have to leave me.....? Tetsu....

'I'm sorry, Aomine-kun. I'm sorry I have to leave you behind and not telling you. I never meant to hurt you....... We'll meet again, someday. Someday we'll be together again.'

His last words. His final moments. His final smile. All for Aomine alone. Aomine's heart couldn't stop throbbing painfully. An empty shell. Hollow like a black hole. Aomine wants die. So badly if it means he can finally see Kuroko again. It was his fault. All his fault that Kuroko is gone. Aomine's overwhelming light is what cause the shadow to overwhelm and get so strong as it eats away Kuroko silently.

Aomine grits his teeth of the memory. How long has pass since that day? Aomine can't even move a muscle. Why didn't anyone blame him? Because of him Kuroko is gone. If Aomine wasn't being so fucking selfish and saying crap like 'The only one who can beat me is me,' then maybe Kuroko could still be here with them. They should have blame him. He killed Kuroko with his goddamn selfishness.

“Blame me, dammit. Why don't you bastards blame me? I was the one who pushed him to his death faster. We could have saved him. Tetsu.....” Aomine bit his lips from crying out in utter despair.

No matter how much Aomine beat himself over it, agonized it every single second, it wasn't a dream. Everything around him is so quiet and dead. Nothing is worth living anymore. The world is so dark to Aomine. Was it worth living in the light without his beloved shadow?

If there's a God out there... Please take me to Tetsu. I'm begging you. Anything to be with him... I miss you.... Tetsu.... Answer me please....

A soft warm hand places itself on Aomine's head and strokes his hair gently, a sweet familiar voice whispering like a cool breeze. “Aomine-kun, please don't sad anymore. I promise we'll meet again remember? Please.... Live on to the fullest for me. I will always be watching you even if you no longer can see me.”

Aomine's eyes snaps open and bolts right up, arm outstretch. “TETSU! Tetsu......”

Aomine let his arm drop effortlessly, his face droop in a sad expression. It couldn't be.... He must have imagined it. Aomine rests his head on the cool wall behind him and sighs, light sweat tickling down his face. Aomine pinches the bridge of his nose.

“Urgh.... Fuck. This isn't like me at all. Tetsu, is it really okay to live and move on without you.” Aomine laughs in defeat, smiling painfully, clutching over his heart, tears mingling with the light sweat.

A knock on the door. “Dai-kun....?”

That voice....  Aomine raises his eyebrows. “Satsuki....?”

A light gasp can be heard. “D-Dai-kun, you finally answered me.”

Oh. That's right. Satsuki has been checking up on me lately hasn't she? Sorry Satsuki for worrying you.

Aomine slowly gets up from his bed and crosses his room to open the door to face Momoi. “Yeah.”

Momoi's lips quivers and buries herself in Aomine's chest. “A-Aho! Aho! Aho! Aho! Don't give me that 'Yeah!'” You had everyone worried! We thought the worst could have happened to you!”

Aomine was frozen in place for moment before places a hand on Momoi's head, petting her, a soft and gentle smile plays over his face. “Yeah. Sorry. I should apologize to you and the others politely. Thanks... for worrying about someone like me. I really don't deserve it.”

Momoi keeps sniffling in Aomine's chest. The Kiseki no Sedai comes into the hallway, glum and worried. They... all came to see him.

“Aominechii! You finally came out! We were so worried!” Kise automatically goes into his crying mode.

Midorima pushes his glasses back, holding his lucky item of the day, an alarm clock. “I-I wasn't worried or anything for the likes of you, you know.”

“Welcome back to the world of the living, Mine-chin.” Murasakibara stuffing his indifferent face with snacks and sweets as usual.

Aomine pulls a smirk, corners of his mouth twitching in irritation. Fucking annoying bastards. That's the first thing that comes out of their mouths? Honestly. The Kiseki no Sedai is full of weirdos. Heh. He shouldn't be saying considering he's one himself. A monster.

Aomine continues to pat and stroke Momoi's soft well-conditioned hair. “You're all annoying, you know that.”

“Daiki, it's only natural they were worried about you. Since you have been absent from school for so long, I have thought up of a good punishment for you.” Akashi stares right through Aomine.

Aomine shivers at the stare, knowing Akashi always mean what he says. Damn, Akashi is so demanding and he gives him the creeps. “Y-yeah...... S-sorry about that.”

“Now come. We have much to discuss.” Akashi holds out his hand in his usual haughty stance.

Aomine gulps and nods slowly, face grimace. “Why.... why neither of you guys blame me for what happened to Tetsu? I-I pushed him to his death faster.”

Aomine bit his bottom lip. He wanted to know. They shouldn't be worried about him. They should be blaming him instead. Aomine feel a hand place on his head, not of kindness, but of malicious. He froze on the spot immediately, knowing whose hand that belong to.

“Didn't I tell you before, Daiki. I hope you don't need me to repeat myself.” Aomine stiffly shakes his head out of fear from Akashi's commending voice. “Good. We have a lot of work to go through.”

What his future holds before him is uncertain, but one thing he understand is he have friends to lend on, friends he didn't admit having. Aomine follows Akashi away from his room he isolated himself from until moments ago to the future ahead with Momoi walking besides him.

Tetsu.... I will be alright without you right? But.... I can't bear to ever forget about you. Basketball won't be the same without you, you know.

'You'll be fine, Aomine-kun. I will always be your shadow. Please continue with the things you love. Try your best to live to the fullest until we meet again.'

A phantom of a shadow floats down to hug Aomine from behind in a loving brace. Aomine felt this, suddenly stop turns around immediately.

….!!! Tetsu?!

“Aomine-kun? Are you alright?” Momoi cups Aomine's hand worryingly.

“Y-yeah... Yeah.... Sorry. I thought I felt something. Guess it was just my imagination.” Aomine's face fell and resumes following the others.

“O-Oh... I see.” Momoi squeezes Aomine's hands. “I know you're sad, Aomine-kun, but we'll be here with you.”

Momoi gives Aomine a reassuring smile which Aomine returns back as he pats her head. “Heh. Yeah, yeah. Whatever, Satsuki.”

Momoi pouts. “Mou... You really haven't changed much, Aomine-kun. I thought you would. I was worried for nothing.”

Aomine ruffles Momoi's hair. “Heh. You just realizing that now. No way I would change that much. The only one who can change me is me.”

“Hmph.” Momoi puffs out her cheeks. “Meanie.”

Aomine chuckles. “Thanks Satsuki.”

“Huh?” Momoi stares up at Aomine in surprise.

“For worrying about me and not leaving me. I owe it to you, even you annoying sometimes.” Aomine gives Momoi a shoulder hug.

“Aomine-kun..... Mou! Saying weird things at a time like this.” Momoi blushes a bit and grumbles.

The shadowy phantom no one say that moment smiles and places his hand over his chest. He bows his head at the retreating backs of the Kiseki no Sedai, praying for their bright future without him by their side. Praying someone will lead them the right way he couldn't never before. Praying they all find happiness. Most of all praying Aomine would someday find all that, the light he is meant to be. Kuroko fades into the darkness of light, a soft smile dawn on his face, eyes closed. Sending every possible happiness towards his beloved friends and his most beloved light.

Until we all meet again. A fading dream is not the end. It is a new beginning.