Kuroko no Basuke
The vitality that was being forced upon the air, whipped at the student's hair as he ran through the school corridors, rushing to his classroom.
"You're late," the homeroom teacher spoke to the male with the disheveled bed hair as he leaned against the doorway. "Again!"
(L/N) (M/N), also known as "Late Boy," came sprinting in, as usual, into first period. Sweaty and tired, as usual!
"Sorry," (L/N) replied, keeping his head down low, clearing sweat off his upper lip. "I'll try not to do it again."
"Now, don't go making false promises." The teacher dismissively waved her hand for the student to go away. Students snickered upon the teacher's remark, watching the male's dreadful form drag his feet to his seat, laying his head upon the table. "Also, detention after school, Mr. (L/N)!"
The called male shrugged his shoulders and turned his head around within his arms.
'He's always late,' (L/N)'s classmate, Kuroko Tetsuya, thought. 'He's really got to stop playing video games so late into the night.'
(L/N) was known around the school as the boy who skates fast and eats ass — he's exceptionally skilled in regards to gaming, however it's gotten to the point to where he barely sleeps, leading him to the point where he wakes up extremely late — exposing his dilemma.
"Man, (L/N), who were you fucking last night?" A snarky classmate asked to the weary male as lunch began. A couple students bunched around him to tease him.
"The only thing I fucked last night was my almost Ace," (L/N) replied, pulling out an energy drink from his bag. "I was so close - so fucking close!"
The students left the exhausted male to himself, going over to their respected desks."I thought he was gonna say your mom."
"Man, fuck you."
As the commotion dispersed, Kuroko eyed (L/N) from afar, watching as his head bobbed up and down, obviously forcing himself to stay awake. "Not even an energy drink can work..."
Normally, Kuroko would go eat with Kagami, but seeing as though the languid male caught his attention, plans changed.
Suddenly, (L/N) aggressively rubbed his eyes up and down, forcing the sleep out of him. He then slapped both his cheeks, quickly widening his eyes at the pain. "Wake up, idiot!"
Kuroko flinched at (L/N)'s tactic of waking himself up, but let him be.
"I want to help him..."
•
"(L/N), I need to talk to you for a second," Kuroko said, preventing the male from taking another step. (L/N) turned his head slightly to see Kuroko's hand on his shoulder. He turned himself fully around.
"Alright, what do you have to tell me?"
"I need you to do me a favor," Kuroko answered, staring at the male. "If it doesn't bother you."
"Sure, I guess," (L/N) said, crossing him arms while putting most of his weight onto one leg. "What is it?"
Kuroko, lost for a second, moved his gaze around the latter's face, closely observing his facial features. The conspicuous dark circles beneath the male's (E/C) orbs, alongside the droopy eyes screamed that this boy did not hold a proper sleeping schedule.
"I'm on the basketball team and there is this show I watch," Kuroko tinkered with his fingers, trying his best to come up with a fib on the spot. "And I always miss the newest episode due to practice."
"I was wondering if you could, perhaps, watch the arriving episode for me and tell me what happens?"
(L/N) tilted his head at the request. First off, Kuroko could just prerecord the episode for future watching. Secondly—
"Why me?" (L/N) inquired, modifying his school bag upon his shoulder. Kuroko physically flinched at the question, his thoughts jumbling together to form an answer.
"You're a... cool guy?" Kuroko responded questionably, uncertain if his answer was conceivable towards the latter. (L/N) stepped back, shocked by the reply. He covered his mouth with his palm, his face gaining a pink tint while his eyes widened in surprise.
"C-Cool guy?" (L/N) rehashed. Sure, the dude was popular due to his astonishing skills online, but he never heard it in person. "You think I'm a cool guy?"
Kuroko slowly nodded, ashamed of such a lame excuse. "Should I just ask someone else—"
"No! No, I'm the right guy," (L/N) reassured, fixing his embarrassed composure.
The gamer's hands were fidgeting by his sides; either originating from the late adrenaline rushing through his veins from the energy drink he chugged during lunch or the fervor from being relied on. "What time does your show start?"
"Five o'clock, Mondays through Fridays," Kuroko responded with a slight smile on his features. "It's called Hairy Tail - you can start watching it tomorrow for me."
"I don't see why I shouldn't start today," (L/N) reasoned.
"You're busy," Kuroko responded, officially ending the conversation by walking towards the gymnasium.
"I'm not— fuck! Detention!"
•
The next day, (L/N) did as what he was told — watch Hairy Tail after school. Throughout the episode, he was trying to connect dots, figuring out how this character was even pertinent to the plot.
"Oh, shit! I've connected it altogether," (L/N) cheered before another character came into view, demolishing his whole comprehension of the show. "What— who the fuck are you?!"
(L/N) groaned as the characters started a random fight, checking the time in the while. "5:30? Damn, I usually take a nap by now."
As he said that, his eyes started gaining a heavy weight to them, feeling his thoughts start to disintegrate. He slapped himself awake as he remembered Kuroko.
"Man, I can't disappoint him..."
•
At school, (M/N) approached Kuroko before class started. "Oh, (L/N), you're here early."
(L/N) nodded, sitting in the seat in front of other, revealing the details from the episode he watched. After he was done talking, he took a gander at the latter hopefully, wanting a praise.
Kuroko nodded, thanking him for the time he spent to watch a show he had no clue of. "Do you think you can do it for me a couple more times?"
(L/N)'s eyes widened, not expecting to be relied on once more. He pondered about it, contemplating about Kuroko and his gaming time being moved to just the weekends.
"Sure, I wouldn't mind."
•
This went on for two whole weeks, (L/N) watching a show that Kuroko just spat out in the midst of the stress. His sleeping schedule changed to a much more earlier time since his usual nap schedule was supplanted with the show. And every morning, (L/N) would actually be eager to go to school — just to converse with Kuroko of all the new information he learned.
As the days progressed, it was noticeable that (L/N) was becoming a more productive individual, alongside his grades skyrocketing!
(L/N) ran up to Kuroko, immediately blabbering out the new episode's contents. "He fucking died!"
Kuroko opened his mouth in shock, having no clue what he was talking about, but cooperated. "(L/N), you seem to be more energetic lately."
(L/N) nodded, jumping up and down in excitement. "I know, right? It's all because of you asking me to watch your show!"
Kuroko looked up at the jittery male, thinking deeply. If he wanted to, he could reveal that he did this for purpose of helping (L/N), or he could just continue letting (L/N) be himself and never tell him.
He was definitely going to tell him.
"You know why I asked you, right?"
"Because your practice overlapped with the showtimes."
"No," Kuroko shook his head. "I did it because I knew it would benefit you and your bad habits of sleeping late. Frankly, I have no idea of the show you're talking about."
(L/N) stepped back, trying to take in the information. He changed his gaming hours for Kuroko and gained information that was no value for the latter? But, he did make him do something that benefited him.
In the end, (L/N) chuckled, wrapping his arms around Kuroko. The male awkwardly reciprocated the actions, patting his back while doing so. "It was kind of sad to see you get detention everyday."
(L/N) backed away, a cheeky smile on his face. "I've never had someone care so deeply about me other than my mom." He hugged him once more, sighing in content. "Now, I have no more need for sleep! Thank you!"
"You still have to sleep, (L/N)." Kuroko said in the male's chest. (L/N) laughed, inclining down to Kuroko's ear.
"But now I have a need for you."