Chapter Text
Sunlight peeked through the curtains and into the warmth of the Tokiwadai dorm. In one of the beds laid Misaka Mikoto sleeping soundly. "Good morning Onee-sama!" Well she was sleeping soundly.
Misaka opened her bleary eyes to see Kuroko sat atop her already dressed and clearly excited about something. Misaka was way too tired to deal with her today, she had been up all night helping that idiot and his pet nun with some crazy esper. "Ugh what do you want Kuroko? Its a Saturday why'd you wake me up?" She grunted out trying to ignore the hyper teleporter as she saw the clock.
Kuroko's smile only brightened at the sound of her precious partner. "Come on Onee-sama carpe diem! You shouldn't lie in bed all day just because its a Saturday. Besides I have plans for just the two of us."
Misaka moaned disgustedly under the covers. "Perverted plans I guess."
Kuroko stuttered defensively "N-no totally innocent I assure you just a nice romantic dinner at that new French establishment I got reservations at, oh though if your that eager maybe afterwards..." Her voice took on her trademarked perverted tone and she was promptly kicked off of Misaka's bed with a pained whine.
Misaka sat up in a huff it was too early for this Kuroko brand nonsense. "Kuroko I really don't want to deal with this today, I was up all night with that idiot-" Misaka clammed up realizing her mistake as Kuroko's shocked visage stared up at her from the floor.
The twintailed girl leapt to her feet "Onee-sama say it isn't so?" She practically shrieked, "How can you accuse me of perversion when you were doing such things with with... him!" Unwilling to even say a certain high school boy's name.
Misaka held her head in discomfort, the lack of sleep combined with Kuroko's annoying screaming was giving her a headache. "Kuroko... SHUT UP!" her shout punctuated by a crackling electric storm that lanced through Kuroko's tiny body.
Kuroko whimpered pathetically trembling in fear and pain. "O-okay Onee-sama I got it I'll just go." Slowly staggering away trying to suppress her spasming muscles.
The 177th Judgement branch wasn't exactly one of the busier offices, due to Judgement being a volunteer organization that wasn't too surprising. All 3 of the group were present. Konori was checking over some recent case files, Uiharu had just arrived and Kuroko …was sat at a desk with her head lying face down on it groaning in despair.
Uiharu hesitantly approached the morose girl. "Hey Shirai-san are you okay?" No answer. "Let me guess Misaka problems?" Kuroko nodded her head making a low dunk noise as it hit the desk. "You want to talk about it?" Kuroko hesitated briefly before repeating the gesture.
The twin tailed girl lifted her head showing her deflated expression matched with reddened teary eyes. "She rejected me again." She whined pitifully.
Uiharu sighed. "Yeah I figured, what happened?"
"I-I don't know, I just asked her out to a nice restaurant and she suddenly lashed out at me. And worst she said she was out late last night with with Him!" Referencing someone Uiharu knew well. Mostly because Kuroko never stopped ranting about him, the home wrecker, monkey man, the ape, one thing's for sure it was somebody Misaka-san was very very interested in.
Okay this sounded bad but. "C-calm down Shirai-san I'm sure Misaka-san was just tired, and just because she was with that guy doesn't mean their … you know" Uiharu did her best to console the girl.
Kuroko scowled at the girl. She slammed her fist on the table angrily. "Don't be so naïve Uiharu of course she likes him that way its only a matter of time." Her face scrunched up tears starting to run. "What's the point! Onee-sama will never return my feelings, I've already tried everything!" Kuroko despaired sobbing fitfully.
It broke Uiharu's heart to see her best friend like this, she wasn't quite sure how to handle this, maybe it would be better if Kuroko let her go but then Kuroko never doubted her or her dream of becoming a high ranked Judgement member so what right did she have to let Kuroko's dream die?
She steeled herself taking a deep breath. "Shirai-san I'm shocked! That you would give up so easily, someone like you has plenty of great qualities than anyone who wants a girlfriend would adore, Misaka-san simply doesn't know what she's missing. You can't give up now, no matter what!"
Kuroko crying started to slow at her words of comfort, she sniffed drying her eyes and giving Uiharu a smile of determination. "Y-your right Uiharu there's still hope, I'll win onee-sama's love yet!"
Uiharu gave a quiet sigh of relief. Seeing someone so strong in such a state just felt wrong to her. Meanwhile Kuroko's mind was working on overdrive trying to devise a new seduction plan as she called them.
She reflected on what Uiharu said. Doesn't know what she's missing, great qualities, girlfriend. "Uiharu your a genius!." She said with astonishment as she realized the right course of action. Suddenly grabbing the girl by her hands.
"I-I am?" The flower crown wearing girl said in confusion.
"I'll explain later, first we gotta go somewhere quiet." Kuroko quickly said in a rush teleporting the both of them leaving an agitated Konori behind.
Uiharu stumbled in a daze. "Ugh Shirai-san don't just do that without warning." As her vision cleared she noted down her surroundings, they were in a deserted alleyway a block away from the branch.
Kuroko turned to her sheepishly. "Sorry about that but I didn't want anybody eavesdropping on us." She turned serious for a moment taking Uiharu's hands in hers. "Uiharu will you be my girlfriend?"
An awkward silence ensued as Uiharu struggled to process what she just heard. Then her eyes widened in shock followed by her mouth to the approximate size of a basketball. "Whhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaatttt!" She cried.
Kuroko face-palmed. "Wait sorry that didn't come out right. Ahem Uiharu will you pretend to be my girlfriend?"
Uiharu calmed down and looked at the twin tailed girl in confusion. "B-but why?"
Kuroko sighed. "Its simple we pretend to be together for a little while in front of the others, and Onee-sama will see what a wonderful caring and passionate lover I can be, I'll then spend more time with you than her and get her all jealous and then I'll finally be able to sweep her away from that stupid ape. Its foolproof!" Yes there was absolutely no way this could go wrong Kuroko thought excitedly bouncing on her heels.
Well... in fairness it wasn't the worst idea Shirai-san ever had, that would have been the computer part fiasco. "Well uh okay maybe that could work, but I won't have to do anything weird will I?" She hadn't even had her first kiss yet, she didn't want to waste it on some crazy scheme she wasn't even sure would work.
Kuroko recoiled giving her a look of disgust. "Ew of course not, we'll just you know hug, hold hands and say some sappy stuff, it probably won't take much to get Onee-sama upset so you know don't worry about it."
Uiharu's look darkened at that ew comment. Was she really that unattractive looking? Never mind that crippling self esteem stuff can come later.
"This is going to be completely humiliating isn't it? And that might be okay with you Shirai-san since you get Misaka-san but what do I get?" She asked pacing across the alleyway.
"The warm feeling you get from knowing you helped your two closest friend's find happiness with one another?" Kuroko said innocently beaming at the flower wearing girl.
"Not good enough." Kuroko's faux happy look deflated instantly. She crossed her arms in a huff. "Fine fine what do you want?"
"Some money would be nice." She suggested. Kuroko squinted her eyes at the girl. "So compensated dating it is then? Pretty sure that's illegal Uiharu."
Said girl blanched blushing as red as the roses atop her head. Maybe that's not the best idea then. She sparked up suddenly. "Okay wait better idea how about a new computer? my old ones running pretty slowly these days, I could do with an upgrade."
Kuroko sighed in relief letting the tension leave her shoulders. That she could easily do. "Alright sure fine whatever you want. Now do we have a deal?" At Uiharu's reverent nodding she grinned.
"Okay lets go over the first part of the plan."
Saten and a very disgruntled tired Misaka was sitting at a table in one of their usual hangouts a Joseph's restaurant on the northern edge of the city. Waiting for the two Judgement Officers to join them. Misaka yawned deep bags visible under her eyes.
"Tired Misaka-san?"
Misaka stared at the girl like she just asked something incredibly stupid. "Isn't it obvious? I was up all night stopping that crazed esper and then Kuroko started bugging me earlier today. She can be such a damn pest." She looked drowsily around. "Where are they anyway?" She said grumpily.
"Hehehe I'm sure their just a little busy with judgement work." Saten inwardly wished they'd get a move on. A tired grumpy Misaka wasn't exactly the best conversationalist. Shifting awkwardly in her seat she brightened up when she saw them through the shop window. "Hold that thought, their here and... they're holding hands?" Her brow creasing in confusion at the weird display.
The girls suddenly teleported in without warning falling onto the chair across from the other two. Uiharu giggling and blushing in Kuroko's lap. She slowly got off and went to her own chair still holding Kuroko's hand firmly in hers.
Kuroko finally spoke up after reluctantly looking away from Uiharu. "Sorry we were late you too, we got a little distracted."
Saten stared at the two strangers with piercing eyes. What on earth had happened? Had they been replaced with strange clones as the urban legend foretold? "What's up with you two? Your acting really weird."
"Hmm should we tell them?" Kuroko asked the flower wearing girl. "I think they deserve to know besides its not like I'm ashamed of you."
Kuroko took a deep breath to calm herself before she uttered the most heretical of words. "I and Uiharu are now in a relationship, as in a romantic one." She stated firmly to the shocked girls, well girl Misaka barely seemed to hear her in her sleep-addled state.
Saten had just been thrown in a state of complete confusion by this bombshell. "W-wait but I thought y-you were into-" She indicated to the half awake tomboy sitting next to her.
Kuroko smiled sadly. "Well I was but onee-sama never seemed to see me the way I saw her, always chasing after that spiky-haired guy and neglecting me, I was pretty down one evening at the branch and Uiharu started comforting me and well things went on from there." Looking to her girlfriend for confirmation.
Uiharu paused for a moment feeling a little caught out then spoke up reluctantly. "Yep that's right, It was a little odd at first but Kuroko's quite a special girl. I don't know why you let her slip through your fingers Misaka-san but thank you for doing so." If the goal was to make her jealous might as well attack the target head on.
She sweeped the twin-tailed teleporter into a fierce hug nuzzling her. "I've never felt so special as I do in my Kuro-chan's arms." Kuroko blushed heavily hugging her back. "Ahh its wonderful to finally have someone who returns my affections, especially someone as cute as you." This is mortifying both of them thought in union.
Saten left speechless finally managed to conjure some words to speak up. "W-Wow you two huh I never would have thought it, well uh good luck then, I hope it works out." She congratulated them awkwardly.
Kuroko broke from the hug settling back into her seat smiling warmly. "Why thank you Saten-san your support means a lot to me, how about you onee-sama, I do hope you approve especially after you rejected me so many times?" Come on Onee-sama show some passion please.
Misaka stared at her with an angered expression. Left irritated by the lack of sleep and now confused by whatever this pervert was yammering on about. "Huh w-what did you say? Speak up already."
Kuroko sighed this was not going according to plan. "We're dating onee-sama me and Uiharu. You have a problem with that?" She half shouted.
Misaka blinked languidly as her brain struggled to process this information. Finally she scowled "So what! Why should I care what a pervert like you does in your spare time.?" She shouted causing some attention to be drawn towards them.
The other girl's cringed at her violent outburst. Kuroko was particularly hurt stifling some tears which weren't part of the act.
She put on a smug attitude, thrusting out her chest. "Hmmph always with the childish angry outbursts, Uiharu would never do such things." She was about to launch into a spiel about how mature she was in other ways when Misaka countered her.
"Uiharu would never settle for someone like you." She uttered her voice low and completely serious.
The other three sat quietly aghast at what she just said. Kuroko felt her heart break at those words. "O-onee-sama you don't really-" She responded with a trembling lip trying to stop the tears. Before she was interrupted.
"Frankly Misaka-san its none of your damn business who I "Settle" for. We're together now so your just going to have to deal with it." Uiharu interrupted slamming her fist down onto the table as she glared fiercely at the electromaster standing in front of her, surprising the others. Kuroko smiled at the passionate display, she must really want that computer.
She turned and gave the crying girl next to her. And swept her into a hug nuzzling Kuroko into her chest. "Awww come on now don't cry Kuroko-chan, we've still got our date to look forward to."
Kuroko actually felt rather comfortable with Uiharu holding her like that. So warm she thought before remembering the plan. She blushed at how compromising they just looked. Abruptly tearing her face away from Uiharu's bosom. "R-right our date yeah I'm taking her to that fancy place on main street." Good thing she kept those reservations.
Uiharu faltered for a brief second or so then regaining her composure. "Oh of course I'm so excited I almost can't wait. I love you so much Kuroko-chan." She said with cheeks aflame.
Misaka fed up with the sappy and for some reason uncomfortable sight unfolding before her. Made for the exit. Muttering about how she should have stayed in bed today.
Saten thought about calling after her but seeing how Kuroko almost burst into tears and how happy the new uh couple (that was going to be hard to get used to.) was now decided against it.
Besides she'd calm down eventually ...right.
The two judgement girls walked away from the restaurant "Well...that could have gone worse." Uiharu said hoping to break the awkward silence that arose after the incident in the restaurant.
Kuroko chirped up after having been unusually quiet. "Yeah I'll say. I had no idea you were such a good actress Uiharu."
Uiharu shrugged at the compliment. "I uh was just lucky I guess, you think we fooled them?."
Kuroko glanced at her unsure. "Hmm maybe Saten-san seemed to buy it, onee-sama though." Her eyes started watering at how she acted towards of her.
"She did seem pretty upset but then that means its working right? I'm sure she didn't mean that bad stuff she said about you." Uiharu consoled her after noticing Kuroko's sadness.
"Yeah... I guess." She responded still a little unsure. "Oh by the way Uiharu you free tonight?"
"I am why?" The short haired girl eyed her suspiciously.
"Well I wasn't lying about those reservations you know, of course they were originally for onee-sama but well she wasn't very interested. Anyway you love that high class stuff right? I was thinking we should probably go there just in case the others get suspicious." Saten was a pretty nosy girl after all. She couldn't count out the idea she might try tailing Uiharu to see if they were for real. That and it had taken her weeks to plan said date and she didn't really want that time to be wasted.
Uiharu stopped in her tracks. An actual date seemed like taking this too far. But it was admittedly a little tempting. Seeing the kind of place Ojou-sama's dine at. Plus her and Kuroko didn't get to spend much time with each other outside of Judgement these days. "Well okay sure why not."
Kuroko grinned in response. "Great bring a nice dress and I'll see you there at eight."
Maybe this could no probably not Uiharu thought as she looked with disdain at her meagre wardrobe, student scholarships depended on their level so as a level 1 Uiharu didn't get much, she mostly had to rely on the occasional financial support from relatives. And Judgement was only for volunteers not that she minded.
Still she was determined not to embarrass herself or Kuroko at such a high class place.
"Man you and Kuroko, I still can't quite believe it." Saten's said lying down on Uiharu's mattress with her head dangling off the bed.
Uiharu sighed neither can I Saten-san neither can I. "Well best learn to start believing Saten-san, its real." She stated.
"She just doesn't seem your type." Saten mused staring blankly at the ceiling fan.
"I mean I knew her before you and Misaka-san, you'd be surprised honestly she's quite sweet when we're alone." inwardly she despaired. Why'd Saten have to visit now of all times she was barely holding herself together under all these lies.
"I suppose that's true, ooh! I just thought is this your first date? My little Uiharu-chan is finally growing up." Saten leapt from the bed and grabbed Uiharu in a bear hug.
"Graah get off me Saten-san." Uiharu growled fitfully. Smiling Saten let the smaller girl go. "Hey I know your excited for your big date but maybe you'd want someone to chaperone you. Kuroko might try doing something weird." Saten explained with a hint of mischief making lewd grabbing gestures to imply exactly what the perverted teleporter might do.
Uiharu blanched and recoiled in revulsion at the implications. S-surely she'd never do something like that to her. And if she did she'd swear to get her removed from Judgement as a punishment.
She let out a fake laugh. "Hahaha Saten-san d-don't be so silly, Shir-Kuroko-chan promised she wouldn't do anything I wasn't comfortable with, we're taking things nice and slow, that's why we're only just going out on our first date."
Saten shrugged non noncommittally "Alright if your sure. Enjoy your date Uiharu-chan I promise I won't follow you or anything." Uiharu couldn't help but feel she was lying.
Uiharu gazed outside the bus window as the city lights drew by. She was fiddling with her hands unable to stay still, endlessly worried on how she could embarrass herself at the establishment Kuroko had directed her to.
She looked around with a start as the bus stopped, Uiharu seeing the restaurant through the window hurriedly got off.
She was wearing a simple conservative pink dress with a blue wool jacket over her for warmth in the cold night. She rather liked it (as did Saten-san) wasn't sure about the people here though. It was the best thing she could afford on her meagre scholarship so hopefully it would do.
Uiharu ran for the store hoping to see Kuroko and get out of the cold. She saw a familiar set of scarlet twintails and rushed inside.
The store was warm and had a golden hue to it. Lots of pristine glass and sharply dressed waiters walking around. So this is where Ojou-sama's dine. She felt completely out of place. She saw Kuroko sitting and tapping her finger impatiently.
"Hope I didn't keep you waiting Shirai-san." She smiled good naturedly. Uiharu quickly noticed the young teleporter was looking at her strangely with bugged out eyes. "I-is something wrong?"
"You just look beautiful." Kuroko said in a quiet astonished tone. She wasn't used to seeing her friend in anything other than the rather bland conservative uniform of Sakuga school. "I mean for a girl who isn't onee-sama I guess." She quickly mentioned frantically. Tugging at her dress and playing with her fork while avoiding the flower girl's eyes.
Uiharu couldn't help but be disappointed at the second remark. Not wanting to cause any more fights within their group she held her biting tongue. "Oh um thank you... I guess."
Kuroko tetchily tapped her fingers on the table feeling an acute sense of awkwardness. Don't make things weird Shirai she told herself relentlessly.
While waiting for the waiter to come Uiharu broke the silence. "Look Shirai-san I'm sure this is as weird for you as it is for me but lets just treat this as a way to catch up, we haven't talked much these days outside of Judgement." Mostly due to a certain Railgun.
Kuroko let out a relieved sigh. "Yeah yeah it is pretty weird isn't it? Well umm lets see how you doing with your Ability?."
"Hmm okay I guess a little bit than my last result at least." Uiharu stated feeling insecure about her meagre powers.
"Well keep trying and don't get discouraged. I wasn't always a level 4 you know. So a new computer huh is the old one giving you that much trouble?"
Uiharu groaned. "I mean its fine Its just having a lot of hiccups, besides the new models much faster."
Kuroko raised an eyebrow. "Faster huh certainly wished I had something faster when I was trying to win the auction for that old Lethal Justice film. I was so close too!" Biting at a napkin in frustration.
Uiharu let out a small grin at the girl's most well kept secret. "Still into that old western stuff huh? You know that's not how judgement-" Kuroko interrupted. "I know I know but its so cool the way John Westwood blasts all the criminals away. Uh please don't tell onee-sama about all this, its uh not a very ladylike interest."
Uiharu shooed off her worries, she hadn't told anyone so far, she wasn't going to start anytime soon. "Relax Shirai-san I won't tell a soul. Oh hey the waiters finally arrived."
An older boy of say 18-9 with dark brown hair came over. "And what would the lovely miss and her... friend like tonight." Looking over Shirai-san's fine apparel with appraise and then giving the little level 1 a disgusted look.
Kuroko bristled at his remark, mentally berating herself as she forgot what kind of place this was and how ill treated someone like Uiharu would be here. "Um the lamb chops please Uiharu-san." She turned a worried gaze to Uiharu looking a little down who chirped up and taking a brief glance "I'll just have a salad." she offered weakly.
As the waiter went off to get their food. Kuroko asked with concern. "Uiharu are you okay? Sorry about that, idiot should be fired for such poor manners."
""I'm okay just forget my actual place in the world I guess."
Kuroko cringed at the self denigrating words. "Hey don't talk like that. Uiharu you know you mean more than that."
The two tried to ignore the hostile atmosphere and make small talk while their dinner arrived but they were both too acutely aware of the dark looks and mutterings of unpleasant words directed at Uiharu to really ignore them.
Things hit the nadir when a familiar looking Tokiwadai student one of Misaki's clique Kuroko believed made an insult about Uiharu eating like a barnyard animal when their food arrived. Kuroko her patience at its limit teleported a plate of the hot food atop the soon wailing girl's head and promptly teleported her and Uiharu a few blocks away before anybody realized what happened.
Uiharu looked around franticly at the sudden change in surroundings. "S-shirai-san what happened did you do that?"
"Of course I did and I'd do it again if I had the chance." She took Uiharu and began dragging her off to find some transport.
"But you didn't need to Shirai-san, I don't want to ruin your night!" Uiharu shouted as she struggled against her.
She took Uiharu's hands firmly in hers. "Uiharu my night was ruined when people started looking down on my best friend."
Uiharu quit struggling staring at the teleporter wide eyed. "Shirai...you really mean that?"
"Of course I do why would I lie about that." Kuroko replied incredulously. She shivered fitfully. This slinky thing isn't exactly made for a cold winter night. "Come on lets get home already." Uiharu followed her this time without complaint.
As the two walked away through the quiet city night Uiharu began taking notice of Kuroko's shivering likely due to the flimsy little dress she was wearing. Wordlessly she took a firm hold of Kuroko's arm and nestled her head in her shoulder.
Kuroko thought to protest the intimate looking gesture when she felt her body temperature start to raise. She suddenly felt so warm as if being held in her mothers arms.
As she looked at the smiling young girl cuddling up to her she felt something else something strangely familiar...
The two girls were completely unaware of a mischievous little level 0 who had been following them for a while recording the whole event. "Frigging adorable." She said lightly chuckling.