Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/1146949. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Underage Category: M/M, Multi Fandom: Kuroko_no_Basuke_|_Kuroko's_Basketball Relationship: Aomine_Daiki/Kise_Ryouta, Kagami_Taiga/Kise_Ryouta Character: Aomine_Daiki, Kagami_Taiga, Kise_Ryouta, Imayoshi_Shouichi, Momoi Satsuki, Kasamatsu_Yukio, Sakurai_Ryou, Kuroko_Tetsuya Additional Tags: aokise_-_Freeform, kagakise, aoki_-_Freeform, aokagakise_-_Freeform, Yaoi, Angst, Friends_With_Benefits, Love_Triangles, Unrequited_Love Stats: Published: 2014-01-21 Chapters: 8/? Words: 29758 ****** BFFs ****** by SYNdicate930 Summary AU. Feelings get in the way of everything. Especially when you're BFFs, or Best Fuck Friends. And when Kaijou is subject to damage after a thunderstorm one night, things begin to heat up as Kise transfers to Touou. AoKise. YAOI. Notes Before anything is said, this is taken from my FF.NET account under the same user, SYNdicate 930, unedited since posted on that account. OTL. ***** Chapter 1 ***** "So… Glad you called…" Grunted Aomine lowly. As sweat left his dark hair sticking to his temples, his fingers ran and tugged roughly at blonde locks demandingly. Seated on the floor on his knees, Kise pumped at the needy length slowly. Opening his heavy eyes just enough to peak down at Kise, he made sure to take in the appearance of the boy's flushed appearance, and the way his eyes were completely glazed over in overwhelming lust. Placing the tip of Aomine's erection to his lips, Kise licked at the pearly residue that flowed from the thin slit in excitement and anticipation. It sent a long groan floating from Aomine's lips. Giving the sensitive skin a little kiss, he give the head a harsh suck and hardened at the sound of the low groans that emitted from deep within Aomine's throat, that familiar bass sending small tremble's down his own body. With one hand to keep the blue haired teen's swollen length in place, Kise stroked himself slowly. His fingers danced across his shaft teasingly, and he couldn't repress a soft moan as he carefully pushed forwards to take in more of the ace. Kise made sure to pump whatever he was not able to take roughly, just like how he knew Aomine liked it. He sucked roughly as he pumped in time to the rhythm he jerked himself at. He used his position on his knees to spread his legs and reach a hand in between his supple thighs to his entrance, abandoning his teasing strokes to prepare himself for something much, much better. Using his precum as lube, Kise slowly pushed in one finger. He searched desperately for that special little spot that shot earthquake like shivers down his spine before greedily sleeping in a second finger. Sure, it hurt just a little, but he knew it would get better. It alwaysdid. As he fingered himself impatiently, he released Aomine's length with a noisy 'pop' to lick up and down the shaft. He put on a show as he licked and moaned wantonly against the ace's length. "Ahh… Aominecchi…" Pulling out his fingers slowly, he placed his palms against the insides of Aomine's thighs and groped and massaged slowly with his thumbs as he bobbed his head up and down. As he felt the head brush against the back of his throat, Kise moaned around the hot flesh, effectively sending pleasurable vibrations through the other boy's build. At the small stream of precum that Kise swallowed, he pulled the hard flesh from between his mouth and asked, with a little smirk tugging at the side of his mouth as he chuckled, lips brushing against the other boy's cock in an unintentionally teasing manner, "Huh? Is Aominecchi done already?" Aomine shot an aroused scowl down to the other boy. There was something about that overly mirthful laugh that came off as almost condescending to the boy, that it made him tug on Kise's soft locks roughly in a display of dominance. Bringing Kise up until they were at eye-level, a pained expression resting upon his otherwise happy face as he gripped at Aomine's wrist, willing the boy to release him, Aomine leaned forward to press his lips to Kise's. He licked at the corner of his mouth, collecting the white cum with his tongue, before forcing the boy's lips apart with a not so gentle bite on the blonde's lower lip. Kise took Aomine's tongue welcomingly as he moved to straddle the latter's waist. They groaned in unison as their erections brushed against one another and they settled for a slow rocking motion, bodies moving in a heated rush as tongues clashed wantonly and greedily. Aomine left no part of Kise's mouth untouched as the boy moaned and arched his body against him. He could feel Kise rub his arse against his member, signalling that he was waiting and more than ready for him. But, instead of reaching down with his hand to insert himself, he pulled Kise off and threw him onto the bed beside him. The blonde fell with a surprised yelp, and Aomine was on him like that the moment Kise's back connected with the broken in mattress. "Spread your legs." Instructed Aomine. Kise complied without so much as a complaint as he pulled his knees as far away from each other as possible. He looked up with anticipation circling his deep honey irises. The flush darkening Kise's pale skin, lack of coverage, vulgar position, and lewd expression on his face drove Aomine mad. He gripped his erection and stroked gently, afraid he might blow before the fun even started. With both his index and middle finger, he perched them upon Kise's lips. "Suck." He commanded, and Kise complied obediently once more. Sometimes Aomine wished he would be a little less submissive and refuse a little more. You know, put up a little fight or something. He did like challenges and the thrill of the chase, but that didn't seem to matter as he pulled his slicked fingers out and pressed into Kise's entrance swiftly and roughly, a cry filling his ears. He couldn't quite tell whether that moan was in satisfaction or discomfort, but he didn't have much time to weigh the possibilities as Kise whined. "What are you doing, Aominecchi? I already did thaaat…" Shoving his fingers into Kise's opening, he pushed his way through until he hit Kise's favorite little spot that sent stars flying across his vision and left his body shaking in pleasure. A surprisingly loud moan fell from Kise's parted lips as Aomine stretched him. Though he knew very well Kise was capable of handling all of him, where was the fun in that if he couldn't tease him a little? Ramming his fingers particularly sharply, he found himself almost unable to contain himself and his rapidly growing desire at the noises and face Kise was making. As he slowly added a third finger, Aomine reached up to play with Kise's neglected erection. He gripped the engorged flesh gently, and thumbed the head, moving in small circles before pressing down on the sensitive slit harshly. The stimulation from both areas was too much for the blonde to handle, that he bucked his hips and came with a piercing cry. A deep, long moan tore from his lips and Aomine pressed his this to Kise's to capture him in a kiss, his hand now pumping the blonde fast and dry. his fingers working their magic as they moved in and out and scissor'd in intense, rough movements. Removing his fingers and releasing his cock, digits now covered in Kise's cum, Aomine pulled away from the teen's lips to shove his dirtied fingers in place of his tongue. Their eyes suddenly locked, and Kise made sure to suck thoroughly, dipping his tongue in between his tanned digits to collect his seed as he moaned around them softly. "We better not be done here." Growled Aomine, a feral expression marring his otherwise blank face as he pulled his fingers out of the boys mouth to position his pulsing tip to Kise's opening. —-— The following morning, Kise woke up as rays of light streamed through the dusty white blinds beside Aomine's bed. With a yawn, he stretched his arms above his head. Back arching in a feline like manner, he heard a string of cracks from his stiff joints and grunted throatily. Waking up in the morning was one of the best feelings in the world for people like Kise, who was naturally full of life and bursting at the seams with energy. As light fell upon Aomine's closed eyes, Kise watched as the boy's face contorted before he rolled over and away from the sun's reach. Kise ran his eyes over the muscular expanse of Aomine's arms as they tugged for his bed sheets, wondering how it felt like to have them wrap around his body the way the soft blankets wrapped around the both of them; protective and warm. "Mm… I should probably leave before he wakes up." Kise mumbled to himself, and got up with a small ache in his bottom. There was a burning sensation in his thighs as he went around the small bedroom to retrieve his scattered clothes. He pulled his brightly colored briefs on quickly, and dressed in a hurry as he had school that morning and he was sure the train he took from Tokyo to Kanagawa was bound to leave without him if he didn't hurry. And if he missed that train, Kasamatsu would have his head for being late for school, too. Knowing him, Kise could imagine being scolded the way he always was and forced to do an extra thirty laps around Kaijou's outdoor track, and with the sore feeling in his thighs as he left the house, he was sure he would die after the first one or two laps. He probably wouldn't even make it to half a lap now that he thought about it as the rest of his body began to cramp up halfway to the station. Luckily for him, he made it just in time, squeezing in between the slowly closing automatic doors, and falling into the closest seat beside him. He slouched against the cushioned bench, running his hand through his hair with a sigh. The train was rather empty. Other than Kise, there were about seven other passengers. There was a couple sitting at the very end holding hands and talking to one another quietly. Kise frowned slightly, jealousy floating around like a heavy weight that pulled and tugged at his mood. He was never the type to ever be not in the mood, so he bit his lip and smiled when the boy and girl looked over to him. They smiled in return, and then went back to whatever they had been talking about. Kise found himself constantly having to avert his wandering eyes from looking in the direction of those two for the duration of the ride. He tried playing around with his phone, he tried listening to some music, he tried pretending he was looking through his school bag, and he even tried pretending to text. In the end, it seemed useless as he found himself looking once more through the corner of his eye. He wondered silently how it felt to hold hands and kiss on the cheek the way they did, and how different the sensation was compared to being held down and kissed everywhere but the lips or cheek. Did it feel better? Did it feel strange? He wouldn't know, and didn't have much time to try to figure it out as Kasamatsu stepped into the train. As usual, he looked serious, and greeted Kise with a surprisingly straight-faced, "You look horrible." "Do I really?" Was Kise's insecure response as he checked his reflection using his cellphone's tiny screen. He shifted his bangs a little, and checked for any other imperfections the way women did when they applied make up. He rotated his head to the left to scan one side of his face before doing the same with his other, and then reaching for his blonde hair and fixing it a second time. Kasamatsu poked him harshly in the stomach as he sat down on the bench beside him and said, "Stop it, that's annoying." Kise chuckled as he set his phone down in his pocket, "My bad, my bad." "But, did you wake up late or something? Your hair's kind of messy." Stated Kasamatsu as he looked over the other boy. His clothes were a little crumpled up, too, but nothing too bad or noticeable unless focused on and his blonde locks were bedridden and a little oily. He eyed the copycat from head to toe, and stopped as he noticed the boy's tie done up incorrectly. "Here, let me get that for you." "Thanks, senpai!" Kise may have had the looks of a model and even did photoshoots like a serious Hollywood big shot, but he wasn't at all serious. He was more carefree to the point where his immaturity and childish personality almost became a nuisance to others. Kasamatasu had learned that for someone who wore such expensive, fashionable clothes outside of school, Kise was horrible at ties. There were those occasional days where the boy would somehow manage by himself, but for the most part, Kasamatsu would have to tie it up for him on the train to school. One would think someone working in the industry Kise landed himself would have been capable of properly fixing a tie by himself. Just as he was about to do the last little tug, he noticed a dark bruise marring his friend's skin just below his collarbone. Kasamatsu had to blink a few times to make sure he wasn't just seeing things. "Is something the matter, senpai?" He shook his head and pulled. —-— "Where were you today during basketball practice?" Screeched Momoi. Aomine jerked the phone away from his ear and scowled at it as if the girl would somehow be able to see him and feel his wrath. Sitting up and taking a good look around, he realized he'd been sleeping in the nurse's office the whole time. He wondered how he ended up there, but figured he went to take a nap during class when the nurse left for the day. He had found himself waking up like that more often than one would assume. Turning over to kick his feet off the side of the bed, he pulled on his sneakers all the while listening to the peach haired girl scold him. Her voice rang in his ears like high-pitched chimes, and he wondered if she was capable of realizing how annoying she was sometimes. "You better not skip practice tomorrow!" "Yeah, yeah." Aomine cracked his back as he stretched, arching his body ever so slightly as he yawned. He picked up his school bag off the floor and exited the room tiredly. He nodded at the janitor he passed down the hall, and walked down the flight of stairs towards the front entrance. He replaced his school shoes with his own preferred sneakers, and slammed his cubby door shut. "You know I'm already good, so why go to practice?" "Because, you are a part of a team and a team is as strong as their weakest link—" "But I'm not at all a weak player, you know that." "Just come to practice tomorrow, for me, okay?" Asked Momoi in the tone of voice she knew left Aomine powerless against her. There was a long pause, and Aomine sighed heavily. "Fine, I'll go tomorrow, but you owe me." "How about we meet at Maji's? My treat." "Sounds good. See you." He hung up before she had the chance to say bye, and pushed open the front doors harshly. With the school year just starting, spring left flowers in bloom and sprouting beautifully in an array of cheerful colors all around him in the school yard. He passed through the large gates and, as he sauntered down the street a few minutes away from Touou, noted the way the cherry blossoms looked as they swayed in the breeze and the almost cliché anime appearance they gave off. He had to admit, spring was a very pretty season. The light colored petals that floated in the air reminded him a little of Momoi—Pink and gentle. As Aomine passed by a small garden, he noted the vibrant yellow of marigolds in his peripheral. He spared the flowers a quick glance, scared as if such a thing were forbidden. The plants reminded him of Kise—Lively and so happy and bright colored, Aomine swore they were smiling at him as they danced delicately in the gentle wind. With the weight of his messenger bag slowly growing more of a nuisance on his sore shoulder, he shifted it onto his other one, eyes still locked onto the flowers, mesmerized by the sight of them. It was only when he turned the corner that he was able to tear his focus away. He wondered silently what Kise was doing at the moment, knowing he was probably getting himself into trouble with that over the top personality of his. He did never seem to keep himself under control very well. Back in Teikou he'd been yelled at so much for his constant hyperactive little quirks Aomine swore the boy got off at getting yelled—which was semi-true, but that was irrelevant. He thought about how different Kise was in and out of the sack—the disobedient child of a trouble maker becoming silently and surprisingly compliant the moment the jerseys were off and replaced the each other's skin against theirs. With Kise occupying all of the attention he was capable of giving, Aomine continued absentmindedly to Maji's, his feet moving on their own until he found his hands raise themselves to push the heavy glass door and step into the brightly lit interior of the restaurant. The scent of freshly cooked French fries flooded his keen senses, and he began to search his pockets for some money. Maji's always had the ability of making him feel hungry. "Psst, over here!" His gaze shot towards the far corner. Sitting in a little booth with her cellphone out on the table, Momoi waved at him and motioned with both her hands to come over quickly. To her chagrin, blatant as her perfectly plucked brows furrowed together in annoyance, Aomine walked over to her as lazily as he had on the way to Maji's. She told him to hurry, but he ignored her easily. Dumping his bag into the seat in the booth across from Momoi, who crossed one leg over the other in that girlish way of hers, he sat down and leaned forwards to rest his head in his hand. He yawned openly, not caring enough to cover his mouth. It was just Momoi, after all. She didn't seem to care much, though, as she grabbed her pink mobile to return it to its safe place in her purse. Momoi hadn't ordered anything yet. She told him she wanted to wait for him before attempting to order something remotely healthy, and he told her how stupid it was of her, saying if he were waiting for her, he surely would have ordered something without any waiting at all. Momoi shrugged. She did offer to treat him, so it only made sense to order him his food along with hers. Or at least that's what she tried to explain to him. After they grabbed their plastic trays of food with small thank you's, they returned to their seat and began to eat. It was when Momoi left to use the girls' room after spilling a little ketch up on her skirt that Aomine pulled out his mobile to text a certain blonde. He was so focused on reaching him that he didn't even notice Momoi return, slipping into her seat across from him and scanning the little mark high on his jawline near his ear. The dark mark on his tanned skin screamed at her as she slowly took a bite of the long fry she held between her thin finger and thumb. She had known him long enough to notice little changes in his appearance; even something as hard to notice as a tiny hickey on his skin, the bruise nearly undetectable against his complexion. Surely such a thing would have been the talk of the school if his skin were considerably lighter. Aomine seemed to doubt her eyes as he hadn't even attempted to cover it up with a bandage or some make up. Momoi dropped her chin into her hand with a sigh as the other fed herself fries in a robotic manner, eyes focused on Aomine, who pressed send as quickly as he typed out his message. you down to meet later? ***** Chapter 2 ***** huh? again?  Σ( ゜ロ゜ ;)  eeeeeeh! thats the fifth day in a row! Aominecchi is a monster! is that a yes or a no? fiiiiine, i'll be there in half an hour! Rain began to fall the moment Aomine shoved his phone into his pocket in Maji's, a light drizzle looking more than okay as they continued to eat. It did not look like much, so they shrugged off the strange change in weather to continue their ever-lasting conversation about the one and only Kuroko Tetsuya. Aomine listened to his friend babble about the stoic boy in slight concern until they were somehow able to steer the conversation away from him. It was only until they threw out their garbage and dropped their empty trays atop the plastic bin that they noticed it get worse outside. It was strange considering how it never rained that harshly in the spring, only ever getting that bad every once in a while in the summer. Instead of waiting it out, Aomine and Momoi rushed out of Maji's before things could get worse. Luckily for them, she had an umbrella in her bag, and held it out for the two of them. It was a rather uncomfortable walk for Aomine, who walked with his back slouched in order to stay under the umbrella. With her living just down the block from him, they walked together the entire way to Aomine's house. They talked about many things, which was to be expected from someone as bubbly as Momoi. A few minutes into their conversation, they suddenly found themselves on the topic of Kuroko Tetsuya once more. Aomine had to repress a groan. It was only as of late that her feelings and situation had taken a turn for the worse as she grew to become sad over her unrequited feelings. When she became uncomfortably silent, Aomine spoke, reassuring her that if she did not end up with Kuroko, whether she wanted that or not, there would be someone who would feel the same way she did and return her feelings eventually. It was a bonding moment for the two, and now, as they stood at the front of Aomine's house, the rain soaking the bottoms of their shoes, they looked at each other. Her eyes were wide while his remained indifferent and tired. "Anyway, your house is right down there. Are you going okay?" Asked Aomine, who stepped out of the colorful umbrella's shelter and into the rain. He made sure to protect his cellphone by cupping it in his hand in his pocket, his other on her shoulder. She looked up at him with wide eyes and nodded, leaving without a word while a smile tugged at the corners of her lip gloss covered lips. Though he wasn't sure what exactly he meant by 'okay', she knew she was going to be. "Thank you, Dai-chan.~" She said under her breath as she trekked down the empty street, her bright pink umbrella growing smaller and smaller with every step she took. Aomine stood there in the rain, watching her until she stopped at the house at the very end of the street, open the rusty metal gate, and enter before heading indoors where he knew he was waiting. Walking towards his door, he noted the missing spare key he left on the siding atop the door, high enough that only people of Kise's height or taller would be able to reach (let alone even notice), and entered with a smirk. He kicked off his damp sneakers by the shoe rack on his right, catching the pricey looking shoes seated neatly on the bottom shelf, before making his way through the lightless living room and up the stairs to his room down the hall. There, sitting on the floor against his bed, Kise sat playing around with his fancy touch screen. Aomine watched as the blonde lifted his head from his lap to look at the eerie little creak of the door, slowly closing it as Kise got up to make his way towards him. "Hope I didn't keep you waiting too long, pretty boy." He closed the door behind him with a small 'click'. —-— Aomine's movements were harsh, rough, and uncaring. With trembling arms, Kise found himself barely capable of supporting his shaking body as Aomine continuously thrusted into him. Soft moans bounced off the walls of Aomine's room combined with the noise of skin hitting skin, raw, hard. On his hands and knees, begging for release, his pale complexion was a flustered red that shot blood rushing to Aomine's member every time the blonde looked over his shoulder at him. Drool ran down the side of Kise's mouth and his chin, cheeks tinted a deep crimson. "Hnn… Aominecchi… Harder…" His grip on the blonde's hips tightened considerably as he began to pull Kise's hips against his erection in time to meet his swift thrusts, resulting in louder, breathier cries that sent shivers down the ace's spine. Craning his head back, his body took over and he found himself drowning in the pleasure- filled screams of the teen beneath him, and the sinful heat sucking him as greedily as he forced himself in. When he looked down, his heavy eyes barely opening, he was met with Kise's lustful expression looking at him from over his toned shoulder. Slowing his movements just a tad, Aomine reached down to pull Kise towards him until his back connected with his muscular chest and then sped up. The blonde moaned, flushed, against him, his arms lifting to hold onto the teen behind him, as Aomine's hands ran over his pale body from behind. His calloused fingers groped at him, leaving no part of the blonde untouched or ignored, before stopping to tweak at Kise's sensitive nipples, playing with them between his thumb and index finger roughly and softly while his other hand slid downwards to take a hold of his hard need. Kise yelped before reaching down with one hand to stop him. Leaning his head to the side to look at him with his peripheral, he pleaded, between harsh pants and shaky groans, as Aomine continued to slam himself in and out, the sound of skin on skin driving his senses insane, "A-Aominecchi… N-Not there—ahh—I c- can't… Mm…!" A scream tore past Kise's lips as Aomine's hips accelerated into faster and harder thrusts while the hand that jerked on his erection quickened its pace. Butterflies filled the pit of Kise's stomach, his back arching as he moved in time to push back as Aomine thrusted, and forwards to meet with the hand that pumped at his front. The sensations from both areas left him begging for more of those spine tingling thrusts and strokes until he came crying out Aomine's name. Smirking, Aomine continued to ram into Kise and pump at his erection, letting the boy ride his orgasm out, his voice at its loudest if the night, and leaving him a sweaty, trembling mess as he fell backwards into the teen behind him weakly, his body still thrumming with excitement and his mouth hanging open. "Haah…" He groaned softly as Aomine pulled out of him and shifted around him on the bed. Kise watched as he lied on his back the way Aomine moved to rest his knees beside his face, and reach to tug his head towards his swollen cock. Obediently, the blonde got onto his knees and opened his mouth wide to take him in, a choking noise coming from the back of his throat as Aomine forced more of himself in. Kise pulled away with a small string of his saliva mixed with the other boy's cum connecting his abused mouth to the tip of his throbbing cock. "You're so c- cruel, Aominecchi." He chuckled a little, but Aomine said nothing, instead opting to push his face into his member. He frowned slightly at the silence he was given, but complied anyway as he parted his lips to bob his head up and down the large flesh until hot seed filled his throat and he swallowed. Aomine's fingers dug into Kise's sweaty hair, and his head rolled back as he groaned lowly, his orgasm rocking his body like an earthquake as he bucked his hips into Kise's mouth and shuddered. After he milked the teen dry, Kise felt a hand grab him by his chin to guide his moist lips to meet Aomine's. They're lips moved against one another, needy, yet exhausted, as the blonde toppled over Touou's ace, who held him by the back of his neck and hip. When they parted, Aomine pushed him away, leaving Kise to roll over onto his back a few inches away from him on the bed. The white sheets they lied on were dirtied and askew while their clothes littered the floor of Aomine's room, starting with Kise's expensive jacket he bought with the money he earned from modelling to his boxers next to the bed. Kise wasn't sure how long he'd been lying there staring at the ceiling with a dazed expression before being rejected when he tried to move closer to slip under Aomine's sheets and cuddle with the him. With a wide grin, he moved under the warm blanket and leaned his face closer, his breathing calming, but still irregular, "Aominecchi.~" "The Hell do you think you're doing?" Aomine raised a hand to push the boy away with a hard enough shove to send the boy rolling back to his spot on the edge of the bed. "You're supposed to leave now." A frowned tugged down at Kise's swollen lips lightly, but it wasn't enough to erase his playful smile. "Awh, Aominecchi, first you suddenly invite me over, and then decide to kick me out?" "That's how this goes." He rolled over to face the wall. Kise frowned full on at the teen's back through the dim lighting. "Don't let the door hit you on the way out." "How cruel!" Cried the blonde dramatically, comically. "What about yesterday? You let me stay over then!" "That was a one-time thing. Now, leave—" Before he could finish, the sound of rain dropping quickly escalated into a roaring of thunder and bright flash of lightning. Kise flinched, frightened and with a yelp, while Aomine sat up to look through his white blinds hanging on his window beside his bed. Unlike earlier, a strong wind picked up and blew the rain in every direction possible. The trees near by leaned and shook as the weather had its way with them, making it look unbearable and impossible to make it home safely through. Now, Aomine wasn't all that heartless to the point where he would force the innocent boy into a storm—Especially after fully satisfying his needs and blowing his expectations out of the water. As another burst of lightning exploded in the dark, rainy sky, he turned to look at the teen next to him and sighed. "As much as I'd rather you go home, it's absolute shit outside—" "So you're saying I can stay?" Asked Kise with an overly joyful tone that grated Aomine's ears. He watched him nod and practically threw himself at the teen. "Eek! Thank you, Aominecchi!" "Yeah, yeah. Spare blankets are in the closet down the hall, and you can borrow a pillow or something since the couch in the living room is pretty uncomfortable." Aomined replied with a long yawn as he fell back on his bed, curling up in his blankets with his back facing a pouting Kise. "Eh? Sleeping on the couch? Why can't I stay up here with you?" The last part slipped before he realized, and he brought a hand to cover his mouth in embarrassment. Aomine didn't seem to notice the disappointed expression cross Kise's face. He crawled off the bed with furrowed brows, disheartened. "Can I at least borrow a shirt or something to sleep in?" "You have your boxers." Kise frowned and slipped them on wordlessly. —-— While Aomine was sound asleep in his bed on the floor just above him, Kise tossed, and turned in the living room under the laundry scented sheets he found in the closet, shirtless, with nothing but his colorful boxers on. Though soft and lovely smelling, they were anything but warm, and he shivered ever so slightly as he buried his face into the pillow he stole from the teen's bed. He was cold, and he craved the familiar warmth of Aomine's body, wanting those muscular arms to wrap around him and hold him affectionately—Like he was more than just a play thing he could call upon whenever his hormones got the best of him. As thunder howled outside, scaring and catching Kise off guard with each monstrous boom, he willed his honey colored eyes shut and inhaled deeply. The pillow resting under his soft cheek smelled of Aomine, and he somehow fell asleep to the sound of heavy rain, explosions of strong thunder from areas he was sure were far away, and the familiar aroma he'd recognize just about anywhere. He willed himself to fall asleep with a smile, but found it just a tiny bit difficult to do so as he sighed to himself. When he woke up, the day and warm sunlight that flooded into the living room and kitchen was as beautifully enticing as the previous night's weather conditions looked and were horrible. As usual, Kise did a quick stretch, his joints cracking and his limbs stiff. He grunted as he rolled his head and shoulders, sighing in relief at the reminder that it was Saturday morning and he wouldn't have to worry himself sick about getting to school on time or dreading having basketball practice after yet another rough night. Then again, practice the other day wasn't at all as bad as he had expected it to be. In fact, Kasamatsu seemed to have gone incredulously easy on him in comparison to the usual tough-love training he was put through on a regular basis, not that he minded being yelled at since it was the only way Kise really listened, but still. With surprising familiarity, Kise made his way into the kitchen and grabbed himself something to eat from one of the cupboards near the dish washer. Placing a small bowl on the counter, he spilled a hefty amount of sugary cereal he found lying around in Aomine's impressive (but incredibly unhealthy) pantry before pouring a nice, even amount of milk from the fridge. As he leaned against the counter, bringing a spoonful of sweet cereal to his mouth, he checked the time on the clock hanging on the wall above the modest, circular table with two chairs seated on either end. Since Aomine's parents were rarely ever home, only ever staying the night in between their long business trips, the house gave Kise a homey, yet empty feeling every time he looked at the furniture meant for either one or two people, and lack of pictures of him and his family hanging on the empty walls. The ticking clock read 8:41 in the morning, and he was genuinely surprised that he was capable of waking up that early on the weekend without an alarm or anyone to shake him conscious. And for that, he rewarded himself with another bowl of cereal, and a mindless hour or so of watching cartoons on Aomine's TV in the living room. He curled up in the soft blankets he slept in, and watched with childish interest as Aomine strolled down the stairs at a quarter to ten. He entered the living room in nothing but a pair of dark, baggy sweats, and yawned openly. "Huh? What are you still doing here?" Inquired Aomine the moment he saw Kise, tired. Kise turned around to look at the teen behind him near the bottom of the staircase, admiring his view of Aomine's muscular abdomen and arms as he brought a hand to rub at the back of his neck while the other pulled the waistband of his sweats higher. The clothing, however, refused to cooperate, instead deciding to slide down the teen's body to reveal more tanned skin, tilted with one side slightly higher than the. "Good morning to you too, Aominecchi." Greeted Kise, masking his otherwise noticeable flustered expression with a childish pout. "I thought I'd have some breakfast or something." "Figures." "Why don't you join me and we can watch some cartoons and stuff!" Offered Kise energetically. "No thanks." Was all Aomine said before walking into the kitchen with another yawn. The boy was clearly not used to waking up this early. The dark bags under his eyes were a dead giveaway as Kise watched him move around over his shoulder, a tired slouch in his normally intimidating, strong posture. "What's Aominecchi doing up so early, anyway? Hey, here's an idea," He beamed. "Why don't we hang out?" "I can't." Aomine took a sip of at the cool glass of orange juice he poured himself. "Sastuki called me just now to go shopping with her in a bit." "Momoicchi?" Mumbled Kise under his breath. "Fuckin'… Who even wakes up this early—especially on Saturday…" Mumbled Aomine grumpily as he placed his empty glass into the sink and began to prepare himself some instant noodles. From his spot in the kitchen, he could see into living room perfectly and the TV that now played the ending theme to whatever kiddie show Kise had busied himself with while he was still upstairs. Raising his voice a little for Kise to hear him, Aomine asked, "Is there anything else on TV?" Kise began to surf through each channel silently until he came across a rather concerning story on the morning news. Seated behind a desk, the young newswoman said, "Kaijou High School located in the Kanagawa prefecture is now subject to repair after last night's storm in Tokyo. Until further notice, the school's damaged roofs and dangerous electric circuit and flooded basement are a large hazard and are said to be fixed immediately. It is still unknown how long it will be until it will be until Kaijou students are able to return without any dangers, but it is recommended that those attending this school are to transfer." In the kitchen behind him, Aomine listened idly as he finished cooking his noodles. He slipped them into a bowl and ate leaning against the counter beside the sink as he watched. Kise, however, watched with furrowed brows and a frown. The so called 'storm' had not seemed all that bad the other night, and he tried to recall the way the weather raged outside only to find himself drowning in the memories of his time spent during with the boy behind him. A blush rose to his face. The thought of moving schools did not seem to bother Kise as much as it would have to other people his age, seeing as he actually liked learning (thought he was never the best at remembering what exactly he was taught) and making friends came easily to him, but he still worried over what would happen to Kasamatsu and if they would still attend school together. They were friends, and Kise didn't like the thought of being away from his senpai he looked up to and cared for, like a young child unable to imagine being without his beloved father. Kise's phone vibrated on the coffee table in front of him. He picked it up quickly. Hey, did you see the news just now? yeah, uwaaaa this is horrible! oAo—! senpai what do you thinks going to happen now? (´Д ) I'm not sure, but my parents saw it and they're already looking into schools for me to transfer to. ehhh? really? what school are they thinking of sending you to? I'm not sure yet. Have you thought about where you'll go? i'm not sure yet either to be honest ヽ ( д ;) ノ  i'll go with wherever senpai goes Kasamatsu did not respond, and Kise looked away from his phone to find Aomine walking down from upstairs once more. He was pulling on a dark hoodie over his head, his skinny jeans hanging a little low on his hips, and sauntering lazily over to the door with a yawn. He looked over to Kise blankly and said, as he pulled on a large pair of black sneakers, "When you leave, make sure to lock up." "H-Huh? Where're you going?" He asked, his mind focused on his schooling and Kasamatsu. "I was thinking maybe we could hang out—" "I told you, I'm going out to see Satsuki." He said as he kneeled down to tie his shoelaces, giving them tough, tight tugs. "But if you're down to meet again later, take the spare key with you today; I'll be back around seven." Kise's frown deepened, and he was about to respond if it weren't for the way Aomine left without saying another word. The door swung shut behind him, and Kise could see the other boy walk out of the small gate and down the street from the living room window. ***** Chapter 3 ***** Just as he'd been instructed, Kise locked up after he left the house. Slipping on his shoes and making sure to turn off all the lights and Aomine's beloved flat screen, he used the spare key to lock the front door firmly. Kise walked down the small steps and down the pathway towards the metal gate. After he stepped out onto the street, he made sure to lock it as well. For a moment, he stared at the key. Should he take it with him, or chuck it over the gate and into his yard? Aomine did offer to see him later, so he decided it be best to keep it in case he decides to drop by for another night. The weather was much nicer in comparison to the previous night's storm. Various puddles lined the street and sidewalk, and the flowers and trees were still dripping with water. Kise hopped over a nearby puddle as he turned the corner and continued towards the train station in the city. He wondered what he could do to pass the time. For once, he didn't have any modeling work to do, and, truthfully, he wasn't all that sure how to handle a day off. He hadn't had much experience or time off like that in a long, long time. It was almost as if he'd forgotten how to relax. He fumbled a little with his scarf, trying to hide the little bites and dark spots around his collarbone and below his Adam's apple, as he sauntered slowly in the sunny weather. Though they made it a rule to not leave any marks in visible areas (i.e., upper throat or jaw), Aomine still seemed to just barely stay within the boundaries they had set. It was just like him to. For a bit, Kise wondered around aimlessly, feeling a tiny bit dirty for being stuck in yesterday's clothes. At least he took a shower after Aomine left while he had the chance, but it still felt like it wasn't enough. It always seemed to feel like that. While was able to wash away the remains of their numerous encounters, Kise had yet to find any sort of cleaner to completely wash Aomine away. As usual, there was always a sore feeling in his limbs that made him tired with each step he took. Not long after, Kise found himself walk down the street to Kasamatsu's house around noon with some cake he bought at a nearby bakery for him and his sweet mother and father. He decided instead of catching the train, he thought he'd pay a little visit. Hopping and avoiding the vast puddles in a childish manner, a tiny laugh spilling past his lips as he just missed, he continued down the street and then up the wet cement steps towards Kasamatsu's cozy little home. Ringing the doorbell, he waited and was soon enough greeted with his senpai. "Kise?" There seemed to be surprise in the boy's otherwise sleepy expression and voice. "What are you doing here?" "I thought I'd surprise you!" Replied Kise, cheerful, reaching forward to push the box of cake he'd bought into his arms. Kasamatsu fumbled with the beige box as Kise invited himself in. He slipped off his shoes, and walked into the familiar kitchen, grabbing two plates, forks, and a knife. Kasamatsu followed him with a tired yawn. He closed the door with his foot, and stepped into the kitchen, placing the box atop the kitchen counter and then saying, "What's with the cake?" "I don't know." Kise said truthfully. He'd bought it on a whim, really. He knew Kasamatsu had a little soft spot for sweets, and since he'd been working himself so hard the other day at practice, he figured he deserved a little something. He noted the pajamas Kasamatsu sported and the childish little designs on his baggy bottoms. Kise giggled a little. "Heh, nice PJ's." "Shut up." For the most part, the duo cut and ate the cake in silence with little chit chat here and there. The air felt unexpectedly tense. Kise figured it would be like this after the realization both hit them that they would eventually be parting ways and attending different high schools. Though Kise had said he would follow Kasamatsu to whatever school his parents decided on, it wasn't completely set in stone. He wondered where his parents were. They did work a lot, so they were probably busy making money for ends meet, not that they had ever had problems with money or finances in the past. They were almost like Aomine's parents—total workaholics. Though, they at least arrived home at the end of the day. As he brought to his mouth a forkful of cake, he wondered what growing up was like for Aomine. The more he thought about it, the more and more absent the boy's parents were in his memory, though Aomine never seemed to mind. Aomine was a naturally independent person after all. Kise stopped to think about what he would've been like if his parents were around more, but didn't let his attention linger on it for too long. He liked Aomine the way he was, as rude, inconsiderate, and harsh as he was. There was a daze look on his face as he continued to eat his cake, his movements robotic and dull from Kasamatsu's seat across the table. It was only when he waved a hand in front of Kise's absent honeys that he realized he was done with his cake, and was scooping forkfuls of nothing. "Ne, is something wrong?" Asked Kasamatsu worriedly. He placed his fork down on his plate carefully, looking over to his kouhai, with furrowed brows. "You seem… Out of it." "Eh?" Kise looked to him before averting his eyes to a spot on the wooden table beside his empty plate, bits of frosting left over as he brought his fork to poke at it. "You've been acting kind of weird for a while now, actually." Kasamatsu said aloud, his voice thoughtful and gentle as he bought a hand to grip his chin. "If anything's bothering you, you can always tell me, you know." "If something was wrong, of course I'd tell you." Kasamatsu sighed. "Say, after I get ready, why don't we head out? You never seem right when you're all cooped up." Kise couldn't help but laugh in agreement, and the two ate a little more before saving the rest. While Kasamatsu put away the remainder of the cake into the fridge, Kise loaded the dish washer with their plates and forks before heading upstairs a few steps behind him. He made sure to make it clear that he was not to touch anything while he showered; even going as far as shooting him a glare that sent unpleasant shivers down his spine. Kasamatsu received a nod, and then exited his bedroom towards the bathroom just down the narrow, dimly lit hall. Kise heard the sound of the shower turning on, and fell back onto the boy's neatly made bed with a yawn. It wasn't until he let himself rest that he realized how much his thighs had been aching. He rolled around several times until he found a comfortable position on his side facing the door. "Stupid Aominecchi…" He whined to himself aloud and then sighed, his annoyed tone softening into something along the lines of someone who had been discouraged. "Stupid… stupid Aominecchi." Before he knew it, he fell asleep. Curling up into a little ball he tossed and turned in his sleep. Kasamatsu returned with a towel around his shoulders to see the blonde's unconscious figure fast asleep, his pretty face calm and angelic. He didn't have the heart to wake him up quite yet, so he went about his room in search of his cell phone as he dried his damp raven locks with his towel vigorously. After one last pat, he stopped and crouched in front of the bed. "Oi, Kise, wake up." He called out to him in a surprisingly gentle voice, as if he were speaking to a young child instead of the handsome young man that lay before him. "Kise, wake up." Placing a hand on his shoulder, he gave the blonde a soft shake and watched as he sat up, eyes exhausted and half-lidded. Kise looked around, disoriented, as if lost. "Huh? Where am I?" "You're at my house." Replied Kasamatsu. "I can't believe you fell asleep. I wasn't even in there that long." Kise said nothing, instead opting to yawn. He lifted his scarf absentmindedly to cover his mouth, and then to rub at his sleepy golds. Kasamatsu found himself staring up at several dark bruise lining his pale collarbone and Adam's apple but remained silent and worried. "Eh? What are you looking at, senpai?" He shook his head and stood up. "Nothing." —-— Aomine didn't see Kise that night. He didn't think of it as much the following night, either. They had met up several times that week, anyway, so he probably needed some time off to catch up on homework or to rest, or whatever Kise did. He didn't give his absence much thought. What he did was not of Aomine's concern, and vice versa. Though, Aomine hadn't had it in what he considered a 'long time', and he was starting to get a little irritable. He needed relief. Waking up Monday morning the following week, Aomine stretched his arms over his head. As much as he didn't want to, he found himself getting dressed for school all the while ignoring Momoi's incessant calls and texts reminding him to wake up. He snorted at how irresponsible she thought of him to be—Thinking that he wouldn't even be able to get up on his own… Which was partly true, seeing as the only thing that woke him up was the harsh cold, hard feel of his wooden floor as he rolled off his mattress in an unconscious, mumbling mess tangled in a warm embrace of sheets. In the bathroom, he splashed cold water into his face. This woke him up completely as he suddenly realized that, yes, he was awake, standing, and fully dressed. After he wiped off his face with a towel he dumped it onto the floor as he walked out his room, dragging along with him his bag in one hand while his other held his phone as he texted back Momoi lazily. She always got antsy whenever he didn't reply to her right away. Calm down im awake stop calling Good morning Dai-chaaan! Are we walking together todaay? sure i guess, let me eat something for breakfast ill come over when im done Okaaaay~ See you then! As usual, the kitchen is empty. His parents were still gone away on their trips, his mother away somewhere far like America, while his father was somewhere relatively close like China. Sure, China was still far, but nowhere near as far as the US. Or, at least he was sure America was further away. He wasn't all that sure. While wide awake, his brain had yet to do the same. Making himself two slices of toast and covering them with a hefty amount of chocolate spread, he took it down with a large mug of cold, refreshing milk with a sigh. He liked cold drinks, especially in the morning. He wiped away the tiny milk-moustache with the back of his hand, and returned to his bathroom to brush his teeth. He brushed his teeth thoroughly, and gargled with some green mouthwash, and then flossed. His mornings usually went like this—if he ever actually decided to get up for school—boring, and lonely, but he didn't mind it. He was a lone wolf, and the company of others only seemed to be a burden. Momoi seemed to be the only exception to this way of thinking, seeing as he had developed this mindset after they became friends with an inseparable bond. Lone wolf or not, he wouldn't abandon his own flesh and blood, even if she wasn't technically his sister. Though, she might as well have been. Slipping on his sneakers, he made sure to lock the front door. After he removed the key, he gave the metal knob a harsh pull and twist. It was locked. The weather outside was a little chilly, but Aomine was sure it would warm up in the afternoon. It always did. On his way to Momoi's house, he noticed the street looking much more cleared and cleaned up, all the struck down branches from last week's storm now disposed of and broken power lines now up and running. When he reached her house, he pushed through the gate and rang the bell. Quickly, the door opened, and they walked together. As usual, Momoi talked and talked and talked. She talked about how long it did to do her hair, and how her mother was being fussy about it. Aomine understood why, though. The girl always spent an enormous amount of time on her appearance, which was something he never fully wrapped his head around. She was beautiful—One of the most beautiful girls he'd ever seen, and he hated seeing such a pretty girl be so insecure. Speaking as someone who genuinely found her physically appealing, he told her this, as platonically as possible, and in that casual laziness he often spoke in. For some reason, she didn't seem to believe him, and this seemed to irritate him. "You're being so stupid." Said Aomine, adjusting the strap of his bag on his shoulder. "Eh!? Dai-chan, that's rude!" She fumed, her little hands balled up in tight fists at her side. She raised them to hit his arm, but he continued walking, not even so much as batting a lash at her weak attempts at scolding him. "Take it back!" "No." He shrugged, a blow to his upper arm. "It's true, though. You're fine the way you are. Don't see what you're so worked up over your appearance nowadays." "But you never know—What if I run into Tetsu-kun?" "You look fine, so quit whining. God, you'd think someone as pretty as you wouldn't be this damn obsessed and worried over the way she looks." This shut her up completely, and he wondered why he hadn't said that earlier. Momoi bit her lip and they looked at each other. Truthfully, she did feel a little better after being so concerned over her hair that day and she grinned up at him, more thankful than she was happy. "Leave it to Dai-chan to lift my mood." When they arrive at school, they part ways to go to their lockers and change into their school shoes. After tapping the toes of his against the floor, he walks over to where Momoi's locker is quickly. He found her sitting on the little bench between two aisles of lockers, talking to Sakurai, the scared little brunette of Touou's basketball team. Aomine can't remember what position he plays, but he does remember him for those quick-release shots of his. The two made eye contact, and Sakurai bent at the waist, bowing as he apologized. "I-I'm sorry!" He shouted before scurrying off. Aomine never understood why the boy was always like that; always saying sorry over nothing as if he'd always been in the wrong. It was kind of sad, now that he thought about it. "But not sad enough to make me care." He flopped down onto the wooden bench beside Momoi, who quickly tied her shoes to look at him with an ecstatic little sparkle in her eye as she spoke. "I have a feeling today is going to be great!" The little tip in her voice that sent it spiralling and ringing with an almost uncontrollable excitement made Aomine furrow his brows questioningly. "What are you talking about?" "You'll see.~" She practically sung. When her other friends arrived, she apologized before leaving him to talk to them just a few minutes before the bell. Upstairs, the sun poured through the large, wide windows that lined the wall to his right. He gave the little billboard on his left a quick glance, skimming for any sign that may have interested him, but walked away, empty handed and bored. Though arriving to school on time, Aomine somehow found a way to be ten minutes late for class. Turning the corner and going down the long corridor, there was a crowd of boys and girls peeking through the ajar door, whispering and speaking amongst one another in hushed tones. His curiosity was piqued as he soon as he realized they were looking into his classroom. Stopping beside the now silent crowd, he asked, casually, and loudly, "Oi, what are you all looking at?" "The new boy." Responded one of the girls after a short pause. "'New boy'?" He repeated aloud, more to himself as he craned his neck to the side. Looking into the classroom, he saw his teacher walking towards him with a small frown. Aomine wasn't fazed at all as he frowned in return. There was a tiny smirk, but nothing to obvious. "Yo, Katsuhara-sensei." "You're late." "I know." Aomine responded, bored and plainly. "So what'cha up to?" "We were just looking for volunteers to help show a new student around during this study period." Aomine hadn't listened at all, his teacher's voice playing softly in the back of his head as he looked over the middle-aged man to the boy standing in front of the blackboard behind him. Aomine sighed, he'd been looking for relief, and it turned out to be waiting in class for him—"How unexpected." His dark eyes met a pair of wide, surprised honeys. "Aominecchi?" ***** Chapter 4 ***** The day it started, the first thing Aomine had told Kise was, "You're only asking for trouble." And he was. He knew very well what he was getting himself into, and he'd brought it upon himself. Kise could vaguely remember the moment things went from shared looks across the gym and locker room, to touching when no one was around; an unbearable desire that grew larger and larger the longer it went unspoken of during their days at Teikou. Little winks and lick of the lips across the room to one another, making the other squirm and cross their legs in class. There was an undeniable lust—a craving for one another they swept under the rug, neither ever daring to acknowledge it until, one day, the two ran each other during the summer break they graduated from middle school. Aomine was walking home from Maji's, or at least , for as long as he could, when he bumped into Kise, who'd been in the area on the way back from a photo shoot in the rain. Like any normal person, Aomine ran into the nearest bus shelter to take cover as it began to pour heavily, and rummaged through his pockets and back pack for any spare change or his bus pass. Even for someone as uncaring as him, he didn't want to return home soaked and risk catching a cold. Hah. A cold—It would have been just what he needed to start off the summer with. To be cooped up, sick and delirious when he should've been living it up before high school started? Now, that wasn't appealing at all. Not to mention the thought of having Momoi sleep over just to take care of him sounded like far too much work on his part than it would have been on her part. He always did wonder how he became friends with someone as high-maintenance as her. As he waited for the rain to stop or calm down enough for him to run through, he noticed a dark limo pull onto the side of the road in front of the shelter. Looking through the clear glass barrier that shielded him from the puddle the expensive car drove straight into, Aomine flinching ever so slightly as the water splashed upwards against the glass, he peered into the tinted car window, his dark eyes squinting. He couldn't see a damned thing until the dirty puddle water slid down the glass and the dark screen rolled down to reveal a familiar face. Sitting there, decked out in pricey clothes, honey eyes glittering in such gloomy weather, Kise called Aomine over as he waved. Rising a brow, he stayed in place, refusing to budge the slightest inch. If he had to tell him something, Aomine was sure he could have heard it from inside the shelter. Not to mention no one else seemed to be around if the blonde planned on revealing some sort of secret, and Aomine wasn't surprised. Only anidiot would come outside after it started raining. Aomine shook his head and watched as the blonde's lower lip jutted out in a pout. "Come here!" "Why? I can here you perfectly fine from here." Countered Aomine. "Awh, c'mon, Aominecchi, come here!" But still, Kise called to him. He motioned for him with a long finger to come near, and Aomine shook his head once more. "What is it?" Asked Aomine, his voice loud enough for Kise to hear him through the rain and distance, the sound of pouring rain thick and noisy. "Did you need something?" Kise chuckled lightly. "More like you need something—A ride. Where you headed?" —-— Aomine and Kise had completely forgotten about the tour around Touou; instead opting to make up the time away from each other in the nurse's office. Because Aomine often skipped classes, and he knew the nurse's schedule like the back of his hand. Good thing for him; right now was her break, and she usually spent it in the staff room on the first floor with the other teachers. As rays of sun flooded through the thin white blinds, there was the low humming of the lights and eerie emptiness of the room and small beds. Aomine found it calming and relaxing. He'd spent so much time in the nurse's office during her breaks; he had found comfort in those familiar white walls that encase him and Kise. "Hnn… It's been a while, ne?" Aomine bit his lip with a satisfied sigh, Kise humming in agreement as he shifts a little on his knees, the tile floor harsh and uncomfortable against them. "Ne, Aominecchi… My knees hurt." "Huh, I thought you'd be used to this by now." "Eh? How rude!" Classes were still in session. Some students were studying hard, while others slept behind their books, pretending to listen to whatever drabble fell from their teacher's mouths. It was another half an hour before lunch, anyway, and that called for bearing with it in whatever way possible until the bell went off. Only a few students carrying heavy books and boxes were in the otherwise empty hall, bringing back the things their teachers had requested obediently, as they chatted to each other animatedly. Quietly, the sounds of lewd slurping and low groaning can almost be heard as they made their way down the wall. Momoi thought she heard Aomine's voice, but shook her head as she adjusted the textbooks in her arms. It couldn't be him—His class was all the way on the other end of the school. "No, it can't be." She giggled to herself lightly as she continues her way back to class with her peers. She must be hearing things. "Right?" Meanwhile, running his hands through Kise's hair, Aomine gave an encouraging tug, pulling on the lightly colored strands harshly. Aomine licked his lips and gave a nod of approval as Kise dragged his tongue from the base to the tip of the former's cock, the unique taste of precum on his taste buds and a playful moan falling from his lips. Aomine shuddered and rolled his hips into Kise's awaiting mouth impatiently. He couldn't wait or sit through the model's teasing—He needed release, and he needed it now. Aomine could hear the far off ticking of the clock hanging above the banged up white door, its pace even and steady like the bobbing of Kise's head. How long have they been in there? Aomine wasn't even sure. They had ditched the tour the moment they came across the nurse's office on the other side of the school. All it took were a few suggestive looks and a hand around Kise's hips that brought the blonde practically begging to be taken. It was almost funny how a couple of sex-less days could make Kise want him this much and vice versa. Opening his eyes, Aomine peered down at Kise, whose bright honeys stared back wantonly, a sinful little gleam telling him he wanted this just as much as Aomine did. Kise forced the cock past his mouth and into his throat where he proceeded to moan, the vibrations sending a shiver down Aomine's spine and left his hips bucking. The blonde gagged and the sound aroused Aomine further, thrusting his hips upward as the hand threaded into the blonde hair kept his head in place. Kise tried to keep up, tears forming in his eyes from all the concentration and sudden movement on Aomine's part. He opened his mouth wider and hollowed his cheeks, letting the cock slide in and out freely and easily, while he played with his own erection. Kise slid his hand up and down, giving rough and gentle tugs the way he knew Aomine would, his face turning a dark red as he convinced himself; it's not his hand, it's Aomine's. Kise's practically choked after a particularly deep thrust, his eyes widening, his pumping growing quicker and harsher. The sound of Kise gagging and struggling was delicious and Aomine could no longer help himself as he pulled out and released. The blonde pumped Aomine dry onto his face, and himself onto the cold floor, pearly liquid rolling down the corners of Kise's mouth and down his chin as he gasped for air. He stuck his tongue out and began to lap at Aomine's seed for show, his face growing redder and more flustered by the second. Aomine bit his lip with a low, satisfied hum and Kise grinned up at him. "So? How was that?" Reaching down, Aomine cupped his cheek roughly and smeared the cum on Kise's cheek across his soft skin with a smirk. "What do you think?" As Kise laughs, Aomine moves him onto the bed. Kise's uniform is practically torn off, flying across the room and onto the floor. Loosening his necktie, Aomine unbuttoned his own shirt and slipped off his black school jacket. Things were getting hot, and so was he. He was still in the mood, and Kise didn't seem to be putting up any protests. Spreading Kise's legs, he shoved his fingers into the teen's mouth with a smirk, who took the long digits with a welcoming hum. Only an idiot wouldn't know what came next. —-— They rode in absolute silence. The radio played softly in the background, the sound of rain hitting the pavement and exterior of the limo drowning out the pop-ish beat as it grew heavier and heavier. Aomine ran a hand through his wet hair, as he looked out the window. Kise was glad he had accepted the ride instead of wait outside. It looked horrible—Any longer, and Kise was sure he would have surely been washed away. Kise watched from his seat across from Aomine as the boy sat in his street clothes uncomfortably, squirming against the leather surface of his seat in an attempt to find a pleasant position. His backpack was dropped onto the aisle between their opposing seats beside Kise's and the two shared a look. Kise smiled over at him, his eyes bright and energetic as usual, and his expression welcoming. Aomine didn't return it, instead keeping his face lax and stoic. It was a little strange. The first time he'd ever met Aomine, he was smiling and Kise was the one looking bored. Funny how things could change like that, huh? It was just during one of their games where he'd begun losing that sort of excitement in his dark eyes, but Aomine would always be Aomine, and they would always be friends. Leaning into his seat comfortably, he entertained the thought a little; Kise liked the thought of always having Aomine around, his friendship dear and precious. However, he'd been starting to see Aomine in a different sort of light. Kise took the chance as Aomine turned to look out the window to glance over at him through his peripheral and admire the boy's choice of clothes. Truthfully, he'd never seen Aomine out of their Teikou uniform before, and it never occurred to him that he actually owned other clothes and had his own style and preference until then. Dressed in a pair of faded black jeans, his favorite dark Nikes, and a regular t-shirt, Kise came to the conclusion that, while it personally wasn't what he would have chosen to wear, he liked the way it suited him. It was plain and simple, just like Aomine. "He looks really nicer when he's dressed as himself. Aominecchi's actually really attractive…" He thought to himself, eyes trailing from Aomine's pants to his shirt, the wet fabric clinging to his every line as he struggled to find a comfortable way to sit. The model caught himself staring a little longer than he should be, and his eyes dart downward towards the floor, his brows furrowed. He felt a little guilty because they were just friends, and he shouldn't be thinking like that. But he couldn't help it—the way he felt—and apparently neither did Aomine, who reached over to place a hand on the blonde's thigh. His touch was warm despite having been stuck out in the poor weather, and his fingers dip between his thighs, groping between Kise's legs as his face went pink and he shuddered. "I saw you staring at me." He said, chuckling knowingly. Kise blushed in embarrassment. Aomine's wandering hand, that drifted from the inside of his thighs from his knee, upward, did nothing to help his already heated cheeks. With Aomine's thumb moving in soft little swipes, while his long fingers groped and squeezed, making Kise's knees close, trapping the other boy's hand, Aomine said, "Oi, my hand—It's stuck." "S-Sorry…" Kise mumbled shyly as he spread his legs to release the boy, but, to his surprise, Aomine used this to his advantage to find a place on his knees between the blonde's legs. He towered over the blonde in his low seat with his back slouched forwards, careful not to bump his head against the roof of the car. Kise's already flushed cheeks flourished into an even fiercer blush, reaching as far as his neck as he gulped nervously; it's things like this that mess with his head and his ever-changing, but equally confusing feelings. "A- Aominecchi?" "Mm…?" Said boy's hand came to rest on the seat beside Kise's thighs as he leaned even closer, his lips a mere inch from the blonde's. Kise was so sure if he got any closer, he would be able to hear the nervous thudding of his heart against his chest. "Ne, your face is all red." Aomine stated flatly, moving away slightly and reaching up to poke the model's cheek. "N-No, you don't s-say." Kise stuttered awkwardly, too focused on the close proximity than his words and the sound of a belt buckle being undone. "Aominecchi, what are you doing—" "Don't play innocent." The power forward cut in, his low voice effectively silencing Kise, who squirmed around in his seat trying to replace the distance between them; this only proved to be futile as the further away Kise moved, the closer Aomine advanced, an animal slowly closing in on its prey. His hand trailed from the boy's warm cheek, down to cup his chin, forcing their eyes to meet when Kise turned his head to look away timidly. "Oi, don't play shy with me now." "W-What do you mean—" "You started it. We've touched and done all this stuff in the locker room already, what makes this any different? We aren't even doing anything." The question leaves Kise inquisitive. He had done a little more than he was willing to admit to Aomine's face; even things he never thought he would have been able to do. The memories and thoughts made him shudder under the power forward. The almost playful expression in Aomine's voice coupled with the way his hand dropped to run over Kise's shirt, tracing over his muscles through the fabric, moving teasingly and feather-light as he went over Kise's nipples, making him hiss through gritted teeth, to the end of his top. Aomine tugged it upwards to reveal the delicious pale skin of Kise's abs and toned torso. Kise gulped, suddenly feeling more exposed to him than he ever had in the showers at school. "What are you—Okay, y-yeah, I guess, but—" "But what?" Kise had never seen or heard Aomine this impatient before, all traces of playfulness in his voice gone. The way Aomine looked at him expectantly, and the needy expression in his voice as if begging for more—It caught Kise off guard. "I know you want me as much as I want you." "Aominecchi, don't say such embarrassing things!" Kise brought his index finger to his lips as if to shush him, his eyes flying towards the front of the limo. In a hushed tone, he stuttered out, "My d-driver can hear you!" Despite this, Aomine continued, his voice louder if anything to spite Kise. "You aren't denying it." "Er… I…" "I'm tired of playing around with you. Do you want me or not?" "I guess you've made a point." Kise tried masking the confusion that clouded his heart and judgement with an over-confident smirk, and a playful coo, his expression and aura changing completely. He can't let Aomine see his uncertainty. "I think I've made it apparent these past few months, haven't I?" "Like I've said before, 'you're only asking for trouble.'" Aomine countered with a smirk of his own and he chuckled as he leaned down to press their foreheads together. "It's too late for you to back out now." With his heart pounding erratically, Kise brought a hand up to cup Aomine's face. "Who said I want out?" —-— Standing up, Aomine fixed himself, wiping the sweat at his hairline with the back of his hand before he reached to tuck himself back into his boxers. He could hear the sound of Kise shifting around on the mattress as he hopped off to retrieve his clothes. He saw Kise slipping on his boxers and trousers before making his way around to the other side of the bed to fetch his shirt and blazer. The small limp in his steps made Aomine snort as he watched Kise walk over to wash his face at the sink behind the nurse's desk, splashing cold water into his face, cooling his senses. It was actually quite funny. While Aomine zipped and button up his dark slacks, Kise stepped towards him as he turned off the faucet. His arms came to rest on Aomine's shoulders and he leaned close, his voice hushed, almost as if he were about to reveal a secret, as he smiled from ear to ear. It had been a while since Aomine had last saw him, and he'd almost miss seeing the boy smile like that. Almost. But maybe it was because of the lewd flush that still lingered on his pale face and heavy panting through his parted lips as they both tried to calm their breathes. "Haha, I can't believe we just did that!" He sounded surprised and secretive and breathless, doing the best he could to keep his voice low in fear of being caught. "Ne, Aominecchi, do you want to meet up later?" Aomine smirked. "Oh? Did you want more?" "No, not like that!" Replied Kise, shaking his head fast. "I mean, you know, hang out. Catch a movie at the mall or something?" "This sounds like a date." Commented Aomine flatly, his hands hanging off to his sides, no intention of holding Kise as he leaned closer, almost begging for him to. But Aomine won't. He refused to. Tilting his head, a bashful tone in his voice, Kise continued, "Maybe it could be a date? You know, if that's what you want—" "Oh, funny. You know what I want." Aomine cut him off so sharply, Kise flinched at the finality in his voice. "All I want is physical. So, unless you plan on fucking in whatever movie theatre you have in mind, then I'm going to have to say no." Aomine stepped back and Kise's arms fell loosely, like lifeless noodles that flopped down to his sides. Aomine didn't notice the disappointed glimmer in Kise's eyes as his attention fell toward the floor wordlessly. It was an awkward silence as Aomine crossed his arms and Kise stepped back. What could Kise have said? What could Aomine have said? There was no right thing to say, so, shuffling his feet in an awkward manner, Kise shot his eyes upward to look Aomine in the eye. His lips quirked up into an uncomfortably forced smile, a heavy weight around his heart as he said, "Well, that's okay! Maybe some other time—" He is interrupted by the shrill noise of the lunch bell going off. "We should probably head back now. If Katsuhara-sensei asks, I showed you around campus, got it?" Kise nodded as he followed Aomine out of the door, his shoulders slouched forward discouragingly as he slides it shut behind him. They make it a few steps away before there is a voice from behind. "Oi, Kise?" He looked over his shoulder. "Eh, senpai?" Kasamatsu jogged over to Kise, quickly dodging students as they step out of their classes, to inspect the boy with a hint of concern. Kise shrunk under his senpai's gaze with a gulp. "Is something the matter?" "I should be asking you that." "Huh?" "You just came out of the nurse's office." Kasamatsu pointed to the little sign above the door behind him. "What kind of accident did you get yourself into? The first day hasn't even ended yet." Kise sighed in relief. Thinking he'd gone and hurt himself was much, much better than knowing the truth, and it showed a little as the blonde's tensed shoulders eased. "What happened to you?" Kasamatsu asked. The model offered him a reassuring smile. It was nice seeing him worry like that; he looked up to him for a reason. "Nothing, Aominecchi was just showing me around, isn't that right?" Kise looked behind him, and Aomine was already gone. Meanwhile, all Kasamatsu could focus on was the blonde's crumpled uniform, flustered demeanor, and breathlessness lining his every word. He furrowed his brows. "Something's definitely up." ***** Chapter 5 ***** "Eh? Senpai, why didn't you tell me you were going to Touou when I told you I was?" Kise asked curiously, seated comfortably against the safety bars around the roof of the school. They were having lunch together. Or, at least Kasamatsu was having lunch. His bento box was filled to the brim with more food than he was capable of eating by himself. It had been tradition since they first became friends that he made and brought extra to feed the both of them. Kise was always so forgetful. Rarely did he ever remember to bring a lunch as he seemed to always be in a hurry in the morning. Kasamatsu didn't mind, though. While he would never openly admit it, he took lots of pride in the fact that someone like Kise, who ate out at fancy restaurants on a regular basis, liked his cooking. Swallowing a piece of broccoli, he said, "I thought I would surprise you." "You're so mean!" Kise whined, bringing his hands up to shake the other teen by his shoulder frantically. "I was so worried I wouldn't get to see senpai anymore!" Kasamatsu was not fazed at all by Kise as he brought a piece of stir-fried broccoli to the blonde's lips as if to silence him. If he had a choice, he would have loved to have lunch without the boy's whining. "Well, we get to see each other now that we're at Touou together. Now, say 'ah.'" Kise shot what he would call a 'glare'. His amber honey-colored eyes were squinted and his lips were forced downwards into a tight frown. It was obvious that he was trying to refrain from laughter as it would disrupt the seriousness he tried to hold himself in. He refused to give in, but the scent of Kasamatsu's food was much too tempting to resist. Under his breath, Kise mumbled petulantly. "Fine." And then he parted his lips to take the offered food. Kise was never one to stay mad, or even be angry with anyone, really. Lunch went by fast and in their usual manner. Kise babbled on about how he understood his school work better than he'd expected; thinking Touou's academic program would be much tougher than that of Kaijou's when in reality, it was the same. It felt a little freer than at Kaijou, but it was still all the same. Kise spoke about his classmates as well, and the various people he met. Most of them appeared to be girls. Kasamatsu had heard Kise's two cents about fans before many times in the past, but he listened carefully regardless. Kasamatsu nodded every now and then, and threw a few comments at whatever he found interesting, creepy, and more or less questionable. It made him glad he didn't have any 'fangirls.' He couldn't help but wonder how Kise could be so casual about it. Just hearing about it made Kasamatsu shift a little on the spot. The sun behind them was hot, seated in a clear blue sky. The deep cerulean over head was endless and so far out of their reach, it looked just a little within reach as Kasamatsu leaned his head against the metal rails. It was surprising to see that they were the only two on the roof; what with the incredibly enticing weather. But he was glad. It felt as if he hadn't had time alone with Kise for a while. Kasamatsu missed the sincere warmth he could not find in anyone else. Pursing his lips, he pressed on the lid of his now empty bento box thoughtfully. A breeze picked up from behind them. It was rather hot out. The soft wind was cool and refreshing. To his right, Kise grabbed the collar of his shirt and fanned himself as he spoke. "That was Aomine, right?" Asked Kasamatsu. "Huh?" Kise had just been in the middle of explaining a few lines in English he had learned that morning. He waited a second for the question to sink in before nodding. "Yepp, that was Aominecchi!" His eyes began to shine and his lips quirked upward into a wide grin. Kasamatsu was taken aback by the sudden burst of enthusiasm. "Why were you two in the nurse's office? Something happen?" He noted the way Kise's eyes widen. "Why were we in there?" "Yeah." Kasamatsu worried over him more than he would have ever liked to confess. He wasn't comfortable or used to being as straight-forward as Kise when it came to his feelings. After all, the senpai always had to look out for the kouhai, right? Or, at least the leader in him told him so. And the way Kise seemed to squirm uncomfortably wasn't helping Kasamatsu's growing concern. "Well, that's because—" "Sheesh, did you go and hurt yourself already?" Chimed in Kasamatsu insincerely and suspiciously. He decided to let it go. He was probably assuming the worse over nothing. This made Kise seem to relax a little, his stiff shoulders loosening just a smidgen. "He was giving me a little tour. And when we just took me to the nurse's office, I decided to go in a take a band-aid." He said. "You see, I pricked my finger on a stack of paper while I was passing it to the girl behind me." "You don't say? That's just like you." Kasamatsu glanced over to Kise's fingers. There was no band-aid. He averted his eyes immediately. He knew Kise was a horrible liar, but just what was he hiding? Kasamatsu couldn't help but wonder. "Yeah… Haha." Raising a hand, Kise chuckled uncomfortably as he rubbed the back of his neck with a nod. "I should've expected something like that out of you." "What can I say? I can't help it." He continued to chuckle, trying to hide a lie with a charming grin. —–— "Isn't that funny, ne, Dai-chain?" Momoi giggled uncontrollably, her cheeks reddening. "I swear I heard Kise in there with you and you two were doing… err… you know." She lifted her hands to cover her flustered cheeks. It was silly, but Aomine wasn't reacting at all. In fact, with the way he stood there silently, she could've sworn it was true. She shook her head. If he were up to something, surely she would have been told. She trusted him enough to believe that he would tell her everything that went on in his life the same way she shared things with him, and he never seemed to fail her. She teased him a little, but he silenced her immediately with a firm, "Shut up." School had ended, and it appeared that they were on their way to basketball practice. Momoi wasn't exactly sure why, but Aomine appeared to be set on attending practice today. Her eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, skeptical and just a tad doubtful. Normally, he would skip out and leave school before anyone could remind or tell him to stay. Furthermore, for some odd reason, he seemed to be in a good mood, and his harsh expression was softened with some sort of satisfaction. She didn't question him, though. As someone who cared deeply for Aomine, Momoi was too glad to see him so well and coming to practice for once, that any earlier suspicion had been dismissed immediately, slipping out of her mind without a second thought. Momoi hiked her bag over her shoulder higher as Aomine slipped his hands into the pockets of his pants. It was when they made their way outside towards the gym that she realized she had forgotten to tell him, "Oh, by the way, Harasawa-san, Imayoshi-kun and I have decided that we will be holding try-outs for any new students from Kaijou who want to join." There was a high and girlish jump to her graceful, long steps, and a joyous grin on her sweet, pale features. She was excited to see and meet any new additions to the team, both as Touou's manager and a naturally extroverted person. The way the tips of her long hair swayed from side to side and movement of her skirt from her peppy movements exuded energy. Aomine didn't reply. For all he cared, the entire team had might as well have been him alone. However, the thought of watching a few wannabes gave him a good chuckle. Maybe try-outs weren't that bad of an idea—Aomine did always welcome a good comedy act. In an optimistic tone, Momoi continued in a sing-song expression, "I wonder if Kise-kun will come to try out." "Are try-outs today?" Asked Aomine, suddenly interested in their conversation. Momoi pursed her lips for a moment to think it over and shook her head. "I don't think so. I believe we've decided on Wednesday." "Why then?" "Harasawa-san says that we should let the word get around first. We figured that we'd make a few announcements tomorrow in advance." Aomine nodded and she continued. "Ne, ne, wouldn't it be fun having Kise-kun on the team? It'll almost be like when we were in middle school all over again! If only Tetsu-kun were here." There was a feeling of growing nostalgia at the thought. Aomine had already forgotten what it was like to play alongside Kise. He was never as reliant on him as he had been on Kuroko, but just the thought was warm and inviting just like the boy himself. It was funny how memories had that effect, even on people like Aomine; giving him some strange sense of security neither needed nor sought. However, Aomine Daiki was incapable of missing someone or something on an emotional level. It wasn't in his nature. When they arrived at the gym, they found the other boys already shooting hoops and playing around. To one corner, Sakurai was making a few free throws while Imayoshi watched from his spot on the stage a few feet away. As usual, Wakamatsu was acting as more of a captain than Imayoshi as he watched his teammates warm up from the sidelines, sometimes stepping in to make corrections when there was too much horsing around or give some tips when things could be better. Though it did not concern him too much, Aomine wondered why Wakamatsu wasn't captain. He seemed to care more about the guys on the team and possessed more of a matured leadership quality to him than Imayoshi. Speaking of which, the mischievous grin Imayoshi directed towards Aomine the moment he shifted his gaze from Wakamatsu to Imayoshi only told him something unfortunate was amidst. Their eyes met, but they both turned to break away casually. He didn't like Imayoshi very much. There was a sort of secretive malice to Imayoshi no one ever seemed to notice. Aomine wondered if he was the only one to really pick up on it. He reckoned it was because of the manner in which he held himself in. Imayoshi had that way of speaking with a smile and cheerful tone that made every which thing he said sugar-coated, and sound substantially nicer. Maybe it was because he and Aomine weren't very different in their speech that he was able to notice, the only difference between them being the unsweetened tone to his voice against Imayoshi's; the captain's insults and rude words were sweeter than any sincere compliment Aomine could ever dish out with his aloof disposition and gruff voice. Momoi parted ways with Aomine to go sit on the bench near Wakamatsu. Along with Aomine, a few others trailed in after them and went into the locker room to change. Aomine slammed his locker a little rougher than he had intended, and pushed his way out of the door into the gym where his teammates were huddled around Harasawa, Imayoshi and Momoi. They announced future recruitment amongst the new students, and to be open and welcome to any new talent that would improve their standing and reputation as a strong team. No one seemed to object, and practice commenced. As usual, Aomine lazed about during their laps outside around the track. He never pulled his weight during practice. It was almost as if he was saving all of that energy and fire for games. Momoi made attempts to pump him up by root him on from her spot on the warm grass beside Harasawa. Aomine did nothing more but glance and ignore her. This did not stop her as she grew louder and more persistent. With a huff and a pout, she gave up soon after. It was so hard trying to cheer for someone like him. As he walked around the track listening to some music on his iPod, amused at the way Sakurai would apologies every time he passed someone, he noticed the glances and condescending smirks Imayoshi would shoot him. There was a knowing expression on his face as he trotted down and pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Aomine didn't like it. After they completed their laps, the team entered the gym. Aomine sat out, refusing to do anything more than listen to music. He knew he was good. To him, this meant practice would be nothing more than a waste of his time. He let it be known that the moment someone surpassed him, he would actually attempt to put in a little effort. But, until then, he settled for sitting beside Momoi, his head on her thighs as he lied on the hard bench. When practice ended for the day, Aomine didn't bother to change. Instead, he stuffed his uniform into his bag the moment he entered the locker room and left in his sweats. He was going to sleep when he arrived home anyway. He hadn't done much, so he skipped out on showering with the guys. The thing that had made him sweat was the sun, and even then it wasn't much. "See you at try-outs, Aomine-kun." Said Imayoshi as Aomine pushed the heavy wooden door. He looked over his shoulder, but didn't reply. The boy was starting to pay more and more attention to Aomine than he found necessary or usual, but couldn't find any reason as to why. It was probably all in his head, but Aomine's instincts never proved him wrong. Something was up, that was for sure. He left the gym without Momoi. The girl had disappeared somewhere. But, knowing her, she was probably switching from her school sneakers into her street shoes. Aomine decided not to wait for her as he walked out of the gates and down the abandoned sidewalk. His bag was heavy on one shoulder as it swung from every motion of his long strides. For the most part, he felt that going to school today was a waste of time as he thought about his day, the only interesting part being the little moment in the nurse's office with Kise. The thought of that pale skin reddening under his touch and the breathy moans in his ears, the encouraging feel of nails clawing at his back saying 'more, more'—It left his stomach in slowly growing aroused knots. The boy never ceased to turn him on. Just the thought— "Ne, Aominecchi, do you want to meet up later?" "Oh? Did you want more?" "No, not like that !  I mean, you know, hang out. Catch a movie at the mall or something?" "This sounds like a date." "Maybe  it could be a date? You know, if that's what you want—" "Oh, funny. You know what I want. All I want is physical. So, unless you plan on fucking in whatever movie theatre you have in mind, then I'm going to have to say no." Aomine shook his head with a snort and crossed the street. Okay, maybe he was a little vulgar and harsh, but that's just how it goes, and he hoped that little talk wouldn't affect any future meetings. —–— Wednesday arrived, and Aomine didn't go to school. With his parents always away, there was no one but Momoi to badger him to go to school. She was sometimes the friend that doubled as a parent figure. He had expected a call or two reminding him to go, but he'd gone to school yesterday, and the day before that, so she probably assumed he would attend today. Aomine swore she knew him better than that. As usual, Aomine slept through the entire morning and into the early afternoon. It was around the start of last period that he began to stir. Rolling over onto the opposite side of his bed that pressed against the wall beside his window, he mumbled hushed words into his pillow. His bare arms hugged it to his chest in a firm hold, almost as though he were afraid someone would appear and take it from him. When he awoke, he didn't bother putting on his uniform as school was already over. Instead, he slipped into some sweats and made his way to school. Try-outs were today, and he felt like amusing himself by stopping by to watch. More or less to watch Kise, but to see what other talent Kaijou held and maybe get a few laughs here and there. There was that senpai of his Kise always talked about, whose skill was still up for debate. Watching him play would be a sight to see. With the way he talked about him, Aomine could have sworn the boy was better than him. But Aomine decided that he'd be the judge of that. The trip to Touou was uneventful, and he spared no time in making his way into the gym. Try-outs were about to start, and the boys were warming up. The gym was filled with new faces and a few familiar ones sitting on the bench against the wall to his left. Of course, Imayoshi, Harasawa, and Momoi were there. Momoi and Harasawa were seated the closest to the entrance while a foot or two away sat a good fourth of the team. Sakurai was looking as nervous as ever, his knees pressed together and his hands folded on his lap. Beside him, Imayoshi sat with his back hunched over with his elbows resting in his thighs. There was always something about Imayoshi that never sat right with Aomine; even with the boy just sitting there, pushing up his glasses as he scanned the Kaijou boys, keeping to himself silently, innocently. "Oi, Aominecchi!" Aomine turned his head to the right. Standing in a plain shirt and basketball shorts, Kise waved over to him, beaming. Aomine had seen it coming. Both he and Momoi had expected Kise to be at try-outs. Beside him, a shorter boy with dark hair and sharp eyes stood with a frown. He fixed Aomine with a distrustful stare. Aomine felt as though he had seen him before, but he didn't bother to search through his memory for his face. If the boy was worth remembering, Aomine surely would've have remembered him instantly. Kise continued to wave as Aomine turned away to sit beside Momoi, who welcomed him with a warm smile as she lifted up her bag off the bench beside her to accommodate him. "So, here to watch try-outs?" He flopped down to the wooden bench and leaned against the cold gym wall behind him. "Why else would I be here?" "You seem grumpy." Commented Momoi. She lifted her pen to poke the side of his cheek. "And where were you today? You skipped class today, didn't you?" "Yeah, yeah, sorry about that, mom." Replied Aomine sarcastically. Momoi scrunched up her nose at him with a huff. Meanwhile, Kise watched disappointedly as Aomine ignored him. He watched as the teen turned; the way those familiar broad shoulders were slumped ever so slightly in Aomine's perpetual state of laziness, dark skin he'd seen every inch of peek from under his shorts and the short sleeves of white shirt, and the navy sheen to his dark hair. The sort of swagger in his steps was familiar to Kise, whose lips curled into a frown. Kasamatsu turned his back to Aomine the moment the boy made his way to sit on the bench. He'd never had the opportunity to really meet the boy, but he already didn't like him; that look on Kise's face giving him all the reason he needed. Suddenly, Momoi and Wakamatsu get up from their seats and make their way towards the middle of the gym. Wakamatsu called for everybody's attention, a thunderous shout that stopped every conversation and turning every head, leaving Momoi to speak. In that sweet, bubbly way of hers, she greeted the boys nicely, and with a bright smile. When she began to speak, Aomine tuned out. Kise seemed to be more interested in getting Aomine's attention than paying any mind to Momoi as he looked over his shoulder to smile at him. Aomine merely stared at him, blinking slowly and watching as his dark-haired friend slepped him in the arm, telling him to listen. Aomine snorted. "He's a cute one, ne, Aomine?" He glanced over Sakurai's head to see Imayoshi looking at him. There was a smug tone in his voice and facial expression; that shit-eating grin an eye-sore. Aomine shrugged and he continued. "He seems to like you a lot." "So?" "You shouldn't be so cold." "And why's that?" Aomine replied as indifferently as possible. He assumed that the more disengaged he appeared, the easier it would be for Imayoshi to see that he was not interested in conversing with him. On the court, Kasamatsu shifted closer towards Kise, who didn't seem to notice as he stared over the other boys in front to look at Momoi. And Imayoshi said, a threatening shine of his glasses, "You never know when someone else will show up and steal him away." Aomine snorted. "Oh?" Sakurai twitched uncomfortably between the two boys, a strange sort of tension arising. ***** Chapter 6 ***** Momoi and Wakamatsu worked the new boys harder than they've ever actually made the team to see how well they and efficiently they could take orders, and for the sheer amusement of shouting new drills while they are already in the middle of doing a completely different one. One moment, they were running laps back and forth from one end of the gym to the other, to doing man-makers, to dribbling around the gym. It came as no surprise that it was Imayoshi's idea. The bastard. Though, Aomine couldn't help but snort at the way some of the boys fumbled trying to get into their new exercise. As expected, Kise did exceptionally well in all they did, his skills much more refined since the last time Aomine had the chance to watch him play in middle school; with speed doubled, ball-handling much more controlled, and imitation as horrifyingly flawless as Aomine remembered. Sitting with a slouch against the cold wall behind him, Aomine watched Kise come out on top for each drill, and went about each task without breaking so much as a sweat until they were split into opposing teams to play against each other in a mock-game. Kise was a natural. It was so painfully obvious. Anyone could have seen it for themselves; the way he speedily maneuvered around his opponents gracefully, his passes, shots, and fierce dunks second to none of the other boy trying out. Admittedly, Aomine took a tiny ounce of enjoyment in watching his former—and, by the looks of it, soon-to-be—teammate tear apart the other team, leaving them in the dust and powerless against his prowess. It was amusing to watch Kise completely stun his old teammates; the secret weapon that is Kise Ryouta turning against his own beloved Kaijou boys. This sort of thing appealed to the sadist that dwelled within Aomine's mind. There was the shrill ringing of Momoi's whistle, and the sound of shoes squeaking against the shiny wooden floor as Kise earned yet another point for his team and a string of praise for himself. Luckily for him, his precious senpai was on his team, and, after receiving a small 'good job' and a pat on the back, Kise turned to grin proudly at Aomine; glad to be able to shine in front of the person most important to him, like a little boy looking to his parents for their much-needed approval. "You're really trying today," Kasamatsu commented. Kise shrugged modestly. "You're going to make the team without a doubt." "Eh? Does senpai think so?" Kise's teamwork with Kasamatsu was duly noted by Aomine throughout the next half of the game. The pair relied on each other heavily, and feed of each other's energy. The duo was definitely a force to be reckoned with. Back on the bench, Sakurai flinched as Imayoshi said to Aomine over his head, "Oi, Aomine, that blonde's doing really well." Aomine said nothing, his eyes refusing to glance over to him. Imayoshi continued. "You played on the same team as him in middle school, correct?" Aomine nodded silently. "Oh?" Imayoshi feigned interest. "Why won't you speak to me?" "Because I don't want to," Aomine answered easily. "That hurts, you know." Replied Imayoshi sarcastically "Good." Try-outs came to an end a little past when practice normally would have. Aomine was almost as tired and sore from sitting around as the Kaijou boys were from all the running and energy they had exerted. He rolled his head from shoulder to shoulder restlessly and Sakurai and Imayoshi got up to leave as well. Quickly, awkwardly, and with an apology, Sakurai bid the two goodbye before scrambling his way to the door as Imayoshi closed in on Aomine. The brunette could feel something awful about to happen, the tension he was forced to sit between a clear warning telling him to leave while he still could, his school bag slung over his trembling shoulder. Imayoshi was second to leave, stepping out with a soft breeze in his face as he walked against the gentle, warm flow of spring air, his hands in his pockets with a thoughtful expression, feeling as though he had been missing something, with Aomine just a few steps away from the wide exit. While the Kaijou boys stood a few feet away congratulating themselves for all their hard work and wishing the best for each other, their little family as close and loving as they were in their original school, Kise slipped away to run over and talk to Aomine, who stopped in place at the sound of his name and watched him glide across the gym floor speedily, with a warm wave, from his spot in the door way. Kise's eyes were fired up and energized despite having pushed himself to his limits. He called the power forward's name a second time just a tad breathless, but with a powerful smile. "Ne, ne, so what does Aominecchi think?" He asked excitedly, anxious to hear what Aomine thought about try-outs. "About?" "Me." He replied instantly, expectantly. "Hmm…" Aomine brought a hand to his chin in a thoughtful, yet sarcastic manner. Kise didn't seem to mind or notice until he spoke. "Well, you're surprisingly flexible, so that's really useful. You make the best noises and faces, and that little thing you know how to do with your tongue when you—" Kise leaped forward to press his hot palms to Aomine's lips, his already flushed expression darkening into a crimson blush, shushing him with tensed shoulders as he sputtered, "A-Aominecchi, that's not what I meant!" Aomine pulled Kise's hands away by his pale wrists. "Then what do you mean?" "How I played?" He was waiting for something. For what, he wasn't sure exactly. Maybe to be praised? To feel as if he'd done something to please Aomine—lately, everything Kise seemed to do was for the sake of satisfying the power forward—that didn't involve a bed or being on his knees. His priorities seemed to have slowly grown to center around what would grab Aomine's fleeting attention the most, even if it meant compromising himself and a few of his duties. "How does Aominecchi think I did during try-outs?" Not only was Aomine immune to Kise's copycat skills, but also to his air of contagious jubilance. Honey irises shone brightly, waiting. Flatly, the power forward said, "Oh. You did well." Eagerly, Kise leaned in just a little, "And…?" "You did well." He released Kise's wrist. "What else do you want me to say?" Kise tried to answer, but could find no words to say. He was speechless, and incredibly disappointed, failing to impress Aomine after all that hard work; Kise's shoulders dropped as he willed his lips to stay curled into a smile. Kise had to keep smiling, it was what he did the best. Though forcing his smile, Aomine didn't seem to notice anything wrong with the Kise. "So, are you busy now? Any modelling things you need to attend to?" Aomine inquired, shifting a little on the spot with a promising smirk. "Maybe you could come over for a few rounds?" Kise pursed his lips, conflicted and uncertain but nodded regardless; there was something in the way Aomine's voice dropped and expression on his face that Kise couldn't possibly reject—he couldn't possibly turn down the chance to be with him. He told Aomine to wait while he ran into the locker room to gather his things, and rushed back, pass Kasamatsu and his old team without giving them so much as a second glance. Kasamatsu watched him push the heavy door, clearly in a hurry, and reappear as quickly as he disappeared, his bag hiked on one shoulder and his school jacket in his arms. Kasamatsu furrowed his brows, where was he off to so quickly? He watched through the corner of his eyes. Kasamatsu frowned as Kise ran to Aomine's side; standing and walking a little too close to each other upon leaving and turning towards the left. The moment they were out of the door way and Kasamatsu's line of sight, Aomine lifted a hand to trail down Kise's spine, receiving a shiver and ticklish giggle, slipping the tips of his fingers into the blonde's shorts teasingly. "Aominecchi, not here!" There was a snort in response from Aomine as Kise tried to protest. He yelped as he was shoved against the wall. "Aominecchi, stop, there's a time and place for everything!" Kise said. He always said that. "But I want you now." "What if someone sees us!? I thought you said you didn't want anyone to know about this." "I'm fucking you the moment we get to my house, but that doesn't mean I can't touch you a little. Besides, no one's around to see." Pinned between Aomine's arms, he brought his arms to the other's chest as if to keep him at bay until they get to his house. Kise knew how Aomine is about the thought of anyone finding out about them, so he tried to resist giving into his heat and the lips that pressed against his jaw, peppering harsh kisses as they make their way to his ear. Aomine's lips came around the lobe of his ear to give it a gentle nip, whispering dirty little nothings in that low tone that made the blonde tremble uncontrollably each and every time. Kise whimpered softly, Aomine's hands suddenly finding their place on his hips and pulling him close. Kise hated when Aomine would do things like this in public; while there is the thrill of getting caught, what would Aomine do if they do get caught? —–— Kise and Kasamatsu had made it onto the team (as well as a few other boys). From the start, there had been absolutely no doubt as the decision was unanimous and without question when Momoi and Wakamatsu talked it over with the other boys on the team. Though aloof as ever with his ear buds playing loud music that would tune out whatever any of the boys had to say with every monstrous crescendo of the bass, he noticed the way some of the boys perked up at the mention of Kaijou's blonde beauty and copycat. Even Imayoshi showed interest, leaving a bitter taste in Aomine mouth and a sneer to curl upon his lips in disdain. Like a petulant little boy unwilling to let others play with his favorite action figure, Aomine did not want anyone else laying a dirty finger upon his play thing, his toy, and he made it clear with a sharp look and stern clearing of his throat. Mastering the ways of using his intimidating disposition to his advantage, he watched as the lewd whispering and joking around come to a halt. Aomine was known to turn violent on occasion, and he was the type very much unafraid of speaking through his fists until he point got across, no matter the consequences. If they knew what was good for them, they were to keep their hands to themselves and eyes averted. Also as expected, Kasamatsu was unable to keep his spot as captain. But that didn't seem to matter to him, for he looked happy about being on the team regardless. Aomine learned of the boy's good nature, and the strong sense of leadership he still held over the Kaijou boys whenever they would get too rowdy or lose their focus. It was to be expected that they would have a hard time adjusting to a new captain and school, the Touou dynamic already changing just after a few practices; rather than thinking for themselves and their individual power, Aomine and the rest of the boys were taken aback at the frequent passing and teamwork their new teammates contributed. Kise was the main event at every practice, but none of the guys dared to make any moves or inappropriate passes at him with Aomine around. To avoid any misunderstandings about their ambiguous relationship, Kise was instructed to keep his lips shut about the two of them as Aomine played the role of the old- teammate looking after him. Making sure no one touched Kise was the main reason Aomine started attending practices more than once a week, but he would do no more than observe on the bench beside Momoi. Sometimes she would try to convince him to get in a play, but he would refuse. Only when guys were starting to get a little too close and touchy did Aomine get off his lazy butt to steal the ball and dunk it with such ferocity, they all steered clear of Kise, leaving the power forward able to rest once more. He did numerous things into proving his masculinity in front of the other boys as his way of saying 'you can look (for too long), but you can't touch.' As two weeks quickly slipped by, Aomine found himself meeting up with Kise frequently every one or two days, with the blonde as willing and naughty as ever. If Kise had been upset, it was neither noticed nor acknowledged; he appeared as normal and wanton as he always had in the past, the warm orifice that sat hidden between soft, sealed lips engulfing him in sinuous, wet heat; his milky complexion reddened with every touch, clawing of his fingers, kiss, and rough thrust, shivers rolling down Aomine's long spinal cord, tensing his fingers and thighs as their hips bucked in sweet bliss; his whimpers, expressions, and reactions steamy and arousing—That raspy, breathlessness to his voice when he would call his name, oh, how it set Aomine aflame in overwhelming desire. Currently seated in class with his legs stretched out and his feet resting under the seat of the thin girl in the seat in front of him, Aomine pondered mentally as to whether or not Kise was to be busy later that evening as he stared at the back of his head just a few rows ahead. The only incidences in which they hadn't been able to see each other after school hours were because of his strict and inconsistent model schedule as things would be canceled, rebooked, or with new events popping up here and there without warning. Aomine paused for a brief second to wonder what it would be like as a model. The idea of getting paid to do no more than stand around and stare at a camera was almost as appealing as the large salary and crowd of fan girls wanting a piece of him for themselves that fluttered into his imagination. Kise ways always complaining about that—his mindless fan girls that crowded him every which way—to which Aomine would ignore ignorantly; just what kind of boy wouldn't love having girls all over him? In the dull background of his irrelevant musings, Katsuhara went about his normal routine, doing attendance and then going through his lessons as bored as the students listening. As usual, Aomine's attention was nowhere to be found, his dark eyes staring vacantly at the chalkboard as if he cared. When he grew sleepy, Aomine would fold his arms on the desk and go to sleep atop of them. It became routine, and Katsuhara had given up on trying to wake him or make a big deal out of it; neither he nor Aomine's peers could understand how someone who was asleep more than he ever was awake during class was passing with average grades. With his head down and eyes shut, he slowed his breathing ever so slightly, drowning out the mindless droning of his teacher and 'click' the chalk made as it came in contact with the dusty blackboard. When Aomine awoke, class was over, and it was lunch. He rubbed his lazy eyes with the back of his hand, yawning. Nothing could have ruined his day more than the realization that there was still the entire afternoon to go before school would be over. Pulling his hand away, he found himself looking at a skirt. Aomine followed it North, past the familiar, large bust, long pink hair, to look up at Momoi's round face, his left shoulder sore as he rolled it backwards and forwards. A smile graced her lip-gloss covered lips, her aura abnormally happy. But that wasn't anything new to him. "Ne, Dai-chan, want to eat together?" She inquired cheerfully, her hands behind her back. Aomine quirked a brow in suspicion. "I'm not eating anything you've made." Her smile dropped, and she began to whine, bringing her hands forward to reveal to pink containers of God knows what. "Eh!? How rude! I've improved, you know! I'm a much better cook now!" "You made me cookies without baking powder or milk once." She pouted. "It was an honest mistake!" "Even I know you need baking powder when baking," Aomine replied flatly, standing up and rolling his neck. Here was the problem with sleeping in class. There would always be a little kink in his neck from having his head turned for the entire morning against his desk. Then again, at least he wasn't anywhere as tired as he was before? Looking past her, he watched Kise yawn and slowly get up from his chair, walking a little stiffly in obvious discomfort. It looked like he wasn't the only person feeling a little drained from last night, and he found something satisfying in the way he limped sorely. "Come on, Dai-chan! At least try a little!" Momoi's face went red. He often teased her about her poor cooking (and baking) more or less at her expense. Momoi was a persistent one; Aomine had to give her that at least. But, even so, giving her best never did give the best of results. "That's like saying try a little rat poison; a little is still enough to kill." A friendly banter ensued as Kasamatsu arrived to see Kise. Similar to the days prior to their switching schools, Kasamatsu would come by during lunch to eat with Kise. Kise limped towards the door to meet the boy, going completely unnoticed by Aomine, who at this point was listening more than arguing with Momoi, who is vehemently defending whatever 'skills' in the kitchen she claimed to have. She pulled up a seat at his desk, the sound of its sturdy legs scraping against the dull colored tile floor, an excited twinkle in her eyes as she came to an abrupt stop, a new train of thought apparent as she said, "Oh! Oh! Dai-chan, guess what! I've almost forgotten to tell you!" Momoi waited for Aomine to respond, to show any sort of interest in whatever got her practically shaking in her seat. Truthfully, he was rather interested, his curiosity piqued and prodded by the way Momoi looked as if about to burst. "What is it?" "I'm throwing a birthday party in a few weeks and I'm going to invite some friends and the whole team and I'm going to invite Tetsu-kun!" Momoi stood on the tips of her toes in excited delight, blushing ever so slightly with a dreamy smile. The prospect of a gathering was much more bothersome than having to eat the girl's horrendous attempts at creating anything remotely edible, especially with Kasamatsu there to stare Aomine down as if he were vermin and Imayoshi with that ever so smug look on his face. He didn't like the idea, and soon found himself in the midst of finding a reasonable cause to excuse himself. Maybe he would fake a checkup at his family doctor, or a dentist checkup? "It'll be great, Dai-chan!" But he couldn't. She was his best friend, and, though he was never one to show his feelings, he wouldn't feel right leaving her on such a special day. Momoi meant more to him than he would ever have liked to admit. "I see you're awake, Aomine-kun," said Katsuhara, who came by with a stack of papers. Aomine shrugged. "Barely." "Well, I need you to do something," Aomine looked at him silently, and the elderly man took it as he cue to continue, "I need you to deliver these to class 3-B." "Could you get someone else to do it?" "I thought you could do this to compensate with the fact you sleep throughout the entire morning." He sighed and took the papers held out to him. "Whatever. I'll be back in a bit, Satsuki." Aomine walked down the halls with a yawn, not fully recovered from his nap. He walked by familiar faces with unfamiliar names, and before he knew it, he finally made it to class 3-B on the next floor. Stepping through the opened door, he locked eyes with Imayoshi, who was sitting in the back of the class at his desk with a few boys. He grinned at him, but Aomine did no more than narrow his eyes and frown. Aomine was instructed to leave the papers in one of the drawers of the desk for the teacher, so he shoved it into the top one before heading out as quickly as possible. However, it appeared he wouldn't get to make it out without some sort of unwanted exchange of words as he found Imayoshi leaning against the wall outside of the door in the hallway. Aomine couldn't remember when or how Imayoshi passed by him while he was at the teacher's desk to exit the classroom, but he didn't care. Wordlessly, he turned in the other direction to head towards the stairs. "Oi, Aomine, could I have a word with you?" Aomine looked over his shoulder with a snort, "No." Imayoshi sighed and watch him disappear down the stairs with a shake of his head, "If you say so. I guess telling you what I saw outside the gym doors the other day after try-outs isn't important to you." He returned to class, remembering the way he made it to the school gates before remembering he left his sweater underneath the bench back in the gym. Returning to the back of the school where the gym was, he turned the corner to find Aomine and Kise leaving in the opposite direction together. At first he didn't do anything, even when he saw Aomine's hand come to Kise's back. He recalled the moment Aomine's hand drifted into Kise's shorts being the moment he jumped behind the wall, peeking his head around to look. That's when it all started. "Aominecchi, not here!" Kise had protested before being shoved against the wall, "Aominecchi, stop, there's a time and place for everything!" "But I want you now." "What if someone sees us!? I thought you said you didn't want anyone to know about this." "I'm fucking you the moment we get to my house, but that doesn't mean I can't touch you a little. Besides, no one's around to see." But Imayoshi was. It was only when they moved away from the wall and left in a hurry to do things Imayoshi could only assume with each other that he finally came out of hiding to retrieve his black sweater with the white zipper and strings at the hood. He remembered the way he entered through the metal doors, and coming up empty handed. While he didn't find it, like they say, when a person loses something, they always find something better. And this priceless, dirty little secret was much better than a cheap hoodie any day. ***** Chapter 7 ***** Upon hearing through his fellow teammates of a mandatory meeting in the gym immediately after school during their Friday afternoon science lesson, Aomine left class at the end of the day with a groan and his bag slung over a lazy shoulder. Though he had been showing up to practice more and more often to keep an eye on Kise and glare away anyone who grew a little too friendly, that did not mean he wanted to participate in the meeting. At least during practice he would get to play as opposed to listening to whatever garbage they found important. Unfortunately for the skipper, there was no getting out of it. As usual, Kasamatsu came by to pick up Kise shortly after the high-pitched bell rung through the grounds. From what he's learned, they always walked home together the same way Aomine would leave with Momoi when he wasn't skipping practice and going on without her, so he guessed they were probably going to the meeting together as well. The quick glance Kise spared Aomine over his shoulder as he got out of his seat did not go unnoticed, though the almost forlorn expression he bore. Merely returning his stare with a lewd lick of his lips from the back of the room, he watched Kise hurry to the door with a deep blush, snorting at his flustered face and the way he nearly tripped over thin air. Kasamatsu caught the silent exchange and turned his attention to Aomine, his blue eyes narrowing at the power forward. But Aomine did not falter. He never faltered. Aomine wondered if Kasamatsu was a naturally serious person, for, when he wasn't barking at the boys from his destroyed school or chiding Kise, he was the same stern person he was on the court off the court. The humorless air around the teen was thick, but the strong temptation to poke a little fun at him as a result was even thicker. As he tossed a few textbooks into his bag, as even Aomine, notorious for the slacker he was, knew maintaining satisfactory grades in order to continue on as Touou's extraordinary ace was crucial despite his disregard for attending practices and showing up accordingly to games and their set times, he made sure to part his lips and do the same; licking his upper and lower lip, and then finishing with a lecherous bite to the corner of his bottom lip. Kasamatsu's face may have reddened considerably, but it certainly did harden dangerously, particularly so the moment Aomine smirked, a snicker falling from the power forward's lips under a careless breath as he exited through the door at the back of the classroom. The teen figured that Momoi would already be in the gym. She was very keen on arriving on time and tending to her duties as manager. Sauntering down the busy hall, no one daring to get in his way if they knew what was good for them, girls pushed off to the walls on either side of him in their little groups, giggling and batting their long lashes at a few boys a step ahead of Aomine, who he ignored to yawn into the palm of his hand, he paced himself moderately taking his damn time. With a shrug, he decided he'd take the long way today. Being on time was never at the top of his disorganized list of priorities, and the power forward sure as Hell wasn't going to make any attempts to make it so until circumstances prove it be necessary of him. Not to mention Momoi hadn't said any sort of word about the meeting to him during lunch that day. All she could wrap her head around was that her party would be coming up very soon—tomorrow, in fact—and that she was bursting at the seams, eager, with uncontrollable excitement after having Kuroko accept her invitation. "The poor girl," He thought to himself, "She's fallen so hard for Tetsu. How does she ever expect herself to get better when they're around each other?" Vaguely, Aomine wondered what was so important that a meeting was to be held. Normally, any sort of news was never too big a deal, so it was common practice amongst him and his team that information be passed around via word of mouth. Lazily making his way down the wide set of stairs onto the main floor, he walked over to the gym. Aomine took the metal handle of the gym and pushed, listening to the soft, familiar creaking of the slowly rusting hinges, only to find the lights turned off, and the sun pouring through the high windows. "Hello?" There was nothing but his echo. The metal door shut behind him as he looked from his left, and then to his right, confusion resting upon his brows as they furrowed. "Satsuki, you in here?" Where in the world was the rest of the team? He couldn't have been that late—if anything, he would have missed the first ten or thirteen minutes, and usually meetings run for half an hour or more! "Oi, anyone here?" Aomine called out for good measure, stepping further into the empty gym until he stood in its center. For a moment he waited. Maybe he came too earlier, though he doubted that; he remembered hearing that they were to be in the gym right after they were dismissed, and he had taken an inconvenient detour to assure he would be arriving late. "Why, welcome, Aomine-kun." Turning around with a growing frown, Aomine found Imayoshi against the wall by the doors, his arms crossed in a smug manner, smiling in that obnoxious way of his that made the skin on the his tanned arms crawl uncomfortably. "Not you again." "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it, Aomine-kun." Imayoshi scolds playfully, his grin widening ever so slightly under the power forward's narrowing gaze. The unsettling air that lingered around that boy never sat quite right with him. Rolling his eyes, the bottoms of his shoes moving against the wooden floor echoed through the silent gymnasium. When he was a few feet away from the door, Imayoshi moved off the wall to stand in his way. "There is no meeting, is there?" He questioned knowingly, all the pieces of the puzzle beginning to click together. "Eh? Since when were you this perceptive, other than when you're playing basketball of course?" "Get out of the way. I'm going home." "Plans to spend the evening with Kise-kun?" Imayoshi inquired, much to Aomine's annoyance, who groaned at the second year. Not this rubbish again. It had been days and days since their encounter when he had dropped off some papers to the other boy's classroom during lunch. And since then, Imayoshi was insistent that something was going on between he and Kise. Constantly, he would go out of his way to pry in that overly-artificial, sweet way of talking, almost as if a buddy asking his friend if there was a girl he liked. But they weren't friends, and none of the girls in the school caught his eye the way Kise's body—especially undressed and flushed—did. His assumptions that his time spent with Kise was used for sex were correct, and every other thing he had said so far, but, each and every time, Aomine would shut down his attempts at conversation and deny, deny, deny, for what proof did he really have of their sex-driven relationship? A simple no should have sufficed, but it appeared as though Imayoshi is vastly greedier and nosy than he had expected. "And if I said yes? What're you going to do? Pretty boy and I have known each other since middle school, played, and do play on the same team; it only makes sense that we make plans to see each other after school." "Silly me, I wasn't aware knowing each other and being friends since middle school warranted sex." "Sex, sex, sex," Aomine snickered condescendingly, "I never knew you were such a pervert, always talking about us having sex. You've got some weird fantasies, don't you?" "I see you still don't understand me," He sighed, "How many times has it been already? Ten? Eleven? Twelve times I've already had to tell you?" "And how many times do I have to you that Kise and I are just friends, who don't have sex together, you creep—" "Regardless as to the number of times I must remind you, Aomine-kun," Interrupted Imayoshi, "it is in your best interest that you be careful with the way you treat little Kise-kun." Aomine quirked a brow. What was there to understand? "'The hell is that supposed to mean?" "It means he has a pretty face, many fans, and the capability and standing to attract even the most rigid of people." Aomine furrowed his brows, "I already know all of that. So what—" "So you shouldn't take him for granted. You never know when someone else will show up and steal him away." There was a knowing glint to his glasses as Aomine shoved passed him, their shoulders knocking together as the power forward's lips curled into a frown. Letting the door slam beside him after swinging the dark metal open with a dangerously excessive amount of intentional, menacing force, he left the school grounds in irritation. Aomine wasn't the type to share very much, and like Hell was he going to let the four-eyed bastard lay a hand on his pretty boy, his ever pretty toy. Meanwhile, Kise arrived home to his plainly decorated apartment. Since he was only living out by himself so the distance between he and his new school wouldn't be too much of a burden upon his already heavy shoulders, he hadn't given much thought as to what to do with the place. Alone, he didn't have many belongings aside from his extensive wardrobe and beauty products, anyway. Because of his parents' refusal to leave the lovely home they've lived in since their beautiful baby boy was born, they did not mind one bit sending Kise away for school, even if he would be on his own. With his parents back home in Kanagawa, Kise supported himself with the large amounts of money he had earned through all of his modelling and cheques his parents promised to hand him when they would visit. "Okay, okay, don't worry too much, mom," Kise said, balancing his cellphone between his ear and shoulder, "I'm fine, school's been fine, and so has living alone. I'm sorry for not letting you visit me a lot; I'm either at school, at work, or studying. Yeah, I'll try to eat healthy. I love you too, mom, see you soon." After hanging up, Kise, who sat in his small living, notebook open on his lap, determined to study and achieve higher marks in hopes that they would make a certain block-headed power forward come to notice him more. Though the sex was great and occurred at a rate so fast just the thought sent waves of shivers down his spine, Kise knew their relationship—if one would even call it that, though he wished he could—was unhealthy to its very core, and this fact had never completely left his mind ever since it had begun. Buzz. Buzz. A text. oi i know you're not working later, i'll be over in a bit It was from Aomine. Kise sighed despite the excited stir in the pit of his stomach and immediate rush of girlish enthusiasm surging through his veins in a frenzy at the thought of seeing someone so dear to him. Sometimes he would wonder if this was the best decision, but he could never come to an actual conclusion. As much as he liked being around him and being able to touch someone he had wanted for so long so freely and be touched, the lack of affection and sincerity behind their every meeting was horribly bitter. It never failed to leave an awful taste in his mouth. Not to mention Kasamatsu had grown increasingly apprehensive and cautious of him and Aomine. Every day he would interrogate Kise, but to no avail. Kise was as determined to keep things a secret as Aomine was, though, for reasons that differed greatly and painfully. But it was his fault, for it was the blonde who picked the teen up during that rainy summer's day, and accept, when he was much too stubborn and blinded, by the butterflies he set off in his stomach every time he was within his reach, to refuse, what he thought would make Aomine love Kise as he did him. But what they did together behind heavily closed doors was anything but the romantic dream Kise had been expecting. There was no love, just the movement of two sweat-slicked bodies and powerful lust that had them clawing at each other's flushed skin for more and more; for that sinful release through the mutual, consensual use of each other's young bodies. Buzz. Buzz. His phone went off a second time. i'm just a few blocks away, you better be ready to let me in. i don't feel like waiting for you today Kise made no attempt in repressing a short tremble. —–— Lights flashed left and right while the rhythmic 'boom' of the bass shook the walls of Momoi's two-story house at 11:21 PM. Before anyone could have prepared themselves for the night that awaited them, Saturday had arrived, and it was already time to celebrate a certain manager's birthday. The otherwise laundry and perfume smelling home reeked of alcohol, perfume, and cologne, the strange scent dancing across Aomine's senses, strong, and pungent, the bitter-sweet of his mixed drink—ah, the underage and their drinks!—having yet to disable any of his senses, his head still firmly planted upon his broad shoulders that leaned into the vibrating wall as he eyed the makeshift dance-floor. He squinted his eyes through the darkness only alleviated by the flashing lights Momoi had rented a few days back. After days of silent dreading, it appeared as though he had no more time between the day he was invited to Momoi's party, and the party itself; oh, had he been dreading it so! While he loved her the way he would if he had been blessed with a little sister, it was virtually impossible for someone like Aomine to care for someone selflessly; she had as many faults as he, though, hers were nowhere near as blatant, subtle to a fault, if you will, to the point where he found himself having to bark at the few boys beside him for whispering crude things about her as she danced along to the music with some girls he remembered seeing around school, who, Aomine duly noted, could not compare to her bubbly, extraverted beauty, the charm that she possessed and she alone. The boys nearly jumped out of their flushed skin, a poor teen in a red shirt choking on his beer while he friend, a boy in faded jeans and a hoodie, patted him on the back. No one was ever to talk like that about her; not even him. While cumbersome and unbearably noisy and hot, he knew it was his duty to be present at one of the most special days of the year. Since they were young, barely able to write their own names in kanji or sleep at night without the yellowish glare of his race car nightlight he received one evening from his lovely mother, her familiar face framed with soft locks that fell past her fragile shoulders, a smile so endearing it warmed the heart of one as heartless as he, Momoi spent every birthday with him, so, he figured, he must do the same, or it would plague his mind for not having been reliable to such a precious friend. Though, there were two parties he had to attend to: one with her family—her sweet mother and father who loved and spoiled her with such affection and care, and, if they were able to make it from outside of their respective prefectures, aunts, uncles, and cousins—and the other of sorts one would come across while watching a movie—filled to the brim with all the little things parents warn their adolescent darlings about, with all the alcohol, music, tonsil hockey and touching. Aomine thought he would skip the latter and make it for the one that really mattered, but, as his luck would have it, he did not want to risk upsetting her with his selfish absence. Not to mention it was his job to keep perverts, like the boys a few feet away at to his side, from getting anywhere near her. Scanning the flashing dance floor, the furniture pushed off to the side to make way for all the boys and girls stepping and twisting and grinding with each other here and there to the rhythm of a steady base, he tried to pick out any familiar faces in hopes of finding someone to kill time with while she tended to her guests and other friends. If he was going to get drunk at her party, he thought, "Might as well get drunk with someone." Suddenly, the door bust open, and more guests piled in through the narrow doorway. Aomine recognized one of them to be Kise, who was dressed as nicely as ever in a long grey cardigan, deliciously tight white V-neck, black skinny jeans Aomine had always admired for hugging him in all the right places, and lengthy scarf wrapped around his neck. For a moment, he stopped at the doorway, gold eyes in search of their target, shifting to his left and then to his right, looking nervous, like a little boy lost after straying too far from his mother and father, as a group of boys brushed past him, drunk and shouting God knew what over the music at each other, before landing on Aomine. Awkwardly shuffling his way through the sea of drunken dancers that separated them, mumbling small apologies at those he bumped into and those who were politely turned down after having been asked to dance with them, the model arrived by his dearest's side. Aomine, glad there was at least someone he could drink with, shifted against the wall, and reached down into the cooler beside him to pull out a can of beer, to which Kise stared at, as if foreign to his innocent eyes. "Well, aren't you going to take it?" Insert a brief pause. "Eh?" "The beer. You taking it or not?" There was a purse in Kise's lips as he wavered between accepting and declining. His hands shook in his pockets, "Thanks, Aominecchi, but I don't drink." Aomine snorted and took a sip of his own mixed concoction, compliments of the rowdy boys drinking their brain's into permanent sleep in the kitchen. He tossed the icy can into the blonde's chest regardless, who fumbled with it before catching his drink in his hands. Aomine sighed as he pulled his glass away from his lips, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, "C'mon, a drink isn't going to kill you, pretty boy." Sighing, Kise reached to pull the cap off his beer with a nervous chuckle, "Haha, Aominecchi's right. One beer isn't going to hurt me, now is it?" And he was right. One beer didn't hurt, but five certainly did the trick, and the alcohol had Kise loosening up considerably. As expected from the ever famous Kise Ryouta, the boy wasn't an experienced drinker or very much used to dealing with alcohol. His words were strung together to the point where he was nearly incoherent through the raucous music, and his face was so red the blush flaring across his pale cheeks made something in the pit of the power forward's stomach stir in laughter; he looked so adorably vulnerable, how he wanted to ravish him so! While Aomine had been intending and creating plans in his mind's eye on how to leave Kise alone and without the boy running after him, he realized how many people would take Kise away the moment he was gone and do what knows to him. Kise belonged to Aomine, and he wasn't very fond of someone playing with what was his, especially with Imayoshi floating around after their conversation just the other day. Arm around Kise's waist, who wrapped an arm around Aomine's broad shoulders, dragging his feet against the wooden floor with a smile, the power forward helped him over to a nearby couch. In a mirthful daze lined with an absent- mindedness that had his gold eyes appearing just a tad vacant in the sense that he was so unaware of his actions and words, he would surly regret the night the moment he woke up the following morning, he caught sight of the couple sitting on the other end of the couch as he fell into place atop the cushion between Aomine's arm and the couch's arm. The way they kissed vigorously, tongues moving in time together as their hands groped and felt their partner's body, tugging at their clothes desperately, uncaring and oblivious to lingering gazes. The wanton sight of lovers sprouted an idea in the model's head. Maybe he and Aomine should do that as well. Lifting up his feet, he dropped his legs onto Aomine's lap. He looked down at Kise's thighs over top his own with furrowed brows. "Oi, Kise, get your legs off of me," Aomine made a move to push them off, but Kise kept still, his back resting against the arm of Momoi's couch, with a wide grin. "Now what's with that look?" "I was just—" Kise was cut off by the abrupt feeling of bile rising in his throat. He brought a hand to his mouth and was escorted up the narrow stair case to the bathroom by Aomine, a hand around the model's waist, though drifting lower and lower the further away they were from unknowing eyes in Momoi's dark, upstairs' hallway. They were the only two on the upper floor as bedrooms were out of bounds in Momoi's books. Aomine couldn't help but not how slack her parents were about this party—they even offered to stay over at a family friend's house just a few blocks away so they would not interfere. "'m fine, 'm not goin' to throw up." Slurred Kise, as Aomine opened the bathroom door. "False alarm." "Good," was Aomine's only reply as he released the drunken figure to press him against the door opposite of the rather spacious bathroom. In the darkness, lit faintly by the hallway window to Kise's right, they kissed so fiercely, he almost mistook the over-flowing, teenage lust for genuine passion. As the floor under them throbbed with the music and cheers from the living room and party below, they grinded their chiselled bodies together as they clawed at each other's muscles through each other's clothes, desire growing rapidly in the front of their pants as Kise brought a leg to wrap around the power forward's waist. "I want you right now," he growled into Kise's ear. Aomine pulled Kise's scarf and threw the expensive fabric to the hallway floor to pepper kisses along the latter's exposed throat and collar bones. Kise sighed in pleasure, "Hah… We're at a party, though, what d'you want me t'do abou' it now?" Using the hand he had on Kise's hip, Aomine lifted Kise's other leg to hook around his hips. The drunken boy's arms circled Aomine's neck instinctively as the latter opened the door he had been shoved and humped against to reveal a quaint guest room Momoi reserved for whatever her beloved best friend would sleep over. Said best friend dropped the blonde atop the neatly done bed, reaching down to unbuckle his dark belt as he climbed onto the mattress. Kise could hear his heart pounding in his ears—though that may have been the music from below—and felt its swift throbbing in his dry throat. Blood was rushing to his face and crotch instantaneously. Behind Kise was a large window with its long drapes out of its way, permitting the cold light of the moon just outside to enter without trouble, and he licked his lips at the dominance Aomine exuded, the way his muscular upper body and arms looked in the pale moonlight as he peeled off his shirt making his shiver wantonly. Aomine tore the blonde's bottoms off quickly—in the blink of an inebriated eye—and was welcomed by the ease he found in spreading those long, pale legs. "And now we're in a bedroom," Kise gulped at look in those deep, navy irises, and crooked quirk of his smirking lips as a tanned hand pinched his nipple through the fabric of his thin v-neck, eliciting a breathy moan, and then moved to find its place on the inside of his sensitive thigh, accidentally brushing against his uncovered and twitching erection, "what do you want me to do to you now?" ***** Chapter 8 ***** Chapter Notes Still horribly unbeta'd. OTL. It was hurting him. Gripping the sheets tightly, teeth gritted as Aomine pounded into him, his body shivering with delight at the way stars danced in his vision and exploded like fireworks, pleasure coiled like a venomous snake, twisting, uncontrolled, instinctive, illuminating the darkness in which they connected under, Kise threw his head back and his heart away. He had never needed it to begin with, not when the other boy's lust overpowered his love. Tightening around Aomine sinfully, Kise's knees shook from under him, his arms quivering as he willed his limbs to keep him standing. Behind him, Kise could hear Aomine's gasping and ragged breathing and feel the hardness of his cock with his every fierce move and the pleasure that coursed through him as his tan fingers dug into Kise's hips, pulling the blonde back on his length as he thrust in. It was rough, though Kise, even in his inebriated state, did not expect anything less from Aomine, his Aomine. As he was on the court, Aomine did things in bed only thinking of himself, and roughly and swiftly. "Ahh… A-Aominecchi…" Groaned Kise as he dropped his face into a circular pillow on the guest bed, breathing the scent of laundry and what he vaguely remembered to be Aomine's. The boy had slept over at Momoi's house so much, the guest room was practically his own. "A-Aominecchi… Mmm…" Alcohol affected his vision presently, and, even with the way Aomine made his back arch and throat rumble loudly as moans continuously spilled from his kiss- swollen lips, it hurt. Sitting in the center of all his lustful pleasure was a pain that stung with every beat of his neglected heart—a pain Kise could not rid himself of, not matter how much he loosened himself and his sense of right and wrong. Positions soon shifted, and Kise found himself lying on his back against the tossed and dirty bed sheets. He stared up at Aomine's face through his half- lidded eyes, his lips parted as he panted, watching the way his broad chest inhaled and exhaled harshly carefully, admiring the muscles that moved beneath his sweat-slicked skin as he positioned himself between Kise's pale thighs, and felt his stomach performing back flips as Aomine re-entered him slowly. Kise, whose face flared a crimson red, could see the boy's cock slowly disappear as he forced himself in further, and let out a loud moan. His voice would travel to unknowing ears as they echoed down the hall, down the stairs, and into the living room, only to drown in the loud noise of music blasting from the DJ's speakers. Aomine snickered, loving the way Kise's face would contort into sensual expressions, and each and every sinful noise he could make, would make. Thrusting slowly, his movements picked up speed quickly, and let himself be carried in the harmony of the bed creaking, slapping of his skin against Kise's, and raw scream as they neared their climax. Pummeling into him relentlessly, Aomine felt himself orgasm, and, by the sound of Kise's boisterous moaning, he could only assume he had already reached his, or was just feeling his. As Kise rode out his orgasm while Aomine arrived at his end, he moaned hotly, unable to contain himself at the unrestrained and powerful thrusting, moaning three sweet words he'd never fully remember when he awoke as the world faded and all he saw was black and Aomine fall atop of him, breathless. One moment they were having sex in Momoi's dark guest room, and the next Kise found himself waking up and exhausted. He must have passed out after his orgasm, for when he shifted his legs, the blonde felt a small shiver run down his spine. Kise was still incredulously sensitive, and he lied there on his side, briefly wondering how long he had been unconscious until his attention scurried over to the boy behind him. The mattress creaked under Aomine's movements. Rolling over, Kise smiled up at the man he loved from ear to ear, but something was off. Why wasn't he looking at him? There was a swift look of disgust that flashed in Aomine's dull face, or was his mind simply playing tricks on him? Aomine was quiet, and it bothered Kise to no end the way Aomine went out of his way to look anywhere—the cold floor, dull-colored paint of the walls and its bland paintings, round clock hung beside the empty closet—but him, for a reason out of the drunk teen's current understanding. Worriedly, Kise asked, the drinks slowly wearing off as he began to sober up, "Ne, Aominecchi, is somethin' wrong?" Kise then giggled for a reason even unknown to him, snuggling childishly against a pillow, "Why so quiet, ne, Aominecchi?" He asked inquisitively yet all knowingly. "I can't remember if this happened, or if I'm imaging it, but was it because I said I love you?" With tightly pursed lips, Aomine sat naked on the edge of Momoi's guest bed unfeelingly. There was no verbal response, just the sight of Aomine's muscles tensing beneath his tan skin as he shifted his position, as if to sit more comfortably, but could not find one as he stood and began to dress himself. The quiet was all the answer Kise needed. "So I did say it… You're being like this 'cause of what I said, huh?" For some odd reason, Kise was amused, and, if the bright, inebriated smile was not enough of a hint, the giggle and hiccup that followed was enough to have Aomine turn to look at him in confusion and furrowed brows. So much for sobering up, for his slur was still noticeable, though on and off now, "Why're you being so quiet about it? I hope y'know that I don't plan on taking any of it back—I really do love you—" "Shut up already," Said Aomine, who was gathering and holding Kise's clothes with tightly clenched fists. The hushed venom spat at Kise was enough to silence the teen for a brief second, giving Aomine some time to forget it ever happened. However, Kise was not having any of that. He opened his mouth to continue, but Aomine caught it and spoke up first, "Stop saying stupid things, you're drunk and it's obvious that you don't know what you're saying. We're never doing it again when you're drunk. It might be even better than when you're sober, but this is a pain, and I don't want you saying such weird things." "But I do!" Kise was angry now too. "I said shut up!" Roared Aomine angrily. "No, not until you understand how much I love you." "Don't say that! Stop talking like this! You're drunk, I don't need to understand a thing you're trying to tell me." Aomine returned the sharp glare he received with extra fire. The anger that fueled both boys was different, but with the intensity flaring and rising, it was sure to cause a fire, and, sooner or later, they were only bound to get burned. The two stared at each other, eyes cold as Kise glared Aomine down, who did nothing to back down. "God, you're an even better fuck when you're drunk, but you're being so annoying. It's giving me a headache." How dare Aomine be so dismissive of his feelings like that! "Hurry up and get dressed, pretty boy—before I get any more annoyed or angry," Aomine tossed Kise his clothes roughly onto the mattress beside his naked frame, and, for some odd reason, that was the model's tipping point. "What're you so annoyed and angry about? All I said was that—" Came Kise's voice loudly. He paused to take a deep breath, "—I love you." Aomine kept silent and shook his head, his shoulders tensing as Kise's fury surged like fire through his veins dangerously. The power forward glanced towards the door, which jolted Kise off the bed and change into his clothes. He was still a little drunk, but he knew better than to risk having Aomine leave when things were getting this serious. With his clothes on, at least the blonde could run after him instead of lying in Momoi's spare bed uselessly. He'd been doing that too much—letting Aomine walk off without so much as a word; it drove Kise insane, his feelings finally too much for the poor boy to handle quietly. Panting slowly turning into harsh inhaling and exhaling as Kise shook in silent rage in moonlit darkness, he felt the alcohol wearing itself off as he came to his senses. He'd told Aomine how he felt for the very first time, and he was going to make the teen listen, no matter what. "I love you. I'll say it as much as I have to, I love you, I love you, I love you." Aomine ran a hand through his short hair with a snort and condescending smirk, "Stop confusing your lust with love. You don't love me, you love the way we fuck." "But I do love Aominecchi!" Kise exclaimed as he shimmied into his boxers and skinny jeans. Aomine could see that Kise was starting to sober up; that slur that had his ever word strung together messily starting to disappear, and it brought to his attention the reality of the boy's intense feelings. "I really, really do love Aominecchi! I love you a lot!" Another snort. Aomine was done with being mad. "Have fun with that." "But I do—" "And now what?" The question caught Kise off guard as he threw on his shirt. "Huh?" "What do you expect to do about it? What do you expect me to do now that you've said it?" He groaned. He was being such a pain. "Are you expecting me to say I love you back or something, huh?" "I-I don't…" Kise was speechless, "Aominecchi—" "That's what I thought." The words caught in Kise's throat. "You're crazy to even dream of that," Continued Aomine. Silently, Kise saw the power forward fully dressed and heading out the door through his fallen bangs. "You're pretty, I'll admit that, and I love the way we fuck, but I don't love you." "A-Aominecchi…" Aomine shook his head as he spoke with a long yawn. "You brought this upon yourself. Don't you remember? You could have backed out a long time ago, but you didn't. It's no one's fault but yours. We fuck and that's it. I don't love you at all, and that's how it should be. Understood, pretty boy?" The door slammed behind Aomine. —-— Kagami stared at his digital watch with a sigh and dull expression, the numbers on the tiny screen mocking him for what had to be the umpteenth time that night. Parties, especially ones thrown by teenagers with underage drinking, were never his thing, and this one was no exception. While social gatherings like this fell more towards his disdain than in his favor, he had to pause to wonder why he still came. And that's when he decided to appear. Sitting at the foot of the staircase with him, Kuroko took a sip of his drink, the red cup in the boy's pale hand attracting Kagami's attention immediately. Jumping up in surprise, Kagami said, "Oi, Kuroko, since when did you drink—" "Kagami-kun, I'm leaving to get some more water, would you like some?" Asked Kuroko, who stood up with a blank expression. Water? Now that was more believable than someone like Kuroko taking in a little alcohol, even if it were a miniscule amount. "No, I'm okay for now," He said, watched as the teen disappeared into the crowd. Mumbling to himself, he said, "I can't believe he suckered me into coming all the way here with him. I just want to go home and use the bathroom." Alone on the wooden steps, Kagami had to wonder how a sweet, innocent looking girl like Momoi could throw such a chaotic party. Then again, her best friend did not seem like the best influence or morally right person to be surrounded by for such a long period of her young life. Speaking of which, where could the boy be? Though Kagami hadn't been anywhere near hopeful of running into Aomine, the redhead had to wonder where he was, especially on a night as important as Momoi's birthday, even if things were a little out of control—If anything, this sort of thing seemed to be more Aomine's liking than any tame dinner or get- together Momoi looked to be more suited for. Kagami heard a moan come from the upstairs hallway from his spot on the stares, his head quickly turning as if the source of the noise would be standing at the top looking down. How odd. It was probably his mind playing tricks on him. Minutes began to pile one atop another before Kagami decided he had had enough of waiting for Kuroko to return, and that finding Momoi's bathroom be at the top of his priorities. He knew of the bathroom on the main floor, and began to work his way through the girl's drunken guests, flinching when he felt a hand slide down the lower half of his back and grope at his behind, a light train of feminine giggles quickly following the sudden touch as if on cue. The girls were drunk and clearly not in the right mind to be able to think properly. Kagami saw it in their reddened faces and light convulsions as they hiccupped as he spared the trio a glance over his shoulder. It was best not to say a thing, especially when he, Kuroko, and a couple others at the party were not part of Momoi's Touou circle of friends. If he were to provoke any boys around them, Kagami knew there would be trouble—trouble he was not looking for, or ever in the mood to deal with. Hurrying off, he entered the darkened hallway, stumbling a little over the step up and the slippery woodened floor unceremoniously. Thankfully no one was around to see him fumble around in such a mindless and blind way, though, if any eyes were to fall on him, the large of alcohol consumed was sure to wipe out any and all traces of his existence, and the sight of the tall red head who had fallen on his rear. "Ouch!" He groaned as an ache shot through his body from his buttocks, wincing as he got to his feet and dusted himself. "How the hell did I fall—" Under his sock covered foot, he saw a pink cardigan, too small and girlish to have belonged to anyone who was not an adolescent girl. Maybe it was Momoi's? With a squint to his ruby eyes, there could be seen a trail of clothes; a girl's shirt followed by that of a boy's, a dark mini skirt followed by a pair of navy jeans—two full blown outfits forgotten about on the cold floor leading up to the closed bathroom door at the end of the hallway. Kagami saw the orange-ish light that seeped through the bottom of the white door and heard the faint giggle and moaning of God knew what. Kagami swallowed, and backed out of the hallway quietly, slowly, unsure of how to react to such a thing, quickly deciding to use the upstairs bathroom instead. Momoi had banned the second floor and all the bedrooms there, and for good reason, he knew, but could not resist the way his feet carried him from the hallway, the noisy living room, and up the stairs, swearing he heard something on the journey up. Silently, he wondered which door could possibly lead to his destination. He had no intention of stepping into the birthday girl's bedroom, but had a hard time choosing which to open first. With one door at the end of the hall and three on the right, he shrugged, and took a wild guess, walking past two, and standing between the third on the right, and single door on the left before entering the bathroom on the left, noticing a scarf lying by itself on the floor. Picking it up, he pulled it into the bathroom with him, deciding then and there to return it to its owner once he went back down. Turning on the light, he shut the door behind him. As he took a moment to look over his face in the mirror, Kagami heard yelling coming from one of the rooms. The voice, low and rumbling, belonging to a boy, was loud, but not loud enough for the teen to understand what they were saying clearly, though, the emotion was obvious. The boy was mad, but Kagami was more focused on figuring out why that voice sounded so familiar. A second voice joined in, but, in place of the first voice's anger, there lacked a sort of fury, instead there stood desperation, misery, a pain in their heart. Maybe two people were breaking up? It was Kagami's best guess. Even when Kagami finished his bathroom business, he stood with his ear against the bathroom door, his curiosity getting the best of him. Even when he flushed and washed his hands, the noise he was making was little to no distraction, the battle in the next room going on with no interruption. The yelling was starting to get louder and more aggressive—almost to the point where the words and voices were coherent and identifiable. Almost. He hated himself for eavesdropping, normally never the type to butt into business that was none of his concern—especially if it was a break up. But this was different, and he reassured himself he was doing a good thing. He reassured himself that, by listening, he would be able to jump in and mediate in case things turned violent, which was starting to look like the direction the couple was headed in as there was more and more poison in each person's voice. One voice was starting to sound a little odd, though. Could it have been that the two were both boys? Kagami did not have time to place his guess, for the door slammed open. He wasn't sure who it was, but there was the sound of heavy footsteps making their way towards the stairs before disappearing on the way down completely. There was a pause, and then the sound of the door reopening and closing softly. Who could that have been, and did Momoi know about it? Grabbing the scarf he had let lay on the sink counter, he stepped into the dark hallway, turning off the bathroom light behind him. For some reason his heart was pounding in his ears—thump, thump, thump—the noise loud as if in competition against Momoi's loud music. "At least it sounds like no one was hurt." He muttered to himself with a sigh. On his way down the stairs, he saw a boy sitting towards the middle steps by himself. There was something lonely in the way his body seemed to collapse upon itself, shrinking silently, holding himself with one arm as the other fiddled with his phone. Maybe he was upstairs with him? He gave Kagami a sad aura, who thought it best to ignore him on his way to return the scarf to its owner. Though, Kagami paused, briefly scanning the familiar blonde hair with a shrug. Stuffing the thing cloth into his back pocket, he hurried down, awkwardly trying to make his way around the boy. Kagami hit the boy's shoulder with his knee as he passed, and turned to apologize. "Sorry about that." Kagami stared at Kise, who looked up at him from under his long lashes, head hung low. His pale face was lackluster, like a flower blooming in the shadows; beautiful and elegant, but possessing a sort of fragility, not completely withered, but not quite grown, unable to bloom in such poor conditions. Instinctively, he asked, "Hey, aren't you—" "It's no problem!" Kise smiled brightly so suddenly, Kagami swore he could have gone blind at the sight. There was a fantastic glow to his face; he couldn't understand how Kise could shift expressions so easily and quickly like that. It must have been something he learned, something he picked up as a model. Kise looked so happy, Kagami highly doubted he was one of the two people upstairs arguing. "Huh? Aren't you Kurokocchi's friend, Kagamicchi, right?" Kagami nodded; suddenly entranced with the way Kise's lips formed around the syllables in his name, creating unintentional music to his ears. "What are you doing here alone? You don't seem like the type to sit by yourself at a party." "So I seem like the type to be like those people there?" He joked, chuckling as he motioned towards the inebriated group of teens grinding against each other to the loud music, their movements off beat and sloppy. Kagami shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that. You just seem like you would be with Kuroko and Momoi right now having a good time—oh, and Aomine." He didn't quite catch Kise's flinch at the mention of the other boy. "So, what were you doing upstairs?" Asked Kise abruptly, nervously, but Kagami didn't notice. Kagami was too busy admiring the blonde up close, his every tilt of his head and shift in his gold eyes picture perfect. "I had to use the bathroom; the one downstairs was… occupied." He replied awkwardly. "Oh, I see." "It was kind of weird up there, though. I swore I heard someone in the room across the hall. It was a guy yelling—he sounded like he was really mad." The redhead said thoughtfully, dropping to the spot on the step beside Kise, who offered the empty seat with a gentle pat on the wood to the left of his thigh. "Actually, I think it was two guys yelling, I'm not completely sure." "What were they yelling about? D-Do you remember?" "No, the music was and still it too loud. I couldn't understand a thing. One of them sounded really upset, and the other sounded really irritated." Kagami shrugged, "Hopefully whatever they had going on gets solved, though. It sounded pretty intense." "Ne, K-Kagamicchi, did you hear anything before they started yelling?" "Nope, it was quiet for a little while, and then they went straight into shouting at one another. I really do hope they solve things, even if they're complete strangers; couples quarrels sound like the worst. I think they were an arguing couple, at least. They were both guys." Kagami said casually. He was never one to place any sort of judgement upon others, so the thought of two boys dating did not both him, but it did not completely please him. The two fell into a silence surrounded by the roaring boom of the music and laughter of Momoi's guests, a wordlessness Kagami did not understand. Why had the conversation died? He was suddenly reminded at the sight of a young girl with a scarf around her shoulders walking by that he had something to return, and stood up rolling his own shoulders restlessly. "Where is Kagamicchi going?" Asked Kise curiously. "I just gotta return his scarf to someone, I found it upstairs." Answered Kagami, "This probably belonged to one of the people who were upstairs with me, now that I think about it… I'll be back in a bit." Kise looked down at himself, and then at the scarf, "W-Wait, Kagamicchi—" He gulped. "—T-That's my s-scarf." Kagami could believe the scarf belonged to Kise, the branded cloth matching the boy's outfit, fitting the boy's expensive taste, but he was unable to believe Kise had been one of the two boys arguing upstairs. Suddenly Kise broke into tears, and Kagami rushed back to the model's side, panic rising in his stomach as water filled the corners of the his large honey eyes, rolling down his fair skin, rolling past his trembling lips and down his chin, and things began to fall into place. There was beauty in the teen's sorrow, Kagami couldn't help but be lured in by Kise's natural charm, dazzling the redhead as he looked up with teary eyes. It couldn't have been— "O-Oi, Kise, what's the matter?" Asked Kagami. He was bad when it came to people crying, and he was clueless as to how to make the other boy's waterworks come to a halt. "C-Come now." Between sniffles, Kise asked, "N-Ne, Kagamicchi, is it okay if I talk to you about something?" Kagami nodded, unable to take his eyes off of that pretty face, stop the tightening in his chest, or the butterflies fluttering around in the pit of his stomach, even as Kise cried and told him his story and the reason he was upstairs. For the remainder of the night, Kagami did not see Kuroko, staying by Kise's side like a puppy, and helping the boy back to his apartment, even when going as far as to try and stop him from over-indulging in drinks to sooth his broken heart. He arrived with Kuroko, but he figured the boy could make it back on his own. With an arm around Kise's waist as they stumbled the dark streets on his way to drop the model home, Kagami felt his face light up, a blush creeping upon his flustered features as Kise stumbled and rubbed against him. "Where're you takin' me, Kagamicchi?" Asked Kise, who turned to run back to Momoi's house, not having had enough to drink. But, before Kagami could catch up to him, he watched as the blonde stumbled over his feet and take a hard tumble against the cement. Kagami rushed to his Kise's side for what felt like the hundredth time in the past two or three hours, growing aware of how late it was. He stuck his hand out for Kise, who reached upward and fell against Kagami's chest. The redhead's face lit up for what also felt the hundredth time because of him. "Kagamicchi, m'ankle hurts…" He mumbled. He must've sprained it. Before Kise could really focus on anything, he was propped on Kagami's back, his arms coming to wrap around the latter's broad shoulders, hugging the warm body, secretly loving the affection and sweetness. "Sorry if this is uncomfortable, but I need to get you home some way without hurting your ankle anymore." Kise opened his mouth and then closed it, biting his lip. Kagami was really sweet—The wouldn't have expected his night to end up like, being taken home and taken care of by him. In a show of drunken gratitude, Kise leaned his head forward to kiss him on the side of his face, his soft lips pressing against Kagami's temple before resting his head. "Thank you, Kagamicchi—" Hiccup "—You're s'much nicer than him." With his face getting redder by the second, Kagami remained silent, listening intently to Kise's rambling, hoping to catch the name of who could have possibly done all of this to him, for when they had spoken on the stairs, the blonde was very particular at concealing his 'lover's' identity. Though, it was for the best, Kagami guessed, for a possessiveness had taken over him, and he made the decision to make sure they never hurt him again. Meanwhile, walking a while behind the duo, Imayoshi smirked to himself, pushing his glasses up before pocketing his hands, staring at the pair knowingly on his way home from the party. "Silly, silly Aomine, I told you someone will show up and steal him away if you don't stop being so cold." 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