"Unfortunately, I don't give a rat's ass about basketball, like all of you do." Haizaki gestured with one arm as he smirked, intent on provoking the blue haired teen before him.
"If you want me to stop... better do it by force!"
Aomine dodged the oncoming fist. In a flip second, he brought his arm up and punched Haizaki back, sending the other teen toward the ground.
As Haizaki lay still, making no effort to get up, Aomine mulled over what to do, before turning away to leave Haizaki on the ground.
"Well, whatever happens, happens." He muttered before walking back the way he'd come from.
He only had one person on his mind.
x
Blond hair, honey colored eyes, and fair skin that practically dripped with sweat looked enticing as Aomine watched Kise slump in his seat before a row of lockers. The match between Kaijou and Fukuda Sogo was only just over, and Aomine had managed to find out where Kaijou's room somehow.
Well, he'd really only had to loom in a semi-threatening manner over a trembling Kaijou first-year to extract the details of Kise's whereabouts.
Aomine stood against the door frame of the locker Kaijou's team was currently occupying, watching his rival school members quietly.
It wasn't until five minutes later did the Kaijou's captain Kasamatsu stop in the midst of folding his sweat drenched jersey uniform to shoot the younger teen a glare.
"Excuse me, we're in the middle of changing." His tone was polite but firm.
Aomine spared the short senior a once over, borderline respectful albeit his usual rude look, but still adamant on interrupting them.
"Oi, Kise."
Surprised eyes made contact with his, and the corner of Aomine's mouth quirked up into a smile.
"You played pretty good." Aomine found himself saying, and startled himself by realizing he'd really meant it.
The entire locker room fell silent, and Kise's teammates remained frozen where they stood or sat, with their eyes fixated on the drama unfolding between the two.
"I'm proud of you." Aomine ducked his head and lowered his gaze, a little embarrassed at his sudden courage to speak his mind.
Man, all these emotions were starting to get a little overwhelming.
Kise started tearing up. "A-Aomine-chii!"
Suddenly remembering Kise's injured leg, Aomine walked across the room with two big strides and knelt before the blond. He laid a tanned hand on Kise's left knee.
"He hurt you, right?"
Aomine let his hand trail down to apply a light squeeze with gentle pressure on Kise's wounded foot.
Kise winced, but didn't pull away. "Well, it's not that bad, I've been through worse really. Don't worry about me."
"If it hurts, just say so already." Aomine ran his free hand through his dark blue hair. "How are you heading back, by bus?"
Kise opened his mouth to say that he was fine on his own, but one glance around the room at his concerned, tired and worn-out teammates made him think twice before troubling them with the task of helping him up the bus, back to Kaijou High school grounds, and possibly back home to his doorstep - because despite all of his pride as a former Miracle, Kise knew enough when to admit that he needed help of some sort, and to the right people.
Besides, it wasn't every day that someone like Aomine would come visit him.
But he still didn't want to show Aomine that he was kind of weak, which he totally felt like right now.
He settled with a sly grin and a cheeky response. "Why, you offering me a ride?"
"Idiot." Aomine flicked Kise on the forehead. "That should be pretty freaking obvious. I'm worried about you. Let me take care of you already."
There was a collective gasp and an assortment of shoulder shrugging going round the locker room as Kaijou's basketball team members started speculating on their relationship status in low - but very obvious - whispers. Kasamatsu laid his jersey into his duffel bag carefully before straightening up and walking over to stand behind the blond ace of Kaijou, whose cheeks had reddened slightly upon hearing some of the whispers.
"While I'm sure you're very much worried about your old schoolmate, rest assured we will be taking him home. After all, if you school in Touou's region, that means you live in the opposite direction, isn't it?" Kasamatsu laid a hand gingerly on Kise's sweaty back. "Rest a little more, Kise, and we can get you to the bus soon. I'll have one of the juniors get you a drink."
Aomine reached into the side of his puffer jacket. "Don't bother, already got him one."
Kise took the offered Pocari - one side still chilled, the other mostly warm from being in Aomine's pocket - with a bemused expression on his beautiful face.
"Um, thank you so much Aomine-chii. You didn't have to, really."
Right eyebrow raised, Aomine tilted his head to the door. "Wanna get going?"
Irked at being ignored, Kasamatsu crossed his arms and frowned. "Aomine-san, I'm afraid Kise has a team meeting back in Kaijou. We'll take him from here."
"I said I got him covered." Aomine finally made eye contact with Kasamatsu, before adding a seemingly sarcastic afterthought. "Senpai."
Deciding he didn't like the challenging tone of voice from this rival school's rude delinquent-looking junior, Kasamatsu narrowed his eyes at the taller but younger teen.
"And how will you be taking him home? He's injured, can't walk too well or risk adding stress on his foot. You're a junior in high school, so you clearly don't drive yet. There are practically no taxis here, and our school is one and half hour's drive away from here. Exactly how do you intend to bring - hey!"
During Kaijou's team captain's annoyed tirade, Aomine had stood, stuck a pinky into his left ear, and dug unceremoniously before turning around to locate Kise's belongings effortlessly.
"Oh, that's the blue bird keychain I got you for your birthday." Aomine bent to pick up Kise's duffel bag, slinging it over one shoulder. The little bird bounced merrily on its silver string around Kise's bag zipper. "Didn't think you'd like it enough to use it."
Kise blushed and tried to stand abruptly so he could take his own bag. "I-I can carry that!"
Honed reflexes kicking in, Aomine caught him as he lurched forward into his chest. "Don't be silly. Here, hold on to me and we'll walk out to the entrance, and I'll get you a ride home."
"Don't ignore a senior!" Kasamatsu stood at the only door into the locker room. "We're not letting Kise leave; we have a team meet right after we get back to school!"
Amidst gossipy whispers from Kaijou's excited team, Aomine made a show of yanking his jacket sleeve up to reveal his watch.
"Gee, look at the time. It's ten thirty. My school wouldn't think twice of keeping us back if we finished an away match in a stadium, no less, at this hour. Cause yeah, it's against school regulations anyway. Team meet, without a coach present? Parents worrying and whatnot. 'Sides, senpai, think we can agree that any responsible boyfriend would wanna see his baby off."
"B-Boy..." Kasamatsu trailed off uncertainly, eyes wide as he searched Kise's face for confirmation.
Turning his face in towards Aomine's chest, Kise inhaled deeply to calm his frenzied nerves and effectively blocked out embarrassing stares with his sweat dampened fringe. As he breathed in Aomine's familiar scent - he smelled like the ocean, thanks to the cologne he always liked using - he felt the tanned teen chuckle lightly.
"I'll treat him gently. Don't worry, senpai."
Maybe it was the tender way he was holding Kise, or perhaps a look he'd given the captain, but that was all it took to make Kasamatsu move away from the exit, wearing a stunned look on his face that was much similar to the ones on the rest of Kise's team.
"G-Goodnight, then." Kasamatsu managed to stammer out.
Oh god, was all Kise's mind could think of as his thoughts reeled and his heart raced. Aomine had just waltzed in, swept him off his feet, and was now about to kidnap him responsibly and run off into the sunset.
Well, as much setting sun as there was close to eleven at night.
"I can walk, alright?" Kise fought off his blush rather unsuccessfully and took his hands off Aomine's shoulder. "Thanks, but..."
"But nothing. Not gonna be letting you stumble and injure yourself more. Come on already."
Aomine gripped his wrist firmly and slung Kise's bag across the blond's shoulders before turning around and shooting him a somewhat sadistic smirk as he lowered his knees.
"I'll piggyback you all the way home."
Kaijou's team members started catcalling and more whispers arose.
"What?!" Kise could feel his ears burning; he'd never been so embarrassed in his life. "No way! That's totally unnecessary, and I'm really heavy for you to do that!"
Aomine turned back around to face him, eyes narrowed as he studied him thoughtfully. "Hmm..."
"Yeah!" Agitated, Kise adjusted his duffel bag across his shoulders, bringing it to the front so he could have something to let his shaking hands clutch onto for keeping his sanity in check. "So... I'll walk."
Barely two steps to the door, and Kise barely had time to wince before he felt his left knee buckle, but this time he felt himself get lifted up.
"Bull, you're just the right weight." Aomine swiftly caught him and held Kise conveniently in his arms, bridal style. "This works for me, Model-kun. You just need to get the door."
Startled into a higher level of embarrassment, Kise could only move on automatic as his left hand somehow jerked into reflexively scrabbling against the cold steel of the locker room door handle. He managed to push it outward, and Aomine kept it from swinging back with his foot.
"Ah! Um..." Kise blinked up at Aomine's lower side profile, in awe of the dark haired teen's bold audacity to face a rival school's captain.
"What?" Aomine asked quietly, and Kise reveled in feeling his chest rumble comfortingly against his shoulder.
"It's just that I didn't get to say thank you and goodbye."
"You'll be seeing them after the weekend, anyway." Aomine's tone sounded distinctly on edge.
Kise wondered if he was only imagining Aomine was quickening his steps.
Falling silent, Kise's mind raced as he started thinking and doing his usual analyzing.
Five minutes of walking out into the concourse area of the stadium, Aomine noted the blond's quiet behavior. "You're awfully obedient, surprisingly."
Chuckling, Kise looked up at him. "You know, you sound jealous, Aomine-chii."
A sight pause and a non-commital grunt from Aomine made Kise feel a bout of giggles coming on, but he staved to fight it off so he wouldn't create misunderstandings.
"Give it up already, I can feel you shaking." Aomine leaned down and brushed his lips over Kise's forehead. "I can read you more than you think I can, you know."
Surprised for the third time in a row, Kise felt a heated blush spreading up from his neck to the tips of his hair. Unconciously, his fingers touched the spot where Aomine's lips had grazed.
"Okay, Aomine-chii, I hope you know that this is all really new to me cause you're not acting like your usual self."
They rounded the corner of the gates and Aomine shifted him slightly in his arms. "Really? How am I acting, I wonder."
"Don't play dumb!" Kise half wailed, half complained. "Jeez, Aomine-chii! You should at least give me some sort of warning before making a joke like that in front of my whole team! Now I kinda dread going back to school next week cause I'll never survive through all the teasing."
His words made Aomine stop in his tracks.
"What joke?"
Kise pouted. "Like I was saying, quit being mean. You really made me kinda embarrassed back there when you said that you were just being a responsible boyfriend."
"And?" Aomine continued walking.
"What do you mean, and?!" Kise puffed out his cheeks even more. "It's gonna be out around the entire school, okay?"
"Why would it matter?"
Flailing one arm in a small display of rage, Kise quickly looped his other arm around Aomine's neck to keep from falling. "You meanie!"
"No, really." Aomine lowered him onto a convenient bench.
Kise looked around to see that they were in a lonely park.
The light emitted from an overhead street lamp cast a warm orange glow around both teenagers. Kise bit his lip and slowly stretched out his wounded leg.
"Sorry, Aomine-chii." He mumbled. "I guess I'm kinda heavy, huh."
A tanned hand brushed his fringe from his face.
"I said you're just the right weight, didn't I?" Aomine's face was suddenly very close.
Kise felt a blush creeping up from his neck to spread into his cheeks.
"You're really beautiful."
Hearing Aomine say that in his deep, serious tone made Kise's heart thump violently against his ribcage. Quickly, he averted his eyes.
"W-What are you saying?" He attempted a half-laugh. "Aomine-chii, you're getting a little weird on me today."
"Weird for you." Aomine corrected, placing both hands on the bench as he leaned over Kise.
Pressing his forehead against the blond's, the tanned teen made sure to make their gazes meet as he went in for the kill - lips grazing the blushing blond's before he leaned in to claim his lips in an open-mouthed contact. The kiss deepened as Kise released a soft moan of surprise - or pleasure - prompting Aomine to slide his tongue in to explore the blond's mouth.
After a few minutes, Aomine felt Kise's hands weakly pushing at his chest. He broke the kiss, watching the blond's glazed eyes for a sign. His eyes took in the flushed cheeks, heavy breathing and fluttering eyelashes as Kise struggled to regain composure.
"A-Aomine-chii, you ... " Kise breathed out as he bit his lower lip, sending a tingly southward rush to the tanned teen's lower regions.
"Me?" Aomine nuzzled the side of Kise's cheek.
"You're really good at kissing." Kise sounded surprised. "D-Did you have a lot of practice?"
"Don't get jealous on me." Aomine smirked as Kise gave him the expected reaction - a gasp, narrowed eyes, and a protest about to form on his lips. "Well, I used the back of my hand."
Kise stared.
"I mean, it wasn't like I had anyone to practice with, anyway." Slightly embarrassed, Aomine gave him a one-shoulder shrug.
"Oh." Turning pink, Kise looked at his hands, folded neatly in his lap.
Aomine cocked his head to the left, wondering if he'd sensed the relief in Kise's voice.
"Go out with me, Kise."
x
I love these two together.