Even if I try to blind myself to it, I've always known it.
"Aaah! Mou!," Kise pouted, his voice echoing in the school's gymnasium. "Just one more time Aominecchi!"
It was deep into the evening now, and only a sliver of the sun's light was seeping through the court's exit door. It illuminated the wooden floor, bathing it in a glow that only seemed second best to the person standing above him with hand outstretched. Kise stared at it briefly from beneath pale eyelashes before accepting the assistance.
"No matter how many times you try…" Aomine's voice brimmed with confidence as he pulled the other boy to his feet. "The outcome will be the same, Kise. You can't beat me." A statement that could easily be taken as arrogance, but Kise knew better than that.
Damn. Even his smile makes him look cool.
"Aominecchi is mean." Kise said as he returned the smile, glancing at their linked hands once he stood. It was within these rare, fleeting moments that he could feel the warmth through Aomine, spreading across his own skin like tiny surges of electricity. It was brief though, the other boy quickly setting their hands free once Kise was upright.
This touch, after all, was never meant for me.
"I should of just left you on the floor then, you ungrateful bastard." Aomine laughed, walking over to the side of the court where the ball now rested. He reached to pick it up, tucking it beneath his arm as he glanced over his shoulder back at the blonde. "But you know, Kise, you're not half bad." Another flashed smile in Ryota's direction before making his way over to the bench.
You're too sly, Aominecchi.
Every compliment, every word, every phrase that passed through those lips,… Kise hinged on them.
This was the person he looked up to. The one who unconsciously had saved him from the endless stream of boredom he found himself drowning in day after day. It wasn't that he wanted to be like Aomine, no, that wasn't it. He admired him. His drive and love for basketball, the way his form moved so effortlessly on the court like no one he's ever seen before. He knew he could never be like him, nor did he even want to. What Kise wanted most, however, was to stand beside Aomine, to be the one always at his side.
But that position was filled, wasn't it?
"Ne, Aominecchi," Kise's voice dropped to a whisper as he approached Aomine from behind, his features clearly wrought with the mix of emotions playing in his thoughts. He may have been a good copy cat, yes, but never good at keeping poker faced.
"It's already late Kise, we'll keep practicing tomorrow." Aomine said, turning around only once he felt Kise's proximity, and a concern set in his eyes. "Oi, are you feeling sick?"
What am I doing?
"A-Aominecchi…," Kise repeated, nervously placing one of his hands on the back of his neck. "Aaah…I was wondering if maybe you'd like to go out with me some time? Maybe a movie or something…," His words stuttered and his face flushed with a deep set pink, unsure of what he was even going for or doing at this point. It was all being driven by impulse, unfortunately, and a part of him had to wonder what kind of steeled courage girls had who did this so often. "L-like a date…maybe…"
Aomine stared at Kise, clearly surprised by the sudden confession.
"Oi, oi. What do you mean a d—," he began, but soon the words fell on void lips as his eyes darted to a figure standing behind the blonde, not far from the door's exit. Kise couldn't quite pinpoint the next expression that settled on Aomine's face, but it was one that gave way the person behind him. He didn't even have to turn around to know.
It was only that person who could stir Aomine in such a way, after all.
A brief moment of silence settled between them before the sound of sneakers squeaking against the wooden floor echoed, followed by the yell of a familiar name.
"TETSU!"
Aomine ran passed Kise, his shoulder bumping against his own as if he hadn't even been standing there. His pseudo confession was like it never even occurred, as if it was just a simple thing of the past that quickly erased from Aomine the instant he saw Kuroko darting away.
It shouldn't even surprise him.
Kurokocchi is the only one Aomine notices. The one who steals his gaze even from the sidelines. It was always him Aomine watched and stood beside. It was said that Kuroko was Aomine's shadow, but even Kise could see that it stretched far more than that.
In a way, it was Tetsu who was truly Aomine's light.
A role that Kise could never fill.