When he looks back on it now, he should've seen it coming. He should've noticed how things were changed. He should've realized right from the get-go how things would turn out. He should've known that this, whatever this is now,would never work out.
The day Tetsu came home and told him he had a soulmate is when he should have known. God, he should have, but that wasn't - isn't - where the problem lied. The real problem is with that guy, the fact he was always around now, the fact he was all Kuroko ever speaks about, the fact he was Tetsu ever went out with anymore. He just should've known, but being the guy he is, he wanted to hold onto the notion of Tetsu still loving him.
Honestly, the was a long time coming but he should've known.
What is worse, on top of it, would be the fact that Tetsu is supposed to be his soulmate. That's all kinds of fucked up right there.
He remembers we Tetsu came home that one Saturday after he met up with that man. He remembers he nervous he was when the blue head popped into the room, thinking it was already over between them, no matter the talk they had. He wanted to flee right then and there, and maybe he should've, but just add that to the list of things he should've done.
Aomine didn't say anything when Tetsu wandered into the living room and settled down. He looked straight at the TV playing a replay of last night's game. Only when he felt the couch sink with more weight did he glance towards his presumably soon-to-be-ex boyfriend before focusing on the screen once again.
"Aomine-kun, you're pouting," Tetsu poked his cheek.
"I am not," Aomine shoved at him and clicked his tongue.
Tetsu poked him again, on his forehead this time, "You are, this is your pouting face."
"Tch," he still wouldn't fully look at Kuroko.
"You know, your face is going to stick like this one day and when it does, don't come crying to me," Tetsu said then proceeded to flick him on his head.
"Hey, not cool, Tetsu," Aomine grouched out, slapping the hand away from his head, "And I'm so not pouting."
Tetsu smiled and pinched the side of Aomine's cheek, "Sure you are, look at all the grumpy frown lines."
Fed up, Aomine grabbed ahold of the hand harassing him and turned to look at the man next to him, "Dammit, Tetsu! Stop it!"
"Ah, got you to finally look at me," Tetsu said.
Aomine only stared at him and the hand he was holding then let go, "Tch. Whatever."
He really wasn't expecting Tetsu to grab onto his shoulders and pull him down to his level. He stared into blue eyes for a second before being pulled down further into a kiss. This was it. He furrowed his brow and frowned into the kiss. This was the last kiss he was going to ever get from the blue haired man. The last moment of being together as a couple before he was going to be kicked to the curb. The last piece of Tetsu he was going to get. Well, he better make the most of it while he can then.
Before he was able to deepen the kiss into something, Tetsu pulled back. He kept his eyes closed waiting for the words making the over and done. He waited only to be thumped over the back of his head once again.
"Ow, Tetsu," he said, frowning, "What the hell was that for!"
"You're such an idiot sometimes. I could practically hear your thoughts," Tetsu said with a long-winded sigh at the end, "We're not breaking up, Aomine-kun."
Aomine gave a glare, "I wasn't thinking that!"
"You were," Tetsu smiled at him before standing up, "Come on, let's go out to eat and I'll tell you what I discussed with Kagami-kun on the way there."
Then a hand was there to offer him help up off the couch. Frowning once more, he grabbed the hand in front of him and got off the couch, "Fine, but I get to choose the place."
"Okay," Tetsu agreed.
He continued, "And it's not going to be the one with the milkshakes!"
Then, just like that, they were off. Hand-in-hand.
To his credit, he did get to pick the place but they ended up getting a milkshake anyways on the way home. That was also when Tetsu talked about what happened with that guy. All of which he was marginally okay with. Tetsu wasn't going to leave him for someone else, and he was super glad about that.
Everything was going to be okay, or at least he thought because then they turned the corner to their street, Tetsu started talking again.
"I agreed to see him some more," Tetsu's voice was soft. Almost ashamed.
The sound of the city got somewhat was the only thing that passed between them for a few moments, then, "Why?"
He spit the one word out and held on tighter to the Tetsu's hand.
"I agreed because he's still my soulmate and I may not love him, but I still think we should, at the most, be friends," Tetsu spoke, "I'm not going to leave you either, Daiki. I love you."
As much as he didn't like it, it's not like he could deny Tetsu from doing anything he wanted to anyways. He could never really say no to him.
"I guess that makes sense," it honestly didn't, but as long as Tetsu loved him, he'll just have to get used to it.
"Good," Tetsu said, then, "It's getting late, we should head inside now."
He let Tetsu go in first, letting the fingers intwined with his and watched as it slowly slid out of his grasp. He wasn't one for doubt and Tetsu never gave any reason to, but then again, there was a first time for everything. He held his hand up to his and looked at his palm. It still felt warm with Tetsu's touch.
He really should've known.
He should've but he didn't. Or maybe he wouldn't acknowledge it. Maybe he didn't want to see the way Tetsu starting talking about that stupid guy more and more. Maybe he didn't want to hear all the reassurances coming out from Tetsu. Maybe he threw himself into his work so he didn't have to watch as Tetsu gave himself to another man.
It didn't start off all that bad. In fact, almost everything was normal, considering, and he and Tetsu were doing great. Amazing even. For two weeks it everything returned to normalcy after that day. Sure there'd be tidbits about Tetsu meeting up with that guy here and there, but nothing major to worry over.
Until, suddenly, it was.
"Hey, Tetsu, Imayoshi-san said I could have tomorrow off," he announced with a wide grin, walking through the door to their apartment, "I was thinking we could go see that movie you were talking about after you get done with work tomorrow."
He set his keys on the kitchen counter and to undo his shoes before noticing two things.
One: Tetsu was on his phone talking to someone.
Two: Tetsu was on his phone talking to someone and was smiling. Actually smiling while he talked.
What the hell.
He walked closer only to hear a goodbye before Tetsu noticed him, face returning neutral.
"Welcome home, Aomine-kun," Tetsu took the phone away from his ear, tapped the screen, and looked at Aomine, "I was just talking to Kagami-kun. We're going to see a movie tomorrow after we're done with work. It's the one I told you about last week."
He said nothing in return, only stared at the phone in the shorter man's hand, not paying attention to Tetstu as he continued to talk. Then he recieved a jab in the side.
"It's not polite to ignore people when they asked to you something, Aomine-kun," Tetsu's tone was light, however.
He scowled and rubbed at his side, "You didn't need to abuse me to get my attention."
"It's not abuse, just think of it as a learning process," Tetsu pat him the side he hit.
Aomine scowled in response and swat at the hand before asking, "What did you say before?"
"I asked if you wanted to come to the movie after work with us," Tetsu gestured with the phone when he said the last part.
Aomine only said, "I have to work late tomorrow."
He walked off into the bedroom without a backwards glance.
Early in the morning he left without saying goodbye to Tetsu and walked through the city. Immersed himself into the background of cars honking and people chattering away. He didn't want to think of Tetsu with his smile that wasn't for him but for that guy.
It didn't stop there and continued to get worse. Soon enough, every word that left Tetsu's mouth was about his soulmate. Thinking about it made him feel like he were breathing in acid. Why is it that his soulmate had another soulmate? Did the universe just hate him?
Fuck. It really isn't fair.
The more the days continued on, the more Tetsu talked about that guy. Then, one day, Tetsu wanted him to meet Kagami-kun.
No way in fucking hell.
He supposed, however, the universe really did hate him because he somehow got roped into meeting him along with Satsuki. When he called her up about it, she said it was a fantastic idea. Telling him how much Tetsu would really appretiate it and maybe a way to establish a friendship the other guy as well.
Fat chance. He told her he'd rather burn in hell and maybe drag that guy down with him.
Satsuki didn't appreciate that.
"You know, Dai-chain," Satsuki's voice sounded over the phone, "Just because they're soulmates doesn't mean they're destined to be together. Sometimes finding a soulmate is just that, you find another person to be good friends with. That's all."
He took that into account, he really did, because that would explain why Tetsu found a soulmate when he was Aomine's. Really, how else could that happen.
"I can tell you're thinking stupid things again, Dai-chan," Satsuki sounded exasperated more than anything.
"Shut up," he was very tempted to end the call right there, "I never think stupid things."
"You definitely do. Like that one time when you thought it would be a good idea to skinny dip in the middle of October," she started to rattle off, "Or when you thought you it would be cool to set fireworks off inside. Or when you wanted Tetsu-kun to dress up like one of those ridiculous girls in your adult magazines. Remember how that went?"
"Well, no one asked you," this time he did end the call with a large jab on the screen, "I do not think stupid things."
So, really, the only reason he met that red haired, weird eyebrows guy at all was because Satsuki dragged him with. They all met up on a Sunday evening at his and Tetsu's place. The first to come was Satsuki, of course, who immediately stepped inside with a giant smile on her face.
"Oh, this is going to be so great! I can't wait to meet Kagami-kun," she couldn't have a wider grin even if she tried, "Dai-chain, Dai-chan! Aren't you excited to meet Tetsu-kun's soulmate?"
He scowled and stomped over to the kitchen where Tetsu was ordering takeout with a phonebook in front of him. He wrapped his arms around Tetsu and peered over his shoulder to look at which place he was calling. Aomine asked before why not cook but Tetsu just gave him a blank face and told him you'll see.
"Aw, Dai-chan, don't be like that, no one likes a sourpuss," Satsuki called over to them as she settled down in the living room.
Before Aomine could open his moutch, Tetsu replied, "I don't think you can stop what's in your genes, Momoi-san."
"I guess your right, but he can at least pretend, Tetsu-kun," she was having way too much fun making fun of him. Again.
He couldn't get anything in edge-wise before the doorbell rang and knocks were heard at the door.
"Aomine-kun, you'll need to let me go to get the door," Tetsu said.
"Hmph," he huffed, only complying to the request when a pinch to the arm was recieved.
From the livingroom, Satsuki gave him a stern look. One that said do not act like an overgrown child and throw a temper tantrum in front of Kagami-kun.
Like he'd do that when Tetsu would surely give him hell afterwards. Still, he couldn't help the frown on his face when he went to sit down in the living room. He couldn't help the way he glared angrily at the TV when he heard a voice he definitely did not know. He couldn't help the way his fists started to clench when said voice was talking to Tetsu in a very familiar way.
Satsuki shot him another look. He gave a sneer back when he heard the two come closer.
"Aomine-kun, Momoi-san, this is Kagami-kun," Tetsu's voice was behind him, but he didn't bother looking back.
He heard an unfamiliar voice speak, "Hey, uh, nice to meet you."
Satsuki gave him one more stressed look before smiling brightly and said, "Hello, Kagami-kun!"
He closed his eyes and took two breaths before he finally turned around and faced the two. A few thoughts ran through his head. The first being Kagami-kun looked incredibly stupid. The second being I'm so much better than him. The last being he already looks like Tetsu's perfect match.
He promptly blocked out the last one.
He gave the red head a hard stare before saying, "Hey."
The idiot, to his credit, didn't look affronted at all and instead gave a half smile and said, "You must be Aomine. Kuroko's told me all about you."
"Bet he did," Aomine said under his breath.
The red head offered another smile before continuing, "I don't know how you can handle this guy. He can be such a sarcastic little shit-oof! Dammit, Kuroko, what did I do!"
"Sorry, my hand slipped," was Tetsu's weak excuse.
Aomine huffed out a small laugh.
"The hell it did! Seriously, how the hell can anyone put up with your mood swings-OW," Kagami clenched at his side and had a really hilarious face, "You little - Kuroko!"
Tetsu gave a bland reply, "Oops. Slipped again."
Aomine would have been laughing along with Satsuki at the exchange (albeit for a completely different reason) if he hadn't noticed the way Tetsu held a small smile on his face. One he usually reserved for when he was playfully teasing Aomine. That... that left a disgusting feeling in the pit of his stomach and an ache in his chest.
God, he should've known.
That night, after Satsuki and that red haired bastard said their goodbyes, he immediately attached himself to Tetsu's side. He didn't like the way the two had talked to each in such a friendly manner. Even if Tetsu was seated next to him, it felt like he wasn't really there. His focus was solely on Kagami. They were touching each other in such a familar way. It also didn't help that Satsuki kept sending him concerned looks the entire time. What Aomine couldn't understand was why she actually approved of them being friends.
Shit. This was all so messed up.
Something inside him had welled up that night when he was reminded of the two of them together. He couldn't say what it was for sure, but he found himself completely monopolizing Tetsu the moment both visitors left. He clung to Tetsu, touching everywhere he could, kissing any place he could reach, completely covering him head to toe.
Tetsu never said anything about his strange behavior and only held on tight to his shoulders as Aomine opened his with deft fingers. He cried out like he usually did, long and breathy moans of Aomine-kun slowly transforming into higher pitched Daiki Daiki Daiki. He panted and shook with pleasure, finger nails biting into the Aomine's back.
Aomine kept his pace as long as he could, hand gripping onto the waist below him, never breaking rythm, trying to fill Tetsu with him as much as he could, body, heart and soul before it all ended. When it did, it was with Tetsu clutching at him and crying out Daiki!
He followed moments later with a soft, "Tetsu, fuck, Tetsu. I love you."
Tetsu gave a tired smile and muttered, "Mmm, love you too."
Aomine stayed awake long after Tetsu fell asleep, holding him close, arms tightening when the other tried to roll away. He continued to watch the shorter man before he whispered into the darkness, "Don't leave me."
Sometimes he wondered if he hadn't known all along. If maybe some deep part of him always knew it was going to end up like this. If maybe he thought ignoring it would make the whole thing go away. If maybe pretending nothing was wrong would make everything okay.
He should've known.
Then came a time when he finally understood. It wasn't like he never saw it coming because, in retrospect, he really did, but it was still a shock to his entire system when it did. Him and Tetsu might've had a few fights in the following weeks after the little meet-and-greet. All about the same thing, when you got down to it, all about how he and that red haired bastard were soulmates.
He only briefly wondered when everything got so confusing and complicated along the way.
It was raining out the day he came home to hear Tetsu speaking, once again, on the phone with his other half.
"I don't know what to do with him anymore, Kagami-kun," his voice sounded sad, "I really don't. It's getting worse. We had a fight this morning before we left for work and he broke a plate."
There was silence then, "No, he wasn't throwing at me. We were eating and then had the fight. He slammed it on the ground."
Aomine was rooted to the spot he stood by a force he wasn't sure of.
"No, no, I don't think that's going to solve - I can't just -" he could hear the voice on the phone loudly interrupt, "- fine, I'll stay at your place for a bit. Maybe we both need some cooling down and think things over."
Wait, no, what?
"I'll just wait until he gets home to tell him," another pause, "I can't just leave a note, no, and you're not coming to pick me up, I can get there myself -"
The loud voice was hear again.
"Alright, I get it, but I should at least wait until he gets here -" Tetsu took the phone away from his ear and look at the screen, "He hung up on me, that idiot."
Aomine heard tapping and assumed Tetsu was calling the other man back. He didn't really know and he wasn't going to find out because he turned back around and slipped out the door with a soft click.
He didn't know where he headed after that, he figured he should go to Satsuki's but he didn't want to be pitied or given more sad looks from her. He wandered throughout the city, rainy and cloudy as it was, still in his uniform. Not paying attention to the time until it got dark. He walked back to his apartment guessing Tetsu would've already left with that asshole.
He wasn't prepared to see what he did.
In front of the door was Tetsu and the red haired guy. The shorter man's face was buried into the chest of the other, hands cleching tightly at the shirt in front of him. The taller man held onto the Tetsu with one arm wrapped around his waste and one hand gently rubbing blue hair. On the ground right next to them was a duffle bag.
The one Aomine got for Tetsu. The one he usually uses when they go away for long periods of time.
He swallowed and hid himself behind the staircase as the two separated and headed towards him. As soon as they were gone, he walked up to his door. The name slot next to it mocked him.
Kuroko Tetsuya & Aomine Daiki
He opened the door, took of his shoes, and set his keys on the kitchen counter. He noticed a piece of paper with Tetsu's handwriting. He took one glance at it before walking off and plopped down on the couch. He threw he arms over the back of the couch before silently picking up the remote and turning the TV on.
He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.
Then, the first time in a long time, he cried.
He should've known, but now he knew.
It was then Aomine realized that, in fact, soulmate does not mean lover. He wondered if it ever did and God, he should've known. If everyone had a soulmate, why did he have to end up having one that had a different one.
Sometimes, the universe fucked you over like that.
And maybe it did, or maybe it put Aomine in the situation he needed to be to understand, much later, that soulmate really doesn't mean lover in the best way possible.
Because, honestly, he should've known.