Chapter One- A Christmas 'Miracle'
A/N: Dedicated to all those who had a crappy Christmas, and who wish some tall tanned handsome man would whisk you away on a fantasy adventure.
Warnings: Boy/Boy, Aomine/Kagami, Smut
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Christmas is a cold one this year, Kagami thought as he stepped out of his car and locked it behind him. A biting, dry breeze ruffled his two-tone hair, and he looked up into the sky thoughtfully. The scene was mostly clear, with high moving clouds. He wondered how the Christmas party was going to go: so far his day had been crap.
It had been about five years since his father relocated to Japan to marry his step-mom. On the surface she seemed nice enough, but like all step-mothers, she contained that stereotypical evil. Kagami frowned as he walked up the drive way to the apartment complex. Frustration tingled through him just thinking about it- the little things she did, like talking crap about relatives as soon as they left, or getting him in trouble with his father for insignificant things. Perhaps the worst part was the way she made him feel inadequate by trivializing the things that he loved. Oh, she tried a few times to ask about his basketball, but each time it ended in, "I don't understand," or "seems like a waste, what are you going to do ten years down the line?" Yes, that indeed hurt the most. Especially since her own son was an out-of-school, free-loading bum who spent most of his time partying, and the rest of it sleeping. At least he had a part time job cleaning and organizing the gym, after practice.
Kagami worked hard at basketball. Every night after classes he practiced with his team, shooting hoops, running drills, and even organizing the occassional skirmish. More often than not, he woke up early to jog around the neighborhood. Most weekends he played street ball with his friends from high school. He missed them a lot, and wished more then anything he was spending his Christmas with them, instead of here, where he felt out of place and unwanted.
Sure enough, it was full on 'shun the step kid' when he opened the door. That morning no one had bothered to tell him a precise time for dinner, just told him around six and presents after. Traditionally, Kagami and his father opened up presents to a stupid but lovable hillbilly album from the States. That had gotten canceled during the onslaught of the stepmom, and resulted in just another ache in his chest.
His entire step family was already geared up and ready to unwrap presents as he stepped through the door. "Just in time!" His step mom called, voice two octaves higher then normal, and thick with a sickly sweet aggression. The rest of the family simply ignored him as he pulled up a chair. They started handing out presents, and he was still surprised he was given nothing, though he really should have expected it from them.
I'm not completely without a gift, he thought, trying to cheer himself up. His father had promised to buy him new basketball shoes for the upcoming game, though they hadn't enough time to purchase them yet.
Usually, most of the gifts under the tree were bought by his step-mom, and Kagami had been under the impression that those were her presents to him. He knew his gift was expensive this year, and hadn't been expecting much, but still not anything? Not even a card he could open with the rest so that he knew they cared? So he could feel like he was welcome and wanted?
No, and so he wore his best poker face and tried to ignore the stinging of his eyes as the jerks around him tore into their shiny packages.
His best poker face needed work: it wasn't long before he was pulled aside by his dad. "What's wrong?" His father demanded. His expression was stern, with just enough concern to show he was worried for his troubled son, but severe enough to let him know that he was ruining Christmas.
"It's just that I didn't have any presents to unwrap this year-" Kagami started. He was interrupted by his father exploding.
"Is that what this is about! I thought I told you I was getting you those shoes! Stop being spoiled!"
"It's not like that!" Kagami yelled back, frantic and dismayed. "I just wanted to feel included-"
"Jeez I do so much for you kids! And this is how you act, selfish and greedy!"
"It's not-!" Kagami tried. A sinking feeling in his stomach, accompanied by sharp pang of anxiety, told him that his father was not going to be reasoned with.
"I'm so busy, and you know that. I work my butt off for you kids!"
"I know Dad, I know that and I truly appreciate it but-" Kagami sat down on the small bench nest to the front door and cradled his head in his hands.
"Then if you truly appreciate it, you'll stop acting like such a child and get over it! Sometimes you have to give things up, and do things you don't want to! Having this dinner, doing things this way, makes your Step-mom happy. So let her do it." His father wheeled around and stormed back into the house, almost slamming the door shut.
Kagami slumped into the bench and let out a heavy sigh. He blinked rapidly, fighting back the tears. After a few moments, he felt composed enough to make a strategic retreat. He grabbed his jacket, basketball, and slipped a small wrapped present into his pocket, just in case some miracle happened. Leashing his dog Nigou, he left the apartment in a hurry. He was relieved when no one tried to stop him, but still felt the sting when no one cared enough to acknowledge his leaving.
Once outside, he made a beeline to the nearest park with Nigou in tow. The park was large, and dimly lit by the orange lamps spaced on the side of the parkways. There didn't seem to be anyone around, so Kagami reached down to Nigou, and after a brief rub on the head, unleashed him. Nigou woofed playfully and batted at Kagami's legs, his nails digging in just enough to cause Kagami to wince in pain. "Yes, OK!" Kagami said, and the next moment they were racing across the park to the basketball court.
Nigou is the best, Kagami told himself as he smiled at his dog. He was the closest thing to a basketball dog after 'Air Bud'. Kagami raced back and forth on the court as Nigou chased him around, dribbling the ball. Occasionally Nigou launched a sneak attack to steal the ball, which never failed to make Kagami laugh. "You may find holes in my defense Nigou," he called cheerfully, "But you will never win if you can't shoot!" And with a leap and a jump, he was souring through the air and slamming the ball through the hoop.
Kagami loved to dunk. He loved the feeling of climbing to some impossible height; he loved the thrill of seeing the hoop get closer and closer. Nigou barked happily as Kagami landed. Forgetting the basketball entirely, he turned to chase Nigou around, laughing as Nigou taunted Kagami to catch him. Finally subduing him, Kagami scooped the fluffy pup up and settled him in his arms. He started laughing again as the puppy lapped playfully at his face.
"Ack! Nigou, stop slobbering on me!" He sputtered and set the squirming dog down. Then he heard laughter behind him, and looked around in confusion to find the source. His heart nearly stopped dead in his chest when his eyes caught on the tall, muscular figure before him.
"It's good to see you," the figure said with smile that, to most people, would seem like an arrogant smirk. "Nigou too, though I think he has gotten a little fatter?" Offended, Nigou replied with cacophony of indignant barks.
"Aomine!" Kagami called back. "I didn't think I would be seeing you until after holidays."
"What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't get my darling his gift?" This time Aomine did smirk, and it earned him a playful shove from the red haired boy.
"I'm not your darling, sweety." Kagami taunted back.
"Yeah? If I'm sweet, come and have a taste." He pulled Kagami flush against him and kissed him deeply. Kagami moaned as the kiss went from passionate to borderline filthy. He struggled through the pleasant, hazy mindlessness that befell him to swat away an eager, searching hand.
"Not here!" Kagami said as he broke away. A sudden rush of cold made him realize how warm Aomine's body was, and he fought the urge to return to the other boy's arms. He didn't need Aomine to become even more arrogant and egotistical.
Kagami's reservations didn't phase the brat in question at all. Summoning a smile that could melt a glacier, Aomine grabbed Kagami's arm and said in a voice barely above a whisper, "I missed you."
"Me too," he replied, blushing thoroughly. "I was having a crappy day, but just by being here, you've made it so much better. Before I came to the park, I wish you'd be here. I even grabbed your gift, just in case."
"Good!" Aomine grinned, almost wickedly, "I'm about to make your day even better. Let's go to my place: everyone is up at a cabin in the mountains. I told them I was sick, but really I was just love sick for you, my honey."
"If you think you're being charming, you are not," Kagami said, laughing. He let himself be dragged by the arm towards Aomine's car, Nigou trotting happily behind.
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