I'm not super super happy with how this ended out and I don't think I like the way I wrote Aomine but I am sick to death of editing this and being scared of fandom so I'm just going to leave this here.
Dedicated to Qzil (even though she's never watched or read KnB) because she was the one who bullied me into posting this when I just wanted to let it sit on my computer forever.
(1)
If you were to pester him long enough – or knew how to handle him properly, like Kuroko – Aomine Daiki might tell you that he's probably bisexual. He'll doubtless say it with a shrug of his shoulders, and an expression that comes as close to 'I'm as surprised as you are' as an expression can get.
But really, Aomine thinks he's just Kise-sexual, because it's not like he's ever really thought about any other guy the way he thinks about Kise. He's not even really sure he's thought about any girl the way he thinks about Kise, or at least he's never spent as much time thinking about any girl he personally knows for the same amount of time that he's spent thinking about Kise. He likes the aesthetic of girls, he likes the figures of girls, but somehow, it doesn't seem to matter how physically attractive he finds women because Kise is just as good to look at as any woman is, and Kise loves basketball.
(2)
Aomine remembers throwing that basketball at Kise, filled with a weird desire to have his attention more than anyone else, wanting for one crazy, ill-advised moment, to be the centre of Kise's attention. He remembers watching him begin to play basketball, trying to tamp down on his excitement as he displays his incredible ability to absorb and copy and perfect the movements of the people he watches; and playing one on one with him; and staring at him with awe during practice, trying to burn the image of Kise's pretty face and impressive physique in his mind, while simultaneously trying not to get caught staring at Kise by anyone.
Because in middle school the feelings Aomine had towards the pretty blond model that ended up being surprisingly good at basketball were so confusing and mixed, and Aomine wasn't sure about them at all. So it was hard for him to really even admit to himself at that time that he thought that Kise was pretty. Even if he did collect all of the magazines that Kise's pictures were in. When Aomine looked at Kise, the person he saw was just really kind of adorable and charming and intense and charismatic and enthusiastic and really, Aomine thinks in hindsight, his heart never stood a chance.
(3)
If you managed to get him to answer when he realised he liked Kise, he'd probably lie and say in high school. It's not really possible to prove otherwise, because Aomine was always extra diligent to not let his interest in Kise show when Satsuki was around in middle school (Although, Aomine would think in hindsight, Akashi probably knew. But he, thankfully, tended to think such idle gossip below him). She always was far too perceptive, and knew him far too well not to see it written plainly all over him if she had ever caught him looking.
And it's not really so much of a stretch to say that it was high school, he'd think, since once Kise was out of his sight, he wasn't on his mind so much anymore, so maybe he did fall out of that crush? And he'd slowly stopped buying the magazines Kise was in, partially because he didn't know which ones he'd be in anymore, and partially because he'd convinced himself he just wasn't interested. But maybe it was really because it was strangely painful to look at his face and know that the expression in the magazine was a mask, because Kise never really looked that cool and composed in reality; he was life and emotion and energy packed into a living, breathing body that was never able to stay still. But either way, Aomine didn't look at any other guys, and he dated a few girls, and he'd thought that was the end of that whole saga. 'It was just a phase,' he had thought to himself. 'I don't like guys. It's just because Kise is pretty like a girl.'
So it had been little bit shocking when he abruptly came face to face with Kise at the Inter High, but then he'd thought he was more excited by the potential for a challenge in basketball – maybe Kise could give him a good game, and definitely his team would never be able to cope with Kise without him. And with the looks Kise gave him, he'd really been too angry and disappointed to think maybe the cause of his feelings were because of the feelings he had towards Kise and not about basketball.
But he'd still started buying the magazines with Kise in them again after that game.
(4)
"Aomine-kun, you've seemed a bit different lately," Satsuki had commented one day as they walked home. He'd shrugged as they walked along the footpath, trying to be his usual self. He'd been thinking about Kise again as he lay on the roof, sleeping and staring at the sky in interchanging intervals. And he'd finally admitted to himself – he had feelings for the blond boy. It wasn't a big deal, he would tell himself, except that he knew that was a lie, because he'd never had feelings quite like this for any girl, even the ones with large chests who he'd gone on more than one date with.
"Is it because of basketball?" Satsuki had asked. Aomine had stayed quiet, because even though it wasn't really about basketball, it somehow was, because it was about Kise. Then he'd frowned. Kise had been everywhere in his thoughts those days. Thinking about basketball meant thinking about Kise and the game against Kise. And he didn't really think about girls so much except to look at them and think 'She's not as pretty as Kise', or 'Kise has nicer eyes than she does'. And as a general rule, Aomine didn't think about school unless he has to. That effectively ended the list of 'things Aomine thinks about'.
"I guess it's kind of about basketball," he had offered, since he'd known she was going to keep asking until she got her answer. Besides, since she's seen him make an expression, he'd known that she'd figured out she'd hit something.
"So it's about a person," she had guessed, a smile beginning to creep on her face. "A person who plays basketball."
He had shrugged again, but clearly he'd made some kind of unconscious expression, because she had nodded, seeming sure of herself. Of course, it could have been her "woman's intuition" crap, but she'd never really needed that with Aomine, not with the way that they knew each other.
"Is it Tetsu-kun?" she'd tried, but Aomine had snorted, rolling his eyes. "So it's Ki-chan."
Aomine had just sighed, and though he shot her an exasperated look, she had just smiled at him. "Aomine-kun's first crush," she had teased. "Why am I not surprised that it's someone who could just maybe one day beat you at basketball?"
"No one will ever beat me at basketball," Aomine had replied automatically. Satsuki had simply smiled serenely as they continued to walk home.
"You should ask him to play one on one with you," she had told him. Aomine had scowled and crossed his arms. "He'd definitely agree," she had added. "You know he would."
But Aomine didn't text Kise until after the Winter Cup months later, when they'd both lost to Tetsu and Kagami and Seirin. For some reason, before then, he'd felt as if it just wasn't right. Of course, they couldn't play one on one then, since Kise had injured himself in the Kaijou/Seirin game, but he'd texted him all the same, thinking maybe now he'd be able to apologise for the stupid things he said at the Inter High, and the stupid things that he said in general.
He was a little bit shocked when Kise's acceptance of his not-quite apology – Aomine had never been very good at apologies - lifted a weight from his chest that he hadn't really noticed was there.
(5)
Aomine had been surprisingly nervous the day Kise was okayed to start playing basketball again by his doctor. Not because he had any thoughts that he'd lose to Kise, but because he felt like maybe this was what it was all building up to, that maybe he'd finally have the courage to tell Kise he liked him after they played together. A perfect afternoon playing one on one like they used to, Aomine had decided, and he'd tell Kise afterwards so that if Kise rejected him, he'd have that day to remember.
They'd both gone out hard on the court that afternoon, though Aomine had been pleased that despite that they were both improved since the last time they played one on one together, he was still the better of the two, and he'd won all of their matches. Kise had collapsed to lie on the court, tired out and defeated, and yet a smile had been spread across his lips, and to Aomine, Kise had looked more perfect at that moment than in he did in any modelling picture, laying with his arms out to each side, flushed and covered in sweat, his damp blond hair sticking to his face.
Aomine had dropped to sit next to him, fiddling with the basketball in his hands. The court had been silent except for the sounds of their breath, before Aomine finally rode on a surge of courage to confess his feelings.
"I like you, you know, Kise..."
He hadn't looked at Kise as he'd said it, instead looking off towards the park, feeling his cheeks burn and chest tighten as he prepared himself for the worst. He'd heard Kise move, and Aomine had looked to the ground, expecting Kise to try and get as far away as he could or something similar. So he'd been very shocked when he'd felt Kise's hand on his face, tilting his head to make him look Kise in the eye. He'd felt his breath hitch, and heart stutter as Kise leaned in precariously from his awkward crouching position and kissed him quickly and gently, before he teetered back on his heels and gave a breathy laugh as he replied, "I like you too, Aominecchi."
And then the bastard stole Aomine's basketball, initiating another one on one.
Kise'd lost that one too, but somehow, from the way he'd smiled when Aomine kissed him after the point was won, Aomine had a feeling that Kise didn't think that he'd lost at all.
(6)
"How'd it go with Ki-chan?" Satsuki had asked the next morning as they'd walked to school. Aomine had intended not to go into much detail at all with her, and just tell her they played one on one, that's all, but somehow, Aomine found himself telling her about his confession, feeling awkward and embarrassed for some reason in front of Satsuki, and that was a first, wasn't it? He'd done far more embarrassing things with Satsuki before, he was sure, and yet he couldn't think of any.
"So are you dating now?" had been her next question, and Aomine had almost panicked, since he realised that they hadn't said anything about what their relationship was now, and he'd texted Kise to ask.
'Of course we're dating, Aominecchi!' had been the enthusiastic response to his text, followed by a second message: 'Because I like Aominecchi, I don't want to share him.'
Satsuki had stolen his phone after he'd apparently "gone more red than I've ever seen – redder than Kagamin's hair!" and squealed.
(7)
On their evening before their first date, Aomine had called Satsuki over because he had wanted to look nice for Kise.
"He's good looking, Satsuki," he'd complained, his voice muffled from his pillow. He'd thrown himself onto his bed to sulk after Satsuki had teased him for wanting her help. "He's a model. Like, I don't want him to feel like he's dating down or whatever. He could have anyone, and he's gone and got himself stuck with me."
"Don't be silly, Dai-chan," Satsuki had responded absently as she perused his wardrobe. "Ki-chan adores you as you are, and has for a very long time." She'd pulled out a jacket to inspect it as she paused. "Still, it's cute that you want to look nice for Ki-chan, and I'm sure he'll appreciate my effort. But you should wear something you can play basketball in. You two probably won't be able to go the whole day without playing."
She wasn't wrong in the end. After having lunch and seeing a movie, they'd returned to Aomine's place so Kise could borrow some of Aomine's clothes, and then they'd raced off to the nearest basketball court, where after every one on one they shared a kiss.
"I'm so glad to be here with Aominecchi," Kise told him after their last set, a beautiful smile on his pretty face. "I never thought Aominecchi would like me, because I'm not your type."
Aomine had shrugged, feeling his cheeks heat up as he thought, but didn't say, that Kise was, in fact, exactly his type.
(8)
Aomine liked that Kise was cuddly.
Of course, it wasn't unexpected. The blond boy's behaviour in everyday life indicated strongly that he was an affectionate and cuddly kind of boyfriend, since he was an affectionate and cuddly kind of friend. But Aomine hadn't thought that he would like it as much as he did.
He liked that when they walked around, whether it was casually or on a date, that Kise would curl his arm around his waist, and he would settle his arm over Kise's shoulders, even if their closeness in height made the position mildly uncomfortable. He liked that when they sat on benches and couches that Kise would lean into him. He liked that when Kise would approach him to greet him, he would put his arms around his neck and kiss him, that lovely smile on his face.
(9)
It was a really good day the day that Aomine discovered how sensitive Kise's nipples were.
Kise complained later, but he never stopped him.
(10)
"Ryouta."
Aomine hadn't meant for his name to slip out like that, but he had enjoyed the results. He hadn't thought he could make Kise go so red so quickly anymore, not since they'd started to be more sexually intimate. But when he'd accidentally whispered his name between heated kisses, Kise had pulled back, wide-eyed and his cheeks going red faster than he'd thought possible.
Aomine often felt embarrassed that he'd ended up being the one who had initiated all the girly kinds of changes in their relationship, but at that moment he didn't care. It had been more comfortable for both of them to keep calling each other the way they had before, since it had already been fairly close, and for some reason both had shied away from a first-name basis.
Aomine's lips had curled in a predator's smirk as he repeated himself. "Ryouta."
And then he had been on top of the blond boy, teasing, biting, repeating his name ("Ryouta.") but never giving him what he wanted, because he was waiting for him to respond.
"Daiki."
It almost hadn't been there, so quietly had he uttered it, but it was what he had been waiting for.
Later, Kise would tell Aomine that he'd been worried that Aomine wouldn't be comfortable with the familiarity of a first name basis. Kise had sat up, and his pale skin was covered in Aomine's possessive marks, though their colours were muted in the faint light filtering in from Aomine's window. He looked away from Aomine as he spoke.
"I've always been afraid that somehow I'd chase you away," Kise admitted. His voice had been soft, but in the darkness of Aomine's room and the quietness of his home, it was easy for Aomine to hear him, lying stretched out on his back next to him. "I've loved you for a long time, Daiki. I think... since the first time I saw you play basketball. I love sports, you know, but before basketball, once I'd copied everything and reached the top, I was unchallenged... it was lonely and boring to play without an equal. And then I found you and basketball." He'd paused. Aomine, who had been staring at the roof as he listened to Kise's confession, turned his head to look at Kise's face.
Kise himself had been looking out the window at the sky. "I loved and admired you so much for so long... but I never thought I'd get a chance to be with you the way I wanted. I taught myself to be content just to be your friend and rival. I'm not a girl. You've never shown any interest in another man, so."
Kise had sighed before looking down at Aomine. He'd seemed embarrassed by Aomine's gaze, and had quickly turned to look at the ceiling. "I guess what I'm trying to say is that I know that most people would think I'd be the one chasing after you, confessing and doing all that intimate crap, because that's the kind of person I am. And maybe for anyone else, that would be true. But I was always... even after you confessed, I guess I thought maybe you'd come to your senses if I ever made you think that this was serious. I just wanted you to know even though I guess it's too late for me to be that person to spare you the embarrassment, I wanted to be that person. I just needed to know that you wouldn't run away from me. I needed to know you were ready, that you wanted it, but that ended up meaning that you had to take all the steps. If you ever took them."
"You talk too much," Aomine had replied as he sat up, and then he had bitten Kise's shoulder hard. Kise, seeming to understand that this was not a real complaint, had just let out a quiet, breathy laugh before turning around to kiss Aomine.
(11)
Aomine always preferred not to interact with Kise in days which led up to any games Touou played against Kaijou, whether it was a practice game or tournament game. By the time the game would roll around, both of them would be keen to rip into each other on the court. Aomine felt like he needed those days to compartmentalise a little bit, because Aomine didn't want their relationship to spill out into a game with their team mates. Their games would be brutal and intense, funnelling the frustration that built up from not seeing each other.
And afterwards, they meet quietly. Touou never lost their matches, and Kise was always teary when they met.
"I'm so proud of you, Ryouta," Aomine would murmur into Kise's ear as he pulled the blond into a hug. "I know it doesn't make you feel any better, but I am."
"Stupid Aominecchi," Kise would whisper. And Aomine would sigh, dragging his fingers through Kise's sweat-sticky hair, and kiss his temple.
"You'd be madder if I didn't do my best."
Kise will grumble, but they'll both know Aomine is right. Kise doesn't want any cheap wins, especially not from Aomine.
So Aomine just rubs Kise's shaking back as the other boy cries himself out.
"Stupid Daiki."
"Yes, I know."
(12)
Aomine really likes it when Kise wears his clothes. It seems almost comical that he should have such an interest in it, and also be dating a model.
The first time, they'd gotten caught out in the rain when they go to play one on one together, and though they had raced back to Aomine's house at top speed, they were both drenched by the time they got back.
"I'll probably fit into all your clothes, Aominecchi," Kise tells him.
"Pick whatever you want. It's all the same anyway," Aomine had replied, voice muffled as he pulled his wet shirt off.
He was expecting it, but was still annoyed when Kise returned looking better in his clothes than he did. Aomine had some vanity, after all – just because he didn't have much in the way of variety in his wardrobe didn't mean he didn't care how he looked.
Still, it had been unusual to see Kise in the dark, baggy jeans and black t-shirt. Kise usually tended towards wearing lighter colours, and Aomine hadn't really noticed the difference it made until now.
Anyway, it was kind of hot.
So of course, "You look hot in my clothes," came tumbling right out of his mouth before he could stop it. Kise, who had thrown himself on Aomine's bed, looked over at him as if suddenly startled, before a small, mischievous smile played across his lips.
"It's my job to look good, Daiki," he responded. Aomine almost choked, watching Kise move slowly, purposefully to pose in a suggestive manner. "In... or out... of clothes."
"Next time," Aomine tells Kise, "I want you to wear my basketball uniform..."
Kise smirked.
(13)
"Tell me a secret, Daiki."
It was late – Aomine had been half-dozing on his back. Kise had been restless and unable to sleep, and his constant shifting had made it impossible for Aomine to reach true sleep. This made him grumpy, but he tamped down on his temper, and simply sighed before he turned his head to look at Kise, who had moved to lie on his side facing Aomine, his head propped up by his hand.
"What kind of secret, Ryouta?"
"Something about you."
Aomine had been quiet for a while, and Kise prodded him.
"I'm not asleep," he promised. "I'm thinking about what I'm going to tell you."
"Daikiiiii," Kise whined. "What's taking so long?"
"Shut up. It's hard. I think I'm going to say something embarrassing."
If anything, this seemed to make Kise more excited.
"A secret... okay."
Aomine moved onto his side to face Kise. "I have most of your pictures," he starts quietly. "From pretty much when we met." Idly, Aomine looked down at his hand as he brushed the tips of his fingers against Kise's side, where the shirt he slept in had ridden up. He didn't think he could say this while looking Kise in the face. "You're special."
Aomine's really not very good at the whole talking about your feelings thing, but Kise, who had spent the better part of three years chasing him, seemed to understand what he was trying to say. 'I've loved you for a long time.'
Yep. Hope you enjoyed, thanks for reading, and feel free to never ever leave a review because I'll probably have a panic attack thinking that you hated it.
