A/N: Finishing this at the last minute because Buddyfight is apparently my top priority and is the reason I got home late! Let's hope this goes up on time!
Unless my internet acts up as much as it is now. This problem seems to happen every year... at this specific time. Someone up there doesn't want me writing birthday fics.
BUT SINCE WHEN HAS THAT STOPPED ME- this is basically a mashup of every prompt Zephyr gave me this year. It was SUPPOSED to be a Mello/Near story, but then I was told my ideas wouldn't work unless I was really, reeeaaally good at writing them. Which I'm not, because I haven't read Death Note in... three years? Four? Maybe. So I defaulted to the next best pairing.
(I'm still on a Buddyfight high, so I don't know if I'll even be able to sit still long enough to finish.)
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"I'm telling you, I have a partner!"
Kise continued to argue with the woman at the gate of the couple's event he was attempting to enter, who seemed very insistent that he was alone and therefor did not qualify for entrance.
Kuroko was not making things easier, standing there silently while he drank his vanilla shake - which he'd bullied Kise into buying for him on the way - not giving any indication of helping his boyfriend.
This, of course, meant the lady didn't notice him, instead stopping Kise at the entrance and asking where his partner was.
It was a little amusing, but hearing them argue back and forth - it was mostly Kise whining and the employee not knowing how to deal with him - and he was fairly certain the people behind them were starting to get impatient.
"Kise-kun, you're starting to look like an idiot." He said flatly, shocking both the blonde and the woman. "Can we please get through?"
She stared at him for a moment before her eyes widened, looking between them before shufflin aside and gesturing for them to enter.
Kise was pouting the whole time.
"That would have been easier if you'd said something."
"I did say something." After he finished his shake, at least.
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Kise thought this was slightly illegal, but at the same time, he wasn't sure if he should complain.
Kuroko didn't say anything as they passed through the ticket gate, the theater employee not even glancing his way as he passed through behind the blonde, who awkwardly held the single piece of paper.
Well, the little voice in the back of his head that told him right from wrong was saying this wasy very wrong, but the other voice that usually gave him stupid ideas was telling him to roll with it.
"Oh, the conflict!" He moaned into the back of his seat when they were seated in the back row, waiting for the movie to start.
"Kise-kun, you're being loud." Kuroko said in response, organizing the many snacks they shouldn't have bought but did anyway. "If it bothers you that much, I can go back and pay for a ticket."
Kise raised his head, meeting the other boy's eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but the lights began to dim and the opening previews began playing. He signed.
"No, it's fine. No helping it now..."
It would be awkward to explain why he would have to buy a ticket on the way out, anyway.
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"Wait, you're serious?"
Kagami's stunned face when he said the words was almost irritating, if only because they'd gotten the same look several times at the start of their relationship.
Was it that hard to believe?
"Yes, Kise-kun and I are dating. We have been for a year now." He said, keeping his voice even to hide his irritation. As usual though, Kagami was able to see through it.
"Alright, don't get mad!" He said, jamming a burger into his mouth and chewing roughly. He swallowed, then continued. "It's just so unexpected! I know he's all clingy, and it was obvious he liked you, but I don't think anyone thought you'd end up together."
"It's not that hard to imagine." Kuroko said, taking a sip of his shake. "True, it was hard to accept at first, since at first Kise-kun was just..."
"Annoying?" Kagami filled in.
"Exactly." He said, not even bothering to deny it. "But I can't deny that I felt some affection for him. I just wanted to see where it went."
"And here you are, a year later." His friend finished for him, throwing his hands up dramatically. Possibly sensing Kuroko's mild - ver mild - distress, he added; "Don't worry, it's not like I'm discriminate or anything. If you wanna date a guy, go ahead. Doesn't bother me, and the team probably won't care either."
"Only Kise-kun." Kuroko said, confusing his teammate. "I think... Kise-kun is the only one I want to date."
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"How many times to I have to tell you, yes, we're dating now!"
Kise stared at Aomine incedulously as he repeated what he'd been trying to explain to the power forward for the past ten minutes. The dark skinned boy seemed to have trouble processing that Kise was dating his best friend.
"So... for real?" He asked again, feinting to the right before dribbling the ball in the opposite direction, passing Kise in a flash. The blonde turned around, chasing after him and snatching up the ball when it went through the hoop.
"Yes! Now stop asking!" He replied, taking off in the opposite direction and attempting a dunk, only for Aomine to knock the ball out of his hands from behind. The sudden impact, however, caused Kise to lose his balance.
He tripped, and there was a resounding clang when his forhead hit the pole.
There was silence as he pulled himself away from the metal obstruction, turning to Aomine, who blinked
"... Oops."
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The bitter silence between them as they walked to Kuroko's home was painful, if only because of the reason.
"I said I was sorry, Kurokochi!" Kise said for the hundredth time, pouting. Kuroko kept his deadpan expression, but there was an obvious bite to his words.
"You know he's not supposed to eat it, yet you let it happen anyway. What if we didn't notice in time?" He said, clutching the puppy to his chest as he slept peacefully after the trip to the vet.
"I didn't let it happen, he got into my bag and tore the package open! You know how dogs are!"
"You do too, but you still left it where he could reach it."
Kise groaned in frustration, throwing his hands up and turning away.
When they arrived, neither of them said anything as they entered. While Kuroko took Nigou to his room, Kise began gathering his scattered possessions, which had been the result of the dog's adventure into his bag.
The same one that had resulted in the rushed trip to the vet when they noticed the open package of raisins, which had been given to him by one of his co-workers.
Once everything was put away, he prepared to leave - imagining the Kuroko wouldn't want him around for a while - until he felt a tug on his jacket.
He turned around, looking down at Kuroko while the shorter continued to stare at the floor.
"... I'm sorry." He said, to Kise's surprise. "It... wasn't your fault. Not completely. I should have been paying attention too."
Kuroko still wasn't looking up, but he was gripping Kise's jacket sleeve in a way that told him not to leave. He didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around the other boy's shoulders.
"Me too." He said, running and hand through pale blue hair. "I shouldn't have put it in a place where he could reach."
There was an uncomfortable silence. Then, when he made to pull away, he felt Kuroko's arms wrap around him.
"Thanks for paying for the vet bill." He said awkwardly. Kise stared at him for a moment before he broke out laughing, hugginh him tighter.
"No problem. He's important to you, so he's important to me."
"That's conceited."
"I'm trying to sound cool here!"
He felt Kuroko's shoulders shake slighly in light laughter, and couldn't but join in.
Even if they fought, there was still that mutual understanding.
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A/N: I feel like I could have ended that off better, but I can always change it within... 90 days. Like return policies at Walgreens.
But seeing as I have six minutes before this is late, I have nothing else to say but Happy Birthday!
And just because I feel like trolling a little, this makes 64 fics~ even if we're at a ceasefire at the moment.