It's 9:45 PM. The night is young, and so is spring, and so are they.

And so is their love; they're both so new to this, to these feelings they have for each other. Strange feelings that are delicate, tangling with their primordial friendship and rivalry. In yet, surprisingly, being like this felt completely natural.

Inside an apartment that was far too spacious, on a leather couch that was so slick you could slip right off, Aomine is massaging another man's sore shoulders.

Kise is tilting his head, releasing a hum of pure satisfaction and contentment. He's getting soft kisses along his neck, to his cheek. Aomine is smirking as he's spoiling him. Kise sighs and arches his back into the touch, a gentle grin on his flushed face. Aomine's rough hands move languidly across Kise's skin, his technique pleasantly sensual.

Their lips are about to meet, but Kise weakly shakes his head. Aomine is pouting childishly now, but he patiently relents, confused by the hesitation.

"I...I might get you sick too, Aominecchi. I'd feel too bad if I did..."

"How do you think I feel, seeing you like this. Come here, idiot."

And Kise just smiles at that, and they both lean in to claim each other's breaths. It's so sweet, their mouths slowly blending and their tongues caressing. Kise moans a little, and Aomine backs off this time.

"Whoa! Oi..." he groans, rolling those deep blue eyes. "Don't...make noises like that..."

Kise's reaction is delayed, but his anxiety is plain on his pretty face.

"...Wh-Why? I'm...sorry?"

"Ah, don't apologize, I mean...it just..."

Making an effort to be a gentleman is awfully awkward and awful, he thought.

"Look, I know you're sick, I don't want to..."

Aomine blushes and glances away, he doesn't have to finish his sentence. Kise understands and grins, hugging him close. Which startles Aomine at first, but as soon as those arms are around his waist he relaxes instantaneously. Too instantaneously. The powerful affect this kid was beginning to have on him was a bit alarming. He sighs as he hangs off the blonde, hanging his head in defeat.

"I promise, Aomineee~cchi, as soon as I'm well again...I know just how to thank you for taking such good care of me. "

Did another arrow just pierce his heart? Aomine is even more flustered, but smirks at the prospect and chuckles, tickling Kise, fingers digging into his ribs. Kise loses his cool right at that moment and doubles over with laughter. He's giggling and snorting-how embarrassing-and trying to push Aomine away, trying to reach for his tickle spots that he knows well.

"Uwahahaaa! Aah, A-Aominecchi-c-c'mon, stop! I'll get you, too!"

"Heh, no way."

Both their faces hurt from smiling so much and all the laughing, wrestling and nearly tumbling off that damn slippery sofa.

Until Kise starts coughing, and Aomine surrenders immediately once he hears that painful sound, frowning and cursing himself. He pats Kise on the back with a worried expression, tosses him a water bottle, and waits for the attack to die down.

He's never been good at this. He wonders if he even deserves to be taking up Kise's time to rest. But Kise wanted him there. No, needed him there. How could he refuse? As Aomine sits uselessly beside his afflicted boyfriend, he tries to convince himself.

He is stunned after it's already been 5 minutes, and Kise continues choking on air, taking giant gulps of the water. Aomine is hunched over, and frankly, he doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know what to say. He does know he hates asking stupid questions like, are you okay? Aomine's not a moron, and he's not in the mood to tease Kise.

Relieved would be an understatement once the cough finally subsides. That was scary. Aomine refrains from inquiring the obvious. What's the point, really. He fails to hide how glad he is though, playfully nudging the other and placing a kiss on his forehead.

Their evening had went from being laced with conversation, to quixotic and quiet, to caustic coughing, and then dipped right into comfortable silence.

Kise, worn out and winded from all the coughing, drops his head onto Aomine's lap, suddenly very sleepy. Wordlessly, Aomine just lets him. He strokes through Kise's golden hair, playing with it, subtly checking his forehead to feel how warm it is.

He flinches and becomes stiff after just one touch, the serene features of his semblance distorting into something akin to concern. Just as he feared, the ikemen was hot. Burning up, in fact.

"Dammit, Kise..." Aomine releases an exhale of frustration. "Haa, you know you've got a fever, right?"

"...Mmmh?"

"Yeah, smart one, you do. Why didn't you speak up?! Ugh, I'll go-"

There's panic in Kise's eyes as they shoot open and alert. Abrupt panic consumes him as he's faced with an irrational fear of separation. He tries to sit up, but the ache that is spreading throughout his body forbids him from making any movement.

"-to the convenience store. I'll get you some aspirin or somethin'. And maybe ice cream for us to share. You still like orange cheesecake, right? Such a girly flavor."

Kise looks a bit glad, but still, his hand grips onto Aomine's sleeve-his fingers are trembling. He hated being sick. Hated being a burden. But he had to admit, he enjoyed being babied a little. Especially by Aominecchi.

"...Don't go. I'm fine, it's not too serious. Come nap with me, please..." His speech is slurred from exhaustion, but it's tinged with severe sincerity.

"I just...want you to be here. To stay...Aominecchi...with me."

Aomine gives Kise a long, hard look. Debating with himself on what he should do, what would be for the best. Under his steely gaze, those big and bright hazel eyes beckon him.

Well, shit...

In the end, Kise wins this round and he scopes him into his arms.

"Moving you to the bed...'s more comfortable." He mumbles, Kise wrapping his arms around his neck.

They collapse into the satiny bundle of pillows and sheets. Aomine tucks Kise in, making sure he's warm and snug, and then cuddles his way into Kise's embrace. They lay there, in the dimly lit room, with a view of the Kanagawa seafront amusement park gleaming from outside.

Aomine unleashes a loud yawn, earning a small guffaw from the boy who was only a few inches away. He didn't get much sleep the night before. Kise's sickness was much, much worse. While he appeared annoyed and breezy on the outside, he was frantic within. He almost thought they might have had to go to the emergency room. Thankfully, Kise just slept off the worst of it.

Right now, they both could benefit from sleep.

For a while, they lied there awake listening to each other's heartbeats, Aomine curled around Kise and holding him from behind, with Kise nestled against his chest. It was the perfect picture, almost. There was bliss in the midst of illness.

Aomine rubbed his thumb over Kise's hand, nuzzling his neck, breathing him in. This boy was his, his belief to protect, to fight for. His soul. Kise would give his soul up for him a thousand times more if he could. Nothing could be better. Well, certainly it could be, had he been in a healthier condition. They might even be having some more fun.

Guilt wormed its way inside of Kise and prevented him from drifting off to slumber. Aomine was staying over at his place every day during Golden Week, and he had to get the flu. Yeah, perfect. But, even so, they were making memories. He won't forget how this feels, to have Aomine as the wings on his back.

Never had he felt so free in another's arms before.

Guess I really am in love.