In my headcanon after they become close friends Takao calls Kise "Ki-chan", borrowing the sweet nickname from Momoi and Kise in return calls him "Taka-chan" which is both cute and cool. Oh and Kise is such a prankster and loves to tease Aomine and gangs up with Takao on Aomine a lot.


Kise was laughing uncontrollably.

"Don't laugh Ki-chan... I am telling you, it was really irritating. When I woke up the next morning he had cleaned up everything. He had washed the dishes, tidied the living room and kitchen, and even wiped clean the bathroom. And then he gave me a half an hour lecture about how my messy life style and living conditions were probably affecting my well-being and triggering my migraine. He asked me to prepare a list of activities I did the day before that could have triggered my migraine specifically. I have to return the list to him by this Friday."

"I don't know what to laugh more... You faking illness or him insisting on staying over and looking after and then cleaning your house. You two are crazy."

"I am not crazy just pathetic and desperate... he is the crazy one." Takao said dejectedly and gulped down his glass empty, then pointed his empty glass to Kise so that he would pour more wine. This was their second bottle and it was almost empty already and Kise was especially very tipsy.

"He really is..." Kise mumbled as he poured wine to the glass, though a little haphazardly and continued, "but you know... I mean to take care of you all day... he really cares about you. He would never do that for me."

"He'd probably just tell you to die..."

"Argh... he would. Midorimacchi is always so mean to me."

"I think he likes you though. He is probably closer to you than other guys... well except Akashi. Shin-chan is just a super tsundere."

"If you say so, you are the Midorimacchi expert Taka-chan."

"But I still can't believe it you know... he is really going to get married."

"Maybe she will refuse?"

"No, she won't. She is a bit like Shin-chan when it comes to romance, that is why they get along so well despite Shin-chan's antics."

"Hmm... I see. I am sorry..."

"Don't be... I mean it was obvious that this was hopeless right at the beginning... I never really expected anything from him. And I always knew he would eventually marry."

"Yeah... but it is still sad." Kise mumbled as he played around with his glass while he sipped bit by bit...

"We have the usual basketball game this Friday evening too... By then he will have probably proposed to her. Argh... I so don't want to go."

"Why don't you make an excuse?" Kise asked innocently and he had started slurping his words.

"He would make a bigger fuss out of it. He hates when his routine is interrupted."

"Um... good luck"

"Yeah... I think... I think this may be a good time to end this. You know... I mean I have been in love with him... for how many years now? 10? 11? It is silly... He will never love me back."

"Aw! Taka-chan! If he doesn't love you, don't worry, I love you!" Kise hugged Takao from his waist and put his head over his shoulder.

"Always so cute Ki-chan... I love you too. But you are already taken you know..."

"But I can love you both! I have enough love to last the whole world... I can love Aominecchi, and Kurokocchi, and you, and..."

"Wow. Nice. Good to know that you turn to polyamory when you are drunk."

"Huh? Aominecchi?" Kise raised his head slightly as Takao also glanced back and saw an annoyed Aomine.

"Let me guess... these two bottles of dessert wine were drunk by you two only."

"Wow, Aominecchi how did you know?"

"Ki-chan... it is obvious. Even Ahomine will realise it... And you are so innocent and cute when you are drunk Ki-chan, I want to kiss you."

"You can kiss me!"

"No, he cannot. Nobody is kissing anybody. And Takao, stop it. Obviously Kise is drunk but I know that you are only a little tipsy."

"Aw, you are no fun Aomine."

"Shut up." Aomine scolded Takao and tried to pull away Kise from him but it wasn't a very easy task.

"Why the hell did you guys drink so much? It is Tuesday for God's sake. You both have work tomorrow. And where the hell is Himuro?"

"Apparently a wealthy and frequent female customer of his came for the VIP lounge today with a few friends... and she asked him to serve them personally."

Kise giggled at that joyfully,

"Wow... hehe like a host. It must be because Himuro is very hot."

"Yeah, I know. He is so fine. It is such a shame he is straight as an arrow."

"I know right! It must be illegal for men that hot to be completely straight. They should be at least bicurious... I mean his face is so sexy and his-"

"Wow... Wow. Kise. Nice. Go on, talk more about how hot other men are while your boyfriend is trying to hold you still."

"Aw! Are you jealous Aominecchi?"

"You know Aomine, jealousy does not suit you. Plus, you yourself are very sexy. So why worry?" Takao giggled. Aomine was very annoyed as he left a couple of bills under the wine bottles and wrapped his arm around Kise's waist, trying to balance him.

"Shut up Takao. Come on Kise... I'm taking you home. You are drunk... why did you even drink in the middle of the week?!"

"Because Taka-chan needed me! I can't go! I can't go without him... Taka-chan! I won't leave you behind like Midorimacchi did! Aominecchi, did you know, that damned bastard Midorimacchi is getting married!"

"Huh? What the heck? When did that happen?"

"He told it to Taka-chan first! Like last weekend... isn't he a bastard?"

"Um... well, he is straight. And he is Midorima. So I guess it is normal for him to get married..."

Kise furiously started fingering Aomine's shoulder and chest, "Don't say that! Don't!"

"Ah.. uh... fine, fine stop doing that with your fingers. It is irritating and I am already having a hard time balancing you. God, you turn into a hyperactive 5 year old when you are drunk." Aomine turned to Takao then, "come on, get up, you too. I'll drop you off on the way."

"Oh! That's more like my Aominecchi! You see Taka-chan, he is a bit of a tsundere too!"

"Yay! Tsundere Aomine is the best!"

"Oi! Takao, stop climbing to my back... I said I'll drop you off your home, I didn't say I'll carry you."

"Why not? You are carrying Ki-chan!"

"First I don't want to carry you. Second, Kise is my boyfriend. Third, I am not Murasakibara, I wouldn't be able to carry two grown ass men even if I wanted."

"I'll carry you Taka-chan!"

"God damn it Kise, you stay still..."

"Hmm... Murasakibara indeed could carry us both probably... he is like a titan."

"Murasakicchi, the Colossal Titan."

"The Purple Titan!"

"Can you two stay still a bit? Were you this drunk really? When I came in you were talking more normally... Are you to screwing me?"

"Oh I am screwing you! But not now. But I did last night. Don't you remember Aominecchi?"

"Kise!"

Takao laughed uncontrollably and lost his balance a little so he also held onto Aomine's other, free arm, and saw Kise wink when he did. And thought that he was lucky to have friends like these two. He thought that it had been a good idea to let it loose with Kise like this, even if it was a Tuesday night.

His opinions changed drastically the next day when he woke up to his alarm. He had a terrible headache and he stank. He should not have let it that loose during a week day, he had to go to school... How was he going to face his students and go through all the classes today with this hangover? He cursed himself as he got up and also slightly wondered how was Kise dealing with it all. Surely he had exaggerated his level of drunkenness with Aomine but he had drank more than Takao... But then he had Aomine and if there was no game tonight, which Takao could not remember, Aomine would probably carefully nurse him. He couldn't help but feel a little jealous at that, the relationship Kise and Aomine shared was so perfect in certain aspects that he would kill to have something similar with Midorima. Well, not kill, but he would and could definitely sacrifice a lot.

He tried his best to look as normal as possible as he entered the school. He had recently started working here and it was very important for his career and living: not only did they pay him a lot, it was a very prestigious school, it had amazing athletic facilities that were open to both students and teachers, and most of the children were very bright. His work life was going so smooth and he was so satisfied with it that the last thing he wanted was to stain his perfect record with the school over a silly thing as a heartbreak-induced-drinking-induced-hangover. Almost everything went perfect in the morning as he allowed students to do self-study since they had some upcoming quizzes, but during midday break, when he went to cafeteria to get something to eat, like always many students gathered around him before he could run away to the teachers' lounge. He normally appreciated how his students were so fond of him and he liked them a lot too, but he had a raging headache and the least he wanted was a bunch of random questions, some of which intuitively asking why "Sensei had such tired eyes today". What could he say to them?

"Stop bothering Taka-chan, it is obvious that he is not feeling well today..."

Well, it was not a lie that he was not feeling very well but it was really awkward that he was being saved by the same lie of a fake illness twice in less than a week's time. He welcomed this assist from Yukimura Kaede, the cheerful PE teacher with a reddish brown hair.

"Yuki sensei, don't call Takao sensei 'Taka-chan', only we can call him that!"

Takao found this a little ironic in his head; the only reason why his students had started calling him "Taka-chan" was after seeing a note among his files from Kise that affectionately called him as such. And perhaps, Aomine was right to be a bit jealous, Kise leaving random affectionate notes and stuff (that particular one was a "Work hard Taka-chan!") was very cute and something one would normally do to a lover, but Kise did it to almost all he was fond of. He could still remember Kuroko complaining about finding similar random notes in his house after each time Kise visits. He woke up from his thoughts with a high pitched voice loudly exclaiming,

"Hey Taka-chan! Why are you not answering? Are you really ill? Is Yuki saying the truth?"

"You guys got me... I was trying to keep it a secret, but you see, I have migraine and it has been especially bad since last night." Takao said with a dramatically sad face that the crowd around him, most of whom were girls, fawned over him dearly upon hearing this,

"Taka-chan, you should rest!"

"You should have let us know Sensei! Now that I think, you were so silent during this morning's class too."

"Yeah... Taka-chan you should go and have your lunch peacefully at the teacher's lounge. But please have your lunch with us tomorrow or the day after if you feel better!"

"Sure, thank you. You are all so sweet..." Takao smiled in the sweetest way he could and as he motioned back to teachers' lounge, alongside Yukimura, he could hear especially girls whispering about just how 'cute' he was. He sighed,

"Thanks a lot Yukimura sensei."

"Well, you really don't look good, I am not sure if you are ill... probably a hangover?"

"You are so sharp. Yeah, I was a little naughty last night and I am regretting it a lot."

Yukimura chuckled,

"It is good to be naughty sometimes. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. By the way, I already told you before, you can call me Yuki or Kaede. 'Yukimura sensei' sounds too stuffy."

"Does it? I don't know. You are my senpai."

"Yes it does and it does make me feel a little guilty because frankly I am calling you 'Taka-chan', occasionally."

Takao giggled wholeheartedly, after the girls in his class had taken a liking to the nickname and started calling him as such soon many people in the school, including some of the other teachers, had started using it.

"It is okay though, I am a very carefree person when it comes to names and stuff... plus, I actually like that nickname quite a bit. And I am the youngest teacher so, I guess it is okay. It suits."

"Oh, it does suit you. You are always so cheerful and bursting with happiness, it would be a little too rigid and distant to call you 'Takao sensei'. I am glad you are not bothered by it."

Honestly, Takao was not. He especially would not mind Yukimura calling him that; he was the youngest teacher in the school after Takao, had been here for two years and had always been helpful in teaching the ropes to Takao and lending a helping hand. He was gay too, like Takao, and they had learnt this in a very awkward way: only two weeks after Takao had started working in the school, one night at a famous gay bar in Nichoume, they ran into each other, Takao arm in arm with another man, and Yukimura holding hands with another man. A small panic and "emergency mode" was initiated first to understand just what kind of a person was the other since they didn't know each other well then. They had later spent most of that night talking at a corner, trying to learn more about each other, trying to come to a good understanding and common ground, even though this meant that they had to dump their respective dates. It had been fun though and they had realised that they had more in common than they initially realised, for example, Takao learnt that Yukimura had actually been a very successful high school athlete, a star baseball player who even made it to the grand final in Koshien. They decided that the best was to help each other in case their sexual orientation was exposed or there was an issue at the school; neither was sure what would school's reaction would be to gay teachers, perhaps it would not be negative, but neither wanted to take the risk. So even though neither was fully in closet, they decided that in the school they would continue to act like always and watch each other's back. Takao liked this because even though he always had good relations with his colleagues in every job he had in his whole life, it was the first time he had a colleague with whom he had shared his orientation and it introduced a new kind of understanding he had never received before. Simply put, it was nice.

They had their lunches together at the teachers' lounge but spoke only a little, and mostly of mundane and unimportant things. After taking some painkillers with his lunch, Takao started feeling better and was luckily able to finish the school day. The first thing he did, when he went home, was to sleep before even eating anything. The next day went relatively fine and normal at the school too and he was thankful that his hangover was over. However, by Thursday night, the reality of the routine basketball game he had with Midorima on Friday late afternoons started to sink in and he felt depressed. His depression continued Friday morning to the point that despite his attempts to keep up a cheerful face, a few of his students asked how he was feeling, or if something bad had happened.

When Friday late afternoon came he met Midorima in the usual private gym they met and Midorima, like always, was already there. Takao was particularly late today though, mostly because he was so reluctant to come in the first place that it had taken a lot of effort just to push himself to come.

"You are late."

"I know Shin-chan... I had so much work today at the school, I had to stay late."

Midorima raised his eyebrow in suspicion and Takao thought that Midorima could probably tell that he was lying but would probably not make it a matter of debate since they were already late, he would prefer to start playing. And that was what happened. They played one-on-one for about 40 minutes and then trained separately, shooting and other exercises for another 30-40 minutes. When they were done Takao was tired and aching but in body and soul.

Here is a problem with long-term unrequited love: you are always curious about the other person even though you know that satisfying that curiosity, especially about the details about their love life, will only cause you pain. You still cannot help but inquire about those details as though you have to know. You basically chase after the facts that you yourself do not want to know in the first place but it feels as though you have to know that. A dilemma in its finest and so Takao gave in to the chase, as they changed in the locker room,

"Um... so Shin-chan, did you propose to your girlfriend?"

"Yes. Today, we had lunch together and I told her my plans. She was a little surprised but she approved. We will formally talk with her family next week. Then we are planning to hold a small engagement party some time next month, apparently it is the common thing to do these days."

"Oh..." as Takao thought and Midorima also predicted, things had gone fine. It really was not surprising, Takao remembered how Azumi was like a second Midorima in terms of dutifulness and following expectations. She probably also thought that this was the 'proper' course and thus approved. That was how their relationship worked, not like two young people in love but two government officials in a harmonious bureaucracy that both followed to the letter. It was insane in a way. Takao felt a heaviness in his stomach, the despair started filling him again but they still had to go and eat – because that is what they did always: they would play basketball and then go to eat together, that was their routine, and thus by the rule of the Lord Midorima unless there was a disaster, the routine would not be broken – so he had to dispel this heaviness and despair. But how? What to focus? What to ask? Then it hit Takao,

"I am curious though... Why didn't you take her to a dinner or something? Wouldn't that be better? Or was it that somehow lunch hour was deemed to be luckier by Oha Asa or something?"

"Don't be stupid Takao, Oha Asa is not a weather channel, to report something like 'hourly forecast' of luck. It would be great if that was possible though. Anyway, I had to tell her this week but I had unexpected emergencies and work all week at the hospital so I could not find the time. Then on this weekend, I have the evening and the night shifts. So only day left was today but obviously I have my basketball game with you today right before dinner time and we go to dinner together afterwards. So the only open spot was lunch and thus, I took her to lunch to tell her. It is that simple."

Midorima finished zipping up his jersey as he finished his words and turned his back without waiting for a reply and shouted back, "Can you please be quicker? I will wait outside."

Takao looked at the door open and close as Midorima exited and he felt incredibly happy and incredibly sad. It was as easy like this. It was like how Midorima shot those perfect jump shots, with such perfect accuracy and such a perfectly high arc that he would shoot them and could turn his back and walk away knowing full well that it would go through the hoop perfectly. Just like that he scored against Takao, though he probably did not realise how or why. He did this very often and it was really small things too. He would keep and give the little trinkets and novelties he got from the hospital to Takao, only to Takao. He would always ask for the bill himself and pay for Takao as well even though both were working adults now. If there was a special event he wanted to see, an exhibition or a match, and he did not want to go by himself he would hint it to Takao and go with Takao and Takao only. When they went out drinking as a group, he would never drink and would always be the one to take, often a pretty drunk Takao home. If he had an important news, an important life impacting decision, Takao would be the first one to hear it, in a lovely restaurant after a delicious meal. There were a ton of little things like this that always, always kept and sustained a tiny little piece of hope in Takao's heart. He wanted to end this unrequited love many times but then these little things would happen and Takao would realise just how important and how special he is in Midorima's life and would want to believe, would want to dream that one day, yes one day, he could be the one... the one Midorima chose.

But today, proved once again that it was not the case. Midorima had given him the priority, again. But Midorima had not chosen him to be together. Midorima would perhaps continue to him give priority for some time, for some years to come, but till when? And in any case, was this all Takao wanted? It was not. The little detail that gave him a sense of superiority, a sense of security, and a sense of being loved, for the first time gave him a sense of defeat, a sense of uncertainty, and a sense of abandonment. After he drove away these thoughts from his mind quickly and changed as fast as he could, and exited through the same door as Midorima, he promised himself. He promised himself that these little things Midorima did would never feed the stubborn little seedling of hope inside his heart. No, as he exited through that door, he crushed that little seedling in his own hands into nothingness...

"You sound terrible... it was that bad?" Kise's voice was worried and Takao felt a little guilty bothering him with his now usual Midorima blues on a Friday night.

"It was worse. In a way I guess..."

"So she accepted?"

"Obviously. He apparently talked with her today at lunch, before our game."

"Huh? Why at lunch? Aren't these kind of things done in dinners? Plus, why today?"

"Apparently he was extremely busy all week, and he would be super busy during weekend too. Since he plays basketball with 'me' on Friday evening, he wouldn't be able to take her to a dinner. Because we play and then have dinner together every Friday. So he took her to lunch to propose."

"You are joking..."

"I am not."

"God! I don't understand Midorimacchi... I mean if you come first in everything about his life, if he prefers to play his routine basketball and have dinner with you over proposing to his girlfriend in a lovely dinner, why the heck is he not getting any clues?!"

Takao just sighed as Kise went on rambling and grumbling about Midorima.

"It was a big slap you know... till now, I always cherished these little things... this 'priority' status I had in his life. But I cannot be satisfied with only this anymore. I am tired of just hoping and hoping based on them..."

"I understand but... don't they still show that you there is hope?"

"What kind of a hope Ki-chan? It has been what... over 10 years? How long should I wait? Do you know what he told me during our dinner? He said that I should also hurry and find a suitable person. He keeps saying that now and then for months now. I had to joke again saying that monogamy was not suitable for me and that I liked having fun fooling around but the truth is I want to have a long-term relationship too... but it is simply impossible to have the one I want – the one with him. And today I realised just how hurtful and complicated him prioritising me will eventually be for us, too. I have been a fool this past year thinking that the fact he prioritises me over his girlfriend was a good thing. It is not. At the end he never doubted his relationship with his girlfriend or anything, he is marrying her! And how are we going to deal with this in the future? He is going to have a family yet he will prioritise me? I don't know what scares me the most: that he will actually fade away gradually and stop caring about me or if he actually continues prioritising me over his wife, his family... That would be too cruel for them. I am not cruel like that..."

"Taka-chan..."

"It is crazy I know... and perhaps I am to blame for this. Everybody avoids him or communicates within a well established distance. Even his girlfriend sets up a very specific boundary and distance between themselves, because damn, he is very rude, and distant, and stoic. He is unbearable for any sane being to try to identify with closely. But I had to stick to him. I had to endure his snide comments and rudeness and distance, for years and now... we are this weird thing."

"I don't know what to say..."

"It is okay... argh, sorry for calling you at a Friday night. Aomine must be furious that I am stealing his precious time with you."

"Please, don't be stupid, I am glad that you called me and told me... It is just that I can't really help you and it makes me sad. I wish I could."

"I know... but I think this whole thing clarified a lot for me. I mean... let's admit it, I have been stupid. You must know this better than me, you waited for Aomine for years too but even you would not wait for him and endure crap like this, for like a decade... I am so pathetic I cannot believe myself."

"You are not pathetic. Everyone is different."

"It is time for me to end this... I should end it."

"Look I always supported you in your feelings and wishes Taka-chan and I will continue to support you; if you feel like you should move on, you should do just that."

"Thanks. I think I'll go and sleep..."

"Want to go out drinking tomorrow?"

"Nah, I don't really want to drink after the hangover I had to endure this week. It was bad and I was afraid that people would recognise. Plus I am tired a lot mentally... I think I'll just spend the weekend cooped up at home, sleeping and stuff. And you should instead spend time with Aomine, you guys both have packed schedules already."

"You sure? If you want we can do something else too... We could play basketball or go shopping?"

"Thank you Ki-chan, but I am fine... I mean, at least I'd like to believe that I will be."

"Okay then... but know that I am here."

"I know... thanks."

Takao went to bed early that night and hoped that tomorrow would bring better resolve to him and better hopes and he would wake up with a lighter heart. That almost happened too... he was feeling better when he woke up, a long sleep had helped a lot, he prepared a delightful breakfast for himself... he truly loved how simple things could brighten life so much. Then, in the middle of his breakfast, his phone vibrated. He looked at it and saw that it was a long text from Midorima, it said:

"Takao, I forgot to tell you yesterday. I would like you to arrange the place for my informal engagement party next month. Since neither Azumi nor I have a lifestyle like yours, we do not know well the venues that could be rented for such an event. We are both very busy as well. I know that you are often involved with Kise and others when preparing events and parties so I recommended you and Azumi agreed. I will be paying for everything and do let me know the pricing before making arrangements."

Takao shook his head and re-read the text. No, he was not hallucinating; as though his pain and despair of forever losing the one he loved were not already squeezing his heart out, he had just been asked to rent a place for Midorima's engagement party, the man he loved one-sidedly for over a decade. What could he do? What could he say? For a second, he thought of crying, perhaps crying would help him a little, to let loose his emotions like that... On a later thought though, he dismissed this idea. Crying would only give a temporary relief, but he had a permanent cure to his addiction. So he said to himself, "since you are such a goddamn masochist in the first place, Takao Kazunari, let's just overdose" and replied to Midorima:

"Sure Shin-chan! Why not. I'll let you know next week or something..."