A/N: -goes on knees and bends forward- I have returned from the land of the dead- No don't take me seriously lol. I have returned from my break in the countryside, meaning no technology save for my phone which does not have connection... was busy during Christmas season as well. But I'm back with a new chapter! Enjoy~


The time was past 2 p.m. in the afternoon. Aomine groaned as beams of sunlight permeated through the blinds and shone on his face. It was a Saturday so he spent the previous night playing video games till late. He stopped playing earlier than usual that night because he could not overcome his high score. The tanned skin man let out a big yawn, stretched himself and sat up on the bed drowsily.

Inadvertently, his thoughts drifted off to the events of yesterday. Kise was acting strange, no, the blonde had always been strange but something was just off about the boy. It was especially weird how Kise looked up at the taller male before scurrying off.

"His face was red… Maybe he had a fever?" wondered the ace, trying to remember in full detail what Kise's expression looked like. Aomine quickly dismissed his thoughts and got washed-up. He would rather get the answers first hand from the guy himself. His little talk with Akashi didn't make the situation look better either.

When he got down to the kitchen, he was greeted by a note on the fridge that read, "Daiki, I had to leave for work early today. Please settle your own lunch – Mom" Aomine let out a curse as he opened the cupboards to find that there was no instant food. He quickly phoned Satsuki but the answer came in a short text saying, "Sorry Dai-chan! I'm out choosing a dress for my date tomorrow with Tetsu."

The tan-skinned male was relatively pissed off but thought that he might as well play a little while basketball while he's out getting lunch.

/

Kise stared absent-mindedly out the window as several camera shots went off. The blonde was advertising a new brand of casual wear for some fashion company in which his manager volunteered him for the job.

Stifling a yawn, Kise asked for a toilet break. He needed to get refreshed. Needless to say he did not get much sleep. Anyone would feel drowsy with only 4 hours of sleep and especially if said person was out jogging till late.

He needed to concentrate, needed to clear his mind and most importantly, needed to get back to his usual self. He can't have Aomine thinking that he doesn't want to be near the blonde any longer because something was wrong with Kise. To Kise, Aomine was irreplaceable. The only reason he started basketball was because of the ace. It was he that lit that fire in Kise again. Thought recently, Kise realised Aomine had lit another kind of fire in him.

"Ahhh that idiot Aominechi!"

Snapping out of his thoughts, Kise scooped a pocket of water, splashed it onto his face and rushed back to the shoot.

"I'm going to give it my all today!"

/

"Oh~ Mai-chan's in this." said Aomine, picking up the magazine from the bookstand in the convenience store.

"Clear alabaster skin, straight nose and a big package. Mai-chan is really the best." He overrated, smiling to himself. The ace flipped through a few more pages before putting it back onto the shelf before a caught a glimpse a blonde hair out of the corner of his eye. Seeing that it was a familiar shade of yellow, he followed behind, only to have his assumptions proven right when said blonde let out his usual cherry voice.

"Alrighty, thanks!"

Kise was wearing a pair of wide-framed sunglasses that made him look a bit like a creepy stalker. Snickering to himself, Aomine quickly went to the cashier for his purchase and quietly scampered over to Kise as he left the store, careful not to drop his basketball along the way.

"That bastard isn't getting away from me today. Well this should teach him a lesson." He said felicitously, ball in hand and ready to aim for a certain blonde's head. When he made sure the coast was clear, he released his grip on the ball and threw it at a figure in front of him.

A stranger's call of "Watch out!" did not go unheard by Kise as he turned, only to find an orange basketball coming directly towards him. The colour drained from his face but blonde did not have the time to react as he fell back onto the pavement when the ball collided with his forehead.

"Ah sorry sorry. My hand slipped." apologised Aomine nonchalantly.

"Ow-ow…That hurt sheesh… Watch where…you-" Kise replied, propping himself up on his elbows before he recognised who the culprit was.

"Aominecchi! You should watch where you aim. This face is priceless you know?" he scolded. His team mates often thought of him for being narcissistic because of such comments but the truth is the truth.

"Shut up it's just your forehead. How bad can it be?"

"How bad you say-"

Kise was cut off when Aomine bent over to check the blonde's bruise. He felt a warm hand touch his forehead ever so slightly and could not help but look up to see the ace's face. He looked down after a few seconds in embarrassment. Maybe his fever came back.

"Ah it's just a little bruise. C'mon and get up, let's have a 1-on-1."

"And why do I have to-"

"You'll do whatever I say for one week, remember?" came the triumphant reply. Kise nodded in resignation. He really didn't want to be near Aomine but given the current situation, he had no choice.

/

The sound of shoes running against asphalt and of a bouncing basketball on concrete filled the court. The pairs' panting became heavier with each round that passed. Before they knew it, the sun was setting. However Kise was too pumped up to stop now.

"Aominecchi one more round!" pestered the blonde, pulling on the ace's shirt when Aomine retired to the bench.

"Don't push yourself man. Just accept your loss."

"…" Kise gave the ace a pout but realised he was pretty exhausted as well and plopped himself down on the bench beside Aomine.

"You're getting better. Hahaha, it's really been a while since I sweat this much."

Aomine's laughter rang on Kise's ears like a song. A sweet melodious tune that Kise knew was only his imagination.

"I'll beat you someday Aominecchi."

"Hmph, I'll see about that."

"Finally a normal conversation" thought the ace as he took a glance at the blonde. Kise seemed like his usual self too. Aomine didn't understand why Akashi had warned him not to patronize the blonde. If anyone is patronizing it's Akashi himself.

"Don't be an obstacle for Ryouta. At least think about him if you must. I won't let anyone hinder the team's progress and that goes for you too, Daiki." were Akashi's exact words.

"Think about him huh…"

"Neh Aominecchi, look here!" called the blonde with a magazine in hand.

"Hah? What is it Kise?" turning away from his thoughts to see what Kise had in store. Somehow he knew what was coming.

"The agency gave me a free copy of the magazine I'm in!"

"Who gives a fuck?!"

"Don't me so mean Aominecchi."

"I'm not mean, you're just being irritating."

"See, you're being mean again."

Aomine's eyebrow twitched in anger. This was the part of the blonde he didn't like the most. He took in a deep breath and gulped down his water before he pointlessly argued with him any further.

Kise was sure he'd accept the magazine; no one has really turned him down before in the first place.

"I don't see the point in you giving me a picture book when I can have the real thing whenever I want."

The blonde was rendered speechless by his reply. Time stopped for a second and he knew why.

"Aominecchi is horrible…" he mumbled to himself as he stared at the grey pavement. It was the only way to hide his flushed face.

The clouds were slowly turning dark and faint sounds on thunder could be heard. Kise then sat up. He couldn't run away from the truth any longer.

"I like Aominecchi." He admitted eyed closed shut as if bracing himself from some kind of impact.

"What was that?" said Aomine, looking truly puzzled.

"H-he didn't hear me?! Ah maybe I was too soft b-but-" panicked the blonde as he tried to get his heart beating at a normal pace. Once more he breathed in and out.

"I-"

This time he was stopped mid-sentence by a pelt of rain that fell on his face, followed by a few more before the rain came down hard on the area around them.

"Crap, what a downpour. Looks like it's time to go, See you later then!" waved the ace, dashing off to take shelter.

Kise stood there for a while before running off to take shelter in the other direction as well.

"Maybe it was better that he didn't hear me."


End

Get ready for a kiss scene in the next chapter! Oh and the appearance of Kuroko and Momoi :D