Chapter 6: The Same Page
Aomine becomes accustomed to life with Kise in America. They fall into a pattern of e-mailing, video chatting, calling, and sending pictures. Although he's not exactly happy with the situation (as he still misses having Kise near him), he accepts the new reality. Days turn into weeks; weeks become months. To Aomine's surprise, the holiday season approaches more quickly than he anticipates.
Sitting on the couch and half paying attention to the television program playing, Aomine thinks he hears a faint knocking sound. Unsure if he's imagining things, he turns the volume down. The pounding gets louder and more insistent. With a sigh, he gets up from his comfortable position and heads down the hall wondering who the hell is bothering him at this late hour. When he opens the door, a golden whirlwind bowls him over.
"Aominecchi!" Kise cries dropping his luggage to the floor and propelling himself into Aomine's arms.
The blue-haired boy stumbles backwards trying to balance the extra weight draped around him. Finally, his back hits the wall of the foyer, and he stabilizes both himself and Kise. "Kise, what are you doing here?" he asks both shock and joy coursing through his system. "I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow."
"I wanted to surprise you," Kise says grinning. "I came straight here from the airport."
Aomine extracts himself from Kise's embrace to shut the front door. "What were you thinking?" he asks. "What if the neighbors had seen you? What if my parents were home?"
"Your family always goes to visit relatives during the holidays. They know you will only gripe and complain the whole time, so they leave you and your stinky attitude at home. It's been like this since high school."
Kise's apt assessment shuts Aomine up.
"Now, if you wouldn't mind, I'd love to get a shower in. That long flight makes me feel so gross," Kise says moving his shoulders stiffly.
"Uh, sure," Aomine answers taking the blond's luggage to his room. He hands Kise a couple of towels and lies on his bed waiting for his boyfriend to return to his side. Soon the sound of running water fills his ears, and his imagination gets the best of him.
'What would it be like to join Kise in the shower? How would embracing him under a hot spray of water feel?' he wonders. His hands itch to touch smooth flesh, a pleasure he has been denied for far too long. The heat and desire that gathers between Aomine's legs is unmistakable. Groaning, he wonders what the correct action is: surprising the other boy in the shower or waiting for the other boy to return. He has dreamed of being reunited with Kise for so long, and jumping the blond out of impatience has never been in his plans.
'I'll wait,' he decides. 'I can wait a few more moments.' However, the water usage continues causing frustration to build in his system. Waiting? What was he thinking? Patience has never been one of his strong suits. With fantasies of taking Kise in the shower overrunning his mind, he makes his way down the hallway before realizing he no longer hears the sounds of running water.
'How long has he been finished?' Aomine thinks, wondering if he should turn tail and run back to his room. When the bathroom opens, he nearly curses at the other boy's bad timing.
Kise steps into the hallway with one towel wrapped low around his waist; he rubs the other one against damp locks of golden hair.
Aomine's breath catches in his throat as he drinks in the image in front of him. Kise, fair skin still flushed from the heat of the shower, looks radiant.
The blond lets the towel in his hands rest against his neck and finally looks up. "Aominecchi?" he asks sounding surprised. "What are you doing here?" Then, understanding dawns in those knowing, honey-colored eyes. "You were going to sneak a peek, weren't you?"
"No," the blue haired boy replies unconvincingly. He pauses before tacking on, "I was just going to yell at you for using too much hot water."
Kise laughs and quirks an eyebrow. "You don't expect me to believe that, do you?"
"You can believe what you want," Aomine mutters not feeling particularly compelled to continue the lie.
"You look shifty," Kise comments walking towards Aomine. "The shifty are rarely innocent."
With this exchange, Kise passes Aomine, who ends up following the blond to his own room. "You didn't come all this way just to poke fun at me, did you?" Aomine grumbles shutting the door behind him.
"That's not the only thing I came here for," Kise murmurs with a heavy-lidded look.
Kise captivates him with this intense gaze, and Aomine finds himself frozen in place watching the other boy close the distance between the two of them.
Aomine swallows hard when the blond's fingers brush against his jawline. The caress, soft and loving, fills his stomach with butterflies. He tells himself it's ridiculous that four months apart can make him feel like a nervous virgin, but he can't deny that he's much more than a set of jumbled nerves.
Kise tilts his head and smoothly closes the gap between their faces. If Kise's touch before was soft, the kiss provides the perfect contrast. The blond's mouth is demanding, and Aomine responds in kind, running his tongue against Kise's with sure movements. Kise's fingers curl around the elastic at the waist of Aomine's sweatpants and work their way down to grip his length.
Aomine gasps involuntarily. Too much time has passed since he last felt Kise's touch, and he now fully appreciates how much he has missed it. Breaking the kiss, he mumbles, "Isn't someone eager tonight?"
Kise laughs and presses his lips against Aomine's throat. "Are you talking about me or yourself?"
"Hmm, both of us maybe," Aomine murmurs his hands liberating the towel from around Kise's waist. The damp cloth falls to the floor. He pushes his palms against Kise's hips, his fingers curling to rest against Kise's behind.
Catching the blond's gaze with his own, he sees a hunger burning in those golden orbs and knows his own eyes reflect the same desire. Wordlessly, Kise discards the towel still hanging on his shoulders and heads for Aomine's bed. After quickly ridding himself of his restrictive clothing, Aomine follows his boyfriend.
Before long, Aomine has Kise flat on his back with himself positioned between the blond's spread legs. Looking down, he takes a moment to admire Kise's beauty – the drying locks of fair hair spread against his pillow; the luminescence of Kise's pale skin; the slight part to rosy, full lips; and those eyes, the color of molten amber, staring up at him with so much raw emotion and longing.
Aomine feels like he has captured sunshine, which he selfishly wants to keep to himself. With the difficulties of the long distance relationship fresh on his mind, he worries about the future, specifically about when he'll have to let his light go free once again. His inaction must unnerve Kise, because he feels a gentle push against his chest jarring him back to reality. "Shit, sorry," he says as a way to make amends for his absentmindedness.
"You don't have to say it if you're not comfortable with the words," Kise tells him. His mouth softens to a tender smile. "I feel the same way."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Aomine says one hand trailing from Kise's chest to navel. He relishes the feel of warm, smooth flesh beneath the pads of his fingers. Using his other hand as support, he lowers himself towards the blond.
"The distance has been hard on me, too, and I've missed you so much," Kise whispers before their lips meet once more.
Although Aomine would never admit it, the fact that he and Kise are still on the same page after being apart for four months sends relief rushing through his system.
Three days following his return to Japan, Kise hoists a tote bag filled with brightly wrapped gifts on his shoulder as he and Aomine head towards the designated place for the Generation of Miracles meet-up.
"I don't know why we have to see the rest of them," Aomine says. "Christmas is for lovers."
"I agree," Kise replies a grin breaking across his features. "And we spent Christmas together. But now it's the day after Christmas, the perfect day to go out with friends. Plus I have gifts for everyone."
Aomine's scowl deepens.
"Don't look so grumpy. They're your friends, too. Let's spread the holiday cheer together, Aominecchi!" With a lively hop to his step, Kise turns around holding his arms out to urge the other boy to hurry up. He feels mollified when he sees Aomine's lip quirk up at his antics.
Pace quickening, Aomine soon catches up to Kise. The blond marvels at how everything feels so comfortable and natural, as if they haven't been apart at all. The last three days have calmed his nerves about the strength of their connection to one another. If they can be separated for four months and pick things up without skipping a beat, they may just be able to maintain their special bond through his studies abroad.
'Please grant my Christmas wish,' Kise thinks sneaking a peek at his boyfriend. The sharp planes of Aomine's handsome face send a giddy flutter through his system. 'Santa knows I've been a good boy, and preserving this relationship is only thing I've asked for.'
Aomine notices Kise's stare, and heat rises in the blond's cheeks upon being discovered. 'Ah, how uncool of me,' Kise laments.
With the blue-haired boy giving him a smug smirk, Kise ducks his head, embarrassed. He begins to stammer some stupid excuse when he feels a gloved hand close around his own.
"Aominecchi," Kise says returning the gesture with a bright smile. Their gazes meet, and this time Aomine looks away first in a slightly awkward motion, which leaves Kise puzzled.
Finally, Aomine speaks. "Don't you think it's about time we start addressing each other with our given names?"
Kise's heart swells with more hope than he has ever felt in his entire life. He prides himself on being a realist, so his thoughts concerning their relationship previously centered around counting down the time they had left as a couple, before the complications of distance would have them wanting freedom rather than each other. However, the fact that his boyfriend tries to pull them closer encourages him.
"I know that's the way things are in America," Aomine continues. "I don't want those bastards, who don't even know you, getting the one-up on me."
'Oh, that's why,' Kise thinks wryly, snickering at the other boy's honesty.
"I'm touched, even though you have ulterior motives. It's just like you to be selfish and possessive. You're lucky I find these characteristics of yours endearing."
Aomine's brows knit together in a rare, thoughtful look. "It really is about time, though. We're close enough. We're just used to the way things were in Teikou, so we never bothered to change."
"Daiii-kiii-cchi," Kise drawls. A grin spreading across his face, he laughingly chants, "Daikicchi, Daikicchi, Daikicchi."
"I'm going to hit you, Ryouta," Aomine replies rolling his eyes.
"The first time you use my given name is to threaten me?" Kise asks incredulously, lips puckering to a pout. "You're the worst."
Aomine only laughs at the outraged response.
Letting out an annoyed huff, Kise continues to sulk. When the blue haired boy offers no consolation, Kise finally says, "Those syllables do sound a little harsh together. Daiki it is." When he feels Aomine's grip tighten on his hand, Kise lets out a satisfied hum, his lips curving into a smile.
Author's Notes: I think this is the quickest time period between updates I've had in a long time. I guess I'm having fun with this fic, and I hope you're all having fun reading. Also - yay, happy chapter! The next chapter probably won't come as quickly (or be as happy), but I'll keep on writing/editing away. As always, feedback is much appreciated.