Warnings: AoKise, one-sided KuroKise. Eating disorder, self-harming etc.
"I want us to reconcile before graduation."
Kuroko looks at Aomine, his usual blank stare in place. "It didn't seem like that the last time we talked."
And ouch, that really hurts. Aomine gulps audibly. "I'm sorry about that, I just… I was in a bad mood, okay? I didn't actually mean any of it."
That gets him an unimpressed look. Aomine swallows again, nervous.
"Come on Tetsu, Satsuki told me she's been talking with you and that you're willing to make up with me if I apologise for being a jerk so please, can we be friends again?"
"…fine, I guess." After a moment's contemplation Kuroko steps closer, offering his hand to Aomine who wastes no time in grabbing it. They both smile.
"Let's do our best for Kise-kun." Aomine nods.
It might never be quite the same as it was before this whole Kise-incident but at least they're talking again. For now that's enough.
It's slow but Kise's definitely recovering. Every time Aomine sees the blond, his cheeks have gained a little more colour and his uniform doesn't look as ridiculously loose on him as previously. It makes Aomine feel incredibly relieved; Kise really is fighting.
There's something else that has been bothering him though. Every time Aomine sees Kise, he feels like he should say something, something really important that's just dying to get out.
Yet the words fail him each and every time.
(Not that he even really knows what it is that he wants to say.)
When he mentions it to Momoi, she just huffs and tells him he's an idiot. Aomine messes her hair in retaliation and they start bickering, forgetting the original topic and for a moment he stops worrying.
At night it comes back to haunt Aomine though; he dreams of Kise. In the dream the blond keeps chasing him until they reach a dead end. Aomine stops, trying to catch his breath. Kise's face is hidden by shadows as he steps closer and starts talking.
"Say it. You'll feel much better." Kise's smile is so bright it's almost blinding. Aomine blinks, feeling cornered and extremely confused. Yes, he would feel better if he could just say whatever it is that has been bothering him but…
What do I want to say to you?
"Don't give up." The blond's hands are cold as they reach for Aomine's, pulling him closer. "I know you better than anyone, remember? And I know you're close to figuring it out."
"Kise…" Don't think, feel. You'll figure it out eventually. "I'll call you every day even if we end up going to different schools."
(The words that Aomine does not say out loud: You're important to me.)
After a brief silence, Kise laughs. The sound bubbles around the two boys like water, so free and full of life, and suddenly Aomine realises that he never wants to lose it.
"You can't go! Stay with me in Tokyo, Kise."
The laughter gets louder, now sounding almost mocking. "Why?"
Aomine takes a step backwards, his back hitting the wall. Kise moves with him, leans closer and repeats the question. "Why don't you want me to leave Tokyo? Won't you tell me, Aominecchi?"
"I don't know why, dammit!"
Aomine wakes up covered in cold sweat.
"Aominecchi." He's not used to hearing Kise call out to him in such a calm manner, as if he's not really all that happy about seeing Aomine; shouldn't Kise be overjoyed now that things are going back to normal? Doesn't he like Aomine? Isn't he always like an over-excited puppy around the ace?
"Yo." Not like he could ever say any of that out loud though; Kise would just misinterpret and think he misses the way Kise used to be and he doesn't, damn it. Not much, at least.
Kise smiles as he gets closer. "So… Momocchi told me you had a fight with Kurokocchi because of me."
"Uh yeah, kinda. But we sorted that out already, no need to worry." Aomine's wandering gaze lands on Kise's fingers, the way they keep tugging the sleeves lower to hide the bandages Aomine knows are there. His lips tighten. "I mean, we agreed that we both just want to support you, okay? We're… friends after all."
Fuck, Kise definitely notices the way he hesitates before saying the word 'friends'; his smile falters for a bit. "Yeah, I suppose we are."
An awkward silence follows and Aomine curses inwardly. Before, calling Kise his friend was nothing but now, it fills his chest with something heavy. Yes, Aomine is Kise's friend and Kuroko is Kise's friend too but doesn't that make the phantom the same as Aomine in Kise's eyes? That's not how it is. Aomine knows he's special.
(He wants to be special.)
With so many thoughts racing through his head Aomine is too distracted to say anything for a while. Kise seems to misinterpret the silence and laughs quietly.
"Relax, Aominecchi. It's not like I'm going to like you for the rest of my life. We'll go back to being just normal friends eventually." Kise's smiling as he says that, his tone is light and with a shock Aomine realises that he's serious. Kise's saying he won't wait forever for Aomine, he won't be there to welcome him with open arms if Aomine one day realises that being friends isn't what he wants from the blond.
He'll lose the chance to be with Kise and that's… a really scary thought.
If he'd stopped to think about it earlier, he would have seen that of course Kise would give up eventually. No one in their right mind would pine after the same person for all of their life, right? Aomine wouldn't, that's for sure. So did he really think Kise would wait for him?
(He did.)
But he doesn't anymore. Because now he knows that Kise's already deemed it impossible which means he's willingly giving up.
"What? Don't look at me like that, it's creepy." Kise turns away with a slight pout. "Anyway, wanna go to Maji with me? I haven't tried their newest burger."
"Huh? Maji?" Aomine takes a step backwards, blinking rapidly to clear his head. Kise's cocking his head to the side now, looking at him cutely and damn Aomine wants to just grab him and – and –
And what? Hug him? Kiss him? Nah, he's not gay.
…right?
Damn, being with Kise has been making him feel really weird lately.
"Well, if you don't wanna go that's fine, I'll just ask Momocchi. Or maybe Midorimacchi, Akashicchi or Murasakicchi would join me? Kurokocchi at least would love to accompany me." Kise pouts a little but there's something glinting at the corner of his eye and Aomine knows Kise already knows he's going to say yes even though he's pretty sure his expression isn't giving it away (but at times Kise is frighteningly good at reading people. Maybe he's learned from Akashi and Kuroko).
Fuck him, right. "Come on idiot, I'm taking you there. Just to make sure you actually finish that whole thing."
Aomine's comment makes Kise's eyes go slightly wider but in a second he's all smiles again, grabbing the bluenette's arm and dragging him along.
(Aomine'd rather not think about why his arm feels hot where Kise's fingers are wrapped around it.)
"It's been a while since I've been here," Kise sighs as they take their seats by the window, at the table they've always sat at when they've gone to Maji. He unwraps his burger and bites into it, Aomine's eyes watching his every movement. Kise chews for a moment before exclaiming, "This is good! Wow, I can't believe I couldn't allow myself to eat here for months."
"That's 'cause you're an idiot," Aomine replies with a smirk as he too starts eating. Kise pouts, as expected, reaching over the table to smack Aomine's shoulder and the bluenette dodges with ease, smirking arrogantly. Ah, good old times. Aomine has almost forgotten what it feels like to sit with Kise like this, eating and bickering like idiots.
He's so, so glad to finally have the old Kise back.
"You're being creepy again, Aominecchi," Kise whines a moment later, causing Aomine to nearly choke on his burger. Shit, he really has been weird, staring at Kise without being able to help the smile that crawls onto his lips.
I really enjoy being with him. Why did I never realise it before?
Wait what?
(Satsuki called me an idiot for not knowing what I want to say to Kise, then that weird dream… don't tell me…)
…oh fuck, he's so gay for Kise.
Aomine gets up, feeling Kise's curious gaze on him.
"I need the bathroom," he announces and saunters off.
In the bathroom Aomine walks to the sink, lets the tap run for a moment before he splashes some of the ice-cold water onto his face. He just needs to gather his thoughts, that's not so hard.
Okay, so he likes Kise, he really does. And Kise likes him too, yay. But there's the catch: the blond isn't aware of how he feels and obviously thinks it's one-sided on his part. What's more, Kise seems to be already working to get over him, and if that's really how it is, he needs to hurry the fuck up.
Yet even the sense of time running out isn't enough to get him to man up and confess, so he needs help.
"Dai-chan…" Aomine can hear from Momoi's voice that she's done with him being an idiot who can't think for himself and always runs to her when he needs help. But that's fine, right now Aomine can cast aside his pride.
"I should confess to Kise, right?"
He gets no answer to that. Or actually he does, but it's just a series of squeals, giggling, sobs and broken words that sound like I'm so happy for you and Dai-chan's finally grown some balls.
(And if that really is what Momoi's saying, Aomine might have to punch her later for being annoying.)
"So… you're with Ki-chan now?" She finally calms down enough to talk normally. Aomine nods, momentarily forgetting she can't see the gesture.
"Yeah, we're at Maji's. I should get back to him soon."
"Well, I think you already know what you want to say so why did you even call me?"
This must the woman's intuition Momoi's always going on about, right? Damn her. "Do you think now's the right time? I mean, isn't it kinda sudden?"
"When would be a better time then?" Now she's starting to sound annoyed again. Aomine sighs.
"Okay, okay I get it, I'm going." Aomine can practically see the smirk on her face as she wishes him good luck. He really is going to need that, luck that is. Because he's never confessed to anyone before this, he has no idea how it's supposed to happen and suddenly it feels like he can't do it after all.
Come on. It can't be that hard. It's not. Aomine inhales deeply, once more splashing water onto his face.
If Kise's worked so hard to gain weight, to not cut himself, to get better, Aomine can and will tell the damn blond how he feels.
He exhales, letting out all stray thoughts and doubts still lingering. He can do this. Brimming with confidence, he exits the bathroom.
"Kise, I like you. Will you go out with me?"
A/N: aaahh yeeees Ahomine finally admits his feelings –u– and a cliff-hanger. Kinda. But Kise's answer is obvious, right? /gets shot
Btw, I feel like my conception of time is totally lost in this story so I'm really sorry if it's confusing and seems too fast-paced :'D and hmm I'm not too happy with this chapter, I'll try to make up for the crappiness in the next one :'D
Anyways, I really think we're nearing the end of this fic! There are still a few things that I want to include and I haven't figured out exactly how to end this yet but either way, there isn't that much left. Thanks for all the support, even though I've been really irregular with the updates and whatnot, and hopefully you'll review/favourite/follow if you like it…? *puppy eyes*