"Someone likes me in this basketball team, but I never really paid much attention to it. I do want to become friends with him, except for the fact that our relationship might turn out to be more than friendly. Today's the day I stand up and say… I like them too."- Izuki Shun
Chapter 10: Cat + Joker
"Pass the ball!" Koganei yelled at Izuki across the court.
Izuki was having a dilemma attempting to pass the ball to his friend, who was desperately waiting. He thought of all the bad possibilities that could possibly happen. If he threw the ball recklessly, it would be intercepted by Hyuuga, who produced a grin on his lips. If he continued to stand there and not take action, the team would lose the third quarter of the game.
Izuki resumed dripping bullets of sweat, bouncing the ball up and down. He glanced at the timer; five seconds. "Sorry, Koga!" he said, and attempted for a jump shot. Unfortunately, it missed horribly, resulting in a non-buzzer beater as the timer beeped.
"Third quarter over!" Riko announced and began to hand out fresh towels.
Izuki jogged slowly to the benches cursing himself out when a hand met his shoulder. It was Koganei.
"Dude, why didn't you pass?" he asked.
Izuki sighed and stared at him for a while. "Koganei, please. I'm not in the mood right now. I feel terrible not passing to you. Sorry." He walked faster to coach, but a hand tugged his arm and he stopped. "What now?"
"Come with me for a sec," cat lips said. He had a serious look in his eye, and Izuki couldn't reject his offer. After all, he needed fresh air to clear his mind. "Fine," he agreed.
Koganei blushed lightly as he walked side by side with Izuki. They were very close to each other (as in distance) and he couldn't take the tension in the air much longer. "Iz-"
Izuki placed his hands in his pockets and stopped ambling. "Well? Is there a reason why we're out here?" he cut in rudely, but not on purpose.
Koganei fidgeted with his orange shirt collar and breathed in deeply. "Yes, Izuki. There is a reason. I have something to tell you. Please don't spread this around; it's a huge secret between you and me."
Izuki looked around and nodded. "I won't tell anyone. What is-"
Cat lips had interrupted him with a long kiss to the lips. He pulled away and smiled. The black haired touch his mouth with his index finger and he turned red. He glanced up, but Koganei had disappeared by running at the same exact time his buddy looked down.
"What on earth…" Izuki trailed off, and walked towards the gym, hearing the coach's whistle blowing, indicating that the fourth and last quarter was starting.
After they had won surprisingly with a dunk from Kagami and an intercept from Tsuchida, Izuki walked home by himself, snowing lightly falling on his hair. It was now officially two days from Christmas and he was depressed. He didn't have anybody body else to celebrate with, except for Seirin's annual holiday party and buying himself presents. It was a bore, really.
Tonight he had nothing in particular to keep his soul occupied, so he decided to pay poor Kuroko a visit. Entering Wesuro State Prison, he felt a sliver of bitterness slipping into his body as he arrived in front of Kuroko's cell.
He wasn't sleeping as he usually did. He was wide awake, sitting up straight, his hands normally tied behind the chair as always. But worse, he had a smile on his face. "Hi Izuki," he starting.
Izuki eyed him as he tucked his iPhone XX45 into his bag, marching closer to the bars. "Are you okay? You seem rather well than normal."
"Oh, I feel great! Especially since it's almost a special holiday. I can't wait."
"But aren't you still gonna be in jail when that time comes? You'll be all lonely, just… like me."
Kuroko laughed at Izuki's somewhat ridiculous misconception. "That's what you guys think. I'll be out sooner th-"
His head dropped down from an impossible angle. He began to doze off, the treacherous medication the police had given him beginning to take effect for the day. Izuki sighed and walked out, neglecting all the smart ass-ish things his former colleague said.
Izuki woke up on Christmas Day stretching and yawning. He never felt this tired before in the morning, and his bed hair was breathtaking, in the extremely bad way. He shrieked when he saw it and sat up in bed. His belongings were scattered around the floor, as for he felt totally bored yesterday. He had no other choice but to knock out earlier than seven o'clock.
Suddenly, his doorbell rang twice. That wasn't usual. He fixed his hair, put on a black t-shirt and sauntered towards the door and opened it.
'So, out of all the other people in the world… it just had to be this guy,' he thought miserably. Izuki reminisced about the other day's "special" event, and the culprit was standing right in front of him, grinning from ear to ear.
"Izuki, let's go play in the snow for two hours straight!"
"Fuck you. After kissing me out of nowhere, this is what you wanna do? Fuck off, Koganei. Like you like me or something."
"I… I… I do like you, Izuki Shun! In fact, I love you more than basketball and cats combined!"
Izuki's eyes flew open at his friend's last remark. He… loved him? What the hell was going on here? No, what the hell was going on today? Was this Santa's version of a gift? Bitch, please.
"Lies," he finally said, tears falling from his eyes as he let Koganei inside his warm house.
"Ah! It's so cozy in her-"
Izuki shoved him down on the sofa and gave him a stern look. "Shut up and let me tell you something."
"O-Okay," Koganei stuttered taking off his shoes and jacket.
The latter sat down and breathed in… like a boss. Wiping his eyes, he admitted," Thanks, I guess. Nobody ever liked me or loved me. My family left me when I was little, died in a major car crash and left me with nothing. Only this house, and some cash. One day in the corner of this room, I found a basketball. I decided to take up the game and play for money. I almost got sexually harassed by a guy who tried to steal my hard earned dough and I got cut by a knife on my back."
Koganei began to tear up as he took in what his comrade just said. "That's gotta hurt. I'm sorry."
"No, duh! I didn't cry though, I just fell and went unconscious. Any who, the next day I woke up in my bed, but my back still pained me. Guess who I saw in a chair slightly sleeping? Coach. She wanted to recruit me to Seirin; she had witnessed my skill in the park when I first starting street balling. Nobody ever loved me since then, except the team and myself."
Izuki's voice faded away as he began he break apart, crying and all. "I'm sorry, Koganei! I didn't understand why you were so clingy to me! Coach already told you this story, although you chose to hear it from the expert! I… I actually love you too, Koganei Shinji! I'm sorry that I neglected you for these past two months!"
Koganei's mouth quivered and he dashed to his crying friend to give him a hug. "I'm sorry that I didn't tell you earlier instead of meeting your lips out of the blue. I'm sorry!"
They hung on to each other for quite a long time, until Koga pulled back. "Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't I go shopping for presents while you go to Seirin's party? It'll be a blast somehow!"
Izuki sniffed and wiped his tears, regaining his formal manliness. "What are you going to buy for me?"
Koganei got up and headed for the door. "It wouldn't be a secret if I tell you, now would it?"
"No," Izuki smiled. He watched as his cat lipped friend left and closed the door behind him. "Why does he have the scent of cat milk?" he pondered, going back to bed.
"Wow, this is great food!" Kagami exclaimed, piling up his plate with every single food on the large and long marble table. The party was being held at Riko's house, where her dad Kagetora Aida was busy in the kitchen cooking more than he was actually supposed to.
Izuki was chatting to the whole team about how great the game two days ago came out, the following P.A. week, and how he felt about Kuroko being held captive for certain crimes he'd probably been framed for. Everyone believed that.
"Is FOOD is all you goddamn think about? How do you NOT get fat at all?!" Hyuuga shouted angrily, smacking Kagami's spoon down with the back of his hand.
"No, it's not!" Kagami retorted. "I think about basketball, school, America, cooking, my own life-"
The coach skipped her way inside, smiled, and patted her paper fan on the palm of her hand, flames surrounding her. "If you guys wanna continue… I'll be happy to oblige. Real fucking happy."
"No, no; we're fine," Hyuuga and Kagami said, walking to their seats sheepishly.
Riko sighed as she calmed down and sat on an armchair. She looked around at how the team was smiling, laughing, eating, talking, drinking, and just having fun on this blessed and merry day. Then she realized something. "Hey guys! Do you know where Koganei is?"
Kiyoshi gasped as a thought came to mind. "Could he have been murdered by someone? After all, there are a lot of accidents out there since Aomine and Momoi got…"
Izuki took a very audible sip of red wine while he shook his head, smirking. "Don't worry guys. He just went to buy the whole team Christmas presents."
Kiyoshi breathed, letting his previous speech vanish in the air above them. Tonight was such an awesome night, it was the best party Seirin ever had since their previous ones.
Suddenly, Koganei came bursting through the door, covered in snow, bags packed with presents, and he was panting very hard. "Merry Christmas, Seirin!" he announced, dropping to the floor. Yep, he passed out.
"K-Koga!" Hyuuga screamed.
"This for you, for you, for you, for you Hyuuga, and last but not least, one for you, Coach," cat lips said, passing out the gifts he had bought with his allowance.
Kagami had gotten a huge stuffed lion with red hair and an Xbox 360. Hyuuga got fourteen pairs of different colored glasses and an anger management textbook. Mitobe received a voice modifier system, Tsuchida got twelve pairs of Nike and Jordan sneakers, and so on.
Izuki said that he wanted to go home earlier than normal, so he didn't get his present right away. Which was what Koganei had planned. His mission was now in full swing.
When the blast was over, Riko hugged everybody as they exited through the front door, wishing them a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. When she hugged Koganei, she whispered in his ear, "Where's Izuki's present? Didn't you purchase something for him? He's going to be depressed since he has no one to celebrate with him."
Koga smiled as he pulled back from the deep embrace. "No need to worry, I did not buy anything for Izuki. I'm going to give it to him."
He walked away at a fast pace, giving the coach a wink. She was still dumbfounded at her friend's remark, but whatsoever. She ran back inside the house, warming up to tell her dad about everything that happened at the party after he finished cooking and flew straight to bed.
Izuki laid in his bed, trying to fall asleep as best as he could. He felt a bit tipsy after a few drinks, but that couldn't be the source of his non-drowsiness. One thing kept popping up in his mind: Koganei Shinji. Izuki wondered what the fool could have possibly bought for him, yet maybe he didn't. The presents probably costed way too much money, and Koga couldn't buy anything for him.
A knock on the door disturbed his thought. Izuki got up, pulled on a pair of jogging shorts, ran to the door and opened it. There stood Koga, beaming from ear to ear.
Izuki stared and let him in, taking off his jacket for him. Koganei sat down on the sofa and motioned for Izuki to sit next to him. "Where's my present, Koga?" he asked.
The cat lipped boy shook his head and moved closer, their legs nearly touching. "I didn't get you anything with money, I'm going to give you something from deep within me."
Izuki's eyebrows rose. He knew that this no good bastard which he had feelings for would ruin everything he had hoped for. So much for keeping up the optimistic act, bitch.
Distracted by deep thoughts once again, Izuki hadn't noticed that Koganei was slowly taking off his sweater and that he climbed on top of him. Koga hooked his arms around his friend's neck and they were now extremely face to face. Izuki blushed bright as he attempted to turn his head away, but the latter turned it towards him once again.
"Merry Christmas, Izuki," Koganei said sweetly, blushing also.
Izuki gaped a little, which gave Koga the perfect opportunity to make his move. He leaned in inch by inch, his lips separating. Izuki couldn't move. Was Koganei aiming for a kiss again?
'I l-love him. I c-can't deny… this moment of my life.'
He moved in closer too, and eventually, their lips met lovingly. Izuki felt a burst of love, warmth, and happiness enter his body as he and Koganei ventured deeper into their kiss, accidental saliva dripping and their tongues in the other's mouth.
The black haired teen pulled back a teeny tiny bit. He wiped his wet lips with his tongue and opened his eyes enough just so he could see Koganei. "Koganei, I'm tired. I'm sleepy."
The latter rested his head upon Izuki's chest, yawning. "Me too, Zuki-chan."
"Alright then." Izuki picked Koganei up bridal style and walked to the bedroom. He shut the door behind them and placed his "bride" on the bed. "It'll be a sleep over, Koga. You can sleep on the mattress with me."
But cat lips had already fallen sound asleep, snoring lightly.
Izuki shook his head playfully and climbed on the bed next to his friend, stroking his brown hair soothingly. His heart was beating at an unimaginable rate, and he knew exactly why. Closing his eyes, Izuki felt arms and legs link between his own, and he noticed that Koga had cuddled with him, slightly purring.
Izuki responded by planting a peck on his forehead and knocked out, waiting for the next sun to beat upon their newly formed relationship.
'This is what Christmas is all about, huh? Love. A strong, long lasting, and real first love.'
Yay! Kogazuki in the house! Screw testing week! I have finally overcome writer's block with some help from a friend!
For those of you who don't know, I've uploaded another story called Average Aomine, but it might take me a while to continue it. As usual, RnR! :()