Conquered Hearts
Chapter 20 — Time
Read the first chapter for disclaimer and story information
A/N: So apparently Nanowrimo does help me for updating just slightly faster. I hope this will continue on since I'm still far behind my words count target! Anyway, as always I'll reply to anonymous reviews here, but this time I think the replies will get slightly long. So if there are people who don't like tl;dr A/N, you can skip it straight to the story!
Drop: Thank you so much for your review. I'm glad if you like this story as feeling and I hope you'll bear with me for the slow update! Welcome to this story, I hope you'll enjoy your stay here!
Guest: Oh, thank you for your kind words! I'm still not sure I deserve them though, because IMO, my mature scene still needs a lot of improvement. I'm glad if you think it wasn't badly written though and I hope you'll continue enjoying this story!
Miraichizu: You really don't need to apologize for anything, dear, because I really don't mind it if people are asking when I'll be updating the story. It actually shows just how eager they are to read the continuation of this story and you're not pressuring me at all, TBH. I've actually finished writing the whole of the previous chapter and that is the only reason I'm able to update the next part so soon. *hides* So, yeah, I hope we've cleared that. I'm not sure about Aomine knowing about Kise's past, because I don't think there's an opportunity for them to share that kind of story; for now I'll say Aomine most likely won't know about it for quite a long time. I will write more KagaKuro and their interaction in later chapters, don't worry! You're right, they need time to resolve all the (sexual) tension between them and for that, they will need exclusive chapter, I think.
Okay, now to answer your questions: 1) My beta had actually asked me this before, but I never really think to make it clear in the story. /shot But, yes. All the characters are in their twenty. Aomine and Kise are around 25-26, Kagami, Kuroko, Momoi and Himuro 23-24, Akashi 22, Imayoshi and Kasamatsu 28. Midorima and Takao are of same age with Kise. 2) I have no plan in translating my Indonesian stories into English, actually, but sometimes it depends on my mood or if I actually intending to make the story in two languages. As for now, I still have no plan in translating any of my Indonesian stories, I'm sorry. 3) I actually planned to insert Kise's copy-cat skill when he fought using Aomine's broadsword, but … it seems too unrealistic for me, so I'm afraid I won't be able to show it well. The closest thing that resembles his copy-cat skill is Kise's dexterity in fighting using any kind of weapon. As for the other characters—yes, I will insert their skill into the story later on. :) 4) This question shall be answered very soon, I'm sure. As for your personal request … I'm afraid the only place the whole GoM will gather is battlefield and even then they won't really facing off each other. Final answer! 5) Yes, I already have final chapters count in my draft. If everything goes as planned, this story will end in about 22-25 chapters.
And that's all for your questions, I guess? I hope I manage to answer them well and perhaps you can give me your email in a PM so we'll be able to correspondent better? :D
Cherripetalz: LOL! Thank you for your amusing review! I hope this update will gain even more amusing response from you!
BlackMistySky: I'm really glad if I can make your week! Thank you for the review and I hope you're enjoying this update too!
Squishy: Thank you for being this story's stalker and yes, I'm Indonesian! XD Are you perhaps Indonesian too, Squishy-san? I'm glad you like my writing style and I'll try to write more AoKise scenes!
Okay! So that's all the replies for anonymous reviews! Gosh, this A/N has truly become tl;dr! I'm very sorry for that! Now then, onwards with the story! I hope you'll enjoy it!
Time. It truly was a strange thing. Before this, Kise didn't really believe in the saying time heals everything, but two weeks after he decided to trust Aomine and his belief was starting to shift.
These two weeks seemed so unreal for Kise. At first, it was really hard for him to keep his caution away whenever Aomine touched him, but Aomine never showed him anything less than gentleness—or what could be passed as gentleness from Aomine—and it worked slowly to unravel Kise's defense. Of course, now that Kise thought about it, the sex may have a factor in it too.
Ever since that day, they had had sex. A lot of sex until Kise was now used with the feeling of being penetrated. Their sex was never as tender as that day, but Aomine kept being considerate. Sometimes, Kise even took the initiative and fully participating whenever the sex became rough. Gradually, he had come to enjoy their intercourse, his body sometimes even longed for the intimate touches, and as his body accepted Aomine, it became easier for his heart to follow suit.
Although, sex was not the only reason Kise opened himself up to Aomine. The time they spent together also helped a lot. Aomine never once let Kise go from his side ever since that day, though he gave Kise more freedom now as the blond was allowed to roam about the castle whenever he wanted—albeit with Aomine constantly accompanying him. Not that Kise minded though, because Aomine actually showed him spots within the castle which were interesting or beautiful and amongst all the places Aomine brought him to, it was the castle's inner garden Kise loved the most; they often spent time there whenever they could.
He had met with Kagami after his duel, but they didn't have the chance to talk much. From their meetings, Kise could gather Kagami was alright though. His injuries were mostly minor and it wouldn't hinder him much. As always, Kagami was always together with Kuroko, but this time there was something softer between them; subtle intimacy that wasn't there before and although Kise didn't have much time pondering at it, he was quite happy with their progress.
The duel didn't only change Kise or Aomine, but it also affected Kagami, it seemed. The red-head still didn't look happy whenever he met with Aomine, but at least he didn't ooze out such a hostile aura anymore. They wouldn't be best friends anytime soon, but at least now Kagami seemed to respect Aomine even if grudgingly.
The change between them was distinct and quite unexpected, but Kise welcomed it. Through time, he no longer needed to remind himself to trust Aomine and now waking up in the other's arms was a natural occurrence that no longer confused him. As the summer season had come to an end, the heat was slowly being replaced by chill winds that more often than not made Kise almost snuggle up to Aomine willingly.
The days went by peacefully and with each passing day, the thought of his hidden stiletto started to bother him more and more. He knew it was only logical for him to keep holding onto the weapon and hiding it somewhere safe, but Kise was the type of person who would give his all once he had decided to do something and this time it was no different. He had decided to trust Aomine; he would try to put all of his cards out—no more secret between them—and possessing a hidden weapon that could very well be used to slaughter Aomine certainly went against his principle.
So one day Kise decided to come clean. Both he and Aomine had just retired back to Kise's—their—room and as Aomine took a seat on the bed, Kise casually walked towards the bear skin rug in the center of the room and took out the stiletto hidden there. He held the weapon in his hand, still sheathed to show he didn't mean to use it, before turning back to face Aomine.
Of course, Aomine's attention was immediately focusing on Kise's recently acquired weapon. He looked appropriately surprised and for a second, his expression twisted into betrayed. Something stabbed painfully at Kise's chest when he saw that, but he stood still, keeping his silence. It stretched between them until finally Aomine's expression turned neutral. He lifted his gaze up to Kise's eyes and the latter held it evenly.
"Where did you get it?"
The question almost made Kise smile. Aomine didn't waste time by asking what Kise intended to do with it—he was smart enough to come to the conclusion Kise could have attacked him without revealing the weapon since long ago—and it made this conversation a lot less awkward. "A friend gave it to me."
"A friend," Aomine repeated, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. However, Kise only gave him a small smile in answer, the kind of smile that told he wouldn't say anything more about the matter. He rolled his eyes expressively. "Okay, fine. Although I must compliment your sneaky friend for the amazing feat of slipping inside the castle." There was a lull in his statement as Aomine once again turned his attention to the stiletto in Kise's hand. "What do you want to do with it now?"
"I don't know. What do you think I should do with it?" Kise asked in return. He spun the stiletto expertly in his hand, expression almost playful but for the serious glint in his eyes.
"You know I can confiscate it and you won't be able to stop me."
"I know. I won't even try to fight against you if that's what you're going to do. This is mere toy for me, Aomine. A dangerous toy, true, but this weapon is nothing. I can find a substitute for it anytime I want."
"I'm sure you can," Aomine grunted. He sincerely meant it though, because he knew Kise wasn't lying. With Kise's skill, he would be able to handle any weapon without problem. Even if he took the stiletto away from the blond, it was only a matter of time and chance until Kise acquired a new, and likely more dangerous, weapon. That didn't even count the 'friend' factor Kise had. Sighing softly, Aomine got off of the bed. He steadily approached Kise before taking the stiletto from his hand, expecting resistance but finding none.
The weapon fit in his palm perfectly, the weight both reassuring and deadly. Sharp sound of metal cutting air resounded in the room when Aomine took the stiletto out of its sheath. The blade was thin yet sharp. The surface smooth and it easily reflected light since it was well-polished. It was truly a good weapon, perfect for treason and assassination; it was obvious from where the weapon had gotten its more famous name.
After a moment of observation, Aomine put the stiletto back into its sheath. He offered it back at Kise who took and slipped it between his waist belts securely. The blond then gave him an inquiring look, as if asking what Aomine had decided.
"Keep it." The answer came easily from Aomine's lips. "It was yours to begin with and now that I've known about it, you won't have the surprise factor on your side anymore and if you shall decide to attack me, it will be a fair attack. There's no reason why you shouldn't keep it. After all, you may need it to protect yourself."
"Are you sure about that? You know there are many times where I can find you defenseless. If I'm holding onto this, I will have the chance to kill you anytime I want."
"I doubt you had just gotten the weapon recently, so what's the difference between then and now? You have had your chance—countless of it, I'm sure—yet you don't take it and decide to tell me about all of this instead. Truly, if I don't know any better, I'd say you didn't have the heart to kill me, Kise."
"I just don't want to kill without reason." Kise replied tersely. Aomine almost sounded underestimating him and Kise's pride didn't take it well. Just because he hadn't tried to attack Aomine, it didn't mean he was a coward. "Although, if you keep being annoying like this, I think I can find a reason sooner than later."
His defiance only made Aomine smirk in amusement. "So I'm annoying now, hmm?" He drawled, reaching out to gently take Kise's wrist. He gave a tug, pulling Kise closer and immediately embracing the other when he was close enough. He put his lips against Kise's ear, brushing against the soft lobe as he whispered, "You didn't seem to think like that last night."
"You are flattering yourself, Aomine. Who said I didn't think like that last night?" asked Kise, only to curse moment after when Aomine pressed a kiss on the sensitive skin just beneath his ear. "Stop that! We are having a conversation here!"
"I'm bored with this conversation," Aomine said simply. He pressed his lips harder against the patch of skin beneath. He could feel fine shiver ran through Kise's body and his smirk curled wider. Kise's body had gotten more responsive to his touches now and it pleased him to no end. Aomine then nibbled on the skin, delighted to hear Kise inhale sharply at that.
Pale hands lifted up, intending to push Aomine away at first but end up fisting his tunic tightly instead. Kise's eyes fluttered close as Aomine peppered small kisses along the length of his neck. Resistance was futile at this point and they both knew it. Already Kise's body was responding to Aomine's touches like a fine-tuned instrument and when Aomine brought him towards the bed, Kise followed obediently.
xXXx
When Kise next woke up, Aomine's side of bed was empty. He blinked, thinking his eyes had deceived him, before propping his body up with his elbows to look around the room. He still couldn't spot Aomine though and he could hear nothing from the bathroom. Aomine was gone.
A frown appeared between his brows. This was the first time he had waked up alone within two weeks. Usually, he would always wake up to Aomine beside him and although he would never admit it out loud, Aomine's disappearance unnerved him. There must be something urgent that forced Aomine to leave without bothering to wake him up and the only reason Aomine would do that was because the king had summoned him. Anything related with Imayoshi never seemed good in Kise's mind.
He started to feel anxious. In attempt to distract himself, Kise got out of the bed and put on some clothes he took randomly (a plain dark blue tunic and black trousers). He found out where the royal pendant Aomine had given to him was placed at (safely sitting atop of the bedside table, thankfully) and wore it. After making sure he was presentable, Kise walked out of the room. If Aomine wasn't around, there was no reason for him to keep being held up in his room now.
The guards standing by in front of his door still gave him distrustful look whenever he walked pass them, but he was used to it. He simply ignored them and kept moving forward. It wasn't like he couldn't get out of the room now and as long as the guards didn't start attacking him, he'd prefer to keep neutral about them. Creating unnecessary problems was not on his to-do list anyway; he had too many enemies and problems as it was.
This early in the morning, the castle was mostly quiet. Except for the servants doing their daily chores, there were not many soldiers around. It had been like this since few days ago and the lack of activity only seemed to increase the tension in the castle. Kise knew this feeling well. He had experienced situations similar like this few times in his young life. The tension was yet another consequence of a brewing war; the meetings and planning done in private places would kill the lively atmosphere. The metaphorical dark cloud hovering above the castle would only get worse as time passed by and it wouldn't disappear until the war was over.
Thinking about that made Kise feel even more uneasy. It wasn't like he had forgotten about the war—because it was just impossible for anyone to forget about it—but the ceasefire situation had pushed it somewhere deep down in his conscience, buried under his own problem of adapting and trying to organize his feelings about Aomine. It was as if the war was frozen in time for a moment and now the seconds had just started to move again.
Kise had never liked war. He knew it was a necessity sometimes, but he would always choose to avoid it if he could and this time, he hated it even more. He wasn't lying when he told Haizaki he wouldn't betray Akashi. He had pledged himself to his king first and foremost. Even just the thought of him betraying Akashi made him sick; but he knew keeping his loyalty to Akashi now meant the possibility of facing Aomine in a war once again and he wasn't sure he could do that. Things had changed. As he got to know Aomine better, Kise finally could see why people like Momoi and Kuroko held him so dear.
Kuroko was right, Aomine was a rude and sometimes cruel man, but once he cared about something, he would protect it fiercely. Having experienced the feeling of being protected by Aomine (even if that was really unnecessary), Kise must admit it did feel reassuring. Aomine was strong, it was a common knowledge, yet when he cared about things, he could be gentle and it was that unexpected tenderness in him that made Kise start to see him as a human. Which was not exactly good because killing humans was always more difficult than killing faceless enemies.
He was so deep in thought he didn't realized where he was heading. Thankfully, his legs seemed to solve the problem for him and before he knew it, he had arrived near the training ground. There were the usual noises of shouted orders or directives and Kise would have continued walking pass the training ground if he didn't recognize the voices.
Effortlessly his lips curled up into a smile. His feet picked up the pace as he eagerly approached the training ground. The smile on his face turned wider when he saw Kagami and Kuroko sparring there. He decided to stop his track, staying on the sideline as he watched their movements. The smile on his face turned into a grin as he saw the way Kagami taught—which mostly consisted of him shouting out orders at Kuroko while attacking the other quote mercilessly—as he remembered the way he trained Kagami in the past.
He was a lot gentler than Kagami, that was for sure, but perhaps Kagami's way of teaching was more appropriate for Kuroko since the other's movement had indeed gotten better. Kise had only seen a glimpse of Kuroko's skill few times in the battlefield and he had never faced him directly in any battle, but he could already gather Kuroko was, at the very best, a mediocre in dueling. He wouldn't be able to hold up against Kagami before this.
The improvement in Kuroko's fighting skill was clear, but it appeared that his stamina hadn't improved much. Even as he watched, Kise could see that Kuroko's breaths had become labored. He was sweating profusely and his skin looked paler than usual. Half of Kise's mind worried Kuroko would faint if the training continued on and apparently Kagami was thinking the same thing as soon after that, the red-head called their training to be over.
Kise decided it was time to reveal himself then (not that he had been hiding, not really. He just hated to disturb their training), intentionally making his steps clear enough to be recognized by the both of them. He pasted on a smile—which wasn't a hard thing to do—as both Kagami and Kuroko looked up at him. He lifted up a hand, waving lightly in greetings to the both of them.
"Been working hard since morning, I see. That is amazing. Although, I think I must praise Kuroko-cchi more for keeping up with your cruel way of giving orders, Kagami-cchi," he said teasingly, grinning when Kagami almost blushed from that. The red-head settled for a simple eye-roll though, and Kise inwardly saluted Kagami for being less shy. Kagami's tendency to blush when praised was adorable, but sometimes it also could be mistaken as meekness. "Hey, I didn't really mean it as a bad thing, Kagami-cchi. After all, it seems that your method works well with Kuroko-cchi so that is good, right?"
"Kise-san is right, Kagami-kun. Your training is harsh, but it pushes me over my limits and I think I've actually improved under your teaching. You're not a bad teacher."
"You're not a bad pupil either, Kuroko," Kagami grunted in return. The blush he had tried to hold back now visible on his cheeks. He turned his face away from Kuroko; unable to accept the praise without feeling awkward. "Anyway, the only thing you need to work more right now is your stamina. As for your skill, I think you'll at least survive in a battle now, as long as it doesn't go for too long."
"Yes, Kuroko-cchi! Your movements certainly have improved a lot! To be able to keep up with Kagami-cchi when you're still a beginner is not an easy feat, so you must be proud of yourself!"
"Thank you," Kuroko said simply in response to the praises. If one was judging from his monotone voice, he would seem unaffected by the kind words, but his eyes were actually gleaming with unrestrained joy and pride—revealing his true feelings.
The look in Kagami's eyes softened when he saw that. "Just don't get it into your head yet. The chance of you getting killed in a battle is still higher than the chance of you surviving it, so don't even think of going into a battle anytime soon."
"I will remember that advice, Kagami-kun."
Kagami nodded, satisfied with Kuroko's answer. He then gave Kuroko a water jug before turning his attention to Kise who was still watching them with slight smile on his face. "So, it's rare to see you around without Aomine lately. What brings you here, Kise?"
"Aomine was gone when I woke up, so since he isn't around to bother me, I decided to take a walk alone. It's just a coincidence that I hear your voices when I walked through the corridor. I remember then it has been a long time since we truly talk—the brief meetings we had in the past two weeks didn't really count—so I decided to see how you two have been doing. I see that your wounds have all healed up nicely, Kagami-cchi. That's truly a relief."
"Yes, this kingdom has quite an excellent healer, as I'm sure you have noticed," Kagami responded. He paused for a moment to take the water jug back from Kuroko and gulp down the rest of its content. He followed Kuroko when the teal-head led Kise towards a long stone bench on the side of the training ground, taking a seat beside the blond afterwards. "So, where is Aomine? I've started to think he won't leave you except for emergency cases with how he acted lately."
"I don't know where Aomine has gone to, but I guess he's being called by King Imayoshi. He can only ignore his brother for so long before obligation force him to obey, after all."
"Right. If this was Teikou, no one would be able to live after ignoring Akashi's call. I guess Aomine really has it light as a prince." Kagami commented, just the slightest bit sarcastic. His comment made Kise chuckle at the truth; anyone in Teikou wouldn't be able to ignore Akashi's calls. Aomine would have become dead meat since long ago if he was part of Teikou kingdom.
"King Imayoshi just doesn't want to risk any coup d'état, that's why he more or less lets Aomine-kun does as he please. After all, the king is smart enough to realize he may not win if Aomine-kun decides to oppose him directly. I guess, in a way, this makes King Imayoshi all the wiser than anyone else." Kuroko put in his thoughts.
"I have been wondering about that, actually," Kise cut in. He had a faint frown between his brows as he continued, "if I remember correctly, I've read that in Touou, the crown would be given to any prince with best skill in a battle. Taking this into consideration, shouldn't Aomine be the king instead of Imayoshi, despite who born first? I always find it odd how Imayoshi can get the throne."
The question made Kuroko fall silent. Suddenly the air around them was strained with tension and Kise almost felt bad for his curiosity. He exchanged looks with Kagami, but the red-head only shrugged helplessly, indicating he also didn't know what the problem was. Sudden guilt made Kise chew on his bottom lip and he was about to tell Kuroko to not mind it; that he didn't have to answer the question if he didn't want to, when the teal-head beat him to it.
"Aomine-kun and King Imayoshi's situation is ... complicated." He started. His voice soft and he was gazing straight ahead without really focusing on anything. It was as if Kuroko was seeing into distance past known only to him. He continued, "Usually in Touou, the crown prince will be decided just like how you described it—by deciding who's the strongest prince in a duel—but Aomine-kun had never wanted the king position. He had intended to refuse the throne if it was ever given to him, but his late-mother kept pushing him to accept the crown. Aomine-kun tried everything that he could to tell his mother he didn't deserve it and Imayoshi-san had always had his eyes on the throne, anyway, but his mother insisted.
"By tradition's right, Aomine-kun was indeed the rightful heir to the throne and the people also love him; they rely on him as their commander and it would be easy for him to gain their support if he ever be the king. Imayoshi-san knew this well. He knew despite Aomine-kun's personal wish in the matter, he would still bend if he was pushed over time. So he did something to anticipate this from happening—" Kuroko closed his eyes for a moment, as if remembering something painful. "—which made Aomine-kun angry enough with not only the current King Imayoshi, but the whole Imayoshi family line. He swore he didn't want anything to do with it. He gladly gave up his inheritance and chose to be commander general so he could pour out his anger in a battle instead."
A long pause settled between them after Kuroko's explanation. Kise and Kagami tried to digest the information they had just heard, somehow in disbelieve it was given so freely to them, but also realizing the truth behind those words. They could believe it all had actually happened because they both had seen how Aomine was in a battle and, praise all the Goddess, Aomine sure had lots of anger back then.
The silence stretched further, until the corners of Kuroko's lips slowly curled into a small smile. "Although right now Aomine-kun wasn't like that anymore and it's all because of you, Kise-san. Whether you realize it or not, you have changed Aomine-kun for the better, so you have my gratitude for that."
Kuroko finished his statement with slight bow to show his respect towards Kise and against his own will, Kise could feel his face getting hot. He was not used with praises—especially not when it was related to other people—and it clearly showed. He tried to laugh it off, but even to his own ears the sound was weak. Knowing there was no use to pretend, in the end he chose to sigh, his expression genuine as he said, "You don't have to thank me for anything, Kuroko-cchi, because just like what you said ... I don't think I've actually done anything to change Aomine. In fact, I don't think he had changed at all; he always acts like the usual whenever he's around me."
"No, but Kuroko was right, Kise." This time it was Kagami who spoke up. He had a contemplative look on his face as he continued, "You may not realize it because that's how he had always acted around you, but he has changed. He becomes ... more content, I guess? That, and he had more control of his own temper now. If he hasn't changed, I'm quite sure he'd have killed me in our duel—his promise to you be damned."
Kise frowned. "Right. You haven't told me what actually happened back then. What was Aomine whispering to you in the end of the duel, Kagami-cchi?"
"Oh, that?" Kagami waved his hand, indicating it was not that important. When he spoke up next, he actually sounded amuse. "He just asked me to give up. Of course, he had to say it in that arrogant way of his, and I quote, 'Give up now or I'll end up killing you in this duel and it'd only make Kise upset,'" he said it in an almost perfect imitation of Aomine's way of speaking, making it impossible for Kise to hold his chuckle back. Kagami smirked at that.
"Of course, it only made me furious and I told him there's no way in Hell I'd give up just like that. But then his expression changed. It was subtle, but for a second I could see his eyes flickered uncertainly and then, in a voice so low I almost couldn't hear him, he said, 'I really don't want to break my promise with him, so please let your pride down this time.'" Kagami could see Kise's stunned expression from the corner of his eyes and he shrugged lightly. "My first reaction was exactly like you: stunned. I've never thought Aomine would ever plead to anyone. It was at that moment I realized how serious he was about keeping his promise to you and after that, it wasn't so hard for me to give up.
"I think, despite what had happened between the two of you—and Goddes Herself knew a lot of things had happened—the affection and subtle act of kindness he showed to you were sincere, Kise. Don't get me wrong, I still think he's an arrogant bastard, but ... I guess he had his rare moments that I approved."
Kise just had to laugh at that, because despite his words, Kagami looked as if he had sucked on extremely sour lemon as he said that. It was clear the words were pulled out of gritted teeth. Still, for Kagami to talk like that about Aomine was a huge progress indeed and it filled Kise's chest with unexpected warm. It somehow reaffirmed he had made the right decision in trying to trust Aomine and nothing would have made him feel even more relieve.
"Thank you, Kagami-cchi. I will keep what you said in mind. Although, I'm quite sure no matter how much he had changed, Aomine would always be an arrogant bastard. It runs in the family after all-the arrogance—and I don't know about him being affectionate, but I guess you're right. There were times where I actually could tolerate him."
"It's not like I want you to get friendly with him," Kagami grunted, thinking he should clear it up because even just the thought of Kise getting too comfortable with Aomine stirred a sense of anxiety within him. "I just think it'd do you good to give him a chance—which I saw you'd done lately—since sometimes surrendering is the only way to gain victory."
"I know," said Kise with a soft smile. The smile only lasted for seconds before it morphed into a grin though. "I'd never expect Kagami-cchi could give such a wise advice. You've certainly matured a lot, Kagami-cchi. Could it be Kuroko-cchi's influence, eh~?"
Kagami spluttered and even Kuroko was blushing lightly at the question. Apparently, blushes were contagious as it also appeared high on Kagami's cheeks once he saw Kuroko's reaction. He couldn't even look at the teal-head as he harrumphed, "You're talking nonsense, Kise! Kuroko and I aren't that close! There's no way he could ever influence me in anything!"
A completely disbelieving look took over Kise's expression, but he just smirked infuriatingly before conceding, "Fine, if you said so, Kagami-cchi. Though, I must say you're still very bad at lying."
Kagami didn't even have the energy to deny that; he opted to give Kise a very pointed glare instead. When Kise let loose peal of laughter at that, he just rolled his eyes and let the other had his fill of amusement in his stead.
xXXx
They talked for a while longer after that. It was mostly just light chats without any serious topic. Kise and Kagami told Kuroko a bit about their life in Teikou and in return of that, Kuroko told them about his childhood. There had been some embarrassing stories shared between them and by the time the sun had risen to its highest point in the sky, Kise felt they all had been friends since long ago. Their conversation lulled down once they ran out of topics. They had been talking for such a long time that their throats were parched. Kise suggested they both went to the kitchen for some snacks, considering their water jugs had all gone empty by now, and his suggestion was well-received.
Their walk towards the kitchen was more subdued, but the air between them was still warm and friendly. They walked through the corridor that had become more crowded with some soldiers standing by or walking around and it was then they spotted Aomine walking towards them. The Touou Prince was not alone though. Beside him was a brown haired knight with stern frown between his brows. Kise didn't think he had ever seen that knight before and his curiosity was piqued. Judging by the knight and Aomine's expression, they were talking about serious matters.
"Nee, Kuroko-cchi, who's that soldier beside Aomine?"
"That's ... Sir Wakamatsu," Kuroko answered. His tone showed his surprise for once and he even stopped in his tracks. His neutral expression now seemed troubled. "We rarely see him outside his guarding station. He won't be here for just a visit."
Kise and Kagami exchanged yet another look. Kuroko's words certainly sounded foreboding. Before any of them could ask more about it though, Aomine had looked up and spotted them. Immediately, both he and Wakamatsu fell silent, in a way making the tension even more intense.
The look Aomine had was not a good one. It almost as if the past two weeks didn't happen and he had reverted back to his old self. His navy blue eyes were ablaze with something Kise couldn't really decipher; something that made warning bells ring in his head. He could hear his own rapid heartbeats when Aomine walked briskly towards him and before Kise could say anything, Aomine had gripped his wrist none-too-gently and dragged him almost forcibly back.
"Get back in your room now."
The order was said calmly, a complete contradictory with how tight Aomine was gripping his wrist. Kise would have said something about that, but even just by looking at Aomine's back, he could see how tense the other was. It was clear something was troubling him; something serious that could make even Aomine lose his calm and in turn, it made Kise wisely shut his mouth.
He trailed after Aomine obediently; didn't even protesting about the grip Aomine had around his wrist that would surely leave marks. After a while of walking in silence, slowly the tension in Aomine seemed to lighten up. He was still gripping Kise's wrist, but he no longer seemed interested in cutting Kise's circulation off.
Just like what he had said, Aomine was leading them towards their shared room (and Kise silently wondered what had happened with Aomine's room now since he very rarely went there). Still without words, Aomine took Kise in and he only let the other go when the door had been closed behind them. He didn't explain anything though; instead he started to check on his weapons that had been left there.
The sight of Aomine preparing his broadsword made Kise's breath catch in his throat. The air suddenly felt too thick and his legs felt weak as realization kicked in. It had been a long time since Kise last saw Aomine managing his broadsword like that and he knew it would only happen once the war had re-started. Kise felt sick. His world seemed distorted as the frozen time that held the war at bay suddenly melted and reality once again reared its ugly head.
He stumbled towards the bed, just managing to sit on it as the world beneath his feet seemingly swept away, leaving him unbalanced. His eyes were still trained on Aomine, but they were not exactly seeing anything. He swallowed down the lump in his throat before speaking in what he hoped to be light tone, but failed miserably. "Getting ready for a war, Aomine?"
Aomine didn't even look at him. He just continued getting his equipment ready, making sure his broadsword was still well-polished and as sharp as he needed it to be, letting Kise's question hang in the air. It was only after he finished everything he spoke up, "Indeed. Your king had finally made his move. There had been an attack on our North border—Wakamatsu was here to ask for back up—and my army will be dispatched there tonight." Navy blue eyes finally shifted towards Kise. "Meanwhile, you're not allowed to get out of this room unattended while I'm away, you understand?"
"I thought I'm no longer a prisoner."
"That is true, but this is for your own safety. I'm quite sure you're familiar with how tense the situation could be in a state of war and I don't want to risk someone getting too frisky when they see you walking around unguarded. Promise me you'll stay within your room, Kise."
"I'm not a weakling who can't defend himself, Aomine!" Kise harrumphed. Annoyance started to fill him, replacing the wariness and anxiety—and he welcomed it gladly. "I don't have to stay holed up inside this room. I can protect myself even if someone attack me; you should have known that!"
"I know," agreed Aomine. He didn't look surprised by Kise's outburst. If anything, his expression softened as he looked at the other. "I know you can protect yourself, Kise, but this is my selfish wish; one that I hope you'll be willing to fulfill. Please, for this once, just give me your promise."
It was the pleading that finally get to Kise. He was still not pleased with it, but he was not cruel enough to ignore Aomine's plea. He turned his head away with a huff, crossing his arms on his chest and not caring one bit if he looked childish. "Fine," he almost spat out the word. "I promise I won't get out of the room unattended. Don't expect me to be happy with that though."
Kise was still turning his head away when he said that, so he didn't see the smile that appeared on Aomine's face. He did, however, feel it when Aomine walked close to him, only to bend down and rest his palms on Kise's knees before brushing his lips on the blond's smooth cheek. "Thank you," Aomine murmured, his lips almost tickling Kise.
Kise could feel his face getting warmer and he was about to scold Aomine for his indecent behavior when suddenly Aomine's lips descended upon his. Kise gasped at the unexpected contact and it was all that Aomine needed to deepen their kiss. It was almost automatic, the way Kise's body tensed up in an attempt to fight back, before gradually the tension faded away. Their kiss didn't go for long and after they parted, Kise could feel Aomine gently resting his forehead atop of his.
"What was that for?" He asked quite breathlessly.
"For good luck," Aomine answered before peppering small kisses on Kise's lips. "I still have time before I have to go. I want to spend it with you."
"Is this yet another one of your selfish wishes?" Kise tilted his head back when Aomine's small kisses went lower, focusing on his neck now. His breaths had started to get deeper and soon he was panting as he got more excited. "Aren't you too greedy, Aomine?"
"Yes, I am. I will never get enough of you and it makes me very greedy indeed." Aomine answered unabashedly. His hand slipped beneath Kise's tunic, resulting in a very satisfying sharp intake of breath from the other. He nibbled on the patch of skin just above Kise's collarbone, not stopping until he was sure he would leave a mark there.
It didn't take long for their lust to take over and when Aomine pushed him down onto the bed, Kise let him. He could feel Aomine's fingers dancing upon his skin, pinching and rubbing so cleverly until he could pull out the sound he wanted to hear from Kise's lips. Aomine played him like he was a fine-tuned instrument and soon the whole room was filled with Kise's moans and gasps.
xXXx
"He's moving faster than our prediction, My Liege." Hanamiya actually sounded distress. He was still staying in the throne room even after the meeting had been over. The news Wakamatsu had brought was worrisome, but it wasn't exactly unprecedented. None of them believed the current state of ceasefire would last forever, but they had thought they would be able to buy more time. True, they had managed to gain alliance from Kaijou and most of the soldiers had been filled in the plans Imayoshi had, but their preparation wasn't finished yet. They still had to make sure everything was perfect.
Imayoshi had left his throne. He was now standing in front of the big window in the room, overlooking the castle's inner garden. He didn't say anything. His attention focused on the knights hanging around the garden, even though it was clear his thoughts were far away. When he finally spoke up, his voice was easily carried through the silent room. "Indeed, it would be nice if they can hold back for a little longer, but alas wishes very rarely come true. We have expected this and now is as good of time as any to face our opponent."
"Are you sure just sending Prince Aomine's army is enough?"
"That will be enough," the answer came not from Imayoshi, but from Kasamatsu who had been invited to the meeting as representative of Kaijou's King. His expression was grim when he continued, "it's not his army that will be dispatched—mine will offer him all the assist he needs-that's enough men power for now. Meanwhile, the castle shouldn't be left unguarded. That's why your army is still needed to stay here."
"It's just as Yukio said, Hanamiya. Now that Aomine's army will be dispatched soon, we will need to rely on your men to guard the castle. Beside that ...," Imayoshi trailed off. He let his words hung in the air before chuckling lightly. "Ah, no. Let's forget about it. There's still a lot of matters we need to address to; it's about time we end this meeting."
The words were final. Both Kasamatsu and Hanamiya still looked unsatisfied, but they simply bowed towards the king. Hanamiya was the first to excuse himself from the room, his footsteps slightly harder than necessary and as he watched that, Imayoshi actually laughed harder.
Kasamatsu only rolled his eyes, all too used with his childhood friend's antics by now. "It's a wonder you still have loyal men until now, Shouichi. Especially with your annoying attitude."
"Ah, that is why I insist to become the king, Yukio. People will have no choice but to obey me, regardless of my attitude. Hanamiya will be fine. He may not like my decision, but he knew better than to betray me. At least he won't do that until he's sure he will be able to win. He's quite the sly one, that Hanamiya. There even have been times where he reminds me of myself."
"Your arrogance will never cease to amuse me." Kasamatsu said dryly. "I will leave you with your morbid sense of humor then, My King." He bowed once again, shortly this time, as he excused himself.
"I wish you luck for the upcoming battle, Yukio. It will be such a shame if I lose my only childhood friend so soon."
Kasamatsu didn't even bother to respond to that. He knew it was impossible to get the last word when arguing with Imayoshi and besides, despite the lilting tone Imayoshi had used, it seemed that he was sincere enough in wishing him luck. Kasamatsu would rather take it as it was than jinxing whatever luck he might have. He didn't believe much in luck, but he would need it for the upcoming battles.
To be Continued ...