Chapter 3: No harm, no foul

Present time …

Hachiman Hikigaya

Yukinoshita and Yuigahama had gone home. Tensions had been high since Aomine had blown up at Yukinoshita. Hikigaya had promised to take Aomine for ramen, and the taller boy had turned around to lead the way to a ramen bar he had seen a few blocks down while walking to Sobu.

"Wait, Daiki." Hikigaya called.

"You know if you see me, you'll have to be cool with Yukinoshita." He fixed the taller boy with a stare.

"I will be. How can you let her talk about you that way and not defend yourself?" Aomine protested.

"Because that's just how she is." Hikigaya sighed.

"Fuck that! If she's being a bitch to you, then I'm going to tell her that she's a bitch." Daiki raved, gesturing expansively.

"She's not being a bitch. She just isn't good a judging what will be perceived as mild teasing and what will be perceived as outright cruel. She can be kind, though initially, she always appears extremely unfriendly. " Hikigaya reflected on the blue-eyed ice princess. Somehow no matter how cold she was, he always felt warm when he saw her. He knew what those feelings were, but he wasn't yet ready to admit them. He was scared to admit them.

For all he knew, she might feel nothing for him. And that would crush him. With Orimoto, he was crushed because of how others reacted, and the actual rejection only stung a bit. But with Yukinoshita, if she looked away awkwardly and said that she felt nothing, it would break him.

~/~

2 years ago …

Daiki Aomine

In retrospect, it had been a stupid thing to say. The only one that can beat me is me.

The second he heard it, Hikigaya had told Daiki to follow him. He had brought him to the gym where the semi-pro athletes trained, and they had shown Aomine how much more he could grow.

They fought a little bit dirty and didn't give him any breathing room. Once, he was sweating and had been blocked multiple times. Only then did Hikigaya take him aside. "You see? There's always a challenge; you just have to look for it."

Hikigaya had then asked the team's starting power forward to give Daiki some tips, and Aomine learned more. Just because he was bigger and faster than almost all of his competitors didn't mean it would always be that way. He needed to evolve.

That's how the challenges began. Hikigaya would show him ways that he was weak and offer a challenge. First, it was increasing his post moves, and after that, it was about navigating screens, but no matter what it was, it always made him better.

~/~

Present time …

Daiki Aomine

The two friends sat down to share a meal. Each ordering multiple bowls, both were ravenously hungry; playing basketball, especially against each other, always raised a ferocious appetite.

They dug into the first bowl, barely talking, and instead focused on slurping as many noodles as they could before they went soggy. When the second bowl came, Hikigaya and Daiki engaged in conversation as they devoured their food.

"How's Satsuki doing? Is she still pining over Tetsuya?" Hikigaya put down his food to speak, making sure not to treat his table mate to an unsavory view. Unfortunately, when Aomine responded, he didn't give Hachiman the same courtesy.

"Yeah, no change on that front." He spoke as he ate, performing neither task particularly well, however.

"Daiki, table manners." The older boy half-heartedly complained. He had been to his companion's house and seen him use passable table etiquette there.

"Whatever." He responded though reigned in the urge to flip off Hikigaya. That wouldn't have been a wise move. Even for him.

They finished their meal in relative quiet, only discussing lighter topics and the happenings of their mutual acquaintances. "So Atsushi is now a Yōzen?" Hikigaya mused, thinking fondly of the tall boy.

"Yeah, and Kise went to Kaijo," Aomine added. They prepared to leave the restaurant, and Hikigaya's hands went to his wallet. Before he could pay, however, Aomine cut him off. "Please, allow me."

Hikigaya paused and smiled as Daiki laid a few bills on the table. "You know; you've really grown up these last few years," Hachiman told his friend as he turned to leave.

"You set a good example more often than not." Aomine chuckled as they stood outside the restaurant.

"When did I not set a good example?" Hikigaya protested with mock offense.

"Like when you called that kid a cunt after he fouled you." Aomine reminded him.

"Those were special circumstances," Hikigaya replied, cringing a little at the coarse language and the volume that his friend had said it. He also remembered the lecture he had given Komachi when she had said, "Shit!" After stubbing her toe.

Being a hypocrite wasn't the worst thing. He wanted her to be better than he was. Hikigaya stumbled and cursed as his left knee gave out. "Goddamn it!"

Aomine didn't move to help his friend. Knowing that doing so would be an insult, however, he did shift a little closer just in case his friend fell. "What's wrong?"

"Let's just say that my knee isn't as fully recovered as I wanted it to be," Hikigaya grunted out through clenched teeth. Almost subconsciously, his left hand went down towards the joint and rubbed it.

"I thought that you were healthy again. That stat line you sent me was so good." Aomine stared down at Hikigaya.

The older boy chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, it was. They played me for three minutes at a time, and after that game, I spent about a week in recovery."

"Why didn't you say so, dumbass?" Daiki yelled. His eyes narrow and angry.

"Because you were so excited to play against me, and I was excited to play against you," Hikigaya replied, not meeting his eyes. The truth was that for just an afternoon, he had wanted to feel like his old self, not this washed-up new version that he had become after the accident. Back when it didn't hurt to do the thing he loved. When he didn't have to wear a knee brace under his pant leg. He missed those days and wanted them back.

"We could've played to 11, or 7, or 5. You should've told me. I could've just come out to get a workout in, not necessarily play the game." Aomine had an uncharacteristically guilty expression on his face.

"Don't feel bad; I knew what the aftermath would be like. I chose to play against you. Even now, know that I don't regret my decision. It was my choice, don't put it on yourself." Hikigaya always tried to be mature, even when he was weak. He had already lost the bit of his identity that was through and through a basketball player. He couldn't afford to lose another piece as well.

(A/N): To clarify, with the reader who said that Yukino founded the service club solely to help people. I wouldn't say that's the only reason, but I understand your point. However, Aomine isn't privy to the same info that we are. I tried to communicate this as best I could with his behavior and what he allows Hikigaya to get away with, but he really looks up to him. 8man, in his eyes, is something of a role model/big brother figure.

So if you combine these two factors together, he is more volatile in his defense of Hikigaya. I also tried to imply conflict Hikigaya didn't directly witness, so Daiki was already somewhat peeved with Yukinoshita. I hope that clarifies; also, I tried to use his style of rude language and play up the fact that streetball has made speaking like that somewhat more acceptable in his eyes.