Title: Under the Mistletoe (How Did That Get There?!)

Summary: AoMido pre-slash. It's bad enough that Aomine is freezing his ass off, but Midorima just had to come along. How's a guy supposed to deny his crush when said crush was sitting right next to him?

A/N: Woo! It's day 4 already. This is so much fun! :) ah, i love shipping this two so much. It's so fun to make them blush!

DAY 4: HOLIDAYS

Aomine rubs his hands together, trying to keep them warm. He shifts closer to the fireplace and pulls the blanket tighter around him, hoping that the thick fabric will prevent the cold from traveling through his skin. He can hear the others outside the cabin they're residing in for winter and wonders how they could possibly handle the cold when he is stuck inside shaking like a leaf.

"Are you feeling better, Aomine-kun?"

Aomine jumps when Kuroko appears behind the couch he is sitting on. Kuroko is carrying to steaming mugs of hot chocolate and hands one over to Aomine who mumbles a 'thank you' before taking a sip of the drink, sighing at the sweet taste trickling down his throat.

"Is everyone still having a snowball fight outside?"

"Yes. Kagami-kun and Akashi-kun unexpectedly make a good team."

"Tch. Never pegged Kagami as someone who'd enjoy throwing snow at people's faces."

"Well, he did grew up in the States. It snows there more often than in Japan." Kuroko's lips quirked into a teasing smile. "You may be an excellent basketball player, Aomine-kun, but you suck as a snowball fighter."

"Oh shut up. I didn't see you anywhere on the battlefield."

"That's because no one noticed me while I put snow down your backs. Misdirection is very handy at times. Of course, Takao-kun managed to get me on the cheek."

"Ha! Serves you right!"

"Speak for yourself Aomine-kun. I'm not the one who got buried in the snow."

"You guys ganged up on me!"

"Only because you were an easy target."

Aomine growls. "Just wait until we get back to Tokyo. I'll just kick all of your asses in basketball!"

"I'll be looking forward to it." Kuroko's eyes pass over Aomine at the sound of a door opening. "Looks like I better go. I have a feeling that you'll be getting warm soon."

"What's that supposed to mean? Oi, Tetsu!" Aomine suddenly finds himself all alone as Kuroko disappears through the back door of the cabin. He wonders what Kuroko meant by his last statement.

"Aomine."

Aomine looks up, sees Midorima and almost bursts out laughing. He's wearing a cream-colored hand-knit sweater with a picture of cats wearing Santa hats. He looks absolutely ridiculous, yet somehow cute at the same time.

Midorima must have sensed something because he scowls at Aomine and says," Captain made this for me."

"What? Did he force you or something?"

"No. He says it might be a lucky item someday and he's right. It's my lucky item today. Plus, I happen to like it very much."

It's Midorima's tone that makes Aomine stop his teasing. It's the tone he always uses whenever he meant to thank someone, but it comes off as cool and stoic. Aomine thinks it's actually cute.

Aomine mentally erases that last sentence because seriously? Of all the people to have a crush on it just had be Midorima-freakin'-Shintarou. Midorima who carries around weird items like car sweaters and porcelain frogs just because a TV show told him so, but also Midorima who's helpful in his own weird way and blushes easily and has pretty eyes that remind him of grass and has the cutest little sneeze and-

-and Aomine better stop thinking all those things because then he's gonna start blushing and Midorima's gonna start asking questions and Aomine's not sure he can handle that yet.

"Aomine, your face is turning red."

Aomine turns away and covers his blushing face with the blanket. "It's just the...heat."

"Whatever you say nano-dayo." Midorima sits down next to him on the couch, knees bumping together yet Aomine doesn't move away. He glances at him from the corner of his eyes and watches as the green-haired teen adjusts his glasses. Aomine can't remember the last time he's ever had a conversation with Midorima. Even in middle school they've barely spoken to each other outside of class and basketball. Maybe it's time to change that. He tries to think of any topic they can talk about besides basketball and the weather.

"So did you get me a present?" he asks.

Midorima turns to face him and it's the first time Aomine has seen him up close. He feels his heart rate speed up. "Of course. I got all of you presents."

Aomine has to repeat his answer in his head because he's not entirely sure he believes it. "You did?"

"N-not that I care or anything!" he quickly adds. (Can you get any more tsundere, Midorima?) "it is customary during the holidays to give presents to people you lov-are friends with," Midorima flushes as he finishes his sentence.

"Were you about to say 'people you love' back there?" Aomine teases.

"N-no..."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"So what if I do love someone?!" Midorima snaps. He realizes he has shouted and looks around to see if anyone heard him, but it's only him and Aomine in the cabin. The rest of the group are still outside throwing snow at each other. He sinks down the couch, fighting the urge to blush and that makes Aomine blush too. For completely different reasons. Part of him is hoping that maybe, just maybe, he's the one Midorima is talking about.

"It doesn't matter anyway," Midorima continues. He lowers his eyes to the ground and Aomine could feel the genuine gloom in his voice as he says," It's a one-sided thing."

"What...what makes you so sure of that?" Aomine has to choose his words carefully. This might be the opening he's waiting for.

Midorima looks hesitant for a moment. He's never been good at sharing what he feels and for Aomine to be the one offering to listen to him, well...it's making him nervous. "We're not exactly close. We hardly speak to each other and whenever we do we always end up arguing. It's pretty clear that he hates me."

Could it be? Aomine licks his lips, mentally phrasing his next question. "What if I tell you..." He hesitates. "...what if I tell you that he doesn't hate you? In fact, it's quite the opposite."

Midorima's eyes widen and his blush darkens. His eye move away from Aomine to the mug he is still holding in his hands. Aomine puts it down on the coffee table so that both his hands are free and rubs them together.

"And what if I tell you...," he hesitates again but this time he thinks 'aw, fuck it' and plunges ahead,"...what if I tell you it's not a one-sided thing? It never was."

"Aomine, you-" "Midorima, I-" they say at the same time. The awkwardness is getting unbearable and Midorima looks ready to close down his walls again and Aomine will lose his chance.

"Midorima, what I'm trying to say is that I really lik-"

They're suddenly interrupted by screeching sounds and turn towards the doorway where the rest of the group stood. Momoi, Takao and Kise are squealing and grinning widely. Kagami seems to be frozen in shock. Akashi and Kuroko are smiling in amusement.

"Oi, what are you guys looking at?" Aomine feels like screaming. He was so close!

"Daiki, Shintarou. I suggest you look up."

They follow the direction of where Akashi was pointing at and their gazes land on the small piece of green hanging over their heads.

"Now Aominecchi and Midorimacchi have to kiss!" Kise squeals along with Momoi and what the fuck are those two getting excited about?

"We don't have to," Midorima pushes up his glasses. The pink on his cheeks is lessening and the usual seriousness in his voice is returning. "It's just a plan-"

Aomine kisses him.

It's not much, just a brief peck on the lips that lasted for a couple of seconds before he pulls away, blushing and avoiding anyone's gazes. Midorima's hand raises to his lips and he feels something warm and tingly but not entirely unpleasant settle in his stomach.

"Does Aomine-kun feel warm now?"

"Aw, shut up Tetsu."

Aomine doesn't deny it though. He is indeed, very warm now.