Gomenasai! My schedule's been messed up, and I haven't been able to write the past few days. I was kidnapped by aliens that looked like reverse centaurs and it took me a while to explain to them that I was Asian and that they were in the wrong country. I had to draw them a map to the US. And my drawing sucks, which is why I took so long. :
I only started writing this three hours ago, and I am so happy that I'm finally done with it. Chapter 6 should be up before Sunday, though that depends on nothing else coming up to distract me. Ugh. ;-;
On a much more important note, thank you all for showing your support for this! Admittedly, I'm surprised at how much you guys enjoy sexy!Kuroko because I was worried that he'd be too out of character. But yay, you approve! *Throws confetti*
For everyone who reviewed, I wish I could convey how much your words of encouragement mean to me. Sometimes I just start grinning like an idiot because I remember what you said. True story.
And to all of you who favourited and followed this, I send you all internet hugs. The amount of support and love, just. Ugh. Like, why do you guys enjoy stories my sleep deprived brain comes up with. Just. I can't. .-.
Anyway, enjoy this, and please do let me know what you think!
"Oh my God." Aomine winced and held his phone away from his ear at the squeal. "He kissed you on the cheek! That is the cutest thing ever!"
The blue-haired man rolled his eyes. He couldn't dispute that Kuroko had been almost fatally cute at some moments, but he had been wishing for something a little more fulfilling than that. He'd gone home feeling a strange combination of happiness and dissatisfaction, and before he had realized, he'd hit the speed-dial for Satsuki. He was probably still suffering from some residual dumbness that had hit him when Kuroko had planted the kiss on his cheek. Satsuki continued rambling down the line.
"I have got to meet this man! Wait, you did get his number this time, didn't you?" She asked, her voice switching from excited to serious in a nanosecond.
"Yes, yes, I have it." Aomine patted the pocket almost unconsciously just to make sure. "I've only met him three times, he's not going to meet the family yet."
Satsuki snorted, sounding very un-ladylike. "At the rate you're falling for him, you'll propose by the third date."
Aomine considered her words. Since he'd met Kuroko, his friends have repeatedly commented on how attracted (Read: Obsessed) he was to Kuroko. After the events of their first official date, he was starting to believe their words. There was something alluring about him, a sort of mysteriousness and pull that seemed to be drawing him in. He stood out, but not in a very obvious way. While they had dinner, Aomine had noticed that his dressing was muted, and so were his movements. He was quiet, and didn't really seem to pop out, once you spent time around him for long enough and he had this calming effect that made the very atmosphere around him radiate tranquility.
But that in itself was why he turned so many heads. Aomine couldn't really explain it, but there was something distinctively off about the man that made him so much more interesting. Well, that and his gorgeous face. He paused in his train of thoughts. Maybe Satsuki wasn't wrong.
xx
Aomine sat at his desk, twirling the piece of paper that had Kuroko's number on it between his fingers, completely lost in thought. Around him, the usual chaos of slamming doors, falling objects, and thugs being carted around continued, completely ignorant of the dazed man.
Suddenly, where the piece of paper had been, Aomine's fingers registered only air. He looked up, head still too deep in the clouds to register irritation at the green-eyed man who stood examining the scrap beside him.
"Kuroko Tetsuya," Midorima read out the name on the paper. "So you finally got his number. What did it take?"
"Eleven vanilla milkshakes."
Midorima stared at Aomine's glassy eyes. He then tossed the scrap of paper onto his desk and turned towards his own. "You sure know how to pick 'em."
Aomine picked up the piece of paper and resumed fiddling with it. The silence continued for a while. Aomine was the first to speak.
"Do you think I'm too into this guy?" He asked, in a faraway voice.
"Yes," Midorima answered immediately, not looking up from his paperwork.
"There's just something about him," Aomine mused, as though talking to himself. "I can't seem to get him out of my head."
Midorima paused, and putting down his pen, tore off a bit of note paper, scrunched it up, and threw it at Aomine. It plonked him between his eyes. He blinked, snapped out of his daze, and glared at Midorima. The latter just returned to the folder in front of him, looking satisfied.
Aomine was about to toss an insult at his partner when the door to their Chief's office opened, and he bellowed for them.
xx
"He's a confirmed serial killer now," Aomine listened to his Chief's briefing as he and Midorima flipped through a file that had been handed to them. "He's killed three women, and though he doesn't have a specific M.O., he has a very distinct taste in women. Early to mid-twenties, long, light coloured hair, and worked as models at some point or another."
The folder contained photos from four crime scenes, three of them gruesome murders, and the fourth, photos of an upturned room and small, random blood splatters. "What's the fourth crime scene for?"
"He broke in and tried to attack the girl, but her boyfriend was with her, and he managed to fight him off. He's in the hospital now."
"He got away?"
"Yeah, through the same window he entered. Witnesses saw him leaving in a black Audi."
Midorima raised his eyebrows. "An Audi? Was anything taken from the previous murders?"
"Nothing of value. However, one of the vic's family who came to claim her belongings said that she was missing an old vintage camera that she'd bought at a thrift store."
Aomine and Midorima shared a glance.
"I want this guy found," their Chief continued. "I don't need another psychotic idiot out on the street violating women. God knows I have enough of those in my own department."
He gave Aomine a meaningful look.
"Hey!" Aomine protested. "I am not a psychotic idiot. And what does my love life have to do with my job?"
Midorima snorted.
"It's funny 'cause you said 'love'," he muttered.
"Nothing, besides the fact that I don't dare bring my daughter to Family Day for fear of her innocence." His chief replied, both of them ignoring Midorima's comment.
"If she looks anything like you, you don't need to worry." Aomine retorted. Despite his words, he actually had a lot of respect for his superior. He'd been his guide through his first years out of college, and was always watching out for him and Midorima. His boss tossed him a poisonous glare.
"You shot a guy who came on to you!"
"Woah, woah. I didn't shoot him for that. He tried to run off with a lady's bag!" He burst out defiantly.
"Most cops just run after them," the Chief said drily.
Aomine shrugged nonchalantly. No one had gotten killed, right? The man had to walk with a cast on a leg for two months after that, but he should have thought about that before he ran off with the lady's bag with a cop present. "It was less effort. Anyway, I ain't got any problems with gays. I've been stuck with this asshole for four years."
Midorima shot him a mildly disgusted look. "Don't forget you're one of us now."
"What?" The Chief piped up before Aomine could refute his statement. "You're gay now?"
"Am not, this id—" He began but was cut off by the damned snake.
"He is. He's been pining after this guy for over a month now, and –" Midorima leaned forward conspirationally, prompting their Chief to do the same thing. " – He hasn't gotten in bed with him."
His boss leaned back with a low whistle. "I like this guy. He's got something special if he can make you keep your claws to yourself."
Aomine groaned. Why was everyone making him out to be such a slut? He didn't switch sex partners that often. Okay, maybe a bit more often than most guys, but when there are plenty of fish in the ocean, why stick to a tiny glass aquarium?
"You should invite him over for dinner one day. The wife's been complaining that she can't remember what your," he raised two fingers of each hand in the sign of quotes. "Gorgeous empty head looks like."
Aomine shot him a dirty look, which he answered with a casual shrug. "Her words, not mine."
"I volunteer him as sacrifice," Aomine said, pointing a thumb in Midorima's direction.
"He, at least, comes over every once in a while." His Chief replied, giving him a piercing stare. "And Takao and my daughter are great friends."
His statement was followed by a moment of silence. There had been a barely perceptible wince from the older man when he said that. Midorima stared at a place on his desk for a while, and then looked their Chief in the eye.
"I'm sorry," he said, actually sounding sincere. The Chief nodded, and then sighed.
"I guess it's better that it's Takao than Ahomine."
"Hey!" Aomine protested.
xx
The next day, Aomine unlocked the door to his apartment and tossed his keys in the general direction of the table he had placed there specifically for tossing his keys at. There was the thud of metal hitting wood. His fingers fumbled along the wall, attempting to find the switch that would turn on the lights and get rid of the dark gloominess. Finally finding it, he flipped the switch, and immediately his living room was bathed in bright, fluorescent light.
Shutting the door behind him with his foot, he grunted as he struggled out of the scarf he had wrapped around his neck. The weather was going crazy. Two days ago it had been warm enough to walk around in little more than a long sleeved shirt, but now the temperature had dropped so low that he had to leave the house looking like the Michelin man. It was damn uncomfortable.
He proceeded to the kitchen, losing first his coat, then his tie, his socks, and finally rolling up the sleeves of his shirt so that they rested right above his forearms. The heater in his apartment would take a while to heat up, so he couldn't take off his shirt yet. He tinkered about, making himself a simple dinner. The day had been grueling. Midorima and he had scoured what felt like the whole of Tokyo, checking up on leads and revisiting witnesses from the previous murder cases. He'd walked so much the soles of his shoes were in a dire state.
He should probably set a date with Satsuki to go shopping for a new pair soon. Aomine didn't believe in owning many pairs of shoes. Or owning many of anything, really. His closet was modest, and he had a pair of work shoes, sports shoes, open-toed slippers, and a pair of dress shoes. That was hardly anything to boast about, especially not in comparison with a woman who owned a room full of them. Plus, he rather detested shopping. He tolerated grocery shopping, only because if he didn't, he'd die of either starvation or malnutrition, but otherwise, hell freezing over wouldn't be able to force him into a mall.
He glanced up from the boiling pot of ramen in front of him at the sound of his ringtone. He padded back into his living room and picked up his coat. He rummaged through one of the pockets, and pulled out the device, answered it and returned to the kitchen to stare at his cooking food.
"Yes?" He had only glanced at the screen, and it had been a private number.
"Daiki-kun?" He instantly recognized the soft voice on the other side. She had been one of his longer affairs until about the time he'd been enraptured by Kuroko. She was a married woman, in her early thirties. Extremely attractive, with expensive tastes, but Aomine never worried because all she had wanted from him was sex. He had been meaning to call her until he'd discovered Kuroko.
"Hey," he fished desperately for her name. He was generally really bad with names, and needed an associated face before he could attach a name.
"Saya!" He exclaimed, the light bulb burning bright over his head. From the way he said her name, of course, she'd know that he had only just remembered. But she didn't comment.
"You haven't called in the longest time," she said. She was less clingy than some of his girlfriends, which was why they had lasted so long, but she was still female.
"Yeah, well, I've been busy with work lately." He replied. It wasn't a lie. He had been busy. Since yesterday.
"That's too bad. Are you still off on Thursdays?"
He frowned, annoyed. He'd lost interest in her. He'd told her as much, though in a much nicer way, the last time they had met. He didn't enjoy having secret rendezvous and creeping about like a criminal. He was a cop, for crying out loud. "I am, but I'm busy this Thursday."
He glanced at the calendar on the wall of his living room. Today was Tuesday, that meant that he had two days to find someone to keep him company doing something to pass the time. Looks like he was going to meet up with Satsuki sooner than he'd expected.
"Oh." He could hear the disappointment in her voice. He'd gone through this play too many times to feel bad, though. "Well, call me the next time you're free."
Aomine picked up a pair of chopsticks and stirred his noodles violently, making a ruckus.
"Oops, sorry, I'm a bit distracted right now. Got to go, bye!" He ended the call before she could say anything else. Sighing, he leaned his hip against the counter, staring thoughtfully at the phone in his hand. He slipped his free hand into his pocket and pulled out the piece of faded receipt. Taking a deep breath, he dialed the number quickly and hit the call button, feeling butterflies in his stomach. What if no one picked up?
"Hello?" He let out the breath he had been holding. Even though he'd spent only a little bit of time with him, Aomine was able to distinguish Kuroko's voice easily.
"Hey, this is Aomine." He wouldn't have forgotten him already, right?
"Aomine-kun!" A smile slipped onto his face as he registered the obvious delight in the other's voice. "I thought there was a three day rule or something?"
Aomine laughed. "I guess I was really missing you."
"Still as smooth as ever," Kuroko's breathy chuckle sent tingles down his spine. Maybe he could secretly record his voice. "To what do I owe this honour?"
"I was wondering if you're free this Thursday."
"Hm, Thursday," He heard some rummaging in the background and then, "I have school in the morning, but I'm free from lunch onwards."
School? He looked young, but Aomine had assumed that he was about the same age as him if he was able to get access into a bar. He felt dread settle in his stomach. Even for Kuroko he would think twice about becoming a pedophile. "Hey, Tetsu, can I ask you something?"
There was a pause on the other side. Aomine immediately reviewed his words, trying to see if he had said something unintentionally offensive. "Tetsu?"
Another moment of silence, and then, "Say that again."
"What?"
"That nickname."
"Tetsu…?" Aomine repeated hesitantly. He wasn't very sure where this was going. Kuroko laughed delightedly.
"I was right! It sounds so much better when Aomine-kun says it."
Right. He was the first one to think of that nickname. Kuroko had liked it. Shit. Was it possible to die of an adorable overload?
Aomine coughed. "Yeah, so, um, about that question?"
"Oh! What was it?"
"How old are you?"
"Twenty-four."
The dread that had begun to fester in his stomach disappeared, and he almost felt giddy with relief. "That's cool. We're the same age."
"Really?" Kuroko sounded genuinely surprised. "I thought you were older."
"What? No!" He said hastily. He wasn't really sure why he was getting riled up about his age, it had never really bothered him. But the idea that Kuroko thought he was going out with an older guy was… odd.
"I didn't mean it in a bad way," Kuroko replied. "It's just that your sexiness was kinda more sophisticated and elegant."
Man, if Midorima got wind of this he'd die of a stomach cramp from too much laughing. No wait, forget the bastard.
Who the hell describes sexiness as sophisticated and elegant? Worse still, what was with that flat way that he said that?
This was it. He couldn't take any more of this. Wall, meet face. Face, meet wall.
"What are we doing on Thursday?" Kuroko's voice pulled him away from his inner turmoil.
"Nothing much, I need a new pair of shoes and I was hoping you'd keep me company." He responded. Kuroko was quiet for a bit, and he worried that he would get turned down.
"I'll treat you to vanilla shakes," he added, as the silence was becoming unbearable. Kuroko laughed. He wished he had one of the department's phone taps in his apartment so he could record the man's laugh and replay it until he died or went insane.
"You're a fast learner," he said, smile evident in his voice. "I was going to say yes, anyway. I'll text you the address of my school so you can come pick me up?"
Did he even need to phrase that as a question? "Sure, that'd be great."
"Alright," he heard rustling in the background. Was he in bed? "I'll see you on Thursday, then."
"Thursday it is." Aomine agreed. "Good night and sweet dreams."
Kuroko chuckled. "I know yours will be."
Midorima, although Aomine was hard-pressed to admit it, was right.
He was really good at picking them.