Chapter Text
“Kagamicchi…” Kise began, watching the sniveling Aomine walk off, grumbling to himself about not being sick. He was, and that’s why they had to cut their street ball game short. Kuroko had left earlier, making an excuse and (literally) disappearing. This was the first time Kise and Kagami were left alone together and Kise wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.
“Yeah?” Kagami asked, dribbling the ball absentmindedly.
“How do you deal with it?” Kise asked as Aomine’s frame disappeared in the distance.
“Deal with what?” Kagami asked, not sure what the model was going to say.
Kise looked over and said, “With your love for Kurokocchi.”
Kagami’s face quickly turned the color of his hair and he stammered, “I d-don’t—I mean—n-no, why would you—how did you—“
Kise smiled at the flustered redhead and said in an uncharacteristically soft voice, “It was easy to spot, since I’m in the same boat.”
“W-w-with Kuroko?!” Kagami shouted.
“No! Aominecchi!” Kagami stopped, mulling over the thought. Before his mind could decide on what to say, Kise sighed, “It’s been years and…I don’t know what to do anymore. I thought maybe you could help out or we could help each other.” He turned to watch the street, where a few cars were driving by slowly. Everything seemed so peaceful. “We’ll be graduating soon and everyone has different plans. I’d like to confess before then, but…I don’t know how.”
“Not used to being on the other end?” Kagami asked before he could stop himself. It was true. Kise got asked out almost daily, but he’d never asked anyone else out.
The blond shook his head, “Most of the girls who ask me out do it on a whim or because they’re obsessed. They don’t know me. They don’t love me. I love Aominecchi and I don’t want him to reject me or come to hate me for this.”
“I don’t…” Kagami didn’t know what to do. He’d never seen Kise this serious, not even when he had his serious game-face on. This was much different.
“At least Kurokocchi isn’t as hard to read,” Kise shrugged.
Kagami grumbled, “Yeah, okay. Then tell me if he likes me back because I didn’t get the memo.”
“Kurokocchi is simple. He likes you, so he stays with you. Aominecchi is…complicated. One day he’s smiling and cheerful and the next he’s arguing over every little thing and being mean. You never know which Aominecchi you’ll get.”
“Guess that’s true,” Kagami nodded.
Kise sat down on the court and looked up at Kagami. “Have you thought about it? About how you’d ask Kurokocchi out.”
Kagami sighed and reckoned he’d been figured out anyway so it was no use pretending. “I don’t know. I figured I’d just…say it. Probably with some difficulty, but Kuroko isn’t really that hard to talk to…besides that he might disappear on you.”
“Are you afraid?”
“Of course! Who wouldn’t be?! Especially if the person you’re asking out could literally vanish at any point!”
Kise smiled and mused, “Well, if Furihatacchi had enough courage to confess to Akashicchi, then maybe the two of us will be okay.”
Kagami shook his head, “I still can’t believe that happened. I’m afraid for Furihata daily.”
Kise chuckled, “He might not seem like it to you, but Akashicchi is a good person. There’s nothing to worry about. Like how Aominecchi is actually a good person too.”
“Doesn’t seem like it most of the time,” Kagami rolled his eyes, thinking of the cocky and rude teen he’d gotten used to.
“Aominecchi is kind, and very protective. Like when he punched Haizaki.” Kise’s smile became a little sad as he said, “He did it for me, you know.” Kagami raised a questioning eyebrow. Kise nodded, “Haizaki threatened me and Aominecchi lost it. When I confronted him about it, he just said he’d do it for any of his friends. It’s true, of course. He would. He would probably have completely lost it if Haizaki had threatened Kurokocchi…he’s so little and cute, I’d have hit Haizaki myself if he had. But…Kurokocchi is in good hands.”
Kagami looked away and asked, “What if Aomine really meant it to save you? He’d definitely lie if he had, so why believe him?”
Kise drew his knees into his chest and said, “Because I know it’s true. Even if it was Murasakibaracchi or Akashicchi, who can definitely protect themselves, Aominecchi would have stood in the way and protected his friends. You’d do it for the rest of your team too.”
Kagami shook his head, “I’m not sure why you like him, but Aomine isn’t—and don’t you dare tell him I said this—as big of an idiot as he makes himself seem.”
Kise shook his head, “Aominecchi is clueless about feelings.” They sat like that for a while, each lost in their own thoughts. Then, Kise got an idea. “Kagamicchi…let’s make a bet. We play one-on-one, and whoever loses has to confess first.”
Kagami’s face went bright red, but he nodded, “Alright.” He was confident he’d win.
He soon found out that a one-on-one with Kise could be more difficult that going against Aomine himself. Kise knew he had to win. Kagami needed a push and this would be it…but he didn’t want to have to confess, so he pulled out all the stops. Using his perfect copy, he overwhelmed Kagami at the end. Kise used all of the skills he knew and Kagami felt as if he were playing the entire Generation of Miracles at once. It was scary, seeing the blond so focused.
He lost.
Kagami could barely believe it. The two of them lay on the court, exhausted. A good fifteen minutes later, they said their goodbyes and Kagami began to panic. He had to do it. He would have to ask Kuroko out.
A week before graduation, Kagami made a nice dinner and invited Kuroko over, who accepted readily. Kagami was nervous. When he saw Kuroko, he could barely string together a sentence. Every speech he’d prepared flew from his head and he motioned for Kuroko to follow him. They ate and Kuroko chatted idly at the flustered Kagami.
The moment he got up the courage to, Kagami blurted, “I like you. Please go out with me.” He’d interrupted Kuroko talking about how big Nigou was getting and the smaller boy’s normally blank face turned to one of shock. He dropped his fork and Kagami blushed fiercely, “I-I m-mean you don’t—“
Kuroko moved faster than Kagami had ever seen him and suddenly the blue-haired boy was wrapping his arms around Kagami’s shoulders. “I like you too!” he said, a huge smile on his lips.
Kagami could barely believe what just happened, so instead of trying to put together any coherent words, he wrapped his arms around Kuroko and they sat there hugging for a while, Kuroko in pure bliss and Kagami trying to recover from the shock of actually having confessed.
That night, Kise received a message from Kagami. All it said was: Your turn.
Kise was terrified. He kept up the pretense of being his same happy self, but people noticed. Well, by people he meant Momoi and Kuroko. The Generation of Miracles were having a party. A last hurrah together before they all went their separate ways.
Kuroko and Kagami were inseparable. Kise watched (totally not jealous) as they held hands and how Kagami pulled Kuroko to sit in his lap and how absolutely fucking happy they seemed. The only people more disgustingly cute were Akashi and Furihata. Akashi seemed so at-ease with the other boy by his side and Furihata would lean his head on Akashi’s shoulder in this adorable gesture pretty much the whole time. They were so cute!
Kise wondered if he’d ever get to experience something like that.
“Everyone’s having so much fun…why not you, Ki-chan?” Momoi asked him as he leaned on the wall, just watching the couples.
“W-wh—of course I’m having fun,” Kise said, flashing her his best smile.
She sighed, “Ki-chan, I’ve known you long enough to know that that’s not your real smile.”
Kise decided to be difficult. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Momocchi, my smile is real!” he threw in a quick pout.
She gave him an incredulous look and said, “Lie to Dai-chan all you want, but don’t lie to me. I already know your feelings, and—“
“Sorry, Momocchi, I’m feeling a bit thirsty. I’ll go get something to drink,” Kise said, interrupting her. He did his best not to make it obvious that he was running away. Walking over to the drink table, he grabbed a can of juice and noted where Momoi and Aomine both were so he could avoid them.
Before he could move too far, a calm voice said, “Kise-kun, please don’t ignore Aomine-kun.”
Kise jumped as he realized that Kuroko was standing right next to him. “K-Kurokocchi, you scared me!”
Kuroko continued as if nothing happened. “Kagami-kun told me about your bet. Now would be a good time. Take Aomine-kun somewhere more private and—“
“I can’t. I can’t do it,” Kise shook his head, fake smile threatening to fall.
“But Aomine-kun—“
“Y-you should get back to Kagamicchi,” Kise said, ducking away and walking towards the one place nobody really expected him to go. Akashi and Midorima were playing shogi. Furihata was doing that adorable thing of leaning his head on Akashi’s shoulder and Midorima had Takao’s head rested in his lap. Kise sat down and watched for a while before Takao started a conversation with him. Takao was easy to talk to and soon Kise was back to his genuine smile again.
Throughout the rest of the party, Kise kept near Midorima and Takao. Takao was fun to be around, they both liked teasing Midorima, and Aomine disliked the green-haired teen enough not to approach. Kise would hang around Akashi, but he didn’t really have too much to talk about with either Furihata or his former captain. Plus, Akashi had a knowing look in his red eyes that Kise wanted to stay away from. It seemed as though everyone knew of his feelings except for Aomine himself, who was absolutely clueless.
The next day, Aomine showed up at Kise’s door after school and demanded they go play one-on-one. Kise wasn’t really feeling it, especially since it meant spending time alone with Aomine, but before he could refuse, he was being dragged out of his house by his collar. Aomine expected him to be okay with this. He expected Kise to complain and whine, but when instead Kise got a defeated look on his face, Aomine let his shirt go and began chatting idly about the last game he’d seen.
They got to the court and Aomine easily beat Kise. Not that Kise didn’t try, but before he could get himself into the game, he’d be distracted by how amazing Aomine was. He knew if he tried, he could have possibly tied or won, but his feelings for Aomine kept him from playing seriously.
Aomine noticed that something was off with Kise. Instead of doing what most people would do and ask if the blond was okay, he pushed him harder. Kise seemed disinterested and unfocused, so Aomine pushed him. Made him move. Made easier plays just to keep the blond in the game.
A few hours of this later, they both sat on the court breathing hard and sweating. Kise had tried to leave earlier, but Aomine teased him and the blond figured he could stay a bit longer.
He loved playing against Aomine, as much as it hurt him emotionally.
After he’d regained his breath, he looked over at the slightly taller teen and sighed. Aomine looked so happy. There was an easy smile on his face, sweat lazily rolling off his tan skin. The way he reached up and ran his hand through his hair made Kise forget to breathe for a few moments.
This was it. He drew a breath and said, “Aominecchi…”
“Mh?” Aomine asked, but his eyes followed someone off court.
“I…”
“Check out the rack on her,” Aomine gestured, staring.
Kise felt as though an ice pick had been plunged through his heart. No, he really couldn’t do it. He couldn’t confess to a man who would never see him like that. He felt like crying, but he forced himself not to. If he did, Aomine would just make fun of him and ask why.
Aomine looked back at Kise, “What were you gonna say?”
Pushing through the pain, Kise smiled and said, “I was just going to say that…I’ll be going home first. Goodbye, Aominecchi.” As fast as he could go without arousing suspicion, Kise got up, grabbed his things, and left. He hoped that Aomine would think that his legs were shaking that bad because of the basketball.
In reality, he felt crushed. Though he was lightheaded, there was an unbearable weight on his body. His limbs felt like lead. He clutched his chest as he reached the station to wait for the train. There was a pressure on his heart that was like a fist squeezing tightly. He could barely breathe. Aomine would never know how he had hurt Kise, and Kise thought that was for the best.
The train ride home was long and difficult. Kise had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from crying. He kept a smile on his face in case any of his fans saw him and ignored the occasional buzzing of his phone.
The walk home seemed endless. He dragged his shaking legs one step at a time and tried to ignore the pain in his heart. It was increasingly difficult to hold back his tears as he thought of his unrequited love. He cringed at the thought of what Aomine would have done had he actually confessed. Would he have ended their friendship right there? Would he think Kise was just joking? Would he ever look at Kise the same way again?
As soon as he stepped through the door, he ran to his room, locked the door, and broke down. Curling into his blankets, he sobbed, his heart aching for the one person he couldn’t have.
The moment he composed himself enough to, Kise called his manager and told her he was ready to model more seriously. He requested that she fill his schedule up to the brim so he would be working from sunup to sundown. She was more than happy to, of course, and he pretended to be just as happy about it.
Graduation came and went and his schedule was never-ending. He would wake up at the crack of dawn and be out hopping from photo-shoot to photo-shoot until it was so late that he could barely stay on his feet. A few shaky hours of sleep later, he would be at it again. The lack of sleep was concerning to his family, and when they mentioned anything about it, he would just shrug it off with his usual cheerful smile.
A few weeks into this routine, he came home early—or, earlier than he had in a long time. It was 10 PM, which he considered pretty good. His sister surprised him with a bored, “Your friend came by earlier. The rude one. He’s been over every few days. Said something about you ignoring him and wanting to play basketball.”
“Aominecchi?” he asked in disbelief. Aomine didn’t go out of his way if he could help it, and Kise’s house was pretty out of the way. Kagami was a lot closer. Kise quickly smothered the hope that maybe Aomine could reciprocate his feelings. No, this was just the same Aomine who was crazy about nothing but big boobs and basketball. Besides, he told himself, this was probably because Kagami was fully invested in his relationship with Kuroko.
“Either stop ignoring him or tell him to get lost. He totally thought we were hiding you up there and that you just didn’t want to lose again.”
“Ah…c-could you…” he took a deep breath, “Could you just either not answer the door or tell him I’ll be really busy?”
“Why don’t you do it?” she scoffed. When she saw the apprehensive and hurt look on her baby brother’s face, she sighed and said, “Alright. I’ll tell him you’re booked for the foreseeable future.”
“Thank you,” he smiled, but it wasn’t his usual toothy grin.
Kise avoided Aomine skillfully. Whenever the Generation of Miracles met up, he would specifically make sure he was busy. He still saw Kagami and Kuroko and on occasion some of the others. He did grow a lot closer to the tall redhead and his adorable shadow. Momoi tried to contact him and meet up, but Kise knew better. Where Momoi was, Aomine was likely to appear. Not to mention the fact that Momoi still thought Kise had a chance and tried to encourage him not to give up on Aomine.
No matter how well she knew Aomine, Kise knew she was wrong. His love would never be returned and he knew it. Because of his feelings, he had to ignore Momoi as well. He had lost two of his best friends.