Work Text:
How Kaijo and Seirin started playing together - initially they don't.
Riko thinks that with Kise around, it's like having Seirin play against themselves, and there's nothing much they can learn about other opponents like that. She reckons that they would do much better having practice matches and joint trainings with other schools, like Touou or Yosen or Shuutoku. Maybe even Rakuzan. That way, they'd learn more about how to break through different defense formations, and have more room to come up with an even more coordinated, flexible run-and-gun style. Playing with Kaijo, Riko thinks, destroys this game plan she has because they'd gain nothing out of the practice except a better knowledge about their own flaws.
"That, we can do with other teams, too," Riko smiles politely at Kasamatsu. But another reason would be that Riko can't stand practising with a team whose coach disrespects the opponent. If the old fart couldn't deal with Seirin's apparent prowess, it was much better for both teams to stay as far away from one another as possible.
But there are things, like destiny, a smug Midorima says much, later on, that even Riko's strong opinions cannot defend them from. As it turns out, practice matches with Touou are more health hazards than good for actual improvement, because the aces from both teams can't stop provoking one another and coming close to fist fights. (It's usually Kagami who's the first one to get riled up, even with the threat of triple the dose of physical training floating above his head.) Shuutoku is completely out of the question, given that their coach considers it Midorima's three selfish requests of the day taken up whenever they have a practice match (because Midorima was the one who was bullied into asking on behalf of the team), and obviously he doesn't take things like that lying down for too long. Yosen - well, it doesn't really help when Himuro and Kagami are still not really talking to one another, and Murasakibara often accidentally injures the Seirin members. And Riko doesn't even have to think about Rakuzan. Akashi flatly declines most requests for a practice match, and even when he feels charitable enough to agree to one, there are so many stipulations to follow that Riko cancels the invitation after half an hour, and makes everyone do about a thousand jump-squats.
What she has left in front of her, her choices, are Kaijo's Kasamatsu, busy beating Kise around the head for seeming too eager about the practice match arrangements, and Kirisaki Daiichi, whom she completely doesn't want to think about. Every other team, under her detailed evaluation, is also deemed unsuitable for the training she has planned for Seirin.
"Pleeeeeease, Riko-san," Kise wheedles, dancing neatly out of Kasamatsu's reach. "I promise I'll give Kagami and the rest of them something worth chewing on!"
"You bastard, not everything's about you! Come here you lil'-"
Riko pinches the bridge of her nose and counts to ten, slowly. She has better things to do than stand here all day and pay attention to Kise's antics. "Whatever. But we're only going to host the matches in Seirin, because your coach never sees us important enough to open up the full courts for us."
The grin on his face is worth about a thousand watts.
Riko is not the only one unhappy about the arrangements Seirin has with Kaijo - Kuroko is, too.
It's not really about the gameplay. Kaijo is good, they're fast, and they have teamwork that is on par with Seirin's if not better, especially since the end of the Interhigh competitions. And even though basketball is a team sport, most of it, realistically, boils down to Kise, because he is their Ace and he's part of the Generation of Miracles, and hence keeps his word and really gives Seirin something tough to chew on. By the fourth practice match, Riko admits that Kaijo does provide opportunities for Seirin to learn - even with their copycat, they have a distinct style of playing under all that mirroring. It leaves Hyuuga gnashing his teeth in competitive heat and Kagami sweating bullets, enough for it to pool on the wood where he's decided to flop down for a few seconds during break. And in the end, picking Kaijo is also an unexpected trump; Kise, at times, mimics the plays of the other schools, and from that, Seirin is presented with even more challenges to break through.
Kuroko likes good matches, because they set him on the edge and pushes him to test his limits. But what he doesn't like about training with Kaijo is the presence of a certain blonde, bright-eyed small forward.
He's never been big on physical affection, and even though Kise is armed with that knowledge, it doesn't stop him from throwing himself onto the shorter boy on sight, gushing incessantly into his ear about things that he's really not interested in listening to, and basically clinging on like a leech. This, to Kuroko's immense irritation, still happens when there is Kasamatsu-senpai taking it upon himself to beat the nonsense out of Kise whenever he gets into the way of their training with his behavior. And it's not only Kuroko that Kise touches - apparently, he's all over anyone who's willing to tolerate him. Kuroko catches Izuki sharing the last of his ice-cream with Kise after Seirin lost the latest match - 81 to 96, and the insufferable Kise scored a three while <i>speaking</i> like Midorima (nanodayo) - just because they get along with similar, humorous natures. And just the other week, Kise had thrown himself on Moriyama-senpai for having broken through Seirin's three-man wall, linking arms with the disgruntled-but-slightly-pleased senior.
To be fair, Kise isn't a bad person, but he just has a talent of getting onto Kuroko's nerves. The blue-haired individual prefers not to be around when Kise is bright and sunny and <i>touchy</i> with everyone - which is all the time, actually.
Right now, he cringes as Kise flings an arm around his shoulder and bellows a greeting into his ear, at eight in the morning, and ruffles his hand through Kuroko's untamable bedhead, aggravating it even further. Kuroko scowls, because he's certain that his hair has got the taller's hand cream smeared all over it now. Why Kise wears hand cream before a <i>sweaty basketball match</i> is something Kuroko never comprehends. It's probably something to do with being model and keeping up with appearances. And smelling nice, perhaps.
"Good morning, Kurokocchii! I'm so psyched for this match, aren't you?"
"I'm not. I do not see anything different about this match to be excited about, Kise-kun."
"Aw, come on. It's another match! With us!" Kise beams, and it makes Kuroko's eyes itch. "Although I'm psyched because we're so going to kick your asses again. The last match was-"
Kise doesn't get to finish his sentence, because Kagami looms up from behind and gives his shoulder a good punch. "I wouldn't bet on it, copy-cat. I'm not going to let you slip past me twice."
"That was rude, Kagamicchii! But we'll see about that. Now leave us alone, I want to spend time with Kurokocchii!" Kise bats an irate Kagami away, and skips ahead to fall into step with Kuroko once again. He's much too loud for the shorter's tastes, at all times.
"Kurokocchii! Do you want to get lunch together after training? My treat, because I've gotten my pay from that face wash gig that I did last week, and it'll make you feel better after your loss later on."
"No thank you, Kise-kun." Kuroko speeds up in an effort to join Kiyoshi, who's waiting lazily sprawled out on the bench, extending a hand in greeting.
Predictably, Kise pouts. "You're so mean, Kurokocchii. Then how about a team lunch? For both teams? I can't treat all twenty-odd of us, but I can spare enough money to pay for dessert! Eh, Kurokocchii?"
Kuroko turns on his heel to face Kise. "No thank you, Kise-kun. Can you please go and chat up someone else? You are being exceptionally annoying today."
Okay, so maybe that was a little harsh. Kuroko's face betrays no expression, and he watches as Kise's smile slowly crumbles in from the sides, upturned eyes drooping a little. "You didn't have to say it like that if you didn't want to hang out, Kurokocchii. I'm hurt."
Whatever Kuroko wants to say doesn't get a chance to come out of his mouth, however, because Kise slumps away, fiddling with his earring and goes to join his team, still bouncing, but with markedly less enthusiasm as compared to before. He watches silently from Kiyoshi's side as Kise still flits around his teammates, but sticks a little more to Kasamatsu and doesn't get hit that many times in the span of an hour for being irritating.
It's kind of sadistic of him to take pleasure out of Kise's temporary misery, but he does. Kuroko is less annoyed after training today because of two things - Seirin's won this match with a healthy gap of 89 to 76, and Kise doesn't come over to fawn all over him and show him pictures from his newest photoshoot.
These things (definitely, definitely not the up-and-down match records, they're going to stay on top now) aren't going to be there forever, but at least Kuroko gets a little peace. But definitely, definitely not for long.
This is a list, a list of Things Kuroko Does Not Appreciate About Kise:
1. His penchant for elaborate behavior. Kuroko does not appreciate how Kise constantly goes out of his way to talk and interact with him before, in between and after trainings. It doesn't only affect him, it also affects his coach -more than once, Kuroko's detected the subtle twitch of Riko's jaw and her fighting the urge to lunge at Kise, because he holds up their matches way too much. Kuroko figures that Kise is only spared from Riko's wrath because they don't know what contracts they'd be wrecking if his face was maimed, and because they have Kasamatsu to throw Kise around as appropriate.
This is definitely the number one thing Kuroko hates about Kise, because not only is he constantly harassed by him being over-the-top with all the physical affection, it also gives other negative traits about him room to surface. Which brings the next point-
2. His flippancy. The only time Kuroko allows himself to call the blonde an airhead (other times, he gets it too much, and Kuroko does have a conscience about him, contrary to Kagami's belief) is because of this. He's never going to forget their ninth match, in the middle of summer, where Seirin won the match because Kise had been commenting on the number of fans he'd been attracting on Seirin's grounds lately, and wasn't paying enough attention to Kagami attempting to dunk. It was a buzzer beater, and Seirin won by a point.
Needless to say, Kise's flippancy brings about a chain of unfortunate reactions onto himself. Kuroko refuses to talk to him for the next two trainings, and does not bat an eyelid when Kise pleads desperately to him to speak to Riko about his impending punishment, which was fifty rounds around the track, with a timing to complete it under. He remembers shoving Kise off his knee when the lap-tired, sweat-soaked boy flops on top of him, and making way for Kagami to attempt to strangle the living daylights out of him for not taking the match seriously, until Izuki nervously called the attack off because who knows what contracts Kise is bound to.
3. His irresponsibility. Kuroko doesn't remember the number of times Kise has skipped training altogether to go to one of his gigs. Sure, it's a lot quieter without the model chattering around him, but Kuroko would have liked for a consistent opponent for him and the rest of the team to work on. Kaijo doesn't nearly have as many tricks up their sleeves with Kise absent.
His thick-headedness. Doesn't he understand that Kuroko does not like him in the slightest?
4. The way he's overly happy about everything. And Kuroko means everything, because Kise even laughs good-naturedly when his injury acts up during the game, so much that they have to substitute him for Riko to look him over. Kuroko doesn't find anything funny about a recurring injury, not when he's telling himself that it's no big deal and Kise's ego can do with one less person fussing over him.
5. His attractiveness. One might think that it's because Kuroko's jealous, but he really isn't. It goes like this - Kise habitually gravitates towards Kuroko. Crowds habitually gravitate towards Kise, because they want to fawn over his basketball skills and touch his earring and oh my god are your eyes really gold?
Kuroko doesn't like crowds, not one bit, but he finds himself swept up in one because of Kise anyway, and he can't even utilize misdirection and get away because his teammate has a claw-like grip on his elbow and wouldn't pay any attention to his futile attempts at pulling away.
6. His incessant texting and social media addiction. Kise sends Kuroko countless texts a day, and the count usually hits its peak during his Mathematics and English classes. Kuroko cannot concentrate, even with his phone on silent, because the vibration behind in back is actually quite distracting. He turned his phone off once, but Hyuuga just about killed him when they couldn't contact him after he forgot about their evening practice.
To keep Kise down, Kuroko realises that the trick is to reply him every once in awhile, and that the content of the message doesn't really matter. But it seems that fate really hates Kuroko, because Kagami turns around and glares daggers at him whenever he hunkers down to tap at his phone, even if it's only for a few seconds.
"Misdirection isn't supposed to work like that!"
The bottom line: Kuroko does not appreciate the fact that Kise doesn't get that he doesn't like him.
Life goes on. Kuroko's life gradually revolves around school, basketball, sleep, food, training, Nigou, and more basketball. It also unfortunately starts to revolve more around Kise. Kaijo only has practice matches with Seirin twice a week, but lately Kuroko is seeing much more of Kise, because the blonde drops by their trainings after his modelling assignments, which conveniently happen to be around the area.
He flits around them, dribbling around and shooting his own balls at a spare court, but whenever the team goes for a break, Kuroko finds the taller's arm magically attached to his shoulders. And then Kise talks, enough for the both of them, as Kuroko begins perpetually wearing a pained expression, and even Kagami sometimes takes pity on him and helps distract Kise, if only for a minute so Kuroko can make use of his lack of presence to slink away someplace quiet.
He never thought that it would be so annoying to have somebody else's scent clinging to him for the better part of a week.
"Kise-kun," Kuroko says tiredly, sagging slightly under the weight of Kise's arm and trying not to breathe in the scent of his new Calvin Klein perfume, "please go home or find something else to do. You're disrupting Seirin's training."
Unfortunately, that's also an opinion that belongs to Kuroko (and perhaps Kagami) alone. Koganei hears them, and calls from the other end of the court, "It's okay Kise-chan! But maybe you shouldn't hang around Kuroko that much, he's not in a good mood today."
"More like everyday," Kuroko mutters under his breath, glad that Kise is busy bounding over to interact with Koganei to actually hear him. He's just very tired of having to deal with his smiling, hyperactive former teammate all the time. It gets into the way of his practice.
Kise bounds back two minutes later, just as Kuroko is re-doing his shoelaces. "Kurokocchii, I understand that you're not in a good mood today, so I'll get going now! I'll see you outside school tomorrow so we can go get ice creams together before practice, and I'm not taking no for an answer!" He is flouncing over to his bag and bidding goodbye to the rest of Seirin before Kuroko has a chance to formulate a reply. The blue-haired boy grinds his teeth.
He texts Kise a multitude of cold and not-very-polite things on the way home, and manages to wriggle out of the little outing, and get him not to turn up for their trainings next time. Not a small feat.
But then again, no rejection keeps Kise down for very long. He always comes back, with a smile wider than the arch of a rainbow and a steady stream of coltrane by Kuroko's ears.
Kagami is already there, at their usual spot at the nearby Maji Burgers, table piled high with the astronomical amount of burgers that he’s used to drinking. Kuroko smiles just a little when he realises that Kagami’s already bought him a vanilla milkshake, and that smile seeps into his eyes when the taller chokes on his last bite, upon realising that Kuroko had been sitting there and staring at him, waiting for his presence to be acknowledged.
“Can’t you just say ‘hi’ like a normal person?!”
“It is somewhat entertaining to watch you jump, Kagami-kun. Besides, I haven’t done something like this in a long time.”
Kagami glares and mumbles something incoherently under his breath, sinking his teeth into what looks as if it must be his eighth burger in the evening. Kuroko simply snags one from Kagami’s pile and chews delicately, until the other comes up for air from wolfing down his food.
“What is it that you want to meet up for, Kagami-kun?”
The other shrugs, leaning back to take a momentary break. “You look like you’re in a bad mood all the time recently, so I wanted to cheer you up. And.. Maybe do what friends do. You can tell me stuff if you want to, you know.”
Kuroko is actually touched, and also a little bit more amused, because Kagami’s voice goes all gruff and his face reddens, though not with that much intensity that it matches his hair color. “Thank you. I didn’t think I was that obvious.”
“If there’s one thing I’ve learnt from that pig-head of an Aomine, it would be that you’re scary when you’re angry.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to make things uncomfortable between you or the team, if that’s what everyone’s been talking about.”
“Nah. I think only I noticed, but only because I’ve been working with you on court for awhile.”
Kuroko simply nods. They lapse into silence, the warm kind that Kuroko likes but would never admit it, until Kagami finishes all of his burgers save for one, and offers it to him.
“Thank you Kagami-kun, but I’m really quite full.”
“Maybe this is why you can’t grow taller. Who eats like you when they play basketball?”
“Kise-kun does. But then again, nobody eats like you, even if they play basketball. You eat enough for our entire team as one person.”
“Shut up.” Kagami scrunches up the burger wrapper in his fist, and takes a long drag of Kuroko’s milkshake before opening his mouth again. “But that reminds me- is this about Kise?”
“This?”
“You know,” Kagami waves his hands around vaguely. “Your whole pissy thing. Is it because of Kise?”
Kuroko is taken aback by his straightforward question, but he nods. “I am irritated.”
“Why? I mean, sure, he’s kind of ditzy, but he’s good at basketball.”
“Being good at basketball does not imply that you don’t take the game seriously, Kagami-kun. I’m sure you know that. I don’t like how Kise’s always prancing here and there, talking during a match, not paying attention to the game when he needs to-”
“Draping himself all over you, and then entertaining his fanbase in Seirin and getting chummy with the rest of the team, texting you all the time about nothing in particular, being dumb enough to get hit by Kasamatsu-senpai on a regular basis, things like that?”
Surprised, he only nods again, crossing his arms. “I’m amazed by your observation skills, Kagami-kun.”
“It’s not that hard.” Somehow, the way his light’s mouth is twitching makes him feel very uneasy.
“What is it? Spit it out.”
“And to think that I thought you were in a good mood after I called you out to hang. Ow, don’t throw your bag at me you little shit, okay I’ll ask you- do you like Kise?”
At the question, Kuroko’s fingers curl away from his vanilla milkshake. “What?”
“I asked if you liked Kise, you moron.”
“I thought we just established the fact that he annoys me a lot.”
“He can annoy you and still be liked by you, you know. But what I’m asking you is if you like like him.”
Like like Kise Ryouta? “No,” Kuroko says at once. “He’s too clingy and ditzy for my tastes. Besides, why would you think that I like boys?”
Kagami smiles sheepishly, and scratches at the back of his neck after Kuroko looks at him impassively. “Just wondering. It’s not like you to be so hung up over someone like him, even if he’s bothering you. But if you like him, you should tell him soon. He’s a model, and if I were to quote that damned Akashi, you had better ‘know your place’.”
Kuroko rolls his eyes, a mask that works fairly well enough to conceal the slow bubbling of confusion inside of him. “I don’t like Kise-kun in that manner.” Why would he like someone who has no regard for physical boundaries and too fickle-minded for his own good, even if he-
Kind of looks good?
Kuroko shakes his head furiously and pinches at his own thigh.
“Just giving you a heads-up. It’s kind of adorable, the way he clings onto you like a lost puppy though.”
He reaches over the table to give Kagami a good bop on the head. “Shut up.”
He doesn’t like Kise, he’s sure. Kise’s too annoying and loud and clingy and fast-paced. Kuroko does not like to be constantly fawned over. But all the same, when Kuroko spies a familiar head of blonde at the entrance of the Seirin gym the next training, he abuses his misdirection skills to the fullest and determinedly avoids him.
Just in case.
But if there is one thing that Kuroko’s miscalculated, it would be Kise. Abusing misdirection, instead of allowing him to get rid of the blonde, only makes him clingier than ever.
“Kurokocchi, are you also going to the bathroom? That’s perfect! We can go together!”
“I didn’t see you after practise with your team, Kurokocchi, did you go home early? Are you feeling sick? If you are, I can take care of you!”
“Good morning! I brought two sets of breakfast just so that we can eat together before training starts.”
“Kurokocchi-”
It takes only about a week for Kuroko to give up and allow himself to be immersed in the presence of the ever-excited model and his crowds again. Kise has never looked more oblivious and pleased.
During one of their practise matches, however, Kise doesn’t show up. While it takes a huge weight of Kuroko’s shoulders, because he can finally breathe on his own for a little while again, he is also curious.
“Hyuuga-kun, I’m going over to Kaijo’s side for a little while.”
“You? Looking for Kise before he even looks for you?”
“No. It’s just that he’s not here today, and I’d like to find out why.”
Hyuuga shrugs, and bends down to continue tying his shoelaces. “Just don’t take forever, Coach says that she wants to recap the new formation we tried out last week before we use it again later.”
“Okay.”
Kuroko raises a hand in temporary farewell to Hyuuga, and jogs over the Kaijo’s side. Kise’s teammates are still lounging around on the benches, with Moriyama scrolling through his photo album of cute girls he’d secretly snapped at in Seirin, and Kasamatsu shrugging out of his team jacket, for once quiet without anyone to yell at.
They don’t notice his approach, of course. Kuroko falters, just a little bit, but before he can continue walking, Kaijo’s conversation floats toward him.
“...is he?”
“ Some modelling gig, I suppose.”
“Modelling.” Hayakawa snorts, and unzips the ball bag they’ve brought. “I hope that’s what he’s doing, instead of sneaking off with some girl like he did last week, after our last lesson.”
“A girl? Kise has a girlfriend?” Now it is Moriyama’s turn to pipe up, and he looks wounded. “That blondie has a girlfriend and never introduced her to us?”
“Shut up Moriyama,” Kasamatsu says irritatedly. “It is none of your, or anyone else’s unless Kise wants to share, business if he’s dating someone. All you buffoons should hurry up and get ready for our match, you know how Seirin’s coach hates waiting.”
As Kasamatsu stalks off, Kuroko hears Kobori mumbling under his breath to Hayakawa. “I’ll bet Kise is going out with someone though, judging from the size of his fucking fanbase.”
“Hey, hey. Don’t be so quick to jump to conclusions. For all you know, Kasamatsu might be hiding something..”
“Shit, dude.”
Kuroko watches them until the entire team files onto the court, all of them failing to notice that he’s been standing right by them all this while, despite his shock of blue hair. Sometimes, Kuroko wonders why everyone is blind to him, especially when he doesn’t look like he blends into the background at all.
He doesn’t go over to ask them anything else, and tries to shrug off Kagami when the other loops an arm around him and asks about his constipated expression.
“It’s nothing, Kagami-kun. I’m just tired.”
“You sure? Or is it because Kaijo’s resident blonde isn’t here?”
Kuroko flushes, and stumbles a little bit from the force of Kagami’s nudging. “Of course not. Although you shouldn’t be slacking off because you don’t have your usual opponent to mark.”
“Are you kidding me? You better not slip up. Kaijo’s going down.”
It’s ironic, of course, that Kuroko eventually needs to heed his own advice. Seirin predictably takes the match, but not by as many points as they would have liked to. Hyuuga eventually yells at Kuroko from across the court in the third quarter, and Riko assigns him to extra running as punishment for his performance today.
“You’re off today,” comments Kagami, as he sits sprawled at the free throw line, waiting for Kuroko to finish his last suicide run.
Sweat rolls off his brow, rivers of annoyance that sting his eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me today.”
“I heard that he’s got a girlfriend from Kobori, before they left the school.” Kagami looks at him, and Kuroko has to fight the curious urge to turn away. What’s with that?“ Is that what’s been bothering you?”
“Of course not. I’m happy for Kise-kun, if anything.”
“But you’re unnecessarily bothered, Kuroko. Maybe you don’t know yourself as much as you think you do.” But if it was Kasa-
Kuroko exhales loudly, surprised that he’s been holding his breath for awhile now. His body feels like lead, and he slumps against Kagami’s broad back. “I’ll be back on my feet soon. And I think I’ll go home right now, I feel like a rag doll.”
Kagami snorts, and stands up first so he can drag the blue-haired boy up. “Why don’t you just admit it to yourself that that blonde has some effect on you and call it a day?”
“Because I don’t like him? If you don’t stop, Kagami-kun, I’m going to get mad.”
He likes to think that he has control of himself, after all. Kagami drops him off at his house on account that he can’t even walk straight with fatigue, takeaway boxes in hand, before going back to his own place. Kuroko almost drops his keys when something vibrates against his thigh.
From: Kise-kun (it reads)
Kurokocchi, did you miss me? Sorry I couldn’t be at practice today, I had a modelling shoot in the next town to attend ;_; I’ll see you soon, goodnight! ^-^
Kuroko flips his phone shut. His picked-at dinner rolls around in his stomach for the rest of the night, and even as his eyelids threaten to glue themselves shut, there are flashes of gold in the back of his mind that keep him aggravatingly awake.
There are nights when insomnia hits Kuroko, and when it does, all he can do is toss and turn on his futon until sweat bleeds through his sweatshirt. The heat also makes his ankles itch, so most of the time, for want of something better to do, Kuroko kicks off his covers and steals silently out of the house. It’s not very difficult, and soon the night wind is washing the stickiness away, and he’s jogging very lightly towards the beach, just shy of two miles behind the Kuroko household.
Everyone who finds out about his midnight runs tells him not to go down to the beach at night, because it’s dangerous and nobody actually knows their way around that area as well as he does, without light. Kuroko usually nods politely and goes back to whatever he’s doing, though. He knows that he’s going to be okay, because he runs well away from the tides, feet eating up the sand with each stride. Besides, the sound of the waves breaking and gently seeping into the sand is also calming, and it clears his mind of whatever clutter that keeps him awake at night.
They’ve had intensive training today, so Kuroko plans to simply complete a light run before heading back to try and get some sleep. But for some reason, his mind isn’t clearing as easily as it does previous times.
Here is a list of Things About Kise That Kuroko Does Not Appreciate:
1. His copy-cat moves. They’re essentially tough to beat, but they force each player to play against themselves. Kagami is always riled up when he gets stuck in a rut for a little while by his own moves, courtesy of Kise, and his temper then gets him into trouble with Riko. Kuroko can’t train very much if Kagami is busy running his punishments off, so Kise basically gets into the way of his progress.
2. His constant flirting. Kuroko never understands why Kise Ryouta gravitates toward anything that’s breathing, simply to get a lick of affection. That point is that Kise is, well, good-looking, so he doesn’t have to settle for everyone who so much pays him a little attention. It annoys Kuroko for some reason, especially when he catches the blonde clinging onto Kasamatsu as if the senpai was a tree, until he got irritating enough to receive a beating. And there’s this look Kasamatsu gives him that makes Kuroko shiver, even more so when Kise looks back and winks.
He wishes they’d get a room.
3. His buying Kuroko vanilla milkshakes and the occasional Pocari Sweat after their training matches. Okay, so it’s not that he completely doesn’t appreciate the gesture. But it bothers him enough because Kise is wasting unnecessary money on him and being too nice.
4. His incessant rambling. Kuroko really doesn’t need another reason to look at his pink mouth. It’s bad enough that he has to taste Kise’s mint-flavored lip gloss when he steals a sip of Kuroko’s water during half-time when he trots over to wish them luck for the second half.
Everything about Kise Ryouta is getting increasingly frustrating.
By the time their next training match ends, Kuroko is aching in places that he never thought were possible. Even his jersey is, for the first time, so soaked that their hems make a pool of sweat where he lies, unglamorously sprawled. Beside him, Kagami is more or less the same, minus the lightheadedness that Kuroko feels.
“What’s gotten into her today, doubling our physical training right after a match with Kaijo? And completely leaving them out of the most deadly parts?”
“They aren’t under the school insurance, Bakagami, so if they took part in our physical training or got injured, they’d have no one to turn to. Unless you’d like to take responsibility, of course.” Kuroko stifles a laugh when Riko comes into their line of sight, looming dangerously above Kagami with a saccharine smile on her face. It’s the kind that makes Kagami nervous, although he channels all those feelings into yelling incoherently at her until she goes away, satisfied.
“Baka.”
“Say that one more time and you’ll have to haul your weak little ass back home on your own. Nobody would notice if our invisible boy just died in the streets.” Kagami gives him a shove, and Kuroko groans.
“Everything hurts really bad, Kagami-kun, so stop that.”
“Weakling.” With great effort, Kagami makes to stand up, and half-drags the blue-haired boy in the direction of the changing room. “We should get clean, and then I’ll walk you home again.”
“I’m not that weak, you know,” Kuroko says as he almost trips on the concrete walkway.
“Sureee,” Kagami drawls. But after securing his arm around Kuroko’s waist, he changes the subject. “So how are things with you and blondie?”
“The usual. And I don’t like him, remember?”
The taller shrugs, and Kuroko makes a face because it is really hard to catch up with his mile-long strides in such a physical condition. “I saw your mouth fall open when he swept you up in a stupid princess carry in the morning.”
“That could be shock, Kagami-kun. Have such things never occurred to you before?” But Kuroko says these things without looking up into the eyes of his shadow. For some reason, he’s less irritated by the amount of touching Kise bestows on him, even if his expression remains stoic throughout.
“Maybe. But I want to be the first to know if something happens, okay?”
Kuroko rolls his eyes, good-naturedly, and starts to push the door open. “ You sound overly protective.”
And he wishes immediately that he hadn’t.
The first thing that hits his senses is the sounds that are drifting toward them from the far end of the locker room. Kuroko has been around him long enough to know that the breathy, giggling voice is Kise. There is another voice, gruff, and it tells Kise to “shut up”, but Kuroko isn’t sure who it is.
“Senpai.” Kasamatsu it is, then.
The next thing that rolls into his gut like a good punch would follow his line of sight. Sure enough, Kasamatsu and Kise are in the locker room together, with the rest of the Kaijo team nowhere to be found. But what Kuroko sees before him is that Kise is sitting on the bench, with his legs wide open just enough to accommodate a kneeling Kasamatsu in between, and the elder has his hands on Kise’s legs in a way that makes a lump form in Kuroko’s throat.
“Senpai, not there, it really tickles!”
“If you’re not going to shut up, Kise, I’m not going to help you anymore.” Kasamatsu’s hands roam even higher, but Kuroko has seen enough.
He shuts the door and turns, ready to walk away, only to hit into a solid wall of Kagami.
“Why did you close the door? Are the showers full?”
Kuroko contemplates lying to Kagami, but he knows that in situations like this, there are things in his voice that will betray him, and his best friend would definitely not let it go.
So he says it like it is, fixing a tiny smile on his face. “No. But we shouldn’t go in, because apparently Kise and Kasamatsu-senpai are..” blowing one another. “A little busy.”
Kuroko doesn’t wait for the understanding to light up in Kagami’s eyes, nor does he wait around to hear the sympathetic things that Kagami would definitely say, but phrased terribly. He just escapes under the taller’s bicep, and walks unsteadily back the direction they came, beckoning to Kagami. “I think I can go home just like this, Kagami-kun. I’ll take a shower at home.”
And there are things that keep Kuroko up at night, things that he finally recognizes as jealousy, and for some stupid reason, betrayal. It makes his stomach lurch everytime he thinks about Kasamatsu’s hands on Kise’s long, lean legs, his head hurt when Kise laughs that little breathy laugh that he was always sure only he heard in the shell of his ear.
This is not the first time Kise Ryouta keeps Kuroko up at night, but it is the first time that Kuroko is conscious of his thoughts toward the blonde. The thoughts make him feel angry and disappointed at himself, because he thought he was much better than this- this childish jealousy thing that’s been bubbling in his chest ever since he noticed that Kise was good-looking.
And as if to compensate for meeting Kise in his dreams, Kuroko avoids the small forward like the plague in the subsequent trainings, and to a certain extent, Kasamatsu.
And he avoids Kagami’s eyes and changes the subject whenever he notices that look coming from the taller boy.
For the life of him, stupid Kise never understands what is going on.
To be honest, Kuroko has fully expected for things to come to a stalemate after the incident in the locker room. He's come to terms with Kise being completely oblivious about his feelings and being an ever-permanent fixture in his life. Of course, he avoids the blonde whenever possible, and takes advantage of Kagami and the rest of his teammates to disappear conveniently. But aside from being flirtatious, Kise is also annoyingly persistent, questioning him about the whole avoiding thing, hot hands pressing themselves on Kuroko's skin and making him twitch unconsciously before he has a chance to control it. Kuroko often gives point-blank, no-nonsense replies on how Kise should simply focus on his trainings and not rile up his fans by constantly coming onto him, and he tries very hard not to feel the twist in his gut when the golden eyes fall, just so slightly, a true indication of the amount of hurt Kise feels - everything about expression, for him, is to go over the top.
So he doesn't expect Aomine to butt in and get a say, too. Especially when they haven't met up as friends after the Winter Cup.
Yo.
Hello, Aomine-kun. It is 2:30AM. What do you want?
A laugh. Not the kind that Kuroko used to be fond of. No need to be so hostile, Tetsu. I just want to talk to you about something.
Which is?
That dumb blonde, that's what.
His grip on the phone tightens, and Kuroko sits up on his bed. Don't call him that. But couldn't this have waited till a more appropriate time?
It could, only that I've just been woken up by that fucker myself. Called me and started grousing to me about you. Have you been ignoring him in school or something?
I- what? Yes. Kise-kun has been very distracting.
Kuroko definitely regrets it the moment the words come out of his mouth. Aomine tuts knowingly. Been staring at his ass, then running away like a little girl when pretty boy comes to talk to you, haven't you, Tetsu?
It's not like that.
Aw, come on. Stop acting like we haven't known each other since middle school. The two of you are the ones I know better in the team, especially you. Don't try to hide shit from me.
You're acting as if you know everything, Aomine-kun. He's starting to get a little annoyed, really.
I do. I know for a fact that you've liked Kise for awhile now, given your flustering. Nope don't give me that- you never fluster, Tetsu.
But I don't-
Keep telling yourself that, Tetsu, and you're going to wear out your right hand.
Aomine-kun.
The bastard just laughs, and yawns widely into the mouthpiece. Just doing my job as a friend. Tell me when you step out of that pit of denial and jealousy of god-knows-what- you and I know that he's a shameless flirt, so I don't blame you.
Goodnight, Aomine-kun.
Goodnight, Tetsu. And by the way, you have terrible taste. If you wanted to experiment you could've always come after-
Kuroko ends the call. But sleep doesn't claim him either, not with Aomine's words ringing in his head and the thought of Kise's voice in the middle of the night.
He's about 99 percent sure that he's offended Midorima in some way, the way Fate is treating him right now.
Kuroko lies on the floor, one knee pressed to his chest while his hands grab at his left ankle. He tries to breathe deeply through his nose, concentrating on a part of his knee to keep thinking about the pain. It happened really quickly - Kiyoshi was doing an alley-hoop play with Hyuuga, but while moving to receive the ball, he had somehow trod on Kuroko's leg, and the phantom player had tried to get out of the way too fast. Right now, his teammates are gathering around him, and the noise that surrounds him is not doing things to help, really. Kagami is yelling colourful things at him, his own hands trying to pry his knee away from his chest so Riko can look at his ankle - Kuroko can't, not right now, not when it hurts like that. Kiyoshi is supporting his back, and is a fluster of endless apologies right by his ear, while Hyuuga is shouting for everyone to back off and give him some room.
"Mitobe, get some ice- Koganei, this isn't the time to just stand there and gawp, either move or get him a chair!"
"Kurokocchi!" Kuroko instinctively ducks down lower and screws his eyes shut, though allowing Riko to gently take his leg in his hands and look at his injury. He half-prays for his teammates to remain in this suffocating ring formation around him, because he really doesn't want to deal with Kise and his fussing right now.
They don't.
Kise invades the group, wasting no time to plop down beside him and run his fingers through his matted hair. "What's the matter, Kurokocchi, can you hear me? Are you alright? My heart just about jumped out of my chest when I saw you fall!"
Kuroko attempts to wriggle away, but there's not much he can do when Kise and Kagami are sandwiching him on either side, and Riko has his busted ankle in her hands. "I'm okay, Kise-kun, please stop fussing."
The blonde, for once, is not smiling, and rolls his eyes. "Nonsense. How can I not worry about Kurokocchi? Besides, it's better if I'm here. I won't yell at you like what Kagamicchi here is doing, even though you kind of deserve it for making everyone worry, and I do know your body better than anyone else here."
There are two things that happen simultaeneously in the timespan of Kise's little announcement. The first is that Kagami's eyebrows shoot up so far up his hairline that he actually look comical, and he twists around Kuroko to make a lunge at Kaijo's player. The second is that Kuroko chokes on his own saliva in his haste to explain to everyone that no, it's not like that, Kise-kun means that because he's my teammate he knows about all my past injuries and weaker muscles, and accidentally jerks his ankle in Riko's grip. The pain sends him hunching straight into Kise, who catches him.
This is beyond embarrassing.
"Coach," Hyuuga says, red-faced, "maybe we should send Kuroko to the clinic to get things checked out."
And of course Kise volunteers and gets his way. Not even Kagami can pull Kuroko out of that one, and Kuroko grinds his teeth as he's carried out of the gym, princess-style by Kise, because he knows that the redhead probably wants this to happen, too.
"Thank you, Kise-kun," Kuroko finally says at the end of the doctor's visit, with one arm wrapped around Kise's waist as they walk together to make payment. "But you really don't have to pay for me."
"I said I'd take care of you, right?" The model is back to smiling again, and Kuroko notices that he keeps his hand on Kuroko's shoulders even as he gives the blushing receptionist his autograph, complete with a big smiley face at the bottom of the page. Kuroko resists the urge to roll his eyes and hold on to Kise tighter.
"Really."
"Remember to take your pain meds if it hurts, okay? Bring them to school or something. I'll text you when you're supposed to eat your medicine! And also don't worry about informing your teammates, I've done that for you already, via Kasamatsu-senpai. Your coach recommends that you take about an extra two weeks off regular training in addition to your recovery time; she'll help you strengthen your ankle later."
"Okay. Is Kiyoshi-senpai still hung up about it?"
Kise lets go of his waist momentarily to open the door. "A little. But Kasamatsu-senpai's telling him not to worry. It's just a hairline fracture, even though it'll set you back on training."
"I'm sorry I wasn't careful enough." There is a weight in Kuroko's stomach that isn't entirely because of his guilt, however. He tries to force his feelings down.
"I'll take you home, Kurokocchi! I've got nothing to do today, anyway."
"You really don't have to, Kise-kun. Don't you have to go back to your team or something-?"
Kise simply waves a hand airily, and to Kuroko's chagrin, wraps his fingers around the paler boy's wrist. “Nope. I bullied Kasamatsu-senpai into treating me to dinner earlier on though, but taking you home isn’t going to take forever.”
Three times in less than five minutes? Kuroko definitely doesn’t have enough patience for this. Sometimes he wonders why he’s put up with everything for so long. He slides his hand out of Kise’s grip, and takes a wobbly step out of the door without looking at the oblivious blonde. “It is alright, Kise-kun. I can make it home on my own. Please enjoy your date with Kasamatsu-senpai.”
It really irritates him when Kise doesn’t back off, and keeps stepping forward, into his personal space, deeper into his life without actually doing anything at all. “Kurokocchi, I promised your coach to take care of you when I brought you to the hospital. I don’t want to worry them!”
Kuroko bites back the urge to say that Kise isn’t obliged to take care of him in the nastiest way possible, just barely. And it’s hard to think when the blonde has his arm thrown around his shoulder, cologne invading his nostrils. “You’ll be late for your thing with Kasamatsu-senpai, Kise-kun, you always take forever to dress. Besides, I can get someone from the team to take me home, if you feel guilty about leaving me be.”
Kise shakes his head vehemently, eyes widening in concern. “Not a chance. This is my responsibility. And I know the rest of the team live out of the way.”
“I-” there is so much irritating bubbling in the shorter boy’s chest that all he can do is jerk away and scowl again. “Suit yourself, Kise-kun. I’m taking myself home.” He walks as fast as he can with his stupid ankle, trying to blend into his surroundings again to avoid the other, but with no one left on the street but the two of them, Kise keeps up easily, though his voice is steeped with unsurety and a little bit of worry.
“Wait, Kurokocchi! Don’t walk so fast, you’re going to bust your leg up even more. Let me carry your bag, at least. Why don’t you want me to send you home? Did I do something? Kurokocchi?”
Kuroko keeps walking, an unsteady rhythm of clomp clomp clomp on the concrete sidewalk that is similar to the beat of his heart. He never turns back to see if Kise is tagging along (he is, nobody’s voice is quite as honeyed as his is and it is quite annoying to find that he actually likes it), never gives the blonde a reply. It’s like he’s given up, but mostly he’s trying to ignore Kise and pretend that he doesn’t exist, so that it doesn’t feel so bad when he eventually sees him flitting about from one person to another.
But again, he must have done something to Midorima in his past life. Kuroko can literally hear the shooting guard’s pompous voice echoing in his head when out of the blue, the sky pours. Really pours; it’s sheeting down from above in loud, angry drops that sting his skin, warmed up by Kise and the sun a few minutes before, biting through every bit of dryness.
“Kurokocchi!” His damn teammate catches him around the waist this time, and makes a frenzied attempt to pull him back in the opposite direction. “It’s raining, you shouldn’t be walking home and getting your bandage wet! Do you have an umbrella?” He’s rambling, pretty pink lips moving to form words that Kuroko knows doesn’t mean anything huge, burning him in places with his stupid, warm body as he is pressed against it, and it actually angers him to realize that instead of paying attention to the situation on hand, he’s noticing how Kise’s eyes stand out even in the abrupt gloom, how his eyebrows arch perfectly when-
Whatever comes out of his mouth surprises the both of them, but even that is an understatement. It’s like a fucking movie, the kind that Kuroko never watches because they’re so unrealistic and impractical, but nearly always have good endings. But he doesn’t bank on that for himself, not when he is already fighting the urge to projectile vomit, preferably on himself.
“I like you, Kise-kun. Okay?” His face burns, so do his eyes from the rain that stings them, and suddenly all he wants to do is run away, fuck that ankle of his.
Kise simply blinks, his grip stilling on Kuroko’s waist. “O-okay?”
“Okay? Is that all you have to say Kise-kun, when someone confesses to you in the middle of a thunderstorm, like a scene straight out of those romance movies you like to watch?”
“I just- what?” Kise’s eyebrows crinkle in confusion, still holding on to Kuroko. The other’s fingers twitch, because never has he wanted to brick someone so badly for being so dense. “Did you just say you like me? As in, like like me?”
“Yes, Kise-kun. Don’t ask me why. But I’m not angry at you, me liking you is making- this- difficult for me, and besides, I’m not entitled to a relationship with you, anyway.” It just sounds worse with every syllable he utters, and the stiffness that is creeping into his ankle on top of every variant of mortification into his soul makes him want to curl up and die.
“God, Kurokocchi, can we back up for a second? Did you just- confess?”
“Yes!”
Kise blinks, because Kuroko actually shouts at him. The latter is pretty surprised himself. “Did you just shout-”
“Kise-kun, you’re not paying attention to whatever I’m saying. I just confessed to liking you(r stupid blonde self). I don’t know what I’m waiting for, though, because you obviously don’t return my feelings anyway.”
Kise’s eyebrows shoot up so far that he looks comical. “I don’t return your feelings? Me? Kurokocchi, where have you been all this time when I’ve been trying to hit on you for ages?”
“Where I- what?”
Kise’s eyes are a terrifying, deep gold, and for the first time in awhile Kuroko fights the urge to look away from someone else. “Do you know how long I’ve been in love with you? Wait, don’t answer that. Since middle school, and I’ve never stopped since. Aominecchi’s never joking when he talks about my pining for you, don’t you know that?”
Kuroko feels like an emotional wreck right now, when his temper rises again from all the confusion. “But Kasamatsu-senpai and you-”
“Him? What?”
“I saw you- and him- in the locker room last month, even though it probably wasn’t meant for anyone to see. He was kneeling between your legs, but nevermind that. Are you two not exclusive?”
To his extreme chagrin, Kise starts laughing. It cuts through the sound of the rain splattering on the sidewalk, loud and clear, and it’s so annoying and beautiful at the same time that Kuroko automatically pushes him away, unsure of what to do.
“You mean- oh my god, Kurokocchi, you thought Kasamatsu-senpai was giving me a blowjob? In Seirin High?"
“Yes. Wasn’t it?”
“Kurokocchi.” His name escapes those perfect lips in a sigh, one that pours back into his own mouth when Kise abruptly grabs him, pulls him close and bends his head low enough to reach his lips in the rain.
And all the fight and struggling pours out of him, even if they don’t kiss passionately and start dramatically crying in the rain. He’s sagging a little bit, even with Kise’s arm around his waist because his leg is starting to hurt and feel disgusting. He isn’t prepared for his first kiss to turn out like this, with his teeth clashing into the model’s by accident in an attempt to pull away, and eventually swiping his own tongue on Kise’s (now he knows that the other tastes like apple mint and vitamin water) bottom lip. There is eagerness in the kiss, but Kise is patient, slow and kind, willing to let Kuroko warm up to him without going too far.
Kuroko sees a little bit more than stars.
When they finally pull apart, Kise’s eyes are blazing, and he looks absolutely breathtaking with pink dust on his cheeks, breathing deeply through his nose even when they haven’t done much anyway. Kuroko supposes that he’s not that far off himself, even though he doesn’t know what to make of the entire situation.
Kise picks him up in one fell swoop and starts walking in the other direction, back hunched in a stupid (adorable) attempt to shield Kuroko from the rain. “My pants were dirty, Kurokocchi. Kasamatsu-senpai tripped while eating a banana, and it got smeared all over my shorts. I bullied him into cleaning them.”
“You looked like you were having a lot of fun, though.”
“Kurokocchi! I just kissed you and here you are doubting me. I’m going to start crying.”
“Why are we walking in this direction?”
“Your cast is wet, silly. We’re going back to get yelled at and get it fixed. And shut up, I’m paying for my boyfriend.”
Boyfriend. Kuroko cringes a little when he tests the name out inside his head, but he finds that he’s okay with it. Only if it’s Kise. “But you’re sure that you aren’t with Kasamatsu-senpai, or anyone from your fan club?”
He should exasperate Kise a little more often, Kuroko vaguely thinks, when the blonde whines for about seven more long sentences and then gets That Look in his eye that means he’s going to attempt to convince his skeptical teammate about things otherwise.
Here is a list about Things Kuroko Likes about Kise:
1. His incessant blabbering. Sure, it’s still annoying, but at least Kuroko can kiss him to shut him up right now. And he doesn’t have to worry about location and proprietary, another two pluses.
2. His willingness to skip the events his manager’s planned for him, just so that he can spend time with Kuroko.
3. His drive. After their relationship was announced (on Kise’s insistence to show off <i>his Kurokocchi</i>, a nickname Kuroko still hasn’t really gotten used to yet), he’s playing even harder at their games and really giving Kagami a hard time. Another plus point would be how he visits Seirin less now on non-training days, because he gets to see Kuroko whenever afterward, privately.
4. His whining. Kuroko never thought that he would enjoy that, but he finds himself doing so while lounging on Kise’s bed with a book in hand, ankles crossed, watching out of the corner of his eye as Kise moans dramatically and flopps all around the place because he can’t go to work.
“Kurokocchi, don’t you think you were being a little too vicious with the biting and sucking?!”
5. His insistence on treating Kuroko like a princess. Really. Kise carries Kuroko everywhere he can in private, and is always waiting for him by the school gates when he’s free to take him out to dates.The blue-haired boy really doesn’t need to be pampered like this, but if Kise is happy thinking that he’s being a perfect gentleman, Kuroko doesn’t really mind, either.