Work Text:
Kagami Taiga expected to make his way through his high school basketball years with ease. He had spent the past few years in America training under a former NCAA player, and even meeting some of her more famous friends. Granted, he didn’t know much about the basketball scene in Asia, but even Yao Ming was Chinese—getting through the Japanese circuit would be so easy, he almost worried it could hurt his future career.
This, of course, was shattered when he had his ass handed to him, practically literally, by Aomine Daiki. It pissed him off, and made him nearly want to throw a punch or two. But, on the other hand, it was thrilling, and he couldn’t wait to challenge Aomine again.
The problem was that they were on the same team, and three-on-three matches during practice were never as exciting as full-length games, especially when your coach wanted you to save your energy to go all-out against opposing teams, and not your own teammates. Not that being teammates made them friends—Touou’s manager, Momoi Satsuki, could often be found trying to keep the two of them apart.
What Kagami found as the days turned into weeks, and the weeks into months, was that the tension between them had changed. It hadn’t really faded, but had transformed into something else entirely. It was the crackle in the air when they competed to perform their best at practice. It was the feeling of the rim of the hoop against his hand when the two of them alternated dunks against other teams on the road to the Winter Cup. It was the laughter exchanged between them when Aomine ended up on his couch, watching NBA games and eating dinner they cooked together, entirely at ease.
In the towels they whip each other with in the locker room, in the way Aomine’s eyes linger on him from across the classroom and when they’re alone, there’s something different about their relationship, compared to the friendships he’s had with other guys. Kagami knows this for certain, though admitting what that something exactly is, to himself and to Aomine, is something he’s been struggling with for what seems like an eternity.
“Oi, you’re spacing out,” Aomine says, mussing his hair with a rough motion, “Do that again and I’m gonna lock you in the locker room when I leave.”
“Ow! Hey!” Kagami smacks his hand away, shooting a glare at him as he cackles. “If you do that, I’ll just have to survive on your protein bars till break’s over.” Aomine pauses, narrowing his eyes.
“You wouldn’t dare.”
“Gotta stay alive somehow,” shrugs Kagami nonchalantly, fighting off the urge to grin as he stands up from the bench. Winter break had only just begun, but he had begged Momoi to get him a set of keys to the gym, and with it being too cold to use an outdoor court, he succeeded. It had been Aomine’s idea, originally, but he had talked him into talking to Momoi, complaining that she would want to watch if he came to her first. Momoi was smart enough to see through it, thought Kagami, but he still took up Aomine’s request.
“Yeah, you keep telling yourself that,” mutters Aomine, dodging the elbow aimed his side with a laugh. He pulls off his shirt and tosses it into his duffel, musk and the faintest hint of cinnamon coming off the dark tan of his skin.
“Ass.” Kagami laughs, though, undressing the same. He steps into his jeans, looking down to adjust his belt, almost certain that Aomine’s watching. “You coming over for dinner?”
“Not like I have anything better to do.”
“I dunno, I thought you might’ve scored a date for Christmas.” He looks up, and Aomine makes a face, groaning as he rolls on his deodorant.
“Hell no. I hate couple-y crap like that. Even if I had a girlfriend, I’d probably just stay inside anyways.”
“Yeah, if you even manage to get a girlfriend someday.”
“Hilarious. Though it’s not like you have a girlfriend, either.”
“I never said I didn’t.” Aomine pauses, raising an eyebrow.
“Do you have a girlfriend?”
“…Nah,” answers Kagami after a moment, zipping up his hoodie.
“Knew it,” smirks Aomine, yet Kagami shrugs at the dig.
“I’ve never been all that interested in girls, I guess.”
“So…you like guys?” Kagami goes silent, meeting Aomine’s gaze for a second.
“Would you be a dick about it if I said yes?”
“No,” says Aomine, his voice going soft as he looks down, “Like, I know I can be an ass, but not about personal stuff like that.”
“Good, ‘cause I do like guys.” Kagami pauses, pulling on his heavier jacket, “Though I don’t like talking about it much.” His locker door makes a noise as he closes it, perhaps a little louder than he intended, but he ignores it, picking up his duffel bag from the bench.
“You better start changing faster, or else you’re the one who’s gonna end up locked in here.” Aomine has a curious look on his face, but he quickly masks it with a grin, taking a clean shirt from his bag.
“Good. The only one who gets to eat my protein bars is me, after all.”
***
Rather than getting tired after playing, Aomine tends to be the kind of person who only gets more rowdy after moving around for a long time. Tonight is one of the rare nights where he’s quiet, lying down and surfing through TV channels with a bored expression on his face, periodically sighing to himself. The noises make Kagami lift his eyes from the sauce he’s making—dinner is pasta, since he needs to buy groceries—and letting it simmer as he turns towards Aomine.
“If you need something to do, you can always come help me with dinner.” Aomine makes a disinterested noise, and Kagami rolls his eyes, turning back to the stove.
“Such a rude guest, taking advantage of my kindness…” he mutters, stirring the sauce, then the ground beef he’s browning in another pan. A timer he’s set for the pasta goes off, and when he turns around to strain it, Aomine is standing in front of the sink, arms crossed, brow wrinkled.
“Geez, warn me next time, won’t you? You don’t have to look so damn constipated when I’m the one making me you dinner.” Aomine snorts then, stepping out of his way. His expression clears up a little, Kagami notices with a glance, but he still looks pensive.
“…You said you liked guys.”
“Yeah, and I’m pretty sure I said I didn’t like talking about it, either.”
“Well…why?” Kagami laughs sharply, shuffling the pasta in the colander.
“Why? Dude, I just moved from a country where all gay people could get married, to one where I feel I practically have no rights when it comes to my sexuality. It wasn’t something I brought up casually back in the states, let alone here.” Aomine is quiet for a moment as he scratches at the back of his head.
“That makes sense, but, uh, you’re not alone…or some shit like that, I dunno…” He trails off and Kagami gives him a skeptical look as he dumps the pasta back in the pot.
“No way. You talk about tits too much to be gay.”
“I’m allowed to like both, ain’t I?” Aomine snaps, a strand of irritation rising in his voice, and Kagami raises his hands in an attempt to placate him.
“You can do whatever you want,” he offers, and Aomine exhales loudly in response.
“Of course I can.” He goes quiet again, silently watching Kagami first stir the meat in with the sauce, then mixing it in with the pasta next.
“All set. Cheese is in the fridge, if you want it,” Kagami announces, moving to grab two bowls from their place in the cabinet, and Aomine goes to the fridge, finding a container of powdered parmesan and placing it on the counter. They go about serving themselves in relative quiet, the chatter of the TV filling in the silence until they settle down into the couch together, dinner in hand.
“So, I was wonderi—”
“Aomine Daiki, talking during a game? What the hell is happening right now?” Aomine rolls his eyes, sticking up an apathetic middle finger of Kagami.
“Shut up,” he mutters, turning down the volume a few notches, “It’s not like I have anyone to talk about liking guys to, you know.”
“Does Momoi know?”
“Yeah, Satsuki knows, though we have…different tastes. She tends to lean more towards girls anyways, but don’t tell her I told you that.”
“Huh.” Kagami rubs at his jaw. “Well, we can talk about it, if you really want.” Aomine nods, almost to himself, his eyes drifting back towards the TV.
“I was just wondering what you’re gonna do, about like, dating and stuff.” Kagami purses his lips, musing on the thought for a moment before finally shrugging.
“I dunno. I mean, of course I’d like a boyfriend—but I don’t even know what I’d do if I had one. It’s kinda weird to think of hanging out with someone more than I do you,” he adds, laughing.
“Then I’ll just be your boyfriend, so you won’t have to.” Kagami blinks.
“Wait, seriously?” Aomine huffs out a breath, throwing up his hands as he looks back at Kagami.
“Yeah, I guess! It kinda pisses me off, but you like basketball, and I like being around you, and your eyebrows suck, but it’s not like you’re ugly, so…”
“I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to tell someone you like them and insult them at the same time, Ahomine.”
“Well, you deserve it, Bakagami! I was thinking about doing something on Valentine’s Day and everything…” he grumbles, rubbing at his hair and making a pained noise. “Whatever, it’s not like I could be that patient. But yeah, I like you, okay?”
“I…okay.” Kagami finally says, running a hand through his hair. “I, uh, like you too, so I guess that makes things easier.” Now it’s Aomine’s turn to be shocked, widening his eyes as he looks at Kagami.
“No shit?”
“My standards are pretty low, I know.” Aomine rolls his eyes then, halfhearted shoving Kagami away as he laughs.
“But honestly, I like you too,” recovers Kagami a second later, “So if you wanna date or whatever, that’d be cool. I mean, it’s not like much would change between us, yeah?”
“Not really. I’d just get to make out with you more.” Aomine’s quiet for a moment, then he moves to cup Kagami’s cheek. Kagami frowns and makes a face, blocking Aomine’s hand with his own.
“Whoa, hey—who said you get to have the first kiss?”
“Because I confessed first, duh,” answers Aomine, locking their fingers together in a rough motion. Kagami narrows his eyes, but then sighs, giving in as he closes his eyes.
“Fine, but it better be good.” Aomine grins, breathing out a laugh as he leans in closer. His lips are chapped against Kagami’s own, but the kiss is warm and tenderer than he imagined it would be, and he moves to return it after he pulls away, squeezing his hand. They separate a little later, turning up the volume on the TV again as they resume their dinner. Kagami finishes his early, and after setting his bowl down, he slides an arm around Aomine’s shoulders, who hums out a small, satisfied laugh in response.