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"Kagamicchi~~!!"
Taiga couldn't really help rolling his eyes. He had heard this stupid nickname way too many times for one day. "What."
Kise waved his hands in the air dramatically. His face was flushed and he kept hiccupping before he managed to stutter out his words, "Where's K'rokocchi??"
"For the tenth time," Taiga gritted out irritably, "He's sleeping in his tent. So shut the heck up because you gon' wake him up."
"Oh." Kise cupped his mouth with both hands, eyes wide. "You're right." Then he started giggling. "Kurokocchi can't handle his liquor, so cute~"
"As if you're any better, dumbass."
"But I am not drunk, Kagamicchi!!"
Taiga cocked one eyebrow at his friend. Although he would admit that Kise could hold his liquor better than the rest of the rainbow idiots, Taiga would be lying if he said that Kise hadn't drunk his body weight in alcohol already and was absolutely shit-faced. And annoying.
"Right," he mumbled instead, "You're not drunk at all."
The question was, who wasn't drunk.
With a brief glance around their sloppily-organized campsite, Taiga assessed the...damage; Midorima was very incoherently but very passionately going on and on about zodiac nonsense to a dazed-looking Murasakibara - who was by the way munching down the biggest chip bag Taiga had ever seen in his life - while swaying on the spot and looking about to pass out; Akashi was literally sleeping in Murasakibara's lap; Kuroko was passed out in his tent (after the second beer, whatsoever) and Kise was jumping around like a psycho, giggling and asking everyone if this was fun.
Taiga, who was the only one remotely sober, found the whole ordeal...partially funny, partially annoying. On one hand, seeing these - theoretically speaking - intimidating basketball prodigies all floppy and giggling and shit-faced after just a bunch of beers was hella amusing, on the other, they were a bigger handful than normal. For instance, before he passed out, Akashi had started crying and apologizing about the sins he had committed as well as for the time he tried to stab Taiga with scissors; Murasakibara was hugging everyone; Midorima talked a whole fucking lot and Kise was...Kise. Only more annoying.
Aomine was... It suddenly dawned on Taiga and he scanned the area once again. Aomine was nowhere to be seen.
Where the heck was he?
"Yo, guys," he called and everyone was staring at him, "Have you seen Aomine?"
"Mine-chin said we are noisy and he's going to look at the stars," Murasakibara drawled slowly, "He's so rude."
However, a wave of worry washed over Taiga. Aomine wasn't wrong, the company was absolutely unbearable in terms of loudness, but they were camping in the woods, all alone and with no proper signal, so Aomine going off on his own whilst drunk wasn't the best case scenario. It was actually the worst, in Taiga's opinion.
But he didn't expect anything smart from Aomine, so there was that.
Taiga stood up slowly, swaying slightly on his feet. Yes, he was the only one not drunk, yet that didn't mean he wasn't buzzed. He had had seven beers...or something. "I'm going to find him," he said, "Y'all stay here."
"Okay~", Kise chirped with a peace sign.
Taiga could hear the rainbow squad arguing about something as he walked away, but he paid them no mind. He was too distracted with finding Aomine's whereabouts after all. What exactly was Aomine thinking going off on his own like this? What if he got hurt? What if a beast ate him? Taiga shook his head; he's gon be okay, he reminded himself, Don't panic.
He looked around for a while, he worried himself to the brink of insanity before he was finally able to distinguish a dark figure seated on some boulders and staring at the starry sky above. Taiga let out a sigh, mixed with relief and...longing. Why longing? Because Aomine looked tranquil and absolutely gorgeous under the pale light the stars offered and Taiga had been so in love with him for so long it was painful. Sweetly painful.
Falling in love with Aomine had been so gradual that Taiga couldn't pinpoint when it started. At first, it was just admiration of Aomine's basketball skills, but then, as they played and played and played against each other until neither of them could stand, they started sharing small, more personal things about themselves, fear, dreams, insecurities and Taiga was able to see the complex inner world this beautiful creature held hidden.
After that, he couldn't help but fall in love.
But Aomine clearly didn't return his feelings and it sucked. Bad. Yet, Taiga wasn't mad or anything; he was happy they were able to be friends, even though he always wanted something more.
So that was why Taiga stared at Aomine's figure for as long as possible. He tried to take in the rare sight of serenity in his face, to treasure it in his memory, before he clearing his throat and saying, "Wha'chu doin' up there on your own, dumbass? It's dangerous."
He saw Aomine turn his head blink at him in confusion before a big smile lightened up his whole face.
Taiga forgot how to breathe. He had never seen such smile on Aomine before and it had caught him off guard.
"They were noisy," Aomine drawled, voice thick, "I wanted to be alone."
"You could have at least told me where you're going," Taiga muttered, "I was worried."
Aomine chuckled but he didn't say anything; he just tapped the empty space next to him. With a sigh, Taiga complied and sat next to him, leaning on the big boulder behind them. He squirmed for a while, trying to get comfortable and Aomine chuckled again.
"Don't laugh, idiot. It's really uncomfortable."
"I know," Aomine said, "But you get used to it after a while." His blue eyes drifted back to the endless sky. "Besides, the view is worth it."
Taiga followed his gaze and smiled. The millions of glittering lights shining above them were positively breath-taking. However, Taiga was way too distracted by Aomine's scent which had just filled the air he was breathing to appreciate it fully.
"I didn't really take you for the stargazing type," he said.
Next to him, Aomine shrugged. "Yeah, I guess I don't look like one. But I do love the night sky." He shifted closer to Taiga, lifting his arm to point at the stars. "Look, there you see Ursa Minor and there..." He pointed elsewhere. "...is Ursa Minor. If you turn over there, you can see Mars. Man, it's so clear tonight; I'm so glad there is no moon."
Taiga wasn't able to do much else than hum. Their arms were touching at it was distracting. Then all of a sudden, Aomine went back to his initial position; Taiga already missed the heat of his body.
"Ah man," Aomine then chuckled, "I'm surprised I can recognize them in my state."
"You're drunk?"
Aomine rubbed his eyes, giggling. "Out of my fucking ass. Can't you tell? I'm fucking giggling."
Taiga smirked, suddenly in a teasing mood. "Yeah, you're much more likable when drunk."
He had expected Aomine to snap at him but instead, he got another chuckle as a response. "Man, I know," Aomine said, "I'm too much of an asshole when I'm sober."
"Can I record you saying this so I can show it to you when you are sober?"
"Man, don't do that. I'll probably kick your ass to Mars and beyond."
They glanced at each other and laughed. Easily. Taiga's heart was racing. He had never dealt with that side of Aomine before; Aomine was usually grumpy and snappy, not happy and cheerful and so darn self-aware.
Taiga realized that he loved both sides equally. Perhaps he loved the asshole a little bit more, though. It was the side her fell for after all.
Aomine let out a long sigh after they stopped laughing. There was a smile on his face as he leaned his head backwards and stared at the night sky. Taiga wished he could take a picture of him like this, so happy and tranquil. But he would probably make a fool of himself if he did. Plus, there was no proper lightening either.
"Man," Aomine spoke up again, "The stars are so beautiful."
"Yeah," Taiga agreed. He wasn't even looking them; he was just staring at Aomine. "They are very pretty."
Aomine's smile widened. "They remind me of you."
That woke Taiga up from whatever love-struck daze he found himself into. "Me?"
"Yeah," Aomine nodded, "They shine on the dark sky and illuminate the world, just like you illuminate..." A hiccup. "...You illuminate the darkness in me."
Taiga's heart began racing. He couldn't believe his ears. "Man, you're really drunk," he laughed nervously, not knowing what else to do. There was no other explanation for Aomine's words.
Aomine shrugged, chuckling. "Yeah, perhaps. But I think of this shit when sober too. It's just that..." A hiccup. "I don't say them out loud."
"You..." Taiga swallowed, trying to breathe. "You think of me as a star?"
Aomine shook his head."Not just a star; you're my star. You brighten up my world."
This was getting out of hand. Taiga was as red as his hair. "I thought... I thought Kuroko was your star."
Aomine shook his head, eyes fixed on the stars, still. "Tetsu guides me through the darkness. He's a shadow, he knows his way through it. But you..." He finally turned his head and their gazes locked. There was a smile on his face. "You're my star."
Taiga glanced down at his lap, unable to handle the flood of emotions which took over him. Fuck, what was Aomine saying? He made it sound as if...as if--
"I am in love with you, Kagami." There was a pause. Then Taiga felt him shift next to him, before he laughed again. "Man, I can't believe I said it out loud. I'm such a loser, you'll be weirded out now."
"I feel the same," Taiga blurted quickly, still staring at his lap. He was having a minor internal breakdown. His unrequited love just turned out to be...requited. How did you expect him to react?
"And I've felt it for a long while," he added.
There was a long, pregnant pause before Aomine breathed, "Are you for real?"
Taiga simply nodded. He couldn't do anything else; he had to remind himself to breathe, for fuck's sake.
What was happening exactly? Was this a dream?
Aomine busted out laughing and that, finally made Taiga look at him. Aomine's face was as red as his was, but the smile on his face was nothing else but genuine. "Shit," Aomine choked out between fits of laughter, "Holy shit. I think my heart will stop beating."
"Yeah, I can relate," Taiga snorted.
"Shit... Shit, can I kiss you?"
God fucking damn it .
"You don't have to ask that."
Aomine cupped Taiga's face with both hands. He was smiling. "Right."
Then they met halfway to the best kiss Taiga had ever experienced. It was tender and electric, making all the hairs on his forearms rise to attention, his mind shutting down every other input but how soft Aomine's lips were and how warm his hands were. Taiga shifted, reaching out to cradle the back of Aomine's head in his hands and bring them even closer -- but it wasn't close enough, still.
Aomine made a soft noise and sucked a deep breath through his nose before breaking the kiss. Then he started giggling again. Taiga's head was spinning in euphoria but he still frowned. "What the hell is so funny?"
"Nothing's funny," Aomine chuckled, "I just kissed my crush, man, gimme a moment to wrap my drunk head around it."
Taiga couldn't help but smile giddily. He nudged Aomine closer to him. "Kiss me again, maybe that'll help you realize it faster."
"Shit, you're right."
They were both smiling into this kiss, Aomine snickering every once in a while too. It was the best thing Taiga had ever done in his life and he was so fucking happy at that moment, he was afraid he was somehow dreaming. No, that couldn't be possible; Aomine felt too real in his arms; his body was too warm and his scent too familiar for it to be a dream. It was real.
And better than any dream Taiga ever had.
"Fuck," Aomine whispered when they broke apart for air, "My body is trying to sober up and kissing you doesn't help much."
Taiga smirked, trailing kisses on Aomine's jaw. "Are you saying that I'm intoxicating?"
Aomine bared his neck. "Mhm."
Well, that caught Taiga off guard and he paused. Then he just chuckled. "I like it that you're so honest."
"Don't get used to it," Aomine muttered, "It's because I'm drunk. I'm not as pleasant when sober."
"It's your sober self the one I fell for."
"Shit," Aomine grunted, "Fuck." He bit Taiga's lower lip impatiently and wrapped his arms around Taiga's neck. "You smooth fucker."
Chuckling, let Aomine devour him at will, responding with the same urgency. At some point, their tongues joined the intimate play and that sent fire burning everywhere; his face, his chest, his neck -- everywhere. Taiga's heart threatened to rip out of his chest and he was positive Aomine could feel it too. If his mind wasn't just a pile of pink fluff, he would have felt embarrassed about it.
"You taste like beer," Aomine muttered when the kiss was over. Taiga rolled his eyes.
"So do you, mood killer."
The most beautiful smile Taiga had ever seen in the world, took over Aomine's face, "I drank too much of it, not gonna lie."
That made Taiga pause. "Will you remember any of this in the morning?"
"I'm not sure. I'll think of it as a dream, probably," Aomine said, shifting in Taiga's arms, "Which is why I'm not sleeping until I'm completely sober."
"It's five in the morning," Taiga deadpanned, "We have to sleep eventually."
Aomine shook his head, "No way, I'll stay until sunrise." He blinked, eyes big and playful. "Stay with me?"
It was impossible to say no to these eyes. Zero chance. Taiga was a lost cause. So he nodded, sighing in defeat. "Alright."
Aomine flashed a smile and Taiga thought he heard angels singing. Jesus Christ, I love him.
"You're the best, Kagami."
"Now that's something I'd like to record for the times you're being your asshole self."
"Shut up," Aomine scoffed. Yep, he was already a tad more sober. "As if you're not an asshole ninety-five percent of the time."
Taiga wasn't even remotely offended but he pretended to be. "Me? An asshole?"
"Yes you, mister."
"No way. I'm offended."
They glared at each other before busting out laughing again. Aomine kissed Taiga's temple tenderly and pulled him closer, until Taiga laid his head on Aomine's shoulder. It was hard, it was bony but Taiga was way too happy to find anything imperfect about it.
Their free hands linked on Aomine's lap. Taiga was drawing meaningless figures on Aomine's thumb, not knowing what else to do. To be honest, he had no idea what he was supposed to do or say, he had no idea what to do with all these emotions he was experiencing, because, let's be real, a few hours ago he wouldn't even had dared to dream of something like this happening.
Aomine returning his feelings. Unreal. Unbelievable.
It was the best feeling in the world.
Fuck.
"I'm so happy Kise dragged us out here and forced us to drink," he sighed in the end.
Aomine's chest shook with laugher. He kissed the top of Kagami's head. "Same," he spoke softly. Then he added, "We should go on a date after this."
"One-on-one?"
"Is basketball all you think about, you nerd?"
"Hey!"
"But then again..." Aomine added, ignoring Taiga, "I can't think of anything more perfect. Heh, I'll kiss you under the hoop."
Taiga snorted, as if this wasn't the most romantic thing he had ever heard in his life. "You're an idiot."
"Yes, but I'm your idiot."
Taiga laughed again, burying his face in Aomine's neck. "Man, so cheesy."
"You like cheese though, don't you?", Aomine asked. He sounded amused.
Taiga rolled his eyes. He was trying not to laugh; he was failing. "Stop."
"I'll stop when the alcohol is gone completely. Until then, just brace yourself for more idiocy."
Taiga wasn't even remotely bothered by that, if he were totally honest. Because Aomine's laughter was something beautiful and he wanted to hear it as often as he could.
When the first rays of the sun broke through from behind the mountain, though, Aomine nudged him awake - because of course he had drifted off, he wasn't superhuman - with a very unromantic, "Kagami, I gotta piss." Then the moron kissed Taiga sweetly.
"It's fucking gross to tell me you're going to piss and then kiss me, just so you know," Taiga muttered.
Aomine smirked at him. That infuriating and very cocky smirk which always made Taiga want to shove him in the nearest garbage can. This time was no exception.
"Shut up, I can't help my normal bodily functions. Plus, you'll learn to love my dirty talk. Now get off."
Yep, he was absolutely sober and back to his unbearable asshole self.
Scoffing, (but amused) Taiga freed himself from Aomine's embrace and watched the man's back retreating behind some bushes to take care of his business. We are back to normal, he thought to himself in amusement. Is it better?
"Oi, Kagami! Get your lazy ass up, I think Kise is trying to burn our breakfast!"
Yeah, it was definitely better.