Chapter Text
Two weeks ago I had one of the most stressful nights of my life. The Winter Cup banquet was definitely a night to remember. I came back to the country with a bang, actually with several. A close friend is now lost to me forever. I met a guy that makes my head and body do battle. And I, finally, got my prince in basketball shoes. The past month has seemed like a dream.
Hopefully that dream can last. Unfortunately, I have to tell the guys something they don’t want to hear. Aomine, especially, will not like this. This conversation will not go well. That’s why I suggested this two on two game beforehand. Basketball always cheers him up.
“OY Kise! Watch your hands!!!”
Kise and I are facing off, but Aomine’s voice has us both looking up. It’s true Kise was guarding me kind of close, but was it really necessary for Aomine to yell at him? I roll my eyes and put my focus back on the game. Kise sees the eye roll and smirks at me. “Trouble in paradise?” he asks as he blocks another of my shots. Aomine recovers the ball and faces off against Midorima.
As Kise and I jockey for position under the hoop I reply, “He’s just overprotective. It’s sort of cute…sometimes.” I’m still not used to having Aomine as a boyfriend. The relationship is still so new. We’re still trying to figure out our new roles in each other’s lives. However, when we aren’t in public we can’t keep our hands off each other. It’s almost as if we’re trying to make up for lost time.
The game ends when Aomine makes one of those ridiculous jump shots. All four of us are out of breath. It was a good game. I love playing these boys. “I wish Muracchi didn’t have to go back home,” Kise says as he wipes his face with a towel.
“Once the banquet was over, there was no reason for him to stay in the city. He doesn’t live here.” Midorima is always so blunt and straightforward.
I just have to smile. I really missed these guys. I feel an arm circle my waist. I look up into the dark blue of Aomine’s eyes. “You seem happy today,” he says leaning down to plant a kiss on forehead. Little things like that still make my stomach do back flips.
I smile up at him, “I missed playing with you guys.” He smiles back as he brings his lips to mine. Shock still courses through me every time he kisses me. I relax in his arms and close my eyes.
“Could you not?” I break away from Aomine and feel my ears start to burn. Kise makes a gagging noise. “What you two do together is none of my business, but could you keep it off the court?” I see him smirk at me.
Aomine scowls at him, “You don’t have to watch.” He still looks embarrassed though.
Before Kise can make what I know would be a sarcastic retort Midorima cuts in, “The new semester starts in a month. You haven’t told us where you will be transferring.” He looks at me over his glasses. Midorima seems to know why I gathered them all here. He’s too damn smart for his own good.
“She’s going to my school of course,” Aomine says.
“I thought she should go to Kaijo. We have an excellent women’s basketball team.” Kise looks at me.
“Shutoku has better academics and a far superior basketball team. It is the best choice.” Midorima glares at Kise.
“Oy, no, she’s going to school with me. Our women’s team is nationally ranked. Besides that’s where I am so, duh.” Aomine turns his glare to me. “Tell them.”
I look at my feet. Crap. “Umm…well…this is why I wanted you all here. I’d already chosen a school before I came back. You guys know I’m not well off in the money department. All of your schools did offer me partial scholarships to attend, but tuition is still a little steep.” They’re all looking at me expectantly. “This one school offered me a full ride and a guaranteed spot on their basketball team.”
“That’s great! Which school is it?” Kise asks.
“They’re nationally ranked so I jumped at the chance. Plus they have all the courses I want to study.”
“Which school?” Midorima is looking at me as if he already knows the answer.
“Know that I said yes before everything that happened two weeks ago. Before I knew everything.”
“Where are you going to school?” Aomine’s voice has a dark edge to it.
I look at my feet as I mumble, “Seirin.”
Silence.
I look up into the fierce stares of my best friends. Midorima closes his eyes in disgust. Kise’s smile is completely gone as he shakes his head. I look at Aomine and want to shrink back. He’s never looked at me that way. I can almost see the dark energy radiating off his body.
“What?” His voice is calm, too calm. “Could you say that again? I don’t think I heard you correctly.” Shit. He’s pissed. I knew he would be.
“I said that Seirin offered me a full scholarship.” I stare back at him. “They are paying for my education so I’ll be on their basketball team. Remember I said I made this decision weeks ago. I didn’t know your history with Seirin or with Kag—.” Aomine’s glare has me stopping mid-sentence. Dammit, I told myself I wasn’t going to mention his name.
Kise glances between me and Aomine. “Well, this year should be interesting.” He picks up his bag. “I should be going. I’m glad you got a scholarship. Um…yeah.” For once Kise is at a loss for words. “Midorimacchi let’s leave these two. I’m sure they need to have a little one on one conversation.” He motions for Midorima to follow him.
“I cannot deny that I am disappointed. However, Seirin is a nationally ranked school and I begrudgingly admit that. Congratulations on your scholarship.” With that Midorima follows Kise. I give them a little wave and slowly turn back to Aomine.
He’s still staring. I can see a muscle moving in his jaw. I don’t know how to explain that my choosing Seirin had absolutely nothing to do with him. I met Kagami after I had accepted the scholarship. When the guys were telling me about how they lost to a school named Seirin, my stupid brain didn’t make the connection. Then so much happened that I forgot. I only realized once I received my welcome packet that the school I had agreed to go to was his school.
“You’re going to that school?” Aomine can’t seem to accept it. “With him?” I somehow have to make him understand. I move closer to him. He doesn’t move away, but he doesn’t relax his stance. He’s rigid all over.
“Please listen when I say this.” I’m acting like I’m trying to calm down a rabid beast. I guess in some ways I am. “I did not choose Seirin because of Kagami.” His nostrils flare at the mention of his name. “I have not spoken to him since the banquet.” I won’t tell him that Kagami has relentlessly been texting me for the past two weeks. Of course I didn’t respond, but he doesn’t need to know any of that. “Please realize this is my only chance to continue going to school. I have no money, Aomine.” His eyes soften a little at that. “Do you know what a full scholarship means for my future? And I get to play basketball. I don’t care who goes to my school.” I lay my hands on his chest. “Please understand that I made this decision for no one else, but myself. Can you accept that?”
His chest rises and falls under my hands. His eyes search my face. We stand like that for what seems like an eternity. Finally, he sighs and places both his hands over mine. “I can. I don’t like that it’s his school, but I can’t deny that a full scholarship is an amazing opportunity.” I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “I told you before, I like you more than I hate him. You have to do what is best for you and if you say you made this decision on your own I have to accept it, but I will be sticking annoying close to you.” He smirks at that and I know the worst of it is over.
“How are you going to do that when you have school and your own practice to go to?”
“I’ll find a way.” He leans down and kisses me cutting off any reply I might make. I slide my hands around his neck and stand on my toes. His arms circle my waist and pull me closer. The kiss deepens. I’m fully aware of his body pressing against mine. He breaks off the kiss and breathes into my ear, “Let’s go home.” His voice is low. His eyes have that intense edge that I love so much. All I can do is nod.
As I hop onto the back of his motorcycle and wrap my arms around him I can’t help but wonder at how much he’s grown up. The Aomine I knew in high school would have blown up and yelled. He accepted my explanation with little resistance. I rest my head on his back as we weave our way through traffic. I may be falling more in love with this guy than I already am.
When we get to his apartment, he pulls me to him crushing his lips against mine. We pick up where we left off on the court. We’ve both gotten very adept at removing the other’s clothing. Whether it’s at my place or his, when we are alone together we can’t control ourselves. I’ve memorized his body as I’m sure he’s memorized mine. The places where he touches me still burn hours after we’ve finished. I hope this sensation never goes away.
Being with Aomine both excites and calms me at the same time. As our bodies intertwine and move together, I feel the now familiar burn. The heat of his hands, the warmth of his breath mingling with mine are almost enough to send me over the edge. His lips leave a burning trail of kisses all over my body. The way his mouth moves with mine leaves me dizzy and unfocused. How can one man tear down all my walls and leave me breathless?
Afterward, as I’m lying next to him, my head on his bare chest, I can’t help but think about what the next few months will hold. Practice starts in about a week. Will I get along with my teammates? I’ve never really gotten along with my own gender. Then there’s the bigger question. How long can I avoid Kagami? Do I want to avoid Kagami? I’ve started to believe that what I felt for him at the banquet was all a dream. With Aomine beside me, what more could I want? Why did I ever question it? As I listen to his heart beat and his steady breathing, it only solidifies the thoughts in my head and the feelings in my heart. This is the guy for me. Why did I ever think otherwise?