yellowcopycat: (secrets)
Kise Ryouta ([personal profile] yellowcopycat) wrote in [community profile] swan_forest2016-06-06 01:42 pm
Entry tags:

Unrequited Love?

Kaijou and Seirin had just had their first practice match, which was shaping up to be a tradition of sorts. This time, Kaijou had gone to Seirin. The gym was nice, newer then Kaijou's but maybe not as big. 
 
He was breathing heavily, but smiling broadly. It always felt good to play, even if it was just a practice match and they weren't going all out. After all, he wanted to keep some of his new tricks up his sleeves, just like he was sure Kagami and Kuroko were hiding some of their new tricks too. This year's match had ended in a draw. Better than last year's practice match, which had ended in Kaijou's loss by two points.  
 
Just thinking about Kuroko made Kise look over to the Seirin team, focusing in on the smaller boy. 
 
For awhile now Kise had realized that he had feelings for Kuroko. Kise had looked up to Kuroko for awhile, but it wasn't really until after the Winter Cup that Kise realized he was probably in love with Kuroko. 
 
He took a towel that one of the first years offered him. "Thanks," he said absently. He scrubbed at his face, his thoughts racing. He had been thinking about Kuroko a lot lately, and seeing him only brought those thoughts back to the surface, only pushed aside when the game had begun. Now with the game over he couldn't focus. The warm glow in his chest that came whenever he thought about Kuroko was back with a vengeance.
 
The Kaijou team was gathering their things and getting ready to board the bus. He told the first year that he'd be along in a bit and began to head over to the Seirin team. 
 
"Kurokocchi~" he called out. No time like the present, he thought. He didn't know if Kuroko would return his feelings, but he was hopeful. The time Kuroko had cheered him on while he went up against Haizaki stood out in his mind. 
 
"Kurokocchi! You got a minute?"
misdirects: (one-way ticket)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-08 12:28 am (UTC)(link)
"Thank you, Kise-kun..."

He pulls his hand back, completely unaware of Kise's inner crisis, and will eagerly throw himself into chopping into the celery. They're also coming out rather uneven, especially now that his mental state has been a bit thrown off. Once he's done with the pile --

"Is that all?"
misdirects: (sure sure no)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-08 10:23 am (UTC)(link)
With dinner duty out of the way, Kuroko waves Kise off and meanders away to see if the rest of Seirin has finished their extended training. When he reaches the gym, he's surprised to see Kagetora at the door with Nigou in tow. Riko lets him know everyone's already hit the showers ahead of dinner. The dog is very excited to see his favorite person and runs circles around Kuroko and Kagetora mentions they've hardly had time to exercise him properly, suggesting for them to go on a walk while he stays back to discuss their progress with his daughter.

Of course, Kuroko is more than happy to spoil their precious team mascot, taking the leash in hand and following the eager puppy's lead. Nigou will drag him back towards the inn, but veer into the surrounding forests, drawn in by the smells of nature.
misdirects: (realization hits)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-08 04:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Nigou truly has too much energy as he takes Kuroko weaving through the trees, frolicking through every leaf pile he can find and chasing after small woodland creatures. Kuroko can hardly begrudge the little one, but his stamina is not holding up after a full day of training.

He's already quite red in the face and struggling to keep up with the puppy, when Nigou catches scent of a nearby person and beelines straight to them. Kuroko has no energy left in him to resist, allowing himself to be dragged to this mysterious person. He catches only a glimpse of blond hair from the angle he approaches from.

"Ah, Kise-kun-?" He pants out once Nigou stops right in front of the other boy, tail wagging, only to get an eyeful of— "oh."
misdirects: (MOE!!!!!)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-08 05:53 pm (UTC)(link)
Kuroko lets out a weird, indeciphirable noise of confirmation, bending down to scoop up Nigou into his arms, who is instead barking and clamoring to say hi to Kise.

"Sorry!" Typically, he would be using the highest polite form of Japanese to apologize, but his brain has short-circuited enough from the situation at hand and it's delivered hurriedly in the most casual form. (The horror!) His flush has spread to his ears and the back of his neck as he flees the scene, trying his best to hush the excited puppy and not think about how his highly-trained skills of observation were especially not appreciated here. He should not be making mental notes about how Kise looked in such a private and vulnerable moment and how... endowed he is. (Kuroko already knows, he felt it, his brain unhelpfully reminds him.)
Edited (html on phone hard) 2023-01-08 17:53 (UTC)
misdirects: (the galactic nervous boy)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-13 06:35 am (UTC)(link)
Kuroko certainly did not want to run into Kise either! One needs time to recover from something like that, both of them!

He ends up escaping to the dining hall, which is overall not a great idea, seeing as everybody is gathering for dinner now. The rest of Seirin comes over to chat and fusses over Nigou, while Kagami comments on specifically on how red Kuroko is and wonders if he's sick. Unexpectedly, that only flusters him more as he insists he's fine.

Whenever Kise ends up entering, Nigou picks up on his presence immediately and rushes over to greet the person he was kept away from earlier. He is barking with excitement! Notice him!

Kuroko balks a little and does not make eye contact with Kise.
misdirects: (sundown river)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-13 07:47 am (UTC)(link)
(Look at that beautiful inter-team bonding.)

Kagami calls the puppy a demon instead, to which Kuroko replies with a swift jab of fingers into his side. The taller boy immediately retaliates with a noogie and they have a brief tiff before his light stomps off to check on the progress of dinner.

Meanwhile, Nigou is very pleased with the attention, unaware he's done any wrong at all. Him, a troublemaker? Perish the thought! He laps at Kise's face, then barks in Kuroko's direction, as if to say, come join me! Kuroko reluctantly edges closer, if only to keep an eye on the dog. There is the faintest hint of a blush still lingering as he pointedly keeps his direct gaze on Nigou.

"I'm sorry, he has too much energy today..."
misdirects: (further shore)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-13 04:03 pm (UTC)(link)
The remark does stand out to him, a bit of shock visible on his face, eyebrows drawn together - he's never heard Kise, of all people, a bastion of self-confidence, disparage himself like that.

He almost reaches out to him, but thinks better of it. Nigou has no such misgivings and continues to wind around him, nuzzling against Kise's legs, like he wants more attention.

"Oh, yes, I'm sure Hououji-san and Yuki-san have done a good job..."

Awkward, this is so awkward. Even the second-years of Seirin look on with some apprehension - wasn't Kise usually much more affable and clingy near Kuroko?
misdirects: (a rare sight)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-14 06:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Kuroko settles at the table with the rest of his team, chatting with them about their extra training as Nigou circles around them, happy to soak up the company while everyone eats.

He's in the middle of talking to Kagami when he feels eyes on him. When he catches Kise's gaze, his persistent blush deepens once more and immediately turns away, redirecting his attention to the curry. Kagami clearly looks worried and asks him if he's sick, pressing a hand to the boy's forehead. Kuroko is annoyed and swats at his hand, insisting he's fine and to not fuss over him.
misdirects: (can't won't don't look)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-18 08:04 am (UTC)(link)
Furihata ends up noticing the tension between Kuroko and Kise, but is summarily confused at Kuroko's reaction - typically, he barely responded to the blond's overt friendliness.

In the dark of night, he is trying his best to fall asleep while Kagami is snoring loudly from beside him. When he feels his cellphone buzz, he figures it wouldn't hurt to take a look.

Yes, that's fine.

A beat, before another message comes in.

Sorry again.
misdirects: (mild disapproving)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-18 09:27 am (UTC)(link)
Kuroko will happily go along with it, replying with a prompt:

I take offense to the idea that I wouldn't be at 100%, no matter what. Please be ready to eat your words.

There, some banter to help lighten the mood. And take his mind off all this awkwardness, trying not to think about how he can't doubt his friend's attraction to him any longer. There's a small part of him that is still in denial, imagining it to be a massive fluke, just a misunderstanding of one's feelings - even after being told point-blank. The cognitive dissonance had not been easy to shake, and perhaps, it made it easier to go about things as if nothing had changed.

But it's hard to say Kuroko is not more conscious of Kise now. That their relationship is going through a fundamental shift.
misdirects: (summoning the strength)

[personal profile] misdirects 2023-01-18 04:09 pm (UTC)(link)
Consider it brought.

Now go to sleep.


Kuroko is more than amendable to moving past all this. He understands— he's a teenage boy, too, even if he clearly did not have to deal with as much hormones as others. He won't hold this against Kise, except to think of him as a bit perverted for being willing to do it outside.