Unrequited Love?

[yellowcopycat]

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?"

Comments

[yellowcopycat]

The pouting has never been effective on Kuroko. It only really worked on girls, and even now that he was out, it was less effective.

He rolled his eyes at Kuroko's words. "It's all about intent, no matter who you are. I wanted to make you squirm, is all."

[misdirects]

Kuroko purses his lip and crosses his arms at that declaration, clearly struggling to understand the concept. It's not a feeling he's familiar with in this particular context, but it's certainly unsettled him. "That's not very nice of you."

[yellowcopycat]

Kise studied Kuroko for a moment. "No. But that's the point of teasing, isn't it? To make friends squirm and then laugh."

He narrowed his eyes at him. "Besides, you're pretty brutal with your teasing; this is just payback."

[misdirects]

"Am I brutal?" He did not think his particular brand of teasing was really all that bad. (Kagami would say otherwise.)

Far be it from Kuroko to not admit when he's being hypocritical, but... "I don't think the feeling I'm trying to elicit from Kagami-kun with Nigou is the same as the one I felt just now."

[yellowcopycat]

"You can be," Kise said, closing the front of his yukata over his chest. "And you can elicit other responses. You tease Kagamicchi with puppies because brutally. Blantently pressing his trauma button. I'm just flaunting my looks."

[misdirects]

"Kagami-kun tolerates Nigou much better now." It was for a greater purpose! "It wouldn't do to have the ace not get along with the team mascot."

He thinks for a moment. "Maybe it's more egregious because you're attractive."

[yellowcopycat]

"So now we're blaming my looks?" Kise asked, giving a mock gasp of indignation. "I can't control my genes! Blame my dad, not me!"

[misdirects]

"I still blame you for using it for nefarious misdeeds."

[yellowcopycat]

More pouting.

"I tease everyone like this." It had limited effect on the rest of the Miracles (it depended on how frustrated Aomine was that day- which meant days it had been a while since he had seen Kagami), but on his Kaijou friends, it worked well on. "Well, not Sei. I tease him in a different way that's not suited for the small ears around us. It's friendly teasing is all."

[misdirects]

He tilts his head as he takes on an expression of consternation, wondering exactly why it bothered him like this (of which Kuroko was decidedly ignoring the simple fact of his feelings perhaps playing any role in this), before it dawns on him.

"You've never done it with me before."

[yellowcopycat]

"I'm pretty sure I have. I know I've teased Aominecchi like this." He flopped back down on the grass. "I stopped for a bit after confessing to you. Especially after, er, you caught me at the hot springs."

But he had a boyfriend now. He still had a flame for Kuroko, but it was easy to slip back into teasing now that he knew it wouldn't go anywhere.

[misdirects]

"Did you...? Did I just ignore it the same way I always ignore Aomine-kun?" Kuroko looks over as the blond flops, thinking back on his memories until Kise brings up that one particular moment. His cheeks turn red again at the memory and he swiftly glances away, covering his face. "Maybe it is different now that..."

Ugh, dealing with feelings was very annoying.

[yellowcopycat]

"Probably," Kise said.

He raised an eyebrow at him. "Now that you know you're not ace?"

[misdirects]

"Oh - yes, that too."

A combination of factors he is still struggling to understand - he pulls his knees up and rests his forehead against them with a small sigh. "I preferred when things were simpler."

[yellowcopycat]

"Dad says things get more complicated the older we get. We grow up, mature, and see more nuance in things than we did as kids."

He put his hands behind his head and looked up at the sky, the sun now noticeably closer to setting. "It's supposed to be a good thing."

[misdirects]

"Logically, I know this... but it's still vexing. I think it's because I'd been content knowing I was not interested and that I could cheer on my friends in their endeavors instead." He shifts so he can cast his gaze over Kise, a small smile on his face at how relaxed he looks under the glow of sunset. "I suppose I feel a little lonely now."

[yellowcopycat]

"Huh."

Kise considered this new insight into Kuroko's wants and feelings. "Sometimes, you just have to wait for these things," he said. "It won't be forever."

[misdirects]

"I think it's probably for the best if I let go of these feelings."

It makes the most sense to him, like he had stated before. Whether or not he is truly capable of it remains to be seen.

"Besides, then Kagami-kun would stop badgering me about it. It's not as fun to tease him about Aomine-kun when he turns it back on me. It's not as if he's confessed his feelings, either."

[yellowcopycat]

Kise hummed. "They're hard to let go of," Kise said, "But it's sometimes for the best."

But when he left for the US, Kuroko could have a chance to be with Akashi. Not right away, since Akashi had never said if had romantic inclinations towards anyone. Theirs wasn't a romance. It was more of a romantic friendship. Or friends with benefits, since they did do it every chance they got, but they did a lot of other things too.

Well, maybe in the future, they could be together. He wouldn't mind.

"Aominecchi is so dumb, I don't know what he's waiting for. They don't even know if they're going to the same city, let alone the same school."

[misdirects]

"I can see where he is coming from... Perhaps he's afraid of confronting his own feelings. Or he doesn't want to disturb the status quo."

Kuroko certainly doesn't. Even if Kise and Akashi's relationship has a deadline, it does not change much in his eyes. They are happy together and he sees no reason to disrupt that happiness. Much better to keep his feelings wrapped up tight under lock and key.

"Maybe he's scared it will turn into a long-distance relationship. After all, you don't want one either."

[yellowcopycat]

"Well," Kise began. "Then he's dumb for not going for it when he had the chance."

He went for it. Sure, Kuroko turned him down, but he still went for it. And he had a much higher chance with Kagami than Kise had! (Granted he had thought he had a 100% chance, but that's beside the point.)

He huffed out an annoyed breath. "If he's not going to go for it, then he should stop whining about it."

Whining for Aomine being grumbles and trash talk about Kagami.

[misdirects]

"There's still about a year before all of you will have to go off to America..."

He closes his eyes as he rests against his knees, thinking about how much and how little time that was. He was already intent on making the most of it with his best friends, so he can't really see eye-to-eye with Aomine on his choices. Kuroko lets out a deep sigh.

"My lights are such idiots. I'll have to give them an extra push. They have the luxury of making a confession with no complications."

Unlike some people...!

[yellowcopycat]

"Which is why he should go for it, a year is still a long time. He should make the most of it."

He huffed out another annoyed huff, chest raising and falling with the breath, kimono falling open a bit again. "How many pushes have you given them?" he asked.

[misdirects]

"Quite a few, if I'm being honest. They probably felt like I was meddling, but maybe I'll lock them in a room."

He looks over at Kise as he thinks on further plots, glancing at the garment falling open again.

"You should've tied your obi a little tighter, Kise-kun."

[yellowcopycat]

"You should," he said. "It'd be hilarious. If I'm not there you should record their yelling."

Lifting his head, he looked down at his chest.

"But Kurokocchi, it's hot!" Kise whined. "Anyway, that guy over there is just wearing jeans."