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

[misdirects]

I'm not sure I should give you points simply for adhering to the bare minimum. Aomine-kun should not be used as a comparison.

[yellowcopycat]

I do more than the bare minimum!!

[misdirects]

Yes, yes good for you. I'm sure you do not need brownie points on this front.

[yellowcopycat]

I absolutely do! You have no idea how uncomfortable some of these things are! Do you trim your pubes weekly? Your eyebrows? I do! I put a lot of work into myself. A good chunk of my paycheck goes into it. The only reason I get to keep as much as I do is because I have access to a free gym.

[misdirects]

It seems like an awful lot of work.

But I suppose this is part of your job.

Therefore, your brownie points is your income.

[yellowcopycat]

I've bleached my asshole!

[misdirects]

He would've sputtered if this was an in-person conversation. Since it isn't, he simply sends:

TMI.

[yellowcopycat]

I'm gonna dance with some hot guys now.

[misdirects]

Enjoy yourself.

[yellowcopycat]

Suffice it to say, Kise's a bit pissed off what he considers one of his defining features to be a detriment.

So he spends the rest of the night dancing and recording things/taking pictures for Akashi...

...That accidently get sent to Kuroko. One of which involves him starting the video by saying, "Just like you asked for Sei~" followed by making out with a stranger, who like Kise had a big black 'X' on the back of his hand, indicating they're under twenty-one, who was very handsy with him.

That's the most explicit of them, the other video was him being between the guy he made out with and another under-twenty-one-year-old.

[misdirects]

The time difference means it's only afternoon for Kuroko, which is a bit of an awful time to receive such videos unbidden, especially when the auto-play feature is turned on. He only gets past the greeting to Akashi and a moment of the kiss before he swipes out of it, force-closing the application.

He doesn't know how to feel about seeing videos not intended for his eyes. It's clearly late in Ohio, so perhaps there is no point in sending a message now when Kise is busy enjoying himself.

Several hours down the line, later into the night, but only early evening for Kuroko responds with only:

You should take care to note the intended recipient of your messages, Kise-kun.

[yellowcopycat]

It's really early by the time Kise sees the message.

First thing first. Send all the promised material to Akashi, then tell him he accidentally sent it to Kuroko. Akashi, who somehow developed a sense of humor- Reo's fault most likely, responded with a 'well shit.'

Then, it was time for damage control.

So... call me if it's not too late there?

[misdirects]

It's late evening and he's in the middle of reading in bed when he sees Kise's text. He slips a bookmark in and sets it on his bedside table before calling him.

[yellowcopycat]

Kise picks up almost immediately. "Hey," he said. "So... You probably have questions."

He leaned against the headboard of the hotel bed. His father had his own room, and after confirming things with his mother beforehand... Well, he was trying not to think too much about that. "So, um, yeah, sorry, first of all. At least I didn't do anything worse than kiss?"

There had been the handjob he had been offered, but he hadn't felt that adventurous just yet.

[misdirects]

"Hello," he greets quietly. "It's alright. I suppose it was a boon it was only a kiss."

[yellowcopycat]

Kise was quiet a moment. "So, Sei knows. We talked about it before I left. You know, just trying things out. And, um, apparently, my parents are similar, so I come by it naturally?"

[misdirects]

"I should hope he knows," he quips. "As long as it's consensual, I have no room to judge."

[yellowcopycat]

"It was very consensual," Kise confirmed.

And then he fell silent. Not sure what else to say. "We're, you and me, we're kinda the opposite. About sex. And relationships." He pushed bangs out of his face. "Demi and Poly. Ish. I don't know. I'm still figuring it out. I thought I had it figured out in middle school. It's kinda annoying."

[misdirects]

"Poly..." He echoes, as if trying out the word. "I see. I mean, I suppose I can sympathize. I only figured a bit recently and that was confusing enough."

[yellowcopycat]

"Well, there's polysexual and polyamorous. Polysexual is kinda like being bi or pan. Not sure what the difference is. I think I'm polyamorous. I can be attracted to more than one person at a time. I care for more than one person at a time. Too be... you know, in love with more than one at once, I think?"

[misdirects]

"That makes sense. I think it just goes to show that you have a lot of love to give."

[yellowcopycat]

"I guess I do," Kise said. "I didn't think I could. Not after everything Mihoshi-nee went through."

Kise's a lot of things; self-aware isn't always one of them, but he does know he's aloof to most people. Doesn't like people in general. He's tolerant of most, especially women, and he is capable of warming up to people. Aomine hitting him with a basketball opened him up to the idea of being able to crush on people. He had learned he could fall in love after meeting and knowing Kuroko.

He had other little crushes here and there, Kasamatsu and Akashi being the major ones, but he wasn't in love with Akashi. He was very fond of him, but it differed from how he felt for Kuroko in a way he couldn't put into words.

[misdirects]

"I've always thought of you as quite an affectionate person, despite that."

Perhaps knowing that story changed some things, but from Kuroko's point of view, Kise has always seemed to crave attention and affection.

[yellowcopycat]

"Well, that's because I like you," Kise said easily. "And the rest of the Teikou starters. And the Kaijou team."

He blew out a sigh. "I want... a lot. I'm selfish and greedy, and most of the time, I don't care what people think. But I care a lot about what you think. More than anyone else."

[misdirects]

He blushes a bit hearing that, glad that this is was a call and not in-person.

"I am not thinking negatively of you for this. But it is... different. I suppose if you had done this without Akashi's permission, I would be mad on his behalf, but... if it works for you two, I can't comment."