Momoi vs. Kise: Territorial
Momoi doesn't like Kise.
She doesn't like him.
At all.
Though not for reasons most would presume.
l
For instance, she doesn't resent that Teikō Basketball Team was Kise's first exposure to Basketball. That he didn't join out of a love of the game. He joined because he was dead bored.
She doesn't care that Kise is a shameless copycat. That not only did he come from nowhere, he shot through the grade by mirroring others. How slowly move by move he inches into becoming the friends Momoi has grown to love. Kise learns steals and tricks; Momoi knows he will become truly frightening.
l
Who else could understand better than Teikō's former manager? Who is a monster in her own right?
l
Momoi may never play on the court, but her aid is unparalleled. She's an information specialist. She hungers for statistics, puts the facts together and gobbles down the result. She smacks her lips together the moment Coach announces their next opponent. Momoi toys with her food, ripping apart tactics and crushes them by putting every joker, ace and wild on the table.
Aomine thinks her face gets kind of scary when they play.
And Momoi relishes every flash of shocked admiration on his when she's right.
l
Again.
l
So Momoi can't depise Kise for his potential or the way he grows. She doesn't even hate Kise's not so subtle idolism of Aomine.
She can only get lightly annoyed when it's time to go, but Aomine and her can't leave. Can't go as Kise calls out, "One more! One more game, Aomine!" Because if she crouches down to peer under his fallen bangs, she can see his face.
To find a starved look of joy.
Somehow Aomine taught Kise to love Basketball. In her files Kise has always been good at everything. It comes as natural as blinking. But here he finds one person that can swipe the floor with him. That can give him something new.
A challenge.
He's grateful. Idiotically grateful.
So Momoi can accept that.
l
l
Being a copycat? Fine.
Barely a fan of Basketball? Fine.
Using Aomine as an Idol? Fine.
l
l
Seeing Kuroko as she does…
Not. Fine.
l
Granted all members of the Generation of Miracles appreciate and value their late shadow. They saw him as an important member as their team. They acknowledge Kuroko and his skills set.
But their attention, even Aomine's is limited to Basketball.
Kise's is not.
Kise is the only Kiseki member that has a life outside of Basketball. He does modeling. He dates girls. He can fill his life with other non-basketball related things.
And wants Kuroko to be one of them.
l
Which is not acceptable.
l
Now Aomine has pulled Momoi to the side repeatedly, telling her that Kise isn't like that. He isn't like her. He doesn't want Kuroko. Not like that.
"At least…I'm pretty sure."
"WHAT TO YOU MEAN YOU'RE PRETTY SURE?"
l
l
Because Kise launches himself at Kuroko like a hyperactive puppy. Inviting him over, showing off his pictures, wanting to go out to eat.
"Please Kurokoiichi? Please? It'll be so much fun!"
"No."
"I'll pay for milkshakes…Kurokoiichi? Kurokoiichi are you okay? Your face is kind of…guys? GUYS HELP HE'S NOT BREATHING!"
l
l
Momoi expects that Kise's interest was first from curiosity. How could someone so weak be so valuable to Aomine? How did Kuroko become his star's partner?
But then he saw him on the court. Trained with him as Kuroko prepared him to be a regular. Got hooked the first time Kuroko passed to him.
He lights up when he sees Kuroko.
Momoi suddenly feels threatened. Because she recognizes that expression. It's the same one that graces her own.
It means…Kuroko is special.
l
And Momoi had wanted to be the only one to look at him that way.
l
Once Momoi and Kuroko went on a date.
Itwasthemostmagicalnightofherlifeandsheneedsittohappenagainreallysoonbadly.
Kuroko was so attractive in his casual clothes, talking with her, winning her a stuffed toy. That's she's made a shrine of. Tell no one.
But what she loved most about the whole thing was how no one else noticed Kuroko. He was practically invisible to everyone but her. She could keep his company all to herself. For a night, he was hers.
l
It's a precious feeling.
It's a childishly selfish, possessive feeling.
l
To know that you're the only one in the world to look at someone and think they're beautiful.
l
l
Kuroko's beautiful.
l
l
So Momoi doesn't like Kise. When he compliments the shadow she grinds her teeth. When he begs Kuroko during practice she nails him with a clipboard. When he goes in for a hug, she goes in for a jab.
l
l
Because every minute Kuroko spends with Kise is another not spent with her.
l
Unacceptable. Inexcusable. Intolerable.
l
If Momoi let her guard down she could see them as friends. They could very possibly bond over Kuroko together. Tell Kuroko stories and gush together. Attack and possibly tag team Kuroko together.
What a lovely friendship.
l
l
But what's the point of being friends with a rival?
l
Momoi doesn't share.
l
"It's not like that." Aomine murmurs as Momoi seethes silently beside him. A few yards away Kise is rapidly twittering to Kuroko. Getting further and further into Momoi's designated Kuroko space bubble.
"It isn't….really." As Momoi finally erupts when Kise puts his arm around Kuroko's shoulders happily. And rather determinedly despite Kuroko's attempts to shake it off.
Momoi zooms in for the kill.
l
l
l
l
l
End.
Author's Notes: For those waiting for an update I hope this satisfies. When writing this I pulled out every gray thought I've had about Kise. Now don't get me wrong I love Kise. I think he's awesome and with his fun personality and character I kind of want to take him home like a stray. But my feelings can be summed up in a quote I found on tumblr by the lovely fabulondarkness,
You know I keep calling Kuroko no Basket "gay basketball" but I guess more accurately it would be "a bunch of guys who have clearly never thought about sex before because they are too busy thinking about basketball make a lot of unintentionally innuendo-laden comments to their teammates and rivals. And then there's Kise…"
But that takes too long.
Because to me Kise was...ambiguous towards Kuroko. Especially in the first couple episodes we see with him. He springs up to Kuroko, asks him to change schools, looks crushed when he says no and even admits to crying over him the next time they meet. Because not even any Girl he's asked rejected him. And don't get me started on the gushing during the practice game, the picture with him half carrying Kuroko or all the other little looks and things that make me twitch. Now in later episodes I don't get that vibe at all. Kise develops as a player and it's freaking gripping. If you're reading the manga right now the latest chapter leaves you hanging with Kise, who is using all the stops verus...Kuroko.
But the point is if there's a chance any of the characters are homosexual or bi.. Kise got a 50/50 shot. That combined with my idea of Momoi as a jealous fighting to be mature, but not really individual I thought they would clash a bit. So this is my take of Momoi's perspective of Kise. Please enjoy.
To Infinite Skye: Thank you for your thought out comments. They make me smile. I'm sorry this isn't a Kimomo...maybe another time.