A day too late...yay, another chapter?

Sorry about the lack of update yesterday, friends called and I met them on a whim. Although I returned home a lot later than I anticipated, I was too tired then to write and update then. My bad, haha.

Forgive me, please! This chapter here is a bit longer but it's more or less only about a single moment and aah, I don't know. I hope you'll like it? The real thing is always so hard to get down. I don't want to disappoint anyone, is it too OOC? Too I don't know? I'm all open ears!

-Edit- 31th March 2014 -

This is the final chapter of 'Egoistical'. I actually thought about adding one more, leading towards the Rakuzan Match. However, it would take away the feeling of 'this is it'. I can't continue further without knowing the results of this important match because I'm uncertain how the canon plot is moving forward. [in Egoistical it's Friday, Sunday is the match = no freedom]

Without canon it would all continue too messy in my opinion. And you know me. I'm a fanatic and if I can't stay in canon, I don't wanna risk fucking things up.

I'M SORRY IF YOU WANTED MORE! I, I don't know - maybe I'll consider a spin-off? Aomine's and Mia's relationship from second year onward, third year, college. Anything which gives me enough freedom to not fuck with canon. Because canon is a little shitty bastard we all love and don't want to mess with. That guy got the moves, man.

All of your reviews were amazing. I woke up today and checked my emails and there were so many messages, favorites, follows, reviews and you don't know how amazing it was to read every single one. I, I don't know - should I write you guys PMs? Just to tell you how much I creepily love you? Because I do!

THANK YOU FOR READING EGOISTICAL!

DAY ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY THREE

Mia leaned onto her left feet. Weighing her balance to move her stiff muscles a bit, knowing that if she could, she'd wrap her scarf all around her head. Disappearing completely from the world and cold wind which had picked up since yesterday, she believed.

The clouds above her head had become darker, the sun rarely glimpsing through the mess. The orange-head stuffed her hands further into the pockets of her jacket to keep them away from the frosty weather. It was already dark even though it was still afternoon, the days getting shorter and shorter with each passing season.

And all she could do right now was wait for the blue haired teen.

Both of them had decided in class today that they should finally beat the video game. They were getting close to the final, the story's last riddle finally unfolding and now where the last Winter Cup match between Seirin and Rakuzan was scheduled to be on Sunday they had a bit time. It was obvious that Aomine and Satsuki both wanted to see how Kuroko was doing.

Because even on that other elite high school was one of their old friends, if she had heard them correctly...that is. Mia breathed deeply, watching the white cloud which appeared in front of her face with a thoughtful expression. It seemed like all his middle school friends had scattered, every single one attending a different school than he did. It was a puzzling thing for her. Why would friends want to split up in the first place?

But in the end it was their decision, she guessed.

"Mia."

At the familiar sound of his voice she looked up. She smiled into her muffler as she saw his broad and tall stature which easily stuck out. Always too tall next to other people, it was hard to miss him at all. The orange haired girl approached him, lifting her chin to free her lips from the soft fabric to return the greeting.

"Hey."

Aomine had stuffed his own hands lazily into the pockets of his parka, lifting a single eyebrow as a thought made its way into his mind.

"Wanna get some snacks first? We don't have any at home right now."

"Sure. Is a store nearby?"

Her classmate nodded, pointing into a direction. "Yeah."

The girl let him lead the way willingly, falling into step with him as they left the train station behind them. It would be an understatement if she wasn't feeling nervous at all. Seeing him alone was always something else, different when no one was nearby. But at the same time the nervousness was a good feeling, a little giddiness in her chest which spread in her stomach area.

If all those mangas had right with anything, next to the dramatic plots and twists and roses and so-called sparkles. Then maybe it was the emotion they tried to convey.

Well...or maybe not. The extremes of those things shouldn't be taken too seriously.

"Are we going to watch the final of the Winter Cup?"

At her question Aomine glanced at her, his brow furrowed ever so slightly. "Ya want to?"

Eagerly Mia nodded, blinking up at the teenager with ease. "Kuroko-san and his friends have come so far...and you said that Rakuzan High won the InterHigh, right? They surely must be strong."

The blue haired teen frowned, the look in his eyes obviously drifting away as he seemed to recall something from the past. It was one of those moments where she knew it had something to do with his middle school years. Teikō Junior High. And the basketball team he had been part of there. He did tell her some of it, rough and only small pieces of a big picture. But even that was enough to see how tangled up all their relations were.

"The team already asked me today, too." He suddenly grumbled instead. "Said that they all want to go and see it."

"Satsuki-san, too?"

Aomine nodded, his gaze slowly travelling away from her as he saw the convenience store in the distance.

"Guess we all go together then."

Mia liked the sound of that. To see Sakurai and the bubbly club manager on a Sunday was always nice. Her shy classmate had become a bit more confident around her, he apologized less and even mustered a smile whenever she greeted him in the morning. Maybe the orange-head should ask Nanami to come, too? Her best friend wasn't particularly a big fan of the sport but a final match was always something else.

"Let's get chocolate." The girl said as they stepped into the store.

Aomine snorted, a lopsided grin crawling onto his lips. It was obvious to see what for a favorite dessert the girl possessed. It was simple, really. But which person could ever say 'no' to the wonderful treat? No human in her opinion, at least.

"Whatever."

"So...is it good?"

Her dark eyes travelled towards the navy colored orbs of her classmate. The sky had gotten even darker after they had left the store. Winter's time was moving fast, the street lanterns already alight. It was strange how wordlessly Aomine had taken the plastic bag, carrying it all by himself. A small gesture which reminded of the very early summer where they had run through the rain to take shelter in a small convenience store...he had carried her bag then as well.

"Dunno. Just saw a trailer." He replied.

The topic of their conversation had landed on a video game. Something which had always offered enough to talk about next to basketball, luckily, because Mia didn't share the same knowledge about the sport like he did. There too many names, professional teams and other things. The girl had seen the magazines in his room, next to the idiotic idol ones he really left around in the open.

His none existing shame concerning those things was truly unbelievable.

However, he had many about basketball as well. America. Japan. They covered many things, new brands, shoes. Tactics. Great tournaments across the world. She barely could do anything but listen to him talk about that, it was interesting. Really. Although it mostly came down to the way he talked about it himself. It was easy to see that it interested him for real.

Video games.

Those were their basis, the topic they could share with the same amount of passion. Thank god for that.

"We should check it out." Mia offered as she lifted her finger. "If it's good then we got a new game to beat."

Aomine grinned lightly, his expression indicating that he had the same idea before his gaze lowered to her hand. "Gave up on the gloves?"

The orange-head blinked at him, a sheepish smile tugging at her lips as she flexed her right hand. "Yeah. They didn't help in the slightest."

He laughed quietly, the sound barely reaching her ears as it rumbled in his chest. With a light shifting he pulled his hand out of his jacket's pocket. Grabbing hers until their fingers intertwined naturally on their own. It was a wave of warmth which spread throughout her cool fingers, up her arms where goosebumps appeared.

"What did ya say, heater, right?"

"The best one." Mia admitted with a grin into her muffler.

Aomine didn't comment it afterwards. His gaze staring ahead, following the empty street they were on towards his house. They maybe had wanted to play the game but she didn't really mind the little detour. His neighborhood was quiet around this time, the cold kept the citizens in their houses. Giving the air around them the calm and silence they rarely had and Mia took a deep breath, enjoying the dry and cool feeling in her lungs while her heart fluttered with the warmth in her guts.

His house could stay a bit away, she thought quietly.

The path could get a little longer.

And as suddenly something cold and wet landed on her cheeks she came to a sudden halt. Her hand tugged him back and he turned around to her quietly, furrowing his brow. But her eyes were glued to the sky where slowly but surely flakes fell down. They were still too heavy to be real snowflakes, the second they met her warm skin, they melted.

But it was closest thing to snow they had. December had just started and it was rare to have already a glimpse at the fluffy white blanket which maybe, only maybe would arrive early enough to give them a white Christmas.

"Snow." Mia mumbled. "It's snowing."

Aomine looked up towards the clouded sky. His sharp eyes narrowing as one of the half-hearted flakes landed on his nose.

"For real..."

"Isn't it like a movie scene?" The girl laughed softly. "The first snow of the year."

And that before Christmas! She still could hardly believe that.

It was so quiet around them that it could've been possible to hear the snow falling. The tiny little flakes were reflecting the street lantern light in the distance. Their number increasing as the dry wind allowed them to calmly fall from the sky for a second. Mia couldn't stop staring, a bit afraid that maybe she was just imagining it.

But as felt Aomine's thumb brush over her hand, the gesture too small to be really called real - she glanced at him. Craning her head ever slightly to look at his face, which was overthrown by the shadows of the late afternoon.

Mia didn't know if her face was already glowing, she lost count of the times she started to blush if he was close by. Her skin already buzzing with the warmth of her nerves because they were together, just walking, just talking - but even though she surely wanted more and never dared to ask for that. This here was enough, she mused.

Her feet were glued to the ground as the tall teen shifted. He leaned forward and pressed his forehead against hers, his skin burning like always. Warming her temples as she shivered at the sudden contact, not prepared for the obvious temperature difference they had.

"You're blushing."

She wanted to purse her lips, maybe tell him that he had already pointed it out so often. It would sound weak if she'd try to use the cold as an excuse. It wasn't true. And maybe by now, both of them would know that. Right?

Mia wanted to say something else, her lips parting, but nothing came out. She didn't know what to reply. Was she even supposed to answer to that?

Her heart had become louder, the drumming noise clear in her own ears. He was too close. The proximity around them was closing in still. Her nerves picked up on her inner turmoil, the mood suddenly wavering between nervousness and something foreign which was hard to point out. It was all a strange mix. Warm and cold. Loud and quiet.

But it all came down to the well expected loud noise, something in the distance rang loudly. A car alarm which soon after died and Mia found herself jumping, startled. Her head bumped against his with force which made the teen in front of her curse beneath his breath.

The weird moment was always broken. Mia's knees buckled beneath her, giving away as she crouched down helplessly to brace herself from falling. Her own stupidity and embarrassment was suffocating her. Just like those situations before she found herself shivering, her skin buzzing in something like relieved disappointment and it all got only worse as Aomine joined her. His tall form crouching down beside her, his long legs touching hers...

The contact warm and familiar just like his hand which still held onto hers.

Mia glimpsed at him carefully, his face was graced with a scowl. That had been it, right? It wasn't just her. It was both of them. Their moment to kiss and it all got so easily ruined by something else. The orange-head could feel her face burning, her blush spreading onto her neck and ears as she started to laugh breathlessly to herself.

"Shut up." Aomine barked quietly.

His tune sounded so angry and annoyed - and sulky, like a child. But for the first time she found comfort and not amusement in that because it made it so clear that she wasn't the only one at loss, awkward and over thinking. Mia was this time the first one who pressed her forehead against his, seeking the warmth she had felt before. Her guts squirming and the embarrassment still deep in her bones.

But now it felt like they were closed off. Small and hidden from the big world around them, the light stinging from the unexpected bump long forgotten as she looked him into the eyes. The deep color and wonderful drawings were captivating. A detail no one would ever notice if they wouldn't be this close.

And his scowl finally eased away. The lines on his face softening as he seemingly realized where her quiet laughter had come from. If anything, Mia thought, all those mangas were lies. There were no sparkles. No firework. No fainting or something silly as that.

There was this moment, where your heart stopped for a second. The millisecond of silence before it skipped a beat and returned to its erratic pacing. A jump your nerves accompanied. Tickling, squeezing trailing down to your toes which curled because your brain registered it was happening for real.

But there was no mind-blowing explosion.

It was clumsy, really. None of them knew the real deal. The lips met, awkwardly. But that was fine because both of them felt the same brainless confusion and lacked the knowledge how else it was supposed to be like. The texture of his lips differed from her own, nor soft or rough. Just different.

And the warmth they spread left her lips yearning for more.

But no explosion. No firework behind her closed eyes.

Only darkness.

It were her other senses which reacted. Her ears because she could hear his breath before their lips had met, her own heart which was still drumming and knocking. The crispy wind around them and the melting snowflakes which landed on her burning ears. And his scent in her nose - and all around her. Clean, faintly smelling of a shower he must have taken after practice and the little spicy note which was him and him alone.

Mia didn't want to open her eyes right away after his lips left hers. Too afraid to see what it could be she saw then. Her face was probably a mess of red. Glowing in the darkness of the winter against all odds. But her own curiosity won and her eyelids fluttered open, her gaze immediately clinging to the face of Aomine which was still mere centimeters away from hers.

It was all embarrassing.

That was something the mangas hid. The uncertainty, the awkward imperfection of the whole moment...

But it all didn't matter as she was able to see the basketball player's face up close. Because she wasn't the only one who struggled with her own heart attack. Aomine didn't look at her, his eyes staring towards his right. Watching nothing in particular. Although that didn't matter because he was still with her. His grip on her hand only tightening.

"Nah, Mia..."

"Mh...?"

"I like you so...say you like me, too."

His voice was so quiet, the sound deep and husky. When she was so close, she couldn't help but remember how he sounded like over the phone. Masculine. Older. Mature. Not at all like a seventeen year old teenager. Still on the bridge between child and adult. But what she noticed for the first time was the light color in his face. His skin was always darker than hers, bronzed and tanned as if he was summer person all year round. But.

Aomine Daiki was blushing.

Just a bit, really. It could have been her imagination. He'd probably kill her if she ever pointed that out to him ever. But those words were something which had never been mentioned between them before. Holding hands, reaching for another. Embracing, supporting.

Everything balanced on a glass floor which had now been definitely shattered by mere words.

"Stupid." The orange-head croaked in a weak mumble.

"Hah?"

Aomine's eyes finally looked at her once more. Glaring at her half-hearted because he didn't know how else to act. "What for an answer is that?"

It only made Mia giggle again, though. Her breath creating small puffs of white air in between them as her eyes twinkled ever so softly with the giddy warmth in her chest. It sounded so like him. Stating. Never asking. Pointing out what had been not clearly labeled yet. It was something which differed a lot from her, the way of handling things. Thinking, acting.

"I like you." She breathed.

Aomine stared at her. His face stoic and calm as he blinked, taking in her whispered words. They were still on the pavement, crouched, absorbed in their own moment. Their hair had already hundreds of little small flakes clinging to it. The coldness keeping them from melting right away.

But Mia felt suddenly warm.

The blue haired teen locked their gazes, his lips finally breaking into something she could actually call a smile. Not a grin. Not a smirk. Not whatever else he had always done up until now. It was a smile which was aimed at her and no one else and that alone made it already special enough.

The girl lifted her free hand, her cold fingertips pressing against his cheek. The sudden touch made him jump, his gaze widening as it darted to her obviously freezing hand. Aomine covered her hand with his, easily smothering the lightly rosy skin with his warmth as he looked back at her again.

Mia liked winter the best, she decided right then.

And their lips met once more. Still foreign and rather helpless.

But in the end it felt just right.

ONCE MORE THANK YOU FOR READING EGOISTICAL!

EDIT - The poll has been closed - EDIT