Chapter 2

"Do you know," said Kagami almost pleasantly, "I didn't know how to make croquettes until two weeks ago? When you said you wanted some but you didn't want them from your teammate and you don't like the way they make them in the family restaurants? I came home and I looked up it up on the internet and I practiced and I got everything ready just so I could cram croquettes down your greedy fucking throat."

Aomine chewed, and swallowed. "Okay," he said. "I can see where this is going. Kagami, these are delicious. They're the best I've ever eaten. Thank you." He picked up another one. "Now shut up and stop fishing for compliments."

"I'm not fishing for compliments," said Kagami. "I'm just- do you realize, I have no idea why I'm going to all these lengths for you? Why I am I doing this?"

"Why are you asking me all these questions," whined Aomine plaintively, and Kagami glared at him. He'd spent a lot of time wondering if these were 'sorry I ditched you' croquettes or 'we should bang' croquettes, and then a small amount of time wondering if he wanted to bang Aomine and then an embarrassingly long time realizing just how much he would probably enjoy it. Even now, Kagami had thought about biting the line of Aomine's shoulders as he was shucking his jacket, and maybe a bit about Aomine being strong, maybe stronger than him, and how that would feel against his skin, straining against him.

Aomine just continued eating like an idiot, making little pleased noises low in his throat.

Kagami took a deep breath and summoned all his courage and said "Momoi said something the other day. About you. And me."

"I know this sounds stupid," said Kagami. "But we, we two, you and me, she said we are basically going out."

Aomine speared another croquette. "You're right," he said. "That does sound stupid."

Kagami controlled his urge to punch the bastard and said "We go out at least twice a week."

"Practices are on a downtime," said Aomine. "There aren't any tournaments."

"Yeah," said Kagami, "But that doesn't mean I have to hang out with you."

Aomine shrugged. "I wanted to play basketball. Without Tetsu and Kise, that means you."

"I feel so appreciated," said Kagami as sarcastically as he could manage.

"You should," said Aomine. "Besides, going out is like- movies, food. Cute girls."

Kagami waited for the idea to drip through Aomine's stupid head, while he sat in Kagami's house and ate the food Kagami had made for him and had brought magazines which he had that Kagami wanted to read, and then Aomine put down his chopsticks and leaned over the table to stare at Kagami and said "But we're not."

"Except we are," said Kagami.

"But who would want to go out with you?" said Aomine, blankly.

"Fine," said Kagami. Wow, that had been easy. Now all he wanted to do was punch Aomine, and all thoughts of biting or embarrassing noises had been banished. "Go get your own damn croquettes."

"Now hold on," Aomine said indignantly. "I thought you made these for me!"

"You've already eaten a ton," pointed out Kagami. "Leave some for me."

Aomine ignored him and took another. "Dating you would be really gay," he said.

Kagami rolled his eyes and didn't bother to say that yes, two guys dating was indeed gay. Damn, these were delicious. He really was good.

Aomine was silent until they'd finished the lot of them, and he was watching Kagami clean up. "Doesn't dating involve… sex?" he said, draped over the coffee table.

"Where is your mind going?" demanded Kagami.

"Kissing," said Aomine, and his dark eyes were fastened on Kagami now, thoughtful, intense.

Kagami felt his face heat up and turned to run water over the pans. "Stop thinking about it," he said.

"I can't stop thinking about it, you're the idiot who brought it up!" said Aomine.

"I didn't bring up making out!" said Kagami.

"YOU JUST DID," yelled Aomine.

"THIS IS STUPID," roared Kagami back at him.

"STOP CALLING ME STUPID," yelled Aomine. "We should just try it," he said, at a more normal volume.

"Try what?" said Kagami.

"Kissing," said Aomine. "Because now I'm thinking about it."

"Does everything in this universe happen just because you want it to?" demanded Kagami.

Aomine shrugged and stood up, one long smooth movement, and dammit now Kagami was thinking about it too, how Aomine was just that dip taller than him, and massive, though he didn't move like it.

"Close your eyes," demanded Aomine.

"This is going to be weird," warned Kagami. "And we won't like it."

"Just fucking do it," said Aomine, and Kagami obeyed.

It was weird…but they liked it a lot.

.0.

Inopportunely, the phone rang. Aomine extricated himself, saw 'Momoi' on the screen, and picked it up and growled "What?" before remembering that his contact list said 'Satsuki (Annoying)'.

Peals of girlish laughter greeted him from the other side of the phone.

"Shit," Aomine said, comprehensively.

"You never pick up the other person's phone," said Kagami, hand over his eyes. "That's basic."

Momoi's laughter receded and Kuroko said, "Aomine-kun, Kagami-kun. Congratulations."

"What do you mean congratulations? Tetsu, did you know this would happen? Tetsu, what haven't you been telling me?"

"Nothing," said Kuroko, accurately, and then passed it back to Momoi.

"I'm glad you two aren't fighting any more, Dai-chan," she said, sweetly.

"We were never fighting," said Kagami.

"For a while I was worried it was going to tear you two apart," she continued blithely.

"I'm hanging up now," said Aomine.

"Okay~"

"You heard nothing," he said.

"You wish," she said. "Good niiii-ight. Don't be late for school tomorrow!"

Aomine ended the call and Kagami said "How does she know everything?"

"She's unbelievably nosy," Aomine said. "Those idiots. I can't believe it. How did they know?"

Kagami stretched out under him, long and slow and lazy, secure in his own skin. "Who else would tolerate you?" he said.

"Bastard," said Aomine without heat, and pressed Kagami into the couch, soft and easy, relaxing into place.