"So , uh, I probably won't be able to play one-on-one with you for a while."

That sentence struck Kagami rather unexpectedly, rendering him wordless in response for a fraction of moment. Aomine wouldn't miss it for the world, their daily one-on-one playoff. It was one of the main reasons he travelled back and forth from his part of the town far up north from Kagami's place three to four times a week; almost an hour to reach by train. Yet here he was, telling Kagami that he wouldn't be able to show up for an indeterminate amount of time, with vague reasoning...or not reasoning out at all. He was rather disappointed, sad even, that he might not be able to see his favourite rival. Kagami cleared his throat as he leaned on his knees, sitting on the bench by the court after cooling down from the countless time of their one-on-one.

"Uh, okay. You want to tell me why?"

"No reason at all. Just don't feel like it," replied the man nonchalantly, stretching his body as he yawned. Kagami felt like punching his throat for the insensitive answer, but he held it back, knowing that Aomine really, and forever will be, an insensitive bastard.

"Fine," his tone was rather sulky." Then I'll see you when you want to play. I'm heading home. See you when I see you." He picked up his stuff to walk off when a strong hand grabbed his arm, tugging it gently despite the monstrous energy and power Kagami knew that tanned teen possessed.

"Don't pull that shit on me, Kagami. You know I don't like that."

"What shit?"

"The whole 'fine' thing."

Kagami was pissed at himself for being easily readable by the bluenette. Then again, being in a relationship for almost a year would do that to any other couple.

Aomine didn't wait for the redhead to response.

"I said I won't be able to play one-on-one for now, not that I don't want to see you anymore. I'll still be coming to your place from time to time. Maybe everyday,"he let go of the other male's arm and pulled his hair back. "It depends."

"Huh?" Kagami retorted back, honestly dumbfounded by the statement he just heard.

"It's just – just nothing, okay?" his raspy voice toned down a notch in almost a whisper as he talked, giving a soothing affect on the redhead's mood." I just won't be around for a game or two, you can ask Tetsu to play with you if you're itching to go to the court. I'll still be around."

The Seirin's ace frowned, processing the information as he eyed the slightly taller man in front of him. He heaved out a sigh as he waved dismissively.

"Okay, fine. Whatever that is Aomine. And I mean I'm truly fine with it. I'm too lazy to bother on shits you're doing during your spare time anyway."

Kagami turned back and started walking out of the court, heading home just a few blocks away from their usual hung out place, other than his bed. Aomine dropped his worried look and switched it to his knee-weakening youthful smile. He slung his hand on the redhead shoulder, walking in-sync with the man that was once his source of objection and dejection. But that was a story of one year ago.

"Kagami, I feel like having beef stew tonight."

"Aomine? Oi Aomine, are you listening to me?"

Kagami waved his chopstick in front of Aomine's face, snapping the man out of his trance. He had one hand on the bowl of rice and another with chopstick, freezing midway in feeding himself another bite.

"Uh, oh, yeah. Sure," Aomine straightened himself, continue on eating as though nothing happened. Kagami eyed him suspiciously but continued on talking as he brought another bite to his mouth.

"Like I said, if we want to celebrate Christmas together this year, we have to do it early. My flight is on the 22nd, . So I'm thinking of cooking dinner for the two of us on the 21st."

"Huh, wait. What flight?"

"Flight to America, of course. My parents are expecting me to be there. Aomine," Kagami held back a berate. "We've talked about this."

Aomine scratched his head. "We did?"

Kagami sighed. "Yes, we did. Last week. I told you I'm not gonna be around during Christmas, saving you the trouble of waiting outside in the cold for me to open the door," his expression lightened, adorning look shone from his face. "You've been here almost everyday, the neighbours has started to think I've gotten myself a roommate."

"Only as a roommate? Seems like I haven't shown enough love for you outside," said the bluenette seductively, raising one of his eyebrows, running his toes up Kagami's foot up to his perfectly toned calf muscle. The redhead raised his leg until it banged under the table and stepped on Aomine's toes. He shoved yet another chunky bite of rice into his mouth; ignoring the man in front of him who had been cringing in pain rather exaggeratedly.

"No thank you. I have enough loving in the bed room and sometimes in the living room. Even the kitchen," his cheek pinked a little before he resumed. "Too much PDA is not my cup of tea and you know that."

"Tcch, I was just teasing," uttered the bluenette after he gave up on faking the pain, ignored by the redhead. He finished up his portion of the simple Japanese meal and said grace.

"Still," said Kagami, still munching before adding," You used to stop by here occasionally and I think that's fine, but you're here everyday this week. Not that I mind, but don't your parents get worried that you're not home?"

Aomine leaned back on the chair, sitting only on two legs, balancing with the tip of his fingers against the dining table.

"Huh, don't 're okay with that. Actually, they're kinda thrilled because I actually have a friend close enough to stay over at their place. My only friend since childhood is Satsuki and I can't stop by her place, can I? And Tetsu, well that dude is very secretive. He never let me come to his place."

Kagami nodded silently in agreement. He too, never had been to Kuroko's place. The whole of Seirin team had gone to visit each of their members house for post-game celebratory dinner, except Kuroko's. He had a lot of excuses, and they bought into it each time. The seniors had many postulations regarding that; the most ridiculous one they came up with was that Kuroko lives alone, and actually a psychotic murderer during his spare time. He cut his victims up and hung them all over the house; that was why he would never invite the team to come over. Kagami shuddered at the recollection of that creepy conversation in the locker room.

"Well, with that said," Aomine let his finger that was holding against the table go and the chair got on all four legs again. He stood up. "I'm going to sleep. You do today's dishes. I'll do the dishes for tomorrow. Wake me up if you want to have sex."

He walked away, yawned and stretched his hand high above his head, exposing his sculpted abs as he disappeared into the bedroom.

Once he was done eating, Kagami worked his way silently as he cleaned the table; mindful of the sleeping Aomine, although he knew even if a bomb were to explode next to his ears, he still wouldn't wake up.

There was no way in hell that Kagami was gonna let this one slide. It had been two weeks since Aomine told him not to play one-on-one with him. Correction, he wouldn't be able to play one-on-one with him. And for two weeks straight, Aomine had been coming to his home drop dead tired for whatever reason that only god knows. The first week was still okay, he'd be able to stay conscious while waiting for dinner, eat his food before he went off to bed. By the end the second week, his eyes was barely open when Kagami opened the door, the hours he drop by getting later and later each day. He'd sprawled out on the couch, sleeping with drools dripping from his open mouth as he waited for Kagami to cook dinner. Sometimes when he was too hungry, he went to check on Kagami in the kitchen only to end up falling asleep on the counter as he watched the redhead work his magic on food, sitting atop of a barstool. One time the bluenette fell on the floor, and even then that he escaped the incident with a markedly large bruise over his left side of the forehead, he wasn't waking up.

Kagami wanted to ask him so bad, but he hate to go back on his word he said then – not caring a shit at whatever things his lover could be doing in his spare time. He obviously cared too much. He wasn't scared that the bluenette would cheat on him; obviously because there was no way they could go back to the live they used to have before they had each other. Their bottomless passion for basketball. Their untamed pride. Their unlimited drive in seeking sexual pleasure. Their idiotic way of expressing were perfectly made for one another in every way possible; a definition of a match made in heaven. Although they never said a word about it, both of the proud fool felt that it they were right for each other, and there was no one else they'd wish for other than Aomine for Kagami and Kagami for Aomine.

With the possibility of Aomine goofing off with some other girls (or guys for that matter) crossed off, Kagami came to a dead end. He wasn't good at thinking, and coming out with bad stuffs of other people. He had faith in humanity, not everyone was as bad as everyone thought he or she was. No matter how suspicious he was of the situation, he still couldn't come up with something to reason out or fend off the dark thoughts that were growing in him. Eyeing at the blissfully sleeping creature;chest rising and falling, face nudging on his shoulder, Kagami came up with a conclusion before shutting his eyes, letting himself be dragged down the slumberland.

.

TBC

Even though I don't celebrate christmas, I feel compelled to write this. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it! Thanks for reading! :)