promises like photo-shoots

A Kuroko no Basuke drabble

by mew-tsubaki

Note: The Kuroko no Basuke characters belong to Fujimaki Tadatoshi-sensei, not to me. A year after starting to read the manga, I ate up the first anime season. So it was about time to write something. XD Read, review, and enjoy!

- ^-^3

Moriyama turned around with a sigh, stubbornly refusing to look at Kise while the younger player silently cried. The Kaijou team had almost made it outside to their ride. If only they could make it back with their dignity intact…

Kise sniffled and swiped at his eyes. He knew the loss had hurt his teammates, too, not just him and Kasamatsu. And he understood, looking at the rigid backs of Moriyama and Kobori, that it was important to leave with their heads held high—

"Oi, Moriyama," Kobori said. "Kasamatsu still hasn't caught up with us."

Moriyama cursed as the Kaijou team slowed to a stop. "Yeah, I can see that…"

Kise perked up and opened his mouth.

But Moriyama held up a hand to stop him. "Don't even think about running after him, Kise. I still mean it—you've gotta let Kasamatsu have a moment to himself." He turned back to the others. "C'mon, guys. Let's head outside."

Kise glared at Moriyama's back…but then he smiled. Moriyama had said not to chase after Kasamatsu, but he'd said nothing about waiting for Kasamatsu. And since that was the case, Kise took several deep breaths and ran a hand over his face. After all, he preferred to greet Kasamatsu with a smile. And Kasamatsu loved to kick or hit that smile off his face. It was a win-win in Kise's book.

He started to worry when another five minutes passed and Kasamatsu had yet to show up, but then Kise turned and saw his senpai trudging towards him and the exit.

"Senpai!"

Kasamatsu picked up his head and squinted at Kise. His eyes were red and slightly puffy. "Kise… Why're you still here?"

"Waiting for you," the blond said as he fell in step with Kasamatsu. "The guys just went outside. They're waiting for us."

Kasamatsu scowled. "That's not—" He grunted.

Kise eyed his face carefully. Kasamatsu was frowning, but his already angry eyebrows were pinched together. He was holding something back. "What is it, senpai?" he asked, resting his left arm on his senior's right shoulder. To his surprise, Kasamatsu didn't shake him off.

"You…didn't come after me."

"Ah, well…" Kise looked at anywhere besides Kasamatsu. "Well, Moriyama-senpai said not to…"

Kasamatsu managed a chuckle. "You're obedient, Kise."

"That's a good thing, right?"

"You're obedient to a fault."

Kise winced. "And that's a bad thing."

Kasamatsu pushed Kise's arm off him. "It can be. You're like Hachiko sometimes."

"A dog?! Kasamatsu-senpai… I even met Kuroko's dog earlier, so your timing…" He sighed. "Senpai, do I annoy you that much?" He halted.

The shorter male glanced back at him. "No, you don't. But," he added when Kise's face lit up once more, "you do sometimes."

Kise's face fell. "What? When?"

Kasamatsu reddened and looked away. "Like earlier. I was expecting you to—to come back for me. I even waited a few minutes, and you never showed up."

"Eh?" Kise blinked in disbelief. "Really?" he asked quietly.

Kasamatsu was fully red, but he growled. "Ugh, yes! Now shut up and don't make me repeat myself!" he yelled as he pushed Kise, who'd stepped much too close, back. "Listen! You're going to make me a promise! And it's the one promise you can't ever renege on! I don't care what the situation is or the time or the place, but you must always come after me. Got it? In school, out of school, on or off the court—if you're going to annoy me, you can't do it halfheartedly. You're supposed to dog my heels relentlessly."

Kise pouted. "Another dog pun? Really…?"

Kasamatsu rolled his eyes and turned his back on Kise. "Fine, if you won't listen—"

"No, no, I'm listening!" Kise insisted, and he threw an arm around Kasamatsu's shoulders as they headed outside and spotted their teammates waiting for them. Hayakawa pointed to his wrist, gesturing about the time.

"So you promise?"

"I promise, I do." Kise grinned and tugged on Kasamatsu's pinky finger. "Pinky promise, the most solemn of promises."

"You're an airhead, Kise."

"Aw, I love you, too, senpai."

The older boy rolled his eyes again, but Kise was fairly certain he saw Kasamatsu redden again. "Anyway," Kasamatsu said, avoiding replying to Kise's remark, "a promise is a promise. I think it's about time you return the favor anyway. After all, whether on the court or about your poor grades, aren't I always keeping after you?"

"Did you have to mention my grades…?" Kise paused right before they got in the Kaijou van to head home. "Wait, if I'm busy at a shoot and you need me…"

"No 'buts.' You promised."

They sat down in the front and the van pulled away, Touou the last thought on their minds at last. Kise settled in his seat a little closer to Kasamatsu than normal. "You didn't let me finish. All I was going to say was that those are the times where it might take me a little longer to reach you." His brown eyes sidled over to his senpai's face, enjoying the other boy's flustered expression. "I didn't say I wouldn't come."

- ^-^3

GAH. X3 I ship KiKasa/Kisekasa waaay too much. Like, it's stupid how badly I ship them. I ship Aokise, too, but…ARGH. Kise's chemistry with Kasamatsu's too adorable. *dithering* Not too terrible for my first KnB fic, though, I think. I think I'll get better as I watch more (as it stands, I'm early in season 2, but I've watched everything—even the bloopers, *lol*—up to that). I really had to wonder about the loss to Touou, though… Moriyama had a good point about giving Kasamatsu some space, but I do think it would've been all right to let at least Kise go after him, because even platonically there's something about their relationship… I think they actually depend on each other. :] And dunno how they got home, but let's vote for a team van in lieu of bus or train. :D

Well, thanks for reading, and please review!

-mew-tsubaki :3