Chapter Text
Eight years later.
"I now pronounce you husband and wife!"
A roar of cheering and clapping erupted from the audience at the statement. Riko and Hyuuga were standing under the altar, the latter a blushing mess, but Riko didn't hesitate to surge forward and wrap her arms around her new husband's neck, kissing him deeply. They'd never been one for formality, anyway.
It'd been eight years since Aomine and Kagami had first started dating at training camp (it had been a bit of a rocky road for them to start officially dating actually, but they'd managed). Riko and Hyuuga had started dating not long after, which had come as a surprise to literally no one. While many of their old basketball friends had gone on to do other things for their careers, graduating university and only continuing basketball as a hobby (Akashi had somehow gotten even richer??), Aomine and Kagami had both gone pro, playing together in the B1 League for team Alvark Tokyo. Playing together for once was certainly different than what they'd been used to, but it wasn't unwelcome.
Though they had to keep their relationship a secret to the public, within their circle of friends, it was common knowledge. They were Aomine and Kagami, always bickering yet always attached at the hip. They'd done a good job at keeping their relationship a secret, but the public adored the pair's "friendship" on the court. They'd decided to let that slide.
Riko and Hyuuga's wedding wasn't a traditional one, the pair having opted for a more laid-back event. It was at a smaller venue, the reception in the same location as the ceremony. It was an easy transition from the end of their vows to the beginning of the reception, buffet tables rolled into the space and soft music started from the speakers. Opting to not slow dance together (that would certainly look suspicious on their end), Aomine and Kagami instead found two seats near the edge of the dancefloor, watching the others. Riko and Hyuuga were clumsy as they slow danced, giggling and nearly stepping on each other's feet, but that only made it feel more natural, more like them. Kagami couldn't help but smile at the way Riko buried her face in Hyuuga's neck, swaying to the music without a care in the world.
"I'm glad things worked out for those two," Aomine commented idly from beside Kagami. He'd put some effort into his appearance for once, wearing a fitted navy-blue suit. The pair didn't know everyone attending the ceremony, so they hadn't decided to outwardly match, but if Aomine's tie happened to be the same colour as the thin bracelet around Kagami's wrist, that was just a coincidence.
Kagami raised an eyebrow. "Really? I didn't think you would've cared much about what happened between them,"
"I'm not heartless. Yeah, Aida scared the shit outta me when we were younger, but I think those two are good for each other."
"She's not Aida anymore. Much to some people's dismay."
Kagami nodded his head in the direction of Riko's father. Despite the low lights of the venue, it was easy to see the ugly tears streaming down his face. Hyuuga had surely gone through a long series of interrogations before being deemed suitable to marry Riko. It was a miracle the man had survived.
Aomine snickered just a bit too loudly at the sight of Riko's father, forcing him to slap a hand over his mouth. The act made Kagami laugh too, (poorly) concealing his amusement by clearing his throat.
They eventually quieted down, going back to watching the dance. It was Aomine who spoke up next, voice far quieter than before.
"I've been doing some thinking recently," he started.
"You? Thinking? That's new."
"Oh shut up. I've been doing some thinking about the future and stuff. Boring, I know."
Aomine had grown up a lot over the years, far more able to communicate and control his temper, but he still wasn't perfect. Kagami was patient as the other man formulated his thoughts.
"There's a lot of stuff I'm not sure about, but seeing all the idiots around us getting married...it's like...I feel like-"
The slow song Hyuuga and Riko had been dancing to ended, extremely loud pop music immediately replacing it. Both Aomine and Kagami jumped at the abrupt shift in tone. Riko's music taste certainly hadn't gotten much better since they were teenagers.
Despite that, people were actually going to the dance floor, beginning to jump around and chat. Koganei and Izuki were quick to begin something close to dancing, Kiyoshi watching them with an amused smile as he shuffled beside them. Momoi, who Riko had become good friends with after their training camp had ended, immediately went to begin dancing, too, somehow managing to drag Kuroko with her. As soon as she saw Aomine, she turned her attention to him, and Kuroko, that slippery bastard, managed to disappear back into the crowd.
"Oh God," Aomine groaned as he noticed Momoi waving, though the small smile on his face gave away that he wasn't totally against dancing. "I've gotta go appease Satsuki for a while, I guess. Are you coming?"
This time, Kagami didn't bother hiding his snicker. "I don't dance, Aomine. I'll go to the buffet."
"Of course you'd abandon me for food."
If they were in private, that would be Kagami's cue to kiss his partner, but he settled for brightening his teasing smile, motioning towards the dance floor. "Guilty as charged. Now go on, have fun."
With a grumble, Aomine stood up and headed to Momoi, immediately getting bombarded with a hug. Kagami chuckled at the sight, before staying true to his word. The buffet table was waiting for him.
He got caught up at the buffet table, chatting with old teammates and friends (Kuroko still managed to sneak up on him, he had no clue how). By the time he was back to where he and Aomine were sitting, the latter had already been spared by Momoi, released back off of the dance floor. Kagami hadn't gotten him his own plate of food, but he'd grabbed a second set of chopsticks, pushing them in his direction. Aomine took them gratefully, popping a piece of sushi into his mouth.
"If all wedding catering is this good, we should go to more of them," Kagami said appreciatively, savouring his food. "But wait, you were saying something earlier, right?"
"I was, yeah." He opened his mouth to start speaking (he still hadn't finished chewing; age hadn't improved his manners), before letting out a frustrated sigh. "I don't know how to put this."
"It's alright, take your time."
"Last time I tried to take my time, I ended up getting interrupted by this shitty mus-"
"Alright single ladies, get ready for the bouquet toss!"
Kagami had offhandedly mentioned the western bouquet toss tradition to Momoi once, and based on how excitedly she stood up to stand near Riko, she'd probably managed to convince the bride that it was a fun idea, too. The small handful of other single women attending the reception soon followed Momoi's example, all ready to catch the bouquet. From where Aomine and Kagami sat, they had a perfect view of what was going on. Whatever Aomine had been saying before was quickly forgotten.
Riko looked excited as she turned around, counting down before tossing her bouquet over her shoulder. Never one to do anything half-heartedly though, she tossed the bouquet a little (okay, a lot) too far. It soared right over the heads of the women behind her, smacking Kagami right in the head.
"Oww, what the hell?"
The bouquet dropped down into Kagami's lap, leaving him baffled. Aomine had burst out into unadulterated laughter, practically wheezing. Riko turned around to look at the commotion, giving Kagami a sheepish smile when she saw what she'd done.
"Sorry!" she called out, despite being on the verge of laughter herself.
Kagami didn't have time to respond before Momoi had bounded up to their table, bubbly smile on her face. "Looks like you're gonna be the one getting married next!" Momoi said, before furrowing her eyebrows. "That's how the bouquet toss thing works, right? I kind of just wanted the flowers."
"You can take them."
Momoi accepted the flowers from Kagami gratefully, holding them close to her chest. Instead of returning them to wherever she'd been sitting, though, she prodded Aomine with them.
"You two are being antisocial," she said, not exactly wrong. "You're not even at a proper table! Let's go round up everyone here from our old teams and all sit together. It'll be just like old times!"
Kagami had managed to talk to everyone who'd been invited from their old team, and all of the people he'd met from Tōō as well, but he had to admit that it would b nice for them to all be together again. He looked to Aomine for permission, unsure if he'd want to. To Kagami's surprise, Aomine smiled at the offer, hefting himself up onto his feet.
"Lead the way, Satsuki."
✸✸✸
The reception winded to a close a few hours later, the night having been a flurry of laughter and catching up. It'd been nice, getting to see everyone in a big group again. Kagami hadn't realized how much he'd missed their high school days.
Still, by the end of the reception, Kagami's social battery was fully drained. He and Aomine took an Uber home, getting dropped off a few blocks away from their actual apartment. They'd moved in together two years ago, but they still made sure to keep their address and living situation as low-profile as possible.
Kagami didn't mind the extra walk home, anyway. The sky was ominous at best, the air just a tad bit too cool, but he'd take all the alone time with Aomine that he could get. He dared to reach out and clasp his hand, intertwining their fingers.
"What? Missed latching onto me?"
Despite the joking cockiness in Aomine's tone, Kagami answered honestly. "Yes, actually."
As much as he didn't like admitting it to Aomine, it was hard for Kagami to not talk about their relationship in public, especially since he'd grown up in such a different society than Aomine. They had to keep up appearances for the sake of their careers, Kagami knew that, but it was still a hard pill to swallow.
Sensing Kagami's mood, Aomine's voice dipped into seriousness as well. "...I'm sorry, It's...hard, being like this."
"You have nothing to apologize for. It's not our fault we have to keep things a secret."
"I know that much, I just...Can't help but wish I could be someone different sometimes. Someone you could actually go out with in public, like most men and women can."
"I bet you wished I was the woman, though, considering all those magazines you used to stash."
"Hey!"
Kagami nudged at Aomine's side, the other man retaliating with a fake scowl. The action dissolved them into comfortable laughter, lightening the mood, but there were still feelings in the air. A lingering sense of longing.
Aomine straightened up, face back to one more serious. "Jokes aside, though, something's been on my mind for a while now," he said. "I decided that I want to-Was that a raindrop?"
A moment after Aomine had spoken, Kagami also felt a raindrop land on his forehead, followed by another, then another. The sky had opened up, quickly beginning to rain. While it didn't phase Kagami, Aomine cursed under his breath. With a real scowl this time, he grabbed Kagami's wrist, picking up their pace towards their apartment.
"Hey! Don't drag me, idiot-I know how to walk!"
Though Aomine's grip loosened, he didn't slow down, apparently deadset on speedwalking back home. Kagami was left to follow after him the whole way back, completely oblivious (as usual) to what was going on.
The pair's clothes were near soaking by the time they arrived back at their apartment, entering through the side door. Kagami had expected Aomine would let up once they got inside, maybe he just didn't like the rain (Kagami had grown rather fond of it since their teenage days, though Aomine would always make fun of him whenever he mentioned it). Instead, though, he only got faster, skipping the wait for the elevator in favour of hauling them both up the stairs. By the time they'd reached their door, Aomine silently fishing the keys out of his pocket and jamming them into the lock (it took him a few tries to actually get it in; Kagami thought it best to not point that out), Kagami was thoroughly confused. He was used to the other man's moodiness by now, but this was uncharacteristic.
"Daiki, what happened to you being a well-adjusted member of society?" he asked as Aomine finally got the door open, pulling it with more force than neccesary. "Seriously, tell me what's wrong and I can-"
In one swift movement, Aomine pulled Kagami into the apartment. He immediately turned to crowd Kagami's space, sending his back to the sidewall. The look on Aomine's face was angry, that usual frustration in his eyes that he'd had far more often as a teenager, but it wasn't quite the same. He didn't seem angry at Kagami, almost the opposite.
"I've been trying to talk to you all night, but every single time I had the balls to bring it up, something interrupted us!" he yelled. With the redness in his cheeks, his angriness almost seemed more like...nervousness? "How many more times do I have to try and say I want to marry you?"
Kagami suddenly forgot how to speak Japanese (and English, and literally any other coherent sequence of sounds). He blubbered for a moment, before finally managing a response. "What? Marry?" Nice one, Kagami.
"Yes, that's what I said, are you deaf?" His voice had taken on a more desperate tone, his yelling more directed at the general room than Kagami himself. "I've been thinking about packing up and moving to the US with you for months now, and watching your two dumb teammates act so grossly in love made me realize how much I want that! You can join the NBA, and I'll be your stupid househusband until I get drafted too, and we can have a stupid house and stupid matching wedding rings and won't have to pretend like we haven't been dating for seven years!"
Aomine's words tumbled out of his mouth, loud and barely coherent and yep, he was definitely nervous. As soon as he was done, ending his speech with a heavy intake of breath, neither of them spoke. What could Kagami even say? Aomine had just said everything he'd ever dreamed could happen, everything he'd fantasied about but dismissed as too unrealistic so out of the blue. And he'd tried to declare all that hours ago in the middle of a wedding?
As the absurdity of the situation dawned on him, Kagami began to laugh. More of a giggle, really, spewing out of him uncontrollably and forcing his hands to wrap around his sides. He couldn't even quell his laughter for long enough to speak, words coming out in between wheezes.
"I can't believe it. That's what you've been wanting to tell me?"
Aomine's face had morphed into a deep frown, though after so many years, Kagami could tell it was the kind he wore when he was feeling vulnerable (frowns subbed in for a lot of his emotions, Kagami had learned). "Don't laugh. Why are you laughing? Does this sound like a joke to you?"
"No, no! That's just crazy!" Kagami reached out to cup Aomine's face, feeling how hot his skin was. "But like, kinda good crazy. How do you know about the NBA thing?"
Some of the unease had melted from Aomine's face, and he let out a scoff. "You're terrible at hiding things, Kagami. I know scouts have been requesting meetings with you, you've just rejected them all. Like an idiot."
"I'm not an idiot, I just...I dunno! The thought of you wanting to move to a different country just seemed ridiculous! You barely even speak English!"
"It is pretty ridiculous," Aomine admitted, "but we can figure it out. I just...really want to be with you, Taiga."
The air between them had simmered, an intimate bubble surrounding them. There wasn't anything else Kagami could think about, just the sincerity laid bare on Aomine's face, and the genuineness in his eyes. Kagami wanted to see that look whenever he wanted: At the park, during social events, in restaurants with their friends. They rarely got like this, so quiet but Kagami didn't mind.
"And you...want to marry me?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper. "For real?"
Aomine nodded, moving Kagami's hands away from his face to press their foreheads together. His words were for Kagami and Kagami only. "For real. We don't have to plan anything for awhile, but I just wanted you to know."
"You didn't get me a ring?"
Aomine actually stammered at that, eyes going wide. "I-I mean, I can get you one if you're into that sort of stuff-"
"I was joking, loser."
Finally closing the distance between them, Kagami pressed a kiss to Aomnine's lips. It wasn't too deep or long, just a brush, but it sent a pleasant trickle of warmth all through Kagami's body anyway. Aomine chased his lips giving him another kiss and God, Kagami was in love.
"Let's talk about this more later," he said, putting just a bit more space between them, but still keeping close, "when we're not, y'know, shivering and soaking wet."
As if a spell had been broken, Aomine blinked, looking down at the two of them. They'd brought the rain into their apartment, dripping puddles on the floor.
"Oh, yeah. I didn't even notice."
"Of course you didn't. Now c'mon, let's go get undressed."
Aomine had the audacity to smirk. "Undressed or undressed?"
Though Kagami rolled his eyes, fully stepping away from Aomine to head towards their bedroom, he couldn't hide the smile on his face. Aomine laughed, bright and clear, and latched right onto Kagami's back. A flurry of bickering sparked between the pair as they half-shuffled, half-stumbled down the hallway together, insults mixed in with laugher and peppered kisses. Kagami had no clue what would happen in the future, where they would end up or who they would become, but he knew he wanted to be with Aomine. No matter the circumstances, no matter how many hoops they had to leap through to be together, they would manage. Kagami would do anything for him.
Only for him.