Work Text:
When Midorima meets Kise for the first time, he’s sure Akashi is playing a joke on the team.
For one thing, this Kise is loud; bright yellow hair, bright golden eyes, and a voice that carries. The only thing the other kid has going for him is that he’s tall. Not as tall as Midorima of course, but among the height of the other Miracles. He pulls Akashi aside to tell him his impression.
“We don’t need him,” he says, playing with his lucky item (a squeeze ball).
“Shintarō.”
Midorima stiffens at Akashi’s tone. It erases all the protests bubbling up on his tongue. Akashi’s clearly already made up his mind about this one, much like when he recruited the quiet one, Kuroko. So, Midorima sighs and contends to himself that at least today Cancer is doing the best of all the zodiac. Well, second best to Gemini.
**
When they start a scrimmage, Midorima begrudgingly starts to see what Akashi sees. Well, partially what Akashi see. Even though Kise is loud and obnoxious, often fighting with Aomine, he doesn’t go around looking for fights like some people on the team. Midorima can respect him for that. But that’s it.
Somehow though, it ends up being just Kise and him in the locker room after practice. He doesn’t realize it until he feels someone’s eyes on the side of his face. He shuts his locker door shut and turns to glare.
“What?” Midorima snaps, wishing it didn’t take so long to unwrap and rewrap his fingers.
“You’re just like, a total nerd, yeah? Or at least, you look like one,” Kise says, small smirk on his thin, chapped lips.
“And you’re a C-list model.” Midorima roots through his gym bag for his tape.
Kise scoffs but manages a quick laugh. “A mouthy nerd, I see.”
Midorima takes a deep. And then another one. It does little to douse his kindled ire. When he finally looks up, Kise is too close and in his personal space. There’s a look in his golden eyes that Midorima immediately decides he doesn’t like.
“When’s your birthday?”
Kise blinks at him, confusion driving out the previous emotion from his eyes. “June eighteenth. Why?”
Midorima stiffens even more. Of course the new guy he can’t stand has the upper hand on his first day. It’s unfair and reminds him of when he met Kuroko. Why are all the new ones so bothersome?
Apparently Midorima’s taking too long to answer because Kise takes it upon himself to poke him in the cheek, leaning ever closer. “Why?”
Midorima slaps his hand away before Kise can do it again. When he sees that long finger in his peripheral move again, he snatches it and turns to face Kise fully. “God, you’re annoying. I wanted to know what your zodiac sign was.”
Kise looks from his caught finger to Midorima’s serious green eyes. Then he smirks. “Awww, are you in love with me Midorima?”
Midorima sputters and practically throws Kise’s finger away from him. “Absolutely n–”
Midorima’s protest is cut off by perfectly moisturized lips meeting his. The kiss is firm and Kise bites his bottom lip before pulling away with a cheeky grin.
“Count yourself lucky, Midorimacchi.”