Return the favour ~Aomine x reader~

Chapter 20 ~ Atsuhi's house ~

We sat on the couch, both angled towards each other, but the silence between us felt heavier than it should. My hands twitched in my lap, fingers absentmindedly playing with the hem of my t-shirt. I could feel his eyes on me, but I couldn't bring myself to meet them.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming here?" His voice finally broke the stillness, low and measured, forcing my gaze up to meet his.

"I didn't think you'd want to know." The words slipped out before I could stop them, and just as quickly, I averted my eyes again, unable to face the weight of his reaction.

He didn't respond right away. I could feel the tension building in the silence, the space between us shrinking even though neither of us moved.

"Does it bother you?" I asked quietly, my thoughts wandering to what Atsushi had said earlier.

"Of course it doesn't. It just looks bad." His tone was calm, though a bit strained. "Why is my girlfriend going to another man's house, alone?"

It was what he said, but his face told a different story. His brows were knit, lips pressed into a thin line—an uneasiness he wasn't quite hiding. Was he trying to convince me, or himself?

"Atsushi already knows," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Again, no response. His expression shifted into something unreadable, the silence thickening once more. I couldn't look at him. I couldn't handle what might be in his eyes. But I knew he was still watching me. I could feel it.

"Okay." His reply was quiet, like he was trying to convince himself of something.

Without another word, he stood up, casting one final glance my way before heading to the door. The soft thud of his footsteps echoed in the quiet room, and then he disappeared into the hallway.

I sat there for a moment, the emptiness in the room closing in around me. Should I follow him? I wasn't sure.  should I address the clear feelings of uncertainty between us is there something missing? But before I could decide, I heard footsteps descending the stairs.

I got up and moved to the doorway, peeking out just in time to see Atsushi standing at the bottom of the stairs, his gaze flicking between Aomine and me—oblivious to the tension in the air. Aomine ignored him completely, focused on putting on his shoes and coat. Atsushi stopped shifting his head between us and turned to me. I broke eye contact, silently telling him the conversation had led nowhere. He sighed, almost resigned.

"Mine-chin," he called in his usual lazy tone.

Aomine finished getting ready, barely turning his head to acknowledge him. Atsushi didn't respond, instead, he looked at me.

"Go back into the living room, Y/N," he said calmly.

I hesitated, glancing at Aomine to see if he had anything to say, but he didn't even look my way. Taking that as my cue, I walked back into the living room, leaving the two alone.

Minutes passed. I tried to make out the muffled voices coming from the hallway but couldn't grasp a word. Eventually, the front door clicked shut, and Atsushi walked into the room, sinking onto the sofa beside me. I looked at him, curiosity written all over my face.

"If you failed to eavesdrop, it's meant to be a secret," he chuckled softly, barely audible.

"You knew?!" I asked, shocked, thinking I had been discreet.

"There was an unusual amount of rustling coming from the other side of the wall," he teased, reaching for a game controller and handing it to me. "You wouldn't make a very good spy."

I took the controller from him, letting the conversation drop, though I was still dying to know what had been said. For some reason, I was especially curious about what Aomine had to say. But I brushed the thought away, not wanting it to ruin the time I was spending with Atsushi.

We played the game for a while, until I grew tired. Well, I did—Atsushi outlasted me, which was a rare feat for anyone.

"You should get going, Y/N. It's late," Atsushi suggested, his voice casual.

"Yeah, you're right," I said, glancing at the time. It was nearly 11 p.m. "I guess I overstayed, huh?" I added with a sheepish laugh.

I headed to the hallway to grab my shoes and noticed Aomine's scarf hanging on the coat rack. After a moment's hesitation, I picked it up, holding it in my hands, deciding not to put it on.

Atsushi followed me out.

"Oh, you don't have to come with me," I said, feeling a bit embarrassed as he walked closer to the door.

"I'm not," he replied lazily. "I need to lock up after you leave."

"Of course," I muttered, feeling slightly flustered for assuming otherwise.

"Don't get me wrong, I would," he added, pausing as he opened the door. "But someone beat me to it."

He gestured outside, signalling for me to look. My mouth dropped open in surprise, my expression giving me away entirely.

Aomine stood just outside the gate, facing the road. The snowfall had eased, making it easier to see him. His hands were buried deep in his coat pockets, his hair tousled, yet somehow neat. From where I stood, I could see the slight pink tinge to his nose from the cold, the mist of his breath hanging in the air. The only thing missing from the scene was the scarf I held in my hands.

"Get home safe, Y/N," Atsushi said softly, nudging me forward before shutting the door behind me.

I lingered on the doorstep, watching Aomine from a distance, so many questions swirling in my mind. How long had he been standing out here? Why was he waiting? I watched as he shifted his weight slightly, looking around aimlessly.

Then, he turned his head and caught sight of me. His expression softened for a moment before he quickly masked it with his usual unreadable look. We stared at each other, both asking silent questions neither of us had the courage to voice.

I noticed him shiver slightly, the cold clearly getting to him. Without thinking, I crossed the distance between us and wrapped the scarf around his neck, my hands lingering for just a moment as I gazed into his eyes. I still wanted answers, but I kept my distance, respecting the invisible line between us.

Just as I was about to step back, I felt Aomine's body press against mine. His arms wrapped around me in a tight embrace, pulling me close. My breath hitched in my throat.

"Don't you want to keep your boyfriend warm?" he murmured softly into my ear, his breath warm against the side of my neck as he rested his head on my shoulder.

I stood there, heart pounding, my mind racing with unspoken words.