Aomine Daiki's Infatuation. - Aomine X Reader.

The Mask We Wear

Aomine soundlessly – to my and Momoi's surprise – dribbles the ball to and fro effortlessly. His movements are steady, almost hypnotic, as he weaves the ball between his legs and behind his back. The rhythmic thud of the ball against the polished gymnasium floor ripples through the space. Momoi's eyes dart to mine, silently guiding my gaze to the tall, navy-haired male.

Feeling our eyes on him, Aomine turns, his piercing blue orbs locking onto my [e/c] ones. Without breaking eye contact, he launches into a perfect shooting form. The ball arcs through the air, and we hear the solid detonation of it rushing through the hoop and thudding to the floor – a plain-sailing three-pointer.

His eyes wander between mine and Momoi's, and his demeanour darkens as he becomes irritated. The air in the gym seems to thicken with tension.

"What are you two looking at? Do I have something on me or what?" His gruff voice booms, echoing through the large open space. I can't help but recoil slightly at the aggressiveness in his tone, my shoulders instinctively hunching.

"Dai, seriously? No need to be so harsh!" Momoi scolds him as though he's a petulant child, her hands on her hips and a frown marring her usually cheerful features.

"Tche. Quit staring and get back to work, will you?" He aggravatingly replies, running a hand through his short, spiky hair.

"Dai, it's literally my job to observe the players, you know that! And besides, [y/n] is here to help me out," Momoi replied, rolling her eyes at his ignorance. "So maybe you should stop being such a grump and let us do our thing!"

Aomine lumbers in the direction of the gym doors, his long strides closing the gap quickly. With a familiar, dismissive "Whatever," he walks out the door, leaving a loud thud behind him that echoes throughout the empty room.

I can't help but wonder why his responses are always so abrupt. Every word he says appears to be a repetition of a few common phrases: "Tche," "go away," "shut up," or some other variation of an insult. It makes me wonder – who hurt him? The question remains in my mind, running through my thoughts as I observe the empty space where he left.

Momoi exchanged an apologetic smile, her pink eyes shimmering with concern as she approached me. "I wish I could take care of this myself, [y/n], but I'm completely swamped right now. Could you please check on Aomine for me? I'd really appreciate it!" Her voice wavered slightly, and she bit her lower lip in hesitation, making it clear how much she valued my help.

"I've got this, no problem at all! I'll be back before you even miss me." I assured her, already heading towards the exit. I wondered where the team's ace had disappeared to as I followed after him. Think Aomine... 

The roof, of course...

My heart races with a mixture of excitement and fear as I stand at the foot of a steel ladder that leads to the school roof. Here goes nothing. I let out a slow, shaky breath, feeling the bite of the crisp fall air against my skin. I start to climb, the metal rungs feeling cold under my hands, every step resonating in the silence surrounding me. The cool wind twirls in my hair, resembling leaves blown by a light wind. Looking back as I climb, I see the sun setting behind distant buildings, transforming the sky into a palette of vivid orange and pink tones that stand out against the crisp evening air.

"Aomine, are you up here?" I call out softly, scanning the space for any signs of him. My eyes finally land on his limp form, sprawled out on the concrete. I meander over to his lying figure, noting how peaceful he looks when he's not scowling.

I shake him gently, and he responds to my continuous prodding with a quiet groan. To my disbelief, his large hands immediately clasped around mine, encasing my fingers in warmth. He murmurs, his voice heavy with tiredness, "Shh... I was hoping for some peace and quiet up here," lowering my delicate hands with unexpected gentleness.

I sit there, my mouth slightly agape as my heart pounds against my chest. This is the most delicate I've ever seen Aomine with anything or anyone. Until now, all I've witnessed is his heavy-handedness, a stark contrast to the tenderness he's showing now. It's a curious sight, one that makes me wonder what lies beneath his tough exterior.

Not wanting to disturb the peaceful atmosphere but feeling I had no other choice, I called out his name again, shaking him a bit more insistently this time. "Aomine, come on. We need to talk."

Slowly, he cracked open his navy-blue eyes, narrowing them into a glare that conveyed his unmistakable displeasure.

"Look, I get that you want to be left alone, and trust me, I'd rather not be here either, but don't you think you should be focusing on the upcoming games? Practising should really be your top priority right now." I ask, hesitating as I worry that I might be overstepping my boundaries.

A heavy silence embraces us as he pulls himself up from the roof, each powerful arm straining against the weight of his body. Usually intense and piercing, his eyes seemed cold and far away, as though a storm was forming right below the surface. "Why bother practising? The only one who can beat me is me," he says, his voice laced with arrogance and a hint of something deeper. Is it sadness? dissatisfaction? It's difficult to say, but the vulnerability hidden beneath his arrogance sends a ripple of unease through me.

Before I can respond, he launches from the roof in one fluid motion, leaving behind only a sense of perplexity and the residual warmth where his hands had held mine. For a passing moment, I could have sworn I saw a shadow of sorrow appear across his features – a rare glimpse of fragility in the usually indestructible Aomine Daiki. It was as if, in that brief instant, the walls he had built around himself momentarily crumbled, revealing a depth of emotion that left me both intrigued and concerned.

As I observe his departing form, a mix of fascination and worry overtakes me. What mysteries are hidden under that hard exterior? I can't shake the impression that there's more to Aomine than meets the eye. Will anyone ever be able to break through the barriers he has constructed around himself?