Adored [Free!] [KnB]

39

Makoto stood in the doorway of the staff room right before Kagami could rush through it and disappear for another day.  Makoto put his hands on his hips, pushing his shoulders back, he wanted to have it out with Kagami, he wasn't going to keep being pushed to the sidelines.  "Where are you going now?"

"Home," Kagami shouldered his messenger bag.  He took a step forward, hoping Makoto would move but he didn't.  "I have a lot of class stuff I need to do."

"Right, because spending so much time with Aomine can really set back your class work."  Makoto couldn't stop the words from spilling out of his mouth.  He didn't want to be so bitchy, but for some reason, he couldn't stop himself.

"Dammit Makoto," he clicked his tongue, trying to push past Makoto but Makoto only stepped more in his way.  "Just let me go, okay?"

"Let you go so you can ignore me for another two weeks?"  Makoto looked up at Kagami, brows pulled together in a sad expression.

Kagami could see the hurt in his green eyes and he really did feel bad about it.  He hadn't meant to ignore Makoto the way he had, he just couldn't face Makoto.  After everything he'd been through and how Makoto had been there with him, he felt like he didn't deserve Makoto's friendship.  He sighed, looking down at him, "I'm sorry, I've been with Aomine practically all the time lately and I'm sorry I hurt you."

Makoto let out a long sigh, letting his hands fall from his hips.  "Why did you ignore me?  I mean even when you were here, you barely talked."

Kagami stepped back, walking back into the staff room and sitting by the cubbies.  "I'm embarrassed, okay?  I didn't want you to think that I'm weak for being with Aomine."

Makoto walked in, closing the door behind him so they could have some privacy.  He sat next to Kagami, "I don't think you're weak."

Kagami shrugged, looking down at the tile floor beneath his feet, "I think I am."  Makoto could only look at him, he didn't know what to say.  Kagami glanced over at him, he could see the concern edging his face.  He laughed to himself, "I'm always with Aomine because I'm afraid that when I'm not, he'll find someone else."

Makoto rested a hand on Kagami's shoulder, rubbing it gently, "Kagami, you can't think like that.  You need to live your own life, not surrounded by whether or not he's alive in it."

"I have to," Kagami shook his head, "I know I'm not enough for Aomine, I don't think I ever was."  He lifted his head, looking at Makoto, "I have done things for him, things I never thought I'd do, things I'm not even keen on doing... I'm just afraid that if I don't, I'll lose him."

"Maybe you should talk to him about it?  I don't think he'd leave you after all of this," Makoto gently rubbed Kagami's shoulder.  Makoto couldn't help but feel worried.  Kagami always used to be so strong, Makoto knew he'd never take anyone's shit, especially Aomine's.  What happened to that strong Kagami?  What was this side of him that seemed to always give in to his fears?

"It's going to take a lot more than talking to fix this," Kagami leaned back against the cubbies, stretching his legs out as far as he could before hitting the opposite wall.  "I'm broken merchandise."

"Are you talking about what Aomine did to you last fall?"  Makoto furrowed his brow, Kagami had seemed better since then.

Kagami shook his head, "No, I've been broken for a while... even since high school.  I don't even remember the last time I've felt proud about something I did."

Makoto looked at him, mouth slightly agape.  He couldn't say anything, he'd never heard Kagami talk like this before.  He didn't realize how badly Kagami felt, he had to do something to help.  "I'm sure it's not as bad as all that."

Kagami shook his head, he knew that it was.  He was off staring at the opposite wall, memories of growing up and times with his parents.  He couldn't suppress a shudder.

[A/N: should I go into some backstory here? You guys want to know his angsty past? Or skip forward to the next action marker? 😆]