Rukawa dribbled the ball along the court before sprinting up to the hoop and shooting a basket with fluidity that the metal hoop barely shook. The ball fell to the ground before his feet touched the concrete and on the second bounce, he caught it with a vague glance, his attention preoccupied with the redhead who was taking a drink from a waterbottle.
A few seconds later, Sakuragi was jogging up to him with a simple grin on his face, eager to start again. Rukawa was envious of the young man's stamina, the redhead having been at the court an hour earlier before he arrived and doing his own workouts and practices that the redhead has regulated to himself. With Sakuragi's amazing ability to better himself in such a short period of time, Rukawa found himself pushing his own to the limit so as not to fall behind. He maybe one step ahead of Sakuragi, but the redhead seemed to be taking two steps at a time. Like it or not, the other player was catching up.
Probably that was why he continued to meet his ex-teammate for one-on-ones in the basketball court between their houses. He at first tolerated the redhead's presence since there was no other opponent he could find at 5 o'clock in the morning but soon as the redhead slowly began to show progress and surprising ability to outdo himself like in all those moments when they were in the same highschool basketball team, Rukawa began to expect the boy to come. If the redhead wasn't there one day because of one thing or another, Rukawa would ignore Sakuragi the next time the redhead came to play. It was childish but Sakuragi always made him act like a child that it was appalling sometimes even to himself. He would maintain his stubbornness, at least until Sakuragi managed to rile the brunette into playing and later wipe the scowl off of Rukawa's handsome face with his above-average play. Nothing can lift Rukawa's spirit better than a good game.
Snapping back to the present, Rukawa watched Sakuragi take a position in front of him in a pose of defence. "C'mon, fox, lets play."
Rukawa snorted. "About time."
More than an hour later, they reluctantly wrapped up the game with Rukawa up ahead with 3 points. The much welcome breeze found them taking refuge from the bright early morning sun under a tree, both exhausted and weary from their game.
"I'll... beat you yet... Rukawa," Sakuragi said, panting, but determined.
Rukawa rolled his eyes and took a draft from his drink. "Try again on Monday."
The brunette much expected a rant that would definitely come from the redhead but when silence met him, he turned his head towards his opponent in surprise.
"About that..." Sakuragi propped himself up from is laid down position on the grass and took a deep breath. "I'm going away for a few weeks. There's a funeral I got to go to and my mum wants to stay for a while to help the family get back to their feet."
Rukawa looked at him for a long moment before turning away with a 'hmph'. "Whatever."
"I can get someone to play with you when I'm away," Sakuragi said hurriedly, "He's-"
"Don't bother."
The redhead glared at him. "What's up with you? I'm just tryin' to be helpful. Stop being such a baby!"
Rukawa swiveled his head to glare back at the redhead. He's been called lots of names. 'Asshole' - he can accept that, 'Jerk' - was normal, 'Fox' - was ignorable. But being called a 'baby' was too much.
Rukawa growled. "I am not a baby."
"You are too!"
"You sound like a seven year old!"
"You started it!"
"There you go again!"
"Temme!!"
Rukawa nearly was not able to block Sakuragi's fist as it swung towards him. He winced as he felt the iron knuckles connect with his arm, knowing it would bruise later. He retaliated and soon they were trading blows for blows, both intent on not letting up until the other surrenders or goes unconcious. Knowing both were as stubborn as the other, they knew it was the latter. However, because of their earlier game, exhaustion got the better of them and lacking the perfect coordination, they reached a stalemate where each youth had an arm locking around the other's neck in a suffocating grip.
"UGH! LEGGO!" Sakuragi choked.
"YOU FIRST!" Rukawa wheezed.
"STUPID FOX!"
"AHO!"
"Okay! Okay! On three!"
Rukawa tried to nod but the small movement was enough of an answer because as soon as Sakuragi reached the number three, both boys let their grip go to fall back away, panting for air and coughing until their face went red.
"Dumbass," mumbled Rukawa
"You're the dumbass, dumbass," Sakuragi shot back but with little force.
Then Rukawa was stuffing his water bottle into his sling bag before standing up to brush the dust off of the seat of his pants. He then picked his bag and basketball up and turned around without nary a goodbye.
Sakuragi blinked. Rolling his eyes, he cupped his palms to the side of his mouth and shouted, "Hey! He'll come over to play with you okay!"
When Rukawa ignored him, Sakuragi rolled his eyes again and huffed, "Baby."
The redhead probably imagined it, but he thought he saw Rukawa's steps falter before they resumed their steady pace.
*****
"Yo."
Rukawa stared at the blue-eyed brunette who was smiling as him, with disinterest. But inside he was curious.
How could the stupid, bumbling idiot be able to get Sendoh, Ryonan Highschool's ex-star to come out at 5 in the morning to play with him? He didn't think he warranted an early morning game with the taller brunette since the last time he saw Sendoh was during Shohoku and Ryonan's last game in an IH tournament two years ago.
"One-on-one. Block three baskets and the ball is yours."
Sendoh gave him a wry grin. "Ok, straight to business. Let's go then."
Two hours later, the two men were under the shade, taking refuge with the same tree that Rukawa and Sakuragi would share after their every game.
Rukawa was slowly able to regulate his breathing but he couldn't shake the odd feeling in his body. He felt... fidgety sitting beside the other brunette.
Sendoh proved to be a better opponent than Sakuragi, of course. Sendoh's playing was clever and calculative with skills honed to near perfection. He knew Sakuragi wouldn't be able to match up with Sendoh for another ten years at least, but the redhead was special in his own way. The redhead was creative, quick and totally unpredictable. If Rukawa was honest with himself, he would admit that he enjoyed playing with the redhead than with Sendoh but when it comes to giving to redhead an upper hand, Rukawa would think twice before saying anything.
Rukawa glanced at Sendoh and the awkwardness made itself known. The older brunette was leaning against the tree and enjoying the cool breeze the morning afforded. The fox eyed man felt it was wrong somehow. Sendoh was like an alien - a foreign living being who has somehow trespassed into private property. In his mind he could see the redhead leaning against the same tree, also enjoying the breeze as it blew on his wavy red hair gently...
"So, you and Hanamichi-kun play like this every week?"
Rukawa snapped out of his musings to feel annoyance when Sendoh spoke Sakuragi's name so familiarly.
"Hn," Rukawa answered turning away to take a drink from his water bottle.
"I was surprised that he asked me to play with you. It has been a long time since we've met. The last time I saw Hanamichi-kun was the week after he graduated. It was at a train-station and he made me treat him to ramen."
A date? Rukawa squashed that thought along with the small irrational stirrings of jealousy which surprised him enough to make him stop breathing for a second.
"I met him last week and again I had to treat him to ramen. While we were eating he told me about you playing with him every week here in the mornings. I was surprised that you two are still hanging out after you graduated out of highschool. So he persuaded me to play with you while he's away. He can be pretty persuasive when he wants to. The guy's too cute for his own good."
Rukawa stopped Sendoh in his chatter with a growl. "And just how did he persuade you to come here to play with me today?"
Sendoh placed a finger to his chin and looked up into the foliage above him with a grin. "I think it was his smile.... and the promise that you've gotten better than before and will wipe the court with my ass!"
Sendoh laughed and Rukawa looked away with a huff but to himself he began to wonder. Did the redhead really say those things? And what is it about Sakuragi's smile? Was Sendoh-
"-gay?"
Sendoh blinked. "What?"
"Do you like Sakuragi?"
"Of course I like Hanamichi-kun!"
"No... I mean... like..."
"Like?" Sendoh prompted.
"Like..like..."
While staring at RUkawa, Sendoh eyes suddenly lit with realisation. "Oh! You mean gay-like!"
Rukawa swore he was blushing. "Yeah," he mumbled before scowling when Sendoh began to laugh out loud like he was being tickled to death. And the fox-eyed boy continued to give him the dirty look until the other brunette stopped laughing to get his wind back.
"Of course, not! Though if I was gay, I'd be gay with him," Sendoh finally replied, "He's got his own charm as you realise."
Rukawa answered with a snort, making Sendoh chuckle again.
Sendoh elbowed Rukawa playfully. "Hey, do YOU like him?"
"No."
The answer came out quickly. Too quickly that Sendoh had to stare and know as much as Rukawa himself that it was a lie.
"Riiiiight..."
Rukawa gritted his teeth at the drawl in Sendoh's voice. "I DON'T like him."
"I believe you."
"I'm telling you that I DO NOT LIKE HIM!"
"I'm telling you that I believe you."
"No you don't!"
"...."
"...."
"You're right! I don't."
Rukawa growl and made a grab at Sendoh's throat. The laughing porcupine had to die.
It has been three weeks since that maddening conversation with Sendoh and now Rukawa was back in the court with his normal opponent - Sakuragi Hanamichi, the redhead - loud, stupid, egotistical and the present bane of his existence awake and particularly in his dreams. The unconcious images in his sleep weren't anywhere near adult rated mind you. Just too intimate for it to be comfortable. And everytime he brushed against any part of the redhead's body during games, walking or resting, it made his skin tingle. It was a damn nuisance. And although he wanted to ignore it, it just wasn't in his nature to hide what he felt inside.
So Rukawa found himself unconciously acting differently towards Sakuragi. Their fist fights would be shorter, his insults less harsher and his voice would unknowingly become softer everytime he talked to the redhead. The brunette was too deep in denial that Sakuragi was the first one to realise the difference even before Rukawa has had a chance to know and analyse it.
"You're acting weird."
"What?" Rukawa blinked and wrenched his eyes away from watching the redhead's lips touch the mouth of the bottle.
In answer, Sakuragi shook the water bottle in front of Rukawa's face and arched an eyebrow. "You just gave me your drink."
Rukawa pursed his lips in confusion but was quick to supply an excuse. "can't a person share?"
"I already have my drink," Sakuragi replied, jabbing his thumb to his own bottle sitting innocently between them.
"Is that a way of thanking me to be considerate?"
Sakuragi shook his head in exasperation. "No, it's not just this. It's ... the whole time we've been together since I came back. You've...changed..."
Rukawa rubbed his face with his towel and mumbled, "So I have..."
"What?"
He knew he was digging his own grave..."Maybe I've changed."
"What?"
... and he's just going to lie down and wait for the dirt to bury him. "Maybe it's different now with you..."
"What are you trying to say?"
"That-that I like-" Rukawa just couldn't do it. His hands felt clammy, his throat seemed clogged and he was close to passing out because of the sheer anxiety.
Surprisingly for a dull-witted moron Rukawa believed him to be, the redhead took the hint and the brown eyes went wide. "You're kidding..." Sakuragi breathed.
"Ch." Rukawa quickly stood up, feeling steam come out of his ears and was about to walk away before he felt a strong grip hold him in place.
The brunette turned around to glare at Sakuragi but was frozen by the awed expression on the redhead's face. "You're really not kidding."
There was a moment of quiet staring until Rukawa jerked himself out of Sakuragi's grasp to sit back down onto the grass hard with a scowl. After a few seconds, Sakuragi joined him, albeit slowly and they both just sat there, quiet and contemplative.
The redhead broke the silence with one question. "Why?"
Rukawa knew what the redhead was asking but it took him time to make an answer. When he opened his mouth, his words were hesitant. "I just... like hanging out with you. I... don't like hanging out much with... anyone else."
"Are-are you sure you're not confused or anything?"
"What are you trying to say?" Rukawa snapped.
"Details, fox, details," Sakuragi pestered.
Rukawa huffed. "Ok. Like.. dreams..."
"Dreams?"
Rukawa felt his face get redder. "Like me and you. Under this tree. Together. It was... nice..."
"....Is there something else?"
The brunette rubbed his warm neck and mumbled. "We were... holding.. hands..."
"...."
"...."
"I see..."
Another long moment silence and Rukawa could only be grateful that the redhead didn't just stand up and walk away from him in disgust. He felt so stupid for exposing his feelings like that. Not only did he risk losing a competent playing partner, he also made himself get in danger of losing the best relationship with a person he's ever had. He was so into his own self-misery that he didn't notice a hand creeping its way toward him until he felt it graze against his skin. His reaction was less than graceful and he jerked away in shock but was immedietly embarassed when the redhead looked back at him in surprise.
"What-?"
"I-I just wanted to hold your hand. See how it feels like," the redhead stammered in embarrassment, "Never mind."
Before Sakuragi could retract his hand, Rukawa's arm shot out and grabbed him, clasping their hands together, their cool sweat mingling in constrast with their warm skin.
"Um..."
"Yeah..."
And their hands remained clasped as they leaned back against the tree and soon fingers began to twine themselves together creating a secure grasp to the other person they have decided to hold dear.
And the breeze continued to blow, lulling them further into the new bliss in their relationship.
THE END