Hanamichi handed Haruko the bouquet of roses with baby's breath with a flag of red on his cheeks.

"For you my lovely Haruko!"

"Oh, Hana-kun! They are so lovely!"

"H..Hana-kun?!"

"Yes, Hana-kun. Do you mind if I call you that?" Haruko asked, liquid green eyes looking into his own, as she wrapped her free arm around his.

Hanamichi looked at her arm entwined with his own and instantly his whole face turned red.
"WahHahahaha!!! Of course not! You may call me anything you want Haruko-chan!"

"Do-aho" says a frighteningly familiar deep voice accompanied by the whirling sound of a bicycle chain.

"What? You dare call the tens..."

Hanamichi did not have time to turn around when a bicycle hit him from the back...

CRASH!

"Ouch!"

... and ran over him with speed.

THUD THUD THUD!

"OuchOuchOuch!"

The bruised boy sat up clutching his face which had been pressed to the hard floor by the attacker on the bicycle - only to look up and see Rukawa stopping right in front of the starry-eyed Haruko. Haruko looked adoringly at the dark-haired boy and claimed, "Oh Kaede-kun! It's you that I love!" thrusting the bouquet of flowers to him.

Hanamichi felt that his world was falling apart. He screamed, "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!"

Hanamichi woke up sitting on his bed with a start, gasping from the horrible nightmare. Shit! Even in my dreams he fouls up my intent of winning Haruko! he cursed. He reached for a glass of water he left on his desk and then curled back into his bed, his face scrunched up as he tried to get back to sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay, now does everyone know what they need to do for that night?" Ayako asked looking around.

"What night?"

"IDIOT!"

BAM!

"Itee!!"

"The surprise birthday party for Rukawa! Now pay attention!"

Hanamichi rubbed his bruised head as he glared at Akagi. The tall captain ignored it and turned his attention back to Ayako. Hanamichi in turn averted his eyes back at the brown-haired girl who was standing next to Ayako, smiling that sweet smile at him. Ayako's talk held no meaning to his gone-to-putty brain when suddenly he heard his name being called out, "....and you, Sakuragi..."

"Wha...huh?" the red-haired boy blinked and looked at the manageress.

"Your job is to bring the birthday boy to the Akagis' house and try alert us of your coming"

"What?! Why should I be the one to bring the stupid fox there?" Hanamichi said angrily.

"Because your voice is loud enough to wake up the dead," Miyagi commented lazily.

"Why you...!!"

"You have no choice Sakuragi," Akagi told him, hand folded in front of him, showing off the definite shape of his biceps even in the loose t-shirt, "you are our best candidate."

"Can't I just buy the food and drinks or help Haruko-chan decorate the place?" Hanamichi protested.

"Please, Sakuragi-kun"

"I am not gonna......Wahahaha! Yes, Haruko-chan?!" the red-haired boy asked a bit too loudly when Haruko walked up to him.

"My brother is right. You are the best person for the job. With your........uh, strong voice, we will be able to know when you would be coming and since Rukawa tends to fall asleep all the time, you are the only person strong enough to not get hurt when there is a possibility that you have to wake him up in order for him to reach to our house," Haruko explained trying to persuade the blushing boy in front of her. Even she knows that when someone tries to get Rukawa to wake up, he wakes up swinging.

Hanamichi needs no persuasion when it is Haruko who is doing it. One look at Haruko's wide and beautiful eyes and he was a goner.

"Of course I will do it, Haruko-chan! Just trust the tensai!" Hanamichi proclaimed with a silly grin on his face. Ayako smiled feeling pleased. I knew it was a good idea to bring Haruko to this meeting, she thought smugly.

Suddenly a shadow appeared on the doorway and when they looked at the entrance it was none other than Rukawa himself. The quiet boy merely raised an eyebrow as he walked to the group at the centre of the court.

The whole team quickly dispersed leaving only Hanamichi and the Akagi siblings with the surprised Rukawa. Haruko was already sighing and gazing at the dark-haired boy with hearts in her eyes and Hanamichi was trying vainly to catch her attention by calling her name and poking her gently a few times on the arm with which he earned a glare from her brother. Rukawa ignored the two and looked at the older Akagi questioningly.

"It seems that the whole team was here earlier than you were, so we waited for you. But now that you're here go and change. We got some drills to do," Akagi lied easily. Rukawa was sure that he was right on time that Saturday morning, even when he had hit a tree when he dozed off on his bike on his way there. Before he got a chance to say anything, Akagi suddenly said, "Oh yeah, remember to go to my house tonight. Anzai-sensei needs to show the whole team from a video cassette some tactics he thinks we should learn for our next game."

"Tonight?"

"Yeah, tonight. Don't tell me you forgot!"

"I don't think...." Rukawa started.

"Never mind!" Akagi cut in, "Just be there or you'll be cleaning the whole court on your own for a week!"

Rukawa wanted to say something, but Akagi had walked up to the other boy, who was now snapping his fingers in front of Haruko's face, and yanked him by the ear.

"Get away from my sister, you moron, and start practicing!"

Then he started to drag the flailing boy to where the others were practicing, gave him a bash on the head and shoved a ball in his arms without pause. Hanamichi cried out from the hit and then glared and Akagi, gripping the ball in his hand and rubbing his twice bashed head with the other. Akagi this time glared back with his hands on his hips, daring him to fight back. The tall boy not wanting to mess with the taller one and also not wanting to sully his image in front of Haruko, tried to get himself to cool down but when he couldn't he vented his anger to the others.

"Alright, everybody! Akagi said to practice! So let's do it!........What?! You call that a throw?! You call yourself a player?! Let me show you how it's done!"

SWISH! THUNK!

The ball Hanamichi threw missed its mark and bounced away as it rebounded from the metal hoop.

*Snicker*

BAM!

"Oww..."

"You dare mock me?! Ack! Stop drooling and get off of the floor! I just cleaned it yesterday!"

BAM!

"Ahhh!!!"

"Stop fooling around or I'll have you cleaning the entire court for a whole month!" Akagi threatened, grabbing Hanamichi by the front of his shirt as the boy rubbed on his newly acquired bump on his head. Seeing that he could not get to talk to Akagi more about this 'meeting' tonight, Rukawa walked to the locker leaving the love-struck Haruko sighing behind him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rukawa had planned to sleep as he walked to the meeting house (can that be done?). However, the sound of the boy next to him grated his nerves more than usual. The sound coming from the annoying voice from the annoying boy resounded clearly in the dark streets. He was sure the people from three blocks away can hear the voice with crisp clearness.

Hanamichi made an attempt to keep Rukawa awake by applying a louder tone to his voice as he chatted about whatever he can think about, not wanting to deal with Rukawa's fist when he wakes him if he fell asleep. Not that he would admit of being scared of Rukawa's wrath.

"I could've gone there alone, aho. I don't need a baby-sitter," Rukawa said, annoyance in his voice.

"I told ya Gori told me to accompany you. They're afraid that you'd never reach the place, you sleeping along the way all the time," Hanamichi replied.

"I never fail to reach a place - even when I'm asleep," Rukawa told him coldly, "everyone knows that."

"Yah, well ......... captain's orders, so deal with it," Hanamichi said, privately agreeing with Rukawa's reason, "as if I like this idea more than you do". What he would like is to be with Haruko...

Rukawa humphed and tried to take the opportunity in Hanamichi's sudden silence to fall asleep. Just give me two seconds to drop to sleep, just two...

"HEY!! Did you SEE the shot Miyagi made today? What a STINKER!"

Rukawa jerked awake from his half sleep and winced at every word Hanamichi had emphasized with a very loud note. He growled and turned to look at the red-haired boy with that big mouth with hate.

Akagi had said to be there, but he didn't say that they shouldn't be late, Rukawa thought before he swung a fist directed to Hanamichi's face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where the hell are those two?" Miyagi grumbled looking through the window.

"Relax, they'll be here soon enough," Ayako said as he came from behind.

Miyagi turned around with a silly grin on his face. "Hai, Ayako."

Akagi was watching the tv with the others while Haruko handed them drinks before she began fussing with the decorations she had put up earlier.

Then they heard a familiar voice, "COME BACK HERE AND TELL THAT TO MY FACE AGAIN!"

A low mumbled response evoked another enraged yell from a certain loud person.

Then the doorbell rang and Akagi stood up to answer it. The others quickly scrambled to a stand and waited until the tall boy got his hold on the doorknob and turned it. Standing outside was Rukawa looking at Akagi with the same cold expression, but there was a suspicious bruise on his cheek and his hair looked a bit unruly.

When Rukawa stepped in Akagi and the others let out a big "SUR -"

.....before Hanamichi came in through the door and grabbed Rukawa by the collar screaming, "I SAID TAKE THAT BACK!"

FWAP!

"Itee!" Hanamihi yelped rubbing on his head.

"Baka! Now you've ruined it!" Ayako yelled aiming her fan to hit Hanamichi again.

FWAP!

"Ouch! Quit it!"

FWAP! "Ouch! Quit it!" FWAP! "Ouch! Quit it!" *

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The party was well under way after they were able to persuade Ayako on stopping her "well-deserved punishment" for Hanamichi . After all the cooked food was gone and the cake eaten, Akagi, being a cleanliness fanatic as he is, helped Ayako and Haruko to clean up by insisting to throw away the trash at that moment that had accumulated in the kitchen's trash-can. Kogure went to help after he deposited a few bags of chips on the living room table in front of his juniors.

Mitsui feeling bored took out a flask from his bag under the table. He grinned happily and screwed the lid open and took a satisfying whiff.

"What's that," Hanamichi asked, curious.

"Sake," Mitsui said still grinning.

"Hey, Akagi will kill you if he sees you drinking in his house," warned Miyagi but he was already looking at the flask with interest.

"I'm gonna take a sip before he comes. So that means that you guys don't want some?" Mitsui asked, shaking the flask in front of them, making the contents slosh noisily.

Miyagi was instantly enticed and said quickly, "Why not?"

Mitsui chuckled and picked up a paper cup from the table near the chips, filled it half-full and handed it over to the eager boy. The only ones sitting around the table were Hanamichi, Rukawa, Miyagi and Mitsui. The others were lounging around chatting or walking around on a self-made tour of the living room. Mitsui asked the other two boys, "How about you guys?"

"No thanks," said Rukawa, leaning back on the couch eyes falling shut.

"Hah! You are afraid fox? Mitsui! Give me one! I'm not afraid to drink sake! Fill it to the top!" Hanamichi demanded. Mitsui filled another cup and was about the place it in Hanamichi's outstretched hand when suddenly another hand grabbed the cup away from the surprised red-head.
Rukawa drank the sake in one go, ignoring the gapes the two boys gave and one boy's glare.
"Do-aho," Rukawa said putting the empty cup in Hanamichi's hand,"I was not afraid."

"Wohoo! That was great Rukawa! You must be a pro at drinking!" exclaimed Miyagi, his cup still a quarter full. He could hold his liquor just fine, it's just that he wanted to relish it as long as possible, since the flask does not seem enough to satisfy four people.

Rukawa coughed once from the belated sting of the liquor, cleared his throat and mumbled, "That was my first."

"You're kidding! Wow!" Miyagi laughed.

Hanamichi was seething, annoyed that Rukawa had again stolen his chance to be at the centre of attention.
"Mitsui, give me some of that!" demanded Hanamichi hotly.

"Shut up!" hissed the pierced boy, panicked, "Akagi will hear you!"

"So what! He won't be able to stop me from drinking more than Rukawa!"

"Drinking in MY HOUSE?!" yelled a furious voice.

Hanamichi felt a sense of foredoom before a fist came crashing on his head.

Hanamichi was left on the floor, one feet twitching in the air, as Akagi confiscated the flask of sake before hitting Mitsui and Miyagi as well. The captain was about to give Rukawa the same treatment he gave the three boys when Rukawa suddenly slid off the couch to lay on the floor, apparently unconcious.

"Great, he has passed out," growled Akagi disgustedly, and then pulling Hanamichi up from the floor by the arm ordered, "You! Get Rukawa safely back home. I'll have your hide if you don't."

"What?! Me?! Why me?!" protested Hanamichi.

"Because I say so!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hanamichi tried to drag Rukawa back to the fox's home where he picked him up earlier. Rukawa at first helped by walking unsteadily along, leaning heavily against Hanamichi but then his feet refused to work and now he wholly leaned against the red-head, losing the conciousness he had regained earlier.

"Rukawa, you idiot! Give me a hand here! You're heavy!" Hanamichi yelled, trying to force the boy to stay on his feet. Ok, at least just one foot.....?

Rukawa remined unconcious.

"Shit!" Hanamichi cursed. He was tempted to leave the fox-eyed boy on that spot but remembering Akagi's threat he thought hard on what he should do. He could hail a taxi but taking a glance at his watch made him doubt that a taxi would be passing this block this late at night.

"Shit!" Hanamichi cursed again. He slowly set Rukawa down to sit on the pavement with the boy's back on the wall before he hunched on his feet in front of his enemy and looked at him with contempt.

"Hey! Kitsune! Are you gonna wake up soon or not! I'm not lugging your body back for four more blocks!" yelled Hanamichi poking at his team-mate non too gently.

Rukawa's head which had been hanging slack suddenly lifted. Hanamichi scrambled back afraid of a swing from the sleeping boy but Rukawa only leaned his head back on the wall and went back to sleep. Hanamichi sweatdropped.

A sudden night breeze played with the dozing boy's hair, showing off how plaint and soft Rukawa's black hair can be. Hanamichi scowled. Even his hair looks better than mine, thought Hanamichi though he would never admit to such a thing out loud. Hanamichi left his attention from Rukawa's hair to the boy's closed eyes. The long dark lashes was a stark contrast against the pale skin of his cheeks and Hanamichi wondered if those cheeks felt as soft as it looked. Then his gaze shifted downwards to the boys lips. It was surprisingly rosy that night. 'Must be the sake, guessed Hanamichi still looking at the pouting lips.

Then Hanamichi shook out from his musings.

Arghhh! What am I doing?!

I'm checking out the competition to see if he's as handsome as I am!

I'm not as handsome as he is! I am better!!

"Ahahahaha!!" Hanamichi laughed loudly when suddenly a dog barked, disturbed by the loud voice.

"Shut up, ya stupid dog!" Hanamichi yelled in return. The dog only barked more agitatedly.

"Hmph! Stupid dog! Hope you get fleas for the rest of your life!" Hanamichi cursed under his breath, not wanting to bother himself with a stupid creature. He looked back at Rukawa and made up his mind. Still hunched on his heels, he turned back and reached back for Rukawa's hands. Then he pulled the boy slowly so that Rukawa is leaning on his back with Rukawa's arms over his shoulders. He then reached back and down for Rukawa's feet, shifted his arms so that they were cradling the boy by the back of the knees and started to hoist himself up with the sleeping boy.

Rukawa was still heavy but the position he is in eases the strain for Hanamichi. The redhead trudged slowly, hoping that no one he knows would appear and see that he is giving a piggy-back ride to his main rival. Hanamichi thoughts stopped when suddenly the weight on his back shifted and a slurred voice came from behind, "Wha........ What 'r you... "

"You're drunk and Akagi told me to take you home," Hamamichi said grumpily, still trudging along. "Of course, if you're sober I'll just dump you here," he asked hopefully.

"No....... mm....... sleep," mumbled Rukawa laying his head on Hanamichi's shoulder.

"Damn! Still drunk! Why did you hafta drink if you're gonna be like this after a cup of sake?" Hanamichi said angrily tying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of Rukawa's body pressing more closely onto his back

"Didn't know.......body.......low tolerant.......huh......" Rukawa mumbled from behind.

"Hah! Stupid fox! Never challenge the tensai!" Hanamichi crowed.

Instead of the usual retort, a soft snore came from the boy on his back.

Hanamichi wanted to snort in annoyance but it was choked by the act of Rukawa winding his arms around his neck and snuggling more closely to the red-face boy. Rukawa sighed, tickling Hanamichi at the back of his neck and near his ears with his soft warm breath.

Shit! Shit! He's more drunk than I thought! panicked Hanamichi walking quickly to reach the fox's house. When he felt Rukawa's cheek rubbing lazily on his shoulder Hanamichi practically ran all the way.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rukawa winded his arms around the comfortable source of heat and the heart beat he could feel from Hanamichi's back lulled him into a state of relaxation. He was unconciously rubbing his cheek which had felt cold from the night's wind on the red-head's shoulder, when he realised how too intimate he is acting to this annoying red-haired monkey. But, this feels nice......

Suddenly Rukawa scowled as the steady pacing turned into a run, jostling him roughly from his relaxed state.



*Taken from the cartoon The Simpsons. Y'know... when Bart bugs Lisa? ^^