Time After Time ~ Act 3
by the diggler
Warnings: This fic is a YAOI lemon [has explicit boyxboy homosexual content, FOR ADULTS ONLY]
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and related characters are the property of Inoue Takehiko et al.
~
Scene 7 ~ flashback
Rukawa smiled as he opened the door to the apartment. Sendoh was
going to flip when he found out that he’d come home early,
the spiky-haired man had whined all week about him being away.
“Akira?” Rukawa called out as he closed the door behind him.
No response. There didn’t seem to be anyone home. Rukawa picked up his suitcase and headed for their bedroom. But as he drew closer to the door he heard sounds coming through it.
"unh... yeah... " came Sendoh's unmistakable voice.
Rukawa shook his head in amusement. That horny freak. He must have been hitting the porn hard when he was away. Heh, his boyfriend was going to be so happy to see him right now.
"Ohhhh Hiro-chann..."
Rukawa froze.
"Unh! Oh yes Aki-kun!"
His heart stopped.
Somehow his hand moved to the door, pushing it open.
And there was Sendoh...
On their bed...
With Koshino.
Scene 10
Rukawa's eyes flew open as he heard the door to Hanagata’s
apartment slam.
“Kuso!” Hanagata cursed from the kitchen.
Rukawa frowned, getting up from the bed and going to the kitchen. Hanagata was standing in front of the sink, holding his hand under water as blood washed down from his knuckles.
“Fucking bastard.” the bespectacled man cursed again.
“Are you alright?” Rukawa asked. Hanagata turned, slightly startled out of his anger as he approached.
“It’s nothing.” the bespectacled man replied quietly, turning back to the sink.
“Let me look at it.” Rukawa said, moving closer and reaching for the other man’s hand.
“Don’t worry, it’s not my blood.” Hanagata explained. Rukawa frowned, observing the swollen redness across the other man's knuckles.
“What happened?” he asked, looking up at the taller man in concern.
Hanagata's brows furrowed, his mouth opening and closing as he seemed to struggle with his reply. But before he had the chance to explain himself he was saved by the sudden ringing from the phone.
“Let me get it.” Rukawa offered, allowing the other man to continue tending to his hand.
“Hello, Hanagata residence.”
“Kaede!” came the muffled, but still recognizable voice of his ex-lover through the phone.
Rukawa felt his breath leave him, he chest crushing inwards on itself. How the hell did Sendoh find him?
“Kaede? Hello? Are you there?”
Rukawa let the phone fall from his ear, staring into nothing as Sendoh's voice continued to come through it. He barely even registered the phone being taken out of his hand and being replaced on its hook.
“Oi are you alright?” Hanagata asked.
Rukawa nearly jumped at how close the other man was.
“You’re shaking.” Hanagata observed, his brows furrowing in concern.
Maybe he was. He didn't know. He felt lost all of a sudden, and the room started to spin as the echo of Sendoh's voice rang through his ears.
Then suddenly he felt strong arms around him, hugging him close.
The phone rang again.
Hanagata reached out to pick up the receiver and slammed it down straight away. Then picking up the receiver again he left it off the hook so no more calls could get through.
Rukawa sighed heavily into the taller man’s chest, taking shelter in the protective circle of Hanagata's arms until he could regain some of his composure. Eventually he felt himself breathing easier again.
“Arigatou.” he sighed.
“Don't mention it.” the other man rumbled.
Rukawa took a deep breath, his thoughts finally piecing together and understanding what had just happened.
“That was Akira’s blood wasn’t it?” he asked.
Hanagata said nothing, a resigned sigh instead answering his question.
Rukawa pulled back, searching the older man’s face. Hangata gazed back at him intently, lifting his hand and cupping Rukawa’s cheek with a gentleness that belied the violence it had wrought earlier. And although everything seemed to stand still in that moment, somehow their faces came closer... and suddenly they were but a breath apart from each other.
Abruptly Hanagata pulled away.
“I’m sorry Kaede, I won't take advantage of you again.” he said as he left the room quickly.
Rukawa stared at the door, his mind whirling in confusion.
Scene 4 ~ flashback
"He's not here."
"I know. I'm just here to pick up the rest of my stuff." Hanagata replied. Rukawa got a whiff of the other man's breath as he spoke.
"You're drunk."
"Alcohol will do that." Hanagata replied in a deadpan tone, lifting up his bottle of vodka for Rukawa to see.
Rukawa stepped back, holding the door open for the taller man to come in. Hanagata immediately began rummaging through the apartment so he left him to his own devices and went back to his bedroom.
Half an hour later Hanagata appeared at his door.
"I’ve got everything. I guess I'll leave my keys with you." he said. Rukawa sat up from his bed to take the keys.
Hanagata turned to leave, but then stopped, abruptly turning around again and stalking towards him.
"How can you just sit here like this? Don't you feel anything?! Aren't you angry? Don't you want to kill them for what they did?" Hanagata grabbed him by the shoulders. "How can this not drive you insane? Don't you want to scream your lungs out?!"
Rukawa blinked up at the other man owlishly at the sudden outburst, not knowing how to react. But then he became aware of the pain in his arms as the other man's fingers dug into his skin.
“You’re hurting me.” Rukawa finally said.
Hanagata looked at him confused, then suddenly seemed to remember he was gripping Rukawa tightly by the shoulders. The older man let go of him, stumbling backwards.
"I'm sorry Rukawa-kun... it's just... I gave him so much... so much of myself. And it was never enough. I always thought things would be okay because he knew how much I loved him, but I guess I was just a fool..." Hanagata broke down, sitting down on the bed and hugging himself as his sobs racked his body. The sound of the other man's distress reverberated through Rukawa as well, echoing all the things that he couldn't express.
Rukawa sat down next to the bespectacled man, tentatively resting his hand on Hanagata’s shoulder. The older man looked up at him.
“I understand.” he said.
Hanagata’s face changed, as if he was seeing Rukawa differently.
“I think… I believe you do. You just deal with it differently don’t you? No, you don’t deal with it at all, you just keep it all inside. How horrible.”
Rukawa pulled his hand away, the truth of the other man's words harsh in his ears.
Suddenly Hanagata grabbed him again, this time hugging him fiercely.
"Those bastards. " Hanagata seethed. “Those bastards.” he repeated, sobs overwhelming him again. Rukawa reached up, grabbing onto the back of Hanagata’s shirt and clinging to him for dear life as the other man’s pain engulfed him.
He was barely even aware when Hanagata started to kiss him, desperately, and then violently with need.
And then he realized what was happening and he pushed the older man away, wide-eyed.
He felt his arm moving automatically to punch the other man, but then he found his fist in Hanagata's shirt collar, pulling the other man close as he kissed him back, just as aggressively.
The bespectaled man pushed him back onto the bed, hungrily sucking on Rukawa's neck, his hand roving downwards and rubbing against Rukawa’s crotch. Rukawa moaned, pushing his hips up against Hanagata’s palm in response. Then he felt Hanagata’s fingers working at his pants, undoing the zipper.
"Wait, Stop!" Rukawa gasped, pushing at the other man’s chest. Hanagata pulled away.
Rukawa turned onto his side away from the other man, catching his breath as the reality of what was happening crashed down on him. Hanagata rested a hand on his arm and he felt himself flinch away.
"I'm sorry Rukawa. I don’t know what I was thinking. Some twisted idea of revenge or justice or something. Whatever. I’m really crazy right now. I’m sorry.”
Rukawa remained silent, the other man’s words slowly sinking in as he caught his breath.
“Look, I’ll just… I'll just go…" Hanagata said, and Rukawa felt the other man’s weight lifting off the bed.
“No.” Rukawa said. Hanagata stopped.
“What?”
“No.” Rukawa repeated quietly. “Don’t go.”
He reached back for Hanagata’s wrist and drew the other man’s arm around him… guiding his hand downwards again.
"Just do it hard. I don't want to be able to think about anything else."
~
"Hi! "
‘...Hello.’
"How are you?"
‘...Good.’
"...How are things with you and Sendoh?"
‘Good.’
"...That’s good."
‘...You?’
"I’m okay. Got a new place. It’s small but cozy. You should visit me sometime."
‘...’
"We were friends once Kaede, we still can be."
‘...’
"... So... How's the old flat?"
‘...Emptier.’
"No new flatmates?"
‘No.’
"Oh. Ok."
‘... Fujima seems happy with Hasegawa.’
"Oh... That's good to hear."
‘And you?’
"Uh, no I’m not seeing anyone. Not since... then."
‘...Hanagata...’
"I think you can call me Toru now."
‘...Toru.’
"... Kaede--"
‘I've got to go, sorry.’
"Oh. Ok then. Give me a ring sometime alright?"
‘Yeah. Seeya.’
~