To Want And To Wait ~ scene II.i
by the diggler
A/N: Finally, after over a year and a half, here's the continuation. Sorry to keep those who wanted this waiting so long (hehe) but I did promise that I would do it eventually right? ^_^ ...So anyways, this fic may be inconsistent because of the big time gap, and I also used this fic as a sort-of exercise to force me out of my writing slump... so I dunno how it's turned out, but I tried to do something different with it.
Warnings: This fic is YAOI [has explicit boyxboy homosexual content] and this part is rated R. Some spoilers for events that happen in the manga after the anime ends.
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and related characters are the property of Inoue Takehiko et al.
~
scene takes place after the game against Toyatama at the IH, during which Rukawa was elbowed in the eye by the opposing team's captain Minami.
~
Hanamichi lay awake, motionless, frowning at the unfamiliar ceiling as he replayed the day's events in his head. He should have been happy, they had just defeated Toyotama after all, but instead... Damn kitsune. Black eye and all, the raven-haired boy could still play, still shoot-- with both his fucking eyes closed he could probably still shoot. Hanamichi hated to admit it, but he had a long way to go before he'd be able to do that. But even more difficult to admit to himself was that he couldn't even hate Rukawa for it anymore, that he was slightly... awed. The determination Rukawa had played with, it was amazing, intense... like that day when they'd played that one-on-one back at Shohoku.
Hanamichi frowned.
That day...
It was all such a blur... he had barely been aware of what was happening, could barely remember how the events had played out... He remembered Rukawa showing off during practice, ignoring him and playing a one-on-one against Mitsui, and how pissed off that made him... Then he had challenged Rukawa to their own one-on-one, and had played with everything he had, but had still lost... And of course there was Rukawa's stupid bet he'd had to fulfill... and Rukawa's stupid eyes... and that's where everything went hazy, because then there was Rukawa's stupid lips, hands, arms around him... How had he let it happen? Yes, he supposed that was the problem really, how had he let it happen? The hardest thing he had to admit, that he had come to realize, was that deep down, he probably knew what was happening all along, knew what Rukawa wanted... and how easily he could give in to it... almost as if he wanted it to happen.
Hanamichi shook his head furiously to rid himself of that last thought. He didn't like thinking about it. Not at all.
And he shouldn't be thinking about it. He should be concentrating on the tournament and the upcoming game with Sannoh. But it was difficult when all the things he should be concentrating on also involved... him.
Gah. Damn kitsune.
Hanamichi shook himself again and got out of bed. He needed to take a walk, get some fresh air, maybe that would clear his head.
But Hanamichi hadn't gone very far before he ran into the very thing he was trying to avoid. He stopped in his tracks upon hearing Rukawa's voice, looking up to see the raven-haired boy talking with... Minami? What?! What was Rukawa doing with that snake?
Hanamichi's fist clenched, suddenly feeling the urge to punch something. Vaguely he remembered having a similar urge when the Toyotama player had elbowed Rukawa in the eye during their game. He almost snarled as he recalled the incident, but at that very moment Rukawa looked up, and locked eyes with his.
Hanamichi's growl died in his throat, suddenly feeling like the wind had been sucked out of his chest. For a moment he stood frozen, trapped in the intensity of that sudden connection... but then he gritted his teeth against the unwelcome feeling, and glared at the raven-haired boy.
***
Rukawa stared at the empty space where Hanamichi had gone. Had they talked? Exchanged insults like they usually did? He couldn't seem to remember. Looking into those honey-brown eyes, time seemed to slow down, everything became a haze... it felt like a million words had been said, and none at all. He didn't know. Didn't care. Didn't matter. It always ended up the same... with him being alone, left with nothing but the lingering traces of Hanamichi's presence, full of hunger and harshly empty, his chest caving in because his breath had followed Hanamichi... away.
"It's hard isn't it?"
Rukawa blinked at the voice, suddenly aware of Minami's presence again.
"What?"
Minami paused, looking in the direction Hanamichi had left before he replied, his gaze dark and knowing.
"Wanting something so much it drives you insane."
Rukawa narrowed his eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
"The way you looked at him was unmistakable." Minami replied.
Rukawa narrowed his eyes further, bristling.
The older boy's expression softened, turned wistful.
"I know what it's like." Minami said.
Rukawa frowned slightly. The older boy sounded almost sad, resigned, and somehow Rukawa got the feeling that the older boy did understand. He sighed, and found himself again gazing in the direction Hanamichi had left. A hand rested on his arm, calling his attention, and he pried his eyes away, returning them to the boy in front of him.
"Listen, that eye ointment I gave you is a bit difficult to deal with on your own..." Minami started, his hand sliding just slightly up Rukawa's arm, "so why don't I give you a hand?" the boy finished, his gaze darkening with suggestion.
Rukawa blinked down at the other boy's hand, taken aback by the sudden turn of events. He wanted to pull his arm away, but the hunger, the aftermath of Hanamichi was too great. And the touch felt so warm, so good, minimal as the contact was... He wanted-- needed more.
The next thing he knew he was inside his room, lying on his bed with his pants caught at his knees, a very warm, wet mouth working his aroused flesh. He reached down to grab a fistful of Minami's hair, closed his eyes, and imagined that the strands in his fingers were red.
~
June 7 '04