Warnings: This drabble is YAOI [has boyxboy homosexual content] PG13. Somewhat spoilers for discussions towards the end of the anime.

A/N: written as a sequel to 'Holding On To Nothing', but can stand-alone.

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk and related characters are the property of Inoue Takehiko et al.

Nothing Left To Lose

For all the violence in their history, somehow when Sakuragi pushed Rukawa up against the wall the movement felt unforced - more like a well-practised basketball manoeuvre - and with this ease of synchronicity Sakuragi pressed his lips down on Rukawa's for the first, and probably last time.

All too soon the need to breathe became too insistent, the reality of the situation too oppressive, so Sakuragi wrenched himself away, vainly trying to calm his heartbeat as he rapidly blinked back the tears threatening to spill. Silence hung heavily between them, sucking the air out of Sakuragi's already struggling lungs. Unable to look Rukawa in the eye he turned towards the door, sidestepping the large suitcase there and reaching out for the doorknob.

"Wait!" Rukawa rasped, "How long? How long have you felt this way?"

Sakuragi sighed wearily, pressing his forehead into the door as if it might give him strength. "Since just after you and Sendoh started dating... maybe even before... I didn't really know until it was too late."

"And you're telling me NOW? The night before I LEAVE for America?" Rukawa grabbed Sakuragi's arm, whirling him around. "Do you even know how in love with you I was? I AM?"

"What?" he blinked stupidly. "but... Sendoh?"

"I thought I never had a chance with you, so I tried to move on!" Rukawa gritted out, his jaw clenched in frustration. With a curse the raven-haired boy shoved him against the door, as easily as Sakuragi had earlier, effortlessly pushing into the space against each other.

"Stay with me tonight." Rukawa hissed, before stealing the air out of Sakuragi's lungs again.

Grasping at the back of Rukawa's shirt a strange, desperate sound escaped Sakuragi's throat, and he realised it was his own bitter laughter. After all the time they'd wasted, he'd be damned if he was going to pass up on one night that he never even thought he would ever have. But he still couldn't help but wonder if afterwards he would feel better... or much, much worse.

~ owari

That's the last of my Slam Dunk fics that I can post here. The rest of my NC17/MA stuff is at my livejournal, the link is in my profile ^_^