Hey guys! It's been ages since I've written for this pairing and I've promised a few of you that I will write for them again. This will be a little OOC and quite fast-paced as I'll be jumping from scene to scene.

Hope you all enjoy!

The score is 59 - 60 with Shohoku in the lead and a few seconds to spare. Shohoku's players, dripping with exhaustion, move to defend for the last time that night at a pace that leaves too many opportunities for an attack. Rukawa is running, sprinting across the basketball court at an extraordinary speed in an effort to get back on defence. His efforts are proven futile when the number seven on the back his rival's jersey greets his eyes, taunting him mercilessly as Sendoh gracefully leaps into the air, the powerful grip on the ball not once easing throughout the motions.

Before he knows it, Shohoku's ace finds himself between his rival and the basket, literally being Ryonan's sole obstacle to victory. Without hesitation, Rukawa roughly places one hand on the ball to counteract the opposing force; every muscle in him is geared towards preventing Sendoh's dunk. If he can block this shot, he protects Shohoku's minuscule lead and secures their victory. If he fails, however, there will be no time left for a buzzer beater to put themselves back in the lead. Either way, the weight of Shohoku's future rests on this single performance. As the ace of Shohoku, it is his duty to carry his team's burden and lift them up to victory. Always referred to as the player with so much promise and reputation, now is the time for him to deliver.

Then it happens.

Rukawa feels his grip slipping away as the sweat on his palm builds. A knowing smirk graces Sendoh's lips as he thrusts the ball into the hoop, overpowering Rukawa's rapidly-diminishing strength with his own and putting Ryonan in the lead by one minuscule point.

The whistle is blown and as Sendoh hangs on the hoop, Rukawa falls.

Rukawa's eyes shoot wide open. Groggily pulling himself into a sitting position, it takes the some time to realise that the basketball match was merely a dream, or a nightmare in this case. It then takes him more time to realise he's not alone.

The crisp sound of a page being turned jolts his senses; his nose twitches as it is tickled by the unfamiliar scent of jasmine carried by the wind and he finds himself unconsciously attempting to watch the intruder through his peripherals. This is the first time someone else has occupied the rooftop at lunchtime and - although he technically doesn't own this area - the ace can't help but feel that the stranger has trespassed into his territory, invading his privacy.

And Rukawa Kaede is a very private person.

Plastering a scowl on his handsome features, he turns to the intruder bent on intimidating them into leaving - only to inwardly reel from surprise. He would have to be blind to not recognise those chestnut tresses and cerulean irises, even if they weren't directed at him at this very moment. For there, with her nose buried deep inside a book and earphones drowning out the tunes of the rest of the world, sits Akagi Haruko in all her glory.

Although her features are striking enough to stay in one's memory, Rukawa wouldn't have been able to put a name to the face if not for her newly acquired position as the additional Team Manager in Shohoku's basketball team. Otherwise, he would have regarded her as one of those girls that frequents their training sessions daily without fail. Simply put, a die-hard fangirl.

Regardless of who or what she is her presence is undesired here, even if she isn't directly interacting with him. This is his sanctuary and his alone. Soon enough she'd be inviting her friends up here and then his peaceful afternoons will be ruined completely. Unfortunately, since he lacks the authority to tell her to get lost (to be fair, nobody is allowed up here anyway) Rukawa decides to make her so uncomfortable that she'd feel inclined to leave with no intentions of returning.

Yet, stare as long and intensely as he might, not once does Haruko look up from her book. Several minutes are filled with only the sound of pages turning. He tries grunting or even awkwardly clearing his throat to alert her of his presence in order to put his plans into action, but none of these actions manage to rouse her from her book-induced trance.

- Riiiiiiinnnnnngggggg -

He sighs and gets up to leave, hoping this is a one-time occurrence and that the only place he'll encounter her in the future would be on the basketball court.

"Where were you at lunch today Haruko-chan?" The conversation grabs Rukawa's attention on the very same day after basketball practice. It is not so much the shrill voice of the girl asking the question - his fanbase has inadvertently trained him to tune out most things spoken in such a high-pitched tone - but rather the question itself that captures Rukawa's focus. "We haven't hung out in a while."

He slowly packs his jersey into his sports bag whilst eavesdropping on their conversation as Haruko and the other girl linger at the younger Akagi's table beside the benches. "I was reading my new book." she replies, albeit hesitantly.

"Where though? We couldn't find you at all!"

A slight frown mars his features. Rukawa wholeheartedly expects their new team manager to divulge his whereabouts to her giddy friend and go into intricate detail about their uneventful encounter, as most highschool girls would. Not that he is particularly concerned about his behaviour. Haruko can behave any way she wants, as long as it doesn't affect him. But, by the looks of it, his secret place is bound to be infested with overly-hormonal fangirls by tomorrow. All because one girl can't keep a secret to herself.

But Akagi Haruko is not that girl, apparently. "Exactly, Matsui-chan." Her lips curved up into a mischievous grin, "If you're with me I can't focus on my book. So I can't tell you where I'm hiding!" She giggled nervously before changing the topic. Satisfied that his cover hasn't been blown Rukawa leaves the basketball court and pedals his way home, accepting that his lunchtime situation could have been a lot worse.

He learns that she comes to the rooftops on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The ace begrudgingly shares the area with the younger Akagi, only content to do so because he refuses to find a new safe haven during the chaos that lunchtime brings. No words about their rooftop encounters are exchanged during practice, much to his relief.

She always arrives before he does and leaves after him. Although she fails to acknowledge his presence most of the time (he wonders what is so fascinating about her books that it completely blocks out her surroundings) but on the rare occasion that their eyes meet, she sends him a nervous smile before hiding behind her book again. No greetings or small talk is attempted, and Rukawa's irritation towards her is tamed by her much-appreciated silence. Despite being in each other's presence moreso than originally intended their routines remain undisturbed. As Haruko mentally teleports herself into some fictional realm (he only guesses that is the case since he assumes her to be a fan of the make-believe yet does not care enough to want to find out), Rukawa sleeps undisturbed. While this entire situation is not ideal for Shohoku's ace, the peace that the rooftop area brings to him remains unperturbed.

A month has passed since their first rooftop encounter and the initial annoyance felt towards Akagi Haruko's presence has subsided into acceptance. She may not be a friend but she is certainly no enemy.

It is on a Monday that things change.

In the back of his mind Rukawa marks this particular day of the week as one of those where Haruko doesn't spend lunch with him. Despite him having grown accustomed to her presence, the ace still preferred solitude. The best company is no company and that isn't going to change anytime soon. So when he steps out onto the rooftop he doesn't expect to see her there. Lucky for him, she isn't. However, located in her usual spot is a book. Her book.

If it belonged to anyone else he wouldn't have bothered any more with the item. However, this book belongs to the girl that he unwillingly shares the rooftop with twice a week. After a month and a half he still knows next-to-nothing about the younger Akagi. And it is the fact that he knows less than the bare minimum about her that unsettles him.

Looking around to ensure that there is no one in sight, Rukawa uncharacteristically allows his curiosity to get the better of him. He approaches the book slowly, as though it has the potential to explode at any moment. Gingerly picking the item up, thick eyebrows raise at the odd title. "50 Shades of Grey" - he wonders how a mere book about colours is able to capture the girl's undivided attention for several lunchtimes. Maybe she's interested in art?

Before he has a chance to skim the book's content the door bursts open to reveal a very breathless Haruko. Her eyes are first drawn to his, and then her stare lowers to the book in his hands, making her grow even more flustered. She walks towards him cautiously; her cerulean gaze constantly shifts between his face and the book. It takes only a few seconds for the ace to put two-and-two together: there's something in this book that she doesn't want him to see. A part of him wants to know what this mystery is, while his more rational side decides against the notion - after all, he wouldn't want people sticking their noses in his business. And he doesn't care enough to sneak a peek at this point.

Once within distance, Haruko practically snatches the book out of his hands. A suspicious expression mars her delicate features. Rukawa inwardly marvels at how foreign it looks on her: she is much better suited to her standard cheerful expression and thousand-watt smile. But perhaps this is because he finds it easier to associate sunshine and rainbows with her personality, and the idea of there being more sides to this girl will contradict the little knowledge he has about her.

"Thank you for finding my book Rukawa-kun," the corners of her lips lift slightly into an uneasy smile, she looks more worried than thankful. "Did you...have you...read it?"

"No."

Instantly relief washes over her features: her furrowed brows ease and a genuine smile replaces the nervous one. Having realised that she's given herself away, the younger Akagi attempts to school her features into one of apathy. Unfortunately, the person Haruko is trying to fool is the king of indifference and he can spot her miserable failure from a mile away.

Maybe it is because the ace couldn't care less about her discomfort, or perhaps he finds her facial expressions so amusing; perhaps it is a bit of both which induce him to ask, "Should I read it?"

He gets the results he expects.

A rosy hue stains her alabaster complexion, eyes widen (he is momentarily taken aback by the sheer blue of her irises) and Rukawa holds back a chuckle when her gaze shifts to the floor as she bits her lip pondering her answer. "That depends..."

"On what?" Not once do his eyes waver from her face, greedily drinking in her array of expressions. The gesture may be out of character for him, but now that he has found her weakness he cannot pass up the opportunity to use it to his advantage. In fact, this may make her feel so uncomfortable that she may never return to the rooftop again. Besides, if he can derive some twisted form of entertainment from Sakuragi's disgustingly boisterous attitude, he can certainly garner amusement from another person of the opposite nature to himself.

"Well...ummm...uhh..." she stammers, earning a raised brow in response.

- Riiiiiiiiinnnnnnggggggg -

Fate doesn't seem to be completely against the younger Akagi today. The bell signals the end of their conversation, and both sophomore students leave for their next classes without another word.

He is somewhat surprised to see her familiar brown mop of hair seated by wall of the rooftop as she reads the same book that caused yesterday's awkward experience. As per usual, she doesn't even flinch at the screeching sound of the door being roughly shoved open and no words of greeting are exchanged as he lies down with his arms folded behind his head, a few metres away from her.

This time, however, Rukawa pays slightly more attention to the girl than usual; he finds himself observing the dramatic yet unconscious shifts in expression as her eyes dart back and forth across the page: a slight downturn of the lips, rapid blinks, anxious lip-bites, almost unnoticeable head-tilts. Her reactions are too obvious, as though she is putting on a show for him, but the unfaltering pace of her eye-movements (left to right, left to right) prove it's all natural.

Without realising, his gaze drifts downwards from her facial features to study the lithe frame of the unsuspecting girl. She hunches ever-so-slightly over the novel that suffers from the tight grip of her hands, as though subconsciously attempting to shield its content from prying eyes. Cobalt immediately snaps away from the source of their curiosity: prying eyes like his own at that moment. He is confident that she didn't notice him staring, but what disconcerted him was the fact that he was staring in the first place. Rukawa has never been one to stare at anyone or anything - excluding the basket or the scoreboard - and to find himself staring at a member of the opposite sex to intensely either reflects poorly on him or very well on her. His gaze slides back to the girl: what is it about Akagi Haruko that intrigues him so?

The snap of a book being shut breaks his reverie, but before he can avert his stare he is met with startled cerulean. Haruko's cheeks warm with embarrassment once she realises she is being watched, or rather, observed. Offering the ace a weak smile, she hastily climbs to her feet, shoving the novel into her leather bag with more force than necessary. Without wasting a single second she sprints towards the door, mumbling a choked "Excuse me" as she passes and flees the scene, leaving Rukawa to bask in his thoughts.

Now he knows why he is so transfixed with the younger Akagi. She is acting suspicious and naturally it has warranted his attention. Rukawa is accustomed to the sight of an anxious Haruko. Over the years he's been greeted by a flustered Akagi so often that he finds occasions where his presence leaves her unaffected rare. Yet this time her anxiety does not resemble that of a failed attempt to quell her attraction, instead it looks more like the nervousness of a person desperately trying to hide something.

Instinct tells him that this "something" has everything to do with that book.

If Haruko is trying to be subtle with her growing discomfort around Rukawa, she is failing miserably. Ever since she caught him staring at her, he hasn't seen her loitering at the rooftop. While this is exactly what he has desired since the first time he found her there some months ago, Rukawa is slightly surprised to find that her absence affects his naptime more than her presence did. Either way, she is still irritating him. What're more, coherent sentences in the ace's presence have proven to be impossible for the younger Akagi: this inevitably made their evening training sessions quite troublesome at times.

Like right now, for instance.

"So guys!" She begins brightly, gazing at the other players with barely-contained excitement, "We have a practise match against Ryonan in two weeks! But that's not all..." her thousand-watt smile glowed even brighter, "Sendoh promises to be there for this match!" Her hands meet with a clap to demonstrate her glee.

The players, on the other hand, are not as eager.

"But Haruko-san, we're not ready to play against a team so skilled. We'll lose for sure!"

Their low self-confidence does not dampen her cheerful aura. "This will be a great experience for you all. Losing is just as important as winning, after all. Just do your best and who knows? We might, no..." she lifts her fist in the air, "we will win! Besides..." cerulean eyes flit to Rukawa and she feels her face getting warm. Reactively, she shifts her gaze elsewhere, lifting her hand to shield herself from his critical eye under the guise of an awkward head-scratch, "...with Rukawa-kun and Sakuragi-kun on our team we have a big shot at winning..."

Whilst everyone is distracted by Sakuragi's anticipated response to such praise ("NYAYAYAYA! Have no fear, the tensai is here!") nobody notices Haruko's anxious fidgeting under the intense stare of a very suspicious Rukawa Kaede.

Except for one.

"Ohohohohoho..."

5 days pass sine the announcement of their upcoming match against Ryonan and not once has Haruko looked Rukawa in the eye. The latter has started to catch on to her antics and a surge of annoyance and restlessness builds within him. His existence has been completely and uncharacteristically ignored by the younger Akagi during training - he isn't sure whether this is a blessing or a curse.

"Nice shot Rukawa-senpai."

"Thanks." He grunts as he resumes his shooting drills.

"We're leaving now, senpai. Goodnight!"

"Night."

As he continues practicing in solitude, Rukawa feels the tick of irritation festering in the crease of his brows: what if her awkward behaviour is picked up on by the rest of Shohoku's basketball squad? Wouldn't this affect their team dynamic?

As much as he wants to accuse her of hindering their team performance, the ace knows that his team manageress would never put her personal problems before their team - she is too devoted to their team and too considerate a person to do such things. This could only mean, however, that whatever she is hiding is something big.

And, for the sake of quelling his curiosity before it grows to unmanageable heights, Rukawa is going to find out what it is.

Oddly enough, opportunity presents itself the very next day. As was the usual, Rukawa is the last player to leave the court after Haruko and Sakuragi as the latter insists on walking her home to "ensure her safety". In all honesty, it is the time he has to himself in the school's gym that Rukawa treasures the most - perhaps even more than their training sessions.

After a cooling shower Rukawa walks out of the changing rooms to find the court empty, save for a familiar object on the bench. Upon closer inspection he realises what it is and smirks to himself. If Haruko really has something to hide, she shouldn't leave things around for the whole world to investigate. Because lo and behold, the team manager has left the object of her secrecy in his reach again, as though she wants him to uncover the mysteries that lie behind its sleek cover.

Perhaps it is fate that lead him to stumble across the very same book that he found the other day, the very same book that causes Haruko so much grief. This time there is no one to stop him and Rukawa refuses to spend another minute in suspense and nonsensical confusion. Finally allowing himself to succumb to his overwhelming curiosity, he opens the book to the most recently thumb-nailed page and sneaks a peak at its content.

How he wishes he hadn't.

This is a gift fic for mace445 who had submitted 6 words for me to make a fic from but since the "6 word challenge" thing was over, I've just decided to write this multi-chaptered fic for her instead.

Sorry if it's not up to the mark, I'm rusty.

Thank you for your patience, everyone. (: