How long has it been since the two of them had been together like this? They've stopped talking to each other after the assault incident. Kuga has refused to see him and Heath could do nothing but to watch Kuga walk away from him, carrying all the burden on his shoulders, left alone to suffer from the loneliness of not being able to do what he enjoyed the most.

Heath didn't know how to go about the incident. It only made him feel useless and weak to the point that he thought of quitting the club because there was no meaning in it without Kuga, but he stayed because it was the only thing that still connected them to each other.

At the back of his mind, he believed that he and Kuga would do stride again. He believed that their hearts will be connected once more. He wished and hoped that their broken bond will be mended in time so that he can be beside him again.

"Heath.." That sonorous drawl, that familiar enunciation of his name only he could mutter made his stomach churn.

They were both alone now. The others went home already and they were left by themselves to talk about what needed to be talked about. They were sitting together, close enough for a whisper, close enough for a kiss even.

Kuga was right, the wind was indeed pretty weird today. It cooed and made the branches quiver. It blew so strongly at times. So strongly that Heath remembered the times when he and Kuga would go for a run with this kind of wind in which Kuga's face against the midday sun looked so refreshed after sweating so much. He remembered the way his friend would crane his neck slightly as he untied his hair, his hair moving in the rhythm of the wind, dancing.

Heath turned to his friend with an askance look. Kuga hesitated, he was never a man of words and so he reached out to him, hesitant, afraid of a touch, as if grazing Heath would burn him to a crisp. He still did it nonetheless. He has longed for him so much not to take this opportunity. He clasped Heath's toned arm, gently pressing it. Heath blushed at the pressure. His body still remembers Kuga's warmth and it was difficult to breathe. Kuga's eyes wandered at Heath's leg and perched his hand on his friend's knee. He just remembered Heath's injury.

"How's your leg doing?"

After the incident, he never had the chance to inquire about Heath's injury.

"It's doing fine, I guess. I feel great. But I'm still extra careful." Heath chuckled, that little laugh of his made Kuga want to caress his face, but he stopped himself and ended up with only an awkward and uninterested response.

"Ah … I see.."

Heath felt his response was improper. He felt so anxious that he tapped his foot against the concrete and clenched his hand. It's been a long time since they've talked, so long that even the slightest conversation made both of them feel awkward and ridiculous.

"Umm." Both end up saying in synch. Heath turned his sight into Kuga's direction with just the right amount of surprise and fluster.

He said, "Ah, you go first." timidly, putting up a strong front by smiling at the other brightly just like the old days.

Kuga returned his smile.

"Do you want to stop by at my place and hang out just like usual?"

"Oh that's great! We can play video games like usual and maybe watch some movies."

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

But they both know where this will usually end: crumpled clothes, creaking of the bed accompanied by the rustling of sheets and the clinking of metal against metal. Much more so now when both have been pent up from not being able to touch the other for quite a while.

It was Heath's prerogative though, because Kuga will never touch him first. He never does, and he never will initiate anything until he's completely sure Heath wanted it as well.

Heath kisses him on the mouth, gently at first. Tilting his head, he pushed his tongue inside Kuga's mouth and scooted closer to him. Kuga's grip on the game controller slipped as Heath deepens the kiss. He never imagined that he would feel him like this.

Heath moans and perches his hand against Kuga's thighs gropping and feeling its toned surface. The touch made Kuga tremble. Heath pinches the other's tight skin and feels the sinews of his inner thigh. Kuga responds by pressing Heath against him and aggressively kissing him back.

Wet kisses filled the air. The blasting noise of super mario background music made everything out of place, but this moment was right. This part was not a square keg in round hole, it was a perfect fit.

Heath knows his touch so well. His body is craving for Kuga's hands caressing him, gropping him, his fingers entering him or tracing down the outline of his body. He cursed in his mind. He was slowly being unravelled and he couldn't help but feel impatient. He wanted him right then and there to make a mess out of him.

Kuga's strong hand entered his shirt and felt the curve of his abdominal muscles. The other's slender fingers crawled to his chest and lingered on his perked up nipples. Heath ended up arching his back, feeling goosebumps all over his body. He couldn't help but weaken his kiss and melt into a puddle in the face of Kuga's touch.

Kuga always made him feel weak like this. Now when his friend responds with wet kisses and a languid moan against his desperate mouth, Heath grabs a fist full of hair and twirls long pale tresses in his hand. Kuga nips on his bottom lip voraciously as if Heath's mouth was a fruit. He continued playing with his nipples knowing full well it was Heath's spot. Heath gets so turned on that he couldn't help but hold his breath. He twines his arms on the other's neck and pushes himself up to ride Kuga, grinding his erect member against the other's ripped stomach. Kuga feels the wetness oozing out of his friend's member, he felt his desire. This went well with his own. He grabs Heath's ass and fondles a bun, squeezing it and pulling the other's pants down so that he could touch his bare skin.

Heath's perfume tickled Kuga's senses. The latter heaves in, takes in his scent. It was the same perfume he wore the first time they made love just like this. It was the same perfume he wore when they had their first everything and it made this moment even more special. The salty whiff that Heath's skin exudes made him want to do things to his friend, naughty and unbecoming things. But he withdraws, and lays his head against Heath's shoulder. He presses his nose the outline of the other's shoulder. Heath shoves him, smiling lovingly. He was wearing the same expression he had the first time they realised each other's feelings. He settles himself beside him and then grabs the corner of his shirt to take it off. He knows Kuga liked kissing him on the shoulder. So he decides that he would give him this.

There was no need for words for what was about to happen next.

The next day, the first years were wondering why Heath was wearing his Gakuran all buttoned up and he was running extremely slow for a runner of his caliber. He was so unlike himself that Nana was worried that he might be sick. Riku and Takeru were wondering why Kuga kept on saying sorry and never left their senpai's side. He didn't participate in the practice at all.

Kuga and Heath engaged in private conversations where the only thing Heath was saying was he was fine. Kohinata's irritation was growing and Ayumu found him to be quite adorable so he tried distracting Kohinata. He too didn't have any idea about the real reason why Heath and Kuga were like that. But Kohinata knew. He had a look of "get a room on his face" that the others never understood.