Disclaimer: Slam Dunk & its characters © Inoue Takehiko

For P-chan, who requested a SD drabble with the following: Sakuragi; fish, sun, water

Drabble #2
a Slam Dunk fanfiction

"Caught anything yet?" Sakuragi asks, not that he's interested in knowing but because he feels like talking. His question ends on a loud yawn, his wide gaping mouth covered promptly by his companion's hand.

"Not yet."

"This is really going to take the whole day huh." There's a measure of disbelief in Sakuragi's voice even as he irritably removes Sendoh's hand from where it's still lightly covering his mouth, his fingers entwining between the spaces of his companion's and wriggling restlessly.

"Maybe," Sendoh says cheerfully, automatically curling his fingers around Sakuragi's as he checks the primitive piece of wood and fishing line that is his fishing rod before glancing down at the redhead.

"Okay. Let's just say a fish manages to get baited with that- that thing," Sakuragi doesn't bother to hide his incredulity as he critically studies the forlorn-looking make-shift rod, pointing in its general direction in disdain. "Are you sure it won't break when you try to haul the fish in?"

"Who said anything about wanting to catch fish?"

"Not catch fi-" Sakuragi jerks up from where he's been lying down to stare at Sendoh, meeting blue eyes crinkled up just that bit with quiet laughter. "Wait, are you going to start talking bullshit now about how it's the patience cultivated or the satisfaction of getting something to bite being the reason why you're here right now since the crack of bloody dawn fishing?"

"Well, I didn't ask you to come. In fact, I remember telling you several times to stay in bed."

"Yeah well, I wanted to see what the big deal was about waking up early in the morning of a rare public holiday that coach has given us off just to go to a pier and sit there for hours in the sun to not-fish. You know, instead of staying in bed." He stops abruptly, realising how whiny he's beginning to sound, and scowls as he eases back down to lie on Sendoh's thigh, before continuing grumpily, "Actually, nevermind. I did insist on coming afterall."

There's a soft contemplative "Hmm..." from Sendoh as Sakuragi closes his eyes, resigns himself to another few hours of waiting before they can go home as he feels Sendoh shifting to accommodate his weight. Silence falls and Sakuragi is on the verge of falling asleep again when Sendoh suddenly speaks.

"I'm glad you came," he says softly, and Sakuragi feels the light touch of rough fingers on his sun-warmed face easing the faint scowl still etched between his eyebrows until it's gone; senses something blocking the sunlight above him a split second before he feels the brief brush of lips against his cheek.

He grunts noncommittally and does not open his eyes, only says, "Wake me up when you catch something or finally decide to go home", before he curls on his side facing the sea.

Sakuragi falls asleep with the feel of a hand stroking his hair, his cheek resting against wash-worn denim and the smell of sea water in his nose. He struggles to get up or even just speak, to tell Sendoh to quit stroking his hair because he hates it but finds himself falling into a dream where he's tangled in fishing lines and can't get out, yet feels strangely contented where he is.