No flames please. If you don't like this then don't waste time leaving a nasty comment. Constructive criticisms are always welcome since I'm an amateur and mediocre writer. I don't do this for a living so mediocrity in writing is fine with me. For now.

This is yaoi and was rated M for a reason. Consider yourself warned.

Disclaimer: I don't own Slamdunk.. Maybe that's why it's not yaoi

Quintessence

"What's this?" A worried Ayako-senpai lifted the sleeve of my polo, exposing the purple bruise on my arm. She must have seen it as I was getting my things. She is now staring at it worriedly.

Shit.

Sendoh came out of nowhere and immediately went to my side, gently touching the purple blotch that has now dominated the upper part of my arm.

"I told you to be careful when you're riding that bike of yours". He looked at Ayako-senpai, matching her wary look. "He has gotten this when he stumbled and fell on his bicycle yesterday. I told him to dump that bike but he is not listening to me" Ayako-senpai nodded in agreement. He looked at me afterwards and lifted my chin with eased tenderness. "You can always use my car you know. I fear for your safety love". At the corner of my eye I saw a beaming Ayako.

Then Akira smiled. It was the boyish grin that everyone adored. It's that infectious smile that also ensnared me.

If they only knew the twisted side to that smile.

Everyone who knew me was surprised when I started going out with Sendoh Akira, I was known and was called many things; Ice prince, extrovert, taciturn and even a lonely soul. I never cared what people think of me though. I simply wanted to be alone. No one and nothing excites me enough aside from basketball. I can show respect when it is due. That's the most of what I can give to people worthy of my time. Being alone for the most part of my adult life was fine. I liked it that way.

But Sendoh was different. To say that he had charmed me is an understatement. He smothered me with gifts at first to get my attention. He filled my "me" time with his chatter, occasionally butting in when Im practicing alone or when I was trying to take a nap on the gym. When he felt that I was warming up to him, he started taking me to dinner. He ensured that we go to my favorite places, filling me up with nonsensical but funny stories during our long drives. He never once pressed me to tell him everything about me which I liked.

I fell for him… Hard.

So it was not a surprise to me and to the people around us when we started living together. Everyone can see the difference in me when I was with him. I was happy, my face that always wore a frown started smiling. That was the effect that he had on me.

I was distracted from my thoughts when Akira grabbed my bruised arm and threw me on the bed as soon as we stepped on our bedroom. I closed my eyes. Im going to see it again. The other side of Sendoh. He climbed on top of me and pressed his hands on my other arm, aiming on the bruised part. I winced at the pain that it caused, Remembering how the man on top of me inflicted it out of jealousy just two days ago.

.eyes, Sendoh said. I did and I stared at the beautiful blue eyes of the man causing me this much pain, physically and emotionally. The bright and cheerful smile he usually wore when he was outside now replaced with his twisted one. Yes, this is the other side of the man that I came to love; a side of him which he shows only to me. He kissed me then; a kiss full of dark passion leaving my lips swollen.

Then he claimed the rest of my body. He saw it, all of the other marks that he left on my body, all the hidden bruises. He stilled when he saw it. I knew deep inside that it was from guilt but he continued on his assault anyway. I wanted to cry; not from the physical abuse; I was strong in the first place, I could have stopped this if I wanted to, but the emotional suffering this act is giving me is something I cannot bear. A tear fell from my eye as I passed out…

The last thing that I saw was my lover's eyes.

Tinged with pain.. and with lust.

When I woke up he was sitting on my side, gently stroking my face; the tenderness real this time. I can see from his eyes that he has just finished crying. When he saw that im wide awake he kissed my forehead, then claimed my swollen lips and planted a soft kiss.

"Kaede, im sorry", he whispered. "I thought you purposely let them see your bruises.. I'm afraid Kaede, afraid that you would tell them and they will take you away from me. I cant live with that I cant.. I need you."

And there it is, upon seeing my beloved's broken figure I'm helpless. I hugged him then, ready to forgive anything.. everything, even though I know in my heart that this vicious cycle will continue. I know that he needs help and after all this time I know that I alone could not help him. I'm as sick as he is. Sick and stubborn enough to hold on to a belief that a person like me could cure his twisted soul when mine needs nursing as well.

But what can I do? This is the only way I know how to love. Just as Akira's need to inflict pain to claim what's his, I can only love a person who can give me and me alone, his best and his worst, even if it's his demented nature. We are the same, my Akira and I; we've shown each other a part of us that cannot be fixed.

Later as I gazed on Akira's sleeping face, I realized that the reason why I eventually embraced his perversion is because I want him bound to me. I smiled.

"I won't leave you Akira. And i will not allow you to leave me. ever."

-END-

A/N: I have received an email titled "10 signs that your partner has an abusive tendency" and that's where the idea came from. I don't tolerate abusive relationships although it's a good element on fanfics I've also noticed that Sendoh was always perceived as a pure boy so I want to bend his character a lil bit. XD

Thanks for reading!