A sort of random drabble…ish fic. In honor of my exam…which I will take later (and which I will surely flunk). Basically just some phrases I strewn up.

Standard disclaimers apply.

The problem with the both of them was that they were too proud. Too used to being the one who was chased, who was confessed to, too high up in their own pedestals that when the time came that they actually had something that they wanted for their own, it was unreachable. Near enough to see but not enough to reach. And since none bothered to reach out, both settled for simply dancing on the issue.

Never really been born a dancer, it drove Sendoh mad.

It was a Friday. The street courts were filled with people, some masquerading as players playing a great game, some chatting, some cheering, others merely observing. It wasn't a place where the two could have their usual one-on-one without being disrupted hence this: a decrepit, rundown old park on the outskirts of the town, near enough to the pier for both of them to know the way to and out. It was supposed to be a normal day, one where Rukawa remained silent as he concentrated on how to beat Sendoh, while Sendoh merely talked the game away and won. This time, the mood was as heavy as the age that hung on the rotting fences and the rusting basketball ring. Sendoh wasn't his chatty self though both continued to play.

After a pointless hour (both figuratively and literally), Rukawa stopped dribbling the ball and stared at Sendoh. Sendoh stared back, this time dropping that distracted look for a more pensive one.

"I was always used to being the one that people chased you know." Sendoh stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Rukawa merely stared back, seemingly unfazed but intent on listening to the other boy.

"I've never once had the need to…express myself. People mostly got it. But you, you're dense, so no matter how I put it to action or say it, you'll never know, will you?"

Rukawa merely stared and to Sendoh's surprise replied "Try me."

Sendoh let out a listless sigh and rueful smile. "You never make anything easy."

"You…I don't even know you. I don't even know how we got here but here goes."

Sendoh said. Silence perversely hung in the air, choking out whatever resolve Sendoh had but there was something in the way that Rukawa looked that gave him back a sliver of that resolved. Breathing in some air like as if summoning strength, Sendoh spoke:

"I think I'm supposed to know how to do this, you know, with me being the playboy and all, and with you being an anti-social brat, but honestly, I have no idea on how to make this…work" Sendoh said as he sent a wry smile to Rukawa. "But if I don't do this, if I don't say this…I don't think either of us would say it or be able to move one, so just…give me this."

"This confessing, professing one's love for another...It's scary shit and may I tell you, I might be smiling and grinning and sounding like some confidant kick ass guy right now, but as a matter of fact, my palms are sweaty, my armpits too and my heart feels like it's gonna break out of my ribcage but what the heck? You're here now, ready to, or at least you appear to be or by circumstance forced to listen to me so here goes, "

Sendoh inhaled as Rukawa merely stared at him

"Kaede Rukawa"

Rukawa merely raised his eyebrows as if challenging Sendoh to spill whatever secret he has. Sendoh merely grunted and expelled a gust of air

"Kaede Rukawa...I like you! Godddamnit I like you. Can you honestly believe that? I honestly, seriously don't even know what I see in you but somehow, you're there, on the top of my things I want so badly list and you know I don't know how you got there, but you're there. And so be it."

Sendoh sighed. Rukawa merely stared at him. Silence reigned. But it wasn't stifling. The atmosphere exuded a sense of calmness. Sendoh thought his world was going to end, spin out of orbit and crash. But honestly, he didn't mind. At least his world would end without regret. He stared at Rukawa and then smiled. Yes, his world could end tonight. He was able to say what he had to say and that was that. His love story or lack of with the infamous Kaede Rukawa could wait till his next life. He was about to turn and live his life as he had lived it before this confession happened when the world seemed to tilt out of orbit...for Kaede Rukawa, the famous stoic Ice prince was smiling at him. Sure his lips barely curved up and sure his eyes still held some of that arrogance and aloofness but there was warmth and almost fondness somewhere in those deep pensive eyes so great that Sendoh could feel it in the air. He smiled, grinned more likely, when Rukawa let out a small laugh

"Took you long enough to say it."

Rukawa said. Both continued to stare at each other, each wearing a grin on their faces but neither cared if they looked like morons. They were at a decrepit looking court, on the outskirts of town but none cared. Certainly a beautiful landscape wouldn't make a wound less painful or a death less tragic, more so then that rundown scenery won't be able to overshadow something akin to beauty such as a fleeting moment like this.

Fluffy, I-don't-even-know-ish. Product of a half functioning brain. Rarararandom so if you didn't get it, kudos to you. If you got a point out of this, double kudos to you. Anywho, thanks for reading.