The two sports teams headed for a western-style bar with a large outdoor terrace and seating area. A projector screen above an empty stage was currently displaying a silent game of local league football, to which no one was paying much attention. On the stage itself, instruments were set up, but the promised "live band" had not yet appeared. Across the terrace, long tables stretched with benches on either side for friends to crowd together. Lights were strung above their heads, shining with friendly ambiance. The weather was pleasantly balmy, perfect for an evening outside in good company, and so the place was nearly packed. Students were everywhere, chatting happily together and enjoying the good company.

The two basketball teams had taken up an entire table away from the stage, close to the doors to the bar, for the ease of getting drinks and snacks.

Sawakita was sitting at Rukawa's right, leaning in a little closer than was strictly necessary, a bright smile on his face.

"This is great!" he said cheerfully, pulling the bowl of salted peanuts closer and tossing a handful into his mouth. "It's so nice to sit outdoors."

"It's awesome," Kieran, the point guard, agreed.

Michael, one of the twins, nodded.

The other twin, Darius, leaned into Mitsui a little, turning his head to speak into his ear. Mitsui irritably pushed him away.

"Drinks!" Tyrone announced, appearing with a laden tray. "I've got the first round!" He distributed drinks to everyone, including Rukawa who sat and stared at the glass that was placed in front of him.

It was beer. Condensation was already forming on the glass. A narrow half pint with an amber liquid gently bubbling, and a thin white froth on top.

He'd never drunk much alcohol before. Was this drink for him? Why had the Warriors' captain bought it for him? He hadn't chose it. Was he supposed to pay him back?

Beside him, Sawakita was eager to talk, interrupting his thoughts. "Do you come here much?"

"Uhm-" Rukawa frowned, still a little confused by the appearance of the drink, and then shook his head. Actually, it was his first time to visit this place. He didn't usually go out socialising.

"You look good," Sawakita told him approvingly, eyes moving up and down.

Rukawa was dressed in simple clothes - a plain white t-shirt with a band logo, and a pair of jeans. There was nothing particularly worthy of comment about his appearance. Rukawa gave his companion a dead-eyed stare. Sawakita smiled right back.

Not sure what to make of the attention, Rukawa tried to cover his awkwardness by lifting the beer glass to his lips, long fingers sliding a little on the cool condensation. He touched the rim to his mouth. The smell was unpleasant. The frothy bitter taste was worse. He wrinkled his nose and quickly put the drink back down.

"Not a beer drinker, huh?" Sawakita commented, still watching him. Rukawa's eyebrows furrowed. "I'll get you something else," Sawakita offered. "What do you normally drink?"

He had already half risen from his seat, hand fishing for his wallet in his rear pocket. Rukawa turned his head to tell him not to bother, and for a second, found himself unexpectedly talking to Sawakita's crotch. He quickly looked away. "Nothing-" he said, turning back to his beer and grabbing it with two hands in embarrassment. "No need. This is fine."

But Sawakita only laughed and left the table, heading to the bar.

"Hey, Eiji!" Michael called out as he went. The large power forward made a sweeping gesture, to indicate them all at the table. "Shots?"

Sawakita lifted two fingers to his brow in a mock salute of comprehension.

Feeling out of his depth - he'd never been comfortable surrounded by people - Rukawa looked around the table. They had all broken into pockets of conversation. The older players, the Warriors and the Wildcat third years, already knew each other through the exchange and were chatting and catching up. He could hear Hanagata talking about the structure of the local university leagues to Tyrone, who was sipping his beer and listening attentively. Mitsui was talking to Michael and doing his best to ignore Darius on his other side. Aobe and Myagi, who hadn't met the Warriors before, were chatting to the point guard - Kieran - and asking about their journey over and their university back home. Only Rukawa wasn't talking to anyone.

He looked at his beer. Then he looked at the empty seat beside him where Sawakita had been sitting. Then he looked at his watch and wondered how long it would be before he could leave.

He'd never minded being on his own. He preferred it that way. But at the same time, it was not a pleasant experience to have his isolation made so starkly obvious.

A tray was suddenly dropped on the table beside him.

"Slammers!" Sawakita announced cheerfully, and shared out the little glasses of amber liquid to everyone, much to the approval of the recipients. However, when he got to Rukawa, the drink he placed in front of him was different from the rest. It was a tall glass with a straw and a paper umbrella and a slice of pineapple on the rim. "And something fruity for the kitten," Sawakita added with a grin.

"Cheers!" Kieran led them, lifting his tiny cap glass, and everyone else except Rukawa followed suit. They clinked their little drinks over the centre of the table, and downed them in one. Mitsui started coughing and spluttering at once, much to everyone's amusement and satisfaction. Darius laughed and took the opportunity to rub Mitsui's back while he tried to get himself under control.

Sawakita sat back down, placing his now empty glass on the table with a quiet gasp of satisfaction as the alcohol stung his throat. Then he turned and watched Rukawa, as if to gauge his reaction. Rukawa only sat and blinked at the tall glass in front of him.

"What is it?" Rukawa finally asked.

"Cocktail," Sawakita told him happily. "A Singapore Sling."

"Oh."

"It's sweet. Try it."

Sweet?

Uncertainly, Rukawa put the straw between his lips and took a slip. The flavour was a little sour - pineapple and orange. But it was good. He drunk a little more.

"Like it?" Sawakita asked, reaching over and, taking Rukawa's mostly unfinished beer, pulled it over to himself.

"Yeah-" Rukawa acknowledged, a little surprised.

"Good," Sawakita declared with satisfaction, lifting the beer. "Cheers?"

Uncertainly, Rukawa mimicked him. He lifted his red cocktail and bumped it against Sawakita's glass. "Cheers," he echoed, and took another sip.

Unknown to Rukawa, on a table at the other side of the room, close to the stage, a group of friends were talking together and throwing glances his way.

"Is that- who I think it is?"

"Who's that guy he's with?"

"I've never seen him before."

'They seem pretty close."

"Uh oh."

"Should we call Akira?"

"He said that he's busy."

"Do you really think Akira is into him?" Fukuda interrupted them. "Come on, they're just friends. It's not serious."

Koshino eyed Fukuda for a moment. Then he put both elbows on the tabletop and leaned forwards. "Not serious?" He echoed disbelievingly. "Have you ever known Sendoh honour-roll top-of-the-class most-likely-to-be-president Akira to space out and doodle in lectures?"

Fukuda blinked. "Uhm, no?"

Koshino fished out his phone. "So I'm calling him," he concluded.

Fukuda shrugged, "Fine. But he won't come."

Koshino lifted the phone to his ear and raised one eyebrow. "You wanna bet?"

Sawakita kept him company. Even when the others began to drift apart, breaking up into smaller groups, reforming into new ones, Sawakita stayed beside him. Sometimes, someone would come and speak to them. The first was Kieran, who came to ask Rukawa whether Sawakita was "bothering him" (Rukawa thought this was meant to be a joke, but couldn't be sure) and then tried but failed to draw the awkward first year into conversation, only to drift away again when no conversation was to be had. Later, Mitsui shuffled down the bench to join them, with Darius still at his shoulder. He spoke to Sawakita about his future plans and asked whether he'd been scouted by any professional teams. Later still, Hanagata came along, and began to chat with Sawakita about his opinion of Japan. Rukawa had nothing to say, so he sat silently, sipping his drink. Sometimes listening. Sometimes tuning it all out.

Drinks kept appearing as if by magic. Rukawa's preference for sweet things had quickly become a running joke among the two teams and now, no matter what the round actually was, there was always a sweet cocktail ordered separately for him, much to his embarrassment.

Eventually, Sawakita advised him that he ought to take his turn to get the next round. Since Rukawa didn't know what to do, Sawakita accompanied him to the bar and even placed the order for him, resulting in a tray full of tiny shot glasses filled with green liquid known as a melon ball.

"It's the perfect shot for you," Sawakita told him with amusement.

Rukawa followed Sawakita back to the table, holding the full tray of drinks tightly, trying not to spill anything even though the ground was spinning quite a bit by now.

He passed out the green liquid to all the basketball players who loudly approved, lifting, clinking glasses and shouting cheers all at different times, completely uncoordinated. Rukawa sunk back into his seat looking stoic but feeling strangely pleased inside.

"So tell me about your boyfriend," Sawakita turned to him with a smile.

"Not my boyfriend," Rukawa mumbled back.

"Tell me anyway," Sawakita insisted.

Rukawa sighed a little, turning his empty shot glass around and around on the table. His cheeks were warm and flushed, and his shoulders hunkered down just a little. He was feeling rather unlike his usual self. And so he heard himself responding Sawakita's question.

"It won't come to anything."

Sawakita lifted his eyebrows. "What makes you say that?"

"He'll get bored of me."

Sawakita lifted his brows.

Rukawa bit his lip. He wasn't drunk enough to explain. Because I'm awkward and unfriendly. Because no one ever sticks around me for long. So he kept silent.

Sawakita leaned a little closer. "I can't imagine anyone getting bored of you," he said, his voice soft, so that only Rukawa would hear. A hint of something in his tone which Rukawa couldn't place. He wasn't experienced with things like this. Dealing with… people. Understanding the words that they hid inbetween the words that they said.

Away from them, the band had arrived on the stage and begun to tune their instruments, filling the room with the sounds of whining strings and odd disjointed notes.

"People don't always know what they want," Sawakita said. "But if he doesn't recognise that you're a real treasure," he shuffled even closer, until their thighs were touching, "that will be his loss."

Rukawa's eyes slid away anxiously. "I don't know," he admitted, "what I feel, either."

"Ah," said Sawakita, softly.

Troubled, Rukawa kept on turning the shot glass around and around, concentrating on it.

"Maybe," Sawakita told him after a moment. "You should try."

Rukawa lifted his eyes.

The band finally struck up their first song. The synthetic sounds from the keyboard were lively in the air. The singer's voice confident and pleasing.

Don't stray

Don't ever go away,

I should be much too smart for this

You know it gets the better of me

There was a shift in atmosphere as the patrons of the bar took their attention to the stage. All around, conversations abruptly ceased. People leaned in a different direction than before, sitting up straighter, or shifting their angle to see better. Everyone adjusting as the chords and the melodies brought a new feeling to the room.

Sometimes

When you and I collide

I fall into an ocean of you

Pull me out in time

Don't let me drown

But while everyone else looked towards the stage, Sawakita's gaze did not shift from Rukawa's face.

Rukawa also turned to look at him. "Try?" he echoed, though his voice was swallowed up by the music.

Don't let me down

Sawakita had to lean in close to be heard, putting his lips so near to Rukawa's ear that Rukawa could feel the warmth of his breath, bringing their bodies so close they were almost touching chest to chest.

"Try me," he said.

It doesn't seem right

To look you in the eye

Let all the things you mean to me

Come tumbling out my mouth

Rukawa blinked as Sawakita slowly drew back again, sitting back down into his chair, a calm look on his face. Rukawa felt confused, a bit dizzy, not understanding.

His eyes fell on Mitsui, further along the table. He was sitting right between Darius' parted thighs, listening as the larger man spoke into his ear, a blush over his cheeks and his teeth gently worrying his own lip. Their fingers were laced together, Rukawa noticed suddenly. And Darius' other hand was resting on Mitsui's thigh, massaging softly. Mitsui didn't seem to mind. In fact, his lips were ever so slightly upturned, his breathing a little unsteady, and his eyes a little glazed.

Rukawa's face heated into a blush. Sawakita's meaning suddenly became stupidly obvious to him.

He drew back abruptly. "Wh- what-" he stammered. He shook his head empathetically. "That's not… that isn't..."

And there's no cure

And no way to be sure

It makes me feel so tired

I feel so uninspired

My head is battling with my heart

My logic has been torn apart.

Sawakita gave no obvious reaction, only looking at him quietly. No disappointment, or anger, or expectation.

Rukawa stared back at him.

It's all because of you

It's all because of you

Sawakita's eyes were kind, Rukawa noticed. And he was friendly. And not just a little bit handsome. He had been looking after him all evening. And, if Rukawa squinted hard enough, it seemed almost as if he had some of Sendoh's manner. The way he played. His kindness. There was something about him that, Rukawa could hardly deny, was hugely attractive.

Some part of him was probably aware that there was no way he would even be considering this if it wasn't for the fact that he'd drunk at least six cocktails. But at the moment, with the music in his ears, and the flush across his cheeks, and Sawakita sitting there so close, none of that seemed particularly relevant.

Say you'll stay

Don't come and go

Like you do

His eyes fixed on Sawakita's lips. An urge to touch them came over him. He even lifted a hand, as if to reach out to him. Leaning forward, just a bit. His eyes fixed on Sawakita's and feeling as if he were about to tumble forwards into some kind of abyss and far too dizzy to pull himself back again.

He felt Sawakita's hands rest on his knees. Large and warm, setting Rukawa's skin tingling pleasantly beneath the fabric. He had long fingers, Rukawa noticed, glancing down. Neat, square cut nails. Skin dipping between each joint of his knuckles.

Oh-

Sway my way

Yeah I need to know

There was nothing else he could possibly do. He tilted his head, leaning in. His eyes gazed wonderingly into Sawakita's. Moving closer, and closer. His lips prickled with the anticipation of the touch.

A wave of nausea hit him. He sat suddenly upright, lifted his hand to his lips in surprise, covering his mouth. His stomach churned distressingly.

It's all because of you.

Oh-!

He lurched quickly to his feet.

Sawakita's expression turned to concern, his eyes widening. "Are you okay?"

It's all because of you.

Rukawa waved a hand at him, dismissing his question, and took a staggering step away from the table. The room was so noisy. The sounds of the laughing from the table, the noise of the clapping and applause, everything pressing in on him suddenly. The whole room… spun. He stumbled a little.

Managed two steps.

"Kitten?" Sawakita had risen too, seeking to help him.

It's all because of you.

Rukawa's foot seemed to catch on something, or maybe he'd just drunk too much to keep his balance. He stumbled, falling forwards, his arms flailing a little, bumping into patrons. He was going to fall, he realised dumbly. He was heading for the floor.

He put his hands ahead of him, prepared to hit the ground. But instead of dropping, he was caught by a pair of arms that grabbed him even as he fell.

It's all because of

"Kaede?"

His face was pressed into a sweater. Two strong arms under his armpits, keeping him upright even as his knees sagged. And a scent, intoxicatingly good, filled him right up to the brim.

He blinked unsteadily, recovering his feet, wanting to look up and see who it was that had broken his fall.

you.

But before he could do any of that, his stomach lurched violently, and to his horror, as well as the horror of everyone nearby, he vomited all over his saviour's shoes.

-tbc

ANs: The song is Sway by Bic Runga :)

Thank you so much for your reviews, RokudaimeLove, Caro, Addicted, Guest Pau

"Me": I am soooo into Mitsui-uke recently! An amazing Japanese fanartist I met on Twitter got me into it and now I'm so hooked T.T

KazeLei: don't come at me with that song, noooooooooooo. NOOOOOOOO. it's not the same; IT'S NOT THE SAME! hahahaha XD