"Huh," Sendoh said a little later, running his sandals under the tap in the men's toilets. "Lucky I didn't wear my good trainers."

Standing by the hand drier, Sawakita laughed. "Do you need a hand?"

"Naw-" Sendoh shook his head, taking another handful of paper towels, "Nearly done."

Away by the wall, Rukawa groaned softly. He was sitting on a plastic stool, leaning back against the tiled wall, with his eyes closed. He didn't seem aware of what was going on. He'd emptied most of the contents his stomach into the toilet bowl already. He now clutched a tall glass of water weakly in his hands and was looking pale and clammy, with his fringe stuck to his forehead.

"Gotta say-" Sendoh commented lightly. "I've never seen acid green vomit before."

Sawakita shrugged with a grin. "It was all the melon balls."

Sendoh chuckled quietly. "That's gross."

Rukawa's eyes fluttered open suddenly. "Akira?" he asked, his voice a bit blurry.

"Hmm?" Sendoh responded with a distracted hum, sparing him a glance as he dried off his sandal with the paper towels, balancing on one foot.

Rukawa only shook his head confusedly and closed his eyes again.

Sawakita was observing Sendoh quietly. "So, you guys are friends, huh?"

Sendoh nodded, slipping his foot inside the now-clean sandal. "Yeah, I guess."

"I… see."

"Are you here with him?" Sendoh asked.

Sawakita shrugged. "We're here with our basketball teams."

"Oh-" Sendoh considered him again. "You play?"

"Yeah..." Sawakita gave a tight smile. "Well," he gestured to Rukawa. "How're we gonna get him home? Do you know where he lives?"

"I could probably find out," Sendoh realised, thinking that Professor Grump had probably published his contact details somewhere. "But it's kinda late to bother his parents. I live on campus. He can just crash on my sofa."

Sawakita pushed his hands into his pockets. "Sounds like a good idea. You gonna grab a taxi?"

"Yeah-"

"Lemme pay your fare," Sawakita offered. "It's my fault he drank so much."

But Sendoh shook his head and waved away the offer. "No, no," he protested. "It's fine."

"But-"

"Dont worry," Sendoh grinned at him, even as he went and put his arm around Rukawa. Carefully he helped the unsteady boy to his feet. "I got this. But if he pukes everywhere in the taxi, I'll bill you the cleaning costs."

Sawakita laughed. "Ok, deal."

Sawakita was many things, but jealousy was not one of his vices. So when Sendoh held out his spare hand and said, "I'm Sendoh Akira", Sawakita readily took it.

"Sawakita Eiji," he replied.

"Good to meet you."

"Same. I've heard a bit about you."

Sendoh lifted an eyebrow. "You have?"

"Oh, yes, I'm pretty sure," Sawakita grinned, but this his face slowly became a bit more serious. "Can I ask you something?"

"Uh, sure," Sendoh answered.

Sawakita pushed his hands into his pockets. "Maybe it's a bit presumptuous of me but…" he met Sendoh's eyes, "…are you chasing him?"

"Chasing?" Sendoh echoed, clueless.

"Yeah, you know," Sawakita gestured to Rukawa who was slumped against Sendoh's side, eyes closed. "Interested."

Sendoh looked astonished. "Wha- you mean- you mean like- romantically?" he questioned, his eyes going wide.

Sawakita shrugged. "To be honest with you," he said. "I like him. But I'm not the type of person to trample on destiny so, if you tell me you're interested then, I'll leave it alone." He stared at Sendoh intensely, taking note of his expression.

Sendoh could only blink in confusion. He definitely hadn't expected this conversation.

Destiny…? What is he talking about?

Sendoh felt discomforted by the topic. It was something he'd been denying for a while. Denying to his friends. To himself. It was too much to ask him to be truthful about it now, in front of this stranger, even though it suddenly seemed to have begun to matter. The way he felt, the secret desire he was keeping buried, was more than he could admit even to himself.

"N- n- no. Of course not," he stammered, the discomfort working its way up his throat. "He's just a friend."

Sawakita's face immediately changed back to a pleased smile that made Sendoh's stomach ache. "Great," he said lightly. "Then, you won't mind if I catch him."

Sendoh's fingers tightened on Rukawa's upper arm. Staring across the space at Sawakita's easy smile. Unable to understand why his skin felt so hot, his heart beat so fast.

"I guess you can… try," he acknowledged reluctantly.

"Try?" Sawakita gave a soft chuckle. He moved to help hold open the bathroom door for them both to pass through. "I'm not the sort of person who tends to lose."

Sendoh gave him an uncertain glance before half dragging half carrying Rukawa back out into the bar.

Outside, by the road, the fresh air seemed to rouse Rukawa a little bit. He shifted against Sendoh, wiggling under the arm around his shoulders.

"Mm?" he asked foggily, blinking. His right hand reached out, groping until he snagged Sendoh's sweater in his fist and hung onto it.

"How're you feeling?" Sendoh asked him mildly, glad to be distracted from Sawakita's words still cycling in his mind.

"Sick-" Rukawa responded miserably.

"Ah."

Rukawa's face turned confusedly to look at him. "Akira?" he asked again, as if not having noticed him the first time.

"That's right," Sendoh confirmed, grinning lop-sidedly at him.

"Oh." Rukawa blinked at him a few more times, before sagging more fully against him. "You smell good."

Sendoh's eyebrows lifted so high it was like they were trying to take flight. "Is that so?"

"Yes," Rukawa confirmed, pushing his face into Sendoh's shoulder and staying there.

"Well, thank you, I guess."

Rukawa was silent for a while.

"Akira?" he began again.

"Yes?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

This time, Sendoh's head turned towards him in astonishment, "What? No. Of course not."

Rukawa nodded, closing his eyes and letting out his breath. "I know. I told Eiji you would… you would... but he said… he said… that maybe." He gave a dramatic sigh. "But I was right."

Sendoh stared at him in wonder. "Kaede..." he began. What on earth were the two of them talking about…? And… come to think of it, why did Sawakita even ask me that question…?

At that moment, the taxi Sendoh had called pulled up at the curb-side in front of them. Sendoh helped Rukawa into the backseat, where he promptly leant against Sendoh and fell asleep.

He's just… really really drunk.

It's meaningless.

Sendoh kept his arm around him, propping him up as the taxi whisked them back to the campus. The tips of Rukawa's soft black hair tickled his cheek, and made his heart skitter just a bit. His body was warm and sat surprisingly comfortably within Sendoh's embrace. His face was gentler than usual, relaxed in sleep. Pale skin. Long lashes. Strikingly beautiful.

He still smelled a little bit like puke, but Sendoh didn't particularly mind.

Are you chasing him? Sawakita's words stuck in his head.

Sendoh lifted his hand, hesitated a brief moment, and then brushed them through Rukawa's thick black hair, marvelling at the silken feeling of the strands. Trying it out, as if to see what it was like. To hold him and… adore him, a little bit. To have that kind of privilege. But he stopped almost at once, suddenly nervous that Rukawa might wake and notice his odd action. Feeling like he was taking advantage of his drunken state.

Destiny.

I'm not the sort of person who tends to lose.

Sendoh felt a bit sick himself.

Still, Rukawa did not wake. He did not wake even when they arrived, and Sendoh had to awkwardly support him up to the door of the unit he shared with his three flatmates who were still back at the bar. Rukawa stumbled along still asleep, placing one unsteady foot in front of the other like a sleepwalker.

Even when Sendoh helped him to lay down on his bed, he only sniffled quietly, turned his head, and pushed his face into the pillow. Sendoh awkwardly pulled off Rukawa's shoes and set them by the bed. He considered removing his slightly stained t-shirt, but quickly decided against it.

Contemplating Rukawa curled up in his bed, all warm and comfortable, Sendoh was once again reminded of the times he'd spent watching him in secret. Letting this boy slowly but surely take up space in his mind.

And now, he realised, it was no different. He still stood to the side... and watched.

He had somehow become the friend who carried him home. Looking after him. He didn't mind that.

But when he thought of how he'd seen Sawakita lean into him, so close. Whispering teasingly into his ear, hands on his thighs. And the way Rukawa had blushed. Rukawa's expression at that moment. His eyes fixed on Sawakita's lips and his expression so dazed and... the way he had leaned forward almost as if… almost as if…

Sendoh bit down on the inside of his cheek so hard he tasted blood.

Don't think of crazy things.

Friends.

I just want to be his friend.

That's more than enough for me.

If Sawakita wants to chase him, if Kaede likes him back, what does it matter?

It's nothing to do with me.

It wouldn't be right for me to… ask for more.

He quietly tucked the blanket around Rukawa's shoulders, then let himself silently out of the room, to settle onto the sofa for the night.

-tbc

ANs: Thanks for reading! Your reviews are greatly appreciated! Thanks to Girl, Caro and Kaede4ever (omg I missssssed you! So glad to see your name!) Very happy to know people are still following this little romantic drama :D