The Ghost Chapter 11: I owe to you, a slam dunk fanfic

The ghost - part 11 The ghost

The standard disclaimer - Slam Dunk belongs to Takehiko Inoue and etc.
Author's note: It is the last part! Oh yeah! Mmm ... I hate to write such pathetic things, but I really wish to give Ru&Hana a happy ending. /Not really to them but to the story/. So, bear it. ^^ By the way, this story somehow turned from HanaRu into RuHana. ^_^;; But I hope you'll like it. And tell me what do you think about this fanfic.

Part 11 - "I owe to you"

Rukawa silently looked at the redhead, who was running on a court and dribbling a ball. 'As if nothing had happebed,' Rukawa thought with a slight sadness.

A week already passed from the moment of Hanamichi's discharge from hospital. But contrary to doctors' advice, he returned to the basketball court almost immediately.

'As if nothing had happebed...'

Hanamichi still was the same noisy, blustery, boastful, hyperactive boy and full with of a whole arsenal of his favourite self-glorifications... And he still fought with Rukawa...

Rukawa sighed. He himself didn't want to squabble with that redhead. Because it was more interesting to be his friend. Well, at least not a rival... With an unnoticed smile, Rukawa remembered that day that he spent along with the ghost; Hanamichi's visitation of a girl's locker room; the ghost's tricking Gori; a breakfast, which was fixed for him by Hanamichi...

The fox-eyed boy sighed again. 'As if he absolutely forgot about himself being a ghost... Maybe it's true, that's the way it is...' Rukawa cast one last glance at the redhead boy and turned away, getting back on the court.

Practice was finished after half an hour . Everyone had left the gym, except for two guys. Rukawa was doing his usual personal training, and Hanamichi had stayed on for additional exercises, trying to speed along the restoration of his skills after the long hospital-break more quickly. It was silent in the gym, not taking into account the squeaking of sneakers and sound of basketballs slapping the hardwood.

"Hey, kitsune! How about one-on-one?" Hanamichi asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

The fox-eyed boy turned to look at him blankly. Then he put aside his ball and nodded.
The game began...

Rukawa quickly found that Hanamichi was not so fast and not so agile as before the hospital stay. During one of his attempts to block the fox-eyed boy, the redhead tripped over his own leg and with thud he fell, carrying Rukawa along with him.

Groaning, Rukawa rubbed his sore forehead, because Hanamichi bumped him really hard. He was desperately trying to ignore the fact that the redhead was pressing him into the floor with his full weight...

"Do-ahou," Rukawa uttered discontentedly, lifting his eyes only to find Hanamichi staring at him strangely.

In fact, Hanamichi's look was warm as he was looking at his archenemy. It was strange... Even more strange was that Hanamichi hadn't reacted in any way, calling him an 'idiot'. Instead of name-calling, he stared at the boy under him with a soft smile. Rukawa frowned silently, when Hanamichi gently touched his face with one hand. There was an admiration easily read in the redhead's eyes.

"Kitsune," Hanamichi whispered very softly, barely audible.

Then he leaned down and kissed the puzzled boy. A primarily timid kiss soon turned to a hungry and passionate one. Rukawa gave up to redhead's insistence and parted his lips. Hanamichi quickly took advantage of it. Slipping his tongue between those soft lips, he enjoyed the heat and velvet of Rukawa's mouth... Hanamichi passionately kissed the fox-eyed boy; the redhead's hands wandered all over Rukawa's shapely body, causing a shiver of desire...

Some time after, they parted away, gasping for air.

Stunned, Rukawa glared at the redhead above him. There was passion flaming in the penetrating ice eyes, but the face remained emotionless. Panting and blushing, Hanamichi stared back at him.

"I owed you a kiss." He smiled, answering Rukawa's unspoken question. "You... You saved my life back there. I do remember that. So~" With confusion Hanamichi paused, lowering his eyes, then looked again into those bright blue depths. "So from now my life belongs to you."

Rukawa's eyes widened with the shock of such proposition. Then in an instant his features softened and a fleeting smile flashed on his lips. Hanamichi, who was watching him with much trepidation, relaxed, spellbound by that smile.

"Kitsune, you have to smile more often," he told him, not averting his look from Rukawa's lips. "I love your smile." Then knowledge blossomed in his heart and, staring into fox-shaped eyes, he whispered. "And I love you too, Kaede..."

With that, Hanamichi leaned down to the silent boy and kissed him again. Not having received the desired reaction from Rukawa, Hanamichi moved over.

"Do-ahou," Rukawa suddenly uttered by his typical cold voice.

Hanamichi froze. Pain, disappointment, rejection and despair were distinctly seen in his eyes. Rukawa wrapped his arms around of redhead's neck and, drawing him closer, whishpered in Hanamichi's ear.

"Do-ahou ... But you are my do-ahou."

More to redhead's surprise, Rukawa closed the distance between them and kissed his former foe.

'I think I love you too, Hanamichi...'

END.