Unexpected Fate: Chapter Four
by Monmon

Disclaimers: Read Chapter 1.


It has been four months since he had gotten Rukawa to agree to try to be friends with him. Shortly after, Youhei cornered him and demanded to know what happened between him and Rukawa. He reluctantly told Youhei what had happened that fateful night after they left together from Youhei's house. His best friend was stunned speechless at first and then he grudgingly accepted it. Sakuragi was surprised at the acceptance and when he asked him why, Youhei just told him that he was his best friend and he would support him in whatever he chose to do. Youhei also told him that Rukawa deserved to be happy and that he would beat the crap out of him if he mistreated the fox. Sakuragi smiled slightly at the memory as he walked on lost in his memories.
His basketball skills have improved a great deal these last few months. He practiced with Sendoh and Kaede every Saturday morning. At first, he was very suspicious of Sendoh's intentions towards Kaede but his suspicions were allayed one day when the fox-eyed boy had to leave early from their practice. So he stayed and played one-on-one with Sendoh. After a few games, Koshino arrived to pick Sendoh up. The relationship between the two Ryonan players was unmistakable. Koshino assured him that Sendoh was not after Kaede for anything more than a challenge. Sendoh even suggested that he play matchmaker between him and Kaede, which was shot down, thankfully in his point of view, by Koshino's glare. It is now nearing Christmas and he got Kaede to promise to help him go shopping for presents for the team and the Sakuragi Guntai. School was closed for Christmas vacation and tons of people were bustling around trying to find the perfect presents for their family and friends.
Sakuragi was so lost in his thoughts that he missed the turn that led to Rukawa's house. He quickly backtracked and hurried towards the kitsune-eyed boy's house. He reached the front door and pressed the doorbell twice. He waited a few moments and then pressed the doorbell again. After a few more minutes of waiting out in the freezing cold and pressing the doorbell a few more times, he decided that he must resort to desperate measures.
Sakuragi took a deep breath, "KITSUNE! OPEN THE GODDAMN DOOR!!!" He thundered in a voice that is the envy of drill sergeants. He took another deep breath and opened his mouth to yell again when the door suddenly swung open. He grinned smugly, silently congratulating himself for his success when he finally noticed Rukawa's state of dress. Or you could say his state of 'undress'. He gaped as he took in the delicious picture of Rukawa Kaede dressed in only a white towel that hung somewhat limply around his waist. He watched mesmerized as shiny droplets of water dripped from the raven locks, down the beautiful elfin face and down the pale, muscular chest, leaving faint trails of wetness. He just longed to touch the vision. A glacial voice dissipated the spell.
"Get in or I'm closing the door."
Sakuragi flushed and then quickly stepped into the house as Rukawa shut the door behind him.

Rukawa quickly closed the door against the cold, biting wind and then turned towards his 'guest'. He glared balefully at the redhead who dragged him out of his hot, soothing shower. He contemplated jumping back into the shower but then shot down the idea, thinking that a certain do-aho hollering at him to hurry up would ruin any prospect of an enjoyable shower.
Sakuragi had already taken off his coat and threw it onto the couch. The redhead was sitting on the couch, watching him with a strange expression on his face. He tried to shrug it out of his mind but he suddenly felt extremely self-conscious as chocolate-colored eyes bored into him. Finally he snapped.
"What are you looking at?"
Was that his imagination or did he just see the do-aho blush?
"Nothing! I just think you look a bit funny with your hair matted to your head like that. HAHAHAHA!!!"
Rukawa snorted and then walked into his bedroom. He towel dried his hair as best as he could and then pulled on a pair of worn blue jeans and a dark blue sweatshirt. He walked back into the living room and grabbed his winter coat from the closet. "Let's go."

*****

Rukawa was exhausted. They had practically visited every single store in Kanagawa searching for, as Sakuragi would say, the 'perfect' presents. He didn't know what possessed him to say that he would help Sakuragi find gifts for his friends. 'Oh yeah. I fell for that pleading look in his large chocolate-colored puppy dog eyes when he asked me to help him.' He shook his head ruefully. 'Kaede, you're getting soft.' He berated himself. The redhead was lucky that the whole team agreed to give out presents on New Year's Eve instead of Christmas. Today was already Christmas Eve. They would be attending a formal party on New Year's Eve, after the exchanging of presents, in which all basketball teams in all the districts were invited. It gave everyone more time to shop for presents. He, on the other hand, had already finished shopping a long time before this. He shook his head again and brushed his midnight colored bangs out of his eyes as he looked at his friend.
He watched as Sakuragi started haggling with the storeowner over the price for a pretty silver bracelet that the redhead probably wanted to get Ayako. 'This is going to take some time.' He resignedly thought to himself.
Rukawa sighed and then spotted a bench a little ways from the store. He walked over to it and sat down, settling many shopping bags next to him on the bench. He stretched out languidly on the bench and closed his eyes. 'Maybe I can catch some shuteye. I'm so tired…'

*****

Sakuragi brought the bracelet at almost half its original price. He silently congratulated himself for his accomplishment as he looked around for Rukawa. He finally spotted him sleeping in a sitting position on a bench. 'You can really trust that baka to sleep anywhere. I guess he's really tired considering I have been dragging him all over Kanagawa today.' He thought affectionately to himself as he approached the bench. He crouched down in front of Rukawa and peered at the fox's face. He reached out and gently brushed the boy's bangs out of his face. 'So soft.' He marveled to himself as he rubbed the silky strands between his fingers.
Seeing that Rukawa was asleep, he threw caution to the wind and let his fingers lightly trace Rukawa's lips. The lips parted slightly, warming his fingers as he traced the bottom lip. He shivered slightly and stared hungrily at Rukawa's pink lips. Giving in to the temptation, he laid his hand lightly against a cheek and was surprised and pleased when Rukawa leaned into his touch. He leaned in closer to Rukawa's face, focusing on the pouting lips. Ten inches. Five inches. Three inches. Time stopped as Rukawa suddenly opened his bottomless blue eyes.

Rukawa felt a fleeting sensation on his lips. He felt something warm touch his face and he gravitated towards it. 'Wait. Where am I?' He fought his way back to consciousness and slowly opened his eyes. He found himself gazing into warm brown eyes that were mere inches from his face. He studied the eyes before him and somehow felt warmed and comforted by them. 'Hmm. He looks cute like this.' He idly thought to himself. He suddenly became aware of their close proximity. His heart raced and his breath quickened.
"Hanamichi?" He inquired softly. He could hear his heart pounding in his ears.
The redhead suddenly pulled away, leaving him a sense that he had missed something important. Something that he didn't really understand and perhaps something he was not ready to understand. He frowned and then asked, "What were you doing?"
A cheerful grin that did not quite reach the eyes, spread across Sakuragi's face. "I was trying to find a way to wake you up without getting hit. And apparently it worked. See, I AM the Tensai!"
Rukawa's frown grew deeper. His piercing blue eyes searched Sakuragi's eyes, trying to piece together what he had missed. Sakuragi turned away, avoiding his gaze.
Suddenly, Rukawa felt himself pulled to his feet.
"Come on. I'm hungry. Let's go to Danny's. I finished shopping already." Sakuragi said. This time he had a real grin on his face.
All traces of the moment before had disappeared.
Questions flitted through his mind and then he shook his head clear of them. Rukawa picked up the bags off the bench. He walked silently still pondering the mystery in his mind while Sakuragi, who turned back to his normal self, began to cheerfully hum his theme song "Ore wa Tensai."

*****