Unexpected Fate: Chapter Nine
by Monmon

Disclaimers: Read Chapter 1.


They walked together silently for a few blocks, watching their breaths come out in small puffs of smoke. Sakuragi finally broke the silence. He grabbed Rukawa's arm, pulling them both to a stop.
"Kaede. We have got to talk."
Kaede nodded and Sakuragi slowly let go of the raven-haired boy's arm. The kitsune-eyed boy just stood there silently waiting for him to continue with an unreadable expression in his eyes.
Sakuragi took a deep breath and then plunged in. "You already know how I feel about you and I'm not going to take back what I said earlier. I'm not asking you to return my feelings at the moment. I just want you to know that I'll wait for you as long as it takes for you to accept me. I'm not going to give up on you. I just hope that you won't push me away. I just want to be in a small part of your life. Will you let me?"
"No."
His heart plummeted at the word and tears of misery sprung to his eyes. He turned away from Rukawa not wanting the other boy to see him cry. Rukawa's next words brought him up short.
"I don't want you to be in a small part of my life."
"Nani?" Sakuragi blinked and then turned around to stare fully at the fox-eyed boy.
"I want you to be in a big part."
Hope bloomed like a flower in his heart as he saw Rukawa give him a small teasing smirk.
"Kitsune! You're teasing me!!!" He gaped at the beautiful boy before him in surprise and then a devious thought entered his mind. A mischievous grin spread slowly across his face. "Anyone who teases the Tensai must be punished!"
Not giving Rukawa a chance to escape, he immediately pounced and tackled Rukawa to the snow-covered ground and started to mercilessly tickle the boy's sides. An inadvertent yelp escaped Rukawa's lips before the fox-eyed boy started to laugh helplessly. Rukawa tried to twist away from his grasp but Sakuragi firmly held him down with his weight. Then Rukawa tried to retaliate by tickling him back but he discovered that Sakuragi was not in the least ticklish.
Finally unable to take it anymore, Rukawa shouted hoarsely, "I give up! I surrender!"
Sakuragi had a triumphant grin on his face as he gazed upon the boy beneath him. Rukawa's cheeks were slightly flushed and laughter was sparkling in his fox-blue eyes. His heart suddenly got caught in his throat as he drowned into beautiful blue pools. He laid a hand against a smooth white cheek and whispered softly, "So beautiful."
Rukawa blushed slightly at the words and tried to look away, but Sakuragi wouldn't let him. 'I will never let him go.' Sakuragi vowed silently to himself. He held the face still in firm and gentle fingers and leaned in closer until their lips were mere centimeters apart.
"Dai suki." He whispered before closing the distance and plundering the sweet mouth under his. Rukawa's arms encircled his back and returned the kiss tentatively. Their tongues met each other hesitantly and then getting bolder, they battled for control of the kiss. They finally broke the kiss when they had to come up for air. Both of them were panting slightly and their faces were slightly flushed. Rukawa was the first to regain his breath.
"Do-aho. Let me up."
"Kitsune, how dare you call the Tensai that?" He growled playfully. But after a moment, he got up off of Rukawa, grabbed the fox's hand and pulled him up.
They started to walk again towards Rukawa's house together in companionable silence. His heart was filled with happiness when he realized that Rukawa's hand was still within his own and that the kitsune didn't seem to mind. They soon arrived at Rukawa's house and Sakuragi reluctantly let go of Rukawa's hand.
He was surprised when Rukawa stepped up close to him and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. The kiss was a promise of sweet things to come.
"…see ya tomorrow." Rukawa said with a tiny, shy smile on his lips before entering the house.
Sakuragi stared dazedly at the house and then a big, goofy grin spread across his face. He turned slowly from the house and started to walk home, whistling cheerfully. He noticed with a light heart that the future certainly looked brighter now that he knew that a certain kitsune-eyed boy would be by his side.

THE END