Comforting Warmth: A Slam Dunk fanfic
By: nikki hiiragizawa
Rating: R
Genre: angst/drama/romance
Pairings: RuHana/HanaRu, RuKo/KoRu, MitKo/KoMit
Disclaimer: Slam Dunk is not mine. If it is mine, then Kogure is the main character. ^.^
Nikki: Gomen, minna, if I took so long….you know…busy…busy…
Kiyota: More like busy with chasing Kogure-san
Kogure: o.o
Nikki: No-bu-na-ga!!!!!!!!!
Fujima: Ohh….you and Kogure…how…utterly …sweet
Nikki: No, Fuijima….I…you
Fujima: Never mind, Nikki. I know when I'm not wanted.
Nikki: *weeps*
Kiyota: Saa…while the drama goes on here, you better read the fic!!
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CHAPTER 8:
Rukawa's slanted eyes widened at the sight he cannot believe he was seeing.
Kogure.
And Mitsui.
On his and Kogure's bed.
Naked.
And…
"Kaede!" Kogure gave a slight hiss, and Mitsui looked to his left, stiffening as he saw the small forward standing by the door.
Kuso, Mitsui thought. Why does he have to enter in the most climactic part?! He was clueless of what to do. Part of him wanted to dislodge himself from the angel of his dreams, and part of him just wanted to kick Rukawa's face and get on with the activity. However, it seems Rukawa has to decide.
The small forward stepped towards them, picked up Mitsui's clothes, and threw them over the shooting guard's back. He then gripped Mitsui's shoulders and forcefully pulled him away from Kogure, making the couple gasp simultaneously at the friction.
"Get out," Rukawa muttered as Mitsui picked up his clothes and moved a bit away. Rukawa then crept towards Kogure, who was cringing beneath the sheets. He took a towel draped on a nearby chair and began frantically wiping Kogure's body with it, as if to get rid of the smell and fluid that Mitsui left on the vice-captain.
"Kaede…" Kogure was at a loss. He shouldn't have done this! This was all his fault! He inched a bit farther from Rukawa, whose face was furrowed.
Rukawa thoroughly wiped Kogure, with Mitsui watching them with annoyance in the background. "Min-kun," Rukawa said, sending much hurt to Mitsui's ears. "You shouldn't dirty yourself with things like this."
"Teme! What do you mean?!" Mitsui had finished dressing and was standing behind Rukawa. "You are the one who is dirty!"
The small forward stood up to meet his sempai's glare. "Thief," he coolly accused him. "Aren't you a pain, Mitsui-sempai. Why can't you just leave us alone?"
"You should leave Kogure alone!" Mitsui bellowed. "You were the root of all his pains, his hurt! If I am no so polite, I would have said you should be the one who died instead of Sakuragi!" A jab landed on Mitsui's jaw.
Rukawa's voice was shaking with fury. "I told you! Leave Hanamichi out of this!"
"Oh, seems like you can't forget, huh," Mitsui jeered. "You cannot even let us mention his name, while you managed to shame Kogure in front of many people!" Rukawa suddenly jumped on Mitsui until both of them were rolling on the floor hitting each other.
Kogure wanted to melt. "Yame…Stop!" he yelled. Still, the rumble went on. All of a sudden, he thought of the best idea. "Okay, I'll leave!" Both of the fighters stopped to stare at him. Kogure sniffed. "I was the cause of this chaotic meeting, that is why, I'll leave…just….just don't fight anymore!" He stood up, gathered his clothes, and locked himself in the bathroom, with Mitsui on his tail.
The small forward was left with his thoughts. He cannot believe Kogure would do this to him! He had thought everything was fine! Was it because of his conduct during the practice? More curiously, why didn't he feel any panic or regret? It seemed so queer that he wasn't even concerned with Kogure's feelings. It's true, he wanted to comfort the vice-captain…but…but…
"Shit! Kogure, open the door!" Mitsui pounded the bathroom with his fists. He did not expect that their moment of peace would turn to a nightmare. Now, Kogure wanted to get rid of himself, because of Mitsui's ignorance, because of Mitsui's intervention! "Kogure…please…"
The vice-captain was quietly dressing inside when he heard pounding on the door. It was Mitsui's voice who was calling him. He couldn't help but bitterly smile. Until the very end, when Rukawa was a threat, he still managed to chase him and coax him to be comforted. He is so unlike Rukawa…Kogure felt stinging liquid in his eyes as he observed that Rukawa did not even make any effort to placate him. Slowly, he sank on his hunches, to the bathroom's tiled floor.
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Kogure came out two hours later, the night brimming to its darkest, and the neighborhood already quiet and asleep. As he stepped out, he trod on something soft.
"Mi…Mitsui?" Mitsui was lying asleep outside the bathroom.
The shooting guard stirred. "oh, you..finally….went out." Mitsui warmly smiled at him.
"Why didn't you go home? It's already…"
"I wanted to make sure that you are alright." Mitsui stood up. "I can't sleep with that burden on my mind anyway, so I waited for you."
"Oh…" the vice-captain looked around. "Where's Kaede?" Kogure learned that Rukawa decided to spend the night at his place and just talk about the incident tomorrow. Slowly, he sank on his bed and lowered his head on his knees.
"Hey," Mitsui kneeled beside him. "This was all my fault. I promise, I'll make up for this. I'll try to talk to Rukawa. Maybe he…"
"Don't mind." Mitsui quizzically looked at Kogure. The vice-captain finally raised his head. "Don't bother yourself, Hisashi." A sharp intake of breath from the shooting guard followed.
"Kogure…"
Kogure reassuringly squeezed Mitsui's shoulder. "I'll arrange this on my own. I realize that he will never let go of Sakuragi and that I will forever remain second to his heart. "
Mitsui knew this was not the appropriate time to ask the question but he did not hesitate to do so. "Will you…will you…leave him?"
"He already left me," Kogure replied. "I cannot love somebody whom I do not really love. I thought about it. I do not really love him as really as the sky itself. I was just…making up for what Sakuragi was supposed to do. I guess I must have been wrong to do that…since false feelings tend to make things worse."
The shooting guard nodded. Half of him was gleeful that Kogure finally realized what was wrong, but half of him pitied the vice-captain. After a long time of togetherness, it will be hard to get over the emotions shared before. "Saa, I'll wait then," he whispered.
Kogure faintly nodded. "Why don't you go home and take a rest?"
"Iie." Mitsui arranged the bedcovers. "You'll be my responsibility today, since you don't have anyone around. I'll make sure you get some sleep tonight."
"Arigatou, Mitsui."
"It's Hisashi," he corrected.
"Hisashi…"
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Nikki: No comments for today, one chapter left! Do you think the pacing is fast? Hmmm…
Kiyota: Not another chapter!
Nikki: Saa, please wait for the ending!
