The Bride

Author: Silhouette

Email: silhouette_panther@msn.com

Genre: Romance, Alternate Universe

Pairing: Rukawa X OC (Shinya Hiiragashi)

Disclaimer: Slam Dunk does not…. blah (I mean, everybody knows it, right?)

Chapter 5

[There is no way I am going to let him touch me the way he did last night. Shinya thought, coming out of the bath. Rukawa was not in the room yet, she could see, "Kaede can hug the pillows tonight."

Someone grabbed her from the back and she screamed.]

Warm breath flooded the base of her neck as a deep sonorous voice drowned her senses, "Hush…it's only me."

"Kaede!" She sighed in relief, "You gave me a shock!" She, however, drew in her breath sharply as she felt his arms curling around her waist, "K…Kaede…" Shinya gasped and tried to pry his hands off, but to no avail.

"Didn't you want it so much?" He whispered into her ears. She felt a light tremor filter through her body as she closed her eyes…

* * *

[A/N: Sorry, I can't bring myself to write a lemon…or even a lime… * Bows frantically at lemon-fans… * Maybe next time, ok? Next time?

Rukawa: And when is 'next time'? You owe me a lemon, seriously.

Silhouette: Maaa! No! I'm only a weedy sweetie innocent! I can't write lemon…L

Rukawa: All right, so you are underage, hm…let's see, it's three years before you turn 17, right? * Devilish glint *

Silhouette: Nooooooo!!!]

* * *

Shinya stared at the dots of blood on the bed-sheets, sighing. To think she had actually tried to promise herself that she would make Kaede hug the pillows last night…seems like he had gone much further than that. It was a spell-bounding night, truly. Kaede had touched her to the soul, and she had never felt so comforted…so satisfied. [A/N: * Nosebleed *]

Kaede opened his eyes, to see his beautiful wife sitting up in bed, staring absently at the bed-sheets, and he instantly guessed what she was thinking about. It was amazing, the way she looked even more stunning freshly awakened. He could remember the countless occasions he saw his sisters fresh out of bed, and they sure hell looked like a mess. She didn't, however. Her long silky hair cascaded down her smooth back in a mass of black clouds and he could seem to sense the feel of that smooth mass beneath his fingers. Damn, he could feel his * ahem * stirring again. [A/N: -__-;; And I still said I can't write even a lime…]  Her face was pink and radiant and her deep violet eyes were a sparkling pool of water. He noticed, with a hentai grin on his face [A/N: * Stamps around thrashing up writing paper * no!!! This is just too OOC!!!!], that she didn't bother to cover herself up, and was just resting her chin on her knees. Probably thinks I'm still asleep, he smiled.

Shinya was just about to creep off the bed without waking Kaede when she felt his arms snake around her slim waist again before he engulfed her totally in his warmth. She gave a small shriek, "Don't look! I'm not wearing anything."

"Darling," He blew softly in her ear, "I saw it all." How wicked can that get? She flushed to the bottom of her soles and slapped his thighs lightly. "Thought you are supposed to be the ice-man?" She questioned softly, "You were the opposite of it, I would say." And buried her face into his chest lovingly, arms around her beloved husband. Kaede closed his eyes and savoured the warmth of the gorgeous creature in his arms.

"My coldness, as the others saw, was resulted from my childhood," he said softly, sadly, "I was much alone when I was young. The woman you call Mrs. Rukawa is not my mother. My own mother died when I was five. My new mother loved me a lot, but there is no way she could replace my very own. She and my father are constantly away on business trips, and I was always alone. In order not to hurt myself even worse than I already was, I locked myself within the icy-shell and kept much to myself. Not even my family could break that shell." He tightened his hold on her.

Shinya felt tears slipping down her own face as her heart ached for his. She touched her cheeks softly, "Why are you telling me this? Am I worthy?" Kaede bent his head and kissed her softly, he whispered against her rosy lips, "Because you are the only person who could melt my shell."

* * *

It was what the others would call, a blissful wedding. Rukawa Kaede was never more cheerful in his life and Shinya was practically radiating happiness. Rukawa's friends were amazed.

Sakuragi: "What was the last time Kitsune smiled?"

Mitsui: "Erm, when he was a baby?"

Miyagi: "Most likely, never."

Sendoh: Cursing, "That damned lucky SOB."

And so on and so forth.

* * *

But, as you must know, in Dramas, happiness does not last long. And of course it didn't take long for this wicked little author to think of one way or another to create problems for the blissful couple…

* * *

Shinya picked up the letter, frowning, "Who's this? This person called…Nakami?"

Rukawa muttered, not looking up from his book, "My mother's friend's daughter's niece."

"Wow, that's some relationship. How old is she? She said she's coming over."

"Not sure, maybe…19?"

"Oh…she's coming over next week, so we better get a room ready for her."

"She's staying here?" Rukawa put down the book, a rare frown on his perfectly chiseled features.

"What's wrong?" Shinya asked. He doesn't look very… happy about this friend's arrival.

"Nothing much, just that… I don't really like her."

Shinya patted her husband's back soothingly, "C'mon dear, it's only for a month, who knows? Maybe she's grown more mature since the last time you saw her?"

Rukawa merely shrugged, but he still looked a bit like spinach, you know, green.

* * *

The limousine drew up outside the Rukawa mansion, a petite brunette stepped down, and she adjusted her clothes deftly. "Hey you," She ordered haughtily at a servant by the door, "Get my luggage in." The servant didn't look too good on the face, but he did what he was told, anyway. He moved the luggage into the house, muttering under his breath, "Think she's some kind of royalty? That bitch… Even Master Kaede doesn't speak to us like that."

Rukawa and Shinya came out of the house. Shinya smiled warmly and went up to the girl, exclaiming, "You must be Nakami, how pretty you are…" She was broken off rudely by the girl, who looked at her like she's some kind of dirt, "Who are you?"

Shinya was startled initially, but resumed her smile, "I'm Shinya Hiiragashi, Kaede's wife." She smiled at her husband and he put an arm around her reassuringly. Nakami's face turned pale as she glared to and from the couple, anger apparent in her pretty features. Shinya sort of understood the situation, "Um, Nakami, Kaede and I were betrothed to each other by our families and the wedding business was slightly rushed, so you might not have gotten the news since you lived so far away." Nakami narrowed her eyes viciously, but quickly wiped it away, with a brilliant smile replacing it, "Oh, I didn't know, congratulations. Kaede, you should have told me…"

Kaede looked at her coldly, "Stick to 'Rukawa-san'." Nakami bit her lower lip furiously, but nodded her head meekly, "Hai, Rukawa-san." Shinya felt rather awkward in that situation, but wrapped everything up quickly, "Er, Nakami, you must be tired from all that traveling, come in and take a rest. Mitsuko, if you won't mind, would you fetch a drink for this young lady here?" Nakami swept past them holding her chin in the air, kicked off her stylish platform shoes at the doorstep and went into the house. Shinya stared at the door, shocked. She hastily cleared her throat, "Er, your friend, she's a bit uptight, isn't she?"

Kaede rolled his eyes in disgust, "She was always like this. She seems to have the impression that everyone should wait upon her head and foot."

Shinya being the nice person she always was, tugged Kaede's arm gently, "Let's go in, no point fretting over that small matter. Maybe she's just tired."

Kaede shook his head lightly, "Shinya, you are so hopelessly soft-hearted, what can I do with you?"

Shinya grinned impishly, "Awww, Kaede, it's too late to regret."

He smiled back at her, "I never did regret." And he swept down upon her with a scalding kiss.

* * *

Nakami watched the passionate little scene shared by the couple with anger roiling within her. Kaede was meant to be hers! Years and years ago she had promised herself that Kaede is going to be hers. That conniving bitch, she cursed, I shall make her pay!

The lovebirds outside there broke up after a while, due to Shinya's embarrassment. They came into the hall, all flushed and smiling. Nakami faked a smile, "Both of you are soooo… loving. I'm jealous." She said that with a sweet smile on her face. Shinya giggled lightly, "Thank you, but Kaede's mine." She teasingly poked his stomach. Kaede ruffled her hair lightly, "Shinya, I shall go in to finish up some work, do you mind entertaining Nakami for this while?" Shinya shook her head, smiling.

Nakami felt the anger rise in her again, in those years she had known Kaede; she had never heard him speak so much and behave so passionately. That bitch, she cursed again.

Shinya moved over to Nakami with the warm water that Mitsuko just brought, "Here, Nakami, have a drink." Nakami literally snatched the glass from Shinya, and drank the water in one swift motion. She turned to scrutinize Shinya, "How long have you known Kaede?"

Shinya was surprised at the hostility in Nakami's eyes, but replied anyway, "Well, we were betrothed, so we didn't know each other before the wedding. It's been a week since we got married." She smiled blissfully.

"Oh really? That's a pity, I've known Rukawa-san for a much longer time than you did, we did so much together." Nakami smirked.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There was a serious viral infection in the system, please try again later.