Disclaimer: Slam Dunk's property of Takehiko Inoue-sama
Dedication: Happy Birthday, Sol-chan!!!
Whipped Cream
By
Crescent Quetzalcoatl
Chapter 4: Whipped Cream
The soft jingling of the bell caught the attention of the person in charge of the coffee shop. He raised his head to greet his customers for the afternoon and he was surprised at the scene.
A tall and pale blue-eyed boy walked in the warm shop as his companion, a lightly tanned and lithe redhead closed the red umbrella he was holding and put it in the reserved bin for the contraption. Then the redhead bugged the other to removed the uniform top (the shop manager suspected it was damp) as the pale raven-head reluctantly do so taking the redhead's uniform as it's replacement. Then they started to walk towards one of the tables and the shop's manager decided to make his presence known.
"Rukawa-kun! Sakuragi-kun! How nice to see you here!"
The two players turned to the voice and Hanamichi exclaimed, "Oi, benchwarmer!" Then Hanamichi proceeded to the bar where the former Shoyo captain was standing.
"It's Fujima-san, idiot," Rukawa grunted but joined them anyway.
"It's okay, Rukawa-kun," Fujima Kenji smiled and turned to the self-proclaimed Tensai. "Ne, Sakuragi-kun… do you like a cup of coffee?"
"Coffee? Er… no, actually. The kitsune was cold so I brought him here where it's dry," Hanamichi waved his hand towards the glass door of the shop, the pitter-patter of rain was still witnessed.
"Oh, so… Rukawa-kun, what will you have? Hot tea or chocolate?" Fujima asked, started to reach for the display cups behind him.
"I'll have the chocolate!" the redhead beamed. Fujima smiled back, enjoying the cheerful company he has now. Some of the shop's customers were relaxing on the sort of lounge area and seemed to enjoy their solitude, and some like two friends by the windows were delightedly chatting away with just about everything.
"Rukawa-kun?" the former Shoyo Ace asked again.
"Mocha frappe with whipped cream," Rukawa answered. Fujima nodded and started to prepare their choices on the side bar where the different coffee, cream, and chocolate concoctions where at bay.
"What's mocha frat, kitsune?" Sakuragi asked, curious.
"It's mocha frappe. Not frat." Then the raven-head pointed at the list of coffee, etc. on the overhead menu. Hanamichi's eyes twinkled and then called out the former Shoyo captain.
"Bench—I mean—Fujima-san! Can I have that Irish Cream frothé instead of chocolate?" the redhead asked.
"Uh—okay… Demo the Irish cream can be really sweet. You might not like it," Fujima said, changing the glasses and pulling out a small container from the icebox.
"Iie! The Tensai has a sweet tooth and can definitely handle anything!" the redhead bragged. Several of the shop's customers ended having sweatdrops down their head.
"Do'aho!"
"Teme kitsune! You have the nerve to insult me after being kind to you?" Hanamichi yapped.
The raven-head merely shrugged and moved away from the bar and started to walk towards one of the soft-cushioned booths at the back of the shop. He passed the two girls by the window (they were looking a bit scandalized) and nodded an apology for his redhead companion.
"Oi, come back here, Kitsune! I'm not finished talking to you!" Hanamichi followed him and paused at the two girls that Rukawa had passed, giving them odd looks. "Anou, what are you drinking?" Hanamichi pointed to the half-full cup of lush brown liquid in front of the two girls.
"Coffee with Irish cream," the girl with her hair tied in a ponytail answered. Her companion looked at the redhead calculatingly as if Hanamichi would blow up any second.
"Is it nice?" the redhead asked again.
"It depends—"
"—on your taste," her companion, the girl crowned with soft curls answered and gave him a small smile. "Don't worry too much."
"Sol-chan's right, Fujima-san won't poison you anyway," ponytail-ed girl smiled at him and Hanamichi decided to take her word for it. He left the two girls chatting again and head straight to the blue-eyed kitsune who was completely zoned out the second his raven-head hit the booth's soft cushions.
===
Rukawa settled into the booth, the plush and purple-colored cushions absorbed his weight, giving him a warm and comfy feeling. He nestled his head in them and started to drift into a light slumber.
Smooth, soft piano music filled the background, keeping him at ease, floating him away…
Reach aroma of coffee beans and creamy fragrance of milk spirited into his senses, soothing him, lulling him…
Gentle words, sweet whispers reached his ears, hushing his troubles but stirring him awake… calling him forth from his dreams…
Kaede…
Kaede…
"Kitsune!!!"
Rukawa snapped his eyes open and automatically glared at the person who rudely woke him up.
"What?" he snarled. The redhead pointed at the two short glasses on the table.
"The drinks, Kitsune. Fujima took them personally for us and you didn't even got to thank him. That's so rude, Kitsune," Hanamichi smirked and sipped from the straw of one of the glasses.
Rukawa raised an eyebrow and swiftly got the glass from the redhead's hand. "And that's mine."
"Huh?"
"This drink," the blue-eyed boy raised the glass of frappe to his eye-level, "is mine."
"No way! That's my Irish cream, that's mine!" Hanamichi tried to take the glass out of Rukawa's hand, leaning on the table and tried to grab air.
"Stop it, do'aho. Or it'll spill over us," Rukawa scolded. Fortunately, the redhead did stop and slouched on his seat opposite the blue-eyed boy and stared almost suspiciously at him. "Stuff it up, do'aho. This is mine."
"But I want that. With the fluffy white something. It's the Irish cream," Hanamichi huffed, refusing to take the other glass of frothé.
"It's whipped cream. Irish cream is the flavor of your coffee," Rukawa said, settling down his glass of mocha frappe on the table. When he saw the redhead frowning, he sighed and pushed his mocha frappe to the sulky do'aho. "Fine then. Take it."
"No."
"Being childish, aren't you," Rukawa talked back.
"Being unnaturally talkative, Kitsune," Hanamichi retorted.
"Fine."
"Fine."
Silence slipped over them, and the two had a silent game of tug-of-war over the glass of mocha frappe with their stares, one heated like the sun, the other as cold as the calm ocean, both not wanting to lose to the other and the impatient redhead just had to open his big mouth.
"It's yours, Kitsune. I really don't want some stupid cream anyway," the redhead leaned back to the seat and crossed his arms over his chest.
Rukawa raised an elegant eyebrow and proceeded to lift the glass to his mouth, ignoring the straw in it and sipped the creamy concoction while watching the redhead as if taunting him to take it back. Sakuragi snorted and averted his eyes away from the intense blue orbs and settled in his cup of Irish cream. With one swift movement, he took the cup and sipped the liquid to the last drop.
"Yeowch…" Sakuragi stuck his tongue out. The coffee was too sweet (Fujima was right) and it made him dizzy when he drank it like water, the sugar level in his blood heightened to another level. Of course, he wouldn't want Rukawa to know that and he simply made a smug grin pretending that his Irish cream coffee was better than the kitsune's mocha frappe.
"I'm done," Sakuragi placed his cup down.
"Me too," Rukawa said, not wanting to lose to their little competition. The kitsune's glass was drained of the lush mocha liquid, leaving the fluffy whipped cream at the bottom of it, sitting regally waiting to be spooned out of the offending glass.
"Uh… Kitsune?"
"Hn?"
"Can I…" Sakuragi looked hopeful.
"What?"
"Can I have the fluffy white thing?" the redhead bashfully pointed at Rukawa's glass.
Rukawa blinked. "It's called whipped cream."
"Can I?"
"No."
"Nani?" Sakuragi looked dumbfounded. The raven-head liked to make him cringe and he wouldn't let this chance pass.
"Just kidding," Rukawa said.
And the redhead was flabbergasted.
-tsuzuku-
Crescent mumbles:
Waaaaahhhh!!! I've finally lost it! First, I missed Sol-chan's birthday. It was a week ago! GOMEN NASAI!!!! *searches for Sol-chan high and low*
Second, there's another chapter to be written. Well, I couldn't end this here, I know you guys might hate me, so I decided to write an epilogue. I feel bad for not uploading sooner. *ask minna for forgiveness*
Third, this chap was too conversational. I'm losing my dramatic touch. But it is too long… Gomen nasai… The epilogue won't be like this, I promise.
Fourth, there's a little self-insert (Sol-chan too). I couldn't resist it. ^^;;
So… hope you'll forgive me? *prays hard that they will*
To everyone:
Arisfilan, Chris, Hagane, Rain, Hikaru Itsuko, S.G.O., dragon dreams, candy the dreamer.
Gomen guys, if I couldn't give individual greetings this time, I've just had my first of the five final exams this semester. I don't even know it I can write something for our beloved Hana-kun for his birthday. .
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!