Your heart's desire
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Disclaimer: Honestly, I wouldn't be here if I owned either Rukawa or Sawakita. I'd be out showing them off. Anyway, Slam Dunk belongs to the Holy Guru Takehiko Inoue and I own the gorgeous Rukawa Kuroko.
Setting: Post-Slam Dunk
Pairing: Sawakita Eiji X OC (Rukawa Kuroko)
Character age guidelines:
Rukawa Kaede [32]
Rukawa Kuroko [20]
Genre: Romance/ maybe humour in some parts
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Chapter Four
Her breath steadied and her erratic heartbeat dropped to a normal pace. Sawakita smoothed his fingers over her palm, feeling a strong surge of tenderness. He froze in mid-motion, rethinking his action.
Not since Midoriko…
Sawakita retracted his hand and left. He had to wash up and change his clothes before coming back – and he hoped that he'd make it back before Kuroko woke up.
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The Nissan March was strangely bubbly for a tall, muscular man like him, but the cheeriness was what Sawakita saw in the car. It wasn't too small, either, and fitted him just right. Besides, a bright orange Nissan March would be the last car anyone would imagine the star player of Japan would drive – it was way easier to shake off pesky paparazzo and journalists. The car glided smoothly along the highway, and Sawakita found his thoughts straying again.
Was it true that I could never love? I was in love. Was, was the keyword. Midoriko was everything I could ask for in a dream girl, and she loved me. But again, did I really love her? If not, why would I be oblivious to her agony and loneliness? I was too caught up in his basketball games and had practically ignored the sweet, quiet girl – who had to –
His thoughts cut off abruptly as he reached his house. After he activated the remote security to open the gates of his house, Sawakita pulled into the driveway, shutting the gates behind him. It was then when he remembered that he had to get back to Kuroko as soon as possible. He ran into the house and showered, picked up a few articles of clothes and stuffed those into his duffel bag. He checked that everything was ready before going out again.
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Kuroko was tossing and turning on the hospital bed when he arrived, beads of sweat appearing on the visible patches of her face. Her heart rate was again, feverous, and Sawakita saw nothing at that moment except to wake her from the nightmare that she was apparently experiencing.
He placed his hands, slightly chilly from the air-conditioning in the car, onto hers and shook her gently. Her eyes fluttered briefly before opening in a sleepy haze. There was fear within the dark hazel depths.
"Nii-chan…?" She muttered, still delirious from her nightmare.
"It's Sawakita," He replied as quietly as possible, "You had a nightmare. It's okay… nothing will hurt you here,"
"You don't understand," Kuroko's voice was broken and croaky, "I have to drive…I can't lose my freedom of movement," Her guard was let down. Sawakita felt a trace of relief at hearing her tell him about herself – he tightened his hold on her hands instinctively, "You will get better,"
"No…now!" She cried out before she fell into a severe coughing fit.
The doctor and nurses rushed in a while later to tend to her. Sawakita went out of the ward at the request of the doctor.
I will protect her from all the demons that haunted her dreams until Rukawa comes back next week.
"You shouldn't date someone if you don't love her,"
Rukawa was right to tell me that. I don't even know if I can ever love. But I will love Kuroko as a friend, as a sister.
The doctor came out a while later and Sawakita rose from the seat outside the ward to enquire about Kuroko's well being.
"Are you a family member of Miss Rukawa Kuroko?"
"Eh, no, but her brother had asked me to take care of her. I've been here for a couple of days,"
"Miss Rukawa's condition is very stable now. In fact, she could be discharged next week to recuperate properly. Her spine condition, however, would require long-term physiotherapy. She didn't seem to be taking the news too well, so I gather that it's your job to make sure she learn to accept it in a good way,"
When Sawakita went in again, he saw that the medical team had removed some of the bandages on Kuroko's face. Where smooth porcelain skin used to be on her left cheek was dried blood, coarse bruises and scratches. They'd no doubt leave the skin pockmarked and scarred when recovered. Inertly, he wondered if she'd be able to accept the loss of beauty as well.
She looked up at him, "Why are you still here?"
He smiled warmly, "Because your nii-san asked me to stay here,"
"I don't need you,"
"But I want to stay," He sat casually by her bed.
"Get out,"
"Aw Ma'am, you sound awfully perky for someone who was just a little bit sulky just now," Sawakita piped cheerfully, "You know, you don't look as pretty if you are scowling,"
"Well, it doesn't matter now, does it? I know what my face is like now," She glared at him, "Shouldn't you be out of here by now? I don't have the looks that you were drooling after,"
Expecting that, Sawakita made a show of clutching his heart and sighing in theatrical fashion, "Milady, you wound me. You spared me no sweet words, and hesitated not in showering abuse upon my ardor,"
Caught by surprise, Kuroko intensified her glare, while Sawakita continued to babble, "Since I'm going to be here for a while, I might as well make myself comfortable," He dragged over another chair from a corner of the ward, sat on the first chair and propped his legs on the second, "Aw Miss Kuroko, you look an awful lot like your brother when you glare at me,"
"Stop that," Kuroko gritted her teeth.
"Stop what?" He blinked innocently.
"The 'aw' and 'awful' thing! You are too old to be cute,"
"Awwww!" He cooed, "So you think it's cute, Miss Kuroko-chan?"
"Shut up!"
"Alright," He sighed loudly, "For the love of big pink fluffy cows, I'll keep quiet,"
She scowled, and he grinned. It seemed like communication with Kuroko was no longer a problem.