Pairing: RuHana… obviously ^^;
Disclaimer: Characters belong to the god that is Inoue Takehito.
Notes: Ah… written while on a RuHana one-shot spree. I like this kinda confession thing haha… Plotless fic =__= I like Rukawa stalking Hanamichi ^^; Enough said.
He watched the group of boys at the end of the corridor from his own quiet corner. No one knew he was watching. They were all thinking that he was doing what he was best at, other than basketball, and were more than glad to leave him in that state. Fools. He continued to observe the boys, one prominently tall. With red locks. Laughing. Fooling around. Doing what guys do when they hang out together.
Half-shut lids and long lashes hid the heated azure orbs that were burning with one emotion. Longing. He wasn't jealous of the boys surrounding the red head. They were, hopefully, no threat to him and what he wanted. He felt a strong sense of longing. A wanting to belong. To belong to no one else but that red head, and for the latter to feel the same for him too.
He called him an idiot. So often that it became an endearment for him to address his crush. Maybe he was. honestly. That cute redhead was a fool in many ways. A fool to be blind to his enemy's sudden change in attitude, fool to be dense in discovering that the 50 girls who dumped him were mere infatuations, a fool to be that innocent and attractive, so much so that he could fall in love with him. Or maybe * he * was the one who acted foolishly. They were starting to be good partners, and he went all the way out to destroy that budding friendship. With just one word.
* FLASHBACK *
Hanamichi and Rukawa had cleaning duty that day, and they started only after playing a round of one-on-one. The basketballs were cleaned and kept, and both boys were at either end of the gym mopping the floor. Silence hung over the empty gym save for the occasional squeaking of gym shoes.
Rukawa, mopping his side of the gym, was brooding as usual. About a certain redhead as usual. But what was unusual was that he was thinking to warm embraces, sweet lips and the do'aho's nasal voice. Shaking his head furiously, he wondered when his infatuation for the red head had become an obsession. He had become grudging partners with Hanamichi after their first time working together. Now, in their second year of high school, they were slowly becoming less hostile to each other. At least Hanamichi was, Rukawa had always felt the same. He wondered if Hanamichi felt anything more than friendship towards him. It was painful enough when the red head looked at him as if he was the most detestable thing on earth while all he wanted was acceptance from the redhead. It later on bloomed into infatuation, and perhaps, love, and then into what he felt like obsession.
Gripping the mop tightly, Rukawa considered the consequences of a confession to the redhead behind him. He could hear Hanamichi mopping the floor behind him, the increasingly loud squeaking of shoes indicating the closeness of the both of them. Why not? Since he had the sudden courage to do it? But something was holding him back. What would happen if Hanamichi detested him after that? Suddenly, a strong solid force hit him at the back. Rukawa, who was leaning against the mop, promptly lost his balance and fell forward, bringing whatever that banged into him along as well.
Hanamichi was diligently mopping his side on the floor, humming his favorite song. He was moving backwards as he finished area after area, when he hit something. Having expected that the path was clear, he was caught by surprise and tripped over the mop, falling over, anticipating a hard knock on his head. Of course, there would be no serious injuries. After all, he was the tensai. He shut his eyes, anticipating the fall, but the floor seemed strangely soft....and warm???
Rukawa stretched out his hands to break his fall, but the weight of the do'aho was too much, and he ended up landing chin on the ground. He felt like his back was about to break, what with Hanamichi squirming and adding weight.
Hanamichi hurriedly got off the soft body he was lying on. Sheepish, he turned around to check if the kitsune was alright. Rukawa turned around slowly, wincing in pain. He sat on the floor, immobile, with his face towards the ground in such a way that Hanamichi could not see his expression. Rukawa closed his eyes, trying to catch a breath.
"Kitsune, daijobu ka?"
Blue eyes snapped up to meet the soft gaze of hazel-brown ones. There was something in those eyes he had never seen before. Concern? His breath hitched in his throat. Those eyes had never been that mesmerizing. When was the last time the redhead had shown concern for him?
'When you got your eye injury during the Toyotama match you idiot'
A voice at the back of his mind gave him a mental kick.
Right. But this was the first time he saw those eyes up close, gaze warm and soft, so full of worry and concern. Those soulful eyes stirred up something in him.
A lurch in the stomach.
His cheeks grew warm as those eyes continued to watch him.
Something in him snapped.
Hazel eyes widened as Hanamichi was pushed onto the gym floor roughly. He stared at the kitsune incredulously. Was this what he got for showing a little concern for his newfound friend? He frowned and was going to fling Rukawa's arm off his shoulder when something warm covered his mouth.
He froze. All that he could see were long lashes of closed eyes. And the warmth over his mouth. Something wet. A chaste kiss, but the intimacy was too much. When he realized what he was in for, he started struggling, but Rukawa had pinned both his wrists strongly to the ground. In a desperate attempt, Hanamichi raised his leg and kneed Rukawa to the side.
Both boys sat there, panting.
"Hanamichi, I like you. I'm serious."
Silence hung like a heavy curtain.
Seeing no reaction from the redhead, Rukawa got up to his feet to leave.
"Hanamichi..."
The other boy snapped his head up suddenly.
"I...I can wait. I'll wait for an answer."
With that, the raven haired rookie left the gym, leaving a stunned Hanamichi sitting in the gym.
* END FLASHBACK*
And so, it was already a week since the incident happened. As much as he wanted Hanamichi's answer, Rukawa was simply rotting on the inside from anxiety. Hanamichi had avoided him like a plague for the past six days, and he had been more cheerful than usual. What was he so cheerful about?
Enough was enough.
His patience had run out.
With a slam against his desk, Rukawa took big strides to where Hanamichi was presently, chatting with Haruko. The rest of the corridor was, unsurprisingly, empty, considering that the look on the normally impassive boy's face was ominous. He stalked right to Hanamichi's side, and with a strong pull on the arm, he dragged the protesting redhead away, leaving a bewildered Haruko staring at them in amusement. (I can't get the image of Rukawa whisking Hanamichi away like a bride… but … that's not what Rukawa is doing now ^^;)
Once they were somewhere within a more secluded part of the school grounds, Rukawa took in is surroundings for a while. Thinking that it was a safe place to talk, he whipped around to face Hanamichi.
The red head just looked at him oddly.
"Do'aho, it's been a week. I'm waiting for an answer."
"You said you would wait."
"I'm impatient. I want my answer."
Rukawa grabbed Hanamichi by the collar and pulled him close.
"Or do you need some more prompting?"
Another odd look from the red head. Filled with puzzlement this time. Rukawa, eager to demonstrate what he meant, pulled the redhead close for a reenactment of the previous week's event, when Hanamichi finally got a gist of it and pulled back hurriedly.
"Erm... after thinking about it seriously the other day, I have come to a conclusion that... you're OK I guess. And I like you,.... but I'm not sure if it's love or not. I mean, I won't know what-Mmph!!!"
They pulled away from each other to catch their breaths. Pulling Hanamichi into his embrace, Rukawa whispered into his now koi's ear,
"Are you sure now, do'aho?"
"Hmph. You cheated."
OWARI