Slam Dunk is not mine.

After a year and a half hiatus, I'm back to continue this fic. The style may have changed a little, but my adoration for these two characters still remains the same.

CHAPTER 5

Rukawa dribbled the ball calmly in front of the redhead. "Come on, come on," Sakuragi said impatiently. "Hurry up." The redhead gritted his teeth.

When Rukawa realized that Sakuragi was distracted, he zipped past the boy, stopped at the three-pointer line, and raised his arms high. With a light flick, he released the ball, and it fell into the hoop with a whoosh.

"Dammit, you foxy face! I wasn't ready for that. Basket not counted!" Sakuragi's face was red, either from the hot weather or from the embarrassment that Rukawa had gotten past him.

"You'll never be ready, anyway," retorted the raven-haired boy.

"Grr…" Sakuragi claimed the neglected from the side. He jogged lightly back towards the center of the court. "First person to score three baskets wins," he negotiated, then without waiting for Rukawa's answer, he dribbled the ball towards the hoop behind Rukawa and laid it in.

Rukawa sighed when he heard the redhead's laughter. "Did you see that, you skinny fox? This tensai managed to get past you. I'm sure you're definitely too shocked by my superbly awesome skills to actually reply, right? Nyahaha…"

Sakuragi passed the orange ball back to Rukawa, and stood in front of the boy with his arms outstretched. "Try to get past me now."

"You talk too much."

"Teme! How dare you insult this tensai. I have more talent than you ever will have, even in your dreams. Why, I should make you bow down to me…" Sakuragi faltered. Rukawa was looking deep into his eyes; his usually cool blue eyes were now a dark velvet colour. Whoa. What?

Rukawa started to move towards the left, but Sakuragi responded by moving towards his right. "Gotcha," Rukawa mumbled, and dribbled towards his right instead. He stopped under the basket and shot. Swish.

"Oi. You shouldn't get so distracted on the court, you know. It's a war out here."

"I knew that," Sakuragi muttered. He grabbed the ball, and without warning, dashed towards the hoop and smashed it through. "Slam dunk!" he bellowed.

"Always in a rush," Rukawa commented.

"Oh, stop trying to make yourself feel better. Just admit it. This tensai is far better than your amateurish skills."

Rukawa, after gaining possession of the ball, continued his slow and lazy dribble. However, this time, Sakuragi was not willing to take any chances. I have to win this. I WANT to win this.

"Hun hun hun hun hun hun hun. Get a load of this, Rukawa! My famous hun-hun defense!" Sakuragi exclaimed as he defended. He blocked the right, the left, the top, everywhere with his fast reflexes that it became virtually impossible for the opponent to shoot. It was like a high brick wall, his hun-hun defense. But Rukawa saw a weakness with that defense. He could see the loop, the hole, which Sakuragi had neglected to cover. He could pass the ball through it, run around the idiot, and score. But, does he want to?

Rukawa lightly released the ball, knowing perfectly well what would happen next. Sakuragi grabbed the loose ball triumphantly. "Ha." With that, he dribbled towards the hoop, with Rukawa defending now.

"Huu!" Sakuragi did a feint.

Shit. That feint was so obvious, even an infant could see through it. But Rukawa obligingly jumped up.

Sakuragi dribbled around the boy and shot from under the basket.

"I beat that flat faced fox," Sakuragi boasted. "Of course, this genius with his incredible skills cannot be compared to Rukawa's junior high skills."

Rukawa wiped the sweat trickling down the side of his face with the towel draped around his shoulder. He drank from the can. He tightened his shoelaces, then stood up from his sitting position.

Sakuragi frowned. He's not actually upset, is he? He wondered. "It's okay Rukawa. I'll go easy on the punishments."

Rukawa turned to look at the redhead, and a hint of a smirk appeared at the corner of his lips. "Just so you know, I let you win."

"Feh, no way. Well, if it helps your bruised ego much, you can continue saying that, if you want. But this tensai won, fair and square. And you have to do everything I say for the day!" Sakuragi said victoriously. "And the first thing I want you to do is to smile."

Rukawa was taken aback. "What?" Was the reply he could muster, as he stared Sakuragi incredulously.

"Come on, come on. I've never seen you smile."

"Good," Rukawa piped in.

"I just want one little smile. Just for me. I'll forgive you of all the hurtful things you had said to me for the past few days if you'll just smile for me," Sakuragi begged, curious to see how the ice prince would look like with an upturned lip on his face.

Rukawa put his ball back into the duffel bag and stood. He slowly walked towards the gate to leave.

"OI!" Sakuragi exclaimed in outrage as he trailed the boy. "I'm talking to you!"

"What's there to be smiling about? I lost to a baboon on a one-on-one and I'm hungry and tired. Go find someone else to bother," Rukawa said over his back.

Sakuragi slowed his steps. "You promised," he said as he stood at the gate.

Rukawa stopped in his tracks. He turned slowly. "Do'aho." He held out his right hand.

Sakuragi raised an eyebrow. What? Does he want to shake hands now? Or… maybe he wants to hold my hand and we'll walk hand-in-hand towards my house? His cheeks turning crimson, Sakuragi gingerly reached towards the outstretched hand.

Rukawa dropped his hand. "Do'aho. I knew you'd think stupid thoughts."

"Teme kitsune! You're gonna pay…"

Rukawa leaned over and laid a gentle peck on Sakuragi's smooth cheek. The other boy stopped in mid-sentence as his eyes widened in shock. Rukawa's lips slowly traveled towards the redhead's ear. He gently bit the lobe and then whispered in his ear, his cool breath like a caress to Sakuragi's hot skin. "All right. You win. Do what you want with me."