DISCLAIMER: I don't own anything in this story, unfortunately.

"Sendoh?" Rukawa started hoarsely. He couldn't believe it. He had been waiting for three months for this to happen and everything he wanted to say and kept rehearsing again and again was now gone. He shook his head to prevent himself from totally collapsing. A dream, perhaps? Yes, a dream. When I look again, there will be no Akira Sendoh. He was never really there in front of me.

But Sendoh was there. "Uhm… Hi Rukawa. How are you? Fine?" he asked with a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Rukawa just stared at him. He even dared to ask me that question! he hollered on his mind. How can I be fine when he wasn't beside me when I needed him the most! "Fine, fine. I'm cool," he answered through gritted teeth.

He nodded, grinning broadly. "Great. Great. Glad to hear it."

He even dared to smile like that! Did he want to show me how much I missed when he was gone? he thought heatedly. I didn't know he can be such an egotistical pig sometimes. Or maybe he is like that ever since. I only loved him so much that is why I can dismiss all the bad traits he has. Did I really love him that much? That's weird. Rukawa continued to look intently at the gorgeous guy in front of him. Sendoh was wearing a black shirt and jeans so the contours of his body can be easily seen. He was careful not to spot the erection on Sendoh's pants. "You?"

"Fine. Just great," he replied, quickly—too quickly, Rukawa noticed. He scratched his head and pointed to the door in the left, the one leading to the indoor basketball court of Shohoku High. "Is Coach Anzai there?"

"No, he just left to do something," Rukawa said. He cleared his throat. "I was a bit early for our… uhm… training so he asked me to… uhm… wait for you."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I woke up late…"

"…because you watched late-night TV while eating lemons," Rukawa interrupted. He chuckled.

"You remembered."

He stopped laughing. "How can I forget?"

"I'm just surprised you still remember it after all this time," he said, shrugging.

He looked directly at his eyes. "I remember everything. Why, didn't you?"

Sendoh shook his head and smiled his irresistible smile. "But I think I'm a little bit rusty now."

Rukawa grinned. He walked slowly toward him. "Want some practice?"

"Can we?"

Rukawa touched his face, angling it so it caught the glow from the window. His hand still lingered on his cheek, and Sendoh looked at him, wondering if he could see the longing on his face. Maybe he did, because he slid his hand around the back of his neck and gently urged him closer. He balanced himself with his hands as he leaned forward. When their faces were only a few inches apart, their lips touched, tentatively at first, lightly, tenderly. But they grew hungrier, wanting to taste, to savor, to devour. Rukawa's tongue slid over and around his, and his returned the intimate caress. His hand wove through his hair and tugged him nearer, and Sendoh lost his balance and fell against him.

Sendoh's chest nestled against his chest as if they'd come home, his legs straddled his hard-muscled thigh. He knew Rukawa could feel the bulge on his pants by the way he shifted, enabling him to settle more fully against him.

Rukawa smoothed Sendoh's hair back from his face, then cradled his head in his hands and urged his mouth to his. He took possession surely, thoroughly, his tongue advancing, then retreating, encouraging his to follow. Accepting his kisses wasn't good enough, he wanted Sendoh to actively seek them.

He smoothed his hands over his muscular shoulders, down his arms and up again, then he lay back on the floor, pulling Sendoh down with him. He sprawled on him, his erection seeking and finding the corresponding hard planes of his body. As he pressed his hands flat on his chest, he could feel his heart beating.

Sendoh felt Rukawa's hands slid beneath the edge of his T-shirt and caress the hot skin of his back, then slip beneath the waist of his jeans, and tease the edge of his underwear. He wanted to touch Rukawa, too, to see if his flesh was as hot as his felt, so he levered up a little and tugged up the front of his shirt. Rukawa groaned as he glided his hands over his chest.

Rukawa gasped with pleasure and moved his hands beneath his shirt again, to explore the bare skin of his back, restlessly, searchingly.

When bare skin met bare skin, they both groaned in satisfaction, and their mouths and tongues met in another passionate duel. Rukawa spread his legs and Sendoh's thigh slipped between them, rubbing against his swollen desire.

Rukawa rolled him beneath him, his arms keeping his bare back from contact with the cool ground. Lowering his face, he took his lips again. He kidnapped his breath and held it hostage, allowing him to ransom it only by opening his mouth wider to his possession. Sendoh arched his lips beneath him and he answered with an instinctive thrust of his own.

"Rukawa, it's been so long," Sendoh murmured against his lips. He sat up and straightened out his shirt. he helped Rukawa stand up.

When they were both standing up, Rukawa said, "We really should get ready. The others are probably on the way."

"I'll wait." He pressed his lips on Rukawa's for the last time.

A/N: I'm sorry if this chapter is a bit short. Thank you for reading, however, and I hope you will give a review about it. I want to improve and your review will be a great help! Thank you for those who gave me reviews for the first chapter; it really got me going.