Rukawa stared at the group of boys sitting in a circle around the bonfire they made. Nightfall has made its way already, and it's getting cold, so they all decided to made one. He can hear them laughing merrily, throwing in random stories, and adding bits of words to make it sillier. He can see some of them holding cans of beer, while some decided to settle on soda.
He would've joined them, but he's too comfortable in his place right now. He fixed his eyes on the body of water that is in front of him. The moon is already hanging in the sky, the stars surrounding her, and keeping company. He can hear the soft sound of the waves crashing through the shore, the moonlight making the water shine. He closed his eyes as a gust of wind blew his hair away, feeling the coldness carassed his cheek. He stayed like that for a few seconds before he felt a presence beside him. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked up to see who the person is. He was then met by a pair of cobalt blue eyes. It was none other than, Akira Sendoh.
The two stayed in that position for a few seconds, Kaede looking up and Akira looking down at him with a smile on his face. They stared at each other's eyes for a while before Sendoh decided to break it by sitting down next to him. Rukawa then turned his head back to the sea. They were seating shoulder to shoulder, silence between them as they just stared at the ocean in front of them. The raven haired boy noticed that Sendoh is holding a can of beer, and settled it beside him.
Rukawa may not say it out loud, but out of all the people he is with today, he felt the most comfortable with Sendoh. Which is kinda funny since he is his rival on court. But there's something about the spiky haired boy that made Rukawa felt at ease with him. Maybe because he doesn't mind his silence. Never force him to speak or make him do things that he felt uncomfortable with. He let him be who he is.
"You're not gonna join them?" Sendoh asked as he tilts his head towards their teammates who are busily laughing their heads off with their own stories. He cannot help but smile as he stare at them. It's good that they have time like this to relax and be comfortable with each other, considering that they were enemies on court.
Rukawa looked momentarily to where their teammates are and shook his head. "Maybe later." He said softly. "How about you? What are you doing here?" He eyed the older boy beside him. Sendoh took a gulp from the can of beer and shrugged. He run a finger through his slightly dishevelled hair, small fringes framing his face. He then turned towards Rukawa with a smile on his face. "Nothing. Just wanna sit here with you." His eyes were soft as he stared at the pale, raven haired boy beside him.
Rukawa felt his heart hammering in his chest, threatening to escape. He felt his face flushed after hearing Sendoh's words. There's something about the way he said those words that struck him. He then looked away from him, afraid that the older boy would see him blushing. He heard Sendoh chuckled beside him. "Hmm, Do ahou." Rukawa muttered and went back to staring at the sea in front of him.
"It's nice to relax like this once in a while." Sendoh muttered while staring ahead, eyes blank. "No stress." He closed his eyes as he felt a gust of wind carassed his face. Rukawa made a sound of agreement as he copied the older boy's action. He too thinks that it's nice to just be sitting right there, hearing the laughs of their teammates and the waves, uncaring of the world.
The two talked about random and little things in life. Sendoh started telling random stories, about himself eventualy. Rukawa listened attentively to the older boy, would respond once in a while if the other ask him. He doesn't know why but, Rukawa doesn't get tired hearing Sendoh talk. Be it meaningful words or nensense ones coming out from the spiky haired boy's mouth. He doesn't get irritated, and actually found himself wanting to listen more to him talk.
"How about you?" Sendoh suddenly asked him. Rukawa stared at him,asking what he meant by that question. "Why did you decided to play basketball?" Sendoh was looking at him, eyes genuine.
Rukawa contemplated if he should answer that personal question. He and Sendoh never really had this kind of talk before. Sure they play one on one and hang out sometimes. But they've never threaded into personal territory before. And Rukawa was never the person to share something personal to someone else before. But then, Sendoh is different, Rukawa find himsef musing. There's something about the older boy that made Rukawa feel different things.
With a sigh, Rukawa stared straight ahead of him before he started talking. "I started playing it when I was 10 years old." His voice was soft as he talks. "My parents were always busy back then, and I don't have a sibling who I can really talk to. So I got easily lonely back then, and basketball was the only way to ease that." He then looked beside him, and was greeted by those pair of cobalt blue eyes staring at him softly, and there's something else that Rukawa cannot decipher.
"And I eventually started to enjoy playing basketball." Rukawa finished and looked at the moon above. It was big and bright tonight, making it nearer than usual. Sendoh was attentively listening the whole time the younger boy was talking. His whole attention fixated on the raven haired boy. He was absorbing every word he said. Kaede felt that he is being stared at, so he looked at his right and was caught in a deadlock with Sendoh Akira.
Akira was the one who broke the stare by taking a gulp on his beer. He felt his throat suddenly parched up while staring at those pair of cerulean blue fox like eyes. He then presented the beer to his companion, "Want a sip?" He asked him. Rukawa's eyes widened for a bit and his lips slightly parted when he heard what the older boy said. He looked at the can of beer, and back to Sendoh. Sendoh was smiling at him while still holding the beer in front of his face. He then took the beer and drunk from it.
Sendoh watched Rukawa took a sip from the beer. The moon shined so bright tonight, and Rukawa seemed to glow because of it. The moonlight highlighted his features. His head is tipped back a little as he drink. From his raven and unruly locks that is a contrast to his fair complexion. His fringes that covered his sharp and defined eyebrows. Those pair of foxy like eyes with cobalt blue irises that are always obscured by those fringes. It reminded him of the clear sky or the ocean. His long lashes that casts a shadow on his face. His sharp and pointed nose. His sharp jaw and pointed chin that suits him. And as Rukawa finished taking a sip from the can of beer, what greeted Sendoh was his lips. A pair of thin and pinkish lips that resembled cupid's bow, and is slightly wet because of the drink.
He was a masterpiece, Sendoh concluded. And he wants nothing more than to possess and own this masterpiece, hide and never to show it into the world.
He gulp involuntarily when he saw Rukawa wet his lower lip with his tongue, and then their eyes met again for the nth time that night. No one said a word as the two of them were stucked on a stealthy eyelock. They felt that their surrounding around them disappeared, they find themselves in their own world with nothing and no one but them.
And then their lips met. Sendoh couldn't help it anymore. He was so overwhelmed with his emotions, and Rukawa's beauty that he closed their distance and kissed him.
Rukawa stiffened when he felt a pair of lips landed on his. His eyes are wide as Sendoh's face with his eyes close comes into his view. And then he felt the other boy moved his lips on him. He also felt a big hand on his nape as Sendoh continued to kiss him. It was a soft and chaste kiss, and Rukawa was still rooted on his spot as he felt his face and ears flushed. His heart is galloping on his chest, he can hear his heartbeat so loud in his ears, and he wonders if the older boy can hear it. And after a moment, he can feel himself lifting one of his trembling hand, and gripped Sendoh's shirt tightly. He closed his eyes and parted his lips, allowing Sendoh to kiss him properly. The kiss then became more fiercer and harder. Kaede whined when he felt Sendoh nibbled and bit his lower lip. He then accidentally made a sound on his throat when he felt the other's tongue on his, and then, he let himself be lost on the feeling of Sendoh Akira's lips and tongue on his.
The two only parted with the lack of oxygen. Their foreheads are pressed together as their hot breath fans each other's faces. Rukawa can still feel his heart pounding on his chest. He decided to open his eyes, and what greeted him was Sendoh's eyes shining so brightly while staring at him. His face is soft, illuminated by the moonlight. Kaede gulped involuntarily as he mustered himself to talk.
"Why?" He whispered, and that's when he realized that he is still gripping Sendoh's shirt. He felt himself flushed but he made no move to remove his hand from the hold. Instead of answering, Sendoh leaned forward and planted his forehead on his shoulder. Rukawa's eyes widened, and he felt his heartbeat went impossibly faster at their closeness. He then felt Sendoh's hand that are holding his nape a while ago, slid down his arm and felt for his hand. He interwined their hand together as he speaks.
"Can I tell you a secret?" Sendoh whispered as he closed his eyes. His heart is hammering on his chest, threatening to come out. His heartbeat is resonating on his ears, and he gulped as he steeled himself to talk. Rukawa did not respond, but he didn't pull away either. So Sendoh continued speaking.
"Do you know how happy you make me feel even though you're doing nothing?" Sendoh started. " How I always look forward when we meet? How my heart jumps with the thought of spending time with you even for just a short period of time?" He smiled even though he knew that the other won't see it."How I wish I could spend all day with you? " He continued as he let his emotions get the best of him.
Rukawa was stunned and speechless after hearing every words from Sendoh. He felt like he drank a whole jug of coffee because of how fast his heart is beating. He can also feel his breathing go faster, and his brain is not properly functioning as Sendoh's every words echoed in his mind.
He only snapped back into reality when he felt Sendoh moved his head away from his shoulder and looked at him. He then raised their hands that are intertwined together and moved it towards his lips. Rukawa felt a goosebumps when Sendoh kissed his hand.
"Did you know that I am so inlove with you Rukawa Kaede?"
The younger couldn't helped but gasped and looked at Sendoh with wide eyes after hearing his confession. He found the older looking at him with so much emotions evident in his cobalt blue eyes.
He stared at him as he try to digest every words he told him. "I'm inlove with you Rukawa Kaede." He couldn't help but repeat in his head what the older man said to him. It was unbelievable really. He didn't even think that this was possible, the possibility of Sendoh Akira falling inlove with him, of all people.
Love was an emotion he failed to understand before. Doesn't even think about it, pushed at the back of his mind. He has deemed it as unnecessary. But as he stare at those cobalt blues that is laced with so many emotions, he understands now. He thinks back of the times he has spent with him. The little changes in him after getting to know this man. His unexplainable feelings when he is with this particular person. The sense of comfort ad security when he is with his company. It all makes sense to him now. And it only takes Sendoh Akira to finally make him understand what Love is.
"Can I also tell you a secret?" Rukawa whispered and clasped their hands together. Sendoh didn't respons, but just stared at him intently. Rukawa gulped before continuinh because he can honestly feel his heart threatening to jump out his chest.
"Did you know that Love was just a word for me, until you came along and gave meaning to it?"
Sendoh's eyes widened after hearing what Rukawa said. He can feel his heart beating so fast he can hear it on his ears. He was made speechless as he stare at those cerulean blue shining so bright from the moonlight that are staring back at him.
"Sendoh Akira, I am so inlove with you."
Rukaw Kaede smiled after confessing his true feelings towards the older boy. Sendoh was stupefied on his place when he saw the ravenette smiled genuinely for the first since getting to know him. He felt out of breath because of the emotions swirling inside him, especially since the bright moonlight is highlighting his beauty.
And then he can feel himseld smiling so widely after digesting his words
"Sendoh Akira, I am so inlove with you."
Those words echoed in his mind, and before he knew it, he was hugging the younger boy tightly. He burried his head on his neck to prevent himself from tearjng because he is honestly overwhelmed right now. "I am so so happy Kaede."
Rukawa was surprised when he was engulfed into a tight hug. And then he can feel Sendoh's hot breath on his neck, his ears and cheek flushed. He was about to push him away when he heard him, "I am so so happy Kaede." Rukawa bit his lower lip, because he too is happy right now. So he returned the hug and laid his head on his broad shoulder.
The two stayed in that position, until they hear the cheers and hooting of their teammates not from a far. They eventually broke the hug, and looked at their direction. They saw some of them holding their phones up, with their flashlight on. And some of them were grinning and smirking at the two of them.
"Wooh finally!!"
"Damn! You two finally stopped being idiots and got together!"
"Congrats Sendohh! I told you it's mutual! I'm Rukawa's senpai after all!"
The last one was from Ayako and Rukawa was made to stare at her. He saw the older lady smirking at him, so he just burried his head on his lovers shoulder, hiding his blush and not wanting to see their reactions anymore. He totally forgot that they were with their teammates!!
Akira just chuckled at his younger beau, and kissed his cheek." Come on Kaede, let's join them at the fire. It's getting cold already." He whispered into his lover softly.
Rukawa nod his head because he too is starting to feel cold already.
Sendoh stood up first and offered his hand to his younger beau with a smile. Rukawa lookes at the hand first, and then into his older lover who is smiling at him, the moon behind him. He let himself smile before accepting the offered hand.
Soon, the two of them were walking hand in hand towards their team, both hearts beating as one.