Sakuragi Hanamichi woke up pressed to a hard body beside him. Soft stream of sunlight filtered through his window, slightly blinding his still unfocused eyes. He blinked once, twice to adjust his vision and gave up altogether. Closing his eyes, he felt the man beside him moved and slung an arm around his torso. Almost instinctively, Sakuragi scooted closer to press himself to the sleeping Rukawa Kaede.

What happened the night before was something Sakuragi did not expect to happen again. Six months ago, Rukawa returned to Japan to be treated for a basketball-related injury. The bastard managed to get into the NBA. He was no Yao Ming but Rukawa was skilled enough to earn an important place in his team. He got what he dreamed of and the former Shohoku basketball teammates celebrated and tracked Rukawa's career. It's been ten years since they last saw Rukawa and the opportunity presented itself for the former teammates to meet up.

No one in the team knew that there was something going on between Sakuragi and Rukawa. They were awkward around each other. Their former teammates suspected that their fierce competition before mellowed out to give way to awkwardness. They couldn't be farther from the truth. Sakuragi was not sure now who made the first move to invite whom for a simple lunch but it went downhill from there. No, they didn't fuck the first time they were alone; or the days after that. In a weird way, they got to know each other better in the past six months than those years that they were teammates. But there was something simmering beneath the surface. And the more they learned about each other, the more it built up. It was only a matter of time before the bubble burst. Last night.

Sakuragi would like to attribute the sex to being drunk. But they weren't. They were stone-cold sober. They took it slow, so very slow. Their kisses were languid, their hands slowly mapping each other's body, teasing as it traced every exposed and unexposed skin. Rukawa whispered, "Bed," and let Sakuragi led him towards the bedroom. They stood at the end of the bed maybe for a few seconds but Sakuragi felt that time stopped then and there. They were just looking at each other and still so many questions hanging between them. But there were no doubts in Rukawa's eyes. Sakuragi remembered the wanton desire burning he saw in the other man as he undressed in front of Sakuragi. Rukawa was leaving himself opened. Sakuragi closed the distance between them and they fell to the bed. There were no missteps in their movements.

When they climaxed, Sakuragi's name was on Rukawa's lips and Sakuragi was soothing with his tongue the bite marks he left on Rukawa's shoulders. They fell asleep after that, the blanket drawn up to their chins, Rukawa's head resting on Sakuragi's chest, Sakuragi's arm around Rukawa.

In the early light of morning, the vivid memories of last night came flooding back to Sakuragi. There was that feeling again that somehow there was something wrong with what they did.

Sakuragi felt Rukawa's eyelashes fluttered, signaling that the other man was waking up. An involuntary shudder coursed through him when Rukawa placed open mouth kisses on his neck. Rukawa's lips left a burning trail on his neck until his lips found Sakuragi's. Rukawa tasted like come and early morning and it shouldn't excite Sakuragi but it definitely did. The other man shifted until he was on top of Sakuragi, every inch of their skin pressed together, mouths working against each other, Rukawa's fingers threading softly through Sakuragi's hair. When he pulled away, Sakuragi could see a thin trail of saliva connecting their lips and he felt a small stab somewhere. Perhaps sensing the tempestuous thoughts running in Sakuragi's mind, Rukawa softly brushed his thumb against Sakuragi's cheekbones.

"Hey," Rukawa said, "Isn't it a little early for you to be in deep thoughts?"

Sakuragi looked into Rukawa's eyes and felt a gnawing fear eating through him. He looked away and made a motion to get up from the bed but Rukawa pinned him in place with his body. Sakuragi opened his mouth to protest but Rukawa took the opportunity to kiss him again. This kiss was fierce but not brutal, as if Rukawa was trying to prove a point. Sakuragi was not responding at first but Rukawa was persistent. He was nipping Sakuragi's bottom lip and chasing the tiny pain with his tongue until Sakuragi finally gave him entrance.

Rukawa didn't stop kissing him until Sakuragi rested his hand on Rukawa's back to draw the man closer. Pressing their foreheads together, Rukawa's every words brushed against his lips.

"What are you thinking?" Rukawa asked softly.

"That you're going to leave…"

Rukawa flinched at the unspoken me in Sakuragi's reply.

"I, ah…" Sakuragi laughed softly, "I always have the sense that you're bound to move away."

Rukawa cupped Sakuragi's face and forced him to look. He tried to open his mouth to say something – anything – but found that he couldn't soothe away Sakuragi's fears with his words. Sakuragi reached for the hand that was cupping his face and tangled his fingers with Rukawa's.

"How can this be so right?" Sakuragi finally asked.

Rukawa swallowed and kissed him lightly.

"I'm right here. I'm right here," Rukawa repeatedly whispered in between kisses. "You have to believe me. I'm right here."

Sakuragi weighed the sincerity in Rukawa's voice. He gave him a tiny nod in response. Their lips met in a hungry kiss, Rukawa mapping Sakuragi's body with his deft hands and carving unspoken promise against skin.

Two years from now, Rukawa will quit basketball and settle back to Japan. Sakuragi will be waiting for him. But right here, in this bed, in the early embrace of morning, their bodies moving as one, they remained unknowing of the future.

"Don't go."

"Ok."