Title: No Barriers: Solstice
Author: Liete-chan
Part: 1/??
Genre: YAOI, Drama
Pairing: MitMiya
Rating: PG-13 for now... will increase later on ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own slam dunk. They belong to the great Inoue-san. ^_^
Author's Notes: Well, nothing much going on in the fandom these days. But heck, I won't stop writing. Solstice is the first out of 3 books of No Barriers. Angst is subtle. The events follow the storyline of the anime and manga. Comments are extremely welcomed. No flames. Why write? Coz heck, there's nothing else in the world I wanna do.

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CHAPTER ONE

"Kuso!"

The strong sea breeze stung at Mitsui's cheeks as he trudged down the shore, kicking anything unfortunate enough to get in his way. His gang stayed close behind him, though they were cautious enough not to approach Mitsui. The past week had been marked with endless walking down the beach, with Mitsui in a sullen manner, cursing everything from annoying children to inanimate trash bins. Though hoping that this wouldn't go on forever, no one was brave enough to ask Mitsui what the problem was and risk physical pain and injury.

Mitsui kicked an empty beer can lying on the beach and watched with sheer satisfaction as it made a series of clunking sounds as it tumbled down towards the water. He took out a cigarette from his shirt pocket and a lighter from the pocket of his pants and attempted to light the cigarette with it.

Tic. Tic. Nothing. The wind was too strong.

Tic. Tic. Still Nothing. Mitsui cursed inaudibly and jammed the lighter back into the pocket of his pants while the cigarette was discarded and trampled upon. Behind him, his gang exchanged worried glances but remained silent. They merely followed Mitsui as the latter started walking again, this time away from the water.

Mitsui ran his hand through the sable locks that grazed his cheek. His steps became slower, more labored as his left knee started to burn with pain once more. he cursed silently and he started to limp as he reached the metal rails that separated the beach from the roadside. Once again, he took out his lighter and a stick of cigarette and attempted to light it. This time, he was successful and he breathe in his first puff gratefully.

Now calmed by the effects of the smoke, Mitsui felt somewhat guilty at the cold shoulder he has been giving his gang for a week now. To a certain extent, they were probably used to him being moody and irritable. Ever since he started hanging out with Hotta and the others, they had come to know him as a tough guy who won't take crap from anybody. This week was slightly different however, as Mitsui is almost always lost in thought and nobody knew what was running through his mind.

Mitsui didn't dare say that the reason he was restless was because he was devastated about Shohoku's loss in the 2nd round of the InterHigh elimination games. He would never allow himself to disclose that he still cared, specially since he had stated plainly that he didn't give a rat's ass about basketball.

It was a lie. He cared, cared very much indeed. And he knew it.

Though it helped that the gang didn't know about it. Mitsui didn't want to look like a sissy, after he had so strongly washed his hands off of his favorite sport.

EX-favorite sport, Mitsui corrected himself. He would have to get used to his new life as a delinquent. Because it is here that he had been accepted for what he truly was, and not for what he could do.

After being forced to recuperate at the hospital, Mitsui finally found out who his friends were. He was always surrounded by adoring fans and doting teammates when he first arrived in Shohoku. It surprised him that he was all alone as he nursed his injured knee inside the hospital. No visits, no messages, no nothing. Not even from the team.

Only Hotta and the others had remained. Ironically, during his short-lived popularity, Mitsui had regarded them as mere acquaintances. Little did he know that one accident would change everything: now they were like family to him.

Mitsui suddenly turned around and swept his gaze across his gang. Startled by the sudden attention, they stopped whispering about and stood up straight. Hotta coughed twice and turned towards the ocean, pretending to be deep in thought. Mitsui resisted the urge to smile. He knew they were worried about him, but they were trying their best not to show it.

Maybe he should tell them what's bothering him. Mitsui played with the thought casually in his head, then decided against it. It was only a matter of time anyway, he decided, before he would be able to wash basketball completely off of his system.

It was difficult, though. Mitsui could still hear in his sleep the crowd's applause, the sounds of rubber shoes against wooden floors, the steady dribbling of the ball...

Even now, Mitsui could hear the faint sounds of dribbling above the roar of the ocean. He turned towards his gang, only to find them staring at something on the other side of the road. Hotta shifted his gaze towards Mitsui and was startled to see the other boy looking at him. He looked at Mitsui worriedly and cleared his throat. "Uh... Mit-chan, I think we should go-"

Mitsui paid no heed to Hotta and turned his attention to whatever it was the gang was looking it. What he saw made his stomach churn.

At the other side of the road was a street basketball court and was occupied by a group of youngster playing a friendly game of ball. Mitsui glared at them before turning his attention back to his gang. "Let's go," he said, his voice flat.

Mitsui was about to walk away when something orange streaked past his face, almost hitting him. Instinctively, he held out his hand and felt the familiar rough texture of the ball as it connected with his palm. He held the ball with both hands and looked at it, shocked.

"Uh oh," said one of Mitsui's gang members as he heard footsteps ambling over to their direction.

"Wow! That was a great catch!"

Mitsui turned his head towards the newcomer, who looked like he was in junior high. Almost as tall as Mitsui, the guy had unkempt dark hair sticking out from his head. Mitsui narrowed his eyes at the newcomer as he said something inaudible. "What?" Mitsui growled.

"Um," the guy showed some signs of hesitation. "Can we have the ball back please?"

"You want the ball?" Mitsui challenged. "Then take it!" Then, with all his might, he threw the ball towards the guy's direction. The newcomer gasped in shock and fell unceremoniously onto the ground to avoid colliding with the ball. Mitsui started to laugh until he saw that behind the newcomer there was another guy - and he caught the ball effortlessly in his hands.

"Ch," Mitsui glared at this new guy, who unexpectedly glared back at him.

"Oi," the new guy said, stepping forward and stopping mere inches away from Mitsui. "What's your problem anyway?"

Mitsui sized up the new guy. This one was much shorter than he was, and had dark brown curly locks. He held the basketball firmly in his hands and looked as if he was ready to throw it at any moment. "Hah, shorty wanna fight huh? Well lets go then!"

"Stop it!" the other players on the basketball field ran towards the opposing groups. One guy, with a short crew cut and slanted eyes, took the guy with the basketball by the arm and said, "Ryota, don't. They're not worth it."

The guy named Ryota looked at his friend. "B-but Yasu, they started it!"

Mitsui swept his gaze upon the newcomers. He knew a weakling when he saw one, and he knew that if we wanted to, they could take out these guys easily. But Mitsui knew it wouldn't it be easy; he didn't know if it was the evil look, or the pierced ear, but he knew that the guy named Ryota was different from all his friends and wouldn't go down without a fight.

'Basketball is really starting to make a hell out of my life,' Mitsui mused as he turned towards his gang. "Let's go."

"W-What?" Hotta started at Mitsui incredulously. "B-But Mit-chan, we can take them on if you want-"

"I said," Mitsui repeated, a little louder this time. "Let's go." Smirking as he caught Ryota's glare one last time, he turned around and started walking away from the basketball court, with his gang in tow.

"I really don't know why we couldn't just have beat them up," complained Tadaki, one of the gang members. Mitsui paid no attention to him; instead, he had a million things in his mind.

"Hey," Mitsui called out. "I need you to do me a favor, Hotta."

"Anything Mit-chan," Hotta replied, casting the basketball court a few fleeting glances.

"See the short guy with curly hair and ear piercing?"

"Yep, why?"

Mitsui thrust his hands into his pocket, and for the first time that day, a shadow of a smile started to appear in his face. "Find out who he is and where he goes to school."

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"His name is Miyagi Ryota and he is a third year student at the Shonan Gakuen Junior High," Hotta proudly announced as he rounded up his report on the guy they almost fought 2 days ago. The whole gang was loitering around their favorite hangout – the alleyway beside the footbridge. The warm and humid air was fogged up by cigarette smoke and the small alleyway was misted thoroughly with it.

Mitsui was leaning against a brick wall, smoking his 4th cigarette that afternoon. He adjusted his white undershirt as he stood up straight and sneered. "That's all?"

"Yeah, and it's no surprise he's a member of the basketball team there as well." another gang member, Jusei, added. He took the pack of cigarettes lying on top of a huge carton box and attempted to get a stick when Mitsui suddenly grabbed his wrist. "Eh?"

"What position does he play?"

"Erm," Jusei eyed the cigarette pack enviously. Mitsui was preventing him from reaching it. "Point guard, I think."

"Hmmm..." Mitsui muttered under his breath. "Shohoku doesn't have any good point guards."

"Huh?" Jusei was about to make a grab for the pack when suddenly, Mitsui released his wrist, causing him to get unbalanced. "Hey!"

Mitsui didn't pay any attention to Jusei as the latter struggled to get up. "Let's go," he ordered, throwing his half-smoked cigarette to the ground and stomping it with his shoe.

"Huh? Where are we going Mit-chan?" Hotta wanted to know.

Mitsui smiled. "It's a pretty hot day today. Maybe we should go pay Shonan Gakuen a visit."

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Ending notes: Comments are welcomed, though not required. Thanks for reading the fic, minna-san ^_^