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Pay Attention Please
by Annie D

Author's note: Loads of hugs and kisses to you sweet sweet people who've reviewed so far! I'm still blushing with embarrassment... And to Ghostwriter, you better keep on writing! We need more RuHana ficcies in the world! ::waves RuHana banner::

Dedication: This chapter is dedicated to my pet sis, who also watches the Slam Dunk anime but has not been corrupted into the yaoi fandom - although I could have opened her eyes to the RuHana prospects I have decided to be kind and let her have an *innocent* viewing of the show. Although I may eventually point out the yaoi hints to her… Heh heh heh…

Chapter 7: Subtlety Just Doesn’t Work

The physiotherapist had arrived.

"There’s absolutely nothing wrong with you as far as I can see."

"Nani?! Then why does my back hurt, huh?"

"Does it hurt now?"

Pause. "Well, no…"

"See, then there’s nothing wrong with your back."

"But—but—but—why—how come—"

"Sakuragi-san, you are in perfect health. Sit up."

Sakuragi did as he was told, and blinked a few times. "Doesn’t hurt. At all."

"See?"

"Are you saying the tensai made up the pain?!"

The physiotherapist backed away carefully. "No… Err… maybe it was just a normal backsprain? Because, really, there’s nothing wrong with you."

Sakuragi stood up and stretched a bit. No pain. At all. Like it had been nothing but a bad dream—but he wouldn’t linger on that either. "Oh." (Back gremlins: Our work is done and now we go off to torment other pairings that need our help woo hoo!)

"You’re free to go, Sakuragi-san," the physiotherapist said. "I’ll just sign the discharge forms."

By the time Sakuragi had cleared up and was ready to leave the hospital, the sun was setting outside. He walked on stiffly, hands in pockets, eyes darting quickly around, and very effectively ignoring his friends that were accompanying him.

His thoughts were mostly: Is he waiting for me - I don’t care if he’s waiting for me - but is he waiting for me? - why would be waiting for me - why would he not wait for me? - of course he has no reason to wait for me - but is he waiting for me?

Sakuragi raised a hand. "Can you excuse me a moment?"

"Sure, Hanamichi-kun," said Haruko, nodding.

Sakuragi walked a sort distance away and headbutted the pavement. Then he walked back to group.

"Feeling better?" Ryota asked.

Sakuragi shrugged, just managing to show off how stiff his shoulders were. He marched on as the others shadowed him. Did Rukawa go back? - did he go to see Anzai-sensei? - did he leave completely? - is he waiting round the corner? - does he even care at all? - doesn’t he want to know that the tensai is okay?

He clapped his hands on his cheeks. "Why do I even care?!"

"Care about what?" Ryota asked.

Sakuragi looked at him. The perfect word to describe the expression in his eyes: bewildered. "Nothing!"

Ayako suddenly shouted, "Look, it’s Rukawa!"

Sakuragi’s head immediately snapped round. "Rukawa?!"

Ayako laughed. "Made you look!"

Add two more to the bewildered camp: Akagi and Ryota. Slowly, they both looked Sakuragi, then at Ayako, then back to Sakuragi.

"Why is Sakuragi blushing?" Ryota asked slowly.

Haruko giggled, eyes going all starry. "Oh, Hanamichi-kun, I knew it! You and Rukawa-kun… You’re both so perfect for each other! Hm-hm!"

Akagi’s eyes popped. "Sakuragi. And Rukawa?"

"Hahahahaha, she’s talking nonsense!" Sakuragi laughed quickly. "The tensai is… there’s nothing… the kitsune can… um… bye!" He picked up his legs and ran off into the distance, smoke trail disappearing quickly behind him.

Akagi slowly pinched his cheek. "Reality check."

"Oh, oniichan, don’t you think it’s sweet?" Haruko asked. "They bicker all the time but they were actually hiding their real feelings for each other, and it’s like all those times they helped each other in their own way and… Waaaaah it’s so romantic!" Little pink hearts started to circle her head.

Ryota made a gagging sound. "I think I’m going to be sick."

"What, I thought you liked all that mushy nonsense," Ayako said.

"When it comes to you, of course. But Hanamichi and Rukawa… that’s just wrong!"

"Why?" Haruko demanded angrily.

Ryota stared at her. "Because they’re always fighting and cannot stand each other."

Haruko gave him a look. "So it appeared on the outside," she said. "But there were all the other seemingly insignificant things here and there… How they responded to each other… Now that I think about it, all those small things Rukawa did for Hanamichi… I don’t know why nobody ever noticed it before!"

"Now you know how I’ve felt all this while," Ayako sighed.

Akagi narrowed his eyes at his sister. "I thought you liked Rukawa."

"I do like him very much, yes," she sighed. "But it's like... Hanamichi and Rukawa... are like... They’re just meant to be together!"

"I think I really am going to be sick," said Ryota his face going a nasty shade.

"Where is Rukawa-kun, anyway?" Haruko asked. "I thought he’d be waiting for Hanamichi."

"Oh, there he is," said Akagi, pointing.

Partially hidden by a wide pot of decorative flowers near the entrance, Rukawa was sitting on a bench – apparently waiting for Sakuragi. He had probably been hoping for the element of surprise, but it wasn’t really that good an idea seeing that Rukawa had fallen asleep while waiting (no surprise, really). But both of his hands were in his lap, where they were holding a bouquet of flowers.

"Waaaaaah!" Haruko wailed. "He got Hanamichi flowers!"

Ryota shuddered. "Ugh."

"Looks like he fell asleep waiting for Hanamichi," observed Ayako.

They walked over to him.

"So who wants to try to wake him up?" Ayako asked.

They looked at each other.

"Maybe we could throw something at him," suggested Ryota. "And keep a safe distance."

"He got Hanamichi flowers," Haruko sighed.

"Wait, let me try something," said Ayako. She cleared her throat, then announced in an over-loud voice, "Sakuragi, there you are!"

Rukawa jumped to his feet, now wide awake. He quickly looked around.

"Sorry, Rukawa-kun," apologised Ayako. "Hanamichi’s actually left already. You missed him."

Rukawa scowled.

"Oh, you dropped your… ahem… flowers," said Akagi, pointing.

Rukawa looked at the fallen bouquet, then sighed. He shrugged at them, then walked off.

"Oh, he’ll find Hanamichi," said Ayako, nodding.

"I don’t need any more mental images, thank you very much, Aya-chan," said Ryota.

Maybe flowers weren’t really the best way to go.

But how do you tell someone, who’s hated you and you’ve hated in return for so long, that you’ve suddenly self-appointed yourself their personal protector against the rest of the world?

Rukawa sighed.

Run…

Sakuragi ran. He had no idea what he was running from or where he was running to, but that didn’t matter, because by running that meant he was keeping his body in constant motion, thus reducing the probability of accidentally meeting the kitsune.

Actually he wasn’t even sure why he didn’t want to see Rukawa, or whether he actually did want to see him but wasn’t sure how to act, so he just kept on running in the hopes of running into a spark of inspiration that would somehow cause everything to make sense in his head.

Sakuragi still couldn’t quite compute it: Rukawa had kissed him.

He ran into a lamppost.

He picked himself up quickly, turning his head this way and that to see whether Rukawa was anywhere nearby. He wasn’t, and Sakuragi wasn’t sure whether he ought to sigh in relief or frustration. So he just sighed, danced a bit on his feet uncertainly, then ran off for home.

Home looked clear, too. There was no sign Rukawa was anywhere in the vicinity, at all.

Later on Ayako and Haruko came to visit him (they had also dragged Akagi and Ryota along), but there was still no sign of Rukawa. All four of them eyed Sakuragi carefully during the visit, and the one passing mention of Rukawa made him run into a wall, so they did not mention the kitsune at all during the rest of the visit.

After the guests had left, Sakuragi had dinner, after which he went to the small pathetic little "lawn" behind his house to practice some hoops and see whether his back really was all better.

Still Rukawa was nowhere around.

And then finally it was bedtime. Sakuragi retreated to his room, undressed, then went to brush his teeth – why is the tensai frowning like that? My eyebrows hurt – and finally settled down for nighty night. He snuggled into the blanket, definitely not thinking about how Rukawa had been a much nicer comforter, forced his eyes shut and tried to sleep.

One sheep. Two sheep. Three sheep. Four sheep.

And twenty-two basketballs.

Sakuragi’s eyelids popped open. He gripped the edges of his blanket.

One sheep. Two sheep. Three sheep. Four sheep.

And one kitsune.

"Aaaarggggh!" Sakuragi pounded his fists against the mattress. He tried to inventory the way the world was *supposed* to work. Sky is blue, grass is green, he hated Rukawa, Rukawa hated him. But then again the sky does get orange and red and pink, and grass does come in various shades including brown and yellow and…

Sakuragi hugged himself. People did tend to underestimate his ability to really think, and they really weren’t off the marker that much with that one, but it’s at rare times such as these that his mind does open itself. Very rare, but still does happen.

So Rukawa was an actual human being. With feelings. And the ability to care.

But when did he stop being a cold-hearted self-centred basketball hog? I don’t know. I never bothered to notice.

When did the mere sight of him make Sakuragi feel so alive? I don’t know. I’d gotten to used to him being around.

Rukawa. Had kissed him. Well, okay, so it was a sad little peck, but it still counted as lip contact! Was it possible that Rukawa cared? For him? Really? But why? Because his back happened to give way? Because they happened… to… share… some… body heat…?

Sakuragi quickly wiped away his drool.

"Oh no," he murmured, staring at the dark ceiling as things started to fall into place. He was thinking about Rukawa in that way. Which should be the wrong way, innit? "K’so! Stupid kitsune!"

When did things get so complicated? I don’t know. Must’ve missed it.

He sighed and shut his eyes again.

One sheep. Two sheep. Three sheep. And a tapping at the window.

Tapping at the window?!

Sakuragi slithered deeper into the blankets, which he drew up to his nose. Then he dared to take a tiny peek at the window. Not that tensai was afraid, mind you, it was just that, um, he was still tired from all the hullabaloo of the day, yeah that’s it.

Stones were being thrown at the window. Oh wait, that wasn’t so bad, since Yohei did that. Yup, had to be Yohei.

So Sakuragi got out of bed and marched to the window. He carefully pushed it open and looked down.

Just to have a stone hit him in the face.

"Ayeeaggh you could have taken my eye out!" Sakuragi rubbed his forehead. "And what’s the big deal that you had…"

"Keep your voice down, do’aho."

Finally registering the tall figure on the pavement below his window, Sakuragi made a sound something like, "Wgak!" His eyes bulged once again. He started to wheeze. The kitsune. Is standing. Under my room window. Right now. At night. He swallowed. I’m going to throw up.

"How’s the back?" Rukawa asked.

"Huh?"

Rukawa rolled his eyes.

"O-oh! My back! Oh, it’s okay. Just a sprain or something." I am definitely going to be sick.

Rukawa’s gaze locked on his, then he said softly, "I want to talk to you."

Panic alarms went off in Sakuragi’s head. "Why?"

Without answering, Rukawa stepped up to the thick vertical-lined pipe on the side of Sakuragi’s two-storey home, hitching his foot on the bottom-most partition. He tilted his head to look up at Sakuragi.

Sakuragi said, "What are you doing?"

"Climbing up." Rukawa gripped his hands on the pipe.

"NOOOO!"

"Shut up, do’aho." Bracing his feet on the partition, he heaved his body up off the ground.

"Stop stop stop!" Sakuragi said quickly. Rukawa ignored him, adjusting his feet on the next partition and climbing up slowly. Sakuragi leaned over the window and gestured frantically. "Rukawa, stop climbing! You want to talk, okay we can talk, I’ll come down. You stop climbing!"

Rukawa raised his eyebrows.

"Yes!" Sakuragi said. "I’ll come down, I promise, now STOP CLIMBING!"

Rukawa nodded, then jumped back onto the pavement.

Sakuragi practically flew out of his room and down the staircase, and only by the time he reached the knob of the main door did he stop to think. What am I doing? He stared at the white wood, forced his shoulders to relax, then sighed. I’ll figure that out later. Right now I’ll just… I’ll figure that out later, too.

-TBC-

This chapter is also known as: I Shall Resolve This Story With One Last Chapter Bwaha~!

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