Legend: Thoughts

Notes: Yaoi. RuHana. Happened some months after Hanamichi's rehab. Some OOC. Inspired from Nina's song: Love Moves in Mysterious Ways.

THE GIFT

"Love is kind."

"Do'ahou, catch."

Hanamichi quickly spun around ready to throw curses at the foxboy for calling him a do'ahou, but the sight of something square flying through the air and falling towards him made it all vanish. He flawlessly caught the small package.

"What's this Kitsune?" he asked his forehead wrinkling as he scrutinized the small red box.

"Isn't it obvious?" Rukawa snorted.

Hanamichi scowled as a vein threatened to pop at the retort. It was a simple question that needed a simple answer, not some mockery of his tensai-ness. His temper rained and was ready to hurl the small red box at the conceited boy's hard head, to soften it a bit. But the said boy suddenly spoke, freezing all of the redhead's intentions.

"It's a gift." Rukawa said as he was packing his belongings but keeping his senses akin on Hanamichi's reaction.

Hanamichi's arm was already raised threateningly above his head. However, after hearing the foxboy's answer, his arm slowly receded to his side as he gaped flagrantly. He was completely astounded by his thoughtfulness. A fusion he never thought possible in Kaede Rukawa, a.k.a. 'Ice Prince of Shohoku'.

Really a gift… for me… from you… my mortal enemy… wow, this is… ah eh… surprising!

"Belated happy birthday." Rukawa said in his usual monotone after swinging his bag over his strong shoulders.

It was fifteen days late. Nevertheless, it was enough to make Hanamichi feel very grateful for the guy for remembering his birthday. But, something else began to bubble inside. He couldn't understand it; somehow this surprise gesture gave him butterflies and made him delirious with excitement. He almost concluded the whole situation as…

Sweet.

Hanamichi quickly bent his head trying desperately to hide his burning cheeks. His old shoes suddenly became the most interesting thing in the whole wide universe.

Holy shit! Where the heck did that come from?

If it was possible to headbutt himself, he could've done it then and there. Unfortunately, the lockers weren't strong enough to withstand the might of his cranium. He should know he did it last week when the foxboy gave him a cherry flavored large Gatorade and a bar of chocolate after practice. Which the redhead refused at first, claiming that it was laced with poison to deter the tensai's super abilities and in return the foxboy just wrinkled his nose in disgust thus resulting to a flare of fist fight. When the fight was through, Hanamichi received a warning for breaking school property, which the redhead retaliated with gusto claiming that it was all the foxboy's fault.

Rukawa remained passive as he watched the redhead turn crimson. His eyes, however, were speaking volumes. It almost took all his will power to stop the amused smile from breaking through his straight lips.

Do'ahou, don't you know just how adorable you are?

After calming his frantic mind and his rapidly beating heart, Hanamichi slowly lifted his head and clashed gaze with cool blue. Hanamichi quickly turned his eyes away; something in Rukawa's blue pools was drawing him and it made him giddy - in a good sense.

"Ano," Hanamichi softly uttered after mustering his senses. "Thank you." He managed to say and delivered Rukawa a genuine smile.

Rukawa nodded in reply, turned on his heel and quietly left the gym, just in time to hide the smirk that formed on his lips but failed to daunt the glimmer in his eyes that the redhead did not miss.

Hanamichi was transfixed and confused. Something was different in Rukawa and catching that glimmer in his eyes made him even mesmerize about the foxboy more. He couldn't understand it but lately the rivalry they had, started to feel like an endearment, a casual understanding between them, and a special connection that only the two of them shared.

Hanamichi isn't all that dense as some may assume. Or probably, too many punches on the head by Gori finally got the gears in his brain working in tune. He did notice the minute changes in the foxboy. At first, he just assumed that the All-Japan training must've made some human contact in him, even if it was the tiniest bit. His ice persona seemed to have waned the tiniest bit too. Though, the monotone and stoic expression would definitely need some divine intervention.

Then something snapped inside!

"Holy shit!"

Rukawa crossed his mind again and for the nth time already in a not I-wanna-beat-your-sorry-ass manner. Hanamichi headbutted the floor. The heck with school property. The redhead ignored the steaming lump on his head as he sat on the bench.

"Shit Kitsune! Whatcha doin' to me?"

To be continued…