Author: Missa

Title: Turning Point

Pairings: Eventual: RuHana, YoRyo, established MitKo, possibly more to come.

Warnings: R rated for adult themes though non graphic. Yaoi, possible Yuri and Het, Angst and Sap.

Read AN for details. 

Chapter One:

Rukawa was bored. Being bored was something that he was used to; after all he didn't sleep all the time just because he could. However this time it was different. He was bored with basketball. Not with the sport itself, but with the All Japan team. It was the tedium of the drills, the lack of comrades, the lack of noise, and all the small things that he enjoyed – until he had joined the Shohoku team. Being on that team had changed him greatly even if he didn't show it. It wasn't the team itself that changed him, but the people on it. Rukawa had become accustomed to chaos and now he craved it, which was why he spent his free time running at the beach where Sakuragi could see him. The loud vocal yells broke the boredom in addition to pissing the do'aho off, which he enjoyed immensely. Not that making Sakuragi angry was a good thing, but his reactions always brought a smile to Rukawa (even if it never broke the surface of his face) because he didn't like seeing Sakuragi laid up and quiet. He wasn't made to be quiet.

Rukawa used that excuse every time he felt the need to see the do'aho. Of course it didn't explain the reason his eyes wandered over Sakuragi's body whenever he saw him. It didn't explain why he had to look in the first place or the shortness of breath when he did get a good view. Even if he didn't have a reason or an explanation it didn't stop him from the need to run by Sakuragi, the need to tease him and the need to admire the view. That need was the reason that Rukawa was running down the beach now. The need was the reason his eyes purposefully scanned the surrounding area for a certain red head. It was the reason he kept running down the beach even though he had long ago passed the area Sakuragi usually was. When a need is denied it can turn into an ugly thing. Disappointment filled Rukawa as he turned and ran back the way he came, wondering where Sakuragi was.

Hanamichi always though that he had a good tolerance for pain. Getting into fights, having your head bashed in with a mop, Akagi's fist and Ayako's fan should have helped him become immune to pain. Of course, none of those things could compare to his injured back. He thought his physical therapy was going well, but there were always those days where he thought he would be over powered by the pain. It wasn't that he hated the physical pain, but on those days it was like for every step forward he took in his recovery, he was taking two steps back. Those were the days where he didn't want to face the world, where he just wanted the pain to go away. He didn't like not being able to do anything.

He leaned against the metal basketball pole and took a few deep breaths. He wasn't going to let himself get depressed again, because then he would use the pain as a release like he used to. 'So what if I rarely see my friends,' he thought. 'They still take the time to come visit me. They still write and keep me updated. Sure, sometimes it upsets me that I can't be there and reading about what they're doing hurts, but they're telling me everything now so that when I go back I'll be up to date. They don't have to do anything but because they care they do.' That thought made Hanamichi happy. He really was lucky to have such great friends.

As he slowly calmed down he let his mind drift back, replaying the even that occurred in the Inter High tournament; the wins, the losses, the mistakes and the surprises. That entire season had started shaping him into a person he never thought he'd be. He founding himself smiling at the memories, they were the few of the good ones he had. Slowly he let the soft breeze and fresh air lull him to sleep, a sleep which had been evading him more and more often since he started his recovery. His last thought before dreams and reality blurred was of Rukawa. 'At least I sleep against things, not riding a bike.'

Jogging down a street, Rukawa sneezed.

At the same time that Hanamichi was enjoying his impromptu nap, inside the hospital's physical therapy room his doctors were discussing Hanamichi's recovery and therapy.

"His overall rehabilitation is going slower than expected," a man said, looking through a couple notes on his desk. "Are there any thoughts on why that might be?"

"Well doctor Liang, Hanamichi is doing all of his required therapy and responding quite well to it. He's actually doing far better than we anticipated. Do have the file on the medication he's taking? We knew at the start that there was the possibility that his previous medicine could cause flair ups and slow down the process, but there is not much we can do about that."

"Why is that," Doctor Liang asked. "If he has conflicting medication then just change them."

"We're not certain that would be wise at this point sir," the therapist said. "I realize that you are not his normal doctor so if you'll take a moment with me to go over some files, you'll be able to see why we've stuck wit the medication he has now instead of changing it or taking him off it."

"Very well, perhaps we won't change his medication right now, but if the reasons aren't good enough to keep him on them, I will change them. The longer he stays here recuperating the quicker his insurance runs out. He does have limited insurance."

"That shouldn't be a problem at all. There are many people willing to finance his recovery. Regardless, here is a list of the medication Sakuragi takes," a sheet of paper was handed to the doctor.

The doctor raised his eyebrow. "Why wasn't this placed at the top of the file?"

"Since the anti-depressant and the anti-inflammatory can be used in conjunction with each other it wasn't seen as too big of a threat. It was in the file, but not at the top."

"Why not take him off of the anti-depressant for a few weeks or months while he completes his recover?"

"The psychiatrist feels that taking Mr. Sakuragi off of them at this time would cause more damage to the patient than having a longer physical recovery. The basis of that is because he is not in a normal environment as well as not around friends. It's not like he really has anything to do to keep himself occupied," the therapist explained.

The doctor sighed, "Very well. We will keep things are they are for the next week, but if there isn't improvement we'll need to consider the option of taking him off the anti-depressant. After all, the longer he's in recovery the more depressed he'll become."

Hanamichi was having a pleasant dream about basketball. He was practicing with the Shohoku team and they were getting ready for the IH tournament. Every shot he made went through the hoop, hitting nothing but net. Haruko was staring at him with admiration and – was that a hint of love in her eyes? Hanamichi grinned, "No one can beat the tensai! Nyahahahaha!"

"Do'aho."

"Who's the do'aho you kitsune!" Hanamichi turned to stare at Rukawa.

"Do'aho."

Hanamichi grabbed the basketball that appeared in Rukawa's hands, "Watch this kitsune!" Hanamichi raced towards the basket and did a perfect slam dunk, but as he landed pain shot up his back. "Itai!"

"Oi! Do'aho!"

Hanamichi's eyes snapped open and he instantly grimaced in pain. "Itai…"

Hands touched his back tentatively, "Do'aho, where does it hurt?"

"Kitsune! Teme!" Hanamichi tried to jump up but more pain shot up his back. "Kuso."

"Don't move do'aho. Your back cramped up because you fell asleep against the pole.

Hanamichi felt his temper rising, 'Stupid back,' he thought. 'Now that kitsune will know that the tensai is not perfect... but it hurts and the kitsune is being nice….' His temper abruptly went back to normal levels. That lasted until he felt his back being massaged. "Kit-kitsune, what are you doing?" he asked in shock.

'Feeling you up,' was the thought that popped into Rukawa's head, what came out of his mouth was different. "I'm massaging the cramp out. It's less painful this way, since the cramp doesn't last as long."

Hanamichi blinked, "How do you know that?"

"Do'aho. With as much as I fall asleep I was bound to get a cramp sometime. The first one I got was when I fell asleep riding my bike."

"So who gave you your massages? You fall asleep all the time, you must have had a million cramps," Hanamichi said, trying to ignore the feeling of Rukawa's hands on his back and the strange sensations they were causing him to feel.

"No one." The answer held no emotion in it, just a simple stated fact.

Hanamichi couldn't believe that answer and for some reason he felt like he had to make Rukawa feel better. "Ah…well at least right now you get to play basketball and you can visit Shohoku. They won't let me visit because I'll end up playing or hurting my back again.

"Sounds boring. Is your back better?" Still there was no detectable trace of emotion in Rukawa's voice. It was as if he were deliberately trying to not show any outward sign of emotion.

Hanamichi moved his shoulders and twisted side to side. "Yeah, um…thanks."

"Hn," Rukawa stood up and pulled his basketball out of his bag and started dribbling. Hanamichi looked at the basketball longingly and stood. "Well I better go back; I think I missed my treatment because I slept too long. Thanks again." Hanamichi put his hands in his pockets and walked out of the court and through the gate.

Rukawa lifted his shoulders in a shrug, the only outward sign that he noticed Sakuragi's departure. After a dew warm up shots he began practicing in earnest. Sakuragi watched for about five minutes before his hands clenched into fists and he continued on his way. 'I will play basketball again, was the only thought going through his mind.

Rukawa concentrated on his practice – his other need fulfilled for the moment, though he did not know when it would come back, or how strong it would be. He would deal with it one day, no, one feeling at a time.