Kogure Kiminobu was waiting outside of the gym, had been waiting in fact, for almost two hours. After Yohei and the rest of the Sakuragi Gundan had 'confessed' to the fight, and the reason for it, Anzai-sensei had dismissed everyone and asked them all to go home. Everyone but Akagi and Mitsui, that is. Kogure hadn't wanted to leave, but Anzai-sensei had given him that calm, unwavering look. The one that no one could deny. Kogure sighed. He would never forget what had happened in the gym that afternoon. Not for the rest of his life. Mitsui had come back. Mitsui. . .

~Anzai-sensei! I want to play basketball again!~

When Mitsui had first come into the gym with the rest of his friends, Kogure hadn't been able to recognize him for a moment. Like an idiot, he'd burst out with some nonsense about wearing outside shoes on the court. When he'd finally recognized Mitsui, he'd become frozen in shock. He hadn't changed. He'd been as beautiful as ever. And as before, Kogure's heart had started beating faster at the sight of him.

~Oi, Megane-kun, do you know him?~

Did he know Mitsui? Kogure felt his lips rise in a wry smile. Did he know Mitsui? He'd been in love with Mitsui Hisashi since he knew what love was. Mitsui had been very easy to fall in love with. He'd been beautiful even back then. Mitsui hadn't been an awkward adolescent, like he himself had been. Mitsui had been graceful, with a finely honed body. He'd had long, fine hair that had constantly fallen in his eyes, hiding the almost delicate features of his face. What had kept him from being pretty had been the fierce determination and confidence with which Mitsui had carried himself. The knowledge and certainty that he was good. Not just good, but one of the best. The confidence that had shone from his eyes had been captivating. Coupled with his determination to become the national champion, the combination had been . . . irresistible. Kogure had fallen, and fallen hard.

~Kogure, you talk too much.~

When he'd entered Shohoku, Kogure hadn't known that Mitsui would be there. He'd thought for sure that Mitsui would join one of the top four high schools in the district. Ryonan or Kainan had been his guesses. When he'd seen Mitsui's name on the basketball team sign-up form, he'd thought he was seeing things. In fact, he hadn't believed it until he'd felt a hand drop on his shoulder and looked up into the sparkling brown eyes of Mitsui Hisashi himself.

~My goal! For Shohoku to be national champions! To be the number one team in Japan!~

Kogure had thought that his heart would break when Mitsui had hurt his knee. The pain and desperation in Mitsui's eyes had brought Kogure pain. That was nothing compared with the pain that came when Mitsui had stopped coming to basketball altogether. He'd tried to find Mitsui, to talk to him, but he'd stopped coming to school for months, and hadn't answered any of the messages Kogure had left at his home. Kogure had felt as if a part of him had died.

~Mitsui Hisashi.~

Akagi had walked in just when some of the punks, the ones who'd still been able to run after Sakuragi and his Gundan had finished with them, had been trying to run out of the gym. The situation would have been irreparable if they'd made it out, but he almost wished that Akagi had not shown up. He'd seen the way Akagi's eyes had hardened when he saw the beginnings of what would become a spectacular bruise on his face.

Kogure knew that he'd been unable to keep the shame and sorrow from his expression. Shame because he'd been unable to keep the situation under control, and worse, because he'd felt the stirrings in his heart. Stirrings that warned that he was still in love with the young man that had come so close to destroying the basketball team. Sorrow because he'd seen the deeply buried pain in Mitsui's own eyes, and the knowledge in Akagi's that he was still in love with someone that wasn't him.

~Akagi Takenori.~

It had been the hardest thing in his life for Kogure to watch as Akagi had back-handed Mitsui. Up until Yohei had started beating on Mitsui, Kogure had still been in enough shock from seeing him again that he'd been unable to react as Mitsui had gotten beat again, and again. But when Akagi had looked at Mitsui with such cold eyes, Kogure had wanted to jump in front of him to protect him. Protect the one that he still loved with a passion from the one that he'd grown to love after years of gentle pursuit.

Akagi had been there when Mitsui dropped from his life and his world fell apart. Akagi had been there, offering support and friendship. And more if he wanted it. Kogure had told Akagi that he was probably still in love with Mitsui, and Akagi hadn't cared. It had taken him almost a year to respond to Akagi's subtle advances; it had taken him even longer to realize that he'd come to love Akagi as well. Kogure had been surprised with how strong his feelings still were for the bitter youth with the long hair and missing teeth.

~That's in the past! It has nothing to do with now!~

Kogure looked up as the sound of an opening door reached him. Anzai-sensei walked out, as peaceful as ever. Kogure bowed to Anzai-sensei and wished him a goodnight. When he felt a hand settle on his shoulder, he looked up in surprise and met warm, compassionate eyes.

"Kogure-kun."

"Yes, Anzai-sensei."

"Follow your heart."

"Uh, y-yes, Anzai-sensei."

With a pat on his shoulder, Anzai-sensei gave a gentle smile and walked away. It took Kogure several moments before he was able to pick his jaw off the floor and shake himself out of his daze. When he turned back to the gym, he let out a yelp of surprise. Both Akagi and Mitsui were there, standing, and just watching him.

* * * * * *

He's standing there, waiting. I knew he would be. Back in the day, he'd always been there. For me. With a smile. A laugh. The supportive phrases and gestures. The soft, loving eyes. The look in those eyes had been the hardest to walk away from those many years ago. The look in those eyes had been the main reason I had walked away those many years ago. The look in those eyes had been what had kept me from returning.

I'd have thought that over the years, the look in his eyes would have faded. They hadn't. His eyes still held that same light. The same warmth. The same aching vulnerability. The look in his eyes spoke, no shouted, his need. His love. Oh, gods. This was harder than seeing Anzai-sensei.

I'd convinced myself that I didn't care anymore. That the brash, cocky youth from back then had been purged. No, that the desire, the need for basketball and for Kogure's companionship had been purged. When we'd walked into that gym to beat the living snot out of Ryota, I had ignored everything and concentrated solely on that. The bitterness, the pain, the longing had been pushed deep within my heart and mind, where they belonged.

I'd seen the flash of recognition in his eyes. I'd seen the way that his eyes had become veritable beacons of light for a moment, before the shock of the situation had extinguished it. Before the pain and betrayal had dulled them, until they were dead and glassy.

At that, the pain had become too much, and all I had left to focus on to make the pain go away had been my anger. My anger at Ryota. My anger at the loss of my front teeth. My anger at the humiliation of having had not one, but two underclassmen defeat me. I let the red blaze of my anger envelop my mind. With the familiar, sweet rage burning, I could ignore everything else. I could ignore him. His eyes.

When I hit him, I felt something, the small bit of me that had still held out and hoped to return, die. With that backhand, I could literally see the severing of all the ties that had bound me, that could have bound me to my past. Basketball, Anzai-sensei, Kogure. They were all beyond my grasp now. I felt myself die. How could he not hate me now? How could he not despise me as thoroughly as I despised myself?

The pain of the beating that I got from the red-head's friend was nothing compared to the pain of having betrayed everything that I had once been. Had once loved. In fact, the physical pain was a welcome distraction. When Akagi had shown up, all the old bitterness, the old jealousy, the old despair had come welling up. Here, walking towards me, was everything that I could have been if I hadn't injured my knee.

Akagi was the captain of the basketball team. He was considered one of the best players for his position in our district. He was the pride and joy of Anzai-sensei. He had Kogure. Somehow, Akagi had managed to become, and have, everything that I'd wanted for myself..

Still, I was able to keep everything inside. No one would see the tears I could feel burning behind my eyes. I'd managed to hold myself in control...I'd managed. Even while Kogure had let everyone know of my past. My failure. Even when my friend had asked me if I'd wanted to play again.

Did I want to play again?

Every muscle in my body screamed at me to pick up a basketball and start playing. For most of my life, I'd eaten, slept, breathed, lived basketball. When I'd injured my knee, my world, my entire reason for existence had ended. The only way that I'd been able to deal with the loss back then had been to walk away. To bury the pain, the bitterness, the loss.

Surprisingly, leaving Kogure had hurt just as much as the loss of basketball. I found myself missing his smile. His shining eyes. His very presence. For the past two years, I'd turned around, expecting him to be there, with a gentle glance, a soft word, a shy touch. Oh gods! Did I want to play again? I felt the longing every single fucking second of my life!

But how could I throw away what I'd become, what I was? How could I expect the others to forget what I'd almost done? How could I see Kogure again day after day knowing that he was with someone else. Someone that wasn't me. How?

In desperation, I'd struck out at my friend, to shut him up, to stamp out that tiny spark of hope and longing that had exploded in my heart. When Kogure had finally lost his patience and started in on me, my body had reacted. I'd *had* to shut him up. I was so close to breaking. So close. I'd hit him again. Even from here, I could see the swelling, the ugly, darkening bruises marring his sweet face.

Then had come the last blow that made all of my walls, my defenses, crumble. I'd heard the voice of Anzai-sensei. Just as calm and gentle as I'd remembered. My head had snapped around, staring at his face, his eyes as he walked forward. There had been welcome, acceptance in his eyes. Suddenly, everything that I'd been so desperately trying to hold inside, to hide, had burst.

I hadn't cared that everyone could see me as the tears ran down my face. As I sank to my knees in defeat. As I cried out my want, my need. I'd ended up bawling like a baby. Holding my arms to my sides, I wept. And wept. And wept. Strong, gentle arms came around me, and I looked up to meet the understanding eyes of my mentor. The man whose opinion of me mattered more than anything else.

Anzai-sensei held me as I sobbed, letting out all the bitterness, the pain, the longing. He held me and didn't judge me as everything I'd done over the past two years poured from my lips. Even after I'd told him just how low I'd sunk, he hadn't looked at me with disgust. He'd given me his smile and told me that if I still wanted to be part of the team, my position would still be available. And I knew. I knew that what he said was truth. That the only thing that had kept me from playing, from being happy, had been me. If I'd just had a little more patience, a little less arrogance, I could have waited until my knee was completely healed and come back. Oh gods, all those years wasted. All those years that I'd been feeling sorry for myself, I could have come back and played. Been part of the team. Been with Kogure.

When I'd finally been able to stop crying, I'd looked up to find myself alone with Anzai-sensei and Akagi. For close to an hour, I had sat there and poured out my heart. Anzai-sensei suggested that we all get some rest, and that I should show up for practice on Monday. Akagi had just nodded, his eyes hooded.

As I moved to follow after my mentor, a hand had settled on my shoulder. Holding me back. Turning around, I found Akagi staring straight ahead, his face set and hard.

"If you hurt him again, in anyway, I won't let it be."

"What?" I blinked. Why would I want to hurt Anzai-sensei? Then it hit me, what he'd actually meant. My eyes widened.

"I'll give you until Monday. If you don't come to an understanding by then. . ." Akagi finally turned his head to look at me. A muscle ticked in his jaw, as his eyes burned into mine. I almost stepped back from the emotions I saw in them.

"Why? Why are you telling me this?"

"He still loves you. He always has."

I swear my jaw dropped to the floor then. I must have looked stupid standing there with my mouth wide open because Akagi grinned at me. It was tight, full of pain, and only there for a second, but it was there. With a nod to me, Akagi turned towards the door to follow Anzai-sensei out.

I stood there in the gym for another moment and felt free. I was going to play basketball again. I was going to be able to play the game that I'd been obsessed with for as long as I could remember. I was going to be able to work my shots, my skills again. I was going to be with the boy that had occupied my thoughts and heart for years. With a light step, I'd followed Akagi out the doors.

Kogure had been waiting, like I'd known he would. For a moment, I let myself just look at him, to see the changes that three years had wrought. Framed under the light of a street lamp, he looked good. He had lost all of his awkwardness. He'd grown. He wasn't as tall as Akagi, but who was? Kogure's face had gotten even sweeter, if that was possible. Behind his glasses, his large, expressive eyes were as beautiful as ever. It's said that the eyes are the windows to the soul. There was no doubt about the truth of that with Kogure's eyes.

Then he shifted, and the shadows across his face cleared up. Looking at his anxious face, seeing the bruises marring his jaw and cheek, I felt my spirits drop again. We had so much to talk about. Seeing the way his eyes kept flickering back and forth between Akagi and me, I realized that we all had to talk. I scowled.

We stood there for endless moments, the tension between us rising and rising until I couldn't stand it anymore. I let my head drop and look at the ground as I gather my thoughts. Finally, I look up and rake my hair out of my face. Damn, if I was gonna play again, I was gonna have to do something with all this hair that I'd let grow out.

Akagi walks past me to put a hand on Kogure's shoulder, looking down at him and murmuring something too low for me to hear. Then, without looking back, he walks away, leaving Kogure staring after him with wide eyes and a shocked look on his face. I watch as the emotions run across his sweet face. Surprise, shock, confusion, understanding, and finally hope.

When he turns to me, with the hope blazing from his eyes like that, I can do nothing but hang my head again in shame, using my toe to scuff at the ground. Raising my eyes, I blink as Kogure is suddenly standing right before me. Oh, shit. Now what? I have no clue what to do now.

* * * * * *

Kogure smiled when he saw the startled expression on Mitsui's face. It looked like Mitsui was almost ready to bolt. He had looked the same way when Kogure had hesitantly told Mitsui of his feelings all those years ago. Scared, not because of Kogure's feelings, but of his own.

In the long silence after Kogure had noticed them both standing there, watching him, he had come to a decision. He knew that while it would cause Akagi pain, he had to follow his heart and once again be with the long-haired boy before him. Akagi's whispered comment had only cemented his resolve.

Still smiling, Kogure raised a hand and touched one of the cuts on Mitsui's face.

"You need to get those taken care of. Come on."

Taking Mitsui's hand, Kogure started walking back to the gym. Kogure held on, even though he could feel Mitsui trying to hold back. Kogure held onto the hand with just enough strength so that if Mitsui really wanted to take his hand away, he could. Mitsui hesitated for a moment longer, and then followed him. Kogure's smile grew wider.

Voice trembling just a bit from nervousness, Mitsui asked, "Um. Where're we going?"

Kogure replied without looking at him, "To the locker room. I have a key, and there're some first-aid supplies in there. We really do need to clean you up a bit more. We wouldn't want to upset your parents, right?"

"We?"

Kogure nodded, "We."

Out of the corner of his eyes, Kogure could see Mitsui looking down at his feet, a slight blush creeping up his cheeks.

"Oh."

They walked in silence until they reached the doors of the gym. Without letting go of Mitsui's hand, Kogure unlocked the gym, led the way to the locker room, and unlocked that door. Turning on the lights, Kogure led Mitsui to a bench and ordered, "Sit." Mitsui sat.

Kogure spent the next few moments getting together the supplies necessary to clean, disinfect, and bandage Mitsui's various cuts and bruises. Settling down in front of Mitsui, he took one of the moistened paper towels and started to clean the blood from Mitsui's face. Mitsui flinched, once, and then was still, his eyes downcast. Finally he asked the question that Kogure had been waiting for.

"Why?"

Kogure continued to wipe off the blood, "Why what?"

Mitsui frowned, "Why's everyone, why're you, being so nice and understanding? Why aren't you angry like you were earlier?"

Kogure paused his ministrations to meet Mitsui's eyes and answered simply, "Because you're finally back."

Mitsui blinked, "What?"

Kogure smiled and picked up another moistened paper towel, throwing the first away. He answered as he continued to wash Mitsui's face, "We, I never stopped waiting for you. I always hoped you'd be back. Your return wasn't quite what I'd always dreamed it would be, but that's not going to stop me from thanking whatever deity it was that brought you back to us. To me."

Mitsui's eyes were wide, "But aren't you mad?" He raised a finger to touch one of the dark bruises on Kogure's face, "How can you just forgive me for these?"

With a slight hiss of pain, Kogure moved his face back. Those bruises hurt. Before Mitsui could take his movement as a rejection, he caught Mitsui's hand and placed it on a part of his cheek that didn't hurt.

Capturing Mitsui's eyes once again, Kogure answered truthfully, "Yes. I was angry. And yes, I have forgiven you. You weren't yourself when you did this. I don't think you've been yourself since you walked away from the team. You can't begin to imagine how happy I was when you finally found your way back to yourself."

"But I hurt you. I hit you."

"Yes. You did. But it was the fact that you hit me that let me know you wanted to be back."

Mitsui frowned in confusion, "What? Where'd you get that piece of twisted logic from?"

Kogure smiled and raised his other hand to caress Mitsui's cheek. "I could see that I was striking a nerve. That what I was saying was getting through to you. I saw the desperation in your eyes and I knew that what you did was just a way to keep the pain at bay. To protect yourself from pain."

Mitsui closed his eyes and gently withdrew his hand from Kogure's cheek. "You must think I'm such a coward."

"I used to. Not anymore."

Mitsui's eyes flew open, "What?"

Kogure moistened a cotton ball with some antiseptic and raised his hand to Mitsui's face again. He paused a moment saying, "This is gonna sting." With that, he dabbed the first of the cuts, ignoring Mitsui's hiss of pain.

"Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Why don't you think I'm a coward anymore?" There was disbelief, as well as a hint of wonder in Mitsui's voice that hadn't been there before.

"Because you came back."

Mitsui snorted, "What kind of answer is that?"

Kogure shrugged, "I don't know how to explain it. The fact that you were finally able to admit to your pain and your need speaks more about your courage than you think, Mitsui."

"You're crazy, Kogure."

Kogure smiled, still dabbing on the antiseptic, "About you, yes."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"But-" Before Mitsui could finish, Kogure leaned forward and pressed a light kiss on his lips. Leaning back, Kogure smiled at the dumbfounded look on Mitsui's face.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Because I wanted to."

"But-"

"But, what?"

"What about all the things I put the team, you, through?"

"Like you said. That's in the past. I'd rather look to the here and now. It's much more pleasant, right?"

"Well . . . "

"Well?"

Mitsui looked down, a blush creeping up his neck and cheeks, "Yeah." He looked back up, catching Kogure's eyes. "You really forgive me?"

Kogure smiled and tried to put as much love and forgiveness in his gaze as he could, "Yes."

Mitsui raised his hand again and lightly brushed Kogure's bruised cheek, "Even after this?"

"Yes."

"Even after I tried to destroy the team?"

"Yes."

"Even for running away?"

"Yes."

"Truly?"

"Yes. The answer's not going to change, whatever you come up with, you know."

"And what you said before. You still . . ."

"Love you?" At Mitsui's nod, Kogure leaned forward and gave Mitsui another light kiss. "Yes."

"But, how?"

"Because I never stopped."

"What about my teeth?"

"What about them?"

"If you haven't noticed, I'm missing my front teeth, and I look stupid without them."

"I have noticed, and you're being ridiculous. Whether you have your front teeth or not has nothing to do with my love for you."

"You truly still love me after . . . everything?" There was wonder, and a growing joy, in Mitsui's eyes.

Kogure nodded, "Yes."

To Kogure's surprise, Mitsui wrapped his arms around him and buried his face in his shoulder. "Thank you."

Wrapping his own arms around Mitsui, Kogure closed his eyes and held him close. "You're welcome."

They stayed in each other's embrace for several minutes. Mitsui pulled back slightly and smiled. "I'm back."

Kogure returned the smile. Mitsui leaned forward again and Kogure closed his eyes as he felt Mitsui's lips settle on his own. The kiss was soft, sweet, and full of promise. When the kiss ended, they hugged each other again, and Kogure whispered in Mitsui's ear, "Welcome home."

Endnotes: This is probably the angstiest piece of mine that you'll find here for awhile. I happen to have a very low angst-tolerance and don't think that I do it all that well. Anytime I start to get too serious, I have an overpowering urge to put random silliness in there to alleviate all the dark brooding. :P Which is why I had such a hard time actually writing this thing. *eyes the fic* But it didn't turn out too badly, I don't think...