Blood is such a fascinating liquid. It could be used to dye white shirts a faded pink. It could be murder and it could save. And the color! The crimson delicious warmth vampire bats thrive on.

And it is so fascinating to watch it drip down slowly, drop by drop, sometimes in rivets, sometimes gushing out like a broken water pump.

And the pain! The unforgettable pain of release from nightly horrors and inner demons. A small price to pay for a priceless treasure.

The bearing of ones soul into the physical world.

Hanamichi stared at the boy in the mirror licking the living liquid from his wrist.

Is that what I have become?

* * * * * * * *

"Where is that idiot?!" Miyagi screamed at Yasuka, who cringed away wondering yet again, why Shohoku's basketball team is made up of such loud and violent people and what possessed him to join it in the first place.

"Probably lost too many brain cells when he hit the floor yesterday. Forgot the way to school." Mitsui replied, casually scoring a 3-pointer. //I'm still the best!!!// He smirked at the whooshing sound behind him.

Ayako tapped her foot impatiently for the baka to come. That first year lazy idiot probably wanted to avoid polishing floors. //When he comes tomorrow I'll make him run around the school 50 times before doing basics.// She smirked to herself. //And then he will polish the floors and wash the windows afterwards ... and maybe scrub the dirty basketballs as well.//

On the other side of the court, Rukawa shrugged nonchalantly. He was not worried about the do'aho. Of course not! He's just an annoying, troublesome, loud, cute, fiery, kind, naïve, handsome do'aho. Did he just think that? Rukawa flashed past some un-named Shohoku player. He was not falling for that loud red-haired baka. NO. He was just worried. Like an enemy worries about his enemy. That must be it. Yes. Like a soon-to-be-friends enemy. Like a soon-to-be-friend-and-hopefully-more-than-that enemy

* * * * * * * *

Hanamichi woke up to the sound of doorbell. He must have fallen asleep after taping his wrists with dirty bandages.

//Must be that social worker again.// Hanamichi groaned as he struggled to stand up. The room swayed dangerously, as if an untimely earthquake had struck only his room. //Luckily I've just cleaned up the living room ... and the hallway//

* * * * * * * *

He couldn't believe the absurdity of this. Part of him wanted to hop around with joy, part of him wanted to murder Gori.

He's not even our captain anymore! WHY does he even get a SAY in this?!

Rukawa scowled at the battered house he had just been to last night. //What am I suppose to say?! Hello do'aho ... Gori's sister ... what's her name again? Was worried about you ... and Gori threatened to beat me up if I didn't come and drag you over for practice?//

The door creaked open slowly. A large brown eye appeared in a barely seeable crack.

"R-r-rukawa?!" Hanamichi was surprised enough to forget his enemy's pet name.

"Do'aho." Rukawa tried to push the door open. //A few more inches and I can grab hold of his wrist and drag him to Gori.//

"What are you doing here?" Hanamichi hissed. His head ached from the spot where his father had accidentally pounded it against the wall. //Stupid fox. If Oyagi saw you here, you'll be an eternally sleeping fox//

Rukawa glared coldly at the red head.

"Go away you smelly kitsune! I don't want you shedding fur all over my house!! You-"

Despite of his archenemy's ordinary tirate, Rukawa frowned inwardly. //What is wrong with his do'aho? It's like he's missing something ... something important// Shrugging internally, he grabbed the baka's wrist and proceeded the tedious and most likely sweaty process, to the school's basketball courts.

Perhaps it was the sharp intake of breath.

Or maybe it was that wet sticky, rough warmth.

Rukawa found himself suddenly aware of holding his Hana's bleeding left wrist.