I've admired ur blog for a while, and i luvvvvvv it. especially being a huge slam dunk fan who keeps rewatching it 😼.
If u have time, can u do like a rukawa x reader fic where reader is basically Kainan's manager? they have a 2 year age gap because reader is a 3rd year, Quiet, Observant, Reserved, but has a sly personality? They are really smart in terms of basketball that they are an important part of Kainan like a "brain"??? (that reminds me sm of Kenma)
Also, can the fics setting be in a like practice match or training camp (you choose!!!!)
—Take ur time!! ♡
Hi there luv, sorry it's taken me so long to get round to your request.Life has been pretty stressful. I hope you're still happy about it, though.
___ _ _ _
authors note: Y/n = your name// not proof read// GIF not mine // Have fun <3
pairing: Rukawa Kaede x fem!reader
summary: See request above!
genre: romance
word count: 3.2k
Sometimes you think no one else has ever felt that way except you. That feeling that everyone else knows less than you do. Not because they’re stupid, but simply because you know more. Because your brain works completely differently.
At school, that made you an outsider, the annoying swot. Someone for whom what others considered too little was never enough. It seemed as though you were never satisfied. But there was one place where you weren’t just welcome, but where your talent was also appreciated: the Kainan High School basketball team.
It was secretly your favourite place in the world. You felt right at home there. It’s just that... well, your highly strategic, sharp mind came with the downside that you tended to be rather introverted emotionally. Strong emotions quickly overwhelmed you.
For that reason, the Kainan lads usually left you in peace. Except when it came to preparing for an important match. Then at least one of them was constantly by your side, trying to persuade you to help out.
That was exactly why you were on your way to your school’s smart new sports hall. You’d paired your forest-green sports shorts with a white T-shirt that was far too big. You’d slicked your hair back into a tight bun. You hated it when your hair fell into your face. It drove you crazy.
___ _ _ _
Sneakers screeched against polished dark wood, as you opend the doors to the gym. Basketballs struck the floor in rapid and harmonious rhythm. Someone on Kainan’s bench was yelling at Jin to stop hogging all the towels again. And coach looked like he said the same thing over and over again. Everything was just as usual. And that was a good thing. It meant you could relax. You didn’t have to come up with any new strategy to navigate social situations.
The training session was in full swing, so you quietly made your way to the substitutes' bench. You simply dropped your bag on the floor beside you.
___ _ _ _
And through all of training, you sat quietly at the scorer’s table with a clipboard balanced against your knee, completely untouched by the chaos. That was your job. To develop strategies against the opposing team, observe them and identify patterns. And that is exactly what you were just been discussing with the boys.
“Y/n-senpai,” Kiyota groaned dramatically, leaning over your shoulder,“You wrote six whole pages on Shohoku.”
“Seven,” you corrected without looking up.
“THAT’S WORSE.”
You finally lifted your eyes, calm and unreadable,“If you’d stop jumping at every fake pump shot, I could’ve kept it at five.”
The team burst into laughter while Kiyota collapsed onto the floor in betrayal. Takasago wheezed,“She got you again. Y/n youre so funny.”
You hid the faintest smile behind your clipboard. Most people underestimated you at first. They labled you almost every time as the quiet, polite and reserved girl from the 3rd year. And also most of the time, after two minutes, they realized Kainan’s entire defensive adjustment system ran through you.
Coach Takato trusted your reads more than assistant coaches sometimes. That was the highest compliment you could get. Before every major match, you were the one charting player habits, weak-side tendencies, stamina drop-offs, emotional triggers.
You noticed everything. Your eyes as sharp as the ones of an eagle. Which earned you the nicknames eagle eye or queen of chess. Which was precisely why Rukawa Kaede’s behavior had become so entertaining lately.
You noticed him before he even walked into the gym. The heavy doors slid open. Shohoku’s infamous rookie stepped inside with that same detached expression he always wore, basketball tucked beneath one arm. Practice jersey loose. Half-asleep eyes.
The room shifted slightly at his presence. Kiyota immediately scowled,“Why’s the fox here?”
“He’s here for the joint practice tomorrow,” Coach Takato answered. Rukawa barely acknowledged anyone, well expect you. But only in the form of a tiny little glance. It was subtle. Most people would’ve missed it. But you noticed the brief pause in his stride when he saw you at the scorer’s table. The near-imperceptible shift of his gaze.
___ _ _ _
For about a year and a half now, it had become a tradition to play friendly matches together. The School Sports Association wanted to use this to encourage exchanges between schools. This year, Kainan had been drawn against Shohoku. Secretly, you were looking forward to it a little. It was going to be a very entertaining weekend.
___ _ _ _
The way he walked toward the water coolers despite there being one significantly closer to him. You pretended not to notice. For you, it was more fun that way.
“Manager,”His voice was low and flat as usual.
You looked up slowly,“Rukawa.”
Kiyota looked personally offended that you knew his name. Rukawa stood there silently for a moment,“…You analyzed our Sannoh game.”
Not a question.
“You noticed?” you asked. He stared at you. That was answer enough. Of course he noticed, it was Kaede...golden boy of the Shohoku basketball club. Rukawa noticed basketball the way predators noticed movement of their prey.
“I liked your rotation prediction,” he said. Kiyota made a choking noise somewhere in the background. You tilted your head slightly,grinning,“Only liked? I feel offended”
Rukawa blinked once, clearly not expecting teasing from you,“It was accurate.”
There it was. High praise, at least in the weird "Rukawa language". You hummed softly. “Then I’m honored.”
He stayed there. Not leaving, not speaking either. He was just standing there. Beside your table with all the conversational abilities of a brick wall.
You waited patiently, curious to see what would happen next. Even though your analysis of the situation had already suggested a possible next step of his. This had become a pattern recently. Rukawa would appear near you for increasingly ridiculous reasons.
Borrowing tape he clearly didn’t need. Or asking for game notes he already memorized. And another time he was standing suspiciously close during joint practices. Once, he even sat beside you for nearly twenty minutes in complete silence while you organized stat sheets.
You’d timed him. Today, apparently, his strategy was staring. It was new, refreshing and it was absolutely no use if you wanted to grow closer to someone you really liked.
“You’re trying very hard lately,” you said casually. His eyes narrowed slightly,“At what?”
It was cute, you thouhgt,“Getting my attention.”
Dead silence. Across the gym, Kiyota sensed drama and immediately stopped stretching. Rukawa looked at you for a long moment,“…Is it working?”
You nearly laughed. Not because it was smooth, because it was so painfully direct. So completely Rukawa. You just knew him so well. And sometimes even you were surprised by the extent of it. He was just so full of blunt honesty, that was delivered with the emotional expression of a housecat.
You rested your chin lightly against your hand,“I noticed weeks ago.”
Rukawa looked genuinely caught off guard,“…Oh.”
“And,” you continued calmly, “I wanted to see how long it would take before you realized I knew.”
Another pause. Then, unexpectedly, the faintest hint of annoyance crossed his face,“You’re mean.”
You smiled properly this time. Kiyota gasped in horror from across the court,“Y/n-SENPAI CAN SMILE?!”
Neither of you acknowledged him. Rukawa studied your expression carefully, like he was memorizing it,“You’re different when you smile.”
“Most people are,” you laughed.
“Hn,”There was that look again. The one he always got during games. Weirdly focused and so full of intent. Rather studying. Except now it was completely focused entirely at you. And to be honest, it should’ve been unsettling. As you didnt like attention that much. But instead, you found it strangely endearing. It was lovely to know that I was seen in that way.
“You like smart girls,” you observed.
"Yes,”No hesitation.
"And you think I’m smart," you teased him further.
“Yes.”
Again, immediate. You tapped your pen lightly against your clipboard,“You’re straightforward.”
“You hate dishonesty,” he defended himself. You paused. Interesting. Not many people noticed things about you. You looked at him more carefully then. Rukawa wasn’t very socially skilled. Everyone knew that. But him being observant? Terrifyingly so. Of course he’d notice.
He watched games down to foot placement and breathing patterns. Human behavior wasn’t that different. “You’ve been observing me too,” you said softly.
“Hn,”A tiny confession from the outside, but a huge deal coming from Rukawa. You looked away first this time, hiding your amusement. Oh he was such a dangerous boy. “You know,” you murmured, “most people try harder to impress girls they like.”
“I am.”
Your brows lifted. Rukawa nodded toward the clipboard in your hands,“I asked Akagi for your defensive notes from the Shoyo match.”
That was actually devastatingly effective, because he understood. Flowers wouldn’t impress you most likely, he figured as much. But valuing your mind? Using your strategies seriously? Listening when you spoke about basketball and what you had to say about it?
That mattered. It mattered to you, so it mattered to him. Also it helped that it was basketball, because honestly what did the boy care about other than his sport. And somehow this quiet, basketball-obsessed boy had figured it out. Had figured you out. You exhaled slowly through your nose,“…That was clever.”
A tiny shift in his expression. It was satisfaction. He was proud of himself. Like he’d just scored. Cute. Very cute.
___ _ _ _
Practice resumed around you both, noisy and chaotic again, but neither of you moved immediately. Then Rukawa spoke quietly,“You’re graduating soon.”
Not a question, but you nodded,“Mm.”
“I don’t like that.”
Your heart betrayed you with one stupid little flutter. There was something unfair about the way he spoke. Simple truths delivered with complete sincerity. You closed your clipboard,“Then you’ll have to make good use of the time left, won’t you?”
Rukawa stared at you. And slowly, very very slowly he smirked. Like he finally realized you’d been letting him chase you on purpose,“…I will.”
