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Everyone was gathered in Miyuki’s room to celebrate their going to Koshein, in the spring quarter final which they had just won. The catcher sat on his bunk, watching the other players mill about, it was a bittersweet feeling. Them making it this year. Sometimes (always) he would go over the previous year, their games, their practices, and try and see where it all wen’t wrong, why they couldn’t make it to Koshein when this year they could?
A shout brought him out of his thoughts, bringing his eyes to the floor where Sawamura had just slammed his Manga shut, a bright red blush covering his face and his eyes resembling that of a cat’s. A fond smile grew on the catchers face, the brunette always had a way of taking his mind away from that darker patch of thinking which would cloud his mind.
Red was a good color on the brunette. It made the gold in his eye’s stand out. A nudge on his shoulder caused him to look over at Kuramochi, “C’mon, we got drink run tonight.” Giving his friend a confused look he raised a brow..
“What do you mean? That’s usually the first years job?”
Kuramochi didn’t say another thing and just dragged Miyuki out of the room, already knowing what everyone would get.
Further adding to the catcher’s suspicion, Kuramochi stayed silent the whole way to the vending machine. As he inserted the change, and the first few drinks tumbled out, the shortstop finally brought up what had been plaguing his mind.
“Can you stop ogling my little brother? It’s excruciating to watch.” His face shriveled, as he thought about the soft puppy look he often caught Miyuki giving Eijun.
“Huh?” Miyuki stood shocked for a moment before snapping out of it, “What? No! I like the idiot but not like that!”
Kuramochi raised a single eyebrow, disbelief written all over his face. “So you don’t think about making out with him anytime he looks at you with that doe-eyed hopeful look?”
Miyuki sighed, “I mean, I’d make out with him but-like, platonically ya know?” Miyuki turned to Kuramochi with an expectant look on his face.
“Dude…” Kuramochi might actually be turning green. “One, ew. Please never talk to me about my brother like that again. Two… you can’t make out with someone platonically.”
“Dude, I'm not in love with him.”
“Sure, sure, and I'm not dating Ryo.” Kuramochi rolled his eyes at his friend's obliviousness. “If you won’t confess then stop leading him on, let him fall for someone else.” He wasn't stupid, he knew Miyuki easily got jealous over the pitcher, hell he'd seen it when one of the girls tried confessing to the brunette.
“Even if there were feelings there, which there aren't, it would affect the team dynamic, and right after he's recovered from the YIPS? What kind of jackass would I be if I brought it up now when things are finally going back to normal.”
Kuramochi tried not to choke on his strawberry milk. “Back to normal?” He looked at Miyuki blinking in surprise. “What do you mean back to normal?”
“Things are finally going back to normal between us,” He shrugged, well not everything, for some reason the brunette hadn’t been pushing Miyuki to catch for him lately, he hadn’t woken him up at five in the morning, and he hadn’t barged into Miyuki’s room like he owned the place.
“Miyuki…” Kuramochi sighed, “What am I going to do with you idiots?”
“Says the guy avoiding his boyfriend.” Miyuki shot back drinking his black coffee on their way back to the dorms.
The shortstop felt a shiver of fear run down his spine at the mention of his boyfriend who he was currently avoiding. He didn’t know how he lasted this long without the pinkette tracking him down and skinning him alive!
—
Walking back to his room was hard, with his eyes sliding shut every few steps. Kuramochi and the others had stayed up too long in Miyuki’s room and now it was 3 in the morning. Thankfully they only had morning practice the next day, he could snooze after school. Sawamura had ended up staying with the first years, along with their other roommate. Therefore he would get the room all to himself.
Although he didn’t get what the evil glint in the pitcher's eyes was about when he had left, it might have just been a trick of the light.
Grabbing his keys from his pocket, he opened the door and found his room unusually scary. There was a black aura leaking out of it, making him shiver in response. Turning on his flashlight on his phone, he cautiously walked into the dark room.
As soon as he passed the threshold, the door creaked shut behind him, causing him to freeze in place in the suddenly much scarier room. He rushed to turn the lights on and instantly his fear tripled.
What he found was far scarier than anything his mind had conjured up. Worse than a murderer hiding in his dorm room, worse than a ghost coming to take revenge because he offended it, and far worse than a demon taking his soul.
Standing there, beside the door was the pink-haired devil himself, Kominato Ryosuke.
“R-Ryo-san! Hehe, what are you doing here?” He asked, backing away from his boyfriend. Who was the source of the dark aura currently keeping any form of life 30 meters from his room.
“Hm, I could ask you a lot the same question.” Ryosuke’s smile was anything but happy and his eyes screamed death, even if they were closed. “Yoichi. Why are you avoiding me?”
He is so dead. Please lay flowers at his grave and tell his mother he loved her.
“I’m not entirely sure I know what you mean…”
A huff left Ryo’s lips as he glared at Kuramochi. “I’m talking about this team. When did practicing become so important that you were allowed to leave another teammate to drown?” He tilted his head in mock curiosity. “Maybe we third years shouldn’t have left so soon. This place is a mess, and I haven’t even been here for a full 24 hours yet.”
“We're trying to get our batting line up back together! Promise! We’re all practicing overtime in order to improve!” This comment only served to darken Ryosuke’s expression.
“Yes, while your batting is shit right now, that can always be improved and hammered into you. What I’m talking about is the team’s current mindset. Practice is more important than helping out a teammate? Is that really what you all learned from us?”
And suddenly Kuramochi knew what this was about. ,
“You're talking about Sawamura…” Kuramochi almost winced thinking about his roommate. The kid had just recently recovered from the yips. He remembered how he acted during them, he had tried to help, in his own way. He would drag the pitcher inside if he was ever out past 11. He stayed up with him when he cried because he was scared he would never pitch again. He had force fed the kid when he refused to eat. He wasn’t sure what else he could do. He didn’t know anything about pitching..
“I talked to Sawamura, I know you tried to help, however much you struggled with it.” A twitch of the pinkette’s lips made Kuramochi relax slightly, knowing that he wasn’t the only one Ryo was mad at. “But that doesn't change the fact that no one else did. That loudmouth first year with the blonde hair was a stand in batter for weeks for Sawamura. You could have offered him fielding advice, or running advice. Anything to get his mind off of pitching.”
When Ryosuke had found out about the situation, it had been too late for him to intervene, Sawamura had already clawed his way out of that pit. Alone. It didn’t mean he wasn’t mad though, it possibly made him even more pissed that no one even bothered to offer a helping hand, other than Kanemaru and Ono.
“Tell me Yo-chan, when was the last time Sawamura hung out with you guys?” Kuramochi furrowed his brow. Sawamura had just been with them earlier. “And I don’t mean being around you guys, I mean actually conversed with you guys, asked for help, played a video game or something stupid like that? Without the first years around.”
Kuramochi paused. And when he really thought about it… It was right before the Inshiro game. After Sawamura got the yips, he didn’t come up to hang around them. Then after he recovered… Kuramochi can’t think of a time the boy willingly hung around them. No… he had asked for help now that Kuramochi thought about it. It was after practice. Maybe a week after the Inashiro game?
Sawamura had approached them, he had asked for someone to stand in the box for him, and for Miyuki to catch. Kuramochi had been tired, and the coach had been a little extra hard on them that day. He had declined, saying he was going to take a bath… What had Miyuki said to him? Did anyone help him that night?
How many times had Sawamura asked for help… only to be rejected?
He swallowed thickly, looking at Ryousuke dead in the eyes. “How many times?”
It made sense all of a sudden. Why Sawamura never hung out with them anymore. During the Hoshein game… That was their chance to fix things, and they blew it. They had lost his trust, and blown every opportunity he gave them to fix it.
“Do you understand now, Yoichi?” He nodded. Hell he would be pissed too if he was in Ryo’s position. They had messed up. Bad.
“I already have a plan on how you all will fix this. It’s going to start with you apologizing. Then Miyuki apologizing and talking things out with Sawamura.” Kuramochi winced at the idea of Miyuki apologizing and ‘talking things out’ that bastard would probably make things worse with how socially inept he was.
“Are you sure Miyuki is the best… choice at the moment?” THat terrifying smile spread across his boyfriend's face again.
“Don’t worry about it too much. I’ll be talking with him later.” Kuramichi shivered at the thought of it. He was already scared shitless and Ryou wasn’t even that pissed at him. He thinks.
His boyfriend walked towards him, stopping beside him and placing a single hand on Kuramochi’s shoulder. “Also, if you think I forgot that you're avoiding me then you're mistaken. I’ll be delivering a suitable punishment after I return from lecturing everyone else.” He was dead.
Then the pinkette disappeared out the door. Kuramochi settled onto his bed. He didn’t even question how his boyfriend got into the room. How did he not even realize what they had done to Sawamura though? They basically ostracized the kid from the team. He couldn’t just do nothing now that he realized what they did. He was never good at letting things stew.
Therefore, getting up, he shoved his shoes back on and made his way out of his dorm. Making sure to lock the door on his way out.
Sawamura had been with the first years last he saw, which makes sense when he thinks about it. Why would he even want to be around the rest of the team when they had abandoned him?
Kuramochi made his way to the first year's room, he opened the door and found the group of five spread out across the room, all doing various different things, while at the same time the room still had a sense of community. While all doing separate things, they were together.
He took a deep breath before finding the brunette in the middle of the room, chatting excitedly with Asada.
“Oi, Sawamura!” Said boy turned to him curiously, eyes widening when he saw him before a devilish grin stretched across his face.
“Kuramochi, what are you doing here? I would have thought you’d still be occupied in your room?” And suddenly he didn’t question how Ryou got into his room.
“You little-” He had to take a deep breath in order not to strangle his Kohai. “Ignoring that… I want to talk with you.” When the boy only looked at him curiously he gestured outside. “Alone.”
Sawamura scrambled up and trotted over to him, waving at the first years. Kuramochi stayed silent and led Sawamura to the vending machines to get a drink. Surprisingly, Sawamura also stayed silent during the walk.
While he didn’t exactly drink coffee as their resident caffeine addict, he wanted to be awake for this, so he pressed the button and got himself a coffee, he got Sawamura a can of milk. He really didn’t want the brunette to be bouncing off the walls because of the sugar intake from his regular soda. Especially this late at night.
He took a sip of the coffee, the bitter tang sliding to the back of his mouth.
“Kuramo-”
“Sawamura-” They both paused; God this was awkward, how could he not notice this? It felt like there was an elephant in the room.
“Let me go first.” He sighed. Why did he choose to approach Sawamura about this tonight? “Listen, um…” How was he supposed to word this?
“I’m sorry.” Gosh he was shit at apologizing. Sawa mura stood there, wide eyed blinking at him confusedly. Maybe he didn’t get the point across? Would explaining help?
“I’ve been a shit friend. During your yips… I didn’t realize how- bad things got, then I didn’t help you when you needed it. Then again at the fall tournament, during Koshein. We didn’t trust you on the mound and we should have. I should have, after watching how hard you’ve been working. It’s even worse that I didn’t realize until someone shoved it in my face. So, I’m sorry, Sawamura.” After his little rant Kuramochi watched as Sawamura stood there processing his words for a bit, then his signature smile broke out. When was the last time he had smiled like that?
“You're forgiven, Kuramochi-senpai. I mean yeah, it hurt a bit, but I know you all were busy so I don’t hold it against you! If you really want to make it up to me though…” Kuramochi didn’t see the smirk on his face until it was too late. “You could let me teach you how to bunt properly! I mean, you all have horrible bunting forms! They burn my poor eyes anytime I see them!”
Kuramochi grit his teeth and pounced on Sawamura, securing him in a headlock, “Oh really?! My bunts are that bad!? How about your batting then huh!?”
Sawamura pleaded for mercy under his arm, it was familiar to them, a routine that brought back normality. While it would take time for Sawamura to fully trust him again, they took the first step towards rebuilding that friendship they had.
Kuramochi dropped Eijun off by the first year dorms then made his way to his own, opening the door, he was met with a much calmer boyfriend, he must have already killed Miyuki while Kuramochi was talking with Sawamura.
Ryousuke was sitting at his desk, book open and notes out. He had turned to Kuramochi when he walked in, a soft smile on his face. It was a rare smile, even for Kuramochi to see, but when he did it just made him fall harder for the pinkette.
Kuramochi walked over and bent down to deliver a quick peck to Ryo’s lips. It was soft and sweet, something he hadn’t been able to do since they lost in the semi-finals.
“Hm, finally get up enough courage to kiss me again? I almost thought you would leave me for Haruichi when you were ignoring me for so long.” He was still pissed about that reasonably so too. Even if he didn’t admit it, Kuramochi knew that Ryo had thought that Kuramochi would go for Haruichi instead, which didn’t make sense to him. He wasn’t even attracted to the younger Kominato.
“Sorry, Ryo, but you're not getting rid of me that easily.” He smiled at the shorter male, who also smiled back. THe smile sent shivers down Kuramochi’s spine.
“Don’t worry Yo-chan,” With honey dripping from his words a murderous smile crossed Ryousuke’s face. “Did you think I would let you ignore me for two months without any retribution?”
The next morning Sawaamura couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of Kuramochi limping into the cafeteria, looking like the dead.
“Mochi-senpai, did you have fun last night? I saw Onii-san yesterday and he asked for the key to our room, since I was staying with the first years I figured I’d loan him mine!” He laughed again at Kuramochi’s betrayed look.
“You let that devil into our room!? He almost killed me!” Strangely enough, Miyuki didn’t make any jokes about it, Kuramochi spared a glance at the catcher and saw him watching Sawamura with a calculateing eye.
“You look fine Mochi, well everything but your rear.” There it was. Miyuki’s famous commentary. “Now we can confirm that you’re the bottom though.”
“You shut up!” Kuramochi’s face turned bright red, steam practically exploding from his ears. “I don’t need to discuss my sexual life with you!”
“I never asked you too.” The smirk on Miyuki’s face said it all.
“You asshole…” Kuramochi muttered, finally getting his food and sitting on the bench beside Miyuki, wincing as he did.
“Thank you.”
“Not a compliment!”
After breakfast, they all made their way to the field, lining up and going through practice like normal. Well, mostly. Kuramochi struggled a bit, but no one asked after seeing the smirks both Sawamura and Miyuki had everytime they noticed the shortstops' pain.
He did keep up his side of the promise though, after practice he allowed Sawamura to help him with bunting… and he found out that Sawamura was actually a really good teacher. He would never admit it out loud, but the way the kid explained it was simple to understand, and he would adjust Kuramochi’s position any time he messed it up.
“See! Now you're an expert bunter! Not as good as the legendary Sawamura Eijun, but decent enough to get someone to advance without always getting out. A bunt shouldn’t always be a sacrifice!” Kuramochi nodded along as they walked back from the baths, back to the field.
When they finally arrived he saw Ryo standing outside one of the storage sheds, a mischievous smile on his face. Haruichi, Kanemaru, Ono, and Jun were also nearby.
“Why’s everyone gathered around here?” Sawamura tilted his head at the odd grouping who had just spotted them.
“Hm? Oh, just a little plan we came up with.” Kuramochi shrugged, leading the brunette further towards the group.
“Spitz-Senpai! You're here too?!” Sawamura was surprised to see two of his graduated Senpai here. He knew Ryo was already here, seeing him yesterday, but he didn’t know Jun was here.
“Sawamura!” The loud mouth greeted, slinging an arm around Eijun, who crumpled slightly at the taller male’s weight. “We just got a little surprise for you!” Sawamura raised his brow at the older man, he was curious, especially with this odd grouping.
“Really? What is it?” Kuramochi almost felt bad for tricking him. Almost.
“C’mere, let your senpai show you!” The pair approached the shed, and, in an instant, Sawamura was shoved in, the door slamming shut behind him.
“Wha-Hey! Spitz-senpai what the hell! Let me out!” Sawamura’s voice echoed from inside the shed.
“Not until you two sort your shit out.” Ryosuke’s voice cut through the air like a knife. He then turned to Kanemaru. “Firstie, you're on first watch. All you have to do is make sure they don’t escape, or kill each other. Otherwise, feel free to ignore them.” With that Ryo turned to Kuramochi, taking his hand and walking away.
“Kanemaru let me out! Harucccccchhhhhiiiii don’t leave me in here!”
Haruichi winced slightly at his friend’s yelling, smiling apologetically at the shed, even if the brunette wouldn’t see it. “Sorry Ei-chan, but I agree with Onii-san.” Then he walked away.
Eijjun hit the door again, “Kanemaru, seriously let me out!”
“It’s no use.” A voice sighed behind him. “They won’t let us out until we ‘figure out shit out’.”
Sawamura turned around and found Miyuki sitting against one of the walls in the small space. The shed was dark, he could hardly see the other, just making out his eyes, and glasses with the moon light filtering in. There were small windows near the roof that let in the little bit of light. The shed itself smelt of leather, and dust.
“Oh, were you locked in here too, Miyuki?” The laugh he let out was sheepish at best.
“Yeah, Ryouske got me, just shoved me in, and you know how he is. There’s no way to get out of here until they decide to let us out.” Eijun could hear the frustration in Miyuki’s voice.
Eijun nodded and moved to be sitting across from Miyuki, even if he couldn't see him.
The silence was awkward, he could hear Miyuki shift around every now and again, but other than that it was silent.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Miyuki was the first one to break the silence.
“Why do you keep avoiding me?” Miyuki was no good at dealing with emotions, everyone knew this. So having to be the one to bring them up was weird, but neither of them were getting let out until they did.
He looked up at Sawamura, who he could just make out in the dark, he didn’t quite like not being able to see the pitcher’s face.
“I’m not avoiding you.” Miyuki raised a single skeptical brow. That was complete bogus. Ever since the fall tournament Sawamura had been avoiding him, he didn’t even know what he did! He had racked his brain every chance and couldn’t figure out why he was being ignored.
“Really? Then why have you refused to pitch for me these past few weeks unless the coach is watching?”
“Because I promised to practice with him? He’s a first year and I’ll be his main pitcher next year so I have to prepare him for after you leave.” Sawamura said it blankly, it was true. Miyuki would be gone in a few months… but Sawamura was already preparing for that.
It hurt. Knowing he was being replaced so easily. “So he’s my replacement then? I’m not gone yet, Sawamura.”
He heard a huff from across the shed, “Really? You’re not? I hadn’t noticed.”
What did that mean? He had been offering to practice with Eijun, but the brunette always pushed him aside to practice with Okumura. Yes, that meant he had more time for Furuya and Nori. But Nori usually practiced with Ono, they were a good team and got along well. Furuya… he was hard to catch for. Yes, his pitches were difficult to catch, but there was no variety to them. They were pure speed and power with no technique. He’d be fun to catch for maybe in a few years. Sawamura… he was fun to catch for.
“What does that mean? I’ve been asking you, I haven’t been ignoring you or anything like that.” He hated to admit it… but he had missed the pitcher. He had missed the early catching sessions they would have, just them, in the mornings. He missed when Sawamura would randomly appear during school and demand Kazuya pitch to him. He missed the late nights when the team wouldn’t barge into his room, leaving Sawamura to him. When he would take care of the pitcher's hands because he didn’t. He remembered teaching Sawamura about coating his nails so they wouldn’t crack while pitching. And showing him different lotions that kept the skin healthy, and unbruised.
Sawamura mumbled something, but Miyuki couldn’t catch what he was saying. “I can’t hear you, idiot. Speak louder.”
“Now that I’m good.” Huh? What was he talking about?
“Now that you're good?”
“Now that I’m good, you’ll catch for me. Now that I can pitch what you want, now you’ll catch for me.” Miyuki blinked thinking back, when had he refused to catch for Sawamura?
“The only time I refused to catch for you was when Furuya wanted to pitch-”
“Exactly!” The shout surprised him, tensing his shoulders as he blinked at the pitcher. “It was always Furuya… I’m not asking for you to choose me over him all the time, or even most of the time. But… but you would cancel our own practice just to catch for him, you would blow me off just to catch for him, mid conversation.”
Thinking back he could remember those times. It was when Eijun was still getting back on his feet from the yips, and Furuya was struggling with his aim. As the Ace, Furuya took precedence, unfortunately. But he figured someone would help Eijun.
“‘A pitcher who can’t pitch is useless to the team.’ You told me that, when I asked why Furuya was so much more important. I think I understood. Get better, then I’ll catch for you. But how am I supposed to get better on my own?”
…On his own. Miyuki had forgotten that Sawamura didn’t have a lot of baseball experience. It was his first year, and he’d been dropped as soon as he couldn’t pitch, Miyuki didn’t think of that. How would Sawamura, a first year, who’s it’s first year on an actual team, would feel being told he was useless if he couldn’t pitch, and given no direction to go, would feel. Then again, he didn’t normally think about how people felt unless it was related to baseball, (or they were close to him, but he wouldn’t admit it).
“It hurt… I looked-, look up to you. Ever since that first pitch in my last year of junior high. I wanted to pitch to you. You said we were partners, and I believed that. Maybe it was just words to you, but it meant something to me. Then I got here and found out I would have to fight for the mound and you. I was ok with that. Because I knew I would do it. I knew I could work hard and attain my goal… but then I was stuck, so I asked for help but no one helped. I had to claw my own way out, and I’m stronger for that. But now… I feel like I can’t trust anyone anymore… I feel alone.”
Miyuki didn’t know what to say. He was the one who pushed for Eijun to open up, but now he didn’t know how to deal with it.
Standing up from where he was sitting, Miyuki toed his way to where Sawamura was at. When he found the other’s foot he followed the leg up to an arm and sat next to the boy. Now that he was closer he could faintly make out the others features. He was hunched over with his knees pulled to his chest and his head resting on his arms.
“...Sorry. I didn’t notice, gosh Ryousuke was right, I messed up pretty bad, we all did not to notice how much shit you’ve had piled up.”
Eijun shook his head, “No. I understand that all of you were busy and had your own lives to worry about-”
Miyuki grew tired of the brunette’s rambling and slung an arm over his shoulder, pulling the slightly shorter boy into his side. “It’s not alright, as captain I should have noticed sooner and done more when you had the yips.” He sighed, resting his own head on Sawamura’s. “Tell you what, after we get outa here, probably tomorrow morning, I’ll catch for you. We can work on your numbers if you’d like.”
“Sure thing cap.” They stayed like that for a bit. While Miyuki never really initiated physical contact with anyone, Sawamura was someone he felt comfortable touching. He often would sling his arm around the pitcher’s shoulders, or just leaning on each other during briefings. He never realized how much he gravitated towards the kid.
“I’ll also help you out, cap.” that statement gave him pause. What was the idiot on about now? “I know you have a lot on your plate right now, between being captain, clean-up batter, the main catcher, basically our strategist, and having to deal with the Sergeant? That seems like, just too much. Even for you. So, as your wonderful Kohai, I'll help out. I know you have Kuamochi, and Maizono-senpai, but they’ve never really had to deal with a whole team before! So if you need any help, just tell me.”
“Amazing, I’ll have the wise and amazing Sawamura backing me up? How sweet~ You do care!” He could feel the heat of Sawamura’s flush against his neck, and it made him chuckle.
“You tanuki bastard! I’m trying to be helpful here and offer my support!”
“Yes, yes, I’m very grateful.” He hid it in the sarcasm of his words, but Eijun could tell that it was the truth.
“You better be…” And again the conversation fell silent, it was a comfortable silence though.