Chapter Text
"So, are you guys really going to let me go back to school without asking a single question, or are you going to ambush me at some unspecified time later on when you think my guard may be down?"
As the three Seidou students piled onto the busy Keisei line train at Edogawa station, Kazuya turned to cast a quizzical glance at his two companions. "You've not said a word about any of it since you got back to my place, nor once during lunch. And I figured it was because Dad was there, but he's not now. So if you have something to say, I'd appreciate you saying it before we get back and are inundated with other people."
"Questions?" Kuramochi glanced at Sawamura, who shrugged his shoulders.
"What questions?" he asked innocently, and Kazuya frowned, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
"Okay, out with it," he instructed. "This is unnatural and it's creeping me out. You both go running around Edogawa to butt your nose into my family, and now you're done with it? You aren't fooling me. I'm serious. If you have something to say, say it - now, before we get back. I'll already have to field Rei-chan's questions, so I'd rather deal with yours here and now, if you don't mind."
"We don't have any," Kuramochi said simply, leaning up against the window of the train and sending his classmate a grin. "No, seriously. Don't hit me - if you start a fight on the train, two things will happen. One, I'll beat the crap out of you, and two, we'll both get suspended for bringing the team and the school into disrepute, and that might jeopardise us playing Koushien. It's not like there's anything to ask, is there? You and your Dad clearly are fine now. And both Sawamura and I already got your memo. You're not happy talking about this shit. We're not that interested in it that we're going to ply you for gossip. If you settled things up, then you did. We're done, so back to baseball. Right?" he sent his roommate another look, and Sawamura nodded.
"I'm glad you and Otousan made up," he said seriously. "And I decided that...maybe I said too much, outside the temple. I got carried away, but it's not really my business, how you deal with your family stuff."
"Yeah, but I still don't believe you," Kazuya folded his arms across his chest, looking deeply dissatisfied. "Especially you," he nudged an elbow in Sawamura's direction. "You were all in my face before, about talking to Mum about baseball and such, and now you say you're done? I don't buy it. What happened, in the time I was with Dad? Did he say something to you at lunch that I didn't pick up on? Come on. Tell me. You're making me uncomfortable."
Kuramochi laughed, shaking his head in amusement.
"You're too paranoid," he scolded his friend playfully. "As it happens, we both talked about it and decided to let it go. That's all. We all have shit that we don't want other people poking in on. And we kind of ended up in the middle of this one by accident - but you can't pretend you want to talk about it with us. So we decided not to ask you. We're going back to school. School means baseball, and the build up to Koushien. We probably have practice games lined up in the next couple of weeks. I would've thought you'd want to be focusing on that - don't you? You're the last person who usually dwells on stuff you can't change."
"Mm," Kazuya acknowledged, his expression becoming sheepish. "All right. You're right, I don't really want to go digging in it again. But you were both so in my face about talking to Dad. And I may have said...stuff..."
He reddened slightly, and Kuramochi nudged his arm with a grin.
"You're just pissed that you did it sober, and so you can't blame it on the drugs this time," he said speculatively, and Sawamura's eyes widened.
"Wait...wait...wait a minute! Drugs? Miyuki-senpai, don't tell me that..."
"Shut up, idiot, before you even think about completing that sentence," Kazuya was on him in a flash, a long-suffering glare in his gold-brown eyes, but there was still a hint of crimson around his cheeks. Kuramochi sighed, shaking his head.
"Sawamura, I swear, I'm going to beat the word delicacy into your brain," he added. "Don't be stupid. Stop jumping on one word without getting the whole context!"
"Well, you said...!" Sawamura protested, and Kazuya groaned.
"I thought you didn't gossip," he said accusingly, glancing at Kuramochi, who shrugged.
"I didn't," he said benignly. "I just commented on your reaction, that's all. I'm not saying anything else. It's up to you to explain, if you want to. Or you can just leave it as it is. I don't mind."
"Okay, this your is revenge for the dugout, isn't it?" Kazuya's expression became one of annoyance. "I thought you'd let that go too lightly. Are you sure you don't have pictures? I'm not going to get back to school and find there's a huge poster of me up in the canteen, am I?"
"I told you I didn't take any! Yeesh!" Kuramochi held up his hands, and Sawamura's expression became all the more bewildered.
"Dugout? Drugs? Photos? What, now? What the hell do you guys get up to when we're not at training? Or is this at training? For God's sake, tell me!"
"And nosy Sawamura who butts into everyone's business is back," Kazuya rolled his eyes skywards. "That really didn't last long."
"I'm not nosy!" Sawamura retorted crossly. "I'm just concerned, as your teammate. You guys are talking in code about things like drugs, what am I meant to think? And anyhow, it was your family stuff I said I wasn't going to butt into. This is baseball stuff, so I'm allowed! You're my catcher, aren't you?" he shot Kazuya an accusing look. "Don't you have an obligation to stay on the top of your game, else how are you going to catch for me?"
"Ah, this kid is hilarious," Kuramochi chuckled, then relented, clapping a hand down on the younger boy's shoulder. "It's fine, Sawamura. Nothing you need to worry about. Seriously."
"Yeah, but you said...!"
"Kuramochi is talking about after I had my injury," Kazuya shot Kuramochi an annoyed look, which was received with a wide grin. "I had some strong pain meds from the doctor, remember? They made me pretty sleepy, and apparently...apparently!" he emphasised this, "I talked more when I was taking them. Though I don't really remember it being like that. It's just what he," he jabbed a disgruntled finger in Kuramochi's direction, "says."
"Zono said it first, actually," Kuramochi said unrepentantly. "I just agreed with him."
"Oooh," Sawamura's expression cleared, and he grinned, looking sheepish. "I see. I didn't think about that. I'd forgotten you had meds for that...although I do remember you winding us all up in the bullpen at practice around that time. You were being really annoying with all these stupid comments. Thinking about it, I guess you were probably taking them then, since that wasn't that long after you were hurt, and I remember you ripped your muscle pretty bad..."
"Nah, that was just him being him. That wasn't the drugs. That was pure Miyuki, 100%," Kuramochi chuckled, and Kazuya shrugged, a faint smile touching his features despite himself.
"I like to meet people's expectations," he replied, a glitter of resignation in his gold-brown gaze. "You don't come to pitch to Mr Nice Guy, do you, Sawamura?"
"If I did, I'd go ask Chris-senpai or Ono-senpai," Sawamura shot back. "Or even Mr Net, because he gives me attitude a ton less than you do!"
Kazuya chuckled, holding up his hands.
"Touche," he acknowledged appreciatively. "Mr Net doesn't give you good advice about pacing yourself, though, does he?"
"No, but the other two do, just without the snark! They're actually nice people, which is something you could learn from!"
"Probably fair," Kazuya seemed to be enjoying himself now. "Well, Ono, anyway. Chris-senpai is a lot more ruthless than you think he is, you know. It's always the quiet ones with the innocent smiles you have to look out for. Not the smart-ass jerks like me."
"I thought you were the one who hated people badmouthing my teacher!" Sawamura looked indignant, and Kazuya smirked, shaking his head.
"You have no idea," He said reflectively. "I'm not badmouthing him, it's not like that. I'm talking about his battle instincts. Believe me. You've never played against him seriously in a game before."
"There was the retirement intrasquad!"
"Not the same thing as a competitive match," Kazuya shook his head. "Though that's also why I respect him. And wanted to compete with him. Just, I'll never beat him. I realised that, when I was getting back to fitness. I'll never forget it - that game in middle school, where he literally took me and my game-calling apart, and then calmly presented me with the ball with a big grin on his face...TELLING me exactly what I'd been thinking when I'd been at bat. You have absolutely no idea...the guy is a monster behind that angelic smile."
"He'd have to be, to keep you in your place," Kuramochi looked appreciative. "And to manage this idiot as well without cracking up," he kicked Sawamura's shins lightly. "Hey, who knows, Bakamura. Maybe Chris-senpai set up the folder on Facebook?"
"Not a chance! He wouldn't do that to me!" Sawamura exclaimed.
"Folder on Facebook?" Miyuki looked blank, and Kuramochi laughed.
"Remind me to show you, later. It's hilarious. A whole collection of Sawamura's best idiot moments," he explained, and Sawamura snorted.
"Chris-senpai wouldn't do something like that to me," he repeated firmly, putting his hands on his hips. "He's my teacher. Maybe he was harsh on you, Miyuki-senpai, but I'm different."
"Yeah...about fifty percent more stupid," Kazuya chuckled, and Sawamura let out a yelp of indignation.
"Hey! You know that's not what I meant!"
"Well, I'm just saying," Kazuya shrugged innocently. "In any case, I haven't seen it, but this folder sounds more like Ryou-san's speed to me," he added thoughtfully. "Sounds like fun, though. I bet there's some decent material in it."
"Whoever began it is a genius," Kuramochi agreed, and Sawamura sighed, shaking his head.
"You guys really do just like making my life miserable, don't you?" He objected. Kazuya grinned, shrugging.
"No, but you're easy to wind up. And as a pitcher, you need to deal with a shitload of stress on the mound, so you can call it endurance training," he said breezily.
"According to Sawamura, you belong to him, anyway, so I don't think he's really complaining about it," Kuramochi teased, and Sawamura reddened.
"Kuramochi-senpai! I thought we weren't going to talk about that conversation again?"
"I never said I wasn't going to tell Miyuki about your possessive compulsive tendencies," Kuramochi's eyes twinkled with mischief, and Kazuya laughed.
"It's fine. I can handle them," he said frankly. "I've caught for worse. Although," he eyed Sawamura speculatively, "he needs to up his game if he really wants my whole attention. I don't like pitchers who coast and think they don't need to keep improving. We're going for Koushien. Nationals. Not just some local tournament, not now. If that's how he feels, I expect lots of hard work."
"Then you owe me a session catching my numbers," Sawamura shot back. "From Friday."
"I guess I do," Kazuya relented. "All right. If...IF the coach allows you back into training tomorrow, then I promise, you'll be the first on my catching list. Tomorrow morning, if we can, but if not, after school. How's that?"
"Better," Sawamura looked satisfied. "And it will be fine. The coach just said this weekend, and in any case, I think he was worried about you. He let us come check up on you, so I am sure that was part of it. It'll all blow over and be fine by tomorrow. You'll see. He won't want to jeopardise my form so close to the tournament."
"Number eighteen talking big again," Kuramochi needled, and Sawamura poked out his tongue.
"Shut up," he snapped. "That's only for now. I'm still working on it. I'm going to get there, you'll see. I'll be the ace before you both retire, and then you'll have to talk to me with more respect."
"Probably not," Kazuya reflected. "I mean, the ace thing, maybe you will, but respect? Eh. Doubtful. You've met us, right? This is kind of how we are."
"We're gonna miss our stop, by the way," before Sawamura could respond to this piece of sass, Kuramochi let out an exclamation, grabbing each of his teammates by the arm and yanking them forcibly out of the train doors and onto the platform before they slid shut. They stumbled into the crowd, narrowly avoiding colliding with a mother and her small children, and almost into the path of a couple of middle school students as they tried to exit the station.
"Hey, Bakamura, watch where you're going!" Kazuya grabbed hold of the pitcher's arm, yanking him forcibly to the side of the stairs. "You're a liability, you know that?"
"Sorry!" Sawamura reddened, bowing his head hastily at the middle school students. One of them grinned, shrugging his shoulders.
"No biggie, we're fine," he said easily. His companion paused, looking at the pitcher carefully for a moment. There was an awkward silence, then the boy's gaze shifted to Kazuya, and his lips thinned, almost imperceptably.
"Koushuu!"
The boy's friend reached across to grab his companion by the arm, giving it a tug. "Come on! We'll miss our connection back to Kanagawa and your mother will flip!"
The second boy's lips twitched into a faint frown at this, but he did not comment. Instead he lowered his head slightly in a bow towards the three high schoolers, and they were gone into the swirling crowd of commuters.
"Seriously, if we get back to school in one piece, we'll be doing well," Kuramochi rolled his eyes skyward. "Are you guys coming or what?"
"We're coming," Sawamura nodded his head, glancing at Kazuya, who had fallen behind. "Cap? We are going back to school now, right?"
"We are," Kazuya agreed, hurrying up the remaining steps two at a time. "I'm with you. I was just trying to read the weather forecast on the screen back there - I think it's going to hail, so we need to get moving, pronto."
"Typical," Kuramochi groaned. "What is wrong with Tokyo weather? Seriously!"
"It's not spring yet, and it knows it," Sawamura grimaced. "If we run, though, we'll probably beat it. And the coach wants me to run, anyway, so that suits me. I suppose when we get back, I'll need to apologise to him for Friday, won't I? If I do, maybe he'll let me off running in the hail."
"I'm going to bat," Kazuya said pensively. "I feel like I have some things to swing and hit out of me before I'm ready to settle to catching tomorrow. Kuramochi, will you come help me?"
"If you like," Kuramochi was surprised. "If you return the favour. Unlike some people," he glanced at Sawamura, "I didn't fail at fielding practice on Friday, but I still want to work on my batting from the left of the plate. I haven't decided what I'm going to roll with at Koushien yet, so I want to try some things. I need to hit longer so I can run further and get on base more - so I'll help you if you help me."
He send Kazuya an annoying grin.
"Right, buddy?"
"Ah, shut up," Kazuya snorted, rolling his eyes. "If you're gonna be like that, I'll use the machine."
"You two..." Sawamura glanced from one to the other, then sighed heavily. "I guess it can't be helped. I'll have to come oversee the pair of you, to make sure you don't waste precious practice time messing around."
"Look who's talking, Mr "Hit entirely the wrong kind of balls in fielding practice" Sawamura!" Kuramochi let out a high pitched laugh, and Kazuya arched an eyebrow.
"That sounds like an interesting fielding practice. Sorry I missed it," he observed, and Kuramochi smirked.
"Seki was sorry too, but more because Sawamura completely missed third base and hit something else instead," he said provocatively. "You really need to apologise to him too, Bakamura. I mean, that's gotta hurt. You have force behind your throws - but seriously, that's not the kind of moving ball the coach wants to see."
"Haha, for real? Oh boy," Kazuya clutched at his midriff, unable to control his mirth at this description, and Sawamura looked sheepish. He nodded.
"I'll apologise to him," he promised. "The coach, too. So long as we get back to normal tomorrow, I don't mind. It's only six weeks or so till Koushien, so we all have a ton of stuff to do before then. So I'm just glad we'll have the full team back in time for it. It's really your fault I messed up, anyway," he added, glancing at Kazuya. "You weren't there to catch for me and it threw me off when I knew your Dad was hurt. So you should probably apologise to Seki-senpai as well. Especially given that you're Captain."
"I went home because my Dad hurt his hand at work. You threw a ball to entirely the wrong place. I don't think they're comparable."
"Both painful, though," Kuramochi was amused. "But Sawamura's right about something. This feels more like normal. Come on. The others will be waiting to ask all their annoying questions about our weekend. We should work out what we're not telling them and then get them back focused on the challenges ahead. Who knows what Zono's done in our absence - sooner we get back to base the better!"