Work Text:
Note: takes place during chapter 197 of act ii.
“Seidou’s ace Sawamura finishes the fifth inning with flawless pitching! With a score of 13-0 the game is called!”
-
In the bleachers, upon hearing the announcement through the speakers located inside the stadium, the audience stands up and the clapping is accompanied by cheers. Many are satisfied after witnessing a good game, others direct their soothing words to the defeated team in an attempt at lifting their mood with promises of: “Next time it will be better!”
It’s useless comfort, that although well-meant, gives no solace.
Inside the seidou dugout only remain a few players that are still hanging around and trying to tidy things up. Eijun is sitting by a bench all the way inside. He can’t listen to anything beyond his laboured breathing and the blood rushing in his ears.
His head is hanging between his legs, his skin is still that sicklish color that Furuya has come to detest in a matter of seconds.
Haruichi rubs circles on his back with patience, and bits his lips. Furuya is silent like the dead and doesn’t reply with more than a: “Yes.” when Zono comes by to ask if everything is okay. Eijun notices and it sinks in: Furuya is mad about something.
His shoulder and elbow cool down slowly under Furuya’s attention. Eijun wants to speak up, but instead what leaves his mouth is an embarrassing yawn that has his cheeks acquiring a rosy tint.
Haruichi’s grin is blinding in the dark of the dugout and his voice gentle, “Eijun-kun, everyone is finished packing up. Let’s go.”
Eijun hums in response not having the energy to do anything else. He’s too preoccupied with the lack of strength on his legs and fails to register that split moment in which Furuya and Haruichi communicate with only their gazes.
“Wha-?” The question is half uttered and cut off completely when each of his friends gets a hold of his arms, pull him upwards, and leave the dugout with him in tow without any trouble.
Their expressions are even and serious, almost like this is an everyday occurrence for them.
Eijun is rightfully surprised by the unfolding events and with renewed vigor sputters, “You guys! That wasn’t necessary at all!”
Furuya glares at him and deadpans, “So you still have the energy to be stubborn?”
Eijun thinks that stubborness is something that doesn’t stick with him only, that it’s actually a common thing for both of them. In the end he decides to not worsen things any further and shuts up. Now, he knows the reason for Furuya’s quietness, and it’s touching in a way that perhaps not everyone would be able to comprehend.
They arrive at an open area outside the main facilities of the stadium and settle down for a long row of stairs to rest after their stroll. Furuya pulls out his tiny notebook to write down what he needs to buy at the store: a bottle of water for Eijun and some snacks.
“Are you feeling better?” Haruichi asks.
Eijun opens and closes his mouth, unable to come up with any of his custom excuses for when he wants others not to worry. The reason is one part his exhaustion, but also the warning ‘don’t lie’ that’s poorly disguised behind that smile on his friend’s lips when he guesses his intentions.
The pout is a reaction he cannot control. Cornered like this and with nothing to lose he becomes more sincere and complaints a little bit, “It’s bad. I would have liked to get more sleep, but…”
Haruichi props his right arm on his knee, rest his chin on his hand, tilts his head to look at him, and suggest, “Why not try asking Shirasu-senpai? He listens to different types of music, that might help you relax before going to bed.”
On reflex, Eijun shivers. He isn’t scared of Shirasu or anything, but the knowledge of how their music tastes is oceans apart is enough to make him remember how their senior’s playlists are packed with rock-music, that in his opinion mostly consist on yelling, but who is he to judge other persons in that matter?
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Eijun answers and suppresses the urge to chuckle.
Haruichi’s eyes become moon crescents and with an air of casualness he prompts, “How about asking Amahisa-san on a message, hm? You can add something baseball related too, so it doesn’t become awkward. Like how his pitc-.”
Eijun denies with a shake of his head, very aware of what purpose Haruichi has in bringing this particular thing up. The Haruichi he has met during his first year has changed so much! It’s unbelievable!
Disappointed, Haruichi admits, “It’s really interesting how you can see right through me now.”
“We are friends after all, I would feel stupid if i wasn’t even able to do as much.” Eijun laughs and adds, “But i will have to ask for your help with this whole not being able to sleep at night matter.”
Haruichi giggles, “Of course.”
“It’s a promise!”
Eijun coaxes Haruichi into making a pinky promise to seal the deal. Furuya arrives when they are about to join their pinkies.
“What are you guys doing?”
“Isn’t it obvious? Come on, join us!” Eijun doesn’t offer any explanation as to why exactly they are doing such a childish thing and simply drags Furuya in by the grip on his wrist.
After they are done Furuya passes him the bottle of water and sits down. Eijun takes a sip and the coldness of the liquid sliding down his throat is welcome. Summer days are often a hassle to deal with.
“Want some?” Furuya offers him a bar of hi-chew, those same sweets they bought for Miyuki a while ago.
“Hm.”
Eijun chews on the candy lazily and recalls Furuya’s expressionless face when they were in the dugout earlier. Furuya is often perceived as arrogant and emotionless by outsiders, but Eijun isn’t an outsider and he isn’t as dense as people think either.
He scoots closer to Furuya’s side, wraps his arm around his shoulder and says, “I’m glad i didn’t have to walk all by myself here!”
“It wasn’t easy carrying you, you know?” Haruichi teases.
Eijun chokes on a mouthful of hi-chew and starts blabbering his apologies.
“Eijun,” Furuya calls his name and pauses.
“What is it?” Eijun can’t help but avoid his eyes out of a sense of shame.
Furuya reassures him without any hesitation, “Don’t worry about it. What happened today… it happens to everyone in the beginning.”
“Indeed. Furuya-kun also had a hard time back in the day.”
On the topic of stubborness again, Eijun, while holding his tears back and refusing to show his weakness to his confused friends, concludes that although it’s something he has in common with Furuya… it might be something that exists stronger on him.
Stubbornness and fighting spirit is what drives him forward.
***
After Haruno finds the three of them loitering outside the stadium, she takes them to where everyone else has gathered to scout the S ousei game. They are in the perfect spot to watch over the baseball field and, although most of them would deny it, to take a nap if the need to do so arises too.
The lawn on the ground appears very appealing and comfortable to him. Eijun knows that can’t be real, but at this point he isn’t willing to let these small pleasures pass by.
He dozes off on someone’s shoulder as soon as he sits down. The other person moves out of the way and reprimands him, “Don’t fall asleep now, the game is just starting.”
Accustomed to his chiding Eijun only mutters Kanemaru’s name and ignores his protests. All noise fades into nothingness and he falls asleep just like that.
***
“He’s fast asleep, huh.” Kanemaru points out while dusting off his pants.
Haruichi nods. Furuya pokes Eijun’s cheeks and unhelpfully agrees, “Yes.”
“The game is over. What should we do?” Toujou wonders and throws a meaningful glance in Kanemaru’s direction.
The situation becomes “dangerous” within seconds. Kanemaru is too slow to react and can’t do much to argue with Toujou when he suggest that someone can give Eijun a piggyback ride. The key word being that someone that pretty much sounds like his name already.
“That’s really unfair!”
Kanemaru is loud with his grumble and can’t hold back a sigh of resignation.
The third years, who have put them in charge of getting Eijun back to the bus safely, halt in their steps and turn back to check what the ruckus is about. Nabe raises a brow at the flustered state of Kanemaru and Toujo’s amusement.
Miyuki chirps in and promises, “None of us will let him know that you did it, okay?” He snickers and encourages, “So, go ahead!”
Kanemaru figures that coming up with excuses to not do it won’t help him any. It’s just a piggyback ride, nothing major.
Furuya pumps up his fist in a show of support and Toujou pats his shoulders.
Whatever, he’s doing this for the first and last time. Who falls asleep out here in the open where everyone can see them? It’s Eijun, of course he could manage something so carefree as that.
His simple-mindedness makes him feel envious sometimes.
In the privacy of his thoughts Kanemaru is aware that this isn’t completely true. What carefreeness and simple-mindedness? Those are things that cannot be associated with him that easily anymore.
Eijun’s struggle is bare for anyone to see.
These last few weeks he has been drowning under the pressure of being labeled as the number one guy. Rushing in, not resting, not stopping again and again.
Just like an idiot.
Kanemaru manages to hoist Eijun up on his back with Haruichi’s help. Their ace acknowledges the disturbance to his sleep with a weak whisper of Kanemaru’s name.
This is so annoying.
When did Eijun get taller than him?
Kanemaru doesn’t fancy falling down in the street and accidentally injuring himself, or the person he’s currently carrying on his back, so he’s cautious with each step. Toujo waits on him and matches his pace.
“He’s amazing, isn’t he?”
Kanemaru is dumbfounded, “What?”
Toujou chuckles and explains, “He worked himself to this extent and ended up worn out. His determination is scary.”
The summer breeze is suffocating and his jersey is clinging to his chest because of the sweat. These things should be bothering him more, but he’s distracted with how difficult it’s to give someone a piggyback ride instead. It doesn’t help that Eijun is a restless sleeper by nature.
Up in the sky the sundown is claiming its reign and the orange and reds dyeing the cotton-like clouds are a sight to behold. In the midst of this sudden interest for the way that afternoon becomes night, Kanemaru whispers,
“This idiot has grown taller, but thinner as well. Remind me to serve him extra portions of natto.”
“Shinji, you can’t never be straightforward.”
Kanemaru has no way to refute that. He doesn’t know what tomorrow will bring, but...
They are together for the future, for as long as they can remain in here and have their school’s name be heard across the whole nation. So, be it having to give someone a piggyback ride, or wiping away the tears that taste bitter with defeat sometimes, or incredibly sweet with the flavour of tough earned victories… He doesn’t mind it.
It’s all for the team.