Work Text:
1. Happiness
They've won their second game, one step closer to Koshien. He hears Raichi laughing nervously in front of his classmates, bombarding him with questions about his batting and fielding skills. It's a nice scene, really, and Sanada simply knows that behind the boy's embarrassed face is an expression of pure happiness.
2. Beauty
He watches Sanada's pitching like a person watching a dance performance. Raichi's amazed, utterly mesmerized by each movement to create the perfect pitch. It's all too beautiful and he ends up distracted during practice.
3. Sleep
"You understand the plan for tomorrow, right..." Sanada glances down at Raichi, long passed out from another long day of practice. He rolls his eyes and runs fingers through soft dark locks. "I'm glad we've come to an understanding, then."
4. Garden
"Do banana gardens exist though?" He's posing a perfectly innocent question, yet Sanada has no real answer for him. He is certainly a wonder off the field.
5. Imagination
Perhaps it's just his imagination, but sometimes Sanada catches the manager's son looking at him for long periods of time. Maybe his mind is playing even more tricks on him, because sometimes he catches the same boy turn away with a furious blush dusting his cheeks when their eyes meet.
6. Secret
He gestures for Raichi to come over, simply with a wave of a hand and a welcoming smile. The younger boy thinks it's something bad but the pitcher nods and gestures him again. It's a whisper in the ear, and Sanada reveals not just tips, but a few secrets to becoming a great pitcher.
7. Give
"Sanada-senpai, it's your turn on the mound!" He looks pleased with himself, because giving the mound to the ace pitcher after a job well done is exactly how it should be done to finish the game.
8. Thankful
He's smiling through his eyes as he watches the Todoroki family discussing their plans for the next match. He won't say it, but Sanada is thankful to them: How else would he have gotten so heavily involved in baseball otherwise? How else would he have come so far, to this point, without the Todoroki family?
9. Kindness
"Does... Does it taste good?" It's the first time Raichi tries cooking breakfast. It doesn't taste amazing, nor is it anything special. How could he resist though? The boy tries so hard and waits patiently for a judgment from his senior. Sanada smiles, nods, takes another bite, and gently pats Raichi's head. "You did a fine job."
10. Inside
It's snowing and just below the freezing mark. Raichi shivers under the blanket but insists he's not cold. The television's on and a baseball game is playing. The announcer's speaking English and Sanada can just barely understand the commentary, but he's barely paying any heed to the game and instead focusing his attention on the close proximities of their bodies. It's warm and quiet in the comforts of the bedroom, inside their tiny apartment.
11. Outside
The snowfall ceases and Raichi is bundled up and ready to frolic in the snow faster than he can run to first base. He’s like a dog ready for a morning walk, excited for the new day and can’t wait to stretch those legs and get some daily exercise. Sanada thinks it’s cute but follows the younger boy outside with quiet composure and amusement.
12. Jump
Raichi is like a small monkey. He leaps up to catch a speeding ball with great ease and posture, arm extended, mitt out, and ready to land an easy out. Sometimes, on that rare occasions, he slips up, lands on his behind, and laughs nervously but continues on his merry way. Sanada wonders if he’s one leap away from becoming an even bigger star.
13. Friendship
Raichi doesn’t really have friends, or so Sanada’s learned fairly quickly after he’s met the Todoroki family. On the field, he’s a monster and a force to be reckoned with. However, within the classroom his eyes catch Raichi surrounded by a group of students apparently picking on him and his quirky behavior. It soon becomes a habit of Sanada waltzing into the classroom, to Raichi, fingers curling around his arm, and taking him outside and occasionally buying him lunch. Friends help each other out, after all, right? He’ll return the favor, that much Sanada knows.
14. Love
Love is the way fingers curl around a ball that’s aching to be thrown at 150kph. Love is the way hands move along the bottom of a bat to hit the winning home run. Love is the way their fingers lace together perfectly and sweaty palms meet behind closed doors after a hard fought win.
15. Fire
Lips brush against his forehead, turns his cheeks a rosy red, lights a fire in his heart. He learns that Sanada showers him in more affection than his father ever has. Raichi identifies it as a bittersweet fire.
16. Light
When Raichi's up to bat, he sees the pitcher, offers a quick nod, and his eyes light up with excitement. He's a shining ball of talent, further illuminated alongside Sanada Shunpei, the Ace Pitcher.
17. Darkness
When they lose against Seidou, there is no brilliance in Raichi's eyes. Dark frowns and teary eyes are not easily cured, even as Sanada tries his best to smile and tell him, "You did well."
18. Dream
Raichi dreams big; he dreams of money and fame and all of the glory that comes along with going pro. Sanada laughs and wonders what it’s like to dream, but aiming for the top sounds nice for the time being.
19. Believe
“You have what it takes to be a great pitcher, Raichi. You just need to believe in yourself a little more…” He squeezes the boy’s shoulder, reassuringly, his kind smile hiding any hint of mischievous antics. “But you still have a long way to go before you reach my level!” Raichi simply laughs and gets started on practice for the day.
20. Hope
‘One more inning, Raichi. One more inning and we’ll be heading to the finals.’ Sanada may have his doubts, but he never loses hope in Raichi.
21. Faith
Raichi may not know it, be aware of it, but he has a lot of faith in his teammates. Sanada sees this, envies him, but tries to have a little more faith in his teammates, too, just as his does with the Todoroki family.
22. Focus
“Raichi, eyes on me.” Sanada lifts the other’s chin up for their eyes meet. He sighs through a forced smile. “No more tears, alright? We’ll win next time. Come on,” He brings his hand up to brush fingers through Raichi’s hair, a gesture he’s learned the other strangely enjoys. “I’ll treat you to dinner.
23. Clean
“Sanada-senpai, you left your clothes at my place again! This time I cleaned ‘em up!” Sanada merely sighs, smiles, and gratefully accepts the… return gift.
24. Angry
“Are you angry, Sanada-senpai?” Footsteps come to a halt, with balled fists pressed against his side, and head hung low without facing his teammate. “Absolutely not,” he barely manages to choke out the words. He lost to a first year, why wouldn’t he be angry?
25. Work
He works wonders on the baseball diamond. Top batter, excellent fielder, and a novice pitcher (he’s getting there, slowly but surely); Raichi works hard for not only the team but also his teammates, that much was very clear. However, one look into a boisterous first-year classroom, and Sanada could see why Raichi’s trying so hard off the field as well, through red-tinged cheeks and occasional, flustered stutters.
26. Music
He should have never introduced Raichi to Western rock music. All he’s been humming throughout practice (and quite loudly, too) for the past week is the tune of what Sanada recognizes as “I Love Rock N’ Roll” and it’s driving him mad. No point in complaining though; this situation is entirely his fault, and he’ll take the blame this time.
27. Stars
“Do you like watching the stars, Sanada-senpai?”
They meet up on the baseball diamond; the stage’s only audience is the constant chirping of crickets and they are the actors for the night, except it is a quiet show and there will only be one performance tonight. There are no props, just themselves, sitting back-to-back together on the pitcher’s mound.
Sanada laughs, draws lines in the dirt with calloused fingers, and doesn’t hold back a small smile. “I do now."
28. Mystery
Raichi smells like freshly cut grass and a bizarre combination of various foods. It’s not the scent of an average teenage boy, but rather of a hardworking athlete who hits dirt on a daily basis. It’s a little bizarre as to why he smells like a mixture of bananas and tonkatsu at first, but Sanada learns it’s a rather befitting scent, even if Raichi is still very much an enigma to him.
29. Envelope
“Raichi?” The boy’s breath hitches, shoulders stiffen, and his eyes are glued to the floor. Even a light tap on the shoulder doesn’t break him out of this state. An envelope is waved in front of his face. “Did you write this?”
30. Dare
He nods silently, still refusing to look at the other. Sanada moves his free hand down and wraps his fingers around Raichi’s wrist. “Asking me out for a family dinner, hmm?” Sanada leans in, lips brushing against Raichi’s ear, the warm breaths tickling his skin and causing his ears to flush a brilliant pink hue. “Was it a dare?” He whispers through the hushed silence, words cutting through the awkwardness like a sharp blade.
No response.
“From your father?” His breath hitches again. Sanada chuckles at the subtly affirmative response. “You could’ve just asked. The answer still would be the same…” His fingers lace with Raichi’s in one swift motion, palms now pressed together. “Yes, I’ll go.”
31. Book
Raichi loves to read. Slightly shaky fingers turn pages after pages of comic books, his attention buried in words and pictures. It's a world Sanada's not heavily involved in, but maybe he'll give it a try, just to see what it's like. He spends the entire lunch hour in the library, immersed in a small gathering of books on baseball. It's even better when Raichi starts to join him for reading sessions.
32. Choose
“Kiss or tell?” He challenges, offers a toothy grin, wraps his arms around the smaller boy’s waist, and pulls him close. Their shared warmth rushes through Raichi faster than one of Sanada’s pitches. It takes all of five seconds for Raichi to lean up and press his lips against Sanada’s for a slightly messy kiss. That was an easy choice.
33. Beach
Raichi’s like the ocean; he’s unpredictable, wild, and never stops moving and growing. If Raichi is the ocean, then Sanada is the grainy sand; he’s rough, sneaky (his pitch slips past the opponent with ease), and like the ocean, he’s always growing and moving. Together they are the beach, a duo that’s wild but also oddly relaxing and warm to those around them. Ironically, neither of them have been to the beach.
34. Forgiveness
Forgiveness is earned in nighttime practices and the exchanging of quiet words. Sometimes words would pour from their mouths and communication would be executed through fast pitches tossed across the field to each other. A long night would end in warm embraces and the soft murmurs of “It’s alright,” would fill the air between them.
35. Disaster
“Sanada-senpai, we’re out of bananas!”
His book slams shut and he sends a look of disbelief towards the panicked boy. “Didn’t you just buy some yesterday?” A loud “Maybe!” is followed by a hushed and nervous-sounding “Kahaha!” and that was the only answer he needed. Sanada sits up and grabs his wallet. “Let’s go then…”
36. Dance
Legs tangle together under the sheets; fingers trail down each other’s bodies and play sensual notes on goose bump-riddled skin. Lips dance on damp skin and hot breaths mingle as heated kisses are exchanged. It all started with a question on the night of the formal dance. “Shall we dance?”
37. Mistake
Of course she didn’t mean to walk in on her underclassman while she was changing. It was certainly a mistake for her to barge in on her now very flustered teammate. However, she won’t apologize for sneaking discreet glances at the other girl. If questioned, she’ll respond with muffled chuckles and kind smiles.
38. New
“Did the coach finally get us new equipment?” He calls out to Raichi, tosses him a ball, watches him stumble about and barely manage to catch it with a series of kahahas! “The old man finally got the money for us! Come on Sanada-senpai, let’s practice!”
39. Yes
“Raichi…” He pulls the other into a tight embrace, holding onto him so tightly, desperate to keep him by his side. “When we go pro… together, the both of us… let’s get married." He hears a muffled gasp and feels Raichi wiggles in his arms. Their eyes meet; Sanada feels as if his heart’s about to burst, even more so when Raichi leans up and captures his lips in what he believes to be the best kiss they’ve ever shared. However, it comes only second to the next kiss, which they share after Raichi accepts the proposal with an enthusiastic “Yes!”
40. Path
When they walk home together, it’s always the same route filled with quiet streets and warm scenery, and it’s the perfect time to hold hands while discussing plans for future practices.
41. Horizon
He wants to learn about baseball outside of Japan, take all of the knowledge into his hands, and share it with the coach’s son. It’s how he plans to broaden his horizons as he aims for the top.
42. Mountain
Stepping on the mound is like climbing a mountain. It’s thrilling, breathtaking, but the higher one climbs the more pressure falls on their very state of being. Raichi feels it in his shoulders, his hands, all over his body as he takes the mound for the very first time, and it feels right.
43. River
He is as rough and swift as a coursing river on the diamond, but the moment he steps into the classroom he is as calm as a hidden creek that is surrounded by whispers and judging eyes.
44. Open
Never did he think he’d open up his arms for baseball so strongly again. It’s as nice a feeling as when Raichi opens up his arms for an embrace post-game, and Sanada doesn’t even think twice to wrap his arms around a wild fighter with an even wilder heart.
45. Heart
“You’ll go far, Raichi,” he says as the crowds cheer wildly and Sanada steps up to plate. His heart’s cheering wildly, too.
46. Soul
“I… I think bananas are good for the soul, Sanada-senpai!” He can’t help but wonder if that’s the reason he’s been addicted lately, or if it’s the fact that Raichi’s been providing the goods.
47. Tear
When the final score is announced, he can’t bring himself to shed anymore tears, not like last time, and not ever again. He’ll clean up for Raichi though, wipe the loss the away from his eyes and send him back to the mound once again, next time around.
48. Spiral
When Raichi says, “I love you” for the first time, he just knows that holding back will spiral himself into deep and unrelenting temptation.
49. Up
Koshien offers a place where the stakes are high and the world past that opens a realm to even more possibilities. It’s exactly where Sanada wants to take this team, the most important people to him, and bring them even higher above.
50. Go
“Let’s go see the world, and we’ll face it head on.” Raichi takes his hand in quiet agreement, grips it tightly, as they board the plane heading for the new world.