Archive of Our Own ^beta

kazuya.

“Catch for me again tomorrow, cap!”

Eijun, as always, is still very enthusiastic even at 10:30 p.m., Kazuya thinks. They have been teammates for two years already and not once, he showed a sign of tiredness or discouragement.

Okay, there was the yips but that’s like a decade ago and Eijun recovered at his own speed and never once he explicitly showed how much it discouraged him.

What Kazuya is trying to say or ask is that, how does Eijun have this much energy in him? He’s just so lively everyday and honestly, it’s hard to keep up.

“Today’s request box is closed, try again tomorrow,” he tells Eijun, a teasing tone evident in his voice. To be honest, it doesn’t really matter right now who he practices with more since they aren’t participating in any tournament at the moment. He just loves messing with Eijun, like always.

“I’m telling you now so you can tell Furuya you’re practicing with me tomorrow!” Eijun is not exactly yelling at his face but his voice is still loud, especially as he steps closer to Kazuya so he can spit that to his face.

“Be fair to others, Sawamura. You aren’t even including Nori or the other pitchers. What if they want to practice with me as well?” Kazuya crosses his arms and his lips are curving to a smile, he knows Eijun is going to feel hesitant now by the mention of other pitchers that aren't his main rival.

Kazuya loves the pleasure he feels as he watches how Eijun’s expression is twisting into a frown and his eyes start to glare at him. Okay, that sounds like he’s a fucking sadist. It’s just that Eijun is always so fun to tease because he’s so expressive and seeing his reactions whenever he teases him is so enjoyable to watch.

“After dinner tomorrow then, cap,” he says finally, as if he’s trying to compromise a very agreeable suggestion.

They can do that. If he’s going to be honest, he’s been having a lot of fun catching for Eijun since they formed the numbers. It’s very exciting to see how he’s gaining control of each pitch as they practice more.

But Kazuya shrugs and starts walking out of the indoor practice facility. Eijun follows a step behind him. “I told you tonight’s request box is closed. Try again tomorrow.” Then he grins.

“You are so stingy, Miyuki Kazuya!” Eijun stomps his feet as he walks fast leaving Kazuya behind.

“Thank you!” he says playfully like old times.

“Shut up!” Eijun screams not caring about who might be already sleeping at that time.

*

Maybe it’s because there is no heavy pressure of  a tournament on his shoulders at the moment, even if he wakes up earlier than usual, Kazuya still feels good. He can take a breath, he can relax a bit. It’s nice.

He goes out of his room and as expected, a lot of the others are already doing their early walks. Some are batting, some are jogging.

Kazuya easily spots Kuramochi who’s holding a bat and goes his way to walk beside the shortstop.

“Sawamura?” he asks first thing just because it’s weird that he hasn’t heard Eijun’s loud voice since he went out of his room, nor his loud laugh that easily wakes up everyone that’s still somber in their sleep.

Kuramochi yawns then answers him, “With Haruichi probably. If not, then he’s running somewhere with his beloved tire.” The shortstop shrugs and glances at him. “You know that idiot.”

“Yeah.”

One thing about Kazuya is that as much as he doesn’t like waking up so early, he does really like morning walks. He likes the fresh breeze that touches his skin, the calmness of everything around, and the sky that’s turning purplish pink as the sun slowly rises from the horizon. It sounds contradictory but that’s just the way he is.

“Furuya! What’s the point of waking up early if you’re just going to sleep while walking?!”

The smile that curves in Kazuya’s lips is almost like a conditioned action the moment he hears Eijun’s voice— it’s something he doesn’t notice he’s already doing until he becomes aware of the stretch of his lips.

“And here comes the loudmouth,” Kuramochi, walking beside him, says, and Kazuya can’t miss the soft tone in the shortstop’s voice. This guy really has a soft spot for his roommate no matter how much he denies it.

Kazuya turns his head to glance at the second years behind them, specifically at Eijun, who instantly grins at him the moment they meet each other’s eyes. It’s embarrassing to admit how his stomach flips just by that. Tsk. Stupid Sawamura and his pretty smile.

Breakfast comes and Kazuya is always amazed by how rowdy the team is already in the cafeteria early in the morning.

On his right is Kuramochi talking animatedly with Shirasu, who’s sitting on Kuramochi’s right. Zono, Nori, and Nabe are sitting parallel to them.

Right now, Kazuya thinks he might pass as a weirdo because despite the loudness inside the cafeteria, which should be draining him because it’s still really early for all this loudness, he’s searching for Eijun’s voice. That southpaw doesn’t know how to eat quietly, it’s really just a count on the fingers when he’s quiet while eating his food and most of those times are when he is feeling down.

That’s the reason why he can’t help but turn his head around to look at the second years to check if Eijun isn’t with them.

But Eijun is there. Eating. Smiling. But not talking.

That’s rare.

It’s weird.

Eijun’s expression is bright, though. Maybe it’s just Kazuya who feels weird about it. Eijun has become a bit (verrrry bit) tamer after he became a second year. Maybe this is just the first time he noticed Eijun like that while eating.

Okay, he’s gonna leave it at that.

“Eijun-kun, you’re leaving?”

Kazuya and Kuramochi turn their heads at the same time because of that.

Eijun smiles at Kominato. By the movement of Eijun’s lips, Kazuya reads Eijun answers a simple, “Yeah.”

“You didn’t finish your second bowl of rice.” Without the long bangs blocking Kominato’s eyes, the worry and weirdness of the situation are evident in his eyes. “Are you okay?”

By that, Eijun taps his best friend's shoulder and grins widely. “I’m fine, Haruichi! I’m just full already.” He grabs his tray. “Let me go first. See ‘ya at the building!” Eijun leaves his tray at the counter and just like that, he leaves the cafeteria.

It must be a funny scenario the way he and Kuramochi turn their heads at the same time again to look at each other with very confused expressions.

“The hell was that?” Kuramochi asks.

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that since you’re his roommate?”

Kuramochi’s expression instantly becomes irritated by his question. “I don’t fucking know, okay? He was already outside when I woke up. That idiot didn’t even finish his food.”

That is plenty weird.

So, Kominato obviously has no idea about what’s with Eijun. Kazuya is assuming that the other second years in their circle don't know as well. Kuramochi is saying he doesn’t know either, so Eijun’s weirdness must be after the morning walk?

Kazuya takes a breath. He feels like he shouldn’t be overthinking it. Come on, that’s Sawamura Eijun. He’s going to be normal again later.

*

Well, he didn’t.

Kazuya thinks it becomes worse because Eijun doesn’t feel like he’s with them because he’s not talking. At. All.

Eijun has been tasked to pitch for the field practice this afternoon and Kazuya is the assigned catcher. It's very weird to not hear him yelling, taunting their fielders with his pick-offs, just raucous overall, because that’s who Eijun is, always have been.

It’s like Kazuya’s just seeing Eijun there standing on the mound but his mind is somewhere else.

“Baka, are you awake?” he asks in a teasing way, just to taunt Eijun a bit. Kazuya is starting to get desperate to see a normal Eijun again. “Are you sure you can do this?”

“You’re so rude, cap. What do you think of me?” Kazuya almost cringes at the way Eijun said that to him. He sounds so calm, like a very mature person who can’t be easily teased because he knows he’s better than that… That is totally not normal. Eijun should be yelling at his face, not like whatever is this.

“Cap…?”

“Yeah?” Kazuya blinks. Eijun is looking at him, confused, his head a bit tilted sideways.  “Oh, yeah. We will only use number four and changeup today, okay?”

“Okay.” It’s not like Eijun being serious is unfamiliar but there’s really something different about him that Kazuya can’t pinpoint at all. Is he just really overthinking this?

Eijun’s performance at the practice is okay. Though without his loud voice, the overall energy doesn’t feel the same. Kazuya feels like he isn’t the only one who feels like that. He also thinks that if not all, then most of the people participating in the field practice, already noticed the difference in Eijun’s behavior. The coach too, most likely. Kuramochi keeps trying to taunt his roommate like calling him baka constantly and kicking his butt but all the shortstop gets is a glare.

When the coach announces the change of pitcher to Nori and him to Ono, Kazuya quickly stands to meet Eijun halfway back to the dugout, but before he can take a step, the coach calls him.

“Miyuki, check on Sawamura. See if he’s okay.”

Oh. So coach Kataoka really did notice too.

Kazuya nods. “Will do, coach.”

*

Kazuya confirms that something is really wrong when after the afternoon training, Eijun isn’t coming to him and demanding to catch for him like a routine he does after every afternoon practice, and not to mention how Eijun was so enthusiastic the previous night about wanting them to hit the indoor bullpen after dinner.

Yes, he’s waiting for him. Also yes, he’s not going to be a jerk for it. He’s that desperate for Eijun right now.

Dinner comes. Kazuya was planning to sit beside Eijun but Nabe called him to discuss something while eating dinner. Of course, he couldn’t ignore that. So now he’s eating while talking to Nabe and watching Eijun all at the same time.

Eijun looks like he’s taking his time with his food with how slow he’s chewing, like he’s savoring the food, appreciating it and fully enjoying it… if only his expression doesn’t look like it got sucked out by something.

“Miyuki, are you still with me?”

Kazuya turns his head to look at Nabe. It’s kind of embarrassing that he can’t answer and Nabe knows very well that he isn’t.

“Do you need to talk to Sawamura? I can let you go, you know.”

“No, I… don’t.” Kazuya takes his glass of water and chugs it down in one go. How he wishes that the water is colder because he’s sure of how much his ears are flushing.

Honestly, he doesn’t think that others find it weird if they catch him looking at Eijun— what’s weird about that? But it’s not usual to catch him watching Eijun and losing the conversation he’s part of.

“I can’t blame you if you’re worried about him, though. There’s something different about him today.”

Kazuya looks at Eijun again who he catches taking a very deep breath before taking a small bite of rice and omelette. He’s not participating in the conversation of his fellow second years at all, he’s not even looking at them. Eijun looks like he’s not interested one bit and all he can give attention to is the food in front of him.

Kazuya notices Kominato keeps glancing at Eijun though, as if to check how Eijun is doing. Just like this morning, he looks worried about his best friend, which means to Kazuya that Kominato doesn’t have a clue on what’s happening with their hyperactive southpaw.

Kominato says something to Eijun then points to Eijun’s bowl. Eijun shakes his head and shows a weak smile to his best friend, which makes the second baseman look more worried.

Eijun is saying something to Kominato but his voice is too quiet for Kazuya to hear so he has no idea about what he told Kominato at all. Kominato only nods before Eijun stands and brings his tray with unfinished food in it to the cafeteria ladies.

Kazuya’s eyes follow Eijun until he leaves the cafeteria and in that moment, he’s seriously contemplating if he’s going to follow him.

After a few seconds of staring at the cafeteria’s door, Kazuya removes his gaze from there wanting to continue the conversation he and Nabe left about but his eyes catch Kuramochi whose eyes are glued on to the door where Eijun just left, his eyebrows are knit together. Kuramochi looks so worried. Kazuya is surprised that the shortstop hasn’t confronted Eijun yet and asks him about what’s going on with him today.

Kazuya heaves a breath. He’s so distracted with Eijun that he hasn't eaten half of his second bowl of rice yet. Honestly, he’s lost his appetite and to be able to finish the second bowl, he needs to stuff everything in his mouth and force to swallow it down.

When he’s done (he literally did that), Kazuya stands from his seat, takes his tray, and leaves the table without any word to everyone else in that table. He can sense two pairs of eyes following him (namely Nabe and Kuramochi) until he gets out of the cafeteria. It’s fine as long as he didn’t catch their other teammates' attention because they would surely make it out big deal of how he didn’t get a third bowl of rice when that’s the rule (especially Zono).

He’s going to find Eijun.

Kazuya is thinking that he should go to the indoor bullpen first since the idiot probably can’t wait to touch a ball again.

Well, he’s about to start walking to the direction of that indoor bullpen when his logical sense suddenly tells him that Eijun would need his glove first and he would not happen to bring it with him while eating, would he?

So he walks to the dorms.

Also, he’s thinking of offering Eijun to practice with him.

He’s sure that he needs to do that. If Eijun isn’t going to ask him to practice with him, then he’s going to do it. Because he wants to. It’s not like that idiot southpaw is the one who’s allowed to be demanding with Kazuya’s time. He can, too, can’t he?

Kazuya slows his steps when he notices Eijun sitting at a bench at the dormitory. He furrowed his eyebrows because. It’s not like that is weird. But why is Eijun resting there when his room is just a few steps away? What is that idiot doing anyway? He’s covering his eyes with his left hand.

Kazuya is just a few steps away from Eijun when he suddenly hears a sniff…

Wait, what? “Sawamura, are you crying?”

Kazuya watches Eijun as he bites his lower lip and tries to take slow deep breaths repeatedly. Eijun is taking a while to answer, which makes Kazuya think he is not going to get an answer unless he pushes it and asks Eijun again. But the southpaw suddenly smiles and answers him, “No.” But his voice is wobbling like he’s trying so hard to sound normal. “I’m not.” Eijun sounds so quiet that it almost gives him goosebumps. And the hell, that smile is pissing him off.

“Yeah, you are not,” he says sarcastically on purpose. “What’s wrong?”

Eijun sniffs. His eyes are still covered with his left hand. “No–” He clears his throat as his voice is not coming out. Kazuya knows that it’s because Eijun’s throat is tightening because he’s trying hard not to let out a sob. “Nothing.”

“Sure. I’m convinced, Sawamura.”

Eijun clicks his tongue. “Can you just go away, Miyuki Kazuya?”

Oh. That’s the loudest he heard Eijun’s voice since breakfast. Does his taunting work again?

“No. Seriously.” This is probably too much but he holds Eijun’s left wrist to pull it away from hiding his eyes. “What’s with you— Sawamura?”

Kazuya is now looking directly at Eijun’s eyes that are full of tears.

“Are you sick?”

It’s like Eijun isn’t able to control his tears anymore, he cries hard. His tears are running down his cheeks like a waterfall, but Eijun is suppressing his sobs.

Kazuya puts his other hand on Eijun’s forehead— which Eijun instantly shivers from the contact of Kazuya’s cooler hand— to confirm if he’s really sick and he almost hisses from Eijun’s temperature.

“You are burning, idiot. What the hell!” He pulls Eijun up from his seat and while still holding his wrist, Kazuya starts walking to the southpaw’s room. He lets Eijun open the door and Kazuya wastes no time to enter the room after Eijun. He guides the southpaw to his bed and tells him to sit there as he puts his hand on Eijun’s forehead again. Just to make sure he isn’t just imagining it.

Eijun has a fever.

Hah. For some reason, that is such an epiphany to him. Eijun is an idiot with endless energy. This guy runs every morning and every night with a tire tied on his waist, practices until late night and wakes up so early in the morning, has a loud voice that can lift up the team’s spirit. And he can get sick ?

That question sounds so stupid.

Eijun's tears are still continuing to flow on his cheeks. He’s pouting and his eyebrows are frowning. Honestly, Eijun looks so helpless. He looks like he would drop anytime.

But Kazuya can’t help but let out a quiet chuckle because Eijun looks so adorable.

Eijun glares at him weakly. He really looks like a vulnerable puppy that needs to be adopted and be taken care of.

“What are you laughing at, Miyuki Kazuya?” Even his voice sounds so weak. Kazuya can’t help but think that if Eijun isn’t sick, he’s already yelling at his ears. That thought just makes him giggle even more. “Are you laughing at me?!”

“No.” Kazuya ruffles Eijun’s hair just because he can do it freely. “No, not at you.”

Eijun looks at him suspiciously. “I swear Miyuki Kazuya, if you laugh at me again, I’m going to punch you.”

What a weak threat, he says in his head but his heart is actually melting.

“Since when are you sick?” he asks then sits beside Eijun.

Eijun sniffs. “I don’t know.”

Kazuya raises an eyebrow. “You don’t know.”

Eijun only stares at him like he’s telling him ‘yes, that’s what I said.’ He would probably roll his eyes if he had the energy to do that. Thank goodness, he doesn’t.

“I only noticed when we were practicing.”

“What?!” Kazuya is sure that his shock is because Eijun still went to practiced when he knew that he was sick. “And yet, you still continued practicing?! That is so irresponsible!”

Eijun lowers his gaze as his eyes start to swell with tears again. “I didn’t mean it.” Kazuya absolutely hates that Eijun sounds so guilty and powerless at the same time. This is not him. This is not him. “I thought I was just imagining it,” the southpaw continues. “I thought I was going to be okay eventually.”

“And look at you now,” Kazuya can’t help but say. He doesn’t mean to sound like he’s blaming Eijun for his condition, he just can’t control his emotions right now. Eijun is a very important member of the first string. Sure, they are not competing at the moment but missing a day of regular practice practically means three days of readjustment.

Eijun gnaws his lower lip. He really looks down and very sick. Kazuya takes a deep breath.

“How do you feel? Does your body feel heavy?”

Eijun simply nods, even doing it seems like a very hard thing to do for him right now.

Kazuya raises a hand and doesn’t hesitate to cup it on Eijun’s cheek, which makes Eijun to finally look at him again, and he just drinks at the sight of this Eijun, with his teary eyes, his tightened lips that are trembling at the edges, and overall vulnerable expression. Eijun had worn these expressions before but somehow, this feels different.

A tear escapes from Eijun’s right eye and Kazuya quickly wipes it away.

He smiles, and he doesn’t wanna know if that’s the sweetest smile he has ever shown Eijun and that he’s actually capable of showing a smile like that.

“Lie down.” Even his voice. No. He hopes Eijun forgets about this. “I’ll get a basin of cold water, a towel, and medicine for you.”

Eijun leans on his touch for a second before he moves to lay on his bed. Kazuya stands and watches Eijun settle down.

“I’ll go inform Kuramochi, too. And coach.”

“Make sure to come back here, Miyuki-senpai,” Eijun quickly and weakly says before Kazuya takes a step to the door.

“I will,” Kazuya simply says before he continues his way out of the room. And he will. He’s still level-headed about Eijun’s situation but he might actually go insane if he doesn’t take care of him himself. It immediately reminds him of the time when Eijun had yips and he had to pass him to somebody else because Kazuya didn’t know exactly what to do. He knows it’s two very different situations, but it’s still Eijun. He wants to take care of him this time.

Since Kuramochi is still in the cafeteria, Kazuya has no choice but to announce to the team that their southpaw is sick because even if he didn’t, he knows Kuramochi would freak out and everyone would still know. That shortstop cares a lot for his roommate to remain calm about it.

“There’s nothing to worry about, really,” he says to the team, but mostly to Kuramochi. “Anyway, I just came here to tell you all about Sawamura’s condition. I need to go to the coach and inform him about it.”

After that, Kazuya goes out of the cafeteria with Kuramochi tailing after him.

“He’s in our room, you said?”

“Can you…” Kazuya stops and turns to look at Kuramochi. “Get a basin of water? I’ll just talk to the coach a bit then I’ll go back to your room.”

Kuramochi is already frowning but his eyebrows move even closer to each other because of that.

“You don’t have to do that. I can take care of Sawamura.”

“Sawamura asked me to come back,” he says with finality in his voice. He doesn’t want to give Kuramochi room for argument about it. He’s coming back to room five to take care of Eijun himself. 

From the way Kuramochi’s eyebrows instantly rise up to his scalp, Kazuya knows that this perceptive shortstop gets a read on him and has an idea now why he is insisting.

The cafeteria’s door opens and Kominato appears. The second baseman stops for a moment as he looks back and forth to Kazuya and Kuramochi as if he’s trying to make sense of why they’re still at the door. “Uh, I was just…” It’s like Kominato doesn’t know who to talk to at first but then he finally settles his eyes on Kuramochi. “Yoh-san, can I take a look at Eijun-kun?”

Kuramochi nods. “Of course. You can go first, I’ll just get a basin of water.”

“Okay.” With that, Kominato leaves them.

Kazuya takes a breath and utters, “I’ll go to the coach now. I also need to ask him where the thermometer and medicines are. I hope Rei-chan is there.”

“Then go, idiot.” Kuramochi is shaking his head when he starts his way to get what he asked for.

When Kazuya steps inside the coach’s office and immediately sees Rei-chan, he can’t help but smile a little. Good timing.

He informs them about Eijun’s fever— which, of course, gets a big concerned reaction, but Kazuya assures them that Eijun is now resting in his room. Since Kazuya convinced them that he can take care of their southpaw tonight, they tell him that Eijun will be brought to the team’s doctor early morning the next day if his fever doesn’t get better overnight. Kazuya sure hopes it does. (Kazuya is really glad that he’s able to convince them.)

Before he can have a chance to ask where the first aid kit is, Rei-chan is already giving him a mat of paracetamol and a thermometer. With that, Kazuya says his thanks and he doesn’t take any longer in the office to immediately go back to room five.

Kominato is sitting beside Eijun’s bed when he steps inside the room wetting a towel in the basin on the floor. Kuramochi is standing behind his keystone partner with his eyebrows still furrowed while talking to Eijun. Or more like nagging him.

“—from overworking. Look at you now. Can you even move on your own?”

“Of course, I can,” Eijun answers with a weak voice. He looks like he’s getting annoyed with Kuramochi nagging him.

“Can you, really?”

That’s when Kazuya steps in-between them and throws a look on Kuramochi. “Can you spare him just tonight? Let Sawamura rest, Kuramochi.”

The shortstop raises a brow. “Concerned much?” Then he rolls his eyes and steps past to him and sits beside Kominato. “Let me do that, Haruichi.”

“It’s okay, though. I can do this,” Kominato says with a soft voice, the ones Kazuya always thinks the younger Kominato only uses when he’s talking with Eijun.

Kuramochi shakes his head and takes the wet towel from Kominato’s hand. “Let me be the one to take care of this idiot.”

“Stop calling me an idiot,” Eijun, pouting, complains with a hoarse voice.

“Why would I? Only idiots can get sick in the summer.”

Eijun clicks his tongue. “It’s not summer.”

“It’s pre-summer,” Kuramochi deadpans.

“Still not summer!” 

Okay, that’s it. Kazuya knows this is just how Kuramochi shows he’s worried but he’s literally making Eijun more drained. While it’s nice to hear Eijun bantering with his roommate, it’s obvious in his voice that he’s just trying to show that he’s a bit fine.

“You two. Stop,” he says and points to Kuramochi. “And you, move. Let me do that.” He snatches the towel from the shortstop’s hands and pushes him away using his knee.

“The hell?” Kuramochi complains but he moves to give him space. Kominato is now standing behind them.

“He needs to drink medicine first, you know. Get him a glass of water.”

“Let me do that,” Kominato volunteers.

Kazuya turns to look at him and nods. “Okay, please do.”

Kominato nods back and leaves the room.

Kazuya then sits at Eijun’s bed and holds Eijun’s right arm and starts wiping it with the wet towel while they are waiting for the glass of water from Kominato. He feels Eijun shiver under his touch, the water has a normal temperature but it probably feels icy cold for Eijun.

“It’s so cold…” Eijun’s voice is trembling once again, his lips are curved in a downward frown and he looks like he’s about to— no, tears start falling from his eyes again.

There it is again over Eijun’s current state, weak and almost helpless, like a delicate little doll that needs to be taken care of, Kazuya feels overly fond. In a moment of Eijun’s weakness, he can’t help but feel elated that he’s seeing him like this and he gets to take care of Eijun himself like this.

Is it okay to say that? I must be crazy.

Kominato gets back with a glass of water and a souvenir walking behind him.

“You don’t have to be here as well, you know,” he says. 

Furuya doesn’t answer him and only continues to look at Eijun. Well, if he wants to see Eijun personally then fine. But then he pulls out something from his jacket’s pocket and hands it to him.

A cooling gel patch. 

Kazuya softly smirks. “Aren’t you thoughtful?”

As always, Furuya is just looking at him like he’s saying something in his head and expects Kazuya and/or everyone else to hear it. Most of the time, he doesn’t know if he wants to know what is running through Furuya's mind, to be honest.

“Get up for a bit,” he tells Eijun. “You need to drink medicine.”

Kazuya holds Eijun’s arm to help him get up, as he tries his best to just hold him gently. Does having a fever can easily give bruises? He’s not really sure because in Kazuya’s whole life, he barely experienced catching a fever. Maybe like five times. Or three? The last time was the previous year during winter.

Before Kazuya gives the medicine, he places a thermometer on Eijun underarm first.

“I don’t like taking medicines,” Eijun murmurs, and because he’s crying, it sounds like he’s whining. Maybe he actually is.

“Shut up, Bakamura! Take that if you don’t want me to shove that down to your throat.”

Kazuya glares at Kuramochi. He notices that Kominato side eyes the shortstop as well, definitely judging. Can’t blame him, though.

“Shut up,” Kazuya says.

Kuramochi only shrugs at him. Obviously, he’s very worried about his roommate and he’s just trying to not overly show it. What is he? A tsundere?

Kazuya is still waiting for Eijun to take the medicine from his palm. He shows an encouraging smile (he really hopes it looks encouraging) while nodding. Eijun sniffs and Kazuya almost melts from how soft Eijun looks.

“Once you get better, I’ll catch for you immediately.”

It’s very subtle from Eijun’s expression right now but Kazuya sees the way Eijun’s eyes glint from the offer. (Or maybe that’s just his tears.)

“Are you being serious, cap?”

“Yeah, so drink this medicine now.”

Eijun bites his lower lip as he takes the medicine and he’s looking at it as if it’s the worst thing ever. “How do I even drink this,” he complains in a hush voice.

Kazuya takes the glass of water from Kominato and holds it in front of Eijun so he can quickly drink it.

“Just swallow it the same time you drink water.”

“I don’t know what you mean.” Eijun puts the pill in his mouth and quickly takes the water from Kazuya. He finishes it in one gulp like he put all of his remaining energy just to swallow one small pill.

The thermometer beeps so Kazuya takes it from Eijun’s armpit. “39.1 degrees.” (celcius)

“Isn’t that a little too high?” Kuramochi asks, worry is evident in his voice like he doesn’t try to hide it anymore. “What the hell did you do, Bakamura!”

Instead of answering, Eijun only lays back and clicks his tongue.

“Are you okay, Eijun-kun?” Kominato sounds like if he can push Kazuya away so he’s the one who can take care of Eijun, he would. “Do you want a doctor, after all?”

Eijun looks at Kominato with one of the softest eyes Kazuya saw from the southpaw. “I’m fine. Maybe tomorrow.”

Eijun is slowly closing his eyes and then opening them again, as if he’s realizing that he’s about to fall asleep.

“Okay,” is Kominato’s response.

“If you’re sleepy, then sleep, baka.” Kazuya squeezes the towel on the basin hard before he brushes off Eijun’s bangs on his forehead. “Stop trying to resist it.” Then he rests the towel on Eijun’s forehead.

It’s almost like Eijun is just waiting for that order to let himself succumb to sleep. He fully closes his eyes and the moment he does that, a tear slides down his face.

Kazuya wipes it and caresses Eijun’s cheek for a second before he turns to his teammates, more specifically to Kominato and Furuya. “I’ll inform you two immediately tomorrow if Sawamura needs to be taken to the doctor. But for now, take your rest. Or do your evening practice.”

Furuya seems alright with what Kazuya said, or maybe he doesn't but Kazuya doesn’t really care.  While Kominato still looks like he wants to take care of Eijun himself, like he’s ready to stay up all night so he can make sure that his best friend is fine.

A few moments pass when Kominato finally nods and starts his way to the door but before he closes it, he turns again to look at Kuramochi. “Yoh-san, call me immediately if you two need some help, okay?”

“Yeah, I will.”

And with that, the two second years finally leave.

Kuramochi stands in front of him with crossed arms. “And you?”

“What,” he says flatly.

The shortstop shots him an exasperated look. “Are you planning to stay here? Think about our awkward first year, dumbass.”

“Tell Asada to sleep in my room instead. Kimura can pull out the extra futon for the other bed.” Kazuya just can’t leave because he doesn’t want to. 

He holds Eijun’s warm hand and squeezes it lightly. He knows that he’s overreacting a little too much about this but the idea of Eijun getting sick doesn’t sit well in his stomach. He wants to see Eijun getting better as he takes care of him.

“I can nurse Eijun properly, Miyuki. You don’t really need to trouble yourself with him.” 

“This is not troubling me at all.” He knows that Kuramochi can take care of Eijun, he doesn’t have a centimeter of doubt over that but, “Let me do this, Kuramochi,” he says in all seriousness, not with the captain’s voice, and also not as… the team’s catcher. Just Kazuya who wants to take care of Eijun who he deeply cares about. 

The shortstop stares at him, his eyebrows are frowning a little, and Kazuya can see in his eyes how he’s contemplating whether to let him stay or kick him out.

Kazuya knows that Kuramochi knows.

In the end, Kuramochi sighs. “You don’t really have to, but whatever. Do it your way.” He turns his back and walks to his table. Kazuya watches him make a mess on his table like he’s looking for something.

Kazuya’s eyes return to Eijun when the southpaw moves. He thinks he stops breathing when Eijun unconsciously tightens the hold of his hand for a few seconds before he relaxes again.

He smiles. At least Eijun’s fever isn’t affecting his sleep because a few minutes after he closed his eyes, he looks like he’s now in a deep slumber.

Kazuya is about to raise his hand to touch Eijun’s face when something light hits on his face.

“Use a mask if you’re not planning to leave Eijun’s side at all. You’re not planning to get sick as well, are you?”

“How nice, Kuramochi.” He smiles, teasingly, but a little too soft, too. “You care about me, too. That is so heartwarming.” But he’s still Kazuya so being too serious with Kuramochi (his best friend) (that’s a secret) when they aren’t talking about baseball feels weird.

“Shut your mouth if you don’t want me to kick you out of this room.”

Kazuya only laughs at that threat, then he feels Eijun’s hand squeeze his own for a second. It brings back his attention to Eijun and Kazuya’s heart melts again by the sight of him.

Eijun is breathing slowly. He looks serene in his sleep like he’s not sick, a complete opposite whenever he’s in the mood to make a ruckus so he can get people’s attention and lets himself be heard by everyone. (That’s like always.) (And at this point, everyone feels weird when they don’t hear Eijun’s loud ass voice instead, just like what happened during the afternoon practice.)

Kuramochi goes out of the room to inform Asada of his room tonight, leaving only him with Eijun. Other times— this happens more often recently— he would be glad that it’s just him and Eijun in the same space because he loves Eijun’s presence around him, even when Eijun is overly focused on a novel or manga he’s reading because when Eijun’s attention shift, it’s all focused on him.

And Kazuya. 

He loves that.

Kazuya puts a hand on Eijun’s forehead and heaves a breath. Eijun is still burning. He’s hoping that Eijun’s fever will go down in a few hours.

Kazuya’s eyes catch the cooling gel patch that Furuya brought with him earlier. That should help, right? Kazuya brushes Eijun’s bangs to put the cooling gel on his forehead carefully to not disturb his sleep.

Did he overwork Eijun? Is that why he caught a fever? Eijun was still fine the previous night when they were practicing together. Not only as the team’s captain but also, as the team’s main catcher, one of his responsibilities is to watch over the pitchers, especially those who are in the first string.

It’s not like he forgets about that but he just gets so excited every time he and Eijun practice together that sometimes, he doesn’t notice how many pitches Eijun has thrown already. Eijun has the most variety of pitches and most of them are still imperfect, that’s what makes it very thrilling to catch for him because he can see the drive Eijun has to perfect each one of them.

That’s why Kazuya feels guilty about this– Eijun getting sick– because he already knows how greedy and enthusiastic this southpaw is. That being said, the responsibility of being more mindful should fall on him more. And yet, Kazuya is spoiling Eijun more.

“Can you shut up?” Kazuya gets a bit startled over Kuramochi’s voice. He didn’t notice he’s back already. “I can hear your thoughts from outside.”

“You might be my soulmate, then, if you can hear my thoughts from afar,” Kazuya says with his usual humor.

Kuramochi throws him a disgusted look like he wants to throw up or punch him in the face. “Can you not say disgusting shits?”

Kazuya can’t help but laugh about that but he immediately stops when Kuramochi threatens him that he will not hesitate to kick him out.

So, Kazuya. Keep his mouth shut. Not that he’s scared, of course. It’s only not to risk waking up Eijun.

“Are you going to sleep now?” he asks, earning a raised eyebrow from the shortshop.

“And you’re asking because?” Yoichi asks in a brash but a bit hushed voice.

Kazuya grins and shrugs. “Chill. I was just asking.”

Kuramochi glares at him before he rolls his eyes. “It’s still early as fuck. The guys are asking for a video game competition at Asou’s room.”

“Okay, enjoy and goodluck,” he says with a small smirk forming in his lips.

“You just jinxed me, the heck!” Kuramochi complains in a strained yelling voice.

“I’m a lucky charm, though?” Kazuya laughs. He’s watching Kuramochi go through his collection of video games. It doesn’t take long for him to pick one or two of those.

“Yeah, maybe for the likes of Totoro,” Kuramochi nonchalantly says before he goes to the door and does not give him another glance like he doesn’t care about leaving him in his room at all anymore…

Or that’s what he thought because before Kuramochi closes the door, he takes another look at Eijun. When he sees that the southpaw is sleeping soundly, he finally closes the door. 

“Softie brother,” he says in a mocking tone.

But he looks at Eijun and thinks he’s not any better. He’s just as much of a softie with the southpaw that it makes him think, “Since when did I become like that?” But he doesn’t dwell another second onto it because it doesn’t really matter. It’s more important to him that he and Eijun are growing closer day by day.

Kazuya checks Eijun’s temperature again to see if it dropped at least a degree but the southpaw’s temperature hasn’t lowered yet. He lets out a sigh for the umpteenth time. Guess he should be patient because it’s not like Eijun’s fever is going to miraculously go down.

Just like what Kuramochi said, it’s still early, not so much to be honest, but to them baseball idiots who are obsessed about practicing ‘til the last minute of the day, it kinda still is. 

He’s not expecting Kuramochi to come back in an hour or two. So Kazuya decides to get his baseball stat from his room, an assignment due next week (see if he’ll be in the mood to do that) (he doubts that), and a sleeping mask— “I need to wear a face mask, don’t I?” He decides to leave the sleeping mask, after all.

For the rest of the night, Kazuya is just reviewing the baseball stat. When he thinks about it, it’s not so different than usual, Eijun is with him and is quiet. The difference is that Eijun is sleeping instead of reading a book and they aren’t in Kazuya’s room.

It’s a bit late (this is really late now) when Kazuya finally can’t hold his eyes open any longer. Kuramochi isn’t back yet. The guys are probably having a tough competition right now. 

Kazuya checks Eijun’s temperature one last time before he removes his eyeglasses and puts on the face mask, and lays down beside Eijun. That way, he can totally feel the heat coming off from Eijun’s body. Kazuya thinks he’s frowning when he finally closes his eyes with his last thought being, “I hope he gets better when he wakes up in the morning.”

*

Kazuya keeps waking up in between to check up on Eijun and he is glad that the southpaw’s temperature is actually going down. Honestly, for how sleepy he is, he thinks he is awake the whole time, like he is asleep but he’s also aware if it’s time to check up on Eijun again. Adding to that is that he is confused if he should wake Eijun up to take medicine.

So when he wakes up again at the usual time he’s waking up, his head feels so heavy. He feels like he didn’t get a wink of sleep at all.

Kazuya takes a deep breath before he turns his head to look at Eijun… who is also now awake.

“Cap, you’re finally awake.” Eijun’s voice still sounds hoarse and weak.

Kazuya hums. “Mhm. How are you?” he asks and raises a hand at the same time to put on Eijun’s neck to check his temperature. Relief flows over him when he realizes that Eijun’s temperature is so much lower than the last time he checked it.

“Better than yesterday, but I still feel weak.”

Kazuya nods. He still feels like sleeping, especially when he can finally feel real relief over Eijun’s fever but he knows he has to get up now to get Eijun some breakfast so he can drink medicine.

“Why are you sleeping here, Miyuki Kazuya? Do you wanna get infected by my fever?”

Kazuya opens his eyes and softly giggles because of Eijun’s pout and slightly frowned eyebrows.

“Of course, I don’t want to.” Kazuya points at the mask covering his face. “Can’t you see the face mask I’m wearing? It’s so hard to breathe, I can hardly sleep.”

Eijun only continues to pout and frown at him, obviously doesn’t have the energy to bicker yet. But worry is evident in his eyes and he looks a bit guilty too.

“Stop looking at me like that if you don’t want me to flick you on your forehead. I’ll really do it even if you’re sick,” he threatens but without actually meaning to do it. Or maybe he means it a bit.

“Looking at you like what?”

“Like you’re guilty because you got sick and I had to sleep here to take care of you.”

“I’m guilty about getting sick. I should be taking care of myself better. But…” Eijun suddenly avoids his eyes and looks somewhere else. “I’m not guilty that… you… slept… here.” Maybe thank goodness that there’s basically no distance between them right now because he can barely hear Eijun’s last words because his voice is getting weaker.

Kazuya has been watching Eijun almost the whole night and he can assure that the flush on Eijun’s face right now is not because of his fever.

Well. It’s nice.

“Miyuki Kazuya?!” Eijun gasps and slightly shrieks when Kazuya suddenly buries his face onto the southpaw’s neck.

That I can make Eijun feel like that.

Kazuya closes his eyes again as he relaxes in his current position, he can feel Eijun eventually do the same, and he can almost feel the heat from Eijun’s body transferring into his. (Hopefully, it will not.) (He should take vitamins later.) There’s a comfortable silence between them that lasts for a minute or two before Eijun speaks again.

“Miyuki-senpai.”

“Hm?”

“You’re aware that you’re hugging me, right?” His tone doesn’t exactly sound like he’s asking a question but more like he’s stating a fact that he’s letting Kazuya know. “I swear you’re gonna catch my fever.”

Kazuya smiles on Eijun’s neck (through the mask he’s still wearing) before he pulls backward a bit to look at Eijun’s face. He makes sure that his eyes have the same glint whenever he’s teasing Eijun— which the southpaw definitely catches because he shoots him a glare.

“You like it?” He’s asking about the hug obviously.

“You’re so annoying.”

Kazuya chuckles then goes back to his position a few seconds ago.

“Let’s talk about this when you’re better,” he says and it’s almost like a whisper but he makes sure that his voice is clear because he wants Eijun to catch it exactly the way he means it, then he tightens his hug a bit.

“We will talk?” There’s a hint of surprise in Eijun’s voice.

If Kazuya is going to be honest, it’s too early for this. He thinks he’s jumping out of impulsiveness because he’s not fully awake and hasn’t eaten anything yet. He is nervous and he knows Eijun can feel how fast his heart is beating right now.

Kazuya is always more comfortable at planning things out. As a catcher, he should take every scenario of a single situation into consideration. Of course, he is not perfect and not everything can go well just because he thinks things out.

But that being said, this impulsiveness early in the morning with him not fully awake yet and Eijun still having a fever, he doesn’t think he’s going to regret it.

“Do you wanna talk?” he asks because he’s the one who jumped into this between them, he’s basically taking advantage of Eijun’s weak state. He wants Eijun to give the initiative if he wants to do it.

“Yes, please,” Eijun answers, simple and without pretense.

Kazuya pulls back a bit again so he can take a full look on Eijun’s face. Those wide, golden eyes are looking at him expectantly.

“Then we will.”

Eijun breaks a sweet smile and Kazuya feels his heart melt because of that.

It’s still evident on Eijun’s face that he’s not feeling well yet. But the soft expression he’s wearing right now, the glow in his golden eyes, the smile so genuine it hurts, is enough to tell him that Eijun is on his way to recovery. Everyone has their weak days, but Eijun having a fever feels like a fever dream. He should be out there full of energy, running, jumping, pitching while shouting and being annoying, basically working his ass off.

Kazuya takes a deep breath. Seriously, he should be getting up now since it’s almost time when he goes out every morning to take a walk or an early swing before breakfast but he just feels so comfortable right now cuddling Eijun. It must be so insane of him to continuously do it because he’s literally risking himself to catch Eijun’s fever. And not to make himself be the most important member of the team but he kinda is and that’s why he can’t really afford taking a break.

But it’s just so comfortable like this. With Eijun.

So he lets himself savour it for a few more minutes. Five minutes. Five more minutes then he’ll get up.

“Fucking stupid Miyuki. I’m not gonna let Sawamura take care of you in return if you get sick.”

Kazuya can’t see Kuramochi’s expression but the grumpiness in his voice sounds so obvious, pretty sure that’s just because he’s barely awake yet as he makes his way to the door for the same thing he mentioned earlier.

“Could you taste the dinner last night?” he asks when Kuramochi is gone.

“Barely.”

Guess so. Kazuya can’t taste anything either when he’s sick.

“Is there anything you wanna eat?”

“You’re gonna cook for me?” 

Kazuya can’t help but break a smile. He can’t see Eijun’s face but he can see the glow on his face in his head because there’s glee in his voice.

“Yeah, I figured you should eat something you wanna eat instead.”

“How nice of you, Miyuki-senpai.” There’s a hint of teasing in Eijun’s voice but he also sounds genuine.

“I’m always nice.”

“Hmm, debatable.”

Kazuya smiles impishly. “How dare you.”

Eijun chuckles and wow, that sounds so nice.

“Thank you for the offer but I don’t really have an appetite right now.”

Kazuya pulls back a bit again so he can throw a look at Eijun that’s telling you’re not serious.

“You should eat.”

Eijun pouts and shakes his head. “Later. Maybe.”

“Yeah, no.” Eijun pouts even more and oh, Kazuya wants to put a peck on those lips. Or his cheeks. Or any part of Eijun’s face. “You have to eat. I’ll make you something.”

Closed lips, Eijun takes a deep breath and breathes out through his nose. Kazuya knows that translates to “Fine!”

“Good.” Kazuya grins a little but it also falters a bit because he’s kinda taken aback when Eijun moves and buries his face on his neck.

“You’re annoying, Miyuki Kazuya.”

And he’s not gonna pretend that he doesn’t like it because he likes it a lot with the way he feels Eijun’s lips touch the skin of his neck as he speaks.

“Hey, is that how you talk to someone who’s going to cook for you?” he says, laughing a little.

Eijun moves again so he can give him a glare for a few seconds before he smiles (his eyes are not matching that smile) and tells him, “Thank you!” with full sarcasm.

He’s gonna blame the lack of sleep for how he feels so endeared by that because what the hell? Why does he find that cute? Oh, no. He’s down bad.

(Wow, shocking.)

There’s a short silence between them after that. As much as Eijun is entertaining to tease right now, he should let him rest. The teasing can wait. And he should really be getting up now or he won’t get a chance to use the cafeteria’s kitchen.

“So you’re a crier when you’re sick?” Okay, one last teasing won’t probably hurt.

Kazuya looks at Eijun because he knows the southpaw would surely be embarrassed about it, and it does. Eijun’s face is tomato red. “Shut up!” That’s the loudest voice he made since last night.

Eijun buries his face onto his neck again and Kazuya can feel that it becomes a bit warmer than how it felt a few moments ago. How adorable. Well, Eijun always flushes (in anger) whenever he teases him, that's why Kazuya loves teasing him a lot.

“For how rowdy you are, that is one I can never expect.”

“I said shut up, Miyuki Kazuya!” He can’t tell if Eijun is actually annoyed though because his face is still on Kazuya’s neck. “I can’t help it, okay?! I feel vulnerable both physically and emotionally and I can’t help but cry. It’s something I always try to control but I always fail.”

Can’t say that he didn’t notice how Eijun tried so hard not to show him he was crying last night, so he believes him in that part. And also to being emotionally vulnerable when sick.

Not that he ever cried though. But he gets it.

“You were cute though.”

Eijun groans. Kazuya jerks a little when the southpaw pinches him on his side. “Stop with it already!”

Kazuya laughs. “Okay, okay.”

*

Kazuya doesn’t get a chance to use the cafeteria’s kitchen so Eijun forces himself to eat rice and omelette, which according to him tastes very bland, and forces it down his throat with the miso soup.

Kazuya promises that he will cook for him another time instead.

#