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There was nothing more satisfying to Miyuki Kazuya than a perfect pitch pounding against his glove.
It made direct contact, ball flying down with great trajectory and undoubtedly delivering a strike. Miyuki imagined it all too well: a cocky batter standing in front of him, smirk plastered on the opponent’s face only for his smile to quickly vanish when his bat swings at air. Miyuki found himself grinning over the thought, the cheers and cries of his teammates echoing in his mind. There was nothing more satisfying to Miyuki Kazuya than Sawamura Eijun sending chills up his spine. It was oddly desirable. It was a pleasure Sawamura loved providing.
Miyuki sent the ball forward. “Nice ball! Now do that again, show me you really have it down.”
The pitcher in front of him wordlessly nods, rolling his wrist to loosen the stiff joint before catching the tossed ball. He got back into position, cleats scraping on the gravel to prepare his stance as puffs of dirt stain his black tracksuit. Small beads of sweat trickled down his forehead, but Sawamura didn't allow fatigue to take over just yet. His leg steadily lifts and slams down, left hand plummeting the ball straight at the target to deliver a faint thump that he and Miyuki learned to love. The ends of his fingers tingled. He gave them a smooth blow.
And at that, Miyuki was left speechless.
He aimlessly tossed the ball up and down, lips pulling to a sly grin. “Are you sure you haven’t been practicing with someone else?” Hands drop on each hip with a sigh, eyes scoping the area suspiciously. “Chris is hiding here, isn’t he?” A click of the tongue. “Am I not good enough? I thought what we had was special, Eijun. That hurts…I’m so hurt…”
Sawamura whipped his head towards Miyuki’s wavering voice. In all his months residing at Seidou, never had he heard the catcher sound so fragile and pained—stupidly, that is—and he sure did not want to hear something so cringy again.
“Don’t be ridiculous! It’s called self-improvement, thank you very much!”
Miyuki laughed at his sour expression, shrugging in defense. “Can’t argue with that.”
Feeling some strain awaking in his muscles, Sawamura stretched his arms towards the ceiling to relieve tightness in his lower back. If he had to be honest, the discomfort wasn’t necessarily bothering him, considering his hands itched to pitch towards Miyuki until early morning. His lips curled up.
“Alright goofball,” Miyuki called out, “that’s enough for tonight. You need to rest or I’ll hear it from Coach tomorrow.” The catcher moved to stand up but was stopped halfway by loud crunching coming his direction. There Sawamura stood centimeters away, looking eager and thrilled as usual. His eyes were big and glowing, practically mimicking a puppy begging for a treat. Completely amused, Miyuki came to a full stance and crossed his arms.
“What is it?”
“One more! Just one!” the pitcher shouted.
Miyuki shifted weight onto his right leg. “Eh? Aren’t you tired? We’ve been here for…” he mockingly glanced at his non-existing wrist watch. “…quite a long time. I’m beat.”
“But that pitch was so good, you even said so! I need to do it again!”
Sawamura was in the zone, he beckoned, and he wanted to pitch just once more with all his might before heading out. Truthfully, it did not hurt giving the loudmouth a final spark of fulfillment, and so Miyuki squatted down, readjusting his glove and made no room for argument. After all, there was nothing more satisfying to Miyuki Kazuya than a perfect pitch—by his boyfriend—pounding against his glove.
“Fine. One more. Throw with all your energy so we can be done. Also if you’re sore tomorrow don’t come whining to me”
The pitcher puffed his cheeks in defeat but took the challenge. “Shut it, Miyuki Kazuya.” He grabbed the ball, failing to notice Miyuki’s sudden grip on his hand, and jolted forward when the catcher tugged to connect their lips.
“Don’t make me change my mind” Miyuki playfully taunted after pulling away, lips fairly close.
Sawamura chuckled but nonetheless accepted Miyuki’s second kiss.
“No time to change your mind because you promised!”
It only took Sawamura one hard yank and the ball was finally freed from his sneaky boyfriend’s hand. They both laughed, slipping in some insults while getting into position. It had been a long night of hard work, over two hours of their private practice and Miyuki notably felt his eyes grow heavy, limbs screaming for everything to end. The flickering fluorescent lights were not helping his growing headache either. That being said, Sawamura’s final pitch was out of Miyuki’s concern; for all the catcher cared was to catch the ball and quickly leave. Unfortunately, Miyuki’s lack of attention was a regrettable mistake once the ball came soaring with incredible force. Miyuki still managed to catch the incoming ball, wobbling from the loss of balance and plopped on his side. He wiped his sweatpants with a relieved sigh, not minding the embarrassing stunt but instead more thankful to be finished.
(He made a mental note: Sawamura was improving to his liking, and at this rate the pitcher would provide nothing but continuous victory for the team.)
A shadow loomed over him and there was Sawamura again, letting out a deep breath before joining Miyuki on the ground. The pitcher grabbed the abused ball out of Miyuki’s glove and eyed it, gripping it tightly and smiling wide.
“NOW WAS THAT AMAZING OR WHAT?!”
Miyuki stretched his legs out. “Ah-ah. Don’t get too happy, because that’s it for tonight”.
Sawamura pouted and had his head fall back, tiredness finally making way through his body. Miyuki snorted at the cute act and combed a hand through his boyfriend’s tousled hair.
“I’m serious. We need to go to bed”
Sawamura remained unmoving, contemplating the high ceiling as his eyes adjusted to the brightness, taking steady inhales to level out his rough breathing. He tilted his chin back down, eyes meeting Miyuki’s for a second until he’s back occupying himself the with ball. His voice went flat.
“I know”
A low sound of indifference emits from Miyuki, and the catcher stretched back on his arms to get comfortable. “Oi, don't go moping around there’s always tomorrow night”
The younger boy carelessly hummed, more interested in the baseball being cradled in his hands. His face had fallen from cheerful to a placid expression. The sudden change of behavior rose skepticism within Miyuki, easily noticing the slight furrow of his boyfriend’s eyebrows. Something was on Sawamura’s mind.
Miyuki’s foot poked at his thigh. “What’s wrong?”
Caught up in his own thoughts, Sawamura was preoccupied with the baseball and completely unaware of his boyfriend’s question. The baseball went under thorough inspection: it was no longer a flawless white, now splotched with yellowy-brown tones and scratched and stained from months of hitting, throwing, and catching. The ball and Sawamura were alike in ways of being worn-out and torn, imperfections sketched on the surface, yet both still held importance to Miyuki. He further examined the object, dragging his thumb across the loose red stitching before raising it up in the air. He held the ball so it was directly aligned with Miyuki’s face.
“My catcher,” he breathed out.
Miyuki blinked.
“What?”
The ball was smacked out of his grip, dropping with a lame thud onto his lap. Sawamura flinched at Miyuki’s fingers snapping near his face.
“Earth to Eijun? You there?”
Sawamura stared openly at his boyfriend, mouth slightly gaped and unresponsive. Did he accidentally say that last part out loud?
“I can’t understand when you mumble like that” Miyuki chuckled, confused by the odd behavior.
They shortly lapsed into silence as Sawamura gathered his thoughts together. A cicada managed to slip inside, buzzes and dull thumps against the artificial light filling the emptiness between them. Sawamura snatched the ball off of his lap, wrapping his calloused hands around it and giving a tight squeeze. He jerked the baseball to his side, watching it tumble across the bumpy dirt farther and farther away. Sawamura turned his attention back to Miyuki.
“I miss you.”
Oh.
Miyuki opened his mouth.
Wait.
He closed it.
Miyuki sat up, draping an arm over his bent knee. He found those words ridiculous, a smirk etched on his face. “Miss me? You see me everyday.”
“Yeah but...” the boy shrugged. “...missed ya’”
Sawamura wished he still had the baseball to pick on. Cleaning the dirt under his fingernails was his second resort. However movement in his peripheral view grabbed his attention and his eyes followed Miyuki’s standing figure, a single hand stretched outwards. He accepted the offer and lifted himself up with Miyuki’s help, bones popping and knees cracking while doing so, followed by Miyuki’s muffled laughter.
“Hey Eijun, stay in my room tonight?”
Strange enough the request sounded more of a question, almost as if Miyuki was testing the waters and being gentle. Sawamura’s eyes grew wide and bright, matching his new toothy smile and answered with a quick nod. Miyuki ruffled his hair, happy to see his Sunshine glowing again. They made way towards the door.
“Ah! maybe I should check in with Kuramochi-senpai before I come over. He may get worried when he sees my bed empty in the morning.”
Miyuki waved his hand, dismissing the concern. “Mm, nah, it’s fine. It’s really late anyways. Plus, it would be funny seeing him freak out on the field tomorrow”
Sawamura huffed, balling his fist. “Funny for you! I’m the one who gets a knee in the ass!”
Miyuki roughly hooked an arm around his angry boyfriend. “Haha! That’s the best part!”
——
Back at the dorms, Sawamura’s first concern was to peel off his dirty attire and change into something more appropriate for lounging. Miyuki made way towards his dresser and grabbed an old t-shirt paired with clean joggers to bring along with him in the showers.
“Miyuki-senpai, may I have some clothes?”
“Shirts are in the top drawer and pants are in the bottom”
He picked out a white shirt with red sleeves and black sweatpants. Sawamura’s hand hovered another piece of garment, feeling a sense of hesitation.
“U-Uh...Kazu-”
“Yes, you can wear them”
Sawamura snatched the neatly folded boxers and followed Miyuki out the door.
——
Once freshly showered and dressed to a desired comfort, Sawamura belly flopped on Miyuki’s bed—which he argued was way more comfortable than his own (and each time Kuramochi accused his dumb roommate of making such excuse just so he could sleep with Miyuki more often. Sawamura did not deny the accusation). He looked at the digital clock to check the time. 10:33pm.
Sawamura finalized it was time to get situated in bed and shut down for the night. His favorite sleeping spot was next to the wall, and so he tiredly rolled to press his back against the awaiting surface. In a random thought, he noticed the slight size difference when comparing himself to Miyuki. The baggy fabric of his boyfriend’s shirt bundled and twisted around his torso from rolling on the bed, wrinkling up and exposing his belly. It was loose and comfy on him. Sawamura digged his face beneath the collar, enjoying the intoxicating scent of Miyuki.
“Kazuya?”
“Hm?”
“I’m cold”
Miyuki yawned. “Do you need another blanket?”
“Sweatshirt, please”
Instinctively, his hand shot up to catch the sweatshirt. It easily slipped over his head and hugged his body with warmth and coziness. He curled into the soft material, playing with the hood strings and scrunching the thick sleeves in his hand before bringing it up to his face. A lingering inhale, followed by closed eyes.
“My comfort,” he sighed.
Sawamura’s bliss was interrupted by a pinch to his side. His eyes flew open and he yelped with a jolt, arms waving around him. If it wasn’t for scooting against the wall, Sawamura’s fright would have sent him plummeting to the floor. The pitcher’s outburst had Miyuki double over in laughter.
“What was that for?!”
“You were talking to yourself again!”
“Mind your business!”
“Ah, but it’s my room”
“And it’s my thoughts!”
Miyuki poked Sawamura’s scrunched forehead. “Then keep those thoughts in there. I’m sure there’s enough space in that empty head” A chaste kiss replaced his finger and the boy filled with rage, standing on the bed ready to spit fire. After the first few shouts Miyuki lost interest in Sawamura’s rowdy behavior (it was seriously becoming too common), and wandered over to his desk. He dragged out the wooden chair, plopping his school bag beside him and reaching inside for books. A faint click from his desk lamp was what finally disrupted the obnoxious background shouting. Sawamura plopped down from where he was standing on the bed, mattress squeaking.
“HEY! What happened to ‘go to bed’? Why are you doing homework now!”
Miyuki gave no response, too busy flipping pages. He patiently sipped his coffee, a can he bought on the way back to his room, and turned around to show off his signature smirk, pushing up his glasses.
“Because I was too busy catching for a persistent pitcher of mine.”
Sawamura was unimpressed, to say the least, growing red and turning away from his boyfriend. The blushing boy pressed his face against the pillow over the thought of being Miyuki's first priority. Maybe it was the fact their relationship recently bloomed, or maybe it was the thick sweatshirt Sawamura lied about needing. Whatever the reason, something made his cheeks burn.
“Also,” Miyuki announced, “remember we have a math test coming up this week”
“Oh God, no”
“Tomorrow we’ll review the study guide during our lunch break and then I’ll help you with the new unit”
“NO—”
Suddenly, something smacked Sawamura’s face.
He picked up the pencil and ultimately decided not to throw it back. He didn’t want to start any trouble tonight, mainly because Miyuki had been quite observant during Kuramochi’s spontaneous wrestle attacks (and most likely memorized a few moves). Sawamura preferred not to be squashed tonight.
...unless for other specified reasons.
He crossed his arms, not in the mood to think about the test. Or study for it. Or even take the damn thing when the time came. Sawamura was a skillful player when perched on the mound, but, seated in a suffocating classroom accompanied by hours of lectures was where his weakness surfaced. Sawamura’s intellect skills could never compare to his athleticism. It held no major concern during his initial enrollment at Seidou, until he was pulled from practice one morning to have a serious talk with the principle over his dropping grades. His final solution was seeking a certain four-eyed brunette to be his tutor.
Sawamura fondled with the pencil. He had never realized Miyuki doubled as a mentor both on the field and behind books. He quietly sighed, turning on his side to stare at Miyuki’s back.
“My support,”
He wasn’t completely surprised when Miyuki dropped his pen and turned around. It was still so hard for Sawamura to admit how loud his whispers really were.
“What was that? Are you complaining?” Miyuki sings, sitting backwards on the chair to meet eyes with Sawamura, “Complain all you want but, who’s failing the class?”
Sawamura let out an exaggerated gasp and scrambled off the bed. He stood in the middle of the room, not really sure of his next intentions.
“I’m...I'm going to my room!”
For a split second Miyuki looked worried but suddenly he erupted in laughter, running to beat the grumpy pitcher at the door before he could slip out. Sawamura glared up at the body blocking the exit, bending down to pick up his shoes and shove his way through. Miyuki knew he pushed all Sawamura’s buttons tonight, considering the teasing had been going on since breakfast. He couldn’t help it. The easily offended boy was way too fun to poke around.
“Okay, okay I’ll keep my mouth shut” Miyuki surrendered with a chuckle, plucking the potential weapon out from Sawamura’s grip and kissing the top of his head. Sawamura leaned on to Miyuki’s chest, muffling his groans. When strong arms wrapped around him, the sound amplified.
“Mm. Sorry, Ei”
“S’kay,” He grumbled. He yawned and buried his face closer. Like a switch, his temper turned off. “I’m sleepy.”
Miyuki rocked him side to side, eyes fluttering close as he buried himself in the browns tufts below. ”I’m exhausted too. Give me about 30 minutes and I’ll join you in bed, alright?”
Miyuki had at least expected Sawamura to listen and unhook his arms, but instead Miyuki’s body budged in place in an attempt sit back at his desk. He pried himself free with no struggle on Sawamura’s part, though what looked as disappointment flashed across the pitcher’s face.
“You’re so tired you can’t even think straight” Miyuki told him.
“Well,” a fist rubbed at his drooping eye. “I’m not straight” Sawamura mumbled matter-of-factly.
“…please go to bed”
“I can’t”
Miyuki released a deep sigh and grabbed Sawamura’s nose, earning a nasally groan. “You said you were sleepy, literally, ten seconds ago. You would have passed out against my chest if I haven’t moved”
Sawamura smacked his boyfriend’s hand away, rubbing his aching nose. “I know”
Despite the obvious stubbornness, Miyuki remained cooperative. Though, he wasn’t sure how much he could take before he would forcefully throw him in bed. “Is it the lamp? Is it too bright? I can face it away from you. Or better yet wear my sleeping mas–”
“No Kazuya, I can’t,” he dragged out, looking directly at Miyuki, “I miss you Kaz, I miss you. I told you that, did you already forget? As pathetic as it sounds I just wanna lay down and cuddle with you because, well, it’s been long since we’ve been so close and stuff.”
Well, that was that. And with embarrassment eating him up by the seconds, Sawamura held his breath waiting for some type of response from Miyuki other than the distraught look he currently wore. A moment later, the catcher took a step closer.
“And stuff” Miyuki repeated in monotone, before wiggling his eyebrows and doing a little dance with his shoulders, “want to elaborate on that?”
“Miyuki Kazuya you are gross don’t ever do that again”
“What? This?” And to Sawamura’s horror he watched as Miyuki combed hair back, letting his upper body do the stiffest body roll in existence paired with suggestive eyebrow wiggling and smirking to top it off.
Sawamura’s hands clamped over his eyes, it was just too painful. To his advantage, Miyuki lifted him up in one swift move causing his hands to fly off his face and into the air before grasping onto Miyuki’s shoulders for dear life, loud shouts flowing into strangled laughter. Miyuki spun him around with every step he took towards the bed, finally dropping both their bodies onto the soft mattress. After another burst of laughter Miyuki moved away to rest on his elbow, not wanting to crush Sawamura any longer. Sure enough, Sawamura rolled over to fit in the open space. He continued to laugh softly against Miyuki’s chest, eventually dying down when fingers threaded through his hair.
“Eijun,” Miyuki spoke softly, scratching his boyfriend’s scalp, “there’s no need to feel shy about wanting to be with me. We’re already passed that awkward stage, right?”
Sawamura held back a distressed whine. “Right”
Somewhere between Sawamura’s self-loathing and blushing, Miyuki got up to turn off the desk lamp. The homework would wait. He enabled the alarm on his phone for tomorrow morning, setting an obnoxious ringtone to the highest volume and leaving it on the night stand. He repositioned himself back into bed.
Miyuki squinted at the phone.
He squirmed towards it and quickly added a second alarm to go off 10 minutes after the initial one. Just in case.
Finally pleased, Miyuki took off his glasses and pulled up the covers. Right on cue, Sawamura turned and met Miyuki’s bare face, his own head sunk into the fluffy pillow. With feet fidgeting under the blanket, he sheepishly locked eyes with Miyuki’s closing ones.
“You don’t have to catch for me tomorrow night. If you were busy, you could've just told me,” Sawamura sucked in a breath and flipped over to face the wall.
“Mhm, don’t think it would have been that easy,” Miyuki spoke under a laugh. The sheets rustled and springs squeaked with Miyuki scooting closer to Eijun, knees touching the back of his legs. “With those amazing pitches you did earlier, how could I possibly deny something so great?”
“There’s no rush,” Sawamura’s hand found Miyuki’s, “I can wait. Important things come first.”
“Exactly. Important things. That’s why we’re meeting again tomorrow,” Miyuki’s thumb gently caressed his boyfriend's fingers, chest pressed to back. “And don’t be late again or I’ll make you run”
And while Sawamura had the perfect chance to elbow Miyuki in the chest until he wheezed, he chose the approach of craning his head towards Miyuki’s stupid laughter, capturing those awaiting lips. The awkward position made the kiss uncomfortable, and so a quick turn of his body gave Sawamura better access, cupping Miyuki’s face as their lips moved together. They held on each other afterwards, Sawamura giving him a bright smile among the darkness.
“My everything”
He made sure Miyuki heard him loud and clear.
——
That following morning, Miyuki woke up to a noise complaint letter taped onto his door.