Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/6479575.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      ダイヤのA_|_Daiya_no_A_|_Ace_of_Diamond
  Relationship:
      Miyuki_Kazuya/Sawamura_Eijun, Kominato_Ryousuke/Kuramochi_Youichi
  Character:
      Kataoka_Tesshin, Miyuki_Kazuya, Sawamura_Eijun, Sawamura_Eitoku, Furuya
      Satoru, Kominato_Haruichi, Kominato_Ryousuke, Kuramochi_Youichi, Takigawa
      Chris_Yuu, Kanemaru_Shinji, Other_Character_Tags_to_Be_Added, Takashima
      Rei
  Additional Tags:
      Angst, Fluff, Eventual_Smut, Some_Humor, Major_Character_Injury, rlly_bad
      baseball_writing, Bad_Puns, This_is_Bad, dont_read, just_look_at_the_art
  Stats:
      Published: 2016-04-12 Chapters: 1/3 Words: 10362
****** Fractured Time ******
by shesariot
Summary
     Sawamura Eijun is in his last game as a third year. It's down to the
     final inning when he gets hit with a line drive to his face. He
     becomes trapped in his swirling memories while his loved ones begin
     to wonder if he'll ever wake up.
Notes
     Okay
     This is really bad, I'm not happy at all with how it turned out, but
     Hilary drew me beautiful art and everyone worked so hard to get the
     Bang to run smoothly, so I'm posting this.
     I want to thank Hilary for listening to me bitch and whine and
     comforting me when I got all flighty. You are so awesome and I'm so
     glad to have gotten you as my partner:)
     I also want to thank everyone who was working on the bang behind the
     scenes and getting it going. This was an awesome experience and I'm
     so thankful for you guys putting this on!
     So, yeah. This is a glob of mess and I hope you enjoy my monster
     child.
See the end of the work for more notes
Enjoy the beautiful art here
 
Nishinomiya,_Hyōgo_Prefecture,_Japan
Koshien_Stadium
July_28,_2017
Tension.
The air is thick with tension.
Eijun breathes in and feels it sear through his veins. His heart thumps harder,
sending the blood through his body faster.
The stadium is alive with energy. It's a cutting and unforgiving energy as it
slides along his skin and ignites his bones. It burns a path into his chest and
his lungs heave in anticipation. Eijun’s hands shake.
Heat pours down on the field in Koshien stadium. The sun blazes, mercilessly
cruel in its heat and brightness, making it hard to see through the glare it
casts off the aluminum bat of the batter. A squint barely cuts through the
reflection, deciphering signals near impossible.
Eijun feels the sweat on his face bead and caress its way down his neck. He
hears commotion all around him as the crowd becomes anxious. He feels the
weight of the number on his back pressing down.
The Ace.
That's what Eijun is. He's the Ace and the team is counting on him.
With a deep breath, Eijun nods to Okumura before squinting at the catcher.
The signal is sent quick and low, hard to see and even harder to understand.
Eijun feels panic climb in his chest. This pitch is imperative. With the count
loaded and the batter picking up on Eijun’s timing, this ball is make or break.
Breathe.
Eijun gulps air through his mouth and nose.
Relax.
He holds it for a moment and lets the tight strain on his body peak. Then he
blows out the air, releasing the tension and letting his upper body go lax. His
hands stop shaking.
Pitch your best pitch.
Eijun lifts his leg straight in the air. Tension coils in his belly as he
brings it down and leans onto it in quick succession. His gloved hand clenches
and power thrums through his body into his left arm. Eijun holds it there for a
moment and moves lower; then, like a whip, he forces the power down and out.
The ball shoots from his fingertips toward the gleaming batter.
It only takes a moment for Eijun to realize his mistake.
The batter swings.
Eijun hears the crack of a solid mass meet hollow aluminum.
Time seems to slow way down as well as speed up.
A whistling sound shrieks gradually louder and the direct light shining in
Eijun’s eyes disappears. A blur of white rockets toward him and he throws his
gloved hand up, but it's too late.
A heavy force knocks Eijun back as it crashes into his left eye. Pain blooms
like weeds across his cheek and his body crumbles. Then, like a candle being
blown out, everything disappears.
The last thing Eijun registers is yells.
-
Toshima,_Tokyo,_Japan
Rikkyo_University_Dorms
July_28,_2017
Kazuya feels a cold chill run down his back when he looked down at his caller
I.D.
Kominato Haruichi flashes across his screen. His phone suddenly seems daunting.
Kazuya rarely receives calls from his friends, let alone his kohai. Especially
not this particular one.
With more than a little apprehension, and against his better judgement, Kazuya
answers the call.
“This is unexpected.” Kazuya greets Kominato, smirking into his empty room.
“Eijun-kun has been hurt.” Kominato pants into the phone.
An icy cold hand seems to grip Kazuya by his lungs and pulls. He chokes on the
mixture of fear and hysteria. A cough rips through his throat and jams against
his teeth as it flies from his open mouth.
“What?” Sickness roils in his gut.
“He's been hit in the face by a line drive. They've taken him by helicopter to
the hospital. They won't let any of us go with him. I can't get a hold of
Kuramochi-senpai.”
Shock douses his body and saturates his bones. His teeth chatter against the
cold thrill and his mouth slurs around his words.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck. Which hospital?” Kazuya stumbles over the words as he trips
through panic to his shoes. The coordination between his brain and legs appears
to have malfunctioned.
Kominato rattles off the name of the hospital.
“Let me know what's going on.” Kominato pleads.
“Yeah, keep trying to reach Mochi.” Kazuya hangs up and dashes out his door.
Kazuya had never felt fear pique in his body like this. He'd never been this
desperate. Not even when he cried to his hollow father begging him to come
back. His emotions were increased tenfold and stabbing him, debilitating him.
His hands shake as he searches for an important number.
He finds it as he steps out of the cool apartment complex building into the
scalding heat of a Tokyo summer. His shaky finger taps the screen and he
presses the mobile device to the side of his sweaty head.
Kazuya paces to the bus stop directly ahead of him.
“Hello?” A voice rings out across the mobile line.
“Chris-senpai.”
-
Kokubunji,_West_Tokyo
Seidou_High_School
September_17,_2015
Eijun felt his heart stutter as Miyuki pressed up against him in the small
space between the vending machines. The air was cold as it nipped at exposed
flesh, but Eijun felt none of it. He only registered heat spreading through his
body originating from where the catcher was pressed to him.
There were hands on his shoulders and thighs against his own. Eijun couldn't
tell whose body heat was whose and it made him weak in all the right ways. He
chanced a glance at Miyuki's face and was consumed by black framing liquid
gold. His breath caught.
“Sawamura.” Miyuki whispered, clenching his hands slightly.
“H-huh?” Eijun’s voice stuttered from his mouth, and the word fell flat into
the charged air.
“Do you like me?” Miyuki rushed out, voice earnest and painfully hopeful.
Eijun felt like it was a trick question, because, in all honesty, he couldn't
stand Miyuki. He hated his smirk and nasty personality, and he hated how he was
always right. He resented having to see him first thing in the morning because
he mocked Eijun with no qualms -- but Eijun liked when Miyuki really laughed
(not the fake one he used), and he liked when Miyuki touched him. Eijun liked
when his eyes were unguarded and he was smiling a real smile
(Eijun had only seen that twice, and it broke his heart and melded it back
together simultaneously both times)
He even liked when Miyuki teased him.
“I- yeah.” Eijun sighed, resigned.
“Why?” Miyuki asked, pressing in closer to Eijun.
“Are you making fun of me?” Eijun felt like his heart was going to fall out of
his chest and there was a pain at the back of his throat making it hard to
breathe.
“No, god no.” Miyuki rushed out, shaking his head violently.
“Oh.” Eijun looked down to where their thighs were squished together. Miyuki
flexed his legs for a moment. Eijun knew he was waiting for an answer, knew he
needed an answer, but Eijun didn't even know for himself why he liked him
(Except maybe he did, but it was embarrassing to admit)
“Why do you want to know?” Eijun knew he was being a petulant brat, but he was
laid open raw in front of a boy who's been known to sound sincere and then flip
it around and stab whoever happened to be too close.
“Let's call it ‘morbid fascination’.” Light reflected off Miyuki's glasses,
hindering Eijun's ability to judge his honesty.
“I really don't feel like talking about this with you.” Eijun smouldered,
trying to wiggle and free himself of the catcher. He twisted his body away,
slightly.
“Wait.” Miyuki gripped Eijun’s shoulder tightly, forcing his attempt at freedom
to an end.
“What, damn it?” Eijun snarled, his teeth clicking viciously, turning to face
the catcher.
His eyes widened in shock as Miyuki pressed his mouth to Eijun's.
He’s kissing me?
His body felt as if it had been doused in a bucket of ice cold water. The shock
to his system was so great his teeth were nearly chattering. Chills were
ravaging his skin with malicious intent and his lips were frozen stiff.
Still, Miyuki pressed on, gently sliding his tongue to graze the other boy’s
lips.
Eijun felt his locked jaw unclench and open and dispense drool.
“Gross!” Miyuki jerked his head back and wiped at his saturated mouth.
Red flared along Eijun's cheeks and he felt the urge to burst into tears.
“Sorry! Sorry!” He recoiled.
“Jeeze. Have you ever been kissed before?” Miyuki flashed a cutting glance the
pitcher’s way, the jaunt clearly meant to rile him up.
“Yes! Loads of times! You’re not the only one with fans, Miyuki Kazuya!” The
younger boy flared, lies falling indignantly from his clenched teeth.
“Pardon me if I don't believe you. Also, you might want to wipe that off.”
Miyuki gestured to the left corner of Eijun’s mouth, a coy smile dancing across
his lips.
A half hearted glare graced Eijun’s face as he reached a curious hand up only
to be met with spit. His blush deepened and he quickly wiped it away.
“Bastard.” Eijun grumbled under his breath.
“Wow, you mean it? Thanks.” Miyuki replied, smiling big and wrinkling his nose.
A snort found its way out of Eijun's nose. He threw his hands up, palms pressed
against his mouth in a futile attempt to hold the sounds in. They bubbled
around his hands and through the cracks between his fingers.
A giddy feeling had settled in Eijun's core and floated out to his limbs. It
left him teetering on the edge of hysteria, but he didn't mind.
“What? Why are you laughing? Hey, Sawamura!” Miyuki wrapped his fingers around
Eijun's wrist and attempted to dislodge them from his face. A blush colored his
cheeks and an exasperated look settled on his face.
“No, nothing.” Eijun giggled harder, lungs clenching in protest at the lack of
air. The whole debacle seemed funnier to him than it probably really was.
The sight of the unflappable, invincible captain becoming a normal, flustered
teenager was almost too much for Eijun.
“Quit it!” Miyuki exclaimed, as his eyes twitched and his lips thinned.
“Sorry!” Eijun snorted again before sucking in deep breaths and trying to calm
his giggles.
“What are laughing about?” Miyuki demanded once again, lips pursed in a
suspiciously pout-like frown.
“Nothing, it's nothing.” Eijun waved his hand, shoulders heaving with
suppressed laughter.
“What have I done?” Miyuki fisted his hand in the shoulder of Eijun’s tee and
shook him slightly, but powerfully.
“Nothing, it's just, you got flustered... and you looked almost human for a
moment. It was weird, like seeing you with out some sort of eye wear.”
“Tsk.” Miyuki dropped his hand and glared at Eijun.
“What, don't tell me. You can give it, but you can't take it?” Eijun laughed
gleefully.
“No. I can take it. I just can't take it from idiots.” Miyuki countered with a
sly smirk.
“What kind of shitty confession is this?” Eijun threw his hands up, the
beginnings of a tantrum showing on his frazzled edges.
“Who said this was a confession?” Miyuki snarked, pushing Eijun's blood past
boiling point.
Eijun gripped Miyuki's head in a vice like hold and crushed their faces
together. Miyuki squaked indignantly but let Eijun bump and fumble around his
face.
Eijun bit down on Miyuki's bottom lip and knocked their noses together in
retaliation.
“Ouch!” Miyuki exclaimed against the other boy’s lips, but made no move to pull
away. Rather, he settled his hands on Eijun's hips and pulled him closer so
that their bodies touched completely.
Eijun felt his anger boil down.
“There. Relax.” Miyuki hummed against his mouth, skating his fingers up Eijun's
arms and to his hands that were still in his hair. He grasped them and adjusted
them so Eijun’s fingers curled behind his ears and his forearms rested against
Miyuki's chest. He leaned onto the catcher, pressing him firmly against the
vending machine behind him. 
There were awkward lips and tongues and teeth. Eijun didn't mind, though.
Because it was pretty in an ugly way.
The kiss was fumbling and uncoordinated, but it sent shivers of pleasure
flitting across Eijun’s body and he felt a warmth spread through his limbs that
his skin soaked up like a flower. He was content.
And if he got kicked by Kuramochi for forgetting drinks when he got back to the
room, he didn't mind.
-
Tokyo,_Japan
University_of_Tokyo_Hospital
July_28,_2017
Kazuya’s stomach lurches as he steps through the hospital doors and into the
smell of latex and antiseptic. He feels his panic peak and a desperate itch
settles under his skin. The heavy weight of anticipation descends in his skull
and rattles his teeth. It muddles his thoughts and leaves him standing in the
emergency room foyer with no idea what he’s doing.
“Excuse me, sir, is there anything I can help you with?” Kazuya turns and peers
upon an older man behind an open teller window. The old man gazes intently at
Kazuya.
“Uh. Yeah, uh, I'm looking for Sawamura Eijun.” Kazuya fumbles out, moving
closer to the window.
The grunt of ascension and a clack of keys on a keyboard from the man feels so
loud in Kazuya's head. They cut through the fog and blunder about inside his
brain.
“I'm sorry, that's confidential, unless you're family?” The old man looks back
up at Kazuya with a skeptical glint in his eyes. It was as if he were daring
him to lie.
“Fuck! No, I'm not. Do you have any idea when he'll be here, though?” Kazuya
clenches his fists, leaning into the window.
“Confidential. If I could ask you to take a step back, sir.” The old man
glares, stubborn set in his jaw.
“God fucking damn it!” Kazuya grits his teeth and tugs his hair roughly.
“Sir, if you don't calm down I'll be forced to call security.”
“Yeah. Okay.” Kazuya snarls, backing away from the window and into a waiting
seat.
He curls his nails into the soft foam under the armrests and tries to suppress
the scream trying valiantly to escape. He feels it coiling tightly in his
throat and he uses it to ground himself, uses the sensation of pressure just
above his lungs to stave off his hysteria. His fingers grip the foam marginally
tighter, nails cutting viciously through it and coming to rest against the
metal under it.
Any semblance of calm and collected has flown swiftly out of Kazuya's reach,
and he didn't have the energy to try and reel it back in. Instead, he lets it
hover just in front of him.
A vibration in his left pocket startles Kazuya out of his stupor.
He jumps and reaches into his jeans, withdrawing the phone.
“Hello?” Kazuya answers with it looking at the ID.
“Miyuki, where are you?” A high curling voice runs through the line.
“Kuramochi, I'm at the hospital. Where are you?” Kazuya feels a bit of relief
settle in his belly and battle the tension. His voice wavers slightly.
“I'm on my way. What part of the hospital are you in? Do you know anything
about Eijun?”
“No, I'm not family so they won't tell me anything.” There's a desperate lilt
in Kazuya's voice.
“Aren't you his emergency contact?”
“I was, I don't know, though. He could have changed it.”
“Go check and call me back.” Kuramochi barks through the phone before he
swiftly hangs up.
Kazuya feels his legs quiver and he's scared if he stands his legs will give
out. The temporary relief he felt talking to Mochi dissipates and it leaves his
stomach clenching in on cold fear.
He lets out a low groan before sucking air in through his nose and stands. A
violent tremble runs down his spine to his legs and he steels himself against
it. Then it subsides and he has no excuse to stand idly in front of his chair.
Kazuya takes another deep breath.
Hurry.
His legs stumble forward like a newborn colt.
Move.
He stops in front of the desk, again, and the old man peers wearily up at him.
“I think- no, I know I'm on his emergency contact list. Does that give me the
right to any information?” Kazuya’s voice is cold and devoid of the emotions
coursing through him.
“What's your name?” The old man grumbles, tapping on the keyboard harder than
necessary.
“Miyuki Kazuya.”
The old man looks for a moment before his eyes twitch and his nostrils flare. A
red hue slowly consumes his face, starting at his temples and trickling all the
way down to his neck. Kazuya knows he's won.
“The patient's ETA is about 10 more minutes.” He spits maliciously at Kazuya.
“Thank you.” Kazuya smirks and bows.
-
Kokubunji,_West_Tokyo
Seido_High_School
September_27,_2015
“What's your favorite color?” Eijun blurted out into the still air of the
abandoned baseball field.
Miyuki had sought out Eijun during his nightly run. Then he proceeded to coax
him into sitting in the grass on the outfield. They were currently laid side by
side gazing up at the black abyss before them. The air between them was relaxed
and left Eijun feeling sated, like a scratch he finally got.
“Uhm.. I guess green.” Miyuki replied easily, fingers creeping across Eijun’s
left forearm. Goosebumps rose in their wake, accompanied by a warm feeling that
settled just under the ribs of both boys and left them feeling sated.
“Oh. Well, how about your favorite animal?” Eijun asked gently.
“Probably you.” Miyuki cooed mockingly, wrapping his hand around the other
boy's wrist. The lax atmosphere was whisked away and replaced with a tenser,
more energetic one.
Eijun squawked at the disrupted calm, and tried to pull away from Miyuki. He
just tightened his hold on the younger boy, inhibiting his ability to sit up.
Exasperation blanketed Eijun, leaving his blood boiling. The catcher seemed to
have a penchant for purposely riling him up. It was annoying at best.
“Why are you such a bastard?” Eijun griped, settling back down with a large
amount of space between them.
“You say the sweetest things.” Miyuki crooned, pulling the pitcher's arm and
dragging him close.
“Stop! That wasn't a compliment, idiot!” He barked, squirming.
“Don't be mad.” Miyuki softened his voice and turned to his side to stare at
the other boy.
“Well!” Eijun pouted and stubbornly looked up at the sky.
Eijun’s temper had already begun to fall back down into healthier levels when
he heard a low chuckle and felt a warm breath blow on his neck. It smelled like
coffee and gum and it kind of turned him on. Still, he kept his eyes facing the
night and tried to keep himself indifferent.
Miyuki let out a long sigh before burying his face in the side of Eijun's neck
and biting down. It sent a jolt down Eijun’s body straight to his groin. He
reflexively bent his head toward the pain and squashed the assailant between
his head and shoulder.
“Don't leave a mark!” He hissed, twisting around to try and dislodge Miyuki.
Instead of becoming discouraged, the older boy became invigorated. He rose up
and straddled Eijun. His fingers wrapped around the younger’s wrists that were
pushing at his shoulders and placed them on either side of his head.
“Quit moving!” Miyuki crowed, seating himself firmer onto Eijun’s thighs. There
was laughter in his voice.
“No. Get off!” Eijun moaned, bucking his hips up and flailing his legs.
A nervous sort of anticipation had settled in his gut as heat flared in his
groin at the sight of Miyuki hovering above him. Embarrassment draped over him
like a thick blanket at the prospect of Miyuki feeling his erection. Eijun and
Miyuki didn't even notice the approaching silhouette, until it was too late.
“Oi! Who's out there?” A shout echoed through the field and both boys froze.
“Fuck.” Miyuki hissed, dropping himself flat against Eijun’s body in an attempt
at disguising their shadows.
Fear shot through Eijun’s body, zapping his limbs and leaving his fingers and
toes tingling. An urge to get up and run away smothered his common sense. The
only thing that kept him down was the body on top of his.
“Hey! I said who's out there! It's past ten. Lights out was fifteen minutes
ago!” An annoyed undertone filtered the voice.
“Sawamura, tell him it's you.” Miyuki mumbled.
“Uh, it's Sawamura! I'll come in soon!” Eijun called out.
“If I stop by your room in ten minutes and you're not in there, I'm telling
Chris-senpai.”
Eijun squeaked, tensing up.
A chuckled flitted across the field followed by footsteps. The owner of the
voice left.
“You're so simple.” Miyuki sighed, sliding off the younger boy sideways.
“I just threw myself under the bus to save you, bastard! Is this the thanks I
get? You're the worst!” Eijun cried as he got to his feet and tried to stomp
away.
A hand caught his and spun him around to face a sheepish face.
“Hey, I'm sorry. Don't be mad.” Miyuki apologized.
“You're so mean.” Eijun whined like a child.
“I try. Good to know it works.” He smiled small at Eijun.
“How about try being nice? It's better.” Eijun replied intelligently.
“Right, and have everyone thinking I'm friendly or something. I'll pass.”
Miyuki joked, sharpening his gaze.
“Oh yeah, nevermind. I don't think you could pretend to be nice. It might kill
you!” Eijun laughed loudly.
“It just might. Death runs in my family.” Miyuki replied with a snicker.
“What?” Eijun paused, a sick feeling in his gut.
“Huh?” Miyuki looked at him, a laugh still on his lips.
“What do you mean death runs in your family?”
“Nothing, never mind.” Miyuki closed up, smile guarded.
“No, I want to know what you meant.” Eijun pouted.
“It's nothing. Don't worry about it.” He had an edge in his voice and his fake
smile slipped from his face.
“Tell me what you mean!” Eijun felt his temper begin to rear it's head.
“I didn't mean anything!” Miyuki practically shouted, folding his arms over his
chest.
“Why don't you ever tell me anything?” Eijun cried out.
“Because-” Miyuki began, but Eijun cut him off.
“Do you not trust me?”
“Maybe I don't!” As soon as the words left Miyuki's mouth, he recoiled.
Eijun recognized that the older boy was moving into a defensive stance and was
closing himself up. He only did that when he felt trapped or emotionally
attacked. Neither of those things happened often, and the rare occasion Miyuki
did, Eijun was the mediator. To know that he was causing this made his stomach
turn violently.
“You know what? Never mind. I need to go back to my room. I'll see you
tomorrow.” Eijun retreated, turning on his heel and walking swiftly to his
room.
Something burning and ugly settled in Eijun's chest. He wasn't sure what it
was. He only knew that it was dangerous and corrupted, and that he should stay
away from it. Especially since it made tears well up in his eyes and his hands
shake.
Eijun blinked quickly, trying to dispel the tears. It was counterproductive
seeing as all it did was push them from his eyes and into his cheeks.
“Urgh!” Eijun growled, sniffling and wiping at his face with his forearm.
He paused outside his door and breathed in, trying to regulate his shuddering
breaths.
“You're barely on time. I might tell Chris-senpai anyway.” Eijun froze at the
sound of the voice.
Eijun turned to face a smirking Kanemaru. The smile dropped from Kanemaru’s
face when he saw the tears still leaking from Eijun’s red eyes.
“Shit, I'm sorry. I was joking, I'm not gonna tell Chris-senpai!” Kanemaru
raised his hands, palms facing Eijun into a consolatory gesture.
“I'm not crying because of that!” Eijun protested, anger flaring within him for
what seemed to be the millionth time that night.
He aggressively wiped his tears from his eyes and face with his fists.
“Oh. Well, do you like, wanna talk about it or something? Or do you need
anything?” Kanemaru shuffled his feet, looking down with flaming cheeks and an
embarrassed voice.
Eijun softened. He felt a wad of appreciation settle in his chest under his
ribs.
“No. Thanks though.” Eijun sniffed.
“Um, okay. If you're sure. I'll see you tomorrow?” Kanemaru looked up at Eijun
again, red in his cheeks dulled to a light tint.
“I'm sure. See ya.”
Kanemaru looked like he was going to insist, but seemed to decide against it.
Instead, he merely nodded and walked back to his room. Eijun let out a quiet
breath before turning to his door and opening it.
-
Tokyo,_Japan
University_of_Tokyo_Hospital
July_28,_2017
“Miyuki.” A quiet, firm voice calls out to Kazuya, snatching him from his
daydreams back to reality.
Kazuya looks up.
Standing before him with dried blood on his jersey is Kataoka. The proud tilt
of his chin and line of his spine are sagging. He's hunched slightly with what
seems to be exhaustion. His arms lay at his sides instead of crossed. This was
not the coach Kazuya remembered. Next to him stands Rei. Her well kempt hair is
falling out of it's ponytail and there's sweat and a layer of grime on her
skin.
There's smudges on her glasses and she looks just as defeated as Kataoka.
His stomach turns at the sight of blood, Eijun's blood, and he has to clamp
down on the urge to scream. Instead, he coaxes the worry and stress that had
been lying dormant at his core into anger and blame. The intensity of it staves
off any emotions that Kazuya isn't equipped to deal with.
“Coach, Rei-san.” Kazuya can't summon even a ghost of a smile.
“How long have you been here?” Rei asks, stepping toward him.
“Thirty minutes or so. Kominato called me.” Kazuya replies, an indirect attack
to express his displeasure at being informed by a third party.
Rei shuffles her feet and Kataoka hums, both electing to ignore Kazuya’s
accusation. It makes him curl the hands at his sides into fists and he swallows
hard.
His anger is misdirected, and he knows that.
Kazuya takes a deep breath in and wills himself to calm down. It works well
enough. With another deep breath, he asks them to sit with him. They agree.
Kazuya waits for them to settle, his mouth filling with unasked questions.
Kataoka tilts forward and places his elbows onto his knees and drops his head
into his hands. He looks defeated, conquered. His fingers push his shades up
and rub his eyes before letting his shades fall back to his eyes and replacing
his hands on his temples. A heavy sigh leaves his body. His shoulders fall
inward. Rei mimics him slightly, her shoulders falling in as well. She's
sitting next to him with a slouched back. Her forearms support her upper body
by pushing down on the chair armrests. Her impeccable posture dissolved, making
her look her young age.
As Kazuya observes them, his impatience grows. He wants to scream at them, to
make them address the elephant in the room. Yet, he doesn't. Instead he sits
quietly and waits for them to address him instead.
Kazuya's leg bounces and he grits his teeth. There's a pounding in his head and
stress in his neck and shoulders. He's wound up tightly. He inhales sharply
through his nose and holds it for a moment. When he blows it out, Rei and the
coach both look at him. Realization that he was being obnoxious bleeds through
him and leaves his cheeks red.
“Sorry.” He mumbles, bringing a hand up and bowing his head in apology.
“You're scared.” Rei replies as if it answers his reason for questionable
behavior.
“Yes. Still, I'm sorry.” Kazuya insists.
“You must want to know what happened, right Miyuki-kun?” She shrugs off his
apology.
“Yes.”
“He was hit with a line drive back to him. It hit him in the left eye. It
knocked him unconscious, and he was bleeding. The medical team called a
helicopter right away and life flighted him here. Oota-san is back at the game
with the team.” Rei’s voice was clinical, but her eyes betrayed the calm façade
she wore. Kazuya could see that just under her mask was boiling hot stress.
“Where is he now?” Kazuya asks, dreading the answer.
“They put him in an induced coma and are looking for what they need to fix.”
Rei answered, frown on her face deepening.
With that one sentence, the walls seem to begin closing in and the floors are
swimming. Kazuya's chest hurts and he feels like he can't breathe, will never
breathe again.
“I need air.” Kazuya chokes out, rushing from the room and out the front doors.
Air rushes at him, and he gulps it in. Fear and panic and despair flood him,
choke him. He feels entirely too large for his body and he feels an urgent need
to split open his fingers and peel back the skin once he finishes pulling his
hair from his head, tuft by tuft. There's a knob in his chest and the only way
to release it is to scream.
(“I love you.” Kazuya hears a whisper, gentle in the morning air.
Then, he hears it again, louder this time, stronger, but still coaxing and soft
against the evening sun.)
His knees quiver, so he places his hands on them in an attempt to placate them.
A cough rips through his throat and burns his eyes.
(“Do you love me?” The voice shakes, fearful but still filled with optimism.
Confidence in himself, and in Kazuya. Isn't that scary?)
Kazuya digs his fingers into the knees of his jeans. He heaves breathlessly,
wheezing.
(“Miyuki?)
“Miyuki!” A high, smooth, yet brash voice rams into Kazuya’s mind, jarring it.
His eyes fly open in time to see a face in front of his and firm hands gripping
his T-shirt.
Mochi. Kazuya tries to breathe out, but chokes on the words.
“What's going on? Why aren't you with Sawamura?” Kuramochi shifts his hands to
Kazuya's armpits and lifts him enough to slide under his left shoulder to
support him to a nearby bench.
Once the boys settle, Kazuya tries to grasp at the shattered pieces of himself
floating in front of him. They dance out of his reach, making catching them
increasingly difficult.
Kuramochi watches him silently. He waits as Kazuya slowly tapes the parts of
his sanity back into place. Once he's sure that the other boy is stable enough,
he asks again.
“What's going on?”
“Eijun got hit in the face with a line drive. He's in an induced coma while
they figure out what to do.” Kazuya mumbles out.
“Fuck!” Kuramochi hisses, grabbing his hair and pulling.
Kazuya nods once, a feeling of numbness washing over him. It's as if suddenly a
feeling of surreality has set in. Almost like a movie. If Eijun were to die, it
wouldn't be real. He would still be alive somewhere.
Kazuya knows he's slipping into hysteria because the idea that this is a prank
seems plausible. His logical thinking was foundering and he had no idea how to
fix it. Kazuya is cold, detached, and calm at all times. Everything about him
is collected. Even when everything around him falls ruins, he remains an air of
composure. Nothing ever perturbed his impassive state, and he was beginning to
think nothing ever would.
But here he is, outside a hospital completely upended and in disarray.
Of course the person to do this to him would be the person he broke just
because he could. There was something poetic in that.
A sharp scoff shreds Kazuya's throat and pierces the tense air. It's followed
by another, and another, and another until he's laughing loud and humorlessly.
It takes the breath from his lungs and induces tears. He looks over at the boy
next to him and sees the disbelieving outrage marring his face. This only makes
Kazuya laugh harder.
Then, Kuramochi lands his fist right into Kazuya's open mouth.
-
Kokubunji,_West_Tokyo
Seido_High_School
September_28,_2015
Eijun woke up to his alarm filled with a heavy feeling of angst and distress.
His throat was tight with a lump and his eyes burned with angry, unshed tears.
He was tired in his bones and heavy in his limbs. Going for a run seemed to be
out of the question.
He fumbled for his phone before clumsily turning his alarm off and rolling onto
the cooler side of his bed. Eijun let his eyes drift shut, letting his
exhaustion wrap around him. He was brought to the edge of his consciousness
fairly quickly. He felt himself teetering on the precipice of awareness when a
sharp knock at the door jerked him awake.
Kuramochi groaned and jumped off his bed, and padded over to the door. Eijun
listened carefully, burrowed deeply in his blankets.
“What do you even want this early, you dick?” Kuramochi grumbled at the person
on the other side of the door.
“Wow. Good morning to you too, sleeping beauty. Kiss any frog princes, lately?”
Eijun heard Miyuki quip back and burrowed further into his blankets.
“Eh?” Kuramochi sounded more aware suddenly.
“Because your breath smells like it.” Miyuki finished his joke, sounding smug.
“I hate you. Go away. Go find Sawamura and bug him or something. Just leave me
alone, Jesus.” Kuramochi growled, and Eijun heard the sound of the door sweep
grinding against the carpet at a fast pace. Eijun realized he was trying to
slam the door.
Then it hit something, and Kuramochi let out a whine.
“What do you want?”
“Is Sawamura in here?” Miyuki asked, suddenly serious.
“Doesn't he usually run around this time?” Kuramochi asked incredulously.
“Yeah, but he's not out there.” Miyuki countered and Eijun wanted to scream.
“Sawamura? You're in here?” Kuramochi’s voice got closer to Eijun's bed.
“Yes.” He answered quietly.
“Are you sick?” Kuramochi’s voice was pitched with concern.
“No.” Eijun replied. “I'm just tired today.”
“Oh.” Kuramochi paused. “Well, do you want me to come get you after breakfast
or something?”
“If you don't mind.”
“Are you sure you're not sick?” Eijun felt a hand reach above him and press
against his forehead.
“‘M fine.” He grumbled, curling himself into a ball.
“Okay… well, I'm gonna go shower and stuff, I guess I'll be back later.”
Kuramochi sounded reluctant to leave, his statement was phrased more like a
question.
“Kay.” Eijun confirmed.
Kuramochi seemed to hesitate before Eijun heard him turn and leave.
“I'm staying in here with him.” Miyuki mumbled, and Kuramochi sighed long and
hard before grumbling his consent.
Anticipation at what was to come had congealed in Eijun's belly and made him
feel sick. He wanted to throw up and then go back to sleep. Instead, he held
still on the bed in an attempt at feigning sleep.
Eijun heard the door close after a moment and knew Kuramochi had left. He
listened to Miyuki's footsteps move closer to the bed until he could sense the
older boy leaning over him.
“I know you're awake.” Miyuki spoke in a low voice.
Eijun held his breath and remained motionless. His eyes were shut tight.
“Don't ignore me. We need to talk.” Miyuki prompted, a slight edge in his
voice.
“No. I'm tired. Go away.” Eijun protested, attempting to wrap the blanket
around his upper body tighter but a hand grasped the blanket and pulled it from
the bed onto the floor.
Eijun raged at that, sitting up and turning to growl at the boy standing next
to his bed. Miyuki made no move, instead standing completely still and let
Eijun growl and spit profanities at him without protest. He just looked down at
the furious boy with a face devoid of emotion. This fueled the anger coursing
through Eijun's body, working him up farther until he wasn't even saying
anything coherent.
“Are you done?” Miyuki finally asked, interrupting Eijun's myriad of noises.
“Wha- You- Miyuki Kazuya you're- bastard ass- God damn you- You- prick!” Eijun
sputtered, teeth bared.
“I know.” Miyuki agreed, nodding.
“Don't agree with me!” Eijun fumed.
Miyuki may have been a bastard, but Eijun never wanted him to just accept the
fact that that was what everyone thought of him and move on. He expected the
catcher to defend himself and his damn good reasons for being the way he was.
He expected this because Miyuki was stubborn and rude, but he was also more
than just that. He was kind and he could be caring and he was humble and he
never tried to emotionally damage anyone. The only thing Miyuki did was get
under people's skin and make them react in a way he wanted. In a way he knew
how to deal with.
“Why?” He inquired, a curious lilt in his voice, his head tilted to the side.
“Because you're more than that! I wish you understood that. You may have a
nasty personality most of the time-”
“Oi.”
“But you have a good one, too.” Eijun spoke facing his feet with red
encroaching on his neck.
“Oh.” Miyuki paused, voice soft and quiet.
Eijun looked up to see that the older boy was staring straight ahead,
unresponsive. His face was blank and his body was tense.
What if I creeped him out?
“Uh, but don't think that means I like you or anything..” Eijun tried to bite
the words out but they ended up small and confused.
Miyuki seemed to break out of his daze and snapped his eyes to the boy on the
bed. A gentle, warm smile twisted his lips up.
“Of course not. How could I expect such emotions from a bitter subordinate.”
His voice was soft and tender and it made Eijun want to kiss him.
“Right.” Eijun’s voice was slow and his eyebrows furrowed.
What the hell was a subordinate?
“Did you understand what I said?” Miyuki asked with a smirk causing Eijun to
slip out of his humiliating lusty haze and into his default emotion of
annoyance tinged with embarrassment.
“Yes! Of course!” Eijun puffed his chest, trying to look superior.
“Right.” Miyuki mocked in a voice that Eijun assumed was supposed to be his.
“Hey! I know what a subordinate is. It's you.” Eijun retorted, feeling proud.
“Okay, but what's the dictionary definition?” Miyuki shot back, quashing
Eijun's momentary victory.
“I don't have to prove myself to you!” Eijun folders his arms.
“Okay, sure. Whatever.” Miyuki replied using his patronizing voice.
“Ugh! Just- get out! I have to get dressed.” Eijun growled, standing up and
shoving at Miyuki's shoulders.
“H-hey!” Miyuki tripped backwards and tried to fight Eijun.
“Out, out! You're a menace!” Eijun crowed, mock irritation in his voice.
“Jesus, okay! Okay, okay! Quit pushing me, I'm gonna fall!” Miyuki pulled the
younger's hands from his chest and squeezed then for a moment before he was out
the door.
A snicker followed him out, and Eijun felt like it was going to be a good day.
His small victory had put him in a great mood. Until he heard through the wall:
“Wait. How do you know the word menace?”
-
Tokyo,_Japan
University_of_Tokyo_Hospital
July_28,_2017
Kazuya spits blood from his mouth and into the bathroom sink. The taste of
copper lingers even after he swishes it with water. He flips his upper lip up
and looks at the cuts from his teeth digging in. A noise of pride from behind
him makes Kazuya flick his eyes to the side and stare at his friend in the
mirror. He's leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.
“What?” Kuramochi asks defensively. “It woke you up, didn't it?”
Kazuya releases his lip and turns to stare at the boy without a medium. He
hopes his feelings of annoyed indifference translate well on his face. From the
stubborn look he receives in turn, he thinks he did a good job.
“Honestly, what did you want me to do?” Kuramochi uncrosses his arms and sticks
them on his hips.
“Well, not punch me in the face, for sure.” Kazuya snarks, waiting for the
baited hook to be snatched up.
“Well, maybe don't go into hysterics next time. Jesus, you're a grown ass man.
You're not allowed to get hysterical about an ex you broke up with.” Kuramochi
replies, level headed.
Kazuya makes a noise of protest and opens his mouth to argue the injustice of
the accusation, but Kuramochi beats him to it.
“That was fair, and it’s true. You don’t get to feel victimized all of the
sudden because the boy you dated is hurt. This is not about you.” The tone
Kuramochi uses is cold and unforgiving.
It feels like a punch to Kazuya’s gut and it makes him suck in a breath. It
stings him and his eyes burn.
“Wow. Okay. Do you wanna, like, I don’t know, discuss the death of my mother
while you’re at it?” Kazuya rubs his eyes free of tears and then glowers.
“Fuck off. You know it’s true. Okay, you can be sad, I’m sad too. You can be
scared shitless and ragged with worry, join the club. But, you cannot make this
about you. Okay? This is not about you, so you need to hold it together and be
there for Sawamura instead of wallowing in self pity.” Kuramochi snarls
viciously.
Kazuya blinks, letting the words wash over him. He wants to yell and deny it,
but the validity of the observations hold him back. The knowledge that he had
been making it about him sits heavy in his lungs and presses his heart into
submission. His throat hurts as as it tightens around a knot of guilt. He blows
out a breath and sucks one in through his nose. He holds it for a moment before
blowing that one out as well. Then, he opens his eyes and looks at Kuramochi.
“Okay. Okay. Let's go back out there.”
Kuramochi gives him a tight nod, face releasing the tension it held and
softening into something quietly morose. His body sags slightly and he reaches
out to place his hand on Kazuya’s shoulder. It's a consolatory gesture filled
with the empathy and softness the boys’ conversation had lacked. Kazuya uses it
to steel himself against the onslaught of emotions threatening to make an ugly
appearance. Then, Kuramochi releases him and opens the door, all too soon.
Kazuya feels raw and open and unprepared to go out and face reality. His
emotions have come loose. Unhaltered, they wreak havoc. So Kazuya gives himself
a moment to rein it in and detach from it. He breaks off and becomes the
disconnected child that raised himself.
Kuramochi holds the door open and motions Kazuya through impatiently.
“Thanks.” Kazuya remarks dryly, slipping through the door and into the bustling
hall.
“Sure, sure. Someone has to point out when you're being a drama queen.”
Kuramochi replies with laughter on his tongue.
“Not unlike you, then.” Kazuya catches the annoyed sound the other boy makes
before it's whisked away into the flurry of footsteps and low chatter.
Kazuya lets himself get swept up in the current of people, letting them guide
him to the end of the hall. A firm hand grasps his wrist once he’s clearing the
biggest cluster of people.
“Wait, bastard. God, there’s too many damn people in here!” Kuramochi snaps,
jerking on Kazuya’s wrist and nearly throwing him off balance.
“Don’t pull me over, idiot!” Kazuya yelps out, stumbling back into his friend.
“Well, then, wait for me, dickhead.” Kuramochi snarls.
“Excuse you.” An affronted nurse hisses between her teeth at them. This causes
Kuramochi’s cheeks to bloom bright red and his hairline becomes beaded with
sweat.
“Watch your language, Kuramochi-kun! We are in the presence of beautiful,
innocent women!” Kazuya goads, fixing a disapproving glare on his flustered
friend.
“I'm so sorry, ma’am. Please accept my humble apology!” Kuramochi pleas before
leaning into a perfect ninety-degree bow that would rival Sawamura’s.
Kazuya feels like the wind is knocked out of him, and he tries not to cough.
All of the mannerisms Kuramochi is exhibiting scream Eijun. Kazuya can almost
hear his shouted apologies worded in formal Japanese, can nearly see him knelt
on the floor with his nose pressed against his knees in deep remorse. It nearly
makes Kazuya choke on his breath and he tries not to grab his friend by the
scruff of his neck and jerk him upright. He substitutes it with curling his
hands into tight fists and waits as his friend straightens back up to face the
proud nurse lingering.
With an eye roll, she sighs out, “It's okay. Do you need help getting
somewhere?”
“The waiting room, please.” Kazuya asks with his most affable voice and his
disruptive grin settling on his lips.
“Um, just turn left and follow this hall. There's signs right there. If you're
wondering where the bathroom is, that's right behind you.” She replies in a
mild tone that doesn't quite match her words. Her hand points to the left wall
holding a compact version of a mall directory.
“Oh. Thank you.” Kazuya shoots back with a sharp grin and an ungrateful lilt in
his voice.
The nurse does a small, synthetic curtsy with a feigned smile on her lips. She
bites out a pretentious “my pleasure” before turning and strutting away.
“Bitch.” Kazuya hisses under his breath, pulling along Kuramochi with the hand
he still has buried in his shirt.
“She was so pretty, though.” Kuramochi sounds put out, dragging alongside his
friend.
Kazuya fights a sour laugh, swallowing it down like a bitter pill. It jams
under his ribs between his lungs and threatens to bubble and spill over. He
grits his teeth in retaliation. Instead, he spits out a questioning “Was she
really, though?” through his teeth.
“I guess not.” Kuramochi sighs, defeated.
Kazuya hums in agreement, releasing his friend and stepping through the
threshold from the hallway into the waiting room where the people have
multiplied.
Rei is sat next to a hysterical girl, who is choking on her sobs. Kuramochi
pauses beside Kazuya, his hand coming to rest on his shoulder. The younger boy
uses it to anchor himself in the now, and to steel himself against the
impending doom lurking around the corner. Then, with a squeeze, the hand falls
from his shoulder and he's moving forward farther into the room.
“Coach.” Kazuya approaches Kataoka.
“Miyuki. Kuramochi.” Kataoka stands, leveling the boys with a vague stare
“What's going on?” Kazuya keeps the fear from peeking through his voice, but
only just.
“The doctor came to tell us what's going on. Sawamura has a depressed skull
fracture.” Kataoka speaks in a hushed tone, contrary to his usual voice that
demands attention and respect.
“What is that, sir?” Kuramochi asks, fear tainting his voice.
“His skull broke and parts of the bone lodged in his brain. They're in surgery
right now.” Kataoka replies solemnly.
Kazuya feels faint, and his tight body strings itself even tighter and
threatens to snap. He lets out a shuddering “oh”.
Kataoka places a firm hand on his shoulder and guides him to a seat and settles
him in it. Kuramochi thuds down in the seat adjacent to him and stares at his
clenched fist.
“They estimated surgery time at about four more hours.” Rei speaks up from
where she's comforting the hysterical girl that Kazuya now identifies as
Wakana.
Kuramochi next to him lets out a soft, breathy “fuck” and fists his hands in
his hair and tugs. Kazuya dimly registers this, stuck in a sort of limbo
between belief and disbelief.
“Miyuki, Kuramochi, the doctor said that it was long, but that there didn't
seem to be too much bone in his brain.” Rei spoke quietly.
“My grandson is a fighter. He’ll be okay.” A weathered voice spoke up,
accompanied by quick footsteps.
Then appeared Sawamura Eitoku with his leathery skin and small, but thick tuft
of grey hair.
“Ah, Sawamura-san.” Kazuya greeted, standing to bow but Eitoku waved it off.
“It's good to see you again, Kazuya.” Eitoku greeted him warmly, sad eyes
looking him over.
“It's good to see you as well.” Kazuya gives a broken impression of his smile.
“Eijun will be happy to see you. He misses you. He's been a bit mopey since you
guys fell out.” Eitoku says critically, eyes boring into him looking for any
reaction to his statement.
Kazuya keeps his body still and face neutral, giving away nothing. The old man
still searches for anything. When he doesn't find it, he looks away and down to
his son, Eijun's dad, sitting behind him with his head in his hands.
“It will be okay, son.” Eitoku murmurs, placing a hand on the crown of his
head.
Sawamura’s dad only hums, shaking imperceptibly more. Kazuya feels his heart
clench.
-
Kokubunji,_West_Tokyo
Seido_High_School
October_2,_2015
Eijun woke up in a wet heap of sweat and soiled bed sheets with skin sensitive
to touch and a pounding in his heart. The blinds in his room were shut tight
and there was no Kuramochi anywhere in sight.
Behind his eyelids were vivid images of Kazuya, and he could hear the sounds
the dream Kazuya made. Eijun could already feel his body keying up for another
go.
“Shit.” He sighed out, looking at the bed above him.
The fan made lazy circles and squeaked, as if making fun of him. It was kind of
funny, if he thought about it. He and Kazuya hadn't had a moment of alone time
since the tournament was coming up, so his body reacted by giving him wet
dreams.
His limbs protested as he got up, and his sleeping shorts were sticking to him
grossly. Upon further inspection, he saw his sheets weren't salvageable and
would need to be washed before bed that night.
“Fuck.” He hissed, stomping around his room, gathering up clothes so that he
could take a shower.
He was halfway into slipping on a clean pair of shorts for the trek to the
showers when someone tries to beat his door down.
“Stop! I'm coming!” He yelled, struggling into his pants.
“It’s five thirty in the morning! Quit stomping your feet, damn it!” A voice
that was unmistakably Aso’s yelled through the door.
“Oh, Aso-senpai! I'm sorry!” Eijun breathed out when he opened the door. “I
thought it was later, because Kuramochi-senpai isn't here.” Eijun explained,
blocking the view of his room and soiled bed with his body wedged in the open
space.
“Well, keep it down.” Aso growled, disgruntled and sleep-mussed.
“Okay! Sorry senpai!” Eijun replied enthusiastically, slamming the door shut as
soon as he said it.
In a hurry, Eijun gathered up his shower things and took off out the door. He
made it to the bath house in record time.
Eijun slipped in the door and past the lockers, only to jump at the sight of
Kuramochi backed up against the wall in a shower cubicle by none other than
Ryou-san. Eijun was scared for Kuramochi for a moment until Ryou-san looked up
at Kuramochi and pulled his head down to meet their mouths together.
“Oh!” Eijun squeaked, causing the two older boys to spring apart.
Kuramochi flushed red, but Ryou-san narrowed his eyes further and curled his
lip in his most menacing face yet. It sent chills up his spine and fear for his
life clutched him.
He wanted nothing more than to be anywhere else.
“Hello, Sawamura Eijun. What brings you to the baths this early?” Ryousuke
cooed.
“Um, uh, I-uh, I need to uh, shower.” Eijun stutter over his words painfully,
and winced.
“And why do you need to shower so early? Didn't you shower before you went to
bed?” Ryousuke purred out mockingly.
“Uh, I'm gonna go do laundry instead.” Eijun rushed out and bolted from the
room.
Once he'd cleared the building and was safely inside his room he let out a
moan, filling it with all the dead in his body.
“I'm so dead.” Eijun cried into his hands.
“I’ll come to your funeral, but only if I can wear sweats.” A voice piped up
from the other side of the door.
“Wah! Miyuki Kazuya!” Eijun squealed, leaning against the door in an attempt to
keep him from opening it.
There was a slight miscalculation in his plan though, as the doors all opened
out into the halls, not the rooms.
Miyuki opened the door and was surprised to be met with Eijun tumbling out of
his room and onto Miyuki’s feet. He gave a slight jump before letting out a
snort.
“Hey, the doors all open into the hall.” Miyuki chortled.
“I-I know!” Eijun yelled.
“And that’s why you were leaning against it?” Miyuki asked in mock confusion.
“Shut up!” Eijun puffed up his cheeks into a pout.
“Nice come back. Your wit never ceases to amaze me.” Miyuki dead panned,
stepping over his boyfriend and into the room.
Game over. Miyuki was going to see the mess and tease Eijun relentlessly.
Only, he didn’t. He looked at it for a moment, a faraway look in his eyes
before he turned to Eijun and asked-
“Did you- um.. Do you want help with your laundry?”
“I'm sorry!” Eijun yelled, throwing himself into a bow on the floor,
desperation eeking into his bones and filling him to the brim with remorse.
“Woah! Hey, get up! The floor is dirty!” Miyuki crowed, stepping forward to
haul the younger boy to his feet.
“I'm sorry! I'm sorry! My deepest apologies, please accept my repentance!”
Eijun cried into the floor, his words barely making it to his boyfriend's ear.
“I said get off the floor, idiot! Why are you sorry?” Miyuki’s tone was
overflowing with exasperation as he grappled with the younger boy to make him
stand.
“I betrayed your trust!” Eijun wailed once Miyuki finally had him upright and
away from the dirty ground.
“What are you even talking about?”
“I had a dream of us, but it was dirty and I didn't have permission.” Tears
finally spilled over Eijun’s eyes, his fear reaching a fever pitch.
“Oh my god.” Miyuki pressed a hand to his temple and shut his eyes. A red flush
bloomed across his cheeks. “Stop talking for a minute.”
“Are you mad?” Eijun sobbed, unable to lift his head to look at the bright red
boy in front of him.
“No, I'm not, just hush a minute, please Eijun.” Miyuki mumbled out, opening
his eyes and looking anywhere but at the boy before him and the mess splattered
bed in his peripheral.
Eijun tried to stop the choking tears falling down his face and wiped at it
vigorously. Mortification and distress were all his body was running on at that
moment, leaving him feeling a bit like a cicada shell. The only difference was
cicadas moved on to bigger and better things (I.E. hibernating until the next
year when they would reemerge for a huge bug orgy). He, however, was stuck in
that moment with no means of escape.
“Okay, listen. We're going to have to talk about sex at some point. I was just
hoping it wouldn't be this soon.” Miyuki murmured, stumbling over the word sex.
His hand fell away from his face and he stared Eijun head on. The impact of the
calculating look was softened by his red cheeks.
“You're not gonna dump me?” Eijun asked, looking up to meet the catcher's eyes.
“No, oh my god. Why would I be mad you were dreaming about me? If anything,
it's a compliment. I mean, I knew I was attractive, but you dreaming about my
beautiful self really proves it.” Miyuki finally seemed to rebound from the
shock Eijun sent through his system.
“You're a bastard!” Eijun yelled, bouncing back just as quick as the other boy.
Incredulity filled the empty spaces that his fleeing embarrassment left behind.
“A bastard you have dirty dreams about.” Miyuki sing-songed, letting out a peel
of laughter to accompany it.
“Stop it right now! I'm never telling you anything again! Out, out of my room!”
Eijun began trying to shove and push the older boy from his room, to no avail.
Miyuki simply removed his hands from his shoulders and held them tight. He kept
a nasty smile on his face as he leaned down to blow a raspberry into the crease
of Eijun's neck and jaw. This makes the younger let out a Very Manly™ squeal.
“Stop!” Eijun howled with laughter, twisting and turning and trying to get
away.
“What? Keep going? If you say so.” Miyuki laughed, moving his hands from
Eijun’s to his lower back and holding him against himself.
“It tickles!” Eijun planted his hands on Miyuki's cheeks in a futile attempt to
push him away. “I can't bre-e-eathe!” Laughter wailed out of him, overpowering
his words.
“Stop wiggling! You're gonna knock us both over- oof.” Eijun had thrown his
weight forward to try and dislodge Miyuki, but instead over balanced them and
both boys fell to the ground, Eijun on top.
Miyuki let out a groan of pain and dropped his head to the floor.
“Am I heavy?” Eijun asked after a moment of quiet agony for the older boy.
“Yes. So fat. I'm being crushed. You obese cow.” Miyuki replied, inscrutably.
In retaliation, Eijun used his arms and toes to lift himself slightly up and
then dropped down. He listened in pride as the air rushed out of Miyuki.
“You know, you’re kind of a dick sometimes.” Miyuki breathed out. His hands
were resting on the boy above him, just under his shoulder blades. His fingers
were curled slightly and the pressure made the younger boy shiver slightly.
“But you don’t care, you like it.” Eijun hummed, scooting up Miyuki’s body and
pressing their foreheads together.
“Gross.” Miyuki replied fondly, a small smile on his lips. The he tilted his
head up and gently bumped Eijun's nose with his.
Eijun felt the joy in his system bubble over and out of his mouth. Not even the
small ‘noisy’ under him could stop the laughter.
"Ugh, get off. Go shower, I'll take your sheets and wash them." Miyuki rolled
them to the side, dropping the boy on top of him to the floor beside them.
"Oh! I can't! Lock the door! Hurry!" Eijun remembered the earlier scene and
scrambled up, only to trip over the catcher's legs as he was getting up,
sending them both back to the floor.
"Ouch! Damn it! What?" Miyuki snapped, snagging Eijun's foot before he could
run away.
"There was a happenstance in the bathroom!" Eijun crowed, attempting to stretch
up and lock the door from the middle of the floor.
"Okay, first, that's not how you use that word, and second, what happened?"
"What do you mean that's not how you use that word? How would you use it?"
Eijun paused in his rampant panic.
"Um, it means coincidence, so how ever you would use coincidence." Miyuki
replied, a bemused smile on his face.
"Oh." Eijun pondered it for a moment, debating what word to use instead when he
was snapped out of his thoughts by Miyuki.
"So, what happened?" 
"I saw Onii-san and Kuramochi together!" Eijun whisper yelled, regaining his
train of thought.
"Is that supposed to be shocking? They're friends off the field, you know. Like
you and Chris-senpai." Miyuki shrugged it off.
"No! They were, like, kissing-and stuff!" Eijun hissed, finally reaching the
lock on the door and turning it after his struggle.
"You caught them?" Miyuki asked, a laugh on his lips and sitting up from where
he laid on the floor.
"What do you mean?! You knew?!" Eijun let out a sound of outrage and felt very
out of the loop suddenly.
"Eh, I wouldn't say knew, but I had my suspicions." Miyuki replied
indifferently, laying back against the floor and closing his eyes in
relaxation.
"Eh? Eh? Is this the power of your observation skills? What are you?!" Eijun
shouted, only to be met with a hard thump against the wall and a muted call of
insults.
Eijun suddenly felt very attacked. He puffed up his chest and blew his cheeks
up. A pout settled on his mouth and he glowered at the wall the offending sound
came from. He kicked his foot up and gently tapped the wall. Miyuki watched
from the floor where he lay, an amused smile on his face. His lips were quirked
up in a half grin and he looked so warm. Eijun looked back at him and was
caught off guard. His lips dropped the pout and he felt a hot feeling tingle
from his ears down to his toes. 
"You're cute." Miyuki muttered, his gaze lidded. 
"Oh." Eijun began to sweat nervously, red blooming from his hair line and
fading out just below his collar. 
Miyuki winked and clicked his tongue in a mock imitation of bullets firing from
the finger guns he waved in response. Eijun's mouth fell open at the odd
gesture.
"Uh.. Um, okay. I'm gonna go shower now." He muttered, feeling like a fish out
of water in the sudden change of Miyuki's dinamics. 
"Alright. I'll do your laundry. But I do require penance." The older boy
grinned, standing and moving into Eijun's space.
"I don't think my pants will fit you, but okay." Eijun shrugged.
"Oh my god. Stop. I didn't say pants. I said penance. It means payment." Miyuki
chortled into his hands.
"Don't laugh!" Eijun cried. "I'm not a genius asshole like you! I don't know
these words!"
"Okay. Just, go shower." Miyuki waved himoff, turning to the bed to strip it.
Eijun took his leave and stalked over to the bath house for the second time
that morning. This time, there was no Ryou-san or Kuramochi. 
End Notes
     Wow, thank you for reading all the way to the end, that is
     commendable because this is a literal crock of shit.
     So, writing this really killed my self esteem and motivation so there
     will be infrequent updates and I'm sorry.
     Maybe you can prod me with a stick or something to get me going over
     at my tumblr: PaydayChaffeeMiss
     Comments and kudos are welcomed.
     I feed off of the blood of my disciples, so cry away in the comments
     my children
Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed
their work!