Chapter Text
Furuya stared at the self-proclaimed-ace-to-be from Seido’s dugout. The coach had asked him to be benched after the second inning, considering his weakness against the summer heat. It hasn’t even been that hot, but who can say no to the scary coach with the intimidating aura? Furuya frowned when the umpire called the second ball, his fingers twitching a bit, as if it was in his instincts as a pitcher, as the ace, to correct Sawamura on the mound over there. It was already the end of summer, with autumn tailing by in a matter of days, if only the coach would have his current pitcher changed once again.
The brunet seemed to have himself occupied with striking the batter out with those pelicular pitches of his, his smile never fading. Little did he know that a certain pair of steel eyes were following his movements, the lifting of his right leg, the wipe of his forehead when sweating furiously, the glint in his eyes never fading anytime soon.
Furuya watched, well, more like observe, from the way the other pitcher’s hand twist in a weird angle, to the tip of his toes shuffling the sand underfoot. Furuya’s lips curled slightly upwards, when he knew that Sawamura has thrown a perfect pitch, striking out the second batter, as what the umpire mentioned. He heard Haruichi next to him cheered, while Kuramochi yelled out some compliment from his place on the field. Sawamura smiled and pose a peace sign to the dugout, as if the game had ended already, and for a moment, Furuya almost thought that he was smiling at him, like a puppy wagging its tail at its master—
No, wait, why would he ever consider that a suitable description?
Furuya felt blood rushing up to his cheeks, and he quietly lowered his head, avoiding to catch the attention of Haruichi, not wanting the other noticing how his face has turned into the same shade of colour as the eleventh-year batter’s bangs. A cold tower was hung upon his shoulders, maybe he’ll use the heat as an excuse if necessary.
He tilted his baseball cap a little upwards to continue watching Sawamura pitch, his eyes never leaving the huge smile plastered on his face.
Another foul. The batter seemed to have figured it out quickly enough, already getting the hang of his strange pitching pattern. Miyuki shifted slightly to the batter’s side, silently giving hand signs of having a crossfire pitch to at least surprise the batter. The other school seemed to have done their research on them, but Furuya can only hope that they hadn’t seen Sawamura’s breaking balls yet.
We are up by two runs, so let’s end this in five innings. I want to at least play in another inning before this ends--
“A steal!” someone in front of him yelled suddenly, startling Furuya. The runner on the second plate was dashing straight for home, he must be that desperate to earn at least a run to close the gap. It was a failed attempt, though, seeing the ball reaching the third baseman in time.
“The battery’s great, working together like that.”
Furuya looked to his right, and there sat Okumaru, his eyes fixated at the game. The guy then looked back at him, after noticing that Furuya was staring at him.
“No offense, you’re good too.” He replied, a hand lifted. Furuya nodded at the other male, as if understanding his statement. They both turned their attention back to the game, noticing the third inning is already over, with another batter’s out and Sawamura running back with that smile that always seemed to faze him...
-_-_-_-_-_-
The game has ended in five innings, to Furuya’s expectations, with Sawamura pitching for the remaining three innings and Haruichi scoring two runs for the last two innings. They have ended in an 8—2 in Seido’s favour, even though if it was only a simple practise game that the other school had requested for. Seido’s still running strong, even after last year’s defeat at finals, for as long as Furuya has observe. But something that has most surprised the eleventh-year himself is non other than the other pitcher, who, just a few weeks ago, was still suffering from yips. He regained his steps faster than what anyone had expected, like a mystical Phoenix burning much brighter after it’s rebirth, the inferno colours even more vibrant than ever.
Furuya never really see the guy as anything else when he first saw him on the field, just another rude and loud-mouthed brat in every shitty manga he had ever read.
“I am here to become the ace! And I believe that I want it more than anyone here!” That’s what he yelled at the coach before throwing a curve ball at the ninety-meters-far fence. Everyone else laughed and threw a few mocking insults, but Furuya, on the other hand just went back to focus on his baseball in hand. He thought from the start, never to have any relationships with people like him, all talk and boast.
But who would expect that the said guy would return as a great pitcher and bunter, a cherished one nevertheless?
He never knew he would get along with loud people like Sawamura Eijun, the guy who is too much of an optimist in any situation. He had seen so much light in the said pitcher, it was almost blinding and distracting. He has met people like him back in his middle school and managed to keep a few of them in contact, but honestly, who was he kidding back then? Non of his upperclassmen ever wanted to catch his pitches, the contacts in his old phone were never called, the underclassmen never showed their respects, seeing (and treating) him as a loner who hates everyone else’s existence.
He is far from what they had thought about him, though.
He wants, no, he desires to have those great ‘buddies’ back in his seventh grade, after seeing all those middle-schoolers strolling past his family’s bakery with their ‘cool’ friendship bracelets and coloured tongue from all those flavoured Popsicles. He wants to be like them, laughing at whatever that’s thought to be funny for them, running around with their baseball caps and equipment.
And how truly naive of him, thinking that his wish would come true just like that.
But now, seeing Sawamura getting his hair ruffled from Kuramochi-senpai, face all beaming with pure joy ness. Furuya let out a sigh, in a good way, maybe all those dreams hasn’t been forsaken by God yet...
-_-_-_-_-_-
“Didn’t thought that he could get over the yips that ridiculously fast.” Spoke Yuki, spotting the brunet from the bleachers.
“Well, he did got my—I mean, Chris’ help.” Miyuki replied, his hand shoved in his pockets.
“Autumn is coming. You sure you guys be attending that tournament?” asked the former captain of Seido, his eyes now completely focused on the catcher.
“Huh... I thought you forgot about that.” His glasses are shining now, making Yuki hard to make out what kind of eyes he has now.
“All the alumni will be there, so don’t let us down now, Kazuya.” Yuki grinned, he knew exactly what the catcher had in mind for the last few days.
“I never will.”
A cool breeze blew through, signalling the soon-to-be-arriving season called Autumn.
-_-_-_-_-
Furuya walked through the hallways of the Spirits Dorm, he knew pretty much the others were already having their dinner by now. His dark bangs sketching shadows over his face, the male can’t help but to get annoyed by how much the tips of his dark hair can prickle his eyes, and blocking out how much of the details in front of him.
Like Sawamura’s cute smile at whoever that came to compliment him today......
Furuya quickly hide his blush, albeit nobody could be seen anywhere around. He blinked twice, remembering the sole reason why he walked out earlier than others at dinner time.
Bath. Yes, I’m taking a bath.
He swiftly scurried off, his blue towel dangling from his arms along with his set of fresh clothes.
Steam rushed through the bathroom’s door frame as Furuya pushed the sliding doors open. Someone was in there before him. He carefully stepped into the steamy bathroom, placing his clothes on a hanging rack as he went. Puddles could be seen pooling along the narrow walkway to the shared bath tub, the guy who came in before him must have spent his time longer than anyone else.
Wait.
Furuya made his way to the bath tub, the guy, could he had drowned or passed out without anyone noticing?!
“Hey!” yelled Furuya, his footsteps quicker now. That guy better not be dead with the hot water on.
All he could see was the familiar bathroom, and those pair of rich brown-golden irises, focused on him as he barged in.
And he slipped. Crashing into the other male without realizing.
Chapter 2: Chapter Two
Chapter Text
Furuya groaned as he helped himself up, his upper lip has been cut, and scarlet blood flows slowly down his chin. It must’ve been crashing into whatever that is solid during his fall. He checked his nails, relieved when seeing that they are all unharmed. He wouldn’t want another break from pitching, just when Sawamura’s starting to heal from his yips—
Wait, what about the other guy?
Furuya looked down at the other guy, scanning his face to identify who he is, Sawamura Eijun laid flatly across the tiled floor, WAIT, SAWAMURA?!
Furuya almost yelled, but good thing that the bigger part of his mind tell the other to shut up before he can do so. People coming in and finding out that their Monster Pitcher has jumped on another fellow pitcher while he’s in his naked and vulnerable form? Unbelievable. Definitely will soar higher than an eagle in the rumours section.
Furuya placed a finger under Sawamura’s nose, he’s still breathing, good.
The other male groaned, making Furuya jump, his eyes fluttered open, revealing those alluring golden irises that Furuya can’t seemed to control his heartbeat around.
“Furuya?” asked the tanned male, before placing a hand on his head, which makes Furuya theorize the fact that he had hit his head during the fall earlier. Well, he would have to be at least grateful that the guy wasn’t dead yet. And yet...
Furuya cringed at the thought of the other members of the Seido baseball club holding a half-dead Sawamura while Kuramochi, the upperclassman he is, pointing a baseball bat at him. And did he mentioned that the Sawamura that they’re holding in their protective embrace, is rather adorable in his bunny hoodie?
Stop. What am I even thinking?!
Without further pestering the imaginative brain that he’s got since birth, Furuya quickly tug on Sawamura’s hand, intending to pull him up instead of leaving him laying on the cold, wet floor. The brunet half-consciously received the help, and stood up just within minutes.
“Are you alright?” asked Furuya, being the culprit himself. Step one in after injuring other living beings: Ask if they’re alright. Apologies can wait.
“Um... It kinda hurts, my head, I mean.” Replied the other male, his free hand rubbing the back of his head, those wet brown locks glistening under the bathroom’s orange light.
“Can you still walk by yourself?” Step two in after injuring other living beings: Ask the victim if they can walk by themselves, if not, proceed to step three... Wait, what was it again?
This is bad, if Furuya can’t even memorize the whole goddamn steps sequence to seek peace after causing others harm, how is he even going to avoid having that possibility of Sawamura being the ‘helpless bunny’ in this, all the while people blame Furuya for being the ‘menacing wolf’ and the coach gets a report of that?! Things surely would not end in his favour, he might end up getting sent back to Hokkaido with his hopes and dreams of becoming the best pitcher crushed to so many pieces that even his mother’s cutting knife (with its specialty of chopping the veggies to a size of Godly tiny delicacies) would be envious of. Once again, the same imaginary scene of Kuramochi ready to slay him with his baseball bat hung on his mind, and he can’t help but to cringe more when he thought he saw Miyuki crying animated tears for their loss of the Sawamura pitcher, Amen.
“I think not, I’m leaving anyways.” Furuya was relieved, not of Sawamura’s safety but of the avoidance of carrying the guy all the way to the nurse’s office, attracting unwanted attention all the way and possibility of having rumours the next day high as Mount Fuji.
He watched as Sawamura Eijun, the guy who always runs the fastest in their lap-running practise, wobbles in a speed so slow, a snail would have passed him in minutes, to the wooden racks, where his yellow hoodie could be seen visibly. His movements are slow and quite painful for the taller male to watch, so Furuya did that one thing when he sees an old lady trying to pass the busy road... Turn your head and ignore whatever that’s happening—
“Let me help.” Furuya spoke before his tongue can tie itself into a perfect bow. What the hell?
Sawamura, as expected, groaned in reply from his arrogant attitude. The male held up a hand, knowing pretty well that Furuya can see it, and made a ‘shooing’ hand gesture.
“You don’t have to.”
“What is that?”
“Hey, stop ignoring what I have to say!” a vein popped on Sawamura’s forehead, his face all scrunched up in a angry pout.
How cute. Furuya can work with this, rumours flying or not.
“I’m not telling you the third time: I don’t need your help.” Sawamura had his arms crossed, his glare on Furuya.
“Well, I don’t want people thinking that I left you all alone after I—“
Wait, did he...?
Did he pinned Sawamura to the floor without even realizing?
Oh shi—
Blood rushed up to Furuya’s face, realization hit him like a flying baseball Sawamura manage to throw from the mound.
He had just pinned another guy to the ground. He had just pinned Goddamn Sawamura to the floor, in a bathroom. And I repeat, a bathroom.
“What, you just noticed that I got tackled by you? Wow, thanks for the reminder, Mr. Monster Pitcher.” Sawamura stood there, his face still has that adorable pout on.
“And what’s with that look? I’m the victim here, you know.” Furuya felt his hand itching, the feeling of his fingers touching Sawamura’s skin burns, like Sawamura himself was a firewall. He remembered for a moment, their chests we’re touching, their fingers intertwined, and their breathing harsh and fiery...
He was on top of the guy, not to mention.
Furuya felt heat pooling inside of him, spreading from his chest and straight down to—
Oh God no.
Furuya quickly turned around, not wanting Sawamura to see what that was happening, or one for that matter. He pretty much wished the earth could swallow him whole, or rather, he’d like to dig a hole for his grave. Died from embarrassment, as what they would say after his funeral.
A hard-on, he had a boner.
And it’s because of another guy.
God, how messed up is him now?
“You’re quite heavy, do you know that?” added Sawamura, oblivious to whatever that was happening to Furuya.
Fucked.
Absolutely, undeniably fucked.