Why Can't I Catch For You?

Compensation

Miyuki's eyes widened as he saw Sawamura collapse to the floor. "SAWAMURA!" He hurried back to the pitcher and checked his temperature. It was blazing hot. "Damn it, how come I didn't realize it sooner? He had a fever the whole time! That idiot!" Miyuki hurriedly carried Sawamura up in his arms and rushed towards the nurse's office.

~~~

Shit. This was all my fault.

If only I paid more attention to him and stopped coming to conclusions. How come I had so little confidence in him? Here I am, thinking about how that kiss might've ruined his pitching when he was suffering from something else entirely. How could I have been so ignorant? I can't believe I let this happen...

Miyuki scratched his head in exasperation and worry. He stared at Sawamura's sleeping face, flushed red from the high fever. At least his breathing was back to normal again. And again, how did I not notice how he was staggering to breakfast or how out of shape he was after the 5 lap jog?

Sawamura stirred slightly and opened his eyes. Miyuki let out a sigh of relief. "Seriously, making me worry about you. Why didn't  you say anything? You're an idiot, but your health comes first, Bakamura. What's a game or two if you can't even pitch? Geez, you pitchers and your egos." Sawamura noticed Miyuki had a frown on his face, but his eyes were saying the exact opposite. He smiled weakly. "Sorry for the trouble, Miyuki-senpai. I was planning to hide the fever, but it looks like I would've been caught sooner or later anyways. If you weren't there, Kuramochi would've reported me to the coach either way."

At that, Miyuki grimaced. "When did Kuramochi find out?" Sawamura pondered for a bit, his hand resting on his chin. "I think during breakfast, after you left." Miyuki gripped the bedsheets tightly and cursed. "What's wrong?" the pitcher asked, surprised by the sudden show of aggressiveness. "Nothing. Just that Kuramochi noticed before I did. What a horrible boyfriend I am."

"Wait, what?! I never said anything about being your b-boyfriend!" Sawamura scooted all the way to the edge of the bed, blushing even more with the fever. "Oh~ you didn't? It seems like your body replied before you did. You were definitely heads over heels for that kiss, weren't you~" The catcher teased, crawling on the bed. He inched closer to Sawamura and pushed him down to the bed, so he was looking down at him. Sawamura squirmed underneath his gaze. Miyuki chuckled in response. "You're so adorable." He reached down to brush a strand of hair away from his face and leaned close to his ear. "I love you." He whispered, and landed a soft kiss on the pitcher's lips. Sawamura instinctively moved to wrap his arms around him and then blushed in embarrassment when he realized what he was doing. "But seriously, don't ever make me worry like that again. I was losing years off of my life waiting for you to wake up."

They just continued to stare into each other's eyes before an all too familiar voice interrupted. "Are you done flirting yet? I can't believe you still have the nerve to do that, Miyuki, after you failed to even notice his health." Miyuki glared daggers at him. "I'd like to say the same to you. Why didn't you say anything after you suspected Sawamura was sick?" This time, it was Kuramochi's turn to stay silent.

"That's what I th-"

"Because it's up to him to decide whether or not he could play in the games. I know he's an idiot at times, but the decision belongs to him. Just like how Ryo-san hid his injury last year." Kuramochi cut in.

"And how did that end out, huh? He just pulled us down. He was still switched out with Haruichi." Miyuki argued, attacking the main point. "Let me add that I was the one who also hid your injury too, Miyuki. We would've lost that game without you.Plus, you think you would've wanted to get switched out by Ono or someone? Don't you dare use the captain title as an excuse. Sawamura is as important to the team as Furuya is. If he says he can do it, then let him."

Sawamura shone with enthusiasm. "Kuramochi-senpai praised me! Alright, time to go practice-" Miyuki pushed him down before he could sit up straight. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Obviously to practice! I feel so much better after sleeping!" Sawamura said, trying to convince him with his over enthusiastic attitude. "You just took Tylenol, so the fever would only go down for  4 hours. You're not in any position to pitch. Just take the day off to rest and come back even stronger tomorrow." Miyuki made sure to include the word 'tomorrow' so Sawamura wouldn't worry about his starting position the following game. Sawamura brightened up immensely. "Alright, if that's what the captain wants! I'll make sure to get 12 hours of sleep and get even better tomorrow! You better watch out, or you'll get beaten by the humble Sawamura! Bwahahaha!"

"I don't think 12 hours is necessary. 8 is fine.." Miyuki intervened, but Sawamura was already pulling his blanket up, his eyes shut. Miyuki grinned widely as he noticed that Sawamura was pretending to be asleep. "Let's see if you can actually beat me then. Shall we make the loser do whatever the winner wants?"  Sure enough, Sawamura reacted exactly how Miyuki predicted. He bolted upright and shouted, "Wait, what? But I was only joking!" Miyuki shook his head and continued to tease him. "No can do, Bakamura. You already said the words. You can't take them back. Unless," Miyuki leaned his forehead on Sawamura's and held his chin up, so they were looking directly at each other. "you admit that you're a coward and that you're a quitter. Not that hard, right?"

Sawamura's face flushed red and he screamed back "I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT, EVEN IF I DIED! WHAT MADE YOU THINK I WOULD SAY SOMETHING LIKE THAT?!" Miyuki's returning smile made Sawamura's blood boil. "Because that's what you're being right now. A coward. A real man never takes back their own words. They take responsibility for them. Doesn't seem to me like you're much of a man right now." In the corner of his eye, he saw Kuramochi shake his head in disapproval.

"Fine! I'll compete with you tomorrow! The loser has to do what the winner wants right? The deals on."Sawamura replied with a hint of hesitation in his voice. It is Miyuki after all. What is he trying to do? As far as he knew, Miyuki was always a scheming something to make someone suffer. He just never knew he would be the victim.

Miyuki's chuckling became loud bursts of laughter and he was cracking up all of a sudden. "Hahaha! You're so gullible, Sawamura! And you're such a sucker to praise, too! This is too interesting! Alright, I'm not going easy on you tomorrow! See you!" Miyuki got up to leave the nurse's office, but stopped at the entrance. He turned to look back at Sawamura again, and saw that he was talking to Kuramochi about something. Well, it was more like Kuramochi was lecturing him about how stupid he was. But then, Kuramochi turned to look at him with a smirk.

"I can participate in this game too, right? For a batting competition?" Miyuki was about to argue, but he saw how Sawamura was bouncing with joy. "A showdown between the senpais! I can't wait!" But then that meant that if Kuramochi won, he would be able to ask for one favor from the loser. And that would mean Sawamura, since Gods know if Sawamura can even swing correctly. He hesitated, and Kuramochi took that moment to provoke him. "Don't tell me you're scared to face me. What happened to your confidence earlier? It looks like the captain isn't as good as he deems to be." Sawamura also looked disappointed as he listened. "Aww, you're quitting already? I thought you would definitely compete against Kuramochi-senpai!" He pouted.

Miyuki sighed in exasperation. "Fine, you can compete. But I don't plan on losing." Kuramochi smirked and replied "Kya ha ha! You'd better not lose, or your boyfriend will be sleeping with me the whole night. With no interruptions." 

Miyuki looked like he got shot. "What?"