(Edited)
Hi everyone!
I was planning to post this earlier but it slipped my mind but here it is!
This was requested by @AsamiRyuzaki and it took me such a long time to actually write and finish it so I'm really sorry!
Stay safe and enjoy~
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"(First name)-chan!" You beam upon hearing Sawamura's voice calling you over
"Ei-chan, everything alright?" You ask him
"Can you catch for me again tonight?" He asks excitedly while you grin
"Sure!" You agree, not able to say no to Sawamura's adorable smiling face
You first knew Sawamura as the kid who got late on the first day at the team, you never really gave him much attention since most of your focus was on working as a manager, but after the coach trusted Sawamura to Chris in Summer, you two formed a friendship...both ready to follow Chris around and give him a headache
After the Summer tournament, it seems like Sawamura got into a slump, now that he's already fine, you promised that you would help him improve and achieve his dream of becoming an ace, even if that means that you'll have to stay at a much more later time than most
"What pitch should we try tonight? Should we ask Chris-senpai?" You both talk as you walk toward the cafeteria
"But he's really busy studying," You point out, remembering the sight of Chris, looking so done with his studies (That or cause of the other third years, you'll never know)
"Then Miyuki-senpai?" Sawamura asks and your smile almost drops
"Well if you want to." You smile, trying to hide your disdain
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"Okay Ei-chan, give me your best shot!" You say, putting your mitt in the middle, "Don't worry about hitting me! I have a thick skull!" You reassure him
"That's right," Miyuki's voice says from beside you, you resist the urge to roll your eyes
"What are you doing here? Thought you had other plans?" You scowl as you perfectly catch Sawamura's pitch
"Nice ball Ei-chan!" You compliment him and throw the ball back at him, "Do you wanna try practicing your fastballs next?" You ask
"Yeah!"
"Plans? I don't remember having anything?" Miyuki replies
"Last time I checked, you couldn't be bothered cause you were catching for the great ace-sama," You give him a side glare, you didn't completely hate Miyuki, as much as you hated to admit it; he was a catcher you've always respected even back when you were in the senior league, but it infuriates you how he always seems indifferent to Sawamura and treats him like some sort of idiot
"We finished, Coach Ochiai wanted to talk to him,"
"Course he does," You huff, if there was anybody else you dislike more than Miyuki was that new coach, it was so obvious that he has favorites that you almost wonder if he has the ability to lead a strong team like Seido...or at least help the players grow
"Should I take over now?" He asks after watching you and Sawamura continue to practice his pitches
"No, we're fine." You reply coldly
"We're playing a game this coming Friday, Is your name on the line-up (First name)-chan?" He smirks at your glare
"You have afternoon training to work your batteries, why can't you do it at that time then?" You ask back, "Cause your focusing on someone else?"
"We have to practice the main battery,"
"Then practice it!"
"I told you—"
Sawamura watches you and Miyuki argue, he didn't know whether he should step in before anything big happens but then he remembers that time he angered Miyuki and he was pushed onto the wall, completely feeling Miyuki's wrath
"(First name)-chan!" Sawamura yells, catching your attention, "Isn't it getting way too late? Won't your parents be worried?"
"I told them I'm going home late," You reply
"Wo-won't it be too dangerous?"
"I have my pepper spray and I think I have a pretty strong punch." You glare at Miyuki at that one, "Do you want to see?"
"AH!" Sawamura exclaims running towards you and hugging you from behind, holding you back from hurting the captain
Miyuki's eyes lingers on Sawamura's arms wrapped around your waist, clicking his tongue he looks away as Sawamura tried to persuade you to go home
"But I'll get worried!" He hears Sawamura
'That won't work, that girl's stubbornness exceeds that of a normal person.' He thinks
"But...I can stand up for myself!" You whine
"(First name)-chan!"
"Fine," You finally agree
'Oi oi seriously?' Miyuki blinks, watching as you give Sawamura a hug
You turn Sawamura so you were now looking at Miyuki, you motion to him that you were watching him and then show him your fist, indicating that you're ready to resort to violence if he even tries to hurt Sawamura
"I'll see you tomorrow Ei-chan," You bid him goodbye after you take off your catcher gear and pick up your bag
"And Miyuki-senpai," You stop and look at Miyuki
"Yes~" Miyuki replied, expecting you to also say goodbye to him
"Don't call me (First name)-chan."
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Days passed since your argument with Miyuki and you've been trying to avoid the catcher, but for some odd reason, he starts coming to your night practice with Sawamura, often telling you that he'll handle it and you should go home
"Seriously that guy," You click your tongue, "I even have to call him my senior," You huff
"You know, you have an aura around you which just says you're thinking bad about someone," Miyuki's voice cut through your thoughts as you glare at him
"That's cause I'm thinking about you!" You reply without holding anything back
"Oh? I'm happy to hear I'm in your mind then (First name)-chan~"
"Yeah, and you're already on your knees in pain in it." You answer dryly
"And don't call me (First name)-chan!" You glare at him
"Miyuki-senpai!" Sawamura's voice calls out, making you tear your deathly gaze from Miyuki into a much more happy one for Sawamura
"Ei-chan!" You call out, waving enthusiastically
"And (First name)-chan!" He grins
Miyuki watches you two again, for the past days he's been disturbing your time with Sawamura, he noticed you always look happy with him, it was as if your death stare was strictly for him
"Are we still on tonight?" You ask Sawamura but he just rubs the back of his neck
"Miyuki-senpai already promised me that he would catch for me." He says awkwardly
"Him?!" You point at Miyuki
"Why are you so surprised? We are the battery in the game." Miyuki says
"Yeah yeah whatever," You huff, "If he does anything to you, make sure to call me." You pat Sawamura's head
"Oi, what do you think I would do?"
"I don't know! You have a lot with your asshole ways!"
"We're just practicing, the official battery that's going to play in games,"
"So what if I can't play in offi—"
"Okay! Miyuki-senpai, boss is looking for you!" Sawamura cuts in before another argument could ensue; for the past few days Sawamura has been the mediator of your fights, always stepping in even before you could rip Miyuki's throat out
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You watch the two of them with a scowl, hiding by the entrance of the indoor training area, you still didn't know what came over Miyuki that he had the sudden urge to practice with Sawamura
But even you couldn't deny that Sawamura's learning a lot from him...even though you didn't want to admit it
You continue to watch them, still annoyed with the fact that you couldn't deny the difference in skills between you and Miyuki, sure you're good yourself, but if you were good then Miyuki was better
They continue to go on for a few more minutes before Miyuki tells Sawamura that was enough and he should rest
Your eyes widen as you try to find a place where you could hide, you listen to them argue as Sawamura finally leaves to go to the bathroom
You wait for a few more minutes before finally going out of your hiding spot that was in between the indoor exercise room
"What are you doing here?" You hear Miyuki's voice
"I came to watch your practice it's Ei-chan!" You reply as a matter of factly
'Ei-chan this, Ei-chan that, is Ei-chan everything in her vocabulary?' He thinks to himself
"Why cause you want to catch for him?"
"Yes!"
"I'm already here, I'm the first string catcher, so why do you keep on insisting to do it?" He asks growing annoyed
"So what?" You huff, "It's not like your first priority is Ei-chan, right? If someone else asks you to catch for them then you would instantly ignore him!"
"That's because I have to keep on practicing with all the possible batteries in the first string, how about you? What will you get out of doing this?!"
"I'll be a help in helping him to grow!" You reply, already feeling angry, "I'll help him become an ace! I'll catch for him so he could practice! I'll do my best to lead him!"
"You?" Miyuki laughs but it wasn't like his usual one, instead, it was dark and didn't have an ounce of humor in them, "You can't even continue baseball in high school, what gives you the idea that you'll be able to help him grow?"
You feel something caught in your throat, you knew it, god every day you doubt yourself whether you really have the ability to do so, but you still try because in the end, Sawamura had a bright future ahead of him and you want him to reach that future
"Do you have enough knowledge about the game? Of his abilities? Can you be so sure that you'll pull him up? You can't even become an official battery with him!"
"Who cares!" You yell, not caring if anybody hears you, "Just because I can't become his partner doesn't mean I'll stop! Just because I'm not as fucking good as you doesn't mean I won't do it! Just because I'm not officially part of the team doesn't mean I don't know him! I want him to grow! I want him to achieve his dreams! And I'll do it even if I'm just some manager!" By now you were breathing heavily, feeling like you were about to blow
"You-" You point at Miyuki as tears made out of frustration starts to form in the corner of your eyes, "-May have talent and abilities but my god Miyuki Kazuya, you're so stupidly selfish that you leave me so frustrated every time!"
"Your reasoning's so faulty! Don't you see? Those spectators, that new coach, and even you! You don't put him as a priority! You consider him as some sort of idiot! It annoys me every time somebody looks down on him 'cause Eijun's not any of those things they keep on saying!" You brush away the stray tears that fall down, "I can't believe I have to call you the captain of the baseball team," You spat out before you push past him and run away, unable to keep your tears at bay and finally breaking down
Miyuki watches after your figure, eyes wide at the sudden display of tears. He didn't want things to go so far, he didn't even think the two of end up fighting so intensely
"I'll just apologize tomorrow," He says
But you never gave him the chance, you didn't even talk to him
Even the next day
And the next
Then the next
It was already Friday, a week after your big fight with Miyuki and you still don't even talk to him, he's asked Sawamura about you but the pitcher didn't even notice anything different, he asked the other managers but they all just smiled apologetically at him (Except Sachiko, he could feel that she was ready to smash him to pieces)
Now there was only one more person he could think of that would be close to you
"Chris-san, mind if I go in?" He asks, peaking through the door in Chris' bedroom and seeing the third year already on his work table
"Miyuki," He says surprised, "You need anything from me?"
"Yeah," Miyuki sighs, "Sorry for intruding but I need help with (First name)," He winces as he watches Chris slowly nod
"I was wondering about that," Chris admits, "Whenever you're mentioned she looks like she wants to both punch someone and make them leave this planet." Chris replies, "What happened?" He asks, turning his chair to face Miyuki who retold your fight with him
"-I don't even know where she got the idea that I don't consider Sawamura a priority...but that's probably my fault," He sighs, "Not only that but I didn't think she would feel that strongly about helping Sawamura, I was just giving my honest thoughts." He says apologetically as Chris listens intently, "I guess I also felt a bit annoyed that she seemed to always spend her time with Sawamura," Miyuki adds quietly as Chris nods
"I know," Chris nods, "Every time she rants about you, it always seems like you're really giving her your attention," Chris adds when Miyuki gives him a questioning look
"She rants about me?"
"...You probably won't like what she says..."
"Figured," Miyuki sweatdrops, "But Chris-san, what should I do? That kid just listens to either you, the other third years, the managers, and Sawamura."
"Just be honest and tell her everything," Chris replies simply, "She's stubborn but she isn't inconsiderable."
"You make it sound so easy," Miyuki sigh
"Just approach her, alright." Chris says calmly, "Avoid fighting and tell her everything you feel."
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'Even if you say that I can't even approach her without her running away,' Miyuki thinks, walking through the buildings until he reaches the indoor training area, looking inside he noticed you putting on your catcher gear
"(First name)!" He calls and he has never seen someone whip their head so fast as you did
You scowl at him and turn away, once again focusing on your helmet
"Let's talk." He says, walking towards you, "Look..." He begins, but you didn't even try to make it look like you were listening to him, "I'm sorry for everything I said alright? But I still stand by it. I understand that you want to help him but without me or any other catcher-"
"I don't have a problem with any other catcher." You mumble
"-He won't be able to grow, we're a team so practicing our signals and team strategy is part of why I need to train with him...I also didn't mean to give you the idea that I disregard Sawamura's ability, he's a talented kid, sure he's rough around the edges but as you could see he's grown both as a pitcher and baseball player."
Finally, you turn to him, "You're not just saying that?"
"I meant every word," Miyuki replies, "Honestly, why would you think I would catch for someone I don't respect?"
"Fine..."You mutter, "I guess I should also apologize that I ended up shouting at you-"
"Not the first time," Miyuki mutters
"-And calling you a bunch of names,"
You hold out a hand to Miyuki which he raises an eyebrow at, "Let's work hard on helping Ei-chan reach the top,"
'Well, Chris-san did say I should be honest.' Miyuki thinks
"Also," Miyuki continues, "I felt a bit...jealous 'cause you keep on giving your attention to Sawamura." He confesses, looking at you for any kind of reaction
You stare at each other for almost a full minute before you jump back, "Eh?!" You exclaim, eyes wide at what Miyuki said
"That means—you like—I'm your—" You stammers, still processing what he said, you look at him as if to confirm what you just heard and he nods
"Well...that doesn't change anything," You reply, finally calming down and smiling at him, "Miyuki Kazuya, you better make sure to help him grow, or else all the fights and talk we had would be for nothing." You say, holding your hand out once more, "As annoying as it is, you're his partner so the best person here to help him grow is you."
"Of course, I will." He smiles himself as he grabs your hand and shakes it, "Let's work hard, alright (First name)-chan?" He winks and uses your hand to pull you closer
"What are you..."
"Should we seal our promise?" He grins teasingly as your face grows hot
"(FIRST NAME)-CHAN I'M SO SORRY I'M LATE! BEARD-SENPAI KEPT ON HOLDING ME AT CHOKE HOLD!"
You push Miyuki away and cough, "A-actually Miyuki-senpai would catch for you," You say, already starting to take off your helmet
Miyuki sighs but smiles to himself, next time for sure, he would definitely get you