Prompt: You and I
----
"So? When are you going to do it?"
You looked up from your notebook, eyebrows furrowed together. "DOing what?"
"Don't play dumb!" Sachiko giggled, "When are you doing to confess to Miyuki?"
Yui beamed, "Oh, right! You've been crushing him since our first year, right?"
You froze, [e/c] orbs widened. "N-no, I don't!"
"Don't be stupid," Sachiko leaned back, looked like her homework won't get any attention for the rest of the night, "those boys maybe can't see it, but you're totally pinning for him since first year."
"I don't--" you spluttered, "Sacchin, do your work."
"I'm done, though," she grinned before leaning back to you, "so, when is it? We're third years already."
You threw your glance to your notebook, your unfinished homework staring at you, daring for you to finish it. Closing your eyes for a bit, you gave up, closing the book before folding your hands on the table and burying your face.
"I don't know what to do..." You mumbled, loud enough for Sachiko and Yui to hear although they had to lean to you. "Summer is coming, he'll be too busy about Koshien."
"You might not realize it, but you had it bad, you know."
"Yeah!" Sachiko chimed, "remember last year when Miyuki got injured? You were restless the whole day until he comes back from the doctor. And after that you keep asking how he felt until he's good enough to join practice."
Your face turned red at the reminder. You curled up even more, "Shu-shut up..."
"What are you doing in here?"
All three of you jumped at the new voice. Quickly standing up, you relaxed when it was Miyuki standing on the doorway. Guess doing homework at night on the canteen wasn't a good idea after all.
"Shouldn't you go to sleep?" He asked. He was holding a water bottle, probably here to take some ice. Why he need those in the middle of the night, you didn't want to know.
"We can ask you the same question, Miyuki." Sachiko said. "What do you need the ice for anyway?"
"Gotta stay awake for a bit longer," he answered once he took some ice and put in on his bottle. "But seriously, you need to sleep. You work hard today."
"So did you," you finally got your words back, "today practice was pretty hard. Make sure to have plenty rest."
Miyuki grinned, "Don't worry, I'm not the idiot who woke up at 5 to run laps."
You fumbled with the hem of your shirt as he made his way back to the doorway, passing you. Your cheeks were blared red, either it's because of his existence in general or the fact that Sachiko and Yui just reminded you how hard you have a crush on this guy. Probably both.
Miyuki stopped. He frowned and leaned to your face, "You okay, [Last Name]?" He brushed your bangs a bit, pressing the back of his palm to your forehead. "You look kinda red, do you have fever-- ack!"
"I'm okay!" You said, too loud as you used both of your hands to push his face away, "You have work to do, right? Better finish it fast so you can go to sleep. Well, I guess I'm done here, so I'll go to sleep. Night, Miyuki-kun!"
You quickly took your notebook and pencil case, rushing off to your room leaving Miyuki alone with Sachiko and Yui.
Gosh, you had it bad.
--
The next day, practice went as usual. With summer coming, Coach Kataoka has been subtly pushing both the regulars and the second and third string to practice harder. You along with the rest of the managers didn't stop collecting stray balls, refilling water bottles, and wash some of the towels that were to dirty to be used again. Busy day as always, something you were grateful off.
After last night, Miyuki hadn't talk to you again, too busy with practice and you spent your day trying to ignore the smiles Sachiko and Yui sent your way. Your day went good until Kuramochi came to you after practice.
"You fighting with Miyuki? Do I have to beat him up?"
"What? No! Youichi you don't have to do anything!" Your childhood friend looked at you as if he didn't believe, which probably was true.
"So what's wrong? You know if he tried anything funny Shirasu will help me, right?" Kuramochi said.
"Does it have anything to do with your feelings to him?"
You jumped at the new voice, turning around your first reflex was to slapped Shirasu in the arm. "Stop doing that!" You said.
"Oh, look, you didn't even try to deny it." He grinned.
Your face burned hot. "Shut up!" You said as you hit him again. Kuramochi cackling behind you.
Shirasu didn't wasn't even fazed, laughing along with Kuramochi. "Seriously, though, does it have anything to do with that?"
"Y-yeah..." You looked at your shoes, suddenly finding them more interesting than ever.
"Well, if that so, there's nothing we can do, right Kuramochi?"
The said boy threw a confused look. "Huh, really?"
"I said," Shirasu repeated, "there' nothing we can do, because [First Name] got it, right Kuramochi?"
"Oh! Oh, ya, right. You got this." Kuramochi ruffled your hair. You slap his hand away.
"How?" You asked, voice small. "Every time I talk to him outside from practice ends in a disaster."
"You'll know it when the right time comes." Shirasu smiled, eyes darting off to somewhere across the three of you but before you could pinpoint who he was looking at, he fixed his gaze to you.
"A little tips," Kuramochi threw his arm around your shoulder, a grin on his face as Shirasu leaned close to hear him, the same grin on his face. "Miyuki is bad at hiding his feelings."
You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion, but before you could ask what he meant Coach Kataoka called for everyone to regroup.
Maybe, if you weren't too busy trying to think what he meant, you would notice the way a pair of brown eyes across you burned in jealousy.
--
The worst thing of being a manager was the long way to your rooms to the canteen. Unlike the players, managers can share a room with anyone, so you were sharing with Sachiko and Yui, which made it almost impossible to avoid the teasing. You were just glad you managed to slip away from your room for a quick breather.
At night, the fields of Seido were always empty of life. Although it didn't change the fact that some people like to have an individual extra practice.
You made your way to Field A. On nights like this, they have the most stars.
You went straight to the dugout, hoping to be alone but someone beat you.
"Can't sleep again?" Miyuki teased. He was wearing a jersey, hands buried on its pockets. He already changed his sport glasses to his normal ones. "Gotta say, you might be insomniac."
"Shut it," you glared. You took a seat beside him. Not too close not to far, enough for your heart to start beating like crazy but not enough for him to hear.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, go ahead."
You actually expected to be stuck in an awkward situation. Miyuki was never the talking type if there was no one to tease, and you definitely can't blabber around with your crush so near. But, well, whatever his question was, you were ready to answer it.
"What's up with you with Kuramochi?"
Well, that caught you off guard.
"He's my childhood friend. Didn't you know that?" You chuckled, suddenly confused at the sour look Miyuki had.
"You look awfully close," he said.
"He's like a brother to me." You replied.
Miyuki hummed. For a minute he didn't say anything. "What about Shirasu?"
"Same, we're just friends." You raised your eyebrows, "Why? You jealous or something?" You mentally slapped yourself, way to go [First Name]. Soon enough this conversation will also ended up in disaster.
Miyuki scoffed. "To who? Shirasu? Kuramochi?"
The Seidou captain stood up. He grabbed a bat from under the blenchers, probably the reason why he was there from the first place. He threw his gaze away, refusing to look at you even as he stood silent.
"Miyuki-kun?" You asked, "are you jealous?"
"I'm not." He snapped. He finally threw his gaze to you but you found yourself flinching away. Miyuki seemed to regret that when his expression changed. "Sorry."
"No, it's fine." You fiddled with the hem of your shirt, a habit you really need to get rid off. Lying was really hard everytime that happen when you get nervous.
"No, it's not," Miyuki said, his face changed once again and when he threw you a smile it looked completely different than the ones he gave you, "I shouldn't do that. That's personal. Why should I care about your relationship with others? We're not that close."
You stood up, standing face to face with him. Cheeks blared. "But I want to be close with you, enough to talk personal."
A spark of courage suddenly blossomed on your heart. Your heart thumping loudly and you pray to any god up there for some support.
Miyuki stared at you eyes wide, mouth parted in a cute way you couldn't ignore. "What do you mean--"
"I like you!"
Miyuki froze, his mouth hanging open. "W-what?"
Realization washed you like hard waves and you slapped your mouth. You bet your cheeks were so red everyone can see. Fortunately there was only Miyuki in front of you. Unfortunately the reason you were so red was because you just confessed to him. Gosh, Sachiko and Yui were going to kill you for confessing like that.
"A-ahaha!" You nervously laughed, "I'm sorry for dropping a bomb like that!" You locked your eyes to him, words kept hidden suddenly poured like waterfall, "I really gotta confess now, huh? You're about to get busy with Koshien and other stuff and you're totally don't have time for dating! Not like you like me or something but well, you know, so uh--"
"[First Name], I'm sorry I can't--"
"It's okay! You don't like me back, I get it, sorry for taking your attention away from preparing for Summer, make sure you win, okay!" You quickly turned your heel, walking away from Miyuki. You ignore the hot tears that traveled down your cheeks, squeezing your eyes shut as you try to ignore the pain that burst in your heart.
You were at the bottom of the stairs when you felt a hand circling around your wrist.
"You didn't let me finish."
There was something on his tone that made you turned to him. You saw the moment he flinched when he saw your tears.
Miyuki reached out, wiping your tears away when you didn't flinch back. "I'm sorry I can't give you the time you deserve now. I didn't say anything about not liking you back."
You tilted your head, "You... like me?"
Miyuki laughed, soft and small but it was genuine. "Of course, why do you think I asked those questions before?"
You wipe the remaining of your tears with your free hand. "You could have just tell me the real reason you know."
"I know, sorry about that," he grinned, "thought I should tease you for a bit but it backfired--" you slapped his arm "ow! Okay, okay," he sighed, "I'm not good at this, you know, feelings, so I tried to avoid it as much as I can but seeing you cry... well let's say I don't like it."
Listening to him, you couldn't help but smile. "Mochi was right."
"Huh?"
"He said you're bad at feelings."
Now it was Miyuki who was burned. His cheeks flared red as he his hand slipped down your wrist so now you were holding hands. It felt nice. His felt perfect with yours.
"What do you mean you can't give me the time I deserve?"
Miyuki smiled. Gently, he pulled you back to the dugout, patting a spot beside him as he sat. When you sat down, he looked at the baseball field in front of you.
"You said it yourself. Summer is coming, I have to put my mind to the game. I can't give you time if focusing on the game all the time." He rubbed soothing circles at the back of your hand.
You leaned to him, smiling, "It's okay, I can wait."
"You can?"
"Yeah," you looked up, heart so content when his brown eyes looked back at you, "after you win the tournament, when you finally free from your spot as a captain of this team, we can do... whatever this is. Dating, or something like that."
"You would wait?"
"I liked you since first year, Miyuki-kun. I can wait a bit longer."
At that, Miyuki smiled again. He threw his arms around you and hugged you close, burying his face in your hair. How can he do it with his glasses on you didn't want to know. "Okay."
You hugged him back, sighing in content. "Just make sure you win."
"I will," he squeezed you close, whispering a promise, "I'll win, and I'll give you the world."
You close your eyes, drowing on the promise. Tomorrow, you'll wake up lighter, for the boy you loved loved you back. And even if you have to wait to finally put a name in your relationship, it's okay. It'll be worth it if you give it a little bit longer.