The Catcher's Job
People who don't know baseball don't know that catching is the most mentally demanding position in the entire game. A good catcher doesn't just catch - he must know the game the way a coach would. The catcher's job is to read his team, to observe, to decide the outcome of the pitch. The catcher, crouching in position behind home base, is the only member who faces in the same direction as the opposing team's batter. He sees his own team and gauges their readiness. He sees the batter from up close and measures his emotional state, reading through the other team's strategy. His eyes meet the pitcher's. He nods, giving the signal.
Yuuri has been obsessed with baseball ever since his father took him to the all-day training camp where he was able to catch a pro's ball. It was a shining moment in his childhood, and a turning point in his life. He has been playing catcher ever since. He has been making split-second decisions, strategizing, and determining victories ever since.
While it may seem like just a dirty hobby, baseball, Yuuri decides, is what helped prepare him to be king. He is used to having the whole field in front of him, directing plays as the infield coach. Now, he is standing before a kingdom, which is just like a much bigger field. (Unlike the actual coach, however, the catcher is always in the middle of the action, to the chagrin of Yuuri's retainers.)
People who don't know baseball…don't know that Yuuri sees a lot more than they think.
Maybe it's because he never took much of an interest in things like dating and relationships while on Earth (dropping them in favor of baseball), but almost everyone seems to think that Yuuri is utterly clueless about love, just like he's supposedly clueless about politics, race relations, and how to be a proper king. Most people never stop to wonder why the Maou, who knows nothing, can also be the Maou, who is universally beloved by his citizens and who has, in the space of a measly few years, ushered in the greatest era of peace and prosperity that Shin Makoku has ever witnessed in over 4000 years of history.
What most people do not know is that Yuuri is not just a bumbling fool, though he grudgingly admits that this description is sometimes accurate. He is young, and lacking in knowledge, but his old soul is wise. (Some people, however, cannot be fooled. Murata is one of them, having successfully pinned Yuuri as the "leader type".)
Yuuri may be inexperienced, but clueless? That he is not. Not about extending his friendship to visiting foreign dignitaries in order to achieve the most beneficial treaty, and certainly not about love. Every morning that he wakes up with the sun shining in his hair and Conrad in his arms, whispering, "Good morning, Yuuri. Ready for our run?" is a moment that he thinks, Yes, this is love.
On this particular morning, their routine starts as usual. Conrad is already waiting in the courtyard, immaculately dressed and smiling. He absolutely does not look like he was just in bed, rumpled pajamas, tousled hair and all, just fifteen minutes ago. Yuuri stretches a bit, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. They start off, Conrad setting a brisk, challenging pace. The soldier is aware of each tiny signal that his companion gives, and adjusts himself accordingly.
When they return, Conrad grabs the water canteen and Yuuri gets the towels laid out on the bench. They look at each other and, with nothing more than smiles passing between them, suddenly swap items.
The maids, hiding behind the laundry, surreptitiously watch as the scene unfolds, all the while whispering furiously amongst themselves.
"They're doing that freaky telepathy thing again."
"It's like…their minds are touching!"
"A meeting of minds! How romantic!"
Yuuri overhears bits and pieces of the girls' not-so-secret conversation and he grins, the lop-sided smile stretching wide across, lighting up his face.
"Ne, Conrad. Do you think we'll ever—"
"—Finish each other's sentences?"
Yuuri slaps his palm to his forehead, laughing hysterically. A few moments later, Conrad can contain it no longer and follows suit, their voices mingling in the crisp morning air.
The catcher's job is to be the playmaker, to understand his teammates, especially the pitcher. Even with such an important position, he would still be nothing without his pitcher. The pitcher, then, must also understand the catcher and respond appropriately. Yuuri has become quite a good catcher over the years. He thinks that Conrad is a good pitcher, too.
They make a good team.