Hello all! Sorry for being gone for so long! I literally have a jacked up nerve in my hand which left me unable to do anything for the longest time. It's still messed up and has basically made it to where I haven't wanted to touch my computer in a very long time. *glares at wrist*. However I am done with school and should be a functioning adult before long. Plus I found my motivation to pull myself out of the slump I was in and to pick up my stories that I felt soo bad for abandoning for so long! But enough about me. You didn't come here to hear me rant, you came for the update! I hope you enjoy!

~*Learning More*~

"Quit being such a stick in the mud Miyuki!" Jun cackled as he pulled into a parking space in the huge lot.

'Why of all nights did she have to be busy?' Miyuki thought to himself while climbing out of the car.

The last weekend had been amazing. Far beyond what Miyuki had expected from Tonya. He could hardly wait till the next time he got to play with her. Suddenly a week apart seemed so long despite their daily meetings at practice. He'd planned on dropping by that night to surprise her, only to be stopped by Kuramochi. He'd dropped the bomb that Tonya had made mention that she would be out that evening. Count on the shortstop to ruin his mood. And upon seeing Miyuki in a sour mood, he'd been invited out by a few of the upper classmen to check out some local games going on that night. With nothing better to do, Miyuki had agreed on going.

The man looked around for the first time since he'd gotten out of the car. He was surprised to see them at a complex. A softball one at that. He'd heard of tournaments of all kinds being held at this complex. And when it wasn't used for big tournaments, it was in use for local teams. Miyuki scoffed at those playing the current sport. Slowpitch. To him it just seemed like people trying to hold on to their glory days or for those who couldn't cut it playing college ball. Anyone could hit a slow moving ball. It didn't take much skill.

"Come on Grey it's all you baby!" Miyuki's head snapped up when he heard that last name.

He could swear he was hearing things as Miyuki stopped and listened once more. He heard the name called again as he trailed off to the field he'd heard the name called from. Standing in the batter's box sporting a nice looking black and red jersey with long black pants was Tonya. Even her jersey had her last name on it as she set herself up and got ready for the pitch. Miyuki could hardly believe that the very person he'd been wishing to see was standing in the batter's box now. Curiosity got the better of him as he leaned on the fence and watched the pitch. It was achingly slow for him. But for the brunette, she timed it just right and pulled the ball hard. It went whizzing down the line and was called fair as she took off around the bases. Miyuki was amazed by her speed as Tonya took first and second by the time the left fielder had gotten the ball. The fielder gunned the ball back in as Tonya didn't hesitate in sliding into the base.

"Safe!" the umpire called as the red and black team let out cheers for the girl.

Now Miyuki was really curious. He stayed on his spot on the fence watching the game play out. Despite the speed of the pitch, the balls still flew through the field hard and were thrown just as hard. And some of the women playing were big and strong. More than once he saw players from each team either hit the fence on a line drive or blast it over. Miyuki glanced over to the field behind him and saw a drastic difference in skill. They were just beginners who didn't have as much power or skill as the field Tonya was playing on. She was on a competitive team.

"This would explain how she knows so much. The sports aren't that much different really. I wonder if this is how she injured her knee as well?" Miyuki asked himself out loud as he continued to watch the game.

Tonya's team got to bat once more before ball game was called due to her team run ruling the other team. They shook hands out in the middle before returning to gather their equipment. It was then Miyuki wandered down the fence to the dugout. He smirked to himself as he waited for Tonya to come out and get her things, hovering just behind her.

"Tonya, you have a visitor." A red headed girl called out to her teammate. The girl turned and let out a squeak upon seeing Miyuki so close.

"Damnit Miyuki! Don't do that! And how in the hell did you find out I was here?" Tonya growled at the boy who just chuckled.

"Happy coincidence. When you said you were busy, Jun convinced me to come out and take in some games. I must say I'm glad I did." He snickered lightly as the girl grabbed her gear and moved to the bleachers.

"Guess my secret's out. So, what do you want to know?" Tonya asked as she put her bag near her feet and began digging around.

"I'm curious is all. I've never actually sat around and watched slowpitch. What's it like?" Miyuki glanced over to see her pull out the chorded necklace he'd given her. He'd be lying if he said he didn't get just the tad bit excited upon seeing her put it on.

"It's not much different than baseball. The ball is a bit bigger, you can't steal, fields are only about 300 ft. deep, and we use composite bats vs. metal or wooden. But it's still fun. Especially in C league." Tonya grinned as she turned her attention to the game about to begin.

"'C league'?" Miyuki scooted a bit closer to her to hear her better over the noise.

"Yeah. The leagues are broken up here so that it's a bit more even. There's E, which is the beginners. D is for those who are somewhat competitive but casual. Then you've got C where I play and we tend to be much more polished. There's also A and B league players but they tend to travel around more and they take it way to seriously. I like to play competitively, but still have fun. My super competitive days are over." She grinned as she watched a bang bang play take place.

"And your knee?" Miyuki gently placed a hand on her left leg, feeling her tense up under his touch.

"It's okay. Still gives me problems but I'll be fine. I have a sleeve on to help keep the pain in check, but I'll need to ice it later on. I got a good workout at short stop tonight." She motioned over her dirty uniform. Clearly she'd been diving around out on the field before he'd gotten there.

"Miyuki! There you are! Oh, hey Grey-chan." Kawakami called out when he'd spotted the two on the bleachers near each other.

"I knew you played every so often with the throw together players on campus. I didn't know you played for a league team too. No wonder you actually know what you're talking about when you're out there with us." Kuramochi joked as he hopped on to the bleachers and sat on her other side.

"Her uniform is dirtier than I've seen yours in a while, and you both play the same position." Miyuki tacked on, causing the boy to balk.

"I'm guessing you have another game if you're still waiting around?" Jun asked as he and Kawakami joined them.

"Yeah. After this one." Tonya motioned to the game currently playing on the field now.

"Tonya! Damn, nice harem you got going on." The same red head from earlier called out. She had short spiky hair and stood taller than the brunette wedged between Miyuki and Kuramochi.

"These are just guys from the team I'm a trainer with. Guys this is Minako Riko. She's our third baseman." Tonya introduced as the red head squeezed in on the bleachers.

"I thought you kept school and ball separate for this reason?" Riko asked, narrowing her eyes at her teammate.

"I tried. Happy coincidence apparently." Tonya shrugged as they all turned back to the game.

Conversation flowed naturally as Miyuki got to see yet another side of Tonya. Sports was definitely her forte. He didn't even have the heart to mess with her as she talked. Her face seemed to just light up as she talked about playing, the tournaments they had planned, and the upcoming start of the baseball season with the guys. Before long she had to head back on to the field to play her last game. Miyuki opted for standing near the dugout once more to get a clear view of the field, but more importantly so he could watch Tonya.

The same pull that had originally drawn Miyuki to Tonya flared to life as he watched her play on the field. She talked loudly to her teammates, was able to bait runners into outs, had quite the range when chasing down fly balls, and had an arm to gun most runners down should they try and run on her. Not to mention her batting skills. She wasn't the strongest hitter, but she knew where to place the ball to move runners around. If Miyuki didn't already have some kind of claim on her, that night would've dammed sure tried his hardest to get her attention.

"Guess you're going to need a bath when you get back huh?" Miyuki teased, motioning to her dirty clad uniform as she changed from her turf shoes to sandals.

"Yeah. I stink bad." Tonya wrinkled her nose up as she grabbed her bag and tossed it over her shoulder. "Ow!"

Tonya hissed just loud enough for Miyuki to hear. He looked over to see her favoring the left leg again. Without a word, he grabbed Tonya's bag off her shoulder put it on the ground. He dug through the top pocket and pulled her phone, keys, and necklace out before zipping the bag back up and putting it on his back. Miyuki shot her a look, daring her to argue with him as his dom side started to come out. Tonya rolled her eyes, but didn't fight him regardless.

"Miyuki, where are you going?" Jun called out when he saw the two diverting off to a different direction.

"I'm taking gimpy back home. She tweaked her knee in that last game. I'm gonna make sure our trainer practices what she preaches. I'll be back later don't worry." Miyuki called over his shoulder before catching up to Tonya.

"You just wanna watch me suffer don't you?" Tonya asked as she glanced up at him.

"A little." Miyuki admitted. He saw the truck in the second row of the parking lot and clicked the unlock button before tossing her stuff in the back.

"Say anything negative about my truck…." She threatened as Miyuki fired the vehicle up.

"I'll behave for now." Miyuki promised as he pulled out of there and headed back to the apartment complex.

The drive back was quiet for the most part. Tonya had to admit she was impressed. Miyuki kept his comments to himself, nodded along with her music, and even let her use the jacket he'd been wearing as rest to prop her knee up. She couldn't help the small smile forming on her face as they pulled into the parking lot underneath the complex.

"I still think you'd benefit from a new vehicle." Miyuki finally said as he shut the truck off.

"You're giving me a place to live. Don't push it." Tonya warned as she slid herself out and back on to her feet. "My equipment stays here."

"Got it." Miyuki left her gear in the truck and headed over to give her support should she start to stumble with her gimp.

Tonya could see the question burning in his eyes. He wanted to know how she'd injured herself. She sighed internally to herself as she leaned into Miyuki upon entering the elevator. She felt an arm wrap around her to help stabilize her as the elevator began to move. She still didn't feel like she could trust him. But Miyuki had done quite a bit for her since she'd discovered his secret. Above and beyond actually. Not counting the whole dom/sub thing, she found she didn't mind his company. Even before they'd started sharing an apartment she hadn't minded Miyuki's company. Just the company that tended to find him.

'It has been about a month and a half now. I guess I could give him a bone and see where it goes.' Tonya thought to herself as the elevator door opened and they stepped off.

"Grab me the ice pack from the freezer please." Tonya called out as she pulled off her jersey and flung it on the couch she was heading for.

"So, how badly did you over do it?" Miyuki asked once he'd grabbed the ice pack and headed back to the couch where she was now missing her pants. She was currently sitting in just her sports bra and spandex shorts.

"It's pretty swollen but not too bad. I'll just drug myself up tonight. No class tomorrow." Tonya said as Miyuki grabbed a pillow and wrapped the ice pack up in a towel before letting her place her leg on it. "And you were right. It's an old injury from high school."

"How?" Miyuki asked nonchalantly. He clicked the TV on, trying to appear indifferent. But his eyes couldn't fool her. She'd seen them widen in surprise upon gifting him with this small bit of information.

"I used to be a pitcher/shortstop for my team fastpitch club. I already had bad joints growing up, but I twisted too hard during one hit and continued playing on it till I tore something. Still gives me problems from time to time." Tonya explained lightly.

That small explanation caused Miyuki to flash back to around the time he'd first met Tonya when she'd first joined the team. He'd taken a hard shot during a game due to a guy practically tackling him at the plate. Two weeks he'd done his mandatory rest, but after that he'd gotten back into the swing of things. Or tried to. Most days after practice he'd be in so much pain he'd have to sneak off alone in order to just give himself a reprieve. It had been then Tonya had found him doubled over in the medicine room holding his side. Her eyes had gone wide upon seeing the nasty bruise on his side since he'd had his jersey open. The girl had taken off, leaving Miyuki to realize he'd be ratted out in no time. To his surprise, Tonya had come back with a roll of kinesiotape in her hands and had motioned to Miyuki to move to the furthest possible table. She'd basically chewed him out, calling him a dumbass for continuing to play in the condition he was it, but she'd helped him all the same. She'd even gone as far as to tell him to come see her should he need her to retape him. That had been what had caused Miyuki to continuously seek the girl out before him. He'd known then that unlike the other girls he'd ever met, she knew an athlete's heart. She knew how it felt to be benched even for a short time. It was why she was constantly chewing on anyone from the team when they got hurt and didn't report to the medicine room to get checked. Tonya knew the consequences of pushing it too far and she didn't want anyone else to experience it.

"How bad?" Miyuki finally spoke up, turning to face Tonya who was resting her head on her fist.

"Bad enough to shut down my softball career for two years." Was all she would say.

The timer went off then. Miyuki got the ice pack off and placed it back in the freezer. He turned to look at Tonya who was casually lounging on her back now. Just the little bit of information she'd shared had caused Miyuki to look at her so differently now. He couldn't help himself as he walked over, picked Tonya up, and cradled her in his lap. He moved a throw pillow over to give her something to rest her knee on while holding her in his arms.

"What are you doing?" Tonya narrowed her eyes in suspicion as Miyuki pulled his phone out and sent a quick txt.

"Letting Kuramochi know to tell the others that I just went home since I was on that side of town." Miyuki tossed his phone on the coffee table and just left it there.

"You do know nothing is happening tonight right?" Tonya glanced back up at the megane who smirked in that usual annoying way.

"I know. Doesn't mean I can't just enjoy a night like this." Miyuki tightened his grip around her waist before settling in and watching whatever was on TV.

Tonya had to admit, she was surprised. The only kind of contact she'd had with Miyuki had been of the sexual nature. So to have him actually sit there, cuddling with her, she couldn't help but wonder if there was some kind of catch that he would enact later on. For now though, all she knew was that he made for a good body pillow and she was comfortable. It wasn't long before she felt herself falling asleep in his arms.

Miyuki glanced down upon feeling her head loll against his neck. Tonya was dozing peacefully in his arms. It was yet another side he'd gotten to see. He couldn't help himself as he gently brushed a piece of hair out of her face. He cupped her cheek and gently stroked her face with his thumb while looking down at her. He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, an intimate gesture even for him.

'What are you doing to me?' Miyuki thought to himself before hearing his phone go off.

With one glance he could tell who it was calling him. Miyuki clicked his tongue in irritation before looking back to the girl in his arms. A soft smile graced his lips as he slid his arm under her legs and gently picked her up. He carried Tonya down the hall and to her room. He managed to flip the blankets back with his foot before placing her down on her bed. Miyuki gave her cheek another soft stroke before covering her up and leaving her alone in her bed. He let out a sigh before turning and heading back to the living room where his phone was continuing to buzz. There was already five missed calls.

"Pain in the ass." Miyuki griped to himself before grabbing the phone and shutting it off for the night.

Sorry for the short update all. But things will hopefully fall back on to a semi normal schedule. Don't hold your breath in case I need to get more invasive treatment for my wrist *cough*surgery*cough. Anywho, here we see our favorite brunettes slowly growing a bit closer and learning a bit more about each other. And yes I know they have college fastpitch for those who came over from my other DnA fic. I'm basing this one as they're older and that Tonya has let that dream fade, but still continues to play something related to her favorite sport.

Seriously though guys I'm sorry for being gone for so long. Life gets in the way sometimes and things happen. So for anyone who's still following the updates I appreciate you greatly. Please let me know who's still out there in the reviews! Motivate me to get off my ass and do something while waiting for my damn wrist to get better!