I just finished writing this fic... WOW.

So it's gonna be 29 chapters and I'll work on getting them up, though 29 is a baby chappie, half the usual word count I keep it at.

I think this fic is longer than Coping With It All though.

If you're interested in the baseball idiots, I do plan to write another sequel but not right away.

I have started a new fic, it's titled New Beginnings

It's a reader x Miyuki fic and quite amusing to write. I just put up the 4th chapter today.

Thanks for reading and reviewing.

Anime4us

Chapter 21

The car ride home was silent. Miyuki wasn't even in the mood to listen the idiots babbling on the radio show, so he simply turned it off.

"Don't worry about it." The ex-catcher said after the silence started to strangle him.

"Are you fucking kidding me? I went to the store to get a fucking phone and of course I bump into Watari! You've got to be fucking kidding me." Kuramochi growled.

"I dealt with it." Miyuki stated.

"And all I saw was over three hundred ways to kill him. This is impossible, if you hadn't been there-"

"But I was. That Kominato… He's a clairvoyant… Isn't he?" The ex-catcher asked.

Miyuki was trying to lighten the mood, though it wasn't really working in his favor.

"I can't believe the nerve this guy has." Kuramochi hissed.

"I told you he'd try to get you to snap again Yoichi… After the article, you were already jumpy. Thank god I was there…" Miyuki murmured the last sentence. "Though… I'm gonna be really honest with you, I wanted to hit him just as much as you did." He added before sighing.

"This whole case is fucked up Kazuya… Just… Fuck… I'm so stressed all the fucking time… I'm always thinking about Haruichi… What if he bumps into Watari? Do you think he can handle that?! Hell… Just seeing Watari is going to bring up that night… Jesus… I don't think I can deal with even the possibility of that happening."

Kuramochi's voice was raising in frequency while it grew in speed.

"Yoichi. Breathe." Miyuki stated.

He'd pulled off to the side as he focused on the shortstop.

"Kazuya! This is my whole fucking life! My future is literally sitting in your hands! I can go to jail for assaulting that piece of shit. Oh shit! I could go to jail! What about Haruichi?! If I go to jail who's gonna take care of him?!"

Miyuki bit into his lower lip as Kuramochi continued.

"Ryosuke is gonna kill me if his brother's partner becomes… Fuck Kazuya… I can't do this… I can barely even sleep anymore. I've memorized the cracks in the ceiling. The fucking cracks!"

"I'm gonna win this case Yoichi. I swear to you." Miyuki stated, his voice oddly calm as his grip on the steering wheel tightened to the point where his knuckles were white. "You're not alone… If you're not sleeping… talk to Kominato. He's your other half for a reason." The ex-catcher then stated before smiling softly.

"You know I can't do that Kazuya! He actually still sleeps at night! You think that I want him going through the same thing I am?! God… I'd never wish that upon him."

"He's there for you, you know that right?" Miyuki stated.

"Of course I know that! I don't want him anymore involves into this then he already is!" Kuramochi practically yelled.

"He's already involved, I don't suggest you shut him out." Miyuki murmured.

"I'm not shu-"

"No, seriously… It doesn't work… Take it from me."

Kuramochi had words on the tip of his tongue before he forced them back down his throat. He could read the hidden message just as well as the advice that his best friend was giving him.

"Damn it… I need to unwind…" The shortstop murmured.

"It's Sunday, I'm sure there's a game on tonight. Why don't Eijun and I pass by, with Clara as well, and we'll kick back with a couple beers."

"Haruichi seems to think Sawamura hates him." Kuramochi grumbled as he leant into his seat.

Miyuki's eyes widened before he sighed and leant back into his own seat.

"That's my fault. Shit…" Miyuki muttered the curse word under his breath. "I should have told him about the case." He said as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I won't tell you you're wrong."

"Thanks." Miyuki huffed.

"Anytime I can help out."

0_0_0_0

"We're doing what?" Sawamura asked as Miyuki came into the house.

"We're catching the game at Yoichi's place."

"We're going to uncle Kura's house for supper?!" Clara thrilled.

Sawamura wouldn't meet Miyuki's gaze, driving the ex-catcher absolutely nuts.

"For the love of all sanity. Call him." Miyuki grumbled before going into the private kitchen the couple owned.

Clara cocked her head at Miyuki before following after him.

"Are you cooking Mimi?!" Sawamura heard his daughter ask before adding; "Because Uncle Kura can't…" To which Sawamura heard Miyuki chuckle.

"Eijun." Miyuki called as Sawamura made his way towards their room. "I saw your cell on the counter."

Sawamura frowned before taking another step towards their shared room.

"If you don't call him you're not getting anything tonight." Miyuki stated while raising a brow.

I think that's more of a threat to you than me Kazuya…

Sawamura thought while sighing finally.

"I can practically read your damn mind idiot." Miyuki said as Sawamura leant up on the living room's opening.

"Fine! God! What are you?! My mum?!" Sawamura demanded while throwing his hands in the air.

"Oh please, she's much more polite than I am." Miyuki stated flippantly.

"At least you know!" Sawamura threw over his shoulder before making his way over to the counter and grabbing his phone.

The ex-pitcher stared at Haruichi's contact for a long while before Miyuki's voice wafted in from the living room, startling him.

"Usually you gotta talk to be having a phone conversation."

"How do you know he isn't talking right now?!" Sawamura called back.

"You wouldn't have answered me. Just call him already."

"Ugh! I am!" Sawamura huffed.

0_0_0_0

Haruichi and Kuramochi were both cleaning the kitchen for the company that was to be coming over later when the pinklet's phone demanded his attention. He knew the ringtone all too well, having reserved it solely for his best friend.

"Eijun is calling me?" He asked nobody in particular as he paused, dish in hand.

The cleaning seemed to pause as Haruichi processed what was happening. The pinklet's fever was cutting down, so he wasn't as foggy as earlier, though the phone call was causing him a little confusion.

"So answer it?..." Kuramochi stated while raising a brow.

"Oh yea!" The ex-second baseman chirped before lunging for his phone and pressing it to his ear. "H-hello?" He breathed into the receiver.

The other end was quiet for a while, leading Haruichi to wonder if Sawamura had accidentally butt dialed him.

"Ummm… Eijun?"

There was the sound of someone clearing their throat from the other end before his best friend spoke.

"Yea. It's me." The ex-pitcher stated coarsely.

Haruichi was put off by the cold tone but forced himself to ignore it.

"You're coming over for dinner right? I hope Miyuki is cooking." Haruichi said before chuckling. "God knows Yoichi will set the BBQ on fire."

"I resent that! Kazuya just has a better sense with that type of stuff! It doesn't mean he's any better." Kuramochi huffed.

"So…" Sawamura murmured, the air between the two getting awkward once more.

"Hm?" Haruichi tried to be chipper.

"How come you didn't tell me?..." The ex-pitcher finally asked.

Haruichi could feel the hurt through the phone.

"Eijun… It was never my intention to hide it." Haruichi murmured.

Saying I thought Miyuki would have told him probably won't help my case any and I'd ruin the newly patched issues they just got over.

"But you still did…"

Haruichi could just picture the childish pout Sawamura was wearing right about now.

"I just needed time to rap my mind around it all… In all honesty, I still do… I'm sorry." Haruichi explained before apologizing.

There was a long bout of silence before Haruichi heard a long winded sigh.

"What time are we supposed to show up at? Kazuya didn't tell me." The ex-pitcher asked.

0_0_0_0

"Honestly, I thought you'd want to sit in a nice restaurant." Mei stated as his eyes roamed the fast food restaurant Ericka had dragged him to.

"Unfortunately, Blondie, you can't buy everything with money." Ericka stated.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Mei asked while raising a brow.

Ericka merely smirked before turning towards the cashier. Mei watched as Ericka spoke amicably with the girl punching their order in. When the cashier turned towards him, Ericka waved her hand dismissively.

"He'll have what I'm having." She stated before continuing to converse with the girl.

Will I now?

Mei rose his brow once again.

"You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend." The cashier stated with a growing smirk.

Mei's eyes widened slightly as he watched Ericka's cheeks darken slightly.

"U-um… Yea, I just…"

Cute.

Mei couldn't find it in himself to come to Ericka's rescue when she glanced towards him.

"And he kinda looks like that pitcher. Y'know the one?" The cashier stated while cocking her head slightly.

"Uh… yea, he does, doesn't he?" Ericka stated. "Don't be fooled though, guy is nowhere near as talented." The softball player stated as she waved her hand in front of herself dismissively.

"Oi," Mei stated while raising a brow.

"Oh! It speaks!" The cashier proclaimed loudly before both her and Ericka started laughing.

Mei's brow twitched slightly before he reached for his wallet.

"Debit." He stated casually.

"Go ahead." The cashier stated with a small smirk before turning back to Ericka.

"He's pretty, I'll give you that."

Ericka only managed to flush darker as the pitcher felt his own cheeks heating up slightly.

When the transaction was complete, Mei stood off to the side while two continued to chat.

When their food was ready, the blonde southpaw grabbed the tray as Ericka bid her friend farewell.

"This food will surprise you. It's top tier without the outrageous pricing." Ericka declared as they found a booth that sat two near the back.

"Oh? And if I disagree with that statement?" Mei taunted.

"Then I have yet another thing to worry about concerning you." Ericka stated with a dramatic sigh.

"What's the first?" Mei asked.

"I'm wondering why you're single." Ericka stated matter of factly before plopping her fork, in which was holding food, into her mouth.

Mei hadn't been expecting that statement and couldn't help the surprise that marred his features.

"Don't look like I just showed you a dead body yeesh." Ericka muttered while rolling her eyes.

"Uh… I guess I've been waiting for the right girl?" Mei offered.

"What a romantic."

"Yea, look at me taking my date to a fast food joint." Mei muttered.

"Cause your date wanted to be taken here. Is there a problem with this place? Do you think the only way you can impress me is with your money?" Ericka asked before taking yet another bite.

"Wha- I mean… no… No of course not…" Mei felt himself panicking before he heard Ericka's laughter.

"Relax. I'm not trying to get you to have a panic attack, I'm only saying that I'd rather get to know you, as in the kid who must have grown up loving baseball and not the guy that flaunts money because he's a professional player." Ericka explained before smiling. "But if this doesn't interest you, let me know now, cause I don't want to put in effort if you're only interested in a one night stand."

Mei's eyes widened with nearly each and every word that left his date's lips.

"Would it be really bad if I said I wanted to kiss you right now?"

Mei hadn't even realized the words had left his mouth until Ericka's eyes widened in surprise and a blush splashed across her face.

"What- I mean… I just- I didn't mean to say that-" Mei blubbered as his blue eyes looked just about everywhere but Ericka's face.

"No…" Ericka murmured, catching the blonde southpaw's attention.

"What?..." Mei felt his heart sinking.

"No… It wouldn't be bad…" She murmured.

Mei looked up to see a very scarlet Ericka, fiddling with the fork in her hand, eyes staring down at her meal.

He didn't even think about it. He didn't let his brain process what had just popped into it. He stood, leant over the table, and pressed his lips against Ericka's without hesitation.