Author Notes: Here's chapter 7! Thank you to everyone who followed/favorited/reviewed this story. I really appreciate it.
I hope y'all enjoy it!
Chapter 7: Scattered Thunderstorms
Eijun… wasn't doing well.
He felt like screaming until he lost his voice. Or crying at the noticeable void in his heart.
He didn't think it would hurt this much.
It hurt so much that he almost wanted to speak to Narumiya. Tell him that he changed his mind about needing an apology.
As long as he didn't leave him.
But he refused to give in even to himself.
He deserved an apology.
After all those times Narumiya never apologized, he thought he deserved an apology.
Especially after how he hurt him.
But he hadn't counted on how painful it would be.
They didn't break up. They had a fight.
Those were normal for couples.
… Not that they were a normal couple.
But the pain…
It felt as if they broke up.
Was there something wrong with him?
He liked Narumiya so much that one fight reduced him to this miserable state?
Even he knew how everyone watched him these days.
How their worried eyes never seemed to leave him… How they asked over and over what was wrong and what they could do to help… How his classmates, sensei, and even Furuya looked worried…
(It wasn't as if he could tell them what was wrong anyway. Only one person knew of his relationship with Narumiya, and now didn't seem like the best time to tell the rest of his team about it. He felt a little guilty, knowing that they were worried about him.)
But there was nothing they could do.
This was his problem.
The only thing he could do was wait for Narumiya.
An apology will come.
That was the only thing preventing him from completely breaking down.
Well, that and baseball.
If he didn't have baseball, he didn't know what he would do.
Contrary to what his teammates thought, he wasn't blind.
He didn't miss the way they looked worried when Kanemaru talked about Narumiya's winning shot. Or when Sergeant taught him the changeup.
(Yeah, it probably wasn't a good idea to wince at Narumiya's name, as he knew his reaction only made his teammates worry more (and possibly suspect something), but he was never the best at hiding his emotions. And he wouldn't admit it out loud that even though it hurt to hear Narumiya's name, he couldn't help but feel… excited at the thought of learning his winning shot. Even though he knew it wouldn't be easy.)
But to the surprise of everyone (including him), he didn't have any trouble learning the changeup.
It was as if it were… meant for him.
He couldn't believe how good it felt to throw them.
It was as if he were getting closer.
Slowly catching up to Narumiya.
It even felt as if he… could feel Narumiya beside him when he pitched it.
(Even he knew how that sounded. Which was why he would never tell anyone about it.)
It wasn't as if he didn't struggle, though.
Most days, he couldn't bring himself to get out of bed, forcing himself to when Kuramochi-senpai nagged him about practice.
He felt so exhausted.
But he couldn't sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, he thought of Narumiya.
He wanted to text him. Call him. Go on a date with him.
But more importantly, he wanted to see him.
How was he doing?
Was he the only one not doing well after their fight?
Or was it possible Narumiya was suffering, too?
(Itsuki had told him a few things about how Narumiya was doing and made sure to reassure him that what happened didn't affect his grades or baseball, but he never gave him all the details on how Narumiya was doing. And while he knew his friend was probably trying to look out for him and not wanting him to worry more, all he wanted to know was if Narumiya was alright.)
He didn't want to force Narumiya to date him. So if Narumiya ever wanted to break up with him, he wouldn't protest.
It was already enough that Narumiya stayed with him for this long.
All he wanted was for him to be happy.
Was that too much to ask for?
He tried to pay attention to everything else. Tried to eat, especially when he knew everyone was worried about him.
(He appreciated his teammates' concern for him. He really did. And yet, he couldn't help but wonder why they chose to feel concerned now instead of when he really needed it (such as when he suffered from the yips). These two circumstances were completely different. He didn't need nor want his teammates' concern (or help for that matter) when it came to his relationship with Narumiya. This was between him and Narumiya.)
But it was as if his senses were muddled.
Like he was in the darkest part of the ocean where very few creatures could survive.
He tried multiple times to swim to the surface, but he only felt himself fall deeper. He feared that one day, he might actually go deep enough where no one could help him.
Not even Narumiya.
This felt worse than the yips.
And he thought his life was over when he suffered from the yips.
Sure, he had baseball.
His teammates and baseball were why he kept fighting. Why he kept believing in Narumiya.
But it was so difficult.
With each day that passed with no word from Narumiya, he felt as if something died inside him.
As if the light inside him that was helping him see in the dark, unforgiving ocean was slowly… going out.
What if it went out completely one day?
Would anyone be able to bring it back?
But just like how Narumiya was there for him when he suffered from the yips, Narumiya came for him.
He almost couldn't believe it when he received the message from him, asking to meet with him in the park the day after their game with Oya High School.
For him, there was no hesitation.
He had to go.
Even if he felt worried about how Narumiya will react. And what he wanted to say to him.
He had to see him.
Even if it might be for the last time.
When he arrived at the park, he immediately made his way toward their bench.
They always sat on that bench during their dates.
They sat on it when they ate their crepes.
And when they agreed to date each other.
To his surprise, Narumiya was… already there, causing him to do a double take.
Was this really Narumiya?
Not only was he on time, but he was early.
He thought he would leave early just in case, not wanting to get lost and end up late.
But Narumiya was even earlier than him!
He couldn't help but gape, freezing in place as he looked at his boyfriend.
Narumiya… looked awful.
He looked like he was taking it as well as he was.
Did he look that awful to everyone around him?
His hair, which he tried to hide under a baseball hat, looked untidy. Like he kept running his hands through it.
Those bright blue eyes that resembled the ocean looked so dark. And so dull. He couldn't help but wonder if the dark circles under his eyes were as bad as the ones under Narumiya's.
On their dates, Narumiya would always relax and stretch out cockily, as if he didn't care he was almost taking up all the room.
(He would always complain that he was taking up too much space and push away those hands that reached out to touch him, but unfortunately for him, Narumiya always saw through him and teased him about enjoying the contact with him, scooting closer and smirking when he glared at him but didn't push him away. He hated that he was boosting the jerk's already huge ego, but he couldn't help but admit that he did enjoy his touch.)
But now, Narumiya sat on the far side of the bench, staring gloomily at his lap. His arms and legs were close to his body, as if he were… afraid of taking up more space.
His heart couldn't bear the thought of him suffering for a moment longer.
So while he still felt unsure as to how their talk would go, he felt his mouth opening of its own accord.
"Narumiya!"
Even before he said his name, Narumiya's head had shot up, looking in his direction, eyes wide.
He cleared his throat, walking over to the bench, aware of the blue eyes watching him. Narumiya looked as if he were about to get up, but he quickly shook his head, gesturing for him to stay where he was.
Once he sat down, Narumiya reached out, about to touch him before letting his hand fall, almost looking pained.
He wanted to make up with him. Forgive him for everything.
But not without an apology.
So even though his heart clenched at the sight of Narumiya suffering, he looked away from him, keeping his eyes on his lap.
He missed the way Narumiya looked disappointed. How he clenched his fists before nodding to himself.
"I… I wanted to talk to you."
He refused to say anything. He wouldn't speak until he received an apology.
"I thought a lot… about everything. Everything that happened."
The only sign that he was listening were his clenched fists.
"And I couldn't believe how… stupid I was."
He almost snorted despite himself.
That was an understatement.
"I was so arrogant. I thought only of myself, and I ended up… hurting you. In… more ways than one."
No, it wasn't only Narumiya's fault.
He didn't exactly try to sympathize with him. He only seemed to make things worse.
Now that he thought about it, maybe it would've been better if he stayed quiet the whole time.
Narumiya took a long, shuddering breath. "I didn't mean to… I swear I never meant to hurt your hands. Especially your pitching hand."
He already knew that, but it still felt nice that Narumiya admitted it.
"And I just… I mean, I…"
His eyebrows furrowed at Narumiya struggling with his words.
This had never happened before.
And then, it finally came.
What he was waiting for.
Narumiya took another long, shuddering breath. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you."
He almost looked over at him, finding it hard to hold himself back.
Narumiya finally apologized.
But… was it too late?
"I know I… deserve this." He could see Narumiya gesturing to himself out of the corner of his eye. "And I know you don't have to accept my apology. But… please. Please believe me when I say that everything I said that night… About your pitching… It was wrong. I… only said those words because I knew it would hurt you."
Narumiya was… pleading with him?
Why?
Why go through all this effort? Why did he look as bad as him when he didn't even return his feelings?
Why would he choose to drop his pride and act this way around him?
"And about the kiss…"
He had tried to forget about it.
Not because he didn't like it.
(Narumiya's kiss was painful, but he had wanted to kiss him for so long that he had tried to memorize the feeling of his lips against his own. While it lasted.)
But because Narumiya acted like it wasn't a big deal. Like he only did it to mess with his feelings and hurt him.
"It… It was wrong. Especially when I knew… about your feelings for me. I'm so sorry."
He clenched his fists even tighter, trying to hold himself back.
"And I have… something else to tell you. It might be… too late, but I wanted to tell you."
Something to tell him?
What did he mean by that?
"I… Look at me. Please… Eijun."
His head shot up, looking at him with wide eyes. He couldn't help but shiver.
Did Narumiya… just call him Eijun?
(He didn't shiver because of that, though. He shivered because… it was cold. He had stupidly forgotten his jacket back in his dorm room, and it was autumn. That wind was so chilly.)
Narumiya's eyes lit up a little when he met his eyes. He reached out, this time easily holding onto his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze. "I like you."
He gaped at him.
"I like you… so much. Please say something. Anything. Even if it's… that you don't want to see me anymore. Even if it's… you're breaking up with me." His voice cracked, causing him to stare even more.
Narumiya liked him?
Him?
He almost couldn't believe it at first.
But…
His eyes softened, looking him over again.
Narumiya wouldn't lie to him. He wouldn't mess with him when it came to something as important as this.
This guy really liked him.
This was the same guy who looked as bad as him.
The same guy who had eyes that resembled ice and threw harsh comments as easily as he threw his pitches.
The guy who must have felt like his stomach was on fire every time someone dare poke him and tell him he wasn't worth much, easily getting revenge on them by using his pitching to crush their hopes and thrust them into despair.
The guy who demanded that he go out on a date with him to the summer festival to cheer him up, even dancing like a dork so that he could put a smile on his face.
The guy who kept proclaiming that he wasn't his rival, but even he could tell by the way his lips formed a small smile and the way he kept encouraging him that maybe he wasn't his rival now.
But he could become one eventually.
(Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't stupid. Or blind. Even he could tell that this guy enjoyed having someone chase after him, easily staying out of his reach and taunting him with that irritatingly attractive smirk of his.)
The same guy he… liked even now.
Really, he knew his decision even before deciding to come.
If he never wanted to see him after their fight, he wouldn't have come. Would've even broken up with him.
"Say something. Please, Eijun."
He shivered, Narumiya giving his hand another gentle squeeze. As if he hoped (maybe even prayed) for a squeeze back.
(Stupid wind making him shiver. He couldn't believe he had forgotten his jacket. He was such an idiot.)
He looked down at their hands.
He had missed this. Missed holding Narumiya's hand.
He looked at Narumiya, giving his hand a gentle squeeze back, causing his eyes to light up even more. "I like you, too," he said hoarsely before clearing his throat.
Narumiya's eyes widened, almost looking at him in awe. He leaned in closer, giving his hand another squeeze. "You… do? You don't want to break up with me?"
He nodded firmly, giving him a squeeze back. "Never. I like you. I liked you then, and I like you now."
"Then… my apology…"
He gave him a soft smile. The smile he reserved for him. And only him. "Of course I forgive you, you idiot."
He yelped as Narumiya tackled him, causing him to fall over. He belatedly registered arms wrapping around his back, Narumiya's head leaning against his chest.
"I'm so glad… Thank you," Narumiya said hoarsely, and to his surprise, it sounded like he was about to cry.
He wrapped an arm around his back, his free arm reaching out for his head, turning it so that he could look at him.
He couldn't help but lean down, kissing him on the forehead at the sight of his eyes watering. "I forgot to tell you." He grinned devilishly at his surprised look. "To make it up to me completely, you have to pay for our next two dates. Starting with those crepes we promised to go back to."
Narumiya laughed softly, tears starting to fall even as he nodded. "So impertinent. But I won't let you down. Never again."
"And I'll never leave you again. I'm not going anywhere," he promised.
Narumiya tightened his arms around him, burying his face in his chest as his shoulders trembled.
He kept his arms around him even as he started letting out small sounds.
And at some point, his tears started falling.
He felt so… relieved. So happy.
Narumiya…
Mei returned his feelings. He apologized. They were going to get through this.
They would be alright.
When their tears finally stopped, Mei pulled away from him to sit back on the bench. He kept his eyes on him, reaching out to hold his hand.
Eijun gave him another smile, meeting him halfway and giving it a squeeze when their hands touched.
Mei gave his hand a gentle squeeze before smiling at him.
Causing him to gape.
He couldn't look away from his smile, his breath taken away.
Because it was a… genuine smile.
It was such a beautiful smile.
He wished he could see it more often.
And those eyes…
They were so soft.
Like soft blue waves at the beach.
It was as if Mei rescued him from the darkest part of the ocean, lighting his way back to the surface. And once he broke the surface, gasping for breath and spitting out salt water, he could feel the warmth from the sun.
The sun's light lit up everything around him.
Including his boyfriend.
He was there beside him, as if he never left.
The light inside him that he feared would go out one day shined brightly.
… No, maybe even brighter than normal.
Mei cleared his throat, raising his eyebrows at his gasp. "There's something else I wanted to ask."
He blinked a few times. Was it his imagination, or did he look almost… shy? "What is it?"
Mei's cheeks flushed, causing him to lean in closer to admire the rare sight. "Is it alright… I mean, I understand if it isn't…"
"Hurry up and say it," he said, lips twitching.
Mei huffed for some reason before giving him another soft look. "Is it alright if I kiss you?"
His eyes widened.
He never thought Mei would ask for permission.
And not only that, but he also wanted to kiss him!
"That depends. Are you going to push me away after?" he asked, causing his eyes to narrow. "Or make it sound as if it's not a big deal?"
Mei huffed, looking away from him. "… I guess I deserve that," he muttered. He looked back at him before shaking his head. "I won't do either. I promise, Eijun."
He let out a gasp at his determined look.
(And not because he used his given name again. That autumn wind was going to make Mei think things that weren't true.)
"In that case, go ahead," he said, grinning at his surprised look.
It didn't take long for Mei to regain his composure, leaning in and making their lips touch.
It was such a soft and gentle kiss, as if Mei felt afraid to hurt him.
But before he could start enjoying it or even respond to it, Mei pulled away, eyebrows furrowing at the pout on his face.
He gave him a scrutinizing look before letting out a huff of his own. "What's with that? If you're going to do something, do it properly!"
Mei's eyes narrowed, no doubt remembering what he said all those months ago.
When he started leaning in, Mei met him halfway, already leaning back in and making their lips touch.
Now this…
This was much better.
Sure, some part of him had enjoyed that disastrous first kiss of theirs for some reason.
(Until Mei ruined it.)
But he couldn't help but like this kiss, too.
He eagerly responded, unable to stop the moan from escaping as Mei pulled him closer, making their chests touch. Mei kept a firm grip on his hand, but compared to last time, it wasn't painful at all. His free hand reached up to touch Mei's untidy hair, combing through it to smooth it down.
Mei seemed to enjoy the touch, letting out a pleased noise as he wrapped his free arm around him.
It was embarrassing (and frustrating) to admit it, but if they were standing right now, he would feel weak in the knees.
He couldn't help but sneak glances at him as the kiss continued.
Mei's eyes were closed, but he knew that once he opened them, he would see those bright blue eyes that resembled the ocean. He hadn't noticed it before, but the hat he had been wearing had long since fallen to Mei's lap, exposing his messy hair, as if he had taken off a villain's mask. And his hair, the same hair that looked untidy and stood up all over the place, was so soft. It felt like he was touching some type of animal's fur.
He hoped Mei would let him touch his hair again. He could probably convince him somehow.
(Maybe with some kisses?)
But as much as he wanted to continue kissing him, his body protested at the lack of air, making him feel lightheaded and forcing him to pull away reluctantly.
Not that he went too far away, Mei's arm keeping him close.
Mei's eyes opened, bright blue and soft eyes meeting his, taking his breath away once more.
He didn't think he would ever get tired of Mei looking at him that way.
If he was dreaming, he didn't want anyone (not even Kuramochi-senpai or his family) to wake him up.
He refused to admit how relieved he felt at seeing that irritatingly attractive smirk of his.
Mei seemed content to watch as he tried to catch his breath, smirking that smug smirk of his.
If he were honest, it would look much better on him if he didn't look so awful.
But that would change soon.
He narrowed his eyes, about to say something.
Anything to make that smirk disappear.
Before he could, though, he yawned, head drooping unconsciously as he closed his eyes.
Until he remembered who he was with.
He opened his eyes, forcing his head back up as he looked at Mei.
Unsurprisingly, Mei looked as exhausted as him, letting out a yawn of his own.
Would he mind if he fell asleep against him?
Mei shook his head, giving him a grin. He didn't recognize it, though. It almost looked… fond? Mei pulled away from him, causing him to pout. But it didn't last long as he got up from the bench, stretching a little before turning to face him, outstretching his hand.
And even though he had no idea what was going on, he grabbed his hand, getting up from the bench to stand next to him. He made sure to grab Mei's hat before they could forget about it and held it out to him.
"I know you said you wanted to eat those crepes, but let's do that next time," Mei said, causing him to blink, confused. He accepted the hat with a grateful nod, putting it on once more. "There's something else I want to do."
He blinked a few times, still confused. "Are you going to kiss me again?" he said without thinking.
He flushed as Mei snickered, giving him an amused look.
"Someone's eager to kiss me again," Mei teased, looking smug. He winced as he hit the back of his head with his free hand. "Oi, I keep telling you to be careful!" he whined.
He huffed, tempted to let go and cross his arms. "You deserved that."
And even though there was an opening for Mei to exploit and maybe even start an argument, he only shook his head, giving him an amused look. "We can kiss again later. If you still want to, that is," he said, causing his eyes to light up. "I thought we might go back to Inashiro."
His eyebrows furrowed. Mei wanted to go back to Inashiro? And not go out on a date? "What are we going to do? Hang out with your teammates?"
Mei gave him another soft smile, pulling him closer to wrap an arm around him, keeping a firm grip on his hand. "Maybe later. For now, I want to keep you to myself." He gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "I thought we could catch up on some sleep."
His heart raced at the idea of some sleep. Or maybe it was because of that soft smile. "Together? You won't… leave?" he asked, voice small for some reason. He gave his hand a squeeze back.
Mei leaned in, kissing his forehead, causing his eyes to almost close at the soft touch. "I'll be with you the whole time," he promised, eyes soft. "We can even sleep in my bed."
He wasn't sure if it was the prospect of some sleep, Mei not leaving him, or the thought of sleeping with him in his bed… But he felt thrilled. Maybe even excited. "Let's do it!"
Mei laughed softly at his enthusiasm, already leading the way back to Inashiro. "Someone's eager to sleep with me," he teased, giving him a suggestive look.
"Shut up! You know that's not what I meant!" he shouted, cheeks red.
(It really wasn't what he meant, but he wouldn't refuse if Mei actually wanted to… sleep with him. He felt embarrassed even thinking about it, but he wouldn't mind it if it was with Mei.)
Mei just laughed again, giving his hand another squeeze.
He gave him a gentle squeeze back, unable to stop himself from smiling brightly at the soft look in his eyes.
And the part of him worried about Mei, their relationship, and maybe even his future finally calmed down, as if he had pitched another full game, his heart finally slowing down from the thrill of pitching.
He knew what he had to do.
"Mei."
Mei immediately turned to look at him, eyes wide. He probably wouldn't admit it, but even his mouth was open.
He felt pleased at surprising him, although that wasn't what he planned to do.
(Or maybe he felt pleased at how he reacted when he called him by his given name.)
He gave his hand a squeeze. "Thank you."
Mei furrowed his eyebrows, probably not understanding why.
And the thing was that… even he didn't know what he was thanking him for.
For apologizing? Returning his feelings? Coming back?
"Just… thank you. For everything."
Mei grinned cheekily at him, waiting for him to catch up so that they could walk side by side. "Well, I am your prince. You should thank me."
He huffed, knocking his shoulder into his own gently.
"But Eijun…"
There was that wind making him shiver again. And this time, he could've sworn Mei noticed his reaction, as if he just noticed he wasn't wearing a jacket. "What?"
Mei gave him a scrutinizing look, almost causing him to squirm. To his confusion, he started looking… pleased with himself. He looked almost smug as he stared at him, but he had no idea why he felt that way.
(Because it definitely wasn't Mei making him shiver. That was impossible.)
"We're in this together, aren't we?"
He gave him a confused look as Mei lifted their joined hands to show him. "What are you…?"
"From now on, we'll work on everything together." Mei gave him a serious look, causing his mouth to dry up. "That's why… thank you. For not giving up on us." He squeezed his hand. "For not giving up on me."
He cleared his throat, finding it hard to speak. "O-Of course! I'll never give up!" He gave him a squeeze back, almost needing to look away at his bright grateful eyes. "On us, you, or wanting to become the ace! And I will catch up to you!"
Mei snorted, shaking his head. But the look in his eyes was fond. "So impertinent. As if I'll let you catch up."
Eijun could only smile goofily at seeing the small smile on his face.
He couldn't wait to get some sleep.
ZZZ
"No!"
Eijun bolted upright in bed, gasping. His heart raced as he looked around the room, not recognizing it at first. He could feel sweat making its way down his face as he gripped onto the bed sheets with trembling hands.
He breathed a sigh of relief as the slivers of moonlight making its way past the drawn curtains lit up the room enough for him to recognize it.
He took deep breaths, finally recognizing the familiar room.
It was Mei's dorm room.
… Of course it is.
He remembered his conversation with Mei and how he took him back to Inashiro so that they could get some sleep.
He shivered as he remembered the unrelenting darkness of the ocean.
How he desperately tried to swim back to the surface, but he only fell deeper. How he looked around for someone—anyone to help… How he looked around for his boyfriend.
But no one came.
He remembered the panic as he looked around and didn't see anyone. He remembered thinking that this time, he had fallen too deep.
No one would come for him.
"Eijun?"
He jumped, gasping at the touch to his shoulder and instinctively pulling away from it. He closed his eyes, unable to stop the whimper as he curled into himself.
It was stupid and childish, but he wished his boyfriend were here.
Seeing him would put him at ease and help him fall back asleep.
"Eijun, it's alright. It's just me. Look at me."
He hesitantly opened his eyes at the familiar demanding voice, peeking out from his arms to look at the person beside him.
His eyes widened as he recognized his boyfriend.
Mei was frowning, hands twitching, as if he longed to reach out and touch him. He winced as he noticed the hurt in his eyes.
Was that his fault?
And before Mei could say anything else, he quickly crossed the short distance that separated them, leaning into his chest and wrapping his arms around him. He let out a relieved breath as Mei let out a sigh before hugging him close.
"… Sorry. I didn't… I thought…"
Mei tightened his arms around him, kissing the top of his head. "It's alright. I understand."
He pulled away enough so that he could look him in the eyes. "I'm really sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up."
"Are you stupid? It's not like I could've slept with you making that much noise anyway," Mei scolded, causing him to flush. His eyes softened as he reached out and wiped away a few tears that escaped. "Are you alright now?"
And even though his heart still raced, and his hands wouldn't stop trembling, he nodded, almost jumping when Mei narrowed his eyes at him.
"Don't lie to me. I know you're not alright." Mei gently knocked his forehead against his own. "You're crying."
He gasped, belatedly feeling the tears running down his face. He quickly tried to wipe them away, missing Mei's disapproving look. "Sorry. I don't know why I'm… I knew you wouldn't… You're here with me."
He wasn't making much sense, but Mei nodded, as if he understood. "I know. I'm really sorry for leaving you alone for so long."
He couldn't help but gape at him.
Mei apologized.
Again.
Maybe Mei apologizing to him wasn't a one-time thing like he thought it might be.
"I know I'm overreacting," he muttered, looking away and missing Mei's frown. "It's stupid, especially since you're here with me. But it still…" He flinched, remembering the dark ocean. "I still had one."
Mei kissed his forehead before pulling him closer, running his fingers through his hair as he sobbed into his shoulder.
"I'm here. And I'm not going anywhere."
He nodded, tightening his arms around him.
Several minutes later, Mei encouraged him to lie back down, keeping his arms around him.
He snuggled up to him, his heart finally calming down at feeling his warmth. At hearing his heartbeat.
When Mei kissed his forehead again, he gave him a soft, sleepy smile. "I want to kiss you again."
Instead of laughing or teasing him like before, Mei gave him a fond smile. "We can kiss again later. Right now, we need our sleep."
"Kiss me good night," he said, pouting when Mei gave him an amused look. "Or I'll kiss you."
Mei laughed softly, smirking at him. "So demanding. If you want to kiss me, go ahead."
He leaned in, making their lips touch. And despite what he said earlier, Mei eagerly responded, causing him to smile into the kiss.
He pulled away several moments later, yawning as his eyes struggled to stay open.
"Sleep, Eijun." He couldn't stop the shiver, moving closer to steal more of his warmth. "Both of us have practice and school tomorrow. And you need to wake up early so that you can make it back in time for morning practice."
He hummed, closing his eyes. "Don't worry. I won't get lost."
"That's not what I meant," Mei said, amused.
His voice was the last thing he heard before he fell asleep.
Where sweet dreams awaited him.
ZZZ
The Inashiro first string members had a headache.
They weren't sure how to feel when their ace walked by the larger common room with Sawamura, both smiling at each other and not even acknowledging them.
(They couldn't help but feel shocked at the sight of Sawamura. He looked almost as bad as their ace. Was it too late to hit their ace?)
Obviously, Sawamura had forgiven him.
And they were still together.
But something seemed… off with their ace.
As if he were… softer somehow.
But they couldn't put their finger on why exactly.
It wasn't until the next day during practice where Mei bragged about how Eijun forgave him and how much Eijun liked him that they realized what it was.
(The first time he called him Eijun, everyone did a double take. Mei was calling him Eijun now? They almost couldn't believe it, looking at him, baffled.)
It wasn't that their ace was softer.
Their ace was his normal self.
When it came to Eijun, though, Mei seemed softer.
It was as if he finally realized his feelings for him and stopped holding them back.
And honestly, it was a little annoying how Mei easily switched from their insufferable ace to looking soft and happy whenever Eijun contacted him.
(Whenever Mei noticed that they were watching him, his soft and happy look would disappear, leaving a smug one in its place, annoying them even more.)
It had taken them a while, but they could say that they finallyaccepted their relationship, especially after seeing how badly Mei had taken their fight and how he seemed after they made up.
But if Mei hurt Eijun again, they wouldn't forgive him.
Even if he was their ace.
ZZZ
Mei wasn't sure what woke him up at first.
He had been happily dreaming of something that involved him and Eijun.
But something rudely woke him up.
Much to his disappointment, he couldn't remember any of the details of his dream.
Only that it involved him and Eijun. And that it was a good dream.
He huffed, about to lie back down so that he could go back to dreaming about his boyfriend.
Only to pick up a buzzing sound.
It sounded like someone's phone.
He narrowed his eyes, getting out of bed and crossing the short distance where his phone was charging.
Whoever was calling him had better have a good reason for this.
Or he was going to yell at them, uncaring if he woke everyone up.
He rubbed his eyes, picking up his phone and feeling even more annoyed when he noticed the time. His eyes were closed as he answered his phone, so he missed the name that appeared on his caller ID.
"Who is this? And why are you calling this late at night?"
Seriously, why are they calling at two in the morning? Is there something wrong with this person?
Several moments passed without an answer from the other line, causing his eye to twitch.
Were they a prank caller?
Just as he was considering hanging up, his ears picked up a whimper, causing him to gape at the familiar sound.
He knew that voice!
"Eijun?"
Eijun sniffed, clearing his throat, as if that could disguise his previous sounds. "… Mei."
Was he… crying?
Mei immediately woke up, grabbing his shoes and a jacket before leaving his room. "Eijun, what happened?"
He should be asleep right now.
And even if he couldn't sleep, why would he be crying?
Seidou had won the fall tournament finals.
They were going to Koushien.
(While he still felt upset with himself (because if he didn't let his selfishness take over, Inashiro would've been the ones going to Koushien), he couldn't help but feel excited as he realized that Eijun and Kazuya would get to experience Koushien. He couldn't wait to see how much stronger they would become after experiencing that stage. Not that he showed any of his excitement on his face, telling his teammates that they should get going.)
He should be happy.
He should be dreaming about Koushien.
Not crying.
"I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean… to wake you. But you're…"
To his confusion, Eijun never finished what he was trying to say.
What did that even mean? He was what?
And unfortunately for Eijun, he could still hear how hoarse his voice was even after clearing his throat.
His heart clenched at the thought of Eijun crying.
Not only that, but Eijun crying by himself.
Like… after their fight.
He was about to ask something, but his eyebrows furrowed as he heard something… familiar.
It sounded like the wind.
It could be that Eijun was outside, not wanting to wake his roommate.
But for some reason, he felt a sense of foreboding.
"Eijun, where are you?" he asked, zipping up his jacket. "Tell me the truth."
As soon as he stepped outside, he felt relieved that he remembered his jacket.
It was so chilly outside.
He wasn't sure why exactly, but he found himself walking in the direction of the gates that led outside Inashiro grounds.
Eijun sniffed once more, his heart urging him to go to his side and hug him. "What are you…?"
"I'm not kidding, Eijun. Tell me where you are," he said sternly.
Eijun cleared his throat, his voice almost shaking for some reason. Maybe the correct word was trembling? "I-I'm at Seidou, of course," he said weakly.
He wasn't sure why he felt surprised at seeing Eijun with his back facing him just outside Inashiro grounds.
His eyes narrowed at noticing his bare arms.
Did Eijun forget his jacket?
What was he thinking?
He could see him shivering from here.
Seriously, what was he going to do with this idiot?
He cleared his throat loud enough for Eijun to hear him, causing him to jump before turning around.
Eijun's eyes widened as he noticed him, closing the distance that separated them in a few strides. He closed his phone, hastily rubbing at his eyes, as if trying to hide his tears.
Mei could tell from this close that his eyes were puffy and red. And even as he looked at him, tears started forming in those normally bright brown eyes.
He almost sighed, closing his phone and pocketing it. He couldn't blame Eijun for wanting to see him.
Even if it was late at night.
He reached out, pulling him into his arms, Eijun easily falling into them.
Eijun wrapped his arms around him, burying his face in his shoulder as his shoulders trembled.
He wanted to know what happened, but as he watched his boyfriend cry into his shoulder, he knew that comforting him came first, deciding to ask him later. He let go with one hand to run his fingers through his hair.
"It's alright. I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere," he said softly.
But to his confusion, that only seemed to make things worse, Eijun letting out a muffled whimper as he tightened his grip around him.
He kissed the top of his head, running his fingers through his hair. He kept his other arm around his suffering boyfriend.
What happened?
What could make Eijun cry like this?
He wasn't sure how long he stood there, trying to comfort Eijun and keep him warm at the same time.
But when his tears finally stopped, he grabbed his hand, leading him into Inashiro grounds.
"I… I didn't mean to…" Eijun squeezed his hand, sounding worried.
He gave his hand a squeeze back, waiting for him to catch up so that they could walk side by side. Once he did, he knocked his shoulder into his gently. "Relax, idiot. I'm not angry you woke me up."
"But… you look angry."
He turned his head to look at him, unsurprised to see the worried look on his face. He reached out with his free hand, grazing his bare arms.
He knew he shouldn't feel smug at how Eijun shivered at his touch, leaning into it. He knew now wasn't the time for it, but he couldn't help it. "I'm angry because you're not wearing a jacket. Seriously, what's wrong with you?" he scolded, although there was hardly any heat to it. "You're a pitcher, aren't you? You should take better care of your shoulder."
"… Sorry. I just… started crying, and I didn't want to wake Kuramochi-senpai," Eijun said hoarsely. "Before I knew it, I found myself here. I didn't want to leave… Not without…"
Although his chest felt warm at the thought of Eijun wanting to see him, he couldn't help but frown deeper.
Eijun didn't want to tell any of his teammates what was going on?
That sense of foreboding from earlier came back.
It couldn't be…
Instead of answering, he led them inside the dorm, stopping at the larger common room.
He let go of his hand, pointing at the red loveseat they normally sat in. "Sit there and wait for me to get back," he ordered. His eyes softened as Eijun looked disappointed. He leaned in, placing a hand on his cheek. "I'll be right back. I just need to grab something from my room."
Eijun nodded, briefly leaning into his touch before pulling away and doing as he was told.
His eyebrows furrowed.
Something was clearly wrong.
Eijun would normally argue with him and tell him not to give him orders.
Not wanting to leave Eijun alone for too long, he quickly dropped by his room to grab a jacket for him and made his way back to the larger common room.
Sure, they could talk inside where the wind wouldn't reach them.
But he didn't want his teammates to see Eijun like this. Or even see him.
Only he could see Eijun when he was like this.
Eijun, who had been staring miserably at the floor, looked up at his footsteps, immediately getting up and quickly joining him, as if he were a puppy waiting for his master, causing his lips to twitch.
And although Eijun frowned at the sight of the red Inashiro jacket in his hands, he didn't argue, only letting out a small huff as he reluctantly put it on.
And he… couldn't help but stare at him.
Now wasn't the time to be checking out his boyfriend.
But he looked so good in his red Inashiro jacket.
The jacket fit him perfectly, which made sense. They were the same size (even if Eijun was taller than him. Only by a centimeter, though). Eijun looked good in his Seidou colors, but in Inashiro colors…
He looked so attractive.
He didn't want to take his eyes off him.
He wanted to pull him in and kiss him until he turned as red as his jacket.
The red jacket had INASHIRO on it in massive, bold lettering.
Not only was he wearing the jacket, but he also wore a white t-shirt with red stripes on the sides and black sweatpants.
Eijun was wearing Inashiro colors.
What he wouldn't give to see him like this all the time.
… Okay, maybe not all the time.
He liked the thought of taking him to his room and taking his clothes off before pushing him toward his bed.
He almost coughed, flushing at his thoughts.
After clearing his throat, he stepped closer to zip up his jacket, Eijun raising an eyebrow at him. And before he could stop himself, he leaned in, giving him a kiss. He managed to keep it somewhat shorter than normal, not wanting him to get the wrong idea.
(They still needed to talk after all.)
But he kissed him long enough for Eijun to relax against him, responding to his demanding kiss even as he wrapped his arms around him.
Eijun tightened his grip around him when he pulled away, his eyes reluctant.
Seeing that, he reached for his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before leading the way back outside.
Eijun gave his hand a stronger squeeze from before, causing some of his worry to abate.
He led them to one of Inashiro's practice fields, sitting on the same dugout bench where he talked to Masa-san.
And while they could still feel the nippy autumn wind, the jackets were definitely a good idea.
He could already see Eijun relaxing into his jacket, looking down at it amazed, as if he didn't know it was that warm.
Maybe he should've grabbed some gloves.
(They were pitchers after all.)
But Eijun's hand felt warm in his, and he didn't mind not wearing gloves if it meant he could hold his hand. He shoved his free hand into his jacket pocket, almost sighing at the warmth.
They sat in comfortable silence for a little bit, the wind blowing and leaves rustling the only sounds around them.
Eijun cleared his throat, tightening his grip on his hand a few moments later. "Do you… think I'm a good pitcher?"
He blinked a few times, watching as Eijun stared determinedly at his lap. "Eh?"
… What the hell?
Where did that come from?
Eijun bent forward a little, almost resting his elbows on his knees. "Do you think I'm a good pitcher?"
And even though he tried to sound irritated, his voice only came out sounding tired and hoarse.
He had no idea what Eijun was thinking. Why would he ask that out of the blue?
Unless…
"Did something happen with your teammates?" he asked softly, watching as he winced.
Bingo.
Eijun laughed bitterly, causing his heart to clench. "I'm probably just overreacting. Like usual," he muttered, causing him to frown. "I know Furuya's the ace. It made sense that he got to pitch."
"It's alright to feel frustrated, you know. I was a relief pitcher once, too."
Eijun shook his head even as he bent forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "But that's not… I'm not…"
He rolled his eyes. His boyfriend was such a terrible liar. "Don't lie to me," he scolded. "You obviously came here looking like you cried. And when you saw me, you cried some more." He almost felt bad as Eijun winced again. "Tell me what happened," he demanded.
Eijun relaxed his grip on his hand, letting out a tired sigh. "It's stupid. We won. We're… going to Koushien. I should be happy."
"But you're not," he said bluntly. He was starting to get the feeling that he knew what was wrong, but he wanted his boyfriend to voice it.
He couldn't help but curse the rest of Seidou as he watched Eijun's arms shake, as if the younger boy wanted to melt into the bench and never be seen again.
Eijun laughed hollowly. "But I'm not. I…" He furrowed his eyebrows, his mouth opening, as if he just realized something. "Were you there?"
He shrugged. "I was watching it with the rest of Inashiro. I wasn't there the whole time, though."
"… Did you see… Did you watch me pitch?"
He almost laughed. Of course Eijun asked him that. "I watched you." He raised his eyebrows as Eijun tensed, as if expecting something bad. "It's too bad you didn't close the game." Eijun immediately relaxed, letting out a small huff. "I would've loved seeing you pitch more."
Especially those changeups.
And even though he wanted to tease him and bring them up, he knew now wasn't the time.
(See? He thought smugly. He could be sensitive. His teammates didn't know what they were talking about.)
"Fine. I am feeling frustrated." He raised his eyebrows at the honesty. Maybe it was because he told him the truth? "It felt like Boss didn't trust me enough." Eijun clenched his free hand. "… Not that I can blame him, I guess. I haven't been the most… reliable pitcher recently."
He felt tempted to reach out and unclench his fist. "But that's not the only reason, right?" he pressed.
"I… My teammates…"
His eyes widened as Eijun finally looked up at him, the light in those brown eyes still there but it was as if someone covered it up with a blanket. His eyes looked… haunted. Almost dull.
"They didn't acknowledge me. I wasn't expecting a lot of praise, but…" Eijun shivered, wrapping the red Inashiro jacket around him, as if the warmth could protect him from his cold teammates. "Not even a simple 'good work'. Everyone just seemed to… ignore me when Boss said I was done."
He really wanted to march to Seidou and knock some sense into his teammates.
What was wrong with them?
This was like the yips all over again.
… No, maybe even worse?
Sure, Eijun didn't look as bad as that time. But he knew everything his teammates did and said hurt him.
And the worse thing was that Eijun had his pitching.
He helped his team win today.
And no one seemed to acknowledge his pitching.
Like he wasn't there. Like someone else had pitched and helped them when Seidou was in a pinch.
It made him angry.
He had thought this before, but he couldn't believe everyone at Seidou could be so cruel. So cold to their precious southpaw pitcher.
Sure, he wasn't the best pitcher. And sure, he could understand why a lot of them didn't fully acknowledge him yet.
(Especially after how Eijun kept talking big when he couldn't even pitch that well.)
But to just ignore him?
"I just… Why is it always me?" Eijun sniffed, trying futilely to wipe away the tears that formed. "I'm doing my best. I really am. But why do I still need to fight… to be acknowledged?" His voice cracked as he looked away from him, burying his face in his free arm. "Always. Why is it always one mistake? One mistake means I get taken off the mound. I just…" He let out a choked sob, as if he were trying to hold it in.
And Mei… couldn't take it anymore.
He tugged at his hand gently at first, but when he didn't move, he tugged insistently, taking his free hand out of his pocket to open his arms when Eijun looked over and met his eyes.
Eijun sobbed, throwing himself into his arms and letting go of his hand to wrap his arms around him.
He held him close to his chest, his heart clenching as his cries continued.
If Eijun wasn't dating him, he would've trudged over to any dark spot at Seidou, wrapping his arms around him to protect himself as he cried.
His heart almost broke at the thought of it.
Once again, he couldn't help but wonder at and appreciate Eijun's trust in him. Sure, some of it could be because Eijun liked him, but he didn't mind.
He hated seeing him like this. He wanted to do something.
Anything to alleviate his pain.
And honestly?
He wanted to take him away from Seidou and encourage him to transfer to Inashiro instead.
He knew his teammates would (for once) support his idea. They could take better care of Eijun than Seidou ever could.
(Seidou certainly didn't deserve to keep him after how they've treated him. And he wouldn't deny that he loved the idea of Eijun joining his team.)
Another positive would be that Eijun would be far away from Kazuya.
He wasn't blind.
He knew how much Kazuya's opinion meant to him. How much he wanted him to acknowledge him.
And although he didn't know why Eijun kept chasing after him and his acknowledgment, he did his best to respect his feelings, biting his tongue more times than he cared to remember whenever his boyfriend mentioned his catcher's name.
"Even after the game…" Eijun sobbed, turning his head so that he could hear him better. "It still felt like no one wanted me there. I just…" He tightened his grip around him. "How much harder do I have to work so that everyone acknowledges me? Wants me to pitch?"
He tightened his arms around him, kissing the top of his head as his seemingly uncontrollable tears wet the front of his jacket.
(Not that he cared about his jacket right now.)
"I don't know," he murmured truthfully. "I don't know what's wrong with them." He reached out with one hand, combing his fingers through his hair. "I like you for who you are. So don't change for them," he couldn't help but hiss. "I know I already broke this promise to you before but believe me when I say that I won't leave you."
Eijun nodded furiously, causing him to worry about his neck.
He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he felt… relieved Eijun still believed in him. Relieved Eijun still wanted him around.
For some reason, he made Eijun happy. He couldn't promise never to hurt him again, but he will try not to.
Because he hated seeing Eijun crying and in pain.
When Eijun's tears finally stopped, he felt tempted to ask him.
Ask him about transferring to Inashiro. Ask him if he wanted to stay the night.
But instead of saying anything, he pulled Eijun up, leading him back to the school gates with a heavy heart.
Once they got there, Eijun slipped out of his jacket, holding it out to him even as he looked at it longingly.
"I wish I can tell you to keep it," he said without thinking. He belatedly realized what he said, wanting to hit himself.
To his relief, Eijun let out a small laugh. "I guess that's one way to out our relationship to my team," he said, sounding amused.
He accepted the jacket, eyes softening at the wet spot on the front. "I meant more along the lines of telling you to keep it so that you can keep warm." He grinned as Eijun flushed. "But I guess that works, too."
"No, it would be bad if my teammates spotted me with your jacket," Eijun said, shaking his head and looking nervous.
He raised an eyebrow. "So you're afraid of that, yet you'll tell the truth if they ask you?"
Eijun groaned, looking away from him at his grin. "That's different!" he whined.
He chuckled at the cute sight. His frown returned to his face at seeing him shiver, though. He stepped closer, reaching out to touch his bare arms, lips twitching as Eijun's hands touched his own. "I really do wish I can tell you to keep it. Or ask you if you want to stay the night."
Eijun gave him a bright smile, taking his breath away. "I know. Thank you." He leaned in, giving him a quick kiss before pulling away. "Good night."
"Good night," he muttered, pouting.
He watched him walk away, tempted to kick at the ground.
He felt… useless.
Was he any help to him tonight?
He couldn't think of anything reassuring to assuage his doubts. His fears.
What kind of boyfriend was he?
His eyes lit up as an idea came to him. "Eijun!"
Eijun jumped, clearly not expecting him to call out to him. Or maybe it was because he used his given name? He turned around, looking at him questioningly.
"When I'm done with practice tomorrow, let's go out on a date." He knew it wasn't much and that a date wouldn't suddenly solve all his problems, but…
Eijun's eyes lit up, his normal light returning to his eyes (much to his relief). He smiled his soft smile at him. "Let's do it." His eyes gleamed mischievously. "And remember… You're paying."
They had been on a few dates since they made up, and he had already paid for the two dates and the crepes Eijun wanted.
But he still found himself nodding. "Of course." He winked at him. "Since I'm paying, I'll make sure to do something special. Just for you."
Eijun huffed, rolling his eyes good-naturedly. "You're so embarrassing sometimes."
"But you like me like that, don't you?" he said, grinning cheekily.
Eijun flushed before letting out another huff. "Shut up." His smile quickly returned to his face. "I'll see you tomorrow."
"Don't be late," he teased.
Eijun looked at him as if he were the idiot. "I don't want to hear that from you," he retorted.
But he wasn't worried.
He had seen the way his eyes lit up. How even his footsteps seemed lighter now.
Maybe a date wasn't enough to solve all of his problems.
But if it made Eijun happy, he would take him out on as many dates as he wanted.
Just to see that precious smile meant for him.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZ
Author Notes: I hope y'all enjoyed the seventh chapter.
Reviews/favorites/follows are appreciated.
Earlier in the week, I had a bit of a scare. For some reason, I stupidly thought that this story had more chapters than it did. So when I was looking for this chapter, I couldn't find it at first because I thought this chapter was the wrong one. Which made me panic and worry that I would have to write the whole thing over again. It wasn't until I opened this chapter that I realized that this was the correct one, causing me to breathe a sigh of relief.
What did y'all think? Was Mei's apology good enough?
I admit, it was a little fun writing how the fight affected them. But I'm so glad they kissed and made up. I originally didn't plan for this chapter to have so much angst, but as I started writing (and remembering what happened in canon), it just kind of ended up that way.
As I was writing the last scene, I felt tempted to write some type of alternate universe where Eijun transfers to Inashiro. I had this thought before and already told someone about it, but now, I'm feeling tempted even more. I only have a few scenes planned out for that story right now, so as much as I want to start writing it, I'll have to write it later. I will eventually write it so that's something to look forward to.
Unfortunately, the next chapter is the last one. It's my first time writing something this long, so I'm happy (but also a little sad) that it's almost over. The next chapter will have a lot of fluff, as Eijun and Mei are going out on a date. It'll wrap everything up and (hopefully) answer any of the questions y'all are still wondering about. Those of you wondering about Miyuki and if he'll realize his feelings will unfortunately have to wait, though. Miyuki will realize his feelings in a future story.
Speaking of future stories, I'm already planning on writing a new story since this one is almost over. My new story is going to be set during the off-season. And I know it's really late considering when his birthday is, but it's kind of going to be a birthday fic for Mei. Eijun wants to do something special for his boyfriend's birthday, so he tries to think of a good present to give to him. Also, Mei will visit Seidou and speak to Miyuki. But why is Mei going to visit Seidou and speak to Miyuki? And will they get into another fight? Y'all will have to read to find out. I'm excited to start writing it, and I'm hoping I can post it pretty soon.
See y'all next Saturday!