So this is where it starts to get heavy in content.

These are my babies and when they hurt I do.

Why do I do this to myself?... Im a masochist perhaps?

Anyways,

Read and review!

Anime4us

Chapter 8

"Ah! The both of you are full of dirt!" Sawamura's mother stated, hands going to her mouth as she gasped.

Both Miyuki and Sawamura gave her smiles as she glanced over them.

"Oh dear... You guys haven't managed to cut yourselves anywhere, have you?" She continued, her motherly mode activating.

Miyuki flinched at her words, hand instinctively reaching for his catching arm.

"Oh dear... You've hurt your arm haven't you Kazuya?"

Miyuki's head snapped up, eyes showing emotions that he never showed in front of people.

I feel sick...

0_0_0_0

"Oh dear... You guys haven't managed to cut yourselves anywhere, have you?" Sawamura heard his mother ask.

His attention was pulled towards his catcher when he felt him flinch. A brow rose as Miyuki reached for his catching arm.

Miyuki showing a nervous tick?... I never would have thought..

"Oh dear... You've hurt your arm haven't you Kazuya?"

Sawamura's eyes rose to his mother's as she continued to speak. The worry that encased them made him nervous.

Don't pity me!
Miyuki shouting at him back a few days ago flashed through his mind. His eyes left his mother's, in turn focusing on Miyuki's. Surprise took over his own feelings as his attention fell on his catcher.

Miyuki's usually firm and resilient mask was in pieces at his feet. His eyes showed... such pain... Sawamura felt his chest constrict in pain as he watched Miyuki fall apart. He wanted to pull the fragile boy into his arms.

This... I've never seen Miyuki show so much... Raw emotion...

"Kazuya, dear-" Sawamura's mother started before her son cut her off.

"Miyuki and I are gonna head up to my room. Call us when lunch is ready?" He said before grabbing Miyuki's right hand, ripping it from his catching arm, and dragging him up the stairs.

0_0_0_0

Haruichi grabbed a bat before rushing off back to where Kuramochi and Furuya would be waiting. He wasn't keen on wrestling for the rest of the day. As he walked back he felt a thick atmosphere lingering around the field.

"Ah... Kuramochi... Are you ok?"

The shortstop turned towards the shorter boy and showed what Haruichi could only describe as a frightening smile.

"Never better. Got so much energy to spend." He said, lifting his bat off his shoulders as if to prove his point. "Where is that damn Furuya? Making me wait." Something indefinable flashed through Kuramochi's eyes, causing Haruichi to gulp.

Not long after, Furuya showed up looking indifferent as per usual.

Haruichi could only smile as Kuramochi reprimanded him about keeping his upper class man waiting for him.

0_0_0_0

Not right now... I can't... she's looking right at me. What are you thinking Kazuya?! You know better! They're both looking at you! Why are you falling apart right now?! You're not aloud! Pull yourself together idiot! It was one fucking word! Of course they don't know.

But what if they do?... He's been getting close... They've all been closing in... I'll lose everything... They'll want me to see someone who's supposed to tell me what I already know.

I know I'm fucked up! I know I should appreciate people giving a shit! I don't want to sit in a chair and talk about how the burn of a blade slicing across my arm makes the pain go away! It makes it less hard to go on.

Mom and dad are fighting?! It hurts. Mom dying from a disease the hospital couldn't prevent from spreading?! It hurts! Dad burying himself in work! It hurts. Being alone... It fucking hurts.

"...azuya!"

Why the fuck does it hurt so much?! I should be used to it by now! Jesus Christ! Why can't I just pull my shit together?! I'm such a fucking burden...

"Miyuki Kazuya!"

Why do I even try anymore?

"You idiot!"

I'm so fucked up..

"Damn it Miyuki! Look at me!"

Why do I put myself through this pain?

"Kazuya!"

0_0_0_0

Sawamura dragged the cleanup batter up to his room, shutting the door behind him. He plopped the boy on the edge of his bed, watching as his breath became more and more shallow.

Is he having a panic attack?

"Miyuki Kazuya!"

Sawamura watched as Miyuki's nails started to dig into his forearms.

"You idiot!" Sawamura hissed, seeing how Miyuki dug his nails into his arms.

Listen to me you four eyed demon catcher!

"Miyuki Kazuya!" He tried again, shaking the catcher's arm somewhat.

The dead look on Miyuki's face only made his heart plummet.

I'm not getting through to him.

"Damn it Miyuki! Look at me!" The southpaw shouted, shaking both of Miyuki's shoulders.

He noticed Miyuki's teeth sinking into his lips.

"Kazuya!" Sawamura's voice cracked in desperation.

You're scaring me.

0_0_0_0

Kuramochi sighed as he sat on the bench, chucking his bat to the side.

"Here." Haruichi said softly, handing Kuramochi his water bottle.

"Thanks." The shortstop said after having nodded.

He took a long sip, chugging at least half of the bottle's contents as Haruichi grabbed his own water and sat next to his fellow infielder.

Furuya had been called over by the coach and was now working on pitching in the bullpen.

"We weren't really slacking this morning." Haruichi stated after having put his bottle down.

Kuramochi turned his attention towards the pinklet.

That was bold.

"My eyes don't deceive me Kominato. Both you and Furuya were standing around, I didn't see the ball being tossed."

"Furuya was trying to tell me something." Haruichi said, turning himself towards Kuramochi. "And you stopped him."

Kuramochi could have sword he say a shadow of Ryosuke behind Haruichi.

"I want to know why." Haruichi persisted.

When did you get so pushy?

"I already told you. I didn't want you guys slacking." Kuramochi said before huffing.

"You're lying." Haruichi said before sighing.

Kuramochi's brow twitched in annoyance.

"Are you telling me that you don't trust your vice captain's words?"

"You and I both know that this has nothing to do with you being vice captain Kuramochi." Haruichi said before shaking his head somewhat.

Kuramochi turned his attention fully towards the second baseman.

"I don't know what you're going on about Kominato but-"

"Furuya was confessing to me." Haruichi said calmly.

"Huh?" Kuramochi asked, his blood running cold.

"Furuya's confession. You wanted to stop it." Haruichi deduced before smiling happily.

"I h-had no idea he was confessing!" Kuramochi stated, his cheeks darkening in color.

"You're lying again." Haruichi said before giggling somewhat.

"I told you to listen to your vice captain's words!" Kuramochi stated, shaking his head in an attempt to get rid of the burning blush that was taking over his whole face.

"I am, I'm just choosing not to believe them."

"What you're saying is absurd! I had no idea-"

"Oh! Maybe I'll go give him my answer then!" Haruichi stood, making his way towards the dugout's exit.

Kuramochi's stomach plummeted. His chest contracted in a painful manner. Pictures of Furuya and Haruichi holding hands made him clench his jaw.

Without even thinking about it, he reached out and grabbed Haruichi's wrist, halting the younger boy's walk.

He looked up to see a wide smile spreading across the second baseman's cheeks; it was on par with the shortstop's blush.

"You're worse of a demon than your brother is.." Kuramochi muttered.

"That wasn't exactly what I was hoping for." Haruichi stated with a sigh.

"You already know so why should I have to say anything?"

"Furuya!" Haruichi called.

"Fine!" Kuramochi said, standing up. "I like you."

"Say my name." Haruichi said, excitement taking over his features.

Kuramochi could just barely see his eyes through his hair, holding wonder in them.

This damn brat.

"I like you Kominato." Kuramochi stated, looking to the side.

"Why is it that you can call my brother by his given name and not me?" Haruichi asked, pout taking over his expression.

If Kuramochi's blush could get any darker...

"I like you... Haruichi.."

Haruichi was practically jumping with excitement as he leant in close to the short stop.

"Let me let you in on a little bit of a secret... I like you too Yoichi." He whispered before pulling away and smiling innocently, as if he hadn't pulled a confession out of the upper class man.

Kuramochi's eyes focused on the sand in the dugout as the situation dawned on him.

"Common! Lunch is ready!" Haruichi called before pulling against Kuramochi's hand, dragging him towards the dugout's exit.

This feeling... I could get used to it...

0_0_0_0

Miyuki felt the room come into focus slowly. At first the light was blinding, but then he registered something else. He felt warmth. Looking down just slightly, he saw a tuff of brown hair. He tried to lift his arms but found himself restricted.

It was then that the tuff of brown hair looked up and golden eyes met him. Eyes that held fear, eyes that held misery, eyes that held... He couldn't read the rest. It took him a couple minutes to realize just who this boy was.

"Miyuki?..." The boy whispered hesitantly.

Miyuki looked away from the boy, clenching his jaw slightly.

0_0_0_0

Sawamura had wrapped his arms around Miyuki's waist, trying to convey that he was somehow there for him. Miyuki, although stubborn about it, was always there for him as well. He wanted to be there when Miyuki needed it. Sawamura knew the catcher had a tendency to lock everything away, he could see it in the other's eyes when Miyuki thought no one was looking. He could see that locked door burst open as his mother spoke.

Sawamura felt Miyuki try to move his arms and looked up slowly. He was met with empty eyes.

"Miyuki?..." The southpaw asked quietly.

When Miyuki turned away from him, a frown took over his features.

"Miyuki... Common... Talk to me.."

Miyuki stayed silent.

"You can trust me."

He felt Miyuki tense.

"What do I gotta say so that you look at me?..."

I like that.

Miyuki's voice resonated in his mind, pulling an idea together.

Here goes nothing...

"Would you at least look at me Kazuya?"

Miyuki's attention snapped towards the first year southpaw. He was met with a small victorious smirk.

"Please talk to me."

0_0_0_0

Miyuki was doing his absolute best at ignoring his pitcher. He couldn't believe that he had just had a meltdown in front of not only the younger boy but his mother as well.

"What do I gotta say so that you look at me?.."

Nothing you say is gonna make me talk to you about this Sawamura.

"Would you at least look at me Kazuya?"

Miyuki's eyes widened somewhat. He quickly turned his attention towards the first year pitcher.

"Please talk to me." Sawamura said gently.

"Why did you use my given name?" Miyuki asked, his voice thick from having not used it in a while.

"You said you liked it." Sawamura said with a small smile.

Miyuki cocked his head at the boy.

"So, that was different..." Sawamura said, his voice leading off.

Miyuki hummed his answer before falling back and collapsing on the bed.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Why aren't you freaking out?"

"Why would I exactly?" Sawamura asked, getting up to plop himself on the bed next to Miyuki.

"Like laugh or something?" Miyuki continued.

"Is that what you think of me?"

"Huh?"

"Is no one aloud to show you compassion Kazuya?" The southpaw asked softly.

Miyuki shifted so that he was leaning on his side, Sawamura followed suit.

"God you're such a pain in the ass." Miyuki muttered.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?!" Sawamura all but yelled.

Miyuki showed a small smirk before reaching out and pulling the southpaw into his arms and flush against his body.

"M-Miyuki! What the hell?!"

"What happened to Kazuya?" Miyuki asked.

"What the hell is going on?!" Sawamura shrieked.

"Shut up for a second." Miyuki murmured, his eyes falling closed as he relaxed.

Sawamura piped down and allowed Miyuki to hold him. The catcher was grateful for the warmth that he was pulling from the ever so energetic southpaw.

Honestly... You have no idea what you're doing.. do you?