Give No One The Mound But Me

He sounded genuine, didn’t he? He was sorry, he made a mistake…

“…It’s okay. I should have noticed you practicing, too, I think. So, …now we both know to pay more attention, right…? And no one was hurt… hang on–I’m not very good at throwing, not like you. I’ll hand it to you.”

So Shannon stood, carefully reorienting her picnic and blanket behind her. Grass was springy, grass was spongy. The lemonade fell over again, but she just glanced at it and smiled. It had a cap. It probably wouldn’t spill. More interestingly, his eyes followed the ball in her hand as she walked towards him.

“Are you practicing? You must be thirsty, right? If you want water or juice, just, let me kn–”

She tripped. 

She meant to trip, but it came as a surprise nonetheless, hands opening to brace for her fall, catching her balance–and the ball went flying, somewhere out behind him. She didn’t quite fall on top of him. She had enough dignity for that.

“Ahahaha I feel like I’m more at fault here to be honest. But thanks, and sorry again. I promise to pay more attention! It’s a Sawamura Eijun Official Promise!”

He watched her lemonade fall over as she got up, relieved that he hadn’t caused her to spill it by getting up. The was always a good thing. His eyes drifted back to her, ready to answer her question when his arms shot out to catch her.

“A-Ahh, the part about being an ace candidate!” She definitely wasn’t speaking about being pulled from his world so suddenly. “I am not certain where you’d be able to play in a place like this, but if you keep training while you’re here, I believe that should you ever return home you’d be more than prepared!”

While nodding, she stated that so confidently, as if it training were the easiest and most natural thing in the world.

Optimism in the face of adversity was a key trait in the success of a team, and the captain had to exude that at all times. It came as natural for Suruga to speak so positively, even when she didn’t know if either of them would ever return to their respective homes.

“I know we don’t play the same sports, but if you’d like, I’d be honored to assist you in your training! That is, after we retrieve a proper ball for you!”

“I wonder if i can find enough people to throw together a baseball team here. My first team was just a bunch of my school friends and I doing something fun before our school closed, so I hope I can find a team who wants to fight here too! And fight maybe even as hard as Seido! The team i wanna be the ace of!”

Eijun didn’t want to let minor setbacks like being thrust away into an alternate dimension dampen his enthusiasm for baseball! He agreed with her, being an optimistic sunflower himself.

It’s not that he doesn’t meet new people often, Eijun! It’s that it’s your birthday and you had to spend it getting dragged to this hellhole!

The setter taps his chin, thinking of a quick dining joint he could take the other boy to. “… Speaking of which, why did you want a tire again?”

Oh, alright! He doesn’t meet new freshly arrived birthday boys very often! That makes sense! He was relieved that someone was helping him out with something as seemingly dumb as trying to find a discarded tire, but really he couldn’t comaplin if he was getting the help anyways. Eijun had to admit, everyone he’d encountered so far had been friendly. Well, all but one, but who even expected Mei to be nice to him anyways honestly. And it wasn’t even Eijun’s fault this time probably! Anyways though, he was just happy to meet people that were agreeable and personable. It made Eijun smile wide at the thought of making more friends, especially sports friends. With Suga though, he’d been immediately kind, if not confused.

Speaking of confusion though, Suga’s question left him at a loss. Why want a tire? Why not want a tire? He needed it for training of course! He was dumbfounded.

You definitely can’t play baseball by yourself. Nothing was really as satisfying, otherwise. There is only so much swinging and pitching on your own that one can do before getting bored. Miyuki knew that first hand from the plays he tried to create and the swinging that he did endlessly through his healing process in the city with work and physical therapy taking up the other half of his time. There was only so much he could do without a team to guide.

Which is why he was more than content to be here with Sawamura - to spend time with someone familiar, even in such a light situation. For once and for whatever reason he was falling into more familiar situations, even if they normally weren’t his cup of tea. 

“Prepare? I didn’t know you had to prepare to eat a piece of cake, Sawamura,” he laughed out, fiddling with his fork before cutting into the corner of his own piece, eyes back on the other within moments. “You’re so old now, though. Wh–.” 

He cut himself off before he could make some snide remark, biting his tongue as he watched the other presumably making his wish before a smile spread back to his features.

“Yeah? And what did you wish for?”

Eijun didn’t know how much physical therapy Miyuki had undergone while he was in the city. He just knew Miyuki looked a lot better than he had when Eijun last saw him. And that was good! He’d been kinda worried, honestly, with Miyuki gone and in pain. He worried things could’ve been as damaging to him as they were to Chris-senpai. He couldn’t bare to see the two catchers important to him so hurt and unable to perform.

He was glad for Miyuki though, he truly was. Even if they did kinda bug the shit out of each other, that was alright too. It was normal for them, it was what they did. That was the kind of relationship they had together.

“Of course you have to prepare you can’t just go straight into birthday cake without being ready! It’s special cake!” His cheeks puffed up when Miyuki called him old though. “Who are you calling old! You’re even older than me!”

He calmed down at Miyuki asking about his wish, looking out the window with a little red at his cheeks. Surprisingly, it wasn’t for the ace number he so desperately craved. For them to go home and play baseball again together. He wanted to play with Miyuki again, with everyone, and win with his team. He wanted Miyuki to be okay and to see the field again and to form the strongest and most feared battery with him. That was his wish.

He was so agreeable and positive about the whole situation, which was far more than Suruga expected; most people would react with frustration, and rightfully so, even after she offered her help. Nonetheless, she waited until he finished tossing the balls he had into his bag before she turned to lead the way on their little mission.

It didn’t take her long to remember she’d forgotten something so crucial, however, which prompted her to turn toward him as she continued walking.

“Sorry, sorry! I had forgotten my manners in all this. I’m Suruga! Suruga Kanbaru! I was just starting my third year at the high school I attended before I suddenly arrived here. It’s a pleasure to meet you!”

Eijun had no reason to be frustrated aside from the obvious frustration at his situation as a whole. Why not be positive about a little set back, even one that was going to be fixed, right? A wide grin graced his face as he strode next to her, head turning to her once she’d begun talking.

“O-oh! Nice to meet you, Suruga-senpai! I’m Sawamura Eijun and I was just starting my second year when I was taken here! You could also say I’m an ace candidate for my team as well!”

Ahh! When his face illuminated at the mention of her helping him, a surge of enthusiasm coursed through her, rendering her all the more eager to help. Whoever said that kind of thing was contagious was surely on to something.

Nonetheless, Suruga planted her hands on her hips and nodded.

“Of course! Well, I am a basketball player – you’re correct! Good job!” She was, rather, but making mention of that would create a negativity that would surely break this air of enthusiasm between them. “Even if we don’t play with each other on the same court or field, as a fellow athlete I cannot stand idly by while you’re not playing for such a silly reason as the whims of the scientists.” Well, even if she herself didn’t even play much anymore, she still felt bad for these people – this person included.

“If you don’t mind a little walk, we can hop over to the next sector. I know exactly where to go!”

Eijun was a ray of sunshine, always sparkling in, sometimes too bright, but continuing to shine when he could, nonetheless. He almost always had some sort of optimistic reason to shine on, and when skies were grey, even for him, he still would continue forth to shine another day.

“Whoa cool! I’ve played basketball in gym before, but baseball’s my home, you know? Always something to come back to!” Ah, so she was ready to ally with him against those weirdos upstairs, or wherever they were. That was something Eijun could get behind! Having an ally, a teammate, to rely on was one of the best things in the world.

“I don’t mind walking at all. Lets get this show on the road! For sports glory or... something.”

Miyuki didn’t really find anything special in birthdays. But maybe that was just because he never celebrated his own birthday, always something that was forgotten except for maybe a card from his father, but they hadn’t exactly come in recent years, either. Birthdays were nothing to the catcher, if he was being honest, but he knew otherwise for the boy in front of him - which is exactly why he brought him out here to begin with. He’d be incredibly disheartened otherwise, he was sure. 

Either way, he enjoyed the loud presence that he’d been missing from his life. So really, no matter how loud he got, he probably wasn’t going to complain. Not today, at least.

Still, Miyuki smiled, leaning forward as he fiddled with the edge of his fork, watching his coffee being sat down out of the corner of his eye before speaking.

“Yeah? Well, it definitely feels like a spot you’d pick, if that means anything. I like it.” A pause, glancing down to his cake because he really couldn’t handle the sunshine in front of him, in that moment. “Eat your cake, though. And happy birthday.”

Eijun honestly would’ve just been exceptionally lonely if Miyuki hadn’t asked him to come to the cafe. What else would he have done if he wasn’t here, wander the city alone as usual? Play some ball? Well, try to anyways. You can’t play baseball by yourself. He couldn’t hold back the smile when Miyuki had asked, though he was probably coming across as entirely too excited at the time. He didn’t mean to, he was just glad someone remembered his special day, someone he knew and wanted to be around.

“I will! Don’t rush me I have to prepare myself for this, I’ve been waiting all year you know! Finally 17 did you know that?”

He seemed proud of himself, like he put forth some sort of effort to stay alive as long as he had and been here to celebrate with Miyuki. Really though, he couldn’t have asked for a better way to be spending his birthday in this city.

Closing his eyes a minute, lost in thought, he paused before his cake. Then, smiling, he blew out an imaginary candle and took a forkful of cake into his mouth.

Still, the catcher couldn’t help the laugh that came from his lips as he shook his head. God, such a loud mouth. He replied with a “whatever you say” before watching him wander off with his food.

Miyuki grabbed his own cake after thanking the waitress who was to bring the coffee out that he’d requested before following, as well, scanning the spot before giving a nod. Sunny, warm - how like the pitcher to pick a spot much like his personality. He just sat down his own plate before settling into the chair across.

Eijun was loud and was proud and had nothing to be ashamed of. He was who he was, after all! He knew he was far too loud for Miyuki, far too annoying. Maybe he’d tone himself down for Miyuki’s birthday, that would be nice. Probably.

Fidgeting in his warm wooden chair, Eijun chirped happily about what a nice day it was and how delicious his dessert looked before watching Miyuki sit down across from him.

“…”

“Well not my first day but... third? Third day sounds about right yeah.” He stared at Suga, confused. Why was this guy freaking out so much? Did he not meet new people very often?