Challenging Hopeless Romantic - Miyusawa

Chapter 11 - Don't Tell Kuramochi

3:40am on a Monday, and Miyuki was wide awake in his covers. Sawamura had asked him out, he had agreed, they went to get ice cream, and then he woke up. Miyuki was understandably upset. But the problem was that he couldn't seem to fall back asleep. With too much on his mind, he just stared at the ceiling, listening to Okumura's snoring (growling??). He had thought of a few ideas he didn't want to forget for his next move in the competition, but was procrastinating leaving the warm covers to write them down. After taking his bath yesterday, he had crossed paths with Sawamura hanging up his school uniform to let it dry. And that's when he got the idea.

Now, Kazuya's never been one to act on impulse, but executing the first bit of his plan right then and there while he was already up seemed pretty appealing. Maybe he had been spending too much time with the pitcher after all...

"Screw it." He whispered, sitting straight up in his bed before carefully removing his covers and climbing down the bunk. He took his own uniform, which was neatly folded on the chair in front of the desk, slipped on his slippers, and snuck out the room.

As it seems, he wasn't the only one who couldn't sleep.

"Miyuki?"

"Sawamura..?"

The battery stood face to face in the dimly lit corridor. Kazuya's eyes drifted down to what the other was holding.

"Uhhmmm," he broke the silence. "Where are you going with your school uniform at this time?"

Eijun scratched the back of his head and gave a guilty smile, "Haha it's a long story... Wait! You're also walking around with your uniform!"

Miyuki quickly clasped a hand on the pitcher's mouth, "Shhhhhhhh! Quiet idiot you'll get us caught!"

Muffled curses echoed down the hall as Miyuki dragged them towards the closest bench.

"Ok but seriously speaking," Miyuki starts as they sit down. "What are you doing up at this time?"

"I could ask you the same." Sawamura huffed.

"Just answer the question..."

He pondered for a moment, trying to find the right words, "I woke up from a nightmare... then I had an idea for the competition..."

Kazuya sighed, massaging his forehead, "Hmmm ok, we'll discuss the nightmare thing later. But first I wanna know what idea you had that would involve you waking up at 3:30am?"

Sawamura stared at the ground, refusing to make eye contact with Miyuki as he fidgeted with the fabric of the uniform in his lap, "I was gonna sneak into your room to swap our school clothes before anyone woke up. Haha but I guess the plan failed since you found out."

Miyuki just looked at the pitcher with wide eyes because, well, that was his same plan. Though... it wasn't as if he'd actually tell Eijun that.

"Would you still want to do it?"

"Eh?" Sawamura asked, head tilted.

"Well, it's not like your plan would have worked in the first place. You're not the kind of person who can walk into a room unnoticed." He smirked.

"Why you-!"

"Since we both have our uniforms, let's just switch them now." As he finished talking, Kazuya grabbed the folded clothes from Sawamura, and placed his own into the pitcher's hands. He fought off a smile as the excitement grew in Sawamura's eyes.

As silence settled, the same thought had crossed the battery's minds; would some of their actions during this competition stay as habits even after the end of the week? Would things just return to normal once the winner is decided? Would-

"Ok, I'm tired now, I have a quiz first class this morning," Miyuki yawned. "You should get to bed too."

"I'm not tired."

"Suuure, but I better not hear Kanemaru saying you were asleep in class."

"Mmmmrrrrrrrr... fine." Sawamura pouted. He folded his arms, squeezing the uniform to his chest.

"Stop that, it's gonna get wrinkled," Miyuki stood up and stretched a bit, Sawamura followed not long after, heading back towards the catcher's room.

Miyuki was about to reach for the door handle, but paused to face Sawamura, "I almost forgot, you woke up from a bad dream right? Did you want to talk about it before going back?"

Earlier he hadn't noticed, but now that he was really looking at the pitcher, it was plain obvious something was bothering him. The dark circles, that lost look in his eyes, his stiff posture.

"I..." Sawamura's head lowered, his bangs covering part of his face. "What would happen, if we lost a game in the regional tournament again... because of my pitching?"

"That was your nightmare?" He saw the pitcher nod.

"I want to go to nationals with this team again. I want another chance... to stand on that mound." Sawamura spoke through clenched teeth, his clenched fists beginning to tremble.

Being honest, Miyuki is well aware he's never been the best with comforting people outside of his catcher persona. Most of the time his 'comforting' words ended up having the opposite effect.

"Can you just..." Sawamura spoke first, his face clearly heating up. "Stand still for a minute?"

"What do you..." Kazuya's words trailed off as he was pulled forward. Heart racing as arms gently wrapped around his lower back. For a few seconds, he couldn't get himself to react, afraid moving would make the moment end. But eventually, he returned the gesture. Who would have known Sawamura excelled at hugging too.

Wrapped up in the heat of the moment, Miyuki nuzzled his face into the pitcher's neck, "Hey uhmm... could you... not tell Kuramochi about this one?"

Sawamura pulled away slightly to look at Miyuki, "Huh? Why not? You don't want the points?"

He thought quickly for a believable excuse, "There's no purpose. Both of us would get a point so it wouldn't put anyone ahead."

"Hmmm that's true..." Eijun cuddled in again, closing the distance.

"We should probably go to bed..." Despite his words, Miyuki didn't budge. He honestly couldn't remember the last time he hugged someone. He wanted to enjoy the comfort for a little longer.

"Ok," Kazuya said bluntly as he peeled off the second-year. "I have a math quiz today, I want sleep."

The pitcher made a noise in complaint, but left it at that. He folded the captain's uniform under his arm and mumbled a small "g'night".

"Haha don't have nightmares this time." Miyuki called playfully as he reached for the doorknob.

"I won't!"

Smiling to himself as he climbed up to his bunk, Miyuki had no trouble falling asleep this time.