❛ ARE YOU SURE IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO SCOUT
A BOY WHO HAS ONLY EVER PLAYED ON A
SANDLOT, REI TAKASHIMA? ❜
❛ I'LL TAKE MY CHANCES. ❜
katsu higashi fell in love with baseball the minute the ball made...
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THE SANDLOT ! CHAPTER SIXTEEN
katsu had never slept so restlessly.
when watanabe's first alarm went off, he was watching the sun peek through their translucent curtains, tinting their tidy dorm yellow. "you're up earlier than usual." watanabe murmurs after several minutes of silence, slender fingers smoothing out the wrinkles on his duvet.
"i couldn't sleep."
which is a pity in itself. aren't you supposed to crash after bawling your eyes out? yet the only thing it brought was a dull ache between his brows that thrummed with every little noise.
the boy hums gently as he spares a thoughtful glance towards katsu. his brown eyes look more golden under the soft rays, and it reminds him of sunflowers. it's oddly befitting, they're bright and are often associated with warmth and positivity. just like watanabe.
"do you want to talk about it?" there's a gentle smile playing on his lips, and katsu notices it makes his eyes crinkle. it's almost incredulous to know a person can be all soft curves and no rough edges.
he flushes under his stare, blithely shaking his head in response. all at once he's aware of his untidy appearance. does he smell? does his hair resemble a rats nest? he subtlety raises a hand towards his mouth, making sure there wasn't any drool.
(which is stupid because he didn't even get a solid hour of sleep!)
watanabe grabs a bat, and katsu perks up at the sudden action. he's only ever seen him pick that up thrice. he usually saw the second year leave their dorm with a textbook in hand and not a metal bat. there's a flurry of unspoken question gathering and before they tumble out nabe speaks up.
"i'm going to practice my swings with kudo and higashio, i'll see you at lunch?" katsu can only nod dumbly, awkwardly waving goodbye as the door shuts with a quiet click.
for some reason... he thought watanabe had completely given up after the roster was finalized for the summer tournament. it brings a wave of guilt to think so lowly of his roommate. it's obvious he's still practicing to get a spot on the first string. he's only a second year. he still has time.
katsu shouldn't be getting too comfortable.
----
he spends the day cooped up in his dorm.
it turns out that his minor headache was actually a migraine. he had dutifully ignored the way that every little movement brought a blurry haze. katsu couldn't afford to skip practice over something so inconvenient.
