Eijun calls Chris a lot. He hadn't, at first—he had stuck to texting, mostly, sending cheerful good morning texts and updating Chris on how the new team was developing. It had seemed like calls should be something special, a once in a while sort of treat for when he really needed them. After all, Chris was sure to be busy with class and practice and being a college student, and Eijun should be able to keep himself occupied while Chris is away. Chris hadn’t agreed, though, when Eijun had finally caved and called him, three weeks into the new semester.
“Eijun, there’s no need for that. You can call me every day, if you want to. If I’m really so busy that I can't talk at all, I’ll just tell you.” It had made him feel a little silly for trying to hold out so long, but he had taken Chris up on the offer gleefully. He calls multiple times a week now, sometimes actually every day, when he’s stressed or really misses Chris.
Now is one of those times. He chews his lip, staring at his phone, debating. They had talked last night, too, and Eijun had texted him throughout the day, not planning on calling again tonight, but—practice has been extra brutal lately, and his schoolwork is only getting harder as the year goes on. He feels like he’s hit a plateau with his extra training, the anxiety has been keeping him awake at night, and when he had returned to his room after his bath, he had been hit with such a strong wave of missing Chris that there had been tears pricking the corners of his eyes before he could stop it. He pulls up his recent call list and hits the name at the top, letting himself topple back onto his bed.
“Hey,” Chris says when he picks up. He sounds tired, and it makes Eijun feel a little guilty, but his voice is still warm, comforting. Another wave of emotion washes over Eijun, and he sniffles.
“Eijun?” Now there’s alarm in Chris’s voice. “Is everything okay?”
“Hi, Chris-senpai,” Eijun says after a pause, his voice only a little rough. “Sorry, I’m okay. I just—I really miss you. Stuff’s getting more stressful around here I guess, but that—that’s all. I just wish you were here.” There’s a staticky sound on the other end of the line as Chris sighs, but when he speaks, he doesn't sound annoyed.
“I’m sorry I can't be there right now. I miss you, too, and I wish I were there just as much, believe me.”
“Things are just—it’s just easier when you’re here, you know? It feels like things will be okay, and even if they’re not I know you’ll help me figure them out. I have good friends and teammates here, but it’s lonelier without you.”
“I do know what you mean,” Chris says, voice soft. “You make it easier for me, too. I think about it, sometimes—how much better everything would be if you were here. I miss catching your pitches, and going over strategies and plays with you. I miss seeing your smile.” It’s more emotion than Chris usually lets show—Eijun knows Chris feels things deeply, but he’s also a master of keeping himself neatly contained. The waver in his voice as he confesses puts a lump in Eijun’s throat, and for a moment they’re both silent. Eijun thinks about the fact that he doesn't even mind just listening to Chris breathe.
“Maybe,” Chris starts, pausing to clear his throat. “Maybe I could figure out a day to come visit you, if you have the time.” Eijun sits up so straight so fast that he almost slams his head into the top bunk.
“Really!? That would be awesome! We can pick a day and you can come see me, and everyone else, too! I’m sure all the seniors would love to see you, and the new first years should meet you, too! I tell them about you, but I’m not sure they believe me about how cool you are. You can come show them yourself!” Chris laughs, and Eijun grins at his empty room. If there’s anything that’ll keep him going no matter how hard things get, it’s the prospect of seeing Chris, bright in Eijun’s mind like a light at the end of a tunnel.
Fill: Team Furuya Satoru/Miyuki Kazuya, G
word count: 736
Eijun calls Chris a lot. He hadn't, at first—he had stuck to texting, mostly, sending cheerful good morning texts and updating Chris on how the new team was developing. It had seemed like calls should be something special, a once in a while sort of treat for when he really needed them. After all, Chris was sure to be busy with class and practice and being a college student, and Eijun should be able to keep himself occupied while Chris is away. Chris hadn’t agreed, though, when Eijun had finally caved and called him, three weeks into the new semester.
“Eijun, there’s no need for that. You can call me every day, if you want to. If I’m really so busy that I can't talk at all, I’ll just tell you.” It had made him feel a little silly for trying to hold out so long, but he had taken Chris up on the offer gleefully. He calls multiple times a week now, sometimes actually every day, when he’s stressed or really misses Chris.
Now is one of those times. He chews his lip, staring at his phone, debating. They had talked last night, too, and Eijun had texted him throughout the day, not planning on calling again tonight, but—practice has been extra brutal lately, and his schoolwork is only getting harder as the year goes on. He feels like he’s hit a plateau with his extra training, the anxiety has been keeping him awake at night, and when he had returned to his room after his bath, he had been hit with such a strong wave of missing Chris that there had been tears pricking the corners of his eyes before he could stop it. He pulls up his recent call list and hits the name at the top, letting himself topple back onto his bed.
“Hey,” Chris says when he picks up. He sounds tired, and it makes Eijun feel a little guilty, but his voice is still warm, comforting. Another wave of emotion washes over Eijun, and he sniffles.
“Eijun?” Now there’s alarm in Chris’s voice. “Is everything okay?”
“Hi, Chris-senpai,” Eijun says after a pause, his voice only a little rough. “Sorry, I’m okay. I just—I really miss you. Stuff’s getting more stressful around here I guess, but that—that’s all. I just wish you were here.” There’s a staticky sound on the other end of the line as Chris sighs, but when he speaks, he doesn't sound annoyed.
“I’m sorry I can't be there right now. I miss you, too, and I wish I were there just as much, believe me.”
“Things are just—it’s just easier when you’re here, you know? It feels like things will be okay, and even if they’re not I know you’ll help me figure them out. I have good friends and teammates here, but it’s lonelier without you.”
“I do know what you mean,” Chris says, voice soft. “You make it easier for me, too. I think about it, sometimes—how much better everything would be if you were here. I miss catching your pitches, and going over strategies and plays with you. I miss seeing your smile.” It’s more emotion than Chris usually lets show—Eijun knows Chris feels things deeply, but he’s also a master of keeping himself neatly contained. The waver in his voice as he confesses puts a lump in Eijun’s throat, and for a moment they’re both silent. Eijun thinks about the fact that he doesn't even mind just listening to Chris breathe.
“Maybe,” Chris starts, pausing to clear his throat. “Maybe I could figure out a day to come visit you, if you have the time.” Eijun sits up so straight so fast that he almost slams his head into the top bunk.
“Really!? That would be awesome! We can pick a day and you can come see me, and everyone else, too! I’m sure all the seniors would love to see you, and the new first years should meet you, too! I tell them about you, but I’m not sure they believe me about how cool you are. You can come show them yourself!” Chris laughs, and Eijun grins at his empty room. If there’s anything that’ll keep him going no matter how hard things get, it’s the prospect of seeing Chris, bright in Eijun’s mind like a light at the end of a tunnel.