Wild Pitch
Game 1
I had an itch for some yaoi sports manga... and since I can't draw manga - I decided to write a little story to pacify my itch (this is the short version). It's not beta'd or anything and also English is not my first language, so I apologize if there are any glaring errors. It's not really about baseball, I'm not gonna write games in details and such, but that's the setting.
March 8, 2011 Note: The story is now proof-read and edited! Major thanks to my beta reader, Lex-Lee! Man, it took me hours to update because of all the bugs in the system, in addition to the hours it took me to edit the chapters, let's say I burned the day on this orz I do think it was worth the efforts though, it reads smoother now, I think. Well, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do :D A/N 2: I moved the characters stats to this page: http://www2.adult-fanfiction.org/forum/index.php/topic/14465-wild-pitch/ (also added some new ones), will probably add more as the story progresses. Wild Pitch
Chapter 1
The smell of the fresh mowed lawn tickled Ayumu's nostrils. It was one of his favorite smells, a fleeting thought crossed his mind as he stepped onto the field. A single sakura petal landed near his foot. He raised his head up to look at the large sakura tree that already started to shed its pink leaves at the sidelines.
It was early April and the new school year had just begun. It was his very first day as a High-School student. It took an effort to pass the entrance exam to get accepted into Seibu Gakuen High School, but since the school was the best known in the county for its good baseball team, the efforts were well worth it. Seibu Gakuen had made it to the Koshien national High School baseball tournament 8 times in the past 10 years and even won Koshien three times in the course of the decade.
"Hey First-Years!" someone called out loudly. "Get off the grass!"
"Ayumu, I told you we shouldn't have..." His friend was elbowing him and Ayumu raised his eyes to see the uniform-clad boys all glaring at the two.
"We just want to join the club," Ayumu said quietly, clearly not fazed by the angry senior. He stepped closer. "Come on, Ryuuji." He motioned to his friend that followed him carefully.
"We're not accepting new members until next week." The older boy barked at Ayumu. "Wait like all the other first years."
"Ah, come on, Ushizawa! We could use someone to pick up the balls." One of the other boys snickered.
"I'm not going to pick up your balls..." Ayumu started saying calmly.
"Ayumu..." Ryuuji wasn’t very thrilled that his friend was on his way to pick a fight with their seniors. He grabbed Ayumu by the sleeve of his blazer and tried dragging him back. "Let's just come back next week."
"No!" Ayumu shrugged him off. "We came to this school to play baseball." He turned to the older boys. "My name is Akagi Ayumu. I'm from class 1-B, throwing right..."
"I don't give a shit!" The older, chubby boy known as Ushizawa furrowed his brows angrily and rushed in to shove Ayumu off. "Get off the field, First Year… You’re pissing me off!"
Ayumu fell on his butt and was about to leap up to shove the older boy back. Ryuuji could see the rage in his friend’s deep brown eyes.
"Hey, what's going on?" Ayumu raised his head hearing a familiar voice.
"Ah, Takai arrived..." some of the boys mumbled.
"Takai... Naoya..." Ayumu mumbled, still sitting on the ground. He leaned back, looking up at the tall youth who towered over him, wearing the team's practice uniform. Unlike the rest of the boys, who had their heads shaved, Takai was sporting smooth black locks of hair under his baseball cap.
He tugged at his cap and smiled gently. "Isn't it the little brother? What's up, kiddo?" He reached out his hand to help Ayumu get up, but the boy slapped it away and got up.
"My name's Ayumu, that's not too hard to remember, is it?!"
"Takai, you know this guy?" Ushizawa blinked at him.
"He's my girlfriend's little brother..." Takai looked at Ayumu again. "I thought you're still in middle school."
When things calmed down, Ayumu found himself being handed a clean, white practice uniform. He looked at Ryuuji, who was sitting quietly next to him. "What about my friend?" he asked. "Why doesn't he get uniforms?"
Ryuuji waved his hands frantically. "Ah, I'm fine, really..."
"Don't get so up in arms, freshman," the boy who handed him the uniforms said. "Everything is still being prepared for next week... you know, when the first years who don't have privileges join up."
Ayumu got up and grabbed the uniform. "I don't need privileges."
Another boy sitting in the back of the shed chuckled. "Reminds me of another pesky freshman last year..."
"I don't remember Takai being as annoying as this one," the first boy said, looking at Ayumu with disdain. "Takai-kun has class."
Takai sat calmly on the bench drinking from his bottle of water. "Ah, Sasajima, you've finally made it."
Sasajima, dressed in the catcher's protective equipment, stood in front of him. "Sorry, I got held up with the cleaning duties..." he apologized. "Are you ready?"
Takai just dropped the bottle on the bench, grabbed his glove and stood up. He smiled at Sasajima and hit the glove with his bare fist. "Let's go."
Ayumu finished warming up and stretched. He caught a glimpse of Takai and his catcher casually throwing the ball at each other, on the other side of the field. He remembered his sister had mentioned, while they were watching the spring Koshien games on TV just a few weeks before, that Naoya was replacing the team's ace. He was curious to know in person how good Naoya was.
"Hey freshman!"
Ayumu was forced to snap from the daydream.
"Batting practice. Can you bat?" Another of his seniors at the club asked with a smirk and handed Ayumu a bat.
Ayumu just grabbed it without a word, remaining calm. Maybe he was a little aggressive and started his time in the baseball club on the wrong foot. It seemed that his seniors disliked him. Maybe he should have listened to Ryuuji and had waited until the club started accepting new members. But he couldn't help himself, he was anxious to play baseball. Moreover, finally play High School baseball. None of those jerks knew how long he's been waiting.
When finally his turn came to stand at bat, he could feel his body shaking with anticipation.
"Look at him, he's trembling! Are you afraid, freshman?" The boy behind him sniggered.
Ayumu turned to him and quietly said, "My name's Akagi. You better remember it."
He resumed his position and tightened his fingers around the hilt of the bat, looking intensely at the pitcher. The catcher sat down behind him and put on his face guard.
The pitcher touched his cap, brushed the mud on the mound with his foot and prepared to throw the pitch at Ayumu. He threw the ball.
When the ball touched the tip of Ayumu's bat - it bounced high in the air. Everyone watched it, expecting it to land in the middle of the field, when it disappeared from sight.
"Ehhh... not bad..." the boys whispered in the back.
"Come on; don't go easy on me just because I'm a first year..." Ayumu muttered to the catcher. "Throw me some really good fastball... curves are fine too... What does this guy have?"
"Damn brat..." the catcher muttered under his breath, yet loud enough for Ayumu to hear. He then gave the pitcher new signs.
Ayumu fended off that ball with ease. "Come on! Give me some real pitches..."
When he sent the next ball out of the field as well; he began to lose his patience. "Even middle-schoolers pitch better than this... I pitch better," he told the catcher.
"If you weren't Takai's little brother, I'd kill you," the catcher muttered back.
"I'm not his brother..." Ayumu's voice trailed off and he looked again at where Naoya and the other catcher were practicing. The catcher was now crouching and Naoya was throwing some nice looking fastballs, from what Ayumu could detect.
"Hey, catcher. Bring Naoya over. I want to hit his pitches."
"Heh. You won't be able to hit Takai, brat. He's a different league than Enjoji here." The catcher slid his face guard back again and reached out his glove hand. "Let’s finish this."
"Hey, Naoya!" Ayumu ignored him and started shouting. "Naoya, bastard, I'm calling you!!"
Takai and Sasajima stopped their practice session. "Is that Akagi's little brother yelling out your name?" Sasajima asked.
"Yeah... I'll be right back."
"What is it, kiddo?" Takai asked when he got closer. "Are they bullying you?"
"Ah, Takai... the little bastard, er, this brat, is just making a fuss thinking he's a big shot." The catcher stood up. "He hit two home runs off Enjoji."
"Ehhh, really? Not bad." Takai smiled and looked at Ayumu.
The shorter boy held the bat close to his chest and caressed it. "Naoya, throw me some pitches... I want to hit you."
Takai laughed. "Okay, I guess... if it's okay with Enjoji and Yamada." He glanced at the catcher.
"Ah, I think..." Yamada hesitated, then shrugged.
Ayumu rolled up his undershirt's sleeves. He was getting hot. Finally.
Naoya threw the ball at him. It was a fastball, but not fast enough to evade Ayumu's quick bat. He hit a nice grounder.
"Don't go easy on me!" Ayumu shouted at him.
"I'm sorry, kiddo. Yamada can't catch my pitches," Takai replied and powdered his hand.
Ayumu grinned and pointed his bat at the pitcher's direction. "He won't need to."
Takai laughed and threw the chalk to the ground, preparing the ball in his glove. "Get ready, then."
"Come," Ayumu whispered and licked his lips.
Takai raised his leg and with full power pushed his upper body forward, his fingers letting go of the ball midair.
Ayumu's fingers curled around the wooden bat and he swung the bat. He could hear the ball coming at him.
"Strike!" The boy serving as umpire next to him yelled.
Ayumu looked surprised.
Yamada got up and ran to fetch back the ball that bounced from his glove.
"Are you okay, Yamada?" Takai asked.
"I'm fine..." Yamada hissed, still in pain.
"Let me replace you," Sasajima jogged over, taking position behind Ayumu.
Yamada was more than happy to be replaced. Sasajima Katsuhiro had been Takai's catcher since the two were playing in middle school, so he was well accustomed to his fastballs.
Ayumu furrowed his brows. He had to admit Naoya was pretty strong. His control also seemed near perfect. But it only made it more exciting.
"Are you ready?"
"Bring it on!" Ayumu grinned and resumed his position, concentrating.
THUD! The ball zoomed by and smashed into the glove, untouched. It almost seemed like the glove was raising steam from the friction.
Everyone was busy staring in awe, even the stand-in umpire forgot to call the strike.
"Not bad..." Ayumu grinned, looking at the ball. He turned to face Naoya. "Throw one like this again!"
"You're so eager, Akagi-kun," Sasajima smiled behind his face guard. "Most of the boys here are afraid to face Takai."
He looked up when no reply came from his junior. He smiled when he saw the boy glaring at Takai with fierce eyes. He signaled to the pitcher and waited.
Ayumu swung once more, but still missed the powerful fastball.
"S... Strike! Batter out!" The boy serving as umpire snapped out of his momentarily shock.
Sasajima got up, while Ayumu threw his helmet on the ground in anger.
Naoya approached them and took off his cap. He smiled at Ayumu. "It was fun, kiddo."
"Stop calling me that," Ayumu growled. "I'll definitely hit you. Just wait."
"I look forward to that," Naoya smiled genuinely. "Do your best."
Ayumu huffed and walked off, throwing the bat at the container. "Let's go home, Ryuuji."
His friend hurried to follow him to the dressing room.
"I guess that just crushed the little bugger's ego..." the other boys started gossiping as soon as the two left.
Takai patted his friend's shoulder. "Nice catch, Sasajima." He smiled.
"But man, that was harsh. I have never seen you throwing this seriously when it’s not a crucial game… or an official game at all!" Sasajima said and took the glove off to look at his hand. It was a little red.
"I just did what he asked me to," Takai said with a shrug.
Sasajima rubbed his chin. "He doesn't seem crushed at all. He really is planning to hit you, isn't he?"
"I guess..." Takai shrugged again. "He's pretty good though, if he managed to hit Enjoji that easily."
"Yeah..." Sasajima mused. "This year will be interesting." .
.
.