1st Inning: Kanou/Oda Fanfiction - Untitled - by hikari_sukuru
Author: hikari_sukuru
Pairing: Kanou/Oda
Rating: PG-13? There's kissing... but that's about it. Oh, and some innuendo that something else might be going on, but nothing is actually mentioned.
Word Count: 1362
Oda didn't even hear the door to the locker-room open. He didn't hear it open, and he didn't hear it close, humming softly to himself as he undressed. He didn't particularly like being the last one out after practice, but the coach had wanted to talk to him about how the loss to Nishiura was unacceptable, but that he also didn't hold Oda responsible. Solely, at least. The game had been over three weeks ago and honestly, he'd put it out of his mind. It shouldn't have happened that way, but that couldn't be helped now. That group of freshmen...they were something, alright. Especially that pitcher.
With his shirt half-way over his head, wrapped around his arms and covering his face, he couldn't see the intruder walk up behind him, or see his hands reach out and grab onto his waist from behind. Because of his position, he couldn't do much of anything other than stumble backwards as the hands pulled him back and continue on until the back of his knees hit the bench and he went tumbling back.
"What the-" he started, struggling with his shirt as he fell, sitting up almost instantly and pulling the piece of clothing off. "What is going-" he was cut off as the hands were pressed on his shoulder, pushing him down from the subconscious act of trying to stand back up, as a pair of lips were pressed against his, silencing the question. It took another couple of moments of connection before the first-baseman realized who it was who attacked him, and the conclusion brought a small smirk to his lips.
"Kanou?"
The significantly smaller pitcher didn’t reply and instead continued the kiss, his hands reaching to wrap around Oda’s neck as he crawled into his lap, successfully situation himself in a straddling position. The taller’s hands found their way up the back of his shirt, running across familiar skin with the slightest sense of urgency. Hunger. How long had it been since he’d last held him like this? The mere fact he wasn’t sure didn’t sit well with him, and the way that Kanou was pressing closer to him let him know that he didn’t particularly like it either. They sat like that for quite a bit longer, kissing and touching and making sure the other was really there. Of course they were, but it was nice to double check. And triple check. And…well…yeah, you get the point.
After their multiple reassurances they took a mutual break, Kanou leaning his forehead against Oda’s neck and collarbone, panting slightly from the lack of oxygen that was required for long-term kissing. Oda was no different, chest rising and falling quickly as he sat there, holding the other in his arms.
“Ya miss me?” he finally asked, unable to hold back the grin. Even if he said no, Oda knew better. He knew Kanou well enough to not be fooled by his need to keep his pride. Knew him well enough that even as the response left his lips, he wasn’t saying what was tr-
“Yes.”
Yes? Yes? Oda had to pause for a moment after he answered, taking it in. That was unlike him…there was something wrong.
Instead of furthering along the contact, which Oda was pretty sure Kanou had been planning for, he moved his hands out from under the practice-shirt he still wore and laid them to rest on each sides of his hips, trying to coax him to sit up.
“Kanou, there’s somethin’ wrong, isn’t there?”
He could feel the pitcher tense up, sigh, then finally sit back up. His head was hung, therefore he couldn’t catch the other’s eyes.
Bingo.
“You’re not one to get all down on yerself like this.” Oda continued, leaning back on one arm. “What’s bothering you?”
“It’s not that it’s bothering me,” he quickly answered, looking up at him, “it’s just that I can’t…”
“Can’t what?”
“He hit my fork, Oda. You saw it. And Mihashi…”
Why didn’t he realize it before? Of course it was still about the game. It was always about some game, and the game was quite an ordeal for almost everyone on that team. Everyone but him and the other transfers.
Kanou sighed and shook his head. “It’s not worth worrying about, but Hatake is still going on about how useless Mihashi is, and kicking him in the balls only works so many times.”
Oda chuckled at that, shaking his head. It seemed as though he’d been missing quite a bit since he returned to the varsity practices. Picking up his free arm from Kanou’s hip, he ran his hand over his buzzed head.
“Kanou,” he said simply, his drawl catching the other’s attention. “Do you know why they beat us?”
The pitcher’s eyes narrowed, as if offended. “Of course I do. Mihashi’s the better pitcher out of us two. Our entire team underestimated him and his teammates. We walked into that game-”
“Why is Mihashi the better pitcher?”
That was when Kanou’s offense turned to confusion. “You saw his pitches, Oda. Even you had a hard time with them, and the way that catcher was-”
“Why was I having a hard time?”
There was the annoyance. “I just told you. He’s the better pitcher. His breaking balls are-”
“I don’t care about his actual pitching, Kanou. I want to know if you understand why he’s such an amazing pitcher, as you put it.”
That finally got him to stop and think, his mouth opening then closing four or so times before Oda finally gave up with waiting. “It’s his drive to win.” He waited for Kanou’s eyes to return to his before continuing. “Back when he pitched for your middle school team, he was on his own, right?” He nodded. “But he was the ace, he pitched every game.” Another nod. “Have you ever thought about how that must have felt? Sure, you respected the guy, though I don’t really know why, but did you ever put yourself in his shoes? He was playing with the idea that the entire team hated him, yet he wouldn’t leave.”
“What does that have anything to do with our game, Oda?”
“I guess what I’m trying to say, Kanou, is that he’s got nothing to lose. You subconsciously play with the fact that the team favored you over him on your mind. You’re so worked up with trying to live up to that standard that you forget why you’re there.” The smaller of the two was silent for a moment and Oda let himself smile lightly. “Love the game, Kanou. You have to love the game before you can truly play it.”
“But I do love it.” He muttered, staring right back at the other.
“That may be true, but part of you is still only playing to live up to what those guys, Hatake and everyone else, have been saying about you for some time.”
Kanou thought for a moment before sighing and leaning forward to set his forehead on Oda’s shoulder. Content with how everything went, the pillow wrapped his arms back around him, leaning his head down. Good thing he did, too, for he might have missed Kanou’s comment.
“You should come back to the Freshman team. It’s boring without you there.”
That caused him to laugh, rubbing Kanou’s back gently. “You should come to our practice game on Friday.”
“You know I will.” He started kissing along Oda’s neck, trailing them up his neck to the skin under his jaw. “I have to be there to make sure you’re not slacking off~”
“If they even put me in. I’m second string, after all.”
Kanou chuckled that time, the vibrations running along his jaw and driving him crazy. He would not last too much longer this way. “You’ll play.”
“I’m glad you have so much faith in me.” He paused before leaning in to whisper against the pitcher’s ear, lowering his voice just the way that drove the other crazy. “You should walk home with me today. Mah and Pah are gone for the week on business.” He could feel the shiver run up Kanou’s spine and he grinned.
Pairing: Kanou/Oda
Rating: PG-13? There's kissing... but that's about it. Oh, and some innuendo that something else might be going on, but nothing is actually mentioned.
Word Count: 1362
Oda didn't even hear the door to the locker-room open. He didn't hear it open, and he didn't hear it close, humming softly to himself as he undressed. He didn't particularly like being the last one out after practice, but the coach had wanted to talk to him about how the loss to Nishiura was unacceptable, but that he also didn't hold Oda responsible. Solely, at least. The game had been over three weeks ago and honestly, he'd put it out of his mind. It shouldn't have happened that way, but that couldn't be helped now. That group of freshmen...they were something, alright. Especially that pitcher.
With his shirt half-way over his head, wrapped around his arms and covering his face, he couldn't see the intruder walk up behind him, or see his hands reach out and grab onto his waist from behind. Because of his position, he couldn't do much of anything other than stumble backwards as the hands pulled him back and continue on until the back of his knees hit the bench and he went tumbling back.
"What the-" he started, struggling with his shirt as he fell, sitting up almost instantly and pulling the piece of clothing off. "What is going-" he was cut off as the hands were pressed on his shoulder, pushing him down from the subconscious act of trying to stand back up, as a pair of lips were pressed against his, silencing the question. It took another couple of moments of connection before the first-baseman realized who it was who attacked him, and the conclusion brought a small smirk to his lips.
"Kanou?"
The significantly smaller pitcher didn’t reply and instead continued the kiss, his hands reaching to wrap around Oda’s neck as he crawled into his lap, successfully situation himself in a straddling position. The taller’s hands found their way up the back of his shirt, running across familiar skin with the slightest sense of urgency. Hunger. How long had it been since he’d last held him like this? The mere fact he wasn’t sure didn’t sit well with him, and the way that Kanou was pressing closer to him let him know that he didn’t particularly like it either. They sat like that for quite a bit longer, kissing and touching and making sure the other was really there. Of course they were, but it was nice to double check. And triple check. And…well…yeah, you get the point.
After their multiple reassurances they took a mutual break, Kanou leaning his forehead against Oda’s neck and collarbone, panting slightly from the lack of oxygen that was required for long-term kissing. Oda was no different, chest rising and falling quickly as he sat there, holding the other in his arms.
“Ya miss me?” he finally asked, unable to hold back the grin. Even if he said no, Oda knew better. He knew Kanou well enough to not be fooled by his need to keep his pride. Knew him well enough that even as the response left his lips, he wasn’t saying what was tr-
“Yes.”
Yes? Yes? Oda had to pause for a moment after he answered, taking it in. That was unlike him…there was something wrong.
Instead of furthering along the contact, which Oda was pretty sure Kanou had been planning for, he moved his hands out from under the practice-shirt he still wore and laid them to rest on each sides of his hips, trying to coax him to sit up.
“Kanou, there’s somethin’ wrong, isn’t there?”
He could feel the pitcher tense up, sigh, then finally sit back up. His head was hung, therefore he couldn’t catch the other’s eyes.
Bingo.
“You’re not one to get all down on yerself like this.” Oda continued, leaning back on one arm. “What’s bothering you?”
“It’s not that it’s bothering me,” he quickly answered, looking up at him, “it’s just that I can’t…”
“Can’t what?”
“He hit my fork, Oda. You saw it. And Mihashi…”
Why didn’t he realize it before? Of course it was still about the game. It was always about some game, and the game was quite an ordeal for almost everyone on that team. Everyone but him and the other transfers.
Kanou sighed and shook his head. “It’s not worth worrying about, but Hatake is still going on about how useless Mihashi is, and kicking him in the balls only works so many times.”
Oda chuckled at that, shaking his head. It seemed as though he’d been missing quite a bit since he returned to the varsity practices. Picking up his free arm from Kanou’s hip, he ran his hand over his buzzed head.
“Kanou,” he said simply, his drawl catching the other’s attention. “Do you know why they beat us?”
The pitcher’s eyes narrowed, as if offended. “Of course I do. Mihashi’s the better pitcher out of us two. Our entire team underestimated him and his teammates. We walked into that game-”
“Why is Mihashi the better pitcher?”
That was when Kanou’s offense turned to confusion. “You saw his pitches, Oda. Even you had a hard time with them, and the way that catcher was-”
“Why was I having a hard time?”
There was the annoyance. “I just told you. He’s the better pitcher. His breaking balls are-”
“I don’t care about his actual pitching, Kanou. I want to know if you understand why he’s such an amazing pitcher, as you put it.”
That finally got him to stop and think, his mouth opening then closing four or so times before Oda finally gave up with waiting. “It’s his drive to win.” He waited for Kanou’s eyes to return to his before continuing. “Back when he pitched for your middle school team, he was on his own, right?” He nodded. “But he was the ace, he pitched every game.” Another nod. “Have you ever thought about how that must have felt? Sure, you respected the guy, though I don’t really know why, but did you ever put yourself in his shoes? He was playing with the idea that the entire team hated him, yet he wouldn’t leave.”
“What does that have anything to do with our game, Oda?”
“I guess what I’m trying to say, Kanou, is that he’s got nothing to lose. You subconsciously play with the fact that the team favored you over him on your mind. You’re so worked up with trying to live up to that standard that you forget why you’re there.” The smaller of the two was silent for a moment and Oda let himself smile lightly. “Love the game, Kanou. You have to love the game before you can truly play it.”
“But I do love it.” He muttered, staring right back at the other.
“That may be true, but part of you is still only playing to live up to what those guys, Hatake and everyone else, have been saying about you for some time.”
Kanou thought for a moment before sighing and leaning forward to set his forehead on Oda’s shoulder. Content with how everything went, the pillow wrapped his arms back around him, leaning his head down. Good thing he did, too, for he might have missed Kanou’s comment.
“You should come back to the Freshman team. It’s boring without you there.”
That caused him to laugh, rubbing Kanou’s back gently. “You should come to our practice game on Friday.”
“You know I will.” He started kissing along Oda’s neck, trailing them up his neck to the skin under his jaw. “I have to be there to make sure you’re not slacking off~”
“If they even put me in. I’m second string, after all.”
Kanou chuckled that time, the vibrations running along his jaw and driving him crazy. He would not last too much longer this way. “You’ll play.”
“I’m glad you have so much faith in me.” He paused before leaning in to whisper against the pitcher’s ear, lowering his voice just the way that drove the other crazy. “You should walk home with me today. Mah and Pah are gone for the week on business.” He could feel the shiver run up Kanou’s spine and he grinned.