Title: When you put your arms around me
Fandom: Daiya no Ace | Diamond no Ace | Ace of Diamond
Pairing: Yuki Tetsuya x Takigawa Chris Yuu x Isashiki Jun
Rating: General Audiences
Word Count: 1976
Gift for: @whythehandbasket
Collab Partner: @daiyanerd (art link)
AO3
Summary:
It rains too much sometimes, and singing is just an easy way to pass the time.
Even if you didn’t intend to sing.
He stood under the awning, staring out at the field as rain poured down. His face was splattered with droplets of rain that had splashed in his direction, yet he had done nothing to stop it. He sighed softly at the wasted day ahead, knowing that even with indoor practice, there still wouldn’t be enough done that day. His eyes tracked a particular raindrop that got caught on the edge of the building, almost struggling to be free and fall down.
Involuntarily, his hand moved to catch the raindrop, ignoring how the rest of his palm and wrist were quickly soaked with rain. He continued staring out at the rain, completely lost in thought, so much so that when a hand landed gently on the small of his back he couldn’t suppress the small jump. Turning his head he saw Jun’s concerned face and just chuckled softly.
“I’m fine Jun, don’t worry.” He fully rotated a gentle smile on his lips. The furrow between his brows slowly disappeared as he watched Jun scowl before stomping away.
Growling lowly, Jun continued speaking. “Then if you’re done baka, come inside would you? Chris wanted to speak to you about your fielding.”
He swiftly walked over to Jun, who had unknowingly paused to wait for him. He didn’t say much as he entered the room, just walking over towards Chris and sat beside him. He could feel Jun sitting close to them, pulling a smile from his lips when he felt Jun’s thigh press into his back. Spying Miyuki walking into the room, Tetsu seriously lifted the shogi piece in his hand.
“Miyuki, shogi?” He could see the hesitance in Miyuki’s body, but Tetsu just pushed on, moving the piece in the air as if it was on the board. Just as he thought that maybe Miyuki would play with him, Tetsu noticed the door open quickly and internally sighed when Sawamura and the other two first years walked in. He had nothing against the loud pitcher, but that did mean Miyuki wouldn’t be willing to play with him. Feeling a hand sneak into his own, Tetsu smiled a little, squeezing back. He could see that Chris was consumed in his conversation with Kanemaru but even then Chris was aware about Tetsu and Jun.
At some point he focussed back on the conversation between Miyuki and Sawamura. Tetsu had to hold back the laugh bubbling in his chest when he heard Miyuki continuously teasing Sawamura. How those two weren’t together yet baffled him, but from Jun’s extensive shoujo collection apparently this kind of relationship was a prelude to a close and beautiful relationship.
Didn’t stop him from meddling sometimes with Chris and Jun though.
Sawamura looked like he was going to burst a blood vessel, and even though Kominato junior was trying to hold him back, when Miyuki finally said, “well I don’t think I want to hear your singing. I mean, I’ve heard you shouting all too much,” Sawamura finally exploded. Nearly frothing at the mouth, something which Tetsu found strangely fascinating as Jun could do that sometimes as well when really angered, the southpaw replied.
“BAKAYUKI! I could almost definitely out sing you any day. If I do, then you have to catch for me all of tomorrow!” At that declaration, Furuya suddenly perked up, his aura all fired up. Tetsu watched amused as Furuya quickly rushed over to the pair and declare his absolute intent to win. Quickly, in order to prevent his teammate from taking much more of Miyuki’s attention, Sawamura rushed up to Chris and spoke loudly, and unsurprisingly quite formally. Bowing deeply, Sawamura spoke, while Tetsu watched the surprise and uncomfort on Chris’ face melt away to reveal exasperated fondness.
“Master, would you do us the honour of judging our singing?”
Tetsuya could see the hesitancy in Chris’ face, but he was interested to see how the event would turn out and spoke swiftly, “Chris, you should do it. It would be a good team bonding experience.” His aura flared slightly, always wanting to see the betterment of the team. He heard Jun try not to laugh, and felt a slight smile stretch across his face once more.
Someone in the room suggested karaoke, and Kuramochi, who had yet to stop cackling about the idea quickly leapt onto the plan suggesting the cafeteria. “The cafeteria has pretty good speakers. We could do it in there, plus it’s larger so more people could fit.”
They all quickly trooped out of the room, some running through the rain before they got wet. Tetsu stayed back, walking between Chris and Jun. When they had stood up from the ground, Tetsu and Chris had been forced to let go, but as they were at the back of the group, he quickly grabbed Chris’ hand and tugged on the back of Jun’s sweater.
He could see them glance around to make sure no one was looking, but he didn’t really care. He knew the benefit of keeping their relationship on the down low, but he just wanted to be around his boys more. Pulling them into a tight hug, Tetsu breathed in their comforting scents before letting go. The bright red flush on Jun’s face adorably countered his deep scowl, while Chris just smiled gently, though his face was just a bit more pink than before.
Crossing his arms, Jun growled, “what did you do that for baka! What if some—” Tetsu smiled and shrugged, “I wanted to. That’s all.” He walked away, still holding Chris’ hand, therefore pulling him as well but leaving a blushing Jun behind.
As they walked inside the cafeteria, he could see that everyone else had moved the tables around and connected someone’s phone to the speakers. Settling down into one of the chairs, Tetsu quickly got comfortable, waiting to hear everyone’s singing. This wasn’t the first time that Karaoke night had happened, but not since his own first year.
He watched as Sawamura stomped up to the front of the room, shouting about how his singing would be the best. Truthfully, Tetsuya was expecting Sawamura to be very good at singing, especially considering how many times he’d seen the boy mouthing along with music while running. And in fact, he wasn’t wrong when Sawamura began singing quietly, before his voice crescendoed into a gorgeous peak.
“And I… will always love you” “I… will always love you” “You, ooh”
Tetsu felt the goosebumps crawling up his arm, eliciting a shiver down his back. His voice was beautiful, and powerful yet there was something childish about it that made it all the more unique. Truthfully, if he had to say, Sawamura’s voice very strongly reminded him of Chris’ in first year. That strong timbre coupled with a young voice that still cracked slightly. Glancing over at Jun, he could see the same recognition in him as well. Squeezing Chris’ hand gently, he smiled at his boys, happy to be with them.
Looking at Miyuki, he could see the awestruck look in the catcher’s face, pulling a slight chuckle from his lips. Maybe they wouldn’t have to meddle with this couple. But the smirks on all three of their faces said there would still be some meddling to occur.
The burst of applause that resounded in the room after Sawamura was done singing seemed to shock the pitcher who quickly turned bright red but grinned brightly. Bashful Sawamura quickly disappeared however to shout at Furuya, “Your turn now! Beat that!” Everyone ignored as Sawamura surreptitiously wiped his tears away.
Furuya and Kominato junior walked towards the front, though Kominato’s face turned quite red when everyone’s eyes were on them, though he seemed to relax when Sawamura began to shout how Furuya was cheating. Ryou’s karate chop quickly shut him up.
They both stood beside each other, Furuya’s eyes nearly shut as if he was asleep in the bullpen. Kominato began singing, his voice soft like Sawamura’s before, but when Furuya joined in, no one could deny that their voices melded together beautifully.
“Now I’ve had the time of my life No, I never felt like this before Yes I swear it’s the truth And I owe it’all to you”
“Cause I’ve had the time of my life And I owe it all to you”
Tetsuya wasn’t surprised they sounded well together, though he wasn’t expecting this kind of song from them. And judging from Ryou’s tight smile, it wasn’t something he was happy about. He clapped for the beautifully sung performance, before laughing when he saw Miyuki and Kuramochi.
Apparently they had somehow found fedoras and sunglasses for their performance. Clearly their song was going to be a little less meaningful than the previous two. When the first beats of their chosen song came on, Tetsu couldn’t help but shake his head at their choice. This really was the best song for them.
“I’m too hot (hot damn) Am I bad ‘bout that money Break it down” … “Cause Uptown Funk gon’ give it to you ‘Cause Uptown Funk gon’ give it to you Saturday night and we’re in the spot Don’t believe me, just watch (Come on)”
The whole song got the team dancing in their seats, laughing as they sang along to the widely popular song. He knew that his decision to pass the team onto Miyuki and Kuramochi wasn’t a wrong one. They knew the team.
As the night wore on, more people sang, surprising many with the quite decent singing skills on the team. However, no one seemed to match up to the power or passion of Sawamura’s beginning song. And what a surprise that was, he seemed to always pull the attention to himself. As he looked around the room, he felt a little nervous when he realized that almost everyone had sang except him, Chris and Jun. And considering the knowing grin on Ryou’s face, that wasn’t because of Tetsu’s choice.
And indeed, Ryousuke clearly had a hand in them being the last to sing, as he spoke with a teasing lilt to his voice, “Clearly, Sawamura is the winner, as astonishing as that is. However, I think the reigning singing champions at Seidou should be the ones to finish the night off?” No one else in the room seemed to understand what Ryousuke meant, but the dawning comprehension in Chris and Jun’s face mirrored his own.
Technically, they had won the karaoke night in first year, but only because the other first year refused to sing after them. Now Ryou wanted to pull them into this again? Crossing his arms, he spoke in his captain voice. “Ryousuke, twenty extra laps tomorrow,” but the devious smirk never left Ryou’s face, even as he nodded in acquiescence.
Standing up, he glanced down at Chris and Jun, who sighed, or in Jun’s case, growled, but inevitably stood up. Walking to the front of the room, he waited as Chris chose the music.
Hearing the doowop beats coming from the speaker, Tetsu smiled softly, recognizing one of his favourite songs to sing. Jun looked just as happy, considering it was their first song they had attempted together.
“Woah, oh, oh For the longest time Woah, oh, oh For the longest”
“If you said goodbye to me tonight There would still be music left to write What else could I do I’m so inspired by you
That hasn’t happened for the longest time” “Once I thought my innocence was gone Now I know that happiness goes on That’s where you found me When you put your arms around me I haven’t been there for the longest time”
The stunned faces of the first and second years was worth it, but it was the fun he had, holding Jun and Chris’ shoulders as they sung that truly made the evening. Rain wasn’t that bad sometimes.
Notes
Tetsu, Jun and Chris: Billy Joel | The Longest Time Sawamura: Whitney Houston | I will always love you) Furuya/Haruichi: Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes | The time of my life Miyuki/Kuramochi: Bruno Mars & Mark Ronson | Uptown Funk
