Curveball [BL] COMPLETED

1

this is my first time writing an entire story before i publish it for you all to read. i know it'll take you only a few hours to read, but this took me over a month to write. i don't like every sentence that's on here, but i really loved writing it. 

[start date: 6/4/21]

[end date: 7/18/21]

word count : 82.5k

God, Nico could just about kiss the ground in happiness that he was finally back. His eye catches on a puddle, looking suspiciously yellow, but he can't even bring himself to care. If he weren't in his right mind, maybe he would've shed a tear of joy from seeing the piss stained concrete.

It's gotta be Bear, he's sure of it, but he wouldn't be surprised if it were someone else. He loves his team more than anything, but God do they lack brain cells.

Crickets sound from who knows where, but it doesn't even register in Nico's ears, the sound simply engraved in his senses by now. It's night, but even so, there's no gust of wind, only the humid air that clings to his skin and makes him feel sticky.

He'll need a shower before bed. The thought of sharing showers with 40 other guys almost makes him tear up. Never in his life has he looked forward to seeing so many naked asses and limp d***s until now. He blames his nostalgia on Roman. Only one year older, his brother was absolutely overbearing during their summer break.

All athletes have an off season, he knows, but the thought doesn't make him any less anxious to get back on the field. His hands itched for a real game all summer. While most days consisted of him at the batting cages with Roman or visiting his old little league, nothing could compare to the pressure he feels in a game, the cheers of the crowd, the scorching sun as the ball flies from his fingertips. He could almost get off on it.

Pitchers are greedy, his coach told him once. Nico didn't understand at first, simply nodded and mentally rolled his eyes. Now, as he's entering his third year of college, Nico fully understands. He embraces that greediness to be the only one on the mound, won't let anyone take it from him. They're gonna need to drag him kicking and screaming threats if they want him off.

He's greedy after all.

He should've known, really. From the tender age of six, he's been forced to watch his parents shower his brother in praises, gifting him any reward he wanted after he finished a little league game. Roman, only one year older, seemed so much more loved than him.

It wasn't Roman's fault, of course, but Nico loathed his brother at the time. Every week he was dragged to baseball practice, and then baseball games, and then baseball trips. He couldn't stand it. Remembers the day he turned ten and spent his birthday watching Roman hit his first home run. Nico cried that day, watching his brother get fawned over on a day that was meant for him.

He angrily claimed he was going to play baseball, and as a pitcher, not as the third baseman Roman excelled at. They can't ignore me anymore, he thought. Front and center on the mound, there was no way they could ignore him. He was wrong, he found out, but that was okay, he found something else to love him - baseball.

"Nico! You son of a b***h, is that you?!"

Nico halts, grin instantly tugging at his lips. He knows that voice anywhere. Sure enough, as he turns, he finds Bear staring back, halfway out his window. "Bear, hey," Nico greets with a causal grin, duffel bag hanging from his shoulder.

"Don't Bear, hey me, dickhead. Why didn't you answer any of my calls?"

"Are you talking about about the twenty calls about how much you hate being home or the other twenty about how you broke a window after only being here for three days? I didn't get through all the voicemails so tell me if I'm missing anything."

Bear's lips purse, not correcting how it only took him two days to break a window, not the three that Nico claimed. "No and no. I kept calling to know when you were gonna be here but never got an answer. You and Juda are the last ones, y'know. Everyone else already settled into their rooms." The mere mention of Juda's name has Nico's stomach in knots. The good kind, he thinks.

Nico steps forward and adjusts his bag. Bear's dangerously leaning out the large window, the panel pushed open to let the midnight breeze in. No breeze tousles their hair, Nico's black instead of Bear's brown, but Nico does see a bug fly in. "Had some things to take care of before I came down. Plus, classes don't start for a couple weeks anyway."

"Practice is tomorrow morning." Bear points out. "Is Roman with you too?"

"He got an apartment with his girlfriend." Nico almost shudders at the flashbacks of staying with them. If he stayed any longer than the two months during summer break, he surely would've caved and bought his own apartment. Can't remember how many nights he held his hands over his ears, trying to burn his brothers moans from his memory. "He'll still be at both practices, just won't eat with us like normal."

Bear hums in understanding, a little saddened that the older Bosmey brother wouldn't be living with them again. It's surprisingly rare that their teammates choose living off campus instead. With an entire field, cafeteria, and living quarters dedicated solely to their infamous baseball team, Bear could hardly understand why anyone would want to.

Nico's gaze shifts behind Bear, past the curtains. "Is that Reese? Rooming together again?"

"Of course." Bear nods proudly, chin tipped up. "I had to bribe him with a weeks worth of laundry but I know he just needed an excuse to say yes. He's a little shy~"

"f**k off," Reese mumbles, tapping away at his controller. Nico thinks they're a funny pair, have been since the first time he saw them. They're a year younger, now second years instead of the little first years that Nico teased they were. Bear wasn't little in the slightest, the tallest on their team in fact.

Reese- not so much.

"Don't stay up too late," Nico tells them. "Practice starts at 6."

"We know," they both chime. Bear happily while Reese only grunts.

Continuing down the path, Nico passes room after room. He missed this, more than he realized. Laughter spills past the creaks and into the open night, coming from almost all the rooms. Nico can understand the excitement and lack of sleep. Finally, he thinks, everyone's here.

Some windows are open, and even some doors. Nico barely manages to escape the self proclaimed fourth year's wing with a promise that he'll buy them soda from the vending machine tomorrow. He's unsure if it's a lie, deciding that tomorrow will tell or not.

Heartbeat quickening with each step, Nico practices what he's going to say as he nears the last corner to take. 111 should be sitting neatly in cursive letters on their dark red door - his door. His door for the past two years, going on three.

He adjusts his bag on his shoulder once more, but it's only because he's stalling.

Two months- it's been two months. And then with a small exhale, it's only been two months. He calms himself from the blooming excitement racing through him.

That's nothing for them.

Except it's everything.

He takes a deep breath and finally rounds the corner, seeing a new row of red doors lining the wall. But he immediately falters, steps coming to a halt. Sitting under his door - their door - sits Carmen in all his blond glory.

Nico's breath hitches when he sees him. Carmen's the same as he remembers, shoulder length blond hair, slim waist, sharp jawline, and dimples that could make any granny coo. And there's his figure. God his figure- Nico's eyes linger when they shouldn't.

Carmen sees him before he's figured out what to say.

He's immediately grinning, unmistakably happy from Nico's sudden arrival. His smile's just as pretty as Nico remembers, if not prettier. Carmen's unfortunately just a pretty person, and this makes life a little difficult for Nico.

"Hey, asshole," Carmen greets him with a lazy wave.

Nico breathes out a quiet laugh and walks over, remembering that his legs do in fact work. "That's the second time I've been cursed tonight."

"I doubt it'll be your last."

He's probably right.

Nico stares down at him and raises an eyebrow, silently asking why Carmen's outside at one a.m with a container of cupcakes next to him. "Ah, this?" Carmen glances down at the container. "Was supposed to be a welcome home gift or something like that. But you both are late."

Nico hums apologetically and settles on the sidewalk next to Carmen. Their shoulders brush for a split second, before Nico leaves a small whisper of space between them. "I like cupcakes," he shrugs.

"I got bored waiting for you two, so I ate most of them. My stomach's killing me for it." Carmen grabs one of the few left and holds it out to him. It's Oreo, Nico's favorite. "But welcome back."

If Nico hasn't seen Carmen at his worst, throwing up before passing out next to the toilet, he would've been a little charmed. And maybe he still is, just don't tell Carmen.

Nico takes a bite from the cupcake. "You look good. A little different- but good. Your hair's longer."

"My dad wanted me to cut it, so I couldn't."

Nico's lips twitch up, "Family about the same?"

Carmen shrugs, showing he doesn't want to talk about it, so Nico drops it and takes another bite from his cupcake. It's one of the many things that makes them similar, more understanding of each other's lives. Their family situations are a little complicated.

Carmen comes from a rich family. So rich and wealthy that Carmen didn't dare entertain the thought of sleeping on the twin beds their school offered the dorms. No, he ordered his own bed, one bigger and softer to lay on. This left Nico and Juda to share the bunk bed.

He's a spoiled little b***h, is what Nico's trying to say.

But he's a spoiled little b***h who knows how to play baseball.

Nico met Carmen back in high school, if they're talking in technicalities. They played on opposing teams, only knowing each other as rivals. Carmen went to an all boys Christian private school, while Nico went to the shabbiest public school around. Their first real encounter wasn't until freshman year of college.

Besides Roman, Nico didn't recognize any familiar faces on his first day of training camp during freshman year. He was the only one from his team who chose Bailey university, so he expected as much. What he didn't expect was Carmen and Juda- their appearances threw him for a curveball.

Holy s**t, he remembers thinking, seeing the two of them lined up on the field during their orientation. Juda stood much taller than Carmen back then, and still does. No way, Nico lined up beside them silently, but there was an unmistakable excitement coursing through him.

Juda Rolchner - Prodigy catcher and power hitter, scouted by five different universities with the promise of a full four year scholarship.

If Nico hadn't played a few games against him back in high school, he would've easily mistaken him as a fourth year instead of a first. He remembers Juda's casual posture and easy smile as he stood taller than everyone else. He knows, Nico realized, that he's better than half of them here - first year or not.

Juda caught his gaze during line up, glancing down. Recognition crossed his features as his lips pulled up. "Nico, right? We'll probably be working together a lot, let's have a good year."

And then there was Carmen. He was similar in height to Nico, but even so, he seemed so much taller.

Carmen Casmic - Exceptional shortstop with over sixty stolen bases under his belt, unnaturally fast on his feet.

It wasn't Nico's first time seeing them, but it was a whole different game now that they were on the same team.

Carmen got one look at him before reminding him of their last encounter on the field. "Last year, March 13th. You struck me out with all bases loaded, our final game before Nationals."

Nico recalled the day vividly. His team was in the lead, they needed this one last out and they were going to Nationals for the first time. He remembered dreading that Carmen was up to bat, silently wishing for someone else to magically appear and take his place.

Not without difficulty, Nico got the out and went straight to Nationals.

Carmen didn't.

"It wasn't easy," Nico admitted. He was close to letting Carmen walk, one more ball and Nico would've secured a run for the opposing team.

For the next two years, the three of them grew impossibly close, to a point where Nico couldn't imagine his life without them. Knows for a fact that they were destined to be friends in this life or the next. Nico, for all his talk about being an atheist, truly believes the three of them are soulmates.

Baseball platonic soulmates.

Nico licks frosting from his lips. "Any idea when Juda's gonna be here?"

"He texted he was running late, that's all." Carmen stretches tiredly, barely suppressing a yawn. Nico feels a little bad that he's been waiting for so long. "You look good too, y'know. You're a lot tanner."

Nico glances at him mid bite. "Am I? I was outside a lot."

Carmen gives him a once over, a subtle appreciative glint in his eyes. Something warm settles in Nico's chest. "Yeah. Just- yeah." He bites back everything else he was going to say and leans his head on Nico's shoulder, tiredly. "I didn't get to practice as much as I wanted to. Dad had me doing a bunch of business bullshit with my sisters."

Carmen doesn't talk about his family much, but Nico can't say he's particularly fond of them. "Let's stay in the dorms next summer. We'll hide out together. Coach won't even know."

Carmen smiles, something soft and tired. "Should we? We might have to take turns venturing out for food."

"We'll stock up. Maybe make Juda drop stuff off."

"Or, we could crash at Juda's place. His mom likes us enough, right?" Carmen shrugs. He looks more serious than he's coming off, and it makes Nico wonder how much he truly hates going home. "We've gotta pull our weight, of course. You know how to cook?"

"I can microwave a mean cup of ramen."

"We're f****d," Carmen laughs quietly. "Maybe we'll actually get an apartment next year. You, me, Juda. It'll be the same as now, just.. bigger."

"Can't get much smaller than a single room shared with three guys," Nico agrees. He actually entertains the thought of getting an apartment with them. He loves their dorm, loves all the memories and laughter that comes with it, but they're starting to grow out of it.

They sit in silence for a while. After months, Nico figured he would've had a lot more to say, but not a day went by where they didn't facetime and blow up their group chat. It's not like they missed much, but it's different seeing Carmen in person again.

Leaning on each other like this, Nico's not sure how he went the full eight weeks without his fill of Carmen. Carmen's just so.. Carmen.

Nico must've underestimated how tired Carmen truly was. He realizes too late that Carmen's sleeping on his shoulder, soft snores escaping his mouth as his weight leans on Nico. f**k, Nico wishes he had his phone. It's deep in his pocket, too deep to pull out and possibly wake him.

He'd kill for a picture, though, in hopes to blackmail Carmen. And maybe Nico thinks it's all a little endearing.

He sits for a while, letting Carmen sleep while his eyes wander. The field's only a short distance away, the batting cages right next to it. Practice begins tomorrow, but Nico's already itching to be in there. He especially loves practicing at night. Something about the stillness of everything gets him.

He thinks he could fall asleep too, and maybe in a few minutes he would've, but that voice suddenly carries to his ears, capturing his attention within seconds. "We have beds, y'know? They're right inside. Just past the door."

Nico stares at him dumbly.

Juda hasn't changed at all. He's a mess of too much muscle and messy hair. The dark strands are pulled into a low bun but it's loose, barely containing the strands that frame his face. And his height - don't get Nico started on his height. Some greater power decided 20 years ago that Juda gets all the height Nico was supposed to have.

He's older dammit. He's supposed to be the taller one.

Juda raises his eyebrows and squats down, shrugging his bags off. "Nico?" He waves a hand in his face, coaxing Nico back to reality.

"Sorry-" Nico blinks. "You surprised me."

"I called you a few minutes ago." His eyes drift toward Carmen. "Guess you were busy, though." He stands back up, and Nico's only able to watch dumbly as he leans down and easily hoists Carmen up. "C'mon," he grunts. "You too, time for bed."

Carmen wakes up from the jostling, confused and disoriented as he dangles over Juda's shoulder. "Juda? What the f**k? Put me down."

"No can do, princess." Juda pushes the door open while Nico scrambles for their bags. He leaves the cupcakes, letting the ants have at them. "Gotta get you to bed."

Juda drops Carmen on his mattress, and the shortstop looks around aimlessly, still trying to process what's happening.

"Sorry I'm late. My sisters were bugging me to stay as long as I could." He helps Nico carry in the rest of their bags before the door kicks shut, leaving them inside the privacy of their room.

It's not exactly how Nico thought their reunion would go, but it's a lot less disastrous than last time, so he considers it a win.

Carmen flops down and pulls his pillows close. "There's a cupcake for you somewhere. Welcome back."

⚾️

College is a scam, Nico knows. He tries not to think about it, because when he thinks about it, it pisses him off, and Nico doesn't like being pissed off. Yes, college is a scam, he knows, but the biggest scam is all the upperclassmen who told him he gets to make his own schedule in college, no more of that six am wake up for school.

It's not six am wake up anymore, but five instead.

After two years of college and entering his third, Nico will never get used to Cavetown spilling through his ears. Lemon Boy starts blaring from his phone, startling him awake at only the ripe time of five am. He groans into his pillow and pats around for his phone to turn it off.

Lemon Boy barely gets through the first verse before the room is silent. He doesn't use the standard alarm, getting terrible flashbacks from the mere thought of it, and he doesn't use one of his favorite songs- learning the hard way that waking up in such a cruel, startling way can ruin any song. Even Queen.

So Nico goes for a more neutral song, one that he won't mind never wanting to hear again after a few months. Lemon Boy will surely be replaced with something else by winter.

Fuck, he groans some more and turns over. He hates mornings, but because he has a career to maintain, he sluggishly gets up and starts down the ladder. He wakes Juda up first, patting his shoulder with a quiet but loud enough, wake up.

Carmen's next, but unlike Juda who eventually shows sign of life, he lays there limply. "Carmen," he calls, shaking his shoulder.

Carmen does eventually wake up, but it's only after Juda and Nico are changing into their practice uniforms. A simple gym outfit doesn't fly with their university, no- they all have to be in matching uniform. They represent their school after all, Coach Barrel would say.

The bright red, long sleeve compression shirt goes on first, followed by the white jersey on top. Dirt Devils is written across the chest in bold red cursive. #1 weighs heavily on Nico's back, holding the weight of Ace and reminding him of his position on the team.

Juda wears #2, and Carmen #5.

Unlike other teams, their Coach picks their numbers, signifying their position on the team. There's always first years who squabble when they hear this, surely having any dreams they had of picking their own number crushed, but some others are quick to accept the rule.

You want a higher number? Work for it. Barrel will challenge. Nico has to give it to the old man. Without the drive to outperform his brother, Nico can't imagine he'd be nearly as good as he is now. But Nico also can't say he deserves the #1 that weighs on his back.

When he brought it up with Coach Barrel, Nico was immediately stopped. #1 belongs to pitchers, he was told. You're greedy little shits, act like it. Nico only blinked in shock, nodded, and let himself out.

It's undeserved, the number he wears, but even so, he wears it with pride. There's other, more suitable players that deserve the #1 position. Like Roman for example, his brother is exceptional, nothing but praises are handed to him and rightfully so. As one of their solid cleanup hitters, the #3 he wears is hardly generous. It should be #1, Nico thinks.

There's players like Bear, still relatively new to the team, but a prodigy in their world. As a new second year, the #6 he wears is outstanding itself. Some fourth years haven't even managed to make it down to the single digits.

It's not about age, Nico knows, but skill, and f**k does Bear have it, scarily so. The overly tall little s**t didn't even pick up a baseball bat until his junior year of high school, but ever since, he's been obsessed.

"We're leaving~" Nico calls to Carmen, who's jumping into his pants. They're skintight, gripping those godly thighs for all they're worth. Carmen only grunts and shoos them off, mumbling tiredly about how he's coming.

It's still dark outside when they step out. Nico's quickly reminded about how much he hates waking up this early. It's enough to make him question if baseball is truly worth the four hours of sleep he got last night. It is - but it's certainly cutting real f*****g close.

Nico yawns as he leans against the vending machine, waiting as Juda pays for a canned coffee. He offers to buy one for Nico too, but the pitcher shakes him off with a silent wave. He's never tired enough to drink old watered down coffee from a can.

Juda leans opposite of him, watching Nico over the top of his drink. "You look different."

Nico's eyes drag to him. "Different?"

"You look good. Just- maybe a little tired." Juda shrugs. "Not your usual tired."

Nico hums, because he is tired. Tired of his brother, tired of his parents, tired of everything that isn't them, but Nico smiles like he's supposed to and kicks his foot out to nudge Juda's shoe. "I haven't seen you in two months. s**t gets a little boring without you guys."

Juda steps closer, leaning against the same vending machine as Nico. And Nico suddenly has to glance up, boxed in from Juda's larger body. "You built more muscle, too."

"Really? You can tell?"

"'Course." Juda takes another sip from his coffee, eyes carefully settling on Nico. They run over his body appraisingly, taking in everything he missed in these last two months. "It's good. Whatever you did, it looks good."

They keep saying that, Nico breathes out slowly.

"I wasn't trying to, I was just out a lot. Pitching more than I should've." Hours and hours he spent outside just to get away from how suffocated Roman made him feel. Nico wets his lips and stares at Juda the same way he'd been admiring him. "Thank you, though."

Juda looks good, too. Really f*****g good. And that's the problem, isn't it?

Nico's chest tightens when Juda reaches out raps his knuckles on his chest. "Take it easy this year. You're always practicing more than you should." Juda's fist lingers, his gaze with it. "You have nothing to prove, alright?"

Nico nods, but it's forced. "I know that."

Juda watches him closely. Intimately. "Good." His hand drops, leaving an invisible hole in Nico's chest. "Just.. play for yourself. Hell- play for me. You're a great pitcher, one of the best batteries I've had."

"Cause I'm f*****g awesome."

Juda chuckles, "That too."

Juda looks as though he's gonna say more, but his eyes shift to the side when their door opens, revealing Carmen buckling his belt. Carmen pauses when he notices how closely they're standing, before carrying on like it's normal. "S'too early," he mumbles, finishing up with his belt. It pinches the flat of his stomach tightly, snug against his hips.

Juda steps away from Nico and offers out his coffee. "Here."

Carmen takes it with an appreciative hum, immediately taking a sip. Together, they share what little is left until Carmen tosses it in the trash.

They should go eat breakfast with the time they have left, Nico knows, but they linger outside, watching the first sights of sun peeking over the horizon. It's not as fascinating as it was when Nico was a freshman. Sure, it's beautiful, but it's nothing he's not used to seeing.

He likes watching Carmen and Juda more. That's something he's never gotten used to. Maybe one day, but not yet.

There's something about them that takes his attention, makes it theirs, and claims it as their own. And Nico let's them. As greedy of a pitcher as he is, he's never greedy when it comes to them. They can take and take and take and he'll always let them.

"Let's go." Nico grabs them both by the belt and tugs them along with him, walking backwards to watch them. "We're gonna have a better year this time 'round. No injuries. No slumps. Just.. us being f*****g awesome."

Carmen laughs, a small, good natured one. "You say this every year."

"And I mean it every time~"

Carmen hums and walks past him when Nico opens the cafeteria door, but not without ruffling his hair and leaving a small gust of cologne behind. "To the new year, then."

_______

omg first chap ✌ been thinking about writing them forever.

okay ily bye, maddie

I WAS SO NERCOUS TO POST THIS MY HANDS ARE SHAXING