Chapter Text
Buzz… Buzz…
“Mngh…?”
Lucky wipped his eyes as the soft rumble of his phone beside him hummed. Reaching for his phone slowly, Lucky absentmindedly read the contact. It was Miner. Why was he of all people calling, he could of just knocked-
The time was the next thing that caught Lucky’s eye. 3:15 pm. The game was in 15 minutes.
Lucky fumbled his phone onto his chest in shock but picked it back up fast enough to respond.
“Lucky? You there?”
“Yeah- Dammit I’m sorry I overslept completely-”
“It's fine- Er’ well it’s not but can you get here in time?”
“I can run a few dozen blocks in 15 minutes- Tell them to be patient aight?” Lucky muttered as he slipped his shoes on quickly.
“If you say so. Pace yer’ self.”
-Click
Without a second thought, Lucky shoved his phone down his pocket and dashed out the door. Bat, Helmet and binder left behind his thoughts became a blur. He was really gonna fail as a coach if he was gonna pull some crap like this. Shoulda of just taken an offer to wake him up earlier then sleep in for a nap again- Dammit- Whatever, no going back now.
The field came into view and though the sprint a mile and a few down wore on him, Lucky kept running till he got to their locker rooms. No one in sight. Whatever- He could just get his coach things in order then head out and reign them in. Just had to find the damn things amongst the pile of things all the guys had left in there. Near trip over a hoodie, a foot full of steel from a hard hat, a safety hazard of joint swords and…
A paper on a bench?
Lucky leaned over. It was to him. He paused and read.
Dear Lucky,
I hope your team’s game goes well! You might get this after the fact but seeing I can’t be there myself I wanted to give my vote of confidence! Shame no one’s really recording it either haha. -~--~ -
It stopped there- a smudge of pencil against notebook paper. The paper had already seemed like it was going to fall off unintentionally with a white shirt being the one thing that seemed to be intended to cover it but instead was pushed off. All the things around it belonged to one very easy to identify kid. Logan.
Lucky didn’t know how to feel. Of all times this silly goose chase could have ended it was now and just because someone knocked over a shirt with a glove undoubtedly? Lucky laughed at the coincidence and circumstances of the whole ordeal. All those secrets and fake names are broken by some misplaced shirt. Lucky almost felt manic from the stress and relief clashing. He sure believed it when a loud clang came from behind him. Samurai peered in anger and thumped his hand against his chest before angrily pointing behind himself. Lucky knew it was a demand to get out there already.
“Ha- Sorry. Give me 60 seconds and I'll be there.”
Samurai accepted the confirmation and ran out to the two teams giving a thumbs up. Lucky straightened himself and pushed the letter back under the shirt. He had a game to coach.
And so the game began almost as soon as Lucky stepped out to the field, whistle and cards in hand. A cathartic feeling it was to see a few people actually coming to watch- and even more so to see the ragtag group of the insane he had taken up winning some points. Samurai blasted the balls off into space, Cole, the annoying bastard he was, made all the bases he ran. Nicole and Lucia’s curve balls were just as nasty as before. And then there was Logan.
Frankly Lucky hadn’t paid him much mind up until now. He was even more nervous and spotty then he had assumed. Eyes darting around during the calm moments and a constant step of his foot while waiting for the next hit and sitting at a plate. It could be seen as pathetic but Lucky saw more past that nervous mess up. Logan kept the same energy the whole way through, determined despite the mistakes, despite 2nd half steamroll. Logan was middling at most with his hitting and pitching and even his best of catching was above average at best. But Lucky could see a familiar spark in those eyes, one he only saw in a mirror before. Their eyes only met once but that too was a far more familiar fear of a coach to student. Lucky smothered the personal thought as he gathered everyone together one last time before the game ended with a grand slam from Samurai.
Cheers surrounded Samurai and the team became a conglomerate of cheers and celebration. Such a whirlwind of emotions throughout made simple in one fell swoop to Lucky. This was nice. It was great. But there was one thing that could seal it for him.
The team had drifted apart as the sun began to set on the horizon. Most of the adults walking back to the hospital for a post game celebration in the closed early cafe. Lucky spotted the trio of kids talking to the supervising doctor, Ada and disbursing back to the lockers. Wandering over Lucky popped a quick question to her.
“Where are those three going?”
“Oh just needed them to give the uniforms to me so someone can clean them later at the hospital. Logan’s mom is taking them off after to get victory dinner i believe. How about you?”
“I'll figure that out in a bit. I’ve got a word to say to Logan.”
“Alright, break a leg!”
“Already got an arm I paid with!”
Ada snickered off in the distance as Lucky trotted after Logan now alone in the boy’s locker room. He had only just gotten his shoes off before being distracted by his own unfinished letter. Lucky saw it but gave a knock to let his presence be known to give Logan the moment to hide it.
“Hey kid, nice job out there today.”
“O-oh uhm- T-thanks coach!... I-I thought you had already said that though?”
“Heh maybe I did but thought I’d tell you specifically.”
“Oh- gosh- Thank you…”
Logan was stuck in place with Lucky next to him and simply watched in awe and worry as Lucky sighed and felt the facade melt away. He took a seat next to Logan and looked down at the letter hidden under his legs and grinned a bit.
“Yaknow… If you ever wanna tell me something kid you can always just come and say it to me instead of waiting 3 days to say it vaguely.”
“H-huh?”
“I wouldn’t wanna keep my #1 fan waiting would I?”
Logan’s eyes widened and face burned a bright red.
“
A-ah… Uhm.. W-what gave it away…?”
“Doctors don’t go by their first name, kid.”
“
O-oh. Right. Mhgghh-.... Dang it…”
Lucky couldn’t keep it in anymore and chuckled a bit at Logan clutching his legs into his chest and rocking like a boat. His embarrassment only seemed worse at the chuckle so Lucky cleared his throat and rustled Logan’s hair.
“Hey. Don’t sweat it. I… I really did appreciate all those letters you sent me… It was… Nice knowing someone still cared even when I can’t lift a bat anymore.”
“I-I still care! Y-you’re so cool- and I just got pulled into all of this- I-It was the least I could do…”
Lucky smiled softly at the assertion.
“Heh… Thanks kid…
… I should probably stop holding you up now. You’ll have a good victory dinner for me alright?”
Logan released himself from his leg trap as Lucky stood up and headed for the door.
“Oh- I-I promise I will! Thank you again Lucky!”
Lucky.
“Yeah of course. Thank you too Logan. Have a good night.”