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Ren looks flushed. He’s been sweating a lot during the game. The collar of his undershirt is visibly wet, and Tajima can see the dampness spreading under his arm every time it comes up for a windup. The game is almost over. All Ren has to do is last through a few more pitches and then the game is theirs.
Their pitcher has been in top form today. Abe barely has to sign before he’s ready to throw whatever’s needed. It going to be a shutout game from Nishiura. Of course, they allowed a few to get on bases, but they’ve been able to stop the other team from scoring. Ren’s eyes flash to third base as he readies his pitch behind the glove and Tajima’s heart rate picks up. In some ways, he wishes he were in Abe’s position today. Of course, he doesn’t really want to be using up all his brainpower behind the plate, but sometimes he wants to watch Ren’s face when he pitches in a real game. Tajima only gets to catch for him during practice, and while fun, doesn’t strike the same urgency or intensity as a real game. In some sense, he feels weirdly jealous that Abe’s the only one to share that particular connection. The pitch is called a ball and the fielders near Tajima shift restlessly, waiting for the last out.
Tajima finds himself staring at Ren’s face throughout the next two pitches. He’s so in the zone, he doesn’t even glance back. The calls are strikes. As he readies the fourth pitch, Ren meets Tajima’s eyes. And not in a way where he’s focusing elsewhere, eyes moving through him. Really meets his eyes.
It’s so startling, Tajima has to stop himself from jumping. It’s the last strike they needed. The rest of the team is yelling in celebration before it really registers with him what’s happened. Once it does, he rushes to the mound with the rest of them.
“We did it!”
“Nice pitching!”
“Shutout!”
Somehow Tajima’s volume outdoes everyone around him.
“REN!”
Their eyes meet again and Tajima doesn’t have to say anything before he’s jumped and is being hauled up into the pitcher’s arms, fingers gripping the underside of his thighs. Tajima clenches around him to sit higher on his waist and yanks his hat off his head, whooping and yelling.
“Get off him!” Abe bosses, having joined the celebration on the mound. Tajima laughs as he dismounts, but keeps his arms around Ren.
“He did it, Abe! Another shutout!”
“I know.” No one could miss the smug pride in his tone. They all jog to line up and bow, Tajima keeps close to Ren, grinning like a maniac. “You were so cool!”
“Yu-Yuu-kun was cool…”
Tajima quickly talks over him. “No way. You were cooler. I couldn’t stop watching.”
The blush floods down his neck and over his ears and Tajima resolves to spoil their precious pitcher for the rest of the day.
The team moms provided some homemade catering for them after the game, and Momokan bought popsicles. They have to stay in the stadium to watch their upcoming opponents. Everyone’s overeating, laughing, and generally basking in their win. Tajima managed to steal an extra popsicle and is trying to lick it before it melts. True to his own promise, he’s been hanging close to Ren, offering him licks between his own.
“Gross! You’re eating the same popsicle?” Hanai complains when he notices Tajima’s occupied hand and Ren’s position next to him, taking alternating licks.
“It’s okay. I’m not sick. Plus, we’re licking different sides.”
“Still…” Hanai gives them a concerned frown.
Tajima shrugs. Then, just to spite him, darts in to lick it while Ren’s mouth is still hovering over his side. The pitcher pulls back with a little gasp while Tajima laughs over Hanai’s protests.
“Here, do you want the rest?” He offers the popsicle to Ren’s still-blushing face.
“I don’t… d-don’t…” Tajima waits, watching the treat dribble sugary sweat down toward his fingers. “Don’t mind sharing.” Ren finishes quietly.
Tajima grins. “Me neither.”
They spend the rest of the game amid littered popsicle sticks, commenting on the teams playing below. Tajima rests by laying down on the bench, head next to Ren’s thighs, practice pants rolled up to expose his ankles to the sun. Abe joined them a while ago and he keeps talking about potential plays. Tajima lets his voice wash over him, intent only on Ren’s face as he watches the batters. His eyes dart around, but he’s still paying attention to Abe. The best part is, he’s also aware of Tajima’s staring. He’s always aware. Tajima winks when Ren finally spares him a questioning glance. The resulting blush is instant and crawls all the way up to his ears again.
“I’m coming over tonight!” he announces a few minutes later.
“Huh?” Ren looks nervous.
“Is that okay? I wanna sleep over and talk about the game.”
Abe gives him an annoyed eyebrow.
“Y-yeah!” Ren suddenly looks excited. “Can we play...?” Although the question doesn’t quite complete, Tajima knows the video game he’s talking about.
“Yes! We never finished the first level!”
Abe rolls his eyes and advises Ren to get enough sleep and not to throw any more pitches even if Tajima asks.
“We won’t.” He assures Abe. “We have video games to play.”
“M-my mom,” Ren touches his shoulder, “get food.”
“Alright!” He pumps a fist into the air.
“A-Abe-kun can come… too.”
Tajima’s heart sinks a little. How’s he supposed to spoil Ren with Abe bossing him around
“I can’t. I promised to go with my family to dinner.”
Tajima barely resists pumping his fist again.
“O-okay.”
“Alright! Just us two?” Tajima confirms.
Ren nods and shoots a small smile his way. Tajima lets the warmth of it wash over him until he’s positively glowing.
“Did you know you’re amazing?”
Tajima and Ren are back at his parent’s house, stuffed with pizza and a couple levels deep into the video game. He’s been wanting to tell Ren for a while, but when formed as a question, it sounds dumb.
“Yuu-kun is amazing!” Ren blurts back. His shoulder keeps brushing Tajima’s when he makes sudden moves on-screen. Now, with the game paused, he does it as a reaction to the compliment.
“Does your shoulder hurt?” he changes the subject, feeling disappointed for not getting the point across.
“Mmm…” Ren makes a noncommittal noise.
“Want me to help you stretch?”
“Y-yeah.”
They scoot around to face each other on the floor in front of Ren’s TV. The forgotten video game flashes the paused icon every so often.
Tajima helps to pull Ren down toward the ground. After a few more leg stretches Ren makes a little noise. Tajima stops to show he’s paying attention.
“C-c-can you…” Tajima waits through the long pause, fascinated with the way his light eyelashes brush against the tops of his cheeks. “My-my sh-shoulder?”
“Oh yeah!” Tajima says brightly. “Let’s do that next. Tell me if it hurts.”
“O-okay.”
Tajima gingerly starts helping him move his shoulders into stretches and holding them for a count of fifteen. Ren’s really flexible, but his shoulder always feels like the tightest part of him.
“Does it hurt?” He asks.
Ren shakes his head, humming a little as if to prove how good it feels.
After they finish all the approved stretches, Tajima continues to prod and move Ren’s shoulders while sitting behind him.
“This one feels tighter. Make sure you stretch it again tomorrow.” He advises, pushing on the other’s shoulder blade.
Ren nods.
Tajima presses down on the tops of both shoulders and squeezes lightly down his biceps, then returns to repeat the pattern. He suddenly remembers Abe’s insistence that only a professional masseuse massage Ren’s arms. He stops himself by changing to a feather-light tickle. He glides down Ren’s arms, over the tops of his shoulders again and down his mid-spine. Without hearing any kind of complaint from his friend, Tajima continues. Tickling softly down Ren’s back.
“You’re an amazing pitcher! That shutout was so so cool.” He starts rambling suddenly, “I’m really glad you’re on our team.”
Ren opens his mouth, ready to deny or destroy what Tajima’s saying.
“Shhh!” Tajima hushes him. “You can’t talk for a second.”
Ren looks scared so Tajima stops tickling and rests his arms over his shoulders, in a light hug.
“You make the whole team feel so much more confident. I wanna make you feel that good.” Ren’s fluffy head dips down in embarrassment, but Tajima just clings tighter to him. “I adore you.”
The words flood the empty silence. Tajima can’t feel his body anymore. Why did he say that?
“Sorry. You can talk now.”
“Y-Yuu-kun d-doesn’t…” Tajima waits this time, arms tight around the other. “...doesn’t have to…”
“What?” Tajima asks, trying to anticipate him. “I don’t have to… say nice things to you?”
Ren blinks in a sort of affirmative way.
He laughs. “No one’s making me! I want to say nice things to you.” He shifts again to arrange his legs more firmly around Ren.
“Y-y-Yuu… Yuu-k-”
Tajima would normally wait for Ren to get his words out, but now he’s thought of more he wants to say. “I really really like you!”
Ren has his mouth open again. It looks like all his words got stuck in his throat. Words are a lot of work for him. Maybe talking in a different way works better.
Tajima leans his forehead against his back, arms clasped around thin shoulders, breathing in the smell of clean laundry and the soap from the gym showers. He pushes his nose against Ren’s shoulder.
“Like Yuu-kun.... A lot.”
“Thanks.”
They sit quietly, Tajima’s face still pressed against Ren’s back. Then Tajima turns his head slowly and presses a tiny kiss against there, hoping against hope it isn’t noticed
“Yuu?”
Crap.
“Mmm?” Tajima lifts his head, feeling exposed. Ren twists to face him and shyly look down somewhere in the vicinity of his shirt collar. He seems to be struggling to find words again. Tajima leans forward unconsciously. Ren blinks, takes a quick glance at his face, then moves further into Tajima’s space. His lips find his ear and Ren starts whispering faintly.
“I adore you...too.”
Tajima’s eyes flutter closed, relishing the phrase repeated back to him. Calloused, rough fingertips tickle lightly against the bottom of his chin, forcing him to lift his head until level with Ren’s own. He leans forward. So slowly. So slowly. All Tajima can hear is both of their uneven breaths and the humming of the fan in the corner. No words have to be said. Ren’s lips meet his with the same hesitant tenderness as his fingers still resting against his chin.
When they break apart, their heads stay close together and warm breath heats the small space between them. Tajima lets out a quiet relieved laugh before they kiss again. Warmth blooms in his chest and he can’t stop the small giggles that break up their mouths.
“Adore you,” he confirms.
Ren hums his agreement before moving to fully kiss him again.