Okay, so, first off: NO, i do not own this wonderful anime/manga. It is not mine, i don't make any money from it, this is purely for fun, and all characters and their personalities belogn to the epic beast writer.

The situations they find themselves in are kinda my fault, though :D can't be helped, da?

Please enjoy this, and maybe review? this is like my fourth story and it's kinda long...so readers, respond?

(lol I'm a poet and I didn't know it!)

****Abe Takaya, catcher****

He wouldn't admit it to anyone else, partly because it took him so long to cross the Nile on his little leaky raft, partly because he was still floating on that same river just a little closer to the opposite shore. But Abe Takaya, catcher, had a definite habit of watching his pitcher (yes, his pitcher, it wasn't strange, not at all) while he was pitching. Mihashi Ren, number one ace of Nishiura High, was a nervous, awkward, lanky, bumbling boy off the mound but on the mound? Mihashi became someone, something else on the mound, something graceful. Abe would watch as he gave the flaky boy directions and the boy followed them perfectly, every single time. That in and of itself amazed Abe. But the way Mihashi pitched, it was like an art form; and Abe found himself watching it unfold in front of him instead of keeping his attentions elsewhere. He knew how it started, how it ended. Abe could probably describe it in time to the pitches themselves, right to the tee. First came the little nod, as if Mihashi was double checking his directions in his head. Then, a straightening of the spine and Abe's favorite part (yes, his favorite part; if it was an art form, he had a favorite part like a favorite line in a song) which was, naturally, the wind-up. Mihashi would tuck in close, knee up, gathering momentum and energy to throw the ball (at those times, Abe could swear that he could feel own energy being tapped, could feel the air rippling with suppressed raw power) and then Mihashi would lean back, step down, and bring his arm up and over in a beautiful curve and before Abe knew it the ball would smack into his mitt.

But this was the disturbing part; Abe had always been able to track his pitchers' balls once they were pitched. Yet for the past couple months he would find himself still staring at the sight of Mihashi standing after his windup, find his eyes trailing the sweat that beads and slides down the other boy's neck, find his attention on Mihashi's heaving chest and nervous grins. Even as Mihashi catches the ball that Abe has somehow thrown back to him (though the catcher would have no recollection of doing so), Abe would find his sight on back on Mihashi, watching the boy turn and reset the clay on the mound, watching how the sweat from Mihashi's hard work slicks his hair to his neck.

And at first, Abe tried to deny it to himself. Exactly why would he be studying his pitcher on the mound? Answer: no reason at all. Then, he told himself he was watching so carefully only to reassure Mihashi. After all, the boy was notorious for having self-esteem issues, and it could only get better if he believed he's wanted. When that excuse didn't work, the catcher flailed a bit before finally deciding to acknowledge but not do anything about whatever it is and not talk about it.

Hard to do when Tajima was asking with that grin on his face.

Abe snapped out of his thought processes, starting as he realized that he had been staring at Mihashi, who hadn't noticed and in fact was busy being taught dugout cheers. The dark haired catcher flinched again as Tajima elbowed him in the side, and grinned, "Yo Abe, I asked whatcha were doing staring at Mihashi like that?"

Abe stared the cleanup hitter, and said coolly, "Just trying to judge if he can go a couple extra innings. It doesn't look like the tie is going to be broken anytime soon."

Despite being flustered, Abe thought his response was pretty well played; apparently Tajima agreed because he turned away with a nod and refocused on the game, commenting absentmindedly.

"I wouldn't worry too much; he looks like he can still go strong if we need him to."

Abe turned away and let out a sigh of relief, failing to notice Tajima still had that grin on his face.

The next week at practice Abe realized his…preoccupation with Mihashi had reached a new high when he suddenly fell back into a sitting position, his arm throbbing. He was still in mild shock when he felt warm hands undo his helmet buckle swiftly despite the trembling.

"Abe! Abe, are you okay? I-I never m-meant to hit you, I t-thought you s-saw it coming…"

Abe looked up into teary eyes and blinked, slowly coming back to senses. Mihashi saw his eyes come unglazed and sat back on his knees, crying and sniffling. Abe couldn't resist a soft grin and ruffled Mihashi's hair, trying to be comforting.

"Look, I'm fine, see?"

Mihashi wailed and hung his head lower, his eyes hidden but the tears perfectly visible.

"B-but you fell, and the b-ball, it h-hit you…"

Abe shook his head firmly and lifted his sleeve, displaying his arm.

"I'm telling you, I'm fine! Look!"

Mihashi peeked and started to sob in earnest, lowering his head onto his hands, his chest on his knees.

"I-I'm the w-worst p-pitcher ever!"

It wasn't true of course, but Abe did have quite a nice-sized bruise near his elbow which was already turning a deep black blue. Abe winced as he ran his fingers lightly over the bruise. No wonder Mihashi had flipped; it looked a lot worse than it felt. The sound of mumbling from the pitcher on the ground in front of him made him look up; the boy was whispering something indecipherable. Abe studied his trembling form; he could tell the boy was trying to blame himself. The raven haired boy sighed and forced Mihashi to look at him, gripping the pitcher's chin firmly but not with excess force.

"You listen to me. Do you remember what I said about the worst pitcher ever?"

Mihashi only nodded and closed his eyes as he started to cry again; it had stopped for a second in shock when the older boy had grabbed him. Abe ran his thumb over Mihashi's cheek to wipe away tears and told him, "Look at me."

The brunette opened his eyes half lidded, but they widened in shock as Abe got closer to him so they were almost nose to nose.

"If you remember, don't forget. You could never be as bad as Haruna; you're too good."

When Abe looked at him expectantly, Mihashi flushed and nodded as much as Abe's hand would permit.

"Ah….um…hai."

Abe nodded briskly and put his helmet back on, releasing Mihashi and settling back into position. The pitcher looked at him from his sitting position and Abe quirked an eyebrow at him, looking at the bullpen's mound.

"Come on. We've got a game coming up soon; we need to work on your full strength pitch."

Mihashi got up with a smile, ecstatic that his amazing catcher didn't hate him and still wanted him.

Abe sat down with a quickening heart rate; the two had been so close to each other, their noses nearly touching, and looking into the brown eyes of his pitcher had admittedly done some strange things to both his mind and body. Shaking his head to clear it, Abe couldn't help but feel like he was missing something else in all his acknowledgment.