A/N: So yeah. Since MtaF is done, I decided I'd try a different kind of fic...sort of. This'll be a drabble series with short oneshots pertaining to our favorite pairing, TajiMiha! ...alright, maybe not, but I hope you find them at least somewhat entertaining. If you have any ideas or requests for a single drabble, leave me a review and let me know! I just might use it, crediting you, of course. :D

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Ookiku Furikabutte/Big Windup!. I'm perfectly happy to just pair the characters up for the lulz.

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Before Practice

A pair of wheels rolled to a halt in an unusual place, at least for the rider. He just kind of sat there, waiting for his best friend to show, so they could ride to practice together. But was that really how it was now? Even after last night's events?

Yesterday evening, he had succeeded in looking like a totally perverted idiot, and yet, by the graces of God, he'd somehow managed to get Tajima to confess his feelings for him. Yeah. He still couldn't believe it himself. After that he'd done the same, in a less stunning and terribly stuttery way, and they'd both shared a kiss, a kiss that he still couldn't get out of his mind even eight hours later. And Tajima had promised that they'd continue where they'd left off this morning. But was that even what he'd actually said, or just his own pubescent teenage mind at work? The whole affair last night had had a kind of dream-like quality.

But he shook his head. He would find out soon enough whether the whole thing was just a dream or not. Mihashi brought his wrist up close to his face. A quarter to six. He had to leave in a few minutes, with or without Tajima (though he desperately wished for the former) as Momokan wouldn't take very kindly to their being late.

But just as Mihashi was considering leaving, a voice called out to him from down the street he'd stopped at. Looking up, he spotted whom else but Tajima, riding toward him on his own bike with a duffle bag slung across his shoulder and a smile plastered across his face, directed at him. Him. "Hey, Ren!"

Mihashi smiled back and held up a hand in reply. "G-good morning, Chiro," he said, inwardly cursing himself. Damn stutter, always ruining the moment.

The cleanup hitter screeched to a stop about an arm's length in front of him, winking. "I'm just in time, huh? Sorry about that." He rubbed the back of his neck rather sheepishly. "We should get going before were late and Momokan skins us alive."

When he said that, two emotions overcame the sandy brunette. One, realization. For two reasons: Because they were almost certainly going to be late, and because of course Tajima wouldn't remember. Two, the disappointment, because he'd been so sure that he and Tajima would kiss again. But that was just him, being too optimistic for once. That's why he preferred pessimism. You prepare yourself for the worst, and you're very rarely let down, and sometimes even surprised by a good outcome.

But he smiled anyway, masking his emotions fairly well for once. "Y-yeah," he agreed, not even bothering to be frustrated by his speech impediment at the moment. When they both set off for the field, Tajima started a rather nonchalant conversation about how stupid last night's Algebra II homework had been. Mihashi shared his dislike, noting a particular problem that had given him hell, causing Tajima to exclaim his own agreement.

The entire way, Mihashi was only half-listening to Tajima's bubbly chatter. He might've been able to hide his disappointment from his freckled companion, but there was no hiding it from himself. He had just been looking forward to it for the entire night, and a lot longer if you counted before their first kiss, and now that he knew it wasn't going to happen... He knew he was being childish. It was so dumb, getting so bent out of shape over a stupid kiss. But that was just it; it wasn't just a stupid kiss. It was a stupid kiss with Tajima.

By the time they'd arrived at the field, that had no more than a few seconds to spare. Oki spotted them as they were gathering for the pre-practice meditation. "Guys, get your butts in here! Mr. Shiga's about to start meditating!" he hissed as softly as he could and still have them hear so as not to alert Momokan of their very nearly lateness.

"Alright, alright, be right there," Tajima hissed back his thanks before locking his bike on the rack next to Mihashi. The sandy brunette was just about to hustle his way over to the team huddle in the center of the field when the shorter of the two grabbed the back of his practice jersey, turned him around, and kissed him full on the lips.

It didn't last for but two seconds, but man, was it awesome. Even better than Mihashi'd remembered. His lips were soft yet assertive, knowing exactly what they were doing and being just gentle enough with him on top of it all. It was all Mihashi could to do to just push back a little before Tajima pulled back and grinned at him.

"Next time I'll have to wake up earlier, huh?" he patted him on the shoulder before he sprinted off, pulling his hat onto his head. As Mihashi stared at his back (and, just a wee bit, his nice ass) and suddenly jerked into a run, going as fast as his clumsy legs would allow him to, he thought just one thing.

He's amazing.

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