This was in response to a prompt I had done in January for the Windup and Pitch: Oofuri Exchange 2011. Directly to DraNKa for her request: "AbeMiha first time, battery bonding or just uber sweet fluff. Confused feelings/hormones rush/accidental boners and other uncomfortable teenage issues ;) OH WE KNOW THE DRILL don't we."

This has not been beta'd.

It took Abe a while to realize he was perhaps a little too obsessive with his pitcher. But was it his fault that Mihashi couldn't take better care of himself? He was a walking klutz. He had no self-confidence, over-thought every little detail, and had a look that made others want to bully and tease him. He needed to be taken care of, and even though Abe wasn't sure why, he felt it was his responsibility to do so.

Besides, it was quite similar to looking after a weak animal and it wasn't like that was off the ball exactly. He couldn't help it if Mihashi was like a cute little mouse trapped in a cage. It wasn't his fault that the other craved constant reassurance that he wasn't going to be fed to the rabid rats of the student body.

Perhaps his obsession had been a little bit of a problem, he'll admit. There had been moments where he found himself envisioning Mihashi Ren by his side, distractingly. During class periods he would wander if Mihashi had the right amount of food to eat for lunch, or what funny expressions he would pull that day, how many times a little smile would occupy that delicate face... At nights he tried to imagine what the other would be doing at that exact moment which initiated not being able to sleep until an hour had gone by. Why had he been suffering these thoughts?

It wasn't until a few nights ago that the dreams had begun and he was able to comprehend why the fair-haired boy had been occupying his head like a second home. Those dreams were ones you wouldn't go telling your friends about. Especially to Mihashi, who took the role of being the star in them. It wasn't just the smiles … there had been touching as well. Mihashi would usually be naked, yet Abe's dreams made his body fuzzy. The pitcher would stand before him with a look of pure content and something else he wasn't too sure of, caressing Abe's body. First, it would be his face, then his neck and shoulders. Dream-Mihashi would rub his chest and travel down between his legs and before he knew it, he woke up with sticky sheets on his bed. Of course he felt this overwhelming guilt and embarrassment right after. He would grab the sheets and make a dash to the laundry room.

Funny enough, the first time that had happened- on the following day, Tajima exclaimed to the locker room (thankfully it was just Hanai and Izumi at the time!) that he noticed Abe's first 'wet dream' look. How Tajima knew that, he didn't know, but he made sure the mischievous freckled boy wouldn't make another scene like that ever again. At least he was thankful Tajima didn't have some sort of unnatural force to know whom he had the wet dream of.

Down the lane of puberty, it wasn't just the wet dreams he was struggling with. It was as if his penis had a mind of its own! He had to do a little research to uncover that it was perfectly normal to have random boners. But was it normal to have them around the presence of his pitcher?

Whenever he glanced at Mihashi in the showers, a tingling sensation would dwell below there. It took all his willpower to turn away so that only the tiled wall had his attention.

Guiltily, he had glanced briefly at Mihashi naked before. His eyes tried to mesmerize as much as they could. His skin had looked so soft and, in his fantasies, was begging to be suckled onto. Even now, the back of Mihashi's figure looked so gorgeous that he wanted to run his hands up and down the waist. The smooth (or so he assumed) butt had been lovely and the little dimples at the top of the cheeks was awfully cute. He imagined those legs wrapped around him with a strength of a desperate need augh– He needed to stop. Something told him if he got a little too excited in the showers, it wouldn't be as welcome as he'd hope.

Why couldn't Mihashi be a female? This would have been a lot easier. However perhaps if that were the case, he wouldn't have found him as fascinating…

"Abe-kun?"

He jerked at the call and turned his head to the very naked Mihashi. Must not look down, must not look down. "Yes?"

Mihashi, whose gaze was anywhere but at Abe, fiddling with his fingers together, "W-would you have… soap over… there? I don't have any…"

"Sure" He took a hold of the soap and as he passed it to the other it had slipped his grip and fell to the floor. "Sorry"

"That's okay," Mihashi gave him a shy smile and bent to pick it up.

Abe quickly turned away with a yelp of surprise. He mustn't watch! Who knows what he would do.

He heard Mihashi speak again behind him, "Abe-kun, are you alright?"

"I'm fine" he cursed at the embarrassingly high tone that came out of his mouth, "I just remembered I need to hurry home!" He finished his shower not daring to look at the other and left. That night was the first time he had shook hands with his eager pressing friend from below.

He had kissed Mihashi! Right on the lips. Given it had been under the mistletoe of Tajima's Christmas party, but he had finally stopped imagining what it was like and had actually done it! It was absolutely amazing. The kiss itself was meant to have been just a quick peck (after everyone's encouragement – the mistletoe must be obeyed) yet he stayed a lot longer than his lips were meant to. His first kiss as a teenager and hopefully, wasn't his last with Mihashi.

After that - reality decided to check in and he made a dash to the bathroom. What was he going to do now that it was pretty obvious Abe was very enthusiastic? His heart beat thudded with adrenaline and his body felt flush. What he would give to kiss those lips again!

A soft knocking to the door interrupted him. "Abe-kun?"

Mihashi? Dear god, had this ruined their friendship?

He coughed as a casual gesture, "What is it, Mihashi?"

"M-may I come in?"

Was this it? Was this Mihashi ending what they had – or could have been?

He shakily reached the door knob and turned so that Mihashi could enter. His pitcher looked so frail as he leaned against the closed door; again, looking anywhere but at Abe, with tight pressed lips.

"A-abe-kun, when you… kissed me… D-did you l-like it… at all?"

He swallowed the lump in his throat tensely. How did he know? Was he obvious even to Mihashi? He decided, regretfully, to let it out in the open. If this was going to ruin their friendship, then maybe it wasn't as strong as he believed it had become.

"Mihashi, listen. Look at me," the back of his eyes were stinging as the pitcher set his gaze on him with a fearful look. Would he be afraid of Abe like he looked at that moment? "I… really like you. A lot. I like you more than-" his voice was beginning to waver, emotions bare, "more than a boy should… to another boy. I liked kissing you- and I want to do it again. I'm sorry. I've ruined everything." He bowed his head in apology.

"NO! Abe-Kun-" Mihashi rushed into him un-expectantly wrapping his thin arms around Abe's torso, face pressed against his right shoulder. "I like you too! I like you so much, Abe-kun!"

He was shocked. He slowly raised his arms and placed his hands on Mihashi's smaller shoulders to pull him back. "Mihashi, a-are you definitely sure you like me the way I like you?" He leaned in to have Mihashi's full eye contact to check of any hesitation.

"Yes! Ab- Takaya!" Mihashi had never looked so beautiful before him with this earnest face. "I like you."

It was magic watching Mihashi's eyes travel to Abe's lips as if drunk, and to tilt his head forward capturing them with his own. Was this really happening?

The pitcher moved his body closer to him and his small hands were grasping the back of his shirt as if to push against him as hard as he could. Abe's hands moved around impulsively. His left hand had settled itself on Mihashi's hip and the right was lightly petting the delicate ear while they kissed. It was more than amazing. This was incredible. He wanted to breathe in Mihashi's air, keep hold of him. Never let go.

And even as they graduated, he'd never had to worry.