Author's Notes: So.. I guess this did end up becoming a twoshot. Hehe. But nothing major, just the events from the previous chapter, only this time from Mihashi's POV.

Warnings: Short, fluff (I think), and OOC-ness (I think).

Disclaimer: I do not own Ookiku Furikabutte/Oofuri/Big Windup and its characters in any way.

Chapter Two: A Gaze

It was New Year's Eve. Thankfully, the team didn't have practice and was allowed the day-off to spend with family, friends, or whatever it was they wished to do.

'Go on a date as well?'

The voice was from Mihashi's head, and the thought made the browne-blonde boy blush and shake his head vehemently.

'I-It's not a d-date..!' another voice said defensively.

For a moment, Mihashi stopped. Here he was, talking inside his head. With two voices nonetheless. However, despite the protests of the second voice in his head, the first voice did have a point.

Because why else would he be standing in this cold winter day, waiting for someone? Not to mention he was currently dressed up as a girl. Again.

'M-Maybe this wasn't such a g-good idea..after all..' he thought worriedly.

He remained standing there for a few minutes before he finally decided that, indeed, this was a mistake.

He had just taken a step, an apology message already typed on his phone for the person he was meeting up with, when a voice spoke right behind him.

"Sorry I'm late! Did you wait long?"

That made Mihashi stop in his tracks, his thumb hovering over the 'Send' button on his phone. He slowly turned to look at the person, half-hoping, half-dreading, it was who he thought it was.

True enough, there was his catcher, Abe, with a slightly apologetic look, which then turned to surprise, confusion, before finally settling on embarrassment.

Mihashi was about to ask why when he remembered what he currently looked like. He felt his cheeks become warm, and it wasn't because of the cold. He also felt the need to explain himself but before he could even find the words, they died on his lips.

Because Abe said, "Well.. Shall we go then?" Mind you, his cheeks were flushed as well, but his eyes were on Mihashi who, for some reason, couldn't say "No", all previous thoughts of canceling this whole arrangement gone out of the window.

They had been walking around for how long now? Two hours? Three hours? Mihashi had lost track of time because he was enjoying himself. Granted, the two of them had been mostly walking around and popping in and out of shops here and there. Neither of them really bought anything, but it was still fun, in a way. Perhaps the presence of the other boy was a big factor.

In the middle of their trip, the snow started to fall lightly and Mihashi started to feel a little cold. That was when he looked at the people on the streets aside from them. Most of them were families going in and out of some shops like them, only perhaps they were doing some last-minute holiday shopping, unlike them.

That was also when he realized that aside from families, there was another type of people among the crowd: couples. Different kinds even: holding hands, snuggling, arm around the other's waist/shoulder, the lot. They were everywhere.

Okay, maybe he was exaggerating just a tiny bit. But seeing a pair of male and female within their vicinity do "couple stuff" made the brown-blonde boy a little self-conscious; currently, he and Abe appeared to be a pair of male and female as well after all.

This made him stop in his tracks again, thinking that maybe now really was time to go home. Abe didn't notice him stop, however, so he called out, "A-Abe-kun.."

This time, said person stopped and turned to look at Mihashi, who tried to find the words he wanted to say.

Would "I feel awkward with all these couples. Let's go," work?

Hmm. Maybe not..

In the middle of his musings, the brown-blonde boy then noticed the brunette in front of him seemed lost in his own world as well. So this time, he grabbed the other's jacket and tugged at it lightly, which was effective because those dark eyes focused on him now. "Yeah? What's wrong?" Abe asked.

Mihashi couldn't meet the other boy's gaze so he opted for looking at the ground instead when he said, "I-It's okay now.. W-We can go back.."

"Are you sure? I thought you wanted to look at the shops?"

"Y-Yeah.. B-But.."

Was this supposed to be the part where he mentions the couples around them and the awkwardness they brought him?

"But what?" Abe pressed.

Did he just say that out loud? Hoping he didn't, Mihashi shook his head, this time trying to rid himself of that thought before he does say it out loud.

Abe seemed determined to find out what he said though, and the coaxing just made Mihashi uncomfortable. Perhaps sensing this, the brunette eventually stopped pressing for answers, at least that's what Mihashi liked to think.

He didn't know for how long they had stopped walking, but the pitcher was feeling colder as the minutes ticked by. His breath was as white as earlier, but now he couldn't really feel his cheeks and nose. Plus, he felt like he was about to pass out any moment now.

"Are you okay?" Abe asked, looking worried, and put both hands on the other boy's shoulders.

Mihashi attempted to come up with a reply, but all he could think of was how those eyes were focused on him again.

However, what really snapped him out of his daze was the brunette before him wrapping his own scarf around his bare and now-obviously-cold neck. That and said brunette near-shouted, "If you've been feeling cold, say something, you idiot!"

The exclamation made Mihashi flinch in surprise, an apology making its way from his lips, "I..I'm sorr-"

-which was cut off by a slightly harsh, "Don't even say you're sorry."

At this, the brown-blonde boy simply swallowed the rest of what he would have said, along with the tears that were threatening to escape his eyes. Why was Abe..

"Just.. Tell me whenever you're not feeling good, or if anything's wrong, alright?"

..acting like this?

Wait. What?

The sudden gentleness in the brunette's voice caught Mihashi off-guard. "O-Okay.." was all he managed to reply.

He tried to figure out the boy before him, whose cheeks were now flushed as he remained firmly not looking at him, even when he held out a hand. "Here," Abe said.

For a moment, there was a pause, a question hanging in the air, which Abe seemed to sense and then answered, "You said we can go back, so let's go back. But first.. I don't want your hands to get cold."

..oh. That's why.

That's why he called Abe out today. That's why he was having fun. That's why he was glad it was Abe who found him and helped him that night weeks ago, which now seemed forever, really.

Because he liked Abe, for his strictness when it came to practice, even though he would be shouting at all of them most of the time. He also liked him for his kindness and gentleness, which, though he rarely showed, were undeniably there.

And lastly, he liked Abe for that gaze that often landed on him, reflecting the brunette's emotions, which were usually those of worry and concern. It made Mihashi feel important. It made him feel secure. It made him feel..

..wanted. Like he really mattered to someone.

So without another second's hesitation, he grabbed the offered hand, smiled, and said two words that seemed short but held so much meaning for Mihashi at that moment in time.

"Thank you."

Author's Note: And that's a wrap! I hope you guys liked this kinda-fluffy twoshot. Please review! Thank you for reading! :)