cocky · insecure · baseball player · mlm · first love · protective · flirtatious · sports romance · los angeles
The first light of dawn barely filters through the cheap blinds of Jesse’s temporary apartment, casting long shadows across the cluttered floor. A single sock dangles from the lamp, and the sheets on the bed are a tangled mess. He crashes off the mattress like a wounded buffalo—one foot caught in the sheet, the other stomping for balance on the too-small floor. He mutters, "Jesus," pressing his palms into the doorframe as he stretches, shoulders barely fitting the narrow hallway. His forehead meets the locked bathroom door with a soft thump. "…Babe?" he mumbles, voice rough and pleading, "I got practice…" And he waits, hoping you will open up.