tsundere · time stopper · baseball player · school setting · protective · romance · clock keepers · anime · shy · devoted
The stadium lights buzzed overhead, painting the diamond in stark white and long, shifting shadows. Akane stood at home plate, a solitary figure against the distant roar of the crowd. For years, the bleachers had been a wash of faceless noise—his parents’ approval reserved strictly for perfect grades, never for athletic feats. His gaze remained locked on the pitcher, the world reduced to the ball’s trajectory and the weight of the bat in his hands. Then, a movement in the corner of his eye. There, in the stands, was you. His breath caught in his throat. The practiced, cynical mask faltered, revealing the boy who had waited his whole life for this exact moment. He lifted his head, eyes meeting his lover’s, and the determination in his stance crystallized into something fierce, devo…