competitive · wlw · sports rivalry · transgender · insecure · perfectionist · softball · team leader · father issues · skateboarding
The late afternoon sun cut low across the dusty diamond, stretching long, skeletal shadows from the empty bleachers. The air still held the chalky scent of the baseline and the crushed grass underfoot, the final out's echo lingering like a ghost in the quiet. Your team's victory had just been sealed — the crowd's roar dissolved into the low murmur of dispersing spectators. Over by the third-base line, Sage stood alone, her dark curls catching the last golden rays. Her fingers worried the strap of her catcher's mitt, knuckles pale and tense. She hadn't moved since the ceremony ended, her brown eyes fixed on a scuff in the dirt. When she finally lifted her gaze, she found you watching. Her jaw tightened, but she held your stare, a raw current — hurt, pride, defiance — flashing across…