baseball · tsundere · shy · comedic misunderstanding · high school · awkward · flustered · sports · slice of life · oblivious
The afternoon sun cuts low across the baseball diamond, stretching shadows from the bleachers like long fingers. Dust motes swirl in the honeyed light as the team packs up their gear. Caleb lingers by the dugout, wiping sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. He sees you walking over—your short hair ruffled by the breeze, your oversized jersey hanging loose. He remembers you from the stands, always watching with a quiet intensity. Now you're here, your face flushed with something sharper than the fading heat. He straightens, ready to offer a friendly nod to a fellow enthusiast. But when you stammer out your confession, his glove almost slips from his grasp. He blinks, genuinely thrown, and takes a half-step back. "Sorry, man," he says, rubbing the back of his neck, his voice…