Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the story idea and only some of the witty remarks. I own so little; so please don't steal.
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heatwave
It's the hottest summer Japan has seen in decades; it's where being inside is only slightly better than being outside and the shade offers no refuge. The heat's getting to everyone differently – Hanai, for one, has never been more relieved he keeps his head shaved; poor Mihashi is doing his usual whimpering drenched, even before Abe pours the cup of water over him. While the few sane men, like Izumi, are conserving their energy and keeping hydrated, idiots like Mizutani wander under the sun – it's gotten so bad for the poor boy that he's starting to sing the school song deliriously. Hanai watches as Izumi pulls Mizutani into the shade as the left fielder belts the Nishuira anthem.
"It should rain soon," Izumi says in passing while running a bottled water to their fallen comrade. Hanai looks up at the blank, hot sky and sighs. Oh, he wishes.
Coach Momoe tries to keep them all together but even it gets too much for her and they only are allowed to practice in cloud cover now, which is far and few between. All other times, they rest and recoup. She and Shinooka sit in the shadowy grass near the chain fence, munching on watermelon and refusing to let the boys have a slice. Many trudge to the closest part of the air conditioned school building, willing to trade distance for comfort, but few cannot make it that far. Mihashi collapses under a tree, where Abe mercilessly scolds him for being careless, stubborn, and other general Mihashi-isms. Hanai does a quick headcount to make sure no one's run off and frowns when he comes up one short. Then – of course, he hasn't encountered any of Tajima's antics today yet. But Tajima was there for roll call earlier…
It's too hot to think about such things. Hanai drops his bat on the field and walks over the dugout where it is dark and cool from being out of the sun's reach. It seems deserted, which surprises him, but when he nears it, he understands why.
Tajima is sitting cross-legged there, naked with all his clothes pooled around his waist.
While every fiber of Hanai's body instructs him to run, somehow he calmly makes his way into the dugout. The shadows do a good deal to hide them from the outside. Tajima grins at him like a challenge and Hanai feels that he must have done this to everyone else who dared to enter and they fled. Well, his pride won't let him.
"Better not let Coach see," Hanai says simply, slipping his cap off. Really? As captain, that's all you can say? "But maybe you should put some clothes on."
"No way!" Tajima cries, throwing his hands in the air to make the clothes around his waist shift and Hanai to wince. "It'll throw off my batting chi!"
Yes, the heat affected all of them in weird ways.
"Actually, I wanted to get a tan but I didn't think Momoe would let me and I didn't want to put my clothes back on at that point." Tajima sounds actually sane for a moment before, "Think about the wicked tan I'd gotten, though."
"Tanning's not too good for you," Hanai says wisely. "Vitamin D must be taken in moderation. You could get burned or skin cancer."
"Says the one who's never tried!" Hanai is standing too close to Tajima because the cleanup hitter suddenly grabs his uniform and tries to pull it off.
"What do you think you're doing?" Hanai yells, struggling.
"You'll feel much better, trust me!"
"I won't expose myself in public like you do!" Hanai insists hotly, although the air really does feel cooler on skin without cloth. Reluctantly, Hanai allows Tajima to pull off his uniform shirt but takes off the black undershirt himself.
"See? Doesn't it feel better?" Tajima makes grabby hands. "Now the pants."
"No."
Tajima pats the spot next to him and Hanai finds himself sitting there despite himself. Their sticky arms touch and Hanai pulls away but Tajima doesn't seem to notice. "Did you know," Tajima says, "that back in the day, the Greeks did the Olympics naked?" Hanai is a little impressed Tajima knows this, but then again, it seems to be a thing Tajima would know. Out of the all history he should know. "Could you imagine us playing baseball naked?" Tajima looks up at the sky, which is darkening ominously, and licks his lips. "I could."
It's a very flirtatious move and very not Tajima, but Hanai feels his baseball breeches tighten uncomfortably and Tajima knows this because he grins and reaches over to pull Hanai onto his sticky lap and kisses him.
Overhead, thunder rumbles and yes, the heat has gotten to them in more ways than one.
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Note: It was an ungodly hot today so this came about. Normally I ship these two Hanai/Tajima in that order but I guess it reads the other way around…? Thanks for reading.