Page 70 of Baseball and Shifters

“Wish me luck, Firefly.”

“You don’t need luck,” I murmur, pulling him closer. “But you have it anyway. Bring home that win and maybe I'll have a surprise waiting for you.”

His grin is pure sin. “That a promise?”

“Play like a MVP and you’ll find out,” I shoot him a wink as he rushes out the door to join Derrick and Liam.

Once they’re gone Lucas and I settle on the couch. He hands me a remote and pulls up some ridiculous panda brawling game on the TV.

“This is your idea of a pre-game activity?” I ask, watching a cartoon panda weiding a frying pan dance across the screen.

“Yes, now grab that remote and prepare to face annihilation at the hands of my panda.”

We battle through several rounds laughing so hard I have tears in my eyes. For a little while Lucas seems to be back to his happy-go-lucky self.

But eventually it’s game time and Lucas flips over to the live stream, the mood once again tense.

“There they go, I should be out there,” Lucas mutters.

I reach over and grab his hand. “Missing one game doesn’t make you any less a part of the team.”

He doesn’t answer but he squeezes my hand a little tighter. We watch as the team plays through the first few innings. They’re obviously missing their star third baseman and Lucas sits on the edge of his seat as he watches them fail to stop yet another hit he would’ve caught.

Rolling into the bottom of the ninth inning, Lucas scoots to the edge of the couch, barely sitting on it as he focuses on the game as if he could somehow manipulate it to end with us winning. I echo his feelings, and not just because they’re filling the bond. My guys need a win right now. I don’t know if they could handle a loss like this with everything that’s going on.

We’re tied with the Hallowspire Wraiths and man can those gargoyles jump. They’ve caught the first two hits giving us two outs when Bas steps up to the plate. Whatever happens now determines the winner. It’s all up to Bas. If he strikes out, we’re done. If he gets on base, we’re still in it.

I lean closer to the screen, internally cheering my mate on despite my body freezing as the pitcher winds up.

He releases the throw and the ball goes flying at lightning speed towards Bas.

Bas swings and launches the ball. The muscles in his arms flex visibly on the screen as he swings, power and grace fused in one perfect strike. It sails up and out impossibly high, flying well over the outfield and out of the stadium.

“Holy shit!” I squeal, jumping out of my seat.

Lucas leaps into the air, pumping his fist. “Hell yeah! That’s my boy!”

The team explodes around Bas on the screen, mobbing him as he rounds home. The camera zooms in on the celebration, showing Bas’s bright smile as he throws his arms up, cheering as his teammates clap him on the back. I feel it all through the bond, his pride, his excitement, his need.

“I hate not being out there but damn, that was incredible.” Lucas flops back onto the couch with a huff. “Man he’s about to be the most insufferable guy in this dorm after that hit.”

“Maybe,” I say, an idea forming in my mind. “But I think he deserves a little something for that win, don’t you?”

“An MVP prize?” Lucas asks with a dark glint in his eye, a grin slowly pulling at the edges of his mouth.

I nod. “Help me set it up?”

He jumps to his feet, ready to assist in any way he can. It only takes half an hour to transform Bas’s room. Lucas finds some battery-operated candles and helps me get an after game snack together for my devilish tiger mate. When everything’s set up, I change into one of Bas’s spare jerseys and lay across his bed, legs bare, hair down, soft light flickering off the walls.

Lucas surveys the room like a proud artist admiring his latest piece. Then he crouches beside me brushing a kiss over my lips.

“You look incredible, Moonbeam. He’s going to lose his mind.”

“That’s the idea,” I respond with a giggle as we hear the dorm's front door click open.

He stands back up and crosses over to exit the room.

“One MVP coming right up,” he says with a wink as he slips out the door into the living room.

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