Thirty-Seventh
:Chapter Thirty-Seven:

     Taehyung sat in the dugout by himself, holding a baseball in his mitt, occasionally picking it up to toss it back into his glove.

He was supposed to meet Hoseok here to help him practice his pitch but something last minute came up and now he was here all alone.

He probably could practice by himself but it wasn't the same and pretty pointless.

Even if Hoseok was here, the elder couldn't really give pointers to Taehyung since he himself didn't really know much about the position. It was just something to work on.

     Regardless, Taehyung sat there bored, not exactly wanting to go home. That's probably the obvious choice but he just didn't want to, not yet.

Plus, if he did, he wouldn't have saw Jeon making his way over to the elder, making the team captain cock a brow.

"You just sit down here alone?" Asked the younger, calling it out since he wasn't right next to Kim just yet.

"Apparently, why?" Taehyung frowned.

Jeongguk let out a dry chuckle, side-glancing the field before he finally could stop. He stood on the other side of the gate, fingers looping the holes of the said gate, eyes meeting Kim's. "I can't ask?"

"You're still asking for someone who doesn't know if they can ask questions." Taehyung replied before sitting up. "Why are you down here?" He wondered, holding the baseball in his left hand.

The younger took a moment before shaking his head. "Why are you down here?"

"I asked you first, dimwit." Taehyung rolled his eyes and pushed to his feet, arms loosely crossing over his chest. "Now answer,"

"Jeez, you're demanding. I wonder how Junhyun deals with it." The younger replied.

"Jihyun."

"Whatever," Jeongguk rolled his eyes. "I miss being on the field, I just wanted to hang down here since there's no practice but then I saw someone. Granted, I didn't think it was you but, oh well."

"I'm the only blond on the team, you knew damn well it was me." Taehyung scoffed and walked around on the other side of the fence. "You're really pushing this friendship."

"Pushing? Yeah right, you like thinking the world revolves around you, Kim. I just came down here to see the field and thought it wouldn't be the worst idea to come say hi." Jeongguk rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "What's your sign?" The question was asked suddenly, not relevant to what was being said before.

The elder looked at Jeongguk, face showing his confusion. "My sign? Like, what sign?"

"Zodiac sign, loser. What other sign?"

"I don't know, I don't follow horoscopes." Taehyung shrugged. "I'm a Capricorn I think. Jihyun likes those types of things, I'm pretty sure that's what she said."

"I could've guessed that." Jeongguk commented. "Of course you're a Capricorn."

"Why? What makes you think you could've guessed my sign?" Taehyung frowned, Jeongguk chuckling to himself.

The younger pulled his fingers away from the fence, stuffing his hands into his pocket. "You're stubborn as all hell, doubtful, just a mood-killer."

"Everyone can be those things. Why do you people assign them based off of the month I was born?" Taehyung asked, a scowl over his lips. He didn't understand how signs worked or how anyone could be so interested in them but to each their own.

Jeongguk shrugged. "Everyone can be those things but some more than others."

"Well, okay, what's your sign?" Taehyung tossed the question back to the younger who leaned on the fence, hands still in his pockets.

"I'm a sweet ole Virgo." Jeongguk grinned. "One of the best signs there ever was."

"I doubt that."

"How would you know? You didn't even know what sign you were." Jeongguk commented. "So my word stands until someone who knows about the horoscopes can tell me otherwise."

"Whatever," Taehyung turned away from Jeongguk and began to walk away, back facing the boy.

     "Woah, where are you going? I just got here." Jeongguk said and stopped the elder. "You didn't even tell me why you're here."

The captain sighed. "I just came down here to practice but Seok had something come up. I just didn't want to leave just yet but now that you're here, guess I can leave."

"I'll practice with you."

"And what? Get another concussion when I blast you in the face? You don't even have a mitt with you." Argued the elder. "How are you going to catch it?" He questioned.

"You don't have a spare? I'm trying to help you out, Kim, you're the one that came down here to practice." Jeongguk sighed, his once amused smile turning to a taut line. "Plus, it wouldn't hurt to work on your batting."

"My batting?"

"Yes, you're batting."

"What's wrong with my batting?" Taehyung cocked a single brow, tilting his head a bit to the side with wonder.

Jeongguk pushed to stand. "Did you bring your bat?"

"I brought everything." Taehyung said and walked back over into the dugout, setting down the mitt and the baseball.

Jeongguk looked back up towards the school while he waited for Kim to retrieve his gear. Pretty much all of everyone was gone at this point, all home and probably doing piles of homework.

It just reminded Jeongguk of the homework he would have to complete once he stepped foot at home. This was a nice distraction he believed, something just to take take his mind away from the stress.

      "Here, bozo." Taehyung's deep and soothing voice pulled Jeongguk back, being greeted with the steel end of a bat pointing straight to his face.

The younger made brief eye-contact before taking the bat from Taehyung, hands finding their way to the handle. He made his way over to home plate, standing on the right if you looked at it from the pitcher's mound.

     "Want me to pitch to you?" Inquired the blond-haired teenager, not completely understanding where this was going.

"I'm going to show you how to properly bat. Granted everyone has their own unique stance, you just are off sometimes." The black-haired teenager said, bringing the bat over his shoulder.

"So, yes?" Taehyung frowned, placing his feet on the mound, the ball resting on his backside. "Shouldn't you put on the helmet? I was only kidding when I said I wanted to give you a concussion."

"Cute, you care." Jeongguk joked around. "You won't hit me, and if you do, run." He told, squatting down only a bit. He did his trademark move, digging his left foot into the dirt under his feet. "When you bat, you rest your bat back a bit off your shoulder. You look really stiff half of the time."

"Gee, thanks, now I can't wait to pitch to you." Taehyung rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

"Chill, I'm just helping you out. You should be honored I'm willing to give your dumbass batting tips." Jeongguk scoffed. "You should always be on your toes, always keep your eyes on the ball at all times."

Taehyung did a small mimic, mocking the younger and the words he uttered.

     The elder made eye contact and then leaned forward before he leaned back, pulling the ball from behind his back. Taehyung held it in his glove for a moment before making the pitch.

It was originally supposed to be a ball but Jeongguk decided he could hit it on a whim.

With that in mind, he picked up his left leg, bringing the bat a bit further back before he swung.

The beautiful sound of the baseball connecting with the bat fulfilled both Taehyung's and Jeongguk's ears, the ball flying high into the air, going quite far out into the outfield.

Kim watched the ball intently, eyes locked on it as it went right over him.

It would've damn near been a home run if it went over the fence but Jeongguk didn't hit it that hard.

     "See, it's all in the way you stand." Grinned the younger, proud of himself for his impressive batting skills. "You probably could hit like that too if you didn't look like you were batting for the first time."

Taehyung huffed. "Whatever, I don't look like that."

"Then show me your stance, I must've missed something from when I was watching you on the bench." Jeongguk commented, holding the bat out towards Taehyung the same way it was held out towards him.

The elder had a bit of an attitude but he dropped his mitt in the dirt and gradually made his way over.

He snatched the bat from Jeongguk who couldn't help the teasing smile on his lips. He took a step back and watched Taehyung stand on the left out (opposite of Jeongguk since he's left-handed).

The elder proceeded to bring the bat over his shoulder, standing how he typically would.

     "See, you look awkward as hell." Jeongguk commented. "Why don't you bend your knees? You make your strike zone so much bigger than what it should be. You just look like you're nervous."

"I regret staying down here." Taehyung's attitude was more than clear, his annoyance riding his face.

"Can't you take any criticism? I'm just trying to help your sorry ass out." Jeongguk lamely shrugged. "Now stop bitching and accept the helping hand I'm offering."

Taehyung didn't say anything more, dropping the bat off his shoulder.

Jeongguk directed Taehyung on what to do next, telling him to bend just a bit and to bring his bat back up.

     When Jeongguk had instructed the elder to bring the bat off his shoulder, the teen apparently was unable to comprehend what exactly the younger met by his words.

     "Kim, come on, it isn't that hard. Just up off of the shoulder." Jeongguk told, trying to demonstrate without touching. "Off of your shoulder."

"Look, bitch, I'm trying! Just show me!" Taehyung rose his voice just a bit, becoming awfully defeated.

Jeongguk huffed and went behind Taehyung, pushing the bat a bit up into the air. He also adjusted the elder's elbows so he had better control of the bat.

"Then, when you swing," Jeongguk stand, wrapping his arms around the elder.

The two didn't think anything of it, just one boy trying to help another with his batting. But they were up on one another, a bit too close for comfort and the tension thick but they must've missed that much.

     "You're going to lift this leg up, pull your bat back just a bit, and let it rip." Jeongguk said, even nudging Taehyung's thigh with his knee. "Got it?"

"And just swing?"

"Well, yeah, but make sure you're also keeping your eye on the ball at all time. I think you focus on the pitcher more than the ball itself when it should be the other way around." Jeongguk informed, removing his hands from Taehyung's arms but remaining behind the boy.

"I do focus on the ball," Taehyung claimed.

"Not all the time, Kim, you get really nervous when batting and it shows. You should always keep your eye on that ball, no matter what." Jeongguk said and Taehyung looked over his shoulder at the younger.

Both of their breaths got caught in their lungs when they realized just how close they stood by each other. Eyes locked with one another, almost as if it were a staring competition.

     Jeongguk cleared his throat and took a step back. "I'll pitch to you, just make sure you're watching the ball at all times."

"Yeah," Taehyung hummed, shaking his head to no one in particular and repositioning himself.

"And take my tips, I'm only trying to help you out, Kim." The younger added, turning his back to the other. He walked over to Taehyung's stuff where he grabbed another baseball since he launched the other. "I promise it'll better your batting."

The elder stood silently, not giving another reply. He squatted down just a bit and pulled the bat back, having it directed in the air like he was informed to.

     It was unfortunate now, however, that there seemed to have been an awkward tension. Both of them caught each other off guard, not knowing when they had been so close to one another the way they were.

Both of them tried to shake it off and continue as if the action just never occurred at all, knowing it was probably the better option.

_______
A/N:

What's your sign? I'm a libra, the best sign there is!
Is this progress to you? They're helping each other out and getting a bit too close when it comes to personal space.