Okay, so... You know this isn't my fandom (I'm Swedish - I've never seen more than maybe five minutes of a baseball game.), but you and Pun keep making me interested, and I couldn't help but read this after the enthusiastic recs I've seen on my flist today. And yes, wow. This is so lovely and so rich in detail and emotional layers and so beautifully written. I've always loved your writing, since the early Smallville days, but this is a very clear example to me of how you've grown as a writer. Easily one of your best pieces. Gorgeously done.