Seventh Inning Stretch {MLB One Shots//Complete}

Dream//Kris Bryant

For Lydy101! I hope you enjoy because I had a blast writing this one.

Dream//Kris Bryant

"My sister's back in town," Jake leaned on Kris' locker as Kris tugged a shirt over his head. "And she's been talking nonstop about having you over for dinner tonight. Put me out of my misery here, Bryant."

Kris tried to ignore the pounding in his chest. Lydia was back in town. "Okay, I'll be there."

Jake nodded, "Britt will have dinner on the table at six. Don't be late." And he was gone.

"Maybe this time you won't chicken out and you'll tell her that you're in love with her?" Anthony came up behind Kris, startling him.

Kris bent down, shoving some of his workout clothes into his duffle bag, avoiding Anthony's question. He wasn't wrong, Kris was in love with Lydia. But there was no way that he was going to tell Lydia that.

The easiest thing that Kris had ever done was fall in love with Lydia. But how could he not? Her laugh was infectious, so was her wide smile. He learned quickly not to mistake her big brown doe eyes for innocence because they were in fact laced with mischief. She was beautiful, the only woman in the world that Kris knew was totally out of his league.

"Well, are you?" Anthony snapped Kris out of his daydream.

He shrugged, "I don't think so. I don't want to ruin our friendship." Kris slung the duffel bag over his shoulder and started to shuffle towards the door.

Anthony snorted slightly. He really wanted to shake his friend, talk some sense into him but he knew that it wouldn't do any good. "Have fun at dinner!" Anthony called behind him.

**

"I'm the best brother in the world," Jake announced as he strolled through the front door and into the living room where Lydia was curled up on the couch reading.

Lydia shut the book she was holding and looked up at her older brother, "Okay, I'll bite. What did you do?"

Jake smiled widely, "We're going to have a dinner guest by the name of Kris Bryant."

Lydia set the book on the glass coffee table in front of the couch, "Oh, are we now?" She stood up, Jake towering her. "I guess I should go put something else on." She glanced down at her ratty shirt and athletic shorts that she's had since high school.

"Is tonight the night then?" Jake asked as Lydia turned to walk away.

"The night for what?" Lydia turned back around to face her brother again.

"The night where you tell Kris that you are in love with him," Jake shrugged nonchalantly. It was incredibly clear to the entire world that they were in love. It didn't bother Jake much because he recognized the way that Kris looked at his sister -- the same way he looked at his wife, a look filled with love and admiration."

"What are you talking about?" Lydia sputtered, her cheeks tinting pink. She didn't think that her feelings for Kris were that obvious. Kris was a total dreamboat in every way. And his eyes! Lydia could melt into a puddle when he looked at her with those eyes of his that were always switching between a piercing blue to an almost seafoam green, eyes that were always dancing with laughter and happiness. And his smile made Lydia's heartbeat skip enough times that she really should go get that checked out. He was so far out of her league that he was practically in outer space. There was no way that he would ever date her, she had concluded after the first time she met him. She had resolved that she was just Jake's little sister, never meant to be anything more.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," A smirk twisted on Jake's lips.

Lydia let out a loud sigh before bounding up the stairs, ending that conversation.

**

"Lydia, go answer the door," Jake commanded when the doorbell rang, signaling Kris' arrival.

Lydia rolled her eyes as she stood up, smoothing the maroon sundress that hung loosely on her body, contrasting with her pale skin and dark hair.

"You look great!" Brittany called from the kitchen, cheering her on.

Lydia swung the door open to reveal Kris, dressed in a dark pair of jeans and a white button up, holding a bouquet of red roses.

"Hi," Lydia murmured breathlessly. Her heart was pounding, she swore that she had dreamed about this exact scenario, never imagining that it would come true. She choked down the hope that maybe, just maybe this meant that he had an inkling of a feeling for her beyond her being Jake's little sister. He was just being nice, she reminded herself.

Kris offered the roses towards her, "I know roses are your favorite..." His voice trailed. He didn't really have a good reason for bringing her flowers and he was glad that she was so focused on the roses to notice the deep red color that his cheeks had turned.

"They're beautiful, Kris." Lydia turned with Kris following behind her. "Brittany, do you have a vase?" She called into the kitchen as she walked that way.

By the time she made it to the kitchen, Brittany already had a vase out, almost like she knew that he was going to bring flowers. Lydia shook that thought off as she filled the vase with water and placed the roses in the vase.

"So how long are you going to be in town?" Kris asked once Lydia turned around.

Lydia shrugged, "I have a couple interviews next week and if somebody hires me then I'm not going to be visiting anymore."

Kris fought the grin that was trying to spread over his face, "That's so cool!" He offered, wincing at how fake it sounded. It really was cool, but he didn't want to come off as weird to her.

Lydia chuckled a little. She wished that she could say that she had applied to jobs in Chicago to be near her brother most of the year but she knew that that wasn't true. She wanted to be near Kris, hoping that maybe one day he could see her as something more than just Jake's little sister.

**

Kris set his fork down, "That was delicious, Brittany. I don't know why I don't come for dinner more often."

Brittany beamed, "You're always welcome. Why don't we go for a walk?" She suggested as she stood up, everybody else following suit.

They walked silently down the quiet road. Lydia was glad that Jake and Brittany had chosen a quiet Chicago suburb to call home. She loved Chicago but it was nice to get away from the chaos of it all.

After a few minutes, Brittany cleared her throat, "I think I left a burner on. Lydia and Kris, keep walking, Jake and I will be right back." Before either of them could protest, they were gone. Leaving Lydia to shoot daggers into the back of her brother and sister in law's head. She knew exactly what they were doing.

"It's a beautiful day," Kris took a deep breath. He knew it was now or never, "Just like you."

Lydia stopped dead in her tracks, "Just like me?" She questioned.

Kris nodded, hoping that he hadn't just ruined everything. "I think you're the most beautiful woman in the world, Lydia." He stepped towards her, knowing that he could never go back to being her friend.

Lydia searched Kris' face for what to say next but couldn't form any words. This is what she had deep down hoped would happen but had convinced herself that it was impossible. As Kris moved towards her, she managed a weak nod, letting Kris know that even though she couldn't find the right words, this was what she wanted.

Kris closed the gap between them, pressing his lips against Lydia's. It was almost like everything else faded away, and it was just them, in their own perfect dream.