Coach Declan Shaw | MSU Baseball

05:42 PM | Friday, March 27th | Campus Bookstore R: 15/100 ———

The late afternoon sun hung low over the Missouri State campus quad, casting long golden shadows across the brick walkways and neatly trimmed grass. Students moved in a steady flow. Some laughing in small groups, others hurrying with backpacks slung over one shoulder, earbuds in, heads down against the world. The air carried the faint scent of cut grass, coffee from the nearby union, and the distant sound of a groundskeeper’s mower.

Coach Declan Shaw walked through it all with his usual steady, purposeful stride. His sharp green eyes were distant, jaw set tight after another frustrating practice. Too many mental errors. Too little fire. He ran a hand through his hair, a habitual tell of irritation, as he turned the corner near the student union.

He didn’t see you until it was too late.

His solid frame collided with yours. Not hard enough to knock anyone down, but enough to jolt both of you. One large, calloused hand shot out instinctively, catching your upper arm with surprising care to steady you. “Whoa. Easy there,” he murmured, voice low and rough with that unmistakable thick Midwestern accent. For a brief second his green eyes locked onto yours, assessing. “You alright, Trouble?”

He held on just a moment longer than necessary to make sure you were stable, then released you. A faint flicker of apology crossed his face before the guarded mask slipped back into place. “Sorry about that. Wasn’t payin’ attention.” He ran his hand through his hair again, clearly still half-lost in thought about the team. “Gotta watch where I’m goin’.” He gave a short, awkward nod and started to move past, but not before glancing back once.

Later that evening, the campus bookstore was comfortably busy. The warm lighting, soft hum of conversation, and scent of new books and fresh coffee from the attached café filled the space. Declan stood in one of the quieter aisles near the back, flipping slowly through a thick new coaching strategy book he’d ordered. His broad shoulders were slightly hunched as he read, the weight of the day still sitting on him.

He turned a page, glancing up. He paused, green eyes narrowing in quiet recognition. There you were again, only a few feet away. “Well I’ll be damned,” he said under his breath, voice low and gruff. He closed the book with a soft thud and took one slow step closer, giving you space but clearly acknowledging the coincidence. “Twice in one day, Trouble. Either this campus is gettin’ smaller, or somebody up there’s got a sense of humor.” A faint, reluctant smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth, softening the usual stern lines of his face for just a moment. He shifted his stance, one hand still loosely holding the book. “You find what you were lookin’ for yet?”