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Blue Lock's pitch is in good condition, and Loki's choice of starting lineup is practical, but Rin can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. The referee blows the first whistle, and Rin watches from the bench as Shidou Ryuusei tears his way through the defensive line of Spain's Real Madrid.
While this is technically an extra game and motivated mainly by something Loki likes to call 'nepotism,' Paris X Gen accepted the offer to play against the team. It's not just any experienced team, but Sae's.
Thank god his Niichan isn't here. He isn't sure what he'd do if he had to face his brother again this soon. The wounds from the U20 match are still sore and sting, the neverending repetition of Sae's mouth twisting around 'Isagi Yoichi' rattling through his brain like a brand.
He may be bitter, sure. However, he's only a victim of circumstance.
When the crowd explodes with noise, Rin tunes back into the game. Shidou is cackling - maniacal and breathless and beautiful - from the ground. It appears someone must have tripped him, or he'd simply taken a fall while shooting. But the ball is in the net, and Rin's ego roars.
Put me on the field put me on the field put me on the field let me crush them
Someone on Real Madrid scores next, then Loki gets a few well-placed assists and nearly gets a hattrick. Stuck on the sidelines, Rin can feel his knees shaking in place, his hands twisting themselves, and he needs to move.
("Let me be clear, Rin. You are a very talented player, and your potential is there. But I will not be putting you and Shidou on simultaneously. It's too risky for both your reputation and the stakes of this game."
Rin had scoffed at his coach's words, stuck his hands deep into his pockets and tried not to pout. A laugh, slightly muffled, catches his attention. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, nothing," Julian Loki said, a hand over his mouth. "You and he are just… rather unique. When it comes to you two as a duo, there is promise. You'd have to get over your issues first."
"Why would I want to work with him? He's a stupid, unreliable, homicidal insect!"
"Then why did I see you two eating breakfast at the cafeteria yesterday morning, huh? If you're such great enemies?"
"Loki-senpai! It's seriously not what you think!")
Halftime comes relatively fast, and Rin's body finally stops jittering with unused energy. This should be around when he and Shidou switch places, and hopefully, that argumentative antenna head won't cause any problems.
Which is, of course, too much to ask.
"What do you mean I'm getting subbed off already?" Shidou demands, sounding closer to a petulant child than a near adult. "Is this about that agreement we made yesterday?"
"Yeah, sure, you can call it that," Loki says, turning briefly to grab two water bottles and seemingly offering one as an olive branch. As expected, Shidou snatches it up with an appreciative sound, successfully distracted.
Rin stands from his place next to Nanase and Zantetsu, who are chattering about some topic he tuned out from ages ago. He goes over to where the two teens are still half arguing, half joking around about the last half. Part of him almost hates to break the friendly atmosphere, and he hesitates.
The voice - something like a conscience - that sounds like Sae tells him that it doesn't matter.
"So I'm on for the second?" Rin asks, positioning himself as far away from Shidou as he can. With a nod and after another swig of water, Loki gives him a rather enthusiastic thumbs up. "Great, thanks."
They separate afterwards, Loki going to check on the rest of the team and Rin to lace his cleats. His hands are partly numb from the cold, and after fumbling with the thin string a third time, two new hands reach in to do it for him.
"Dumbass," Shidou snorts, kneeling at Rin's feet. "Why didn't you wear gloves?"
"Forgot," Rin says back, with less bite than he'd intended to put in. He's hyper-focused on the way Shidou's breath is visible from the frosty air conditioning floating up toward him. It's not only that, but the horrifying realization that this boy he is supposed to hate has wormed his way into all the places Rin once held sacred. Held dear, kept private and close to his heart.
If anyone else tried to tie his cleats, he'd punch them.
The whistle blows again from the center of the field, and Loki gathers them all for a cheer. To be honest, Rin has no clue how his senior hasn't completely snapped. Impressive is the word he lands on. Loki is a pretty cool guy. Yet before he can run across the field to his winger position, warm fingers latch around his wrist.
"Be careful," Shidou whisper-yells, garnering attention from everyone who hadn't already been looking at them. "He's here. I thought I should let you know."
"Who the hell are you talking about?" Rin snaps, but Shidou is already sauntering back to the substitution benches. He only realizes exactly who Shidou was trying to warn him about once he takes another sweeping glance across the field.
A familiar smirk that makes his skin crawl.
Leonardo Luna.
He has yet to learn how Shidou knows what that man had said and isn't keen to find out. His heart flutters a little regardless, he’s surprisingly touched.
Fuck that. Gross.
In this half, Spain has the ball first, and everything begins to fall apart. They get a few fluke goals, and suddenly, it seems the entire stadium is cheering for their enemy. The players - somehow taller and bigger than he'd expected initially - are pushy, and PXG starts getting free kicks just because of fouls.
And worst of all, Luna is feeling extra chatty today. He makes a few choice remarks Rin chooses to ignore, repeating his mantra of 'be mature, don't shidou all over him.' That works until, well, it doesn't. It's when Rin has a perfect shot in front of the net, can feel the way his ego tells him that this is his chance until-
"Be careful there," Luna laughs, and the ball is gone from between his feet.
Rin sprints after him, trying to control how his chest heaves, and he can't breathe. It was just one joke made at least a month ago, and he isn't sure why it still makes him so uneasy. Luckily the defensive line manages to crush Madrid's rush, but Rin still catches when Luna mutters something else.
Something about Shidou.
He only remembers a little after that. His vision fazes out, and everything is red; Rin isn't sure if he's screaming, but his throat is raw and aches. They can't get to him quick enough before he sends a flying punch directly at his opponent's face. He snarls like an animal, kicks and claws and hisses because Luna can't just say these things and get away with it-
His arms are restrained, and a swift kick to the back of his knees immobilizes him. The commentators are talking, but the noise is garbled. His ears ring and ring, and it hurts. However, he can make out the call made by the referee loud and clear.
"Itoshi Rin, red card. Please exit the field immediately."
It’s a nightmare. Rin shakes himself free of the people holding him and staggers toward the side of the pitch. The lines all blur together, and he can hear not some not so faint gossiping from behind. Rin wonders what Sae will think if he's even watching at all.
"What did he say?"
"Rin- What the hell!"
"Did he do something?"
The second he's clear, everyone starts talking at once. Even Karasu, normally pretty calm and collected, appears strangely puzzled by the series of events. Rin can't get his mouth to work, and his brain is still complete fuzz. He turns harshly, legs wobbling, trying to locate a familiar face.
"That was insane! I'm impressed, Rinchan."
It comes from behind, and Rin spins to meet him. Shidou is all set to return to play and looks as normal as someone like him could be. Yet, Rin can't help himself; that weakness Sae always spoke of digging in like a knife. He should say something. He needs to say something.
"That guy, the one I fouled, he said some gross shit last time I played him. Made me uncomfortable," Rin starts, voice cracking. Shidou nods along, surprisingly serious, though they don't have much time before the substitution. "I was hoping he'd be less weird this time, but- he- I- Luna said something super fucked up. I guess I snapped."
"To you? About you?" Shidou's voice is oddly high, as though he's attempting to control himself. "That fucker-"
'Do not," Rin says slowly, leaning forward to rest both his arms on Shidou's shoulders and stare him down, "kick him. We'll have two red cards if you hit him, and Loki will bench us for good. And for your information, it wasn't anything about me."
Shidou mock-salutes and dashes into the fray. Clutching his red slip of paper tight in his fist, Rin takes his old seat to watch again. Things are alright then, with Loki scoring another goal and the score nearly tied. Rin finds himself staring, searching for Shidou in the mess of bodies, and feels more relaxed when he does.
But the way he's playing is different. Shidou is always a bundle of energy, a live wire slipped into a human shell. However, his quick turns and cuts are rougher; he shoves and pushes with a little more force than usual.
And when precisely five minutes are left in half, he is fouled out of the game with his own red card.
Unlike Rin, Shidou is stronger and harder to control and contain. They can't get him off of Luna before the man probably has gotten a broken nose and a mild concussion. Rin finds himself chuckling, a quiet sound that still makes the back of his throat tingle. The players, still benched, are shocked but break into their everyday chatter a few moments later.
"Rinchan!"
A weight is thrown against him, and Rin stumbles, falling backwards. He hits the turf with a groan, staring up into tan skin and dark eyes. Shidou is smiling, and this energy about him seems almost feral. Blood is dripping from his nose, and the slightest bit of bruising is beginning to form around his left eye.
"Oh my god," Rin says, raising his free arm to cover his face, quickly going red. "I specifically told you not to get carded and look at what you did. Also, get off!"
"Feeling uncomfortable?" Shidou asks cheerfully, though it sounds mostly rhetorical. He adjusts his positioning so that his thighs are braced around Rin's waist and wiggles. "And come on, we're matching now! That bitch had it coming!"
"Yeah," Rin sighs. In this case, Shidou is right. "I suppose he did."
"'Course I'm right; he was being super weird. And not like, funny weird, but lock him up weirdo weird," Shidou says with a frown. His face lights up immediately again, and he scrambles off Rin to grab his bag. "Oh- let's take a picture to commemorate the moment!"
He returns moments later, a battered iPhone with a pink case in hand. Shidou wraps an arm around Rin's shoulders and tugs him close. "Smile!"
Smile. Now that is pretty easy to do with Shidou around.
Ryuushidou69_
- snap posted three minutes ago
TALK SHIT GET HIT !!!
[A snapchat photo of Shidou and Rin together, both a little bloody and bruised. Shidou is as happy as ever, but the tiny, affectionate grin on Rin’s face is a treasure much more rare. They’re leaning on each other, red cards proudly in hand. Maybe the possibility of teamwork isn’t so far into the future after all.]
