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It had been a while since they played soccer together. Been a while since they hung out in general. Going to different universities, different soccer leagues, not seeing each other since they all separated ways. And keeping in contact was hard, too. What with different schedules and later time zones as well. They barely knew what was going on in each other's lives.
Endou and Kazemaru really had a lot to catch up on now that they finally had time.
Their first activity was breakfast. They went to a small cafe that sold treats that was built next to Rairaiken a few years after they graduated junior high. It was simple, cute. The owner was nice, always smiling. And while they had only been there a handful of times, the two loved going there a lot. (It was also the cheapest option to go to.) There, they shared the food they ordered, allowing each other to have a taste of their treat. Kazemaru giggled when Endou wrinkled his nose at the lemon and pistachio cake Kazemaru got himself. It was maybe not enough sweet for the successful goalkeeper.
They continued their day with a walk through Inazuma Town. The market was filled with new stores, but thankfully, old favorites were still there. Some places were shut down completely, and fond memories of time spent in those places were exchanged. They continued the walk through the market and their neighborhoods, stopping for a quick talk with their respective parents. Endou's mother was the one that asked them the most questions. Endou, still easily embarrassed by his parents, tried to get Kazemaru away from there as fast as possible.
They returned to the market, this time going to Rairaiken for lunch. They greeted Tobitaka, who was now running the restaurant. Complimenting his food, along with talking to him, was a must. Rairaiken, as well, was always a must at any reunion. After what felt like hours spent in the restaurant, the childhood duo left to continue their day.
And the continuation consisted of the main event.
Soccer.
The duo went one-on-one with each other, both trying to score a goal. First to 15 points won, the loser had to pay for ice cream later. And the rules were simple: no dirty plays, no hands, and no hissatsus. Endou pouted at the no hands part, but agreed. Kazemaru was not one for goalkeeping. There was a lot of laughter and friendly rivarly. Teasing and banter were essential as well. Small quips and ways to confuse the other were used in hopes of winning the match.
The match ended with Endou loosing for once. They were tied, 14-14, when Kazemaru winked at him after a smart quip. Endou blushed and sputtered. A distant memory of the same thing happening to Kazemaru a long time ago came up for a moment. And a thought of how cute Kaze was when winking, when doing anything really. Endou got distracted long enough for Kazemaru to pass him and shoot the ball into the net.
Endou couldn't find it in himself to be disappointed when the blue-haired man's grin shone his way.
And so Endou paid for two ice creams: mint for Kazemaru and chocolate for him. They enjoyed their cold treats as they slowly made their way to their favorite spot.
The Steel Tower Plaza.
It was getting late by that time as well, with a soft orange hue adopting the sky as the sun began to set. They sat down on a familiar bench next to a familiar tree with a familiar tire. Their treats were long gone, and silence fell on them as they enjoyed the sunset together.
But something was on Endou's mind. Something that could either give the young man hope or crush his heart.
“Hey, Kaze?” He called for his best friend.
Kazemaru hummed in response.
“How come you didn't mention having anyone at your Uni?”
“What do you mean?” Kazemaru frowned, turning to Endou in confusion. “I have friends.”
Endou internally sighed in relief. “I know that. I, um...” He scratched the back of his head. “I meant if you had anyone romantically.”
Kazemaru blushed a bit. “Oh.” He turned back to the sunset. “Well. I do have a fan club." He sighed tiredly. “Again.” Endou chuckled. His childhood friend had obviously had enough of all the fan clubs that had followed him since junior high. "But I just. I don't have anyone there I view like that.”
“Oh.” Endou tried to keep the smile out of his voice and off his face. Just because he didn't have anyone didn't mean Endou could have him. “No one you have a crush on either? Doesn't have to be at Uni.”
The blush on Kazemaru's face deepened. “Where's all of this coming from, huh?” He pushed lightly at Endou's shoulder. "I didn't think you, of all people, would be interested in that topic.”
Endou hummed this time. “I just wanna know if I should set you up with anyone, you know?” Preferably me was left unsaid.
There was a slight drop in Kazemaru's shoulders. “Oh.” The blue-haired male frowned. “Well, there is someone.”
Endou's heart beat picked up, similar to, or maybe even faster than, when he played soccer. “Yeah?”
“But he'd never like me. I did something horrible to him a long time ago.” Kazemaru looked down at his feet. “I still don't know why he trusts me and still wants to be around me after that.” He stood up and went to lean on the railing. “I betrayed him for power. Left him hurting and dead inside from what I heard.” A sad chuckle left him. “After all of that, how could I hope for him to love me back?"
Despite popular belief, Endou was actually a very observant and smart young man. He could put two and two together if given the right information. Kazemaru had only ever betrayed, though he really doesn't see it that way, one person for power.
It was Endou himself. During Aliea.
Endou walked over to his best friend, the one who always had his back and protected him no matter what. That minor slip-up compared to all the other times he made sure he was alright, sacrificing his own well-being to make sure of it sometimes, was nothing. Endou forgave and forgot a long time ago. But it seemed that Kazemaru still didn't forgive himself, no matter how much time passed. He knew about the nightmares, sleepovers sometimes being filled with Kazemaru screaming his name, clutching his chest, begging for forgiveness. It wasn't anything new. Endou was just sad it still plagued him.
Endou hugged his best friend from behind, making the other gasp. He wasn't expecting that.
“I forgave you a long time ago, you know,” he said, leaning his head on Kazemaru's shoulder.
“Endou?” There was fear in his voice.
“Can I talk for a while?”
Silence followed, and then a nod, just barely there, came.
“I'm not stupid, you know. Not that much anyway,” Endou said. “I know you mean me and what happened during Aliea.” He felt the other tense. “It was a long time ago, Kaze. We were young. We were all kids in a war we shouldn't have been fighting. Easily manipulated to play the game the adults set up for us.”
“When did you become wise and poetic?” Kazemaru tried to get Endou to stop talking. But the man with the orange headband was used to his tactics.
Endou smiled. “Shush, young grasshopper." He pulled him closer, not that it made any difference. It was worth it for the small chuckle he heard come from Kazemaru. “You need to hear this, and I need to get it all off my chest, too.”
He could feel him swallow hard. This was a territory he didn't want to touch upon.
“Endou. I hurt you,” Kazemaru said.
“I was hurt by others, too.” Endou said. “And yes, you leaving was... the hardest moment of my life. But you came back to me. You came back and made it all better.”
“Did I make it better?” Kazemaru asked. “I don't think it made any difference.”
“It made a huge difference!” Endou nearly shouted for everyone in Inazuma Town to hear. He pulled away from Kazemaru and turned him around. There was a moment to get his thoughts back because Kazemaru - teary-eyed, vulnerable, beautiful Kazemaru - looked enchanting in that fading glow of the sunset.
“How, Endou? How could I make any difference?”
Endou frowned at his friend, his number 1, his everything. “Because it's you. You're my Ichirouta."
Kazemaru looked confused and lost.
“You've always taken care of me. Before the Aliea stone and after it. There wasn't a day where you wouldn't check up on me, make me smile, protect me from any threat. You made me so happy when you joined the first time around, and you immediately protected me on our first game.” Endou tried to remember as much as he could to try and, at least partially, calm Kazemaru's worries. “You led our team with me as much as you could. You reminded me to eat, sleep, take a break. Everything. There were so many instances where you were the one I needed to make me feel content with life."
Endou took Kazemaru's hands half-way through the speech.
“But...” Kazemaru tried to argue. “You...”
Endou squeezed his hands. “I was heartbroken when you left, sure. You are the wind in my back and the rock that supports me. Nothing could make me get up before I saw how many people needed me.” He stopped for a moment, trying to collect his thoughts.
“I,” he continued. “I honestly don't know how to make you see that I forgave you. That I'm not mad at you. I was never mad at you.” He rubbed Kazemaru's hands with his thumbs. “I'm worried for you.”
“Worried?” Kazemaru asked, a slight tilt to his head.
Endou smiled at the cute picture he made. “Yeah. It's been so long. So many times after the Aliea stone have you kept me safe, cheered me on. It returned to how it was before you left. And it became so much better. You were always there for me after, as if you were trying to make it up to me when there was nothing to make up for.”
“There was a lot to make up for.”
“No. Not anymore,” Endou said. “Ichirouta, don't you get it? You are the only one between us that's still stuck on that. Please, start to let it go.” He pulled Kazemaru closer. “You are stubborn, which is something I really admire about you sometimes. But not now. Aliea was a hard time, and I should have checked up on you more.” He stopped Kazemaru from protesting. “No. It's also on me. If I was a bit more observant back then, I could have gotten to you before the insecurities did.”
He chuckled sadly. “I was so sure you were okay. So used to you being strong that I forgot you could break too. And your strength was something I could always rely on. But sometimes, you needed my strength.”
Kazemaru had started to avoid his gaze, a tear finally falling from his eye. Endou smiled and gently took Kazemaru's face in his hand. He made him look him in the eyes again, slowly wiping away the escaped tear.
“I promise to be your strength, too,” he said. “You need someone as well. To hold you when things get hard. To protect you when the world seems against you. To assure with kind words and subtle gestures that everything will be alright. Make you hot chocolate on a bad day, even if it's the middle of summer. Let me know all your worries and insecurities so you never have to leave again. I'll be all of that and more for you. Just like you were for me.”
Kazemaru was openly crying at this point. “Why, Endou?”
Endou grinned. “Because you can hope, Kazemaru.” He lifted a hand to kiss. “Ichirouta. You're the love of my life. There's no one I love more than you. I have been yours for a while now.” He stared right into those glassy brown eyes. “Will you be mine?”
A beat, then two. And then a sob left Kazemaru. He broke down crying, burying his face in Endou's shoulder. The brown-haired man just held him close and let him cry it out. It was obvious that he hadn't done that in a while.
It was dark by the time Kazemaru stopped crying. The streetlights were on, and the stars were twinkling in the sky. The young man still held on to Endou tightly, a fear that he would disappear coming upon him.
“Screw you for the headache, Mamoru,” Kazemaru mumbled. His head throbbed from the crying.
Endou simply smiled. “That just means you let a lot of the load out.” He slowly moved back to let his best friend compose himself. “Better?”
Kazemaru smiled gently as he wiped away his tears and snot with the sleeve of his jacket. “More like gross.”
Endou put on a thoughtful face. “Still beautiful to me.”
The streetlight was the only reason Endou could see the light blush that spread across Kazemaru's cheeks. “Endou...”
“What happened to Mamoru?”
Kazemaru shook his head fondly. “You'll always be my Mamoru.” He took a small step forward.
Endou closed the space that was remaining between them. “Your?”
They both held blushes at this point, the emotions from before spurring them on.
Kazemaru gulped. “I'll be a lot of work, you know? If we... go further with this?”
Endou cupped Kazemaru's face in his hand. “Good thing I'm more stubborn than you, then."
“Days will get bad.”
“And I'll be right there with you.”
They were leaning in closer.
“Mamoru...”
“'Routa...”
Lips met, one wet from tears, the other chapped from lack of care. It wasn't perfect, but, oh, was it nice. There were no fireworks, only flowers in bloom, a small light turning on in the darkness, a warm breeze at sea. There was no explosion, just the unfolding of love kept secret. There were arms wrapped around each other, one set around the neck, the other around the waist. Young love, finally accepted, finally together. They let their emotions out in a simple kiss.
When they pulled back, both disappointed that they had to, they smiled lightly.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”