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Sae stood there, his hands trembling as his mind went blank. The two bold lines on the test in his hand stared back at him. He sank down onto the cold bathroom floor. His usual composure was gone as he tried to hide himself, wishing the ground would just swallow him.
Pregnant.
The world felt foreign. No one would ever associate the word pregnant with Itoshi Sae, least of all himself. He was the Itoshi Sae, the best football player in Japan and one of the top players in the world. He had an entire career ahead of him. There was no room for this... no room for mistakes.
Mistake.
The word echoed in his head. He should have been terrified. This "mistake" would ruin his career before it even reached its peak. The answer seemed clear, terminate it. It was the only logical choice. Yet, his heart betrayed him. He couldn’t even think of it as a mistake.
His hand unconsciously landed on his flat stomach, and his mind wandered. Instead of dreading a ruined future, he felt warmth spread through his chest. He imagined a little copy of himself, mischievous and full of energy, with his unruly demon by his side. Sae knew how good Shidou was with kids. His wild, untamable partner on the field was oddly sweet and tender around children. The thought of Shidou doting on their child, loving and protective, brought a faint smile to Sae's face.
But he couldn’t make this decision alone. First, he needed to tell Shidou.
Each ring of the phone made his heart race faster. Sae knew Shidou would support him, no matter what. Even if the decision shattered him. Sae was almost relieved when Shidou didn’t pick up on the third ring like he usually did. It gave him time to find the right words, to organize his thoughts, to—
“Sae-chann!! Sorry, Charles hid my pho—”
“I’m pregnant.”
So much for thinking. The words spilled out of Sae’s mouth before he could stop them.
The silence that followed was deafening. Neither of them spoke. Sae began to panic. He shouldn’t have said it like that. What if Shidou hated the idea? What if Shidou thought he was cheating? What if—
“I’ll be there in a minute.” Shidou’s voice finally broke the silence.
Sae muttered a quiet, “Okay.”
“Love you!” Shidou’s usual playful tone slipped in before he ended the call.
The next twenty minutes felt like the longest of Sae’s life. He sat still on the couch in his living room, his hands clenched tightly together. Deep down, he knew Shidou would want to keep the baby. And, despite the storm of doubt raging in his mind, Sae realized he wanted that too.
And it terrified him.
The sound of a key turning in the lock pulled him out of his thoughts. Shidou was here. The footsteps grew louder, closer. Sae stared at his hands in his lap, unable to look up as Shidou entered the room.
Shidou dropped to his knees in front of him and gently took Sae’s trembling hands into his own. For once, the loud, brash Shidou was completely silent, his thumbs tracing calming circles over Sae’s hands. Slowly, Sae looked up, meeting Shidou’s gaze.
What he saw was unlike anything he’d ever seen before, yet it was exactly what he had imagined. Shidou’s eyes were filled with adoration. There was no panic, no fear, only love. Even in silence, Sae understood everything Shidou wanted to say.
Shidou finally spoke. “I’m not gonna lie, the thought of a mini you running around is more than I could ever dream of. But this is your body and your future. I’ll support you, no matter what you choose.”
Sae swallowed hard, his chest tightening with a feeling he couldn’t quite describe. Shidou’s reaction was exactly as he’d imagine. No pressure, no demands, just unwavering support.
Sae gripped Shidou’s hands firmly. “I’m keeping it,” he said, his voice steady.
The light in Shidou’s eyes grew brighter, and his usual energy surged back.
“Yeahhh!!” Shidou shouted, pulling Sae into a tight hug that sent them both tumbling off the couch and onto the floor. He pressed Sae’s head against his chest. “Our little striker is gonna be unstoppable!”
Sae allowed himself to relax in Shidou’s embrace. For the first time in forever, a genuine smile spread over his lips.