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“Rin-rin" - Shidou began, stepping closer to the other boy. - “Do you know what’s in three days?” - he asked cheerfully.
Rin looked at him, confused. He couldn’t recall it being any important date. The only thing he knew was that Ego had given them five days off from Blue Lock, and the day Shidou mentioned happened to fall within that break.
He was sure the time off was meant for rest, not because there was some special holiday during that time. Jinpachi wasn’t the type to celebrate things like that.
“What?” - he asked, looking at him with his green eyes, which shimmered faintly in the artificial light illuminating the room.
“I’ve always known you’re bad at remembering dates” - Shidou teased, leaning against Rin. He wasn’t angry at him for not knowing what day it was he knew Rin didn’t care about things like that.
“Just tell me what you’re talking about, idiot" - Rin snapped back, but he didn’t move, not pushing Shidou away, trying to keep them both comfortable.
“It’s Valentine’s Day.” - Rin could feel his breath against his neck.
“Oh" - he let out quietly. Holidays like that had never mattered to him, he’d always been too focused on football. Ryusei and he had only started dating recently; he hadn’t yet gotten used to remembering the existence of holidays meant for couples. So yes, he’d forgotten.
He’d never really been interested in them anyway, so it was true, he didn’t know those dates.
“Those kinds of holidays are stupid" - he said after a moment. Honestly, he didn’t think celebrating Valentine’s Day made much sense. After all, you could show your love for your partner every day. He didn’t understand what made February 14th so special. It could just as well be any random day on the calendar.
“It’s the perfect time to show affection! Go on dates, give each other gifts, kiss, fuck—”
“Don’t finish that sentence" - he warned him, not feeling like listening to that kind of talk for the second time that day, even though, secretly, it didn’t bother him that much.
“And besides, four-eyes gave us time off during that period!” - he continued, ignoring Rin’s warning. - “Don’t you think we should take advantage of it?”
“But we can go on dates whenever we want, not just on Valentine’s Day" - he pointed out logically. To him, that day was no different from any other. It wasn’t special enough to be the only time to go out with your partner.
“You can’t go on dates in this prison, Rin-rin” - he groaned dramatically. They were still in Blue Lock, where most of their time was devoted to training, not love.
“But we do spend time together” - Ryusei laughed quietly at that. It was true, since they’d started getting along, the amount of time they spent together had increased significantly. Still, it wasn’t a real date.
“You think talking counts as a date?” - he asked between laughs.
“Yes?”
“A date is going somewhere together, just the two of you, to a romantic place, not just talking while there are tons of people around anyway.” - That was when he realized they had never actually been on a proper date. There was no privacy in Blue Lock, there were simply too many people to really have personal space. Sure, it existed, but only briefly, and it was usually hard to be alone for any longer period of time.
"Hmp. We don’t need that” - he stated. He didn’t think dates were all that important. Shidou, however, had a different opinion.
For him, those kinds of things mattered. He loved going on dates, they made him feel loved by the other person. Each time, they got to know each other more deeply and shared time together, just the two of them.
“Everyone needs that in a relationship.”
Rin thought about it. To him, you could have a good relationship without dates. But if Shidou insisted on it so much and kept bringing it up… - “we can go somewhere together during the break” - he finally said.
“Let’s go out on Valentine’s Day, on a real date” - he said happily, still leaning comfortably against Rin and breathing in his scent.
“Why is it so important?” - he asked, not understanding why Shidou cared so much about it. Whether they went out on Valentine’s Day or the day after made no difference to him.
“Because it’s romantic and explosive. I like things like that.” - Rin let out another quiet groan, but he was already used to answers like that. If Shidou talked about it in such a positive way, then it had to be something nice.
That’s how he imagined it too, even though he didn’t really know how it would be any different from just talking and spending time together.
“Okay" - Rin cleared his throat, choosing his words carefully - “we’ll go on a real date, on Valentine’s Day. Just because you want it so badly.”
“So you’re doing it for me? You’re so sweet" - he straightened up and quickly kissed him on the cheek.
Rin’s reaction was immediate, his ears turned red, and his heart started racing. No matter how many times they kissed, spontaneous kisses like that would always make him react this way. Especially when Shidou said things like that at the same time.
“Shut up. Come to my hometown" - he suggested, trying to hide his expression.
“You’re inviting me to your hometown for our first date?” - he teased, leaning even closer and pulling him into an embrace.
Rin stayed silent for a moment and stopped resisting Shidou, resting against his chest instead, burying his face there. - “We’ll go sightseeing. I’ll show you around" - his voice was slightly muffled by the fabric of Shidou’s shirt.
“And what about your house? When do I get to meet your parents?” - He knew Rin’s parents traveled often and had neglected him somewhat during his childhood, but they weren’t bad people. Not the way Rin made them sound.
“It’s too early for that, idiot. Besides, they won’t be there anyway.”
“So the house will be empty, perfect for doing other things in the evening.” - Rin knew exactly what Shidou meant. He punched him lightly in the side as a warning, and Ryusei just laughed.
“Don’t let your imagination run wild” - he warned, lifting his gaze and staring at him sharply, though at that moment, he didn’t look threatening at all. More cute.
Ryusei didn’t stop laughing - “I won’t anymore. No matter what we end up doing, it’ll be fun anyway" - he admitted, wrapping his arms around him even tighter.
Rin quietly agreed, too embarrassed to continue the conversation. He didn’t want to admit it, but the thought that Shidou found his presence fun, no matter the circumstances was strangely comforting and nice.
For now, they both wanted to stay like this, enjoying and savoring the moment meant only for the two of them.
~🌸🌸🌸~
In the blink of an eye, the next few days passed, until February 14th arrived.
Rin could feel his stomach twisting from stress. He had invited Shidou to his hometown for their first date. Of course he wanted everything to go as well as possible.
He went to the train station, waiting for Shidou to arrive. In the meantime, he bought himself a cup of hot tea, warming his hands around it. Even though it was already February, the weather was still too cold for Rin’s liking.
After a few minutes of waiting, he spotted Ryusei walking through the crowd. He was hard to miss, standing out because of his dyed tips and slightly unconventional style of clothing.
“Hey, Rin-rin!” - he smiled as soon as he saw him. He also noticed the cup in his hands. - “Hey, you got yourself a drink and didn’t buy anything for your guest?” - he joked.
Rin frowned, still gripping his drink in his hands - “Buy your own.”
“How romantic.”
“I’m not romantic.” - They were both bad at romance, but Shidou was still better at it, and Rin didn’t mind that. - “But you can drink it if you want.”
He hadn’t gotten it to drink anyway, just to warm his hands. He’d already drunk about half of it, so he was warm on the inside too.
“You’re cute right now” - he pointed out, finding the way Rin acted in situations like this adorable.
“Shut up. Are you drinking it or not?”
“Let me try.” - Before Rin could say anything, Shidou grabbed the cup from his hands. Their fingers brushed lightly against each other, sending another sharp sensation through him.
Ryusei took a sip of the tea, and when he was done, he handed it back. - “It’s good. Drinking from the same cup is almost like a kiss" - he commented. As they spoke, they started walking forward.
“Our lips didn’t touch. That’s stupid” - he stated, not understanding Shidou’s logic.
“But maybe my saliva’s in there now, and you’ll drink it later" - he added with a laugh, never taking his eyes off the other boy.
“Disgusting.” - He grimaced, looking down into the cup, which only made Shidou laugh again.
They continued their walk, talking about various things along the way.
At some point, their voices fell silent for a moment. Rin’s drink had already been finished and thrown away, which meant his hands were getting cold, and Ryusei took advantage of that. He slipped the hand he’d had in his pocket free and caught Rin’s hand, lacing their fingers together in a firm grip.
Rin’s first instinct was to pull away, but when he felt the warmth spread through his hand, he didn’t. Besides, Shidou was holding on too tightly for him to have any real chance of breaking free anyway.
“What are you doing? This is a public place” - he pointed out. He knew some people didn’t react well to same-sex couples showing affection, so he hesitated. Or maybe he was just too shy for things like this.
“So what? Let the world know what a handsome boyfriend I have" - he smiled, still holding on to him. Rin blushed at the comment and the situation, but tried to convince himself it was just because of the cold.
Shidou, however, knew the real reason.
“This really is your first date, isn’t it?” - he asked, already knowing the answer. He was sure Rin had never dated anyone before, they’d talked about it once. Besides, Itoshi’s behavior made it obvious that all the things couples did were things he was experiencing for the very first time.
"That’s not even important" - he tried to dodge the topic.
“Of course it is. Do you know how good it feels to know I’m your first?”
“I don’t know. I’m not your first” - he pointed out. He knew Ryusei had dated other people before, though he wasn’t sure whether those relationships had been serious or more for experimentation or fun.
“You’re the first one I feel this amazing with" - he said, trying to reassure him. His previous relationships didn’t even come close to what he had with Rin. This one was special, the kind where he wanted to spend the rest of his life together.
“…Whatever.” - He agreed, not wanting to admit that those words made him feel special too. - “Let’s go do something. You said on dates you don’t just talk.” - He hurriedly tried to change the subject, wanting to avoid any conversation about relationships.
“It’s my first time here. Show me something interesting" - he encouraged him. He didn’t know the area himself, so he had no idea how to spend the time.
Rin hesitated. In truth, he hadn’t prepared anything. He had a few ideas, but he didn’t know which one would be best. He felt a little stupid for not spending more time planning.
“There’s an art museum not far from here. We could go see it" - he finally managed to say, deciding it was the best solution.
He had passed by this museum many times with his parents when he was younger, but they never let him stay long enough to really look at the different exhibitions. He had promised himself that one day he would come back, things like this had always intrigued him. He liked art, and he knew Shidou was interested in it too.
Ryusei was, admittedly, an energetic person who preferred more “crazy” things, but this idea didn’t sound bad. He wanted to see many famous and unique paintings with his own eyes at least once.
“Then let’s go” - he agreed, still holding Rin’s hand. They shared warmth with each other, and it felt nice.
Rin let out a breath of relief when Shidou agreed. Luckily, he knew where the place was, so he led them there without any trouble. He had passed it many times before, just the exterior alone was impressive. Truthfully, he wanted to take a closer look at the paintings inside and read the descriptions next to them.
Most of them had plaques beside them with their history and explanations of what they depicted. It was kind of interesting, even though he’d never paid that much attention to it before. He had always been absorbed in football, but sometimes it was worth doing something different.
“Wow, the building is huge" - Shidou looked around once they arrived.
“Yeah. There might be a lot of people, it is Saturday, after all” - he said. He didn’t like that fact; he disliked crowded places. Still, he hoped not many people would visit a place like this on Valentine’s Day. Most people probably went to restaurants or something like that, not to look at paintings.
“Places like this aren’t crowded, don’t worry, Rin-rin.” - Oh, Shidou definitely knew him too well.
"Hmp. Never mind, let’s go inside already. I’m cold" - he said, pulling Shidou along. Truthfully, he hated cold weather, so it didn’t suit him at all.
“Whatever you want!” - Shidou laughed happily and followed him. As soon as they stepped inside, a wave of warmth hit them. Rin reluctantly let go of Shidou’s hand, not wanting people inside to notice what they were doing. Now that they were somewhat well-known, they didn’t want their relationship to be exposed, any moment someone could photograph them. Holding hands on the street was risky too, but the feeling of their hands together brought them too much pleasure to stop. Besides, their coats covered them just enough, so it wasn’t that noticeable.
They bought their tickets and stepped deeper into the hall. Immediately, many beautiful paintings caught their attention.
Rin preferred beautiful and calm art, while Shidou liked expressive and colorful pieces. Their tastes were different, but they still looked at everything together, regardless of whose side it appealed to more.
They lingered longer at the pieces that interested Rin, as he wanted to read the plaques about their origins and other details.
“This painting reminds me of you" - Rin said when they paused in front of one of the canvases. The painting was more dynamic and had a bit too much happening for Rin’s taste, but that was exactly why it reminded him of Shidou.
It had many red and pink elements, but they were set against a fairly light background, which gave a pleasant contrast. A few lines drawn in different spots especially reminded him of Shidou and his personality.
“Really? Maybe it really is like me" - Ryusei said, looking at it more closely. Thinking about it, there was some sense in what Rin had said.
“It’s spontaneous. You’re like that too.”
Shidou chuckled softly. - “Spontaneity reminds you of me?”
“Your stupid playing style” - Rin replied. Even though they already liked each other off the field, there was no way they got along on it. They still got in each other’s way and annoyed one another. The plus side was that their fights had quieted down, and ever since they started dating, they hadn’t happened at all.
“It’s instinct” - Shidou said, still laughing at the fact that Rin was thinking about football even in a place like this. It was so typical of him.
“Instinct or not, it’s still stupid" - Rin stuck to his point.
“Sometimes I feel like you secretly hate me” - Shidou nudged him in the side. Despite his words, Rin didn’t get offended, he knew Rin didn’t actually mean to hurt him.
“Then I’d avoid you. And I don’t do that" - he said, not wanting to give a definite answer. He liked spending time with Shidou. It was far nicer than it seemed.
Just a few months ago, he never would have imagined that he’d enjoy spending time together with this guy.
“So… are you trying to tell me you love me now?” - Shidou teased, lowering his voice so no one could hear them. The faint echo in a place like this carried sound easily.
"Shut up” - Rin hushed him, moving on and leaving the previous painting behind. Shidou followed him, still smiling.
“Maybe now I should find a painting that reminds me of you” - he suggested, already scanning for the perfect one. Rin watched him, wondering how he looked through Shidou’s eyes, as if he were a work of art.
“Do whatever you want" - he said, pretending to be indifferent.
Ryusei looked at each piece one by one, paying more attention now to the calm and less dynamic paintings. Those reminded him of Rin.
They walked past several works, stopping at a few to examine them more closely. The process of their creation was interesting, as was the artistry itself. There were also some they had a hard time deciphering, but even those had their charm.
At one point, they stopped in front of a piece featuring simple pastel colors, with water and nature as the main theme. The painting was simple, but beautiful.
Shidou looked at the colors, which blended perfectly together. - “This painting is like you, Rin-rin.”
“Why?” - he asked, curious to know how Shidou saw him in that context.
Shidou thought for a moment. - “I don’t know exactly, but I feel like this is how you’d look if you were a painting. Calm and beautiful.”
Rin let out a quiet groan and looked away. Even though the answer wasn’t precise, he liked it. He liked the way Shidou thought about him. Despite the fact that Rin often got angry, Ryusei still described him as “calm” which wasn’t obvious at all.
Even though he called him “beautiful” in many situations, Rin was sure that those words would never lose their value, and he would always react with embarrassment.
“And besides, the paint is the color of your eyes" - Shidou added. What surprised Rin the most was that as Ryusei said this, he wasn’t even looking at his face, which had to mean he knew the color of his irises by heart. It was kind of sweet.
“Hmp. Let’s just keep moving" - he said, afraid he’d get too embarrassed and that Shidou would use it later to tease him.
“I see the princess got embarrassed" - Shidou laughed, following Rin. He had known this would happen, and he really loved those cute reactions Rin had to compliments.
“Don’t call me that, idiot” - Rin immediately replied, trying to sound threatening.
“But it’s true. You’re kind of like a princess” - Shidou pressed the point. Rin, though he wouldn’t admit it, liked being pampered and cared for. He liked when someone looked after him. That’s why Shidou thought the nickname suited him, even though he rarely used it.
“Shut up, cockroach.”
“I compliment you like this, and all I get in return are your curt replies" - Shidou said. Rin knew he meant it as a joke, but still, he felt a tiny sting in his heart at how he reacted.
He quickly suppressed it, trying to focus on the paintings. He decided he’d make it up to him later.
He fell a little behind, because while he was lost in thought, Shidou had already moved on to look at the next paintings. Itoshi quickly caught up to him.
“This painting reminds me of an explosion" - Shidou said, and Rin frowned.
“I don’t like it. The colors are way too bright" - he admitted, looking at it more closely. He definitely preferred softer shades, not something so vivid.
“And that’s what makes it interesting” - Shidou said.
“It just hurts my eyes when I look at it.”
“We have very different tastes" - Shidou laughed. - “It’s going to be hard to pick paintings for our future apartment together.”
Rin blinked. They had never talked about living together before, so he didn’t understand why Shidou suddenly brought it up. Although, the idea didn’t sound all that bad.
“We’ll live together?” - he asked after a moment, thinking it over and piecing it together in his head.
“That’s obvious, isn’t it?” - Shidou looked at him. - “I hope that someday I’ll wake up to the sight of your face pressed against me. Super hot.”
“Don’t think about that too fast" - Rin scolded him. They hadn’t even finished Blue Lock yet, and their lives weren’t settled. After all, they were still teenagers. - “Right now, my football career comes first.”
“In that case, just let me dream" - Shidou said.
After that, they looked at a few more pieces, chatting and commenting on them casually. In the blink of an eye, they had gone through most of the exhibits, finishing their little tour. The museum wasn’t as big as it looked from the outside, but it still had interesting works.
Stepping back out into the cold, they both let out quiet sighs.
“Why does it have to be so cold today?” - Shidou groaned dramatically, adjusting his jacket. - “Looks like we’ll have to redo our date in the summer. What do you say, Lashes?”
Rin looked at him. - “Maybe” - he admitted, though he knew they definitely would. It was the first time they’d spent time outside of Blue Lock, in a different setting, and it was really nice. He liked having him around. He never thought he’d find someone other than Sae that he enjoyed spending time with so much.
“I’ll take that as a ‘yes.’ Next time, I can take you to my hometown" - he suggested. They started walking down the streets again.
“I’ve been to Tokyo before. It’s close to Kamakura" - Rin said. He knew Shidou lived in the capital, and he had visited it before.
“I can still show you around there. It’s more fun together than alone" - Shidou said. He knew Rin didn’t spend much time with other people, so he had probably been there by himself, or maybe with his parents. Though it was still not the same as being with someone your own age.
Rin hesitated, unsure if he should say it. Of course he wanted to go, but admitting it felt a little embarrassing. After a moment, though, he agreed. - “Okay. I’ll visit you there someday too.”
"I’ll take that as a promise” - Shidou whistled happily, already planning in his head all the places they had to see.
“Take it however you want. Now let’s go get something to eat. I’m hungry" - Rin admitted. He hadn’t eaten much since the morning, too stressed about Shidou’s visit. Now that the nerves had settled, his stomach was growling.
“Right, I’m starving too. Where are we going?” - Shidou agreed immediately, exaggerating his hunger, though he didn’t really mind.
“There’s a good restaurant nearby” - Rin said, leading him to the place. He often ate there; the food was good, and it was cozy. One of his favorite spots for a proper meal.
The walk didn’t take long, maybe fifteen minutes. Along the way, their fingers gently brushed against each other again, and their conversation drifted in all directions.
It was strange how, despite their different personalities, they could talk so easily and find common topics.
Not long ago, they had been fighting and getting on each other’s nerves, and now they were spending Valentine’s Day together. It was crazy.
They entered the restaurant and took a free table off to the side. Shidou thought it was really nicely decorated.
When they got the menu, they started looking through it, mostly Shidou. Rin only pretended to read it. He always ordered the same thing anyway.
"I’ll have ochazuke” - Rin chose his favorite dish, as always, no one should have been surprised.
“In that case, I’ll take yukhoe" - Shidou decided, scanning the menu.
“I didn’t know people voluntarily order something like that” - Rin grimaced, remembering what the dish looked like. It had never appealed to him.
“I’m just special” - Shidou laughed.
Rin couldn’t disagree. Shidou was special, definitely to him. And all his quirks only drew him in more.
“Yeah, because no normal person pays for raw meat" - Rin snorted, while Shidou still looked cheerful.
“Have you ever eaten this before, that you’re so picky? Or are you just a picky eater?” - Shidou asked. He knew Rin had specific tastes, and at Blue Lock he would pick individual ingredients from his dishes to suit his liking.
“I only eat what I’m sure is good" - Rin said.
“So basically, you’re closed off to new things. Boring” - Shidou groaned, leaning back in his seat, and Rin just frowned.
“I don’t care" - Rin replied.
Shortly after, a waitress came over and took their orders with a friendly smile. Now all that was left was to wait for their food.
In the meantime, Shidou checked his phone, which he had kept on silent earlier, not wanting it to disturb their date. Now it was time to see what the other guys at Blue Lock had been texting.
“We’re some of the few at Blue Lock who actually have a Valentine this year. Isn’t that romantic?” - he asked between laughs, scrolling through their group chat, which included everyone who hadn’t been eliminated yet. Many were complaining about spending this particular day alone, though some had managed to woo a girl.
“The fact that those idiots can’t find a partner isn’t my problem” - Rin said.
“They don’t even have a chance, since we’re stuck in this prison most of the time” -.Shidou replied. After all, their whole lives revolved around the facility, which meant no girls. - “I got lucky to meet you there.”
“Stop saying things like that" - Rin muttered, sliding down in his chair and covering his face. Ryusei was the only person who said things like that, which made it special and meaningful to him.
“Never.”
They spent a little more time scrolling through their social media, exchanging comments. Of course, it didn’t last long, but they wanted to dedicate a few minutes to taking care of those things.
Thanks to that, time passed faster, and their food was finally delivered. They thanked the waitress and started picking up their utensils. It was already lunchtime, and while they had been waiting, surrounded by all those smells, they had gotten even hungrier.
"Do you want to try?” - Shidou asked as he ate. - “Before, you were so fastidious, and you’ve never even tried this.”
“The way it looks puts me off" - Rin said.
“Then close your eyes.”
“That’s stupid” - he sighed, putting a bite of his food into his mouth while still glancing at Shidou. He swallowed, then sighed again. - “Okay, fine. Let me try it. But if I don’t like it, it’s your fault.”
“Not mine, your taste buds’ fault" - Shidou replied.
“Hmp.” - Rin took the fork from Shidou so as not to dirty his own, scooped a bit of the food onto it, and tasted it. He immediately made a face, and Shidou laughed. - “That’s disgusting.”
“You’re just picky, darling" - Shidou teased.
“Never make me eat that again” - Rin said, taking a sip of the drink they had also ordered.
“You have the taste buds of a child” - Shidou noted. Rin didn’t like strong or intense flavors, he preferred simpler tastes. Even the ochazuke he ate had a mild flavor and a warm texture.
“Not my fault" - Rin said, putting another bite in his mouth, making him look really cute.
“Yeah, sure” - Shidou agreed, watching him. - “You have cute cheeks, Rin-chan.” - He had long noticed that when Rin ate, his cheeks looked fuller and rounder. It was incredibly sweet.
Rin looked at him and blushed slightly, swallowing his food. - “Shut up" - he muttered, and Shidou just smiled, satisfied.
After that, they finished their meals.
They paid the bill and began putting on their jackets again to head outside. It was getting later, and the faint sunlight breaking through the clouds would soon set.
They continued walking, and Rin guided him to a part of the city where he had grown up. - “Let’s stop by one more place for a moment” - he suggested. Shidou was pleased with the idea. He followed obediently, and Rin told him various stories and jokes along the way.
“I live around here" - Rin said at one point. Shidou looked around, noticing that the neighborhood was quiet, with few shops, but it was also well-kept.
“So these streets are where Rin-rin used to walk as a kid?” - he teased.
“Don’t ruin the atmosphere” - Rin replied.
“What? I’m just asking. Will you ever show me pictures of yourself as a child?” - Shidou asked, and Rin was certain he would never willingly show Shidou such photos. He’d have to be forced.
“No way. You can only dream” - he immediately refused. He could only hope that Sae, or anyone else who knew him back then, wouldn’t get the idea to show this demon those pictures.
"Too bad. I wanted to see baby Rin!”
“Stop talking” - Rin said, then moved closer to him. He glanced around the area, and seeing no one nearby, he hesitantly reached out for Shidou’s hand this time.
Ryusei didn’t hesitate to take it, refusing to let go. To him, it meant a lot, and it was something beautiful.
“I want to show you the sea" - Rin said quietly, and Shidou was delighted by the idea. He had never seen the sea before, and living by it must be amazing.
They quickly walked the rest of the way and stopped at a spot Rin had always visited with Sae.
It felt strange, because he never imagined he’d find someone else he’d bring to such an important and nostalgic place.
It was a bit chilly, but the wind wasn’t blowing on their faces, so it was bearable, and the view made it all worthwhile.
“I used to come here with Sae all the time” - Rin said after a moment, and Shidou studied him carefully.
“Makes sense. It’s really beautiful here” - he agreed, not wanting to bring up any negative thoughts that might ruin Rin’s mood. - “It’s my first time seeing the sea.”
“Really?” - Rin thought that was strange, especially since he had known this view since childhood and couldn’t imagine someone never having experienced it. - “Tokyo has access to the sea.”
“It does, but I never had the chance to go there” - Rin explained. As a child, he hadn’t traveled much, spending his life only in his small neighborhood that he rarely left. - “I guess it was fate that I got to see it for the first time with you, Rin-rin.”
"It’s just a coincidence" - Rin said, not wanting to encourage that theory. Though he liked the thought that he was the first person to show Shidou the sea. It was definitely his favorite place. - “It’s prettier in the summer.”
Even though the water was cold and there was no one around, Shidou still thought it was beautiful. And the company he had made everything even better.
“There are nice views here. And I’m not just talking about the sea” - Shidou admitted, studying Rin’s face carefully. Rin’s cheeks turned red once again. Ryusei really loved seeing his reactions to compliments.
“Don’t say things like that” - Rin mumbled, burying his face in his jacket. He knew perfectly well that the “view” Shidou was talking about was him.
“I like it too much to stop" - Shidou leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Rin buried himself even deeper into the fabric he was wearing.
They stayed in silence, enjoying each other’s presence. Their hands were intertwined, their bodies close together. They genuinely loved it.
Unfortunately, they couldn’t stay like that forever. Time had flown by, it was already dark and getting colder. They had to head back before catching a cold.
The plan had been for Rin to walk Shidou to the train, but he changed his mind.
“Stay at my place tonight, or something” - he said quietly just as they were about to leave the spot by the sea.
Shidou immediately smiled and pulled him closer. - “Of course I want to. I’ve been waiting for you to suggest it.”
Rin let out a quiet groan under his breath, annoyed that Shidou knew him so well. - “Only because it’s late, and you’re dumb enough that you probably wouldn’t make it to your own place.”
“You just want to spend more time with me.”
“No, it’s because I don’t want to get a message from you later saying you got lost” - he said, though they both knew the truth was different.
Rin had already mentioned that his parents weren’t home, which meant they had time completely to themselves, away from everyone else. It was special because moments like this didn’t even exist in Blue Lock. Sure, they had their rooms isolated from cameras, but there was always someone else inside, or even if there wasn’t, they had to be careful because the door could be opened at any time.
So spending time together, completely alone, was rare for them.
Rin’s house was fairly simple - not poor, but not rich either. Just somewhere in the middle, normal. Inside, it was tidy and cozy.
“You can take a shower at my place. I’ll give you some clothes” - Rin offered, setting his jacket on the hanger.
"Wearing my boyfriend’s clothes? That’s hot” - Shidou teased. They were about the same size, so swapping clothes wasn’t a problem. Even in Blue Lock, Rin had worn Shidou’s hoodie more than once when he was cold and couldn’t find his own.
“Shut up and take off your shoes. You’re not coming in with them" - Rin warned. He had no intention of explaining or cleaning up dirty footprints later.
“You’re like my mom” - Shidou laughed but obeyed.
“Don’t compare me to your parents.”
“Just an observation.”
Rin groaned in irritation. - “Go take that damn shower and don’t annoy me" - he said, though he wasn’t actually that upset. He liked Shidou’s jokes, even the dumb ones, they had their charm.
“Order received” - Shidou said, stepping inside and looking around. It was too minimalist for his taste, but not bad. Even though he would have arranged it differently, he didn’t complain.
“Last door on the left. Don’t break anything” - Rin instructed, pointing out the bathroom and warning him, knowing exactly what Shidou was capable of. Rin definitely didn’t want to fix any mess he might make.
“Maybe you should come with me to supervise?” - Shidou asked flirtatiously. Rin shouted at him again to shut up. He shoved him into the bathroom, fed up with listening to him, and then went to his own room to pick out something comfortable for Shidou to sleep in.
He chose a simple set, hoping it would be fine. He also grabbed a towel and other essentials, then went to the bathroom. He knocked politely first, showing basic manners, then entered and placed everything on the washing machine near the entrance. He tried not to look, but Shidou talked too much and drew too much attention.
Itoshi noticed his figure from the corner of his eye but quickly stepped out, not wanting to be intrusive.
Taking advantage of the fact that Shidou was still occupied in the shower, he made the bed and tidied up a bit. He didn’t want it to look like his room was that messy.
He didn’t have to wait long, Shidou soon appeared in his room.
The moment Rin saw him, he froze, stunned by the sight before him. Even though Ryusei had been given a shirt, he apparently decided it wasn’t necessary and didn’t put it on. On top of that, his wet hair fell over his face, and his usual makeup had been washed off.
He looked incredibly hot.
“Put on some damn clothes” - Rin groaned, shaking himself out of his trance. The other boy just smirked mischievously.
“Trying to hide that you like it?” - Shidou stepped closer. - “Besides, shirts are uncomfortable to sleep in.”
“I don’t care. You always sleep in them in Blue Lock.”
“Because it’s cold there" - he said, flopping onto the bed. It was true, Rin’s house had heating, but in his facility, Ego apparently thought it wasn’t necessary, so it was cold for most of the winter.
“Now I’m going to take a bath. Don’t do anything weird while I’m gone" - he said, heading for the door without looking back. Shidou just shouted something along the lines of “I’ll be good” or some other equally dumb remark.
As usual, he tended to take long showers, but this time he opted for a shorter one, feeling a strange urge to get out as quickly as possible.
He still went through his routine and washed thoroughly. When he finished, he did his skincare as well, hurrying slightly so Shidou wouldn’t have to wait for him too long.
When he returned, he saw Ryusei comfortably sprawled on his bed, scrolling through his phone. But as soon as he noticed Rin, he immediately set it aside, focusing his attention on him.
“Fresh out of the shower and ready for bed?”
“Yeah, so make some room for me on the bed. You’re taking up the whole thing" - Rin groaned, lying down beside him. They had slept together before, so it wasn’t unusual, though this time the situation felt a little different. Still, they weren’t self-conscious.
Shidou shifted slightly to make them both comfortable. At one point, he moved even closer to Rin and hugged him tightly.
“I love hugging you, you know?” - he whispered into his hair, inhaling his scent.
“…I like it too” - Rin admitted after a moment of silence. He shifted slightly in Shidou’s arms, getting comfortable. - “Turn off the light.”
Shidou groaned, pulling away slightly and rolling onto his side to reach the lamp that lit the room. Once he did, they were lying facing each other again. They looked into each other’s eyes, and unable to resist, Ryusei kissed him.
Rin, of course, returned the kiss, enjoying the act of affection.
Both of them now felt incredible in each other’s arms, basking in the warmth of the other. They loved these shared moments.
“I’m tired” - Rin said as they pulled slightly apart, his hands resting on Shidou’s bare chest, while Shidou gently wrapped his arms around his waist.
“And what am I supposed to do about that?” - Shidou asked with a smile, nuzzling into the hollow of Rin’s neck. Rin just furrowed his brows.
“Watch a movie" - he said clearly. He didn’t feel like doing anything else. The whole day had been pleasantly spent, but also exhausting, even though they hadn’t done anything physically tiring.
Shidou let out a quiet groan. - “A movie doesn’t sound bad, though it’s worse than kisses.” - Rin just rolled his eyes.
“Then we’ll do it after the movie.”
“In that case, everything’s fine with me" - Rin smiled, hugging him a little longer before pulling back.
Itoshi reached for his iPad, searching for something to watch, until he finally found the perfect thing. Shidou didn’t even care what it was about; he knew most of his attention would be on the person beside him anyway.
They settled in comfortably, still wrapped around each other, sharing natural warmth.
Even though they had started the movie, both of them knew how it would end, as always. Halfway through, they’d pause the film for other, far more enjoyable things, things that would never get boring and were certainly more interesting than the movie.