Chapter Text
Shidou could feel his heart pounding in a fervent tempo, blood rushing back and forth through his veins in a frantic tango to catch up with anticipation. The frigid air of the entryway bit at every inch of him, almost like it was trying to diminish the pervasive rush of heat radiating from the pit of his stomach. He felt his throat shudder slightly as he inhaled, taking in the clamour of the masses of people cheering from the stadium, bright banners flying in place like a migrating flock of birds across the skies.
Spotlights pierced the tumultuous night, deliberately entrancing the audience, guiding them to a spectacle, and setting Shidou alight as he stepped outside, his cleats sinking into the fresh expanse of grass as his body kicked into high gear.
It was the long awaited match of Japan against Spain, the fated match where Itoshi Sae officially debuts in the World Cup, a moment in time equally desired by the eager crowd and Blue Lock itself. All for different rationales, awe and envy adorned the man like the jewels on a glittering crown, and yet the enigma called Itoshi Sae kept allies and adversaries in equal distance like a flowing cape that is just out of reach.
Shidou noted the way he held himself, arms lazily held at his side, blasé and ice cold as he usually was, even when faced with thunderous hollering from the stands, which already loud enough, had magnified its’ amplitude tenfold at his entrance. He thought he looked like a tyrannical ruler looking down on a poor unruly peasant, and the image of Sae prancing around, flaunting a gaudy mantle, and ordering his unfortunate attendants around, could only elicit a snicker from the striker.
Despite the layer of ice that the midfielder covers himself in, (a layer so thick he might as well be the walking glacier that sunk the titanic) this time Shidou noticed something different in his demeanor, a heat that simmered underneath the surface, something very foreign from what he witnessed before during the U20 match. And considering what this means for a guy like Sae, seeing this sort of intensity was a dangerous sign.
However Shidou is sort of person who’d probably ignore a sign even if it was bright red and was kissing him directly in the face if it was funny enough. I mean damn you probably shouldn’t even trust him with a Chromebook and a pencil, much less social conventions.
Shidou’s walk morphed into a sprint, set on tackling the shorter man, “Hey Sae-chan did you miss me already???!!You know I really did, it’s been such a long time—“
And he jumps.
Only however instead of being met in the soft comforting embrace of the red haired midfielder, as he dearly hoped but probably knew was not going to happen.
You know what did happen though? He ALMOST ate shit as Sae stepped away from the trajectory of his leap but caught himself at the last second thanks to his reflexes.
“Ugh. So cruel, playing with my heart like that… and you haven’t even looked at my way.”
“…Demon.”
Wow he really WAS out of it huh, he seemed like he hadn’t even registered Shidou’s existence before he tried that stunt.
“We’re going to crush Spain, so you better lock in and get a hat trick.”
“Totally.”
A beat passes.
“If I get that hat trick does that mean you’ll move in with me or is it kind of like a two part deal like a brace gets us sharing an apartment, and a hat trick gets us sharing a bed???”
Sae’s face scrunched forming an expression near to disgust from Shidou’s audacity. However that was nowhere near to the expression on the OTHER Itoshi, who was not trying to curb his murderous glare by any degree.
Clenching his fists, Rin desperately tried to remember that old-ass monk’s words, something something clear your mind of all distractions, be still like water, all disturbances should seamlessly dissipate… not a ripple on the surface…
“Awwww c’mon an apartment is no big deal for us I mean I have your phone number after all, it’s like pretty much inevitable for us as newly wed lovers, y’know.”
Sae grimaced, “You really are one stubborn demon huh?”
“Isn’t that why you love me? ♪”
Ohhh… if he hadn’t been whacked by that stupid stick about fifty times already by that geezer, he might have just snapped here.
Poke.
A finger poked Rin again.
Opening his eyes and glaring at whoever just poked him he gritted his teeth, “What do you want.”
It was Otoya, and considering that ninja-loving brat there was no way he came up to him to ask him anything meaningful.
Slinging an arm over Rin’s shoulder, he casually asked, “So… likeee shit bro does your brother have something going on with that Shidou guy?”
“…”
“Like I mean your bro calls him “demon”and all that, is that like a couple thing or like a weird sexua —“
Restraining himself from outright choking the stupid walking grass blade beside him, Rin bluntly replied, “Go ask them.”
“Ehhhh you think so…? I wonder if those kinda nicknames will help me pick up girls…”
Rin thought about only one thing, this guy is beyond hopeless. Wait maybe no— two things, pity for any girl Otoya decides to shoot his shot with his “nin-nin-no-rizz-jutsu” in the near future.
Otoya leans on an imaginary wall and assumes a posture of nonchalance, “Like broooo imagine if I was all like…”
“Hey demon…. heh… I always thought the source of hell’s hotness was like, the fire and all… but I’m wrong girl… it’s you.”
And then he shot a wink, and for good measure he sifted through his hair with his hand, and was met with nothing but pure exasperation from the teal haired male.
“… buuut I’m wrong girl… it’s you…? …Man tough crow-“
“Shut the fuck up. It’s not getting any more funnier if you say it twice.”
“‘Kay damn… note taken not a fan of ninja- stand up comedy I see…”
“That’s what YOU call comedy? Get off the stage and stick to being a ninja.”
At this point Rin long forgotten the ever so sacred words of his master. Zen? The fuck is that, a fancy cocktail? Maybe being smacked around 50 times didn’t help him as much as he thought.
Anyways, enough messing around, by this point everyone on Blue Lock’s starting line up had been introduced to the avid audience, in the stands or through the static of a television screen. And now it was soon time to await the arrival of the Spanish team, their opponents, what Ego would determine as a stepping stone to become one step closer to being the strongest striker of all of Japan. This pit weaved together the strings of all those who stood there.
To unlock. To destroy. To revolutionize what soccer stood for in Japan.
However the suave stride of a white haired man could potentially set all of that awry. Bunny entered the pitch, lightly waving at his ardent fans, an easy smile settled on his face, in direct contrast to the hostile expression of Itoshi Sae’s. His eyes moved from his fans that he couldn’t really care about, to the midfielder.
Closing in on where he stood, Bunny leaned towards him, his face hovering over his, his hollow eyes surveying the shorter man’s muscles tense from his animosity.
Bunny puts on a complacent smile, “Let’s have a good game okay? I mean I don’t want to leave things as awkward as last time.”
“So you’re stooping this low bothering with causalities? Typical.”
“Well it’s the least I could do since I’m the one who apparently crushed your life-long dre-“
Bunny cut his sentence short, there was an unwanted presence.
The unwanted presence with pink dyed tips murmured not-so discreetly, “Sae who’s this guy?”
“…None of your business Demon.”
“Huh…? What is he like your evil ex or something?”
It was dead quiet, Sae looked at him with a look of confusion, Bunny with a look of amusement tinged with bewilderment. Sae can only hope that they didn’t broadcast THIS part of the match live, or he might never live the shame down.
Isagi, near their vicinity tried to not trip from pure shock after hearing that. He hadn’t known that Sae had any relations to the oddball trickster he met at the restaurant, making the ensuing conversation even more out of the ordinary.
Bunny cleared his throat lightly, “Um no? Besides you are…?”
Shidou with a grin pointed at himself with his thumb, “Well… I’m Shidou Ryusei, and you’d better remember that name because I’ll be the striker sending you back to Spain.”
The Spanish forward’s smile grew a bit wider at Shidou’s provocation, a small chuckle slipped out.
“Well that’s interesting then, Sae where DID you find a guy like this?”
Sae coldly responded, “You won’t need to wonder about that, because we’ll end up crushing you in the end.”
Shidou quipped a wicked smile on his face, “Yeah rabbit-boy you can think about that when you haul your ass on the plane after.”
Rin’s voice sliced through the atmosphere, “Huh you two really think you’ll have it that easy? I don’t know as to whoever scar-face is over here but mark my words, pest: I’m not letting you or my shitty brother get a goal over me.”
Isagi wondered if he should bother to interrupt this feud or to just keep on looking on from a distance, this whole situation with Sae was largely unknown to him anyways. His only concern was whether that now Sae was on the same pitch as Rin that this new change would induce something different in the striker. No doubt the team dynamic will change by a fraction, hell a fraction is an immense understatement considering the tumultuous relationship Rin had with his older brother. Before he knew it, he ended up staring a hole into the back of Rin’s neck, and only ended up snapping out of it when the teal-haired striker told him to quit his gawking.
⁃ - - - - - - -
Grass blades whizzing past the impact of his cleats hitting the ground, he ran like a devil, the wind whipping past him making his blond hair dance in a frenzy, alight by the hot pink that it slowly faded into. His muscles burning from the tension, he leaped, momentum guiding his leg to swing into the violent arc of a kick, his heart skipped a torturous beat when he realized it never landed.
There was an interference in the air.
No seriously look, it’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s Bunny Iglesias leaping sky high to intercept Sae’s cross which was totally sent in vain!
Shidou in that very moment, gazing up at the forward as the muscles on his leg rippled, curving to slam the airborne ball well beyond him, thought something very nuanced and introspective :
At least now we know why he’s named Bunny.
The ball shot through the field ricocheting from the chest of his teammate, who then dashed across the pitch, skillfully maneuvering the ball from his knee to the forefoot with the undulating sway of a pendulum, as he dribbled past Bluelock’s defenses. With a swift flick of his foot he passed to the approaching Bunny, who was sprinting towards the balls trajectory, and Itoshi Rin trailing after him at his left. With the fluid agility of a rabbit leaping away from danger’s grasp, Bunny kicked into high gear, winding his leg back to propel the ball directly into the net. The ball shot into the net, at such a great velocity like it was trying to escape through it.
Bunny exhaled a deep breath, before amicably waving up a peace sign to the Barcha supporters, who wildly wove their banners, exalting the white- haired man who had a smile so simple and exact, that you could tell that experience dulled him to the thrill.
“Damn…” wheezed Shidou, his sweaty palms on his knees as he caught his breath, the spontaneous sensation in his chest driving him to the ball dimming to a dull throb, overwhelmed by exertion.
They were 1-2 against Spain, it seemed like this was going to be a close one again. Their staggering victory against Nigeria led Japan into a bold entry to the World Cup, however every other match since then had been close calls after close calls, grazing their way to victory as the teams opposing them got more stronger and stronger.
Huffing, Shidou added on, “Ah… look at him, tch he looks like he doesn’t even care.”
Sae wiping the sweat off his forehead muttered, “That’s how he’s always been.”
“Always? Must’ve been a bore. How do you know this guy anyways?”
Sae was silent for a while, his gaze fixated on the really impressive foliage comprised of an abundant plentiful expanse of grass at his feet. Shidou figured he should probably say something nuanced:
“So like what’s the deal now? Ex-boyfriend and all— do you want to like kiss or something to make him jealous? True love wins in the end or something like that?”
“He’s not my ex-boyfriend and…”
Sae firmly kicked the back of his calf, “Stop thinking with your dick.”
Shidou snickered, slinging an arm over his shoulder and ruffling the shorter man’s hair, “You aren’t losing hope right? We aren’t going to lose here y’know?”
Sae looked at him with his characteristic disgruntled look.
“You’re going to ruin my gel.”
“Huh who cares about th-“
Sae’s hand snuck up behind Shidou’s neck and ruffled back at his blonde spikes of hair adamant on messing it up. His own very divine retribution for screwing up the product of which Sae toiled endlessly every 7 AM, carefully affixing each spike in place, glancing at himself in the mirror.
“Hey—!! Damn you—“
Before he could say any more words of protest, he noticed the faint twitch of the corner of Sae’s mouth, did he almost…? Sae stared straight into his eyes and sighed.
“If you really need to know… we used to be in the same youth club. Re Al.”
“Oh that elite fancy schmancy place? What was it like hazing or—“
“It’s not that. It’s more of a conflict in ideals.”
Shidou looked confused, “A conflict in ideals?”
“I don’t expect you to understand it.”
The blonde striker shrugged, “Hey I didn’t say I would.”
Sae murmured, a twinge of melancholy hidden deep in his sea foam green eyes, “For him… it must’ve been nothing, but for me it was…”
Everything.
It was the reason behind why he was so harsh on Rin, he never wanted his younger brother to grow as complacent as he did. He knew he hurt him, that they could never go back to the perfect illusory image of a brotherly duo that was left long behind as a remnant of the past.
Yet he also knew that it would be the best course of action, if they couldn’t be the best strikers together then Rin would certainly benefit from taking his place, if he believed in his dream enough to go ahead without him holding him back.
He could bear the pain in his eyes that fateful winter night than the anguish he would see carved onto his brother’s face if his naive dreams were to be fractured like his own. The frustration and hatred coursing through him would be less vulnerable to the apathy that Bunny harbored, if he was anything like how Sae was in Re Al, it would snuff out the spark in his eyes, the naïveté in his soul.
And it would strip him bare and show how truly defenseless he was.
Shidou matter-of-factly decided, “Okay that settles it, we’re going to annihilate this guy. Make him go home crying for paella or whatever.”
“Huh? It settles what you moron? We were going to crush him anyways?”
“Well now I’m going to give it my all— not that I haven’t— hey don’t look at me like I’m stupid, I’m just saying it’s personal now!”
Sae said with a hint of underlying amusement, “Look at you like…?”
Shidou rolled his eyes, “Just look in the mirror— besides your younger eyelash-bro is staring at the both of us like we killed his family and I personally REALLY don’t want to get cockblocked again.”
Sae glanced, and there he was in the distance, looking and immediately averting his eyes with a disgusted “tch” when he realized Sae noticed, frustration was evident on his face, and apparently the thought of the duo playing on the same team as him annoyed him that much more than having to deal with them on the opposite team during the U20 match-up.
Sae commented flatly, “Huh, really.”
He scoffed, “Huh really yourself! I mean he looks ready enough to walk up and be all—“
Three fingers hovered under his cheek, Shidou dulled his voice by a 110 percent and said in a drawl,
“Pest, you should jump off a carousel— you’re disgusting— somehow worse than my shitty older brother… (who FYI I STILL have a complex about at 17-years-of-age) I‘ll crush you both into smithereens. An execution befitting the French Revolution by Royal-Rin decree!”
He got far too into the role, Sae wondered if he was even talking about Rin at all by the end, also he certainly thought that Shidou was 200 years too late to be talking about the French Revolution at a time like this.
Sae folded his arms and raised an eyebrow, “The hell does the French Revolution have to do with this? Marie Antoinette is not coming to score this hat trick for us.”
“Figured so, just saying because your lil bro acts like a stuck up noble, sometimes. Actually most of the time.”
Shidou paused, waved a hand around dismissively and then grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
“Eh that’s not right either… maybe every waking second?”
Sae looked at Rin’s direction. Shidou had not bothered being discreet so he was certainly sure he heard, actually he was surprised Rin didn’t start punching there and then, like he did back when he was viewing the footage of the selection for the Blue Lock Eleven.
“Lay off, besides it’s time for the second half of the match. And that’s really when…”
Shidou smirked, setting his hand on his hip, “It’s go time for us right?”
Sae adjusted his gloves, “Yeah.”
“Maaaan… I’ll finallyyyy get to explode huh. This is gonna be a blast.”
“Don’t go out too early.”
“Hey don’t underestimate me!”
“Sure sure. Let’s go do this…
…Ryuusei.”
WOAH! Shidou felt his heart skip a beat, only to start beating faster than he could ever think was humanly possible, his grin grew wider and he knew for a fact if Sae saw the expression he had on his face he would be weirded out. Or not. It didn’t matter to Shidou. He kicked off, adrenaline buzzing in his system, his pulse resounding like the rhythm of a marching band. His face felt hot. It was almost dizzying but he wanted to give that kinetic heat full reign of all of the cells in his body.
His muscles straining under the tension he felt like he was about to die. It was so hazy… yet so reminiscent of that wintery night, that ionizing, isolating burn of icy snow. It was so so cold, yet it didn’t dissuade the hot rationale-sundering vibration in his rib cage. Sae knew he couldn’t fail here. Even if he looked at the face of his own youthful hamartia.
“Look down Sae, or you won’t keep your focus on the ball.”
Mr. White-haired-Conflict-in-ideals quietly said. Snow-white strands of his hair brushed his face in wispy tufts, while his vacant eyes almost looked like they could swallow him up whole and render him null. Distinct from the binary code intrinsic to his methodically precise way of his playing. There was simply nothing valid.
Sae didn’t dignify him with a response, before throwing out a feint, knocking the ball between his feet in incredibly fast succession before tapping it forward and breaking free of Bunny’s guard, his hollow eyes harboring a fraction of shock before melting back into it’s usual obstinate apathy. He willed himself into a state of resolute coolness while holding back none of the punch from his emotions, with a flick of his foot he lobbed a cross, slicing through the air in a devastating arc, the projectile reaching its zenith, flying overhead leaving everyone to marvel at it’s velocity, it’s curvature, and it’s rotation.
To his adversaries it was sickening, an exact and unrelenting crescent path that seemed to spell out their doom, yet to Shidou it was nothing but golden.
Ratio— because that’s like his flow eh? Eh? Someone laugh with me c’mon!
The likened 1.618 pass hovered over his head and all the atoms in his body were set into a fiery blaze, all willed by the desire to explode and fizzle out in a grand display. The Purkyne tissue mediating the impulse into his chest, his natural biological processes halting as time slowed in his consciousness. It’s crazy but he could feel his cells divide in real time.
Prophase : he’s going to break this nuclear wall down, the Spanish players hadn’t foresaw this at all. And that gave him a perfect chance to breach this powerhouse of a team.
Metaphase : all lined up, his body flipping as he pivoted his body in the air with a push of his foot. He found the exact trajectory to bypass the expectations of the Barcha players speckled across the field, even his teammates in Blue Lock looked stunned, as he swiveled into an overhead kick.
Anaphase : the strings connecting his body drew him closer to the ideal. His foot made solid contact with the ball hovering in the air.
Telophase! He had no interest in Ego or Bluelock, he just figured it was a way he could explode all the same, however the momentum propelling the ball from his loaded kick went to show the dazzled audience that Bluelock could contend even this far up. It was splitting up to be its own nucleus.
Cytokinesi— nah… I got nothing. Suspended in the air, the shock and animation of the crowd was a still frame caught in time, some were in glee, some looked as if they were under a trance, but they were all focusing on one single thing. The eventual contact of the ball against the net.
2-2.
The stands burst into a roar, and Shidou slammed onto the floor, the impact made him feel like his brain was rattling like a maraca inside his head. Satisfied with his exertion even if his chest felt like it was on fire, beads of perspiration settled on his forehead. He paid no mind to the rampant hollering of the stadium, he had one and only one goal.
Hopping off from the ground, he sprinted towards Sae, fully intent on collapsing on top of the shorter man, —crush him with his weight and latch onto him like a roach if you will. It was basically his second Christmas, exploding on field like that. Colliding against the midfielder who let out a groan at the impact, Shidou’s arms jerked him closer than ever. Grinning against his neck, he exclaimed,
“You really are the one for me!”
Sae murmured his eyelashes fluttering, “Ugh— you’re loud, next to my ear like that.”
Though it was evident he wasn’t going to pull away just yet, the gloved hand of his held onto Shidou’s arm, it held no force but the slight presence of his hand through the fabric made him feel giddy. Pressing his face to Sae’s, he could feel the heat through the soft plush of his cheek, he whispered,
“Awww are you melting or something— you didn’t move out of the way or judo slam me onto the floor this time.”
Sae blinked, “Ah— I forgot. Thanks for reminding me.”
The grip on his arm got tighter all of a sudden. Shidou figured he better brace for impact. Noticing Shidou’s muscles tensing in anticipation. Sae huffed out a laugh.
“That was a joke.”
Shidou sighed, “Shit— you got me scared for a second. You really ARE ruthless aren’t you.”
“First I’m now melting now I’m ruthless? You have the gall to say that when you’re trying to crush me with your body weight.”
Sae continued, “Also you reek of sweat. Get off already.”
The forward winked, “Maybe I’ll consider that if you call me Ryuusei again.”
Now the prospect of judo-slamming this fiend was slightly more attractive to the midfielder. He sighed, it was only 2-2. The fight wasn’t over yet, and it was make or break. One final goal could determine the victor of this match, and if Japan was truly up there with the big leagues as Sae wished for ever since he could kick a ball around with his legs, then they couldn’t stop here.
Isagi looking— well he wasn’t really trying to spy— at the two and sighed helplessly, was the PDA really necessary? He glanced to his left, it was Otoya trying to sneak up on Karasu to hug him in the same manner, justifying it for his “game”.
“C’mon… please bro we’re like comrades in arms, help a bro out please.” Otoya whined, clinging onto Karasu’s shirt.
“Yer being an idiot! Now why the hell would I help you for this?”
“I mean…”
Otoya twiddled his thumbs.
“Y’know if Shidou’s moves can work on someone as cold as that Sae Itoshi, I could like lowkey get any girl I wa-“
“Yeah no after you said that, I just knew yer a lost cause.”
Otoya sulked, his grass-bladed strand somehow drooping along with him, “Yeah yeah I bet you wouldn’t mind if Hio-“
With god-like reflexes Karasu promptly covered Otoya’s mouth in mach speed, his arm moved so swiftly that it could give Chigiri’s running speed a run for its money.
For all his discreet tactics of intercepting the most basic pass lobbed across the field, this was clearly a matter in which he showed no subtlety in.
Then he looked to his right, Rin almost looked like he was about pop a blood vessel. Isagi revoked that statement, he always looked like he was about to pop a blood vessel, he just looked much more prone to it than usual. Feeling some sort of responsibility, he walked up to him.
Met with a glare, the teal haired striker spat, “What do you want Isagi?”
Oh yeah he forgot what he should even ask.
“…….”
“I’ll ask you one more time… what do you want?”
“…”
Isagi gulped under his intense stare.
“How are you finding the weather…? Um… the grass on this pitch is kind of slippery right.”
“……”
“Or not…! You know it could be just fine after-“
“How much longer are you going to waste my time.”
Isagi furrowed his eyebrows, “Come on man we’re just standing here, what time am I wasting?”
“My personal time, now get los-“
“What, is looking at the grass now personal?”
“No but you recklessly stumbling here like an idiot and bothering me is.”
A light smile affixed itself on his face, “So that means everything I do affects you personally in one way or the other?”
“Yes.”
Isagi furrowed his eyebrows at Rin’s obstinacy, “Then what can I do about that?”
“Leave my line of vision.”
“Sure then.”
Isagi walked a few paces from Rin, who turned away with a huff, and then unexpectedly he pivoted around on his heel, crushing the grass as his foot ground against the dirt. And then slowly creeped back to the taller forward, as quietly as he could, praying to the gymnosperm-making god in the heavens above to not let the wet crunch of grass reveal the stupid idea bouncing around in his head. His arm slowly wrapped around Rin’s waist, and his voice hung in the stagnant air with a mischievous lilt,
“You told me to leave your line of sight, …so there shouldn’t be any problem if I’m behind you just like thi-“
Elbow to the gut.
Otoya whistled as he was witness to Isagi doubled over, groaning, “Aaaaanddd I swore that was totally a good move— you think I should remove the back hug from my rizz lineup?”
His gloved hand delicately arranging the gelled spiked on his head, Karasu critically said, “Yer genuinely hopeless, how long will it take you to realize through your block-sized ninja head that, all of the ‘moves’ on yer’ stupid list is straight women repellent!”
Otoya looked at him and his hand went to stroke the spiky-haired man’s back, “Who said they were only for straight women?”
He coo’ed interlinking his hands with Karasu’s, giving the impression of someone’s creepy old uncle, “C’mon bro we got sumn special between us, it would be a shame if I didn’t get to use my universally beloved lines on the other gender as well…”
Karasu smacked his hand away, “No thanks. I’m good.”
Otoya sniffled, “Okay bro I get it already, you just wanna save yourself for your little femboy don’t you?”
“M-My… WHAT.”
Karasu looked scandalized, his eyes widening by more than just a fraction, his face peppered by a pinkish hue. His body went all stiff like it was wondering whether to run away or to resort to physical violence.
He giggled, the green lock of hair swaying teasingly as he whispered in a mock-hush voice, “Yeah tryna stay all virginal and pure like a maiden—“
Karasu leaned to cover Otoya’s mouth yet again, “Bro shut up you idiot, we’re live and yer still speaking like that!”
Otoya was very evidently going to clarify and add even more, potentially dragging the duo’s crow-ninja reputation even further in the mud, if he wasn’t graced by the other’s palm clasping his mouth firmly shut, so the only thing any mic could pick up was a vastly incomprehensible string of jumble.
“Mmmm..mmmmmmmm…mmm.. mmghhmmmm mmmm mmmm!”
In Otoya-speak this would probably be translated to : “Oh yeaaaahhh sure bro we all know you don’t wanna lose your aura in front of your little femboy. Ohhhhh poor wittle crow-boy is scaredddddd.”
⁃ - - - - - - -
Japan was even with Spain, even. The fight wasn’t over yet, and it was make or break. One final goal could determine the victor of this match, and if Japan was truly up there with the big leagues, then they couldn’t stop here. Apprehension lingered in the atmosphere, and considering the time ticking away— the numbers on the digital display blinking monotonously like the perpetual rush of a pulse— there would be only one opportunity to finally bridge the gap.
Though it wouldn’t be that easy. It was something Blue Lock had to struggle for desperately.
Drawing in a deep breath, withdrawing himself from the stress in his muscles, severing himself from the linkages of tension, Bunny ran, the erratic thump of the ball knocking against his foot guiding him into a steady rhythm, streamlining himself past any obstructions, his distant gaze leveraging the playing field. A hazy blur of people, their exactness diminished like an over-exposed polaroid, so many people flitting and speckled like the snow descending over a wintery sky, yet he could not attach a ghost of a meaning to their tirades.
Their faces were an amalgamation, recombinant of all the visages from all that he has ever known ever since he was old enough to play soccer, engraved with the same old tells. Euphoria, apprehension, despair, determination, the ache of exertion and trying carved. It was so so evident… it was practically written on their countenance like an annotation, each sentiment unfurling at full bloom, ensnaring every minute decision made.
Yet why did it feel so estranged to him? His own snow colored hair was tickling his ears as he was eye to eye with Blue Lock’s defender Karasu. Beads of sweat dripping on his cheek, he looked uneasy when he locked eyes with him.
And Bunny knew, that he was always off putting in that sort of way.
He knew that if someone tried to dive into his heart, mangle with his circuitry, trespass the wires, scour the code his fundamental being was made of, they would realize it was completely devoid.
It must’ve been disappointing to that someone who tried.
Feinting and rolling the ball behind him in quick succession, he lunged past the defender with the ball trailing past him, guided by the light taps from the outsole of his cleats. The cool breeze assailed his face, and he exhaled. As the night continued on, clouds shrouded the dimming stars in an illusory veil. Sweat cooled his shirt which clung onto his torso relentlessly as he sprinted. Tilting his head he met Sae’s gaze, the midfielder emerged from the distorted blur of his vision into full focus, like a ghostly apparition.
Coppery-pink strands of hair flitted around the other man’s cheek, some strands pasted on the top of his forehead from sweat, his breath visible by the slight fogging of the air around him. Eyes locked on to every movement, anticipating every split second scenario at a speed that was intuitive and base, his teal eyes flashed with something intangible. His foot struck out to try to scoop the ball from underneath Bunny’s legs but he was a beat late, the forward had already evaded his steal.
Shoving past, the midfielder closed in to block any possible route of further entry through Blue Lock’s defenses. It was a standstill. Bunny felt an odd sensation course through his blood, as he maneuvered himself trying to find an aperture in his guard. Sae was staring at him, with the same desperate look in his eyes. But where there was a hope of recognition was now bitter frustration. Now and the winter before superposed over each other, imposing so strongly the forward had lost hold of which was which.
⁃ - - - - - - - -
They hadn’t always had such a strained relationship.
Through the speckle of leaves, Bunny could feel the content rays peek, tickling his face with warmth under the tree he laid in. The scent of summer wafted through the air, and Spain looked livelier than ever. In an indulgent day as this one, all he wanted to do was to nestle himself in the soft grass and gaze at the brilliant azure sky. It was a colorful display, hues fading into one another to depict a striking array of blues, all hidden in the fluffy crevices of the lazy skies perusing to look at all of human kind. Like all the clouds were rigorously judging the small dots of humans bustling around in their meaningless affairs. It was a funny yet comforting sentiment, one which provoked a burst of breathy laughter from his chest.
Yes, he was aware he looked like a complete weirdo, he wasn’t totally unaware from the mildly concerned looks he got by passing strangers, on the contrary it only made him latch onto the feeling of contentment even more.
He would have spent all of the spare time he had basking under the sun, if he hadn’t seen a Japanese teen fumble around with a map, the wheels of his bike clattering against the cobbled pathway, causing his unruly, choppy hair to bounce from the sudden jolt. Scrunching his eyebrows at the excessively large map, he slowed down, eventually halting so he could squint at it.
From the way he looked, to his footwear, the noticeable silhouette of a soccer ball and a pair of cleats curving around the fabric of his rucksack, Bunny already knew what he was looking for. And even if it was a little bit hilarious to see the red haired teen twist and turn around the map only to confuse himself even more, he knew he couldn’t leave him blind. Standing up, he dusted the dirt off his pants and approached the stranger.
“You’re trying to find your way to Re Al’s facility right?”
“Ah…”
The boy looked at him in shock, he was so absentminded he hadn’t noticed the other boy approaching him. His face broke out into a sheepish grin.
“Is it really that obvious… how’d you guess?”
The white haired teen replied, “It’s as clear as day, I mean this…”
He points at the rucksack.
“Gives a lot away.”
He gives him a neat smile.
“Haha… I guess so. Don’t know, I thought I would’ve looked more like a lost foreigner instead.”
Pointing to the map in his hands, Bunny said, “Who said you couldn’t look like both at the same time? Especially if you have something like that around.”
The red haired teen scoffed, “It’s beyond useless.”
“I can tell, you’re off track.”
He sighs, and Bunny’s smile grows a bit bolder with the other’s inexperience with directions.
“Tell you what? Hop off, I’ll take you there.”
“Really you will?”
He gets off the bicycle, and folds the map hastily and shoves it inside his pant pocket. Meanwhile Bunny seats himself on the saddle.
“Besides… I don’t think I have introduced myself just yet huh? I’m Sae. Sae Itoshi.”
He tilted his head to look at the boy removing his rucksack on the back seat and wearing it on his back. The name sounded familiar.
“Likewise, I’m Bunny. Bunny Iglesias.”
Sae put up a peace sign behind his head, “Like…”
“Like…? Huh… you do know those don’t even represent bunny ears.”
“Huh???”
“Yeah it represents a donkey’s ears instead.”
Sae gets on the bike. “Wha- no it doesn’t?”
Bunny grins as his foot pushes the pedal, “It does in Spain.”
Sae whispers, his voice trying to conceal his awe, “Wow… huh I guess things are much more different around here compared to Japan…”
He laughs breathlessly at his naïveté, “You didn’t actually believe that right now did you?”
“You lied…!??”
Bunny chuckles louder, his voice ringing through the breezy air. The bicycle sped up, the grass seemed to bend down the wheels as if to make way, as the smell of the salty sea proliferated through the breeze which made Sae squeeze his eyes shut at the sudden rush of coolness.
Before long they had reached the facility.
And from there on even throughout Spain’s sunny climate, something between them grew more distant, more frigid, if Bunny had to assume, it would have originated from the very moment they stepped on the pitch. Even if they were on the opposite or the same side, the crux of the problem wouldn’t be solved. Because it was something that went beyond them as people alone.
- - - - - - - -
Sae found it difficult to breathe, his gloved hand trying to block the white haired striker from shooting a course directly to his teammates, ignoring the pit at the bottom of his stomach, which made him feel like even his defense against the striker was going to slip through his hands at any moment.
The rest of the Blue Lock team were not faring any better, Bunny’s presence on the field was a critical cause for concern, any measure to restrict his opportunity for goal scoring would give Blue Lock a lead, and against a national team that was far more stronger than theirs any advantage could lead them a long way and cut down the disparity in skill and power.
However that method of thinking wasn’t unique to Blue Lock, Barcha’s team had Blue Lock’s strategies in mind as well, eyes locked on to anyone on field that could score, the team was spread out.
- - - - - - - -
Sae Itoshi’s name was tangible, hidden in the whispers spilling behind fingers, words left unsaid by parted lips. Coaches and players alike found his anticipated appearance delectable. I mean this was the genius-striker boy of Japan right?
Right?
He was a genius no doubt, but no honed talent could anticipate the extent of the grueling training bordering on masochism in Re Al.
Worth and place were wholly determined by your specs and skill, and if either were to take a hit, your whole world would be upturned in a massively pitying display. Soon the hopeful smiles which greeted him at his entry started to deviate into critical gazes, looming heavier than the sighs leaving their mouth as they looked at the statistics on their sheets. Months of training conjured images of nothing but dismal locker rooms, never-ending partitions of food and time, crammed into neat lined margins. His uniform hung looser over his body, it were as if he was stuck in a haze, and it felt harder to keep his mind resolute by each passing day.
“Your recent performance hasn’t been up to standard, comparatively the number of your goals are lacking—“
Scritch scritch. A pen idly carved into paper, writing out his fate in neat block letters.
“It’s been months, how long will it take for you to—“
Sae found it hard to tear his gaze away from the tiled floor.
“I think you have the potential but—“
He felt his teeth gritting, the ache in his head a disconnect from his body, what was the point of potential when he couldn’t deliver on it?
“Perhaps rather than being a forward— you’d be better off as a midfielder.”
His eyes widened by a fraction and finally met the gaze of his coach, but it was no use, he could tell the man had made up his mind, he knew it was no use.
He didn’t even bother protesting. Sae knew deep down that holding onto the pathetic dream he held so close into his heart was a futile effort. It hurt so much that he wondered why he ever believed in such a pipe dream…?
When he stepped onto the plane, heart warm from the cheering of the crowd that condensed to wish him a safe departure, his little brother’s hopeful eyes looking beyond the gate, he really did believe their dream would be actualized.
Bitterly smiling at his smudged reflection he wondered what Rin would think of him now. How blind did this country make him to his own mediocrity?
The door of the lockers clattered somehow, and a dull ache throbbed through his fist.
He muttered, “Genius boy my ass.”
⁃ - - - - - - -
His lungs felt like they were burning, but he had no other shot. His foot dove in to steal the ball yet his cleats caught onto nothing but grass as Bunny nimbly pushed the ball away.
Sae gritted his teeth, propelling his body into holding the forward back, he could tell that the other man was starting to feel irritated too with all this floundering.
His head was in a blur, every cell in his body screaming for respite, his eyes flitting searching for even a tiny opening, for one chance, for one flickering glimpse of reassurance that holding on for so long wasn’t a fault.
Bunny’s eyes glanced at Sae’s face scrunched up, his eyes flaring with a violent determination, the white haired man leveled himself slowly to meet the height of his adversary. Voice as hard as lead, he whispered breathlessly.
“You fucking reek of desperation.”
Sae scoffed, “So someone like you can get this worked up too?”
⁃ - - - - - - -
Heaving, taking in gulps of air that felt obstructed by the growing lump in his throat, the grass were blurrier than ever, the only spots of color seeming to be slight dark blotches from the warm moisture dripping down his face, every intake seemed to be a rasp, rattling his ribs.
A familiar cleat pointedly obstructed the green expanse of grass.
“Why do you choose to struggle this much? Isn’t it embarrassing enough…?”
Bunny’s tone was amicable enough, but the words were razor-sharp.
“You can barely match up to me as a striker as is, is there really anything to prove if you delude yourself like this?”
He smiled down at the exhausted man at his feet, like he didn’t utter anything at all. Sae muttered something inaudible.
Bunny crouched down. And whispered as gently as he could, “Just give up.”
The grass got blurrier, as a messy heat cut up to his face.
“Why won’t you just shut up…?”
His voice couldn’t hide the fragility of his ego, the slight tremble only amplified it.
A hand grabbed his collar.
“It’s not my fault you’re a liability like this.”
Bunny’s eyes looked unusually kind, like the words was a bestowal of great mercy.
“I think you should-“
His voice caught onto his throat spilling out in a reckless cascade, “I’m so sick of this!— You think it’s easy? Leaving my dream behind, like it’s something I can throw away in an instant!?”
“I— wouldn’t know of anything like that.”
Sae laughed, the chuckle sounding more like a miserable hiccup.
“So what— you think I’m pathetic for having one?”
Bunny was unresponsive.
“Huh? Answer me— answer me—! You of all people should know—“
Sae’s voice started to lose clarity as his frame shuddered from the force of his own sobs. Bunny could only pick up bits and pieces from the stream of words being choked out.
“—that I’m doing this for my little brother—“
He was motionless looking down on the boy. This wasn’t new to him. Sae had mentioned Rin to him a couple of times before.
“— that we were going to be the best striker duo in Japan—“
He yanked the taller boy by the collar back and forth, his grip shaky.
His voice projected in a rasp, “—but damn you— you don’t care a bit do you?”
“You…”
Sae looked at him, tears threatening to fall from his eyelids, his expression contorted in a mixture of pain, his hands clenching— no almost clawing at the fabric.
“Why don’t you say something— say something..!!?? Why… why are you looking at me like that…?!!??”
Something about Bunny’s eyes, hollowed out even further.
⁃ - - - - - - -
This was nothing but a last ditch attempt.
Yeah, he reeked of desperation— he WAS desperate, it didn’t take a football genius to figure that one out. His heart beat so hard it felt like it could give out at any moment, his legs burned from the constant exertion. He lunged forward, and for a split second the world began to slow down, his breath pinned against his chest in anticipation.
It was a sickening deliverance. He couldn’t tell if he was liberated or damned until he felt the impact of the ragged ball against his cleat. Sharply inhaling as much as he could take in, he bolted, his teal eyes scanning his peripheral wildly. He knew the other wasn’t far behind, and if his tempo gave out even for a fraction of a second— it was all over.
A hoarse voice beckoned to him.
“Pass here!”
He glanced, and saw the face of the child who’s tiny hands clung onto his shorts after soccer practice, beaming with awe, cried and proclaimed— puffing his chest out, that his older brother was the coolest—
A long lost nostalgia swelled up in his chest, threatening to crack and finally spill the emotions buried in his heart. Forcing the ball onto his dominant leg, his foot drew back into a sharp curve— wrestling stray grass blades from the ground askew— striking it with leveled force,
however the pass was off center!
Instead of following the projected path with pin-point accuracy, with a slight tremor, the ball deviated from its’ course, cleaving prediction, crashing it down like a Jenna tower all in the name of a few degrees. A chill descended down his spine, the logic he tried to compose in his ego wracked with an erosive uncertainty, as everything has come head to head with lady luck.
The offshoot gradually descended down the field, and as luck does, only one can emerge victorious ripping the fleeting moment away.
Luck can defy logic, but impulse can sure as hell crop up to it!
With a deep sigh which fogged up the air with a cloudiness that seemed impermeable, Rin Itoshi sprinted, as if his whole body was tethered to trajectory of the ball, the rush of adrenaline so concentrated and intense it felt like the world was stopping in it’s tracks. Pivoting his body, placing a violent yet piercingly accurate shot onto the ball, sending it hurling in with an explosive force, yet there was something subtly elegant in the manner the ball glided through the still air, there was something refined in the madness, a distinct finesse that left witnesses rapturous in the awe of its’ devastation. Arcing spontaneously into a vicious bend, the kick had made the ball fall on the corner of the goal-box, straining against the net until it neatly fell onto the ground.
⁃ - - - - - - -
Rin was breathless, his bangs sticking onto his forehead from sweat, he lifted a hand and closed his eyes to adjust the strands obstructing his vision, within that brief timeframe he felt himself get forcibly hoisted into the air by a VERY chatty, VERY annoying and VERY giddy Isagi Yoichi.
He was stupidly grinning at him from below, his head tilted back as Rin’s thighs rested on his shoulders, he couldn’t help but feel a little bit gratified from the view, HOWEVER if he kept on looking at the other forward like that— he might just lose his balance and topple onto the ground… along with Rin.
Before they could be a mess of limbs and a public embarrassment for everyone to see, Rin thought it was in due part to remind the older boy of his balance that seemed to get wobblier the more he spouted his typical NPC dialogue.
Isagi whistled, “Woah you’re insane holy shit that was clean—!”
Rin scoffed in return, “Shut up don’t you see you’re losing your focus here?”
And then he tugged his cowlick firmly, eliciting a whine from the boy.
“Wha— hey that hurts—!”
Accentuating each ‘huh’ with a complementary pull he said, “Huh. Huh. What were you thinking? Do you want to crash and fall over right now? Huuuuh.”
“Ow— I’m sorry I won’t do it again…”
“Yeah damn straight— besides why do you even have this sticking out of your head— if I tug it hard it enough could I pilot you like a robot???”
Isagi muttered, “Okay now I think you’re just being nitpicky Rin…”
He continued, “Besides I can drop you-“
“I’ll kill you.”
“No way.”
“I’ll drag you down with me as I fall.”
So much for not wanting to be a mess of tangled limbs.
“Also…”
“What.”
“Why are you still holding my hair…?”
Rin released his hands which were fully entrenched in the swathes of choppy navy blue hair, with mild embarrassment he realized he somehow got lost in the sensation of the soft locks of hair sifting through his fingers.
“Stop being weird.”
“I wasn’t even—! Whatever…”
Isagi then gently lowered himself to the ground allowing Rin to climb off his back, and plant his feet onto the ground. Scratching the back of his neck he shot a sheepish smile.
“It’s the first time you’ve ever let me do this.”
Rin raised an eyebrow in return, asking for clarification.
His smile widening into a grin he elaborated, “Carry you I mean! Like last time in u20 you basically dodged me and let me hit the ground— so it’s like… what gives? What’s different this time?”
Rin doesn’t have anymore words for his idiocy.
“…”
Okay well no.
“Don’t let it get to your head.”
Removing his gloves, and wiping away the accumulated sweat on his hands onto the hem of his already somewhat soaked shirt, he sighed softly.
A familiar presence was close by him. He turned around greeted by the very same visage of his own brother, but in the flesh rather unlike the times he’d frown in the mirror and discern how shockingly similar they looked if it were not for their hair, stature and the lashes peeking from their eyelids, though no one would be psychotic enough to count but Sae had one more eye lash than him. Just saying.
There was something indiscernible in his expression as he simply stared at Rin, unsure of what to say— no or maybe just unsure how to get it through the distance.
“What do you want?”
The sentence sounded less biting than he wanted. Maybe it was from exertion but it lacked its’ usual blunt edge.
“How…— how did you—“
“You mean how did I catch your shitty pass? You’re joking right? I mean I’ve seen every pass you could throw ever since I was a kid— good or bad I mean it’s predictable …’cause of how much I’ve seen it.”
Sae sighed.
“Thank you Rin.”
Rin stared at him.
A beat passes.
Maybe not one, maybe two? Not as cliche right?
Three…?
Uh…?
Rin looked like he short circuited, genuinely dumbfounded he even heard the words come out of his older brother’s mouth. Sae was starting to feel a little nervous. Pulling the glove off of one hand, letting his hand free, he walked towards his little brother. One foot after the other, while a bright bittersweet gleam slowly crept onto his features. A sentimental part of him reminisced on the early days, back when they both latched onto that childish reverie with eager pride—
It’s been a while since he’s done this, the movements feel awkward and unstable, known yet unfamiliar, as his fingertips slowly graze the light dark teal tufts of hair on his head, the touch initially delicate but substantially firmer as Sae’s hand delved deeper to ruffle the glossy locks. Rin’s hand lifted to stop his arm but fell down again with a shiver. Detangling his fingers from his hair, he gave it a small pat.
He couldn’t describe it properly, but the look Sae gave him… he didn’t smile or anything excessive like that, but his eyes softened, lids relaxed with a wistful expression blooming on his countenance. An expression that wanted to say something but couldn’t. He doesn’t want to know how he looks like now, because he knows it’s stupid, it’s idiotic, the rising elation, the small warm feeling.
That small warm feeling that burned into the bright gleam in his eyes so obviously.
The ghost of the word fell quietly from his lips, “Nii-chan—“
Sae looked at him without uttering anything in response, his hand withdrawing to rest at his side.
“You— you used to do this before…”
Sae chuckled and said, “Yeah, when you were around this tall.”
He dragged the “this” out as his hand splayed out flat next to his leg.
“But I guess you’re too old for that now right?”
Rin broke eye contact, “It doesn’t matter anymore, you already went ahead and did it anyways, tch— you think everything’s going to go your way huh.”
He stifled a small laugh.
⁃ - - - - - - -
3-2.
The match soon drew to a close, well it was drawn out in the first place, barely ten minutes remained on the timer, and Blue Lock was adamant on making sure Spain withdrew. It was exhausting and grueling, everyone had to keep up in the frantic haze as the seconds slipped away leading into the denouement of the game. The tight constraint, the stakes, felt agonizing yet unbelievably exhilarating to the anticipating crowd, divided by their bet on the outcome— yet miraculously unified by their collective attention on the players blitzing through the field in a fervent tango, mere specks on a grassy green field.
Shidou felt his leg wobble as he stumbled back into the hallway, the adrenaline faded away leaving behind an exhaustion that made him just want to fall onto a bed and sleep the rest of the day away, he was really starting to miss the Blue Lock buses… any moment sitting down is any moment NOT wondering if he was going to trip on his own feet.
“Hey demon.”
“Oh— hey bigger Itoshi bro— what’s up?”
Sae shoved his hands in his pockets, “Nothing I just came to say hi.”
“Bullshiiiit—“
Sae looked at him dryly.
“What gives c’mon— aren’t you glad we beat your toxic ex-boyfriend once and for all?”
“I told you he’s not my ex boyfriend— seriously you’re just making shit up.”
“Fine then what? You sad we couldn’t rub it in his face huh? Want to do a victory lap in front of their bus and piss them off even more??”
“That’s just unsportsmanlike.”
He raised an eyebrow humorously, “What else did you expect from me?”
Sae rolled his eyes, “Oh I almost forgot you had a straitjacket on when we first met.”
“Bet it was love at first sight, I mean you probably loooved how I was all tied up and all— I mean if we switched places I probably couldn’t resist—“
Sae elbowed him in the stomach, “You’re disgusting.”
Shidou giggled even harder at the verbal abuse, for some reason he felt giddy even though he was just thinking about how exhausting today was… strange. Leaning sideways, he practically threw himself onto the midfielder, his arms flinging onto his shoulder. Sae didn’t resist, his gaze fixed onto the ground, suddenly his teal eyes flicked up, staring directly into Shidou’s eyes, curved and catlike. He could see the dip and rise of his chest, as Sae took a soft inhale before speaking :
“Let’s go out once this is over.”
His voice sounded firm yet gentle, like it was a promise rather than a demand. Shidou’s eyes widened by a fraction, looking at him like he just said ‘Aliens were real’ or something, the arm he carelessly slung over the midfielder’s shoulder tensed just a little.
Raising his eyebrows he added on, “What’s the matter? You don’t want to go?”
The forward broke out into a slight smile like he couldn’t quite believe it yet, “On like …a date?”
“Figured you might have been jumping at the chance, guess I was wrong.”
“Ugh— you know that wasn’t it… I was just REALLY surprised that’s all.”
Sae poked him again, “It’s not rocket science, do you want it on paper?”
He placed a finger under his chin like he was thinking, “Hmm~ sure, you have a pen on you? You can like— write it on my skin!“
Sae was speechless at his audacity. Is it too late to ask what was wrong with the guy? He wondered, whatever it wasn’t like he was normal either.
Tugging onto Shidou’s jacket to ground the other boy, he interrupted, “Let’s just go, at this rate the bus might just leave us behind.”
Shidou whined, “Awwww man… it’s not like Ego wouldn’t come and get us anyways, we’re like his money-makers he wouldn’t dare—!“
For all the talk of Ego getting them, the two really weren’t in much of a hurry, taking their sweet time as they walked back. The sun was setting, the wind tussled their hair playfully in a youthful breeze, and the skies faded into a brilliant orange reflecting across the expanse of clouds which almost seemed to be speckles of gold as they shimmered across the fateful afternoon.