Blue Lock | The new reason

Oneshot

As everyone left the locker room, Sae was the only one left. He was staring into the floor, trying to not slap himself a thousand times. He still couldnt believe that he actually... Lost. Rin was evolving non-stop for the past month or so. He will be able to beat Sae in less than a year. It made Sae... Shit-scared. His heart was racing, everything around him was blurry. Everything was ruined, and he won't be able to escape it. He was sulking, not even slowly. Rin was better. Sae was soaked in sweat that was still dripping from him. "Fuck." Suddenly, someone knocked on the door, and it instantly opened. "Oh god! That shower was so relieving! I really neeeeddddeeeeedddd iiiiiiittttt~" Shidou walked into the room and bumped into Sae, looking down at him. "Huh? What's that depressed look? You okay?" Not getting any reaction from Sae, Shidou exhaled and sat near him. "Come on, are you being a cry baby because of your lil' bro?" No response. Sae covered his face with his hands and just continued to sit there with a serious face staring into... Whatever he was staring into, nobody really knows. "Sae, look. I've been through this a thousand times, and-" "Can you just shut up? I'm thinking." Silence. Shidou smiled and nodded. He stood up, but he suddenly felt Sae holding his hand and puling him back. "Did I tell you to leave? Stupid." Shidou tried to hold his laugh in, blushing. "Pffft... Yeah, right, missy." Shidou sat back and continued to listen to complete silence, until Sae finally took a deep breath. "I think I'll quit football. I already did, kind of." "Huh? Why's that? You can destroy anybody in your way, you're the best of the best!" "Yeah, for you. I'll never be the best mid fielder as long as Rin's there. I know that he's a striker but even thinking that he beat me hurts. Seeing him evolve with insane speed leaves me back." Shidou's smile faded, and he sighed. "Look. I was always the worst when I was a kid, let's say, I always did it the other way. I always played football differently, and I think you just understood how I play. I always found other ways to score by myself, to control the ball with my whole body, et cetera et cetera. You just should... Try to find an other reason to play football? The one that doesn't fully rely on Mista Rinno." "Mista Rinno?" "Mister Rin. It just sounds hella funny, considering he behaves like someone really important~ Anyway, I hope you understood me." "I think... I think I've already found the reason." Shidou grinned and pulled Sae to himself. "What is it? What's the reason? Huuuhhh???" Sae looked away and actually... Smiled? "It's... You, Shidou." 

...

"Huh? Me?"

...

"Yes, you."

...

"You're the new reason."

Shidou hugged Sae, and, surprisingly, Sae accepted the hug and hugged him back. Tears started to slide down Shidou's cheeks as he was grinning happily. "Are you crying?" "Yeah. There are happy tears though." "I'm glad." Shidou squeezed Sae even more, poking his nose into Sae's hair. It was basically a love confession to Shidou. He wasn't lonely anymore. He had Sae, and Sae had him. "Thank you, Sae. Thank you..." Shidou's voice was shaking, and he didn't let go of Sae at all. He didn't want him to go like everyone else. And he didn't. Surprisingly, he didn't. "I think it's time for us to go. We're going to be kind of late." "Yeah, sure!!!" Shidou finally let go of Sae, who was still soaking in sweat. "Bleh, now I'm covered in your stinky sweat. This can't ruin this day, I'll go shower again." "Yeah... Me too." Both of them squeezed each other's hands and advanced to the bathroom, and it didn't look really... Romantic? But believe me, it was. Not everyone will get why though. Imagine if someone sees them like that...