Supa Strikas One-shots ⚡❤️

Beneath the serious mask

I don't know why but I don't see enough of this ship ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯ probably cause I'm the only one shipping them ig...

Word count: 812 words

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John J. Johnson Jr. felt like he was going to melt right into the pitch after the final whistle blew. The match between Technicali and Grimm FC had been brutal-every second of the game the Grimm players had been on their tails, their shadowy presence lingering like a fog. Grimm FC won by a single goal, but John's mind wasn't on the defeat. It was entirely on Vladimir.

As the players shook hands, exchanging nods and claps on the back, John's pulse raced. Now was his chance. He'd been trying to muster the courage to talk to Vladimir for weeks-no, months-ever since his silly crush started. It didn't help that Vladimir always seemed so distant, serious, and frankly, kind of intimidating. But John was never one to back down from a challenge, not even a heart-pounding one like this.

He jogged up to Vladimir, catching him just as he was about to walk off the field. "Hey, uh, Vladimir! Wait up!"

Vladimir turned slowly, his piercing eyes locking onto John's. John gulped, feeling a little light-headed. Up close, Vladimir looked even more impressive-tall, composed, his features sharp under the stadium lights. John suddenly felt very small, and his usual confidence faltered.

"I, uh, just wanted to say... good game!" John blurted, his voice a little too loud. His hands flailed awkwardly as if unsure what to do. "You know, you were really... uh... grim out there!"

He immediately winced. Grim? Really? He wanted to face-palm but restrained himself. He had just compared Vladimir to his team name. Smooth, real smooth.

Vladimir blinked, his expression unreadable for a moment. John's heart sank. Oh no, I've ruined it!

But then, something completely unexpected happened. The corner of Vladimir's lips quirked upward-just slightly at first, and then it grew into a chuckle. It was quiet, almost restrained, but it was there. And then, to John's complete shock, Vladimir laughed. A deep, hearty laugh that sent a jolt through John's entire body. It wasn't a laugh of mockery, though. It was genuine.

John stood there, wide-eyed and stunned. Vladimir Savich, the guy who practically radiated seriousness, was laughing. And he was laughing at something John said.

Vladimir glanced at John, shaking his head slightly as if trying to compose himself. "Grim? Really?" His voice, thick with his Romanian accent, carried an unexpected warmth. There was a sparkle in his eye that John had never seen before. "You... you are very amusing."

John blinked, his mind scrambling to process the fact that Vladimir had just found him amusing-in a good way. He scratched the back of his head, his red hair even more tousled than usual. "Well, I, uh... try," he mumbled, though his heart was soaring.

He hadn't realized it before, but Vladimir's laugh was... incredible. It was deep, a little rough around the edges, and it felt like it was something Vladimir didn't do nearly enough. John couldn't help but smile goofily, basking in the rare sound. His stomach did a little flip.

"You know," Vladimir said, still chuckling softly as he adjusted his wristbands, "I think this is the first time someone has complimented me with such... creativity."

John felt his face heat up, but there was no going back now. "Well, I'm full of surprises," he said, trying to sound confident again. He shuffled on his feet, feeling giddy and slightly embarrassed, but also weirdly proud.

Vladimir tilted his head, his expression softening just a bit more. "Yes, you certainly are."

John had no idea what to say next. This was officially uncharted territory-Vladimir Savich was talking to him, laughing with him, and not treating him like just another opponent. It was everything he had wanted, but now he was fumbling for words like a malfunctioning robot.

Before John could embarrass himself further, Vladimir gave him a nod, the laughter fading, but the smile remaining. "Good game, John. You played well," he said, his tone still carrying that same warmth.

John swallowed, trying to play it cool. "Y-yeah, you too. You know, real... grim and all."

Vladimir gave him another small laugh and turned, heading off toward the tunnel with a graceful stride that John couldn't help but admire.

As he watched Vladimir walk away, John sighed, a dreamy smile plastered across his face. The sound of Vladimir's laugh echoed in his mind, and he couldn't help but feel like he'd won something, even if it wasn't the match.

"Well," John muttered to himself, "I'll take that as a victory."

He glanced around, realizing he was still standing in the middle of the field, grinning like an idiot. But he didn't care.

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Yep... This was my idea of how they really talked for the first time 😅😅 anyway I hope you liked this oneshot guys!!

-Willow