🏥 hospital 🏥

The hospital smelled sterile. Sharp. Unpleasant.

Sae hated it.

He hated being here. Hated the fluorescent lights. Hated the sound of distant monitors.

But most of all—

He hated the sight of Shidou Ryusei lying in that stupid hospital bed.

Hair messy, cheek bruised, bandaged ribs. Sleeping like an angel and disaster's first draft.

And Sae—it burned in his chest to admit it, even silently—felt something claw at him.

Worry.

Disgusting emotion. He wanted to stomp it out like a spark before it became fire.

He stood stiffly at Shidou's bedside, arms crossed, pretending he wasn't memorizing every breath Shidou took just to make sure it didn't stop.

"You're an idiot," Sae muttered to the unconscious boy. "An absolute idiot."

No response.

Good. Sae could talk like a human without consequence.

"You should've passed the ball. Not attempted a circus stunt from midfield like a deranged animal."

Still no reaction.

Sae's jaw tightened.

"Next time you pull something like that, I'll—"

He stopped. The "I'll what?" hung in the air, embarrassing even to think.

Care more? Lose sleep again? Feel like a piece of himself walked off the field with him and didn't come back?

No.

Absolutely not.

Sae clicked his tongue and sat in the chair beside the bed, posture rigid, like relaxing would be admitting something.

"You're such a hassle."

A weak voice rasped:

"...missed you too, princess."

Sae froze.

Shidou's eyes blinked open, heavy and hazy from pain meds and exhaustion—but aware enough to smirk.

Sae's ears warmed. Not a blush. NOT a blush. Just... heat. Annoyance heat. Obviously.

"I didn't come because I 'missed' you. I came to make sure you didn't die before training resumes."

Shidou grinned, lopsided and sleepy. "Romantic."

"Shut up."

"You worried?"

"No."

Lies as clean as his passing game. Shidou saw right through them like always.

"You look like you haven't slept."

Sae glared, offended. "I always look like this."

"You're right," Shidou hummed, eyes soft, "you always look pretty."

Sae almost choked on air.

"Say one more stupid thing and I'll smother you with that pillow."

"Hot."

"You have brain damage."

"Probably. Still hot though."

Sae exhaled through his nose, the picture of calm death threats.

Then Shidou's hand—bandaged, trembling slightly—moved toward Sae, reaching blindly.

Not grabbing. Not forcing.

Just reaching.

Sae stared at the hand.

His body refused to move for three seconds—then he sighed, irritated with himself, and took it.

His fingers laced with Shidou's like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like he didn't want to rip his own heart out for being this stupid.

Shidou's eyes softened. "You're holding my hand."

"You initiated it."

"You didn't pull away."

"I didn't want to waste energy."

Shidou squeezed, thumb brushing Sae's knuckles weakly. "Thanks for coming."

"I didn't—"

Shidou cut him off quietly.

"Sae."

Sae stopped talking.

For once, Shidou wasn't teasing. Wasn't trying to get a reaction.

He was just... looking at him. Earnestly. Bruised. Real.

"You walked out onto that field like you owned the world," Shidou murmured. "And I chased you without thinking. Guess I still am."

Sae swallowed nothing, throat tight.

Stop being sentimental. Stop making this harder. Stop being—

Sae looked away first.

"I didn't ask you to chase me."

"I know. I do it anyway."

Infuriating man.

Sae's voice dropped, soft and quiet and only for him:

"Don't scare me like that again."

Shidou blinked. "...You were scared?"

Sae squeezed his hand once, quick, controlled, absolutely emotional and he wanted to die about it.

"If you tell anyone, I'll break your legs."

"Break 'em then," Shidou whispered, smiling slow and stupid and beautiful, "as long as you visit me again."

Sae's cheeks warmed. Not a blush. NEVER a blush.

He stood abruptly, letting go of Shidou's hand like it burned.

"I'm going to get you water."

"Aww, Sae's taking care of me—"

"Shut up."

Shidou, smug even half-dead, settled back into the pillows.

"Yes, dear."

Sae stopped mid-stride like someone sniped his pride. Twitched. Looked back with cold fury hiding embarrassed panic.

"Say that again and I leave."

Shidou smirked.

"...Later then."

Sae walked out, ears pink, dignity shredded.

And Shidou whispered to the empty doorway:

"Love you too."

Sae, outside, leaning against the wall, eyes shut tight, whispered back to nobody:

"...Idiot."

art credit: https://www.facebook.com/haine13/posts/-blue-lock-shidou-ryusei-is-this-about-soccer-anime-thiss-big-question-popped-up/1138800634916008/