☕morning coffee☕

Sae Itoshi didn't do warmth.

He did control. Precision. Silence. And right now, he did coffee. Black, perfect, and steaming in the Blue Lock dorm kitchen.

He didn't expect Shidou Ryusei to stumble in half-awake like a wild animal dragged out of hibernation — hair messier than usual, shirt hanging off one shoulder, yawning like he was trying to swallow the air.

"Morning, princess." Shidou's voice was gravel and mischief.

"...Stop talking," Sae muttered, annoyed, sipping his coffee.

Shidou leaned his whole body on Sae like a cat made of pure muscle and trouble. Sae didn't shove him off — which already said more than words ever could.

"Cold as ever," Shidou hummed, cheek pressed to Sae's shoulder. "You like it though. The ice. Makes you feel alive. Kinda sexy actually."

"Ryusei," Sae warned, deadly calm. Shidou looked up with a grin sharper than his tackles.

"What? Am I not allowed to compliment my..." he blinked, hunting for the right word, "—favorite ball-kicking nerd?"

Sae sighed. That was... vaguely affectionate, in Shidou-speak.

"Just sit down," Sae said. "You look stupid."

Shidou flopped into a chair so fast and dramatically that Sae pretended not to see the tiny fond twitch in his own expression. He set another mug down in front of Shidou.

Shidou blinked. "Wait. This is for me?"

"Unless someone else here goes around drooling on countertops at 7AM."

"Damn, babe, you DO care," Shidou purred, wiggling his eyebrows.

Sae raised a hand like he was debating throwing his coffee at him. "...Do not call me that."

Shidou ignored him entirely, taking a loud slurp. Then his eyes widened.

"You put sugar in this."

"It's normal to sweeten coffee."

"You know I like sugar," Shidou grinned, looking at Sae instead of the mug — like Sae was the sugar. And for once, Sae didn't look away.

"...You fight better when you aren't cranky," Sae murmured.

"Ohhh. So I'm like your attack dog?"

"You're more like a barely-domesticated street cat that refuses to die."

Shidou practically sparkled. "Cute. You think I'm resilient."

"I think you're impossible."

"And yet," Shidou smirked, leaning forward, chin in hand, "you still let me hang around you."

Sae's ear twitched. A rare, microscopic blush sneaked in — and Shidou spotted it instantly.

"Holy— you're blushing."

"I'm going to murder you."

"No you won't," Shidou grinned, kicking Sae lightly under the table. "'Cause you like me."

"I tolerate you. At best."

"Same thing."

They stared at each other — Sae steady and unreadable, Shidou wild but soft around the edges — until Sae finally rolled his eyes and muttered:

"...Drink your coffee. Training starts soon."

Shidou kicked his feet like an excited kid, practically purring. "Yes, captain~"

And Sae, regrettably, felt something warm settle in his chest.

He hated it.

But he also... didn't.

"...Ryusei."

"Hm?"

"Thanks for not being loud yet."

Shidou blinked, genuinely surprised. "Anything for you."

Sae froze, just long enough for Shidou to see it. Then Sae turned, hiding the softest smile that never reached his lips — but lived in his eyes instead.

"Don't get used to it."

Shidou leaned back, stretching lazily, already planning how to annoy Sae in training later.

"Too late."

Sae pretended to sigh. But he poured Shidou more coffee anyway.

His hand lingered for a second longer than it needed to.