𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐮𝐦 || Blue Lock x GN!Reader

✮ 6.

 The rest of the meeting passed without incident as the U20 coach went over a couple plays and formations, though (Y/N) knew that Oliver would just overrule every call in their next practice. It was common knowledge that their coach couldn't be trusted with much when it came to actually playing football.

At the end of the session, Oliver practically dragged Sendou out of the room, ready to give him a talking to for letting his ego get the best of him and almost endangering his teammates. Everyone else filtered through the room too, except (Y/N) decided to lag behind, not wanting to catch Oliver's rage.

They rifled through their pockets, making sure they had all their belongings before wondering if it was safe to head out to the car now. That was when a hand caught their shoulder, making them look back quickly.

"It's (L/N), isn't it?" Asked Sae Itoshi, staring at them with his cyan eyes. (Y/N) flinched automatically at the name, reminding them of their dad yet again as they smiled awkwardly.

"Yeah, that's me, though I'd prefer if you called me (Y/N) instead," they said hesitantly, seeming to deflate under the cold gaze of the pro midfielder, "Um, do you need something?"

"We've met before." Sae said plainly, getting straight to the point. (Y/N) sighed internally, wishing he wasn't so blunt. Seriously, how does anyone start a conversation like that?

"We have," replied (Y/N), hoping that Sae wouldn't compare their former standings to where they were now, "It was at the annual Europe training camp, I think. We played a friendly match together." The pink-haired man nodded, seeming to remember too.

"Yeah, we also played on a team in one of the drills, I think. You were quite the playmaker, I must say." Sae's voice held a hint of nostalgia, but (Y/N) was more put off by the fact that he said 'were' instead of 'is.' As expected, the conversation they feared to have with him was going to happen now.

"And you're going to ask me how a budding young player like me ended up here?" suggested (Y/N), catching Sae off guard. The midfielder blinked, taken aback. The U20 player almost worried that they'd gotten the topic completely wrong and that he was going to say nothing of the sort, but of course, they were wrong.

"I was going to ask..." Sae admitted, staring with piqued interest, "so that means you know you're not your former self?" (Y/N) bit back a retort. Obviously they weren't. Over the past couple of years, their life had been run amok, turned upside down and pillaged, how could they still be?

"I'm not," they whispered, the words packing more venom than they'd intended as some of their pent up anger slipped loose, "I'm not sure if you know, but a lot has changed over the past two years, prodigy." (Y/N) knew they were only projecting their own frustration and former dreams onto him, but they couldn't help it.

"I'm well aware of that," Sae responded, a bitter taste in his mouth, "and I'm also aware that you have what it takes to get back and above where you were." These words made (Y/N) look at him suddenly, their eyebrows furrowing as they tried to comprehend how Sae knew what had been going on in their head.

"You had more potential than me, (Y/N)," he continued, not breaking eye contact as he searched through their eyes for their weaknesses and hidden truths, "When we played, you inspired me. Now, you're nothing but a genius run out of gas, but you're not hopeless. Now, I'm giving you this opportunity: play with me and I'll be your fuel. I'll drive you back to where you deserve to be."

(Y/N) could only stare at this amazing pronouncement as Sae wrapped up his inspirational speech. They swallowed once, trying to get words, any words, out of their mouth, but nothing came, leaving them staring at the midfielder, dumbfounded.

"Accept, or don't, I don't really care. Just come to me with your answer at the Blue Lock game." With this, Sae turned on his heels and left, beckoning to the blonde man who'd tried to attack Sendou who sat in one of the room's corners, watching the interaction lazily. (Y/N) hadn't even noticed he was still there, too caught up on Sae's words.