𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐓𝐇 𝐈𝐓 ➛ ryusae

chpt 10 ➛ sae

They spent the whole night lying there, teasing and flirting with eachother under the moon as if they were the only 2 people on the planet. The time flew by, and before they knew it, it was approaching 1 in the morning.

But Sae didn't mind. This was maybe the most fun he'd  had in weeks. Months, even. He laughed, and with Shidou by his side, who was honestly the last person he'd ever imagine himself being so hung up on, he felt complete. 

Shidou lit up something inside Sae, something that felt both exhilarating and terrifying. It was a spark of life, of joy, of warmth Sae hadn't realized he'd been missing. It wasn't the same as the fire he felt on the pitch, this was different. 

He turned his head slightly, stealing a glance at Shidou, who was lying flat on his back, one arm lazily tucked behind his head, the other gesturing animatedly as he recounted some ridiculous story about an almost fight he'd gotten into at a party. His laughter was infectious, loud and uninhibited, and Sae couldn't help but smile faintly in response, even as he tried to keep his expression neutral.

How had this happened? How had he, of all people, ended up here, with him of all people?

"You're staring again," Shidou said, his voice teasing but laced with curiosity. His bright pink eyes flicked to Sae, sparkling mischievously. "I get it, I'm gorgeous, but you could at least try to be subtle."

Sae scoffed, looking away as heat crept up the back of his neck. "Don't flatter yourself."

Shidou laughed, turning on his side. "So you don't  think I'm gorgeous?"

"I never said that," Sae rolled his eyes and sighed, letting the moment hang between them. "You're... something, I'll give you that."

"Something?" Shidou repeated, mock-offended. He sat up, leaning in just slightly with that same infuriatingly confident grin. "You really know how to make a guy feel special, Sae."

Sae opened his mouth to fire back, but the words caught in his throat. Instead, he found himself pausing, the weight of the night settling over him. It was late—too late, really—and the air was getting colder. They should go. He should go. But the thought of leaving this moment, of breaking whatever fragile connection they'd built tonight, made something twist in his chest.

His dorm wasn't far. He could invite Shidou back. They could keep talking, keep laughing—maybe fall asleep on the couch while pretending they weren't waiting for the other to make the first move. But the idea made his heart race for reasons he couldn't quite explain. Maybe it was the commitment, the nerves, or maybe just excitement.

"Hey," Shidou said softly, his usual bravado melting away as he tilted his head to study Sae's expression. "You okay? You've got that 'thinking too hard' look again."

"I'm fine," Sae replied quickly, too quickly. His gaze flicked to Shidou and then back to the ground. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "It's late. We should head back."

Shidou raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced but willing to let it slide—for now. He pushed himself to his feet, stretching with a groan before offering Sae a hand. "Alright, lead the way."

Sae hesitated for a fraction of a second before accepting the hand, Shidou's grip warm and steady as he pulled himself up, brushing grass off his clothes, and glanced at Shidou, who was already grinning like he'd won something.

"You're annoying," Sae muttered, turning toward the exit of the pitch. Shidou just giggled under his breath, walking beside Sae and never leaving his side.

They left the pitch, their walk back to Sae's dorm bathed in a peaceful stillness. The quiet of the night began to settle over them, their steps growing slower, heavier, as the lingering energy of the evening gave way to a shared drowsiness. Neither felt the need to fill the silence; the soft glow of the street lamps and the gentle chirping of crickets were more than enough to accompany them.