Meet Sae's Crazy Girlfriend (Part 3)
Part 1 (@confessionsandcreampies), Part 2, Part 3, New Year Vers
The understanding became a new, unspoken rule of Blue Lock: Do not question the chaos. Appreciate it from a safe distance.
(Y/N)’s presence became a bizarre fixture. She’d show up with a new, equally outrageous hoodie (“Caution: I’m the Main Character” and “My Patronus is a Disappointed Teacher” were particular favorites). She’d hum theme songs from old magical girl anime while doing stretches next to them. She once tried to lead the entire team in a pre-game “power-up dance” that involved a lot of awkward hip shaking and spirit fingers. Only Bachira and, to everyone’s shock, Nagi (who seemed to find the instructions simple to follow) participated.
But the real shock was Sae. The changes were subtle, but to the hyper-observant players, they were seismic.
They noticed he’d started carrying bandaids in his pocket—the kind with cartoon frogs on them. After a particularly rough tackle left Rin with a bleeding shin, Sae had wordlessly walked over, slapped a frog bandaid on the cut, and walked away without a word. Rin had stared at his leg for a solid five minutes, his face a warzone of confusion and something vaguely resembling brotherly affection.
They noticed his insults lost a fraction of their venom. When Isagi misjudged a pass, instead of a scathing “Are you even trying to use your brain, loser?”, he got a flat, “Your spatial awareness is beige today, Yoichi.” Isagi was so surprised he forgot to be offended.
One afternoon, (Y/N) was buzzing around the edge of the field, trying to coax a very reluctant butterfly onto her finger. Sae was finishing his cool-down stretches, his focus entirely on her, a slight crease of concern on his brow as she nearly tripped over a stray ball.
Chigiri, wiping his face with a towel, murmured to Reo, “He’s like a satellite. He always knows where she is.”
Reo nodded slowly. “It’s the most intense man-marking I’ve ever seen. And she doesn’t even know she’s being played.”
(Y/N) gave up on the butterfly and bounded over to Sae, holding out her hands. “My fingers are cold.”
Without breaking his stride or even looking at her, Sae finished his stretch, then took both her small hands in his larger ones, enveloping them completely. He brought them to his lips and blew a warm, gentle breath onto her knuckles, his eyes finally meeting hers.
The entire field did not, in fact, freeze over. But time certainly seemed to stop for everyone watching. Bachira’s jaw was unhinged. Kunigami dropped his weights with a loud clang.
(Y/N) beamed, her cheeks pink. “Thanks, Grumpy-Cake.” She stood on her toes and kissed his chin. “You’re the best heater.”
Sae’s thumb stroked the back of her hand once, a movement so tender it felt more intimate than any kiss. “Idiot. You should have worn gloves.”
It was the most normal, domestic exchange anyone had ever heard from Itoshi Sae. It was more world-shattering than any of his 90-meter goals.
Later, as the team shuffled into the locker room, they found the source of the morning’s “beige aura” comment.(Y/N) had apparently been let loose with a label maker. Isagi’s locker now read “ANGSTY PROTAGONIST WITH A HEART OF GOLD (hidden very deep)”. Bachira’s said “SUNSHINE CHILD/KICKY ARTIST”. Nagi’s simply said “:3”.
On Rin’s locker, it said “BROODIER BUT SMALLER ITOSHI”.
Rin stared at it, his hand frozen on the combination lock. A vein throbbed in his temple. He looked ready to rip the thing off and hurl it across the room.
Sae walked in, took one look at the label, then at his brother’s thunderous expression. A sound escaped Sae’s lips. It was short, quiet, and utterly alien.
It was a laugh.
Rin’s head snapped toward him, eyes wide with pure shock. The anger evaporated, replaced by utter bewilderment.
Sae just shook his head, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips as he turned to his own locker. His label read: “GRUMPY-CAKE (HE/HIM)”.
He ran a finger over the words, a look of such profound, quiet fondness on his face that everyone quickly found something very interesting to look at on the floor or the ceiling.
She hadn’t just cracked the code. She had rewritten his entire operating system. And as they watched Itoshi Sae, the unapproachable genius, carefully peel the label off his locker and stick it inside his gym bag for safekeeping, they knew one thing for certain: if anyone ever tried to hurt her, they wouldn’t have to worry about Sae’s wrath.
They’d have to worry about all of them.
;)