#raspberrydevil

"Think you're ready for the upcoming match?"

The question is thrown out the moment the navy hair male had pulled out his jersey. Pale hands caressed the fabric, fingers running over the number printed on the back. Sharp eyes remain on the the jersey as he thinks of an answer.

The man sets it back down on the drawer, as if losing interest in it and finding something- someone else more worthwhile in the room to turn his gaze too. Tsurugi faces the brunette, the one sitting upon their bed and still waiting for some type of response, verbal or not.

"Yeah," Tsurugi finally responds. "We've faced this team before. Nothing new."

Shindou lets out a sigh with a shake of his head. "You never lost that arrogant air of yours, have you?" It's a playful remark but still earns him a glare from the other. "You're not supposed to underestimate your opponent, Kyousuke."

He huffs before taking steps towards the bed. He stops when he's standing in front of the other with arms crossed. It wasn't unusual for him to (physically) look down upon his elder; ever since they were younger he'd always been just a tad taller than Shindou. The difference in height between them just seemed larger when one was standing while the other sat.

"Thanks for the tip." He clicks his tongue. "Save it for the next match you're able to play."

The room falls quiet, eyes locked upon each other. Shindou doesn't bark back. His head takes a slight dip, eyes landing upon his lap. Looking further he's able to see the white cast just peeking out from his vision. A cast that stuck right around his leg. The brunette's hand is placed over his injured leg, resting on his knee.

"I really do have the worst luck, don't I?" A weak laugh came out at his own comment. His eyes shut after the laugh had dispersed. The memory of how his injury came to be replayed in his mind. It was an accident. Both players going for the ball, one hitting flesh rather than a black and white ball. It was no surprise that even older players had their rough moments, enough to damage one another just like when they were younger. Thankfully, this wasn't as serious as it could be, nothing broken. And he hadn't even fallen unconscious from it either.

"It's not that bad." Tsurugi lets his arms rest beside him, now taking a seat beside Shindou. He had been careful, making sure to avoid the injured leg and not to upset the other when he had sat down on the bed.

"You don't think so?" Shindou raises a brow. "You know, this is the semi-finals. If the team wins, I might miss out on the last match…"

He was tempted to just throw himself back on the bed, to lie down and recollect his thoughts. Old memories had resurfaced of when they were younger. There was an important match, one that held the fate of soccer, and he had been hurt right before the finals. Granted the stakes weren't as high as they were back then, soccer wouldn't change if they won or lost, but every match was important. It almost made him want to laugh at how funny history repeated itself.

"It won't be the same without captain on the field." Tsurugi gets comfortable, putting his hands back on the bed and using them as his main support. His eyes remained upon Shindou.

Perhaps it was thanks to his mind still stuck in the past now fused with what the other had just said that caused other members to be brought up.

"Hm? Reminds me of the time when you didn't even want to address me as captain. Well, only if it was accompanied by a scornful, mocking tone."

Shindou could see that glare return if only for a second. He smiles proudly upon having done so.

"You're mind is really stuck in the past today, isn't it?"

Shindou lets out a chuckle, a rare thing to be heard during his current state. Although it wasn't a completely joyous one, it was one regardless. Tsurugi couldn't wait to hear it at it's usual pitch once more.

"Apologies. I'm just finding the coincidence unreal at the moment." These thoughts had crossed his mind before but had always been ignored, swatted away as he had other matters to attend to.

"But, just like before," Tsurugi pauses as his hands are freed from supporting him. He moves to sit, slightly slouched, an arm resting over his legs while the other hand reaches over and is placed upon Shindou's hand. "It'll heal, Takuto."

Brown eyes set upon their hands. The moment they shared made him smile. There was hope, there always would be. He just had trouble seeing it at times.

"Yes, it will. I just wish it would heal quickly."

Shindou enjoys the soothing comfort. It was better than playful bickering, though he didn't mind it either. But, with this injury came more moments like these. It may have been the reminder of his past, the trauma of Tsurugi's brother and his injury sustained. He noticed how the other was more careful around him, offering to help him more, to make sure he rested and healed up properly.

He disliked being supervised by the other, but when he recalled the image of his worried face when he gotten the injury…he couldn't tell Tsurugi to back off. His worry and fear may have been extreme, already thinking the worse when he'd seen Shindou's accident. He wouldn't calm down the first few days he had to get used to a cast again. The brunette didn't want to see him worried like that again, so he'd listen to him to help ease his heart.

"You're still coming to the game though." That statement from Tsurugi had broken their silence, his hand tightening around the other's.

"Of course. I'm going to support the team. What kind of captain would I be if I didn't show up?"

"You're right. You did show up before too. Against the nurse's wishes."

Shindou could hear the forming grin in his voice, as if he was trying to rub in his rebellious act when he was younger. He'd been scolded afterwards and promised to not do anything like so again.

"Don't remind me of that," he huffs.

It's Tsurugi's turn to laugh- snicker.

"You'll still make it on the field though. I'll carry you onto the field when we win."

As much as he liked the idea and how sweet it sounded, it was also embarrassing. The other had lifted him up before when they had won a match a couple months ago. It was surprising and made him flush, but they were both in a moment of excitement that it was difficult to scold him for it. But now, they were not on the field and there was no crowd cheering for their victory.

"Stop getting so overconfident about winning, will you?"

"Can't help it."

Shindou rolls his eyes. Tsurugi still had the right to have confidence in his plays, but at times he really had to wonder if he was only saying these things to gain a scolding from him.

"Hm. You know, you never said no to me carrying you out on the field."

The brunette glares this time. "Don't you dare. If you do, I won't be afraid to use my crutch."

"I can take a hit."

"Kyousuke."

"Fine, I won't."