Chapter Text
It was midnight, silence reigned in the Blue Lock facilities. Most of the boys were sleeping peacefully after a long day of training. It seemed like everything was in order, except that Anri Teieri, her right-hand man, still couldn't believe what she was seeing through the screen.
It was three hours, three long hours in which Ego kept wondering what his new headache was going to be in the middle of Valentine's Day, because what could go wrong if they put Blue Lock's number 1 together with his least favorite rival? And by "least favorite rival" it is clear that he refers to Shidou Ryusei, who was lying in the kitchen of the PXG stratum with a notebook in hand, writing what knows what while he rocked in his chair. The chances of chaos at any moment were high, because while everyone was sleeping, Nanase, Rin and Shidou were carrying out, to anyone who saw them, an almost impossible mission. And it's almost because in the three hours of tension, according to Ego, everything was going in order.
In the kitchen of the French stratum, Rin questioned again and again how wise it was of him to let Shidou Ryusei (the annoying cockroach) help him make a chocolate cheesecake for Valentine's Day. It all started after Nanase made the comment in a training session on how to make one without failing in the attempt. Shidou, who would inevitably hear everything, had volunteered to help in the process, because according to him and the rest of the team –who had been used for their culinary tastings– he made the best desserts.
So after thinking about it a little and having no options due to time, since Blue Lock didn't let them go outside to buy one, Rin had no choice but to accept Ryusei's help to make the cake. Of course, it was Nanase who informed Shidou about the person who needed his help, his free training had to be of some use. And there they were, the three of them, incredibly peaceful in the middle of the night.
Very unlike what Rin thought, Shidou was very cooperative. He didn't question Rin's request, he didn't ask who the lucky person might be (so far), and very contrary to what was expected, he quoted Rin one night before Valentine's Day mentioning something about "there is nothing more pleasant than eating a freshly made dessert" –or almost freshly made– Rin didn't remember; What he does remember is seeing him jumping happily in the kitchen, while he was carrying his favorite recipe book and a notebook. He even celebrated Nanase joining his "wonderful creation", as he had named her.
Standing in the kitchen, they were waiting for the time to bake the heart-shaped cake –a condition imposed by Shidou, since he believed that love should be shown even in food– to be ready to leave it in the refrigerator.
—«You know, Rin, I like to help people in love» –Shidou says with a proud smile on his face. Rin just stares into space, while Nanase gives them both his nervous smile. For him it was a lot that nothing happened between them. And despite spending hours trying to make the cake, he knows that Rin's form of gratitude was silence, not falling for provocations and putting up with all the stupidity that came out of Shidou's mouth.
When they finally feel like they are finishing, they get to work adding some strawberries and placing the last filling. Everything was going well for Rin, wondering if the dessert would be to the taste of his...almost boyfriend? Another question to resolve, but I would leave it for the end of the day, when I delivered the dessert on the date I had planned, perhaps confessing could turn out better than I thought.
Rin believed that everything was going to turn out in order when working with Ryusei, he believed it, until he asks the last question that leaves Rin frozen.
—«So, RinRin, what is his name?» –He says with a smile on his face. Rin, who has tried to appear as calm as possible, decides to ignore the question and instead picks up the cake to take it to the refrigerator, until he is intercepted by Shidou, who has stood next to him to grab the cake.
—«That? Are you going to leave it without an addressee?» –He mentions with a very false face of surprise. —«Don't tell me you're ashamed. Come on, RinRin, I agreed to help you, at least I deserve to know who the lucky person is...» –he asks cautiously, though he obviously didn't want to be cautious. Shidou was thinking about his next move when Rin spoke.
—«You know, cockroach, I don't think it's any of your business, and if he agreed to come here it was of his own free will. I will pay you if necessary for the effort, but...»
—«Bla bla bla. I don't need your money. I did this because I wanted to and because I have a new topic of conversation to talk about with your brother, lower eyelashes. If you don't want to say, okay, maybe I already have the answer for that». –Shidou interrupts with a haughty smile. He hands the dessert to Nanase to store in the refrigerator and leaves without saying anything.
Rin is surprised, relieved, and then scared by the last bit. How did he know the answer? They had been discreet about their "relationship" (if you could call it that). It was almost impossible...
—«Rin-san, you shouldn't think about it so much.» –Nanase mentions while he puts the cake in the refrigerator. —«Shidou tends to be explosive sometimes, and even he usually lies to get his way, you shouldn't give it any importance.»
Rin sighs in relief for what was said and because Shidou is no longer close to them. Nanase is right, the cockroach was explosive and he loved getting into other people's heads. "Everything will be fine" he tells himself. Nanase, who sees Rin having a mental battle, adds: —«I think, Rin-san, your special someone likes the cake you made for him. There is nothing better than delivering something made by yourself, that just shows how much you care, especially if putting up with Shidou adds to the equation. How about we clean up before going to sleep?»
Rin sighs, and if before he didn't know if he was right to take Nanase as his ward, now he knows. The boy is calm, he knows how to keep his distance and tries to match him on the court. Now he sees it more clearly, he is his partner and he knows he can trust him.
—«It's Yoichi», –he says in a whisper.
"I knew it", Nanase thinks, and he even guesses why Shidou said what he said. Because it is obvious to everyone except them. At Rin's confession, he is happy. He opened up his feelings to her and he will do anything to make Valentine's Day special for him. That will be his other form of gratitude.
—«Thank you. And no matter who he is, I know he will be happy with the gift. Isagi likes sweets, by the way».
At the comment, Rin blushes, but he nods at what was said and decides to retire with Nanase to mentally prepare for what he will say later, because he doubts that he will be able to sleep due to nervousness. He hopes everything turns out well.
The next day it is a topic of conversation. When Shidou arrived with the news that Rin wanted her help making a chocolate cheesecake, what else could the confession mean to Karasu? Rin, the emo of PXG, requesting the help of Shidou –his arch-enemy– to make a Valentine's Day dessert? "For whom?", he asks himself, as he grabs his cell phone and writes to Hiori and Otoya about his new discovery. The news spreads like wildfire, first to Hiori, then to the entire German stratum and, later, to the Spanish stratum (mainly Bachira).
When Hiori sits on her bed talking about what happened at PXG, Isagi, who is diligently folding her clothes, listens with a smile on her face. He wonders how delicious their dessert was. He knows he will enjoy it because he loves cheesecake and is that special person everyone wants to meet.
Yukimiya is shocked when he hears what happened. "I guess it's true that love changes people", he thinks. But something is not clear to him, or maybe he just wants to make sure that his suspicions are true. —«My question is... Who will the dessert be for? Isagi, do you know something?» –Yukimiya mentions cautiously. Isagi just blushes at the question. And when he's thinking about how to respond, someone opens the door.
—«It's Charles!», –shouts Kurona, who was entering the Bastard's shared bedroom.
—«It's Charles what?» –Hiori asks in amazement, looking directly at Isagi in the process.
—«Rin's special person. I heard from Shidou that the two of them went out to buy some chocolates to celebrate with everyone in the afternoon, as planned. Also, I heard something about accompanying him to eat the cake they made last night after the celebration. On the terrace, at night.
Isagi doesn't know how to react. Something inside him moves. He doesn't know if it's jealousy, the only thing he knows and he was almost, almost sure, is that the only one who deserved that cake was him. Rin Itoshi's number 1 rival, who was proclaimed and pursued by Rin in the middle of his match against PXG. And even though he knew that Charles was just the midfielder of the French team, a 15-year-old brat, he no longer knows what to do with that information. So with all the destructive thoughts in the world, he leaves the room ignoring Hiori and Kurona's call and heads to the French stratum. Rin will listen to him and he better have a convincing excuse.