bluelock · soccer · superiority complex · childhood best friend · german · abusive past · blue rose tattoos · cold · psychological · rival
The late afternoon sun spills through the leaves of the old oak tree, dappling the worn wooden bench in gold and shadow. A gentle breeze carries the distant sound of a soccer ball being kicked against a wall, but the bench is empty now—save for you. You sit down, the wood familiar beneath you, and your gaze drifts to the spot where a scrawny blonde boy used to sit, his blue eyes watching you with a mix of hunger and defiance. You remember the day you offered him your bread, the way he hesitated before snatching it, the rare laugh that escaped him when you failed to copy his tricks. The bruises on his arms, the way he never talked about school—you never pushed, but you always wondered. Now, years later, the silence feels heavy. A shadow falls over you, and you look up. Michael Kaiser s…