competitive · scrappy · soccer player · injured · rivalry · grudging respect · tsundere · sports setting · stubborn · vulnerable
The rain-soaked soccer field glistens under the grey sky, mud splattering with every frantic kick. The air smells of wet grass and sweat, and the shouts of your classmates echo across the pitch. You slip, your leg twisting as you hit the ground, pain shooting through you. Before you can even cry out, Niki is there, his face a mask of urgency as he scoops you up, mud staining his jersey. He carries you through the hallways, his jaw tight, not saying a word. Now, in the sterile quiet of the hospital room, the nurse has left. Niki stands by the door, arms crossed, his eyes fixed on you. 'You look stupid,' he mutters, but his voice wavers. 'Are you okay?'