[FIC] - He Tries - Eyeshield 21 - for lexarose
Title: He Tries
Author: Alissa
Fandom: Eyeshield 21
Characters/Pairing: Shin x Sakuraba (squint for it)
Requested by: lexarose, here
Note: I hope this fulfills the request. Also, I have only read up to where the scanlations are currently (chapter 57), so if I've blatantly contradicted something can we call it AU? ^^;;
Disclaimer: Does not belong to me.
It starts with a simple enough request that Sakuraba says much more awkwardly than he intends. But once the words are coughed up he relaxes. Shin says yes, and that is enough.
Shin agrees to help Sakuraba for one month, as that is all the time they have before the Fall tournament begins. They have been playing football for quite a while together, but this is the first time that Sakuraba has looked so serious. He's even waking up an hour earlier to take a morning jog, and since he sees Shin on these early mornings, it is only logical that they jog together.
Shin gives Sakuraba a notebook one day with assorted color coded headers and grids, outlining what he is to eat and the type of exercise he is supposed to do on any given day. The notebook itself looks like it has seen better days. Shin has used it all year and thinks that Sakuraba should be able to follow it with a few mild adjustments. The adjustments turn out to be a little more major than he had anticipated, but they adapt.
Sakuraba's neck injury, however, flares up occasionally sending pain down into his back. Shin knows that over exertion will only lead to further injury and tells him this while he is kneading the muscles of Sakuraba's back and shoulders with his rough fingertips.
---
Shin plays football because of a very raw need. One that Sakuraba sees in glimpses. It is something that, Sakuraba decided long ago, he will never understand.
Sakuraba plays football because someone told him he'd be good at it.
The more people notice Sakuraba, the less he wants to be noticed. So he's not exactly sure why he is doing this. Maybe because if he's going to be noticed anyway, he should be doing something worth noticing. But he can fail in front of them and they'll call him a hero. One of the few who will tell him when he fails is Shin.
---
The Deimon Devil Bats have become ridiculously prominent in the months leading up to the tournament. Not only because of the many colorful provocations made by their rather infamous running back, but they've also managed to pull together a respectable team. One that Shin is still sure that his own team can beat, but respectable.
Because of this, the stadium is so full that people are spilling into the aisles. He sees Sena sitting quietly on the bench from across the field, not looking anything like the force he is. And when the tall quarterback comes up behind Sena with a familiar grin, Shin turns his eyes before the blast is heard...because he really just doesn't want to know.
Sakuraba is standing behind him, one foot on the field, twisting his fingers almost into a knot. When Shin steps back and puts a hand on Sakuraba's back he can feel the muscles tensing up.
He says something quietly so that only Sakuraba can hear and Sakuraba walks onto the field to camera flashes and the roar of the crowd.
He is standing with his head a little higher than it used to be. But really only enough for Shin to notice.
Author: Alissa
Fandom: Eyeshield 21
Characters/Pairing: Shin x Sakuraba (squint for it)
Requested by: lexarose, here
Note: I hope this fulfills the request. Also, I have only read up to where the scanlations are currently (chapter 57), so if I've blatantly contradicted something can we call it AU? ^^;;
Disclaimer: Does not belong to me.
It starts with a simple enough request that Sakuraba says much more awkwardly than he intends. But once the words are coughed up he relaxes. Shin says yes, and that is enough.
Shin agrees to help Sakuraba for one month, as that is all the time they have before the Fall tournament begins. They have been playing football for quite a while together, but this is the first time that Sakuraba has looked so serious. He's even waking up an hour earlier to take a morning jog, and since he sees Shin on these early mornings, it is only logical that they jog together.
Shin gives Sakuraba a notebook one day with assorted color coded headers and grids, outlining what he is to eat and the type of exercise he is supposed to do on any given day. The notebook itself looks like it has seen better days. Shin has used it all year and thinks that Sakuraba should be able to follow it with a few mild adjustments. The adjustments turn out to be a little more major than he had anticipated, but they adapt.
Sakuraba's neck injury, however, flares up occasionally sending pain down into his back. Shin knows that over exertion will only lead to further injury and tells him this while he is kneading the muscles of Sakuraba's back and shoulders with his rough fingertips.
---
Shin plays football because of a very raw need. One that Sakuraba sees in glimpses. It is something that, Sakuraba decided long ago, he will never understand.
Sakuraba plays football because someone told him he'd be good at it.
The more people notice Sakuraba, the less he wants to be noticed. So he's not exactly sure why he is doing this. Maybe because if he's going to be noticed anyway, he should be doing something worth noticing. But he can fail in front of them and they'll call him a hero. One of the few who will tell him when he fails is Shin.
---
The Deimon Devil Bats have become ridiculously prominent in the months leading up to the tournament. Not only because of the many colorful provocations made by their rather infamous running back, but they've also managed to pull together a respectable team. One that Shin is still sure that his own team can beat, but respectable.
Because of this, the stadium is so full that people are spilling into the aisles. He sees Sena sitting quietly on the bench from across the field, not looking anything like the force he is. And when the tall quarterback comes up behind Sena with a familiar grin, Shin turns his eyes before the blast is heard...because he really just doesn't want to know.
Sakuraba is standing behind him, one foot on the field, twisting his fingers almost into a knot. When Shin steps back and puts a hand on Sakuraba's back he can feel the muscles tensing up.
He says something quietly so that only Sakuraba can hear and Sakuraba walks onto the field to camera flashes and the roar of the crowd.
He is standing with his head a little higher than it used to be. But really only enough for Shin to notice.