Catching Up

by The Night Owl is Addicted

When you fall back, all you need is a little determination to be able to catch back up. Kaitani Riku, in an effort to get back his lost position, musters up all the determination he needs. It's a slow process, but he'll get there soon. Oneshot

Gelly: Woah. I didn't think that the ES21 archive was this small XD... Anyway. First official fanfic posted for Eyeshield 21. I totally did not rip this off from my application at a certain role-play community at LJ. Nope. Not. At. All.

This little drabble could be interpreted as the rivalry between Riku and Sena, and mainly how Riku perseveres to be better. If you want to go beyond that, be my guest.

Disclaimer: Do not own.

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Catching Up

The Night Owl is Addicted

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The field stretched out before him.

How many times had he run those 40 yards? How many hours had he spent dashing to and fro that distance? How often had he fell from exhaustion, only to stand up again, knowing that he ran that same distance at a faster pace than he, himself, could ever run?

"Eyeshield 21- no, Sena..." The said boy's self-proclaimed 'big brother' murmured before the start of the clock.

"Go!" came the signal.

Riku sprinted. For 4.5 seconds he ran till the end. Always, for 4.5 seconds.

Faster.

No matter the terrain, He sped through them all. No matter the slope, Riku had climbed them all. No matter the climate, he had practiced till he no longer can... But so had Sena.

Faster.

Riku was his master, his teacher... He had to be better. Sena was the student, he was not supposed to pass him. But he did.

Faster.

Speed was their only weapon. That was what Riku told him, and they knew that it was true. They had neither height, nor power. It was their only choice.

And they would not exchange it for anything else. With it, they could overcome obstacles that were never expected from the likes of them. With it, they've managed to beat those who others thought were out of their league. With it, Riku managed to meet Sena when they were just kids. With it, they've managed to meet again after years of being apart.

Faster.

With speed, they had gone far. But why does he feel that he is now running behind Sena, when before, it was him who was running behind Riku's back? It wasn't fair.

That's why he had to be faster. It didn't matter if he's ahead, he just didn't want to be left behind again.

'But don't you ever slow down for me. I'll catch up to you, you'll see.'

"...I'm almost there..." Riku reached the end of the 40 yard mark.

"Time, 4.4 seconds."