I started writing this after episode 27 and now I rushed to finish at least one chapter after episode 32 so canon won't ruin all my hopes and dreams once everything is revealed
This idea was a spur of the moment at 1 am or so, don't ask me what I was thinking I don't know either
also writing a sort of match without knowing how an entire team plays is hard
Kudo and comment if you like it please? It helps me actually finish writing stuff
The Inazuma Japan thought they were prepared for everything, for anything they wouldn't expect, when they were about to step on the pitch to face Russia.
They were so, so wrong.
Atsuya was the first to notice, his eyes going wide and all the words dying in his throat as he saw him walk on the field, sporting the white and blue russian uniform. The rest of the team quickly followed with surprised gasps, confused faces, wounded looks and glares of betrayal, Hikaru in particular looking very pale.
Shirou refused to look at any of them. Something had died in his eyes.
Avoiding their gazes, Shirou tried to fix his shirt collar enough to hide the brand on his collarbone, but no matter how much he tugged at the fabric, that mark was still stubbornly showing, there for everyone to see. It was another painful proof of his betrayal exposed to the world, almost mocking them, showing them how far lost their friend- his brother was.
Before anyone could ask, accuse him of his wrong doings, the match had already started.
Japan kicked the ball, and Russia was immediately on them like a perfectly coordinated pack of wolves, Froy leading the attack with Shirou at his side, expression unreadable and actively trying to avoid Atsuya.
They got past Japan's defense with a startling ease, Froy passing the ball at Shirou once he was close enough to shoot, the action alone already raising more than one red flag. Atsuya knew very well every hissatsu Shirou could use, he didn't have any shot other than those they used together. Something was very wrong, and he hated not knowing what.
Then, Shirou kicked the ball high in the air, and everything grew colder.
The ice was surrounding him, creeping on the ground as sharp pillars rose from the ground all around him like a cage. Frost covered his limbs, unnatural spikes of ice sprouting from his body and forcing their way on his skin, taking over like he had become their puppet. The shards embedded on his back were still growing, bigger and sharper until they resembled deadly wings of ice and frost, stray snowflakes gracefully dancing in the wind circling his figure.
Atsuya's heart nearly stopped at the sight. He recognized the beginning of their hissatsu, knew already what it could do to the body, but the rest of this technique was new, and he dreaded to know what would happen to his brother afterwards.
With each shuddering breath came a puff of cold air, his whole body shivering like he was standing in the middle of a blizzard. Something flashed in his eyes, too fast for Atsuya to catch. Before he could yell at him to stop, Shirou was high in the air, hoisted by his wings and shooting, the shards of ice stabbed into his leg embedding themselves into the ball.
"Fallen angel."
It froze the net before Endou could even try to catch it.
The announcer was frantically talking, but Atsuya wasn't hearing a word, all of his attention on the hunched figure of his brother, taking in the way his body was shaking, how his breath was heavy and ragged, how he looked like he was freezing in place. He didn't miss how no one in the russian team seemed to care.
After a few moments, Shirou willed himself to stand up, absently rubbing his arms while he returned to his position. His eyes met Atsuya's, and he hurried to look away, too many emotions flashing through his eyes to pick them all apart. Atsuya recognized some of them; shame, frustration, guilt.
He had been angry when he found out about his brother, when he saw him leaking their data and then walking into the field on the russian side. He felt betrayed, stabbed right through the heart, like he was facing a stranger, an enemy instead of the only family he had left.
He wasn't so sure anymore.
Someone called his name and he rushed back to his position, fists clenched and heart heavy. Whatever happened, his brother was suffering the consequences alone, and he wouldn't stand for it.
Before the referee could whistle to resume the match, their coach made Saginuma and Nishikage enter the field, and the tension already lingering in the air only grew until it almost drowned them. That shoot was so strong he thought they needed the Asura to stop it. That couldn't be good.
They didn't have time to dwell on that thought, the match was quickly resumed and they could barely keep possession of the ball, and it wasn't just because of Russia's strength.
Then, the russian captain stole the ball with a precise slide.
Froy smiled and looked at Shirou, his grin not faltering even when he saw him flinch.
"Don't you dare-" Atsuya was standing in front of him, blocking his brother from Froy's sight and stealing back the ball in a second. Like hell he was going to let them go on with this, forcing his brother to shoot and slowly kill himself. One time was enough already, he wouldn't stand by and see what happened if Shirou overused that technique.
His efforts were quickly thwarted, two of the russian players getting in the way as he tried to pass the ball, taking and kicking it before Atsuya could react. It landed at Shirou's feet, close enough to shoot. Froy smiled at him, a dangerous edge to it, and Shirou silently clenched his fists, kicking it into the air as the scarily familiar ice surrounded him. The air was only a few grades colder, and yet Atsuya felt like he had been standing in the snow barefoot for hours, cold creeping into his bones and soul.
The Asura barely managed to stop the Fallen angel in time, the shot dangerously close to breaking through it. There was little relief to be had in that, especially after seeing Shirou fall to his knees and struggle to get back up, shivering and coughing, skin so deadly pale he looked ready to fall over.
Atsuya was the first to rush towards him, opposing teams be damned, when Froy stood between him and his brother, fake concern carefully woven into his expression.
"What's the matter? Were those two shots enough to drain you already? Do you need to sit this one out?"
"N-no! I-I can keep p-playing-" Everyone within earshot knew that was a lie, only having to listen to his shaky and breathless voice to know, to find the panic, the dread, the fear slipping into it. Froy didn't seem to care.
"Good! Let's win this then." Atsuya had to use every ounce of willpower he had to not punch him right there and then. Seeing the pain in his brother's eyes only made it harder.
"Just hold on a little longer- I'll save you." If Shirou heard his whisper, he didn't react, grimly following Froy like a man being sent to his death.
"Everyone! We have to stop Fubuki from shooting no matter what!" Gone was Endou's usual carefree grin ready to enjoy a good match, replaced by grim determination. A chorus of yes readily answered him, and Atsuya couldn't have been any more grateful.
The first half was tense, but they managed to keep the ball away from Shirou, although their chances to shoot were lower and none of the few they got successful, the ball always stopped by the smirking keeper like it was child's play and none of the russian players looking tired. The problem of the current score was still there.
Atsuya was quiet from his spot on the grass, mindlessly twirling the now empty bottle in his hands as he tried to tune in whatever conversation was going on between the rest of the team, barely managing to catch one or two words before his mind drifted away. He glanced at the other team's bench, but Shirou was nowhere to be seen. He didn't like it.
"We have to stop focusing so much on just keeping the ball and attack." Silence fell on the team as they looked over at him.
"But-"
"I know what'll happen if my brother gets the ball." His growl was enough to shut Mansaku up. "But this will only get worse if we don't win. Whatever happened, he isn't playing with them willingly, so what do you think will happen if Russia wins and keeps playing?" His grip on the bottle was so tight he might break it. "I don't know what that shot is doing to him, but if he keeps using it? It's gonna kill him, I can tell that much- he's already at his limit as it is and we still have another half to play. If it's not in this match, he'll collapse on another. I can't- I won't let that happen." No one pointed out how his voice broke at the end. Without waiting for an answer, Atsuya stood up and headed towards his position on the pitch, waiting for the match to resume.
As expected, Shirou was still playing as a forward in the second half. Froy still wanted to make him shoot, even when he was risking his life doing so. Shirou didn't seem to complain or try to stop either, just wordlessly following his every order like a puppet.
As much as it angered him, Atsuya knew getting pissed off wouldn't save his brother. For once, he forced himself to shove aside those untamed emotions and think with his brain instead of his heart.
Shirou is a defender, isn't used to playing as a forward, shouldn't be able to do it smoothly after having next to no training, it should be easy to make him commit a mistake and use that to their advantage- or so Atsuya thought. He looked almost at ease in his new role, it's scary how effortlessly he could match Atsuya's rougher playstyle. He forced himself to focus on playing instead of thinking of what Orion could've done to him.
He couldn't quite focus as well as he needs to once Shirou was the one fighting him for the ball. He didn't say a word as he faced his brother, briefly hesitating before picking his pace, struggling for a moment before he finally managed to take it. He didn't use Ice Ground despite all the chances he got.
Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him, maybe he was just that desperate, but Atsuya could swear he saw him mouthing an 'I'm sorry'.
"Damn it- don't shoot!" He turned to run towards his brother- but it was useless, he was too fast for him, already dribbling their defense and dangerously close to the goal. No one managed to stop him in time and then he was shooting again- and he fell after kicking the ball towards the goal with all his strength, his wings crumbled and faded into nothing, the ice shattered and he was falling like an angel with clipped wings.
He wasn't high enough for the fall to be lethal, but he wasn't high enough to correct it and land on his feet either. Atsuya did the only thing his panic-driven mind could think of: he threw himself in his path to catch him. On second thought, it was a terrible idea and he'd have some nasty bruises in the morning, but it was still better than letting Shirou get any more hurt.
"A-aniki, are you... aniki?" The first thing he noticed was how cold Shirou was, so cold he could feel it even through their clothes. Then how badly he was shaking, how his skin turned so pale it was almost a deadly shade of white, how he immediately pressed a hand against his mouth when he tried to cough his lungs out. When he felt like he could breathe again and lowered his hand to take in some much needed air, Atsuya saw the blood, and his own ran cold. "A-aniki..."
Shirou only took a moment to stare at the red staining his hand before quickly wiping it off on his shorts, as if that could make everyone just ignore him and move on with the match. Struggling to stand up on shaky legs, he almost stumbled and fell, only managing to regain his balance because Atsuya quickly got up to support him. He almost walked away and back to the russian team when a hand on his wrist stopped him, firm enough to not let him go yet gentle enough to not hurt him, and Atsuya had to force himself to not shiver because damn it Shirou was too cold for his own health.
"Please." The hints of desperation in his voice were like a dagger, stabbing his heart and twisting inside the wound. Atsuya is the overly confident and sometimes annoying kid that everyone wants to slap once in a while- he shouldn't sound so... scared. "Don't do that again. Don't use that shot again- I can't lose you too."
Shirou silently looked away, the emotions shining in his eyes unreadable. When he finally found his voice to speak up, it wasn't more than a hoarse whisper.
"I-I'm sorry... I can't-" Before he could say anything else Froy was already calling him, his eyes going wide before he shrugged off Atsuya's hand to leave.
Atsuya knew by heart Shirou's scared expression, a sight he had dreadfully grown used to after the avalanche when he tried to calm his brother down and snap him out of a panic attack. He had promised himself long ago, when Shirou still pushed through despite everything thrown at them all for his sake, that he'd try his hardest to not have to see that face again, to not have to see his brother so broken and hurt again. The broken promise left a bitter taste like acid in his mouth.
"Haizaki." He turned to face Atsuya upon hearing his name, usual scowl replaced by a questioning look. "Help me score and put an end to this." Normally, he would be complaining, even going as far as taking the ball to try and score himself like the childish bickering with Hiroto that never truly died down. The deadly serious expression on Atsuya's face was enough to shove all those complains into a corner of his mind- the situation was serious enough as it was, he knew they had to win no matter what.
"What do you have in mind?"
"Feel like trying a chained shoot?"
"Are you sure? We never tried this before-"
"I know it could hurt me- just give me your best shot, I'll handle it." For a moment he went quiet, his eyes falling on the still shivering figure of his brother. "Aniki is risking his life in this match. I have to do the same if I want to save him." After a moment of silence, Haizaki just nodded, something akin to understanding in his eyes.
The match resumed with an intense fight for the ball, and when Atsuya finally got it, he forced himself not to look at Shirou in the eyes, passing it to Haizaki before anyone else could try to steal it.
"Now!"
"Got it!" And he's kicking the ball towards Atsuya with all his strength, wisps of dark water surrounding him and the force of the ocean itself at his feet. "Shark the deep!"
The keeper is already preparing to stop the shot, when its course suddenly changes, the massive jaws of the shark threatening to maul Atsuya. He jumped to catch it, blurry wisps of red and black energy gathered at his feet, grunting in pain when he so much as touched the ball, but refusing to back down- he's already known as the bear killer, he can damn well tame a shark if he tries hard enough.
"Hissatsu kumagoroshi zan!" It took all his strength and almost breaking his leg to push against the shark, to redirect its course towards the goal with his own hissatsu.
Against the terrifying power of both animals, the keeper didn't stand a chance.
The effect of their shot was almost immediate over the team, part of that tension holding them in a death grip lifted as soon as the score was turned into a tie. It still wasn't a victory, but they were closer to it now. They could put an end to it and save Shirou.
Atsuya was too busy almost falling over and taking in as much air as he could to notice someone was coming until he was standing next to him. He lifted his head just enough to see Haizaki next to him, worry carefully hidden in the bloody red of his eyes.
"Nice shot."
"... Thanks." There was no further exchange of words, no happy high fives and celebrations after evening the score, the grim reminder of what this match meant for their lost member still heavy on their minds. The two walked back to their half of the pitch in silence.
The match resumed, and Atsuya was more determined than ever to score, to save his brother before he could completely lose him. He already lost a part of his family and soul once, he wouldn't just watch as what little he had left crumbled before his eyes.
Hikaru had been surprisingly quick to cut Froy's pass and take the ball, not an ounce of hesitation like everyone expected in front of his ex-captain, only hardened determination shining in his eyes.
"Atsuya-san!" Before anyone could stop him, the ball was already soaring towards Atsuya, too fast for anyone to intercept the pass.
When he received the ball, something shifted in the air, Russia suddenly wary of him, watching his every movement as if waiting for the moment he would pounce on them like a hungry beast. They weren't wrong to be so on edge. He didn't advance much further into their side before he called forth the raw strength of the winter.
"Destroy everything in your path." His voice sounded calm, yet it held an icy fury, the cold rage of a beast striving to protect who he held close. His brother's pain, frustration, powerlessness, the people that almost broke his family again- he'd destroy everything with his shot.
The wind picked up, the ice encased the ball, snowflakes gently fell around him.
He remembered the day they created this shot together, their first hissatsu before they could perfect their Double white impact, when their parents were still there to cheer them up, when they weren't forced to grow up so fast just to survive. Before the avalanche took everything away. He'd wield that same power to save and protect now.
"Eternal blizzard!"
The shot left a trail of deadly spikes of ice in its path, growing bigger and deadlier as it got closer to the goal, too fast and dangerous to catch.
A whistle, the shot went in.
Three whistles, the match had ended.
It was finally over. Japan won.
Their celebration died down quickly once the adrenaline of the moment wore off. There was a bitter taste left behind once they remembered who was standing on the field, where their friend had gone.
Atsuya was quiet as he regained his breath, looking around in search of his brother because there was no way he was letting him walk away this time, not after what happened. He found him scarily still not too far away, and started making his way over to his brother.
Shirou collapsed in a matter of seconds.