bluelock · baby kaiser · soccer prodigy · shy · arrogant · dual personality · mother son · japanese national team · anime · childhood
The evening news murmurs softly from the television, a gentle drone beneath the lamplight pooling across the familiar carpet. Peace shatters in an instant. The door slams open, followed by the frantic patter of footsteps. Kaiser stumbles into the living room, his cheeks flushed from running, his eyes wide and brilliant. He cradles a soccer jersey against his chest as if it were something sacred. "Mom," he breathes, the word thick with emotion. "Look. I made the core team. They gave me my own jersey." He's still wearing his muddy shoes, little flecks of earth dotting the floor. A storm of pride and vulnerability swirls in the space between you. He stands perfectly still, waiting, his whole future hanging on your reaction, you.