Sidon's Perspective-

This was it.

His week had finally arrived.

Sidon took a deep breath as he listened to the Coach go through their drills once more before their weekend match.

The time had finally come.

Saturday (Link's Perspective)-

Link glanced at his phone when he saw it buzzing.

He answered through his headphones and heard what sounded like crying.

A spark of panic and concern shot through him and he tried to calm his boyfriend down before deciding to head over himself to see what was wrong.

-

Link walked up to Sidon's room and saw him cuddled up in his blankets.

Link put his headphones around his neck and sat down on the edge of his bed.

"Hey...what's wrong?" Link asked softly.

Sidon sniffed and pulled the blanket down and Link winced.

Sidon sighed and wiped his eyes. There was a throbbing pain in his ear, he wasn't being careful enough with getting all the water out.

"I can't go to the game." He mumbled, feeling the world weigh down on him.

Link frowned and wrapped his arm around Sidon, who melted into the embrace.

"Hey, it's okay," Link said gently, squeezing Sidon a little tighter. "You'll get through this."

Sidon leaned into Link, trying to shake off the heaviness in his chest. "But it's the championship! I've been looking forward to it all season..."

Link nodded, understanding the disappointment. "I know. But your health comes first. You need to take care of that ear."

Sidon sighed again, his voice muffled in Link's shoulder. "I just feel so...left out. I feel like I messed up and let everyone down..."

"How did you let us down?"

"Because you guys were excited to see me out there, and then I got this stupid ear pain. My team needs me, I let them all down. What kind of captain am I?" Sidon asked, running a hand through his tangled hair.

Link leaned back and looked into Sidon's eyes.

"You're a great captain, you know that? You're not letting anyone down by missing this, you're still a big part of that team."

Sidon met Link's gaze, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. "But I should be there with them, supporting them. I trained so hard for this..."

Link nodded, letting Sidon's frustration wash over him. "You've put in so much effort, and that's what counts. It's okay to take a step back when you need to. You're not just a captain on the field; you're a leader in how you care for yourself and your team."

Sidon let out a shaky breath, the warmth of Link's gaze grounding him. "I just wish I could be there. I don't want to miss out on the excitement or let anyone down."

"Missing one game doesn't erase everything you've done for them," Link reassured him. "And you know they'll be cheering for you, even if you're not physically there. You're still part of the team, Sidon."

A small, hopeful smile flickered on Sidon's lips. "You really think so?"

"Absolutely. You're not just a player; you're their captain, and that means more than just being on the field. You've inspired them all season. They'll want you to get better so you can lead them next time."

Later-

Kyle finished his lap and heaved as he stepped out, feeling completely spent. His butterfly stroke wasn't the prettiest, but it got him through quickly.

"Here, dry off."

"Thanks." Kyle took a deep breath, taking off his goggles. His brow furrowed as he saw Sidon.

"Sidon? What are you doing here?"

Sidon smiled, "Link convinced me to still be here to help out, and Coach said it wasn't too late for me to show up."

Kyle chuckled and Sidon smiled.

"You're always full of surprises, aren't you?"

Sidon shrugs, smiling.

"Speaking of which," Kyle mumbled, his voice muffled as he rubbed to towel over his face, "What's going on with you and that fencer?"

Sidon blushed and Kyle chuckled teasingly.

A whistle blew and other players launched into the water.

Sidon's attention was stolen as he watched his teammate swim, and he cheered him on.

Kyle chuckled and he stood beside Sidon as they shouted encouragements.