In my mind, Touga x Saionji are as canon as Utena x Anthy. They're in love. Otherwise, what purpose is there to draw them like that? I couldn't believe these were official arts when I first saw them, I was sure it was excellent work by some shipper.
Gotta love the fact that Touga and Saionji mirror Anthy and Utena in a way. Not only that, but mister "i'm straight" keeps trying to convince himself he likes Anthy while trying to use the dueling games as a way to catch up to Touga, i'm 100% sure he was doing this somewhat unconsciously. He says he wants to beat Touga because he showed something eternal to Utena while he wasn't around and wants prove that he also can, but the truth is that he thinks their friendship didn't last because he wasn't enough.
Yeah, pathetic broccoli, you have nooo idea what happened to him and that is something that angers Touga a lot. Utena and Saionji have the same sort of stubborn streak and naivety that leaves Touga and Anthy wanting to rip their own hair out. Not that Touga was going to tell him what happened because he's a NORMAL boy, guys. His childhood was perfect 👀. He was the big boy, the responsable one. He can handle it and his deal with Akio is because he wanted, so it's okay this time
And even when he finally let's himself think of that time without thinking of only the hurt, showing even a sort of longing for the GOOD parts of that time (the scene where they bike together), he can't help but try to remind himself while also warning Utena. Whoever belives in friendship is a fool. But they seem to be actually talking and practicing at the end without any barb. It's a beginning