Ascension│Bluelock x male reader

24. Physical Training

"Y/N, what the hell?"

From where he was doing a plank on the floor, his forearms placed onto the ground supporting his body, Y/N looked up. It wasn't the most difficult thing he'd done - he wasn't nearly as muscled as everyone else, and being light was part of his advantages as it allowed him to change direction easier.

So, supporting his weight wasn't too difficult. But after a good ten minutes, there was an uncomfortable heat building in his abdomen, and his breathing was slowly but surely getting heavier.

"How are you not tired?!" Kuon knelt by his face, looking genuinely shocked.

Y/N just shrugged nonchalantly, looking not bothered in the slightest by the plank. "It's not that difficult...?" He was growing bored of the exercise - there was only so much he could look at while lying there on the floor.

Sighing, he drew his knees to his chest, crouching on the balls of his feet as he looked up at Kuon. "What, is there another exercise to do?"

They'd been going at it for the last few days. Team Z was already used to the routine, waking up at eight in the morning.

After that early wake up, and perhaps a quick cold shower to wake them up, they would head to breakfast. It was a quick meal, scarfing down either rice, bread, or cereal with a few small sides. Nobody really spared much time on it.

At nine a.m, Team Z would be called as a group to a training room. There was a virtual army of treadmills, and every single one of them was forced on a two-hour long run, designed to build their stamina. Y/N found it easy - in fact, he found it boring.

While all of Team Z were puffing away, breaths rattling in their chest as they struggled, Y/N was casually running on max incline, looking like it was nothing but a walk in the park. Running was probably one of his strongest suits, and it was nice to get some proper exercise after the days of pretending to be useless.

At eleven, there was a small break for them to eat lunch. Team Z were usually completely dead by then, stumbling to the cafeteria like zombies to try and snag their food first. Often, Y/N would skip ahead, laughing as he helped a panting Chigiri or out-of-breath Bachira.

Another small one hour break after lunch, and at one in the afternoon, it was time for a new set of exercises. Ultra core training began with Y/N doing his best to not get given the hardest tasks. His upper body, compared to most people at his level, was pretty weak.

If I just run around them, I don't need a good physique to fight them, nor do I need muscles to keep possession... Y/N told himself, but he also knew it was just excuses.

That was another two hours. Unlike the run, which left the players out of breath, the core training left them with muscle pains, sore limbs, and a shrinking appetite. Igaguri and Naruhaya both were sick, dry-heaving into buckets while trying to hold their stomachs.

They were given another one hour break. At that point in the day, Y/N was essentially the only one functioning properly. He would sit there quietly, as his friends and teammates lay around him trying to catch some more sleep.

Of course, it would be disturbed by their next bit of physical conditioning, which was weightlifting. A few people on Team Z actually enjoyed this. Gagamaru and Kunigami tended to lead the team in lifting, teaching correct posture as well as showing off the different types of machines they could use.

Sprints were at six, after the two hours of weightlifting. This was where Y/N liked to take charge, showing off the different ways to get speed, tactics on gaining acceleration as well as slowing down, and changing directions. Chigiri also got more involved, sprinting after him.

And finally, at the end of a long day of physical training, everyone ate dinner at eight. Team V was also there, as well as Niko, Barou, and the taller of the Wanima brothers.

Taking a tray, Y/N walked along the line. He was starving, and he hadn't even pushed himself that hard.

It was the ninth day of their physical training. Y/N had gotten used to the tough training, unlike everyone else. Though, he'd gone through much, much worse in Ascension, and compared to the literal endless exercises there, Bluelock's training was practically child's play.

The cafeteria was quieter than it had been before, with everybody being incredibly worn out. However, there was still a lot of talking, and noise, with the twenty-five boys in the room.

Niko, Barou, and... Y/N thought his name was Junichi Wanima? They all sat on the same small table, brought together by being the three lone survivors of their team. Team V seemed happy enough, grinning and laughing together, and Team Z shared the same quiet camaraderie as usual.

As soon as he'd picked up his usual tray of miso soup, rice, and chicken skewers, Y/N was bombarded with choices of where to sit.

Nagi and Reo both were watching him intently, the latter giving him a small wave as he beckoned him over. Team V had gotten used to Y/N hanging around their two star players, and even welcomed him now that the first selection was over.

Niko glanced over at Y/N, eyes hidden behind his hair. He didn't say anything, but gestured invitingly to the seat next to him.

Bachira and Chigiri were also watching him, as well as many of the people in Team Z as they all sat down with their food.

Even Barou was watching him. The tall 'king' had both eyes fixed on him, making him shift uncomfortably as Barou silently commanded him to sit at his table.

In the end, Y/N sat by himself. He headed over to an empty table in the corner of the cafeteria, plonking down onto one of the chairs as he slid his tray in front of him.

"Hmm..."

Trying to ignore the multiple gazes lasering into his back, he grinned to himself, humming as he organised his food. It was all steaming hot, and Y/N took a spoon of soup, blowing on it gently.

As he began to eat, at peace by himself in the corner of the large room, he began to hum out a quiet song. "Lady... running down to the riptide..."

He didn't know why he'd suddenly remembered the song, but for some reason he could picture it in his head. Humming softly, he continued singing, though his English pronunciation had a small accent. "Taken away to the darkside..."

The accent made his voice sound a bit off, but he kept at it, sweetly murmuring the lyrics. "I wanna be your left hand man..."

He didn't notice how the cafeteria was getting quieter, the chattering and clinking of cutlery getting less loud. For now, his food was left aside as he continued. "I love you, when you're singing that song and I got a lump in my throat 'cause you're gonna sing the words wrong."

His gentle, delicate voice echoed slightly off the walls, as he smiled to himself, sitting there alone. The cafeteria was pretty much silent, most people watching his back as he sang. And when he finished, he didn't notice the sudden quiet, going back to his food.