It was the day before the big game, and Mark and Axel wanted to treat each other to a proper date as a sort of pre-match treat.
The two boys went to the city, Axel even letting Mark hold his hand since,"We are on a date after all,"the silver haired boy smiled.
The two just walked around the city, until they came across a vintage looking sweet shop.
"I always used to go here as a kid, Axel! The hard candies and lollypops they sell are like nothing else I've ever had! It would be cruel to not let you try them!"Mark said passionately, starry eyed.
"If you insist,"Axel couldn't help but smile as Mark dragged him into the shop.
The old woman behind the counter smiled at the two boys.
"Hi Mark. Long time no see,"she said.
"Hello, miss!"Mark said excitedly. "The usual! Though I suppose you can double it,"he gestured to Axel.
"And who is this? I've never seen you bring a friend before,"said the old woman.
"Oh, him? He's not just a friend. He's..."Mark stopped and looked at Axel. They had never truly defined what the relationship was.
But Axel just smiled at the old woman and extended his other hand towards her. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Mark's boyfriend."
Mark could've passed out on the spot. Or melted. Or floated into the sky with happiness. He just felt fluffy.
"He's my boyfriend,"Mark said proudly.
"Oh, I'm so happy that you finally found somebody, Mark,"she smiled.
"What do you mean, finally?"Mark said playfully. "I'm still young!"
The old woman chuckled before handing them a bag. "Enjoy it. There's not many young people like you who would even bother with this type of shop anymore, so I appreciate your business."
Mark was fumbling around in his wallet, looking for money to pay when three extremely ugly boys burst into the shop.
"Get down on the ground!"one of them yelled.
Axel and Mark instinctively turned around. Axel instantly felt weak when he saw who the voice was coming from. The boys from his old school.
"Axel Blaze. What a fucking coincidence."
"And look at his little boyfriend,"the second boy said mockingly.
"I don't want any trouble,"the old woman said.
"We were going to rob your shop, but running into Axel Blaze is far more interesting. So we'll let you off this time."
Axel and Mark both tried to quietly leave the shop, but the three brothers continued to follow them, yelling insults at them as they walked down the street.
"Gay boy! Stopping running away from us!"
Mark had had enough. "Can you guys just shut up and stop bothering us?! Get a life! Who even are you anyways? What did Axel even do to you?"
One boy feigned sadness. "Aww, your boyfriend didn't tell you about us? I feel so upset!"
"We're his old teammates! From Kirkwood."
"You should be ashamed to admit that. Raimon is a disgrace. I knew that Jude sharp had joined the team, but now they have three gay players?!"
"We have more than that,"Mark said proudly. "And who the fuck cares? What is it to you? Just let me love who I want to love!"
"Oh you love him? Boo!"one boy said. "How pathetic. How weak!"
"Can you just leave this alone and we can solve this issue on the pitch?"Axel said tiredly.
"Aww, gay boy doesn't want to fight?"
Mark's heart was pumping so hard he found it difficult to breathe. The anger was surging through him. How dare they mock the boy that he cared for so much?
"We will fight,"Mark said. "On the pitch!"
He then put his arm around Axel and the two boys walked away, and this time the three brothers didn't follow them, much to Axel's relief.
******
"You never told me that you were bullied in your last school,"Mark said softly. He and Axel were sitting at the top of the Inazuma tower again.
"I didn't want to burden you. Besides, it was so long ago-"
"But it clearly still affects you. That's why you didn't want to go public, isn't it?"
Axel sighed. "I was never ashamed of you or anything. I was just scared-"
"Our team would never act that way!"
"I know. But our team is so famous now, it would worry me. Not just for my safety, but for yours too. Plus, I just didn't want to bring you down."
"I know that homophobes exist, Axel,"Mark said, a bemused expression on his face.
"I know. I just didn't want you to experience it when you were with me,"Axel sighed. "I'd blame myself."
"I would never blame you, and you shouldn't either. You should blame close minded idiots like them,"Mark said passionately.
Axel just smiled and cupped Mark's face.
"I wish everyone in the whole world was as pure as you are."