A/N:
Okay so the original plan for this chapter was to stuff the pre-U-20 match and U-20 match all in the same chapter...but last minute i decided against it.
I really like the this Pre-chapter more by itself...it creates suspense and nervous emotion y'know....
Actually, maybe I just enjoy edging my readers 🤓☝️
XOXO
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"You guys are a bunch of Dick Riders"
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=Warnings: Language, A smidge of Angst, Use of the word Twink
8:30 am
10:30:01 until the U-20 Match
"How should I wear my hair? I personally like the two tiny pony-tails~" Bachira quipped, holding his hair into the hairstyle as he grinned.
You let out a laugh, "We should totally match. I'll do ponytails too."
"Can I join in?" Kurona spoke, munching on his toast.
Both you and Bachira nodded eagerly.
"Let's call ourselves the pony-tail platoon~!"
"Megeru, you suck at naming. We should be the power ponies."
"How about 'The Tenacious Tails.'"
Both you and Bachira grew quiet at the nickname Kurona gave, staring at him before exchanging glances and bursting out laughing.
"Yes! That's it!" you laughed out, holding your stomach as Bachira giggled rampantly with his hand over his mouth, pointing at Kurona.
"Eureka-Eureka," Kurona spoke again at the joyful acceptance of his idea.
This only made you and the yellow-toned male laugh harder. It wasn't even that funny, however, you were laughing so hard you were feeling your ribcage cramp up as tears pricked your eyes.
Nervousness was undoubtedly the cause of this slap-happy atmosphere the two of you created.
Karasu nodded his head, giving an unamused look toward the commotion from his end of the table, "Idiots."
"You should wear your hair in ponytails Tabito." Otoya said with a straight face, words slightly muffled as he spoke with a mouth full of cereal, "You'd look totes adorbs."
"Don't say dumbass shit like that again you womanizing freak."
Otoya shrugged, stuffing another spoonful of the cornflakes into his mouth as he watched the commotion from your side of the table.
It took a moment for you to catch your breath from all the frantic giggling, but once you managed to, you began eating your breakfast bowl of fruit, yogurt, and granola.
You looked around for Rin, but suddenly remembered he ate earlier on so he could go do some meditation: pre-game envisioning or whatever. You had tried it once with him and couldn't come up with anything. Envisioning plays was great and all, but not for your play style. Coming up with plays on the spot was more your speed.
Watching Neymar or Messi highlights was your way of preparing for matches. Getting that extra spur of creativity from watching clips of those kinds of players helped to jog your mind for inspiration.
Bachira took a long swing of the milk he had, ending with a refreshed sigh as you glanced at him with a comical smirk.
"You have a mustache."
"Whattt, I wasn't supposed to get one of those until I was older.."
"No Megeru, I meant milk. You have milk above your lip." You giggled, nudging him playfully.
His mouth formed into an 'o' as he whipped his sleeve under his nose, removing the white beverage from his face.
He quirked a brow as if to ask if he had gotten it all to which you responded with a thumbs up and a nod.
Isagi watched you out of the corner of his eye. He was about four seats down at the end next to Nagi. You seemed to be in a better mood than what you had been for the past week, that much was clear. However, he did sense that something was still amiss...
The boy had known you for long enough that he could tell when something weighed for mind. It also helped that he was just perceptive in general, and noticed small shifts in people that would be undetectable to anyone else.
Finishing breakfast, you stood and waved everyone off, walking over to dispose of your tray before turning back and casting a glance in Isagi's direction, looking for where you knew he had just been sitting, but not seeing him there anymore.
Humming to yourself perplexingly, you went to turn around fully, jumping slightly as you were met with a wall.
No...no not a wall. A person.
"Ah, Yoichi..." you huffed in relief, "You startled me."
He scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, "Sorry about that...I was going to ask you to come and do some light practicing with me..."
You were silent for a moment before he added, "Only if you want to though! I don't wanna force you or anything."
Pursing your lips into a small smile, you nodded, "Yeah, sure. Let's go train. I can hardly sit still so it'll definitely do me some good."
The two of you shared a soft laugh, before heading to walk out of the cafeteria. You, of course, gave your table a quick wave as you noticed them watching you and the ravenette exiting the room.
"Think they're on better terms now?" Chigiri asked, turning back to face everyone.
"I didn't realize they were on bad terms..." Bachira responded quizzically.
Reo swallowed his food with a hum, "How'd you not notice? She's been avoiding him all week." he paused, "Well actually...come to think of it, she's been avoiding everyone all week."
"She didn't wanna play Clash of Clans with me," Nagi added with an unchanging expression, swirling his spoon around in his cereal leisurely.
His best friend snorted at the comment, "Yeah because that's probably on her list of main priorities right now."
"Fuck up Reo...our base got raided yesterday..."
The violet-haired male rolled his eyes playfully, bringing a hand down to ruffle Nagi's hair before continuing, "Anyway, I'm hoping whatever's up with her changes soon because we kinda need her for the match later."
"Right." Chigiri nodded in agreeance, "Especially against Sae. If anyone has an idea on how to counter him it would be her..."
"Or Rin-Rin." Bachira added
"Rin-kun probably isn't going to talk much..." Hiori quipped, walking up and setting his tray down before seating himself between Kurona and Chigiri, "He's super focused on the game."
Chigiri hummed, "Yeah, he doesn't say much in general except for swearing at people or talking to Y/N..."
"He does have a bit of a brother complex, to be honest...I mean do you guys see his face every time Itoshi Sae's name is mentioned?" Reo questioned the table
"True, he looks either pissed or determined, I can't really decipher between the two."
"You guys are a bunch of damn gossipers." Karsu quipped, earning a frown from Chigiri
Otoya hummed, "Tabito, don't act like you don't talk shit about Yuki whenever he's not around."
"Yeah, you told me he looked like the nerd emoji yesterday," Hiori added, earning a snort from the green-streaked platinum blonde.
"Nobody likes a fucking snitch Hiorin."
"No one likes a fake friend either." He rebutted, "Poor Yuki, imagine how he feels."
"Imagine how I feel about what?" A voice interrupted, belonging none other to the brunette model as he sat down with his breakfast next to Hiori, glancing around the table.
Chigiri smirked, "So, who's gonna tell him?"
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9:18 am
09:42:00 until the U-20 Match
"Are you feeling any better?"
You stiffened at the question from the male adjacent to you, inhaling through your nose as you stopped walking.
"Yoichi...I..." you swallowed, "Can we talk before practicing... there's some stuff I need to get off my chest."
Now it was Isagis' turn to stiffen up. He stopped his movements with yours as his heart began beating just a bit harder. Several questions swarmed his mind as his palms grew sweaty.
Quirking a brow, he faced you with as much composure as he could manage, "What about? Have I done something wrong...?" he questioned gently, doing his best to hide the nervousness caught in his throat.
"No, you haven't done anything." You replied, "It's me...not you."
Without another word, you continued walking forward in silence, hearing him begin once again to walk as well, now trailing slightly behind as his mind ran rampant. The boy bit the insides of his cheeks, clenching and unclenching his hands from within his pockets as the two of you turned to enter the field area.
You walked over to where the training balls and water station were, before leaning your back against the wall, seeing Isagi stop as he stood before you about two feet away, squeezing his thumbs with his fingers nervously as he looked at you with concern within his deep blue eyes.
Taking a moment to breathe, you let your loud mind focus as you looked up to meet his gaze.
"I made a mistake Yoichi...and I love you a lot so I can't keep this from you." the sentence came out clear. Clearer than what you had anticipated. Your voice was gentle, yet stern as you spoke, with a surprising firmness to it that didn't shake in the slightest.
"What do you mean by a 'mistake'?" He questioned, still extraordinarily curious as to what type of mistake would bring about this conversation.
"Last week after our game in the locker room, when we were with each other and you left...someone walked in..." You looked to the side in shame, fiddling with your fingers behind your back like a child about to reveal an embarrassing secret, "I had sex with someone while you were away. I was really...bothered...sexually...and I wasn't thinking right, Yoichi. I wasn't even thinking in general when I did it, I just went blank."
You didn't look up, knowing that Isagi's expression would either make or break you. The boy remained silent.
"I'm sorry...I really am and I didn't want to hide this from you...What we have is something I don't want to have without trust. I trust you Yoichi, I trust you and...and love you." You sucked in a breath, your mind spinning as if from a lack of oxygen before facing your fear and looking him in the eyes.
Isagi's face was blank. His lips neither smiled nor curved. His eyes neither widened nor narrowed. He listened without so much of a twitch of a facial muscle, meeting your glossed eyes with his own deep blue ones.
"If you decide to not forgive me...I understand. Just...just know that I never, ever meant for it to happen. If I could reverse time I would. It just happened and- I hate myself for it. You don't have to understand or forgive me, I won't blame you. And if you want to end things, then I-"
You were cut off. The world seemed to come to a halt. Everything stopped.
The air escaped your lungs, and your heart and muscles seemed to stop their throbbing in the instant that Isagi Yoichi cupped your face, bringing his lips to your own in an instant, silencing you without so much as a word.
Speaking wasn't an option anymore. Not as he gently pressed his lips to your own. So instead of apologizing with words, you apologized through the tender kiss the two of you shared. Built-up tears began to fall from your eyes, yet your lips remained locked with his.
The salty taste of your tears mixed with the taste of each other, kissing him with an apologetic, sorrowful passion as his thumb caressed your cheek.
Isagi kissed you out of pure instinct. He heard every word you said and knew that any words coming out of his mouth would be hard to understand or convey.
He was upset. Not mad, nor angry...but upset. Naturally. I mean, he had all the right to be. But he loved you arguably more than you loved him. His senses and perception had always been superb, so he could tell that when you just poured yourself out to him, not one bit of what you said was a lie or hyperbole.
He was thankful that you didn't keep it from him. Though it goes without saying that he was pissed it happened in the first place. However, the blue-eyed boy felt that disappointment diminishing as you shook against his touch with muffled sobs, crying into his lips as water collected atop your lashes.
Here was another instance in which the once timid, and shy Yoichi was nowhere to be seen. He had taken the initiative, and for once did what he wanted to without the hindrance of seeking approval for his actions.
And you were the one who brought that side of him out.
The boy didn't need to hide himself around you. He didn't need to mask his thoughts with that introverted facade that he had held onto during his time with his high school team. He could simply act in accordance with what he wanted. No longer basing his actions on what other people (or in this case, you) might think.
Slowly, in order to take a breath, he pulled away, keeping his face mere millimeters away from yours as each other's warm breath met in the small space between.
"Do you...want to know who the person was, Yoichi?"
The question was sincere. You weren't trying to instigate anything by it. It was simply an honest, truthful question that acted even more to reassure the male that what had happened was indeed a mistake as you had said. He would love to know who it was...but...
"No. Don't tell me. If I knew who it was then I swear I'd-"
In the instant that he paused, you saw an intense look of pure hatred cross his eyes. A look that made your breath hitch. However, it left as quickly as it came. His eyes softened just like that as he once again looked deeply into yours.
He leaned back in to capture your lips in a quick, soft kiss, pulling away with an exhale before saying, "Never again Y/N...please."
You heard the plea in his voice. Bringing your own hand up to cup his face before offering a gentle, reassuring smile, "I promise. Never again."
As you both stared into each other's eyes, your free hands both brushed each other, before hooking your pinkies in a silent promise to each other that was not to be broken-
...hopefully.
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4:00 pm
03:00:00 until the U-20 Match
"Erotic...leg? What the fuck Tabito?" You gave the dark-haired male an appalled look from across the room as Hiori explained the story of how they knew each other.
"Mhm" Hiori nodded, "that's what he told me. I'm serious."
Scowling at the look you gave him, Karasu snapped, "I was joking ya' dumb twink."
"I'm clearly not the twink here Mr. Leg fetish," Hiori spoke, quick to retort with a frown at the vulgar name.
You nodded in agreement, "The closet is glass Tabito. Don't think we don't see how you act around Otoya."
"It's a joke ya' shitty princess! I'm not being f'real when I mess around with him like that!"
"You quite literally slapped the man's ass yesterday before the recovery session- completely unprovoked might I add" you argued, earning a snort from Hiori, "Oh, and saying 'No-Homo' doesn't make it any straighter."
"Y'know what, fuck ya' both." He snarled, getting up from the armchair in which he sat and turning, before exiting the room without so much as another word.
Karasu was a nice guy. A little odd yeah, but overall he was fun to be around. You had known this since meeting him back during the starting lineup determining matches. The man did have a short fuse though, and you and his best friend Hiori took advantage of it on multiple occasions.
Not out of ill intent...but because it was funny.
You grabbed Hioris' arm, letting out a humorous laugh as you leaned against him from atop the lounge sofa.
He returned a mischievous grin, quite satisfied with his antics and letting out a chuckle of his own in response to yours.
The two of you perked up again, upon hearing the door to the lounge room woosh open again, expecting it to be Karasu back for a round 2, but instead met with the ninja and the model, two other people whom you had also become very familiar with.
"Do you guys know why Tabitos storming down the hall with a pissy look?" Otoya asked in his regular, uncaring voice.
Yuki nodded, "He walked past us mumbling something about the two of you."
You snorted at Yuki's comment, not even trying to hide your guilt as Hiori playfully rolled his eyes.
"What'd you guys say to him this time?" the brunette asked, stepping in and making his way over to sit at an armchair adjacent to your sofa.
Otoya also made his way over, mumbling for Hiori and you to scoot down to which you both obliged."He said Yō was a 'dumb twink' after getting called out about his weird leg fetish." you giggled out, feeling the sofa dip next to you as he sat.
Yukimiya smiled sheepishly as Otoya let out a breathy laugh.
"I told him he had it coming" the ninja spoke, "Bro said my legs were 'slender as fuck' the other day."
Hiori sighed, "I swear, you guys are in love with each other."
"Bro?"
"I saw you blow him a kiss and wink at him during one of Egos' last lectures," the blue haired boy added, earning a pleasant laugh from you in the middle as you sunk down a bit.
"That might be rizz." Yukimiya quipped from his armchair, half paying attention to the Neymar highlights playing on the TV screen.
Otoya hummed, his face as expressionless as always, "You guys don't know what you're talking about. I'm a titty toucher for life."
"Womanizer" "Huh?" "Degenerate" Were the three words that escaped the mouths of you, Hiori, and Yukimiya after hearing Otoya's obscene claim.
I won't say who said what for the simple enjoyment of leaving it up to the reader's imagination.
"You guys are a bunch of dick riders," Otoya spoke again, yawning as he glared at the TV screen
You nudged him with a smirk in a silent apology, earning a flick to the knee in response.
Turning to watch the screen, you felt your breath hitch at the large crowd behind the Brazilian superstar. That was likely the kind of crowd you were going to face in a few hours...and within that crowd would be none other than your mother, and stepfather.
Otoya quirked a brow upon feeling you cling onto the arm fabric of his sweatshirt, turning to see you staring intently at the television as you chewed the insides of your cheek.
Bringing his left hand up, he leaned over and gave your hair a reassuring ruffle, breaking you from your nervous trance and earning a jokingly vulgar comment about messing it up as you patted down the now out-of-place tresses.
The boy simply hummed in response, giving a small smile without eye contact before leaning his arm on your shoulder for comfort.
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5:12 pm
01:48:00 until the U-20 Match
"Rin, help me find my cleats!"
"Here." he handed you the cleats with small flowers drawn onto the white stripe, "You put them in my bag for some reason."
Breathing a sigh of relief, you gave him a kiss on the cheek in thanks before turning to finish your packing.
Ego wanted everyone outside and packed next to the buses by 5:25. You were currently double-checking to make sure nothing stayed behind. He said jerseys would be provided at the stadium, but everyone still needed to bring their cleats, shinguards, and any other items they wished to play with (such as tape, headbands, glasses, etc.).
Grabbing a roll of blue sports tape from the locker room medical table, you stuffed it into your bag before triple-checking that you had everything and zipping the bag back up.
Rin tossed a headband in his own bag on the instance that his bangs got annoying during the game, before putting his cleats and shinguards inside quickly and zipping the bag up as well.
You gave him a nod as if to ask if he was ready to go, to which he reciprocated.
Grabbing your phone and earbuds from the bench, you followed him out the door of the locker room, seeing everyone else finish their packing. Some made small talk, while others remained completely silent. It was a nervous atmosphere without a doubt, however, Rin didn't seem to be nervous in the slightest. He walked with his normal confidence, with an unwavering monotone gaze that he always had resting on his face.
"Do you think Sae's actually going to play?"
He kept walking forward without stopping, silence filling the air between the two of you for a moment.
"It makes no difference to me. If he decides to play I'll crush him. Plain and simple."
"Careful Rin...don't become too focused on just beating him, alright?"
He didn't confirm, nor deny your request. Opting to remain quiet as the two of you stepped outside, the chill air of the oncoming night making you shudder within your jacket.
The sun was setting, casting a golden glow that reflected off the two buses lined up next to each other. Ego was nowhere to be seen. Instead, there stood Anri, bundled up with a warm parka and a scarf as she held a clipboard in her hand, fingertips red from the cold as she smiled.
"I'll check the two of you off now. It's chilly out here, so go ahead inside of the bus."
Her smooth, polite voice spoke as you returned her smile, "Thanks Anri, you're the best."
She watched you board the bus with admiration in her eyes.
You still remember what she had told you when you first got here at Blue Lock.
"I'm rooting for you, you'll go far."
And oh boy was she right...here you were about to face off against the Japan U-20 men's team. This game would be the determining factor not only of the fate of Blue Lock Itself but the fate of you personally. Whether your father would finally accept your success, and whether you truly had what it took to play at the next level, beyond the confines of Japan. You had the talent already, the one thing that you lacked was the mentality. This was a fact you had realized during your time here at Blue Lock. As Sae had said before you left, "You rely too much on what Father thinks".
Unbeknownst to you, this game would also determine whether you would be able to free yourself from that hindrance.
After all, your future was at stake.
Entering the bus, you and Rin headed to the back, placing your soccer bags in the overhead areas, before sitting side by side in the back column of two seats.
He got the window, as you got the alley.
The bus was warm, and Rin was cold. You could feel a bit of a chill coming from him. Rin never was a fan of the cold after all, especially snow. He hated snow.
You took your phone and earbuds from your pocket, unlocking it, and scrolling through your music app.
Before you settled on anything, you offered Rin an earbud.
He looked at it for a moment, before silently accepting. Placing the wireless bud into his right ear as you scrolled and clicked onto the playlist you and Rin had made together about a year ago when he had first gotten his permit to drive so that when you rode in the car with him, there was no argument about music.
Placing it on shuffle, you inserted the left earbud into your ear as coincidentally, Rin's favorite song started playing.
The tall male looked out the window, simultaneously bringing his hand down and giving your knee a squeeze of appreciation.
As "PRAYER X" played, you could've sworn you saw his shoulder un-tense ever so slightly.
...Maybe...he was nervous after all.
END.
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A/N:
No Authors Note...Just look at this fanart for me real quick
The meaning behind it is actually so sad and the art is genuinly jaw dropping. I've been obsessed with it for the past 10 hrs tbh
XOXO LOVE YALL
WORD COUNT: 4033
PUBLISHED: 01/1523