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Nathaniel had grown accustomed to Riko's behavioral tendencies in the decade since he has lived in The Nest. He was probably the one who knew him the best out of the big five (Kevin had known Riko the longest, but Nathaniel's relationship with Riko was a bit different). However, something was really off with him today.
It was a normal day in the next consisting of practice, school, and more practice, but the Striker seemed rather irritated with Nathaniel for some reason that he was not aware of. The red head could sense the attitude coming off Riko the second he stepped into the locker room to change for practice. Though, if his brain had not been so tired at the time, he should have suspected something when the Striker did not give him their customary good morning kiss.
But no, mornings were rough for Nathaniel and he did not notice anything was wrong until Andrew bounced a ball off his ankle (thankfully not breaking it, that asshole) to get his attention and jerked his head over to where Riko was chewing out the reserve Strikers. Nathaniel looked between the two of them, eyes unconsciously focusing on the five tattooed on Andrew's face, currently partner-less but not seeming to mind.
Andrew was the newest of the big five, his goal keeping skills had been discovered a few months after Jean was marked. Kevin had to reason with Riko that it would be stupid if Nate's partner was the Goal Keeper and not the Backliner. Riko had reluctantly agreed, branding Andrew with five. The blond always seemed indifferent to the mark, but Nate could see the faint glaze to his eye whenever his fingers stroked over it. The same look that Nate could imagine young Nathaniel having when Riko first placed the Sharpie marker to his left cheekbone and traced a three there. A lost look replaced with confidence, a place to belong. Andrew did not talk about his family (a brother and cousin was all they knew from recruiting) and they allowed him to join their family in the absence of his.
Pain flared through his ankle when another ball collided with it, the red head glaring at Andrew as he bent to grab his abused ankle. The yelling across the court went silently, deadly silent, before that powerful voice was making its way towards them.
"Minyard! You break his ankle, I'll break your teeth." Riko snarled, coming up next to Nathaniel and allowing the red head to lean against his side as he cradled his ankle. Nate did not need to see Andrew's face to know that it was blank. Andrew never seemed phased by Riko's threats like the other Ravens, but then again the five of them were close friends (family) and they knew that their King was rarely serious about them. Well, unless it was about Kevin or Nate.
"Better for blowjobs," Andrew's bored voice floated through the air, Nate could imagine the nonchalant shrug and the smirk on his thin lips. Perhaps even a wink in Kevin's direction and a blush on the other Striker's face. Sometimes Nate felt bad that Jean's own boyfriend lived on the other side of the United States while his family were all in relationships around him. At least Andrew had his own room so Jean was not forced around it all the time. Nate felt Riko tense against his shoulder and shot his arm out to wrap around his boyfriend before he could make good on knocking out Andrew's teeth. Nate stood up from his bent position and stepped in front of Riko.
"King," Nate purred in Japanese, his mouth pressed to Riko's ear so only he could hear it. The Striker shivered at the sensation, but to the surprise of everyone on the Court (and probably Tetsuji is he was there watching) Riko pushed Nate back away from him and glared at him with enough heat that the Backliner flinched from him. Riko sneered at Nate, his knuckles tightening on his racquet before turning on his heel.
"Again!" He hollered, Ravens new and old scrambling to get into position. Nate saw Jean and Andrew stepped towards him in worry, but he just shook his head, twirling his racquet in his hands and getting back into lineup. Riko was probably just on edge and hopefully Nate could catch him before class. The red head ignored the dull pain in his left ankle and got ready to defend the goal.
Nate sighed as his usual seat to Riko's left was taken by one of the freshman recruits (Riko's personal choice, Nate's mind supplied unhelpfully), moving to sit at the other end of the table with Jean. The French Backliner gave him a sympathetic smile, patting him on the back before stealing some of the fries from his tray. Nate did not mind, it was their usual routine. Jean stole his fries and Nate stole his fruit.
Nate was the fruit bandit at lunch, stealing fruit from anyone if they did not eat it right away. Kevin had scowled when Nate stole his orange long ago, grumbling about how it was a buffet style cafeteria and he could get as much fruit as he wanted. Nate simply replied with a 'it tastes better stolen' while stealing another of Riko's grapes. The Striker had glared at the response, but with Riko's allowance of the behavior it had become a joke between the four and now five of them.
Today however, Nate did not feel like eating anything, let alone fruit. Jean huffed at the catatonic Nate, using his spoon to put his strawberries on Nate's tray. They were Nate's favorite and yet the younger backliner stared at the table like it was the answer to life. He did not even notice Andrew settling at his other side or the glare that Riko had shot at the three. Andrew and Jean both noticed the glared, looking at each other in confusion. Could that really be what Riko's panties were twisted about?
"Nate, you have to eat." Jean prodded, knowing that afternoon practice would kill Nate if he did not eat. He had done it before, way too excited about practice to eat and had passed out after twenty minutes. Granted, he had been fourteen at the time while Jean, Kevin, and Riko were sixteen, but it still was a good moral to this situation. Nate wrung his hands in his lap, unsure of what he did to make Riko so upset with him. Sure, Riko got in his moods, but he rarely took it out on Nate. Maybe Jean or Andrew, but never Nate.
He gasped when a foot slammed down on his own, his head snapping up and towards Andrew. The noise gained the attention of everyone at the table, including the ignoring Riko. He opened his mouth to lay into the Goal Keeper, but a fork full of strawberries was shoved in his mouth and paused his roast session.
"Don't bite the hand that feeds you," Andrew teased, his face blank and daring Nate to yell at him when he had done it out of a place of concern. Neil wanted nothing more than to throttle the Goal Keeper, but then again a small part of him was thankful that Andrew did not take any of his bullshit. Well, everyone did not take his bullshit, but Andrew was more forceful with it than the others.
"Can you go for the face next time? You have abused my foot enough as it is." Nate hummed, letting Andrew curl the fork into his hand and pick up more strawberries before releasing him. The red head could not help the small smile when Andrew cuffed the back of his head affectionately before going back to his own food. Nate liked to think of Andrew and Jean his own brothers, like how Riko thought of Kevin. They looked after him and made sure he did not die because of his inability to care for himself.
He forced the rest of the fruit down, ignoring his sandwich until a piece of orange came sailing across the table and hit him in the cheek.
"Eat your sandwich, Wesninski!" Kevin scolded, ever the big brother (mother hen) of the group would not stand for Nate not eating all of his food.
"Not hungry," Nate said softly, his eyes down casted since he had to look past Riko to look at Kevin. He did not want a reminder that his boyfriend hated him and wanted nothing to do with him. He wrapped his arms around his waist, a pitiful attempt to hold in all of the emotions that he was feeling. Growing up as The Butcher's son he had been taught not to feel or cry, but Riko had never had the same ideal. He encouraged Nate to feel and cry, to seek comfort when he needed it. Well, Nate needed some comfort, but his go-to hated him now. He growled in his throat when another piece of orange hit him in the face.
"Look at me, idiot," Kevin let out a growl of his own, ignoring the bit out 'leave it kev' from Jean and the loud scraping of Andrew's fork on his plate. Nate forced his eyes up, clutching his side tighter when the delicate freckles on Riko's face drifted in his eyeline. Those dark eyes were bored and he was looking down his nose at Nate. The freshman at his side whispered something to him, causing those soft lips to quirk up into that beloved grin. Nate felt like he was having an out of body experience.
"I don't care if you are hungry or not, you will eat that sandwich or I will cram it down your mouth," Kevin's voice focused Nate's attention, but he could not get the image of Riko smiling at some the freshman said. That grin that was supposed to be just Nate's. His stomach was turning warningly. He needed to leave. He could not stand it anymore.
"Riko, get him to eat," Kevin whined to his brother, turning to face him. Nate used that moment to shoot up from the table and bolted out of the cafeteria, calls of his name following him. He could only imagine those disinterested eyes staring at him, only caring because he only needed Nate to be a backliner and not be there to soothe his worries anymore. No, he has that freshman for that. That thought tip his stomach, the red head Backliner sticking his head into the nearest garbage bin and expelling his breakfast and what little he had eaten at lunch. He flinched and whined as hands grabbed his sides, realizing how exposed he was right now.
"Jesus Nate," Jean's voice drifted over him, the red head's muscles relaxing as he allowed his partner to hold him up. He could feel air on his exposed arms, not even having realized that he had made it outside. Once his stomach was empty, the tears came, - whether from the throwing up or the pain he did not know - sobs wracking his body violently. Jean pulled him out of the trash and strong hands cradled the back of his neck.
"What did I do wrong?" He cried, his voice sounding like little Nathaniel. Jean had never met the scared boy that Nate had been, but had heard enough stories to know that The Butcher and Mary Wesninski were worse than his own parents and it spoke volumes that Nate wanted to be a slave to the Moriyamas and the Ravens over being raised by them for another day. Jean shushed him, glaring at any student who dared to look their way. He would protect his little brother in his moment of weakness. He was also going to slam his racquet into both Riko and Kevin's faces.
"Come on, Red," Jean urged, holding Nate close to him as he led the way to their dorms. He had not seen Nate cry like this before and he had a feeling he was not going to want to go to his afternoon classes.
"Where's Wesninski?" Riko's voice was loud on the quiet court, staring at Jean who had been the last person to see him. At least from what Riko knew, Jean had raced after him when he ran out of the cafeteria. Jean's face was set as he walked up to the Master and handed the pink note in his hand over to him, murmuring softly in Japanese to him. Tetsuji did not look pleased, but his nodded his head in acceptance. Jean thanked him softly before turning to go get changed out for practice. Well, he tried but Riko caught his wrist and spun him to face him.
"Where. Is. Wesninski. Moreau?" Riko said through gritted teeth, not at all put off by the fact that Jean was a good head or two taller than him. Jean sneered at the Striker, yanking his arm back.
"Sick. Not that you would care with your nose shoved so far up Jennings' ass," Jean hissed, his eyes narrowing before he turned and stalked away, fists clenched and trembling at his sides. Riko stood stunned in the middle of the court. Nate was sick? Nate never got sick. Riko shook the thoughts from his head, reminding himself he should be angry. He wanted to remain angry but with Moreau's hard hits and Minyard's constant balls to the back of his helmet, he could feel the guilt creep over him. What had he done to his beautiful boyfriend?
Riko was not known for being shy, his off court and on-court presence always reflecting cocky and confidence, but here he was outside of Nate and Jean's room feeling his stomach curl in fear after the soft knock of his knuckle on the door. There was a lot of things about himself that changed when it came to Nate. The red head was the only one who saw Riko for himself. Not the second son of a crime syndicate or the Exy prodigy. No, he saw Riko and liked what he saw. He brushed butterfly kisses over his freckles whenever Riko was sad and he smiled at Riko like he had hung the stars in the sky just for him. He was such an idiot.
"Nate doesn't want to see anyone now," Minyard (the fucking asshole) opened the door, glaring at him. Luckily for Riko, Nate's bed was in front of the door and he could see him with his own eyes. The Backliner was curled up on the bed, looking smaller than he already was, his face towards the wall. Riko could see the trembling of his shoulders and the need to be in there was overwhelming. Moreau was sitting vigilantly at the head of his bed, fingers stroking through his hair. Riko was grateful that Moreau took care of Nate when he could not, but he was here now and he was going to take care of his boyfriend.
"Thanks, but I didn't ask you," Riko growled, his protectiveness coming out as he attempting to duck under Andrew's arm but the Goal Keeper was faster than him and Riko was suddenly in a headlock. The Striker snarled, kicking the back of Andrew's knee so he stumbled to the ground, not anticipating the Goal Keeper to hold him and bring him down with him. The two wrestled on the floor, the hits only getting harder and tension only building. Jean had stepped in after Andrew slammed Riko's head into the floor, attempting to pull the shorter man off before he killed Riko. However, the king was not going down easy and got back up to slam his fist repeatedly into Andrew's face, ducking the kicks and fists aimed at him, Jean still holding him back. Riko growled, moving to finish the job when a strong hand wrapped around his neck from behind and squeezed along the sides. Riko melted instantly at the touch, a strong back and arm catching him as he stumbled back into them.
"You will stop now, do you understand me?" Nate's voice was dark in his ear, the hold on his neck tight. Riko did not fear however, had known that Nate did the research about choking when Riko revealed it as one of his kinks long ago. Nate would never hurt him. The nails digging into his throat reminded him of the question and he nodded his head quickly, hands coming up to clutching Nate's body and pull him flush against his back. The hand on his neck simply readjusted to the position, causing Riko's insides to flutter. "Good, now sit on the bed and wait for me. If you move an inch, I will not be happy." Nate waited for a second, eyeing Jean and Andrew for a second before releasing Riko. The man stumbled over to the bed, folding his hands into his lap and staring at the floor obediently. He had marks from Nate's fingers on his neck, but did not seem to mind at all.
"Are you okay, Nate?" Jean asked, not even phased by the interaction between Riko and Nate. He had unfortunately walked in on them one day and knew about how Riko crumbled under Nate's capable hands. It was like knowing that his little sister was having sex, he shivered at the thought. He wondered what Andrew thought of the display, knowing the Goal Keeper had never seen the King outside of his role. At least not the submissive role that only Nate seemed to put him in. The red head nodded his head, standing between Andrew and Riko, though keeping enough distance from the latter so he knew that Nate was not happy with him right now.
"I am. Could we maybe have the room for a bit?" Nate asked softly, Jean nodding instantly. Nate needed this, he needed to talk to Riko and figure out what had happened earlier. Andrew made a noise of disapproval, but Jean strong-armed him across the room and out the door. Nate breathed out in relief, now that Andrew was out of the room and he did not have to worry about him beating Riko's head in again. He went over to the door and locked the door before returning to Riko's side. The Striker was still looking at the floor, his shoulders hunched submissively. Nate did not like using the choking thing against him, but Riko had not even heard him calling his name. It was necessary. Nate sat on the floor in front of him, spreading Riko's legs so he could sit between them.
"Look at me," he demanded, Riko looking up without pause, his eyes glazed over and Nate felt horrible. He had used the move without Riko's possession and forced him into his sub mind space. "You will tell me why you have been in a mood all day long, and if you lie to me I will get Andrew back in here," Nate breathed a little easier when the haze to Riko's eyes cleared up, but he could tell that he was way too close to his mind space. Riko bit his lip, his legs trapping Nate close.
"You and Minyard are too close for my liking." Nate blinked at the confession, hands coming forward to stroke over Riko's ankles. The touch was to reassure him, but the Striker looked like he was going to start crying from the soft touch.
"Andrew and I are friends, family remember? Like you, me, Jean, and Kevin." Nate replied, his hands moving up the exposed calves. It looked like Riko could not have been bothered to change after practice besides taking off his padding. Riko shook his head at Nate's words, the caressing stopping so he would elaborate.
"You've never cancelled date night to hang out with Kevin or Jean." Riko spat, the haze to his eyes leaving and his shoulders rolling out the tension in them. Nate felt a little better knowing that his impulsive move had not dropped Riko into his sub mind space too far. "Whenever you do hang out with Jean, you always come back and sleep in my bed with me. It doesn't feel right without you there," Riko revealed, his voice trembling and Nate could not take it anymore. He stood up from the ground and straddled Riko's lap, conflicted with what he should feel when strong arms squeezed around him. He wanted to feel happy, relieved that his boyfriend still wanted him and not that freshman, but he also felt worry. Because Riko would never say thing that bothered him and usually pushed them away, which is what he had been doing Nate all day. It made a lot of sense now.
"Baby," Nate whispered, running his fingers through the dark curls and pressing sweet kisses to those high cheekbones. "I must have forgotten it was date night, I am sorry. Andrew needed help with his math homework and you know how I get with math," Nate explained, his heart feeling lighter when Riko let out a small chuckle at his mention for his love of math. "As for the sleeping thing, you just need to come get me or text me and I will come right over. You never have to sleep alone for as long as I am alive," Nate finished, tilting Riko's head back to press their lips together. The kiss become soft and tender, but it quickly gained heated behind it and Riko seemed to have something to prove with the ferocity of his kisses.
Nate whimpered into Riko's mouth as the Striker used his strength to lift him up and practically slam him into the bed, nestled in the cradle of Nate's hips. He panted as Riko's kisses drifted down his neck, teeth unforgiving against his skin. Tetsuji would not be happy about that, but Nate knew that he had never been able to deny his nephew anything. Tetsuji was the same rank as Riko in their fucked up family and they had both made a niche for themselves in the world through Exy. They were more similar than they would like to admit. All thoughts of Tetsuji disappeared when Riko's teeth sunk into junction between his neck and shoulder, a cry escaping the Backliner.
"Only I can have this," Riko's hips rocked ruthlessly against Nate's, knocking the air from his lungs as Nate scrambled to find purchase on Riko's back. "Only I can see you like this. You're mine!" Riko snarled, the word combination setting something off in Nate. Riko was not the only strong one here, Nate thought as he used his muscles to flip Riko on his back, hips pinning him down and his hand coming back up to his throat, not squeezing yet.
"Oh trust me baby, I know that." Nate growled, rolling his hips against Riko's, keeping his fingers wrapped around Riko's throat, but not giving him what he truly wanted. "But it seems my king has forgotten," Nate hissed the last part in Japanese, throwing his head back as Riko's cock nestled between his ass checks through their pants. How it did so through shorts, sweatpants, and two pairs of boxers, Nate did not really care at the moment. No, he only cared about getting that glorious, teasing cock in him. Nate released his hold on Riko's neck, his cock twitching at the whine that escaped the older man, to pull off his shirt. He tossed it behind him and stood up (still straddling Riko) to pull off his sweatpants and boxers. He had barely put his foot back down on the bed before Riko grabbed him by the knees and pulled him down. "Ah!" Nate gasped, barely catching himself on the headboard before Riko's mouth was wrapped around his cock. The red head unconsciously rocked his hips, his knees planted on either side of Riko's broad shoulders, spreading him incredibly wide. It left him exposed to the sensation of his ass against Riko's practice jersey and no time had passed before fingers were prodding at his hole.
Riko and him usually had sex every day, but because of the missed date night last night and Riko's attitude they had not had sex in almost twenty-hours, an occurrence that had not happened since Nate turned sixteen and knew he wanted Riko to be his first time. So the sudden presence of two fingers in him caused the Backliner to whine, unsure if he should rock back into the fingers or the warm mouth around his cock. Riko made the decision for him by pulling his mouth away from Nate. He was saying something, but Nate could barely focus on anything else than the scissoring fingers within him and those swollen red lips.
"So tight for me, bet I could go into you dry and you'd love every second of it," Riko's words washed over Nate, the red head shaking his head at the words. He knew he would love it, he loved everything Riko did to him, but he would never survive evening practice if Riko fucked him without lube. Riko kept murmuring about fucking him dry, Nate close to tears from the teasing fingers and the images Riko was painting. Nate was so wrapped in his thoughts and the sensation that he did not even realize Riko had pulled his shorts and boxers down, enough to expose his cock, until the fingers slipped out of him. He whined, not at all ashamed by acting like this in front of Riko. The Striker had seen him at his lowest and at his best, he would not be upset with Nate for whining because Riko removed his fingers. The air was punched out of Nate when Riko's cock slid into him, only lubed with Riko's spit and precum (Nate only knew about the spit because Riko's palm was wet where it was pressed against his flank).
"Fuck," Nate's whine was needy as he tossed his head back, hands clutching on Riko's flat stomach for something to anchor him. He bottomed out on Riko soon enough, already rolling his hips for friction. The Striker simply held onto him, breathing deeply through his nose. Riko was not dominant in the bedroom, despite his cock being buried in Nate right now. No, he trusted Nate to take care of them both. Once Nate got his bearings, he used his leg muscles (very thankful for the fact that he ran for fun at least twice a day) to bounce himself on Riko's cock. They both were not going to last, the tension between them too thick to make it last. No, this was about feeling each other, showing Riko that he was his and only his.
Nate let out little grunts each time he sunk down, Riko's cock hitting his prostate dead on without trying, his face buried in Riko's neck, inhaling the smell of sweat that clung to his skin. He was not sure if it was from practice or their current activities, but it never failed to turn him on. He was sure if Andrew was here, he would call Nate a junkie, but the red head quickly pushed aside those thoughts. This was about him and Riko, not Andrew. As if sensing his thoughts, Riko's hips thrusted up into Nate, almost throwing him off his lap at the strength behind it. Riko had never done something like that before, not in this position at least. The Backliner wailed, clinging to Riko's (who had sat up for better leverage) neck and allowing his boyfriend to pound into him. Riko left bite marks all over his chest and neck, possessive words slipping from his lips with ease. It all turned Nate on more, his fears from earlier demolished with each bite and soothed with Riko's words.
"I'm gonna," Nate warned, the friction between their stomach getting to be too much. He pulled Riko's jersey up so it would not get dirty, the skin of his stomach against his flushed cock only fueling the heat in his stomach. Riko growled at the words, his hips moving impossibly faster into Nate, the soft grunting coming from Nate's mouth sounding like the best song he has ever heard. Riko's hips faltered for a second when Nate tightened around him, coming from his cock alone and slumping into his chest. The Striker continued to chase his own finish, his blood thrumming for something that he could not name. Well, at least until Nate's hand slithered its way up to his neck and squeezed. This time it was not to restrict him or get his attention, no it was there to ground Riko. The freckled man choked as his air way was blocked, fucking Nate harder as pleasure coursed through him. He did not even notice he had finished until Nate's hand was removed from his throat and he was pulled on top of the Backliner, long fingers tracing patterns into the sweat coating his back under his shirt.
The two of them laid in silence, soaking in the other's presence. Nate was on his way to sleep when Riko shifted against him, head tilted up to look at him.
"Jean said you were sick?" Riko asked worriedly, the reason he had come here in the first place forgotten. Nate bit his lip nervously and nodded his head confirming the news.
"I guess my stomach did not like being ignored or something? I don't know, one minute I was running and the next was bent over a trash can," Nate explained, running his fingers through Riko's hair when a guilty look filled his face.
"I'm sorry."
"There is nothing to apologize for, it was a misunderstanding, yeah?"
Riko thought for a second before he smiled up at his boyfriend and agreed. "Yeah."
"I love you,"
"I love you too beautiful."
The two took a brief nap before it was dinner time, Riko forcing Nate to eat this time around, though - from his perch on Riko's lap - Nate had no problem with that. Evening practice was hell with his bruises foot and his throbbing ass, but each time Riko shot a knowing smirk at him made his heart fluttered. He loved seeing Riko carefree on the court, enjoying the game that would become their entire life after college. Even if he was being a bastard by 'playfully' smacking Nate's ass whenever he did a play correctly. Riko did make it up to him however in the shower with a blowjob. The day ended with Nate curled up around his boyfriend, watching the movie that was supposed to be for date night and ensuring that Riko's bed did not feel lonely again.