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Under any different circumstances, Alexis would never leave practice early. Then again, what he may consider to be "early" was the usual leaving time for someone like Sachs. Alexis always reprimanded him for it and yet he always managed to slip away at times when practice was wearing thin but wasn't quite yet over. The coach somehow never managed to catch him.
Normally, Alexis would stay behind for longer than needed. The magic of the ball flowing between his feet as he dribbled, the crunch of grass and the exhilarating feeling of adrenaline rushing through his veins almost filled the empty space in his heart that Michael left behind when he boarded that plane to Madrid. Yoichi always stayed behind too—even longer than Alexis—and they'd play together in silence, like the Neo Egoist League never happened, like all that mattered was the ball and their feet on the ground.
Passing to Yoichi was as electrifying as it was frustrating. He moved like he knew the field with his eyes closed (and the annoying part was that he most definitely did), like the field itself was an extension of Yoichi's body, sensing and feeling each and every blade of grass being trampled. Alexis himself wouldn't even be sure about the kind of pass he was going to make and yet Yoichi would already be in perfect position for receiving the ball. As if he had known Alexis and his plays for years, as if Yoichi understood the extent of his magic. That made blood rush through his body, in both excitement and annoyance—because Yoichi didn't know him like that, no one did. No one except for Michael.
When he would pass to Michael, magic would flow between them. Alexis casting a spell onto the ball that allowed Michael to achieve the impossible, to smash through the net with such ferocity that their magic would roar through the entire stadium, lifting every onlooker from their seats from pure disbelief of that unexplainable goal. But they never needed to explain themselves—magic always spoke for itself.
Things were different now, with Michael in Re Al and him still in Bastard München. And yet, Alexis didn't let Michael take that magic with him to Madrid. They weren't the mess they were in Blue Lock, or before that. Although that sorcery was the strongest when they were together, Alexis and Michael could exist while being apart; Alexis casting spells to Yoichi and Michael pursuing the impossibility with Sae Itoshi's passes. At least that was what he tried to tell himself.
Those goals couldn't compare to the magic they had produced on the field but watching Michael play would always be something other-worldly, even if Alexis was no longer there alongside him. Therefore, he watched each and every Re Al match religiously, despite them overlapping with Bastard München's practice at times.
And as shameful as it was to stoop to Sachs's level, Alexis had to admit he at least respected his ability to sneak away completely undetected, so he took to slipping away alongside Theo at the tail end of practice when Michael had matches.
At some point, Yoichi started acting weird on days when Re Al had a match. He knew, because of course he did.
"I wanted to practice that last play we made against Berserk Dortmund last week," he mentioned, panting slightly where he sat alongside Alexis on the bench. "It'd be a game changer if we could reproduce it, but I guess we can do that another time." Yoichi took a sip from his water bottle, eyeing Alexis dubiously.
Theo was still dribbling through cones dutifully across the field and Alexis almost wished he'd hurry up so he could get up and avoid whatever Yoichi wanted to get out of him. Then again, nothing was stopping him from doing so since even if the coach noticed him, he'd get excused easily. Perks of being the heart of Bastard München. But Alexis would not dishonor his pride by leaving before Sachs. No way.
He looked to Yoichi, squinting. "Yeah, sure," he muttered, turning to the side, patting off stray beads of sweat with his towel. He could feel those blue eyes on him—a blue that wasn't quite the shade of Michael's cerulean irises, but blue enough to give him an irritating sense of hope that Michael was on the field when he caught just a momentary glimpse of them—and Alexis sighed in mild annoyance. He wished this game of poorly masked implications was some Japanese trait but he was almost certain it was simply Yoichi's questionable and peculiar social skills. "What is it?" he asked, calm but firm in his tone.
Yoichi finally latched his lips off his water bottle, a slight flush dusting his cheeks that certainly wasn't from practice. The air turned awkward, more so than it was before. Sachs was still on the field. Good lord. Alexis would never reprimand him again if it meant that he turned to the locker rooms right now.
"Sorry— I just, uhm… What I wanted to say was that I support you two." His gaze drifted from Alexis to Sachs doing shuttle runs a few meters away. Yoichi's muscles were tense, fingers drumming on the bench, restless.
Alexis blinked slowly. There was no way.
They stared at each other for a long moment, with Yoichi turning redder by the second, almost melting into a puddle under Alexis's stern gaze. "I mean— I've seen you leaving practice early together," he murmured, like it was a private matter. "Obviously I still hope we can do some… individual practices together like before to improve the overall play of the team—" He was all but rapid firing his sentences, both hands wrapped around his water bottle as if steadying himself. "But I understand if you need some alone time as a—"
Alexis extended his palm in front of Yoichi's face, magenta eyes wide in disbelief and absolute horror. "That's enough," he breathed out, just then realizing he forgot to breathe for a second from the sheer shock of this whole interaction. "Yoichi," he started, trying to steady his wavering voice. "You cannot possibly think I am in a relationship with Theo Sachs of all people."
Yoichi blinked, pushing Alexis's hand away from his face. "You're… not?"
Alexis regarded the striker with a deadpan expression. Yoichi looked downright horrified, color draining from his face, and after a moment, he decided to show some mercy. Alexis wasn't that angry teenager that was scared to lose his worth anymore. And Yoichi was no longer a threat, but a teammate. Albeit one that seriously lacked in the social awareness department.
"Thank you for being supportive, but no, we are not a couple." He sighed, noticing Sachs finally quietly walking away from the field. "I'm leaving early because I have other matters to attend to, but we'll make that crazy play reproducible tomorrow, egoist." With that, Alexis grabbed his water bottle and went to follow Sachs. Although not without noting Yoichi lowering his head into his hands in embarrassment behind him. "Hopefully you'll be able to extend your 'Meta Vision' to social settings as well, Yoichi!" Alexis said over his shoulder, no real malice behind his words.
"Shut up!" Yoichi almost shrieked, making Alexis snicker to himself as he walked towards the locker rooms.
Theo was already taking off his shirt when Alexis stepped in. "What's with the giggles? What did I miss?" he asked, grin already forming.
Alexis sighed softly and shook his head, smiling as he always did, only with a more mischievous curve to his lips this time. "I'll tell you another time," he replied, opening his locker to discard the micro-interpreter he used to talk to Yoichi.
"I'll look forward to it then." He decided to shower at home, opting to at least wipe off the remaining sweat before heading off. "Where are you taking Emma today?" After Blue Lock, Alexis made a greater effort of getting to know his teammates. While Michael wasn't fond of it, after a while he realized that he couldn't really stop him. And as it turned out, Sachs had begun ditching practice early because he had gotten a girlfriend (a detail he ought to mention to Yoichi). He often asked Alexis for advice on new date spots around Munich, and each time Alexis gave out a recommendation his heart ached with longing.
Theo smiled to himself fondly. "Just a homemade romantic dinner at my apartment today." Alexis could tell from that softness in his eyes, that far-away look that he was thinking of her. He turned his gaze away when Theo continued undressing, offering him some privacy (something that always went forgotten in boy's locker rooms). "She was visiting family in Frankfurt for a week and I just want us to spend some time alone, you know?" His toothy smile radiated enough warmth to melt icebergs.
Alexis knew. He knew all too well, it had been almost a month since he'd last seen Michael after all. He beamed back at Sachs but he knew it came off more somber than anything. "Yeah," Alexis muttered, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "I hope you guys have a good time." His locker closed behind him coldly.
Walking towards the door, he threw his sweaty towel into the laundry box. "Thanks," Theo called out. "Betting on Re Al winning tonight too!"
Alexis stilled with his hand gripping the door handle. He wasn't sure if Sachs knew the extent of he and Michael's relationship. Then again, Alexis himself didn't truly know either. Smiling to himself, he quietly breathed out, "Yeah." And then he thought of Michael, of how they may not be together but their magic was undeniable and alive. He thought of his love for the simple things in life and found himself grateful. "Yeah," he repeated, louder, walking out the locker rooms with the sound of Theo's laughter behind him.
Alexis walked to his apartment on foot. It was only a thirty minute walk away from the Bastard München training clubhouse and he liked breathing in the fresh afternoon air, it helped clear his cloudy mind. He eyed the building Michael had lived in while walking past; he ended the lease right before leaving for Madrid. Alexis started apartment hunting just a few weeks after, choosing to leave the dorms behind. It didn't make the ache in his heart any lighter but the personal space allowed him to finally breathe again after that day at the airport.
He lived in a cozy two room apartment, with shelves bursting at the seams with fantasy books and manga, with plants sunbathing on the windowsills and one too many pillows on the living room couch. Alexis kicked off his shoes at the entrance, dropped his bag near his bedroom door and padded off towards the bathroom. He ran the water colder than usual when he stepped into the shower. He didn't like cold showers but it was needed to shake off the warmth of practice and to calm the unexplainable nerves that arose before every match of Michael's that he watched; as if Alexis himself was playing on the field. And yet perhaps this was the closest thing to them playing together again. For now.
By the time he changed into a fresh set of clothes—shorts and a shirt Michael had purposefully left behind the last time he visited—the match had just begun as his TV lit up the dark living room. The crowd was buzzing with excitement at the prospect of three of the New Generation XI playing on the same field. Re Al and FC Barcha players stood lined up on the field and Alexis beamed when the camera panned past Michael standing tall, face unreadable to most. Most except Alexis, who saw the slight sharpness in his eyebrows, the steady twist of his lips and the calmness in those azure eyes, and he knew Michael was fired up, ready to pull off the impossible.
The white uniform looked good on him, hugging his body comfortably. It almost reminded Alexis of the Bastard München tryouts, of an outstretched hand and how it had lifted him off the ground, changing his whole life forever. Michael looked devilishly handsome even through the screen, burning with new-found determination.
The German commentator of course spoke of Michael Kaiser, the German Prodigy, voice swelling with pride. "You're going to want to keep your eyes on Kaiser this match," he noted as images of the players and their jersey numbers flashed across the screen. Alexis didn't need to be reminded. He thought it to be almost impossible for his eyes to see anyone but Michael. As kick-off began, it was much too easy to follow him; blue-tipped hair running around the field. Alexis thought of the stain of dye on his fingers and how it had faded just a few days after he touched up Michael's hair. His gut twisted at the memory.
Alexis lied back among his mountain of pillows, sinking into the cotton as Barcha claimed the ball. Re Al had won the coin toss, opting to attack the left-hand goalpost during the first half. That was most likely because of how bright the sun was in Barcelona, apparent even through the TV. Nonetheless, it was interesting since when Bastard München would win their coin tosses, they almost always chose to take kick-off, to push and attack relentlessly. Perhaps that was just the German way.
It wasn't long before Re Al snatched back the ball, passing among themselves until it reached Sae Itoshi. Alexis's fingers dug into a particular pillow he favored—he had stitched it himself when he was 17, in a small dorm room under the faint light of a table lamp while Michael slept a few feet away. It was undeniable that Sae Itoshi was an exceptional midfielder; Alexis was almost hypnotized while watching him dribble past numerous Barcha players. And yet even the Prodigy was not unstoppable. Barcha's number 19, Bunny Iglesias—a player that was impossible to miss—stole the ball from mid-air when Sae Itoshi made a pass. The crowd roared and the game shifted, as did Alexis on the couch when FC Barcha scored the first goal twenty-one minutes into the first half.
Then again this, of course, wasn't all too bad. In fact, Michael often thrived best on the field when the opposing team scored first. It allowed him to observe each player and their plays, navigating around them easily when kick-off began again. Alexis guessed that was part of that 'Meta Vision' ability that Yoichi had told him about. After the Neo Egoist League, Alexis found himself using it unconsciously during the U-20 World Cup and later on during exciting Bastard München matches. Yoichi had commented on it, saying it was because he no longer focused purely on Kaiser. And Alexis had bit his tongue because agreeing would have hurt more than the taste of blood.
As Re Al got the kick-off, Sae Itoshi navigated the ball once again, with Barcha closing in quickly, limiting his passing options much too soon. From all the games he had watched, Alexis was under the impression that Japan's Greatest Treasure was a player that hardly ever lost his cool, calm and almost unfeelingly cold, his play style precise and calculated. However, after that first goal and Bunny Iglesias sticking by him once again, it almost seemed as if Sae Itoshi's dribbling held a sense of irritation behind it. Perhaps there was a story there, but Alexis was none the wiser to its details. Just as much of an observer as anyone else watching at home.
Nonetheless, FC Barcha's defense was relentless; with Sae Itoshi being stuck with the ball for several minutes, even Alexis felt annoyance crawling up his neck. Finally, the Prodigy seemed to break, getting past Bunny Iglesias with a nutmeg and an instantaneous pass to Re Al's right wing-back.
Alexis stressed his lip between his teeth. They were nearing towards the end of the first half and Michael hadn't gotten the ball once. He couldn't blame Sae Itoshi for not passing to him, as there were two Barcha players stuck at Michael's side. As much as it affirmed just how exceptional Michael was, the persistence was much too maddening to bear, even behind the screen. There was something exceptional about witnessing Michael score, and Alexis was entirely and undoubtedly addicted to that feeling.
The wing-back ended up shooting, but the attempt was entirely lackluster and much too predictable. The ball bounced off the goalkeeper's gloves into the air, leading to a loose ball. It landed next to a Barcha player's feet, the whole team shifting and navigating towards the opposite end of the field quickly. It didn't accomplish much however, with the teams now switching roles and Re Al's own defense reacting swiftly.
Michael was fast on Bunny Iglesias's feet, most definitely marking him as the most dangerous player on the field if he were to get the ball right now. Alexis had to agree—Iglesias was a starter for FC Barcha's first team, yet here he was playing with Barcha's youth team. He had heard word that had something to do with Sae Itoshi, but he had no way of knowing if that was indeed factual.
Of course, in Alexis's opinion, Michael was also great enough to play on Re Al's first team, and he was in fact expected to soon, since it wasn't long before he'd be turning 20. Michael had told him that him playing on Re Al's secondary was somewhat of a formality. Alexis was secretly thankful (Michael, deep down, probably was too) because he knew that playing as a secondary striker to Leonardo Luna may prove to be too challenging for the current Michael, too damaging to his ego. For Michael, who was still healing and trying to improve the toxic mentality he had spent years forming. No one could shake that off in just a few months. Rome was not built in a day, they say.
The field was at a stand-still once again but the first half was wearing thin and Barcha must've felt the pressure since their midfielder slipped up and ended up losing the ball. Michael and Bunny Iglesias were the first to react, running straight towards Barcha's goalpost. As the formation changed once again, Sae Itoshi made a beautiful lofted pass to Michael. It landed almost stationary at his feet and Alexis felt his whole body tingle. He sat up, back hunched over. Kaiser Impact: Magnus. None of the FC Barcha's defensive players had made it to the goalpost yet and the position of the ball was much too perfect. The only hindrance was Iglesias, who was now blocking Michael, but with the spin of the Magnus Impact, the ball could surely make it into the goal.
When Michael got ready to shoot, he locked eyes with Bunny Iglesias, and although it was hard to actually tell, it seemed as if he said something to Iglesias. As his foot collided with the ball, it had the tell-tale ferocity of the Kaiser Impact behind it and seemed to curve as any of Michael's Magnus shots did, but Alexis knew better. His eyes widened when he recognized the Magnus Cross. Instead of shooting, Michael made a pass to Itoshi Sae, who had continued running after that lofted pass.
Itoshi scored instantaneously and the score evened out to 1-1 as the crowd cried out tumultuously (most in dismay due the game being in Barcelona), and as half-time was announced.
Alexis sat stunned in his seat. Obviously Michael wasn't incapable of making passes and he knew that. And yet that seemed to be the perfect opportunity for Michael to score himself. Why did he pass? What did he say to Bunny Iglesias?
Too many questions were spinning in Alexis's head. He looked to his phone lying on the small coffee table. Despite the inner turmoil, he knew not to call Michael. As much as his fingers itched to, even if he dialed, Alexis knew he'd forget all his questions the moment he heard Michael's voice.
The confusion made his skin prickle in an uncomfortable way. He shook his head to calm himself, but that made him recognize the familiar ache of hunger in his stomach. He made his way into the kitchen, opening the fridge to grab some yogurt and an assortment of fruits and berries. He thought of how Michael never really liked simple yogurt bowls with berries and nuts like the one he was making right now. So Alexis used to make him elaborate smoothie bowls with fruits and nuts arranged in a pleasing, beautiful way, only for the arrangement to be disassembled by Michael instantly. Michael never thanked him for putting in the work, but Alexis never expected him to.
He stopped trying to make everything seem pretty and tidy after the Neo Egoist League. As did Michael, although he had tried to use that in order to push Alexis away, to cast him aside because he thought his broken pieces to be too sharp for Alexis's soft hands. He couldn't have that though. Michael was dear to him—despite the ugly, despite all the venomous words he had ever said that plagued Alexis's heart. Michael was special to him even beyond his role of emperor. Alexis and Michael were both broken, there was no way of glossing over that, so he wanted for them to embrace their disarray, to fix it—together.
Alexis slowly sank back into his pile of pillows and ate idly, barely noting down the flavor. He was about half way through his snack when the fifteen minutes were up and the second half began.
The commentator spoke of Michael and Sae Itoshi, of course noting Michael's odd decision to pass in the first half. Then he mentioned Rin Itoshi, who ought to have been part of Re Al's lineup but was most likely benched after getting a red card during Re Al's last game. Alexis remembered that; it was a wild game with Rin Itoshi competing more with his own brother than the other team while on the field. Yoichi had been muttering frustrations under his breath about the younger Itoshi in the locker rooms the day after the game.
The teams switched sides on the field and it was now Re Al's turn to kick-off. And it seemed as if Re Al was going all out on the offensive for the second half as the players did a series of one-touch passes to catch FC Barcha off guard before ultimately getting the ball to Sae Itoshi. Alexis searched for Michael's blue locks, finding him running towards the goalpost with two Barcha players at his tail. He did not look to where Sae Itoshi was, simply trusting the ball to come to him.
Alexis's tongue sat heavy in his mouth. The sweet berries now tasted awfully bitter and the yogurt coated his mouth in an uncomfortable way.
Sae Itoshi dribbled straight into the goal area, some Barcha players fearing that he may opt to score himself again. Instead, he turned around and passed to Re Al's left wing-back. The defenders that were near Michael seemed to lax a bit, confused by Re Al's odd tactic. Bunny Iglesias stuck not too far from him, however.
Re Al's wing-back seemed ready to shoot, but as he extended his foot, he quickly changed his trajectory into a side-foot pass to Re Al's right center-back. Making use of Barcha's confusion, they exchanged one-touch passes again until a flick pass was made to the Prodigy once again. Sae Itoshi wasted no time, passing to Michael immediately. In that moment of Itoshi getting the ball, Bunny Iglesias turned back towards Michael right away, no doubt hoping to steal the ball from mid-air again. However, Michael shot before the ball even hit the ground, performing a Kaiser Impact volley that crashed through the net with such ruthlessness that Alexis felt the goal deep within his gut, as if it went through his entire body.
The whole stadium erupted like a volcano with Re Al turning the tides with barely ten minutes into the second half. Alexis felt hot all over, releasing short, ragged breaths. A sense of envy lied buried deep within his skin. He ached to be the one passing to Michael again, to be there alongside him. It hurt even more knowing that he was not yet on Sae Itoshi's level either.
His childish jealousy felt almost shameful, but it ultimately grew to be overshadowed by the exhilaration of witnessing Michael perform the impossible. It felt hard to sit still in place. If Alexis were on that field he'd clap Michael on the back and smile encouragingly. But he was in his apartment, in Munich, over a thousand kilometers away. So instead, he gripped his thigh with one hand and hid his growing grin behind the other, palm hot from the embarrassing flush on his face.
Alexis tried to regain his focus as FC Barcha claimed kick-off and the game started again. Barcha's own attack was not as ferocious and calculated as Re Al's; they were guarded, but still pushed past. With a showing display of excellent dribbling, a player—who Alexis recognized from his time in Blue Lock as Meguru Bachira, Yoichi's bubbly friend with an exciting style of soccer—navigated through the field. He scissored past the few of Re Al's defense players in front of him and threw the other team off by making a surprise side pass to Barcha's midfielder. After a few one-touch passes, the midfielder made a long overhead pass, but it fell a bit short and instead reached a Re Al player.
As the teams changed gears, Alexis kept his eyes on Michael. The coil in his gut was still burning, he bit his lip while thinking of Michael's goal again. Alexis really should call him later, or maybe tomorrow when Michael would be well rested and Alexis's mind would be hopefully much clearer. He shifted on the couch.
Re Al's attack didn't last long as Barcha took back the hold when a sloppy pass was made. Alexis released a long, heavy breath. Despite everything, nothing came close to Michael and his magic, nothing compared to the ecstasy of witnessing Michael handle the ball. Alexis hated being an observer. He hated the distance, the warmth and coziness of his apartment. He missed the feeling of his feet digging into the grass and colliding with the ball to pass to Michael. He missed the wind tangling his hair and Michael's hand atop his head, fingers intertwined between the tangles, his soft locks attempting to trap Michael just as much as Michael tried to hold on to Alexis.
He knew he was selfish. Alexis never had anything of his own in life except for magic, and Michael was a beautiful and raw manifestation of that magic. The shame burned hot and heavy.
He carded his fingers through his barely damp hair and wished it was Michael's fingers instead. Sweat stuck to the back of his neck at the memory of the last time he felt them between his locks. The feel of Michael's hands on his body was a searing memory. Michael's body temperature always ran colder but his touch always left deliciously burning imprints on Alexis's skin, hot and wanting, desperate. They felt too faint now, too distant.
Alexis wished for Michael's hands to burn him whole, to consume him entirely so he could embrace Michael's broken soul, encase him with his magic. The flame in his gut thrashed, burning bright. Sweat dripped off his inner thighs.
His fingers trembled, toying with the hem of his shorts before he was pulled out of his trance as cheers broke out from his TV. Bunny Iglesias scored, tying the score. They were twenty-six minutes into the second half. Alexis swallowed thickly as Michael stepped up to start the kick-off this time. His shorts felt much too tight at the image of Michael dribbling through the field, exchanging passes with other Re Al players. He'd close his eyes and take steady breaths to calm himself but that meant taking his eyes off Michael. Tremors went through his blazing body like he was an addict going through withdrawal.
The ball, the field, the stadium. It all belonged to Michael. As did Alexis.
Michael playing football, Michael with his disastrous bed hair, Michael between his legs. Alexis was much too addicted, buried under a thick blanket of prickly blue roses, completely intoxicated by their alluring smell.
The strain against his underwear was growing uncomfortable but he couldn't take his eyes off Michael. The ball was directed towards the goal area, with Re Al's winger getting ready to shoot. Barcha's center-back was running towards the player, presumably trying to crash into him. However, Re Al's winger's foot went past the ball and turned to a back-heel pass, just like during the Neo Egoist League. Alexis gasped as Michael broke away from the defenders that were on him. FC Barcha barely had any time to react as Michael kicked the ball with all his might, the ball curving past the Barcha players and going straight into the net. Magnus Impact was brutal and relentless, something extraordinary and seemingly impossible and Alexis could only think of how truly bewitching it was.
This time he couldn't even hear the crowd over the thundering of his own heartbeat. It could beat straight out of his chest and he'd hand it to Michael, push it into his rib cage so Alexis could live alongside him forevermore.
He tried to control his breathing, wincing at the obscenely shameful erection between his thighs. It wasn't like this was the first instance of this happening. Yet it was much too disgraceful every time. Surely Alexis was not this much of a pervert. And yet his hand inched towards his shame, brushing over it through the layers of clothing. He whined at the mind-numbing pleasure of the momentary action and the vision of it being Michael's touch instead.
The last time he was in Hamburg, his mother had said that Michael was a harmful influence on him. Alexis sneered at the memory. Michael knew more about him than his family ever did. And he meant more to Alexis than anyone, or anything back in Hamburg. Without Michael, he would have forgotten about magic. Without Michael, he couldn't be whole.
Kick-off started once more and Alexis retracted his hand immediately to watch Michael again like a trained dog. His fingers stayed on his inner thigh, damp with sweat and burning hot to the touch. He mourned the bruises and imprints of Michael's teeth the flesh there once had, that faded alongside the blue dye on his fingers, and alongside Michael himself.
It was almost impossible to focus with the way his heart pumped blood through his whole body rapidly, his head heavy and clouded. The living room felt suffocating. He could only smell Michael, breathing in his scent from the shirt that stuck to his skin from the sweat. It was slightly too big on him, revealing too much of his neck and collarbones. Michael always liked marking him there too. Alexis always traced over them in the bathroom mirror the morning after.
The game was nearing its end. FC Barcha still had the ball and could even out the score, but Re Al was not backing down without a fight; they wouldn't settle with a tie. With forty-two minutes into the second half, Barcha made a shot for the net but it was too high and ended up bouncing off the goalpost. In a moment of complete luck, the loose ball landed at Michael's feet. Alexis's breathing quickened, Michael's scent completely surrounding him as he watched the man dig his feet into the ground and turn the opposite way in one fluid motion.
Michael passed the ball to Sae Itoshi and they split, running alongside the opposite sides of the field towards Barcha's goalpost. That forced FC Barcha's defense to navigate towards the middle of the field, with more players leaning towards Itoshi's side to keep their eyes on the ball. The Prodigy slowed his pace while Michael ran straight ahead towards the goal area, two Barcha players behind him. Then Sae Itoshi made a swift and much too accurate through pass, and Michael hit it while it was still in mid-air, with Barcha's winger crashing into him. FC Barcha's goalkeeper jumped to the side, but the ball flew right between his outstretched legs and thrashed into the net.
Alexis released a breath he didn't know he was holding. The game ended with Re Al winning 4-2. He dug his teeth into his lip as the camera panned towards Michael and the rest of Re Al celebrating their victory.
One of his hands slipped under his shorts, gripping his aching length. Michael scored a hat-trick. As the MVP, it was for certain that he'd be called for a post-game interview. Alexis bit back a moan at the thought of hearing Michael's gravelly voice speaking English. He needed to take care of this problem before the interview started.
Shutting his eyes, Alexis stroked himself clumsily, spitting into his palm after a few dry pumps. As he spread his legs wider and leaned back further into the pillows, it was much too easy to sink into Michael's scent around him. That intoxication allowed him to picture Michael over him, with his long fingers encasing Alexis's cock, his rough lips and sharp teeth on Alexis's neck. He writhed on the couch, silencing his whimpers behind his free hand as if anyone could hear him. Somehow the idea of someone overhearing him made his body burn even hotter.
He thought of Michael's magic, of the way sweat made his hair cling to his face, of the way the uniform hugged his body. Alexis pictured Michael whispering sweet nothings into his ear, his touch—that Alexis had helped turn gentle—searing his skin. If he were truly there, Alexis would reach out, fingers curling around blue roses, and pull Michael into an electrifying and sugary sweet kiss.
Instead, his lips were cold, covered in his own spit. His tongue ached for the hotness of Michael's mouth, lips tingling to litter each and every patch of Michael's skin in soft kisses.
Alexis quickened his pace, trying to chase that nearing climax. He was cut short, however, by the barely audible sound of his ringtone; the sound managing to reach his ears even through the lust induced haze. He sat panting for a second before releasing his erection, rolling onto his side and extending his clean hand towards the coffee table. Alexis shot up at the contact name and hit answer without thinking.
"Did you watch?" Michael's low, panting voice flooded his ears, washing all over his body. Alexis thought he might break out in hives from how turned on he was. A whimper escaped his lips.
He looked to the TV to see Sae Itoshi being interviewed. "Yes," he breathed out. "Yes, Micha, of course." His voice was too scratchy for his liking.
Michael sighed slowly. Alexis could hear his breathing on the other line. "Good," he whispered.
Alexis closed his eyes, trying to control himself. His fingers dug into his thigh. That only reminded him of Michael's bruising grip. "You were amazing out there—"
"Were you touching yourself, puppy?" The other line interrupted him, voice so breathy he could almost feel the warmth of it on his neck. "You always sound like that after sex."
Alexis's eyes widened, mouth falling open while his cock leaked pre-cum against his burning gut. "Michael—" he whined, cheeks aflame with shame. "Don't… Say stuff like that—"
"Then what? Are you with someone?" Michael's tone grew darker but it wasn't sharp, just mean in its teasing.
He gasped at the accusation. "Of course not." He doubted his body could ever react in the way it did when it came to Michael.
"So you were jerking off while watching me play, hm?" Michael's words reached every part of his body, like they infiltrated his bloodstream.
"Michael… Don't be so cruel," he whispered, voice laced with humiliation. "Just— Don't mention it."
The other line was silent for a moment. "Maybe you're the one who's cruel, Alexis," he said lowly.
"What—"
He heard faint shuffling. Alexis imagined it was Michael carding his fingers through his hair. "You said I did well today, right?"
"Of course," Alexis muttered back after a moment. A pool of saliva was gathering in his mouth. He swallowed thickly and tried not to think of the memory of Michael's dick gliding down his throat. "I couldn't take my eyes off you."
"Yeah?" He sounded almost hopeful. Alexis felt his heart swell—it felt too big for his body.
Alexis was sure. "Yeah." Perhaps the only time he'd been more certain about something had been that moment after the final game of the Neo Egoist League.
"Then reward me by letting me hear you touch yourself, Alexis." He fell silent for a moment before adding, "Please."
The clock ticked somewhere in his apartment. It was too quiet. "I— Okay." Alexis's fingers trembled when he reached for the remote, shutting off the TV. Darkness enveloped the room, swallowing him entirely. Alexis never liked the dark but Michael's steady breathing over the phone made him feel safe.
"Good boy," Michael purred. Alexis could hear the smile behind his voice.
Shaking fingers itched towards his erection, wrapping around it carefully, like Michael could see him. Alexis could almost picture him watching him somewhere in the dark—that aroused him more than he'd like to admit.
A whine escaped from the back of his throat. A deep voice egged him on. "Don't be shy." He tried to pump faster. "Were you thinking of our last time?"
He breathed in Michael's scent. "Yes."
"Of my hands around your pretty little cock?" The voice whispered into his ear.
Alexis whimpered, body completely ablaze and at Michael's mercy. He wanted to go under, to drown in his scent, to melt under his touch.
Michael chuckled silently. "I jerked off to the thought of you in the shower this morning."
His fingers slipped, stroking himself in a rougher motion that only reminded him of Michael's fingers on him. "Wha—" Alexis broke out into a moan. Back arching, he felt his stiff nipples rub against the fabric of Michael's shirt.
He heard a deep groan from the other line. "You're doing so well. Don't hold back, puppy." The low voice dripped over Alexis like honey; thick and sweet. "Let me hear you, okay?"
It felt too odd, too disorienting, to be so completely and utterly enveloped by Michael only for him to not truly be there. Alexis could barely make out his own thoughts. All he knew was Michael. His scent, his voice—he just longed for his touch. "Micha…"
"I want to feel you, to see your expression right now— I want to touch you everywhere until you can't do anything but squirm from pleasure, crying and sobbing out my name like it actually means something." Those words made the fire in his gut twist dangerously. "You don't know what you do to me, Alexis."
He gripped his length tightly. The way Michael always did. "Please, Micha," he mewled, trapping the phone between his head and shoulder to slip his other hand under Michael's shirt.
"You're always so sensitive, so responsive to every graze of my fingers."
Alexis pulled at one of his nipples, gasping. "Yeah… Yes," he slurred, barely cohered under the weight of Michael's heavy, gravelly voice.
The other line hummed into his ear, the sound echoing through his bones. "It's so easy to make you come undone by just teasing your nipples, you're so cute."
He whimpered loudly. That somehow made him think Michael truly could see him, that thought was like fuel to the flame inside of him. He was so, so close. Alexis thought of Michael's hands spreading his legs wider, slipping between them to suck at the skin on his inner thighs. "Michael— I'm—"
"Just like that," Michael purred, hypnotizing. "Cum for me, puppy."
Alexis stroked himself desperately, body jolting on the couch. Electric shocks spread through his entire body as he reached his climax, Michael's name hot on his lips, Michael's heavy breathing in his ear, Michael's praises intoxicating him with pure ecstasy. It felt like his soul left his body from the overwhelming pleasure, like time stopped and there was nothing around to ground him but Michael. Every muscle felt lax, tongue heavy in his mouth, toes curling, eyes shut so tight he saw white spots.
He lied breathless against the softness of his pillows, with nothing but Michael's breaths to accompany him. As Alexis regained his senses, he felt the dampness of his whole body, hair sticking to his forehead uncomfortably, back completely wet from the sweat. He needed to shower again but he felt much too numb. His whole body was like rubber, like he practiced non-stop from dawn until dusk.
"Michael…" he murmured eventually, taking his phone in hand and turning on speakerphone. He buried his softening length under his underwear out of habit to appear decent.
There was some shuffling on the other line. "Yeah?" he said, quieter than he'd been before.
"I've soiled your shirt."
Silence followed until Michael chuckled. It was a pure and light sound that made Alexis smile to himself. He wanted to tell Michael how proud he was of him, not even for the hat-trick or for making those impossible goals. His heart swayed at Michael finally seeming happy, trying his best to run away from the overbearing dark cloud of the past that loomed over him with every step that he took. "It was an old piece of shit anyways."
Alexis hummed, lying on his back. "It wasn't to me," he whispered. "You know I hate it when you talk like that." His tone was firm and soft all the same. It was a bad habit, a terrible coping mechanism of Michael's, calling everything—including himself—shit. The word didn't belong on Michael's handsome lips.
A sigh. "It looked better on you anyway." The words were so small and quiet that Alexis almost missed them in the darkness. Then again, he never really could. Michael's voice was his world's axis. "I watched your game against Dortmund last week."
Alexis blinked, staring at the dark, barely there ceiling. "What did you think?" he muttered, smiling faintly.
"You really got fired up, huh?" Michael said, voice steady and comforting to Alexis's ears. "That final goal made my blood boil though."
He giggled at the poorly restrained frustration behind Michael's words. "Yeah, Yoichi already wants to reproduce it with me." Then he remembered his exchange with Yoichi a few hours earlier and chuckled at the absurdity of it all. "His spacial awareness annoys even me, but it seems like it's only effective when he's on the field. I mean, he actually thought I was dating Sachs of all people."
Michael didn't answer for a long moment. "Sachs? Theo Sachs?" His voice was low, sharp and almost dangerous. "You? With that?"
Swallowing, Alexis released a breath. Was Michael… jealous? "I know, I know. I was just as shocked," he noted, feeling a steady buzz in his head, his face hurt from smiling.
"What gave that clown that impression?" The other line spat out.
Alexis held back a chuckle. "I don't know, Micha." The nickname was soft and sweet on his tongue. "Yoichi isn't the brightest, if he were he would've realized Sachs has a girlfriend."
He heard Michael release a long breath. "Hm." Static cracked on the other line.
Sinking further into the couch, hugging a stray pillow, Alexis could almost envision embracing Michael instead. His lips curved into a stupid, childish smile at the thought of them both feeling jealous even while being over a thousand kilometers away. He wanted to tell Michael that he missed him and yet it felt like his desperate whines of Michael's name already conveyed that thoroughly.
"I don't have any games for the next two weeks," Michael started slowly, voice small. "My hair needs a touch-up." His tone was softer than the cotton in Alexis's hold, like he wasn't completely sure of his words, like he almost feared the response he'd get.
Alexis grinned like a madman. His heart swooped, overcome with tenderness. "Okay, Micha," he breathed out, lips wet and sugary. "I think so too."
He gripped the pillow tighter, trying to calm his heartbeat. With the sound of Michael's breathing in his ear, Alexis decided that he'd tell him just how much he missed him when he could grip Michael's cold face instead of his warm, soft pillow, when he could feel his hot breath dust his neck, when he could kiss him desperately like a starved man because the taste of Michael's lips was the only medicine to the deep-seated ache in Alexis's bones.