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___
Isagi expected the soccer match against PXG would be simple.
Play soccer, score some goals, fight with Kaiser and beat a few other players and probably win the match. Then as he walks towards the field and meets eyes with the most gorgeous man he's ever seen.
"Oh, Rin!" Kaiser smiled towards the pretty boy, waving at him.
"Kaiser." The pretty boy—Rin—says.
"Wait. You know him?" Isagi questions incredulously. His jaw dropping. Kaiser knew this beautiful, beautiful man. How and why?
"Why do you care, Yoichi? You like him or something?" Kaiser asks, raising his brow. "Friendly match, Rin!" Kaiser grins at Rin.
"Of course." Rin mutters back before going into his position.
Isagi stood there. Jaw dropped as he just.. Stared. Hiori had tapped his shoulder. "Pull yourself together." He says, dragging him to his position.
___
It all started with a little extra time.
Rin had logged into a website. A place for those learning different types of languages. The website would pair two people up. The tutor and the learner. That's where he met a certain user— bluerose. Who logged in as his 'student'.
To learn english.
r.owl
do you play soccer??
bluerose
yeah me actually pro
r.owl
*yeah I'm actually pro at it
That's cool though, me too. Are you in a league?
bluerose
yeah I'm in bastard munchen
r.owl
Oh wow. I'm in PXG.
That day forward, him and 'bluerose' became close friends. They exchanged actual numbers to talk off the website. Communicating through english. Kaiser taught him German. Rin taught him english and a bit of Japanese.
They were on a video call. Peacefully doing regular language exercises. Before Kaiser spoke. "My league will be playing against PXG today." He says softly.
"Will i see you there?" Rin asks. Clicking his pen shut. "Yeah. If you're playing first match, definitely."
"Should i know anyone? Is there anyone interesting?" Rin questions, humming in thought. "Not really- oh, there is this one person.. His name is Isagi Yoichi. Watch out for him. He's a clown."
Rin smiles. "A clown?"
"Yes. The best of blue lock; they call him. Wait, do you know what blue lock is?" Kaiser asks. "Not really. I just know it's some sort of program. I think I've seen their logo before." Rin says.
"But yeah. He's a wimp. You'd definitely be the number one at blue lock if you were in that program."
"Pfft, flattery."
Although, it does make Rin wonder.
He has seen that logo before..
Rin had gotten a letter in the mail. A logo. A blue Pentagon, to be specific. "Loki, what is this-?"
Before Rin could get an answer. The elder had ripped the letter from Rin's hands. Tearing it up and throwing it in the trash.
".. Don't. Don't touch that, Rin. It's nothing. It's worthless."
"Well, i can't help it. It keeps coming in the mail."
There was a gleam in Loki's eyes that sent a shiver down Rin's spine. "Is that so? Don't worry, Rin. I'll make sure it'll stop. Completely. Just go and talk with Charles. i have a few phone calls to make."
That day. The letters never arrive again.
///
Isagi panted heavily as he looked at the scoreboard.
1 - 0
Fuck. His mind cursed. Rin and Charles were a complete powerhouse together. Near unstoppable. They were complete monsters with egos larger than the fucking sun.
Rin's aim was near perfect. Moreover. He predicted the field in a way no other soccer plays could. He was a complete soccer genius.
"How are we supposed to defeat that?" Isagi says. Wiping his sweat with a towel. "Water?" Hiori asks. Handing Isagi the water bottle. "Thanks." Isagi mutters thankfully.
"I never expected PXG to be this good. Although, just looking at Loki.. Perhaps i should've expected it." Hiori confesses. Drinking his water. "Rin truly is a genius. He's on a whole other level."
"What're you two peasants talking about?" Kaiser asks with a raised eyebrow. "You. How do you know Rin?" Isagi questions.
The German scoffs. Seemingly unimpressed. "And why should i tell you that, exactly?"
"Because-"
Because he's the prettiest soccer player I've ever seen.
Because he's a genius that i want to consume whole.
Because he's a soccer prodigy that looks over Isagi like he was something not worth remembering.
"See? Even you don't know. Plus. Not very sportsmanlike to involve personal stuff into soccer." Kaiser hums. "I'm leaving. Work up courage, losers."
Isagi passed the ball again. He couldn't pass to Kaiser. Yet Ness was waiting eagerly by the side. Before the ball is quickly stolen by Karasu.
Karasu passes to Charles. Charles passes to Shidou. And Shidou passes to Rin—fuck, Rin. He hadn't realized Rin was in an open space. A perfect space to goal.
One perfect kick, the ball hits the net.
3 - 2
"Pathetic." Rin mutters.
It felt like the word just stopped when they locked eyes. Isagi felt like he couldn't breathe. Yet he felt like he breathed in the most fresh air the stadium could offer.
"Do you understand why you can't beat me?" Rin questions. Isagi flinched.
"Why?" Isagi questions. How? How how how how how?
"Luck." Rin says. Isagi couldn't help but mutter. "What?"
"It was pure luck." Rin says. He turned out. Those teal eyes leaving Isagi's bright blue own. Weirdly enough. Isagi wished Rin would keep those intelligent eyes on him.
"You don't get it, do you?" Rin says. There was the slightest hint of contempt in his voice. "Luck also plays a large part in soccer. It's unpredictable. But if it works in your favor.."
Rin didn't need to continue his sentence. Because Isagi understood now.
Luck. Was unpredictable. Wild. Sometimes it would be on your side. Sometimes it wouldn't. Rin didn't 'beat' him. Rin was just luckier.
Isagi swallowed.
"Hey, come on." Hiori placed a hand on his shoulder. ".. Right. Lets go." Isagi mumbles. Realizing he had been standing there like a fool. The PXG team had already left.
Charles had an arms around Rin's shoulders in a bright, toothy grin. Rin seemed.. Gentler. Different than the absolute monster on field. Like an older brother, even.
Why does Rin seem.. Oddly familiar?
He shook his head.
He shouldn't pay this any mind. It wasn't his business. Yet those teal eyes.. So oddly familiar. Where had he seen those pairs before?
"What do you think of them?" Charles says one night. "What? What do you mean by that?" Rin questioned. He hadn't expect that at all.
Rin was doing his usual yoga after match routine. Charles didn't really do yoga. So he simply watches Rin while playing with a rubix cube.
"Duhh. Don't play dumb, Rinnie. You arent slow. What do you think of that blue guy?"
Rin snorted. "Blue guy?"
"The dark haired blue guy. The one with the odd hatred towards Kaiser? The one who was oddly infatuated with you?"
Rin froze mid yoga movement. He scoffed. "What? He wasn't infatuated, Charles. Learn to word your sentences better." He scolds.
"I'm not lying! He was giving you those starry, oh em gee eyes. Y'know. Like the ones Hugo gives to Loki when he thinks he isn't looking?"
"Well those two are pining, yearning messes."
"Perhaps you and that Isagi guy are too." Charles says with a devilish grin.
Rin stopped.
Charles gasped.
"Are not!" Rin snaps after composing himself.
"Are too!!" Charles says with a giggle. Immediately running outside the room to run to Loki.
Rin had barely put on his shirt—he was sure it was probably backwards—as he ran to catch Charles. "Loki, Loki, Loki!" Charles squealed as he ran to the elder.
"Slow down. Both of you." Loki chides fondly. "What happened here this time?" He questions when the two calmed down. Rin catching his breath.
"Rin has a crush~"
"No i do not!" Rin says.
"Are too! Look, you're blushing!" Charles says with a Cheshire grin. "Charles, i will kill you!"
"Stop. Both of you. Charles, Rin has a crush on who. Exactly?" Loki asks with a forced smile.
"The blue lock number one guy! Isagi, i think? Hehe. It sounds like Usagi!" (Usagi = Bunny)
"Really. Is that so?" Loki mutters. Charles nods just before Rin tries to pounce on Charles again. Charles laughs and they run around.
That night, Loki thinks about it.
Loki drinks his cup of whiskey. The ice twirling around in the liquor. "What are you thinking about?" Hugo asks by his side monotonously.
"What did you find on Isagi?" He asks, cutting to the chase.
"He's an average player. A striker. The heart of blue lock—they call him. He's number one, too." Hugo twirls a strand of his hair.
"I see."
"Why did you ask me to investigate him specifically? You didn't seem all too eager for blue lock." Hugo mutters.
"Simple. I cannot see another promising soccer player throw away their career for... Some dumb love."
"Dumb love?" Hugo questions.
"Yes. Dumb love."
Hugo's grip tightens on the tablet. His eyes flicker back to the information on the tablet emotionlessly. "I see." Hugo mutters.
Loki doesn't think about it.
He doesn't.
It makes Loki remember that day.
A younger Charles looked at him from his toys. The matrons of the orphanage called him too hyper. Too childish for anyone to adopt him.
"Do you like soccer?" Loki asks, tilting his head in question. "I do." Charles says with a wide grin. "My dad used to play it a lot. Before mama died. Then he didn't play anymore with me."
"Your dad was considered the best passer in the world before he retired." Loki says. "Really?" Charles says with sparkling eyes.
"I believe you can also be the best too—if you help me."
Loki offers his hand.
Charles takes it.