Chapter Text
As much as Nagi considered a lot of things to be a nuisance, he was able to remember things without much effort, which is why, even years later, he still remembered his parents' words when he was 7 years old. It was the age when your soulmate's mark was supposed to appear. Of course, the most excited was his parents, who were soul mates and had met in their youth. They both used to be quite affectionate with each other, forgetting about the rest of the world, even Nagi. But he was fine with that, as long as he didn't have to do anything and wasn't bothered.
Even so, 17-year-old Nagi could remember his parents' confused looks when no mark appeared on his body, only a month later, they realized what that meant.
He was not born with a soul mate.
Of course, this was a normal thing in society. Being that only 20% find their soul mate and 40% do not have a soul mark. However, for his parents, a soul mate couple, it was quite a shock.
'I'm sure you'll find your soul mate in a few years, there's still time.'
That's what his parents had said, even though they all knew that the marks only appeared at the age of 7. However, Nagi didn't pay much attention to that, what was the point of having a soul mate? Sometimes people married someone else, or just rejected their soul mates. In any case, he was glad he didn't have to deal with those things.
'Soulmates are a nuisance.'
That's what he thinks while sitting on the stairs playing a new game. He's playing the 'Anti-romance' event that will give him new rewards, or at least he is until someone accidentally pushes him and his cell phone slips out of his hands.
“ack! I'm sorry."
He hears the apology, but his body moves first. He pushes himself to jump all the stairs in one go as he lands, his right foot planted hard on the ground as he extends his left leg, his shoe holding his cell phone briefly. A gentle touch is enough for the phone to return to his hands. A large billboard appears at that moment.
<<You have been found by your soul mate!>>
“Oh, I lost.”
Even so, when he looked at the other person, his gaze stopped at the neck. The uniform didn't quite cover the entire soul mark, therefore Nagi was able to catch a glimpse of part of what appeared to be a golden shamrock.
'Will it be a normal clover or a four-leaf clover?'
Nagi is listening to this person speak, even among the elite, there are people who stand out more than others. The name and face of this person are well known, Reo Mikage.
'Would it be something like an SSSR?'
That's what Nagi thinks as he asks him for money. He doesn't want to exert himself, It's a nuisance. But Mikage keeps talking about how he could go pro if he puts in the effort, and when Nagi tells him what he thinks, he goes back to his game while waiting for the other person to leave, like he always has.
Except that doesn't happen, and instead, he has an arm wrapped around his shoulders and the elite beaming at him with excitement.
“You are interesting, let's play Football!”
And suddenly, Nagi's life isn't as monotonous as it used to be. His routine has changed, Reo has changed it, to be more exact. Therefore, he is not surprised to be not far from where a girl is confessing to his friend. No, Nagi has gotten used to this happening from time to time.
"Reo-sama, I like you!"
The girl's voice is too high pitched for Nagi's taste, who isn't used to it. He prefers Reo's deep, melodic voice, so soft it sometimes makes him feel like he's listening to a lullaby.
Still, Nagi knows how this will end, so he closes his eyes and listens to Reo's voice.
“I am very sorry, Shinora-san, but I cannot reciprocate your feelings. I'm not interested in being in a relationship right now."
Reo's kind tone always surprises Nagi. If it was him, he would have just said no directly. Even so, Nagi is getting up from his seat, ready to receive Reo and ask him to give him a piggyback ride, but this girl's voice is heard again, this time much higher, to the point that Nagi can see it as his friend has to control himself from wincing.
“Then why are you with him?! You keep following him around like you're a stupid dog!”
The comment not only causes both friends to be surprised but also the other people around them. And the change is immediate because the girl pales when she realizes her words.
“I-I.. Id- didn't mean that! Reo-”
She is panicking. Nagi can see that she doesn't feel guilty for what she said, but for saying it right now, when she has so many people watching and judging what she just said. Even so, Reo only interrupts her as he walks toward Nagi. The expression on his face is relaxed, without a trace of annoyance.
“I understand, Shinora-san, you didn't mean that. However, my answer will not change."
Reo bends down slightly and Nagi understands what he's doing because it's already a pattern between them, so he doesn't hesitate to climb on Reo's back and lean back comfortably. Reo starts walking without looking back, but Nagi glances at the girl one last time and for some reason, she flinches before running off.
Once they're alone, with Reo calmly walking towards the court, Nagi can't help but ask.
"What's wrong with being a dog? They're cute and they don't do anything they don't want to do.”
"Pff- Are you implying that I could be a dog?"
"One of those elegant dogs... Saint Bernard."
His comment makes Reo laugh and Nagi places his chin on his friend's neck, immediately noticing the mark on Reo's neck. He wonders if Reo would be able to reject his soul mate.
“You mean that because we saw that movie?”
"mnh"
"Then Nagi must be a Tibetan Mastiff."
As Reo talks about the similarities between him and that dog, Nagi can't help but think that Reo is too nice. He knows his friend wouldn't be able to turn down his soul mate and he was too nice for anyone to turn him down, but Nagi was Reo's treasure. He is much more important than a soul mate. It was a little pretentious of him to assume that Reo wouldn't leave him or change him, but he knew that he was the only person capable of making Reo look so happy.
*****
'To achieve Reo's dream, I need to move forward.'
That's what Nagi thinks as he separates from Reo to follow Isagi. He admits that he is lonely without Reo, but he is doing it for him. They both have to grow and improve in order to fulfill Reo's dream. So he moves on, slowly, adjusts to more people, and gets used to having to do things for himself, because Reo is no longer there to do it for him. He gets used to walking because no one is willing to take him on a piggyback In a way, it's like he's back to his routine, only now soccer is attractive.
Everything is going well until they face the best player of Blue Lock. And Nagi should be worried about how they should move in order to win, but his gaze is fixed on the mark that Rin has on his neck. A golden four-leaf clover.
It is the same mark that Reo had, even in the same place. Throughout the game, Nagi feels a heaviness in his chest, something uncomfortable that makes his insides twist unpleasantly. That feeling is compounded as Rin continues to score another goal with ease and Nagi has to push himself. Not just because they're on different levels, but because Isagi has issues. The combination of Isagi and Bachira is good, it makes him think about his own relationship with Reo and when the three of them lose, he realizes that he is in a cold sweat, but he knows that it is not because of the game they just had, but because of the existence of Itoshi Rin.
Rin, who was a monster.
Rin, who is a better player than Nagi.
Rin, who is Reo's soul mate.
Nagi feels that Rin looks at him for a few seconds as if he realized his thoughts, but he knows that this is not the case, it's just that Nagi has been looking at him too much. He knows there's nothing on his face to give anything away, but he's uncomfortable when Rin runs his hand down his neck, covering his mark. Even so, he doesn't say anything, he can't and he doesn't want to. Why should you care? Anyway, he and Reo will win the world cup together. Rin doesn't have a place between them, Nagi knows that Reo is kind, so he won't reject his soul mate... but Nagi also knows that he and Reo will meet again, stronger than before, and together they will win the world cup.
“Then choose me. I don't need words of comfort... say it clearly... that you don't care about me anymore...? You've changed. How could you forget our promise to become the best in the world together?"
But he's not sure of that anymore, not when Reo looks so devastated after losing to them, not when he doesn't look at him the same way he used to. Those eyes that shone with confidence and the attitude of someone who had never lost was what Nagi remembered, but he couldn't find any similarity between that Reo and the one in front of him.
"If you're going to throw me away, then just do it, dammit."
And Nagi feels lost. Because this is not your Inmate, this is not the same person you met, it is not. And perhaps because it is not, is that the words come out of his mouth without being able to avoid them.
“You are a pain in the ass Reo. I don't care anymore.”
So after telling him that, he walks away. And even if it's all going to end now, Nagi refuses to tell Reo that he knows the person who was his soul mate. That he knew that the owner of the soul mark on Reo's neck belonged to Itoshi Rin.
Because for the first time, Nagi feels that he could lose what is his.
Because Nagi is Reo's and Reo's is his, even if they don't have a stupid mark to show it. Fate can be wrong. How could Rin be Reo's soul mate? And even if it was, Nagi was the only one in Reo's eyes, no one else.
Nagi just has to improve, he has to be better than Isagi, than Rin, and he has to be the best in the world. He will get better and wait for Reo to catch up with him. (even if a part of himself knows that Reo won't go after him anymore) Only the best can be at Reo's side and help him fulfill his dream. That's what he believes, even so, when the ratings come out, Rin is above him and Nagi feels his hands shaking seeing that he's not even in the top 5, no, he's 6th, but he continues getting better, and when Nagi scores the first goal against the Under-20s, he feels like he won. He is shining, there, on the court with Reo. Beating Isagi and Rin.
Until Itoshi Rin pushes his limits again and it's like watching an animal go crazy, something so far from elegant or brilliant. Far from being a shining jewel or a treasure. And when Reo and Rin recognize the marks on their bodies, Nagi feels as if he had lost, even though they just won and he wants to go with Reo, he wants to cover that pair of eyes that only looked at him.
But he knows it's late because Nagi doesn't see or receive a message from Reo during those two weeks, it's only when they return to Blue Lock, that he sees him.
Reo has a new sparkle in his eyes and his mark, he's there, standing nonchalantly as he talks to Rin about something he can't hear, but when Rin says something and Reo laughs, the breath in his chest stops. Because that's a smile he had never seen, something more private and reserved, something so different from his Reo...
'Though he was never mine.'
The thought is bitter, but Nagi knows it to be true. Still, when Reo chooses to play for England's Manshine Citand and Rin for France's Paris X Gen, he can't help but be happy. Because playing together means that Nagi will once again be Reo's treasure, the only one in his eyes and Rin will only be displaced.
****
Rin feels complex emotions after the match. He knows he's won, but it doesn't feel like a victory, not when his brother has recognized Isagi, even when Rin beat all the U-20 members, meets his soul mate in the middle of the celebration, and lastly, his talk with Isagi aggravated his bad mood. But he knows that he has to clarify his situation now or it will be more troublesome later, he knows this because Mikage Reo has been waiting for him for an hour after Isagi left the locker room.
Rin is not going to reject him, and he hopes that he won't be rejected because the pain of rejection brings with it a lot of problems. The trouble he can't afford, not when Rin has to crush Isagi and his fucking brother. Still, he doesn't plan to get any closer and the other boy must know, so he just shakes his head as he enters the locker room and sits a safe distance from Rin, looking at him with a smile.
“That was a good game you made there.”
And there was something in the look of the purple-haired teenager when he says those words that bother him, but the other just smiles, as if he had discovered something that Rin couldn't see. But just as quickly as it appears, it's gone, leaving only a pair of eyes shining with curiosity.
"Let's be good friends, Itoshi Rin."
And Rin wants to say no, he doesn't need friends. But it's useless, considering that it could be taken as a negative for their bond. At least Mikage understands because he doesn't hold out his hand and that makes Rin relax a bit.
"Let's get along, Mikage Reo."
At his words, Rin feels his mark light up softly, establishing the bond connection. And then, Rin spends two weeks by Reo's side, until the bond is finally established.
Two weeks where Reo keeps looking at that friend of his. A look that reminds him too much of himself. So now, lying in Reo's extremely luxurious bed, Rin thinks he wants to know more.
'But if I ask, he will refuse and ask for information instead, and I will refuse.'
Reo probably knew he was curious, but he knew the best way to stop Rin from asking was to demand something in return, something he couldn't give.
That's what Reo did. He could know everything about a person, but that person would only know what Reo wanted to show, from the way they both address each other by their first names to the rest, they both use their last names. It was something Rin learned quickly when he said 'Mikage' and Reo just smiled at him.
“Just use my name, unless you want to provoke me.”
It was a light joke, something that anyone would take as a joke. Who would provoke the heir to the Mikage corporation? But Rin didn't laugh, he just nodded.
"The same goes for you."
Although trying to draw a line was useless, considering that Bachira and Isagi were easy to intimidate just like the rest of the players.
'Reo says that Nagi is his treasure, it seems he was the one who made Nagi start playing.'
Isagi looked uncomfortable while talking about it. Still, Bachira didn't share the same discomfort, so he yelled out everything he knew.
'Yeah! Something like it would be the two of them who would win the world cup!
Although, Nagi left him to go with Isagi and me. They haven't been together after that.'
A feeling of familiar anger built in his chest as he remembered what that pair said.
Nagi Seishiro and Itoshi Sae were the same pieces of trash.
"What are you thinking? I can see smoke coming out of your head."
The light joke would have made him snort at any time, but not now. Not when Rin could see a reddish edge in Reo's eyes.
"Did you cry?"
The question came out abruptly, so abrupt that it surprised them both. Reo quickly composed himself while shaking his head.
"no."
"Your eyes are red and a little swollen, don't lie to me."
Speechless. Reo didn't know what to say for a few seconds before sighing.
"Yes, I cried. Nagi asked to play together again and I agreed, but it feels different."Reo took a deep breath before continuing. "It seems Nagi can only get the best of him with Isagi. It makes me think I won't be enough."
Correct. That was also what bothered Rin.
Reo played with Nagi again and considered him his treasure, but he could understand what he meant. Seeing his fucking brother recognize Isagi and not him, it was like something lit a fire inside him, telling him to crush Isagi Yoichi.
He couldn't comfort him with words, so Rin only lightly patted the spot next to him.
"Do you want to snuggle up for a while before you go out for a fancy breakfast? I'll even let you pay."
Reo raised an amused eyebrow at that.
"Aren't I the one who always pays?"
"Yes, but it's because you're the older of the two, now I'm letting you pay."
'Is the same.'
Reo just laughed harder as he lay back on his bed, Rin's arms wrapped around him uncomfortably, but Reo couldn't care less.
"Okay, but I'll choose only the most expensive things."
"I did not expect less from you".
They both knew their relationship was changing to something far from just friends, but they both pretended not to notice. They had exposed their hearts openly once, so this time they would do it carefully. Because they knew they wouldn't hurt each other.
And then, they could have all the time they needed to get to know each other and declare the other as their own.