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Cheers around him felt so distant yet they were seeping into his very bones like a sound of approaching calamity. His story wasn't the one that was chosen here. In the end he and Nagi weren't the protagonists. His ego wasn't enough. 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.
A loss. It felt crushing, devastating. Like ivy climbing up his lungs, squeezing him from inside, crushing his heartbeat together with his dreams. If not for his body being frozen still he was sure he would have fallen over.
𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘪𝘵. 𝘞𝘦 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘵,... 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦.
𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩, 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩. 𝘐—
"Reo."
The voice was like messenger of incoming doom to Reo, he was scared to turn around, he finally got to play with Nagi but it still didn't work out. If Nagi were to leave him again, then he was sure they'd never work out. It would mean that he wasn't the one meant to be by his side, Nagi was a treasure he found, but with him he couldn't reach his true value. If so, their promise needs to be shattered. If they keep on losing like this, their dream, his treasure will get further and further away. 𝘕𝘰, 𝘯𝘰, 𝘯𝘰—
"We still have time, we can still—"
Reo's shoulders trembled at that, it sounded all way too familiar. Fate was mocking him for picking same path again, for believing in their dream.
"Stop. We can't–" There was nothing else they could do. Again. "Nagi, we lost again..." Reo turns to face that determined striving gaze he recognized. It was frightening, Nagi who changed was someone he wanted to support in order to accomplish his ego and dream, but he was also cruel.
They played together again, he crawled all the way up here and yet he wasn't enough. Nagi said he wanted to defeat Isagi, which he did, but Isagi won in the end. What will Nagi…? 𝘏𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.
"Hm? Ah…" Nagi finally registered that the time was up and he let go of the ball he was holding, letting it roll away at his side.
"..."
Silence between them felt like dread of everything falling apart once again, it ate at Reo, he had to look away, scared, ashamed of his inability to stop Yukimiya from scoring even though he was so close… Nothing changed, their dream felt so far away for Reo now.
He notices Nagi step closer and immediately takes a step back, despair and fear evident on his face. 𝘍𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘺, 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘮 𝘤𝘳𝘺. He bites at his lip, hundreds of thoughts racing through his mind yet not even one was complete, it was a mess. Which Nagi notices, his gaze studying Reo in the same way he always does.
"Reo, you were amazing."
"Next time we will crush them, we will claw our way up and win—"
That's not it, Reo knew it wasn't enough. And the realization crushed him. He couldn't stop the goal and he couldn't help Nagi score that other one either, he and Nagi got read, they were too predictable, they always have been. Reo knew that the reason he felt like weight finally lifted off his shoulders when playing with Nagi again is because he felt like they got back to those days when it was just the two of them.
But it was different now, it was Blue Lock. Maybe, they shouldn't play together after all.
"Reo." Nagi, who was standing in silence, calls out to him, there was a warning in his tone and it made Reo flinch.
"Look here, Reo." He steps right in front of Reo, and Reo just feels so miserable, he wants to run away, to hide, but Nagi's whole presence was caging him.
"We won't lose again, we will be the best. That's for sure." His gaze locks with Reo's.
"Don't forget our promise." Nagi says carefully, it's a reminder, like he knew what Reo was thinking of.
Ridiculous, he usually never gets Reo. Nagi is dense, frustrating. He never thinks of his feelings. But he always watches Reo, and is always paying attention to him. Reo was scared to admit it, maybe he doesn't know Nagi. On field he knows what he wants, but he doesn't know what he is thinking of. Not now. Before it was sleep and games, trying to run off from everyone so he could slack off, he was simple and Reo knew all of his habits, but now Nagi changed.
𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘩𝘪𝘮, 𝘐 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘕𝘢𝘨𝘪.
He was scared, Nagi was unpredictable, out of field he didn't know him.
"We should…" The words are like thorns in Reo's throat, "Separate for real."
"...Huh?" Nagi takes a moment to process that, then he thinks. Nothing that wasn't painful for Reo never came from Nagi seriously thinking and deciding on something. It was always him leaving Reo behind.
"You want that? …Fine." He says dryly.
Reo feels like he could cry, Nagi was truly cruel. He just wanted to leave, now. But before he could Nagi continued.
"You did enough, you came far Reo. It's my turn."
"What…?" What was Nagi talking about?
"Hey Reo. What if you play at the back? I think you can do it if it's you. With your cool dexterity and all." Nagi points at him, confident. He believed in his own words.
"Me in defense…?" Was Nagi pushing him away? He didn't want his passes anymore?
"You just need to do what you're best at. I'll continue playing while trusting only in you, and you keep your eyes on me."
The way Nagi says it is like it has already been decided, there are never any discussions between them, instead they always choose while including each other as a given.
"Please Reo, I'll make you choose me." Nagi says and his ego envelops him, like a god of death.
"Choose you…?" Reo didn't get it at first, but he understood now. Yeah, Nagi was like that.
"Yeah, we defeated Isagi, especially you. You saw something none else did. I have to catch up now so we can win next time." Nagi explained and only then does Reo realize how good he actually became during this match.
Nagi was his treasure. He chose him from the beginning, and that won't ever change. But, that was Nagi who saw everything as a bother. Reo had to let him chase and change, for them both. Reo looks down at the ground, a small smirk on his face.
"Yeah. I won't spoil you anymore. Work for it, prove to the world that you're Mikage Reo's treasure." His voice doesn't waver, only getting more and more determined.
Nagi was taken aback for a second, and then he nodded with a half smile on his face that Reo missed. "No, you can spoil me off the field Reo, but on field I'm your partner."
"What a spoiled brat." Reo chuckles.
"You made me that way, I expect you to carry me after we win the World Cup." Nagi says plainly.
True, none ever listened to Nagi before, none cared if he ate that day, or if he wanted someone to carry him. None gave anything to Nagi before him. Reo was his first in everything, but he needed to let him grow on his own as well. "You're such a pain in the ass."
"Yep, I know." Nagi shrugged.
"Go then, show me. Make me want to give my passes to you." Reo grabs him by the collar, pulling him close. "Let everyone see that you're the true genius. I want to see you having fun." He takes a deep breath, moving back but Nagi grabs him by his hand and declares.
"Yeah Reo, I'll show them 𝘰𝘶𝘳 ego. I'll make us the best in the world." Nagi vows, their egos intertwined.
It was all Reo needed, not the easy things his name and family could give him, but his treasure he could only have if he worked hard and gives his everything.
He sighs, his forehead resting against Nagi's. "Good, this is the story of how we will make our dream come true."
Nagi let go of his hand and put them on his cheeks instead, cupping his face. "Yeah... It's just starting, so stay with me til the end."
It was okay, Reo understood it now. Sometimes they can't be side by side, but they would always play together and reach the top. That's how Nagi got this far, he always played with him.
"Is that your ego?"
"No, it's our dream, Reo."