Chapter Text
Reo looked up desperately seeing Nagi’s back turned to him, his mind trying to convince himself the words Nagi was saying were positive. But they weren’t, it was almost like Nagi was berating Reo.
Even after Chigiri, Kunigami, and his efforts they still lost, Reo still wasn’t good enough. Not only was Reo not good enough, but he had also embarrassed himself too. Saying to Nagi that he had improved and was going to beat them, if he had known they would have lost Reo wouldn’t have even looked at Nagi.
Nagi turned his head around. Just enough so he could catch a glimpse of Reo in his peripheral vision, not even giving Reo a side-eye. Not like Reo would want Nagi’s soulless eyes on him anymore, not after Nagi just muttered those words to him. Not after he said those few words that crushed his soul and make him feel his heart tear apart as the one who he formerly loved declared his annoyance towards him. Towards Reo, the one who encouraged and showed soccer wasn’t a pain to Nagi, Reo was the one. But Nagi didn’t think that it was Reo, Nagi thought it was Isagi.
“You’re a pain in the ass, Reo”
Of course, it was Nagi who said that, he never had any compassion or empathy in him at all. Reo should have spotted the signs as soon as he heard Nagi was considered a weird selfish loner, Reo should have listened instead of spending all his time on Nagi. Who knows how long he had spent trying to get to know him, only to be faced with those words. You’re a pain in the ass.
If Nagi didn’t care about him anymore then who does? His parents could care less about his feelings or what he wanted to do, they only cared if he made them look bad or him inheriting their company in the near future. Everyone else thought like that too. Spreading rumors to ruin him, using him for money or fame. Nagi was his first real friend, but even Nagi ended up using him just like everyone else.
It repeated in his head over and over again, seemingly unending. You’re a pain in the ass, you’re a pain in the ass, you’re a pain in the ass.
Why? Why was it always Reo? Why was it him who always got used? He thought Nagi was different, he thought Nagi had cared. He shouldn’t have expected Nagi to come back to him so fast after abandoning him for Isagi. But what did he expect when he saw Nagi’s eyes light up at the sight of Isagi at the very start of blue lock from across the room, when he saw Nagi’s eyes light up just like Reo’s did that day when he had seen Nagi from up the stairs.
Reo felt a shift in front of him, Nagi was walking away. Nagi left him, again. Reo wanted to do anything to make him stay, to prove to him that he was worthy of playing alongside him again just like they used to. Saying the word ‘used to’ makes Reo’s heart hurt but not as much as it hurt to see Nagi slowly disappearing out of view alongside Barou, Isagi, and Chigiri. None of them even looked back.
Feeling a force pulling him up from the back of the shirt, Reo heard words being muttered in his right ear. But alas Reo wasn’t in the right state of mind to listen to them, so the words when right through his ear and then out the other.
Kunigami then realised he wasn’t listening, so he dropped Reo back down and slapped him.
“Ow man, what the fuck was that for?” Reo put his hand up to his now red cheek, the pain was spreading all across his cheek, making it sting. Was it that necessary to slap me that fucking hard?
“You weren’t listening, I was saying that we’re gonna get through to their stage and beat their asses” Reo looked up at Kunigami, his hand falling from his cheek. “If you want to get stronger then stop moping over that white-haired loser and pick yourself up, you’re going to achieve nothing just sitting there and sulking all the damn time”
He’s right. Kunigami hadn’t told a lie then, Reo was moping and sitting around. It was time to move on, for real now. Reo picked himself up to his feet, even when his body was screaming to just collapse.
“Let's do it then” Reo looked up at Kunigami, “Let's beat their asses”
“Now that’s what I want to hear from you” Kunigami raised his hand for a high five. Reo returned it, he didn’t want Kunigami to feel how he felt each time Nagi ignored his high fives, every time Nagi ignored him.
Kunigami then turned the high-five into more of a handshake, then he pulled Reo up.
Reo nodded towards him “Thanks”. Kunigami nodded back to him. They both walked beside each other outside the field into the long stretch of hallways, walking fairly slowly to 1; catch their breath and 2; let the loss settle in.
Losing to the other team was not ideal for Reo. Especially the fact that they chose Chigiri over him, not that he didn’t think Chigiri wasn’t talented or less deserving of being chosen over him. In fact, Chigiri was probably more talented and more deserving of being chosen over Reo. Anyone would be more deserving. When did he start to think like this?
“Reo” Kunigami put his hand in front of Reo’s torso to stop him walking, “We’re here”
Reo was so lost in thought he didn’t even notice. “Oh yeah, sorry”
“All good”
Kunigami and he then proceeded to go into the cafeteria and collect their dinner. It wasn’t much, especially since they had been demoted back to the 2 player area. After they did that, they started to walk over to the table they usually sit at. But they didn’t, because they were stopped.
“Oi, you two” An obnoxious voice yelled out.
Kunigami looked around “Eh?”.
A tall guy probably around 6’0 approached them both, along with Igarashi. “I’m versing you two next!”
Who even was this dude?
“Uh, who the hell are you?” Reo questioned. The man's face scrunched up, and Reo wasn’t able to tell if it was from annoyance or confusion.
“What do you mean? I’m literally Shidou Ryusei?” Now Reo was even more confused, and so was Kunigami.
“Who?”
“Okay, what the fuck. I’m number two? Number two in this whole facility? Are you guys dumb or stupid?”
“Oh,” Kunigami said, “Well we accept your challenge, don’t we Reo?”
“Yeah, sure”. Well, now it was guaranteed that either Reo or Kunigami were going to get kicked out now.
Shidou then slipped a devilish smile onto his face. “I’m expecting you to be there then, purple bun, orange spikes?”
Right, Shidou didn’t know their names yet. “I’m Reo-”
“Yeah, no shit, orange dude just said your name out loud”. Damn, this guy is rude. It was clear to Reo now that Shidou Ryusei was trouble, now they just had to wait and see who came out on top. Or rather, who got eliminated.
Shidou gave them both a wide smirk and pointed at Kunigami. “Well, when I win he’s coming with, later”. Reo just stared as he walked away, hands in his pockets without a care in the world. Kunigami looked over at Reo and held out his scrunched for a fist bump, “We’ll win Reo, no matter what”.
Reo returned the action and their fists met, “Yeah, we will”