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Chapter Text

Damnit.

Goddammit.

God-fucking-damnit.

Good thing this is an internal monologue otherwise someone would've started shouting at him about his language by now.

But Handa Shinichi really thinks this predicament is deserving of such foul language, because Endou Mamoru; captain of the soccer club; just went behind the basketball gym to recruit players.

Now Handa wouldn't fault anyone for stumbling behind there on accident, he remembers his first time going back there as well as Someoka and Endou do.

But Endou was there for that whole mess their first year at Raimon, so Handa's not really certain what the captain thinks he'll get out of this.

He faces Someoka to try to convey his dismay at their current predicament, but it seems like he's already caught on, if the way he's paled about five shades is any indication.

The first years just look confused. Handa isn't certain how to tell his juniors that they should be preparing for their captains funeral.

…

"Join the soccer club!"

"Sure."

"Huh? I mean- wait really?"

Endou has to admit, he wasn't really expecting to be met with success here of all places. But the Goddess of Victory must have decided to throw him a bone.

Because among the knocked over garbage cans and glares of students that definitely aren't in some sort of junior yakuza gang, he's found someone willing to join.

Actually it seems like he and the girl he was in the process of recruiting are suddenly the center of attention. Everyone in the alley is taken aback by her answer.

"BOSS?!"

Boss?

The girl in front of him is tall and imposing, messy dyed-blond hair, and with a males uniform coat draped over her shoulders like a cape. Even when the other students shout their suprise, she doesn't take her eyes off of him.

"Yeah, sure, I'll join your soccer club."

The shouting in the alley reaches a crescendo, exclamations of shock and distress practically screeching in his ears. Yet he can't bother with any of it.

A new member!

A Brand New Member!

One member closer to meeting the quota to save the soccer club!

"Really?! That's great! Thank-You-Thank-You-Thank-You-Thank-You! I can't wait to see you at practice, you'll be able to come to practice right?! This is fantastic! You'll make a great soccer player! Ah, right, I'm sorry, I never got your name?"

"Osou Roshi."

"Osou? Thank you so much for joining, I'm certain you won't regret it!"

The others are gonna be so excited!!

Chapter Text

This is the strangest day of Kageno's life.

He joined the soccer club in order to stand out more, prove he exists, meet new people along the way.

Apparently he's not the only one with the idea to join either, if Matsuno's presence is anything to go by. Though it's more surprising that he hasn't joined before now.

No, what's most surprising is that the other new member appears to be a delinquent. Dyed hair and all.

Definitely one of those students that hide behind the basketball gym.

Some of the first years are more curious than anything, perhaps they haven't had too many encounters with those students yet. Although Kabeyama seems to be maintaining a certain distance, that may just be on account of the larger boys personality, Kageno supposes. Very skittish, that one.

Someoka and Handa, on the other hand, appear particularly unnerved by her being here. They keep an eye on her throughout their discussion.

Osou Roshi appears unaffected by their close scrutiny, lackadaisically talking to the first years, though he notices how she carefully avoids looking in their direction for too long.

He supposes he understands, most of his classmates are unnerved by him as well.

That thought is what does it for him, he thinks. She might be outwardly frightening, but that doesn't automatically mean she's bad person. And Kageno's gonna be that person's friend.

Kageno notices that she happens to be looking in his general direction, and he offers her a small wave and a smile. And he's rewarded with an even smaller smile and a nod in turn that leaves him oddly giddy.

…

Megane's already questioning his decision to join the soccer club.

Teikoku academy just drove up to Raimon with appears to be a tank, rolled out a red carpet with saluting students on either side, then proceeded to continue their intimidation tactics while practicing.

But it just seems to get worse when he looks over the field their practicing on, because no matter where he looks he sees what appears to be stereotypical trouble makers surrounding the soccer field.

Students he recognizes as frequent attendees of the counselors office, for a wide variety of reasons. Anything from just being late, to out right starting fights with each other. It certainly makes an intimidating sight.

When he look at his schools team, he very quickly realizes why there are so many delinquents out of the woodworks today. If that dyed blond head is anything to go by.

He looks at the army that's been brought for a supposed 'friendly game', looks at the field being surrounded by almost the entire schools delinquent population, and looks at the trouble maker let onto the team by that crazy captain of theirs, and thinks 'not my circus, not my monkeys'.

Chapter Text

'How to meet new people?'

'How to get people to like you?'

'How to make friends?'

Osou is currently going through a bit of a crisis.

It all started back when all her friends started calling her 'Boss'.

At first it seemed harmless enough, after all, people give their friends weird nicknames all the time. At least, thats what they do in tv shows.

But than they started doing things for her, like insisting on carrying her stuff, or deferring to her opinion on anything and everything. They stopped inviting her out, and when asked why, they said that they didn't wanna bother her or anything.

She's not certain, but she's pretty sure that's not how friendship is supposed to work.

She's mad, maybe. They're the ones that always wanted to skip school, or were picking fights with other kids. But after a couple fights, other kids start challenging her, and when she wins they start acting like she's above them somehow.

She just wanted to hang out with her friends.

… She just wanted friends.

She still cares about them. She really does. But maybe it's time for her to… make new friends, that see her, as an equal.

She checks the first search result.

How to make friends:

Join a social circle

What does that even mean?

Make friends online

Maybe, it doesn't seem like a bad start. But she's not certain how that works. Does she just, message people randomly? Maybe a chat room?

Join a club

… That's not a bad idea. There are plenty of clubs at school!

But what club to join? She's pretty sure there's a cooking club. Maybe the art club? She's never really tried her hand at that. Or perhaps a sports club? Basketball? Tennis? Track?

Well, it's not like she has to pick right this minute. She can think on it for a day or two.

…

"Join the soccer club!"

This is a sign. Osou can feel it.

"Sure."

Chapter Text

This is the worst.

They're 20 points behind with no end in sight.

Admittedly Kazemaru didn't join the club; knowing they'd be facing the soccer world's undefeated champions of forty years; thinking that this was going to be easy.

But still.

20 points.

This is just overkill.

That isn't even considering how many hits he and his teammates have taken.

And now, Endou is…

Currently their captain is taking a soccer ball to the face, repeatedly. They aren't even trying to score anymore.

He tries to block the incoming shot.

He blacks out.

…

Osou will freely admit, she's not very familiar with soccer. But even she can tell that this is hardly a fair match.

This is a beat down.

It doesn't take a genius to tell that the members of Raimon's soccer club have been taking a lot of hits. A lot of intentional hits.

Her teammates are all in some varying degree of pain around her. Kazemaru had to be removed from the goalpost. He's currently knocked out on one of the benches.

She looks at her teammates, her juniors, who were so nice to her. At her classmates, who, for all their discomfort, have been cordial and polite. All things that she's not usually afforded.

She looks at Endou, who offered her the opportunity to make friends.

She looks at the nearest Teikoku student, a boy with slicked back dreadlocks. She's pretty certain that he aimed a shot at Shishido's face earlier.

He's smirking.

And she sees red.

…

Osou Roshi joins an unconscious Kazemaru on the bench.

Punching an opposing player was dumb. But honestly, Someoka really can't blame her right now.

He'd really like to punch one of these assholes too.

And really? Teikoku's been using them as goddamn target practice. But as soon as she throws a punch, she gets pulled off the field. Seriously, are they paying off the ref or something?

The only upside is that the kid she hit, Daiki or whatever, went down in one hit, so he's willing to consider it payback for Kazemaru.

That girl has gotta nasty right hook.

Still, things aren't looking good. Someoka really hates to admit it, but this really seems like the end for their club.

…

"Osou, right?"

"Huh? Uh, yeah, what of it?"

"Would you mind if I borrow your jersey? Just for the rest of the game?"

"... Sure, not like I'll be let back on the field right now."

"Thanks."

Chapter Text

Kazemaru wakes up.

The last thing he remembers is taking a soccer ball to the face for Endou. After that, nothing.

"Oh shit, you're up. Pretty nasty hit you took."

Female, not Aki or Haruna… than wh-

Right, Osou.

He sits up.

She's sitting at the end of his feet, still wearing the sport uniform shorts, but her club jacket is zipped all the way. It looks a bit weird, not thrown over her shoulders like a cape, if he's being honest.

"The games over, we won, I guess."

Kazemaru takes a look at the scoreboard.

20 to 1.

"What."

"Yeah, some blonde guy borrowed my jersey and took to the field. Scored a shot. Teikoku forfeit."

"What."

"Yeah, nuts ain't it."

He looks over to the field to see his teammates celebrating. They look relieved, no longer under threat of the club dissolving.

Endou is holding the 11 jersey.

Kazemaru glances back at Osou, jacket zipped.

He decides it'd be rude to say anything.

Wait.

"Why are you on the bench with me? Shouldn't you be celebrating with the others?"

"Ah, well, about that. I kinda… punched one of those Teikoku bastards."

What.

"What."

"Well what the hell was I supposed to do? You saw what was goin' down. Pissed me right off."

She looks down at her lap, her eyebrows furrowed a bit. It's the most emotion he thinks he's ever seen her display.

"Go figure, my first attempt at making friends goes up in fuckin' flames because of those shitheads. And the entire fuckin' school saw it."

Oh… so that's why she joined.

"I just… you went down, and those assholes were fuckin' smirkin'. And everyone else… I couldn't not throw a punch, yuknow?"

Huh.

"I think they understand, after all, it was a pretty stressful match."

She snorts.

"No really, you may have… hit someone. But you did it with defending us in mind. I think they'll be touched, if anything."

He puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Come on, let's join the others. I promise, they'll be happy to see you."

Kazemaru tries not to say 'I told you so' as the others immediately swamp her with a group hug. She looks a bit overwhelmed, but there's a smile on her face.

He resolves to keep an eye out for his classmate, she's surprisingly sensitive.

He notices Endou studying her closely, then the captain glances at the jersey he's currently holding. His eyes widen.

Ah, right. That.