Archive of Our Own

Chigiri swung languidly around the pole, warming up. The club pitched itself as something more artistic, more elite—but it was all nudity at the end of the day so Chigiri harbored no illusions. But it was a pretty sweet gig, he figured; people adored him, wanted him, and paid him well for the privilege of both.

And he got decent exercise while he was at it.

Strategically arching his back (and sticking out his ass), he glanced into the nameless crowd with practiced bedroom eyes and a sexy smirk—

And realized at least one person in the crowd wasn’t so nameless after all.

Sitting at the table closest to the stage, staring up at him with eyes that Chigiri had never forgotten, was Kunigami Rensuke.

Halfway through Chigiri’s routine (was it halfway? what was a ‘routine’ anyway?) Kunigami had gotten up and left and Chigiri had nearly jumped off the stage and chased after him (it felt like he’d been chasing his shadow for eight years, would he ever not be chasing Kunigami?) stilettos and potential broken ankle be damned.

Fortunately for his ankles, his heels, and his job, Chigiri resisted, instead choosing to finish fumbling through his routine as best he could. 

And also fortunately, he saw Kunigami again a lot sooner than expected.

He was, much to Chigiri’s surprise, seated in one of the private rooms.

“What are you doing here?” Chigiri blurted.

Kunigami huffed a mirthless laugh. “What does anyone do, when they pay for this room?”

“That’s not…” Chigiri’s words dried up, insignificant. Kunigami was here. 

He looked older, of course; but it had been almost ten years so everyone looked older compared to seventeen. “Edgelord” and “Cyborg Rensuke” was obviously gone, but that didn’t mean the hero Chigiri had fallen in love with had come back. The Kunigami now was neither, ghosts of both flickering behind his eyes. He was wary without being vicious, tired but not haunted. He stared straight on with eyes Chigiri couldn’t read.

“That’s not what I meant,” Chigiri tried again. “I know what this room is for!” Wait—did that mean Kunigami wanted, um, his services?! Fuck, Chigiri hoped so. “I meant, what are you doing here. In…in a place like this.”

For a long moment, Kunigami just stared back levelly. “I think that’s my line,” he said finally. Then the corner of his mouth twitched with the tiniest hint of a smile and—relief? longing? pain? it was too quick for Chigiri to tell—flashed behind burnt honey eyes. “How are you, Chigiri?”

“I’m…good?” Chigiri answered, still reeling.

“Good.” Kunigami’s eyes slid down, glancing at Chigiri’s outfit (or lack thereof, really) before his eyes flickered away. It looked like a blush suffused his cheeks but the room was pretty dim so Chigiri thought it might just be his imagination. “You look, uh…good. You look good.”

“You look good too,” Chigiri said, fighting a smile. It was true—despite already being Guardian of the Training Room at seventeen, Kunigami had somehow broadened even more, shirt straining over his shoulders and around his arms. And even if he’d lost that boyish confidence, at least he’d also lost that cold devastation and icy fury that he’d worn when Chigiri had seen him last. “So do you want to keep up with the small talk or shall we get down to business?”

“Business?”

“No one pays that kind of money to chat,” Chigiri said with a sultry smirk. Yes, he was over the moon at seeing Kunigami again after all this time—but that was exactly why he had to remember that right now, this wasn’t his old crush friend, this was a client. 

A client that forked over a considerable amount of money to—

“I did,” Kunigami said bluntly.

“W-what?” 

Without warning, Kunigami stood up and cleared his throat. He didn’t look at Chigiri as he asked, “When can I see you again?”

Chigiri blinked, surprised and not quite understanding the abrupt change. Or why Kunigami was leaving so soon. “Well, I have work tomorrow—”

“Are you booked?” Kunigami didn’t wait for the answer. “I’ll book you.”

Chigiri couldn’t help it; he laughed. “You don’t have to pay to see me—”

“I do. I don’t deserve to see you as a friend when we ended the way we did. And besides…”

“Besides..?” Chigiri prompted after a moment.

Kunigami eyes flickered—at him, glancing away, then back full force with a flame of that bright determination Chigiri had fallen in love with years ago. “I don’t want anyone else to have you. See you tomorrow, Chigiri.”

He was out the door before Chigiri could even answer.

With an incredulous huff, Chigiri limply flopped on the couch, all the tension in his body evaporated.

“‘Don’t want anyone else to have you’…” Chigiri mimicked. “What the fuck, Kunigami!”

Chigiri had spent way too much time agonizing over what outfit to pick. At first he thought the white was a no-brainer, really play up that sweet, angelic vibe. Frilly white garters, a bodice patterned with white roses to make him look like a blushing bride on her wedding night. That seemed like something Kunigami would be really into, right? 

Then again, that seemed like something Soccer Hero Kunigami would like. And it had been made abundantly clear he was not Soccer Hero Kunigami anymore.

Okay, so how about the black vinyl set for a sex-kitten succubus look? Thigh high boots, the shine of the corset emphasizing his cute waist? Maybe the black, over-the-elbow gloves too—

Ahh wait. Maybe that was too dark? Because he wasn’t doom and gloom Cyborg Rensuke anymore either. Maybe it would come across as too hardcore? Was it over-the-top? Comical? Offensive, even?

So what the fuck should he wear? 

Did Kunigami like cosplay? Every man liked a hot nurse, right? Sexy teacher? Naughty cop? Or maybe Kunigami preferred the more masculine staples? He had an army uniform and a firefighter getup around here somewhere…

Half out of his mind, Chigiri finally just picked his blue satin outfit. It was objectively cute and the blue looked nice on him—brought out the color of his hair and eyes and contrasted nicely with his skin. The little shorts hugged his ass very strategically, he could accent with some adorable stockings, and the satin would feel exquisite for, um, the client receiving a lap dance.

There damn well better be a lap dance this time.

…if not more.

Chigiri felt pretty confident about his outfit choice right up until he stepped into the room, Kunigami standing there (why standing?!) and his eyes widened.

And at that moment Chigiri realized what he looked like.

Blue. Blue satin top. Blue shorts. Black thigh-highs. 

It was all Chigiri could do to keep from face-palming right there.

Why didn’t I just go all the way and write ‘Team Z’ on my chest?!

Way to go and blatantly remind Kunigami of the worst time of his life! Although, maybe…as Team Z they’d had a pretty good time, right? It was when they were Team Red that things really tanked. So maybe he’d actually dodged a bullet with the blue satin instead of picking his red lace..?

“Y-you can have a seat,” Chigiri said, hoping Kunigami wasn’t still standing because he was thinking about turning right around and leaving thanks to Chigiri’s outfit triggering his soccer ptsd. “Aren’t you warm in such a big jacket?”

“Ah.” Kunigami undid his pea coat; it was attractive but Chigiri would’ve never imagined Kunigami to have such a thing. Especially in this weather when Kunigami already ran hot, unless that had changed too. “It’s for you.”

“Excuse me?”

Careful not to actually touch, Kunigami draped his jacket over Chigiri’s shoulders. Then did a few buttons for good measure.

“Um, isn’t this backwards?” Chigiri asked. It was obvious the coat was for him to wear, not actually for him; he swam in it, the cuffs of the sleeves past his fingertips. “Usually I’m paid to take my clothes off, not put more on.”

“I can’t concentrate when you look like that,” Kunigami mumbled. 

Warmth flooded Chigiri and it wasn’t just from Kunigami’s residual body heat in the fabric. 

“I think that’s the point..?” he offered with a teasing smile. “Do you need to concentrate?” 

“I just want to talk with you,” Kunigami said, sitting on the couch, fingers steepled as if about to negotiate a business deal. 

Ah. So probably no lap dance then.

“And I’ve told you, you don’t have to pay just to talk—actually, you don’t have to pay to do anything if you’d agree to see me outside of work—”

“How’s your knee?” Kunigami cut him off. “Isn’t this…this kind of work hard on it? The…dancing and stuff?”

“It’s fine,” Chigiri said, giving a dismissive wave as he half-flopped onto the other end of the couch. It was tempting to sit close but judging by the tense set of Kunigami’s shoulders and the unexpected addition to Chigiri’s costume, Chigiri didn’t want to push it and have him just up and leave again. 

Kunigami sighed heavily, elbows on his knees, hands clasped as he stared at the floor. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly.

Startled, Chigiri stared at him, but Kunigami refused to look. 

Sorry for things ending the way they did?

Sorry for ignoring me?

Sorry for rejecting me?

Sorry for what?

So Chigiri picked the safest thing.

“Meh,” he shrugged nonchalantly. “It was a time bomb. I knew that before I even went in to Blue Lock, remember? I was gonna play till it gave out. So…it’s nothing to be sorry for.”

Kunigami didn’t answer; just clenched his jaw and maybe that was a little nod?

“And, y’know,” Chigiri continued, “once I got over the pain, I think it was actually a relief.” He huffed a laugh. “I didn’t want that metavision shit—I just wanted to run. I wanted that feeling of being faster than anyone else—uncatchable. Untouchable.”

“Untouchable,” Kunigami echoed.

Chigiri opened his mouth to clarify: I don’t want to be untouchable to you, quite the opposite—

“I’m glad,” Kunigami said softly. “I’m glad it didn’t ruin you.”

Like it ruined me went unspoken, but was heard loud and clear.

“So, how have you been?” Chigiri asked. “You look better than the last time I saw you. Back then.” Back when you were in cyborg mode, refusing to look at me. 

“Not like I could get much worse.”

Chigiri snorted. “No, I suppose not.”

“It took me a while to figure shit out,” Kunigami admitted with a sigh, leaning back against the couch. “I mean, I broke myself down, rebuilt, sacrificed everything—and for what? That was never the soccer I wanted to play. Would’ve been better off giving up and going home after the second selection, never entering the Wild Card. At least then I could’ve still had my self. What was it even all for? It’s fucking soccer.”

The pain in Kunigami’s voice resonated in Chigiri’s heart; how many times had he asked himself the same thing: What was it all for?

“It was for a dream—” Chigiri tried, sounding empty to his own ears.

“That wasn’t your dream,” Kunigami said bluntly. “Or mine. It was Ego’s. And we just got caught up in it.”

Deep down, Chigiri hadn’t expected to survive Blue Lock. Well, hadn’t expected his leg to survive. He’d gone in looking for a reason, for a final answer, a sign to give up on his dream. And if he’d had a resurrection for a bit, a taste of what could be, that was…fine. He’d made peace with the whole thing; he had no issues with what Blue Lock had done to him.

But he had been heartbroken over what it had done to Kunigami.

“Well,” Chigiri said, throat tight. “I guess…I guess we find a new dream.”

Kunigami scoffed, too harsh. “Is that what this is? Stripping is your dream?”

“Don’t be a dick,” Chigiri snapped, no heat behind it. 

“Sorry. You didn’t deserve that—”

“And so what? I had one, it didn’t pan out, do I really have to find another? Do we have to have ‘a dream’? What’s yours, then?”

For a long moment Kunigami didn’t say anything and Chigiri worried he’d pushed back too hard. Then one corner of Kunigami’s lips tried to smile.

“Maybe it’s not quite a dream but…finding you,” Kunigami started quietly. Slowly, he looked up, gaze intent. “Mine was finding you. I thought if I could just see you again…”

Did Kunigami realize what he was saying? Was this just yet another misunderstanding? Chigiri’s heart soared and he hurried to rein it in, before he could misunderstand again, before he got his hopes up just to be dashed to the ground.

“Ahh…you must’ve been disappointed to find me here,” Chigiri said, trying to sound light and nonchalant. 

“I was…surprised,” Kunigami admitted. “But…but for the last eight years, I just thought if only I could see you…I’d be alright.”

Chigiri didn’t dare breathe. “And?” he asked in a whisper.

“Well. This is my second night paying for this room, isn’t it?” Kunigami asked wryly, eyebrow arched.

“And you’re definitely not getting your money’s worth—”

“I’ve already gotten more than my money’s worth,” Kunigami insisted, standing up. “So I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Wait—again?” Chigiri fumbled, completely off-balance. “And you’re leaving already? Oh, your coat—”

“Keep it.” Kunigami paused, giving Chigiri one last look over. “You in my coat is my favorite outfit so far. I like how you look wearing my clothes.”

Chigiri was still standing there gaping like a fish as Kunigami closed the door behind him. Incredulous, flustered, and more than a little hot for multiple reasons, he stamped his foot and growled at the closed door. 

“What is with these lines, Kunigami?!”

“He said what?” Reo screeched rhetorically over their video call. “Really? Kunigami did?”

“Right?” Chigiri said giddily, having given Reo (and Nagi, by association) the rundown. “‘I like how you look wearing my clothes’,” he repeated, doing an exaggerated Kunigami impression. “So, this means he likes me for real this time, right? Right?”

“I dunno,” Nagi pondered. “Maybe he just thinks you have crappy fashion sense.”

“Nagi!” Chigiri whined. 

Reo was already smacking Nagi in the arm, though all Nagi did was laugh.

“He likes you,” Reo assured him. “Actually, I think he never stopped liking you. He just didn’t know how to deal with it or show it. But seriously—the whole ‘don’t want anyone else to have you’ thing,” he said, doing his own Kunigami impersonation. “I can’t believe our Kunigami is saying this stuff! How romantic.”

“It is, right? So it’s totally okay if I jump him when he shows up next?” Chigiri asked eagerly.

“Of course,” Reo said.

“No, there is no sex in the champagne room,” Nagi said at the same time.

Reo looked at Nagi with a little frown. “Wait. There isn’t?”

“No.”

Disbelieving, Reo turned to Chigiri but Chigiri just shook his head a little. 

“Not even if you pay?” Reo pressed. 

“No,” Nagi said again.

“Not even if you pay a lot?” 

Now it was Nagi’s turn to frown. “Do you want to have sex with Chigiri or something?”

“What? No!” Reo yelped. Chigiri half-choked on his latte. 

“Then why are you so insistent on paying him for sex—”

“I don’t want to, I want Kunigami to pay him for sex,” Reo clarified patiently.

“I will gladly have sex with him without being paid!” Chigiri hurriedly chimed in. “That is very much not the issue here!”

“Oh,” Nagi said. “Well then what’s the holdup?”

“Him!” Chigiri said, exasperated. “He shows up, talks for a bit, then just leaves—”

“With a super romantic parting line,” Reo added.

“Yes, exactly.”

“Hmm. Maybe he’s married,” Nagi offered.

“What,” Chigiri breathed.

“Nagi! Why would you say that?!” Reo hissed.

“Well, he’s paying for sex—twice now—but not getting any, isn’t that kinda weird—”

“You just said he can’t pay for sex!” Reo yelled stridently. 

“I kinda just said that so you wouldn’t think you could go paying Chigiri for sex, you seemed way too excited about the prospect—”

“Like I want to have sex with anyone but you!”

“Is he?” Chigiri interrupted, maybe about to throw up. “Is he married, do you think?”

“All signs point to yes,” Nagi said with a sage nod, ruined a bit by another one of Reo’s smacks to his arm.

“No,” Reo said adamantly. “I mean, I don’t know, but…”

“Oh god…” Chigiri groaned, covering his face with his hands.

“All the signs point to absolutely not,” Reo said reassuringly. Then he cleared his throat and added, “I will look into it.”

“You’ll have Ba-ya look into it,” Nagi corrected.

“It will be looked into,” Reo said smoothly. “I promise. I’ll have an answer for you before you see him next.”

As tempting as it was to just wear Kunigami’s pea coat (with little to nothing underneath) the next evening, Chigiri opted against it. He considered something racy—especially after the comment that it was “hard to concentrate” with him dressed like that, which meant that maybe Kunigami wasn’t immune to his sexy charms after all.

(Despite paying for a private room two—now three—nights in a row and not doing anything ‘private’ with it at all!)

It might be fun having Kunigami cover him up again but Chigiri opted for one of his Chinese-themed outfits. It covered pretty much everything (so Kunigami could concentrate) and he could put his hair into cute braid-buns (showing off his neck, which he hoped Kunigami still had a thing for). And the black pants had some well-placed sheer cut-outs and were easy enough to tear away to reveal the lacy g-string underneath if things finally got spicy.

Sure the red tunic kind of gave off Ranma 1/2 vibes but hey, Chigiri wasn’t against the subliminal hint that he too could be a boy who transformed into a girl if the occasion required. Hell, in Blue Lock they’d nicknamed him things like princess and ojou; he’d long since given up fighting it when instead he could use it to his advantage.

“Well? How’s this?” Chigiri struck a pose when Kunigami arrived.

“You look cute,” Kunigami said, sitting on his now-usual spot on the sofa. Then he added in a mutter, “As if you didn’t know.”

“Good.” Chigiri grinned wickedly. “That’ll make this next part a lot easier then.”

Without warning, Chigiri straddled Kunigami’s lap, caging him in with his hands on the headrest. 

“W-what are you doing?” Kunigami sputtered, stopping himself before he actually touched Chigiri to try wrestling him off.

“What do you think?” Chigiri said sweetly. 

“I just came to talk!” 

“I know. And I’ve told you every time that you don’t have to pay to talk to me. So, if you’re going to insist on paying, I’m going to insist on doing my job.” Teasingly, he ground himself just a little against Kunigami and purred in his ear, “Don’t you like it?”

“No,” Kunigami gritted out, jaw clenched.

Chigiri froze, half-turned on and completely mortified. “…No?” he echoed weakly, hands falling to his sides. Had he totally misread the situation? 

“It reminds me that you do this with other people, with other customers who pay for this room,” Kunigami added gruffly. “And that’s my problem, not yours, I know. But I still don’t like to think about that.”

Chigiri tried biting his lips but then his laugh just came out awkward and strangled, which only made Kunigami sulk more. And as tempting as it was to kiss that little pout right off Kunigami’s lips, Chigiri was still technically at work. 

…And Chigiri didn’t want Kunigami to think for even a second that he ever kissed other customers.

With a happy sigh, he shuffled around and settled in the V of Kunigami’s legs, leaning back against his broad, stupidly warm chest.

“How about this, then?” Chigiri asked, still smiling. “I never do this with my other—with the customers.”

“Really?” Kunigami asked warily.

“Really.”

“I guess that’s okay then,” Kunigami conceded, sounding a bit pleased even as Chigiri wriggled back into him a little more. “Comfortable?”

“Mm,” Chigiri hummed happily. “Remember when we—” used to do this all the time, Chigiri had been about to say. Good grief, the shit he’d done so shamelessly back then. Kunigami helping dry his hair or massaging his legs. Hours spent sitting just like this, talking about soccer or their sisters or watching replays in the monitoring room. They’d gotten away with it because they were young and could feign innocence but Kunigami was earnest, not stupid. And Chigiri had known exactly what he was doing; he only wished he’d done more when he had the chance—

Kunigami cleared his throat, startling Chigiri out of his reminiscing. “So is there a reason Reo’s nanny has been spying on me or..?”

Chigiri snorted. Reo would be appalled if he knew Kunigami referred to Ba-ya as his nanny. Which was all the more reason he had to remember to tell him the next time they chatted.

“Reo might’ve asked her to check if you were married.”

“Why does Reo want to know that?” Kunigami asked warily.

Chigiri thought of making up some silly excuse, trying to be cool. Like there was a point to being cool after half-molesting a guy and now sitting in his lap?

“Because I wanted to know that.”

Kunigami’s huff of a laugh was felt more than heard. “Wouldn’t it have just been easier to see I’m not wearing a ring?”

“You’d hardly wear a ring to a club like this,” Chigiri rationalized, though his eyes did wander to Kunigami’s left hand.

Which was currently balled into a tight fist next to his thigh so either he was lying and in fact hated every second of Chigiri lounging in his lap or he was holding himself back and exercising considerable restraint—

But Chigiri didn’t have time to wonder any more about that, eyes widening as he finally registered what he was looking at.

“What the hell, Kunigami!” he said, grabbing Kunigami’s left hand in both of his, pulling it to him to get a better look. Holding it gently, he brushed his fingertips across the band of thick white scar tissue across Kunigami’s knuckles. “What is this from? What did you do?”

“Oh, Reo’s nanny didn’t scrounge that up and include that in her report?” Kunigami asked wryly.

“No,” Chigiri said quietly, glancing at Kunigami over his shoulder. But Kunigami just looked calm, almost empty, not meeting Chigiri’s eyes but instead watching Chigiri continue to pet lightly over his knuckles. “Kunigami..?”

“Ego must really have some major connections to have kept it hush-hush for so long,” Kunigami said, begrudgingly impressed. 

Immediately, Chigiri’s mind went to Shidou and his habit of violence. He’d heard from Reo after the fact about Kunigami saving Igaguri from getting his skull kicked open. And he’d witnessed with everyone else in the monitoring room when Shidou tried to do the same thing to Rin.

(While watching Shidou get zapped like the obnoxious bug he was after almost attacking Rin, at the time Chigiri couldn’t help but think, “Why is this the guy who eliminated Kunigami? Why is a villain here instead of my hero?”)

Chigiri had been preoccupied with surgery and recovery after blowing out his ACL (again); what had gone on while he was trying to focus on anything but Blue Lock and BLTV? What had happened to Kunigami?

“Did you get in a fight with Shi—” Chigiri didn’t bother finishing the sentence. That couldn’t be it; surely Reo or Nagi would’ve told him..?

“I destroyed the training room,” Kunigami said levelly.

“…What.”

“I destroyed the München training room,” Kunigami said again. “Punched every monitor, every mirror, broke the door, punched the walls. Did some other stuff too—kicked and bent the benches, threw some weights, shit like that. But punching stuff until there was nothing but bone is what scarred my hand up.”

“Okay, yeah, no,” Chigiri said, cradling Kunigami’s hand to his chest and petting it like a sick kitten. “You can’t just ‘oh I destroyed the training room and broke some stuff, bro’ me. Why? What happened?”

Kunigami didn’t answer, his shrug jostling Chigiri a little.

“Why didn’t anyone stop you?” Chigiri asked. “Or…or did they try?”

“No one knew until it was too late,” Kunigami said. “I was alone in there at the time, everyone else—including Ego and the BLTV cameras—preoccupied with the PXG/Manshine match.”

Something wasn’t adding up. “Isn’t the training room your happy place? If you were alone in there, then why did you get pissed off and go berserk…”

Chigiri trailed off, registering what Kunigami had just said.

The PXG/Manshine match.

Chigiri’s final match.

“Were you watching?” Chigiri asked in a whisper. There were tvs in the training rooms for that very purpose, so it wasn’t impossible…

Punched every monitor…

Well, there had been tvs in the training rooms before Kunigami punched his hand through them.

“Mm.”

Swallowing thickly, Chigiri hugged Kunigami’s arm closer, essentially wrapping Kunigami’s arm around him whether Kunigami wanted to hold him or not.

“So you saw…” When my knee gave out. When I went down. 

When it all came crashing to an end.

“Mm.”

“Then is that…” Was Chigiri arrogant to even ask? What answer did he actually want to hear? “Is that why you demolished the training room?”

“Yeah,” Kunigami whispered, the admission just a puff of warm breath on the back of Chigiri’s neck. 

Bottom lip quivering, Chigiri nuzzled the back of Kunigami’s hand. He wanted to kiss those knuckles, kiss everywhere, kiss everything better, no matter how long it took until Kunigami was whole again. Was he sick for being so happy that Kunigami had cared enough about him to trash an entire training room in anger? He felt guilty just thinking about it but that didn’t stop the warmth blooming in his chest.

“Guess I got a little upset,” Kunigami added.

Chigiri snorted, shoulders shaking in silent laughter. “A little upset? That’s, uh, quite the understatement.”

“I understand if you don’t want me to come by anymore,” Kunigami said solemnly. “That’s…what I did was scary. That level of rage isn’t normal; I don’t blame you if you’re afraid of me now—”

“Pfft!” Chigiri relaxed back against Kunigami’s chest and danced his fingertips across the rises and divots of Kunigami’s knuckles. “I was wriggling around in your lap earlier, you really think I’d do that if I was afraid of you?”

“That was earlier, before I told you about this—”

“Well nothing’s changed,” Chigiri said firmly. Then added in a mumble, “Except now you might be even hotter.”

“W-what?”

“Kunigami,” Chigiri said, still playing with Kunigami’s hand. “Let me tell you something, okay? I don’t want you all hung up on what happened with my knee. When it was all said and done, it honestly wasn’t as big of a deal as I expected. Manshine was fun but I’d realized that it wasn’t the same without you being there to catch me and spin me after I scored a goal. Even though I knew we were on different teams, I still couldn’t help looking for you the second the ball hit the net, ready to run to you…”

With a little smile, Chigiri unfurled Kunigami’s fingers and pressed Kunigami’s palm to his cheek. 

“As I left the field for the last time, it hit me that somewhere along the line, my dream had changed. My dream wasn’t to be the number one striker in the world; my dream was to play soccer with you.” He glanced over his shoulder with what he hoped was a sexy smirk and sultry eyes. “Isn’t that silly?”

Kunigami stared back at him, searching. His lips were parted—whether in surprise, to ask a question, or kiss him, Chigiri didn’t know (but hoped it was the latter). Hand still sandwiched between Chigiri’s hand and cheek, Kunigami’s thumb moved to hover over Chigiri’s mouth and Chigiri waited in anticipation for it to brush against his bottom lip—

Instead Kunigami stood up without warning, half spilling Chigiri out of his lap.

“I gotta go.”

“What? No!” Chigiri protested, grabbing Kunigami’s arm and telling himself that now was not the time to appreciate bulging biceps. “No,” he said again. “You always toss out these hot guy lines as you’re leaving, you don’t get to ignore mine!”

“Ah,” Kunigami said, shoulders rigid and still not looking at him. “It was just a line then—”

“No!” Chigiri nearly shrieked, frustrated. “No, it wasn’t a line, I was being serious and honest and what am I supposed to think when I tell you something like that and then you try to up and leave—”

“Because I can’t touch you here!”

Chigiri startled a little. “W…what?”

“I want to hug you so bad it hurts,” Kunigami gritted out, hands balled into fists once again.

“You want to hug me?” Chigiri repeated. He wanted a lot more than that but a hug wasn’t a bad place to start. “So you don’t hate me?”

“What?” Kunigami whipped around, incredulous. “No, I don’t hate you! How could you even..?”

“Well you keep meeting here instead of seeing me like a normal person and you always leave after like five minutes—”

“I don’t hate you,” Kunigami said, scrubbing a hand through his hair. 

“Then give me your phone,” Chigiri demanded, already pawing through Kunigami’s pockets like a greedy raccoon. “I’m not doing this anymore, we’re not meeting here, we’re meeting for coffee or a movie or at the arcade or—” He waited for Kunigami to unlock it, then added himself to Kunigami’s contacts.

“Text me,” Chigiri said emphatically, shoving the phone back into Kunigami’s hand. “Um, please. And—and to make sure you really don’t hate me, I’m gonna wait until you text me first. But don’t make me wait too long. If you do, I might send Ba-ya and the recently-renamed Nagi Shadow Ops after you.”

“Alright,” Kunigami said, an obnoxiously soft half-smile on his lips. “So…” he hesitated. “Exchanging numbers, texting…does this mean we’re friends again?”

“Again..? Bakagami!” Chigiri scoffed, then reached up and rapped Kunigami’s head with his knuckles, most of the impact buffered by fuzzy orange hair. “We’ve never stopped!”

Kunigami’s message was already waiting by the time Chigiri got off work.

New Message: I don’t hate you, silly

New Message: and I’m not just saying that to avoid being murdered in my sleep by Reo’s ninja assassins 

Giddy, Chigiri quickly added Kunigami to his contacts (finally! it had only taken how many years to get his number?!) then fired off a reply.

You: I might’ve been bluffing about the assassins…

❤️Rensuke❤️: you weren’t

You: hehe

You: Oh shit what are you still doing up?!

❤️Rensuke❤️: watching for ninjas?

❤️Rensuke❤️: and maybe waiting to hear you made it home safe

Chigiri squealed in spite of himself, quickly opening another chat.

You: I got Kunigami’s number!!!!

Reo: Congratulations

Reo: You do know you just woke me up at 2 am for this, right

You: well HE didn’t care that it’s 2 am

You: wanted to make sure I made it home safe isn’t that the CUTEST

Reo: Yeah, yeah. I’ll call off the Nagi Shadow Ops

Their very friendly coffee date a couple days later was…well, friendly and oddly normal, hardly resembling a date at all. Chigiri wondered if he’d misunderstood and if the hours spent that morning deciding on an outfit and hairstyle (did Kunigami still have a thing for necks? he wore his hair up just in case) were even appreciated. Kunigami hadn’t gotten stammery or blushy at all, as if now that they were out of the strip club the sexy magic had vanished and they were really just two bros out for coffee.

For all that Kunigami had wanted to “hug him so bad it hurt” when they’d last seen each other, he hadn’t even given Chigiri a hug hello. 

As Kunigami set down his cup, Chigiri couldn’t help but glance at the scar across his hand. 

“So, forgive me if this is a touchy subject but…did you have to pay Ego back for the training room?”

“Huh uh,” Kunigami said with a shake of his head. “Actually, that whole incident prompted an investigation and I ended up being paid a settlement.”

“A settlement! Wait, I was in Blue Lock and I didn’t get any money…”

“Wild Card,” Kunigami explained. “Turns out considerable ‘mental and emotional damage’ was incurred.”

“No way,” Chigiri deadpanned. “Sure couldn’t tell it by looking at you when you came outta there.”

Kunigami barked a harsh laugh.

Chigiri leaned forward so he could whisper, “So what actually happened in there? Did you, like…kill somebody? Was it just a battle royale? Beat your opponents to death on the field?”

“Nah,” Kunigami said. “Only person we had to kill was ourself.”

“Oh…right.” Chigiri chewed his bottom lip. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t joke about it—”

“I want you to,” Kunigami interrupted firmly. “It’s over, it’s old. I want you to joke about it, hell—I want to joke about it. It’s not…it’s not raw anymore. And I know we can’t go back to the way we were but…” He trailed off with a sigh, scrubbing a hand through his hair. “Anyway, it’s Ego’s money—well, Ego’s investors’ money—that’s been paying for the visits to your expensive private room this whole time.”

“I’d wondered,” Chigiri admitted. “I thought maybe you joined a gang or were doing like some underground prize fighting or something and that’s how you got the money,” he said, only partly teasing.

“No.” Kunigami snorted. “Though who knows, that might’ve been where I was headed if Barou hadn’t helped me get my head on straight.”

“Barou?!”

“Barou,” Kunigami confirmed. He gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Turns out our little sisters are friends and came to university together here in Tokyo. So through them we kinda inadvertently ran into each other a few years ago.”

“Wowwww,” Chigiri marveled. “That’s crazy! And I’m actually surprised King Barou bounced back after the whole thing. He didn’t seem the type to take failure well.”

“True. But not only did he bounce back, he’s like an internet celebrity now. His YouTube channel is really popular.”

“What?” Chigiri screech-laughed. “No!”

“You’ve really never heard of his podcast? ‘Wash Your Sheets and Fix Your Life, You F*cking Donkey’?”

“No. No,” Chigiri insisted. “You just made that up.”

“I’m dead serious. Aryu got him started and is his, ahem, ‘glameraman,’” Kunigami said with one-handed air quotes. “Anyway, his following is huge. He’s a big deal, I’m surprised you didn’t know this—”

“How? Who the hell would listen to or watch that?”

“He’s helped a lot of people, judging by the fan mail,” Kunigami said. “And, okay, he has a lot of shirtless workout videos which could possibly account for his considerable and very enthusiastic female fan base, but still.”

“You are such a bad liar,” Chigiri said, already looking it up on his phone to call Kunigami’s bluff but sure as shit, there it was! But also... “Oi.”

“Told you,” Kunigami said triumphantly, arms folded across his chest.

“No, that’s not…” Chigiri turned his phone to show Kunigami the screen. “Why are you working out with him?”

Kunigami didn’t bother looking. “Because I like to work out? And sometimes he needs a spotter or someone to demo while he explains things.”

Chigiri glared, mumbled something under his breath about how that enthusiastic female fan base better watch their backs, and hit ‘save for later’ on the video.

“You roomed with him, didn’t you? You saw what a clean freak he is. He actually has a lot of oddly practical advice and housekeeping tricks. You wanna know how to fold a fitted sheet or get sweat stains out of a t-shirt, he’s your guy. And he’s been through his own ups and downs and shit like that so it’s not like he doesn’t know what he’s talking about there.” 

“Still,” Chigiri said. “Didn’t see that coming in a million years.”

Kunigami laughed. “Yeah, I’d don’t blame you for being surprised. But guys love his semi-abusive pep talks about personal responsibility and women…uh, I think love his voice and his very shirtless workout demonstrations. Though, who knows—I guess a lot of guys probably subscribe for that too.”

“Worked on Aryu,” Chigiri agreed. “As weird as that was.”

“You think it’s weird?” Kunigami asked.

“You don’t? I’m not talking about two guys being weird, I’m talking about those two guys specifically,” Chigiri clarified.

Kunigami shook his head a little. “No, it made a lot of sense to me. People who appreciate beautiful things appreciate beautiful things…gender doesn’t tend to make that much of a difference,” he finished seriously, eyes clear and sincere as he stared at Chigiri straight-on.

So he does still have a thing for necks, Chigiri thought, fighting a smile.

“Don’t tell me you have a crush on Barou too,” Chigiri teased. “Calling him beautiful like that…”

“No.” Kunigami snorted and rolled his eyes, then his lips twisted in a wry pout. “Though his obliques are still better than mine and that does kinda piss me off.”

“Your pecs are better though,” Chigiri offered.

Kunigami’s eyes narrowed skeptically. “When have you seen my pecs lately?”

“When I looked up Barou’s videos a second ago—I mean, wait, I haven’t. Feel free to show me so I can give them a proper critique.”

“I will not be taking my shirt off in the middle of a coffee shop, thanks,” Kunigami said dryly. 

“What, the whole world can see them but I can’t?” Chigiri sulked. “Come on, we used to be workout buddies and talk muscles all the time. You know I’m a fair and impartial pectoral judge.”

“Right,” Kunigami said idly, distracted with glancing at his watch. His brows twitched and he frowned a little. 

“What’s wrong?” Chigiri asked, an uncomfortable feeling constricting his chest.

“Nothing’s wrong, I just…I gotta get going—”

“So soon?” Chigiri blurted.

“Sorry,” Kunigami said, glancing away sheepishly. “I thought I’d have more time but…”

Chigiri waited for Kunigami to continue, maybe to explain why he had to leave so soon and was cutting their date short. But Kunigami didn’t offer anything else and Chigiri didn’t want to ask; if Kunigami had felt comfortable enough to tell him, he would have already. Pressing the matter would just make things awkward. 

“That’s okay,” Chigiri said, not meaning it at all. “Maybe…maybe another time?”

“Sure,” Kunigami said with a smile that fell all too quickly. “Though, uh, it might…might be a while. I’m kinda busy the next couple weeks…”

“That’s fine!” Chigiri said too eagerly. 

I’ve waited eight years, after all.

Okay, so Chigiri had lied. It was not fine. 

Something was up. Had Chigiri fucked up by kind-of-joking about wanting to see Kunigami shirtless? Did Chigiri’s flirting make Kunigami uncomfortable? But that didn’t seem quite right either—Kunigami had thrown out hot guy lines every time they met and he was shirtless for a bazillion people on YouTube so..?

On top of all that, Kunigami quit showing up at the club and paying astronomical amounts for the private room. Which…Chigiri didn’t want Kunigami to waste his money but he’d be lying if he wasn’t maybe a smidge disappointed to look out in the crowd and not see him there.

But Kunigami’s little “hope you made it home safe” texts were still always waiting when Chigiri got off work and all was forgiven. 

He seemed perfectly fine with texting—sometimes he came across as a bit terse, but that kind of tracked given Kunigami’s personality. 

Still, why all the vague excuses for not being able to meet up again?

Chigiri couldn’t help but wonder: was Kunigami tired of him? Had he decided Chigiri wasn’t worth the trouble after all? He just wanted to be…text friends?!

“Ba-ya was impressed,” Nagi said through the phone. “Wouldn’t quit gushing about what a kind young man you are. I teased her about being in love with you and Reo about had a stroke.”

Kunigami snorted. “Well, I felt kind of bad about her tailing me for weeks. The least I could do was offer her a canned coffee and a ride. You two work her too hard.”

“She was really impressed with your motorcycle,” Nagi said, amusement lending rare color to his normally nonchalant voice. “I can only imagine what that looked like to people. I know a certain redhead would be green with jealousy if he knew.”

“…You think?”

There was an incredulous pause. “Uh, do you not know him? I don’t think he’d ever try to rumble with Ba-ya but this might be the exception.”

Kunigami huffed a laugh, thankful Nagi couldn’t see whatever stupid relieved smile was on his face. “So Chigiri gets jealous too, huh?”

“Does the sun rise in the east? Wait—‘too’?” Nagi paused but Kunigami didn’t bother saying anything. “Ahhh. That’s what this is about.”

“What’s what is about.”

“You’re jealous about all the people seeing Chigiri naked, huh?”

The answer was painfully obvious in the way Kunigami’s chest tightened and his guts churned. But it seemed so…stupid he couldn’t admit it. So he turned it around, “Wouldn’t you be? If it was Reo?”

“Oh, I’d poke all their eyes out. Nagi Ninja Corps Secret Technique: Eyepoke! Pshoo pshoo,” Nagi answered readily, sound effects and all, and it was easy to imagine the quick jabs with forked fingers to illustrate his point. 

“Right.”

“But still…” Nagi pondered. “He’s a stripper, not a hooker. If that helps. So at least he’s not having sex with anyone, they’re just looking, right?”

Kunigami closed his eyes and breathed a loud sigh out his nose. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?”

“Just trying to give you some perspective. Unless you want to borrow my ninjas..?”

“No,” Kunigami said, feeling very tired. “No, I…”

“Or, y’know…you could do the boring old adult thing—” The eyeroll was practically audible. “—and just tell him how you feel about it?”

“I can’t, though,” Kunigami insisted. Which was the shitty thing about the whole deal. “I don’t want to be That Guy and tell him—ask him to quit his job. Just how overbearing and possessive does that sound?! It’s not like we’re even dating, what business do I have—”

“You’re not?” Nagi interrupted, genuinely surprised. “What, the shine has worn off? You found out he’s flirty and obnoxious and dances naked for money and comes on wayyy too strong and maybe you don’t like him like that after all?”

“No! That’s not it!” Kunigami argued. “And he doesn’t get totally naked just…anyway, that’s not the point. I…” He sighed again. “He is flirty and cute and funny and pretty and…okay, what happens when it’s the opposite? When he realizes he doesn’t like me as much as he thought he did?”

“Ummm…right,” Nagi said after a long pause. “So, now I gotta ask—Kunigami, are you stupid?”

Kunigami rolled his eyes, not deigning to answer that directly. “I’m not just blowing him off; I do legitimately have…stuff…going on. But I also wanted to take it slow—”

“You’ve taken like almost ten years, isn’t that slow enough?”

“That’s my point! We aren’t teenagers anymore, we’ve both changed a lot since…since then. Which is why I wanted to take this phase slow so if he changes his mind about me, it’s not after we’ve done something, um, that he’d regret—”

“You mean sex, right?”

“Don’t make me answer that.”

Nagi let out a long-suffering sigh. “Listen. The ol’ red panther is locked on and he is—still—faster than you. So if you don’t want to be caught, you need to just tell him that loud and clear. Aaand even then he might still chase after you; he’s pretty persistent. So I guess the only way out is if Ba-ya snags you first. And she very well might.”

“Quit working that poor woman so hard; it’s bad enough she’s had to put up with Reo his whole life, now she has to put up with you too—”

“Hey! Ba-ya loves me. Maybe not as much as she loves you and your motorcycle now, but...”

“Right. Anyway, I gotta go. Promise you won’t say anything about this to Chigiri?”

“No worries. I bought—well, Reo bought me a new game I’ve been waiting for and I can guarantee I will forget this entire conversation within five seconds of hanging up.”

“I wanted to talk to you,” Chigiri said bluntly as Reo sat down at their usual table in their usual coffee shop, Nagi taking a seat right next to him.

“You means us,” Reo said rationally. “You know we’re a set.”

“What did you want to talk about with Reo that I can’t hear?” Nagi asked. “Did you really want to take him up on his offer of sex in the champagne room?”

“No, I…” Chigiri took a deep breath, steeling himself. “It’s painfully obvious that I like Kunigami way more than he likes me.”

“That’s not true—” Reo stammered awkwardly.

“That is not news,” Nagi said at the same time.

“I thought you guys went on a date the other day?” Reo said, trying to move on before Chigiri could get too mad at Nagi. “You sent me like a million pictures of outfits trying to decide what to wear! And weren’t you texting and stuff? What’s wrong?”

Chigiri chose to ignore Nagi for the time being and focused instead on Reo. “So, like…what do you do when your feelings don’t balance out? When you love someone so much more than they love you?”

Reo’s smile twitched, strained. “W-why…ahem,” Reo cleared his throat awkwardly. “Why are you asking me this? How would I know? Ha ha ha…”

Chigiri just stared back flatly, one eyebrow raised. “Toothbrushes don’t lie.”

Reo pretended to have absolutely no clue as to what Chigiri could possibly be referring to and continued on as if he’d said nothing. “S-surely you aren’t implying that I would know what it feels like to love someone immensely, all-consumingly, devoting my entire life and whole being to them only to have them ditch me to go play soccer with someone else maybe named Isagi and then not even pick me again. I would have no clue what that feels like and I don’t know why you would think I do—”

“That’s it, meeting over,” Nagi announced. “Quit trying to get me in trouble just because you’re single, Chigiri.”

“Uh, you weren’t even invited today,” Chigiri pointed out. “If you didn’t want to get in trouble you shouldn’t have tagged along—” 

Nagi continued as if Chigiri hadn’t said anything. ”Besides, you’re right; it’s pretty obvious Kunigami doesn’t really like you at all. I think you should just give up on him—”

“Nagi!” Reo hissed.

“Why would you say that?” Chigiri asked, quiet and ominous.

“You said it first,” Nagi said rationally. “And you’re always ‘Kunigami this’ and ‘Kunigami that’ and so worried and trying to interpret what he said or didn’t say. Isn’t he just too much trouble? I think you should just give up on him, Chigiri.”

“Screw you! I haven’t given up in eight years, I’m not gonna give up now—”

“Wow, eight years is like almost ten years—”

“Yes, it is! I haven’t given up in almost ten years and I’m not gonna give up now—” Chigiri repeated.

“Ugh, really? That is sooo looong. Too long.” Nagi emphasized his point by thunking his head on the table, as if threatening to fall asleep right there. “Just rip the bandaid off already. He’s not your Prince Charming. Just give up and adopt a cat or a cactus or something if you need to feel loved—”

“I know what you’re doing, Nagi Seishiro,” Chigiri said levelly. “I see right through you and know you don’t mean a word but I am still a little bit mad at your right now for even saying it. So: fuck you, I’m going to prove you wrong, you just wait and see.”

“I look forward to the wedding invitation!” Nagi called cheerily after him as he stormed off. 

“You’re not invited! Again!” Chigiri hollered back.

“But I want free cake!”

“Nagi—” Reo started.

“You’re a Nagi too now, boss,” Nagi smiled sweetly.

“Erm, yes. Seishiro,” Reo tried again, “why would you say those things? I thought you liked Chigiri? Aren’t we all friends..?”

“Oh. Yeah. We are. I do. Chigiri’s great,” Nagi assured him. “Which is why I had to say that stuff. You can’t coddle him, he’ll just keep crying about stuff and feeling sorry for himself. Chigiri is the type you have to kinda push and provoke into action. Now that he’s all mad and fired up he’ll actually do something about it.”

“…is that so.”

“Mm. Trust me.”

“Oh, I do,” Reo said slowly. “Though I have to wonder if you actually know any other way of dealing with people.”

“What?”

“Nothing, my treasure. Did you say you wanted cake?”

“Stupid Nagi,” Chigiri grumbled, walking around and looking the very epitome of sulky. Sure, he’d run off in a huff, determined to find Kunigami and pounce on him and seduce him and totally prove Nagi wrong…

But he didn’t actually know where Kunigami lived. And he couldn’t very well fire off a text, “What’s your address? I’m coming over to finally seduce you.” Hell, with as dodgy as Kunigami had been lately, even if Chigiri had his address he probably wasn’t home. What the hell was Kunigami doing anyway that he had to be so fucking secretive and evasive all the time?

Maybe he really had joined a gang or was in an underground fighting tournament..?

Chigiri was just thinking that maybe that would be kinda hot when a flash of orange caught his eye and he frowned, squinting uncertainly.

Or maybe instead of committing violence of debatable legality, Kunigami was actually walking down the street all of about thirty meters in front of Chigiri, smiling and holding the hand of his toddler-sized doppelgänger?

Tripping over his own feet, Chigiri ducked behind a pole (as if that could actually hide him, should Kunigami for whatever reason glance behind him) to get a better look. 

This couldn’t actually be Kunigami, right? No way. He was…at work. Doing…something. What his work was and what he did, Chigiri wasn’t sure, but there was no possible way that his Kunigami would be out for a stroll with his…

His kid.

Ignoring the fact he looked like a total stalker (okay, maybe he was a total stalker at the moment, whatever) Chigiri darted forward as stealthily as possible. Surely he’d get closer, see that it was just some random dude with floofy orange hair and a bright smile and broad shoulders and fantastic ass out on a walk with his little mini-me son and Chigiri would breathe a sigh of relief and tease himself about needing glasses because there was no way—

There was no way he could mistake Kunigami and he knew it.

Heart sinking, Chigiri tried to get a clearer look at the kid. Sure, he’d never in a million years get Kunigami mixed up but maybe this could still be a misunderstanding—

But ohhh he was small and cute with orange dandelion fluff hair. He looked up at Kunigami—at his dad!—with big bright eyes and gah his cheeks looked so squishable and probably tasted like marshmallows. With his chubby little fingers wrapped around Kunigami’s pinky he marched forward so intently and Chigiri thought his heart might burst.

Kunigami had said he wasn’t married—had gotten a bit snarky, almost condescending about it when Chigiri had brought it up. So where did this little guy come from? Ex-girlfriend? (Present girlfriend? No no no, Chigiri was not even going to consider that possibility!) So…was Kunigami divorced? 

Widowed?!

“What the hell, Ba-ya!” Chigiri hissed under his breath, doing his best to remain at a respectably furtive stalking distance. “Are you losing your edge, you old witch? How could you miss this?!”

Apparently still fortunately oblivious to Chigiri lurking behind them, Kunigami and his kid walked along at toddler-speed, the little guy chattering away about something and Kunigami listening seriously. Then Kunigami asked a question, looking down with a kind smile, so fatherly and radiant and pure—

And Chigiri was a hundred percent sure that if he’d had the necessary parts, just that smile would’ve spontaneously knocked him up right then and there.

The toddler answered, beaming up at Kunigami, who laughed, loud and genuine, his eyes crinkling.

He laughed. 

“Oh god, I might get pregnant even without the necessary parts,” Chigiri breathed, clutching his stomach. “Just look at him! Why is he like this?! How dare you go and be hotter, Dadgami!”

Regardless of where or who the kid came from, Kunigami was obviously a great DILF—er, dad. He was a great dad. Which didn’t really surprise Chigiri, even if he’d never thought of it before about a minute ago. Personally, Chigiri had never planned on kids himself but after seeing this he was seriously on the verge of texting Reo to see if Mikage Corp—um, Nagi Corp had any plans on developing something like a baby incubator bubble. Wasn’t Reo rambling about something like that the last time he was drunk, wailing to Chigiri about wanting a baby with both his and Nagi’s genes? 

Wait wait wait, Chigiri was getting wayyy too far ahead of himself. He hadn’t even reached stepmom phase and here he was already planning their baby and oh shit, maybe he should quit fucking fantasizing and pay attention because where did they go—

“Chigiri?” Kunigami asked, startling the shit out of him. 

“Ah!” Chigiri yelped, floundering in an attempt to make this look like a perfectly casual run-in and not that Chigiri had deliberately been following them. “Kunigami!” Then he glanced down at the little boy staring up at him, eyes wide and sparkling. “And..?”

“Ryu?” Kunigami prompted. “Can you say hi to my friend Chigiri?”

“He’s beautiful,” the little boy said, awed.

If only Kunigami would be so honest, Chigiri thought.

“Is he?” Kunigami asked, fighting a smile. “Tell him your name, then, like a gentleman.”

“I’m Ishida Ryūnosuke.” Ryūnosuke announced solemnly, his little fingers clenched tightly around Kunigami’s for moral support. “I’m three.” Predictably, he proudly held up three fingers on his free hand.

“Nice to meet you, Ryūnosuke-kun! I’m Chigiri Hyoma, I’m old friends with your da—”

Wait. Why wasn’t Kunigami’s kid’s last name Kunigami?

“Ryu is my nephew,” Kunigami said wryly. 

“Your nephew,” Chigiri repeated in a sigh of relieved understanding. Why—how had he forgotten about Kunigami’s sister? Sisters! Plural! Kunigami had sisters! It would be easy for either of them to have an adorable child with their shared Kunigami genes somehow making a startling similar miniature replica— “Your nephew,” Chigiri said again. “Of course.”

“Mm,” Kunigami said, the stupidly hot smug look on his face revealing he knew exactly what Chigiri had been thinking. “Why, did you think he was something else?”

“What? No,” Chigiri lied. Horribly. “No, I…well, you can tell you two are related! You look just alike!”

“Huh uh!” Ryūnosuke protested. “Cuz I have blue eyes!” He looked up at Chigiri, widening his eyes as much as he could to make sure Chigiri got a good look, pointing at his eyes with a finger just in case Chigiri was extra stupid.

“Oh, you do!” Chigiri said. I figured they were from your mother’s side. “Wow, they are the prettiest blue eyes. And you are so handsome, just like your uncle.”

“Ren-jichan,” Ryu whispered loudly, giving Kunigami’s hand a tug. “Is Chigiri-chan your girlfriend?”

“He’s a boy,” Kunigami corrected gently. 

“Ah, okay.” Ryu nodded seriously then tried again, “So is Chigiri-chan your boyfriend?”

“No, that’s not—” Kunigami sighed. “He’s my friend.”

Chigiri’s smile twitched a little at that; he’d gone from potential stepmom and plummeted (back) down to friend in a matter of minutes. 

Maybe his fears and insecurities were correct and Kunigami did just want to be text-friends…

Kunigami glanced at his watch. “We’ve got to get going or we’ll be late. I’ll text you later, Chigiri—”

“I want him as my show and tell!” Ryūnosuke said, latching onto Chigiri’s hand with zero hesitation. “C’mon, Chigiri-chan, you come too!”

“Ryu, no—he has things to do—”

“I don’t, actually,” Chigiri said. Not that he particularly wanted to be a show and tell project (though he couldn’t help but mentally snort; wasn’t his job basically a very adult show and tell?) but Ryūnosuke had apparently inherited his uncle’s strength because those little fingers were clamped on tight. 

“Yay!” Ryūnosuke cheered, grinning up at both of them.

“Are you sure?” Kunigami asked skeptically, though he’d already started walking. “Even if you don’t have things to do, we’re just going to daycare. I don’t want you to waste your time off—”

Ryūnosuke started giggling.

“What’s so funny?” Kunigami asked.

“We look like a family!” 

Chigiri looked down at the precious almost-Kunigami beaming up at them, one of his hands secure around Kunigami’s pinky, the other clamped tight around Chigiri’s pinky and ring finger. At a glance they might look like a young family, their toddler happily between them as they walked.

“I would love to be Ryu-kun’s show and tell,” Chigiri said with a smile.

“Ryu-chan! Ren-chan! I was wondering where you guys were—” a woman who was very obviously Kunigami’s sister said as they stepped into the daycare building. She stopped mid-sentence the second she saw Chigiri.

“Mom, mom!” Ryūnosuke said excitedly. “This is—”

“Chigiri Hyoma,” she finished for him, looking almost as awed as Ryūnosuke had.

Chigiri perked up, a little flattered and more than a little confused. “You know me..?”

“Ah.” Kunigami’s sister flushed prettily. “I, uh…” She glanced at Kunigami and Chigiri didn’t miss the tiny shake of his head. “Oh, I just saw you on BL—I mean, um, Blue Lock TV. I remember you.”

“Oh,” Chigiri said. He almost laughed at her self-correction; to this day he thought Ego’s ‘BLTV’ had a double-meaning. “Well, thank you, it’s nice to meet you—”

“Moooom,” Ryūnosuke whined. “I wanted to introduce Chigiri-chan! I’m the one that found him!”

“Yes, yes, but it’s not nice to interrupt,” his mom chided. “But please, Ryu-chan, introduce him.”

“Okay.” Ryūnosuke straightened, taking himself very seriously. “Mom, this is Chigiri Hyo..?” he trailed off, having forgotten Chigiri’s first name. “Chigiri-chan. He’s Ren-jichan’s boyfriend. Chigiri-chan, this is mom.”

“O-oh,” Ryūnosuke’s mom squeaked out, fighting a smile (and losing). “That was a lovely introduction, thank you.”

“Mm!” Ryūnosuke nodded, pleased with himself, than scampered inside, immediately absorbed into the group of playing children.

“Ren-chan?” Kunigami’s sister prompted, eyes sparkling. “Is there something you’d like to share?”

Kunigami heaved a long suffering sigh and rolled his eyes. “No. Anyway, Chigiri—this is my sister, Rina. She owns the place. I…help out sometimes—”

“Chigiri-chan!” Ryūnosuke came barreling back out and grabbed a couple of Chigiri’s fingers. “C’mon! Come play with our friends!”

“Ryu!” Kunigami called after him.

“It’s fine!” Chigiri assured him, letting Ryūnosuke tug him into the fray.

“I was going to ask why you brought your…friend…here of all places,” Rina said, watching the kids crowd around a very out-of-his-element Chigiri. “But I think I already know.”

“We happened to run into him on our way,” Kunigami explained. “Ryu latched onto him quite literally and wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Mm,” Rina hummed vaguely. “Reminds me of someone I know. Anyway, he’s really cute. Even cuter in person—”

“Don’t.”

“You know, Ren-chan, if a three-year-old can tell, you’re being too obvious—”

“It’s not like that,” Kunigami cut her off, going to assist Chigiri before his sister said anything more.

Rina snorted as she watched him go. “‘It’s not like that’ he says, watching him with eyes like that the whole time,” she muttered to herself. “You’re not fooling anyone, Ren-chan.”

Ryūnosuke and company had dragged Chigiri outside to the fenced-in play area behind the building and Chigiri couldn’t help but wonder exactly what Kunigami’s family did (or what Rina’s husband did) to have such a spacious plot for a daycare. But he didn’t have much time to think about it at the moment, not with the gaggle of kids swarming around him, every one clamoring for his attention or trying to tell him something important.

“Are you a princess?” one little girl asked, tugging on his hand as she looked up at him with large, sparkling eyes. “Where’s your crown?”

“Here, he can use mine!” another little girl offered, pink pigtails swaying as she ran over with a very rhinestoney, very plastic dress-up tiara.

“He’s not a princess,” Ryu corrected authoritatively. “He’s Ren-jichan’s girl—boyfriend.”

Pigtail-girl stopped herself right before crowning a crouching Chigiri with her beloved tiara. “No,” she said adamantly, bottom lip wobbling and eyes filling with tears, clutching the tiara to her chest. “I—I—I’m gonna marry Ren-jichan when I grow up, not you!”

And of course that’s exactly when Kunigami showed up.

“Shh, don’t cry, it’s okay,” Chigiri said, floundering and awkward. The last thing he wanted was to get kicked out of Kunigami’s sister’s daycare for making some little girl cry. Well, the last last thing he wanted was for her to actually marry Kunigami when she grew up but Chigiri was pretty sure he didn’t actually have to worry about that— 

“Chikako-chan?” Kunigami asked “What’s wrong?”

“Ren-jichan!” Chikako started to wail, hands outstretched and wanting Kunigami to pick her up.

Chigiri had the fleeting—and very immature—thought that maybe should try that too and see if Kunigami would hold him.

“Alright, kids!” Rina said, clapping to get their attention. (Her clap also had the added effect of startling Chikako out of her fit.) “Since we have some very skilled helpers visiting…how about soccer today?” 

“Nee-san!” Kunigami hissed, nearly drowned out by the cheers of a horde of small children. He glanced uncomfortably at Chigiri before looking back at his sister. “That’s in really bad taste—”

“What are you worried about?” Chigiri teased. 

Kunigami’s eyes flickered to Chigiri’s knee before he could help himself.

“C’mon. It’s not like I’m gonna go all-out and blow out my knee against a bunch of four-year-olds. Or what…” Chigiri flashed a cheeky grin. “You afraid even if I’m taking it easy you still won’t be able to beat me?”

“Ooh, he burned you,” one of the little boys said enthusiastically, several of the other little kids joining in with impressed oohs and a few nonsensical jeers.

Kunigami resisted the urge to sigh and settled for rolling his eyes. “Nee-san—” he tried again.

“Come on, choose your captain!” Rina said, loud and cheery and totally ignoring her brother’s protests. “Captain Grouchypants or Captain Ojou-sama! Pick your teams! Oh this will be so fun, won’t it?”

Her enthusiasm was contagious…or maybe children are just generally easily influenced. 

“You really don’t have to,” Kunigami muttered quietly to Chigiri as the kids squealed and divvied themselves up.

“It’s fine,” Chigiri said with an easy smile. “She’s right—it’ll be fun. …Captain Grouchypants.”

Kunigami tried to glare, though it wasn’t all that successful against Chigiri’s mischievous grin.

The teams were far from even but that didn’t really matter; not only was it to be expected that the kids would be more eager to play on Chigiri’s team, since he was new and exciting, but more didn’t necessarily equal better when playing sports with a bunch of three- and four-year-olds. When herding cats, it was hardly advantageous to have more cats to herd, after all.

As against it as he’d been, it only took a few minutes for Kunigami to begrudgingly admit maybe his sister knew what she was doing. 

Chigiri may be out of his element dealing with kids, but he couldn’t be more in his element than playing soccer. 

…even if the current chaos of little kids running every which way giggling and hollering for the ball (where ever they happened to actually be and whether they had any ability to receive it) could hardly be called ‘soccer.’

Obviously the captains only dared attempt to steal from each other, though the opportunity was rare enough with them trying to pass to and include as many kids as possible. Their job on the field was less actually playing and more redirecting stray balls and wild passes.

Kunigami had thought his rose-colored glasses shattered years ago but…Chigiri really looked like he was having a lot of fun. That couldn’t just be his wishful thinking, could it?

“Captain! Captain Ojou! I’m open!”

“Over here! Over here!”

“Pass it to me, I’m gonna score a goal!”

“Alright, Kiichi-kun,” Chigiri said, somehow picking one kid out of the horde and giving the ball an easy nudge.

Kunigami didn’t know when the heck Chigiri had learned anyone’s names. And he couldn’t help but smile at the gentle baby pass; when would be the last time Chigiri had done such a thing? They were already taking themselves very seriously as soccer players when they were only just a little older than these kids were now.

He found himself wondering what Chigiri had looked like back then, speedy on his little four-year-old legs, running all out with a big grin on his face.

“Rocket kiiiick!” Kiichi hollered dramatically, totally whiffing it.

“Baka!” Atsushi—another kid on Chigiri’s team—chanted, stealing the ball from his own teammate. “I’ll show you how it’s done! Super laser kick!”

It was a laser alright—a laser in a totally wonky direction and Chigiri jogged after it to keep it in play. 

“Now who’s the baka, Baka-Atsushi!” Kiichi taunted, still a bit sulky.

“No fighting with your teammates, guys!” Kunigami called.

“Uh, no fighting with anyone,” his sister corrected from the sidelines.

“Ah. Right. No fighting.”

“We don’t listen to you—” Kiichi began.

“—you’re not our Captain!” Atsushi finished for him.

I guess they’re friends again, Kunigami thought.

“Well your captain says no fighting,” Chigiri said, fighting a smile. “C’mon, set up, try again!”

“Hurry, Captain,” one of the more serious kids, Yuuta, gave Kunigami’s hand a tug. “We gotta stop ’em.”

However, it was too late—Chigiri had already passed to another kid, and this one actually knew how to kick the ball, sending it zinging soundly into the net past the virtual goalie (provided as part of a Nagi Corp philanthropy project).

Chigiri’s team erupted in cheers while Kunigami’s groaned in disappointment.

“Good one, Jin-kun!” Chigiri said, crouching down a little and holding out his hand for a high-five. “Nice kick!”

“Even though I knew we were on different teams, I still couldn’t help looking for you the second the ball hit the net, ready to run to you…” flitted across Kunigami’s mind.

Sure enough, even though it hadn’t been Chigiri’s goal exactly, he did look for Kunigami. 

And caught him blatantly staring. A smile bloomed on Chigiri’s face and he gave a cheeky wink.

So Kunigami might’ve been a little distracted. Enough so that he was still standing there, lost in thought when one of the kids handed him the ball for kickoff with an almost sassy, “Captain Ren-jichan! Keep up!”

Chigiri’s snort could be heard across the mini-sized field. 

After exchanging a few more goals, the kids started flagging (and who could blame them, running around like maniacs) while the adults were just getting warmed up, falling back into old habits unaware. So much of their lives had been devoted to this, how could they not? Kunigami marked Chigiri, pressing closer now. Chigiri huffed a laugh then winced in pain.

“Are you alright?” Kunigami asked, immediately concerned and completely dropping his defense.

Sticking out his tongue, Chigiri zipped past him and passed to Tsukushi, one of the little ones still going strong.

“Better than alright!” Chigiri called over his shoulder, letting out a cheer when Tsukushi and Jin passed it (kind of) between the two of them and managed to score another goal.

“Wha—” Kunigami sputtered. “You faker! That’s cheating!”

“I think it’s inventive,” Chigiri said sweetly, smirk on his lips.

“I think it’s stupid,” a familiar voice interrupted. “I can’t watch any more of this mamby-pamby crap! If you’re not gonna go at him seriously, Kunigami, I will.” 

“Barou?” Chigiri yelped.

“King!” the gaggle of children more or less exclaimed in unison, several forgetting they were technically in the middle of a soccer game to rush at Barou.

“Don’t touch me with your filthy grubby hands, you little donkeys!” he roared, even as they latched onto his arms so he could spin them around.

“Don’t make them sick!” Rina called in the idle tone of a person who had seen this hundreds of times.

“Who would’ve ever thought,” Chigiri mused to himself, watching Barou transform into a one-man carnival ride for a dozen small children, booming and blustering ineffectively the whole time. “He comes here…often, I take it?” he asked Kunigami, who had drifted over, their soccer game forgotten with the new arrival.

Kunigami nodded. “He came to help out a few times and then…well, Barou loves adoration, no matter where it comes from. So I think he kind of got addicted to his horde of little minions calling him ‘King’ whenever he shows up.”

Chigiri giggled. “Two of the most intimidating players in Blue Lock, beloved by children and helping out at a daycare. That’s kinda cute.”

A faint heat suffused Kunigami’s cheeks; the words “kinda cute” and the way Chigiri had said “beloved” were just a little more than he could take. 

Kunigami had consciously been restricting his Chigiri-exposure for this exact reason. He only had so much restraint and level-headedness and Chigiri had a natural ability of making it all  evaporate. All it took was a word and a smile and Kunigami was seventeen again: fearless, naive, and obliviously in love.

And that kind of scared the shit out of him.

“Yeah…” Kunigami said weakly, then cleared his throat, trying to refocus. “Plus Barou usually brings—”

“Chigiri Hyoma!” Aryu swooned out of nowhere, Chigiri’s hair already between his fingers. “Cuticles are glam as ever!”

Not as annoyed as he once was, Chigiri still swatted at Aryu’s hand. “Why do you always touch my hair?”

“You can touch mine,” Aryu offered, flipping his very beautiful raven hair in Chigiri’s direction.

“Yuck, no.”

“Yuck?” Aryu repeated incredulously. “Yuck?!” He pressed the back of his hand to his forehead dramatically, as if he might faint any moment. “The first time meeting after ages and you dare ‘yuck’?”

Chigiri snorted. “Glad to see you’re still a goofball.”

“Goofball?” Aryu shrieked, somehow even more dramatically. “My glam self, a goofball?!”

Aryu’s theatrics got the kids’ attention and they laughed, a few of them chanting “goofball, goofball” which Aryu predictably (and again, excessively dramatically) pretended to be extremely wounded by.

“C’mon, Glam-chan,” one of the little girls reached up and wrapped her chubby fingers around one of Aryu’s (his fingernails still black, Chigiri noticed). “We’ll do your hair pretty and make you feel better.”

“Later,” Barou barked, stomping onto the ‘field.’ “Oi! Aryu! Get over here! We’re doing this!”

“Wait!” Kunigami said, slightly panicked as he realized Barou very much still meant to play against Chigiri. “No, we are not doing this, you won’t take it easy—”

“Of course I won’t take it easy, that’s the point! You expect me to do anything half-ass…” Barou caught himself thanks to the kids’ gasps of anticipation of him saying a bad word. “…halfway? Get over there, you two are a team.”

“Didn’t you come here to play with the kids?” Kunigami tried. “They don’t want to watch something this boring—”

The kids very quickly and very loudly contradicted him:

“Yeah we do!”

“C’mon, King!”

“Score a hundred goals, Ren-jichan!”

“We wanna see Glam-chan kick the ball!”

“Our Captain Ojou-sama’s gonna win!”

“King! King! King!”

Blatantly outvoted despite his mountain of misgivings, Kunigami glanced worriedly at Chigiri.

“Let’s put the king in his place, huh?” Chigiri said with an impish smile, holding his fist out for a bump.

“Y-yeah…” Kunigami said uncertainly, not feeling it at all. 

“Alright,” Barou said authoritatively. “First to three. Cool?”

“Sounds good to me,” Chigiri said with a nod, tying up his hair.

Ice in his stomach, Kunigami didn’t answer.

Trying to protect Chigiri as much as possible and also because it was the most logical matchup, Kunigami marked Barou. Weighted down with fear over Chigiri’s knee, Kunigami’s heart was far from in it (and maybe just a smidge distracted by how cute Chigiri looked with his hair up) so Barou, somewhat predictably, scored first. 

And also somewhat predictably, he roared triumphantly despite it just being a friendly two-on-two scrimmage on a makeshift pitch in front of a bunch of little kids.

“You’re not going easy on him just because he’s your friend, are you?” Chigiri asked.

Kunigami almost laughed at how far off that was. “No, that’s not…”

Chigiri patted him between his shoulder blades. “Then let’s get it back!”

Chigiri took the kickoff and passed it back to Kunigami, who was immediately crowded by Barou.

It was a game. Less than a game! It was beyond stupid to take it seriously—the fact that Barou was playing competitively was almost embarrassing.

…the only thing more embarrassing would be losing.

Kunigami hesitated, protecting the ball, Barou in his face.

“What, you afraid to take me one on one? Don’t tell me you’re thinking about passing to the redhead. It might be the smart thing but no way, you’re wayyy too scared—”

“Shut up.”

“Still the hero, protecting his princess—” Barou taunted.

“I know what you’re doing, asshole,” Kunigami muttered.

“Good,” Barou said viciously. “So what are you gonna do about it?”

“I fucking hate you sometimes,” Kunigami muttered, then passed to Chigiri.

“Language,” Barou warned as they watched Chigiri race Aryu. The second he had the advantage he kicked it into the net.

“See? He survived,” Barou said so only Kunigami could hear, smacking him on the shoulder. “Aryu, what was with the crap defense! You’re better than that! He’s an invalid, how could you let him outrun you!” he bellowed, as if he hadn’t engineered the whole thing a moment before.

“I’ll get it back, Sho-chan!” Aryu promised.

“You better!” 

And Aryu did, using his height advantage over Chigiri to score with a header and getting a very loud, very sporty smack on the ass from Barou right after.

“Ooh, glam~!” Aryu exclaimed, delighted.

“I want one,” Chigiri mumbled, a little pout on his lips.

“What?” Kunigami asked uncertainly.

Chigiri blinked in surprise; apparently he didn’t think Kunigami had heard. “Ah. A…a goal. I want one.” He grinned. “We can’t possibly lose to these guys, can we?”

“Chigiri…” Should Kunigami really say anything? Chigiri really did look like he was having fun. But fun or not, it wasn’t worth getting hurt, especially not for this—

“Besides, it’s your turn,” Chigiri said, not letting Kunigami finish. Probably because he had a pretty good idea of what Kunigami had been about to say. “Next goal is yours, hero.”

“I’m not a hero anymore,” Kunigami replied automatically. Slightly embarrassed that he’d ever called himself such a dumbass thing, he added in a grumble, “Never was.”

He expected Chigiri to laugh, to argue, to say something flippant. To do anything but what he actually did, which was look back at him with absolutely adoring eyes and a soft, knowing smile.

Then, hand on Kunigami’s shoulder, Chigiri stood on his tiptoes to whisper into his ear, “You’ll always be my hero.” 

It should have been cheesy, maybe kind of embarrassing, but it was anything but with Chigiri’s lips brushing his ear then rocking back on his heels, sexy little smirk on his lips.

“Alright…next goal is yours, Rensuke.”

“He really doesn’t play fair,” Kunigami mumbled to himself, placing the ball for kickoff.

Barou overheard and barked a laugh. “That’s what I like about him.”

Kunigami just leveled a nonplussed glare.

“Oh, don’t scowl at me like that,” Barou said. “He’s good for you. You need to lighten up a little.”

“Says the guy taking a two-on-two in front of a bunch of three-year-olds as seriously as the World Cup,” Kunigami retorted.

“I always take being the best seriously,” Barou said, then looked at Kunigami straight-on with those predatory ruby eyes. “Unlike some people, I don’t have it in me to just roll over and die. Anyone that weak deserves to have other people steal what he wants.”

Kunigami knew Barou was just blustering. (Mostly.) Trying to get a rise out of him, trying to egg him on, make him snap, make Kunigami really come at him hard and force him to play against him for real. 

Kunigami knew this.

But when it came to soccer—or anything, really—Barou brought out the worst in him. 

And Chigiri brought out the best.

The Wild Card had forged his right leg into a weapon as strong as his left. So much so that people tended to forget his left leg was originally the one to watch out for, especially people who hadn’t played against him (or with him) often. Maybe it was to expected, then, that Barou focused on his right.

However, Chigiri hadn’t forgotten. 

After running with Kunigami’s pass from the kickoff, Chigiri punted it back to him, setting up Kunigami for a beautiful goal, smacking the net so hard some of the kids jumped in surprise. 

“Fu—” Barou started, then caught himself even as Aryu shot him a warning glance. “Fiddlesticks.”

“Niiiice!” Chigiri smacked Kunigami with a high five. “I thought that one might break the net!”

“Easy on the equipment!” Rina called, her warning totally at odds with the shit-eating grin on her face.

“I’ll get Reo to replace it,” Chigiri yelled back.

“I’ll get Nagi to replace it,” Kunigami said at the same time.

“They’re tied now,” Kiichi said, caught up in the excitement.

“Whoever scores next wins!” little Jin hollered from the sidelines.

“One more!” Tsukushi added. “One more!”

“You heard the brats,” Barou said, resetting the ball. “One more. And it’s gonna be ours.”

“Not likely,” Kunigami said.

“Dream on,” Chigiri scoffed, again speaking at the same time.

“You two are so cute,” Aryu snickered a little behind his hand. “We’ve got this, Sho-chan!” he said confidently, trapping the kickoff pass from Barou “Sorry,” he said to Chigiri. “I know this is your comeback game but Sho-chan would never forgive me if we lose.”

“Sucks to be you then,” Chigiri fired right back. “Though I can’t believe he’s taking this silly little game so seriously that he’s actually worked up a sweat.”

“He takes everything seriously,” Aryu replied. Then, “Wait, really?” Trying to just glance out of the corner of his eye, Aryu ended up doing a double-take. “Oh my god—he’s radiant. He’s shimmering. He’s so—so—glam.”

Needless to say, Chigiri stole the ball.

“What are you looking at me for!” Barou yelled. “Stay on the ball!”

“I couldn’t help it!” Aryu wailed. “You were too stunning!”

“Kunigami!” Chigiri called, quick to pass while Barou was preoccupied arguing with Aryu.

With the final goal (and the game) on the line, Barou headed full-steam to stop Kunigami.

“Run, Chigiri!” 

Kunigami had already passed the ball ahead of Chigiri before he even realized what flew out of his mouth.

Wicked grin on his face, Chigiri ran.

It was a game between friends that meant absolutely nothing. Their spectators were a dozen or so children (and Kunigami’s sister). The field was not even half the size of a real one, it’s not like Chigiri could even get up to full speed. 

The outcome did. not. matter.

Yet Kunigami grinned in spite of himself as he watched Chigiri speed along, passing to himself, Aryu behind him, hair flying as he tried to catch up. Barou broke off Kunigami to try and intercept but Kunigami knew it was too late.

Chigiri’s kick crashed soundly into the net, their little gallery of pint-sized fans erupted into cheers and whoops, loud enough to drown out Barou’s growl of disappointment as they rushed the field to celebrate.

Before he even realized it Kunigami had opened his arms wide to catch Chigiri, running full bore towards him before taking off with a leap, grinning wildly and knowing absolutely that Kunigami would catch him.

And catch him he did, with a spin to disperse some of Chigiri’s momentum, and Chigiri’s legs locked around his waist and he’s looking down, eyes sparkling, smile mischievous and victorious, cheeks a bit flushed and some of his hair’s escaped from the elastic—

“You’re so beautiful,” Kunigami whispered.

Chigiri blinked prettily, pink tinging his cheeks. Almost of their own volition, those delicate hands framed Kunigami’s upturned face and Chigiri lowered his head—

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Barou boomed, startling them both short of the kiss. “There are children present!”

“Sho-chan! You ruined it!” Aryu socked him in the shoulder.

“King!” several of the kids whined in unison. “You ruined it! He’s supposed to kiss the bride and live happily ever after!”

“They can do that somewhere not in front of me!” Barou argued back defensively.

Kunigami snorted at the sight of Barou arguing with a pack of four-year-olds, which…didn’t seem that off-base. 

“So it’s not really the kids you were worried about,” Chigiri said wryly, his feet back on the ground and no longer locked around Kunigami’s waist. (Unfortunately.)

“Now that everyone’s worked up an appetite, why don’t we go inside and have our lunch?” Rina suggested, gathering up the kids. “…And then maybe a little rest?” she added.

“I’ll help—” Kunigami started to offer.

“Oh, don’t you worry, I’ve got it from here,” Rina assured him. “Plus Barou-kun and Aryu-kun will be more than enough help. You go give Chigiri-kun a nice reward for helping out today.” Her suggestive tone made Kunigami’s face almost as red as Chigiri’s hair but he could only choke on a strangled protest before she finished smoothly, “Kids, say thank you to Chigiri-kun for visiting today and playing soccer with us!”

“I’m proud of you,” Aryu murmured as he and Barou watched them go, a knowing smile on his lips. “You’re a good friend.”

“Dunno what for,” Barou humphed, crossing his arms over his chest and not about to admit maybe this was the intended outcome all along. “We lost.” 

“But you won my glam heart all over again?”

“Is that really a prize?” Barou grumbled, no bite to it.

“I’ll make sure you feel like a winner tonight,” Aryu promised sweetly, giving Barou’s exquisite butt a reassuring little pat when no one was looking.

“Ah, sorry for embarrassing you today,” Chigiri said awkwardly. Without really discussing it, they walked in the area of Chigiri’s apartment. He wasn’t sure if Kunigami was actually walking him home or just walking because he didn’t know what else to do.

Unfortunately the magic spell of whatever had happened on the makeshift pitch was broken; it’s not like they could just pick up on the verge of making out where they’d left off. Not that Chigiri wouldn’t have been up for it, but it looked like that was the absolute furthest thing from Kunigami’s mind, judging by the crease between his brows and the solemn frown on his face.

They’d almost kissed. Shouldn’t Kunigami look a little happier? Or happy at all?

As much as it pained Chigiri to admit it, maybe Nagi was right. Kunigami really didn’t like him like that and it was time to…give up.

“What?” Kunigami asked, startled out of his thoughts.

“You had plans today and I kinda just tagged along, that was rude of me,” Chigiri clarified. “And I don’t know what happened out there—it was just a silly game.” He huffed a mirthless laugh. “Not even a game, really, it was just…silly…and to be such a nerd and take it so seriously…I’m sorry.”

“No, I…” Something was horribly off; this didn’t sound like Chigiri at all. Kunigami felt like he was uncomfortably behind and wasn’t sure he could catch up before it was too late.

“Thanks for humoring me though,” Chigiri continued, glancing away sheepishly. “Especially after I told you…you know. About just wanting to play soccer with you again, wanting to run to you like I used to. T-thanks for doing that for me.”

“Wait, what?” 

“What?” Chigiri asked, eyes big and a little wet.

“Why are you talking like this is some big deal?” Kunigami asked, then mentally kicked himself. Probably because you made it a big deal.

“I was really happy to see you again,” Chigiri said, sounding a little pained. “And when I got your number and you actually started texting. And when we went on our dat—out for coffee, I was so excited I couldn’t even sleep the night before.” He gave Kunigami a self-deprecating smile, not quite making eye contact. “And I know you have a life and you warned me you were busy but…but it was pretty clear you were avoiding me—”

“I was being stupid,” Kunigami blurted, startling Chigiri into look right at him. “Just…really stupid,” he repeated. “Yeah, I was helping my sister with Ryu—her husband is a traveling doctor and rarely home so I try to help out both with him and with her daycare stuff but…fuck, I’m getting off topic. That’s just an excuse, really. Even with that…”

“Do you really not like me?” Chigiri asked, half-incredulous, and half embarrassingly on the verge of tears.

“No! I mean, no, that’s not it, I…I do like you. A—a lot.” Kunigami scratched the back of his neck, blushing and awkward. “That’s…that’s kind of the problem—”

“It’s not!” Chigiri insisted eagerly. “It’s not a problem at all. I like you too! A lot! So why would that be a problem?”

“That’s a problem too!” Kunigami protested, making no sense judging by the confusion on Chigiri’s face. Which was fair; Kunigami was obviously an idiot and it really did make no sense to anyone not an idiot. He took a deep breath; Chigiri deserved an explanation. “I…I know you like me. Um, not to sound arrogant or anything—”

“Well I was hoping I’d made it blatantly obvious,” Chigiri conceded.

“R-right. But like…” The longer it took to explain, the more Kunigami tried to put this into words, the dumber he felt. Maybe he should just give up and kiss him right here on the street..? No. …No? No. “We’re not teenagers anymore. Not in Blue Lock anymore. We’re…we’re different. We’ve changed a lot. A-and…what if you think you like me the way you used to, but you don’t? Because I’m not the same person I used to be?”

Chigiri stared back at him for a long moment. “Do you not like me the way you used to, because I’m not the same person I used to be?”

“Uh…” Kunigami faltered. “A-ah. That’s…that’s a good point.”

“Mm hmm,” Chigiri hummed with a little nod. “And what if I really like the person you are now? What if I like him better than ever before?”

That was a possibility Kunigami honestly hadn’t accounted for.

“…do you?” he asked quietly.

Chigiri had always been the type to unwaveringly pursue what he wanted and he’d already laid himself bare; might as well deliver his whole ass heart on a platter, grade A5 served rare, stamped For Kunigami’s Consumption Only.

“I do,” Chigiri said earnestly. “I like you. Hero you, edgelord you, the you that smiles so cutely as you play with toddlers, the you that’s overprotective about my knee in a silly pretend soccer game, the you that’s shouting to me on the street how stupid you are. All of them.”

Dazed, overwhelmed, and elated, Kunigami was still trying to say something to that when Chigiri quietly announced, “We’re here. This is my place.”

“O-oh,” Kunigami said, still feeling wobbly, as if this was all just a dream. But Chigiri had given him a second chance (a third? a fourth? how many had it been?) and Kunigami was desperate not to waste it. “Chigiri, I—”

“You wanna come in?” Chigiri asked, hopeful but trying not to sound like it. “F-for a coffee? Or watch a movie? Or maybe make out—” he added the last in a mumble.

“Yes,” Kunigami interrupted adamantly and Chigiri blinked back in surprise, a disbelieving smile on his lips and pink on his cheeks. “Yes. I do. If that’s alright with you.”

“Y-yeah, I’m the one that offered,” Chigiri said, unable to hold back a smile as they climbed the stairs and he unlocked his door. “But, um…now, no pressure, but before I get my hopes up, which one are you—”

“The third one,” Kunigami said, kissing him the second the door closed behind them.

Chigiri woke with a smile on his face, warm and snug and on the verge of just bursting from happiness. With a little giggle to himself he wriggled closer against Kunigami’s side, appreciatively ogling Kunigami’s bare chest as he slept.

Kunigami’s left hand was splayed over his abs and oh-so-carefully, Chigiri pulled it over to get a better look. Feather-light, he stroked his fingertips over the thick white scar spanning Kunigami’s knuckles.

Then he smiled, finally allowed to do what he’d wanted to since he’d first laid eyes on Kunigami’s beautiful hand.

Feeling like he was extra sneaky and definitely getting away with something, Chigiri softly pressed his lips over the scar. Then again, a little further. And again—

“Do you always molest people in their sleep or am I just lucky?” Kunigami asked, voice gravelly and rough and stupidly hot from sleep.

“Kunigami!” Chigiri blurted. “You’re awake!”

“Mm.”

“…How long have you been awake?” Chigiri asked warily.

“Hmm…” Kunigami shifted a little, hugging Chigiri closer. “Right before you started giggling to yourself.”

“No!” Chigiri whisper-shrieked, mortified. “Even if that’s true, don’t tell me! Lie and say, ‘oh, just now’!”

“Oh, just now,” Kunigami said flatly. “So what exactly were you doing with my hand..?”

“I was just kissing it bet—” Chigiri stopped midsentence, heat flooding his face at the same time memories flooded his brain.

The sweet, lingering kisses started getting more intense, more urgent—

“How’s your knee?” Kunigami asked, pulling away from Chigiri’s lips only to latch onto his neck.

Flat on his back in bed, Chigiri’s knee was the furthest thing from his mind at the moment. “It’s fine..?” Then his brain caught up a second later. “I mean, owww, it’s a little tired and sore. Massage it for me, Rensuke?”

In a flash, Chigiri’s pants were off, thrown to the side, Kunigami’s shirt accompanying it a moment later. Why Kunigami had to be shirtless to ‘massage’ his knee Chigiri wasn’t quite sure—then he swallowed back a mouthful of horny drool and realized no, Kunigami really should be shirtless for everything.

Warm, rough hands ran over Chigiri’s ankles, calves, his knees and then over his thighs, still partially hidden by his shirt. He bit his bottom lip to keep from letting out an embarrassing moan—Kunigami wasn’t even doing anything, just touching him, so why did it feel so good—

Kneeling between Chigiri’s legs, Kunigami gently lifted Chigiri’s right leg and placed a soft kiss on the inside of his ankle. After trailing kisses the whole way up, he pressed his lips to the scar over Chigiri’s knee. 

“This is a new kind of massage,” Chigiri breathed, trying to tease. “Haven’t had this before.”

“I’m kissing it better,” Kunigami explained simply, nibbling over the scar before continuing to kiss and suck his way up Chigiri’s inner thigh, pushing up the hem of his shirt to nuzzle between Chigiri’s legs, mouthing him through his underwear—

“I was kissing it better,” Chigiri said haughtily, though his voice cracked a little.

“Ah. Well thank you,” Kunigami said with a lazy smile that looked absolutely delicious.

“You’re so beautiful,” Chigiri blurted.

Kunigami blinked in obvious surprise, then frowned a little. “Isn’t that my line..?”

“No. Every time I look at you, I almost get mad at how gorgeous you are,” Chigiri jutted out his bottom lip, sulking playfully.

Kunigami snorted, fingers already in Chigiri’s hair. “Took the words right out of my mouth,” he murmured, pulling him into a kiss.

Some time…later…Kunigami rested on Chigiri’s chest, sated and eyelids drooping as Chigiri lightly swirled his fingernails over his shoulders and back.

“Hey, Chigiri?” he asked, sounding a bit drooly with his cheek pressed over Chigiri’s heartbeat.

“Yes, Rensuke?” Chigiri asked lightly, giggling just a little at the goosebumps that appeared under his fingertips.

“You said you like me no matter, right? That you like me?”

“Mm.”

“…Even if I’m really petty and possessive and jealous?” Kunigami asked quietly. “I know it’s unbecoming, and I don’t want to be like that, but—”

Chigiri burst out laughing. 

“W-what?” Kunigami asked, raising up a bit to look at him. “Why are you laughing?”

“Yes, I still like you,” Chigiri said, delighted smirk on his lips as he carded through Kunigami’s sweat-damp hair. “And don’t you worry. Out of the two of us, the most petty, possessive, jealous one is not you.”

Kunigami frowned a little, disbelieving. 

“Just wait,” Chigiri promised sweetly. “You’ll see.”

Totally Unnecessary Epilogue

**NEW EPISODE!**

Wash Your Sheets and Fix Your Life, You F*cking Donkey!

Episode: Unleash the Beast Upper Body Workout (Shirtless!!) with The King (feat. Kunigami)  

@neenbean

omg is that what I think it is kunigami is covered in hickies right lol

@ambiguouscupcake

AND VERY OBVIOUS BITE MARKS

@ilikeprettystuff

OMG LOL someone is claiming their territory good for them

@poppopninja

Who let Kunigami take his shirt off today lol

@gamistan_6969

Yeah who. I need to send them a thank you

@barousc_cksleev

Unless they made him wear a turtleneck it wouldn’t have made a difference. He’s covered.

@imafuckingenius

About time! CONGRATULATIONS, KUNIGAMI

@monster

Awww yay!! Looks like someone (two someones??) had a great time! :)

@barkbarkbarou

Barou’s tits are perfect but I’m still jealous of whoever got to gnaw on Gami’s

@brosefbroheim

Technically speaking I really believe Kunigami has the better pecs 

@chrisprincedotcom

Oh! What fantastic musculature! AMAZING! PERFECT! BEAUTIFUL!

@goldteethGOAT

Barou is still hotter

@glameraman

Yes

Kunigami is glam but Barou is *~*GLAM*~*

And just fyi, I have it on good authority that Barou is in a very committed, monogamous, super lovey dovey glam relationship so back off

@his_little_demon

Forthright, pure, and beautiful finally got laid! Couldn’t have happened to a better guy

Also those bite marks are fuckin hot

@kunigamistiddies

I would pay an ungodly amount of money for just one chance with him

@tsurugi_zantetsu

I’m pretty sure he definitely had discourse

  @ceowifematerial

  You mean intercourse

    @gutenmorgensexy

    fuck you guys just call it fucking sex like normal people

      @imafuckingenius

      you are the last person to be lecturing on what’s normal

        @everybluerosehasitsthorn

        gutenmorgensexy is perfect, shut up isagi

@santafxcker

Christ on a cracker it’s my lucky day 🥰

@eyesarethewindowtothesoul

His back is just as bad. Hope those bites & scratches don’t get infected

@cupnoodllvr

Hmph. He looks perfectly fine and well-adjusted to me

@divinechestnut

Kunigami looks like he got mauled by a bear LOL

@bear_wrestler

nah I’ve been mauled by a bear and Kunigami looks way worse

@sexylightning

Mauled by a red panther more like DAMN

@mendokusaiguy

And they lived happily ever after the end (don’t forget to invite me to ur wedding)