Chapter Text
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The rain drummed a steady rhythm under the awning of a coffee shop Isagi was standing under. His umbrella tucked away under his arm, the cold began to seep through his jacket. Rin was unusually late, but Isagi didn’t mind. It had almost been an entire year since he and Rin had gotten together, short since the official end of the Blue lock project and early into their new soccer careers. They both had agreed to stay close by in Japan before Rin headed over to France to play as a representative player on the national team in the upcoming year. Isagi sighed, thinking about the countless offers and contracts he had also received since the end of the neo-egoist league. He had made it so far, achieving more than he could ever dream of, but even then, he was not too sure what he would do or where he would go now. The endless possibilities made him overthink, something he had been quite good at lately.
Isagi absent-mindedly placed his now dry umbrella on top of the outdoor table he had been leaning against and checked the time on his watch. The rain was really not letting up. Many of the other players from Blue Lock were also deciding on the next step for their “exciting ” futures, provided by the text Bachira had sent him the other day, littered with emojis Isagi didn’t even know existed. Players that had already been rostered and participated in the league had also stayed behind, touring around in Japan before soon returning back to their homes. Which means it wouldn’t be unlikely for Isagi to run into familiar faces in the upcoming weeks.
“Isagi, what a lovely surprise.”
Never. Never in Isagi’s life had the hairs on the back of his arms raised so fast, instincts screaming at him to turn around and smash his face into the brick wall behind him, severely injuring himself and pretending he had not heard a word.
Isagi had only followed through with the latter part of the plan.
Kaiser had been dressed in a long, black coat, a modestly sized umbrella in a gloved hand. He had always put a lot of care in looking put together. Kaiser walked closer, undeterred by the lack of response from the striker that had in all honesty, been a pain in his ass.
“What do you want, Kaiser.”
Kaiser hummed, feigning innocence. “Can’t say hello to a former teammate? I'm hurt."
"You look good. Happy even.”
Isagi frowned. “I am happy.”
“With Itoshi?” Kaiser chuckled, cocking his head in question. “Are you sure he even understands your worth the way I did? Playing on the same team together brought us so close, many bonding memories I am quite fond of.” Kaiser grinned, suddenly stepping into Isagi’s personal space as if he always belonged there.
Kaiser had always been this way, knowing how to push buttons and crawl under anyone’s skin. Isagi stiffened. The proximity was suffocating, the rain un-helping of Isagi’s situation.
“You still get frozen up all the same,” Kaiser teased, arm reaching for Isagi’s waist. “Maybe you still think-”
“I don’t.” Isagi cut him off coldly. “You are wasting your time.”
Isagi’s face immediately crumpled in disgust at the contact. Before he can shove Kaiser away, movement from the corner of his eye catches his attention.
A soft thud. An umbrella lay discarded on the pavement.
Isagi’s breath hitched, blood running cold. A few feet away, Rin stood with an unreadable expression analyzing the scene that was proudly displayed before him. Unblinking eyes flickered between Isagi and Kaiser, taking in their closeness under the awning, Kaiser’s arm wrapped around Isagi’s in an eased practice.
Soundless moments passed as Isagi watched as Rin’s usually guarded expression suddenly shatter beyond recognition, darkening with a cold look that was once so unfamiliar.
Then without another word, he turned.
“Rin- Wait!” Isagi called panic beginning to claw his chest.
Isagi ripped himself out of Kaiser’s grasp, Kaiser only responding with a crooked smile, pleased with the damage that had been done. Isagi had no time to deal with him, his whole world was walking away, disappearing into the rain. Isagi cursed under his breath. It had taken him months to get this far with Rin, chipping away through years and years of self-doubt and emotional walls Rin had built around himself, all for it to go to waste in an instant. His old relationship with Kaiser had meant absolutely nothing to him, the time spent together was only filled with heated arguments and burning hatred under the guise of “friendly” rivalry. He had spent weeks alone explaining that to Rin, yet the German still had found ways to make it a point in his existence to continue to ruin Isagi’s life.
Isagi had snapped out of his thoughts only to realize that he had been running. The rain was unrelenting, obscuring his vision as he slowed back down, scanning the streets for his emotional wreck of a partner whose strongest aspect was his ability to self-destruct.
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The rain had soaked his clothes, but he didn't care. Rin knew this would happen, his heart racing from the betrayal, running to who cares where. The image of Isagi and that blonde rat burned itself into his memory. How stupid of him to become comfortable. To become so complacent.
Rin always knew that he had been better off alone. Everything that had happened in his upbringing had proved to him that he needed no one, but even then, this stupid tepid blue-haired loser with two cowlicks on the top of his head that he could never seem to tame somehow wormed his way into his life.
It had been so bothersome to begin with. Isagi was constantly trying to find ways to connect with him. Whether it be sneaking in excuses to practice soccer with him or inviting himself to his after-care yoga sessions, name anything Rin did and Isagi would have found a way to insert himself there.
It wasn’t until Hiori had pointed out one day that they had been spending a lot of time together that the cold, sobering realization dawned over Rin that he wasn’t as quite bothered by Isagi’s presence as he should have been. If anything, he would dare say that watching Isagi’s serious expression shift as if he was solving mysterious puzzles in his head had become somewhat endearing. Everything spiraled from there.
And now here he was.
Rin’s legs burned as his teeth clicked in annoyance, the wind whipping his sopping wet bangs, rain catching his lashes and blurring his vision. His mind lagged, unfamiliar with processing emotions that weren’t just anger and annoyance, his usual two moods. If running kept his mind from keeping up, so be it.
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It had been several minutes of chasing and Isagi had almost begun to think he had somehow completely lost sight of his six-foot one boyfriend. He always knew Rin had been quick, but this was excessive.
Isagi spun around as a mop of dark green hair across the sidewalk caught his attention.
Isagi slowed to a jog, dropping his hands to his knees to catch his breath.
"Rin!-"
Isagi’s spatial awareness had always been better than the ordinary, but it didn’t take a genius to piece that Rin was not in his right of mind as he ran like a mad man onto the street.
Into open traffic.
The world inhaled and everything slowed. The white noise of the pouring rain reduced to a pathetic static into a deafening silence. A pair of headlights cut through the downpour, cruel and bright. The blaring horn clear and loud paired with the utterly horrifying screech of tires sent a violent shiver down Isagi’s spine. Everything came to a crawl, yet Isagi could do nothing as he watched the man he loved slip through his fingers.
“RIN!”
Isagi repeated, voice cracking as he lunged forward.
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The ground was spinning, rain felt like needles to the skin. The sound still drowned, replaced with the ugly thudding of a speeding heart. Isagi fell to his knees, hands digging into the pavement, eyes wide but unseeing. Not even daring to breathe.
This had to be a nightmare right?
Isagi willed to lift his head, absolute dread, and fear causing him to spiral, nausea beginning to pool in his stomach as he blearily looked ahead of him.
Rin.
Imaginary alarms rang through his mind.
Look for him! It begged.
Isagi scrambled. He was never one to be religious due to being abandoned by the Goddess of Victory countless times during his early soccer career and Blue Lock days, it was almost funny. But please God, if divine intervention wanted to finally rear its face, now would be the time.
He forcefully wiped the rain from his eyes with a soaked sleeve and shaky hands, bearings coming back into place. The rain let up just slightly, clearing his vision enough just to see a body across the street.
Rin.
Fallen to the ground on the other side of the road.
Like a man possessed, Isagi darted upward on legs that had never failed to act before he could even register his breath. He had reached Rin in seconds, dropping down beside him and pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.
Seems like the car had just barely missed him.
“Are you hurt?” Isagi wheezed, eyes wild.
“Please tell me you’re okay.”
Isagi’s voice was frantic, surprisingly stable but clipped, pulling back ever so slightly so for his hands to roam Rin’s shoulders, arms, face, anywhere to physically prove to himself that he was in fact in one piece.
Rin, who had not moved since Isagi came to his side, gave a single mute nod in response.
Isagi exhaled, not even realizing he had been holding his breath. Pressure and adrenaline finally escaped his poor weary soul and replaced with relief- raw and tangible, as he pressed their foreheads together, hair matted from the rain. Rin had never failed to make his heart stop, whether it be the beauty and surgical precision on the field or nearly getting demolished by a speeding car. They stayed there, listening to one another breathe.
After what felt like an eternity of lying on the cold, wet pavement, bodies twisted in an awkward embrace, the rain came to a soft drizzle. Isagi coughed.
“Rin, listen to me… Kaiser-”
“Shut up and die.”
Isagi rolled his eyes out of instinct. Yet, he was less annoyed about the sudden jab than he was relieved to hear his Rin’s familiar sharpness. Death threats were always a part of his second nature anyways, but he knew Rin cared for him all the same.
“I want nothing to do with him.” Isagi continued, squeezing Rin’s hand. “You’re the only person that matters to me, do you understand?”
Rin had always been put off by Isagi’s sincerity, shining through his comically large blue eyes that made Rin almost want to squint away. He knew this man wasn’t capable of spilling a single lie through his teeth. But, despite Isagi’s sincere words, Rin’s softened heart still steeled with doubt. Rin had tried desperately to quell the constant fear of not being enough during his time with Isagi. Turns out his pathetic excuse for an older brother left seemingly irreversible damage to his self-worth and was kind enough to gift him hand-crafted first-class abandonment issues, but Rin would rather be five inches off the ground in his apartment the next morning than acknowledge that to Isagi.
Though, Rin will be the first to admit that he had overreacted.
It had been uncharacteristic for him to jump to conclusions but to be honest, it was already uncharacteristic of him to be in love, let alone knowing how to navigate through a healthy relationship. Isagi had been nothing but transparent about everything in his life, constantly reminding Rin that he was very much committed to him, but Rin wasn’t ready to be vulnerable with anyone. He might never be and would clearly take any excuse to run away, to tuck emotions foreign to him away forever.
This was all just so exhausting really.
How luke-warm.
“I know.” Rin responded lamely, adrenaline coming down and ears beginning to burn in embarrassment.
“I mean it.” Isagi pushed.
Isagi is used to Rin’s self-defense mechanisms, familiar with Rin's tendencies to disregard his own feelings.
“You mean so much to me Rin.” Isagi starts, beginning to feel confident. “You are so much more than you will ever give yourself credit for and- umph ” Rin abruptly ends Isagi’s embarrassingly honest speech exceptionally early by shoving his hand down Isagi’s face to get up from the sidewalk.
“You can get off the ground now.” Rin spoke, as if giving Isagi permission to move.
Isagi motioned to get up, caressing his stinging nose. His clothes clung to his body uncomfortably. Isagi watched as Rin poised himself, fixing his shirt as if he wasn’t milliseconds away from dying and sending Isagi to cardiac arrest and lifetime depression.
But, isagi didn’t miss the way Rin’s eyes softened with what seemed like relief. The teal eyes that Isagi had grown so fond of glistened in the sun that began to peak out from the dreary clouds as the taller male turned away.
Isagi smiled, reaching to grasp Rin’s hand, interlocking their fingers with a grip tighter than usual.
"You ran away like a girl who got her heart broken for the first time," Isagi joked, still shaken in an effort to try to lighten up the mood.
Isagi was found face-first back onto the pavement in seconds.