Work Text:
Rin sighed for the nth time as he looked for a place to be alone. He wanted to be somewhere quiet for the last few days inside Blue Lock where no one will disturb him. After the U-20 WC, they will be going to their new teams.
The cockroach had become extremely noisy, making the rich purple-bun kid occupied since the latter and that white-haired trapper still hadn't talked ever since the Buratsuta 3 were introduced in the middle of the tournament. And Rin was finding himself having a headache, the laughter erupting from Shidou invading his skull.
When he went to one of the monitor room, he chanced upon that fake ace and the playboy captain having their sexy time, and in another monitor room, the osha merchant, that kid hiding his face behind his bangs, the fake king, and spare-tire GK were playing card games. Rin sighed again. Not in his room he shared with the crow, since the crow was spending his intimate nights with that sadistic blue-haired ram.
"Is there somewhere where I can spend my time in peace?" he asked as he aimed everywhere, searching for a place he thought would give him his "me" time.
As he walked towards a place in the facility, he chanced upon Kunigami walking down from somewhere. Rin realized he had never spoken to the fallen hero at all, so he approached Kunigami and asked.
"What's upstairs?"
"The rooftop."
That was it. That ended their first and only conversation. Kunigami walked away, leaving Rin mulling over. He had been observing everyone, and he noticed the fallen hero mostly being sullen despite Red pulling his arms to go with him, or sitting on his lap.
"That orange guy found the rooftop? Why haven't I found it earlier?" Rin asked himself as he ascended the flight of stairs leading to the said area.
He thought about finally having his peace when he opened the door to the area. But just as he opened the door, he heard a voice, a very familiar voice, talking.
"Ya can do it, Nijirou," the familiar voice said to someone, voice shaking. "Ya left Ibaraki fer the first time and survived Tokyo, survived Blue Lock. Ya can make it in France."
And it was when Rin realized it was Nanase doing a pep talk to himself.
"Oh great!" Rin sighed to himself in annoyance.
Yet, a part of him just wanted to stay, knowing there's nowhere to go anymore. He also knew that despite being known to talk a lot, Nanase would sometimes ignore him. That made Rin annoyed at the other at times, but at the same time, grateful.
As he came nearer, he saw the country bumpkin furiously wiping his cheek. Crying?
"Oi," Rin called out.
It indeed was Nanase when the boy turned to look at Rin. Rin saw that tears had already fallen furiously from Nanase's eyes, and that his eyes were red.
"Rin-san?"
"Did that fallen hero go down because he found your crying annoying?"
Nanase blinked. "Kunigami-san was here? I thought I was alone..."
Rin thought. Must be the hero who came in first and did not make his presence known when Nanase came in to cry. He moved in closer, though he had no intention of comforting the other.
"Don't... don't mind me, Rin-san," Nanase said as he turned around again, wiping his cheeks. "I'm just nervous."
"Nervous?"
Nanase shared how he cried on his trip to Tokyo after his parents saw him off. He showed them his tough side, but he showed a softer side he had hidden when he rode the train because he did not want his parents to worry. And now, knowing that France has a different culture than Japan made the country bumpkin anxious.
"You think you'll have a hard time fitting in?"
"Hai..." Nanase said, his back still facing Rin.
"I don't want to comfort you, so don't bother asking me to," Rin said rudely.
Nanase turned to him, "I won't ask ya ta. Won't disturb yer alone time, Rin-san."
Rin blushed. The country bumpkin knew him too well.
"Just the thought'v ya bein' near's enough fer me, even if ya won't talk ta me," Nanase said, turning away from Rin again.
Once more, Rin listened to Nanase convince himself he would be fine in France. The ace of Blue Lock rolled his eyes before he tapped the other on the shoulder. Nanase turned around, but was surprised when Rin wiped the tears off his cheeks.
"You didn't even cry despite me shouting at you during our training," Rin said uncharacteristically softly. "My first time seeing you cry like this, and it's giving me shivers."
"Doushite?"
"Because I thought the sun would never set," Rin said, alluding to Nanase's upbeat personality.
"But even the sun gives way ta the moon, Rin-san," Nanase replied in between hiccups. "I was also 'bout ta cry when I saw my name on the scoreboard."
Rin held Nanase by the wrist and led him to the wall so they could sit down and lean. It was already night, and the full moon was shining brightly.
"Take it from me," Rin remarked as he placed his hands on his own knees. "You'll fit in in France. You'll survive. You were able to play next to that contrarian brat and keep up with me."
"Thanks," Nanase replied softly. Maybe it was enough of a consolation coming from the best player of Blue Lock.
"Who do you think trained you?" Rin asked haughtily. "Just the thought of you going out of your way to ask help from the best is a big step in itself. So don't get nervous."
Nanase nodded.
"Your new team is a lower tier team, but if you do well, you might get scouted by bigger ones," Rin said. "Have that vision for yourself and keep on looking at it even from here."
Nanase nodded again before he curled his knees up his chin. And for some time, the two of them stayed at the rooftop, silence between them. By this time, the country bumpkin had stopped crying. And neither one of them wanted to break the peace.
And finally...
"Arigatou, Rin-san," Nanase said. "Thanks fer the talk, and fer bein' here fer me."
When he stood up, Rin asked him where he was headed to, and Nanase said he was going to sleep. Rin remembered that Hiori and Karasu were in the room Rin shared with Karasu, and he knew what the two were doing. He abruptly stood up and wiped his pants.
"Uhm, I'd come with you," Rin said gravely. "I don't wanna go back to my room right now."
"Why not?"
Rin cringed, "Just how many people here in Blue Lock are horny?"
Nanase realized something was happening inside Rin's room, so he invited Rin to come with him instead. And when they descended the stairs, Rin thought being with Nanase for an hour was a kind of peace he needed. Seldom was the country bumpkin quiet, and this was one of the rare times that Rin was actually given his wish.
He was looking for a quiet time for himself. And he got a quiet time with someone who he knew was talkative for the most part. And for that, he was willing to go with Nanase to his room.
--end--