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Karasu felt his stomach gurgle. Loud. Borderline humiliating. He wrapped his coat tighter around himself and hurried down the street. Gah he shouldn't have skipped lunch! The noirette stuffed his hands further into his pockets. Eyes skimming across the shops littered across the high street.
He squinted and stilled outside a homey cafe. Warm brown interior, striped furniture. Karasu internally shrugged before pushing the door open. He was greeted with a soft chime from the bell above. "Afternoon!" The barista behind the counter greets, voice chipper.
"Afternoon..." Replied the striker giving a small smile. "Table for one."
The barista nods. "Sure take a seat anywhere I'll take your order when your ready..." she hands the teen a laminated menu and turns back to the coffee machine she was tinkering with. Karasu thanks her and shuffles further into the cafe. All he wants is a quiet corner where the chance of being recognised is slim to none.
With the menu in his possession he sat down in one of the booths. Auburn leather, patterned decorative cushions. Karasu brushed his hair out of his face and skimmed through the items. "Hmm..." his index finger patted against his mole.
"Excuse me... are you Isagi Yoichi?"
Karasu chokes on his spit and looks up. Shielding his face with the menu as he watched a trio of people approach a table close by. They practically crowd around the furniture. Pushing their phones towards the supposed heart of bluelock. "E-erm..." the guy mumbled, overwhelmed by the sudden attention.
Said guy was wearing a face mask and an athletic hoodie. But as soon as Karasu saw his eyes he knew it was the sprout headed teen. He sighed under his breath watching the shorter get hounded by a group of fans.
"Y-yes I am...." Finally he replies voice shaky and tone beyond sheepish as he flails to explain. "Just keep it down please." Isagi clasps his hands together and bows his head. The trio of teens exchange confused looks with each other before one of the braver ones pokes the bluenette. "We just want a picture is that okay?"
"...sure..." Isagi nods awkwardly.
Karasu winces at the interaction. Gods this was so pathetic. Sighing and mentally choking himself out, the crow impersonator stood up. He shuffled past a few tables before clearing his throat. "Yo Mr Ordinary!" The noirette called out.
Instantly, Isagi's head snapped up and something akin to relief swam in his eyes. "K-karasu?!"
One of the girls spun around but all three if the teens had their jaws dropped. "Ah please join our picture as well Karasu!" One of them pleaded.
Karasu clenched and unclenched his jaw before forcing himself to smile. "Sure I'd love to."
The five of them huddled together and the girl holding the phone clicked the shutter button several times. "Ah thanks so much!" She bowed her face gleaming. The guy beside her nodded "Y-yes thank you for letting us..."
Isagi smiles and scratches the back of his neck. "No problem..."
The final girl of the trio looks between the two players before smiling. Her expression almost mischievous. She grabs both her friends by the arm and ushers them along. "Thanks again! Enjoy your date..."
Karasu splutters on his breath and his ears unfortunately burn. The sound of the three kids laughing echoes around the cafe and he scowls. He peers over his shoulder to look at Isagi who looks equally as disgusted as he sits back in his chair.
"... are you drinking an iced latte?" Mutters the taller tone oozing judgement.
Isagi clicks his tongue. "Why ask if you already know." He rolls his eyes before returning to his pastry. Its all powdered sugar and chocolate. Practically screams empty calories.
"What." The heart of bluelock wipes at his mouth after taking a generous bite. His eyes are angry but with his mouth full and sugar on his chin the expression comes across as pouty.
"So hissy. Did you come here by yourself or get stood up?"
"...." Isagi takes another aggressive bite and licks at his sweet stained lips. "You can fuck off now." He practically spits. Karasu crosses his arms and scoffs. Loudly. "God I say one thing about the way you play and you start acting like a little bitch."
The bluenettes jaw creaks and he shovels another mouthful practically down his throat. Muttering curses under his breath, words beyond sour. Karasu's glare further frosts and he drops into the seat opposite his rival.
"Isagi."
"Karasu."
They stare at each other. The silence thick and foggy.
"Can I take your order then?" The waitress interrupts their wordlessly dispute. Pen and notepad in her possession. She flashes an easygoing smile at the two. Seemingly unaware of the tension between them. Karasu finally breaks eye contact from his teammate and turns to her.
"... A black coffee and an almond croissant please." The raven haired closes the menu and hands it to the worker. She nods, scribbled it down and saunters off back to the counter.
Isagi wipes his hands with a napkin and takes a sip of coffee. Karasu drums his fingers against the table.
"You can go sit somewhere else you know..." Quips the striker as he sets down the glass tumblr. Using the straw to stir the sweet but bitter treat.
"No I think I'm fine here." Taunts the older a mocking smile growing on his lips. Isagi leans back into his chair. Face twisted in disgust. He nibbles the end of the pastry and finishes his drink. Before standing up and tucking his chair under the table. "See ya..." he mutters half heartedly.
Karasu hums. "Yeah whatever."
Hours later after lingering around the high street and window shopping. Karasu began walking back to Bluelock, coat zipped up to his chin. Hands deep in his pockets in a false hope of staying warm.
When he finally returns to the training grounds the environment is... stiff. The noirette yawns and walks down the hallway. Daydreaming about his bed and a deserved nap.
A hand grabs his shoulder and practically flings him around. "Agh?!" Squawks the spike hair. Eyes wide as he faces the attacker. "H-huh Otoya... asshole you idiot why did you do that?!" He slaps the silvernettes hand away.
The ninja wannabe shakes off the whack and grabs his friend by his shoulders. "You went on a date with Isagi?" He shakes Karasu whose jaw drops at the jarring question.
"Wh-what are you talking about?" He finally manages to utter something.
"It's all over twitter! You guys had a date at a cafe... is it true?!"
"No!!" Karasu yells back and pinches his nosebridge in annoyance. "I went there by myself and he just happened to be there and we both got roped into a picture...."
Otoya sighs. The serious expression doesn't suit him. "Thank God." He whispers under his breath. The taller of the two frowns at the quiet words and that familiar sense of unease bubbles in his gut. "W-why are you thanking God?" He asks.
"No... no reason it'd just be better if you, you know cleared the air. Especially with the team." Otoya gives a smile. Its all teeth and forced.
"Why do I need to explain it to them? You think they care that badly about Mr ordinary?" Sneers Karasu and he turns back to heading to his bedroom.
".... it's your funeral." Mutters the shorter.
"What did you say?!" Karasu spun around.
"Errr you did great in the match?"
"You did not say that."
"Did too"
"Did not!"
Its a few days later when Karasu unfortunately runs into Isagi again. This time however he's on a walk. Trying to calm his nerves after a frustrating practice match. He has his earbuds in and hands in his pockets as he walks along the pathway. Listening to whichever song the shuffle icon had recommended alongside the muffled whizz of cars shooting past on the road.
As he approaches a nearby bridge he stills as he notices someone leaning against their forearms against the railing and looking out into the distance. Dark, dense forests the murky water of the river.
At first the noirette planned on just walking by without a second thought. That was until the person turned their head slightly and noticed him. The same electric blue from the cafeteria.
Isagi snapped and his brows pinched down as he stared at Karasu. His grip on the railing of the bridge tightening for a second. "Are you following me?" Accuses the bluenette his tone tense.
"Pff you think I'd waste my time with that?" Karasu mutes his song and leans against the bridge a few feet away from his teammate.
"You played shit today." Isagi comments and turns back to look at the shitty view of the nature infront of them. Offended, the taller of the two scoffs and considers grabbing the younger by his ankles and hurling him off the bridge. The only thing that sours that tempting thought is the criminal charge.
"Says the guy who missed every shot..." Karasu easily matches the snarky tone. "Still upset about losing to France?"
"Kill yourself."
"You first."
Isagi makes a face and rests his chin on his palm. Glaring at the trees as if he wanted to blow them up.
"Why are you on a bridge of all places?" Questions the older words drowned out by the sound of a rather large vehicle speeding past them and down the highway.
"Needed air." Isagi exaggeratively inhales and exhales. Probably just to be annoying honestly.
"Airs all around us..." Karasu doesn't wanna admit he enjoys pissing the heart of bluelock off.
"Its not fresh air whenever you're around." Comes his quick quip. Always so butthurt and immature. Its almost endearing. Almost.
Silence washes over the duo for a second. The wind whistles and distantly birds chirp in the forest. An unfamiliar wave of serenity washes over the teen with the teardrop mole.
Then there's a bang, a sickening screech and a drowning blare of a horn. Alarmed, Karasu looks over his shoulder only to see a car, which had presumably lost control, barrelling off the road and towards them. There's no realistic time to react. One moment the two of them are standing infront of the bridge. And then next they're soaring through the air.
When Karasu opens his mouth to scream the air is immediately knocked out of his lungs. He flails, vision blurs. And the his stomach drops as he begins to plummet.
The next thing he remembers is that he forgot to close his mouth and now it tastes like moss and murky water. Karasu kicks his legs furiously and emerges from the river. Gasping for breath as he treads water. Eyes wide as he looked around.
He got hit by a car... and fell off the bridge into this shitty lake?!
If he didn't need his hands to prevent drowning right now, Karasu would've ripped his hair out. Instead he curses loudly and looks up back to the bridge where he sees a small crowd of people looking into the body of water in horror.
Karasu waves his arm around for approximately five seconds before he feels himself begin to sink again. One of the crowd members wave bsck and he lets out a sigh of relief as he watches them fish out their phone to hopefully call the emergency services. Another points at something to his left but the striker is too annoyed to care.
He tears his eyes away from the crowd and looks around for a patch of land he could swim over too. Thankfully there's a small strip of rocks making up a shingle beach. Karasu sighs, if only he hadn't ran into Isagi.
....
Wait.
"ISAGI?!" He yells out and looks around the river. His eyes glance over to the crowd where multiple people are now gesturing towards an area where there seems to be a cloud of bubbles. Immediately, Karasu's heart goes cold and without a second thought. He dives under.
Eyes squeezed shut he relies on his stretching out his arms and praying. But quickly he runs out of oxygen and has to emerge once again. This time gasping loudly. His heart seems to have clawed its way up his chest and settled in his throat.
Karasu stares at the rapidly depleting whirlpool of bubbles.
Inhales.
And dives under once again. Desperately, kicking his legs to sink deeper. He foot brushes against something solid and his hands lunge for it. Things are much lighter in the water and he swiftly returns back to the surface. His energy reserves much lower than optimal. But Isagi is in his arms.
Karasu's teeth chatter and he maneuvers the bluenette onto his back. Hooking his arms around his thighs and trying his hardest to swim to the salvation of jsggednes he'd spotted earlier.
Thankfully its not that far. But the rock cuts into his knees as soon as he hauls the two of them onshore. Violently, he shudders and realising there's nowhere safe to lay the sprout headed teens head he allows it to rest on his lap as he shrugs off his wet coat to fashion together a shanty pillow.
He moves Isagi onto a somewhat flatter area and supports his head with the garment. Before pressing his ear against said teens chest to monitor his breathing.
No sounds. No chest movement.
Karasu swallows the little spit in his mouth. It tastes foul.
He pinches Isagi's nose and tilts his head up. Inhales before leaning down and ghosting their lips together so he can blow air into the shorters mouth. He repeats the gesture a few times, their lips press together more times then he feels comfortable admitting.
Then Isagi makes a horrible spluttering sound and Karasu turns him on his side and looks away as he hears the wet sound of sick and water being thrown up.
Its gross. Karasu should sneer and make a crude remark about it. Kick Isagi down further because the little shit loved picking fights. But he can't bring himself too. Neither of them speak. Isagi stares at the pile of sick infront of him then at the polluted river.
Back at the bridge there's a flash of red and blue and both the teens watch in curiosity as a plane descends from the sky. As soon as it lands a team of paramedics rush out and all Karasu can remember is the look of confusion on Isagi's face.
Due to the risk off suffering from the effects of secondhand drowning the duo were forced to observations in the hospital. Thankfully they were swiftly discharged after four hours after being diagnosed as healthy.
A car would be arriving in thirty minutes to take them back to Bluelock.
"I can't believe that happened...." Isagi mumbles as they cautiously walk down the street. Its the first thing he's said in hours, his eyes are more focused on the road then anything else.
"I can't believe we survived that." Is what Karasu says. The younger of the two forces a quiet laugh. Borderline awkward. "Yeah same..." Their pace slows and they both halt on the pavement, close to entrance of a park. Memories from earlier resurfacing.
"Wanna sit down?" Asks the assassin, uneasy with the silence and calculating look on the others face. Fortunately, and other agrees and the two rest on a grassy hill shaded by a large oak tree.
Isagi opens his mouth, closes it. And his fingers brush against his lips.
Karasu flushes and looks to the side. "I was giving you cpr...."
The youngers cheeks also redden. "I-i know I wasn't going to say anything!"
"It's all over your face ordinary.... thinking about my lips that badly?" Mentally, Karasu celebrates his words knowing Otoya would be proud.
"So cocky you arrogant little shit." Isagi mutters exasperated.
"You ever kissed someone?" Asks the crow head nestled in wisps of grass. Dasies brushing against his cheeks.
"... No was always more focused on football..."
"...mh... making excuses?"
Isagi rips a handful off grass from the ground and throws it at the older. "Gah!" Karasu squawks as the scent of mud and the sight of green invaded his senses. He coughs and sits up. "Petty asshole..." comes his grumble and he lightly knees the striker in the back.
"Agh!" Isagi yelps and rubs the sore spot.
Karasu wipes grass of himself. Twists the strands together and dumps them on the bluenettes head. Said teen sneezes and glowers at the other. "Choo! Bas- bastard!" He rubs at his reddening nose and sniffles softly.
"Pfft! Do you have hay-fever or something?" Snickers the taller.
"Die!" Isagi scowls and shakes the grass out of his hair.
"Who'd piss you off then?" Asks the noirette teasingly as he plucks the plant from azure locks.
"Who wouldn't!" Isagi throws his hands up in the air to emphasise his point. His arm knocks against Karasu's wrist who's still combing grass out. "Asshole..." comes his mumble.
"Is that all you say? Bastard this asshole that..."
"... fuckface" sneers Isagi.
"Mh that ones new..."
The wind rustles the leaves on the tree above and sweeps effortlessly over the hill. Flowers tremble, their petals fluttering. Karasu relaxes and leans back onto the ground once again. Isagi stays upright.
Eventually Anri picks them up and their driven back to Bluelock. No one questions his absence but Isagi's immediately hounded with questions as soon as they return. Bachira draping onto his shoulder and Nagi pestering the egoist as well by pawing at his back.
Karasu feels heat on the back of his head constantly. Like someone's holding a magnifying glass above him and concentrating the power of the sun onto his scalp. But whenever he looks around there's no one even paying him any attention. He brushes off the feeling of discomfort. Shuffling out of the crowding room and towards his bedroom.
One minute he's in the hallway alone. And the next Otoya is shaking his soul out of him.
"Are you crazy?! Did you not listen to anything I said!" Scowls the silvernette as he squeezes his friends shoulders. "Do you want to get skinned alive!!"
It feels like a trick question but Karasu answers anyway. "No?" Nevermind his answer sounds even more like a question than Otoya's.
"I thought you hated Isagi?"
"No. I hate the way he acts not him."
"... Th- that's the same thing!"
"So?"
"I... you're hopeless"
Somehow the whole almost dying together had lessened the strain in Karsau and Isagi's odd friendship. Sometimes the bluenette offered tips, helped with cleaning up equipment, and shared snacks he'd wrestled from the vending machine. And other times he'd roll his eyes, pretend to trip the taller over or try to start a fight.
Unfortunately there was no real flora around for the noriette to use to his sick advantage.
"Yo..." Isagi jogs over, his face is glistening with sweat. Bangs tousled, cheeks flushed. But he's grinning like a deranged person. "That kick was amazing!"
The compliment is weird. Unnerving almost. Karasu isn't used to the politeness the smile. He clears his throat and averts his eyes. "Thanks... you weren't so bad either ordinary..."
"Mh coming from you thats high praise." The striker smirks the expression suits him too much. And it makes Karasu want to throw him off a bridge and let him drown.
"Shut up..." squints the taller wiping at his rosy face.
"Awhh you little tsundere~"
"Isagi!"
"Pfft-!" Isagi's head tips back and he laughs loudly in glee. Karasu kicks him in the space behind his knee and the sprout headed teen stumbles forward. "Agh!"
"Idiot." Karasu taunts before turning on his heel and dashing towards the showers. He hears Isagi cuss him out.
"You and Isagi are getting... close" Is what Reo says when Karasu steps out of the bath and begins towelling down his hair.
"...yeah? What bout it." Deep sapphire eyes narrow and the noirette looks over his shoulder to stare at the other.
"Nothing just an observation."
"Okay?"
Its annoying. Being hounded daily by these idiots is so annoying. Karasu could breathe next to Isagi and there'd be five losers on his ass demanding why. He can see why. After their encounter with death the bluenette went out of his way to greet and approach Karasu. It didn't matter if he was alone, surrounded by all his friends, or talking with a coach.
The most memorable was probably the other day. Rin was nitpicking one of Isagi's plays. The crow stepped onto the field and the shorter had greeted him with a wave and sunny smile. Rin on the other hand was livid. Jaw clenched, emerald eyes swimming ferociously. He looked like he wanted to gut Karasu.
But instead he rolled his eyes and shoved past Isagi who blinked owlishly. It was almost comedic. Instead it came of pathetic.
Karasu dropped his towel onto the bench and pulled on his shirt. He goes to shut his locker but is momentarily thrown off guard by someone disrupting his balance by swiping at his ankles. "Ghh!" Quickly he stabilises himself and throws his dirty jersey over his shoulder to fight back.
"Ack!" As expected its Isagi. He peeks the shirt off his face, wrinkles his nose and tossed it back. "Bastard."
"Takes one to know one."
Its hard to stay focused on the conversation though because Karasu can feel eyes on him. Jealous, angry eyes.
"Wanna watch the rest of France's matches?"
"Huh? Oh yeah.... sure?" The words come out lame and choppy. And Karasu internally bashes his head against a solid slab of concrete.
"Good lets go."
"Wait now?!"
"Duh... come on dunce." Isagi pushes at his shoulders.
When they're sitting in the dark room reviewing footage all Karasu can hear is someone's crazy scribbling and muttering. He stares at Isagi who looks more like a deranged author then the Demon King.
Its stupid. He can barely hear the match. But... being here feels right?
Karasu's beyond starving as he stumbles into the warm toned cafe from earlier. Cringing at the bell chime before greeting the barista and ordering a black coffee and almond croissant. He relaxes against the seat of the booth and sighs.
"Oh... Karasu you're here?"
"Hm?... what's good ordinary!"