Chapter Text
Bachira
Bachira and Isagi had finally finished the second selection together, and Bachira could not be happier about the best friend Blue Lock gave him and the chance of playing football with him! He noticed his friend had got his phone back, at first he assumed it was for learning English but as time passes he realises there may be another reason. Firstly, Isagi had been sneaking off under the guise of going to the bathroom. Secondly, his eyes have been glued to his phone more often than not.
This was suspicious because Bachira knew Isagi wasn’t all that interested in video games from how he talked to Nagi about them- Isagi hadn’t talked about video games with the boy and made it clear he knew nothing of them. And Isagi had previously said, in Team Z, that he only used his phone to watch YouTube and text.
Isagi did the former with Bachira so he figured there must be someone he’s desperately messaging like there’s no tomorrow and of course this peeks the bee themed boy’s interest as to who could catch this egoists attention!
——————
Isagi had his phone in hand when he told the people in the shared room he had to run to the bathroom, Bachira, who had been focused on Isagi and uncovering his big secret, followed him. This wasn’t unusual as Bachira has followed Isagi in the past, but with the intent of scaring him by jumping round a corner. However, this time he would be going Stalker Mode 3000!
In Bachira’s opinion, it was already going great, Isagi had strayed away from the regular direction to the bathroom and was heading to a deserted corridor. The closer Bachira looked, the more he realised the lack of cameras, as well as the more obvious darkness. It was most definitely a secret hallway!
He watched Isagi pull his phone out and then he watched as he held the phone against his ear, the phone barely rung once before it hastily switched to a smooth voice excitedly exclaiming Isagi’s name. Even if it was a guys voice, Bachira still suspected they were dating. For one, his monster told him so (his monster is never wrong), and he’s never seen his best bud this happy!
“Hey Rinrin!” Hmmm is his name Rin? Rinrin sounds like a nickname. Isagi top rizzler :o, “How are you?”
Bachira heard a hushed “don’t call me that” and he must admit, he almost giggled at how bashful the boy on the other line sounded. He followed his last remark with a clearer sentence, “I’m ok, Yoichi. Have you made much progress on learning English?”
“Ah, the voice messages you sent with the pronunciation helped. But yes the listening went well it’s just speaking it now.” Isagi sounded smitten while talking to this mysterious boy and Bachira couldn’t help grinning and jumping up as down- attempting to make minimal noise. Now that Bachira found his confirmation he rushed to leave before Isagi would and skipped all the way back to the room. He slept happily knowing his best friend has rizz.
——————
Even though Bachira had overheard some of the conversation, he started to think it wasn’t enough to conclude they were dating. A lot of people have nicknames for their friends, he has one for Isagi, and maybe this Rin guy was just a really close friend? Or even. No. It can’t be. His brother? Bachira tries to dispel the thought, after all they both sounded TOO in love and he’s sure Isagi doesn’t have any siblings. And even if they were friends they were obviously head over heels. So that meant Bachira would have to push them together if they weren’t anyhow!
Time to investigate!
Bachira had been waiting for the right moment to collect more evidence, it finally came when Isagi disappeared to the bathroom: but for real this time. Fortunately, the blue-haired-boy is stupid and left his phone on the bed.
Bachira grabbed it, not caring about Aryu and Tokimitsu who were watching, curious but not enough to care or ask.
Ominously smirking, Bachira inputted the password, which he had peeped at the previous day while Isagi was going on his phone, and pressed WhatsApp since it was the most recently used app.
‘Rin💙’ was the contact labelled at the top, his most recent message. Bachira clicked it and his resolve was solidified in seeing the last messages exchanged were two variations of ‘I love you’.
Now Bachira could only feel content in finding his answer, they are IN LOVE.
Now how can he convince Isagi to introduce him when this is over.
———— (time skip to U-20 half time) ————
Sae
Sae looked across the field, it had just hit half time and he wanted nothing more than to leave. His pick of the blue lock boys (his demon) hadn’t been played- so there was nothing to explore but the lukewarm Japanese U-20 team.
He wouldn’t lie, he thought that Rin would have come to blue lock for a chance to become the best striker, and he knows for a fact his little brother wouldn’t have lost to any of the mediocre garbage anyway. Sae hadn’t spoken to anyone in his family but once hearing about blue lock he was convinced he’d find his younger brother in the programme: to his surprise, when he looked at the tapes of matches and the line up he found nothing of the sort.
However, he found someone who seemed to emulate many of Rin’s play styles: Isagi Yoichi. It wasn’t like he’s a carbon copy but he has his fair share of skills on par with Rin. Sae decided he’d watch the boy in the first half and found something in the boy, perhaps a hope for Japan.
Whatever it is, he won’t be able to see it directly as he has no intention of participating past this point if his demon is kept in a cage.
While walking back to the changing rooms, he thought he saw a face suspiciously similar to his mother’s and his brother’s in the crowd. He decided to turn a blind eye. It’s probably because I just thought about them. He instead proceeded to walk into the changing rooms.
————
Bachira
Isagi watched as his mother, father and what seemed like Bachira’s mother- from how they exchanged looks and then Bachira very explicitly told him “THAT’S MY MUM!”, after Miss Bachira yelled at Bachira from the distance- finished a conversation. They looked sympathetically at the woman while the woman looked longingly into the distance in his and Bachira’s direction, as if reciting a memory, while Bachira hugged into him.
The moment between their parents finished as they started smiling and giggling from what Isagi could make out. Bachira decided to gaze where Isagi was and at that moment they both watched Rin’s mother and Rin walk to sit next to his parents and all Isagi could do was stare longingly at Rin, having not seen him in person for a while. He the slightly flushed at the thought of Rin watching him play, using Rin’s own play style at times and applying it to his own.
Rin seemed to see he was still out and not yet in the changing rooms and waved at him, small, but big enough for Isagi to notice, like the smile he also flashed. It seems he was completely oblivious to the pile on of questions his boyfriend would get from the dual colour haired boy next to him.
Isagi waved back to Rin, his heart thumping at the sight of his boyfriend; at the same time Bachira’s eyes lit up in realisation as he looked back and forth between the lovers.
Leaning in he whispered, “Yoi-chan…” That already seemed to schock Isagi enough out of his stupor that he jumped out of his skin, “Is that your boyfriend?”
Immediately, Isagi began to stammer, “W-WHAT.” He turned to face his best friend who was now also exchanging friendly waves with his boyfriend, “…How did you know?”
“My monster told me you were dating someone so I checked your phone, his name is Rin right?”
Isagi sighed, defeated. “Yes, Itoshi Rin.”
Bachira’s smile extended into a jaw drop, especially from how casually Isagi said this new piece of information, “HUH! You bagged Itoshi Sae’s younger brother, he was mentioned by Ego at the start of the programme right? He was all like ‘I wish I could of gotten my hands on the rarest unpolished gem, Itoshi Rin’” Bachira said with an expressionless face- like Ego’s- and his own unfitting smirk.
“Yes, yes and yes.” Isagi relayed, “I really do love him. Not because of the name Itoshi, I’ll tell you later though. We have to go in.”
Bachira smiled and followed Isagi into the changing rooms saying stuff with dramatisation like, “What if Sae finds out and eats you in your sleep for tainting his brother *gasp*”
Isagi doesn’t care what Sae think, he really doesn’t! But that doesn’t make it any less scarier that Sae could, like Bachira exaggerated, kill him and cover it up with his big big amount of money.
Whatever. That’s a problem for future Isagi.
————(start U-20 break)————
Sae
Future Isagi is now pissed at past Isagi for not thinking this through, as he is sat around a dinner table with both his and Rin’s families (including Itoshi Sae) for, what’s meant to be, a celebration dinner for his development as a footballer and his winning goal in the match. He curses his family and Rin’s internally for getting along so well because now he’s sat with his boyfriend to his left and Sae to his right.
If this were any other situation he’d probably be freaking out that Itoshi Sae is in his house and sitting next to him but then he remembers how bitchy he was to Rin and the fact he is dating his younger brother. So he is receiving endless love from one Itoshi while the other is most likely trying to kill him with his brain.
Neither Rin or himself had said anything about them dating but Isagi had a sneaking suspicion Sae caught on from the icy glare he was receiving accompanied by the tight grip Sae held on his knife. Isagi felt a shiver go down his spine but chose to ignore it in favour for Rin’s warm hand holding his own.
They had only sat down a few minutes prior and have yet to speak as a whole but of course the time came.
“Yoichi we’re so proud of you! You really were incredible even if we don’t understand football much we know you did great.” His father said, and yes, his parents didn’t exactly understand football but he appreciates the support he’s received from them.
Unexpectedly, Sae adds to their input, “Your play was good.” He said it ever so begrudgingly, he sounded constipated, “And your field sight it above average. Your build is lukewarm though.”
Rin’s grasp on Isagi’s hand tightens as he listens to his brother praise his boyfriend, he was hurt that he was never complimented like that and instead crushed by his brother’s unforgiving words. Well, that was the last time he had seen Sae.
Isagi stroked Rin’s hand with his thumb in soothing movements, feeling the tension leave his hand immediately. Looking to his right, Isagi looked at the the red headed man and decided to give him a response, despite not particularly knowing what to say.
“Thank you Sae-san.” Isagi didn’t want an awkward silence to follow so he continued, “I have been training with some friends in the facility so I can up my stats.”
Rin’s mother’s face lights up at this as she begins speaking, “What was the facility like? I don’t know why but I keep picturing a prison…”
Softly, Rin laughed and Isagi joined, morphing into a sentence, “Well it wasn’t bad. Obviously it didn’t smell the best, I mean it was a building full of boys who play football,” this comment gained some laughter, “they had a lot of reward systems and groupings I suppose. In the first selection Ego, our coach I suppose, told us there were five buildings and and since there were 300 guys he said there were teams A to Z but in each stratum everyone was told they were in the teams V to Z, and building 1 has the best equipment and food. I suppose he said it to get us fired up though.”
His father looked in curiosity, “So what was each selection like?”
————
As Isagi spoke, Sae tuned them out. He didn’t need to know about anything Blue Lock related, after all he has already watched many game tapes and knew how the placed functioned after his manager gave him the run through.
What he couldn’t tune out was the love oozing from his brother to this irrelevant guy. Well, newly irrelevant guy because before Sae knew he had a thing with his younger brother, he had actually respected the striker to some extent. To be fair, it wasn’t confirmed they were dating, but he’d have to be a fool not to notice the hand holding, Rin’s blushing face and the way that devil child would stare at his little brothers blushing face.
He finally zoned back into the conversation in perfect time to hear Isagi blabber, “and do you guys remember the woman you were with at the stadium during the U-20 match?”
All the parents nodded, besides Rin’s father who couldn’t attend, their mothers enthusiasm more clear, as Isagi continues, “I’d say her son was the guy I got closest to, we were both in the same Team Z and we did the second selection together… for the most part.”
“His mother was lovely and she really got into it. It’s Bachira Meguru right?” Isagi’s mother voiced.
Isagi nodded then resumed his description of this ‘Bachira’, “He’s strange I guess but in a good way. And insanely sharp which was a bit of a shocker I have to admit.”
Rin raised his eyebrow, attempting to keep the conversation going, wanting to hear more about Isagi’s friends and the people at the establishment. “Sharp how? Like in football?”
“Uh not football exactly, but he’s really perceptive when it comes to people,” Isagi hesitated as he glanced at the icy eyes glaring at him to his right but spoke anyway, “He figured out me and Rin are dating during the second selection and whenever he figures out something he always says ‘the monster told me so’”
While the others around the table inquired about this ‘monster’ (this Bachira might want to be checked for schizophrenia), Sae sat, staring into a dark abyss as the word ‘dating’ echoed in his head on repeat. He knew they were dating already but he had not wanted to hear the words out loud.
In all honesty, he probably wouldn’t have a problem with Isagi if he could talk to him, the boy was charming, charismatic and good at football- qualities he would accept for his younger brother’s partner- but knowing his relationship with Rin, Rin wouldn’t let him. He initially thought this whole lie of despising his brother would push him towards being a striker to turn Japan’s leaf but, or rather instead, it just destroyed their relationship.
Sae knew he had to talk to Rin. He wanted nothing more than to talk to Rin.
However, he had been so deep in thought he hadn’t realised his parents had started to clean up the table with Isagi’s parents, leaving the two boys, Sae and Sae’s bowl of food, which had only been dented. There was a lingering silence before Sae stood from his position and addressed his brother, “Rin.” He softened his voice after realising the harshness that he annunciated the name. “Can I talk to you.”
Rin’s pupils widened, unsure what the hidden message behin the ‘talk’ was and gripped Isagi’s hand tighter. While his tight grip showed his hesitation, his face bloomed with curiosity, which was pushed when Isagi stood and released Rin’s hand after whispering a message Sae couldn’t quite hear and left the room to the kitchen once he had picked up Sae’s bowl to clean up.
Not long after, Rin nodded his head and stood before following Sae just outside the front door. Sae stood against the wall to the left of the door, leaning back, and Rin stood to his left but his body was just in front of the wall, feeling he couldn’t ease yet.
“Why outside?” Rin asked, begrudgingly.
“Needed fresh air.” The reply was short but the words were uttered so much more gingerly then that day, years ago, Rin found himself relax but still hover around comfort.
“So…” Rin’s curiosity leaked out.
Sae swivelled to look at Rin, removing himself from the wall, with downcast eyes. “I’m sorry.”
Rin stilled, because of course he did. What does he even say to that? Rin can’t decipher why but he suddenly feels a tenfold more vulnerable. He has only spoken to Sae a select few times since Spain and in none of those conversations would he have imagined Sae apologising to him.
His reflex reaction it seems, was to let his eyes talk for him as they dilated and water spilled out. He could tell Sae had no idea how to handle the situation and placed a hand on his shoulder, uncomfortably moving it side to side, having lost the soothing rhythm he had when they were young and Rin would cry to him.
However much Rin felt like he shouldn’t accept the apology, he allowed himself to revel in it by bringing his brother into an embrace. He’d let himself enjoy the apology, he didn’t know if he could welcome it quite yet but if his brother showed he was making an effort, he may come around.
“I… I don’t know if I can trust your apology yet nii-chan.” He hesitantly muttered into the shorter male’s shoulder.
Sae let out a hum, “I expected that. I promise I’ll make it up to you.”
“Ok.”
Sae felt like he could cling onto his younger brother all day but, for one, that would be cringe, and secondly, Rin’s boyfriend had came out to check on them, effectively, ruining their moment in Sae’s opinion.
Casually, Rin peeled himself of his brother’s, now soaked with tears, red jumper and accepted a tissue Isagi had in his hand.
Isagi, the sly bastard, played the moment off smoothly and took Rin’s hand into his own, “Come inside, we’re about to watch a movie before my parents leave!”
“Your parents…?” Sae noticed the blue-haired-boy hadn’t included himself in that equation.
Isagi blushed as they began to move inside and explained, “Oh. Rin asked me if I could stay over so I asked my and your parents, in which they said yes.”
Sae grimaced. He knew that meant that this vermin would be staying in Rin’s room, or worse… his bed, after all since Sae was back there was no other place to sleep. He also knew the last time he was home there was no spare futons. He can only pray the family has invested in one.
————
The next morning, Sae became painfully aware that they, in fact, did not invest in any futons.
Sae was told by his mother to wake Rin and his boyfriend and of course he obliged. He wishes he turned a blind eye to the request because, walking into the room, he sees that lukewarm gremlin with his arms around Rin’s waist while his brother reciprocates by snuggling into Isagi’s neck.
Hes not sure he can hold back from strangling him.