You shouldn't cringe when you reread your own writing. Cringe culture, especially in writing, is so overrated. Love your writing. Remind yourself what made you so passionate about your WIPs to start with.
You'll be surprised how much more motivated you feel to write when you allow yourself to space to actually be proud of and love what you're doing.
( ? ) reo spends money on someone who refuses to be indebted to anyone, FLUFF I SWEAR
( A/N ) why are my bllk fics literally about meeting again i think i have some strange obsession with this trope. ANW THIS FIC IS SOOO CLICHE but i think reo is cheesy like that
the sky is a pretty shade of blue, birds are chirping sweet songs from where theyâre perched on branches, and cherry blossom leaves are floating along the wind; some are even pooling around his feet. love is in the air, one could say. pluck out every element you could see in a high school-inspired love song music video, and youâll get precisely what reo is experiencing.
but none of those are what reo is looking at right now.
no, not when youâre standing before him, and his pulse is unsteady.Â
âi like you,â you say. âi want to go out with you.â
reoâs eyes go round, spluttering syllables that are strung together hastily. he settles with a: âw-whuuuâŚâ
the small group of students who decided to tag along with reo all gasped and ooh?. reo doesnât know why heâs the one feeling mortified, heat crawling up across his cheeks.
youâre staring at him with a fierce expression, refusing to back down and shy away despite the crowd. itâs like you donât care what they think or say so long as you get your words across. he honestly respects it.
reo scratches the back of his neck, guilty for some unfamiliar reason. heâs gently rejected countless others before, so heâs unsure why heâs so reluctant this time. maybe itâs because youâre looking at him like you know what you want, and itâs making him feel flustered in a way he hasnât felt before.
âdonât just stand there, reo!â someone butts in, as if itâs his business. as if heâs confessing or being confessed to.
you and reo turn to glare venom at the guy, who shrinks under both your gazes.
reoâs gaze finds yours once again, trying for a comforting smile.
âiâm sorry. i canât accept your confession,â he murmurs and winces at the feigned cries of the people around him. his heart pangs painfully in his chest when he sees your crestfallen expression. âi really am sorry!â and he is. âi bet youâre niceââ
you hold up a hand, a universal sign to shut the hell up, youâre making it worse, idiot. âitâs fine. you donât have to say anything else aside from a ânoâ, reo-san.â the smile you give him is pretty painful. or is it painfully pretty? âthank you for your time.â
reo blinks when you swivel around. he feels incredibly horrible, to be frank.
reo watches you leave until youâre out of sight, only snapping out of it when nagi shoulders him to tune back into the laughter of his classmates, teasing him relentlessly about the confession.
âman, are you always this nice to your fans?â one of them snickers. âyouâre sick for leading the l/n y/n on.â
reo frowns. âiâm not leading them on, iâm just trying not to be an ass to people who admire me, unlike some people.â
âooohâŚâ
reo sighs, leaning against nagiâs terrifyingly solid figure. ây/n, huh?â he mumbles.
the hallways are unusually empty today. reo is usually swarmed by students from his class or even others, especially during the hour of lunch break.
there seems to be an influx of students crowding downstairs, though, judging by the faint cheers he can hear all the way from the fourth floor.
someone passes him, brushing his forearm, and reo almost ignores it.
âoh, hi, reo-san!â the voice says, and it snaps him right out of his wondering.
reo blinks, doing a double take. âah, y/n.â
you skid to a halt, facing him over your shoulder with a pleasantly surprised expression. âyou know my name already?â
reo feels caught, somehow. he doesnât know what to say, so he nods and smoothly switches subjects. âwhere are you runninâ off to?â
you donât move from where youâve stopped, and reo feels the need to catch up, so he jogs like an obedient dog. the nearly terrifying grin you shoot him does little to cover your amusement. âyouâve been spacing out during class, top of the class? thereâs a parade going on right now for the school festival, iâm heading down to watch.â
oh. so thatâs where everyone went.
in reoâs defense, he went to the bathroom minutes before breakâmost likely when the teacher announced anything regarding a parade. and nagi is nowhere to be seen to inform him about it. knowing nagi, heâs hiding away on some random floorâs stairs to play games on his phones quietly.
reo nudges you with an elbow and realizes halfway through that he never asked if youâre even okay with him doing that. he clears his throat, âlet me come with you, then.â
âcâmon, pretty boy.â you pick up the pace, and he couldâve tripped on air hearing that. âdonât make me miss out on the fun waiting for a snail like you.â
reo makes a show of scoffing, but he canât hide the smile in his voice.
you both make your way downstairs, chatting idly all the while. itâs small talkâmindless, almost, but reo finds himself relaxing quickly in your presence like he didnât just meet you yesterday. like you didnât just ask him out, and he rejected you yesterday.
âahh, the stalls are up already?â you frown, scanning the area and onto the line of students swarming the field. âi thought they wouldnât be serving anything this early.â
âif itâs what youâre worried about, itâll be my treat,â reo finds himself offering without thinking.
âwill it, now?â
minutes later, you two find yourselves walking out of the line of stalls with bags of snacks and street foods (even trinkets you werenât planning to buy but reo wanted you to have). it was all a blur. reo didnât know he could start from roaming the hallways to having a nearly empty wallet with you by his side.
blinking incredulously at the heap of bags slung over your forearms, you say, âiâll pay next time.â
reo shrugs, pleased with himself but trying so hard not to show it. âitâs fine.â
âwhat? no, itâs not fine. iâll pay you back,â you say, stern. there is no room for dispute.
âitâs really no big dealâŚâ and itâs not. he gets enough money to fill up his wallet easily once more. upon seeing your glare, he concedes. âfine, do what you want.â
your bright smile at that response makes him realize something about you.
reo is ashamed to say it, but ever since yesterday, heâs been noticing you more and more often.
itâs embarrassing to admit that he hasnât paid attention before, but itâs even more embarrassing to realize that he keeps finding you everywhereâitâs almost incredulous to think that he has never met you earlier.
whatâs worse is that reo is excited when he does catch sight of you.
images of your moment with him come to him in a flash, and he almost fucks it all up by approaching you out of nowhereâhe could, but he doesnât know what you still think of him after that. he, for one, would feel as if heâs being pitied when the person he confessed his feelings to starts coming up to him without any good reason.
thatâs the thing: reo canât think of a good reason.
âstop overthinking,â is all nagi says to reoâs mindless rambling of his current crisis (read: above). âyou shouldnât look too deep into it, idiot. if y/n can confess to you just because, then y/n can tell you to screw off if you make things weird.â
that is surprisingly a piece of very reasonable and thought-provoking advice.
âokay,â reo says. it makes sense.
he doesnât have to do anything, though, because nagi looks up from his phone, sees something, and tells him reo can just text him what happens because heâs heading straight home.
âwhat? what? where are you going, nagi?â
âreo-sanââ reo jumps in surprise, ââsorry, did i scare you? haha, that was cute!â he turns and sees you grinning up at him, impudent like you hear precisely what is going in his head.
ây/n,â he says, horrified to feel sudden warmth crawling up his cheeks. how do you keep doing that? âwhen did youâŚâ
âare you free? i still have to pay you back, donât i?â
he wants to say that if you feel like you owe something, you donât, and reo doesnât care about the money he spent on you, seeing how much fun you had yesterday. yet the excitement evident in your voice kills off the rebuttal on the tip of his tongue.
reo finds himself laughing, mostly out of disbelief. âalright.â
you beam, his expression softens, and the sunset is beautiful this afternoon.
âcome on, i know this really good place,â you tell him, reaching for his hand like itâs natural. reoâs eye catches on the charm dangling on your bag. his heart does something weird when he realizes itâs what he picked out for you. âyou mentioned you like ichibo steak yesterday, right? youâre in luck.â
reo should really get checked up. heâs been feeling incredibly warm lately.
you two decide to ride a taxi. reo texts nagi that he is out on a platonicâemphasized platonic, in bold, italic, and even underlinedâdate with you, as friends, and all because you felt guilty. the sticker nagi sends in return says he does not care.
along the way, you two fall into easy conversation once again. reo feels so relaxed that he doesnât realize until later how wide his grin is. and when he does, itâs when he starts to notice everything else, too.
âitâs weird! i just passed them, and they gave me weird looks. i wanted to square up and ask, what? you wanna fight? i would beat them, no doubt,â you say, huffing. reo chuckles a little. at the sound, you pout. âwhatâre you laughing at? you donât believe me?â
âof course i believe you.â
you grin. âthatâs right.â
the car stops, and you pay for the ride before reo could even blink and lead him outside. your enthusiasm is endearing, reo has to admit. it feels like you actually like him and like being with him.
the gentle hold you have on him, the way your fingers are absentmindedly rubbing circles on his skin, the way his brain is melting out of his earsâwhen did he get so soft like this? itâs insane.
it probably means he is happy to have you as a friend, right?
in a seat for four people, reo pointedly decides to sit next to you because sitting across would make it look weirdâit will feel like an actual date, and reo is not sure how he can handle the thought of that.
you donât question it, and reo feels embarrassed to think you probably think heâs so strange that you donât blink at it. instead, you tug him closer by the sleeve, pointing at his favorite food with sparkling eyes. itâs adorable. youâre so damn excited that itâs rubbing off on him.
reoâs mouth again runs off before his brain can catch up. âare you alright with us hanging out like this? afterâŚâ
you understand immediately. reo canât quite see your expression properly because youâre leaning down to study the menu; however, your answer seems unfazed: âi donât mind. i like you, donât i? you already knew that, so thatâs a silly question.â
you turn to him, smiling. âof course iâd like being with you, too.â
âah.â reoâs face is on fire. âso⌠why did you even like me?â
âhm.â you make a motion of rubbing your index finger and thumb together. âmoney.â
reo eyes you with a scrunched nose, speechless.
you laugh brightly. âkidding! kidding! kind of.â reo nudges your knee with his as a warning. âokay, okay. i thought youâre cute, alright?â
âreally?â
âreally.â
itâs almost enough to make him forget how your face fell when he rejected you. almost.
is it normal to think about that so much?
(no. the answer is no, obviously. but reo doesnât want to think about the reason why itâs a no.)
reo slouches against the seat, his arm brushing against your side. âoh.â
âthat was so good,â reo groans. he burps inelegantly afterward, laughing along with you. âfuck, you were right. iâm coming back here again.â
you snort, waving your fork around. âi told you! iâm never wrong, donât doubt me about anything ever again.â thereâs sauce on the side of your mouth; reo brushes it off with his thumb without thinking, as if in a trance.
you pause, going still. youâre staring at him wide-eyed, flustered, and reo finds himself thinking that he likes that look on you.
he snaps out of it the second after, blushing profusely. âsorry, i donâtââ to save himself from explaining, he calls for the waiter for the bill instead. real smooth, reo. did it like a real rich kid.
âhey, wait, why are you paying?â you ask, frowning.
âyou already paid for the ride earlier, remember? you donât owe me anything right now, so let me pay.â
âreoââ
the waiter comes, reo scans the receipt quickly, and slips money in. he also tells them to keep the change, to which the waiter starts bowing and thanking him for, which probably means he paid them more than heâs supposed to.
you slump, bottom lip jutted out. ânow iâm indebted to you again.â
reo grins. âi know.â
you become something else to him entirely. more than friends, though not quite lovers. tip-toeing lines, ready to risk it all, but never crossing over.
reo laments this to nagi, who he realizes suddenly becomes an expert.
âfor someone who didnât hesitate to reject y/n, youâre quick to regret it every day,â nagi remarks. âdonât be stupid, reo. the answer is right thereâ oh, i lost.â nagi is sad now, not that reo can see it because heâs having a crisis.
by the time reo realizes that what he feels for you is more than a simple crush, itâs far too late. heâs on the bus, your last message with him is a goodbye, and his life is flipped upside down.
TIMESKIP
reo sits alone on a bench in the middle of a public park, holding a popsicle and checking his watch occasionally. his knee bounces, impatient, but his last text will stay as:Â iâll wait for you no matter how long.
he sighs, his head slowly tilting up to face the sky.
itâs as beautiful as he remembers itâthe day he regrets more than anything. all thatâs left is for birds to chirp and leaves to dance around his feet.
he had to reject his friendsâ offer to go out, as itâs not often blue lock members are given off days. however, itâs a small price to pay if he gets to see you again.
âiâm here!â
reo nearly jolts in surprise, his whole body instinctively preening at the familiar melody of your voice. he turns, and his heart bursts.
itâs been so long. too long. yet every detail about you is still the same as he daydreams about when it gets a little too lonely: from your smile to the way youâre looking at him with overwhelming fondness. thereâs no mistaking itâthe happiness tickling his chest says more than words could.
he is so fucking in love.
you stand there, a little nervous and hesitant like youâre ready to run with one wrong move.
so reo wonât fuck this up. not anymore or ever.
ây/n,â he breathes, tugging you by the arm to pull you closer. âi missed you.â
âi missed you, too,â you say, melting in his grasp. âi didnât think youâdâ i didnât expect you to still want to see me after high school.â
âdonât be stupid,â he chides, gently flicking your forehead. âof course iâd want to see you.â your gaze shifts to the plastic heâs holding in his other hand, and he almost smacks his face for forgetting. âright, here. i bought you ice cream because itâs a bit hot today. thought youâd like it.â
âso thoughtful,â you coo, poking his cheek before gratefully taking the popsicle from him.
he pats the vacant spot next to him. it took all his willpower and rationality to not gesture his lap.
âum,â you fidget, tongue darting out quickly to lick on the icy treat. reo is not getting distracted, heâs not. âwhat was the question you said you wanted to ask? that text almost made me want to chuck my phone across the room, you know? we havenât talked for months, and thatâs the first thing you send me.â
âsorry,â reo canât help but chuckle, scratching the back of his neck. âi just want to do this before i regret anything again.â
âyou have regrets with me?â you frown, hurt.
reo nods, and fuck it, reaches out to cup your chin. thereâs a smidge of melted ice cream; he swipes it away with a thumb. âthe day we met,â he says distractedly.
thereâs a moment where you can only look at him incredulously, a little offended. but understanding dawns on your face soon after. âthat was the day i confessed.â
he nods, proud. âyouâre still indebted to me, arenât you?â
âyes? you made sure you were the last one to pay for anything when you won me that plushie at the arcade a week before you left,â you recall fondly.
âalright, then.â reo takes your free hand to pull you closer to him, stunning you to silence. the popsicle starts melting at the sidesâit could be from the heat or from how intense reo is staring at you. âpay me back by going out with me. as your boyfriend.â
THIS IS SO RUSHED I KNOWWW but take it and appreciate it please i dont even kno where the reo brainworms came from