Theresa @theresatzu - Tumblr Blog

Olive Branch - Part 21

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Nagi Seishirou, Reo Mikage, OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, angst, reconciliation, unrequited love, pining, burnt house, marriage, forced proximity, estranged friendship & world cup

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After having eating all your fill, the lot of you dispersed from the cafe.

Bachira went to take the bus to his mother's place, whereas Nagi and Reo ordered their driver to drop them off at Reo's estate, so Reo could gather everyone for the whole ride-or-die ordeal.

So that left only you and Isagi.

The two of you decided to go to JFU. Isagi, so he could contact Ego and by extension, his boss, Buratsuta, and you, so you could gather all the data from NEL.

"I'll see you in a bit, my stop's at the tenth level." You bid Isagi goodbye as you reached your fork in the road.

Isagi nodded, "Alright, I'll come to you when I'm done. I won't be long."

And with that, you parted ways.

The tenth level was quite the way up, but when you pushed the button of the lift, the doors didn't open.

You frowned, trying again. Still nothing.

Glancing at the clock hanging nearby, you left for the stairs with a huff. Well, you could make it in time, right?

After what felt like a hundred flights of stairs, you finally reached the tenth level.

"If only I had my personal Reo..." You thought aloud, thinking back to the way Reo had easily carried Nagi down the stairs.

After having caught your breath, you opened the door to your office. As the light flickered on, you were face to face with the huge screen, complete with all the endless files.

You heaved a sigh. "Let's get to working."

Luckily, all the data of NEL was neatly stored away in folders, but combing through them proved to be a difficult task.

Partly due to the load, but mostly because you were distracted.

You tapped on the file that was named "Nagi's Five-Volley Goal" causing a clip to be projected on the wall.

"Jeez." You breathed out, watching Nagi and Reo celebrate after the goal. "And to think it isn't a fluke anymore."

Scrolling through the clips, you filtered on "most views", to make a selection.

"Rin's curve shot," you mumbled, saving the clip, "Chris prince, yuk, Bachira's goal against Manshine, locker room... uhm, and..."

You stilled, letting the clip play out.

"...huh. I think I'll never forget that shot."

The light of the projector might've illuminated your face, but the sparkle in your eyes shone brighter.

Because playing on the screen was Isagi.

It was the long-awaited match of PxG versus Bastard Munchen. It was the last few minutes before Bastard Munchen reigned supreme.

You remembered that match, as if it had happened yesterday.

The way the intense emotions splayed on everyone's faces, the way your heart pounded, in tandem with the rapid footfalls of the players on the field.

The way how the harsh overlights shed light onto the field, casting the stars of the match as characters in a grand theater.

With Isagi Yoichi as the main character.

It was simply enthralling, the way he moved.

Seeking blind spots, slipping past defenders, Isagi did it with the ease of a seasoned veteran.

Thoughtlessly, you rewinded the clip. "The match up of NEL," you mumbled, "Football really is beautiful."

Because yeah, football was art, and the players were the painters.

And you? You were a willing spectator, keeping to the sides, bearing witness to every canvas.

And yet, as you watched Isagi play, you felt strangely included.

The way he played, it lured you in. He captivated you in his chokehold, leaving you breathless every time.

You watched once again as Isagi kicked his leg back and scored. The field exploded with cheers and exhausted players. The camera zoomed in on Isagi as he slid along the field.

"Beautiful," you murmured.

"Beautiful?" A voice echoed.

You startled. "Oh, uh, hi! I was just... watching some football clips, you see?" You hastily exited Isagi's video, clicking on a random other one.

"Don't choose the wrong king to serve, shitty commoners."

Your face paled.

"I... uhm, I..." You hurriedly turned around, frantically clicking buttons, "I was just you know-- watching some clips to uh..." You choked on your words, the blood rushing to your brain. "For the big... commercial thingy."

You chuckled awkwardly, but the looping video made your smile strained. Isagi was still standing in his spot, his face frozen, an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Damn it," you mumbled lowly, the video was still playing, "Don't choose the wrong king to serve, shitty commoners" on repeat.

"I--uh, I've got enough... clips." You smiled painfully, before giving the computer a harsh slap, the video finally shutting off.

"Yeah. I uh, saw." Isagi croaked out hoarsely, taking a step backwards. There was something off about his expression. His face was pale, even more so in the dim room.

"I guess I'll just... contact the others about uh... the advertisement. I got the yes from Ego." Isagi chuckled hollowly, once again stepping backwards, looking very much like a cornered animal.

This was wrong. This was so so wrong.

You could feel the blood drain from your body as Isagi was clearly fighting to keep a straight face. He took another step backwards, stumbled against a shelve, avoided eye contact with you as if that would burn him alive.

"Yoi--" You whispered, but Isagi seemed too out of it to heed your words.

"Don't, please--" Isagi choked, shaking his head.

You took a step in his direction, Isagi flinched.

"What's wrong, Yoichi?" You asked, reaching out to him.

Isagi froze for a moment, his eyes finally finding yours. But what you found in them was enough to make your stomach sink.

There was a bright sheen in Isagi's eyes, tears on the verge of falling. But what was even more devastating, was the raw desperation in Isagi's tumultuous eyes.

Your heart clenched, an urge to coax him in your arms taking over like a habitual instinct.

But once again, Isagi flinched away from your touch.

"I can't-- I can't do this." Isagi whispered, before turning tail and running away.

Your eyes widened. "Yoi--"

You quickly gave chase after him, but being an athlete had its perks. The gap between you quickly widened. Desperation gnawed at your chest as you could hardly make out Isagi's figure anymore.

"Yoi--Yoichi! Please wait!" You shouted after him.

But Isagi was too fast. He jumped in the lift, pressing the doors closed.

Your eyes widened as the opening became smaller and smaller, but the space between you still too big.

No, I have to make this, you firmly reprimanded yourself, urging your legs to run faster.

Because something told you that if you didn't...

"I don't know, but I'm one hundred percent sure."

"I can teach you how to skate."

"Alright. But next time, I'm returning the favour."

"Really? Because you were the one who always fell asleep first."

"We made a promise, didn't we?"

"Do you... do you want to stay?"

"We could win the World Cup."

"I prefer them from you."

"Pinky promise."

"I'll always care about you. Then, now. Even if we're oceans apart."

... all of this, all of these memories, they would be just that. Memories. An event from the past. Something bygone, fated to never return.

Something momentarily.

And that, you couldn't -- wouldn't -- accept. You won't run from him this time. Not now, not ever. Not when the stakes were too high.

Not when giving up meant losing him.

"Hold the door!" You yelled. The opening was becoming smaller by the second.

But you were closing in now.

Isagi blinked, staring at you, shocked. He looked like a rattled deer in headlights.

"Come on, Yoichi!" You shouted.

That managed to shake Isagi out of his stupor. His eyes widened, fear and concern running through them like currents in a thunderstorm. "No wait, stay back--"

Seeing that you made no move to stay put, Isagi frantically pressed the open button.

But it didn't work.

"No... no, NO WAIT!"

Seeing the danger, you skidded to a halt, but the momentum of your run wasn't so easily ceased.

The doors were moving towards each other at a rapid speed, but you couldn't slow down.

They would slam together in a second, mercilessly pulverising everything in between.

You heart spiked. You closed your eyes, allowing yourself to fall forward.

I was so close--

And then--

"Oompf!" The air was punched out of you as Isagi harshly tugged on your wrist. You stumbled, bumping against something solid.

A yelp slipped past your lips, but you were already nearing the ground.

You clenched your eyes shut, wishing for the best.

But you didn't land hard. You landed on firm yet warm grounding.

"Argh!" Isagi groaned, his eyes squeezed shut. His head thudded against the ground, his hands tightening around your middle.

With a slam, the doors were banged shut.

You panted, eyes wide, taking in the lift. That was a close call. A very close call.

"You--you okay?" Isagi croaked.

"I think I should ask you that." You countered, worriedly eyeing Isagi's face.

His hair was all muzzled up, his cheeks a little damp, his eyes shut in pain.

"How is your head?" You reached behind Isagi, fingers carefully feeling the spot.

Isagi hissed, gnashing his teeth together.

Your heart panged. This was all your fault. If you hadn't so recklessly chased after him like a madman--

No. No, there was no time to wallow in self-pity. Isagi was the priority here.

"Can you sit up?" You asked softly. Isagi gave a curt nod, lifting himself up a little by propping up both his elbows.

Your fingers gently carded through his locks, feeling for bumps. After a minute, you quietly retracted your hand.

"Doesn't seem to be anything." You sighed in relief.

"Mhm... good." Isagi's voice grumbled in his chest, his eyes fluttered shut.

A shiver zipped along your spine. Your heart spiked once again, but for a different reason this time.

"You sure you okay?" You inquired quietly, fiddling with your fingers.

Isagi opened his eyes. They softly looked at you, reassuring in their own serene way. "I'm fine. I'm glad you're, too."

You bit your lip, guilt gnawing at you. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't--"

"Shh." Isagi's thumb rubbed a circle on your cheek. "There was no harm done."

"But I--" You hung your head, frustrated.

"Hey." Isagi lifted your chin. "Don't blame yourself. If anything, I--" He took a deep breath, "I was the one at fault. I shouldn't have run from you, but I guess that's what I'm best at." He mumbled the last part, his eyes averted.

"No--" You protested, but a hand pushing lightly against your back had you clamping your mouth shut.

You toppled forward, your hair spilling on the floor. "It's all good." Isagi mumbled. "Nothing you do could ever make me mad anyway."

His heart beat steadily, and you wondered how that came to be, because yours raced at least a few light years per hour.

Isagi gently carded his fingers through your hair, the motion soothing and therapeutic. You closed your eyes in bliss, pressing your face in the crook of Isagi's shoulder.

Wait--

Isagi's shoulder?!

You startled badly, jerking your head away. Isagi's fingers tangled in your hair before they slipped to his chest.

The chest where you'd laid upon just seconds ago.

Your face burned, the temperature akin to that of a meteorite breaching the atmosphere.

Hastily, you sat back, creating as much distance between your faces.

Isagi groaned, his hands quickly finding your hips to make you stop moving.

Your eyes widened as horror settled in. "I'm-- I'm so, so sorry." You squeaked in mortification. You squirmed to lift yourself off of Isagi's lap, falling flat on your behind next to him.

"It's... it's all good." Isagi answered, quickly standing up. His cheeks were stained red.

"Let's... let's just go to the conference room." You stood up, pressing the button for level 3.

The lift rattled.

Your breath stilled. You exchanged a confused look with Isagi.

You pressed the button again.

The lift shook violently, the lights flickering with a harsh frequency.

"Woah, woah--" You yelped, almost toppling over, if it weren't for the lift rod.

"What's happened?" Isagi frowned, his fingers hovering over the buttons. "Is this thing broken or something?"

"Hmm..." Your eyes widened. "Shit, yeah, they are!"

Isagi's lips parted, "So does this mean... we're stuck?"

You bit your lip. "Guess so."

"On what floor are we?" Isagi paced the lift, his fingers carding through his locks. "Your office was on the tenth floor, and the lift started moving a little after that, but not much."

You nodded, "So that means we're likely in between floor nine and ten."

"Okay." Isagi pursed his lips, the way his eyes narrowed told you he was already making up a plan. "Maybe we can force the door open? Climb our way out?"

"Sounds like a plan."

The two of you positioned yourself before the door, fingers wrapped around the rim.

"On the count of three." Isagi proposed, his fingers flexing. "One... two... three!"

The both of you pulled, the door creaking, but it didn't budge.

"Fuck." Isagi muttered, "Alright, let's try one more."

Again, at the count of three, the both of you pulled. But again, the door didn't give away.

"Okay. That didn't work." Your eyes scanned the room. There had to be another solution, right?

"Let me try one more time." Isagi stood in front of the door, his fingers trying to pry it open. But it was to no use.

Isagi huffed out a breath, his cheeks flushed. He turned to you, his eyes worried. "I don't know if we can get out of this."

Your heart sank. You checked your phone. You only had about thirty minutes before the meeting with Reo and the other sponsors.

If you couldn't be there on time, then what would happen? Would everything be blown off? Would this cause Japan's demise? Would you disappoint everyone? Disappoint Isagi--

"Hey, hey, take a deep breath." Suddenly, Isagi was in front of you, his hand rubbing a comforting circle on your back.

His face was blurry, probably because of the tears that had accumulated unknowingly in your eyes. Yet, the gentle kindness in his blue ones was as distinct as ever.

"You're not getting any air. Let's sit down." Isagi softly took your wrist, guiding you to the floor. The both of you plopped down, his hand never leaving your back.

"Shh, let it all out." Isagi whispered. "I know how stressful this all must've been for you."

That broke the dam.

Tears slipped from your eyes with no respite, the cloth in your throat finally leaving your body in the form of raw hiccups.

"God... I'm sorry." You sniffed, turning your face away. It was probably blotchy and red anyway.

"Hey... I don't want to hear that." Isagi murmured, so soft that it made the hard walls you'd erected around your heart crumble in on themselves.

"I mean it." Isagi gently guided your face back to his. The sincerity in his tone and eyes made your heart still. And god, you really didn't deserve him, did you? What had you done to him, all those years ago?

Leaving him in Japan, going abroad on a wild run, not looking back.

Because looking back meant coming face to face. Looking back meant digging up all the feelings and memories you'd buried.

Looking back meant accepting that you'd lost Isagi, and because of what? Your own selfishness? Your naivety? Your hopes of attaining a dream that the both of you shared?

A choked gasp wracked your body. What had you done?

And the reality that Isagi was still at your side, still comforting you, still there for you, even after everything that had happened, that made the knife wrench even deeper.

"I'm... I'm sorry." You whispered, almost inaudibly, yet Isagi caught it anyway.

"What for?" Isagi asked, his thumb gently rubbing a circle on your cheek.

"...For everything." And then you spilled it all.

About the fight. About fleeing abroad. About never holding contact.

But most of all, about not being there for him.

Right there, on a random Tuesday in a wrecked lift, you confessed every built-up emotion, every raw feeling you've felt in the past five years, to him.

And all throughout, Isagi held you. His hands on your back and your face never leaving. The tender and understanding look in his eyes never waning.

Though you could feel his restlessness throughout. His eyes were red-rimmed, flushed with the promise of tears. There was a glassy sheen to his gaze, a powerlessness to his parted, silent lips.

When you finally stopped talking, your lips were bitten raw and your throat parched.

Yet your shoulders had been alleviated from the heavy weights, finally freed from the struggles they'd been forced to carry for years.

Isagi was silent. There was an unreadable look in his eyes.

"Isagi--"

"Please... don't call me that."

You blinked. "Yoichi? Yoi? Ichi? Yocchan?"

At the last name, Isagi shuddered. "You... you can call me that... if you'd like."

A small smile grew on your lips. "Alright... Yocchan."

The name felt foreign on your tongue, but it felt good. It felt like something you could get used to.

Isagi-- Yocchan, murmured something incoherent, his cheeks flushed an adorably red.

It was quiet again. But it was the good kind. The kind where words aren't a necessary means of communication, because there are other ways to convey your message.

Like Isagi linking your pinkies together, just the way you do when you make a promise with him.

Or Isagi tapping his foot on the ground, a steady rhythm that never failed to make you reel back to the present.

Though the quiet was interrupted by Isagi's shaky inhale.

"I... I've got something to confess, too."

©theresatzu

©Do not copy my works, use it in AI or ChatGPT, or for other nefarious means.

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Masterlist

Masterlist Olive Branch

Olive Branch - Part 20

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Mikage Reo, Nagi Seishirou, Bachira Meguru, OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, angst, unrequited love, separation arc, world cup, pining, comfort, burnt house, forced proximity & marriage

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"Yoi--Isa--" You blubbered, heat rising to your cheeks.

You blinked. Slowly. But your mind was running miles per hour. And stuck on the tiny droplets stubbornly clinging to a particular hard ridge in Isagi's torso--

No. Nope. Abort! Abort! With the speed of light, you averted your eyes.

Wrong move.

Pale and toned skin. Muscles flexing lightly in Isagi's thighs.

You gulped, hastily looking up, trying to rid the tantalising image of a built chest and toned abs and a very beautiful fac--

"I--uh. Hi." You tried for a comforting smile, but it came out more like a terrified grimace.

"...Hi." Isagi looked equally horrified. He gave you a nod.

You nodded back.

The both of you nodded.

"...Okay then." Isagi clasped his hands. Then looked at them as if they had personally offended him. "I'm just gonna-- you know-- yep." And with that, Isagi turned tail.

"Oohooh, bad timing?" Bachira, devil incarnate, cackled as he reappeared in the threshold.

"You. Shut up." Isagi hissed with unrestrained fury, though the pink ends of his ears belied his harsh words.

Bachira snickered as Isagi stomped away, slamming his bedroom-- guest bedroom-- door behind him.

Shaking his head in barely restrained laughter, Bachira bounced back into the guest-- no, apparently, Isagi's-- room.

"So... missed me?" Bachira plopped down onto the bed.

You slowly moved your head to glare at him.

...

"You... get out!"

Bachira chuckled nervously, slowly backing away. "I'm going, I'm going!"

When you trudged downstairs after having freshened up, you heard Isagi and Bachira talking with each other in low voices.

As you entered the kitchen, they fell silent.

"Heya! Wanna have some tea?" Bachira pushed a mug towards you.

"Uh... sure." You chanced a look at Isagi, but he was carefully evading your gaze, the knuckles around his cup whitening.

You pursed your lips, wavering for a moment before you pulled out a seat next to Bachira.

Bachira slurped his tea. Loudly. Your nose crunched.

Somewhere, faintly, you could hear the chirping of birds. Ah, it was still so early in the morning. Just like how it was too early for this, too early for... whatever had transpired in your, no Isagi's bedroom.

Your eyes strayed involuntarily towards the aforementioned.

He was wearing a black tee, and a pair of snugly fitting jumpers.

Isagi picked up his mug, and for some strange reason, your gaze was glued to the way Isagi's arm muscles flexed when he brought the mug to his mouth. It was now less visible than before, but--

The train of thought screeched to a halt. Or more accurately, crashed down and exploded.

Yep. It was far too early for this.

"So..." Bachira slurped his tea again. Obnoxiously loudly. Isagi's right eyebrow twitched.

"Did something happen here?" Bachira wiggled his eyebrows, stealing glances at the both of you.

After a beat, you picked up on the innuendo.

"Wha--no! No, of course not." You hastily said, your face a mortified red.

"Yeah! What she said. Nothing happened." Isagi rushed in as well.

"So what I saw this morning was just... pure coincidence?" Bachira raised an eyebrow.

"Mhm." Isagi murmured, his eyes intently fixed on his mug.

His fingers were deftly folded around the rim, his thumbs lightly twiddling with the handle.

His hands were actually quite toned. How strange that you had only noticed now.

Defining lines slithered along his smooth skin, the pads of his fingertips thrummed softly against the ceramic.

"And you?" Bachira nudged you, but he might as well have dumped a bucket of ice water over your head.

You startled, almost knocking over your mug. But even though your reflexes prevented that from happening, they weren't able to prevent the hot water from sloshing onto your hands.

"Woah, watch out--" Isagi said in alarm.

He reached over, his hands encasing yours.

You winced, the hotness seeping unpleasantly into your skin.

"Are you okay?" Isagi looked you worriedly in the eyes, his own widened in that adorable way of his.

Wait. Adorable?

"I... uhm..." You averted your eyes, the intense eye contact too much. "It's... uh", you faltered, feeling lost in the way Isagi's thumbs drew soothing circles in your skin. Damn him. "...fine." You mumbled.

"I'm glad." Isagi murmured. "No burns?" His hands left yours and for a moment, you lamented the loss of warmth and softness.

Then he was back, lightly tracing the flushed skin, his eyebrows furrowed. "You sure you okay? It's a bit red."

"Yeah, you sure you okay?" Bachira propped a hand under his chin. "You do look red."

You stiffened. Sent Bachira a glare. Noticed his teasing look. Realised your... handholding. Then, felt the abject horror sinking in.

"Ah, uh... I'm fine. Really." Your hands hastily shot away under the table. Only when your fingers were tightly clenched around the cushion, did the tremour in your hands finally cease.

"Oh... okay." Isagi blinked. His cheeks were red. God, you must've embarrassed him so badly.

Isagi slowly tucked his hands away, clamping his tea mug again.

Bachira whistled lowly. "Okay... so, how has it been the past few weeks without me?"

"Peaceful."

"I feel like I can finally hear myself think."

"Like being freed of a constant migraine."

Bachira groaned, throwing hands. "You guys are meanies. The both of you!"

You rolled your eyes. "Okay, okay. I guess... your obnoxious noise isn't too unwelcome here."

"I suppose I did miss my form of entertainment during training." Isagi sighed.

"Hey!" Bachira grasped his chest in mock-offense. "I'll have you know that people laugh with me! And from what I've heard..." A mischievous grin grew on his face, "you've been more than busy with being the laughingstock."

Isagi stiffened. "That's not true."

"Sure, sure." Bachira chuckled. "Then explain this!"

Taking his phone out of his pocket, Bachira pressed play on some video. He held it angled, so the two of you could watch.

The video was taken during one of Isagi's trainings. They seemed to be doing some goal shooting exercises.

As expected, Rin shot a dazzling curve shot, whereas Kunigami went for the power goal.

Then Isagi came in, poised for action, the muscles in his defined calves punctuating his readiness.

He moved into the right spot with the ball, his arm swinging backwards as his right leg mirrored his action.

He shot.

...

He missed.

Bachira was full on ugly laughing. "HAAH HAAH!" He slapped his knee, tears falling from his eyes. "What a super goal, mister wide open!"

Your lips twitched, sensibly avoiding looking at the admittedly, hilarious spectacle Bachira was kicking up.

But when your gaze met Isagi's betrayed, kicked-puppy face, you couldn't hold it back either.

"Sto--stop." You wheezed, trying, but miserably failing to catch your breath.

Bachira lightly slapped your arm, "Hey, you think he was aiming for the moon? They do say the sky is the limit!"

That had the two of you bursting out in even harder laughter.

"Are you guys done?"

Isagi looked at the both of you, a sulky look decorating his face.

"No, of course not!" Bachira chortled, pressing play again. "Look, look! Another one!"

The two of you waited with bated breath, watching Isagi run up to the goal, shooting, and... missing all the way to Hawaii.

"Even the goalkeeper's pitying him!" Bachira bursted out, slapping his fist repeatedly on the lacquered table.

"You... no..." You could barely string two words together, your breaths coming in short. "Are you... are you trying to kill me?"

"Okay. Okay guys. That's more than enough." Isagu grumbled, forcefully taking Bachira's phone away.

"You're never going to escape it, Isagi." Bachira sing sang, "It already has like, fifty million views in two days."

Your eyes bulged. "Two days?!"

Bachira nodded, "This guy here is practically mister worldwide famous. Comes with the territory of being number one."

Isagi scoffed, rolling his eyes. But you could see the redness creeping up his cheeks.

"Well... it has only garnered so many views because they're making fun of me!"

Bachira shrugged. "Guess you're right."

"But wait..." you studied Isagi for a moment. "What Bachira is saying is true."

"Yeah, I'm always right." Bachira huffed. "So what was I true about?"

You rolled your eyes at Bachira, before glancing at Isagi again. "You're famous throughout the whole world. With your presence alone, a game in a foreign country is already packed."

"But here in the World Cup, not many are rooting for Japan, but they do know of me." Isagi realised. "But with almost all seats covered by the opposition's supporters, Japan has less vouchers, even in our own country."

"Wait-- are we not making fun of Isagi anymore?"

You pursed your lips in thought. "So, what if we could... turn those supporters into our own?"

"Hellooooo?"

Nodding slowly, Isagi ruled over the thought in his mind. "And how can we do that? We've had trouble with this exact question before, too."

"Mhm. But now we're looking at the issue from another perspective." You clarified.

"Before, we wanted to get more attention for Japan because of a lack of supporters, but we don't have a lack of supporters, rather, a minimalised capacity for those supporters to express their support." You thought aloud.

"So, what you're saying..." Isagi said slowly, "advertising for Japan by targeting our own supporters like you had initially thought out wouldn't do much, because they have no means to support us."

You snapped your fingers. "Bingo! And a video such as this, might be able to pull at least some of them."

Isagi looked questionable, "But are you sure that my influence is that big? Surely not..."

"Of course it is." You cut in. "You inspire so many people. Not just because you're number one, but also because the way you play is truly unique and amazing."

Isagi's eyes grew wide. "You... you think?"

"I know." You blustered on, "Think about it, Itoshi Sae, Iglesias Bunny, Noel Noa. In some way, you've all shown them up, and they've all been inspired by you. What's a few people more?"

"I... uh. Okay." Isagi sounded faint. He cleared his throat. "So uhm... what's your plan then? Make another blunder video of me?"

You frowned. "That video is hilarious."

Isagi winced. "...thanks."

"But," you thrummed your fingers on the table, "do it too often and it becomes old. We need something new. What if we did something related with football? Like, improvised two-on-two matches within the team or something?"

"Showing tricks and our worth." Isagi agreed with a nod. "But if we show off too much, we'll be risking the success rates in the finale."

You mulled the thought over in your head. "Yeah, that makes sense. We'll need to do it quickly though, before you all disappear for a whole week."

"I'll contact Ego." Isagi suggested. "But I can't promise anything."

You nodded. "I'll get Reo for the details."

"And I'll promise I'll show my super special skills!" Bachira cheerily chattered.

"..."

Bachira cocked his head. "What?"

You looked at Isagi. He looked at you in return. Your twin faces of utter horror could've made a horror director proud.

...

"Did we just..." You winced.

"Yup." Isagi's face was in physical pain. "He just totally went..." Isagi mimicked a "poof" gesture.

"Are you guys done flirting?" Bachira grinned.

"What--no. We're not!"

"Oh, so you aren't done yet?" Bachira teased.

"Wah-- huh?" You spluttered.

"This is serious business!" Isagi butted in.

"Is it?" Bachira raised an eyebrow. "You're just discussing what Isagi's good side is for the cameras!"

"I-- we..." You shared a hesitant look with Isagi, "are we doing that?" You whispered.

"I think so...? But it's all for a good cause." Isagi said in a hushed voice.

"You are treating your guest so unfairly!" Bachira cut in again. "Can't believe I'm thirdwheeling you guys."

"But I'm a guest, too?" You frowned.

"Are you?" Bachira cheekily countered. "How's Isagi's bed like? I've never had the honours."

Isagi's face exploded in a flurry of red.

"What?" Bachira innocently said. "Whenever I come here, I don't get half the treatment you get!"

Bachira turned to Isagi, clasping his hands. "My favourite breakfast is omurice with pineapples."

"What? Why are you telling me this?" Isagi wrenched his hands free. "And what the hell is with the weird combination?"

"So you can make me breakfast, too?" Bachira raised an eyebrow. "I'm starving."

"What? No?" Isagi looked at you for help. You shrugged helplessly.

"Okay, fine. Maybe we can have one nice meal before we're off for training camp." Isagi grumbled.

"Yay!" Bachira threw his arms around you. "Let's go to our old place!"

"Alright, alright." You laughed. "You're squeezing me half to death, Bee!"

"It's because I've missed you super much!" Bachira claimed. "You have to tell me everything that has happened."

"Okay, okay." You acquiesced, seeing Isagi's knuckles whiten around his mug, "Then you let go off me."

"Fine!"

He in fact, did not, let go of you.

Bachira's arm clung to yours as the three of you stepped into Isagi's car.

The two of you were smudged in the back while Isagi was in the front, occasionally shooting a disgruntled look through the rearview mirror.

Even after you'd arrived at the restaurant and were now seated at your signature places, (Bachira closest to the entryway, you at his side, and Isagi in front of you) Bachira didn't let up the vice grip he had on you.

"Uhm... Bachira, can you spare my arm? I'm trying to eat."

Bachira pursed his lips for a moment, before his eyes lit up. "Or... I can feed you? Say "aah"."

Grasping his fork and scooping a generous amount of food onto it, Bachira practically shoved it in your face.

"Ah, no--" You slowly backed away, the tips of your chair dangerously edging.

"Bachira..." Isagi said lowly, the knuckles around his fork white.

"What? You got her for the past few weeks all to yourself! Now's my turn!" And to top off his childish charade, Bachira stuck his tongue out, too.

With how red Isagi's ears became, you almost would've thought that they were steaming.

"Come on, say "aah"." Bachira repeated.

You made a face. "Aah?"

Somewhere in the background, you could hear the plunging of a metal knife on a glass plate.

"Fanks." You munched on the food shoved in your face.

"No probs!" Bachira cheerily returned, before digging in his own food.

"You know... you seem pretty hungry." You mentioned. "You could eat a lot more if you just used both your hands."

"No thanks."

Somewhere in the background, you could hear wood cracking and a chair screeching.

"Why are you so clingy all of a sudden?" You genuinely wondered. "This is out of character, even for you."

At the question, Bachira stilled, his eyes dulling for a brief moment. Quietly he placed his fork down, a frown on his face.

"Training camp is coming, which means I won't be able to see you. Then the finale will be there, but there won't be much time for us to just... do things. Like we used to, right?" Bachira chuckled humourlessly.

"And well... it was a long time coming, but after the match, that'll be it, right?"

Your lips parted, struck speechless at the raw honesty in Bachira's words.

And the truth ringing within them.

To think that in the span of just a few weeks, you had not only reunited with Bachira and Isagi, two people you thought were out of your life for good, but also had come to grow even closer to than before.

It was a thought that you had assumed would've been momentarily.

Every shared moment with the two of them, whether it was to discuss laden topics like the finale or to enjoy an activity such as ice skating or even something as mundane as a meal, you thought they all would be momentarily.

You thought that these moments would fade into oblivion as you went your merry way into the picture perfect life you'd imagined for yourself.

But you had realised that that envisioned future wasn't so perfect after all. Cracks had appeared, risen from the tears of neglect and absence.

Your fiancé, sure, he was attentive and sweet, strong and thoughtful.

But maybe you had been wrong all along.

Maybe these past few weeks weren't momentarily. Maybe the only thing that was to be never-lasting, was the crumbling hope of a perfect life, without your two lifelines to keep you afloat.

"Are you... are you crying?" A voice softly asked.

"N--no." You quickly averted your eyes, blinking hard.

But blue eyes, as intense as no other ever could be, weren't so easily deceived.

Hands tenderly pried away your fingers covering your face, until a blurry blue blob appeared.

A helpless snort fell from your lips. What a reassuring sight. Funny how I've realised only now that that's what it always has been.

"Hey... we'll figure it out, alright?" A wobbly smile appeared on Isagi's lips. His eyes held a sheen to them.

"I think... I think I'll miss this." You whispered.

"We used to do this a lot, right?" Bachira recounted fondly, as he rubbed reassuring circles on your arm. "Back when we didn't have much money."

"You especially spent it all on food." You recalled with a wet laugh.

"I can still feel that dent in my wallet before we got our paychecks and I had to pay." Isagi shook disapprovingly his head, though the smile he wore belied the action.

"Those were the times, huh?" You said softly. "Even though we weren't wealthy, we were rich in other ways."

Bachira hummed. "I really liked that ice cream vendour we went to at 2 am on a random Tuesday. That was the prime offendor in my bankruptcy."

"The damn arcades is what did me in." Isagi chimed in.

"It was the mall for me." You sighed.

"But even though money is the least of my problems now, there are just the few things that aren't as simply solved with money." You said wistfully.

"Mhm, yeah. Your eyebags were horrible. No amount of money could've ever fixed that." Bachira teased.

You shoved his shoulder. "Oh shut it, you."

"Well, I guess time was the only thing that did you two a favour. You both finally don't look like half-zombies anymore."

Isagi scoffed. "My physicial state is in impeccable condition, thank you very much."

"Say that to the two muscles you tore last season." Bachira countered.

Isagi stiffened. "It was an important match."

You frowned. "Are they working you too hard? Or is it just your own rigorous training?"

Isagi pursed his lips and looked away.

"HA HAAH! She got you good!" Bachira snickered.

"Well, I didn't mean it as a joke. Back in the U-20 World Cup, you completely overworked yourself." You sent Isagi a concerned look.

Would he do something reckless this time, too? What if you weren't going to be around to help him up?

Then again, you thought bitterly, I haven't been there for him for five whole years.

"Guess old habits die hard, huh?" Bachira nudged you. "This guy's only thought for the past five years has been "training" all over."

Isagi clacked his tongue. "You're making it seem like I have no life outside of football."

"Oh well," Bachira devilishly grinned, "aside from the stalking of every online post of Y-"

"Shut up!" Isagi hissed. "As if you can talk, mister "I spend all my paychecks on pokémon merch"."

Bachira let out a scandalised gasp, "Excuse you? I'll have you know that they're limited edition!"

"The only thing that's limited here, is your brain capacity." Isagi grumbled.

Bachira stuck out his tongue. "Then, oh wise one, on which do you spend your precious money on."

"I save it."

"..."

"PAHAA!" Bachira roared, kicking the table in the process. "You're the worst saver I know! Your first paycheck you spent like fifty percent on that necklace for--"

Isagi reached over and slammed his hand over Bachira's mouth. "Shut. Up!"

Your eyebrows raised. "Necklace? For whom?"

"No one." Isagi curtly replied.

"He's lyi--nnmpf!"

Isagi turned calmly over to you. "We were talking about arcades and money, right?"

"Well... yeah." You shot the two a hesitant look before continuing. "I mean, I wasn't so chummy as I am now. Though not that money is able to solve all my problems."

"Yeah, but at least you have an idea, right?" Isagi sat back down, finally releasing Bachira who took a big gulp of air.

"The only thing that's missing, is a way to execute it." You groaned. "But I have literally no idea how to plan it. We'd need cameramen, PR teams, directors... ugh I'm already starting to get a headache."

"You're forgetting the charming manager who'll save the day."

"Saving the day? Sounds like a hassle. Just like training camp."

Your heart stilled. Hope swelled up.

And when you turned around, your suspicions were confirmed.

A man clad in designer clothes wearing a dazzling billionaire smile.

Another man, lean posture already slouched off on a chair, dozing off.

The former turned to you, eyes lighting up in delight. "Missed me?"

The latter peeked one eye open. "Oh, that food looks delicious. I want one, gimme."

You surpressed a snort. Only them. Only they could make such a well-timed, dramatic entrance.

Only Reo Mikage and Nagi Seishirou.

After pushing another table against yours, Reo and Nagi sat down. Reo immediately waved over a waiter, ordering what sounded like a ton of food.

"Just to share." Reo shrugged, as if he hadn't just bought out half the menu to "just share".

"So I heard you were in need of help?" Reo nudged your arm gently.

Your eyebrows rose. "Yeah, but I was waiting for you to be back before I contacted you. How did you know?"

A knowing smile curled Reo's lips upwards. "A little birdie told me."

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion, though time was of the essence, so you didn't dwell too long on it.

"We're missing out on supporters. Not in general but in the stadium. If we're going to be boo'ed all the time, morale will drop."

"Damn." Reo stroked his chin. "It's all because of the opposition, right? They stole all our sponsors."

You sighed. "Yeah. If we're lucky, maybe our supporters will fill up one out of five of the stadium."

"And that's only if we're lucky." Isagi added, a grim expression on his face.

"Which means less cheering when I score a goal!" Bachira complained. "I want a full stadium chant!"

Isagi rolled his eyes, shoving Bachira's shoulders. "Don't be so cocky now. I'll score first."

Reo snorted. "With the big target on your back? You know they'll be especially cautious around you, right?"

"Less angles for my five-volley trick shot." Nagi sighed.

You made a face. "Is that what you're all worried about?"

"Uhm... yeah?" Bachira sassed. "My goal is only super special if the crowd is super special, too."

Nagi nodded, "I want to see more cool edits of me."

"With a dwindling crowd, there won't be many opportunities for me to land some business deals." Reo deplored.

You exchanged befuddled glances with Isagi.

Geniuses and their genius problems.

Taking up the reigns, Isagi spoke up, "I think those are the least of our worries now. Winning here is most important, edits and business deals are secondary."

"Oh yeah. The World Cup. Why couldn't we have won last time? Now we have to do the finale all over again." Nagi flopped down on the table.

"We were so close!" Bachira threw his hands up. "Just the last decisive minute!"

"Oh wait, weren't you the one who had had the ball then?" Nagi turned to Isagi, eliciting the rest to do the same.

Isagi's face grew red. He shuffled in his seat. "Well... yeah. But uh..."

"The odds weren't in your favour." You swept in. "You lacked support. Not team wise, but from the fans. What did you hear while you were playing? What went through your head? Football's a mind game, too."

"Yeah, it's an integral part of the game. If we'd been there mentally... maybe we would've been the ones to defend the cup this time." Reo agreed.

"Uh... I guess... tactics? Yeah." Isagi chuckled weakly.

"Convincing."

"And I was thinking about pasta with cheese."

"Why is he even putting up a front? It's so obvious that it's painful."

"Okay, okay!" Isagi acquiesced. "I guess... I was thinking about how we didn't have everyhing going smoothly? Something was missing..."

"Or someone." Bachira whispered conspirationally to Reo who snickered.

"... and I guess that didn't make me want to win badly enough." Isagi concluded, steering clear from the obvious laughter and teasing of the others.

A frown appeared on your face. "Someone"? Did Isagi have a "someone"? Was that "someone" maybe that same person to whom he had given that jewellery?

Your stomach sank.

"Well, let's move back to the topic at hand." You hastily cut in. "Reo, me and the sponsor board were thinking about advertising the match. And me and Isagi, we thought it further out."

"Oh, do tell."

"Oh, oh! I'll take this one!" Bachira piped up. "You've seen that video of Isagi's blunders, right?"

Reo snorted. "Obviously. Who hasn't seen it?"

Isagi crossed his arms. "...thanks."

"Anyway," Bachira carried on, "it got a ton of views! What if you made something similair?"

Reo quirked up an eyebrow. "More blunders? Inspires much confidence, I presume."

"Or maybe something more... confidence inducing?" You suggested. "Japan's the underdog. But if we can somehow sway public's opinion in Japan's favour, maybe we'll get cheered on more."

"Which would lead to our victory, because that is what did us in last time." Reo nodded, comprehension dawning in.

"Yeah, basically." You confirmed. "We were thinking about some sort of video in which we show Japan's prowess. Got any ideas?"

"Oh, tons." Reo's eyes glimmered excitedly.

"But we can't disclose too much." Isagi warned. "Lest we want to give the opposition ammo."

"No, no, that's a given." Reo reassured him. "But I'm guessing you want the whole team in on this, and not only Isagi. Isagi alone attracts crowds enough, but it's about the entirety of Japan's team."

You nodded.

"Hmm... reminds me of NEL. That's when practically everyone went viral. Say, what if we recreate some viral clips of that?"

Your eyes widened in delight. "So, some sort of highlights display?"

"Bingo!" Reo said. "We don't want to give away all our secrets, but we also don't want to bore the viewers. The tricks of NEL are already well-known, and definitely not boring."

"Wait, that sounds amazing!" Bachira cheered. "I can show off my Monster x Ginga shot!"

"Five-volley trick shot." Nagi mumbled.

"There's probably even more," Reo reasoned, "you still have all the data of NEL, right?"

You inclined your head. "It's all stored away in my office at JFU."

Reo snapped his fingers. "Perfect. I'll arange a meeting with the sponsors at noon, then we can go over the details."

You smiled, looking each of them in the eye.

They all looked willing, even Nagi.

Hope swelled up in your chest. This could work. No, this will work.

"Sounds like a plan."

©theresatzu

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Masterlist

Olive Branch Masterlist

─────Blue Lock characters and after-training care

Pairings. Blue Lock character x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi / Itoshi Rin / Bachira Meguru / Itoshi Sae / Michael Kaiser

Tags. fluff, care, domesticity

Prompt:

After a long day of strenuous training, he leaves the facility, bedraggled and worn down to the bone.

What is a better surprise than you waiting there for him?

Masterlist

Isagi Yoichi

Isagi leaves the facility with muscles that have gone through war flashbacks and a mental state that is in dire need of life support.

Isagi didn't know whether it was because Ego had had too much instant noodles, or if he was just born batshit crazy, but he had completely gone off the rocker.

Not only had he forced them through fucking hours of training with no breaks, he'd also made up these godforsaken spartianian exercises that Isagi would be having nightmares about for the following ten life times or so.

He heaved a sigh, feeling the remaining dregs of his energy seeping out of him with every tiresome step he took.

"Isagi!"

And just like that, Isagi's system rebooted.

He whispered your name, disbelieving and desperate, as if your presence was a haven he'd returned to after a tumultuous journey across the seven seas.

And maybe it was just like that.

Because when he sprinted forward with energy he didn't know he still had, and engulfed you in a tight, sweet hug, Isagi really did feel like he was coming home.

"Isagi?" Your voice was like music to his ears, mellifluous to a worrying degree and melodic to a fault, yet for Isagi, it strung just the right snares in his bleeding heart.

He inhaled shakily, his arms around your middle tightening, not too much for it to hurt, but enough to ground him, to allow himself to feel the warmth of your skin seguing into his.

"You seem excited to see me." You remarked, an amused lilt in your tone.

Isagi nodded, his forehead still in the crook of your neck. He inhaled deeply, reacquianting himself with your familiar scent.

When he spoke next, his words were barely above a whisper, but loud enough to drown out the frantic beating of his heart.

"You have no idea."

And maybe you didn't. But the way Isagi clung to you that night was telling enough.

Itoshi Rin

He's pissed. He's annoyed.

He's every damn word that's associated with "negative energy" in the dictionary.

Training was already draining with the utter buffoons in his team, but today they had been even more insufferable.

They were all stupid. Their passes weren't hard enough. Their defence was lukewarm. Their offence below mediocre. Did he already say that they were all stupid?

It was no wonder then that Ego had forced them to stay longer. But that didn't mean Rin was happy with that.

He was fucking starving like a malnourished student surviving only on noodles.

He's probably pulled at least five muscles in at least one limb, making him wince every fucking time he so as much flexed his leg.

But what took the fucking cake was the fact that he hadn't even had time to sit down and think deep and long about how he wanted to pulverise his poor excuse-for-a-brother brother.

It came to no surprise then that Rin was on the verge of bursting.

Hence why he was now basically the paragon of "negative energy", as that stupid Bee With Bangs had so unhelpfully pointed out.

But when Rin stepped outside, the cool evening air brushing against his face, he met a sight that him made his metaphorical cloud of negative energy instantly dissipate.

Your name fell of his lips. And now, the vowels that tumbled out his mouth weren't shaped in annoyance or laced with aggrievance.

No, the way he said your name was more akin to a prayer. Voice unbearably gentle, tone impossibly tender. Your name irrevocably precious.

His heart shifted with the force of tectonic plates, his breathing turned uneven as if his lungs were going through a seizure. His eyes went wide, the teal hues in them lighting up in the setting sun.

"Rin." Your voice was steady but warm, and so so welcome.

Rin stepped forward in a daze, his bag slipping off his shoulder.

Normally, he didn't do feelings.

Normally, he didn't do touch.

But normally, he didn't miss you so damn much.

Without a word, Rin engulfed you into a tight embrace.

You let out a squeak, frozen in the spot. But your surprise didn't last long. As your arms slithered around Rin's torso, a ragged noise escaped his lips.

"Rin, you okay?" You asked hesitatently.

"Mhm." Was his curt reply.

"Let's go home, yeah?"

But as you tried to unwrap yourself from Rin, he only tightened the grip he had around your middle.

"Rin?"

"Just... give me a moment."

An understanding smile flitted over your lips.

"Okay."

You ended up standing there for at least 10 minutes.

But when Rin finally untangled himself from you, the expression on his face didn't spell "negative energy".

No, there was something else on his face.

Maybe there was a bit of fondness. A tinge of affection. An abundance of love.

And maybe, just maybe he should update his dictionary.

Bachira Meguru

His usual loopy and energetic air is nowhere to be found.

He's sulky, irritated and worst of all, starving.

The perfunctory sparkle in his eyes had dulled down to a weak flicker, his shoulders are drooping with the weight of all the ludicrous exercises they had to do today, and his will to live? Simply poof.

Even his damn vibrant hair seems to be pouting.

Bachira heaves a sigh as he trudges out of the facility. He's languid and lustless, his feet dragging.

"Bachira!" He suddenly hears.

And suddenly, suddenly his whole world lights up as if fireworks have exploded in the wake of the setting sun.

Bachira's eyes turn into joyful crescents as he basically yanks his bag from his shoulder.

It might have been a millisecond. Maybe less, but Bachira is on you in an instant.

You can feel the corners of Bachira's lips lift upwards as he presses his face in the junction between your collarbone and your neck.

"Woah, easy there, Bee." You chuckle, staggering backwards due to the force Bachira had tackled you with.

Bachira's only response was to tighten the vice grip he had around you.

Your eyes widened in surprise. Not per se because Bachira was scant in showing physical affection, but moreso, because this hug touched upon something different, something a little deeper.

Bachira buried his face deeper against the crevice of your shoulder, he inhaled shakily, before he abruptly let you go.

You staggered, but Bachira's arms quickly slithered around your waist to steady you.

There was this unfamiliar glint in his eyes. As if Bachira had been stripped bare, leaving only the raw emotions in his dulled irises.

"I've got you." Bachira whispers quietly, almost reverently.

But when Bachira pulled you in for another hug, you wondered just exactly whom he was reassuring.

Itoshi Sae

Everything fucking sucks.

Although that isn't really visible on the outside.

There's a certain stiffness in Sae's shoulders, a testament to his building irritation. His eyes are glazed over, fixed on the distance without actually seeing anything.

All these little habits, but they were only visible to...

"Sae!"

...you.

Sae blinked. Once. Twice.

You waved at him, a brilliant smile on your face.

Sae's breath stilted, the sight of you so captivating that it reflected in the erratic beating of his frantic heart.

The bag slowly slid from his shoulder, but Sae didn't even notice.

Before the bag thudded on the ground, you were already engulfed in his arms.

"...Sae?" You hesitatently looked at him, but his pink locks obscured his face.

Though the shaky exhale he let slip was telling enough.

Your eyes softened. You gently carded your fingers through his hair, cradling him against you with a hopelessness that was only reserved for him.

"Hey, Sae..." You started, slightly pulling away.

A low, almost whiny noise slipped past Sae's lips, though you wondered if you had imagined it, what with his stoic stance.

Though there was nothing nonchalant in the way he looked at you.

The almost permanent line between Sae's eyebrows was smoothened out. There was this light in his eyes that felt pure but charming all the same.

And the way he looked at you? It was almost devastating, how a person so guarded could lower his walls, trusting that you wouldn't tear him down, that this vulnerability, this openness was allowed.

What else could you do to hold him tighter?

"Oh, Sae." You could only murmur, brushing a lock behind his ear.

"Mhm." Sae dipped lower, his head resting on your shoulder.

His arms went around your waist. Holding you flush against him.

You stood there for a few minutes. It was silent. But it wasn't the hurried or the awkward one. No. This one felt safe, precious, something worth treasuring for the years to come.

Finally, Sae pulled back, albeit reluctantly. His eyes were averted, his lips tutted a little. He was embarrassed. You could easily tell.

"Better?" You nudged Sae's shoulder.

"Mhm." Sae met your gaze. He looked more relaxed now. The stress and frustration alleviated.

Though for a bystander, that wouldn't have been obvious.

But at the end of Sae's day, you were there. You, who knew him inside and out, from his little habits to his major tendencies.

And what else mattered besides that?

Michael Kaiser

Oh, he's fuming.

And he's making it everyone else's problem.

He's stomping as he's leaving the training facility. A hard scowl is carved onto his mouth, punctuating the tightness of his jaw.

When another player doesn't walk fast enough, Kaiser sneers and jeers with the fluency of a practised highschool bully.

As the other scurries away, Kaiser rolls his eyes, tightening his hold on his bag.

His eyes are molten as he stares straight ahead. He isn't saying anything, only fixated on the flashes of memories flying past his mind.

Fucking jackass teammates. Not even one good pass. They were all slacking off, the fucking mutts. Even stupid Yoichi had been indolent today.

Kaiser heaved an irritated sigh. He kicked the door open with more force than was probably necessary, but was that his fault? No. The door should've been more accomodating anyway.

God. This day fucking sucked.

All he wanted to do now, was kick a ball into oblivion, throw darts onto the picture of Yoichi hung on his wall, or maybe like, you know, destroy France or Spain, like the damned emperor he was.

Just normal frustrations.

"Micha!"

Kaiser stilled.

...maybe destroying France could wait.

Kaiser lifted his gaze, and even though he knew what was to come, he was still unprepared for it.

There you were. Lovely, beautiful you. And oh, what had Kaiser longed for you.

He sucked in a sharp inhale, his heart reeling, his body wavering.

But his eyes? They were only on you.

His bags slid off his shoulder with the weights that had caved them in.

"Micha--" Your voice went high in surprise, but Kaiser had already launched you in his arms.

"Schatz." The endearment fell easily off Kaiser's lips, as if his mouth had already formed the word before his mind had caught up.

"Woah..." You slung your arms around Kaiser's shoulders, steadying yourself.

Kaiser propped you up, his arms supporting your weight. "Better?" He whispered, eyes silently searching yours.

"Mhm..." You played with the ends of Kaiser's blue locks. The motion was soothing; Kaiser felt his eyes slipping shut, lulled by your comforting touch.

"God what have I missed you." Was the only breathless preamble he gave you before he pulled you into a searing kiss.

His lips moved against yours with the purpose of ravishing you. A gasp slipped past your lips as Kaiser pressed impossibly closer.

His grip on your legs tightened as he repositioned his head to pepper kisses along your jaw.

But with one last, chaste peck on your lips, he extracted himself from you.

God, you were such a sight.

Lips swollen, cheeks flushed.

But the look in your eyes is what did it for him.

It was soft. Tinged with this openness and compassion that Kaiser was so at odds with.

Because when you looked at him with the steady reassurance of someone staying, someone loving him, Kaiser had the strange urge to lock you away forever, if only so you would only look at him and no one else.

But words were never his thing. The vowels jumbled together on his tongue, the syllables wedged in his throat with no way out.

But with you, that had never been a problem.

"Rough day, hm?" You teased lightly, gently rubbing your thumb on his cheek. Kaiser's eyes softened as he leaned in your touch.

No, with you, there was no invincible Emperor. No down-trodden Untermensch. No media star.

Just him.

And oh, was that not what he'd always longed for?

©theresatzu

Masterlist

Olive Branch - Part 19

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Reo Mikage, Bachira Meguru, Isagi's parents OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, angst, unrequited love, pining, marriage, burnt house, forced proximity & reconciliation

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After dinner with Isagi's parents, you and Isagi had settled in a somewhat nice routine.

Isagi had almost daily training, so he would be out for the better part of the day, leaving at sunrise and coming back as the evening crept in.

You were busy, too. The finale of the World Cup was just two weeks away, and there was much to be done, despite the help of Isagi and Reo.

But work felt less stressful. For one, the travelling time wasn't a gruelling five to six hours, no, the JFU agency was just a stone throw away from Isagi's residence.

And secondly, the sponsors Reo had managed to round up, had bountless ideas, each of them adding in their two cents.

It was a pleasure to work with them, though even with their enthusiasm, you felt like there was... something missing, something that would make everyone's eyes fix upon the Japanese team.

When you voiced out your concern, the sponsors agreed.

"Yeah. You're right. We have connections, of course, to ensure the financial costs are covered, but we do not exert any influence over the viewer rates." The representative of FC Barcha agreed.

"Take a look at this graph." The woman standing in for Ubers beckoned. She conjured up her laptop, showcasing you the diagram of the viewer rates.

You pursed your lips, eyes scanning the screen pensively. "There is some growth. But hardly any. Considering Japan is the underdog here, not many are rooting for us."

"Yup." The man from PXG sighed. "I don't see how we can lure in more supporters for Japan here."

"Tch. Don't be so unimaginative." The representative of FC Barcha scoffed. "How about we just advertise the game?"

"Seriously?" The man from Manshine City frowned. "The match is in two weeks. Advertising will hardly do anything."

The woman from Ubers hummed contemplatively. "This is a phsycologial game. We can't just force people to clap for us."

"Hm..." The man from PXG stroked his chin. "So... what you're saying is... we shouldn't change their contacts, but rather what they're seeing?"

"You know, I'm just going to pretend I understood what you're saying."

"No, no. Get this," The PXG representative forged on, "right now, we're focusing too much on forcing these people to attend the match, but we're not actually appealing to them."

You furrowed your eyebrows. "So... what you're saying is... we shouldn't go about advertising the normal way, but rather, in a way that makes people want to support us, because we give them exactly what they want."

"Yeah, precisely!"

The woman from FC Barcha nodded slowly, "I think I understand what you're getting at now. But the question still remains: what can we give them?"

"What is it that makes people want to watch Japan? Blue Lock was insanely popular. Japan's, too, but against the other team..."

The man from Manshine City clacked his tongue. "Sounds like we should just hype up this match, just like with Blue Lock."

The representative of FC Barcha scrunched her nose, "I do hope that you're not hinting at starting another crazed programme?"

"No, no. That would take too much. But I do remember that the reels, videos and interviews from NEL had high viewer rates."

You hummed. "Yeah, that's right. I was in charge of administrating those, and the rates were completely through the roof."

The woman from Ubers snapped her fingers. "So fan service."

"Yeah! The players are already pretty famous themselves, so it shouldn't be too difficult to steal the spotlight for them."

"But how?" The woman from FC Barcha pressed. "We're in a time bind. We need to come up with something, now."

You chewed on your bottom lip. "I might have some ideas in the folders in my office. But I also vouch for getting Reo in this, he's the expert."

"Oh, yeah!" The man from Manshine City enthused. "He's abroad though now, right?"

You nodded. "Yeah, Reo, Nagi and Bachira are all abroad for the time being, but they should be back soon."

"For the week training before the match, right?"

"Yeah. It's a tactic employed by Ego. By isolating the players for a whole week, they'll naturally develop."

"And the training before that?"

You shrugged. "From what I've seen and heard, the training seems intense right now. But I think their week of isolation will be even much harder on them."

"Hmm... interesting." The woman from Ubers commented. "I do hope that they don't strain themselves too much before the game." She fixed you with a look. "Your Isagi for example can't burn out, not like the U-20 World Cup."

You pursed your lips. "I'll make sure he won't. He's too vital for the team."

"Good."

"Well..." the man from PXG looked at his watch, "I have to run to make the last agreements for the sponsoring of the finale, but if Reo Mikage could be contacted, that would be appreciated."

"Yeah," another murmured in assent, "I have to go, too."

"Me too. But we'll get back to this, alright?"

You gave them a firm nod. "I'll see to it. Reo is unreachable at the moment, but if we can sit tight for a little while, I'm sure I can arrange something."

"Alright. Best of luck."

As you watched the retreating backs from the represenatitves, you sighed to yourself.

Yeah, you were going to need all the luck you could get.

As you walked out of the JFU building, a familiar car was waiting in the parking lot.

A smile flickered onto your lips.

Isagi.

Isagi gave a light wave as he pushed himself from where he was leaning against his car.

A light grin was playing on his lips, a stark contrast to the hint of tire in his blue eyes.

His hair was muzzled, a bit haphazard due to training today. And from the looks of his get up, he'd immediately come from the facility to pick you up.

That had also been added into your little routine. If Isagi could, he picked you up from work, seeing as it was nearby his training facility.

It was nice. Kind. Thoughtful.

"Hey, brainiac." Isagi greeted you with a dramatic wink. You snorted, rolling your eyes as you walked up to him.

"Football geek."

"Hm... I like that one." Isagi tilted his head.

You shrugged. "Seemed fitting."

Isagi chuckled. "Guess you're right."

Wordlessly, he took your bag, opening the door of the passenger seat for you.

A warmth engulfed your cheeks. "Why thank you, kind sir."

Oh yeah. This was also new.

It seemed that Isagi had gradually warmed up to you. Over time, he had these... little gestures. Gestures that were small yet touched upon something vulnerable, something that hit a little closer than you dared to admit.

From opening doors to cooking your favourite meal. Isagi did it all.

It was sweet. Ridiculously kind. Overly polite.

Almost as if he... no, nope. Not taking that path. It couldn't be, right?

"I ordered some Chinese take-out," Isagi announced as he manoeuvred the car on the road.

"Did you--"

"Get the Char Siu with extra sweet chili sauce? Yes." Isagi answered without missing a beat.

"And the--"

"Spring rolls and extra prawn crackers? Done."

You blinked. "Wow, really? What about the drinks--"

"Matcha and sparkling water with lemon? Did I miss anything?"

Surprised, you could only stare at Isagi in befuddled silence. Mutely, you shook your head.

Noticing your gaze, Isagi gave you a questioning look in return. "Hm?"

"You memorised my order."

The tips of Isagi's ears turned red. "Well..."

"God, your mind is exceptional." You sat back, thoroughly astounded, but it wasn't long when you looked over at Isagi again.

"I... guess. Yeah." A sheepish chuckle. "Not necessarily book smart. That's more your forte."

"Ah, not that much, or I wouldn't have these problems now." You chuckled sheepishly.

At Isagi's questioning gaze, you elaborated. "We're having trouble getting more attention for the Japanese team."

You dragged a wear hand across your face. "I just don't know what to do. The match is literally right around the corner and so far, we haven't pulled anything."

Isagi frowned. "Really? That sucks. I'm sorry to hear that. Are the sponsors at least a bit cooperative?"

You nodded. "Though they don't know how to increase the viewer rates. Considering they are foreigners here."

Pursing his lips, Isagi chanced a quick glance at you. "But you have an idea." It was said as a statement.

"Yeah. But I have no way and means of executing it."

"Well, I'm all ears."

"Okay, so get this." You sat up straight. "Japan's the underdog here, so not many people are supporting Japan. However, you and all the others are already famous on yourself, but not per se together. So..."

"You need to unite our respective fans?" Isagi guessed.

"Bingo. We need something that the fans find interesting, but we need you all together for that."

"Hm..." Isagi's eyebrows drew together pensively. "That's pretty difficult, yeah. I mean, you're going to need something... big. I think you'd have to organise something, like... an interview? Though that's a bit difficult with no reference."

You wore a grim face. "Yeah, interviews will probably be better after the finale."

Grimacing, you racked your brain. "Sounds pretty complex, right? And that's leaving out the fact that you have training and hardly any time free outside of that. I don't know if anyone's schedule would align."

Isagi hummed. "At the very least, I think we could request... a day off? Before the week training. Just to get the team to go out and loosen up."

"Are you sure?" You pursed your lips together. "I don't know if Ego will agree to that."

"I'll make him agree then." Isagi shrugged. "And I think the guys will back me on this, too. Last World Cup..." Isagi frowned. "We missed the support."

Briefly his eyes slid to you, just for a moment before he flicked them back onto the road. "I think that that might be the reason we lost last time."

You nodded slowly. "Huh. Yeah. I guess I hadn't really thought about that. In the finale, you were so... close. But maybe that had to do something with the lack of support."

Isagi watched you, an unreadable look in his eyes. "Yeah... guess it had."

"Okay," you clasped your hands together. "But we need content. We at least have a goal, the only thing we need to do is execute it."

"That's the hard part."

"Yeah. So we thought it better to get a professional on this. Do you have any idea when Reo's coming back?"

Isagi stiffened. "Reo? Uh... I think in two days. Why?"

You exhaled in relief. "We need him on the project. I'm sure he can come up with something."

Isagi stayed silent for a beat. "...oh." He looked away again, his knuckles going white for second. He cleared his throat. "Is there... anything I can do for you?"

You narrowed your eyes for a moment. "Well... if you maybe could notify the guys? See if they want in."

"Okay. I can do that. And", Isagi turned to you, "don't stress yourself out over this, okay?" His eyes roamed over your face, "Everything will be alright."

You shakily exhaled. "I hope so. I want to do this right before... before..." leaving again.

"Your wedding."

"Oh, uh, yeah."

Isagi's eyes softened. His thumb brushed your hand. Delicately, he rose your hand to his face. Without breaking eye contact, Isagi leaned down, pressing a soft kiss against your pink.

"I'll be next to you." He said quietly. Next to what? The preparations for the finale? The wedding? You almost asked, but the words stuck in your throat.

He lifted your hand, entwining his pinky with yours. "Pinky promise."

A chuckle left your lips. "Are you claiming my pinky now?"

"Mhm..."

"Hah... you're ridiculous." You laughed quietly, looking outside the window again.

Isagi chuckled silently to himself, though his eyes were downcast. His gaze slid to your intertwined pinkies.

But it wavered on your ring finger. On which a big engagement ring was.

It had already been claimed.

And for Isagi, only a childish promise would link himself to you.

While he would be bound to you forever.

And Isagi?

He clung to your pinky, with all the desperation and devestation of a dying man.

Maybe it was pathetic. Maybe it was ridiculous.

But oh, men in love always are.

Two days flew past, and as you woke up on the day Reo arrived, a very unexpected surprise awaited you.

"Y/n! Wakey wakey!" A loud, booming voice shrilled.

You let out a groan, throwing the pillow over your ears, wondering what sins you had committed in your previous life to be subject to such abhorrence.

"Hey! I said wake uuuuup!"

You responded by disappearing more underneath the covers.

For a beat, it was silent. You thought that maybe this abject torture was over.

Dead wrong.

It was the quiet before the storm.

"BOOM!" Was the warning before you heard rapid footsteps followed by a humongous weight landing on top of you.

"Ow, what the-- Bachira!" You exclaimed, blinking in fast succession.

"Hi!" Bachira chirped, before he abruptly plopped down. You let out a groan as Bachira's full weight settled over you.

Bachira propped his chin on the blankets, looking at you through his lashes. "Huh, you don't have eyebags anymore!" Bachira pointed out, poking at the skin underneath your eyes.

You scrunched your nose, batting Bachira's hand away. "What the-- what the hell are you doing here?"

Bachira shrugged, finally rolling off of you. "I don't know. There was this match that I was invited to play in, but it's not that important, you know? I mean, it's only the finale of the World Cup--"

"Alright, alright. I get it, smartass." You rolled your eyes. Bachira stuck his tongue out playfully.

"I meant, what are you doing in my bed?"

"Well... technically, it's Isagi's bed." Bachira wiggled his eyebrows. You resisted the urge to roll your eyes. Then, you realised this was Bachira, so you actually did roll your eyes.

"Okay. Why are you in this house on the bed, in which I'm laying?"

Bachira pursed his lips for a moment, thinking probably really, really hard.

"I dunno."

...

"Out!" You swatted at his arm, pushing with all your might the annoying pest out of the bed, but he wasn't budging.

"What? Hey!" Indignantly, Bachira jutted out his bottom lip. "No hug?"

"I'm in my pyjamas."

Bachira wiggled his eyebrows. "Even better."

...

"..."

"I should probably get out."

"Wow, what compelled you to say that?"

"This is Isagi's--"

You threw a pillow at Bachira's head. "Get out!"

"Ugh, fine!" Bachira rolled off the bed. Landed with a loud thud! on the ground and slowly walked out of the door.

But before he could leave, another person appeared.

"What's happening here?"

"Isagi-chan! Ooh~ am I interrupting something?"

"What? What even are you doing here?"

You squinted your eyes, trying to see what was happening, but Bachira was fully blocking your visage.

"Me? Or Y/n?" You could just hear the devilish grin in Bachira's voice.

"Y/n?" Isagi's voice grew alarmed. "Is she alright? Is she in there? Hey, let me through--"

"Ah, ah. No can do!" Bachira sing sang, "You going in looking like that?"

"Shut up," Isagi hissed, but it sounded more embarrassed than threatening, "Did you pull a prank or something?"

"Hm... no?" Bachira said unconvincingly.

There was a moment of silence.

Then, Bachira stumbled backwards, and Isagi pushed his way into the room.

"Y/n? Are you there? Are you okay?"

"I'm here. I'm doing alright. No... worries..." Your voice trailed off as your mouth slackened.

Because walking in your room was none other than Isagi Yoichi.

With only one flimsy towel covering him.

©theresatzu

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Masterlist

Masterlist Olive Branch

Olive Branch - Part 18

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Isagi Yoichi's parents, Itoshi Rin, Hiori Yo, Kunigami Rensuke, Chigiri Hyouma, Ranze Kurona & Oliver Aiku

Tags. fluff, crack, angst, crack, unrequited love, pining, estranged friendship, marriage, burnt house & forced proximity

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"Yocchan's home's nice, right?" Iyo commented as the three of you stepped over Isagi's threshold.

"Yeah, I don't know where he got his inspiration from, but everything's just all amazing!" You gushed excitedly. "Even his spare room is just... wow."

Issei chuckled. "Well, with all the money he's earning now, he's got enough to spare."

Issei placed the bags down, beelining straight towards the sofa. He stretched and leaned back against the seat. "But that means he can just treat his old dad to a nice couch."

Iyo rolled her eyes playfully. "Up you go, the groceries won't sort themselves."

Groaning, Issei stood up. "Couldn't Mikage make some serving robots for us?" He turned to you, "You're pretty close with Mikage Reo, maybe you can persuade him. It'll spare my back."

You let out a snort. "Reo and I are more into devices used for football."

"Oh, really?" Iyo quirked her head. "What did you make?"

You placed the milk into the fridge, "An analyising device. It kind of scans a player, and you get this whole load of data projected in the air."

Iyo's eyes bulged. "That sounds amazing! No wonder you're so sought-after! Yocchan had to repeatedly reject people who kept asking after you at business parties, you know?"

Now it was your turn to be surprised. "Really? Wow. That's... unexpected."

"Why?" Issei asked genuinely, "You're pretty popular yourself, too, right? Though more in the business world."

You turned red. "Well... well... uhm..."

Iyo slapped her husband on his arm, "What did I say about being too straightforward?"

"Well, someone has to be!" Issei retorted. "God knows how our Yocchan likes to bottle all his feelings up."

"Yeah, he does." You agreed, as you mindlessly unpacked the grocery bags. "Sometimes I really can't figure him out."

"There's a little trick for that." Iyo said, patting your shoulder.

She drew closer, a knowing look in her eyes. A hush draped over you, almost as if physics itself were defied by the gravity of this moment.

And for some reason, this felt monumental. Or maybe everything always felt profound when it came to Isagi, and you were just now aware of it.

"Look in his eyes, the answer's always there. Especially with Yocchan."

Iyo placed a warm hand on your arm. Squeezed it. She looked straight at you, maybe not in that intense way of Isagi, but it came frighteningly near.

Iyo gave you a small smile, one carved by wisdom and life experience. "Or maybe you've already seen it when you look in the mirror."

Iyo's words were still circulating in your mind when you started up Isagi's car and drove towards the training facility.

What did she mean with that? And mirror?

Nightfall was already comfortingly settling in, the blue of the clear sky bleeding into a warm orange and red.

It was relatively quiet on the road as you drove towards the facility. That's also why you arrived fifteen minutes early.

You didn't know if that was a good, or a bad thing.

When you entered the enormous building, you almost immediately heard shouting and the rustling of grass under trampling feet.

Following the sounds, you stumbled upon a big stretched out field.

But the enormity of the structure didn't lure your attention, it was the people on it.

Or more in particular, a person on it.

You watched with bated breath and widened eyes as Isagi dribbled with the ball. Even from the long distance away, you could easily spot the fierceness in his eyes.

Guess Iyo was right, you mused to yourself. Isagi's love for football is plainly clear in his eyes.

He was locked into a scrimmage between him and Kurona, who lightly threaded on his feet around him, snapping, but not taking the ball yet.

Shouts of Isagi's name were heard, but they went over Isagi's head, as if he didn't hear them. As if he was in some sort of trance...

Flow.

That must've been it.

Interested, you leaned on the balustrade, quietly observing Isagi's movements.

They were supple, fast, unexpected.

Isagi had always been a bit unexpected in his own right.

And now, it served him well.

Isagi swept to the side, luring Kurona with him. But just as Kurona was about to take the ball, Isagi quickly sidestepped, making a speedy turn, passing him.

Your eyebrows raised.

Wow, he's become good, you couldn't help but muse to yourself.

From the snippets you've managed to gather of Isagi on the news the past few years, they've almost always highlighted Isagi's ability to make mind-blowing goals.

However, they had neglected to amply shed some light on the other abilities Isagi has managed to cultivate over the years, including dribbling.

"Hey, Isagi, fucking pass!" Raichi shouted impatiently, but once again, Isagi didn't cooperate.

With another feint and a self pass, Isagi made it past two other opponents on the midfield, but now he was driven into a bind.

Aryu and Niko appeared in sync, Aryu going for the press with his long legs, while Niko was on the look out for any burst throughs.

Isagi's eyes narrowed for a beat, flicking over the field, as if he were calculating the air density.

Then, Aryu stuck out his long leg, almost tripping Isagi up. Isagi's jaw tensed, but he managed to stay upright.

"Press him!"

"Guys, he isn't passing!"

"Let's pince him!"

Niko rushed forward to support Aryu, but by doing so, a spot opened right in front of the goal.

A victorious smile crept onto Isagi's lips as he kicked the ball up high, letting it soar above their heads, before rushing forward.

Niko's eyes widened, but he was too late. His last ditch effort had been in vain.

Your heart pounced in your chest.

Was Isagi really about to make it?

Isagi was now right in front of the goal, only Gagamaru in front of him.

Isagi's eyes scanned the goal before he kicked his leg back, ready to score--

Only for Aiku to intercept.

Your breath hitched into your throat as Aiku tackled Isagi, causing both of them to tumble onto the ground.

Isagi was laying flat on his stomach, a grimace on his face, but the look in his eyes told you that he wasn't defeated yet.

But he wasn't alone in that regard.

Both Aryu and Niko had managed to catch up, going in from the sides, shoulder to shoulder with Isagi who had just managed to scramble up.

Aryu lunged upwards, using his height to reach the ball first.

But Isagi was faster.

He jumped in the air, using Niko and Aiku as a support to propel himself upwards.

It was crazy. It was mental.

It fucking worked.

Isagi kicked his leg back, and with his back turned to the goal he scored.

Isagi punched the air in ecstacy, a triumphant shout ripping from his throat. His eyes were flashing with fervour, a bright light to them that made even the harsh overlights seem dim.

He looked absolutely feral. His hair was muzzled, sweat dripping from his face. There was this crazed look in his eyes, as if he were a scientist gone mad.

But god, did he look beautiful.

"What the fuck." You whispered to yourself, eyes wide as saucers.

Cheers arose from the field as Isagi stuck his hand out to help Aiku stand up again.

Aiku dusted himself off, a small smile on his lips at being bested. But then he looked up, his eyes interlocking with yours.

His small smile turned into a smirk.

Uh oh.

Aiku patted Isagi on his back, whispering something in his ear, before pointing.

Straight at you.

Isagi's brows scrunched together, his lips forming a frown. He moved his head, eyes following his finger, until he looked.

Straight. At. You.

Isagi blinked. Then, six different emotions pasted and fled his face. His mouth was slightly ajar, his eyes big.

Does he have anything in his eyes now? What did Iyo mean? But you were too far away to take a proper look.

"Yo Y/n." Chigiri jogged towards you, his silky red hair majestically bundled up in a neat ponytail.

"Hi." You greeted him, tearing your eyes away from Isagi. "How are you doing?"

Chigiri shrugged. "Training's been kicking our ass since the important match is coming soon. Oh yeah, how are you faring with that?"

A grin spilled onto your lips. "Great, Reo and my design of our project has really kicked off. We've managed to get a ton of sponsors already."

"Good to hear." Chigiri patted your head. "So, how's it going with you and lover boy?"

"Lover boy?"

Chigiri raised an eyebrow, throwing a not-so-subtle glance at Isagi, who was seemingly busy tieing his already tied shoes.

"Hey!" You slapped Chigiri's shoulder, was it hot in here? Must be Chigiri's red hair radiating warmth. "Besides, we're doing well. I'm glad that we've had this opportunity before I..." leave, constricted in your throat.

"Before you marry." Chigiri nodded in understanding.

You frowned. Wait, that's not what I meant--

But before you could correct Chigiri, the scent of cedarwood infiltrated your nose.

"Chigiri." Isagi looked at him, his eyes narrowed. His shoulders were tense, lips pushed into a firm line. "Can you leave us alone for a little bit?"

Chigiri raised an amused eyebrow. "Weren't you the one who arrived late?" Nevertheless, he nodded at you, before taking his leave.

"Can't fault me for snatching her up, should've been faster." Chigiri cackled as he swaggered off.

Isagi's jaw tensed, his eyes shooting daggers at Chigiri until he had sauntered off.

Then, Isagi turned towards you, his whole body undergoing a transformation: his shoulders sagged, his eyes meekly taking you in.

They didn't hold anything special, right?

"Hi." He whispered.

"Hi." You said back, hushed.

"So uh... you saw all that?" Isagi scratched his neck, his eyes flicking towards the ground. He looked shy, bashful, such a striking contrast to the fierce Isagi you'd seen moments before.

"Yeah." You smiled. You lightly punched him in the shoulder. "That was amazing! You dribbled all the way from your own half to the other's box!"

"Well... uh. I-- guess. Thank you." Isagi stammered, face flushing.

"And where did you learn that new trick?" You gushed. "When you outplayed Kurona? Leaning all your weight onto your right foot, to upset the gravity's centre and to pass right through, right?"

"Yeah, exactly!" Isagi nodded exuberantly. "Learned it from Bachira. It works like a charm!"

"But what was that in front of the goal with Aiku and Niko? Was that also part of your calculations, mister analyst?"

Isagi chuckled lightly at the nickname. "That was entirely out of my calculations. I hadn't anticipated for Aiku to tackle me. But luckily, I could counter it with a bicycle kick."

"So a spur of the moment?" You hummed appreciatingly, propping your head onto your hand. "Impressive, Wild Card."

"I think your coming up with names is more impressive, miss brainiac." Isagi smiled charmingly, tilting his head in a way that made the cheeky sprout on his head impossible to ignore.

A laugh slipped past your lips. "Maybe it's impressive because I'm not the one using half a brain cell."

"Am I using only one brain cell?" Isagi chuckled. "Guess you're right. I think I'm too pumped up to use my head."

"I can see that," you noted with an amused grin, "you're all red in the face."

"...football." Isagi shrugged, an unreadable glint in his eyes as he quietly took you in.

For a moment, your heart stuttered, a clog forming in your throat. "...yeah. Football."

"Hey Isagi, quit flirting already and come back for round two!"

The both of you startled, bumping your heads.

You let out a groan as Isagi hissed through his teeth.

"Are you alright?" Isagi looked at your forehead, his eyebrows crunched.

"Yeah, I am. You good?"

"Mhm."

You looked at him. He looked at you.

"Are you... do you still feel sick?" Isagi murmured, eyes silently flicking between yours.

Without your permission, your cheeks burned. "I'm fine." You felt your forehead. "Seems alright to me."

"Hm..." Isagi looked unconvinced. He moved his hand, gently settling it onto your face.

His hand was unbearably cool, and you couldn't help but lean a little into it.

"You're warm." Isagi mumbled. His voice was close.

"Oh. Really?" Your hand moved to your forehead again.

Isagi went still.

You blinked.

When you took your hand away, it was holding Isagi's.

"Oh. I'm-- I'm sorry." You squeaked out, practically creating a time vacuum in the air by how fast you shot away.

"No... no. That was all my fault. Sorry." Isagi had backed away at least five steps, but the surprise in his eyes was evident even from the distance.

"Isagi!"

Isagi cringed. "Oh. Uh. That's probably my cue. See you later? Oh wait no. I mean... see you in a minute?" Isagi shot you a wobbly smile.

"Yeah. Yeah. Of course, no please uh... resume your training." You rushed to say.

"Ah okay. Thanks." Isagi flashed you a strained smile, before basically fleeing the scene.

When he was a reasonable distance away, the forced smile fell off your lips. You had half the mind to just storm out, have a mental breakdown, or just sink through the floor.

You dragged your hands over your face. "I don't know what Iyo means with look in my eyes, but the only thing I see is mortification."

Isagi jogged back to his teammates, his face feeling like it was on fire. He had half the mind to look back, but he didn't know if his pulse would survive that.

"Finally got your head out of the clouds, lover boy?" Chigiri tilted his head.

"We've called you over for at least six times." Kunigami chimed in, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone.

Hiori snorted. "I don't think he's back. At least not mentally."

Isagi made a face, refusing to make eye contact with any of them. "Shut up."

"See? He's not even denying it." Chigiri snickered.

"Well... Well!" Isagi stammered. "Just get on with it already!"

"So impatient." Chigiri shook his head sassily. "You already want to go back to the love of your life?"

"She... I... uhm." Isagi stumbled over his words. "We... it's not like that!"

"No. You're just painfully pining for the fun of it." Rin deadpanned. "It's embarrassing, even for you."

Wow. Ouch. "I feel betrayed." Isagi mumbled. "You guys all ganging up on me?"

"Only if you miss another shot." Aiku grumped. "Don't let her be a distraction. Let's go try our second formation."

That shut everyone up. As the rest dispersed, Isagi lingered for a second longer, trying to regain possession of his racing heart.

He wasn't really successful.

A hand patted his shoulder. Aiku.

"Now, now. You seem awfully preoccupied today." Aiku mused.

Isagi internally groaned. Him, too?

Was he that obvious?

"But you have to resist it." Aiku's tone was serious now. Isagi stood up straighter.

"There is no room for error, and especially not from you, Blue Lock's Ace." Aiku looked him straight in the eye. "We need you. So get your head in the game."

"I--yes. Of course." Isagi complied.

Aiku's eyes softened. "You've got a good head on your shoulders, Isagi. But sometimes, I wonder if you're really seeing things."

Isagi blinked. "What-- what do you mean?"

Aiku turned, nodding at you who was still looking about the field. "Even though predicting is your thing, you hadn't really counted for her to love you back, huh?"

"W--what?" Isagi's heart stuttered.

"Anyone can see it." Aiku gave him a knowing look. "But maybe you're both looking through the wrong lenses."

Aiku's words echoed in Isagi's head as he received the ball.

It was only by his sheer reflexes that he managed to keep up, because his head just wasn't in it.

He couldn't help it. Aiku's suggestion that there was maybe a teeny tiny chance of you even returing a fraction of the tsunami of feelings he felt for you, was quite frankly, devastating.

"Isagi, pay attention!" Kunigami yelled, right before a blurry object whizzed past.

Isagi quickly ducked, narrowly avoiding a ball to the head.

Kunigami shot him a frown, before running off again.

"Shit." Isagi huffed, quickly falling back in line.

"Get your head in the game, Isagi." Isagi muttered to himself.

"Just don't think. Don't look." He let out a deep exhale. Allowed his senses to drown him in the impulses that reached his brain.

He could feel his focus sharpen, his vision broadening. Flow.

"Coming up, Isagi!"

A ball shot his way. Isagi's eyes narrowed, his body moving on autopilot. His feet moved, positioning himself, making him ready to score.

His eyes locked in onto the goal. Gagamaru clapped his hands.

Now!

Isagi kicked his leg back, and shot.

The ball curved, going just out of reach of Gagamaru's hands, launching straight towards--

The corner of the goal. Hitting the net.

"Woah! Nice shot, Isagi!" Hiori clasped him on the back as Isagi jogged back into the line.

"Thanks." Isagi flashed him a grin.

It's working! I can do it!

Too early.

Isagi made the mistake of looking your way.

Your mouth was opened slightly, frozen in your spot. Your eyes were right on him.

Isagi's throat clogged up.

She's looking at me. Just me.

And he couldn't get enough.

"Hey Isagi! Your turn again!"

"Huh what?" Isagi's eyes widened, moving into position.

He was a fraction of a second too late.

The ball rolled towards him, but Isagi hadn't seen it.

He stepped onto the ball. Smacked into the ground.

A groan left Isagi's mouth. A stunned silence fell.

A snort.

"What a loser."

"Pathetic."

"It's not even funny anymore. It's fucking hilarious."

Isagi scrambled up, his face practically a hellfire. "Don't make me a laughingstock!" He hissed, but he was doing a poor job of being threatening.

"Alright, Romeo." Chigiri chortled. "Let's not bully him any more. He's already doing a good enough job of that himself."

And just like that, training resumed.

Isagi tried. He really did.

But you standing there at the sidelines, your eyes trained on him, he couldn't help but feel distracted.

Even if he knew that you wouldn't be at the sidelines to cheer him on.

"So, Y/n. How are you doing?" Chigiri greeted you again, a towel slung over his neck.

"Good. How was training? Seemed pretty intense."

Chigiri shrugged. "They always are before an important match. Ego's keeping a tight leash on us."

You let out a breezy laugh. "Typical."

"Yo." Hiori walked up to you, Kurona in tow. "Diddya come to pick Isagi up?"

You nodded. "Yeah. Figured it was more convenient than taking the bus."

"True, true."

"So, whaddya ya think? Whaddya ya think of Isagi?" There was a mischievous glint in Hiori's eyes.

"Well uh. It looked great. I really liked Isagi's goal, too. The one in the corner."

Chigiri thoughtfully nodded. "Quite spectacular, huh? Too bad he was basically trash afterwards."

"Uh. Well." You protested. "I thought his dribbling was fine--"

"My grandma could've done better. And she's got a prosthetic hip." Hiori deadpanned.

"Oh-- uh..."

"You don't have to jump to his defence." Chigiri finely patted your shoulder. "You can just say he's trash."

You frowned. "But he isn't."

"Oh, she's in deep, deep." Kurona whispered conspiringly at Hiori, who nodded solemnly.

"Love really makes people blind, huh?" Chigiri sing sang.

"Huh wha--"

"What are you guys talking about?" The man of the hour himself walked in, none the wiser.

"Oh, just you know... love and the like. You wouldn't be apt in that department, would you?" Chigiri teased.

Isagi's lips parted, his eyes quickly averting. "N--no."

"He's definitely lying, lying." Kurona whispered to Hiori, who made an affirmative hum.

You quietly watched Isagi. Noting the way how he was avoiding everyone's eyes. The flush on his cheeks. The little smile he tried to hide.

A stone fell through your stomach. It clawed at your insides and made something ugly snarl in your chest.

"Ah, well. We don't have to talk about that." You hastily interjected. "You know, love is overrated anyway."

"Aren't ya going to be married?" Hiori raised an eyebrow.

"Well... yeah. But that's not relevant now." You said stubbornly, looking away with a huff, completely missing the starstruck look Isagi shot you.

"Let's go, yeah?" You glanced back at Isagi, extending your hand.

Isagi's eyes dropped to your hand, his lips parting. A beat passed, before he hesitatingly stepped forwards, his fingers softly encircling your wrist.

"See you soon, Y/n!" Chigiri shouted after the two of you. "But maybe don't show up during training, you're sabotaging us!"

You stuck your tongue out at Chigiri, though you didn't quite understand what he was hinting at.

Oh well, Chigiri was annoying, and that was more than you needed to know anyway.

You and Isagi walked back to the car in silence, though it wasn't uncomfortable.

"We're here." You announced.

Isagi gave a nod.

You opened the car door, but a weight on your wrist made you halt in your steps.

Your eyes travelled downwards.

"Oh, uh, my hand." You flashed Isagi a small smile.

"Oh, yeah. Sorry. Of course." Isagi quickly let go, stepping into the passenger seat.

For a moment you just stood there, the skin that Isagi had held tingling in the late afternoon air.

Isagi was silently clasping his seatbelt, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His hair was tousled, the sprout on his head even messier than usual.

You silently watched him, allowing your eyes to roam over his figure, allowing yourself to commit this moment to memory.

Because just as Hiori had said before, you were going to be married.

But for some reason, you couldn't shake off the feeling that your union would break, rather than mend things.

And you didn't know if you were okay with that.

The cold shower that hit his steaming body after a gruelling training session was like a field trip to heaven.

Isagi exhaled, letting the weariness slip off of him with the rivulets that slid from his skin.

He wondered how long he was able to keep this up. This push and pull between you and him, not knowing if he could get close to you, or if he should keep his distance instead.

But now, he just wanted to be close. To seek comfort in the familiar warmth you exuded, as if he were a moth drawn in by a flame.

Though Isagi hadn't ever been afraid of being burnt anyway.

Isagi trailed down the stairs, his footsteps measured, even though they were weighted down by exhaustion.

Light chatter and the sweet aroma of katsu curry carried over, making Isagi's gait quicken despite the tire in his legs.

Isagi stepped into the kitchen.

His heart fell through his chest.

You were lightly laughing with his mum, though you handled the onions with practiced ease.

His father was also in the kitchen, though he didn't contribute much, serving more as a fine tester than a culinary asset.

His mother was putting some spices in the pan, her lips pursed in concentration.

And in the midst. You.

You looked so... beautiful.

A sting pierced Isagi's chest.

There was this enchanting smile on your face, this warm look in your eyes.

This. This was it. The sight of all the people he loved in the same room.

His heart swelled in his chest. The strangest urge to just lunge forward and wrap his arms around all of you overtook him.

"Hey, Yocchan!" His mum beckoned him over. "Come and help us a little!"

There was a hopeless look in Isagi's eyes. But the good one. The one that spelled a love that couldn't be contained, the one that promised a devotion that would only grow.

And when Isagi took the ladle from his mother, you lightly brushed against his hips, a playful look in your eyes, a silly smile on your face, making him grin despite himself.

Isagi was hit with the sudden realisation.

He was utterly, hopelessly, in love with you.

And there was no chance that he would come out of this unscathed, was there?

But even though his heartbreak would be inevitable, he could at least bask in the little moments he shared with you.

Even if they were only momentarily.

Previous Next

Masterlist

Masterlist Olive Branch

─────Blue Lock characters

And spicy hot wings

Pairings. Blue Lock x reader insert

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi / Itoshi Rin / Itoshi Sae / Michael Kaiser / Bachira Meguru / Chigiri Hyouma /

Tags. fluff, crack

Prompt:

You and your boyfriend tried the spicy hot wings challenge.

Key word: tried.

Masterlist

Isagi Yoichi

○ He's hanging on by a single thread.

○ His mouth feels like on fire, he's broken out in at least five sweats, and his mental health?

○ Don't even start with that.

○ "It's so fucking hot!" He exclaims, face puffy, tears leaking from his eyes. He lunges for the milk, greedily chugging it down.

○ "You literally have the spice tolerance of a rock." You snickered, eyeing him with a bemused glance.

○ "I think even a rock has more spice tolerance than me." Isagi croacked out. "I'm never going to do this again."

○ Afterwards, Isagi will give a wide berth to anything that even remotely resembles chickens, spice, and chickens.

○ Isagi's a sweet tooth through and through, so it was already surprising he'd agreed to this. But that's just the lengths he'd go to for you.

○ And of course, because he's an egoist, and losing just doesn't exist in his dictonary.

○ (He did lose. By a huge margin. But let's not crush his spirits).

Itoshi Rin

○ He does not like spicy food, which might come off as a surprise with his hotheaded temper.

○ Rin prefers mild, savoury food, not food that detracts ten years from his life expectancy.

○ Even though he's suffering, he won't outrightly say it. He's too damn proud for that.

○ But if you're an observant onlooker, you'll notice the knuckles of his hands going whiter by the second, or the milk being suspiciously empty.

○ "So, how is it, Rin?" You flashed him a smile.

○ Rin's right eye twitched, his mouth was literally a vulcano right now, ready to burst.

○ "...it's fine." He coughed.

○ "So you don't mind if I just..." You took away the milk.

○ Rin's eyes turned murderous. "No."

○ "No?" You raised a teasing eyebrow.

○ "No." Rin repeated, without elaborating.

○ You stifled a snicker behind your hand, silently handing him the milk back.

○ And well, if Rin was maybe a bit too fast with retaking it, or if Rin chugged it down a little too fast.

○ No one had to know.

Itoshi Sae

○ He's not an avid spice enjoyer.

○ Butttt... he can handle it.

○ He'll be sitting there. Nonchalance incarnate. Slowly munching on that spicy hotwing. Casually putting some more spices on it, as if he was planning to kill a troll with it.

○ When he looks at you, you who is obviously struggling, he'll only raise a singular eyebrow, asking, "Is it that hot?"

○ Even though it's literally crystal clear how much you're struggling. He enjoys it though, watching you slowly die a painful, hot death.

○ He doesn't even touch the milk.

○ No, afterwards, he'll just dap away some invisible smudges along his lips. Stands up. (Gracefully). Gathers his perfectly eaten hotwings. (Gracefully). Sits back down. (Again, gracefully).

○ Then he'll just flatly say, "Those hotwings were lukewarm. I don't see why people make such a fuss about it."

○ Yeah, Itoshi Sae is just a whole different breed.

Michael Kaiser

○ Goes in all cocky. Arrogant smile prancing his face, eyes half-lidded in that special derogatory way of his.

○ The first few bites are excruciating.

○ With every bite he takes, his complacent façade crumbles.

○ But he'll valiantly try to maintain his composure, even though his insides are being burned to an inferno.

○ "Hah, this was it? That wasn't even a challenge." He sneered, while inconspicuously wiping the sweat on his nose away.

○ "No, this was just a warm-up," You smiled sweetly at him. Kaiser's smile turns strained.

○ And his eyes wide, when you unceremoniously dump a pile of spice on it, as if you were trying to drown the hotwing.

○ "This'll be more to your taste." You said, still with that saccharine smile.

○ "Ah, okay." Kaiser's whole farce has been completely evaporated at this point. He'll just stare at the literal death weapon in his hands, a horrified look in his eyes.

○ Afterwards, he'll act all conceited again, but the moment you even allude to redoing the whole fiasco, Kaiser's spontaneously disappeared.

○ Yeah, no. He might be an emperor and all that, but maybe those damned spicy hot wings would be the thing that would bring him to his knees.

Bachira Meguru

○ He's suffering. Mentally, physically, spiritually.

○ He can literally feel all his bones eviscerate the moment the hot wing touched his tongue.

○ He's screaming like a rogue banshee, waving his hands about with the melodramatic flop-flop of a badly emulated flap-flap of a bird's oscillating wings.

○ He's... dramatic about it. And that's putting it mildly. He chugs like a man, deprived of water on a three months journey through the Sahara deserts, the milk.

○ But he's too hasty with it, so that half of it just drips from his chin, splattering onto the floor.

○ "Bachira, what are you doing?!" You watched him, disbelieving and incredulous, his eccentric antics.

○ "I'm." Pant. "Fighting." Pant. "For." Insert dying dryheaving of a hyena sound. "My live!"

○ You rolled your eyes. "Seriously? You do know that's like... level one."

○ Bachira's eyes practically bulged out of its sockets. "What?!" His voice cracked, there was despair and sorrow tinging his voice. A lonely, stray tear left the corner of his eye.

○ You nodded seriously. "The next hot wing will be ten times spicier."

○ "Ten... ten times... spicier?!" Bachira shrieked like a rabid monkey gone feral. "Aw hell no. Nope. I'm out."

○ He's backing away. There's genuine fear in his eyes.

○ "Oh Bachira..." You said slowly, voice low. "Want this?" You doused the whole chicken wing with spice. It was a gruesome sight.

○ Bachira gulped. He bumped against the counter. "No... no. Nope. Back away. Back away woman!"

○ "I don't think I will..." You lunged at him.

○ The screech that left Bachira's mouth there and then, is a sound that he'll be denying that he produced to the day of his funeral.

○ But now? Now, he was too busy trying to not get killed. Oh, and to not slip on the milk he'd dropped onto the ground.

○ "Wait. Woah, woah-- umpf!" Bachira was splattered head first onto the ground. He looked like he'd been through war and another hot wings challenge.

○ Mission failed successfully.

Chigiri Hyouma

○ ... is the epitome of gracefulness, elegance, demurity.

○ But not the pinnacle of fucking flame resistance.

○ "What in the... what did you put in here?!" Chigiri scrunched his nose (elegantly), put the hot wing down (elegantly), made the most disgusted face known to mankind, (you can guess it folks, again, elegantly).

○ "What are you trying to do, huh?" Chigiri whipped his hair, fixing you with a cold, penetrating stare.

○ You watched him with an amused smile, trying so hard to stifle your laughter.

○ There he was, Chigiri in all his royal prince-y-ness, staring you down with literal fire in his eyes at being told to eat the hot wings.

○ "You know..." Chigiri drawled, "I don't like being told what to do." He stood up, slowly stalking towards you, like a panther cornering its prey.

○ You gulped, watching this literal first male lead out of a shoujo manga stalk towards you with the grace of a prince and the intent of an apex predator.

○ "I don't like being told what to do." Chigiri batted his eyelashes coyly at you, the embodiment of innocence. But you knew better.

○ Chigiri stopped, but only when there were mere centimeters left between the two of you.

○ With his perfectly manicured nails, he tilted your chin upwards. Chigiri looked in your eyes with his half-lidded ones. Goosebumps erupted along your spine.

○ Chigiri leaned in, his flowery scent filling up your whole scenes, making your mind blank.

○ Your eyes fluttered shut, expecting his soft lips to brush yours.

○ Instead, a hot wing was brusquely shoved into your mouth.

○ You coughed vehemently, eyes flying open in surprise. Loud cackling burst out from next to you, as Chigiri shook with laughter.

○ "Ha ha! You should've seen your face!" He pointed at you, which caused him to double over with another fit of laughter.

○ You spat out the chicken wing. Your eye twitched. Oh this diva--

○ Your hands were all dirty now.

○ Grumbling, you made to clean them, but an idea made you halt in your steps. What if you just...

○ "Oh Chigiri..." You sing sang.

○ "Mhm?" Chigiri's head whipped around, a smile still plastered onto his rosy lips. When his gaze slid to your fingers though, his face paled, the smile replaced by a horrified gasp.

○ "Oh no you don't." Chigiri pushed you elegantly aside. "Get those grippers away from me!"

○ "Make me." You grinned, your fingers dangerously close to his hair.

○ "Not the hair!" Chigiri exclaimed, and then he was off running.

○ Chigiri might've been imposing like a panther.

○ But he fled like one, too.

○ For the next few days, you weren't even allowed to be within a three meter radius near his hair.

○ Oh well, it had been totally worth it.

©theresatzu

Masterlist

Olive Branch - Part 17

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Bachira Meguru, Isagi's parents, OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, angst, estranged friendship, marriage, pining, unrequited love, forced proximity & burnt house

Previous masterlist Next

Two pairs of eyes stared at you.

The katsu curry packet clattered onto the ground.

Isagi Issei breathed in. Isagi Iyo's eyes widened.

Then,

"Y/n!" They exclaimed in unison, engulfing you into a warm hug.

You stood there, unmoving, unblinking. But not unfeeling.

A surge of emotion rose up within you at being embraced by these people that you haven't seen in ages.

Finally breaking your trance, you folded your arms around them, melting into the hug.

After a moment, they released you.

"You've matured, Y/n." Iyo smiled warmly at you, rubbing your arm.

"Good to see you, sweetheart." Issei chimed in, his eyes behind his glasses sparkling with mirth.

"I... it's good to see you, too." You quickly ducked your head, a nervous smile framing your face.

Their behaviour had thrown you off guard; you'd expected them to meet you with the same awkwardness Isagi had when you'd reunited with him again.

However, they approached you with genuine warmth and sincere intentions. As if nothing had changed at all.

"So how have you been doing?" Issei inquisitively asked.

A wobbly smile appeared onto your lips. "Ah... been well. Though I did catch a cold a few days ago."

Iyo made a face in shared commisery. "How terrible. And that right for the match, too! Yocchan has told us how busy you've been. Too busy even."

She huffed indignantly. "They should run things better there! Everyone just drops all their responsibilities onto you!"

Issei nudged you gently, "That's because no one can top our Y/n here."

"Ah, thank you, but I'm really not that great..." You mumbled, abashed.

"Nonsense!" Iyo spoke up, "Yocchan talks so much about your work, he really adores you, you know? And he has good reason to!"

"Uh... I..." Your face grew warm. Isagi, adoring you?

"But being so good also makes you so busy! It's a shame we weren't able to meet up before, but hah, guess football really unites us all, huh?" Issei smiled.

You drew your eyebrows together, puzzled. "Meet up... before?"

Iyo shook her head, giving Issei a light shove. "Don't put her in such an awkward position!" She scolded him.

Then she turned to you, a gentle smile gracing her lips. "Yocchan always says the two of you can't visit because you're both packed all the time!"

"Ah... uh. Yeah. Of course." You chuckled awkwardly.

Internally, though? You were doing mental somersaults.

What were they talking about? Being genial was one thing, but talking about visits as if it even were an option...

A jolt of realisation ran through you.

But just to test, you tentatively asked, "Yeah, these past five years have been busy, here in Japan."

Issei nodded. "Totally! Yocchan told us how swamped you've been with the JFU."

"But now with the finale, you'll be able to see him more, right?" Iyo queried.

You blinked at her.

"We've tried to catch you during previous home matches, but Yocchan always said you had to take care of something." Iyo explained.

Your eyebrows raised just a fraction.

He didn't tell them.

She patted you on the shoulder, "But no worries! We're so lucky to have met now! You're here to make Yocchan's favourite, too?"

"Ah, uh. Yeah!" You quickly snapped out of the revelation. "I'm temporarily staying at Isagi's now, now that my apartment... uh... burnt down."

Iyo gasped, roughly shaking her husband's shoulder, who wore a mirroring look of shock.

"That sounds awful, dear! I hope you've been faring well. Yocchan's been taking good care of you, right?" There was a glint of worry in Iyo's eyes.

"He's amazing." You said softly.

"I'm glad!" Issei laughed. "Yocchan's been in quite a mood for a while, but I'm glad his favourite girl has managed to get him out of it!"

"Favourite... girl?" You blinked. Once. Twice.

"Issei!" Iyo admonished. "Too blunt!"

"Oh! Sorry, sweetheart!" Issei rubbed his neck. "But it's a little too obvious, right? He got so grumpy when you got with that... what's his name again?"

"A European name, it's so difficult to pronounce!" Iyo answered. "Well, we're glad you're doing okay, honey. Are you here for some groceries?"

"Yeah." You showed them your cart. "Stock's been running empty, and well, Isagi lives nearby the mall. But uh... isn't this a bit far from your place?"

"Yeah," Issei agreed, "but we wanted to spend some time with Yocchan before he gets so absorbed in his match! You know how he is."

"Mhm." You said quietly, you'd be surprised if you didn't.

"Anyway, how about we help you with that curry?" Iyo proposed, bending down to pick up the fallen packet. She pressed it into your hands.

"Some help is always in handy, right?"

"Totally." You laughed softly. "I don't quite know how to make this how Yo--Isagi likes."

"Then allow us to help you. God knows Yocchan doesn't take good enough care of himself." Iyo tutted.

You frowned. But what about the meals Isagi's been cooking?, is what you thought. He seemed attentive, healthy, caring.

But maybe this was just another thing Isagi had hid from his parents, just like how he had hid you from them.

"Okay." A smile tugged at your lips. "I was also thinking of getting some tuna, but I don't know..."

"That sounds amazing, dear!" Iyo excitedly spoke up, while Issei put your basket in their cart.

Iyo patted your arm motherly, "You can maybe combine it with..."

And just like that, the three of you went on your merry way, as if no time had passed at all.

But as Iyo laughed brightly, with just a few more creases onto her forehead, while Issei cracked a corny dad joke, it really did feel like you fit right in with them, just like you always had.

"Hey, I'm L/n Y/n, Isagi's..." Data analyst sounded too wonky, so you settled with, "friend. Are you Isagi-kun's mother?"

"I am, nice to meet you, L/n-san, is there anything I can help you with?"

"Yeah, about Isagi-kun... I work here at Blue Lock and well... he's a bit overworked."

You looked back at the infirmary bed Isagi was laying on.

His hair was splayed messily over his face, whizzed and fluffy at the edges. There were heavy eye bags marring his skin, a feverish flush on his cheeks.

Your eyes softened.

Isagi had been excessively overexerting himself, up until the point you had to literally force him into a break.

A medic had briefly examined his condition, and the results weren't pretty.

He was sleep deprived. If the eye bags weren't already a clear indicator. On top of that, his muscles, mostly those in his legs, had been overexerted to the point of persistent muscle ache.

"Oh, no. That boy's head's always been too much into football." The voice on the other side of the phone call sighed, shaking you out of your reverie.

"I've noticed." You laughed lightly. "He's probably the most motivated from the bunch here. And that's saying a lot."

A chuckle. "That sounds like him, alright. Oh, how rude of me to not introduce myself! I'm Isagi Iyo, Yocchan's mother. Yocchan hasn't mentioned you yet to us, are you a recent friend?"

A smile grew onto your lips. Yocchan.

You hesitated. "A little, yeah. I met Isagi-kun during the NEL, but that was quite the intense time."

A hum of understanding. "Ah yeah, he hardly had any time to call us then. I watched him on TV, although I don't understand much of football, he looked like he was having fun."

"Yeah. But maybe a bit too much fun now. He has a harsh fever and a severely overworked body. I don't think he's able to train, let alone participate in the next match at this rate." You told her honestly.

A wince. "I understand. Is it okay if we pick him up, then? I think some time free from football will do him good."

"I've thought about that, too. Is it alright if you can pick him up today?"

"Yeah, of course!" Iyo agreed. "We'll be there as fast as we can."

You breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you, his condition is quite concerning."

"You really care about him, huh?"

Your eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Ah, sorry. That was maybe a bit too straightforward." Iyo apologised. "But I'm happy Yocchan has someone so kind to take care of him!"

Your face burnt. "Ah... it's uh... no problem. Really."

"But I'm sure you have tons of other things to do, so I'll get him out of your hair."

"Ah, no. It's really no problem--" You hastened to say, but a light chuckle made you falter.

"You're a good one. Yocchan's lucky to have you. I'll see you in a few, alright?"

"Okay, uh. Yeah. See you later." You said back, stumped.

Then the line died out.

You stared at the screen, wondering if Isagi had infected you, or if there might be another reason for the burning of your face.

"I'm not getting sick, right?" You murmured. You felt your cheeks.

They were flaming hot.

"L/n-san!" A brown haired woman in the distance walked out of her car, a man with blue hair and glasses following her.

Ah, that must be Isagi's parents.

You gave them a bow, but Isagi's staggering weight onto your shoulder made you quickly straighten up.

"Don't fall unconscious now," you murmured. "Your parents are here."

"Mhm..." Isagi mumbled. The fever had skyrocketed to a worrying degree by now, and it was becoming very apparant.

His chin leaned onto your shoulder. "Will you come, too?"

Yeah, the fever really must be getting to him.

"I can't," you denied gently. "They'll need me here."

Isagi's head slumped onto your shoulder, his locks brushing softly against your cheek. He looked up at you, his eyes half-lidded. "Visit?"

Your cheeks heated up, you quickly looked away. "Ah, uh--"

"Yocchan!" Talk about being saved by the bell.

Isagi's mother rushed up to the two of you. Sighed when she looked at her son.

"Issei, come help." She commanded.

Probably Isagi's father complied, taking Isagi's weight from you. Isagi made a weak sound in his throat, his fingers lightly slipping from your shirt.

Isagi's probably-father turned to you. "Hi, you must be L/n-san, right?" He gave you a quick bow. "Thank you for taking care of our son. He can be quite the handful."

"Dad..." Isagi groaned, hanging from his dad's shoulder.

"I'm Isagi Issei. Nice to meet you." Issei, completely ignoring Isagi's querulousness, introduced himself. "And you've already met my wife."

Iyo nodded at you, a gentle smile on her lips. "We have. But I didn't know there was a female programme at Blue Lock, too."

"Ah, no." You quickly spoke. "I'm just a data analyst."

"The data analyst?" Iyo whispered conspiringly at Issei.

You tried to ignore their comment, but you still felt the heat rush to your cheeks. "Yeah, I oversee Isagi-kun's progress, so I'm also responsible for his condition."

"Oh, wow. Sounds like a very responsible job!" Issei complimented.

"Hngg..." Isagi mumbled.

"Ah, I see that we must get this one home." Issei said with an apologetic smile.

You inclined your head. "I hope he gets enough rest. We need him."

Iyo smiled. "He'll be in top shape once he gets his katsu curry. We can even wake him up for that at 3 am, for that, or kintsuba."

"Isagi-kun's a sweet tooth, then?" You guessed.

"The sweetest." Issei agreed, before hauling Isagi with him towards the car. "I'll get this one inside. Thank you, Y/n-san, again."

"It's no problem, really, Isagi-san." You gave him a nod, then watched him as he and Isagi disappeared into the car.

"Even if it's no problem, we're thankful." Iyo patted your shoulder. "And if you ever want to visit Yocchan, you have our address."

She pushed a piece of paper into your hands.

"He'll be happy to see you." With a wink, Iyo patted your cheek, before walking to the car.

You watched her go, a look of surprise on your face.

You stood there for a while, watching them leave, the piece of paper tucked between your fingers.

You read off the address one more time off the paper before you rang the bell.

Rocking back and forth on your heels, you waited for the door to be opened. In the meantime, you looked about the neighbourhood, quietly savouring the little details that made up Isagi's home.

The street was remotely quiet, just a few pedestrians and the stray car passing by.

Green calmed the busy eye, trees sprouted up from in between the soft helmets of grass stems. Leaves and flowers swayed in the peaceful wind.

It was a calm neighbourhood. It was remote. It was so fitting to Isagi's character.

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Came a gruff voice from inside, before you heard the heavy footfalls of an approaching person.

The door swung open with a creak before you met two familiar blue eyes.

"Ah, L/n-san, how lovely to see you!" Issei laughed brightly.

You returned the gesture. "I'm sorry for not notifying you in advance. Ego-san decided to let me off early today, so I thought I'd come visit."

"Oh, no worries, no worries!" Issei dismissed warmly. He opened the door wider. "Come in! We're about to eat dinner in half an hour, would you like to join?"

"I couldn't possibly impose..." But your stomach churned hungrily at the prospect of a homecooked meal.

God, how long has it been since you had a proper dinner? Being around Ego hadn't improved your meal plan at all: you were basically living on instant ramen.

"I know that look. You're welcome at our dinner table, L/n-san!"

Issei pattered further inside, and as you took of your shoes, you curiously took in Isagi's home.

It was small. But cozy. Pictures of a younger Isagi lined the beige walls.

A whizz of rice and chicken wafted through the air, making your mouth water at the alluring smell.

"Oh, L/n-san!" Iyo, who was standing behind the stove, gave you a quick bow, a gentle smile on her face. "Issei, go get another plate!"

"Yes, ma'am." Issei saluted, before doing so.

When he passed you, he handed you two glasses of water. "Here. Please make yourself at home! If you want, you can bring Yocchan some water. His room's upstairs. First one on the left."

"Oh, thank you!" Pleasantly surprised, you took the two glasses, before quietly stalking upstairs.

With every step that you neared Isagi's room, your heart thrummed louder in your chest.

How was he doing? Would he get better in time? How would he react to you being here?

Oh no. What if this was just one huge mistake? What if he saw you as the rightful interloper you were?

Seeing as you weren't close at all, a visit like this, an unexpected one at that, would be completely unwarranted, right?

But before you knew it, you were in front of his door.

You dubiously chanced a glimpse back at the stairs. You could turn back now.

You could make up some stupid excuse that Ego needed you last minute. Or that your house had burnt down.

But there was something within you, something pulling, something unrelenting to just leave.

You sighed. Knocked.

No reaction.

Alright. Now you can just say you've tried and never come back again.

"Come in."

...nevermind.

Well, there was no going back now.

You pushed the door open.

The room was shrouded in darkness, the only light source being the dimmed lamp on the nightstand next to a bed.

"Isagi-kun...?" You tentatively shuffled your way into the room.

"Mum... I'm not hungry." Isagi mumbled from the bed.

A teasing smile played onto your lips. "Oh, but I'm not your mother."

The lump that was Isagi moved. Then, Isagi's head popped out from underneath the blankets.

For a beat, Isagi's eyes widened. He stared blankly at you, his mouth agape, before he promptly threw the covers over himself again.

"Isagi-kun?" You sat on the edge of his bed, placing the two glasses of water onto the bedside.

"Am I hallucinating?" It came out muffled.

You chuckled. "No, I'm real, promise."

Two pairs of tired blue eyes peeked out. "You do?"

"Yeah, I do." You laughed.

Isagi then fully revealed himself. He untangled himself from out of the mess that were his blankets, and rubbed his eyes.

"Sorry that you have to see me like this." Isagi apologised, looking a bit stumped. "Here, I can at le--" He tried to stand up, but a hefty coughing fit made him flop down again.

"Isagi-kun!" You quickly grasped his arms, gently pushing him back down onto his bed. "Don't strain yourself. Besides, your parents have been perfectly welcoming, so don't worry about catering me."

"Are you... sure? My room's a mess, and well, I'm, too." Isagi winced, looking bashful.

"You're allowed to be." You reassured him. "With the injuries you've sustained, it's a wonder the only thing you have is a fever. You'll be up and running in a few days."

"I hope so." Isagi sighed. "I really want to play again. How has it been at Blue Lock?"

"The guys are working hard." You answered. "Trying new combos, new tactics. But it isn't the same without you, you know?"

"I just hope that I won't be replaced by the time I return." Isagi confessed, looking a bit put out.

"No one will ever be able to replace you." You smiled.

Isagi went quiet. His eyes were wide, irises dilated just a little for the black to drive out the blue. His gaze held yours for a few prominent seconds, not dissecting, just seeing. Like a sunset he'd waited the whole night for.

Your cheeks went warm, so you averted your eyes.

"...okay." He finally whispered.

You smiled. He smiled in return.

"Ah, uh. Here, some water." You basically thrusted the glass in Isagi's hands, abruptly standing up.

"I'll go and see if your mother needs some help with... uh, mixing the sauce!"

Isagi sat up, his eyes bewildered. "Wait--" His fingers clasped around your wrist, pulling.

With a surprised yelp, you stumbled, falling backwards, right onto the bed.

You let out a yelp, eyes looking up in a frenzy.

It was like looking at a storm.

Isagi's eyes were electrifying. Stunning in a way that left you paralyzed. Spellbounding in a sense that made it nigh impossible to tear yourself away.

"Isagi-kun...?" Briefly, Isagi's eyes flicked downwards, before meeting yours again.

"...thank you for coming." Isagi whispered. His eyes silently flicking over your face.

Your face was practically an oven now.

"No... no big deal." You stammered.

"It's a big deal to me." Isagi countered. "I'll get better. I promise."

"...I know."

Silence.

"I'll go... downstairs now. Yep." You basically fled the room.

This was normal. Normal for someone who was high on a fever.

The question though, was about whom you were talking about.

Dinner afterwards was a light affair. Just the superficial questions about your meeting with Isagi, your hobbies, and of course, your relation to Blue Lock.

Isagi chimed in once in a while, but he still seemed to be a bit too out of it to dive deeper into topics.

Rather, he elected to stuff his mouth with the katsu curry, his leg lightly brushing against yours.

You staunchly ignored the goosebumps that were left in the wake of his touch.

Both Issei and Iyo seemed impressed at your intership at Blue Lock, eliciting you to elaborate a bit more on it, promising you'd keep them updated about Isagi's well-being.

And when you left their lively and cosy home, the night breeze cool against your warm cheeks, you almost found yourself wanting to knock on the door again.

But maybe it was best to give Isagi some space.

With a determined tug on your bag, you nodded to yourself.

You could stay away, right?

Dead wrong.

Two days after, the next meeting was initiated by a very troubled Iyo, who had called you in a panic.

Apparently, Isagi's fever had increased to a worrying degree, but both Iyo and Issei weren't home.

So you took the train, made Isagi some soup, sat next to his bed, and pretended not to watch his sleeping face.

The third time, again two days afterwards, you were personally sent by Ego to deliver some packages.

It should've stayed a short visit.

Knowing Isagi Iyo and her curry, you knew that it had been a mission doomed from the start.

Though you couldn't find it within yourself to mind.

The fourth time you visited again, was just right before the game in the semifinals.

Isagi had recovered after a week and was now back to training, but of course, under your vigilant gaze, he'd kept it considerably mild.

To his terms, at least.

Though there wasn't much training being done.

Considering that Ego had given Blue Lock the liberty to reconvene with family and friends just a few days before the match, Isagi, along with Bachira, had asked you to come stay at Isagi's place.

You'd hesitated, not wanting to impose, but had eventually complied, saying that you only would stay a night.

You ended up staying the whole week, sleeping in Isagi's guest bedroom while the other two shared Isagi's room.

During that week, you cracked jokes, played games, enjoyed the usual chaos that seemed to follow the three of you like a shadow.

You learned more about Issei and Iyo, about their jobs, their pastimes, their marriage.

They shared pictures, mostly embarrassing ones of Isagi that left you and Bachira cackling and wailing on the floor.

Isagi would grump, but he wouldn't be able to stifle his laughter for long, joining in on the persistent frenzy that the three of you were.

But you wouldn't have had it any other way.

And isn't that strange?

Because now, five years later, things didn't feel any different.

You fitted right in. You felt warm, safe, like you belonged.

Like you were home.

©theresatzu

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Masterlist

Olive Branch masterlist

Olive Branch - Part 16

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Bachira Meguru, Reo Mikage, Nagi Seishirou, Isagi's parents, OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, angst, unrequited love, pining, estranged friendship, burnt house, forced proximity & marriage

Previous masterlist Next

Isagi was waiting in the car when you finally caught up with him.

His head was turned away, so you couldn't see his expression. Yet, your eyes lingered on him for a beat longer. You opened your mouth to say something, anything, but hesitation made your throat constrict.

"Let's get breakfast." Isagi said quietly, still not looking you in the eye.

You glanced at the side of his face. "...okay."

The rest of the drive was filled with silence. Just the soft tunes of music playing in the background. The only thing keeping your warring thoughts company.

Why had Isagi stormed off like that?

Had it been something you'd said? Had it been the campaign? Did he want to blow it off?

Doubt gnawed at you. If Isagi wanted to call things off, it would be a little too late now. Considering you already had received confirmation of their collaboration.

And Isagi wasn't one to go back on his word.

So maybe it really had been something you'd let slip.

Maybe a careless comment? An unthoughtful reply? A sensitive topic--

Ah yes. That must've been it.

You had noticed Isagi clamming up beside you when the matter of your moving five years ago had been brought up.

But why had he reacted that way? You thought he'd been relieved you'd left, with all the things he'd said during that fight--

You tightly inhaled, the vivid memories of that fight unbiddingly brought back to the forefront of your mind.

You shuddered, clenching your teeth as a wave of contrition, sorrow and regret hit you full force. Your heart panged painfully, throat constricting in a way that made it hard to breath.

Blinking harshly, you tried to rid yourself from these invasive thoughts, thoughts that were so spiral provoking that you'd rather leave it alone altogether.

So you distracted yourself by looking out the window.

The lively colours of the city blended together into a colourful tapestry, every person and every building another thread in the background. People were walking all about, milling in front of tea shops, talking on terraces.

Your stomach rumbled at the sight of food. Having not eaten breakfast this morning, coupled with an energy slurping elevator pitch, was not doing favours to your energy supply at all.

Blinking slowly, you leaned back into the cushions. Drowsiness made your vision blurry, as if you were on the precipice of giving out.

You must've still retained some side-effects of the fever and the weeks of non-stop working.

But now, things were looking up. Stress wasn't a constant factor in your everyday life anymore. Sleep came easily now, and wasn't disrupted by creeping deadlines and unbidden loneliness.

Here, in Isagi's car, or maybe everywhere Isagi was, you felt safe, warm. Alive.

You tossed around in your seat so you were facing Isagi now.

Isagi was looking straight ahead, a slight tension in his jaw, a miniature stiffness in his shoulders.

You frowned, the urge to reach out a palpable one.

But you didn't. Couldn't.

So you could only look. Look at the boy who had helped you, time and time again. To the boy who stood by your side through weather and wind, through success and hardship.

Looked at his blue eyes as if it were the first colour you had been acquainted with.

And that's how you fell asleep, too, with blue seared in your retinas and a boy carved in your mind.

It wasn't the most terrible thing to doze off on.

Isagi's gaze was staunchly locked with the road. He didn't dare let his eyes stray towards you.

Even being near you was just enough for a surge of emotion to well up. Looking at you would make the dam flow all over.

Hurt, pain, guilt laid like heavy stones on his chest, making every breath he took excruciating and choked.

His mind inadvertently strayed back to the revealing moment after exiting the JFU building.

"So maybe... I came this far not just because of my fiancé's name."

You sounded shocked. Surprised. As if the thought of achieving so much on your own had been an unthinkable one.

You hadn't ever known how exceptional you were.

You had left Japan and entered a foreign land with the thought of being unworthy.

Every thought was a punch to the throat, a kick to the stomach.

Isagi flexed his fingers on the steering wheel. How could you ever think that?

How could you ever doubt yourself?

Maybe he should've spoken up more. Should've told you how special you were to him, rather than carving his feelings into the gifts he'd left behind.

His eyes inadvertently strayed to you. To the necklace still clinging to your skin.

Happiness is not momentarily with you.

Isagi knew the words by heart. They haunted and reassured him in early mornings and late nights spent in solitude.

He sighed, eyes flicking to your face.

You were asleep.

Head tilted backwards, arms lounging at your side. Hair swept up in your face.

A soft smile spilled onto Isagi's lips.

He stomped down the urge to reach out, letting his eyes wander over the ridges of your face instead.

And again on your neck, the necklace.

He'd never imagined that after all he'd done, all the wrongs and the irreversible sins, you'd still wear something of his, so close to the heart that Isagi hoped would beat just for him someday.

The necklace in his pocket felt like laden.

Isagi sighed, killing the engine.

You were there again, the quaint cafe that Isagi hadn't visited in years.

Isagi looked at you, askance. You were still sleeping.

His eyes silently surveyed you, his hand tugging a strand of hair behind your ear.

"I'm sorry." He murmured, quietly like a vow.

He lightly traced your cheek with his finger, his eyes holding a raw tenderness.

"I'm sorry for walking out like that."

Your eyes were still closed.

Isagi hung his head, his eyes remorsefully looking at your sleeping face. "I shouldn't have done that."

No answer.

He shakily inhaled, his right hand balling into a trembling fist. "I'm just... it hurts, you know?" A humourless chuckle tumbled from his lips. "That your love for him was big enough to leave me."

Isagi's eyes turned misty at the admission.

Another tight inhale. "It's selfish. I know. But sometimes... I just wish that you'd chosen me instead."

A teardrop splattered onto your skin.

Isagi froze. He hastily wiped it from your cheek.

You tossed in your sleep, arms winding around his right one. Isagi shakily inhaled, swallowing past the clog in his throat.

"Y/n?" He called out, soft, unsure. He lightly shook your shoulder.

You murmured, but your eyes were still shut.

"Y/n?" Isagi repeated, a little louder.

Your eyebrows scrunched together, right before your eyes fluttered open.

"Yoi?" You called out, dazed.

"I'm here." Isagi croaked, feeling on the verge of crying.

"Isagi." You said again, now a little clearer. Isagi felt the disappointment twinging at his stomach.

"Are we... are we there?"

"Mhm."

"Ah. That's good. Oh. Uh... I'm sorry for sleeping, I must not have been a very entertaining conversationalist."

But a beautiful sight to look at, is what Isagi didn't say. Instead: "It's fine. We're here anyway."

"Where?" You turned your head. Your eyes sparkled. "Oh, we're here!" Enthusiasm laced your voice, you tugged at his arm. "I love this place!"

A soft smile played on Isagi's lips. "Yeah. Let's go in."

Once inside, you ordered your favourite, while Isagi went for some waffles.

The quaint little cafe was still tranquil, not yet overrun by customers, like a hidden gem found by a few.

"So, how's training going?" You asked, breaking the silence.

"Good." Isagi answered. "I've got training today. Though I think Ego will have me run some extra laps for the previous one."

You tilted your head, curious. "How so?"

Isagi winced. "Ill performance. I hit the goal post a few times too many." Thought about you a few times too many.

A laugh. "I take it he's got something in store for that? Or is the teasing of the others punishment enough?"

Isagi groaned. "Don't remind me. They'll be telling that to my grandchildren."

A smile splayed onto your face. "Then you'll just have to get back at them during the World Cup."

"Yeah." Isagi agreed. "I want to be MVP."

A teasing edge to your smile. "The sky's the limit, right?"

Isagi laughed. "Pots, kettles?"

"Oh yeah?" You raised an eyebrow. "Please indulge me."

Isagi propped his head onto his hand, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "You always aim high, too, you know? During NEL, U-20's World Cup, and now, with the finale, too."

"Well..." You flushed. Well, you didn't actually have much to say to that. "I just want Japan to win."

"Oh?" The corners of Isagi's lips ticked upwards. "Are you rooting for me, too, then?"

"Will you be worth it, to root for?" You countered.

"....touché." Isagi grinned.

I'll be worthy for you to root for. No matter what it takes.

You returned his smile with a beam of your own.

The atmosphere was light, banter was easygoing and fun. You were glad that the gloomy air between you two had been lifted.

"Excuse me, I've got your food at the ready." A waiter interrupted, holding two steaming plates.

"Ah, yeah. Of course!" You tore your eyes from Isagi's, straightening your back.

As the waiter placed your plates down, you chanced a look at your phone.

Oh, a new notification.

You opened your messages, noting it was from Miyu.

Miyu

So how did it gooo?? Did you win their expensive hearts over yet???

Sent at 11:28 am

A chuckle left your mouth. You shot a quick "we're in!!" back, before returning your attention back to your plate.

"Mhm. Looks delicious." You commented.

Isagi hummed in confirmation.

After you said your itadakimasu, the two of you dug in, and soon, the only noises pervading the air where the clinking of your cutlery and the clanking of your teeth.

Your phone lit up with another message from Miyu. You frowned, straining your eyes to read it.

Miyu

Have you already asked Isagi bout the hotel?

Sent at 11:34 am

Your eyebrows creased together. Right. You had forgotten to ask in the frenzy that was today.

You eyed Isagi who was bringing a bite of waffle in his mouth, his cheeks bolling up as he chewed on the food.

He looked like a bunny. Cute.

Another ping.

Ah right. Back to the matter at hand.

You were curious why Isagi had kept that from you. Asking it wouldn't hurt, right?

Yet you felt reluctance creeping in as you chanced another look at Isagi.

He looked so peaceful, a certain boyish charm to him, even while he was doing something as mundane as eating.

But you had to know. Even if it had to be at the cost of peace.

So you pushed the tight knot in your chest away, directing your gaze onto the boy in front of you.

"Isagi... I spoke with Miyu, and, uh." You hesitated, but Isagi's quiet, patient glance made you breathe a little easier.

What were you scared of? This was Isagi. Isagi who laughed brightly like the sun, who had seen you at your worst and best, who wouldn't even dare hurt a fly (if it weren't on a football field, that is).

"She said she hadn't told you at which hotel I'd been staying, so... how did you know?"

You finally lifted your eyes from the table, fidgeting with your fingers.

Isagi swallowed the bite of waffle down, pursing his lips. He looked away, avoiding your eyes.

The silence stretched on.

You continued to wait, letting Isagi gather his thoughts.

Then, after a few beats spent in stifling silence, Isagi finally spoke up.

"I'm... I'm sorry." Isagi's voice was throaty and rough. You blinked. You hadn't expected an apology.

Isagi tilted his gaze to yours, remorse, guilt, swirled in his deep blue eyes, before he ducked his head again.

"I was worried." Isagi said to his plate. "I... I had seen how your... your apartment had burnt down, so I... pulled a favour."

You raised an eyebrowed, puzzled. "A favour? From whom? And how had you even known that it had been my apartment?"

Isagi shakily inhaled, looking very much like a kicked puppy. "I... I made Reo tell me."

There it was. The truth.

Yet it didn't manage to satisfy you, rather, it created more questions.

"How did Reo know though?" You frowned. "I've never told him."

A small smile flitted onto Isagi's lips. "It's Reo. He's got connections."

Well, guess that did explain it.

You heaved an exhale. "I must've checked in at one of Reo's hotel, then, or at the very least, bought something of Reo's brand."

"Yeah, must've been it." Isagi gave you a hesitant smile, looking like he'd want to sink through the floor.

You shared the sentiment, not wanting to have this conversation either, uncomfortable as it was, but there was just one question left unanswered.

"Why?"

Isagi's head tilted.

"Why did you want to know?" You clarified, almost regretting letting the question spill from your mouth. But for some reason, you just had to know.

You anticipated Isagi's response with bated breath, eyes taking note of every minuscule movement on Isagi's face that could portray his inner thoughts.

But Isagi proved to be as indecipherable as ever, his eyes stayed neutral, his lips smoothened out in a line.

But his next words were anything but without emotion.

"Because I care."

The admission was soft. Spoken with barely an audible decibel, yet, you caught it anyway.

Something tightened in your chest. Then unfurled, as if a noose had been loosened around your neck, a ticking time bomb diffused.

"You... you did? Even... even after... that?"

This was the first time you indirectly mentioned the fight to Isagi. Though even alluding to it made your breath hitch and your stomach plummet.

You waited for his answer, wondering if he would sweep it under the rug, or ignore it entirely.

Isagi did none of them.

"Of course I do." It was said simple. Soft, yet firm.

Your eyes were conflicted, flicking from left to right on your plate.

"Hey." A soft tap on your hand.

You looked up.

The air was punched out of your lungs.

Deep blue eyes speckled with hazel tones bore straight through yours, seeing, understanding. You felt naked under his gaze, as if a mere glance of Isagi could strip every carefully constructed wall away.

But for some inexplicable reason, you didn't mind. Not if it was Isagi.

"We've already established that, right?" Isagi gently reminded you, his hand softly taking yours, his thumb tracing a tiny circle on the skin of your inner wrist.

You nodded feebly. It had been yesterday anyway, in the parking lot when you'd confessed that.

But even if it had been months, years, maybe even decades, you don't think you would've forgotten that.

"I'll always care about you." Isagi continued. His thumb still tracing, your skin still feeling. "Then, now. Even if we're oceans apart."

Your bottom lip trembled, vision going hazy from the moist that gathered at the corners of your eyes.

These were just words. But the quiet determination, the silent vow, were loud even while they weren't visible.

"I..." You shakily took a breath. "I care about you, too. I would've done the same."

A tiny smile flitted onto Isagi's lips. "I know. You have. And," his other hand wiped underneath your eye, gathering a tear you hadn't noticed forming. "I'll always be with you, no matter what happens between us."

His other hand tapped lightly onto your necklace.

You frowned, confused, following his hand.

But you didn't get a chance to ask, as Isagi retreated his hand.

"I am sorry, though." Isagi spoke. "For violating your privacy. I should've asked. I won't do it again."

"It's fine." You answered, actually meaning it.

"You promise?" Isagi lifted your hand, his pinky finger intertwining with yours.

The childlike gesture extracted a laugh out of you.

"I promise." You tightened your pinky's hold.

"Pinky promise, then." Isagi smiled at you, before he dropped your hand.

Your hand also fell down to your side. Laid abandoned there, before your brain rebooted again and made it hold your fork.

"My waffle is delicious, you want to try it?" Isagi offered.

You smiled. It was almost scary how instant and sincere it felt on your face.

"Yeah, sure. You also want to try mine?"

"Well... if you don't mind..."

The rest of brunch was spent in idle chatter and light conversation.

But sitting there with Isagi, his bright smile, gentle eyes, you finally understood why people were immortalised into stone.

Because Isagi, with the two freckles underneath his right eye.

Because Isagi with the understanding thoughtfulness, the gentle reassurance.

Was an Isagi that you would've set into stone.

Driving to the training's centre afterwards was a quick affair.

Isagi fastened his bag around his back, telling you he should be done around five, but that he'll be back at half past five when he would take the bus.

You quickly proposed to pick him up, both out of curiosity and a magnetic pull in your chest that maybe was just your heart telling you to see him a little longer.

Isagi merely smiled, his eyes giving a light squeeze before he disappeared inside the building.

You watched him leave, a warmth in your chest.

You I asked him. Said Reo had done him a favour.

He was worried about me.

Sent at 12:32 am

You pocketed your phone after pressing send at Miyu's contact, and stepped into the car.

With Isagi gone, and your being on temporary leave from work, you didn't have much to do.

Well... aside from planning your marriage.

But the thought of holing yourself up in your room, squinting your eyes at a laptop for napkin colours, wasn't an appealing one.

So you drove to the mall, mentally hashing a grocery list together.

Maybe you should get some fruit? Was Isagi short on vegetables? Did he have anything planned for dinner yet?

Or maybe... you could surprise him. With something delicious, something he'd like.

You surveyed the aisles, eyes going along the racks. Then, a smile spread over your lips as you noticed the product you were searching for.

But before you could grab it, another hand shot out and took it before you could.

You lifted your head up.

Your jaw dropped.

"Oh dear! That has been a long while!"

"Y/n! Great to see you!"

In the flesh, Isagi Iyo and Isagi Issei.

Isagi's parents.

©theresatzu

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Masterlist

Olive Branch masterlist

Olive Branch - Part 15

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Reo Mikage, Nagi Seishiro, OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, estranged friendship, pining, unrequited love, marriage, burnt house, forced proximity & angst

Previous masterlist Next

The next day, you woke up with a warm feeling.

You felt well-rested, the pressure of work momentarily in the back of your mind.

After freshening yourself up and putting on a blouse and some tailored trousers, you stalked downwards.

As you neared the kitchen, the scent of freshly baked pastries hit your face. Your stomach rumbled at the enticing smell, making you speed up your gait.

"Isagi." You greeted, stepping into the kitchen.

Isagi turned around at the sound of your voice, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Hi. Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Mhm." You replied, eyes curiously taking in his handiwork.

Noticing your surveying gaze, Isagi stepped to the side and beckoned you to stand next to him.

Obliging, you grew nearer, cedarwood familiarly wrapping around your senses.

"I'm making cinnamon roles and sticky buns, you wanna help?"

Your eyes lit up. It had been so long since you had been able to actually make a proper meal, let alone bake something as extravagant as this.

"Yes!"

Wordlessly, Isagi handed you an apron. As you tied it around your back, Isagi placed a piece of dough right in front of you.

"I've already made the batter, so the only thing we have to do is roll them up and put some caramel onto them." Isagi explained, while pushing a bowl with a syrupy molasses in it.

You watched attentively while he demonstrated it, eyes clinging to his hands.

He expertly kneeded the dough, the sliver of skin underneath his black t-shirt rippling with the motion.

Isagi was still talking, but you barely registered his voice. You blinked, entranced, eyes still fixated on his fingers.

You knew that they were soft. The phantom sensation of his fingers on your forehead during your fever-induced delirium unbiddingly ghosted over your skin.

You shivered, tearing your eyes away from Isagi's hands.

"So that's how you make it." Isagi concluded. "Here, try."

He nudged the piece of dough lightly towards you.

Gulping, you washed your hands and picked up the piece of batter.

You narrowed your eyes in concentration, but whatever you were doing, was just egregiously wrong. You stole a glance at Isagi's immaculate handiwork, a disbelieving frown on your face.

"Pfft..." Isagi pursed his lips together, but his eyes betrayed his amusement.

Indignantly, you nudged him in the ribs with your elbow. "Hey! Don't laugh!"

But that made Isagi lose it. Isagi burst out in laughter, his shoulders shaking, his lips stretching into a big, wide grin.

Your bottom lip jutted out in affront, but Isagi's laughter was infectious. A bout of chuckles fell from your lips as well.

You lightly slapped his shoulder when his laughter finally abated. "Shaddap."

"It's..." Isagi wheezed, looking like he was on the verge of a fit of laughter once again, "not... bad. Just a bit... wonky."

You scrunched your nose. "Okay... maybe it doesn't look like yours, but it's still edible."

Isagi snorted, which acquired him another slap on his shoulder.

Scoffing, you went back to the sticky bun. Which, admittedly, looked more like a sticky failure, and poked at it. An attempt in vain to make it less pathetic.

"Ah, no... here." Isagi came closer, his breath hitting your ear from where he was standing next to you. His hands slithered over to yours, his fingers lightly adjusting the placement of your hands.

"Just... try to spread it out." Isagi mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. As if in a trance, you mindlessly followed his instruction.

"Good." Isagi nodded. "Now, roll it up."

Your eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. "How?"

Isagi's hands, formerly retreated to his sides, gently took a hold of yours. "Look." With his hands, he patiently guided you through the motions.

But your mind wasn't focused on the dough. It was preoccupied with the fact that Isagi was standing right next to you, his warm hands softly enveloping yours, the touch so light that it could've been from a feather.

You shakily inhaled. Heat crept up your neck.

Then, Isagi took a step back, his eyes appraisingly eyeing your creation. "Looks fine."

You couldn't help but preen a little at the approval coating his voice.

"So... what's next?"

"Now we put on the caramel." Isagi answered, taking two spoons out of a drawer, handing one to you.

Isagi scooped a dollop of caramel out of the bowl, and gently placed it on his bun. You copied his movements, throwing a caramel clotted batter onto your bun.

"Just spread it out nicely, so everything will be evenly distributed." Isagi spoke, his arm manoeuvring the spoon expertedly.

"Alright..." You unsurely took the spoon and mimicked him.

"Ai..." You winced as you accidentally put too much force behind it, making a dent in the bun.

Helplessly, you looked at Isagi, who did a terrible job of stifling his laughter. "Here."

Once again, Isagi closed the proximity, guiding your hands with the utmost care.

"So. Done." Isagi shot you a grin. "Wasn't too bad, right?"

You groaned. "Mine's a disaster. How are you so good at this?"

Isagi tutted his lips in contemplation. "I guess I had a lot of time. And my mum sometimes needed help, too."

Ah Isagi, always the sweet son.

Warmth pooled into your chest once again. And as Isagi put another scoop of dough in front of you, you couldn't help but look at him. Really look at him.

Clad in comfy wear, an apron hanging around his neck. His hair was muzzed from sleep, giving his locks that fluffy edge that gave you the urge to card a hand through his hair.

A contented grin on his lips.

It made you doubt Bachira's claim from back when you'd gone to the ice rink.

Bachira had confessed that Isagi hadn't taken care of himself for a long time. He hadn't mentioned a specific period, just long enough that the shape of Isagi's smile had faded with time.

But here Isagi was. Smiling, relaxed. With you.

But that was only momentarily.

Your chest constricted. Yeah. All this. All these little moments, these shared joys. They were all momentarily.

Just until the match. Just until you'll be whisked away, maybe even move an ocean apart.

Living a life without Isagi.

And for some inexplicable reason, the thought made your stomach sink through the ground, your fingers twitch with an urge to grab.

To grab what? The last vestiges of Isagi, before they would vanish from your sight?

"You okay?" Isagi's face appeared in your visage, his eyebrows creased. His eyes flicked between yours. There was a hint of worry in them that made your heart twist painfully.

"I'm fine." You reassured him. And for just a moment, you stood there. Silence enveloping the quiet and peaceful ambiance that had been draped over you like a soothing blanket.

And for just a moment, your eyes traced his face. To commit the two tiny freckles splattered underneath his right eye. The hazel flecks in his deep blue eyes. The faint smile tugging at his lips.

If only to remember these moments.

"... You've got something on your face." You murmured.

Isagi's eyebrows quirked up, his hand coming up to feel at his cheek.

"Ah, no, here." You pointed at his jaw.

Isagi copied it. He completely missed.

A chuckle left your lips. With a sigh, you stepped closer, looking up at him.

With a tentative move, your fingers gathered the smudge of caramel on his jaw.

Isagi was disturbingly quiet underneath your attention. His eyes were wide, his cheeks just a little pink, but visible enough in close proximity.

When your fingers left his skin, Isagi's breath hitched.

That made you snap out of whatever reverie had taken possession of you.

"I... uh. Sorry!" You stammered, quickly backing up.

But in your haste, your hand smacked Isagi's face, smearing the caramel onto his nose.

Isagi's eyebrows quirked upwards in surprise. But surprise quickly made way for mischief.

Taking a royal scoop onto his fingers, Isagi lurched forward, his hand smearing caramel over your face.

You gasped, scandalised. "You... how dare you!"

Isagi shrugged. His lips pulled into an amused smile. "Sorry, I slipped. My bad."

He turned around, having had his revenge.

Rookie mistake.

Spotting the flour onto the counter, you grabbed a handful and threw it right--

--at the back of Isagi's head.

Isagi froze. Turned around slowly.

"Oh, you're on!"

What ensued afterwards was a food fight. Or more precisely, an ingredient fight.

Flour, sugar, caramel, flew through the air, smothering the kitchen into a colourful jumble of brown and white.

There was butter sticking in Isagi's hair. Flour covered half of his face in a ghastly white.

He still had caramel on the tip of his nose.

You didn't know how long the fight had been going on. But it had gone on long enough for both your clothes to be completely covered in flour, and the kitchen to look like a scientific experiment gone wrong.

However, the moment was interrupted when Isagi's phone rang.

Isagi slowly retreated his hands to his side, the flour he had been about to throw in your face slipping between his fingers.

With a questioning tilt of his eyebrow at you, he moved towards the phone.

You gave him an encouraging nod.

Isagi wiped his hands off on his apron, before he picked up the call.

"Ah, hel--"

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!"

Isagi winced, bringing the phone far from his head.

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You were supposed to be here eight minutes ago!" The voice shrieked, shrilly.

Reo. You realised with a jolt.

Isagi looked at the time. Blanched. "I-- uh. Traffic?"

"Yeah, yeah." You could practically hear the eye roll. "You're distracted by Y/n again, huh? Don't give me that crap."

You shot Isagi a surprised look, but he staunchly stared at the counter. "We'll be there in a few."

"You better be!" Reo roared, "I've managed to win you ten minutes, but that's all you're getting. If we want to get those sponsors, then you have to hurry up!"

Sponsors. Oh, this was serious.

You had been so lost in your and Isagi's little bubble that you had completely forgotten about the time, about the sponsors.

With the tight exhale that slipped from Isagi's lips, he must have realised that, too.

"Thank you, Reo. Don't worry, we'll make it."

With one last, "you better!", Reo hung up.

Silence coated the dirty kitchen.

Isagi dragged a hand over his face.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I just... I completely forgot." Isagi winced.

"No, no." You hastily cut in. "I forgot, too. So we're both guilty here."

A tiny smile spread over Isagi's lips at that. "I guess we can't really make breakfast out of this anymore."

With an amused glint in his eyes, he surveyed the kitchen.

Yeah, indeed.

"Maybe we can eat something after the meeting?" You suggested. "And I can go for some groceries later, too. You have training not too long after, right?"

Isagi nodded in confirmation. "Are you sure though? You can lend my car, then."

You inclined your head. "It's the least I can do. Now, I think we need to hurry."

"Yeah, we do." But Isagi made no amends to rush. His eyes were on you, lightly taking you in.

With a flush of embarrassment, you became aware of the frazzled state you were in. You probably looked like a mess.

But Isagi looked at you with something akin to softness, amusement, and again that something that you still hadn't been able to figure it out.

He stepped towards you, eyes still fixed on you.

Then, he leaned down, his warm breath caressing your face.

He was close. Even closer than before he'd helped you with the batter.

Slowly, as if in slow motion, he swiped at the corner of your bottom lip.

His finger retreated, a dollop of caramel on it. Almost thoughtlessly, he brought the finger to his mouth, his tongue darting out and gathering the condiment.

You blinked.

"You had something on your face." Isagi murmured, before he slipped past you.

You stood there. Frozen. Rooted into your spot like a tree.

Heat rushed into your face. The sudden switch up gave you whiplash.

And even as Isagi's footsteps retreated upstairs, even when the last vestiges of cedarwood faded away, you were still caught in the alluring spell that had been Isagi Yoichi.

And not for the first, and probably not the last time, you wondered just what exactly was happening in Isagi's mind.

After a quick shower, the two of you rushed to the car.

Isagi basically sped through traffic, obsessively looking at the time.

With just a minute to spare, you sprinted into the JFU building.

Considering the lift was still out of order, you took the stairs, heels clicking discordantly throughout the stairway.

But finally, you were there.

As the two of you burst into the room, several pairs of eyes pinned you in your place.

Isagi cleared his throat, an attempt at smoothening your abrupt intrustion.

"My apologies for our delay." He inclined his head in deference. "Traffic has been an arduous endeavour and we gratefully appreciate your waiting for us."

"Ah, 'tis all good, Isagi-kun." A broad-shouldered man called out. "For Blue Lock's Poster Boy we can make some exceptions, huh?"

A murmur of assent went through the room.

You exhaled in relief.

"Ah, Y/n!" A familiar voice called out.

Reo.

"Y/n?" Another echoed, confusion marring their voice.

"Wait a second..." A man with a moustache squinted his eyes at you.

You felt heavily put on the spot, an awkard smile plastered onto your face.

Though a soft, warm presence grounded you.

Isagi's fingers curled around your wrist, giving it a light squeeze.

"Weren't you the one that has sent in the data from the last update?" The same man from earlier asked you.

"Ah, uh..." You wracked your brain. Although the man didn't seem familiar, the emblem blazoned on his blazer was.

PXG.

Ah, this must've been the man you'd corresponded with a few months ago.

"Yeah." You affirmed. "Shidou, Karasu, Nanese, Zantetsu and Tokimitsu, right?"

"Yeah, them!" The man enthused. "It was well done! Say, if you want a position as head of administrations, our door is open."

"Woah, grubby man. Your administration isn't important enough." A man clad in a suit argued. "Manshine City has a commendable offer on the table for you." He gave you an encouraging smile.

A woman wearing a suit mixed her dissent in as well. "The both of you are idiots. FC Barcha offers the most sought-after spots in administration."

"No one wants to work in your scruffy office." The man in the suit adlibbed.

"Tch, seriously? As if your scrubby building is of any appeal." Another woman intervened. "Ubers obviously has more to proffer."

"Okay. Ladies and gentlemen, let's keep things civil!" Reo stood up, his voice raised.

Grumbling, the men and women sat back down.

"Y/n works at JFU for the time being, and she also has an offer at Re Al, so let's get to other business, okay?"

"Ugh, Re Al? With the Itoshi brothers?"

"Damn, we can't compete with that."

"All of the good ones get snatched up first."

Reo shot you a helpless look. Your fault, he mouthed. You shrugged, amused.

"Y/n's obviously going to stay here for Isagi." A languid voice drawled out. Nagi. "And if Isagi goes anywhere else, she'll follow anyway, and vice versa. So stop arguing. It's such a hassle."

Dead silence.

Your cheeks heated up. You could feel Isagi's grip on your wrist tighten.

"So you can talk."

"I thought he was just here as decoration."

"Well, he isn't wrong per se."

"Well, okay. Let's just... cut to the chase." You spoke up before the matter could escalate even further.

Isagi nodded next to you, lightly guiding you to the two vacant spots.

As you sat down, the murmurs quietened, the room becoming solemn. Your voice took on an edge of seriousness and urgency when you spoke next.

"The finale of the World Cup." You started, voice saturating the spacious room.

The several chairmen and -women had their attention on you. You halted for a beat, allowing the silence to punctuate your next words.

"I won't soften the blow. Our opponents have pulled the rug completely from underneath us." Your face was grim.

"Without our supporters, without resources, we won't have the equipment and the support necessary to siege the Cup."

"Doing of your fiancé's club, eh?"

"Yeah." You looked at the speaker, a man with matted hair. "He's our opponent. And a formidable one at that. I admit I've overseen this slight, and that's a fault on my part."

"Well-- you couldn't have known he would go so low." A voice grumbled.

A faint smile flitted on your lips. Yeah, compared with how thoughtful he was, leaving little notes, little gestures, this seemed out of character for him.

"Nevertheless," You carried on. "The blow has been dealt and we must face this challenge. If we want to get a shot at winning, we must take action."

"And that's why we've gathered you all here." Isagi spoke from next to you, his voice clear and determined.

"We all want to win the World Cup. But all your countries have been knocked out. And the reason why you're all here, is because you rather support us than them."

"Yeah. At least with Japan winning, us losing isn't that bad."

"I'd rather have Japan win than them."

"If the World Cup can't be glazed at ours, then it should be at yours."

"Exactly." Isagi inclined his head. "And that's why it's so crucial that we acquire your support. You've worked with JFU before. You know how we function. You know what we can offer you."

"And what's that?"

"Data. Tactics. Technology." You said, nodding at Reo.

Reo handed you the remote, and a hologram appeared on it.

"This." You said. "This is the future of football."

"Wow..."

"What's that?"

"Looks good."

"This is a project me and Reo have been collaborating on the past few years."

Isagi's head shot towards you.

"At business parties and meetings, me and Reo have designed this device, meant to gather data and analyse."

Reo stood up, standing next to you. "With Y/n's analytical insight and my resources, we have spurred on this project."

"Y/n has formerly worked with Blue Lock during NEL and the U-20 World Cup, or rather, interned within the project. During those times, she has accumulated an immaculate understanding of individuals' growth and potential."

Reo quietly surveyed the room, before tapping onto a button.

"Allow me to demonstrate the workings of this device."

He pointed it at Isagi. Isagi stayed still, his eyes widened. He had no clue what was happening.

The device gave a beep after a few beats. Then, it showcased another hologram.

A round of awed murmurs rose throughout the room. "Look, this is all data previously acquired from Isagi Yoichi as a player." Reo scrolled down. "Goals. Strengths. Weaknesses. Potential roles."

Metavision. High football IQ. Decoy.

"With this, your business will be more efficiently equipped. Windows of opportunity will be unlocked after effective appliance of this device. And you'll get it for free. If..."

Reo looked at you, beckoning you to finish it.

You cleared your throat, eyes calmly taking in the room, your gaze lingering on Isagi for a second longer.

"If you extend us an olive branch, and help Japan to win the World Cup."

"That, was... amazing!" Reo jumped on top of your shoulders, patting your back. Nagi made an affirmative noise behind you, engrossed with the game playing on his phone.

"Ah, you sure?" You scratched your neck. "I think it was mostly you, though. I don't really get the technology side of the device."

"Nah, it was all you!" Reo brought in. "Your reputation precedes you, you're basically famous!"

"Yeah. You did well." Isagi softly looked at you, a tender glint in his eyes. "You're a valuable asset."

Warmth ignited in your chest. "Thank you. But I never would have guessed that so many people knew of my work."

"Are you kidding?" Reo raised his eyebrows. "You're a hot commodity amongst the football clubs!"

"Really? Huh. Never would have thought." You mused. "So maybe... I came this far not just because of my fiancé's fame."

"Are you still thinking that?" Reo gawked incredulously at you. "The whole reason your former club had accepted you, wasn't because of that. It was because you were - and are - so valuable!"

Nagi hummed. "Ego had a hard time letting you go. I believe four interns did the job you did on your own, and they still performed mediocrely."

Your jaw fell to the floor. "That's... that's a lot."

"Maybe if you'd known, you wouldn't have had to move five years ago." Reo remarked off-handedly.

You could feel Isagi stiffen up beside you.

"Well..." You went for a strained smile. "I didn't just move there for the job only."

"Ah, yeah. Your big love." Reo sighed dramatically.

"I... well. You don't have to say it like that!" You protested indignantly, shooting a look at Isagi for some reason.

Isagi's jaw was tensed, his eyes inflectionless and faced forwards.

"Love." Reo said teasingly. "Love makes people do all kinds of stupid things, huh?"

"I guess so...?" You shot a Reo a confused look.

"I'll be waiting at the car." Isagi curtly cut in.

He didn't spare any of you a look as he basically speedwalked to the parking place.

You frowned, your stomach twisting.

"Wait-- Isagi!"

But Isagi was already out of sight.

You sighed, looking at Reo for help. Reo merely shrugged. "Don't bother him. He just... has a lot on his mind."

"I wonder what." You averted your eyes to the ground. "I just... I don't understand him anymore, Reo."

Reo's eyes softened.

"He just..." Desperation nagged at your voice. "Sometimes it just feels like old times, you know?"

"Yeah, I know very well." Reo said with a knowing smile.

When he thought back to the protective hand just hovering behind your back, to the soft smiles Isagi wore when you were around.

To the way the light in Isagi returned, bit by bit.

Reo couldn't agree with you more.

"Right?" You exhaled deeply. "But then there are times, times like these, in which I can't read him at all."

"Hm... maybe he has changed." Reo acquiesced.

"But he's still the same at the core." He looked you straight in the eye. Not blue, purple, you had to remind yourself.

"Just give him some time. He'll come around."

You huffed in frustration, but didn't refute his claim.

Reo watched you, your tense shoulders, your not-so-sneaky glances.

The terribly hidden yearning in your eyes that you were so oblivious to.

"Hm. People in love really do stupid things, huh?" Reo mused.

"Yeah. It's stupid." Nagi piped up.

"Huh?" Reo looked at him askance.

Nagi looked up from his phone. "Isagi. He makes it so obvious."

"Huh... I thought you were talking about Y/n."

"Can't I be talking about both?" Nagi remarked nonchalantly.

Reo stared at him in surprise.

Then, he burst out in laughter.

"I guess you're right, huh?" He slung an arm around Nagi's shoulder.

But the mirth faded from his eyes.

"Though, I wonder how long they can keep this up. Because if it'll go on like this, they're both about to get hurt. And then--"

"--then it might be permanent." Nagi finished his sentence.

Reo felt the powerlessness clawing at him. "They need to do something. Anything. Or they'll both be resigned to misery."

Nagi shrugged, his eyes going back to his game.

"They've got a month. A lot can happen then. It's just the question if it'll break, or mend them."

A/n: things are speeding up. We're almost at the climax of the story, guys. Buckle your seat belts and sit tight.

©theresatzu

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Masterlist

Masterlist Olive Branch

Olive Branch - Part 14

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, estranged friendship, pining, unrequited love, burnt house, forced proximity, marriage & reconciliation

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The next day, you went to your hotel to get your stuff back after eating a delicious breakfast.

Isagi had cooked up tamagoyaki with a side dish of rice and vegetables.

You would've offered to help him, but Isagi, as the fanatical athlete he was, had woken up at an inordinate time.

So by the time you had tidied yourself up and trudged downstairs, the table had already been decked out with delicacies.

Staying with Isagi really had its perks.

That aside, Miyu's words still haunted the forefront of your brain.

Why didn't Isagi tell you that he knew where your former hotel had been?

It seemed like such a rudimentary case, yet Isagi and Bachira had kept it from you. But why?

The question nagged your mind, even when you followed Isagi to his car, quietly stepping into the passenger seat.

But as like before, your voice caught in your throat. Addressing this might lead to digging up something else, something that hit too close to home but was buried so far in the past.

And well, with everything that was happening right now, with the preparation of both the match that was taking place in under a month and a wedding that would occur shortly after, the timing just... didn't feel right.

And maybe, even more importantly, you didn't want to shatter this... peace you had with Isagi.

Isagi was humming lightly to the sound softly playing in the background, his fingers thrumming rhythmically in time with the cadence of the beat.

The corners of his lips were curled upwards, his shoulders relaxed in a way that was so akin to the last time you had seen him, when his back wasn't so bent underneath the weight of responsibilities.

A warm feeling spread throughout your chest. Maybe it was nostalgia, maybe even wistfulness that this side of Isagi was a side that wasn't yours, but you were still afraid of losing.

Or maybe it was just the feeling you got whenever Isagi was around.

Amazing.

That was the only thought that was on repeat in your head as you rewatched the U-20 of Japan against Blue Lock match.

All those players were amazing. You had Bachira Meguru, who singlehandedly drove up all the way to the front, weaving through the formations like it were nothing.

Itoshi Rin, who exploited in a laughable ironic way, the strengths of his opponents, destroying everything in his path, friend and foe alike.

Itoshi Sae, with his terrifyingly accurate passes, his frightening ball control that unnerved even the most unshakable of opponents.

But maybe Isagi Yoichi had been even more impressive.

You didn't know what had lured you in. The quiet steadiness and determination in his speech afterwards. The way he held himself, back straight confidently, but a tinge of modesty in the way he greeted everyone else.

Or maybe it was his eyes.

Maybe it was the way they surveyed the field, scanning, dissecting. Coming up with intricate plays you couldn't even wish to fantasize about.

There was something fascinating about his eyes. They were so... intense. So blue. Piercing in a way that made shivers go along your spine, but your chest tighten in morbid curiosity.

Just who was Isagi Yoichi?

Before this match had launched, before all these players had been debuted, before Isagi Yoichi had burst onto the scene like a crash landing, you had been thinking about turning down Buratsuta, (money-grabbing man you liked to call him in your head) your boss, to intership directly with Blue Lock.

But now... after seeing what they were all capable of, how many interesting people there were, you didn't hesitate.

With a definitive click of your mouse you accepted.

"Diamonds in the rough." Ego greeted, the screen flitting to life.

All the players congregated in the pentagon looked up.

It seemed that even after two weeks off, Ego still had that same demanding aura about him that commanded the whole room.

"Have had enough of slacking off yet?" Ego drawled, lazily looking into the camera.

There came no answer. Yet, Ego remained unfazed, immediately cutting to the chase.

"What is the cause for your growth?"

Silence.

"Environment."

Ego spread his arms wide, a manic smile on his face. "You're going to start a new chapter, be in a new environment..."

He stood up to his full length.

"Be on the world stage!"

Isagi's foot tapped onto the ground. Once. Twice.

He had never been good at sitting still. He'd get antsy, taken by the urge to move.

After Ego had launched into an explanation of the five strata and his dramatic spiel about environment, he had disappeared again, leaving the crowds of people to restlessly mill about.

Isagi sighed, looking down onto his phone. He frowned. He didn't know yet what to choose.

He was about to ask Bachira, when Bachira himself beat him to it. Albeit not about the same topic.

"Who's... that?" Bachira's mouth fell open, his eyes fixed onto something in the distance.

Isagi followed his line of sight.

Not something, someone.

Isagi's heart skipped a beat.

There was a girl. Seemingly around his age. She walked through the room, holding an ipad on her arm.

Occasionally, she'd stop by someone, engage into light conversation, while simultaneously penning something down onto the ipad.

"No idea..." Isagi mumbled, eyes tracing the curves of her smile.

Bachira looked back at him, then promptly burst out into laughter. "Does Isagi have a little crush?"

"What?! No!" Isagi shouted, his cheeks red. "I was just... wondering who she was."

"Apparently, she's a new intern. L/n Y/n." Chigiri breezily said, coming up from next to them. "I've just talked to her. She's nice. Sharp, too."

He rubbed his leg. "With one glance of her eye, she could tell I was favouring my left leg."

"An intern?" Isagi repeated, curiously.

Chigiri shrugged. "Haven't heard much, but she was interning for Ego's boss before. Something with the U-20 match that made her decide to come here."

Bachira laughed. "We're celebrities!" He nudged Isagi. "You already handed out your autograph, no?"

"Huh, what?" Isagi startled. "Uh... yeah."

Chigiri raised an eyebrow. "You're staring."

Isagi blinked. "What?"

Rolling his eyes, Chigiri elaborated. "Not at me. At her." He pointedly looked at you, then at Isagi. Isagi coloured red.

"I... I just wanted to know what she's doing." Isagi hastily said. "You know? With the ipad... thingie."

"Seems like she's collecting data." Bachira piped up. "But for what, I don't know."

"Hm... yeah, what for?" Isagi mumbled.

"Well, you can ask her now." Chigiri grinned devilishly.

"Huh, what?" Isagi blindly turned around, but he bumped into someone.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" Isagi squeaked out, hastily taking a hold of the person's shoulders.

"It's fine." You said.

Isagi's heart dropped.

"Ah! Uh, sorry!" Isagi released you, his face on fire. He took a big step backwards.

You tilted your head. "You're Isagi Yoichi."

Isagi blinked, feeling strangely weightless. She knows my name. "Uh yeah. Isagi. Isagi Yoichi. That's me. Yep."

Somewhere in the background, Chigiri facepalmed.

A small chuckle left your mouth. "Alright, Isagi Isagi Yoichi. I'm L/n Y/n."

"Uh. Hi." Isagi mumbled, a shy smile on his face.

You raised an eyebrow. "Hi."

"So uh..." Isagi shuffled onto his spot. Damn antics. "How are you?"

"I'm doing good." You answered, "How about you?"

"I'm... I'm doing good, too." Isagi glanced at you, then quickly looked away. "Top condition. Yeah."

"That's good to hear." You wrote something down. "Ego has sent me to get a sense of your medical conditions."

Isagi's eyebrows peeked in interest. "Medical conditions? What for?"

You smiled mischievously, leaning deceptively closer. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Isagi gulped nervously, his Adam sapple bobbing in his throat. His chest felt tight. "Uh..."

"I'll see you on the field, Isagi-kun." And with a light brush of your shoulder against his, you walked right past him.

"Oh. Uh yeah. Right." There was something dazed in Isagi's eyes.

L/n Y/n. L/n Y/n. L/n Y/n--

Isagi's heart thudded painfully in his chest. He was faintly aware of the warmth on his cheeks, but the pounding in his ears was drowning out everything else.

Save for one Chigiri Hyouma, who slithered from behind him, a smug smile tugging on his lips.

"You have it bad."

But he hadn't been the only one. Even if you didn't know at the time, and probably wouldn't know for the foreseeable future, too, meeting Isagi had been the kickstart of a freefall of emotions.

After doing your perfunctory routine of checking up on everyone, you returned to your office.

The sound of your brisk strides echoed throughout the hallways, though the breeze hitting your face did nothing to diminish the heat in your cheeks.

Isagi Yoichi.

You had met him. In the flesh. He had been nothing like how he'd carried himself at the U-20 match.

Sure, he didn't necessarily radiate meekness or insecurity, but there wasn't really that same trace of overwhelming confidence and steadfast determination to him, either.

He'd been... polite. Modest. Cute.

The animated gestures of his hands. The slight tremble in his voice. The caution but slight curiosity in his eyes.

Sweet.

You thought about the sprout on his fringe. The subtle sparks in his deep blue eyes. The tiny smile tugging at his lips.

The way how he talked, gentle and searching, as if he didn't quite understand yet how he should speak to you.

A warmth enveloped your chest, settled between the confines of your ribs. You couldn't quite put a finger on the feeling, but it felt bubbly and so, so warm.

Or maybe that was just the aftereffect of Isagi Yoichi.

A gentle nudge against your arm.

One beat. Two beats, three.

A tap on your skin.

You stirred, eyes fluttering open.

A blurry blue blob came into view.

When you blinked, it turned into Isagi.

A slight smile played on his lips. "We're here."

That made all the drowsiness disappear. You sat up, looked outside, and indeed, you were parked right in front of the hotel.

"Let's go?" Isagi questioningly looked at you.

You nodded, stepping out of the car and trailing after him into the hotel lobby.

You took the lead with the attendant, handing her your card. She read the card, a crease appearing on her forehead.

"Are you sure?" She quirked up an eyebrow. "You still have a month left, and the fee isn't refundable."

You could feel Isagi's gaze on you, but you forced yourself to look at the attendant.

"Yeah." You said in a definite voice. "I'm aware of the conditions. I don't have any objections."

"Alright." The attendant folded her hands together. "As your stay has been pre-paid, I'll make sure your baggage will be deposited shortly. Please wait in the lobby."

You gave a nod, and walked over to the couch, plopping down onto the cushions.

"You're completely being swallowed up." Isagi eyed you, amused, as he settled next to you, holding a respectable distance.

You huffed, sitting up. "All these hotels always have such shitty seats."

Isagi's sofa really is the crème de la crème, huh?

Isagi let out a laugh. "Yeah, I think I'm at least two inches shorter now."

"That'll make you 4'6 then."

Isagi's smile dropped. "Are you-- are you calling me short?"

A teasing smile flitted over your lips. "I'm not calling you short. I'm stating that you are."

A scandalous gasp left Isagi's mouth. "If I'm short, then you're a dwarf."

You raised your chin defiantly in the air. "Yeah, still a dwarf but way above your level."

Isagi's eyes flashed. "Are you talking about Mario Kart right now? Because last time, I basically swept the floor with you." Your eyebrows quirked upwards with interest.

How does he still remember that?

"By a very small margin." You huffed, looking away. "Besides, I was distracted."

Intense blue eyes. A widely stretched grin, with just the right mix of unhingedness and wildness. The moonlight casting a halo around his fluffy locks.

Isagi raised an eyebrow. "By what? The dust that I left when I passed you?"

You lacked behind a little, still a little lost in that flashback. But Isagi's daring grin made you reel back in quickly.

"Dust?" You gave him a once over. "That was just the ashes of your ego."

"My ego?" Isagi laughed, leaning closer. "Nothing could take away my ego, not even your smartass comments."

You rolled your eyes. "That's only because your ego is the size of fucking Jupiter."

Isagi cocked his head. "So almost as big as my presence?"

Squinting your eyes at him, you corrected, "Almost as obnoxious as your presence."

"Oh, yeah?" Isagi drawled, eyes flicking over your face. "Then why are you still talking to me?"

Your eyes flicked between his, a daring smile on your lips. You could see the faint spickles of hazel in his irises.

"Maybe to balance out the bullshit sprouting out of your mouth."

Isagi raised his eyebrows. "Cute. That projection's in 4K."

"Take's one to know one."

"Oh? If you know me so well, why don't you list some things about me?"

Kind. Caring. Thoughtful, flashed through your mind.

"Hmm..." You pretended to think for a second. "Do you want them listed alphabetically or by severity?"

Isagi's eyes were half-lidded. "I prefer them from you."

Your neck felt strangely warm.

"Alright, alphabetically then. Annoying." Attentive. "Boisterous." Beautiful. "Crude." Caring. "Devious." Dependable. You tilted your head. "Need I to go on?"

"Mhm..." Isagi dazidly spoke. "How about..." He looked you in the eye, something heavy within his gaze. "Admirable. Benign. Confident. Determined."

Your cheeks were warm. "Confident is just another word for misplaced self-trust."

Isagi's breath hit your lips. "Or maybe it's just believing in their worth."

Their?

Your breath hitched. "You--"

"Aw! I hope I didn't interrupt anything?"

The speed with which you scrambled away should be studied. It might be able to emulate the speed of light. Definitely beat sound.

"Oh! Uh..." Your face was practically exploding now. You looked at Isagi, but that made you feel even more unmoored.

The banter had been so natural. So alike years ago. So familiar.

He'd been so close.

"No... of course not!" You hastily scrambled up from the couch, folding your hands before you. "Are those my bags?"

The attendant gave you a look that screamed believing you would be like saying I like nachos without any sauce, but luckily, she rolled with it.

"Yes. We've cleared out everything in your room. I take it you're on your honeymoon?"

You choked. You heard Isagi make a strangled noise.

"Uh... honeymoon?"

The attendant shot you a confused look. "The ring on your finger? Very lovely, by the way. Maybe a bit too big to my taste, but to each their own."

"I... we..." You gave her a panicked look.

"Yes we are." Your head turned so fast towards Isagi that you could've sworn you heard a crack. Isagi didn't look your way, but you could see the tips of his ears redden.

"We... uh..." Isagi shot you a hesitant look. "Want to see the finale of the World Cup."

"The World Cup?" The attendant repeated. "Ah, Japan's great this year, no? An amazing line-up I've heard. Itoshi Rin and Itoshi Sae, Barou and Nagi."

"And Isagi." You added, unthinkingly, almost reflexively.

You could feel the heat of Isagi's gaze on you.

The attendant's eyebrows rose. "Ah yes, him, too, of course. Though I don't think he's that good of a player."

You narrowed your eyes. "Are you sure? Because Isagi has excellent positioning, insight and tactics."

"Yeah, but he can't do those amazing tricks like trapping a ball or a curve shot."

"That might be true." You spoke. "But being able to pull off those tricks will be in vain if they're the only weapon they possess. It would be easy to shut them down, once you know their weakness."

The attendant frowned. "How so? Who could stop people that amazing?"

You looked her dead in the eye. "Someone who is extraordinary."

And with that, you grabbed your bags and Isagi's wrist, decidedly stalking away.

Isagi was shooting you baffled looks, his jaw slackened. "Wha-- you-- huh?" The poor dude was frazzled.

You huffed. "I can't stand people insulting the people I care about straight to my face."

Isagi stood still, his mouth opened, a look that was quite alike fear and hope swirling in deep sea hues.

"You..." His voice faltered. "You... care? About me?"

You stiffened. Your chest lurched. You had the strange urge to flee the scene.

"Yes." You said, slowly, meeting his eyes.

There was something raw on Isagi's face. As if there was something etched deeply into the tapestry of his soul, and you were unraveling him, thread by thread.

It was his undoing. But there was no rule in the universe that said destruction couldn't be beautiful.

Isagi opened his mouth. Closed it.

"Still? After all this time?" His voice was barely above a whisper. You caught it anyway.

"I..." you licked your lips. Were you going to talk about it now?

Panic crushed your chest. You weren't ready. Not by a long shot.

What if everything went wrong? What if you would lose Isagi again?

What if you would hurt him, so much so that there was no point in returning?

You swallowed arduously, your eyes averted to the ground. Your voice was hoarse when you spoke next.

"Of course I do. How could I not?"

Something then crumbled in Isagi's face. Relief, hope, again that one emotion you have never able to read.

"...okay." Isagi whispered.

You watched him for a second, wondering if he would say more, but Isagi stepped towards you, wordlessly taking your bags from you.

His hand brushed against your skin, cedarwood enveloped your senses.

"I care about you, too." It was said fast. Fleeting. Almost inaudible.

But if your attention had always been on him, how could you ever let something slip past you?

"Okay." You smiled.

"Okay." Isagi's eyes flicked between yours.

He then stepped into the car, dispelling whatever spell had been casted on you.

You climbed into the passenger seat, the leather armchair soft and familiar underneath your skin.

"Playlist?" He tilted an eyebrow at you, his fingers pausing above the music register.

A slow grin spread across your lips. "Yeah. Same one?"

"You know it." Isagi answered playfully, turning up the volume of a song you haven't heard since five years ago.

Isagi started up the car, and as you bopped your head to the beat, your mind drifted away to your confessions.

I care about you.

It had been a small admission. It was throwing yourself into the deep end. But Isagi had responded in kind.

He still cared.

And maybe you hadn't figured everything out yet. You still hadn't addressed the issues of that one fight, still hadn't laid yourself completely bare.

But it was a beginning. It was the start of mending your relationship, of letting each other in again, step by step.

You looked at Isagi, he was silently mouthing the lyrics, his fingers thrumming lightly on the steering wheel.

When he caught you looking a smile grew on his lips. Naturally, you returned it.

Yeah, you'll be fine.

A/n: OR NOT. *laughs in I'm going to make characters suffer* /hj. Guys. Sit tight. After this, it'll be a rollercoaster of emotions.

©theresatzu

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Masterlist

Olive Branch masterlist

─────Blue Lock characters and distractions

Pairings. Blue Lock character x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi / Itoshi Rin / Michael Kaiser / Itoshi Sae

Tags. fluff, crack, simp behaviour

A/n: I headcanon Kaiser is the biggest simp when he's fully committed.

Prompt:

You're visiting at training, but he can't focus with you there and sends you home.

Or,

Blue Lock characters being a simp, and trying (and failing!) to salvage their dignity.

Isagi Yoichi

➨ Never did he think the day would come that his head would be asorbed by anything else aside from football.

➨But there you were, painfully proving him wrong.

➨ Your eyes weren't even on him; you were looking at Rin whose turn it was now to shoot at goal.

➨ However, when it was Isagi's turn, he could feel your eyes on him, like two lasers burning through his back.

➨ He could feel heat crawling up his neck, his hands turning clammy.

➨ And before he knew it, he had misstepped. In a futile attempt at regaining the ball, he fumbled a shot at goal.

➨ He missed. By a landslide.

➨ Isagi could hear the faint snickering behind him, but his mind was elsewhere. Without a word, he stepped off the field, heading into your direction.

➨"Isagi?" You squeaked out, surprised when he appeared right in front of you.

➨ With no preamble, he pressed a kiss onto your lips, his forehead resting against yours.

Finally, his heart sung.

➨ "You make me crazy, you know that, right?" Isagi murmured, his warm breath caressing your lips.

➨ "Oh really?" You teased. "What are you going to do about it?"

➨ Sending you home is what he did. But even that was an attempt in vain, because even when you weren't there, you took up every damned corner his mind.

➨ But at the very least, you weren't there to witness his mishaps.

➨ (That didn't stop his teammates from making fun of him, though.)

➨ (Not that it worked. Because when it came to you, who really was Japanese's Poster Boy anyway?)

➨ Yours. Is there even any doubt here?

Itoshi Rin

➨ He can't concentrate. He can't think. He can't fucking control himself.

➨ And it was all. your. fault.

➨ When he fumbled another pass, he promptly took off, his expression thundering.

➨ "Rin! Hey, come back!" But Rin staunchly ignored the call, beelining straight towards you.

➨ Eyes widening in surprise, you stared up at Rin's looming figure. "Uh, hello?"

➨ "Leave." Rin bit out, the tips of his ears red.

➨ You scrunched your eyebrows in confusion. "But... I just got here."

➨ Rin pursed his lips impatiently. "You're causing me problems."

➨ You quirked up an eyebrow. "Problems? What do you-- ohh." Realisation sunk in with an elated laugh.

➨ "Am I distracting you, Rin?" You leaned in with a smug grin on your face.

➨ "Shut. Up." Rin hissed. Adorably.

➨ You only smiled in return, standing up to gather your things. "Alright, I'll go. See you later, Rin."

➨ You pressed a chaste kiss onto his lips before you brushed past him. Rin froze, his lip tingling from the sensation, his face frozen between five different emotions.

➨ "Score many goals, okay?" You winked at him before you left. Rin couldn't help but stare at your swaying hips as you sauntered out of the training room.

➨ "Tch." Rin brushed it off.

➨ He didn't score many goals that day.

Michael Kaiser

➨ He's the emperor. He's the ruler of the field. He's the superlative of every adjective.

➨ He's a fucking loser who can't get his head into the game.

➨ It's driving him insane. You aren't even doing anything special, yet there you were, tripping and slipping him up.

➨ Blood was rushing to his ears, his hands clenched together, as if they missed the skinship of yours.

➨ And his heart? It was like he was tied to you by a string, tugging and tugging, trying to pull him to you, like the tide that'll always return to the embrace of the sea.

➨ And the worst thing? It was working.

➨ When Kaiser hit the goal post, he had had enough.

➨ He gracefully exited (stomped off) the field, chin held high, hand purposefully shoved into his side in a display of regality.

➨ "Hey, we aren't done here yet!" And "What are you doing?!" Followed his retreating back, but Kaiser didn't pay the underlings any heed.

➨ "Liebe." Kaiser appeared in front of you, a facsimile haughty look on his face that immediately crumbled the moment you set eyes on him.

➨ "Micha." You simply responded. And it was so fucking unfair, how much that did to his heart.

➨ He wanted you to disappear, to go away, if only so he could preserve the tiny scraps of dignity he had.

➨ But this was also the first time someone loved him. Regardless of football, regardless of his past. He couldn't muster up the feeling, let alone the words, to tell you off.

➨ With a sigh, he sat down and stroked your hair. He pushed a kiss into your hair. "You're doing things to me, Schatz." He whispered, stroking your hair.

➨ "Oh?" You raised an eyebrow. Looked him in the eye, and Kaiser melted into a puddle right there.

➨ "Mhm..." He mumbled, and because he couldn't say the words, he led with his actions.

➨ He gathered your laptop and pencase, putting it in your bag.

➨ You watched him with an astonished look on your face. "Uh... what are you doing?"

➨ "Wait at home for me." Kaiser pushed your bag in your hands, carefully avoiding eye contact.

➨ You blinked, baffled, but as you caught a glimpse of the red peeking through his blond locks, a grin spread over your lips.

➨"Alright," you said sweetly, brushing past him, noting the way his breath hitched when your fingers trailed an agonising path along his arm.

➨ "I'll see you at home." You had the audacity to wink, the audacity to leave Kaiser there, flushed and with a pounding heart, hand outstretched in that pathetic way when he wanted to grasp yours.

➨ It was safe to say that sending you away hadn't done anything in favour of his football.

➨ But for some inexplicably hopeless reason, the prospect of you waiting there at your home was enough to soften the blow.

Itoshi Sae

➨ He couldn't take it.

➨ Not that that's visible from the outside. No, he's mister nonchalant final boss externally.

➨ Internally? He's fucking tweaking. His heart's doing somersaults, his pulse is racing like it's its 9-5 job, and his lips are tingling so much that he would think a mosquito had taken its residence there.

➨ When Sae's ball was off by .2 inches (he's the only one who noticed), he was off.

➨ "Wah, Sae!" Someone called after him. Sae ignored it like always.

➨ But he couldn't ignore the way his chest gripped together, as if he was being run over by a train wreck. Not when you looked up at him like that.

➨ No, better, he was the train wreck. Because for some reason, the feeling of wanting, needing, yearning, only intensified the closer he was to you.

➨ And that just couldn't do.

➨ "Leave." He firmly said.

➨ You blinked. Damned eyes lashes.

➨ "Why?" You asked, raising an eyebrow.

➨ "You're making me feel things, and I don't like it." Sae blurted out.

➨ "I--oh, oh." You had to process that for a few seconds. Then, realisation struck you like Zeus's lightning. "Oh." You repeated, a smile spreading over your face.

➨ Sae's eyes narrowed, not trusting that smile of yours one bit.

➨ "Okay." And the scheming look was gone. Sae was caught off guard. Still suspicious. Still so fucking in love with you that he let it slip.

➨ You stood up, packed your things, and slung your bag over your shoulder.

➨ "I'll be at home," You whispered, closing the gap between you until mere inches of air were left.

➨ "Thinking about you." You murmured, brushing your lips against him, before pressing a soft kiss onto his lips.

➨ An electric zip! went along Sae's spine, but his face was as inflectionless as ever when he brushed a lock out of your face.

➨ "Don't stay up too late." He admonished. His fingers had a miniature tremble to them.

➨ "Wouldn't want to keep me waiting, right?" You smiled at him before sauntering off.

➨ If Sae rushed football that day, no one dared to ask, and he did not dare to think about that any harder.

➨ Because it was so obvious. Mister nonchalant final boss was irrevocably, completely, pathetically in love.

➨ And the worst thing? He didn't mind it one bit.

Masterlist

Olive Branch - Part 13

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Bachira Meguru, Isagi Yoichi's parents, OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, angst, unrequited love, estranged friendship, pining, burnt house, forced proximity, marriage & simp behaviour

Previous masterlist Next

How can a house be so damn perfect?

You sighed as the warm water massaged your back soothingly.

Isagi's guest bathroom wasn't big, but not too small either. There was a circular bath tub pushed into the far corner, right below the window.

A small racket endoused with towels was poised next to the shower that was in the opposite side of the room.

Almost deploringly, you stepped out of the shower, drying yourself off and pushing your hair in a wrapped towel.

"Uh... Isagi?" You asked loudly.

A faint nose echoed back, then you heard the guest bed room door opening.

A knock on the door.

While covering your body with a towel, you opened the door on a sliver.

A hand stuck out, holding some sweater pants and a t-shirt.

"Uh... here." Isagi's voice came out muffled, likely because he'd turned his head to the other side.

"Thank you." You took the clothes from him and closed the door.

Your hands carded through the material. It was soft, and it smelled like cedarwood.

After properly dressing yourself, you returned downstairs, the warm humid air of the bathroom a stark juxtaposition to the cool, breezy atmosphere of the living room.

You sneezed. Huh. Seemed like the flu hadn't left you quite yet.

"Isagi?" You walked towards the couch where Isagi was sitting, clad in comfort wear, too. A loose-fitting black t-shirt coupled with grey sweatpants.

He seemed to be watching something, probably something football-related.

Curiously, you eyed the screen.

Ah, this was from the previous World Cup. Your eyebrows raised though, when a familiar figure came on screen.

Your fiancé.

He had played well last year, his team even coming in first. Though, the victory was a hard won one, Japan had only lost to one point in the last few minutes of the game.

Noticing your presence, Isagi quickly whipped his head around.

"Y/n! How are you fe--feeling..." Isagi's eyes widened, then he abruptly turned away. The tips of his ears were red.

You shrugged, settling down on the opposite side of the couch. You didn't quite know how much space was appropriate between the two of you.

Isagi chanced a look at you, before opening his mouth and closing it again.

"I think I still feel a bit under the weather." You answered his question. "But I think it'll go away after a good night's rest."

"Ah, I, uh, see. That's... that's good!" Isagi responded, fiddling with his fingers.

"Mhm." You sank into the couch. It was unfairly heavenly. "There still needs to be done a lot for the match. I can't afford to be MIA for long."

Isagi slowly nodded, pursing his lips. "I heard something happened with the, uh, sponsors?"

You sighed. "Yeah, the opposite team managed to snatch them away. But we haven't found any replacements yet."

Isagi bit his lip, his eyes flicking to the floor and his hands.

"What if... I could perhaps uh... help you?"

Blinking in surprise, you glanced at him sideways. His cheeks were ruddy.

When your silence persisted too long, Isagi hastily spoke, "I uh... know a few people, and Reo, too. I think he would be definitely in. But I don't know if it'll be enough... and uh, if it'll be convenient, of course." Isagi licked his lips.

"Or maybe I could advertise the match? I guess being Japan's Poster Boy does have its perks..." Isagi trailed off, eyes questioningly looking at you.

"I... really?" You sat upright, your eyes widened.

A small smile flitted on Isagi's lips. "Yeah! I mean uh, of course." He coughed.

"You've been handling everything on your own, and uh... not that you're not capable! Because you are! Very capable and competent."

Isagi inhaled some air. "And you probably won't need my help, but uh... if you allow me, I'd like to help shoulder your... burdens? Ah, no, not that they're burdens," He hastily waved his hands, "It's your job, after all. A gopd job. Excellent."

He let out a strained laugh. "Just uh... I have a network that you can use? If you want, of course!"

Then, Isagi clamped his mouth shut, firmly boring holes into the ground with his eyes. You could only look at him, your mind blank.

He was wringing his hands, the corners of his lips awkwardly pushing upwards before falling flat again. His eyes were staring fixatedly on the floor.

Something tugged within you.

"If you..." You began unsurely, "if you're sincere, I... I would appreciate it."

Isagi's eyes widened. "You... you're sure?"

You gave a small nod, lips quirking up in an uncertain smile.

A bright spark lit up in Isagi's eyes, his lips stretched wide in a big smile. "Okay. Yes. I'll contact them tomorrow. And maybe Reo knows some tricks to garner people?"

Inclining your head in agreement, you affirmed, "I frequently have done business with Reo and I've seen him work his magic during those business gatherings. I think he'll definitely have some tricks on his sleeve."

Isagi's eyebrows rose in interest. "Reo?"

"Ah, uh. Yeah." You rubbed your neck. "He has a lot of international influence, especially since he's become of age and inherited a part of Mikage's Corporation. He's mostly active in football-related matters."

"So you... have met up with him over the years?" Isagi said, his voice neutral.

"At business gatherings, yeah. And Nagi. But he just tagged along."

"Ah, okay." Isagi gave a small smile. "I'm sure that Reo uh, can help you, too."

"Mhm." You mumbled absently, eyes straying towards the screen. "The finale of last year?"

"Oh! Just you know... scouting out the competition."

You tilted your head to the right. "Wouldn't the data be a little outdated, though?"

Isagi shrugged. "Yeah, but there isn't anything else available from that team as a whole. Besides," Isagi fiddled with the remote, "watching this again would be good for finding out the gaps in our plays."

Ah, always up for improvement.

"You know, that pass over there was a few metres off to the left." You offhandedly commented when the video clip played.

Surprised, Isagi looked at you askance.

"Oh, uh!" You chuckled awkwardly. "I had some spare time left last year, so I made some notes."

"Really?" Isagi looked at you in awe. "From which teams?"

You pursed your lips in thought. "England, France. Germany, Japan. Basically, the hot shots," you summarised.

"Oh, wow." Isagi sunk back into the couch. "Could I maybe... see them?"

You quirked up your eyebrows. "Are you sure? I mean, they're not really good or anyt--"

"If they're anything like the notes you had during the U-20s, then I'm hundred percent sure they're great." Isagi said confidently.

A rush of warmth spread over your face. "Ah... those were just some scrabbles. Nothing serious."

"They were!" Isagi countered, a fire to his eyes that made your chest burn hotly.

"I mean... uh, they were really insightful," Isagi coughed, lowering his volume. "They took several unforeseen factors into account that really helped boost the team overall dynamics."

"I... okay." A grin blossomed on your lips. "Then I'll get them. They should be on my laptop."

You went upstairs in search of your laptop, a giddy feeling bubbling up in your chest.

It had been a while since you had felt this way again. The sensation was archaic, but it nevertheless left you dizzy and breathless, as if you'd taken a dopamine shot.

Briefly, you were back in the moment portrayed in Bachira's picture: The Blue Lock Stadium after Japan's siege of the U-20 World Cup and the tedious afterparty. The moment such feelings had nestled in you, unfurling quietly but steadily in your chest.

That had been something. Just the quiet before the storm. Before everything went downhills.

But it hadn't been really quiet.

Being with Isagi was a lot of things: intense, extreme, fulfilling.

Being with Isagi felt like being alive.

And previously, when you had first come across that nostalgic picture, you'd thought that you could cope, lead a life without Isagi in it.

But it wasn't quite living. You weren't quite alive.

It was living life with a hole in your chest. It was having a memory without feelings.

And maybe, just maybe, your happiness had only been momentarily these years because Isagi hadn't been at your side.

And maybe, when you had pleaded for your fiancé to return to you all those weeks ago on that fateful night, when your home had burnt down, it had been Isagi who had answered your prayer, Isagi who had extended an olive branch to you.

Isagi, who had returned to you.

You plopped onto the couch, laptop nestled on your lap.

Curiously, Isagi eyed the screen. His eyes squinting, trying to read the tiny font.

"Come closer," You beckoned him with your hand, excitement thrilling your voice. "I haven't had the chance yet to show this to anyone."

Isagi did as you said, hesitatently scooting into your personal space, until his body heat warmed up the bare air between you two.

"Here, this one is Japan." You pointed at the screen, the diagrams and excel sheets giving a clear view of the gathered data.

"Can I...?" Isagi motioned at the laptop. You gave an affirmative noise. Isagi carefully took the laptop from you, hands brushing just slightly against the material of your sweat pants.

Goosebumps rose up along your arms, the place that Isagi's fingers had touched alight with something that was akin to a fire razing your skin. You shivered.

Am I cold? You frowned, rubbing your arms.

Though you weren't given much time to contemplate this; Isagi made a surprised noise.

"Are those... stats of all the players?" His eyes were brimming feverishly, his thrilled voice just enough to kick you out of your stupor.

"Yeah. But I think they're up for some fine tuning. After all, it has been a whole year." You mused.

"Wow..." Isagi's mouth was ajar, his eyes glued to the screen. "This is... amazing! It's so... so accurate and detailed!" He turned to you, eyes blazing with such a ferocious intensity that you felt sucked into his orbit.

"Strengths: stamina, relentless pursuit, guarding." Isagi mumbled aloud. "Additional assets: stalking horse defence and physique. Oh wow, this is Raichi!"

A smile spread over your lips. "Yeah, he's a pretty formidable player."

Isagi hummed, scrolling further down, mumbling the statistics. "Oh wait, this is me!"

You froze up, your chest feeling heavy.

What would Isagi think of your notes of him?

You had quite a lot of data on him after all, what with being a Director of Administration during the U-20s.

But especially because you'd been personally instructed by Ego to keep an eye on him, lest he'd raze himself into the ground.

"Weapons: high metavision, positioning, dribbling with enabled metavision, direct shot, lefty shot, feint shot, two gun volley..." Isagi trailed off, his eyes rapidly going over the list.

Meanwhile, you felt like sinking through the couch. Having all these notes on these players really made you feel like a stalker, even though it had been merely to occupy your spare time.

"Suggested roles." Isagi said, a hint of intrigue in his voice. "Playmaker, strategic brain of the team, scoring machine, and..." Isagi's eyes widened. "Decoy?"

He turned sideways to you, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Yeah, uh..." Your cheeks flushed. "You're like... an S-tier threat. Everyone is just so... drawn to you."

"Oh?" Isagi tilted his head sideways, his sprout dangling loosely from his fringe.

"Yeah, uh..." You coughed, throat hoarse. Your eyes briefly flicked towards his. "I mean, during the U-20 World Cup you were constantly being regarded with high vigilance."

"Huh." Isagi nodded, crossing his arms.

"I figured that you could use that to create a blind spot. Because you shine brightly on the field, naturally, there's also a dark shadow trailing after you."

Isagi blinked. "I... shine on the field?"

You were positively a tomato now. "Yes?" You squeaked out.

"Everyone's wary of you because of the insane tricks you pull off. You can use that to your advantage to take the attention off of your teammates and let them build up the attack. Of course, the other team will catch up and think you've switched tactics, but then..."

"I get the ball and score." Isagi finished your sentence.

"Yeah, exactly!" You enthused.

"Wow... I... wow." Isagi stammered, silently handing your your laptop back.

You chewed your lip, wondering if you might have gone just a little too far.

Isagi shifted his position, now facing you, his knee lightly brushing against your upper leg.

"I won't lie. This... this proved there are so many new possibilities." Isagi said seriously. His eyes had taken on that intense look of his, jagged at the edges but dulling in the middle where he was lost in that fascinating mind of his.

Sometimes, you really did wonder what went on in that big brain of his.

"Can I have a copy of this?"

Your eyebrows shot in your eyebrows. "So you think it's... fine?"

"Fine?" Isagi echoed, incredulously. "This is amazing! Ingenious! This... we could win the World Cup!"

We? A warmth enveloped your chest. Your eyes flicked to the space between you.

It had shrunk.

Ah, maybe you should make some more additional notes. Even off the field, people were naturally drawn to Isagi, and you were no exception to that.

"I... okay." You said breathlessly. "Are you sure they're alright, though? I can still make some modifications and add some new data."

"Oh!" Isagi's eyes beamed. "I think Ego has some files on that. It should be in the Blue Lock facility."

"It's still exists?" You asked, eyes wide.

"Oh, yeah." Isagi affirmed. "But it's become more of an exhibition now. Though everyone of Blue Lock still has clearance to all the rooms and the files."

"Wow." You sat back, thoroughly impressed. "So... you can just waltz in and take what you want?"

"Yep." Isagi confirmed. "The appliances are still so modern that there's a part of Blue Lock that's specifically reserved for team meetings and gatherings. That's why all the data of Japan's football team is also saved there."

"Yeah, nothing can really top Blue Lock." You mused, voice quiet in reverence.

Isagi looked at you curiously. "What do you mean?"

You shrugged. "They don't call Japan Land of the Rising Sun for nothing. Back where I've been for the past few years, they still used more traditional systems."

"Was it..." Isagi swallowed. "Was it good? There?"

"I... yeah. They treated me nicely, and uh... the house was also... good. Yeah."

Isagi stayed silent for a moment. His eyes fixed on the patch of couch that seperated the two of you.

He opened his mouth to say something, but he was interrupted by the ringing of your phone.

"Oh, uh. I'll get this."

Isagi nodded, eyes lingering for a moment on your face. "Yeah, uh. Please, go ahead." He cleared his throat.

You gave him a grateful bow of your head, before you walked towards the hallway.

"Hello?" You spoke in the phone as soon as you picked up.

"Heya bestie!" Miyu's voice chirped.

"Miyu." You greeted.

"How's it going? Is Isagi treating you well?"

Well, was an understatement. "Ah, yeah. His house is enormous, and he's been very po-- wait a second. How do you know I'm at Isagi's?"

Silence.

"I had a sense that you would stay late that day, what with for boss we have." You could practically hear Miyu's scowl from three planets away.

"So I ringed up Isagi. You haven't looked well for weeks, girl."

You sighed. "Yeah, you're right. Thank you for looking out for me. I passed out in front of the JFU building."

"You should really take better care of yourself." Miyu sighed. "Are you feeling better now?"

You shrugged. "I still have a little bit of a fever, but for the rest, I'm fine. I should be good to work tomorrow."

"WHAT?!"

You flinched. "Woah, uh. Did I say something wrong?"

"Uh, yeah?" Miyu retorted. "You haven't even properly recuperated after weeks of insane torture--"

"Unprioritised work-personal life balance."

"--and now you're thinking about diving back in? Where is that Isagi, huh? Don't tell me he's letting you go back to work!"

"Hey, I'm fine." You protested. "Besides, I can look after myself."

A snicker. "Yeah, yeah, and you don't think Isagi's handsome."

"Wah-- what?" Your face exploded.

"Anyway, I informed your boss and I basically demanded a week of paid leave."

You guffawed. "A week?! Do you have any idea what needs to be done within a month?!"

"Yeah," Miyu answered. "That's why that grouchy money grubbing asshole only gave you a day."

Your shoulders relaxed. "Ah, okay. One day isn't so bad, right?"

"It's not even enough. You should get more." Miyu sniffed. "Anyhow, how is it going there? You said his house was big?"

"Yeah." You gushed. "His guest bedroom alone was gigantic. And all of the decoration is just top-notch."

"Ah, taking notes?" Miyu teased.

"Definitely." You agreed without a thought. "He said he would send me a link to where he had purchased those stools."

Miyu murmured something intelligibly.

"Huh, what's that?"

"Ah, nothing, nothing. Please continue."

"Well, I just think it's really spacious. But it's also like... really cosy, you know?" You gasped. "Oh wait! Isagi offered to help us networking. And Reo's probably in, too."

"Oh, really?! That's amazing!" Miyu exclaimed. "See, I told you he would help!"

You scoffed. "Yeah, yeah. Always butting your nose in other people's business, huh? I know you were the one who tipped off my hotel to Bachira!"

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Uh... when I firstly stayed with Bachira, he somehow knew where my hotel was at."

"Girl. I didn't tell them."

Your eyebrows rose. "Wait, what?"

"I'm feeling extremely offended now, I would never dare betray my bestie like that."

"But... Bachira told me..." You trailed off.

"Bachira is a big, fat liar!"

"I... but. How?"

"Maybe that's something you could ask Isagi?" Miyu suggested.

"Ah, maybe. But why wouldn't they just... tell me?"

"Boys." Miyu stated. "Especially that Isagi of yours. He's always shrouded by mystery."

Mystery indeed. For the second time that evening, you found yourself wondering, just what was going on in his head.

"Well, that's enough for today." Miyu concluded. "Go get your beauty sleep, and don't worry your pretty head about the match, okay? Everything will work out in the end."

"Uh... yeah. Of course." You said, still stumped from the bomb dropped on you. "Thanks. Bye, Miyu."

Miyu bid you a cheery goodbye before she hung up. But her words lingered around for longer.

For some reason, you couldn't help but think that there was more that met the eye.

And the puzzle pieces revolved all around Isagi.

Do not copy my works, use it in AI or ChatGPT, or for other nefarious means.

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Masterlist

Masterlist Olive Branch

Hey, I saw your thieving request and reading I thought "Oh boy... If that's how they react towards bag being stolen what would happen if their own child was attempted to be kidnapped?"

So, my request is what if Bllk men had to leave their spouse and child for a few minutes (maybe they are on playground, park or smth) and then they heard a screaming and see that that spouse is attempting to run after someone who stole their child, while that kidnapper does manage to outrun spouse I don't think they would be able to outrun pro athletes...

Imma run with your idea 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♀️

Guys ignore that Rin looks like he came from a mothership from mars. Okay thanks!

Blue Lock characters ──────and get my child back

Pairings. Blue Lock character x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi / Itoshi Rin / Bachira Meguru / Itoshi Sae

Tags. fluff, crack, chasing like I chase a new Blue Lock chapter update

Tw. violence, swearing, kidnapping, blood

Request:

You are with your husband and your kid on the playground. Your husband had to take a quick business call and left for a little while. But when he came back, he was just in time to see that someone ran away with your kid. What will he do?

Masterlist

Isagi Yoichi

ꨄ︎ This man will kick up a fuss. Goes full sprint mode. Maybe takes like two minutes to catch up.

ꨄ︎ And when he catches up, ohoh, you just know that shit's about to go down.

ꨄ︎ You might've already wagered a guess, but as the creative linguistics person Isagi is, everything that tumbles out of his mouth is creative, too. Even if it is to the detriment to the people around him.

ꨄ︎ He doesn't resort to violence, but warnings are well in order, and absolutely paired with a dead stare that looks completely mismatched on his sweet face.

| Extract |

Isagi had just wrapped up a call, when a flash of movement caught his eye.

Alarmed, Isagi whipped around, only to be met with an atrocious sight.

Your child, who was just playing on the swings, being crudely grabbed by a hooded person, while you tried to take her back.

"Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Isagi yelled out, quickly making his way to the playground.

But upon arriving, Isagi was just in time to see the hooded person jerk himself away, your child slung over his shoulder.

You gave chase, but the hooded person was still far away. Isagi, as the athlete he was, easily caught up with you, his face scrunched together in fury.

"What happened here?"

"He... took... her." You managed to say between pants, but it was enough for Isagi.

With a nod, he motioned for you to slow down. "Let me handle this, those shoes won't take you far. I'll come back with her." He gave you a quick kiss on the forehead.

You nodded, squeezed his hand, then Isagi was off.

"Come back here, you lousy motherfucker!" He shouted, eyes fixed on the hooded man.

The man in question turned around, eyes widening upon meeting Isagi's blazing ones.

"Dad!" Your child called out, relief evident on her face.

"Sit tight!" Isagi yelled, before kicking it up a notch.

A surprised yelp was the only reaction the man could give, before Isagi lunged forward, tackling the man onto the ground.

Your child rolled out of his grip, luckily unscathed.

Isagi hastily rushed up to her, worry creasing his forehead. "You okay?" He rubbed her shoulders. "That must've been really scary."

Your kid nodded, eyes sparkling. "Yeah, but you were there! Going like fwuuum and fwaapp!" She made some elaborate hand gestures that mimicked explosions.

That were some peak special effects. Directors, take notes.

Isagi chuckled at her antics, but the mirth quickly died out when the man tried to scramble up.

"Just go back to your mum, okay? I'll handle this." Isagi patted her hair, before gently pushing her to your direction.

After your child was out of hearing distance, Isagi turned to the man, stepping dangerously close.

"What exactly went through your puny brain when you did that, you pig-faced leech?" Isagi impatiently narrowed his eyes, his arms crossed.

The man opened his mouth to respond, but Isagi was faster. "Do you think this is funny? The only person here making a fool out of themself is you, mister I can't even run straight."

The man's eyebrows screwed together in confusion. There was a hint of fear in his eyes.

"Yeah, I saw you running." Isagi clacked his tongue. "You looked like a newborn giraffe."

The man opened his mouth. Closed it.

Isagi scoffed. "What, too stunned to clap anything back? So your brain and your body are slow? Please, pick a struggle."

"Hey..." The man said meekly.

"And to think you had to steal my kid. Mine. I know you're probably lonely as hell, what with that outfit, but do you really think you would have been a match against her? Seriously."

"Match? I wanted to sell her."

"To the highest bidder?" Isagi rolled his eyes. "Please, my kid's worth much more than your ability to count to a hundred."

The man blinked.

"Keep that in mind." Isagi sneered. "There should be ample space left in that empty headed skull of yours. And don't let me see your ugly mug again, you walking advertisement for before pictures, because if you do, I'll make sure the only "after pictures" you'll have is a nice mug shot."

After having said that, Isagi stomped away, but not without throwing a menacing glare over his shoulder that made the man shrivel away into the concrete.

"Everything's gone good?" You raised an eyebrow at Isagi upon his arrival.

"Everything's good." Isagi murmured, before wrapping you in his arms.

"Dad!" Your little one ran up to him, launching herself into his arms.

"Hi, sweetheart." Isagi nuzzled her head, pressing a kiss to her cheek. "Are you okay?"

"Yes!" She giggled. "That was fun! Lousy motherfucker, lousy motherfucker!"

The colour drained from Isagi's face.

...

You slowly, very slowly, turned towards your husband, a carefully neutral expression on your face.

You faced your daughter. "Sweetie, can you give us a moment? Why don't you play on the swings? Don't stray too far!"

Realising what was happening, Isagi's eyes widened. "Ah no, don't leave--aaand she's gone."

Isagi met your gaze. He shivered. He couldn't help it.

"You are in big trouble."

Even though Isagi had gone up against Rin in flow mode and lived to tell the tale.

Even though Isagi had singlehandedly declared a metaphorical war on both Noel Noa and Loki in the same breath.

Even though Isagi had just taken down a kidnapper without even breaking a sweat.

Isagi still found himself shrinking in on himself underneath the weight of your withering glare.

Maybe he'd done all that. But compared to you, those paled to the absolute fury that was before him.

Maybe he should've been the one that was taken by the kidnapper.

Isagi bowed his head, looking sheepish and contrite.

"Yes ma'am."

Itoshi Rin

ꨄ︎ Ohoh, you do not want to piss off Itoshi Rin. And especially not Itoshi Rin's beloved ones.

ꨄ︎ If he's a beast on the field, then he is a monster off of it.

ꨄ︎ He does not pull his punches. He pushes them through. It's just purely basic primitive instinct at that point.

ꨄ︎ A glorious face off between two boxers? No. A battle of the wits? No.

ꨄ︎ A one-sided beating that'll end up in a landslide victory for Rin? And maybe... possibly an alarming visit to the ER for the other? Ding! Ding! Ding! We have a winner here.

ꨄ︎ This person stole his kid? He'll steal their ability to walk.

ꨄ︎ You know how Rin loves to be blunt? Oh, he will be. Especially during a fight. He'll run his mouth, sprouting insults that'll have you covering the ears of your kid and praying for the sanity of the victim.

ꨄ︎ NPC. Lukewarm dish. Regret in human form. What's new?

| Extract |

"Let me go! Mum!"

Rin flinched, the scream piercing his ears, the voice of the person on the phone drowning out.

There.

"Oh no you fucking don't." Rin snarled, a hot vulcano boiling in his chest.

"Uh... what? Excuse m--"

"Not now." Rin smashed the "end call" button and sprinted over to the playground.

But he was too late.

A person in black clothing pushed you aside, hoisting your wailing kid over his shoulder.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" You shouted in distress, getting on your feet to chase after them.

But Rin's steadying touch on your shoulder made you pause.

"Stay here. I'll get her back." Rin looked in your eyes, an intense edge to his gaze. With a dazed nod, you complied. "Bring her back."

"That's not the only thing I'll do." Rin muttered.

And then, he was off.

He weaved through people like fluid water, partly due to his physical prowess as an athlete, mostly due to the thunderous expression on his face.

"You let her go, right this instant!" Rin hollered. "If you only so as touch her..." His eyes darkened.

"Dad, dad!" Your kid was one of the very rare people that was not scared off by his menacing glare.

"Don't tell your mother. Slap him on the face." Rin shouted at her.

"Okay!" She laughed and did as what her was told.

"Hey! Leave that!" The kidnapper tried to pry off your daughter's fingers, but by the time he'd managed to do so, Rin was on him in an instant.

The first and only rational thing Rin did, was take his daughter off the ground and hand her over to you, who had followed him from a distance.

All the following things? They were just pure instinct, fueled by unadultered rage.

"You..." Rin stomped over to the man, a crazed look on his face. He kicked the man's stomach. "Filthy." Kick. "Piece." Slam. Cough. "Of." Kick. Splutter. "Damned garbage!"

But before Rin could give the finishing blow, the man crawled away, blood dripping from his chin. An appalled expression gleamed in his eyes.

He moved his hands frantically before him, a pathetic attempt to shield himself from Rin's overpowering rage.

"Wait! I'm sorry!" The man pleaded.

Rin stopped. Seemed to contemplate that for a moment.

Then he lunged forward.

"You'll be sorry, alright." Rin hissed, throwing a punch in the man's face. The man stumbled backwards, but before he could fall, Rin grabbed his collar, pulling him towards him in a pitiful power display.

"You'll be sorry when your pathetic heart needs the help of IV tubes to keep it beating!" Rin snarled, decking him on the face again.

Blood splurted out of the man's nose. His cheek was already sporting a bruise. He struggled to get out of Rin's grasp, but Rin was bigger, stronger, and most importantly of all, furious.

"You'll talk when I give you permission to talk, you pest." Rin hissed in a low voice, before throwing the man onto the ground.

The man crumpled in on himself with a pitiful whimper.

Rin lurched forward, fist extended, but strong grips on his arms prevented him from beating the man to a pulp.

"What are you doing?! Get your hands off of me!" Rin tried to kick himself free, but the four men retaining him held him tightly between them.

"That's enough." One of them firmly said. "You don't need to be charged for murder here."

Another casted a dismayful look on the pile of Pathetic Man. "Looks like he's suffered enough."

"If his heart's still beating he hasn't suffered enough!" Rin shouted, but the men wouldn't budge.

A sigh. "Let's get you back, the police will be here soon. I reckon that being convicted wouldn't be high on your list, no? So you better listen to us."

Rin snarled "I don't listen to anyone!"

"Rin?"

Rin stiffened.

"Ah, who might this lovely lady be?"

"She's my wife." Rin hissed, a warning in his voice.

One of the men tilted an eyebrow at you. You nodded, clutching your daughter's hand.

"Dad!"

Your daughter ran up to Rin, who engulfed him in a hug. The men exchanged looks and reluctantly, they released Rin.

"Dad, you're bleeding!" Your daughter ran her fingers over Rin's bloodied knuckles.

"I'm fine." Rin grumbled. "Most is of his, anyway."

"Yeah, you really did a number on him." One of the men whistled between his teeth. "He won't be able to walk for at least a week."

"A week? That's not enough." Rin spat. "I'l make it two, jus--"

A grip on his arm. "Rin." Your eyes were set hard. "Let's go home."

Rin seemed conflicted for a moment, his eyes flicking to the unconscious man and you, but after a beat he sighed, resigned.

"Fine."

As the three of you walked home, Rin looked at you sideways. "You're not hurt, right? Or I can just go back an--"

"No, I'm not, Rin." You sighed. "Are you, though?"

"I'm fine."

"Yeah, of course!" Your kid enthused. "Dad completely beat him! You have to teach me!"

"I..." How could Rin, when all his actions had stemmed from his destructive tendencies? His punches had been devoid of technique but he had made up for that with strength and speed.

"Maybe." That earned him a stomp.

"Itoshi Rin!"

Oh no. Not the full name.

"We will not teach her such things."

"Aw mum!"

Your daughter slumped.

"Only this one."

You stomped Rin's shoulder.

"What did you do that for?" Rin frowned.

"That's for getting yourself hurt."

You leaned in, pressing a chaste kiss on Rin's lips.

"And what's that for?" Rin mumbled, eyes dazed.

"That's for everything else." You smiled crookedly at him, watching the pink liven Rin's cheeks up. The dichotomy of Rin's dual sides really wasn't something to be underestimated.

Rin's eyes were soft, flicking between yours, as if he could just travel the world in between them.

You pressed another kiss to his mouth.

A gag.

"Ugh, I don't want to learn that one!"

Bachira Meguru

ꨄ︎ Remember that cheerful, happy-to-go man that always has a beaming smile on his face?

ꨄ︎ I don't. He becomes a full switch-up when his family is threatened.

ꨄ︎ Isn't much for words, but he'd throw a punch or two. Or seventeen.

ꨄ︎ He won't make it his objective to incapacitate the other person, but he will make sure that they'll remember whom ecactly they crossed for the following month.

ꨄ︎ Afterwards, he'll be like. "If I ever catch you again..." In a threatening voice, but after that, his personality does a 180 again, and he's back to his friendly self.

ꨄ︎ Becomes clingy in the aftermath. He might not show it, but the events did shake him. Good luck trying to get him off of you, because he's not letting you go, ever.

| Extract |

Bachira was chattering in the phone, talking another poor businessman's ear off, when he heard a bone-chilling scream.

His heart stilled. The pleasant smile fell off his face.

He turned his head, only just in time to see you take off, after a hooded figure who was carrying...

Bachira squinted his eyes, he couldn't quite see what it was.

"Mum!"

No... it couldn't be.

"Sorry, gotta go! I'll catch you later!" Bachira said in the phone, ignoring the spluttering of a very irate businessman.

"Alright, pebbles for brains." Bachira muttered, his lips forming a snarl, "Let's see how fast you are."

Then, he was off.

He zigzagged through the masses, light on his feet, as if this were a dance he'd performed a million times.

Soon, he caught up with you.

"Bachira!" You said in relief, "That man--"

"I know." Bachira fixed his eyes forward grimly. "I'll get him, okay? Trust me."

A soft smile flitted on your lips. "Always."

A small smile quirked Bachira's lips upwards, the only preamble before he pecked the corner of your lips and took off.

Bachira sprinted through the people, eyes fixed straight on his target. He was getting increasingly closer and closer, just mere metres away from the kidnapper.

"Behind you."

The man turned around with fearful eyes, the voice being too close for comfort.

But when he pivoted, there was no one behind him actively pursuing him.

However, because he neglected to not decelerate, he kept on running straight in the arms of...

One smug Bachira.

"Aha! Gotcha!" He grinned eerily, his teeth showing. Were those talons?

The man yelped and keeled over.

Luckily, Bachira managed to scoop up your daughter before she could be taken with him in his fall.

"Dad!" She let out an elated laugh, slinging her arms around his neck.

"My little rascal." Bachira pressed a kiss on her nose, ruffling her hair playfully. "You okay? If not, give the big scary man a good kick, okay?"

"I'm fine, but can I kick him?" She pleaded, "He was super slow! You beat him!"

"That you did." You chuckled, finally having caught up with them.

Bachira handed you your kid, letting out a sigh of relief.

But it wasn't over just yet.

"You vile schmuck!" The man on the ground spat.

Bachira raised an eyebrow, stepping closer. His hands were daringly poised on his sides as he leaned in, his nose now mere inches distanced from the man.

"What did you say?" Bachira innocuously repeated.

"I said vi--"

He was cut of by a slam! in his stomach.

The man coughed, spittle flying out of his mouth.

Bachira tilted up both his eyebrows, still donning an innocent expression. "What was that? I don't think I heard you, thieving mister."

"You fucking freak--" The man hissed, trying to scramble away by crawling backwards on his hands.

Bachira became ominously still.

"Say that again."

"Fre--"

Bachira threw himself on him.

What followed were a lot of punches (Bachira), a lot of eerily giggling (Bachira), and a lot of pained grunts (the man).

"Not so tough now, huh?" Bachira taunted, his eyes egging on maniacal.

The man was too pained to speak.

"This "freak" here defeated you, mister I spent too long in the Mac Donalds." Bachira cracked his neck, jostling his fingers. "If you want another round, I can take you to a more... secluded space."

The man's response on that invite was to run away.

"Aw man, and just when I was looking forward to a good beating." Bachira deplored.

"Bachira." You came to him, having looked on from the sidelines when he was handling it. "You're bleeding."

"Yeah, dad looks like an action star now!" Your little girl exclaimed.

"Oh, yeah." At the reminder Bachira wiped away the blood from his lips. "I look pretty cool, huh?"

"The coolest!"

"And dirty." You raised an eyebrow. "Come on, let's get you into bad."

Bachira grinned devilishly. "Only if you join me!"

"Ew! Stop flirting!"

"You want to join in then?" Bachira eyes sparkled mischievously.

"No!" Your kid crossed her arms.

"Good, then I'll have your mother completely for myself and--"

"La la la la!" She pressed her hands against her ears.

You rolled your eyes at their antics. Pulling at Bachira's sleeve, you hauled him with you. "You'll bathe alone."

"Aw, what?!" Bachira deflated, "No!"

"I'll take a shower with our little one here later." You explained.

Bachira jutted out his bottom lip. It wasn't pouting, but it was surely near it.

"Aww... can't she go alone?"

"No, I can't!" Your daughter stuck out her tongue. Bachira huffed and did the same.

You sighed. "You guys are both immature."

"But that's a good thing, right? Right?" Bachira tickled your neck.

The corners of your lips tugged upwards. "I guess it's always entertaining to see you act like a three year old."

"Hey!" Bachira squawked in offence. "At least you never get bored with me!"

That was true.

Bachira was the light of your life. He was caring, cheery, maybe a bit eccentric at the edges. But he was yours.

You smiled. A smile that reached your eyes and touched your heart. A smile that only Bachira managed to draw out of you.

"That indeed."

Itoshi Sae

ꨄ︎ He's basically nonchalance incarnate.

ꨄ︎ However... underneath the thickly veiled apathy, he cares.

ꨄ︎ That might not be too visible for most people, though. There's no shouting. No hurried pacing. No fighting.

ꨄ︎ But there is vulnerability and hurt in his eyes. There is the slight tremor in his fists. The low undercurrent of anger and warning in his tone.

ꨄ︎ Catching a kidnapper? That's a walk in the park for him. Watch him break out in a sprint that'll make him appear like the Flash, but won't even make him break out in a sweat.

ꨄ︎ Upon catching the kidnapper, he will have some words for him. And then he'll just walk away. Demure. Controlled. Nonchalant.

ꨄ︎ That's what most people think.

ꨄ︎ No. He'll go farther. Much, much farther. Black mailing? Check? Social isolation? Most definitely. Public humiliation by posting information that could get them cancelled for the following fourteen light years or so? Absolutely. Double check.

| Extract |

Sae just came back from getting a coffee (no one would dare call him on his free day), when a stress-inducing sight met him.

"You fucker!" You yelled, trying to take your daughter back, but the kidnapper was too fast. He sprinted away, your daughter on his shoulder.

"Fucking lukewarm." Sae cursed, carefully setting down his still warm coffee mug.

He then jogged off, following your figure.

"Stay here. I'll take care of it." Sae said to you, while jogging next to you.

You panted, nodding your head. "Okay. Be careful!"

"You don't have to tell me." Sae mumbled darkly, before running a little faster.

"Dad!" Your kid called out in relief when Sae came within her peripherals.

Sae's eyebrows lifted for a second. "I'll be with you in a second."

Then, he disappeared.

"Har har! Some dad you have!" The kidnapper mocked. "I bet he'll leave yo--"

The kidnapper suddenly tripped over something, face-planting in the ground.

In his fall, he released your kid, causing her to sail through the air and land...

In Sae's waiting arms.

"Dad!" She slung her arms around Sae's neck.

Sae pressed a kiss against her cheek. The barest hints of a smile touching his lips.

But all mooshy love signs withered away, falling flat on Sae's aloof face.

Still carrying your child, he stepped towards the man, a sneer painting his lips.

"Look at you. Pathetic." His eyes disdainfully flickered over the man, as if he were nothing but garbage.

The man coughed, raising his fist, but before it could make contact with Sae's skin, it was intercepted by Sae's free hand.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Sae said lowly, his voice barely above a whisper, but louder than a threat. His grip on the man's hand turned into bone crushing.

The man's face went pale. A groan left his mouth, as he tried to struggle himself free.

Sae leaned in, his eyes narrowed. "I won't embarrass you more than you already have yourself, you lukewarm shit. But don't think you're getting away with this."

Impossibly, his vice grip became more menacing. A scream tore from the man's throat. Then, Sae released the man. Calmly stepping over him.

Upon arriving back at you, you exhaled in relief. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" You took your daughter from him, but not before giving him a peck on his lips.

Sae's eyes softened.

"Can you look over her for a minute? I need to make a call."

"I thought no one called you on your free day." You remarked curiously.

"This... is a special case."

Thinking nothing of it, you nodded. "Okay, I won't let her stray too far away."

Sae inclined his head, taking the coffee cup from you.

What he didn't mention, was why he was making the call. It wasn't difficult to swipe the wallet of the man away, it being sprawled unprotectedly on the floor.

There were consequences to every action, after all.

When his agent picked up the phone, Sae lifted his coffee to his lips.

It was still warm.

Masterlist

─────── Blue Lock characters and accidental sleepover

➥ pairings. blue lock character x reader insert

➥ featuring. isagi yoichi & itoshi rin (seperate)

➥ tags. fluff

Prompt:

You're visiting Blue Lock, but accidentally stay past visitor hours, consequently being trapped with nowhere to go.

Masterlist

Isagi Yoichi

"Shit."

Isagi pounded his fist against the entrance door.

With a frustrated sigh, he turned to you, his shoulders sagged.

"We're... trapped."

Your eyes widened. "Seriously? When can I get out then?" You shivered. "This place makes me think about Squid Game."

Isagi furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "Maybe you can sneak out tomorrow morning? I believe with the visitor's pass," he nodded at the card around your neck, "you'll be able to bypass the gates."

"So I should just... stay the night?" You postulated.

A red flush overtook Isagi's features. "Maybe? I think? Unless you want to be caught by Ego..." Isagi trailed off, and with good reason.

If Ego would catch notice that you had overstayed long past visitor's hours, you wouldn't want to imagine what sorts of punishments he'd inflict upon you.

What if he made you do lifting? Squads? Cardio.

You sighed. "I guess it isn't too bad. But where can I stay though?"

Isagi chewed his lip. "Maybe a spare room? Or in an individual practice room?"

You cringed at the thought. Laying down on sweat-soaked grass for several hours was not really an appealing prospect.

But Isagi's first idea could maybe work out.

"Alright then." You conceded. "So we just have to... scavenge the place and see if there are any rooms to spare?"

"You got it!"

No, you didn't get it.

The Blue Lock facility was a damned maze. And for what good reason?

There were countless of hallways, each of them intersecting with more hallways, that, surprise, surprise, segued into even more hallways.

And what you didn't get at all, was why Ego felt the need to install over a dozen of training rooms and not even one spare room.

Okay, granted, Blue Lock wasn't really made with the purpose of catering impromptu guests, but ensuring enough sleeping quarters should at least be high on the list, right?

Wrong.

You dragged a hand over your face. "Ugh, this is pointless." After what seemed like hours that you've been searching, even those stupid sweat-soaked training facilities looked appealing to you.

Isagi chuckled awkwardly. "Maybe there is one behind..." He pulled open a door, "this one!" But behind the door was yet another screening room.

Isagi deflated in disappointment. "Shucks. At this rate, I don't think we'll find anything."

Your heart sank in your chest. Shit, did that mean--

"Or you can sleep with me?"

--the training grounds.

You choked.

Isagi hastily patted your back, a sheepish expression on his face. "Sorry uh... wrong phrasing. I meant to say, maybe you can sleep in my room?"

Your cheeks exploded. Rooming together... with Isagi?

"But... don't you have roommates?"

"Oh yeah, shit." Isagi rubbed his neck. "But maybe we can make it work? Like, we can sneak inside, while they're all sleeping?"

You pursed your lips in thought. Maybe it could work, but it had a high probability of failing. What if the others would notice there was another person in the room?

But then again, it was the only way.

"Alright."

Isagi's eyes widened. "Alright?"

You nodded. "But I'll have to leave before the others wake up."

"I'll set an alarm." Isagi promised.

Setting an alarm had ultimately been proven useless.

Why?

Well, it all started when you snuck in Isagi's joint dormitory at the unholy time of 2 am. (Thanks to Hiori being an insomniac gamer).

So you were dead tired, which of course would prompt a long, deep sleep.

And secondly, Isagi.

Luckily, Isagi's bed was big, so you didn't have to worry about falling off.

But unfortunately, it wasn't big enough to sustain two people while simultaneously leaving ample personal space.

You were just shy from pressing against Isagi. His breathing was maybe a little too irregular for you to believe he was actually sleeping, but by his slack posture, he probably wanted you to believe he was.

Isagi was warm. His body heat seeped into yours, even though there were no existing contact points between the two of you.

In a normal situation, you would've probably been a lot more freaked out about the current state of affairs. However, because of the ungodly hours you had been awake, your body was practically beat.

And with Isagi's inviting warmth, it didn't take you long to be swayed by the allure of sleep.

However, Isagi's warmth was both a blessing and a curse: it had helped you with dozing off, but it had also kept you asleep, even when Isagi's alarm blared like a jet engine about to take off.

Though, even if it was basically rabid dog level of screeching, your ears didn't pick up on it.

But the others had.

Confused murmers rose from the frazzled roommates, wondering who in the hell would set an alarm, when they all knew Ego would probably wake them up at an uncostly hour.

"Ugh... can someone stop that sound, sound?"

"I don't know where its comin' from, turn it off."

But the alarm kept blaring.

Finally, having had enough, Hiori stomped out of his bed, his hair sticking to all sides. He slugged over to the source of the noise, and slapped the alarm.

But all lethargy evaporated as he noticed the big bump on Isagi's bed.

His first thought was that Isagi had gained weight.

His second thought was that some sort of monster had eaten Isagi.

"Guys!" Hiori shouted, "Take a look!"

Yukimiya and Kurona got out of bed, eyes still hazy from sleep, but the grogginess faded when they saw the enormous bulge in Isagi's bed.

"Maybe Isagi sleeps with pillows, pillows?" Kurona offered.

"Or he was eaten by monsters." Hiori supplied.

Yukimiya narrowed his eyes. Then, he lifted the covers.

A collective gasp.

"I think this even worse than monsters..." Hiori mumbled.

"My eyes, my eyes!" Kurona slapped his hands over his eyes and promptly fell on the ground.

A loud slam! resounded through the room.

Movement stirred from the bed.

The three roommates froze.

"What are you..." Isagi let out a huge yawn, "guys doing?"

"What... what are we doin'?" Hiori raised an eyebrow. "What have ya been doin'?"

Isagi blinked slowly. "What have I been doing...?"

"Isagi?"

Isagi froze. They all froze.

Face heating up to insurmountable temperatures, Isagi looked downwards.

You were practically half-sprawled out over his lap, arms slung around his waist, sleepy face pressed against his torso.

His cheeks exploded.

"I... uh... this is not what it looks like!" Isagi stammered, his face resembling a tomato.

"Oh really?" Yukimiya countered, "Then what is she doing in your bed?"

"We lost track of time and we couldn't leave so we... we..." Isagi made a vague gesture that was supposed to explain the situation but it did nothing except for pushing aside some molecules in the air.

"Uh-uh. I see." Yukimiya nodded, sagely, as if he actually understood what the fuck Isagi was on about. (Spoiler alert: he didn't).

"Please don't tell Ego." Isagi pleaded. "I don't want to plank for ten minutes like Bachira."

Hiori pursed his lips, actually contemplating it. The fucking sadist.

"M'kay."

Isagi's eyebrows tilted. "For real?"

"Yeah, for real, real?" Kurona turned to Hiori.

"Yes. But ya owe us." Hiori grinned. There was a dark gleam in his eye.

"Ah... okay." Isagi went for a smile, but it was painfully forced. He didn't know whether he should be grateful or scared shitless.

"Alright, let's give the love birds some time alone." Hiori practically pushed the others out of the room. "Don't do things I wouldn't do!" He yelled over his shoulder before he slammed the door closed.

"Don't do things... Hiori!" Isagi's face was beet red.

But the only answer he got, was the faint sound of cackling, ominous, laughter.

A shudder ran along Isagi's back, his hands clenching the sheets.

"'Sagi?" You murmured, still half-asleep. "Cold?"

"Uh yeah... a little." Isagi admitted, though his face told him otherwise.

"Come." You drowsily pulled at his arm.

Isagi stilled.

Then, almost reverently, Isagi slipped deeper under the covers, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"Is this... okay?" Isagi whispered, slinging an arm over your back, pressing you closer against his chest.

"More than okay." You sighed, snuggling your face closer into his neck.

"I... uh. Okay. Yes! That's good! Very good! Do you... maybe want to get up? Not that I want you to leave, but our alarm went off and we might not have enough ti--"

"We have enough time." You decided, pressing infinitesimally closer. He smelled like cedarwood and mint. "Just five more minutes."

"Five more minutes," Isagi repeated. "Okay, that's fine. Totally."

It did not, in fact, take five minutes. Those five minutes turned into ten, twenty, thirty seven and two seconds, until finally, finally, after an hour, there was some loud bonking on the door.

Maybe later, you would regret your actions. Because being scolded by one intimidating Ego, laughed at by a vindictive Hiori and known as "Isagi's girlfriend" by the majority of Blue Lock, would surely haunt you to your grave.

But now, now you relished in the alluring warmth that was Isagi, Isagi with his pretty blue eyes and a heart that ran warmer than the sun.

(And with a very, very warm body that was now your new pillow).

Itoshi Rin

He was not stressing. Nope. Nuh uh.

"Fucking goddammit!" He slammed his fist against the door.

...see? That's a totally normal reaction when things aren't going your way.

"Uhm... Rin?" You hovered next to him, wondering if you should step in and risk suffering the same fate as the poor door, or if maybe letting him rage for a few seconds would be more preferable.

"I... damnit." Rin's jaw clenched, but when he turned to you, the hard edges around his glare faded away.

"That NPC closed all the doors." Rin hissed.

"Well... maybe I can just... stay here?" You suggested. "Surely there will be some space in this enormous building."

At that, Rin seemed to calm down a bit. "Let's go find something then."

"I'm fucking sick of this place." Rin spat, kicking a door in.

Well, there went the peace.

"Okay, wait." You said hastily, before Rin could wreak havoc on another inanimate object. "What about your room?"

Rin stilled. His eyes narrowed. "What about my room?"

You shuffled on the spot. "...Maybe I can sleep on the ground?"

"I have roommates."

"We can sneak inside?"

"Sneak inside." Rin repeated.

"Yeah, I mean, it's just for one night, right?"

Rin stared at you for a few debilitating seconds.

Then, "Fine."

"Fine?" You repeated.

"Do I need to say things twice?" Rin grumped, ears tinted red.

"Let's go." He practically stomped away.

Because you had it bad, you followed him.

Having arrived at Rin's room, you scoured the hallways, mindful of every rustle, every stray noise that gave away another person's existence.

Rin pressed his ear against the door. "The coast's clear. Come on." He stepped inside, motioning for you to follow him.

You did. But you almost wished you hadn't.

"Eugh, what's that?!" You shrieked, soul almost jumping ten feet in the air.

Rin followed your line of sight and rolled his eyes. "That's antennae freak's underwear."

Ooookay. You chuckled awkwardly, taking a huge step around it. Maybe this was a bad idea.

"Here." Rin said as only preamble before he threw a hoodie in your face.

You spluttered, the hoodie falling in your hands. It smelled like aftercare ointments and fresh lavender. Like Rin. Your brain shortcircuited.

"What?" Rin groused.

"Uh... nothing!" You hastily said, before stepping closer to what seemed like Rin's corner of the room.

Luckily for you, Rin's side was neat and clean, as opposed to the pigsties that were the other corners.

Hm. Maybe you could sleep right in that corner, it didn't look very comfortable, but if it was just for one night, then it shouldn't be a problem, right?

You curled up on the floor, Rin's hoodie serving as a blanket. Huh. Aside from the harsh underground, this wasn't so bad.

"What the fuck are you doing."

You sat up. "Finding a good spot?"

"This again?" Rin waved his hand. "Come up here."

Your eyes widened. Rin, infamous private person, basically a germaphobe with how averse he was to touch, invited you in his bed?

"Why do I have to say everything twice?" Rin sighed. "You're a dead giveaway there."

Ah, so that's why. You scrambled from your spot, sliding in Rin's bed, the mattress dipping under your weight.

"Are you going to use my hoodie as a plushie now?" Rin lifted an eyebrow at you.

You followed his gaze, where his clothing piece was crumbled in a ball in your fist.

Rin pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're creasing it."

He snatched his hoodie out of your hands, and pushed it over your head.

You wrought your head through the opening, lavender all around you. Your cheeks flushed at the proximity between you two.

Up this close, you could see the tiny flecks in Rin's teal eyes, the long bottom lashes that fluttered against his soft skin. The soft dip in his pink lips.

"Hopeless." He murmured, but the bite was absent.

You inhaled shakily.

At the sound, Rin snapped back to his default grumpy mode. He took the two strings and pulled.

You blinked, but before you could react, the hoodie was screwed around your face, obscuring your vision.

You spluttered, blowing a hair from your mouth as you pulled the hoodie down.

Rin's back was turned to you, his hair splayed against the pillows. His ears were red.

"Sleep." Rin commanded to the wall, his voice hoarse.

As if on cue, you let out a yawn, tucking the covers nicely around you.

It was warm in Rin's bed, but you didn't know if that was because of Rin's body warmth or his thick hoodie.

Either way, you were contented, swallowed by the surprisingly soft blankets.

"Good night."

"...Night."

You closed your eyes, and just as sleep pulled you in, you could've sworn you felt a phantom touch along your waist.

"Underlashes Junior! Wake up!" A shrill voice hollered.

"Rin Rin Rin!" A high pitched voice chanted.

"Shut the fuck up, you imbeciles." Rin rasped.

"Oi... what's that?" A finger poked your side.

Your eyes shot open.

"Licky Rin-Rin, who you got in thereee?"

That was the only warning you got, before the covers were crudely thrown away.

"What the..."

"Who's that?!" The high pitched voice shrieked.

"Ugh..." You rubbed your temples, all the shouting accumulating in a migraine-inducing headache.

"It's a woman!" The high pitched voice exclaimed, before fleeing the scene.

"Oohhh is that Rin-Rin's girlie? He drools in his sleep!"

"No I fucking don't! Get lost."

You looked to the side, and saw Rin, still tucked underneath the covers to his abdomen, donning a furious expression.

"It's our room, too, Lashes." A pink streaked blondie teased. Ah, that must be antennae fre--Shidou. "But if you want to go all explosive..." Shidou tucked his hands in his pockets, a wide grin on his face. "Then go bam!"

"No, we fucking won't. Now get out, before I kick you out, you damned leech!" Rin hissed, his hand unconsciously clenching the sheets.

"Okay, okay!" Shidou threw his hands up in a placating manner, "Straightforward, aren't you? You like a bossy man?" Shidou winked at you.

Rin's eye twitched.

"Come on, Charles, let's make some explosions!" Shidou carted Charles out of the room, who had been lurking behind a bed after he'd screamed "It's a woman!" like a caveman.

"Rin-Rin wants some alone time with his gi--"

Rin stomped out of bed, basically shoved Shidou and Charles outside, and kicked the door shut.

You watched it happen with widened eyes.

Rin dragged a hand along his face, his eyes still fuming. "Don't mind that damn freak." He swept the cover from the floor and threw it on the bed.

"You have some interesting roommates." You laughed.

"They're not interesting. They're a pain." Rin grumbled. "Let's go already before they come back."

You slid out of the bed and helped Rin arrange all the pillows and the covers, before you both left the ravaged room.

All the while, Rin didn't even look at you, quietly smoothening out the creases in the fabric.

But you looked at him.

Rin on a normal day was a treat. All sharp edges, and even sharper eyes. Posture ram-rod straight and a permanent scowl fixed on his lips.

But Rin at 6 am in the morning was a feast.

Now, he was still sharp. But dulled. His shirt was haphazardly fluttering above his sweat pants. A scowl was still on his face, but sleep had made his eyes a little softer, his hair a little more messy.

He was beautiful.

But he was breathtaking when he bid you goodbye at the entrance of Blue Lock, not quite looking at you, not quite looking away either.

"Oh, I still have yo--"

"Keep it." Rin interjected, chancing a glance at you, then immediately looking away.

"...looks good on you." He mumbled, ears pinched red. Your chest lurched.

"Alright... I guess I'll go then." You hesitatently waved a hand at him, walking away from the entrance. Rin still hadn't looked you in the eye.

But you could've sworn you felt his stare in your back, still sharp but dulled.

Softened.

Yeah. Maybe that was the best way to describe Rin, Rin who watched you walk away for who knows how long, until you were a mere stip on the horizon, until the thrumming of his frantic heart ceased.

And only after that did he turn away, his eyes softened, mellowed, holding something that looked a little bit too much like lo--

Rin abruptly turned inside.

That was a story for next time. Now, dealing with the two devil roommates seemed more pressing.

Rin sighed, mentally preparing himself for the worst.

But it had been worth it.

No, you had been worth it.

Because if a little taunting and teasing is what it took for you to walk away with Rin's hoodie and a piece of his heart, then what was all that in the face of lo--

No, nope.

He was not ready for that.

But if Rin's heart quickened even just a little, who could tell what had been the cause of it?

Masterlist

Olive Branch - Part 12

Pairings. Isagi Yoichi x reader

Featuring. Isagi Yoichi, Bachira Meguru, Isagi's parents, OCs & reader insert

Tags. fluff, crack, angst, seperation arc, pining, unrequited love, marriage, burnt house, estranged friendship & forced proximity

Previous masterlist Next

"Hey Isagi!" Hiori slapped a hand on his shoulder.

Isagi startled, shaken out of his reverie.

"Uh, yeah? What's up?"

Hiori raised an eyebrow. "It's your turn. We're all waiting on you."

"Wait, what?" Isagi blinked. But when he looked around him, he was met with the amused looks of his friends.

His cheeks flushed. "Ah yes, I'll be right up!"

He clumsily took the ball and shot at goal.

He missed by a landslide.

Isagi blanched, his neck turning warm.

As badly-concealed snickering erupted from behind him, Isagi turned around and stomped over to them.

"Don't laugh at me!" He hissed, but the threat fell flat, even to his own ears.

Chigiri laughed, "That was even worse than back in Team Z! What a blunder."

Aiku gave Isagi a bemused once over, "Seems like you don't need any police officers hunting you down."

"Guys." Isagi groaned.

"Ah sorry, Isagi-kun." Hiori wiped away a stray tear. "Yer just so 'ead over heels in love, it's funny."

"More like moronic." Rin tch'ed. "It's just embarrassing at this point."

Even Rin had come to pester him. That really must mean he was in too deep.

Isagi sighed, deciding to just come clear. "... she fainted yesterday."

The others didn't need to know about whom he was talking. That had always been obvious.

The amusement flickered away at the news, the field quiet. Though, if Bachira or Reo had been here, there probably would've been more ruckus.

"Really?" Hiori frowned. "Did she push herself too much 'gain?"

Chigiri flicked his hair over his shoulder, "When's the girl not overexerting herself?" He nodded at Isagi. "Just like Mister Crash and Burn here."

If Isagi's face was warm before, it was practically steaming now. "It was one missed shot. One!"

Kunigami raised an eyebrow. "Then shoot again."

Just to prove his point, Isagi shot.

It ricocheted from the goal post.

Fuck.

"Lukewarm."

"That bad, huh?"

"Pathetic."

"Ugh... just shut up already!" Isagi snapped, cheeks positively red.

Hiori ceased cackling, but an entertained grin lingered on his lips. "If ya tell us what happened afterwards."

"I bet he carried her like a real prince." Chigiri fake-swooned.

Isagi's ears reddened.

"Oh, oh!" Kurona chimed up. "And then he carried her bags like a real gentleman, gentleman."

"Shut up." Isagi snarked, but it came out weak.

"And then he brought her home." Kunigami deadpanned.

"Yeah, as if." Chigiri snickered.

Hiori scrunched his nose. "I think that's too straightforward fer our Isagi here."

"He wouldn't, right, right?"

Six pairs of eyes looked at Isagi expectantly.

Isagi shrunk, averting his eyes.

"No way..."

"So our hero finally grew some, huh?"

"Didn't know he had it in him."

"Guess football isn't the only thing he's half decent at."

"You guys are not making this easier." Isagi frowned.

Chigiri rolled his eyes. "Of course not, we didn't have contact with her for five years! Let us have our fun."

"Besides," Aiku cackled, "You make it too easy."

"Fine." Isagi grumped. "What else do you want to know?"

"How's she doing now?" Hiori blurted out.

"I think she's better than yesterday." Isagi answered pensively. "Though she still has a fever."

Chigiri winced. "Ai, that's not good. Especially now."

"How long until the match?" Kunigami asked. "Like a month?"

"Yeah. And I heard that she's not making much progress, because of that jerk interfering." Chigiri hissed, eyes spitting fire. "Reo said most sponsors have defected to them."

"Some fiancé, fiancé." Kurona muttered.

"Well, anyway," Chigiri fixed his eyes on Isagi again. "Is she still at your place? How long is she staying?"

Isagi blinked.

"Indefinite?"

"Until the match?"

"Until you finally ask her out?"

"You know that'll take light years."

With every question Isagi seemed to become smaller.

Rin's eyes narrowed. "You didn't ask."

It was said like a statement. As if he already knew.

Isagi pursed his lips.

...

Clamour erupted, Chigiri facepalmed, Kunigami's face was a mixture of disappointment and disgust. Even Rin couldn't conceal his affront.

"I just forgot!" Isagi squeaked out.

"How can you just forget to ask her to stay?!" Chigiri's hands shook Isagi's shoulders vigorously.

"I got distracted!" Isagi defended.

"Ugh. Yer hopeless." Hiori shook his head dismayfully.

"Hey!"

"Just ask her, and take her stuff from the hotel." Kunigami advised. "She'll say yes for sure."

Isagi bit his lip. "You sure?"

"Yes, and otherwise you'll make her stay!" Chigiri hammered on. "If the commuting time and the work load's--"

"And the wedding." Isagi mumbled miserably.

"'--getting to her, you have to step in."

"...Okay." Isagi said, squaring his shoulders up. "I'll do it."

"First finish training, you lovesick idiot." Rin grumped, "We have wasted enough time here on the absence of your pathetic love life."

That was Aiku's cue as the captain to get them all back to work. He clasped his hands.

"Enough dillydallying. We've got the finale of the World Cup to crush!"

The others dispersed without a word, going back to their respective rigorous training exercises.

But Isagi lingered behind, heart laden with a tempest of emotions he was afraid to name.

"You coming?" Hiori called out from up ahead.

Isagi nodded, jogging to catch up to him.

But maybe he could do it. Maybe he could ask you to stay.

Maybe he could prevent history from repeating itself again.

When Isagi came home, the night sky had already taken on twilight colours.

His keys rattled when he threw them in their designated bowl. Isagi strained his ears, but the house was quiet, safe for his whispering footfalls as he entered the hallway.

After taking of his shoes, Isagi scoured the ground floor, but there was no sign of you.

Hesitatently, he moved upstairs, feet making next to no noise.

Until he was standing in front of your door. (Well, actually his door, but that wasn't of relevance now).

Softly, he knocked. No answer.

Isagi frowned. He knocked again.

After waiting for several beats, he trepidently pushed the door open, heart pounding in his chest.

"Y/n?"

No answer.

With a shaky sigh, Isagi ventured inside.

What met his eyes made his heart stop.

There you were, the love of his life.

Isagi's eyes softened as he quietly walked to your bed.

Your hair was astrew, covering your closed eyes.

Isagi chuckled silently, crouching next to your bed as he brushed a stray hair from your face.

You looked breathtaking.

A little smile played on your lips, the late rays of sunshine cascading you in an ethereal glow that weren't doing any favours to Isagi's heart palpitations.

He probably sees this sight every night, Isagi thought bitterly.

With a sigh, he stood up.

I should probably bring over her clothes tomorrow, Isagi reminded himself. Though, that is only if she wished to stay.

But you looked far too peaceful, (and beautiful, his traiterous heart unhelpfully supplied) so he would just ask you later.

He gathered the breakfast tray, and noted with a satisfied smile that you'd eaten everything.

Good. That meant that you still had your same preferences.

Maybe he could use that for dinner today.

Well, it was about time he started on that.

Isagi chanced a glance at the clock on the nightstand. It was already nearing half past five. It was high time he started up something.

Though something in him wished for him to stay. Something selfish, maybe. Something that begged him to lay beside you, just like he'd done so years before, before everything had gone downhill.

But alas, all that was in the past, so the only mercy Isagi could allow himself, was a flighty touch on your cheek, brushing away that same stubborn lock that obscured your face.

The pads of his fingers lingered, with the desire to stay, but with the duty to leave.

With a sigh, Isagi extracted himself.

"Yoi?"

Isagi stiffened.

Like a dear caught in the daylight, he slowly dragged his eyes over your face.

"Yoichi." You mumbled, eyes closed.

Isagi's heart fell through his stomach in relief. You were still asleep.

Tiptoeing, he exited the room, trying to not make any sound.

But unbeknownst to him, two hazy eyes followed his back, a tinge of confusion and maybe something else, something more within them.

But like with all things, that was momentarily.

Even though the burning sensation on your cheek persisted longer still.

When you woke, the delicious scent of freshly cooked food infiltrated your nostrils.

You sniffed, rising from the bed.

Blinking rapidly to get rid of the grogginess, you sat up. Stretching, you slipped in the heavenly slippers.

In contrast, your clothing was a bit too uncomfortable. You plucked at your blouse. You've been wearing it for two days straight now, and it didn't really make for great pyjamas.

However, the promising and alluring whiffs of dinner were enough to distract you from your less-than-favourable business get-up.

Following your nose, you traipsed along the stairs, spilling out in the kitchen where you had seen Isagi hours prior.

"Ah, you're up." Isagi put the gas on a lower pit, rounding the counter to come meet you halfways.

"Uh... yeah." You looked up at him, "The bed was very comfortable."

Isagi's eyebrows rose. "Rea--I mean, that's good to hear."

A silence then fell. Isagi's eyes hesitatently whisked over your face. After a beat, he opened his mouth, as if to ask something.

"... please sit down." Isagi motioned for you to take a seat at the set dinner table. "The food will be ready in a few."

Your eyebrows lifted slightly, noticing the subtle croak in Isagi's voice.

But unwilling to push any buttons, you obliged, pulling out a chair.

You practically sunk in the sumptious clothing.

"These chairs are really nice." You offhandedly commented, eyes appreciatively taking in the fine linings of the sewing.

"Really?" Isagi asked, briefly looking up, before pouring some sauces in the pan. "I guess, I uh... can show you where I got them from?"

Your eyes lit up. "That would be great."

Isagi stilled for a single moment, as if caught in a reverie. His eyes softened, a small smile flitting on his lips, before he abruptly turned to face the pan again. "That's uh... that will... I will do that!"

You chuckled. "Thank you."

Isagi's eyebrows tilted. "Ah, it's really no problem. I mean, you're house hunting with that fuc-- fiancé. Yep. Happy to help a... you out!"

Amusedly shaking your head at Isagi's antics, you interjected. "No, I meant for all... this." You made a vague gesture that was meant to capture all the kindness Isagi had shown.

It was a pretty terrible impression.

Isagi's cheeks coloured. "No, no! It's really no problem, really..." He averted his eyes. "I don't mind... not at all."

His admission made your heart warm up, a silky heat cascading in your chest. This. This is what you'd missed.

Existing in the same place while talking about everything and nothing at all, being just privy to the utter kindness and thoughtfulness that Isagi seemed to be completely made out of.

Though, there were some added touches. Isagi's cooking for example.

Isagi tilted up two plates, both of them equally filled and dressed up to perfection. Delicious steam wafted from the food, making your mouth water and your fingers tingle in anticipation.

"It smells amazing." You complimented as Isagi settled in the seat before you, silently handing you your plate.

The tips of Isagi's ears turned red at the praise. "Really? Ah, it's nothing... well uh... enjoy your meal."

You returned the sentiment, and the both of you dug in.

You almost died on the spot.

"Oh."

You stared disbelievingly at your chopsticks.

"Is there something wrong?" Isagi eyed you with a hint of concern. "Is it bad...? I uh... I can make someti--"

"It's... perfect." You whispered.

Isagi's shoulders sagged. "You think so?"

"Mhm." You beamed, hastily shoving another bite into your mouth. You leaned back, chewing and allowing the flavours to coat your tongue.

"This is so good." You mumbled, licking your lips.

Isagi made a strangled noise, but then coughed. "Sorry I got something in my... throat." The last part was almost inaudible, nearly lost to the cloth in Isagi's throat.

"How did you learn to cook like this?" You asked, almost incredulously. "This is just unfair."

Isagi chuckled, but the sound hardly left his mouth because his eyes were too busy getting lost in the sight before him.

"Beautiful." He whispered, looking at you, as if a prayer he hadn't even known he'd made had been fulfilled.

You tilted up your head, eyes questioningly looking up at him. "Did you say something?"

It was suddenly hard to breathe. "No, nothing." Isagi duck his head, hoping the warmth of his face couldn't be seen.

For the rest of the meal you ate in silence, the only sounds disrupting the serenity being the clanking of utensils and cutting of food.

Isagi snuck a few glances at you, the question of your staying forming in his throat, but dying on his lips.

After dinner ended, he still hadn't popped the question. Frustration clawed at him as he gathered the plates.

He had to ask. But how?

Lastly, you were putting the plates in the dish washer, and Isagi knew he had to ask now, there was no other opportune time.

But when you lifted your head, his throat ran dry, eyes zeroing in on the smudge on the corner of your lips.

"You... uh, have something..." Isagi gestured at the spot.

You raised an eyebrow, swiping at the opposite site.

"Ah, no..." Isagi mirrored your action, you followed suit, but completely missed the spot.

"Ah, wait..." Isagi leaned in, alluringly close, eyes fixed on the little piece of food clinging to your skin.

His warm thumb swiped at the spot, Isagi's throat rumbled as he hummed in satisfaction. He raised his finger to his lips, pink tongue darting out to cleanse it.

You could only stare.

Feeling your eyes on him, Isagi startled. "Oh, uh. Sorry." He bowed, but almost managed to head butt you in the face. "Ah, sorry for that. And for uh... before that." Isagi cringed.

You blinked. Face feeling uncannily warm.

"You just uh... had a little something on your uh..." Isagi swallowed, "I wasn't thinking!"

"It's... alright. Thank you." Why was your heart hammering in your chest?

"Really?" Isagi rubbed his neck, his cheeks so, so pink. "I won't do it again... that was rude of me."

"No, no. It's completely fine!" You rushed to say. "I don't mind."

That seemed to calm Isagi down a little. He exhaled a shaky sigh, as if grounding himself.

He was still close. Close enough to feel his warm breath on your face. Close enough for your eyes to notice the tiny specks of brown in his.

Close enough to see something in Isagi's eyes.

But before you could ask something, Isagi had already beaten you.

"Do you... do you want to stay?" Isagi asked, voice small and tentative, eyes flicking from your left eye to your right. "With me." He clarified.

Your mouth ran dry. Surprise taking over your features, rendering you speechless.

When your silence took too long, Isagi was quick to take a step back, his lips going for a strained smile, as if that would be enough to conceal the disappointment in his eyes.

"Sorry! Forget I asked... phew, what is going on with me today, I ju--"

"Yeah."

Isagi froze. Blinked. Mouth falling open just a little.

You gazed up at him, feeling very warm. Your direct agreement to his request had even taken you by surprise. But even though you hadn't thought twice before blurting out the first thing on the tip of your tongue, the answer rang clear in your heart.

This was just... something momentarily. Because Isagi was very kind, and friendly, and thoughtful. Cooking dinner and breakfast, taking care of you when you had a fever.

And you could help with maybe doing the groceries, or just anything in general. You were already here, right? And it would be just rude to walk out the door now, right?

You were just going to be staying here until your fiancé would return and then you'd live with him and get out of Isagi's hair. Win-win, right?

"...Okay." Isagi breathed, blinking a few times too fast. "So uh... should we take your stuff from the hotel tomorrow? I think it might be a little too late right now."

You nodded. "That's fine. But do you maybe have some spare clothes?"

"Of course!" Isagi piped up. "If you want, I'll put them in the bathroom? Have you taken a shower yet?"

You opened your mouth to answer, but Isagi was way ahead of you.

"Not that you smell! And not that I smell people! But that doesn't mean you smell. You don't. And I know that because otherwise I would've smelled it. Or not? I don't smell you. Or people. But I just thought... with your fever that maybe it would be refreshing, and not, totally not because of smell, because I don't smell people. I'm going to shut up now."

Isagi scratched his neck, red blossoming on his cheeks. "Sorry."

You let out a laugh. "I think a shower would be great."

"Great! Good." Isagi coughed. "Then I'll go upstairs now... to take your clothes. New clothes!"

Your lips quirked up in a smile. "Okay."

"Okay." Isagi breathed, eyes flicking over your face one last time before he practically fled the room.

You sat back in your seat, heart hollering in your chest.

It's just momentarily. This is just momentarily.

But the reminder did nothing to slow the racing of your heart.

What is happening to me?

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Masterlist

Masterlist Olive Branch

hallo may i request when reader's stuff (like maybe a bag, or something) get snatched while they're walking on the side walk or just distracted in general? tq <3

Yes of course! <33

ꨄ︎ Blue Lock characters ꨄ︎ ──── and being thieved

➥ pairings. Blue Lock character x reader

➥ tags. fluff, thievery, suave bf's

➥ tw. violence, blood, excessive cursing (Isagi, who else?)

Masterlist

Isagi Yoichi

➥ Normally, Isagi is a very genial and well-mannered person. From opening doors to helping old ladies cross roads, he was basically the paragon of anthropology.

➥ ... though barring the few... moments that a very different and a very brash version of Isagi shone through the cracks that made up his pleasant façade.

➥ Some of those moments (okay, a lot of those moments) happened on the field. What can he say? He's just a very... driven (ahum, read: maniacal) individual when it comes to football.

➥ But the very few and far between moments that his family, and by extension, you, were threatened, hell will break lose and you can be sure that Isagi will act.

➥ Not physically. No, of course not. Isagi likes to take it a step further.

➥ Just... public degradation by utilising the most diabolic word combos that mankind has ever had the (dis)pleasure of knowing.

| Extract |

You were just mesoying with Isagi on a bright, sunny day. When it happened.

In the middle of your story, a person in a hoodie bumped into you, causing you to stumble into Isagi.

Isagi's eyes went wide, placing his hands on your shoulders to steady you.

"Are you alright?" His eyes roamed over your face, searching for any signs of discomfort.

"Yeah... I'm fine." You let out a deep exhale. If Isagi hadn't been there, who knows what would've happened? Maybe you would've played traffic cone instead and be laying pancake sized on the roads now.

Isagi scoffed. "What a brute."

"Yeah, indeed. Well, anyway, where was I? I wanted to show yo--" You gasped.

Isagi's eyes immediately grew in alarm. "What is it?"

"My bag! That fucking--" You cursed, eyes frantically going along the pavement, trying to catch a glimpse of the hoodied person.

Isagi cursed underneath his breath.

But when he turned to you, his eyes softened considerably, though there was still a hard edge to his gaze.

"Stay here, alright? I'll get your bag back." And without further ado, he stormed off.

Isagi's chest heaved as he sifted through the crowds, his mind comparing every hoodied person to the one that had stolen your bag.

"Fuck." He cursed, running a hand through his hair. Where was that damned donkey?

"Hey! Come back here!" A shout made Isagi twist his neck, and there. He. Fucking. Was.

That conniving rat. Running away from another victim, yet again.

But he wouldn't be running for much longer.

Isagi broke out in a sprint, colours blurred in the background as his eyes zeroed in on the dastardly assailant.

"Hey!" He yelled when he was within hearing distance, "Come back, you lousy motherfucker!"

People confusedly whirred their heads, wondering what all the commotion was about as Isagi stormed past.

The robber's eyes widened when he looked back and saw that Isagi was hot on his heels.

He zigzagged through the mass of people, trying to shake Isagi off, but Isagi wasn't an athlete for nothing; he easily calculated the fastest route to get to the point the robber probably would go to.

It was almost laughably easy, how fast Isagi caught up with him.

"Gotcha." Isagi hissed, skidding to a stop right in front of the burgular.

The robber's eyes went wide as he scrambled to go in a different direction, but it was to no avail, Isagi was already on him.

"Give me the bags back." Isagi heaved. "You smarmy sorry excuse for a robber. Sloppy, you good-for-nothing donkey. I've seen toddlers with better positioning. My grandma would've outrun you, and she has a hip prosthesis."

The robber's mouth fell open. Alongside the jaws of the onlookers.

Because who the hell went on a whole tirade about how paltry one's robber skills were, after catching said robber?!

Isagi Yoichi.

Isagi raised an eyebrow. "Seriously? You're still standing there? You make the trees look like competetive sprinters. Just give it back, man, you look like someone who takes orders."

The robber was too stunned to speak.

"Must I do everything myself?" Isagi pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out an annoyed huff. He stalked up to the robber, snatched the bags out of his hands.

"Well, thanks for... giving me a warm-up, I guess." Isagi muttered. "Tch. Even my walk to the kitchen burns more calories than your ridiculous run. Your posture looks like an inversed trophy. How you can still run like that is an Eighth World Wonder."

And with that, Isagi left, still uttering insults underneath his breath.

"Isagi!" You exhaled in relief when his familiar figure came into view.

Isagi's lips quirked upwards, pink scattering on his cheeks. Proudly, he lifted his right arm, your bag in hand.

Your eyes lit up. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Isagi scratched his neck. "It was nothing." But his face deepened in colour.

"Wow," you stared amazedly at the bag, then at Isagi. "How did you do that?"

"Oh just, walked up to him and asked to give it back." Isagi shrugged.

"Huh." You nodded, that did sound like an Isagi thing.

Except it wasn't. He had cursed the shit out of him.

But what you didn't know, couldn't hurt you, right?

Itoshi Rin

➥ Rin is... very destructive. Self-destructive, destructive towards opponents, football, his brother.

➥ But to the people who hurt you? He's an extermination harbinger, raving everything to the ground.

➥ He will not stop until he's satisfied. He's definitely not above packing a punch, and packing one he can.

➥ People will have to physically remove him, and even then, Rin won't stop. Eyes narrowed, shouting profanities from his tongue that would make Shakespeare roll in his grave. Sounds like Rin alright.

| Extract |

"And then I--" You cut yourself off as you were crudely shoved away, bag ripped out of your hands.

"My bag!" You cried out, making a move to go after the robber, but Rin was faster.

"Come here, you lukewarm pest." He hissed, long strides making it terrifyingly easy for him to gain ground.

The robber chanced a look back, blanched, then promptly broke out in a sprint.

"Oh no you don't." Rin snarled, lunging forward with his hand tightened in a fist.

With a harsh slap! Rin's hand made contact with his skin, sending the robber flying a few metres backwards.

The robber attempted to crawl away, but he was nothing against the likes of a wrathful Rin.

Rin had a murderous glint in his eyes as his hand hooked around the robber's ankle, pulling.

The robber screamed, clothes tearing away at the seams, skin falling apart.

But Rin didn't stop.

"You damned behemoth. You make me fucking puke." Rin slammed a fist against the man's face. "Fucking stand up and fight me, you tepid insect."

"Please, I'm sorry, okay, ple--"

Rin silenced him with a fist against his jaw.

Blood seeped between the man's lips, coating his teeth a crimson hue when he opened his mouth in another blood-curdling scream.

"Someone-- remove him!" An onlooker yelled.

"He's fucking killing him." Another shouted.

"Hey! Stop hitting him! He's already pathetic enough!"

The shouts grew in alarm as the fight was prolonged. Well, fight. It was more like a one-sided beating. And Rin was winning by a landslide.

You heard the panicked yells, when you had finally caught up.

Your eyes widened at the sight as you pushed your way through the circle of people that gathered to observe the spectacle.

"Rin..." Your mouth dropped, as you saw him hunched over the robber, basically beating him to a pulp.

But Rin didn't hear you.

His breathing was laboured, eyes having taken on a brutal lethality. His knuckles were scabbed over and bruised, nose bleeding from the rare instance that the robber had managed to hit him back.

At the end, it had taken four men to extract Rin, and even then, they were still struggling to restrain him.

The robber had long gone unconscious, a small mercy.

Rin was panting, blood dripping from his chin, eyes still razor sharply fixed on the robber.

He didn't look away even once. Not even when he was dragged away.

But when you yelled his name, bag that you had retrieved from the robber clutched tightly in your hand, Rin looked up.

Worry was easily read off your face. The dip between your eyebrows, the slant in your lips. Diluted eyes that Rin found so easy to drown in.

"Get fucking off me." He harshly commanded at the men.

The men exchanged dubious glances, but at the silent rage that slowly built up on Rin's face, they hastily released him.

"Rin." You said again, when you were close.

"Mhm." His eyes roamed over your face, silently assessing if he should just go back and trample the robber another time if he'd had hurt you somehow.

"You okay?"

You raised an eyebrow. "Should you really be asking me that?! You're covered in blood!"

"It's not my blood."

"Still!" You stepped closer, hands taking his bruised ones. Your bottom lip worried between your teeth as you observed the damage.

His knuckles were hit raw, they would surely take at least a week to heal.

You sighed, taking a tissue out of your back to swipe the blood.

Rin's eyes widened.

"You've got blood on your bag."

"Oh. Well, I can just clean it." You shrugged.

Rin averted his eyes. He looked like a kicked puppy.

"I'm... I'm sorry."

You let out a laugh from disbelief. "Sorry? For what?"

"For making your bag dirty. It's your favourite one." Rin's voice was hoarse.

Was he... for real?

"Oh Rin," Your voice was soft. Your heart even softer for the man who had defended you by ruthlessly beating another man in a fight, but looked now downright crestfallen, because a smidge had ended up on your bag.

You brought him closer, hands going around his waist. "My beautiful, precious boy." You whispered.

"You... you're not mad?" Rin asked in disbelief.

"Never."

How could you be mad? How could you, when Rin felt so vulnerable in your arms, voice tinging with remorse and guilt, knuckles raw and bloody, but concerned for your well being?

How on earth, no, the fucking universe, could you?

You couldn't. And that was a hard fact.

The earth orbited around the sun, Isagi was far worse a football player than Rin, and you...

You couldn't have loved Rin more.

Michael Kaiser

➥ Ohoh, now it's one thing to cross him, but it is another thing altogether when you cross one of his loved ones.

➥ He's fiercely protective. But that would express itself more in his arrogant demeanour and his disparaging attitude, because for some reason, Kaiser has a marvellous talent for being able to insult someone, upheave himself, and make the whole damn narrative about him in just a single breath.

➥ Toys with his victims. The three paragraphs long villain monologue? The dramatic swish of his hair? The over the top facial expressions? He does it all.

➥ But aside from being talkative, Kaiser likes to give his victims a little... present. (A gigantic bruise that'll make the robber remember that Michael fucking Kaiser and his loved ones are not to be fucked with).

| Extract |

"Oh, I want to show you these pictures I took, just le-- OH NO!" You shouted in alarm, but it was in vain; the robber had already wrenched your bag from you and was now disappearing in the distance.

Kaiser tutted. "Tch. Just leave it to me, Schatz." He winked at you, before he took off.

You could only stare at his retreating back in befuddlement, wondering if just for a second, you were in some second-rate shoujo manga and Kaiser was the first male lead girls swooned over.

With a sigh, you followed them.

Correction, you weren't in a shoujo manga, you were in a shounen anime that had trashy antagonist dialogues and even trashier poses.

Because what you saw upon arriving on the scene, could not, and I'm telling you, not be described as normal.

The robber was splayed on the floor, his scared eyes gazing up at Kaiser, who was looming over him, one foot on his chest, as if he was the heroic Mario who had beaten the big, ugly Bowser.

"...could beat me? You lowly underling. Did you even think, no look twice when you passed me?" Kaiser scoffed, carding a hand through his hair.

The poor robber was petrified.

"That's right, fucking bow down to me." Kaiser's glare turned menacingly as the robber cowered underneath his penetrating gaze.

"Stop wasting your breath already, you're not even fucking good at this shit." Kaiser drawled, pressing his heel harder in the man's skin.

The man let out an embarassing squeak. Kaiser's grin stretched wider. Oh, he was enjoying this.

"Let me show you, hm?" Kaiser leaned down, until his face was mere inches apart from the robber's. His voice was silkily soft, like the deadly call of a sirene.

"No, please, I'll do anything!" The robber pleaded.

"Ah, ah. Don't you know?" Kaiser cooed, "Begging makes you look pathetic."

He kicked the man's face in.

Blood splurted from the man's nose as a collective gasp rose from the gathered audience. A deafening crack told you that something was definitely broken.

You had to put an end to this.

You shoved your way through the mass of people, until you finally had a front row seat.

"Micha," You said sternly.

"Hm?" Kaiser lazily tilted his head. "Should I go for his left eye or his right? Or both?"

The robber shrunk in on himself as Kaiser turned his glare on him full-force. "Please, help me!" The robber pleaded, struggling underneath Kaiser's foot.

The sight was so darn pathetic that you actually pitied him.

"Please, do some--" A loud slap.

"Don't fucking talk to her, let alone command her to do something." Kaiser hissed, easily lifting the man up with one hand.

The robber's face became purple as he choked in Kaiser's death grip.

"Now, say sorry to her." Kaiser said finely.

"'M... 'm so...y" The man spluttered out.

"Kaiser." You said.

Kaiser sighed, rolling his head in his neck.

He brought the man closer, breath ghosting against his ear as he whispered, "You got off lucky, because my girlfriend is here. Next time, you won't even be able to crawl away."

The man gulped. After being satisfied, Kaiser released the man by simply... letting go. The man crumpled in a pitiful coughing heap on the floor.

Kaiser dusted himself off, a disgusted expression on his face as he wiped his hands on his pants.

Then, he turned to you. And it was like his whole face had done an 180.

A gentle smile graced his lips, eyes crinkling at the edges, gaze holding something soft.

He stuck his hand out to you. "You coming?"

You should probably check up on the poor man. You should probably ensure that no one had filmed the whole deal.

But Kaiser wasn't named "God's Chosen Emperor" for nothing, and you could do nothing but sigh, and reach for his hand.

As you walked away, Kaiser handed you your bag, as if it were nothing. As if he hadn't made a whole elaborate spiel of taking it back.

"You were saying something about photos." Kaiser helpfully supplied, charming smile fixed on his face.

"I... alright." You had long been used to Kaiser's eccentric antics by now. This was just a walk in the park for you.

You opened your photos app.

You stilled.

"Michael fucking Kaiser!" You slapped him, Kaiser broke out in hearty laughter. "You are the most infuriating, agonising peacock ever!"

"Also the most handsome peacock, right?" Kaiser wiggled his eyebrows.

You slapped him again.

(On your phone, there was a selfie of Kaiser, a smug grin on his lips. His foot was on top of the robber's body. His eyes screamed terror).

Itoshi Sae

➥ He's so calm. It's fucking terrifying.

➥ Possesses the ability to do everything... nonchalantly.

➥ Throws the robber over his shoulder, nonchalantly. Picks up your bag, nonchalantly. Gives the robber a few choice words. (Again, nonchalantly).

➥ Dusts himself off after as if it was... nothing. And maybe, to him, it was. Just a regular Tuesday, just stopping a robber and simultaneously giving him nightmares for at least a few light years. Yep. Totally normal.

| Extract |

The sun was beating down on you, so you reached in your bag to take out your sunglasses, but before you could do so, a man ran past, sliding your bag cleanly off your shoulder.

Your eyes widened in shock, staring dazedly at the spot where your bag had just been.

"I'll be back in a few."

And before you could form a coherent thought, Sae had pressed a kiss on your cheek, before slipping from your grasp.

"Sae...?"

The robber looked back, eyes narrowing when Sae... walked towards him. No. Not a half-jog, half-walk. Not speed walking. Just Sae's confident, unhurried gait.

Your mouth fell open.

The robber, not wanting to wait for Sae to catch up, kicked up the gear and sprinted away.

Sae simply turned into an alleyway. Walking.

Was he doing an impromptu side quest or something?!

Well, you didn't want to wait to find out, so you broke out in a sprint, chasing the robber.

Your eyes squinted as you tried to find him in the mass of people. Damn it. It was far too crowded and far too fucking hot for this.

But fate decided to smile on you today.

You caught a glimpse of your bag.

"Hey, stand still!" You ran towards the robber, but what you saw made you stop. Full body halt. Spirit leaving body and all that.

Because it wasn't the robber who was holding your bag. It was Itoshi Sae.

"Sae." You heaved out his name, breathless from the pursuit.

"Amor," Sae replied, handing you your bag.

You took it with wide eyes. "How... how...?"

"He's a damn devil!" The robber sprouted from where he was laying on the ground.

Wait. Damn. He was laying on the ground.

There was a bruise blooming on his cheek. You didn't know if it was foot-shaped or hand-formed.

"Ambushed me outta fucking nowhere." The robber spewed, the clot of saliva landing just inches from Sae's polished shoes.

Sae stared at him with as much interest he had in continuing football with Rin.

"You're lukewarm." Sae stated. Because yeah, when he said it, it was basically a new law. "Slow, uncoordinated, sloppy." He listed off, all the while his face didn't move even an inch.

"Let's not bother wasting our time on him," Sae turned to you, his eyes losing the hard edges of his apathy. With a gentle grip, he lightly tugged you away from the scene.

You didn't even know if you wanted to laugh or cry.

What the fuck had even happened in the span of... five minutes?!

"Come, love." Sae murmured.

He reached in your bag, taking out your sunglasses.

With care and precision, he swiped the hair away from your eyes, and tenderly placed your sunglasses on your face.

You stared at him in shock.

Sae continued walking.

Your mind finally kicked back in start drive, and you followed him, holding his hand.

You were still processing the transgression that had happened, while Sae was just... walking.

Not a half-jog, half-walking. Not speed walking. Just Sae's confident, unhurried gait.

You'd be damned if that wasn't hot as hell.

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