Seventeen

Just as soon as it started, the break was over. Even though it felt like years had passed in those two weeks. They'd gotten the welcome email inviting them back to the new and improved Blue Lock a few days before it was to open, and Rin had to remind himself to be excited about it. Truth is, he'd enjoyed the break. Much to his surprise. He had played some soccer. In between the restaurant dates (with reservations), taking pictures of food (and grumpy tablemates), and good, old fashioned make out sessions in the chaotically colourful back bedroom of the Bachira household.

Soccer could be fun, Rin had learned.

But now it was over. Time to go back. Back to real soccer, back to destroying Isagi for the Blue Lock Eleven match, among other reasons, and destroying Sae in the only way that mattered. But it wasn't all about going back. A lot had changed. It also felt a bit like going forward.

For instance, Rin and Bachira walked back to the institution together, their bags slung over their shoulders, their free hands clasped in the other's. Bachira had a habit of swinging their hands back and forth excitedly and squeezing Rin's hand as he pointed out various things that interested him on the street. Both of these were things Rin had gotten used to with rather relative ease.

"Are you excited?" Bachira asked, balancing his feet on this elevated retaining wall, moving his feet wildly, dribbling some invisible ball, forcing Rin to hold his shaking hand at shoulder height to avoid letting go.

"Yeah," Rin answered. It was non-committal. It conveyed his sentiment well. He was excited, sure. But he wasn't bouncing off the walls or anything.

"Do you think we'll be on the same team again?" Bachira asked.

"Maybe," Rin said. Before adding, "No crying if we're not though."

"Please," Bachira said. "You'll be the one crying."

Rin scoffed. "You think so?"

"Because of how bad I'll beat you!" Bachira exclaimed, jumping off the end of the retaining wall and landing back on the sidewalk with a smack of his feet. He looked up at Rin and grinned.

"Sure." Rin rolled his eyes and they kept walking. "Because that worked out so well the last time."

"That's true," Bachira said with a laugh. "But if you have the chance, will you steal me again?"

Yes, Rin thought. Of course I will.

But he didn't necessarily like this train of conversation. It wasn't for any lack of affection he had towards Bachira. That was alive and well. Plenty felt and regularly acknowledged. It was just something he was dedicated to keeping separate from soccer. He didn't want anything to distract him from his goals.

And, admittedly, he didn't want that for Bachira either. Not on the field, anyways. He could look for him the second he stepped off of it, and he would be there. But as far as soccer went, they both needed to be players who could stand on their own. He owed that to both of them.

"You do realize I didn't choose you the first time, right?" Rin asked.

"I know." Bachira was still smiling. This had done nothing to sink his spirits. "You chose Isagi."

"Ugh," Rin said. "Don't remind me."

Bachira laughed some more. Rin let himself smile. A little, anyways. He did cringe at the memory, but he'd liked where the two of them had gotten. To this point where they could joke about it.

"I'm not mad about that, by the way," Bachira said, squeezing Rin's hand. "You chose me when it mattered."

Rin squeezed his hand back. He was excited to get back to it. Of course he was. He was, however, more excited for the next break they'd get.

As they turned the corner for the block the building found itself on and were approaching the entrance gates, a car pulled up to the curb a few car lengths ahead of them that made Rin almost stop in his tracks. It was a wildly childish reaction, he knew, not to mention one that had very little merit. He did recognize the brand of car Sae rented when he was in town, but there was no reason for him to be here.

As the car just sat there, still running, nobody getting out of it, Rin grimaced. There might be one reason.

"Here we fuckin' go," he mumbled under his breath.

"Huh?" Bachira asked, entirely oblivious to all of this.

As timing would have it, it was then that the door swung open and Isagi got out of the car. He was flustered and grinning like a schoolgirl, repeating something inaudible that was clearly some type of goodbye. When he was finished with that, he closed the door and went over to the trunk to pull out his own bag.

"Oh," Bachira said.

But it wasn't sad. It was neutral. Factual. Oh, there's Isagi. Some guy we both know.

The two of them watched as he pulled his bag out, closed the trunk, and walked around the car to look back in the backseat window. Rin rolled his eyes. He couldn't help it. He didn't even have to see Sae. His mere presence was enough to irritate him.

Isagi had caught sight of them. He raised a hand to wave at them. It was an awkward action, like he was still wondering whether or not he should have done it halfway through the wave. Still, Bachira returned the gesture. Rin did not. Despite this, Isagi stood there, waiting for them, like it was just the most natural thing in the world that he'd wait for them so they could all walk in together.

The car hadn't pulled away from the curb by the time they reached it. Muct to Rin's distain. Worse yet, when he made the move to turn and make a face into the window, another gesture he knew was wholly childish yet not one he was above by any means, he found that the window was rolled all the way down and his brother's face was looking back at him. Expressionless as always.

"Well," Rin said. "If it isn't the worst brother n the world."

Sae rolled his eyes. "Hi, Rin."

"Hi, Sae," Bachira said, trying again. This was another awkwardness, done like it was being questioned all the way through.

There was a very long pause before Sae said, ever flatly, "Hi."

Despite the fact that this was really quite nice for Sae, Rin felt horribly defensive all of a sudden.

"I thought you left already," Rin said.

"Switched flights," Sae said. What he did not say, but what everyone heard, was so I could drop Isagi off. And spend more time with him. Gross. "I'm going to the airport now."

"Good riddance," Rin said to him.

"Hmm," Sae hummed, refusing to acknowledge or engage. It made Rin feel even more childish, and it only made him loathe Sae more. "Anyways."

"Yeah," Rin agreed.

"Good luck, Rin," Sae said. He took the sunglasses that were resting in his slicked up bangs and lowered them onto his eyes. "Bye, Rin's boyfriend."

Without waiting for a response, the window started back up and the car pulled away from the curb. Rin couldn't help but shake his head and let out more sounds of pure disapproval. It was so like Sae to pretend he was all high and mighty, get the last word in, and make it a dig.

"That was kind of nice," Bachira said, waving after the car.

"He knows your name." Rin scoffed again. "I've heard him say it."

Bachira smiled to himself, like there was some fundamental piece of this that Rin was missing. "Still."

Isagi was still waiting for them, a little ways off, like he intended to give them some space. He had his hands sunk deep into his pockets and offered them both a smile that seemed almost genuine.

What a weird twist of fate this was, Rin thought. The last time they'd all been together, before the break, before everything, it had been Bachira and Isagi all over each other, huddled up and whispering and giggling about anything and everything, and Rin on the outside, glaring at the two of them, constantly barking at them to shut the fuck up.

Oh, how much had changed.

Rin squeezed Bachira's hand once, hard, and then let it go. A way to tell him it was a mindful action, that it was still them two and then Isagi, separate, but that it was time to get back into soccer mode. Bachira didn't seem to mind. But he clenched his empty hand back into a fist, like he couldn't quite bear to have it empty.

"It's good to see you guys," Isagi told them both.

"Yeah," Bachira said, and it sounded like it was in agreement, but Rin was mindful to notice how Bachira did not blatantly say that it was good to see him too.

"You too, Rin," Isagi made a point of saying. "It wouldn't be Blue Lock without you."

"Don't talk to me, you wannabe hero," Rin said, not fully understanding this continued hostile behaviour, but not stopping himself either. "Wanna get stabbed?"

"Oh shut up," Isagi said right back. "You wannabe villain."

Fair enough, Rin figured. Same as with Bachira, whatever they had going on a personal level, they were checking it at the door. This was about soccer now, and if Isagi wanted to label him a villain, Rin would show him one.

Well, maybe that would be just a little self indulgent too.