You're incredibly taken aback once the match starts and Nagi actively runs after the ball, reading his opponent's movements and acting accordingly- Blue Lock has changed him this much?

You knew he'd changed a little- it's only a given, seeing as he'd been in a literal football prison for the last few months. But the way he plays now is just... it's different.

He's different.

You don't expect much to happen- you'd never had much interest in football to begin with, and you doubt this match will be anything new.

But then within the blink of an eye, things go haywire, and you're suddenly unable to look away.

Itoshi Sae's got the ball, and his fans go absolutely mental as he scores a wild goal before Blue Lock's goalie, Gagamaru, can even gather his bearings. It all happens so fast, your poor eyes can barely keep up, and you can't even imagine what the players are feeling.

Blue Lock's captain (who, after a quick internet search, you found was Itoshi Rin, Sae's younger brother) doesn't hesitate to restart, attempting to score immediately. His efforts are immediately shut down by the goalkeeper making a breakneck save, and the ball is flung back into the air.

The others swarm in like a pack of hyenas- the Blue Lock guys are ruthless, you realise, Nagi included; they barely even look at each other, each man playing primarily for himself.

Yukimiya's got the ball now, and he shoots-

But Aiku blocks his shot, a truly frustrating defender, and his fangirls squeal.

Your heart leaps in your chest as Blue Lock's number 9, Otoya, tries to shoot this time, but it's blocked, yet again, by annoyingly competent U-20 defenders.

You're in complete anguish, close to ripping out your hair in frustration- but then your eyes catch Nagi, and the ball is sailing in his direction, his eyes lighting up, and you can see the gears in his head turning as the ball gets closer.

You're barely breathing as two of the defenders rush towards him as he flings out one of his legs to get to the ball- it looks like he's going to try and shoot, but you know it's just going to be inevitably blocked.

But then he traps the ball effortlessly with his foot, bringing it in close to him, tapping it against the ground to make it airborne again in a display of pure skill, and then he's jumping, turning in mid-air, and slams the ball straight into the back of the net, eyes positively glowing.

The stadium is completely silent for about two seconds, and then you're jumping up in your seat, screaming at the top of your lungs, your heart soaring, the stadium erupting into a cacophony of pure excitement, and Nagi falls back to the ground, his right fist held high as he salutes the crowd.

Acknowledge me, he seems to be telling the crowd, telling the entire country. I'm Nagi Seishirou.

His legs are crossed on the grass, completely nonchalant- and then his eyes lock with yours, sweat dripping down his face, his fist still raised in victory, and his expression completely changes.

His lips curl up in the most self-satisfied smirk you've ever seen, eyes glittering with pure, unbridled joy, and for a second you feel like you're the only person in the stadium, the only person he sees- the only person who matters.

Bonus points if I score- that means we get married.

Nagi's words ring in your head, and you're already on it, mentally planning your wedding as you gaze into his eyes in awe. Reality crashes down on the two of you when Isagi and Chigiri leap on top of him in celebration, and you sit back down with a huge beam on your face.

The sounds of the match restarting are in the background as you will yourself to calm down, and you've only just managed to get your heart rate back to normal when Blue Lock attack again, in a succession of rapid passes from number 6- who's shirt reads Karasu- to Otoya, then to Chigiri, and back again to Karasu-

And then you blink and suddenly Rin's got the ball and bam- he sends it effortlessly into the back of the net before your eyes can catch up, and the crowd goes wild once again, yourself included, cheering at the top of your lungs.

The rest of the match goes like a blur till half time, the ball being passed around at lightning speed; Blue Lock is in the lead two goals to one, and the players are lounging around on the pitch in exhaustion.

Chigiri's mother pulls out her phone, and approaches the end of the railing, his sister in tow.

"Hey, Hyoma!" His sister calls, and grabs your hand to pull you with them. "Look over here, Hyoma!"

His head snaps towards your direction, and his eyebrows raise in recognition as he comprehends his sister and his mother, and then you. He looks slightly surprised to see that you're with his family- but then again, even you yourself wouldn't have expected it.

You wave cheerfully, and he looks slightly disgruntled as Karasu and Otoya crowd around him, saying things you can't discern- although the way Otoya's eyeing Chigiri's sister tells you enough about the conversation.

Your eyes wander around, searching for that familiar head of soft white hair, and you start to panic when you can't find him- surely he hasn't disappeared already?

And then you spot him.

He's slowly trudging towards the locker room with Isagi and number 8- the infamous Bachira, Isagi's best friend- bottle in hand, and you lean over the railing, cupping your mouth with your hands.

"Nagi!" You shriek, and Chigiri's eyes flick towards your boyfriend in understanding. "Hello, Nagi! Nagi Seishirou! Look here, would you?"

Chigiri jogs over to where Nagi's retreating inside, unaware of your desperate cries, and slaps him upside the head, earning himself a few amused laughs from the others.

Nagi clutches his head in bewilderment, and he's about to chew Chigiri out when the redhead points in your direction urgently, and he turns, baffled, eyebrows furrowed.

His face clears the second he sees you, and his face breaks out into the most brilliant grin;  you've never seen him smile like that, and just like that you're falling for him all over again, practically melting into a puddle onto the ground.

You wave enthusiastically, nearly knocking out Chigiri's mother's eye in the process, and you see him laugh, Isagi and Bachira ruffling his hair playfully, as he waves back.

He walks away into the locker room after that (you'd intended to blow him a kiss, but had gotten shy with all his friends watching), but you aren't done with the greetings; you made a promise to Ba-ya, and you're going to fulfil it no matter what.

Your eyes snag on that familiar purple hair, and you're about to call out for Reo's attention when he turns to gaze up at you, as if he'd just known somehow, that you were looking for him.

Your eyes light up, and now you're waving at him, too, pointing with your other hand at the necklace he'd gifted you adorned on your neck.

He squints, but then he must see it glinting in the light because he gives you a thumbs-up, grinning from ear to ear in that special way of his.

And you've missed him so much, you really have- since him and Nagi split, you haven't been able to see him at all in his time at Blue Lock, and you hadn't realised just how much you'd missed his company.

"I'm here to watch you!" You yell. "So make sure you get on that pitch and show me what you've got!"

He nods, saluting you with a slight laugh. The blue-haired boy he'd been talking with earlier says something into his ear, and he shakes his head adamantly in denial, face flushing red, and you can't help but wonder what had been said.

You return back to your seat, and Chigiri's mother shows you the video she'd taken on her phone.

You can't help but giggle; Chigiri looks like a grumpy cat, frowning and pushing a curious Otoya away from him. Karasu's grinning from ear to ear, patting him on the back, adding fuel to the fire- Chgiri sips sulkily from his water bottle, and his mother laughs.

"I'm glad they're all enjoying themselves," She says, sighing. "I didn't approve of this Blue Lock project at first, but if Chigiri's happy, then I'm happy."

You can't help but agree.

By the time the second half starts, the U-20 has subbed on a new player; Shidou plays like a feral demonic beast, tearing up the formation of both friend and foe alike and dashing down the pitch.

Things take a turn for the worst; he links up with Sae and the two wreak havoc on the pitch, and he's just about to score a goal when he's disrupted by the boy with the bangs, Niko, who kicks the ball away- and by extension, ends up colliding with him, and the two are sent sprawling across the grass.

You wince; Shidou is massive in comparison to poor Niko, and that had looked painful. Despite that, he's given a yellow card, and the U-20 team are awarded a free kick.

You clasp your hands together, silently praying that this won't result in a point for them. Sae sends a crazy pass Shidou's way, and Chigiri takes off, speeding after it like his life depends on it (and to some extent, it does, to him) and he's oh-so-close to reaching it, literal micrometres away-

But Shidou beats him to it, kicking the ball straight into the net, and as irritated by that performance as you are, you can't help but be a little impressed with his skill.

You don't say impressed for long; Chigiri collapses onto the ground, clutching his knee in agony, and his mother and sister gasp, hands over their mouths in horror.

Niko also collapses. Just as you'd thought, that risky move of his had caused collateral damage, and him and Chigiri are ushered off the pitch- although the redhead doesn't look too happy about it, storming off in a way that can't be good on his leg.

"You did us proud!" His sister yells, but he doesn't seem to hear her, wiping at his face furiously.

You heart goes out for him, it really does, but this is finally Reo's chance. Because as much as you like Chigiri, you want nothing more than for Reo to play as well, to show Japan just how skilled he is.

And who knows? Maybe he and Nagi will settle their differences if they play together.

You can only hope, for your sake- things might get pretty awkward otherwise, considering you're still on speaking terms with them both, and therefore, will refuse to pick a side.

Just as you'd suspected, Reo and the blue-haired boy from before- Hiori, the commentator announces- take their places.

The game restarts as abruptly as it had ended, the ball being passed back and forth, back and forth, with failed attempts to score on both sides.

Until the ball ends up back  with Sae, who of course sends it expertly Shidou's way, the ball flying straight over Otoya's head, who looks more baffled than anything.

You groan. This duo is going to be the death of Blue Lock.

Or so you'd thought.

Reo appears in all his glory, clearing the ball in a perfect imitation of Aiku, and you're once again taken aback by just how much the genius schoolboys you'd once known have improved so much.

Reo's parents are missing out, really, because their son's doing wonderful; he reacts incredibly quickly, all up in Shidou's space, exactly like the other defender with the beard had done.

Shidou tries to shoot regardless of Reo's persistence, but he skilfully knocks it off course with his foot, and it sails straight into the Gagamaru's massive hand.

A collective sigh of relief is heaved from Blue Lock supporters, yourself included, and the atmosphere is relatively chilled as the game continues, the situation just under control.

Naturally, it turns on its head instantly- Shidou ends up scoring with an insane bicycle kick, and the crowd erupts.

You're starting to lose hope- how is one player impacting a match this much?

But then Barou walks out onto the pitch, glowering at everyone and everything. Nagi hadn't told you a single thing about his play style, so you have no idea what to expect.

The game restarts, and if the Blue Lock team were bad before, they're abysmal now, ripping each other apart for a chance to score.

Barou is the worst of them all; he's absolutely seething, taking the ball off Isagi and tearing down the pitch with it. He's dribbling like a madman, chopping and twisting at random intervals and throwing absolutely everyone off balance, and he shoots.

Only for the ball to bounce of the outer goalpost, and he makes no effort to conceal the frustration on his face. Yukimiya snatches the ball up immediately, and dribbles straight past Nagi, past one, two, three defenders, and takes an incredibly ambitious shot.

It would've gone in, it really would've, but Aiku comes to snuff out Blue Lock's hope yet again, and yours, too- does he ever rest?

The game proceeds in absolute chaos after that, the ball travelling from one person to another without rest, and you can't keep up, no mater how hard you try. It eventually lands back at the feet of Sae, and the U-20 players move like lightning, dashing down the pitch without hesitation. Each Blue Lock player moves in a desperate attempt at a counter, meeting their opponent one-on-one.

Which leaves Reo to deal with Shidou, and you gulp.

The last time someone had tried to stop this rapid-fire counter, it had resulted in injury...

Karasu's defence against Sae finally crumbles- it's a miracle he'd held on so long in the first place- and that familiar, foreboding pass from Sae bursts past him, heading straight towards Shidou.

Please, please, please, you think frantically, hands gripping the armrests of your seat so hard your knuckles have turned white. Please don't let him score again.

Reo doesn't give in, persisting despite the odds, pressing into Shidou's side. Your heart rate spikes through the roof as the pair run closer and closer to Blue Lock's goal, Gagamaru watching and waiting, eyes wide.

Shidou moves to shoot- with Reo blocking him, his only option is to aim for the right corners of the net, and he does.

Gagamaru dives; Shidou shrieks like a maniac as the ball nearly sails past the goalie's head, and you can't watch, you really can't-

But then Gagamaru, in a feat of pure insanity, balances on his hand, kicking his feet upwards into an impromptu handstand- where did he find the strength for that, at a time like this?- and kicks the ball away in an incredible save.

The crowd go silent in shock, but the game isn't over; the ball is still in play, and the U-20 rush in- Gagamaru yells at Reo to clear it as he topples to the ground, but he doesn't listen.

He flings out his leg instead, and traps the ball with his foot, Nagi-style, and your jaw nearly drops to the stadium floor. He taps it against the grass to lift it back into the air, just as Nagi had done in the first half, before jumping and turning in mid-air to send the ball all the way back up the pitch, to safety.

For a moment or two, you could've sworn he'd become Nagi, morphing into a perfect copy of him- is something like that even possible?

Nagi receives the ball at the opposite end of the pitch, and once again, the pitch descends into absolute chaos, and you're squinting to get a good look at what's going on-

When Barou appears, roaring at the top of his lungs and hurling the ball straight into the back of the net without hesitation, ripping his shirt off in celebration.

You cheer, absolutely elated- Nagi leaps to grab Barou's bare shoulders in excitement, Isagi and Karasu yelling at the top of their lungs.

You do feel a little indignant when Barou throws your boyfriend to the ground, but Nagi himself doesn't seemed too fussed, laying on the ground as if nothing had happened.

The entire stadium laughs when Barou's  awarded a yellow card for the 'uncivilised act of stripping', and you hear a few girls squeal. If Barou's pleased by the attention, he doesn't show it- although the way his skin flushes pink as he grumpily shoves his shirt back on over his head is telling.

You're glad that the score is now tied, but Blue Lock need to win, and there isn't much time left.

The rest of the match is a series of close-calls; so much seems to be going on on the pitch, and you can't seem to make head or tail of events. At one point, Nagi and Barou collide on the pitch, banging heads, and yet they seem to recover in milliseconds, adrenaline pumping through their veins as they try, over and over again, to score, to break the tie and declare themselves the victors.

They do just that.

With only a second to spare, Isagi drives the ball past the goalkeeper with a resounding kick that echoes throughout the stadium.

The crowd whips themselves up into a frenzy, and the entire Blue Lock team surge onto the pitch, screaming at the top of their lungs. They all (with the exception of Barou, who stubbornly remains detached from the chaos) crowd around Isagi, leaping on top of him and clapping him on the back- you're pretty sure you see Nagi flattened on the grass as the others push him over in their excitement, but he doesn't seem to mind, clinging onto Isagi and yelling (softly) in celebration.

You decide you can't wait any longer; some disappointed fans are already standing to leave, and you weave through them, slipping down to the front of the stadium.

"Sorry, young lady," One of the referees stops you before you can tear onto the grass. "But you can't do that."

"But..." Your voice trails off as you stare longingly at Nagi; he's starting to retreat into the locker room again, ruffling Isagi's hair as he prepares to be interviewed, taking a sip from the bottle of water Chigiri had just offered him. "My boyfriend's right there, you see..."

You point uselessly at the pitch, forcing tears to your eyes. It almost works, and you can see the referee hesitating, uncomfortable.

"I'm really sorry, miss," He fiddles with the whistle around his neck, avoiding eye contact. "But you can't."

Nagi's already walking away, and your hearts sinking further and further in your chest.

You decide to switch tactics- now it's time to turn full Karen on him, and you take in a deep breath, preparing to do just that.

"Aw, come on, don't be like that!"

A familiar voice pipes up before you can go off, startling the both of you. Reo sidles up to you, grabbing your hand and pulling you onto the pitch, past the referee, who opens his mouth to interject.

"Dude, seriously, relax a little," Reo says before he can speak, throwing a sweaty arm over your shoulder. "She's here for me, so you don't need to worry!"

"And Nagi." You add helpfully, pointing at his retreating silhouette in the distance. "I'm here for Nagi Seishirou, too."

Reo laughs- it's a little forced, but you pretend not to notice. "And Nagi Seishirou."

The referee isn't convinced. "I'm not sure this is allowed..."

"Anyone asks,  just tell 'em my name, okay? Mikage Reo, I'm sure they'll understand." Reo winks, and the referee finally gives in.

You keep your composure for about two seconds before you're squealing at the top of your lungs, grabbing him and pulling him into a hug, and he chuckles, patting the top of your head fondly.

"There, there," He says jokingly, and it's been so long. "Don't cry like a little baby."

"Oh, be quiet," You push him away from you, but it lacks bite, and you can't stop the huge grin tugging at your lips. "You don't understand how much I've missed you, Reo. I swear, school is so empty without you."

"I've missed you too," He says, and his eyes gravitate towards his necklace. "Ba-ya gave it to you then, huh?"

"This morning, actually," You tell him, and his eyes get a faraway look in them as he stares and stares at the necklace. "Reo, she wanted to come, she really did. I'm sure she's nothing but proud of you right now."

He smiles at you, and you're adjusting the necklace so that the heart sits directly in the middle of the chain.

"This is really nice, Reo," You say, and he looks away, his ears reddening a little. "Honestly, thank you so much. It's so pretty, and probably way too expensive, and you're a fool for buying it, but-"

"Just shush," He dismisses your words with a wave of his gloved hand. "Am I not allowed to get my darling friend a gift?"

"Sweet talk won't make your case any better!" You insist, trying to be stern, but you can't, not when this is the first time you've seen him in person since that cold winters day, all those weeks ago. "Thank you so very much, Reo. I love it, honestly. It's perfect."

"It has to be," Reo turns around- is he trying to hide his embarrassment or what? "It's for a perfect girl."

You aren't quite sure how to reply to that- the statement feels loaded, like there's more to it than he's letting you know.

"Well, I'm far from perfect, but I appreciate the sentiment." You decide to say jokingly, and his shoulders tense a little- is that not what he wanted to hear? What even is it that he wants you to say to that?

"Uh- Reo, I really do like it, I promise." You add uncertainly, and he turns back around with his trademark grin.

"I know you like it," He chimes, and taps your head. "Because I know you. And you aren't really that hard to impress."

"What's that supposed to mean?" You squawk indignantly, and he just laughs in response, that genuine laugh of his that you haven't heard in ages.

He grabs your hand, hauling you off inside the building- you dig your heels in, your confidence suddenly gone.

"Uh, Reo? I'm definitely not allowed in there." You say, tugging against him.

He turns around, an eyebrow raised. "Yeah, but Nagi's in there?"

That's enough persuasion for you.

You shrug. "Yeah, you're right... and it's not like I'm doing anything illegal, so we should be fine."

He laughs, pulling you along again. The two of you bump into Hiori just outside the locker room- he's still in his kit, a towel over his baby blue hair, and his eyebrows raise when he sees you.

"Woah, Reo," He gives Reo a knowing look, one which Reo evidently doesn't appreciate. "Who's the pretty lady?"

Reo tells Hiori your name, and he smiles pleasantly at you. You can't help but notice his long, fluttery eyelashes- he's got such elegant, feminine features, a bit like Chigiri, and you're a little jealous.

Since when were guys making you jealous with their beauty? The world must be ending soon.

"Nice to finally meet ya," Hiori winks, holding out his hand. You shake it, smiling shyly back at him. "Reo's told me a lot about-"

"She's Nagi's girlfriend," Reo hurriedly throws out, and Hiori's eyebrows practically disappear into his hairline as he raises them impossibly higher. "So do me a favour and call him out here for her, would you?"

You frown slightly. The two of them really aren't talking?

Hiori looks at Reo with a sceptical expression- seriously, what is going on with him?- before shrugging.

"Sure man, if ya say so." He slips into the locker room, and as the door opens you get a whiff of the sweating boys inside.

You wrinkle your nose; you know they've been playing hard, but still. Your sinuses feels like they're under attack, and the enemy is winning.

"What's with that face?" He elbows your side, that mischievous grin of his lighting up his face.

"Absolutely stinks." Is your wry response, and he bursts out laughing.

"That's the smell of victory, young lady, so you should learn to appreciate it."

"You always say that." You push him jokingly, and his eyes go soft as he gazes at you, his laughter dying down. "It's just an excuse for your smelly pits, don't even try and deny it."

"Yeah, well maybe you should stop always complaining," He snorts, leaning against the wall, arms crossed. "So nit-picky. You've got a rotten personality for someone so cute, you know?"

"I am so not rotten!" You're on the defensive immediately, before you've even fully processed what he's said. "I am hot though."

You're in the middle of striking an absolutely ridiculous pose when the door to the locker room is slowly pushed open, and you turn around, eyes wide, when none other than Nagi Seishirou walks out, head tilted curiously.

His soft, white curls are dripping with sweat, a Blue Lock towel draped over his head. He's still wearing his football shorts, but he's changed from his jersey into a black Blue Lock tank top, sliders on over his socked feet.

"Oh," Is what he says, scratching the back of his neck. "No wonder Hiorin wanted me to come out so bad. Hi-"

You shriek inhumanly, launching yourself at him with the speed of a bullet, throwing your arms around him in a bear hug as you nestle your face against his chest. His hands wrap around you on instinct, one circling your shoulders and the other cradling the back of your head, and you can hear the steady, rhythmic beating of his heart speed up- is he flustered?

You can feel the tears welling up, and you blink them away rapidly, pulling him closer. His chin comes down to rest atop your head, the edges of the towel tickling your cheeks, his chest rising and falling with every intake of breath.

You could stay like this forever, really, clutching Nagi like he's all you have, like he's all you need.

"I missed you. I missed you so much it hurt." Your voice is dangerously shaky, but you swallow the lump in your throat, forcing the words out so he can really hear them. "It hurt so much, Nagi."

His hands strokes down your hair, and he presses a feather-light kiss to the top of your head.

"I'm sorry."

It's a simple response, but you can tell he really means it.

"It's fine, you don't have to apologise," You assure him, but you're still unable to look at him for fear you'll burst into tears. "I'm just being a dumb baby."

"You're my dumb baby." You can hear the smile in his voice, and he rubs circles into your shoulder with his thumb.

You laugh- it's slightly watery, but he pretends not to notice. "You're not supposed to agree with the dumb part."

You pull back with that, beaming up at him with slightly teary eyes.

"I missed you." He echoes, and you reach up to stroke his cheek, brushing wet bangs out of his face.

He's sweaty, too, but you don't really mind, because it's proof of his improvement, proof that he's genuinely trying hard in this sport that comes so easily to him.

"I know."

-

I'm so not sorry for dragging this reunion out, this is the first time reader and Nagi have met face to face in literal years as a couple so you best believe I am MILKING every single last drop.

I am sorry, however, for going in to excessive detail about the U-20 match and literally just regurgitating canon??? This chapter was originally 7k+ words, I made loads of cuts and it's still quite long. I don't know if as readers you guys like long-ish chapters (please let me know! I am open to improving!) so yeah, sorry my darlings.

One last thing- Reo's suffering is real my bad