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Isagi Yoichi would say he had a good life. A normal one, he’d like to say. A roof over his head, good(ish) food to eat every day, afternoon and night, good grades, good health and a stable household.
A stable household consisting of him, half brother, his father and a completely unstable man that liked to pose as a secondary parent.
An official legal guardian, they’d put a label on it. So here he was, in his little home (it was small for the average mansion), in his little room, going over a bunch of homework and personal things he wanted to go over.
You see, as much as Isagi says his legal guardian, Ego Jinpachi, is an insane man who should be in prison for the rest of his life, he wouldn’t say he disliked him.
Sure, he lacked emotional knowledge or any kind of knack for acting like a normal person, but Isagi liked him either way. After all, he was the man who helped him find his passion
Football.
Isagi was good at football. Like, super good. That’s all because of Ego. Ego liked soccer too, and Isagi hates to admit it, but they’re both on the same level of insanity when it comes to that damned game.
Like father, like son, maybe? Isagi didn’t know.
But one thing Isagi did know at this moment was that he was literally going to jump off the nearest bridge.
An exam is coming up. In like, a week, too, and Isagi isn’t really the smartest cookie. He’s definitely smart, but not the smartest, which is something he should probably work on.
So here he was, on the verge of legitimate suicide because his mind is running at chameleon tongue levels of fast.
He ruffles his hair and groans into the sound waves that were accepting his call. He’d consider calling his friends, like Tada, but honestly he’s not going to help. Maybe his brother Micheal would, but only if Isagi stood on his eyelashes and begged.
“What the hell are you making so much noise about?” An irritating, grating voice says from Isagi’s now-open door. Jinpachi Ego’s lanky body stood tall by the doorframe.
Isagi groans again. “Can’t you knock?”
“No,” Ego, one of the men in the house said again. He walked over to Isagi and leaned on the table, inspecting his work. As per usual, he keeps his deadpan expression.
“Did you sell me to someone or something?” Isagi asked half jokingly, but a part of him was expecting Ego to say yes.
“No.” Ego said, unamused with Isagi’s nonsense. “My team is going to play an important match tomorrow. You’re coming.”
Isagi’s eyes widened. Ego was the coach of a new up and coming team called Blue Lock, and Isagi was there to watch it grow from the beginning of its life.
For a new team, they were actually… pretty damn good. Of course, that’s because of Ego, though. Isagi had watched the footage of the kids before they came to blue lock with him, and they were eh at best. They had come to an agreement on that, at least.
“Wait, I’m coming?” Isagi reiterated. “Who said I’m coming?!”
“Me.” Ego said, turning on his heel to leave.
He had even left Isagi’s door wide open. “You punk..” Isagi cursed under his breath.
Tomorrow, Isagi thought. He looked at the time. 10:47 pm, he read. Of course this guy didn't tell me when I’d have to wake up…
He rolled his eyes, his phone lighting up with a notification.
Dad 2?: 8am. Or I’m leaving you.
Stellar timing. I don’t even want to go! Isagi thought incredulously, shaking his head in disbelief. Meeting the blue lock boys would prove interesting, but since they were raised by Ego, he’s expecting them to be cannibalistic and predatorial, even though he turned out just fine after being raised by Ego and his father since birth..
You: alr
You: U sure they’re not gonna eat me or sumn 😭Dad 2?: Hope they do. Go to sleep.
Isagi scrunches up his eyebrows.
You: U suck 😭
You: GoodnightDad 2?: Make sure you wake up early enough to eat something and pack whatever you want to bring. Goodnight.
You reacted ‘👍’ to a message.
The raven turned off his phone and stretched with a small whine. Standing up, his knees popped while his shoulder ached. Huh, he really didn’t get any work done after all.
He looks at the time. 10:51. Time to hit the hay.
–
Micheal Kaiser would say he had a pretty…Okay life. He lived in a big house with his half brother, father, and… other parent. He had lots of friends, he was popular, and he was a blonde.
“Oh my god can you shut up?” He commanded through the screen of his phone.
A loud cackle is heard from the other side.
“How are you being so loud? It’s 11. How are the people in your house not annoyed with you?” Another voice says, exasperated. Itoshi Sae, his best friend since grade school. They met on a football field, where Kaiser had beaten Sae 10 to 3 on a random wednesday. They then shared a popsicle, then Sae gave Kaiser a place to stay for the night because he was new to Japan and didn’t know how to get home. Been friends ever since.
Another blonde rolls his pink eyes. “Cause I didn’t abandon them like you did your brother.” Shidou Ryusei retorted with a grin. The three of them knew he meant no ill will, though. He had no right to talk. His parents kicked him out of the house about twenty times before finally deciding that he should just pack it up and leave to live with his oldest sister.
Micheal lets out a loud chuckle.
“Micheal shut up. Your mom left you for the same reason.” Sae rolled his teal eyes.
Kaiser’s eyes widen and he makes an offended expression. Right as he is about to answer, a firm knock is heard on his door.
He silences an ugh coming from his throat. “Yeah?” He calls. The door clicks open.
(Yeah what? Is heard on the phone. Not you! Micheal has to shout.)
It’s his father. Tall and white haired. Noel Noa. You know the one. In the business world, say his name even in a whisper and people are clenching their seats in anticipation. Micheal and his brother Yoichi had the same nose as him. His father has taken off his eyeliner for the day, it seems. Standing by the doorframe, he scoped out Micheals room like he had snuck someone in.
“It’s 11pm. Your brother is asleep.” He said. Micheal refrained from rolling his eyes. “You have somewhere to be tomorrow.”
(Oooh, Michel is in trouble! Shidou taunts. Micheal side eyes the phone.)
“What?” Micheal replied with a kiddish voice. “But tomorrows a weekend!”
“I know.” His father replied. He crossed his arms. “Take it out on Ego tomorrow morning. You’ll be leaving with him.”
Micheal groans. “Of course I am.” He says, running a hand through his greasy hair. “Is Yoichi coming?”
“Is that a real question?”
“Don’t get smart with me please.” Micheal says, closing his eyes in disdain.
“He is. Go to sleep.” His father commands. “And get off of your phone.”
Micheal rolls his eyes to the sky. “Finee..” he says.
Noa takes his leave, and thankfully shuts the door all the way. Before the door closes, Kaiser hears a soft, “Sleep well.” Coming from Noa’s tired voice.
Once he’s alone, Kaiser turns back to the phone. “I gotta go,” he says, wiping his eyes with a yawn.
“Where are you going tomorrow?” Sae asks.
Kaiser stares at him through the screen unamused. “Are you slow? I just communicated that I don’t know. I swear you’re more blonde than me.”
Shidou cackles again, quieter this time. “Jesus Sae, maybe it’s bedtime for you too.”
Sae clicked his tongue. “Bye then.”
“Nighty night princesses~!” Shidou said, grabbing his phone and pulling it closer to him to hang up.
“Bye. You both suck.” Kaiser scoffs.
The call falls silent, and so does the room. Kaiser flops on his side, sinking into his bed, not even having the energy to crawl into his sheets. Dozing off, a dreamless sleep welcomed him.
Papa: Make sure you wake early to pack whatever you want to bring with Ego tomorrow. Sleep well.
Tomorrow morning.
“Micha, I won’t tolerate this any longer!” Yoichi shouted, but not really, since he wasn’t trying to get in trouble at the ripe hour of six in the morning. He threw a pillow at the arrogant head of his older brother.
Kaiser let out an ‘umf’ as he woke up with a grunt. “What the hell, Yoichi?” He asked harshly, also whisper yelling.
Kaiser propped himself up on an elbow, eventually persuading himself to sit completely upright. His hair was a mess, a detangled nightmare. He rubbed his eyes and groaned even louder.
“It’s literally saturday..” he complained. “I wanted to get my haircut today.”
“You wouldn’t even know what to ask for.” Yoichi stated, taking out one of Micheal’s many bags. He settled on a sports one. It read Bastard Munchen on the side, and matched his own. “You can’t even read the signs on bus stops.”
Micheal rolled his eyes just as he rolled out of bed. “I can speak the language you know, not read it.”
Yoichi put his hands on his hips with raised eyebrows, watching while the other opened the bag that was placed on his vanity like a rabbit was going to pop out. He held it open, waiting for a moment.
“Oh.” Micheal said as he realised that he had to be the one to put things in the bag.
“Oh,” Yoichi said as he raised his eyebrows even farther with a mocking nod of the head.
Micheal clicks his teeth and swings a lazy fist at Yoichi’s head.
Ends up hitting his hand on his door.
Doubling over in pain, the Noa (+ Ego) household commences their morning routine.
6:30 AM
Movement stirs in the house, chilly air creeping in. The master bedroom ensuite bathroom shower turns on, indicating their father’s wake. Micheal tries to brush his hair. Yoichi styles his to have a V on the top.
“Quit doing your hair like that, it’s so yesteryear.” Micheal pointed out when barging into Yoichi’s room to take his water bottle after being unsuccessful in finding his own.
“I don’t wanna hear that from someone who still uses a Wet 2 Straight!” Yoichi says, throwing a cleat at his brother.
6:50 AM
Good Mornings are said. Noa gets out of the bathroom 10 minutes earlier than he usually does. Ego wakes up. Yoichi has been ready for the past 20 minutes.
“What happened to you?” Ego says when he and Noa cross paths in the hallway leading to the kitchen.
Noa rolls his eyes. “Someone wants all the hot water this morning, apparently.” He says, grumbling into the kitchen, upset that his perfect morning routine had been ruined by the irrational mind of a hormonal teen.
Ego stops, watching Noa brew his morning coffee. He looks at Yoichi. Yoichi looks at him. They sigh at the presence of two Diva’s in the house.
7:15 AM
Breakfast is had. Micheal still hasn’t left the bathroom. Ego is dressed up, in a black suit and tie with the blue lock logo on his nametag. It read “COACH” on it. Yoichi gives him a thumbs up and Noa nods in approval.
“Where’s your ratty brother?” Ego asks.
Yoichi shrugs. Noa redoes his tie in the mirror. “Still in the bathroom, I presume.” He says, still looking at his reflection.
Ego clicks his teeth. “Like father, like son..” he says under his breath, earning a deadly side eye from Noa.
Ego looks away like he hadn’t done anything.
7:30 AM
Yoichi falls back asleep on the breakfast table. Noa left. Ego looks through Isagi’s “bring what you want” bag out of curiosity. Finds out that it belongs to both Micheal and Yoichi, as they are sharing a bag. Micheal finally gets out of the shower.
Ego pulls out a book from Yoichi’s bag.
“What moves the dead by T. Kingfisher…” He read aloud. “Yea, definitely Micheals.” He observes.
He puts it back and fishes out another booklet-esque thing. “Top 10 hottest football players of all time…” He looks at Yoichi’s calm, sleeping face. He scrunches his nose.
7:40 AM.
Micheal is finally out of the bathroom and sitting at the breakfast table, scarfing down his morning meal. Yoichi has woken up. Ego contacted his assistant. Yoichi comments on how Micheal still looks ugly despite all that time in the bathroom. He gets an egg chucked in his open yapping mouth.
“I can feel it in the back of my nose!” Yoichi protested. He coughed, gagged, wheezed.
Ego just watched him.
“It stings!”
Micheal ate the rest of his food one egg short. With a smile.
Yoichi choked, “I think I’m dying!”
7:50 AM.
Crisis averted. Heimlich manoeuvre on top. Yoichi discovers that his vampire of a second parent is stronger than he’d thought. Micheal shoves a few more chargers in their shared bag. They finally get in the car.
“Took you brats long enough.” Ego complained, putting his bag on the passenger seat.
Yoichi and Micheal buckle their seatbelts. The car starts. Yoichi freezes in place.
“Wait, I need to use the bathroom.” he says, urgently unbuckling himself and opening the door.
Ego watches him go.
“Dont.” Ego said, urgency in his tone. “Don’t try to say anything funny.”
Micheal is silenced.
Thus concludes the eventful morning of the Noa household.
Ego Jinpachi’s life felt like it was nearing its end and he was only in his thirties.
He had met Noa when he was.. What? 18,19,20? To him, it didn’t feel like there was a time where Noa wasn’t there. Cold, rational, gear-boned. Noa was just like Ego, but even so they pissed each other off beyond human comprehension.
They’d met in France while Ego was interning in a big position at the Bastard Munchen internship palace. Then, they and Noa had met a tall, attractive, blonde German woman, who had eyes as sharp as a hawks.
She and Noa get married.
Don’t ask Ego how, he doesn’t know. He knows well that they didn’t have any chemistry. He knows more than anyone that Noa didn’t actually like the calculated life. He was at the wedding for a total of about 30 minutes, ditching when they gathered to cut the cake.
He remembers sitting next to their mutual friend, Marc Snuffy during the ceremony.
“Give it about two years.” He said with a laugh.
Ego scoffed. The two divorced two years into the marriage, the German woman leaving Noa with a child diva, Micheal Kaiser, that he had no idea what to do with.
Ego remembers the call at 3 in the morning, because Noa had been so uncharacteristically distressed that he forgoed the time difference between Japan and Germany.
“It’s three in the morning.” He had said in greeting.
Noa doesn’t care. “You live alone, right?” He asked.
Ego’s eyes widened in realisation of what Noa was planning to do.
Not even months later or weeks, Noa and his spawn arrived in Japan, threatening the safe-haven of Ego’s cup-noodle trashed home. The little boy had the same eyes as Noa. A baby with a straight face was an unnerving sight, Ego thought at the time.
Noa left Micheal with Ego alone a lot. Ego discovered that Micheals nose would grow to be like Noa’s. Michel learned how to speak Japanese before the native language of his father. Ego was proud of himself for that win. Noa was not.
At some point he has to say goodbye to the kiddo, because Noa has found a new lover. Ego would never admit to being upset about that, but he’ll tell you that it was nice having a rude child talk his ears off about everything he wanted.
Noa had found a cute Japanese woman, who was smart and almost just as weird as him. They moved out, and for a little while, Ego was alone again.
Noa tells Ego about a new child he has. Yoichi, he names it. He remembers giving that name in suggestion in one of their many video calls.
“Does that name have any meaning?” Noa asked.
“It was my username on mixi a while ago.”
Noa gives him a scolding look, and Ego chuckles lightly.
“--because, it means world best.”
Noa makes a comprehensive gesture. “Very much like you.”
Whatever Noel meant by naming his child something that reminded him of Ego, it was lost on the man. Another video call unveils that Noa and his Japanese honey had broken it off.
Noa had come back to his door, a four year old with his hands on his hips and a new blue eyed two year old clutching his pants.
“Don’t say I told you so.” He said, barging in because Ego hadn’t thrown away any of the baby stuff that Micheal had, like Noa and his family belonged there and nowhere else.
Ego scoffed. “I told you so.” He said, going back to his work like his friend's life hadn’t been ruined twice over.
Noa hadn’t gotten married since then, relying on Ego as a secondary parent.
With Noa being the breadwinner, him working tirelessly days and nights gave Ego full creative control on how he wanted these little egoists to grow.
Yoichi was quiet and he didn’t talk much. Sensitive, he heard Noa pull into the driveway way before the automatic garage sensors did. He smelt when it was about to rain, and that came in handy when Micheal, the dramatic one he is, cried every time he ever got wet.
On the flipside, Micheal was loud and bossy. He never made mistakes. All the silverware would be aligned perfectly, and even then Micheal would have his own set. He had a superiority complex, too proud of himself.
Even with these differences, they came together on one thing only.
Soccer.
Picking them up from elementary school, Ego had gotten used to being distracted by watching them play together, two against eleven. He remembers embarrassingly pumping his fist when they won, eyes softening a little when the two little demons hugged each other in excitement at their victories.
He had gotten celebratory hugs, too.
So now as he steps into the facility in which he’d built, a team inspired by them, the metal walls and cold floors still feel like home.
“Sorry everyone, I’m running a bit late.” Ego says as he walks into the changeroom, all the blue lock boys eyes on him.
Micheal and Yoichi follow behind in tandem.
The eyes of the blue lock boys barely graze Ego, as they immediately are drawn to the two strangers in the room.
Micheal stood proudly, both hands on his hips, meanwhile Yoichi stood politely, hands behind his back, like he was being called at attention.
The two boys glanced at each other, then at the blue lockers, and stood in the corner by Anri while Ego addressed the boys.
“Hey, Yoichi, look-” Micheal called. “That one, it’s Rin, Sae’s brother.” He said with slight amusement in his tone.
He points to a tall boy, glaring down Ego with a row of long bottom lashes framing his eyes. He looked really sad, like, sad and mad. Yoichi could see why his demented brother found fun in it.
“I know him, he goes to my school. Sae's his brother?” Isagi raised a brow. Making an incredulous face.
“What- yes, obviously! Surely you've heard him monologue about Sae, right?.”
Isagi rolled his eyes. “I dunno, I always thought of Sae as some background omnipotent being."
Micheal scoffed and rolled his eyes doubly as hard as Yoichi did because he was extra and always had to have the last laugh.
“I've been mulling over this formation till the last moment…” Ego said, scratching his head. “But I think this will do.
“Is that the formation he was powerpoint presenting to us that one time?” Isagi whispered.
The whole family had been urged to the couch while Ego used the TV to feverishly explain everyone's abilities and how he was going to spontaneously combust because he saw so many possibilities with the players he had and was upset he had to give up some talent to make others shine.
“Isn’t that the whole point of Blue Lock?” Noa had asked him, sipping calmly on a class of peach juice that he got in the name of the family being more healthy.
“Oh.” Ego responded.
He fixed the formation shortly after.
“Yeah, I think so.” Micheal said, squinting because Ego was standing back turned to him, so he could faintly see the screen. “I think mini-toshi is the main striker..”
“...Nagi Seishiro, you will be our offensive midfielder (oh, okay. The boy responded), and finally…”
“Wait, Sir?” A tall boy with brown and round glasses called out. “Isn’t Shidou going to be a part of the formation?”
“Oh I know Shidou.” Isagi whispered, proud of his recognition.
Micheal nodded. “Me too.” Isagi side eyes him. "I think I'm friends with him." the blonde continues. Isagi steps on his shoe.
“Compelling question, Yukimiya Kenyu. It's true, I was planning on using him as a joker, if need be, because in truth, he cannot mix with Itoshi Rin.” Ego explained. “And his behaviour off the field could not be overlooked.”
“True,” Isagi whispered again. "Did you see the video of him beating Rin up? There were like, six people trying to keep both of them from killing each other."
"Seriously? Find it and send to me when we get back home, that's something you gotta put on a T shirt, Yoichi!" Micheal squealed.
"What, are you gonna sell it?!"
Ego's explaining brought them back to reality. “Although, there was a change of plans, and Shidou Ryusei was picked by Itoshi Sae to play for the opposing team.”
The blue lock boys gasped, and Itoshi Rins eyes almost became bloodshot.
“Not picking his own brother?” Isagi whispered. “Understandable.”
“They have crazy beef with each other.” Kaiser rolled his eyes. “Imagine having a bad relationship with your brother. Could not be us.”
“That is most certainly us!” Isagi whisper yelled excitedly.
They share a childish high five even though they beat each other up more than they have anyone else.
“That being said, we’re short one piece, and I've been mulling on this for a while. I know it's a last minute change, but I think this player is the best option for blue lock right now.”
The boys all waited in anticipation, and in that moment, Ego turned his body around to face Micheal and Yoichi, making the blue lock boys eye them too. They perked up at the sudden attention, and gave each other a frightened look.
“He’s not gonna-” Yoichi started.
“He wouldn't-” Kaiser tried to finish.
“I would.” Ego started. Isagi felt a strong headache coming on. “Isagi Yoichi, you are our final piece.”
Micheal facepalmed. The blue lock boys eyes widened comically, and Yoichi only sighed, already expecting this from his maniac second father…
Noel Noa could be abducted by aliens and that would be more likely than the life he lives at present.
An exaggeration, he knows. It's out of character for him to even live a life so unstructured. Two divorces, two kids (who are only half related), and letting your crazy, insane, ex-friend raise them with you. He remembers the days where he’d be at work, already feeling his week on his shoulders, receiving a text of;
Ego: Did you know severe head injuries mostly come from sports? That's not a real statistic. Yoichi’s in the hospital. Got jumped :p maybe we should get him into karate instead.
Scrunching his face, he’d answer with;
You: Is he at least alive?
Ego: depends…
He’d then drop whatever he’s doing, only to find out Yoichi was just sitting at home playing video games with a bandage on his forehead.
Now that his children are (a bit) older, he trusts that they'll be… fine, at the hands of the mastermind. He knows they're both at that blue lock meet-up thing, at least. So his logical mind then asks him, what's the worst thing that could happen?
His phone buzzes for the first time in a while. Opening it, pleased to find that it's his family instead of some spam email, he finds a message in the mock-family group chat.
Noa fam + weird unc
Micheal
Ego made Yoichi play for the bllk team 💔💔💔*Micheal sends a photo showing isagi posing in the blue lock uniform, looking clearly uneasy.
Micheal
He's gonna embarrass himself
Ego
On skibidi
Micheal reacted with !!
Micheal
Stop saying that 😭🙏🙏🙏
Noa
I will fight both of you if you don't behave yourselves.
Micheal
Uh oh his street days are coming back to him
Ego
don't threaten me with a good time
Noa
You and I are going to have a talk.
Ego reacted with ha ha
Micheal reacted with !!
Yoichi reacted with !!Noa
And Yoichi, don't let your nerves get to you. Just think logically like you've been taught.
Yoichi
O-o-o-okay….
Micheal
STOP TEXTING LIKE THAT IN THE FAMILY GROUPXHAT
Yoichi
BUT EGO CAN SAY ON SKIBIDI???
Noa: Get off your phones and focus. Same for you Ego. Stop messing around with my kids.
Ego reacted with a thumbs down.
Noa frowns as he puts his phone down, and he rubs his eyes. Adjusting his tie, he stands up. With a groan, he leaves his office and turns the corner, nodding at everyone who greets him.
At work, he was known for his determination in the office, and as a lawyer, he was commended for his cold sentencing. On weekends though, Noa had swore them off to his family, and he was only dragged here to get some extra work done. He'd only agreed since Ego was going to take the kids out and they were going to be out for a while.
Admittedly, he'd been spending most of the time ‘reviewing’ the TikTok's his children have sent him, so he actually hasn’t gotten any work done. Noa doesn’t actually remember when he gets things done, he just does. Working to him is like breathing, like his bones are gears and the food he eats is fuel. The only difference now is that he has something to work for.
When he had given Micheal to Ego to take care of for the first time, he had his… doubts. Figures, since Ego was a six-foot-two lanky hikikomori and Noa has never even heard of Ego talking to his own family.
But against his better judgement paired with a lack of trust for others to take care of his foreign diva child, he’d trusted Ego anyway. He’d visit when he was free, only to find Ego forcing Micheal to complete complex puzzles and critical thinking problems. Ego was always into psychology, which is a fact he seemingly ignored when giving him the most impressionable, moldable test subject.
When Yoichi came about, it got even worse. Yoichi’s five senses were much better than the rest of them, making him a (big) scaredy cat. The innovative nature the Noa family (+ Ego) household has, however, used this fact to their advantages. Ego would take Yoichi with him when he ran errands, cause the boy could tell if it was going to rain and Micheal made Yoichi attend his birthdays because Yoichi was able to sniff out if one of his friends were a snake.
It was just… chaos, in general. A world the universe must've thought Noa needed to know. He does admit that there is a sort of art to the way he feels more calm in the yelling and bickering of his home, than the quiet and focused nature of his workplace. Noa supposes that every robot needs its charging port.
That being said, he did wish Ego wouldn't make demons out of his children, as unique as they are.
In need of his morning coffee, he turns some corners to make it to the downstairs office Starbucks, and as he approaches he sees a flurry of that signature green apron, tan skin, blonde mohawk and a laugh that comes from the heart.
“Ah, Noa!” The loud sunny voice springs at him.
“Lavi.” He responds, the slightest bit of amusement in his voice. He doubts Lavinho would understand, seeing how the only people able to read his expressions were Ego and his children respectively, after spending many a year with him.
“Hey!” He draws out, arms out for a hug. He'd never go for it, since Noa would deny it each time. “If it isn't Noel Noa!” He exclaims.
“Hello.” Noa greets officially. “How's the family?” He says out of courtesy.
“Oh, good.” He says surprised. “But man, how do you do it? I can't help but worry about the little guy.”
“You think I don't worry about mine? I leave them with a maniac every day.” He says, under his breath.
Lavinho hears him anyway, and laughs with his whole body. “Yeah, yeah. Don't talk about your wife like that, man! It’ll scare her away.” Noa looks at him like he really resonates with that statement. Like he really does have a wife, and not just Ego. “Anyway,” Lavinho continues, preparing Noa’s drink, as it isn't hard to guess what a man like him wants. “Why’re you even here, dude? Thought you didn't work on weekends.”
Noa sighs and crosses his arms. “Yes, but they've been brought to a football game today, and they're going to be there for a while, so I figured I might as well come in.”
Lavinho looks at Noa, pumping in milk to his coffee. “Football as in soccer? Or…” he asks.
“Lavi.” Noa looks at him unamused.
“I don't know, they call it soccer here!” He laughs. “That's funny, since my kiddo has a match today too.”
“I think I remember you mentioning that. What team does he play for?”
“Blue lock.”
“Yoichi, what do you want to get for dinner?” Micheal asks, slinging their shared bag over his shoulder.
“You’re paying? Let me think…” Yoichi holds his chin pensively.
Behind him are the panting bodies of the blue lock boys, holding their heads in frustration and crying their annoyances out, their faces contorted with a mix of anger and despair. Fists clenching and nails teasing at the barrier between their skin and flesh. The sounds of their seething fills the room, accompanied by the sounds of Isagi’s thinking. The loss against Sae's team must have been a wake up call of some sort, given the fact that they aren't really sad about it, just mostly angry. Yoichi looks the other way though. He played as amazingly as he always does.
“Their groaning is making it hard to think…” Isagi notes, quietly though, since he’s not as brazen as his brother and if he’s learned anything from Noa it’s to be discreetly judgemental.
Kaiser scoffs. “Let’s figure out some food then leave. The scent of losers here will surely rub off on us.” he mocks. Yoichi wishes he didn’t, but his older brother doesn’t say grace at dinner and neither does he on other peoples names.
“Don’t say that. Looks like this match was important to them.” Isagi whispers. He looks over to Ego, who is pretending to straighten up his suit and crack all his knuckles and roll his shoulders. Tall and lanky, he doesn’t know where to put his hands after giving the blue lockers an encouraging pep talk to ease the loss.
“Important to Ego too.” Isagi mentions, as he watches Ego shift around.
“Hey,” Ego calls for their attention, decidedly done with the clouds of teenage grovelling. “You two.” Ego points at Kaiser and Isagi. He shoves a card into Yoichi’s chest, muttering something under his breath.
The Noa brothers did not need to decipher it, for the hardness of the card and the sweet three numbers at the back told them exactly what they needed to do.
“Big salty ramen dinner.” Yoichi says, turning on his heel, face darkening.
“One that’ll piss Noa all the way off?” Micheal says, a grin widening on his face.
“One that’s so good that he won't even be able to scold us.”
9 pm
“Hey, Micheal.”
Raining, it was. It wasn’t supposed to rain. Especially not this hard, where Yoichi’s shins were wet because of walking through the puddles. Now he sat under a bus shelter, wiping his face from the droplets of the oceans and rivers abound.
“Hello Yoichi.” Micheal says, coming out of the ramen store holding up a big pre-ordered plastic bag up and away from his soaking body. “God you look like a rat right now.” He replies nastily, pointing at Yoichi.
“You’re the one with an actual rat tail, and get under the bus shelter!” Yoichi reprimanded. "And thanks for deciding to order this food at the hour of the last supper. If you had done this earlier we wouldn't have gotten caught in the rain!"
Micheal obeys with a scoff, plopping down next to Yoichi. "Please dont Itoshi Sae me right now while and cold and quite frankly drenched."
“Oh yeah. If you beat me, I'll share this dream with you again, haha!” Yoichi laughed.
Micheal smiles. "God, that was ridiculous. Our shared dream right now is getting home before we get flooded."
"Uncomfortable?" Yoichi asks, but he already knows the answer. His diva brother wouldn't be able to step on a sidewalk if he saw that weed grew between the cracks.
The squish of Kaiser's shoes when he shifts on the bench tells Yoichi exactly what he needs to know.
9:15 pm
The rain had only gotten harder. Micheal pissier. Not because of the rain, but because Yoichi is beating him in online uno.
“Yoichi, how many gigs of data do you have?!” Micheal squeals in displeasure.
“Data?” Yoichi questions. “I’m using the Ramen store's free wifi…”
Micheal, who was counting on Yoichi’s data running out to win, sighs deeply. He doesn’t cross his arms because the wetness of his sleeves mixed with how much he needs to pee right now arent going to mix right.
"My phone is about to die though, so theres your win emperor." Yoichi says, shoving his device in his pocket.
Micheal makes a face. "Ew, disgusting, I know that pocket is soaking like a sponge right now!"
"Where the hell else am I supposed to put it?" Yoichi yells. "Oh, wait, maybe you want it down your throat!"
Yoichi lunges at Micheal, and the soup that spills out of the plastic bag is really none of their business.
9:34 pm
Micheal had gone off the deep end, so now he's drinking the half empty miso soup (other half emptied out in the plastic bag), as he watches Yoichi watch the rain.
Yoichi's eyes are pensive. His wet hair stuck to his forehead, and his deep blue eyes scanned the vastness of the road as far as his 20/20 vision eyes could see. Micheal could bet that nothing and everything is passing through his brothers mind right now. The sounds of the cars splashing by, the tap of the raindrops hitting the bus shelter roof, the breathing of the woman standing at the other side of the bus shelter because apparently she's afraid of two kids holding a big bag of food (that does look like its bleeding out the bottom). Yoichi was always like this, so calm and thoughtful.
Don't tell anyone, but Micheal always secretly thought that while he was definitely charming, Yoichi was the prettier one out of the two.
"Let's call Ego to come pick us up." He says, face half in the styrofoam container. "I wanna go back to the house so bad. I need a shower."
Yoichi looks back at Micheal, back a little slouched since the bench doesn't favour ergonomics. Yoichi looks at Micheal normally, for once, and asks, "Do you think we could ever end up like Sae and Rin?"
Micheal takes his nose out the miso soup, realizing that he needs to pee even more. "We're like them on a base line. All siblings are. It's their fault they added layers to it." Micheal answers nonchalantly.
Yoichi giggles. "So, is that a yes or no?"
Micheal thinks for a moment. "No," he says. "There doesn't need to be an analysis on why, Yoichi. We just won't."
Yoichi sighs and rakes a hand on his forehead, scratching away the uncomfortable tickle of the wet strands. "Ugh... Can you call him please? I thought you wanted to get home, diva."
Micheal fished his phone out of his pocket with a two fingers, flinching at it's dampness. Opening it, he says, "I'm already home." Pressing Ego's number, he continues. "You're here."
9:53 pm
A car pulls up to the bus shelter, and it purrs a wealthy tone as it slows down. Its beautiful white and gold colour is blurred by the mist of the rain. Its lights illuminate Micheal and Yoichi’s soggy figures.
”Oh!” Micheal exclaims. “Yoichi-“ Micheal nudges his brother on the side, and Yoichi flinches, ticklish.
The woman standing on the side of the bus shelter burns the Noa brothers father’s super car.
The pair make their way to the car, hastily opening the doors and shaking off their sweaters.
Hastily opening up the car doors and shuffling inside, the vibrations from the slam of closing it matched with the shivering of their little bodies. It might as well be the great flood all over again when the two brothers make their way into their assigned (but not assigned) seats. When they look up from buckling themselves in, two silent hawk eyes peered at them instead of the expected one.
"Ego?" Micheal questioned first.
The man in question, who was sitting in the passangers seat, impossibly drenched more than the brothers, nodded. "Hello, rats." He said.
Noa glared at him. "Now what compelled you to order food now of all times?" Noa asked his eyebrows raising. He turned back to the steering wheel, and the electronic hum of the vehicle started up again. As the car lights dimmed, the deep blue LEDs whirred on, cool oceanic blue lighting up their faces.
"Too lazy." Micheal answers, shoving the wet miso soup soaked bag into Yoichi's side of the car.
"I was asleep after the game, I think..." Yoichi recalled.
Noa sighed, and pulled out of the bus stop. The rain hit his luzury car harshly as the wind wipers waved it away dutifully. Reminded a lot of Noa himself. "How was the game?" Noa asked, directed to the pouty passenger princess beside him.
"Don't bring that up." Ego said. "I know you know damn well what happened."
"Ah, I just wanted to see if you'd admit it." Noa raises his eyebrows, which is the closest thing he'll ever come to a laugh. Micheal inherited that side of Noa for sure.
"The blue lockers were good," Yoichi piped up, moving the white take out bag farther away from him (which was merely a few centimeters, since a supercar only has so much space), "But I don't think they know that yet."
Ego looked at Yoichi from the rear view mirror, and his unblinking eyes were jarring, but moreso telling, because anyone who knew Ego was also unfortunate enough to know when he had an idea. "Hm." He said simply. Yoichi was happy with just that.
"Well," Noa begins, and everyone in the vehicle holds their breath. He must've hurt the gasp coming from the boys in the back, judging by his hawkeye scan of the backseat, but he continues anyway, "You should be proud of yourself, Yoichi. You worked logically even under pressure."
Ego rolls his eyes. Micheal rolls his eyes. Yoichi's eyes glimmer with the glimmer of summer youth.
10:27pm
Finally home. Pulling up to the stable, big house of their multi last name family that was registered under Noa's name because he owned the house and 2/3 of the homes residents by blood, the car ceased it's glow and electrical humming as it slid onto the driveway.
The rain had finally stopped, so Noa was going to leave his car outside to dry, given that he did not wish for the wetness of the car to stink up the garage. Ego told him that's not how it works. Noa told him to let his OCD have a safe space. Ego gave him a look.
As the two exited the car and closed their doors, they realized that a certain pair did not exit as boundingly as they promised they would.
One peak in the backseat, and there they were. Sound asleep, Micheal leaned impossibly into Yoichi, while Yoichi held up the fort and leaned mostly upright except for the tilt on his little head as it rest on Micheals crown of golden hair.
Noa felt his eyes soften for a moment. Ego felt Noa's eyes soften for a moment. "Feeling nostalgic?" He teased. Noa shook his head as he opened the door. "You are too." He said. Ego's eyes softened.
As they pulled the two apart, Ego felt that he'd never concentrated on something as hard as this. Yoichi always looked best when he was not skiddish and overthinking, and Micheal was most dashing when his hair fell messily around his head, and his proud chirping ceased for the night.
Ego dangerously whipped Yoichi over his shoulder. Noa held Micheal in a princess carry, closing the door with his knee.
"You spoil him." Ego comments, taking the liberty to shove his hand in Noa's pants pocket to retrive the house key.
"Is that so?" Noa comments, and Ego knows best out of anyone that he swells up with pride with those three words. "I don't count on making Micheal lose unconscious in his sleep."
Even turned away, Ego feels Noa's judgement zero in on Yoichi's upside down posture. Ego smirks, "He's already unconscious, genius."
Unlocking the house door, the automatic lights turn on, but Noa quickly bumps into the switch to turn them back off manually. Heading to the couch, he places Micheal down gently, bending down fully to take off Micheals shoes and socks.
Ego drops Yoichi on the couch, flipping him over the backrest and leaving to take off his own coat and dress shoes.
"You're not going to..." Noa says as Ego strips down all his extra clothing, even his glasses being thrown to the side.
"Welp," Ego says, holding his suit blazer with two fingers like he's disgusted by it. "He's going to have to learn what coming home drunk feels like someday."
"You-" Noa begins, but he drops it deciding he didn't want to hear Ego's philosophy on this matter. He repeats his rain-care process on Yoichi, but doesn't rotate him to a more comfortable position. Instead he backs up and puts both hands on his hips, sighing, like he's just got done painting a mural, and now he's admiring the artwork he's done.
"It's like accidental renaissance." Ego comments as he joins Noa in watching the two boys sleep. "Who knew I'd get to see this."
"You've been seeing this." Noa states, a hint of softness and recognition in his voice. "You've been there for all the little moments."
"Yeah, all the cheesy ones." Ego snorts.
"The ones you like the most, yes." Noa says, rolling his shoulder. He steps off the living room carpet, slightly irked that he was the only one still wearing his shoes in the house.
Ego's eyes follow Noa as he kicks off his shoes lazier than normal, crossing the living room into the kitchen with a much more disheveled saunter. His bony heel turns, and he crosses the room too, avoiding all the furniture even as he cannot see, since the layout of Noa's- perhaps- his home, was burned into the back of his retina more deeply than he had thought.
"Yeah," he repeats again once he sees Noa again after he crosses the wall between the living space and the kitchen. "The ones I like the most."
Thus, the night routine of the Noa household concludes, and only the quiet banter of old friends who now have a brief time to reconnect and reminisce, and the soft snore of two hopeful boys who will definitely be disgusted by their dampness in the morning, makes the music of the home.