Agi calls himself a weirdo because it used to be a cruel nickname given to him because of his unusual appearance and how he reacts whenever he gets excited (hc for my hc but) I believe it was Chris Prince was the one that motivated him to ‘reclaim’ that title ;-;
Agi actually WAS supposed to be studying to be a doctor, but circumstances led to him haphazardly picking football instead and abandoning that career so now he’s only a football doctor instead. This is bc Agi is interested in the anatomy of a play and giving improvement, but agi isn’t shown to play for himself though (pretty abstract but a hc is a hc)
This one is embarrassingly self indulgent but nagi thinks agi looks kinda like bonobono (his favourite manga character) and thinks agi looks really cute. Combining this with my first hc, sometimes agi catches nagi staring at him and gets self conscious thinking that nagi’s looking at him bc he looks weird (hurts extra for him bc he has a lil crush on nagi—yes super self indulgent ik), but nagi’s actually looking at him bc he’s wondering how a guy can look so similar to his beloved bonobono! ;-;;; and then nagi tells him and agi’s like :o and dies
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His birthday was never really that important, until he was around people who thought it was.
Even then, Nagi didn't really care for his birthday, until he realized Agi gave him everything he had ever wanted.
-----
Nagi really didn’t understand why people made such a big deal over birthdays.
Really, he didn’t.
He couldn’t remember a birthday before becoming friends with Reo that really mattered or felt special, and that wasn’t even a self-deprecating thing because maybe he didn’t even know that he should have cared about his birthday because his parents never seemed to care about his birthday.
And maybe that was a bit self-deprecating, because it was hard to talk nice about himself when his parents were involved.
Ah, oh well.
Honestly, he didn’t even remember it was going to be his birthday until Friday afternoon… right around 4 o’clock when he started receiving a slew of text messages from none other than the aforementioned Reo. His phone was buzzing like crazy, sitting on the couch between himself and Agi who had just gotten home…
“Seishiro, I think someone’s trying to reach you,” Agi stated plainly, a hint of worry not apparent in his voice as he picked up Nagi’s phone. Nagi shrugged his shoulders, not really caring who was trying to reach him now that Agi was back, but Agi apparently didn’t agree. “It’s just Reo…. Seishiro. Is it your birthday?”
“Huh? Is it? What’s today….?”
“May 5th.”
“Oh then no, my birthday is tomorrow.”
“It’s already tomorrow in Japan…”
“Oh then it's my birthday to Reo.”
Agi sighed, now used to this casual display of forgetfulness from Nagi. Nagi was sure he wanted to ask why he hadn’t said anything…why he hadn’t made a fuss about his birthday like most people did.
But he didn’t, and that was okay.
“Well…happy early birthday. Would you like to do anything tomorrow?”
“No, it's late notice and it's just not worth it to change your whole schedule around for nothing. I’ll have a lot more birthdays, so we can do something next year. But if we don’t, that’s fine too.”
Agi watched him carefully, unsure if there was a double meaning to Nagi’s words.
There wasn’t. Really, there wasn’t.
It was just another day. Just another Saturday. Honestly, he wasn’t even really sure what he was supposed to do for a birthday except maybe eat a cupcake? Maybe he could ask Agi to bring him that after his morning training…
But really, other than that, and spending some more time with Agi, he had everything he wanted since moving to England to live with his boyfriend a few months back. The only thing he missed was Japanese pastries and Choki who now lived lovingly in Reo’s apartment. Couldn’t exactly bring a cactus on a plane after all…at least not in a way that made any sense.
He didn’t even miss Reo’s babying… Not like Agi let him get away with half the stuff that Reo did, but hey, Agi at least loved him and woke him up in the morning and scratched his back when he couldn’t reach… so that was enough to make him happy.
- - - - -
“Seishiro…I’m home.”
Sitting up from where he had been lounging on the couch, Nagi peeked over the back of the couch to see Agi. He didn’t pay Nagi much more attention as he walked into the kitchen, and so Nagi laid back down, knowing Agi sometimes needed some quiet time after practice to destress and relax. He was home a bit later than normal, so Nagi wondered briefly if something had gone wrong, or if he had gone out to lunch with a teammate, or maybe he had read Nagi’s mind and gotten him the cupcake he had forgotten to ask for last night.
Nagi was scrolling through his phone when Agi called him into the kitchen, finally responding to the friends that had been messaging him well wishes since the day before, feeling at least a little bit warm that so many of them remembered after Reo rushed to be the first one. At least, Agi was the first one in this time zone.
Hefting himself off the couch, Nagi stretched his arms over his head, feeling a tad stiff after relaxing on the sofa for so long that day. Shuffling into the kitchen, he noticed immediately the lunch Agi had pulled together for them. Nagi recognized the sandwiches and homemade crisps from the bakery cafe that he liked to visit for their sweets… so it would only make sense that Agi had picked up a small cake that was still very much larger than a cupcake from there as well.
Nagi felt his stomach grumble as he approached the table, and he realized that he definitely had not eaten anything for breakfast that day and was now absolutely starving. Agi pulled out his chair for him, pushing it in with him as he sat down, pretending at chivalry to make their impromptu birthday lunch a little more special.
Sitting across from Nagi, he gestured to the lunch he had gathered.
“It’s not much, but I couldn’t let you go without celebrating your birthday. So, happy birthday, Seishiro.”
Nagi nodded, pulling the plate Agi had made for him towards himself. Their meal was quiet, as it often was as neither of them were much of a conversationalist with dinner small talk. Which was quite unfortunate because that only allowed room for Nagi to think about how this small degree of care and attention made him feel.
And he didn’t understand why it made him feel so happy and so bitter at the same time.
He was very happy that Agi put this together for him, even if he said he didn’t need to. He was honestly elated that Agi hadn’t just taken what he said at face value and accepted it, even if he probably wanted to.
He was happy Agi cared enough to do something for him, even if it was a hassle or a burden because Agi never made him feel like a burden, even though Nagi was sure he was in some ways for taking up his space. Agi was comfortable before him, and he assured Nagi that it was fine that he was there. That he loved him and wouldn’t have invited him to live with him if he didn’t want that to happen.
But ah… feelings were dumb sometimes. He didn’t doubt Agi for a second, because Agi wouldn’t lie to him. He loved Agi too, but sometimes, it was easy to pretend that that wasn’t true because the way Agi loved was so unique to him and them and it made people who didn’t understand it doubt them.
So he felt bad that he doubted it too sometimes, just because the voices that made him doubt were so loud.
Agi spared him a soft smile as he served Nagi a piece of cake when their lunches were done. None for himself that day, because he got Nagi’s favorite flavor and he wanted to make sure he enjoyed the whole thing, even if it was a bit unreasonable for one person to consume an entire cake for themselves.
“It’s your birthday, Seishiro. I wouldn’t blame you for eating the whole thing in one sitting.”
But he wanted to share with Agi, because cakes were so much tastier when shared. So he made sure to offer Agi a bite from his fork before the slice was done to thank him for all of his hard work in pulling this together for him.
Because yes, this was really all he needed. All he wanted, really. Everything that made him happy was right here, at this table in this little Manchester flat with his normally so serious British man.
He wondered now why Agi looked so mischievous as he licked the little bit of frosting off his lips.
“I have one more thing for you,” Agi announced, removing the cake plate and holding up a finger to tell Nagi to wait. He exited their apartment through the balcony door, returning only a second later with something behind his back.
He didn’t make a grand show of it by making Nagi cover or close his eyes. He simply presented it, a small blue pot with a small, round cactus inside. It looked fluffy, as if it was made of cotton, and Nagi was immediately curious to know how it felt.
Nagi discovered the texture as soon as Agi pressed the pot into his hands. Rough, spiny, but not really at all pokey unless you pressed really hard.
“The man at the nursery said it was called a feather cactus. I wanted to get you one of those bunny eared ones like Choki, but none of them looked quite right, so I left my number so they could call once they got a good little shipment in. He said this one gets little white flowers though, and the spines looked quite cute. Kind of reminded me of your hair.”
Agi rocked on his toes as he explained his choice for the cactus.
It was perfect.
A perfect little ball of not fluff and he was so happy to have it.
Setting the pot on the table, Nagi stood to give his boyfriend a hug. Agi reciprocated, patting his back as Nagi leaned heavily on him, and giving his temple a quick peck of a kiss.
“Seishiro, I just want you to know something.”
Nagi lifted his head, meeting Agi’s gaze as he hugged him, refusing to let go for even a moment as he thanked Agi for his thoughtful gift.
“Your birthday isn’t nothing, and it is absolutely worth changing my schedules for it. You don’t need to worry about that with me, you know that, right?”
Nagi nodded, cheeks feeling warm as he leaned in for a quick kiss before pulling away from the hug.
He knew that in theory.
He knew that Agi would move mountains to make him happy, and make him better as a person.
But he didn’t have to. These little simple acts of love were more than enough to show maybe his birthday was something to look forward to. And maybe, he would actually try to remember it next year.
He knew he wouldn’t need to though, because he was sure Agi had already put the date into both his mental calendar and digital one, so he would always be able to show Nagi the love he thought he deserved on his “special” day.
“So, what would you like to do for the rest of the day? Want to go out to a movie and dinner? I don’t know what we can plan on short notice, but if you want it I am sure I can make it happen.”
Nagi shook his head, grabbing his new Choki Number Two (or maybe he should save that name for the other cactus Agi had ordered…this one might be better named “Not So Choki”). Grabbing Agi’s hand, he led him into the living room where he plopped onto the couch before carefully placing the cactus pot onto the coffee table. Agi watched him carefully, wondering what it was he would request.
Honestly, he should’ve known by now.
“Movies and video games and later, we can order in.”
Agi laughed lightly, nodding before turning towards their bedroom to get dressed in some much more comfy clothes.
“Anything you want, dear.”
Nagi smiled to himself, pulling his phone from his pocket to take a picture of Not So Choki to send to his friends.
As soon as Agi returned, he would have everything he wanted.
-----
A/N : Happy birthday Nagi~ And I know I know, I still need to finish posting chapters for the other AgiNagi fic, but I remembered on Monday that Nagi's birthday was this Saturday, so I had to write him something soft >w< so happy birthday cactus boy, I hope you enjoy your boyfriend and Not So Choki
Find me on :
Twitter : @underlashesjr (Blue Lock), @_dreyars (Main)
Tumblr : @dreyars (Writing), @ebumimasaru (Main)
Sometimes, Agi could not believe that this was his life. It was picture perfect, flawless, and he did not want to disturb the beauty of watching his husband and son interact.
Friendships and relationships did not come easily to Agi, so it was strange to him that Nagi would wait for a year after Blue Lock to reach out to him again. He wants to reject him, as Nagi rejected him, but the curiosity and possibility that things might be different than how they left them is stronger than the desire to leave Nagi in the past.
Friendships and relationships did not come easily to Agi, so it was strange to him that Nagi would wait for a year after Blue Lock to reach out to him again. He wants to reject him, as Nagi rejected him, but the curiosity and possibility that things might be different than how they left them is stronger than the desire to leave Nagi in the past.
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Friendships and relationships did not come easily to Agi, so it was strange to him that Nagi would wait for a year after Blue Lock to reach out to him again. He wants to reject him, as Nagi rejected him, but the curiosity and possibility that things might be different than how they left them is stronger than the desire to leave Nagi in the past.
-----
Unknown Number : hey
The message arrived precisely 17 minutes ago, right when he was in the middle of working through his warm up routine. Agi frowned, not enjoying when strangers messaged him. But, he was not a rude person, and he would not let this message go unanswered, even if it was not meant for him.
Agi : I’m sorry. I believe you have the wrong number.
Setting his phone back down, Agi attempted to continue with his training menu. But he was immediately distracted as his phone buzzed again. He did not like to let messages go unanswered if he could avoid it, because he knew he would become distracted by something around him and he would forget. But his politeness only lasted for so long and his patience was wearing thin, as he wondered how long he could delay beginning his workout and still have his warm up routine be effective. He really didn’t want to have to repeat this if he could avoid it. But the subtle buzzing of his phone would really distract him, and he needed to focus, especially while in the weight room so he could avoid injury.
At least he hadn’t applied chalk to his hands yet. He hated using it because it got everywhere and made his dark skin look dry, but it made lifting so much more efficient.
Unknown Number : oh…
Unknown Number : this isn’t Agi anymore?
Agi felt his breath catch in his throat for a reason he couldn’t quite understand. Maybe it was shock. Confusion. This was someone who had his number, and knew it was him. Agi assumed that this person must have assumed he had their number prior too.
Agi didn’t often delete numbers. He never cleaned out his contacts, just in case he needed them in the future. He even had numbers from when he was 12 and first got a cell phone that he added just to have, even though he wasn’t friendly with that particular person.
He could count on one hand the numbers he had deleted.
The friend from high school that wasn’t really a friend at all because he made fun of the way Agi talked and the way he wiggled his fingers when he was excited.
His mother’s number, because she lost her phone two years prior and needed to get a new number. He accidentally deleted the contact, rather than just editing it.
And Nagi Seishiro. The moment he had gotten on the plane back to England, he stared at the number, wondering if it would be worth it to delete or not. His thumb hovered over it for a good ten minutes before his teammate that sat beside him asked what he was doing, and advised Agi to simply delete it if it was bothering him so much.
So he had. He had deleted it and compartmentalised the feelings he had developed for Nagi over their few weeks together in Blue Lock. The feelings were strange and confusing and new, because Agi did not usually develop an interest in others in an affectionate way… So he was somewhat glad to be able to push them to the back of his mind and forget them.
It was easier that way. He did not have to devote additional brain power to navigate feelings that he had to work hard to understand that way.
Of course, he could not be absolutely sure that this person who was texting him now was Nagi. There were context clues to the situation of course, but he could choose to ignore them for now. He could already feel his muscles tighten up in a way that made him want to roll his shoulders and move.
Agi : I will respond to this later. Please wait until I reach out to you again.
Setting his phone down for a final time, Agi focused himself on completing his training menu. He could never disagree when someone said that you should work out when you feel poorly, because even if his mind was a swirl of thoughts, having something to do with his hands and body definitely calmed the anxiety that bubbled up every time he glanced towards where he had rested his phone. He would have put the damn thing away if it didn’t help him by keeping track of reps and times.
He sighed, not minding the way his forehead beaded with sweat as he bent his knees, staring at the wall in front of him. Exhaling through his teeth, he pushed up, leg muscles flexing in a satisfying way as he stood to his full height, weight rested across his shoulders. He racked the bar with a loud clang (louder than he intended) and walked over to his supplies to check that last rep of squats off of his list.
A cool down run.
A shower.
Then, he would respond.
Agi almost considered waiting. Waiting until he got back to his apartment, tucked away into his cave of normalcy and safety. But, the concern and anxiety fought in his head with the curiosity of what Nagi (or whoever else it might be) could actually want with him.
It would not be practical for him to wait so long. He wanted to relax when he got home, so, he should get this conversation out of the way now, before the worry consumed him. Agi returned to his text message history as soon as he finished packing his backpack in the locker room, heading out of the team’s training facility. He did not live far from the complex. Usually, he did not walk, but today, the fresh air would help clear his head.
Agi : This is Agi. Who is this?
Even if he already knew the answer.
Unknown Number : This is Nagi.
Unknown Number : Sorry if I shouldn’t have messaged you
Nagi. Just as anticipated. The man who always had his phone in his hand. Of course he was speedy in his responses. Agi wondered briefly what he was doing, as the bitter taste of anger flooded his senses.
What a disappointment.
It had been close to a year since Blue Lock ended. It was shameful that he would still be hurt by something that had happened so long ago.
Agi quickly saved the number. So at least, he wouldn’t forget it in the future after this conversation was over. He may choose to ignore it next time, rather than letting the weight of this failed friendship alter his mental condition.
Agi : Okay.
Agi : Why are you messaging me?
Nagi : Im in London.
Furrowing his brow, Agi stared at the message. London? Agi wondered why. To visit a friend on one of the teams there? He didn’t think they were having any games, and Agi was fairly certain that the cause of this relationship ending had not signed with Arsenal. He could be mistaken though. He didn’t make a habit out of keeping up with people who made his blood boil.
Agi : For what reason?
Nagi : Isn’t that where you are?
Nagi : oh man.
Agi : Seishiro, I am in Manchester. That is where my team is based.
Gripping his phone tightly, Agi waited for the next response. He still had not received an answer to his original query, and the possible answers to these questions panicked him. He did not like this feeling one bit, but he figured the least he could do would be to hear Nagi out. Though he was unsure of what Nagi’s desired outcome could be.
Nagi : how can I get from London to Manchester
Agi : The least expensive way would probably be by train. A flight would only be slightly faster.
Agi locked his phone briefly, before opening it once more to send another message. He would not just assume that Nagi would answer him eventually. He needed to know the reason for his desire to get to Manchester now.
Agi : Seishiro, why are you coming to Manchester? You haven’t spoken to me in a year.
Nagi had already been typing when Agi sent his second text. The text bubble stopped, ever so briefly, before they resumed.
Nagi : there is a train leaving in 30 minutes… it says it will get me to Manchester at 8:30….
Nagi : Manchester Piccadilly…that’s a funny name for a train station.
Agi almost rolled his eyes. Though, he had to agree. It was a silly name. But, one that he had grown used to living in Manchester for most of his life. He couldn’t find much humour in the situation however, as he continued to watch the little bubbles of Nagi typing trail across the bottom of his screen. Soon enough, the message came through, and Agi attempted to keep his face neutral as he continued to walk towards home.
Nagi : sorry I should’ve asked first. I was on vacation with reo and chigiri and realised we were really close by and we hadn’t talked in a while especially after blue lock so I just wanted to come see you
Nagi : can I come see you
Nagi : if not I understand
Nagi : Im sorry for not talking to you you just seemed mad at me
Inhaling deeply through his nose, Agi slipped his phone into his pocket. A rare moment in his life, but he was truly at a loss for words.
Mad?
Mad wasn’t the emotion he would use. He was mad in the moment, when Reo said all of those things to him. But after that, he was no longer “mad”. He was simply and truly just disappointed. He was disappointed in the way Nagi responded. He was disappointed that Nagi didn’t apologise on Reo’s behalf, or say any words that indicated that he wanted to make sure that Agi was okay. And then, after all of that, he disappeared from his life completely when Agi stepped out of Blue Lock and back into the real world.
At that point, he didn’t expect much more than that. And to be fair, Agi did not attempt to stay in contact with Nagi either.
But, it also did not seem to be his responsibility to keep in contact.
So no. Disappointed was the right word. Disappointed in Nagi. Disappointed in his response. And disappointed that he did not seem to actually know the reason that their friendship fizzled out like coals doused in cold water.
Once he returned to the safety of his home, he responded.
Agi : I do not think you know the true reason behind our loss of friendship. Do you not recall how Reo spoke to me? And the lack of response on your part?
Nagi : I didnt know you were mad about that…. I didnt think you would take reo seriously. He says dumb things sometimes that aren’t true
Nagi : should I not come then? I want to see you
So Nagi was still a little bit self-centred. It was so fitting. No awareness beyond the square foot outside of his head. Agi could just picture Nagi standing on the train platform, pout on his face as he awaited Agi’s response prior to boarding the train that would take him two and a half hours away from where his friends were.
Nagi’s self-centeredness was charming in some ways, because it made the wants and needs that Nagi expressed so simple and easy to understand.
In other ways, it was aggravating that Nagi did not seem to possess the competency to understand his feelings in this situation.
Even so…
Agi : You may come. It is probably better for us to have the rest of this conversation in person.
Agi : 8:30 you said? I will send you an address of a place to get dinner after you arrive. We will meet and talk there.
Nagi : (シ_ _)シ
Nagi : thank you
Nagi : I know I should’ve done things differently, and it is hard to express in English
Nagi : see you soon
Agi sighed, his breath slipping out of his lips like it was weighed down with the feelings he felt pressing on his shoulders.
So.
Nagi would be here soon.
He wasn’t sure how that knowledge made him feel.
It was another new feeling, as Nagi so liked to introduce him to new and more complex feelings that he did not quite understand. It was like a mixture of fear and anxiety swirled around in his gut, all topped off with a thick layer of excitement that was trying its hardest to remain afloat.
He supposed his plans for the night were foiled, and there would be no relaxing in the safety of his home. Instead, he decided to get dressed. Switching from the track suit and t-shirt he had worn home from the Manshine City training complex, into something comfortable that would allow him to feel cozy and confident while interacting with Nagi. He also contemplated unbraiding and rebraiding his hair, but decided that would be better saved for a later date. He looked fine. No different than he normally did.
Agi’s mind flitted briefly to what Nagi thought of his appearance. Agi had never put much stock into the thought, nor did he do much personal care beyond making sure his skin was moisturised and his nails clipped. He went through the routine of the hair care that his locks required at designated intervals, but beyond that, it never seemed like there was much of a point. Agi didn’t consider himself to be ugly by any means, but he knew that if you put him on a scale with his friends and teammates, he would be somewhere below the middle of the scale. That knowledge never really bothered him, because if someone were to be interested in him, they would find him attractive in at least some way.
At least he was tall. And strong. That was what his mother reminded him of whenever his family brought up his lack of a partner.
Agi ignored them as he knew it wasn’t his time yet. If it ever would be.
But even so, he wondered what Nagi thought.
Tugging at the collar of the shirt he had chosen, Agi pushed away the feelings of doubt as he exited his bedroom. He would not change. This was not meant to be that kind of interaction, so the one part of his appearance he could change readily did not matter.
The next hour of his life was spent finding chores about the apartment to do. Washing the dishes he had left in the sink from breakfast. Sweeping up in the entryway even though it appeared spotless. Watering the plants that sat underneath the window. He even gave a few of his plants a rustle to ensure they weren’t missing the wind and outdoors. He sometimes doubted that this trick did much for his collection of plants, but he did it anyway, just in case.
As the clock hit 8:00 pm, Agi felt a large lump form in his throat that he could not swallow down no matter how many times he tried. He supposed it was time. He sent Nagi the address of a restaurant close to the train station, and made his way there himself. He would arrive prior to Nagi, which was just fine as sitting there alone would give some time to think about what he wanted to say.
He had had this conversation in his head a number of times before. When he was angry. When he was sad. When he overheard one of his teammates wondering what Nagi was doing now. In all of his imagined scenarios, never once had the thought of Nagi seeking him out randomly one day crossed his mind. He had always imagined that he would be the one to seek out Nagi, or he would randomly bump into him one day out in the world.
But now, Nagi was less than 15 minutes away from being in front of him again. Having paid for a last minute ticket and travelled the distance to see him. Nagi had probably napped or played a game on his phone for the majority of the trip. He was likely orienting himself on the platform just now, trying to decipher the signage and find the way he needed to go to exit the station. Nagi was not stupid, but English was not his first language, and as he said, it was likely making things that much harder for him to find Agi.
Agi considered for a moment if he should have met Nagi at the platform. But that didn’t feel quite right either. That would have implied a certain eagerness to this interaction, rather than a simple nicety. He did not want Nagi to get the wrong idea about Agi allowing this meeting.
It was only a few minutes longer than expected before Agi saw Nagi’s silver hair and sleepy eyes walking in through the front door. Agi had requested a corner table near the front of the establishment, one away from any other patrons so they could speak privately. This also prevented Nagi from locating him immediately, as he looked past where Agi sat to the back of the room.
Nagi was as tall as he ever was, and appeared quite cozy in his loose fitting clothes. His hair was dishevelled on the side of his body closest to Agi, and Agi suspected his earlier theory of Nagi falling asleep on the train was correct.
Nagi smiled softly when he finally located where Agi was sitting. He approached cautiously, displaying some level of grace in showing that he was similarly uncertain in this situation. He lifted his arms, as if he were intending to greet Agi with a hug, before dropping them and sliding into the seat across from him.
“Hi.” Nagi greeted him with another little smile, timid and unsure, but it still sent Agi’s heart into a strange spiral.
“Hello.” Agi responded, unsure of where to begin. He slid the menu he had been looking at towards Nagi, and gestured to the glass of water he had ordered for him. Nagi received both gratefully, downing half the glass before looking towards Agi again.
“My English is getting better…” Nagi began, his voice still thick with an accent but not impossible to understand. Nagi pulled his backpack into his lap and began digging through it, producing a packaged set of earbuds that looked notoriously familiar. It was only then that Agi noticed that Nagi already had his own set in his ears, helping him make his way through London and then Manchester to get to him. “It may still be better for us to wear these so we can talk fully.”
Agi nodded, accepting the plastic package and opening it with a dinner knife. He agreed. Agi only had the most basic grasp of Japanese. He did not want to lose meaning between them due to a language barrier.
Even so, the words did not flow easily between them until they had eaten their dinner. Their initial conversations consisted of pleasantries. How are you? What have you been up to? All polite dinner conversation.
“I saw your game last week. You looked really good out there.” Nagi nodded as he sat his fork down and pushed his plate away from himself. Agi did the same, though the plate was merely picked over. He had lost much of his appetite when Nagi sat down, so he knew he would not be eating much until later.
The revelation that Nagi watched his game though… that was an odd thought. Nagi had confessed prior to never really watching games. He still played, but each time Agi brought up a match as they tried to fill the air with words, Nagi admitted to missing the broadcast.
But he had seen his?
“I thought you didn’t watch games,” Agi stated plainly, trying to withhold any emotion from leaking into his voice. He would not allow himself to become hopeful over something as silly as this.
“I don’t. But I watch your’s sometimes.” Nagi twisted the straw in his drink, staring down at the water. “Or I watch replays of your goals. Or at least, I look at the score to see how you did. Sometimes, I can't watch if I have my own game or the time difference is too big.”
Nagi frowned, his eyebrows knitting together as he watched Nagi twist his straw. This revelation felt strange, as Agi had done everything he could to avoid watching Nagi’s games. Seeing him, even through a screen, made him deeply uncomfortable, and so he did not torture himself. His research into other players and their tactics could be saved for other games.
Nagi continued, even though Agi did not voice any of the thoughts that were swirling around his head.
“I really enjoyed our time when we were in Blue Lock. You teaching me things, and helping me to be a better player. I was always confused why you stopped talking to me… but what you said during that one game… I figured you were mad at me for playing with Reo again so I didn’t ever say anything.”
“What I said?” The comment immediately made Agi feel as if he had to defend himself. But he held back, knowing that even if he did not remember it, that there was a chance that he could have said something hurtful out of frustration.
“That you weren’t interested in me anymore. And then you ignored me in practice for the rest of our time there.” Nagi hung his head, his hands retreating into the sleeves of his sweatshirt. “But now, I guess I understand that maybe that was just a response to what Reo said. And maybe you didn’t mean it that way.”
Oh.
Agi exhaled slowly, letting his body relax as he crossed his arms on the table. He had said that, hadn’t he?
A response that was fully birthed from the feeling of being undermined. He felt as if Nagi was choosing Reo over him, and throwing away all of the hard work they had been doing together. That sensation was further rubbed in by Reo telling him that Nagi didn’t need him.
It was a childish, juvenile response. Agi understood that now. But he was still a teenager at the time. Even if Agi did not like using that as an excuse, it still fit the situation. He felt as if Nagi pushed him away, so he pushed back just as hard. Isolating himself. Deleting his number.
Maybe he had wanted Nagi to chase him. Maybe he had wanted Nagi to just make sure he was okay. But Nagi had never done either of those things. And maybe, it had somewhat been caused by his own actions.
Agi shared a briefer version of these thoughts with Nagi. Not wanting to dump every single thought he had into the conversation, especially the self-deprecating ones.
“I apologise for saying that. You are correct in thinking it was a response to what just happened.”
Nagi lifted his head with a nod, encouraging Agi to continue.
“The thing that still hurts me deeply after all of this time is that you…” Agi did not want to sound too accusatory, especially when a veil had been lifted off of part of the story, finally giving him a new perspective on how the last year had gone. “I simply felt rejected. That you had pushed me aside and chosen comfort with your friend instead of trying something new with me. When Reo said what he did…it did not make me feel any better or any more comfortable about the situation. It simply confirmed that you had chosen someone else. And I accepted that.”
Grabbing his drink, Agi pulled the straw between his lips and held it there even though he was not drinking, just to indicate that he was done with his thought and would not speak again until after Nagi spoke. He had finally gotten these words off of his chest, but he is not sure that he feels any lighter or better for having spoken them.
Nagi appeared to have gears turning in his head as he tried to understand the words Agi had just spoken. He eventually met Agi’s gaze again with a look of concern on his face.
“Chigiri said you may have reacted like that because you liked me. I didn’t believe him at first, but hearing all of that…maybe it's true?”
There was no point in denying it now, Agi knew.
“It is true.”
Though, what does “like” even mean? Of course he had liked him platonically. He was smart and talented and a unique specimen. But he knew that that was not what Nagi meant. He also knew that the level of bitterness that was coursing through his veins once again would not exist if he did not like Nagi in a romantic way.
The concept was so foreign to him he didn’t even know how to explain it. It simply felt like a pull that led him to wanting to be around Nagi all of the time. Even when they had separated as teammates, Agi still thought of him in the months after, wishing that Nagi might reach out and do something that would make this situation different.
But now, it is now over a year later. Could Agi still say he liked him now?
Nagi smiled at him when he received the confirmation. His smile reached his eyes for the first time and he sat up just that much straighter. Agi felt his skin grow warm in response, and he tapped his fingers over the tops of his thighs, trying to contain the feeling that was attempting to leak out of his person.
Yes. Agi could confidently say that Nagi still held some power over his mind. Even if he didn’t want him to.
“That’s good… I liked you too. Like you too. That’s why I came all the way here. I know I should’ve planned better, but I didn’t even think about it until we got to London yesterday and I saw a newspaper that had Chris’s picture on the front…”
“It’s alright… But it might be best if we continue this conversation tomorrow.” Agi swallowed thickly, deliberately attempting to ignore the confession of affection he had just received. On top of rarely feeling affection for another person, it was never reciprocated. Not so easily, at least. “I am feeling a tad overwhelmed at the moment, and need to process through some things before we continue talking.”
Nagi nodded, accepting the conclusion of their conversation. He followed behind Agi after he paid and exited the restaurant. Together, they stood under a street lamp, awkwardly staring at each other as a moth tapped noisily against the glass bulb above.
“Where are you staying tonight? We can meet somewhere near your hotel to continue our conversation after I’ve finished practice tomorrow. We are only meeting as a team in the morning, so I can meet you around 1:00?”
Nagi turned his head away, scratching at the back of his head as Agi waited for his answer.
“Well…you see… I didn’t exactly think that far.”
Agi stared at him for a moment before sighing, hanging his head with his hands on his hips.
“Are you expecting a couch to sleep on?” Agi didn’t want to offer his home up to Nagi. Agi very rarely let others enter his domain, for fear of disrupting the flow of routine that was there. But he also could not in good conscience leave Nagi out in the cold of an unfamiliar city.
“If it isn’t too much trouble…” Nagi requested sheepishly, continuing to scratch at the back of his head.
Agi knew he would certainly regret this choice. But he did not see how there could be any other way to ensure Nagi would have a place to sleep safely tonight.
“Come along then. My home is not a far walk from here.”
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A/N :
When I tell you HOW MUCH AgiNagi has consumed my brain and it makes me SO UPSET that no one else is hyped about them. Agi is really one of my FAVORITE characters. He's so quirky and weird and fun and I really wish more people felt the same about him. So, I hope you enjoyed this little fic of mine, because there will be a couple more chapters that I have to post for them. Just hoping to spread the AgiNagi love <3
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