Mibuchi Reo (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
showyousomethingnice) wrote2015-03-14 10:23 am
showyousomethingnice) wrote2015-03-14 10:23 am
Soulmates AU (Reo, Kise)
[cont. from here]
After he's given Ryo-chan enough time to leave, Reo leaves too, heading for Rakuzan's locker room. He doesn't know how much of the team will still be there, but he expects that Coach Shirogane will be waiting to hear his decision directly for him, and he also needs to get his bag.
Most of the team has gone - off to lick their wounds, Reo thinks, back in their rooms where they don't have to face anyone but their assigned roommates. Without Ryo-chan here to occupy his attention, the full impact of the loss is beginning to hit him, and what he feels first and forement is guilt. Sei-chan didn't say it directly, but it doesn't take a genius to guess that it was Reo and Ryo-chan finding each other and leaving the court that changed the flow of the game. He'd thought it would be Kaijou that would be crippled without its ace, that Rakuzan would absorb his own departure smoothly and Sei-chan adapt his strategy accordingly, but. Well.
Obviously, that isn't how it happened, is it?
It occurs to Reo to wonder: when was the last time Rakuzan - or Sei-chan - had to adapt to anything? Shirogane warns them frequently of the dangers of complacency, but when was the last time even he had to consider the possibility that Rakuzan could lose? Reo may only be one piece of the machine, but removing him was still enough to make it wobble and crash.
He lost his team this match, this tournament, and now he's leaving them to join the team they lost to.
Standing in this mostly-deserted locker room, without Ryo-chan by his side, it's a lot harder to justify that decision.
He only has a few seconds to dwell on that, though - the room's three remaining occupants all look up when he comes in.
"Reo-nee." Hayama is subdued in a way Reo has never seen before, lacking his customary exclamation points, but he still manages a smile. "Ditch your soulmate already, huh?" Nebuya snorts a little next to him, while Shirogane withdraws into the background to give Reo a moment with his erstwhile teammates.
"Not for long," Nebuya says, "from what Akashi said."
"I'm so sorry," Reo says helplessly; he must look and sound as guilty as he feels, because from there the conversation is mostly the other two trying to reassure him and celebrate his good luck, and Reo's heart aches as he realizes how much he is going to miss them. It's always seemed like they drive him crazy more often than not, Hayama frustratingly careless and Nebuya utterly without shame about his tendencies toward vulgarity, but they've become his friends too, the first friends he'd had among his teammates in a very long time. They haven't showered yet, but for once Reo doesn't care about that, and he hugs them goodbye anyway.
Eventually, Shirogane gently shoos them along to the showers - "He has a soulmate to get back to, you two, you'll understand someday" - and turns to Reo in the quiet of the room.
"I won't keep you long," he says, and smiles a little. "I don't want to take up any more of your first day than I have to. You've made the right decision. We're going to miss you, but Kise-kun wouldn't be a good fit here. I think you understand why."
Reo does understand. Rakuzan has a lot of big personalities on it, a lot of talent, and a lot - not to put too fine a point on it - of ego. It's why he was so relieved when Sei-chan agreed to come to Rakuzan; otherwise, Reo would have been captain, and he knows he doesn't have the right touch to maintain the delicate balance Rakuzan requires to stay functional. Much as Reo loves his soulmate, he can easily admit that the addition of his personality would upset that balance and cause unnecessary waves until Sei-chan could smooth them down.
"It did seem like the best decision for everyone," he says. Then he hesitates, long enough that Shirogane raises an inquiring eyebrow.
". . . How is Sei-chan?" he finally asks. "He seemed . . ." Reo shakes his head a little, unable and unwilling to look for the words he wants.
Shirogane sighs.
*
Sei-chan, as it turns out, does not want Reo's company for the evening.
"It's kind of you to offer," he says, a softness in his expression that Reo can't seem to look away from, "but I'd just spend the whole time feeling guilty about keeping you two apart, and that wouldn't help either of us."
As he has done so often before, Reo has to admit that Sei-chan is right.
"But I'd like it if we could stay in touch," Sei-chan continues.
"Just you try to get rid of me," Reo says, mostly steady. Sei-chan smiles, mostly steady.
*
He sends the text less than an hour after he made the promise.
On my way, Ryo-chan!! Sei-chan gave me your address too, so don't worry about that. I'll see you soon. ♥ ♥ ♥
After he's given Ryo-chan enough time to leave, Reo leaves too, heading for Rakuzan's locker room. He doesn't know how much of the team will still be there, but he expects that Coach Shirogane will be waiting to hear his decision directly for him, and he also needs to get his bag.
Most of the team has gone - off to lick their wounds, Reo thinks, back in their rooms where they don't have to face anyone but their assigned roommates. Without Ryo-chan here to occupy his attention, the full impact of the loss is beginning to hit him, and what he feels first and forement is guilt. Sei-chan didn't say it directly, but it doesn't take a genius to guess that it was Reo and Ryo-chan finding each other and leaving the court that changed the flow of the game. He'd thought it would be Kaijou that would be crippled without its ace, that Rakuzan would absorb his own departure smoothly and Sei-chan adapt his strategy accordingly, but. Well.
Obviously, that isn't how it happened, is it?
It occurs to Reo to wonder: when was the last time Rakuzan - or Sei-chan - had to adapt to anything? Shirogane warns them frequently of the dangers of complacency, but when was the last time even he had to consider the possibility that Rakuzan could lose? Reo may only be one piece of the machine, but removing him was still enough to make it wobble and crash.
He lost his team this match, this tournament, and now he's leaving them to join the team they lost to.
Standing in this mostly-deserted locker room, without Ryo-chan by his side, it's a lot harder to justify that decision.
He only has a few seconds to dwell on that, though - the room's three remaining occupants all look up when he comes in.
"Reo-nee." Hayama is subdued in a way Reo has never seen before, lacking his customary exclamation points, but he still manages a smile. "Ditch your soulmate already, huh?" Nebuya snorts a little next to him, while Shirogane withdraws into the background to give Reo a moment with his erstwhile teammates.
"Not for long," Nebuya says, "from what Akashi said."
"I'm so sorry," Reo says helplessly; he must look and sound as guilty as he feels, because from there the conversation is mostly the other two trying to reassure him and celebrate his good luck, and Reo's heart aches as he realizes how much he is going to miss them. It's always seemed like they drive him crazy more often than not, Hayama frustratingly careless and Nebuya utterly without shame about his tendencies toward vulgarity, but they've become his friends too, the first friends he'd had among his teammates in a very long time. They haven't showered yet, but for once Reo doesn't care about that, and he hugs them goodbye anyway.
Eventually, Shirogane gently shoos them along to the showers - "He has a soulmate to get back to, you two, you'll understand someday" - and turns to Reo in the quiet of the room.
"I won't keep you long," he says, and smiles a little. "I don't want to take up any more of your first day than I have to. You've made the right decision. We're going to miss you, but Kise-kun wouldn't be a good fit here. I think you understand why."
Reo does understand. Rakuzan has a lot of big personalities on it, a lot of talent, and a lot - not to put too fine a point on it - of ego. It's why he was so relieved when Sei-chan agreed to come to Rakuzan; otherwise, Reo would have been captain, and he knows he doesn't have the right touch to maintain the delicate balance Rakuzan requires to stay functional. Much as Reo loves his soulmate, he can easily admit that the addition of his personality would upset that balance and cause unnecessary waves until Sei-chan could smooth them down.
"It did seem like the best decision for everyone," he says. Then he hesitates, long enough that Shirogane raises an inquiring eyebrow.
". . . How is Sei-chan?" he finally asks. "He seemed . . ." Reo shakes his head a little, unable and unwilling to look for the words he wants.
Shirogane sighs.
*
Sei-chan, as it turns out, does not want Reo's company for the evening.
"It's kind of you to offer," he says, a softness in his expression that Reo can't seem to look away from, "but I'd just spend the whole time feeling guilty about keeping you two apart, and that wouldn't help either of us."
As he has done so often before, Reo has to admit that Sei-chan is right.
"But I'd like it if we could stay in touch," Sei-chan continues.
"Just you try to get rid of me," Reo says, mostly steady. Sei-chan smiles, mostly steady.
*
He sends the text less than an hour after he made the promise.
On my way, Ryo-chan!! Sei-chan gave me your address too, so don't worry about that. I'll see you soon. ♥ ♥ ♥
bugger, i have to reup his paid, sorry for the sudden lack of genkise
Nods, then glances between the siblings. Tomorrow? Reocchi could be on Kaijou's roster tomorrow!? "He can do that? That can happen?" The intricacies of school reputations and parental influence are way above Kise's pay grade, but he can tell a serious statement when he hears one. The swaying is cut short in favor of a little celebratory dance, or as much as he can do that sitting with Reocchi.
"Reocchi! I'll have to text Kasamatsu-senpai tonight to give him a heads up about tomorrow. Won't that be a fun surprise." Not just for Kaijou, who he suspects will resist at first but if Kasamatsu-senpai can convince them then they'll be fine, but also for their opponents. Surprise, you thought all the Uncrowned save for Kiyoshi were out? Think again.
All of this and he gets to meet Seiko-san. Tomorrow's going to be so much fun.