Chapter Text
The cafeteria buzzed with students, trays clattering and chatter echoing off the walls. Rin led the way like he owned the place, Isagi jogging slightly behind, still adjusting to the sudden weight of social attention he hadn't experienced in years.
Bachira chattered endlessly about the weirdest things - about how he released a rat in the boys locker room and managed to get away with it, to his first meeting with Rin that apparently did not go well.
Nonetheless, Isagi couldn't help but smile, letting the warmth of their easy camaraderie seep into him. For the first time that day, he felt like he could breathe without worrying about stares or awkward first impressions.
By the time they finished lunch, the sun had begun its descent, casting a warm golden glow across the schoolyard. Nanase had long excused himself, claiming that his other friends were waiting for him and would be worried if he was later than usual.
Poor kid was just overstimulated by Bachira's behaviour the whole time..
"Isagi, are you free this weekend?" Bachira suddenly asked, tilting his head as he fiddled with his fingers. "There's going to be an event for the 2nd Years, and since you're new, you probably don't know about it, right?"
Isagi's heart skipped a beat at the invitation. He glanced at Rin, who gave a subtle shrug, eyes unreadable. "Oh, I wasn't aware.." Isagi murmured, his voice shy but steady. "But yeah, I'm free."
"Perfect! We can get ready at my house!!" Bachira's grin widened, practically glowing with enthusiasm. Isagi let out a bubbly laugh, endeared by the bi-coloured haired male's antics.
Meanwhile, Rin was acting the total opposite - an obvious distant between him and the duo as if he didn't know them. Geez, talk about being a nonchalant tryhard.
"Rin," a younger male with long bangs that covered his eyes and looked to be a first year reached out, "There's going to be a meeting in a few minutes, Sendou asked me to go fetch you."
Rin's frown deepened - and he looked more miserable than before. "Now? For what?
The male exhaled softly, "something about exchange students." At that, Rin released a long sigh and reluctantly agreed, signalling with a nod for the younger male to go ahead.
Without looking back, Rin left with the male. "Wow! He really left without saying goodbye, how mean.." Bachira dramatically pouted.
"But what do they need him for?" Isagi asked innocently, his mind replaying the image of the supposedly first-year. Does he not have any trouble with those kind of bangs..?
"Oh, Rinnie here is apart of the student council!" Bachira happily chirped, "cool, right?" Isagi hummed in agreement, thoughtfully stroking his chin.
"Huh, I would've never expected that.. But I guess it does suit him." Isagi muttered.
"Ne, Isagi, how did you and Mr. Lukewarm meet? I'm curious!!" Bachira trailed off expectantly, eyes sparkling with genuine curiosity.
Isagi hesitated, his fingers curling lightly. "Uhm well... I actually met Rin through his older brother. You know- Sae?" An image of the ashy-pink haired male appeared in his mind, and Isagi felt the corner of his lips twitch with fondness.
Isagi's eyes brightened, "Speaking of Sae, if Rin's in the council- that means Sae's apart of it too, right?"
The excitement in his voice died down upon seeing the expression on Bachira's face. The male almost seemed uncomfortable at the mention of the elder Itoshi, but it was quickly covered with a smile.
"Mm... he doesn't go here anymore actually. I heard he left to Spain, but I haven't heard the reason why he did." Bachira explained, the child-like curiosity dimmed with something Isagi couldn't exactly put his finger on.
"...And don't mention him around Rin. Apparently, they got into a big argument before Sae left, so now Rin gets really scary if you try to ask him about Sae- like babadook in your closet scary!!! I remember he nearly got into a fight because this guy mentioned something that reminded him of his brother.." Bachira shuddered, clutching tighter onto Isagi's arm.
Ah, the childish Bachira is back. Isagi would've snickered at the comparison with Rin as the babadook- but Sae and Rin getting into an argument??
Sae, who was known for throwing hands for his younger brother??? And Rin, the boy who openly admired his older brother with shiny eyes????
Isagi opened his mouth, "Wh-" RING!! RING!!
Bachira entwined his fingers with Isagi's, his smile brightening. "Let's go back to class!!! since Rinnie ditched us, that means it's just us now- which means I get Isagi all to myself~!!"
Isagi barely had time to protest before Bachira dragged him through the doors of the classroom, their arrival earning a few curious glances.
"Alright, alright," The teacher interrupted the boisterous conversations, "Let's get back into finishing this project! It's due by tomorrow night, so I expect you guys to lock in today."
A collective groan rippled through the classroom, chairs scraping as students reluctantly shuffled back into their seats - including Bachira, who looked like a kicked puppy upon having to release Isagi's hands from his. Isagi slid into his chair, still a little breathless from being hauled across campus.
Rin was still missing.. which meant Isagi would have to deal with talking to his other two partners on his own..
Not that he had a problem doing so - he did just fine earlier.!!
"Isagi-kun!" Nanase’s voice rang out, “We need to catch up quickly, Chigiri already finished his part during lunch!”
Isagi nodded, his eyes automatically flickering onto Chigiri. Pink eyes clashed with Blue. “..Okay, let’s sit together then.”
…
The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur, the classes winding down one by one. By the time Isagi left the school, the air had cooled, and the sky was painted in shades of deep orange and purple.
As he waited for his parents, Isagi thought back to every interaction he had on his first day. For the first time in a long time, there wasn't a dreadful feeling that painfully twinged in his chest. Instead, a sense of belonging blossomed within his chest, enveloping his body with what his younger self had yearned for.
Though he felt more relaxed than usual, the information Bachira had shared with him continued to swarm his mind. Why did Rin and Sae have an argument? What caused it? Why did Sae choose to leave to Spain?
Isagi forced himself to distract his mind by recounting other parts of his day. He and Nanase had managed to finish their parts, and they were also the first group to finish too, which earned praises from their teacher.
"Yocchan!" His mom's voice filled the quiet area, her eyes flickered with worry - but seeing the content expression on Isagi's face, she allowed herself to relax. "You weren't waiting for too long were you?"
Isagi grinned, "As long as Dad's not as late as that one time, I'll excuse it!" Issei playfully gasped, feigning a look of hurt. Iyo giggled, her eyes crinkling with happiness. Seeing her baby this happy, she felt a rush of relief and joy unlike anything she had anticipated.
The tension that had always lingered in her chest whenever she thought of Isagi - his quiet loneliness, the way he carried the weight of his past, melted away, replaced by a warmth she hadn't realized she'd been holding back.
For so long, she had worried about him. About the boy who had spent years trying to disappear, who had learned to swallow his feelings, to hide his excitement, to fear being seen. The memory of his younger self - the small, pale-faced child who had cried in silence when no one was there to comfort him - flashed vividly in her mind.
Every pang of guilt she had felt for not being able to protect him all those years came rushing back.
And now.. now she was seeing him laugh and smile without restraint. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of excitement and ease, the way they had always been capable of before the world had made him doubt himself.
That expression, the one that mirrored the boy she knew in her heart, made Iyo's chest swell with a fierce, protective happiness.
She listened to the sound of her husband and son’s laughter with a fond smile. "Yocchan..." she murmured softly, almost to herself. "I'm so glad..."
("Just.. keep smiling like that," He whispered, his voice tender, almost reverent. "It suits you.”)
.
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The next morning arrived with crisp air and the faint smell of winter lingering on the sidewalks. Isagi adjusted the strap of his backpack and exhaled, a mix of nerves and excitement bubbling in his chest.
As he turned the corner toward the main entrance, a flash of bright, lemon-yellow coloured hair caught his eye.
"Isa~cchi! Good morning!!”
Before Isagi could even register the nickname, he was nearly toppled over by a flying hug. Bachira's energy was at a maximum despite the early hour, his arms winding around Isagi's shoulders like he was a human pillow.
"B-Bachira! Good morning," Isagi stammered, regained his balance with a laugh. "You're early."
"I wanted to make sure I caught you before Rin did!" Bachira chirped, pulling back just enough to beam at him. "He's been in a mood since that meeting yesterday. Total gloom-and-doom vibes. I think the student council bored his brain cells to death."
Isagi tilted his head, his mind immediately wandering back to the unanswered questions about the Itoshi brothers. "Is he already here?"
"Mhm! Saw him heading toward the library. Probably looking for a corner to scowl in," Bachira joked, though his eyes lingered on Isagi's face for a second too long. "He's been so grumpy and mean lately, I'm glad I have you now, Sagi!"
Despite feeling the heat creep up his neck, Isagi smiled, a small pang hitting his chest.
(He remembers the days when he'd wake up and pray for a fever, just so he wouldn't have to face the empty silence of a classroom where he was invisible.)
Bachira leaned in closer, "We have to plan our outfits for the weekend event. I was thinking we should wear matching PJ pants!!"
Isagi snickered, "I think I'll stick to something a little more casual."
As they wandered through the hallways, the usual morning bustle surrounded them. Isagi noticed a few more stares than yesterday - but with Bachira humming a nonsensical tune at his side, the weight of the attention didn't affect him as much.
Rin stood a few lockers down, the same exact frown from yesterday still apparent on his face with new additions of dark circles underneath his eyes.
"Morning, Rin-chan! You look extra grumpy today! Did Loki make you print out 100 copies again?" Bachira poked the bear without a second thought.
Rin slid his locker shut with a sharp clack. "Shut the fuck up. Your voice is grating this early." His eyes flickered toward Isagi for a fraction of a second, before he turned and walked toward the stairs.
"He's such a tsundere," Bachira whispered loudly, leaning toward Isagi's ear. "And he didn't tell you to shut up - do you see the favouritism?!"
Isagi flushed, shaking his head. "I mean you did provoke him first.."
As they headed toward their first class, they were stopped by a tall, broad-shouldered student with a worried expression. Isagi recognized him as the Kunigami guy from their math class.
"Bachira, have you seen Chigiri? He forgot one of his skincare products at my house and-" the student turned to Isagi, his ranting coming to a halt. "Oh, sorry- I didn't see you there- Isagi, right?"
Isagi blinked, "Uh- yeah."
Before the atmosphere could turn awkward, Bachira quickly cut in, "We don't know where he is, sorry Hero!" Despite his apology, the bi-coloured haired male did not seem apologetic with the way he stuck his tongue out at the taller male.
"Hey, wait-" Kunigami started, but Bachira was already hauling Isagi down the hall, laughing like he'd just pulled off a successful heist.
"Seriously, Bachira, you shouldn't be so mean to him," Isagi huffed, trying to match the other's frantic pace. "He seemed like he was in a rush."
"The Hero is always in a rush! It's part of his brand," Bachira chirped, finally slowing down as they reached the entrance of the cafeteria for a quick morning drink. "Besides, Chigiri is probably just hiding in the bathroom. He's serious about his morning skincare routine despite already having clear skin- Total princess behavior!"
Isagi hummed, his mind drifting. Everyone here seemed so vibrant, so loud in their own ways. It was a stark contrast to the gray, muffled world he'd left behind.
They were about to turn the corner toward the vending machines when a sharp, mocking laugh echoed from nearby. Isagi's footsteps faltered. It was a sound he knew too well - the jagged edge of someone finding amusement at another's expense.
"Hey, Sharky, say it again! Do the thing where you repeat yourself!"
"Yeah, yeah! It's like talking to a broken record. Does your brain just loop or something?"
Isagi carefully peered around the corner. A small group of boys had cornered a student against the lockers. The boy was shorter than the others, with striking pink hair styled into a braid - he looked like he was trying to phase through the metal lockers just to escape.
"Stop. Stop it. Leave me alone, alone, please..” the boy muttered, his voice a quiet plead.
"See! There it is!" one of the taller males laughed, shoving the boy's shoulder. "Why do you talk like that? It's creepy, creepy!" He taunted with a mocking tone.
Isagi felt a cold, familiar spark ignite in his gut. His hands curled into fists at his sides.
Beside him, Bachira's playful humming stopped instantly. His head tilted at a sharp, unnatural angle, his golden eyes narrowing as the 'monster' inside him seemed to perk up its ears. "Ah... those guys are being boring," Bachira whispered, his voice losing its bubbly lilt.
The sharp, mocking laugh of the tall student echoed in the hallway, and for a second, the hallways of the new school blurred into a haze of gray.
Isagi watched their lips move.
"Just stay down, Yoichi. Nobody's coming to help a loser who can't even speak up for himself."
His breath hitched, turning shallow and cold in his lungs. Suddenly, the 'now' disappeared. He wasn't in BlueLock High anymore; he was back in that damp corridor three years ago, the taste of copper in his mouth and the sound of his own desperate begging ringing in his ears.
(Yocchan..
Isn’t it too hot to be wearing that?
You’re going to overheat!)
(”’s okay, Mom. ‘M fine.”)
A white-hot spark ignited in the center of his chest, spreading through his veins like wildfire. Before he could consciously think to move, Isagi was across the hallway.
Rrip!
The sound of fabric straining filled the air. Isagi's hands had knotted into the front of the bully's crisp uniform shirt, twisting the collar so tight the other boy's laughter died into a strangled gasp. Isagi slammed him back against the lockers with a force that made the entire row of lockers rattle and groan.
"Isagi-!" Bachira's nearly shouted, but he paused upon seeing the look in Isagi's eyes. Instead of the usual blue, all he saw was a dull, dark color that looked different to the smiley Isagi from a few minutes ago.
(He should’ve been scared with the way Isagi’s behaviour did a whole 360 - yet his heart fluttered despite the scary expression that adorned Isagi’s soft features.)
Isagi didn't hear him. His knuckles were white, his vision narrowing until all he could see was the terrified face of the boy in front of him. His eyes, usually so soft and hesitant, were wide and dark, flickering with a jagged intensity.
"W-who the fuck are you?!" The struggling male sneered, "Let go of me, you fucking freak!"
Just as Isagi opened his mouth to reply, a dark shadow loomed over his shoulder. Rin had appeared out of nowhere, his presence like a sudden winter chill. He didn't even look at them; he just stared at the vending machine as if they were nothing more than flickering gnats.
"You're blocking the way, lukewarm trash," Rin said, his voice flat and terrifyingly calm.
Their faces paled upon the arrival of Rin. "W-We were just leaving, Itoshi!" the leader stammered, slipping from Isagi's hands the moment he felt his hands relax just a bit. They scurried off, their bravado vanishing the moment Rin's gaze flickered toward them with pure disgust.
The silence that followed was heavy. Isagi stood there, his hands still hooked in claws, as if he was still in fighting mode. The 'Monster' Bachira always talked about felt like it was still prowling through his veins, refusing to go back into its cage.
"Isagi-pyon..." Bachira stepped closer, his golden eyes wide and shimmering with an almost frightening level of adoration. He reached out, tentatively touching Isagi's trembling shoulder. "That was... whoa. You were like a different person!"
Isagi blinked, the haze finally receding. He looked at his hands, then at pink-haired male, who was still slumped against the locker, staring at Isagi with wide, blinking eyes.
"Thanks. Thank you," The pink-haired whispered, his head bobbing in a quick, bird-like motion.
Isagi stepped closer, offering a small, reassuring smile. A complete difference to the dark-eyed Isagi. "You don’t have to thank me, anyone else would’ve done the same. Are you okay?”
“Yes, yes,” he responded softly, “All thanks to you-”
"Rin! Did you see that?!! Isagi went boom!" Isagi heard Bachira cheer, returning to his usual hyperactive self.
Ah, Isagi almost forgot the younger was here from how quiet he was being..
Rin ignored Bachira, his gaze fixed solely on Isagi. "Your form was sloppy. You left your chin open. If he hadn't been a coward, he would've decked you." He paused, his frown deepening just a fraction. "But the intent was there. At least you aren't as much of a pushover as you look."
He started walking away toward the stairs, averting his attention onto the pink-haired male. "Kurona, you’ll be called down to file a report later.”
Isagi watched him go, feeling a strange mix of exhaustion and relief. He turned back to the injured male - whose name was supposedly Kurona - offering a shaky hand. "Your arm looks pretty bad, you don’t mind if we take you to the nurse's office, mm?”
Kurona timidly shook his head, earning a smile from Isagi. As they walked, Bachira kept glancing at Isagi, a wide, mischievous grin on his face. He knew now that the 'shy' Yoichi Isagi was just a mask - and he couldn't wait to see what else was hiding underneath.
When they pushed open the heavy infirmary doors, Isagi half-expected the room to be empty, a quiet sanctuary for Kurona to recover, but the soft click-clack of buttons hitting plastic told a different story.
A boy with messy white hair was draped across one of the beds like he’d been dropped from a great height, eyes glued to a phone. Standing over him, looking remarkably polished in a way that screamed old money, was a boy with sleek purple hair.
"Nagi, I told you, if you don't at least try to look sick, the nurse won't let us stay here all period," the purple-haired boy sighed.
He turned as the trio entered, his sharp eyes immediately locking onto Isagi, then moving to Kurona’s bruised arm. A slow, knowing smirk spread across his face.
"Oh? Bachira and Kurona? And... who's the new face?"