Ascension│Bluelock x male reader

3. The JFU

A few days later, Y/N stood in front of the JFU building, staring up at the tower of glass and steel. It was a relatively quiet weekend, and adding on that it was a mostly commercial area, there was practically nobody out on the street.

Though, as he waited, a few other boys started showing up. Most of them wore their school uniform, or some sort of sportswear, which confused Y/N. He'd been sure that there was nothing saying that you had to wear a school uniform...

"Are you here for the Bluelock Project as well?" One of the other boys asked him.

"Yep!" Y/N smiled welcomingly at the boy, giving him his full attention.

"Oh. You weren't dressed like the rest of us, so I assumed you weren't."

"Am I supposed to wear uncomfortable school uniform on a Saturday?" He gestured down to himself, at the casual pair of jeans and a hoodie he wore. "It didn't say anything about that."

"But Bluelock is a chance to represent our schools, and show that our schools are good enough at soccer to get people into this project." The other kid said with confusion. "Don't you want to show everyone where you're from?"

Y/N frowned for once, the usual bright smile on his face falling away. What is this guy on about? "Not really?"

"But this project is good for our schools!" The other boy said. "Imagine if we get onto the U-20 team, we can proudly represent our own school teams. We'd be the hero of our individual team."

Y/N didn't understand a bit. "This project," he said slowly. "Is a way for you as a person to progress in life. This is a place for you to become the best soccer player you can."

He gestured at the school uniform the other boy was wearing. "So I don't know why you're on about schools, because none of that matters. What matters is your own improvement, and your own success."

"That's a bit selfish, isn't it?" More people were arriving, looking a bit perplexed at the two boys arguing just outside the front gate. "Don't you care about the friends and teams that you play with?"

"Not particularly." Y/N answered. He wisely left out the point where he hadn't played for his school's soccer team at all. "Look, what position do you play?"

"I play striker."

"Alright, I'm a striker myself." Y/N pointed to himself. "If you focus your energy on trying to help the team, you'll never improve. If everything is about honour, or teamwork, then you'll never be able to score enough goals to become a top striker."

"Soccer is all about teamwork though!" Other people were getting in on the conversation, a few of them looking annoyed at Y/N. There were around twenty boys there now.

"I'm a striker too, and you've got to be a good teammate to score goals. Not selfish." That was another person.

One by one, everyone there revealed themselves to be strikers. Without exception, they were all strikers. Y/N thought hard. The Ascension Project trained all types of forwards. Is the Bluelock Project strikers only?

"You need to live for your goals to become a top striker." Y/N growled out. His hands unconsciously clenched into fists at his sides. These guys are so... weak. So pathetic. "I learnt that, and if you want to get anywhere, you'll have to learn it too."

"Where, huh?" A few people faced off against him, standing strong as a group. "What kind of twisted teacher teaches you that?"

Y/N momentarily hesitated. I can't tell them I'm from Ascension. Even if they don't know what it is, I want to stay incognito as long as possible.

He opened his mouth to blurt out some kind of excuse, but luckily, a red-haired woman came out of the JFU building's main doors, holding a stack of files in her hands. "Are you boys here for the Bluelock Project?"

Everyone paused for a second, the attention momentarily off Y/N. "Yeah."

"Alright then!" She seemed extremely excited, practically bouncing on her feet as she gestured for the strikers to follow her. "Come right this way, and make sure you have your invitation letters out."

Y/N shrugged, following the woman in through the front doors and entering a huge lobby area. It was lit up brightly, with a red carpet and wooden walls. She turned to face the group, smiling. "Form an orderly queue please."

He was first, and as soon as he handed the woman his letter, she looked up with shock. He tilted his head with confusion. "Something wrong?"

"N-no, Y/N L/N." The woman smiled again, a bit shakily this time. "You're good to go." Her eyes lingered on his, and Y/N stared back coolly. Does she know who I am?

"Wish you luck in Bluelock." She nodded to him respectfully. "If you just find a place to wait for now, we'll begin when all 300 people are here."

"Thanks." Y/N took his invitation slip back, and walked past the woman, settling down against the wall right next to the entrance. The other strikers were slowly filing in, each of them being verified and allowed to find their spot in the room.

The lobby started to fill up slowly, with a small number of players trickling through the doors in groups of two or three. Most of them looked confused, maybe a bit nervous as they all took places around the room.

After a while, two boys walked in wearing a white school uniform, unlike most of the others. A white-haired boy was focused on a game on his phone as he handed in his submission form, with the other one more alert.

Isn't that Reo? And Nagi? From my class? Y/N knew they played football, but they were practically newbies with only a few months of experience. He hadn't expected them to get into Bluelock. "Hey."

Reo's purple eyes snapped to Y/N, and he grinned widely. "Hi, L/N!" The purple-haired boy elbowed Nagi. "Look, I told you he'd be here!"

"Mhm." Nagi raised two fingers from his phone screen, giving a wave without even looking up. The two of them walked over, Reo sitting next to Y/N and pulling Nagi down with him.

"So, you never told me you played football!"

"I don't tell many people, except the people I play with. Besides, it's not something to brag about."

"But it's amazing!" Reo's eyes got sort of dreamy. "Soccer is the best thing in the world, who wouldn't want to hear someone brag? And, and and, L/N, if you're here that means you're really good at it. There's only 300 people in total, after all."

"I'm not the worst." Y/N technically didn't lie - he wasn't the worst by any means. "Also, call me Y/N. It's just more natural."

"Sure, Y/N." Reo poked Nagi, who looked up from his video game with the mildest expression of annoyance Y/N had ever seen. "Nagi, put that game away."

"Reo..." Nagi's soft voice was barely audible over the rest of the soccer players talking in the lobby. "It's boring here though..."

Even his game sounded louder than he did, the muted snaps of gunfire coming from his phone. Y/N tapped his chin thoughtfully. Does he even like football? Or is he just here because Reo is?

He decided to make an effort to speak, even though Nagi seemed content playing his game. "What game is that?"

"Call of Duty mobile." Nagi reluctantly showed Y/N the screen, which was currently on the main menu. "I just died."

"Oh." Y/N tapped a few fingers on the screen. On the top of his screen, it displayed his rank, with a red and gold icon. Nagi is ranked Legendary... that must be good, right? "Is Legendary good? It says it on your screen there."

Nagi hummed thoughtfully, meeting Y/N's eyes. He looked down at the screen. Blinking once, he hummed again. Then glanced across to Reo.

"Reo," He quietly asked, grey eyes expectant. Taking Reo's hand, he slowly guided the other boy's hand to point at his phone screen.

"Is Legendary good?"

"How am I supposed to know that?!"