Tastes Like Home | Various!Blue Lock

Fourteen

(Y/n) almost instantaneously reached out to answer the call when a certain meddlesome white-haired boy had already raced her to it.

Seishiro hit 'accept,' but before the other party could speak, he snapped, "Stay the fuck away from her," and hung up.

Seishiro tossed her phone to the couch in the most gentle fashion he could before storming out of the room, leaving an equally as baffled Yoichi, Reo, and (Y/n) behind.

(Y/n) blinked, the silence that followed was so loud it almost rang in her ears. Her arm was still half-extended, frozen in place as if answering the call had been a reflex—one interrupted by Seishiro's raw, unexpected fury.

Reo was the first to break the silence. 

"Well—" he sighed, scratching the back of his neck, "—that was... dramatic, even for Nagi."

"He didn't even let the guy talk..." Yoichi nodded in agreement.

(Y/n) remained silent. Her fingers curled into the fabric of her pants as her chest rose and fell in a rhythm that betrayed her calm expression. She was not angry, not really. Just... baffled. 

Seishiro did not seem to be the type to raise his voice, so her situation might have truly struck a nerve.

"I should go talk to him," she murmured, finally lowering her hand.

"... (Y/n), wait. Let's not be hasty here." Yoichi gently caught her wrist, not hard enough to stop her, but just enough to make her halt. "Give him some time. Knowing him, if you chase after him now, he'll only shut down more."

Reo nodded in agreement. "His outburst extends to far more than just your issue. He didn't just do that for you—that was about him too."

"...He compared Otoya to his parents... and mentioned empty promises..."

"Mhm." Reo rested his chin in his palm. "And you're the only person he somehow actuallygives a damn about enough to get mad like that. He doesn't just yell at people, not unless it's a game or—"

"—or he's scared," Yoichi finished. He looked over at her with a gentleness in his eyes that did not quite match his earlier sarcasm. "He's not angry at you. He's afraid of watching you get hurt."

Reo eyed Yoichi knowingly, piecing together the other implications of Seishiro's outburst—the possibility of blossoming feelings.

(Y/n) frowned. "But this is my choice. I... I want to believe in Otoya. Even now."

Yoichi's jaw clenched, but he refrained from arguing. There was a strange kind of tension in the room. It was not judgement nor anger... more like concern. Then her phone vibrated once again on the couch.

(Y/n) hesitated for a second before picking it up, this time holding it tightly in her lap. She did not answer. She just stared at Otoya's name, glowing brightly against the darkened screen.

"Will you pick it up, Miss (L/n)?" Reo asked gently.

"I don't know." She sounded like she was holding her breath. "I want to hear what he has to say. But I'm also scared he'll say nothing that matters."

Yoichi stood and stretched, turning his head away so neither of his friends could see the look on his face."Then maybe don't ask for answers yet. Just listen. And if it still doesn't feel right, then maybe... you already know what to do."

(Y/n) nodded slowly. "Thanks."

Yoichi gave her a soft smile before heading out the kitchen door, muttering something about checking on Nagi. Reo stayed behind, giving her a moment of peace, but he did notspeak either. Just sipped his coffee with a strangely serious look on his face.