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HE WAS HAVING a bad day. Maybe even worse, he was having a bad week. But even national champions couldn't perform perfectly all the time, and once the bad streak was over, Reo would pull through.
Reo always pulled through.
He didn't want to admit it, but this might be the consequence of his unexpected change of coach. Ego was harsher than Zantetsu, and this was only his first month at Blue Lock. Anyone could struggle with adapting to a new environment with different demands.
Whatever the cause, it didn't matter. The three times he had messed up his jump didn't matter. The fact that less than a month ago, he had mastered the triple Axel and now it was giving him trouble shouldn't matter.
It shouldn't get to him, even Kira failed his own 3A at the World's Gala, and he earned bronze the day before. Losing footing or momentum and, turning a triple into a double, being unable to land it properly, those things were part of the job. So Reo had to ignore his wounded ego and accept it.
No instructor was there when he got to the ballet studio, but Nagi was already warming up while facing the barre, blasting his own music in the room. Reo stretched his arms over his head, walking up to him with a lopsided grin.
"Thought I would find you here," he greeted. Their schedules were basically coordinated with each other. Nagi was usually on the ice earlier, but they left the Blue Lock compound around the same time.
Nagi looked at him out of the corner of his eyes. "Did you change your shoes?"
"Yessir," right before entering the studio.
"Don't call me that. It makes me feel like Ego."
Reo smiled, words taking a teasing edge. "You call him sir?" Hard to believe, considering how nonchalant Nagi tended to be.
As expected, he denied it, shaking his head. "Nope, but you do, like the little ass-kisser you are."
"You're an asshole." Ass-kisser, how exaggerated. "It's basic manners, Seishiro. At least call him coach."
"...no thank you," Nagi wrinkled his nose as if the idea was gross. Reo realized he didn't have the same issue addressing Zantetsu appropriately back when they were first introduced. But Reo didn't bring it up, and Nagi's logical explanation was: "Ego is just Ego."
Reo sighed, lips curving despite pretending to be annoyed. "And to think you used to be so cute and respectful...."
"You're definitely lying now," Nagi replied, raising both brows. "You were the cute one, so polite and well-behaved, right before you won nationals and fame went to your head...."
