NIKE -Blue Lock-

Rhythm

Long one

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Spanish stratum

"YEAH THAT'S THE ENERGY I WANT, MOVE THOSE HIPS ITALIAN GUY."

The Spanish stratum candidates simply looked confused at the scene, not understanding what was happening or why it was happening. 

They had arrived at the training room that morning only to be greeted by blaring Brazilian music and two characters engaged in dancing with the ball and with each other.

"Then move yours along with mine, Brazilian guy." they heard, opening their mouths wide soon after.

Nicklaus put a hand on the master striker's bare chest, quickly walking in front of him and stealing the ball from in front of his eyes. He bounced it to the ground, making it land on his shoulder and keeping it there as he kept moving.

Without breaking contact, she used the Brazilian's torso to rotate around him with a smaller radius, and keeping her balance so that the ball remained her shoulder.

She sneered, taking advantage of their proximity to steal the man's sunglasses and put them on her head as her blood-red eyes clashed with his ochre-yellow ones.

"Cause I feel like you're not able to keep up with my rhythm." she whispered inches from his face, causing the older of the two to stiffen with a mixture of annoyance and intrigue.

"And that's boring, isn't it?" she said as the last thing, before sliding the ball to the ground and sprinting forward.

Bachira, who had only just entered the room and was still sleepy, opened his eyes wide at the sight of the red-haired boy. And in that moment all weariness gave way to excitement and enthusiasm.

He saw Lavinho, their master striker, running after the red-haired boy to try to steal the ball from him. But as soon as his foot appeared in Nicklaus's view, he struck the ball in such a way that it bounced off the man's metacarpal, and then hit it with his head once high in the air.

He saw Nicklaus laughing, moving his hips and legs to the beat of the music as he circled the figure of their coach. He saw the way the loose T-shirt brushed against his waist every time he swung his pelvis, or how with each of his movements his legs stiffened and relaxed to stay balanced.

Bachira smiled, running toward the figure and jumping on him, only to be badly dodged and end up face down on the ground.

"Damn, that hurt." said Lavinho, picking up his glasses from above Nicklaus' head and looking with a raised eyebrow at the little boy whose face was splattered on the ground.

Nicole lowered her gaze toward him, recognizing him by his hair with its canary-yellow layer.

"NICK-KUN YOU'RE HERE." he suddenly exclaimed, returning energetic, quickly rising to his feet and jumping on the redhead, his hands around her neck.

Before his chest could totally crush over hers, Nicole grabbed his shoulders and held him by his armpits like a misopedist holding a baby for the first time.

"Calm down, schizo guy. I'm not one of your monstrous besties." said Nicole, making the boy's irises sparkle.

"How do you know I'm playing with my monsters again?" he asked excitedly, jumping down from the Italian's grasp and approaching him again, this time without touching. 

Nicole did not respond, merely giving him one of her cover smiles. If Bachira had ever told her about ever taking a break from his toxic relationship with his demons, then she didn't remember it at all.