Chapter Text
"Why did I say that?"
The question spun in Vintage's mind as he closed the door behind him. "I sounded like an idiot."
He blinked back the tears that were beginning to well up, because there was nothing to be upset over. It was stupid. He was supposed to be anchoring his team, not crying in an alley over some S+ ranker.
He wasn't sure what his next move should be. Well, he was in a passage with only one exit, so he didn't have too many options - but it led back to the square, where his team would be, where they would be asking questions. He didn't want to answer questions. He wanted to go home.
He also wanted to go back inside and scream his lungs out at Skull for making him feel like this. He wanted to tell him he's an arrogant piece of shit, and to leave him alone forever, and to never dare step up to the X-Blood again. He also wanted to curl up in Skull's arms and sob. But all of that was a lot less likely.
Bzz bzz. His phone was ringing. Omega.
"Vin? Where are you?" She spoke as soon as he answered the call. Her stern but soft voice was immediately comforting to him.
"I'm coming- where are you guys? I'm coming back now."
"Are you okay?" She paused for a second before realizing she wasn't getting an answer. "We're in the usual café. I just stepped outside to call you."
He hesitated, not sure what to do.
"I've explained a little to the other two. We ran into the purple team in the lobby and Avi spoke to me, so Red and Double were asking questions," she spoke again.
"Wait, what did you tell them?"
"Just about our old team. That we had one, with Avi and Skull. That's all. And I had to explain that Skull is the E-Liter that shot you, because he wasn't with his team after the match, but it's not important. Come over here and we can explain together."
"Wait- Omega, can I speak to you alone first?" His voice cracked awkwardly, revealing a little more emotion than he was comfortable with.
She sighed, barely audible over the phone. "Come to the front of the café, I'm outside. We can talk."
He hung up and beelined across Inkopolis square to the street on the left, avoiding eye contact with the people who'd gathered to watch the semi-finals. The other two teams were battling now, capturing their attention, so thankfully Vintage could sneak by without causing much fuss. He felt his face burning with shame at the thought that all of these people had just watched his match. Why couldn't it have been any other team?
Omega greeted him at the entrance of the café and they moved to the side of the building, on a small terrace that was rarely used. It was quiet enough to talk there.
"What's going on?"
"I just spoke to Skull."
"What the fuck? Where? I swear to God, I'll kill him if he upset you-"
"No- no, it's fine. I'm just a little shaken. It was awkward."
She took both of his hands in hers and looked at him in a wordless exchange of intimacy. He forgot he never needed to tell her he was shaken, she knew.
"I don't know why he had to humiliate me like that," Vintage continued. "I also don't know why he waited for me in the training room. It's like he just wants to mess with me. He asked if I'd train with him - no, of course I fucking won't - he left because he was apparently sick of training with me-" The emotions were now bubbling up his throat and spilling out in his voice in a way he couldn't control. "I just wish this never happened. I don't know why it had to be like this. Is it too late to drop out of the tournament?"
She just listened, though her eyes widened slightly in surprise at the dropping out comment. She quickly pulled him into a hug.
The amount of times Vintage cried and the amount of times he admitted to crying were different enough that anyone other than Omega would've been surprised at this moment.
"Vinny... I told you not to let his mind games get to you."
"It's not that, it's..."
"If resurfacing stuff from the past is his only viable strategy that just proves he's not competition for you anymore. You know only weaklings do the whole mental advantage thing, that isn't what skill means. Messing with someone like that isn't-"
"I thought I'd changed."
She paused, startled at the sudden sharpness in his voice.
"I thought I was better than this. I overestimated myself."
"What? You do nothing but understate yourself. These are cheap moves played by cheap people. This doesn't say anything about you or your skill. If anything, this makes you the bigger person."
"What the hell kind of team leader am I, acting like this? I didn't realize I was so- so weak- to shit that doesn't even matter. How have I convinced everyone that I know what I'm doing?"
"Nothing I say gets through to you, does it?" She chuckled.
He looked at her blankly. She was wrong. Everything she said - everything anyone ever said - managed to nest under his skin and sting behind every move he made. There was no place for sensitivity like that in the high level X rank where he stood firmly as the king. But he couldn't wash it off, couldn't claw it out, it just burrowed deeper inside and infected his focus, his power, his shield of apathy - breaking down all the things that were supposed to make him perfect. He could never be the bigger person; because beside the towering reality of his imperfections, what was left felt incredibly small.
"I want to drop out of the tournament." He blurted out.
Omega just smiled and opened her arms for another hug, which he gladly accepted.
"I love you Vin, but that's not going to happen."
・。・゜✭・・✫・゜・。
He entered the café with a forced, awkward confidence, his freshly dried eyes still slightly red and stinging. Omega, close behind, pointed him to the table where their other two teammates were deep in conversation about something probably stupid. He had been overpreparing his apology/explanation/excuse outside just minutes ago, but immediately lost even the fake confidence upon seeing them.
"Oh, hi!" Red greeted the two cheerfully. Double turned to look, watching Vintage take the seat opposite him, head hung like a guilty puppy.
"What're you moping for?" Double teased, eliciting a stare from his team leader.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you earlier. It's just- I- there's a lot I should probably explain, and I didn't know how to explain it-"
"Do you want to explain it?"
"Not really."
"Then don't. I forgive you either way." He smiled and took a loud sip of his milkshake. "We already ordered food. I just got you your favorite, since you weren't here."
"The spicy shrimp ramen bowl?"
"You betcha."
"Extra hot?"
"You think I'd ask for mild? I told them to make you regret being born." He grinned, infectiously, causing the other boy to smile too.
Whatever Omega had told them earlier had obviously been a good enough explanation, and Vintage didn't care to know what that was. He was just relieved to not have to confront his issues anymore that day - he was already exhausted and it was barely noon. But he couldn't help but feel incredibly lucky to have these three as his best friends. Their company brought an unusual warm feeling that was smothering the self doubt and anxiety that he usually felt. His only comparison to the warmth was synergy on the battlefield, but he was not battling anymore, and memories of their earlier match were fading into the background, unimportant.
It was nice to forget, even if only for a little while.