Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Nagi decided to start streaming on Twitch after his friends encouraged him, since he already enjoyed playing video games and they thought it would be easy for him. He definitely disagreed, thinking it was a hassle. By his third stream, he had only gained 30 viewers. However, he eventually became more popular as insane clips of him clutching 1v5s started going viral on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

There was also an instance where Nagi accidentally fell asleep midway through his stream, waking up 15 minutes later. That moment alone gained him a lot of attention. Viewers started flooding in, and people began enjoying his streams, finding him both extremely talented and somehow entertaining.

It was Friday at 8 PM, Nagi’s usual streaming time. He was wearing a white hoodie & sweatpants, along with a black headset. He was playing Valorant, locked into a competitive match, and just on the edge of reaching Radiant rank. Nagi blinked through his sleepiness, robotically moving his hands across the mouse and keyboard.

He ended the match with a victory banner, and of course, he was the MVP. Nagi yawned, covering his mouth with one hand before lazily glancing over at his Twitch chat.

[Chat]

> misosoup: WTH was that aim bro 😭

> Lockoff24: nagi u look tired lol

> gogoblob: are u even trying rn 😭😭

> sleepymeow: he hasn’t said a word in 8 minutes and i’m still here
> basilleaf: he’s like a sleepy cat i love him
> sleepclutch: i blinked and the round ended. nagi diff.

Nagi scrolled through the messages before responding in a tired tone, “I’m not a cat. And yeah, I’m very tired. That’s it. I think I’m going to end the stream now.”

[Chat]

> chewyv: NOOOOO DON’T LEAVE US

> nagiswife: i miss him already and he’s not even gone

> valuwife: stream over??? my day ruined.

> valerie: good night nagi 🥺

> sleepskillissue: stream ends the same way it started: zero effort

“Good night. I might be able to stream tomorrow. I’ll let you guys know,” Nagi muttered, raising his hand in a slow, lazy wave before moving his mouse to end the stream.

He leaned back in his chair with a sigh and pulled out his phone, scrolling through the notifications he’d missed. The group chat was unusually active, and after a moment of hesitation, Nagi tapped in to see what was going on.

Isagi

are we still on to hang out tomorrow at the cafe?

Bachira

YESSS i heard they r releasing a new drink
pls buy me it yoichi 🥺

Chigiri

yup, I'm bringing kunigami by the way!

Oh. I forgot about the hang out tomorrow.

Isagi

Fine and thats fine chigiri

also nagi remember to wake up early, i know u r reading this

Nagi

how did u know i was here?
fine i will be early..

Isagi

Im being serious nagi

u barely go out these days

Bachira

nagicchi!! get out of your roooom

go outside. the sun missess you

Chigiri

i honestly think we should all collectively break into his room

What a hassle…

Nagi

i will get up early 

Bachira

woow 😮 im shocked

that’s a first

Isagi

okay good

see u guys tomorrow, i'm heading to bed.

meet up at the park at 1 PM btw

[👍]

Nagi reacts to Isagi’s message with a thumbs up and swipes out of the app. That’s so early… He gets up from his gaming chair and heads toward his bed, dropping off his phone. Then, he walked into the bathroom and picked up his electric toothbrush, lazily brushing over each tooth.

He spit out the excess toothpaste and rinsed his mouth before splashing cold water on his face. Grabbing a towel, he wiped himself dry. He didn’t have a skincare routine, somehow, he was just blessed with clear skin.

Nagi exits the bathroom and goes toward his bedroom door to shut off the lights before crawling into his bed beneath the comfortable covers. He pulls out his phone, the light shining on his face. Nagi goes to his Clock app to set an alarm for 12:30 PM and places his phone underneath his pillow. He stared up at the ceiling before glancing at his cactus friend that stood on the edge of the window, Choki. “Goodnight, Choki.” Nagi turns facing his bedroom door and closes his eyes.

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Nagi had to force himself to get up since his friends were waiting for him, even if he did not want to. As usual, he lifted himself off the bed and started his day by greeting Choki.

"Good morning, Choki," he mumbled as he placed a finger on Choki.

"Ouch," he muttered after getting pricked, which immediately woke him up and pushed him to start his day.

Nagi went through his morning routine, and now he had to get dressed. He wished it were as simple as waking up. He glanced at the pile of clothes on his floor, then over at the few clean ones. Eventually, he threw on a random gray hoodie and a pair of black cargo pants. Simple enough.

He grabbed his keys and headed out the door. After locking up behind him, he began walking toward the park. Everything around him looked the same. Nothing had changed.

As he crossed the street, he noticed his friends waving at him from a distance. Nagi walked over at his usual pace and raised one hand.

"Hello.."

Isagi smiled back. "Finally, you made it. We were starting to think you slept in."

Bachira suddenly jumped on Nagi from behind and threw his arms around his shoulders.

"Woo! I haven't seen you in foreveeer. How's streaming going?"

"It's going well. I've been getting more viewers and..."

Nagi stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Kunigami and Chigiri sitting on a bench nearby. They were holding hands. Chigiri was smiling and talking, and Kunigami looked flustered, his cheeks slightly red.

When did they start dating?

Isagi followed Nagi’s gaze and answered the question in his mind.

"So... they managed to work things out and now they're together."

“Mmm.” Nagi gave a small nod.

Bachira turned dramatically to Isagi and grinned. "Yoichi, hold my hand too!"

Isagi blinked in surprise, his face turning pink. "Okay," he said with a shy smile.

Nagi frowned. "Am I third-wheeling? Or sixth-wheeling?"

Bachira laughed and stuck his tongue out. "Well, sucks to suck. You're already here. No going back."

Before Nagi could say anything, Bachira turned and shouted toward the bench. "Let's go! Nagi came."

From across the park, Chigiri waved brightly. "Hey, Nagi!" Nagi lazily lifted a hand in return. "Hey, Chigiri."

Isagi adjusted his grip on Bachira’s hand and smiled.

"Alright. Let's start walking to the café."

They crossed the street together, chatting on the way.

When they arrived, everyone went in and found a seat. Nagi, exhausted from the walk, felt like collapsing. He mostly stayed quiet, listening to everyone else’s conversations and only speaking up when someone addressed him directly.

He sat down and scooted into the booth, leaning forward to rest his arms on the table and placing his head down.

Bachira leaned over and tapped Nagi's shoulder. “You know, we have to order, right? What are you going to get?”

Nagi raised his head from the table and yawned before rubbing his eyes. “Please order for me… Just get anything…”

Bachira looked toward Isagi and shrugged. Isagi then turned toward Chigiri and Kunigami. “What do you guys want to order?

Kunigami requested, “Just grab me a caramel frappuccino.” Chigiri also asked, “Can you get me an iced green tea?”

Isagi responded, “Sure! I’ll go order for you guys. And.. Something random for Nagi…” Nagi responded with just a thumbs up while his head was glued to the table.

After they left to line up, Nagi pulled out his phone from his pocket and immediately got into a game. The sound of gunfire played loudly from the phone. He could feel Kunigami and Chigiri eyes on him before they started their own conservations.

Eventually, Bachira and Isagi came back and set down the drinks. Chigiri pulled out his phone, exclaimed, “WAIT! Let me take a photo for my insta!” Bachira also pulled out his phone, “OMG, me too!”

After they finished taking their photos to post on their social media, Bachira smiled. “I didn’t know what you liked, but you do like lemon. So!” Isagi added, “No complaints.” Then he slid an iced honey lemon tea toward Nagi, who grabbed it and took a few sips. He nods to tell them that it was good.

Isagi asks everyone, “So, how’s everyone's life going?

Chigiri stirred his iced green tea with his straw, glancing over at Kunigami with a small smile. “You know, things have been going pretty well between me and Kunigami lately. It’s kind of nice to have someone to talk to after modeling.”

Kunigami’s cheeks tinted pink as he nodded. “Yeah, it’s... different. But good different.”

Isagi chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s crazy how time goes by so fast. I was cheering you on.”

Bachira grinned and cheered, “And now we can go on double dates!”

Nagi quietly stirred his iced honey lemon tea and took sips through his straw, feeling kind of invisible. He leaned back against the booth chair, unsure of what to say. 

Chigiri says with a smile, “Omg, you’re so right. And also modeling takes up so much of my free time, I’m honestly glad that we were able to hang out…”

Nagi was silently listening to their conservations and time went by incredibly fast. Chigiri glanced at him. “Hey, Nagi, you’ve been awfully quiet. What about you?”

Nagi shrugged, taking another sip. “Streaming a lot.”

Chigiri raised an eyebrow. “Streaming, huh? I’m shocked you’ve actually found something that you put effort into. Maybe I should check it out. What else? Got anyone we don’t know about?”

Nagi shrugged. “Nothing much. Just staying home… and sleeping…”

Kunigami smirked. “Reminder: You’re gonna die lonely if you keep that up.”

Isagi laughed. “Yeah, man. You need to get out there. You’re the only one without a partner. Try Tinder or something.”

Nagi blinked. “Tinder…? What’s that?”

Isagi's eyes widened and said, “…You don’t know what Tinder is?”

Bachira says, “It’s a dating app where you meet people! Swipe right, swipe left - super easy.”

Nagi replies with, “That sounds like a hassle. I’m doing fine by myself.”

Chigiri joined in. “Come on, Nagi. We’ll help you set it up.”

Bachira grinned mischievously. “Yeah! It'll be fun. We’ll pick your photos and write your bio. Something like: ‘Pro sleeper. Gamer. Low effort, high reward.’”

Chigiri chuckled. “No, no. That sounds like you're trying to get ghosted. We need to make you look a little appealing.”

Isagi leaned forward, already pulling out his phone. “Just trust us, Nagi. You might actually meet someone cool.”

Kunigami folded his arms. “Or at least learn how to talk to people. Baby steps.”

Nagi sighed, letting his head fall back against the couch. “This sounds like work…”

Bachira nudged him. “So is washing your clothes, but you still do it, right?”

“…Sometimes,” Nagi mumbled.

The group groaned in unison.

Chigiri tapped on the screen, downloading and pulling up the Tinder app. “Okay, Nagi. Just answer a few questions. What are your interests besides sleeping and gaming?”

Nagi paused. “…Eating snacks.”

Kunigami muttered, “We’re doomed.”

Isagi laughed. “Alright, we’ll put that too. It’s honest, at least.”

Bachira shoved the phone in Nagi’s hands. “Come on, just try it. If you hate it, you can delete the app and go back to being a lazy mole.”

Nagi stared at the screen, scrolling lazily. After a beat, he let out a slow sigh. “Fine. But only because you’re all being annoying.”

“Success!” Bachira whooped, throwing his arms in the air.

Chigiri smirked. “Get ready, Nagi. This is gonna be entertaining.”

Nagi had his phone in hand while the others hovered above.

Bachira leaned over his shoulder. “Ooh, use that picture from the time we went to Okinawa! You actually looked alive in that one.”

Isagi snorted. “Barely. He looked like he was about to nap in the sand.”

Chigiri swiped to another photo in his gallery. “This one’s not bad. You’re looking at the ramen like it’s the love of your life.”

“Because it was,” Nagi said flatly.

Kunigami rolled his eyes. “Okay, we’ve got three usable photos. Now the bio. Let’s keep it short and honest.” Chigiri hands back the phone to Nagi, so he can put in a simple bio.

Nagi typed, “I like sleep, games, and food,” then paused, thumb hovering over the save button.

Bachira cracked up. “Yes! That’s perfect. That matches you. On brand.”

Chigiri steals the phone and presses save with zero hesitation. “Alrighty, good to go!”

Moments later, the first notification buzzed.

It’s a match!

Nagi blinked at the screen, surprised. “Huh. That was fast.”

Bachira leaned in over his shoulder, eyes gleaming. “Ooooh, who is it? Show us!”

Isagi reached out about to grab the phone, “C’mon, Nagi. We helped you set it up, we deserve to know.”

Nagi then slides his phone back into this pocket. “I’ll check later.”

Bachira groaned dramatically. “Boo! Where’s the fun in that?”

Chigiri rolled his eyes but smiled. “Whatever. But if it ends up being someone famous, I’m taking credit.”

But as they moved on with their conversation, Nagi felt curious about who it was. Later, when he finally opened the app again, a name stared back at him.

Reo.

Chapter Text

Nagi went straight home after hanging out with his friends and twisted the key to get into his apartment. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and saw that it was only 6 PM, so he decided to start a stream. Heading to his room, he turned on his computer. Nagi immediately opened Twitter to let his one million followers know he’d be going live soon, and sent the tweet out right away. Not even five minutes later, the likes started blowing up.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Nagi Seishiro 💤 @seistreams

going live in 10 minutes 🎮 http://twitch.tv/nagi

6:17 PM · May 30, 2025  

🔁 86 Retweets  ❤️ 5,256 Likes

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Nagi finished setting up and started his stream. He turned on his camera and tiredly waved before saying, “Hello, everyone.” The viewers started increasing exponentially and was nearly at the ten thousand mark.

[Chat]

> chewyv: HII NAGI HOW R YOU DOING

> blueeyedking: dang u never take breaks
> kurothecat: OMG i finally finished finals and can finally watch ur streams again
> theoneandonly: I MISSED UUU

> bloobblubbob: EXCITED FOR THE CRAZYYY PLAYS

> averyxo: are u planning on reaching radiant this stream?
> cherrywerry: can we seeee ur son choki up close?!?! I can see him in the background

Nagi read through the chat and responded, “Tired. I think I might reach Radiant this stream, but for sure next. I’m almost there, just a few more games to go.” Nagi pauses to turn around to walk toward his bed to grab Choki. “Here is Choki. He says, hello.”

[Chat]

> cherrywerry: omgg he grew purple flowers!!

> OGnagifan: i remember when he was small from ur old streams

> notaballinsight: I LOVE CHOKI!

> grapeseedz: wait what nagi is a plant father?? 😍

> angvelicx: AHHHH!!

> [🛡️] Hiori : water choki. he blinked at me twice. its a morse code for help.

Nagi frowns at what Hiori said in chat and then says, “I have been watering him, Hiori... I can still ban you, you know…And yes, he grew flowers. He looks pretty now.” 

[Chat]

> [🛡️] Hiori: but u wouldnt because im the best mod 

Nagi didn’t bother responding. It was obvious he lost to Hiori. He got up to place Choki back by the window, then returned to his desk. Glancing at the viewer count, he noticed it had climbed to over ten thousand.

“Okay, let’s start our matches now…” he mumbled, clicking Play and queueing a competitive match solo.

While waiting, Nagi chatted with his stream. The queue didn’t take long. He usually waited for his teammates to lock in before picking. This time, he ended up choosing Sage.

A few rounds in, he flicked his mouse and landed two clean headshots in one swift motion. His focus was sharp, his posture horrible, but no one mentioned it. As the round ended, he reached for his water bottle and took a slow drink.

[Chat]

> sleepclutch: THAT WAS INSANEE??
> [🛡️] Hiori: are you even human?
> basilleaf: he is an alien, hiori 😭
> 💰 $20 from Yuto: Nagi pls teach me your aim 😭

> jupiterring: HELLO???

> shadowsdark: 20 dollars is absolute insane

Yuto just donated $20! “Nagi pls teach me your aim 😭” 

The message popped up on-screen with a money sound effect, followed by a robotic voice reading it aloud. Nagi glanced over at chat, barely blinking.

“Thank you, Yuto. Mm… just play a lot,” he replied flatly.

The chat immediately exploded, messages flying in every second.

[Chat]

> loopyloop: BRO WE DO ALREADY

> redlblueyellow: THIS ISN’T FAIR 😭

> whalesharklover: he’s so humble it hurts

Nagi sipped from his water bottle again, completely unfazed.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Nagi had just wrapped up his stream several hours ago, finally hitting Radiant, a moment that exploded across the Valorant community. It was now 12:15 AM, and he was laying in bed, watching his favorite movie, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It was painful, bittersweet, and made him think about what he wanted in a relationship.

Then, suddenly, he remembered Reo.

He opened the app and saw a new DM waiting for him. Curious, Nagi tapped on Reo’s profile. It opened to a grid of photos where there were several vibrant shots, each one practically glowing with confidence. Purple hair, sharp eyes, a face that looked almost unreal.

He scrolled slowly, staring. How is someone like him interested in me? He clicked off and checked what Reo sent him and responded.

Reo: hey, nagi!

Sent at 1:34 PM

Nagi: hey

Not even a minute later, and Nagi immediately received a notification.

Reo: wow, replying so late?

Reo: was beginning to think u were a bot
Reo: how old r u? im 22

Nagi: im also 22

Nagi: not a bot though

Reo: sure? because the vibe is very “mysterious NPC” right now

Nagi: don’t use this app much

Reo: clearly. i had time to grow a beard waiting for that reply

Nagi: you’d look weird with a beard

Reo: LMAO ok rude??

Reo: but also accurate

Nagi: wasn’t rude

Nagi: just honest

Reo: mm. so you’re the quiet, blunt type

Reo: love that

Nagi: you talk a lot

Reo: i do. makes up for people like you

Reo: balance and all that

Reo: so what do you do when you’re not ignoring messages?

Nagi: nothing interesting

Nagi: i play val, wbu?

Reo: ooh, u should carry me sometime

Nagi: maybe

Reo: i’ll take that as a yes

Reo: i do fashion stuff btw

Reo: photoshoots, events

Nagi: sounds tiring

Reo: knew you’d hate it.

Reo: how abt we grab coffee irl?

Nagi thought about it for a moment. Coffee didn’t seem like a big deal. What could go bad?

He had no idea how to make moves like his friends did. They were all charm and confidence. Chigiri with his smooth lines, Isagi with his easy jokes. Nagi, on the other hand, had no one there to stop him or tell him what to do.

So, he did what he always did. He texted the same.

Nagi: sure

Reo: wait seriously?

Reo: that easy?

Nagi: u asked?

Reo: okay fair

Reo: now i gotta impress you with my impeccable café taste

Reo: alright. there’s this place downtown. you’d like it. Probably
Reo: it shouldn't be too far since we live in the same area

Nagi: sounds fine

Reo: next wednesday?

Nagi swiped down on his phone to check the date. It was already Sunday. Not that he had anything to at all than stay in bed all day… maybe stream if he felt like it.

Nagi: ok

Reo: okay! 2pm sound good? unless you ghost me again

Nagi: i’ll show up

Nagi swiped out of the app and got up to turn off the lights. He climbed back into bed, pulling the blankets up to his chin. Lying there in the dark, he stared at the ceiling. And then, Reo. Why am I thinking about him? It hit him far too late. There was something about Reo. Something that lingered in his head longer than it should have. For once, Nagi felt a flicker of excitement. Not for a game or a new rank, but for meeting someone. For figuring out who Reo really was. And why someone like him was still talking to someone like Nagi.

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At around 1 PM, Reo sat in the backseat of the car, phone in hand, lazily swiping through Tinder while waiting for his shoot to start. No one really caught his eye. Everyone felt the same. Too flashy, too filtered, too much. Swipe left. Swipe left. Swipe left. Then he paused.

A new profile came up. Nagi. The photo was simple. White hair, pretty eyes, soft lighting. Peaceful. One of the pictures showed him holding a bowl of ramen, and it was… kind of cute . Reo caught himself smiling. He glanced around the car, almost embarrassed, as if someone might catch him being soft. Then he looked back at his phone and swiped right.

They matched instantly.

Trying not to overthink it, Reo typed a quick message. Just “hey.” Nothing too much. He didn’t want to seem weird. Then he waited. And waited. Nothing.

By the time his manager knocked on his window to let him know it was time to try on clothes, Reo already felt the sting of being ignored. Or maybe the guy was just slow to respond. Still, the silence bothered him more than he expected.

The shoot passed by quickly. He modeled jackets and pants, his body moving through the poses like muscle memory. But his mind kept drifting back to the app. The message. The unread “hey.”

When it was over, he rushed to check his phone again. Still no reply. He sighed. 6:33 PM. Reo leaned back on the couch at home, eyes on the ceiling, then tapped into his messages and saw Chigiri online. He opened the chat and started typing.

Reo

aghh i found someone on tinder 

but hes not responding at all

Chigiri ♥️

wow what the hell
thats messed up
his loss honestly

Ur literally a beauty

Reo

STOP 💀 thank u chigiri LOL
but like … hes lowkey finee 😭

Chigiri ♥️

he cannot be that attractive

send a pic rn

Reo

NO WAY

i cant show u

not if i dont get with him

Chigiri ♥️

omg u’re so dramatic

just blur his face or smth 😭

Reo

you’re gonna clown me forever

Chigiri ♥️

fair point

but i will be clowning either way

Reo

rude but honest

i will update u dw

well anyway im gonna go eat dinner now

Chigiri ♥️

OKAY see you!

Reo finished eating and returned to his bed, where he spent the next few hours scrolling through TikTok. He liked all of his mutual’s posts out of habit and ended up stumbling across a bunch of edits of himself. They were actually well-made, and he even reposted one to his story. Now, he started began brainstorming ideas for his next TikTok. It wasn’t until around midnight that a different kind of notification popped up. Tinder.

It was from Nagi.

Reo sat up immediately, heart skipping just a little, and tapped the notification. The message had finally come in.

Nagi: hey

Just that. One word. Reo stared at it, unsure whether to laugh or scream.

Reo just kept sending messages and it felt normal. It wasn’t weird. But Nagi sure was interesting, and he was something else… very different. Reo was thinking and decided to type, “how abt we grab coffee irl?” Reo was panicking on the inside. He wasn’t even sure if you were supposed to say that so early. He was already regretting sending the message. That was until Nagi responded…

Nagi: sure

Reo stared at that second one-word response, eyes widening in disbelief. Was that really it? Was it really that easy? Either way, it made him smile and he started to set up a date.

A cafe date.

Chapter Text

Until Wednesday, Nagi had been laying in bed and devouring jelly pouches while playing mobile games on his phone. As well as streaming whenever he felt like it and ended up winning most of his matches. He kept track of the days passing by and tried to get his mind off of Reo that he was soon going to meet.

It was finally Wednesday and Nagi was already in his outfit. He was just wearing an oversized, white hoodie and black cargos to complete it off. He checked his phone and received multiple notifications from the group chat. He swiped into his phone and clicked the Messages icon.

Isagi

hey! is everyone down to hang out again today? bachira and i are planning get lunch

Chigiri

i can, i have time since i cleared out my schedule!

Isagi

@Nagi helloooo, awake?

Nagi

im busy 2day

Isagi

u being busy??? busy sleeping?

Chigiri

there’s no way you’re busy

Nagi

im going on a date

Isagi

WHAAT u seriously used tinder?

Chigiri

i seriously need to document this.
this is not real

Nagi frowned at his phone. It was as if his friends doubted him from the beginning and didn’t expect him to pull anyone.

Nagi

bye

Nagi swiped out of the app, turned off his phone, and slipped it into his pocket. It was 1:33 PM, and he had around 30 minutes to make it to the café. As he crossed the street, he spotted someone in the distance with purple hair. Reo was already waving at him with a small smile.

As Nagi got closer, he noticed Reo was wearing a beige long overcoat layered over a black turtleneck, with a white scarf wrapped loosely around his neck. Reo looked even prettier in person, though Nagi didn’t show it on his face. He simply stood there and lazily waved back.

Reo, on the other hand, was internally panicking. Nagi was even more handsome up close and taller than he expected. He found himself staring for a bit too long until Nagi said, “Hello.”

Snapping out of it, Reo laughed nervously. “Oh! Hi. Let’s head in?”

Nagi nodded and followed him inside. The café was clean and cozy, filled with warm light and greenery, with plants hanging from the ceiling and on the shelves. Nagi looked around and realized that it was a cat café, not that he minded either way. Reo walked toward a booth along the back wall, and Nagi followed.

Reo scooted into the booth, expecting Nagi to sit across from him. Instead, Nagi slid in right next to him. Now, they were extremely close, and Reo definitely hadn’t been prepared for that. Their shoulders almost touched. He blinked, trying not to look flustered.

“You always sit this close?” Reo joked.

Nagi glanced at him, then at the rest of the café. “This side had a better view.”

Reo followed his gaze, expecting something worth seeing, but it was just the window with trees and a street. “Right,” Reo said with a soft laugh. “You’re such a weirdo.”

Nagi rested his elbow on the table and leaned his cheek into his hand, clearly unbothered. “You messaged me first.”

Reo grinned at that. “And I stand by it.”

A staff member came by to offer menus, and a couple of cats were wandering all over the place. Reo thanked the worker before glancing at his menu to scan through all the options.

He turned to Nagi, ready to ask what he was thinking of ordering, only to find him with his face buried in his arms on the table.

Reo blinked. “Uh… are you asleep?”

Nagi’s voice came out muffled. “No.”

Reo leaned in slightly, amused. “You know you’re supposed to sit like a normal person at cafés, right?”

Nagi slowly lifted his head, eyes half-lidded. “Just tired.”

“You always tired?” Reo asked, grinning.

“Usually.”

Reo shook his head fondly. “You’re something else, Nagi. Um, you want a latte or something?” Reo offered. “I’ll order for you.”

“…Iced lemon tea.”

Reo gave a short nod. “Got it. One iced lemon tea for the sleepy gamer.”

Reo raised his hand and the worker promptly arrived, which he ordered both of their drinks and a slice of matcha cake. When he finished, he was shaking his head and smiling as he glanced back at Nagi still half-asleep next to a cat. Reo then thought about how weird Nagi was and how he ended up here. But strangely enough, he didn’t regret it. There was something comforting about Nagi’s quiet presence.

A few minutes later, the worker approached the table and was holding a tray, placing down their drinks and a plate with a slice of matcha cake. Nagi then rose up from the table and grabbed the glass to drink. Reo also does the same and starts the conservation.

“This place is cute. I’ve been wanting to check it out forever.”

Nagi nodded slightly. “It’s calm.”

Reo grinned. “Figures you'd like that. Not a fan of noise?”

Nagi shrugged. “It’s fine sometimes. But this is better.”

Reo sipped his drink. “What is your job?”

“A streamer.”

Reo blinked. " A Valorant streamer, right?” Nagi nodded.

Reo leaned forward with interest. “That’s actually sick. Do you talk on stream, or just silently destroy people?”

“Talk sometimes.”

Reo laughed. “Let me guess. Few words, lots of wins.”

Nagi gave a slow nod and went back to sipping his tea.

“You're hard to read, you know that?” Reo said, tapping his finger on the glass. “But I think I’m starting to figure you out.”

Nagi looked at him, not saying anything, but his eyes held a kind of quiet curiosity.

Reo smiled. “I’ll take that as encouragement.”

A fluffy cat hopped onto the table, and Nagi reached out, gently scratching behind its ears.

“You like cats?” Reo asked.

“They’re quiet,” Nagi said simply.

Reo chuckled. “Right. That’s the theme.”

After a beat, Nagi asked, “You like modeling?”

Reo looked surprised, then smiled. “It’s fun sometimes. But mostly? A lot of waiting around, holding weird poses, getting told to fix your face. It’s not as glamorous as people think…”

Nagi didn’t reply. He just watched, quietly sipping his tea while Reo continued to talk about shoots and travel and outfits. And for some reason, Nagi kept listening. Really listening.

There was something oddly nice about it. Letting Reo talk, watching his expressions change, the way his hands moved when he got excited. Nagi didn’t know why he liked it so much.

Maybe it was just Reo.

“You’re really quiet,” Reo said suddenly, breaking into a grin. “Are you always like this?”

“I guess.”

“I don’t mind,” Reo said, voice softer now. “You’re easy to be around.”

Nagi looked down at the cat in his lap. “So are you.”

Reo raised an eyebrow, smile lingering. “Wow. A compliment. I’ll treasure that.”

Reo then moved to the cake closer to the both of them and used the fork to get a piece to shove into his mouth. His eyes immediately widened and his eyes sparkled. 

“This is so good, oh my god.”  He glanced at Nagi who was still sipping on his tea.

“Hey, do you want to try some?” Reo asked, nudging the plate a little toward him.

Nagi looked at him and replied flatly, “Chewing is a hassle.”

Reo laughed. “Come on, it’s worth it!”

Reo picked up the second fork and took a piece of the cake before holding it out in front of Nagi’s mouth. “Here. Take a bite.”

Nagi blinked, a little confused, but leaned forward and took the bite. He started chewing slowly.

Reo watched him expectantly. “It’s good, isn’t it?”

Nagi didn’t say anything, just nodded as he kept chewing.

Reo smiled and went back to eating more himself. The process continued like that. Him feeding Nagi here and there, sharing bites until eventually, the cake was gone. Nagi quietly finished every bite that came his way.

As Reo set the fork down, he noticed a small smudge of whipped cream at the corner of Nagi’s mouth. Without a second thought, he reached over and grabbed a napkin. He leaned in, gently dabbing at Nagi’s face to clean it. “There you go.” Then he realized just how close he had gotten. His heart skipped.

Reo immediately leaned back, a blush creeping onto his face. “My bad… You had something on your face.”

Nagi stayed still. He didn’t say anything, but he brought his fingers to where Reo had wiped. His face felt strangely warm, and he wasn’t sure why. It was unfamiliar. A little confusing. But he didn’t dislike it.

The silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable. Reo let out a soft breath and decided to break it.

“So…” He glanced sideways. “Do you always let strangers feed you cake?”

Nagi shrugged. “Only when I’m lazy.”

Reo laughed again, a little more relaxed now. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“I get that a lot.”

Reo took out his phone to check the time, and his eyes widened. “Oh my god. I didn’t even realize the time. I’m late for a shoot!”

Nagi immediately scooted out of the booth. Reo quickly followed and made his way to the register to pay, with Nagi right behind him.

“It was fun, Nagi! Sorry I have to leave so suddenly,” Reo said, glancing back at him as he tapped his card. “Let’s meet again, okay?”

Nagi gave a small nod. “It’s okay.”

Reo flashed a quick smile before hurrying out the door, disappearing into the street.

Nagi stood in front of the café, watching until Reo was out of sight. He didn’t move for a while, just stood there, thinking.

He wasn’t sure what this feeling was, but he knew one thing for certain. He wanted to see Reo again.

Chapter Text

Nagi walked home, and he felt disappointed that Reo had to leave so suddenly. He didn’t know why. All Nagi could think about was Reo and his beautiful smile. It made him feel warm on the inside, and he was curious as to what it was that was making him feel this way. He pulled out his phone and pressed on a random mobile game.

He tried to distract himself - but, that didn’t get rid of the image of Reo in his head, which eventually led to him dying from a random player and there was a CONTINUE · yes or no? on the screen. Nagi sighs. What a hassle… It was pitch black outside, and he had already done his night time routine. He was still laying in bed. He received a notification and checked to see it was from Reo.

Reo: hey, thanks for today i had fun. even if u don’t talk much

Reo: so when are you going to give me ur phone number?

Reo: since ik you don’t check this app at all

Nagi: xxx-xxx-xxxx

Reo: that was easy

A few moments later and Nagi received another notification from his messages. He clicked on it and all Reo typed was: hi, it’s me! - Nagi tapped Reo's phone number at the top and created a new contact. Then, without thinking, he added a purple heart emoji. He didn’t have a photo of Reo yet to put as his profile picture, so he left it empty. 

Reo 💜

sorry again for running off like that.

hope i didn’t ruin the mood.

Nagi

u didn’t

Reo 💜

im glad

i liked today

Nagi

me too

Reo 💜

i know you secretly liked that cake

Nagi

it was good

thanks

Reo 💜

sooo does that mean you're agreeing to another date

or do i have to bribe you with cake again?

Nagi suddenly remembered Reo feeding him cake and how close Reo was to his face. Only if you’re feeding me. But, he didn’t type that.

Nagi

cake is a good bribe

Reo 💜

noted

so when are you free?

Nagi

anyday

Reo 💜

dont you stream?

u arent busy?

Nagi

yea but i stream whenever i feel like it

Reo 💜

i’m not even shocked at this point

also that was the longest sentence you’ve ever typed

anyway, im free next wednesday if you are?

i dont have anything on that day

Nagi

sure
im free

Reo 💜

okay!

i’ll think of somewhere to go

Nagi checked the time in the top right corner and noticed how it was 10 PM. He felt like he was going to pass out from exhaustion, so he searched for his charger and inserted it into his phone before placing it underneath his pillow. He stared at Choki before mumbling, “Goodnight… Choki.”

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

For the next few days, Nagi consistently woke up in the afternoon and greeted Choki before starting his day. He usually spent his entire day playing mobile games and streaming whenever he felt like it. 

He needed to make money somehow to afford the stacks of jelly pouches and cans of lemon tea that he began stocking up on. It was already Friday and the days were passing by quickly, not that Nagi was keeping track.

It was Friday at 9 PM and he was still streaming. His viewers were already accustomed to his abnormal streaming schedule. Nagi was in a Valorant match, and this time, he picked Gekko as his agent. Every move was calculated, every shot precise. He dominated the game without missing a single one.

[Chat]

> vbubblysoda: dang that was a crazy SHOT

> mintyicecream: how r you casually doing all of this

> chewyv: OMGG YOU’RE CRAZY

> cheezecracker: save the kills for ur teammates 😭

> agagagagayeah: hes so locked in

Nagi took out the last enemy, and the victory banner flashed across his screen. He leaned back into his chair and glanced at the chat.

[Chat]

[🛡️] Hiori: what the heck. im catching up, nagi watch

> dicedupPear: idk abt that one hiori 😭

> corgilover: im new here and you’re INSANE

> sleepclutch: im not even shocked at this point 💀

Nagi usually took a short break between matches, and this time was no different. As he scrolled through his messages, a notification popped up almost instantly. Reo. Without hesitation, Nagi tapped it open. Reo had sent a simple: Hey.

Reo 💜

hey!

Nagi

hey

Reo 💜

what r u up to rn

Nagi

streaming

Reo 💜

you're so mysterious. do you have like viewers or is it just for fun

Nagi

i have some viewers

(Nagi’s definition of some being 10,000 viewers.)

Reo 💜

wouldnt be surprised if it was 10 viewers

anyway, i saw this cat sleeping in a vending machine slot today

and it reminded me of you

[image]

Nagi

looks like it naps a lot 

Reo 💜

it does and lays down wherever it feels like

Nagi

sounds like me tbh

Reo 💜

yeahhh

lazy, unbothered, & somehow the main character

Nagi

you’re annoying…

Reo 💜

nah, just observant

Nagi

sure

Reo 💜

i like it though

makes you kinda hard to stop thinking about

Nagi pauses, staring at the message longer than usual. His expression doesn’t change much, but there’s a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. He doesn’t smile often, not even when he wins a match. But something about this felt… different. Not bad. Just unfamiliar. He wasn’t even aware that his face changed.

Nagi

stop saying stuff like that outta nowhere

Reo 💜

why?

is it going to distract u from ur stream?

Nagi

no

Reo 💜

mm, sure.

gotta go! ttyl

[👍]

Nagi lifted his head up to realize that he was still streaming with his camera on, and immediately swiped out of the app. He instantly turned his head to check the stream chat.

[Chat]

> gamerx_42: WAIT DID NAGI JUST SMILE?? FROM HIS PHONE?

> airpodcase: im shook this is HISTORIC

> salted potato: NO WAY. he actually smiled. someone clip this RN

> nagifan11: BRO, HE’S SMILING??

> quietobserver: trying so hard to hide it 😭

> snackbreakyah: WHO WAS BRO MESSAGING?

> chewyv: OMG MY HEART CANT TAKE THIS

Nagi was terribly confused. “What?” The stream chat was still flying.

[Chat]

> gamerx_42: HE’S REACTING GUYS

> tofusoup: he doesn’t even KNOW what he did

> meowmeowyea: someone explain it to him 😭

> agua4life: Nagi we saw you SMILEEEE

> nagiswife: I WISH THAT WAS MEEEE

> kittycavts: drop the @ of whoever he was texting rn

Nagi blinked at the screen, unaware of the fact that he had half smiled. After that, he just ignored the chat and started to queue a competitive chat, only responding to donations.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

It was now Sunday at 12:22 AM.

Nagi was sitting in his gaming chair, waiting patiently for his next Valorant match to load. He usually liked gaming by himself without anyone bothering him. But, his phone randomly was buzzing, and he glanced at his phone as it was lit up with a name that he didn’t expect at all.

Incoming call: Reo 💜

He blinked at the screen, surprised. Reo didn’t usually call. It was always texts. Nagi hesitated for a second, then accepted the call. "...Hey."

There was a small silence on the other end.

"...Wait. You actually picked it up?" Reo sounded startled. There was a quick shuffle on his end, like he had sat up too fast. "I didn’t think you’d answer. Thought you’d be gaming or asleep or something."

“I was,” Nagi said, adjusting his headset. “But you called.”

“Oh.” Reo laughed awkwardly. “Yeah. I didn’t really plan anything. I just kinda… pressed the button.”

Before Nagi could respond, the match started and voices shouted in his headphones. He turned his attention back to the screen. Nagi focused on the game for a few moments, fingers gliding effortlessly over his keys. His team was already barking instructions, but he let it fade to the background.

Reo’s voice came through again, light and curious. “So… do you always play Valorant?”

“Yeah. I do play other games, though. But, I go solo most of the time.”

Reo then said, “Mm, maybe we can play some games together.”

“Sure.”

“Okay.” He could hear Reo smiling through the call.

Another loud ping went off in Nagi’s ear, and he muttered a quick in-game callout, finishing off a clean kill. He wasn’t talking much, but Reo didn’t seem to mind. If anything, he just kept going, easy and casual.

“I tried playing Valorant once,” Reo continued. “My aim was terrible. Like, I’d spin around in circles and shoot the ceiling. You’d think I was being possessed. My friends begged me to uninstall it.”

“That’s normal,” Nagi said, eyes narrowing slightly as he focused. “You get better.”

“You’re being polite,” Reo said, grinning. “But it’s okay, I accept I’m a fashion guy, not a gamer. I can style the hell out of an outfit, though. Maybe I should help you with yours sometime.”

Nagi hummed in reply.

“You didn’t even deny it,” Reo teased. “Is your closet just all hoodies and sweatpants?”

“Mostly.”

Reo let out a dramatic gasp. “A crime. But it’s fine. You’re lucky, you’re cute.”

Nagi paused again. His mouse stayed still for a second before he flicked and headshot another enemy. “…Don’t say stuff like that mid-match.”

Reo laughed, louder this time. “What, afraid I’ll make you lose?”

“No,” Nagi said, but he was already shifting in his chair.

Reo kept talking about his day, some drama at a photoshoot, how it took a million years. Nagi only gave the occasional comment or hum, but he didn’t mute. He didn’t hang up. He let the sound of Reo’s voice play like background music to Valorant.

And it was strange. Nagi found any voice that wasn’t his own kind of annoying after a while. But Reo’s wasn’t like that. It was… soft, even when he was rambling, and something you could never get tired of.

He didn’t even realize how long they’d been on the call until the match ended. “…Still there?” Reo asked.

“Yeah.”

Reo exhaled, amused. “Damn. I’ve been talking for like, what, 50 minutes? Aren’t you tired of me yet?”

Nagi glanced at the time. Then at the screen. “No.”

There was a long pause on Reo’s end. Not an awkward one. Nagi could hear the soft rustling of fabric, maybe Reo moving around or flopping onto a bed.

“…You really don’t talk much, huh?” Reo finally said.

Nagi shrugged even though Reo couldn’t see it. “Don’t need to.”

Reo let out a small laugh. “I guess I talk enough for both of us anyway.”

Nagi leaned back in his chair, closing the game. His room was quiet again, except for Reo’s voice. The call hadn’t ended, and he didn’t feel like it should.

Reo added, more gently this time, “But… it’s nice. Talking like this. You listen really well. I don’t get that a lot.”

Nagi blinked. “You say interesting things.”

That made Reo laugh again, but it was softer this time, more surprised. “That’s probably the nicest thing anyone’s said to me today.”

A comfortable silence settled between them again. This one was different, like neither of them needed to fill it.

“…Hey,” Reo said, almost shy now.

“Yeah?”

Reo hesitated. Then, more confidently. “Wanna go to the aquarium for next Wednesday?”

Nagi looked toward his window where Choki was, as if the answer was floating out there. “Aquarium?”

“Yeah,” Reo said. “I haven’t been in forever. I figured it’s quiet… not a lot of people talking. You’d like it.”

Nagi was quiet for a moment. “Will there be jellyfish?” he asked.

Reo grinned through the phone. “Yup. Whole tank full of them. And stingrays too. You can touch those, I think.”

“Okay,” Nagi said, without thinking too hard about it. “I’ll go.”

“Really?” Reo sounded delighted. “Cool. I’ll text you the details.”

“…Mm.”

Reo exhaled softly, like he was relieved. “Alright. I should probably let you sleep or game or whatever you do at 1 AM.”

Nagi didn’t answer right away. Nagi didn’t really want Reo to leave yet. He wanted to keep his presence. So, all he said was, “You can stay on if you want.” 

Reo paused. “Yeah?” he said, voice dropping into something softer. “Okay. I’ll stay.”

The line eventually had gone quiet again, but Nagi could still hear Reo breathing. It wasn’t like before when Reo filled the silence with stories and scattered thoughts.

“Reo?” Nagi said quietly, not expecting much of a reply. There was no response at all.

Nagi glanced at the time. It was late, later than he imagined. The soft hum of Reo’s breathing stayed on the line, and he realized he had fallen asleep while still on the call.

Nagi sat still for a while, listening. Just listening for several minutes. There wasn’t really a reason to, but something about it was nice. Reo’s presence was still there, even if it was through a phone. Then, he glanced at the screen and hesitated for a second before finally pressing the end call button.

What is going on with me?  He went to do his usual nighttime routine and crawled into his bed. Nagi then stared up at the ceiling and his head was loud with Reo. It was all Reo. He whispered, “…This feels different.” Then, he closed his eyes.

Chapter Text

Tuesday @ 1:35 PM

It was Tuesday and Nagi was on his phone, scrolling through gaming clips. Nagi was trying to sort out his feelings and has no clue on what is even happening to him. He ended up getting a message from the group chat. He tapped on the notification and was brought to the group chat where everyone was there.

Isagi: how abt we go have a picnic or something? bachira coming too, he forgot his phone

Chigiri: oooh sure, I’m down for that

Kunigami: me as well

Nagi scrolled through the messages, and he didn’t have anything planned for the day. But also, he desperately needed help to figure out just what the hell was going on with him.

Nagi: 👍

Isagi: oh, so now you respond?

Chigiri: honestly was beginning to think he was dead

Kunigami: me too, he might as well be considered a zombie

Isagi: I wonder what kept him busy…. 

Isagi: anyway, let’s go to xxxxxxxxxx at 2:00 PM?

Chigiri: sounds good to me, I’ll bring the best desserts. trust me. i’ll force Rensuke to come with me.

Kunigami: idk if I agreed to this, but sure 

Isagi: okay and I’m expecting nothing from nagi.

Isagi: I will just bring sandwiches and drinks then with bachira

Isagi: see you guys later

Nagi stared at the screen for a while after the chat went quiet.

It wasn’t something he usually cared about, but maybe getting out would help him think. Or stop thinking. He wasn’t sure which one he needed more.

His thumb hovered over Reo’s contact for a second before he locked his phone and got up.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

At the Picnic @ 2:21 PM.

“Late,” Isagi groaned as Nagi finally wandered over to the park, hands in his pockets and his hoodie slightly lopsided. “As expected.”

“Should I be shocked?” Chigiri said, tossing a plastic container of desserts onto the blanket. “At least he showed up.”

Bachira was seated on the grass and grinned. “You look like you just woke up from a coma.”

“I was scrolling,” Nagi replied, dropping down onto the grass. “Got distracted.”

Kunigami raised a brow. “By what? A new game?”

Nagi replied, “...No”

Isagi interrupted, “Well! I got lemon tea for you, Nagi.” Isagi tosses it towards Nagi’s direction, and Nagi catches it easily.

Isagi drops onto the grass beside Bachira and links hands with him. Bachira immediately smiled. Nagi immediately imagined that being Reo and him. Before randomly transitioning to thinking about the night before. About Reo falling asleep on the call. About Reo talking about his own life and how much Nagi wanted to know more about him.

“I think I’m sick,” Nagi muttered.

Isagi blinked. “Wait. What?”

“Like a fever?” Chigiri asked.

“No,” Nagi said, squinting up at the sky. “Like a… brain fever.”

Everyone just stared.

Bachira tilted his head. “Okay, explain.”

“I can’t stop thinking about something,” Nagi said flatly.

“Or someone,” Isagi teased.

That made Nagi pause.

Chigiri leaned in, grinning. “Wait… is it a girl?”

“No,” Nagi replied quickly.

Everyone raised their eyebrows at that.

“Then who is it?” Kunigami asked.

Nagi didn’t respond right away. He just picked up a sandwich from the tray and stared at it like it would give him an answer.

“…Just someone on the Tinder app,” he said eventually.

Isagi sat back, shocked. “No way. Is it the person you matched with at the cafe?”

Chigiri grinned. “This is news. You found someone you like.”

Nagi sighed. “I didn’t say that.”

“But you didn’t deny it either,” Chigiri pointed out.

Nagi paused and then said, “I don’t know.”

Bachira leaned forward, eyes gleaming with interest. “What do you mean, you don’t know? You just said you can’t stop thinking about them.”

Nagi took a bite of the sandwich, chewing slowly to buy time. “Yeah, but… I don’t know what it means.”

Isagi then said, “Okay, hold on. What kind of stuff are you thinking about?”

Nagi shrugged. “Like… how they talk to me. Our first date together… Their face… Why they’re talking to me.”

Isagi furrowed his brows. “So they’re attractive?”

Nagi shook his head. “I didn’t say that.”

“But are they?” Chigiri asked, nudging him.

“…Yeah,” Nagi admitted, after a beat. “Kinda. I guess.”

“Do you miss them when you're not talking?” Chigiri asked, curious now.

Nagi hesitated. “...A little. I guess.”

“Do you want to know more about them?” Bachira chimed in. “Like who they really are?”

“Yeah,” Nagi said quietly. “I keep wondering about them. Like… what they’re like off the app.”

Isagi leaned back on his hands, glancing over. “Sounds like you really do like them.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“No, but you said everything but that,” Chigiri said with a knowing smile.

Nagi mumbling, “What does that even mean?”

Kunigami gave a small shrug. “Liking someone’s not always something big… you know. Sometimes it’s just… a lot of little things that stick around longer than they should.”

Isagi leaned over and poked his arm. “Look, man. No one’s gonna spell it out for you. But you’ve got a date with them again, right?”

“Yeah,” Nagi said slowly. “Tomorrow.”

“Then figure it out then,” Chigiri said, grinning. “How you feel. Just… pay attention to what it’s like being around them. That’s usually where the answer is.”

Nagi stared down at the sandwich in his hands again.

“Easy, right?” Bachira said, already stretching out on the blanket like this was all settled.

Nagi didn’t answer. But, maybe he was starting to understand. Nagi then closed his eyes for a second.

Again, Reo.

Yeah. He was definitely sick.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

At home @ 10:37 PM

Nagi just got done with his stream after racking up multiple tips. Nagi was seated in his gaming chair. That was until he randomly got a notification, and it was from Reo again. Nagi immediately clicked on it.

Reo 💜

hey!
remember tmr is our date

Nagi

i know

what abt the tickets?

Reo 💜

nah dont worry

i bought them

Nagi

r u rich or smt?

i rmbr it being expensive

Reo 💜

i am rich actually

i can provide for u. emotional support, snacks, a house. whatever u need

Nagi
can u provide silence 2

Reo 💜
sure
but it comes with occasional compliments and me staring at u lovingly

Nagi
sounds annoying

Reo 💜
u love it
don’t even lie

Nagi
i like the snacks part

Reo 💜
i might needa head to the store

Nagi
u dont need to do that
you're doing a lot

Reo 💜
obviously
if i’m gonna spend time with u, it’s gotta be perfect

Nagi

whats that supposed to mean?

Reo 💜
it means im a gentleman

Nagi
weird

Reo 💜
weird good or weird bad

Nagi
idk

Reo 💜
hmm
i’ll take that as weird good
anyway ur gonna love the aquarium
i made sure we go when it’s not crowded

Nagi
u think abt that?

Reo 💜
ofc
u hate noise
i remember stuff like that

Nagi
ok

Reo 💜
ok?

Nagi
ok as in
thanks.

Reo 💜
awh
ur welcome
that was the nicest thing u’ve ever texted me

Nagi
yw

Reo 💜

meet at (address) at 2:30 PM!

and u better not be late, u lazy sloth

Nagi
i wont

Reo 💜

well we’ll see abt that tmr
im heading to bed now
night, Nagi

Nagi

night, Reo

Nagi then swiped out of the app and turned off his computer. Then, he started getting ready to head to bed.

▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬

Wednesday @ The Aquarium | 2:26 PM

Nagi woke up super late, but somehow still managed to make it on time to meet with Reo. He stood at the entrance and laid his back to the wall as he scrolled through his phone. Until a flash of purple caught the corner of his eye.

Reo jogged up to him, a bit breathless but grinning. He was carrying a tote bag. “You made it,” Reo said, nudging Nagi’s arm lightly.

“Yeah.”

Reo then pointed to the direction, “Let’s go in now!”

They walked in together and Reo pulled out his phone for the employees to scan the tickets. The cool air of the aquarium wrapping around them. The place wasn’t too crowded, so it wasn’t overwhelming.

Reo glanced at Nagi as they walked toward the deep sea area. It was pitch black with the glowing blue from each of the illuminated tanks. The first tank filled with glowing jellyfish. “Here. You did mention jelly fishes! You are into this kind of stuff?”

Nagi shrugged. “It’s quiet.”

Reo smirked. “Of course that’s your reason.”

Nagi then went closer to the tank and placed his hand on the glass as he watched the jelly fishes gracefully drift.

Reo laughed and said, “They kind of look like the jelly fishes from Spongebob.”

Nagi turned to Reo and tilted his head in confusion. “Spongebob? What’s that?”

Reo instantly stopped laughing and his eyes widened. “You seriously never watched Spongebob?”

Nagi nodded his head no. Reo’s jaw dropped. But, what can he say? It’s Nagi. “That’s insane… Did you ever watch any TV shows when you were young?”

“No. I mostly played mobile video games on my phone.”

Reo shook his head, dramatically sighing. “I don’t know what I was expecting. You missed out on a whole childhood experience, Nagi.”

Nagi blinked. “Was it that important?”

“Yes?!” Reo said. “Obviously!”

Nagi looked back at the jellyfish in the tank. “Still looks weird.”

Reo laughed. “You’re weird.”

Nagi shrugged and without thinking, he said, “You still like me, though.” 

Reo paused, thrown off for a second, then smiled. “Yeah,” he said, quieter this time. “I really do.”

Nagi turned slightly toward him, eyes lingering. “Why?”

Reo glanced at him and grinned. “Because you’re a treasure! You’re hard to get, you know?”

Nagi was confused, but for some reason, it made his chest feel warm. He looked back at the jelly fishes in the tank, mumbling, “Weirdo.”

Reo nudged him gently. “Takes one to know one.”

Nagi and Reo kept walking side by side, and they examined each of the exhibits. Reo then said, “Wait. Come over here, Nagi. Look!” Reo pointing at the creature.

Nagi followed behind Reo and looked at where Reo was pointing at. It looked like some form of octopus. Reo’s eyes lit up and asked, “What even is the name?”

Nagi looked at the lit up sign beside the tank and saw it was named a Dumbo Octopus. “It’s called the Dumbo Octopus. It looks kinda cute.” It was slowly moving on the sand floor.

“You’d get along. Dark, quiet, and mysterious.”

Nagi then tilted his head. “You like those things?”

Reo grinned. “Yeah. I’m on a date with one.”

Nagi blinked, silent. Then looked away. “…Cringe.”

Reo laughed. “And yet you’re still here.”

Nagi was staring at a different kind of jellyfish before Reo tapped his shoulder and said, “Let’s check out the tunnel!”

Nagi responded, “Okay.” Reo grinned and without warning, grabbed Nagi’s hand and was speed walking toward the glowing archway ahead.

“Wait-” Nagi said, but he didn’t pull away from his hand.

Reo looked over his shoulder with a cheeky grin. “What? You walk like a grandpa. I had to do something.”

“I was looking at them,” Nagi mumbled, eyes trailing back to the jellyfish behind them.

“We’ll come back. The tunnel’s cooler anyway.”

They entered the tunnel, where the light dimmed, and the marine life surrounded them. There was a bunch of fish of all colors drifting above like stars. Reo finally slowed down but didn’t let go of Nagi’s hand right away. When he noticed, he cleared his throat and quickly dropped it, immediately looking above.

Reo looked up, eyes wide. “Woah…”

Nagi said nothing, but his fingers twitched like they missed the warmth.

Reo peeked at him. “You like it?”

Nagi nodded, eyes fixed on a school of glowing blue fish. “It’s nice.”

“You’re smiling a little,” Reo teased.

“No I’m not.”

“Sure….”

Nagi glanced at him. “You’re loud.”

“Someone’s gotta talk,” Reo said with a small nudge. “You’d just stand here in silence forever.”

“I wouldn’t mind.”

Reo laughed and turned his attention back to the fish. “Yeah… I guess I wouldn’t either. It’s peaceful. Kinda like being underwater without actually being in it, y’know?”

“Yeah. I get it,” Nagi said.

Nagi then sat down on a bench inside the tunnel with Reo following, and he sat beside him. Nagi didn’t say anything. But his eyes kept drifting toward Reo, just small glances when he thought Reo wouldn’t notice. Reo kept pointing to the creatures above. He wasn’t sure why. Maybe it was the way Reo’s face lit up under the blue light. Or how he looked genuinely amazed at every creature that passed.

Reo caught one of those glances and turned to him with a small smile.

“What?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Nagi replied quickly, eyes shifting away.

Reo grinned. “You sure you’re not falling for me or something?”

“Don’t be weird,” Nagi muttered.

“I’m just saying,” Reo said, leaning slightly closer. “You’ve been looking at me more than the fish.”

“I haven’t.”

“Mmhm. Liar.”

Reo then grabbed out his phone and started taking photos of the sea creatures with his phone and smiling, but Nagi’s heart was racing. 

Wait. What is this feeling?

He shook his head slightly, trying to push the thought away. But it lingered, stubborn and persistent.

Am I… falling for Reo?

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Wednesday @ The Aquarium | 3:45 PM

Nagi and Reo were exploring the rest of the aquarium and saw many interesting creatures, like stingrays, tiny shrimps, fish that burrow into the sand, frogs, and so much more.

Reo then pointed at some random scary creature and shouted, “What is THAT?”

Nagi was too distracted, caught up in sorting out his feelings for Reo. Was he in love with him? He wasn’t paying attention to what Reo was pointing at and said, “That’s cool.”

“How is that cool at all? Are you even looking?”

Nagi blinked. “What?”

Reo stepped closer to him. “What are you thinking about?”

Nagi looked at him and then said softly, “That I like being around you.”

Reo’s breath hitched slightly, and for once, he didn’t have anything to say back. Instead, he smiled, a pink flush rising in his cheeks. “That’s… um. Honestly, hearing that just made my whole day.”

Reo then checked his phone and saw the time, “We should probably head out now. It’s getting late.” Nagi nodded in response.

Just as they were about to leave, Reo spotted something. It was a photo booth tucked into the corner, lit up with neon lights and cartoon sea creatures on the sides.

“Oh my god, Nagi, wait.” Reo tugged lightly at his sleeve. “Let’s take pictures.”

Nagi blinked. “Pictures?”

Reo was already walking toward it. “Yes, obviously. It’s required. Memories and all that.”

They squeezed into the small booth, knees accidentally brushing. The screen lit up with a countdown.

“Smile,” Reo said in the first one, holding up a peace sign.

Nagi didn’t react fast enough and just stared blankly into the camera.

“Okay, okay. Next one, lean in,” Reo said, laughing.

In the second shot, Reo leaned against Nagi’s shoulder while Nagi glanced to the side, slightly confused.

By the third photo, Reo nudged him and whispered, “C’mon. Try a little.”

Nagi sighed softly, but in the next shot, he leaned in and made a small peace sign of his own. When the strip printed out, Reo picked it up and stared at it, grinning.

“These are perfect.” He held it out for Nagi to see. “I’m keeping this forever.”

Nagi looked at the photos, eyes lingering on the one where they were closest.

“Can I have a copy?” he asked quietly.

Reo blinked. “Of course. I’ll get it duplicated.”

They stepped out of the booth, the photo strip carefully held in Reo’s hand. Reo’s smile stayed as they walked away from the exhibit, the quiet moment settling comfortably between them. As they reached the exit, Reo looked over at Nagi. “Today was fun. We should do this again.”

Nagi nodded. “Sure.”

“Great! Bye, Nagi!” Reo waved as he ran in the opposite direction.

Nagi waved back, already missing Reo’s presence. Why did he feel so empty now?

He sighed softly and turned to head home.

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Extra:

Chigiri: sooo, are u going to tell us how your date went?

Bachira: figured it out?

Nagi: it was good

Chigiri: that’s it? r we being serious rn. 💔

Isagi: this is what we get for helping you ? 😭

Kunigami: no extra details is crazy