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“Nagi!” Reo ran through the hall to reach Nagi’s usual spot by the stairs.
Today was going to be the day that everything changed in both their friendship, and in both of their minds.
Reo plopped down beside Nagi on the staircase.
“Hey c'mon, it's time to practice for soccer!” Reo ruffled Nagi's hair in different directions.
Nagi hummed.
“But that's such a hassle..” Nagi mumbled while continuing to play on his phone, getting a headshot on someone.
Reo laughed.
“You really are a lazy genius, huh?” He cackled and leaned on Nagi's shoulder and let out a breath.
Nagi continued to play on his phone with Reo leaning on his shoulder.
Nagi turned off his phone and stuffed it into his pocket, he rested his head on Reo's head.
“Reo, why do you hang out with me?” Nagi asked in his usual deadpan tone and expression.
“Haven't I answered this before?” Reo smiled, he shrugged. “You're fun to be around.”
Nagi stayed silent.
“You're weird, you don't find me a hassle to hang out with.”
Reo laughed and hummed.
“You're my treasure after all.” Reo added and smiled to himself.
Nagi stayed silent again, his heart suddenly beating louder than before, and thumping in his ears.
Reo moved his own head to look at Nagi.
“Nagi you alright? You're burning up-”
Reo put his hand on Nagi's forehead, Nagi leaned into his touch and hummed.
“Reo I think I'm sick..?” Nagi had no idea why he felt hot and weird all of a sudden.
Maybe he was sick, it's been awhile since he had a cold or anything.
Reo jumped.
“Let's take you to the nurse! We can't let you be sick before our soccer game!”
Reo got up and crouched on the ground so Nagi could climb onto his back.
Nagi crawled onto Reo’s back, after Nagi settled on his back he walked to the nurse's office.
Nagi held tight onto Reo, closing his eyes and resting his chin on his shoulder.
He's done this multiple times before, why does it feel different now? Maybe he woke up on the wrong side of the bed today.
The nurse told Nagi to rest for a bit, so Reo carried Nagi to the bed in the clinic.
Nagi sat on the bed and Reo followed, sitting beside him.
“You still feel hot.. You feel dizzy or anything?” Reo put his hand on Nagi's forehead again checking if he was still burning up. Nagi could see the concern and softness in his eyes whenever it came to him.
… Here we go again, that weird feeling and the heart pounding.. What was this?
Nagi stared back at Reo, maintaining eye contact.
“Reo.. My heart is pounding like crazy, and there's thumping in my ears. Am I gonna die?”
Nagi asked with a deadpan expression and not an ounce of emotion nor concern in his voice.
Reo stared at Nagi and laughed, pinching his cheek.
“You won't! That's normal is it not? You've never felt that before?”
Reo asked curiously, Nagi shook his head.
“No? What does it mean when it happens to someone?” Nagi asked, his cheek still being pinched by the chameleon.
Reo let go of Nagi's pinch and set his hand back to his side.
“Well, usually that happens when you see or think of someone you like or is dear to you!”
Nagi hummed.
“Ahh.. So you've experienced this right? Who was the person you were thinking of, Reo?”
Nagi asked Reo, staring straight into his eyes.
Reo flinched and jumped at the sudden question and eye contact.
Reo turned away from Nagi's face, his ears turning a light shade of pink.
“No one.. You don't need to know..” Reo chuckled softly and turned back to Nagi.
Reo coughed.
“What about you? Who are you thinking of, Genius?”
Nagi stayed silent, who *was* he thinking of? He can't really name anyone he likes or even is comfortable around.. Other than Reo of course.
…
..
.
Reo?
Nagi stared at Reo.. Great, he feels weird and his heart is pounding yet again.. What was this sorcery?
Nagi shook his head.
“You don't need to know either..”
Reo laughed and ruffled Nagi's hair.
“Alright mister lazy genius.” Reo grinned.
—----------------------
As they both went home for the day.. You'd think Nagi was staying up wide awake thinking of what this feeling was.. But, it's Nagi. You think he'd spend his time thinking about that? That's too much of a hassle.
As the next day came, Nagi did his usual routine. Wake up, greet Choki and prickle himself as usual, shower, drink water, get dressed, and head to school.
As Nagi opened his locker to change his shoes, he saw a single letter inside, he yawned and didn't bother to check it. Too much of a hassle anyway.
“Nagi!” Reo called out from the hallway, the usual girls greeting him and saying hello.
“Reo” Nagi turned to the purple haired boy and closed his locker.
As the day went on, the pounding and thumping became relentless. It was annoying really.
When lunch break hit, Nagi went to his usual spot on the roof, sitting there and playing on his phone.
Nagi yawned.
“Where's Reo? He's usually here around this time..” Nagi mumbled mid yawn.
The rooftop door opened, Nagi paused his game and looked down from his position to see who entered, hoping it was Reo.
It was indeed Reo.. and a girl.
Nagi lit up.
“Re-”
“I like you!”
Nagi flinched.. He stuffed his phone into his pocket and watched from above.
Reo sighed and turned away from the girl.
“.. Look, I'm sorry but.. You know I don't–”
“I'll change! Don't act all stupid Reo! You see the way I look at you! And I see the way you look at me!”
She gritted her teeth, tears slowly forming in her eyes.
“I–”
Reo was suddenly dragged away from the girl by Nagi who had quietly gone down.
Reo turned to Nagi who was dragging him away.
“N-Nagi!?” Reo was surprised to say the least, although he was quite thankful for Nagi to drag him away from that situation.
Nagi dragged Reo down the stairs and into an empty classroom, closing the door and letting go of Reo's wrist.
Reo sighed in relief and leaned against the teachers desk.
“Thanks Nagi..!” Reo smiled to himself and at Nagi. “I owe you one, genius!”
Nagi had his back facing against Reo, he was staring down at the floor…
Why did he butt in all of a sudden? This has happened countless times before.. He's seen it, Reo's always rejected them. And it was obvious he'd reject the girl as well.
Why did this time feel weird?
“... Yeah.” Nagi nodded.
Reo stared and examined Nagi's back, he pushed away from the teachers desk and walked up to Nagi, his back still facing him.
“Nagi, did you see the letter in your locker?”
Nagi had to run his memory just to remember if he ever saw a letter in his locker..
Ah right, that purple letter that smelled oddly like Reo.
“Mhm, why?” Nagi turned to Reo.
Reo put his hands on his own waist and stared at Nagi.
“Did you read it?
“.. No?”
Reo blinked at Nagi.
“Ha..?”
Nagi blinked back.
“Yeah, why?”
Reo sighed and snickers softly.
“Here.”
Reo reached into his pocket and gave Nagi an exact replica of the letter, the smell and color are the exact same.
… Knowing Reo, he probably would have made thousands of these letters to make sure it was perfect.
Nagi took the letter and opened it, reading its contents.
The letter was… Lengthy to say the least. Nagi sighed and put the letter down facing Reo.
“... This is such a hassle to read..-”
Reo laughed, he took the letter and turned to Nagi.
“Here, this one's the main point.”
Reo pointed to the last part of the letter.
The words saying.. ‘I like you, my treasure!”
Nagi stared down at the letter and those words…
.. What.. ?
Nagi turned to Reo, dumbfounded and seeming speechless.
Reo glanced at Nagi and grinned.
“So?” Reo stared at Nagi expectedly.
Nagi stared back at Reo, his mouth closing shut like a ‘x’.
“... Yeah …” Nagi said under his breath, resting his hand on the side of his own neck.
Reo grinned widely and hugged Nagi.
“Yay! Thank you, my treasure!”
Nagi sighed and returned the hug.