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It seemed like forever ago, but it was only a few months in the past when Reo Mikage thought his relationship with Nagi was extremely easy to both comprehend and navigate. Although their start was a bit rocky, Nagi Seishiro and Mikage Reo seemed meant to be… No, that would imply that some mysterious force was pulling the strings, which Reo refused to accept.
Mikage Reo willingly chose Nagi Seishiro, and in his own way, the prodigy chose him just the same. Just like that, Reo went from keeping everyone at arm's length to carving a special place for that boy in any shape or form of his future.
Road to World Cup with Nagi.
Did Nagi remember to bring his cleats to practice?
Would Nagi enjoy the homemade onigiri Reo had for him that day?
If they went out together on the weekend, should they take the bike or go by car?
Where should they spend their special holiday after winning the World Cup?
Decisions, decisions. But there wasn't a rush to find a definitive answer, no reason for doubts during their happy, sun kissed days.
Then Blue Lock happened and threw Reo's certainty out of the metaphorical boat. Even when taking that event into consideration, they were ok now. Together, happy, cruel words from the past hidden in a closet to rot and die a slow, painful death. Nagi still needed Reo, still wanted to be by his side.
Not only that, as soon as the opening was there the boy was practically throwing himself on Reo, absorbing every drop of affection like a Nagi-shaped emotional sponge. With each lazy call of his name, every touch and spoiled request, Reo felt himself healing into a better version of his former self.
However, this new Nagi came with additions. While he still clung to Reo's side like he would perish without physical contact, gone were the days of Nagi Seishiro, the social outcast. He had friends now, people that cared about him and enjoyed his company.
99% of the time, that fact filled Reo's chest with happiness and pride. After all, his treasure deserved everything good this world could offer. But God, wasn't the ugly, bitter 1% loud.
“Look, If you're upset with something, just spit it out. Nagi just went to retrieve his charger. He will be back in no time.” Chigiri said once they were alone. Of course, that guy would notice that something was off, considering that Reo had been quiet ever since they came back from lunch.
“It's a stupid thing about relationships, I don't want to bother you.”
It was more than stupid; it was pathetic. Nagi had a conversation about the games he liked with Hiori. Apparently, they had some common ground and wanted to schedule a time to play together. Something so minuscule, so trivial and mundane, and yet here was Reo, swallowing around a lump in his throat.
“Really?” Chigiri rolled his eyes in annoyance. “That's a bit too late now, don't you think? Otoya even asked me one of these days if I was on the Mikage payroll as your official third-wheel.” Third-wheel would imply that something was actually going on between him and Nagi, but pointing that out would probably earn Reo a pillow to the face. “Is this about earlier? Your mood went sour after Nagi went to talk with Hiori.”
Wait, so other people noticed that? Even when he was trying his best to cover up his reaction? Could Nagi have noticed? Maybe the charger was a lie. Maybe he was actually so disgusted that he couldn't even be around-
“Reo, the clock is ticking. Speak before you go bald or something.”
“Fuck, I'm so dumb. Yeah, for a moment I was jealous! He has so much more in common with other people, and I probably bore him to death! All I know is to nag him and what? What do we even talk about? Ugh, I keep wishing we could be closer, that there were other ways to improve our relationship other than soccer and me pampering him, but I already take so much of his time-”
“I don't think he'll mind-”
“I know my treasure is sweet with me, Chigiri, he already gives me so much, and here I am, wanting to hoard him like a lunatic, like-”
“Reo-” Chigiri seemed on the verge of a headache.
Yeah, Reo thought, I'm a terrible person, Chigiri! I agree! Was that how he would lose Nagi again? At least the first time had a soccer-related explanation! Now, he was just overly-attached and stupid, forcing his emotions on his treasure and withering his-
“I know-”
“The reason Nagi won't care about you being jealous is that he's way crazier, you moron.” Eh? “Actually, let me clear that up. He will care, just in the sense that he might finally kiss you instead of whining in my ear about it like a snot-eating toddler.”
“If you're trying to make me feel better by-”
“By telling you the truth? Why would I transform our very shared bedroom into your sloppy make out zone just to help you sleep at night? If you think I’m that nice, you’re plucking brain cells along with your eyebrows.” Chigiri took a moment to consider his next words before continuing. “He was even jealous of Kunigami once he put two and two together and realized that you guys were alone. Yes, while he was angry at you! Came to me all weird, asking if you guys became friends, and Isagi only felt safe enough to go to sleep after throwing me under the fucking bus by saying Kunigami had a crush on me!”
“Why would Nagi being upset make Isagi uneasy? Is he allergic to catastrophic levels of pouting or something?” After all, Nagi was a pacifist, both by the goodness of his heart and his refusal to make any effort.
“Pouting? Nah. More like his sprout can't handle another round of pulling with the Frankenseal monster. Your little boyfriend needs to be enrolled in anger management lessons.”
“You're either being silly or trying to make fun of me.”
“Oh yeah?” Chigiri went to their door, waiting until footsteps could be heard and- “Barou, great timing! Come here for a second!”
“What? I'm just taking a shortcut. Got a problem with that?”
“Who is the craziest jealous bitch in the entirety of Blue Lock?” What? Other people knew about Reo being jealous? That's it, he needed to die right now. His lawyer had his will on the ready anyway, and Ba-ya would respect his wishes of having Nagi cared for the rest of his life and-
“Are you seriously interrupting my fucking routine to talk about pain in the ass man?” Only the mention of Nagi interrupted Reo from planning how to get his life savings into Nagi’s hands (and making sure he didn’t spend everything on gacha games and jellies).
“How did you immediately assume this was about Nagi??”
To that, Barou rolled his eyes so hard that they might get stuck.
“Is dumbness contagious? No wonder you caught it after swapping spit with that thing. Disgusting, by the way. Rich people always have weird fucking tastes.”
“W-What?? We never kissed or anything like that!” Not that Reo didn't want to, but nobody needed to know that part. “Why does everyone assume we did??”
“So he's useless, stupid, and can't even put in the work for the relationship that he won't stop pestering everyone about?” Barou took a deep breath, staring at Reo with a mix of pity and annoyance. “Seriously, man. Does he have dirt on your family or something like that? You at least have work ethics and a half-working brain, stop wasting time on-”
“What the fuck are you telling Reo, Maid Barou?” Too busy with the effort of keeping his heart from stopping, Reo didn't even notice Nagi’s arrival until he appeared behind Barou, gripping the unbothered boy's shoulder. If this was a cartoon, there would surely be little aggressive sparks flying between them. “If you're trying to become a real king by marrying rich, go bother someone else, Reo doesn't like lame-ass bitches.”
“Eh?” Reo's half squeak, half question went unheard between the growing dispute.
“And yet he wastes time with an idiot pretending to be the world's ugliest baby. And take your stinky hand off me, before I break it.”
“Jealousy is such an ugly feeling~ See, Chigiri, I told you he wanted Reo. This place is filled to the brim with snakes.” Nagi crossed the distance between them, already making grabby hands in Reo's general direction. Was his entire nervous system glitching, alarm signs and attention messages going full speed? Yes, and yet, Reo is all open arms and instant cuddling the moment their bodies touch. Damn you, old habits that die hard! “Couldn't find my charger anywhere, Reo. Can you help me? Barou's not important. He’s also too ugly to look at you.”
“I'm not even here by my own will, you fucking imbecile.” Barou made a point of flipping Nagi off before leaving, but said Nagi is barely bothered by the provocation, pulling Reo's arms even tighter around his neck. How was his back getting broader on a daily basis?? Was Prince’s protein powder that effective (in that case, he should buy some stocks…) or was Nagi hitting a late case of puberty? Reo's proud, of course (among… other things), but this was not doing any favors to his current state.
“What did Barou want anyway, Chigiri?” Nagi questioned, once he was satisfied with the levels of comfort of their position.
“Oh, I was trying to prove a point, but now you're here, so say it yourself. Nagi, which of the guys in Blue Lock have a crush on Reo?”
While it was impossible to see Nagi's face from this angle, Reo could feel the way he tensed and hear the annoyance in his next words.
“Which of them don't? Fucking wannabe treasures. Over my dead fucking body.”
“Nagi???”
“Don't worry, Boss.” Nagi turned to him, face as neutral as ever, as he swept the metaphorical floor out from under Reo’s feet. “I won't let any of them bother you. I'm working hard to properly take care of Reo, after all. Once we leave this hellhole, we're visiting Reo's papa and mama, and I'll make sure to prove myself to them too, even if it's a pain. Greetings, fancy chocolate, whatever rich people want to see when meeting their son-in-law. Until then, can't kill any of these idiots.”
“Nagi…”
“I know, I know. Can't kill them either way. We can't win the World Cup if I'm in jail.”
“Reo can bail you out or cover everything up.” Chigiri clearly seemed like he was enjoying Reo's descent into the world's biggest heart attack. Jerk. “We need at least 26 players though, so don't kill literally everyone.”
“True. Cancel the Neo Egoist League, we will just get rid of all the guys wanting Reo.”
“Who would even be in that list anyway??” Reo didn't even register his own voice leaving his lips, but apparently the infatuated side of his brain was morbidly curious about Nagi's murderous lock-off fantasies.
“Did Reo not see that online voting? Second place in guys that you wanna marry and all that…”
“Oh my fucking God, forget about that ranking already!” Chigiri intervenes. “How about focusing on the people that could maybe, in your insane head, be a threat? Humor me once in your life.”
“Let's see…” That's one of the first occasions he saw Nagi actually taking a while to consider something. Chigiri took a seat in the bed, mindlessly braiding his own hair, while Reo sat on the floor (with Nagi immediately using his lap as a pillow). “Ah~ my Reo-pillow is the best. Now I can finally think clearly… Oh, right, Isagi would definitely be first on that list.” Quite the carefree scenario to talk about a hit list, but the entire situation ever since this conversation started was so insane that Reo was working on autopilot.
“Isagi would prefer a genius like you, silly.” And Reo would know that, Second Selection and all. Even if Isagi did “lose his appetite” and “want to vomit his guts out” that one time someone suggested he was Nagi’s other woman.
“That's what he wants you to think, then he comes in with his 'Reo's perfect in everything, right?' bullshit. He wishes he had a spot on the Reo line. His short ass couldn't even reach the minimum height to ride a rollercoaster, let alone Reo's lips. So I say Isagi gets locked-off first. Let's hang him by the sprout.”
“But wouldn't Isagi being there increase our chances at the World Cup?” Chigiri pointed out, examining his now finished braid in the mirror.
“You still didn't get it, Princess.” Nagi explained, hands mindlessly playing with Reo’s fingers. “The point is me and Reo winning. Everyone else is numbers and NPCs.”
“Excuse me?”
“Fineeee, you can help too, ugh. But Reo gets to hold the trophy first, and I get to hold him in my arms. So Kunigami should be there too, I guess, so you don't need to be a third-wheel. Don't get married before us, though. I call dibs on first married privileges.”
“How fucking considerate of you, Captain dipshit.”
“I'm very good at romance. Since we're locking-off Isagi, Rin can take his place. He's too emo to lust after Reo, and he's younger, so we could adopt him. Or would Reo prefer a daughter?”
“I'm fine with either, I guess…”
“We can always make a girl after the World Cup, so Reo can rest properly during the pregnancy.” The WHAT now? How many biology classes did Nagi miss because of his naps? He probably didn't even know how people make babies, and maybe that’s why he was so unbothered by Reo’s blushing at the implications. “That makes 5. How many do we need again?”
“26.”
“Ugh, what a pain… Let me focus on who definitely needs to go, then. That guy with the shark teeth. Not the tiny braid one, the blond from team Z.”
“Raichi? Reo was the one who attacked him.” Aw, the fact that Nagi still remembered this did play with his heartstrings. His treasure could be so cute.
“He didn't.” Reo did. He would have beaten the shit out of Kuon as well, if there hadn't been a red card on the line. “That freak spent the entire game bullying Reo, getting in his space.”
“Reo literally elbowed his throat!!”
“The way I see it, he made Reo nervous and forced an act of self-defense. Reo doesn't even hit anyone that hard anyway, I'm perfectly fine. Another reason for him to go, only I'm allowed to be hit by Reo.”
“Are you calling me weak, Nagi?”
“Not at all, Boss.” Nagi held one of Reo’s hands between his as he explained. “Reo's just delicate, like a flower. That guy should pick on someone his size.”
“I'M FUCKING TALLER THAN HIM!!” The idea that Nagi considered him fragile and is somehow pitied him was enough to finally get Reo to react properly. Was that how this spoiled brat saw him, when Reo was the one carrying him around all the time??? And he still had the audacity to pout!! Unbelievable!!
“Don't be mad, Reo…” The negative reaction made Nagi get up from his lap, touching his own neck like he always did when he's nervous. “I know Reo is cool and strong, but I wanna be able to take care of you too. Reo spoils me tons, so is it bad that I wanna be your prodigy in and out of the field?”
“Oh my fucking God…” Reo could barely hear Chigiri's complaint from the other side of the room.
This was so….
Definitely….
So…
Unfairly adorable!!!
“Nagi!” He all but jumped on top of his treasure, making them both crash down on the floor. Proving his point, Nagi cradled Reo in his arms, taking most of the impact. To think that the once too lazy to even eat Nagi was thinking so much about him, treasuring Reo like that! Reo wanted to squeeze him to death! To pinch his cheeks hard enough to leave marks!! To kiss him until- woah, calm down, brain, that's a bit too much! But wasn't Nagi talking about marriage and kids a mere second ago? Did that mean he felt the same? That Reo was not some sleazy, sex-freak bastard for staring, for wanting to be held, especially now that Nagi seemed to be getting bigger by the day, and his muscles were …
“See? Reo's super cute” Nagi's hands rested on his waist, and holy shit, the sheer scale of the size difference was making Reo's brain turn into liquefied goop, and Nagi was really pressing those fingers against his skin, a self-satisfied glint in his glaze-
“Reo was jealous of you and Hiori.” Oh right, Chigiri was still here, although he was already opening the door in a passive-aggressive escape attempt. “If this is not enough of a mood killer, know that I'll shave your ugly heads if this little porn game scene isn't done by the time I'm back. Fifteen minutes tops, don’t take your tops off. Also, no topping in general. And if there is topping, I need to know who for a bet.”
“Jealous? Why though?” Nagi cocked his head in that cute way he did whenever he's confused, while Reo wanted to commit a murder-suicide with that redhead of a snake. “Reo is the prettiest and the coolest too.”
“Ugh, it's going to sound so lame.” However, Nagi confessed so much, it was his turn to be honest. “I just wish we could have more in common, you know? Like beyond soccer and all…” Where Reo expected to find displeasure or annoyance, he was instead met with sparkling eyes and Nagi once again taking his hands in his own. “N-Nagi?!?”
“I get it, Reo. We already share a dream, a future and our entire lives, but it doesn't feel enough, right? Reo's heart, body, and soul are all mine, and yet if there's some other part that you're hiding I want it too.”
“… What else can I possibly offer you, my treasure?”
Wait, were Nagi's ears getting red?
“We will talk about this once we have a day-off. Don't worry, Reo, I've been researching everything we need.”
…. what.
Emotional rollercoaster apart, at least Reo no longer felt the prick of insecurity dimming his day.
After all, Nagi Seishiro willingly chose Mikage Reo, and in his own way, Reo chose him just the same.
Even if his treasure was apparently planning some less than wholesome activities for their day-off.