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As the ball sinks into the bubbling liquid, a round of cheers echoes through the group.
“You have to drink it now, Nagi!” Sendou calls from the other side of the table, hands cupped around his mouth as he hollers over the others.
They’re playing a modified version of beer pong, with spare cups and random concoctions they found in the potions classroom. Professor Lavihno hadn’t shown up, and no one decided to call for another teacher, so they had a whole period to mess around.
Reo watches as Nagi sighs, slumps onto the table, and whines about wanting to sleep. He feels bad for making Nagi participate, but he needed an extra player for his team, and his talented Treasure was right there! However, the second Nagi subbed in, Sendou finally managed to sink a ball, meaning that Nagi had to drink the glittering yellow potion.
Hesitantly, Nagi picks up the glass, raising it to his lips before slowly tipping it into his mouth. Once it was empty, Nagi slammed the cup onto the table, clutching his stomach with his spare hand and seemingly hunching over in—pain?
For a moment, the air stills, with everyone holding their breath waiting to see what mysterious effects the potion has.
The silence is broken when Reo hears a small hiccup from Nagi, followed by him abruptly tipping his head back and gasping. Worried, Reo steps forward, preparing to catch Nagi if he falls from his wobbly footing. He rushes over, stopping when Nagi’s hands suddenly latch onto his shoulders.
Desperately, Nagi shakes his partner like a drowning man searching for something to grasp. Reo is about to call for a nurse, but then Nagi stops; the hiccups turning into a stream of giggles.
Melodic laughter rings in his ears as Nagi buries his face in the crook of Reo’s neck. He can feel the shaky inhales of Nagi’s warm breath against his skin, the way he jolts with every chuckle, and how he’s achingly clinging onto Reo like a lifeline.
Reo freezes at the contact, his heart beginning to stutter as erratically as Nagi’s wheezes. Nagi is usually pretty touchy, but Reo realises he’s never seen Nagi full-on laugh before; seeing him so happy and carefree is incredibly out of character, but Reo can’t help but think that Nagi should smile more often.
The fit ends as soon as it starts, with Nagi cautiously pushing himself off Reo, eyes crinkled in delicate crescents as he wipes away beaded tears from his cheeks. The corners of his mouth are tugged upwards, revealing a perfect smile that Reo hardly gets glimpses of as Nagi tries to catch his breath. Briefly, Reo wonders why he’s so elated—he isn’t the one who drank the laughing potion, after all.
“Get a room, you two!” Chigiri interrupts, cringing.
Nagi coughs, quickly recomposing himself before shuffling back to the table. Lazily, he retrieves the ball and tosses it to the other side of the table, sinking it in the last cup and concluding the game with minimal effort.
There’s another wave of compliments as their team celebrates. Some people go mess with Nagi, teasing him for his dramatic, uncontrolled laughter, and patting each other on the back for their victory. Many give pitying glances towards Otoya, who grimaces as he fishes the ball out of a viscous green liquid. Reo observes everyone's cheerful mood, each light laugh and soft smile, when he catches Nagi’s eye.
The crowd blurs as Reo finds himself focusing on his Treasure, who tiredly stares back. Unfortunately, boisterous applause disturbs the moment, irritating Reo.
Unable to tune out the noise, Reo finds himself wishing to hear the gentle slur of Nagi’s voice instead.
⋆°.♫⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆
Poking a roasted potato, Reo raises the silver fork to Nagi’s mouth, his hand cupping under the other’s jaw to prevent anything from falling and staining their clothes.
The Great Hall is fairly empty at this hour, with most of the students choosing to have dinner earlier. Typically, Reo would eat with the others; however, he and Nagi got swept up in Quidditch practice, and they lost track of time.
As aureate rays from the setting sun filter through the glass, Reo casually notes that it makes Nagi’s curls look extra fluffy, imitating the cumulus clouds outside. A comfortable weight settles on his shoulder, prompting Reo to feed Nagi another bite of food while his mind wanders.
Dulcet laughter reverberates through Reo’s skull, and he finally concedes. Encompassed by warmth radiating from the window and Nagi’s body, Reo silently admits to himself:
I want to hear Nagi’s laugh again.
It’s not a shocking realisation; it’s quite logical, actually—Nagi has a nice laugh! So it was only natural for the smooth melody to resonate in Reo’s head through the rest of the day, blessing plaguing his every thought and causing him to lose concentration.
Hearing a sigh escape Nagi, Reo perks up.
He should just make Nagi happy, so that he laughs again! It should be simple since Reo always gets what he wants, and his Treasure always agrees to do anything that Reo asks.
But what’s the point if there’s no challenge?
Forcing Nagi to laugh doesn’t excite Reo—the idea is stupid and uninteresting. Plus, when people laugh on command, it isn’t genuine, so it sounds different from how it actually would. Therefore, Reo has to make Nagi laugh naturally, without spells or potions. Wondering where he should start, Reo sees someone at the Hufflepuff table sneeze. He winces, slightly disturbed by the unhygienic display.
Suddenly, he feels a hand rest on his thigh, nudging him out of his scrutiny. He looks down to see Nagi pointing at a fruit tart out of reach, pleading. Fondly, Reo sighs before drawing his wand, wordlessly floating it over.
As Nagi chews, Reo lets his focus roam around the room again. His attention flick back to the Hufflepuff table. Flowing banners of yellow and black remind him of Bachira—the Hufflepuff seeker.
Reo grins—how did he not think of this earlier? Bachira is the funniest person in their year, so all Reo needs to do is copy him!
Now, what would Bachira do to make someone laugh…
An idea pops into Reo’s brain, and he suppresses a giggle.
“Are you alright, Reo?” Nagi asks, finishing the last bite of his fruit pastry.
Reo presses his thumb to the corner of Nagi’s mouth, wiping off a crumb. Smiling affectionately, he shakes his head. “I’m fine, Treasure. Let’s go back.”
“‘Kay,” Nagi nods, content with Reo’s answer. “To our dorm, then.”
Standing up, Reo automatically moves to carry Nagi to their shared room in the Ravenclaw Commons. His footsteps echo as he walks across the polished stone, easily stabilising Nagi when he settles his weight on Reo’s back.
As they walk, Reo decides that now is the perfect time to hear Nagi laugh—while Nagi’s face is tucked next to his ear, where every sound clear and close to his skin.
“Hey, Treasure, wanna hear a joke?” Reo chirps, keeping his tone neutral even though he’s brimming with excitement.
He feels Nagi shrug, “Sure,” he murmurs.
Smiling, Reo starts, “What did the shoe shiner say when he sneezed?” He bites his tongue in an attempt to keep his composure. “A-shoe!”
Nagi doesn’t seem to have much of a reaction, only marginally tightening his hold around Reo’s torso and burying his face deeper into the fabric of Reo’s robe. Determined to get a better response from his Treasure, he tries again.
“Want to hear another one?” Reo asks as he puts Nagi down at the bottom of the spiral staircase.
Nagi agrees sleepily, “Mhm.”
“Okay—hmm, how about… How does Barou get in bed?” Reo subconsciously takes Nagi’s hand, fiddling with the other’s fingers as he leads them up the steps. “He Slytherins!”
He hears a small huff behind him, and Reo turns around, hoping to see a shy smile. However, the only sign of Nagi’s amusement drifts away with the faint draft from the top of the tower.
Maybe Reo had heard a sound of exhaustion, then.
⋆°.♫⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆
Reo thinks he’s experiencing withdrawals.
Warm orange light spills on neat parchment as Reo writes the music of Nagi’s laugh, transcribing dotted quavers and crochets drawn over perfect lines. The flickering oil lamp casts long, dancing shadows over the room, and Reo reminisces the sweet tune of his treasure’s giggling.
After he finished placing the notes (Reo has never been so grateful for his perfect pitch), he began brainstorming things that have gotten a reaction out of Nagi, positive or negative.
Times when Nagi showed emotion:
When Reo got sick in 3rd year - Sad (distraught, even)
When Ego turned him into a frog - Annoyed
When he lost to Isagi in a chess game - Frustrated, violent
When he watched Barou fall off his broom in the middle of the match - Amused
The last point seems the most promising; perhaps seeing Barou’s downfall is the only thing that can really make Nagi laugh. However, Reo isn’t too sure how to arrange that without getting hexed by the Slytherin Beater. Maybe he could—
“Hey, Reo.”
Reo jumps, immediately moving to hide the incriminating roll of paper in a messy stack of letters and journals. Turning to face Nagi, Reo reaches out to fix a stray strand covering his eyes, deft fingers twirling around the soft white hair.
“What’s up, Treasure?” Reo nervously asks, tentatively tucking his quill away.
He hadn’t hear Nagi enter the room, which isn’t surprising—Nagi had always been good at flying under the radar thanks to his natural affinity for apparition.
Nagi shrugs, “Mm, not much.” Pausing to yawn, he grumbles, “I want to sleep.”
The erratic skipping of Reo’s heart slows once he notices Nagi’s tired state. Breathing a small sigh of relief, Reo hopes that the other didn’t process his sudden flurry of movement as anything suspicious.
As Nagi silently shifts from foot to foot waiting for an answer, a saccharine smile adorns Reo’s features. “Okay, Nagi,” he says dotingly.
Getting up from his desk, he takes the few steps to Nagi’s bed, tidying the comforter so his Treasure could crawl under the duvet. Mumbling behind him, Reo hears Nagi say something indecipherable.
“Pardon?” Reo questions as he turns around, one hand resting on his hip.
Nagi’s gaze drops to the floor, “Uhm, well, I was thinking we could just… discuss Quidditch strategies in your bed.”
Blinking twice, Reo quickly shakes off a weird feeling he can’t pinpoint. His gaze returns to Nagi’s tousled blanket, then back to Nagi.
“Can’t we talk in your bed today?” Reo frowns, irked that he might’ve messed up the sheets for nothing. It’s normal for them to discuss and go over plays in Reo’s bed, but that’s only because his mattress is closer to the door, and therefore easier for Nagi to topple on the second he steps into the dorm.
Nodding, Nagi lifelessly falls onto his bed, Reo following suit soon after. They end up curled towards each other in an effort to share the cramped space, with Nagi’s head resting on Reo’s chest as he rambles about what they need to work on to win their next match.
When Yukimiya and Karasu inevitably return to their four-person dorm, Reo pretends not to notice their glances and quiet snickers.
Reo also doesn’t notice the subtle, satisfied curl of Nagi’s smile pressed against his sleeve.
⋆°.♫⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆
Soft grass sinks under Nagi’s weight as he tumbles to the floor, lying down on his back and letting his broom fly away without him. Reo dismounts his broom soon after, giggling at the exasperated expression on his Treasure’s face.
“Reoo, I’m tired… Can we just end practise already..?” Nagi huffs, wiping sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. His hair pools around his head, forming a glowing crown that messily sticks to his skin. Somehow, Reo thinks the sun’s radiance makes the image worth memorising—he wishes he could take picture and put it in his journal, but he isn’t carrying a camera.
Reo smiles, gingerly tugging Nagi off the turf. “Just one more run, Treasure; it’ll be quick, I promise!” Calling over Nagi’s broom—a top of the line Firebolt supreme—Reo quickly sweeps Nagi off his feet, hoping that the other will at least attempt to hold on.
Lazily leaning forward, Nagi instead accelerates towards the castle—Reo really should have expected this outcome. Nonetheless, he fondly follows his partner. It feels as if that’s all he’s been doing recently: endlessly getting strung along in a futile chase after Nagi.
Perhaps it’s because it’s fun… Like a game of sorts. Reo is starting to understand why Nagi likes playing those adrenaline-filled shooters so much. Or, more like used to. Since phones don’t work at Hogwarts, Reo has never been witness to Nagi tapping away at the muggle device—although, he’s heard bits and pieces from what Nagi tells him about his childhood.
Reo is fairly certain that Nagi enjoys playing video games, though. He thinks that maybe it will even be fun enough to make him laugh. With the wind guiding him to the edge of the great lake, inspiration flickers inside Reo. He’s never been one to be frugal, anyways.
Crystalline water laps softly at the sand, depositing fragments of broken shells along the shore. Reo shifts anxiously, attempting to make the rigid rock he’s perched on comfortable, despite it relentlessly digging into his back.
Beside him, Nagi taps at the new phone Reo bought for him. Muted hues from the low-hanging moon casts off the ocean, splashing blurred shades of purples and pinks on the pale canvas of Nagi’s skin. Reo stares, tracing the delicate features of his Treasure’s face.
In the distance, two gulls fly towards the darkening horizon, embarking on their journey back to their nest.
Reo thinks that they should start heading back to school, too. After all, it took a while for them to get here by train—not to mention the bribing Reo had to do to convince Professor Ego to even consider letting them leave school grounds. This left them with a short amount of time to actually play video games, which was the whole point of travelling so far away from Hogwarts.
Frustrated, Reo kicks a pebble. It spins across the sand, bouncing into the rippling tides.
“Today was fun,” Nagi mumbles. “I’m tired though,” he says, burying his face into Reo’s nape
Biting his bottom lip to suppress a laugh, Reo turns his head. “Hey, Nagi! That tickles!!”
Nagi doesn’t move despite Reo’s protests. Instead, he rests his head on Reo’s shoulder, letting his idle character die as he slumps against his partner. Something stirs inside Reo—warmth rising to his cheeks like bubbles in a glass of over poured butter beer.
It’s a funny feeling. One that Reo always seems to feel when he’s around Nagi, but can’t quite decipher for himself. He thinks that it might be anxiety, since he hasn’t been able to make his Treasure smile despite the fact that Nagi making him happy practically all the time. Or perhaps it’s something else, something deeper that he must—
“Reo?”
“Yes, Treasure?”
Sea foam rises precariously close to their shoes, and Reo realises just how far the tide has risen since they arrived.
“Let’s go home, Reo.”
⋆°.♫⋆.ೃ࿔*:⋆
A week without hearing Nagi’s laugh…
Reo guesses it’s one of those childish dreams you keep hoping to come true, despite the futility.
Or perhaps, he’s just helpless when it comes to Nagi.
Nevertheless, Reo’s desperate now. Originally, he had wanted an ‘authentic’ laugh from Nagi; preferably by making Nagi so happy that he laughs the same cute giggle Reo heard oh so long ago. However, that’s unrealistic—Nagi doesn’t ever show his emotions.
Therefore, Reo has resorted to tickling Nagi. It’s the only logical conclusion! Human instincts and reactions are natural, right?
Setting up an elaborate plan, Reo decides to enact it later that evening.
“…Why are we here in the middle of the night?”
The old wooden bench creaks as Reo stands up, dragging Nagi along with him.
“Because I want to make a wish, of course!” Reo cheerfully exclaims over the whipping wind.
They lean on the weathered railing of the astronomy tower, hair tousled and cheeks flushed from the cold air. Nagi hums an understanding, staring into the inky cloudless sky.
Truth be told, Reo didn’t take them here to make a wish. He just didn’t want anyone to see his Treasure in such a vulnerable state. (Is it really so selfish to keep Nagi’s laugh to himself?)
Dropping his head on Reo’s shoulder, Nagi shivers. Noticing this, Reo carefully takes off his scarf, wrapping the thick wool around Nagi’s neck to keep him warm.
“Thanks,” Nagi says, nestling his face in the fabric.
Mindlessly, Reo runs his finger along the cool metal rim of the enchanted telescope in front of them, contemplating.
“You’re welcome, Treasure.”
He can feel Nagi staring at him. The gaze feels like snow—slowly numbing the side of his head and urging him to freeze. In an attempt to collect some courage, Reo looks through the lens that points up at the sky, and a single golden twinkle blinks back.
Straightening his posture, Reo comments, “You should make a wish, too.”
Nagi nods.
Under the cool moonlight, Reo catches the magic of a shooting star, reflected in the eyes of his Quidditch partner. It’s enchanting, and Reo thinks of only one other thing that could make the moment more special.
He turns to face Nagi, gaze wandering to the floor as he nervously outstretches his arms, letting his hands hover just above Nagi’s waist. The other falters, a subtle hesitation that Reo picks up on. However, he doesn’t push Reo away.
So, Reo steps closer.
Tickling people is easy; all you need to do is poke your fingers into their side and watch them curl in on themselves as they laugh. However, being a Mikage never gave him such simple life experiences. So now, standing a breath away from Nagi, Reo’s palms gently hold Nagi’s sides in a poor attempt to get a humoured reaction.
“…Reo?”
He stiffens, accidentally pinching the flesh under his fingers and causing Nagi’s breath to hitch. Wondering if that were the beginnings of a laugh, Reo looks up—expecting to find a smile indicating his success.
Instead of a smile, Nagi’s brows are ever-so-slightly raised.
“Reo…”
Instinctively, Reo responds. “Yes, Treasure?”
He’s not sure why Nagi is acting this way—Reo’s not even sure why he’s acting this way—but he doesn’t question it. Not when his brain can’t think about anything but the way Nagi looks at him as if he hung the very stars they’re standing under.
“I think I get it now,” Nagi murmurs, moving his own hands to rest on Reo’s lower back.
Confused, Reo doesn’t dare move. It feels as if with just a small push, Nagi will finally lose his composure, letting Reo see all the inner workings of his mind.
Calloused fingers brush the hair from his eyes, and Reo jumps at the soothing touch.
Immediately, the contact disappears, replaced by Nagi leaning in. Despite his Treasure generally running cold, Reo burns when he’s pulled close. It’s Reo’s turn to hiccup, sputtering as he realises how their noses are almost touching.
His throat has gone dry, causing Reo to subconsciously wet his lips.
“Nagi..?” Reo questions, voice cracking.
“Reo, I think I—”
He can’t hear what the other is saying over the sound of rushing blood in his ears—or maybe it’s the howling of the wind? Reo frowns, trying to understand what the other wants from him, looking for the meaning that hides behind Nagi’s emotionless facade.
“—Can I, Reo? Let me make my wish come true,” Nagi whispers, voice lightly brushing the shell of Reo’s ear.
Reo’s afraid to nod. He isn’t usually one to feel hesitant, but it seems like Nagi’s the exception. He feels himself melting under the weight of Nagi’s stare; since when has their minimal height difference felt so huge?
Breathlessly, Reo agrees. “Sure, Treasure. Anything that you want.”
The breeze slows, patiently waiting. Nagi’s bangs finally sit still, framing his soft face that Reo’s spent too long memorising. It’s in this moment that Reo realises: he should’ve made a wish, too.
He wonders what Nagi wished for.
Nagi closes the gap, pressing Reo a brief kiss.
It’s a light, fleeting pressure that Reo might have imagined, if not for Nagi promptly burying his face in the crook of Reo’s neck. Thoroughly confused, Reo blinks a few times, rebooting his thoughts.
“What was your wish, Treasure?”
Speaking into Reo’s skin, Nagi shyly mumbles, “A kiss.”
Reo blushes. Nagi always seems to make Reo experience things he never could imagine, but not once would he have expected to feel his mind blank, thoughts turning into static as he tries to make sense of his situation.
“Just… one?”
He feels the curl of Nagi’s smile widen against his neck, the way Nagi clings to him like he won’t ever let go, and the heat from Nagi’s shaky exhales as he giggles—the sound muffled by a scarf Reo wishes he never wore.
Listening to the laughter, Reo thinks that the astronomy tower isn’t so frigid when he’s with his Treasure.
As Nagi lifts his head, Reo notes that the small curve of Nagi’s smile has faded. However, he knows better now than to assume it was mere wishful thinking.
Reo drops his hands to his side, intertwining his fingers with Nagi’s own. Squeezing once in reassurance, their breathing evens out, chests rising in tandem. Bashfully, Nagi whispers, breaking the delicate silence.
“More, if you’d let me.”
And who is Reo to deny his Treasure?