Work Text:
Laying Tender at Your Feet
[NagiReo Week 2026]
Day Two: Teacher AU Streamer AU Hanahaki
Nagi Seishirō was going to marry Mikage Reo. He had been sure of it from the moment he realized that he was in love with Reo. That in itself had taken a little bit of time, but not as long as people probably thought. Had Reo been anyone else, Nagi would have resented how Reo had barged into his life and turned it upside down. He felt he had a good thing going, after all. Teaching History at a university had never exactly been his life's dream. Nagi's original plan was to go into business and make a lot of money and retire early. But he did like his history classes, and when his academic advisor had suggested that he major in history, he decided, "Why not?" And then he realized he needed to make money, and so he ended up applying for a job at the same school he'd graduated from. He got the job, and that was that.
Until Reo found out about him and despaired at his methods of teaching. Nagi was all about creating the least amount of work for himself as possible, and Reo was basically the opposite. He'd been tempted to just ignore Reo until he went away, since that's what Nagi usually did with hassles. But Reo was just so…Reo. Yeah, he was pushy and entitled and maybe a little annoying at first, but he also shone brighter than anyone Nagi had ever met.
It had only taken a few months for Nagi to be head over heels for Reo. They'd had a little rough patch of Reo pulling away from him all due to a misunderstanding, but it had resulted in a mutual confession. Nagi tried not to think of those days where he had fallen back into old habits of existing instead of living, and nights spent wondering what he had done to make Reo hate him. He'd never before realized how lonely he had been, and how pointless a life without Reo would feel. But it was okay now. He had Reo. Reo loved him. Now he just wanted it to be as official as possible.
"I wanna propose to Reo," Nagi said to Bachira and his boyfriends, Isagi and Rin (nobody ever called him Itoshi because of some brother-related reasons that Nagi never cared enough to learn about). They were in a cafe near the school that Bachira had brought Nagi to a few times before.
"Oh, wow! That's so cool, Nagicchi!" Bachira said. His grin bordered on manic, but that was normal for him. Nagi had met him back when he started teaching at Hakuho University. Bachira was the most chaotic art teacher there was. Students either loved his classes or hated them.
"Um…I'm happy for you, Nagi, but isn't it a little soon?" Isagi, an advisor at Hakuho, hesitantly asked. He also was eyeing Bachira's iced mocha with two extra shots of espresso with trepidation.
"No," Nagi said, taking a sip of his lemon tea.
"You've been dating for six months," Rin said, sounding tired of the conversation already. The film teacher was always super judgy. "It's weird."
"It is?" Nagi didn't really get it. But it didn't matter. "Reo won't mind."
"Of course not. He's just as bad as you," Rin sighed.
"Are you insulting Reo?" Nagi asked, staring down a completely unphased Rin.
"Don't mind Rin-chan, he's just like that!" Bachira said. "Did you get Reo a ring yet?"
"No," Nagi said. "But I wanna. Soon."
"Can you afford one?" Isagi asked skeptically. "No offense, but you don't seem like you have a lot of money."
"Hm? I have lots saved up, though. I mostly just spend money on gacha games, so I have plenty to spend on Reo," Nagi explained. He'd lived his life with just the bare minimum, and it had worked out fine. Now, of course, he was often getting spoiled by Reo. He was also basically living at Reo's place now, since Reo declared Nagi's apartment unfit for humans to live in. "Should I move in with Reo first?"
"Eh? I thought you already did?" Bachira looked confused.
"Mm, I'm there most nights, but I still go to my apartment to check on Choki," Nagi said.
"Yes, you lukewarm idiot, move in with the man first before marrying him," Rin snapped. "Bobcut, stop inviting your friends to hangout when I'm around. They're all too annoying."
Nagi started tuning out the conversation as he thought about Reo. He was sure Reo would be fine with him moving in, but he'd check to make sure. He barely had anything to move over at this point anyway. He wasn't attached to his furniture, so…basically just his army of Chokis, his manga, and his gaming consoles. Yeah, they could get that done in one trip. It would be perfect.
"Hey, Reo," Nagi said that night as Reo cooked them dinner. Reo cooked more often than not, as he declared Nagi to be a danger in the kitchen. Nagi usually ended up ordering out when it was his turn to provide dinner.
"Yeah, Nagi?" Reo asked, glancing over at him.
"Can I move in?"
Reo looked a little startled. "You want to? I mean, yeah, of course you can. You're already here all the time anyway. I just wasn't sure if it would be too soon."
"It's not," Nagi said. "I wanna be with Reo always."
Reo smiled. "Well, then, let's get you moved in."
And so they did the next day, since neither of them were too busy. They both had office hours earlier in the day, though students rarely attended Nagi's. Reo, who taught economics and was very involved with his students, consistently had meetings during his hours. Still, after that was done, they had plenty of time for moving. As Nagi had figured, it was a quick affair. They found places to put the different cacti throughout Reo's condo. The very first Choki had a place of honor in their bedroom. Reo slotted Nagi's manga onto his bookshelves and set up the gaming consoles in the living room area. Nagi's clothes were basically already all in Reo's dresser and closet, so there wasn't that to worry about. All in all, it wasn't too much of a hassle, but still enough for Nagi to feel tired.
"Nap time," he declared, flopping down onto their bed. Reo sure had good taste in mattresses.
Reo chuckled, walking over to stand by the bed so he could run his fingers through Nagi's messy white hair. "Treasure, that hardly took a few hours."
"Still too much," Nagi mumbled.
"Well, enjoy your nap, then. I'll wake you when it's time for dinner," Reo told him.
"Wait. Want Reo cuddles," Nagi said, lifting his face from the pillow to peer hopefully up at his boyfriend.
"You're so spoiled," Reo said, but he allowed Nagi to tug him onto the bed. "Just for a few minutes, okay?"
"Yes, Boss," Nagi said, draping his limbs over Reo's and getting himself comfy.
Nagi fell asleep within minutes and dreamed about marrying Reo.
Now that Nagi and Reo lived together, he could move on to the next step: buying a ring. It was a good thing that Reo was used to him being on his phone a lot, and thus had no reason to suspect that instead of reading manga, Nagi was looking at rings. There were so many different styles, and he was a little overwhelmed. He had to pick something really good. Not that Reo would say no if the ring wasn't good enough (he wouldn't, right?), but Reo deserved the best. He finally decided that just going to some jewelry shops would probably be the easiest option, so he made plans with Bachira.
Again, he didn't need Reo getting suspicious, and Nagi suddenly wanting to go shopping on his own without Reo would set off so many warning alarms. He didn't need anymore misunderstandings happening. However, it was common for Bachira to drag Nagi out from time to time, so that wouldn't surprise Reo.
The day before, Nagi casually mentioned it to Reo while they were relaxing on the couch together. "Hey, Reo. I'm gonna be out for a bit tomorrow. Bachira's kidnapping me again."
Reo looked up from the book he was reading and laughed. "Yeah? Well, maybe I'll see if Chigiri and Kunigami want to hangout, then."
Mm, good. If Reo was with his friends he wouldn't be lonely, and would also be less likely to wonder what Nagi and Bachira were doing.
"Okay. I still wanna eat dinner together, though," Nagi said. He liked eating with Reo.
"That sounds good to me. Let's agree to be home by six at the latest, then?" Reo suggested.
Home. Nagi still couldn't get enough of hearing that. He lived with Reo. They shared a home. It was so, so nice. "Yes, Boss."
"Remember to send me an SOS if you get too tired being dragged around," Reo told him. Reo was so thoughtful.
"Thanks, Reo," Nagi said. He leaned towards Reo and gave him a quick kiss.
"Of course, treasure," Reo told him, smiling brightly. Nagi wondered just how much Reo would be smiling on their wedding day. He couldn't wait.
Isagi had insisted on coming along, saying that he worried about what kind of advice Bachira would give. Nagi resented the idea that he could ever be steered into picking the wrong ring for Reo. While he didn't mind going along with Bachira's ideas for other stuff, mostly because arguing would be a hassle, this was way too important. But saying all that was a lot of work, so Nagi just allowed Isagi to come along (though he did bluntly inform his friend that his presence wasn't needed).
By the time they'd reached the fifth jewelry store of the day, even Bachira's endless energy seemed to be dissipating somewhat.
"Nagicchi, aren't you being too picky?" Bachira asked, having grown bored of looking at shiny things.
"No," Nagi disagreed. There was no such thing when it came to finding something for Reo.
"Meguru's right," Isagi predictably said. "We've seen plenty of nice rings that Reo would like."
"You don't know the first thing about what Reo would like," Nagi said. "You invited yourself. Stop complaining."
He was not going to let anyone rush him with this. Nagi didn't even know exactly what he was looking for. He'd just know it when he found it. Part of him was drawn to rings with amethysts that were close to Reo's eye color (though never as pretty). But that wasn't necessarily something Reo would want. Oh, he did love purple, of course, but would he want that on his engagement ring? So Nagi kept looking and looking, until he finally found something that stood out. It was set on a pristine platinum band, with a glass-gray gemstone.
"Oh! It's like your eyes!" Bachira said once he saw what Nagi was looking at.
That's right. Reo loved Nagi's eyes, always saying how pretty they were. Nagi personally thought Reo's were prettier, but it always made him incredibly pleased that Reo thought so highly of him. So this ring was a color that Reo would love, and it would have the bonus of making him think of Nagi even more. Perfect.
The sales attendant asked if he wanted any engravings on the inside of the ring. There were so many options, but he chose the day that Reo first came into his office, since that was the day his life had completely changed. He knew Reo had technically seen him before, having watched one of his lectures, but he hadn't seen Reo (which felt like a crime), so it didn't count. The day they spoke for the first time was the best option.
Because of the engraving, he'd have to return to pick it up, but he at least got it picked out and paid for. It would be easy enough to just pop in after work in a couple days on a day where Reo had more commitments than he did. Mission success.
Once Nagi had the ring, he needed to figure out how to propose. He should probably plan something super romantic. Reo was the one who was really good at that, though. Not that Nagi never planned dates, but he didn't have the same perfectionist tendencies as his partner. However, with their busy schedules, it could potentially take a while to get something super elaborate together, and Nagi was eager to have his ring on Reo's finger. Reo was already his, of course, but seeing something tangible would be very pleasing. After all, people still tried to flirt with Reo, and a ring could maybe discourage some of that.
Nagi decided to hold a meeting with all of his Chokis, as they never steered him wrong before.
"I wanna propose to Reo, but I don't want to wait super long," Nagi told the cacti once he'd gathered them all onto the coffee table.
Choki III was giving off a judgmental vibe. Nagi frowned and poked her. "Ouch. I do wanna do something really nice for Reo, okay?"
Choki V sat in their light blue pot, looking as soothing as always. Nagi picked them up and held them close to his face. "Reo will say yes no matter what. I know. But I still want this to be special."
He gently set Choki V back down and looked at his very first Choki, who was certainly bigger than he had once been, but still just as cute as the day Nagi had gotten him. "What do you think, Choki?"
Choki had seen him through a lot, and knew better than any of his descendants just how unmotivated and lazy Nagi had been, especially in high school. If any of them would know what to do, it would be him. Nagi reached out and touched him, feeling the familiar prick of pain. "Hm. Reo appreciates effort, huh? He likes nice things, but the thoughts behind it are even more important."
Nagi thought about it and then nodded decisively. "Thanks, Chokis. I know what I wanna do."
And so this Council of Chokis was disbanded, and Nagi set to planning.
Nagi: hey i need a favor
Princess: no
Nagi: u didn't even let me ask :x
Princess: it's gonna be something annoying
Hero: What do you need from us, Nagi?
Princess: traitor
Nagi: just keep reo busy for a few hours this saturday
Nagi: pls
Princess: at least tell us why
Nagi: gonna propose to reo
Princess: that's gay
Nagi: aren't u gay
Princess: yeah but you two are a different type
Hero: Hyо̄ma, come on. Nagi, of course we will help. I'd be worried it's too soon, but…
Princess: but you guys are freaks so everyone saw this coming lol
Nagi: ur just jealous :x
Princess: trust me there's nothing to be jealous of here
Hero: Just let us know what time you want Reo back home.
Nagi: *thumbs up emoji*
Nagi practiced cooking at Bachira's place beforehand, so that way he could make something edible for Reo. Of course, the two of them had kind of destroyed the kitchen, and Rin almost murdered them. He'd been banned from coming over to their place. That was fine. He'd be unbanned in a month or two anyway, depending on how quickly Bachira wore his partners down. In the meantime, there were more important things to focus on.
The presentation of the food was not the prettiest, but Nagi did his best. He also bought a champagne that he knew Reo liked (and that was also in his budget). Nagi maybe went overboard buying a bunch of flowers to decorate the dining room, but Reo loved flowers, so it was okay. He also brought Choki out to supervise and tied a purple ribbon around his pot so he could be dressed up. Nagi himself also dressed up nice, though it was a huge hassle without Reo to help him. He ended up having to forgo the tie because he just couldn't get it figured out. Oh well. He still looked nice in his white button-up shirt with a gray and black patterned vest over it, and black slacks. He even tried to style his hair a little, though he wasn't sure how successful that was.
Kunigami sent him a text when Reo was on his way back home, so Nagi took that time to light the lavender-lemon scented candles and then he just waited by the front door. He perked up at the sound of the doorknob turning.
"Reo," Nagi greeted his boyfriend as the door opened.
"Hey, Nagi—" Reo stopped and looked at him. "You're all dressed up."
"Mm," Nagi responded. "Come on, Reo. I made dinner."
"You did what now?" Reo asked as Nagi grabbed Reo's hand and tugged him inside, closing the door behind him. "Is that something you even know how to do?"
Nagi pouted. "I learned."
Reo's eyes were starting to sparkle. "What's the occasion, treasure?"
"Wanna spoil Reo," Nagi said as he led his partner to the dining room.
"Whoa, Nagi." Reo's surprise and pleasure made Nagi feel extra proud. "You really went all out, didn't you?"
Reo's eyes were soft and fond as he looked at Nagi. Nagi pulled out Reo's chair for him, and then sat down too.
"Hope Reo likes it," Nagi said. He didn't even take a bite yet, instead watching Reo try the food.
"It's good," Reo told him, and Nagi let out a pleased hum. "Thank you, Nagi."
"You're welcome, Boss." Nagi finally started eating as well, and though he could tell that Reo was burning with curiosity, they kept up a light conversation about Reo's day. He always enjoyed listening to Reo's voice and seeing his animated expressions.
Nagi's left hand kept touching his pocket, ensuring the ring box was still there. He hadn't really planned out what exactly he would say, because it was easier for him to just speak what he felt in the moment. And as they slowly stopped eating, Nagi found that he just didn't want to wait anymore.
"Reo," Nagi said, catching his partner's attention.
"Are you finally going to tell me what all this is about?" Reo asked. He looked so relaxed and happy and beautiful.
"I love you, Reo. I didn't know what to think about you when you first showed up and basically said my teaching sucked, but every moment that we spent together was really special," Nagi said. Reo looked like he wanted to protest about Nagi's description of Reo's thoughts on his teaching style, but he let Nagi keep going. "You taught me how to care. You made me a better teacher and a better person. I'm not just existing anymore, Reo. You've taught me how to live. I want to keep living with you forever."
Reo's eyes were already shining as Nagi pulled the box out of his pocket and popped it open. "Marry me, Reo?"
"Yes! Of course I'll marry you!" Reo looked happier than Nagi had ever seen him as he held out his hand.
Nagi slid the ring onto Reo's finger and just stared at it for a moment. "Reo's my fiancė."
"And you're mine, Nagi," Reo told him, happy tears falling from his brilliant purple eyes.
They both rose up at the same time and embraced each other tightly. Nagi pressed kisses all over Reo's face, murmuring "Mine" as he did. Reo laughed and cried and kissed him back. There would be a lot of planning to do starting tomorrow, but right now, Nagi just basked in these warm feelings. Reo had said yes. Reo was wearing the ring Nagi bought him. Reo was going to be his husband. Nothing could make Nagi happier.