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"Reo. Do you want to go on a date with me?" Nagi asks on a random Tuesday, after they’re done with practice.
"Huh?" Reo’s head neatly snaps off from how fast it whips in Nagi’s direction. Does he have a concussion? Maybe. Was his water spiked? Also maybe. "A date? Do you even know what a date is…?"
He has to ask, because what Nagi’s suggesting…
"Yes. Hikari told me."
Oh.
Reo narrows his eyes, looking over to Hikari, lost in a conversation with another player from their team. Why was he talking to Nagi without Reo there? When did this happen? Why hadn’t Reo noticed? What purpose could Hikari possibly have for telling Nagi about dates?
"Did he ask you out?" Reo blurts out, frowning and looking over to Nagi as he dwells on how he can get Hikari kicked from the team while simultaneously convincing Nagi that it would be too much of a hassle to go on a date with that guy.
"No," Nagi replies. He doesn’t seem to notice Reo’s internal turmoil. "He said he’s going on a date tonight with his girlfriend."
Reo breathes out a quiet sight of relief, pausing the homicidal energy he’s been sending toward Hikari. Smiling, he nudges Nagi.
"And you thought you wanted to go on a date with me? I’m flattered."
And also losing his shit, but that’s beside the point.
"Yeah. So you will go on a date with me then?"
Reo’s still not sure he should put himself completely out there and go into this headfirst. A part of him is still… a little afraid. Even though Nagi seems completely serious.
"Of course I will," Reo chuckles, "we can go anywhere you want." Money certainly isn’t an issue. "Will you want a kiss at the end of it too?" He tries to tease, but also… he wants to know.
Just how serious is Nagi?
"Yeah."
Ah.
Really serious, then.
Reo flushes a deep red and has to look away. "Good… I’d like a kiss," he mumbles shyly, "not sure you’d find the typical date locations fun though… oh! Maybe an arcade?"
That’s definitely stimulating as opposed to a dinner. Reo can’t imagine Nagi managing to sit still through a serious dinner without falling asleep.
"Okay. I just want to be with Reo."
Oh.
God. Reo might explode, actually.
"Yeah?” Reo clears his throat. "You’re cute. Then an arcade and… pizza after?"
Reo’s starting to get really excited about the part where they’ll kiss.
"Okay," Nagi replies. So agreeable… he must actually really want this date.
So does Reo for that matter. Literally since they’ve met. A part of him wonders if he’s been so obvious with his crush that Nagi’s noticed, but… nah. Nagi needs things spelled out for him, otherwise it’s too much of a hassle for him to figure out. At least, that’s the explanation Reo’s going with. Which means… his crush is a safely tucked away secret.
Not that it needs to be a secret anymore… right?
If Nagi wants to go on a date with him, then that must mean…
No, no. He can’t jump to any conclusions or get his hopes up. This could just be an experiment for Nagi.
On their way to the arcade, he nervously glances at Nagi. It’s not rare for them to walk side by side, he supposes it’d be odd to carry your date on a piggyback ride for the first date. Reo kind of misses the constant, and familiar weight across his back. But he uses the opportunity to slip his hand into Nagi’s.
"Do you mind?" Reo asks, somewhat nervously. Just how much does Nagi want to do? He’d been fine with kissing, but is holding hands okay, too?
"Mind what?"
Reo flushes. Is Nagi that oblivious? Or does he not notice any difference?
"Holding hands," Reo answers, despite how flustered he feels.
"Oh. I don’t mind. I like it."
"Really?" Reo smiles, squeezing Nagi’s hand. "We should do it more then. I think you’ll like kissing too."
"It seems like a hassle, but I want to try with you," Nagi tells him.
"Probably a hassle with the wrong person," Reo remarks, sneaking a glance toward Nagi, "dates can be a hassle too, but everyday feels like a date with you."
Now he’s definitely pushing it, but he wants to know how Nagi will react!
Nagi hums, long and hard. Then, thank god, he says, "you’re right."
Reo’s heart excitedly lurches, but right then they arrive at the arcade. The biggest one that’s close by. It’s pretty casual for a date, but Nagi will probably enjoy himself and Reo will get to watch him enjoying himself, which is what he wants most.
"We can do more dates," Reo casually says, or at least he hopes he’s casual, "if you like this one."
"Okay. So are we dating?"
"O-oh…uh…"
Is this real?
This is starting to feel a lot like Reo’s daydreams. How can he even answer a question like that?! He needs to breathe.
"Do you… want to date me?" Reo asks, his cheeks burning.
"Why else are we on this date?"
Reo laughs awkwardly. "Well… sometimes people go on like, one or two dates to see if they like the person to… test the waters, I guess."
Not that Reo needs any of that.
He’d get married to Nagi right now.
"I already know I like Reo, though."
Reo’s cheeks burn. "You mean… romantically, right?"
"In all the ways."
Oh.
Why is this news to Reo? If Nagi had been interested in him like this from the start, wouldn’t he have noticed? Maybe not. Even now he’s having a hard time believing all of this is happening.
"Good… because me too," Reo blurts out, clearing his throat and looking away, "we should play all the games here and beat everyone’s personal best."
"You're right. You have the best ideas, Reo," Nagi says, then kisses his cheek.
Reo just about combusts.
Every thought goes out the window as he stands there numbly, his face burning and his heart trying to escape from his chest.
Nagi just… kissed him.
Not even on the lips and yet his brain is on actual fire. How is he going to handle a real kiss?!
"Do I?" Reo laughs nervously, lifting a hand to his cheek. It still burns. "Look at you, such a flatterer and it’s only our first date…"
"First of many."
Yeah, he’s not surviving this..
"Where did you learn to talk like that?" Reo asks, hurriedly looking for a game to distract them with. Why is Nagi so good at this?! Usually he wouldn’t spare this many words in one day because it’s too much of a hassle, but he’s just a regular chatterbox now.
"Talk like what?"
"Like… like, so, I don’t know! Smooth! Romantic," Reo blushes, "you’re too good at this."
It’s almost effortless and it’s not fair! Reo would’ve thought of himself as the more effortless of the two, not the other way around!
"Oh," Nagi shrugs, "I’m just speaking my mind."
Wow.
And speaking his mind is turning Reo into a mess.
Reo, for some foolish reason, thought he’d be the less awkward of the two on a date, but as it turns out, he’s the loser.
"You have nice thoughts…" Reo mumbles, his cheeks red, "you should share them more."
Nagi sighs. "It’s a hassle. But I’ll do it for you."
Reo tries not to smile too stupidly wide. "You could write it down, but that’s probably a hassle too?"
"Even more of a hassle."
Reo laughs, and even though he’s dying from how flustered he is, he throws an arm around Nagi’s shoulders and pulls him close. "Well good, because I like hearing you talk anyway. You have a cute voice."
"I do?"
"Mhm, the cutest," Reo smiles, "I could hear you talk forever."
"Oh..."
Are Nagi's cheeks... red?
So cute!!
Reo tries not to gush for fear of scaring Nagi, but he does allow himself a moment of boldness to lean closer and plant a soft kiss to Nagi’s cheek.
"Are you flustered?" Reo asks, poking Nagi’s cheek.
"No," Nagi replies, getting even redder.
Reo gasps. Is it because of him?! He’s getting Nagi flustered! Seeing so many different expressions on Nagi, all because of him, it’s giving him such an ego.
"You’re cute," Reo smiles, "I know it’s traditional to wait until the end of the date to kiss someone, but I really want to kiss you… now."
"Okay. You can kiss me."
Reo blinks, looking around the arcade. "Right… right here? You’re okay with that?"
"Why not?"
"I guess I’m overthinking it…"
The same way he’s overthinking this. But he’s determined. Leaning close, he’s gentle as he pecks Nagi on the lips and doesn’t linger for longer than a few seconds in case Nagi needs a moment to adjust. Those few seconds are enough to rewire his entire brain and send his heart into orbit.
“How… was that?"
"Too quick."
Reo flushes, cupping Nagi’s cheeks gently and leaning in to connect their lips into another kiss. This one lasts longer, even as he grows warmer and warmer. Such soft lips… soft and pretty. When Reo pulls away, he wonders how ridiculously red he must look.
"How about now?"
"Better," Nagi murmurs. "More," he demands, and this time takes the initiative, grabbing onto Reo's shirt to pull him closer before he kisses him.
Reo makes an embarrassing squeaking sound of sorts as he stumbles to catch himself as their lips smash into a kiss. He’s gentle as his hands come to rest on Nagi’s waist. It feels like he’s going to die in this arcade, kissing the literal love of his life. He’d be happy, at least.
"Kissing’s not a hassle?" Reo teases quietly against Nagi’s lips.
"No," Nagi mumbles, not pulling away.
"I’m glad, because I really like doing it…" Reo murmurs, kissing Nagi again and again. Each kiss sends flutters through him. "People share good luck kisses before games, you know. So can we… not that we need the luck."
"Yeah. Because we’re the best," Nagi replies. "But I like kissing you, so you should kiss me all the time," he declares, and then presses his lips to Reo’s again, wrapping his arms around him to squeeze Reo against him.
Reo nearly falls over from the sudden motion, but quickly adjusts himself and wraps his arms around Nagi’s waist, carefully guiding them to a more secluded area by a game. He doesn’t want to be watched as he discovers what it’s like to get kissed and how nice it is…
"This’ll be very distracting in the middle of games," Reo mumbles, "I’ll be thinking of kissing you instead."
"We can kiss each time we score a goal," Nagi suggests when he pulls away. "As a reward."
Reo smiles. "In the middle of the field? In front of everyone?"
So bold.
"Why not?"
"I guess you’re right," Reo laughs, pressing a fond kiss to Nagi’s cheek, "who’s going to say no to us? We’re the best. We should be doing whatever we want."
"Exactly. I want to do what I want," Nagi says, nuzzling Reo’s cheek.
Reo’s face bursts with heat and he clears his throat, trying his best to remain… sort of suave. And failing. "Didn’t you… want to do date things?" Reo asks weakly.
"Yes," Nagi pulls away, humming as he looks around. "Oh. I can win a plush for you."
Reo’s cheeks burn. "That’s very boyfriend of you. Can I win something for you too?"
"Okay. I want..." Nagi pauses, before he points at a purple manatee plush. "It looks like Reo."
Reo tilts his head, brows furrowing. "I look like a manatee?"
Could be worse. He could’ve pointed to the monkey…
"Sure. It's cute."
Reo laughs awkwardly. "I guess. It looks a little stupid… Nagi, do you think I look a little stupid?"
Nagi tilts his head, confused. "No...?"
"Okay, just making sure," Reo clears his throat, nodding determinedly, "I’ll win the weird manatee for you and I want…" he hums, eyeing the pile, "that white bunny. With the cute tie."
"Does it remind you of me?"
Reo blushes and nods. "Yes. It’s fluffy and it’s cute. It’s a must have. But nothing could substitute the real thing."
"I'll win it for you," Nagi declares, kissing Reo's cheek before he takes his hand and leads him to the game and immediately starts to play.
It’s a little scary to watch Nagi come to life for a simple crane game and get so competitive about winning the white rabbit, but it’s also very nice.
Reo is so in love with him and his intensity.
Of course he wins the rabbit. Effortlessly so. He presents it to Reo all proudly and Reo falls in love with him all over again before also winning the silly purple manatee. He puts them both in his bag for safe keeping as they go game to game, either competing against each other or trying to beat whoever the personal best is. Obviously they succeed.
At some point, Reo gets them seats at a corner booth, away from the noise and clutter of the games for the aforementioned pizza.
"This is the most fun I’ve had in ages," Reo smiles, setting his bag on the chair next to him. "I declare we should have dates every single day."
"Okay. Where next?"
Reo hums, drumming his fingers against the table. "Aquarium? The beach? Paris?"
Nagi tilts his head. "Paris?"
Reo shrugs, grinning. "Why not? Or… anywhere! I’d take you anywhere. Just say the word."
"Paris is far…" Nagi notes, already sounding tired at the prospect. "Take me somewhere closer," he says, resting his chin against the table.
Reo smiles. "Okay, then we should make a list of all the date locations near us people go to. Then, we cross out each one and then just keep doing this until…"
We get married!
No no, too soon for that…
"Until what?"
"…we run out of places to go?" Reo offers.
"Oh. You think we will? I don’t want to stop dating when we do."
Reo’s heart skips a beat, his cheeks flushing. "Neither do I. I want to be with you always…"
Nagi lifts his head up and scoots his chair closer to Reo, now leaning his cheek against his shoulder. "Me too. I love Reo."
…
Oh.
OH!
Reo sits there, frozen in a statue and his tongue completely tied, but his heart? It’s probably louder than any game they played today.
Love?
Love?
He can’t believe what he’s hearing.
"You love me?" Reo dares to ask, dying to hear it again as he gently takes Nagi’s hand under the table.
"Yes. Of course," Nagi replies, as if Reo should have known.
Maybe in his delusions, but this is the real world!
"I love you… too," Reo says slowly, his cheeks still burning, "a lot. I thought I’d have to do a lot more… wooing and flirting before we got to this part…"
"Oh. Was it too soon?"
Maybe, but does it matter? Reo doesn’t care. Not in the least.
"No!" Reo says ways too loudly and immediately shrinks. "I mean… no. It doesn’t matter anyway what others do. I want us to go at our pace. I don’t think I could’ve waited until like, the fifth date or something to say I love you."
"Yeah. I've loved Reo for a long time," Nagi declares.
Reo blinks. "Wait, really?"
And here Reo had been trying to tone it down because he knows he can be a little intense.
"Yes? Of course. Why are you surprised?"
"Oh… I guess I just…" Reo flushes, "I knew you liked me, but I… I’m a little annoyed I didn’t notice you loved me for all this time. And here I’ve been toning it down…"
Nagi squeezes his hand. "Why? I don't want that."
"No?" Reo smiles sheepishly. "I can be a lot, you know."
"That's okay. It's okay if it's Reo."
"Yeah?" Reo hums. "Even though I can be bossy and clingy? You won’t think I’m a hassle?"
"As long as you don't drag me to Paris..." Nagi mumbles.
Reo bursts into laughter. "We’d take the private family jet. It wouldn’t be that bad. I just want to spoil you."
"Spoil me right here in Japan."
"Yes sir," Reo chuckles, leaning close to press a kiss to Nagi’s cheek. "We still need to make our list. I want to take you everywhere."
Nagi hums, wrapping his arms around Reo and nuzzling his cheek. "Okay. Make a list. I will go."
"How am I doing for a first date?" Reo asks, his face burning. "Good?"
Nagi hums, kissing Reo's cheek. "Very good. I'm happy."
Me too.
This is probably the happiest Reo has ever been. And this is just the first date. They have so many more to go on! Reo’s fantasized about days like this. Even though he’s sure Nagi will kick up some sort of fuss, Reo will ultimately make sure Nagi has plenty of fun.
Not very different from his original promise, except now… it’ll be for entirely different reasons.
It’s been nearly a week and they’ve gone on dates pretty much every single day.
Reo had been serious about making a list and with the arcade crossed off, Reo drags Nagi to the aquarium, to a nearby amusement park, the beach, a soccer match, and there’s still more. He tries to be mindful of the distance and travel, since aside from a car ride, Nagi is very unwilling to travel somewhere that’ll take over an hour.
Even an hour is pushing it.
And all of this was made possible by Hikari of all people. Reo kind of feels guilty now for wanting to end his life. Maybe he should offer up something as a thank you for apparently opening up Nagi’s third eye to what dating is.
After practice, while Nagi’s getting changed, he rushes after Hikari.
"Hey, how did your date with your girlfriend go? I could score you guys tickets to somewhere nice for no reason at all," Reo offers, in a manner that he hopes isn’t suspicious at all.
"Huh?" Hikari frowns, shouldering his bag. "I don’t have a girlfriend."
"Oh. Nagi told me you two were going on a date…?"
Hikari laughs. "Oh! He must’ve misunderstood. I was actually going to ask you out."
???
"I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t get to," Hikari continues, "I didn’t know you two were an item."
"Right… right," Reo awkwardly scratches the back of his head, watching Hikari leave the locker rooms.
Nagi lied to him?
Nagi lied…
A grin slowly lifts his lips. That little devil.
"What were you two talking about?" Nagi’s voice suddenly comes from behind him, cute and disgruntled.
Reo laughs, throwing an arm around Nagi’s shoulders. "Nothing! Nothing at all." He peppers kisses all over Nagi’s face, lacing their fingers together and starting to drag him out. "So, here’s our plans for the day…"
And so he gives Nagi a very detailed overview of today’s date plans and the picnic they’ll go on.
This is definitely the happiest he’s ever been.