→ 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 (𝐧𝐚𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐢)

xx. short

**trigger warning for this chapter: contains fainting**

           "i thought i told you to have it done by the end of the week!" maizono spat. "it's friday. and nothing has happened. what the hell is wrong with you?!"

          "i-i'm sorry, maizono. i couldn't find it in me to do it. they look so happy. i don't think i can do it." ikusaba flinched when maizono yelled at her.

          "i don't care if they're happy. it needs to end." maizono glared at ikusaba. "naegi is mine. if i can't have him, then i'll make sure nobody else can have him either." maizono stalked away, leaving ikusaba with tears in her eyes.

          "what am i supposed to do?" ikusaba muttered. "i don't have anything against naegi. i would feel terrible for doing something to hurt him. but maizono... god. i am such an idiot."

          as the bell rang, ikusaba ran to the locker room. "i'm so sorry..." she whispered.

          the boys in the class were dressing for p.e. in the boy's locker room next door. naegi had left his bag outside, not wanting his supplies to smell like sweat when he returned. the boy slipped into his gym clothes, toying with his hair in the mirror as togami appeared behind him, pulling his t-shirt over his shoulders.

          "your hair looks fine," togami said. "we'll be running around. it'll end up messy again anyways."

          turning around, naegi sighed. "yeah, i guess you're right." he shook his head, allowing his hair to stick up. "do you know what we're doing today?"

          "running the mile," togami said. "it'll be fine. you're a good runner."

          naegi smiled. "but i'm a short asthmatic!" he exclaimed, giggling. "we should probably get going. i wanna get a head start." naegi grabbed togami's hand and started walking, stopping in his tracks when he realized he had done that. "is this okay?" he asked quietly.

          as togami nodded, he watched naegi's face break into a grin. he gazed at togami with such affection and admiration in his eyes, it was difficult not to break down and kiss him right there in the locker room. naegi mouthed a soft "thank you," then turned and started to exit the locker room. as togami followed naegi, he heard a noise outside the locker room. as the boys turned the corner, nobody was there aside from ikusaba, who was fidgeting with something in her pocket. togami couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.

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          the boys stood on one end of the gym, chatting amongst themselves. naegi stood in a small circle with kuwata, ishimaru, and oowada as togami stood behind him. "i feel like i'm gonna get a slower time," naegi admitted. "my asthma has been getting worse lately. i'm probably gonna need to take my inhaler with me."

          "dude, go get your inhaler," kuwata urged as the other guys murmured in agreement. "can't have you dropping dead in the middle of class."

          naegi nodded, jogging to his bag that sat on the bleachers. he started to open the small pocket his inhaler was usually in when the p.e. teacher blew his whistle. "everyone line up, we're starting the mile in about twenty seconds." naegi was about to protest when the teacher looked at him knowingly, forcing naegi to abandon his backpack with great hesitance. jogging to the line and placing himself in between togami and oowada, the coach signaled the beginning of the running.

          the first couple minutes were fine in terms of naegi's breath. he made sure to monitor it and slow down when he felt it getting short, and it worked for a while. naegi was on his last couple laps when he really started to feel it. he tried to inhale, but couldn't find enough breath to keep him going. the boy stumbled slightly, bumping into the wall as he held his throat. shit, he thought. shit. no, this can't be happening right now. oh, god.

          naegi tried to gasp for breath, only a pathetic wheeze coming out. his chest was tight. oh, fuck. not right now, naegi thought as he tried to make his way over to his bag with his hand still gripping his throat. he could hear himself trying to breathe, but nothing was coming in or going out. shit. shit. the corners of naegi's vision were going fuzzy. i need my inhaler. naegi started to panic, the fuzziness in the corners of his eyes obscuring more and more of his vision. the sound of sneakers squeaking on the waxed floor felt distant and muffled. the panic was setting in now. naegi's vision started to double, his hands trembling severely.

          my inhaler. it's in the bleachers. naegi tried to jog to the bleachers, barely able to make out his bag from the others. he stumbled into the metal benches with a loud clang, the fuzziness in his vision starting to fade in and out of blackness. no. no, this can't be happening. it should be in here. as naegi felt around in the pocket where his rescue inhaler normally was, he couldn't find it. the boy stumbled sideways, almost unable to move his hands. no. i can't breathe...

           it... has to be... somewhere in here...

          somewhere...

          why is ikusaba in the doorway...?

           why... does she have... my inhaler...?

           naegi stumbled toward the door, able to catch a glimpse of someone else before a blotch of darkness obscured her face. naegi's body slumped against the door. please... ikusaba...

          my... inhaler...

          why... was that... maizono...?

          she... handed... her... my... my...

          a distant voice shouted his name. they sounded  so familiar. they were concerned. "naegi?! NAEGI!!"

          togami...

                       help...

                                   me...

          naegi felt his knees give out underneath him.

          darkness.

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a/n: hi lovelies!! ow, this hurt to write. love you all!!