『𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡』𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘪 𝘹 𝘳𝘦𝘰

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[  ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ғɪᴠᴇ  ]
𝐀 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐂𝐄

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Reo was weak; he had run to Nagi's house as soon as he was put together, looking for his support instead of processing what he's been told. Nagi welcomed him; they ate a bit and then played video games in Nagi's living room while his roommate Isagi was out with some friends. Nagi was supposed to go with them, but Reo ruined his fun, which wasn't new. He tended to do that, to be the egoistical omega who kept his alpha away from the rest, who would bore him to death one day. 

Reo couldn't stop thinking about it; he knew that with half his mind on another thing, he was probably playing like shit, but Nagi let him win for some reason. He groaned when the game congratulated him for the third time. 

"You're cheating." He accused.

His best friend shrugged, "You're winning." 

"But you're letting me win." Most of the time, Reo had to make an extra effort to outsmart Nagi, and he would gloat in those victories. Now he couldn't even smile. "That's unfair to us both." 

"If I played with my all, that would be unfair. 'Cause, you're in a gloomy mood for some reason, and you wouldn't be playing at your best." 

"Alright then. Sorry." Reo left the controller aside and rested his head on Nagi's shoulder, inhaling the alpha's scent. It helped to appease him. "How was your day at work?" He mumbled, closing his eyes.

Nagi was careful not to move so Reo would be comfortable. He still fiddled with his fingers over his lap, the only sign he might be unsure about what he would say next, maybe found it a bit too vulnerable for his liking. "Remember that offer I got from Italy?" 

Reo couldn't even worry; he had been so stressed this was only another drop to an overflowed glass. He nodded and huffed out a tired laugh. "Yeah, they were good." 

"I talked to my manager, and we got back to them today." 

"Mhm." 

"And I rejected them... because I think Italy isn't exactly where I want to go." 

The omega was suddenly more awake after realizing what his alpha had said. "Are you sure?" his tone was deliberately controlled, "You played in Portugal for a while before; Europe sounds cool." 

Nagi smiled, though it was small. "Europe is cool, but I'm waiting for a better offer. There's stuff I'm not willing to give up here for a small price, you know?" 

Hearing that from Nagi, who had no issue cutting people off and didn't care too much for nostalgia, surprised Reo a little bit. He couldn't remember anything new in Nagi's life that could matter so much. Nagi was impulsive, a risk-taker. He had no roots anywhere.

Reo didn't know how to react, but he tried to be supportive. Nagi was his dream alpha, after all. Reo admired how easy it was for him to make such important choices.

He ruffled the other's hair like he did when they were younger, and he was proud, "How ambitious of you, alpha. That's quite the redeemable quality." He teased. 

The lightness he felt did not last at all, his mindset too negative to not spin it around: Nagi was out of his league, a free spirit. Reo was attached to his family and their expectations; he played a part in something bigger he did not necessarily care about. Guys like Nagi would never let themselves be toyed with, would never be anyone's puppet. So why would they ever find someone like Reo admirable — worth it?

If the scandal with Chigiri never happened, if this mess didn't start there, Reo would still be blissfully ignorant of how deep his insecurities over their relationship ran. Back then, he believed he would never be Nagi's mate but would be the closest thing Seishiro had to one.

Nagi's voice cut off his train of thought, "You've been abroad too, haven't you? I remember the snacks you'd buy me as souvenirs."

"Yeah, I've been to France and New York for pleasure; China, Singapore, and Korea for work; even to Vietnam for a family trip, and Portugal too, remember?"

"A real citizen of the world..." Nagi pointed out. He pulled Reo's hand towards his torso,  and Reo hugged him naturally until Nagi was hugging him back, and suddenly they were a mess of limbs cuddling on the sofa. Nagi rested his chin on Reo's chest to look at him, unfazed by their closeness. Reo blushed because it happened so fast that he squeaked like a frightened kid, thinking they were about to start wrestling or playing rough like pups.

"Thought we were playing Mario Kart..." he whispered.

Nagi shook his head, "I got bored of playing like a newbie. I like it more when you talk."

"Yeah?" Reo felt his cheeks heat up.

"We've been friends for ten years, and you didn't know I like your stories?" Nagi crooked a brow in question. "That's sad. I like laughing at your expense."

"Sure, because my anecdotes are all so fucking disastrous." Reo scratched Nagi's head, his omega cooing at him. "Be thankful I gave you major insight into Mikage's intel."

"Pft, it's not about those stories, though those are fun too." Those referred to high-class drama and gossip. "I was talking about you getting lost at subway stations and accidentally greeting people in Japanese."

Reo laughed wholeheartedly, tons of memories flooding his brain at the mention. "You get lost too!" He said as he sobered up, "Even worse, you get lost in Japan."

But it wasn't as funny because, unlike Reo, Nagi didn't panic. "That's 'cause I like going on adventures. Routines are boring. We need to get lost once in a while for the thrill."

"You're such an idiot," Reo smiled, "What would I do without you?"

Ah, but he had to get used to the idea. One day, as Nagi had said, he would get himself a mate, an omega that had everything Reo did and didn't, and ten years would go to the trashcan because all those times Reo's made him happy, the stranger will be able to surpass in just one day. 

It hurts; knowing someone will have Nagi in ways Reo's never been allowed to, and someone will mean the world to him just like Nagi meant the world to Reo. He had to look up, look away in order not to cry.

"Yeah, what would you do without me?"

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