You Make Running Look Easy
It was a rare feat for Nagisa to wake up this early. The sun had just come up and cars were barely beginning their journeys to the driver's nine to five. Birds, so many annoying birds, were mindlessly chirping away. It was way too early to even consider being a human being.
Nagisa sat with a cup of coffee, extra light, in hand on his front porch. He watched the bustle of the morning life he so often missed out on. Always the heavy sleeper, preferring to wake at noon or dusk. He woke up at the ungrateful hour of five in the morning. The early summer sun rising and disrupting his ever so peaceful sleep.
Glaring into his mug, Nagisa thought back to his fitful sleep. He had been working so hard the day before. Writing to his heart's content. Fulfilling his deadline before his editor got on his case for the hundredth time. He had something going.
And then he lost it.
Throughout the late night typing of his fingers, Nagisa lost it. He lost his thought. Lost his plot. Lost his characters. He needed to take a breather. Which apparently meant having nightmares on deadlines, and business meetings, and don't remind him about the critics.
He was just not feeling it. And it showed.
So he, sadly, got himself out of bed and into his kitchen to brew up coffee. Which led him to here, on the front porch. He was already done with his extra sweet drink as the city life bustled before his eyes. He smiled at the women walking their dogs, and waved at his neighbors.
He was the strange man that lived next to them. Nagisa who insisted on everyone calling him by his first name. The always cheerful man, ready to help out. Always determined to make and devour the sweetest cakes. He befriended the housewives easily like that. Showing them cute desserts to try out to impress their husbands and children. The things learned from the man who lived like a child with too much money.
Nagisa sighed and set his mug down next to him. He missed home and his big family. He was feeling out of his element with his story. He wasn't feeling this whole living on his own thing. He needed something. Or someone.
And, like a sign from the heavens, someone jogged by. Headphones in as he ran by in perfect form. Eyes focused and determined on a goal Nagisa couldn't see. The man's perfectly toned body glistened in the morning sunlight. As if the heavens were pointing them out to Nagisa saying, "I'm over here!" And Nagisa had to hold his breath. Because this man running by in his sports glasses was absolutely, and undeniable gorgeous.
He was the things people dreamed about. Nagisa stood and jumped off of his porch to try and get a better view. He tried waving only to get immediately turned down as the man ran by.
Pouting, Nagisa felt his own determination bubble under his skin.
The next day, Nagisa forced himself out of bed. He slipped into his unused workout clothes and stood outside. As it turned out the guy he saw the day before was apparently a daily runner. Just his luck.
So as the guy breezed past him on his jog, Nagisa followed. But he couldn't get up. They got about half a mile before Nagisa had to stop, completely out of breath.
He could use some exercise. If only he could catch up to this guy to ask him what his regimen was.
The following days Nagisa worked on his story. But he couldn't get this man out of his mind. The hours he'd usually spend watching TV, he switched it to looking up workout videos. And he would do them all the way through. He went to the housewives on his block for healthy recipes. And they let him join in on their afternoon walks.
In between the business meetings and storytelling Nagisa was determined. He worked hard every day for over a month. And then he set his alarm for the ungodly hour of four in the morning.
Nagisa smiled as he heard the alarm go off. Another fitful night of sleep. He got up and fit into his now worn out workout clothes and tennis shoes. And he stood on his porch and stretched. Waving happily to whomever walked by. Smiling as he drank from his water bottle.
And then he saw him. His muscles just as toned as the last time he had seen him. Nagisa choked on his water as he watched the man run by. Sweat glistening as they dripped through his frames. Even in the morning, the weather was still hot and so was he. Nagisa swooned, feeling himself sweat at the mere sight of the stranger.
Nagisa decided that was when he would take off. He jogged alongside the man. The man finally looked to his side and saw Nagisa smiling brightly back at him. Which made him run a little harder. Nagisa caught the sly smile on his face, though. Nagisa ran with him. Making sure he kept up the entire way.
Until they reached the stairs. Nagisa cursed to himself as he watched the mystery man run up the steps so easily. Nagisa was already winded, more than winded actually. He was a sweating mess staring blankly up at the stairs in front of him.
The man turned back to look at him, smiling. Actually grinning down at him as he made his ascent. Nagisa could he the laughter behind that smile. And so he stood tall, taking a deep breath in.
Because Nagisa did not train like a Olympic athlete just to get shot down and laughed at. Oh no! Nagisa was prepared for the worst workout of his entire existence.
It hurt running up the steps. His chest ached as he tried getting all the air he could in. And his body burned in a way it hadn't before. His feet hit each step with a loud slam. He was tired and at his limit.
And then they stopped running.
Nagisa realized he was at the top. The mystery man had stopped and was standing at a fence staring down. Nagisa panted, walking next to him.
He bent halfway over the fence, "My legs are killing me!" He yelled out, his eyes squeezed shut.
Nagisa opened his eyes when he didn't hear anything next to him. He stared down at the city before him. Light hitting the everyday lives of these people as if they were busy little ants. And Nagisa was their queen. He felt accomplished.
He turned to look at the man standing next to him. The man, blue hair sticking to his forehead, smiled down at the city. In that moment Nagisa wondered what he was thinking.
"I'm Nagisa, Hazuki Nagisa," Nagisa looked straight at him as determined as ever.
The man blinked at him and Nagisa realized that he had removed his earphones. He gave Nagisa a quick bow and introduced himself, "Ryugazkai Rei."
"Rei," Nagisa whispered.
Because it was a name so delicate and a man so muscular in front of him. He sighed as he repeated the name in his head. He waited practically an entire month to hear it.
"Rei," Nagisa said with more confidence. He was still incredibly winded. Breath still trying to catch up to him as he wiped sweat off his face with the back of his hand.
Rei, oh so beautiful, handed him his handkerchief. As if they were in some silly high school drama, or some stupid romance novel Nagisa conjured up in his head.
And actually spoke the words, "You can keep it."
Nagisa burst out laughing. When Rei looked worried and slightly offended, Nagisa stood up straight. He gave Rei his biggest, most sincere smile, "So, same time tomorrow?"
Rei looked absolutely flustered. He readjusted his sports glasses even though they were already positioned properly on his face. And coughed a little as he nodded, "I look forward to it."
omg. but just imagine them going out for coffee and tea after running and nagisa just talking as rei was all shy and just awkward talking to such a cute man.