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“What if you made them horizontal instead?”
“Horizontal?” Reki scrunched his face and scratched the back of his neck with the end of his pencil. “Yeaaa… hmm… Ya that-… that would work. YAH! HORIZONTAL!”
Langa sat on the other stool and watched him sketch furiously at the schematic of a new skateboard Reki was trying to build. The block he was previously experiencing seemed completely gone. While Langa had no idea what he was doing or how what he said helped, his random suggestion was apparently just the thing Reki needed.
Reki bounced back from his work bench to get another look at the drawing, his mind obviously working a mile a minute.
“Yes! Oh my god, Yes!” Reki bounced on his toes again and spun to gather Langa up in a hug. “Dude I’ve been stuck for hours!”
“Really?” Langa replied breathlessly as he hung onto his friend’s shoulders and swallowed the lump in his throat.
“Yes really!” Reki leaned away, moving his hands from gripping the back of Langa’s button down to swishing his cheeks. “Like really stuck! And you just- I can’t believe it! I could just-“ Reki exclaimed before taking Langa’s head firmly in his hands, bringing their faces together, and planting a big kiss on Langa’s forehead. “Kiss you!” He finishes in a flurry before turning back to his schematic.
“Uh, good,” Langa swallowed again, his heart beating like a drum and his mind looping the feeling on Reki’s soft lips on his skin. “Happy to help.”
***😘***
Langa winced as Reki’s feet landed on his board wrong and it shot out from under him. Reki swung his arms wildly for balance, one elbow crashing to the pavement as he fell on his back. Reki let out a strained cough, the breath knocked out of him.
“You okay?” Langa questioned as he rushed to his backpack for the first aid kit.
Reki could only groan in reply.
He had skinned his arm pretty bad. Langa cleaned it with peroxide without making fun of Reki’s whimper at the sting and covered it with a gauze bandage.
“Think you’ll make a full recovery?” Langa gave a soft rub on the adhesive tape, his hand drifting down to gently tangle his fingers with Reki’s.
“Hard to say,” Reki chuckled lightly. “It was a pretty rough bail.”
“Would a kiss make it better?” Langa wasn’t entirely sure where that came from but the memory of Reki kissing his forehead definitely wasn’t replaying in his head every night.
Reki smiled, one of his big lopsided closed mouth smiles that made Langa’s heart skip a beat. “Ya,” he said simply and held out the underside of his forearm for him.
Langa nodded and without overthinking, leaned down to press his lips to the fresh bandage. He moved his hand and wiped his mouth with a quick, “All better.”
***😘***
A rain storm ended their hopes of making it to S that Friday night the following week. Reki and Langa hunkered down in Reki’s room instead with snacks and fizzy drinks and movies. Langa really wanted to watch the ‘Proposal’ which only took a little begging to convince Reki. They sat with their feet hanging off the side of the bed and their backs against the wall with Reki’s busted up laptop balanced on their knees. The open chip bags and candy wrappers littered Reki’s blankets crinkle softly as they slowly scoot closer and closer until their thighs are pressed together, to keep the laptop balanced of course, and their shoulders bump together. Langa had a hard time with the Japanese dub but has seen it enough times to know what’s happening. Near the end of the movie, Reki didn’t chuckle at one of the best jokes and shortly after that, Langa feels Reki’s head slump on his.
“Mm’ sorry,” Reki mumbled, he shifted next to him. “Can we finish in the morning?”
Langa hummed in approval and closed the computer, picking up all their garbage as Reki yawned and rubbed his eyes. He crawled to the head of his bed and pulled the covers down, patting the space next to him for Langa.
Langa smiled and nodded right before flicking the lamp on Reki’s desk off. The wind whipped rain and leaves outside making the idea of snuggling next to Reki all the more cozy.
He tucked himself under the blankets next to Reki in their usual close but not touching position of sleeping. Something was different tonight though. Reki let out a big sigh and reached over to gather Langa up and pressed him against his chest. Langa stiffened up but the steady beat of Reki’s heart gave him the confidence to slowly wrap an arm around Reki’s waist.
Reki let out a warm hum and nuzzled the top of Langa’s head. “Goodnight Langa,” he muttered quietly.
“Goodnight.”
And after that, Langa was PRETTY sure he felt two of the most gentle of kisses ever to have existed being placed on the top of his head.
***😘***
“I’m like, really nervous for this test, dude,” Reki panicked as he flipped through his notebook. “Like, how are you not freaking out right now!?”
Langa shrugged.
Reki groaned.
“I guess math is the same in whatever language so it’s easier for me.” Langa managed to say in between bites of his sandwich.
“I’m good at math. Numbers make sense. But this!! This is fucking triangles and graphs and word problem madness! Trig can literally suck a dick. I mean, when am I ever going to use this in real life!?”
“I thought you were thinking about going into engineering? I think they use this type of math a lot?”
Reki groaned again and ran a hand through his unruly hair. “I think they use calc mostly.”
“I thought trig was the basis of calc?”
“Ah! Just shut up and let me study!” Reki huffed.
Langa found that a little rude but knew Reki was stressed. He happily went back to eating, finishing his sandwich and turning to his dessert when Reki reached out to touch his knee. Langa raised an eyebrow.
“You know I’m just stressed. I don’t mean to be mean.”
“I know.”
Reki smiled with relief, “Cool. And after the exam, we just have history and then winter break!”
“Oh shit, I forgot I needed to see Tanaka-sensei.” Langa was supposed to get translated worksheets and go over the assignment with the history teacher. He rushed to clean his lunch and pack his bag.
“Oh, so I’ll see you in class?” Reki sounded sad for some reason.
“Ya but here,” he grabbed Reki’s uniform collar and placed a quick kiss on his cheek. “For good luck.”
Reki blinked in shock.
“Isn’t that something people do in Japan?”
Reki broke out laughing. “Maybe in Shojo anime!”
Reki ended up doing really well on the exam so they started kissing each other’s cheeks before every big test or race or anything the other might need luck for.
***😘***
In fact, they started causally kissing each other a lot more often. Never on the lips but they kissed cheeks, hands, heads, backs, and noses. Reki would almost always kiss his head when they went to sleep, Langa kissed every place Reki got a bruise when he bailed and vice versa and Reki would sometimes kiss Langa’s back as he drove the moped home after S. Reki would kiss Langa’s hand when he pulled Langa up from his sitting spot at lunch, and Langa would kiss Reki’s nose when Reki berated him about how much money he was spending on milk bread.
But they never talked about it.
Langa was so close to going crazy. Friends didn’t just kiss each other right?? He’d never had a friend like Reki and he really didn’t want to mess this up. But he was also aching for more. He liked Reki so much! He wanted to kiss him for real and have it mean something. He wanted to kiss him and know that Reki felt the same way. He wanted to kiss him on the mouth and feel the warmth of Reki’s breath on his cheeks. Langa just really wanted to kiss him.
But Langa didn’t want to ruin this.
So they never talked about it.
Reki seemed content to never bring it up so Langa held his tongue and put his lips on Reki’s forehead and palms and chest and cheeks and- he really needed to get his act together before something bad happened. His resolve was quickly becoming weaker and weaker; his cheek kisses lingered just a little too long, his face getting a little too red when in close proximity to Reki. It didn’t help that Reki was always in close proximity. Even when Langa tried to take some time by himself, Reki found a way into his plans.
Today 7:32pm
Reki: HEYYY! What are you doing?
Langa: just studying tonight
Reki: ya but like what are you doing right now????
Langa: studying? Listening to music?
It wasn’t a minute later that Langa heard his mom answer the door and Reki’s heavy footsteps in socked feet across the tile floor.
His door opened without a knock.
“LANGA! What aarrreee youuu doing!?” Reki said in a sing-song voice.
With a chuckle Langa put his flashcards down and turned on his swivel desk chair, “like I just said, I’m studying.”
Reki pushed the door closed and flopped on Langa’s bed. His hair was wet, his staple headband missing too. He must’ve showered after his shift at DopeSketch and headed straight over. “For what class?” Reki pushed the small pile of clothes to the floor.
“Biology.”
“Didn’t you say you knew everything cuz you took biology last year in Canada?”
“Ya but all the terms are different so I’m learning the Japanese words.”
“Oh, just vocab?”
Langa nodded looking down at the English sides of the notecards, terms from mitosis to ecological niche splayed out on his desk.
“Want some help man? The Kanji is really hard.”
Langa nodded again, “ya sure.” He handed him the flashcard.
Reki flipped through them quickly with a scowl. “Dude, I can’t read any of these.” Reki let out a lighthearted chuckle. “Bring me that pen and sit over here.”
With a sigh, Langa complied, joining him on bed and scooting closer to watch Reki rewrite the terms. They spent a solid hour of actual focus on the work before Reki distracted him with a video on his phone, though Langa was really distracted by how good Reki smelled. It was his usual benign musk smell mixed with the scent of his shampoo, it was spicy in some way and made Langa subconsciously lean closer into Reki’s space.
“Dude,” Reki whispered, jolting Langa out of his daze. “What’s up?”
“Uh,” Langa felt his face start to heat up as he leaned away as nonchalant as possible. “You- um smell different.”
Reki gave a small chuckle and fluffed his hair a little. “It’s this new expensive soap my aunt got me. At first I was like, a little offended she saw soap at the store and thought of me. Like, I’m a dirty teenager I get it! But I guess it’s a really nice brand and it smells so good. So self care or whatever.”
Langa tried to maintain eye contact while Reki was talking but his gaze kept drifting to Reki’s lips so he would panic and shift to look at his neck which was also looking very kissable.
“Ya, smells good,” was all Langa trusted himself to say.
Reki’s eyebrows rose, “ya, I forget the scent but here have a sniff!” He laughed, mumbling how weird that sounded and pulled his hoodie collar to expose his neck, an offering for Langa to fucking SMELL him?!
Swallowing in hopes of untying the knot in his chest, he leaned forward and took a deep breath of Reki’s exposed shoulder and neck. His brain shifted into full override and moved almost entirely without his control to plant a soft kiss on Reki’s neck.
“Ah,” Reki’s hand flew up to grip his shoulder, holding him in that hovering position. “That one felt funny.”
Langa’s heart was beating faster than he’d ever felt it before and was only able to reply with a quiet hum.
“Do it again.”
Reki’s voice was lower and rougher than Langa could remember too. He slipped his right hand up Reki’s chest to balance himself better and leaned forward to place a longer kiss on Reki’s neck with more pressure.
Reki let out a shuddering breath and squeezed his shoulder. “Dude, you gotta try! It feels so weird.”
Before Langa could process what was happening, Reki shifted their bodies so he’s cradling Langa’s chin in his left hand and is pushing Langa’s hair back from his other. He leaned forward, his hand that wasn’t on his chin wrapping around his shoulder. Reki’s warm exhale splashed over his skin before Reki’s soft lips kissed his neck. It did feel weird. But like in a good way. A really really good way.
And then Reki licked his neck. Well, he plodded his tongue along his skin before ending in a gentle kiss on his racing pulse.
Langa let out a shaky breath as his eyes fell closed and his body otherwise froze up.
“Too much?” Reki whispered, shifting away.
“Um,” Langa took a breath and shook his head. “Maybe.”
“Ah, sorry.” Reki moved further away, sliding down to lay more solidly on his back.
Langa was trying not to panic but he couldn’t help but feel like this tension that was building between them for months was finally coming to a head. He scooted down so he was on his back too and, making a small leap of faith, rested his hand over Reki’s. They were quiet for a moment, seemingly trying not to break whatever spell had been cast over them.
“It felt weird cuz it felt good, Reki.”
“Ya?” Reki propped himself up on one shoulder. The room was dark at this point, neither of them ever bothering to turn on a light after the sunset. The ambient glow of the street lights and the moon shone in from the window and cast a glow that silhouetted Reki as his eyes darted over Langa, searching his face for something unknown to Langa.
“Ya,” Langa replied breathlessly.
Reki gave the smallest nod in acknowledgment, his eyes spending a lot more time looking at Langa’s lips than meeting his gaze.
“Reki,” Langa started and Reki’s eyes locked on his. “Do it. Kiss me.”
Reki's eyes widened and blush bloomed on his cheeks. But he obeyed. Lowering himself to Langa's face and gently placing his mouth on Langa’s, eyes closing and lips parting to meet each other in a firm kiss. Langa stifled a whimper that almost escaped his throat and reached his hand up to cradle Reki’s neck and hold him in place. How could something feel so nice? Reki’s lips were soft and warm, it was intoxicating. Langa pulled away for a quick breath and to wet his lips with his tongue before diving back in and capturing Reki’s lips. Reki’s breath came out through his nose in a sharp exhale as Langa’s grip tightened on the back of his neck. Their lips reconnect again and again before both have to break for a breath. Langa leaned forward for more but Reki was turning away.
Turning away and sliding off the bed to turn on the desk lamp. He ran his hand through his hair and rubbed at his eyes, releasing a small groan. “When did it get so dark in here?”
“Uh, Reki?” Langa’s heart rate had been elevated for a dangerous amount of time.
“So this biology stuff,” he gestured to the open textbox. “You know the concepts or whatever? Cuz I bombed that quiz on photosynthesis and cell respiration. I think that will be a big chunk of the exam or maybe an open ended question so if you could help me review sometime.”
Langa blinked, very confused. “Sure?”
“And I’ll help with the Japanese translations. Ya let’s do that next week but I want to work on that backside grab so oh! You gotta see this video!”
“Uh okay?”
He moved back to stand next to Langa’s bed, searching something on his phone to blatantly avoid eye contact. “Here, look how she does it!”
The video starts off with a young skater but Langa is staring at Reki’s face and how the blush on his cheeks hasn’t faded. In a low voice he started, “Reki-”
“See! Dude, oh my god watch how she rotates way more than you think but she nails it.” Reki interrupted him.
“I’m watching but-”
“I think if we spend a couple hours tomorrow on it, I bet I could get it.” Reki thumbed to the next video where a different skater was dropping into a large bowl. It looked like a big competition. “This one I think you could get really easy cuz it’s similar to that one snowboarding cork move.”
“Ok but-”
“And I really want to get together with Joe and learn that move he did at S last week. What are your shifts this week? Let’s try to-”
“REKI!” Langa grabbed the redhead’s hands, forcing him to look at him. “Are we just not gonna talk about that? Like we haven’t been talking about any of the kisses?”
Reki looked away, his hands tightening around Langa’s.
“Cuz I want to.” Langa hoped the desperation he felt didn’t creep into his voice. “I want to talk about it cuz I want to keep kissing you. I like you. Reki, I get if you don’t feel the same but we-”
“You like me?” Reki's gaze remained on the floor.
Langa let out a sigh. “So much, Reki. I like you so much.” He dropped Reki’s hands and wrapped his arms around himself, as some kind of pseudo-defence against Reki’s reaction.
“Oh.”
Langa squeezed his eyes shut and took a steadying breath. This is the part when Reki tells him that he only sees him as a friend, a bro, a homie. And the kisses meant nothing. And the slow process of Reki and him slowly drifting apart cuz Langa made things awkward. And oh. Reki is kissing him.
In Langa's surprise, he let out a muffled gasp, causing Reki to snicker. “Let’s skip the talking and go straight to the kissing?” Reki placed a quick peck on his mouth.
Langa unwrapped his arms and placed them on Reki’s hips as he moved back onto the bed. “Kiss as two people who like each other?”
Reki pecked his lips again. “Ya.”
***😘***😘***😘***😘***😘***