Chapter Text
Chapter 11
When the thrum of explosions finally ceased, the crowd was utterly silent, taking in the beautiful moment that had just occurred. Even in the darkness, Reki could still see and smell the fog-like remnants of the fireworks. As the cloud of awe lifted from the crowd, the people erupted into cheering and clapping, making a noise so loud it combatted the thunder of fireworks.
Reki felt like he was in a night club with all the noise and lights and fog. He was starting to feel lightheaded.
“You okay?”
The beauty of the fireworks had distracted him from the fingers that laced around his.
Suddenly aware of the intimate moment that was no longer covered by the distraction of fireworks, Reki looked down to where Langas hand was interlaced with his to check he wasn’t imagining it.
As soon as he saw Langas hand on his, he quickly averted his eyes and made contact with Langas. Reki had forgotten he had asked a question.
“Yeah, just a bit dizzy.”
Langas brows creased in concern. Reki could almost see himself in the reflection of Langas glowy eyes.
“Do you wanna get some fresh air?”
Reki didn’t answer quickly because he needed some time to think about that question. What would they talk about? Would they act differently? What was Langa thinking? Would it be awkward?
Langa saw the apprehension on his face.
“Or we can listen to music to get away from the noise?”
That idea sounded much better. He hoped Langa didn’t think he felt uncomfortable around him.
To reassure him he squeezed his hand around Langas a little tighter. “Sure.”
Langa smiled and squeezed back.
As Langa reached into his bag to find headphones, Reki tried to process what this meant. Did Langa like him or was it just some friendly comfort? The look in Langas eyes looked more than friendly.
He whipped his head around to check if the others had noticed but they were too focused on the atmosphere.
Cherry and Joe were also holding hands.
What did that say about Langa and himself?
Miya and shadow were too immersed in their conversation to notice them as well.
He felt a tap at his shoulder and turned his head to meet Langas. Langa passed an earphone to him with his available hand. Even though their other hands were touching, he still blushed when their fingers made contact.
Langa put on a calming song and they looked over the beach. Music was good – it blocked out the heavy wave on noise and the nausea that came with it, plus, it made it so he didn’t have to much conversation with Langa.
They sat in silence until Langa motioned for him to lay down with him.
Together they laid, with their heads only centimetres apart and their hands joined and looked into the universe that surrounded them.
When Rekis heart beat faster, he started counting the stars and it worked to slow it down. He was at peace.
--
“Reki wake up. We gotta go.” Someone was shaking him lightly.
Groggily, he slowly started getting up – pulling the earphone out his ear and trying to register where he was. When he saw the beach and Langas face he remembered the night.
“Where…?” He squinted even though it was dark. Maybe it was the firework fumes but he felt delirious.
“Its getting late, we should get home.” Langa spoke with no urgency but with fatigue. Maybe they both fell asleep because Langa looked like he was struggling to keep his eyes open.
His body felt like it weighed a ton when he tried to stand up. The beach had significantly less people but some groups stayed partying on. He looked to his left were he could see all the others were packing up their picnic.
“Ah, he’s finally awake.” Joe laughed. The others turned and smiled when they saw him.
“What time is it?”
“Almost 1 sleepy head. We were gonna let you two stay asleep but we should get home.” Miya replied as he knelt to put some food into the basket.
So Langa was asleep. And the whole group had saw them. He struggled to consider what he himself thought about their relationship let alone what others thought.
Langa grabbed his arm and helped heave him up to his feet. The sudden movement made his head feel dizzy so he stumbled a little. Langa steadied him by keeping a lock on his arms. As he adjusted to the world around him, he noticed the difference in the noise level. The previously constant crowd noise had dissolved into muffled talking and faint laughs in the distance. Even the crickets that buzzed in the trees made more noise.
Reki stood over the sand bank, watching the tide fade in and out, lapping against the sand while Langa helped the others pack up.
His body had started to ich again. Reki reckoned the sand that stuck to his skin was the culprit.
“We can apply more ointment at home.” Langa said from behind him.
Reki looked down to where he had been scratching at the fabric that covered his arms. He nodded.
The skate back was slower than the way down since they were all fatigued and drowsy. Reki was actually first in the group – eager to get home and wash up.
When they arrived, Reki practically threw his skateboard in the corner of the bedroom and as quickly as he could manage, he raced into the bathroom.
Reki was halfway through stripping his shirt off when he felt someone’s presence at the door.
He whipped his body around and pulled his shirt down.
Langa was at the door.
“Sorry, you forgot to shut the door.” He leaned against it, looking Reki up and down. Rekis whole body flushed with embarrassment.
“Sorry.” He blushed.
Langa didn’t reply but remained leaning against the door. Reki tugged at the bottom of his shirt.
“Can I see the burns?”
His throat felt like a python was constricting it. He swallowed and nodded.
Langa closed in like a predator hunting its prey. Well that’s what it felt like. In reality, Langa was more of a child wanting to hug its teddy-bear.
Each step that Langa made towards him felt too quick. By the time Langa had reached him, Reki hadn’t even registered what langa had said.
He watched as Langas fingers danced at the rim of his shirt.
“Can I?” This was getting to much. Reki was going to combust. Adrenaline was flowing out of every pore in his body. He didn’t want to imagine how red his cheeks were.
Reki nodded once again.
He was not prepared for the light touch that started at the rim of his shirt. The fabric felt too thin – every touch was right there on his skin. Goosebumps fluttered up his body with a shiver.
As langa carefully pulled the shirt up, exposing his midriff, the cold air burned his skin. Reki breathed in and out in an attempt to get some oxygen to his head.
Thankfully, Langa pulled the shirt off relatively quickly after checking if Reki was okay with it.
He felt completely naked even though only his torso was exposed. Holding his arms across his chest, he tried to bring some warmth to his suddenly cold body.
He stood there, shivering, while Langa walked around his to study the burns.
Langa had seen him without a shirt before but this was different – something had changed between them since the fireworks. Something had ignited a year’s worth of emotional depth and friendship into something more.
When he looked at langa, he didn’t know whether his heart was beating out of anxiety or butterfly’s.
That scared him. Langa was his best friend and he wouldn’t do anything to mess that up but…he wanted more. He didn’t know quite what he wanted but every time he looked at Langa he felt an overwhelming sense of emotion he couldn’t put his finger on.
Reki arched his back when he felt Langas fingers dancing against his burns – not from pain but from the electricity that hit his nerves every time Langa touched him.
“The burns are definitely getting better.” Langa said and walked back around to face him.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. I don’t know about these though.” He carefully raised his arms as evidence.
He was talking about the scratches.
Reki looked away ashamed.
The harsh tracks that ran up his arms hadn’t healed as Langa pointed out. He hoped they didn’t scar.
When Reki didn’t know what to say, Langa answered for him.
“They will heal, they are just still a bit raw at the moment.” He said optimistically.
Reki nodded but he wasn’t conviced.
“Wh…never mind.”
Reki looked up to Langa in question. He looked desperate to ask something but held back.
“I wasn’t aware I was scratching myself.” Reki said to answer his unspoken question.
Langas mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. He blinked twice and looked down.
“Right…” He whispered.
Reki closed in around him and put his hands to Langas face. He cupped his jaw and ran his fingers across it. It was smooth as always; Langa never grew facial hair.
His face was cold – probably from the crisp wind that belted them on the skate home.
“Hey,” Reki pulled his face slightly down, face to face with Rekis eyes.
“I’m okay.” He smoothed his thumb across his cheeks.
Langa looked like he was about to cry.
“No you’re not.” A single glassy tear ran down his face.
Reki opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t find the right words. Nothing he could have said would have felt right. Nothing would make them both stop crying.
Taking his hands from Langas face, he wrapped them around his centre, enveloping him into an embrace.
It wasn’t like a goodbye hug or when you hug someone that stressed about something. This was a hug that only occurred between lovers that had been hurt. Not hurt by that love, but in need of it.
Limbs wrapped in limbs, souls in souls. Reki could feel every little hiccup and shiver that radiated from Langas distraught body. He could feel the tightness around his back where Langa was constricting him – what should be uncomfortable was comforting. He always felt on the verge of falling, in a perpetual state of instability but Langa made him feel like his foundations were finally strong.
Warmth seeped into his shoulder from Langas tears.
“I will be.” He whispered into Langas neck.
Reki felt him nod into his shoulder.
When they both started to calm and their tears reduced to tracks on their cheeks, they decided to finally wash up and get ready for bed.
Rekis previous nerves had been somewhat calmed from their interactions. For the last few days, the itching to tell Langa about everything had been building up and now that they had kind of addressed it made him feel a lot better.
Of course, there was still a lot to go through and talk about with him but for now, he was almost content.