Work Text:
it was a really hard day today
my heart aches for you
the only thing i can do for you
is to be next to you, i’m sorry
The day hadn't treated Reki nicely. The boy sat on top of his bed, blankly staring at his wall, the sun setting outside. Normally, he’d be out there. Normally, he’d be skating. Normally, he’d be trying to catch up to Langa. But today hadn't been a normal day, so it didn't deserve normal treatment.
Langa was sitting next to Reki, unsure of what to say or do. Reki still wouldn't tell him what exactly was bothering him, but Langa had long given up on trying to ask. If Reki wanted to tell him, he’d do so in his own time is what the boy told himself.
And so, the two boys were sitting next to each other, neither of them talking, just basking in the others presence. And even though Reki didn't show it, Langa knew that he appreciated not being alone that night.
you’re so pretty when you smile
so every time you lose that smile
even if i have to give my all
i want to give it back to you
The time that Reki left him standing in the rain continued to haunt Langa. He still didn't know what exactly Reki meant, however he knew that seeing Reki like that – tired, broken and crying – was a sight he never wished to see again.
Every day he gave it his all to try and make the other smile, even if it was just a tiny smile, even if it was for just a second. Because to Langa, Reki’s smile was the prettiest sight he had ever seen.
After a few days he had learned when to back off though, it seemed that Reki had become more and more irritable. Not that Langa minded, he knew how important space was and was willing to give Reki all the space he needed.
There was a time, around two weeks after the incident, where they were alone at the skatepark, late at night, Reki had fallen into full blown laughter. The smile on his face was the biggest one Langa had seen on him yet and he had thrown his arms around the others shoulders.
In that moment, Langa thought to himself, things might just be able to look brighter once again.
i want to cry for you
i want to hurt instead of you
i don't want any scars in your heart
ever again
Langa might finally have understood why Reki didn't want him to challenge Adam again. Seeing Reki on the floor, barely able to move after trying a new trick to avoid the infamous ‘Love Hug’ really put things into perspective for him. Langa realized how Reki must've felt, watching him go up against Adam and chills went down his spine.
He rushed over to the other and helped him up, scolding him softly under his breath as he gathered their things and ushered Reki to the nearest clinic. Sitting in the waiting room had been torture for him, his thoughts racing with all the things that could've happened, the things that could happen if something similar to that happened at ‘S’.
Quite frankly, Langa felt like he was going insane. Fortunately, Reki came over to him before he could start blaming himself for even more, assuring him that everything was okay and that he only needed to be a bit more careful for the next few days.
At that Langa threw his arms around the other, immediately apologizing profoundly after a small whimper escaped Reki’s lips.
As one might imagine, the next week was spent with Langa mothering Reki, Miya and Kaoru laughing as they watched Reki try to escape it and failing once again.
when you love someone
so much that it overflows
it’s so amazing
because this is how it is
The realization that Langa loved Reki didn't come as a surprise to him. Honestly, he had kinda expected it. And to be fair, how could you not fall for Kyan Reki. The boy was passionate, caring and probably the most loyal person Langa had ever met.
However, that didn't mean that Langa knew what to do with this newfound information. Flat out telling Reki was out of question, the younger would freak out and Langa wasn't ready to face rejection anytime soon either.
The longer he carried them with him, Langa’s feelings only grew. It felt nice, loving someone, getting to be around them every day, being able to be with them. Reki’s smile lit up Langa’s heart, his passionate rambles made the taller boy wish to hold Reki in his arms as he rambled on.
His love for the other was basically overflowing and his fear of someone noticing soon proved to be reasonable as Kojiro pulled him aside one day and asked Langa to turn down the love-sick smiles a bit if he didn't want Reki to find out.
i hope i can be helpful at least
i hope i can be your resting place
i’ll try make you feel at peace
whenever you think of me during you busy days
It had been another long day for the two of them, one especially rough on Reki. Yet here they were, on the rooftop, watching the moon make its way above their heads and softly conversing as the stars twinkled above them.
It was mostly Langa talking, telling Reki stories from his childhood, hoping that he could be doing something to help the other calm down. He told Reki all about the mountains, tales of snowy days and weekends filled with hot chocolate.
Langa had almost given up, opening his mouth to suggest just going inside and getting the boy in bed when a soft weight fell onto his shoulder, a mop of hair nestling in between his jaw and neck. A small smile made its way onto his lips instead and he slowly raised his hand, letting his fingers run through the red strands.
They ended up sitting on that roof for a few more hours before it became too cold and Langa woke Reki up with a heavy heart, not wanting either of them to get sick the next day.
you’re such a soft-hearted person
every time you are silently in pain
even if i have to give it my all
i want to make you smile again
Reki didn't talk about being sad. He was a very open person and wasn't scared to voice his opinion on things, yet when he was feeling sad or upset, he always chose to keep it to himself and it was driving Langa crazy. Because Langa could feel the mood change and he hated not knowing what was going on; not knowing how he could help.
He still tried his best anyway, being there for Reki in any way possible, always letting the other know that he was there and that he wasn't leaving anytime soon. And every once in a while, Reki would reply with how much he appreciated Langa for doing this.
What the older of the two didn't expect however, was one Kyan Reki standing in front of his apartment door at two in the morning one day, tears streaming out of his eyes and words falling out of his mouth as soon as Langa had opened the door. The ruckus had woken up Langa’s mother as well, who Langa could only give an equally confused look to, as he himself didn't fully understand what was going on yet.
when you love someone
so much that it overflows
it’s so amazing
because this is how it is
The pair had ended up in Langa’s room, Langa holding Reki tightly in his arms and listening to the smallers tear and hiccup filled words. Reki was fully putting his heart on the sleeve for the first time since Langa had met him and it made his heart ache.
Reki told him about all the things he had kept bottled up, all the expectations he had held himself up to, all the things he was scared of getting judged for. It was the most vulnerable Langa had ever seen him and that said something.
And somewhere in between all of it, a love confession escaped Reki’s lips. Had Langa not listened as intently as he had, he probably would've missed it. Yet he held himself back from interrupting the boy in his arms, who apparently hadn't even noticed his choice of words.
Soon Reki’s voice died down and he visibly calmed down, relaxing more and more in Langa’s arms. His breath started evening out and before Langa could even say anything, the other was out like a light.
A soft smile stretched across Langa’s lips and he decided that he had already waited long enough to tell Reki about his feelings, one more night wouldn't hurt him. And so he softly maneuvered them so they were laying down on his bed instead and pulled the younger as close to himself as possible.
And if Langa’s mother walked into his room in the morning to wake him for school and found the two boys holding onto each other like their lifeline and decided that one day off wasn't going to hurt them, well then that's for her to know and for others to guess. After all, her boy was happy and that's all she really cared about.