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The laces were a dark blue, as Reki fixed them in a bow, he felt the skates hug his feet tighter. He glances over at Langa who also had tied his laces into a bow. The taller males' laces were a deep red.
“Have you been ice skating before?” Asked Reki, leaning back against his hands, Langa hummed.
“I used to, but not in a rink before” he answered, fixing the other skate into a bow. Reki paused for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. Langa smiled, rolling his eyes.
“I used to skate over a lake. Reki” he clarified.
“Oh! - what?” He gasped, launching forward. Langa breathed a laugh at the redhead, he stood up holding a hand out for Reki to take.
“It used to be, below minus thirty, so the lake would freeze” explained Langa, pulling Reki to his feet.
“Is that why your hands are always cold?” Reki bantered a smirk tugging his lips.
“My hands are not cold!” Langa huffed, placing his hands on the redhead's cheeks. Reki yelped in surprise.
“Yes-! They are!” He whined.
Langa leaned closer to Reki, gazing at the redhead with a yearning expression, it was so captivating that sometimes Langa’s heartbeat would beat faster and faster as he came closer and closer. The thing that stood out the most was his eyes. Reki’s eyes were almond shaped with thin lashes. His eyes caught Langa’s attention the strongest. His honey-like eyes that had specs of gold behind the amber fire. Langa would always wait for Reki to smile so he could feel his body rush with excitement. Langa caressed the skin underneath Reki’s eyes. He locked eyes with Langa, the taller males' eyes glistened like opalescent lilies under a frozen lake, golden crystals outlining his iris. Shimmering under the artificial light. Filling the redhead with a comfortable warmth that made his heartbeat thump against his rib cage. The gesture was almost affectionate.
Langa pulled away, the cold quickly overtaking the warmth, leaving a pang in the smaller male's chest. Langa slipped his hand into Reki’s, helping him walk over to the rink, the redheads' feet trembled as he tried to balance himself walking on the blades. Langa was the first to step onto the ice, he kindly stepped to the side so Reki was able to grab the railing if he needed to. The smaller males' feet trembled as he gripped Langa’s arms tighter, his knees locking together.
“You can go ahead I’ll catch up,” said Reki, shakily placing a hand on the railing.
“Are you sure? I don’t mind- “
Reki hummed, flashing Langa a smile.
“I’m sure! Don’t worry about me I’ll be fine” he insisted.
Langa paused for a moment, the cogs turning in his brain.
“Okay,” he responded quietly.
Langa slowly started to skate, their hands slipping away from each other. Reki’s arm dropped to his side, feeling a loss of connection. The redhead fiddled with the woven blue bracelet around his wrist, feeling the rough fabric between his fingertips. He looked back up at Langa, a tingling feeling.
I hope you don’t mind that I put down in words how wonderful life is when you are in the world.
Reki had gone so far on the path of loneliness as he could. He had learnt to skate alone, how to carry others, Reki also learnt how to cope and solve his problems alone, what was left was a loneliness that required the closeness of a lover to solve, the need for the physical touch alongside the emotional warmth of a partner, yet overtime Reki learned to lessen the pain. Yet he still felt the need to belong to a tribe. In ‘S’ he was a loser, but he was still himself, despite the harshness of everything. Reki learnt to accept Langa’s feelings, he learnt that when he was around Langa he was safe, with the taller male being the kind person he was, helping Reki understand and put his emotions at peace.
Reki stared at Langa as he spun around, keeping his right foot straight and body free. The taller male turned in an anti-clockwise direction, holding his chest out, head back and left knee in the air, creating some snow from the shaved ice as he spun. Reki swallowed the lump in his throat. It looked natural as if he were meant to be on the ice. Both himself and the skates moved so fluidly. There was not one jerky movement. Langa was able to balance himself so easily; He held his arms out at just below shoulder level. His head was forward, his knees were bent slightly, Langa turned to see Reki standing nervously at the side of the rink, his lips pressed together in a thin line. Langa looked like an angel.
Langa smiled continently, waving Reki over, his azure eyes shining brightly against the white contrast of the ice.
“It’s just like a skateboard,” Reki muttered, to himself.
“A... -” the redhead was unable to make a conclusion, he bit his lip. Pushing himself from the wall, he felt free holding his arms out and smiling. His cheeks covered with a pink dust- his expression fell when his legs started to tremble. Reki stumbled, trying to keep his feet parallel.
“L-Langa!” He stammered, reaching his hand out.
The redhead scrunched his eyes shut as a dull pain travelled through his back. Slowly opening his eye, he saw Langa next to him holding his hand out.
“I’ll hold your hand if you’re scared” he offered innocently, eyes glowing under the warm orange light.
Reki pouted, turning his head to the side.
“I’m not scared” he deflected, crossing his arms across his chest. Rekis gaze darted back and forth between Langa and the floor, the redhead rolled his eyes and smiled sheepishly, slipping his hand into Langa's, letting out a surprised yelp when Langa pulled him to his feet.
Reki flapped his arms up and down trying to keep his balance, his eyes screwed shut and his teeth clenched together. Soft hands traced around his arm. His body stopped trembling. Slowing opening his eyes he felt someone’s presence behind him.
“Langa?” Questioned Reki, slowly the entire world spun for a moment before Reki was facing Langa, a smug smile plastered on his face. Reki let out a long steady exhale allowing himself to calm down.
He stared, willing himself not to look away, willing the connection to hold. Langa looked so...beautiful.
“Reki,” said Langa, calmly.
The redhead jolted, snapping his gaze away from the taller male. Heart pounding against his ribs. It made his ribs ache with a comfortable fuzziness,
“Do I tell you that I’m proud of you enough?” Asked Langa,
Reki raised an eyebrow viability confused. He licked his lips. There was no deception in his voice.
“I- well” he stammered,
Langa placed a gentle hand on Rekis hip pulling him closer, he used his other hand to lace their fingers together.
“You are enough,” Langa reassured, confidently.
Reki swallowed thickly. His smile grew nervous. Langa tightened his grip on the smaller male. He slowly started to skate backwards, guiding Reki who visibly tensed at the sudden movement. The warmth from Langa's palm relaxed the redhead. Slowly the movement became fluid, Corner of his lips twitched before spreading into a smile. The crowd saw the sincerity between both men. Their eyes were locked as they skate around the rink. A breeze ruffled their hair. Reki had beauty in his passions that ran deeper than the snow in Canada. Langa being blessed with the talent to skateboard because of the redhead and his burning passion, that kind of beauty was hard to find in the skating world of ‘S’ with beasts of malicious intent, baring their fangs like hungry wolves.
“Langa...” his voice is small, quiet.
The taller male hummed looking down at the redhead, Reki pursed his lips together. Feeling inferior, he did not want to be left behind. He wanted to reach the clouds. He wanted to be skating beside Langa, not Snow.
“Could you...” Reki starts, letting out a shaky breath.
Langa tilted his head to the side, waiting patiently for him to continue. Reki gazed up at Langa before looking away sheepishly.
“Could you...teach me that trick by the bridge?”
Langa smiled contently, humming happily as his gaze softened.
“Of course,” he beamed.
Reki’s grip tightened, crumpling Langa’s shirt.
“I just...” Reki’s body tensed as he struggled to find the right words.
“I don’t want to be left behind,” the redhead admitted, looking at the floor.
“I want to be skating beside you” he mumbled, quietly.
“I’d like that” responded Langa,
Reki looked up, his eyes glazed over with tears,
“You won’t be left behind because I’ll be right beside you” he affirmed, confidently.
Langa paused before a smirk formed on his lips.
“Goofy style” he added,
Reki began to chuckle; he tried to suppress his giggling but ended up bursting into loud laughter. Langa turned his gaze away, face flushed before laughing softly.
Langa brought his hand up to cup the smaller male's cheek, his thumb running along the curve of his cheekbone. Reki nestled into his hand.
“I’m here.”
Vermillion eyes shine brightly underneath the glow of the lamps. Eyes swirling with hues of reds and oranges like a lava lamp. Slowly, he brought his lips down onto his forehead. Reki closed his eyes on instinct. Langa leaned back and smiled. The night was warm like being wrapped in a blanket in front of a crackling fire. A cool breeze fluttered their hair. Reki leaned closer to Langa, resting his head against his chest. Listening to the steady heartbeat.
Reki took a deep breath and sighed happily, wiping his tears with his sleeve.
“Thank-you” he smiled,
Reki curled a finger around Langa's.
Langa smiled, his face softening.
“Of course, skating wouldn’t be the same without you” he confessed,
“But- wouldn’t I be in your way?” Questioned the redhead, his voice growing quiet.
“No” replied Langa, gazing at Reki's face full of content.
“There’s this feeling inside me when you’re beside me” he effused, Reki made Langa gain more air than he could on both a snowboard and a skateboard. Langa was always at his most hopeful when the redhead was at his side.
Once again, Langa brought his hand up to cup Rekis cheek. Reki mirrored Langa.
He opened his mouth to speak but Langa continued,
“It’s...Because of You. You helped me find passion in something again, Reki” Langa explained, it hurt when neither of them were happy, with the only place to go was down. Hard,
“Thank-you” praised Langa,
“You’re embarrassing...” whispered Reki with a bashful smile, feeling his face flush.
“But...Thank-you-” he muttered, looking up at the taller male.
“For sticking by me, I’m sorry I don’t talk a lot about my feelings” Lamented Reki, his voice wavering slightly.
“When I say I’m fine I’m not-” he confessed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.
“I just don’t want you to be hurt you know?” Reki divulged quietly.
“Yeah...I know, I guess we both have trouble communicating” acknowledged Langa, quietly tilting Rekis head up. Being frozen in place. They were so close, with lips pressed together. Reki wrapped his arms around Langa leaning in to enjoy the moment.
“I’d like to take you to Canada one day” stated the taller male.
Reki raised a brow, eyeing Langa playfully.
“You mean like a date?” Cooed Reki,
“Yes,” said Langa, bluntly.
Rekis face flushed, shocked at Langa’s forwardness.
“I’ve seen your world,” stated Langa,
He cupped Rekis cheeks using his thumbs to caress the redheads' cheekbones. Soothingly, Reki subconsciously leaned into Langa’s touch, his facial features softening.
“I want to show you mine” he whispered, leaning closer for another kiss. Lingering before peppering Rekis lips. before tilting his head to the side slightly settling into a soft, gentle one the redhead slides his hand into Langas’ hair. A soft moan escaped his lips, as they smiled into the velvet kiss.