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Reki wakes up on his eighteenth birthday with a jolt. He knows what this means. Today is the day he finds out who his soulmate is. At some point throughout the night a tattoo should have appeared on his ribs - the first words his soulmate will ever say to him. Or has said to him.
He knows how many relationships are broken up by the soulmate reveal. So many teens in love thinking they must have beat the system and found their soulmate themselves, just to have it be revealed that no, it’s not their significant other. Reki supposes he doesn’t have to worry then. He’s never even dated anyone.
In the weeks leading up to his birthday, thoughts have been edging their way into his mind. Thoughts he had tried to push away. They were silly. Why would he already know his soulmate? Who could it even be?
That’s another pointless question. When Reki lays in bed, tossing and turning, unable to sleep, his thoughts always go to Langa. How wonderful it would be to wake up with the first words Langa ever said to him, on him. Permanently a part of him now. In Langa’s handwriting, his horrible chicken scrawl. Reki aches for it.
Of course, in modern times soulmates are not perfect still. Lots of couples don’t stay together forever. Just because you’re soulmates doesn’t mean everything will come easily - it just means the universe has threaded the red string between the two of you. It’s still up to the two soulmates to make it work - and it doesn’t always work.
Reki feels sick. What if Langa is his soulmate? He’s spent almost every night of the past two months laying in bed hoping and wishing his best friend would be his soulmate. He never allows himself to think these thoughts during the day. At first he would blush, from his chest up to the tip of his nose when he thought of Langa’s first sentence to him appearing on his ribs.
As the weeks passed, Reki allowed himself to indulge in this fantasy. To have his soulmate be Langa. To have the universe confirm that yes, Langa is the one for him. To have the first words he said, no, shouted, at Langa appear on his side, too, when his birthday rolls around in the summer.
Maybe he shouldn’t have spent all those hours dreaming of Langa. He knows it won’t be him. Reki lays in bed now. He knows lots of people who stayed up all night waiting for their tattoo and lots of others who jumped up first thing and ran to a mirror to see their soulmate’s words. Reki lays in bed.
He can’t bring himself to get up. He doesn’t want the words to say anything other than what Langa said to him. He becomes aware of a gentle ache on his ribs and he knows it’s the tattoo. Reki almost thinks of not looking at it. He’s heard of people who don’t accept their soulmate offering. They end up never looking at their tattoo and some even get it covered up. Reki doesn’t think he has the willpower to do that.
He just needs a few more minutes to get himself ready. Ready for the fact that it’s not going to be Langa. The boy he’s so helplessly adored all these months. Reki can’t pinpoint exactly when his feelings went from platonic to… not so platonic. Maybe they never were platonic. He can’t think of ever caring for anyone else the way he cares for Langa.
Reki can’t think of wanting to spend time with anyone else as much as he wants to spend time with Langa. Hanging out with him is always fun, even if they’re just doing homework. Which seems so crazy to think that even doing homework can be fun. It is with Langa, though. Everything in life just seems brighter with Langa there. Reki can swear even colors are more muted when Langa isn’t by his side. It’s so silly to have a crush on his best friend like this, but Reki is in it bad. Maybe his soulmate reveal can make him snap out of it.
He highly doubts it.
Reki sighs, he’s barely gotten any sleep, but the sun is rising now and he knows he needs to get up before anyone else in his house does. He needs this moment to himself.
Reki’s body feels like he’s ran dozens of beefs at S the night before. He’s achy and tired. Probably from not sleeping the past few weeks. He stands in front of his mirror and he looks like he’s been through hell and back. Dark circles have formed under his eyes and he’s slumped, exhausted.
Reki grabs the hem of the t-shirt he’s slept in. He can’t deny that after this moment nothing will be the same. It seems so dramatic and Reki almost wants to roll his eyes. But he knows he’ll be listening for those words everywhere he goes. He can’t imagine it’ll be someone he already knows. He can’t imagine it’ll actually be Langa.
Reki braces himself one last time. Might as well get it over with. He turns to his side and pulls his shirt up to reveal what the words say.
Oh, sorry
Reki crumbles to his knees. He can hear Langa’s voice, as if he’s right next to him.
“Oh, sorry,” as if it’s the first day they met all those months ago.
Could it be? Reki’s mind is reeling. He feels dizzy, his mind moving a mile a minute. He’s seeing spots in his vision now, and he knows he’s close to passing out. Reki takes a deep breath, steadies himself, focusing on only breathing in, breathing out.
He isn’t sure how much time passes as he concentrates on slowing his breathing and calming down. His hands are shaky, but he has to see it again. He needs to know if it’s Langa’s handwriting. It’ll be the only way to confirm his best friend is really his soulmate until Langa’s birthday rolls around. Reki doesn’t think he could wait two months.
Reki pulls his shirt up again and his heart almost jumps out of his mouth. It’s Langa’s horrible chicken scratch.
Reki would have fallen to his knees again if he wasn’t already there. He doesn’t realize he’s crying until his vision blurs and he can’t see Langa’s terrible handwriting anymore.
So this is it now. Langa is his soulmate. All those nights of laying in bed envisioning those same two words on his ribs were not for nothing. He finds himself grinning through the tears he can’t seem to stop. Soon words he yelled at Langa when they first officially met will be on Langa’s side, too. In his considerably better handwriting. Reki laughs. Maybe everything will be alright after all.
Reki sits there, tracing over the letters with his opposite hand. It burns, the tattoo still fresh, but Reki doesn’t mind. It's proof of Langa and him being intertwined by that infamous red thread. Reki is giddy with happiness, he can’t stop grinning and can’t stop his tears.
Reki hears the rest of his family waking up, the slamming of bathroom doors and kitchen cabinets start to fill the house. He knows they’ll pry and try to get him to reveal the tattoo, but it’s something personal and no one ever pushes too hard, even family.
Reki needs to make a decision. He wonders if he should reveal his tattoo. How does he even go about telling Langa? That would be so strange, but it shouldn’t be anymore, should it? They are soulmates after all. Reki’s heart soars at the thought and he moves to sit cross legged against his bed, finally moving away from the mirror.
Should he not say anything till Langa’s birthday? Till his own words show up on Langa’s ribs? He doesn’t think he could keep anything from Langa for that long. Especially something as important as this. Langa would want to know. When Langa asks, Reki will tell him.
Reki tries to pull himself together the best he can. Everyone in the house must be dying to know already. Reki gets up and sneaks one more look. It’s still Langa’s handwriting, his words. And it will be for the rest of his life. Reki smiles, wide and unbridled.
He slinks into the hallway, trying to make it to the bathroom to take a shower without anyone noticing him just yet. But, Koyomi sees him and lets out a shout.
“He’s awake!” Koyomi yells and Reki’s sure even the neighbors know he’s awake now.
Reki’s whole family crowds in the hallway, eyes wide and excited.
“So, did you see it?” Reki’s mom asks.
Reki pauses, “Yeah.”
“Can we know?” Koyomi asks.
“Not yet,” Reki shakes his head.
Reki’s mom nods her head, understanding as always. Reki takes this moment to run to the bathroom, today is already proving to be overwhelming. He can use the reprieve.
“Not yet?” Koyomi realizes the slip as Reki shuts the bathroom door behind him.
He hears a bang on the door, “Is it someone you know then?” Koyomi asks.
Reki hears his mom usher her away before he even has a chance to think of a response. He lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding and turns on the shower.
The only thought running through Reki’s mind right now is Langa. Langa, Langa, Langa.
They’re supposed to meet up at the skate park this morning, Reki had asked for a lowkey day. Langa had understood, eighteenth birthdays are a lot to take in. Reki tries to not think about how he’s going to tell Langa. But, it’s hard not to think of what kind of reaction Langa will have.
Will he be disgusted? Will he hate Reki? What if Langa never talks to him again?
That can’t be though, they’re soulmates. There’s a reasoning to this, they are meant to be together, just like the stars that light up as constellations every night. Reki tries to tell himself everything will be ok. It doesn’t help too much.
Reki skates on auto pilot to their usual meeting place. His heart does a backflip when he sees Langa waiting for him as always under the streetlight. Reki can’t help but beam, how could he not?
Langa sees him and grins back, “Happy birthday, Reki,” he yells waving him over.
Reki doesn’t realize he should be slowing down until it’s too late and Langa’s eyes go wide. Reki’s crashing into him, but Langa’s got him. Reki wasn’t going fast enough to topple them over, just enough to land him in Langa’s arms.
Oh. This is nice, Reki thinks he can get used to this.
“You look happy,” Langa says, he’s still holding onto Reki, but Reki isn’t letting go either.
“I am!” Reki laughs and straightens himself up.
“Did you… did you see?” Langa asks and Reki can sense the apprehension in his voice.
Reki nods, he hopes his expression doesn’t say too much just yet.
“Will you tell me? It’s ok if you don’t want to,” Langa says.
“First, race me,” Reki replies and he knows Langa won’t say no to a race.
“Ok,” Langa grins, “if I win will you tell me what your tattoo says? And if you win you get your gift now instead of later.”
“Deal,” Reki returns Langa's smile.
“3, 2, 1!” Reki shouts and they’re off.
It’s exhilarating to skate with Langa, he’s so mesmerizing. Not only when skating - Langa is always mesmerizing to Reki. He blushes and Langa takes the opportunity to breeze past him.
“Hey!” Reki calls and speeds up to catch up to Langa again.
They laugh and yell until they’re neck to neck and the skate park is in view. Reki feels like his whole body is buzzing, racing with Langa, just being with Langa makes him feel more alive than he ever has in life. He doesn’t think anything can compare to it.
Langa looks at him and laughs, his eyes are shining, so bright and pretty. Reki thinks he’s going to melt. Will he really get to stare into those eyes forever now?
While Reki is distracted, deep in thought, Langa pushes ahead and closes the last distance to the park to win. He cheers and Reki can’t help but laugh.
When Reki reaches him, he says, “I guess I should tell you now, huh,”
“You don’t have to if you don’t want to,” Langa reassures.
“I do,”
Reki pulls the hem off his hoodie up to show Langa. His own horrible chicken scratch. Reki hears his voice again - oh, sorry.
“Oh,” Langa says, his eyes are wide and he’s blushing.
Reki blushes, too. This seems so ridiculous, but here they are.
“Yeah,” Reki says and goes to let go of his hoodie.
“Wait - can I touch it?” Langa asks.
Reki nods, maybe a little too eagerly, but he doesn’t think that really matters. Never did with Langa.
Langa’s fingers are cool as they brush against Reki’s hot skin and he shivers against Langa’s touch. The tattoo’s still fresh from appearing the night before, sensitive to the touch.
“Did that hurt?” Langa asks, his head tilted.
Reki thinks he looks cute.
“No, it felt nice,” Reki responds.
“Ok,” is all Langa says as his fingers continue mapping out the tattoo, tracing it over.
“Mine will say, ‘Hey! Can you stop that skateboard?’ then,” Langa’s smiling again and Reki feels relieved.
This is good. This has to mean Langa isn’t horrified.
“I guess so,” Reki says and his voice shakes a bit.
“Hey, Reki?”
Reki looks into those pretty ocean blue eyes for the first time since Langa’s looked at his soulmate tattoo. He looks happy and Reki thinks he could melt on the spot.
“Does this mean I can kiss you now?”
Reki almost chokes, “If - if you want to!”
He knows he must be blushing and he avoids Langa’s gaze, he feels like he might spontaneously combust at any moment.
“Do you want me to?” Langa asks.
“Yes, yeah!” Reki rushes out.
“Ok!” Langa pauses, “I’ll kiss you now, alright?”
Reki thinks he must look as red as his hair now from all the blushing he’s doing, but he still nods his head and tries to meet Langa’s eyes. Pretty ocean blue eyes that can calm him down every single time.
Langa’s hand comes up to Reki’s face and his fingers feel so soft, not calloused like Reki’s from building boards for countless hours. Reki leans into Langa’s hand without realizing it, it just feels so nice against his face, overheated from blushing.
“Alright, Langa,” Reki says, his voice no higher than a whisper.
Langa closes the gap and presses their lips together. His lips are softer than his fingers and Reki can’t believe he’s actually feeling Langa’s lips against his own. This is really happening. He’s kissing Langa.
Reki expects his mind to go a mile a minute like it has been all day, but his mind is focused on the only points of contact between him and Langa. Hand pressed against his face and lips on his own. Reki stops shaking for the first time since he woke up. He’s going to have to ask Langa to do this whenever he gets nervous. Reki’s head spins, will there be more kisses? He can’t imagine having Langa for the rest of his life. But he can. Reki never wants to let go of Langa now that he’s held him.
Langa pulls away so they can catch their breath. Reki hasn’t even noticed he’s holding onto Langa’s collar so tightly his knuckles are white. Reki thinks if he lets go he’ll float away.
“Was that ok?” Langa asks, his sweet, caring Langa.
His? Reki feels warm all over.
“That was amazing,” Reki laughs.
Reki looks up at Langa and shivers - Langa looks so happy and handsome and perfect. Langa’s happy because of him. Reki doesn’t think he could stop smiling if he tried.
“Ready to skate?” Langa says and he’s smiling just as wide as Reki.
His tattoo throbs dully and it’s a pleasant reminder of the thin, red thread connecting them. Reki is ready to skate for infinity with Langa. He can’t wait to do it all with Langa by his side.