Chapter Text
Why did it have to start raining? It was like the world decided to screw him over one more time as he skated alone in his thoughts. He couldn’t let his thoughts run wild if he had to concentrate because the concrete was growing slick. Shit. He was going to be even later getting home. Not that it mattered or anything. Just less time to play his switch… or more likely less time to sleep.
He felt the board lose its grip and slide unnaturally.
It was getting difficult to skate as it began to pour. He came to a stop and looked around the immediate area.
Ugh. He groaned. Stupid clouds hiding the stars and moon. It was dark as Cherry’s ink out now. The lamps along the street weren’t nearly enough. He knew the way to Reki’s house like the back of his hand. He’d been through the area countless times, and he was pretty sure he remembered…
There it was.
He bent down and picked up his board and began to run. There was a playground for the children of the neighborhood, and it was the perfect place to take cover from the rain. The play structure of tubes and plastic buildings was a great miniature house. He’d just hang out until the rain passed. Sitting in the playhouse he set his backpack down and pulled out his switch. Mind as well get some time in while he contemplated the evening.
He didn’t know why he’d bothered to come all this way. It wasn’t like he cared if Reki ducked out early after Joe had told them all to leave Sia la Luce. It wasn’t odd for them to show up and annoy their two elders. Joe and Cherry felt like surrogate parents. Usually, there was food, they could just hang out, and those were the best nights.
That hadn’t been tonight… Joe had been adamant that he had to leave on time. Kaoru was waiting. He hadn’t given the teenagers time to settle in before ushering them right back out of the door. It happened sometimes.
The trio would find something else to do- or Reki could bail. That was fine too… Miya was still shouting back at Joe when he turned and found that the redhead had just vanished before anyone could get in a word edge-wise. Miya had asked where the hell he’d gone, but Langa’s face said it all. He looked upset. Miya had decided to stay with Langa, but Langa seemed preoccupied.
Why? Were the teens fighting again? They had been better since hooking up. It had taken long enough. Everything seemed to be going well, but Miya couldn’t help but think back to the last time they’d fought… The last time….
Miya sat his eyes drifting away from his game. He couldn’t concentrate on it. Damn Reki. Now he was worried. Miya rolled his eyes as the rain fell harder. He stared out at the world and regretted his life decisions. He should have just gone home after he’d split from Langa.
He’d gone by Reki’s house to check on him, but it looked like he’d already made it back and passed out. His window was closed, so he’d left. Now, here he was in the rain with time to think.
What would he do if they were fighting again? Were Langa and Reki going to break up? What would that do to their group? Miya felt the pain in his stomach. That would be the end of it? Right? No, they were both idiots, and they seemed happy together. They wouldn’t break up.
Was Reki having another one of his moods? Langa had seemed worried about him. The three of them hadn’t been together long before heading to Joe’s restaurant. Reki had seemed extremely preoccupied about the chance of eating at Joe’s. The redhead seemed more focused on snacks than anything. Miya had been so annoyed by the ramblings of food that he’d tuned Reki out after a few minutes. Reki could get overly excited about the dumbest things after all. Miya thought about it. When they’d switched the topic to S Reki had been really quiet. They’d talked about tricks and their normal stuff… or he’d talked to Langa. Reki had gone silent. Langa and Reki weren’t talking.
What the hell was going on?
He felt the fear rising. It made his fist clench down at his sides. If they were arguing and thinking of breaking up or something, he’d kill both of them. His fear was quickly warping into rage when a cough and a curse caused his stomach to hit the ground.
He initially jumped in fright. What the hell!? It had to be around 3am! Who would be out at this hour? Where were they? Miya’s eyes darted around as he tried to find the owner of the voice, but it looked like the immediate area was deserted. He didn’t see anyone.
“It had to rain.”
Miya gasped. It felt like he was frozen. He couldn’t force his body to move at first. He got to his feet in slow motion. Then he took that first hesitant step forward. Next, he was running out into the rain and looking around. He was drenched in just a few seconds. Miya’s eyes darted around.
His mind was racing. He hoped he was hearing things. Why else would he have heard that voice? Where had that come from? His eyes went to the playground equipment. There weren’t too many places to hide, but there was a tunnel. A plastic tube stretched between two pieces of playground equipment, and it was just long enough to conceal someone. Miya hadn’t bothered exploring it.
Not until now.
He ran to the rope swing and started to climb up to the second level. There was a shadow that bolted upright and slammed into the roof of the tube with another curse.
Miya knew that voice.
Miya came to stop at the edge of the tunnel as the occupant turned around awkwardly to see who’d stumbled upon him. Miya would have recognized the untamed red hair anywhere, and he was instantly confused and worried. Reki’s house was not that far away. Why was he here? Why did he have a bag that looked to be overflowing with clothes and his skateboard all tucked away in the safety of the crawlspace with him? Why didn’t he just go home?
Miya saw the shock on Reki’s face. He had been expecting anyone else, but he never expected this. His amber eyes were huge in disbelief.
Miya’s eyes widened as well, and he screamed. His voice came out in a higher octave, “What the hell, Reki!?”
It looked like Reki was trying to form words. He was trying to figure out what to say, but the words wouldn’t come. He stumbled on a few syllables, but that was it.
They both knew what they were looking at. Miya was coming to a sudden, scary realization, and Reki knew he was busted. He didn’t want them to know. He didn’t want anyone to know.
“Uhh… Miya….” Reki hadn’t really found his voice, but it was all he was able to say, “Wh-what are you doing here?”
“What the fuck!?” Miya screamed again.