Work Text:
Reki’s wrist has been hurting like hell lately. It had been months since that, maybe it was because he didn’t take proper care of it when it happened and when they hit him in the alley he was sure at least someone’s kicking landed right there, at least one time, because later on his wrist ached horribly. Today was a particularly bad day, it seemed. He didn’t want to go see a doctor, mostly because it was his own fault but also because he was pretty afraid of hearing something like that his wrist was fucked for real, so he kind of chose not to know. He already knew it was stupid and probably the most clever thing was to know as soon as possible in case he needed to go to physical therapy but he was too ashamed to do so and knew that it could be expensive. Also the pain kind of felt deserved. So he just kept playing with his little sisters like usual and stocking the shelves and unpacking boxes and showing boards and their specifications to clients and laughing with Oka and Langa and holding Langa’s face when kissing him in the back of Dope Sketch, icing his wrist when he was alone back at home, not telling anybody about it.
Today had been a really busy day at the store and the pain was killing him by closing time but he tried not to think about it, to push it really far away in his brain. He and Langa skated away from Dope Skate and stopped by Sia La Luce. They were gonna celebrate Joe’s being chosen chef of the month by a really important magazine, a special number about the restaurant was gonna be published soon with a lot of photografies and a long interview, the whole number just for him, Reki wondered how celebrating him in his own restaurant was different from Joe feeding them all for free every week but he really was happy for him, and had make him a little handmade decorative figure that kept right now in a box on his pocket (and made his wrist scream but who cares).
It seemed that everybody was there already, the restaurant was full of beautiful and exceptionally well placed flower arrangements and Oka, Shadow, Miya and Cherry were sitting by the bar, talking loudly.
“Welcome, boys,” Joe said, coming out from the kitchen with two bottles of wine.
“There you are, slimes,” Miya said, turning around.
“Hi to you too,” Reki laughed and walked closer, Langa silent at his side. “Wow, the flowers look great!”
“I know right! Hiromi did them, he is actually really good,” Joe said, making Shadow laugh, a little embarrassed.
“The flowers are really pretty by themself,” he muttered.
They sat at the table near the bar and Reki expected them to start talking cheerfully again but suddenly Cherry was standing up and sitting with them at the table, pointing Reki with his closed fan, looking very serious.
“I’m gonna just go and say this,” he began and Reki noticed Langa looking down at his own hands.
“Kaoru!”
“No, let’s do this right now, Kojiro,” Cherry cut him out and his golden eyes were very intimidating. “We know you’re in pain”
“What!? I’m not in pain!” Reki mostly cried, what the hell was that? He looked at Langa but he was clearly avoiding his gaze and it was truly unnerving.
“Come on kid, we already know,” Joe said, coming over and placing a hand on the table, smiling sadly. “And we want to help”
“It's your wrist, right?” Miya said and Reki really was losing it at this point, no, this couldn’t be happening, he wanted to stand up and leave, run away from sight, this was so embarrassing and unnecessary and he hated so much being worrying them, because all of that was his fault and only his fault, his problem to deal (or live) with.
“It’s fine,” he said, very uncomfortable, feeling cornered and pathetic.
“Reki, we know,” Oka said, shaking his head sadly and Reki hated it, he didn’t want them to pity him!
“Yeah, and you definitely need to do something about it,” Shadow pressed.
“You are hurting and I hate it, I tell them because I don't know how to help, I knew you would refuse,” Langa said in a very quiet tone, looking up and Reki saw that sad look on his eyes, a look very similar from that night under the rain. Usually Reki did his best not to think about it.
“It's fine!” he insisted.
“It’s not.” Cherry said in a very determined voice and leaned forward to him. “I’m gonna pay for your medical bills, don't worry about that, you just need to accept it and actually go to see an specialist”
No, he couldn’t do that! He wanted to refuse but suddenly he just couldn't, he was really panicking about everything right now, this wasn’t supposed to be like this!
“Look, you’re young, this could be something you’ll recover from just fine,” Joe said, looking him right in the eyes. “But if you don’t do something now the damage would just get worse and end up permanent. You don’t want that. All of us care about you and don’t want you to be in pain”
Reki really felt awful.
“You can’t just stay in pain and act like nothing”
God, Langa looked so sad, he really didn't want to see that.
“We’re all friends now, right?” Miya said. “I thought that meant we could lean onto each other”
“Yes but this had nothing to do with that! And I'm fine!”
“You’re not, Reki,” Oka insisted and Reki really hated to look at them looking like that.
“Let us help you,” Cherry said, fixing his hair onto his shoulder. “I know it's difficult for you but it is difficult for us to see you struggling too. You are a good kid, sometimes you can think you don’t deserve the worry or care of others but the truth is that you really do. You’re worthy. You bring us all together, remember?”
Reki wanted to run away, he wanted to hide, Cherry’s words were too painful.
“Please, Reki.” Langa said, touching his leg under the table in a shy motion.
“We can go to the hospital tomorrow, it's a start since you don't know too much about the injury” Oka went again and Shadow nodded.
Everything was too painful and he really felt trapped. Joe placed his big hand on his shoulder before saying,
“We all care about you, lets us be there for you”
Reki really felt that he didn’t deserve that care. But Langa’s eyes were too sad right now.
“Okay” he sighed.
"Wonderful," Cherry said, standing up again and pushing Joe with him. "So now we can eat, I'm starving, what kind of celebration is this? Unbelievable"
Langa moved closer and held Reki's hand in his own, looking down at their linked fingers. His hand was so warm and nice, Reki was still unconfortable but leaned onto Langa's side.
Maybe he was worthy.