Chapter Text
The car seat beneath reki was hot. In the peak of summer that was to be expected but his sticky skin ripping from the seat like Velcro was unpleasant nonetheless. At least the hit of wind through the open car window was a small refreshment.
He was aware that langa pressed up against him did nothing to compact the heat.
Turning his face away from the window, he gazed at langas side profile. Blue eyes studied him back as he smiled.
They were headed to cherries beach house for a much needed holiday. After the whole ordeal with Adam, the whole group needed a break.
Without the constant bickering between cherry and joe in the front, the road was eerily silent. Reki still couldn’t see the beach yet but he could already taste the salt on his tongue. He brought his gaze back to the landscape surrounding the car and he breathed in the fresh air.
Soft music on the radio was playing a melody with the birds chirps and bickering friends to create a song reki could listen to forever.
He was content.
Well not exactly content since the constant anxiety of whether langa could feel the layer of sweat on his arm kept his heart beating but he was more relaxed than usual.
This path month had been tough to say the least but worth every moment. He looked back at langa who’s gaze still lingered on rekis face. Past langa was Miya with his huge headphones and gaming setup. Shadow was in the back, doing god knows what and joe and cherry were in the front arguing as per usual.
Reki shut his eyes and let himself be in the moment but he couldn’t shake the feeling of langas arm pressed up against his own. He could feel every little moment, every hair on langas arms. It made him tense.
When did he get so weird like this? Reki thought.
By the time they got to cherries house, reki practically fell out of the car. His shirt was sticking to him and he prayed to Jesus he had no sweat stains. Langa, of course, looked as pristine as ever with only small droplets of perspiration gathering on his nose.
Shadow helped them gather their bags from where he was being locked up in the boot. Langa handed rekis bag to him and they walked past the front gate.
Cherries ‘little’ beach house was an understatement.
The complex was a three story, mansion like building with sheek colours and architecture. Cherry bussed them in through the front gate.
‘There’s no way this is your house.’ Joes expression mimicked them all.
‘Yes you gorilla. This is my house. Break it and die.’ Joe grinned, obviously thrilled with the answer.
Langa and reki looked at each other with excitement in their eyes. This was going to be a good week.
The interior was just as grand as outside. The tour cherry gave wasn’t enthusiastic per say but reki couldn’t contain his glee. The kitchen had enough storage space to feed an army. The bedrooms were decked out in the most fancy furniture reki had every seen and of course there was the front area.
A huge pool and spa lined the deck area and below snaked a skate path that apparently lead down to the beach. Reki gripped his skateboard tight in his hands, the urge to feel his feet on the board was beating through his heart.
Langa travelling behind had the same gleam in his eyes. Before he could walk a step towards the beach cherry interrupted.
‘Not yet. Unload your things and get unpacked then we will all head down to the beach. Miya your downstairs next to shadows bedroom. Reki and langa, you guys will be upstairs.’
They both stared at the bed for a couple seconds before cherry joined them.
‘There isn’t enough separate beds in the house so I thought you two could share. Is this going to be a problem?’ Cherry raised a brow.
Reki and langa had sleepovers before sure, but this was a masters bedroom obviously meant for a couple. It had a connecting bathroom and even a deck for gods sake. His heart spiked.
Did langa think it’s weird? Would he request to sleep somewhere else?
He waited for langa to reply for them, not trusting his own words.
It shouldn’t be weird for them right? So why was his heart beating for fast he couldn’t think about anything else?
‘No that’s alright.’ Langas voice filled his ears and dared to look up. Langa was looking with a soft smile at cherry but his eyes drifted to rekis. The urge to look away was fierce but would probably spark concern so he smiled back in a silent confirmation.
‘Great. Get unpacked and changed for the beach.’ With that cherry turned and walked out, leaving reki and all his awkwardness to fill the room.
The fact that reki was being awkward made him cringe even more. This was langa. He willed himself to stop thinking just for a minute.
‘Alrighty, do u wanna change first or should I?’ Langas unreadable expression morphed into one reki was more used to. The dimples near his mouth were on full display when he smiled back at langa. The smile made rekis heart start beating normally again.
‘I don’t mind. I can change.’
Reki gave him a thumbs up and langa brushed past him to enter the bathroom.
Rekis gaze lingered on the door closing behind Lange. He swallowed the breath he had been holding that whole conversation and sat down on the bed. He rubbed his sweaty palms raw on his shorts, as if getting rid of the sweat will get rid of the anxiety. Reki is not dumb- he knows every time his heart spikes like this and he can’t feel his body it’s his new found anxiety coming along.
Ever since the insecurities started setting up camp in his mind, reki had began opening up to the possibility of him having anxiety. He was always so confident and loud and extroverted so how could this happen? What event caused his brain to overstimulate itself into death every time someone looked at him funny. Even skating wasn’t enough to clear his head anymore. Every time the wheels hit the concrete he imagined Langa studying his performance and judging every mistake. He imagined joe and cherry purposefully skating slower so reki could keep up with them. He imagined Miya and shadow sharing looks at each other every S race that reki lost.
Hot lines scratched up his legs by his nails as he tried to keep his grip on reality. Langa was going to come out any minute now. He began to tap his feet on the floorboards – a nervous habit he had began to pick up. Dragging his hands through his hair, he tugged just hard enough to cause pain. For some reason pain grounded him. It was an uncontrollable force that somehow made him feel more in control.
Reki heard shifting behind the door and willed himself to lean down and pretend he was packing.
The room was suffocating.
Before rekis throat started to constrict, Langa opened the door and walked out.
‘It’s stuffy in here I’m going to open an window.’ If langa noticed his freakout, he didn’t show it.
Rekis attempt to look away from langas beach outfit was met with failure. He was dressed in board shorts and a tight sun shirt that framed his build perfectly. He looked so easy-going and relaxed with the sun dancing in the tips of his hair when he opened the nearest window. His skin was glowing.
A speck of sunscreen residue remained on his nose so reki took the opportunity to walk up to him and rub it off. He dragged the pad of his thumb across langas nose bridge, looking anywhere but his eyes. Langas eyes were a wormhole that would pull rekis soul into his every time. He would often get lost in those big blue eyes, wondering if there was any sky or sea bluer than his. Langas gaze remained heavy on his, a soft smile playing at his lips.
Shivers than up rekis neck. He pulled his fingers away after wiping the last it off and stepped back to a reasonable distance. He knew the hitch in langas breath wasn’t for peril, he just wasn’t used being touched like that.
Before things could get awkward, reki spun and picked his skateboard off the ground, laughing as he leap down the stairs. He heard langa in close persuit.
‘Reki! You forgot to get changed.’
Too late now. He thought.
The unspoken race between the boys quickened as langa jumped down the steps behind him. Reki couldn’t contain the smile that stretched his face. He looked back at langa to see he had the very same smile.
With a giggle, reki passed the kitchen and dining room, quickly making his way to the front yard. When grass was in sight, he dropped his skateboard on the path, riding with the momentum. There was nothing in this moment that could hold him back. The breeze in his hair kept him from looking back to langa so he kept his eyes on the path in front of him. Any minute now that path would morph into the colour of langas eyes, the taste of salt already in his mouth. He would care about not wearing a swimsuit later.
The sound of wheels on concrete became louder behind him.
Oh no you don’t.
Reki quickened his pace, leaning lower to gain more speed. The path was surrounded by dense greenery that funnelled around his goal. It was just wide enough for two skaters but reki would stay in front.
The addition of more wheels behind him signified that cherry and the rest of the group had joined them. A twinge of fear struck through him at the thought of them skating slower for his benefit but he pushed it down. He would not let his anxiety wreck this moment.
As if langa could sense his throb of fear, he entered rekis peripheral – slowly catching up to him. Instead of disappointment, a new spark of energy hit him. He was racing reki for real and that’s all that matters. He could feel the smirk coming by langa as his board drifted parallel to his.
His side eye was infuriatingly energising.
They raced all the way down to the beach with langa being the eventual winner. He skidded to a stop right were langa was and almost ran into him. Their combined laughter was a heavenly sound. Reki gripped langas shoulder and declared his predictions.
‘Oh I will so beat you next time. Did u even see me I was like this far off!’
His fingers were almost touching with the gesture.
‘Sure you were.’ Langa rolled his eyes with a smile.
Behind them the others had started to rock up. He took a minute to take in the beach – a moment that had been robbed by the race. Reki had obviously seen a beach a million times but there was just something about that first breath here that made his insides feel like jelly. He breathed it in with a long exaggerated breath.
‘Race you to the water!’
He didn’t check to see langas expression before he sprinted down the beach, attempting to take his clothes off in the process. This attempt did not end well. Reki ended up face-planting after he took his last shoe off and pulled langa down along with him.
‘You got sand in my mouth.’ Langa spat, squinting at Reki with murder in his eyes. Reki giggled in all his half naked glory and got back up to run again. Langa grabbed his arm and they played tug-of-war for a second before he let go – the reaction making Reki fall once again.
They bickered and laughed all the way down into the water. The water was so warm Reki sunk down into it. The water seeped into his skin and veins, calming his fiery heart. It would be relaxing if not for langa splashing his face repetitively. Skating home in these wet boxers is going to be a nighmare. The regrets for not changing caught up to him and he could already feel the sun blazing his pale skin.
The others made it down just in time to see Reki tackle langa into the water with a smile on his face.