Work Text:
Today is the day.
Today is the day Reki will ask Langa to the movies.
The walk to the Auntie Anne’s pretzel stand from the Vans store is a well memorized route in Reki’s brain now that he doesn’t even need to think about it anymore. Instead he’s thinking about how much money he’s spent on soft pretzels when he doesn’t even like them that much.
It’s been 3 months since he had a craving for soft pretzels and was served by the absolute cutest man about his age with his light blue hair tied back behind his visor. His name tag read “Langa” and Reki was smitten. Soon after, Reki had learned what days Langa usually worked and a few things about him:
1. He goes to the same university studying kinesiology and wanted to go into physical therapy
2. He moved to the city recently
3. He’s been caught many times eating the pretzels
It’s been 3 weeks since Langa wandered into Vans on one of his breaks and planted himself in front of their June Pride month collection. Reki asked if he needed help with a lump in his chest and the knowledge of his Bi pin on his lanyard almost burning his prefrontal cortex.
“I’m not allowed to have pins on my uniform but I wanted something for my bag. Which is least likely to fall off? The last button I had fell off.”
Reki cleared his throat to prevent himself from stammering, “These enamel pins have good backs and these buttons have the twist clasps so I’d go with either of those,” he pointed casually to the products he was referring too.
“Is that what you have?” Langa’s blue eyes darted to Reki’s lanyard.
“Um,” Reki’s fingers quickly found his pin. “I just have a normal button. I guess it’s pretty safe on my lanyard though! I’m not flinging it around like my backpack or whatever. Not that I think you're careless with your bag! I guess I mean-“
“Thanks, Reki,” Langa chuckled and Reki felt his cheeks flush. Langa reached for the rainbow flag enamel pin and flashed Reki a sly look that Reki has spent the following 36 hours ruminating on.
4. He likes men
It’s then taken him up until now to work up the confidence to see at least if Langa was free this Saturday.
He rounded the corner to find the Auntie Anne’s is rather busy, which means Reki couldn’t linger and chat like he can for his 15 minutes break on the slow days. He waited in line and watched Langa scoop pretzel bites into cups and portion out cheese sauce, the look of complete boredom plastered on his beautiful face. His coworker with green hair was working the register noticed him first and subtly nudged Langa. He looked startled at first but then Reki saw him scan the line until their eyes met and Langa’s face lit up, his smile making his eyes wrinkle at the corners. He gave a small wave and went back to whatever he was doing before with a slight smile on his face.
Being the way Reki is, he was never sure if he read the signs right but he was prettttty sure he stood a chance. Not to mention the time Langa literally served him a pretzel he said he ‘made special’, the center pieces spiraled instead of crisscrossed making the outline the obvious shape of a heart. Reki had written it off as Langa being bad at making pretzels.
When his turn was up, Langa switched to the register.
“Hey Reki! Do you want your usual?” He said, wiping off the light dusting of flour and salt from his navy blue polo.
“Uh, ya.” Reki’s throat was suddenly very dry. “And maybe a medium lemonade? It’s uh- great to see you! I wasn’t sure if you’d be here today.”
Langa punched in the usual order of small pretzel bites with the drink into the register. “I’m here every Wednesday, Reki.” His face twisted into the slightest pout as he grabbed both a cheese sauce and a mustard to place on top of the bites without charging him.
“Oh really?” Reki scratched at his face feigning ignorance. “That’s good to know.”
Langa gave the smallest, softest, most adorable smile as he put the lid on the lemonade. “Ya every Wednesday, other days are kinda variable.”
“And what about this Saturday?” Reki passed over his debit card. “Are you working?”
He scrunched his eyebrows together as he ran the card through the register. “No, I’m off.”
“Do you have any plans?”
“Not really. Homework I guess.” Langa handed the card back.
“Oh, cool! Cool ya. I guess I wanted to ask if you were free in the evening? Maybe we could grab dinner and catch a movie?”
Langa’s eyes widened, “Oh. Like a date?”
“Um,” Reki fidgeted with his wallet, glancing back to see how many people were waiting behind him. “Ya, if that's okay?”
Instead of answering, Langa quickly grabbed a pen, ripped the receipt off and flipped it over. He scribbled some numbers and handed it to him. “Here, text me.”
_______
Wednesday 9:17pm
Reki: Hey Langa! It’s Reki
Reki: I was thinking that you could pick where we eat and I could pick the movie?
Reki: Unless there’s something you really wanted to see. That’s fine too!
Reki: I work until 5 so I’ll be at the mall if that's where you want to meet
Reki: Sorry for spamming you
9:20pm
Langa: Hi :)
Langa: I’m fine with whatever you want to see. I can meet you at your store
Reki: Sweet. I heard the new Top Gun is fun. Is that okay?
Langa: I want to go to Five Guys
Reki: lol sure
Reki laughed a little to himself and fell back on the shitty couch in his apartment. It was happening! A date with Langa! His phone pinged again.
Langa: thanks for inviting me
His heart sped up double time. How was he supposed to answer that? He figured maybe being honest was the best route.
Reki: Of course! I’ve wanted to for a while
Langa never replied though. So Reki struggled to fall asleep thinking that maybe he fucked it up before he already had a chance.
The next day during one of his lectures he got another message from Langa. It was a picture of the Vans store totally swarmed with customers. The caption read, “Enjoy your day off!”
That meant Langa had gone in there to look for him. Right? Is that what Reki should take from this? He went in, asked for him and was told by one of Reki’s coworkers that he wasn’t working today. Reki’s heart fluttered at the prospect. He tapped back a reply with a creeping smile on his face.
Reki: I’m suffering through a lecture but I’d rather be here than at work!
Reki: but I’m sad I missed your visit tho
Langa: :,(
Reki: don’t cry!
Langa: Are you working tomorrow?
Reki: No :(
Reki: I’ll be at my internship all day.
Langa: ah, so I guess I will see you Saturday
Reki: Can’t wait
“KYAN,” His ergonomic design professor called his name prompting him to sit up and shove his phone in his pocket. “Anything you want to share with the group here? Something more interesting on your phone, is there?
“I got a date.” He blurted without thinking.
The class erupted with giggles and his professor rolled her eyes. “Congrats, but please stay off your phone.”
“Yes ma'am!” He shrunk back in his seat, feeling a reply buzz from his phone that he’d have to check later.
Langa: me too
______
Reki must’ve checked his phone about forty times during his shift on Saturday. His manager gave him some slack but he knew he was on thin ice. Reki tried to stay busy, recommending skating shoes to a few high schoolers, folding new inventory, and organizing the sock display. Anything to make the time go by faster!
He was refolding the hoodies on the back table when he felt a tap on his shoulder.
“Cherry, I told you I would finish this first! What else-” He turned around to meet blue hair and blue eyes instead of the pink haired manager he was expecting. “Oh, sorry! Hi Langa.”
“Hi,” Langa took a step back, “I uh- didn’t mean to scare you.”
“No no, you’re good.” Reki fidgeted with the stray hoodie in his fingers, trying to find something to do with his hands. “Is it five already?”
“No, I got here early. There wasn’t as much traffic as I thought.”
Reki nodded, fishing his phone out of his back pocket to check the time. It was 4:45. He still had 15 minutes and he was planning on changing out of his casual work hoodie into something a little better because Langa… Langa looked nice.
Reki passively realizes that he’s only seen him in his Auntie Anne’s uniform and is a little taken back to see him in regular clothes. His clean white button down was left open to show a plain blue shirt and he was wearing skinny jeans. Skinny jeans! The bi panic sirens are going crazy in Reki’s head, so loud that he doesn’t realize he hasn’t responded yet until Langa called his name again and his younger coworker started cackling somewhere behind him.
“Ah! Yea cool. Um- let me see if Cherry will let me go early. You just stay uh- here,” He scrambled. Langa quirked his eyebrow and placed his hand on his hip as Reki rushed over to the register where his manager was trying very hard to hide his smile.
Reki opened his mouth to speak but Cherry held his hand out to stop him. “I saw everything Kyan. Get out of here and don’t say I never did anything for you.”
Reki grabbed onto his arm, “THANK YOU!”
The older man groaned and pushed him off. “Please leave.”
Reki nodded and jogged back to where Langa was watching him. “Ok, let me grab my stuff and I’ll be right back. Uh- you can wait here if you want. Or wait outside. Or uh at Five Guys. Or -”
“Reki,” There was a hand on his arm. Langa’s hand. “Go get your things. I’ll wait here.”
Reki swallowed, his throat very dry after meeting his warm gaze, those ocean eyes so impossibly blue. “Ya, be right back.”
On his way to the backroom, his coworker who was snickering at him earlier made a kissy face at him.
“Shut it, Miya!” he muttered under his breath.
Once in the privacy of the staff room, he took a second to calm down, running his hands across his face with a sigh. Then, Reki tugged off his hoodie and replaced it with a fresh t-shirt that had one of his designs printed on it. He reapplied his deodorant and popped a mint even though he was about to eat greasy burgers. He tried in vane to straighten his wild red hair back into his headband but kinda gave up. He secured his skateboard to his backpack and slung it over his shoulder and made his way out onto the floor only to find Miya talking to Langa by the skateboards.
This had to be bad. He hurried over hoping to interrupt whatever extremely embarrassing thing Miya was saying.
“-and this cruiser is more for easier turns so, oh! Reki’s probably better to explain the difference between boards.” Miya gestured haphazardly at the display and gave Reki a sly look.
Langa turned around and his face brightened at his return, his eyes caught on the board attached to his back, “Really? You skateboard?”
Reki shifted his weight and scratched at his face again, “uh, ya! It’s kinda my thing.”
“I snowboard! Well, I used to. It's supposed to be similar right?”
“Oh yea! Dude, I’ll have to teach you!”
“Sure!”
“Maybe I can give you a lesson at the skatepark sometime!”
Miya made a gag noise effectively popping whatever bubble Reki and Langa had entered. “Get going, slimes! Before I hurl.” He gagged again for good measure.
______
“So you have all your classes in the new art building?” Langa asked between bites of his fries.
“Only one! Actually the building still isn’t finished, only the basement and the first floor are done!” Reki replied before taking a bite of his burger. They had been chatting easily about school on the walk from the Vans store to Five Guys. Once there, Langa took on a completely different energy and focused entirely on ordering and then waiting for food before asking any more questions.
Langa pinched his eyebrows together, “It’s not? I remember them promoting it a ton in my tour and orientation stuff.”
Reki nodded, shallowing his bite. “I think they ran out of money to finish it.”
Langa’s eyes widened a bit and he took a massive bite of burger. “I’m not surprised.” He said with food still in his mouth. “This school kinda sucks but the industrial design program sounds cool.”
“Ya,” Reki nodded. “So why physical therapy? Sounds kinda hard.”
Langa swallowed and took a sip from his drink. “Yea. Well, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do and my dad was a physical therapist so I figured I’d try. I’m pretty good at biology so it’s not so bad.”
Reki nodded along, noting the use of past tense about his dad. “Mm I’d love some help after all the injuries I’ve gotten from skateboarding over the years.”
Langa unwrapped his second burger. “It’ll be another couple years but I’m sure I can work something out.”
“Ya? Even for skateboarding?”
“Sure, I had physical therapy when I hurt my knee snowboarding two years ago.” Langa got a kind of distant look.
“From your dad?” Reki said before he could stop himself.
Langa just nodded and quietly finished off his burger.
Welp. That’s it. Reki ruined this date in the first 30 mins. He brought up Langa’s probably dead father and now Langa hates him. He should gather his stuff and head for the next train back to campus cuz he’s-
“Reki, do you actually want to see Top Gun? Or did you pick that cuz you think I’d like it?” Langa interrupted his spiral with a rather direct question. Honestly, Reki didn’t want to watch any movie. He was more of an activity guy, but he knew dinner and movies were the safest bet for a first date. Also honestly, this was the first man Reki had ever asked out… Top Gun seemed like a “guy” movie.
“Uh, I guess I thought you would like it?” Reki replied rather sheepishly.
Langa rolled his eyes. “Ok, what movie do you actually want to see?”
Reki shrunk in the booth. “It’s embarrassing!”
“Tell me!”
“Jurassic World 3…” Reki mumbled before launching into his explanation. “I know it’s kinda gone downhill and Chris Pratt is canceled or whatever but I loved those movies when I was a kid and dinosaurs are still so cool and if you think I’m lame for saying that, I’m cool leaving now and catching the next train and l never getting soft pretzels again and we never-“
“No, Reki!” Langa chuckled a little, finishing the last of his fries. “Let’s see that.”
“Really?”
“Yes, did you actually think a gay man would want to see Top Gun?” Langa raised his eyebrow.
Reki slumped forward onto the table with a sigh. “I don’t know dude! I hate making assumptions about people!”
Langa chuckled again and finished his drink and Reki relaxed a little more, “I suppose it would cater to the male gaze.” He looked at Reki’s unfinished fries, “Are you going to finish those?”
Reki just smiled and pushed his tray toward him.
_____
“Do you know the names of all the different dinosaurs?” Langa asked as they sat down, the large popcorn haphazardly balanced between them.
“Like the species name? No, probably not all of them but like the common ones, ya.” Reki hoped the low light would hide his blush as he settled in his seat. “You will know some too! C’mon, like T-Rex and brontosaurus. What’s your favorite one?”
“Dinosaur?” Langa popped a few pieces of popcorn in his mouth.
“No dude, favorite reality show- dinosaur! Yes!”
“Mmm,” Langa chewed his popcorn and scrunched his face a little as he thought. “Maybe the ones with the plates on their backs? Stegosaurus! Or the flying ones? What’s yours?”
Usually when Reki asks this question, which isn't frequently, the other person goes ‘Ah, I don’t know dude, what are we five? Dinosaurs are lame,’ or the basic answer of ‘T-rex’. But… Langa actually thought about his reply. He didn’t say it was lame. And Langa actually reciprocated!
Realizing his delay, he rushed to answer. “Ah, well it’s not actually a dinosaur but my favorite is an animal called a Dimetrodon.” He reached behind to mime a sail with his hand. “They are the ones with the sails on their backs, but they’re actually around before dinosaurs!” He launched into a short explanation while Langa nodded along eagerly, shoveling popcorn consistently into his mouth, until the trailers started and the theater dimmed.
“Oh shit, I’m so sorry. Just tell me to shut up if I ramble,” Reki sank in his seat, reaching for the now half empty popcorn. Reki shot Langa a look, “Okay, this is staying in my lap.”
Reki laughed when Langa actively pouted.
There’s a pause between them as the trailer plays and flashed a big release date in a dramatic font. Reki fiddled with the popcorn for a moment, thinking how they should’ve gotten one each due to how much Langa could apparently eat and how the movie the trailer was for looked really bad. He leaned over to Langa to tell him that when the other man spoke instead.
“I won't tell you to shut up,” he says quietly.
“What?” Reki's eyes met Langa’s, they shined in the reflection of the screen.
“Do people really tell you to shut up? You get excited and speak earnestly. I like that,” His eyebrows were knitted together in an annoyed way.
The processing in Reki’s brain halted completely. Langa wasn’t waiting for a reply, his eyes flicked between the popcorn box and Reki’s face before his hand darted into the box for a large handful of popcorn.
“Hey!” Reki held the box on his other side so he couldn’t reach.
Langa snickered and munched as the next trailer started. Reki’s brain was still stuck on what Langa had said a moment ago. He really tried not to spiral and just enjoyed the fact that this super hot man is sitting next to him on a date. Maybe they’d hold hands? Or kiss? Shit. He’s really out of practice… How do you initiate holding hands again? It seems a little rude just to take it. Should he put his arm around him? Or is that too lame?
The theater played its ‘turn off your phones’ message and dimmed even further. Reki’s chest was full of butterflies as he shifted a little to his right - closer to Langa - and balanced the popcorn on his left knee and placed his hand on his right knee, trying to make a very obvious offering. The movie started with epic orchestra music and the classic title font. Reki ate a few more pieces of popcorn and cautiously glanced toward Langa in his peripherals, the other man seemed totally absorbed into the beginning action as he took a sip of his drink, totally unaware of his hand offering.
That’s okay! Reki could wait. He really did want to watch this movie anyways.
-+-
30 minutes later, Reki couldn’t wait.
He was starting to sweat with how nervous he was and a headache was starting to brew with how much he was overthinking scenarios on how to get Langa’s hand. With a casual wipe sweat off his hand on his jeans, he offered the popcorn box to Langa, who gratefully took a handful before turning his attention back to the movie. Reki has absolutely not been paying attention to the screen, he watches the characters struggle with some locusts or something for a minute before watching Langa’s hand place the last piece of popcorn in his mouth and wipe his hand on his left pant leg, his pinky finger slightly outstretched.
His heart pounding in his chest, Reki placed his hand back on his knee, pinky equally stretched but still like a centimeter away. His chest continued to tighten as he tried to act natural and brush Langa’s finger with his, his eyes trained on the screen but not really processing anything that was happening, some characters from the original movies are in a lab somewhere.
Reki’s heart skipped a beat when Langa wrapped his pinky around his, Reki can see a smile pulling at his lips from his peripheral vision. Slowly, their fingers intertwined and Reki prayed to whoever was listening that his palms stop sweating. Langa squeezed his hand more fully with a gentle caress of his thumb and Reki is on the verge of hyperventilating, his eyes moving over to meet Langa’s quickly before both sets snap back to the screen.
Reki had never held hands with a man before, the simple sensation was somehow complexly different; the larger size and rougher skin. Langa’s hand was a little cold, but then again maybe Reki’s hands were just really warm. He finally started to settle down with the reassurance that Langa was returning his affection and enjoying the movie. A little while later, Langa even let go to get more popcorn and then scooped Reki’s hand up again like it was a given.
Reki is only half paying attention to the characters escaping through a mine (or maybe it's a cave? Reki didn't know) when Langa quickly squeezed his hand, pulling him from his daydream. “Reki!” he whispered excitedly, leaning over to his ear. “It’s your favorite! The not-dinosaur sail guy!”
“Dimetrodon!” Reki chuckled in reply. “What are you doing in a Jurassic Park movie?”
“Spreading misinformation,” Langa added dryly and squeezed his hand again for good measure.
Reki tried really hard to stop himself from smiling, but it was in vane.
Their hands remain connected for the rest of the movie until the credits started and Langa removed his hand to subtly wipe at his eyes.
“Dude, are you crying?”
“No!” Langa protested. “It’s just sweet, the raptor and Owen.”
“What a softie!” Reki playfully bumped his shoulder and started to gather his belongings as the lights in the theater slowly got brighter. “So you liked it?”
“Ya, did you?” Langa consolidated the trash and stood up, stretching his back with a twist.
“Eh, it's definitely not good dinosaur representation but it was fun!” Reki flashed him a smile. “The scene where the Quetzalcoatlus took down the plane was crazy!”
“Mhm,” Langa led the way out of the theater, the other patrons doing the same with iconic music blaring from the speakers. “Are those actual dinosaurs or have I been lied to?”
Reki explained on their walk and Langa asked a couple more questions as they exited the mall and into the night air.
“Well, I guess I should go,” Reki shuffled his weight from one foot to the other, he really didn’t want to but the last train was in 10 minutes.
Langa looked at him almost expectantly, “I can take you home? If you want?”
The butterflies returned to Reki’s chest. “It’s okay! Really!”
“You live near campus? I’m heading that way anyways. It’s really no problem. C’mon,” Langa insisted.
“Okay…” Reki was still unsure. What if Langa expected him to invite Langa inside to, like, spend the night?! He couldn’t do that. He’s hoping to kiss him but Reki really isn’t into hooking up with people on the first date. Now the third…
“This way!” Langa headed for the parking garage, digging a set of keys from his pocket. They arrived at his silver moped and Langa retrieved a spare helmet from his storage bin under the seat. Reki watched as Langa sat down and started it up before motioning for him to get on behind him.
Reki’s backpack felt awkward. His helmet felt awkward. And he felt awkward as he gingerly gripped Langa’s ribs.
“Where do you live?”
“Uh, two blocks from the library. Near the 7-eleven.”
Langa nodded with a hum, “You might have to hold on tighter.”
Then Langa pressed the accelerator and Reki had no choice but to rush forward and wrap his arms around Langa. The ride home went way too fast, not that Langa was speeding or anything, just that Reki tried to cherish every second of it while trying to think of the perfect invite for a second date. Something that had to do with food for sure.
Langa turned onto his street and Reki pointed him to his building. The moped slowed to a stop outside of his apartment and he reluctantly slipped off the bike.
“So uh,” Reki returned the helmet. “Maybe we could do this again? I think the Resident Association is having a BBQ next Tue-”
“Let’s go.”
“Jeez, ok.” Reki chuckled. Langa had gotten off the bike to store the helmet. When he was done, he took a step closer making Reki’s bi panic alarms go off again. “I-um, do you want to come inside? I think I have some beer if you like that? I have tea too.”
Langa’s shoulder deflated a bit, “I’d love to but I can’t tonight.”
Reki scratched his neck, “That’s probably for the best. It’s really messy…”
Langa took another step closer. His eyes flicked quickly to Reki’s mouth. “I had a lot of fun. Thanks for inviting me.”
Reki’s throat was dry. “Ya, me too.” He blinked. “I mean, the having fun part, not the inviting pa-mmh!”
In one smooth motion, Langa had cupped Reki’s cheek and cut him off with a chaste kiss. He pulled away slowly to assess the reaction, blue eyes darting all over the redhead’s face but Reki grabbed his collar to reconnect their lips. Their eyes closed as they melted into each other for a moment, Reki’s hand moving from Langa’s shirt to slip around his neck, Langa’s other hand reaching up to hold his waist. Reki felt Langa’s warm breath exhale from his nose as he angled their lips for a last peck before pulling away, leaving Reki breathless.
“Uh,” Langa’s cheeks had a dusting of blush, his hands fell to his side. “Sorry. I’ve wanted to do that for a while.”
“Dude,” Reki clutched the straps of his backpack. “Don’t uh-, apologize for kissing me.”
Langa hummed in acknowledgement, “When do you work next?”
“Tomorrow, unfortunately.”
“Me too.”
Reki smiled, “Think you can hook me up with a pretzel?”
________
“Good morning, Kyan. How was your date?” His professor greeted him from the podium as he entered class on Monday.
A bit taken aback that she remembered, he answered honestly. “Great! He kissed me and then gave me a free pretzel.”
She sighed, “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
Blush spread across Reki’s cheeks as the few students who heard chuckled, but he couldn’t bring himself to care too much. Langa had made him another heart shaped pretzel and he was the luckiest man in the world.
🥨