Archive of Our Own ^beta

“Wait, so which one is it?” Reki asked.

“That one, there,” Langa said, pointing distantly into the night sky. “The one with the three stars.”

“Right, okay, and what is it called again?”

“Orion’s Belt.”

“Man,” Reki breathed out, “how do you know all this stuff?”

Langa shrugged. The two of them were at the skatepark, which is where their boards seemed to lead them most nights before they even realized where they were going. Unlike most nights, however, they sat together on top of one of the quarter pipes, Reki chugging down his juice box while Langa showed him constellations. He wasn’t exactly sure how they had gotten to that point, but he knew there was nowhere else in the world he’d rather be.

The night was warm, with the summer breeze still lingering a few weeks into September. Langa closed his eyes and breathed in slowly. After living in Okinawa for nearly a year and a half, he had come to appreciate the weather, although the heat still proved to be a challenge at times. Nights like these with Reki, however, were worth all the hardships in the world.

Reki sat his juice down and leaned back onto his forearms, staring up at the endless darkness above them. “What other ones do you know?” he asked, fondly.

Langa looked up. “Not many,” he admitted, “I basically showed you all of them already. There are some others, but it’s not a clear enough night for them to be visible.” He could practically feel Reki’s weighted gaze fall on him as he spoke. This knowledge made him nervous for some reason, so he kept rambling, a bit softer than before. “I mean, there’s also a constellation for every star sign, but I don’t know what they all look like. I know mine though, it’s the Aquarius one, but the form is a bit complicated. And yours is Leo, which is —”

“Langa,” Reki interjected.

“Yeah?” he asked, turning back to face him. He felt a bit breathless.

“Can I kiss you?”

Langa’s brain came to a halt. 

What?

If he was breathless before, he must have been dying now.

Although he didn’t understand exactly why, just looking at Reki’s faint smile and tousled hair was enough for him to know the answer.

He somehow managed to stutter out a response after a few short moments, “S-sure. I mean, yeah, yes. Of course.”

Before his thoughts could catch up to his words, Reki was sitting up and resting a calloused hand on Langa’s cheek. His eyes fluttered shut as Reki quickly leaned in and met his lips, chapped but soft. 

The feeling was better than anything Langa could have ever imagined. He placed one of his hands on top of Reki’s as he kissed back, savoring the sweetness of his embrace. Is this what kissing was always like? He felt like he could stay there forever, breathing Reki in and out.

But the moment seemed to end just as quickly as it began. A soft, distant melody pulled Langa somewhere outside of himself. He opened his eyes and saw nothing but darkness. Where was he before this? Where was he now? His mind was drawing a blank.

His eyes slowly began to adjust. He turned to find his phone sitting next to him on the pillow, alarm gently echoing from the speakers. Right, he was in bed, he had been sleeping. It seemed so obvious now, with his soft sheets wrapping his frame and yesterday’s clothes tossed haphazardly on the floor.

He turned the alarm off and cringed at the bright light of his lock screen. He froze when he noticed the first notification, a text from Reki.

8:00 a.m.

GOOOOD MORNING :D

Reki. The skate park. The kiss. It all came back to him in less than a second; the dream he just had. What did it mean? Did he like Reki? Did he actually want to kiss him? He had never considered it before, but aren’t dreams a sort of window into the soul? So then, some part of him did want to kiss Reki, right?

Langa had never been so confused so early in the morning, and to say he was conflicted would be an understatement. Reki was his best friend, someone who understood him in a way no one else ever had. Langa cared for him deeply, and he knew Reki felt the same way. But that didn’t mean he was attracted to him, did it?

Staring at the blaring text from Reki, Langa was completely at a loss for what to say. How could he just pretend like everything was normal after this? 

He decided to forgo responding altogether and start getting ready for the day. Maybe after changing into a real outfit and brushing his teeth he’d feel a little bit more human. Surely it was only just a dream, and by the time he had to face Reki, he wouldn’t even be thinking about the part where they kissed.

-

He was thinking about it. The two of them stood on the street just outside Langa’s place, boards in hand, and Langa was thinking about the fact that he had just kissed his best friend in his dream last night.

“Did you see my texts this morning?” Reki asked, “I was worried you had gotten a fever or something.”

Langa took a moment to collect his thoughts. Just act normal, he told himself, don’t be weird.

“Uh, no, sorry. I slept through my alarm and had to rush to get ready.”

Reki let out a short laugh. “Typical. Oh well, let’s get going!” he said, immediately kicking down his board and heading toward the school.

Langa said nothing, instead choosing to follow him silently. His body was on autopilot as he skated down the familiar roads and whipped around corners, but his mind was racing. Why was he so eager to kiss Reki in his dream last night? Was his brain just compensating for the lack of romantic love in his life? But he didn’t really care about that stuff, not with skating and Reki being his top priorities. So was it a misinterpretation? Did his brain think he was in love with Reki just because they spend all their time together?

Wait, love? It was just a kiss , he thought, where did that come from?

He was passively aware of the wind whipping around his face as their speed increased. He veered around pedestrians and asphalt cracks without a second glance, his mind solely focused on interpreting his dream. It was like being in the zone, but feeling everything at once instead of nothing at all.

“Dude, Langa, watch out!” Reki’s voice pulled him out of his own head. He was so enveloped in his overthinking that he nearly crashed into his best friend, who had stopped just outside the entrance to their school.

“Sorry,” Langa responded as he swerved around him and came to a stop.

“You sure you’re feeling alright man? Definitely no fever?” Reki asked, stepping closer to Langa. He placed the back of his hand against Langa’s forehead, checking his temperature.

Langa’s body immediately tensed at the touch. He could feel his face heating up as he tried to process Reki’s closeness. Calm down, it’s just Reki. You guys get close like this all the time. He had never responded like this to Reki’s touch before, why was he acting so weird now?

“I’m fine,” Langa mumbled.

“I dunno, you look a little red to me. You might wanna go to the nurse,” Reki suggested.

Langa stepped back, “I said I’m fine, let’s just get to class.” He quickly turned to head inside, not bothering to confirm if Reki was following him. He brought his own sweating palm up to feel his face. Everything was going to be alright, he just had to get through the day, even if he felt a little off-balance the whole time.

-

But being around Reki was stranger than usual now. It was only a dream, yet it felt so real, and it left Langa questioning everything about his own feelings towards his best friend. Throughout their classes, he tried his hardest to pay attention to Reki’s ramblings, but he spent more time staring at Reki’s lips than comprehending the words that came out of them.

“...So freezing to death is the obvious choice, because your body would go into shock and be totally numb, I think. Fire would just be way more painful. But I guess we’ll never be in that situation anyways, right? Langa?”

At the sound of his name, Langa snapped out of his trance. “Huh? Oh, yeah, totally.”

Reki looked up from the notebook on his desk, frowning. “Were you listening? I mean, you’re usually always quiet, but this is intense even for you,” he said.

Langa blushed, looking away sheepishly. “Sorry,” he muttered.

“What’s going on man? Talk to me.” Reki placed a firm hand on Langa’s shoulder. And yet, despite his intensity, Reki was always so… gentle. Warm. Langa knew not many people got to see this side of him, and he considered himself lucky to be blessed with such a comforting presence.

He turned to face Reki, ears still hot from embarrassment, or perhaps something else entirely. What did Reki just ask him? He couldn’t remember, because Reki was looking at him so earnestly with those round, amber eyes. Had they always been so pretty? Langa could look at them for hours.

Reki slowly waved a hand in front of Langa’s face. “Helloooo? Earth to Langa?”

Once again, Langa found himself feeling as if he had just been startled awake. “Hm? Sorry, what were we talking about?”

“Oh my goddd, you’re impossible today,” Reki groaned, sulking overdramatically. 

A soft laugh escaped Langa as Reki flailed back into his chair. “I’m sorry Reki, really. I just didn’t sleep well last night. I’ll be back to normal tomorrow,” he said.

“Promise?” Reki asked, holding out his pinky.

Langa smiled. “Promise.” He locked pinkies with Reki and they dapped each other up. Langa paid close attention to Reki’s hand as it maneuvered around his. He remembered the feeling of Reki’s hand against his cheek in his dream. It was rough and calloused from his years of skating, yet he could still feel a softness as it tenderly held his face, almost as if Reki was afraid to break him.

Langa wondered what it would be like to feel those hands on him in real life. Would it be just like the dream? If Langa could hold Reki’s hand in his own, would he ever be able to let go again?

Reki had gone back to sketching and humming quietly to himself while Langa sat there, motionless. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t seem to stop daydreaming about Reki. His eyes, his lips, and now even his hands? This dream had Langa in a chokehold, and yet, he didn’t find it to be unpleasant.

Maybe he could entertain the thought of being close with Reki, romantically. Maybe he could imagine what it would be like to really kiss him, and not just in his subconscious. Maybe, just for today, that would be alright.

-

At lunch, Reki and Langa settled into their usual rooftop spots, Reki’s board in front of their feet balancing both of their lunches. Langa tried not to notice the way their knees brushed up against each other as they sat with their legs crossed, but it was impossible not to. 

Was this how it always was? How had he never noticed how close they always were? Whether it was their shoes under the desk or their elbows on the table while they watched skating videos together, the two of them were always touching. Inseparable.

Langa tried not to flinch, tried not to tense up. But his senses remained heightened, no matter how many times he told himself to relax. His heart rate was sometimes a bit fast, but never quite this intense. Why were his hands so clammy? His sandwich was practically slipping out of his grasp. 

Stop worrying so much , he told himself, just talk to Reki like you normally would .

“So, uh…” he trailed off. He had no idea what to say. He had never been good at conversations, but with Reki it just came so naturally that it was like he didn’t even have to try. But now he found himself struggling to form the correct words.

“Hm? Did you say something?” Reki asked, mouth full of food.

“Um, I was just, wondering if uh…” Come on Langa, anything. Just say something. “I was wondering if you would teach me a new trick today? After school?” he blurted out.

Reki stared at him for a moment. He swallowed before answering, “Wait, for real? Dude you’ve, like, totally surpassed me! Don’t you know every trick in the book at this point?”

Langa felt his cheeks flush immediately. He turned his gaze back down toward his meal. “Uh, I mean, I don’t know. I just like learning from you,” he admitted. “You taught me how to ollie, I’d be nothing without you.”

He waited for a response for Reki, but none came. He turned his head and could see Reki looking at him with those wide eyes again.

Langa continued, “I love skating with you. Even if I already know a lot of stuff, there’s always more I can learn. I want to keep improving, but I can’t do it without you. So, even if it’s just something simple, I want you to teach me. Please.” He said it so earnestly that he wasn’t even sure where it came from, he just knew that he meant it. 

He could have sworn he saw Reki turn red. “Wow, man, that’s uh…” Reki fumbled over his words, almost like he was embarrassed, too. “Yeah, of course I’ll teach you, I— thanks, Langa.” He smiled shyly to himself as he continued eating.

Langa smiled in return, even if Reki didn’t notice. He would do anything to keep Reki smiling like that, even if he had to praise him until the end of time.

-

Waiting for the day to end was agonizing. Langa kept glancing at the clock, hoping that somehow time was moving faster than it was when he had checked just seconds before. At least when he was skating he would be distracted enough to not constantly be thinking about Reki. Hopefully.

Finally, class was adjourned, and the two boys practically leaped from their seats to grab their boards.

“Race you to the park!” Reki exclaimed, getting off to a running start as soon as their feet hit the pavement outside the school.

“Hey!” Langa shouted after him, kicking his board down, “No fair!”

Langa knew he could catch up to Reki before they rounded the first corner. Reki was good; he was fast, technical, and knew how to think on his feet. But Langa knew his strengths, and if he really tried, he could probably win this race with his feet duct taped to the board.

Instead, however, he decided to linger behind Reki as they rode to their destination. Getting to watch his best friend in his element was magical. There was always a certain electricity surrounding Reki, but it was especially amplified when he was skating. Langa was almost envious. Of course, he loved skating too, but only when he was doing it with Reki did he truly feel alive. He was certain that even if Reki didn’t have Langa, he would still approach the sport with the same intensity and admiration he always did.

Reki turned his head to call back in Langa’s direction. “Come on, man, don’t just let me win!”

Langa felt a smile grow on his face. He could never back down from a challenge. “Who says I’m letting you win? ” he teased as he pushed forward to skate alongside Reki.

“Hey, there you are, Prince,” Reki said when he and Langa were side by side.

Langa rolled his eyes at the notorious name, yet he couldn’t ignore the way he felt his stomach flip at Reki’s words. “We really need to get you a terrible nickname,” Langa replied.

“Terrible?” Reki questioned. “I dunno, it’s got a nice ring to it. Kinda cute.”

He knew Reki was just trying to push his buttons, but the comment nearly made Langa completely lose his balance. Reki pulled ahead as Langa desperately attempted to regain control and keep his cool.

Breathe, Langa, he told himself.

“You all good back there?” he heard Reki ask.

“Great, amazing. Good. Yeah.” Langa cringed internally at his wavering voice. Before he let Reki get the upper hand on him again, Langa pushed forward, lowering himself to increase his speed well beyond Reki’s.

He felt the wind rush around his entire frame as the momentum pushed him past Reki’s board, only centimeters between them.

“Whoa!” 

But Reki’s voice faded out behind him as he took the familiar path to the skate park, skating as if he were competing in a beef at S. It wasn’t personal; he wasn’t trying to offend Reki or show off. He just knew that if he didn’t keep some distance between them right now, he wouldn’t be able to stay relaxed for long. If he had to keep looking at Reki’s exposed forearms below his rolled-up hoodie sleeves, if he had to hear him use that taunting voice of his to call him Prince or Snow or even Langa , he wasn’t sure if his heart would be able to take it.

He reached the skate park less than a minute later, with Reki showing up shortly after. Langa sat under a nearby tree as he tried to catch his breath. The cool shade did wonders for his heated skin and racing pulse.

Reki crouched in front of him and extended his hand, offering Langa a cold soda, fresh from the vending machine.

“Thanks,” Langa said, accepting the can from Reki and immediately pressing it to his forehead.

“No problem, you earned it,” Reki responded. He sat opposite Langa and cracked open his own can to chug. “That was some pretty intense racing,” he said, “guess you take every opportunity you can get, huh?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Langa said quietly, bringing his drink from his forehead to his lips. He paused momentarily, examining the blue logo wrapping the frame of the can. “You got me my favorite,” Langa noticed.

Reki looked up from where he had been adjusting an axle nut on his board. “Yeah dude,” he said as if it were obvious. “I mean, I wouldn’t want you to drink something you don’t like.”

Langa nodded. That made sense, no need for him to read into something that wasn’t there.

“Plus, you always get me my favorite when you buy our drinks,” Reki added.

He did? Langa had never really paid attention before. He supposed it was just an unconscious decision; of course he knew what Reki liked and what he didn’t. Of course he’d want to do something kind for him, just to brighten his day even a little bit.

Could Reki have been doing the same for him?

“You’re a good friend, Reki,” Langa told him.

Reki's eyes widened for just a moment before he looked back down and continued poking at his board, even though the axel nut was already secured. “Um, thanks,” he said softly.

Langa knew he must’ve caught Reki off guard with a compliment that seemingly came out of nowhere, but he could hear the fondness in Reki’s response.

“So, what trick did you wanna work on?” Reki asked, changing the subject.

Langa pondered the question for a moment. “How about hardflips?” he asked.

Really, he knew far more advanced moves, and he knew Reki did too. But just being able to have Reki teach him like their early days together pulled at his heartstrings a little.

Plus, he really was getting a bit rusty with his hardflips.

“Sounds good to me,” Reki said, standing and extending his hand to Langa. “ Prince .”

Langa blushed furiously, even more so when he took Reki’s hand to stand.

He turned to grab his board in hopes of hiding his sudden nervousness from Reki’s view. Fortunately, by the time he turned around, Reki was already hitting concrete and warming up.

Langa silently prayed that he could stay on his board the entire evening.

-

Luckily, honing in on his technique did help Langa take his mind off of Reki, despite the fact that he was practicing right beside him. Even when Reki shouted encouraging words his way, or held up his phone to record Langa’s every attempt, he found that he wasn’t nearly as nervous as before.

Skating allowed Langa to put his worries on hold. Any racing thought that didn’t pertain to exactly what he was doing at that moment could wait until later. He didn’t have to think about the conflicting emotions waging war inside of him, or dissect what every little reaction meant. All he had to worry about was the board under his feet. All he had to do was have fun .

The sun was beginning to set, painting the world around them in a dusky, heavenly glow. The two boys simultaneously rode to a stop, walking together to retrieve some well-needed water from their abandoned backpacks.

“Are you hungry?” Reki asked.

“Always,” Langa responded.

Reki chuckled. “Wanna head back to my place then? I’m sure my mom’s got dinner set out by now, and you know she always makes extra for you.”

Langa grinned, but hesitated. After dinner, the two of them usually always retreated to Reki’s room to work on their boards, or flip through magazines, or sit side by side comparing scrapes and bruises. The sudden thought of being alone with Reki in such a private space made Langa’s stomach do somersaults. 

Sure, it would be nothing new. Dinner at Reki’s and their quiet moments together in his room had become like a second home to Langa. He made some of his best memories there, laughing too late into the night with his best friend and exchanging secrets when neither of them could sleep.

But it would have to wait until another day. If Langa had to face that tonight, not even 24 hours after the unspoken dream, he wasn’t confident that he’d even be able to stomach the food Reki’s mom prepared.

“I can’t tonight, sorry,” he said.

“Whaat?!” Reki whined. “Are you sure? She’s making your favorite!”

Langa’s head perked up. “Poutine?”

Reki scratched behind his head. “Oh, uh, no. Your other favorite, rice curry. But I could ask her to make poutine too!”

Langa smiled apologetically. “Sorry, Reki, I really can’t. My mom’s making us a special meal, I told her I’d be home tonight,” he lied, trying not to let it show on his face.

“Ah, man. Okay, but you have to come over later this week then,” Reki said.

Langa nodded. “I will.”

“Promise?” Reki held out his pinky.

“Promise.”

They interlocked pinkies and performed their dap before exchanging goodbyes, skating off in opposite directions. 

As Langa made his way home, he could feel the guilt eating away at him. He felt horrible lying to Reki, even if it was just about something as simple as dinner. Ever since he broke his promise last summer, he vowed to himself that he would never hurt Reki or damage their relationship again.

It’s just one night , he told himself. It’s for the best .

Really, he would probably ruin their friendship more if he had gone to dinner. In such an intimate space, he didn’t entirely trust himself to keep his emotions at bay. It wasn’t unlikely that he would have said or done something that would have weirded Reki out or pushed him away.

He would make it up to him, somehow. He just needed time to figure it out.

-

“Damn this board,” Reki mumbled under his breath. He had been desperately trying to grip his newest board for longer than he would’ve liked to admit, but something about it was just wrong . No matter how carefully he applied the grip tape or how delicately he filed the edges, it just wouldn’t cooperate.

He had been leaning over his desk for so long that his back was beginning to ache, but he needed it to be perfect. He could feel himself getting frustrated, and yet he couldn’t seem to stop. 

The filing tool slipped out of his grasp and toppled to the floor, and Reki let out an exasperated sigh. “This is literally freakin’ impossible,'' he groaned as he collapsed into a seated position on the floor.

“Rekiiii,” Langa called from where he sat on Reki’s bed, drawing out his name. “You need a break.”

“No, no. No breaks,” Reki grumbled.

“You’re just going to keep getting more annoyed,” Langa pointed out. Reki knew he was right, but it almost made him feel even worse.

“I can do it,” he insisted.

“I know you can,” Langa told him kindly, “I just said you needed a break.” He patted the spot next to him on the bed. “Come on, just five minutes. I have a new video for you." 

Reki looked over to where Langa was motioning. His best friend was sitting with his back against the wall, perpendicular to the head of the mattress. His long legs were extended out in front of him, and his phone was held horizontally in his slender hands. It certainly was tempting; the bed looked far more comfortable than the floor, and Langa’s smile was open and welcoming. Reki felt a little warm inside.

“Ok, fine,” he decided. He slowly rose up from his spot on the floor. “But just one video.”

He noticed Langa’s smile transform into a full-fledged grin as Reki accompanied the spot next to him. A YouTube video was already pulled up on Langa’s phone, waiting to be unpaused.

“What’s this one?” Reki asked.

“You’ll see,” Langa said as he pressed play.

Reki shifted closer into Langa’s space, angling his head to get a better look. He immediately recognized the skater in the video; he had competed in the first-ever skateboarding event at the Olympics.

“When was this uploaded?” Reki asked.

“Just today.”

Reki watched as the athlete performed various tricks and maneuvered around complicated park structures. Ever since skateboarding had been included as an official Olympic event, Reki had secretly dreamed that he would be there competing one day. He knew that it was a long shot, and that Langa was probably much more qualified than he was, but he couldn’t seem to let the idea go.

Reki’s mind drifted as he absentmindedly stared at Langa’s screen. The comfort of his room was that much more amplified with Langa’s presence, someone who always seemed to be able to decrease his anxiety levels. He felt a wave of peace wash over him as he listened to Langa comment on the contents of the video, not quite comprehending every word that he was saying, but enjoying the sound of his voice nonetheless.

He thought about what it would be like to be by Langa’s side every day. To graduate together, to hear Langa cheering him on as he competed at the next Olympic games, to continue having simple nights like these, sitting side by side and enjoying each other’s company. He would give anything to keep Langa in his life.

He was only pulled out of his thoughts when he heard the sound of his own name.

“Reki?”

“Hm?” Reki responded, noticing that the video had ended. How long it had been, he didn’t quite know.

“Did you hear what I said?” Langa asked softly.

Reki looked at his friend. “Um, no, sorry,” he admitted, a bit embarrassed. “What was it?"

He saw Langa swallow nervously as he held their eye contact. “I asked if I could kiss you.”

Reki felt his eyes widen. His heart began racing as he tried to process the words, briefly glancing down at Langa’s lips.

Though it was impossible to pinpoint the thousands of questions that raced through his mind, one thought rang out loud and clear: he wanted that kiss. Badly.

“Sure,” Reki responded, his voice nearly a whisper. “Um, yeah. Yes. Please.”

Reki hardly had a moment to cringe at his awkwardness, as Langa was delicately placing a hand under his chin, tilting Reki’s head up slightly to meet his mouth.

Reki inhaled sharply at the contact, not out of fear, but in surprise. He quickly relaxed into the feeling, taking in the sweetness of Langa’s lips and melting at the gentleness of his touch.

Reki placed one of his own hands at the base of Langa’s neck, eagerly returning the kiss. Though the kiss itself was slow, he felt electric. This closeness was something he had never experienced before, and now he didn’t want it to end.

Just as Langa moved his hand to Reki’s hair, there was a pounding at the bedroom door.

Reki jolted awake.

He nearly fell out of his bed, heart racing faster than he knew possible.

“Reki?” he heard his mom call out from the other side of the door, fist tapping against the softwood. “Get up, dear, you’re gonna be late!”

Reki frantically looked through his sheets until he spotted his phone. After it was unlocked, Reki found that he was staring at his alarm app, which was switched to “off.”

Crap. He must have fallen asleep right after texting Langa goodnight, and now he barely had five minutes to get ready.

Langa. Oh my god, Langa, Reki thought. He was— they had just— what?

At that moment, a text from his best friend flashed at the top of his screen.

8:00 a.m.

Good morning :P

Reki instantly opened the message, thumbs flying. Langa just needed a casual, normal response, as if today were the same as any other. As if Reki hadn’t just woken up from an extremely intimate dream about smushing their faces together.

8:03 a.m.

good morning!!! sorry woke up late probably won’t make it to ur place in time you can just head on without me i dont wanna bother u super sorry!! i’ll text you haha dont worry about me just doing reki stuff yaknow

Great. Awesome. Definitely not freaking out.

“Reki?” his mother called again.

“Yup!” he yelled, voice cracking. He cleared his throat. “Yeah, uh, I’m up! Getting up now!”

“Alright honey, your lunch is on the table!” she responded.

“Got it!” He held out a thumbs up, even though she couldn’t see it. As he heard her steps heading away from the door, Reki scrambled to get ready, his mind racing almost as quickly as his pulse.

“Okay, so, Langa kissed you in your dream last night,” he said, talking aloud to himself. “And you kissed him back. And it was nice. It was really, really nice.” Reki pulled a sweatshirt over his head as he continued running around his room. “But that doesn’t mean you like him, right? I mean, it was just a dream, so now it’s probably warping all your thoughts and feelings and stuff.”

He shuffled into the bathroom, quickly fastening his headband around his forehead and grabbing his toothbrush. “Let’s face it, you guys are together all the time . Of course he was gonna show up in your dream that like eventually,” he reasoned, mouth full of toothpaste as he spoke. He spat into the sink.

“So, the kiss doesn’t necessarily have to mean anything, and besides, we should probably just think about this later,” he told himself. As he grabbed his backpack and rounded the corner, he found his path blocked by Koyomi.

“Who were you talking to?” she asked, arms crossed.

Reki felt himself go hot. “No one!” he said, a bit louder than he intended. “Move, I gotta get to school.” He quickly grabbed his lunch and his board, aiming to leave the house as soon as possible.

“Did you say you kissed Langa?” he heard his sister ask as he marched past her.

He quickly opened the door as he responded, “Nope, no, nuh uh. We did not kiss .” 

Koyomi raised an eyebrow. “You seem weirdly insistent.”

Reki could feel the invisible clock ticking down faster and faster. “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” he asked rhetorically, stepping outside and slamming the door shut. He knew there was no point in arguing with her anyways, especially not at this hour.

“You didn’t kiss what?” Reki heard a voice ask.

It took him a moment to register Langa in front of him. He blinked a few times to make sure he wasn’t still dreaming.

“Langa! What— what are you doing here?” he stuttered out.

Langa shrugged. “You said you wouldn’t make it to my house in time, so I just came here.”

Reki was stunned. So many emotions were circulating in his brain that all he could think to say was, “But now you’re gonna be late too.”

“That’s okay,” Langa said, “we’ll be late together. It won’t be the first time, anyways.”

“Um, yeah! I guess so!” Reki responded, voice high and shrill. He tried his hardest not to freak out, but he couldn’t change the fact that his best friend was standing right there in front of him, and he had to pretend as if his entire conception of their relationship wasn’t shifting.

“Come on, let’s get going,” Langa said, kicking his board down.

Reki followed. Nothing had to change; they could keep skating together like this for the rest of their lives, and it didn’t mean their friendship had to be anything it wasn’t. It was only a dream after all, and Reki was sure he would forget all about it before they even sat down at their desks.

-

Langa knew Reki was staring at him. He tried to focus solely on copying down notes, but he felt Reki’s eyes on him with such intensity that he felt himself holding his breath. He slowly shifted his head in Reki’s direction.

“Reki?” he asked.

Reki nearly leapt out of his seat, his notebook falling onto the floor in the process. “Yup?” he asked, leaning over to retrieve it. His head hit the underside of his desk as he moved upwards. “Ow,” he said, quietly.

“Are you okay?” Langa asked, hesitantly. He knew something was on Reki’s mind, though he wasn’t certain what it was. All day, Reki had been even more fidgety and restless than usual. But worse, he was hardly talking — no random side tangents, no new rambles about his latest idea for S, nothing. It was making Langa worry.

“Yep, just a little bump,” Reki said.

Langa shook his head. “No, Reki, not that. I mean, what’s bothering you?”

“Bothering me? Nothing! Nothing’s bothering me,” he said dismissively. Langa watched as Reki began to vigorously tap his pen against the paper in front of him, which was entirely blank apart from his name scribbled across the top. Not a single sketch was inked into the page; something must have been really wrong.

Langa placed a hand on top of Reki’s, stopping the incessant tapping. “Reki,” he said, as sternly as he could, though there was no menace behind his words. “Please, I know something’s got you worked up.”

Reki was tense under Langa’s touch. He looked over at him, but didn’t quite meet Langa’s eyes as he said, “Sorry, man, just had too much coffee this morning, I guess.”

Langa stared at him for a moment. “Reki, you hate coffee.”

Langa retreated his hand as Reki folded his arms across his desk and rested his chin against them. He let out a frustrated groan, which quickly turned into a defeated sigh. “I know, I’m sorry, I have no idea why I even said that.”

As he carefully watched Reki, Langa couldn’t help but smile sympathetically. Whatever Reki was worried about, Langa would have to be patient. He wouldn’t make Reki talk about anything until he was ready.

“It’s okay,” Langa said. “Whenever you’re feeling better, just tell me what’s going on. No rush.”

Reki turned his head so he was looking at Langa, cheek pressed against his forearms. “Really?” he asked.

Langa smiled reassuringly. “Really. Just…” he trailed off for a moment. “Don’t shut me out. Please.”

Despite the time that had passed, Langa still couldn’t quite forget their first big fight. He still remembered the defeated look on Reki’s face as the rain enveloped them both. Hearing the pain in Reki’s voice killed him, and skating without him during that time was nearly worse. No texts, no calls, no Reki. Even if they were okay now, Langa still worried that one day Reki might pull away from him again.

But Reki smiled back. “Don’t even worry about it, dude. You couldn’t get rid of me even if you tried.”

Langa let out a quick laugh and placed a hand on Reki’s shoulder, jokingly pushing him to the side. For a brief moment, he could have sworn he saw Reki blush at the contact. He thought back to earlier when he placed his hand against Reki’s to stop his anxious tapping. The way Reki had instantly frozen reminded Langa of his own reactions yesterday — how he tensed up at his friend’s closeness.

But surely, this was different. Reki was likely just caught off guard by the sudden motion, which is why his face had flushed red; why he had tensed up; why his pulse had seemed to race under Langa’s fingers.

Langa tried not to read into things, but a part of him couldn’t help but wonder if it meant something more. There was a tiny spark inside him that thought, maybe Reki feels the same way , though there was nothing he could do about it. 

He knew he couldn’t get his hopes up, and he certainly knew he couldn’t let his newfound feelings ruin their friendship. Reki wasn’t delicate, and Langa didn’t have to tiptoe around their relationship as if one small move would throw the whole thing out of balance. But he still wanted to be careful.

He would keep these feelings guarded forever if it meant Reki would stay by his side.

-

By lunchtime, Reki appeared to be somewhat back to his normal self. He was talking more, at least, and his chopstick drumming seemed to come from a place of energy rather than pure anxiety.

Although Langa told himself he would be patient, he couldn’t help but ask in between bites of food, “How are you feeling?”

Reki ceased his drumming for a moment. “Hm?” he asked, looking to Langa. He sounded genuinely confused.

“Um, I mean, compared to this morning,” Langa said, tentatively.

A look of realization swept over Reki’s face as if he had entirely forgotten about it already. “Oh, right! Yeah, I’m good, just some weird dream I had last night.” He used his chopsticks for their intended purpose as he picked up a portion of rice. “Sorry for freaking out so much.”

Langa nodded as a form of reassurance, but his mind replayed Reki’s words. A weird dream? Maybe that was just another half-given excuse, like his comment about coffee earlier that morning. Or maybe…

“What was your dream about?” Langa found himself asking.

Reki paused his chewing and briefly made eye contact with Langa, before looking away just as quickly. He swallowed. When he spoke again, his voice sounded a little strained, “Um, you know, just normal dream stuff. Weird, normal dream stuff, I mean.”

Langa raised an eyebrow. “Like, when your teeth fall out?”

“Yep!” Reki replied, almost too quickly. “They were falling out all over the place! Crazy stuff, man, I don’t know how our brains come up with it.” He immediately shoved more food in his mouth.

Langa wasn’t sure if he believed it, but he didn’t pressure Reki any further. Maybe he still didn’t want to talk about it. After all, he was still acting a bit strange. He had been bouncing his leg more than usual, and also didn’t seem to want to initiate any closeness. He hadn’t even asked Langa if he could have a bite of his lunch. Reki always asked for Langa’s food.

Despite feeling a bit uneasy about the whole thing, Langa continued to wait. He figured Reki would come to him when he was ready.

Or maybe, he really did just have a weird dream. Well, having your teeth fall out would be jarring, but did it really warrant the reaction Reki had this morning? Maybe he wasn’t lying about the dream, but about the contents. 

Langa replayed the last two days in his mind. Dreaming of kissing Reki and immediately feeling conflicted; tensing up at Reki’s touch, like Reki did this morning; staring at Reki more than usual, just how Reki had been looking at him in class; getting lost in his own thoughts, like how Reki had been all day ―

He could feel that spark of hope ignite in him again. Stop, Langa told himself, there’s no way Reki had a dream about kissing you. You’re just projecting your own feelings onto him.

But he swore he knew that look in Reki’s eyes when he caught him staring; it was the same look Langa wore yesterday ― and today ― when he watched Reki and imagined what his lips would truly feel like against his own.

He thought he recognized the blush that crept over Reki’s cheeks when Langa smiled or placed a gentle hand on him, because it mirrored his own.

Maybe Reki had been acting so unusual because his entire worldview had been shifted, just like Langa’s.

He recalled their first interaction that day, when Langa was waiting outside of Reki’s house and overheard him mention something about kissing. At the time, Langa paid no mind to it, figuring it was some typical Kyan sibling conversation he had no concept of how to navigate. But could it have had something to do with Reki’s dream last night?

As hard as Langa tried to extinguish the flame of hope inside of him, he couldn’t. It was all too convenient. The mention of a kiss, Reki’s sporadic morning text message, the stares, the blushing, the restlessness, Reki admitting to having some sort of weird dream ―

Wait. Reki thought his dream was weird ? 

So, then, maybe Reki didn’t dream of Langa at all. Or worse, he did , and Reki was completely unsettled by the thought of being close with Langa. Of kissing him.

Of course he was, why wouldn’t he be? Reki probably didn’t see Langa as anything other than his best friend, so the idea of being romantic with him would only gross him out.

No wonder he had been acting so strange all day. His reactions to Langa made complete sense now; they weren’t ones of shyness, or infatuation, or hope. He was totally freaked out by the whole thing.

Langa felt the flame die.

Why did he ever really think there was a chance? It was senseless. He wanted it so badly, he had convinced himself that somehow, someway Reki felt the same way he did. He realized now that he couldn’t have been more wrong.

“Hey, Langa?” Reki’s voice pulled him out of his downward spiral.

He looked at his best friend. “Yeah?” he asked, trying not to let his voice give anything away.

Reki pointed to Langa’s half-eaten lunch. “Are you gonna finish that?”

Langa was completely at a loss for anything other than shock after his revelation. He simply shook his head and gestured for Reki to take it.

“Sweet! Thanks, man.”

Langa stared, unmoving, as Reki helped himself and began raving about how Langa’s mom always made the best meals.

But it was all background noise to Langa. He finally realized now that he truly did have feelings for his best friend. A small part of him had wondered if maybe his emotions were still being influenced by the dream, but that wasn’t the case. This affection was authentic, yet now he understood that there was truly no possibility of reciprocation. It weighed on his heart more than he would have realized.

He slowly tuned back into reality, and listened to Reki go on about a new movie trailer he had just seen. He was talking about how the two of them should go see it together because it looked “totally hilarious.”

“Well, maybe you wouldn’t think it was as funny as me,” Reki said. “But that’s okay, it just makes it that much better. You always stare at the screen like it’s a projection of paint drying while I try to explain the joke, it’s awesome.”

Although Langa knew Reki was weirded out at the idea of being romantic with him, he noticed that he didn’t seem to mind still being friends. Maybe things would be okay. As long as Langa didn’t let his inner feelings show, and as long as he didn’t allow his deepest desires to get in the way, things could be normal again.

The last thing he wanted to do was scare Reki off.

It was just a little crush, anyway. Now that he was certain Reki didn’t feel the same way, it would be easier to move on. At least it was better than holding onto a false sense of hope.

He would let himself feel bad about the whole thing later, when he was alone. But for now, Langa knew he just had to go back to doing what he did best: being Reki’s best friend, and nothing more.

-

The week proceeded to unfold without incident. Langa managed to keep his pining to himself; or rather, he at least made sure Reki never noticed when he was gazing at him longingly. 

The two of them stood facing each other on opposite sides of the counter at Dope Sketch. Their notebooks were laid out in front of them, but had been open to the same set of pages for the better part of an hour. Langa stared at the words in front of him, trying to decipher his rushed and still largely unimproved handwriting.

“Okay, what’s the next topic?” Reki asked as he fiddled with a fingerboard. It was a surprisingly slow day at the shop for a Friday afternoon, but it gave the two of them a chance to brush up on studying. Langa had been attempting to quiz Reki on English vocabulary, but they both seemed to be getting increasingly distracted.

“Um, I think it’s ‘then’ versus ‘than’, like when to use each one,” Langa responded.

Reki groaned, tossing his head back. “You literally just said the same word twice.”

“Well, one is an adverb and the other is a preposition, or a conjunction, or something.”

“Conjunction?” Reki repeated.

“Yeah,” Langa said, “like the song from Schoolhouse Rock.”

Reki stared at him. “You lost me, dude.” The fingerboard slipped out from under his hand and tumbled onto the floor on Langa’s side of the counter.

“You don’t know Schoolhouse Rock?” Langa asked as he reached down to retrieve the toy. “It’s like this educational show from America, but we watched it in Canada, too. Well, at my school at least.”

Langa stood and offered the board to Reki, which was placed delicately in his palm. 

“Thanks, man,” Reki said. Langa watched as Reki’s hand made its way to his, their fingers brushing ever so slightly as Reki retrieved the fingerboard. Langa’s heart skipped a beat, though he managed not to let it show. Reki, on the other hand, inhaled sharply at the contact. It was so quiet Langa almost didn’t notice. He quickly looked up to Reki’s face, who was staring down at their grazing hands, cheeks flushed.

“What’s wrong?” Langa asked.

He expected Reki to jump back like usual, proclaiming that everything was fine in a louder-than-intended voice. But Reki glanced up at him and said faintly, “Nothing, um, your hand is just… softer than I expected. It’s nice.” He slowly retracted his hand and began inspecting the fingerboard.

Langa was stunned. He thought he had mastered the art of suppressing his blushes, but he could feel his cheeks warming to match Reki’s. He felt a bit lightheaded, partly from the tenderness of Reki’s voice and partly from a lingering sense of confusion. He knew Reki had felt his hands before; he had bandaged them and high-fived them more times than he could count. Something about this time must have been different, though he wasn’t quite sure why.

He quickly closed his notebook and desperately tried to shake away the feeling of fondness growing in his chest. He changed the subject, asking Reki, “Do you wanna watch some?”

Reki placed the fingerboard in his pocket. “Hm? Watch some what?”

“Schoolhouse Rock,” Langa said. “They have it on YouTube, it’s really entertaining. Plus it might help your English.”

“Hey, my English is great!” Reki insisted.

Langa switched languages as he said, “You make my heart race every time you look at me. I wish I could kiss you just once.”

Reki stared at him, brows furrowed in concentration and uncertainty.

“What did I just say?” Langa asked in Japanese.

“Um, you really want to go for a walk right now?” he guessed. “Wait, no, you think I’m super dope and I’m the best skater ever. That’s what you said.” Reki leaned forward onto his hands and flashed Langa a cheesy grin.

Langa laughed. “Good guess, but no. Come on, we’re watching the ‘Conjunction Junction’ episode,” he said as he started pulling out his phone.

Reki hopped across the counter, meeting Langa on his side. “What! No fair, you gotta tell me what you actually said,” Reki demanded as he poked at Langa’s shoe with his own.

Langa softly kicked him back as he responded, “No way. Get better at the language and then I won’t have to tell you.”

Reki sighed dramatically. “You’re literally in class with me, you know they just teach us the bare minimum. I’ll be lucky if I can write a complicated sentence before graduation.”

“Sucks for you,” Langa said teasingly. He started the YouTube video before Reki could interject again.

Langa propped his phone up and leaned onto the counter with folded arms. Reki followed suit and watched the video with intense fascination. Langa tried not to notice the way their sides brushed up against one another.

As soon as the song began, Reki burst into laughter. “What the hell is this?” he asked.

“The best thing ever made,” Langa replied.

They stood together as the video played out, Langa pointing out various words and translating them for Reki who would respond with, “I know what the word ‘and’ means, Langa.”

“Just making sure,” he said, pushing against him gently. Reki elbowed him back without force.

“I have no idea what they’re singing, though,” Reki said.

They both continued staring at the screen, not wanting to miss a moment of entertainment, as Langa said, “Well, the main part of the song is ‘Conjunction junction, what’s your function?’”

Reki looked over to Langa, confused.

“You know, like a train junction,” Langa explained.

Reki only raised his eyebrow further.

Langa tried again. “It’s teaching you how to put words together, basically.”

Reki looked back to Langa’s phone as the video reached its conclusion. “Okay, well, I’m pretty sure ‘than’ wasn’t even in that song.”

Langa retrieved his phone and began scrolling through other episodes. “I think it’s meant for younger kids, so it was probably too complicated.”

“And you expect me to know how to use it?” Reki asked, astounded.

Langa laughed unexpectedly. “Fair point,” he said. He selected a video and repositioned his phone. He looked to Reki as he said, “This one is a classic.”

“What’s this one about? The alphabet?” Reki asked jokingly.

Langa rolled his eyes. “No, it’s about the government, not English. But it’s iconic, so we have to watch it.”

“You’re ridiculous,” Reki commented with a note of affection in his voice. “I can’t believe you used to watch these in school.”

“Not often,” Langa said, “just when the teacher was bored, I think.”

Reki nodded. They both turned their full attention to the video that played in front of them, contently enjoying each other’s company. A drawing of the White House sprawled across Langa’s screen as the music began.

After a few moments of silence, Reki commented, “You have a nice laugh, by the way.”

Langa looked at him. “Me?” he asked, though he knew there was no one else Reki could have been referring to.

“Yeah,” Reki responded. He didn’t look away from the phone. “I just wanted to tell you, I guess.”

That same feeling of fondness swept through Langa’s body again, making his chest ache with longing. He was confused by Reki’s sudden endearment, but he didn’t try to dissect his words to find a deeper, hidden meaning. He knew he would only break his own heart by doing so.

Instead he responded with, “Thanks,” as he turned his gaze back to the video, though he wasn’t really watching it anymore. “You have a nice laugh, too,” he added.

“You think so?” Reki asked softly.

Langa paused for a moment, debating on how to approach the conversation. He didn’t want to come off too strong. He didn’t want to scare Reki away, the person who meant the most to him, and for who he would do anything to keep close.

Langa recognized now that his feelings for Reki terrified him a little. They were so much bigger and all-encompassing than anything else he had felt before. They were powerful — and Langa wasn’t sure if they would make their relationship stronger or break it entirely.

But Reki was tough, and he was brave. Especially now. If Reki had the courage to tell Langa that his hands were soft and his laugh was nice, without a fear of intimacy, then Langa could be strong too.

He could be brave.

“Yeah, I do,” he said. “It’s radiant, like you, and I think that’s beautiful.”

He heard Reki let out a quiet, stifled laugh next to him. “When did you become so poetic?” he asked.

Langa shrugged, but smiled faintly at the comment. “I’m just saying how I feel.”

“Well, thanks,” Reki said, nudging Langa with his elbow.

Langa nudged him back, and then reached forward to grab his phone. “What did you think of that one?” he asked Reki, referencing the finished YouTube video.

“Not as good as the other one. What was it called again?”

“‘Conjunction Junction,’” Langa responded, “I’ll send you the link.”

“Thanks, man,” Reki said. “Hey, do you wanna come over for dinner tonight?” he asked, suddenly.

Langa looked at him, eyes slightly wide. He usually went to Reki’s multiple times a week, but Reki hadn’t asked since their day at the skate park earlier that week, when Langa declined. 

Langa knew why he did it, and he didn’t necessarily regret the decision. But was he really ready to face that now? It had only been a few days, and despite his best efforts to conceal his flustered face and not fumble his words, his desire for Reki was as overwhelming as ever.

But he knew if he refused now, he would probably never say yes again. The fear of vulnerability would keep growing, and if he wanted to maintain their friendship, he had to stop running eventually.

Be brave, he told himself. Be like Reki.

“Yeah, I’d love to,” he responded.

“Sweet!” Reki said, pumping a fist into the air. “Plus, you’ll be able to stay late since it’s the weekend.”

Langa blushed, “Sounds good.”

Reki glanced at his phone to check the time. “Oops, we were supposed to clock out ten minutes ago. I guess time really does fly when you’re having fun.”

“We should probably get going then,” Langa noted.

“Yeah,” Reki replied, tearing his Dope Sketch shirt off from over his hoodie. “Don’t forget to text your mom, by the way,” he told Langa.

Langa smiled at Reki’s thoughtfulness. “I won’t,” he said.

The two boys grabbed their boards from behind the counter, quickly popping their heads into Oka’s office to say goodbye before leaving through the front door.

As they rode to Reki’s house, Langa lifted his head toward the sky, feeling the warmth of the afternoon sun surrounding him like a pleasant embrace. The September breeze whipped around him, igniting the euphoria that he only felt when he was skating.

He wished every day could be like this. Most days were, even when the temperatures dropped or the demands of school increased. But he never wanted to take these days with Reki for granted. He was fearful that everything might change; whether suddenly or gradually, it made no difference. Losing Reki would mean losing his passion entirely, so he skated every day like it might be his last chance to experience something so exceptional.

Fortunately, his anxieties surrounding the upcoming evening with Reki faded away as they skated alongside one another, even as they approached his front door. Langa realized now that tonight would be no different than any other night spent in Reki’s kitchen or behind his bedroom door. Though his feelings for his best friend had been cast in a new light, that didn’t mean anything would be fundamentally different.

Langa felt a new easiness settle in his chest as the two of them entered Reki’s home. He took out his phone and texted his mom.

-

After a pleasant dinner with the Kyan family, which included poutine in Langa’s honor, the two boys withdrew to Reki’s room for what Reki described as “a breakthrough of epic proportions."

Langa slowly slid Reki’s door closed behind him as he examined the state of his surroundings. Reki’s room was always a bit disordered, with hoodies tossed absentmindedly over his bed frame and skateboard parts tucked into bookcase shelves. Langa often found it endearing — the room was a pure reflection of Reki’s mind. 

Today, however, the disorganization had reached a level Langa had never seen before. Skateboard magazines covered every surface inch of Reki’s desk, while half-finished water bottles and crumpled pieces of paper covered most of the floor. 

“What is all this?” Langa asked, dumbfounded.

Reki gestured for Langa to join him where he stood rummaging through his closet.

“So, you know that board I was talking about earlier this week? The one I had to replace?” Reki asked.

Langa’s mind was blank as he approached Reki. He didn’t remember; it must have been the topic of one of Reki’s tangents that Langa had accidentally tuned out because he couldn’t stop staring at his lips.

“Um, tell me again?” Langa suggested.

Reki laughed a little as he continued digging in his closet. “Classic Langa,” he said. “Don’t worry, I’ll help jog that memory of yours.” He reached an arm over to ruffle Langa’s hair.

Langa flushed at the gesture, positioning the strands back into place after Reki withdrew his hand. He swore he could feel the ghost of Reki’s touch lingering around his face.

Reki continued, “Basically, one of my best boards got totally wrecked, right after we left from the skate park, actually.”

“Wait, really? What happened?” Langa asked. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good, I promise,” Reki said. “Just started going too fast and had to bail at the last second. Next thing I knew, my board was rolling into the street and got completely crushed by some guy’s car.”

“Oh, man.”

“Yeah, so naturally I started on a new one right away, but I knew I had to think of the perfect paint design — dammit, where is this thing?” Reki cut himself off. He stood in front of his closet, arms crossed. Langa watched with intense focus as Reki chewed his lip in concentration.

“You know, that’s why your lips are always so chapped,” he found himself saying before he could stop.

“Huh?” Reki asked, looking over at him.

Langa sucked in a breath. “The, uh, biting,” he said quietly, gesturing to his own mouth.

Reki touched his hand to his lips. “Oh, yeah, I guess I didn’t even notice,” he responded. 

He looked to Langa’s lips, studying them. Langa swallowed. Neither of them said a word, but Langa could practically see the gears in Reki’s head turning.

Suddenly, Reki snapped his fingers as if a lightbulb had gone off. “It’s under my bed,” he realized.

Langa followed as Reki quickly crossed the room and crouched down on the floor, reaching an arm under his bed frame with haste. Langa hardly caught sight of the board before Reki retrieved it and held it behind his back, shielding the deck from view.

“So, I did a lot of brainstorming, as you can probably tell,” Reki said, using one hand to gesture to the state of the room. “But then, all of a sudden, it came to me.” He revealed the board to Langa, holding it out in front of him with the desk design facing out.

Langa analyzed it for a moment, trying to comprehend what he was seeing. The background of the deck was entirely black, with a colorful circle painted over top, placed on the left. The circle itself was splattered with shades of purple and blue, with hints of red and yellow peaking through at its base. It was incredibly well done, but Langa was a bit confused.

“Um, what is it, exactly?” he asked. “I mean, it looks great, though.”

Reki facepalmed himself. “Oh, duh! I need to show you both of them together.” He held the deck in one hand as he reached his other arm back underneath the bed and brought out a second board. This one had a white background, with a similar circle imprinted on the opposite side. This one was painted primarily reds and yellows, accented in green and orange as it circled back around.

When Reki held up both boards side by side, the circles connected to display an infinity sign.

“I made one for you, too,” Reki told him, grinning widely.

Langa looked between the two boards as a smile slowly broke out on his own face. “Reki, they’re fantastic,” he told him earnestly. 

He stepped forward to hold the board with the white background, examining it closely. 

“Do you want that one?” Reki asked. “It’s kinda the one I had in mind for you, anyway.”

Langa nodded. “How long did this take you?” he asked.

“I’ve been working on them pretty much every day this week,” Reki told him. “I just put the clear coat on this morning.”

“Wow,” Langa breathed out. He locked eyes with Reki. “Thank you so much, I love it.”

Reki blushed. “Hey, it’s no big deal,” he said a little nervously. “I’ll finish assembling them and then we can take ‘em for a spin. Maybe head to the park tomorrow night?”

“Sounds great,” Langa said, still grinning fiercely. 

His admiration for Reki swelled in his chest. He placed the deck next to Reki’s bed and stepped forward to embrace his best friend in a hug, squeezing him tightly. 

“Seriously, thank you,” he told Reki. He wanted him to know how much he meant it; how grateful he was for everything Reki did, no matter if it was simply making him smile or painting him a matching skateboard.

He felt Reki's arms wrap around him as he returned the hug. “Anytime, man,” he said.

Langa held on for a few moments more, even as the two of them settled into silence. He made note of how Reki’s frame felt when embraced with his own; how his soft hair tickled against his cheek and their chests rose and fell in synchronicity. 

He wished he could stay in Reki’s arms forever, feeling his hands wrapped securely around his back as he tucked his face into the hood of Reki’s sweater.

From the content sighs that escaped Reki’s lips, it almost sounded as if he felt the same way.

When Langa finally pulled away, there was a bit of hesitancy from them both as they slowly untangled their limbs and lingered closely in front of each other. 

Langa tucked a piece of Reki’s hair that had escaped from his headband back behind his ear. Reki picked an invisible piece of lint off of Langa’s shoulder.

With his heart racing in his chest, Langa looked to Reki’s lips and then back up to his face, only to find that Reki’s eyes were already fixated on Langa’s mouth.

He briefly licked his lips and swallowed. Be brave , he reminded himself.

“Reki—”

There was a knock at the door. “Reki? Can you open up please?” a voice asked from the hallway.

Langa stood frozen as Reki shouted back with his face bright red, “Uh, yeah! Coming, mom!” and moved quickly toward the door.

Langa was tuned out of most of the conversation, only overhearing his own name and the words “mom” and “phone.” Their verbal discussion was hardly louder than the internal monologue circulating in his brain. Was he just about to kiss Reki? To confess? Even more than that, did Reki want to kiss him too? He couldn’t have been imagining it anymore. 

It took a few seconds for Langa to notice his name was being called repeatedly from the door. “Huh?” he asked, turning his head. Reki signaled for him to come over.

As Langa approached, he noticed Reki’s mom was holding out a phone to him. “It’s your mom,” she explained. “She said you weren’t answering your calls, honey.”

Langa briefly pulled his phone out from his back pocket and glanced at the screen. She was right — two missed calls and more than a few unread text messages. “Oops,” he said. He grabbed the phone that was being extended toward him and placed it against his ear, “Hello?”

“Langa! Are you alright, sweetie? It’s getting so late, are you coming home tonight?” his mom’s voice asked.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” he answered. “Just lost track of time, I guess, sorry.”

“It’s okay, dear. But make your way back soon, okay? It’s getting dark outside.”

“Okay, yeah, I’m on my way.”

He returned the phone to Reki’s mom, who retreated back down the hallway.

“I have to go,” Langa told Reki.

Reki looked visibly disappointed. “Oh, yeah, I guess it’s getting pretty late, huh?”

Langa nodded. “But we’ll go to the park tomorrow, right?” he asked.

The solemn look on Reki’s face quickly shifted into a grin. “Yes!” he said. “Just as soon as I finish putting the boards together. It might take some time but we’ll go, I promise.” He held out his pinky.

Langa smiled and extended his finger, linking the two of them. “Can’t wait,” he said.

He turned to leave when he heard Reki call out from behind him, “Hold on!”

Langa looked back, puzzled. Reki was rummaging through his drawers, tossing out old shirts and tattered jeans.

“What’s up?” Langa asked.

Reki approached him, holding out a balled-up sweatshirt. “It’s cold out there,” he said, not elaborating further.

Langa raised an eyebrow, looking from the attire to Reki, who was staring at the floor. “You want me to take this?” Langa asked.

He saw Reki roll his eyes. “Ugh, dude, yes! It’s not a big deal, I swear.” He extended his arms out further, nudging Langa with the piece of clothing.

Langa swallowed as he reached out and accepted the hoodie. He unfolded it from its crumpled state and realized it was one of Reki’s favorites, with a dark blue gear in the middle surrounded by purple fabric. He put it on and noticed it smelled like Reki. He blushed.

“Thanks,” he said quietly, examining how the sleeves stopped halfway down his forearms.

“Oh yeah, uh, might be a little small on you. Since you’re, like, taller and stuff.” Reki said nervously. 

Langa looked up and saw Reki fiddling with his own hoodie strings, his cheeks dusted red.

“Right,” Langa replied. “Well, um, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He held out his hand for a fist bump.

Reki hit their knuckles together. “Yeah, for sure! I’ll text you.”

Langa nodded, grabbing his board from near Reki’s door.

“Be safe,” Reki added.

Langa looked to him and smiled faintly, “I will.” 

He slowly shut the door behind him, his mind swarming with thoughts of Reki’s lingering touches and infectious grins.

He clutched the sweatshirt a little tighter around his chest.

-

Saturday was moving at an agonizingly slow pace. It was only three o’clock in the afternoon, yet Langa felt as though he had lived through an entire week already.

The only information he had received from Reki all day was a few texts sent hastily in the early morning, before Langa had even woken up.

8:05 a.m.

HEYYY ok so i should be finishing up the boards before noon but then i have to watch my sisters while my mom is out sooo i’ll text you when i can go to the park :P

10:12 a.m.

Attachment: 1 Image

THEY’RE DONE!! :00 can’t wait to try them out tonight <3

10:45 a.m.

OUR WIFI IS LITERALLY OUT i’m sending this from the roof somehow. it should be fixed later?? idk I’LL TEXT U

Needless to say, an afternoon spent without a word from Reki was painfully dull.

Langa tried his best to pass the time. He had made himself lunch, watched television with his mom, and even attempted to complete some neglected assignments.

But even while he was scribbling down incomprehensible math problems, his mind was flooded with thoughts of skating, and Reki, and skating with Reki. He checked his phone for the tenth time that minute. Nothing.

Was Reki’s Internet really having issues, or was he just ignoring Langa? Surely, it couldn’t have been the latter. But maybe Langa had been too forward the night before. Maybe he had freaked Reki out with the longing glances and gentle touches, and now Reki was making excuses to get out of seeing Langa again. Really, what were the chances that he had to watch his sisters on a Saturday?

Langa held up the collar of Reki’s purple sweatshirt, which he had yet to remove since it was gifted to him, and inhaled. It still smelled like Reki’s shampoo, and Langa felt his tight shoulders loosen a little. He could give Reki the benefit of the doubt, for now.

Suddenly, he heard a soft tapping at his bedroom door that he recognized as his mom’s.

“Come in,” he said.

She slid open the door and leaned in from the hallway as Langa turned to face her. “Wow, you’re actually doing homework?” she commented teasingly.

“I guess so,” he replied.

“Well, time to put the books away,” she said, “there’s a surprise waiting for you outside.”

“A surprise?” he echoed. He tried to remember if he had ordered any packages recently.

“Might wanna grab your bag,” she added as she left the doorway almost as quickly as she had come.

Puzzled, Langa complied and grabbed his skating bag from beside his bed, abandoning a handful of notebooks on his desk.

He checked the time as he slowly dragged himself to the front door. He was never really one for surprises, especially when it was now six in the evening and he still had yet to hear anything from his best friend.

Langa opened the door.

Outside, just inches away from his own face, stood Reki. The shorter boy held up two finished skateboards, one in each hand, and had the biggest grin on his face Langa had ever seen. He was also sweating.

“Langa!” Reki practically shouted. “I’m so sorry! I tried texting you like ten times, and our Internet it just— I mean it wouldn’t— I wanted to—” he stammered, gasping out air in between words.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay,” Langa said, taking the boards from Reki’s arms and leading him inside. “Sit down, you need to catch your breath.”

Langa gathered a cold glass of water from the kitchen as Reki settled himself down at the table.

“Thanks, man,” Reki said, downing the water faster than Langa could comprehend.

“Um, no problem,” he responded. Langa sat down at the seat opposite Reki. “So, what were you saying? About the texting thing?”

“Right!” Reki said, facepalming himself. “I tried texting you as soon as I was done babysitting, but my phone still wasn’t sending anything! I didn’t even think to come here in person until, like, five minutes ago, but I was worried you wouldn’t wanna go skating anymore. So, I dunno, I just came here as fast as I could, as you can probably tell,” he said, gesturing to himself. 

Langa opened his mouth to speak, but Reki continued. “And now, oh God, all my messages are probably coming through right now since I’m connected to your WiFi. That’s so embarrassing.” Reki threw the hood of his sweatshirt up, pulling the strings shut tight.

Langa took a quick glance at his phone and, sure enough, Reki’s messages from over the past few hours began flooding in.

11:01 a.m.

ughh i don’t think anything is gonna send

11:03 a.m.

SENDDDD OMG

11:05 a.m.

ok i’m just gonna text you later and see if it’s fixed

2:34 p.m.

I’M DONE BABYSITTING!!! lmk when you wanna go to the park! :D

2:35 p.m.

omg ur lying it's still not sending

3:07 p.m.

test

4:22 p.m.

test

are you kidding me

5:00 p.m.

sooo i’m gonna have an early dinner and hopefully by the time im done the internet will be fixed smh

5:50 p.m.

I’M SO DUMB I COULDVE JUST GONE TO YOUR HOUSE THIS ENTIRE TIME LMAO OK IM ON MY WAY

Langa found himself smiling at the screen, then giggling, then bursting into full-body laughter as he finished reading through Reki’s messages.

Reki looked up from across the table, attempting to reach for Langa’s phone as he held it out of arm’s reach. “It’s not that funny, dude!” he said.

“Yes,” Langa said between laughs, “it is.”

Reki sat fully back in his seat, crossing his arms and turning away with a pout.

“Aw, Reki, come on,” Langa insisted.

Reki responded by shifting even further away from Langa, attempting to appear as upset as possible.

Langa propped his arms up on the table, resting his head in his hands. “You’re cute when you’re mad,” he added, teasingly.

He meant it, but Reki didn’t have to know that.

But he knew it must have gotten his attention, because Reki perked his head up almost instantly. He slowly turned toward Langa, avoiding eye contact as he said lightly, “Shut up, man.”

Langa grinned sheepishly, watching as Reki slowly lowered his hood from over his head and smiled to himself.

Seeing Reki under the soft kitchen lighting, sitting at the table as if he belonged there, made Langa’s heart press against his chest. Reki’s wide, amber eyes slowly scanned the kitchen, looking anywhere except Langa’s face. But Langa couldn’t imagine pulling his eyes away from Reki even if he tried. His cheeks were dusted pink and covered in minor scuffs and bruises. Langa wondered what it would be like to kiss each aching part of Reki’s face, entangling his hands in his soft, red curls.

Langa accidentally let a long, dreamy sigh escape from his lips.

“Hm?” Reki asked, finally meeting Langa’s eyes.

Langa blushed furiously, placing his hands awkwardly in his lap and searching for something to say. “Um, do you still wanna go skating?” he asked.

Reki glanced at his phone, presumably checking the time. “Oh, yeah, we should probably head out soon before it gets dark, huh?”

Langa nodded, standing abruptly and grabbing the boards he had leaned against the wall. He took a moment to study the finished products. “You did a great job, Reki,” he couldn’t help commenting.

“Hah, thanks, man,” Reki responded as he took his own board from Langa’s outstretched hand. “If you beat me to the park, you don’t have to pay me!” he joked as he flung Langa’s front door open and hurried out into the street.

“Wait, what?” Langa asked, attempting to catch up. He turned to call back out into the house, “Be home later, mom!” as he swiftly closed the door and followed Reki’s trail.

-

Despite Langa’s efforts to surpass Reki, he did not reach the skatepark first.

After sliding to a stop and trying to catch his breath, he was greeted by the sight of Reki lounging in the grass, leaning back onto his forearms. 

“Glad you could finally join me,” he said jokingly as Langa towered over him.

“How did you get here so fast?

Reki shrugged. “I know a shortcut.”

“From my house?” Langa asked, confused.

Reki stood. He was hardly four centimeters shorter than Langa when they were on equal footing, but the uneven terrain of grass positioned him several inches above his best friend now. Langa swallowed as he looked up to meet Reki’s gaze, who flashed him a toothy grin.

Langa thought he might pass out.

“Enough questions, man,” Reki declared, “it’s time to skate.” 

In a flash, he sped toward the concrete, pushing off onto the nearest quarter pipe to start warming up. Langa waited for a moment, taking in the sight of Reki’s hair whipping around him as he maneuvered his board around the park in his own skilled, experienced way.

Langa knew that Reki didn’t even have to think about technique or calculation as he skated and completed tricks, it was second nature to him now. Reki skated because it was fun , and it was evident by the wide grin that never left his face while he was on a board.

As Reki pushed up the quarter pipe and performed an aerial trick, Langa could see a flash of the underside of his board. The vibrant circle clashed against the darkly painted background as the design was illuminated under the slowly setting sun. Langa felt his heartstrings being pulled when he remembered how their boards combined to form a completed infinity sign.

Reki had truly taught him everything he knew. He owed him the world, but Reki was simply satisfied with Langa’s friendship and part of his lunches.

Langa kicked off on his own board and joined Reki on the pavement. Reki high-fived him as he passed, shouting, “Show me whatcha got Snow!” before continuing on his ascent up the opposite quarter pipe.

The two of them fell into a rhythm of skating opposite each other, performing various tricks on each quarter pipe before pushing off toward the next, passing one another on the long stretch of concrete. With every pass they would high-five, or fist bump, or attempt to complete their dap as quickly as possible. Reki would try to poke Langa in his side; Langa would nearly make Reki fall off of his board by extending his leg out in front of him.

They enjoyed each other’s company in silence, aside from an occasional escaped laugh or teasing remark. Langa was content with basking in only the sound of the wheels underneath him and the wind in his ears. But even still, skating alone was never the same as skating with Reki. Even if they didn’t speak, or only saw each other in quick blurs of motion, the energy was different. Warmer, more comforting. The skating said everything they couldn’t express with words.

As the sun set further toward the horizon, the park began to glow in shades of orange and yellow, casting pleasant shadows onto everything the light touched. Langa felt relaxed from the inside out, even as the temperature dropped.

He watched as Reki shifted his attention over to the blue set of stairs, grinding along the edge of the steps and attempting to complete an assortment of new tricks. Langa giggled as he witnessed Reki fumble over his board more than once, and he couldn’t stop the snort that escaped when the board slipped fully out from underneath his best friend.

“Wowww, at least ask if I’m okay before you make fun of me!” Reki said, lying completely parallel to the ground and staring up at the sky.

Reki’s abandoned board slowly rolled toward Langa, who stopped it with his foot as it approached. “Are you okay?” he echoed, still laughing softly.

Reki stood up and brushed invisible dirt off of his jeans in an overly dramatic fashion. “Better than ever,” he replied.

Langa rolled his eyes half-heartedly. “If you need help, you can just ask,” he told Reki, pushing the board back in his direction.

Reki kicked the board back up into his hand. “I am perfectly capable, thank you very much,” he insisted.

Langa knew he was only pretending to be offended, but he couldn’t help going along with Reki’s antics. He stuck his tongue out toward Reki in response, who flipped him off moments later. The gesture was the opposite of intimidating.

Langa shook his head softly to himself as he skated away, pushing his way toward the nearby funbox.

As the evening progressed, the two of them practiced independently, Langa perfecting his varial flip and Reki trying to follow along with a YouTube tutorial on the other side of the park. Sometimes, Reki had Langa record him to review his progress. Occasionally, they took breaks and challenged each other to ollie over various objects (Langa won), or balance one-footed on their boards (Reki won), or climb the tallest tree (they tied).

The time spent together was refreshing, to say the least. Langa felt his anxieties from the past week slowly melt away with each push off the concrete. All the overthinking about Reki and the nature of their relationship seemed insignificant compared to the time spent together now.

By the time they started to tire out, the sun was hardly visible.

Langa completed one final trick and retreated back toward the grass, rummaging through his skating bag until he found a pristine, unopened water bottle. He hadn’t realized just how dehydrated he was until the bottle cap met his lips. As he chugged, water spilled down his chin and below his neck, which he hastily attempted to wipe away with the sleeves of his hoodie. He reminded himself to wash it before he gave it back to Reki.

At that moment, the undeniable sound of a skateboard crash echoed throughout the park.

Langa whipped his head around to find Reki collapsed in front of one of the quarter pipes, his skateboard slowly rolling away from him. Langa rushed over, kneeling down to assess the damage.

He exhaled a sigh of relief as he realized there didn’t immediately appear to be any broken bones. Still, he couldn’t help shaking his best friend gently and asking repetitively, “Reki? Reki, are you okay?”

Reki groaned as he slowly rose to a seated position, pressing his palms against his forehead. “M’fine,” he mumbled.

Langa lightly grasped Reki’s wrists, pulling his hands away from his face to examine it. The sides of his face were covered with various scratches and scuff marks, and bruises were already beginning to appear in multiple places. Langa placed his fingers against Reki’s forehead and felt a bump slowly starting to form.

He took Reki’s hands in his own and noticed several cuts visible along the bottom of his palms, presumably from when he tried to break his fall. 

“Roll up your pant legs,” Langa instructed him. “I need to check for injuries.”

Reki complied, shuffling the denim material up his legs until it rested just above his knees. His calves were only covered in a few minor scuffs and bruises, but Langa noticed a large gash visible on his right knee.

“Reki, you’re bleeding,” Langa told him.

Reki looked down to where Langa was referencing. “Oh, yeah, whaddya know?”

“Are you feeling alright? Are you gonna pass out? Wait, stay here, I’ll get my first aid kit.”

Without waiting for an answer, Langa returned to where his bag had been abandoned in the grass, bringing it back over to Reki and retrieving the first aid kit his mom always made sure he packed.

“By the way, I’m not gonna pass out,” Reki said when Langa arrived. “At least, I don’t think so.”

“You don’t sound very confident,” Langa commented. He removed a clean cloth from the plastic container and pressed it against Reki’s wound to stop the bleeding. “What even happened?” he asked.

“Um, I was finishing up one last trick on the pipe and just sort of missed the landing. I tumbled basically the whole way down,” Reki said.

Langa winced at the thought. “What trick was it?”

At this question, Reki looked away, seemingly embarrassed as he responded, “A kickflip.”

Langa looked up at him in disbelief. “A kickflip? You’re, like, an expert on those.”

“I know, I know, I was just sort of… distracted I guess.”

Langa felt confused but continued cleaning the injury. He poured the leftover contents of his water bottle over the wound before telling Reki, “This might sting a little bit,” and applying an antibiotic ointment.

Reki sucked in a breath. “A little ?”

“Come on, don’t be so dramatic,” Langa replied, playfully.

Reki scoffed. “Did you see that fall I just had?! I think I’m being perfectly reasonable.”

Langa grinned as he said, “See? You’re feeling better already.”

“Whatever,” Reki mumbled, but Langa saw him smile faintly to himself.

They sat in silence together for a few moments as Langa retrieved a roll of gauze from the first aid kit. He slowly began wrapping Reki’s knee, carefully supporting his leg and making sure not to irritate the other small scratches that were visible. 

As he finished, Reki unrolled his pant legs and asked, “Man, how do you know all this stuff?”

Langa directed his attention towards Reki’s hands, applying pressure to the cuts just as before. “My dad gave me a lot of first aid training when we went snowboarding together,” he answered.

Reki nodded. “Makes sense.”

As he continued dressing the wounds, Langa noticed Reki beginning to hum a familiar melody.

“Is that… ‘Conjunction Junction’?”

“Yeah! It’s so catchy, I haven’t been able to stop listening. Plus, you did say I need to practice my English. I think I’ve actually gotten better, listen.”

Langa’s body shook with laughter as Reki began to sing the song out loud. Despite barely being able to hold a tune, Langa had to admit that his pronunciation had gotten better.

“So? What did you think? Pretty good, right?” Reki asked, wiggling an eyebrow at Langa.

Langa’s giggling continued as he said, “Not sure if you’d be headlining any tours, but still decent.” 

Reki shoved a leg out toward Langa. “Rude!”

“I’m kidding,” Langa said, beginning to cover the cuts with gauze. “Your English wasn’t bad at all.”

“Just as I thought.”

Langa resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He continued wrapping Reki’s palm, delicately holding his hands in his own. He tried not to imagine what it would be like to hold them all the time, to trace the lines on his palms and kiss his knuckles.

Hardly a moment of daydreaming had passed before Reki stated, “You’re still wearing my hoodie.”

His comment was said with surprise, and something else Langa couldn’t quite place. “Um, yeah. It’s really comfy,” he admitted. “You just noticed?”

Reki nodded. “Yeah, I guess so,” he said softly. 

Langa was suddenly very aware of the material that wrapped his frame, of how it still smelled like Reki despite Langa wearing it to bed and all throughout their skating session. He realized that even with their difference in build, the sweatshirt hardly felt restricting. It felt like coming home after a long day; it felt like being enveloped in a warm, familiar hug.

It felt like being held in Reki’s arms.

Langa felt his face grow hot as he finished dressing Reki’s deeper wounds. He quickly grabbed a handful of various Band-Aids and began applying them to the smaller cuts and scabs along Reki’s hands. 

He tried not to think about how close the two of them were — both of them now sitting in criss-crossed positions, their knees pressed together and faces mere inches apart.

Langa managed to keep his hands steady as he wrapped bandages around Reki’s calloused fingers, though his heart and mind were racing. 

The emotions that had been building up inside of him for the past week were at the risk of bubbling over. He thought about the stolen glances; the times he stared at Reki and caught him staring back. He remembered the brief, lingering touches. The hugs that lasted a bit too long but never long enough.

He thought about the hands he was so gently navigating, and how he yearned to feel Reki’s fingers interlocking with his own; combing through his hair; pressing against his face as they whispered to each other in the dark. 

Suddenly, it was all too much: Reki teaching him how to skate, Reki remembering his favorite meals, Reki building them matching boards, Reki being his first real friend, Reki with his gorgeous eyes and infectious smile, Reki, Reki, Reki.

It was late nights spent laughing together in Langa’s room, shushing each other when they heard footsteps down the hall. It was welcoming, noisy dinners in Reki’s kitchen, shoulders pressed together at the table. It was good morning texts and good night phone calls. It was days spent at school and evenings spent at the skatepark. It was shared laughter and spilled tears, but more than anything, it was love, love, love. 

It was everything Langa could ever dream of, everything he yearned for, and it was sitting right in front of him on the cold, familiar concrete. 

Under his fingers, he swore he could feel Reki’s pulse hammering against his wrist. 

He realized they had both been quiet for a very long time.

“Reki?”

There was no immediate response. 

Be brave. 

Be like Reki. 

Langa took a deep breath. As he looked up at his best friend’s face and asked the question aloud, he heard Reki’s voice simultaneously, word for word. 

“Can I kiss you?”

The two of them shared the same surprised look on their faces, quickly turning from confusion to recognition.

“Wait, what did—”

“Can you repeat—”

“Sorry, you go first,” Langa said.

“No, no, um, you go first,” Reki replied. “Please.”

Langa swallowed nervously. If he said it once, he could say it again.

“I, uh, asked if I could kiss you,” he told Reki, a bit quieter than before.

Reki nodded slowly. “So did I,” he admitted.

Langa felt the tightness in his chest dissolve completely, as if it had never been there at all. So it really wasn’t all in his head; he hadn’t been imagining things. He hadn’t misheard Reki or misinterpreted him.

He laughed to himself a little. “Thank God,” he said.

“What?” Reki asked, confused.

Langa shook his head. “Nothing,” he said. “So, um, that means I can, right?”

“Can what?”

Langa stared at Reki for a few moments until realization flashed across his best friend’s face.

“Oh, right! Kiss me, duh!” Reki said, facepalming himself. “Uh, yes, you can. Definitely,” he added, blushing furiously.

Langa felt his cheeks warming in the same way as he placed a tentative hand on Reki’s cheek, resting the other on his uninjured knee.

“Is this okay?” he asked.

Reki nodded. His body seemed frozen in place, but his eyes spoke for him.

Langa looked down to Reki’s lips and kissed him. Reki kissed him back.

It was better than in the dream.

Reki’s lips were chapped from the autumn breeze, but soft and warm enough to reignite the flame of hope in Langa.

He felt Reki inhale sharply and place his bandaged hands against Langa’s own. When Langa pulled his lips away, Reki chased his mouth and kissed him again. And again. And again.

Langa felt himself smiling against Reki’s every kiss, heart racing in exhilaration. All he could think was, Finally, finally, finally .

All he could think of was Reki, how his lips felt as though they were always meant to be kissed by him, their hands always meant to be joined together. Langa moved the hand from Reki’s cheek into his hair, lightly weaving his fingers through the silky red strands.

Reki briefly disconnected their lips to say, “You probably don’t want to do that, my hair’s really sweaty.” He sounded breathless.

Langa chuckled softly. “It feels nice,” he said.

Reki moved both of his hands into Langa’s hair, hesitantly running his fingers from the top of his head to his neck, causing a shiver to run up Langa’s spine. “Yours feels nice too,” Reki told him.

All Langa could manage was a quiet “Thanks,” as Reki continued combing his hands through his hair.

Langa placed both of his hands against Reki’s cheeks and leaned in for another kiss before Reki interjected. “Wait, hold on.”

Langa stopped halfway to Reki’s face and looked at him, puzzled.

“So, does this mean you, y’know, like me? And stuff?” he asked Langa.

Langa returned his hands to his lap as he confessed, “Um, I mean, yeah. I do like you. A lot.”

Reki grinned wider than Langa knew was possible. “Okay, good, I do too.”

Langa smiled back. “Can I kiss you again now?”

“Wait! I have more questions. Like, how long have you known?”

“That I liked you?”

Reki nodded.

“Since earlier this week, I guess. I think I’ve liked you a lot longer than that, but I didn’t really realize it.”

Reki raised his eyebrows. “Shoot, me too. Okay, so how did you realize it?”

Langa blushed, looking away from Reki’s gaze. “Um, it’s kind of embarrassing,” he admitted.

Reki placed his hands firmly on Langa’s shoulders and shook him back and forth. “Whaat?! Come on, man, you gotta tell me! Pleaaase?”

“Okay! Okay!” Langa said, holding Reki’s hands to stop his movement. “I, uh, basically had this dream. Where we kissed.”

“Wha—”

“I know, I know, it sounds really creepy. But after I woke up I just kinda realized I had feelings for you, but I didn’t wanna weird you out so I just—”

Reki placed a finger against Langa’s lips, interrupting his sentence. His eyes were wide as he said, “Dude, I had a dream like that too.”

Langa furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean?”

“Like, I had a dream where we kissed, just earlier this week,” Reki explained. “And then I woke up and I was like, ‘Wait, do I like Langa?’ and it turns out, I do.”

Langa looked at his best friend for a few seconds, stunned. “Are you serious?”

“Yes! Dead serious! You know that day when I was acting super strange? And I said I had a weird dream?”

Of course Langa knew, because he assumed that he had freaked Reki out by acting too forward, or that Reki was totally grossed out by the thought of being anything more than friends.

“Yeah, I kinda thought you might like me too at first,” Langa told him. “But then I sort of convinced myself you wanted nothing to do with me. Like, romantically.”

“What!? Was I really that distant?” Reki covered his face with his hands. “Oh my God, I’m such an idiot.”

“No! No, Reki, you’re not an idiot,” Langa assured him, gently placing his fingers around Reki’s wrists and pulling his hands away. “ I’m the idiot. I just kept overthinking everything and trying to hide how I felt. I don’t think I did a very good job though,” he admitted.

Reki laughed a little. “Yeah, you were kinda flirty,” Reki said. “But I thought I was just reading into things. I was like, ‘There’s no way Langa likes me’ and stuff.”

“Well, I do like you.”

“Duh.”

Langa softly punched Reki in the arm.

“Hey!” Reki protested. “I just got totally injured, remember?” he said, pointing to his hands and knees.

Langa raised his hands in surrender. “How did that even happen, by the way?” he asked. “You’ve landed basically every kickflip since I’ve known you.”

“I told you! I was distracted,” Reki said, scratching the back of his neck.

Langa raised an eyebrow. “By what?”

Reki mumbled something Langa didn’t quite catch.

“What’d you say?” he asked.

“Ugh, by you, dude!” Reki groaned.

Langa was confused. “Huh?”

“I was distracted by you! You weren’t even really doing anything, just standing in the grass drinking water. But you were wearing my hoodie and then I started feeling all these butterflies and stuff and then the water started spilling and—”

“Okay, okay, I get it now, I think.” Langa cut in. “Wow, I didn’t know I had such an effect on you,” he teased.

“Shut up, man,” Reki grumbled. He pulled his knees up to his chest and wrapped his arms around his legs.

Langa laughed at the gesture. “Cute,” he commented.

Reki nudged his foot against Langa’s. “You’re cute, dude.”

“Are you still gonna call me dude even though we’re dating?”

Reki looked up at him with wide eyes. “ Are we dating?” he asked.

Langa shrugged. “If you want to,” he said, blushing. He tried to seem nonchalant, but if Reki said no, he might never recover.

Reki nodded quickly. “Yes. I do. I mean, if you want to, too.”

“Yes, absolutely.”

Reki smiled as he said, “Okay, but I’m still gonna call you dude.”

“I figured,” Langa replied.

The two of them settled into a comfortable silence, looking out over the water as the sun disappeared behind the horizon. Langa noticed Reki gradually inching himself closer to him and realized he had been doing the same. 

Slowly, their two sides came pressed together, and Reki steadily laid his head against Langa’s shoulder. He instinctively tensed up at the gesture, but quickly relaxed and interlocked Reki’s fingers with his own.

“Is… this okay?” he asked hesitantly.

He felt Reki nod against his shoulder and squeeze his hand once. Langa squeezed back.

After some time, Reki asked, “So, where exactly were we? Like, in your dream?”

Langa turned his head and pointed to the quarter pipe on the far side of the park. “Up there,” he said. “We were looking at stars and stuff, and then you asked if you could kiss me. Was yours the same?”

Reki shook his head. “We were in my room. I was getting really frustrated fixing a board and you helped distract me by showing me some videos. Then, um, you asked if you could kiss me.”

Langa smiled. “That’s sweet.” he said.

“I think yours is sweeter, man.” Reki replied. “Looking at stars is, like, super romantic.”

“Do you want to?”

Reki looked up. Langa thought he could faint just from gazing into his eyes so closely. “Want to what?” Reki asked.

Langa smiled at his sense of obliviousness. “Stargaze.”

Reki’s mouth fell open. “Really?! That would be so cool!”

“Let’s do it then.”

Reki stood and eagerly pulled them both toward the pipe, separating their hands only to climb upwards. As they settled beside one another, legs dangling over the top of the structure, Langa started pointing out as many constellations as he could remember.

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Reki watching him fondly, his smile never leaving his lips. The night breeze felt warmer. 

The weight of Reki’s gaze didn’t make Langa feel nearly as nervous as it had just yesterday. They had been entangled in each other’s personal space since they had met, but now it felt different. Better. 

It felt like this was how things were always supposed to be — hands intertwined, legs against legs, the possibility of something always present.

As Langa began describing the location of the North Star, he felt a warm pair of lips press against his cheek.

He froze mid-sentence and looked to Reki, who said quietly, “Your face is really cold.”

Langa leaned closer and kissed Reki’s cheek in return. “So is yours,” he said.

Reki giggled and pressed his hand against his own face. “That tickled.”

“Oh, really?” Langa asked, raising his eyebrows.

Reki’s eyes widened. “No, wait—”

Before Reki could move away, Langa took his face in his hands and began peppering kisses on every inch of his skin. He pressed his lips to his nose, his forehead, the corners of his eyes. Reki’s laughter made him never want to stop.

“Okay, okay!” Reki said as coherently as he could manage. “At least let me kiss you back.”

“You—” Langa started, but his words were cut short as Reki placed a hand under his chin and connected their lips, taking Langa’s breath with him.

Langa let his eyes flutter shut, savoring the feeling of Reki’s kiss. His kisses began with the intensity of finding something new, as if he was afraid Langa would disappear the second their lips disconnected. But as Langa kissed him back, they fell into a rhythm of ease. They could do this forever if they wanted to, and Langa did. He hoped Reki did too.

Hesitantly, Reki pulled away and said, “It’s getting kind of late. Should we start heading back?” He began fidgeting with his hoodie strings as he added, “I mean, if you wanna spend the night, that is. Obviously you can just go home if you want. Or whatever.”

Langa gave him a gentle smile and placed a hand on his knee. “I’d love to spend the night. Let me just text my mom.”

Reki returned his smile and said, “Okay, sweet.”

Langa slid down the quarter pipe with ease, offering his hand up to Reki. His boyfriend ( boyfriend! ) blushed, accepting his hand and following Langa down with his help.

The two of them strolled over to the grass, throwing their bags over their shoulders and retrieving their abandoned skateboards. Langa sent a quick message to his mom, letting her know he’d be back in the morning with some exciting news.

When he looked up, he saw Reki looking out at the skatepark, wearing a bittersweet expression.

“What are you thinking about?” Langa asked.

Reki looked at him. “We’ve kind of been through a lot, you know? I never knew on that day you saved my board that we’d end up here, like this.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

Reki quickly shook his head. “No, no! Not at all. It’s just funny, I think I was in love with you from the moment I saw you.”

Langa’s heart pressed against his chest. “Me too,” he said softly.

He didn’t even have to question it, and it didn’t even take him by surprise that Reki had said it so soon. Really, it wasn’t soon enough. They had been in love since Langa tried to get on Reki’s board; since the first beef at S; since Reki taught him to ollie; since their first fight and first apology and first kiss. Again and again, Langa fell in love with Reki, and Reki fell in love with him.

Langa stepped forward and pressed a kiss to Reki’s forehead. “I’m glad it ended up like this.”

Reki smiled up at him. “Me too.”

“Should we recreate your dream when we get home?”

Reki nearly squeaked. “Um! Yeah, I, uh, I think I would like that,” he said, blushing furiously. 

Langa grinned. “Okay,” he said, “but only if you beat me there.”

He took off on his board, flying in the direction of Reki’s house.

“What! Wait, wait, wait, hold on, no fair!” he heard Reki stammering, the sound of wheels hitting the ground right behind him.

Langa sped ahead, laughing to himself. 

He knew he was going to let Reki win.