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Reki didn’t expect the night to go like this. He thought that he and Langa would have their little race down the street, and they would go get some food from A&W afterward. Maybe they would go back to the skatepark and skate out the rest of their energy.
He didn’t expect to be at the bottom of this hill, lying on the ground. He definitely didn’t expect to be at the bottom of this hill, lying on the ground, with Langa hovering above him, his hair spread out around his head like a halo. It was a beautiful sight to witness, and he could feel his heart pounding out of his chest with every second he spent staring at Langa.
It had been doing that pretty often lately.
Granted, he wasn’t a complete idiot. He’d figured out exactly what it meant a few months ago, around the time he pushed himself away from everyone. What was the saying? ‘Distance makes the heart grow fonder’, or some shit? That was about the time he’d realized he was absolutely head over heels in love with his best friend.
His stupid, idiotic, reckless, beautiful, amazing, talented best friend. His Langa. His wonderful Langa that he hoped would never leave his side.
“-ki. Reki. Hey, anybody in there?”
He was drawn from his thoughts by the feeling of Langa’s knuckles gently knocking against his temple. Reki focused on his face, taking in the way his mouth tilted into a small frown, concern etching across his features and creasing the skin between his eyebrows.
He wasn’t an idiot. He wasn’t. He’d noticed how close the two of them had become. The way that they were more comfortable with each other than probably anyone else under the sun.
And so, despite every insecurity screaming at him to stop, to not fuck up the friendship he so closely treasured, he reached his hands up to cup Langa’s face and smooth out the dark circles under his eyes. He knew his own face was probably ruby red, unable to stop the flush he could feel creeping its way down his neck.
Langa’s own face flushed at the action, pink dusting his cheeks and spreading to his ears. His mouth moved like he wanted to say something, but his voice couldn’t get the words out. Reki watched the way his eyes searched his face for some explanation of any kind, and definitely didn’t miss the way they lingered for a second too long on Reki’s lips. When blue met amber yet again, Langa swallowed and opened his mouth. “Reki-”
“I love you!”
A pregnant pause hovered in the air after Reki’s outburst. Langa’s eyes had blown wide, whatever he was going to say had died on his tongue in the wake of Reki’s confession.
The silence was starting to become awkward and Reki let his hands fall away. Clenching his fists, he closed his eyes and shoved the heels of his palms into them when he felt the familiar sting of tears begin to build. A wet laugh escaped his lips.
“Hah. I can’t believe I just-” he choked out, doing his best to hold back the sobs that threatened to tear their way out of his throat. The tears were flowing freely down his cheeks, spilling out over his hands despite his efforts. He heard Langa gasp lightly, and decided to power through. The damage was already done. What reason did he have to stop now?
“God, Langa, I love you so fucking much. I have for a while now. And it’s f-fine if you don’t feel the same-”
“Reki-”
“It’s fine!” he protested, not wanting to be shot down before he could say what he needed to say. “It’s fine because I need you to stay my best friend, no matter what. Even if you don’t love me the way I love you, I want to keep skating with you, so please don’t leave me behind.”
The silence lingered for what felt like minutes. Reki did not dare to open his eyes. He couldn’t face whatever expression Langa was wearing right now. Couldn’t face the disappointment in his ocean eyes, the gentle frown that was sure to be on his lips. He didn’t move his hands, even as he felt the lingering warmth of Langa’s body over his be replaced by the chilly night air. The sounds of shuffling filled his ears and he startled when he felt a pressure on his thighs, and two hands pulling him up into a sitting position. He held himself up, and sucked in a sharp breath when Langa’s hands gently held his wrists.
“Reki, look at me.” He spoke softly, as if Reki would shatter if he spoke any louder. “Please.”
Reki hesitated. His breathing was shallow, his eyes still shut tight and eyelashes glistening from the salty tears that had yet to cease.
He felt Langa’s lips press against his forehead and his resolve crumbled as they whispered against his skin, “Please.”
Steeling himself, he let Langa pull his hands away from his eyes. He kept them shut, even as Langa dropped his wrists to cup his face, the same way Reki had done to him just minutes ago. At the feeling of Langa’s thumbs wiping away the tears under his eyes, he let them flutter open, and after a deep breath, he finally looked into the ocean blue that he’d come to love so much.
He watched as Langa visibly relaxed under his gaze, and felt a burning in his chest as fresh tears spilled from his eyes. Langa wiped those away too, and smiled softly.
“Reki. How could I ever leave you?” he asked, his words laced with honey. Sugary sweet, he leaned forward and placed his lips against Reki’s forehead again, then his nose. He hovered near Reki’s lips, his breath hot against them as he whispered, “How could I leave you when you’ve told me what I thought I would only ever hear in my dreams?”
Reki stopped breathing. His head was spinning. His voice was shaky as he spoke.
“Wh- what do you-”
“Say it again.”
Reki blinked, his brain making a valiant attempt to process the words. Langa didn’t move, only stared back at him with such an intensity that it made Reki’s entire body shiver. He swallowed thickly, willing the words past his lips.
“I love yo-”
Langa’s lips pressed against his before he could even finish the sentence. He felt like he was on fire as he reached forward to grab fistfuls of Langa’s shirt, dragging him closer. He couldn’t help the light chuckle that escaped him at the prospect that Langa was impatient in even this.
Langa easily took advantage of his open mouth, running his tongue along Reki’s bottom lip and deepening the kiss when Reki gasped. Reki was buzzing with the feeling of Langa’s tongue against his, but ultimately released the grip he had on his shirt and placed his palm flat against Langa’s chest.
That was all the direction Langa needed, and he pulled back, licking his lips as he sucked in a deep breath to recuperate. Blue eyes searched amber, and he moved his hand up to brush some hair out of Reki’s face. Reki knew his face was flushed. He could feel the heat beneath his skin. Langa certainly wasn’t helping, looking at him like that.
He cleared his throat. “Um, Langa?”
Langa simply smiled, and it was enough to melt Reki into a puddle right there. He could only stand so much.
“Langa-”
“I love you, Reki.”
Reki blinked. Once, twice. A third time.
“You mean it?”
Langa leaned forward once more, his left hand moving around the back of Reki’s head to card through his red hair, his right moving down to snake around Reki’s waist. He placed another lingering kiss on the corner of Reki’s mouth, then pulled Reki forward into a tight embrace.
“I love you,” he spoke softly against Reki’s ear. “I love you. I’ve always loved you. You and your obnoxious personality, your silly little rambles. Your unrivaled determination. The way you put a piece of your soul into everything you create, the way you care about everyone so intensely that you’d put them before yourself.”
He paused to place another kiss on Reki’s temple. “I’m sorry I was dumb and didn’t say anything. I didn’t mean to make you think I didn’t want you.” Another kiss, this time on his brow bone. “I was just shocked. Thinking I had to be dreaming, because this only happens when I am.”
He pulled back fully to look into Reki’s eyes again.
“I meant it, you know. When I said I wanted to skate with you infinitely. You make me so happy. Skating isn’t fun if it’s not with you. Nothing is fun if it’s not with you. I want to skate with you until I die, Reki. I love you so much,” he said fondly.
Reki was a mess. He was an utter mess and he only had himself to blame. Now, rather than dealing with the anxiety of losing his best friend, he was facing the sheer mortification of not knowing how to handle this much affection at once.
But, with Langa’s hand gently rubbing circles into the small of his back, he found that with a few steady breaths, he managed to regain control of his brain. He leaned forward to bump his forehead against Langa’s, chuckling lightly.
“Careful, or I might think you’re proposing to me,” he joked, finding himself again and shooting Langa a playful wink. Langa only rolled his eyes and ghosted his lips against Reki’s.
“Shut up.”
And finally, he captured them in a firm, almost desperate kiss. Reki could only sigh against his lips as they melded together, his own hand coming up to hold Langa’s cheek.
The kiss held for a few more seconds before Reki pulled back again, this time in favor of peppering Langa’s face with kisses himself. He had to get his fair share in, after all.
Soft laughter filled the air as Reki continued his ministrations, and eventually he ceased, wrapping both his arms around Langa’s middle and burying his face into his chest. Langa did the same, holding Reki close as he kissed the top of his head, breathing in his scent.
They sat like that for a while longer, just drinking in the presence of each other, basking in the warmth of their hearts. It was Reki who broke the silence.
“Hey, Langa?”
The blue haired boy squeezed him gently, a low hum rumbling in his throat. “Hm?”
Reki paused, worrying his lip between his teeth. Even after everything was laid out before him on a golden platter, those little voices still nagged at the back of his mind. He trusted Langa with his whole self. He was his best friend first, and everything else second. Yet for some reason, he just couldn’t shake off the nerves wriggling under his skin like ugly little worms. What if Langa got tired of him? What if he decided that Reki wasn’t good enough after all? What if-
“Reki,” Langa cooed softly. “ Mon amour. I can hear you thinking.”
Reki sputtered indignantly at the pet name. How the hell was he supposed to make it alive if Langa was going to keep smooth talking him in goddamn French?
Blushing profusely, he shook his head against Langa’s chest.
“I was just overthinking. You’re not gonna get sick of me and leave… right?” he asked timidly. “I guess part of me just still feels like all this is too good to be true.”
Langa huffed, and Reki didn’t have time to be offended before Langa was relentlessly attacking his sides with his fingers. Reki could only fall back against the concrete in laughter, the pressure of Langa sitting on his thighs keeping him trapped in place.
Eventually he let up, and Reki was struggling to gain back his breath when Langa leaned over him again, pinching his cheeks.
“Don’t ever ask me that question again. You’re stuck with me now, like it or not. Infinity, remember?”
Reki could only stare back up at his best friend, his partner, smiling down at him with an obscene amount of love and affection in his eyes before flashing him a blinding grin of his own.
“Yeah. Infinity.”