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Reki rummaged through the closet. Over the years, his family had accrued a large bucket of winter clothes. No organization required, just digging until you find something that fits. He pulled out a glove and celebrated when he realized it matched the one that he found two minutes ago. Quickly putting them on, he walked to the front door. He tapped his hand on his board, giving it a disappointed head shake before entering the cold outside his house.
The snow wasn’t deep, but there was enough of it on the ground that skating wouldn’t go well. Reki had tried to skate in the winter once. There was too little control. Black ice was only fun when you weren’t trying to stop.
Snow crunched under his feet as he walked past buildings and shops bustling with people. The sun was starting to go down. Winter always had shorter days, and it seemed that today would be no exception. Looking ahead, he saw Langa sitting at a café table. Reki sped up.
“Langa!” He called, waving his arm. Langa looked up with a soft smile on his face.
“Reki. You ready to go?” Langa stood up and stretched his arms behind him.
“Yeah! I told Koyomi we were going to the Christmas festival today and now she wants me to pick something up for her.” Langa nodded and they fell into step together, walking towards the market.
Lights above every stall lit up the walkways, full of people. The festival was set up in a large park, and there were so many shops it was almost overwhelming. Reki looked over at Langa, who was turning his head back and forth to try to catch everything. Reki snorted with laughter, and only giggled harder when Langa tilted his head in confusion.
Reki pulled on Langa’s hoodie sleeve, dragging him to a stall with stickers. Langa followed without a fight.
“We could put this on your board,” Langa said. Reki turned to find Langa holding a sticker of a melted snowman.
“Langa that’s the saddest thing I’ve ever seen. At least get me a normal snowman.” Reki shook Langa’s shoulder. He hummed and put the sticker back.
“Do you think they have food here?” He remarked.
“Dude, it’s a festival. They have food.” Reki started to walk away from the stall. “Is that all you think about?”
“Not all. I also think about skating and you.” Reki paused for a moment before walking. The moment was so quick it just looked like he stumbled. And you.
Reki and Langa explored the rest of the festival, grabbing different foods on the way. Reki was able to find the necklace that Koyomi wanted too. In one of the stalls, he also managed to snag a bracelet with snowflakes on it for Langa. All in all, a successful trip.
The sun had fully gone down now and the air was getting colder. Reki could see his breath puffing in front of him. His hands were needling.
“You okay?” Langa asked, tilting his head. His hair fell in front of his face. He brushed it back and it fell forward again immediately. Reki wished he could focus on how cute it was but instead his hands ached.
“I’m fine!” Reki flashed a blinding smile at Langa and walked a little faster. His palms throbbed. He shook his hands out, trying to get it to go away. A hand on his shoulder made him pause.
“Is it your hands?”
“What? How did-,” He cut himself off. Langa had grabbed his gloved right hand and started rubbing it between his. He looked laser focused.
“You mentioned once that the cold made them worse.” His hand was warmer. The pain had become less intense and now it was just his left hand that felt like it needed to be removed before he did something drastic. As if reading his mind, Langa dropped his right hand and took the left one, blowing hot air onto it and rubbing. Reki’s face was hot. He couldn’t look away from Langa.
Reki had only mentioned the cold once. It had been late and they had finished skating, laying down on the floor of the park. It had been an absentminded mention, that his hands sometimes acted up. But Langa had remembered and months later they were here. Shoppers moved around them, weaving around the two that were standing still and continuing on with their night. Reki couldn’t stop staring. Langa picked up his right hand again, holding them both close to his chest. He raised his eyes and tilted his head.
“Feeling any better?” Reki had to think for a moment. Right. His hands.
“Yeah. Thanks, dude” Reki made no move to pull away. The lights seemed to surround Langa, lighting up his hair and pulling all of Reki’s focus onto him. Langa was looking at him, just like he did the night that he told Reki that he loved skating. When he told him that Reki was the reason that it was fun.
Slowly, Reki took his hands back. He cleared his throat. “Ready to head out? We can sleep over at my house. I got the new skate fan magazine.” Langa nodded. Reki wasn’t worried about the cold anymore. His face was warm enough to distract him.
“Reki,” Langa said, staring at the ceiling. They were laying on Reki’s bed, side by side. Mindless chatting had filled the air, but conversation had hit a lull.
“Yeah?” Reki turned on his side to face him, Langa copying him.
“Thanks,” His head was laying on the pillow, blue hair splayed out in all directions. He looked cute, eyes falling a little from fatigue.
“For what?” Reki asked, quietly.
“Making me enjoy life again. I think you’re the person I trust the most.” Reki inhaled sharply.
“Well, thank you. For sticking with me.”
Langa smiled softly. “Of course.” Reki’s right hand was fidgeting with the blanket in front of them as they whispered about their day. Cherry was skating in a beef next week, and Reki was in the middle of saying how he was excited to see him skate when he felt Langa grab his hand. He stopped talking. Their breaths mingled between them for few moments. The tension between them rose slowly, but eventually he couldn’t stand it anymore. He cleared his throat.
“I got you something today.” He let go of Langa and reached into his pocket, grabbing the bracelet. Langa took it from him and turned it back and forth before undoing the clasp.
“Put it on me?” He asked, looking at Reki with a sparkle in his eyes. Reki sat up and nodded. He took the bracelet back and Langa extended his wrist. Carefully, he did the clasp on the bracelet. When Langa lowered his hand, he couldn’t look away. The joy on his face was so beautiful. He was laying with Reki on Reki’s bed with the bracelet that Reki got him. And he was so beautiful.
Langa met his eyes. He nudged Reki to lay down again. He had shuffled forward, and laying down again put him mere inches apart from Langa. Langa reached over and ran his hand through Reki’s hair before landing on the back of his neck, pausing. Reki’s heart was racing as Langa’s fingers caressed softly back and forth. Langa seemed to look scared for a moment before calming again. He moved forward.
“Is this… okay?” Langa whispered. He was so close. Heat radiated from his body and from his hand. Reki couldn’t focus.
“What?” He asked, thoughts jumping everywhere. Langa was close enough to kiss. He wanted to kiss him. Langa smiled.
“Can I kiss you?” Reki let out a shuddering breath. He nodded, static frizzing his hair from the pillow. Langa shifted, tilting his head. Reki leaned forward and was met with warmth.
Reki felt like he was melting. Everything was soft and warm. It was like he was wrapped in blankets next to a fire, perfectly content. Langa moved their lips gently. His fingers were messing with the hair on Reki’s nape, twisting the strands as they kissed. Langa pulled back, and Reki took a moment before opening his eyes. As soon as he did, Langa leaned in, this time to kiss his forehead. When he came back down, Reki buried himself in Langa’s chest, face so hot he was worried his friend would feel it through his shirt. A breathy laugh came from above him, fingers still running through his hair.
Suddenly, he pulled back. Langa let out a small noise of confusion before Reki grabbed his face in both hands. “Does this mean we’re dating then?” Langa awkwardly raised his hand in a thumbs up. Reki grinned widely. He fell on his back, laughing. His boyfriend moved beside him, laying on his back too.
“Happy?” Langa asked. Reki turned his head to look at him. The bracelet on his wrist reflected the moonlight.
“Yeah. Let’s do this forever.”