#12 days of (renga) christmas

[kusuguricafe]

Top 22 of 2022

end of the year tag game by @otomiya-tickles!!

part 1: fandom faves

1. favorite new fandoms of the year: I got into bnha this year and, fair warning, it became quite the obsession so a lot of my answers are related to this 😅

2. favorite new ships since this year: bakudeku 🧡💚 they are everything to me

3. favorite anime/tv show of the year: bnha

4. favorite movie of the year: it didn't come out this year, but I watched heroes rising for the first time this year and it was really something

5. favorite character of the year: ohh, tbh I can't choose between bakugou, deku, kaminari, or wanderer (aka scara redemption arc)

6. favorite soundtrack of the year: the sumeru battle themes absolutely slap, so I suppose it would have to be the genshin impact - forest of jnana and vidya ost

7. favorite book/manga/comic of the year: I started sasaki and miyano and I'm enjoying it so far!

8. favorite game of the year: this is a really tough one, it's gotta be either genshin, splatoon 3, or everyone's FAVORITE video game, my hero one's justice 2 (my partner and I have been playing it together, uh, a normal amount)

9. highlight of this year to remember: the "laugh! as if you are in hell" ova changed my life 💕 I remember watching the hype build up in the community, and when it was finally released, we all went bonkers reblogging the same few laughter clips again and again xD (honorable mentions: scara banner and bakudeku cranking 90s)

part 2: community review

10. favorite tumblr moments of 2022: well, I started my blog this year, and the amount of support I've gotten from all of you in just one year is absolutely mind-blowing to me!

I do have to shoutout the art and fic I commissioned this year by @ticklishfanart and @intheticklecloset. I'd never commissioned anything before and boy howdy, I couldn't be happier with how they turned out 🥹💖

kagehina fanart by @ticklishfanart renga fanart by @ticklishfanart kamibakudeku fic by @intheticklecloset

and I can't forget my fic requests either!!

bakudeku request by @my-tickle-blog spicy bakudeku drabble request by @otomiya-tickles bakudeku christmas drabble by @otomiya-tickles and of course, my squealing santa gift by @something1987

11. favorite fan art of the year: besides the ones mentioned above, definitely this bnha tickle fight comic series, this kiribaku, and this deku and all might by @simplysmilingdrew!!

12. favorite fic of the year: besides the ones I mentioned in question 10, it would have to be this bakudeku fic by @intheticklecloset and this bakudeku fic by @ticklishscumbag

13. favorite ask game of the year: I never actually received any, but I loved hearing others' answers to this voice ask meme! especially @ticklishfanart struggling to say her own blog name xD

14. my top achievements as a writer/artist/creator/blogger: starting my blog, reaching 5,000+ hits on one of my bakudeku fics on ao3 (how????), and reaching 100+ followers here on tumblr!! thank you guys 💕

15. my own best fic/post of the year: I really like how my tickletober teasing bakudeku fic turned out ^^

16. my most underappreciated fic/post of the year: hmm, maybe this genshin windtrace fic?

17. a post of mine that got more popularity than expected: the same teasing bakudeku fic I mentioned in question 15!!

18. something I changed on my blog since this year: it coming into being *cue albedo voice*

part 3: next year

19. something I didn't post this year but would like to do next year: I don't know if any of you guys remember, but I was planning on doing a valentine's day event this year that I never got around to finishing because I took on wayy more than I could manage in the small timeframe I gave myself. so, I am hoping on actually completing it and posting it by valentine's day 2023!

20. goals for next year: I don't have any specific goals, but I definitely want to continue writing more fics ^^ and flesh out my hybrid bakudeku au

21. 2023 releases I look forward to the most: I'm not sure when it's supposed to be released, but I am sooo excited for sk8 season 2!!!

part 4: spreading love

22. shoutouts to people who made my 2022 a better year:

@otomiya-tickles for this tag game, making me feel welcomed and appreciated, and for all the stellar content you provide 🙌 thank you queen, I don't know what this community would do without you

@intheticklecloset for their amazing writing and kindness they've shown me 💙

@ffeather-ficss, @ticklishscumbag, @veryblushyswitch, @happyandticklish, @volleeball-bo, @my-tickle-blog, @something1987, @impulsively-made-tickle-blog, @justmaybee, and @burningablaze for their amazing writing as well!!

@ticklishfanart, @skribblz, @chibimochii, @simplysmilingdrew, @vqler, @sleepysheepytea, and @dokidoki-muffin, for their incredible artwork

@wertzunge for their wonderful writing and premium anime tickle clips (idk how you manage to find and collect all of those, it's truly a feat to behold)

@lovelymessybubbly for her lovely art, positivity, and kind heart! 🥚💛

to everyone who has ever liked, reblogged, and especially left a comment on any of my posts or fics 💓 (to the people who keysmash and leave little comments in the tags, I see you, and you are very appreciated)

if you took the time to read this far, thank you so much 💖 I am so glad I finally gained the courage to make a blog this year. it's been so nice to be able to interact with the community, without only sending asks on anon. I am so grateful to everyone who has made me feel welcomed. here's to another year full of art, joy, and laughter! 🎉

[birdybomb]

12 Days of SK8mas (prompts from Twitter)

Day 10: Family

[intheticklecloset]

Christmas Cheer Looks Good On You (SK8 the Infinity)

Summary: Reki and Langa are putting up Christmas lights! Also Langa is a worrier and Reki has to convince him to relax more. ^^

Word Count: 789

@veryblushyswitch

~~~

“Reki, I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Langa said nervously as he gripped the ladder while the redhead ascended to the step second from the top.

Reki waved him off with a grin. “Nah, it’ll be fine. It’s not that high up.”

“It’s the top of a ladder.”

“So? We’re skaters; danger comes with the territory.” Reki reached out to grab the gable with one hand, gripping the string of lights with the other. It was cold and getting dark, but he was determined to get them up before sundown so they could enjoy the multicolored Christmas cheer it contributed to their neighborhood. “I got this. No problem.”

“If you die I’ll kill you,” Langa muttered.

“Noted.” Reki beamed, balancing himself as he carefully stepped up onto the topmost step, using the gable for support. Langa gripped the ladder from below, one foot on the bottom rung, using every ounce of concentration he had to keep it planted firmly on the ground. “All right. It’s only a couple of hooks up here, and then I can climb back down. Don’t worry.”

“Too late for that.” Langa watched Reki nervously, anxious that every move he made would cause him to tumble down the ladder and hit the ground. There wasn’t much snow yet, so there wouldn’t be any kind of cushion. He shook his head, trying not to think about it.

Reki successfully attached one hook and strung the lights over it, then shuffled to the right slightly and began fussing with the second hook. When he got that set up as well and began to ease back down the ladder, Langa breathed a sigh of relief…

Until Reki’s foot slipped on the rung and he wobbled, one arm flailing while the other frantically reached for the gable to support himself again, only he was too far down now.

“Reki!” Langa yelled as the redhead caught the top step with his hands as he slid down, dangling for a long second before leaping off the side onto the ground of his own volition rather than having the ladder be the one to take him out.

The redhead whirled around, looked up, and saw that the lights were still hanging where he’d put them. He pumped his fist. “Yeah! Check it out, Langa!”

“Forget the lights! Are you okay?” Langa crouched on the ground next to him. “I told you it wasn’t a good idea.”

“Chill out, man.” Reki nudged him lightly. “I’m cool. See? No blood, no broken bones. And the lights are still where I put them, so I don’t have to do it again.”

“I wouldn’t let you even if you did have to do them again.” Langa frowned. “We should have asked Joe to do this, or Cherry, or just…not us.”

Reki gave him a look. “You really think Cherry would have helped us put up Christmas lights?”

“Well, no, but…”

“Langa, I’m fine.” Reki tackled him to the ground, shoving his hands under his friend’s coat to tickle his sides. “See? Could I tickle you like this if I were hurt?”

“Ahahahahahaha! Okay, okahahahahahahay! Reheheheheheki!” Langa squealed, giggling and squirming on the ground, barely aware that his winter beanie was worming its way off of his head. “Stahahahahahahap! I was just wohohohohorried!”

“And I’m telling you, don’t be!” Reki giggled along with him. “Where’s that Christmas spirit, huh, Langa? Don’t they have holiday cheer in Canada?”

“Thihihihihis has nohohohohothing to do with my beheheheheing Canadian!” Langa protested, desperately pushing at Reki’s tickling fingers, unable to do much more than wiggle beneath him with his friend’s hands under his coat as they were. “Plehehehehehehease, stahahahahahap!”

Reki relented after another few seconds, grinning and helping Langa to his feet, plopping his now snow-covered beanie back onto his head. “There! Tis the season to be jolly, Langa, and I’m totally jolly that I got those lights hung up the first time!”

“I’m jolly that you didn’t get hurt doing it,” Langa replied, giggling when Reki wiggled his fingers at him again teasingly. “All right, fine, you totally rock. Let me do the other half, okay?”

Another ten minutes later the rest of the house had been covered in lights, and a light-up wreath had been hung on the door. Reki grabbed the plugin and counted down from three with a flourish. Instantly the house and the lawn was awash in multicolored lights, and both of the boys felt immediately warmer inside.

Reki hugged Langa from behind as they looked up at their pretty, completed handiwork. “Awesome, right?”

“Yeah,” Langa agreed, dissolving into giggles when Reki started gently tickling him again. “Stohohohohop it!”

“I can’t help it,” Reki replied, hugging him tighter. “Christmas cheer looks good on you.”

[reki-of-the-valley]

I'll Give You My Heart

Day 12 - Presents

Read it on AO3 here

First | < Previous | Day 12

Merry Christmas to everyone who celebrates! And have a wonderful day to everyone! 💛❄️

—

Koyomi groans as she carries another set of plates to the table. Her job isn’t too difficult; she just has to bring the things everyone asks of her, from the plates for Reki to set the table to the ingredients her mother asks her to take from the fridge. But still, it seems to be too much for her. They’ve never done anything special for Christmas until this year, and by the look on her face, she was ready for another uneventful Christmas.

“Since when do we ever do anything for Christmas?”

“We’re doing something because your brother has a boyfriend this year!”

“Mom!”

Masae’s laughter echoes through the kitchen as Reki slams a plate to the table. He knows his face is a bright, burning red, even if he can’t see himself in a mirror. It’s probably even hotter than the stove his mother has been working with for the past hour, preparing mountains of food. He’s blushing furiously because, despite Langa being the reason they are preparing something, it’s not because he’s Reki’s boyfriend that they’re doing this. That would be ridiculous; if Reki wanted to take him out on a date, he’d do it far from home, away from his mother and his sisters. And he’d definitely not invite Langa’s mother to come as well!

The reason Christmas is different this year is quite simple. It came to Reki in a flash, one night after S. Langa had stayed over that night, but he didn’t have the same energy as he usually did. The twinkles in his eyes had been gone all night and Reki had to get to the bottom of that. And when Langa finally did open up about missing the Christmases he used to celebrate back in Canada, Reki knew what he had to do. He knew that the best way to cheer him up was by replicating the best he could those Canadian Christmases, the ones where friends and family would gather for the night. Maybe there wouldn’t be the snow Langa remembers or the big trees Reki’s seen in the Hasegawa family albums, but he could manage the food. He could manage to gather people around a table filled to the brim with food and laughter. He could manage the warm holiday atmosphere Langa had told him about.

“Koyomi,” the girl sets down some glasses before turning to her mother. “Could you go make sure your sisters are dressed? I want them in their dresses before Langa and his mother arrive.”

Koyomi groans once more as she rolls her eyes but she still does as her mother asks. For once, there is no challenging or whining. For Christmas, the girl makes an effort to not lock herself in her room, even though everyone knows she would rather be on her phone than be helping with the preparations. If it wasn’t Reki’s idea to set everything up, he also would have rather been in his room, texting Langa or scrolling through the many apps on his phone.

“When did your boyfriend say he was coming over?”

“Mom!” Reki stares at his mother who only smiles at him, that teasing smile she’s been keeping for him only as of late. “Can you please stop calling him that? You had no problem calling him Langa for a whole year but now that I tell you we’re dating, suddenly all he is is my boyfriend! He didn’t magically lose his name overnight.”

Masae’s hands are warm against Reki’s cheeks. And as always, Reki can’t help the smile that grows at the sight of his mother’s smile and bright eyes. “You know I’m just teasing you, Honey. I’m just so happy that you found someone who will love you just as much as you love him. Oh! My first baby is in love!”

“I-!” If Reki thought he was burning up before, it��s nothing compared to the heat in his cheeks right now. Now, it feels like a wildfire ignited under his skin, an uncontrollable fire that refuses to be put out. “It’s been a month! You can’t just-! No one said anything about-! Mom!”

“Are you telling me you don’t love him, Dear?”

“I’m just-!” Reki perks up at the sound of knocking on the front door. And he takes the opportunity to slip out of his mother’s hold, running towards the sound. “I’ll get it! It’s probably Langa and his mother!”

He can hear the distant chuckles but his focus is elsewhere. It’s on the door he’s opening, on that pretty smile he’s missed despite seeing it only the night before. It’s on those beautiful blue eyes that sparkle under the sun and that silky blue hair Reki wants to thread his fingers through. It’s on Langa until Mrs. Hasegawa comes into view, far too many gift bags hanging from her wrists.

“Hi, Reki.” He smiles at the woman, that slightly awkward smile he needs to perfect; he loves Langa’s mother, she’s a very sweet woman, but she’s still his boyfriend’s mother. He still hasn’t quite figured out how to act around her. “I hope it’s okay that I brought a few presents.”

Reki nods, taking a few of the bags for her. He hadn’t expected Mrs. Hasegawa to bring anything but he can’t tell her that. He can’t tell her that she wasn’t supposed to bring anything, only supposed to come and enjoy an evening with his family. So he just nods and from the corner of his eye, he can see Langa biting back his laughter.

“She insisted on getting something for everyone,” Langa whispers to Reki as soon as his mother is out of earshot. “We used to do gift exchanges back in Canada and she just. I tried telling her that she didn’t have to, but she insisted.”

“We don’t have anything for you guys.”

A kiss is pressed to Reki’s cheek before he can spiral into a panic trying to figure out how to fill that Canadian tradition he had forgotten about. “She just wanted to give something back since you’re inviting us over for dinner. Also, for all those times your mother has fed me.”

Cold slender fingers slip through Reki’s as the pair make their way to the living room. Both mothers are in the kitchen, discussing who knows what it is that mothers talk about, which leaves the two boys alone for a moment. They’re alone until the gift bags are set down, the crumpling of paper triggering an alarm through the house. Screams and squeals resonate through the halls until Nanaka and Chihiro are in the living room, starry-eyed when they spot Langa. Or at least, Nanaka is starry-eyed as she makes a beeline for the boy, crashing her body against his hip. Chihiro is a little calmer, though Reki can see her staring at the pink gift bag he has just set down.

“Langa!” Big amber eyes stare up at Langa as the girl grips his pants. “Langa! Come!”

Reki sighs as Langa awkwardly pats the girl’s head. He’s told her at least a hundred times to leave Langa alone but she never listens. As soon as he enters the house, she’s stuck to him like a pot of glue. He’s like a Nanaka magnet, except it’s obvious he would rather not be one.

“Nanaka.” She looks up at her brother, her big eyes still sparkling. “Wouldn’t you rather go play with Koyomi or something?”

“I wanna play with Langa!”

“And what if he doesn’t want to?”

“Then I want to open presents.”

Reki sighs again as he crashes down onto the floor. “You’d have to ask mom first. And we’re probably gonna o—”

He doesn’t have time to finish his sentence before the girl is running to the kitchen, crying out for her mother. Chihiro is not far behind, leaving Reki alone with Langa once more. And with no one there, Langa is free to get comfortable next to Reki, his head on his shoulder.

“I hope they’ll like what we got them. We didn’t really know what they would like, so we just… guessed.”

Reki nuzzles Langa, his nose buried in his hair. “They’ll love whatever you get them.”

“I hope.”

It was funny how in sync they could be. While Reki knew they were on the same wavelength as just best friends, often getting the same ideas at the same time, he never thought it would turn out like this. He never thought it would lead them to be leaning in at the same time for a kiss. For some reason, Reki always thought that he would have to ask Langa; for some reason, believing they would both think of a kiss at the same time felt surreal. And yet, there they were, Langa’s cold fingers guiding Reki closer. There they were, ready to indulge in a quick peck. At least, that was the plan before everyone started filing into the living room.

Reki feels himself burn up at the sound of Koyomi’s nauseated choking. He just wants to shrink down and disappear, but at least he’s not the only one burning up from embarrassment. Langa’s got those pink ears and his eyes are riveted onto his knees. His embarrassment is adorable – well, he’s just always adorable.

“Mom said we can open the presents before we eat!”

Reki is pulled out of his head, out of the many ways he can think of disappearing, as Nanaka excitedly jumps in front of him. She’s full of energy and Reki can’t fault her for that; he would have been just as excited at her age if he was promised a present. He can’t fault anyone for being excited about opening presents, though he did still wish they had come in just a few minutes later.

It isn’t long before everyone is seated with a gift bag on their lap. With their kiddish impatience, Nanaka and Chihiro are the first to open their presents. They squeal and giggle as they pull toys out, a doll each with a few different outfits. They’re overly excited as they show off everything that was contained in their little bags. They’re overly excited as always, making Reki giggle at their antics.

Koyomi is next, but as she carefully pulls out the strawberry-covered purse that was gifted to her, something resonates in Reki. She loves it. She loves her present. She absolutely adores her present. She loves the bag and Reki’s eyes involuntarily flicker towards a smiling Langa.

“We’ll be right back! I just forgot Langa’s present in my room!”

Langa’s eyes grow wide as Reki hoists him up and drags him towards his room. He stumbles behind Reki, a confused look in his eyes, but Reki can’t be bothered offering him an explanation. He’s too impatient; he’s waited too long already. He had been waiting for the perfect moment, but none seem as perfect as right now.

Langa is so pretty when he’s caught by surprise. They don’t even make it back to Reki’s room before he’s pressing his chest his boyfriend’s, tilting his head as he pulls Langa down for a kiss. There’s a split second where Langa tenses, probably from being caught off guard, but he soon melts under Reki’s touch, warm fingers running down a snowy white back. He melts against Reki, his fingers digging into his hips to steady himself as he kisses back with just as much fervor. Maybe he’s also been waiting too long. Maybe he too has his rationality hazed by impatience and desire.

“You…” Langa’s panting by the time he pulls away. Reki can feel both their hearts racing in their chests, the pounding echoing in his ears. Maybe they had gotten a little carried away, especially that they hadn’t even made it to Reki’s room where they could hide away from everyone. Thankfully, they’re busy with the presents. “You… I… I just…”

“Hey, Langa?”

Reki feels his heart pound even louder, going even faster than it was just a moment ago. It was now. It had to be now. They weren’t in his room like he wanted, but it had to be now, with Langa’s warm breath against his lips. It had to be now, both holding onto each other so tightly. This was going to be Reki’s present to Langa.

“I love you, Langa.”

Reki feels Langa tense, his eyes growing wide once more. The words barely have time to leave Reki’s lips that he’s starting to regret them. Sure, he did mean them – he had never meant something as much as these words – but maybe Langa wasn’t ready. It had only been a month since they had officially gotten together, after all. How long did it normally take for people to say ‘I love you’ for the first time? Was Reki going too fast? He had to fix this, and quickly.

“And you don’t have to-!”

“I love you too! I love you so much, Reki. I just…” His laughter is light and breathy, filled with that happiness that is so genuinely Langa. “I love you, Reki.”

Neither one can hold back the giggles as they press their smiles together. It isn’t a kiss, there’s too much giggling for that, but it’s something. It isn’t perfect, but neither are they. Or maybe it is perfect and so are they. It doesn’t really matter after all; as long as their love is strong enough to get through it all, then that’s all that matters. If they can love and trust each other enough, then they’re set. Together, they can take on the world. Together, nothing will hold them back.

“Reki?” Reki hums against Langa’s lips, overjoyed by everything but calm. “Thank you. I think… I think this was the best present you could ever give me.”

He pushes a strand of Langa’s hair behind his ear, clearing his view as he presses a short kiss to that sweet mouth that he loves so much. “My heart is all yours. Just, please take care of it.”

“I promise to take the best care of it as long as you do the same with mine.”

“I promise.”

[overcaffeinatedlemonbar]

I posted 1,500 times in 2021

60 posts created (4%)

1440 posts reblogged (96%)

For every post I created, I reblogged 24.0 posts.

I added 695 tags in 2021

#sk8 the infinity - 174 posts

#sk8 reki - 90 posts

#sk8 langa - 82 posts

#sk8 - 71 posts

#snowgear - 66 posts

#sk8 the reblog - 52 posts

#figure skating - 49 posts

#fanart - 43 posts

#sk8 renga - 37 posts

#for when you need a smile - 31 posts

Longest Tag: 95 characters

#also can we talk about the love-hate relationship i have with the isolating effects of studying

My Top Posts in 2021

#5

Sk8 theory: no one can beat Ad*m individually, they have to work together.

Multiple times "the power of friendship" has been mocked (Miya, Shadow, Ad*m), but we've also seen the juxtaposition of Reki & Langa's innocent friendship/love/however you categorize their relationship against the toxic competition of S.

Joe & Cherry are just figuring out "we're not alone" and i have to hope that the younger generation is also learning this and THAT is going to be the theme of the last 2 episodes. Reki, Langa, & Miya stopping the cycle from repeating.

This leaves plenty of room for Renga to be explicitly cannon or not, for Tadashi to be the one who has Ad*m jailed, & everyone else to get their happy ending and heal from the terror and abuse they've experienced.

105 notes • Posted 2021-03-14 01:20:28 GMT

#4

"You shouldn't be so reckless," Reki says to Langa, about to do something reckless himself and probably having just done something equally reckless.

110 notes • Posted 2021-03-14 22:45:41 GMT

#3

Kyan Reki is a finger guns bisexual.

116 notes • Posted 2021-03-12 04:02:13 GMT

#2

Something I don't really get about all the renga fanfics I've read so far is the way they describe how Langa and Reki smell. It's always "Langa smells like pine" and "Reki smells like tropical fruit and strawberry shampoo" or something. Which is fine! But no one ever says Reki smells like sawdust after working in his garage, or that Langa smells like maple syrup because his mom made pancakes for breakfast or like whatever else he's just finished eating. Tell me Reki smells like paint and paper and pencils, or like too much body spray because he overslept and missed his turn in the shower, or that he came home from the mall smelling like perfume because his sister(s) used all of the testers on him, or that Langa smells like his mom's perfume because she always hugs him goodbye in the mornings if she's home.

Yes, I'm sure they smell like generic body wash and shampoo sometimes, and half the time like sweat, but there are so many other scents that get caught in their clothes anx hair. Tell me what they do by how they smell. Tell me where they've been and why they're acting how they are. Show me how Reki's mental health is by how what he smells like matches up with what he's telling people (does he smell like he's been hiding in the Dope Sketch stock room, or like grass because he laid in the park until the dew soaked through his hoodie, or like the asphalt he's crashed into a hundred times trying to perfect that trick?). Show me Langa learning who some of his classmates are because Reki loaned his hoodie to someone and Langa noticed the next day that it smelled different. If Langa must smell like pine, tell me his mom raids the Bath & Body Christmas scents each year so their place can smell like a forrest year-round.

TL;DR: there are a lot more things to smell like than body wash, and why things smell the way they do can add a lot to the story.

175 notes • Posted 2021-04-05 11:43:55 GMT

#1

Hey Sk8 fam, are we just gonna sleep on the fact that in the very first post-credits scene Reki asks Langa about Canada and then tells Langa he can ask questions, then complains that he "always asks about feelings and stuff, and it's weird." Like?!? If that isn't proof that Langa's into Reki from the very beginning then idk what is.

189 notes • Posted 2021-03-11 02:55:15 GMT

Get your Tumblr 2021 Year in Review →

[birdybomb]

12 Days of Sk8mas (prompts from twitter) Day 12: Christmas Day!

insp. by that song “I saw mommy kissing santa claus” Merry Christmas! 

[reki-of-the-valley]

Sweater Weather

Day 1 - Sweater

Read it on AO3 here

Day 1 | Next >

---

Miya sighs as GAME OVER flashes across the screen of his Switch once more. He lets his head fall back against the wall behind him, groaning as he shuts his console. It’s the fifth time he’s tried to beat the level but he just can’t seem to do it. As he’s about to defeat the last of the enemies on screen, a new and stronger wave swoops in and annihilates him, destroying all his progress. And just like that, he finds himself back to the title screen, the game’s title in bold letters and an arrow flashing and asking him if he wants to continue where he saved last.

The boy sets his game down, not ready to try for the sixth time. No matter how many times he would try to change his strategy, that final wave would always beat him. He just couldn’t find its weak point, the weakness that would lead him to victory. He couldn’t do it, no matter how hard he tried, and quite frankly, he wasn’t up to keep trying. All his losses had discouraged him and now, as he sits in silence in the corner of the small Italian restaurant, Miya feels the boredom sinking in. He’s bored of playing the same game, of playing the same level over and over again. He’s bored of constantly losing. He’s absolutely sick of it.

Reluctantly, the boy pushes himself off of the floor. He makes a beeline for the counter where Joe and Cherry are sitting, chatting over a glass of wine and some finger foods that Joe had prepared a little earlier. Miya had had a plate of his own but he had since finished it, distractedly picking at it as he focused on his game. He hadn’t even noticed the plate emptying itself until he was grabbing for more and was met with nothing but the porcelain bottom of his plate. And now, boredom and a growing teenage appetite taking over, he’s going to grab the food and attention of the adults. He is going to go disturb them and get them to cure his boredom.

Miya squeezes between the two men, reaching for the remaining piece of bread left on the plate. The conversation dies the moment he takes a bite of the bread, the crunch like an explosion drawing everyone’s attention to the sound. His eyes flicker between the two men as he chews, watching their smiles grow. Or at least, Joe’s smile is evident. Cherry’s is a little more subtle as he leaned against the counter, swirling his glass of wine.

“What?” Miya asks as he swallows his bite. No one is saying anything, just watching him eat as if it’s some supernatural occurrence.

“Nothing.” Joe chuckles as he ruffles Miya’s hair. “Nothing, kiddo. Just glad you’re eating.”

Miya averts his eyes as Joe keeps smiling, gently pushing another plate closer to the boy. He refuses to look at either adult, shying away under their scrutinizing gazes. Sure, he had initially gone to them for their attention, but now that he is presented with it, he doesn’t know what to do. This isn’t the kind of attention he had wanted. He hadn’t wanted that smothering, pleased attention; he had wanted the kind that came with exasperation but also slight smiles.

Instinctively, Miya buries his face against Joe’s shoulder. Perhaps if he blocks his view, he won’t feel the overwhelming whatever it is that is pounding in his chest and heating his face. He doesn’t like this kind of attention. It’s just too much. It’s horrible, Cherry’s hand on his shoulder and Joe’s on the top of his head. He doesn’t like this overwhelming care and attention.

“When’s Reki getting here?”

Miya lifts his head, his green eyes hesitantly meeting a soft look behind russet eyes. Joe has to stop looking so fond of him. He has to stop looking prouder of him than even his parents are. His adoration of the boy is smothering. He is the epitome of suffocating paternal pride.

“Soon.” Another grin from the man, heavy fondness coating his words. “He texted me earlier, something about having to pick up a package from the store before coming.”

“He’s with the clown, so it shouldn’t be too long.”

Miya watches as Cherry takes another sip of his wine, a content smile on his lips. Gold flickered toward him, another look that overwhelms him. It’s not the same look as Joe’s, that soft and overly caring look that he reserves for the three teens, but it has the exact same effect. It also holds that parental fondness, just a little more reserved. It’s just as smothering and Miya does not know how to deal with it. He had wanted the attention of Joe and Cherry, but he had wanted them to distract him from his boredom, not overwhelm him with love and pride!

The boy sighs as he moves away from the two men. Dragging his feet, he returns to his corner where he has left his Switch to charge, right next to Carla. Maybe he can play another game while he waits for Reki. Then, once Reki would be there, he can make him try the level. Not because Reki is better than him at video games or that he expects the older boy to beat the level. No. He wants Reki to try because Miya knows it’ll be hilarious to see Reki lose oh-so-miserably.

“I’ve got ‘em!”

Miya’s eyes snap up to the chiming door, Reki bouncing in with two large shopping bags in hand. Shaw is right behind him, looking exasperated as usual. It’s a known fact that he hates playing taxi for everyone, but the boys also know that he can’t refuse them, no matter how hard he tries. And he has tried.

“I was a little scared that they wouldn’t arrive on time, but,” Reki grins as he sets his bags down on a table, “here they are! And I got one for everyone!”

Miya cautiously approaches Reki, trying his best to peer into the plastic bags without seeming too interested. The older boy grins as everyone gathers around him, everyone just as curious as Miya. It isn’t every day that Reki buys gifts for everyone. In all honesty, he only ever spoils Langa, not that he would ever admit that. Miya had tried pointing it out to him at some point, but Reki had flat out denied it. He had insisted that he got little gifts for everyone, given that he found something that reminded him of them, but Miya knows better than to believe him. He knows that Reki buys way more things for Langa than he does anyone else. Or maybe it's that there’s so much more that reminds Reki of Langa, the person he likes, the one that’s constantly on his mind. Maybe it’s because he’s constantly thinking of Langa that he ends up spoiling him with gifts. But that’s another thing Reki refuses to acknowledge; he does not have a crush on Langa.

“So, what exactly did you waste your money on today, Slime?”

Reki purses his lips as he huffs. His usually big, bright eyes stare at Miya with that look of annoyance he’s only seen a few times. “Y’know, you should be more grateful that I actually got you something.”

Miya raises an eyebrow, less than impressed. While he is thankful that Reki actually remembered him this time, he doesn’t trust the boy. Reki isn’t known for picking the best gifts. Or rather, he isn’t known for making the most intelligent purchases, often buying before actually thinking.

Reki sighs when he notices that Miya isn’t saying anything. He sighs as he pulls something out of one of the bags and hands it to the boy. It’s tied up with a big red ribbon, green fabric meticulously folded in his hands. Miya turns it over a few times before looking up at Reki, suddenly a little more confused than he was just moments ago.

“What’s this?”

“Well open it!”

Miya glances at Joe, searching for silent approval from the man. He knows he doesn’t need it, that he can do as he pleases, but he still feels better and more reassured after he gets the nod he was looking for. A simple nod is all it takes for Miya to let his body fall back into a chair and place the present on his knees. Carefully, he pulls the ribbon undone and holds up what appears to be a green sweater. And when he takes in the design of it, a frown pulls at the corners of his mouth.

“Slime, what even is this?”

Reki grins as he rocks back and forth on the balls of his heels. He seems so proud of his purchase. Misplaced pride, if Miya was allowed to say everything that was on his mind.

“A Christmas sweater!”

“No.” Reki blinks at Miya and the harshness in his voice. “This is a bad meme on a shirt.”

Miya clenches his jaw as he smooths the fabric over his knees. It’s possibly the worst thing he now owns. Who thought this was a good idea? Why did Reki think it was a good idea to waste his money on something so terrible?

Miya knows it’s one of those things Reki saw online and said he just had to buy them. It had to be. Where else would he have found a stupid sweater with a stupid cat with a Santa hat checking off the “I tried” box? And who put an “I tried” box? They could have left it to the first two, “naughty” and “nice,” but someone clearly thought it would be funny to add a third option. It was stupid and Miya hated it.

He lifts his head, staring Reki in the face. “Congratulation. This is the worst thing you have ever bought. And I’ve gone shopping with you in the past. I’ve seen you make questionable decisions, but this one tops everything you’ve ever bought.”

Reki gapes at the boy before huffing. He crosses his arms over his chest as he rolls his eyes back. A smile quirks at the corner of Miya’s mouth at the sight; he likes annoying Reki.

“Don’t have to be mean about it. Y’know, I even made sure to get you one with a cat. Because you have a weird obsession with cats.”

“You have a weird obsession with cats.” Miya scrunches his nose, glaring at Reki. “At least I’m not obsessed with Langa!”

“I am not-!” Reki takes a deep breath, his perfect customer service smile suddenly appearing. “Anyway.”

He turns away from Miya, his attention now being given to the adults of the room, and Miya deflates ever so slightly. Everyone’s attention is turned away from him; he isn’t the center of attention anymore. He liked having Reki’s big, expectant eyes on him. He liked having Reki search his face for approval which Miya refused to give him. He liked having Reki practically plead him to give him some kind of sign that he enjoyed the gift. He liked having Reki’s full attention. And he adored refusing to give Reki what he wanted. Miya likes being wanted. He likes feeling important in a room filled with people he knows are older and probably better and nicer than him.

Sunken deep into his chair, Miya watches as Reki distributes the rest of the sweaters. He watches the joy and horror blossom across the faces. He watches as all his friends take in exactly what Reki had bought them, grinning as he hands the sweaters out. And, despite the fact that they were all absolutely horrible, Miya can’t deny that Reki had done a good job at picking out the sweaters. Each one somehow fit the person it was gifted to. Somehow, Reki had managed to capture the core elements that represented their strange friend group. Really, it’s a talent of Reki’s; Miya isn’t sure he would have managed to pick out a terrible sweater to fit each of them so perfectly.

Joe’s laughter is loud and it rumbles through the restaurant as he holds his green knitted sweater up. He seems so pleased with it, with the gingerbread man drawn on it. It has abs drawn onto it, seemingly made out of icing. The man laughs and grins and Miya’s shoulders slump a little. He feels himself deflate ever so slightly as he watches Joe pat a grinning Reki’s shoulder, thanking him for the gift. Cooking and fitness, the perfect combination to describe Joe.

When it comes to Cherry, he’s a little less impressed than Joe. His reaction is a little more like Miya, though a hint of a smile breaks through his cold exterior. To those who don’t know him, he seems unimpressed by the wine-red sweater. He seems completely indifferent as he reads out what’s written across the chest. Cherry drags the syllables, a near disgust dripping from his voice as he reads out loud “All I want for Christmas is more wine,” but Miya knows it’s a cover. Miya knows it because he acts the same way. He can’t let people know how much he appreciates what they do for him. He can’t wear his heart on his sleeve. That’s a sure way of getting hurt and Cherry knows that too. So he simply swirls his glass of wine before taking a long sip, clearly and carefully searching for his words, a thank you without seeming too thankful.

“This,” the man says as he puts his glass down, “is quite something.”

“Precious here is just too embarrassed to say that he actually likes it.”

Joe’s smile is wide as he squeezes Reki’s shoulder. That alone has the boy grinning, seeming overly pleased with the reactions he’s getting from everyone. Even Shadow laughs as he holds up his sweater, a nice charcoal colored one with “I’ve been good. ish.” written on it.

Miya was sure he’d have scowled at the gift or something of the sort. He isn’t exactly the type to enjoy tacky gifts like ugly Christmas sweaters, or at least Miya didn’t peg him to be the type to enjoy them. Maybe he’s wrong. Maybe he’s the only one who refuses to give Reki the satisfaction of knowing that he had managed to get him something that he both hated and loved. Because even Cherry has given in and is smiling at Reki. Even Cherry who had had disdain in his eyes just moments prior seems to be enjoying himself.

The door chimes once more, Langa silently standing there. Reki perks up at the sound, his face practically glowing when he notices Langa, and Miya has to stifle a laugh. Even if Reki insists that he doesn’t like Langa, Miya knows better. He can see it in the way he suddenly grows excited when Langa comes around, just like a puppy when everyone comes home after work. Reki is smitten, even if he refuses to admit it.

“Langa, dude! I got you one too!”

Langa blinks. He seems even more lost than usual, blue eyes flickering between everyone. And when he sees Reki get closer to him, holding out a bag to him, his eyes triple in size as he presses his back to the door. He doesn’t look happy and that has Miya grinning.

“No. There’s no fucking way.”

“C’mon dude! It’s like, a Canadian thing!”

Miya bites the inside of his cheeks as he watches Langa trying to phase through the door. He tries not to laugh as Langa mutters in English, words going far too fast for Miya to catch all of them. But he knows Langa isn’t pleased. He knows Langa doesn’t want the sweater that Reki’s handing him. And if he didn’t know any better, he might have believed that Langa hated it even more than he did.

“There is no fucking way I’m putting that on.”

“Langa! Please?” Reki presses the folded sweater to Langa’s chest, standing way too close to the eldest of the boys for it to be interpreted as strictly platonic. “For me? I mean, even Cherry likes his. Please?”

Miya has to turn away before he gags. He has to turn away because he knows that Langa will give in at any moment now because all it takes for him to crack are Reki’s big, pleading eyes and his soft, hopeful voice. It doesn’t take much for him to give in to whatever it is that Reki wants. Langa is a goddamn Reki simp and Miya can’t stand it. Between Reki and his horrible impulses to spoil Langa and Langa and his inability to refuse Reki anything, Miya doesn’t know which one is worse. Regardless, they’re disgusting. They’re the grossest and Miya is not having any of it. He will not be dealing with their stupid sappy heart-eyes!

“Hey, Joe?” The man looks over at the boy, a half-empty bottle of wine in hand. “Since I know you’re bi, you’ve got Sweater Weather on your phone, right?”

“I—”

“Because I think Reki could benefit from it and maybe Langa can take a goddamn hint!”

Miya narrows his eyes onto Reki and Langa, glaring daggers at them. Reki is gaping, face burning red. Langa is no better, his wide eyes as his head pops out of the sweater Reki has managed to make him wear. And Miya snorts. He snorts because for once, Reki picked the wrong sweater.

It shouldn’t have been modified. Like Cherry’s sweater, it’s a play on “All I Want for Christmas Is You” but the “You” is crossed out and “Food” is written next to it. That crossed out “You” shouldn’t have been changed, even if Langa was known for his big appetite. Because if there’s one thing he would want more than food for the holidays, it’s Reki.

[reki-of-the-valley]

Snow Glow

Day 2 - Snowboarding

Read it on AO3 here

First | < Previous | Day 2 | Next >

---

There’s no doubt that Langa is an amazing skater. He’s by far one of the best ones at S, no one can deny that. He’s an amazingly talented skater but he’s an even better snowboarder. Langa on a snowboard is like a fish in water; he’s undeniably in his element, surrounded by the powdery white snow and the ramps and rails and jumps. He’s at home in the snow park, determination sparkling behind his snow goggles.

A smile pulls at the corners of Reki’s mouth as he leans against his propped-up board, chin resting against his mitten-bound hands. He smiles at the bottom of the hill-mounted park, watching Langa have the time of his life. Even all covered up, Reki can see how happy he is. He can sense his joy as he glides through the snow, every swerve and shift in weight seeming so natural to him. And he looks good doing it. Langa looks amazing and so graceful as he jumps onto a rail before swirling the other way as he lands on the snow. And when he takes the big jump? Reki is even more mesmerized than that first day he saw the boy skate, when the snowflakes had begun to fall in Okinawa. Seeing real snowflakes surround Langa as he flips in the air, Reki can’t explain what effect it has on him. All he knows is that the sight is breathtaking and he’s not the only one to think so.

Snowboarders and skiers alike stop to watch Langa zigzag across the park, taking as many rails and ramps as he can. They all stop, none daring to interfere with the boy’s performance. And next to him, Reki can hear a few people whispering among each other. He doesn’t understand what they’re saying but he can hear the amazement in their voices. They’re probably wondering if Langa’s a pro; Reki knows that if he was the one walking in on the show without the slightest clue of who is behind the mask and goggles, he would have believed it was a pro athlete practicing or just having fun. Langa could have easily been mistaken for a pro, or at least, Reki thinks he could. Who else could seem so at home on the slopes, amongst the snow and mountain landscape? Who else could manage to make all those tricks seem so easy and effortless? Only a pro or someone who spent his whole life in the snow could manage that.

Reki shields his eyes as snow swirls around him, Langa spinning to a stop in front of him. By the time Reki’s opening his eyes, Langa has tossed his helmet to the ground and pulled his mask down, revealing his flushed face. His hair is drenched with sweat and sticking to his forehead as he flops down to the ground to unbuckle his board from his feet, but somehow, he still manages to look beautiful. Even while being sweaty and gross, he still has Reki’s heart flipping in his chest, a happy flutter in his stomach.

“I forgot how much fun that could be.” Langa’s laughter is pretty and light and intercut with pants. His cheeks are flushed pink, perhaps from his laughter or maybe from the exertion and the cold. It’s most likely from the cold, the tip of his nose red and probably just as frozen as Reki’s fingers and toes. “I didn’t think I missed it that much.”

“You looked so cool, man! That jump? Holy shit, I was so scared that you weren’t gonna land it right, which is crazy since you land everything, but like! You looked so cool! And you looked…” Reki bites the inside of his cheek, feeling a little heat form under his eyes, “you looked really happy, Langa. You looked really good, totally awesome.”

Reki smiles as Langa gets up, his laughter still lingering in the air. He’s so pretty when he’s happy. He’s so pretty with his flushed cheeks and his wide smile. Langa is undeniably the prettiest boy Reki’s ever seen and he still doesn’t know how he managed to score himself such a pretty and talented boyfriend. He doesn’t know how he can be worthy of such an amazing boyfriend.

Gloved hands find mittens, tugging Reki closer to him. His smile gets closer but it’s not close enough for the distance to be closed easily. Reki would have to chase, and with all the snowboarders and skiers zipping past them, he doesn’t think he has it in him to do it. Just thinking about it has Reki fidgeting with embarrassment.

“We should go back up. We should go back up and you should try it.” Such a pretty smile on a beautiful face. “I know you’d love it.”

Reki shakes his head. He shakes his head and he feels his hat slipping down, almost obstructing his view, but he doesn’t pull away from Langa to fix it. He might not be courageous enough to press a kiss to Langa’s mouth but he can manage to keep holding his hands without feeling nervous. And, even if he knows it’s all in his head, Reki feels warmer with Langa’s fingers curled around his hands.

“There’s no way, dude. I am absolutely not trying any of this. I will quite literally die.” Reki shakes his head again, huffing ever so slightly. “Every time you’ve tried showing me how to go down this stupid mountain, I end up just getting to the bottom on my ass. It’s just… It’s impossible, man! I just suck at this. I suck at this whole being strapped onto the board. It’s not like being a skateboard. It’s…” Reki sighs as he pulls his hands back, dropping his head into his now warm mittens. “I suck at this and you’ve been having so much more fun when you’re not stuck worrying about me. You should—"

“No!” Langa bites off his gloves and tosses them aside, his warm hands cupping Reki’s frozen cheeks. “No, Reki. No. You don’t suck, not at all, and I’ve been having so much fun going down with you.”

“I keep slowing you down, dude. I can see how much fun you have when you pick up speed.”

“No. Well, yes. I mean, I like going fast, but I like being with you even more. It’s like skating; it’s so much more fun with you. And,” Langa sighs, his eyes glancing aside, “it’s my fault you keep falling. I’m just…” Sky blue eyes find Reki’s once more, a sad smile twitching at the corner of Langa’s mouth. “Things would be going so much smoother if I was a better teacher, if I was more like you. But I just, I’m not as good as you when it comes to explaining things. I just do them; I don’t know how to explain them correctly. But you’re doing amazing, Reki. You’re doing so good, my Love.”

Light giggles bubble out of Reki as he presses his cheek to Langa’s hand. He can’t help it, not when Langa is calling him his Love. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, but it still has Reki feeling giddy. There’s just something about the name that has his heart in a flutter each time.

“Nah, man. No need to lie to me; I know I suck at this. It’s just…” Reki groans. “Feels like I’ll never be good at this. Just can’t wrap my head around the whole being strapped onto the board thing, y’know? I… I keep trying to jump off before I fall, but… yeah, yeah, that doesn’t work so I end up on my ass.” The laughter feels bitter now and Reki hates it. He hates that he knows it’s jealousy. He hates that he’s jealous of Langa’s ease on a board. “I just… Man, you look so good when you’re flying. You look so cool, unlike me. And, just… Langa, you deserve to have fun. You deserve to enjoy your vacation. We’re not here forever and you deserve to be happy without having to constantly worry about me and my stupid inability to stay up.”

Reki’s breath hitches as Langa pulls him close, his strong arms tightening around Reki’s neck. Suddenly, despite the biting cold, he feels hot. He feels hot as Langa’s hair tickles his cheek, his quiet voice filling Reki’s ear.

“You’re the one that makes me happy, Reki. I have so much more fun when I’m with you. Whether it’s skating or snowboarding or just doing nothing, if it’s with you, then I’ll always have fun. I’ll have so much fun because you make me so happy, Reki. You make me the happiest, so please, please my Love, never put yourself down like that. You’re doing amazing. You’re doing so good, especially for a first try. You’re just…”

A smile blossoms across Reki’s face as he shifts just enough to press a kiss to Langa’s cheek. He doesn’t care that there are people all around them; if his boyfriend is going to be this sappy, then Reki is going to kiss him, even if it’s only a quick peck on the cheek. And anyway, it’s enough to have Langa pulling back, his eyes bluer and wider than Reki’s ever seen them. If he was pink before, he’s a bright red now. And it’s not from the cold.

“Thank you.” Noses press together, warm breaths swirling between them. “Thank you for not giving up on teaching me how to snowboard.”

“I’ll never give up on you, and you know that. You didn’t give up on me when I was learning to skate, so I’ll never give up on you. And I was terrible at the beginning.”

Reki giggles as he presses his forehead to Langa’s. “You weren’t that bad.”

“Reki. I needed to be taped to the board. And I needed you to push me. I was shit.”

“You just needed a few readjustments, that’s all. You really weren’t that bad.”

Reki feels his breath hitch once more as Langa nudges him with his nose, lips brushing against his. His heart pounds in against his chest as he sees Langa’s eyes flicker down. “Same goes for you. Once you get a hang of having your feet strapped onto the board, you’ll be just as good as me, if not better.”

He can help but snort as he rubs his nose against Langa’s. “Yeah right, dude. As if I could be better than a guy with 16 years of practice and who’s just naturally amazing at everything he does. Please, there’s no way I’ll ever be better than you.”

“Only time will tell. So,” Langa’s hand finds Reki’s cheek once more, rubbing soothing circles against his skin. “Will you come up with me one more time? I’ll go slow, I promise.”

“Fine, one more time. But if I find myself on my ass the whole time or it takes forever for me to get down, that’s it. I’m going in after and getting something warm to drink because I’m freezing, dude. Feels like my toes are about to fall off.”

“I’ll buy you whatever you want afterward, but just… just one more run.”

It’s so easy to smile around Langa. It’s so easy to smile when love is involved. Reki feels like he could smile for the next forever, just as long as Langa is there, because when Langa is there, when the one Reki loves most is there, everything feels so much easier. Langa makes everything so much easier.

“Hey, Langa?” Langa hums as he continues rubbing circles into Reki’s cheek. His breath is warm against Reki’s lips, the puffs of air making the world fade away. “Before we go up, I…” Reki bites the inside of his lip, trying his best to suppress the blush that’s starting to warm his cheeks once more. “Can I have a good luck kiss?”

Pretty laughter spills against Reki’s lips as a kiss is pressed to them. Pretty laughter that’s so sweet against his mouth, laughter that has him giggling as well. Pretty laughter that warms him right up, or maybe it’s the kiss that’s making him feel all warm under his coat and snow pants. Maybe it’s Langa’s sweet and addictive kisses that have Reki reeling. Maybe it’s the kiss that has him clinging to Langa. Or maybe it’s just Langa, all of his sweet love that has Reki feeling like he’s flying, just like Langa was as he jumped on his board.

A smile breaks the kiss, Langa pulling back ever so slightly before whispering against Reki’s lips. “You can have as many of those as you want, my Love. You can have all the good luck kisses that you want.”

[reki-of-the-valley]

Crystal Crafts

Day 7 - Snowman

Read it on AO3 here

First | < Previous | Day 7 | Next >

—

Reki sighs as he drops his head onto the desk. He’s been at it for far too long, the words and numbers starting to jumble in his brain. He knows that the longer he stares at the page, the more likely he is to make a mistake, but he also knows that he’s been putting this off for too long. He knows that if he doesn’t get his inventory done by tonight, he will regret it in the morning.

Reluctantly, he scrolls through the pages once more. The color code is quite simple: red means a restock is urgent and yellow means that the quantities remaining are dangerously low. It’s an easy system and so far, it has been working miracles for Reki. At least, when he isn’t completely exhausted. Normally, the system is nearly foolproof, but lately, mistakes have been pilling.

Reki pinches the bridge of his nose as he pulls his calculator closer. It’s that time of year again, time to readjust his prices. He hates having to raise his prices but he knows he has to because as much as he adores what he does, he does still need to make a living wage. He needs to make some kind of profit off the boards he sells. He knows he has to ask for a fair price for his labor, not just run himself dry on funds and energy. That was a lesson he had learned hard way in his youth. And anyway, Reki has to make some kind of income from his sales; he can’t put the burden of bills on Langa just because he decided against an office job to pursue his dream.

The pages seem endless. The scrolling down seems endless, numbers and letters blurring together on the screen. No matter how hard he tries, Reki can’t concentrate, especially not when there are muffled whispers distracting him. How is he supposed to concentrate on his work when there’s a smile pulling at the corners of his mouth, eyes rolling back from the quiet voices buzzing right outside his closed office door?

No matter how many times he has reminded the girls to not play right outside his office while he’s working, they never listen. He knows they’re trying their best to not make too much noise, but if there’s one thing Reki has learned from being the eldest of a big family, it’s that silence is impossible. No matter how low they believe their whispers to be, they still bounce around and are heard by everyone. No matter how quiet they try to be, someone will hear them. Or maybe it’s the parent in him that has him continually on the alert, continually listening to the whispers that surround him.

Maybe it’s that change that has him chuckling to himself as his daughters bicker on the other side of the closed door. Maybe it’s that change that has him thinking of his mother and all the things she must have heard come out of her children’s mouths. Reki knows that, as a teenager, he wouldn’t have been listening to all the voices that surrounded him. He knows he wouldn’t have been paying attention to the pitchy childish voices that bounced around the house. Back then, he wouldn’t have noticed a single thing, but now? Now, every sound has his attention.

Reki swivels on his chair to face the door as it creaks open. The grin that takes over half of the girl’s face has him chuckling as he motions her forward. And with that, she rushes to him before climbing onto his knees.

“Whatcha got there, Yuki?”

“I made a snowman!”

Yuki holds up her arts and crafts project for Reki to look at it. Her grin is wide as she explains the step-by-step process of making a snowman wreath. Reki never would have guessed it could be so complicated to make, but the girl makes sure her father knows how serious her crafting is; it’s just as serious as Reki’s work and all those hours he spends in his workshop.

“First, Papa told me I had to cut the middle. Haru helped me but only a little! You see, I followed the line! And then I glued the fluffy balls because they’re snow! See?”

She pushes the project in Reki’s face, adamant that he sees what she has created. With a light chuckle, he pushes the crafts away from his face, bringing it down to his lap where she’s seated.

“I can’t see if you put it that close to my face, Princess. Remember,” Reki taps her nose, a smile pulling at the corner of his mouth, a smile that is mirrored, “we don’t put things in other people’s faces. Eyes can see very far.”

“Then why does Grandma always bring the tablet close to her face when we talk to her?”

Reki flushes at the remark.  He would laugh at the child’s brutal honesty, but this time, she has him stumped. He, as an adult, knows why his mother does what she does – age has taken a toll on her eyesight and her relationship with technology had always been a rocky one at best – but a little one like Yuki doesn’t quite grasp those concepts. Or at least, Reki doesn’t know how to explain it to her without undoing everything he and Langa have been trying to teach her about personal space. Not to mention that her attention span for things she isn’t particularly interested in is rather limited.

The last time Reki had tried explaining it to his youngest, Yuki had gone on a tangent about her dolphin game. He wasn’t sure how they had gotten to that conversation, but he didn’t try bringing it back to his mother. Explaining aging to a child was a horrible thing, especially that they managed to say the meanest things in the cutest ways. Langa had had to leave the room after being called old by his own daughter.

“So is that what you girls were doing right outside my office? Making snowmen?”

Giggles break from the girl’s lips as she wiggles and slides down Reki’s knee. She giggles as she runs to the door, pushing it open and grabbing her sister’s hand. Reki can’t help the laughter that tumbles out. There’s little he loves as much as he loves seeing his daughters getting along, Haru letting out a little gasp as she’s tugged forward. He can’t help but laugh as he watches Yuki struggling to pull her sister and Haru stumbling behind her. He can’t help it as he catches the youngest of the two, her little hand slipping out of her sister’s and sending her tumbling forward. And as she looks up, her big hazel eyes shine.

“Haru made one too!”

Haru holds out her own project, though with less confidence than Yuki had. A smile blossoms across Reki’s face as Haru flushes, her freckles fading under her blush. Sisters, similar physically, but oh-so-different when it comes to their personalities; while Yuki loves attention, Haru never knows how to handle it. She never knows how to act when she’s being praised. She’s like Reki in that manner, blushing furiously as a reaction. And like how Langa makes sure to kiss Reki every time he praises him, Reki pulls the girl forward, pressing a kiss to her burning cheek.

“It’s a lovely snowman. I especially like the polka dots you put on the hat and bow.”

Her weight is comfortable against Reki’s chest, her arms circling around his neck. That was another thing he made sure to teach his daughters; he made sure they felt safe and comfortable with physical affection. Physical affection was one of those things Reki had always been conflicted about when he was younger. There was no denying how much he loved hugging those he cared for, but at the same time, he never knew how much was too much. He had always loved hugging his mother, but after being mocked for it back in grade school, he had started to hesitate. Reki had begun hesitating when it came to expressing his love, never knowing what was considered “appropriate.”

Growing up in an environment where physical affection wasn’t the norm had left Reki craving for more, but it also had him fearing his desires. Indulgence left him high and sinking. More but less, especially when it came to Langa. Nothing compared to the feeling of having Langa’s arms around him, his warm hugs making Reki’s heart flutter with love and joy. Nothing felt quite as wonderful as hugging Langa, but little had left Reki quite as frightful either. And that fear, he never wanted Haru nor Yuki to feel it. He didn’t want them ever hesitating to hug those they loved, fearing to be mocked or shamed for their affection.

“I wanna hug too!”

Reki laughs as Yuki throws herself at him. He laughs as he picks up both his girls, getting up from his chair and squeezing them in his arms. He laughs as they giggle against him, clinging to him to not slip out of his grip.

“My two princesses!” He presses a kiss to each. “My two snowmen-building princesses!”

They giggle as their feet find the ground once more. Both are flushed from their giddiness, their snowmen wreaths pressed to their chest. And as Reki falls back into his desk chair, the crafts are set on his knees, two pairs of hazel eyes fixated on him.

“For you, Daddy!”

He takes both the crafts, holding them up to the light. He hums before grinning at the girls. “I think they’ll look amazing up on the wall with your other drawings. What do you girls think?”

Both nod enthusiastically, though Yuki is a little more vigorous in her excitement. Her little hand grips around his, her whole weight falling back to tug him off his chair. And as Reki carefully gets up, careful that Yuki doesn’t tumble back, she pulls him towards the wall on which Reki pins all the drawings and crafts the girls have gifted him over the years. She even makes sure to show him exactly where she wants him to stick it – right between her last drawing of the neighbor’s cat and the drawing she made at school of their little family.

Yuki bounces at Reki’s side as she watches him pin her snowman up. She presses into his side as she points at her creation, her pudgy little hand reaching up to where she can’t reach.

“Did you see, Daddy? Mine has a pink hat because pink means I love you!”

Reki nods as he finishes sticking Haru’s snowman to the wall, not far from Yuki’s. “I did. And I love you too, Yuki. I love you both.”

“Mine has a yellow one because I know it’s your favorite color.”

Reki feels himself melt as he pulls both his daughters close. He feels himself melt at the sight of Haru’s smile, wide and unguarded rather than small and hesitant. He melts at how happy she seems, a look that has gotten a lot rare with the years. It’s all he wants, really. All Reki ever wants is for his girls to be happy.

If he wasn’t so scared of worrying them, Reki would let the tears fall freely. He’d cry into their hair, pressing kiss after kiss to their heads. If he wasn’t terrified of giving off the wrong impression, he wouldn’t hesitate to break down crying. They would be happy tears, of course.

Over the years, Reki’s felt all kinds of love. He’s felt familial love from his parents and sisters. He’s felt platonic love from all his friends. He’s felt romantic love from the love of his life, from his sweet Langa. He’s felt all kinds of loves throughout his life, but thus one? Nothing can compare to it. Nothing can compare to the feeling that comes with holding these precious little girls against him, loving them unconditionally. Nothing can compare to the overwhelming feeling of love he feels for his girls.

“I love you both so, so much.”

Happy laughter bubbles out of Reki as both girls press a kiss to his cheeks. Love, he’s surrounded by so much of it. He can’t say he has ever been deprived of it but this kind… never in a million years would Reki have thought himself worthy of it. Never in a million years would he have thought he’d have two beautiful little girls kissing his face, his beautiful little girls who love him so, so much. Almost as much as he loves them.

Reki finally straightens out, squeezing his eyes shut before the waterworks begin. He inhales sharply before opening his eyes again, smiling at his daughters. They look up at him but they don’t seem to catch on to the possibility of him crying.

“So,” Reki takes a deep, shaky breath. He still wants to cry but he won’t let himself. He doesn’t want to worry the sweet girls looking at him. “Where’s your father?”

“Papa’s still in the kitchen, struggling to make a snowman. He’s…” Haru glances back at the door, shifty eyes as if she were afraid that Langa was standing there, listening to her, “not as good as you when it comes to crafts. I think he’s still stuck with the gluing of cotton balls.”

Reki snorts at the mental image that’s formed in his mind. He’s always known that Langa was terrible at all forms of arts and crafts – the few times he had participated in helping Chihiro and Nanaka with crafts when they were kids was enough proof for Reki to be convinced that he would struggle with crafts for the rest of his life – but it never ceased to be hilarious. Finding things in which Langa struggled was one of Reki’s guilty pleasures; Langa was always so amazing at everything he did that his few fields of incompetence never ceased to amuse Reki, even years later. And how could he not laugh? How can he not laugh when he knows that Langa, despite his failures, is adorable as he tries time and time again?

Reki knows it’s childish. He knows it’s childish to want to see the show that is Langa trying to make a cotton-ball snowman wreath, but he can’t help it. He wants to run downstairs just to see it happening. He wants to laugh, laugh just as he did the first time he saw Langa’s terrible attempt at using a glue stick. He wants those happy memories to come flowing back in but he knows better than to give in to his impulses. Maybe if Haru and Yuki weren’t there, then he would have given in. Maybe if Reki didn’t feel the need to be a good role model for his children, then he would have dashed off, laughing and not caring about how people would perceive him. Maybe if he was alone then he’d run downstairs to laugh at his best friend and love of his life, laugh at him making a fool out of himself. But he wasn’t alone.

“You think I should go down to help him?”

Haru nods solemnly, sighing and looking a little too much like Langa. “I think he’d like that.”

A smile pulls at the corner of Reki’s mouth as he takes Yuki’s hand and places his other hand on Haru’s shoulder. With a gentle push, he guides the two girls out of the office.

“C’mon, let’s go help Papa with his terrible attempt at making any kind of crafts project.” The girls glance at each other before looking up at Reki. “And maybe we can make cookies for dessert after? To cheer Papa up?”

Both girls break into grins as they grab onto Reki’s hands, dragging him to the kitchen. They giggle and cheer as they debate the type of cookies they should make. Yuki insists that Papa’s favorites are chocolate chip so that’s what they should make, but Haru has different plans. According to her, their best bet at cheering him up is to make him the pretty cookies with colorful sprinkles and icing. And at the mention of sprinkles, Yuki is on board because if there’s one thing she loves more than the attention of the grown-ups around her, it’s colorful sugar. They make her eyes grow huge with excitement, a pleased smile taking up half of her face. And with that, Reki finds himself grinning at the girls because if he thought that Langa was bad when it came to sweets, their sweet daughters are a thousand times worse.

[reki-of-the-valley]

Winter Wonderland

Day 6 - Winter Wonderland

Read it on AO3 here

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—

“Dude, it’s all so pretty!”

Reki’s eyes shine as they skirt around the marketplace. Little shops have been set up on the plaza, all decorated to fit the festive season. Garlands and lights hang from the booths, people with Santa hats or reindeer antlers selling little Christmas trinkets or hot drinks and food. Christmas floats in the air, holiday songs playing over everyone’s heads, the jolly atmosphere making everyone grin among themselves. The Christmas village looks better than Langa’s ever seen it. This year, it actually looks straight out of a Hallmark Christmas movie.

A smile curls at the corners of Langa’s mouth as Reki tugs him forward. His excitement is contagious, and as long as their hands are clasped together, Langa knows he’ll always be happy. With their fingers intertwined, he knows that he’s ready to follow his boyfriend to the end of the world. If Reki is right there by his side, Langa knows that he’s ready to do anything. For Reki, he’ll smile as they walk through the little Santa village that they set up every year, the little village Langa has long grown out of it. Without Reki, Langa wouldn’t have set foot in the market; it’s far too childish for him and he isn’t a fan of the children running around and throwing snowballs at each other. Without Reki, Langa would have turned away and gone home, but Reki is there and he’s excited about it all. Reki adores the little village and his love is contagious. Or maybe it’s just that Langa loves Reki.

“Dude, they even have animals here?”

Langa huffs as Reki’s hand slips out of his. He huffs, a pout starting to form, but it is quickly replaced by a smile. The smile stretches as he watches Reki lean over the little wooden fence, reaching out to the goat that’s staring at him with its big, round eyes. He looks like a big child, standing on the tip of his toes of one foot while the other is off the ground, but Langa can’t help but find him adorable. He’s just so cute with his starry-eyed amazement, his excitement over farm animals. He’s so cute that Langa can’t help but wrap his arms around Reki’s middle from behind and nuzzles his shoulder.

“Take off your glove if you intend to keep it to the end of the day.”

Reki quickly complies, pocketing one of his cotton gloves before presenting his bare hand to the animal. This time, it doesn’t just stare at him with a blank expression; it trots right up to the boy and grazes its rough nose against the palm of Reki’s hand, pulling giggles from him. He giggles like a child as he pats and rubs the goat’s head, calling it a good boy. He giggles, starry-eyed and beautiful and Langa can’t help but fall a little more for the boy. Child-like wonder has never looked this good. Amazement of this kind had never had Langa feel so in love with someone. In all honesty, before Reki, it kind of annoyed him. Or it left him completely indifferent.

His arms tighten around Reki’s body as he snuggles closer and rests his chin against his boyfriend’s shoulder. His eyes follow the different animals trotting around their pen, but more often than not, they’re fixated on Reki. He can’t look away from the boy. He can’t look away from the boy with stars in his eyes, Langa’s whole world. He can’t look away from the most beautiful boy alive and even if he could, Langa doesn’t want to. He doesn’t want to look at anything else.

“You good, man?”

Langa hums against Reki’s jaw, pressing a kiss to the soft skin. “Never been better.”

“You’re just awfully quiet there. Which, I mean, I guess isn’t all that weird for you since you never really talk, but like… I don’t know, man. You’re just more quiet than usual.”

Another smile blossoms across Langa’s as he presses it to Reki’s skin once more. “Just taking a moment of silence to thank whatever god or entity that’s out of there that blessed me with the cutest boyfriend ever.”

A tinge of pink spreads across Reki’s skin, a color that could easily be mistaken for a result of the cold. His cheeks are the same color as his nose, but they’re all warm under Langa’s lips. Reki is a mixture of hot and cold, and of beautiful and adorable. He is a beautiful present all wrapped up in his big winter coat and his wool hat and scarf. He is so adorably beautiful that Langa still doesn’t know how he was lucky enough to call him his.

“You are a horrible sap,” Reki mutters as he buries his nose in his scarf. “So cheesy, man.”

“Just stating the truth.” Another smile against Reki’s cheek. “You really are the cutest boyfriend anyone could ask for.”

“And you are the sappiest one.” Reki giggles as he wiggles in Langa’s arms, shifting and turning in Langa’s arms, moving until he’s face-to-face with him. “The sappiest but prettiest boyfriend a guy could ask for.”

With a laugh, Langa leans in, ready to kiss the mockery away. He leans in, but before he can taste those pretty lips he loves so much, he’s met with Reki’s ungloved finger. His cold fingertip keeps him at a distance, forbidding him from pressing kiss after kiss to the face of his beloved. And normally when Reki keeps him away like that, Langa just presses kisses to his fingers, kissing whatever skin he can touch, but this time, he jolts back. He can smell the goat on Reki’s hand and there is no way in hell that he’s kissing a hand that just touched a barn animal. Absolutely no way.

Reki’s laughter is bright and loud, that sweet laughter that Langa loves, but he can’t feel it against his lips as he would like to. He wants nothing more than to have Reki laugh into a kiss, but he knows that if he was to lean back in, he would be met with that same dirty hand that had stopped him the first time around. He knows Reki won’t let him kiss him, so instead, Langa pouts. He pouts as he glances away, eyes narrowing onto the goat that’s still there, staring at him with its empty, demonic eyes. If it weren’t for the creature of hell, Langa could be kissing his boyfriend right now.

“Are you actually glaring at the goat, man?”

“Yes.”

“You’re mad at the goat because I won’t let you kiss me?”

Langa puffs his cheeks as his eyes quickly flicker between Reki’s amber and the goat’s yellow. “Because I could be kissing the palm of your hand right now. But I can’t because goat germs.”

“You…” Reki laughs that pretty laughter of his, drawing Langa’s full attention to him as he scrunches his pretty freckly nose. “Aren’t kisses supposed to be kept for under mistletoe?”

Langa feels his eyes widen. Mistletoe. He should have thought about that. It was such an easy and certain way of feeling Reki’s lips against his during this time of year. And there was no way that there weren’t at least one of the little stands selling some. What kind of winter wonderland marketplace didn’t sell the most iconic and cliché Christmas tradition? What Christmas village didn’t have at least one vendor overcharging for a piece of mistletoe? There had to be someone, and yet, Langa hadn’t thought about it. He hadn’t thought of the easy solution so he has to find another way to convince Reki to kiss him. There has to be something.

“Is there anything that says that kissing near a goat brings good luck?”

Reki raises an eyebrow, a smile twitching at the corner of his pretty mouth. “I don’t think so?”

“Well, new tradition that I’ve decided. From now on, kissing near a goat brings good luck. So,” Langa’s voice drops to a whisper as his nose brushes against Reki’s, “can I kiss you? Even without mistletoe?”

Reki’s laughter is beautiful against Langa’s lips. It’s beautiful and sweet and Langa feels himself melt into the kiss. It’s nothing new; he always finds himself melting against Reki, especially when he has his body curving into him and his fingers curling around a handful of hair. Langa always melts and his head starts spinning as Reki tilts his head a little more to deepen the kiss, his tongue at the seam of Langa’s lips. Everything fades away when Reki has his lips on Langa’s. Everything goes away, leaving nothing but a winter wonderland made for two.

The scene is picturesque; there’s snow all around them, Christmas love songs swirling in the air. They’re in the middle of Santa’s little village, a market that looks straight out of a postcard. They’re in the middle of everything, but it’s just them. It’s just the two of them and Langa feels like he’s found paradise in those lips he gets to kiss. He’s found his happiness, kissing the boy of his dreams, this beautiful boy that he loves most in the world, his boyfriend. Langa has found his one true love and here they were, a kiss worthy of all those cheesy Christmas movies that Reki loves. There they are, the stars of the movie, their happily ever after finally promised to them. All that’s missing is a ring, a promise of eternity, but Langa thinks he can wait a little longer before he’s down on one knee. They’re both still so young; they have a bit of time left before they start seriously thinking about officially vowing infinity to one another.

[reki-of-the-valley]

Cold December Night

Day 11 - Fireplace

Read it on AO3 here

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—

Langa watches as the snow swirls outside the kitchen window. It’s another nightly snowstorm; it’ll truly look like Christmas in the morning. With this much snow sticking to the window, he knows that it’ll be powdery white all around, fresh snow worthy of a holiday postcard. With this much snow, it’ll look like the Christmases he remembers from his childhood; it’ll be one of those cold mornings where the snow sparkles under the rising sun. It’ll be like those Christmases he spent with both his parents, except it won’t be quite the same. He can’t go back into the past, but that doesn’t mean he won’t be able to enjoy this year’s Christmas. His father might not be there, but Reki is. This year, Langa will be able to wake up on Christmas morning next to a beautiful boy who’s been gifted his heart. And given how starry-eyed Reki’s been during this whole trip, Langa knows that Christmas morning will have that magic it had started to lose with the years.

“Whatcha thinkin’ about?”

Langa leans back into the hug, Reki’s arms tight around his middle. He’s warm with his chin hooked over Langa’s shoulder, watching him stir the hot chocolate he’s been preparing. If every day could be spent like this, Reki snuggled close while the comfort of the holidays makes Langa smile, then he’d be over the moon. But as long as Reki is there, then Langa is content. That’s all he really needs.

“You,” he whispers against Reki’s hair, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“Sap.” He snuggles closer, the blanket on his shoulder enveloping half of Langa. It’s warm in the little cocoon Reki’s created, a little slice of heaven right there in the kitchen.

“Are you cold, by any chance?”

“Freezing.”

Langa chuckles at the dryness of Reki’s voice. He keeps forgetting that not everyone is cold resistant like he is. While he can easily take out the trash in just a t-shirt, Reki needs to bundle up the moment he set a foot out of the house. Even inside, Reki’s always got layers upon layers; just watching the snow fall makes him feel cold. Just thinking about the snow probably freezes him interiorly.

“Dude, why is it so freaking cold in here? Did you stop the heat or something?”

“The heat is on, Reki. I even made sure it’s on high for you.” Langa shuts the stove off before giving the hot chocolate one last mix. It’s steaming now, the milk almost boiling. It’s probably a lot sweeter than it should be, but Langa didn’t know what quantity of chocolate to pour into it. And anyway, can it really be too chocolaty? Was there such a thing? “And I made hot chocolate just for you. It should warm you up.”

“So cold, dude. I am so cold.”

A shiver jolts down Langa’s spine as Reki presses his freezing nose to the nape of his neck. He really is cold; Langa doesn’t understand how he’s that cold, but he knows Reki isn’t just exaggerating. He can’t fake a cold nose, the tip of his nose like ice.

While their drinks cool a little in the saucepan, Langa turns to be facing his boyfriend. He’s all wrapped up in his blanket, almost looking small in the cocoon that has swallowed him. And as Langa squeezes himself into his arms, letting himself be enveloped by the soft blanket, he can’t help the smile that grows. He can’t help the light chuckle on his lips as he rubs his nose to Reki’s.

“Are you wearing my pajamas?”

“They’re warmer than mine.” A slight tilt of the head, the perfect angle to press a kiss to that beautiful mouth. “And you never wear them, so.”

Maybe a kiss will warm Reki up. And if it doesn’t, well, it’s not like he seems to mind. Much like Langa, he’s enjoying the many little kisses they share. He smiles against Langa’s lips, whispering back an ‘I love you’ with that warm breath of his. And as he presses his body to Langa’s, curving into him, there’s no way that he’s still cold. He can’t be. Body heat was by far the most efficient way to keep warm.

“M'still cold, dude.”

Langa sighs but the smile doesn’t leave his lips. If anything, it grows as he trails kisses from Reki’s jaw down to his shoulder. As always, it pulls a shiver from the boy, but it’s not from the cold. His skin heats under every kiss, but when Langa is whispering into it, it burns. It burns hotter than the summer sun in Okinawa.

“I know a good way to warm you up.”

It’s instantaneous, Reki shoving Langa away and pulling his blanket shut over himself. His face is bright red, redder than even his hair. He’s red all over, and all Langa can do is laugh at his gaping and stuttering.

“I… Dude! Dude, you can’t just-! You-! Langa!”

It’s hard to talk while he chokes on his laughter, but he somehow manages. Somehow, he manages to choke his words out as he pulls Reki back into his arms.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I meant I can start a fire in the fireplace and we can sit by it until you’re comfortable.” Langa buries his nose in Reki’s hair, his laughter finally having calmed itself. “And you say I’m the dirty-minded one.”

“Well excuse me for my wandering mind! Look how you said it, man!”

A kiss is pressed to Reki’s mouth once more, quieting him a little. Not completely, they never do, but enough to at least calm him. The burning blush lessens as he melts against Langa once more, blanket-clad arms wrapping around Langa’s neck. At least Reki feels a little warmer than before.

“Go get comfortable by the tree while I serve the hot chocolate, okay? I’ll be there in just a minute to start the fire.”

“Fireplace cuddles?”

Another kiss, smiles pressed together. “The warmest cuddles for my favorite boyfriend.”

Reki snorts, a sound Langa adores. He knows Reki gets self-conscious when he snorts in public, his cheeks turning pink as he covers his mouth, but when it’s just the two of them, he doesn’t try hiding them. He trusts Langa enough that he doesn’t have to have total control over himself, letting himself ‘ugly laugh’ as he says rather than forcing that controlled laughter. He trusts Langa enough to be his authentic, beautiful self.

“You say that as if you have more than one.”

“Only you.” A kiss to the tip of his nose which is warm now. “There will only ever be you.” A kiss to his eyelid. “From now until the end of time.” A kiss to his eyebrow. “I’ll only ever love you.” A kiss to the lips which is gladly returned.

[reki-of-the-valley]

2006

Day 3 - Vintage

Read it on AO3 here

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---

“Mama!”

A flash of dirty blond hair comes into view, running right past the camcorder which follows the pitter-patter of the heavy, childish steps. The boy slams into his mother’s leg, arms wrapping around her knee as he looks up at her with his big, excited sky-blue eyes.

“Mama! Santa Claus left lots and lots of presents!”

“He sure did, Langa.”

Giggles fill the air as Nanako picks up the boy. He squirms in her arms as she presses kiss after kiss to his chubby little cheeks. He squirms and whines in the background as the camera pans away from the mother and child. Everything goes blurry for a moment, flashes of smudged colors filling the screen. The screen focuses and unfocussed a few times before finally catching the brightly decorated tree.

It's loaded, Christmas ornaments filling every square inch of the tree. Every decoration imaginable is found on the branches: sparkling garlands, glistening tassel, strings of colorful lights, shiny glass ornaments, glittery snowflakes, they’re all there. Every possible decoration is hung on the branches, branches that start to bend under the weight of it all. And it’s a beautiful sight, despite the grainy quality of the early 2000s video. The tree is lovely; it was clearly decorated with lots of care and love. It’s splendid in the middle of the home's living room, but the impressiveness does not end there.

The camera shifts once more, pointing down this time. It catches on the sparkles under the tree, piles of gifts resting under the colorful tree. No two are the same, each decorated so uniquely. And each one is more impressive than the last. Whoever wrapped them really gave it their all. Whoever wrapped the gifts did it with so much love and adoration. Only a person excited for the holidays would put in so much effort to add so many colorful ribbons and bows to the already beautiful and glistening wrapping paper. Only a loving person would create a child’s paradise under a tree, dozens of presents laid out around a Christmas crib.

The camera pans once more, pointing right down at the ground. Big blue eyes come in focus, the face of a chubby toddler taking up most of the screen. His pudgy little hands grip onto the filmmaker’s pants, tugging on the fabric to grab the adult’s attention.

“What you doing?”

Loud laughter shakes the camera, crackling as it comes out of the speakers. It’s much louder than the other voices that have been caught on tape, much closer to the microphone. And a voice comes out, low and filled with happiness.

“I’m making a movie, buddy. So when you’ll be big like me, you can look at this and remember your third Christmas.”

The child tilts his head, locks of blond hair falling over his eyes. His lips part for a moment, eyebrows suddenly pulled together, before being pressed into a thin line as he stares into the distance. It’s a look he’ll never grow out of, the perpetual confusion so clear on his face. It’ll never leave him but that doesn’t mean that light won’t shine in those blue eyes, a sparkle as he looks up once more.

“A movie like on tv?”

It doesn’t need to be captured on camera for the man’s smile to come through. It’s clear in his voice. He’s probably grinning as he pats the boy’s head.

“That’s right, Langa. A movie just like on tv.”

“I wanna make a movie!” His face lights up as his head snaps to the side, presumably to look at his mother who is off-screen. “Mama? Mama, I wanna make a movie like papa!”

The camera shakes once more as laughter echoes through the low-quality microphone. The focus is still on the boy, on his big eyes that glance between his parents, both laughing at him. It’s nothing mean but the child doesn’t seem too pleased. A small pout starts to form as he stares up, eyes fixated on the camera lens. His hands reach up, but the camera moves up before he can grab anything, and the new perspective makes him seem even smaller. The makeshift aerial view truly emphasizes his smallness. To think Langa was ever so tiny compared to everyone.

“Wanna try.”

He reaches up once more, pushing himself on his tiptoes as he grabs at the air. He wants the camera but he’s lifted away before he can pull anything down, anything that should not be found on the floor. And he gasps delightedly, a smile blossoming across his face as he realizes he’s in his mother’s arms. He happily cuddles against her, little arms wrapping around her neck as she whispers something to his ear, words surprisingly captured by the microphone.

“How about you open your presents, Baby?”

Langa squeals as his mother puts him down. He looks ecstatic as he runs to the tree. He’s clearly very excited but he’s also surprisingly patient for a child. He doesn’t grab whatever he can get his hands on as most children would. He simply sits by the tree and stares at his parents with those big blue eyes that will never change. He stares, patiently waiting for Nanako to hand him his first gift. And once he has the first box set down in front of him, he keeps staring. Suddenly, yet unsurprisingly, Langa seems lost.

“Langa,” there’s a fizzle, the voice far too close to the cheap microphone, “you can open it. It’s your present; Santa made it just for you.”

It takes a moment for the confusion to fade away from the boy’s face, but as soon as it’s gone, a grin takes over, his cheekbones high as he rips the blue paper off the box. His eyes shine as he keeps ripping, the sound resonating and creating scratches in the audio. He rips until it’s all gone and he’s left with nothing more than a box. His eyes snap up to his father, confusion suddenly overly visible on his chubby little face.

“Well, what did Santa give you, bud? Wanna show me?”

The boy holds up the box, covering most of his face with it. There’s a picture of colorful blocks on it, clearly depicting the toy contained by the cardboard. The camera has a hard time focusing on the text written on it, Langa shaking it, not knowing how to open it. He shakes it until he gives up, a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth as he makes his way to his mother. The camera follows him, capturing the moment he holds his gift up to Nanako.

“Can you open it please, Mama?”

She chuckles as she crouches down to be Langa size. With a nod, Nanako takes the box from his hands and opens it with ease. And as soon as she hands him a few of the wooden blocks, Langa beams. His grin is huge as he stacks them one over the other, creating a tower that eventually crumbles. The blocks lay on the floor for a moment, the room going completely silent. It is as if they were expecting the boy to burst into tears but he doesn’t. He simply stares at his mess before looking up at his mother once more and opening his mouth. The words don’t come out right away, but when they do, there’s no hint of sadness or distress in his voice. In fact, it’s perfectly normal, his usual high-pitched and childish voice.

“Can I open another present?”

Nanako lets out a small sigh of relief as she gets up. She presents her hand to her son which he immediately takes.

“Of course, Baby. How about you open…” Langa sits by the tree once more as Nanako grabs another brightly wrapped box and hands it to him. “Open this one. It’s from me. For my favorite baby.”

Blue eyes flicker between the box on his knees and his mother’s face. Adorable confusion appears on his face yet again as his little voice is caught on camera.

“M’your only baby.”

Nanako snorts, her hands quickly covering her mouth as she excuses herself. Her laughter resonates in the distance but the focus is still on Langa who’s staring at his present. He doesn’t do anything as a muffled conversation happens behind the camera, playful bickering between husband and wife. He doesn’t react as his mother tells his father off, ordering him to stop laughing at her. But there’s fondness in her voice, a fondness that has never gone away and that will probably never go away. She may be telling him that he’s an ass for laughing at her, but it’s obvious she doesn’t mean. Or maybe she does, but that doesn’t take away the love she feels for the man holding the camera.

The laughter-filled bickering comes to an end as Langa begins tearing paper once more. The sound of ripping drowns everything out and so does the squeal as he pulls out a green plushie for the box. His little gasp is adorable as he presses the toy to his chest in amazement, hugging it as tightly as he can. He squeezes and rocks it before holding it up to his parents and to the camera.

“Is a dinonor, Mama! Like Harry! I have a dinonor like Harry!”

There’s more laughter, a sound filled with adoration and fondness. “That’s right, Baby! It’s a dinosaur! Do you remember what sound they make?”

The laughter is loud as Langa lets out a tiny roar and he seems pleased with the reaction he has caused. He seems pleased yet shy, burying his face in his new toy and swaying from side to side. He seems so happy and excited, a look that doesn’t cross his face much anymore. Or at least, it’s really this unguarded. He seems over the moon but the camera shifts away from him, Nanako suddenly coming into a view. Her smile is wide but it disappears rather quickly, the screen going back from her hand over the lens. All visuals disappear but the audio is still clear, the video not coming to an end just yet.

“Put that thing away, Oliver. You’ve had your fun, so come and enjoy Christmas with your wife and son now. No screen separating you from us. I’m telling you, you’re trying to capture so much that you’re going to end up missing most of it. So just… spend time with us and stop thinking about how we’ll feel about it in 15 years.”

There’s light laughter that hangs in the air, though it isn’t ear-shattering this time. It’s light and pleasant; it’s no wonder Nanako had fallen in love with it.

“Of course, my Love. Anything for you.” There’s a silence, only distant childish sounds being vaguely heard. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

The home video finally cuts, a big replay button appearing on the tablet’s screen. Reki can’t help the smile that pulls at the corners of his mouth as he looks at the woman next to him. He can’t help but smile softly as he catches the tears at the corner of her eyes. There’s a fond expression on her face, adoration in her eyes, but there’s also a hint of sadness underneath it all. Reki can’t tell if it’s the nostalgia getting to her or if it’s that she’s missing her late husband. All he knows is that he’s patting her hand and sending her a sympathetic smile.

The light laughter that comes out of Nanako is both beautiful and heart-shattering. Her laughter is like Langa’s – it starts out small and shy before growing into something big – but there’s something else to it. There’s an emotion Reki can’t quite name, but it’s distinctively Nanako. It’s beautifully Nanako.

“Wasn’t he just the cutest little boy?”

Reki nods as Nanako beams. She’s absolutely not wrong; mini Langa really was adorable. He had that childish charm that Reki can’t help but smile at, that cuteness that attracts him. Reki finds tiny Langa to be adorable, though it isn’t a surprise; even at 19, Reki finds Langa to be the cutest boy he’s ever laid eyes on, though not quite in the same sense. If he were to find himself face-to-face with a three-year-old Langa, Reki would most likely pick him up and press kisses to his chubby cheeks, the same way he still presses kisses to Chihiro and Nanaka’s cheeks before bed. He’d have fawned over the toddler and pressed kiss after kiss to his tiny face. But now, if a present-day Langa were to walk in, Reki knows he doesn’t just want to press innocent kisses to his cheek. There’s a little bit more desire when it comes to a 19-year-old Langa, not that Reki would ever say that to Nanako.

“It always surprises me to see how blond he was as a kid.”

Nanako sighs as she flips the tablet shut, though the smile on her face tells Reki that she isn’t annoyed. She isn’t the one who tries to dissuade Langa from dyeing his hair; she knows it’s an innocent act of independence on his behalf.

“He gets it from his father. I’m sure if he let his natural color grow out, he’d be just as pale, especially with the sun. I remember when he was still a little boy, he’d be this super light blond in the spring and all summer long, and then when fall would come along, he’d darken a little, looking a bit more brunet than blond. I never thought the sun could have such an effect on hair until I saw it on him, though I’m sure he’d be blond year-round here, given that it’s always so sunny.”

Reki chuckles as Nanako shakes her head. She says something about Langa refusing to let go of his blue but Reki can’t help but side with Langa’s stubbornness. The blue looks go so why should he change it? He looks good and he looks happy, so there’s no use in trying to change his mind. And Nanako can’t help but agree; all she wants is for her son to be happy.

“What are you two doing?”

Both Reki and Nanako turn to look at Langa who is standing behind them. He stares at them with those big blue eyes, eyes that never change. He stares with that veil of confusion that dulls their usual sharpness. He stares, searching for an answer from his boyfriend or mother.

His hair is drenched and dripping onto a towel that rests around his shoulders. His cheeks are flushed from the hot shower he just took – Reki still doesn’t understand how he can stand to wash under scalding hot water. He looks a mess but Reki can’t help but smile at him. Langa looks a mess but he’s still so beautiful. Even when he isn’t trying, Langa is quite a beauty.

“I’m just showing Reki some old video I found the other day. Do you remember the Christmas when you got your Mr. Dinonor?”

The color drains from Langa’s face at the mention of the green plush. Reki has to bite the insides of his cheeks to suppress the laughter that’s threatening to bubble out because he knows how embarrassed Langa gets about his old toys. Especially the ones he still has, 16 years later. Reki knows for a fact that the once fluffy and soft-looking green dinosaur is the same as the old stuffed animal that sits in the corner of Langa’s shelf, resting against the books that never move.

“Please tell me you didn’t show Reki anything embarrassing?”

Reki can’t help the snort that escapes him. Langa really didn’t change over the years; he’s adorable and beautiful and ever so whiny.

“Just got to see how cute you were as a kid, man. And you were really cute. I think I died a little at just how adorable you were.”

Color rides once more, the blush reappearing against Langa’s now well-defined cheekbones, though this time, it’s not from hot water. He’s red in the face as his eyes snap towards his mother, looking horror-struck as the woman simply laughs. And in that moment, as Nanako laughs at her whining son, Reki realizes just how much he loves this little family. He’s known for a while that he loves Langa, every bit of him in every way possible, but he hadn’t realized how much he had grown to care for the woman who raised the person he loves most in the world. He had never realized just how much he adores Nanako, a wonderful woman he now can’t imagine not having in his life.

[reki-of-the-valley]

Bright As Christmas Lights

Day 8 - Decorations

Read it on AO3 here

First | < Previous | Day 8 | Next >

—

Langa sighs as he looks over the disaster that is the little Italian restaurant. It’s obvious that Joe and Cherry aren’t here to supervise; leaving four teenagers with no more instructions than “decorate” was by far the worst idea they had had in a while. For two intelligent men, they really hadn’t thought this one through. What had they expected? For them to behave and work?

Langa sighs once more as he buries his head in his arms, forehead against the table. He suspects that Joe and Cherry slipped out to catch a moment together, just the two of them, but he knows better than to ask them if that is their true intention. There’s a reason that they covered it up as running some last-minute errands; they don’t want questions asked about their complicated relationship. Langa knows there’s something there, but he isn’t quite sure what it is. Despite how clueless Langa may seem on the daily, he isn’t as stupid as Cherry makes him out to be. He knows there’s something going on between them but he’s still trying to figure out the nature of their relationship. He’ll figure it out sooner or later. But for now, there are better things to concentrate on. Like Reki and his joy.

He's overly excited as he puts up a garland, pinning it up against the bar counter. He grins as he runs around the restaurant, reassessing his work for the god knows how many-th time.  He’s proud of what he’s gotten done, the sparkling garlands that he’s put up and the few strings of snowflakes he’s hung around the bar, but he’s the only one who’s actually doing what Joe and Cherry asked them to do. He’s the only one with enough energy and passion to get things done.

Langa’s eyes flicker across the table, falling onto Miya and Koyomi. The boy has his Switch propped up on the table and each has a joy-con in hand, playing some game together. It’s funny seeing them play together – Miya is so calm, only his nose scrunching and a frown pulling at the corners of his mouth every so often, while Koyomi is overly excited, screeching whenever something happens to her character and bouncing on her chair. The two younger teenagers are so absorbed in their game that Langa doesn’t even know if they realize that they’re supposed to be helping Reki. But he can’t say anything; it would be hypocritical of him since he’s been doing nothing for the past half hour.

Arms wrap around Langa’s shoulder, a heat pressed to his back, and with that, Langa’s head snaps up. A groan resonates as his head hits something hard; when he turns, rubbing the back of his head, he sees Reki with tears at the corner of his eyes and his fingers pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Aw, dude,” he rubs his nose, checking his fingers for blood which doesn’t appear, “why’d you have to do that?”

“You surprised me!”

Silence falls between the two boys but it quickly dissipates, giggles filling the air between them. They giggle together, quiet laughs as Langa keeps holding the spot where his head collided with Reki’s nose. He can only imagine the pain the boy must be in as he keeps rubbing his nose, occasionally checking to make sure he isn’t bleeding.

“Well,” he checks his hand one more time before stuffing it in a pocket of his sweatpants, “I was gonna ask you to help me with putting up the lights around the window. Y’know, since you’re taller than me? I mean, you’re not that much taller than me, but it’s just out of my reach, so I thought that maybe—”

“Yes.” Langa practically jumps up from his chair, his head barely missing Reki’s jaw. Another collision would have been disastrous. “Yes, of course. Anything you need.”

Reki grins and chuckles as he bounces away to grab a string of lights. He’s light on his feet as zigzags between the tables, humming Christmas songs to himself. He seems so happy as he makes his way back to Langa, handing him the lights and pointing at the first window to decorate.

“You hold it up and I’ll tell you if it’s good, alright?”

Langa nods as he makes his way to where Reki wants him to be. He’s attentive to every one of Reki’s demands. He follows every instruction given to him – he holds the lights higher when Reki tells him to and he brings them down when the boy inevitably changes his mind. He doesn’t say anything as he goes back and forth, putting the lights up and readjusting them for what feels like the thousandth time in minutes. He just nods every time Reki tells him to change something, telling him to loosen the loops before asking him to tighten them again. If it weren’t Reki, then maybe he would be annoyed at how many times he’s changed the positions of the lights, switching between letting them hang and stretching them out, but it’s Reki and for Reki he would do anything. He’d never be annoyed at Reki’s perfectionism when it comes to anything artistic and aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Too bad not everyone shares that sentiment, Koyomi huffing as her chair scrapes the floor.

“Are you really gonna keep changing your mind every other second? You’re so annoying, you know that?”

Reki turns to his sister as Langa lowers the colorful lights, anticipating an argument between the siblings. It’s only a matter of time, given the way Koyomi’s got her arms crossed over her chest, her foot rapidly tapping the wooden floorboards. And the annoyed look in her eyes only means bad news for everyone around. When the two eldest Kyans get into it, it’s never a good sign; getting them to calm is never an easy task, both just as hotheaded and stubborn as the other.

“Since you two are totally useless when it comes to interior design,” she shoves her brother aside, causing him to stumble to Langa’s side. They exchange confused smiles but their attentions are quickly turned back to the girl who’s inspecting the window behind them. “You’re going to follow my lead. No questions, you do as I say. Langa—” he straightens out at the sound of his name, feeling like a deer in headlights under the small girl’s narrowed eyes— “move right, towards the wall.”

He complies, stepping aside until Koyomi is nodding, telling him to stop. Something flashes in Miya’s green eyes; they grew wide for a fraction of a second before shrinking once more as he makes his way next to the girl. He whispers something to her, words that Langa doesn’t catch, but as a grin stretches across the girl’s face as she nods, fear weighs heavy in Langa’s stomach. He doesn’t trust them. He doesn’t trust them at all, not when Miya’s sighing in defeat and Koyomi’s glowing brighter with mischief than even Reki ever could. That’s a recipe for disaster.

“And you,” she makes her way to her brother, snatching the string of lights from his hands before shoving him back. Reki yelps, his foot catching on a cord on the floor and causing him to fall back, but Langa’s not letting him hit the ground. It happens in a flash, his lights hitting the ground as his arms tighten around Reki. His hold on the boy is tighter than it’s ever been; there’s no way he wasn’t catching Reki. And given the way Koyomi is giggling as she skips back to the table, slipping back into her chair and picking up her controller, Langa suspects that it was no accident. This was deliberate. And her voice confirms it. “You’re welcome!”

You’re welcome? Langa blinks a few times, trying to figure out the meaning behind the words, but Reki is quicker than him. He usually is, asking the questions before the words even form in Langa’s brain.

“What? Komi, what the hell was—”

“Look over your heads, Slimes.”

The color drains from Langa’s face as Reki straightens out. He doesn’t want to look up. He knows what’s over his head; he saw Joe put it up earlier, his laughter resonating throughout the restaurant while Cherry scowled. He knows exactly what’s hanging over his head, remembering its installation vividly now, but he curses himself for forgetting in the first place. If he had remembered earlier, then he wouldn’t have stepped under the stupid mistletoe hanging from the ceiling.

“You’re not getting out of this one, Reki!” Koyomi’s back is turned to them but Langa knows she’s proud of herself; he can hear it in her voice, pitchy and girlish, excited like the twins whenever they’re represented with a new toy. “It’s a tradition or whatever!”

“You can’t just-!” Reki’s shoulders seem so tense as he frantically looks around, his gaze refusing to settle on anything. “What, what if Langa-!”

“It’s okay, Reki.” His amber eyes are huge as he turns to face Langa. He seems frantic, panicked and scared. “Unless you don’t want to. In that case, it’s also okay. You don’t have to.”

“No!” He bites his lip and tugs on the sleeves of his hoodie. “I mean…” His eyes trail to the side, a hint of pink starting to color his cheeks and ears. “I guess…” Amber against blue once more. “We gotta, no?”

Reki’s pretty like that, with the blush and his lip caught between his teeth. He’s cute when he’s nervous but Langa refuses to let himself make a big deal out of this. For all he knows, this is just Reki being stubborn and refusing to let his sister win. If they were to walk away, there’s a fat chance that Koyomi never lets him live it down, calling him a coward for refusing a sort of dare set by a strange tradition.

Langa feels himself flush as his arms circle Reki’s waist, pulling him closer. He doesn’t know what he’s doing, but somehow, it feels right. It feels like something he’s supposed to do, something he’s meant to do. He’s never done this before, he’s never held anyone so close before, but this feels like how it’s supposed to go. Or at least, this is what they do in the movies he’s watched with his mother. This is how it starts.

“Would…” He takes a quick, deep breath to calm his heart and the nerves that have started to make him twitch. “This would be your first kiss, right?”

Reki nods curtly. His face is as red as his hair but he doesn’t do anything to calm his blush. If anything, he only deepens it as he moves even closer, dropping his voice to a whisper, a shy whisper just for Langa. “You?”

“Me too.”

“Good.”

Langa feels his heart jump out of his chest as Reki grabs his face and pulls him in for a kiss. His lips are cold against Langa’s but his breath is warm. His lips are cold but the kiss is hot, burning Langa from the inside. So this is what a kiss felt like. This is what people talked about, craved, and wanted for the rest of their lives.

Instinctively, Langa squeezes his eyes shut. His fingers tighten around the fabric of Reki’s hoodie, his nails curling back into the palm of his hand. A kiss. This was a kiss. He was kissing Reki. Wait, no. Reki was kissing him. He wasn’t-

“Langa?”

Reki pulls back, Langa’s name warm on his lips, but he doesn’t have time to go anywhere. He doesn’t have time to free himself from Langa’s hold. He doesn’t have time to run before Langa’s leaning back in and pressing a kiss to his lips. Because Langa is determined to kiss Reki. He is going to have his first kiss with Reki. There is no way he’s missing the opportunity to taste Reki’s sweetness, especially not when it might be his only opportunity. He will seize the moment if it’s the last thing he does.

Everything slows around them as Reki kisses him back, because Reki does kiss him back. He doesn’t seem too keen on the idea of breaking apart, short gasps before going back for another kiss. He doesn’t seem ready to pull away, grabbing a fist full of Langa’s hair as he deepens the kiss. If this was supposed to be an innocent little peck, then they’ve long left that realm. A little more and Langa isn’t sure where his head is going to go. A little more and he might have to excuse himself and hide in the storage room.

The moment they break apart, the whole world comes crashing down. Koyomi’s screams are the first to remind Langa that they aren’t alone, but they’re not the sound that makes Langa flush with shame. It’s not just Koyomi and Miya anymore; just having them around was embarrassing enough but now it’s worse. It’s worse now that Joe and Cherry are standing in the door, Cherry’s stern voice piercing the little piece of Heaven that Langa had found against Reki’s lips.

“You are asked to do a simple job and you can’t even manage that. Should I warn your employer about what you two do when no one is supervising you?”

The color deepens in Langa’s face but he’s nowhere near as bad as Reki. Langa is simply petrified, frozen in place. He’s like stone, fingers digging into Reki’s hips; he needs to hold something if he doesn’t want to faint from the overwhelming emotions swirling in him. He’s immobile, the exact opposite of Reki. Reki’s fidgeting his arms, nervous giggles bubbling out of him as he fiddles with a lock of Langa’s hair. He moves despite Langa’s iron grip on him, seemingly shaking the stress away. Or the stress causing him to be restless. Either way, they both know they’re doomed.

Langa would like nothing more than to melt away, disappear from everyone’s life, but when Reki’s nose finds the crook of his shoulder, the stress fades away. A smile grows as he lets his head rest against Reki’s, his soft hair tickling his cheek. He’s still terrified of Cherry, but at least Reki’s there. And while he knows he will probably never live this moment down, at least Langa knows he’ll have kissed his best friend. He’ll have got to taste Reki’s lips, got to see if he was a sweet as he seemed, as sweet as he is in Langa’s dreams. Maybe it’ll never happen again, maybe this will be the last time he gets to feel the curve of Reki’s smile against his own, but at least he’ll have experienced it once. He’ll have known what it feels like to be loved by Reki, even if it is for just a moment.

[reki-of-the-valley]

Final product!!!

[reki-of-the-valley]

Sweets

Day 4 - Drinks

Read it on AO3 here

First | < Previous | Day 4 | Next >

—

As soon as they get out of the cold, Reki pulls his mittens off and rubs his hands together to warm himself up. He blows hot air against the red skin, his breath not condensing as it did outside. Inside the building, warmth starts to melt the shivers away. Inside the building- Restaurant? No, coffee shop? Store? Langa furrows his brow. He has no idea what to qualify it as. What exactly is a Tim Hortons?

“Langa? Buddy?”

Langa snaps out of whatever trance he was in at the sound of Reki’s voice. He blinks a few times at Reki who has raised an eyebrow and who is waving his hand in Langa’s face before shaking his head, shaking off all the wandering thoughts from his mind. He shakes it all way as Reki stares at him with a look of concern clear on his face.

“You good, man?”

With a deep breath and his eyes squeezed shut, Langa nods. He just needs a moment for a mental reboot. “Yeah, sorry.”

Giggles escape from Reki as he leans into Langa. His weight is comfortable against Langa, but it’s his smile that has Langa smiling back. Despite his small eyes, his expression overcome with exhaustion, Reki still looks so happy to be there. His smile is blinding, filled with adoration and giddiness, and that alone has Langa remembering exactly what first had him falling in love. It’s the way Reki can have him smiling so easily, smiles blossoming more naturally than wildflowers in a vast summer field.

“There you go again, being all Canadian polite and apologizing for nothing.”

Langa huffs as Reki straightens out, no longer pressed against him. “Well, I am Canadian and we are in Canada. And it’s not for nothing.”

“Then enlighten me and tell me why you’re apologizing exactly?”

“Because—”

Langa presses his lips in a thin line, thinking about his answer. He’s clearly apologizing for spacing out, but is it worth apologizing for something like that? Everyone knows he does it constantly, so is he still supposed to apologize for his bad habit? Is he supposed to say sorry every time he has someone repeat because he wasn’t listening the first time? Especially to Reki, Reki who knows how easily he can get lost in the maze that is his brain. Does he have to apologize every time Reki pulls him out of his head? And when he does say sorry, does he really mean it or is it simply a habit, a bad stereotype associated with his Canadian-ness?

Reki tugs him forward, pulling Langa once more out of his spiraling thoughts. The boy bites his tongue, resisting the urge to apologize once more for his spaciness, but Reki doesn’t seem to notice. He seems more mesmerized by the donut display, eyes sparkling as he takes everything in. He seems so amazed, crouched in front of the glass case, and Langa can’t help the light laughter on his lips.

“Do you want one?”

Reki looks up at Langa with his big eyes, as if he was caught doing something wrong. His bright smile turns shy as he glances away, light color spreading under his skin.

“Nah, it’s fine, dude. Just looking, y’know?”

“I can get you one if you’d like. Just tell me which one you want.”

He pushes himself up from the ground, standing tall next to Langa. There’s a look in his eyes that saddens Langa, a look he doesn’t see that often. It’s a look Langa can only qualify as “no, we have at home.” It’s Reki resisting, not letting himself be spoiled as he should be.

“Really, Langa, it’s fine. I don’t want anything.”

Langa lets out a quiet sigh as he carefully slips his fingers through Reki’s. He knows he won’t get through to him, find out what exactly it is that he wants. Because it’s obvious that Reki wants something, but he won’t say it. He says he’s fine but Langa knows he’s lying.

“Alright then. But you do know that I don’t mind buying you things, right? You don’t have to say no to everything I offer you. I want to buy them for you, that’s why I’m offering. And you always make and buy me things, so it’s only fair I do the same for you.”

Reki huffs out a laugh as a small smile curls at the corner of his mouth. He squeezes Langa’s hand, his pretty amber eyes meeting Langa’s. “I know, I know. I just… It’s fine, dude. Really. I really mean it; you don’t need to get me anything.”

“Can I at least still get you that hot drink I promised you? Please?”

The smile is soft and tired, which is to be expected. They had just spent the whole day outside, after all. But it’s a smile nonetheless and Langa can’t help but return it.

“Can you get me a hot chocolate or something, please? If it’s not too much?”

Langa purses his lips as he glances at the wall-mounted menu. Normally, he would say yes, but if it’s like the last time he’s been here, if things haven’t changed over the years…

“You can tolerate a bit of caffeine, right?” Reki nods hesitantly but it’s enough to convince Langa. “I… find the hot chocolate here to be kinda shitty and the closest thing they have that’s decent does have caffeine in it, so I’m just making sure.” Another smile like a breath of fresh air as Langa squeezes Reki’s hand before letting go of it. “Can you find a table while I order?”

Reki nods before turning on his heel and making his way to a table in the back. Langa can’t help the smile that spreads across his face as he watches Reki set up by the little fireplace. He picks a table where they can enjoy both the warmth of the fire and the show of snowflakes right outside the window. And Langa can’t help the warmth that spreads through him at the sight of Reki who is a mixture of exhaustion and excitement. It’s obvious that the day had really taken a toll on him, but he still finds it in himself to be amazed by every snowflake that dances against the evening sky right outside the window pane. He looks absolutely adorable with the wonder of a child sparkling in his eyes.

It takes a moment for Langa to tear his eyes away from his boyfriend. It’s hard to not just stare at him and his child-like wonder. It’s hard to look away from the human embodiment of sunshine and happiness, but Langa manages, finally making his way to the counter where a girl smiles politely at him. The picture-perfect smile, the look Langa has never achieved – it’s no wonder why he’s always stuck on restock duty at DopeSketch and why Reki is always the one dealing with customers.

“Bonjour, hi!”

Something twitches at the corner of his mouth as he orders in English. He isn’t sure what it is, but hearing that iconic French followed by English does something. It plays on those strings of nostalgia; while he’s heard some English around Japan, he hasn’t heard French in years. He hasn’t heard it until he found himself back in Canada, back in the country he had called home for so long. But now, it’s not home anymore. Or, maybe it still is partly. As cheesy as it sounds, Langa knows that as long as Reki is there, anywhere can be home. Home is where Reki is.

“Will that be all?”

Langa glances back to the table where Reki is sitting and playing on his phone before looking back at the cashier. “I’ll also take two Boston creams and a sprinkle one.”

The girl nods, tapping at her screen. “Alrighty. Two French vanillas, two Boston creams, and a sprinkle donut.” She looks up at him again. “Anything else?”

He shakes his head as he pulls out his wallet. Her smile is once more perfect as she tells him the total and accepts his purple bill. And when she hands him back his change, her smile seems grateful as the coins clatter at the bottom of the tip jar.

The wait isn’t long. His food and drinks are set out on the counter for him and Langa finds himself contemplating how he’s going to go about this. He could ask for a tray or make two trips, but as determination sparkles in his eyes, he decides against the smart decisions. As he picks it all up, he prays that he doesn’t trip or drop anything. That would be a disaster, but all catastrophes are avoided as he places the red cup in front of Reki. Nothing spills as he is greeted with a bright and beautiful smile, a smile from the most lovable boy in the world.

“That’s more than just a drink, dude.”

“You never said I couldn’t buy myself anything.”

Reki’s smile falters for a moment but he quickly covers it up by blowing on his drink and taking a sip. His whole face contracts as he puts it down, steam suddenly swirling over the hot liquid. And Langa can’t help but chuckle as he pulls his chair next to Reki’s, sitting way closer than strictly necessary.

“You have to be careful, Reki. It’s hot.”

“Yup.” Reki inhales sharply. “I noticed.”

He scrunches his nose as he pushes his drink a little farther towards the center of the table. His amber eyes fixate on the steam but they quickly snap to the side as Langa rests his head on Reki’s shoulder. Langa can’t see if he’s smiling or not, but he can feel the boy shiver as fingers trail down his thigh before resting his hand on Reki’s knee. Langa knows he has Reki’s attention, which is the perfect opportunity to push the colorful donut in front of him without it being immediately rejected.

“If I share what I bought, will you accept it?”

Reki sighs as he presses a kiss to the top of Langa’s head. He stays silent, not verbally answering Langa, but as he pulls the desert closer to him, Langa smiles. He smiles because Reki is accepting whatever he bought him. He’s accepting the drink, blowing the steam away once more before taking a quick sip, and he’s accepting the food.

Langa knows that Reki has a hard time accepting offers from others. He knows that Reki likes doing things for others but he rarely accepts that others do things for him in return. He has a hard time accepting help and gifts, but Langa knows he can’t refuse to share. It’s a loophole Langa uncovered rather quickly, his way of spoiling Reki without outwardly doing it. If he throws in the word sharing, then Reki doesn’t feel the guilt he had once described to Langa. Because it isn’t just for him; it’s for the two of them, even if in the end, Reki is the one who has it all.

Langa shifts ever so slightly, just enough to look up at Reki. He loves the color that stares back at him, eyes like a beautiful sunset. Being with Reki always feels like coming home after a long day.

“Since I bought three, one for you, one for me, and we split the last one?”

Reki nods before picking up the sweet set out in front of him. He’s hesitant at first, not quite sure if he should or not, but the moment he takes that first bite, Langa sees him melt. A content smile takes over his face as he takes another bite, happily munching, and Langa can’t resist kissing the sugar off his lips. He can’t help himself, pushing himself up to meet Reki’s lips in a kiss, a kiss just as sweet as their drinks and snacks. He can’t help but smile into the kiss, a kiss which is gladly returned.

“You…” Reki chuckles as he pulls back and scrunches his nose. “Thanks for today, man. It was really fun. I mean, you always make everything so much fun.”

“Only because you’re there.” Another quick kiss, Reki’s cheeks heating under Langa’s touches. “You’re the one that makes everything so amazing, Reki.” One more; they’re so addictive. “You make everything amazing and perfect. There’s not a single day with you that goes by without me having fun. But for now,” there’s a bit of restraint this time, Langa pressing a kiss to Reki’s cheek as he takes another bite of his donut, “drink up before it gets cold. And enjoy your sweets.” His voice drops to a teasing whisper. “The sweetest sweets for the sweetest boy around.”

Reki fakes a gag as he shoves Langa away, but as soon as Langa is back in his chair, Reki bursts out laughing. He laughs as he half glares at Langa, shaking his head. “You are a disgusting sap.” He covers his mouth with his hand, muffling his snorts and giggles. “You are actually the worst.” Laughter calms but the smile is still bright as the summer sunshine. “Now, let me eat in peace and then we can go home and do whatever you like. Just… If I hear one more grossly sappy thing come out of your mouth, I will push your donut into your face, man. I will not hesitate.”

Langa puts his hands up defensively but he doesn’t bother trying to conceal his smile. “As long as you don’t pour a hot drink onto my lap, we’re all good.”

“Don’t try me and you should be safe.”

[reki-of-the-valley]

Gathering

Day 10 - Family Time

Read it on AO3 here

First | < Previous | Day 10 | Next >

—

“Shouldn’t you be getting changed?”

Reki looks up at his sister who is leaning against his kitchen counter. She’s supposed to be helping him with the last-minute food preparations, but so far, all she’s done is be in his way and nag him about his micromanaging. She’s also made sure to annoy him by judging his poor time management; he hadn’t anticipated burning the desert and having to deal with a fussy infant. The last time he and Langa had had everyone over for the holidays, Haru was only a couple of months old and had slept through the whole evening. Too bad Yuki didn’t take after her sister.

Luckily for him, Koyomi had had the kindness to put Haru down for a nap. Langa was supposed to do it, but he found himself stuck in the nursery, trying and failing to calm Yuki’s screams. Langa was supposed to do a lot of things, but with a restless 11-month-old, plans change quickly. With kids, a simple and straightforward schedule can be dismantled in a matter of seconds. They came first, after all.

“I’ll get changed once I’m done this. I’ll be ready before everyone gets here.”

“Miya just texted me that he’s like… 10 minutes away.”

Reki feels his heart drop. 10 minutes. The guests were arriving in 10 minutes? How was he supposed to have everything ready in 10 minutes? He needed at least another hour to—

“Quit panicking. He’s coming early to help you.” Koyomi pushes herself up onto the counter, her legs dangling in the open. “And don’t try denying that you need help.”

Reki sighs as he puts his knife down. “You were supposed to be helping me. But instead, you’re just…” He shakes his head as he makes his way to the fridge to get out the next set of vegetables that need to be sliced. “Cut these for me while I get started on the—”

“Nope!”

Koyomi’s hands are cold against his arm. Her fingers are freezing as she pulls him out of his kitchen, refusing to let him get back to work. And as he starts to protest, she raises an eyebrow, looking less than impressed by her brother.

“Go get dressed, Reki. Do you know what mom will say if she walks in and sees you in a faded old t-shirt and half-torn sweats? Not only will you never hear the end of it, but I’m also gonna get nagged about it because I won’t have forced you to go get changed.” Koyomi sighs as she pushes him towards the stairs. “And while you’re at it, go check on your little husband. Go see if he needs help with the baby or something.”

Reki’s up three steps before he’s turning back to his sister. “Can I at least finish—”

“I’ll do it, Reki. It’s really not that complicated – I’ve seen you do it like a hundred times. So just… Go change and take a break before you literally collapse! Take a nap if you gotta!”

Reki sighs as he climbs the stairs. He contemplates going back down to his kitchen and getting on with his work, but he doesn’t trust being in the same room as Koyomi with a knife. She wouldn’t hurt him, but then again, he could never be sure. She could easily threaten him, like that time with the shovel which has left him with a fading scar on his leg, ten years later. So he just goes up. He goes up until he’s facing the closed door of the nursery.

Carefully, he cracks it open. There’s no point in denying the smile that stretches across his face as he spots Langa bouncing in place and pacing back and forth with the now calm infant. And when blue eyes shine in the dark, Reki almost comes in. If it weren’t for Langa’s finger pressed to his lips, eyes flickering down to the child pressed to his shoulder, then he would have gone in to leave kisses on the ones he loves. But instead, he just nods as he quietly closes the door behind him and makes his way to his and Langa’s room.

From down the hall, he can see that the lights are on, which is strange. After years of nagging Langa about his bad habit of not closing the lights, he thought he had finally gotten through to him. Reki thought that they had finally gotten past the waste of electricity. And apparently, they had; apparently, Langa wasn’t the one at fault this time.

The toddler freezes as she spots Reki staring at her from the doorway. She’s sitting in the middle of the bed, surrounded by dolls and plushies, but she’s completely still, her big hazel eyes fixated on Reki. They stare at each other, neither one daring to move until Reki gives in, breaking the silence.

“Didn’t your auntie Koyomi tuck you in for a nap in your room?”

Haru blinks, her stare completely blank. “M’not tired.”

“You’ll be tired later tonight though.”

“M’not sleepy.”

Reki sighs as he takes a seat across from her. She’s gone back to her toys, going back to whatever game she had come up with this time. She doesn’t even flinch when Reki leans down to kiss the top of her head or when he takes one of her stuffed animals and makes it nuzzle the pink bunny she’s been gripping. If he didn’t know any better, he’d have thought she was ignoring him.

“Haru, sweetheart.” She looks at him for a moment before returning to her toys. “You need to nap. I know you don’t feel sleepy but I promise that as soon as you close your eyes, you’ll be sleepy. And when you wake up, both your grandmas are gonna be there. Even uncle Miya is gonna be there and if you ask nicely, I’m sure he’ll want to play with you.” Her little fingers curl around the cat plush Reki had picked up, tugging it towards herself. It may not look like it, but Reki knows she’s listening to him. “But he’ll only play with you if you take a nap. Otherwise, you’ll be too tired to play with Uncle Miya.”

“Then I play with Uncle Cherry.” Reki blinks, too stunned by the certainty in her voice. “He can have…” She rummaged through the toys that surround her, a little gasp escaping her as she picks up a pink bear. “He can have Pink! Because it’s the same color as his hair!”

A small smile curls at the corners of Reki’s mouth as he picks up his daughter and sets her on his knees. She looks up at him with her big confused eyes, innocent eyes of a girl who has never done wrong in her life. “Sweetie? Can you please take a nap? For Daddy?”

She shakes her head as she turns her attention back to her toy. “Don’t wanna.”

“You are as stubborn as…” Another sigh – it feels like it’s all he’s done today. Reki can’t believe he’s about to start negotiating with a 3-year-old. “Would you like for me to stay a little bit with you while you fall asleep?” She shakes her head. “How about I have uncle Miya wake you up when he gets here and you guys can play together?” Another shake of the head. “Then if you take a nap, I’ll let you open one of your presents before we eat.”

Hazel eyes snap up to meet Reki’s. Haru scrunches her nose, visibly thinking the offer over, and as soon as she starts nodding, Reki gets up. She’s secure in his arms, her little body pressed against him. She’s comfortable despite her initial squirming; her face quickly finds the comfortable dip in Reki’s shoulder. And, even if she had been insisting that she wasn’t tired, Reki knows better than to believe her. Had she really not been tired, then her breath wouldn’t have steadied the moment she was in her father’s arm. Had she had as much energy as she claimed, then her eyes wouldn’t have been heavy, falling shut despite her struggles to keep them wide open. And as Reki presses a kiss to her cinnamon hair, she melts, completely lost to sleep. She’s as stubborn as Langa when it comes to fighting fatigue; she’ll stay awake until she physically can’t take it anymore, sleep taking her away in a whim.

Haru is out like a light by the time Reki is back in her room, tucking her into her pink sheets. There is no fussing despite the initial stubbornness, fussing that he knows is probably driving Langa mad in the room across the hallway. Haru had always been an easy child; a bit of rocking, maybe a little lullaby, and she was asleep in a matter of minutes. Yuki, on the other hand, screams and fusses until she’s completely depleted of energy. No amount of rocking or singing can put her to sleep. Only Langa can manage to at least calm her; neither he, nor Reki really know how he calms her, but if it works…

It isn’t long that Reki is back on task. He’s changed out of his old house clothes, changed into something a little more appropriate for a host, and he’s cleared the toys off his bed. He’s presentable and ready to get back to work. If he’s lucky, Koyomi won’t shoo him away, and he’ll be able to go back to micromanaging the kitchen. He’d love nothing more than to be back in control of everything, except his attention is turned away from his goal, the front door opening.

“You’ll never guess what I found wandering outside like a lost puppy.”

“I was taking out the trash, Miya.”

Reki bites back a smile as Miya shoves Langa back into the house. He’s got a thick sweater on, highly contrasting Langa’s loose t-shirt – Langa still had the bad habit of dressing down the colder it got; the most Reki’s ever seen him in was a thin long sleeve, never in the woolly sweaters he gets him and ends up wearing himself. Miya’s all bundled up and smiling – or whatever his equivalent of smiling is – while Langa looks completely defeated. He sighs at the smug-looking Miya, at least until the shine in those green eyes vanishes, narrowing onto Koyomi who’s leaning against the doorframe, a shit-eating grin bright on her face.

“What’s up, Stupid Face?”

Miya rolls his eyes as he sets his shoes aside. “You’d think that name would get old after 10 years.” A smirk quirks at the corner of his mouth. “But hi to you too, Dumbass.”

Koyomi shakes her head as she heads back towards the kitchen. She still has things to finish up before the real guests get there. “You’re late.” Her head pokes back in, a challenging smirk directed at Miya. “As usual.”

“I am not-!” He huffs as he stuffs his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry, but I was busy trying to get this one—” he flicks Langa’s temple before having his hand slapped away— “back into the house.”

“I was just—!”

Langa snaps his mouth shut as Reki hushes him. Pink blossoms in his cheeks, that cute embarrassment Reki loves to see. Langa is quite cute like that, but Reki can’t let him go on defending himself. As much as he adores seeing his friends and family starting to show up and fall back into their usual banter, he doesn’t want to risk waking Haru or Yuki.

“The kids just fell asleep and I’d like just one hour without screams,” he clarifies as Miya stares at him with a raised eyebrow.

“You’re the one who chose to have kids, Slime.” A smile grows across Miya’s face as he chuckles. “And two, at that. I told you to do like me and just adopt a cat and call it a day, but no. No, you two decided to have tiny slime spawns. But if you really want quiet,” he shrugs as he gets between Reki and Langa, a hand on each of their backs as he ushers them towards the living room, “then sit. I’ll finish up the prepping with Koyomi. You two, sit. I don’t want to see you moving until Joe and Cherry get here, since I know they’ll be the last to arrive.”

Reki is ready to protest, but seeing how Langa just lets himself fall onto the couch, he holds back. Anyway, he knows that the minute he’ll be back in the kitchen, he’ll be attacked by Miya and a wooden spoon and yelled at by Koyomi. He knows that they’ll force him to take a break, to spend quality quiet time with Langa while they finish everything, quiet time he has barely had time for in the past couple of months, but Reki feels restless. He wants to be back in the kitchen, making sure everything is perfect. He wants the night to be perfect, and if it’s not for him, he wants it to be perfect for Langa, Langa who’s been looking forward to seeing everyone. He wants to go back to the kitchen, at least until Langa’s pulling him down onto his lap, arms wrapping around his waist.

“You’re stressing again, Reki.”

“Do you blame me?”

Langa purses his lips as he looks towards the wall separating the living room from the kitchen. “They’ll be fine, my Love. Everything will be fine. So just, deep breath, everything will be fine.”

Reki groans as he drops his head onto Langa’s shoulder. Soothing circles are tracing against the small of his back, a kiss pressed to his ear. Langa’s too cool about all of this. Or maybe Reki’s just too stressed. Theoretically, they balance each other out, but in practice? It’s just opposite energies bouncing off each other.

“I’m sorry, Reki.” Reki lifts his head, amber eyes meeting sad-looking blue ones. “I didn’t think… I mean, we managed fine when Haru was a baby, so I didn’t think that… I just…”

Langa shuts his eyes as he sighs. He seems defeated once more. He doesn’t have that determined glow, that energy that just screams that he’s ready to take on the world. It’s all gone, not even faintly coming back as Reki kisses the corner of his eye.

“Babe.” Langa’s eyes slowly open. The blue helps Reki’s smile find its way onto his lips. “It’s fine. I’m just… a little overwhelmed. That’s it. You don’t have to apologize. And anyway, I know how much you’ve been wanting to see everyone, man. So it’s cool.”

“But you’re exhausted.”

“Nothing new. I mean, Miya did have a point; we did decide to have not one, but two kids. And I’m pretty sure being tired is part of being a parent, dude.”

Big blue eyes stare at Reki, worried eyes that are ready to take all the blame in the world. “And I’m making it worse by being a child about all this. You should have said no to me.”

Reki snorts as he leans in. Langa’s hold on him tightens as their smiles meet, a light touch of the lips. “As if I would ever say no to you.”

“Well,” Langa rubs his nose against Reki’s, pulling a giggle from him. “You seemed to have absolutely no problems saying no to me yesterday when I wanted the last pancake. Which, mind you, I made.”

Reki pulls back, his eyes as big as his grin. “Yeah! ‘Cause you already had like three and I didn’t get any! It’s different, dude!”

Langa’s laughter is sweet against Reki’s lips as he pulls him in for a kiss. No matter how many kisses separate this moment from the first time they had tasted each other’s sweetness, Reki will never grow tired of them. Each peck will feel new to him and he will cherish every single one he receives. He’ll love every single one of them, from the first to the last. He’ll love the laughter-filled kisses as much as he’ll love the tear-stained ones, because as long as he gets to kiss the man he loves most, then Reki is happy. As long as he can love Langa, he will. He’ll love him for the dorky teenager he once was when they first met and he’ll love him for the father he has become. He’ll love him for the man that he is, the man who vowed infinity to him, and he’ll love him for the man he will become over the years they will get to spend together. Now until the end of time, Reki knows that there will be love, love that makes everything beautifully sweet.