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reki-of-the-valley · 6 months

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You Are in Love

Read it on AO3 here!

1 - You Are in Love

It’s the way Langa is crouched, the way his weight is shifted forward to his toes. It’s the way he smiles, the way his fingers fiddle with the buttons of the little pink coat. It’s the way Chihiro is standing as straight as she can, her chin tilted up. It’s the way the scene plays out, the way Langa, Langa who had always been so wary around the twins, now seems so comfortable. It’s as if he’d always been here, always been in this entrance, always helping around the Kyan household. It’s the way he fits in so well, as if he has always been a part of this family.

“Need help, Reki?”

Reki has to shake himself out of his trance, the rest of the world coming back to him. Chihiro is there, slipping her shoes on while Nanaka is waiting by the door, a grin that matches Reki’s. The sun is high, rays streaming through the glass panels of the door. The weather is perfect for a walk with the girls to the ice cream parlor; not too warm, but still not cool enough to not want ice cream. And the girls can’t wait, Nanaka already rambling away about all the ice cream flavors she wants to try.

“Well?”

A breath catches in Reki’s throat as Langa stands there, his fingers twisting around the strings of his yellow hoodie. His smile is soft, just like when he had been buttoning up Chihiro’s coat. There’s a peek of his teeth, pretty and white, between his ever so slightly parted lips. And the sunshine catches in the blue of his eyes, leaving them with a shimmer Reki’s never seen before. But there’s no time to linger on that, not when Nanaka’s fingers curl around Reki’s.

Everything goes fast from there: a sweater hastily thrown over his hoodie, the back of his shoe squashed under the weight of his heel, a wallet grabbed from the top of the show cabinet. Everything goes so fast: Nanaka and Chihiro running ahead, the path already memorized, the sound of Langa’s laughter filling the autumn air, another joke breaking up his laughter. If this is what it means to have a normal life, Reki’s ready for it. He doesn’t need the uncertainty that the past had handed him. He doesn’t need any of that, not when he can have this.

“Really, Reki, we can stop for a second to let you put your shoes on properly.”

“It’s fine, man. Anyway, the twins would kill me if I made them wait any longer.”

Langa shrugs before turning away from Reki. He looks ahead, hands in his pockets as he kicks a stone along the road. He looks older like that, his eyes riveted on the two girls ahead of them. He looks older like this, reminding them to not run too far head and to stay together. He looks older; his hair has grown a little, almost brushing his shoulders now, and his jaw seems sharper than it had before. His bare arms, they seem stronger, a little more toned. Maybe it’s from all the lifting they’ve been doing at work, from all those boxes that need to be pulled from the back to the front of the shop. Reki isn’t sure why he’s noticing all of this now, noticing the curve of Langa’s nose, the scabs by his ear, the squareness of his shoulders. Reki isn’t sure why he’s noticing any of this, things that have always been there. But these observations weight heavy on Reki’s chest. They weight heavy, but he doesn’t dare say anything. He can’t break the silence, not now.

Langa’s shoulder brushes against Reki’s, drawing his attention to something other than Langa’s build. It brings him to his eyes, always bluer than the ocean on the horizon, to his nose, pointing ahead, to his lips, tugged into a smile. Then, words spill, always in that velvety voice of his.

“Look up.”

And Reki complies; he always does.

It’s there, beautiful as ever. The sun sets, slow and careful. It’s gentle as it finds its way into the water, reds and oranges and purples swirling in the waves that crash over one another. The rays are tentative, as if afraid to break something that’s new yet has always been there. The sun does as it always has; it doesn’t change and it never will, but today, it feels different. It seems slower as it falls, almost as if it were asking for the ocean’s permission, asking the water to catch it. Will the ocean catch the sun? Will it hold on to every ray, cherish the warmth they provide? Reki hopes it will; he hasn’t known a better pair than bright sunshine and gentle waters.

The ocean is gentle as the waves intertwine with the rays of sunshine. And as Langa looks back at Reki, that smile so soft as his pinkie locks with Reki’s, Reki knows he’ll be caught. He knows this is right; nothing has been broken, not now, not ever. This is the way they were meant to find each other. This is the way the universe had set them up: strangers, friends, this. This is what Reki has always dreamed of; this is what he wants; this is what he needs.

“C’mon,” a little tug from Langa, his fingers shifting to find their home between Reki’s, “we should hurry before the twins order the entire store to go.”

---

2 - He Is in Love

The morning is quiet, rays of sunlight filtered through the crack to the curtains. Still, the room is dark, and it’s colder than what Reki is used to. He has to pull the blanket up to his neck rather than have it bunched up at his ankles like he’s used to. And when he rolls over, he knows why.

The bed isn’t his. The room either, even if bits of him hang on the walls and sit on the shelves. He finds pieces of himself in the space between these four walls, but it’s still not his space, at least not completely his. It’s Langa’s room, so much is obvious as he sits up in the otherwise empty bed. It’s not crowded enough to be his own; the same could be said about the air that hangs in the apartment, nothing but distant chatter ringing in Reki’s ears. It’s missing the chaos of his house, the screaming and the tumbling of siblings first thing in the morning.

It’s almost strange walking through the small apartment. Reki knows the place like the back of his hand, but it’s still so disorienting to wake up in someone else’s bed, even if it’s far from the first time it has happened. It’s like walking through the streets of a new city; it’s so similar to home, and yet, it’s nothing like it. But when he finally steps into the kitchen, when he’s hit with that smell of smoke and the sound of curses, Reki knows he’s home. He’s home, and he doesn’t want to be anywhere else.

“Shit, shit, shit.”

It’s funny to see Langa like this, picking at the toaster. Langa, who’s usually so calm and composed, he’s so far from that perfect image Reki had once had of him. Now, in the morning light of reality, Langa’s just like any other dork who can’t cook to save his life. He’s ridiculous as he curses at the toast, if it can even be called that. It’s so burnt, so scorched, that Reki wonders if there’s any bread left under that crust of char.

One thing’s for certain: he could not be paid enough to eat that monstrosity.

“Stop laughing!”

Blue eyes are wide, staring at Reki as he doubles down laughing. How can he not laugh? How can he stay serious at the face Langa is making at him? How can he ever stop laughing when he’s with Langa, the same Langa so many people misinterpreted? How can Reki ever keep his laughter to himself when he gets this Langa, Langa who isn’t a prince, Langa who isn’t distant and mysterious? How is he to not laugh and grin when he has Langa, his Langa, goofy and dorky and adorable?

“How did you manage to burn your toast in a toaster, dude?”

The bubbling laughter slowly dies down, falling to a giggle, then a chuckle, before ending in a simply grin. It’s hard to stop smiling around Langa, but thankfully, he doesn’t ask Reki to wipe the look off his face. If anything, he joins him despite biting his lip, trying his best to conceal the sheepish smile.

“I… I forgot it.”

“Did’ya space out again?”

Langa huffs, pushing the toast filled plate across the counter. It’s so strange seeing all these emotions play on Langa’s face, emotions Reki didn’t even know him capable of. They play like a movie on Langa’s face, jumping from one scene to another. Frustration, embarrassment, dejection, and something new, something strange as he gets closer to Reki.

There’s a glisten in his eyes, bluer than Reki’s ever seen them. They almost sparkle under the soft lighting of the kitchen. That look, it’s so far from that night, the one Reki wakes up gasping from. They’re so far from that night, the night Reki thought he had lost it all. Now, they have it all. Everything that had haunted Reki for weeks, it has vanished. That night, it was a lifetime ago, an age Reki barely remembers anymore. All that matters is here, it’s now.

“You look cute in that.”

It’s a surprise, the arms around Reki’s waist and the compliment to his ear. It’s not something he’s used to, especially not from Langa. Sure, he’s always been forward, but still, Reki isn’t used to this type of forward. He’s not quite used to the hugs, the flirting, the sappiness. He may get a Langa very few know of, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t still retain the old Langa, the public Langa, the Langa that feels so unobtainable.

“Hope you like it, it’s literally your shirt.”

The chuckle is cute as Langa drops his head onto Reki’s shoulder. So, he’s given up on trying to cook; maybe they can go out for breakfast, or better yet, they can order something in. And maybe they should get something for Nanako; she shouldn’t be out for too long, not on a Sunday. But while she’s gone, well…

It’s sweet, the taste of Langa’s lips against Reki’s. Really, there isn’t much that can compare to this, to the way Langa smiles into the kisses, almost laughing into them. And with every kiss, Reki feels the butterflies erupt from their cocoons; he feels the flutter in his lungs and chest. Kisses from Langa wasn’t something Reki had ever expected, but now, he doesn’t think he can go without them.

One leads to another and another after that. They’re dizzying, leaving him lightheaded as he wraps his arms around Langa’s neck to steady himself. The world spins, fades, and leaves nothing but Langa and his sweetness. Maybe it’s the honey on his lips, or the chocolate on his tongue, but Reki’s pretty sure it’s just Langa. That’s just what Langa tastes like; sweet and addictive.

“Reki…”

His voice is low, raspy almost. Maybe he’s also breathless from the kisses, a little too caught up in the moment. Or maybe that’s just the way Langa sounds after he’s been kissed senseless; Reki isn’t proud to admit it, but stopping was a little more difficult than he had anticipated. But when Langa drops his head back into the crook of Reki’s neck, the world returns, colors other than blue reappearing around him.

“Reki, you’re my best friend, you know that, right?”

Such a statement is nothing new to Reki, but hearing it now of all times, it does something to him. He isn’t sure what it is, but he feels the pang in his chest. It’s nothing like the butterflies he had felt. It’s nothing like that. This pang, it means something else. He doesn’t feel lighter from the words, but at the same time, it’s lifts something that he hadn’t known was weighing him down.

This feeling, this reminder, it means everything to Reki. It’s everything to Reki because it means that every ghost that had once haunted him, that every insecurity that had locked into his closet, they fade. They fade because they mean nothing now. No fear can be greater than this statement. Nothing can be greater than knowing that he’s not alone. Because now, from now until the end of forever, Langa will be there. Langa will stand by him, never leaving him to face his demons alone.

The hug is automatic. There is no other possible response to the statement. There’s nothing else he can do besides holding Langa close to his chest, keep him where he wants him. A hug and a nod are all Reki can manage, and it’s enough. It’s enough for Langa to know it too. It’s enough.

---

3 - True Love

The skatepark is empty besides the two boards left unattended by a rail. There’s not a soul other than the two boys, legs dangling off the back of the ramp, a water bottle to their left and a carton of fries between them. They’re silent, each scrolling on their phone as they pick absent-mindedly at their food. Another Friday afternoon, just like so many others.

Or at least, it should be like every other Friday. There’s nothing different, at least, not on the surface. They’re in their spot, far from the rest of the world. It’s just them, as always, but there’s something weighing down on Reki. There’s something that lingers in the air, something that’s been choking him up all day. It’s there, he knows it, he just doesn’t know how to address it. Talking about things that aren’t skating, it’s not easy, not for Reki.

A smile tugs at the corner of his mouth as he swipes through his camera roll. Every one of them holds a memory, usually one that has to do with Langa. There’s a selfie, or two, or three, or twelve. There’s a video of Langa skating, or, once again, twelve. And there are pictures of the sunset, of a stray cat, of birds in the sky, yet they still remind him of Langa. He can hear Langa through the pictures, hear his laughter, hear his chatter, hear his breathing. Because Langa is in every one of these pictures, whether he’s visible or not. He’s in every single picture, in every memory Reki holds of the past year or so. Langa, Reki realizes, has become a staple of his life, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Especially not when Langa’s head is dropping onto his shoulder, blue eyes pointed up at him.

“Whatcha looking at?”

“Just going through my pictures, see what I can delete.”

Reki knows he won’t be deleting anything; he doesn’t want to forget any of his moments with Langa. He wants to keep building these moments, not get rid of them. But saying that out loud, who knows what kind of waterfall of words would spill from his mouth afterwards. And he can’t risk that. Not before he’s figured out exactly how he wants to say it. These words, he can’t mess them up. They need to be perfect. So, until then, they will be silent.

The evening goes by as it always does: a few tricks here and there, a lot of laughing, a few scraped knees and palms. It’s another Friday evening, just like so many others. It’s another Friday evening, until they head home, still in silence.

“Reki, is everything alright?”

Reki hums as he readjusts his bag on his shoulders.

“You just…” Langa pauses, stopping under a streetlamp. “You haven’t talked much today. So… is everything alright?”

Reki wants nothing more than to wipe away the worry that coats the blue of Langa’s eyes. He wants nothing more than to replace it with their usual shine, the one paired with the brightest grin Reki’s ever known. He wants nothing more than Langa’s happiness; if he could go another lifetime without ever having to worry, that would be how Reki would want it. He wants to remember Langa’s smile, memorize the curve of his lips and the creases at the corner of his eyes. None of that worrying that pulls his features in all the wrong ways.

“Don’t worry, dude. Everything’s perfect. Just been a long day, y’know?”

Langa nods, but he shows no sign of continuing his way down the road. He nods, but he expects more. He wants Reki to talk, to release whatever it is he’s holding in his heart. He wants Reki to talk, to spill, to let it all out. And even if it’s ugly, Reki knows Langa will take it. Even if it’s far from perfect, Reki knows Langa will smile, grin even, as he drinks Reki’s every syllable.

“Well, I mean…”

They hear it in the silence, the wait of Reki’s unspoken words. The silent words, they hang heavy in the air. And the more Langa stares, the more Langa waits with that beautiful look upon his face, the more Reki hesitates to say it. It won’t break them, far from that, but being the first to vocalize it, being the first to put it out there, it’s scary. It could ignite a fire, a flame that could leave a trail of beauty for Reki to memorize on Langa’s face and body, but it might also be a flame that burns the whole thing down. If he does this wrong, who knows what the future will look like for them.

Perhaps it would have been better if Reki had been a better liar, better at concealing the feelings fluttering in his heart. If he had been able to pretend there was nothing there, or pretend he didn’t expect the words to come to him first before parroting them back, maybe he wouldn’t have found himself in this situation. But if he had been better at conceal his feelings, at keeping them close to his chest rather than out for the world to see, then maybe he wouldn’t have found himself under the brightest moon, standing in front of the prettiest boy he’d ever seen. If he had been different, then maybe he wouldn’t be here today. He wouldn’t be standing in front of a boy whose eyes are filled with beauty and adoration, lacing their fingers together.

“I guess I just wanted to say…”

It’s now, or it’s never, Reki knows that. He’s started. He can’t stop.

“I’ve actually been thinking so much about this lately. Like, I can’t sleep from how much I think about it. So, like…”

Langa stares in anticipation, his shoulders caving inwards as his fingers tighten around Reki’s. He’s biting back a smile, Reki knows this. Maybe Langa’s just as bad at this as he is.

“Langa.”

He’s shaking. Or maybe it’s Langa who’s shaking. Or maybe they’re both shaking. Reki can’t tell. He doesn’t care.

“Langa, I love you.”

#in celebration of 1989 (TV) coming out #I literally just pumped this shit out while listening to You Are in Love because it was just rattling in my brain the entire time #had to get it out #Also look at that!!! I wrote some Renga!!!!!#ok tagging time it's been a hit minute #kyan reki #reki #reki kyan #sk8 reki #langa #langa hasegawa #sk8 langa #hasegawa langa #renga #snowgear #sk8 #sk8 the infinity #lils writes

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kusuguricafe · 1 year

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Cloud 9 - Squealing Santa 2K22

A/N: Surprise surprise, @writingwitharlo! I'm your squealing santa this year!! I hope you're having a very happy holiday season and enjoy your gift ❤️💙

I was listening to my renga playlist as I was writing this and the second I finished, the palm tree song started playing. There truly couldn't have been better comedic timing.

Summary: Langa takes Reki on a snowboarding trip! After a long day of teaching Reki the slopes (like, ropes? get it?), the two go back to their log cabin to unwind. Reki's a little upset he's not getting the hang of it as quickly as when he taught Langa how to skateboard, but Langa finds a way to cheer him up!

Semi-inspired by this adorable renga comic

Word Count: ~1.2K

Characters: lee!Langa, ler!Reki ❄️⚙️

“Argh! Itatataa…”

“Reki! Daijoubu??”

“Yeah…”

“Yokatta… I think that’s enough for today. Want to go back to the cabin? I can make you some hot chocolate.”

“Sure. Thanks, Langa.”

Langa offered his hand and Reki cautiously took it, doing his best to stabilize himself as he attempted to stand back up. It’s so much easier to get up after wiping out on a skateboard—the damn thing isn’t stuck on your feet! He almost made it up, when the snowboard suddenly slipped out from under him, dragging them both back down. Langa landed firmly on top of Reki, knocking the wind out of the latter.

Langa chuckled and rolled off of Reki onto the packed snow. Reki didn’t move for a minute or so, still trying to catch his breath.

“S-sorry…” Reki managed to say.

“Don’t worry about it. You clearly got the rough end of that fall. Here, lemme help you take that off.”

Langa sat up and crawled over to Reki’s feet and removed the snowboard. Langa offered his hand once more and Reki reluctantly took it, avoiding eye contact.

“C’mon, let’s head back. I’ll carry this for you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“I don’t mind.”

“Okay.”

Langa held the snowboard under his left arm and grabbed Reki’s left hand with his right. Reki was looking down at the snow, dejectedly. Langa gently pulled him along, back towards the cabin.

Once they arrived, Reki plopped himself down onto the couch and began taking off some of his heavier winter gear. Langa put the snowboard down, took off his boots and his jacket. Then, he went straight to the kitchen and started making some hot chocolate for Reki, just how he likes it.

After it was done, he went back to the living room to see a moping Reki. He sighed to himself, then walked over and placed the cute snowman mug full of hot chocolate on the coffee table in front of him.

“Here you go.”

“Thanks.”

Langa took a seat across from him. The two sat in silence for a couple minutes, Reki occasionally taking a sip.

“You did a great job out there,” Langa broke the silence. “Much improved from yesterday.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You did! You only wiped out like twenty times instead of thirty!”

“I don’t need your sympathy. I know I suck.”

Langa paused. He never really knew what to do when Reki got like this.

“You don’t suck.”

“I do.”

“You really don—”

“Just drop it, okay? I don’t want to hear it.” Reki finally looked up just in time to see Langa’s countenance change from encouraging to mildly hurt. Oops.

“O-oh, I mean, I didn’t mean to—”

“It’s fine. I get it.”

Now it was Reki’s turn to panic. Overwhelmed with emotion, he stood up and said, “I. Just give me a minute. I’m gonna go change.”

“Okay.”

Reki went to leave, came to a halt about halfway to the bedroom, turned back around, and went back to pick up his hot chocolate. Langa saw the mug disappear out of the corner of his eye. He smiled.

A few minutes later, Langa knocked on the bedroom door.

“Can I come in?”

“Yeah.”

Langa gingerly entered the bedroom. He saw Reki sitting on the bed in sweats, scrolling on his phone. Langa walked over and sat down next to him. Reki glanced in his direction, but that was all.

Langa started again, “You know, learning to skateboard after already knowing how to snowboard is like learning to drive a car after already knowing how to drive a semi truck. This is much more difficult.”

“Really?” Reki looked up from his phone in Langa’s direction.

“Yeah. Turning a snowboard requires very specific muscle control. It’s not intuitive at all.”

“That makes sense. I just thought I’d be able to get the hang of it faster. I guess it’s a lot harder than I thought.”

“Don’t beat yourself up,” Langa said, gently nudging Reki’s side with his elbow.

“EEK!” Reki squeaked, dropping his phone onto the bed.

“Oh! I’m sorry! Did I hit a bruise or something?”

“N-no, s’not that.” Reki looked away again.

“Hey! Stop doing that. I want to see your pretty eyes.” Langa grabbed Reki’s chin and pulled it towards him. Said pretty eyes widened in surprise.

“So what’s up?”

“It’s nothing,” Reki pouted.

Langa laughed. “You’re adorable, you know. Even when you’re repeatedly face planting in the snow.”

“L-Langa!”

“I’ve been so much happier after meeting you. You’re just the light I needed in my life.” Langa continued, still squishing Reki’s now bright red cheeks in his hand.

“Hah? Where is this coming from??”

“Just thinking out loud. Being around you is like having a little sun in my pocket. You’re so important to me. I, I lov—”

“STOP! P-please stop, I can’t take this,” Reki covered his eyes with his forearm.

“What did I just say about hiding your beautiful amber eyes from me!?”

Reki lowered his arm and began frantically looking around anywhere but Langa’s gaze. “I’m sorry!! I’m sorry, you were just looking at me so, so…!”

Langa interrupted him with a chaste kiss. He let go of his cheeks.

Reki gaped at him. Reki.exe has stopped working.

“Reki? Reki??” Langa waved his hand in front of Reki’s face. No reaction. He shook his shoulders gently. Reki blinked, closed his mouth, and shook his head.

“Wha… did you… did you just…?”

“Y-yeah, I hope that was okahAHAHAHAY!!”

Reki suddenly pounced, digging his fingers into Langa’s sides.

“Ahahahahaha! Reheheheki!! Whyhyhy!?”

Reki was blushing like mad. “You can’t just do that out of nowhere!!”

“Wh-why are you—AHAhahahaha nohohooo!”

Reki was digging into Langa’s tummy now. He quickly realized this was not helping his blush go down. Since when was Langa this ticklish?

“R-Reheheki! Pleheheeease wHA *snort* HAHAHA *snort* NAHAHAT THEHEHEHERE!”

Reki had begun drilling his thumbs into Langa’s hip bones.

“I-I’ve never heard you snort before!”

“Shuhuhut AHAha uhUHUP! S-stahahahahap!” Langa was blushing now, too.

“Where else are you ticklish? Here?” Reki squeezed the tops of Langa’s thighs experimentally.

“OHO MY GOHOHOHOD! NOHOHOHOHOHOHOO! NonONONO NOT THAHAAAAA!!”

Langa practically screeched as Reki reached the spot right above his knees. Reki reddened impossibly deeper at that. He let up.

“A-are you alright?”

“Yeheheeyeaha. Th-that’s just a really bad spot.”

“Are there worse!?”

Langa covered his face with his hands.

“There are??”

“Mahaybe…”

Seizing the opportunity, Reki reached up into Langa’s underarms.

“AAAAAAAAAHHAHAHA WAITWAITWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAIT!!!”

“No way, did I actually find it?”

“YEHEHEHEHEHEHES!! REHEHEKI PLEHEHEHEHEHEHEASE!!” Langa screamed, yanking his arms back down in an attempt to protect himself. This, of course, revealed his bright pink face and tear stained cheeks.

Reki continued for a little while longer until Langa began pounding the bed with his fist, his laughter going silent. Langa laid there panting with his eyes closed. Reki leaned down and kissed him back.

Langa’s eyes shot back open, just in time to see Reki beaming down at him. Langa smiled back.

“...Sorry for making you worried earlier.” Reki said.

“Oh, don’t worry about it. I’m just glad you’re okay now.”

Reki reached out his hand, which Langa gratefully took. He flung himself back up and wrapped his arms around Reki.

“I love you.”

“I… I love you too.”

#reki kyan #langa hasegawa #lee!langa #ler!reki #renga #snowgear #sk8 #sk8 the infinity #squealing santa 2k22 #tickling #tickle fic #princess scrawlings #snowboarding #hurt/comfort #first kiss #love confessions #definitely didn't name it after the 2014 disney channel original movie #that would be craaazy

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