Work Text:
Snow Child
What are signs of Reki not feeling well?
Why?
Reki dropped a soda can and said “Just end me already”
It took a moment longer for Langa to respond.
Where are you? I’m coming
Skatepark near your school, we were training
I’ll be there in 20min
Kojiro sighed, looking to his side, where Reki was just staring at his dropped can. Kaoru was the one to pick it up and throw it away. Then he dug for a packet of tissues in his bag and handed them to Reki.
Reki stayed stockstill throughout this, only reacting when the packet was pressed into his dripping hands. His eyes came back into focus with a start. He fumbled with the tissues, grumbling to himself, growing increasingly irritated when he couldn’t get it to open.
“Gah!”, Rekis fingers twitched as he tried to rip the tissues open. The packet refused and he dropped it, frustrated. He went to grab at his shirt, but drew his hands back when they came in contact with the wet fabric. Another sound of distress and now Reki was actually tearing up.
“Hey, hey, it’s okay”, Kojiro placed his hands softly over Rekis, but Reki pulled back as if he’d been burned. Furrowing his brows, confused, Kojiro backed off, picking up the dropped tissues. He opened them and handed one to Reki. Reki was always fine when Langa touched him, what was different with him? Was it because he wasn’t Langa? Did he touch him wrong? He vaguely remembered reading something like that when he looked up neurodiversity.
“Sorry”, Reki muttered, drying his hands off. He didn’t look at either of them, holding onto the used tissue as if he didn’t know what to do with it. Kaoru gently took it from him - Reki flinched again as their hands brushed against each other - dropping it into the trash can next to him. Reki looked so lost and small, fumbling with his hands, pressing them together, shoulders shaking.
“It’s okay, you didn’t do anything wrong”, Kaoru reassured, reaching out to place a hand on his shoulder, before thinking better of it and retracting. Reki almost longingly watched the retreating hand.
“Langa is on his way, he’ll be here soon”, Kojiro sat down next to Reki, watching how he visibly relaxed at the mention of Langa, “and until then, we’ll do our best to help you, okay?” Reki nodded, tearing up a little more, curling up into himself.
Kojiros heart squeezed as he watched Reki retreat into himself. He tried to remember what Langa does, but the only thing he could think of was Reki sitting in Langas lap and Langa playing with Rekis hands or vice versa, but the last one was a thing to help Langa, probably.
“Wanna sit in my lap? Or is that a Langa-specific thing?”, he asked, feeling awkward, rubbing at his neck. Kaoru tilted his head confused, watching him with raised eyebrows. What are you doing?
Reki looked up a little, only glancing at Kojiro. He directed his gaze back to the ground, eyes glazing over further. “I don’ wanna bother you. You can go back to skating... I’ll just... calm down by myself... or wait until Langa comes”, he muttered, shoulders hiking up further.
“We’re not leaving you alone, Reki”, Kaoru protested, grabbing Rekis shoulder before he could think about it. He immediately winced, pulling back, apology on the tip of his tongue.
Reki grabbed his hand, putting it back into place, pressing it down. Kaoru got the message, squeezing his shoulder tightly. Reki sobbed, leaning into the hand.
“Is it really fine? You don’t think I’m being annoying?”
Kojiro frowned. Who had ever told him something like that? “Of course not”, Kaoru reassured, squeezing his shoulder once. Reki nodded hesitantly, rubbing away stray tears. He glanced back to Kojiro on his other side.
“Can- can I?”, his voice broke and he glanced away again before looking at the ground before Kojiros feet. Kojiro breathed out, relieved Reki was trusting them. He moved his legs, opening up space for Reki to sit down.
Reki was hesitant, slowly climbing into Kojiros lap, still sitting a good distance away from him, not actually touching anywhere. Kojiro couldn’t see his face this way, but he could figure this still wasn’t quite right.
“Is it okay like this? I mean, I’m not Langa, but it’s different when he does it right?”, Kojiro asked, tilting his head. Reki just glanced back at him, brows furrowed in confusion. Kaoru hit Kojiro over the head, shifting to sit next to them, filling the empty space Reki left when he moved, careful of the spilled puddle. Kojiro winced. Right, direct questions. Clear options or yes and no.
“Do you want me to touch you?”, Kojiro cringed at his own wording. This was hard, but if this was the way to help Reki... He deserved the next hit Kaoru delivered. Reki looked back ahead, hunching over a little, still reluctant.
“I... I don’t like... soft touches...”, his voice was quiet and he almost missed it over silently complaining about all the punches Kaoru delivered. Reki shifted and even though Kojiro couldn’t see his expression he knew Reki was frustrated with himself. He’d ‘forced’ himself onto them and now he couldn’t tell them what he needed to calm down.
“So if I just give you a tight hug it’s fine?”, Reki nodded, almost a little enthusiastic. “That, I can do”, he joked, flexing, earning an amused huff from Kaoru and a weak chuckle from Reki. Kojiro didn’t need any further prompting to wrap his arms around Rekis torso and pull him flush against him.
The reaction was immediate, Reki breathing in deeply as if he was taking his first breath after being submerged in water for too long. His body went slack against him, head resting on his chest. Tears were still clinging to his lashes as new ones kept building up. Kojiro could tell Reki wasn’t immediately fine because of this, but it was better. Rekis eyes slid close as he breathed out deeply, hands dropping into his lap.
Kaoru reached out, slipping his fingers under Rekis headband, scratching at his scalp, keeping his touch firm. Kojiro and Kaoru made eye contact over Rekis head, holding it for a second before Kaoru leant forward to press a quick kiss to Kojiros cheek.
They stayed like this, waiting for Langa to arrive. Kojiro wondered what was going on in Rekis hand. He wondered if he actually wanted to know, considering how mad Reki got at himself just for dropping his drink and not getting the tissues open. And how reluctant he was to take their help. Should we talk to him? Should we distract him? Or would that be counterproductive?
“Do you want something new to drink?”, Kaoru asked, rubbing a thumb under Rekis eye, prompting him to open them. They cracked open for just a second, before closing again. He murmured something, but when neither of them understood he just nodded.
“Can you tell me if you want something specific?”, Reki shook his head no slightly.
“Cold or warm?”, Kaoru squeezed his jaw a little with ‘cold’, pressing a hand to his shoulder with ‘warm’. Reki sluggishly reached for the hand on his face, tapping it.
“Without fizzle”, Reki muttered, burrowing deeper into Kojiros chest, twisting his torso a little. Kaoru nodded, slowly pulling his hands back.
“Okay then, I will be right back”, he made his way over to the vending machines closeby, Kojiro followed him with his eyes for a moment, before looking down at Reki again.
“Do you wanna talk about it?”, he asked, squeezing Reki once. Rekis head fell back, hands reaching up to rub at his face with a small groan.
“Not really... it’s just- the same damn thing every time”, he groaned, sliding down until his head rested just below Kojiros chest, “I just- I can’t get the trick to work and I know I just started learning it, but still!” He sighed, hands falling down into his lap again, pressing back more into Kojiro and bouncing his legs.
“I’m just-... running low on battery...”
Reki tilted his head down, tears building up again. “Nothing I do feels right, I can’t focus on anything and I feel so tired”, he sobbed, curling up into himself, drawing away from Kojiro.
“I just want to lay down and do nothing...”
That was when Kaoru came back, cooled water bottle in hand, glaring at Kojiro. Before he could explain, Kaoru kneeled down next to them, pressing the bottle against Rekis arms, punching Kojiros shoulder with his free hand.
Rekis breathing was erratic as he looked up, reaching for the bottle with shaking hands. Kojiro remembered the tissue problem, reaching to uncap the bottle first. Reki muttered a quiet thanks, voice hitching.
“Are you okay, Reki?”, Kaoru asked, placing a hand on Rekis shoulder until he was done drinking, then it moved up to his cheek. Reki leant into it, trying to even out his breathing.
“Mhm, sorry, I’m just...”, he trailed off, loosing the strength. His weight dropped onto Kaorus hand and Kojiros leg. Kojiro adjusted his position to lean Reki back into his torso. Kaoru adjusted his hand accordingly, cradling the back of his head and scratching his scalp again. Reki sighed, body sinking into the touch.
Barely five minutes later they heard the sounds of a bike rushing down the nearby street, cutting off abruptly. Kojiro looked over his shoulder, watching Langa hurriedly secure his bike, not even taking off his helmet before he ran over.
“Reki!!”
Reki tensed up when he heard Langa calling him, pushing up and peeking over Kojiros shoulder as well. He visibly lightened up, although there was still this visible blanket of fatigue laying over him.
“Langa”, he breathed out, when Langa dropped to his knees next to them, reaching his arms out for Reki to climb into. Kojiro and Kaoru released him quickly, Langa wrapping Reki up tight in his arms.
Kojiro smiled, this really was the most relaxed and happy he’d seen Reki today. He wouldn’t have to worry about either of them being alone. He quickly turned away when they leant in to kiss. He almost felt like he was intruding on something.
“Thank you”, Langa spoke up, standing up, carrying Reki, who was clinging to him like a koala, probably halfway to falling asleep just like that.
“Be careful on your way home”, Kaoru smiled softly, standing up as well, wiping the dirt of his clothes. Langa nodded
“Take care of each other”
Reki glanced over his shoulder, expression soft and unguarded. So completely tired. But at the very least safe now. Kojiro knew they couldn’t offer the same safety Langa did, but they could at the very least try.
“Thanks...”
Kojiro smiled, leaning his chin on his palm.
“No problem”
Because it really wasn’t.