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1
December 1th
"What do you mean 'I don't know what to get him for Christmas'?" Miya took his lollipop out of his mouth to point it at him accusingly. "You're together all the time, you must have even the slightest idea of what he wants."
"Yes, but...it's not that easy." sighed Langa "Reki is the kind of person who comes up with the most meaningful and handcrafted gift. It's impossible to match with him."
"And he mostly changes his mind very often." added Koyomi.
Langa nods vigorously. "Exactly. I thought about trying to buy him stuff he really needs, like: yesterday he was talking about how he desperately needed two track–"
"If I can be honest, buying him stuff like that is crap. You can get him that kind of thing all year round." Miya interrupted him. Then raising his voice an octave to rather ridiculously imitate Reki's voice he added, " 'Oh my God, Langa, honey, thank you so much for buying me one of the hundred pieces of technical equipment on skateboards that exist. How did you know I would like it? Smooch, smooch.' Does that sound like a believable scene to you?"
Koyomi restrained herself from bursting out laughing "You literally look exactly like him. That's scary, don't ever do that again or I'll be forced to ban you from my room."
Miya refinely raised a middle finger to her.
Langa was undeterred, trying to bring the topic back to him. "So equipment and materials he needs is a no. Anything else I can start ruling out?"
"Any manga or books that you know he might like?" suggested Koyomi.
"He mostly reads what he finds in your room, if I have to be frank." he smiled, thinking back to that time when he had been sent on a 'mission' (taking the second volume from Koyomi's bookshelf).
"That piece of crap. That's where 'I will not reach you' was!"
Reki peeped out of the konbini where he had gone to buy drinks for everyone, putting up to whatever desperate attempt Langa had made to come up with at least a shred of an idea.
He had then visited Joe –and automatically Cherry–and had even gone to Shadow! Everyone responded in the same way: "You're his best friend, can't you think of anything you could give him?"
Well, yes: Langa had no idea what to give Reki for Christmas. And even less: no idea how to find the right inspiration.
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2
December 3th
Reki's room. They were watching the new episode of an anime series that came out weekly. Langa found it freaking adorable.
Miya called it cringe, but he didn't care: for him it was exactly the right level of cringe that he loved. It wasn't even challenging to watch: it was like watching a lot of little filler episodes, and they loved it for that, too.
The fact that the characters had a lot of chemistry and the anime was implicitly BL only went by the wayside, of course.
Since they had found out, they had punctually made a date every Saturday to watch the new episode together.
Reki's house was rowdy and messy as usual, cozy as it had always been.
Koyomi, in a strange moment of generosity that amazed them both, had peeped into the room and asked them if they wanted orange juice.
"I swear to God, I don't know how I'm going to live when it ends. To think that next week the last episode comes out..." Reki lands theatrically on the bed, his face on one of the many pillows.
"I understand and share the sentiment. And the fact that the chances of them being canon are practically zero makes me a little depressed to be honest."
Reki sighed, "I wish gay people were real."
"We are very real and this defeat will only make us stronger. I’m every day more grateful for the existence of fanfiction."
Reki fell silent for a second, one eye peeping out from the pillow. Had he gone too far? Shouldn't he simply have?
He had already thought about coming out to Reki, but only because he was his best friend and it would simply happen sooner or later. He had never wanted some major revelation or some big reaction.
Simply things being said and silent possibilities being opened wide.
He didn't know Reki's exact opinion on the subject, but not for any specific reason: it simply had not come up.
What he did know, however, was that Reki would never look at it any differently. As anxious as he was, Langa fought firmly with the intrusive thoughts that whispered to him that his best friend would insult or abandon him for such a thing.
His trust in him was so great that at that moment he felt no fear upon him.
He looked at Reki expectantly.
As if he heard his words, Reki slowly sat cross-legged on the bed, peering at Langa who sat lazily on one of the desk's swivel chairs.
"We will fight together for the cause." He said with a hesitant smile at first, "I feel like we would make a great combo: you fanfiction, me fanart."
Langa softened his gaze. He should have expected that Reki always knew what to say in any situation. "We definitely would."
They continued to talk for the rest of the afternoon: series they were supposed to start when they finished this one ("another silly, undemanding one," they decreed), what were their plans for the weekend (eating at Joe's and attending some beef in S), and what was the formula for the new math exercises they had for Monday (both of them had no idea, of course).
"Do you think we should ask some of our classmates? What was the name of the one in front of you? Ashiya?"
Reki sighed, "Asuyachi. Seriously though, you should at least try learning some nam–"
Langa took the glass of juice from the desk to turn again toward Reki. In turning around, however, the orange juice responded to the force of gravity, undulating and then forming a beautiful stain on the blunette's immaculate shirt.
"Shit. You alright, man?"
Langa sighed, taking a tissue to clean the stain the best he could.. "Damn, this was my favorite shirt."
Reki peered at him as if he had said something funny. "I'll lend you something, don't worry."
"Oh, it's nothing. Don’t worr–"
"Don't be weird about it, I wear your pajamas like every week!"
Rummaging through the –highly uncluttered– drawers, Reki pulled out a sweatshirt. Yes, it was indeed the sweatshirt. The yellow sweatshirt that was among his all-time favorites, the one he saw when he found himself daydreaming about his best friend.
"Don't just stand at it, take it! My arm is getting tired."
"Oh, sorry. Thank you, Reki."
As his best friend turned to arrange the drawer, he quickly removed his shirt to replace it with his sweatshirt.
The familiarity of Reki's smell flooded through his nostrils. He would like using that sweatshirt every damn day of the year, if he would let him.
It was just polyester, but on December 3, Langa couldn’t have asked for anything better.
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3
December 8th
"Tell me again how we ended up here."
"Oh, come on! You were so excited to come here. You said something about 'learning new skills' and me being the one to teach you for once."
"Not recalling." he pouted.
"We're not even on the ice yet, Reki."
"I know that! I'm just scared of falling and hurting myself, okay? One time a friend of mine went ice skating and–"
" You 're afraid of falling and getting hurt ?" Langa looks at him skeptically. "Reki, you literally fall every day skating."
The boy huffed, "Yeah so what? Do I need to remind you that there is a slight difference between concrete and ice?"
"You're impossible." he sighed. After a couple of seconds he added, "Look, we don't have to do this if you don't want to. Even if you suggested it in the first place we can just go get a hot chocolate and walk around."
"I–" he took a deep breath. "Sorry, I do wanna try, I'm just a little scared about it."
"I'll help you." He reassured him with a smile "I'll never leave your side, I promise."
"I know you won't." Reki smiles back at him. "But I still want hot chocolate afterwards."
"I couldn't agree more. Besides," he added as they began to set foot on the runway, "you can always hold my hand if you're scared."
"That's my line, dummy ." But he didn't hesitate for a second before grabbing his hand.
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4
December 10th
Langa liked to eat, that was certainly not a secret.
When it came to cooking however, it was another matter. Of course, he wasn't bad in the kitchen, in fact he often prepared food in case her mother had not yet come home from work or had the night shift.
However, when there were steps or recipes that required patience –such as the long cooking of the elements– Langa would lose it. He would be there, motionless, staring at the food slowly heating up, fighting the urge to open the glowing door to verify that the food was cooked.
Which inevitably ended up prolonging the cooking each time, but hey : Langa wasn’t someone who was easily discouraged.
And what he mainly cooked tasted great, yes, but it was not the best looking. Which, ironically, was perfectly balanced by Reki, who much preferred the creative process to the actual preparation.
If there is one thing they often clashed on, however, it was ‘following recipes to the letter’. If Langa reread the recipe over and over again, following every single step to the letter, Reki was not exactly of the same opinion. The doses weren’t often accurate, the steps went in random order, and more often than not he added a few "personal additions" here and there just for the sheer sake of it and "just why not?"
"That's why the dough didn't rise." he told him that time they miserably had failed to make cupcakes for Miya's birthday. "You didn't put the same amount of yeast that the recipe said."
"It simply didn't feel right," shrugged Reki. "Look at it this way, it will be easier to do the decoration on top."
Langa was unable to reply to that.
However, it wasn't as if Langa could be the one to talk, given all the times they were running out of ingredients because of him.
To make a long story short: they were both doing the best they could, a few incidents along the way might have happened.
And if today, that accident along the way was represented by Chihiro and Nanaka: well, they would suffer the consequences.
Reki and Langa were supposed to babysit the twins while Masae was away on a visit. The twins had complained, saying that Mommy had promised to make them cookies that day. From there they had quickly decided to save the day.
Or anyway: Reki had decided it and Langa was not going to say no to freshly baked cookies.
Currently, they were finishing kneading shortbread dough (which thanks to some divine grace they were able to knead without too much trouble.
"Didn't you always tell me you weren't very good at making cookies?" Langa asks "It seems to be going pretty well, doesn't it?"
"Yeah, but...it's not so much that shortcrust pastry is difficult in itself." He adjusted the band with his wrist so as not to get dough on it "I have to let it rest for some time then. And in that half hour I accidentally get distracted with something else and boom . I completely forgot I was making cookies."
He hummed "Did you ever set a timer to remind you?"
"I..." Reki looks away embarrassed "Well! Now I have you and the twins to help me! You can be my timer and we'll finish the cookies."
Langa smiles, turning to the twins and whispering in their ears. "That's his way to say he never thought about it."
Chihiro and Nanaka giggled in complicity. "Goofy brother."
Langa nodded with a smile. The twins were really adorable.
"Hey! What are you three up to?!"
"Shh!" said Nanaka. "It's a secret." Repeated Chihiro with her index finger full of flour above her nose.
"Alright, alright." the redhead stood with his arms folded "I'm sure you don't care about the secret I know anyway. What a shame!"
Langa watched with eager anticipation as the twins' faces, with before the exact same confused face, changed to a wrinkled expression.
He hoped a little bit they had not succumbed to the trap. But it was known. Reki knew these tricks better than he did: impossible to beat him at his own game. He mentally accepted defeat.
"We want to know! Come on Reki, tell us!" the twins repeated.
Reki's satisfied expression grew "If you wanna know so bad–" he gave a small nod to let them come closer.
Reki gave him a quick glance "He really sucks–" a single cough "he's not good at drawing at all . One time he was passing notes to me during class and it took me half an hour to figure out if he drew a rabbit or a mouse."
"It was a cat , Reki," sighed in exasperation the target of the situation.
Reki burst out laughing. "Right, right! That's the one."
Langa smiled despite himself.
"Do you need a hand?" he offered not long after, as the dough was resting. Reki was washing the dishes.
"Uh? Oh no, no worries," he affirmed "Could you cut some fruit for the twins though? Come to think of it, they haven't had their snack yet and we'll take a little longer to make cookies."
"Yes, sure." starting toward the table, he began to carefully peel an apple. The twins, in a rare moment of calm, were happily scribbling on papers using wax pencils.
When he finished, he placed the plate full of apple slices, from which he had set aside a few slices, between the twins.
He made his way to Reki, who was still intent on rubbing a bowl. He was humming a tune he could not recognize. "Reki? Would you like some apples?"
"Yeah, sure. Put it on the table, I'll get it more lat–" he didn’t have time to finish the sentence that a small slice of apple on his mouth interrupted him.
Langa smiled at the other boy's astonished face. He looked like a squirrel with his cheeks filled with acorns.
And if Reki ate more fruit during that time, one of the reasons was probably Langa.
"Sorry to say this, but you really suck at decorating cookies." Reki then affirmed with a chuckle.
"Oh, shut up. Says the one who can't even follow a recipe." He huffed. He was still chewing on half a cookie. "That's way you suck at mathematics."
"You were just here because you were supposed to help me!" He complained. "I thought you knew how to cook."
"I can cook eggs," he replied proudly.
"So you only know how to cook eggs?"
"They are very good eggs , thank you very much."
"Sure, sure. I don't doubt that, Langa."
"I sense a hint of sarcasm here."
Reki lifted an index finger and jutted his incisors over his lip. "Err, I sense a hint of sarcasm, actually." he mimics him.
Langa gave him a playful punch on the shoulder, but still offered him a cookie. It was one of the gingerbread men the twins had decorated for them: one with blue frosting and one with red one, holding hands.
The cookies were not the best and definitely lacked sugar, but Reki's smile when he handed him back a heart-shaped cookie made up for all the sweetness.
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5
December 15th
Nanako adjusted her pillow behind her back "Is something wrong, honey?"
"It's nothing, really. It's just that I don't know what to get Reki for Christmas.” He sighed, dipping his face into the sofa cushion. “And it's not long now."
Her mother brought her gaze back to the small television in the room, currently turned on one of the soap operas it had to offer. "As long as he comes from you, I think he’ll love it."
"I'm not one of your drama characters, Mom."
This time it was she who sighed, "I know honey, I know. But the dynamics aren't that different, you know?." Before Langa could retort ruefully, she continued, "What were you thinking of getting him?"
"That's the thing: I always buy him something. And then he comes up with the best gift that, in addition, is even handmade. I simply can't compete."
"Then how about trying something handmade? You said it, didn't you?"
"But I suck at drawing and I’ve never painted in my life."
Nanako thought to herself, "How about… sewing?" Then she shook her head, "You'd better not, I believe. If you were to prick you with the needle, I wouldn't want to find you passed out somewhere."
“There! You could try crochet! No needles required.”
"Do you know how to crochet? How come I never discovered it?”
Nanako smiled, "Your mom has many secrets."
Langa thought about it for a moment. Crochet. No needles: just a crochet hook and some yarn.
Maybe it wasn’t a bad idea. It would take him a while to learn the basics, but if Mom helped him then he could do it.
But what could Reki like? A sweater? Definitely not the best idea for a first project. A stuffed animal? Some flowers? Langa's head was a volcano of ideas, renewed with new motivation.
Ready to find out for more, he got up from the sofa. His mother followed him curiously with her eyes.Rushing to his room, he shouted a quick, "Thanks Mom! Love you!" not even hearing her response.
He grabbed his phone and began typing and dialing whatever gave him ideas.
That's it. Perhaps he really would find the perfect gift for Reki, actually.
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+1
December 25th
Nanako and Langa were going to spend Christmas at the Kyan’s. Although his mother explain him how, in Japan, Christmas was a holiday more focused on couples, Langa didn't feel like leaving his mom alone. He wanted to spend the holidays with her as well, and in any case she and Masae got along so well that it was Reki's mother who had thought of the idea in the first place.
Not that, if he ever decided to ask Reki out for Christmas, there was any way she could keep her intentions from being revealed.
It would have been a confession in its own right and simply didn't sound good at that moment.
He was going to spend Christmas with all the people he loved most, even if it meant playing hide-and-seek with the twins all evening.
So there they were, on their way to the Kyan's. Nanako had in her gloved hands the packaged cheesecake they brought. Not that they needed to cover up properly: Okinawa wasn't exactly known for its cold winters, so Langa would usually have gone out even with just a sweatshirt. There was something comforting about putting on sweatshirts and sweaters they had worn in Canada in the past, though. It was a constant: where so much had changed, the coat gave the impression that nothing was really different. He made sure to face the changes head on while at the same time reminding him of home.
His mother seemed to think the same way, too, given the mountain socks poking out of her ankle boots.
"Langa! Nanako! How are you, dear?" said Masae, opening the door with one hand and wiping the other floured on her apron. "The girls have been very impatient."
Nanako quickly hugged her. The two of them had made friends in the blink of an eye, and Langa could not be more grateful.
He had not helped but think that his mother might get a little lonely when he goes out for too long with Reki or slept over at his place at night. But he knew that she had many colleagues with whom she got along well at work, and surely the lively and reassuring presence of a Kyan was not something she missed.
Since they met, they had been meeting at each other's homes whenever work or caring for four children allowed.
He could almost gloss over the fact that they were the main topics of conversation. Almost.
Upon entering the Kyan house, Langa was not surprised to find everything exactly exaggeratedly adorned. Balls, pine branches, and even a few themed drawings that the twins had probably insisted on hanging.
Where Masae found the time to decorate it remained a mystery.
With the cake in the fridge, the two of them took a seat in the hall, on the sofa where Koyomi was reading a manga.
She politely greeted Nanako and gave Langa a sign of recognition. "Reki is upstairs cleaning up the mess. I think he'll be here in a while.”
As if she summoned him (but probably his best friend had simply heard their arrival and decided to take it as an excuse to get away from work) Reki made his grand entrance into the living room.
He was not wearing one of his usual sweatshirts; he was wearing a Christmas sweater. As much as Langa thinks, his best friend seems highly huggable, the ugly Christmas sweater spoiled just a little.
But he knew Reki had chosen it for just that: a big green sweater with yellow stripes and red polka dots, simulating a Christmas tree was not exactly among his favorite fits.
He smiled despite himself.
It was going to be an interesting evening tonight.
After Christmas dinner, Reki's family used to spend the evening playing board games, cards, or just making conversation. They wouldn't open their respective gifts and eat cake until late in the evening.
They had all played together for a couple of hours before Masae announced that she would take the twins to bed and then enjoy talking with Nanako for a while.
Reki was not satisfied with the losing streak he had accumulated that night, while Koyomi, with her own words "would not give up another victory." As for Langa, his competitive personality quickly made its unexpected return. Koyomi had suggested playing with money –a few cents, nothing crazy– but her mother quickly shushed her by convincing her to bet on the candy and chocolates that were left over.
"You're cheating, Reki," Langa declared with a pout. It was their tenth game of Uno by now.
The other widened his eyes, "I'm literally not?!"
"You're definitely cheating." repeated Koyomi.
"Oh, for fu–" he quickly interjected at the dirty look his mother gave him from the sofa where she was sitting with Nanako. "I-I so don't agree with you! That's not fair."
"Don't talk about fairness and take out all the other cards you've hidden."
"I didn't hide any cards, I swear! Are you that devious?"
"Devious? I'm not the one who has been looking for mistletoe for months just to–”
"Don't finish that sentence Koyomi." he intimated. "You won okay? Keep the candy."
"You're down bad, Brother, keep it together." she replied, but didn't hesitate to move the pile of candies and chocolates in her direction.
It was almost eleven o'clock. They had unwrapped most of the presents by now. Langa felt his nerves on edge. He really hoped he liked the gift, especially since he had put all his effort into it this time and was honestly a little proud of it.
Nanako gave Masae a sly wink, pointing at them with her chin. She, smiling, immediately understood. "Come on Koyomi, help me in the kitchen for a moment."
"Hmm?" Koyomi turned her gaze toward her mother. "But I wanna see his–Ohh. Yeah, yeah. Coming."
Langa made a mental note to thank her mother later. Taking a deep breath, he handed the package to Reki. Alone in the room, the space was unusually quiet. He knew her mother well enough to fervently hope she was not eavesdropping with one ear leaning against the door. Koyomi and Masae would definitely not give her a hard time. He decided not to think about it, for now. For his own sanity.
"Reki" he managed to say at the end "For you."
"Oh, are we exchanging gifts? Let me just–"
"No. Please open mine first."
Reki first looked at him with an intrigued look. Then, almost cautiously, he took the package and began to unwrap it.
He removed the excess paper and lifted the gift.
It was a headband. It had a pastel yellow tending to orange, with light blue embroidery here and there. From the right side, two silver charms hung: a snowflake and a gear.
It was far from perfect: some threads were sticking out and there were a few uneven stitches. Yet Reki looked at it as if he were looking at the stars for the first time, as if he were watching a ray of sunshine peeping through a cloud on a rainy day.
His eyes widened as if he nailed the trick he had spent all afternoon on.
"Does it itch? You don't have to wear it if you want to, sorry. I still don't know the difference between all the kinds of yarn there are and I ended up using some old balls of yarn Mom had. I should have thought about that–"
"Langa, Langa, Langa. Look at me. This is literally the most beautiful gift I have ever received in my entire life." He declared, more serious than he had felt in months. Maybe ever. "And when I was 11 years old, they gave me a skateboard."
Langa admired raptly as his eyes shone as brightly as the Christmas lights behind him. "You're lying, then."
"I'm not." he said quickly removing the headband from his head to replace it with Langa's gift "I'm not. And the fact that it's from you, of all people… it's just. Yes. I love it. I love you. Thank you."
Langa took a while to realize the pressure of the lips on his right cheek.
"Oh." He stammered, "I didn't expect you to do that.”
"Do what, this?" He quickly leaned in to kiss him on the other cheek.
Langa huffed, well aware that his face was flushed. "Since when are you so confident? What happened to the Reki that covered his red face because I gave him too many compliments?"
He shrugged, "Your gift probably conveyed some of your arrogance to me."
He smiled, "I'm glad."
"After all that happened I completely forgot to give you your present!" Reki accused him "You could have reminded me, stupid.
"I was a little distracted, you know." He sa
id, intertwining his hands with his boyfriend’s. "Besides, a kiss is more than enough for that.”