Our Red and Blue Dynamic

Langa

I glanced over when I heard Reki talking to me, answered his question, then returned to the photo. It made my heart soar to see him smiling like that, not that it was a rare sight, but it never failed to make me feel this way. Though I looked like a mess, the photo was still one of my favourites of us, and the memories it held of skating, friendship, and fun more than made up for my awkwardness.

"I didn't know you printed it out," I said. I placed it back the way I had found it off to the side in the least cluttered area. He shrugged his shoulders at me, looking a little embarrassed.

"I like it," he said, biting his lip, "it's one of my favourites." I gave it one last look-over.

"Mine, too," I breathed, then turned to find him staring at me. His expression had grown from embarrassed to flustered, and I looked into his eyes, trying to read what was wrong.

Is everything okay? Did something happen while I was gone? I've seen him embarrassed before, but never to this extent. 

He suddenly jerked his head away, looking for anything else but me.

Reki? Is something going on? For a second there...

"Uh," he said, voice strained.

Say something.

"Thank you," I said, breaking the silence.

"For what?"

"For today, being here for me, cheering me up. For being my friend."

It's not just that. For everything, Reki. For being my first real friend in years. For letting me into your world with open arms, and showing me how to be happy and feel again. For being the first person to really get me since my dad. You have done more for me than you will ever know, and I will forever be indebted to you. You even got me a job when I can't read or write in Japanese! You never judge me, and would never do anything to hurt me. And even if you did, even if you did everything in your power to get rid of me, I don't think you'd ever fully let go. Neither would I.

"You don't have to thank me."

I have everything to thank you for.

"No, I do. Thank you."

"You're welcome," his voice was barely audible, "thank you, as well." A dull ache in my chest started to form and I wrapped my arms around him, pressing my face into his shoulder. He returned the hug, arms snaking around my waist, and grabbed at the back of my shirt, pulling me closer. The ache faded, as if my heart had been reaching out and found what it was looking for.

"Wanna go skate?" He asked.

"Sure," I said, making no move to let go. Neither did he. I didn't know how long we stood there for, but every second felt like an eternity.

I don't want to let go...

He started to pull away and I let him, leaving my hands on his shoulders for a second before fully breaking away. He asked me if I was okay.

Why do I do this to myself?

I nodded.

"Okay," he said, collecting our things and starting off toward the door. I paused for a second, grabbing at my chest, then followed.

-

Not even two minutes in and I knew exactly where we were going. It wasn't that hard to figure out, there was only one way to get there, after all. What was strange about it was we hadn't been there in a long time, not since Reki was first teaching me to skate. So why now were we going to the skate park?