Renga Oneshots

the rain

It was 2 AM, and the rain poured steadily outside Langa's window. The soft pattering against the glass filled the quiet room, the only other sound being the slow, even breaths of two boys tangled together beneath the covers.

Reki lay in Langa's grasp, his back pressed against the warmth of his best friend—his boyfriend. But despite the comfort of Langa's arms, something stirred inside him, a restlessness he couldn't shake.

Carefully, he slipped out from under Langa's hold, moving slowly so as not to wake him. The last thing he wanted was for Langa to worry. He tiptoed through the darkened room, grabbing the doorknob and easing the door open before stepping out into the night.

Langa's mom was working a night shift, so the house was eerily quiet. The rain outside was relentless, soaking the wooden porch and the pavement beyond. Reki hesitated for only a second before pulling off his sweatshirt and stepping out into the storm.

The cold hit him instantly, the rain hammering against his skin with an unforgiving force. But strangely, it felt... grounding. He let out a slow breath before lowering himself onto the wet pavement, lying flat on his back with his arms sprawled out at his sides. His eyes fluttered shut, and for a few minutes, he simply existed—the sound of the rain drowning out everything else.

Minutes passed. Maybe ten, maybe more. He wasn't sure. When the chill finally became too much, he sat up, wrapping his arms around himself as he shifted under the porch for a bit of shelter.

Then, without warning, the tears came.

They started as a slow trickle, barely noticeable at first. But soon, his chest tightened, his breathing grew ragged, and before he knew it, he was sobbing—choking on his own cries.

Why was he crying?

He didn't know.

There wasn't one single reason, but rather a storm of thoughts crashing over him all at once. His mind drifted to Langa's upcoming race against Adam, the way Langa had pushed himself harder than ever, the way his board had broken during practice. Reki's gaze landed on the shattered remains of Langa's board leaning against the porch railing. A sharp pang of fear struck his chest.

What if Langa got hurt?

What if he ended up like me?

His throat tightened, his skin burned, and he curled in on himself, burying his face in his arms. The weight of everything settled in his bones.

Langa's POV

Langa stirred, instinctively reaching out for the warmth of the body that should have been beside him. But his fingers met only empty sheets.

His eyes cracked open, still heavy with sleep.

"Reki?" he murmured groggily.

No response.

Maybe he was in the bathroom? But after a few minutes, when Reki still hadn't returned, worry began to creep in. Langa sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before glancing toward the window.

That's when he saw him.

Reki was outside, sitting in the rain, his sweatshirt discarded beside him. His head was bowed, his arms wrapped tightly around himself. Even through the downpour, Langa could tell something was wrong.

He shot up, hurrying to the door. The cold air hit him like a slap as he stepped outside, bare feet hitting the damp wood of the porch.

"Oh, honey, come here," Langa called gently, loud enough to be heard over the rain but soft enough to carry warmth.

Reki looked up, his face flushed a deep red, his eyes glassy. His whole body trembled, but he didn't hesitate—he pushed himself to his feet and practically collapsed into Langa's arms.

Langa caught him easily, pulling him close as they sank to the ground together. He wrapped his arms around Reki's shaking frame, pressing his cheek against the top of his damp hair.

Reki was freezing.

They sat there for a long moment, neither of them speaking, just holding each other as the rain continued to pour around them.

Finally, Langa whispered, "Let's go inside."

Reki gave a weak nod, and Langa helped him to his feet, keeping a firm arm around his waist.

Once inside, Langa quickly fetched a towel, wrapping it around Reki's shoulders before grabbing some of his own clothes for him to change into. They both switched out of their soaked clothes, Reki moving sluggishly, still shivering from the cold.

"You're freezing," Langa murmured as he draped another blanket over Reki's shoulders. "Come on."

Without waiting for a response, he crouched down, gesturing for Reki to climb onto his back.

Reki huffed, but there was no real protest as he climbed onto Langa's back, arms draped loosely around his neck.

Langa carried him into the kitchen and set him down at the counter, never once leaving his side as he moved to make hot chocolate. Reki stayed close, watching him with tired eyes.

Neither of them spoke much, but that was okay. Langa didn't need words to understand how exhausted Reki was.

Once the drinks were ready, they made their way back to Langa's room, climbing onto the bed and burying themselves under the weight of thick, warm blankets. The sound of the rain outside was softer now, more of a gentle lull than an unforgiving downpour.

A few minutes passed in silence before Langa spoke again.

"Hey, Reki..." His voice was low, soothing as he reached up to run his fingers through Reki's damp hair. "What was that about? I won't make you tell me, but you really worried me..."

Reki stayed quiet for a moment before mumbling, "I don't know. I just... I went out there because the rain seemed peaceful. But then I started crying, and I don't even know why. I forgot." He sighed, shaking his head. "I don't think I really had a reason..."

Langa frowned but didn't push further. He simply tightened his hold, pulling Reki closer, resting his chin against the top of his head.

"It's okay," he murmured. "Just don't scare me like that again."

Reki let out a breathy chuckle, finishing the last of his hot chocolate before setting the empty cup aside. "I'll try not to."

Satisfied with that answer, Langa took their mugs back to the kitchen before returning and pulling Reki toward the couch. They collapsed onto the cushions, settling into a comfortable tangle of limbs.

Before long, they both drifted off, Reki curled into Langa's chest, their breaths syncing in the dim glow of the room.

Nanako's POV

The front door creaked open softly, and Nanako stepped inside, shaking the rain from her umbrella. It was 5 AM, and her night shift had finally ended. She slipped off her shoes, moving quietly through the house—until her eyes landed on the two boys curled up on the couch.

A small smile tugged at her lips.

There, in the dim light of the living room, Langa and Reki were wrapped up in each other, fast asleep. Reki's face was buried in Langa's chest, one of Langa's arms draped protectively over him. The sight was undeniably sweet.

Nanako pulled out her phone, snapping a quick picture before glancing toward the framed photograph on the shelf—the one of her late husband, Oliver.

"Do you see this, Oliver?" she thought to herself, a fond smile gracing her lips. "Look how happy he is."

With that, she turned and made her way to her room, leaving the two boys to their peaceful sleep.