Seeing Through the Trauma

Under The Stars (30)

"Sorry I'm making you stay out while I do this." MK apologized to Mei after they'd said goodbye to everyone in the shop and had walked outside and she waved him off, shaking her head. 

"It's fine, dude! Just have a good time and say hi to Red for me." She said and MK nodded. 

"I will, thanks Mei."

"You can thank me by portaling me to the gravity arcade. I've got some high scores to beat while you're out with your boyfriend." She snickered, and MK rolled his eyes at her teasing but closed his eyes and did as she'd asked, feeling the pull of shadows and magic as a dark hole formed on the ground.

She turned and hugged him tightly, arms firm and comforting. 

"Just text me when you're done so we can head back together, yeah? I want to hear all the juicy details about your little date!" She told him and MK laughed, bobbing his head up and down in a nod. 

"I will!" She stepped back and fell through the shadows on the ground, swallowed up by them and MK waited until it closed behind her before letting himself finally feel his nerves, trying to shake off the unnecessary anxiousness. It was easy considering he was just really excited to see him, so without wasting time he made another portal and stepped backward into it, landing right near where Red had said to meet at the coast of the city. 

It was quieter here and when MK's feet fell back onto solid ground the first thing he did was look around, ears twitching at the sounds. He was closer to the ocean here and could hear the sounds of the waves crashing onto the coastline, a rhythmic splashing noise accompanied by the feeling of wind tugging his hair. 

Then he grabbed his phone to get his GPS, finding the exact location of the place Red had sent him and following the screen's instructions down the road, further away from the edge of the city and closer to the lapping waves in the distance.

He'd only been walking five minutes when his phone was telling him he was almost there, and he looked up to find a figure in the distance standing in front of a building. Even from this far he could tell who it was immediately, not from the sight because he couldn't see that far unless he used his golden vision but from the soft sound of crackling Red's hair always made so soft it probably wasn't that noticeable to anyone else. 

To MK, it was the most relaxing sound in the world, and a smile stretched wide onto his face as he rushed forward. 

"Red!" He yelled, watching as Red turned and he ran into his arms, practically jumping as the taller boy's arms who caught him and spun him around to go with the momentum MK had built up. 

"Hello to you too, love." He said, tone oddly soft and MK's smile felt like it was hurting his face from how wide it was, his heart fluttering with thousands of butterflies at the enduring pet name. 

"You called me Love!" He pointed out even though his boyfriend was obviously aware of this and Red nodded, still holding him in his arms. 

"I did. Is that... okay?" For a moment he sounded worried and MK quickly nodded, his tail flicking around happily in agreement. 

"It's more than okay! I liked it. A lot." He told him truthfully, beaming ear to ear at the pleased look on Red's face.

"It's good to see you." He confessed warmly and Red's face looked a little flushed, his hair sparking and making small popping noises like a fire did as he ducked his head.

"It's good to see you too. I reserved us a table so I hope this place is to your liking. I've heard good things and I wasn't sure what type of food outside noodles you'd enjoy so I chose something with more options and-" Noticing the rambling and the nervous way he spoke, almost like he was worried it wasn't going to be good enough, MK cut him off.