Infinity, Taken Literally

Acceptance 14

"Took you slimes long enough," Miya puts his game down as the two wander into the now-empty restaurant. All week, Reki had been giddy with excitement, knowing the outcome of the race this time, he couldn't wait to watch it again. School seemed to drag on for years and work even longer.

They had spent all of their spare time at the skate park, Cherry had finally cleared Reki to skate again and he had been making up for the lost time. Langa's injury, as he said it would, healed up within a few days, leaving the boy without a scratch on him (much to Reki's genuine amazement).

"You two are always the last to arrive." Cherry sighs, sipping on a glass of red wine, the perfect picture of poise as usual.

Shadow, clearly already intoxicated, swings his arms around. "The party's started without ya!"

"You haven't started the video yet, have you?" Reki glances at Carla worriedly, pulling out an extra chair and taking a seat.

"How could we?" Joe hands over a bowl of popcorn. "The star has only just arrived!" Langa blushes shyly.

"Carla," The board lights up at the sound of its master. "Play the recording."

"Yes sir," Cherry looks at Joe smugly and the other grumbles something about a 'stupid technological board'. As the video begins to play, Langa glances at Reki. The redhead is watching intently, a goofy smile on his face.

The only regret he has from that night is that he didn't get to confess to him. He'd been trying to find the right moment ever since, but it never seemed like a good time to bring it up.

Maybe tonight.

Reki's face lights up at the screen and he turns to Langa with a grin.

Defiantly tonight.

--

"I really thought you two were going to kiss at the end of the race." Miya looks to where Reki is watching Cherry, Shadow and Langa discuss something in great detail across the room to them.

"Would it be a bad idea?" Reki blurts out nervously.

Joe and Miya glance at each other cautiously. "Would what be a bad idea?" Joe starts slowly.

"Telling Langa how I feel." Miya's eyebrows shoot up and Joe leans back with a low whistle. "What? Do you think it is?"

"No, it's not that." Joe glances over at the boy in question.

Miya's mouth works open and closed like a fish out of water, looking like he's in shock. "I just never thought one of you would finally work up the nerve." He shakes himself out of his surprise. "At the very least I didn't expect it to be you."

"Me neither," He begrudgingly agrees.

"Why now?" When he glances over at Joe's expression, he's surprised to see something overly fond in his eyes. He's strangely not surprised to find Cherry, obliviously on the receiving end of the look.

"I'm not sure honestly. I just think about continuing on the way we are without telling him and, if there is even the smallest chance that he likes me back, I don't want to be missing out on moments we could've had. All because I was too chicken to confess my feelings." When he looks up from where his gaze had trailed down to the cup in his hands, the same shocked looks are back on Joe and Miya's faces.

"Did Snake or Adam get to you when we weren't looking?" Miya blinks, eye wide and eyebrows raised.

"Hey!" He glares light-heartedly, a little amused by the stupid look on his face. "No, I'm doing this out of my own free will.