rekd | knock me down like a heavyweight

knock me down like a heavyweight

[ by the time reki's gotten to his seat in homeroom, it feels like the night before was all just some sort of hazy, surreal dream. a lot's happened since then; for one, his arm is bandaged all the way up to the elbow, compliments of a gnarly gash he got bailing straight into a cluster of jagged rocks, he's probably killed off half the brain cells he's got left skidding on his face, and the unfathomable weight of last night's loss is heavy on his mind. kinda hard to think about anything else when he can still hear his skateboard crackling beneath the flames. fuckin' sucks, man.

it takes awhile for him to zone back into reality. really, it's less of a zone and more of a jolt, when the gaggle of jeering students crowding around him start to dissipate and he notices qi fang with a start. fuck, he forgot all about those english notes. even worse, qi fang looks so good, fresh-faced and distractingly handsome. reki, on the other hand, looks like he stayed up til the early hours of the morning getting stitched up in the ER and barely slid into class in time for the bell in yesterday's wrinkled clothes. embarrassing.

whatever. he has until lunch to think up a good excuse for why he can't return those notes yet. instead, of course, he sleeps straight through all of his classes and sleep-walks up the stairs to the roof, flopping into his usual spot against the fence, debating whether or not he even wants to be awake to eat. a nap in the sun sounds a lot better, so he pulls his hoodie up and leans his head back against the chain links, letting his eyes drift shut slowly. ]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ nah fuck all that. this is such a good time, zig-zagging down the perfect hill with the sun at their backs and the whole world blurring around them. he's playfully juking qi fang a little, but hey, that's how you learn and anyway he doesn't want him to go too fast and choke up when the road drops off ahead.

either way, there's no feeling like an idiot when reki's swerving over every little bump in this ancient street to nab himself some air, his arms spread wide and his mouth echoing down the block with whatever wild noises he can belt out before the impact shuts him up. there's literally no reason to care; this is the most fun you can have on four wheels and reki's gonna enjoy the shit out of it with his eyes on qi fang the whole time. ]

[ yeah, okay. qi fang gets it now. all those times girls would come to their games, every other time the boys would visit theirs in turn. there's something really intoxicating about seeing someone in their element, but qi fang has a feeling this is something else entirely. this isn't just reki's element, but his domain, moving like he's both at odds and at one with the wind, swerving around like his body isn't made to stay still.

qi fang doesn't fall flat on his face at the end of the hill, but his stop is sloppy, a few stumbling bumps that has him hopping off the board and his arms flailing around to stop his momentum. but he doesn't really care when his attention is on reki, watching him fly through the hill like it's any old thing. his board bumps against his ankle, and it stings, but he doesn't really notice that either, practically gaping. ]

Dude... You're like some kinda genius.

[ reki swerves right up to him to look him over, even though he can tell by a glance that no harm's really been done. and then he averts his eyes, huffing. ]

Stop. You would've had that if you followed through.

[ qi fang's an athlete; he'll get it. like an actual one where reki just sort of banks on bravery and a few genuinely graceful moments. reki's got no doubt he'll have a chokehold on the basics by the time they get to their destination. he carefully wheels qi fang's board around his feet with the toe of his sneaker and pushes off on his own, gliding slowly forward. ]

Just lean into it next time; no guts no glory, right?

Seeing guts is what I'm trying to avoid.

[ excuse you, was he the only one who saw how treacherous that drop was? yes? probably?? qi fang's starting to get the feeling he's a little out of his depth here, but reki doesn't seem discouraged by that just yet so he'll count his blessings where he can. back on the board he rolls forward enough to join reki by his side. ]

So how'd you get into skateboarding anyway?

[ asshole. he's always got a line. reki almost swerves into a rail because he's grinning too hard to pay attention, but whatever, it's fine, if his overdramatic wriggling to regain his balance earns him some snickering then that's still a win.

thank god he sobers reki up with a question he doesn't want to answer. there's a sour look on his face for the fraction of a second it takes to set his gaze elsewhere. ]

Same way as everyone else: peer pressure. You?

[ even on the move like this, with half his attention on trying not to fall flat on his face, qi fang can sense the shift in reki's mood. it's hard not to, considering how wide he'd been grinning just a second ago. he has enough sense to know he's struck a nerve, but he hasn't yet decided if he wants to keep prodding at it. so instead he shrugs absently, glancing away to allow the other some privacy. ]

Yeah, same. I mentioned before it was pretty popular for a while back in middle school. But I was only ever casual with it at best.

[ hm hm hmmm ]

Looks like you took it to a whole 'nother level though.

I'm all right. I know some guys that are on a level you'd never even believe.

[ hey, it's only for a fraction of a second. they're skating; now's not the time to sulk about the past. ]

The board you're riding is a prototype I mocked up for one of 'em. He kinda... never got back to me about it, though.

[ his fucking loss. the shock absorption on this baby is fire. and qi fang looks like he's having a good time with it, which, honestly, even better. ]

All for the best, man. You look way fresher on it than he would've.

[ qi fang watches reki perhaps a little too closely when he mentions someone specific, mind already buzzing with annoying thoughts like an ex? before he has to manually stomp them all down. snagging a tire on a wayward rock knocks him back into proper focus, wobbling a little before sheepishly rolling along. ]

I'll model it for you if you ever wanna sell it proper but I can already tell it'd be a waste under an amateur like me.

[ reki has a hand out to steady him in an instant, his foot sliding over the deck to make sure it doesn't slip. she's being a total G, though; everything feels balanced and stable under the sole of his sneaker.

anyway, time to play dumb: ]

But how can I sell it if it's already yours?

[ reki reaches out for him and instinct has qi fang reaching out in return, which just means he ends up awkwardly holding reki's wrist as they sort of just. stare dumbly at each other. ]

What? Dude, c'mon. Even I can tell you could make bank from this. Don't waste it on me.

[ well, it's not the worst thing. the view is pretty choice and reki can't help but grin after a second of it. ]

... Huh? Can't hear you.

[ his shifts his hand, pressing his thumb into the center of reki's palm. ]

Don't play dumb you're gonna make me look ungrateful.

[ reki's fingers wind around and he tilts his head, flashing big, bright eyes at him. ]

Dunno what you're talking about. You don't look like you're ungrateful; you look like you're having a good time.

[ qi fang's own smile turns a little sharp, leaning down further to shorten that gap between them. ]

That's not hard around you.

[ his turns coy, with just a hint of trouble to the curled corners of his mouth. ]

Sounds like a good reason to go for it then.

[ qi fang recognizes a dare when he sees one, but it's a hard line to cross when they're out in public like this. technically, the streets are pretty clear what with most people either at school or work... but despite that smile on reki's face, qi fang still figures there's a 50/50 chance he'll get socked for trying to steal a kiss out in broad daylight like this. ]

You're trouble on a skateboard.

[ he shakes his head, sounding exasperated as he straightens up. ]

How many times are you gonna try and turn me on in public?

[ what a freaking punk. like, he's not wrong, and the innocent little whistle reki makes doesn't change the fact that they both know it. whatever, at least he's still got qi fang's thumb, and then also his fingers hooked in the waistband of qi fang's shorts, pulling so he can sneak a quick peek inside. ]

Did it work?

[ who's the punk??? not like qi fang hadn't already been very mindful of the fact there's only one layer of fabric keeping him from being caught for public indecency, but reki deciding to help himself to a peek definitely does the opposite of helping. qi fang snatches that other wrist in his hand, holding both of reki's in the air. ]

Honestly can't tell if I wanna kiss you or kick you.

[ okay, okay, qi fang got him. he doesn't sound too bent outta shape about it, though, not laughing like a menace and smirking at his captor brazenly. ]

You definitely wanna kiss me.

At the very least.

[ he forces those hands down so he can run one over his face and take a deep breath. then he's kicking off the pavement to start back down the road again. ]

C'mon you fucking menace. I need you behind walls.

No kidding. It looked pretty dire in there.

[ poor qi fang asked for none of this. not reki's do-whatever-the-fuck approach to life, not all this teasing, not the way reki playfully plants a hand against his chest and uses it to push off. carefully, though—it'd be super un-bro-like to knock qi fang off balance. ]

Man shut up.

[ qi fang hates this he hates reki. except not really, of course, it's definitely on the opposite side of the spectrum whatever he's feeling, but right now he's definitely just annoyed enough that he's almost endeared. what a wild ride.

fortunately the ride to his house isn't completely torturous. he takes a look at the driveway and, as expected, the car's gone and the lights are off. mom and dad should well be into their work days by now. he opens the gate and ushers reki in with the board tucked carefully under his arm. ]

Don't worry about your shoes, just bring them up to my room.

[ once again, the whole world around them has disappeared and become nothing but him and qi fang—until it all comes back and qi fang's opening up a gate and reki starts thinking about what part of town they're in. a lot different than his little spot in the boonies, that's for sure. ]

Straight to your room, huh?

[ giving him a hard time's better than dwelling on the nerves he has about going to qi fang's house. kind of a sobering deal; no matter how many hours they've spent together by now, reki still doesn't really know this boy. ]

[ what'd there to know, really? it's not like he's leading some secret double life he' not allowed to talk about under punishment of skate law. so his parents are a little more on the wealthy side, there's a dime a dozen of those kind of teens even within their own school. he doesn't talk about it much, which maybe lands him more on the nickel side, but had reki been privy of any of his past birthday parties he likely would have clued in on it by now.

but that's the rub, isn't it? they never really lingered in the same circles. not till now. ]

That's me, a class act.

[ the home qi fang leads them into isn't lavish, but it sure as hell isn't plain. simplistic, sure, but so neat and put together like it just walked out of a pottery barn catalog — and just as lived in, which is to say not. makes walking through it with shoes on feel almost blasphemous, but qi fang doesn't seem to care at all as he walks straight towards the kitchen to fish out two bottles of gaterade from the fridge then pivot towards the stairs.

his room hangs left at the landing, and at least in there there seems to be a bit more life. it doesn't scream it like reki's does, but there are a couple of photos tacked onto corkboards and taped to mirrors — mostly of qi fang and his friends, but also a handful of some random objects one would find walking down the street: graffiti, litter, a broken bottle, a lost glove.

he takes a rough swig of his drink before plopping down on his bed. and then it hits him. ]

Ah shit I left my clothes at your place.

[ yeah, reki's never been in a place like this before. he's not sure what to do in a home without centuries of dirt and crumbs worked into the grout, without floorboards worn down to the grain under heavy, lively traffic and walls that aren't mismatched, pocked, and graffitied with the ancient crayon etchings of his youth. take off his fucking shoes anyway, that seems like a good start, scared he's going to leave footprints in all this pristine. it feels blasphemous just to even breathe in here.

at least there's plenty to distract him when they make it to qi fang's room. he's shameless about helping himself to a look around, lingering by a corkboard with a brow arched curiously. like, everyone snoops, why be sneaky about it? no way qi fang didn't when he got the chance. ]

It'll be fine.

[ besides, he's stoked to death on this graffiti shot. ]

Dope, is this the overpass down by the pier? I'd recognize this piece anywhere. What a sick shot—you must'a been there early.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

LOL REKI

😙🎶

he's the worst

throw him in the trash

no he's my baby!

trashbabies belong in the trash

i won't stand for this slander

and the trash is here....surprise