OVERFLOW / OPEN

[rekd]

TFLN / OPEN RP / THREADTRACKER

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[rekd]

[ reki's face starts to burn. hearing it like this is so much worse than he ever could have imagined. ]

I remember, just... not like that.

[ is it even worth it to argue the details at this point? he doesn't really have the emotional stamina for it. with a shaky sigh, he adds, ] I'm sure you're right, though. I'm sorry.

[tongxue]

[ qi fang waves the water bottle in the air, dismissing reki's apology. if he doesn't even remember it like that, what's the point of it? ]

No no, tell me what you remember because it doesn't make any fucking sense to me. What did you hear that I didn't?

[rekd]

I told you. It started with the text and... the hospital.

[ even these details are muddy. it's still difficult to reconcile what he knows with what he felt happened. ]

I know I was wrong. I know I got upset over nothing. I just didn't realize that none of it was real.

[tongxue]

[ qi fang looks at reki as if to say since then? ]

You were so happy when I showed up. I mean, I thought you were...

[ he pauses, then raises the bottle to roll it over his forehead, feeling hot. ]

I don't get it, man. What happened?

[rekd]

I don't know.

[ he's trying to keep his voice as level as he can considering all that has transpired, but this is genuinely upsetting.

almost as much as the realization that he's in a full jacket and hoodie, while qi fang is passing a bottle over his head like he's dying in the heat. there's no helping it now; he lifts his wrist to press to qi fang's cheek. ]

You're burning up.

[tongxue]

[ he flinches at the touch, but only because he hadn't been expecting it. he makes no other move to steer away from reki, even as he feels frustration start to mingle with his confusion. absolutely nothing they've said has helped to mitigate it at all, and now he's pissy they got up for this when he could've been sitting down. ]

It's fine, I'll take something when I get home.

[ he wants — no, needs — to just focus on one thing right now. ]

So — what? You don't actually think any of that?

[rekd]

[ either way, the flinch stings. everything feels so unsalvageable. but reki can't trust that either, or anything else besides. ]

I was scared, [ he says softly, dropping his hand so they can continue on down the road. ]

I mean, it's stuff I worry about sometimes, but I had no right to take it out on you like that. I'm not...

[ oh man, there's something he hadn't even considered yet. ]

Am I always like that?

[tongxue]

[ hearing reki admit to his fear sombers qi fang up some, though in all honesty it's not like he'd been jonesing for another fight anyway. he sighs, heavy and full of breath, the water bottle crinkling noisily in his grip. ]

What, scared? [ his words come out dull no, feeling ashamed he'd even raised his voice in the first place. the absence of reki's touch feels so unbelievably vast. ] I don't know, I hope not.

[rekd]

[ they turn the corner and reki isn't prepared for how awful it feels to walk down this road again, like ripping into a fresh wound. at least they're talking this time.

he shakes his head. ]

Crazy.

[ muddy as the details are, he's pretty sure he knows exactly how he looked back on that deck. ]

Have I always been like this?

[tongxue]

No.

[ that much qi fang knows for sure, can say with utmost certainty. ]

You were stressed and scared and, oh, also had a fucking concussion so, no. None of that was normal you.

[ it occurs to him, belatedly, where they're actually going, and he's a little surprised to feel relief wash over him at the idea of stepping back into a familiar chaos. he already feels a little less tense recalling the easy comfort reki's home provides. ]

[rekd]

[ he pauses again in the same place, at the border of the lawn. while hearing qi fang say as much is a reassurance, it's not like it absolves him of anything. ]

I'm so sorry.

[ he takes a step nearer, but he recognizes that the distance isn't his to close. and that's fine; his foremost concern right now is getting qi fang into that house. ]

Please come home with me. We can keep talking. I'll tell you anything.

[tongxue]

[ he hears reki's apology, but again he's not sure what to do with it. it all just feels so off and disjointed, and things still feel raw and unresolved but at this point he's not even sure what they can do to fix anything. on top of it all, his body feels like it weighs a ton and he just wants to lay back down.

he sighs and shuffles his hands out of his pockets, opening his arms. ]

C'mon, let's hug it out or your mom's gonna smell something wrong and ask us about it.

[rekd]

[ nothing feels better than a sigh preceding an offer of an embrace. reki slides in, his arms wind around qi fang, but he's too tense to move much more than that and it's not the same.

anyway, being this close alerts him to how warm qi fang truly is. who cares about a hug when he's obviously suffering? they've already lingered out here far too long. ]

Let's go. I'll set you up with some tea.

[tongxue]

[ but qi fang doesn't let reki go, not yet. holding him now, he realizes just how worried he had been over everything. letting go seems like the last thing he wants to do. ]

I missed you.

[ sure, he was asleep for the most part but — just those few minutes of the two of them fighting, being silent... it was enough.




also he may or may not be leaning a bit too heavily on reki, oops. ]

[rekd]

[ reki made it through all of this without shedding a single tear, and he's not about to falter now. it's rough when his eyes are softening and his hands are grasping to account for the extra weight leaning on him, but he's not going to walk into that house with that kind of target on him. ]

No honey. It'd help your throat, but I won't put it in.

[ it's not that much of a burden; he can keep an arm around qi fang and walk them to the door fine enough. ]

We'll score you some miso too. Okay?

[tongxue]

[ he starts walking only because reki starts leading the way, though the draw of tea and miso soup is pretty tempting. he keeps an arm around reki's shoulder, still reluctant to let go by even that much, but as soon as they start walking through the door he fashions on that usual smile of him, summoning up what energy he has left to save face. ]

[rekd]

[ reki sort of wishes he'd thought of the same. his whole family is there immediately, first thing as they walk through the door, seated quietly around the table. reki has no idea what to do with the looks they throw him or the huff koyomi leaves the room in, but he's got much more pressing matters at hand. ]

Ma. Tea? [ he asks, shuffling them to his room. there's no response; she just stands, disappearing into the kitchen, and then they're in the room anyway and the oddness of everything is quickly put out of his mind.

reki helps qi fang into bed and starts working off his shoes, sighing softly. ]

How's this? A little better?

[tongxue]

[ the silent looks don't go unnoticed by qi fang, but he'd honestly been expecting it considering his texts with koyomi. he's certain the young girl hadn't hesitated to tell their mom about it, at least to some extent. to his credit, his smile doesn't falter, not until they reach reki's room and he's dropping down on the bed with a heavy thud. ]

I got it, I got it, I'm not that sick, [ he murmurs, kicking off his own shoes even if he is very, very slow about it.

he watches reki quietly for a few moments. ]

You're still recovering too, y'know.

[rekd]

[ reki shrugs. it should be obvious by now; whether it's a light cough or a deadly virus, care is the same shit as always in this house. ]

That's different. I dumbed my way into this; you're probably sick because of all the baby germs in here.

[ once the pillows are nice and fluffed, he reaches for the blanket, asking, ] Hot or cold?

[tongxue]

[ it's actually probably more all the late nights and minimal sleep but. he doubts that's any better, so he just grunts in acknowledgment. ]

Both. I'm fine in just my jacket though. Anyway now I'm getting those germs all over your bed. Make sure you hose this room down after I leave, okay?

[ he throws an arm over his eyes, swallowing roughly. ]

And you still need to take it easy. Stop sneaking out when you're not well.

[rekd]

[ what was that? reki's tucking him in anyway, folding the blanket up to his chin like he's about to read him a bedtime story. ]

Yeah, right. I don't get sick.

[ that reminds him though. time to reel in the ramp and close the window so qi fang doesn't have to deal with the humidity on top of everything. ]

Any requests before I jet?

[tongxue]

[ his arm comes up, head picking up a second later to blink blearily at the other. ]

You're leaving?

[rekd]

[ no, the point of this is to not get up. reki quickly eases him back down, running his fingers from his brow to his temple. ]

For like five seconds. Fuck, you're on fire.

[ very gently, he traces beneath qi fang's jaw too. ]

You sure you don't want a little honey?

[tongxue]

[ his face heats up a little more, but only because he's embarrassed he felt legitimate fear that reki would be leaving him. leaving his own home, right. dumbass.

he turns his head towards the wandering hand, eyes falling shut. ]

Just a little... Don't make it too sweet.

[rekd]

[ reki huffs lightly. ]

You got the perfect guy for the job. Don't fall asleep or I'm gonna wake your ass back up. I'm coming back with medicine too.

[ that hand sweeps across his cheek, his fingers reluctant to leave, but. shit to do. he hits the lights before he slips away and keeps the door yawned just a little bit open, just in case. ]