Work Text:
Reki lay on his bed, looking up at the bland ceiling of his apartment.
I really should paint that sometime, he thought. Maybe a nice, pale blue with…
No!
See, Reki was currently ignoring Langa, one of Japan’s biggest acting stars. Langa was only growing in fame, constantly getting opportunities to act in new series, movies, do promo, model for fashion and cologne lines… Even an offer to become an idol came through!
Reki wasn’t jealous. He didn’t really want to be famous, well, famous like a superstar. He didn’t want to attend press conferences and stuff, but he liked when people liked his posts. Reki supported Langa, and even felt special when Langa sent him links to funny videos and gossiped to him about the people he was working with. Since the day Reki drew him, Langa had refused countless offers from other (and better) artists and companies to do his portrait. Reki was grateful for their friendship, even when there was maybe something underneath…
But! Reki was still ignoring Langa.
Which is why he didn’t turn to his phone immediately when it buzzed again, undoubtedly another text from Langa. He had smothered the mobile with a pillow earlier but he could still hear the vibration.
Fed up, Reki scoffed and picked up his phone, just to turn off the vibration, when he accidentally clicked the link to his conversation with Langa.
Langa:
C’mon Reki, it’d be so fun!
Stop ignoring me
Reki!
Rekiiiiiii
Oh!
You read my texts!!!!!
You can’t hide anymore~
Reki groaned. He didn’t mean to do that. But if he ignored Langa now, then the other would only get more persistent.
Reki:
I won’t do it.
Langa:
Wait… you aren’t… shy, are you?
Reki could hear the teasing lilt to his voice. He felt his cheeks heat up.
Reki:
No!
Langa:
Then do it
Reki:
You’re making a horrible decision. I’ll be horrible at it and you’ll be wasting money.
You’re just good at it because you’re good at everything.
Langa:
Not true.
I can’t cook.
Reki snorted despite himself. He already knew that, remembering the incident in Joe’s kitchen just two weeks ago.
Reki snapped himself out of it. Nothing Langa could say would convince him.
Langa:
Reki pleaseeeeee
I’ll take you to the Hakone museum, free of charge.
Reki paused.
Unfortunately, he was actually considering it. But Langa didn’t end there.
Langa:
And then I’ll take you to that boba place that you’ve been wanting to go to.
Reki slapped himself. He was not getting swayed by the idea of a hangout(?) with Langa.
Langa:
And then we can go to the beach or something and you can teach me a new skateboarding trick
Langa’s dot bounced for about a minute before he added:
Langa:
It’ll be like a date.
Yep.
Reki had combusted.
He imagined the cute pout Langa liked to do and suddenly his fingers were already moving.
Reki:
Fine.
Langa:
WAIT NO WAY ARE YOU SERIOUS?????
Reki:
Don’t make me regret this, you idiot
Reki might have sounded rude over text, but he could already see Langa smirking like he knew Reki was going red on the other line.
Reki sighed.
He was really pathetic, wasn’t he?
…
Reki stood, stiff as a board, stylists hovering around him and touching up his makeup. Langa was waiting outside, already in his clothes. He had refused to stay in the room with Reki no matter how much Reki begged. It wasn’t as if it was the first look at a wedding…
His main stylist, Himari, dabbed something red onto his lips and stood back. She smiled.
“Langa was right, you are perfect.”
Reki blushed. “I’m not,” he fiddled with his hands.
She hummed. “Whatever you say. Now, don’t touch your face, but I think you’ll be fine.”
The styling team who had been adjusting his clothing stood back, faces in different shades of awe.
“Oh my Lord.” one said, clasping his hands in front of his face.
The others looked like proud mothers waving their child off to go to kindergarten.
“Are you sure you don’t want to come back?” another stylist asked. Reki could’ve sworn she had tears in her eyes.
“I’m sure,” he said, face growing hot yet again.
Okay, it wasn’t like he was ugly. Reki just wasn’t particularly handsome. He didn’t really care about his looks, but all these people fussing over him and complementing him to the ends of the earth was… overwhelming. And sort of nice, but they didn’t need to act like he was some rare beauty.
Reki mumbled a thanks and stepped out into the hallway, forcing his head down so no one would look at him.
How did I get myself into this mess?
Langa was standing with the photographer, looking over poses and talking about the shoot in general.
Reki came up next to them and the conversation stopped as both men turned to look at him.
Reki gave Langa a pout.
“I hate that you’ve forced me into this.”
Normally, Langa would’ve shot back with a witty remark or a teasing gesture, but he stood frozen.
Reki’s pout dropped into a small face of admiration and awe when he took a second to actually look at Langa. He had seen Langa in hair and makeup before, but that was normally through the screen, so seeing how well the subtle contour and shading looked on him in person was, actually, really nice.
His hair was curled and looked shaggy but neat. Reki found that he liked it. Like, a lot.
For the photoshoot they were wearing similarly colored clothes. The theme was: “Cozy Coffee” for Langa’s new series where he would be playing the artsy friend of the male lead. The series had something to do with coffee, so that was probably the reason for yet another cheesy name. Reki teased Langa about it relentlessly.
Langa, somehow, thought Reki would be a good partner model for the photoshoot. Langa reasoned that it was because he was an artist, which Reki had no choice but to believe since he couldn’t think of anything else.
So, here Reki stood in an off the shoulder cream sweater over a brown turtleneck and a pair of the softest jeans he had ever worn in his life. With all the gold jewelry and the simple makeup on his face, Reki felt very, very rich. It was a big switch up from his normal hoodie and headband.
Langa was wearing a loose white button up over a coffee colored tee, cream slacks and matching jewelry with Reki. Reki would have thought they were trying to do couple costumes for both of them, but that would be absurd because no one knew he would be the model except Langa until today.
“Oi.” Reki, in the midst of his admiration, had gotten impatient, so he snapped his fingers in front of Langa.
Langa startled and had the decency to look embarrassed.
“I know I rarely, and by rarely I mean never, dress up, but you don’t have to act like I sprouted three extra heads.” Reki crossed his arms.
“Ah, no.” Langa said, his eyes still piercing through Reki.
The photographer clapped his hands together, alerting the both of them, and the rest of the staff.
“Wonderful! We’re all ready. I was thinking maybe we should start with this pose?”
Langa looked to where the photographer was pointing on his Ipad and nodded really quickly.
“Sounds good.”
Reki looked over. The pose was simple enough, just them posing by the fake window.
“Okay.”
Reki was surprised that he got into it quickly. They got most of the photos in one take and all he had to do was stand still.
“Another great take!” the photographer announced, putting the next pose onto his screen.
Reki froze.
It wasn’t anything too bad, but it was enough to make him turn five different shades of crimson.
Reki would be sitting on the window, and Langa…
Would have his head on his lap.
Langa, who modeled on the side, looked slightly less fazed.
Reki said nothing to the other, and just moved into position.
“Is this alright?” Langa said as he settled into the chair he was using.
“I-it’s fine, I guess.”
Langa nodded, resting one of his hands across Reki’s legs.
With the other, he reached up and stroked Reki’s forehead.
Reki, though he would never admit it, leaned into the touch.
They heard the shutter of the camera and turned. The photographer looked delighted.
“Wonderful! You are a natural pair!”
They flushed.
“You, ah, had a stray hair on your forehead.” Langa said.
“Thanks,” Reki covered his mouth with his hand, fighting off the goofy smile he was sure was about to take over his face.
Reki sort of tapped out after that, moving mechanically where the photographer wanted him. Langa turned to the camera, his head and hands in Reki’s lap. Reki rested a hand on Langa’s head, and the photographer directed his gaze to outside of the window, so the shot would only get Langa’s face. The next one had Reki smiling down at Langa and Langa looking up at him.
Reki didn’t have to pretend for this one, because Langa looked adorable when he was all but scrunched up in Reki’s lap. Langa smiled up at him and Reki couldn’t help but laugh.
Yep. Adorable.
At one point, the photographer proposed a photo where Reki would be on Langa’s lap, but they both refused instantly, not looking at one another for another few minutes.
The photographer soon ran out of poses even though they still had time until the shoot ended.
“I thought it would take longer, but you two really are efficient!” he said.
“Do whatever pose you want!”
“What do you think, idea man?” Langa quirked an eyebrow at him.
“Hmm…” Reki pretended to think.
“How do you feel about paint?”
Reki had brought his paint set because… well, he didn’t know but he normally brought it everywhere just in case, so he ran and got that, coming back with the bag.
Reki dipped one of his paintbrushes into blue paint, and without warning, brushed it on Langa’s nose.
“Hey!” Langa protested. Reki just laughed.
Langa soon enough grabbed another brush and dipped it into the red paint, giving Reki a streak on his cheek.
Reki gave him a pouty look while Langa gave him a smirk.
Reki took Langa’s chin in his hand.
“Don’t move,” he said.
Langa didn’t move, and they stood there together, inches apart with Reki’s paintbrush in his left hand hovering over Langa’s face.
Langa took Reki’s hand, the free one, in his own.
Reki could hear the faint clicks of the camera but everything was muffled.
It was just him and Langa, standing on the small set of a classroom, a fake sunset outside of the fake windows. He felt like he was in a dream.
He and Langa smiled at each other and Reki had to admit that, maybe, there was something between them, bigger than a simple crush.
Langa hummed.
“I’m not moving.” he whispered.
“I know,” Reki whispered back.
Reki, a ruiner of all moments, flicked the spare paint onto Langa’s face, adding blue freckles.
Langa scoffed loudly.
“How dare you.”
Reki laughed, his hand still in Langa’s, giggling at the blue splotches and strokes on Langa’s face even though he knew he didn’t look much better.
The photoshoot ended and Reki stood to the side, his normal clothes on and his bag in hand as Langa scrubbed the paint off with a towel.
“You’re being too aggressive, you’re going to take your skin off with it.” Reki chided.
“Then you do it,” Langa handed him the damp towel.
Reki rolled his eyes. “Should’ve asked me sooner. I’ve been washing paint off of every known surface for years.”
Reki took the towel and added some soap that he had brought. For special occasions, like these.
“Come here.” He took Langa’s face in his hand again and started wiping the paint off gently, watching as it flaked off his skin, leaving it pale and smooth like normal.
Reki met Langa’s eyes again, and the same thing that happened every time their gazes connected, happened.
It felt like the rest of the world was drowned out, and he was falling into the endless ocean that was Langa’s eyes.
Reki still didn’t know how he broke away first each time.
He stroked Langa’s nose with the towel an extra few times before handing it to a staff member who looked like she witnessed something she shouldn’t have.
“Do you need a ride?” Langa asked after they thanked the staff and exited the building. In movies, they would normally be swarmed with paparazzi looking to take photos, but thankfully the district they were in enforced heavy laws against it, so they were alone.
“I think I’m okay, I brought my motorcycle.” Reki said, pointing to his chil– motorcycle that was resting against a wall.
Langa frowned but nodded.
“You’ll have to take me on that sometime.” he said, his usual smirk returning.
“You’re rich. You could probably buy ten of those in way better condition.”
Langa stared at him with pleading eyes.
“But…” Reki crumbled. “Maybe I can spare some time someday.”
Langa brightened.
“I’ll be waiting,” he said. “I’ll see you on Friday?”
“Friday? What for?” Reki asked as they stopped next to his motorcycle, Langa’s car another ten feet away.
Langa walked to his car without answering and unlocked it.
“For our date, of course!” he shouted back, starting his car.
“Bye Reki~”
Reki stood still, shell shocked by the gall of that stupid man.
That stupid man that he was also, definitely, hopelessly, undoubtedly, in love with.
Reki rode back to his apartment in silence, thinking of what he had done earlier that day, and what he had gotten himself into.
He couldn’t wait for Friday.