woah woah lets get the feelings

but it’s not like kaoru is out of joe’s life, right? kaoru still comes by with clients, the epitome of japanese perfection save for his pink hair, and kaoru still calls him an oafish gorilla under his breath and gets flustered when joe whispers princess right into his ear, and joe still puts his hand on kaoru’s shoulder and leans in way too close when placing a plate of food in front of him. kaoru still looks at joe like he’s analyzing every atom of him, like joe is something worth studying, and since he never stopped looking at joe like that joe in turn never looked at kaoru like he was something to win and earn and fight for.

joe isn’t stupid. he knows that people call them an old married couple (his own “kids” call them mom and dad, even, despite the fact that reki and langa and hiromi aren’t that much younger than joe and kaoru) because they still act like an old married couple. when joe gives kaoru tea he knows to steep it for the precise amount of seconds at the precise temperature using the precise mug and water amount for maximum flavor and quality, because kaoru is a picky bitch who sniffs about why do anything at all if you’re not going to do it right? but he still allows himself to be a guinea pig for any of joe’s new culinary creations that he haphazardly threw together because what’s the harm in trying something new? they still skate together at s, and their lives are intertwined, and it’s hard not to think about kaoru when kaoru is always there. 

it isn’t hard to slip into old habits though. to forget for a brief period of time that kaoru isn’t his boyfriend anymore, to allow himself to be lulled into a fantasy where kaoru is going to join him in bed after work (because sometimes they still do that, even, when heated whispered insults turn from taunts to foreplay to the clock not moving fast enough for joe to close his restaurant down), because nothing has really changed. 

and that’s the problem. nothing has changed, including the way kaoru will lash out with a sharp tongue at the slightest provocation, unwilling to back down and apologize, and so joe will insult him and provoke him as a fuck you, which in turn has kaoru cutting deeper and joe insulting him more, until they’re shouting and shoving at each other and not in the sexy way but in that hurtful way that leaves joe feeling battered and bruised even if no physical blows were dealt. 

sleepovers were something that they've started doing more often than not lately. the sleepovers were always at reki's house though, not langa's, because reki's house was closer to the skate park and dope sketch and easier to get to after work. he had his skateboard workshop too, and video games, and it just always made sense. this was the first time langa had actually invited him over.

"dude, of course!" reki had replied, his grin wide enough to make his eyes crinkle. "you want me to bring anything? my switch?" like he would ever turn down an invitation from langa for a sleepover; invitations to langa's were rare as, again, reki's place just made more sense.

"sure," langa had said, and that had been that. they resumed practice, ended a little earlier than normal so they could grab reki's things from his house before heading to langa's. they raced on the way, weaving around the occasional pedestrian and laughing at the shouts of surprise as they zipped away. by the time they arrived with plastic bags of convenience store sushi dangling from their wrists reki was tired enough that chilling and watching some skate videos sounded heavenly.

"hey, where's the futon?" reki asked. "i wanna set that up before- what?" langa's face became _weird_, a cross of embarrassment and guilt.

"i- we don't have one," langa said "i never thought-" his face was becoming troubled, his brow furrowing as he tried to think of a solution. "i can take the couch?" his cheeks are red, and unlike earlier there's no mistaking the blush for the sun's rays. "i didn't even think of a futon. sorry, reki."

reki laughed, clapping langa on the shoulder. "dude, i'm not taking your bed from you. i'm cool on the couch."

but the troubled look only worsened as langa frowned with a shake of his head. "you're the guest," he replied firmly.

"then i'll take the floor-" reki began, but langa cut him off with a _no!_ before he even finished speaking. reki moved his hand off langa's shoulder to rub the back of his head instead. "we could just share?"

langa blinked at him, and reki almost expected him to protest, but he nodded instead. "we've fallen asleep together before." he said it like he was commenting on last week's weather, like it was totally normal for one dude to acknowledge to another dude that they slept beside each other. it wasn't a big deal, but reki still felt his face grow hot. they had fallen asleep watching skateboard videos on reki's phone before. this was like- intentional. not accidental. they'd be intentionally falling asleep together.

"yeah," reki echoed. his voice felt weak. he cleared his throat. "yeah! it's not a big deal! just don't hog all the blankets, okay? i'm delicate!"

langa snorted and reki laughed and things felt easier, then. reki excused himself to change into his pjs while langa did the same. when he returned, reki made himself plop onto langa's bed after grabbing his switch, because sharing a bed was totally not a big deal and langa's room didn't offer much for seating. the bed dips as langa settles beside him and draws his longer legs to his chest. the lack of space between them is nothing new but somehow here, in langa's bed that they're about to share, makes reki hyper-aware of that proximity and just how warm and solid langa feels beside him.

"h-here," reki says, blushing a bit as he stammers and awkwardly shoves his switch into langa's hands. "i'll watch you play."

and that had been the intent. langa had taken the switch from reki with only a raised eyebrow, but he opened up the game nonetheless and started playing. at first reki chimed in with tips and pointers but fell quiet when langa hit one of the lengthier cut scenes, instead allowing himself to relax into langa's side with his chin propped against langa's shoulder. the pillows on the bed were rather spartan and reki found himself leaning into langa, warm and content. his eyes began to droop without him realizing.