Renga Fluff But I Hit You In The Head With The Skateboard Of Angst

26: final chapter

(in which we find out Reki is majorly triggered by gunshot sounds/sounds that mock gunshots) (+also the rest of his life)

When Reki arrived at the restaurant, a bit early for usual dinner time, he also found Langa and his mom there.

Immediately he ran up and hugged his boyfriend.

Reki had been radio silent. He hadn't really been on his phone, hadn't been online at all to receive texts or calls. He didn't even have the device on him right now, as it was dead.

A second later they were kissing. Langa had his hands on Reki's face and carefully, Reki had his hands on Langa's hips.

They pulled away a second later and fell back into a hug.

"I haven't seen you in so long." Langa said, "I missed you."

"I wasn't really doing good but I think I am back on track now." He said shakily, pulling out of the hug and wiping a tear from his cheek.

They talked all through dinner. It was amazing to see Reki so awake and aware again. They kept away from the topic of his family and the events that had messed everything up so badly.

The restaurant wasn't too busy so it was just them there.

And for a while everything was great.

Until a car with a motor that popped as it drove by. Everyone flinched, but Reki flew under the table, hands over his head, hyperventilating with his eyes shut tight.

Everyone was a little on edge, but Reki had been transported right back to the time when it all happened. The gunshots.

His father.

The bodies.

His fingers.

He gagged into his hand as he gasped.

"Woah woah woah bud, hey it's okay. It was just a car." Joe said, quickly shoving the chair Reki was sitting in away so he could access the boy under the table.

"Reki breathe, it was just a car. It wasn't a gun, okay?" Joe consoled as Reki gagged again into his hand, all of the dinner he ate threatening to come spewing out in the midst of his panic.

Reki felt like he was about to pass out. The adrenaline made him feel like he was floating and that only made him panic more. The nausea didn't help at all.

"I'm gonna throw up." Reki managed to say as Joe helped him to the bathroom and into the big stall.

Sort of back where it all started.

Joe started talking, doing anything to help him out of the mindset.

"Hey, remember back when we met? You were also crying in the handicap stall of a bathroom." Joe said, rubbing Reki's back as he knelt over the toilet, his heart hammering as he cought his breath.

It took him a moment, but he nodded in rememberance.

"Look how far you've come since then." Joe said with a little chuckle, still rubbing the boy's back as he cought his breath.

Then he gagged again, leaning over the toilet and gasping again.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's okay, deep breaths." Joe said.

"There was- there was so much blood." Reki said, gasping for breath as gore induced nausea tore at his throat.

"Deep breaths, kiddo. Take big deep breaths. The more oxygen you get the better." Joe consoled as Reki began to finally gulp down air.

"There you go you've got it." He said as Reki finally regained some control over himself.

He was still grabbing at the toilet seat for dear life, his breaths coming in and out almost like he was choking on them he was so desperate for air, but they were coming nonetheless.