How in the hell did Naesala and Reyson end up together?
The first time Naesala met Reyson they were both kids.
Naesala's ballet teacher had just told them that from now on their exercises were going to be accompanied by live music, and thus she introduced to the class – Naesala was the only male there – this little kid with shy eyes. He was so pale that he looked ill but his hair was blond, shiny like gold. He was also so thin that Naesala feared that if he ever blew some hair towards him he would've been sent flying.
It was only after a moment – and Naesala was ashamed of admitting it – that he realised that the boy was a heron.
Wow, a real heron there. He couldn't believe it.
The boy looked up and his eyes met Naesala's, and the little raven smiled, slightly waving his hand to greet him.
The boy smiled back.
Reyson was his name, and for some reason that name really carved itself into Naesala's mind. He just wasn't able to get it off his head.
They didn't speak, but Naesala really wanted to, a bit because there weren't many males in the school, a bit because he was curious and he wanted to know him, but he had no idea how he should approach him. He looked so shy, and Naesala didn't want to scare him away.
Luckily it was Reyson himself the one who approached him a couple of days after their first meeting.
Naesala was in the changing room; he was almost ready, he only needed to put his ballet shoes on when he heard the sound of the door opening, and soon he saw Reyson's head popping out.
The heron scanned the room for a moment and he saw Naesala. He looked like he was searching for him.
- … Hi -, he said in fact.
- Hi -, Naesala replied, then he added, - Could you enter completely? So at least you can close the door -.
- Oh, yeah sure -, Reyson replied, stepping inside the room and closing the door behind him.
They both fell silent. It was awkward.
- So… -, Naesala started then, trying to fill that oppressing silence, - Are you having fun here? -.
- The teacher always corrects me -, Reyson said, looking down at the pavement.
Right. Reyson was still a beginner; he was no expert pianist, so the teacher would often correct him whenever he messed up, which was quite often.
"Great job, Naesala, you made things worse", the raven thought, trying to think of something to recover.
- Yeah -, he said then, - The old witch's like this. She probably feeds off our despair -.
When he finished he heard Reyson snicker, and Naesala smiled. He managed to make him laugh, that was good.
Feeling more confident, Reyson sat on the bench beside Naesala.
- How long you've been here? -, he asked.
Naesala took some time to remember when he actually started to begin, or more accurately when his mom forced him to start – he didn't hate it as much as he made her believe though – and then he replied:
- Three years -.
- And now how old are you? -, Reyson asked.
- Twelve -.
- I'm twelve too! -, Reyson exclaimed, really happy to have found someone his age. Naesala was really happy too.
- No way! -, he exclaimed back.
- I swear! -.
- Really?! -.
- Yes! -.
- We should hang out then -, Naesala said then. He couldn't waste such an occasion.
Reyson hesitated.
- I don't know… -, he said, - My parents don't let me go outside much -.
- Oh yeah, mine neither -, Naesala replied, - I meant that you could come home sometimes -.
- Ah -, Reyson said, - I'll have to ask but… Yeah, why not? -.
That time whenever the teacher corrected Reyson, he glanced at Naesala and he tried not to snicker in front of her, remembering what the raven had said earlier about her.
Naesala noticed and he tried not to snicker as well.
A couple of days passed before Reyson told him that his parents had agreed to send him to Naesala's house, but they wanted to speak with Naesala's parents first, so the raven gave him his mom's phone number.
It turned out that Naesala and Reyson's moms were old childhood friends who however hadn't heard of each other for a long time.
Of course, then, it didn't take too much time for Reyson and his mother to get invited to Naesala's house. While the two old friends caught up drinking tea in the living room, Naesala dragged Reyson upstairs, where his room was.
It was a big room. There was space for a bed, a desk and an enormous closet in it.
Naesala ran over the bed and made Reyson a gesture to follow him and sit with him and Reyson complied, looking around. The walls were coloured light blue, and the furniture was all made of black wood.
- What do you want to do? -, Reyson asked, and Naesala started to list all their options.
- Well, we can watch tv, we can play some games, we could spy on our moms… -.
- Dude, do you want to spy on our moms? -.
- Why not? -, Naesala asked back, - Don't you want to know what they're talking about? -.
- Well… a bit, but… -, Reyson started, - Let's just play something -.
Naesala nodded, getting up from the bed and walking to another piece of furniture in front of them, a long cabinet, near the desk. On its surface there was a tv with a big screen, bigger than the one Reyson had in his room, and that made him a bit jealous.
Naesala opened the cabinet and he told Reyson to come and see.
Wow he had so many games.
- So, what do you want to play? -.
The thing was… Reyson had no idea what those games were.
He didn't own any console – he didn't care about having one – so he just took one whose cover seemed more nice and colourful.
When he showed it to Naesala he made an amused face.
- Didn't think you'd be into that -, he said, - But ok let's play this -.
He took two controllers and he handed one to Reyson, then he turned on the tv and the playstation.
- Let's sit on the bed -, he said then, - We'll be more comfortable there -.
The game… well, it wasn't what Reyson had expected. It was really gory, despite its colourful presentation, and the heron soon became uncomfortable.
Thankfully Naesala noticed it pretty quickly.
- Want to do something else? -, he asked in fact.
Reyson nodded and Naesala got up to turn off the playstation.
- We can just watch tv -, he proposed.
- Sure -, Reyson replied, thankful that Naesala wasn't making fun of him, and he wasn't saying it because he was already been made fun of for his "weakness".
They spent all afternoon looking at stupid reality shows and making fun of the people who participated, and Reyson had to say, he was having a lot of fun.
Naesala was really funny, but most importantly he respected Reyson's limits, backing off whenever he said something that was too much for the heron. It was rare for him to find someone like that.
When it was time to go, Reyson found himself reluctant to leave. He wanted to stay there more, and he could see from the look on Naesala's face that he wanted the same, but they both knew there was no point in arguing.
- See you tomorrow? -, Reyson asked then, since the next day there was still dance practice.
- Of course -, Naesala replied, smiling warmly.
Reyson smiled back.
With time Reyson and Naesala managed to see each more often outside dance classes, but since they went to two different schools they usually saw each other in the afternoon or evening.
They started doing pyjama parties together, and Naesala came to know Reyson's family too. He had so many siblings it was incredible, but usually when they played they were joined only by Leanne, who was closer to their age – she was nine – but Naesala didn't mind it; actually he preferred it that way, because like that he had Reyson all for himself.
The more time he passed with the heron, the more he felt drawn to him, and how could he not? He was so adorable, so pretty, so special.
He never said anything about those feelings, however. He never gathered up the courage to ask him out, and apparently he was a very good actor because none seemed to notice his crush.
They became best friends and, by the time they were fifteen, they were inseparable.
They were way more open with each other than with others, they knew the other like they knew themselves, however it wasn't enough for both of them.
None of them still had the courage to say anything, though, and only time helped them.
They were sixteen and they were alone in the exercising room.
Maybe it was because he was starting to be made fun of, but Naesala had started taking private lessons; he was feeling more and more uncomfortable being in a class with only girls.
Usually both he and Reyson stayed a bit more after the end of the class, and luckily the teacher left them be. Naesala would exercise some more – or try stuff that he wouldn't dare to try in front of the teacher – and Reyson would play some music for him – he'd gotten so much better now – but mostly they talked.
- Can you believe the first time we met all I was able to get out of you was just a couple of words? -, Naesala asked, amused about how things had changed now.
Reyson chuckled.
- And you were kinder -, he retorted.
- What? That's not true -, Naesala replied, even though he was smiling, - I'm still kind, in fact I'm always kind -.
- Yeah, sure… -, Reyson said, but he was smiling too.
They fell silent for a while, then Reyson started to sing along with the music he was playing. Naesala had already heard Reyson sing once or twice but the heron was very shy of his voice, so it never lasted for long.
However Reyson wasn't stopping that time, and even though Naesala was trying complete his exercise, he soon found himself staring at Reyson without doing anything, enraptured by his voice. It was almost magical.
He wasn't even doing much, just humming along with the melody, and still Naesala almost fell weak at his knees.
Almost in trance, he moved a few steps towards the other, who was still focused on playing, and he just stood there, listening.
Reyson didn't seem to notice anything and he just kept doing his thing, not knowing what he was doing to the raven.
Only when he finished his song he raised his eyes and he looked to where he thought Naesala was, finding out that he wasn't there anymore.
He looked around and then his eyes met Naesala's. He had never seen that expression on his face, then he saw Naesala's eyes widen in surprise; he must've made a weird face.
He got up from his seat, walking to face the raven.
During those years they both got taller, Naesala even more than him – and he was also starting to develop very nice muscles. Usually Reyson was jealous of that, but that time he was just astonished but how pretty Naesala had become. It was weird: even though he still kinda looked like a child, he seemed more mature, more adult.
Nobody still remembers who leaned in first – if you ask them they will both reply that the other did – but soon Naesala and Reyson were kissing.
It was gentle; at first their lips barely touched, maybe afraid of what was about to happen.
Then they're lips actually met, and it was magical for both of them. It was chaste, maybe a bit childish, but it was perfect anyways.
When Naesala pulled away he opened his eyes and he saw that Reyson's ones were still closed. He couldn't control himself and he leaned in again, that time holding Reyson's hands with his.
They both pulled away then, looking at each other. Their faces were both so red.
They remained silent, then they both started to laugh. Goddess that had been way easier than they'd thought.
- So… -, Naesala said, smirking, - I think you like me -.
Reyson pushed him, laughing, but all he was able to do was making Naesala slightly lose his balance, and not even by much.
- And I think you like me too -, he retorted then.
- Of course I do -, Naesala admitted, - I don't go kissing people just because -.
He then realised what he had just said, and he looked down, pretty embarrassed.
It was so adorable.
Reyson hugged him and Naesala hugged him back immediately. They were so happy.
Neither of them knew what that was going to bring, what that was going to mean. Only time could tell.
Author's notes: this fic is set in the same au as "Love at the gym", "Enough for now" and "Bad hair day". I've always mentioned that Naesala and Reyson were exes, so I've decided to write something about how that happened, and the title is the usual reaction people have when they are told that the two have been together for a while.
Hopefully I'll write more about this, even talking about how and why they broke up, but I'm still waiting for a good idea.
Also yeah Naesala did ballet when he was younger - that's why he's still very graceful in his movements - but he dropped because he was tired of being made up of. Growing up he kinda got back to it but not in a professional level; it's more to do some phisical excercise than anything else.
Disclaimer: before Americans start to nag me about it, yes, I use hyphens for dialogues and quotation marks for thoughts. Why? Because this is how we do in Italy, the country I'm from (actually there's more freedom in Italy but this is how people usually write).
Am I going to change this one day? Absolutely not. This is how I'm used to write and I don't want to change it. If I have to go through hundreds and hundreds of fanfictions where I see quotation marks used for dialogues – something I'm not used to at all – I'm sure you can all go through one story where the style is different without having to point it out every, single, time. Thank you.
