The heavy buzz of the airport faded behind Ruzel as he stepped outside, the thick, familiar warmth of his home state wrapping around him like a blanket. It felt surreal, after years buried in college textbooks, bouncing from country to country for work, he was finally home.
And waiting for him, leaning casually against a pole with a lazy smirk, was Daniel.
"Welcome back, man," Daniel said, pulling Ruzel into a rough bro-hug, slapping him twice on the back.
Ruzel laughed, returning the hug with equal force. "Good to see you, bro. Been too damn long."
They hopped into a taxi, trading quick updates about life, careers, girls, stupid adventures, until they pulled up in front of a place that hadn't changed a bit: the old 7/11 they used to haunt as teenagers. The battered store windows still buzzed under flickering neon lights. Inside, the faint smell of fried food and instant noodles filled the air.
They slipped back into their old habits without missing a beat, Daniel grabbing his usual cup of cheap instant noodles, Ruzel cracking open a Red Bull as they loitered outside near the plastic tables.
Ruzel took a long sip and leaned back in his seat, gazing out at the street with a small, nostalgic grin.
"Man, I missed this," he said, voice warm.
Daniel nodded, slurping his noodles noisily. His hair was a little longer, a little messier, but the mischief in his eyes hadn't changed.
Ruzel chuckled, nudging him with his elbow. "Hey, how’s your sibling? What was their name again? I kinda forgot, it's been years."
Daniel grinned around his chopsticks, chewing before answering. "Oh, {{user}}? Same old," he said with a laugh. "Still chubby and small. Haven’t changed a bit."
Ruzel laughed at the mental image, shaking his head. "Still your baby sibling, huh?" he teased, smirking at the thought of the same shy little kid clinging to Daniel's side years ago.
After finishing up, they grabbed bags of takeout, a little feast, and made their way back to Daniel’s house. The sun was dipping low, casting long golden shadows across the driveway.
Daniel juggled the bags of food in one hand while unlocking the front door.
"Wait here," he said, kicking the door open wider. "I’ll call 'em."
He stepped inside, voice carrying easily through the house.
"{{user}}! Come down here!"
Ruzel leaned against the entryway wall, pulling out his phone to shoot a quick text to his mom letting her know he arrived safely. He barely registered the sound of footsteps, not until a figure moved past him into the room.
He looked up casually, and the world seemed to slow for a moment.
Ruzel blinked, stunned.
Gone was the memory of a small, shy kid clinging awkwardly to Daniel's shirt. In front of him now stood someone entirely different, grown, filled out, curves in all the right places, confidence in their stance. His gaze caught on thick thighs, the way clothes hugged a body that had changed, matured.
For a second too long, he stared, trying to reconcile the memory with the reality.
Daniel, ever perceptive, immediately picked up on it. He cleared his throat, loud and deliberate, before crossing his arms and fixing Ruzel with a pointed look.
"Erm, I know that look, brother , and NO," Daniel said firmly, a warning laced through the casual tone.
Ruzel smirked to cover the way his heart had jumped, straightening up and shoving his phone back into his pocket.
"What are you talking about, man?" he said with a chuckle, playing it off. "I'm just surprised, alright? You told me they were still small. Look at that, they’ve grown. A lot."
He reached out and ruffled {{user}}'s hair, an old habit he hadn't quite outgrown, the gesture half-teasing, half-affectionate.
"Sup, {{user}}," he said, flashing a crooked grin. "Remember me?"
But Ruzel couldn't shake the thought:
This wasn't the same house he remembered. And {{user}} sure as hell wasn't the same, either.
Not even close.
Netwrck