Chapter Text
Keith revels in the feeling of the water and sun on his skin, clinging to the sensation as proof that today is real and he isn’t about to wake up from a wonderful dream alone in his bed having never heard all that Lance said to him, having never kissed Lance, having never been kissed back by Lance. And if it is a dream, he never wants to wake up.
Lance’s skin was as soft as you’d expect from someone who thinks skin care is an acceptable topic of casual conversation. Butterflies riot in Keith’s stomach again just thinking about how he’d finally gotten to touch. He hadn’t been sure whether he’d survive today when Lance had started TAKING HIS CLOTHES OFF IN FRONT OF HIM but Keith has to say, he’s pleasantly surprised with the way events unfolded. Holding Lance against him, tasting his lips and his tongue, and Lance just as enthusiastically holding and tasting him, it was more than Keith ever dared to hope for.
He and Lance are both floating now, after they stopped making out and Lance actually showed him how to do it. Keith has no clue what time it is, just that they had made out for…. a while….and Keith doesn’t think his face has ever hurt from smiling so much but it’s like he has no control over his facial muscles anymore. If they aren’t actively kissing Lance, they’re smiling, and there is no other option. He’s just glad that floating means Lance can’t see the dopey grin he can’t keep off his face.
Lance hasn’t spoken in a while, and Keith has been appreciating the comfortable silence as they both float, which turns out to be really relaxing. Not entirely silent, Keith supposes, as Lance’s radio still plays from the edge of the spring. As a new song begins, Keith recognizes it. The walking bassline and the driving beat remind him of his parents dancing around the living room, singing the ridiculous lyrics to each other and pulling him in to join them.
“This song is one of my mom’s favorites, I’m kinda surprised to hear it on the radio actually…” Keith glances over at Lance, who is looking over at the radio like it’ll tell him what the song is. Keith considers, and decides he owes it to his parents to keep the tradition alive. And maybe he’s just in a good mood and knows Lance will love this.
Keith grabs Lance’s arm and starts to bop to the music, shimmying his shoulders to the beat and fighting the blush rising in his cheeks as Lance openly stares at him with a huge grin on his face. He starts singing along as the chorus starts.
“I’m a spaaaaaaaaaace cowboy, bet you weren’t ready for that! I’m a spaaaaaaaaace cowboy, I’m sure, you know where it’s at, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!” Keith flops his hair around on the ‘yeah’s, sending droplets of water spraying through the air like a dog.
Lance is doubled over with laughter, either at the lyrics or Keith’s attempt at dancing, or more likely both. “Oh my god,” Lance gets out breathlessly between bursts of laughter, “this is the best day of my life! What is even happening right now?!” Keith can’t help but laugh along, because the song really is ridiculous.
He grabs both Lance’s wrists and pulls his arms back and forth in time to the music. The song is catchy, and Lance loves dancing, so it’s nearly impossible for him not to join in. Lance bops to the beat and lifts one of Keith’s arms above their heads, raising his eyebrows expectantly. Keith rolls his eyes but complies, twirling around to the sound of the music and Lance’s laughter.
When the next chorus comes around, Lance joins in too, but he really only manages the words ‘space cowboy,’ making up random syllables for the words he hasn’t picked up yet. The song goes into an instrumental break, including bizarre sounds that Keith can only assume are meant to sound extra-terrestrial, and Lance starts doing crazy arm motions to try and match the music. Now Keith’s the one doubled over laughing, but Lance is just as soon pulling him back to challenge him to a dance off. Keith knows there’s no way he’s winning this, but he’ll indulge Lance because he started this whole thing anyway.
By the end of the song, they’re both breathing heavy and high on endorphins, leaning side by side against the edge of the spring. A few chuckles continue to escape Keith, and he’s grateful to whatever higher power allowed that song to come on and remind him of such a good memory, and allow him to make another.
Lance gently bumps Keith’s shoulder, pulling him from his thoughts, “You never cease to surprise me Keith.”
Keith watches Lance smile softly toward the water, and resists the urge to kiss him again (maybe in a bit) but right now, “She wants to meet you. My mom.”
Lance looks at Keith now, surprise and curiosity evident in his face.
Keith looks down, feeling bashful admitting this, but wanting to honest with him. “She’s been asking about you since that day you kept me out stalking Allura for hours, but I’ve been dodging her questions because I knew she’d figure it out if I told her anything about you.”
“Figure what out?” Lance’s question sounds sincere, but Keith is pretty sure he’s just shitting him to force Keith to say it out loud. But after everything Lance said earlier, he supposes he can do this much.
“You know…” Keith swirls his finger in the water, watching it ripple across the surface in favor of meeting Lance’s gaze, which he can feel on his skin, “that I’m completely hopeless for you.”
Only after Lance doesn’t respond for a conspicuous amount of time does Keith dare to glance up at him. Lance is very still, and staring at Keith with a look like disbelief.
“Stop.” Keith steps in front of Lance, pushing into his space and forcing him out of his head.
Lance’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “What?”
“Stop whatever you’re thinking, like it could possibly be surprising that I like you, like you aren’t the most incredible person I’ve ever met, like there’s any chance you’re anything but irresistible.”
Lance inhales sharply, and Keith makes sure he can see every bit of conviction in his face, so there’s no room to question whether he’s serious.
“Lance, you’re amazing. You’re not the only one who was only half-awake before. You woke me up, too.” There’s only a few inches of space between them, but Keith thinks it’s a few inches too many. He thinks about what Hunk said, about how you know someone wants to kiss you, and tries to communicate that to Lance while still leaving him the choice. He starts to lean in, but before he even gets the chance to pause and let Lance choose, Lance is surging forward to meet him.
This kiss is less of a surprise than their first. Keith reaches his hands up to either side of Lance’s face, savoring the feeling of Lance’s mouth on his, their lips slotting together like they’re meant to be that way. He feels Lance’s hands gripping at his sides, tugging him closer against him. Keith’s stomach flips, the reality that Lance likes him, that Lance wants him, still a new one. God, Keith wants Lance. He wants his easy smiles, his cheesy lines, his casual touches, his laughter, his thoughtfulness, he wants Lance to give him every bit of his heartache and insecurity so that Keith can wipe it all away.
Keith lightly sucks at Lance’s bottom lip, and much as he wants to be gentle and slow right now, he can’t resist running his teeth over Lance’s lip before glossing over it with his tongue. Lance moans quietly at the sensation, and Keith is determined to hear that sound again.
Lance’s tongue prods at Keith’s mouth, coaxing it open so he can explore. Keith let’s Lance take the lead, and moves one of his hands up into Lance’s hair, just long enough to still run his fingers through, while the other shifts down to Lance’s neck. When Lance’s hands come to rest on Keith’s chest between them, Keith is sure he can feel his heartbeat pounding against his ribcage, like it’s leaping toward Lance again and again and again.
When Lance starts to pull back, Keith barely keeps himself from chasing after him.
“Keith,” Lance breaths into the sliver of space between them.
“Lance?”
“Go out with me.” It’s more a command than a question, Lance’s eyes dancing as he looks at Keith, a half smile pulling at his lips.
“Doesn’t sound like you’re giving me much choice,” Keith teases.
“I wanna take you on a date. Are you free tonight?”
“Tonight?” Keith laughs, amused and heart warmed at Lance’s enthusiasm.
“Come on Kogane, let me take you out, show you a good time,” Lance winks at him and Keith can’t handle him, he leans his head forward and tucks it into the crook of Lance’s neck to hide his smile.
“I’m going to regret this aren’t I?” Keith says into Lance’s shoulder.
“You can’t take back what you said! I know you think I’m irresistible.” Keith can just picture Lance wiggling his eyebrows as he says this, like the dork he is. Has Keith mentioned that he’s completely gone for this boy?
“I guess I could move some things around.” Keith can’t give in to Lance that easy, “how about my people talk to your people and see if we can pencil you in?”
“Shut up, dumbass, do you wanna go on a date with me tonight or not?”
Keith takes a step back from Lance and makes a face like he’s thinking about it. Then he smirks and heads for the edge of the spring and climbs out.
“Keith?!”
“Don’t look!”
Keith hears Lance huff in disbelief, but trusts that he respects Keith’s wishes as Keith grabs the bag Lance had taken the radio out of. Just as he’d hoped, the extra bulk inside is two towels. Lance had really prepared for this, huh?
“Keeeiiiiiiiith stop being mean!” Lance whines from the spring, where he is indeed facing away from Keith. “I thought you liked me!”
“Not my fault you’re so easy to mess with.” Keith finishes drying off as best he can and pulls his clothes back on. “You can turn around.”
Lance turns back to him pouting, and Keith just smirks in response.
“Alright McClain, I’ll let you take me out on one condition.”
Lance comes up to the edge of the spring where Keith stands and looks up at him, eyes sparkling like he’s about to accept a challenge.
“And what’s that?”
Keith holds his gaze for a minute, enjoying the game, admiring the view. God, Lance is beautiful, and now he doesn’t have to pretend he doesn’t notice.
“If you ever write me a letter, no paying anyone else to help. It’s gotta be all you.”
Lance huffs a laugh at that, and raises an eyebrow, “Even if that means it’ll be full of pick up lines that are ‘cheesy at best, creepy at worst’?”
“Even then.”
“Even if I draw more emojis?”
“You better give me the best emoji drawings you got.”
Lance looks up at Keith with that stupid face he does when he thinks he’s won something. But he hasn’t, because Keith is absolutely 100% the winner in this situation.
“Deal.”