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Lance was not ready to go back to the sports club. It had been about 2 weeks since he stopped going to the pool and the manager was starting to get worried. Every day, even during exam season, Lance would make at least a little time to hit the club and swim for about an hour. It was a great relaxant for him and he just loved the water. For Lance to stop swimming would have to be something big.
About a month ago, Lance had been volunteering to teach kids how to swim every Saturday. The kids absolutely loved him and it didn’t matter if they got into swimming excited or indifferent, Lance would get them to come back wanting more lessons. Things were going great until he saw a new face with a lifeguard’s uniform on. He didn’t really seem familiar to him, he would have recognized that ugly mullet anywhere. After the lesson, he decided to inspect this specimen.
“So, what’s your name?” The pale skinned life guard looked up from his bag, hunched over to look for his phone.
“Keith. Keith Kogane.”
“Well Keith, the name’s Lance. What brings you to Arus sports club?” Lance raised a flirtatious eyebrow to a slightly confused ‘Keith’.
“Uh-I was hired as the lifeguard.” It almost sounded like a question than a statement. “Just started today.”
“Oh, that explains it!”
“Explain what?”
“I would have remembered a pretty face like yours.” Lance winked before walking away to pack up his bag, not seeing the red dusting the new lifeguard’s cheeks.
That went on for about a week, Lance flirting and Keith getting flustered. It wasn’t until later in the week that Lance noticed what he was doing to him. He liked it. It was really cute when Keith would get all red, face matching the shorts he had to wear for his uniform. By day 5, things started to change.
Keith was starting to get used to Lance’s behavior towards him, sometimes going as far as flirting back. It was subtle but still loud as sirens to Lance. He could tell Keith was enjoying this as much as he was. So, they played their little game of cat and mouse, but it seemed like they were both the cats here.
Another week went by and things were still the same. Lance throws in a compliment, Keith makes a flirtatious comeback and their exchange would continue throughout the day. It was really fun for both of them, making the other blush. Plus points if it reached the ears and shoulders. Still, nothing went further than just a few words between friends and coworkers. That is until day 6.
It was a particular Saturday when the owner, Allura, had to leave early because her uncle got into trouble again. Coran was always a bit of an eccentric when it came to “selling a character”, as he put it. That meant that she had to entrust Lance, the one who had been working there the longest, to lock up. That also meant that Lance would be alone… with Keith. This is going to be fun.
They were in the changing rooms after everyone had left, removing the slightly damp swimsuits and uniform shirts they wore. Backs towards each other, they started engaging in conversation.
“Lookin’ good out there, samurai.”
“Samurai?” Keith raised an eyebrow, unseen by Lance.
“Yeah. Since you’re basically a nut for blades and stuff.”
“Am not!”
“Defensive, aren’t we? Besides, I’ve seen your wallpaper and pictures. Knives and swords as far as the thumb could scroll.”
“Wait, you’ve been through my phone?!” His head whipped around so fast that the water droplets shot through the air like bullets.
“Remember when I needed to text my friends a few days ago? Yeah, I did that while waiting for their reply.” Lance didn’t look the least bit guilty or apologetic
“You little –“ Keith was ready to pounce.
“Woah, easy there, buddy. I won’t tell anyone if that’s your concern.” Still shirtless, he turned to show off his winky face. Plus 10 to me for pink cheeks.
“Whatever.” Keith turned back to his locker, taking out a dry shirt to pull over his head.
“Awww – is Keith-y boy mad at me?” His shit-eating grin was as annoying as it was adorable.
“You bet your candy ass I am.” They were both blushing like a couple of idiots at this point.
“Are you hitting on me now?” Lance finished putting on his new clothes before leaning on the lockers. Watching Keith get dressed was a real treat if he was being honest.
“Yeah. What’re you gonna do about it?” Keith turned his face enough to look at Lance with the corner of his eye, smirk on his lips and fire in his words. It left Lance a little weak in the knees and pretty flustered. While stammering to find a good comeback, Keith had walked over to him, mere inches from his face.
“What’s wrong, Lance? Cat got your tongue?” He thought it would be a good idea to lick his lips at that moment. He thought right. Lance’s brain has basically short circuited and the rest of him was left frozen in place. That is except for one little thing.
Without realizing it, Lance had closed the gap between them while fluttering his eyes closed. Keith’s lips were a lot softer than they looked, sweeter too. Lance’s hands seemed to move on their own as they slid to Keith’s waist, pulling him closer. Oddly enough, he wasn’t resisting it. No, he was leaning into it. He was enjoying it. They let their lips dance like this for what felt like 30 minutes before Lance started to get a little playful. Out of instinct, he slipped his tongue out of his mouth to graze Keith’s lower lip and teeth. He could feel Keith’s smile through the kiss. Suddenly, when Keith was just about to return the favor, Lance returned to reality and pushed him off. His heart was racing, eyes were shot open, breath uneven. He heard a chuckle in front of him. He looked up to see Keith, smirk on his face, licking his lips once again.
“See you Monday.” He took his bag and walked out, leaving a poor Lance to process what just happened. He almost didn’t lock up on the way out. He also didn’t come into work that Monday.
So here Lance was, flustered and embarrassed from what happened with Keith and how he handled it after. He knew that the longer he stayed away from Arus, the more worried Allura and the kids would get but he just couldn’t go back. He couldn’t face Keith after that. He would be too freaked out and kind of hot. He stayed in bed that day, like he did in these two weeks. It was around four in the afternoon when he woke up again, disturbed by more than his gay thoughts. He heard a few more knocks at the door of his apartment, a little louder now. He struggled to get up, groggy from the interrupted sleep. He just stepped out of his bedroom when he heard the knocking again.
“Coming,” he yelled to his unexpected visitor. The knocking stopped.
Lance staggered to his front door, removing the chain to make opening it infinitely easier. He was shocked to see that it was not Hunk or Pidge or any member of his family. It wasn’t even Allura, who was checking in through text for the past few days.
“Keith?” He seemed a bit surprised to see Lance, like he didn’t think he would actually see his face.
“I -uh- didn’t see you Monday. I was -um- kind of hoping I would.” His voice may have been sheepish but his eyes said something completely different: determination.
“Sorry. I’ve been busy.” He was obviously trying to convince himself of something he knew wasn’t a complete lie. He was busy, but busy thinking about the kiss. Just couldn’t help himself from staring a bit at Keith’s lips while they were talking.
“Oh. Well, the kids have been missing you lately. The other coach just doesn’t get them like you do.” He seemed to be talking about more than just the children.
“Would you like to come inside? I mean if you came all the way here, you could use a drink.” He stepped aside, giving Keith an opening to get in. He went inside but made no move to go further than a few feet from the threshold. They stood there in awkward silence until Lance remembered he gave himself an out.
“I’m gonna get some water. What do you want?” He was already walking into the kitchen when he heard shuffling coming towards him.
“Water’s fine.” Keith took a seat by the kitchen table, looking around and admiring the surroundings. Home-y.
Lance set down the glasses in the middle of the table, taking the seat opposite Keith. They needed to talk about what happened and what that meant. They both knew that but the one to initiate that conversation was yet to be decided. The silence seemed to stretch forever with only the sounds of their breathing and sipping breaking it occasionally. Finally, Lance had enough and brought them to the matter at hand.
“Look, the kiss doesn’t have to mean anything. I just acted on impulse and I’m sorry I made things weird between us. Can we just forget it ever happened and move on?” It came out all at once, not intended but at least everything was on the table. He didn’t really make any eye contact with Keith, just looking down at his glass, swirling the contents by tilting and rotating the glass on an axis.
“I... don’t want to forget it.” Lance’s eyes snapped up, expression as transparent as the glass of water in his hand. Keith’s face was just as clear, almost hurt but still hopeful.
“Wait… What?”
“I’ve been into you for a while and I was really hoping to finish that kiss.” Lance’s face felt a lot hotter now, probably blushing harder than what he could see on Keith’s cheeks. The silence was back, a bit more awkward but at least it was honest atmosphere.
“… Wow.”
“Is that all you can say?”
“No no-no-no, it’s not that. I’m just – wow.” He laughed through his nostrils, scoffing slightly.
“Yeah, you’ve said that.” Things were sounding a bit more playful, like normal. They both laughed a little louder and longer.
“Well, I guess we could.”
“Could what?”
“Finish the kiss.” The smirk on his face was making Keith’s self-control just a little more difficult to keep up. It was surprising he even managed a smirk of his own.
“Were you answering my question or giving me a command?” Was it getting hot in here?
“Whatever you want, pretty boy. Just do it before I change my mind.” Keith leaned in closer to Lance’s face, leaving about three inches between their lips.
“Pretty boy? I like the sound of that.”
The kiss lasted a lot longer this time. They didn’t really notice how late it was until they looked up from Lance’s bed to see the wall clock. Keith had to leave but that definitely wasn’t the last time they would see each other.