Work Text:
When Keith decided to take a trip to Spain with Shiro and Adam, he definitely didn’t think he would find someone he loved there. No, he just expected to explore the country, introduce his tastebuds to Spanish cuisine, see pieces of art with his own eyes, and walk on bright beaches. Instead, he found a man. A man named James, whom he had met while ordering coffee in a specific way when he forgot how to say a word in Spanish. Keith could almost say he was his knight in shining armor.
Keith thought it was weird how easily he hit it off with some stranger that helped him with language. Usually, he hated talking to people and making a fool out of himself, but Keith really needed that coffee.
It was Keith’s last day in Spain. The next day, he would be at the airport. And Keith didn’t have the heart to tell James this the night before.
Keith didn’t want to tell him as they were running. Running from who knows who when Keith tripped, knocking a table and a glass cup falling with it. They were running hand in hand from a man yelling angry Spanish curse words that Keith could almost understand.
James was laughing and Keith smiled at the sound. James’ laugh was the best thing that ever happened to Keith’s ears. He was so distracted by the sound that he didn’t notice that James had pulled him into a corner.
“That was terrifying. How did you even manage to trip into a table?” James asked him, breathless and panting.
Keith breathily laughed as he panted as well. “I’m not sure,” Keith replied. “But I’m not going back there.”
James smiled at him before cupping his cheeks and kissing him softly. Keith’s hands touched James’ and leaned into him more.
Keith doesn’t think he’ll ever get tired of James’ lips against his, nor does he think he will ever forget it.
They both pulled away eventually, when their lungs started to scream for air and when their lips ached. James sighed contently then held his hand again and started to walk.
“You just wanted to kiss me?” Keith teased as he squeezed James’ hand gently.
“Yeah, basically.” James answered quickly. Keith snorted and kissed his cheek.
James swung their arms as they walked. Keith didn’t ask to where they were going. He had this route recognized and burned into his brain. They were on their way to James’ house.
The thought of going almost scared Keith, because there, there were no distractions other than James’ body and his cat. There, he would have to tell him. Tell him, that he’s leaving, tell him that he can’t stay forever, tell him that their relationship can’t work if it feels like they’re half the world away.
Keith would love to stay. Leave his bags in Korea to start a new life here. Keith would love to be fluent in Spanish so he could hear James’ sexy accent all the time instead of his non accented perfect English.
But he couldn’t.
How does Keith know that he’d love James forever? It was that one question that poked at the back of his head constantly. What if James didn’t love him like Keith did?
The thinking made Keith’s head ache. He didn’t even notice that he was at James’ doorstep as James unlocked his door.
His sweet maid greeted him and Keith. James told her to go out and enjoy the rest of the day as he thanked her for her work and paid her.
The door closed once she left and that’s when Keith’s back made contact with the wall. James kissed him roughly, causing a noise to come from Keith’s throat. Keith kissed back with as much fervor as his arms found themselves on James shoulders. James’ body leaned down to pick Keith off from the floor. Keith’s legs wrapped themselves on James’ waist.
Without their lips parting, they made their way towards the bedroom. Keith was gently placed on the bed and James hovered above him, now kissing his neck.
Keith figured he’d tell James later.
Keith’s naked back was pressed against James’ smooth chest. The tips of James’ fingers were lazily tracing over Keith’s side, directions ranging from up, down, sideways, and circles. The sensation made Keith deliciously shiver. James stopped caressing his side and let his hand rest at Keith’s hip, he stroked the skin there with his thumb and kissed his shoulder. Keith took comfort in the heat his hand projected onto his pale skin.
Now was the right time to tell him.
There was a lump in Keith’s throat that he tried to swallow, but instead, it stood stubbornly in its place. His heart hammered aggressively and his eyes stung. He opened his mouth but his throat restricted any words from coming out.
“James.” His voice rasped.
“Yeah?” James asked, voice gravelly and tired.
Keith regretted talking, but there was no going back now.
“I’m leaving tomorrow.” Keith continued. When the words left his mouth, he felt the world pause. James’ breath hitched.
“Leaving?” James questioned, confused. Keith bit the inside of his cheek. He turned around to face the wonderful boy next to him.
“Home. I’m going home tomorrow. I don’t know when I’ll be back.” Keith answered. James was silent.
Keith couldn’t see his eyes as the other man was looking down at the bed. Keith felt as if his heartbeat was too loud like it was being played through an aux cord.
“Where’s home?” James asked, his voice shaky that Keith couldn’t help but pull him into a warm embrace. Keith kissed hair as he tried to keep his tears at bay.
”Korea.” Keith replied. James pushed him back slightly and laid down on top of him to become closer. The Spanish boy’s face was against Keith’s neck.
“Why did you wait all this time to tell me? Why didn’t you tell me our time was limited?” James spoke, his breath tickling Keith’s neck. Keith’s hand rubbed James’ back.
Keith didn’t answer. He didn’t know how. But the truth was that he didn’t want to think about their limited time together. He wanted to live in the moment and not care about counting down the days. He wanted to love James as much as he could before he left.
“I’m sorry.” Keith said.
James’ tears moistened Keith’s neck and soon there was a tiny pool on James’ shoulder too.
James was hyperventilating, fat tears streaming down his face that Keith couldn’t see but feel. The noises that left James’ mouth hurt him. It hurt him so bad. Painful because Keith knew it was his fault. He caused the boy sorrow and he felt so fucking bad.
Keith peppered kisses into his hair and shushed him quietly as much as he could but the noises just wouldn’t stop. Keith let his own cheeks become wet with his own sadness.
“Hey,” Keith whispered. “Look at me.”
James was reluctant. He didn’t move. Keith sat up a bit against the headboard and took James’ pretty face in his hands and made him look at him. He was pretty even when he cried.
James’ cheeks were rosy, the tip of his nose like a cherry, and his eyes still so beautiful when with those sad tears. His eyelashes darkened with them too.
Keith pressed a kiss right underneath his hairline after moving his hair back.
“This doesn’t mean we won’t see each other again.” Keith smiled weakly. James exhaled a shaky breath from his mouth. The Spanish boy leaned up and captured Keith’s soft and wet lips in a sweet kiss.
When they broke apart, James head rested on Keith’s chest. There, James planted tiny kisses all over. It wasn’t anything sexual, even after a week with him, Keith knew this is how James loved. The black haired boy wondered how he fell in love in less than 10 days. Keith thought it was impossible but it happened.
Keith wanted to say the three words. But what if it was the wrong time? Maybe not right now..
James’ arm was folded on top of Keith’s chest and his head was rested upon it. Keith’s fingers were raking through James’ waves and occasionally lightly scratching at the back of James’ head just the way he liked it.
He felt James sigh.
“I’ll miss you,” James started. “Like, a lot.”
Keith smiled at that. “I’ll miss you like a lot too.”
They laid together, letting the golden rays of the afternoon shine against their bodies, watching the view outside the window across the room. Keith’s lip quivered. He swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath. James’ hand touched his bare hip and slowly stroked there with his fingers.
During the middle of the night, Keith slipped out of the house and headed back to the hotel room to pack and get ready for tomorrow. Waking up in the morning cold was, well, different. His hotel room was stale since he hadn’t been there in a while, only for a change of clothes and a quick shower.
Shiro and Adam got suspicious so they decided to ask Keith that morning.
“Where do you head off to? We haven’t seen you in a good while.” Shiro asked as he folded his shirts and placed them in his suitcase.
“Places. Wandering.” Keith replied vaguely. Shiro’s eyes squinted at him. Adam looked at Keith disbelievingly.
“Oh? Last time I saw you, you were running with some guy.” Adam mentioned as he crossed his arms.
“Oh! A guy?” Shiro looked at Keith excitedly.
Keith sheepishly nodded. His ears and cheeks started to burn.
Shiro and Adam were silent. They waited for Keith to spill his guts.
He did.
He told him all about the wonderful and beautiful James Griffin he had met in a cafe when he forgot the Spanish language. Told them all about their secret night rendezvous and how he spends nights at James’ house, wearing James’ clothes and petting his cat. Keith told them how he smelled like books and coffee beans and how his skin looked like the most delicious cafe con leche and how his eyes looked like the moon at nighttime.
Shiro and Adam were quiet. Shiro had stopped packing and Adam’s arms remained crossed.
“So,” Shiro started, voice soft. “You love him?”
Keith’s face broke out into a smile and he nodded. “Yeah, I really do. But I’m afraid of what’s going to happen to us when we leave. But I know, that I’m coming back for him.”
It was stupid how they decided to take a trip to Spain on the last week of Summer before Keith went to college.
”And you also left during the middle of the night without saying goodbye?” Adam asked.
Keith nodded. That was a stupid decision.
But at least James agreed to saying goodbye at the airport.
The airport was crowded. People rushing to reach the gates before the plane leaves them behind and others sitting around if their flight got canceled.
It was almost time to board the plane.
James was silent as Keith had him in a warm embrace.
“Next summer, I promise, okay? I’ll stay the whole summer.” Keith whispered in his ear.
“I don’t want you to go, Keith.” James cried. “What if we won’t have what we have right now?”
“We will.” Keith said and pulled back from their hug to kiss him. James cupped his cheeks as he kissed him back.
Now it was time to board the plane.
“James...” Keith started and paused. James rested his forehead against Keith’s. There was no eye contact. “Hey. I love you.”
James’ breath hitched and his eyes met Keith’s. “I love you too, Keith. I love you so much.”
They kissed again.
Keith reluctantly pulled away and held out his pinkie finger. James rolled his eyes fondly and hooked his pinkie around his.
“Next summer, I’ll come back.” Keith kissed his thumb and James did the same.
“You better.” James smiled.
“You’ll never get rid of me, Griffin.”
“I would never try to, Kogane.”