Chapter Text
The box is set down with a loud thump, as Keith reaches up to brush his hair out of his face, now damp with sweat.
He groans as he reaches up and stretches. “Man, I never want to do this again.”
Shiro sets down another box on the kitchen floor as he says “Well, that was the last of it.” He smiles. “Luckily you won’t have to do this ever again if we like it here.”
“Yeah if we like it here.” Keith says emphasizing the ‘if’.
“Come on, Keith, don't be like that.” He frowns.
There is silence for a few moments before Shiro speaks again. “Listen, why don’t you explore the downtown while I start to unpack the essentials.”
Now Keith frowns. “Don’t you want me to help?”
“Of course I do, I just think we both can use the alone time.”
Keith rolls his eyes playfully. “Oh you just want the alone time to christen the house with Adam.”
“No!-“ Shiro starts, but then another voice enters the room.
“I believe I heard my name as I was walking in? What’s up?” Adam says.
“Nothing.” Both Keith and Shiro say at the same time, like little kids just getting caught by their mom.
Adam eyes them curiously, then, realizing they aren’t going to say what happened, he sighs, defeated.
“Oh well. Hun, I was hoping you can help me with the bed?”
Keith had to resist the urge to burst out laughing. He knows Adam means nothing suggestive by it, but he can’t help but laugh at the context.
As he snickered under his breath, Shiro glares at him but doesn’t say anything to him. But he does turn back to his fiancé.
“I’d be happy to help.” He smiles.
Adam grabs Shiro’s hand and leads him to their bedroom.
Keith rolls his eyes again. “Whatever old men, I’ll catch y’all later.” He says as he starts to walk out the door.
“Bye!” The couple says.
He closes the door behind him and walks to their truck to grab his skateboard and backpack. He hoists the bag on, and kicks off the ground, letting the downhill take him into town.
…
It didn’t even take him five minutes before he found what he was looking for. A coffee shop. They passed it on the way in, and Keith wanted to try it out.
The door rings with the sound of a bell as he enters.
“Hello!” The barista greets him.
“Hi,” he lets out, as he looks at the menu. Huh, prices aren’t too bad here. “Can I get a large iced black tea please?”
“Sure!” She takes a moment to put it into the register and says, “That’ll be $3.75!” He pulls out a five dollar bill and hands it to her, “thank you!” And hands back his change. Then she starts to prepare his drink.
He takes an actual good look at the inside of the store and finds it nice in here. Lots of surf and skating memorabilia, and a lot of rock and roll stuff as well. As he admired the place, the barista finished his drink. He took it thankfully and decided to set down at a booth with a nice window to the sidewalk. He sets his skateboard down on the floor, pulling his laptop out from his backpack. Might as well start to work on his classes.
…
Keith was about halfway through his biology homework when the door’s bell rang out that someone entered the store. Keith didn’t look up, it wasn’t too busy in here for it being early in the afternoon but a few people had already come and gone since Keith settled in his booth. It was only when a person had started to obnoxiously flirt with the barista, Keith looked up.
A guy, maybe about the same height as Keith, but still tall and lanky, with deep tan skin and short brown hair. He was wearing a light blue shirt and jeans. He was actually quite attractive... if not for his annoying personality. He was loud and very much disrupting the quiet and calm atmosphere.
Oh well, Keith just went back to his work trying to ignore the man talking about his day to the barista, who is admittedly laughing back. They seem friendly enough. Maybe he’s not just a regular but an actual friend? Whatever it’s none of his business.
He just went back to his homework.
Keith didn’t even notice when the man started to walk with his drink towards the back of the store. But when he did notice, it was already too late.
The man wasn’t paying attention, still talking to the barista as he walked, and in a horrible turn of events, the man slips.
On Keith’s skateboard.
His feet fly up almost cartoonishly and his coffee suspended in the air. It was only for a moment, but it felt like slow motion for Keith. He reached out, hoping to save the stranger but it was no use. He was already on the ground. On his back, and his shirt now a dark blue, accented by a dozen ice cubes laying on his chest.
Everything was silent again.
“Fuck.” The man whispers to himself.
“Um.” Keith starts. “Are you okay?”
He didn’t say anything as he got up, shivering as the ice cubes poured off of him. Dripping still, he points an accusatory finger at Keith.
“Why the hell do you have your skateboard on the floor?”
Keith just looks at him confused. “Uh… It belongs there?” He said, raising an eyebrow.
“Oh don’t be a smartass.” He scoffed. “You could’ve at least flipped it so it wasn’t upright.” He folded his arms, letting more coffee drip on the floor.
Keith felt his face stiffen. Now he was starting to get pissed at this guy’s attitude.
“I didn’t have to do anything. You were the one walking stupidly close to my table, you could’ve easily seen the board if you were paying attention.”
The other man clicked his tongue. “Oh, so this is my fault, huh?” He said, sarcasm laced in his voice. However, Kieth wasn’t exactly here for his games.
“Yes.” He said simply.
Lance pauses, his lips downturned in a purse.
“You’re an asshole.”
Keith laughs lightly. Sure, he’s the asshole in this situation.
“Wow, what gave that away?” He probed, wanting to hear what explanation he could come up with. Just how far was he willing to go?
“Because clearly you don’t care or give a shit about anyone but yourself.” He scoffed.
Keith glared daggers at the man. This dick.
Before they could really start any real trouble or fights, the barista from earlier came and approached the two.
“Goodness, Lance are you alright?” She asked worriedly.
“I’m fine.” He looks down at himself and groans. “I’m sorry, I think it would be better for me to get changed before cleaning this up, I don’t want to get coffee anywhere else.”
“Oh don’t even worry about that, Lance! I’ll clean it up, you go ahead and get changed okay?”
The man, who is apparently named Lance, sighs. “Thank you, Allura.” He says with a genuine smile, before walking out of the store, without a second glance at Keith.
Keith groans.
What a great first day in this town.