Fly Away From Your Troubles (Klance AU)

8- Painted Oceans

Two days later, I found myself walking to the studio I used to go to all the time. (I was off of school since Christmas was so near, so I had the whole day free.) I hadn't been there in a few months, but as I walked in, I was still greeted with a smile.

"Keith Kogane! I haven't seen you in forever," Lotor said when he saw me, his English accent slipping through. He was an old friend— we used to draw together all the time. He had long, platinum white hair that was currently tied back in a messy bun. A single strand was still over his face like always, though. He was working at a canvas, paintbrush in hand, and had paint splatters all over his arms, body, and face.

"Hey, Lotor," I replied. "Long time no see." I walked up to him, and we did our signature handshake we had invented when we were kids.

"What brings you here? You ditched us for a little bit."

"Yeah, I guess I just needed to get away from the apartment," I told him. I set my bag down on a table, and as I did two girls walked into the room. They smiled when they saw me.

"Keith! Hi! It's good to see you!" One of them said excitedly.

"Oh, hey Ezor," I said as she hugged me. Her name was Esadora, but she preferred to be called Ezor— or sometimes Ezzie. Behind her was her girlfriend Zephyrine, or Zethrid. Both of them came here for art; Ezor practiced singing and acting two floors down, and Zethrid was amazing at digital painting. We talked for a few minutes until they left the room to go to the bottom floor.

I took my sketchbook and various pencils/pens and sat down at one of the large tables near the windows. The room's layout was like so: There were huge windows making up three of the walls, so that as much natural light as possible could be let in. The room itself held many easels, canvases laid against the walls, and a sink in the far corner to wash brushes, palettes, etc. In one corner of the room were some drawing desks; this is where I was seated currently. Lotor stood at an easel nearby. I started skimming through my sketchbook, looking at the drawings one by one, while also thinking about inspiration. I landed on the very last page I had drawn on, the drawing of Lance. I ran my hand down the smooth paper. I contemplated finishing it and outlining or maybe even painting over with watercolors, but then just decided to turn the page and start new. But apparently, I didn't turn the page soon enough.

"Who was that?" Lotor asked me with a smirk on his face. I stiffened, and tried to hide the blush on my face.

"It was no one," I said, "Just a random person..." Lotor looked at me with a straight face, and lifted an eyebrow. The strand of hair in front of his face swayed when he sighed.

"Come on, Keith, I know as well as you that that person is 100% real. You wouldn't have drawn their profile like that if not," He told me.

I sighed. "Fine. He's real. But you can't tell anyone."

"Who would I tell? It's not like I know him," Lotor replied. "But, I am curious as to what his name is," He added with a smirk. I hesitated, then sighed again.

"His name is Lance," I told him. "Do you remember when I went to Cuba that one year? Yeah, well, that's where I met him. During that trip. Then, like a week or so ago, my friend Hunk introduced us to his new roommate, and turns out that it's Lance. He's been spending a lot of time with my friends and I, and I guess I've grown to like him. As a friend." I specified on that last part so that Lotor wouldn't get the wrong idea, although I think he already did.

"Mmm hm, sure," Lotor said as he continued painting. I rolled my eyes, and searched through my bag until I picked up a pad of watercolor paper. I pulled one out, and set up the rest of my workspace. Once I was done, and sitting down, tapping the paintbrush against my head as I thought of what to paint, Lotor spoke to me again.