Dirty Laundry by Gibslythe

Day 6 Ch. 20

How was he supposed to do this? Keith could barely get the guy to do homework at uni, let alone distract him from the best game of his life. Keith knew there was only one option, only one way. Did Keith particularly like this one way? No, it was ludicrous, and yet Keith was still following through with it.

The journey back across the arena was dangerous, especially without a weapon to defend himself. Keith moved in stealth, hiding behind neon barricades so he wouldn't be seen. It involved a lot of crawling, the linoleum floor digging into his kneecaps.

Groaning, hating himself, hating laser tag, and hating Rachel, Keith ran off to find Lance.

After racing around a few pillars and hiding from the enemy several times, Keith found Lance reloading ammo under their base. The neon red light shined down on his skin, and for a moment Keith felt himself go numb.

"L-Lance!" He cried awkwardly. The boy turned his gaze on Keith and smiled.

"You defeat the other bases yet?"

Keith swallowed and shook his head.

"Then get back out there and - wait. Where'd your blaster go?"

Keith bit his lip.

Everything about the situation felt wrong to Keith. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Not that it mattered, not that doing this with Lance affected Keith emotionally in the slightest. It was part of the job description, it was part of the fake boyfriend package deal. It was supposed to be platonic. It was supposed to be simple.

No matter how many times Keith had denied the thought, each time the answer came back a little bit stronger. It wasn't simple. It was more than just simple, it was painful and tender and completely backfiring.

Do it, Keith's mind urged him. Do it, get it over with, finish the deal.

Hands shaking violently, Keith outstretched his fingers to hold Lance's jaw. Then he spoke, voice at a whisper near the edge of Lance's jaw.

"I'm going to kiss you. Tell me right now if I can't."

Keith could feel Lance gasp, the gulp of air catching in his throat. He didn't move - barely even breathing - all as Keith gripped Lance's sharp jaw with the pad of his thumb.

"W-Why?"

Standing this close allowed Keith access to the ring of blue around Lance's irises. The fluorescent red lighting of the arena overshadowed his eyes from far away, but here? Here he could see just the rim, a light border that hinted at the real color beneath.

"People are watching," Keith explained softly. His face never moved away; if anything they moved closer of both their wills.

Lance blinked.

"Tell me no, and I'll stop."

Keith closed his eyes, just waiting, waiting for Lance to say no. He needed him to say no, he ached for it, he yearned for the confirmation that this didn't have to go on.

It wasn't that Keith was afraid the kissing. If anything it was the opposite- he wanted it. No, he burned for it, the mere possibility of a kiss smoldering Keith from the inside out. However, what he was afraid of was the consequences; the feelings that Keith knew for a fact were just beginning to bloom.

"Tell me no," Keith repeated, his breath tickling the edge of Lance's lips.

Then, as if fearful, as if hesitant, Lance snaked his arms around Keith's hips.

And then he kissed him.