{VLD} Klangst AU ★Regulus★

~Chapter II~

Leo sighs,rolling on the ground "let's do something fun!" He whines. They have just been on the fifth row of playing Snakes and Ladders.

Keith cocked an eyebrow "well,what do you wanna do?" He was starting to get tired of all this kid's nonsense and just wanted to get over it. He knew he wasn't going anywhere until he was satisfied. For the day,that is.

"I don't know," Leo sat up immediately,eyes sparkling with excitement "The Aquarium!" He pipes up. Leo always perks up on the existence of blue,it was his signature color. Which made an awful resemblance to the person in Keith's dreams.

It was awful because the more Keith stared at him,the more he's reminded of the blue boy he was strongly trying to forget by the start of the day. Now he has to see him Twenty-four-Seven,maybe.

It was just a dream,Keith thought,Like all the rest. Keith can't go to the Aquarium,he has work to today at Space Burgers which starts at the next hour.

"I can't," Keith declined "I have work today," Leo pouts, he was looking forward to going to see what it felt like to be underwater. The place was magical,he felt like he was a merboy or something.

He remembers that story his mamá told him before. The assorted colors of corals, the water reflecting the sun's light,and how everything could be so beautiful in anyway. He dreams to explore the very core of the ocean someday and show it to everyone that it wasn't as scary as they presumed. It would be beautiful.

"Then I'll come with you," Leo decides. Keith wasn't into the idea of Leo tagging along as he works,work was the only option he has in trying to get away from his thoughts.

"No," Keith replied. With a crestfallen face,Leo demands "why not?!" He grips on to Keith's arm,eyes carrying such intensity as they hold Keith's gaze yet Keith was the least intimidated.

Keith shakes off his arm from Leo's grip and stared back into the determined look on the boy's face.

"You really want to come?" He asks. Leo vigorously nods his head,making Keith worry that he might flip his brain upside down and think left is right or up is down.

"Alright," Leo's eyes lit up as he began to cheer "I've never been to where you work before-"

"On one condition," Keith interrupts with a sneer look on his face. Leo returns it,as if they had a silent conversation,Keith knows the boy accepted his challenge.

"You," Keith thinks for a moment,thinking of a challenge in his mind. Suddenly,he had a dangerous idea in his mind that he was sure the boy would forfeit.

"You have to go to the other side of town and into a store called A-Four-Double," Keith said,the confusion on Leo's face made it obvious to him that he didn't know anything about what he said.

"Affordable?" Leo echoes in a question "A-Four-Double," Keith repeated before explaining "its a store where I usually by stuff,its like a dollar store,"

"Is it where you also bought your fingerless gloves?" Leo asks,pointing at the gloves Keith wore before Keith hid his hands behind him.

"I don't know what you're talking about,"Keith said as-a-matter-of-fact. He clears his throat "anyways,you do know what's on the other side of town,right?"

Leo shakes his head "no,why? Is it bad?" The concern in his voice evident which confirmed Keith's suspicions "well,its where all the bad guys stay. It's not really a friendly environment there,"

Leo gulps before trying on for a brave look,puffing out his chest which made him look a little ridiculous with his scrawny figure.

"I...I can do it,"he said with determination. Keith thought if this was a good idea,heck, of course it wasn't. He was about to dismiss the deal they just had before Leo sprinted out of the apartment.

"I'll be back in a bit! You better not leave me!" Leo called out in a distance. And boy,did Keith have a bad feeling about this.

The next few while,Keith's concern began to grow. He grabs his red jacket and walked out. The boy had not been back and it had been at least almost an hour. He got on his motorcycle,put on his helmet,and rode down the road.

He was starting to blame himself if something happened to the boy. Hell,it was obvious he would be the one to blame if something were to happen to the boy.

Once he got to the store,he kicked his stand and let his helmet dangle on the handles of his motorcycle. He pushed open the door,the chimes of metal echoing in the lifeless store.

It was filled with antique items- music boxes,ceramic vases,a set of cups,old stuff toys and family board games, vintage cassettes and old video games.

"Hello?" Keith called "Hello," he continues to call and look around. No one seemed to be managing the cash register,and almost any one could just walk in and steal everything and no one would notice.

Keith's eyes landed on a blue-tinted glass shaped out into a lion,he couldn't help but feel sad and happy at the same time. He felt...nostalgic? In a way. He held the small figure onto his palm,it seemed almost fragile but he knew it wasn't going to break so easily. It would hold on

Swiftly,he slipped in into his sleeve just as he heard footsteps walk in to the store from the backroom.

A man in his late Thirties reveals himself,he was the one managing the store. His mustache always maintained.

"Ah," he says upon realization "Keith,I suppose you have come to take your fingerless gloves?" He raises a brow to Keith in an a teasing way.

"Yes,Coran," Keith sighs, since the boy hasn't gotten his gloves yet then he probably hasn't gotten here yet. Keith wondered where he could be.