Lance always hated waking up early. Most times his body was forced awake by an alarm or some sort of emergency. There ever looming fear of death and what not…
Recently, he seemed to be waking up on his own with the rising sun. And for some unfathomable reason, he didn't mind it.
For one reason: Waking up early meant he woke up before Keith.
Waking up before Keith meant he could quietly admire him in secret.
Ever the pain in his side, he still couldn't see much. From a distance, Keith was just a haze of colors, but if he inched closer he could make the outline of his nose, eyes, and lips.
If he was really sneaky he could sometimes reach out and touch those features, quietly appreciating the softness of his lips, the smooth skin of his nose, and the luscious curl of his eyelashes. And his cheeks, oh heaven his cheeks; they were so squishy Lance almost woke Keith up with his giggles when he gently pinched them, pulling them apart a little till Keith made a funny face.
In truth, even if Lance wasn't able to clearly see him yet he had seen Keith enough before being blinded that he could picture Keith perfectly. As well as most of the expressions he tended to make; Scowls, blank looks, annoyance- that fond little eyebrow raise he would give people sometimes.
That one was his favorite.
His pride wouldn't allow him to admit that, of course. Or say just how attractive Keith was at times. Unfairly so, honestly.
Dark eyes, dark hair, with a strong jaw, long slender nose, and that smirk…
That smirk had a dangerous power over Lance's common sense sometimes.
"Keith?" Lance whispered between them. He intended to wake him up, but his attempts were pathetic. He was enjoying this moment too much.
Keith's gentle breaths, his calm aura, his hair messily sticking to his hair- Lance reached up and curled a finger through it, smiling. You could never normally see any of this, so he had to appreciate it while he could!
"Hey, sleepy head," he barely whispers. Lance had meant what he said in his drunken exhaustion a few weeks ago- Keith's hair was gorgeous. Despite how poorly he kept it at times, a single bath seems to rejuvenate it perfectly, leaving it as soft as silk.
Lance enjoyed running his fingers through the mullet at times like these
Opening his mouth, Lance blew lightly into Keith's face.
He stirred at the action, eyebrows furrowed slightly. Eyelids fluttered open and Lance could see the warm color of his purple eyes. Taking a second to blink a few times, Keith's gaze focused on Lance. They were close, entangled in each other's arms and nuzzling their noses together.
Wondering if it was too late to feel embarrassed, Lance grins impishly, "Morning~"
Keith turned around too fast for Lance to catch the spreading blush crossing his cheeks, "What the hell," he muttered before yawning. "Who just stares at someone while they sleep?"
"I do…" Lance pulled him back against his chest, "I can count all your zits that way,"
"I don't have any,"
"I know. It's completely bogus considering you go days without taking a bath or shower,"
Keith yawned again, "You are the only one who cares about that kind of thing, Lance,"
"All people should care about their face. It is what everyone tends to look at first,"
Keith snorts a little, his voice slurred, not fully awake, "Are you an idiot or an idiot?" he says drowsily.
"The first one," Lance tells him, "I resent being called the second one,"
Keith's chuckle vibrates through his back and against Lance's chest.
It made him feel warm and bubbly, "So- I'm starting to think you like being the little spoon," he announces slyly. Keith elbows him a little, refusing to move from the spot.
So what if it turns out he is a cuddler? Lance was obviously to blame for that.
"Shut up," he muttered. After a few short seconds, he says something incoherent and turns under Lance's arms. Shifting until he was facing Lance again he nuzzled into his chest, sighing contently, "Sleep…' The spot was too comfortable to let his embarrassment pull him from it.
"Oh, so if you wake up before me, you get to just wake me up- but If I wake up before you, I'm just supposed to let you sleep?" Lance snorts, brushing Keith's bangs out of his face. Keith made a grumpy face, refusing to open his eyes.
"M'tired…"
"Poor baby," he teased. "I'm getting some breakfast,"
"Don't-" Keith scowled. Lance getting up to get breakfast means he would have to move his arm from underneath Keith's chin. He would lose that sense of warmth.
"Sucks," Lance chided, carefully pulling his arm out. He laughed when Keith tried to grab it to keep it there. A little too sluggish from exhaustion his head plopped flat on the mattress and he grumbles.
"Come on, get up," Lance smiled
He ended up coaxing Keith out of the bed with the cherry flavored juice Tellru brought them. Lance was positive, of course, that they didn't call them cherries in this world, but Keith loved the tastes of it regardless, chugging it down by the cartons at times.
Lance wasn't a big fan, allowing Keith to do such a gross thing. It was actually almost comedic to watch the crazy haired paladin lazily slurp from the carton, sleep still evident in his slouched posture.
Things had been quiet since they had met the King. No assassination attempts, no Rashra- it was peaceful.
If Lance had known that the people just needed a scolding from their King, he would have requested that weeks ago.
"Tellru left a note," Lance holds it up and hands it to Keith for him to read. Cause of course, he couldn't read it.
"She says that we have the bath to ourselves for two hours today,"
"Ohh sweet!" Lance leaped to his feet, "I call going first!"
"We could just go together," Keith yawns.
"I'm not as blind as I was before, I'll be fine," Lance pauses. Looking Keith over, he dares something crazy. Reaching for the bottom of his shirt, he casually lifted it over his head, tossing it towards the hamper. Feeling Keith's gaze lock with his back, he smirked a little, "I can bath by myself...Unless you want to join me~?"
Keith is startled to full awareness and his mouth falls open. His eyes drink in the sight before him. He barely whispers, "N-No... You go first,"
Lance hummed deviously, "Okay, if you are sure." he pauses, "I don't want another peeping tom incident," he warns.
Keith gawks at him, his mind torn from worshipping Lance's torso or throwing a towel at him to cover him, "For the last time- I wasn't!"
"Sure sure," Lance rolls his eyes and collected some clothes. It was nice to have a moment to himself, just him and a giant pool of water. He floated on his back for who knows how long before he realized Keith also needed to bathe.
Quickly cleaning himself, he got out and dried off. Throwing on his clothes, he returned to the apartment to let Keith go next. "Make sure you wash your hair,"
Keith grumbles, "Make sure you keep the door locked while I'm gone,"
"Why?"
"So no one comes in, why else would you lock a door?"
"I can take care of myself," Lance frowns. "Now go, go,"
With a heavy frown, he pauses, making sure to lock the door himself before leaving. Lance rolled his eyes. Not that he didn't appreciate Keith worrying about him, but it was different now that his sight was getting better.
Of course, there was still no promise that they would fully heal, but he didn't need to be treated like a baby anymore. He could do things by himself now.
So when someone knocked on the door, Lance only hesitated for a few moments before answering it. It was common courtesy to answer the door if someone knocked, right?
"Hello~?" It wasn't Tellru or Dravla. In fact, it wasn't even close to who he expected to be.
It was a child. And it definitely wasn't Ruru, judging by their hair.
"Hello," the child greeted and then proceeded to push his way inside. Tearing around Lance's legs, he ran for the couch and leaped up to it.
"Uh-?!" Lance looked back and forth from the hall to the kid, "Hi? Who uh- who are you, kid?"
"Harri," he says. He stops then and bows, "Pleased to make your acquaintance."
Not expecting the child to be so formal Lance awkwardly bowed his head back, "You too?" he paused, "Wait… you understand me? I understand you?!"
"I speak English," Harri tells him. He spoke it very well, actually. Even better than Ruru, and Lance had been teaching her words for weeks now.
"Okay… Okay Harri, who are you? What are you doing here?" Lance wanted to get this kid out of here and fast. What if his parents were close and assumed Lance kidnapped him or something?! That definitely wouldn't blow over well.
"I told you, I'm Harri," the child smiles, "I wanted to come meet you," he patted the chair next to him. Hesitant, Lance slowly went to sit down. It was a kid, after all. He couldn't be that untrusting to a child.
"You wanted to meet me?" he inquires.
"Of course! You are the blue champion! The outsider who managed to beat all five champions!" Harri says excitedly. His eyes are a piercing green, wide and filled with childish wonder. They seemed familiar to Lance, but he couldn't recall from where.
"Well, yeah I am," Lance says with an ounce of pride. He couldn't help it when Harri was looking at him like some sort of fairy tale hero. "Were you there?"
"With my Father," he nods. "It was amazing! But you still won even though you were blind! Are you still blind now?"
"A little,"
With a clatter, the front door swung open and Lance could hear Keith sigh, "Lance, I told you to keep the door locked," After some power bath, the red paladin stepped in with a towel slung over his shoulders, keeping his hair from getting his clothes wet.
"H-Hey, Keith," Lance waved. Keith paused, squinting his eyes.
His mouth drops open slightly as he looks back and forth from Lance to the new guest, and he says, "Lance,"
"Yeah?"
"There is a thing next to you,"
"That is called a child, Keith. We've had this discussion once before,"
"Why is he here?"
"I dunno, I'm still trying to get him to answer,"
Keith lifts his hand, pinching the bridge of his nose, "10 minutes. I was gone for 10 minutes and you wonder why I'm not comfortable leaving you alone,"
Lance scoffed, "Nothing bad happened. It is just a kid. His name is Harri,"
At the sound of his name, Harri smiled at Lance, "Is he your equivalent?"
Lance sputters, "Huh? Oh um… y-yeah," it was part of the routine to tell everyone that Keith was- so why did he feel so flustered suddenly to admit it now? "His name is Keith,"
"Keef," Harri nods.
Keith narrows his eyes, a grim smile pulling at his lips, "Keith," he corrects.
Harri attempts again, "Keef,"
"Keith,"
Lance finds it amusing, "That's what he said, Keef," he teases. Keith points a warning finger at him and Lance sticks out his tongue.
Bickering between each other for a few seconds, Lance jerked when a heavy bang echoed the room. Realizing it was the front door, he screamed when it was violently tossed open from the outside.
Keith hurdled in front of him, ready to pull out his Bayard till he realized it was Dravla.
"Dravla, what the hell?" he demanded angrily, lowering the protective arm he had lifted in front of Lance.
Not one to usually come in without knocking first, or break the door for that matter, Dravla stormed into the room. He didn't look at them immediately and scanned the perimeter.
"Oh, perfect!" Lance's mood lightens, grateful to see the Coeihn who could help him with this kid situation, "Listen Dravla, I know you are probably about to go see Ruru's play for her school, but we got a problem here. There is a kid-"
"No no! I-I can't go! I can't go see Ruru's performance. The entire guard is in an uproar!" Dravla paced the room in a delirious sense of worry.
Startled, Lance lifted up his hands in hope to calm their Coeihn friend. They had never seen him so upset before, "Dravla. Dravla, buddy, calm down. What's happening?"
"The young prince!"
"What?"
"The young prince is gone! No one can find him! The King is going nuts and-" Dravla stopped dead in his tracks. Straightening, his face morphed from panic to a worrying blank look. He turned his head to the child seated at the table.
"Hi Dravla," Harri waved.
Dravla turned his head to the sky, as if silently pleading with the stars to strike him down where he stood. When it didn't happen, he sighed. "Prince Harri," he says slowly, stressing the words and trying his best not to explode on the spot, "What. Are. You. Doing. Here?" his smile is crooked.
"You're a prince?" Lance gasped at the child. His green eyes did seem familiar- if he was the King's son then he got them from him.
("I wanted to see the Blue champion,") Harri explains with a kick of his feet, speaking in his natural language.
("Do you have any idea how worried everyone was? Your Father- Tellru- they are both in a panic, Harri!") He tells him, kneeling down to place his hands on the child's shoulders.
("I'm locked in the castle all day… I just wanted to have some fun,") the prince lowers his gaze. ("That's all I wanted…")
"Um…" Lance lifts a hand to catch their attention, "Harri was just telling me he wanted to meet me or something. I don't think he meant any harm," he says honestly.
Dravla nods, the relief relaxing his shoulders, "I see, but Prince Harri, leaving without telling anyone has caused a lot of worries. Something could have happened to you and we might have never known," he says gently to the child, "I understand that you want some time to yourself, or that you wanted to meet Lance, but next time, please tell someone before you do."
"If I did they still might not have let me out of the castle," Harri frowns, puffing out his cheeks.
"No one said being a prince was going to be easy," Dravla agrees.
"And no one asked me if I wanted to be prince…" Harri cuts himself off, "I'll go back now. I got to meet the blue champion."
Lance glanced at Keith, frowning. Keith wasn't sure what Lance wanted and shrugged at him, watching as Lance stepped forward. Lance hated when kids were sad. "Well, maybe he could come to Ruru's performance before he heads home?" he offered.
Dravla snaps his attention to him, "What?"
"It's only an hour, right? Couldn't he come see it with us?"
Harri perks up, looking up at Dravla with pleading eyes, "I want to go!"
"You barely even know Ruru," Dravla says hesitantly.
"She is your daughter and I know you- that is all I need to know," Harri insists, "Please Dravla. I'll never run off again if you let me. Please please?" he begs and pleads. Lance gives him similar puppy dog eyes.
Inwardly groaning in protest, Dravla looks to Keith for help. Keith just shrugs. Dravla should have known that Keith couldn't say no to Lance when he gives him that look- it was impossible. He was on his own.
"Oh… Fine. Let me just go inform the King that I located you, alright?" the older Coeihn sighs. "And you have to put something on to cover your face so no one knows who you are,"
"Yay!" Harri and Lance leaped into the air, cheering.
After a quick call to the castle, and many scolding's from the King, he had agreed to let Harri go under the condition that Dravla stayed close to him at all times. Dravla, of course, agreed without complaint and they were off.
"So you snuck out of an entire castle by yourself?" Keith inquired to the child. He nodded. The red paladin seemed impressed and nodded thoughtfully.
"And just to see me- I'm touched," Lance grins. Harri gives him a little smile watched him in amazement. He seemed to follow Lance around like a small duckling, copying most of his gestures, all the way to the school.
"What is your weapon called?" Harri inquired with a smile.
"A Bayard," Lance tells him.
"Why is Keef's different?"
"It goes off your personality and takes the form of something that best matches you,"
"Are you two in love love?"
"Uh..." Lance scratched the back of his head nervously. He could see Dravla snickering from the corner of his eyes and was tempted to throw his leg out and trip him. "Well um...we are kind of just- I suppose you could say we are kind of...?" he bit his lip, then shoved Keith forward. "You tell him, Keith."
"What?" he snapped.
"Go on,"
"Lance," Keith was going to murder him later. Realizing Harri was waiting patiently for his answer, Keith awkwardly cleared his throat, "We're not really-" something sparks in the back of his eyes, "Yes," he finally says.
Lance staggered.
"We are in deep deep love with each other that Lance can't ever get enough of me. We are always saying how much we love each other and make kissy faces. Really, he is hopeless on his own and needs me to constantly baby talk him and carry him around like a small infant. We are always kissing and hugging," Lance didn't know what was worse, the fact that he was making up crap or that half of the stuff he said was kind of true!
He refuses to state which parts are which here.
"Really?" Harri covers his face a little, embarrassed.
"Yup. He is also super emotional whenever I'm away and just wants his big strong Keith to shield him from the world-" Keith is cut off when Lance's hand shoot out from behind him and cover his mouth.
"Why you-!" the tosses them to the right and takes Keith down to the ground in some crazy wrestling move.
"You told me to tell him!" Keith is grinning evilly.
"Eat dirt you mullet head! I'll show you helpless!" Lance tosses a handful of it into his face. Keith coughs a little, rolling them over. By the time Dravla had pulled them away a small crowd had come to watch the scene, murmuring and wondering to themselves if this was how Human Equivalents showed affection to one another.
"Ass," Lance grumbles.
Keith's hand slip apologetically into his. Lance forgives him in a heart beat, brushing dirt from his shoulder. Lance was tempted to tell Keith that he was lucky he was cute, or he would stay angry with him.
He bit his tongue at the last second, deciding his heart wasn't ready to say that. So he focused on the road ahead, his heart hammering in his chest and trying his best to ignore the little stares Harri was giving them.
("So they are in love love?") Harri inquired to Dravla within the Coeihn's main language.
Dravla smiles, ("Yes- they just have trouble admitting it sometimes. It is a human thing,")
("Ooh,") Harri giggles
The two paladin's squinted their eyes suspiciously, "What are you two talking about?"
"Nothing~"
They barely got to the school in time for Ruru's performance.
The building was small and cute and surrounded by flowers. Children covered the yard of it, talking and dressed in all sorts of outfits for the performance.
It reminded Lance of the little plays and performances he did when he was a child.
"Ruru!" Dravla called into the sea of Coeihn children. Puffy curls of green hair perked up and Ruru came charging at them. Dressed in a little blue dress, she grins and twirls in front of them, showing it off.
Lance leans in a little to get a closer look, "Sweetpea, you are so pretty! I can actually see the dress this time too- We made the right choice with this one!"
Ruru charged at him, leaping into his arms. "Lala, you come see performance?"
"Wouldn't miss it for anything," he says. Thrilled, Ruru reaches out to grab his face a little, and the two share a laugh.
When Lance grinned, Keith was positive there was nothing more perfect. The warm nature of this blue paladin was just too infectious. When you were around him, you felt safe and accepted.
Keith felt at home.
That was something he thought he would never be able to feel again, till meeting Lance. He was just full of surprises.
"You are staring at him," Dravla leans over his shoulder like he always did when he was being a meddling jerk. Keith tried to punch him.
"Shut up," he commanded
"If you think he is so wonderful, you should tell him~" Dravla cooes. He yells for Lance to help him when Keith starts to pull out his Bayard.
"Keith!" Lance scolded, "Put that away and get over here! It is Ruru's special day!"
Reluctantly following his command, Keith leaves Dravla to snicker behind a tree. When he trudged back to Lance, he was mesmerized by the gentle look he held in his eyes. He lifted Ruru up for him to see.
"Doesn't she look pretty, Keith?"
"You are," he agrees softly, but he wasn't talking to Ruru. No, he looking right over her, to the paladin that had been consuming his thoughts lately. Realizing the slip of his tongue almost a second too late, Keith screams, "I mean she is!" Lance hadn't seemed to catch on, to his relief.
Ruru, the little gremlin, ruined his plan when she snickered. It was deep and mocking and she says, "You call Lance pretty!" she struggles through the English.
Lance drops her and his face flushes beautifully. Keith chokes at the sight, his heart puttering messily in his chest.
Lance refused to believe her- or he couldn't bare to believe her, "No- he called you pretty,"
"No. He called you, pretty." she corrects with a smug smile.
He looks at Keith, who jerks a little, smiling nervously. Unable to keep eye contact, Lance looks back at Ruru in a panic, "N-No he didn't!" his voice cracks.
"Yes, he did."
"No, he didn't!"
"Yes!"
"NO!
"YES! Right, Keef?" she looks up at him.
He plays dumb, "Huh? What now? What are we talking about?"
"We're all pretty here," Dravla cuts in, settling the matter. "I mean, look at us," he strikes a pose, "Drop dead gorgeous,"
Lance was grateful for the slight topic change and high-fived him, "Hell yeah,"
"Am I pretty?" Harri inquired at Lance's side.
"Course you are," the blue paladin ruffles his hair. Grinning, Harri catches Ruru's gaze. She is staring at him, puzzled. She motions to Harri and gives her father a confusing look. He chuckles nervously. '
Um… Ruru, you remember Harri, right?"
She nods solemnly, "Prince…"
"Well, he asked to come see your performance today. Say hi,"
Ruru and Harri turned to each other, eyes blank. ("...Hi,") Ruru waves a little
("Hello,")
Ruru held out her hand and Harri stepped forward to shake it. It was like two businessmen meeting for the first time. Then, like the little prince he was, Harri kissed her hand. Ruru goes still, an indescribable look in her usually loving eyes.
Lance watched the two curiously, then leans towards Dravla when it grows dead quiet, "Have they ever met before?"
"Twice, but they were both very little. Harri doesn't leave the castle grounds often."
"Why is that?"
Dravla glanced away, "The King is- ever since he lost his equivalent he has been very protective of the Prince. It's sad to say, but he feels his son will only be safe if he is in the perimeter of the castle, so he never really leaves. And Ruru doesn't like to go into the castle because she says it is stuffy, so they don't really talk."
Lance frowns, "I see… How did the King's equivalent-?"
"There was an attack from the Travek's." Dravla sighs sadly, "An explosion caused too much damage on Kac'ela- the King's equivalent. There was nothing we could do…"
"Kac'ela?" Lance thought about the name for a moment and hesitantly asked, "Is that a guy's name or a girls name?"
"A male,"
"..." Lance slowly inquires, "The King's equivalent was a guy?"
"Yes."
"And that's their biological son?" he points to Harri
"Yes."
Lance purses his lips. Okay Lance, you are on a different planet here. So not everything you learned in your health Ed class is going to apply here…
"Is there something wrong?"
"No," Lance shakes his head, "Just found that interesting, is all," he looks back at the two 6 year olds. Harri had just pulled away from kissing Ruru's hand and smiled at her. It was a forced smile- one he most likely must have mastered due to the family he comes from. They seemed to be getting along fine...
Till Ruru gut punched Harri hard and without mercy. She then watched him crumble to the floor, pumping her fist in silent victory.
Dravla let out a shrill call of distress, horrified. "Ruru, why?!" he wailed.
Ruru calmly turned and ran to hide behind Keith. Keith blinked at her, not even sure what to make of the situation. He almost looked kind of proud that she did it.
"He kiss me hand," she held it up for Keith to see. He acts like she is holding up a diamond to him and gasps.
"Did he?"
She nods, "Like a prince,"
"He is a prince," he tells her
"But like one," she says a little more insistently.
Speaking of the Prince, Dravla had crouched next to him, his hands fumbling to help him up "I-I am so sorry, Harri! She didn't- I don't know what came over her! Are you alright?"
Harri coughs, and rolls onto his stomach. Slowly pulling himself back to his feet, he nods weakly.
"Ruru," Lance asks "Why did you do that? That isn't nice,"
Ruru pouts and folds her arms. It reminded Lance of Keith, and he wondered if he was starting to influence her in some horrible way. "Cause,"
"Cause why?" he sighs.
Keith is kneeling down too, curiously tilting his head, "Did he say something?"
"No."
"Then what happened?"
Ruru taps her foot then says in a cute and quiet voice, "He kiss my hand... and I thought his eyes looked nice…"
"...HUH?" Lance asked. Keith just nodded, like that was a perfectly understandable reason. "Why would you punch him if you thought that?"
"Cause I had to tell him somehow!" she says
"So you punch him!?"
"Makes sense to me," Keith says.
"You shh- you have no part of this," Lance frowns at him.
"But it makes sense," he scowls, "She liked him so she showed him that through physical violence,"
Ruru nods, "Yes,"
"No!" Lance yells at them both, "That isn't how you show someone you like them!"
"What?" Dravla is utterly lost, "Who likes who know?"
"They are 6, Lance. Yes it does make sense," Keith hushes him.
"No it doesn't!"
"I-It's okay," Harri rubs at his sore stomach, "No one has ever punched me before-" he gives Ruru this look like she is the coolest thing he's ever seen. She sticks her tongue out at him.
Dravla opens and closes his mouth, lost and confused. "I don't- what?"
"I guess it's...Child romance?" Keith offers.
Lance cringes, deciding it was just best to roll with this. Keith nods approvingly to him. Lance is tempted to pinch him. He goes for it, pinching Keith's side. Keith leaps away from him, eyed wide.
He lifted his hand and approached Lance as if he intended to do it back.
Dravla cut between them, "Child what?!"
From within this mess, Tellru, ever one to appear out of nowhere, suddenly drops down in front of them, her eyes sparkling. "Between who? What's going on? I heard romance?"
"Ruru and Harri," Keith gossips. Which is something that should never happen.
"No," Ruru kicks Lance's ankle. Lance falls over and Ruru tackles him. "Cooties!" in her embarrassment, she hits Lance on the head.
"Then why are you yelling at me about that?" Lance yelped, "I'm not the one who said anything! It was Keith!"
"Ruru is cool," Harri is just grinning like a mad man, tugging on Tellru's sleeve.
Too many things were happening for anyone to really make sense of it all. Tellru looked like she was ready to start planning some future marriage, swinging Harri excitedly. Ruru was hitting and laughing at Lance, insisting the Harri was disgusting. Keith was watching from above, jabbing Lance's side from time to time to get him to laugh. And Dravla was crouched over, like his world was shattering around him.
Overall, a normal day.
When things started to cool down, Keith asked Tellru, "When did you get here?"
'Just now." she lifted Harri away from her, her happy expression turning sour, "Young man," she scolds, "You caused a whole lot of trouble today."
The prince lowers his gaze and nods, "Sorry…"
Tellru's expression softens and she hugs him, "I'm just glad you are alright. Please don't scare me like that again,"
"I won't. I came to see Ruru's performance. She is super cool! She punched me!" he grins. Tellru almost drops him, eyes snapping to her daughter.
"She what?"
"She liked my eyes and punched me!" Harri grins.
"..." Tellru forces a laugh and lowers Harri. "Ruru, my precious daughter; we need to have a discussion on showing others affection," she tries to grab her but Ruru ducks away, running into the sea of children.
"See you on stage!" she giggles maniacally!
Tellru pointed at Keith, "I blame you for this, you bad influence,"
"I've never hit anyone when I'm trying to compliment them," Keith says in his defense, "She didn't get that from me,"
"You hit Lance all the time," Dravla points out with a sour pout, also blaming him, "She must think it is normal,"
Keith blinks a couple times, "..."
Lance lifts a shaky hand, "What do you two mean by that?" he asks cautiously.
"You hit the person you like," Tellru smirks, "It isn't rocket science,"
"U-Um…" Lance could feel a blush creeping along his ears. Keith had to turn away to hide his, coughing into his hand.
"You two are cute," Tellru chuckles. Getting up and yanking her equivalent to his feet, she pats his shoulder. "Let's go find our seats before they are all taken,"
"Okay," he sniffled, broken at the idea of his baby girl growing up and finding an equivalent so soon. Tellru pats his head, insisting that that day won't be happening for a long time.
"Come along Lance, Keith," Tellru calls to them. Taking a moment to compose themselves, they shuffle after her, avoiding eye contact at all costs.
"So this is Ruru's school?" Keith asked.
"What's a school?" Tellru asks.
"This?"
"They call it an educational facility," Lance tells him.
"Oh uh- yeah that then," Keith shrugs.
"Yes. She'll be here for a few more years before she moves up with the older kids," Tellru explains to them.
'I'm home schooled," Harri tells Lance.
"Oh yeah? I bet you are super smart," Lance smiles. Harri is pleased to hear him say that and nods.
"I'm super super smart," he agrees. They move down the halls, each wall covered in drawings and projects the children had made. It was like walking into any normal elementary school back on Earth. The only difference is that they seemed to have a lot of extra rooms with large windows looking in.
Lance peeked in curiously, surprised to see an indoor pond of sorts on the other side.
"What's in there?'"The infant room," Tellru explains.
"The infant room," Tellru explains.
"There is a pond in there," Keith points out
"Yeah," Dravla nods.
"..." Lance frowns.
"What do baby Coeihns look like?" Keith asks.
"Wanna see?" Tellru reached for the door handle, opened it, and motioned for them to go inside.
Stepping in, they circled the pool. Lance and Keith couldn't prepare themselves for what they saw next.
The Coeihns didn't have babies like humans did. Quite the contrary actually.
"They're flipping tadpoles, Keith,' Lance shook his arm. "Tadpoles!" No arms or legs, just little fish looking things floating around. Granted, they were a lot bigger than normal, but they were totally still tadpoles.
Tellru gave them a curious look, "Is this not how babies are in your world?" she inquires curiously.
"No! No at all! I mean-" Lance hesitantly reaches a hand into the water. The little tadpoles curiously swam up to him, nudging his palm. Blinking at him they smile toothless smiles and scurried away.
Some had started to grow legs by now, only having little tails, while other's still looked more tadpole then Coeihn- it was bizarre but kind of cool?
"Do you guys lay eggs or something?"
"We do," Dravla says, "I assume humans don't?"
"No," they say instantly.
"How strange," Dravla mused. "Well you see. After two Equivalents-" he paused, his eyes trailing to Harri. His wide eyes blinked up to Dravla, innocent and waiting for what he was going to say.
Frowning, Dravla slowly brought his hands up and covered Harri's ears. Harri whined, trying to pull away the entire time Dravla told them the quickest Coeihns birthing biology lesson ever.
Lance wanted to cover his own ears by the end of it, "Didn't need to hear all of that,"
Coeihns are apparently similar to reptiles, and after they mate with their equivalent, they are able to lay eggs- it was the weirdest conversation Lance has ever had.
"So then- both guys and girls can lay eggs and fertilize them?" Keith asks calmly.
"Yes," they say.
"That is- completely different from humans. Only girls can have babies to our race," Lance admits. Dravla found that funny.
"Then how do two male equivalents have children?"
"They can't really on their own- they either adopt or get a surrogate; someone to have the baby for them," Lance tells them. "It's- complicated."
"It sounds like that." Dravla chuckles.
"I can't believe Ruru was once a tadpole," Keith says, "Do you two have pictures? I need to see this,"
"We will show you them later," Tellru promises him.
"I wanna see them too!"
"Alright, alright! Later," she ushers for them to get out of the room, "Right now we need to get seats." They sprinted for them, because Tellru was right, they were going fast. Dozens of parents had shown up for the performance, beaming proudly at their children.
Seated somewhere in the back, Lance found himself between Keith and Harri, watching as the rest of the parents filled in and tried to find seats. Tellru and Dravla had started talking with other parents, while Harri asked them questions from time to time about how the schools worked.
Lance had been quiet, his legs folded over each other and gaze set in deep thought.
The thing Dravla had talked about before had got him thinking about the differences in their culture. Two males, two females, a male with a female- all of these were normal equivalents here. There was no gay or straight or anything in between to Coeihns- just Equivalents, pure's, and unpure's.
It was actually… really amazing.
"Hey-" a finger brushed along his wrist. "What's up with you?" Keith asked. "You've been a little quiet."
"Just thinking about the tadpole stuff,"
"It is kind of weird."
Lance smiles at him, "Everything about this place is weird. But you are probably the weirdest thing," he jokes.
Keith snorts a little, "I'm the weird one? Have you seen the stuff you put on your face?"
"It's skin care cream,"
"It makes you look like an alien from mars,'
Lance fakes a gasp, "You wound me, sir! You are just jealous of my perfect complexion~"
"Not in a million years," Sharing a little laugh, Lance takes in Keith's face. Not sure why Lance was staring at him, he raises his eyebrow.
"What?"
Leaning back, Lance lifted his arm and wrapped it behind Keith's chair, "I just um... I got a question for you,"
"Oh yeah? What is it?"
"Are you gay?"
Choking on his own spite, Keith had to take a few minutes to cough. "W-What?"
"Are you gay?"
"You ask this now?" he demands incredulously, "After al the times we've made out?"
"I was just curious because I didn't actually know!" Lance insisted, "So are you or are you not?"
Keith huffs, shakes his head, then shrugs, "I don't know. I told you- I've never dated. I've never been interested in anyone that way before. Sexual attraction or whatever was never a thought that crossed my mind," his voice grows quiet, realizing they were surrounded by other people. "Are you seriously asking this here, around everyone?"
"It isn't like anyone understand English… besides, Tellru and Dravla don't know what Gay means- they don't refer to others like that," Lance explains to him.
"Oh…" Keith fiddles with the end of his jacket. "Still- it's a little late to ask that,"
"Is it?" Lance leans in a little. The lights above them were starting to grow dim when he asks, "But… you are interested in me that way?"
Turning to stare him straight in the face, Keith can still see the foggy blue of the other's eyes through the darkness. The play was about to start, and everyone was looking to the stage in anticipation. Everyone but Keith, who had been trapped by the heavy gaze of this stunning blue paladin before him.
Keith's eyes wander downward for a split second to watch Lance lick his lips. He shivers when Lance whispers, "Are you sexually attracted to me?"
Keith pondered what kind of person would just so openly ask that, but of course Lance would. He was so open with everyone with his heart on his sleeve- unguarded and open for all to hurt him freely. Keith both worried and liked that about him. Liked that Lance trusted others, but knew how others weren't always people who could be trusted.
You could trust Lance. He'd never let you down if you trusted something with him- taking it all the way to his grave if need be.
It was for that reason that Keith was tempted to tell him the truth.
To admit that, yes, he was attracted to him. Achingly so.
"I…" he trails off, eyes flickering up and down from Lance's lips to his eyes. "I um…" bright lights appeared on the stage, lighting their faces from the side.
They had been using the darkness to cover their embarrassment, and gasped when it was suddenly taken from them, leaving them open and exposed. Looking away quickly, their faces red and hearts hammering, they forced themselves to focus on the starting performance.
It took till Ruru shuffled up to the stage for them to actually take interest in more than just each other and stop stealing quick and nervous glances when the other wasn't looking.
Ruru strutted that dress like the Queen she was, waving a little plastic sword around as she entered the stage.
She was like a beautiful little sunflower, prancing around and singing little songs with the other children. Lance didn't understand the play at all, given that it was a Coeihn language and they spoke completely in their own language.
Ruru loved it, however, and that was enough for Lance.
An hour passed, and Lance had to admit, these kids put a lot of serious work into this performance. From lighting, to affects, costumes- Ruru faked stabbed at least 3 kids! It was awesome! She apparently was playing the role of some knight who just happened to dress in beautiful dresses or something.
The crowd went nuts when the kids bowed their heads. Keith and Lance joined in, belting out praises for Ruru. She smiled at them, waving shyly.
After the performance, Tellru handed Ruru at least several dozen flowers, gushing over her daughter relentlessly. Dravla was in tears, insisting that his child was a top star actor.
She giggled and grinned- loving their praises.
Then Harri tried to say something, attempting to tell her that she looked really nice in her dress. She didn't take it well and kicked him.
Thankfully she did this before the guards showed up to take Harri home, and Tellru and Dravla were given the chance to properly explain to her that hitting royalty was going to get her into serious trouble. Especially if the King found out.
At least Harri didn't seem to mind. He actually seemed thrilled that someone out there wasn't treating him the Prince and saw him as something different.
"Bye Harri," Lance waves to him. Harri brightens, and hugs Lance's legs.
"Bye bye," he says. "Bye Keef!" he waves to him.
Keith sighs at the name but waves back, "See ya, Kid."
Watching him saunter off with the guards, Lance inhaled deeply, 'Well, I didn't understand a single thing about that play, but good job Ruru."
"It was about economical attributes and their effects on politics," Ruru tells him.
"…Then why were you stabbing people?" he frowns.
"I was revenging my death from my past life as a tree,"
Lance hesitated, "Coooool~?"
"Cool," she agrees, skipping ahead. Making a straight cut through the grass, she motioned to the large play set on the side of the school. Inquiring if she could play for a few minutes, her parents nodded and she was off.
"Kids grow up so fast," Dravla sighs, "Seems like just yesterday she was just a baby,"
"A tadpole," Lance still can't wrap his mind around it,
"She is still young," Tellru chuckles to Dravla, "Not much has changed, honestly. Except for her new action of hitting things she likes," she glared at Keith for that.
He glances away, "Still don't think she got that from me,"
"I'm positive she got it from you," Dravla grumbles at him. "Who knows what else she has picked up from you with the way you two tiptoe around the fact that you adore each other,"
'T-Tiptoe-?" Lance gasped on air, "W-We don't-"
"You do," Tellru pat his shoulder. It wasn't helping the blood rushing to his cheeks.
Keith wasn't handling the comment well either and tried to hit Dravla. "Stop avoiding me!" he snapped when the Coeihn dodged.
"I'm just saying,"
"No! You are being a troll!"
Dravla blinked, "I don't know what that is,"
"It is something that doesn't mind its own business!" Keith takes another swing at him.
"It is hard when I see you two every day! I mean, come on! It is obvious! You two are the only ones who don't realize!"
"Shut up!" Lance and Keith belt at him. "I don't want to hear anything from you!" Keith adds, "Besides, you are just jealous that ruru is taking after me and not you,"
"What do you mean by that?" Dravla demanded, eye's wide.
"She takes after Tellru a lot. She is beautiful and smart, but she would be cursed if she ever took anything after you. No offense," Dravla gasped in insult. Keith smirks a little, playful. "Just saying~' he mimics his words.
"Ooohhhh," Lance and Tellru say behind them, snickering
Always one for a fight, Lance sighed when he realized that Dravla had fallen for the bait. "...You starting something?" he narrowed his eyes at the smaller human.
"Maybe,"
"Why you.. You have brought forth my rage," Dravla smirks and gets to his feet. Keith starts running before Dravla can even bend his knees.
"Run Keith Run!' Lance cackled from the bench, watching as Dravla chased Keith around the play set. It was actually kind of comedic with their height difference- like a Father chasing around his son.
Though that probably isn't what the two of them were thinking right not.
The two were leaping over slides and swings, tumbling past gawking children and face planting into the dirt more than once.
Keith had never had to run so fast in his life- it should be cheating that Dravla was so much taller than him. It made it easier for him to catch up.
Knowing he would have to use tactics to outrun him, Keith ducked and weaved through the area, using his small form to squeeze through tight spaces when Dravla could not. They had kept it up for quite some time- Keith almost considered this a great type of training.
He would have to tell Shiro about it later.
If he ever saw Shiro again.
"Ah-ha!" Dravla leaped up to the platform Keith had run up to. Caught of guard, Keith's foot slipped. "Gotcha!" Dravla tackled him down the slide in one large heap. Kids cackled at the sight, cheering when they landed in the mud below.
The rolled and yelled- refusing to end their brawl till Tellru crossed the park to them.
"Boys, come on," she folded her arms over them, watching the both pathetically slap the other. "You are making a scene,"
"He started it!" Dravla insisted.
"We'll I'll finish it!" Grabbing them both by the ears, she tugged them to their feet, "You are more childish then Ruru!" They whined, and grabbed for their ears when she released them. "Come on," she sighs, "Let's head home and have some dinner to celebrate Ruru's performance."
Perking up, the two nodded. Tired and sweaty from running around so much, they trudged back to the bench where Keith had left Lance.
He wasn't there.
Keith turned to look around, but couldn't spot him. "Lance?" He called. Having expected him to go run off with Ruru at some point, he couldn't seem to see either of them anywhere. "Where did they go?"
Realizing he meant both their daughter and Paladin in question, Tellru straightened her back to eye the area. Pursing her lips, she shrugs, "Ruru? Lance? Come on, let's go!" she called into the distance. They never called back.
Dravla dabbed at the sweat on his brow "They go to the bathroom?"
She isn't sure and shakes her head, "They were right there a second ago."
Dravla went to check the bathrooms and water fountains, finding nothing there as well.
10 minutes passed and there was no sign of them.
Keith started to feel paranoid, something ugly pulling at his heart. His fast walk was slowly increasing in speed, breaking into a full sprint. He couldn't find them. The playset, the swings, around the trees and bushes, he couldn't find them. He couldn't find Lance.
"Ruru!" Dravla began to yell her name in case she was somewhere they just couldn't see.
Feeling a panic starting to sweep in their chests and they started to realize something wasn't right.
"Lance! Lance?!" Keith screamed till his throat hurts, "Ruru! Lance!" Rounding back to where they last saw him he ran into Tellru, "I can't find them!" his voice feels raw
"Me either-" she was biting her thumb. Spotting a few other parents she ran to them. Pulling out a picture of Ruru she showed it to them, desperate to know if they saw her. Most of them shrugged, not really sure
Keith couldn't breath.
Lance had been threatened for weeks now- all aiming for his life. How could he have just left him alone like that?! He was gone for just a few minutes- just a few simple minutes.
Sometimes a few minutes was all a person needed.
"Tellru Keith!" Dravla was by the gate into the park, knelt down to the ground. When they ran to him he turned with a small orange ribbon in his palm. It was Ruru's
Keith thought he was seeing stars when Dravla lifted up something else. Every breath came out ragged, like he was trying to breath through broken glass.
With a hesitant look, Dravla placed a broken chain in Keith's palm. He didn't need to look to know what it was, but he did anyway.
The traditional tie he had gotten for Lance lay within his grasp, forcefully torn away from Lance's slender neck and tossed to the ground like garbage.
Like a fungus, something dark crept through Keith's nerves.
Rage
Cold fingers slipped to his bayard. He was going to go find Lance and Ruru and the ones that took them, and when he did…
He was going to end them.