April 18, 2022

Sexy Blue Building

3:50 pm

"How exactly does this cult thing work? Who do I have to sacrifice?" questioned Lance as he and Shiro are walking hand in hand, arm's swinging like a pendulum.

"There's no sacrifices that I've heard of, but it's basically like tag, hide n' go seek, and a maze had a baby. Two people are "IT" and the rest of the partners have to run and hide through the maze. If you get tagged, you're out but you're still eligible to win if your partner can get to the center of the maze." Shiro responded, giving Lance his undivided attention. He's is in awe and appreciates that Shiro is really good at explaining instructions.

"Oh cool, but once you're tagged can you still help?"

"Yeah, of course, they provide walkie-talkies just in case you and your partner get split up. Also, there's color-coded vest to indicated who's "IT" and who's out." Lance let's go of Shiro's hand making him feel cold and alone without the warmth of him. He jumps in the air, his right fist is thrown over his head, imitating the ending scene of the breakfast club.

"Dude, this is so cool, I legit cannot wait to kick your ass!" Shiro's face scrunches up in confusion.

"Wait, kick my ass? Lance, we're going to be on the same team." Lance slowing starts walking backward.

"And? Us being partners doesn't mean shit, whoever gets to the middle of the maze first without being tagged wins!" And with that, Lance takes off running down the hall, Shiro chases after him.

"Lance where are you going?!" Shiro yells out to him

"Up your ass and around the corner!" Some kids laugh and the parents groan and try to cover their children's ears.

"You can't say that here! We're in a family establishment!" Shiro runs by the parents giving them apologetic looks, hoping they understand that he is also looking after a kid.

"Who's going to stop me? Freedom of speech bitch!" Lance glances over his shoulder to look at Shiro who's still chasing after him like a madman, boy could that dude run. If Lance wasn't mostly legs, he definitely would have been caught by now. However, speed doesn't mean anything once an obstacle gets in your way. Lance has a hard time paying attention to his surrounds so it isn't much of a surprise when he runs into a kid that was walking across the hallway.

They fall to the ground and the kid begins to cry. "Oh my god I'm so sorry, please don't tell your mom. You can hit me back, look" Lance grabs the kid's wrist and hits himself with it, which only causes the kid the cry louder. The mom picks up her son and looks down at Lance who's still sitting on the floor. "Don't talk to me or my son ever again!" She turns around and walks away, the little kid sticks his tongue out at Lance. He puts his hands in prayer position and brings them up to his face. He closes his eyes and exhales.

"Lance, what are you doing?" Shiro breathed, as he finally caught up to Lance. He's hunched over resting his hands against his knees.

"I'm trying to calm myself down, that kid I accidentally knocked over is testing me"

"Well I'm not surprised, kids are assholes"

"Sorry, what was that? You cant say that here"

"Oh haha, you have jokes"

"You already know babe"

"Babe?"

"Shut up 'Kashi"

Lance pouts with embarrassment as Shiro continues to laugh. He honestly loved calling Shiro babe, but that was something that Shiro didn't need to know, well not today anyway. They walk in the direction of their designated room. The employee's strap on their color-coded vest and explain the rules of the game. The bell rings and the players take off running. The players who aren't "IT" have 30 seconds to find a hiding spot or get closer to the middle. The bell rings once more, signifying that the "IT" players are on the lookout. Surprisingly Shiro and Lance make a good team, team Shance is what they call themselves. They ran into a couple of dead ends and people but the "IT" players are still nowhere in sight. I guess I shouldn't speak too soon.

"Dude this game is super easy, even though I'm like high-key stressed and paranoid about running into the wrong person," Said Lance as he was sneaking around the tall fake shrub. Shiro rolls his eyes and laughs to himself. Lance was getting way into the game but it was cute.

"Yeah, I agree. Funny story, uh, when I took Keith here he almost got into a fight with one of the players because they tried to tag him. I tried to tell him that it was how the game was supposed to be played, but he walked off and got lost in the maze. Rumor has it, that he's still lost to this day"

Lance had to cover his mouth so his laugh wouldn't expose their location. "Shiro I honestly don't know what to do with you, the only people to make me laugh like this are my best friends. And that really means a lot, so thank you"

The maze might be dimmed and kinda hard to see, but the smile plastered on Shiro's face was the only light they needed. Everything that Lance did, every word he said, every laugh that escaped his soft plump lips, every look he made toward Shiro to see if he was still paying attention, every movement that swung his hips while he walked, was something Shiro didn't want to let go. He thought Lance was just a crush, something he would get over, but boy was he wrong. Love is just a chemical reaction in your brain, but it felt like it was reacting throughout his entire body. You can't even begin to understand how tight Shiro's chest felt, how hot his chest felt, the butterflies in his stomach were going berserk. If he didn't believe in love then, he believes in it now.

"Shiro come on, why are you still standing there?" He blinks back his thoughts and jogs up next to Lance. "Oh shit, run!" said Shiro. He and Lance turn around and dip, they're running side by side, each turn they make is InSync. Everything is going fine, besides that the taggers are still chasing after them and they're kinda running out of maze sections.

"Hey, do you trust me?" questioned Lance raising his left eyebrow.

"Yeah of course, why?" cautioned Shiro

"Okay, so on the count of three I'm going to need to stop running, pick me up and throw me over the taggers. Just toss me like a football and then chase after me. Got it?"

"Uh...I guess"

"Shiro, I'm putting my trust in you, so please, you gotta trust me"

"Alright bet, if I get tagged you're on your own honey," exclaimed Shiro.

"Honey? Hm, I kinda like that, maybe it's because I'm so sweet and that I'm bee-kin" Shiro exasperated while he rubbed his hand across his forehead and down his face

"Why are you like this?" Lance laughs, "I'm not sure, but three!"

"Wait! You didn't countdown!" Shiro holts to a stop and picks Lance up like a baby, this boy is surprisingly heavy for someone so skinny. With Lance in his arms, Shiro takes a step back tosses Lance like a football. The only difference is that he didn't twist his wrist enough to send Lance spinning. Once he's in the air, the taggers look up and see Lance hovering over them, He quickly jabs them in the neck, and falls to the ground on his feet and takes off running.

"Shiro your ass better be behind me!"

"Yeah, that won't be the only thing behind you!" Shiro teased, he's slowing closing the distance between them. Lance gasps. "Wow, Man can make innuendos, color me intrigued"

"Oh baby, I color you with the rainbow" Shiro catches up with Lance and they both jog to a stop as do their laughs. Their flirting is kinda wack but the atmosphere it creates is magical.

"Hey, do you know what time it is?" Shiro rolls up his sleeve and turns his wrist so he could read his watch better. "Uh 4:45, why" Lance immediately starts to freak out, his breathing is short and quick. "Ah fuck, S-Shiro we gotta go, like now!" He starts pacing, his wrist and hands are jerking side to side repeatedly.

"Oh okay, are you okay Lance?" He stops pacing and the look in Lance's eyes are pained, Why does he look so scared? Lance doesn't reply so Shiro takes that as a no. He grabs his hand and they hurriedly walk toward one of the emergency exits in the maze. It's hidden in all the dead ends. They walk out and take off their vest and Shiro lets the employee know that they have to quit the game. Once they're in the car, the tension thickens. Lance's leg can't stop shaking and he keeps checking the phone in his hand. Shiro starts the car and they pull out of the parking lot onto the highway. Shiro can't help but feel like an intruder all over again, is this really his place to interfere? Not knowing what to say to make Lance feel better he keeps his mouth shut and listens to the directions Lance is giving him.

Shiro parks the car in front of Lance's uncle's house. Lance is still fidgeting and refuses to look at Shiro. He finally builds up the courage to unbuckle his seatbelt and open the door.

"Thanks for everything 'Kashi, I really mean it, sorry" And with that, he gets up and closes the car door, running up to the house. Shiro doesn't move until he sees Lance walk inside the house. Before he drives off he can see a man's hand pull the boy inside. On the ride home, Shiro can't help but feel anxious and overjoyed. The date with Lance was literally the best thing ever, but he's also worried about him and himself. Keith was going to kill him.

July 28, 2013

Hospital in Cuba

12:15 pm

Lance wakes up in a panic, his screams disperse into the hall. Nurses quickly run to his side to calm him down, but Lance refuses to sit still. "Mami, dónde está mi mami?!" (Mom, where's my mom) The nurses look among themselves and one grabs Lance by his hand, to soothe him. "Lo siento mijo, tu madre ha muerto." (Sorry son, your mom is dead) It takes a moment for the words to register in Lance's brain and once they do, all hell breaks loose. The nurses have to call security to help them because Lance is kicking and swinging his arms and biting. Lance was fighting like someone was trying to kill him, however, it wasn't a person, but reality that was coming after him. It was a battle he couldn't win, this was something he would have to live with for the rest of his life. And how he dealt with it, was up to him. Time gets rid of a lot of things.