Settling into a comfortable position, Keith sits down on the edge of the cliff, legs dangling unrestrained. Kosmo nestles next to him, a warm reminder that he isn't alone.
Orange rays of sunlight bleed into the clouds, hazily painting the view gold. Keith looks over it all, the trees and the small houses, the smudged figures and blocks of colour that came from crops. It's nothing short of peace to him, waves settling after a storm. The passion fueling Keith to fight harder tucks itself away for the time being, leaving nothing but empty plains for him to aimlessly wander through.
He doesn't know how long he had spent on the cliff, wondering about everything yet nothing in particular. He doesn't remember the last time he felt so carefree, so light, so alive. War drones on like a grounding throb in the shadows of his mind, but at that moment, Keith revels in the blissful ignorance that silence presents, and casts those dark thoughts away.
After what seems to be a peaceful forever, Keith hears something, briefly popping the scintillating bubble that surrounded him.
"Knew I could find you here," Lance softly chuckles under his breath. Keith doesn't have to look to sense that it's him. Without a word, Keith shuffles over so he can enjoy the view with him, so that they can share this last sunset. Together.
"Watching the sun?" Lance whispers, and it is hardly a question. He puts his arm round Keith so that he's resting against him, close enough to feel his warmth. Keith sighs, and drops his head into the crook of Lance's neck: a steady, gentle presence supporting him.
"I don't want to leave," he says quietly, voice slightly muffled against Lance's skin, and he thinks that this is the saddest he's ever heard him. "Not now, not never."
"We'll make it last," Lance assures, voice tender. He leans back onto his palms on the rocky ground, and takes in the view, takes in the soft raven hair tickling his chin.
They stay like that for a while, silent and calm, occasionally interrupted with fond words.
As much as he wants to stare into the depths of the horizons, Keith also wants to look at his boyfriend, the man who he'd happily stay with forever. Keith lifts himself off Lance and faces him, fingers tracing stars over his cheeks. Taking a short intake of the rose-tinted air, a dusting of light pink settles all over Lance's face. His eyes fall over Keith, and they simultaneously gaze at each other, determined to remember each and every detail of their lover's face: the one dark lock of hair that always covers Keith's right eye, the few freckles on Lance's nose.
"You know," Keith mumbles, puncturing the silence, "If there was one place I'd choose to be, it'd be here."
Lance hums. "Why's that?"
"Because it's got everyone I need," Keith answers. He watches Lance's lips curve into a smile, no, a beam- (yes, Lance fucking McClain just beamed at him)- and his expressions brighten from the mellow calm, and Keith takes a second to wonder.
If this is what makes him look like that, I'd say stuff like this all the time.
"Oh really," Lance smirks playfully, "And who's that?"
Because Keith is young, and Lance is young, and the fact that they have so much more to live for, so much more time, Keith takes a more than a moment to reply to Lance's question.
"...Kosmo," he finally grins, using his free hand to ruffle his wolf's dark fur.
"Oh my god, Keith," Lance sighs dramatically. "Of course you'd say the most romantic shit and ruin it by professing your undying love for your cat. Of course."
"It was romantic?" hesitates Keith. Sure, it was sweet if him to say all that, but Keith had only been trying to sort his jumbled thoughts into tangible words. He didn't deliberately try to flirt, unlike Lance, who used the fact that he had a boyfriend available to flirt with, like, 24/7, to his advantage.
Lance chuckles, a pleasant noise. "Whatever, Mullet." He's ready to move on, but one look at Keith's befuddled guise and Lance can't take it anymore. The corner of his mouth silently tugs upwards, until he's howling with unrelenting laughter. Keith stares at him, fondness hidden behind his wide, clueless eyes.
"You look so cute right now, I just can't-" he gasps. Today, whilst his boyfriend scrunches his eyebrows together in confusion, Lance is certain that he has never seen anyone or anything so goddamn adorable in his lifetime.
"I don't get it," Keith huffs. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing, nothing," he jokes, wiping away a stray tear. His eyes lock onto Keith's, catching the light that shined from his pupils: happiness. Gazing at him with wonder, Lance carefully brings his hands up to Keith's forehead. It feels to Lance as if his fingers are infused with electricity, sparks flying off his nails. He gently tucks in a lock of hair behind Keith's ear, delicately unknotting any tangles along the way. The grateful smile he receives from the shorter boy fills his insides with bubbling warmth and pure love for him. "I fucking love you," he mutters, still as captivated by those bright violet yet murky orbs as he was years ago.
"I love you too," Keith replies, leaning a few inches towards him.
When their lips touch, it's almost like muscle memory. Lance places one of his hands on the small of Keith's back and the other by his shoulder. Keith cups his cheeks, and rests the other hand on Lance's chest, feeling the thrumming of his heart underneath his fingertips.
He's here. With me.
And in this short yet sweet moment, with the fleeting sunlight warm on his back and the mellow but distinct taste of Lance lingering on his tongue, Keith only hopes it stays that way.