Aladdin AU *klance*

A Finger for the Few

The streets were lively for an early morning. Don't commoners sleep in? Kieth shook his head. Of course not. He doesn't have to make a living for himself like these people.

As he looked around, a few streetwalkers wrapped their glossed arms around him, hoping he'd appreciate a good morning greet. Unfortunately the moment the women laid their arms on him, he sidled away.

The ladies just let their eyes follow him until one of their brunets called him back.

"Come on, handsome?" She sauntered after him her overly sexy voice awkward to his ears. "What's a beaut like me have to do to get a hunk like you?" Her arm twisted around his neck once more. He pulled away suddenly, stumbling over the base of a fruit stand.

"Hey!" The shopkeeper shouted, the streetwalker backed away and scurried off toward her girls.

The shopkeeper rushed to pick up the fruit that didn't touch the ground, "Damn youngsters! You better be able to pay for this!"

Keith stood on shaky legs, the crowd around him was focused on the situation, and he was embarrassed.

"Pay?" Keith asked; He didn't think he would need to prepare for something like this.

"Wait, let me go to the palace! I can get some from the king!" Keith announced trying to get the shopkeeper to refrain from violence.

"King? My ass! You want to know what happens to kids who steal and are careless of others property?"

The man held out his hand like he was waiting for a handshake and Keith took hold of it. All to quickly the shopkeeper had a sharp blade pressed to his pinky and ring finger.

"N-"

"Heeyyyy there..." a strangers voice interrupted from behind Keith. Another knife scooted under the blade and lifted it off. Keith jerked his head around to see who save him and was left dumbstruck. The man was lean and his skin was dark for a Latino.

The man had pulled Keith under his arm, but his focus was on the shopkeeper.

"You'll have to excuse my cousin," the man started, "he's from out of the country and visiting our palace was his first stop. He's kinda-" the man did the finger twirl to the head and although he just saved him, Keith was thoroughly offended.

"May I ask you take this as compensation?" The stranger held a purse full of jewelry and gold. The shopkeeper didn't even look twice before ripping it out of the mans hands.

"Just help me clean it up and I won't charge you or your mess of a cousin." Keith opened his mouth to bite back but the stranger wasted no time to mute him with his palm.

"No problem."

After they cleaned up Keith was dragged away by the stranger into a less crowded area. Once he was able to ask, he yanked the man to a halt.

"You do know who you just embarrassed in front of the city?" Keith began, crossing his arms with a scowl etched into his face.

"I'm sure my embarrassing you had nothing to do with... you know.. me," the man shot back a smirk playing on his lips.

"Who saved who from being fingerless?" The stranger continued when Keith said nothing.

"Well.." Keith uncrossed his arms and shrugged. He was grateful that he had another day with his fingers, but this man, just made him angry from speaking with that cocky tone of his.

"What is your name." If Keith was gonna thank his savior he needed a name.

"The names Lance McClain but I'd love it if you called me Papi." Lance flirted easily. Keith's mouth fell open with shock. There was no way he could...

Was this man-

"Are you another... streetwalker?" Keith asked backing away. Lance laughed out loud. A sound so offended that Keith apologized. Lance shook his head and ushered Keith to follow him.

"Then what were you doing in the market? Why is your outfit like that?" Keith asked, following Lance down the pathway.

"You know, money might talk, but so does visual appearance," Lance sighed and began climbing up a broken ladder nailed to the wall of this tall building, "food from the market, a financial inability to purchase any clothing."

Keith looked up at Lance. His eyes full of curiosity. Lance sighed and shrugged his shoulders.

"I use this face," he used a finger to make a circle around his head, "and sometimes this body, to steal food."

Keith scoffed, "Why would anyone need to steal food?" He crossed his arms, oblivious to the outer world poverty. Lance huffed again.

"Are you a middle class or something? First class?" Lance brushed off the question, and asking his own to get to know this person.

"Neither," Keith straightened his back and uncrossed his arms, "I am prince Keith. King Shiro is my father."

Laughter erupted from Lance. As he was doubled over, Keith was ready to knock this guys lights out. How dare he laugh at the Prince.

"Ha.. hoo boy. Well Prince Keith," Lance started, wiping a lone tear from his eye, "if your the so called prince, why the hell are you out here in the middle of the street?"

He plucked at the commoner clothing the prince wore, "And why do you have on something my sister would wear?" Kieth looked himself over, still in shock that this man was acting like an asshole. He thought the outfit he chose made him look nice. Why would his sister wear something like this?

"I don't need to prove myself to you, and it seems that you attitude shall not earn my thankfulness." Keith said, anger and disbelief noticeable. Only when Keith turned away and started back the way they came did Lance jump forward.

"I am sorry, Keith." His fingers were tight around Keith's arm. He didn't mean to be rude. "If you say your the prince, I will believe you. And I apologize for treating you lower than such."

Keith was gazing into his eyes searching for honesty, but somewhere during that time he found something else too. Keith was unwilling to look away from the bright blues. He somehow felt that there was more to this confrontation than him just wanting to save Keith.

"I-I think I need to get back to the palace. I have a meeting that should be soon." Keith tugged away from Lance one last time. Only this time he wanted Lance to grab him again and tell him to stay a bit longer, but it never happened and he was making his way through the dying crowd back towards the Palace walls.

To go meet another woman his father wanted him to marry.