Cold of the Sea

Chapter Nine: Uncertainty

Keith sat in the passenger seat of the car, pouting as him and Shiro made their way home. Both of them had forgotten to bring their swim trunks or really anything for the beach.

They neared the house quickly, Keith ran inside to gather all of his things for the beach, meaning his trunks and a full water bottle, and then take his glasses off the second they arrived. Shiro took a little longer, coming back with a bag of things and an umbrella.

Keith ushered Shiro out the door and too the car, his anxiousness getting the better of him. I might see Lance! Rang through his head repeatedly, promising him a good time at the beach. He was uncharacteristically excited.

Shiro had noticed his strange actions, but decided it was best he didn't mention it. Whatever was bringing back the life in his precious little brother's eyes was not to be taken for granted. The two jumped in the car quickly, wanting to have as much time in the sea as possible.

When they arrived at the beautiful shore, Keith all but forgot about Shiro, running to the water with a force he hadn't achieved in years. While making his way through the grainy, rock and shell filled sand he stripped himself of clothes, save for his swim trunks, making sure to take his fingerless gloves off so that he wouldn't ruin them, and threw all of it down at a good spot to set up. He didn't care if Shiro would find the place as long as his gloves were safe.

He slipped into the water, loving the feeling of the surprisingly choppy waves and the cool relief from the heat it offered. Not many people were out, only a few teens and adults, so he didn't have to worry too much about running, or rather swimming into people. He swam with ease out to the calmer waters, popping up and scanning the area in detail. He decided it wouldn't hurt to go a bit further out, but he was careful not to go out to were it was too deep.

His happy mood deflated a bit as he couldn't see Lance around him, but he pushed the thought away. Of course Lance wouldn't come. It was far too dangerous to be this close to the shore in broad daylight.

But, just as he thought that, he felt the now familiar brush of clawed fingers on his ankle before the hand wrapped around his foot. The hand tugged lightly, asking him to go under to meet the owner of the hand. He complied, taking a deep breath, then pushing himself to sink fully before opening his eyes.

The sight that met him made him smile. He was beyond happy. Lance actually came... Keith grabbed Lance into a tight embrace, surprising the merman. Lance was, naturally, beyond shocked, but hugged back without hesitation.

When they leaned back, not actually removing their arms from each other, Lance made a motion with his head to rise up. Keith did so gladly, going above the water far enough up to hide Lance's head. Lance surfaced, looking up at Keith lovingly, content smile on his face.

"I didn't think you'd risk coming so close to the shore. Actually, I'm more curious as to how you knew I was here?" Keith shook his head, confused as he began to tread the water.

"I spend a lot of time watching humans during the day around here. It's very fun, and to be entirely honest I always hope to see you. And I did, so clearly it was worth it." Lance explained, arms still wrapped around Keith's waist under the water.

"Oh, well... thanks, I guess?" Keith smiled awkwardly, he wasn't used to being in a place of physical contact for so long.

"Yep! So whatchu doing here, honey?" Lance grinned, sinking his mouth down into the water after he was done talking in order to hide his existence as much as he could.

"My brother- uhh, Shiro, wanted me to come with him to the beach, so, I dunno... I guess it's Shiro's fault?" Keith shrugged lightly, looking off into the open ocean.

"Oh, yeah, the really hot one with the fake arm?" Lance inquired, staring innocently at Keith.

"You're seriously calling my older brother hot when I'm right here?" Keith asked, eyes moving to meet Lance's curiously.

"Well, he is hot, but you're better, I promise. I've only got eyes for you, baby." Lance flirted casually, beginning to laugh as he saw Keith's embarrassed reaction.

"Lance." Keith stated threateningly, but to be honest, Keith wasn't threatening in the least to Lance. Just cute, very, very cute.

"Yes~?" Lance hummed out, tightening his hold on the human.

"Why are you like this?" Keith whined out, eyebrows furrowing up in question.

"Because it's who I am, babe." Lance quipped, smirk forming on his lips.

"Yeah, yeah..." Keith sighed out.

"What's wrong?" Lance's face suddenly turned worried, noticing Keith's underlying sadness.

"Huh?" Keith's eyes snapped to Lance, wonder thick in his gaze.

"I asked what was wrong, you look- I have to go, Shiro's coming over here." Lance cut himself off, looking past Keith in slight fear.

"Go if you must, I don't want you to get discovered." Keith muttered reluctantly.

"Thank you, really, I hate to leave you." Lance pouted, suddenly pushing himself above the water to give Keith a peck at the lips before disappearing into the deep blue.

Keith flushed, his entire body reacting at once to the sudden, fast contact on his lips and the loss of the warmth around his waist. He didn't know what to think of what happened.

"Hey, what was that?" Shiro asked as he swam up to Keith in a leisurely way.

"H-huh... uhh... wh-what?" Keith asked, still incapacitated by his embarrassment and fluster.

"I dunno, I thought I saw something." Shiro shrugged as he stopped next to the younger.

"I think... I-I think I'm just... gonna... going to... ugh... go back to the beach..." Keith barely managed out, voice cracking a few times.

"Oh, I guess I'll go with you." Shiro decided happily, entirely oblivious to Keith's predicament.

The two made their way back to the beach, riding a particularly energetic wave in before stumbling to the towel Shiro had laid out. Silence situated itself between them for a long stretch of time as Keith thought. Shiro was the first one to break the quiet.

"Want some music?" Shiro offered, grabbing his phone and hooking it up to the radio.

"Yeah, sure..." Keith mumbled, looking down at his hands as he dropped onto the towel.

"There something wrong?" Shiro inquired as he picked out a random song.

"No... I'm... I'm fine." Keith replied quietly.

Shiro decided not to push it as he heard the song start up. Catch a Wave by The Beach Boys, of course. A dorky dad smile grew on his face as he began to dance childishly with the beat of the song. Keith groaned when he realized Shiro was doing it again. What was worse was that Lance was most definitely watching, there was no way he'd miss something like that.