Flower Boy - Klance | completed |

Ch. Ten

Ch. Ten

Ah, moving day.

It was supposed to embody nervousness and excitement and everything else switching one's habitat entails. It was supposed to be a cliché, picturesque moment of self-discovery as the protagonist clutches two suitcases in either hand and holds their head up high, wind dramatically blowing their navy green scarf over their coat-clad shoulder.

That's what Keith hoped for when he exited their house that Friday afternoon, but what he was instead greeted by was Lance and Natalia McClain loudly bickering in mad-fast Spanish (to which Daniela later explained the argument was over who Keith would room within his time there). Anton had been enthusiastically greeting him from the backseat of a minivan as Oliver and Dom sat together on the Kogane resident's old play structure - which consisted of those old, plastic barnyard animals that were attached to the ground with a wobbly spring. Sebastián was squatting on the ground between the two, occasionally adding commentary to their conversation while the boys snorted before they could stop themselves and tried t0 pretend he wasn't funny.

"Keith," Takashi caught his attention, and the boy glanced to his left to see his older brother attempting to heft an overflowing suitcase into the trunk while balancing Venita on his hip as she giggled and played with his hair fondly. The Korean boy hurried to his side, reaching for the suitcase and gasping in surprise when his brother practically threw a small child at him.

She, of course, laughed in delight from the half a second spent airborne before Keith shrieked a little bit and dove to catch her.

Scrambling to keep the one-year-old upright and secure in his arms, Keith didn't miss the laugh that had erupted from behind him. Turning hastily, the boy was surprised to see familiar brown eyes peering at him from behind silver-rimmed glasses. The kid smoothed back their messy, copper hair, not bothering to turn when a big guy with an obnoxious orange bandana tied around his head appeared behind them.

"How many - there are too many people at my house-"

"On your right!" Daniela called, and Keith squeaked in alarm when another fat suitcase practically took off his head. He clutched Venita closer to his chest as Ms. Kogane followed the eldest McClain sibling with a smaller bag.

"Pidge! Hunk! Just the people I needed to see!" Lance greeted, appearing behind Keith as the poor boy tried to dodge Anton, who raced around him to say hello to Dominic.

"Lance, you literally invited-" the big guy, who Keith assumed was Hunk, started to correct their Cuban friend, but was sharply interrupted when Lance cut him off, scooping Venita up like she weighed nothing and simultaneously wrapping an arm around Keith's waist to securely tug him to his side. "This is Keith, he's very fragile and emo so please handle yourselves with caution when interacting with this poor, misunderstood - oh hi, Chris!"

The presence next to Keith evaporated, and the boy stumbled in alarm as he tried to keep his balance. Pidge rolled their eyes; an amused, yet exasperated smile working its way onto their face as the group watched the bustling boy greet Chris with a kiss to the cheek before he snagged his wrist and dragged him back to the house to help with the baggage.

Keith chose to ignore the uncomfortable sting in his gut before he turned back to the two teenagers in front of them. "Guess they got close pretty fast, huh?"

"Lance and Chris?" Hunk wrinkled his nose. "Nah. At least, I don't think so. That's just how Lance flirts. He's really forward and straight to the point. If he likes you, you'll know, trust me."

Something twisted in his gut, stronger this time, but he tried to pretend it hadn't happened, instead sucking in a long, slow breath.

"Keith?" Pidge cut in before Hunk could say anything else, peering up at their new friend curiously. "You okay, buddy? You're looking a little pale. Well, paler than usual, you fuckin' vampire."