Facing the Future

A Blue Iris, For Hope

    Keith didn't need to take Calculus to be an animator. It's just that he felt bad for wanting to be an animator in the first place. Keith used to feel bad. Teen Keith had some regrets on coming out to his parents, and they hadn't exactly been reassuring. When Keith enrolled into college, the situation worsened when he told his parents that he wanted to be an animator. They had tried to talk him out of it, but at least they weren't trying to be antagonistic. Adult Keith regrets giving in to his mother's subtle pleads to at least take some 'proper classes'.

These were the reasons as to why Keith was currently bent over a way-too-thick textbook on the Theorem of Calculus, when he could instead be cuddling with his handsome, handsome boyfriend, Lance McLame. And how could he forget their adorable pupper Tracy?

    In all honesty, Calculus was becoming Keith’s new boyfriend- and not the nice kind!  No, the kind that eats up your time, takes your stuff, and doesn’t let you cuddle with your other boyfriend.  Wow, Keith is sort of a having an affair. He can already see all his weird calculus children, sneaking out of the house to meet up in a motel somewhere to hook up with his one true love- Lance McLame.  

    It’s at this point that Keith’s head jolts up from his desk, eyes wide and a wrinkle on his textbook.  

    He tilts his head back with a sigh, only to be met by the royal blue of Lance’s eyes, looking back down at him.  Keith reaches up and takes Lance gently by the nape of his neck, pulling him down for a soft kiss on soft lips. “Fuck I’m tired,”  he says, and sighs on to Lance’s neck. There’s a soft blush on Lance’s cheeks, and Keith loves the fact that he still blushes at the slightest bit of affection.  It also feels melancholy for some reason, but Keith likes to look on the brightside when it comes to Lance.

    Suddenly, Lance is actually looking a little serious.  “Keith, Honey, Sweetie, how much sleep have you gotten lately?”

    “Uh…”  Keith is stuck for a few seconds.  His sleep schedule was better than ever.  Was better than ever.  Then came the onslaught of Calculus tests paired with a landslide of art-block, and Keith was promptly whipped into a constant state of baggy eyes and an uncomfortable back.  He goes for the truth, “...not enough.”

    “You wanna, y’know, elaborate on that?”

    Shit.  “Oh, I dunno… maybe,”  his voice lowers to a whisper, “Four hours of sleep every day…”  He’s met with a sad expression from Lance, who spins Keith’s chair around to face him.  He rests a hand on his hip, and Keith just wants to erase what he said from history so he could just continue kissing Lance.  

    “Babe, you know I’m supposed to be the one with sleep deprivation~”  Lance says, in a sing-song voice.

    Keith promptly rolls his chair forward and rests his face in Lance’s stomach.  “Have I ever told you I love you?” He says, trying to make himself sound lovey-dovey.

    Lance groans and throws his own head back, “Keith, I don’t get how you’re so gay,” Keith snickers. “I also don’t get how you can be so dedicated to stuff you don’t even want to do.  The fourth of July is coming up, we should be getting ready.”

    “Getting ready for what?  Another night in the apartment, drinking and watching anime?”  Keith frowns a bit, he does like those nights, but it’s not exactly something that needs preparation.

   “OH! Oh- well, the thing is-” Lance pats Keith’s shoulders, “We actually have somewhere to go this time!”

    Keith lifts his head, brow arched.  “...What do you mean?”