Painted Hearts- Klance AU (Discontinued)

VIII

"Sweatshirts aren't really the kind of thing people wear to the beach, you know," Lance said, looking at Keith's outfit, as he sat in the shade of the umbrella.

"It's not that cloudy today. I could burn," Keith pointed out. The sky above them was spotted with light gray clouds, patches of blue leaking through. Said clouds cast shadows on some parts of the beach while leaving others open to the sun. It was usually what mid-July days looked like in Arkaley, usually a lot sunnier than normal. Once there was a week with little to no clouds, and everyone was sure they were going through a drought.

"You're ridiculous," Lance said, as he took a sip of the soda that they picked up on the way there. He bent down, resting one hand on his knee, to attempt to be at Keith's height.

"I burn easily," Keith responded. He wasn't lying, and he really was not looking forward to having to wear burn cream for a whole week.

Lance sighed in disappointment. "Man, and I was looking forward to owning your ass in a swimming competition," he said, sitting down next to Keith on the sand.

Keith arched an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?" 

Lance smirked, "More like the truth," he stated.

Keith stood up and stripped off his sweatshirt. In case Shiro decided to pick him up and throw him into the ocean, which has happened before, Keith came prepared. He had red swim trunks on and nothing besides the jacket covering his chest, "To that red buoy?" Keith asked, pointing in the distance.

"Sounds good," Lance replied.

"You're on." Keith attempted to make eye contact, but Lance's gaze didn't quite align with his.

Lance and Keith raced down to the shore, but Lance stopped when he hit the ocean. "Fuck!"

"What?" Keith asked, turning around. He was already calf-deep in the water.

"That's fucking cold!" He said, burying his toes in the sand. A wave ran around his ankles and he shrieked a rather unmanly shriek.

Keith found it. His weakness, "You chicken?" He asked.

Lance scoffed, as if to say As if. "I could beat you if we were racing in the Arctic," Lance challenged, and sprinted into the waves.

Due to the height advantage, Lance was able to outrun Keith, but eventually Keith reached the point where he could stop running and start swimming. He dived into the waves, pushing the cold water behind him.

Keith was a messy swimmer, legs kicking, arms pushing forward, his only concern was getting himself out to the red buoy. He didn't have time to check out the competition, but from what he could hear, Lance was much more graceful than him.

He opened his eyes and kept his head above water to keep salt water away. The buoy was only a few yards away, and he pushed himself forward as fast as he possibly could.

"Ha! Suck on that, Keith!" A voice yelled. Keith looked up, only feet away from the buoy, that Lance was touching.

Keith grumbled, and started swimming back.

"Hey, don't swim away! Let me finish basking in my glory!" He complained. 

Keith smiled as he swam through the waters back to shore. Lance was kind of cute when he got competitive, to be honest. Shut up, brain.

A white volleyball flew past them in the air, almost hitting Keith in the face. He caught it before it did, and threw it back in the general direction it came from. "Hey, you ever play volleyball?" Lance asked as they walked back on the shore.