halo 'n horns [klance au]

23. Morning After

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Lance

I woke up slowly to bright light filtering orange through my eyelids. Turning my face away from the brightness, I buried my face into my pillow.

"That tickles, asshole."

Startled, my eyes shot open. What I had thought to be my pillow was actually the nape of Keith's neck, and now he was looking at me irritatedly over his shoulder. Blinking, I realized that not only had I just mistaken a devil for a pillow, but I was also practically spooning said devil as well. We were curled up on our sides, and my arm was slung over the dip in his waist, his pale skin cool against my forearm.

Why he was putting up with this obviously very physical contact, I had no idea, but I was still fumbling over the feeling of Keith's back against my torso. I could, quite literally, feel the muscles of his shoulders on my chest through my shirt.

I looked up from Keith and realized that the bright light that had woken me was morning sunlight streaming through the window. Through the glass pane, I watched the palm trees outside sway in the breeze, and just beyond that, I could make out the start of the beach. The golden sand looked ridiculously enticing, and I felt the same draw to the ocean that I'd felt in Seattle.

But right now, with Keith letting me be so close to him, I just wanted to stay here. A foggy memory materialized in my head. Of what had happened last night. Suddenly, I remembered. Keith had faced me, and our faces were so close- I had just kind of lost any semblance of self-control and had gone right to kissing him. No. Kissing his forehead. It was different.

Trying to act inconspicuous, I slowly brought my nose back down to Keith's neck, then inhaled quietly. Oh. He smelled like pine, smoke and mint, making my head spin a little. What the hell was I doing?

"Lance? May I come in?" A knock at the door.

Keith turned around and shoved me in a flash, pushing at my chest so hard that I fell off the bed. Luckily, the air mattress was there to catch me just in time as Hunk came through the door, holding two mugs of coffee. Smiling sweetly, he offered one to me and one to Keith, who sat up in bed, looking coy and put-together, his pale skin shining in the sunlight that streamed through the window.

Meanwhile, I sat in a heap on the air mattress, looking flustered and messy. "Come on into the kitchen once you've changed- Shay and I made breakfast," Hunk told us, smiling easily. I nodded, and he left the room.

Immediately, I glared at Keith, rubbing my back where I'd landed on the mattress. Keith looked at me with his eyebrows raised. "Don't be too butthurt, it ruins your face when you scowl like that," he drawled lazily, stretching out his long legs before standing, reaching his arms up over his head. His sweatpants rode low on his hips and there was a cool smirk on his face.

Was this porn?

Sighing loudly, Keith looked down at me and rolled his eyes. Ruffling my hair briefly, he gathered up the clothes I'd produced the night before and headed to the bathroom.

What an asshole.

...

Hunk and Shay were possibly the sweetest couple I'd ever seen. As they moved around each other in the kitchen, it was like a dance. As Shay cooked and flipped the pancakes, Hunk came up behind her and kissed her cheek, smiling as bright as the sun.

Shay was a pretty, tall girl with short hair. Her skin was as dark as Hunk's, and her wide eyes were a deep and interesting shade of amber. She and Hunk had known each other for years but had only started dating recently. She was just a few houses down from Hunk's, so she could walk over in the mornings.

Keith and I sat across from each other at the table, not making eye contact. We were in a weird place with our moods, and I didn't really know how to approach him now. He still seemed all coy and confident, but underneath that, I caught him glancing at me every so often, shooting me unreadable looks that I could only wonder meant.

But, putting that aside, I was overall really happy to see my best friend. Hunk and I had known each other for years- I'd met him on my first mission on Earth, and we'd traveled together for the remainder of my journey.

He'd been 19, taking a gap year before starting college, and I'd looked around the same age (I'd been 18,572). Now, he was 25 (and I 18,578). I'd talked to my mother once I'd finished the mission, and she'd agreed to let me visit him whenever I didn't have a task. Luckily, that was pretty often. Hunk had moved back to his home village in Somoa after he finished college and he now owned and managed an eatery by the beach called The Yellow Lion.

He didn't know that I was an angel, but I was sure that he knew that there was something suspicious with my behavior, how I could pop in without notice, how little things like money and food were never a problem for me, how I came and went as I pleased. Thankfully, he never asked any questions, which I appreciated more than he knew.

It wasn't like I didn't want to tell him. He'd probably trust me a bit more if he knew, but it was Mom's rule, which was in negotiable. Our sacred secret was to be shielded from mortal eyes. I flicked my wrist, a nervous gesture, and felt the comfortable weight of my bracelet on my wrist. Amores Vobiscum. 'Love be with you'. I looked at Keith from across the table.

After a meal of delicious pancakes, soft and flat and thin like I liked them, Hunk suggested heading down to the surf. I could see the cogs turning in Keith's head as he remembered his last experience by the sea, but before he could protest, I clapped my hands together in glee, agreeing happily and promising Hunk that we'd go with him. Shay left to go get her bathing suit, and Hunk disappeared into his own room to change.

Keith gave me the stink eye, scowling. I put my hands on my hips. "Escuchame, cabrón. Te amo, pero no es mi culpa si no puedes nadar. We're going swimming! We're gonna have fun! Please? For me?"

Keith, either unaware or impervious of my insult, groaned, slouching back in his seat. "It's cold."

"It's the ocean!" I said, exasperated.

After a few more snips back and forth, Keith finally relented into letting me drag him to the beach. Relieved, I swore I could kiss him. He was so stubborn...

After we changed, Hunk led us over to Shay's, where we picked her up, and then we headed down to the beach. It was a sunny day, absolutely gorgeous, and the air was warm and breezy.

"You came at a good time," Hunk told me as we walked, "We just about finished the wet season. I'm looking forward to a dry summer."

I shivered, remembering the time I'd arrived in Samoa only to be met with a constant thunderstorm lasting for weeks. I liked the rain, but not for that long. On the other hand, though, I didn't like when it got too hot without a few scattered rain storms. But Hunk liked the predictability of Samoa's climate, which made it easy for him to live there.

As we walked, I looked around, observing the island. The island was covered in vegetation- palms trees and tropical plants with huge leaves and so on. There were jagged cliffs on the coastline and, behind us, a few rows of residential streets. I knew that a few miles away, there was a community hub with food, clothes, and other necessities. Hunk and I had been there many times together.

But, as the four of us walked through the grove of palm trees and I smelled the salt of the ocean, I realized that, besides Hunk, Samoa was the best for its beach.

...

what do you think the gang is gonna do at the beach? is keithy gonna go swimming do you think? hmmmm swm? vibes...

funny story, while i was writing this, i heard my little brother ask my stepmom "where's cal?" and my stepmom said, "she's where she always is- in the library." lmao fml am i really that antisocial (granted, I do always write in the library, but still)

hnnnngh, sad update- we're looking at about 10 more chapters, my bois

qotd: i cant think of any good questions sooooo whats your favoriiiiite ice cream flavor?

also i want to hear if you have any inside jokes for this fic or any of my other works ;)

iiii love youuuu!!