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Summer days were always Lance’s favorite. The feeling of sun on your skin, warm and inviting and comforting like arms wrapped tenderly around you late at night. Sand between your toes, rough and hot. Water enveloping your feet and cooling the almost unbearable heat. Summer was where he thrived, and the beach was a sliver of radiant heaven on Earth.
Lance looked at Keith under the tint of his sunglasses as he huddled beneath the umbrella, sunscreen glinting white on his skin. Keith’s hair was in a small bun and his sunglasses were pushed on top of his head, pinning back his bangs. He held a well-loved book, balanced on his pale knees pulled tight to his chest, occasionally sipping a large bottle of water. The bottom of the bottle was covered in sand that fell in a small shower over Keith’s legs and bare chest when he drank.
It was evident that summer was not Keith’s element.
Lance sighed and rose from his towel, pushing to his feet and stretching out. Pidge never looked up from the large sandcastle she was constructing, tongue stuck out between her lips as she was thinking. Hunk had started digging a hole an hour ago as a means of burying Pidge. She simply raised a contemptuous eyebrow when he suggested it was for her. Hunk turned his puppy dog eyes on Shiro, who could only sigh at Hunk’s plan and was now currently kneeling in the hole as Hunk piled sand on him. Allura was tanning on her towel, earbuds in and eyes closed. Coran was in the water, floating calmly on a small, orange inner tube.
Lance strode over to Keith; the boy only looked up as the shadow around him darkened. Lance pushed down his sunglasses, peering at Keith, “Want to go swimming?”
“Lance,” Keith began, folding the corner of the page down to mark it. He clasped the book in one hand and looked up at Lance, “I came to the beach because Shiro said that he wouldn’t make me do any chores at home for a week.” Keith leaned backward, fingers digging into the sand behind him. With a small stretch, the muscles in his chest were enunciated by his posture, and Lance couldn’t help but trace the fine lines of Keith’s coiled muscles.
He quickly pushed his sunglasses back up his nose so that Keith wouldn’t be able to see the path his eyes carved along his toned chest. Lance swallowed thickly, and his heart rate increased, pounding in his ears over the rush of the waves. His hands stuttered and dragged through his hair, aching for something to do, any distraction that would keep them off Keith.
He would have to thank Shiro for dragging Keith along later.
“Come on, Keith,” Lance whined, leaning down and poking at his cheek, “Let’s go swimming. It’ll be fun.”
Keith huffed and opened his book again, clearly ignoring Lance. “No.”
Lance shook his head, picking up Keith’s water bottle and taking a swig. He waited, bathing in hot sun just outside the shade of the umbrella. And after a minute, Keith was fully absorbed in his book. Lance snatched it from Keith’s hand, holding it high above Keith’s reach.
“Hey!”
And Lance poured the remainder of the water from the bottle overtop of Keith’s head.
Keith gasped, hands flying out to the side as if that could stop the flow of icy water down his neck and chest. Water dripped off the tip of his nose and beaded at the ends of his hair. Their group was silenced, sand falling slowly off Hunk’s paused shovel.
Lance casually dropped the book safely onto his towel, just behind him in the sun.
Keith growled, jumping to his feet. Lance chuckled as Keith chased after him, staying just seconds out of reach. Laughter bubbled in his chest, sand spraying behind each running footstep. Glancing over his shoulder at Keith, he yelled, “Well, you’re wet now so it doesn’t matter if we go swimming, right?”
Keith yelled something more akin to a growl than actual words.
Chuckling, Lance ran into the water, thinking that Keith wouldn’t follow. But he was wrong.
Keith bounded into the water, splashing and spraying cold water against both boys. Lance paused at the sight - a raging Keith, dripping and furious with narrowed, hungry eyes and snapping teeth, the sunlight glistening off water on his chest, charging through the waves at him.
His skin was hot against Lance’s, fiery and coiled muscle. Arms much stronger than they looked wrapped around Lance’s torso and pushed his head under the water. Cold and chilling and stinging in a way much different than Keith’s touch had. He could hear Keith’s exaggerating counting as his fingers wove through Lance’s hair, pinning him under the water.
A whistle was blown at him from the lifeguard’s station. Through the murky water, Lance watched Keith lift both hands in a means of innocence. But Lance didn’t come back above the water. He grabbed at Keith’s bare legs, dragging him with full force under the frigid water.
Lance jumped up, breathing in lungfuls of air and laughing raucously as Keith emerged, looking like a drowned cat. His sunglasses were so low on his nose, Lance was surprised they weren’t lost to the tides of the ocean. His hair was plastered along his forehead and to the sides of his face. And he was scowling, affronted and bitter.
“You’re a jackass,” Keith coughed, marching out of the water.
“Oh, come on, Keith.” Lance whined. Keith turned around just long enough to splash Lance. He marched back to his spot under the umbrella and spent the rest of the day huddled under there with a tentative smile on his lips.
Lance heard a sharp knock on his door. With a groan, he paused his game and hopped up from the couch. He sauntered to the door and opened it in just a pair of ball shorts. Keith stood in front of him, red faced and scowling.
“Hey Keith, what’s -”
Lance was cut off by a half-full bottle of aloe shoved in his face.
“Shiro’s not home, and I can’t reach my back,” Keith complained, marching into the apartment right after Lance tentatively took the bottle from his hands.
Lance sighed, turning around a shutting the door behind him. His apartment seemed a little warmer and smaller, even more so than when Hunk came home. He scratched the back of his neck and watched Keith sit, perched on the edge of the couch.
Keith sighed and started taking off his shirt, gripping the hem and slowly taking it off like it pained him.
Lance swallowed the small squeal that was rising in his throat. His hand suddenly tightened on the bottle, making the plastic crinkle. His eyes traced the corded muscles in Keith’s back, the definition that has highlighted by the reddened and irritated skin.
He slowly walked to Keith’s back, examining much longer than necessary. His fingers trembled as he reached them out, wanting to touch Keith’s heated skin, feel the way it flexed under his fingertips. Keith’s head dipped down, and his shoulders rose with a heavy sigh.
With tentative fingers, he lightly brushed down Keith’s spine, only to receive a hiss in response.
“Holy shit, you’re a tomato.”
“Yeah, I know.” Keith growled, snapping his head to face Lance, “And it was all because you dragged me into the water.”
“Keith, you were only in the sun for like fifteen minutes.” Lance motioned to the entirety of Keith’s torso, sculpted skin that was completely burnt. “This can’t be from that.” Keith raised a single brow and crossed his arms with a slight cringe.
“Will you just put it on me?” Keith complained, turning around so that Lance could reach his back.
Lance’s heart hammered as he squeezed the cold aloe onto his fingers. He slowly brought it to Keith’s back, feeling the radiating heat of his skin. Keith inhaled sharply at his touch. Lance immediately pulled back, “Sorry! Was that painful or -”
“No,” Keith’s voice was a mere whisper. “It’s okay. It was just cold.”
Lance nodded, squeezing more aloe to his fingers and gently applying it over the expanse of Keith’s back. He let his fingers linger on the contours of Keith’s skin, not wanting to admit how he enjoyed the feel of Keith’s muscles contracting under his fingers. He dragged them along his shoulder blades and applied more aloe than was necessary, as any means of keeping his hands on Keith’s tender skin.
He was almost sure that Keith could feel his rapid heartbeat through the tips of his fingers, pounding with every touch of skin and along his ribs to the processes of his spine.
Keith sighed gently when Lance pulled his fingers back. Lance held his hands before him, excess aloe slicking his fingers. He rubbed his hands down his arms, attempting to remember the feel of the other boy’s skin that had just been beneath his fingers.
Keith hopped off the couch and smiled at Lance, “Thanks, Lance.” Keith grabbed the aloe from the table where Lance had set it down. His shirt was tucked under one arm, his back glinting in the dim lights of Lance’s apartment.
Keith pulled open the door, but Lance couldn’t keep the rapidness of his heartbeat from his tongue. “When’s Shiro coming back?” Lance scratched at the back of his neck with hands, still the slightest bit tacky.
“Not until like 8.”
“Well, if you need more aloe, I’ll be home.” Lance watched Keith’s already pink cheeks darken.
Keith stammered slightly, “Uh, yeah. I’ll be back later then?” Lance smiled, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms. Keith’s eyes seemed to travel up his body before they snapped to Lance’s face. He nodded and slammed the door after him.
When Shiro walked in after Hunk shouldered open the door to his apartment, groceries weighing down each of their arms, Keith and Lance were sitting in front of the couch, controllers in hand. Their legs were a tangle of limbs and the half-empty bottle of aloe laid forgotten on a coffee table. The only hint that they had actually been treating Keith’s terrible sunburn was his lack of a shirt - not that Lance was wearing one either - and the glint to his skin.
Lance turned at the sudden noise, looking over his shoulder. He could feel the heat of Keith’s legs tangled with his and the sweat that gathered in his palms under the plastic press of the controller.
“Welcome home!”
Lance watched Keith resume playing the game with only a small snort of laughter. Lance kicked at him with the free leg that had been resting on top of Keith’s covered thighs. Keith just huffed a laugh as he crossed the finish line while Lance fell between the mushrooms in Mushroom Gorge.
After winning, Keith placed his remote on the coffee table, turning his upper body to speak to Shiro and Hunk, “Welcome back. Got enough food for four, Hunk?”
Lance glanced out of the corner of his eye while the TV showed Lakitu dragging Daisy out of the canyon as other cars passed. He let his eyes trace the tensed cords of Keith’s muscles and the way his skin still glittered with aloe.
Shiro sighed, “Keith, we have enough food at home to -”
“But then I have to make food,” Keith groaned, flopping back on the couch only to jump forward with a yelp of pain. Lance crossed the finish line with a huff, turning off the Wii before Keith could comment on his winning score.
With an absentminded hand that had gotten too accustomed to casually touching Keith, Lance traced a single hand down Keith’s spine. He felt him stiffen under his gentle touch. “You could use some more aloe,” Lance whispered, forgetting that they now had an audience.
Shiro cleared his throat, and Lance’s hand fell from Keith’s burned and heated skin. Keith’s cheeks looked a little more flushed as he rose to his feet, straightening out his shorts before picking up his t-shirt.
“Thanks Lance,” Keith grabbed the bottle of aloe and walked towards the door, “But Shiro’s got it from here though.”
Lance nodded, hearing the plastic controller creak under his tense grip.
“See you guys later!” Hunk called from the kitchen just before the door shut behind Shiro and Keith. Lance felt Hunk’s heavy gaze on his back as he turned the Wii on again for a much needed distraction.
“I don’t want to talk about it, Hunk,” Lance called out and focused all his attention on the game.
“So Allura just asked me if we wanted to go to the beach again next weekend,” Lance spoke after locking his phone screen and taking another forkful of pasta Hunk had made for dinner. “Interested?”
“Of course,” Hunk announced, before smirking at Lance. “I’m surprised you’re excited to go without a certain sun-fearing, beach-hating neighbor of ours.”
Lance sighed, “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But it’s pretty obvious that people who hate the beach won’t go unless there’s bribery involved.” Hunk simply raised an eyebrow in response.
“You could at least send him an invite text.” Hunk shrugged.
And even though Lance knew that Hunk had only suggested it, it wasn’t really a suggestion. He pulled out his phone, fiddling with the case before typing a quick message.
Lance:
We are planning on going to the beach next Saturday
You know, if you’re interested
Keith:
I’ve already gotten burnt to a crisp once this summer
I think I’m okay
Lance:
Come on Keeeeeeeiiittthhh
Everyone’s coming! ＼(＾▽＾)／
I promise I won’t force you into the sun
AND I’ll help you apply sunscreen too!
Keith:
you have to cook for Shiro for a week
Lance:
Two days!
Keith:
you’ve got a deal
The next Sunday, there was a sharp knock on the door. Lance rolled his neck and put his laptop on the couch cushion next to him, youtube video paused. He bit back a smile to see a large bottle of aloe shoved in his face and a scowling Keith.
“Shiro isn’t home?” Lance questioned, leaning against the doorframe, smirking and arms crossed.
“You’re the reason I’m burnt again, Lance,” Keith sighed, stepping past him into the room.
Lance chuckled, “Don’t you mean still burnt? I don’t think you ever fully healed.”
Keith growled slightly, but there was a slight smile to his face. “Just put aloe on me, jackass.”
Hunk pushed a plate of stuffed chicken towards Lance who enthusiastically grabbed for it. But before Lance could grasp it, Hunk pulled it out of his reach. “Hunk,” Lance whined, reaching for the food across the table.
“Lance, please ask Keith out before he gets skin cancer! Because we both know that he’s only going to the beach for an excuse to talk to you,” Hunk reprimanded, only holding the plate of food higher.
“Huuuuuuunk,” Lance groaned, leaning his head against the table in defeat. He perked up at the sound of the plate gently being placed beside him. Talking around a bite of food, “It’s not like he likes me anyway.”
Hunk scoffed slightly, pulling out his chair opposite of Lance. “Keith hates the beach, and yet he’s gone with us the past three weekends without any bribery from Shiro or you. Now if that isn’t love, I don’t know -”
Lance cut Hunk off by smacking him with a baked baby carrot.
Hunk’s gaze turned to stone, “Waste food again, Lance McClain, and you’ll starve for a week.”
Lance didn’t want to admit it, but the cold breeze that whipped along the beach and gusted sand along his perfectly positioned towel made it hard to deny that summer was coming to a close. The water turned from a comfort from the burning sun to frigid and unapproachable. The crowds dimmed and ice cream salesmen appeared only at noon rather than every hour.
With a sigh, Lance sat up and gazed at their small group.
Pidge had given up making sand castles a month ago and now settled for playing beach volleyball or badminton with Matt, Shiro, and Hunk. Allura always laid next to Lance tanning or reading in the most gorgeous bikinis available. Coran never seemed to leave the water, using a new inflatable device and wearing a strange new swimsuit every weekend.
And Keith never left the sanctuary of his umbrella. But his book was long forgotten as he laid on his stomach, arms tucked under his head and napping.
With a wicked smile, Lance squeezed sunscreen onto his fingers and printed words in blaring white on Keith’s back. Wiping the excess on his arms, he tilted the umbrella in the sand like a strong gust of wind had pushed it enough that Keith wasn’t in the protection from the sun anymore.
It was an hour later that Lance brushed Keith awake repositioning the umbrella back to block him.
“Lance?” Keith groggily asked, rubbing at his eyes and sitting up.
“Hey man,” Lance breathed, smiling wide and handing Keith a bottle of water from the cooler, “It looks like the umbrella got shifted by the wind. You were probably out in the sun for a while.”
Keith groaned and flopped back down on the towel, smacking the hard sand. “Wake me when I’m back to a normal color.”
Lance woke at the sound of sharp pounding on his door and the yells of his name through the thin walls. Stumbling from bed, half dressed and still holding onto the remnants of dreams, he opened the door with a mumbled, “What?”
“What the hell is on my back, jackass?!” Keith growled, pushing Lance back with open palms and a fierceness that made Lance snap completely awake.
“What are you -”
“This, Lance!” Keith growled, turning around to present his burned back, tanned and only slightly pink, because overall his skin had gained a healthy glow from all of their shared weekends at the beach. The words “Date Me?” we clearly scribed in the new tan of Keith’s back.
Lance’s stomach dropped, hollowing out and stinging the back of his throat with bile. It had been a passing thought - the consequences of this joke - that he hadn’t imagined biting him back so fiercely with the snap of Keith’s words that sheared the muscles off of his body and sunk snarling teeth into his bones. He had just focused on the heat of Keith’s skin and hilarity of his prank.
His hands twitched, and he raised them placatingly in front of his chest, “Keith, it’s not what you -”
“Is this just some joke to you?” Keith yelled, voice cracking at the end and shoulders shaking. He didn’t turn to face Lance, chin trembling and fists clenched tightly at his sides.
Lance placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, “Keith -”
Keith spun on the ball of his foot to face Lance. He grabbed his shoulders and shook him lightly, “Are my feelings some joke to you?”
“No,” Lance breathed, slightly light-headed from the fact that Keith just admitted he had feelings for him. Keith’s hands were searing on his bare shoulders, a touch he hadn’t let himself become accustomed to - the heat of Keith’s skin from days spent at the beach and Sundays spent lazily playing video games, a tangle of long legs and measures of laughter.
Keith’s hands fell to his sides and the tension seemed to leak from his body, defeat settling in the coils of his muscles. “I can’t believe that you would -”
“I was serious,” Lance interjected, heart pounding and palms sweating and clutching his pajama pants tightly in his closed hands. He squeezed his eyes closed, attempting to steady his breathing while fighting the tension to his chest and light headedness choking his thoughts.
“You’re joking,” Keith whispered.
Lance’s eyes shot open, looking at the irritated scowl on Keith’s face and the tension in his crossed arms. He opened his mouth to speak, to tell Keith how he wasn’t joking - how he could spend all day telling Keith everything he loved about him and not have enough time, that he would run out of air before completing a list of everything wonderful thing about Keith that he saw.
But Keith cut him off with a scoff, “I almost want to say no just because this is literally the worst way to be asked on a date.”
“What?”
“This is the best idea ‘Loverboy Lance’ had?” Keith tilted his head to the side with a small smile consuming his face and transforming his features. He rolled his eyes and pressed fingers into his temples. “I’m even more disappointed in myself for not even being that surprised.”
Lance took a step forward, reaching a tentative hand, muscles tensing inches before meeting Keith’s heated skin. “You want to say yes?”
Keith tossed his head back and laughed. Counting on his fingers, he commented, “Has no idea what romantic gestures are.” Another finger, “Doesn’t listen. Anything else you want to add to the ‘Terms and Conditions’ of this relationship before I sign it?”
“I’m very romantic, Keith,” Lance snorted, allowing his hand to fall the last inch to rest on Keith’s shoulder. He took a small step forward, drawing heavy fingers along Keith’s collarbone before embracing his jaw and pulling them together.
Keith’s lips were soft and warm and everything Lance had imagined them to be. His skin was hot under his fingers, singing and burning and searing away any common sense he had. Keith’s hands wandered along his hips, pulling their bare chests together with a small smile against Lance’s lips.
With a small sigh, he pulled backward and placed his forehead against Keith’s.
“For our first date though, we are not going to the beach,” Keith commented and Lance laughed, pulling his new boyfriend tight against him for another kiss - a kiss and touch he could finally let himself get accustomed to.