Chapter Text
Three… two… one…
Keith initiates the midnight kiss on the porch swing outside Hunk’s house. Inside there’s loud cheering, but this time no one’s banging on the window. Their friends and siblings are cheering in the New Year and even before that, they were way too distracted to notice Keith and Lance sneaking out to be alone. There’s no audience for this kiss and that’s preferred. This past week has led to a flood of questions from Keith’s family and friends over whether or not he and Lance are officially a thing. Keith dodged every one of them, heck, he hasn’t even officially come out to Lance, so how can they be officially together?
In fact, all week Keith’s been secretly stewing in the fear that Lance gave him his first kiss under the mistletoe to be nice. Kissing Lance again is helping to sweep that fear away… Especially when Lance had very deliberately told Keith before they entered the party that he should reserve his midnight kiss for him. The directness helped so much. Keith didn’t need to be in his head all night wondering if he’d get an opportunity to kiss Lance under the guise of New Year’s tradition. Instead he got to just vibrate with anticipation.
Keith doesn’t know much about kissing, but he’s pretty sure Lance is really good at it. Keith is certain he must be trash at it since this is only his second one. He’s had no practice except maybe a couple times against his hand. His hand had no complaints, but it probably didn’t want to hurt Keith’s feelings.
Ugh. Now Keith is feeling inferior to his hand when he wants to just focus on kissing Lance.
Lance tips his head away and Keith is horrified, thinking it’s already over, but then Lance says, “You’re such a good kisser. I could do this all night.” Then he leans back into Keith’s lips.
Keith’s heart soars.
*****
“We need to talk.” The most dreaded words in the English language (as far as Lance knows) and they’re spoken by Keith’s mom. Worse yet, when Keith and Lance follow her into the kitchen, both sets of parents are there waiting, all looking very serious.
“Take a seat,” suggests Krolia, indicating that the two of them should sit at the counter stools.
Another bad sign. No one talks until Keith and Lance are seated.
“With you two dating,” begins Keith’s dad, “we – the four of us – have decided it’s not appropriate for you two to be sharing a room.”
“But –” begins Lance, before Keith interrupts him.
“We’re not even dating!” Keith blurts out.
“You’re not?” say both their mothers in unison. The four adults share a look.
“So you can’t separate us!” says Keith, firmly.
“Yeah,” agrees Lance. Instinctively he reaches over to grab Keith’s hand in solidarity, then immediately realizes that’s counter to what they’re trying to prove so he takes his hand right back.
“I guess…,” says Keith’s father, “if you really aren’t dating, there’s no need to –”
“Thanks,” says Lance, jumping up to make a quick exit. If there’s one thing he knows about parents, is that you skedaddle the moment you get the answer you want from them.
******
After the uncomfortable meeting ends, they both head back to their room. Keith drops down onto his bed as Lance shuts the door. Lance leans his back against the door and gazes over at Keith.
“Good thinking saying we aren’t dating so we don’t get moved to separate bedrooms.”
Confused, Keith decides to finally ask, “Are we… Lance, are you gay?”
“No.”
Keith’s heart sinks so low in his chest, he feels motion sick.
“I’m bi,” adds Lance, crossing the room to approach Keith’s bed.
“Bi?” asks Keith, trying to let this new information coax his heart back into place.
“As in, liking girls and boys.”
“Girls and boys?” repeats Keith. Suddenly he feels a wave of panic. “But that’s all the people! You like all the people?”
“Keith,” says Lance, taking a step closer and reaching out to touch his shoulder. “The person, I like is you.”
“Oh,” says Keith with a sigh of relief. Lance actually likes boys. Lance actually likes him. “I’m gay,” says Keith, realizing he still needs to make that clear.
“I figured something like that,” says Lance, with a soft look on his face.
“Wait… you think it’s good I said we aren’t dating because we aren’t and that’s the truth? Or we are dating and you thought I was lying so we could keep sharing a room?”
Now it’s Lance’s turn to look panicked. “It’s the one you want to be true.”
“Don’t throw this back on me!” squeaks Keith.
“I’m not trying to pressure you or anything,” says Lance, throwing up his hands, defensively. “I just know you haven’t dated anyone so I don’t know if you want to be… dating… someone…”
“Oh. Oh.” It becomes clear that Lance is trying to be considerate by letting Keith take the lead, but Keith’s not capable of taking the lead. “Can I just… um…”
“Take all the time you need,” says Lance, reaching back out and giving Keith’s shoulder a squeeze. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Keith feels comforted… for about a minute, then he realizes that Lance is going somewhere. He’s leaving in June to go back to Cuba.
Lance is totally clueless to Keith’s brand new internal meltdown, as he’s moved on to tidying his side of the room while humming a song Keith doesn’t know. He’s so cute and sweet and he likes Keith and will even date him. But no matter what, at the end of June, Keith will have his heart broken.
******
“I’ve been sent in to talk to you.” It’s Shiro in their bedroom doorway. Lance and Keith have been having quiet time apart from their families since Keith’s been non-talkative since the weird kitchen conversation and Lance is just staying close to him because of pure need to be near him.
“To talk about what exactly?” asks Keith, looking up from his phone.
Shiro sighs, “You’re not going to like it.”
“What?” ask Keith and Lance, both sitting up attentively on their respective beds.
Shiro walks into the room a few paces and then shuts the door behind him. “I’m supposed to give you the sex talk.”
“Ew no!” gasps Keith. He picks up a pillow from his bed and throws it towards Shiro’s head. Shiro easily dodges it.
“It’s gotta happen.”
“I already learned about sex in health class!”
“Keith, we both know they don’t cover anal in school.”
“STOP!” yells Keith, picking up a book to throw at Shiro, who dodges that too. Lance is just stunned, watching all this happen.
“As a gay man –”
“STOP! NO! STOP!”
“Keith, I’m trying to help you!”
“We’re not having sex!” yells Keith. “We’re not even dating and I told mom and dad that!”
“Yeah, well, I guess they didn’t believe you would never have sex and asked me to talk to you anyway. It’s not like it has to be with…” Shiro gestures towards Lance, then when their eyes meet, he suddenly goes red. “I – I shouldn’t say that in front of you, oh my god. I’m sorry, Lance.”
“It’s okay…” says Lance, not sure if it is okay. From his perspective, he doesn’t mind getting a sex talk – and better Keith’s older brother than his parents – but this is another one of those things Keith gets really flustered about really easily.
“Maybe I should’ve asked to be alone with Keith,” says Shiro, putting up his hands apologetically.
“No! You should not have!” yells Keith.
“But your parents thought…,” Shiro directs this at Lance. Suddenly Lance feels the discomfort of having his parents thinking about his sex life.
“Stop!” This time it’s Lance’s outburst. He covers his mouth, embarrassed for being so rude to a member of his host family. “Sorry,” he squeaks out.
“Yeah,” says Shiro, nodding at the floor. “So, I guess I can say I tried. Keith, I’m here if you have any questions in the future.”
“Just leave!” snaps Keith, looking for something else to throw. Before he can get his hands around the lamp, Shiro is out the door.
“I hate my family,” groans Keith, rolling over to faceplant himself into the bed.
******
At least it’s over. Or they think it is until that night after dinner when Marco slips Lance some condoms in front of Keith and tells him to “estar seguro.”
That’s when Keith locks Lance out of their bedroom. Because knocking on the door doesn’t work, Lance starts spam texting Keith.
L: Please let me in
L: Let’s talk about it!
L: I’m sorry!
L: I didn’t want that to happen!
K: But you took the condoms
L: Refusing them would’ve been a huge scene
Lance is about to send another desperate text when his sister Veronica siddles up to him. “Tómalo,” she says, pushing an object into his hand. He looks down at it as she slips away. Because the label is in English, he doesn’t immediately register what it is until Keith’s opened up the door to find Lance holding the condoms from Marco and lube from Veronica.
Keith closes the door in Lance’s face.
“They’re not mine,” yells Lance pounding on the door. “I’m holding them for a friend?”
*****
It’s hours before the door opens up again. In the meantime, Lance goes into the main house bathroom and hides the condoms and lube under the sink so as not to spook Keith again (or get found by his niece and nephew).
Lance understands how embarrassing this is for Keith, but in his experience with four older siblings, if one of them wants to give you sex advice, it’s usually best to nod along until it’s over with. Which is what Lance does when Luis corners him, leads him into the pantry, and gives Lance the best advice he knows without having slept with a man himself.
“Lo aprecio,” says Lance, flatly, glad he can finally leave the pantry. He spends the next couple hours avoiding Rachel at all costs in case she has advice or, worse, gifts.
At bedtime, Keith opens the door and apologizes to Lance for locking him out, but the whole time he won’t meet his eye. Lance wants to say something to make this better, but he feels kinda helpless and decides maybe they both need to sleep on it. (At least they’re still allowed to share a bedroom.)
In the morning Keith looks tired like he slept poorly, but he’s looking Lance in the eye again, which is a good sign. He even smiles at him briefly before going to brush his teeth.
“Yesterday our families got kinda crazy,” says Lance, starting the conversation as soon as Keith gets out of the bathroom.
“I didn’t know them seeing us kiss would set off this dominos effect,” says Keith, sitting down on the bed next to Lance.
“Yeah, I would’ve –”
“Never kissed me?”
“What? No! I was going to say I would’ve kissed you somewhere more private… and preferably many more times, but that’s a personal preference.”
“Did this kinda scare you off?” asks Keith.
“No! Not at all,” says Lance. “That didn’t have anything to do with us. That was just adults being crazy… are you scared off?”
“Not off, but I think it’s pretty obvious I’m scared. I just… I went from having my first two kisses to being given a sex lesson, but that’s not your fault.”
“Keith, I really like you,” says Lance. “But in the ‘spending every second by your side, seeing your face first thing in the morning kind of way’. I don’t need more than what you’ve already shared with me.”
Keith reaches out and takes Lance’s hand. “I wanna give you an answer on what this is… but I’m not ready for a label.
“We don’t need a label,” says Lance, squeezing Keith’s hand tightly. “We’re happy how we are so we don’t need any forward momentum. If people need to know what we are so badly, we can tell them, we’re ‘best friends who like each other so much sometimes we have to kiss about it.’”
“‘Best friends who like each other so much sometimes we have to kiss about it,’” repeats Keith. “That’s the perfect label.”
Then he leans in and gives Lance a kiss with his toothpastey breath and Lance’s heart just sores. Lance didn’t want to admit it to himself, but he was scared he’d lose Keith over all the sex talk, but he’s still here and he still cares about Lance and he still kisses better than anyone.
The kiss doesn’t last too long as Keith pulls away and asks if Lance wants breakfast.
“Always!”
*****
Winter break comes to an end. Lance is absolutely heartbroken when his family packs up to go home to Varadero. The evening of their departure, he can’t stop crying while hugging his parents and his siblings and his niece and nephew. He wants to go with them to the airport, but they’re taking a shuttle bus because there’s so many of them and the airport is in Vancouver, over two hours away.
His mom kisses his cheeks over and over and promises to call him everyday. Then she moves on to Keith and kisses his cheeks. “My Canadian son,” she says, holding his face with both her hands.
Seeing Keith be so loved and accepted by his family just makes Lance cry harder. Even after they leave, he can’t seem to stop crying.
“I don’t want anything,” says Lance, when Keith tries to offer him food or entertainment as a distraction. “I just want to go to bed.”
Which he does and when he’s alone, Lance calms down and falls asleep. He wakes up in the middle of the night feeling extra warm and cozy and realizes Keith is spooning him. It flips a switch inside Lance and he goes from missing to his family to being so grateful he’s here.
He knows they’re nothing official and it’s going to take Keith some time to move forward with him, but he does really feel like him and Keith can build a great love together.
*******
School starts back up and for the first time Lance walks there in the snow. It’s cold and crunchy and after a while the air makes his face hurt. He also slips and almost wipes out twice (good thing Keith has quick reflexes and is able to catch him). Still, it’s something new and beautiful.
The two of them spend their first class together (where Lance slowly warms up from the cold walk to school). Then it’s time for second period, which means they separate and Lance gets passed off to Allura at her locker so she can take him to Creative Writing.
Lance is a little distracted with all the action happening in the hallway and people moving between classes. He keeps stopping to ask familiar faces how their holidays were. Eventually Keith takes his hand and drags him towards where Allura and Romelle are changing textbooks at their lockers.
“So is this the hard launch of your relationship?” asks Allura, using her hip to close her locker.
“Our what?” asks Keith, as Lance asks, “Where?” and turns around as far as he can without letting go of Keith’s hand.
“The declaration of your relationship… with the hand holding.” Allura points between them and Keith and Lance both look down as if it’s a surprise to them too.
“We always hold hands,” says Lance, as Keith says, “He tried to wander off three times on the way here.”
“This denial is weird,” says Romelle, leaning her elbow onto Allura’s shoulder and tipping her head. “We’ve all seen you make out.”
Lance sees the first twinges of red in Keith’s cheeks and decides to butt in.
“Oh that,” he says flapping his free hand dismissively. “That was just because I’m Latino and spicy and like to kiss people,” he demonstrates by leaning in to give Romelle and Allura cheek kisses (as he hasn’t seen them in a few days and by his standards this is how they should be greeted), “so really no need to read into it.”
“If you’re sure,” says Allura with a disappointed frown. Of course she’s disappointed. She knows how deep Lance’s feelings are for Keith. Lance really needs to get her alone and try to explain this better.
****
“We’re taking things slowly,” says Lance. He’s followed Allura into the girl’s bathroom during lunch. He wanted to make this a casual chat so he hopped up on the counter to sit there, but he miscalculated and ended up with his butt in the sink bowl. Kinda lowkey comfy though so he’s rolling with it.
“Well, why didn’t you say that earlier?”
“Well…,” says Lance, scratching the back of his head.
“Oh Lance, please tell me that Keith knows you’re taking things slow.”
“We didn’t word it that way exactly,” says Lance, now feeling himself start to blush.
“Why not?”
“Because taking it slow implies a destination and Keith isn’t ready to accept that we’re heading somewhere…yet…”
“Oh bother,” groans Allura. Then without warning she reaches back behind Lance and turns on the sink. His butt is instantly wet, causing him to shriek and jump back to his feet.
“What did you do that for?” demands Lance.
“You saying something so stupid had to be backed up with you looking stupid,” scolds Allura.
“What was stupid about it?”
“The part where you’re not communicating your wants to Keith!”
“Allura, Keith’s like a tiny baby bird I’m trying to get to eat out of my hand. I can’t make any sudden movements, get it?”
She bites her bottom lip, then sighs. She twists towards the mirror and takes out a lipgloss to touch up her lips. “I just think there should be compromise on both sides, not just yours.”
“I think there is,” says Lance. “It’s hard to see from the outside.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.” Allura smushes her lips together to rub the gloss around more evenly then opens her mouth back up with a pop. “I know you don’t want to breat his heart, but don’t go ahead and break yours first.”
****
At lunch, the gang gets back together and after discussing holidays, Pidge brings up their graduation in June. This is the beginning of the pattern of every single conversation their group has turning to graduation in the Spring.
Everyone’s looking forward to graduation, but for Lance he knows that’ll be the end of so many good things in his life. So to combat this, Lance tries extra hard to appreciate everything he has right now. He appreciates winter walks, and boardgame nights with friends, and watching Keith across their room while he’s studying. Speaking of Keith, he also appreciates Keith snoring at night and his floppy hair in the morning and the way he twiddles his thumbs when he’s anxious and his pretty eyes and good smelling sheets and all the looks he gives Lance.
He appreciates being in love with Keith, because he is, truly and deeply. So much so that he wonders if when he goes home to Cuba if he’ll just continue on being in love with Keith. Maybe this is the love of his life that he’ll never get over. So he has to appreciate the feeling of loving Keith, but also appreciate their proximity while it lasts.
*****
“If my parents catch you in my bed, they’ll make us sleep in separate rooms,” murmurs Keith.
Lance has crawled into his bed again late at night because he wants to appreciate him from close up and lately that floor space between their beds feels like a million miles.
“They’re only worried we’re going to have sex,” says Lance, thinking this will be reassuring. By the way Keith stiffens beside him, he realizes he’s only freaked him out more. So much for the baby bird eating out of his hand…
“I’m not trying to have sex with you,” blurts out Lance, somehow thinking this will make it better.
“I wouldn’t have sex with someone who isn’t my boyfriend anyway.”
“Okay,” says Lance. Then he feels a horrible strangling feeling because he knows Keith isn’t saying ‘let's be boyfriends so we can have sex,’ but quite the opposite, which is ‘it’s good you’re not my boyfriend so I don’t have to have sex with you.’
Lance sits up and swings his feet over the side of the bed.
“What are you doing?” asks Keith.
“Going to my own bed,” says Lance.
“Why?”
“Just feel like it,” likes Lance. Silently, he creeps across the million mile stretch of floor back to his bed and climbs inside. It’s freezing there. And lonely. So much for appreciation.
*****
“A camping trip,” says Hunk, spreading out his arms like he’s presenting something incredible.
They’re all around their usual lunch table at school and the subject has once again turned to graduation.
“It’s snowing out!” complains Romelle.
“We’re not going now, but in the Spring as a grad celebration.”
“Well I don’t know if this bloody country still has snow in June,” says Romelle with an eyeroll.
“The mountains always have snow,” says Lance.
“Exactly,” says Romelle, pointing at him.
“We’re not going to camp in the mountains,” says Hunk. “Instead we’re camping on the beach.”
“Beach?” repeats Lance, sitting up straighter.
“Yeah, it’s where Keith, Pidge, and I like to camp during the summer.”
“We’ve never camped on the beach,” says Keith.
“No, but we talk about camping on the beach during the summer,” offers Pidge.
“Exactly! It’s where we like to talk about camping in the summer,” agrees Hunk, “so let’s make it a reality!”
“This still only counts as talking about it,” points out Pidge, “But sure, I’m happy to talk about camping on the beach after grad. What do you think, Keith?”
“Sure,” says Keith with a shrug.
“Just sure?”
“It’s fine.”
Pidge gives him a queer look and says “Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”
Keith and Lance briefly make eye contact before looking away.
*****
They might be fighting. Keith isn’t so sure, but there’s a strange tension in the air. He hates it. All he’s wanted since Lance arrived is to make him happy all the time and now he’s doing the opposite without even meaning to.
Keith’s usual cheer-up methods aren’t working on Lance anymore. No bedroom dance parties or couch cuddles or snowball fights or Timmies runs can shake Lance out of his funk.
“Maybe it’s Seasonal Affectiveness Disorder,” suggests Acxa. “He’s never been through a winter before. Get the guy a bottle of Vitamin D and one of those happy lamps.”
“I can try that,” says Keith. “But I’m worried it’s something worse.”
“What would be worse?”
He hesitates then admits, “That I’m disappointing him by not being his boyfriend.”
Acxa rolls her eyes in response. “If that were the case, he’d be a jerk, but he’s not. He’s just got the winter blues.”
Maybe… or maybe the two of them need a reset.
“I should take him to Vancouver,” Keith declares. “Overnight trip. Just the two of us.”
“Okay, well ignoring the fact that that’s exactly what a boyfriend would do, how are you going to afford that? You haven’t worked since last summer.”
Keith frowns then shakes his head, determined. “I’m getting a part time job!”
******
“I’ll get a job with you!”
Keith should’ve expected that reaction from Lance. He always wants to do the same things as Keith.
“You can’t legally work in the country.”
“Then I’ll volunteer.”
“No, you won’t,” says Keith. “The cinema doesn’t accept volunteers.”
Lance frowns. “Why do you need a job anyway?”
“For the money.”
“Why do you need money?”
So Keith can spoil him, but he can’t tell Lance that. “I’m saving for university.”
“Oh,” says Lance with a deeper pout.
******
“He’s leaving me for university,” sighs Lance. He’s over at Hunk’s place hanging out in Allura’s bedroom. She’s painting his nails for him while they sit cross-legged on the floor.
“You’re leaving him first for Cuba, remember?” Allura raises an eyebrow as she says this.
“Not on purpose! If there was a way to stay past June, I’d be staying!”
“Well, there is a way,” says Allura. She lifts Lance’s hand up to her face and blows on his nails.
“How?” demands Lance, but Allura is still blowing. He snatches his hand away from her and repeats, “How?”
Allura sighs. “Before I say it, are you sure you want to stay here? There’s no guarantee your relationship with Keith is going to lead anywhere.”
“No, it will! A promise that we can have more time together is exactly what we need to deepen our bond and commitment. I know it! And it’s also, it’s what I truly want. More Keith and more Canada. I want both.”
“Okay,” says Allura with a nod, “Then maybe you can apply to go to school here.”
Incredibly, Lance had never once considered this, but of course! Then he’ll get a student Visa! He can even go to the same University as Keith. Then reality reminds Lance of a disappointing fact.
“But I’m bad at school. No school will want me.”
“Your grades are only lower because English isn’t your first language,” says Allura. “I can help you get them up if you want.”
“That sounds time consuming,” says Lance, thinking of losing all his hangout time with Keith.
“Keith will be working,” says Allura, pretty much reading his thoughts. “We’ll plan our homework sessions around his work schedule.”
******
The possibility of Lance going to school in Canada is kept a secret from Keith. He doesn’t want to get Keith’s hopes up since he feels like it’s a long shot, but he does start asking Keith a lot of questions about what schools he’s applying to so he can apply too.
Applications are due in February! So that means Lance needs to score high on his final exams near the end of January so he can submit his grades with his application.
L: The application fees for foreign students is really high
L: I can’t ask my parents for this much money
A: Then don’t
A: I’ll ask my parents
L: Allura you can’t be serious
A: Already texted them and they’d wiring me the money
L: I’m seriously crying! I don’t deserve a friend like you!!
A:Yes you do
L: Come over after school so we can study
******
Even though Keith and Lance have four out of five classes together, Lance has announced he’s going to be studying for finals with Allura. At least he seems happy about it (maybe because he’s been using the happy lamp Keith bought him), but it feels a lot like Lance is continuing to pull away.
It’s remarkably lonely when Lance isn’t around. Keith used to love his own company, but lately alone time feels like an absence of Lance… a Labsence, per se… Keith tries to distract himself from ‘the dull ache of want’ by studying for exams as well. There’s some down time at his job at the cinema so he uses it accordingly. At least this way he’s free to spend his home time with Lance and vice versa. There’s nothing better than coming home from a long shift to be greeted by Lance’s smiling face.
“You seem happier this week,” Keith comments. He’s eating his reheated dinner over the kitchen counter while Lance Swiffers the floor and whistles. “Is it because I’m around less?”
“Keith! ¡múérdete la lengua!" snaps Lance. “That could never be a reason for me to smile!”
“Then what's the difference? Is it the happy light?”
“Oh, maybe,” says Lance, leaning his cheek against the handle of the Swiffer. “Or maybe I’m feeling optimistic about the future for the first time in a while.”
“What’s the future hold?” asks Keith because for him the future just means Lance leaving the country and them being separated for good.
“That’s a spoiler,” scolds Lance. “But it’s nice. I’ve always been someone who likes to live in the moment, but recently a friend got me making a scheme for the future.”
“I think you mean plan, not scheme, but that’s really nice to hear, Lance. I’m happy for you.” And Keith almost means it.
“I can’t wait for exams to be over,” says Lance, going back to Swiffering. “We need to make a party to celebrate.”
******
It’s February so that means Keith has less than five months left with Lance. The thought of him leaving makes Keith wants to scream and cry or maybe just kiss Lance without ever letting go. He does neither though. Instead he helps Lance set up for a games night at their place.
The whole gang is coming. This is their official blast to celebrate the end of exams, which was over a week ago. Lance insisted he get his marks first before celebrating and then when he did, he didn’t even show Keith. It was bizarre, but Lance has been smiling a lot again so he must’ve passed all his classes.
They’ve got video games and snacks and boardgames and even a case of beer in the fridge (purchased by Acxa) that Keith’s parents are pretending they don’t know about. They even spent an hour cleaning and vacuuming the basement for the party. Just as they’re finishing, Keith’s mom comes down the stairs.
“I hate to be a bearer of bad news, but the Weather Network has issued a major storm warning.”
“What?” asks Keith, opening up his phone to find the app.
“Huge storm system rolling in. It’s going to be a real blizzard. Travel is not advised.”
“Really?” gasps Lance. He takes off running up the stairs, presumably to check outside. Keith follows him up to watch Lance throw open the front door. An icy chill hits him, but he’s focused on checking out the snow. It doesn’t look like more than a few flakes. “This is a blizzard?”
“It hasn’t started yet,” says Krolia.
“So everyone can still get here,” says Lance, happily.
Keith sighs and moves to close up the door so he doesn’t get any colder. “But when the storm starts, they won’t be able to get home.”
“We’ll have a sleepover! That’s even better!”
“Mom?” asks Keith, looking for confirmation if a sleepover would be okay or not.
Now it’s her turn to sigh. “They’re predicting forty to fifty centimeters over the next two days. We might get snowed in over the weekend so really it’s up to them if they want to get stuck here with us.”
“I wouldn’t mind!” says Lance. “We could have so much fun together and even if the roads get closed, they can still walk home whenever they like.”
“In knee deep snow?” questions Keith. “I guess you wouldn’t know what that’s like, huh?”
“No,” says Lance, his eyes big, looking between Krolia and Keith.
“And it’ll be almost minus forty with the wind chill.”
Lance glances over to Keith’s phone screen that has the weather app displayed. “That says minus twenty-five.”
“But underneath it says ‘feels like minus thirty-nine’ with the windchill.”
“What’s windchill?” asks Lance alarmed.
“It’s when the wind makes it feel colder than it actually is.”
“Your wind does that here?!” exclaims Lance.
“Well, yeah…”
“You have super special cold wind?”
Keith’s phone vibrates in his hand with multiple notifications, all from their group chat. “I bet that's people cancelling.”
“Noooo,” cries Lance, looking like a hurt puppydog. “But my party…”
“You can make one next weekend,” says Krolia, giving Lance a sympathetic hug.
“But next weekend is Valentine’s Day,” counters Lance.
“And you two have plans,” says Krolia, sounding certain.
“We –” Keith and Lance both begin to speak and then stall immediately while looking at each other. Keith had never really given any thought to Valentine’s Day, but then again, he’d never had anyone he liked before on Valentine’s Day.
“It’ll all work out,” says Krolia, vaguely, as she heads off towards the dining room.
“What do we do?” asks Lance, looking totally lost.
“I guess, we have the party alone,” says Keith.
“No, I meant…”
“What?”
“Nevermind.”
*****
Lance was sad about their party falling apart for about ten seconds and now all he can think about is Valentine’s Day coming up. Oh, how he’d love to take Keith out on a real date! But they’re not even dating. Then that thought makes him sad.
But no!
He’s so very happy to have Keith always by his side (and sometimes they even kiss) and that’s enough for Lance. He won’t be greedy! He’ll remember to appreciate their time together because he won’t always be in this country with its blizzards and cold wind and this pretty-faced half Korean Canadian boy.
With nothing left to do but enjoy each other’s company, Lance grabs them a couple beers from the fridge and Keith gets the snacks. Downstairs, Keith turns on the PS5 and Lance puts on some music.
They sit down on the floor, backs leaning against the couch, shoulders leaning against each other. The wind is blowing outside (and apparently making it way colder than it already is), but they’re cozy and toasty inside.
They play Try To Lose Mario Cart and Lance lets Keith be the winner by beating him instead of losing. (It makes sense. Trust.) They forget about their drinks until they’ve completed their first race and then Keith wants to clink their bottles together before taking a sip.
“Salud,” says Lance and Keith replies with, “Hello” and they laugh so loud it echoes throughout the basement.
Lance eats so much his stomach hurts, then he decides to get up and dance it off. Keith joins him for a bit and then sits back down and just watches. Lance likes this attention he’s getting so he makes a show of it and breaks out some of his best moves. He wants to impress Keith, but instead he laughs at him and this leaves Lance no choice but to demand Keith now dance for him so he can show how he’s so much better.
Keith does dance and it’s awkward in a beautiful way. This lasts for about one minute before Acxa comes down to join them and Keith gets shy and refuses to move another inch. Since he’s being stubborn, Lance and Acxa decide to dance literal circles around him. Eventually their dance turns into a run and Lance gets dizzy from going in a circle and falls into Keith, pulling him down onto the ground in a fit of laughter.
Acxa plops down on the couch, declaring herself the “winner” even though Lance didn’t know they were competing at whatever it was they were just doing. Then she leans over to show both of them her phone screen because she just got sent a funny meme.
“Vero sent me that earlier,” says Lance with a smile.
“And he immediately showed it to me,” says Keith, sounding a bit smug.
“Well, she only sent it to me now and – “ Acxa cuts herself off, suddenly looking flustered.
“Acxa,” says Lance with a grin, “Do you have a text chain going with my sister?”
Since she’s so pale to begin with, it’s easy to notice her blush.
“We just send memes back and forth. It’s no big deal.”
“No big deal,” he teases. Lance looks excitedly over to Keith, but sees his face is blank. Clearly he’s not picking up on the obvious which is that Acxa’s blush means she has a crush. Imagine them dating! And the four of them live together. Maybe in Varadero, but also they have a private plane that flies them back and forth to Canada.
“What are you smiling about?” demands Acxa.
Keith looks over at him, now seeming curious.
Lance lies and says, “How much snow we must be getting! Let’s go see!”
In a flash, Lance is back up on his feet and races up the basement stairs. When he gets to the front hall, he rips open the door. The wind hits him with an icy blast and he stumbles backward.
“Close the door,” snaps Keith from behind him.
“I can’t! It’s pretty!” And it is! There are big fluffy flakes that just happen to be blowing sideways with the wind.
“You’ll freeze,” says Keith, stepping in between Lance and the door so he can firmly shut it.
“But I wanna experience my first blizzard,” says Lance, throwing caution to the literal wind.
“Fine,” says Keith, turning to the closet, “but if we’re going outside, you have to wear snowpants.”
So snowpants are like a winter coat for your legs. Lance is so warm when he puts them on with his jacket and his scarf and his hat and his mitts and his boots. Only when everything but his eyes are covered, does Keith open up the door for him.
Lance waddles outside, feeling like a penguin for the first time in his life. He loves it though. Penguins are kings who have gay partnerships and raise babies together. Who wouldn’t want to be a penguin?
Lance senses movement behind him which would be Keith exiting out the door. He can’t actually see him though because his own hood is up and he has zero peripheral vision. The light on the snow disappears as the door is closed behind him.
“Wow,” mutters Lance, wandering forward up the walk. He’s expecting the snow to be crunchy like it so often is when they go outside, but this fresh snow is so soft, it completely absorbs the sound of his footsteps. “It’s so quiet,” Lance whispers, knowing in the silence Keith will hear him easily.
“It’s the lack of cars on the road. Everyone’s staying inside.”
“It’s more than that,” says Lance, he reaches the end of the walk and decides to step right into the street. “It’s like the snow is dampening all the sound in the entire world! Can we go for a walk?”
“I guess the wind has died down for now so we can go for a short one,” replies Keith.
They decide to walk around the block. Lance loves it. The world is totally quiet and the fluffy. The snowflakes look so beautiful dancing in the street lights. He’s surprised he’s not more cold, but clearly the snow pants have locked in his body heat.
“Wow,” says Lance. “I could stay out here forever.”
“You’d die,” says Keith, flatly.
“Yeah, but you know what I mean.”
“I really don’t.”
Lance turns himself all the way around so he can actually look at Keith’s face (well… his eyes because the rest of his face is under his scarf) and say, “Just you and me in a totally silent, beautiful world.”
*****
Later that night, when they’ve journeyed back home through the storm, they decide the walk wore them out enough to go to bed. Tonight, Lance falls into the most lovely sleep. That is until…
Lance wakes up with a start because someone in his bed is moving and it’s not him.
“Who’s there?” asks Lance.
“It’s me,” says Keith’s voice. Of course it’s Keith, he should’ve recognized the silhouette of his mullet. “Can I sleep here?”
“Why?” asks Lance, surprised at himself for even questioning it. “Sorry, that came out as why, but I meant to say yes.”
“I just… wanted to be closer to you…,” says Keith, “... in that ‘best friends who like each other so much they just have to kiss about it sometimes’ way.”
Lance doesn’t hesitate. He reaches out and pulls Keith into him. In the dark, they miss each other’s lips, but soon correct course. When the kiss is sealed with their lips locked, Lance throws an arm around Keith’s back and pulls him in closer.
He feels a shift as Keith shies away. Lance lets him go. Lonely, but understanding. Keith is his baby bird afterall and he’s still trying to feed him.
“Too much?” asks Lance.
“I just… I was already getting excited.”
The word excited seems to have a special meaning behind it and it doesn’t take more than a second of thought for Lance to understand.
“It’s okay if you get excited,” says Lance. “It happens to me too. We can just ignore it and kiss.”
Keith doesn’t respond to this reassurance and Lance begins to worry he’ll get out of his bed and leave.
“Lance,” Keith whispers, his voice even quieter than a whisper, “are you a virgin?”
Lance feels his face flush with embarrassment. Of course he knew he’d eventually get asked this, but he still feels on the spot. “Most of one…”
“I don’t understand.”
“I mean, I’ve done things, but not everything,” says Lance, rushing. “And I’m not trying to do anything with you right now, you heard me say we could ignore, uh, it, right?”
“I heard you,” says Keith, his voice a bit less quiet. “I guess I just feel kinda inexperienced next to you.”
Lance has to wonder why this would be an insecurity so suddenly, seeing as he’d already known Keith hadn’t so much as kissed anyone before him. But then… maybe he’d always worried about this and just hadn’t had the nerve to say something before.
“I like who you are right now,” says Lance, surprising himself by not blurting out the word ‘love,’ “I don’t need a hypothetical version of you who already had sex.”
“That helps,” squeaks Keith.
“Do you need… a hypothetical me who hasn’t, uh, been intimate with anyone?”
“No,” says Keith, then he repeats it more firmly, “No! Lance I’m not trying to make you feel bad about who you happen to be.”
“Great. Then don’t make yourself feel bad for being who you happen to be either.”
“Right…”
“And for the record, I’ve never done anything with someone I’ve loved,” says Lance, surprising himself with his honesty, “but I think it would be way better.”
“That’s got to be true. I know I’m waiting until I have a boyfriend.”
Involuntarily, Lance groans and twists away.
“What? What did I say?” asked Keith.
“You said that word again!”
“Boyfriend?”
Lance groans even louder. “Every time we’re in bed together, you point out that I’m not your boyfriend!”
“What? That’s not what I’m saying!”
“Then what are you saying?” asks Lance, twisting back to Keith, very interested in his answer.
“That I want to be committed before we have sex,” says Keith, quite moodily. “I don’t think that’s crazy.”
Lance almost laughs in his face, but bites it back. “I think we’ve been having two different conversations,” admits Lance. “I thought you were saying I would never be your boyfriend.”
“I wasn’t saying that!” gasps Keith. “If anyone’s gonna… I just... Look, I just wanted to make it clear that sex wasn’t on the table yet. I’m still getting my bearings with just being in-like with someone. The rest of that stuff is down the road. All I wanted to know was if you’re expecting sex.”
“I’ve told you twice I’m not!”
“So you don’t want to?”
“¡Dios mío!” snaps Lance, he sits up and hits Keith with his pillow. “There is a difference between desires and expectations and both of mine are aligned in a way that is very complimentary towards you and also very respectful so get that in your head!”
“Okay, okay,” says Keith, holding up his arm to fend off future pillow attacks.
“Now what about you?” asks Lance, setting his pillow down properly (it’s nice and fluffed now that he’s used it to beat Keith).
“What about me, what?”
“I know your expectations, but what about your desires?”
“Oh,” says Keith. Even in the dark, Lance can tell that he’s blushing. “¿Me gustas?” It comes out like a question even though Lance is sure he’s just wondering if he’s saying it right.
“Me gustas,” Lance repeats, leaning down to kiss Keith on the forehead. “Para siempre.”
“What does that mean?”
“Don’t worry about it,” says Lance, snuggling back down into the bed. Right away Keith pulls him up against him and kisses him.
Lance is suddenly in heaven. Keith’s kisses do things to him that he didn’t know was possible. He’s swimming in his simply beautiful and complex affections. Everything about this boy is designed to make Lance fall head over heels.
Just like that, he’s excited and he can feel against him that Keith is excited too. He’s going to ignore it though because that’s what they agreed upon. Neither of them can help their body’s reaction.
Keith breaks the kiss and mumbles something about being sorry as he inches himself away so they’re no longer pressed together. He’s still ashamed and that’s too bad, but Lance figures that can change over time.
“No sorrys necessary,” says Lance. He dips forward to kiss Keith on the nose and then moves back to give him his space. “And if you need some privacy to take care of business, you can always take one of your long showers.”
Keith gasps. “You know about that?”
“Cariño, the only product in the shower that’s yours is a 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash. I know it doesn’t take you much time to get clean.”
Keith groans and rolls so his face is planted against the pillow.
“Stop,” scolds Lance, worried Keith won’t be able to breathe like that. “I take long showers too and it’s not always because of my products.”
“Oh my god,” groans Keith. Now he pulls the pillow out from under his head and holds it instead right against his face. “Don’t tell me that!”
“I was trying to make you feel better!”
“It’s too much!”
“There’s nothing wrong with us getting to know each other, Keith,” Lance lectures. “That’s what best friends are like.”
“Best friends who like each other so much they sometimes have to kiss about it?”
“Yes, those kinds of best friends. Now try to get some sleep.” Lance wants to wrap his legs right around Keith and sleep that way, but given their discussion, he realizes he better just lay still and let Keith choose their cuddle-level. It takes five minutes, but eventually Keith moves in to become the big spoon.
Bliss.
Lance falls asleep with the biggest grin on his face.
******
“I’m going to ask Lance to be my boyfriend,” declares Keith.
His parents barely look up from what they’re doing, as if pouring milk over cereal and stirring sugar into coffee is more interesting than what he said.
“I’m surprised it took you this long,” says his dad, rather monotone.
“I assumed you were already secret boyfriends and were keeping it from us in a rebellious attempt at independence,” says his mom.
As per usual, his parents act like they already know everything. It’s annoying, but not important.
“I’m going to do it on Valentine’s Day.”
“How original,” says Acxa, strolling in from behind him.
Annoying that she’s here and annoying that she’s being sarcastic, but still not what’s important.
“Listen,” says Keith, “I need to know that when Lance becomes my boyfriend, you won’t force one of us to change rooms.”
This finally gets his parents attention and they look up from their breakfast.
“Keith, we talked about this,” says his mom.
“Yeah, and you’re worried we’re going to turn our room into a sleazy sex den.” This makes Acxa cackle. “But you don’t need to worry about that because we’re a long way from that step anyway.”
“Hold on,” says Keith’s dad. “We never brought up the sex thing as a concern. You’re eighteen, Keith. You’re legally an adult and even if you were younger, your mom and I recognize that sex is a fun activity, particularly for teenagers.”
“I had sex when I was in high school,” says his mom. She takes a sip of coffee then adds, “A lot of it.”
“Ew, gross,” snaps Acxa.
“Acxa, you don’t have to be in the room for this discussion,” scolds their mother.
“But this room is where the breakfast lives,” says Acxa, pointingly holding up a box of poptarts.
“Those are portable,” says their dad.
“The toaster isn’t,” she counters.
“Toast if you must, but try to stay out of the conversation.”
“Whatever.”
Keith tries to get the conversation back on track, “So if you’re not worried about us having sex, then why can’t we stay in the same room?”
“Because we’re worried it’ll be too much,” says his dad.
“Too much what?”
“Too much together,” says dad, failing to make any sense.
“First loves are already really intense,” says his mom. “And usually those don’t involve living in the same house, let alone the same bedroom. We don’t want this to become overwhelming for you and especially not for Lance. He’s in a foreign country and relies on our family a lot. If things get too intense or tumultuous, it could really get him hurt.”
“I’m not going to hurt him,” argues Keith. “God, I can’t believe the reason you want us to sleep apart is because you think I’m going to dump him!”
“That’s not what we said,” says his dad. “We trust you to be as kind and as loving as the man we raised you to be, but the circumstance of being together twenty-four seven can complicate the relationship.”
“You have to remember we decided this along with Lance’s parents,” says Krolia. “They adore you and they’d love to see you two together, but they’re very worried for their son. Especially since –”
“What?” asks Keith as his mother stopped abruptly.
“It’s not for me to talk about Lance’s past. I’m sorry I brought it up.”
“Well, if it’s the reason you’re making this bedroom rule, you have to bring it up!”
“Keith,” says his dad sharply. His tone shifts and he says, “Your point is being heard. Can your mom and I have five minutes to talk about this? Alone?”
“Fine,” says Keith. Getting up from the stool he’s been sitting on.
“And take your sister with you?”
“C’mon, I’ve been staying out of it!” grumbles Acxa.
“Those poptarts look mighty toasted,” says their mom. “Your reason for being in the kitchen has expired. Go.”
“Fine,” says Acxa, with twice the venom Keith put into the word.
The two of them met up in the hall and Acxa hands him one of her poptarts, folded nicely in a paper towel. “You’re doing good. Keep it up,” she says.
It doesn’t take his parents five minutes, it takes them half an hour while Keith stresses out in the TV room. Half of his worry is that Lance will wake up (he always sleeps in on the weekend) and they won’t be able to talk about this again until Sunday morning.
Finally, his dad texts him to come back to the kitchen.
When he enters the kitchen, Acxa behaves as if she’s coincidentally heading back in there for coffee (but it’s obvious she plans to listen in).
“We’ve reconsidered our ruling,” says Krolia, “and we’re no longer making it a house rule that you have to have separate bedrooms if you’re dating.”
“Yes,” says Keith, excited.
“But,” says his dad. “We’re not the only parents involved here and if Lance’s parents want separate bedrooms, then we are obligated to enforce that.”
“That’s not fair!” argues Keith.
“Honey, he’s got his own parents and Lance is still seventeen. We’re responsible for him in this country and part of that responsibility is making sure he follows his parents’ rules.”
He’s not sure how to respond, so Keith stews in his disappointment. Again, his choice is to either share a bedroom with Lance or date him, but he can’t do both? It’s not fair.
“Why don’t you just call Lance’s parents and ask them to change their minds?” suggests Acxa.
“I can’t do that,” says Keith, immediately red with embarrassment.
“Or you and Lance can talk to them together,” suggests Keith’s dad. “Convince them like you convinced us.”
“But until then,” says his mom, “start thinking about packing your stuff because you’re moving into your sister’s room.”
“No!” shouted Keith and Acxa in unison.
******
Keith convinces his parents that moving out of his room before he even officially asks Lance to be his boyfriend would be giving the good thing away too soon and dampening it beforehand with something awful. Lance will not be able to handle them having separate rooms, so one way or another, Keith is going to have to convince Lance’s parents to let them stay together. This will be hard because even though they spent two weeks together, and he regularly emails Lance’s mom, he doesn’t feel confident enough to just call them up.
“Tick tock,” sing-songs Acxa when Keith confesses this to her. “You gotta man up and do it sooner or later.”
“Maybe I should wait and call them together with Lance.”
“It’ll have to be the night of Valentine’s Day, otherwise mom and dad are moving you in with me that very night and I cannot stress how not okay I am with that!”
*****
L: I’m going crazy!
A: What now?
L: When am I going to hear back from the schools? I need to know if I’m getting in!
A: I don’t know
A: probably by mid May
L: WHAT
L: THAT’S SO LONG FROM NOW
L: I CAN’T WAIT I’M SERIOUSLY GOING TO DIE
Lance’s dramatics are interrupted by a separate text from Keith. His bestie is at work and Lance is missing him desperately. He switches over to that chat to read what he said.
K: I forgot to ask for Valentine’s Day off and now I have to work 😢
Now Lance is for sure going to die. He has no idea if he and Keith have a future and at the present he doesn’t even get to spend Valentine’s Day with him!
Lance groans and flops back on his bed. He’s alone because of course Keith is at work and since he doesn’t have to study for finals anymore, all he has left to do is regular homework.
Now that his mood is so low, Lance can’t stand the sight of his math homework anymore and pushes it right off the bed. He goes back into his phone and tries to think of a response to Keith’s text, but he can’t think of a way to write out his disappointment that doesn’t make it sound like he was expecting them to go on a date on Valentine’s Day. Keith never asked him… just told him to keep the day free and then Keith goes and doesn’t keep the day free for himself!
Feeling close to tears, Lance opens up his contacts and taps on his mother’s name and then selects video call. She answer immediately and upon seeing his face, she frowns.
[“What’s wrong, Mijo?”] she asks in Spanish.
[“I’m sad that I’m not home,”] he replies in Spanish, [“and I’m sad that I have to leave Canada and I’m sad Keith is at work and I’m sad he’s not here! Mostly, I’m sad that if ever go out on a date with him, I’m not allowed in his room anymore.”]
[“Oh, Mijo, these are some big feelings. I want to talk about them, but right now I want to tell you about an idea that Pop-Pop and I had that may cheer you up.”]
“¿Vaya?”
*******
When Keith gets home from his job, Lance overhears the front door slam, and running steps with a shout from Krolia for Keith to take off his boots. Seconds later Keith bursts into their shared bedroom, boots still on.
“I’m sorry!” he blurts out, “I only got the job because I wanted to take you somewhere nice like Vancouver for a night and that would’ve been perfect for Valentine’s Day, but I’ve only saved up enough money to take you to dinner, but then I can’t even do that because I forgot that with jobs they just schedule you whenever unless you tell them not to and I’m so, so sorry!”
“You were… going to take me to dinner?” asks Lance.
“Yeah, I made a reservation at the new Thai place and everything because I heard tables are hard to get on Valentine’s Day.”
“So like a date? Or did you invite the gang?”
“I was only going to invite you.”
“So a date?”
“Yes, a date!”
“¡Anda! Really?” gasps Lance. He jumps off the bed and runs over to Keith and scoops him into the biggest hug. Then he grabs hold of his face and kisses him right on the lips without even thinking. “Oh, I’m sorry,” says Lance, jumping back. “That wasn’t very Canadian of me.”
“No, I liked it,” says Keith. “You can do that more if you like.”
“Stop! I will explode from happiness!”
“I thought you’d be mad at me.”
“Impossible! Not when we have a date!”
“But we don’t, that’s the whole point of what I’m saying. I can’t make it to our date.”
“Details, details,” says Lance, waving him off. “The important thing is you want to date me and that’s all I care to hear. Where or when it happens, doesn’t matter.”
“But right now there isn’t a when or a where and I never even officially asked you out before cancelling!”
“Then just name any when and where and ask me,” says Lance, feeling a grin spread across his face. “I’ll make it easy for you! I’m already planning to say yes!”
“Okay, well, maybe this sucks but on Valentine’s Day I’m only working until nine.”
“Then it’s settled! Our date will commence at one minute past nine!”
*****
Keith doesn’t cancel the reservation because he knows Lance has been wanting to try the new Thai food place anyway so why should he miss out? Instead he talks Acxa into going for dinner with Lance instead because he knows she’s been complaining lately that she can’t find a date in this tourist trap of a town. On the romance front, Keith thinks she’s talking to a girl, but it’s only online so who knows if it’ll go anywhere.
Keith gets frequent text updates over how the “date” is going. It’s probably good that as far as his parents know, Lance and Acxa are spending the night together as exchange siblings and they don’t know about the part where Keith is going to officially begin dating Lance. He knows they’ll demand the room switch as soon as he comes clean (and he will tomorrow because he hates lying to his parents), but at least him and Lance will get tonight in their bedroom.
After dinner Acxa and Lance show right up at the theatre to watch the seven pm show together. Keith is busy cleaning up a popcorn spill and doesn’t notice Lance until he’s pulling him into a kiss. His mouth tastes like peanuts.
“What are you wearing?” demands Lance, giving Keith a good once over.
“They rented us these old timey cinema worker uniforms for the night,” says Keith, wishing Lance didn’t have to see him like this. Red pants and button up jacket also came with gloves and a stupid looking hat. “Supposedly this makes it more romantic for the couples spending Valentine’s Day here.”
“It’s so handsome! I love it!”
“You look like a dork,” says Acxa, sauntering up with a soda in her hand. She gives it a big slurp then says. “I texted you what the dinner bill came to, you can etransfer me the money.”
“Oh no, Keith, you didn’t still pay for us!” gasps Lance, looking doe-eyed at Keith.
“He hasn’t paid for it yet,” stressed Acxa.
“You weren’t even on the date!” says Lance with a pout.
“I told you I saved up to buy you dinner so buying dinner is what I did,” says Keith.
“Not yet though,” says Acxa.”
“I’m less happy about paying for Acxa, but she made it a condition of taking you out.”
“We got you leftovers,” says Lance. “They’re in the car and it’s so cold out with the windchill that they won’t go bad.”
“Thank you,” says Keith, spotting his manager heading his way. “Go watch your movie. I’ll see you right after.”
“Yes! At one minute past nine!”
******
The problem with the one minute past nine date is Keith is still in his silly work outfit when their date officially begins. Instead of going anywhere, Keith asks Acxa to drive them home so he can change. Unsurprisingly, she doesn’t want to drive them back out after.
“Where would you even go? Even restaurants don’t stay open past ten.”
This is true and the bowling alley only goes until eleven and probably it’s full of couples.
“We can stay in,” says Lance, his mood still as light and happy as before.
“It’s not really taking you out if we stay in,” says Keith.
“Then let’s go for a walk,” suggests Lance. “I bet it’s beautiful outside.”
Keith agrees and they get in their snow pants. Thankfully it’s only minus fifteen with almost no windchill so they don’t have to cover every inch of skin just for a short walk.
“I wish it was snowing,” says Lance as they walk along the frozen sidewalk.
“I don’t, we have enough snow already.”
“But when it snows it looks so pretty in the street lights,” says Lance.
Keith reaches out and catches his hand. Lance’s gloved hand gives his a good squeeze and they continue on like that, holding hands as they walk.
“The moon’s pretty though,” says Keith, looking up to the half crescent moon in the sky. “But I bet you can see more stars in Varadero.”
“You’d think, but actually there’s resorts nearby that pollute the night sky with light. Your sky is so pretty here because the mountains help isolate your town.”
“I still bet it’s beautiful with the ocean.”
“Keith, I actually want to ask you something,” says Lance, stopping them on the sidewalk. He continues to hold Keith's hand while he turns to face him directly.
“You do?” gulps Keith. “I think I know what and I was planning to ask it first.”
Lance looks confused. “I don’t think you know what I’m going to ask.”
“I do and we should just ask at the same time.”
“Okay…”
Keith’s heart is thumping in his chest. He’s about to ask Lance to be his very first boyfriend.
“Will you,” they began together, “be my boyfriend?” continues Keith, but it’s overlaid with Lance saying something completely different that Keith doesn’t catch.
“What?” they ask, in unison.
Keith refuses to speak first since his curiosity over what he missed is ramping up his anxiety further.
“I asked,” says Lance, speaking slowly and clearly, “will you spend the summer with me in Cuba?”
Keith stares at him, unable to answer because he can’t fully process the request.
“It was my parents’ idea so it’s already cleared with them,” says Lance, now speaking quickly, “but even so, I’m the one who really, truly wants you to come home with me. I’d love to spend the summer with you and show you my home if you want.”
“I –” begins Keith.
A loud crack is heard above them and they both jolt, squeezing each other’s hands tighter. They look up towards the sky to see what made the noise and Lance gasps. Up above their heads are dancing ribbons of green light in the sky. The Northern Lights are out. The sudden majesty of it renders them both speechless.