Work Text:
"So this is where you live?" Keith comments as he steps into Lance’s apartment. It’s a modest space, the kitchen and living room just one big area while the bedroom and lone bathroom is hidden behind a door to Lance’s left. The appliances are old and the wallpaper may be a touch out of date, but for Lance, it’s his home away from home. Somehow Keith fits perfectly in the space, who is also a little rough on the outside but is perfect within.
Keith’s tense shoulders quickly ease as his eyes skirt around the place, familiarizing himself with everything, but Lance finds himself only watching Keith. His long hair is pulled back into a neat ponytail though those violet-gray eyes are still shadowed by his bangs dusting across his cheekbones. Seeing Keith tug off his leather jacket, which Lance scrambles to take it after regaining his senses, he almost misses the gift in Keith’s hands.
“These are for you,” Keith mutters, only slightly embarrassed as he shoves a bouquet of flowers in Lance’s hands, his cheeks almost as red as the roses. Quickly, before Lance can process what’s truly happening, Keith leans up to place a chaste kiss on Lance’s lips.
“ Hi ,” Lance breathes after they break apart, caught up in Keith’s gaze. A giddy smile winds its way onto his face.
Amused, Keith cocks an eyebrow but responds nevertheless. “Hi.”
“Thanks for coming,” Lance says as he clutches the flowers tighter to his chest; the clear, decorative paper rustles when he readjusts his grip. His nose dips into the petals, their sweet scent washing over him.
“As if I would miss this? You clearly don’t know me at all.”
Lance has been to Keith's residence on a few occasions but this is the first time the date is at Lance’s apartment. It’s almost like they have passed over another hurdle as a couple, and the more they conquer, the more confident Lance is that this relationship will last... forever if that is at all possible. Honestly, he hopes that this will turn out to be a forever relationship.
As Lance walks into the kitchen to place the flowers in a vase, Keith begins to wander around the designated living room area. He lingers the longest near the bookcases, eyes trailing over the many photos Lance has resting on top, then he kneels down. Out of the corner of his eye, Lance notices that Keith is quite interested in his DVD collection, running a finger over each spine as if committing every name to memory. Hopeful, Keith glances up at Lance when he comes back into full view. "Can we watch some of these tonight?"
Keith’s hand lingers on some of the classics like Indiana Jones much to Lance’s pleasure. "Hell yeah we will--" Lance pauses before moving to reveal the spread of food behind him “--But first, dinner for two." He gestures to his dining room table, or what had originally been a flea market purchase. His only two chairs don’t match, but nevertheless a smile widens on his face as he pulls out the darker one for Keith to sit on.
It's the middle of August, and the atmosphere of the apartment hasn’t recovered from the sweltering summer heat from the day prior. A breeze from an open window begins to cut through the humidity in the air as they dine on the food Lance had cooked, with some help from Hunk. Conversation following with ease, Lance can’t help but hook his foot around Keith’s leg, beaming when the other smiles.
After dinner has settled in their stomachs and they cuddle together on the couch, Lance’s arms loosely wrapped around Keith’s body as the other lays his head on Lance’s shoulder, he realizes, “I never gave you the proper tour of my apartment.”
“I think I’ve already seen most of it,” Keith chuckles, “Unless there’s something in the bedroom you wanna show me.”
With Keith teasingly wiggling his eyebrows, Lance struggles to keep a straight face as he quickly shakes his head. “None of that now; this is a gutter free zone. I was going to show you the amazing view but if you’d rather be alone with your… thoughts , who am I to stop you?” Lance makes a dramatic show of standing, slowly wandering over to the kitchen as if he is going to wash the dishes from dinner.
A hand reaches out and latches onto the back of his shirt. “Hey, come back here.”
“I don’t know, Keith, you might ‘corrupt’ my innocence.” Lance turns his head, a large grin cracking through his exterior.
“Stop being an ass and show me this view. I need to see it for myself before I make any judgements.”
Without another word, Lance marches over to the far wall and throws open the sliding glass door. The balcony is small, barely big enough for two people to stand side by side with their shoulders touching, so Lance allows Keith to wander out first.
The skyline before them glitters as the fading sunlight refracts off the panes of glass, and the street lights slowly blink on one by one as the soft darkness begins to consume everything. A faint stream of pink breaks through the orange hue of the setting sun, and the shadows on the skyscrapers slowly slide into one another. As Keith stands on the balcony, Lance wraps his arms around Keith’s waist, dragging him closer to share that comforting warmth.
"This view is beautiful," Keith says at last.
"Mm, not as beautiful as you though." Lance dips his face into Keith’s neck, placing a kiss on his soft skin; wisps of hair tickle his nose.
Keith breaks out of his hold to stare at Lance fully, mirth shining in his eyes. "I didn't believe you could ever top your cheesiness but I think you just did."
"Shut up, you know you love me." Lance says casually with a hint of a laugh trailing after his last word.
"Yeah, you're right. I do love you."
The breath Lance had been in the middle of taking remains locked in his throat, his lips parting in shock as he tries to make sense of what has just been said. "Wait, really? I-I was just teasing. Wait, do you really love me?"
Keith’s eyes confidently drift up to Lance’s face. "I do."
Everything brightens at once, the last of the sun’s rays illuminating Keith’s body as he becomes outlined in those golden shimmers. A subtle smirk winds its way onto Keith’s face as he waits for Lance to respond, who stumbles over every thought in his head. He finally finds the right words as the breath he has been holding revives him. "Oh, thank God because I love you too."
“Really?” Now it is Keith’s turn to be caught off guard with his comically wide eyes-- he hadn’t been expecting a similar confession , Lance muses.
“Yeah,” Lance replies a little cautiously, though he’s mostly trying to control his excitement; his body already vibrates with energy, “I’d never lie about that stuff.”
“So does that mean I can do this in celebration?” Keith’s hands cup Lance’s face as he brushes a quiet kiss across Lance’s lips; those blue eyes flutter closed for a brief second.
“Definitely,” Lance exhales into Keith’s skin.
As Keith breaks away, fingers resting under Lance’s chin, he whispers, "And for the record, I think you're more beautiful than the view too."