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As far as Valentine Days went, this one was not getting off to a great start. Keith surveyed the grey dismal rain-sodden skies outside his window with a heavy sigh.
This would to pardon the pun, put a dampener on any outdoor plans he might have considered for he and Lance's very first Valentines Day as an official couple.
They had known each other pretty much all their lives since childhood, had met even at the local kindergarten
The day they'd met had been rainy and overcast too. Keith had never much liked the rain and the loud sounds of crashing thunder and bright flashes of lightening had had him curled up on the play room floor, small hands over his sensitive ears
Lance always so popular with the other kids had noticed Keith seemed scared and come over to try and talk to him and calm him down.
Keith had been very surprised, normally the two would never cross social bubbles with each other. Keith was a quiet introverted kid who spent all his time either reading books, or drawing pictures or playing quietly with building blocks.
Lance sunny and full of smiles on his freckled face would always be surrounded by other kids, playing with some cool new toy with lots of lights and sounds and neat gadgets that one of the more well-off children had brought.
Keith would never in a million years have expected Lance McClain to notice him. And of course it had to come when he was at his most embarrassingly compromised. He'd tried to inhale the tears and pretend he wasn't crying at all, to save face.
Lance could easily have teased him for being a crybaby, especially as a boy, but he didn't he just sat down next to him and after a minute slowly began to hum a tune. As the thunder crashes continued the volume of the humming got stronger, not obnoxiously loud but enough to soften the rumble of the skies outside. Becoming words, in a accented determined voice.
Eres mi rayo de sol, mi único rayo de sol
Me haces feliz cuando el cielo está gris
Tú nunca sabrás, querida, cuanto te amo
Por favor no me quites mi rayo de sol
Keith had grown up in Texas before coming to this city and knew a lot of hispanic-speaking and latine people, so he knew enough to grasp that Lance was singing the spanish version of 'You Are My Sunshine', it was a song his Mama had sung to him as a baby many times before she disappeared from his life.
In spite of that sad memory, it slowed the involuntary trembling, and calmed the young boy as he watched his classmate sing his little heart out, completely unafraid of the crashing and flashing outside, as if he knew without a doubt that the sun was going to come out and chase the darkness away.
He felt warmth bloom in his cheeks as the storm seemed to clear and the sun indeed did come out shining behind the singing boy's crown of curls like a golden halo.
Lance even walked him to the gate to wait for his older brother Shiro and his boyfriend Adam, he chatted cheerfully and splashed his frog wellies in puddles with bright giggles and a smile on his face. How could Keith's heart be anything but captured?
However it had taken a lot longer unfortunately for them to get together ultimately. Lance had been especially oblivious to Keith's feelings, not helped by the fact that Keith seemed to have a complete inability to just spit out what he was thinking.
They had gone through preschool, and middle-school being 'best friends' but nothing more than that. Then in high school Lance's good looks had made him super popular with girls and suddenly he was dating all the time and Keith couldn't bring himself to risk their friendship by confessing to Lance how he felt, he was afraid if Lance knew he was gay he might be deterred from him. He couldn't stand to lose their connection.
So he focused on his studies and other things and didn't say anything, even though seeing those silly vapid girls fawning all over Lance made him super jealous to the point one time he snapped a pencil he was writing with by clenching his fist so tight.
Lance had looked at him somewhat startled by the noise, immediately attentive and asking if he was feeling alright, was he overstressed with exams etc.
Keith had meant to brush it off and say he was fine as usual, but seeing Lance paying full attention to him for once instead of a girl made his gay little heart leap for joy inside him, and he'd found himself saying that yeah maybe he could do with a little bit of help.
Lance had agreed to attend study dates at his house after that, even prioritizing them over his girlfriend of the week, telling them as politely and earnestly as possible that his friendships were really important to him, and he could never turn his back on a friend in need.
The girls obviously pouted and gave Keith dirty looks for stealing their man away from them, but they couldn't ultimately be angry at Lance when he was being so sweet and charming and kind. Who could blame a guy for being a loyal friend after all?
But even with that opportunity dropping in his lap, Keith had still bungled every attempt to confess to Lance. Either because he chickened out, or because some unexpected interruption meant he couldn't get to it.
And so things continued in a stalemate and Lance kept dating until they got to college. Then in the strangest twist of fate he stopped dating at all. The reason he gave was that he really wanted to focus on doing well and getting his degree so he could pursue his dream careeer, but nonetheless it left Keith confused and concerned for his friend.
Lance was so social, he loved being surrounded by people, even if it was only platonic not romantic, he should always be laughing and smiling in the midst of a crowd of admirers, that's just how it should be.
And so he'd suggested starting up the study dates again under the guise of helping Lance cram for his classes, but also keeping an eye on him to make sure he was okay.
Even weirder Lance had almost seemed reluctant to hang out at Keith's place and had started to make excuses not to attend. Really bad obvious excuses.
Keith was wigging out. Why was Lance avoiding everyone? Especially him? Something really serious had to be going down... Could he have somehow found out about Keith's crush on him? Even if Keith couldn't muster the words to confess his feelings he was hardly subtle about it, making moon eyes at Lance in every class they shared, scribbling a hundred hearts with KK ❤ LM down the margins of his notebooks. He behaved like every one of those lovesick schoolgirls that crushed on Lance throughout highschool.
He showed up at Lance's apartment and things had gotten heated, mostly because Keith could be temperamental and volatile and had a bad tendency to jump to wrong conclusions being a very very impulsive emotional person.
He'd said that if Lance didn't want to be friends anymore he didn't need to beat around the bush with obvious phony excuses and he could just ditch him and be done with the whole charade.
Lance's face had flushed red with what Keith assumed was anger, but also his eyes had been full of pain and eventually he'd shouted "I don't want to keep being your friend Keith..."
Keith had reeled back, looking shell-shocked in spite of asking for this truth to be spoken and had turned towards the door trying to hold back the burning prickle of tears in his eyes and the hollow ache in his heart to know that Lance hated him so much he didn't even want to be his friend.
But then Lance had grabbed his shoulder and pulled him round to face him and before Keith could bring up a hand to smack him away, those tan lips had been pressed over his and he'd just frozen out of utter confusion. By the time his brain had managed to compute what the hell was happening Lance was leaning back breathing hard
"Sorry, I should have asked first, I know, I just.... I felt like I was going to lose you if I didn't make a move" he confessed, averting his gaze, a high flush of colour on his cheekbones
Keith made a few frog-like vowel sounds and blinked before getting control of himself and remarking "I.... thought you hated me...."
Lance blinked at him "No! Are you crazy?.... Keith I've been in love with you for years, and I've been waiting for you to notice and return my feelings! But no matter how close we got you never did...."
"But all the girlfriends.... I thought you were only into girls.... I...." Keith found his mouth entirely too dry, heart palpitating in his chest like a frightened rabbit bolting about in there.
Lance shook his head looking apprehensive for a second as if he were making his mind up about something before just letting his true feelings out "No... I.... Keith I'm bisexual. I like more than one gender. But the girls were mostly just for fun and company. I've never really felt as deeply for them as I felt about you. And after the study dates and you still didn't say anything I started to think maybe you didn't return my feelings, and I couldn't keep torturing myself pretending my feelings for you were just platonic.... I guess I should have said something too but I was unsure if you'd receive my feelings...."
Keith took a minute to process all this information. Lance...... liked guys too? He wasn't just a weirdo fixating on his best friend who felt nothing for him? Lance felt the same way about him?
He'd been unable to keep the swell of pent up love and emotion at bay and he'd just bit his lip and let the tears fall "Lance.... I've been in love with you since that first time we met, when you chased away my fears, and kept me company. I knew then I would never feel that way about anyone else, even if we were too young to truly understand what love was back then, I still knew I wanted to be close to you always..."
Lance exhaled "We're both a pair of idiots, huh? Things would have been so much easier if we'd just been honest with ourselves a long time ago.
And that was the start of their relationship. They had only blossomed from there and now 23 years old, Keith was determined no rainy day was going to stop him lavishing all the love and attention on his 22 year old boyfriend that he deserved.
Rolling up the sleeves of his grey sweatshirt with a fierce gleam in his eye he got to work, prepping the apartment, making some necessary calls and then waiting for Lance's arrival.
Lance was dog tired when he got home, he worked a long shift at a local antique bookstore to cover student expenses, which entailed a lot of going up and down ladders and hefting stacks of heavy dusty old tomes that made him cough and wheeze.
He'd almost forgotten it was Valentines Day today and had remembered just as he was locking up the store and had to run like a maniac to buy some flowers and a card for Keith, cursing himself for being so flustered this morning to not make arrangements before hand. Their morning kiss had been far too sloppy for his liking too! He'd have to remedy that when he got home. Ughh... right after he took a shower to ease his aching muscles!
Turning his key in the door of his and Keith's shared apartment, he was surprised by how dim the lighting was, the overhead lights that were normally on were switched off and only a few tealight candles were lighting the hallway
"Keith? You home?" he asked in confusion, as he advanced along the hallway, fumbling in the dark a little to hang up his coat and bag, stubbing his toe a little and cussing under his breath
"In the lounge..." came Keith's voice softly up ahead, so he shrugged and shedding his shoes made his way socked to the room in question.
And blinked at what lay before him. Their somewhat loveworn tatty sofa had been turned inside out into something resembling a pillow fort with practically every cushion they owned, draped over with one of his Mama's nicest tablecloths (which he'd discreetly borrowed one time visiting her, for a toga party and then never had the guts to actually use it out of fear of damaging it) so it resembled a desert tent almost.
A few rose petals formed a path from the doorway to the inside of the little tent, the surrounding tables, shelves and other surfaces adorned with more little tealight candles that gave the room a hazy glow, some christmas lights draped around the mouth of the make shift 'tent' twinkling different colours. For a cramped student apartment it was impressive how much effort Keith had gone to to romanticize the place.
He followed the roses finding his lips twisting in a smile "Wow Mullet, I didn't know you had it in you to arrange something this romantic! Nice work!" he commented before he rounded the corner and saw inside the tent. And promptly dropped the bouquet of flowers he was holding.
Keith was sitting in a nest of cushions wearing an obnoxiously tight shirt that showcased his well-developed arms and toned torso, a single rose clenched in his teeth and giving Lance bedroom eyes that had him gulping down a lump in his throat and trying to will away the matching one below. His pajama bottoms were riding low on his hips showing a tantalizing v of flesh and ebony locks lay thick around his shoulders.
And then he spoke and utterly ruined the illusion because it was all distorted with the rose in his mouth. Lance snorted softly, reaching to remove the flower before it choked his boyfriend. He knelt on the soft cushions and pressed a kiss to those parted soft lips, grinning into it and pulling back to remark "Hey honey, I'm home"
Keith sighed a little in disappointment when Lance pulled away, but as much as he wanted to just kiss him, there was more to do first before it got to that.
He scooched on the cushions to allow Lance to sit "I'm not really a chef so uhhh... I got your favourite pizza" he told him, presenting two boxes with Lance's favourite anchovy and pineapple (absolutely disgusting in his own opinion) and his own choice of pepperoni.
Lance grinned "This is awesome, but are you sure this was a wise choice for future kissing this evening? You want me to have fish breath whilst we're making out?"
Keith rolled his eyes "For you, I'll kiss you even if your breath does stink of anchovies"
Lance placed a hand playfully over his heart "Babe that's the most romantic thing you've ever said to me" he commented mock-seriously. Keith lightly shoved him "Yeah yeah just eat your pizza"
Lance instead flopped back on the cushions "Ahh I don't know if I can, I'm so so tired... I might fall asleep in this cozy nest.... unless...." a mischevious gleam in his eye, pouting exaggeratedly "Could you feed me?" batting his dark lashes in a silly way.
Keith lifted his eyebrows giving the man he loved a 'Are you shitting me' sort of look which made Lance burst into giggles, he was promptly shut up when the other grabbed a slice of pizza and shoved it in his face
"Hey dude, not cool you got it in my hair!" Lance snatched a chunk of pizza from Keith's box and tried to hit him with it, Keith ducked. The next few minutes involved a lot of pizza sauce and several cushions probably getting ruined. They regarded each other breathless and daubed in sauce. Keith had a piece of pepperoni on his nose that looked super silly but adorable, Lance leaned forward to kiss it off, chewing thoughtfully "Hmm"
"What?" Keith tilted his head in confusion, Lance smiled and kissed his lips, lingering for a moment before replying "I was right. You do taste better than pizza"
Keith's heart swooned a little inside at the soft compliment but he managed to hold it together enough to reply sardonically "Such romantic words, I didn't know you were a poet Lance"
"Oh indeed!" Lance's eyebrows wiggled suggestively "Now what rhymes with... I want your booty" he made grabby hands for the other
Keith held a palm out to push Lance's cheek lightly away "Not until you've showered thanks. We're both covered in pizza sauce and toppings, you've got cheese in your hair even. Wash up first, then we can do other stuff"
Lance pouted "Killjoy.... oh! But if you're sharing a shower with me...." his expression changed to it's devious face and Keith sighed knowing nothing good ever came from that face "No shenanigans okay? I'll wash with you, but you'd better behave!"
Lance deflated with a sigh "Spoil all my fun. But fine okay, I'll be a good boy". Keith smirked and kissed his cheek "Good, now get those dirty clothes off"
Lance couldn't resist one last crack "Ooh la la, such a forward request Mr Kogane, and you tell me to behave! Honestly what will the viewers at home think?"
"The viewers at home can mind their own business" Keith remarked bluntly as he grabbed a towel and sashayed into the bathroom first stripping down and getting the water running to just the right temperature, he slid in under the spray.
After a dismal dreary grey day a hot shower was the best thing ever and he couldn't resist getting a little swept away in the pleasure of it with a gutteral moan of relief. He heard the bathroom door click open and the shower door slid open offering a brief chill before a warm body replaced it and a voice whispered seductively in his ear "You sound like you're enjoying yourself already, and without me! That's hardly fair. Share and share alike..."
Keith turned and shoved a sponge in his face "Can you not be lewd for 2 minutes?" but he was clearly blushing which meant Lance's teasing had had an effect on him.
Lance gave him puppydog eyes "I promise I only want cuddles? Can I please have cuddles?" he turned his gaze to look at the other intently, his eyes having the same effect as Puss in Boots in that Shrek film.
Keith exhaled and relented "Okay... it's Valentines and this is a date, so I'll allow that. I guess I'm just nervous about getting everything perfect for you..."
Lance's expression melted giving the other a kiss on his forehead "You don't have to worry, mi corazon, everything you do brings me joy, we've known each other so long and now we're finally together, nothing could spoil this moment for me"
Keith exhaled, melting into the warm embrace of the other, resting his head lightly on his shoulder "You're the one who brings ME joy Lance. From the first moment you were always there for me, comforting me, being my sunshine in the literal flesh. I wanted to show you how much you mean to me tonight. But I panicked and it didn't really go to plan... I sometimes wonder if I'm really enough for you..." he averted his gaze to the bathroom tile, studying the cracks with intensity rather than meet Lance's gaze
Lance seemed taken aback "Keith?! Don't say that... you really think you're not enough? Babe... Keith.... look at me okay?" he caught the other's chin and gently turned his head back to face him "Keith nothing in my life has ever made me more contented than meeting and being with you. I told you before I've had feelings for you since long before I even had names for those feelings. Just everything about you caught my attention, your beautiful violet eyes, the way you scrunch your nose when you're focusing on something, the way you blow your fringe out of your eyes when you're reading, even that dumb way you eat toast where you nibble the corners off first and chew along he edges like a little gerbil. It's adorable. You're adorable. And perfect. I wouldn't change a single thing about you. I love YOU, Keith Kogane"
Keith looked at Lance solemnly for a few minutes then threw his arms around him, squeezing tight "I love you too Lance, so much, so so much... seeing your smile every morning. It makes my heart ache with how much love I have for you. I don't have the grace to put it into words. You make me a mess with how much I feel for you"
Lance's expression softened further, resting his head atop his boyfriend's head making circular motions on the other's back with his hands "You don't need to recite poetry for me Keith, just knowing you care makes me happier than anything else. It's the simple things that tie you to me"
They remained like that for long after the water turned cold in the shower, just kissing and holding each other, eventually breaking out of the trance to step out and get dry, and went to the bedroom. Lance had retrieved his bouquet from before and put it in a vase on the nightstand by their bed along with the card.
Keith now redressed in pajamas once more with a damp towel around his shoulders passed him the small gift he had made, some slightly well-done cookies (via Hunk's online instruction). Lance promised he would savour every bite.
As they curled up in bed together Keith leaning his head on Lance's chest he remarked "Will you sing that song for me again?"
Lance tilted his head "Which song?"
"The one about the sunshine, when we were kids... your voice is so warm and soothing..." Keith replied softly
Lance nodded "Of course, mi cielo". As Lance's gentle crooning began, the voice different older than before and yet with the same sincerity and affection interlaced with each word, Keith felt peace suffuse his entire soul whispering with a blissful smile "Thank you, for being my sunshine, and chasing my clouds away"