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Exhaling deeply, Keith sunk back into the red velvet chair and closed his eyes as the seat creaked beneath him. Tuesday, 9:50 AM. After months of trial and error and a very full rewards card, he had finally found the sweet spot. He had even picked the very best seat in the house: the middle seat in the second to the last row.
Stretching out his legs and resting them on the seat in front of him, Keith grabbed a handful of popcorn and surveyed the room around him. 9:51—and not a soul in sight. As the lights dimmed, he straightened up and suppressed a smile.
His giddiness was cut short, however, when a figure came rounding the corner, leaping up the stairs two at a time. The lanky boy gave Keith a slight nod of acknowledgment before plopping down three seats in front of him. His new companion was an unwelcome surprise, but what shocked Keith even more was when the boy pulled out his phone and began texting.
“Do you mind?“
The boy looked over his shoulder and put his hands up in surrender. “My bad,” he said before putting his phone away. Keith was about to breathe a sigh of relief but was interrupted by a vigorous crunching sound. He didn’t even know it was possible for someone to eat so obnoxiously. And when the boy took a loud, languid slurp from his drink, Keith had half a mind to slap the cup from his hand.
What did I do to deserve this?
He almost said something again, but a faint roar made him look back at the screen. The previews were finally starting, and Keith figured he could put up with some disgusting eating habits for a few minutes. If he was lucky, the boy would finish all his snacks before the movie started, and he wouldn’t have to put up with it any—
“Ok, c’mon JK, 1920’s America with one black person? I know this is a fantasy world, but that is the most unrealistic thing I have ever seen.”
Keith’s eye twitched, but he tried to focus on the screen and not the annoying boy sitting in front of him. It’s just the previews. Just ignore him. You can look it up on YouTube when you’re home even though it’s sacrilegious, and this guy should be given a remedial course in theater etiquette, but whatever. It’s no big deal. Breathe. Remember that patience y—
He was blessed with another ten seconds of silence before the boy muttered, “Alright, how many hetero relationships are you gonna push in just the trailer alone?
Although he hated to admit it, Keith found himself agreeing, and by the time the trailer ended, he found himself less excited for the movie than he thought he was going to be. Who knows maybe he had been saved from needlessly spending a coup—
The new trailer started with a car bursting through the wall, and immediately, the boy stood up and yelled, “Really? Another one? Couldn’t you respect Walker’s death just a little more? Like close the franchise. Stop trying to profit off his— Hey!" The boy whirled around and rubbed the spot on the back of his head that Keith had thrown a fistful of popcorn at. “What’s your problem?"
“What’s my problem?” Keith asked incredulously. “What’s your problem? This is a theater, not your house. You can’t just stand up in the middle and start yelling at the screen like some suburban dad throwing a hissy fit about sports.”
The guy grumbled, “It’s only the previews, man. Chill out.”
“I’ll chill out when you shut up,” Keith shot back.
“Too bad for you. I never shut up,” the boy said as he folded his arms across his chest.
Keith briefly wondered if that was really something to be proud of before saying, “Yeah, I can see that, asshole. I can also see your parents never taught you basic manners.”
Before he could even blink, popcorn hit Keith square in the face. Wiping butter from his face, he could faintly make out the boy with his arm still flung out in front of him.
“Don’t talk shit about my parents. This is probably why you’re spending your free time going to movies alone.”
“You’re doing the same thing!“ Keith countered as he grabbed another handful of popcorn and launched it in the general direction of the boy.
“I’m not. I actually have friends.” The boy punctuated his sentence by throwing another wad of popcorn, but this time Keith had the foresight to dodge it.
Popping back up again, Keith yelled, “Doesn’t look like it to me. You’re just a rude, irritating, loud loner.” He punctuated every insult with another ball of popcorn, not even sure if he was aiming properly. Panting heavily, he briefly looked up to see the boy was nowhere in sight. Keith scrunched his brow, but his momentary confusion was interrupted by a bucket of popcorn being dumped on his head.
Through the bucket, he could hear a faint, “Takes one to know one. Enjoy your fucking movie.”
By the time Keith tipped the bucket off his head and shook the stray kernels from his hair, the boy was already storming out.
“Good riddance,” Keith muttered as he sat back down, trying to brush all the popcorn off his shirt and comb the butter out of his hair.
Thankfully, the movie was only just beginning, but as Keith started to get comfortable again, he couldn’t help feeling a little bad. Sure, that guy had been horrible and annoying, but everyone had the right to watch a movie. He had been a paying customer, after all, even if he had zero etiquette.
Well, what’s done is done. I’ll probably never see him again, he thought before letting himself dive into the world opening up before him.
“One ticket for X-Men: Apocalypse .”
Without looking up from his phone, Lance asked, “9:50 showing?“
“Obviously.”
Wow, talk about rude , Lance thought, but he simply said, “That’ll be $5.”
“I have a rewards card,” the customer said as they shoved a card and a couple of bills through the slot.
Then say so in the beginning, numbskull. “Okaaaay, so that’s $3.50. And 8 points have been added to your card,” Lance drawled as he swiped the card on the reader and shoved the bills into the cash register. He briefly glanced up as he pushed the ticket and card through the slot and was startled to see a pale boy glaring back at him intently.
“Um, here’s your ticket.”
“Thanks,” the boy said as he took his ticket without once breaking eye contact.
Lance flinched. What did I do to deserve this?
“Well, then, enjoy your movie?“ Lance said hesitantly, trying to ignore the fierce stare and the heat crawling up the back of his neck.
The boy’s eyes widened, and suddenly he slammed his hands against the counter and shouted, “I KNEW I RECOGNIZED YOU. IT’S YOU! THE OBNOXIOUS, POPCORN THROWING ASSHOLE. YOU WORK HERE?!“
Lance could only stare back in shock as the guy panted and glared at Lance accusingly, but when the pieces finally clicked in his head, he shot up and shoved his finger against the glass. “Hey, you threw popcorn first.”
“You threw back.”
“You insulted my family.”
“You insulted the very foundations of the cinematic experience! And yet you work for this place? It’s blasphemy.” The boy’s face was practically pushing through the glass at this point, and while Lance would normally gag at the idea of getting his face anywhere near the layer of dirt and grime caked on the glass, he found himself pressing his forehead against the screen, too.
“Seriously? This is why I hate movie purists. You know there’s a thing called the Internet? It’s not that hard to see a movie online let alone goddamn trailers .”
“It’s not the same. The cinema is an experience.”
“ The cinema is an experience ,” Lance repeated with irritation. “Working here isn’t as amazing as you think it is. Wanna take my shifts for a week? You’ll see what I mean.”
The boy put his hands up in surrender and gave Lance a withering look. “Forget it... You’ll never understand. I’m late for my movie.”
“ I’m late for my movie ,” Lance mocked again before a brilliant idea struck him. He shot up from his seat, grinning from ear to ear.
“You mean we are late for our movie.”
The boy paused and turned around slowly. “You wouldn’t dare,” he nearly growled.
“I would. And with pleasure,” Lance said as he put his mic and hat down on the counter.
“I’ll report you to your boss.”
Lance scoffed at the threat. “What boss? My manager who’s never here and couldn’t care less what I do? The owner of this place that hasn’t stepped foot in here in like ten years? Sure, go ahead. You and I both know we’re the only ones here. Besides poor Hunk who’s managing the concessions stand. Or fixing the projectors. Honestly, it’s a toss-up. This place is a dump.”
“It’s rustic.”
“So we’re in agreement,” Lance said with a snicker as he exited the booth and slung his arm around the boy next to him.
“Ughh,” he groaned, and Lance only laughed louder.
“I’ll treat you to popcorn,” Lance sing-songed.
“Bribery won’t work with me.”
“And a Slushie?“
The boy paused and peeked at Lance through his bangs. “Make it blue raspberry, and we have a deal.”
Hook, line, and sinker. “I like the way you think,” Lance said with a smile.
“But if we’re doing this, you stay on one side of the theater, and I’ll stay on the other, and we’ll be far, far away from each other.” Prying Lance’s arm off him, he emphasized, “Very. Far. Away.”
Putting his palm flat on his chest, Lance said with as much hurt as he could muster, “But you’re going to sit in the best row. How could you deprive me of the best cinematic experience? I have to learn from you, which means joining you every step of the way.”
The boy sighed. “You’re just gonna do whatever you want, aren’t you?“
“You catch on fast, kid,” Lance said as he hopped over the unmanned counter and scooped up some popcorn into a large carton. Handing it to the boy whose eyes were wide with shock, Lance laughed as the cup he was holding started to fill up with bright blue liquid.
“What? You never thought to do this? No one’s stopping you.”
Shaking his head, the boy responded, “I thought there were at least cameras or something.”
Lance pointed to the corner of the ceiling. “Pro tip, half of the cameras in stores in this city are either broken or don’t have anyone watching them. I should know. I’ve worked at nearly all of them.”
The kid crossed his arms. “You get fired a lot?“
Capping off the Slushie, Lance took a long slurp. “I can neither confirm or deny any details about any operation without the permission of the secretary.”
Lance’s companion did a double take. “Did you just…“ But Lance simply slid over the counter and started walking down the hall.
“C’mon, we’re gonna miss your precious trailers.”
Wordlessly, the kid followed Lance into the empty theater. They plopped down into their chairs, and the boy turned to him and said, “You promise to keep your mouth shut, right?“
Lance grinned. “I never promised anything of the sort, mullet.”
“Mullet?“ the boy muttered. “Are you talking about me?“
“That is a mullet, right? They went out of style years ago, buddy. Sorry to say.”
“It’s not a mullet,” he grumbled.
“Whatever you say... Popcorn?“ Lance offered. The boy huffed before grabbing some popcorn and shoving it in his mouth without even once looking over at Lance.
As the trailers started, Lance folded his arms across his chest and snuck another peek at the boy sitting next to him, eyes glued to the screen and hand absentmindedly reaching for popcorn.
Unable to resist, Lance whispered, “So, do you have a name? Mine’s Lance.”
The boy clenched his fist and whispered back, “If I tell you, will you shut up?“
“Maybe.”
Lance’s companion rolled his eyes. “Whatever. It’s Keith.”
“Keith?“ Lance asked with a snort.
“What’s wrong with my name?“ Keith asked, indignant.
Lance stifled a laugh as he answered, “No, nothing. It’s a nice name, I swear. It’s just… you’ve never seen that super cheesy and horribly dramatic movie with Jesse McCartney? Are you secretly dying of cancer? Do you drive a yellow truck? What are your dreams? Are you full of teenage angst?“
Next to him, Keith exhaled deeply and slid down in his seat. “First of all, why haven’t you shut up? And, second of all, please never mention that movie again.”
“Why not? It’s the pinnacle of bad 2000s cinema.”
“Amanda Bynes?“
“A misunderstood superstar. She could’ve made it big.”
“Hilary Duff?“
“ Raise Your Voice is a masterpiece, shut the hell up.”
Keith gawked at Lance. “ You’re telling me to shut up?“ He paused and suddenly asked, “You said you hated movie fanatics, but you secretly are one, aren’t you?“
Lance shrugged. “I wouldn’t say that. I have standards.”
“So you voice those standards to everyone in a 50-mile radius?“
“Nah, just to loners who have nothing better to do on a Tuesday morning.”
Keith snorted. “Says the guy who has nothing better to do than bother that loner, who likes being alone. Who goes to the theater on a Tuesday morning specifically to be alone. Did I mention I want to be alone?“
Lance slid his eyes over to Keith and threw some popcorn in his mouth. “Huh? What was that? Didn’t quite catch it.”
“A. L. O. N. E. ALONE. By myself. Solitary. Unaccompanied. Flying s—“
Lance held up a hand. “Woah, okay there, Akeelah. No need to be such a show-off. I also passed the sixth grade.”
Keith threw up his hands in defeat. “Forget it. The movie is starting and I’m ignoring you. Consider yourself ignored.”
Lance sprawled across his seat. “Oh no, anything but that. How did you catch hold of the one weakness of this otherwise flawless body? I need attention to survive. It’s my bread and butter. My mana. My honey and ambrosia. My—mmpph.”
During Lance’s rant, Keith had slammed his hand over Lance’s mouth. “How can one person make so much godda—-aaAHHHH.” Yanking his hand away from Lance’s mouth, Keith cried, “You licked me?!“
Lance winked. “I have four siblings. I’m immune to these kinds of tactics.”
Grimacing, Keith wiped his hand on his shirt. “You’re disgusting.”
Lance wiggled his eyebrows. “In a good way?“
“Of course not in a good way!“ Keith cried. “I’m missing the precious first five minutes of this movie because you’re being the opposite of anything good ever.”
Unperturbed, Lance looked down at his watch. “Well, this has been fun and all, wannabe Joe Jonas, but I have to get back to work.” Smiling at Keith’s gaping mouth, Lance clarified, “Oh yeah, my manager does make rounds sometimes. Only once a month though, and always on the same day. Aren’t you lucky that that happens to be today?“
Keith put his unsullied hand to his face. “Today might be the unluckiest day of my life. What did I do to deserve this?“
Lance pouted. “Aw, don’t say that. I had a great time.” Keith didn’t respond, simply watching the screen with a forlorn stare. A stinging feeling crept up Lance’s chest. “Look... X-Men is showing again next week, same time. How about we go for round two? Movie ticket, popcorn, and blue raspberry slushie all on me. You’ll get your five minutes back and more.”
Keith narrowed his eyes at Lance. “Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?“
Averting his gaze, Lance muttered, “It’s not sudden. I’m always nice.” At Keith’s incredulous snort, Lance retorted, “Hey, I am… But I do feel kinda bad ruining your movie experience twice. You’re not so bad to be around, I guess.”
“You’re still awful,” Keith deadpanned. Lance opened his mouth to argue, but Keith cut him off, “But I’ll take it, your offer or whatever, on two conditions. One: You don’t say a word for the first ten minutes of the movie.”
Lance winced. “Well…“
“And two,” Keith continued, “I want Sour Patch Kids.”
Lance blinked. “Sour Patch Kids?“ Keith nodded. “That… that’s the most adorable request I’ve ever heard.”
Heat rushed to Keith’s cheeks. “Shut up, it is not.”
“Is too.”
“Is not. Sour Patch Kids are fucking delicious. Get the fuck out of here, would you?“ Keith said with a wave of his hand.
Lance stood up and stretched his arms over his head. “Fine, fine. See you next week, Sasuke tryhard.”
After a well-placed kick to the back of his calf, Lance nearly tripped down the aisle before barely managing to catch himself on the seats.
When Lance turned around, Keith was the picture of innocence. Taking a sip of the Slushie, he said with a wink, “See you later, motormouth.”
Lance rolled his eyes, but when he turned back around to exit the theater, he was grinning so hard his cheeks hurt.
So he does have a sense of humor.
“One ticket to see X-Men: Apocalypse with possibly the worst movie partner in the history of the known universe.”
Leaping up from his seat behind the counter, Lance held up two tickets. “Now is that how you should be treating your movie pimp?“ Keith released a long groan. “Right, right. Silence and Sour Patch Kids, coming up. Sheesh.”
Trailing behind Lance as they went to the concession stand, Keith asked, “So… are you actually going to sit through the whole movie, or will you have to report back to work sometime around when Magneto betr—?“
“UH-BUP-BUP-BUP!“ Lance shouted, holding a hand up. “What kind of movie purist are you?! You would actually unleash spoilers on my poor, virginal ears? What did I do to deserve this?!“
“Okay, first of all, never say ’virginal’ again.”
Undeterred, Lance said, “I might not respect trailers or peace and quiet, but I do respect the right to watch a movie unspoiled. And yet you, Mr. 'This is Blasphemy,’ would commit such movie heresy. I’m shook, frankly. Fucking shook. You don’t deserve these,” Lance said, waving the package of Sour Patch Kids in Keith’s face, who quickly snatched them away.
“Answer my question, drama queen.”
Lance huffed. “I’ll have you know I asked for the morning off. All so I could see this entire movie, spoiler-free , with your emo ass.”
Keith looked at Lance incredulously. “You… you took today off?“
Lance coughed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Don’t look so surprised, mullet. It’s not a big deal. They don’t really need me around anyways. Especially when their only customer is you.”
Whatever strange, fluttery feeling had started to rise in Keith’s stomach was squashed instantly. “Can we just get to the theater?“
Lance leaned down in an exaggerated bow. “Lead the way, your majesty.”
Storming off, Keith muttered, “I already regret this.”
Taking their seats, Keith jabbed a stern finger into Lance’s chest. “Remember our deal?“
Lance looked down at Keith’s finger and back at the boy before saying innocently, “First ten minutes of the movie. You never said anything about the trailers.”
Keith slid down into his seat and shoveled popcorn into his mouth. “This is off to a great start.”
Lance chuckled and started to settle in his seat when something hit the side of his head. He whipped his head around to find Keith hiding a smirk behind his hand.
Trying to ignore his racing pulse from seeing Keith smile for once, Lance joked, “Someone’s in a better mood today.”
Keith immediately sobered. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Lance’s eyes lingered on Keith for a moment until he finally murmured, “I must’ve been imagining things.”
As the lights dimmed, Keith’s face lit up, and he looked at the screen with rapt attention. Lance found he couldn’t tear his eyes away from him even though he was sure Keith would catch him staring any moment now. When they weren’t yelling at each other, he could see what a nice jawline Keith had. And how cute his ears were. And how soft his stupid mullet looked.
Mentally slapping himself, Lance forced himself to look at the screen, but that turned out to be an even poorer decision. Even with all the teasing, he had been planning to try his best to stay quiet the whole movie, but it was the Doctor Strange trailer...
“Goddammit, another whitewashed movie with Balderdash Cumbuckets. And really, they couldn’t find an Asian actress to play the monk? God, this is awful,” Lance said under his breath.
“Shhhh,” he whispered, kicking Lance in the shin.
“Ow,” Lance complained, but he shut his mouth... for about ten seconds.
“I’m just saying that she looks awful shaved. Have you seen Shaolin Soccer? Now that’s how a woman rocks a bald head. Honestly, probably the best bald look of this century. I’m just saying she wore it best.”
A light snort came from next to him, and Lance’s heart soared. He had laughed . Keith had actually laughed. For some reason, it made Lance feel like he had won. And it made him want to do it again.
“If we had America’s Next Top Bald Model, Tilda Swindler here would be sent home immediately. You know who’d be in the running though? Eleven from Stranger Things and Natalie Portman a la V for Vendetta . Very bald. Very chic.”
Another stifled laugh erupted from next to him, and Lance had never felt so on top of the world. He wondered what Keith would sound like if he laughed fully. Completely. Head tossed back, wiping tears from his eyes. Lance was sure it’d be beautiful, and even more so if he could be the reason for it.
But the mental image was cut short when Keith playfully threw another piece of popcorn at him. “I told you to keep your mouth shut, doofus.”
“C’mon, you think I’m funny,” Lance teased, a bit hopeful.
“Do not.”
“Do too.”
“Alright, maybe just a little.” Lance resisted the urge to pump his fist in victory. “But that doesn’t mean you get to interrupt my movie time. We had a deal, and if I wanted the commentary version, I would’ve just stayed at home.”
“Fine, you just go on being boring.”
“I will.”
From the corner of his eye, Lance snuck another peek at Keith. Maybe now wasn’t the best time to try to make him laugh, but Lance couldn’t help himself as the trailer ended and the next one began.
Lance opened the bag of candy and brought a piece to Keith’s ear. “Lance is the best movie partner ever. Lance is the best m—“
Keith smacked Lance’s hand away. “What the fuck are you doing?“
“Hypnosis by confection. Is it working?“ Lance waved the little red man in front of Keith.
Keith forced the corners of his mouth into a frown. “Not even a little.”
Lance locked eyes with the candy man before turning to pout at Keith. “C’mon, look at this adorable face. How could you say no?“
Keith considered the Sour Patch Kid. Plucking it from Lance’s hand, he gave it a once over before popping it into his mouth.
Lance sucked in a horrified gasp. “Noooooooooooo. Keith Jr.!“
The laugh Keith was holding back erupted into an ugly snort. “You named it after me?“
“Yes, and you ate him!“
Keith chuckled. “Well, he was delicious.” Holding his hand out to Lance, he said, “Give me more Keith Juniors.”
Clutching the bag to his chest, Lance shook his head. “You want me to partake in this massacre?!“
“Hey, you promised me silence and Sour Patch Kids, and if I can’t get the silence, at least give me the mini-mes.”
Outstretching the bag toward Keith, Lance whispered solemnly, “Goodbye, my sons. Some of you may die, but it’s a sacrifice I am willing to make.”
Keith took the bag from Lance and muttered, “I can’t believe you just quoted Shrek .”
Lance beamed. “I can’t believe you just understood my Shrek reference!“
“Unfortunately…“
As the trailers came to a close, Lance tapped Keith on the shoulder. Keith made a motion to shush him, but Lance mimed zipping his mouth shut and throwing away the key.
“Ten minutes.”
And at long last, there it was: A real, genuine smile. “Thank you,” Keith whispered.
And while Keith leaned back to watch Oscar Isaac get his ass owned, Lance sat perfectly still, and for once, no words came to mind.
Storming out of the theater, Lance cried, “It’s not fair!“
Keith tossed the empty popcorn carton into the trash and wiped his hands on his pants. “I can’t believe you’re still hung up about this.”
Counting on his fingers, Lance shouted, “Okay, ONE, Lucas Till did not deserve to die, just like Edi Gathegi did not deserve to die in First Class .”
“Agreed.”
“TWO! Poor Evan Peters. He’s just doing his best, and he doesn’t even get to resolve his daddy issues.”
“They have to save something for the sequels.”
“THREE! I was promised Jubilee, but did I get any? NO! Criminal.”
“Okay, once again, agreed, but I still liked it.”
Lance sighed. “Yeah, I did too.” Straightening up, he cleared his throat. “I actually had a lot of fun.”
Keith halted in his tracks as he came to the realization that he had had fun too. Maybe it was because he’d already seen the movie before, maybe it was because Lance had actually been silent for the first ten minutes, or maybe it was just that Lance really wasn’t that bad of a guy. Whatever the reason, Keith pushed it aside and muttered, “You weren’t as terrible this time.”
Lance nudged Keith with his elbow. “Hey, I got a giggle out of you a few times! Don’t try to deny it.”
Keith scowled. “I don’t giggle!“
“Suuure.” Lance shoved his hands into his pockets. “So if it’s ok with you, could we… could we do this again? I can get you a ticket, but I probably won’t take the day off again, so I’ll just pop in once in a while. Bring you a packet of Sour Patch Kids and my witty commentary,” he joked.
Keith shot Lance a wicked grin. “Are you actually asking for permission to disrupt my movie?“
Lance flushed. “Well, when you put it like that…“
Despite himself, Keith chuckled. “I’ll get creeped out if you start being so considerate. Just keep doing whatever you want like the asshole you are.”
Keith thought Lance would try to argue, but he was thrown off guard by the soft, almost tender expression on Lance’s face. “Okay, I will.”
Keith’s throat went dry. “Right. Well… See you next week.”
Turning abruptly on his heel, he practically bolted out the door. Today had been full of surprises, but perhaps the most startling one was how good it felt to say those words.
See you next week.
“God, Dave Franco is such a hot piece of ass,” Lance muttered.
Keith nodded as he opened the packet of Sour Patch Kids and handed it to Lance. “His smile should be illegal.”
Lance took a handful of the candy before sighing. “He’s the only reason I was excited for the sequel, honestly.”
“What happened to your so-called standards?“
“Why have standards when I can look at Dave Franco’s chiseled jaw?“
“You have a point… But is that chiseled jaw enough to get us through watching that movie he’s in with Emma Roberts?“
Lance grimaced. “The one coming out next week with a bunch of white kids doing stupid shit ’cause their lives are too boring and safe that they gotta spice it up with mortal peril? No thanks.”
Keith snickered. “We’re still gonna watch it though, right? It’s not like we’re paying for any of the shitty movies we put ourselves through. Plus, you never know. It might be good.”
Lance drummed on the armrest with his fingertips. “I guess…“ He looked up at the screen longingly. “The sacrifices I make for Dave’s cheekbones.”
“Some movie descriptions don’t do the thing justice. One of my favorite movies was one I thought I was going to hate,” Keith confessed as he stirred the Slushie in his cup.
Lance straightened in his seat. “Which movie?“
Keith bit his lip. “You promise you won’t laugh?“
“Well, I hate to make promises I can’t ke—ow!“ Lance rubbed the spot on his arm Keith had smacked. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding. Of course I won’t laugh.”
Pulling on the strings of his hoodie, Keith muttered, “ The Princess Bride .”
“WHAT?!“
Keith glared at Lance’s beaming face. “I told you not to laugh!“
Lance stammered, “I—I’m not. It’s just you’re so cu...cu...curious!“ He sunk into his seat. “I wasn’t expecting it.”
Keith folded his arms. “Well, it’s a great movie.”
Lance placed a hand on Keith’s shoulder. “You don’t have to tell me that. I love that movie.”
“You’re just saying that.”
“No, really.” Lance cleared his throat. “Mawwiage. Mawwiage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawwiage, that bwessed awwangment, that dweam wifin a dweam… And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva…“
Smiling softly, Keith finished, “So tweasure your wuv.”
Lance smiled back. “Yeah…“
A faint beeping sound cut their moment short. Looking down at his phone, which was still buried in his pocket, Lance groaned.
“Sorry, mullet. Duty calls. Give me a play-by-play of Franco’s every move later, okay?“
“Yeah, okay,” Keith replied, trying his best not to sound disappointed.
Ruffling Keith’s hair as he stood up, Lance said, “Don’t forget to say ’bye’ before you leave.”
With that, Lance bounded away, giving Keith one last wave before walking out the door.
Watching him go, Keith wondered when the emptiness that used to be so comforting had started to feel so lonely.
For probably the hundredth time that day, Keith found his eyes wandering from the screen to the doorway, thinking Lance would walk in at any minute. The movie was nearly over, and Lance still hadn’t shown up. He hadn’t mentioned anything about not being able to come. Just like every other day, he had handed Keith his ticket with a smile, a packet of Sour Patch Kids, and a promise to meet him soon. Sure, sometimes Lance would come late, but it had never been this late.
As the credits began to roll, Keith fiddled with the unopened packet of candy and wondered if he should stay behind and wait. It wasn’t like he didn’t know where Lance was. All he had to do was go the ticket counter, but somehow, it didn’t feel right. This was their weekly ritual, they had a deal, it was speci—
Keith ran his hands over his face and cursed under his breath. Just as he was about to get up and walk out, Lance burst through the door, running and out of breath.
“Thank God, you’re still here,” Lance panted when he reached Keith’s seat. “So what’d I miss?“
Keith opened his mouth to respond, but soon realized he could barely remember what movie he’d been watching. For the first time in months, he had finally been alone, had peace and quiet, yet all he could focus on was...
Averting his eyes, Keith mumbled, “Matt Damon runs away for like all of it. Even now, he’s still running away.”
“This franchise is so overrated.” Lance sighed as he collapsed in the chair next to Keith. “Sorry I’m late by the way. My manager came by and made us take a full inventory. It was torture.”
“No worries. It’s your job. It comes first.” Standing up, Keith said, “Well, we better get going. You have to clean up, right?“
Lance raised an eyebrow. “Clean what?“ He picked up Keith’s empty cup and carton. “There, done.”
“Okay, point taken. But the next movie starts in, like, ten minutes, so we can’t just hang around.”
Keith pushed past Lance, who suddenly grabbed his arm. “Wait.” Keith looked over his shoulder. “Maybe I’m the only one feeling like this, but it feels like I got robbed. Like, I wanted to skip work, annoy you, watch a mediocre movie, and eat Sour Patch Kids, but instead, I was stuck in a closet for two hours. We’re going to fix that.”
Not wasting another second, Lance dragged Keith out of the theater. Ignoring Keith’s protests and questions, Lance brought them to the parking lot and said, “Get in.”
Keith gaped at the car Lance was gesturing to. “What?! Don’t you have the rest of your shift?“
Opening his door and getting behind the wheel, Lance rolled his eyes. “Stop grumbling, mullet. It’s called skipping. I’ve been doing it every week for the past three months, remember?“
Keith followed suit, but he was still rambling while buckling his seatbelt. “That doesn’t count. At least you were still at work. What if your manager comes back? And where are we even going?“
Lance pulled out of his spot. “I busted my ass for him today. I deserve a break. Besides, didn’t you miss me, even a little?“
Keith’s ears grew hot. “Well, it was quiet for once.” Lance chuckled. “But it didn’t feel right to not have you around.”
The car jerked forward, and Keith’s hands gripped the sides of his chair.
“Sorry, sorry. My bad!“ Lance squeaked.
“You okay?“
“Yep. Completely fine. No problems here.” Under his breath, Lance muttered, “But warn a guy, would you?“
“What?“
“I asked if you were hungry.”
“A little,” Keith admitted.
Lance snorted. “Are you a bottomless pit? You just had a breakfast of popcorn, sugar ice water, and candy.”
“You asked! And it’s not like you don’t usually do the same,” Keith grumbled.
Lance flipped his turn signal on. “Touché.”
“Besides, I didn’t eat the candy yet.” Keith tossed the packet into Lance’s cup holder. “Want some?“
Lance’s eyes flitted from the candy to Keith and back to the road so fast that Keith was sure they were going to crash. Mouth gaping, Lance stammered, “You waited…“
Keith hunched his shoulders. “I told you it didn’t feel right.”
Lance managed to regain his composure enough to say, “I was thinking of something a little more substantial than our usual diabetes combo. I’m starving.”
Keith reached out for the candy again. “I can take these back if you don’t want them.”
Lance snatched the bag back and cried, “What?! No way in hell. These are mine now. You gave them to me.”
Keith’s heart began to thump wildly. “Oh, okay…“
“I still need real food though. I know a pretty good place for breakfast burritos. Do you have anywhere to be anytime soon?“
Keith blanched. “I forgot… I have an exam in ten minutes!“
“What?!“ Lance screeched, before seeing Keith’s teasing smile. “Oh, c’mon…“
“Relax. I don’t have class until two. I wouldn’t have come with you if I had plans.”
“Rule number one of my car: no giving the driver a heart attack,” Lance huffed. “But I didn’t know you were taking summer classes. No wonder you’re still in this ghost town.”
“You didn’t know? What did you think I was doing the rest of the week?“
Lance gave Keith a pointed look. “Cut me some slack. I know nothing about you other than your name, your favorite candy, and your favorite movie. For all I know you could’ve been an undercover cop, a stripper, a baker, or all three!“
Keith fiddled with his seatbelt. “Oh.”
“Don’t worry. It’s an easy problem to fix. So what classes are you taking?“
“Just Intro Chem and Bio. Trying to get the gen eds out of the way. I’m already behind.”
Lance raised an eyebrow. “Really?“
Keith hesitated for a split second before confessing, “Yeah, my first stab at higher ed, I dropped out after my first year, so I’m kind of older than most of the entering class. Turning over a new leaf.”
To his surprise, Lance grinned. “Hey, no way. Me too! I mean, in terms of being old. I took a gap year before college. Well, more like three. And I didn’t do anything cool like travel the world or whatever rich white kids do with their gap year.”
Keith snickered. “So what did you do?“
“Just helped around at home mostly and worked odd jobs. It seemed wrong to go when we were still struggling with Alex and Julia’s student loans, but my mom basically kicked me out of the house saying I better not come back until I get my degree. So here I am.”
“Your mom seems pretty cool.”
“Yeah, she is,” Lance said with a fondness that startled Keith. “So what are you hoping to major in? Same as before?“
“No, I, uh… I was going to do biomechanical engineering before, but I didn’t really have the brains for it.” He rubbed his hands against his pants. “And then my brother had an accident, which put us both out of commission for a while.”
Lance’s brow furrowed. “Is he okay?“
“Yeah, he’s great now, thanks to his physiotherapist. Made me want to go back to school to become one.”
Lance gave a sidelong glance at Keith. “That’s really cool.”
“It’s not that great.” Keith rubbed the back of his neck. “So what about you?“
“Marine biology.”
Keith whipped his head around. “Seriously?!“
“What? I don’t look the type?“
Keith stammered, “It’s not that…“ He imagined Lance explaining sea life to children, his face getting serious while examining samples, his warm brown skin glistening in a wetsuit… “I’m just surprised by how well it suits you.”
Lance was practically radiating pride. “You’re the first person to ever say that.”
Keith smiled shyly. “Well, it’s true.”
Lance pulled the car up to the curb. “Is there anything you can’t or won’t eat?“
“Eggplant.”
Lance stifled a grin. “Okay, I’ll keep that in mind for another time, but for now, I’ll just surprise you with the best burrito you’ve ever had. Do you like spice?“
“Love it.”
Lance playfully punched Keith’s shoulder. “Good. Be back in a sec. You just sit back and prepare to be blown away.”
I already have been, Keith thought as he watched Lance’s retreating figure.
“Lance…“ Keith sobbed. “I—I can’t anymore.”
“It’s gonna be okay. Just ride out the pain. It’ll start feeling good in a second, promise.”
Keith blinked back tears. “No, it’s already amazing. It—it just hurts.”
“Shhh, I know. I was like that my first time too.”
Squirming on the hood of the car, Keith whispered, “I… I think I need a break.”
Lance gave Keith a soothing smile. “Sure, take your time.” Handing Keith a carton, he asked. “Need some more?“
Keith nodded furiously and took the container from Lance. Taking a knife, he scooped up some sour cream and placed it directly on his tongue.
Lance choked on his burrito. “That’s fucking disgusting, Keith.”
“I don’t give a shit. It feels amazing,” Keith said, voice muffled. “Try it.”
“I’ll pass.”
Keith shrugged and took another bite of his burrito. “Suit yourself. I still don’t know how you’re eating that so fast. Have you even shed a tear?“
Lance puffed out his chest. “Years of practice.” He gestured to Keith’s burrito. “It’s out of this world though, right?“
“Fucking incredible. Though taking a shit tonight is going to be like going to hell and back.”
“Oh, trust me, I know,” Lance said with a wince. “I’ll text you a play-by-play on the toilet tonight.”
“Please don’t.”
“We’re comrades. The only ones who will understand each other’s pain. Plus, it’ll be a good distraction from the literal hellfire coming out of your ass.”
Keith snorted. “Okay, now who’s being gross?“
“Still you,” Lance said as he pointed to Keith literally eating sour cream straight from the container. “I thought you hated that stuff.”
“I do. But it’s a necessary evil, and I will lick this carton with zero shame.” To prove his point, he circled his tongue around the bowl.
Lance stared at him, wide-eyed, before whipping his head to the scenery in front of him. “You’re ruining a perfectly beautiful view,” he muttered.
Keith looked out over the cliff at the sparkling blue ocean and smiled. “It really is gorgeous.”
“Mmm… found it last year. I like to come here to be alone. Just me, the ocean, the sea breeze…“
“And a stray emo kid you picked up at the movies?“
Lance cackled. “Well, there’s a first time for everything.”
Keith started at the realization. “You’ve never been here with anyone else before?“
Lance didn’t meet his eyes. “No… but I figured you’d appreciate it. Since you like silence and deserted places and shit like that.”
I’m starting to like them a little less , Keith thought, but instead he said, “With you around, it’s never quiet.”
“Yet you still let me stick around,” Lance joked.
“Yeah, wish I knew why.”
They locked eyes, and for what felt like an eternity, the world melted away, leaving the sound of the crashing waves, the cool metal of the hood of Lance’s car, and a burning fire in their throats.
A flash of white whipped past their heads.
“What the f—“
Another white splotch flew at them and snatched the empty sour cream container in its beak.
“We’re under attack! Get in the car!“ Lance screeched. “Save the burritos!“
Keith scooped up as much as he could, ducking his head as another seagull dove towards them to attack. “Hurry up, Lance!“
Lance fumbled around for his keys but managed to unlock the car just as another seagull tried to snatch his bag from his hands.
Slamming the doors behind them, they both panted wildly before turning to look at each other. What started as a small snicker evolved into uncontrollable laughter.
“I can’t believe that just happened!“
“What do you mean happened ?“ Lance wheezed. “They aren’t through with us yet. Look at them, still prowling outside with their beady eyes, strategizing their next move.”
Keith wiped a tear from his eye as he watched the seagulls hop around the hood of the car. “They’re getting into battle formation.”
Lance groaned. “They’re gonna shit all over my car until I give them what they want.”
Keith put a comforting hand on Lance’s arm. “Don’t give in. You’re stronger than them.”
Lance nodded solemnly as he stuck the keys in the ignition. “They’ll never take us or our burritos alive.”
“Victory or death,” Keith whispered.
Lance braced himself as he started the ignition. The seagulls swiveled their heads simultaneously, and Keith screamed, “Floor it!“
Lance threw the car into reverse and backed up as fast as he could. The seagulls scattered, but dove in again as Lance put the car back in drive and peeled out of the viewpoint.
“Are they following us?“
Keith looked behind them. “Yes, but we’re faster we’ll be f—“ A splatter of white hit Keith’s window. “Code red: we’ve been hit!“
“Fuck,” Lance hissed. “We’re almost there.”
Another hit to the windshield. “C’mon, Lance.”
“Don’t worry, babe. I got it under control.” With that, Lance broke through into the canopy of trees. “It should be safer now. They can’t fly as quickly in here.”
“Just take us to the main road to be safe. We have to leave this godforsaken place.” Keith put a hand on his chest. “Another sanctuary, once again destroyed by a squawking, hungry, incredibly rude animal.”
Lance kicked Keith with his free leg. “Hey! Are you implying what I think you’re implying?! Don’t make me stop this car.”
Keith chuckled. “Okay, but it’s your car.”
Lance grumbled as they pulled onto the main road. “Of all the fucking ungrateful… just who do you think you are?!“
Keith was still laughing. “I’m sorry. Really.”
The car slowed as Lance glued his eyes to Keith’s face. “Mmm, sure you are. I should feed you to those beasts.”
Keith pressed his lips together in an attempt to stifle his laughter. “Please no, anything but that.”
Lance continued driving and said, “Annnnythiiing?“
Distracted by the cramp in his side, Keith said with a giggle, “Yeah, sure. Anything.”
“Okay. Meet me next Tuesday at the theater. 9:50 AM.”
Keith paused and furrowed his brow. “That... what? We do that all the time, moron.”
“You said anything.”
Brow furrowed, Keith thrust his arms out in front of him. “So you chose the one thing we already always do?!“
“Yup,” Lance said, popping his lips on the p .
“I am so lost.”
“Good,” Lance said. “It’s payback.”
Keith tried to reply, but he couldn’t find anything to say. Finally, he sank back into his seat in defeat.
As his racing heart started to slow, something suddenly came rushing back to Keith at full force.
“Did you call me ba—“
But Lance had already gotten out of the car. “We’re here, mullet. Don’t be late for class!“ He shut the door behind him and walked to the theater.
Keith stumbled out of the car and closed the door. “Wait! Earlier you—“
But Lance was already gone, and Keith was left with a sullied car, a half-eaten burrito, and a whole lot of questions.
“Lance.” Keith knocked on the ticket window. “Where are you?“
While peering down into the box to see if Lance was hiding somewhere, a note caught his eye.
Meet you inside, asswipe .
Keith rolled his eyes but did as he was told. Whistling as he walked, the breath was knocked out of him as something jumped onto his back.
“AAAH! LANCE?!“ Keith demanded as his eyes and ears were covered by a pair of cold hands.
“Shhhh. Comply with all my demands, and you’ll be set free.”
“What are you playing at?“ Keith asked, but he stopped struggling. He could easily escape if he wanted to, but his curiosity got the better of him.
Lance nudged him forward. “Just walk straight.”
Keith sighed. “Lance, this is ridiculous. We’re both going to fall over like this. Just let me go.”
“Nope, not yet. Turn left.”
The sloping of the ground signaled to Keith that they were entering the screening room. “This isn’t a surprise. I know where we are. Move your sweaty hands.”
“Nope—watch your step—and they are not sweaty.”
“Are too.” Up another step.
“Are not.” Up another.
“I’m going to fall.”
“You’re not.”
They wiggled past the chairs. “Would you please just let me go?“
“Not yet.” Lance shoved Keith into the seat.
“Lance, I’m serious!“
Removing his hands from Keith’s ears and eyes, Lance whispered, “As you wish.”
Keith blinked away the stars in his eyes and felt his jaw drop as a familiar scene unfolded in front of him. “You… This… This isn’t Suicide Squad , is it?“
“Your powers of observation are astounding.” Keith shot Lance a glare. “Now is that any way to look at the guy who got your favorite movie back on the big screen?“
Keith’s expression softened as he looked from Buttercup on her farm and back to Lance. “How did you…?“
Lance shoved his hands into his pockets and sat down next to Keith. “Thanks to us doing inventory last week, I know where we keep the classics. The moment I saw it, I knew I had to, so I asked Hunk if we could change the line-up today. Of course, he said no but he did 'accidentally’ leave the booth unlocked.”
The backs of Keith’s eyes tingled. “You never get tired of surprising me.”
Lance buried his face in his jacket. “’Cause I never get tired of seeing your surprised face.”
Keith was as still as a statue. His favorite movie was playing on a big screen, Buttercup and Westley were falling in love, and normally, he wouldn’t miss this scene for the whole world.
But he still couldn’t tear his eyes away from the boy sitting next to him, blushing shyly yet bursting with pride, who had done so much just to get one smile out of Keith.
Body moving before his mind, Keith gently placed his hand on Lance’s, turning it around and interlocking their fingers. Tracing his thumb over the back of Lance’s hand, he whispered, “Thank you.”
Lance squeezed Keith’s hand and leaned forward.
A crashing sound made them jump in their seats and a voice screamed, “LANCE!“
They looked down as a red-faced man with crooked glasses rounded the corner and looked from the screen to them. “What the hell is going on?!“
Lance tugged Keith’s hand. “Run!“
As Lance’s manager ran up one side of the stairs, they hopped over chairs and ran down the other, never letting go as they did.
“Get back here!“
Lance’s grip grew tighter. “You’ll never take us alive!“
Despite himself, Keith burst into laughter. “He’s in an alliance with the seagulls!“
Lance grinned. “Birds of a feather, huh?“
“I’m sorry I ever compared you to them.”
“LANCE!“
“I forgive you. You still with me?“
Keith squeezed Lance’s hand. “Of course.”
They burst through the emergency exit and dashed to the parking lot, hand-in-hand and screaming with laughter.
Lance pulled his keys out of his pocket and rapidly pressed the unlock button in the general direction of the cars until one beeped. “Go, go, go, go!“
Approaching the car, they finally had to let go, but as they did, Lance’s pinky traced the side of Keith’s hand in a silent promise.
They slammed their doors simultaneously, still giggling as they looked back to the movie theater.
Lance’s manager ran out from the front entrance. “He’s here. We gotta go!“
Turning the key in the ignition and backing them out of the spot, Lance said, “I got it under control, babe.”
Keith whirled around. “I knew it! You totally called me…“
Lance held up a hand. “Uh, bup bup. Seatbelt first.”
Keith strapped himself in with a huff. “There, are you happy now?“
Lance put the car in drive and took Keith’s hand again. “I am now.”
Keith turned as red as Lance’s manager. “You…“
“Yes?“
Keith merely gripped Lance’s hand tighter. “I still want to watch the movie.”
Lance chuckled for a few moments before bringing Keith’s hand to his mouth.
“As you wish.”
“Sorry I got you fired…“
With a shrug, Lance popped the DVD into the TV. “Nah, don’t worry about it. I was planning on quitting by the end of the year anyway. It wasn’t exactly my dream job even if it might be yours.”
Keith rolled his eyes. “Not anymore. I’ve seen the light. It’s run by a known associate of seagulls. Pure evil.”
Taking a seat next to him, Lance said, “Well, it wasn’t all bad. There were a lot of perks.”
“The free popcorn was nice,” Keith admitted.
“And the free tickets.”
“And the Icees.”
“Sour Patch Kids for days.”
Keith sighed. “Remember when we made our own trail mix behind the counter?“
Lance snorted. “Or the time you insisted I rewind the movie because you couldn’t hear like three lines of dialogue.”
“It was a crucial scene, and you were snoring,” Keith retorted with a huff. Lance swung his head over, staring at Keith for a few moments, before thunking his head against Keith’s shoulder and letting loose the loudest snore he could manage.
With a playful shove to Lance’s head, Keith whined, “How can your head be so heavy when your brain is so small?“
Lance gasped and shoved back. “You still slander your noble knight in this way?!“
Keith grinned. “You’re a scoundrel, not a knight.”
Lance rested his chin on his hand and wiggled his eyebrows. “Oh, very Han Solo. I like it. And does that make you Leia with the feisty attitude and bad hair that’s starting to grow on me?“
“So you do like my hair.”
Lance zipped his mouth shut. “I’ll never say it again.”
Tackling Lance onto the couch, Keith said, “Admit it!“
“Never!“ Lance yelled as he wiggled his arms free and tickled Keith’s sides.
Keith had been doing his best to keep a straight face, but the tickling was too much. What started off as a tiny snort erupted into full-bodied laughter.
Struggling to keep himself from collapsing on Lance, he wheezed, “Stop! I surrender. Please!“
Lance paused and smiled softly. Before he realized what he was doing, he found himself saying, “But, you know, the best perk of this job was meeting you.”
Keith’s laughter died in an instant, and Lance felt a burning heat rise to his cheeks.
“I, uh, I just mean that it’s been a good way to pass the time.” Keith raised an eyebrow, and Lance quickly stammered, “Not that I only hang out with you ’cause I’m bored, because I actually have a lot of fun with you... but only because it’s funny to see you get so worked up over small things.”
“Only because of that?“ Keith teased.
Lance cheeks grew hotter. “Yes? I mean, no, but… mostly yes. I like your face,” he blurted before slapping a hand over his mouth.
Keith couldn’t stop grinning. “That motormouth of yours is finally biting you in the ass.”
Lance nodded. “Please make it stop.”
Leaning in, Keith whispered, “No fucking way. I’m having the time of my life.”
Lowering his hand, Lance locked eyes with Keith. “Really?“
It was Keith’s turn to blush. “I… I mean.” He sighed. “Yeah, I am. I always am. Isn’t that obvious?“ He took Lance’s hand and interlocked it with his own.
Lance turned their hands over. “A reminder is always nice.”
They were silent for only a few seconds, yet it felt like years had passed. Before Lance could lose his nerve, he raised a shaky hand to Keith’s face and brought it to his own. Their lips brushed for the briefest of moments before Lance tore himself away, shivering and out of breath.
Keith blinked and stared at Lance who was examining the couch cushions with the deepest interest.
Unable to control his smile, Keith asked evenly, “What was that? I didn’t quite catch it.”
Lance’s head whirled around, and at the sight of Keith’s self-satisfied smile, he smirked.
Inching closer, he asked, “Should I repeat myself?“
Keith mirrored his movements. “If you want.”
Cupping Keith’s face in his hands, Lance brought their lips together again, languidly moving his mouth against Keith’s. When Keith parted his mouth barely an inch, Lance nibbled at his bottom lip, earning himself a low, gravelly moan.
Pulling away, Lance sucked in a slow breath. “Did you get it that time?“
Keith leaned down and pecked Lance’s lips. “Mm, sorry. Could you say it again? Slower this time.”
Lance groaned and buried his face in the crook of Keith’s neck. “You’re killing me.”
Chuckling, Keith stroked Lance’s hair. “Good. You deserve it.”
Lance closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. “Really? What did I do to deserve this?“ Keith knew it was meant to be a complaint, but the affection dripping from Lance’s voice made his stomach do flips.
“Lance…“
Lance suddenly broke away and reached out for something on the table. “This,” Lance said as he held up a Sour Patch Kid. “Is you.”
“Oh?“ Keith asked as he sat up with interest, taking the candy and popping it in his mouth.
“Yep. A total sourpuss at first…“ Lance chuckled at Keith’s glare and pushed him onto his back. “But maybe if I keep you in my mouth long enough, you’ll turn sweet.”
“Oh, gross, Lance!“ Keith yelled, but the giggles that accompanied his outburst said otherwise.
Straddling Keith, Lance asked, “Should we try it out?“
Keith leaned up and whispered into Lance’s ear, “Graduating to rated R, are we?“
Shuddering, Lance wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist and started to ramble, “I actually didn’t want to rush the plot like this. I thought we could have a few more scenes to keep the audience in suspense. Maybe another chase scene? Another grand gesture? An explosion?! Something dramatic. But I got impatient.”
Keith shot Lance an inquisitive look. “Impatient?“
Pointing his finger at Keith, Lance said, “That face. It’s that stupid face that makes me so impatient. I couldn’t help myself, suspense and plot be damned.”
Keith nuzzled his nose against Lance’s. “Well, I thought the plot was well-paced and incredibly romantic.”
Lance smiled into another warm kiss. “But what would Roger Ebert say?!“
Keith’s hands tangled into Lance’s hair, and he only let himself come up for air to say, “He gave Mission Impossible 5 a 4/4. I’m pretty sure he’d give us a four, too.”
Pressing Keith’s face even closer to his to deepen their kiss, Lance breathed, “And how would you rate this?“
Keith laughed for what felt like the millionth time that day, but it turned into a low hiss as Lance’s hand slid under his shirt. “Can’t tell yet. I’ll let you know when the movie’s over.”
Lance hiked up Keith’s shirt and ran his fingers along the other boy’s chest. “Sorry, this movie has no foreseeable end. You’re trapped forever.”
Keith whimpered as Lance sucked on his collarbone. “That’s fine as long as the DVD has an extended version of this scene.”
Lance tore off his shirt and licked his lips. “Buddy, this is the extended version.”
A light kiss on the back of Keith’s neck brought him back to consciousness.
Lance nuzzled his face into Keith’s shoulder. “Morning, sleepyhead.”
“Mmm, morning.” Keith rubbed his eyes and yawned. “What time is it?“
The weight of Lance’s arm on his side shifted as he read his watch. “7:30.” His arm fell back to Keith’s side, and he nestled himself against Keith’s back. “You have any plans? Class? Exam? Some scheduled alone time to brood?“ Keith elbowed him, eliciting a chuckle. “It’s just that now that I’m unemployed, I finally have a day off. Maybe we can actually watch The Princess Bride … among other things. Like breakfast in bed?“
Keith pondered for a moment. He’d missed class yesterday, so he really shouldn’t skip morning class today too… but he was tempted by the even breathing that tickled his back, the warmth of the bed, and the promise of breakfast with a boy that made him happier than he had ever imagined possible. He sighed. There was always tomorrow.
Turning to face Lance, he touched their foreheads together. “I’m yours for the day.”
And when Lance wrapped Keith in his arms and covered his face with kisses, filling the room with their giddy laughter, he only had one thought.
What did I do to deserve this?