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The apartment was unoccupied for a whole week. He knew this. He did his research. Keith may have been occasionally a little difficult to work with, but he was good at his job. It was the perfect place to set up and monitor the apartment across the street, a view into the biggest window in the house. He had a total of four scouting places around the flat that his job was in.
It was there he was set up on Wednesday evening, pouring himself cup of hot coffee from his flask. It was promising to be a long night. The guy he was tracking was standing in the centre of his living room playing the violin. Dull was one word for it.
He checked his phone to acknowledge a message from Shiro and a silent request come through from the Blade. He scoffed at Ulaz’s light hearted attempts to keep his spirits up. It was sweet in theory, but in practice he wasn’t the most jovial. Not that any of them really were.
The door flew open and Keith nearly dropped his coffee, eyes snapping to the front door and cold panic settling in. A lanky brunette stood there with a large backpack in his arms and bloodshot blue eyes.
The apartment was unoccupied for a whole week.
‘What are you doing in my house?’
Keith put the cup down carefully. ‘You’re home early.’
That was the only push the strange man needed. He dropped the backpack and slammed the door shut before he burst into hysterics. Tears streamed down his face and he threw himself onto the leather couch with all the grace of an injured seagull. Keith put his phone away slowly before he glanced back over to the window where his job was. Still playing the violin.
‘Are you...alright?’
He continued to wail into the pillows lining the couch.
Keith looked down at his duffle bag and it’s contents. ‘Do you want a snack or something? I’ve got some protein bars, and some cans of energy drink.’
Blue eyes peaked over the top of a pillow and he spoke with a muffled voice. ‘Do you have any chocolate?’
‘Yeah,’ he moved quickly, pulling out a bar of cheap chocolate and moving to sit on the coffee table and pass it over. ‘Here you go.’
‘Thanks,’ the tanned man pulled himself into a sitting position and tore the wrapper off. ‘I’m sorry to start crying on you like this.’
Keith shrugged. ‘Sorry I’m in your house.’
Blue eyes narrowed. ‘Yeah, why are you in my house?’
‘I’m working. You’ve got a good view.’
Lance scoffed. ‘A good view of everyone else’s windows, sure.’
‘If you don’t mind,’ Keith cleared his throat. ‘I’m gonna...keep doing my job.’
‘Sure. Yeah. Go ahead.’
‘Thanks.’
He positioned himself back in place. The man was still on the violin. Pretentious little prick.
Occasionally he would glance over to where the apartment owner was, still munching away on the chocolate. Keith picked up his coffee again and began to drink, trying to focus on the task at hand while still being aware of the tanned man’s every move. He couldn’t let his guard down. Just because he knew this man was living here and was crying didn’t mean there wasn’t more to it.
‘My name’s Lance, by the way.’
Keith spared him a glance. He’d finished the chocolate bar. ‘I know. Lance McClain. You’ve been living here for about three years and you were supposed to be on holiday for a week, Sunday through Sunday.’
‘Wow. Cause that’s not creepy.’
‘It’s part of the job,’ Keith put his cup down and looked over. ‘Why are you home early?’
Lance let out a dramatic sigh and flopped back on the couch. ‘I got in a fight with my dad.’
‘Oh. Sorry to hear that.’
‘Yeah. It was dumb. I always end up in dumb fights with him.’
Keith looked back to his job. He’d stopped playing the violin but was now cleaning it. This was like watching paint dry. ‘What was your fight about?’
‘He’s just such an ass sometimes!’ Lance exclaimed. ‘He just couldn’t accept the fact that I didn’t want to date Plax. I mean sure she’s kind of cute but she’s also really weird? Mum says he’s just trying to be nice because he knows how heartbroken I was over Nyma and thinks that a new girl will make me feel better.’
‘You mean a rebound?’
‘Yes! I don’t want to do that to her! A rebound! Really dad?’ he scoffed. ‘It’s like he doesn’t know me at all.’
Keith took a sip from his cup.
‘Besides, Plax lives miles away. I think he’s just trying to find a way to get me to move back home which, okay I do miss it a bit, but I’m happy here! I have a nice flat and a nice job and I have my own space!’
Having your own space was nice. He imagined it was nicer when you didn’t have some random jackass appearing in it unannounced.
‘It’s dumb.’
‘If it was dumb why are you crying?’
‘Because it’s dumb but it upsets me.’
‘Then it’s not dumb.’
Lance scowled at him. ‘Excuse you?’
‘If it upsets you then it’s not dumb. I mean sure the world isn’t coming down around you, but you’re allowed to be upset about things.’
He rolled over on the couch to face Keith properly. ‘Do you get upset about things like this?’
‘No that’d be dumb.’
Lance glared with enough force to shoot daggers.
Keith smiled. ‘That was a joke.’
‘It wasn’t funny.’
‘I thought it was.’
There was a twitch at the corner of Lance’s mouth. ‘Okay maybe a little. But do you? Seriously?’
Keith shifted uncomfortably in his seat. ‘I don’t have time to get upset.’
‘Everyone has time to get upset! What do you do when you’re not…doing whatever you’re doing right now.’
‘My life kind of revolves around my job. When I’m not doing this I usually help out a couple of co-workers.’
‘That doesn’t sound healthy.’
Keith shrugged it off. ‘I guess.’
‘So I’ve just spent like six hours travelling home, and I’m starved. Do you…would you like some dinner?’
‘Yeah. That’d be nice.’
Lance nodded before he shuffled out the room and left Keith with his own thoughts.
Lance was freaking out.
He was in such an awful mood when he got home that he just didn’t care that there was a stranger in his flat. For the first few moments he’d wondered if maybe he was in the wrong apartment before he realised he only had his key. He was happy to accept that the guy was just there to do work, sat looking like he’d been camping there for some time as he looked out the window.
He’d given nothing away. Not even his name. He was too handsome to be a hobo or squatter, though maybe he’d been using Lance’s shower and toiletries to keep himself presentable. But there was something about the rather nice leather jacket over the top of a red hoody, the new rocks on his feet and fingerless gloves. The guy looked like some badass biker, not a homeless guy.
Which meant there was only one answer. He was an assassin. And Lance could only hope that he wasn’t here to kill him.
He wouldn’t put it past Nyma.
Lance: Hunk help. I don’t know what to do. There’s some guy in my flat.
He lent against the fridge as he typed furiously on his phone, keeping half an ear trained on what was happening in the rest of his apartment.
Hunk: Aren’t you at your parents??
Lance: I came home early, like ten minutes ago, but there’s a guy here already.
Hunk: Dude call the cops.
Lance: I can’t do that!
Hunk: Why not?
Lance: He’s really hot.
There was a long pause in the conversation. He could feel Hunk rolling his eyes and cursing the heavens, slandering Lance’s name across the floor. He did it a lot.
Hunk: Stop thinking with your dick.
It was fair advice. It was good advice. He should probably take it. Just not right now.
Hunk: Ask him to leave??? Or ask why he’s there?
Lance: I did, he’s working. He’s been sat looking out the window for like ever. I think he’s an assassin.
Hunk: You’re ridiculous.
Lance: I told him I’d make him dinner.
Hunk: I mean there are Pasta Packets in your cupboards?
Lance: Good idea.
He rummaged through his cupboards to find the packets of pre-made pasta and instructions on cooking them. He was pleased he at least had butter in the house to put in so they wouldn’t be entirely awful.
He exchanged more quick texts with Hunk as he cooked, explaining what had happened with his dad and getting an update on what had happened all three days that he had been gone. Not much, it seemed. He was kind of thankful for it. He wasn’t sure how he would’ve managed coming home to just more drama.
He returned to the living room and looked over to where Dark and Brooding sat, still positioned at the same window with a flask in hand.
‘Do you…want a real cup of coffee?’
Violet eyes landed on him and pierced straight to his soul. ‘I like the instant crap.’
‘Fair. I’m afraid it’s nothing fancy. I wasn’t expecting to have visitors, so it’s just instant pasta stuff.’
The guy shrugged and held out a hand. ‘Thanks. It’s more than enough.’
Lance took the opportunity to look across the gap at what Keith was so intently watching. His flat was positioned opposite Lotor’s, who he could see in the fancy open kitchen cooking up a storm. Something more substantial than pasta packets at least.
‘What’s so great about my view then?’
The guy turned his attention back to the window and Lance followed his gaze. Definitely Lotor. ‘Do you know that guy?’
Lance rolled his eyes as the question was dodged. ‘Yeah, course I do. That’s Lotor. He’s been there for a few months now.’
‘A few months, huh?’
‘I think he moved into the city recently,’ Lance supplied. ‘He keeps trying to hit on me.’
A thick black eyebrow raised, along with the corners of his lips. ‘Seriously?’
‘Hey, it’s not that surprising, okay?’ Lance huffed. ‘I’m plenty attractive!’
‘I never said you weren’t.’
The honesty caught him off guard. ‘Yeah, well, good. But yes. He’s a bit of a slut.’
Keith looked back out the window.
‘Are you here to kill him? Cause if so please open my window. I don’t want the glass to get smashed.’
Dark and Brooding scowled. ‘Kill him? You think I’m here to kill him?’
‘It’s not that wild of a jump. You’re sitting in the dark in my apartment looking like you’re ready to camp here watching the guy who lives in the apartment opposite.’
‘I’m a PI. I’ve been hired to monitor him.’
Wow. Wow. ‘Okay that’s…less dangerous.’
‘Just a bit,’ violet eyes narrowed further. ‘Do I really look like a murderer?’
‘I don’t know! I don’t know what murderers look like I don’t hang out with them on a regular basis!’
The Guy rolled his eyes. ‘Great. Thanks.’
Lance looked up to see Lotor approaching his window. ‘Hey look, we attracted attention. Wave to the neighbour!’
His companion looked like a deer caught in the headlights as he snapped back to the window. Lance waved across the gap as Lotor did his usual hair flick and wink.
‘Damn that guy is such a diva.’
‘I can’t get caught,’ Dark and Brooding said. ‘Come close like I’m whispering.’
Lance tried to keep a level face as he lent down, doing as he was asked. The guy didn’t whisper.
Instead he landed a solid kiss to Lance’s lips, lasing the briefest of seconds, before pulling back with a warm gaze and soft eyes, a smile dancing across his face. Lance felt his heart stop and his insides melt into the floor.
‘Let’s go sit on the couch. I can’t stay at the window.’
He nodded dumbly and guided his guest over to where the couch was. He sat with his pasta still in hand, Keith sitting next to him before starting on his food as if everything was completely normal.
‘Aren’t you gonna eat?’
He snapped his head up and went ridged as he nodded quickly and began to breathe in the food in front of him, ignoring the curious look he was receiving. It was probably best not to think about it.
‘My name’s Keith, by the way.’
Lance slowed down to chew and looked up. The other man really was attractive.
‘So do you know much about Lotor?’
‘I mean, less than you, probably.’
‘I didn’t know he’s been hitting on you. I also didn’t know you thought he was a slut or a diva.’
‘Well he is,’ Lance rolled his eyes. ‘He has this little posse that follow him around everywhere, and they’re there a lot. I also see a wide variety of night-time callers. Asshole needs to learn what curtains are for.’
Keith hummed thoughtfully. ‘Do they come round a lot?’
‘Yeah, but it’s not always the same face. I watch out my window a lot when I’m trying to think. It’s why he started hitting on me. I think he thought I was interested.’
Though that was probably a perfectly valid assumption to make.
‘I think he’s been shaking it up with the woman in the flat below him too. I see him down there a lot, and her up in his.’
‘And they never question you, or try to stop you?’
‘It’s not like I’m weird about it. I just happen to see more than I’d like to. I’m just some guy who lives in the next building over.’
Silence descended upon them again and they finished their meals in peace. Lance gathered the plates to take to the kitchen and Keith returned to his position by the window, Lotor apparently having moved on. When Lance returned to the living room Keith had a camera out and was taking photos across the way.
‘He plays the violin.’
It was a simple observation from Keith. Lance felt a smile pulling at the corners of his lips. ‘Yeah, he does.’
‘Like, a lot. I watched him play for two hours before you got in.’
He chuckled. ‘I’m surprised you had the patience for it.’
‘It’s my job,’ Keith muttered before he set the camera down in his lap. ‘You don’t need to hang around you know. I’m probably gonna call it a night in thirty minutes.’
‘Are you…staying?’
Keith raised a brow.
‘Like, have you been staying? I don’t really know anything about how long you’ve been here or how long you plan on being here or even how you got in.’
‘I’m pretty handy with a lock pick.’
Well at least that answered one of the many questions buzzing around his head. This guy. For fucks sake.
‘But…’ Keith looked away. ‘I’m not going to stay. Not while someone’s living in the apartment. I’ll find a new place to work from tomorrow. I’m fairly certain there’s a fire escape down the west side of the building I could use.’
‘You’re welcome to keep using my place.’
The statement caught him by surprise and he was the one who said it. He fumbled as he tried to cover his tracks, opening his mouth to explain himself, but Keith beat him to it.
There was a small almost bashful smile and a nod of his head. ‘I’d like that. If you didn’t mind.’
‘Course man. You were expecting me to be gone for like another four days, right? I’m not going to kick you out now.’
‘Even if I’m the one who broke into your house.’
‘I mean if you phrase it like that then-!’
‘Sorry, I didn’t. I promise. I am very grateful for your generosity.’
Lance grinned wide. ‘Cool. Well, I’m off to bed. Crying and chocolate makes me tired, so…’
Keith gave the worlds tiniest wave. ‘Sure. Night, Lance.’
He said his own goodnight before retiring to his room, opening his phone to flood Hunk with updates on the situation. His best friend seemed a little less enthusiastic about the prospect of some stranger freely coming and going in his flat, but was thankful that at least he wasn’t an assassin.
Apparently. Because an assassin probably wouldn’t tell you that they were one, so you couldn’t rule it out completely. Not yet.
Keith only told Shiro because he knew that he had to. While he wasn’t officially a member of the agency that Keith worked for, his bar was a perfect location for them to occasionally meet and gather information from. Shiro was friendly, kind, and not above gossip and rumours. He was able to keep a secret and keep his own though.
It was Shiro who had introduced Keith to the Blade of Mamora, and it was also Shiro who could easily pass messages between each member without it taking much time out of anyone’s day.
‘So he’s just…some guy?’
Keith shrugged. ‘Yeah. He’s said I can keep using his apartment. I’m not sure if it’s a good idea or not, but…’
‘But you want to?’
‘It’s the perfect location. And when the job saw me, he didn’t even seem to question it. He’s got some weird banter thing going on with Lance that is the perfect cover to blend into.’
‘So what’s the problem?’
Keith bit down on his lip and looked into his drink. ‘I dunno.’
‘You don’t want to get him in trouble?’
‘He’s a nice guy, Shiro. It kind of seems like he’s got enough going on as it is.’
‘I’m sure he wouldn’t have offered if he minded. Maybe he’ll be thankful for the company right now.’
‘Maybe.’
‘Besides it’ll be nice to have company while you’re working. From the sounds of things so far this job kind of seems a bit boring.’
‘He is. It’s just an overly protective mother. I don’t think there’s even anything in particular she’s looking for, she just wants to keep tabs on what he’s doing and how he is.’
‘That’s healthy.’
He finished off his drink and thanked Shiro for it, who passed him a message from Thace that the job would last probably a week longer than they’d first thought. From the sounds of it the mother of this guy was happy with the work they had done so far, and wanted them to keep it up. Apparently Thace hadn’t seemed overly enthusiastic about the prospect of a long term client. It was times like this Keith was glad he didn’t do paperwork and administration.
He arrived at Lance’s apartment at half past six after following Lotor round all day. Instinctively he went to pick the lock, but decided against it that time, knocking on the door instead.
He was glad he did.
Lance answered looking significantly better and more awake than he did the night before. There were no blotches on his cheeks that hid the dusting of freckles, and his blue eyes were void of red and puffiness. His hair looked like it had actually been styled.
‘Hey! I didn’t expect you so early. I thought you’d wait till dark.’
Keith shrugged. ‘I like to spend some time to get set up.’
Lance stepped back and welcomed him into the apartment. Keith had to do a double take.
‘Have you…redecorated or something?’
‘Nah, I just gave it a bit of a spring clean. Tried to get rid of some stuff. I’m off work for the rest of the week, so I needed something to keep my hands busy.’
Spring clean was an understatement. The furniture had been moved around, a bookshelf on the other side of the room, the couch with it’s back to the large window and the TV facing it. Keith zeroed in on the arrangement, dropping his duffle bag on the floor as he moved, standing in front of the couch and looking past to the window that gave an exceptional view of the apartment across the way.
‘Lance,’ Keith muttered. ‘It’s perfect.’
‘I figured this way the TV will give you a silhouette, right?’ Lance questioned. ‘You were worried about being caught yesterday.’
‘You didn’t have to do this for me.’
‘Like I said, I needed something to keep my hands busy.’
Keith spoke without really thinking about it. ‘Do you wanna talk?’
There was a moments lull of silence where the two men stared at each other. Keith felt increasingly uncomfortable under the gaze, shuffling his weight about and trying to decide if he’d made a terrible decision by asking the question. Lance’s face was unreadable for someone who had been so expressive the night before.
‘Don’t you have a job to do?’
‘He plays his violin from approximately seven o’clock through to nine o’clock. I have time.’
‘Yeah, that’d be nice.’
Keith learnt a lot about Lance that night. He learnt that Lance really was expressive, from his facial expressions to the way he moved his arms and hands when he spoke. He learnt that it wasn’t the first time Lance has fallen out with his father over something petty, that it’s something they’ve done since he was a teenager. That Lance was the youngest of five, the only one who wasn’t married with kids, but he was the best uncle.
He learnt that Lance was fond of reference humour and dumb puns. That he liked watching mindless television like the Big Bang Theory, even though Keith insisted it was awful. He learnt that Lance had an infectious laugh and had gone out to buy food so he could cook them a real meal at about eight o’clock.
Keith took the chance while Lance was cooking to take photos of the apartment across the way of Lotor playing his violin. Eventually a group of girls arrived that Keith now identified as his posse, and he pulled out a plate of brownies for them all to share.
Once Lance had returned with food for them he felt his attention wavering once again.
It was the fourth day in when it happened. Keith was sat with his back to the TV as they had done the day before, camera in his hands hidden by the cushions as he monitored the apartment across the way. Lance was sat next to him watching another of his dumb shows when a new face entered Lotor’s flat.
‘Who’s that?’
It was a question he didn't realise would have such a monumental effect, even if it was important information. Lance turned to see and he watched the blue eyes blow wide before Lance’s head snapped back round to the TV, eyes narrowed and jaw clenched.
‘The girl from the flat below him.’
There was an ice in Lance’s voice that wasn’t there before. Keith couldn’t tear his eyes away from the man’s face and caught the sight of water starting to pool in his eyes before he swore and rubbed at his face.
‘Lance-!’
‘I’m gonna get a beer. Do you want anything?’
The tanned man had pushed himself off the couch and started towards the kitchen without waiting for a response. Keith fired a message across to Ulaz, requesting the information from the people in the apartment building Lotor was in. He knew he would be berated for not doing his own work, and he sort of deserved it. It was the first thing he should’ve found out when Lance told him about it on the first night.
He took a picture of the pair as she began to flirt, Lotor eagerly reciprocating. The sound of the camera shutter echoed round the room.
‘Are you serious?’
There was a venom in Lance’s voice that caught him off guard. ‘What?’
‘You’re taking photos of her?’
‘No, I’m taking photos of Lotor. She just happens to be in them.’
‘She deserves some kind of…I don’t know! Privacy!’
Keith gave a flat look. ‘Seriously dude? I’m a PI. I’ve been basically stalking this guy for days. You have an issue with it now?’
‘Yes!’
‘What’s so special about her?’
He looked back across where she stood, tall with blonde dreadlocks and a stylish fashion sense. She was a pretty girl, he’d give her that. But other than that? What was it that separated her from all the other people Lotor had round?
The response from Ulaz came. He opened up the list of residents and their locations.
‘Wait,’ Keith frowned at his phone. ‘The girl below him, her name is-?!’
‘Nyma. Yeah.’
He looked up. ‘Isn’t that…?’
Lance didn’t elaborate. He didn’t need to. Keith remembered the conversation they had the first night, when Lance described how his parents had thought he was heartbroken about a girl. A girl called Nyma.
‘You said he just…leaves the curtains open?’
‘I never said they were nice people. There’s a reason she’s my ex.’
Keith felt a flash of anger coarse through him. It was the familiar sensation he had when he discovered something disgusting about a job. It gave him a sick justification for what he was doing.
‘Why do you care about her privacy when they clearly don’t give a shit?’
‘I don’t know.’
He’d never heard the man sound so defeated.
‘She was pretty cool. She still is pretty cool. I just…’
‘Could do better.’
Lance rolled his eyes. ‘You sound like my mom.’
‘You should listen to her.’
‘Should I date Plax too?’
The icy tone again. Keith looked over to the tanned boy hovering by the kitchen archway, watched the way he held his arms and his shoulders curved inwards. He put his camera down on the coffee table and headed over to where Lance stood, taking hold of the warm hands and prying them off his skin.
‘What are you doing?’
‘Do you want to give her a taste of her own medicine?’
The question was simple. Lance gaped at him with slack jaw and bug eyes.
Keith huffed. ‘It’s not a hard question. Yes or no. Do you want to give her a taste of her own medicine?’
‘But-how-what are you thinking of?’
‘Sit on the couch and turn off the TV.’
Lance moved soundlessly, picking up the remote and settling himself down. Keith moved to turn on the living room lights, feeling a lot more comfortable with a physical decision than the awkward listening and advice giving he’d been doing so far. Social interaction wasn’t his forte.
He waited until he saw Nyma move to where the window of Lotor’s flat was, looking across the way. She was searching for something. Keith was willing to bet it was Lance.
He smirked and zeroed in on the boy on the couch who’s fingers gripped the edge of the seat cushions, a light flush on his cheeks as he waited. Keith began to walk over, shrugging his jacket off and pulling his band shirt over his head on his way.
‘Keith?!’
‘Don’t talk. Just let me know if you want me to stop at any point.’
Lance’s throat bobbed and he nodded his head once.
Keith snapped his eyes up again in that calculating manner, seeing her narrow her eyes as they landed on him. He looked down without giving anything away, a practiced move of watching someone without them noticing that he'd developed while on the job. He rested one hand on the back of the couch as he moved to straddle the tanned man below him and tilted Lance's face upwards so they were meeting eye to eye.
'Is this okay?'
The response was breathy and had just the right amount of want in it. 'Yes.'
He ducked his head down, his breath ghosting across Lance's lips as his fingers slipped down to grasp the hem of the grey shirt, pulling it up without touching the skin below. He watched as Lance bit down on his lip and a shiver wracked through his body. Keith would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the control he held in that moment.
He tossed the grey shirt over the back of the couch before he finally pressed his lips against Lance's.
The girl on the other side of the window was soon forgotten about. Lance met him blow for blow, tongue and teeth scraping against his neck as tanned hands came to life and ran across the bare skin of his torso, Keith's violet eyes barely flickering open long enough to register that the curtains were still open, never mind whether or not the audience of the show was still there.
Whatever work he had left to do that day was forgotten. Abandoned along with is camera on the living room table as skin met skin and a hand slipped beneath the waistband of his trousers once dry humping wasn't giving enough satisfaction. All he cared about was getting more of the salted taste of Lance's neck and being able to breathe in the scent of the man.
By the time they'd finished, Lotor's living room was empty.
‘You’re a paediatrician.’
Lance stopped short, raising a brow as he looked up at the man, still decked out in black and red and leather. ‘You knew my name, my holiday schedule, how to break in to my flat and what you could see from the window, but you didn’t know what my job was?’
Keith shrugged. ‘Irrelevant information.’
‘Right,’ Lance stood and clapped the kid on the back, turning his attention fully to Keith. ‘Sounds to me like someone got his priorities wrong.’
‘I know now, okay?’ Keith defended with a scowl. ‘I realise I…may have stepped over a line yesterday.’
‘Straight to the point, huh?’
‘Would you rather I small talked first? Oh, hey there Lance, isn’t it lovely weather we’re having today even though it’s pissing it down?’
Lance bit back the smile and gestured for Keith to follow. ‘At least wait till we’re out of the patients earshot’s before we have this conversation, jeez. How did you even get here?’
‘What, navigate a hospital? Like these places are difficult to get around. You’re all so busy it’s easy as pie.’
That was fair. It probably was.
Lance opened the door to a free room, holding it open for Keith to follow him inside. He shuffled in and shoved his hands in his pockets, trying to make himself look like he was a lot more put together than he felt in that moment. ‘What brings you here then? Shouldn’t you be stalking Lotor?’
‘I don’t stalk him.’
‘It was a joke.’
Keith stopped. He snorted before a gloved hand rose to cover his mouth and he coughed into it.
This guy was adorable.
‘Yeah, so, I wanted to apologise for yesterday. I stepped over a line. I tend to…act instead of think.’
‘I noticed.’
‘And I understand if…if you’d rather I didn’t come round again.’
‘Do you…not want to?’
Keith reacted instantly, raising his hands and shaking them wildly as he spoke. ‘No, that’s not it! I do want to. I really like your company and it makes such a boring job so much better. And, you know, last night was pretty great too, so there’s that.’
Lance felt a warmth surge through him. ‘Really?’
‘Really.’
He grinned. ‘I’d like you to come round again. If you’re still doing the whole Lotor thing.’
‘I am. His mother asked for an extra week. She’ll probably keep asking for extra weeks until either he figures it out or she finds something worth bringing up with him.’
‘We didn’t…yesterday won’t have blown your cover, will it?’
Keith scoffed. ‘Doubtful. If anything it just makes it less suspicious why I’m suddenly around all the time.’
Lance grinned wide, feeling the pager in his pocket go off. He knew it was something that needed addressing immediately, but he just wanted to be able to stare at the handsome face in front of him for a little bit longer.
‘Don’t you need to…?’
‘Yeah, I do. Are you round again tonight?’
Keith smiled his tiny smile and nodded. ‘Sure. Why not?’
He watched as Nyma paced around the flat, throwing her arms around as she ranted and raved. Lotor was sat on the couch, watching it happen with his fingers pressed together in a rather super-villain-y pose. It was kind of entertaining to watch.
'Hey, how's it going?'
His eyes flickered up for a moment to see Lance, the man holding a mug of coffee in his hands. He'd bought Keith's favourite brand. The cheap shit from the corner store.
'They've been fighting for like ten minutes.'
Lance snorted. 'It's a little too one-sided to be called fighting, isn't it?'
'Probably.'
'I saw her yesterday when I was leaving the flat.'
Keith hummed in acknowledgement, not wanting to give away how intrigued he was.
'She asked who you were.'
'What did you say?'
Lance's voice was light, brushing it off. 'That you were my boyfriend, and that you gave the best blowjobs I've ever had.'
He bit down on the satisfied smile. 'I didn't give you a blowjob.'
Before he knew it, Lance was resting his chin on his shoulder, wrapping warm arms around his waist. 'I mean, if you don't like lying I can think of a couple ways to fix that.'
He was fairly certain he missed something important while he was busy on his knees with Lance's cock heavy in his mouth and the long fingers curled up pulling at his hair. He couldn't really bring himself to regret it, but that night they agreed that they should probably come up with some kind of rule set if this was going to become a common occurrence. Just to make sure that Keith could actually spend time doing his job.
It was the last time he saw Nyma in Lotor's flat. He passed her on the way into the building once, and she gave a polite wave and a small smile. When he brought it up with Lance the man shrugged it off, not even flinching at the name. Keith wasn't convinced a rebound isn't exactly what he needed.
Half way through the second week was the first time he stayed the night. He was sat cross legged on the chair as Lance did the washing up, dinner finished and the usual time he would leave creeping up on him. He took a few last pictures of Lotor and his little group of gaggling girls indulging themselves in what he was fairly certain at this point were space-brownies. Maybe that would be enough to satisfy his mother's thirst for dirt on her son's life.
He heard Lance creeping up behind him, though he decided to play along and kept working despite the smile on his face. To Lance's credit he didn't even touch Keith as he leant in close, breath whispering through his hair as the only giveaway of how close he was.
'Hey Keith?'
He grunted in response.
'You know how you're a private investigator?'
He recognised that flirty tone. He had to bite back the cringe that would no doubt come with whatever happened next, though he couldn't hide the laughter already in his voice. 'Yes?'
'Would you like to investigate my privates?'
He was thankful the camera was nestled in the couch cushions, because otherwise he was certain he would've dropped it. 'That was awful.'
Lance finally pressed his chest up against Keith's back, pushing them both forward until Keith was forced onto his knees. 'It got you to laugh, didn't it?'
'Aren't pickup lines meant to not make people laugh?'
'Whatever gets you going man, I ain't gonna judge.'
Keith snorted, though he felt the rough grind of Lance against his ass the further forward they got. He glanced over his shoulder and smirked at the blue-eyed beauty. 'I'm not finished working. You know the rules.'
Lance's hands were fumbling at the front of his jeans, though any fumble was ignored once he saw the wicked smirk plastered across Lance's face. 'You don't have to stop.'
He frowned at that, unsure of exactly what the man was planning. Lance's head disappeared from view, and when he tried to turn around he was forced back into position, holding the camera out as his collarbone pressed firmly against the back of the couch.
Realisation dawned once his trousers and briefs were ripped down his legs and Lance pressed fleeting kisses down his back and didn't stop until kitten licks against his entrance were causing him to shake and money.
How could he be expected not to stay the night when Lance was so very, very talented with his tongue and so very, very willing to stretch him out?
‘So it’s over.’
Lance looked up from his drink at the statement. ‘What?’
‘The job, his mother’s found what she was looking for and it’s all polished up and done. I kind of get the impression he figured it out too, but I’m not about to question the end of a job. Gave a nice tip.’
He whistled low, turning back to the glass in front of him. ‘Wow. Congratulations?’
‘Thanks,’ Keith frowned and held up a hand. ‘Hang on a second-Shiro would you bugger off?’
The bartender looked up with an innocent look. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Stop eavesdropping in on my conversations.’
‘But Keith!’ he clasped a hand over his heart and smirked. ‘It’s my job!’
Lance looked between the pair, getting the impression they knew each other well. He didn’t have time to ask anything before Shiro had sauntered over to them and took his glass and began to top it up before he could complain.
‘Free refills,’ Shiro supplied with a wink. ‘I’ve heard a lot about you the past two weeks.’
‘Have you been stuffing your nose where it doesn’t belong?’
‘No, you just talk a lot more than you realise you do.’
Keith’s face went a pleasant pink.
‘But anyway, refills on the house. Up to a reasonable point. I’m thankful that you’ve been so good to Keith, but my gratitude only reaches so far.’
Lance took the drink and raised it in thanks. ‘Cheers man.’
‘No problem. Now excuse me while I-what did you say?-bugger off.’
The pair watched the muscular man disappear off down the bar to speak to a couple of gentlemen at the end, who looked over and raised their glasses to the pair. Keith groaned loudly next to him and covered half his face with his hand.
‘Fucking…’
‘Who are they?’
Keith grimaced. ‘They’re part of the family. Like my co-workers. My agency is pretty tightly knit.’
‘That’s kind of sweet.’
‘It is when they’re not being assholes.’
Lance smirked. ‘You’re the one who brought me here.’
Keith shrugged. ‘Yeah. This is like home for me. I’ve been practically living in your house for the past week and a half. I wanted to show you my own now the job’s over.’
It was kind of sweet. Touching. ‘It’s really nice. Thanks, Keith.’
‘Sure. No problem.’
Lance took a long swig of his drink as silence fell over them.
‘So I was wondering if you wanted to go on a date?’
He choked.
‘Shit-Lance! Are you okay?!’
He thumped down on his chest once, twice, clearing his throat and coughing through the pain. Keith’s hand landed firmly on his back and with one last heave he felt his breathing return, looking over to the fearful violet eyes.
He started to laugh.
It took Keith a few moments but he slowly joined in, beginning with a little chuckle-snort before he was laughing along and apologising for catching Lance off guard.
‘I’d love to. Go on a date. With you.’
Keith beamed.
'I ought to warn you though,' Lance waggled his brows and knocked their shoulders together. 'I have a three-date rule. You've got to properly woo me if you want this fine piece of ass.'
'Isn't that kind of redundant at this point?'
'Hey, I can be classy! You want to date me, you're going to have to do it right. Unless you don't think you can?'
The fire that burnt in Keith's eyes at the challenge confirmed something very important for Lance: he was definitely not going to last three dates before he would be all over this man again.