Writing The Tides

Nepenthe (n.)

Keith had taken back everything about Lance he originally thought.

He hated that asshole. Or as he kept telling himself anyway.

"Come on! It's literally JUST WATER", Lance was trying to get Keith into the pool for the hundredth time, with no avail. He was standing on the five feet end casually, with his hands placed on his hips and an annoyed face.

"I-I can't!", Keith yelled, he was wearing some red swimming shorts with a loose tank top, standing on the ground uneasily. They were on their fourth lesson, and Keith still managed to avoid actually swimming. He was perfectly fine with writing notes and such, but everything else seemed to go hectic the moment he walked in. Not to mention, he was about 110 percent sure the sea animals had it out for him.

"You can! Just GET IN!", Lance had been his usual, calm self at first, allowing the other boy some space, but even he was getting aggravated now, with no idea why the pale boy in front of him was being so stubborn. None of the other students acted so brashly, and Lance wasn't afraid to tell Keith so.

"Just MAKE ME!" Keith kicked the water's surface, splashing the tan boy, who clenched his fists under the water. 

"You know what? Maybe I will..." Lance jumped out of the water swiftly, and a mischievous grin spread across his face.

Keith's eyes widened at the taller male.

"L-ance..?" Keith staggered backwards, eyes widening, he put his hands up in defense.

Lance glanced at Keith's legs, smirking as the pale boy realized what the other was thinking.

"You. Wouldn't." Keith voiced through clenched teeth.

"I would", Lance ran over to the shorter boy and picked him up, holding on tight as Keith fought.

"PUT ME DOWN!", Keith yelled, squirming and twisting, trying to loosen Lance's grip. He kicked backwards and escaped the boy's grip. He ran away as Lance clasped his gut in pain.

"OH I'LL GET YOU FOR THAT!" Lance chased after Keith, who was making circles around the large pool. Their lessons were mostly private, no one else came in asides from other workers, Keith looked around at the empty space. 'Good, no one will be here to see me when I kill his stupid ass'.

Keith panted as he tried to distance himself from Lance. He knew he couldn't run forever though, and with Lance being ninety percent legs, Keith was at an obvious disadvantage.

But Keith wasn't sure why he was running in the first place. Sure Lance was threatening to throw him into the pool, but he'd easily found that the boy was all talk anyways. Yet, Keith was petrified. There was something about the water, that just-threw him off. It was like looking into vastness, the stillness of the water protruding Keith's mind like a nightmare waiting to happen. He never trusted it. The stillness that is. Water, after all, wasn't still. It was fragile and strong all at once- allowing humans to live and breathe.

But die as well.

And Keith hated everything about it.

"GOT YOU!" Lance crashed into Keith's thoughts, picking him up again.

"LET GO!" Keith struggled once more, twisting and shouting.

Lance took a step, trying to balance with the furiously fidgety boy in his arms, and catch his breathe at the same time.

He took a step forward, not foreseeing that bare feet and wet pool tiles didn't mix well.

The boys yelped as they fell forward, colliding into each other.

They groaned in pain until realizing the position they were in. Lance had unconsciously pinned Keith to the ground, who was staring up at the other boy in disbelief.

'I could actually count his freckles', Keith thought before shaking the queasy feeling from his stomach. 'gah why is he so cute it'd be so much easier to hate him if he didn't look like that all the fucking time damn'.

Lance was rubbing his temple, which he bumped against Keith's shoulder before noticing he was still on top of Keith. His ears burned in embarrassment before he jumped away.

"I'm really sorry I didn't mean to- you know.." Lance avoided the pale boy's eyes, awkwardly looking around the empty pool place.

"Hey, it's fine. I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have messed with you", Keith coughed, unused to formally apologizing. Shiro never picked fights and always seemed to pardon his younger brother's behavior, even against his better judgement.

"Actually, yeah, you're right, this is totally your fault", Lance stated, scowling.

Keith gave Lance a judgmental look, before rolling his eyes. 'Welp the moment is gone gotta hate him again'.

They sat in silence for a bit, before the taller boy spoke up.

"You okay? You hit your head pretty hard.." Lance asked shyly.

"Oh, trust me, that was nothing", Keith had taken many beatings before. He had always been impulsive and somewhat reckless, getting hurt was something he was too familiar with.

His body could definitely take a beating.

It was his heart that was the problem.