'such a pity, a boy so pretty'

6. rain in a drought

For the duration of the summer there was s drought, this meant the group would go swimming every other day, the sun beating down on their skin, even Keith got a bit of a tan, though he dowsed himself in sun cream.

Everyone was currently at Shiro's, he had a box of ice packs and was handing them out, Keith swore he heard a sizzle as he placed the ice pack on his chest. They were supposed to be helping Shiro's Mum with the garden, but it was just too hot. They were all sweating profusely, especially Keith, who wasn't used to this sort of extreme weather.

"Hey Keith. Can you do magic? Because you just put a spell on me." Lance said weakly with a slight wink.

"Pathetic." Keith muttered, hiding his blush as he brought ice pack to his face, he didn't think he'd ever get used to Lance's lame pick up lines.

"You know the only thing I hate about space is the one between us." He finished with a smirk.

"Lame." He stated, groaning a little.

"Alright, alright. Are you a dementor? Cause I think you just took my breathe away." Lance laughed at that one.

"Harry Potter? Really?" Lance just smirked.

"It was my last resort. If that won't work I don't know what will." Lance brought his ice pack to his head as well. "Don't you have any ice lollies or anything Shiro? I feel like I'm on fire here."

"I'll go check." Shiro slipped inside the house, we all groaned, Pidge had the fan turned to face them as they sat in Shiro's moderately sized pool. Pidge's phone buzzed from the table and she got out to look at it.

"I've got to go, sorry guys." She said as Shiro walked out of the house carrying some ice lollies. She took one out of his hand and grabbed her towel, wrapping it around her neck. "Thanks Shiro." She waved us goodbye.

Alluras phone started to rapidly beep, she groaned. "Not me aswell." It carried on buzzing and she picked it up. "What? Yes Nyma I'm busy. You have months. Do I really need to, it's too hot. Fine." She ended the call. "That girl is really starting to get on my last nerves." She kissed Shiro goodbye and grabbed her stuff. "Bye losers." She said with a wave. "Wish me luck."

"Why? You're as annoying as her." Lance scoffed, Shiro threw his towel at Lance's head. Lance just smirked.

"Are you guys finished?" Came a voice from inside the house, it was Shiro's Mum. Everyone scrambled out of the pool, Keith tripped on the wet floor and Lance started to laugh uncontrollably, but held his hand out to help him, Kieth dragged him to the floor, and got up himself.

"Yeah we're nearly done." Shiro wheeled away the lawn mower to make it look like he'd been doing what he was supposed to. Hunk started to pack away the food. Lance had tripped Keith up again and they were rolling around in the muddy, crumbly grass. "Guys stop that and come help." Keith chuckled and stood up, they were both covered in mud.

"See you later." Lance said putting his T-Shirt back on, as the three boys left his house, after cleaning up, Lance and Keith walked Hunk home, still completely covered in mud. Lance had his towel on his head. "It's so hooottt. I'm practically melting." He whined, the sky was darkening.

Keith felt something drip on his head, he looked up, a dark cloud was heading towards them. Lance looked at Keith confused, Then it started to pour. Lance smiled widely then grabbed Keith's hand and started to run, Keith had no choice but to run with him. Keith as beginning to run out of breathe, but Lance carried on.

"Lance." He muttered, panting, the rain soaking his hair, washing the mud off his body.

"Almost there." Lance brought them to the edge of a forest, Keith had never been here before. "Come on." Lance said, Keith realised Lance was still holding his hand, his heart jumped a little. As they walked through the forest, even Lance started to breathe heavily, the ground was beginning to get steep. "Not far now." Lance reassured him.

And then they made it, a clearing, on the top of a hill, the rain beating down on them, Lance messed up his hair, throwing his head back and opening his mouth at the rain. Keith looked out onto the town, on top of the hill the could see everything, it would take Keith's breathe away, if he had any.

"I used to come here with my Dad, and Rob an Sophia. We'd have a picnic or something, well that was before.." Lance stopped himself looking out onto the town.

"Before what?" Keith asked, his heart aching at Lance's crestfallen face, Lance let go off Keith's hand.

"It's nothing." Lance sighed. "Just forget I said anything. It's not going to be like that again, so what's the point." He muttered, barely audible. Keith had never heard Lance talk like this, he sounded so, well, sad. He decided on a different approach.

"How'd you get that scar?" He asked, Lance turned to face him, his eyes glistening, even in the rain Keith could see the tears threatening to fall.

"Bitten by a shark." Lance said with a weak chuckle, before bursting into tears, choking back his sobs. Keith rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Lance, their chests touching.

"A shark hmm?" Keith asked sarcastically into Lance's shoulder. Lance nodded. "Are you sure? Don't you want to phone a friend, or ask the audience?" Keith joked, he heard a small laugh from Lance, Keith smiled. Though it dropped when Lance pulled apart.

"I'm supposed to be the jokester." He said sitting down on the wet grass. Lance pulled his T-Shirt over his head, craning his neck to look at his scar, so naturally Keith looked too. "My dad." He pointed at the white marks on his skin, Keith sucked in a breathe and sat down next to him. "He used to get drunk a lot, still does. I was 12, Robert had just left for college. Sophia was starting her Exams and I was just there, the others were too young to be figuring out their lives yet, I apparently was not." Lance paused, looking back out onto the town.

"He'd never been that angry before, ever. The others were in bed, I came downstairs for a glass of water or something. My mum kept on telling me to go upstairs, but I wanted to see my dad, I hadn't seen him all day, his old job had strict hours you see. Anyway he starts shouting at my mum, then at me saying I'm a disappointment and and he just grabbed the nearest thing at threw at me. It happened to be his beer bottle." Lance paused again, turning to look at Keith, his blue eyes shimmering, the rain flattening his hair, he shivered, So Keith budged closer to him.

"He realised what he did pretty quick, and I don't remember much after that. But I've always been t..terrified of him since, though he's never gotten drunk like that again." Lance closed his eyes and held his head in his hands, his breathing was heavy. Keith put his arm around him, unsure of what to say.

"Lance, I'm-"

"Don't, don't say you sorry. It doesn't change anything." Keith turned to face him, wrapping his other arm around him. "Thank you." He mumbled, leaning onto Keith.

The rain was a rhythmic hum, as it beat against the back of both the boys necks.

"You didn't have to tell me. But I'm glad you did." Keith said after a while, his arms tight around Lance's soaking body. "We should get back, we're going to freeze."

"Okay." Lance agreed, Keith stood up pulling Lance with him. He led them this time, his hand in Lance's, both of them soaked. Keith tripped and Lance's face broke into a smile again. Keith scowled but that smile meant everything to him, he'd give anything to see it everyday.

end of chapter six

let me know if any spelling mistakes, cba to edit.