Deep In // Klance AU

Chapter 12: Lance

I forced my legs to move away from Keith and even more so my hands. It was never really chilly outside, but his warmth shot throughout me like a charged lightning bolt. I had felt something like this before. It was familiar and comforting, but I could not discern it's origin.

I sulked my way to color guard practice. If it wasn't for my prior commitment to my extracurricular activity, I would have been able to enjoy the game in the student section; however, I was to be confined to the front row of the marching band's bleachers.

The gymnasium's door begged me to not open it, yet I knew I couldn't dawdle for much longer. The girls that were in the room were frantically getting ready. Makeup kits and hair curlers littered the corners.

"Oh, there's Lance!" Romelle interjected to the room as if there had been talk of me before my arrival. She had just finished up with curling the last brown strand of Cerise's updo, "I'll do your makeup if you want. It's not like I can do your hair."

A few small laughs erupted amongst the girls and I was unsure if it was directed towards the makeup or the hair comment. My hair's natural state was curly and it was far too short to tie up. Makeup was a different matter.

It was unconventional for a male to wear such a thing. Everyone in guard eventually became accustomed to the idea of a boy on the team, but my chest was set aflame with anxiety. I feared for social isolation after our halftime performance. I was scared everyone would figure me out before I had the chance. But I signed up knowing its risks and thus I had to comply to my decision's rules.

In color guard, appearance sold the performance. Romelle slicked back my hair. We were to wear tiaras directly centered onto our foreheads. She took out her makeup palette, smearing glitter, which was a similar shade to the blue jewel of my crown, underneath my eyes in a sickle-shape. Romelle lightly brushed gold onto my eyelids, darkening up the shadow as she got closer to my crease. I assumed we were done when she grabbed her bag and started putting up her palette and her makeup brushes, but I was false in my assumption. Romelle had a small container of rhinestones, tweezers, and a tub of skin safe glue.

"I don't know about all that," I reluctantly froze with Romelle still in charge of my physical presentation. 

I began to get up from off the floor as she grabbed onto my shirt keeping me down, "It's just to add a little flare and I'll only give you a couple," she smiled.

Romelle was extremely concentrated during the process. She bit her tongue and glared at the placement of where she wanted the microscopic crystals to lie. Her fine attention to detail assisted her greatly in manners such as this as well as during standard drill work.

She took out two final possessions of hers: a compact mirror and coral blue lipstick. I received the information that I was expected to be able to do my lips. Touch-ups were prevalent over the course of a game from eating after halftime to making out with the visitor's hottest marching band members.

"Coral blue number five? That's an odd name," I read the label as I avoided putting it on.

"It's a very pretty shade! It'll go well with your completion," Romelle expelled honesty in her voice. I opened up the compact mirror acknowledging that coral blue number five was going to find it's way on my lips either way. I paused when I saw my reflection. Romelle seemed delighted with her art, "Do you like it? I've never done makeup on a boy before, but I think it turned out pretty nicely."

I was diffident in how I responded. I did not want to concede to the fact that I thought I looked beautiful, "I- I look good?"

"Of course you do. Romelle is the best makeup artist in guard, and you already have a few defined, feminine features," Cerise had just come back into the room after having changed into her uniform.