Writing The Tides

Redamancy (n.)

"Hey."

Lance stood in the doorway, not sure whether or not taking another step would be worth tipping over the balance of stability.

"Hey."

Keith watched Lance look over the scar on his cheek, a mark left by some underwater rocks, and he wondered if it bothered him.

"Ow!" Lance cried, as the door behind him shut, forcing him into the room and confrontation.

Keith snorted, and it almost broke the tension, if Lance hadn't looked back at that very moment with the widest smile. The sight took him by surprise, and Keith couldn't swallow the rock that had been lodged into his throat.

"I- uhh- um, never thanked you..." Keith managed to choke out.

Lance's face twisted slightly in confusion.

"...for saving me."

"Oh!" Lance, finally resurfaced to reality, "Yeah, um- no big deal."

He remained standing there, eyes fixated on the bottom of his shoes, as if they held the answers to every single one of his problems, and as if his biggest problem wasn't currently sitting three feet away from him.

"So my life isn't a big deal to you?" Keith asked calmly.

"What? Oh my stars, no! You mean so much to me you wouldn't even begin to believe...."

"Lance."

"...You're so perfect and pretty and great and funny and honestly the entire package and I feel really cheesy even saying any of this..."

"Lance."

"...like even looking at you makes me feel like I'm in a bad fanfiction and I don't know how to deal with any of this or my emotions but I'd like to learn with you-"

"LANCE."

"Yeah?"

"I was joking."

"Oh."

They both shifted awkardly in place, not really sure what to say or do next. All of this felt so unatural, it was like being a dinosaur in a petting zoo...it was just so off.

"What are we doing?" Keith said suddenly.

Lance sighed, finally looking up to meet him in the eyes, "I don't know...
but it seems to me that every time we reject our 'budding romance', the universe tries to kill us."

Keith laughed at that, "I hate to say this...but I think you're right."

Lance gasped dramatically, "You admitted I'm right! And agreed to go out with me! Are you sure you didn't hit your head a little too hard on the way down that cliff man?"

"One- shut the fuck up. Two- I never outrightly agreed to go out with you..."

Lance rolled his eyes.

"...and three- maybe. It would explain some things."

"Oh really?" Lance sat down on the bed, raising his eyebrows, "Like what?"

"Like how after all of this," Keith gestured to nothing in particular, and also everything at once, "I still have feelings for you. And, maybe I was totally right about us before. But I've realized that I've been stuck on this island, inside my head. I stay on that island because it's safe and secure. But I feel so alone. And if I try to escape the island, sure, I might die. But is death really any worse off than being stuck there?"

Lance nodded softly, head tilting just slightly, scared of disrupting Keith's train of thought.

"I guess, what I'm trying to say is: Lance, I'm not really good at things. I'm not good at relationships, I'm not good at opening up, the list goes on. But I'll be damned if I'm not gonna try. Or continue not to, anyway..." his eyes looked away, "...you make me want to try."

It was quiet. But different than before. Felt more at ease, like watercolors drying into a canvas.

This room would make the prettiest picture.

Lance eyes had softened into puddles, inching closer, "Can I kiss you now?" he said at a low mumble, almost inaudible.

Keith pushed forward, displaying more outward strength in a single second than he had at all over the past couple weeks...but the strength that he felt when the taste of caramel shot through...it was unlike anything. He felt like he could fly.

Fly right out of that hospital bed.

And far, far off the island.

~~~

oof I feel like crap but nothing cheers me up more than hearing from yall so hERe's tHis uPdATe - we're so close to the end it's wild and so so bittersweet....

bUT NOT YET THOUGH YEET MISS ME WITH THAT

anyways this was the first time I didn't write an entire chapter in one sitting and tbh idk how I feel...did it seem different from my usual writing? please let me know!

Thanks a bunch!

as always, keep breathing~

~ Tan ♡