Hidden Messages [Klance AU]

11: Change of Pace

"Pidge?" Keith cautiously stepped through the open door. It wasn't like Pidge to leave it unlocked.

"Pidge!" He called out again. Keith heard a muffled voice that he made out as Pidge's. He lifted an eyebrow when he heard another voice he didn't recognize, then footsteps walking towards him.

"Keith, hey!" Pidge said as they ran into the room, "This might sound kind of weird, but there's someone you need to meet!" The smaller person grabbed Keith's wrist and pulled him abruptly, causing a startled yelp from Keith. Pidge dragged him to the kitchen. He squinted a bit when they entered; the sunlight that streamed in through the windows was harsh. Once his eyes adjusted to the light he saw a person sitting at the table with a drink in hand. He was a muscular, bulky fellow with dark skin and black hair tied back with an orange headband. He wore a loose button-down(that was unbuttoned) and shorts.

"Keith, this is Hunk. Hunk, Keith." There was a gleam in Pidge's eyes that said there was something else they wanted to say. Keith held out a hand.

"Hey," he said as Hunk shook it after a moment.

"Hi. Nice to meet you." Hunk smiled at Keith then looked to Pidge. The brunette looked like they were about to burst at any moment. Hunk nodded to them and they sighed, mumbling a Yes! under their breath.

"Okay, Keith, this might be a bit surprising to hear, so—"

"Just say it. You look like your about to burst." Keith chuckled to himself.

"Okay. Hunk is a merman." If Keith had a drink he would have spit it out.

"What."

"Yup."

"Seriously?!" Pidge nodded. Keith looked at Hunk, his eyes wide. "How?!"

Hunk smiled sheepishly, "Well, I came to look for my friend who came onto land a little while ago. I was really worried about him so I researched a bit on what would happen if anyone found out. Turns out he would be imprisoned and then who knows what would happen to him, so I came to warn him. I ran into Pidge on the beach and they told me that they had a friend, you, who had seen a mer recently." Keith nodded.

"Yeah, I did," was all he could say, still surprised at the fact that he was talking to a real live mer. "Uhm, I mean if you want I could help you find him. Is there anything specific I should know?"

"Yeah, his name's—"

"Wait what?" Pidge interrupted.

"What?" Keith asked, confused.

"That's not like you to help someone right away, no offense. Actually, you've been different this whole day, when I talked to you on the phone earlier..." As a scientist, Pidge often voiced their thought process and always needed to find the "solution" to any problems that arose.

"Huh?"

"You seem different. Not only how you're acting, but how you look, too. I've never seen you put so much effort into an outfit," Pidge said as she motioned to Keith, who was wearing black jeans, a t-shirt and jean jacket, along with a beanie on his head.

"Oh, yeah, this is how I am when I'm awake," Keith replied as if it were common knowledge. Pidge gave him a blank stare.

"When I'm not sleep-deprived," Keith added. Something changed in Pidge's eyes as they understood what Keith was saying.

"You're... always sleep-deprived?" Keith froze. He hadn't meant to reveal that. Maybe he wasn't as "awake" as he thought.

"Uhm... no?" The black-haired boy tried to retaliate.