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Keith

Lance had fallen asleep on me. Again. I already had a wet patch of drool on my suit from him, but I decided that I didn't want to wake him up again. When I had the first time to make him get off of me, somehow his halo had zapped me with a tiny bolt of electricity. It hurt like hell and my hand had gone numb for a few minutes. Who knew what would happen if I attempted it again.

About 3 hours into the plane ride, Lance had woken up on his own because he smelled the food that was being prepared, and we enjoyed the first actual meal we'd had since I arrived. For breakfast this morning, we'd gotten something from McDonald's, some weird pancake things with syrup that made my hands sticky. It didn't taste real at all.

But on the plane, they had a surprisingly posh five-course meal- full of wine and cheese and salad. It certainly wasn't like food from home, but I acknowledged that it was good enough. Shortly after we ate, Lance fell asleep again. I guessed he must have been pretty exhausted if he allowed himself to fall asleep in front of all of these strangers, let alone me.

I stayed awake, of course, and ended up watching a movie called Twilight. I hated it with a passion, but at the same time, I couldn't stop watching it. The captain of the flight had informed us over the loudspeaker that we were flying to Seattle. I had no idea where that was, but the flight was 7 hours long, so I assumed it was pretty far away from New Hampshire and Boston.

It was 8:30 when I finished the stupid vampire movie, so I dozed lightly for the rest of the 1 1/2 hours, staying alert enough to tune into the heartbeats of the people around us. On my shoulder, Lance's hair tickled my neck, and his heartbeat was loud and slow in my ears. It was my choice to enhance my hearing, and I could easily tune him out if I wanted to, but I'd come to the unfortunate realization that I was going to be stuck with Lance for the rest of my time on Earth, so I might as well put up with him as best I could.

I had been stupid to assume that Dad and Missus would let me wander by myself, but I never asked about Shiro and Kuron's angels. What was I supposed to do for Lance? Be his friend? I'm sure what he was doing for me wasn't voluntary, so was he leading me by an order from Missus? Was he going to keep his promises and show me all the things on the list that I wanted to see? It made me feel... spoiled.

I occasionally allowed myself to peek through my eyelids to look at the angel. I hadn't realized it before, but there was a gold band around his wrist with the words, "Amores Vobiscum" etched into the metal. I had no doubt that it was real gold. The Latin phrase was the motto of the Upperworld, 'Love be with you'. I shifted uncomfortably in the seat. Love was a touchy subject. I closed my eyes again.

An hour later, the intercom dinged, signaling the captain, and we were informed that we were beginning the descent. My stomach lurched up to my throat as the jet's nose turned down, and we were plummeting towards the Earth. My knuckles tightened around the armrests. I had been terrified enough taking off, but landing? This was even scarier. Lance slept obliviously. I envied him.

By the time we hit the runway at an alarming speed, I could only hear my own heartbeat in my ears, pounding fast as my eyes were pinched shut. I tried to focus and let my breath slow with the rate of the plane, sighing heavily as we slowed to a stop. Opening my eyes, I wanted nothing more than to get off the plane, but I collected myself and placed a calm facade over my face. Lifting the shade from the window beside Lance, I smiled in relief. Nighttime again. My time.

I shrugged the shoulder Lance was using as a pillow and unbuckled my seat belt, trying to wake him as gently as I could. "Lance, wake up, you're drooling and people are leaving." Lance groaned loudly and, with seemingly immeasurable effort, heaved himself up into a sitting position. Blinking groggily, he looked around. His halo had steadied.

"Time to go," he announced dumbly, stood, stretched, and then waited for our turn to shuffle out of the cabin. While other passengers waited for the attendants to get their suitcases and luggage out of the compartments overhead, Lance and I slipped by, our only carry on being his little pack.

Lance's skirt was hiked up obscenely high, but he didn't seem to notice (or mind?), even as creepy old men in suits and thousand-dollar watches leered at him. I sneered and glared at them, shielding his body with my own from their hungry eyes- that was the kind of behavior to get you a one-way ticket to Kuron's gate, idiots. We returned up the ramp that connected the jet to the airport and emerged into a flurry of motion.

I had thought that the Boston airport had been crowded, but this was a whole other level. The airport, called Sea-Tac, short for Seattle-Tacoma, was packed with travelers, all toting luggage and talking loudly, small children trailing after parents and groups of college kids laughing as they lounged in the gate waiting spaces.

"Assuming we're not sleeping here, where are we going?" I asked as I followed Lance through the crowd. He seemed to have a destination in mind. He didn't reply as we weaved around groups of people and stands in the middle of the hall. We went down an escalator, then another, to the ground level. He pulled out his phone and, with a flurry of taps, had it pressed to his ear, still walking.

"Sea-Tac, please... Yes... Front entrance... Cash... Thank you." He dropped his phone into his bag and turned to look at me, tired hopefulness on his face. "Hungry?"

...

"This is disgusting."

"It's delicious!"

"It's disgustingly delicious."

"Touche."

Lance and I walked through downtown Seattle, eating hot dogs and fried dough from the street vendors. He had offered to go out to a really fancy restaurant, but I was surprisingly tired, and I knew that he still was. When I had asked why he still seemed exhausted, he'd laughed at me.

"I regenerated my Energy, but I still need sleep for my body. I haven't actually rested yet." It was confusing, but I didn't push it. Lance could handle himself, I didn't need to worry.

It was nearing 11 o'clock, and even the sugary fried dough didn't raise the blanket of fatigue in my body. We walked side-by-side on the sidewalk, strolling slowly. Lance pointed out different landmarks that we passed, wiping powdered sugar on the sleeve of his sweater. He was eager to explain the history of different things, tell me what they'd been before, and then before before, in the 1900's, then the 1800's, then when the land had first been discovered. Why it had been named Seattle (a Native American chief), when the Space Needle was built (1961), when we were going to go on the Great Wheel (tomorrow night).

Lance was so full of knowledge, it seemed like he would burst. I hadn't pegged him as smart, necessarily, so it was a surprise when he piped up with random trivia and facts. Finally, I asked how he knew.

He looked embarrassed. "We see everything. Ever since I... was born... we watch everything that happens in the world. I know every country, every city, every town, what happens, what happened, when and where and how, who hates and who loves who, and why the world is how it is. I have to know everything. I can't not- because I have to love everything. That's the burden of an angel. I don't have a choice."

His sincerity was startling, even more so than his cognizance. I frowned. He knew everything. And I knew nothing.

Lance dropped his half-eaten hot dog in a trash can as we passed it on the street. A homeless man melted out of the shadows and stepped forward to salvage it. I gulped and kept on walking.

"Does it bother you?" Lance asked softly. His eyes had caught the moonlight. "My talking?"

I looked away from him. "No."

...

"We have a reservation for two nights in a double room," Lance told the receptionist at the hotel. I looked around the lobby uneasily. It was incredibly high-end. Couches huddled around tables in the giant lobby, modern art hung around the walls, soft jazz floating down from hidden speakers. I was glad I was wearing the suit.

The receptionist made a small noise of confusion, and I turned my attention back to Lance. "I can't seem to find your reservation," the young woman said, looking up at Lance.

The angel leaned forward, smiling sweetly. "There must be a mistake." His voice was too smooth. "We have a reservation for two nights in a double room," he repeated. I noticed in astonishment that his eyes had turned from dark blue to blinding gold. His eye contact was inescapable to the mortal, and her eyes glowed gold in turn.

He leaned back, eyes returning to normal, and she shook herself, confused. "Yes..." she said dazedly, returning to her computer to type something in. "Yes, I'm sorry, my mistake, sir. Your room is 416. Here are your keys."

I watched alarmedly as the girl's cheeks flushed a deep red when she looked at Lance again, hand shaking as she passed him the two passes. "Thank you very much," Lance replied smoothly, smiling blindingly at her. She seemed to swoon.

"Come on, loverboy," I grunted and pulled Lance towards the elevator. Once the doors had shut behind us, I turned on him. "What was that?" I asked incredulously. To be honest, I was a little scared. Lance was more powerful than he let on.

"Just a little gentle persuasion," he replied, holding his head in his hands. If I didn't know any better, I would've said he was ashamed.

"Gentle?" I asked, "She's in love with you!"

"Enamored," Lance corrected as we stepped out of the elevator onto our floor.

"Same difference!" I scolded him indignantly.

"Why are you mad about it? You're a devil, I would've assumed that you'd enjoy mortal corruption," Lance told me over his shoulder, unlocking our door.

"That's different," I grumbled and stepped in after him.

The suite was more than nice. It was gorgeous. Better than my room at home, certainly better than the barn. Everything was offwhite and light rose, and it overlooked a view of the city. I could even see the giant Ferris wheel in the distance. Two beds were made up with cream-colored sheets, and cool twisty lamps were suspended on the walls. Lance threw his bag onto the bed on the left, so I took the right.

I was tempted to just fall asleep right there, but I needed to brush my teeth and get actual pajamas on. "Lance?" I called. He had bolted for the bathroom. "Can you magic up some pj's?"

"Neon pink or unicorn patterned?" He called back. I snorted.

"Both!"

A stack of folded clothes appeared on my pillow, startling me. They were pink. And they had little unicorns prancing around. "Halohead, I was kidding!" I called back desperately. No way in hell was I wearing these, especially in front of Lance.

"I wasn't!" he shouted. The sound of the shower signaled the end of the conversation.

Groaning, I stripped out of the suit, leaving it in a heap on the floor, and grimaced as I put on the fuzzy flannel bottoms. They surprisingly fit well. I left the button-up, matching top untouched. Not happening.

I didn't take Lance as someone who would take a quick shower, and I was too tired to stay up and wait for my turn in the bathroom, so I decided I'd just brush my teeth in the morning extra-well. Stupid Halohead.

I turned off all the lights in the room, locked the door, and slipped under the soft sheets, sighing in relief. Finally, a real fucking bed. It felt amazing. I was out in seconds.

...

heeeeeey~

qotd: favorite season (of the year or of voltron, your choice)?

love youuu!