Chapter Text
"I'm going to die." Layle said in a breathy, shrill voice between gasps, resting his hands against his knees.
They're halfway through Bridge Town, on their way back to the flat after Layle joined Keiss on his morning workout, and the promised slow jog was predictably too much. Layle's legs felt heavy from climbing cliffs and jumping on and off giant rocks, his arms shook when he brushed his hair back because he hauled the heaviest rocks he could carry around the wildlands, but all the pain in his limbs combined had nothing on the searing pain of his ribcage as he sucked in deep, short lungfuls of air.
Meanwhile his partner, in shape and a Selkie to boot, looked at him with this frustratingly perplexed expression as if he weren't naturally blessed with natural strengths leagues above those in his tribe let alone some out of shape Clavat like Layle. It's no miracle that he hadn't been left behind, either, and he knows that Keiss barely pushed himself the entire time, spending more time and energy helping Layle out. He'll bite his tongue, appreciative of the support, but his competitive spirit is in full rebellion, telling him to snap and lash out between loud, pained inhales.
"You can die later, crystal bearer." Keiss grinned and rested a hand on his popped out hip. His smile is blinding like the sun and Layle just wanted to tell him to dim his mood a bit. "Come on. We need to get back in time to shower before heading to out new client's location."
Ah, that's right, the client.
They have a potential gig lined up later and he will have to be there for the signed on. Layle groaned out loud, channeling his petty rage into forcing his body forward one exhausted step at a time, building speed until he's at risk of tripping over his clumsy, numb feet. Trailing behind Keiss helped him focus on on a goal, even if it's impossible, as they made their way around the winding paths around Bridge Town that turned what could have been a decent straight shot into a harrowing journey thrice as long. All those winding paths couldn't have prepared him for the final, inevitable trial that appeared before him like a monster freshly formed from miasma: stairs.
Keiss might as well have flown up them, feet thumping against the metal panels as fast as Layle's heart beat in his chest. It made him pause at the bottom, staring on in disbelief when Keiss spun around at the top to watch his partner with an encouraging, annoying smile. 'He is enjoying this way too much.' Layle thought as he dragged himself up one miserable step at a time by the rusty handrail.
Once at the top, Keiss patted his shoulder. "I knew you could do it."
"Are we done?" He wheezed.
"We're done." Keiss took a step forward, still moving far too fast but at least no longer running. Layle mindlessly trails behind him, chest heaving and mind spinning. "I'll shower first so you can take as much time as you need to."
Keiss walked briskly through the front door with a satisfied smile plastered on his face. Following behind him is his melting, half dead partner. Layle's skin had turned a bright, vibrant pink tinted over the course of their run and the polluted air around Bridge Town left him feeling disgustingly grimy after mingling with his own sweat to create a slurried layer of sweat, ash, and dirt. Two steps through the door, he collapsed to the ground in the same spot as when they first moved in, kicking the door shut and basking in the morning sun. It's the perfect spot because the windows on both sides of the flat are lined up in a way that it's always warm and sunny when he needs it most.
So perfect that Layle starts to doze off.
"Don't just fall asleep there." Keiss nudged him and he groaned. "If you don't stretch now, you're going to be sore later."
"I'm already sore." He croaked, cracking his eyes open to catch Keiss' usual mildly disappointed expression.
"Do you want it to get worse?" He asked as he moved back, stripping off his shirt as he headed towards the bare, open living room. Asking Layle not stare when his head already felt so empty would've been too much. "Layle?"
He managed to pry his eyes away though, removing temptation from his line of sight. "Yeah, sure."
"No! No you don't!" Keiss grabbed his sweaty hand and pulled, trying to drag him to his feet and dragging him further into the room and away from his warm, perfect spot in the sun. A displeased moan leaves Layle when the morning chill rushes in on his damp body to make him shiver without the sunlight to fend it off. "If you cooperate, I'll handle breakfast this time."
Never one to turn down the chance to be fed something more substantial than a sandwich and some fruit, Layle found a glimmer of motivation and allowed himself to be hauled up to his feet. Every muscle ached on the way up and his head started to spin but Keiss' searing hands firmly rested on his shoulders and biceps as he tried to steady himself. Bright red hair dominated Layle's vision, glittering with small lights like sunset against the ocean, and his eyes were full of embers from the light from the window hitting them just right.
Keiss was gorgeous.
His heartrate picked up and his breathing faltered from the strange feeling spreading across his body and sweat beaded across his skin again as-
"Woah, hey!"
Layle, who'd gotten up too fast, fainted right then and there.