Allan has learned that he loves the beach. He loves the sand, the bright clear sky, the sound of the waves. He loves the big umbrellas and the sheer vibrancy of the world even if he often feels uncomfortable in the bigness of the atmosphere. He also finds it nice. Refreshing.
Of course the fact that Ken is there is the biggest reason why he likes it. He and Barbie had been partnered up in a cooking class and hit it off as pals--probably because while Barbie is absolutely gorgeous Allan doesn't swing that way so he didn't hit on her or ask her out--and before he really knew it, Allan found some pretty good friends. Most of them girls--okay, all of them girls--but there's nothing better than a girls night at Barbie's house. Allan has a preference for You've got Mail, Barbie loves Sleepless in Seattle but every single person in that living room will throw down when it comes to defending Dirty Dancing.
They do other activities sure, Allan always lingering in the corner when he does want to go, happy to just be included as an afterthought. He's used to not feeling like he belongs so he's long since tuned it out, not with confidence but with the simple act of not caring. Awkward? Yes. Lonely? Sure. But he's never once questioned who he is.
Still: he likes the beach. He likes the atmosphere. He likes the lifeguard, Ken, all blond hair and toned abs. Sometimes Ken plays volleyball with the rest of the guys. Sometimes he's on duty. Sometimes he surfs. Allan has watched him do it all because eventually he stopped asking Barbie to go with him and just makes a point to walk by where he knows Ken will be almost every day.
And today? Today's the day. Allan's decided that this is it, he's going to actually say something to Ken. There's no big deal, right? It's whatever, isn't it? Just a few words. Ken doesn't know he exists anyway: Allan never does any actual beach activities, he always just politely watches Barbie do her thing from underneath the shade of a large umbrella. He's a redhead and pale as hell, he doesn't tan he disintegrates. But now? Now, he's going to walk by Ken's lifeguard perch.
Deep breathes.
Allan inhales. Exhales. Cranes his neck up, stands a little too close to the base. He waves.
Ken also loves the beach, which is pretty evident to anyone who has ever looked at him for five seconds. Everything about him screams beach bum he doesn't really mind. Being there makes him happy, and all his friends like the beach, too. Friends like Barbie, who Ken grew up with and used to have a major crush on but now they're just good friends. And Barbie's friends, too.
There's one friend that's caught his eye. Amidst the people who frolic in the sand and sun there's Barbie's quiet friend Allan, who sits under the beach umbrella but is always smiling even if he never says much. Ken thinks he's cute. When Allan comes to the beach alone, Ken tries not to think too hard about how maybe Allan's there to see him, specifically, but he does try to show off a little. Just in case.
He's thinking maybe he should just go talk to Allan next time he's there but suddenly Allan is there, like right there, and he's talking first.
"Hi, Allan!"
Ken waves back, feeling impossibly pleased with himself even though he's done absolutely nothing.
Had Barbie introduced them before? Maybe once. Probably? No, definitely, its just that Allan took one look at that those blue, blue eyes and got so lost in them he forgot how to process the English language. And now Ken's looking down and looking at him and Allan's mouth opens.
"Oh." He blinks rapidly. "It's definitely going. What are you doing?" Allan knows what Ken's doing. Kens' doing his job. What Allan is doing is panicking while maintaining almost a completely straight face.
There's another lifeguard coming over, in fact, to do the shift swap. Ken climbs down and finds himself standing obnoxiously close to Allan entirely accidentally given how close Allan is to the base of the structure. He doesn't really know what to do about it other than flash another smile as if that might fill up the silence.
"What are you doing?"
Since, you know, they established what Ken is (well, isn't) doing so the natural thing is to ask what Allan's up to.
Holy shit Ken is so close Allan thinks he might pass out. He doesn't, and instead he sort of just blinks again. He'd drop eye contact except Ken's eyes are completely and utterly hypnotizing, and right now he can't look away. Or move. He's on autopilot.
"Beach," he blurts, and he moves his hands to his hips in an attempt to look confident. It does not work. "I was just doing beach. Sand..." Sand? Sand what? Allan has managed to tear his eyes off of Ken's only to find himself looking at Ken's smooth, broad, muscular chest. The urge to run his hand down it is nearly overwhelming. He clears his throat.
He finds that he's still sort of grinning like an idiot, and he clears his throat, too, leaning against the lifeguard stand to look nonchalant as he glances out over the beach.
"Yeah, the beach is so cool. I have one. My parents have one. A private beach, you should come check it out some time."
"Totally," Allan says without thinking about it whatsoever. He'll remember what he agreed to later, most likely just as he's trying to sleep.
He tries to mirror Ken as well, bringing one arm up but there's nothing but air. In an attempt to cover up his error, he makes it a point to stretch in a poor attempt to make himself seem cool.
Ken has a beach. Just, like, a whole beach that his parents just... beach on. Wow. God, he's so cool. Ken's so cool. Ken smells good, too, and the fact that Allan can tell because they're still so close is very much driving him insane.
Ken's just about to congratulate himself on successfully inviting Allan to his beach when he's caught off guard. He turns his head a bit to look at Allan, brows furrowed just enough to suggest that he wasn't expecting that.
"... Thank you."
There's nothing but sincerity in his voice and on his face, as if Allan has genuinely paid him the nicest compliment anyone has ever given another person.
"Your problem," Allan says, nodding and unable to hide a bashful grin. He's pretty sure his cheeks are as red as his hair.
Wait.
"I wanted to you're welcome and no problem," he explains, smile still wide like this isn't awkward at all. Neither of them have moved from their spots, entirely too close to each other and entirely too close to the lifeguard tower. The other lifeguard can't actually get up.
Ken laughs like it’s honestly the funniest thing he’s ever heard. He only stops when the other lifeguard finally tells him to go do this weird flirting thing somewhere else, and he clears his throat again.
As he takes a step to move out of the way, he feels a drop of rain on his bare shoulders. When did the sky get cloudy? How long has he just been smiling dumbly at Allan? He looks up and squints as another drop hits his eye.
Oh, wow, Ken's laughing. Ken's laughing at something Allan says, and Allan laughs back, strained in comparison to how easy going Ken's is. It's music to Allan's ears. He doesn't even notice the rain (or the other lifeguard calling this flirting) until the other points it out and then hits him with something Allan can only describe as an act of God.
"You wanna go get a poke bowl and wait for the rain?" He suggestions because yes, absolutely, he would love to hang out. He'd developed an affinity for the bowls when he followed Ken to Incredibowl one day, waited until he left, and then went in and ordered the same thing as Ken ordered. He lifts his eyebrows, holding his breath. That's a good suggestion, right? That's what Ken likes. He'll definitely get a good grade in wanting Ken to notice him, something completely normal to want to achieve.
Could this be any more perfect? Allan’s funny and he likes the same food. And he wants to eat that food with Ken!
“There’s a place just across the road. Let me stop and grab a shirt from my car.”
He waits until he’s sure Allan is following, then leads the way to the parking lot and to a pale blue Ferrari of all cars. He grabs a button up shirt which does get put on, but stays decidedly unbuttoned.
Allan follows, trailing after Ken like a lovelorn puppy, his heart absolutely racing. He's done it. He's got Ken to go out with him. two on two, even. Just pals, sure but Ken is noticing him.
If he dies tomorrow it'll probably be fine. This is obviously the best day ever. He's unable to hide his grin, nodding fervently. He'll even take Ken covering up his chest, because somehow--Allan has no idea how--Ken manages to look even better with a shirt on. And open. Allan saw him in a tank top once and nearly passed out. It was all he could talk about with his roommate for a solid week.
"Totally," he mumbles, and he's already got his wallet out the moment they enter the building, the bell above the door signalling their arrival.
Ken wouldn’t mind covering the bill but he seems tickled that Allan wants to. He gives Allan another wide smile, then he waves at the people working at the counter who wave back. He’s a regular, after all.
He orders and finds a seat by the window. The rain bums him out but he likes to look outside anyway.
“Barbie said you do cooking classes together? That’s so cool.”
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beach au;
Of course the fact that Ken is there is the biggest reason why he likes it. He and Barbie had been partnered up in a cooking class and hit it off as pals--probably because while Barbie is absolutely gorgeous Allan doesn't swing that way so he didn't hit on her or ask her out--and before he really knew it, Allan found some pretty good friends. Most of them girls--okay, all of them girls--but there's nothing better than a girls night at Barbie's house. Allan has a preference for You've got Mail, Barbie loves Sleepless in Seattle but every single person in that living room will throw down when it comes to defending Dirty Dancing.
They do other activities sure, Allan always lingering in the corner when he does want to go, happy to just be included as an afterthought. He's used to not feeling like he belongs so he's long since tuned it out, not with confidence but with the simple act of not caring. Awkward? Yes. Lonely? Sure. But he's never once questioned who he is.
Still: he likes the beach. He likes the atmosphere. He likes the lifeguard, Ken, all blond hair and toned abs. Sometimes Ken plays volleyball with the rest of the guys. Sometimes he's on duty. Sometimes he surfs. Allan has watched him do it all because eventually he stopped asking Barbie to go with him and just makes a point to walk by where he knows Ken will be almost every day.
And today? Today's the day. Allan's decided that this is it, he's going to actually say something to Ken. There's no big deal, right? It's whatever, isn't it? Just a few words. Ken doesn't know he exists anyway: Allan never does any actual beach activities, he always just politely watches Barbie do her thing from underneath the shade of a large umbrella. He's a redhead and pale as hell, he doesn't tan he disintegrates. But now? Now, he's going to walk by Ken's lifeguard perch.
Deep breathes.
Allan inhales. Exhales. Cranes his neck up, stands a little too close to the base. He waves.
Here we go. Here. We. Go.
"Hi, Ken."
no subject
There's one friend that's caught his eye. Amidst the people who frolic in the sand and sun there's Barbie's quiet friend Allan, who sits under the beach umbrella but is always smiling even if he never says much. Ken thinks he's cute. When Allan comes to the beach alone, Ken tries not to think too hard about how maybe Allan's there to see him, specifically, but he does try to show off a little. Just in case.
He's thinking maybe he should just go talk to Allan next time he's there but suddenly Allan is there, like right there, and he's talking first.
"Hi, Allan!"
Ken waves back, feeling impossibly pleased with himself even though he's done absolutely nothing.
"How's it going?"
no subject
Ken said hi and knows his name.
Had Barbie introduced them before? Maybe once. Probably? No, definitely, its just that Allan took one look at that those blue, blue eyes and got so lost in them he forgot how to process the English language. And now Ken's looking down and looking at him and Allan's mouth opens.
"Oh." He blinks rapidly. "It's definitely going. What are you doing?" Allan knows what Ken's doing. Kens' doing his job. What Allan is doing is panicking while maintaining almost a completely straight face.
no subject
There's another lifeguard coming over, in fact, to do the shift swap. Ken climbs down and finds himself standing obnoxiously close to Allan entirely accidentally given how close Allan is to the base of the structure. He doesn't really know what to do about it other than flash another smile as if that might fill up the silence.
"What are you doing?"
Since, you know, they established what Ken is (well, isn't) doing so the natural thing is to ask what Allan's up to.
no subject
"Beach," he blurts, and he moves his hands to his hips in an attempt to look confident. It does not work. "I was just doing beach. Sand..." Sand? Sand what? Allan has managed to tear his eyes off of Ken's only to find himself looking at Ken's smooth, broad, muscular chest. The urge to run his hand down it is nearly overwhelming. He clears his throat.
"You remembered my name?"
no subject
As if he could ever forget Allan's name.
He finds that he's still sort of grinning like an idiot, and he clears his throat, too, leaning against the lifeguard stand to look nonchalant as he glances out over the beach.
"Yeah, the beach is so cool. I have one. My parents have one. A private beach, you should come check it out some time."
no subject
He tries to mirror Ken as well, bringing one arm up but there's nothing but air. In an attempt to cover up his error, he makes it a point to stretch in a poor attempt to make himself seem cool.
Ken has a beach. Just, like, a whole beach that his parents just... beach on. Wow. God, he's so cool. Ken's so cool. Ken smells good, too, and the fact that Allan can tell because they're still so close is very much driving him insane.
"You're so cool," he blurts.
no subject
"... Thank you."
There's nothing but sincerity in his voice and on his face, as if Allan has genuinely paid him the nicest compliment anyone has ever given another person.
"That really means a lot."
no subject
Wait.
"I wanted to you're welcome and no problem," he explains, smile still wide like this isn't awkward at all. Neither of them have moved from their spots, entirely too close to each other and entirely too close to the lifeguard tower. The other lifeguard can't actually get up.
Allan's beaming.
no subject
As he takes a step to move out of the way, he feels a drop of rain on his bare shoulders. When did the sky get cloudy? How long has he just been smiling dumbly at Allan? He looks up and squints as another drop hits his eye.
“You wanna go someplace?”
no subject
"You wanna go get a poke bowl and wait for the rain?" He suggestions because yes, absolutely, he would love to hang out. He'd developed an affinity for the bowls when he followed Ken to Incredibowl one day, waited until he left, and then went in and ordered the same thing as Ken ordered. He lifts his eyebrows, holding his breath. That's a good suggestion, right? That's what Ken likes. He'll definitely get a good grade in wanting Ken to notice him, something completely normal to want to achieve.
no subject
Could this be any more perfect? Allan’s funny and he likes the same food. And he wants to eat that food with Ken!
“There’s a place just across the road. Let me stop and grab a shirt from my car.”
He waits until he’s sure Allan is following, then leads the way to the parking lot and to a pale blue Ferrari of all cars. He grabs a button up shirt which does get put on, but stays decidedly unbuttoned.
“Okay. Let’s go.”
no subject
If he dies tomorrow it'll probably be fine. This is obviously the best day ever. He's unable to hide his grin, nodding fervently. He'll even take Ken covering up his chest, because somehow--Allan has no idea how--Ken manages to look even better with a shirt on. And open. Allan saw him in a tank top once and nearly passed out. It was all he could talk about with his roommate for a solid week.
"Totally," he mumbles, and he's already got his wallet out the moment they enter the building, the bell above the door signalling their arrival.
"Let me, uh, get it."
no subject
Ken wouldn’t mind covering the bill but he seems tickled that Allan wants to. He gives Allan another wide smile, then he waves at the people working at the counter who wave back. He’s a regular, after all.
He orders and finds a seat by the window. The rain bums him out but he likes to look outside anyway.
“Barbie said you do cooking classes together? That’s so cool.”