Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The room was dim, with overhead track lights moving and flashing a variety of colors. There was an undercurrent of electric blue, supplied by long bars of light hidden throughout the room. The bass was thumping through the speakers, sending the crowd into a frenzy, and whisps of smoke floated through the air from a nearby fog machine. There was an energy in here that only a club could supply. With half naked bodies covered in sweat and spilled drinks, and a rush of hormones in the air, it was the kind of environment which spelled danger.

Which is exactly what Lance McClain was looking for that night.

Somehow, he wasn’t entirely sure how exactly, Lance had managed to convince both Hunk and Pidge to join him for a night out on the town. Though, to be fair, he did have to bribe Pidge with a week’s worth of coffee in order to separate them from their latest project. Something to do with nanotech? The biochemistry of Mothman?

Who knows, Lance thought.  They could be building a robot for all he knew.

Hunk had been a much more willing accomplice.

See, Hunk, his very best friend since kindergarten when he had stuck a marble up his nose and began to cry on the playground when it wouldn’t come out, had known the kind of troubling day Lance had had. And, unlike a certain gremlin, had been much more understanding to the situation.

“Hunnnnkk!!!!! I don’t know what to do!”

“I’m sorry buddy, I know break ups are rough. We can watch some movies tonight if that’ll make you feel better.” His friend had replied.

Lance closed his eyes and groaned. “We do that every night Hunk. And as much as I love our movie nights, I want to get out. You know, go live a little dangerous!”

“Lance…I don’t think that’s the best way to handle the situation.”

“It’s the only way to handle the situation! How else am I supposed to prove Nyma wrong?”

It had happened again. Another break up. Another missed chance at love.

Another time when Lance was told he was too good.

That was the exact reason Nyma had given him for calling their three month long relationship quits earlier that afternoon. Lance cringed and took a sip of his drink just thinking about it.

The two had gone for a walk after grabbing coffee, a Friday afternoon tradition. There was a nice park across the street from the local Starbucks that they always walked through, supplying a cute but romantic backdrop for their little dates. Unfortunately, Friday was a busy day for both of them, and this was the only time they could see each other during their hectic schedules. Lance always missed Nyma the most on Fridays.

They would meet in between their afternoon classes, both having merely an hour off to meet up and talk about their days. That one hour was always filled with laughter and kisses and conversations where they made exciting plans for the upcoming weekend. It was a weekly ritual that he was now going to miss. And god, Lance didn’t think he could ever show his face at that Starbucks again.

It was on one of their walks when she broke the news. The wind had been blowing gently, supplying a slight chill to the October air. Lance found it comforting though, especially while wearing his favorite hand-me-down jacket. It meant Fall was coming, and all the fun activities that came with it. He couldn’t wait to go pick pumpkins with his friends and girlfriend.

Well, he thought, ex-girlfriend now. Another sip of his drink.

“So what do you want to do this weekend?” Lance had asked, taking a light sip of his favorite pumpkin spice latte. He faced ahead but was more than aware of the beautiful girl at his side, her long blonde hair blowing in the wind behind them.

“Listen, Lance…I think we should break up.”

Lance’s breath caught mid swallow, immediately causing him to begin choking. He doubled over, holding his coffee away from him as he attempted to breathe. Lance was vaguely aware of a hand on his back, rubbing small circles. There was the gentle comforting scratch of nails through the fabric that Nyma knew he enjoyed when he was stressed.

As he began to regain control of his breathing, Lance slowly straightened his back and turned to face her. And she was a beauty, no one could deny it. That was what first attracted him to her. There was a gentle elegance about the blonde that had simply drawn him in, with a personality that kept him there.

Her hair was everywhere, its waist length becoming quite a hassle in the October wind, but it didn’t seem to bother her much. There was a slight pinch of the skin between her eyebrows that told him she was annoyed with it, but the pursing of her lips told him she was much more concerned over him and his reaction than she ever could be about her hair right now.

And she was breathtaking while she broke his heart. Even while bundled up in nothing but a simple pair of leggings and a cream colored Altea University sweatshirt, a mocha coffee held in one hand.

“What do you mean you want to break up?” Lance asked, a slight note of panic breaking into his voice despite his attempts to hide it. Who could blame him though? He was panicking. He hadn’t been expecting this at all and had so been looking forward to finally spending the fall weather with someone other than this friends and family.

Nyma gave a sad smile as she stepped forward, handing moving to gently push a stray hair out of his face. When she spoke, her voice was soft, trying to be as gentle as possible. “I’m sorry Lance, I really am, but I just don’t think it will work out.”

“But why? Did I—have I done something wrong?” Lance questioned, desperate for any reasoning behind this decision.

Had he offended her somehow? Forced himself on her without knowing? What had he done wrong?

How had he failed her?

Immediately Nyma began to protest his words, stepping forward and placing both hands on his cheeks to hold his face firm as she said her next words. “Absolute not. You’ve done nothing wrong Lance. You’ve been a wonderful boyfriend.”

“Then why? Why do you to end this? I—I care about you Nyma.”

And he truly did. Over the short time they had been together, he and truly come to care deeply for Nyma. She held a special place in his heart. He wouldn’t call it love, it was much too early for that. But she was a dear friend, someone who had understood him even on his worst days and allowed him to be himself without prejudice or judgement. And he had done the same to her. He had thought they were happy. That she was happy with their relationships.

“I know Lance, and I care about you too. I really, really do. But I just—you’re just—”

“Just what? What exactly am I Nyma?” No matter how hard he tried, Lance couldn’t keep the bitter tone out of his voice. So sue him, he was upset and allowed to be a little bitter.

“You’re too…you’re too.” Nyma gazed up at him, eyes flitting between each of his. She was stumbling over her words, as though not knowing how to break the news without hurting him even more.

“What? What am I too much of? Spit it out already.”

Nyma sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before staring back up at him. “You’re just too good Lance.”

He froze.  What?

“God, Lance, you’re such a good guy, and that’s an amazing thing! Don’t get me wrong, you’re basically the perfect boyfriend. But that…but you…” She took a breath, removing one of her hands to push a stray piece of her out of her face, as if trying to settle her own nerves. “You’re just too good for me Lance. I-I need someone who’s a little more…rebellious.”

Lance’s eyes narrowed. “What the fuck does that even mean Nyma?”

They talked for another few minutes, with Lance simply trying to understand what was going on and how to proceed. And still, the words made no sense. Not there. Not on his walk home. Not even when he finally made it to his apartment door and shoved his way through.

“Hey buddy!” Hunk calls out to him, eyes still focused on his laptop. He sat in their most comfortable armchair, hunched over and staring intently at his screen while his fingers danced across the keys. Pidge was stationed nearby on the floor, back pressed against the front of the couch.

Lance grumbled and trudged inside, dropping his backpack on the kitchen counter as he went. He made his way over the opposite end of the couch and allowed his body to flop over the arm rest, legs dangling as he laid on his back.

“Hunk!!!!” He groaned loudly, head thrown back and eyes closed.

“Ssshh!! Some of us are actually trying to graduate.” Pidge complained, glaring up at him from their space on the floor.

“But Pidge!!!! I’ve had the literal worst day. Besides, it’s Friday, no one wants to do schoolwork on a Friday.”

Pidge’s glare intensified, unbeknownst to Lance, and they opened their mouth to respond before being interrupted by Hunk.

“What’s wrong Lance?”

Lance shifted his position to hide his face between the couch cushions.

“Nyma broke up with me.” He mumbled.

Hunk’s eyes widened in shock before taking in his friends’ distraught body language. His dark eyes narrowed in concerned as he gazed at his friend. “I’m so sorry man. Did she at least say why?”

“Apparently, I’m too good. I’m not rebellious enough for her.” Lance shifted, throwing his arms up. “Like, what does that even mean?!”

“Well Webster Dictionary says—”

“I know what it means Pidge!” Lance interrupted, not in the mood for their usual banter. “I just don’t know what it means."

“Lance…” Hunk began.

“It means you’re too boring.” Pidge accosted.

Lance immediately sat up to properly face the little gremlin. Unfortunately, he twisted while moving, resulting in his legs getting tangled an immediate loss of balance. This, of course, resulted in Lance landing on harshly on the wooden floor. Lance groaned and rubbed at his nose before scrambling to his hands and knees.

“You take that back! I am not boring!” Lance shouted, pointing an accusing finger.
Pidge simply snickered. “I mean…”

Their voice trailed off, the silence teasing him even more. Lance glared at the green goblin and opened his mouth, searching for a witty retort. He stood there, gaping like a fish though, because no wonders would come to mind. God, it had been a long day.

“You guys…” Hunk chastised, saving Lance from embarrassing himself even further. He sent Pidge a scolding look before softening his gaze on Lance. “Lance, you’re not boring. Don’t take what Nyma said personally. Besides, I thought you said you weren’t that into Nyma anyway.”

Lance’s face scrunched in concentration, thinking over his words. It was true, he hadn’t exactly felt that spark with Nyma. The one that’s written about in romance novels and fanfictions. Had never felt that passionate connection with her, or anyone for that matter. And while his connection with Nyma had been genuine and amazing, especially in the bedroom, it wasn’t what he was looking for in life, and Lance knew that.

And Lance had told his friends this. Had explained to them his feelings on his relationship with Nyma. How he found her adorable and enjoyed their time together, but that he wasn’t sure where their relationship was going. Or how long it would last.

So really, could he complain about this sudden end? When he himself had been considering it.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right Hunk.” Lance mumbled quietly. He sat back on his legs before moving to sit on the floor, back pressed against the couch in a mirror image of Pidge. He leaned his elbows atop his updrawn legs and sighed, thinking it over. “It still hurts though.”

“I know buddy.” Hunk comforted. “Why don’t I grab you some of those sugar cookies I made yesterday? With milk?”

Lance’s eyes lit up and he began to smile as he turned to face his friend. “Pretty please?”

“Anything for you man. I’ll grab some for Pidge and me too.”
Hunk stood, placing his laptop in the chair, and made his way to their small kitchen.

“Thank you!” Lance called after him, head leaned back against the couch. Lance stared up at the ceiling, thoughts running wild.

I’m sorry Lance.

You’re just…too good.

…someone more rebellious.

Good.

Rebellious.

Throughout all of it, the same message was clear. You’re just not good enough.

Lance sighed, trying to fight against those thoughts. The last thing he wanted to do was spiral. Things never went well when he allowed himself to follow that mental path. It often ended with him lying in his bed for days, barely eating, not getting any homework done, and forcing his friends to take care of him like a child. He always felt such shame and guilt at the end of these episodes. And so grateful for his friends.

No need to burden them any further.

Lance’s clenched his fists, nails digging sharply into the soft skin that covered his palm.

No. He fought. I don’t think that way anymore.

Someone next to him cleared their throat.

Lance peaked one eye open, tilting his head to look at who made the offending noise.

Pidge sat next to him, tugging gently at the loose fabric of their sweatpants. They wouldn’t meet his eyes as they bit at his lip, one arm laid across their legs. Their oversized glasses slipped down their face to rest at the tip of their nose, barely defying gravity, while their hair had been pushed back out of their face with a black headband, causing the shorter hairs to frizz out in various directions.

Lance waits patiently as they gather the courage to speak.

“For what it’s worth…I don’t think you’re boring Lance.” They cleared their throat, finally looking up to stare directly into Lance’s eyes. “And she didn’t deserve you.”
Lance felt a smile taking over his face and his heart warmed. “Awwww Pidgey, you do care.”

Lance crawled over to them and placed an arm around their shoulders, pulling them in against his side. His other arm went across their chest to gather them into a tight hug.

“Lance! Stop! You know I hate affection!” Pidge squealed, squirming around in his arms, attempting to break free. Lance only held on tighter, laughing at their antics.

“Aww, come on Pidgeon! Don’t deny my love!”

After a few more moments of squirming, Pidge finally gave in, wrapping their arms around Lance’s waist, hugging him just as tight. They sigh, relaxing into the hold.

“I love you idiot.” They admit before pulling their head back off of Lance’s chest where it had rested. Their eyes were narrowed into a small glare, though there was no real heat behind it. “Now get off of me.”

Lance chuckles but lets go nonetheless, and scoots back over to his previous position at the other end of the couch. He stares at the ceiling again, listening to the noises drifting in from the kitchen. He stayed silent until he heard the tell-tale fall of Hunk’s footsteps returning to the living room.

“Hunnnnkk!!!!! I don’t know what to do!”

“I’m sorry buddy, I know break ups are rough. We can watch some movies tonight if that’ll make you feel better.” Hunk offered, placing a platter full of sugar cookies on the table along with three full glasses of chocolate milk.

Lance closed his eyes and groaned. “We do that every night Hunk. And as much as I love our movie nights, I want to get out. You know, go live a little dangerous!”

“Lance…I don’t think that’s the best way to handle the situation.”

“It’s the only way to handle the situation! How else am I supposed to prove Nyma wrong?” Lance sits up, reaching his long arms out to grab at his snacks. “Come on, when was the last time we actually went out?” He garbled between chews.

“Nuh-uh, we are not going downtown tonight.” Pidge replied. “I need to work on my nanotech project and Hunk has a paper to write. You have a paper to write.”

Lance waves them off. “Yeah but that’s not do until Monday. I’ll have all weekend to write that.”

“What about Hunk?” Pidge counters.

“His isn’t due until next Friday.” Lance smirks. “And since yours is a personal project, I’d say we’re all perfectly free to go downtown and have some drinks.”

Silence.

Pidge and Hunk looked at each other, clearly thinking things over.

“Come on you guys! I just want to go have a good time. Get my mind off of Nyma and school.” Lance practically begs.

“Oh! How did that test go this morning?” Hunk asked, momentarily distracted from their conversation.

Lance held up his hand. “Up up up, nope. We’re not talking about that right now. We’re discussing our plans to go downtown tonight.”

That had been another part of this long, shitty day. Lance had finally gotten the results back on his midterm that morning, and needless to say, the results were less than favorable. After spending the last two weeks studying, even bringing in Hunk and the rest of their friends for study sessions to help him, he had still failed.

The worst part? The class was vital for his degree.

He wasn’t sure what had happened. One minute, he was reciting chemical equations in his brain. The next, it was completely empty. Nothing. He had barely passed the two pre-requisites for this course and this was the last chemistry class he needed before he qualified for graduation. And now, it was like it had all gone down the drain. To make matters worse, the class was only offered in the fall. If Lance couldn’t pull his grades up this semester, he wouldn’t be graduating with the rest of his friends in the spring.

So yeah, Lance definitely needed a night out.

“Please Hunk?” Lance whispered, looking up from the ground with pleading eyes.


Hunk sighed and stared back at his best friend, eyebrows slowly lowering in concern before relaxing again with a deep breath. “Alright Lance, we’ll go down town. But –”

“Whoo!!!” Lance cheered, jumping up onto his feet. He raced over to Hunk, arms wide open for a hug. Hunk squeezed him tight, “Thank you so much! You guys won’t regret it.”

“Excuse me? What is this we? I haven’t agreed to anything.” Pidge countered from the living room floor.

“Oh come on Pidge.” Lance whined from the safety of Hank’s arms. “I’ll buy you coffee tomorrow.”

Pidge stared at him, eyes narrowed. “With extra shots of espresso?”

Lance grinned. “You bet.”

“Make it a week’s worth of coffee, all the extra espresso I want, and you have yourself a deal.”

Lance’s grin widened. “Deal.”

Which is exactly how he ended up in the club dressed in high waisted shorts, fishnet stockings, and a crop top that rose to show the perfect about of skin every time he dance. He had been getting more than enough stares, and all of them appetizing, but he just hadn’t found the one yet. The one that was going to fuck him like no other and send him over the edge into nirvana. The one that was going to give him that sense of adventure. Of rebellion.

If Nyma wants me to be rebellious, then fine, I’ll be rebellious.

And he was starting with fucking the most dangerous looking guy in this place.
Now, Lance was bisexual, so he had no problem with bringing a woman home instead, but there was an extra thrill about bringing home the same sex for a night of passion. A subtle sense of rebellion at a society that had still yet to completely accept him, even within his own community. It was his own kind of ‘fuck you’ to the world that always left him shuddering in pleasure. It was a small rebellion, but it always left him feeling powerful and oh, so satisfied. That kind of thrill was exactly what he needed tonight.

Lance danced through the crowd, grinding bodies brushing up against him, as he made his way over to the bar. Every time skin touched skin, a rush went through him, hormones running wild. If Lance were being honest, the sensation was almost too much. He was too horny and way too sensitive to be touched like this on repeat without any gratification.

“A shot of tequila and a blue Hawaiian.” Lance orders, yelling over the commotion.  The bartender nods and sets about preparing his order.

While he waits, Lance turns to face the crowd, resting lithely against the counter top with his elbows. His eyes scan the mass of people, still pursuing that ever evasive rush that he craved. That spark. Don’t get Lance wrong, there were plenty of attractive people in the club, himself included, but none of them had drawn him in the way he wanted. The way he needed to be for the night. And none of them were exactly what he was looking for.

It was just when he was losing hope of ever getting that dangerous impulse satisfied, that something caught his eye. Or more accurately, someone.

Honestly, Lance was surprised he had even noticed him. With an all-black outfit, and dark black hair to match, the stranger had almost entirely blended in with the shadows. Except those eyes, something about those eyes had caught Lance’s attention, even in the dark. The color wasn’t distinguishable from this far away, but Lance could tell they were of a darker color. It wasn’t the color that drew him in though; it was the intensity. That man’s stare, the harsh yet inviting energy behind it, there was something exciting about it.

Lance paused, his scanning eyes returning to the mysterious stranger, taking him in. Dark skinny jeans, combat boots, and a black leather jacket that screamed emo, he certainly wasn’t Lance’s usual type.

Though, he supposed, that’s the point.

Lance’s eyes continue up, focusing on next on the unusual haircut the guy seemed to be wearing.

Is that a freaking mullet? No way.

Normally Lance would be appalled, and let’s be honest, he still kind of was, that someone would dare to wear a mullet in these modern times, but he couldn’t deny that something about the cut worked for the man. It accentuated his jaw line in all the right ways, and the bangs that settled on his face only added a sense of mystery, especially when they covered his eyes at just the right angle.

Speaking of which, those eyes were now looking directly at him.

Lance wasn’t sure what he had done to garner the stranger’s attention, besides the obvious staring of course, but he certainly wasn’t complaining. He was, however, slightly embarrassed at being caught, causing his eyes to widen and cheeks to redden in a way he knew wasn’t from dancing. Lance blinked a few times, just to be sure, but those eyes never strayed. So Lance quirked a brow, raising one side of his mouth in a silent question. The guy sent him a knowing smirk in return.

Oh.

And that was it. That was what he was looking for. That rush down his spine that made him shiver even after dancing in a hot room for the past hour. That was exactly what he and his body were craving.

Finally.

Pushing himself away from the bar, Lance began his approach. That was, until he felt a quick tug on his harm, pulling him back to where he was. Surprised by the sudden familiar touch, Lance allowed himself to be pulled, and turned to face his new companion. Expecting it to be yet another perv, Lance was pleasant surprised to find Hunk’s dark brown eyes staring up at him, a drunk Pidge hanging on his back.

“I think we’re going to head out. You ready to go?” Hunk asked, shifting Pidge’s weight into a more comfortable position.

Lance bit his lip. He knew he should be the loyal friend and go with them, but he had just found the kind of distraction he needed and he really didn’t want to give it up so soon. Still, he wanted to make sure his friends were okay.

“I think I’m going to stay a little longer. Will you guys be alright on your own though? I can leave if not.”

Hunk shook his head. “We’ll be fine. Matt’s place is right around the corner so we’re going to sleep there for the night.”

“Sounds good, just text me when you get there.”

Hunk nodded. “Will do. Are you going to be okay here on your own?”

“Yeah, I should be good. I’ll probably head back to the apartment in an hour or two.” Lance reassured him.

“Alright, text me when you get back. If anything, just join us at Matt’s, there should be plenty of room.”

At that, Lance smiled. Hunk was always looking about for him. “Will do man. Now get out of here. Pidge looks like they could fall off of you at any second.”
At that, the little gremlin mumbled something unintelligible into Hunk’s shoulder, causing the two to laugh.

“Yeah, we better get going.” Hunk shifts Pidge one more time returning his eyes to Lance. “We’ll see you tomorrow morning. Don’t forget to text okay?”

“Absolutely. Take care you guys!” Lance called out to them.

Laughing, Lance watches as his two best friends take their leave. As much fun as they were, their absence meant Lance could finally track down mullet man without any remaining worries on his part. Breathing a sight of relief, while silently wishing for his friend’s safety, Lance turns his attention back to the shadows. But no one was there. Lance looks all across the room but can’t seem to find his mystery man anywhere in the crowd. A sense of disappointment invade Lance and yet another sigh escapes his lips.

Of course. He thought, slightly bitter. Maybe I should have just left with Pidge and Hunk.

Decidedly ready for another drink, Lance eagerly turned back around to face the bar, eager to put more alcohol into his already tipsy system. And just in time too, because the bartender was placing down not only his blue Hawaiian, but a shot of tequila with salt and lime. Lance’s hands immediately went for the salt, already licking a wet patch on his other. He sprinkles salt over that area of skin, follows it up with his tongue one more time, and downs the shot of tequila. Quickly, he bites into the flesh of the lime wedge, allowing the sour yet bitter flavor to drown out the sharpness of the tequila.

His throat burns as the liquor makes it way down his throat before settling into a delicious warmth that relaxes his muscles. A small, satisfied moan leaves his lips and when open his eyes, he finds himself staring at a mop of black hair.
Startled, Lance’s eyes widen and he almost takes a step back before recognizing said mass of hair. I’d know that mullet anywhere, he thinks. And as he quickly recognizes just who is standing in front of him, a satisfied smirk appears on Lance’s face.

“Hello there.” He greets, reaching out for his second drink. He takes a long sip as he watches his new companion follow the movement. He definitely doesn’t miss when those eyes focus on his lips before moving up to his eyes, a coy smile readily appearing.

“Hey.” He says nothing else as he sees Lance take another long sip of his drink. His smile remains though. “I’m Keith.”

Lance smiles, toying with his straw playfully. “Lance.”

“Well, Lance,” He says, leaning dangerous close into Lance’s space. He tenses, waiting to see just how far he’ll go. “Do you want to get out of here?”

Lance’s breath catches in his throat and he stares at Keith with widened eyes. There’s no sign of regret in them, just a simple, heady wanting. A steady blush creeps up Lance’s neck and he can tell by the way Keith watches him that he sees it. It only seems to widen his grin, canines now glinting in the electric blue light.
It wasn’t like this wasn’t exactly what Lance wanted, but damn, he was not expecting just a blunt invitation.

“So?” A hand brushes against his forearm, steadily crawling its way up to his bicep, and trailing ever so slowly back down in teasing brushes. “Is that a yes?”

Emboldened by this liquid courage, Lance takes a step forward, pressing himself even closer until their chests are bushing against one another. Lance takes a step closer and now they’re chest to chest. It’s then that Lance notices the slight height difference. While not too notable at first, Lance has an extra few inches on Keith, which leads to the brunette needing to look down in order to meet those tantalizing eyes. Lance raises a hand to brush along the thin material of the soft grey t-shirt that Keith wore, directly ignoring the outer later of the cropped black jacket. His actions have Keith tilting his head back and grinning something wicked. Like a predator who had finally caught his prey.

Keith leaned up on his tip toes, the hand on his bicep moving further north until it rested behind the back of Lance’s neck, fingers brushing against the end of his hair. His other hand moves to Lance’s hip to keep himself steady, but Lance is sure it was also a move to touch him more. Lance’s own hand had slipped further inside Keith’s jacket and higher, drawing Keith in more against his body.

“I need an answer pretty boy.”

And that does something to him. Never before had Lance been called that, or anything similar. Sure, Lance was well aware that he had a praise kink, had done more than his fair share of experimenting in the bedroom, but this, this was new. A new kind of sensation that he hadn’t known before.

And god that voice. Lance didn’t know what to do with it. It was husky and deep and altogether dangerous and addicting. A man could get drunk off that voice and Lance had every intention of doing just that.

However, Lance refused to be an easy catch. Afterall, half the fun was in the pursuit. So if Keith wanted to be a predator, then fine, Lance had no problem being his prey. But he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to be chased first.

“That depends.” Lance finally whispered back. (He was honestly amazed they could hear each other over the loud music and grinding bodies). Lance’s other hand raised to weave itself up to Keith’s shoulder, gently pushing back the hair at the eat in which he was whispering. “I might let it happen…” He rubs his nose along Keith’s jaw line until his raises his face just enough for their lips to brush against each other. “But you have to kiss me first.”

The energy between them was electrifying. That feeling of being on the edge of something totally unknown and wild, yet familiar all at once. It was exciting. It was exhilarating. And Lance was living for every moment of it. He wanted more and he so desperately wanted Keith to follow through. They were on the brink of something and Lance was ready to jump.

And so was Keith.

The hand around his neck tightened and Lance was pulled forward that extra inch. The shock of the move caused Lance to freeze before eventually thawing. His lips moved in time with Keith and his lips were so soft. Much softer than Lance would have presumed. And oh so pliable.

Their heads tilted for better access, which only rushed them more into a frenzy. Lance’s skin seemed to burn wherever Keith touched, even through the fabric of his clothing. Even on his lips. Every part of him was heating up and he was sure he was flushed, but Lance didn’t care. He simply wanted more.

So he took.

He pulled Keith forward and twisted him over, forcing Keith’s back against the bar and allowing Lance to close in on him. A small, surprised gasp left Keith’s lips as they shifted but Lance quickly swallowed it up with another kiss. His hands began to roam, wanting to touch every avenue of Keith’s body, craving every inch of that pale skin.

And Keith returned in kind. Lance couldn’t keep track of all the places Keith touched him. He had no idea. His hands were everywhere all at once and Lance was loving it. It wasn’t until a sly hand had made its way under his shirt and up to his nipple that he gasped, a small moan rolling out from between his lips.

“Alright, that’s enough.” The bar tender warned, slamming an empty glass down directly next to them.

Lance pulled back, apology ready on his lips. It was no use though, the bartender had already turned to his next patron. Flustered, horny, and slightly embarrassed, Lance turned his attention back to the man in his arms. And gazing down at him, Lance needed to know only one thing.

“Your place or mine?”

Beautiful violet eyes were almost swallowed by the darkness of his pupil, the lust and hunger evident even there. His black hair was slightly more disheveled from Lance’s playing with it, but it only made him seem wilder. Keith had paid no mind to the bartender during their little interaction, his mouth and mind seeming to have only been on Lance.

“Yours.” Keith’s hands tightened their grip on Lance’s hips and pulled him flush against him. Lance could feel something hard pressing against his front and the knowledge that Keith was just as turned on as he was had his stomach in a flurry.

“Now.” Keith ordered. Lance nodded, reluctantly pulling back even further from his partner for the night.

“You good to drive?” Lance asks. “I didn’t bring my car.”

Keith nods and retrieves a set of keys from the inner pocket of his jacket. Lance finally steps away from his partner for the night and the two make their way outside. The air had grown colder, causing Lance to shiver from the newfound chill. Despite having been hot inside the club, the cooler temperature swallowed whatever heat his body was producing.

“Which one?” Lance questioned, rubbing at his arms while looking around the parking lot. Keith silently raises a hand and points, paying Lance no mind as he walks over to the vehicle.

Lance follows the outstretched finger with his eyes, scanning the parked cars until his eyes land on their ride. It was a beautiful, red-hot motorcycle, shining even in the dim streetlight. The thing was a masterpiece, ruby red and black all over with immaculate detailing. Lance had never been turned on by a car before, but if he was ever going to be, this would be the one to do it to him.

“This is Red.” Keith told him, swinging one leg over. He turned around, opening up a compartment in the back, and pulled out a glossy black helmet with red accents.

“Here.” Keith ordered, pushing the helmet towards Lance. Reaching for it, he began to undo the straps underneath.

“What about you?” He asked, noticing the lack of another helmet.

“I’ll be fine.” Keith shrugged. “Where to?”

Lance stared at him for a moment, contemplating. His nerves were beginning to set in. whatever confidence he had gained inside the club was starting to waver. He wasn’t usually the nervous type, but something about Keith’s intensity, and his ride, set him on edge. And he wasn’t sure if he was ready to fall just yet.
But he had come too far, and this is exactly what he had been looking for wasn’t it? No backing out now Lance, he told himself.

Then, still shaking, he stepped forward. He grabbed onto Keith’s hand, accepting his help in mounting the motorcycle. Once seated, he wrapped his arm around Keith’s middle and gave him their destination.

“Eastwood Apartments.”

Keith revved the engine and flipped up the kick stand. He slowly stepped backward with the motorcycle, carefully backing them out until he could turn and drive them forward. Once they were ready to turn onto the free way, Keith turned his head back to Lance, black hair flowing over his shoulders. It was with an amused grin that he told him, “Hold on tight.”

And then they flew.

And it was exhilarating. Lance had never experienced anything like it. The speed, the twists and turns, it had Lance’s blood pumping faster than it had ever before. And the best part about it? He got to sit pressed up against Keith. Lance could literally feel the abs hiding beneath the thin grey shirt and the strength inside those jean covered legs.

And the more comfortable he grew on the bike, the more comfortable he began to feel with Keith. At first, he hadn’t realized he’d been doing it, the action came out of his own natural instinct. Lance’s family was very physically affectionate, so Lance himself was a very touchy person. He would often play with his friends’ limbs, usually by doodling on them, while mid conversation. It would provide enough distraction for him to focus on the main event.

So when he noticed himself gingerly tracing Keith’s abs, going up, down, and side to side, Lance wasn’t too surprised. What did catch him off guard, was the reaction these movements received. He could feel the contraction of Keith’s abs, how they tensed and relaxed under his fingers. How he would give a little gasp whenever they drifted too low.

Grinning like the Cheshire cat, Lance decided to have some fun with this. Slowly, and now with purpose, Lance drew his hand up and up, higher than it had gone before, until it rested only an inch from one of Keith’s nipples. He began to trace a small circle around the skin, teasing the area by touching everything but the nipple itself.

As one hand did this, the other went lower. Lance carefully lifted the hem of Keith’s shirt and snuck his hand inside so that it now touched his beautiful pale skin. He moved his fingers from side to side so that they ghosted over the skin there, just barely grazing the rough material of his jeans. Occasionally the tips of his fingers would run across a softer material, what he knew to be Keith’s briefs, hidden underneath.

Lance felt Keith jump at that, presumedly surprised by the boldness of Lance’s actions. The slight jumped then caused Keith to scoot himself back further into Lance’s lap. It took everything in Lance not to moan out loud at the friction that caused.

However, it didn’t stop Lance’s pursuit. If anything, it only encouraged him further. His hands continued to tease at Keith, drawing themselves gently over his chest and hips. But now, he grew more adventurous. His fingers now brushed directly over Keith’s nipple, creating friction with the fabric of the t-shirt. He did it slowly, carefully drawing it out and releasing it, teasing it into an erect position. Lance was able to hear Keith’s gasp that time and that knowledge only made his smile widen.

Further emboldened, Lance continued his assault on the hardened piece of flesh, flicking and turning and twisting at it until Keith was trying his best not to moan in the middle of the street. Once he was pleased with his results, Lance moved on to the other side, repeating all the same actions until Keith was writhing in his hands. All the while, his other hand continued to trace the edge of Keith’s briefs, fingers occasionally slipping to touch the skin underneath.

Then, all too soon, the light turned green and Lance was forced to stop his explorations. With Keith’s focus now entirely on the road, it wasn’t too much longer before they were pulling into parking lot of Lance’s apartment building. Keith grabbed an open spot near the front entrance of the building, and cut the engine.

Lance began to carefully retract his hands from their sensual places on Keith’s chest before removing his helmet. Neither said anything, a stillness was in the air that Lance wasn’t sure how to approach. From behind him, Lance could see how tense his shoulders had become on their drive, and noticed the slight twitch in his fingers from where they rested on the handles. The tension in the air, and the lack of any verbal reaction had Lance panicking. Shit, had he accidentally gone too far?
Cautious and more than a little bit wary, Lance removed himself from the bike. It was a difficult feat to pull off since he was attempting not to touch the unmoved blackette and possibly bother him even more. He was positive he almost fell and broke his nose at one point. Once standing, Lance took a careful step towards Keith, his helmet held under one arm.

The motion caught Keith’s eye and his head turned immediately. He eyed Lance up and down, his gaze ravenous. When his eyes finally met Lance’s, he could only see black. That lovely violet that he had so admired at the club was practically swallowed by his pupil. The rest of his expression was silent, but intensity behind Keith’s eyes spoke for him plenty.

Lance gasped lightly and felt a tingling underneath his skin. He had never seen such hunger on someone’s face before, and never when they looked at him. It was startling and electrifying to know he was the one who had caused such a reaction.

The sound seemed to have woken Keith up from his unmoving position. He moved then, removing himself from the seat of his bike, while his eyes never waver from Lance. He stepped forward and it took everything in Lance not to step back in response, to hold his ground. Keith stood directly in front of him, still as a statue as he stared down at him, looming. Lance felt so small under his gaze despite being the tall of the two. He could feel Keith’s breath brushing up against his skin, could feel the heat radiating off of his body.

From the corner of his eye, Lance saw Keith raise a hand up to his face. He never looked away from Keith though. He absolutely refused to let go of that blackened gaze now that it was solely focused on him. It was a newfound addiction that he wasn’t willing to let go of yet.

Lance felt calloused fingers graze against his skin, running gently along his cheek before settling at his throat. He felt the press of a thumb run over his lips, pushing them down gently before it returned to trace his jawline while the rest of the fingers came to rest at the back of his neck. Keith never looked away. He stared at Lance the entire time, almost as though he was searching for something.

Whatever he found there in Lance’s eyes, he must have liked it. The next thing Lance knew, the fingers around Lance’s neck had tightened and he was being pulled into a harsh kiss. How he had missed those lips in their short time apart. They played with his so wonderfully, moving in perfect synch. But then, Keith began to suck on Lance’s bottom lip and he damn near moaned. Keith’s teeth pulled at the flesh, biting and teething it until it was all swollen and red. Lance was gasping for air by the time he pulled back, and not nearly satisfied.

“Upstairs?” Keith questioned, just as breathy.

Lance nodded dumbly, still in a daze, before searching for his keys. Frantic, he pulled them out of his shorts pocket and rushed them over to the front door. His hands shook in anticipation as he unlocked the door and they walked to the elevator. All the while, Keith followed him, hot on his heels. Lance could feel those dark eyes on him the entire time, and the sensation of being watched sent a thrilling shiver down his spine.

They walked quietly to the elevator. While Keith leaned casually against one of its inner walls, Lance shuffled nervously by the doors. He tapped his foot along to the elevator music as a way to release his nervous energy, but it wasn’t working. Lance looked at Keith from the corner of his eye, attempting to appear casual, but he eyed the man with a sense of both caution and excitement. His body language said he was posed to strike, to attack like a predator. And never before had Lance wanted to be prey.

That is, until tonight.

The elevator dinged and the two were finally released onto his apartment floor. They hurried along a narrow beige hallway until Lance came to stand in front of a dark blue door. Lance quickly unlocked the door and stepped through, Keith following along behind him. They had barely walked inside when he felt Keith’s hands land on his hips. Before he knew it, Lance found himself pushed up against the back of his front door, a thigh nudging itself between his legs while soft lips made their way down his jaw.

And his hands, god those hands, rose higher and higher until both were pulling and playing with his nipples. Clearly, Keith had wanted revenge for Lance’s earlier teasing. Lance had not qualms with that though. He allowed himself to be touched and pleasured, enjoying it immensely. His head leaned back, hitting the door, and he lead out a heavy moan.

Keith paid him no mind though. Instead, he continued with his assault, but Lance could feel the way his lips widened as they sucked at his skin. Lance had to bite his lip to hold back more noises, but that plan was quickly abandoned when Keith found a certain spot. There, just at the jointure between his neck and collarbone, Keith sucked and bit and pulled at the skin with is mouth in a way that had Lance moaning and groaning in complete ecstasy.

Keith’s hands began to lower from their purchase of his chest. Lance could feel his fingers poke through the belt loops on his shorts and his hips were pulled forward, forcing their fronts to rub together in the most delicious way. Unconsciously, Lance began to grind, begging for more of that tantalizing friction. Only, Keith had other ideas.

He released Lance’s neck from his mouth and began peppering those sinful kisses higher and higher until a small one was pressed gently against his lips. Lance knew though, that there would be a fresh mark on his neck in the morning.

“Bedroom?” Keith asked, voice deeper than it had been all evening. His lips brushed against Lance’s as he spoke.

“That way.” Lance pointed.

Keith nodded and pressed forward against Lance. Then, before Lance could say anything, he was being hoisted into the air and directly into Keith’s arms. On instinct, Lance wrapped his legs around Keith’s waist and hooked his ankles for balance. Keith carried him down the hallway, all the way to his bedroom.

They kissed and mawed at each other as they went. Their moans filled the air as they shed their clothing, until they came to rest at the foot of Lance’s bed. Keith had kicked the door open, something that Lance found both annoying and extremely attractive, but Lance chose not too say anything about it.

Without warning, Keith dropped Lance onto the bed. Keith crawled over him, kicking off his shoes as he went. Both were now shirtless and missing their shoes. Keith hovered over Lance, his jean clad legs resting between the Cubans’, and kissed his way down Lance’s neck while his hands began to explore.

Then, slow and teasing, Keith’s lips moved lower and lower…until they were wrapped around one of Lance’s nipples. There he began to suck and draw at the piece of flesh with his tongue, flicking it back and forth while his teeth poked at it gently. Lance moaned, loudly, back arching off the bed. He looked down, only to see Keith already gazing back up at him. The dark eyed beauty watched him as he let of Lance’s nipple before moving on to the other so that it could receive the same treatment.

Lance heard the tell-tale sound of a zipper.

Keith had distracted him just to enough that he hadn’t even realized that the boys hands had been playing with his shorts. Lance didn’t oppose though as Keith grabbed onto the waist of his shorts, and tights, and began to pull both down. In fact, he was eager to be rid of as much clothing as possible, and fast.

Soon, Lance was in only his underwear while Keith leaned over him, grinning like a wildcat. The pale skinned beauty stretched his arms out, hoping to remove that bit of clothing as well. Lance stopped him though.

“Uh-uh,” He countered. “You first.”

Lance pulled teasingly at the jeans Keith was still wearing, growing more and more eager to see them removed. Keith waisted no time in removing himself from the bed and hooking his fingers into the sides of his loosened pants. With one swift move he pushed them down, along with his boxers, leaving him to stand full frontal in front of Lance.

Lance gulped, gazing at the size of the cock in front of him. It stood at attention, full erect, with bits of precum leaking out of the head. It made Lance lick his lips. He couldn’t wait to have it inside him.

“B-Bedside drawer.” Lance stuttered out, eyes never leaving Keith. When his eyes finally lifted to meet Keith’s, he found the blackette looking at him with a wicked grin.

“Like what you see?” He asked, sauntering over to Lance. His eyes never left Lance’s, even as he crawled back onto the bed and back between Lance’s legs.

Lance hummed, running his hands up Keith’s bare skin. “I think I’d like it inside me more.”

Keith laughed.

Keith laughed and it sounded amazing.

The man looked like he hadn’t laughed in days, no years, and here he was laughing at one of Lance’s corny jokes. That alone made his heart race and his breath catch.

“Hmmmm, not yet.” He told him as his laughter settled down. “I want to pleasure you first.”

Keith began pulling at the waistband of Lance’s briefs, silently asking for permission. When Lance nodded, he waisted no time in removing the piece of clothing and tossing it over into a corner of his room, to be abandoned until morning.

Lance watched with bated breath as Keith caressed his legs. His hands moved in and out, up and down, circling higher until they rested at his waist. Then, in one sudden movement, he pulled Lance forward. Lance yelped in surprise, not having expected such a move. Keith only grinned down at him as he hoisted Lance’s waist into the air and slowly lowered his head. Lance watched on, entranced.

Keith began to mouth at Lance, moving his lips higher and higher up the shaft of Lance’s cock until they rested just at the tip. There, he placed a small lick, teasing. Lance laid there watching, stunned, and hornier by the second. He watched as Keith lowered himself even more, mouth completely covering his erection until Lance could feel himself hit the back of Keith’s throat. And the entire time, Keith never looked away. His gaze was locked on Lance’s, holding him captive.

Lance moaned like he had never moaned before. It took everything in him not to buck his hips and fuck Keith’s face like he so desperately wanted. He tried his best to remain still, to keep quiet, but everything in him wanted to scream until the cows came home. But when Keith didn’t move, simply laid there with his mouth salivating over Lance’s dick, he began to become desperate. As much as he enjoyed the teasing and the fucking sensation of that mouth on him, Lance needed more and desperately so.

So he begged.

“Keith…” Lance moaned out, want clear in his voice. “Please…”

That, it seemed, was all Keith needed. He began to move his head back, releasing Lance’s cock from his mouth with every inch, until only the tip remained, before he slowly began to lower himself back onto it. He licked and swallowed at Lance’s erection like it was a goddamn lollipop and it had Lance moaning and groaning with every turn.

Hands found their way to his ass cheeks, squeezing and pulling at them. It wasn’t long before those fingers lowered too, until some were rimming his ass while others were fondling his balls, all while Keith continued to give Lance the best blowjob of his life.

Lance was in heaven, and it was almost overwhelming. It was a lot but he certainly wasn’t going to complain about getting good sex. But he could feel himself getting closer and closer to the edge until…

“Aaahhh!” Lance moaned out, loud and clear, his orgasm coming on quick and unexpected. It gave him no time to warn Keith, though he didn’t seem to mind. The dark haired main simply stopped his ministrations and swallowed everything that Lance released. Lance even watched as he licked his lips afterwards.

“Sorry.” Lance whimpered out, body wrecked.

Keith shrugged. “No biggie. I had planned on tasting you anyways.”

At that, Lance blushed, but said no more. He stared as Keith stood off the bed and made his way to Lance’s bedside table. There, he made quick work of searching through it for the items they needed. It wasn’t long until he found his prizes and was crawling back onto the bed and straddling Lance once more.

“Are you ready?” Keith asked, holding up the bottle he had just retrieved.

Lance nodded, excitement coursing through him. He had never been surer of anything. “Definitely.”

Keith gave a quick nod in respond and began to open the bottle, squirting the clear liquid into his hands.

“Turn over.” Keith told him, motioning with his head.

Lance wasted no time in lifting his body and twisting until his stomach now laid on the bed, his ass in the air. He waited patiently as he felt Keith’s hand lower itself down his spine, but the anticipation was killing him. Thankfully, Keith didn’t take much longer before meeting his goal and soon Lance felt a finger gently rimming his entrance.

Keith coated the area with lube, making sure it was completely covered, before he began to press a single, solitary finger inside. Lance held his breath, waiting as Keith gently stretched him open. Lance was no strange to this part of sex, he had done this plenty of times on his own. But Lance couldn’t deny that it always felt so much better when someone else was doing it to him.

It wasn’t long until Keith was able to fit a second finger inside. That was when the real fun began. Those fingers began to scissor him in and out, stretching him side and deep, and it had Lance moaning like a crazy person. He couldn’t help it when his hips pushed back against Keith, begging for more. He received only a dark chuckle in response.

Soon, another finger was in him and Lance was beginning to feel so full. But it wasn’t enough. He wasn’t full enough, and he was beginning to become desperate. His hips were pushing himself farther and farther back to Keith, practically begging for more. Keith had to press a hand on his back just to hold him still and to keep himself from falling off the bed.

“Fine…if you want more…” Keith had breathed out. His voice was so low Lance barely heard it over the blood rushing in his ears.

Then he felt it, the slightest pressured being applied inside of him. Keith’s fingers had curled and were explored until they found just the right spot and pressed, hard. Lance damn near screamed as pleasure flooded through him. It had him gasping for air and his brain emptying. He bit his lip to try and hold back the noises, but he knew Keith had noticed his reaction.

“Better?” Keith asked, his smirk evident in his voice.

“Yes.” Lance gasped, begging for air. “But I need… more…I need…”

Keith began to laugh as Lance’s voice trailed off. Then, Keith removed his fingers from Lance’s ass and the loss had him whimpering. He was just opening his mouth to say something when he heard a condom being ripped open. Oh. Lance shivered in excitement, knowing exactly what was coming next. He couldn’t wait.

Then Lance felt something pressing up against him and Lance’s body froze. He stayed as still as possible as Keith carefully stretched him out with his cock. It was a slowly process but it had Lance groaning as he felt Keith’s hips run up against his ass. He was in all the way and Lance was finally full, deliciously so. Keith then began to rock his body back, creating that amazing friction that Lance had so craved. It wasn’t long until he was moving in and out of Lance at a steady pace, sending Lance into a speechless frenzy of gasps and moans.

Lance felt a body lean over his, lips grazing his skin as they moved towards his neck. He felt those lips hover there, teeth biting at his ear, and producing a small whimper from the young Cuban. All the while, Keith kept up his relentless pace.

“Is this what you wanted?”

“Yes!” Lance cried out. Keith was pounding into him and Lance’s body was shaking. He was in pure ecstasy. “Yes, yes, yes!”

Pure bliss had taken over his body and he didn’t think it could get any better. But then, Keith shifted his hips, and he was sent into nirvana. Every cell in his body was lit in pleasure and he couldn’t seem to come down from the high, even if he wanted to.

“Keith!” He cried out, finally screaming. He didn’t care if the neighbors heard. Let them know he was getting it good tonight, he could handle them in the morning.

Keith stayed in that position for a moment, letting Lance revel in it, before he continued his assault of Lance’s ass. Now, every time Keith thrusted into Lance, he was hitting that exact spot, over and over again. It nearly had Lance’s eyes rolling into the back of his head, it felt so good.

Lance couldn’t even gasp he was so breathless from the pleasure of it all. It was intoxicating. He could feel every place that Keith touched him; it all burned and melted him like molten lava, in the best of ways. Keith was thrusting in and out of him, hitting all the right places, and Lance could feel himself teetering on the edge, about to come down.

“Keith…close.” Lance moaned out in warning. He wasn’t sure if his words made any sense, but Keith seemed to understand him just the same.

Keith began to slow down, keeping a steadier pace while he continued to hit that wonderful spot just as hard. Distracted by the change in pace, Lance almost hadn’t realized when his hands had changed position. It wasn’t until he felt the fingers wrap about the shaft of his cock that Lance realized something had changed.

Lance let out yet another moan. Keith’s hand moved up and down, stroking him into a full erection. If Lance wasn’t close before, he certainly was now. Keith began to tease him with his strokes, tracing his thumb across the tip, back and forth, before his hand fell back down. Yet another hand of Keith’s rose up to Lance’s nipples, playing with each of them in turn. Every part of Lance was being played with and he loved it.

And he was so close.

Keith leaned over Lance even more, bracketing him with his body. He felt Keith’s hair brush against his back and lips kiss at his shoulders.

“Come for me.”

And Lance obeyed.

Lance screamed out in such intense pleasure he was pretty sure he had woken the neighbors, if he hadn’t already. His arms collapsed as he fell forward, barely able to support himself anymore. He felt more than heard Keith reach his own high. The consistent thrusting inside of him had stopped, allowing Lance to just sit in his ecstasy as wave after wave rolled through him.

It was with a soft moan that Keith finally removed himself from Lance. He was spent as well, body exhausted but sated. Empty once again, Lance finally gave in to his body and fell completely onto his bed. His eyes were beginning to grow heavy but he was aware enough to feel the bed shift behind him. Lance heard the sound of a condom being removed and tossed into the nearby trash bin. Soon after, a body collapsed next to his on the bed.

Lance shifted, turning over so that he could face his lover. Through the dim lighting, Lance could make out the closed eyes of his companion and the beautiful pale skin that he admired so much. Keith seemed perfectly at ease in his bed and something about that had Lance smiling.

Leaning forward, he brushed a stray piece of hair away from Keith’s face, causing the violet eyed man to peek one eye open out of curiosity. Lance simply smiled at him before letting his hand fall on to Keith’s chest. Growing tired, Lance snuggled closer until his head was resting against Keith’s shoulder. He paid no mind to the body tensing underneath him, for it relaxed only a second later.

And so, Lance fell asleep, feeling satisfied and magnificently warm.

Chapter Text

Lance was cold.

The drop in temperature was the first thing he noticed as he slowly came into consciousness.  There was a chill to his skin where it was exposed to the open air, but it was warmer under the thin sheets of his bed.  From where he rested, Lance could feel the faint heat of the morning sunlight as it broke in through the window.  The apartment was quiet, but some movement could be heard on the other side of the door.

Mumbling in his sleep, Lance shifted to seek more warmth.  He wasn’t ready to get up for the day just yet, but he couldn’t seem to get warm.  Even with his sheets covering him, he shivered.  Groaning, he shifted again, searching for that pervasive heat.

After a few more cold and sleepless minutes, Lance finally gave in to the day.  Reluctantly, he opened his eyes.  And almost immediately, he shut them again.  Wincing from the direct sunlight on his baby blues, Lance turned away to face the opposite side of the room.  When he finally opened them again, Lance was fully expecting to see a flawless, pale skinned boy sleeping next to him.  He was surprised, however, when he only saw the dark blue of his sheets lying beside him.

His eyebrows furrowed.  Sitting up, Lance glanced around the room.  He searched for any sign of his companion from the previous night, but he found nothing.  Not even a piece of his clothing remained on the floor.

Confused, Lance stood from his bed.  He went to wrap the bedsheet around himself, before realizing that it still contained the remnants of the night before.  Scrunching his nose, Lance removed the sheet and dropped it into his laundry basket to be washed later that day.  He grabbed a pair of underwear and sweatpants to quickly dress before leaving his room. 

As he walked towards the kitchen, Lance still saw no sign of the mysterious black-haired man.  There was no indication of their rendezvous in the hallway, the lone exception being Lance’s shirt.  And there was no leather jacket, which he distinctly remembered pushing off of those broad shoulders.  No combat boots were left by the door either.

Other than his memories and the marks left on his skin, there was officially no sign that Keith had ever been in his apartment.  

Lance did, however, find his best friend Hunk in the kitchen, cooking up what was sure to be a masterpiece of a breakfast.  The sight of his friend whisking happily brought a grin to Lance’s face.  He paused at the edge of the hallway, arms crossing as he simply watched his friend enjoy their morning routine.  Soon though, the delicious scent of pancakes and bacon drifted to his nose and Lance was quickly walking over.

“Hey Hunk.”  He greeted.

“Lance!  Buddy, you’re awake!”  Hunk said, excited.  “I thought for sure you were going to sleep for another hour.  Breakfast will be ready soon!”

“I’m sure it’ll be great man.  Can’t wait.” 

Lance rubbed his hands together, eager.  Then, with a yawn, Lance stretched his arms.  Despite being awake, Lance was still incredibly tired from the night before.  Keith had worn him out.

What the hell happened to him though?   

His brows furrowed once more and Lance glanced back down the hallway to where his bedroom waited.  Keith hadn’t left any sign of his existence as he left that morning.  Not even a note it seemed. 

Ugh, it’s too early for this.  Lance shook his head and rubbed at his eyes to get rid of what sleep remained there.  He really needed a coffee.

With that decision made, Lance set about making himself a cup of delicious caffeine.  Five tablespoons of creamer and…wait, where was the sugar?

“Hey Hunk…”  Lance called over his shoulder, still stirring in his creamer.  “Where’s the-“

He was interrupted by the glorious view of a large bag of sugar being held in his face by a tan skinned hand.  Lance grinned.  “Thanks man.”

“No problemo.”

Six spoonfuls’ of sugar later, and Lance was leaning against the other side of the counter, casually watching as his friends finished making their breakfast.  But he couldn’t seem to let Keith’s disappearance go just yet.  Holding on to one last hope, Lance surreptitiously glanced around the kitchen and living area.  Maybe Keith had left a note there?

“Hey Hunk?”  Lance asked after finding nothing with his eyes.  Hunk flipped his final pancake before turning off their kitchen stove.

“Yeah buddy?”

“You, uh,” Lance paused, not entirely sure how to go about this with his guileless friend.  Screw it. “You didn’t happen to see anyone leave the apartment this morning, did you?  Or maybe found a note?”

Hunk paused, thinking it over, before he shook his head.  “No, should I have?”

Lance pouted.  Now it was confirmed.  Not only had Keith given him the best sex of his life, but he had also managed to completely ditch Lance the next morning.  Figures. 

And really, Lance hadn’t expected much more.  He had hoped for more though.  Maybe a quick morning sexcapade with some breakfast and a kiss goodbye, but he had known all along that last night was just a one-night thing.  He wasn’t sure why it was hitting him so hard.   

“No, I guess not.”  He finally muttered to Hunk, lips still turned down in a pout.

“Sorry Lance.”  Hunk told him as he absentmindedly finished cooking their breakfast.  But then, he paused, spatula frozen mid-air, pancake still on it, as he turned to look at Lance.  His eyes had widened as realization.

“Wait, Lance, you didn’t—”

“Well, thanks for breakfast Hunk!”  Lance exclaimed, anxiously cutting off his best friend.

A light blush covered his cheeks but he paid it and his friend no mind as he quickly grabbed a pancake and stuffed it inside his mouth.  Lance’s tongue burned but he ignored the sensation as he hastily ran back to his room, a full plate of breakfast in his hand.

“Lance!”

***

Lance had absolutely no idea what was wrong with him.  Literally, no understanding whatsoever.  Because why the fuck was he doing this to himself?

For the fourth night in a row, Lance had returned to the scene of the crime.  Or, he supposed, the scene of his hookup.  He’d returned to the same bar every night, dressed up and looking his finest, searching for some sign of the mysterious Keith.  The man had come and gone from Lance’s life, and his bedroom, and something about that bothered him. 

Now, Lance was used to some one-night stands.  He had had more than his fair share.  Therefore, he was very used to either him or his partner leaving in the early hours of the morning.  Yet, for some reason, Keith’s disappearance that Saturday morning had left Lance feeling more than a little disappointed.  Not to mention offended.  Afterall, who did he think he was?  Some kind of sex god?

Pfft, yeah right.  He would think to himself.  He was good, but not that good.

But then flashbacks of that night would replay in his head and his heart would go into a flutter.  He would squirm in his seat, back arching slightly as he began to get excited.  And then, he would masturbate.  It had practically become a habit at that point.  Think about Keith, think about Keith fucking him, masturbate to memories of Keith fucking him.  Repeat.

Lance had had enough.

But, ugh, he just couldn’t help himself from purposefully seeking the man out.  His body practically craved Keith’s touch again and Lance couldn’t make sense of it.  He knew that his time with Keith had been some of the best in his life, but surely not enough to warrant his kind of reaction from him.  Right?  And logically, Lance knew what he was doing was stupid and completely nonsense, but he just couldn’t help himself.

He wanted Keith.

He wanted his hands roaming all over his body.

He wanted his mouth licking at his skin.

He wanted his cock pushing inside him.

He wanted him so much.

So, he came to the club, wearing the skimpiest outfits he owned, all in hopes that he could have just one more night with Keith.  But alas, no such luck.  There had been no sign of him, all week.  It was like he had completely disappeared!

And the thing is, Lance knew he was overreacting.  That he was getting bothered by something so completely inconsequential.  Afterall, it wasn’t as though he knew the man’s schedule.  Maybe he didn’t go clubbing during the week?  Lance didn’t normally either so it would make sense.  Or maybe it had changed bars?  That was understandable.

Ugh, he was just so frustrated!

And that now included sexual frustration.  Despite what felt like constant masturbation, Lance just couldn’t feel satisfied.  He’d even managed to garner another lover over the course of the week, though this time at their place so as not to bother Hunk, but he still couldn’t get that same sense of sexual satisfaction.  So now, not only was he worried about his classes and suffering from the general stress of being a college student, but Lance couldn’t even use sex to relax.  Lance was very much done, and very much in need of a good lay. 

Which, consequently, also meant he needed to find Keith.

It was so weird to need a guy in order to get over the same guy.  It was a new situation for Lance and he had no idea what to do with it except move on.  Only for him, that apparently meant going out to the club every night in a desperate search of seeing him again.  Only to be disappointed by his lack of luck and therefore drowning himself in his sorrows as a result. 

Unfortunately, that also meant developing a severe dent in his wallet and constant hangovers.

“Fuck.”  Lance groaned as he dropped his head down onto the table in front of him.  He sat in the campus dining hall with Hunk and Pidge, the three of them taking a quick afternoon break between their Wednesday classes.  His head was pounding from yet another night out searching for Keith and the consistent consumption of alcohol was starting to get to him. 

“Isn’t that what got you into this mess in the first place?”  Pidge asked, munching on their fries.

Lance raised a finger and blindly attempted to press it against the gremlin’s lips, all while keeping his forehead pressed firmly against the table.  Too loud.  While his finger missed its mark, he was able to poke Pidge’s cheek, though it only annoyed them further.

“Lance!”  They squawked, trying to avoid his finger.

“Shhhh!”  Lance scolded.  “Headache.”

Lance continued to move his finger around blindly, pressing at their freckled skin in search of their lips.  However, Pidge finally managed to remove themselves from arms reach and smack Lance’s finger away.  Lance simply let it fall dead on the table between them, accidentally shaking the bowl of salsa sitting in the middle. 

“Guys!”  Hunk reprimanded, setting about calming the swirling bowl.  “Be careful!”

“Please, like our school cares about one broken bowl.”  Pidge joked.

“But the salsa….” Hunk said while protectively holding the piece of dishware.

“Okay, fair.” 

“Ssssshhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!”  Lance practically yelled, now holding up both hands to shh his friends.  Too loud. 

“Lance, buddy, why don’t you go back to the apartment if you’re feeling that bad.”  Hunk suggested, care evident in his voice. 

Lance groaned as he finally picked his head up off the table.  He rubbed at his eyes, praying for some kind of cure for his problems.  Or some Tylenol.  Honestly, whichever came first at this point. 

“Can’t.  I have another class in twenty minutes.”

“You could always just skip.” Pidge suggested.

“Can’t do that either.”  Lance rubbed at his temples.  “It’s Coran’s class.”

“Oooh, yeah, you definitely don’t need him or Allura hunting you down for missing a day.”

“Exactly.”  Lance nodded. 

“Here,” Hunk said, offering up the bowl of salsa and an even larger bowl of chips.  “Eat some food then.  No better cure for a hangover.”

“Aww, thanks buddy.”  Lance happily reached for the chips and greedily helped himself.  He ate hungrily, chowing down on the delicious and greasy food.  If nothing else, it was definitely lifting his sour mood.  “I hope you’re right.  I don’t think I can handle another tale of the Coranic and how he had an encounter with a weblum as a kid.  I mean, what the fuck even is that?”

“No idea.” Pidge answered.

“Is that the class you’re having so much trouble with?”  Hunk asked him while reaching over for his own serving of salsa.

Lance shook his head.  “I wish.  Allura would at least be able to help me then if it was.”

“What about a tutor?”  Hunk suggested.  “Maybe Allura or Coran could recommend someone since the class is still part of your program.”

“Maybe.”  Lance said with pinched brows.  “I’ll have to ask her.”

“Well, you’ll have the perfect chance to do that this weekend.”  Hunk told them excitedly.

“Uh, why is that again?” 

“For Shay’s birthday celebration?”  Hunk reminded him, his face set in a slight pout.  “She wanted everyone to go downtown for drinks.  You didn’t forget, did you?”

In truth, the party had completely slipped Lance’s mind over the past week.  He had been too distracted by Keith. However, he wasn’t going to let Hunk, or especially Pidge, know that.

“Of course not!  I would never forget Shay’s birthday extravaganza!”  He exclaimed.

Pidged snorted.  “Uh-huh, sure you wouldn’t.”

“Lance…”  He winced.

“I’m sorry Hunk.  I didn’t mean to forget, I promise.”  He apologized, looking directly at his best friend.  “This week has just been really crazy.”

“Maybe if you hadn’t gone out drinking every night this week you would have remembered.”  Pidge commented, their tone teasing but Lance could tell there was the slightest bit of worry hidden underneath. 

Hunk sighed.  “They’re right, Lance.  It’s starting to be a little…excessive.”

“I know, I know.  Trust me, I get it.”  Lance nodded placatingly.  “I don’t even know why I’m acting this way in the first place.”

“Was the dick really that good?”  Pidge asked him crudely.  They reached over, stealing a handful of chips and some salsa.

“Pidge!”  Hunk scolded.

“Yes!”  Lance exclaimed, falling back against the booth dramatically, all symptoms of his hangover completely forgotten.  “It was!”

Pidge simple cackled, crumbs falling out of their mouth, while Hunk blushed and shook his head in disdain.

“But then!”  He continued while reaching over to Pidge’s plate to steal one of their remaining fires.  “Then, he ditched me the next morning!  Without even a note goodbye!”

“Isn’t that the whole point of a one-night stand?”  Pidge snorted, whacking his hand away.

“I mean, yeah…but come on!  No note or anything?”

“Maybe you just weren’t that good of a lay.”  Pidge shrugged.

“Oh, trust me,” He assured them, a smirk heavily in place as he wiggled his eyebrows.  “It definitely wasn’t that.”

“Gross.”  Pidge stuck out their tongue in disgust.  Even Hunk cringed from his seat beside them.  “Did not need to know that.”

Lance shrugged, completely confidence in his performance in the bedroom.  “Then don’t ask about my sex life.”

“Yeah, please Pidge.”  Hunk readily agreed.  “It’s bad enough I’m forced to hear it sometimes.”

Pidge rolled their eyes but nevertheless obliged.  “I don’t know though, Lance.  It sounds like a pretty typical one-night stand to me.”

“And it was!  A great one, in fact.” 

“So then what’s the big deal?”

“I don’t know!”  Lance exclaimed, sinking further into his seat and covering his face with his hands.  “That’s why I’m so confused!”

“Come on Lance, were you really expecting more to come out of it?”  Pidge asked in a condescending tone.

Lance pursed his lips.  “Well, no, but—”

“Why are you so obsessed with this one then?”

“I don’t…I just…”  Lance took in a deep breath.

I just want to feel wanted.  Lance thought.

And for some reason, he specifically wanted to be wanted by Keith.

“Just move on already.  You got an orgasm, now move on to the next guy, or girl.”  Pidge amended.  They reached for another chip.  “I will never understand you allosexuals.”

Lance sighed and his shoulder’s slumped in defeat.  He didn’t say anything in response to Pidge, because, well, he honestly had no idea what to say.  He didn’t have any form of explanation to offer and any that he could, probably wouldn’t make any sense.  Besides, they would tease him no matter what reasoning he gave them.  No matter what, it was a lose-lose and Lance had more important things to worry about at the moment.

It wasn’t like he wanted to get attached to anyone again, so soon after Nyma.  And while their relationship hadn’t been particularly impactful, he had enjoyed it and he did still have feelings for her, despite their separation.  So, what was it about Keith that he didn’t want to let go of just yet?  What was it about him that drew Lance in like a moth to a flame?

Lance had thought over and examined every moment of their night together and was unable to find the answer.  He couldn’t pinpoint the one thing that kept him combing back to the raven-haired man.  Was it the orgasms?  The sex in general?  He didn’t know.  All Lance did know was that he was absolutely and completely unable to get him about of his mind.  And he didn’t even know what to do with that particular realization. 

“So what are you guys up to tonight?”  Pidge asked, stealing another bite.

Hunk shrugged.  “I’ll probably work on my paper some before going to see Shay.  You guys?”

“I’m going to work on my nanotech project.  I’m hoping to perfect the software before the end of the semester.”  Pidge took a large sip of their lemonade.  “I might head over to Matt’s later though.”

“Great!  Tell him we said hi and that I have some new recipes for him to try.”  Hunk now turned to him.  “How about you Lance?  Any plans for tonight?”

He shrugged noncommittedly; his mind not entirely focused on the conversation at hand.  His thoughts were still full with his Keith dilemma.  “Not sure.  I may go downtown again.”

“Lance…”

“I know, I know.”  Lance interrupted, with a wave of his hand.  “I’ll be careful, Hunk, I promise.”

“Alright buddy.”  Hunk relented with a deep sigh.  “Just please, be careful.”

“Always am.”  Lance assured him.  “Always am.”

***

By the time the night of Shay’s birthday celebration comes along, Lance is tired of alcohol.  He had, in fact, gone out again Wednesday evening, and had almost returned for a sixth night on Thursday if it hadn’t been for Hunk literally dragging him back to bed.  His best friend had practically forced a bottle of water down his throat as he made sure Lance was staying in for the evening. 

Needless to say, Hunk was definitely worried about him and this particular obsession.  Lance assured him, multiple times, that he wasn’t obsessed, simply desperate for another good lay.  Just really horny, that’s all.  It has absolutely nothing to do with Keith.  Just chasing the orgasm, he told himself.  I’m not obsessed with him, just the pleasure he gave me, Lance assured himself, though it wasn’t very convincing.  Only for the sex, nothing more.  He just needed someone else to give him the same amount of love and Lance would be over Keith in a heartbeat.

Which is exactly the mission Lance set before himself that Saturday as he readied for yet another night out on the town.  He was dressed tastefully in a nice pair of jeans and a blue button up, his skin shining with highlighter and lips glossy.  Lance decided it was best not to show too much skin in respect for Shay and all of their friends.  He could always be sluttier another night. 

“Lance!”  Called a voice from down the hall.  “Hurry up!”

“You of all people aren’t allowed to rush me Allura!”  He yelled back, looking himself over in the mirror.  He straightened his shirt one last time before grabbing his things and walking out the door.  “Do you not remember that it took you over two hours to get ready for a date once?”

“Might I remind you who took over three hours to get ready for that same date.”  Allura teased, wrapping her arms around his shoulders in a loose hug.  He rolled his eyes and gently pushed her arms away.

It was true, the pairing had somehow managed to find themselves on a blind date together during their freshman year.  The two had dated for a while after, before realizing they were better off as friends.  Lance was heartbroken at first, but soon overcame his disappointment.  Now, he simply enjoyed having Allura as a friend.  They had grown uncannily close over the last few years and Lance often called her to vent, seek advice, or to simply have a ‘girls’ night’.  He trusted Allura with his life, and his secrets, just as he did Hunk.  He had no doubt that she felt the same way.

Tonight though, the silver haired beauty was dressed in a pair of jeans and a pink crop top.  Her silvery hair was pinned back in a half-up hairstyle, showing off her dangling earrings.  She was primmed to perfection, though the only person she would be trying to impress that night was her long-term girlfriend, Romelle.

“I know.  Such a waste of time, and a good outfit.”  He joked.

She smacked his chest.  “Nice to know how much you treasure our friendship.”

“Aww, Princess, you know you’re my favorite.”  He teased back, wrapping an arm across her shoulders.  She held onto that hand comfortably, leaning in against his side.  She returned the motion by wrapping her arm around his waist. 

“Come on, you troublemaker, everyone else is waiting downstairs.” 

“Our chariot awaits!”  He yelled, marching them over towards the door, one hand raised to the sky.  Allura laughed with him, jollily going along.

The march downstairs didn’t take long, the two deciding to opt for a quick elevator ride instead of taking the stairs.  They exited the building together, easily spotting their friends from the front entrance.  Though, Lance supposed, it was impossible for anyone to miss Hunk’s bright yellow Subaru, even in such dim lighting.

“Finally!”  Pidge yelled, leaning out one of the car’s windows.  “What took you guys so long?”

“Blame the prima donna over here.”  Allura responded, pointing at Lance with her thumb.

“You can’t rush perfection!”  He insisted.  “Isn’t that right Shay?”

Lance winked at the brunette, earning himself a delightful giggle.  The birthday girl laughed from her position in the passenger seat as she shook her head in amusement.  She beamed at him, eyes twinkling in spirited humor.  “Of course, Lance.”

“Get in the car already!”  Pidge urged, tired of his antics.

Lance rolled his eyes but the smile never left his face.  Pidge removed themselves from the window, electing to scoot to the other side of the vehicle in order to make room.  Allura and Lance then made quick work of climbing into the car and buckling themselves in. 

The ride to the bar was a short one.  The bar Shay had decided to go to for her birthday celebration ended up being really close to campus.  When asked, she explained that she wanted something close by in case someone drank too much.  She, along with Hunk, thought it would be the safest option.  Plus, both had heard that the food was excellent and wanted to give it a try.

Hunk, wanting to ensure the safety of his friends and a good evening for Shay, had opted to be their designated driver.  Besides, Shay never drank much herself, which meant that the loving couple was sure to have a good time that night.  And that, really, was all Lance was worried about that evening.

Lance had been the one to encourage Hunk in pursuing Shay.  He had been the one listening to Hunk ramble on and gush about the cute girl in his geology class.  It took Lance three months to convince his friend to finally ask the girl out.  That was over a year ago, and now here they were.  It warmed his heart to know how happy his friend was in his relationship.  He just knew they were a forever couple.

Lance would also deny vehemently if part of that warmth had been soured by the tiniest bit of jealousy.  But tonight wasn’t the night for such thoughts. 

Lance had promised to be on his best behavior tonight, and he had all intentions of following through with that promise.  He loved Shay, and loved the way she loved his best friend, so Lance wanted to try his best to make sure she had the birthday celebration she of her dreams.  Which meant controlling his drinking, keeping his mouth in check, and no excessive flirting. 

It also meant he wasn’t allowed to think about Keith.

That rule was intended more for him than anything else.  He knew that obsessing over the man had been bad on his health this past week, both mentally and physically.  He also knew that his friends were beginning to worry about him and wasn’t something he wanted to bring up that night.  So, Lance pushed all thoughts and feelings regarding Keith out of his mind.

Still, Lance couldn’t help that underlying sense of anticipation, that small glimmer of hope, that maybe, just maybe, he would run into Keith tonight.  Afterall, it was a Saturday night and they were going to a bar close to campus, a popular one it seemed.  It was possible right?

No, he berated, stop that.  You are not obsessing over Keith tonight.

Lance shook his head, clearing his thoughts.  The point was, he didn’t want to cause any trouble.  Which Lance knew would be difficult.  Trouble was, unfortunately, something that seemed to follow him around in his life, but Lance was sure he could get one night off, if only for his friend’s birthday.  Afterall, if anyone deserved to have a break from his chaos, it was Hunk and Shay.    

They arrived at the bar in no time.  Hunk safely parked the car, luckily finding a space towards the front.  Everyone quickly piled out and walked inside, laughing.  The bar was crowded, but not extremely so.  It was cozy, the design of the building creating a welcoming atmosphere.  The presence of so many people set off a calming warmth inside Lance’s body.  It reminded him a little of home.

The group grabbed a table as soon as they walked in.  Hunk had apparently called ahead to reserve one, a good decision considering the crowd.  Each of them hunkered down in the large booth, allowing themselves to get comfortable before looking over the menus.  Luckily, it didn’t take too long for a waitress to approach them and they were quickly able to put in an order for chilly cheese fries and a blooming onion, along with a round of shots for the table.

They chat idly, everyone catching up on each other’s lives.  Lance joins in, eager to see how his friends have been.  Jokes and teases are thrown left and right by the group, their laughter almost louder than the bar’s music.  They didn’t care though, especially Lance who was the loudest, they were all having a good time.  No, a great time.

And Lance couldn’t deny that he needed this.  This past week had been stressful, and not just because of the whole Keith situation.  It felt good to have alcohol running through his veins, warming him up while he laughed with his closest friends.  He could feel himself loosening up and relaxing in a way it seemed it hadn’t done in over a month.    

But alas, they ran out of drinks.  Or, at least, Lance did.  Apparently, his week of bar hopping had done a lot to his drinking habits.  They had each taken a shot of tequila but also had their own individual drinks to sip on.  The problem was, Lance had completed his first drink without realizing it.  Leaving him with an empty glass and barely feeling a buzz.

“Come on.”  Allura said as she nudged his arm.  She held up her own empty glass as she gestured towards his.  “Let’s go grab another round.”

“Are you trying to get me drunk Allura?”  Lance joked.  Nevertheless, he nodded and the two exited the booth.

There was a bit of a wait at the bar, but it took no time to gain the bartender’s attention.  They placed their drink order and decided to lean against the bar top as they waited.  Lance and Allura stood there, shoulder to shoulder, joking with each other as they casually watched the crowd.      

“Soooo” Allura began, “What’s going on in that thick head of yours?”

“You mean besides the usual party?”

“You know what I mean.”  Allura said with a roll of her eyes.  “Hunk says you’ve been acting strange all week.” 

Lance sighed.  “It’s nothing Allura.”

“It’s not nothing if it’s upsetting you Lance.”  Allura shifted so she was no facing Lance directly.  “What is it?”

“It’s…it’s nothing Allura, really.”

Lance avoided her gaze.  He knew that if he looked into her eyes she should see straight through him, just as Hunk did.  She always knew his tells though.  That’s one reason why he could never win against her in poker.

“Lance…you can tell me anything, you know that.”  

“I know…It’s just…well it’s stupid.”

“Doesn’t mean I won’t listen.”  She nudged his shoulder gently once more, and Lance groaned.  He ran his hands down his face, though making sure to careful of his makeup.  Ugh, this topic was so frustrating. 

“It’s just…I met a guy, kind of, and—”

“Oooh, a guy?  What’s his name?”

“Keith, but that’s not the—”

“Keith, okay, nice name.  What does he look like?”

“He has black hair and pale skin.  Absolutely gorgeous.  I mean, the body on him…”

Allura waved her hand.  “Okay, okay, so he’s hot.  What’s he like though?”

“That’s it!”  Lance exclaimed, paying no mind to his volume.  “I don’t know!”

Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.  “What do you mean?”

“I mean, I met him for a one-night stand.  That’s it.”

“And you’re…what?  In love with the guy?”

“Whaa, no!  Of course not!”  He waved his hands, frantic.  “No, no, it’s not like that.”

“Then what is it?  Did he say something?  Do something?”  Her eyes narrowed, a ting of anger hiding behind him.  “Did he hurt you?”

“No, Allura, no.  He didn’t hurt me at all.  At least not in anyway I didn’t ask for.”  He said, adding in a cheesy smile.  Allura’s shoulders loosened and she rolled her eyes at his antics.

“Alright, good.  Because otherwise he would have seen these hands.”

“I don’t doubt it.”  Lance assured her as he threw his head back and laughed.

 “So, what is it exactly about this Keith?”  Allura asked, curious.  “Why is he stuck on your mind?”

“That’s just it, I don’t know!”  Lance yelled once again, this time gaining more than a few annoyed looks from nearby patrons.  He paid them no mind though.  “I mean, he came, we had sex, and then boom, he left the next morning.”

“Okay, that sounds like a normal hookup.”

“Exactly!  And I have no idea why I’m so upset over it.” 

“Do you think you just…got attached super quick?”  Allura asked.  “Or do you think it’s only the sex you want again?”

“The sex.”  Lance answered, though he himself was less than convinced.  Still, if he lied about it enough maybe it would become true.  “Definitely just the sex.”

“Have you slept with anyone else since?  Maybe that will help.”

“Tried that, no luck.  I’m hoping having sex with him again will help me finally get him out of my mind.”

“Any luck finding him then?”

“Nope.”  Lance shook his head.  “I swear, it’s like he just disappeared!”

“Good luck then Loverboy.  I’m sure you’ll find him.”  Allura said with a light punch to his shoulder.  Lance chuckled.  “Just make sure to take care of yourself.”

“I will, princess, I promise.”

Allura clapped her hands.  “Alright!  Subject change!”

Lance couldn’t help but chuckle.  It had become a game amongst the group.  Whenever a topic of conversation had grown too tense, or too sad, any member of the group could request a change of topic by simply clapping their hands together and calling it out.

“So how are classes going?”  Allura asked, having settled upon a new topic.  “Coran says you’re doing well.”

Lance snorted.  “Your uncle is crazy, you know that right?  He taught a whole class centered around space whales the other day.  And yes, I do mean whales in space.  Apparently, they travel through time!”

“Yes, he’s very…eccentric.”  Allura said with a small laugh.  “But he really does mean well.  He just gets caught up in his own ideas sometimes.”

“Hah!  That’s for sure.”

“How are your other classes though?  Coran always tells me how many of students have trouble with the upper courses.”

“He is…definitely not lying about that.”

“Oh, I’m sure.  I remember the stories my parents used to tell me when they taught at the university.  It sounded brutal.”  Allura nodded sagely.  “Do you need any help?  I was practically raised in that program; I might be able to give you some advice.”

Lance shook his head, then paused.  He thought about how hard he had studied for that exam, only to fail.  He thought about the stress and the tears, though he would deny ever crying.  He also thought about his conversation with Hunk earlier that week.  Some help definitely wouldn’t hurt.

“Actually, if you could?  I’m having a lot of trouble with this final chemistry class and I need it to graduate.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”  Allura said with a smile.  “Pass me the course info and I’ll look into it.  Promise.”

“Thanks Allura.  It means a lot.”

“Anytime.”

It wasn’t long after that the bartender had readied their drinks.  The two collected their new glasses and began to make their way back through the gathering crowd.  During their wait, more and more people had entered the bar and condensed themselves to the stage set up on one side of the room.  According to a nearby flyer, a local favorite was performing, explaining the onslaught of newcomers.

As Lance was struggling through, diligently following Allura, someone ran into his back shoulder.  The action jostled him, causing some of his drink to spill and for Lance to stutter in his footing.  He heard a muttered “sorry” before the person disappeared.  Lance didn’t pay any mind to it, after all he was in a crowded bar on a Saturday night, it was bound that he would be run into.  No, that wasn’t what made him pause.

It was the black hair.

That same long black hair he had been toying with not one week ago. 

Lance swiftly turned his head, chasing after the view.  But by the time his eyes had caught up with him, the head of black hair was gone.  But even the briefest glimpse of it had put Lance’s heart into overdrive.  For a moment it felt like he couldn’t breathe, lungs frozen still.  Everything around him seemed to slow down, and the bar noise turned foggy in his ears.  All thoughts had paused except one, running on repeat. 

Keith was here.

Keith was in the bar.

Keith was here.

Tonight.

And Lance, Lance didn’t know what to do with that.  What exactly was the appropriate reaction in this situation?  Excitement?  Dread? If he were being honest, he felt a mixture of both.  Part of him was thrilled to have finally found his mystery man again, but another part of him, that small part which was always ready with a critique, had him feeling doubtful.  Sure, Lance had a…particular craving, but was it really the best idea to pursue it?  Hell, would Keith even want to see Lance again?  And if he did, did Lance have the guts to follow through?

“Lance!”  Allura called, though he was only faintly aware.  “Lance!”

He was still standing there, drink in hand, in the middle of the crowd.  He hadn’t moved at all, despite more and more people pushing past him on either side.  Lance finally moved, turning around to face the bar, and began to look over the nearby patrons.  His eyes traced over everybody within in view, searching for that elusive black hair.

“Lance!”  Allura called again.  This time though, he heard her.

Allura had gotten halfway back to the table before realizing that Lance was no longer behind her.  In fact, she had barely been able to see him when she had turned back to check on him.  When she finally found him, standing stock still in the middle of the mass of moving people, she had rushed back to retrieve him.  She had assumed that he had simply lost her in the crowd.  But, looking at him now, that glazed over look in his eyes, she was wondering if it wasn’t something more.  What was going on with him?

She called his name once more, now standing directly behind him.  He didn’t seem to register her presence though, not until she finally placed a hand on his shoulder.  Lance jerked, surprised by the touch.  He turned to face his friend, mind finally refocusing.

“Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah, uh—” Lance cleared his throat.  “Just…thought I saw someone I know.”

“Oh.  Did you want to go say hi?”

Lance shook his head.  “No, uh, not right now at least.  Maybe later, before we leave.”

Allura’s eyes were still narrowed in confusion.  She just…didn’t understand his reaction.  Normally Lance would be so cheerful when he saw someone he knew.  He was a natural extravert.  For Lance to be acting so strangely…it had Allura concerned.

And Lance knew this.  He could see it written all over her face.  Guilt ran through him at the thought of once again being a burden to his friends.  All for some boy that Lance wasn’t entirely sure he was even interested in.  He didn’t want to bother him with his anxious thoughts, especially not tonight.  So, he took a deep breath and put on his brightest smile, hoping no one would be the wiser.  Lance then stepped forward and wrapped a gentle arm around Allura’s shoulders.

“Come on, we have a birthday to celebrate.”

Allura nodded slowly, deciding to go along with his charade, at least for the time being.  Wrapping an arm around his waist, she leads them back through the crowd.  With her lead, they’re both able to return to the table quickly.  Their group greets them with cheers and laughter, but Lance can’t seem to bring himself to join in as he once did.

They chat idly, everyone talking animatedly about some story of Romelle’s, but Lance can’t seem to concentrate on the conversation.  Sure, he nods and comments here and there, enough to make him appear interested, but he would be lying if he didn’t say that his mind was elsewhere.  He’s distracted, his eyes insistently being pulled back towards the other customers.  Lance knew what he was looking for.  It had become a subconscious habit now, practically ingrained in him, but he would immediately deny it if ever asked.

He couldn’t help but notice the worried glances thrown his way though.  Every time he met Hunk’s eyes, Lance would quickly look away, so as not to see that concerned look he knew all too well on his face.  He absolutely avoided looking at Allura, knowing she had seen firsthand his reaction.  His friends tried to keep it subtle, but Lance could tell that they knew something was off with him.  And he tried to get involved, he really did, but he just…couldn’t.  That black hair kept drawing him back.

“Isn’t that right Lance?”

“Huh?”

Lance’s mind refocused once more, being drawn back into the conversation by the sound of his name.  His attention immediately returned to the group in an attempt to understand what was said.  From across the table, Hunk gazed at him expectantly, as though he had been expecting an answer.  However, his eyebrows scrunched once he realized that Lance hadn’t been paying attention, and therefore had no idea what was being discussed.

“I was telling everyone about that time Rachel got a spaghetti noodle stuck up her nose.”

“Oh yeah!  The rest of us still tease her about that every time we have pasta.”

“Ha-ha, yeah man.  We were, what?  Ten, right?”

“Yeah, and Rachel was trying to impress you since it was your first time sleeping over.”

“That was a fun night.”  Hunk commented with a smile.  Lance returned it but he could feel his attention being pulled elsewhere.

“Mmhmmm….”  He agreed, noncommittedly.  Lance thought they would simply return to their conversation, while he idly sat by and watched passersby.  However, they remained in silence, each of them watching him with worried glances.

“Lance…are you okay?”  Shay questioned, interrupt his thoughts once more.  Lance turned to her, curious, and admittedly concerned as to why she was asking the question.

“Yeah, of course.  Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I don’t know.”  She said, eyes narrowing in confusion.  “You’ve just seemed really…distracted?  Sad?  Ever since you and Allura came back from the bar.”

“I’m fine, Shay, I promise.”

“You know you can talk to us, right Lance?”  Romelle interjected.  She leaned against Allura’s shoulder as she spoke to him, eyeing him softly.  Lance’s eyes softened.  He couldn’t help it.  He adored Romelle like a little sister and while her obvious concern for him broke his heart, he did appreciate it.  Lance gazed around the table to the rest of his friends, who all nodded in agreement.  He smiled at them, heart warming.

“Yeah, I know.”

“Really though, Lance, I’m sure Hunk wouldn’t mind giving you a ride back if you’re not feeling well.”  Shay suggested, looking up at her boyfriend, just to make sure.  Hunk nods, gently rubbing her shoulder from where his hand rests.

“Of course!  I wouldn’t mind at all buddy, you know that.”

Lance nodded but waved off the idea.  “Thanks Shay, Hunk, but I’m fine.  Promise!  Besides, I don’t want to ruin your birthday.”

“Awwww, don’t worry about that Lance.  You could never!”  Shay assured.  Lance simply smiled in response.

The rest of the group then moved on in conversation, though that didn’t stop the occasional worried stares thrown his way.  While the others entered into a debate on the best type of cookie (it’s chocolate chip by the way), Lance allowed himself to return to his previous habit.  However, he made sure to only do so from his peripheral.  He wanted to ensure that his friends knew he was present, even if he wasn’t entirely there.  Lance made sure to pay more attention to the conversation, even jumping in with a witty remark or two.  Still, he felt distracted.  And Allura could tell.

“Still looking for him?”

“Huh?”  He asked.

“Your mystery man.  Keith?”

“Oh, uh…”  Lance cleared his throat.  “Well, I thought I saw him earlier…but it must have been the lighting or something.”

“Ooooh, really?”

“Maybe.  I’m not sure.”

“Well, what does he look like?  Maybe I can help.”

“Um…okay.” He said with a slight blush.  “Well he’s tall, pale skin, and has shoulder length black hair.  He basically has a Mullet.”

Allura raised an eyebrow.  “Really?”

“I swear!”  He exclaimed, holding up his hands in defense. 

“Alright, alright!  I’ll take your word for it.”  She said with a laugh.  “Come on, let’s find your mystery man.”

Together they scoured the bar, all while never leaving their seats.  They somehow even made it into a game amongst themselves.  Every time they would spy a head of black hair, they would create a story for the person.  It was usually something outrageous, leaving the two in fits of laughter.  Lance knew Allura was only indulging him so as to make him feel better, but he was having too much fun to call her out on it.

They took turns looking over the mass of people gathered for the concert.  Lance was sure they had taken note of every black-haired customer in the place when he finally spotted it.  Or should he say, spotted him.  There, sitting at a spare table was the one man Lance had been searching for all week.

The table was off to the side, hidden in the neat alcove next to the bar and between the stage.  There were so many people standing around it that one could hardly see the wooden top.  The thing was nothing more than a slab of wood and something to hold it up.  It was meant as a stopping post for patrons there to see the show, a place where they could rest their drinks and their feet while enjoying the music.

And standing there, leaning against said table, was none other than Keith.  His dark hair was pulled back into a ponytail, just barely hanging off the skin of his neck.  He was dressed in a simple black t-shirt and jeans, the outfit similar to his previous when they last met, and Lance couldn’t help the way his eyes traveled up and down his body.  He looked just as good as Lance remembered.  Better even.

Except, there was one problem.

He wasn’t alone.

Standing next to Keith, and leaning heavily into his space, was a man.  He was tall, though shorter than Lance and Keith, but more than made up for his lack in height with his muscle gains.  The guy practically looked like a body builder, and not in the attractive way.  His brown hair was cut short, almost buzzcut, but Lance could still see the color from across the bar.

And he had his arm wrapped around Keith.

Keith didn’t seem to be enjoying the attention though.  If anything, he seemed to hate it.  Keith cringed with every stroke of the thumb on his shoulder, trying to surreptitiously push himself away.  Only, avoiding the thumb meant leaning into the man, something else he didn’t seem to be particularly fond of.  Lance could also catch the occasional wince at whatever the man had said.  Altogether, Keith looked absolutely miserable.

Horribly, Lance felt the slightest bit pleased by this fact.

While Lance was, admittedly, the tiniest bit upset at seeing Keith with another man, the vindictive part of him couldn’t help but feel happy about seeing Keith in such a wretched situation.  It was petty, he knew, and terribly, terribly wrong, but the part of himself which had been holding back the pain of his rejection felt slightly vindicated by it.  Lance knew it was wrong to feel, but felt it all the same.

Still, another part of him was ecstatic to actually be laying eyes on Keith again.  He couldn’t prevent the small sense of warmth which had spread through him.  Lance was absolutely giddy at the possibility of talking to Keith again.  But nervous, oh so nervous, about how that conversation would go.  Afterall, Keith had left the way he did for a reason.  Who was Lance to chase him down again?  How would he even react to seeing the Cuban?

“I know that look.  Did you find him?”  Allura teased, following his eyes.  “Oh wow.”

“Yeah.”  Lance replied simply.  Allura sat next to him, silent as though waiting for him to say something more.  When he didn’t, she continued.

“So?  Are you going to go talk to him or what?”

“What!  No way!”

“Lance!  You’ve been looking for this guy all week!  You’ve practically ruined your liver because of him from what I’ve heard.  Why on earth would you not want to speak to him?”

“It’s just--it’s complicated Allura!”

“No, Lance, it’s really not.”  She countered immediately.  “You like the guy.  Whether it’s only in a sexual way or not is entirely up to you, but the point is, you like him.  You’re allowed to go talk to the guy and see if he’ll give you a second chance.”

“Wouldn’t he have left a note if that were the case?  Or his number?”

Allura shrugged.  “Maybe.  But sometimes, we need to be reminded of the beautiful things we could have.”

Lance remained silent, simply shaking his head in response.  His eyes never left that table though.

“Look, it won’t hurt to just talk to him, right?  The worst he could do is turn you down.”

Lance continued to watch the two men; and with every second, Keith grew more and more uncomfortable.  He watched as Keith repeatedly tried to remove the stranger’s hand, and as it was repeatedly put back in place.  It was obvious the guy wasn’t going to leave him alone, and that Keith was growing more and more irritated with his antics.

Lance thought over Allura’s words.  And really, what was the worst that could happen?  Lance had technically already been rejected by the guy.  While another one would definitely hurt his ego, the pain wouldn’t be anything that couldn’t be soothed with a night in with friends and some delicious ice cream.  And Keith, he looked so miserable over there…It would be wrong of Lance to simply leave him to suffer from such unwanted attention…right?

With a decision made, Lance took a long swig of his drink.  Liquid courage running through his veins, Lance finally stood and fixed his clothes.  If he was going to intrude on their conversation, he might as well do it in style.  As he finished his adjustments, Lance turned back to Allura.

“I’ll be back later.”  He told her with a wink and his signature smile.  He could hear her resounding laughter as he made his way across the room.

It took Lance no time to force his way through to the opposite side of the bar.  Before he knew it, or was completely ready, he was standing only a few feet from Keith and his unwanted companion.  He couldn’t hear what they were saying over the noise of the band, but it looked like Keith was telling the guy off.  However, the knockoff version of David Hasselhoff didn’t seem to get the message and only continued his pursuit.

Looks like it’s now or never.

“Hi babe, miss me?”  Lance asked, all confidence and bravado as he approached the two men.

He glanced between the two, measuring their responses.  While Knockoff Hasselhoff, or KH for short as Lance was calling him, appeared irritated and heavily bothered by Lance’s presence and interruption on their conversation, Keith only appeared confused.  His dark eyes scanned Lance up and down before a gleam of familiarity appeared in those violet eyes, and Lance knew he had recognized the Cuban.

If he was bothered by Lance’s return, he didn’t show it.  If anything, he appeared more relieved than anything else.  Lance gave him a smile and a quick once over before turning his attention back to KH.

“Who’s your friend?”  He asked Keith, though his attention was still focused on KH.  The man glared at him but Lance paid it no mind.  Lance offered him a smile, one he knew was sharp at its edges, and held his gaze.

“Rick.”  The man told him with a grunt.  He still hadn’t removed his arm from Keith’s shoulders.  His eyes however, never strayed from Lance.

“Nice to meet you, Dick.”  Lance replied, fully aware of his slip.  “Mind taking your paws off my boyfriend?”

“Last I checked, he didn’t have a boyfriend.” 

“Are you sure you aren’t just being an ass?”  Lance questioned.  “You know, because of all those assumptions you’re making.”

“Excuse me?”

“You’re excused.”  Lance told him

“What?”  Rick asked, appearing all the more confused and agitated.

“I said,” Lance repeated, leaning in closer as he did so.  “You’re excused.”

Dicks’ jaw dropped in shock, as though he wasn’t used to being spoke to in such a way.  But really, what did he expect?  He was bothering someone who was clearly uninterested, and in a public bar no less.  There were only so many ways to say no before finally telling someone to fuck off.

“Yeah, I think it’s time for you to go.”  Keith reinforced, removing Rick’s hand from his shoulder in one easy tug.  “Now.”

“Whaa…but—”

“Goodnight.”  Lance told Rick as Keith pointedly stepped farther away from him and closer to Lance.

Rick glanced between the two men.  His eyes roamed over them both, assessing their body language, before finally taking the hint.  Grumbling under his breath, he did as told, and removed himself from their presence with a final swig of his beer.  Lance watched as the man exited their view, a pleased smile upon his face.

Eventually, his eyes returned to Keith.  The man’s posture and relaxed severely since Rick’s exit.  His shoulders were much more relaxed and his face had lost its stony edge.  Lance watched him with a smile as Keith stepped away from him and returned to his former position across the table.

“So, how’s it going?”  Lance asked, hoping to start up a conversation. 

Instead of getting a response though, all Lance earned was a shrug of Keith’s shoulders.  The man never even glanced at Lance.  His attention was fully focused on the crowd of people around them.  But then, he did look over at Lance, though only for a second.  The blackette fiddled with the rim of his drink before taking a sip and returning his gaze back to the crowd.

“Thanks…for that…by the way.”

“Yeah, no problem.”  Lance assured him.  He could feel his face getting hot.

The conversation paused then, neither knowing what to say.  Silence had unfolded around them, and Lance wasn’t sure what to do with it.  He wanted to ask Keith more questions, specifically about the morning after their night together, but he couldn’t seem to make the words come out of his mouth.  So, he went for something basic.  Something to at least get the conversation moving forward.

“What have you been up to then?”

“Work.”

“Oh nice.  What do you do for work?”

“I work on cars.”

“Cool.  Where at?  Maybe I’ve heard of it.”

“You haven’t.”

“How do you know?”  Lance asked, growing irritated.  Keith’s lack of engagement was beginning to rub him the wrong way.  He tried to keep his patience though.  Afterall, he didn’t want to accidentally make a scene.

“How do I know what?” Keith asked, though he still appeared more entertained by the surrounding guests than Lance himself.

“If I’ve heard of the place.  How do you know if I’ve heard of it, if you won’t even tell me the name?”

At this, Lance finally earned himself something more than a four worded answer.  Keith groaned loudly and ran a hand down his face, fingers ending in a pinch on the bridge of his nose.  He took a long sip of his drink, finishing it off, before slamming the glass back down on the table.  Then, he finally turned to face Lance.

And oh man, was he pissed.  If Lance thought he had been annoyed with Rick, Keith appeared ten times as angry as he looked at Lance right now.  His eyes were practically sending daggers through his brown skin and Lance couldn’t help but flinch from the out right aggression coming off the man.

“No.”

“What?”  Lance asked, honestly so confused.

“No.”  Keith repeated.  “No, I will not sleep with you again.  I don’t do second chances.  I don’t do-overs.  I don’t do repeats.  And I definitely don’t do relationships.  So whatever you’re looking for here, with me, it’s a no.”

“I—”

“I know.  You’re sorry.”  Keith interrupted, his annoyance only growing more prevalent with each word.  “And really, I’m sure you’re a great guy, but it’s a no.  Trust me, you’re better off without.”

And that phrase.  Those two fucking words.  They set off a reaction in Lance like no other.  He wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol coursing through his veins or white hot anger that caused him to almost break the glass in his hand.  All Lance knew, was that he was beyond furious. 

Because of course that’s what Keith chose to say to him.  That’s how Keith decided to let him down.  With those same damn words. 

Lance had had enough.

“Fine.”  He finally said, his anger clear in his tone.  Lance took a large gulp of his drink, finishing it off.  He stood, slamming the empty glass back on the table.  He stared straight into Keith’s eyes for his next words.  “Not like I’d want to sleep with someone who has a mullet anyway.”

“That’s not what were you saying last week.”  Keith quickly replied.  “In fact,” Keith leaned forward, his eyes never leaving Lance’s.  “I distinctly remember you moaning my name while you pulled on it.”

Oh fuck.

Flashes of their last encounter passed through Lance’s mind, sending an adjoining wave of heat all throughout his body.  And that craving, the one he’d had since last Friday, suddenly became insatiable.  The mere mention, the acknowledgement, of their time together had sent Lance over the edge with need.

And Keith, god damn him, he knew it.  He could see it all over Lance’s face, and he enjoyed knowing he had caused such a reaction if his smirk was anything to go by.  It’s not like Lance could deny it either, any of it.  He had deeply enjoyed their night together, had basically obsessed over it.  And he had indeed been hoping for another chance with the man.  Keith had seen right through him, and Lance hated that.  He despised knowing Keith had forced that kind of vulnerability upon him.

Lance stood there, open mouthed and red cheeked, and without a single clue as to how to respond.  It’s not exactly like Lance could lie, Keith had seen the truth on his face.  He also didn’t feel comfortable with fully denying the pleasure they’d experienced together either.  So he stood there, completely out of options.

“Now, I believe you were leaving.”

That gets Lance to finally close his mouth.  He does so with a click, teeth clacking together with the amount of force put behind the motion.  With a final glare at the pale skinned hottie jerk, Lance walks away.  The entire walk back to his table he’s cursing Keith’s name, grumbling expletives under this breath.

He paused though as he grew closer to his friends.  They were all laughing and having such a good time.  He didn’t want to ruin their night.  So, Lance stopped himself in the middle of the crowd.  He gathered himself, calming his anger by taking deep steady breaths.  When he finally felt himself to be more collected, he continued forward, a bright smile placed upon his lips.

“Sorry you guys!”  He yelled upon his approach.  The group cheered at his return.  “Some guy was giving me bedroom eyes and you know I couldn’t resist.”

“Are you sure he wasn’t just telling you to fuck off?” Pidge teased, playing with their tiny green umbrella.

Lance winced.  “No…”

Everyone paused, taking in his tense reaction.  Eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed as they gazed at him in all variations of concern and worry.  Slowly, the realization of what must have happened overtook them.

“Oh shit.  I’m sorry Lance.”  Pidge quickly apologized.  Lance shook his head.

“No worries Pidgeon.  Besides, there’s always the next one, right?”

“Yeah!”  Romelle encouraged with a giggle. “There’s plenty of fish in the sea afterall.”

“Which you would know Lance.”  Allura followed up, winking as she did.  Lance laughed, his friends’ antics already putting him in a better mood.

“Yeah, you’re probably better off without him anyway buddy.”  Hunk said, unknowingly echoing Keith’s previous words.  Shay nodded silently in agreement, offering Lance a gentle smile as she hugged on Hunk’s arm.

“Thanks Hunk.”  Lance said with a smile, though he wasn’t sure of its authenticity.  “You’re probably right.”

And he probably was.  Hunk was always right about these sorts of things.  He had been the source of more than once piece of relationship advice for Lance over the years.  The knowledge didn’t stop the pain of the rejection though.  Of any of them.

That pain, it stung, and Lance could feel it beginning to settle in.

Chapter Text

“Alright everyone!  See you next week!”  Professor Coran yelled, officially dismissing their class for the day.  The lecture hall quickly emptied, the majority of the students having already packed their bags.  One by one, they filed out of the room, most of them likely heading towards their next class.

And normally Lance would be with them, eager to escape the stress of school and for it to be replaced with the sweet relaxation that came whenever he entered his and Hunk’s apartment.  Today, however, Lance was dragging.  He felt like a computer stuck in lag.  No matter how much coffee he drank, Lance seemed to be stuck in this rut of utter exhaustion.

Thankfully though, he would soon be back in his bed and catching up on some glorious sleep.

“Ah!  Lance, my boy!  Do you mind staying after for a few moments?  I have something I wish to speak to you about.”

Or not.

With a heavy sigh, Lance threw his backpack over his shoulder.  Taking a deep breath, Lance braced himself for the upcoming conversation.

“Sure, Professor Coran!”  Lance called back to the ginger haired man, forcing a smile upon his face.  He really wanted to go get some sleep.

“Just Coran is fine, when we’re not in class Lance.  I’ll even accept Coran, Coran, the Gorgeous Man!”  The eccentric man yelled across the room.  Lance gave a small chuckle as he descended the stairs but nodded nonetheless.

“Okay Coran.”  Lance said as he grew closer to the teacher’s podium.  Coran was still putting his own papers away as Lance reached him, hopping slightly to sit on the edge of the front desk there.  “What is it that you wanted to talk about?”

“Well, I spoke with Professor Iverson.”  Coran began.  Lance groaned.  “I know, my boy, he’s not exactly the most pleasant person to speak to.”

“That’s putting it lightly…” Lance spoke under his breath.  Coran simply nodded.

“My point is, as director of this program, I thought it best to speak to him about your progress in his class.”  Coran explained, raising an eyebrow.  “And he tells me you’ve been having a great deal of trouble.”

Lance nodded pathetically; head hung low from embarrassment.  “Yeah…you weren’t kidding when you said students found it difficult.”

“Which is exactly why I spoke to him about offering you a chance to pick up your grade.”

Lance’s head flew up fast.  So much so that he was surprise he didn’t pop it.  He stared up at Coran’s eyes, hope blooming in his chest.  “What?  How?”

“By completing a special project!”  Coran exclaimed, clapping his hands enthusiastically. 

“Special…project?”  Lance questioned, hesitant as to what exactly that meant.  With Coran, it could be anything.

“Yes, exactly!”  Coran told him.  “It will be focused on your major, of course, and primarily involve chemistry.  However, the subject matter is entirely up to you.  You simply have to ensure that it incorporates all the main points from your course with Iverson.  He should e-mail you a list of specific requirements for the project later today, and it must be completed for the end of final exams.”

That...didn’t sound too bad.  Hell, it actually sounded manageable.  He might be able to pull this off!  He might actually be graduating this year!

“That’s all?”  Lance asked, wanting to be sure.

“I wouldn’t be saying that so soon my boy.  We are both well aware of how difficult Iverson can be with his course requirements.  I wish you the best of luck though and I have the utmost confidence in your abilities!  And of course, you’re always welcome to reach out to me for any assistance.  Feel free to stop by my office at any time.”

Lance knew he was right.  Iverson could be brutal with his assignments and grading scale.  But that didn’t stop the swell of excitement that went through him.  Lance had no doubt that he could complete this project and finally pass the class.  It meant even more that Coran had personally stood up for him with Iverson in regards to the matter.

“Thank you!”  Lance exclaims.  He jumps forward to rush Coran into a hug.  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!  You definitely won’t regret this Coran!”

The man laughed and patted at Lance’s back.  The two then quickly bid their farewells and Lance was racing off to his apartment.  Lance was ecstatic, with a newfound energy and excitement for the rest of his day.  Lance knew this project would be difficult, but he was sure he could pass it and the class.  Especially if he was able to drag his friends in for a little bit of extra help.  He knew underneath he was terrified of the work ahead of him, but he was too happy for even the idea of failing to bring him down right now.

Lance practically leaped across the college lawn.  He almost ran into more than a few people, yelling back quick apologies along his way.  When he finally reached his apartment building, it seemed like everything was just taking so long.  Did that many people really have to exit at once?  And since when did the elevator take this long?

By the time Lance finally reached his floor, he was nearly vibrating with all the energy coursing through him.  So much that it took Lance what felt like ages to finally be able to unlock his apartment door.  When he finally did, Lance charged in, door slamming at the force with which he threw it open.  All of which, absolutely terrified his friends.  The group jumped in alarm from their various placements around the living and dining rooms.  All eyes turned to Lance, wide from surprise.

“You guys!”  Lance yelled eagerly, ignoring their shocked stares.  He tossed his bag mindless onto the kitchen counter.  “You will never believe what just happened!”

“What is it Lance?”  Allura asked from her place at the kitchen table, choosing to be the first to brave his chaotic energy.  Across from her, and looking very startled by the sudden onslaught of loud noise, sat Romelle.  Her hair was tied up in her signature pigtails that dipped onto the textbook in front of her.  Lance was surprised it hadn’t landed in one of the nearby coffee cups yet.

“Coran held me back after class, and said Iverson is going to give me an extra project in order to make up my grade!  That means I’ll actually able to graduate on time!”  Lance told them excitedly. 

“That’s amazing dude!”  Hunk called from his staple position in the living room recliner.  Pidge sat nearby, lounging in their usual place on the couch as they worked vigorously on their laptop.  Lance doubted if they had even looked up during his explosive entrance.  “Do you know anything about what the project is on?”

“Only that I get to choose the subject.”  Lance responded, shaking his head.  “Coran said that Iverson was going to e-mail me with the details sometime today.”

Lance’s phone dinged.

He froze, blushing slightly as the rest of the group chuckled.  A little nervous, he rushed to retrieve his phone from his jean pocket.  Only, it wasn’t there.  Lance patted himself down, beginning to turn in circles as he checked every crevice of his clothing until—aha!  Finally!  He found it hidden deep within his jean’s pocket, the feel of it barely noticeable from its position.

And there, shining bright on his lock screen, was a notification for a new e-mail from Professor Iverson.  The subject read:  Last Hope Project.

Well, that was uplifting.

“Is that it?”  Romelle interjected.  She leaned up in her seat, straining her neck so as to gain a better view of what was on his screen.

Lance gave a quick nod, too distracted by his phone to give her a verbal answer.  His thumb however over the open symbol, but he couldn’t seem to make himself press it.  It was like his body was frozen, all of that previous energy having finally run loose, leaving him in an almost catatonic state.  Had it been the room had grown hot?  Or was it just that his blood pressure had skyrocketed?

“Well?  What are you waiting for?  Open it!”  Allura yelled, leaning out of her seat as well, attempting to take a peek.

“I-I’m scared.”  Lance admitted.

“Why?”  Hunk questioned, his eyes narrowed in concern.  Lance shrugged, tugging absently at the hem of his sweatshirt.

“It just…feels sort of momentous, you know?  Like, this e-mail and its contents literally stand in the way of me graduating next semester.  What if…what if I’m not smart enough to do it?  What if I fail?”

Lance chewed on his bottom lip, refusing to meet his friends’ eyes after such a confession.  Instead, he continued his dreadful stare on his phone screen.  He didn’t see the inevitable look of disappointment on his friends’ faces that he knew would come after admitting such doubts.

“Oh Lance…”  Came Allura’s voice.  He heard the scraping of a chair against the wood floor and the soft pitter patter of socked feet approaching him.  He only looked up when he felt strong, feminine arms wrapping around his waist, pulling him into a much needed hug.  “You are absolutely capable of completing whatever Iverson has prepared for you.  I just know it.”

“She’s right!”  Hunk agreed.  “And we’ll be here to help you with it too!  Though, if I’m being honest, I’m not sure how much help Pidge and I will be.”

At the mention of their name, Pidge finally lifted their head.  They cast Lance a look and pointed a thumb back at Hunk from over their shoulder.

“What he said.” 

The group giggled and an odd sense of relief washed over him.  He relaxed into Allura’s arms, hugging her arms from where they rested across his body. 

“I’m not sure how help I’ll be either, but I’d be happy to help in any way I can.”  Romelle offered, smiling sweetly.  Lance returned it, offering an identical one to the rest of his friends.

“Thanks you guys…”  Lance told them.  Their only response were fond smiles, even from Pidge, though they quickly returned their attention to their laptop screen.

With a deep breath, Lance finally opened the notification.

On his phone screen, the image of a lengthy e-mail with multiple attachments developed.  Lance scrolled through it all, opening each and every file.  All of it, each and every one of them, had to deal directly with the project he had been assigned.  His ‘last hope.’

The more Lance saw, the more stressed he became.  All the confidence he had held, only moments before, had swiftly gone out the window.  How the hell was he supposed to be able to complete all of this before the end of the semester?  And manage his other classes on top?  Not to mention, preparing for finals.  It was impossible!

“This is impossible!” Lance cried, echoing his thoughts out loud.  “I—there’s no way I can do all of this!  Not before the semester ends.  I barely understand the material as it is, but this—I don’t—”

Lance’s heart was racing at this point, running a fucking marathon it felt like, and his thoughts were moving just as fast.  It was taking everything in him just to pass his classes as they were now.  Studying was absolute torture for him, his ADHD basically making it impossible to focus on anything actually important.  He could barely focus enough for an hour long exam, let alone a semester long project.  There was no way he could get this done.  Absolutely no way!  And that meant he wouldn’t be able to graduate!  Which meant he also wouldn’t be able to get a decent job!  Which therefore meant he would be mooching off of his parents for the rest of his life, a perpetual disappointment in their lives.  Lance already felt enough like a failure, but having the proof right before his eyes like this?  It was too much.  How the hell was he supposed to fix this?

“Oh my.”  Allura said, astonished.  She had been reading everything from her position over his shoulder.  Even she had to admit, it was an outrageous amount of work.  “That is…quite a lot.”

“Allura, I have non idea how I’m going to any all of this done.”  He turned around to face her, her arms dropping from their comforting position around his waist.  “Please tell me you or Coran can fix this.”

Allura shook her head.  “I’m sorry Lance, but it’s out of my hands.  And from the sound of it, it’s out of Coran’s too.”

“It’s official then, I’m going to fail.”  Lance groaned, head falling back.

“Aww, don’t say that!  I’m sure we can all help you with it, especially Allura.”  Romelle said sympathetically.

“I appreciate that Romelle, but I doubt it.”  He said with a sad smile.  “Even Alllura wouldn’t be familiar with the material for this class.”

“Maybe not.”  Allura interjected.  “But I may know someone who is.”

Lance’s eyes widened in astonished as he turned to face his friend.  “You do?”

“Mmhmm.  Remember how I agreed to look into the course for you?”  Allura asked, stepping away to now grab her phone.  She swiped through it quickly, trying to find what it was she needed.

“Yeah, I remember.”

“Well, I was able to get in contact with an old friend of mine who took the class a few years ago.  He said it was hell.”

“No shit.”  Lance replied sarcastically.  “Did he say he would be willing to help?”

“He said he would love to!”  Allura began, causing Lance’s heartrate to shoot straight up.  There may be hope yet.  “Only…he can’t.”

Scratch that.

“What?”  Lance’s voice squeaked.  Allura winced at its sharp tone.

“Both him and his fiancé are graduate students who work full time.  He says there’s no way he’d be able to fit it into his schedule right now.”

“Nooooooo.”  Lance groaned, dragging the word out.  “Surely he could at least help with part of it?”

“Believe me, I asked.  No can do.”  Allura said, shaking her head.  “But, he knows someone who can.”

“Oh thank god.  Allura you’re giving me whiplash.”  Lance said, crumbling to his knees.  His hands came up to grasp onto the back of an empty chair for support.  “Please, for the love of all things related to academic survival, tell me they can help.”

“He said he would talk to him, but that it would be best to meet and discuss it in person.  Him and his fiancé are hosting a small barbecue this weekend, so we can all head over and meet everyone.  He said it would be small, but that we were welcome to bring anyone we’d like.”

“Whoohoo!”  Lance exclaimed, jumping up from his place on the floor.  “Yes!  Allura you are the absolute best!”

Lance hoisted Allura into his arms, holding onto her tightly as he twirled her around.  The young woman giggle at her friend’s antics, wrapping her arms around his neck so as not to fall.

“Romelle.”  Lance called, finally settling down.  He slowly dropped Allura back to solid ground.  Smiling, she went over to stand at her girlfriend’s side.  “You have the best girlfriend ever.”

“I know.”  Romelle replied cheekily.  The blonde leaned her head up, lips reaching for Allura’s as she tilted her own down to plant a kiss.

“So who else is going to this shindig?”  Lance asked.  He finally grabbed his backpack and set to join them at the table.

“Well, besides us, it’ll be my friend and his fiancé, and then another guest of theirs.  They had invited more people but there were a few last minute cancellations.”  Allura explained.

“I actually won’t be going with you guys.”  Pidge announces, looking up.  “I have plans with my brother this weekend.”

“Me either babe.”  Romelle echoes.  “I have to study for that test, remember?”

“Of course.”  Allura says with a kiss on her girlfriend’s cheek.  “I can’t stay for long myself.  Coran and I have our weekly Sunday dinner.  Hunk, do you know if Shay can come?”

Hunk shook his head.  “No, she actually has plans with her family too.”

“Ahh, so it’ll just be us three.”  Lance said, fiddling more with his phone than his textbooks.

“Sounds like it.”  Allura agreed.  She stepped across the room, retaking her place across from Romelle at the table.

“Cool.”  Lance muttered; mind too focused on the stray piece of thread on his sweatshirt.  If he could just pull it out… ”Cool, cool, cool, cool, cool.”

“Lance.”

“Yep.”

“Don’t you have a project to get started on?”

Lance’s eyes widened.  “Yes!” 

Frantically, he pulled out the rest of his school supplies, including his laptop, and set off on figuring out this horrible monstrosity that had been assigned to him.  With the encouragement and help of his friends, Lance had settled on the subject for his project by the time their study session ended.  Now, it seemed, it was on to the hard part.

The next two days flew by fairly fast.  His last day of classes had been a breeze, allowing for what would have been an easy and stress free Saturday if it hadn’t been for this damn project.  Lance had looked over the e-mail repeatedly, vigorously examining every word and requirement.  Barely any of it had sunk in though, leaving him feeling even more hopeless than before. 

Needless to say, he was desperate to meet Allura’s friend.  Lance was almost willing to offer marriage at this point if it meant actually being able to pass this class.  He would take all the help he could get.  By the time Sunday arrived, he was bouncing off the walls.

Due to Allura’s previously set plans, Hunk and Lance elected to simply follow her in a separate car instead of riding together.  This way, she could leave when she needed to, while Lance and Hunk were able to stay behind to schmooze their hosts.  And hopefully earn Lance a free A on this project in the process.

By the time they reached their destination, Lance wasn’t sure what he was more hungry for: free food or free help.  Hunk expertly pulled into the driveway, directly behind Allura’s silver Buick.  The house the three of them had arrived at was quaint, but with a certain homely vibe to it.  It was an old, white, two-story structure, with neighbors only a few yards away.  Lance could tell there was a more than spacious back yard though, if the wooden fence was anything to go by.  The front of the house consisted of a nice wooden porch, the floorboards stained a gorgeous brown.  There was even a porch swing, rocking back in forth in the wind, with two pillows on either side of it.  It was the definition of cozy.

Lance immediately felt more relaxed just looking at it.  He took this has a good sign as to how the evening was set to go, and hopefully the partnership as well.  Afterall, who could possibly live in a house like this and not be willing to help a stranger?

All three piled out of their respective cars and joined each other in their march to the front door.  Hunk and Lance moved behind Allura, allowing her to lead them as she was more familiar with the inhabitants of the house than either of them.  As they approached, Lance could see that the front door was open.  Or, at least the wooden one was.  It seemed that while the screen door was kept shut, its partner was wide open, allowing any passersby a perfect view into the couples’ home.  Lance himself could just barely make out a set of double sliding doors on the opposite of their house through the open visage.  Through them, he could then see piece of the backyard, where a large plume of smoke was rising into the air.

Allura gently pressed the doorbell, peering inside and smiling when she heard footsteps.  Soon enough, her old friend could be seen through the glass.

“Shiro!”  She exclaimed in glee.

A tall, built, and absolutely gorgeous man appeared in the open doorway.  He was a good head taller than Lance, a sensation Lance had hardly ever experienced due to his own height advantage.  He had black hair which was cut short, military style, though there was a streak of white towards the front.  A long thin scar stretched across the skin of his nose, but it didn’t take away from any of his features.  And despite missing an arm, the dude looked like he could bench press five of Lance.  The visuals which arrived with that thought sent a lengthy heat running through him.  No, bad Lance.

Still, he couldn’t stop himself from admiring the man in front of him.

Where there should have been a fleshy, human arm, was an expensive looking robotic one in its place.  Lance thought it odd at first, not used to seeing such things, but quickly adjusted to the sight.  He had to admit that the way the arm was designed was extremely unique, and something he knew Hunk would be gushing over later.  Lance would be lying though if the arm didn’t add to his whole appeal, fitting in well with the rest of Shiro’s build.

“Allura!”  Shiro cried, stepping outside to join them.  He quickly embraced the silver-haired girl, pulling her in for a hug.  Allura giggled and stood on her tiptoes so as to wrap her arms around his shoulders.  “It’s so good to see you!”

“You too!  How have you been?  How’s Adam?”

“We’re doing great!  Adam’s actually out back cooking the food.”

“Is that why the house hasn’t burnt down yet?”  Allura teased.  Shiro laughed and shook his head, a blush forming on his cheeks.  Hunk, however, squeaked in alarm next to him.

“Ha-ha, very funny.  I’ve actually been handling the sides, thank you very much.”

“With close observation, I’m sure.”

They fell into laughter once more.  Lance and Hunk joined them if only to be polite.  Eventually, everyone calmed down and the groups’ attention was now focused on the two newcomers.

“Shiro, I’d like you o meet my close friends, Hunk and Lance.”  Allura said, introducing them in turn with a slight wave of her hand.  “Hunk, Lance, this is Takashi Shirogane.”

“Just Shiro is fine.”  He assured.  “It’s nice to meet you guys.  Any friend of Allura’s is a friend of mine.”

“And anything cooked by Shiro is bound to be lethal.”  She warned them with a teasing wink.

“That’s not entirely true.”  Shiro countered, pouting.  “I can cook pancakes.”

“And didn’t Adam say that you almost caught the house on fire the last time you did?”  Allura questioned, eyebrow raised.

“Maybe…”

Next to him, Lance heard Hunk gasp.  He knew without looking that his face was one of anguish.  His friend absolutely hated the idea of any food being tortured by bad cooking, let alone almost burning down a house.  Lance knew that Hunk would definitely be giving Shiro some pointers by the end of the night.

“Pancake fanatic?”  Shiro asked upon hearing Hunk’s reaction.

“More like a five-star chef.”  Lance answers instead.  He rests an elbow atop Hunk’s shoulder and points a thumb at his best friend’s head.  “This guy is a genius in the kitchen.”

“Really?”  Shiro asked, amazed.  “What do you cook?”

“A bit of everything.”  Hunk admits, suddenly shy.  “I really enjoy baking though.  In fact, I brought some cookies for everyone, if that’s alright of course.  I thought it would be a nice thank-you-for-inviting-us-and-saving-my-best-friends-grade gift.

Shiro chuckled.  “Sure thing!  Bring ‘em on!”

Needing no further confirmation, Hunk raced off.  Lance laughed lightly at his best friends’ eagerness, but said nothing.  With Hunk gone though, this meant that all of Shiro’s attention was now focused on him.

“Lance right?  You’re the one Allura said needed help with an assignment, right?” 

Lance nodded.  “Yeah, Iverson is kicking my ass this semester.

“Ugh, I remember him.  He was always a bit of a pain.”

“No kidding.”  Lance moves to ask Shiro a question, but he’s briefly interrupted by Hunk’s return.

Hunk rejoins them, joyfully offering Shiro a taste of his famous chocolate chip cookies.  The Samoan opens the large tin, holding it out in front of him and towards their host for the evening.  Shiro’s eyes widen at the sight of them and he stares at Hunk in shock before eagerly grabbing a few cookies for himself.  With one bite, Lance could tell the man was in love.

Their little group continues to exchange pleasantries and compliments, most of which in regards to Hunk’s cookies that Shiro was now a huge fan of.  It’s not until there’s a pause in conversation that Shiro finally invites them inside.

It turns out, the inside of the house is just as cozy and welcoming as its exterior.  With soft blue walls and furniture that seemed well loved, one could tell that this was more than just a house.  It had been made into a home.

The house had an open layout, with a decent sized kitchen first thing to their right.  The cabinets were all a nice light beige, brightening the room.  A granite counter wrapped around in a semi-circle, proving a nice bar top for both cooks and eaters alike.  Across the room from it was their dining area.  A large oval table set directly in front of a set of sliding doors, with the wall behind it being covered in pictures and moments from over the course of the couple’s life.  Then, finally, there was a very large couch set, settled just to its left.  It was actually the first thing one sees when entering the home.

Yeah, Lance has a great feeling about this.

Shiro leads them through the home, escorting the three friends out to the backyard.  Allura and Hunk immediately go off to speak to the chef of the evening, Shiro’s fiancé.  And though Lance hasn’t had the chance to speak with him yet, he could definitely see the appeal.  Adam was just as handsome as Shiro, making the two a perfect pair as far as looks were concerned.  Lance could tell by the way he interacted with Hunk that he was just as nice and welcoming.  He and Hunk seemed to get along instantly, the two already engaged in a heavy debate over the best way to cook burgers.

“So, are you the genius that’s going to be helping me with this project?”  Lance finally asks when there’s a break in conversation.  God he hoped so.  Adam would be a great teacher.  Unfortunately, the man shakes his head.

“Sorry, no.”  He laughs slightly.  “I was a psychology major so I steered clear of all the hard sciences.”

“Damn.  Any idea who it is then?”

“Ahh, yeah, that would be Shiro’s little brother.  He took Iverson’s class last year.  He should be here soon.”  The doorbell rang.  “Scratch that.  That should be him right now.”

“I got it!”  Shiro yells, already racing back across the yard.

He disappears behind glass, leaving the rest of the party guests to wait for his return.  Lance returns his attention back to his friends, drawing himself back into the conversation.  Unfortunately, Adam and Allura were bonding over times when a partner cooked for them.  Which, of course, meant that Lance was brought up.

“And then!”  Allura gasps, having trouble breathing through her raucous laughter.  “He tripped!  The spaghetti sauce went flying across the room, landing all over me!”

“Allura!”  Lance draws out.  His face is flushed and he covers it from embarrassment.  “Do you really need to make me relive that atrocity?”

“Oh Lance,”  She said, smiling as eh place one hand on his shoulder.  “You didn’t have to wash the spaghetti out of your dress that night.”

“I apologized!  And I paid for your dry cleaning!”

“Very true, you were a gentleman about it.”  She admitted.  “But you have to admit, it was a tragedy of a first date.”

“Hey!  I was a great boyfriend!”  Lance said, defending himself against such slander.  “Besides, I thought we had a good time.  It was fun, incredibly embarrassing, but fun despite the fact that spaghetti sauce got all over the ceiling.”

“True, it was a rather enjoyable evening.  Even if my white dress was red by the end of it.”

Allura giggled and ruffled his hair in a teasing manner.  Lance scoffed and rolled his yes.  He opened his mouther to further defend his character when he was interrupted.

“You guys!”  Shiro called, gaining the attention of the entire group.  “I’d like you to meet my little brother…”

Lance turned with the rest of them, now facing Shiro.  He was excited!  Afterall, this was the person he would basically be spending the rest of the semester with right?  And they’re related to Shiro!  One of the nicest people he’s ever met, with the exception of Hunk and Shay, but hardly anyone was sweeter than those two.  All of which meant that whoever Shiro’s brother, they were bound to get along.  Afterall, they couldn’t be that—

Oh.

Oh no.

Fuck.

There, standing next to Shiro on the back porch steps of his home, was the last person Lance had expected to see today.  He would even go so far as to say the last person he wanted to see, ever!  Because seriously, what the fuck was he doing here?

“Everyone, this is Keith.”

Lance’s eyes narrowed into a glare as he examined the boy in front of him.  He had traded out his usual all black attire for something a little more colorful.  Replaced was his black shirt and ebony leather jacket.  In its place was a thin, well worn grey t-shirt, a red leather motorcycle jacket laid over it.  And somehow, this simple change in outfit had that familiar heat rolling beneath Lance’s skin.  Keith looked every bit as gorgeous as he did when they last saw each other. 

The memory of that night sent another shot of annoyance through Lance’s veins.  Of all people to show up and be his supposed project partner, it had to be this guy?  Surely his luck wasn’t that bad?

Keith finally turned his head, eyes meeting all of them.  He examined each of them in turn, learning all of the unfamiliar faces, until his stared landed on someone who wasn’t a stranger.  His violet eyes widened as he gazed upon Lance, lips parting in shock.  Lance couldn’t help the smug look he made at that observation. 

Of course, this seemed to piss Keith off, his expression instantly growing harsh.  He returned Lance’s glare with one of his own.  They stared each other off as the two brothers descended the stairs into the freshly cut grass.  Then, Keith turned to Shiro, whispering something in his ear before moving to leave.  Shiro, however, caught his arm before he could make a getaway and whispered a comment of his own.  Whatever it was, it was enough to make Keith stay, though he sure didn’t seem happy about it.

“Isn’t that the guy from the bar the other night?  Your mystery guy?”  Allura whispered next to him.

“Yep, unfortunately, it is.”  Lance confirmed, his voice equally as quiet.

“Well, you don’t have to talk to him if you don’t want to.”  Allura told him supportively.  “Just say hi, be polite, and ignore him for the rest of the party.  I’m sure he’ll be doing the same for you.”

“Yeah, hopefully.”

Lance turned then, his back now facing the man who had rejected him but a week prior.  He had all intent of ignoring Keith for the duration of this little barbecue.  Politeness be damned.  Only, Lance’s plan didn’t go…well, according to plan.  No longer had he turned his full attention back to the group than had someone called his name.  Instinct begged him not to answer, but his Mama had taught him better than that.  So, with a deep breath, Lance turned to face his addresser.

“Lance!”  Shiro yelled again.  “Can you come here for a second?”

Lance flinched slightly, but nodded at Shiro nonetheless.  As he left his little circle of comfort, Lance sent a pleading look back to Allura.  She smiled encouragingly, but even Lance could see the slightest amount of worry held within her eyes.

“What’s up?”  Lance asked as he grew closer.  He made no move to speak to Keith, though Keith made no attempts of his own.

“Lance, this is my little brother Keith.  Keith, this is Lance.  He’s a friend of Allura’s.”  Shiro said, unknowingly reintroducing the two men.  They nodded at each other, but Lance had been the only one to offer up a polite smile.

“Nice to meet you.”  Lance said tersely, jaw clenched and lips pulled tight.  When Keith didn’t respond, Shiro nudged his brother’s shoulder.

“You too.”  Keith grunted, albeit reluctantly.  He stared Lance down, as if attempting to murder the Cuban with his eyes.  Though, if looks could kill, Lance would have been a bloody mess on the floor two minutes ago.

“Anyway, Lance, Keith here is a genius at chemistry.  He took Iverson’s class last year and somehow came out of it with an A.”

“Is there a particular reason you’re bringing up that semester of torture?”  Keith asked pointedly.

“Well Keith, Lance is looking for help with a project for the same class.  I was thinking you might be able to offer some assistance.”

All the color drained from Lance’s face.  He gasped silently and he was sure he didn’t breathe at all for a moment there.  How had he forgotten about that?  Adam had just told him it would be Shiro’s brother helping him with Iverson’s torture device.  He just hadn’t expected Shiro’s brother to be Keith.

“Um, what?”  Lance asked, voice squeaking a little towards the end.  He met Keith’s gaze, who seemed just as confused by this revelation.  Clearly, he hadn’t been expecting this either.

“Keith did an excellent job in Iverson’s class Lance, despite some slight disciplinary issues.  I’m sure he’ll be able to assist you with whatever you need.”

Just then, Adam called for Shiro’s help at the grill, beckoning his fiancé over to him.  Shiro quickly excused himself and hurried off to help his partner.  Unfortunately, this meant that he and Keith were left to their own devices, which had proven both extremely pleasurable, but also painful, in the past.

“Disciplinary issues?”  Lance questioned by way of making conversation, one eyebrow raised.

“None of your business.”  Keith told him with a glare.  “What are you doing here anyway?”

“What Shiro said.  Allura is one of my best friends and she offered to find someone to help me with this project.  It’s a bit of a Hail Mary.”  He explained.

“Well, good luck with that.”  Keith said shoulder checking Lance as he walked past.

“Hey!”  Lance called after, hurrying to catch up.    Keith maintained a brisk pace, almost running to reach the other side of the yard.

“Hey!”  Lance yelled again, this time grabbing at Keith’s shoulder.  This caused Keith to pause in his march, shoving Lance’s hand away.  In retaliation, Lance stepped directly into Keith’s path, preventing him from moving any further.

“Look, I’m not exactly happy about this either, but I’m desperate here man.  I really need the help.”

“Like I said, good luck with that.”  Keith went to side-step him but Lance moved before he could, quickly blocking Keith once again.

“Come on!  I know you don’t give second chances or whatever that bullshit excuse was the other night.  That’s not what I’m here for, I promise.  For real, I just need your help with this class.”

Lance was all but groveling at the man’s feet.  At his words though, Keith finally stopped his escape attempts and Lance thought that, maybe, he was finally listening to what Lance had to say.  That, of course, ended up being completely wrong.

“So you stalked me?  And I’m supposed to believe this isn’t some pathetic attempt at sleeping with me again? Yeah, right.”

Keith’s words came out bitter and full of disgust, as if the very presence of Lance sent him over the edge.  Lance, for his part, was done.  It was one thing to turn him down, to reject him both platonically and sexually, and yes, his ego was definitely bruised, but to insinuate that Lance was so desperate to get laid that he would track someone all the way to their brother’s place?  That was just fucking ridiculous!  Sure, Keith was good in bed, but he wasn’t that damn good.

“You know what, no.  Listen here.”  Lance ordered, stepping further into Keith’s space.  Keith didn’t budge though, holding his ground.  “I don’t know what high horse you think it is you ride on, but news flash, my life doesn’t revolve around you.  I didn’t want or plan any of this.  And I sure as hell didn’t stalk you! 

“Just because you were a good fuck, once,” Lance continues, shoving a finger against Keith’s chest.  “It doesn’t mean I’m so desperate as to chase you down over something so stupid.  Especially after you already rejected me.  Because, believe me, you made your point perfectly clear the other night.”

“This project, however, actually does man a lot to me, and I genuinely need your help.”  Lance paused, collecting his breath as he stared up into Keith’s eyes.  The man’s face had remained stoic throughout all of Lance’s tirade, having not even flinched an inch.  Lance scoffed and shook his head, learning all he needed to know from that alone.

“But I’m clearly not going to get it.  So why don’t we just ignore each other for the of his god forsaken barbecue and then we can both go back to pretending the other doesn’t exist.  Deal?  Good.”

Lance turned on his heel, not bothering to wait for a response.  There would be no point and whatever Keith had to say, Lance didn’t want to hear it.  And he certainly didn’t want to make an even larger scene than what he already had.  So, Lance approached his friends, seeking their comforting presence as he formed an escape plan.

He plastered on a fake smile, not wanting to allude anyone to what just happened.  Lance joined in their conversation, throwing in a few flirtatious remarks and jokes, but beneath it all, he was still fuming.  In fact, he was so focused on trying to leave the party that Lance wasn’t even sure if Keith had ever joined them as well.

“Allura, can I talk to you for a minute?”  Lance asked when he had the chance.  Allura agreed and the two excused themselves for a few moments or privacy.  Everyone sent them a few curious looks, but said nothing as they stepped to the other side of the yard.

“Is something wrong?”  Allura asked, worry filling her voice.  “You sounded agitated.”

“It’s…can we talk about it later actually?  I’d rather not discuss it here.”

“Of course.  What did you want to discuss then?”

“Can you give me a ride home?”  Lance asked with pleading eyes.  “Like, right now?”

“I mean, sure, but can I ask what brought his on?  I thought you and Hunk were going to stay for the entire evening.”

Lance shook his head.  “Not anymore.  Or at least, not me.   I can’t stand to be around that guy as it is?”

“Did something happen?”  Allura questioned, growing concerned.

“That’s putting it lightly.”  Lance told her with a scoff.  “Not only did he absolutely refuse to help me with this project, but he also accused me of stalking him!  What even!”

Allura’s eyes widened.  “Why would he say that?”

“I don’t know!”  Lance exclaimed.  “I literally have no clue Allura.”

“Well, nonetheless, it’s an absolutely ridiculous idea.  And he refused to give you even the slightest bit of help on this?  Even after knowing how important it is?”

“Trust me, I plead my case, but he didn’t care Allura.  I have no doubt that I won’t be receiving any help from that guy.”  Lance told her bitterly.  He could almost taste the venom in his words.

“Oh Lance…I’m so sorry.”  Allura said, mouth downturned.  “I’m sure we can figure something else out.”

“I really, really hope so.”  Lance confessed with a sigh.  “I’m going to need all the help I can get.”

 “I would be more than happy to give you a ride though.  Only, I wanted to wait a few more minutes, just until everyone is about to sit down to eat.  Is that okay?”

Lance thought it over, but he knew he had no better option. “Yeah, that’s fine.  I can wait.”

Having come to a decision, the two rejoin the rest of the party, easily slipping into their conversation.  Throughout the next thirty minutes, Lance tries to relax and make a good impression.  His inner extraverts shows itself, attracting as much attention as he can get.  He thrives in this kind of environment, even if one particular person refuses to even crack a smile at Lance’s jokes. 

Oh yeah, he absolutely hates all of the positive comments Lance.  The boy is constantly throwing Lance hateful looks and it both unnerves him and sets a fire in his belly that has Lance showing off even more.  Only, he’s not sure if it’s out of spite and competition, or from enjoying having Keith’s attention focused on him.

Eventually, all the food was cooked and ready to be served.  Shiro and Adam carried the food inside, with a little help from everyone else.  The party was officially moving inside, which meant it was time for Lance and Allura to make their leave.  The young woman made her rounds, saying goodbye to everyone with cheerful smiles and ‘we’ll get together soon’s.  Lance elected to wait by the front door for his friend to finish, figuring it was pointless for himself to do the same.  Afterall, there was no chance he’d ever be coming here again, not if Keith was around, and it seemed pointless to say goodbye to Hunk when he would be seeing him again in only a few hours at their apartment.

“We’ll see you guys later.”  Lance announces as Allura comes to join him by the front door.  His hands move anxious inside his coat pockets.

“Wait Lance, you’re leaving too?”  Hunk asks, surprised by his best friend’s statement.

“Yeah, sorry man.  I figured it was best if I head back and Allura agreed to give me a ride…”  Lance explained briefly, voice drifting off towards the end.  Hunk furrowed his brows and a tone of concern coated his next words.  God, Lance hated to make his friends worry like this.

“Is everything okay?” 

“Of course!  Everything’s great Hunk, I promise.”  Lance lies, pointedly not looking in Keith’s direction.  “I just thought I would go work on that project for Iverson.”

“Oh.  Okay.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to stay and eat?  Maybe you and Keith can discuss details over the meal.”  Shiro suggests, taking note of the disappointment on Hunk’s face. 

He and Adam were still laying out all of the night’s dishes on the dining table.  The food did look delicious…but Lance couldn’t help but wince when Shiro’s words finally caught up with him.  He knew exactly how much of his project would be discussed over dinner.  Lance wasn’t sure if he wanted to be witness, let alone participate, in that particular conversation.

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea.”  Lance admitted, rubbing nervously at the back of his neck.  At this, Shiro’s face became scrunched.  He opened his mouth to question what exactly Lance meant by that, when Keith managed to speak first.

“Just stay for the food.”  Keith grumbled.  He still refused to look at Lance though.  “We can talk about your stupid project later.”

Lance stared at him, completely and utterly confused.  Because, seriously, did those words just come from his mouth?  Not half an hour ago, the guy had been accusing Lance of stalking him!  They hadn’t spoken a word to each other since their earlier confrontation, had barely even glanced at one another.  Now he was inviting him to stay for dinner?  It didn’t make sense!

He stares at Keith, one eyebrow raised and arms crossed, waiting for him to something more.  It never comes though and the lack of continuance has Lance narrowing his eyes in suspicion.  When he receives nothing else in response, Lance finally casts his eyes over to Hunk only to see his friend pouting and holding his hands up in a pleading manner.

“Please?”  Just long enough to eat?”  Hunk begs and that’s it.  Lance gives in with a sigh and nods. 

He really doesn’t want to, but Lance has never been able to refuse Hunk when he’s like this.  Plus, he really didn’t want to leave his friend behind.  Lance had secretly been hoping Hunk would join them in their departure, but he should his known that his chef friend could never turn down free food.

“Alright, but only until dinner’s over.  Then I really need to get back.”  Lance states.  Hunk whoops and turns around to eagerly begin filling a plate for both of them.  With a deep sigh, Lance turns to look at Allura.

“Thanks anyway.”  He tells her.

“No worries Lance.  Are you sure you’ll be okay?”  Allura asks, one hand pressing gently against his shoulder.  Her eyes glance behind him and Lance doesn’t need to turn around to know who her gaze has landed on.  Lance smiles at her and pats her hand before gently removing it.

“Yeah, I will be.  Hopefully I’ll even be able to convince him to help me with this damn thing.”

“Well, good luck.  Let me know how it goes.”

“Sure thing.”  He assures her, pulling open the door so she can make her exit. 

Allura calls one last goodbye, the sentiment echoed back at her, before finally stepping out to her car.  Lance takes a moment to gather himself, puffing his chest and putting on his very best smile, before finally turning to face the rest of the evening.

By the time Lance rejoins his friends, both old and new, and with the small inclusion of a new enemy, they’re already sitting down to eat.  Hunk had been kind enough to make a small plate of food for Lance, the likes of which is already placed in front of a seat at the table.  Lance moves to sit behind it, glancing around to table to see how the rest of the layout was.

Shiro ends up sitting at the head of the table, a position Lance could tell he was familiar with.  Adam then sat to his right and an empty seat on his left.  Hunk sits across from him, smiling happily at Lance.  Lance returns it before glancing back down the table.  There were only two empty chairs left, and both of them were beside Lance.  Fuck.

Therefore, Lance isn’t too surprised when Keith takes the empty seat between him and Shiro.  That doesn’t mean he’s happy about it though.  But, Lance says nothing as the mullet joins them at the table.  Glancing at the other’s face, he doesn’t seem to pleased about the arrangement either.

The four of them engage in idle chatter, passing from subject to subject.  They were all throwing jokes, telling stories, and Lance was actually beginning to enjoy himself.  Even Keith’s annoying presence was bother him less and less.  Of course, that all changes when someone mentions school.

“So, what are you two studying?”  Shiro asks.  The question was directed towards him and Hunk.  Lance moved to answer but Hunk beat him to it.

“I’m doing mechanical engineering, and Lance here is studying marine biology.”

Shiro’s eyebrows shoot up and he turns to face Lance.  “Oh!  No wonder you know Allura and Coran then.”

“Yeah.”  Lance says with a smile.  “I’m taking Coran’s class right now actually.  It’s…interesting, to say the least.”

Shiro laughed, full bodied with his head thrown back.  “Don’t I know it.  Allura convinced me to take it for a science credit and the entire time I thought I was hallucinating.  I really had no idea what he was teaching us half the time.”

“Listen, I love Coran, but I’m pretty sure he’s just making stuff up sometimes.”  Lance agrees with a laugh.  “But then, he somehow proves it!  Like, he has undeniable proof that every single one of his strange, unusual, and absolute make-believe stories are actually true!  Some of the other students are even convinced he’s from another planet.”

“That would explain so much.”  Shiro says as he chuckles.  “Do you think Allura is too?”

“I mean, her beauty is definitely otherworldly, so maybe.”  Lance replied with his signature wink.  The rest of the table laughs but through it all, he’s able to hear a low grumbling from his right.  Lance doesn’t acknowledge it, but it does send an itch of irritation running through him.

“What form of torture has Iverson assigned you then?  Something horrible, I’m sure.”  Shiro continues.

Lance groans and slumps down in his chair as he runs his hands down his face.  “It’s a four-part project.  First, I have to choose a subject to focus on and send a proposal to him for approval.  Once it’s been approved, I have to conduct my own form of research study on it.  Then, I have to write an essay on what I observed and how I could do better.  And, after all of that, I have to present my findings to him.”

“Wow.”  Adam comments.  “That is a lot.”

“Lance is a natural at presentations though.”  Hunk assures them.  “I’m sure you’ll have no problem with that part buddy.”

“Yeah.”  Lance agrees, running a hand through his hair.  “I’m honestly not too stressed about that part.  It’s the research and paper that has me worried.”

“Well, I’m sure Keith can help you with those parts.  He did a great job in Iverson’s class.  Isn’t that right Keith?”  Shiro says, oblivious to how the two boys tense.

“Uh, yeah.  I guess.”  Keith mutters, not looking up from his plate.  Those green beans must be really interesting, Lance muses.

“You two are welcome to work on it here, by the way.  Keith knows where everything’s at and he has all the passwords, so you shouldn’t have any problems.”

“Listen, Shiro—” Keith began but Lance spoke too fast for him to continue.

“Thanks Shiro, I appreciate that.  But Keith here has already turned me down as a study partner.  Maybe some other time though.”  Lance says, giving Keith a self-satisfied smirk when he notices the boy flinch.  Lance stretched and purposefully rest his arm across the back of Keith’s chair, the black-haired boy tensing even further.  He glares at Lance from the corner of his eyes before focusing on a very confused Shiro.

“Keith?  Is that true?”  Shiro asks, waiting.  The rest of the party goers watched in avid amusement.  They were enraptured by the drama unfolding before them it seemed.

“Shiro, it’s not what it sounds like.”

“What is it then Keith?  Do you not like me or something?”  Lance asks.  He made sure to look as innocent as possible, but he was more than aware of the evil glint his eyes held.  Keith’s own violet pair widened as they stared at Lance and the Cuban catches a glimpse of those pale hands forming fists where they lay beneath the table.

“Keith…”  Shiro begins, dad voice in go.  Lance had to cover his mouth with his hand in order to hide the grin growing beneath it.

“Shiro, please don’t start.”  Keith begs.

“Keith,” Shiro continues, ignoring Keith’s pleas.  “Please tell me you are not purposefully ignoring someone in need.  And please say it’s not because of something as stupid as ‘you don’t like him.’  I thought we taught you better than that.”

Lance has to freaking cough in order to hide the laughter that slips through him.  He’s not sure of how good of a job he does though, if Hunk’s pointed looks are anything to go by.  Clearing his throat, Lance refocuses.

“Yeah Keith, I really need you…” Lance says, allowing his voice to drift off at the end, providing a pretty clear innuendo to the boy next to him.  “to help me with this.”  He continues.

Again, if looks could kill, Lance would have been dead a long time ago.  Keith was practically throwing daggers at him with his eyes.  Lance was sure things would have come to blows if they had been in a Shiro-free zone.

Hunk though, casts Lance another look of warning.  Lance lifts his shoulders and offers him a cheeky grin in return.  Adam, however, seems entirely amused by the evening’s turn of events.  In fact, if Lance didn’t know any better, he’d say he wasn’t alone in silently laughing at the situation.

“Keith—” Shiro starts again.

“Fine.  I’ll help you with your stupid project.”  Keith says, cutting him off.

“I guess that settles it then.”  Adam announces with a clap of his hands, thereby ending the conversation.  “Now, who wants pie?”

“Me!”  Hunk shouts in response.  Both he and Adam stand, gathering everyone’s empty plates.  The two carry the dirty dishes into the kitchen, depositing them in the sink to be washed later.  Lance watched as the two greedily peered over a baking pan, which he presumed contained the beforementioned pie.

“Thank you Keith.”  Shiro tells him quietly.

“Yeah, thank you so much Keith.  I really appreciate it.” Lance echoed.  He smiles over at the boy in question, but Keith just gave him a knowing glare in response.  His stare only deepened as Lance’s grin widened.  They said nothing else, the three of them waiting quietly for Hunk and Adam to return with their desserts.

The pie goes by quickly, much faster than Lance would have liked.  It was no Hunk creation, but he had to admit the dessert had been delicious.  New subjects had broken out as the table calmed down for the evening, engaging them all in a light and steady conversation. 

It’s not until they move to the kitchen that Lance feels the tension in the air begin to rise once more.  He knows Keith’s eyes are on him, can physically feel his stare on the back of his head.  Lance leans against the counter, trying to pay the sensation, and the man behind it, no mind.  Instead, he watches and listens as Shiro and Adam wash dishes while Hunk assists in putting away the leftover food.

This, however, leaves both Lance and Keith with nothing else to do than be painfully aware of the other, yet neither say anything.  The two remain quiet as their three friends engage in health conversation.  Lance makes sure to join in every now and then, waning a distraction from the man beside him.

At some point, Lance excuses himself to the bathroom.  Shiro and Adam give him directions and Lance parts from the rest of the group.  He quickly completes his business and sets about washing his hands.  It’s not until he’s mid scrub that someone knocks on the door.

“Almost finished!”  Lance calls through the wood.

The next thing he knows, the door is forced open, nearly hitting Lance before he jumps back and out of the way.  Before Lance can utter a word, he’s being turned around and pushed against the counter.  He’s vaguely aware of the bathroom door slamming shut next to him as he attempts to refocus.

Blinking, he looks up to see a very angry Keith.

“What the fuck is your problem?”  The man growls.  He has two fists tugging violently at Lance’s shirt and Lance does his best not to whimper.  He stares at Keith, releasing a nervous chuckle as he slowly grows used to his sudden predicament.

“You know, if I didn’t know any better…I’d think you’d want to kiss me, ambushing me in the bathroom like this.”  Lance teases.  Keith scoffs and releases his hold.    

His aggressor steps back to lean against the wall behind him, arms crossed.  Lance’s feet settle back onto the ground and as he moves to straighten his shirt, he realizes his hands are still covered in soap.  Calmly, he spins to face the sink and proceeds in rinsing himself off. 

“Answer the question.”  Keith orders.  Lance meets his eyes in the mirror.

“I don’t have a problem.” He answers before finally drying his hands on a nearby towel.

Keith sneers.  “Obviously you do.  Otherwise you wouldn’t have pulled that shit back at the table.”

“Are you referring to how I conned you into actually helping me?  I personally thought that was some of my best work.  Genius even.”  Lance responds, turning back to face Keith directly.  The man in question steps forward, growling as he protrudes Lance’s space.  A pale skinned hand moves to rest on the counter behind Lance, essentially blocking him in.

“I am not helping you with your stupid project.”  He tells him through gritted teeth.  Lance only smiles, grinning cheekily.

“And explain to Shiro why you turned down his new friend?  After having already agreed to it in front of him?”

Keith emits a harsh groan as he removes his arm, releasing Lance.  Hands pull at black strands as violet eyes close.  Keith releases another groan, frustration rumbling in his chest, before those eyes are staring Lance down.

“You have an answer for everything don’t you?  God, why can’t you just shut up for once!”  Keith yells as he invades Lance’s space once more.  Their noses are nearly touching and he can feel the warmth of Keith’s breath blowing against his lips.

“Make me then.”  Lance challenges.

A pin drops.

Then, movement.

They rush at each other, hands grabbing at each other in frantic motions.  Lance gasps as Keith’s lips meet his, providing an ample opportunity for Keith to slip his tongue through.  They explore each other’s mouths while their hands roam familiar territory.  This certainly had been the response Lance expected, but he definitely wasn’t complaining.  Keith’s lips felt just as good as he remembered.

He lets out a soft whine as he pulls Keith closer, tugging at the hair there at the nape of his neck.  Keith grunts and ivory arms wrap about Lance’s waist.  Hands descend to squeeze at Lance’s ass and Lance almost moans.  Keith must have noticed too, for he repeats the action before lifting Lance to sit on the bathroom counter.

Jean clad legs wrap around Keith’s waist, drawing him in.  Their hips are flush and rubbing against each other, creating perfect, delirious friction that makes him moan and gasp for more.  Lance’s arms circle Keith’s shoulders and he pulls gently at the hair there.  Keith releases a soft groan while his hands find their way under Lance’s shirt.  Firm fingers press into his skin, sinking lower and lower…until they’re skating the edge of his boxers.

Knock knock knock

They slip beneath the waistband, gripping tight at the flesh just below.  Keith kneads Lance’s ass cheeks, one in each hand, and Lance grinds up in response.  He wants more, his body craving to recreate their first encounter.

Knock knock knock

Lance whines when he feels Keith pull away.  Those marvelous hands remove themselves from their position in his pants and Lance pouts.  He opens his mouth to ask why, but a slim finger is pressed against his lips before he can speak.

“Seven o’clock.  O’Connell’s bar.  Friday.”  Keith tells him shortly.  Lance stares at him dumbly for a few moments before nodding in understanding.

Keith lets go of Lance completely then.  He watches as the door is pulled open, only to reveal a startled Hunk.  His friend’s hand is raised mid-air, as though poised to knock.  Oh, so that’s what that was.  Lance thinks, having barely been aware of any background noise.

Hunk glances between the two and Lances watches the moment it finally sinks in.  He gasps and his eyes widen at the newfound realization.  Hunk lowers his hand and his lips move as though he wishes to say something, but no words are spoken.  It seemed he was just as surprised as Lance by their bathroom activities.

“Bye.”  Keith tells them bluntly before briskly making his exit.  He cuts past Hunk as he escapes back into the living room.  They watch him walk away for a moment before Hunk’s eyes settle back on Lance.  Lance’s face warms under his friend’s stare.

“Uh…hey man.”  Lance greets, voice breaking slightly towards the end.  Hunk’s shoulders fall as he looks at Lance, face going blank in disapproval.

“Really Lance, the bathroom?”

His blush spreads and he finally jumps off the bathroom counter.  He takes a moment to make himself presentable before exiting the bathroom.

“Do not tell Pidge.”  Lance orders, passing his friend.  Hunk only laughs.

Chapter Text

By the time Friday came along, Lance was a mess.  A complete and absolute wreck.  He might as well have been a five-car pileup, that’s how stressed he was. 

He hadn’t known a single moment of peace since the barbecue.  The sun-kissed boy had thought over, and then overthought, everything.  He had spent the entire week planning for every detail of his...date? 

Lance didn’t know what it was, and that, perhaps, was the most stressful thing of all.  Afterall, was it a date?  Or just a casual hookup?  Or a simple meet-up between friends to talk about…whatever, his project maybe?  Lance truly had no idea what his meeting with Keith qualified as, let alone what it meant for their relationship.  What little of one they had at least. 

Lance knew the probability of it being anything more than a casual thing was low.  Keith had all but assured Lance of that during their second meeting.  Still, the peculiarity of it all, not to mention the uneven ground he felt they stood on, made Lance question.  He also couldn’t deny that a small part of him did hope it was more, though he wasn’t entirely sure why.  But right now, Lance was busy with the toughest semester of his academic career.  He simply didn’t have the time for anything more, and that meant even entertaining the notion of romantic feelings.    

No, Lance thought, not now.  Maybe next semester.

Yet, his heart continued to pitter patter at the mere thought of seeing that mullet again, despite its atrocious style.  Lance always felt so overwhelmed whenever he was in Keith’s presence, and he wasn’t sure how much of that was positive, or even healthy, for him.  All he knew, was that butterflies erupted in his stomach whenever he was close to Keith, leaving him feeling perpetually unsteady.  It wasn’t entirely unpleasurable though, that sensation, leading Lance to chase after it as often as he could.

But, despite the butterflies, did Lance even want this to be a date?

Was even any precedence for that in his relationship with Keith?  The two had been at odds with each other ever since Shay’s birthday celebration.  The guy had just accused him of stalking for goodness sake!  What did that say about them and their…friendship?  Lance had no idea.

Nevertheless, these were the thoughts that had been plaguing Lance all week, as he desperately tried to categorize their relationship.  They ran over and over, forming loops as they completed multiple cycles.  His confusion left him feeling both excited and terrified of what was to come.

After leaving Shiro’s last Sunday, Lance had immediately begun to plan, the task giving him at least some sense of control over the situation.  Besides, he didn’t want to go in unprepared, not knowing what to expect.  Upon arriving back at his and Hunk’s apartment, Lance had googled the bar Keith mentioned to him.  The place seemed nice enough, and pretty popular.  Plus, he found that it was only a short ten-minute walk from his apartment, right near his area in downtown.  Which was great, because it then allowed Lance to drink as much as he wanted.  Or rather, needed, knowing how strong his nerves had been just thinking about seeing Keith. 

Lance had mapped the route countless times in his head.  Which roads to take, where to turn, when to leave his apartment so that he got there just a few minutes before their set time.  He had meticulously gone over what he was going to wear, how he was going to do his hair, and what, if any, makeup he was going to put on for tonight.  He knew each and every fine detail of how he wanted to look that evening.  Lance was prepared.  He was totally…absolutely…undoubtedly…

Screwed.

He was so, so screwed.

Lance had spent so much time going over the details of this evening, that he hadn’t even considered the actual substance of it.  Had purposefully avoided it even.  He didn’t want to think about what this night might mean for them.  Lance knew that once he went down that rabbit hole of thinking, he may never come back out.  His mind had already spun circles with just his feelings over Keith, there was no telling what would happen when thinking about Keith himself, and whatever else was set to happen tonight.

The thing is, Lance had no idea how Keith was going to act.  The man had already shown Lance so many different sides of himself, Lance was sure he had gotten whiplash from the man’s mood swings.  And Lance, he was terrified of the reactions Keith always seemed to pull from him, no matter how pleasurable they could be.  That desperate want…that need…it ran through his veins as if it were as natural to him as his own blood.  It was much too strong to be qualified as simple lust and completely undeniable.

Lance had no idea what to expect once both parties were there.  He had controlled every other possible variable than that of Keith himself, and yet he was the most unpredictable thing of all.  Lance would simply have to think on his feet with Keith, the entire night being built out of steady improvisation.

And oh, his friends had teased him mercilessly over his anal attention to detail for such a small thing.  Pidge had been especially brutal in their teasing remarks, even more so after they learned of what happened at the barbecue.  Hunk, of course, had told them exactly what he had discovered in the bathroom, despite Lance’s pleas not to. 

Pidge had been disgusted at first, not wanting to hear any details of Lance’s sexual exploits.  Then, they realized that this was prime blackmail material and had quickly proceeded into making jokes throughout the week.  Though, they did back off some once they realized how stressed Lance actually was over tonight, which he had deeply appreciated.

Hunk, however, had been much more supportive, if not a little worried.  Though, it seemed he was more concerned over what Keith would do, rather than Lance himself.  While he knew Lance extremely well, Hunk knew next to nothing about Keith.  All he had to go on were Lance’s complaints and his own observations.  Neither had exactly served to put Keith into a favorable light in his book. 

He was particularly bothered by Lance’s apparent obsession with Keith, as he put it, along with their obvious distaste for each other at the barbecue last Sunday.  Needless to say, Hunk was being very cautious in regards to tonight’s’ meeting.

Hunk had spoken to Lance about his apprehensions, stating that he thought Lance may be jumping in too quickly.  Hunk thought that Lance may be getting too attached to Keith, and much faster than he should, especially if all of this was just some attempt to prove Nyma wrong.  He wanted Lance to be careful.

Lance, of course, had assured his best friend that everything was fine.  Lance was perfectly prepared for anything Keith would throw his way.  Though, he wasn’t entirely sure how true either of those statements were.  Even Lance had noticed some concerning behavior within himself ever since he met Keith.  His infatuation, for lack of a better word, had been obvious event o his own eyes.  Still, Lance didn’t want his friends to worry.

So, he calmed Hunk’s fears as best as he could, assuring him, as well as himself a little, that everything would be alright.  There was no need to worry.  He was perfectly safe, in every form of the word, with Keith right?  He had nothing to worry about!  Lance only wanted Keith for a hookup, a casual affair between sex buddies, that was all.

Right?

Lance took a steadying breath.  It was one he desperately knew he needed.  He fiddle with his clothes, adjusting his outfit as best as he could from where he sat.  He had gone for a nice blue button down, one he knew brought out his eyes, along with a pair of jeans that always made his ass look amazing.  He looked breathtaking and he knew it.

Keith won’t be able to resist me.  He thought.

Lance had gotten there only a few minutes before, having arrived earlier than even he had planned.  There were still fifteen minutes until his meeting with Keith was set to begin.  Lance had definitely gotten there too early, but he appreciated the extra time to try and calm his nerves without being stuck under that violet gaze.

He glanced around the bar, taking in its warm atmosphere.  Lance had never been here before, had never even heard of the place, but it seemed popular enough.  The bar was a little rowdy, with half of its customers sitting to one side, engaged in a yelling match with the television.  The place definitely seemed to have it set of regulars, despite the young college students which had joined in their midst. 

It was rustic, with emerald-green walls and dark stained wood.  Booths lined the walls, the cushions set as a burgundy red.  They were well worn too, their age noticeable from even across the room.  Lance had no doubt they had welcomed many patrons into their seats over the years.  The proof of which were the hundred of pictures which were hung all around.  Each one contained an image of what seemed to be a variety of owners and customers from over the years.

Behind the bar was a scruffy man.  He had white, barely there hair, and appeared as old as the building he sat in.  His facial hair consisted of a mustache and a short beard, the combination of which gave the man an even more gruff appearance.  Despite all of that, he seemed kind of homely, but Lance knew he definitely wasn’t the type of guy you wanted to piss off.

“What can I get ya?”  The man grunted at him.  Lance shifted in his seat, suddenly nervous under that stern gaze.

“A blue Hawaiian please.”  He orders, all but squeaking out the words.  It was his favorite and one or two of those would be perfect in calming him down for the night ahead.

The bartender raises an eyebrow though, and throws a sly glance around the room.  Lance follows his eyes and sees that, where he had ordered what was possibly the most colorful thing on the menu, the rest of his fellow patrons had elected to drink something much more brown in color.  Lance blushed under the man’s implication, now understanding the silent look he had been given.  Still, he turned and nodded in confirmation of his order.

“A blue Hawaiian please.” Lance repeats, attempting to put more conviction and confidence into his voice than he was actually feeling.  The old man nodded though and stepped away, throwing a white rag over his shoulder to rest.

“Coming right up.”

Lance looked around some more, waiting patiently as his drink was prepared.  The bar was packed that night, but not excessively so.  The majority of people were customers who had obviously been there more than once over the years, a large part of them joining together as they watched the game.  There were some college students, as Lance had spotted earlier, all of them celebrating the end of the week with a group of friends.  Lance smiled at all of it, appreciating the friendly atmosphere.  It made him miss home a little.  How long had it been since he was in a place where familiarity coated every corner?

As Lance’s eyes scanned the room, his eyes caught on the front entrance.  It was a beautiful set of double doors, built of wood and frosted glass.  Despite the large size of the door, the windowpanes themselves were terribly small and allowed for a very limited view of the street.  Lance squinted his eyes for a better view but found it impossible.  He glanced around for something better, but found that all other windows to the bar were either covered by blinds or blocked by the bodies of other customers.  The realization caused Lance to pout slightly. 

“Here you go.”

Lance turned, his attention caught by the bartender’s voice.  The man’s eyes cast a pointed look down before hooking onto Lance’s once more.  He glimpsed down and caught sight of a teal blue drink being placed in front of him.

“Oh.  Thanks.”  Lance told him with a smile.  The bartender nodded before stepping away.

Eagerly, he pulled the glass towards himself and took a steady sip.  It tasted good, strong, but with a nice coating of sweetness.  However, as soon as the liquid hit the back of his throat, Lance began to cough.  Immediately he pulled back, clumsily placing the glass back onto the wooden bar. 

“You okay there?”  The bartender called over from his position at the other end of the bar.

Lance nodded and waved him off as he pounded at his chest.  His throat burned and his eyes had watered slightly from such an intense reaction, but he could feel himself settling down.  He sighed in relief when he was finally able to breathe normally again.  Lance slumped in his barstool and held up a tired thumbs up to the bartender.

“Yep.”  He finally stuttered.  The old man nodded before returning to his previous conversation.

Gods, that drink was strong.  Much stronger than Lance had anticipated.  He would have to go slower than he had originally thought tonight.  Cautiously, Lance took another, much smaller, sip.  His face blanched but he kept drinking.  He would definitely have to pace himself tonight.

Lance felt the warmth of the alcohol running through him, ridding himself of whatever chill may have remained from the late October weather.  Lance gave a hum and picked up his phone from where it rested next to his drink.  Pressing the power button, he glanced at the screen.  Only five more minutes.

He took another breath and rubbed his palms against the rough texture of his jeans.  The repetitive motion provided enough distraction for him to calm down, if only just a little.  He glanced around the room once more, but his eyes kept returning towards the front door.  Lance sat there, staring at the door, as he slowly completed his drink.

Time passed slowly it seemed, as Lance’s eyes never moved.  Eventually he began to get bored, and elected to rest his elbow on the bar.  He leaned his face against his hand, resting it there for support as he continued to stare down the door.  A sigh escaped him though, when no one ever entered.

Lance reached forward blindly with his other hand, grabbing at his drink.  However, a loud commotion broke out as he went to lift it.  The crowd which had gathered around the television had all yelled at once, with varying levels of enthusiasm.  Apparently, one team had managed to score a goal.

The surprise of it caused Lance to jump, activating his already frayed nerves.  Unfortunately, his drink sloshed at the motion, causing it to spill all over him.  Lance cursed under his breath and settled what remained of his drink back on the bar.  Hurriedly, he reached over to a nearby stack of napkins.  He pulled out a handful and began to carefully blot at his shirt and pants, hoping to remove any potential for stains.

He was almost done, a pile of used napkins building atop the bar, when he heard the door swing open.  Immediately, Lance’s eyes jumped up, hands stilling.  He stared forward, body already facing the entrance, and watched as the newest patron entered the building.

Only, it wasn’t Keith.

It was another college student, a male somewhere around the same age as Lance, though probably younger.  At his side was a young woman, a beautiful brunette that likely would have had his heart racing if it weren’t about to jump out of his chest already.

The couple moved from the front door, over to where a group of friends waited for them at a nearby table.  Lance watched for a few seconds before his eyes returned to the entrance.  No one else had joined them and the door was now shut.  Keith still hadn’t arrived.

With furrowed brows, Lance finished cleaning his shirt.  Once done, he pushed the pile of used napkins farther away from him on the bar, and towards the wide area where the bartender could reach and throw them away on his side of the structure.  Wish pursed lips, Lance then picked up his phone once more, and checked the time.

Keith was over ten minutes late.

Frowning, Lance went to check his messages.  He wanted to know what the hell was going on.  Was Keith ditching him?  Was this some kind of new game of his?  A way to teach Lance his lesson of Keith not giving “second chances”?  If that was the case, then why did he kiss Lance in the bathroom on Sunday?  What was the point of all this when Lance had clearly gotten the message the first time?

Lance’s fingers scrolled through his chat history, but he couldn’t find anything with Keith’s name or number.  Frowning even further, he went to his contacts.  Lance swiped down to the K’s, where Keith’s contact information would logically be located.  Only, there was nothing there, or at least not for anyone named Keith.

Anxiety rising, Lance swiped all the way to the top of his contacts list and began the meticulous task of examining every name he had in his phone.  He scanned every line and searched relentlessly for Keith’s phone number.  Once again, he found nothing.

Groaning, Lance hit his head with the palm of his hand.  Of course there was no contact information!  Lance hadn’t even bothered to ask for it at Shiro’s last weekend.  And he never managed to get it during their first night together, and definitely not during the second.  He didn’t even have Shiro’s number!  Or Adam’s!  Lance had absolutely no way of getting in contact with Keith. 

He refused to even try and contact Allura for help, the possibility of her being able at this hour slim to none.  Plus, he didn’t want to admit that he somehow had gotten himself into this situation in the first place.  Lance also didn’t want to appear desperate, or give off the impression that he was one of those people who got pissed off when others were late.  After all, it was only ten minutes right?  Maybe he ran into traffic?  Or got lost?  Yeah, that’s it!  Lance tried to convince himself, though he wasn’t sure it worked.

Lance wiped a hand down his face, fingers pinching at the bridge of his nose.  With a sigh, he decided to wait.  It was still early and there were plenty of possible, and valid, reasons for why Keith was late.  What kind of person would Lance be to leave without at least waiting to hear him out?

So, he adjusted himself where he sat, getting into a more comfortable position.  Lance placed his phone back on the bar, electing to ignore it for a few minutes, before taking another long sip of his drink.  This time though, the alcohol went down a lot easier.

Time passed on, with patrons going in an out throughout the night.  The game had long since ended and the crowd dispersed, but new customers kept coming in.  Lance jumped every time the door opened, his eyes hastily searching in hope that his beliefs weren’t true.  Those hopes were dashed every time though, Keith had not yet appeared.  So, Lance ordered another drink and waited…and waited…

And waited.

Soon, an hour had passed and Lance was now two drinks in and working on a third.  He had a nice buzz going, feeling the delicious effects of the alcohol as it worked its way through his system.  He was tipsy and feeling that nice draw of slumber calling at him from how relaxed his body was.

Another customer walked through the door, causing Lance to look up once again.  Another not-Keith.  With a disappointed sigh, his attention quickly returned to his phone.  He fiddled with it for a moment before opening up one of his many games.  If Lance was going to keep waiting, he at least wanted to be entertained.

It was as he consumed his third drink that Lance developed a routine.  First, he would play on his phone, then take a sip, glance around the room, and finally stare at the front door for a few minutes longer than necessary.  He would repeat the cycle, over and over again.

Lance had just used up his last life when he decided to check the time again.  Immediately, his eyes widened as he read the digits lit up on his screen.  Nine o’clock, it told him.  Freaking nine o’clock!  Two hours past their designated meeting time!

Okay, fuck this.

Lance calls over the bartender once more and pays his tab before gathering his things.  When finished, he stands from his barstool and the change in height gives him a slight head rush as the alcohol fully hits him.  Wobbling a little, Lance straightens himself and shakes his head slightly.  Probably should have ordered some food, he thinks to himself.

Still desperately hopeful, Lance takes one last look around the room.  He searched and searched for any sign of that familiar mullet, begging to be wrong.  None of them were him though, only confirming Lance’s doubts.  He gives a huff and adjusts his jacket.

Should have known it was too good to be true.

Lance shook his head, angry and hurt.  If he were being honest, he wasn’t entirely sure who he was angry at.  Keith?  Definitely.  The guy had stood him up completely and his heart hurt with the realization that he had been played.  He likely never had any intent of ever meeting Lance in the first place.

Keith had strung him along like another one of his toys, leaving Lance out to dry in the wind like a useless paper bag.  He had all but warned Lance that this was going to happen too.  ‘I don’t do second chances,’ Lance scoffed.  That was exactly what he said, and Lance had believed him.  Had accepted it as truth, if not complete bullshit, but true.  Lance had known what he was getting into as far as that was concerned.

Lance though, he felt as though he was angrier with himself than with Keith, for allowing this to happen in the first place.  He had known better, had known that Keith was capable of doing something like this.  So why hadn’t he come prepared for it?  Why hadn’t Lance prepared himself to be mentally and emotionally tortured like this?

He had allowed himself a glimmer of hope that Keith had changed his mind, that’s why.  He had convinced himself that, in some way, Keith did still want Lance, the same way Lance wanted him.  He had allowed himself to believe that Keith was better, could be better, and yet here he was.  He had completely fooled himself.

God, he was such an idiot. 

Worst of all though, Hunk had been right, and Lance hadn’t listened to him.  He had simply pushed his friends fears away, telling him he was wrong.  But no, Hunk had been absolutely, completely, and undeniably correct in his worries and Lance hated that more than anything, because what did that say about him?  Was he that damn desperate for even the slightest bit of attention?  He didn’t even want to think about it.

Hunk was right, Lance always jumped in too fast, and this was only further proof of it.

Lance shivered as he stepped outside into the frigid October air.  Already he missed the heat of the bar and he was suddenly extra thankful for the alcohol running through him.  He hugged his jacket closer to himself, pulling it in tight so as to maintain as much warmth as possible.  Then, he started home.

He walked to the end of the block, passing by empty streets and alleyways.  He made sure to steer clear of them, just to be safe.  Altea was a pretty nice place, with a very low crime rate, but you never knew what kind of freaks came out at night, especially on the weekend.  Lance was not in the mood to deal with any of that tonight.  All he wanted was to get home safe, where a warm bed along with ice cream and other munchies awaited him.

He stood at the street corner, waiting for the light to change so he could cross.  There were a few people roaming about, going in and out of various establishments, but for the most part the place was deserted.  They all smiled happily though, cheering in drunken wonder.  Lance grinned as he watched them all, but couldn’t help the bitter taste in his mouth once he realized the majority of the passersby were couples.  He glanced away, eyes moving to look back from whence he came.

The street was bare and empty, hardly anyone in sight.  The bar Keith had suggested was at the farther end of downtown, where the party life turned into townhomes and apartments.  Most people who could afford these places were already in bed, fast asleep or with their families.  This meant that most of the nightlife rested ahead of him on his walk, rather than behind.

It was as Lance was turning away that he heard it, some strange noise reaching out from a nearby alley.  At first, he tried to ignore it, strange noises weren’t entirely unheard of at this time of night.  It was probably just a stray animal foraging for food.  Only, it kept persisting and eventually it began to draw on Lance’s innate curiosity.

He leaned forward, straining his ears.  When he couldn’t hear it, he took a few steps forward, searching for the sound.  He paused though, as he drew closer.  Was it really the best idea to go looking in dark alleyways this time of night?  Sure, Altea was safe, but that kind of thing could be dangerous anywhere and Lance was really not in the mood to be drawn into anything unsavory in nature.  But at the same time, what kind of person would he be if he left an innocent animal out here to die?

It was probably nothing.  Certainly nothing to be so worried about or for him to allow paranoia to seep through his veins over.  Besides, it was likely just a racoon trying to scrounge up some food for the evening.  Nothing more.

But then, there it was again, and growing louder.

Lance walked forward a few paces, curiosity getting the better of him.  However, he stopped once he stood only a few feet from the mouth of the alley.  He couldn’t see inside yet, but the noise from before was definitely more audible.  Lance glanced over his shoulder, checking the light to see if it changed.  Fortunately, it hadn’t, presumably giving him plenty of time to check the alley then be on his merry way home.

Having come to a decision, Lance pressed forward.  He walked with a steady, though cautious, gait towards the alley and only came to a halt when he stood a few feet into its darkened corners.  The noise was much louder here.  He waited, eyes and ears adjusting to the darkness, before he attempted to trace the source of the sound.  It didn’t take long and soon his gaze was wandering, both eyes and ears perked for when the noise came again.  And…there!

Lance took a final step forward, having finally identified the location of the sound.  He was just able to peek around the large dumpster from this position, giving him a better view of what rested on the brick wall behind it.  He blinked a few times, just to make sure he was seeing things correctly.  Soon though, he found himself unable to move as the image before him became very clear.

Because there, with his back arched against the bricks and his head tilted in ecstasy, was the mullet he had been waiting for all evening.

And he was getting a fucking blow job.

Lance’s mouth dropped open, absolutely stunned by this sudden development.  He certainly hadn’t been expecting to see that while attempting to keep an animal from dying in the streets.  No, Lance definitely hadn’t thought he would see Keith, the guy he had a meeting, an unofficial possible date, with that very same night in the alley way, getting a blow job after ditching him at the bar.  His mind was so blown that he couldn’t do anything but stare at what was in front of him, trying to soak it all in for some semblance of comprehension.

He was shocked, beyond surprised, yet Lance’s eyes couldn’t deny what they were seeing.  There was Keith, barely standing as he leaned against the wall behind him.  He had one hand tightly wound in a head of thick brown hair as it moved below his waist, his mouth parted in obvious pleasure.  The guy, whoever he was, shifted and must have done something Keith enjoyed, for he let out another outrageous moan.  One that Lance was quite familiar with.

The sound of it sent a rush through him, and Lance could feel his cock twitch a little in excitement.  He cursed, scolding himself for having such a reaction.  First off, this was meant to be something private, despite the clear exhibitionism, and Lance didn’t have the right to play voyeur right now.  Second, the guy just stood him up!  How could his body betray him so quickly after experiencing such heart-aching disappointment?  What in the world was his dick thinking? 

Clearly, it wasn’t.  And neither was he, it seemed.

The brief reminder of what had occurred earlier served its purpose though, as it seemed to shock Lance out of his stupor.  He grit his teeth and Lance’s eyes narrowed as he continued to stare at the two.  His thoughts began to race with questions, one after another, as his irritation only grew.

Because what the fuck kind of game was this?  Rejecting Lance wasn’t bad enough, Keith had to go and pull this shit?  What were they, in high school?  Some sick version of a rom-com?  Just what in the hell did Keith think he was getting at here?

Lance watched, fuming, as Keith finally opened his eyes.  His gaze immediately found Lance’s and Keith’s eyes grew so large that Lance could see more white than violet.  Keith’s mouth, already slightly parted, grew wider with surprise as he took in Lance’s presence.  For a moment, it looked as though he was going to say something, when he suddenly tilted his head back, hitting the brick as he moaned in inescapable pleasure.

He never moved though.  Lance stayed there, silent in his viewing.  He did, however, adjust his stance, and admittedly his jeans as well.  Crossing his legs, Lance attempted to make himself appear less affected than he actually was.  But he knew, regrettably, that his face was flushed with that familiar heat.  Lance could feel it running up his spine, covering the back of his neck and ears as he heard that delightful sound all over again.

And when Keith opened his eyes once more, he noticed this.  His eyes immediately picked up on the reactions he was drawing out of Lance, and he enjoyed it.  He loved knowing that he could make the Cuban feel this way, all turned on and craving his touch, just from the simple sound of his pleasure.  Keith had him wrapped around his finger, just the way he liked them.

Thus why he sent Lance such a devilish smirk.  It was one which had the tan skinned boy praying to the angels above for someone to come save him.  Whatever warmth Lance had been feeling before only increased ten-fold as it spread further across his face and body.  He was sure he looked like a tomato, with how much he was blushing.  And god, Lance couldn’t deny that it made him shiver, or how his body begged for him to handle his business with Keith as quickly as possible.  They were in conflict, his body and his mind, as one desperately begged for a yes, while the other scrambled for a proper no.

Keith, of course, notices as well, and he winks.

Lance, in turn, flat out glares.

what

the

fuck

How dare he?!  This arrogant asshole!  How dare he treat Lance like this?  Who the fuck did he think he was?  Yeah, sure, he was a great fucking lay and Lance couldn’t deny that he would probably always be attracted to Keith, but the black-haired man had no right to act so arrogant and like such a…well, like such a dick about it!  And to play with Lance the way he has been…Lance was absolutely livid!

Keith’s grin only widens as Lance’s glare turns deadly.  He didn’t seem the least bit bothered by Lance’s anger.  Only encouraged by it.

And that realization…that set off something new in Lance.  He knew, just looking at Keith, that he wasn’t going to get the response he wanted, the response he felt would validate him.  So, he let it all go.  The fight that had brewed in him so quickly, the anger, even the attraction…he let it go.  What was the point of it anymore?  Why waste that much mental and emotional energy over someone who probably didn’t even care about him in the first place?  He had better things to do with his time.

So, Lance closed his eyes and took a deep breath.  He allowed his shoulders to slump to their normal position, his hands to unclench from the fists they had formed, and for his jaw to relax from where it had grown tense.  Slowly but surely, Lance came back to himself.  When he opened his eyes again, Keith looked confused, as though he hadn’t expected Lance to rein himself.  As though he had been looking for a fight.

It was that supposed expectation which had him scoffing.  Sure, Lance was competitive, and could be aggressive when need be, especially when it came to his family and friends, but he wasn’t the violent sort.  And he definitely wasn’t the type of guy to waste time arguing with someone over a guy, especially one who didn’t seem to want him in the first place.  Afterall, why fight for someone who wasn’t fighting for you?

What a dick, Lance thinks.  He was so done with this bullshit.

Lance turns, doing a full 180, and leaves with his back facing the alley and the man he lusted after within it.  And while Lance had calmed his anger, that didn’t mean it wasn’t still there, hiding beneath the surface.  It also didn’t mean that Lance wasn’t a petty bastard, which he totally was.

So, knowing he was still within clear view of Keith, Lance held up his right hand, middle finger proudly pointed towards the sky.

“Nice meeting you Keith!”  Lance calls back, flipping Keith off as he goes.

The only response he earns for his trouble is a deep, full-throated laugh.

Then, “See you soon Lance!”

Lance makes quick work of getting home after that, eager to be back in the warmth and safety of his and Hunk’s space, where he knew a friendly hug and delicious food awaited him.  Lance really needed that right now, all of it.  He just needed to feel a little wanted, if only for a few moments.

All of this was why, when Lance had finally dragged himself back to his apartment, his feet felt heavy and his eyes were tired.  He had sniffled a few times on the way there, but denied both the action and the cause of it.  There was no way he was going to cry over something as stupid as this, or over something as stupid as Keith.  He absolutely refused to.  He wouldn’t ever waste tears on that guy, ever.

He walks in and slowly takes off his shoes.  He goes through the motion of settling into his space, calming down after a night out.  It’s a relief as he finally begins to come undone.

“Hey Lance, how was it?  Did you and Keith figure things out?”  Hunk calls from the living room couch.  The Samoan had turned around in his seat when he heard the door being unlocked.  He waited patiently as Lance seemed to settle back into the apartment, but his friend’s odd behavior had him worrying.

“He ditched me.”  Lance mumbles, already working on removing his shirt as he walks back to his bedroom.  Hunk’s brow furrows, having not understood Lance in the slightest.

“What was that buddy?  I didn’t hear you.”  Hunk says, trying again.  Only, if Lance ever responds, he doesn’t hear it, his friend already been long gone in his room.

“Lance?”  Hunk calls out again, from ever-growing worry.

Lance sighs, hearing his friend but just not having the energy to respond right now.  He takes a few minutes to gather himself, to get to the point where he felt like talking.  He knew his best friend would want some kind of explanation for his suddenly dowered mood.

It takes only a few minutes for him to change into his pajamas, but his skincare routine takes progressively longer.  However, the familiarity of it brings about a certain calmness in Lance that helps to relieve the cloud which had settled over him.  Once he’s sighing contentedly in his comfort clothes and with a freshly cleaned face, Lance leaves his room once more, departing for the living room.

He doesn’t immediately make his way to the couch though.  Instead, he walks into their small, open kitchen.  Still not speaking, Lance reaches atop their refrigerator, going for the bag of chips both he and Hunk had reserved for only the worst of days and most horrible of conversations.  He also made quick work of gathering a pint of ice cream along with a rather large spoon to eat it with, before going and safely depositing all of this onto the coffee table in front of Hunk.

“Lance?”  His friend gently whispers.

Lance says nothing as he moves to sit down next to his best friend.  He climbs onto the couch, cushions dipping as he does, and scoots himself over until his head is resting against Hunk’s shoulder.  Lance wraps his arms around the big man’s right arm, hugging it tightly as though it were a life saver.

“Lance, what’s wrong?  What happened?”  Hunk tries again. 

Lance sniffles.  Hurriedly, he wipes at his nose and denies that it even happened.  He refuses.  No tears.

“He ditched me.”  Lance admits once again, mumbling it into Hunk’s shirt where his mouth is pressed.

“Buddy, I know you’re not feeling okay right now, but I can’t hear you when you talk like that.  Do you think you could try telling me again?”  Hunk asks encouragingly.  Lance nods and takes a deep breath.

“He ditched me.”  He repeats.  Beneath his fingers, Lance feels Hunk still.

“Wait, what?”  Hunk asks, complete and utter astonishment lacing his voice.  Lance only nods.

“That’s not even the worst part!”  He exclaims, only encouraged by his friends’ reaction.  All of his earlier frustration ran through him again as he retells the nights’ events.  “I was leaving the bar, after waiting for two hours, and saw him getting a blow job!”

“What?!”  Hunk now yells, completely surprised, but also angered on behalf of his friend.

“I know!”  Lance shouts, letting one hand fly into the air.  Growing more comfortable with the conversation, and with a stomach growling, Lance lets go completely and grabs at his gathered snacks.  He opens the bag of chips first and immediately begins to shove them in his face.  “And then he had the nerve to smirk at me like that!  Like he knew what he was doing to me!  And that he enjoyed it!”

“Lance…did you…you didn’t…”  Hunk started, but couldn’t seem to finish his sentence.  Lance paused, mouth half full, and raises an eyebrow at his friend’s trepidation.  Hunk simply stared at him for a few moments, glancing between his friends’ bright blue eyes for the answer.  “You didn’t watch him get the blow job, did you?”

“I mean…maybe….but only for a minute!  Two, tops!”  Lance argues in defense of himself, voice turning pleading as he noticed Hunk’s lecture filled gaze.  “But that was it!  Then he had the nerve to smirk at me like he had done nothing wrong!  Tell me, am I the one in the wrong here?  I think not.”

“Yes.”  Hunk immediately replies and Lance’s shoulders slump even further down his body.  “But so was he for treating you that way.  Do you think you guys will be able to figure it out for the project though?  As much as I hate to say it, you kind of need him for it.”

Lance scoffs, but a blush covers his cheeks.  “Hunk…I don’t even think that was the point of us meeting tonight, so I doubt it.”

“What do you mean?”  Hunk asks, eyes narrowed in confusion.

“Well, you see…”  Lance says, playing with his fingers as he refuses to look his friend in the eye.  “He only invited me to meet him after we made out.  So I don’t think helping me with Iverson’s project was what he had in mind.”

“Lance.”  Hunk groaned, dragging out the Cuban’s name.  A tan hand dragged down the Samoan’s face.  “The whole point of us going to Shiro’s and even meeting Keith was so he could help you with this project.”

“I know, I know!”  Lance says placatingly.  “And I’ll figure it out man, I promise.  Just, it’ll be without Keith’s help, that’s all.  Besides, I probably won’t have to see Keith ever again.  Not that I want to anyway.”

“Good.”  Hunk said, his stern voice suddenly breaking through.  Lance’s eyes widened, surprised at his friend’s new tone.  “I’m sorry to say this Lance, because I know how you feel about him, and Shiro seems like a nice guy, but his brother is bad news.  He’s been a bad influence on you since day one and I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt at the barbecue, but the way you two interacted with each other only proved my point.”

“I know you like him, or at least his body.”  Hunk says, his words halting Lance in his tracks as he goes to protest.  “But he’s not good for you man.  He’s dangerous and you need to be careful.  If I’m being honest, I think you just need to leave him alone, at least for a little while.”

Lance nods solemnly, knowing how true what his friend said was.  He knew Hunk was right, couldn’t possibly deny it.  After all, Keith had been making him feel like shit for the past few weeks, making him tumble through his emotions like some toy on a string.  From lust driven obsession, to the painful sting of rejection, intense and emotional anger, and now to the dejected feeling of being left behind.  Besides their first night together, he truly had never brought Lance any form of positivity.

He sighs.  “I know, and you’re right.  I’ll be sure to leave him alone from now on.  I’m sorry for stressing you over this.”

“Aww, never apologize for asking me to be a good friend to you Lance!  You know I’ll help you whenever I can.”  Hunk assures him, pulling Lance in for an all-consuming hug.  The two friends laugh, whatever tension that remained within Lance dissipating easily.

“Now come on,” Hunk starts as they pull away.  “You going to help me finish this movie or what?”

Lance laughs and gives a nod before eagerly reaching for his ice cream.  He offers the chips to Hunk, who takes them graciously, and soon they’re both relaxing into the couch.  They sit there for the rest of the movie, enjoying each other’s presence and easy company.

Lance glances over at his friend as the movie flickers across the screen, and can’t help but to appreciate him.  Hunk had always been there for him.  They had practically grown up as brothers, always depending on and supporting each other through the ups and down.  Lance couldn’t have asked for a better best friend.

So, with a lighter heart and fuller stomach, Lance turned his attention back to the movie.  He leaned into Hunk’s arm, deriving even more comfort from the warmth there.  Hunk was right, he didn’t need Keith, or any of the toxicity he brought with him.  Lance had enough to stress and worry about right now, he really didn’t need a boy who only played with his heart strings on top of everything else.

No, Lance could do better.  He deserved better.

He took another bite of his ice cream, and vowed to make himself forget ever meeting Keith.

Chapter Text

Lance has a date.

That’s right.  A real, genuine, bonafide date.  With a gorgeous girl who has an amazing personality. 

And if Lance were being completely honest, he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about that.

For starters, the invitation itself had been an absolute surprise.  Now, that’s not to say they didn’t get along well.  In fact, the two often passed jokes during particularly boring lectures in their shared class.  Other than that, and a few conversations during some in-class projects, the two had barely spoken.  He hardly knew anything about her other than her name, that she was a senior just like him, and also a marine biology major. 

Lance truly hadn’t thought anything of their fun interactions; he had grown more than used to being seen as nothing more than an annoying class clown over his years in the education system.  So really, Plaxum’s invitation had been completely unexpected.

She asked him as they were leaving their joint class.  The course was taught by the illustrious Professor Luxia, and the two had been discussing the latest brain numbing lecture when she sprung the question on him.  One minute, they were laughing and carrying on, venting about their latest assignment and how hard it was to balance school and their social lives.

“So what are you up to this weekend?  Your sorority having another party?”  He had asked her, the question innocent enough.  But no, it had set off a chain reaction which he had been entirely unprepared for.  He wasn’t complaining though.  It wasn’t often Lance found himself being the one asked out, especially by a cute girl like Plaxum.

The two stepped through a set of double doors, exiting out into November air.  They stayed in step, walking side by side through the small corridor between university buildings.  Regardless of the chill though, the sunlight felt warm on Lance’s skin, providing a nice comfort after a long day of classes.

“Um, I was actually hoping you might want to get together sometime this weekend?”  Plaxum had stuttered out.  Her usually boisterous voice and lessened in volume from how nervous she felt.  Still, she had been proud of herself for actually getting the words out.

Oblivious to the reality of the situation, Lance had been slightly shocked by the suggestion when he first heard it.  They hadn’t exactly hung out outside of class before, but he always welcomed the possibility of a new friend.

“Yeah of course.  Did you want to get together for coffee or something?  We can work on that essay if you want.”

A gentle hand pulled at his arm, halting him in his steps.  Lance turned around, eyes following the length of the arm that had grabbed him, only to meet Plaxum’s soft blue eyes.  Her grin was the smallest he had ever seen it, pulled tight at the edges.  Her eyes shifted between his, as though looking for something.  She stared at him for a few minutes, watching him carefully.  Then, it hit her, and Plaxum let out light chuckle.

“Lance…”  She started, tilting her head slightly.  It was obvious she needed to be very clear with her next words.  “I meant as a date.  I want to go out with you.”

Lance’s eyes blew open.  He certainly hadn’t been expecting that.  He had always assumed they had the usual classmate relationship.  Where you get to know someone during class, maybe outside of it if you shared an assignment, or as a study partner.  Lance had never assumed their relationship was anything but.  He hadn’t even considered the possibility of her wanting anything more.

He couldn’t deny her natural beauty though.  With soft milky skin and delicate brunette curls which laid gently over her university sweatshirt, there was no denying the girl was attractive.  Lance had noticed her good looks during their first interaction, but had quickly dismissed the thought of anything other than friendship between them.  He had assumed that Plaxum held no interest in him or his antics so Lance had decided not to pursue it.  But now, it seemed, that was all blown out of the water.

He looked at her, thinking it over.  Did he want to go out with her?  To actually accept this date?  Would it be right to?  Afterall, he held no feelings for the girl.  But also, wasn’t the point of a date to get to know someone and develop those emotions?  To garner those butterflies that swarmed like moths on some pour souls heart?

There had never been any bad blood between him and Plaxum, the two had always gotten along.  In fact, he had greatly enjoyed what time they had spent together, both inside and outside of the classroom.  Lance enjoyed her personality and appreciated the way she always laughed at his jokes, even the lame ones.  She seemed nice enough, and he was attracted to her.  What was the harm in trying?

“Sure.”  He finally told her with a smile.  “I’d like that.”

A wide grin took over Plaxum’s face.  “Great!  I’ll see you this Saturday?”

“Definitely.  Text me so we can figure out the details?”

“Yeah, yeah, absolutely.  I’ll do that.”  She told him, biting at her lip a little.  A cute blush rose up on her cheeks, giving them an adorable pink tinge.  She still couldn’t seem to meet his eyes directly, but it didn’t bother him.  He thought it was sweet, her nervousness.

“Um, I’ve got to go this way.  Next class and all that.” Plaxum said after a moment, pointing over her shoulder.  Lance chuckled and scratched at the back of his neck.   

“Yeah, mine’s actually this way.”  He told her, pointing in the opposite direction.

“Okay.  Um, bye then, I guess?”  She asks, stumbling over her words a little.

Lance nods throws her a wink as he starts to step away.  “See you later Plaxum.”

The large grin on his face had remained all afternoon.  Lance spent the rest of that day attempting to plan a marvelous date, scouring the web for events happening nearby.  He wanted to do something unique with Plaxum.  It was his first official date in some time now, and he wanted to do something more than just the regular dinner and a movie. 

Soon enough though, he caved and brought his worries to the most romantic duo he knew: Hunk and Shay.  The two were one of the best couples he had ever seen, his parents not included, so Lance was sure they would be able to provide him with the advice he needed.  All three of them, along with the occasional input from Pidge and Allura, had discussed countless options, along with the various details that went along with each one.  There had been such a debate over what would have the best lighting, the best seating, best appetizers and desserts, even the best waitstaff.  Lance didn’t know what to do with it all, it was an overwhelming amount of information.  He appreciated their help though, and made sure to tell them so.

Eventually, with the advice of his friends, he and Plaxum settled on attending a nearby street fair.  It was set in downtown and meant to celebrate the fall season with booths from local vendors.  He was excited!  He actually had a date!  With a beautiful girl who he actually got along with!  It felt amazing, and oh so validating after the last couple of weeks.

But Lance would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous.  He really wanted this date to go well.  Honestly, and Lance hated to say it, but part of him really needed it to.  After what happened with Keith, Lance felt like he needed a little bit of an ego boost.  Just some external validation that he was actually wanted by those around him, and more specifically by people who were actually good for him.  Lance didn’t like admitting that Keith had hurt him so badly, but it was true nonetheless.  So yeah, Lance really needed things to go well tonight.

Regardless, he tried his best to ignore his first-date jitters, wanting to focus more on all the fun they were sure to have.  Lance thought about all the vendors there would be, ranging from food to homemade goods.  Apparently the street fair was pretty popular, the city blocking off whole streets in order to supply plenty of room for both its vendors and visitors.  According to Hunk, it always seemed to gather a large crowd.

Hey, maybe I’ll see –

Nope, not going there.

He needed to interrupt that particular train of thought.  It had been almost three weeks since the latest disaster, and Lance absolutely refused to allow that…certain individual to invade his thoughts tonight.  They had made their position on Lance perfectly clear during their last encounter, the last few if Lance were being completely honest, so there was no need to give them anymore thought.  Besides, wasn’t Lance trying to forget him and his very existence?

The answer to that was yes, a very strong yes.

He did, however, have to ignore the tiniest bit of guilt stirring in his gut, as if he were cheating on a lover he hadn’t yet obtained.  Lance shook his head, pushing away all thoughts of Keith.  He wasn’t going to concern himself with him anymore.  He had promised himself as much and Lance absolutely refused to go back on a promise, especially one made to himself.  No, he was going to have fun with Plaxum and make sure his focus was completely on her.  There would be no Keith related disruptions, Lance would make sure of it.

Lance took a deep breath before knocking on the sorority house door.  He hadn’t known before, but Plaxum was part of one of the largest sisterhoods on campus and had somehow gained herself a room inside their opulent house.  The place was huge compared to his old dorm room, and he was sure much better looking on the inside.  He honestly felt a little intimidated from just standing outside of it,feeling as if he would breaking something by looking too closely.

Before his thoughts could trail any further though, the door before him opened and outstepped his date for the evening.  Plaxum looked gorgeous with her brown hair pulled back, allowing her face to be in full view.  She was dressed simply like he was, wearing nothing more than what was required by the weather and their plans for the evening.  Two seemed to match well together.

“Hey.”  She greeted, eyes gazing up at him.

“Hey.”  He returns, holding out his arm with a smile.  Plaxum gently loops her arm through and they began the walk back to his car.  “You ready for tonight?”

She giggles and nods as they walk together.  The two fall into easy conversation, trying to get their feet wet with this new dynamic.  It was different to them, but not entirely unfamiliar.  They simply needed to learn how to relate to each other in a new way, and so far they were succeeding spectacularly. 

Lance leads them over to his car and they are soon heading off towards the fair.  It takes a little bit of time to find a decent parking space, but once done they’re quickly out and about with the rest of the fair-goers.  Just as he had suspected, the place was a bit crowded, although not extremely so thanks to how much space the city had generously provided for the event.  Soon the two are ooh-ing and aahh-ing at all the booths they pass, stepping in to look at more than a few of them.

The afternoon rolled by in quick waves.  Time really did seem to fly when they were having fun.  They had stopped to look at so many booths, Lance was sure he had seen them all.  Only, there would be another one as soon as they left.  He wasn’t complaining though, a lot of them were really cool.  There had even been a food truck with garlic knots!

Lance had kind of lost it upon learning they served his most favorite food, and was a little embarrassed when he turned back to Plaxum after expressing his excitement.  She had simply rolled with it though, enjoying his enthusiasm and ordering them a double helping of the delicious item.  By the time they finished, he had her sold on how fantastic they were and both agreed to grab some more before leaving the fair.

It was later into the afternoon when they found Plaxum’s favorite booth.  Its outside was nothing fancy, made up of nothing more than a white tent and a sign which hung above, telling how it housed homemade jewelry.  Plaxum had asked if they could step in to take a quick peek and Lance agreed.  He definitely didn’t regret that decision after seeing how fascinated Plaxum became by all the pieces.  She looked like a kid in a candy store.

“Oh, look at this!”  Plaxum yelled, calling for his attending. 

She held up a gorgeous silver necklace with a thin chain and small blue pendant resting at its end.  She held it delicately in her hands as she should it to him, as if it were a precious treasure.  Lance could see the delight in Plaxum’s eyes from simply holding the piece of jewelry, so he knew he had to get it for her.

“Here.”  He said, holding his hands out.  Lance took the necklace from her hands and unclasped it before gently placing it against her neck.  He had a little bit of trouble due to her hair, but was thankful for all those years spent helping his sisters with their own jewelry so that he could navigate such a situation.

“Beautiful.”  He told her once it was in place, and truly she was.  A light blush danced across her cheeks but her smile never wavered.

“Thank you.”  She said, looking up at him. 

They stare at each other for a few minutes, completely lost in their own world.  Then, without any guidance, their bodies began to lean into each other.  Lance’s hands move from Plaxum’s neck to gently hold the sides of her face as they grow closer.  They’re only a few inches apart when someone tries to gain their attention.

“Ahem.”  Interrupts the booth owner, quietly rudely.  The older woman motions towards the necklace.  “Are you going to pay for that?”

Lance blushed in embarrassment, Plaxum right along side him.  He nodded and hurried to pull out his wallet.  “Uh, yeah.  Of course.”

He paid quickly and the two escaped as fast as they could, not wanting to get into any more trouble.  They ran down the street, eager to get away.  It wasn’t until they reached the area designated for games that they finally stopped, dropping each other’s hand.  The two leaned over, laughing uproariously as they attempted to gain their breath.  Once they did, the couple stopped to take a look around.

This particular street was lined up and down with a variety of fair games.  Most of them appeared to be rigged, but others seemed to be good wholesome fun.  Their eyes caught on a specific game of cornhole, the previous round having just finished up.

“Wanna play?”  Lance asked, turning to face Plaxum while pointing his finger in the general direction of the game.  She looked past him to gaze at the game before meeting his eyes once more and nodding.

They play multiple rounds and only stop when another pair shows up to have a try.  The two had such a good time with it though, Lance even impressing Plaxum with his excellent aim.  Of course, that then begged the question of how he had built up such a skill, to which he revealed years of playing paintball with his friends in high school, and more than a few reluctant hunting trips with distant relatives as a child.

The couple carried on from there, returning back to the main street.  They continue to look at all the different booths, but they were beginning to grow thin as the street dragged on.  More and more people were even beginning to gather their things in order to close up shop, the street fair officially ending within the next few hours.

And while their time may be coming to an end, Lance had enjoyed himself immensely.  He had completely forgotten about all of his worries, allowing himself to simply be in the moment with Plaxum.  It was something Lance hadn’t been sure if he would be able to do given the recent amount of stress in his life, but was pleased to find himself proven wrong.

“Alright, those garlic knots were amazing, but what do you say to stopping in somewhere and grabbing some actual food instead?”  Plaxum suggests, calling his attention back to their her.  They walk idly, no particular destination in mind.  Lance’s stomach grumbles between them, giving his answer for him.  Plaxum giggles while Lance just chuckles to himself.

“I think that sounds amazing.”

They then begin to leave the limits of the street fair, moving on into more of the city’s downtown life.  Bars and restaurants rest on either side of them, and there’s so many they have no idea which one to choose.  They walk beside each other down the street, passing by the various food establishments.  Lance allows Plaxum to decide though, himself not craving anything in particular.  She eventually finds a cute bar and grill that she’s content with, to which Lance reluctantly agrees to on the simple fact they look like they would have a good burger.

It makes him a little anxious though, eating at such a place.  He’s been avoiding bars at all costs for the past few weeks, in fear of somehow running into Keith.  Lance knew he wasn’t entirely ready to see Keith again, and didn’t particularly want to.  Not after what happened last time.  So, Lance had elected to stay inside, having fun with his friends in their apartment rather than with a night out on the town.  He hadn’t wanted to run the risk.

Lance tells himself that there’s no way Keith would be here though.  The area was too far out of his way and this event likely not something he would even consider going to.  The chances of running into him here were next to none, Lance just needed to keep reminding himself of that.

So, it’s with only a little bit of worry that Lance enters the bar, following Plaxum’s lead.

They walk inside, eagerly grabbing a table as they begin to warm up from the cold air outside.  A waitress hurries over to them, quickly grabbing their orders before taking off back towards the kitchen.  Lance and Plaxum then turn to each other, engaging right back into their easy conversation.

They spend their first ten minutes there laughing at each other’s jokes while they wait patiently until their food and drinks are brought out.  Their waitress returns quick enough, depositing their items and moving on to the next table.  Lance and Plaxum dive into their food, both realizing how hungry they had gotten, despite their earlier snack.  Things were so easy going and relaxed between them that Lance somehow found his hand entangling with hers on the table, their fingers playing together in easy comfort.

It’s as they’re discussing their schedules for the upcoming week that Lance sees him.  It’s just a brief flash, nothing more than a quick glimpse of black hair and violet eyes from over Plaxum’s shoulder, but it’s enough to send Lance’s heart into a frenzy.  He stares, pausing in his motion, and his attention is no longer focused on the conversation between him and Plaxum.  He’s only vaguely aware of her picking up where he left off, continuing without him for the moment.

Lance couldn’t believe the amount of bad luck he must have, for him to run into Keith on tonight of all nights.  He had avoided the man for over a week!  He hadn’t heard nor seen him even the slightest bit since the night in the alley!  Lance swore the universe was out to get him. 

He watches for a few moments, observing Keith in his natural habitat.  Afterall, he wasn’t alone, as he usually wasn’t in these sorts of situations.  No, he was sitting with a man, and was clearly in flirt mode.  Keith trailed a hand up the other guy’s arm, finger by finger, and licking his lips as he went.  Those violet eyes held that familiar intensity, set on tonight’s target.  For all intents and purposes, he appeared the perfect seductress.  A black widow bringing in its prey.  The spider had caught a fly.

The guy leans over, pushing into Keith’s space in order to whisper in his ear.  Keith then throws his head back in uproarious laughter, gripping the other mans’ arm in a slightly tighter embrace.  But Lance can tell it isn’t genuine, just another move for Keith to get what he wants.  It works though, if the smirk on his latest victim’s face is anything to go by.

Lance continues to watch as they carry on their conversation.  He can’t seem to tear his eyes away.  The scene before him has him completely enraptured, so much so that he’s barely aware of the rest of the bar around him.  A strange quiet overtakes him, an undercurrent of anxiety rolling beneath it.  He knows he should look away, that this and the man he’s looking at aren’t healthy for him.  He should just look away.  Just move his eyes, focus on something ese.  Come on Lance, stop this.

It’s Plaxum’s that eventually breaks him out of his trance.

“Lance?”  She calls, receiving no response. 

Lance stares blankly over her shoulder.  Keith still hasn’t noticed him, which is probably for the better. Still, he can’t help the slight twinge of pain that courses through him.  He keeps trying to tell himself to stop, but it’s just so difficult.

“Lance?”  She tries again. 

He wonders what the possibility was of Keith even noticing Lance that night.  And if he did, if Keith would even have the guts to speak to him after what happened two weeks ago.  Would he think it was okay?  Would be apologize?  Would he--

A soft hand touches his own, dragging him out of his daze. 

“Wha--?”  He asks, stumbling over his words in his confusion.  He blinks blankly at Plaxum as he refocuses, shaking his head as a way to clear his mind.

“Are you okay?”  Plaxum asks, face scrunched in concern. 

Lance simply looks at her for a moment, taking in her worried expression before covering his own with a large grin.  It was a conscious effort not to gaze back over her shoulder, but he felt he succeeded.  He was over Keith.  More importantly, Lance was currently on a date.  He wasn’t going to waste any more energy on that particular failed…thing.

“Yeah… yeah I’m great.”  He assures her with a tight grin as he grabs her hand softly in his own where they rest on the table.  “Sorry about that, I thought I saw someone I knew.  What were you saying?”

“Oh.”  Plaxum says with a slight look of shock.  She begins to turn in her seat.  “Should we go say hi?” 

“No!”  Lance exclaims, much too loudly and his hand reaches out to stop her.  He blushes as quite a few people look over and begin to murmur in distaste at his exclamation.  He mumbles apologies to the people around him before turning his attention back to his date.  Clearing his throat before speaking, “Uh, no, sorry.  It wasn’t them so no need.”

“Okay.”  Plaxum says, dragging the word out.  She still has a look of confusion on her face but her expression clears as she looks at him. “So, what do you want to talk about?”

Lance smiles, grateful for the change in subject and begins to dive in with a story about his family.  He goes into great detail with it, employing all the usual theatrics and hand motions.  He has Plaxum laughing the entire time and Lance himself can barely speak with how much fun he’s having.  He’s barely able to get a word out between breaths as he keeps telling her how he had discovered the truth behind Santa Claus, and had completely ruined it for his younger cousins.  The whole thing had sent the family into chaos, which is exactly what he tells Plaxum.  When he’s able to breathe, that is.

He’s having so much fun that he barely notices the newly empty chairs from over Plaxum’s shoulder.

The end of the evening begins to near, and therefore the end of their time together.  As the sky begins to darken, Plaxum mentions that it’s probably best for her to be getting home, her sorority sisters would be worrying about her.  Lance agreed, stating that it was getting late and that it had been a long week for both of them. 

The couple grabs the attention of their waiter to for the bill.  As they wait, they begin to organize what remained of their meal, not wanting to leave a mess at the table.  They chat for a few more moments, waiting patiently.  Then, once obtained, Lance, being a gentleman, pays for their bill, despite Plaxum’s initial protests.  Lance was able to catch a glimpse of an appreciative smile on her face though, bringing a small one to his own.

It was as they stood and began to make their exit that Lance called out to Plaxum.

“Hey.”  He says, gently grabbing at her arm and stopping her.  Plaxum pauses and turns back to face him, confusion written on her face.

“Are you okay waiting by yourself while I run off to the bathroom?”  He asks, eyes glancing pointedly to crowded bar.  Plaxum smiles, shoulders relaxing as she nods.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.   I need to make a phone call anyway.”  She says, holding up her phone.  “Meet you outside?”

Lance nods and begins to back away.  He watches Plaxum for a minute as she makes her way out the door, before turning fully to face his own destination.  He’s aware of the distant sound of the bar’s door opening and closing, signaling Plaxum’s official leave.  Lance crosses the dining room floor quickly, passing by the other customers.  He didn’t want to cause Plaxum to wait any longer than necessary, especially with how dark and cold it had likely gotten.

Lance reaches the bathroom and wastes no time in going about his business.  He finishes quickly but takes his time washing his hands.  The feeling of the warm water running across his skin was calming and Lance allowed himself a small moment to reflect on the evening now that he was alone. 

It really had been a good date and Lance had enjoyed himself immensely.  He and Plaxum have gotten along great so far, better than he even expected.  The two had been laughing all throughout the night and passing jokes just as they had in class, only now it felt much more intimate.  There hadn’t been a sour moment between them.

So why couldn’t Lance shake this feeling of disappointment?

He didn’t even really understand why he felt this way in the first place.  He was so, so confused.  The evening had been amazing!  What reason why there to feel even the slightest sense of disappointment?  Sure, there had been a slight hiccup with that very brief glimpse of Keith, but the two hadn’t interacted in the slightest.  Lance hadn’t even seen the boy since then.  He had likely disappeared hours ago.

And the thing is, whatever the reason for this feeling, Lance is sure it is to no fault of Plaxum.  She had been nothing but wonderful and Lance was honestly hoping there was another date in his future.  Whatever was making him feel this way, it had absolutely nothing to do with her.  Everything had gone according to plan, better in fact, meaning Lance had no exhibitable reason on which to blame this sensation.

Therefore, Lance decided to ignore it.  He could think about it later if he wanted, which he really didn’t, but for now he just wanted to enjoy he rest of the night.  Why linger on something so unexplainable anyway?  He had more important things to do anyway, like getting Plaxum home safely and hopefully earning himself a second date.

Lance is just finishing up when he hears the door open.  He pays it no mind though, thinking it was just another customer coming to use the restroom.  He goes about his business, drying his hands, before turning to leave.  Then he pauses, a little bit shell-shocked, because it wasn’t just some other customer who had walked through the door.

It was Keith.

Of fucking course.

He leaned there casually, arms crossed, and simply starting at Lance from across the room.  His flannel covered back pressed against the bathroom door, keeping it shut.  He didn’t move a muscle as Lance gazed at him in confusion.  The man didn’t even blink; his face was perfectly stoic.

What the actual fuck?

Lance can do nothing but stare at him, his mind uncomprehending of what lies before him.  He freezes mid-motion, hands pausing mid-wipe of a paper towel across his skin.  He wasn’t sure what to make of it, this situation he had found himself entered into.  What was Keith still doing here in the first place?  Lance and Plaxum hadn’t seen him and his…partner, in over an hour.  So why come back?  And more importantly, why was he bothering Lance?  And in a bathroom at that.

None of it made sense, though nothing ever did when it came to Keith, and Lance wasn’t sure how to handle it.  There was nothing else he could do with this situation except roll with it, and hopefully make it out unscathed.  Keith always had a way of leaving bruises behind.

So, Lance settled into his default: humor.  He relaxed his shoulders, dropping them from their tense stature, and loosed his muscles where they had tightened.  He tried to appear as unbothered by all of this as Keith was.  It was a difficult task to accomplish though, given how nervous Lance felt inside.  Still, Lance had plenty of experience with faking his emotions over the years.  What was five more minutes?

Lance finished drying his hands and tossed the now damp papers away in the nearby trashcan.  He stuffed his hands into the pocket of his jeans in an attempt to appear more casual, and less put-off by Keith’s presence.  Lance leaned back in his stance, allowing his spine to straighten as he looked at the man in front of him.

“I’m starting to think you have a thing for me and sinks.”  Lance jokes, a slight smirk gracing his lips, though the amusement never reached his eyes.  The words came off sweet from his tongue, but there was a distinct taste of bitterness mixed in.

He couldn’t help it.  He was still pissed over their last…encounter, with each other.  Lance vividly remembered that night out behind the bar, and he wasn’t looking forward to whatever potential repeat was happening right in front of him.  It didn’t matter that it had happened weeks before, it was still there, locked into his mind, just as their night in the bathroom at Shiro’s and all the ventures before.  It was all there and would probably forever remain.

Keith really was starting to haunt him, wasn’t he?

The man in question had stayed quiet during Lance’s comment, and all throughout the minute after.  Not a word was spoken, and his eyes never wavered from Lance.  Instead, that heavy gaze moved up and down, violet orbs scanning along Lance’s body, before meeting Lance’s eyes once more.  Lance shifted on his feet, feeling slightly uncomfortable with this kind of attention, but moved to say nothing until the silent drew on too long and he had still yet to garner a response.

“What are you doing here?”  Lance finally asks, wanting to get on with this.  He just wanted to leave, to be done with Keith like he promised Hunk.  Hell, like he promised himself.  He wanted to get back to his date with Plaxum, with someone who actually treated him well.

“Just came to use the bathroom.”

There wasn’t an edge of emotion in Keith’s voice.  The words were spoken so nonchalantly, as if they were of no importance.  Generally, and in any normal situation, they wouldn’t be.  But right now, Lance felt as though the black-haired man was holding him hostage, so any clues he could get were beneficial for the game playing through in his mind. 

Keith pushed himself off from the door, causing it to jostle slightly in its place.  He walked past Lance, barely paying the boy a glance, and stepped over to the sinks behind him.  Lance stayed still, waiting almost, though he wasn’t sure what for.  It almost felt like being in a lion’s den, this game they were playing.  Though Lance wasn’t sure if it was more similar to a game of cat and mouse, with Lance being the prey.

He hears the sound of running water from behind him and Lance shifts slightly so as to gain a better view.  Just enough for Keith to come into view without twisting his back into a pretzel.  He stares at the man for a minute, waiting for something more.  Surely, there was more to this sudden interruption than a simple bathroom adventure.

Lance doesn’t move again, just waits…and waits…and waits.  For the something more to finally come forward.  But Keith says nothing, just continues going long with this farce of washing his hands.  Lance gains no other reaction from the man, but he still doesn’t move.  He knows he should leave, that Plaxum is waiting for him, but he can’t seem to make himself leave the room.  Despite all his frustrations, and all the pain, Keith still held a certain power over him, and he resented him deeply for it.

Truth he told, he wasn’t sure if he resented himself for it even more.

“Are you just going to stand there and stare all night?”  Keith finally speaks, a teasing lilt to his voice.

Lance scoffs and shakes his head.  That something more had once again turned out to be nothing.  It seemed all Lance got with Keith was more and more disappointments and heartbreak.  He should have known better, even for something so simple.  That response told him all he needed to know.  Lance didn’t need to put up with any more of this.  He wasn’t sure why he had stayed in the first place.

He steps away, not wanting to engage any further.  “Whatever.  Goodnight Keith.”

Lance finally moves his feet and makes his way across the room, eager to get out of there.  He’s only a few feet away from the bathroom door, seconds from grabbing at the handle, when Keith responds.

“You know she’s not good for you right?”

He falters in his steps, tripping a little as he walks forward.  He hadn’t expected a response, and certainly not those words.  Lance halts in his movement, allowing the words to soak into him as he processes them slowly.  However, it takes no time for his anger to rise once they do.  In one quick motion, Lance spins around to face Keith once more, his hands beginning to clench at his sides.

“Excuse you?”  Lance asks, beyond pissed.

Keith shrugs, acting as though what he just said wasn’t completely insulting.  As if he had any right to comment of Lance’s relationships!  Especially after what happened the last time they were supposed to meet!  Just who did Keith think he was!

“I’m just saying.”  Keith begins.  “She’s not good for you.  You’re a little too…good, for someone like that.  And vice versa.”

That, of course, strikes a nerve, because Keith knows just how to go for his weak spots.  How to press at him until he’s so enraged that he’s not aware of anything else in the room.  Lance’s eyes narrow into slits and he swears his gaze would be lethal.  It certainly would have saved him a lot of heartache if it was.

“And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”  Lance questions, taking a step forward.

“Nothing…just that you need someone to balance you out.  Someone to put a little rebellious streak in you.  Give you a sense of danger.”

Lance can’t help but to be reminded of the entire reason he was attracted to Keith in the first place.  To remember the reason he had even gone out that night, searching for danger.  Were those words not exactly what Nyma had told him she wanted?  What he himself had tried to become, and sought after, just to prove her wrong?  God, it was the whole reason he had gotten himself into this mess in the first place.  The last thing Lance needed was more of a rebellious streak right now.  Just look at how well it had worked out for him so far.

Lance crosses his arms as he raises one eyebrow at Keith.  “Funny.  That’s not what you were saying a month ago.  In fact, I’m pretty sure I remember you telling me that you weren’t good for me either.”

“Still very true.” 

Lance is surprised by how fast Keith agrees, and that he agrees with his statement at all.  He schools his expression quickly though, not wanting to give Keith anymore than he already has.  The violet-eyed man steps forward, pressing into Lance’s space.  The Cuban refuses to move though, standing still.

“Then why are you still here?  Why keep stringing me along?”

“Like I said,” Keith takes another step.  “I think you need someone to balance you out.”

“I’ll have you know that Plaxum does just that, despite whatever you may think.  Just because opposites attract, does not mean they should.  And it definitely doesn’t make it healthy.”  Lance defends, hackles rising.

“No.”  Keith agrees.  “But it does make it fun.”

Keith saunters over, standing only a few inches away from Lance and leaning farther in.  He’s so far into Lance’s space by now that he can feel the heat coming off of Keith’s body, and the soft puffs of air escaping his open mouth.  His faces crowds against Lance’s, but Lance refuses to move.  He’s not sure if he could move even if he wanted to, something about Keith’s aura held him still, holding him in with rapt attention.  No, there was no chance of Lance moving away.  His body would always crave Keith’s, even when his mind knew better.

“And we both know what a good time you like to have.”  Keith whispers sultry into Lance’s ear.  Lance’s breath catches and he knows Keith heard it, if his smirk is anything to go by.

A blush covers Lance’s cheeks and his mind automatically flashes back to their first night together.  The sensations…the moans…the pleasure.  It has him in a haze just remembering it.  No matter what, that night would remain to be one of the best of his life, no matter the consequences that came of it.

Lance takes a deep breath, steadying himself.  He flexes his hands at his sides as he stares openly at the man in front of him.  “What do you want Keith?”  He asks with finality.

“Just wondering if we could have a good time again, that’s all.”  Keith says dismissively, providing yet another shrug.  It’s said it as though it was the simplest thing in the world.  Because things went so well the last time Keith wanted to meet him for another good time.

Lance’s eyes narrow once more.  “I thought you didn’t do second chances?  Or was that not the whole point of you ditching me the other night?”

At that, Keith actually winces, and a small streak of pride runs through Lance at having earned such a reaction out of the normally stoic man.  Keith’s eyes scrunch and his mouth turns downwards.

“Listen, I’m sorry about that.”  Keith says, and he sounds almost believable.  “Really, I am.  It was a dick move.”

“I thought that was the whole point.”  Lance quickly responds.  Keith must not have been expecting such a call-out though, for he’s quickly sent stumbling over his next words.

“I…um…listen, I—”

“No, you listen Keith.”  Lance interrupts, stepping forward so that they’re chest to chest.  He raises a hand to press pointedly against Keith’s black t-shirt, just to make sure he gets his point across.  Lance holds Keith’s gaze as he speaks his next words.  “I’m not some toy for you to have your way with, and even if I was, you made it pretty clear that you got bored of me a while ago anyway.  So as far as I’m concerned, what this is, was, it’s over.  I’m not going to wait around just to be played by you.  Whatever game you’re trying to win at, I’m done.  No more.”

“Then why haven’t you walked through that door then?”  Keith immediately counters, pressing forward with a hand raised towards the bathroom’s exit.  “Huh?  If you really don’t want this, leave.”

However, before Lance could even make a decision on what to do next, Keith grabs at his hips.  Lance feels himself being pushed roughly against the wall until he’s pressed flat against it.  He hears the door jostle next to him from the impact, his escape so near.  Lance is aware of the air escaping his lungs from the shock of being manhandled, the sound of it being the only other in the room.  They settle there against the wall, bodies pressed in the most intimate of ways.  Keith’s grip is loose as his hands circle at Lance’s waist, but he doesn’t move.  He could break out of it at any time, and Keith knows it.  Is using that knowledge against him.

“Leave.”  Keith whispers against his ear and god does Lance want to.  He wants nothing more than for his limbs to finally listen to him and to leave that damn bathroom.  Only, he doesn’t think he can anymore, not with Keith pressed so close to him like this.  Everything in him is screaming for Lance to run, to escape, but he just…can’t.  He’s trapped there under that heady gaze.

When Lance doesn’t respond, too stunned to even formulate a proper sentence, Keith slips a thigh between his legs, applying more sinful pressure to an already explosive situation.  Keith stares at him as he leans closer, saying nothing as he gives Lance ample time to escape from his hold and leave.  Lance promises he’s trying, is literally begging his body to move.  But really, how can he when those eyes are staring right at him?  When those soft, delectable lips are right there in front of him?

Keith watches Lance, grin growing in amusement from the lack of movement beneath his fingers.  He begins to lean in and Lance instinctively closes his eyes.  It’s an automatic reaction, something he couldn’t have controlled even if he wanted to.  He’s waiting for the impact, bracing for it and all that it leads to.

Only, it doesn’t come.

Instead, he hears a soft laugh as it graces his ears.  He feels the warmth of the breath brushing against his lips, but never the delicate pull of Keith’s familiar flesh.  Lance opens his eyes, confused, only to see an entirely too smug Keith staring back at him, signature smirk in place.  It made Lance feel as though he was being eaten alive, and enjoying it.

“See, you do want this.”

And with that, the illusion is ruined.  Because that’s all it was, wasn’t it?  Just an illusion.  Some trick played by the light, by the pressing of their skin against the others, to make Lance feel like this was something he wanted.  Like this was something, someone, he needed in his life.  It was all just a mirage, a dangerous game for them to play that would always lead to Lance losing in the end.  Keith would never truly want Lance the way he wanted him to, and it was time he accept that as the truth.

Lance grits his teeth and slips his hands up Keith’s chest.  That cheshire grin widens before the expression changes into one of shock as Lance roughly pushes him away.  With his pulse rushing, Lance opens the bathroom door, his gaze avoidant of Keith’s.  He couldn’t bring himself to meet those eyes as he made his leave, too embarrassed at having been played by the man yet again.  Betrayal burned its way through his system.  How could one person make him feel so much?  How could he let one person have this kind of effect on him?

“Asshole.”  Lance mutters before taking off, wishing to never see that dark hair ever again.

He races through the bar, gaining more than a few confused looks along his way.  Lance paid them no mind though, not truly caring about the attention he was gathering.  He just needed to get out of there, to leave that bar, and get away from Keith as soon as he possibly could.  He’s walking so fast that he almost completely misses Plaxum when he finally exits the building, having forgotten that it was she who he was returning to the rest of the night.

“Oh.”  She says, eyes wide as she takes in his appearance.  He was sure he looked like a wreck right now.  He certainly felt like one.

Lance said nothing as he looked at her, his mind still processing all that had happened.  He stood there, unmoving, as he watched her face become more worried by the second.  He knew he should explain himself, especially given his frazzled state, but he was having trouble coming up with a proper explanation.  Or any explanation for that matter.  It’s not exactly like he could tell her the truth of what had just occurred in the bathroom.  And he certainly couldn’t tell her about what he almost allowed to happen while he was in there.

Oh god, what have I done.

A sense of guilt washed through him, just thinking of how close he’d been to giving in.  Of how much he had wanted to.  No, Plaxum didn’t deserve that, any of it.  Any words out of his mouth would be nothing but a betrayal.  It was simply whether it would be a betrayal of the truth, or an admittance of the betrayal of Plaxum herself.  He didn’t like it, but Lance knew what he should do.   

Clouds of breath from in the chilly air between them, but Lance makes sure to calm his before finally speaking.  He carefully rids himself of all remaining thoughts of Keith, pushing them deep into the corners of his mind.  Lance awkwardly clears his throat and attempts to put on a reassuring smile, so as not to worry the sweet girl standing in front of him.

She watches him throughout all of this, but never says a word.  She doesn’t even question the validity of his smile, despite the doubtful look behind her eyes when she sees it appear.  No, Plaxum doesn’t say anything, simply giving him time to come back to himself, and he could never be more grateful for that act of kindness and understanding.

“Um, sorry about that.”  He finally apologizes.  Truthfully, he’s not entirely sure which crime he’s apologizing for with those words: the wait she endured, for being so willing to leave her for Keith not moments before.  “Something was wrong with the sink.  It took a bit to get it to work.  You ready to go?”

Plaxums observes him for a moment more before nodding.  It seemed as though she really wasn’t going to question him on his strange behavior, or the lack of a proper explanation.  Once again, Plaxum was proving how great she was, and Lance was all the more appreciative of the fact that it was she who he was on a date with.

The young woman approaches him, slipping a slim arm gracefully through his own.  She begins to lead them slowly down the sidewalk and back to where they parked.  Lance follows along obediently.

“Yeah, let’s go home.”  She says to him quietly, resting her head gently against his shoulder.

A smile graces Lance’s lips as he looks down at her, heart overflowing in adoration for the girl next to him.  He gingerly grabs one of her hands in his own, and the two separate slightly so that it’s easier to walk.  They hold on to each other the entire way back to his car.  Neither bother to look back at the old bar and grill.  If they had, they may have seen the pair of violet eyes staring back at them, at Lance, completely and utterly captivated.

The couple remains silent for the rest of their walk.  It’s not an uneasy silence though.  If anything, it was quite comforting.  They simply enjoyed each other’s presence as they took their leave.  Despite their shared humor and extraverted personalities, Plaxum had a quiet presence.  She evoked peace and calm, which was something Lance both appreciated and needed in his life right now.  It was something very refreshing to experience and oh so welcome after the past few weeks.  Lance felt as though he could just relax without judgement in her company, with no pressure to be anything but himself.  Once again, he felt thankful.

The drive back to Plaxum’s sorority house was short.  There was barely any traffic on the road, the majority of the town’s population either at home or making use of the close walking distance between their destinations.  As they approach the house, they see all of the lights are on, signaling that all of its tenants are still awake.  Lance pulls into the driveway, attempting to get as close as he could to the house’s front entrance.  The car is barely parked before Lance launches himself out and jogs lightly around to the passenger side of the vehicle.

Plaxum giggles as Lance bows to her as he opens her door, amused by his theatrics.  She steps out and responds with a small curtsy, before taking Lance’s arm.  He leads her towards the front door, careful not to cause either of them to trip on their way there.  They enjoy the last few moments of their time together, delaying the end of their evening as much as possible.

Soon though, they reach the front door.  The two pause in front of it, facing the other as they say their goodbyes.  On the other side of the wood, Lance can hear the hushed whispers of the other girls and he smiles to himself at their antics.  Plaxum gives a huff beside him and rolls her eyes in amusement, a clear sign that she hears them as well.

“I had a really great time tonight Lance.”  Plaxum tells him, turning her attention away from her sorority sisters.  A shy smile graces her lips.

“I did too.”  He assures her, and he means it.  Regardless of the earlier fiasco, Lance had enjoyed himself quite a bit throughout their time together.  He licks at his lips, bracing himself.  “Any chance I’ve earned a second date?”  

“Oh definitely.”  Plaxum assures him, stepping forward.

Now see, Lance is smart.  He’s a decently intelligent and likes to think of himself as being especially talented at reading people.  It was a skill he developed growing up in a large family, each with their own personality and quirks.  Learning how to anticipate others’ actions and moods was practically necessary for survival.  Of course, whether younger Lance had actually listened to his annoying siblings, who he swears he loves very much, had been an entirely different thing.

Yet, none of this, absolutely nothing in his twenty-two years of living, had prepared him for what Plaxum did next.  And really, he should have expected it, the entire evening had been leading up to it.  But the mere thought of it had slipped his mind so easily, and Lance hated to be reminded of the reason why.  It brought a sense of shame to him, knowing he had forgotten something he had once hoped for.

Plaxum leaned into him, stepping up onto her tip toes.  A petite hand pushed against his chest, fingers gripping lightly to the fabric there.  Soft lips pressed against Lance’s, gentle with how they touched him there.  The faintest taste of chocolate and caramel remained, flavors leftover from their snacks earlier in the evening.

It was a lovely kiss, near perfect.  Yet, Lance’s body froze beneath her kind touches.  He practically became a stature beneath her lips, not moving a muscle.  Plaxum, upon realizing the lack of response, immediately backed away.  Her lips left his and he wasn’t sure how he felt at the loss.  He wasn’t even sure how he felt about the kiss in the first place.  Plaxum though, was frantic as she stepped farther away, eyes glancing everywhere but at Lance himself.

“I—I am so sorry.  I—I don’t—” She stuttered, rushing to apologize.  Normally, she wouldn’t have been so brave, but she thought that this was where the evening had been heading.  Had she really been so wrong?

“Wha—”  Lance starts, finally coming back to himself.  He stares at the sweet girl in front of him for a few moments, mind still catching up.  When it does, and he finally hears the words she’s been trying to get out, he immediately launches into action.

Lance clears his throat, politely attempting to quiet her rambling.  He steps forward and lightly presses his hands on Plaxum’s shoulders.  He leans down so she can look at him directly, but she only further avoids his gaze by staring at the ground.  Gingerly, Lance moves one hand from her shoulders, and grasps gently at her chin.  Slowly, giving her plenty of time to refuse, Lance tilts her head up and finally their eyes meet.

“It’s okay Plaxum.  There’s no need to apologize.”  He tells her with a smile on his face.  “You just surprised me.”

Plaxum gazes back at him with unsure eyes.  “Are you sure?  Because I didn’t—I don’t—”

“Positive.”  Lance says, interrupting her with a light whisper.

He looks at her for a few more seconds, gaze glancing between her eyes, asking for permission.  Though he sees no outright sign of resistance, he takes his time leaning forward, giving her another chance to refuse him.  She never does though, and Lance can hear how her breath halts at his movement.

Lance smiles to himself as he finally presses his lips back to hers.  He feels how her own do the same beneath his and is able to that cute grin when he eventually pulls away, ending the kiss.  His thumb rubs gently at her skin there and Plaxum blushes all the more.  The two simply stand there smiling at each other, a calm having settled over them.

“Well…um…goodnight then.”  Plaxum mumbles as the two separate. 

She finds her keys and unlocks the door, allowing herself inside.  She pauses though as she’s about to step inside.  Then, in one quick motion, Plaxum turns around and places her lips against Lance’s cheek before hastily removing them.  Soon after she steps through the doorway but moves to face him one last time before the night is officially over.  Her eyes shyly meet his, a nervous smile present, as she gives him her final goodbye.  “See you soon Lance.”

And with that, the door closes.

“Goodnight Plaxum.”  He whispers softly through the painted wood.  Somehow though, he knew she heard.  He waits a moment before he turns and takes his leave.

Lance takes his time getting home, stretching out the drive as long as possible.  There was so much running through his mind, he needed the extra time to think it all over.  He had assumed he would obsess over the date as he usually does: diving into deep in of the romance head first.  He would think about the kiss, about how they laughed, and most importantly, how the date left him feeling.

Most times, Lance’s dates left him feeling euphoric, especially the good ones.  The ones that weren’t so stellar would typically leave him with the sensation of desperation.  It usually came from a need to prove that he wasn’t in fact the one at fault for things going downhill so fast.  Of course, Hunk and Allura were always there to hear his troublesome woes and help him through them, making it all the better.

The point is though, Lance currently he felt none of these things.  The lack of emotion over such a fantastical night left him confused.  But he just felt…empty, in regards to the date, as though the evening wasn’t enough.  As if it hadn’t fulfilled him in some way.

Which is what was really confusing, because his time with Plaxum had been perfect.  Absolutely splendid.  The couple had checked all the boxes during their night together.  Not a single error. 

Well, maybe one.

Lance couldn’t help but think back to his situation with Keith earlier that evening.  The almost kiss.  The way he had craved it, and had been so willing to cave after vowing to never think of Keith again.  He had gone back so willingly, so desperately.  The butterflies had roared within him, drove him crazy.  Everything in him had begged for those lips to surge forward and kiss his own.

It had been the opposite with Plaxum though.  That one had felt peaceful, sweet, almost kind.  Not necessarily unpleasurable, just…different.  Not how he had expected.  Which is what was throwing him off, because he wasn’t sure what that meant for them.  He also wasn’t sure just how much he enjoyed that difference in reactions from himself. 

Lance knew how much he loved the draw of Keith, but he also hated it.  Despised it because it was so uncontrollable and the person behind it so…hurtful.  But while the person behind those feelings wasn’t good for him, those sensations were.  They left his head dizzy in the best way.  So it was almost disappointing to not feel that with someone who actually treated him well.

He couldn’t wrap his mind around the disparity, or what it supposedly meant for these relationships in his life.  He hoped it wouldn’t mean anything, was sure it didn’t, but that doubt remained.  Because if Keith could make him feel that way, with all the toxicity between them, then why hadn’t Plaxum as well?  Why didn’t he feel that same rush?

Just give it time.  He tells himself.  It was only the first date.

He completely blocks out the part of him that reminds him of how he felt these things with Keith just by noticing him from across the room.  No, he was not entertaining that particular thought at all.

In fact, Lance didn’t want to think about any of this.  He just wanted to go home and tell Hunk the good news about his date.  Plus, Lance had a vow to keep with himself, and despite his earlier run-in with Keith, he was going to stay true to it.  Lance didn’t want their interaction to taint the rest of the night.  Hunk, however, did not need to know that particular piece of information. 

So Lance pushed those feelings away.  He buried them so deep it would take countless shovels to dig them back out again.  He wasn’t going to deal with them, not right now.  No, Lance was going to focus on what a good time he had with Plaxum.  Besides, he needed to plan their second date.

Whatever was going on with him, Lance was sure of one thing.  He was never-ever, not going to happen, ever focus on those thoughts again.  On how Plaxum’s kiss had felt nothing like Keith’s.  Or how he wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.

Nope, not thinking about it.

Chapter Text

It had been around two weeks since the latest incident with Keith, and therefore since Lance’s first date with Plaxum.  The two have been dating wonderfully over the last few weeks, enjoying their time together immeasurably.  It was fun, their relationship.  More fun than he had experienced in a relationship in a long time, even with Nyma.  Things were easy between them, simple and sweet, and requiring very little effort on his part, which he admitted to being a little relieved by.  Like he said, being with Plaxum was easy.  Fun.

He just…wasn’t sure if it was the kind of fun he wanted.

Don’t get him wrong, Lance has had a great time with Plaxum so far.  She’d been over to the apartment more than once to hang out with him and his friends, joining in on more than a few game nights and movie binges.  Those were nights that they all thoroughly enjoyed, everyone laughing and having a good time.  She seemed to fit into the group seamlessly.

So, yes, everything was amazing.  Perfect, even!

But Lance still felt dissatisfied.  He kept waiting for that same rush, that out of body feeling he would always have with Keith, to appear as he spent more time with Plaxum.  Only, no such luck.  He didn’t feel the same spark, the same intense passion as he did with Keith, and it’s absence was more than a little worrying. 

He kept his mouth shut though, not expressing his feelings on the subject, or lack thereof, to even his best friends.  He hadn’t expressed a single word of dissatisfaction with his newfound relationship to anyone, and had basically been denying it to himself.  Besides, Lance wouldn’t know what to say even if he did decide to admit to it.  Everyone had grown so attached to Plaxum, all of them genuinely enjoying her presence and thinking her a great addition to their little group.

And the thing is, Lance couldn’t really disagree.  She fit in like a perfect puzzle piece, with both the group and Lance.  It was amazing how well they had meshed, getting along so easily.  It was almost as though she had always been there, a part of them.

So, he tells himself that the feelings will come in time.  That soon, he’ll be just as excited about her kisses as he was Keith’s, as Plaxum is about his.  That he’ll feel just as pleased.  He just needs to wait, give it time, his heart will catch up.  Just wait and see!  Lance didn’t need Keith, physically, emotionally, sexually…didn’t need him in the slightest.  It didn’t matter if that black hair was all that came to mind whenever he kissed Plaxum, that he was all Lance thought about while he made out with his girlfriend on the couch.

It’s this that Lance feels especially guilty about, because it feels like a betrayal.  While he knows he hasn’t technically done anything wrong, Lance is aware of how it seems.  And more importantly, how close he came to actually betraying Plaxum.  He tries not to think about it, to bury himself in schoolwork whenever the feeling overcomes him.  But he knows Hunk has probably picked up on his strange behavior, and likely a few others from their friend group as well.  Lance refuses to talk about it though, to admit to the storm going on inside him.  It’s best if they don’t know anyway, not until Lance can figure his own feelings first.  Then, they can deal with the guilt.

The thing is though, Lance isn’t completely sure if he sees this relationship going anywhere, which in turn is a key point for his emotional confusion.  Because, if he can’t see a future for this relationship right now, then why stay in it?  But then, the person he thinks he kinda, would, maybe, you know he’s not entirely sure, like to be in a relationship with, isn’t a possibility.  And that realization makes him feel horrible all over again, because that means he’s only craving after something he can’t touch and what’s the point in that?  It was just a vicious cycle of this, all the time in Lance’s head these days.

Because the truth of the matter is, Lance doesn’t want to focus on Keith the way he knows he has in the past.  He wants to put him away, locked deep into the recesses of his mind where thoughts of him could only be reached in dire situations.  So he keeps busy, finds something else to focus on so that his thoughts aren’t plagued by black hair and violet eyes.  Or rather, he focuses on someone else.

And it sounds bad, and really it probably is.  But again, Lance is the king of denial.  So deny he must.

Lance knows it horrible, using Plaxum in this way.  And truly, he feels awful about it, despites himself for how he’s treating Plaxum.  He tells himself it’s only temporary, just something to hold him over until the real feelings arrive.  Lance just, he needs to get his mind off of the blackette, and the only way he can think to do it, is by throwing himself into another relationship.  By finding a distraction.

And Plaxum, he knows, doesn’t deserve this, any of it.  No one does, but especially not her, not when she has such genuine feelings for him.  So Lance waits, gives himself time to cut the cord between him and Keith, and to build a new one, full of loving emotions, with Plaxum.  He wants things to go well, is desperate for them to, and not just for his own sake.  He doesn’t want Plaxum to get hurt in any of this, which is why he wishes his heart would catch up already.  His brain has, so why such the delay? 

He needs to get over these feelings for Keith, and fast.  He can’t have these feelings clouding his relationship with Plaxum, turning a positive experience negative and ruining him in the end.  Lance really thinks he and Plaxum could do well together, they’ve already proven it.  He’s finally in a loving relationship!  With someone who treats him well and actually returns his feelings!  Lance has literally everything he’s ever wanted in a relationship.

But it just doesn’t feel the same as it does with Keith.  And maybe that’s why, the constant comparison.  He’s not sure why he’s comparing the two anyway, they’re so drastically different.  Perhaps it’s just the different reactions both bring about.  Keith makes him feel all wild and crazy and dangerous and like he’s finally living, while Plaxum covers him with love and comfort and makes him feel seen.  Which was something he hadn’t felt in a long time.  Both were wonderful sensations, both made him feel incredibly happy and enthralled.  So why couldn’t he have both?  And why couldn’t he have both with Plaxum?

Ugh, it was all just too much, and he never had a straight answer in the end.  So on and on, Lance would block out the questions in favor of something much more pleasurable.  He pushed all those thoughts away.  Thoughts about Keith and the doubt he’d caused in Lance’s relationship.   Thoughts of how he felt in bed.  And most importantly, those thoughts, those dreadful meaningless hopes, of how Keith had wanted him too, if only for the night.

Lance forgets it all.  He redirects his attention towards passing his classes and working on Iverson’s project, which Plaxum had so graciously agreed to help him with.  That is, with what little time she could offer between her own course work and sorority obligations.  Still, it was welcome.  He redirects, and Lance forgets it all. 

Until they come back.  And then he’s reminded of everything.  Of how he felt, of what he almost did, and the implications of it all.

He forgets until he can’t anymore.  And then he forgets again.

A viscious cycle.

A dangerous game.

His life seemed to be full of those lately.

Lance shakes his head, forcing the thoughts away, ridding himself of them.  He knew soon enough the cycle would end and the bow would break.  But for now, he chose to focus on his friends, gathered round in his living room as they did schoolwork.  He chose to focus on the girl pressed in at his side, head and shoulders hunched over a textbook as she studied for an upcoming exam.  He chose to focus on all but what was going inside of his head.

It was a Friday night, relatively calm for their group, as they all settled in to his and Hunk’s apartment.  The group had long ago decided it was best to stay in for the evening, deciding to focus on classes rather than go downtown.  Finals were fast approaching, yet another topic of conversation Lance chose to avoid, and the assignments were piling on fast. 

Lance certainly didn’t mind the quiet night in though, even if it meant having to do homework.  If he were honest, he was still a little scared of going back to another bar after his past few experiences.  Hell, he may never drink outside of the apartment ever again.

They were spread out, some positioned throughout the living room, while others rested in the kitchen.  All of them had agreed to a quick study session after classes in order to work on homework and projects.  Then, they were set to start another classic movie binge, full of popcorn and delicious goodies.  Lance, of course, had elected to ignore the homework section of the evening after realizing the only assignment he had left to work on was Iverson’s project.  Again, king of denial.

“You guys!”  He yelled, interrupting their peaceful silence in favor of sharing his excitement.  He was sat on the couch, Plaxum cuddled by his side as she poured over her textbook.  There were a few grumbles about his rudeness, but Lance paid them no mind.  Especially not when he heard Plaxum’s quiet giggle from beside him.

“What is it Lance?  Some of us are actually trying to get work done.”  Pidge complained.  They were stationed in their usual spot during nights like these: on the floor in front of Hunk’s chair, his knees resting on either side of their head.

“There’s a carnival coming to town this week!  They’re going to have rides and everything.”  Lance exclaimed, once again ignoring their complaints.  “We should totally go!”

“There is?”  Plaxum questioned, the only one seeming interested in what Lance had just announced.  She leaned in closer to him, nearly scooting into his lip, in order to take a closer look at the advertisement.  He pushed it closer to her, sharing what exactly he had been looking at while scrolling through his phone.

“Lance!”  Pidge groaned again.  “No one wants to hear about some stupid carnival.”

“I don’t know Pidge, this actually looks kinda fun.”  Allura comments.  She had stood from her seat at the kitchen table with Romelle in order to look at the advertisement as well.  Plaxum moved slightly to the left so she could garner a better look.

Lance’s face lit up, glad that someone else agreed with his idea.  He turned his head to look at Pidge, sticking his tongue out.  “See, I have good taste in events!”

“Yeah, for once you’re not suggesting we go get shit-faced at a bar.  Congrats.” 

Lance swallowed roughly at their words, choosing to ignore them.  Again, not thinking about it.  Instead, he turned his attention back to the rest of the group, hoping to rope them in as well.

“Come on you guys.  I bet this will be loads of fun.”  Lance begged, puppy dog eyes on fully display.  Hunk swiftly avoided his gaze, as did Romelle.  It only made sense though, they were the two most prone to giving in to his signature puppy dog look.  They caved every time.

“I agree.”  Allura said, Plaxum nodding in solidarity.  Two down, three to go.

At that, Romelle finally stands, still avoiding his eyes warily.  She makes her way over, stopping once she’s able to gaze over her girlfriend’s shoulder at the carnival flyer.  The blonde is silent for a few moments, looking it over, until her pigtails are suddenly bouncing up and down as she squeals in excitement.

“Allura!  They have a face painting station!  Oh, we have to go!  We can get matching face paint!”  Romelle insists, tugging on her girlfriend’s arm excitedly.  Allura giggles, allowing herself to be shaken, and nods in agreeance with Romelle’s plans.  With that, the two walk back to the kitchen table, retaking their previous positions.

“Oh Hunk, they actually have a bunch of food booths where you can try free samples of food from around the world.  It’s set up by some place named Vrepit Sal’s.”  Plaxum mentioned offhandedly as she continues to scroll through the list of events and activities set to be at the carnival.  There were honestly a lot, but they all sounded appealing, she thought.  She supposed it was better to go big or go home with these types of things.

The Samoan’s eyes widen and he immediately moves to stand, as though desperate to get up and come see the advertisement for himself, with his own eyes.  Pidge yelps, leading Hunk to remember that he actually couldn’t stand up right now, but silently begged for Plaxum to send him the information.  The girl nodded, immediately e-mailing it over.

“No way!”  Hunk shrieked after having opened the e-mail, causing the gremlin at his feet to wince.  “I’ve been wanting to get into Vrepit Sal’s club for forever!”

“So…does that mean you’re coming?”  Lance asked again, puppy dog eyes at the ready for whenever Hunk looked up.  When he does, and Lance sees him pause for a moment before responding, he knows he’s got him.

“There is no way I’m going to miss out on a chance like this.”

Lance grins and did a tiny air pump.  He holds his hand out to Plaxum and she bumps his fist, an acknowledgment of each other’s team work.  Now, only Pidge was left to convince.  He would give that a few minutes though, the little pidgeotto already riled up from the conversation.  It was best to just let them be for now.  Besides, he had majority rule so he wasn’t too worried about it.

He leaned over Plaxum’s shoulder, resting his forehead there, and let the conversation die off for the moment as they looked through the list of activities together.  In truth, he hadn’t really paid much attention to the details before.  He had been too excited by the mere idea of visiting a carnival and how much fun he and his friends could have while there.

As he sat there though, doubt began to creep in.  Was this really the best idea?  Was it actually something fun?  Or was he just acting like a kid again and his friend playing along just for the moment?  It wouldn’t be the first time they had gone along with something in order to spare his feeling.  And while he appreciated the gesture, it still hurt in the end.

“Are you sure you want to go?”  Lance whispered to his girlfriend, searching for reassurance.  He made sure to be quiet so that the others couldn’t hear.  “It’s not lame or anything?”

“What?”  Plaxum whispered back, stunned as she turned her attention fully on him.  “Lance, it’s a wonderful idea.  I love it.  it even reminds me of our first date.”

“Yeah.”  Lance agreed, smile growing.  “Me too.”

“See?  We had tons of fun at the street fair, so I know we’ll have an amazing time at this carnival.  It’ll be nice to reminisce on our first date too.”  She told him with a wink.

“Besides,” Plaxum continued.  “You could always win me a stuffed animal from one of those fair water gun games.”

Lance laughed, the teasing tone between them lifting his spirits.  He lefts his head so that their lips could slot together.  “I’ll win you whatever you want.”

“Ugh, get a room.”  Pidge groaned, sticking their tongue out in disgust.

“Leave the room then.”  Lance teased with a wink.  The room collectively groaned.

“Come on Pidgeon.”  Lance whined, deciding a change of subject was best.  He placed his full attention on Pidge, ready to convince them to join in on their carnival fun.  “you know you and Matt would have a great time ridiculing all of the rides.  Plus, you might be able to snag a few spare parts from some of them.”

Pidge crosses their arms, glaring at him as they contemplate it.  Then they begin to pout, giving in to Lance’s persuasion.  “Fine.”  They hold Lance’s gaze steady for a moment, a determined look in their eye as they point a finger at him.  “But only if you promise to let me keep whatever I find.  No complaints.”

Lance holds his hands up in surrender, acquiescing to their terms.  “Fine by me.”

Hunk catches his eye through, one eyebrow raised as they shake their head.  Lance simply shrugs his shoulders in response, grinning all the while at his accomplishment.  It normally took forever to get Pidge to join in on group activities outside of the apartment, especially when they had other projects to focus on.  Yeah, this was definitely going down in the books.

“Who’s Matt?”  Plaxum asks, confused by the new name.

“My brother.”  Pidge answers bluntly, already turning back to their assignment.

“The two are practically inseparable.  And complete geniuses.”  Lance explains.

“But also complete troublemakers if left alone.”  Hunk comments, adding to the conversation before returning to his own work.

“Yeah, the last time we left them alone together at Target, they somehow managed to completely rewire the display system to show nothing but videos on screaming goats.  On replay.  At full volume.  Then they pretended they were the screaming goats until security found them and chased us all out of the store.”  Allura chimed in.  Romelle looked up at her, confused.

“Is that we can’t go to Target anymore?” She asked.  Allura nodded, a slight grimace on her face.

“Yeah, sorry about that sweetie.”  Romelle could only shake her head in response.

“I thought for sure we were going to get arrested.”  Hunk whispered, eyes wide in fear as if he were reliving the experience. 

Lance nodded though, having felt the same way at the time.  “Me too buddy.  That one security guy almost caught me too.”

“That’s what you get for running so slow.”  Allura teased.

“Not all of us have legs like a gazelle Allura.”  He respond, glaring over his shoulder at his friend.  They stare at each other for a few moments before both bust out into laughter.  Everyone else soon joins in, homework forgotten for the moment.

“I love your friends.”  Plaxum told him as they all settled down.  She spoke to him quietly so as not to disturb the others as they worked.  “They’re all so funny.”

Lance leaned into her, giving her a joking wink.  “You must really love me then, huh?”

He didn’t mean it of course.  It was a joke.  It was meant to be a joke.  A completely harmless, innocent, flirtatious joke.  One like he always made.

But he saw the way Plaxum paused at his words, the hesitancy she held in her response.  She took a moment before leaning back to gaze up into his eyes, her own twinkling in amusement.

“We’ll see.”  She replied, her grin sly.  And suddenly, Lance couldn’t breathe.

Okay, so that wasn’t an official confession.  It wasn’t a complete yes or no, ‘I love you’ thing.  It was just a joke.  A teasing remark made in response to his own.

Only, why did it feel so serious coming from her lips?  Why did she hesitate, need a moment before responding?

Did she want to fall in love with him?  Did she want to see how far they could go with this relationship?  To see if they could reach that point?  If she really did feel that way about Lance?  If she would grow to?

It certainly sounded like it.  And sure, that was typical in relationships, especially happy ones like theirs.  They were just in the beginning of it, just starting out.  Stuff like this was normal while in the honeymoon phase.

Lance just wasn’t there yet.  He was far from reaching that point.  Hell, he wasn’t even sure if he would qualify himself as even being in the honeymoon phase of their relationship.  Plaxum certainly was, but was he?  No, he still had too much work to do as far as his emotions for Keith.  There would be no new honeymoon phase until he could relinquish himself from the last one.

No, it wasn’t love yet, for either of them.  But Plaxum had basically just made it clear that she wanted to see if it would grow to that.  That she wanted to see if their relationship could get there.  That she hoped they would.

And that, that had Lance stuttering for breath.  Because as far as he knew, no one had ever felt that way about him before.  It was a knew sensation for him, this knowledge.  It both thrilled and terrified him, knowing he was wanted in such a way.  His emotions were so conflicted, he truly had no idea what to think of it.  Part of him was elated, completely overjoyed, but another part of him had no idea what to do with this information.  Or how to process it.

So there it went, shoved down with everything else these days.

“Alright, all done!”  Romelle yelled from across the room.  She closed her laptop, pushing away her notebooks in signal that she had finished all of her assignments.  There was a chorus of agreements echoing around the room and Lance began to feel excited once more.

“Woohoo!”  He exclaimed.  “Who’s ready to watch some rom-coms?”

The entire room groaned.

The group spend the rest of the evening watching “shitty rom-coms, Lance why.”  Most of the complaints came from Pidge but even they were crying by the time they put on the Princess Bride.  Then, they were all reenacting the scenes in the living room, Lance doing a particularly fabulous job of playing Inigo Montoya.  Soon though, they all began to grow tired and one by one they dispersed for the evening.  Everyone said their goodbyes, making promises and plans of when to meet up tomorrow for the carnival.

By the time they met up the next afternoon, the chill in the air had grown.  November was now here in full force, which only led Lance to complain from inside his bundle of clothes.  He was a beach kid for a reason.  His body was not meant for this kind of weather.

He, Matt and Pidge, Hunk, and Allura and Romelle stood waiting at the front entrance to the carnival.  The only member of their group yet to arrive was Plaxum, who had already texted Lance, letting him know that she was running late due to helping her sorority sisters.  Apparently, a lot of them had gone out drinking the night before and had returned to the house in less than perfect condition.  There were a lot of hangovers going on behind those white walls.  Lance had offered to pick her up from the house, but she said it was fine and would just catch a ride with a few friends who were going to the carnival as well.  Thus, here they are.

“Hey!”  A voice called from behind him.

Lance looked up and began to search for the source of the greeting.  He scanned over the crowd, his eyes catching on the gorgeous girl walking towards them.  Clad in jeans and a cozy sweatshirt, Plaxum approached, loose curls bouncing softly as she hurried to join them.

“Hey.”  Plaxum repeated as her pace slowed and she grew to a stop right before them.  She now stood at Lance’s side, beaming up at him.  Lance wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in and planting a small kiss against her temple.

“Hey.”  He replied.  Plaxum smiled, the two of them becoming briefly lost in their own world.

She really is amazing, isn’t she?  He thought as he peered down at her.  Truly amazing.

“Ahem.”

Lance and Plaxum turned, their attention now focused upon the group instead of just each other.  Their friends only gazed at them with raised brows, a few of them with their arms crossed.

“Are you two done yet?”  Pidge asked with a glare, tapping their foot impatiently.  “Matt and I have parts to steal.”

Lance said nothing, only rolling his eyes as a blush appeared on his cheeks.  Plaxum, he could see, reacted much the same way, though a tad more shy.

“Pidge, you can’t steal parts off of rides.  It’s unsafe.”  Hunk chastised from their right.  Matt, positioned on their left, simply rested an elbow upon the younger gremlin’s shoulders.  He leaned over them, a good head and a half taller than this sibling, in order to converse with Hunk directly.

A devil an angel on either shoulder it seemed.

“Ahh, but that’s half the fun.”  Matt replied.  He held up his hand and without a word, Pidge high-five it, a note of silent agreeance between the two.

“Wow, you two really are siblings.”  Giggled Plaxum.

“Yeah, they’re the chaos makers.”  Lance jokes, winking over to Matt.  The taller ginger bellows, his laughter carrying far through the thin November air.

“Only when you’re not the one leading the charge.”  Matt teases back.  The two fall into easy laughter while the rest of them simply shake their heads.

“I’m Matt by the way.”  He says, waving a hand in greeting towards Plaxum.

“So I see.”  She quips.  “I’m Plaxum.”

“Ahh, so you’re the girl that’s had Lance going crazy.  How many times was it that you went out looking for her?”  Matt asked, his question directed towards Lance.  Blue eyes widened and Lance could feel himself tense, so he was sure Plaxum was aware of his reaction as well.  He glimpsed over at his date, wary of what he might see.  Thankfully, she seemed only confused by Matt’s comment, and nothing more.

“Uh, no idea what you’re talking about man.”  Lance responds.  He gives Matt a pointed look, hoping he would understand the message his eyes convey.

Thankfully, he does.

“Oh, that’s right.  It was me who did that.”  Matt quickly covered, eyes turning away.  “My bad.”

“No worries.”  Plaxum responds, but there’s a new terseness to her voice.  She didn’t seem all that reassured by Matt’s words, but Lance could only pray that she wouldn’t question him on it.

“Cool.  So now that that awkwardness is over with, and we have everyone, can we go inside now?”  Pidge interrupted.  Lance was thankful for it this time though.

“Actually,” Allura interjects.  “We’re waiting for two more.”

“We are?”  Shay asked, appearing just as confused as the rest of them.  Allura had mention any of this before.

The girl in question nodded.  “I was talking to Shiro last night and he mentioned that he and Adam were looking for something to do over the weekend.  I suggested they join us at the carnival.  They agreed, saying it sounded like a great idea.”

Lance blanched. 

He glanced a look over in Hunk’s direction, who appeared just as distraught.  They certainly hadn’t expected this.

Lance, while having enjoyed Shiro and Adam’s company when they met, was not looking forward to seeing them again.  So much had changed since he and Hunk stayed for dinner, and not all of it for the better.  Lance could only imagine the kind of reaction they would have to seeing Lance after what had occurred with Shiro’s brother.  Whatever it may be, he was certain it wouldn’t be pleasant.

Hunk, was just as worried.  He was the only other person in their group who knew the fully story of how things had gone that night.  He was also the only one besides Lance, who knew how Keith had treated him.  This made his best friend incredibly cautious; he knew.  Afterall, they had no idea how much Shiro and Adam knew about Lance’s situation with Keith.  How would they feel if they did know?  Would they judge him for being so tempted? 

Maybe if he walked away before they saw him…

“Oh, there they are!”

Crap.

Lance turns around, shoulders already tense.  He didn’t know what to expect when he saw Shiro again, or how the older man would act upon seeing Lance.  Because, oh boy, if Shiro was going to react badly, then what the hell was Lance getting himself into today?  What had he unwittingly entered into? 

If Shiro did know about any of Lance’s past with Keith, would he reveal it?  And if so, would it be intentional or by pure accident as with Matt?  And how would Plaxum react to all of this?  What would it mean for his relationship with Plaxum?  Would she be disappointed?  Mad?  Angry?  Irate? 

Lance wasn’t sure what to expect, and so he dreaded it all.

Only, it was so, so much worse than he could have imagined.

Because when Lance finally turned around to greet their new carnival companions, it wasn’t Adam he saw by Shiro’s side.  No, instead, it was none other than Keith himself.  The very man he wished to avoid at all costs, especially in Plaxum’s presence.  With his black hair and signature all black outfit, the boy walked towards him, seemingly bored.

If only Lance could feel so blasé about the whole situation.

He stood there, stunned.  His mind ran frantic while his body couldn’t seem to move.  There was no way Keith, of all people, had willingly agreed to go to a carnival of all things.  The place didn’t even serve alcohol!  And who was he going to hit on?  The old guys working the rides and booths?  It just didn’t make any sense.

Unless…did Keith know Lance was going to be here?  And that he would likely be here with his girlfriend?  If so, had he chosen to come here on purpose?  To mess things up between them?  To reveal how horrible Lance truly was?

Had he come back to haunt Lance all over again?

The brothers grew closer, Lance’s eyes never straying from them as they approached.  Keith continued to look bored as he scanned his surroundings.  That is, until his eyes met Lance’s.  Then, his entire expression changed and both boys were staring at each other in shock.

Lance held his gaze, but only for a moment.  He still found those violet eyes to be all too intimidating.  Even more so considering their current circumstance.  So, his eyes fell instead to Allura, begging for an explanation.

Allura at least had the decency to look apologetic when she turned her gaze towards him.  It seemed as though she was just as confused about this new addition as he was.  Her eyebrows narrowed at him, a silent question based in worry.  She was asking if he was okay.

That in itself was reassuring.  It meant she hadn’t forgotten how nasty things had gone when he and Keith were last together in a group setting.  She knew of Lance’s feelings towards the black-haired male, and the majority of the horrible history the two shared.  She too was worried about how his presence would affect Lance, and that made him all the more grateful to be her friend.  Lance knew Allura would have his back then, if anything came to happen.  God, he hoped nothing would though.

“Hey man.”  Matt greeted.

The two came to stand amongst their group, Matt being the first to step forward and embrace Shiro into a half-hug.  He let go over a few seconds, before quickly moving his affection on to Keith.  “I didn’t know you guys were going to be here.”

“Yeah, it was kind of last minute.  Adam and I thought it would be fun though.  Unfortunately, he came down with something this morning, so I asked if Keith could come last minute.”  Shiro explained, glancing around the group with a slightly sheepish expression.

His brother stood at his side, his face returned to something stoic.  His hands were tucked into his jacket, the perfect image of nonchalance, appearing as unbothered as they come.  But Lance could tell he was agitated underneath it all.  And he didn’t miss the way Keith kept glancing towards him, his eyes dragging ever so slightly upon where Lance’s arm rested around Plaxum.  Not that he was paying attention, of course.

“Hope you guys don’t mind.”  Shiro spoke.

“Not at all.”  Plaxum assured with a smile.  “The more the merrier.”

Lance and Hunk remain quiet, but spare a glance towards each other.  They say nothing, yet they still understood each other.  The others begin to discuss their plans for the carnival.  Lance has no plan other than that of avoiding Keith at all costs.

“Wait.”  Lance said, stopping all conversation as a sudden realization hit him.  His eyes bounced back and forth between Matt and Shiro, remembering how familiar they were earlier.  He also noticed how Pidge, the person in their group most allergic to being around others, stood unusually close to Keith. 

Almost as if…”Do you guys know each other?”

Pidge smirked, their head tilting back so as to look at Keith directly.  “Oh, this dork?  Nah, can’t say I do.”

“Whatever, you little goblin.”  Keith teased back.

Lance scoffed.  Of course Keith would steal his nickname for Pidge.  Sure, it wasn’t the exact same, but it was close enough!  It was clearly plagiarism!  Yet another reason to hate the man.

Keith sends him a brief glare but says nothing else.  Plaxum stared up at him in confusion, her arm hugging his waist tight as she leaned into him.  Lance only shook his head, not wanting to talk about it.  He definitely didn’t want to explain his, admittedly, petty attitude.  Especially not here.

“Okay, but how?”  Lance continues. 

He’ll admit, some part of him feels betrayed by Pidge’s silence in regards to knowing Keith.  He knows that Pidge was only slightly aware of the trouble the man had caused in Lance’s life, and that it was entirely possible that they simply weren’t aware they were dealing with the same person.  He and Hunk had given them nothing but a watered-down version of the events that had taken plus thus far afterall.  But still, Lance thought they would have told him something at least.  Knowing that they hadn’t was more than a little disappointing.

Keith shrugged, his gaze still avoiding Lance’s.  His silence allowed for Matt to step in instead, offering a proper response to Lance’s question.  The taller ginger leaned forward, arm propped up on Shiro’s shoulder this time. 

“We used to be roommates until this guy decided to kick me out for Adam.”  Matt tells him, thumb pointing towards Shiro.

“What he means to say,” Shiro interrupts, chuckling as he pushed Matt off of him.  The latter squawks in indignation but removes himself nonetheless.  “Is that we were roommates in undergrad until he got a huge internship with NASA.  Then, he moved out, so Adam and I moved in together while we complete grad school.”

“Now see, that makes more sense.”  Lance replied.

“Whatever, you dorks.”  Pidge said, halting any further conversation.  “Let’s get going.  I have some parts to grab.”

This time, it’s Shiro who goes pale, his face clouding with worry at Pidge’s words.  They all watch as Pidge hurried towards the front entrance, rushing them as they went.  Shiro glanced around the group in confusion, clearly lost as to what was happening. 

“Um, what exactly did they mean by that?”

“Lance bribed Pidge into coming to the carnival with us, but only if we let them keep all of the spare or broken parts they found from the rides.”  Romelle said, jumping into the conversation as the group made their way over after Pidge.  The little gremlin was practically levitating with how much they were bouncing up and down in one place.

“Yep, and I’m helping.”  Matt said.  Shiro glanced nervously at Matt before looking over at Lance.

“Are you sure that was the best idea?”

Lance laughed and shook his head as he pulled Plaxum closer to him.  “Nah, probably not.  But it worked.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”  He gave with a chuckle.

“Come on nerds!”  Pidge called again.  “It’s time to have some fun!”

And so they did.  The group hastily entered the carnival, awing in amazement at everything around them.  It was larger than Lance had expected, the attraction stretching farther than he thought it would.  It wasn’t much different than your typical county fair, though with a lot less rides and a lot more booths.  There appeared to be a lot of games available for people to play, and booth where people could read your cards and tell you your future.  Lance would be solidly avoiding that tent.

There were a few larger buildings, tents for the most part, spread throughout the grounds.  These more solid structures were meant to house more of the food-based perks of the carnival.  These would likely be the places where Hunk and Shay spent the rest of their evening.  And where the others would probably go to garner food at some point. 

And towards the back, resting high above the landscape, was the Ferris wheel.  It was a rickety old thing, but more modern than most.  It was made of metal, with multi-colored carts that appeared to be shielded so as to keep customers from falling.  By how often the ride was running, Lance could only guess it was a popular attraction for the carnival.  Lance couldn’t wait to go on it with Plaxum.

The group rests just behind the entrance, at a small partition where they can see everything, yet still remain out of the way of the crowd.  They discuss their plans for the night: where everyone wants to go, if they should split up, and where to meet back if they do.  Eventually it’s decided that it was best for everyone to go their separate ways, at least for the first portion of the evening.  That way, everyone could see what they wanted, and still have fun as a group later on.

They came to the conclusion to simply meet at the Ferris wheel later in the afternoon, after just a few short hours on their own.  This way, they could all have their fun before dark and anyone who wanted to leave as the stars arrived, could.  The group goes around in a circle, stating where they’re most likely heading so the others can know, just in case of an emergency.

Hunk and Shay, of course, vote to go look at the food first, both of them eager to try samplings from Vrepit Sal’s.  Besides, neither of them were too interested in stealing machine parts, nor going on the rides due to Hunk’s sensitive stomach.  Plus, as Hunk had confessed earlier, Lance knew that the couple wanted some alone time, as they got very little time to themselves during the week due to their busy schedules.  Lance had said he understood, and that he and Plaxum were hoping for something similar due to their own circumstances.  Hopefully, the night would go according to plan.

Matt and Pidge, as it was well known amongst them, were going to depart the group in search of spare (stolen) ride parts.  They admitted they were going to ride them too, of course, but only before they stole (borrowed) some of its parts.  This way, they could ensure it was safe to take parts from the ride, and have fun at the same time.

Allura and Romelle admitted that they weren’t sure what they were going to do besides their face-painting venture.  Likely, they were just going to walk around and peek in on vendors.  Lance was sure they would ride a few rollercoasters as well, but neither were really the type to become too adventurous with those sorts of things.  Shiro said he and Keith would likely be doing something similar for their time there.

Speaking of Keith…Lance could feel those violet eyes trained on him throughout all of it.  Every minute of their group interaction, he could tell he was held within the frame of that gaze, never weakening for even a moment.  He never dared to look back at them though.

Instead, Lance settled in with that sickening pleasure of knowing Keith’s attention was on him.  There was a sense of dread there too, hidden underneath the surface, but Lance couldn’t deny that part of him was preening from being under that gaze.  It sent thrills running through him.  A dark, delicious part of himself enjoyed it all immensely.

But then, the more logical side of himself, the side which reminded him of his need to get over Keith, not get with him, said that this was a bad idea.  To be wary.  And part of him was, and Lance thought, always would be when it came to Keith.  He felt guilty over the pleasure he received from nothing more than the man’s attention on him.

Even more so than the guilt, was the dread.  Lance watched Keith from the corner of his eyes, keeping his stares as secret as he could.  He could feel the paranoia begin to set in.  There was still the chance that Keith could ruin him that night, could ruin everything.  Lance didn’t even know if Keith would do it on purpose!  If this was his original goal! 

Lance felt as though Keith held his world in the palm of his hand and he was terrified of the moment when he would crush it and it would all come tumbling down.  It had him watching him, keeping an eye on him, waiting for Keith’s next move.  He kept mentally preparing himself for how to manage every possible scenario.  Or better yet, prevent them from every occurring.

 If this is how the rest of the night was set to go, Lance was dreading the evening.

“Alright!”  Allura called, clapping her hands together.  The noise pulled Lance back to himself.  “Is everyone ready?”

“Yes!  Finally!”  Pidge groaned, rolling their eyes.  However, despite their grumbling, they still held an excited smile.

“Let’s go then!”  Allura whoops, grabbing at Romelle’s arm.  Her girlfriend echoes her, the rest of the group soon following behind.

With that, they all begin to part ways.  They each go in their own, separate directions, calls of reminders to meet at the Ferris wheel greeting them all from behind.  Lance waved them off, assuring them they would catch up later, before turning his full force of attention towards Plaxum.  He had a date to attend to.

The couple walked slowly through the crowds, only pausing to look at a booth every now and then.  There were a few good places, some of them selling very nice things, but Lance thought they all seemed a little too gimmicky for his taste.  When they passed by the fortune-teller’s tent, Lance made sure to steer Plaxum’s attention elsewhere, lest they both be drawn in.

They grab food as they walk, buying two corndogs so they could still easily maneuver the mass of people.  At some point, Plaxum spots a giant stuffed teddy bar that she absolutely adores.  Lance, of course, takes the chance to show off his skills once more, and to buy his girlfriend a gift.  He had settled in at the game quite nicely and won on only his second try.  Lance wasn’t even bothered by the knowledge they would have to lug the thing around for the rest of the night.  Sure, carrying it would be a huge hassle, especially with the crowds, but once he saw Plaxum’s wide-toothed grin as she was handed that bear…well, it was worth it. 

Occasionally, they would run into the others.  Normally, it would be just a passing glance, a friendly stop for a ‘hello’ and ‘hey, how’s the carnival going for you guys.’   Sometimes, he and Plaxum would even join the other groups on certain games or looking at booths.  Then, they would leave and go their separate ways once more, reminding each other to meet at the Ferris wheel.

All in all, Lance was having a lovely time on his date.  It was a perfect combination of an outing with friends, and an evening alone with his lover.  Plaxum and he had gotten so little a chance to truly just be alone with themselves, that they had hardly gone on a date since their first.  So, it was nice to have some time alone, away from the others.  It was a simple pleasure to finally be able to show his girl some proper attention, especially at something so wonderfully reminiscent of their first date.  It was a great way to remind each other, okay mostly himself, of how important this relationship was to them both.

However, that didn’t meant there weren’t a few drawbacks, the main one being Keith.  It seemed, no matter where Lance turned, the raven-haired man was.  Lance was constantly catches glimpse of him in the crowd and was somehow able to hear his voice above the cacophony of others.  Lance felt as though he was going inside.

Perhaps the worst of all though, was back at the shooting game.  Keith and Shiro had apparently been standing nearby as Lance won the game.  They stepped forward, greeted the couple, and congratulated Lance on his win as Plaxum stood proudly right beside him.  Lance had been as polite as he could, praying the conversation would end and they would leave them alone.

Only, Shiro had asked if Lance would be willing to offer any pointers on the game, maybe show them a thing or two.  Lance had agreed, and sat down for another game with the brothers.  Except, at the last minute, Keith elected not to join in on this round, insisting that he learned better by watching.  So, Lance and Shiro had sat down, water guns at the ready.

And oh boy, did things get worse from there.

Lance had been completely focused on his aim, his only distractions being preparing his gun and sending a few flirty winks over to Plaxum.  He tried not to think of how aware he was of Keith’s stare as he readied himself, shoulders tense from the knowledge that he had an audience.

Then, the game had begun and Lance was going.  Not a second after though, he felt the tell-tale sensation of black strands brushing up against the back of his neck and ear.  His vision had even fogged from the smoke of Keith’s breath right next to his face.  Lance’s own breath had stuttered, causing his aim to falter for a second.  And damn it, Lance was sure Keith had heard how his breath hitched.  He was able to gather himself though, and tough it out.  He actually ended up winning the round, but offered the prize to a little girl who had been playing as well. 

He thought that would be the end of it.  He had played, given him his tips, and now they were free to go their separate ways once more.  That is until Keith insisted Lance teach him for the next round, while he was actually holding the gun and able to compete.  Lance wanted to say ‘no, hell no’, so bad.  He couldn’t though, knowing it was only bring unwanted attention towards them from their companions, and Lance was sure that neither of them wanted to explain the particulars of their relationship.

So Lance had bitten his lip and stood behind Keith as he sat down at the gun, gently guiding him into position.  Keith, he was sure, had purposefully made mistakes, just so Lance would touch him again.  He had no proof or anything, but he was sure of it.  What other explanation was there for Lance apparently needing to wrap his arms around Keith’s shoulder just to show him how to hold the damn thing?  He was teasing at Lance, and Lance knew it.

Keith, of course, had allowed himself to learn farther back into Lance’s hold than strictly necessary.  He had whispered sweet nothings into his ear, disguised as nothing but simple compliments.  Keith knew the affect he was having on Lance, and Lance knew he knew it.  Lance had tried shifting away, shutting Keith down, but the man seemed to keep finding ways to bring Lance back in.  It was another game of cat and mouse between them.

And god, did Lance hate that Keith’s voice was doing things to him right now, especially with Plaxum so near.  With that deep tone speaking directly into his ear, practically worshiping Lance’s praise kink, it was hard not to be affected by it.  All of it was entirely unnecessary and set Lance off in every way imaginable.  Keith, of course, was completely unbothered, if a little bit smug.

It took everything in Lance not to react more than he already had.  He was trying to save face, and more importantly, save his relationship with Plaxum.  A random whimper of pleasure while helping his new friend with a water gun game would have definitely raised some questions, and none of the answers would have been good.  He managed to do it though, escaping from the interaction with nothing more than a few obvious skips in breath and a bit of squirming.  None of which had, fortunately, been noticeable to anyone but Keith.

Keith won though, thanks to Lance’s help.  The Cuban boy was glad, but more so relieved.  He couldn’t wait for the brothers to leave their company, so that Lance could have Plaxum all to himself once more.  But also so he wouldn’t be stuck under that watchful stare for any longer.  After that, Lance made sure to gently guide Plaxum in the opposite direction whenever he could make them out in the crowd, just to avoid any similar situations.

It was long though, until it came time to meet everyone at the Ferris wheel.  Their time had passed by unfortunately fast.  The sun was just beginning to set, casting the sky with beautiful shades hues of orange, purple, and pink.  It was the perfect skyline to view from a Ferris wheel, and Lance couldn’t wait to experience such a romantic moment with his date.  It would be the perfect ending to a great day.

Lance and Plaxum were the third group to arrive, approaching just after Hunk and Shay.  Matt and Pidge had apparently been there first, but admitted that it was on accident.  They had lost track of time while wondering the carnival for parts and had somehow managed to find themselves amongst those of the ferris wheel when it came time to join up with everyone.  Lance could hear how Pidge’s backpack had a new jingle to it, suggesting their findings had been good at least.

Hunk and Shay were a little less conversational though, which was something that worried Lance.  Well, that and the green expression the two of them shared from their corner of the circle.  Hunk could barely get a word out between belching, and apologizing for belching, but he managed to tell everyone how they had been to every food booth in the carnival, and had tried just about everything the attraction could offer.  Lance thought that definitely explained the nauseous looks on their faces, his stomach would be killing him too after such a venture.  He was just concerned over how they would be able to stand the Ferris wheel.  They weren’t exactly known for being smooth rides.

Shiro and Keith arrived not long after them, joining in on the conversation seamlessly.  Lance made sure to avoid Keith’s gaze, especially after what happened back at the games.  He didn’t speak as much during the retelling of their day.  Lance felt as though he already knew everything they did though, having run into them so often.

He tried to act as normally as possible, but he knew his voice was more tense than usual.  Hunk seemed to catch up on this, casting his friend his fair share of worried looks.  Lance did his very best to ignore those as well, or at least send back something reassuring.  He wasn’t sure how well that worked out though.  And while Lance appreciated Hunk’s concerned, he wished Hunk would be a little more worried about himself right now.  His friend had been growing greener by the second.

“Hey everyone!”  Romelle called out as she and Allura drew near, their footsteps falling in line with each other.  They all smiled as the rest of their group came to join them, eager to hear about their fun as well.

“You guys have fun?”  Allura asked, posing the question to the entire group.  She turned her head to look at them all, flashing her and Romelle’s matching rainbow face paintings.  The rest of them nodded, most humming a ‘yes’ in response.

“Yeah, Matt and I were able to find some great pieces.”  Pidge said, a maniacal grin upon their face.  Their brother’s expression was matching.

“Just how many of them did you steal though Pidgeon?”  Lance teased, his arm once again wrapped around Plaxum’s waist.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

They said nothing else but he caught onto the way they kept having to readjust their backpack, which appeared to be much heavier than it had when they first entered the carnival.  Lance could only smile and shake his head.

“No worries, Pidge.  I won’t reveal your criminal behavior.”  He joked. 

Pidge scoffed but Lance didn’t miss the smile that graced their lips.  He was also pretty sure he heard the distinct sound of a certain gremlin’s chuckle as the rest of their friends laughed at them.

“Everyone ready for the Ferris wheel?”  Romelled asked, gathering the attention of the group.

“Are you asking if I’m ready to go on a romantic Ferris wheel ride with my girlfriend, during the sunset, and after a great day out with friends and said girlfriend?”  Lanced asked sarcastically.  His arms tightened around said date as she giggled.  “I mean, I guess.”

The group laughed, some of them even rolling their eyes, but all in a genial fashion.  Lance joined in too, his eyes glancing between his friends before snagging on Keith.  The man in question already had his gaze set on Lance, eyes silent but deadly as they stared at him from across their small circle.  Lance quickly looked away, not daring to try an interpret the intensity behind such a look.  He couldn’t help the way his eyes kept glancing back though, repeatedly, just to see if he was still looking.

He was.

“I second that.”  Allura agreed, leaning in to briefly kiss Romelle.  They all cooed at such a show of affection, Pidge alone doing a fake cry of disgust.

“Let’s go then!  I’m ready to see the sights!”  Matt cried, clapping his hands together.  With that, they all began to move.

“Actually, I don’t think we’ll be joining you guys.”  Shay told them, sounding shaky and weak.

They were steps away from the end of the line when Shay’s words stopped them.  The group paused, turning back to stare at their friends in concern.  Shay stood there, one hand wrapped around her stomach while the other rubbed circles across Hunk’s back.  His friend was hunched over, face scrunched up in pain.  Both of them looked incredibly pale. 

Lance stepped forward, ready to help if it was needed.

“Is something wrong?”  Allura asked.

Shay shook her head carefully, the action likely causing her even more nausea in her current state.  “I think Hunk and I may have eaten too much.  Or something bad.  We’ve been feeling ill for a while now.”

Lance’s mouth quirked in worry, an expression shared by the rest of his friends as they looked at the couple before them.  Carefully, he let go of Plaxum in order to moved to help his friend.  Lance joined Shay at Hunk’s side, rubbing his friend’s back for a moment before trying to get him into a straighter position so it would be easier for them to walk.  Shay smiled at him gratefully.

“Listen, why don’t you two head home.”  Lance suggested to Shay, talking to her from across Hunk’s shoulders.  The big man was still too sick to speak.  “You guys can just head back to the apartment and crash.  Are you okay to drive?”

Shay nodded, an appreciative smile upon her lips.  “Yeah, we should be fine.  I’ll be driving since I ate less, and Hunk clearly feels the worse between us.  I think we’re going to stay at my place though; it’s closer and I have some teas there that are good for nausea.”

“Alright.”  Lance agreed, though still worried.  “Let me know if you guys need anything, I can stop by the store on the way home.  Or if you decide to stay at the apartment instead, just text me so I’ll know and can help when I get back.”

Shay smiled and stepped towards him, leaning on her tiptoes to plant a small peck against his cheek.  “Best friend a couple could ask for.  Thanks Lance.”

Lance blushed slightly under the attention and nodded.  Carefully, he began to shift Hunk into Shay’s caring hold so that she could support him better on their walk out to the parking lot.

“There you go big guy.”  Lance said once he was settled in Shay’s arms.  Hunk tried to grin up at him but it seemed that too triggered the nausea.  Lance grimaced, eyes jumping to Shay with worried eyes.  She smiled though, once again reassuring him they would be okay.  “Take care you guys.”

With that, the others bid them adieu and the couple parted ways with the group.  Lance watched after them for a moment, just to make sure they would truly be okay upon their departure.  He waited until they were just out of eyesight until his attention turned back to the group.  Lance stepped back to Plaxum’s side, arms wrapping around her once more.  She was grounding to him right now, his worry for his best friend running rampant.  He could feel her rub smoothing circles across his skin, causing him to smile.

They had all joined the line at this point, with more people stepping in behind them every minute.  The wait was shorter than expected though, the line moving faster than they had anticipated with such a large crowd.  It wasn’t until they reached the front of the attraction that they discovered the reason why.

“Four to a cart.”  The operator demanded.

He stood back, opening up a new cart as it came to a stop in the center.  The people inside exited quickly, moving on so that the next round could enter.  The man returned soon after, repeating his earlier statement.  “Four to a cart.”

The contraption was a swirl of green and light blue, blending together in perfect harmony.  The gates of the cart were white, with clear but dirty plexiglass set around as a barrier to keep people from falling out.  And sure enough, there were two benches positioned on either side of the cart, providing plenty of room for four people to sit comfortably.

“Um, do we have to?”  Lance called from behind Matt.

Lance had gone colder than the November air around him upon hearing those words.  The chill had run through him faster than anything he had ever known.  A sense of terror filled him as he did the math, gazing around at how their friend group was split.  Allura, Romelle, Matt, and Pidge were all positioned ahead of him in the line, leaving he, Plaxum, Shiro and Keith towards the end.  This meant, if they were truly required to split into groups of four, Lance would be forced to ride the Ferris wheel with Keith and his brother.  Lance needed to avoid that at all costs. 

While the day had been enjoyable, Lance had felt tense every time Keith stepped into view, his presence setting the Cuban off like a fire alarm.  Every time he and Plaxum met up with the two brothers, Lance would stand in paranoia, waiting for the other shoe to fall.  He was so worried that Keith would finally do him in, it was all he could think about whenever they were near.  The man had spent all afternoon tempting and teasing at Lance, right in front of girlfriend too, and all the while, Lance had been terrified.  He hadn’t been able to escape him, or the thread of that invisible threat, all day.

So having him on the Ferris wheel too?  Trapped with him in such a confined, inescapable space?  And with Plaxum?  No, no way.  Lance was at the end of his rope for the day, and anything more could cause him to break.  He was getting really tired of these games that Keith played, but more so by the fact that it seemed Lance was constantly losing to the man.

Besides, Lance really did want to spend some time alone with Plaxum.  He had been looking forward to their moment atop the Ferris wheel all afternoon, and he was sure she had too.  Lance was hoping the moment would solidify his feelings for Plaxum, get his head and his heart back on track again.  More importantly though, he wanted Plaxum to have a good time, to enjoy herself, and to let her know that Lance was putting effort into this relationship, even if he hadn’t quite caught the feelings for it yet.  He wanted everything to be perfect for her, for them.  And that meant no Keith.

“Afraid so.”  The conductor replied, confirming his deepest fear.  “We’ve been having to do four to a cart due to the crowd.  Only way to keep it manageable.”

Lance nodded in understanding, not willing to fight the man on it.  Besides, he probably stood a better chance of having Matt and Pidge switch with him than by having the operator allow him to ride alone with Plaxum.  They would likely question him, but he could live with that, as long as he didn’t have to ride with Shiro and Keith.

Only, his friends were already stepping forward, eager to jump onto the ride.  Allura and Romelle were already sitting down by the time Matt and Pidge had gone to join them, leaving Lance alone with his fate.  The four of them got comfortable in their ride, smiling and laughing, before screeching as both Matt and Pidge began to make the cart swing.  At one point, they swung too hard so that even the operator had to join in on the girls’ squeals for them to stop.  Eventually, the duo calmed themselves down, apologized, and assured everyone that they wouldn’t be disruptive for the remainder of the ride.  The operator reluctantly allowed them to stay and agreed to get the attraction started again.

Lance and Plaxum stepped forward, Shiro and Keith close behind.  They waited patiently, neither group saying anything.  Lance tried to ignore the anxiety rising inside of him, to shove it all down with the rest.  But then, a part of him wondered, if Lance was feeling this way, then how had Plaxum been affected?  Was she okay?

“Hey, are you okay with this?”  Lance asked, leaning down to whisper in Plaxum’s ear, so as not to offend the others by overhearing.  Well, he supposed, he at least didn’t want to offend Shiro.

Plaxum turned to him, face lit up by colorful carnival lights.  A mixture of red, green, blue, and yellow shined brightly upon her face as she grinned up at him.  “Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?”

Lance shrugged, feeling awkward now.  “I don’t know.  I thought you would rather us be alone for the Ferris wheel, so we could have a romantic moment…or something like that.”

“Oh, Lance.”  Plaxum muttered.  She leaned up on her lips, echoing Shay’s earlier action by placing a gentle kiss against his cheek.  Her lips pressed against the corner of his mouth before lowering herself back onto solid ground.  “Of course I would rather have that picturesque moment with you.”

His face turned downward, disappointment filling him.  Before he could say anything though, like apologize, Plaxum continued.  “But I know we can have countless moments just like that in the future.  We could even come back tomorrow and do it, if we really wanted to.  I’d look forward to it all the same.  I’m just happy to be spending time with you silly.”

Warmth filled Lance’s heart at her kind words.  The heat spread to his cheeks, to where he knew red was rising to show on his skin.  He was so new to such sweet affection, and all the more appreciative of it.  He gave Plaxum a shy smile, trying to show how fully his gratitude went without him saying anything.

Lance was aware of a slight grumbling behind him, catching his attention.  He cast his eyes over his shoulder, glowering as he realized the noise had come from Keith.  Lance offered him a short glare in return for the boys’ terse expression.  His own softened as his focus returned to Plaxum.  Lance leaned down to her then, placing a light kiss against her temple.

“Thank you.”  He whispered to her, and meant it. 

Then the operator called for their attention.

“Alright.  Time for your turn.”  The man ordered, ushering the four of them into the newest cart. 

The four of them stepped awkwardly towards the cart.  Lance stepped to the side though, allowing the others to go first.  He held out his arm to help Plaxum inside, holding the cart steady.  Shiro stepped in soon after her, smiling at him in thanks.

Keith was next then, pausing for a moment at the entrance of the cart.  His eyes held Lance’s, just for a moment, but that gaze was as strong as ever.  He didn’t say a word though, simply looked at him, before moving silently into the cart.

Lance joined them soon after, hastily seeking out Plaxum’s comforting warmth.  He wrapped his arms around the girl, pulling her to him, and pushing their bear to the side.  She felt like a protection almost, something to keep him safe from the man sitting across from them.  If only she knew the threat this man held against him, against their relationship itself.  He wondered how friendly she would be with him then.

Lance was just able to catch the design as he stumbled inside with the rest of them.  All he caught was a swirl of colors, designed of red and blue, with a flash of purple where the two met.  It reminded him of a galaxy of sorts, and thought it fitting to go with the emerging night sky.  It was comforting, in a way.

“So, Lance, how have you been?”  Shiro asked, breaking their silence as the ride began to move, lifting them higher and higher into the air.  Above them, they could hear the squeals of Allura and Romelle as the Holt siblings once again shook their cart.

Lance froze for a second, a little unsure on how to answer.  It wasn’t like he could just be honest about what’s been going on with him lately, especially with Plaxum there.  But Lance also felt that he couldn’t lie.  His mother had raised him to always tell the truth, and when you have a mom like Lance’s, you listen.  So, it was a bit of a conundrum.  However, Lance came to a decision and he had been fully prepared to deliver his perfectly worded response, when his eyes got caught on something. 

Once again, his gaze was dragged over to Keith, who stared at him as if he were desperate for the answer himself.  And that, that bothered Lance.  It set him off an anger in him so bad he could feel his fingers stiffing around Plaxum, begging to be formed into fists.

Because what right did this man have to know anything about him?  Especially anything that would require vulnerability?  He had gone and torn all sense of trust from their relationship and now he was looking at Lance as if he were asking for a second chance at it.  But why?  Keith had known exactly what had occurred over the past month, exactly how Lance was doing.

Well, maybe not exactly, he did have other things going on in his life that didn’t revolve around the boy.  Still, his point was valid.  Keith knew what Lance had been going through, the events going on in his life.  He had put Lance through half of them!  So why the hell did he have to give him an honest answer?  No, screw this.  Sorry Mamá.

“Great, actually.”  He answered, eyes meeting Keith’s head on.  “I haven’t had any problems for a few weeks now.”

Okay, so maybe he was a petty bitch.

Keith’s gaze slitted into a glare, but he said nothing.  Lance wouldn’t deny that he felt pretty smug, as though he had beasted a beast.  He and Keith stared at each other for a moment more, a battle of wills, until, surprisingly, Keith looked away first.  This caused Lance to frown, a slight twinge of worry running through him.  Keith had never been one to back down from a challenge, their arguments alone had proven that.  So, why was he submitting now?

“That’s great!  I’m glad to hear it.”  Shiro said, before Lance could think it over more.  “Oh, how’s that project going?  You and Keith were set to meet up to work on that assignment from Iverson, right?  How did that go?  Any progress?”

“Yeah, uh, that actually didn’t work out.”  Lance told him, awkwardly trying to figure out a way to describe that particular night.  There was a lot to hide about that night, even to himself, and Lance didn’t really want to relive it.  He sure didn’t want to have to say it all in front of Plaxum. 

“I’ve been able to get a lot of work done though.” He offered instead.

“Really?”  Shiro asked, appearing confused.  His eyes jumped between Lance and Keith, searching for an explanation between the two of them.  “How come?”

Lance shifted in his seat, decided not meeting Shiro’s gaze.  Instead, her turned to look at Keith, daring him to admit to what actually occurred that night.  Keith said nothing though, his eyes downcast as he stared at the bottom of their cart, paying them and their conversation no mind.

Then, those violet orbs lifted, looking right into his.  However, instead of the downtrodden look he had hoped for, or at least some sign of regret, all Lance could find was…well, nothing.  His face was completely blank as he looked at Lance and stayed that way when his gaze turned outward to stare at the night sky instead.  It was as if this whole situation, that night at O’Connell’s, all of it, meant absolutely nothing to him.  As though screwing Lance over had been nothing more than typical Tuesday night for him.  Lance grit his teeth.

“Creative differences.”  Lance said tersely, teeth grinding against each other as he forced the words out.

He tried not to glare at Keith, he really did, especially because he was in front of his brother.  Lance tried to hold back his anger, his annoyance.  How could something which had been so impactful for Lance, be blatantly ignored, even dismissed, by the person who had caused the pain?  It was enraging! 

He didn’t want to cause a scene though, so he knew he had to control himself.  He tried to school his face, keeping it the appearance of calm, nonchalant, happy even.  He would try his best to remain indifferent towards the man, be polite.

But god, even the memory of that night was brutal.  It hurt like a motherfucker.  Afterall, what could hurt worse than having the illusion of something you wanted to dearly, ruined?  It was like having the wool pulled back from his eyes, revealing what had been in front of him all along.

Which, Lance supposed, had been the whole point of that evening.  Keith had simply wanted to show Lance what he was getting into.  He wanted to ruin whatever illusion of him Lance had built in his mind, tear it to shreds.

And he had succeeded, doing his job perfectly.  Only, and this was the confusing part, he backtracked on those actions not long after.  That was the part Lance couldn’t make sense of.  Did Keith simply enjoy playing with Lance’s feelings?  Or perhaps…was it jealousy?   Had he seen Plaxum while on his date with Plaxum?  Was that was set him off?  Caused him to become so territorial?

If so, then what the fuck did that mean?  Lance had no idea about any of it.  All he knew, was that the situation between them was growing more tense, more troublesome, and much more confusing with every new encounter.  Lance just wanted it all to stop, for Keith to stop, and to be left alone.  He wanted Keith to set his boundaries, and stick to them.  Lance wasn’t sure how much more push and pull he could handle before eventually falling over.  Even then, he wasn’t sure which form of falling would occur.

“So, how did you two meet?”  Shiro asked, segueing the conversation.  Thankfully, Plaxum was able to answer this question for him.

“At school actually.”  She said.

Her hand landed on Lance’s knee, her thumb rubbing in silent circles against his jeans.  The repetitive motion calmed him.  He sent her a wry smile, offering one of her own in return.  Lance tried not to notice the way violet eyes had set into a glare at the action.

“We have the same major, so we’re sharing a lecture for Professor Luxia.”  Plaxum explained further.

“Oh, I remember her.  Her classes were…unique.”

“Yeah.  That’s one way to put it.”

“Who asked who out then?”  Shiro asked.  “My partner and I always like hearing the stories.”

Plaxum turned her gaze up to Lance’s then, smiling easily and brightly as their eyes met.  Lance returned it as best as he could, still feeling a little tense under her fingers and that violet gaze.  He wasn’t sure how convincing it was, positive that his grin was crooked in the most unflattering way.  She didn’t seem to mind though, still leaning up to kiss at his lips.  The brief action warmed him, causing his smile to turn a little more genuine.

“I did.”

“Oh, I love that.”  Shiro replied, smiling at them fondly.  “How did you do it?”

Plaxum giggled.  “Right after class actually.  He was so confused when I asked him too.  I think he thought I was faking.”

Lance blushed under her words.  “To be fair, I hadn’t been expecting it.” 

“The best ones are the ones that surprise you.”  Shiro comments.  Only Keith and Lance didn’t laugh.

“Yeah.”  Lance said, tone dry.  His gaze unwittingly flickered over to Keith, who he knows catches the motion by the way his eyes blink.  “I guess so.”

“Well, you’re definitely full of surprises.”  Plaxum tells him.  “You surprise me every day, by being an incredible boyfriend.”

“Are you saying you were expecting any less?”  Lance teased.  The question came off joking, but part of him truly did wonder.

Plaxum only giggled though.  “No willy.  I just meant that you surprise me every day with giving me new ways to appreciate you.”

“Awww, you’re so sweet to me.”  He cooed.

Just then, their cart jolted, the ride coming to a stop at the top of its cycle.  They sat at its speak, all four sets of eyes turned outward.  They had a perfect view of the park from here, the lights below them glowing brightly.  They weren’t enough to drown out the wonder of the evenings’ sunset though.  The scene was perfect, like something straight out of a movie.

“There’s nothing better than a sunset at the top of the Ferris wheel.  It’s absolutely beautiful.”  Plaxum whispered quietly.  Shiro nodded in agreeance while Keith gave no reaction to her words at all.

Lance leaned down, lips brushing against the skin of her ear.  “Still not as beautiful as you though.”

A beautiful red tinge worked its way across her skin, spreading wonderfully.  It was a gorgeous sight to see, especially as up close as he was.  For a moment, Lance could fee that spark, the rush of hormones and adrenaline which came before a kiss.  His heart warmed immensely as he stared down at the girl in his arms.  There.  So close.

“Hush you.”  She whispered back, the words touching his lips as they were spoken. 

Then she leaned in.

The kiss was a short one, but still sweet.  It didn’t call for anything more than what it was.  They enjoyed their moment together, reveling in what privacy they could gain.  The couple didn’t part until their car began to move again, jostling them.  When they did separate, there was a heavy blush across both of their cheeks.  Neither of them looked at each other, or their companions, embarrassment filling them both.

Shiro only smiled at them though, appreciating the affection the young couple showed each other.  Keith, of course, remained stoic in every part of his appearance.  However, Lance knew better.  He noticed the slight adjustment to his stance, the way his body was positioned farther away.  It seemed he had grown tense during his kiss with Plaxum, and Lance didn’t know what to make of that.

They chatted idly as the Ferris wheel turned.  Shiro spoke about how he and Adam were doing, and how difficult their classes were becoming now that it was finals’ season.  Plaxum mentioned that she was considering grad school as well, and asked him for advice, as she hadn’t made a decision yet.  Lance chimed in whenever he could, but like Keith, remained mostly silent for the rest of their ride.

Eventually though, it did come to an end.  Their cart began to slow before it finally came to a halt, stopping in the center of the ride’s platform.  The operator rested them, settling their car before opening the door and allowing their group.  One by one they trudged out, eager to escape their confinement.  They made their way across the platform, quickly exiting out onto the carnival grounds.  There, they rejoined their friends and discussed their plans for the rest of the evening.

“That was fun!”  Romelle called cheerfully from her position beside Allura.  Everyone nodded in agreement, a few of them murmuring comments about how their ride went.

“Yeah, I really enjoyed that.”  Plaxum stated, throwing a sly grin his way.  Lance cleared his throat, face heating as he scratched at the back of his neck with a grin.

“It’s getting kind of late though, we should probably head out soon.”  Allura stated, calling everyone’s attention to the darkened sky.  The stars were beginning to peep out, forming beautiful designs.  “Was there anything else you guys wanted to do before leaving?”

They all looked at each other, one by one shaking their head.  Lance felt himself start to relax a little.  It had been a long afternoon and he was ready to go home.  Don’t get him wrong, he’d had a great time and really enjoyed his date with Plaxum.  He was just eager to get away from Keith and to perhaps have some alone time with his girlfriend.

All hope of leaving the carnival early was soon dashed when Matt shrieked, causing more than a few members of their group, and the crowd nearby, to cover their ears and glance over in confusion.  The older of the Holt siblings was pointedly excitedly at something over Shiro’s shoulder.  Said man flinched at the attention, and the noise, and quickly turned around to see what Matt was freaking out about.

“Fun house!”  He squealed, jumping up and down in his place next to Lance.  The clamor caused Shiro to flinch once more, catching the attention of Keith who stood beside him.  Keith sent his brother a look of concern, but the older man simply shook his head in dismissal.

“Scream louder Matt, I don’t think anyone heard you.”  Pidge said, sarcasm leaking into every word as they rolled their eyes at their brother. 

Matt only grinned down at them, smirking evilly as he took a long, slow, deep breath.  Thankfully, before he could continue with rupturing their eardrums, a tan hand found itself placed firmly against Matt’s mouth, affectively shutting him up.

“There will be none of that.  Some of us have sensitive ears and would like to maintain our ability to hear.”  Allura scolded.  Matt nodded but grinned impishly when she eventually removed her hand from his mouth.

“Fun house?”  He offered again, keeping his voice at a normal volume this time.  His gaze glanced around the group, who all peered at each other in silent contemplation as they thought it over.

Pidge was the first one to break the silence.

“Sure, why not.  There’s bound to be a few pieces loose on those old things.”  They said with a shrug of their shoulders, arms crossed in nonchalant passivity.

“I’m down.”  Allura joined.  The rest of the group followed suit, muttering their own words of agreement, the general consensus being a ‘why not’ attitude.

With that, the group began to make their way over to the fun house.  It wasn’t a far walk, and fortunately the area was beginning to grow less crowded.  Unfortunately, the line for the ride was incredibly long, wrapping along the side of the fun house and almost conjoining with another.  Apparently, the attraction was a popular stop for all the carnival-goers.

They had only just joined the line when Plaxum’s phone began to ring.  She apologized, hurriedly pulling out her phone from her cross-satchel bag.  Her bright smile quickly turned into a worried frown, forehead creasing as she gazed at the caller ID.  She answered the call and stepped away, sending an apologetic look over her shoulder as she went.

Lance kept an eye on her, just to make sure she would be okay within the large crowd.  He was sure it was likely nothing more than a small emergency with her sorority sisters, something that could be solved over the phone.  However, as every minute passed, he began to grow worried.  Plaxum’s happy expression had turned into what seemed a permanent frown as more and more words were passed back and forth.  He tried to listen in, if only just to determine what problem was, and offer help if needed, but he wasn’t able to get a clear understanding of what was going on.  The only thing he was able to confirm was that it did indeed have to do with her sorority.

“Alright, let me know if anything changes.  I’ll be there soon.”  Plaxum stated, causing Lance’s expression to downturn.  She then hung up, finishing her call, and turned her tired gaze to Lance.

“Everything okay?”  He asked, his concern evident.  He reached out to take one of her hands, rubbing the skin there gently in comfort.  It must have worked, for the girls’ shoulders relaxed ever so slightly as she looked up at him with a thankful smile.

“Unfortunately no.”  She replied, frown reinstated.  “Apparently a pipe burst back at the house, so I have to go back to handle the situation and call a plumber.  The girls are freaking out so I need to get there asap.”

“Oh.”  Lance said, disappointment clear in his voice.  “Do you want me to drop you off?”

Plaxum shook her head.  “No need.  They’ve already sent someone to come pick me up.”

“Wow.  That’s fast.”

“Yeah, I know.  Like I said, they’re really freaking out.”  She bit at her lip, scuffing her feet as her gaze turned towards the ground.  “I’m sorry by the way.”

“What for?  None of this is your fault, unless you planned to have the pipe burst.”  He joked.

“No.  I didn’t do that.”  Plaxum agreed with a giggle.  Finally she brought her eyes back up to meet his own.  “But I feel bad for having to cut our date.  Especially when we were having so much fun.”

Lance smiled at her warmly, bringing his hands up to rub at her arms in a gentle manner.  “Don’t worry about that Plaxum.  We had fun while we were here, that’s all that matters.  Besides, it’s like you said.  We have plenty more dates in our future and can always come back on our own.”

She cracked a smile then, pleased by his reassurances.  “Yeah, you’re right.”

“I’m always right.”  He told her with a playful wink.  Lance decided to ignore the background sound of Pidge’s scoff and Allura’s ‘if only’ commen.  Plaxum though, laughed, actually amused by his antics.

“Should I walk you out then?  I can just leave for my apartment while the others stay for the fun house.”  Lance suggested, not wanting to leave her just yet.  Plaxum immediately shook her head, placing a gentle hand against his chest.

“No, don’t do that.  Stay here, enjoy your time with your friends.  I’ll be fine on my own and my ride should be here soon anyway.  I’ll text you when they’ve picked me up, okay?”

“Plaxum, are you sure?”  He asks again, concern lacing into his voice as he glances briefly around them to the large crowd. 

Lance knew the likelihood of her being attacked on her way back to the entrance was slim, but he was also a brother to two sisters.  He remembered how much his mother used to worry whenever they left the house, and Lance too after the unfortunate incident with Veronica.  Thankfully, her hears of jiu jitsu had promptly ended that attempt, but it set about a new sense of concern in him whenever someone he knew, especially a female, was left alone to walk this late at night, especially within a crowd such as this.  And Lance knew Plaxum could handle herself, but that didn’t stop him from worrying over her navigating the large venue by herself and with so many strangers around.

“I’m sure.”  She told him, already understanding what he meant.  Plaxum leaned up onto her tiptoes, planting a light kiss against his lips.   It was nothing more than a peck but it left the two of them smiling and Lance could feel the tension begin to leave his shoulders.  “I’ll see you later, okay?”

Lance nodded, letting go of her as she stepped away and began to make her retreat.  “Don’t forget to text me.”

Plaxum offered him one last smile before racing off, waving at the others as she departed.  He watched her until she was no longer visible in the crowd before his attention once more returned to the group.  They all stared at him with pitiful expressions, but no one said a word as he rejoined them in the line.

“Don’t worry Lancey-Lance.  Your love will return to you soon enough.”  Matt teased, trailing behind the rest of the group in order to walk next to him.  He draped an arm across Lance’s shoulders, leaning heavily into his space.  Lance immediately caved that side of his body, accounting for the new addition of Matt’s weight.  His heart twinged at Matt’s words but Lance tried to laugh them off as he attempted to remove himself from the heavy ginger.

He rolled his eyes as he finally managed to shove Matt off of him.  The man floundered for a second, stumbling over his feet before straightening himself and skipping ahead as though nothing happened.

“Whatever man.” Lance replied.

They waited the rest of their time patiently, slowly but surely approaching the front of the line.  The group spent their time chatting amongst each other before the conversation lulled into comfortable silence.  A calm had settled over them, and over most of the carnival it seemed, as the night sky appeared to lower the energy of everyone around.  Carnival-goers were in no rush to move, or even to leave, as the crowd moved languidly amongst each other.  Even their group began to lean upon each other as the night sky began to dawn, stars lighting it up like freckles upon skin.  They waited patiently, enjoying the view and the mood, as the line brought them closer to the front entrance of the ride.

It wasn’t long before they reached the front of the line.  Lance stood at the back and watched quietly as first Matt and Pidge were let through.  Allura and Romelle were let in after, with Shiro and Keith following close behind.  However, that easiness for entrance changed when it came to be Lance’s turn.

The ride operator stopped him as he stepped forward, his arm coming to block Lance from going any further.  Lance frowned, attention turning to the middle-aged man to his right, confusion written upon his face.

“You need two people for the fun house.”  The operator informed him, voice stern and unyielding.  Lance’s face blanched.  “Do you have another rider?”

“I--, wait what?”  Lance was beyond confused, and not to mention nervous.  The entire line of people behind him had their eyes on this interaction, listening intently as Lance was about to be thrown away.  As if the whole thing couldn’t get more embarrassing. 

This was supposed to be a fun house, right?  One of those easy, cheap little things that you would get lost in as a kid and only go through again as an adult for the nostalgia.  Each turn usually only lasted maybe five minutes, ten at most.  Why on earth would two people be needed for something like this?

“This ride requires two people go in at a time.  We’ve had guests get hurt or break the equipment while on their own so now there’s a mandatory buddy system.”  The conductor explained, tone growing agitated with every word.  “So, I repeat, do you have a partner?”

“Um…”  Lance bit his lip as his eyes glanced around, though he took care to avoid the worried looks from his friends.  He shifted on his feet, thumbs fiddling inside his jacket pocket.  “I guess I can just—”

“He can take my place.”

The world seemed to pause, grow silent, as Shiro announced those words.  Lance certainly hadn’t been expecting that.  He turned towards Shiro in an instant, mouth open and ready to argue but was shocked silent by the look of relief on Shiro’s face.  It was slight, barely noticeable, but Lance could spy it easily.  Still, he couldn’t just let Shiro give up his spot for him.

“Wait, Shiro, you don’t have to—” Lance began, the protest dying on his tongue as Shiro placed a comforting hand gently upon Lance’s shoulder.

“It’s fine Lance.”  Shiro assured, a small smile on his lips.  “It’s probably best for me not to go anyway.”

At this, Keith, who’s own expression had previously echoed Lance’s, began to change into one of understanding.  His facial muscles began to relax and downturn as worry crossed his eyes.  He stared up at Shiro, a silent conversation passing between the two brothers, before eventually giving a nod.  The obvious change in attitude caused Lance to become even more confused, his blue eyes glancing back and forth between them in hopes of some sort of explanation.

None ever came his way though and Lance’s confusion soon turned into a sense of guilt.  He knew that whatever Shiro was going through was not his fault, but Lance couldn’t help but feel like he was somehow stealing Shiro’s place in the ride.  Plus, whoever wasn’t going through the fun house would be left alone while waiting for the others to return.  It didn’t feel right to force Shiro into that position.  Lance was well acquainted with how it felt to be left out by the others, even if unintentional, and the last thing he wanted to do was to push that feeling onto another.

“Really Shiro, it’s—”

“Lance.”  Shiro says, stopping him before he could get another word out.  He gave Lance’s shoulder a squeeze as if to emphasize his next words.  “You would be helping me by doing this.  I promise.”

Lance gazed up at him, still not fully understanding the situation.  He remembered that look of relief that had crossed Shiro’s eyes at the possibility of not having to go through, and the consistent way he had been positively reassuring Lance that it was fine for him to take his place.  It was strange, and Lance didn’t fully understand it, but he also couldn’t deny what was right in front of him.  Besides, he hadn’t known Shiro long, but even Lance could tell that the man wouldn’t have offered unless he truly meant it.

“I—” Lance started, thinking it over one last time as he stared up at the taller man.  “If—if you’re sure.”

Shiro nodded once more, a relieved grin upon his face.  He patted Lance’s shoulder before releasing him and turning to his brother.  The two said their brief goodbyes then Shiro was giving them a final wave and leaving to wait for them at the end of the ride.

As Shiro walked down the exit stairs, Lance turned to look back at Keith, their gazes catching.  They stood still for a moment as the realization of their situation settled over them.  Now that Shiro was no longer going through the fun house, Keith was without a partner, just as Lance was.  Which meant, the two of them were now forced to go through the ride as partners.

Oh god, he hadn’t even thought about that. 

Then, the reality of it all sunk in further and Lance’s face paled as he realized just what he had gotten himself into.

Oh no.

This cannot happen.

Lance could feel his anxiety begin to rise once more, as neither of them moved or said a word and the dread sank in further.  He shifted on his feet, unsure of what to do next.  How exactly was he supposed to handle this?

And really, it shouldn’t have been that difficult of an answer because the right thing to do would have been to go grab Shiro and say ‘hey, look, I’ve changed my mind.  You absolutely have to go on this ride so I don’t have to go with your brother.’  Or better yet, for Lance just to turn around and leave Keith to fend for himself in the fun house.  Both would have required an awkward explanation later, but anything would have been better than this.

Lance had been forced to go on a ride with Keith earlier, one already in such close quarters.  The ferris wheel had been incredibly awkward, and unbearably uncomfortable.  And that was with Shiro and Plaxum between them.  This would be even worse!  Lance knew some of the stunts in the fun house would require they work as a team, or at least for them to be patient with each other while they worked their way through.  There was absolutely no way the two of them could survive that.  Not with both of them coming out alive on the other side.

They were like oil and water, the two of them.  Good things never seemed to happen when they were put together.  Sure, they worked fine when they were with the others, when they had buffers there to keep them mildly separate.  But when they were on their own?  Just the two of them?  They always seemed to catch fire, like two chemicals badly reacting against each other.

Their explosiveness had been fun at first, it leading to a fantastic time in the bedroom, but it had quickly turned poisonous between the two.  They always seemed to bring out the worst in each other.  Lance always had an ability to bring out Keith’s darker, angry side it seemed.  The man constantly had a look of agitation on his face whenever he was around Lance.

Keith, on the other hand, would always evoke a part of Lance that he hadn’t even known existed.  Keith brought something out in him that caused Lance to question every moral and ethical thing he had ever known.  Lance hardly seemed to know himself, who he was, what he valued, after ever encounter with Keith.  Because if Lance was so willing, so tempted to do the things he wanted to do with Keith, then what did that say about him?  What did that make him?

So no, Lance was not particularly excited about going through this ride with Keith.  He was just going to turn around and follow Shiro out.  Sure, part of him felt guilty after Shiro just gave up his spot on the ride just so Lance could go, but the blue-eyed boy knew that however bad he felt now, it would only be ten times worst were he to actually through with it and enter the ride with Keith.

He opened his mouth just to say as much, when the ride operator interrupted him.

“Are you two going to move or what?  In case you haven’t noticed, we have a line.”  He told them, causing Lance to blush every-so-lightly in embarrassment.  Lance nodded hurriedly and rushed off, eager to get away from the rude man.

He ran past Keith, careful to avoid accidentally touching him along the way.  He hurried through the front entrance of the ride and never stopped until he reached the first trick of the house.  Lance stood there, catching his breath a little.  He hadn’t realized he’d been walking so fast.

He waited there patiently as he gathered his breath, never turning to look as he heard Keith approach.  Lance didn’t move again until he could feel the warmth of Keith’s body heat at his side.  Neither say a word as they carefully make their way through the first stunt of the house.  They remained this way for the rest of their time there, passing through each maze and darkened corridor with barely a word between them.

It wasn’t until they reached the hall of mirrors that they began to speak, though their words weren’t exactly polite or conversational.  The two of them had gotten lost more than a few times throughout the maze, turning this way and that, reaching a dead-end every time.  Each time they were forced to backtrack to where they were before the air between them grew more tense and agitated.  They each wanted to lead and thought they knew the correct way to leave the maze, until they once again found another dead-end and had to start all over.  Which, of course, lead to an ever-growing amount of arguments, as frustrations rose.

“We should go left so—”

“No, right is clearly the better—”

“No, it’s not.  Left is—”

“The completely wrong way to go.  I couldn’t agree more.”

“Oh, would you please just—”

“No, I won’t.”  Lance stated with finality, crossing his arms as he leaned back against one of the mirrored panels behind him.  Things had been like this for over ten minutes and he was beginning to grow tired. 

And angry.

Keith stood before him, hands clenched in angry fists at his side while he glared holes into Lance’s head.  Lance had long given up trying to avoid looking at him, the maze of mirrors around them having prevented that the moment they stepped foot inside.  No matter where he turned, Lance was forced to look at him, to view him at every angle and in literally every reflection, no matter how they were positioned. 

They kept running into each other too, skin to skin contact going on constantly due to their frantic pace and the closed quarters of the maze.  Their hands seemed to be constantly touching and every time it sent Lance’s heart into a frenzy.  Honestly, it was on its way to becoming too much for him to handle.

Their reflections were casted around them, a continuous echo of their images.  No matter where he turned, Lance could see nothing but Keith.  It was overwhelming, having this constant reminder of who he was with, of his past with this person.  There was no where for Lance to escape, and at this point, all he wanted to do was run.  Run.  RUN.

He.  Just.  Couldn’t.  Leave.  This.  Damn.  Maze. 

They had a stare down, neither of their eyes wavering in the slightest.  Then, Keith surprised him.  He relented, eyes closing with a sigh as he allowed his hands to relax at his sides.  Lance stayed still, unmoving, as he watched Keith walk himself through this process.  It didn’t seem like this was the first time he’d had to calm himself down.

“Let’s just…can we please, just figure out a way to get out of here?”

“Why?  Is it bothering you to be this close to me?”  Lance asked, egging him on as his anger began to get the best of him.  His nerves were frayed and he could feel himself getting more and more worked up the longer he was forced to be aware of Keith’s presence.  He felt like a caged animal, ready to pounce at any moment and god, Lance was practically craving a fight at this point.  Anything to get all of this tension out of the air and so he could just breathe.

“You sure weren’t the last time you cornered me.  Or the time before that.”  He continued, spite evident in his voice.

Keith’s jaw hardened but he never looked away.  “You weren’t either.”

“Well, what if I am?”

“What?”

“What if I am complaining about it?”  Lance questioned, readjusting his stance into a more comfortable position.  He kept his arms crossed though.

Keith growled, the sound echoing off the walls around them.  He threw his hands up in the air before dragging them down his face exaggeratedly.  Those violet eyes stared up at the ceiling for a few seconds before eventually bringing themselves down to meet the blue ones waiting for him.

“Really?  You’re going to bring this up now?  Of all times?”

“Yeah.  I am.”  Lance confirmed, pushing himself off the mirrored wall in order to step closer to Keith, though there wasn’t much distance to travel in the first place.  “It’s not like we’ll be leaving this maze any time soon.”

“Which is exactly my point.  We should be trying to figure a way out of here instead of talking about…this.”

“Why?  So we can go back to avoiding each other?  Or are you going to try and force yourself on me in another bathroom?”

“No!  Okay?  Now can we please just try and leave this damn maze?  We can talk about this later.”

“No.  We’re talking about this now.  When neither of us can run from it and I can finally get some damn answers.”  Lance told him.  He uncrossed his arms, jabbing a pointer finger into Keith’s chest.  “I don’t get you Keith.  One moment you’re telling me you’re bad for me, literally torture me emotionally just to prove your point.  Then the next, you’re cornering me in bathrooms and kissing me.”

“That was only the one bathroom actually.”

“My point still stands.  You keep doing this shit, pulling me back and forth, and I’m getting tired of it.  Make up your mind on what you want Keith.”

“What about you thought Lance?”  Keith counters, pushing Lance back by his shoulders but quickly follows the movement by stepping forward so that their distance never grows.  “What is it that you want?” 

Lance stayed silent.  He didn’t have an answer.  At least, not any good ones.

“Why are you forcing the issue anyway?”  Keith continued.  “You’ve got Plaxum!  You’re happy with her, aren’t you?  Or are things not actually perfect in that ‘loving’ relationship of yours?”

Lance grit his teeth and stiffened his fists, but he never spoke a word.

“I was right, wasn’t it?”  Keith scoffed.  “I was right, and you hate it.”

“Shut up!  You know nothing about my relationship with her.”  Lance said, finally reacting.  He was only proving Keith’s point though.

“I know you’re not as in to her as you pretend to be.  I know she doesn’t make you feel the way I do.”

Lance stepped forward then, pushing Keith back into his corner of their little alcove.  He pressed in further into Keith’s space, until he was the one pressed against a mirrored wall.

“You have no right to question me, my feelings for Plaxum, or our relationship.  Not with all the shit you’ve pulled.”  Lance growled, hating how even despite his anger, his voice broke on those words.  “You don’t have the fucking right to comment on any of it.”

“I don’t hear you denying it though.”

Lance scoffed and shook his head in exasperation.  His thoughts were running while and Lance wasn’t even sure what he was thinking any more.  He leaned one hand on the wall behind Keith’s head while the other rubbed at the skin on the bridge of his nose.  Keith said nothing, and never moved to push him away.  He wasn’t sure what to think of that either. 

“God, why do you have to be so…”  Lance’s voice trailed off, himself unsure of how he wanted to end that sentence.

“What?  Huh?  What am I?”

Lance stared him down, that small difference in height, merely but an inch or two, being used to his advantage at the moment.  He was seething, his body running like a wildfire.  Lance’s eyes never left Keith’s, until he caught the briefest glimpse of Keith’s tongue poking out to lick at his lips, the action calling Lance’s attention.  He swallowed hard, licking at his own lips as he watched Keith’s before finally moving his eyes back up to meet violet ones.  Lance’s gaze flickered back and forth then, going from that captivating gaze, to those ever-tempting lips. 

Then, he gave in, allowing his body to surge forward without hesitation.

Lance’s lips pressed against Keith’s in a flurry, hands moving to yank at his hair and catching the strands in tight fists.  Keith’s own hands easily found themselves in Lance’s shirt, forcing their bodies even closer so that they’re now chest to chest.  He follows the motion easily, allowing himself to be pulled.  In fact, Lance steps in as close as he can, crowing Keith into the corner, with his legs spreading wide so as to keep him there.

The action has Keith’s lips pausing though.  It wasn’t for very long, only for a second and barely noticeable for those not paying attention.  Lance though, all of his focus was on Keith, on every move he made and every word he said.  If he were being honest, it had been that way since that first night in the bar.  He wasn’t able to give the behavior much more thought though, before being distracted by Keith himself.

Pale skinned hands slowly traveled up his shirt, the fabric loosening from its release.  Soon enough, Lance can feel those fingers as they traverse across his skin, moving themselves down his arm until they reach a firm hold around his wrists.  Then, the next thing Lance knows, his hands are forcefully removed from Keith and he feels himself being swiftly guided backwards until his own back is the one pressed against the wall, arms held loftily above his head.  All the while, Keith holds their kiss, lips never parting for a single second.  Lance isn’t complaining though, in fact quite enjoying the change in positions despite its suddenness.

But then, Keith’s mouth parts from his, leaving Lance whining in protest.  The separation doesn’t last long though.  Those lips were soon attacking the sensitive skin of Lance’s neck, moving down inch by inch until they reached that perfect spot just between the juncture of his neck and shoulder, right above his collar bone. 

The feeling of suction there, of Keith’s tongue lapping at his flesh, nearly had Lance moaning.  He bit at his lip in his best attempt of not making too much noise, lest they draw an unwanted crowd.  Keith’s grip on his wrist loosened then, before eventually letting go so Lance’s hands could fall back to his sides.  They immediately moved to grasp at Keith’s waist instead.

Keith’s mouth starts t descend once again, as do his hands.  They start to drift lower and lower…until Lance feels his shirt lift and the slight tickle of hair brushing against his skin near the front of his jeans.  Hazily, Lance opens his eyes to peer down, finding a devilish looking Keith staring back at him.

He watches with a lidded gaze as Keith drags down the zipper of his jeans before moving on to undo the buttons there.  Lance’s breath catches, and he swears for a moment he doesn’t breathe at all.  Anticipation builds in him, and its almost overwhelming, the intensity of the energy coursing through them.

God, Keith looked gorgeous down on his knees.

The blackette pulled back the denim, pushing the fabric down Lance’s legs just enough so that he had full access to what laid hidden beneath Lance’s boxers.  He palmed at Lance through the thin material though, slowly stroking his length as it grew.

Lance leaned his head back and moaned, pleasure overtaking him.  He was beginning to care less and less whether anyone heard him.  It’s not like anyone could them in this damn maze anyway.  They were hardly able to get themselves out of it, which was exactly how they had ended up in this situation in the first place.

Not that Lance could complain about any of that right now anyway.

He watched Keith as he leaned forward until those lips were pressing at him again, with only the thin material of his boxers separating their skin.  Lance moaned once more as Keith mouthed at him, the sensation sending shivers down his spine.  He needed more though.  Much more.

“Keith...”  Lance groaned out, trying to alert the boy between his knees to his predicament.

“Don’t worry pretty boy.”  Keith assured.  “I’ll take care of you.”

And god did he.

Within the next second Lance’s boxers were joining his jeans, freeing his fully grown cock from its constraints.  It bobbed freely now and Lance didn’t miss the way Keith licked his lips at the sight of it.  That alone almost had him going over the edge.

Keith moved his lips closer, but his eyes stayed on Lance, causing the Cuban to gulp loudly.  He couldn’t look away even if he wanted to.  So, Lance watched as Keith flicked his tongue out, dragging it against the head of his member.  It took everything in him not to close his eyes when he felt that hot wet mouth begin to swallow him whole.  He kept them open though, not wanting to miss any of this.  Lance stared as Keith took him further and further, cheeks hollowing out, until Lance could feel the tip of his dick touching the back of Keith’s throat and holy shit.

This view, this image, of Keith on his knees before him, swallowing him like he was nothing more than a freaking lollipop, would forever be ingrained in the back of his mind.  No matter what future laid before them, Lance knew he would never forget this moment.  Only time would tell what other memories came with it.

So, Lance made sure to take his time to enjoy this one.  He looked at Keith, mouth parted in needy pants, and made sure to memorize every detail of this scene.  And everywhere around him, it was repeated over and over again, only strengthening its intensity.  For once, he was actually thankful for all the mirrors, otherwise he wouldn’t be able to experience this moment from every viewpoint as he was.  Yes, this moment, it was special.  Pivotal.

It would either be his making.

Or his

d

o

w

n

f

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l

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Lance tried to keep his eyes open a little longer, but it soon felt like too much effort as Keith began to move, dragging him in and out of his mouth.  So he gave in, his body succumbing to the sensations and pleasure running through him.  He would allow himself to enjoy this, he decided.  The consequences could be handled later.

As Lance began to grow closer and closer to climaxing, his hand raised on its own accord, softly weaving its fingers through those dark bland strands once more.

Keith’s fastening pace stalled for a second then, before continuing on.  Again, it was barely noticeable, especially in Lance’s dazed out state, but it brought back that feeling of earlier confusion.  Distracted, Lance’s eyebrows furrowed.  He opened his mouth to ask Keith about it, but Keith began to pick up his pace, drawing out a whine instead.

It wasn’t long after that until that familiar pressure began to build within him.  His loins were set aflame, the sensation building and building until Lance was sure he was going to burn from the inside out because of its intensity.  It kept growing and growing until he felt as though he was going to explode.

“I’m—” Lance started, voice trailing off as another wave of pleasure passed through him, a moan following in its place.

“Keith, I’m—" He tried again.

Lance opened his eyes long enough to look down and saw Keith’s own staring up at him.  The sight of it was so beautiful it had his stomach bottoming out inside him.  He couldn’t tear his eyes away, watching intently as Keith moved his mouth up and down along his shaft.

His breaths began to quicken, body desperate for air as Lance’s heart rate picked up speed.  Keith’s eyes never strayed though, and neither did he, despite Lance’s warning.  If anything, he only sped up further.

Soon after, Lance was finally sent over the edge, falling into delirious oblivion as his body was racked by an orgasm.  It was only then that his eyes closed, as his release overcame him.

He let out a heady moan, hearing how it echoed in the walls around them.  Keith never moved though, swallowing each load he let out as Lance came down from his high.  Once Lance was finished, and feeling completely satisfied, he slowly dragged his mouth back until nothing but the head remained.  He sucked on it gently, evoking yet another whine from Lance.

Then, Keith let him go completely, finally standing back up from his crouched position.  He wiped at his mouth nonchalantly, as if the act were something so typical to him.  Which, Lance supposed, it was in a way, if his previous behavior was anything to by.

But he looked so delectable right now that Lance didn’t care about any of it.  About any possible implications that could come from strange or familiar behaviors, from past experiences, or from this moment in itself.  He didn’t even worry about his dick still hanging out, he just needed to get a taste of him.

So he pulled Keith towards him, dragging him in for a kiss.  Their lips moved together lazily, both of them a little worn out.  Lance could taste himself on Keith’s tongue, but wasn’t bothered by that knowledge in the slightest.  In fact, he deepened the kiss, eager to know how they would taste once their flavors were mixed together.

“My place or yours?”  Keith whispered, pulling himself back from Lance.  His voice was low as he held his lips only a few centimeters away, their breath still mingling and the skin of their lips brushing against each other with every syllable.  Lance leans back as well, lips red and swollen, glistening in the artificial light.  They’re never too far away from Keith’s though.

“Mine.”

And as Lance dove back in for more, he realized he didn’t know which question he was answering anymore.

Chapter Text

“Yes!  More!”

A shift in positions…

“Fuck!  Just like that!”

A moment later…

“Keith!”

With a final cry, Lance collapsed onto the bed.  He was full-body panting against his sheets, lungs desperate for air after such physical exertion.  He laid there for a moment, face pressed against his pillows, before eventually turning over to lay on his back. 

Blue eyes were cast to the ceiling as he attempted to catch his breath, legs still tangled amongst the sheets below him.  Lance stared blankly at the popcorn texture of his bedroom.  He was too tired, and too satisfied, to even form a clear thought.  His mind was practically numb from pleasure.  He laid that way for a few seconds as he slowly came back to himself, before finally closing his eyes in exhaustion. 

Beside him, the bed shifts, his partner falling down next to him.  Not long after, Lance is aware of Keith moving, the bed growing lighter due to the new absence of his weight.  He hears the footfalls of him crossing the room, and the slight rustle of their condom being added to the trashcan.  Soon though, that weight is added back, a huff being the only noise Keith produces as he returns to Lance’s side.

Their arms just barely tough, his skin hot where they meet.  Lance turns his head, eyes opening to gaze at the man next to him.  Keith laid there, on his back as well, with one hand resting on his chest while the other laid just above his head.  He was the picture of absolute contentment and satisfaction, a mirror of how Lance felt himself.  Lance smiled, admittedly feeling a little smug that he was the one to bring out such a reaction in this man.  To provide him with that amount of fun and pleasure.

Lance sighs, eyes closing as he shifts closer.  His head laid forward again, nose now facing the ceiling once more.  He rests there, gathering his breath, and allowed his thoughts to wander and drift through easily.  But, of course, they returned to where they always did, even when he was fully conscious.

It had been almost a week since the carnival, a full five days after they first started this…whatever this thing was between them.  Lance still had no label for it, and he honestly wasn’t sure if he ever would.  He knew what their…relationship…was in truth, what it meant and its impact on those around him.  It’s just that…those were thoughts he didn’t particularly want to linger on, and especially not for too long.

So, of course, it was all he thought about.

Every day.  Every hour.  Every minute, it seemed.  His mind was practically consumed with thoughts of how he came to be here, of what he was doing.  Of what he knew he was allowing himself to do, despite how wrong he knew it was.  His mom had raised him better than this.  And oh, if she could see him now…he shivered just at the thought.

Guilt had plagued him all week.  It and shame had become a constant presence within him as he carried on, pretending as much as he could that nothing was going on.  Lance was sure his friends could tell that something had changed since their night out as a group, but none of them had asked him why so far, and he was thankful for it.  He was already lying to himself, but Lance knew he wouldn’t be able to do the same to his friends.

He couldn’t justify his actions either.  He knew nothing could.  But every time those feelings began to consume him, to make him realize just how much pain he was bringing into his life, something would stop him.  He would draw closer and closer to the edge, more than once having come to the decision to end it before it really began.  All he needed was time to gain the confidence to hold that particular conversation, and the strength to follow through.

Yet every time, Keith would do something that stopped him in his tracks, and again tempt Lance right back into his depths, as though he were a fish yearning for the ocean. 

It wasn’t intentional either.  Afterall, how could Keith possibly know what Lance was thinking halfway across town?  How could he possibly know that Lance had come so close, phone in hand and text message ready to send, to ending it all, that he contacted him to meet up at that exact time?  How?  Was it even possible?

And so, back into the ocean he flowed.

The thing is, Lance couldn’t even say what this was, not really.  He knew it, was very aware of the word behind it, but couldn’t bring himself to say it, even within the confines of his own mind.  Saying the word was like speaking it into truth, bringing it into being, and Lance was still very much attempting to deny himself of the reality of the situation which he had gotten himself into.  Because, it couldn’t be real if no one knew about it right?  If it wasn’t spoke aloud then it couldn’t be true…right?

God, how did he allow himself to get here?

The fun house.  It was the fun house.

That night was a memory which always caused Lance to both cringe and flair in excitement.  It never failed to rile him up for another round, remembering just how delectable Keith had looked down on his knees.  Lance can still feel himself stirring from just the thought of it.  That night had been exciting and shame-filled, but in the end, the beginning of it all.

After their moment in the fun house, the two had begun to gather themselves.  Once they were settled, sure they appeared as normal as possible, they finally managed to find their way out of the maze.  Lance had done his best to hide what marks Keith had left upon him, but he wasn’t sure how much of that he accomplished.  Whatever did remain visible, Lance prayed they and the flush on his cheeks would be hidden by the darkness of the night. 

(In the end, Lance discovered that he did indeed have two hickeys on his neck.  Thankfully though, they had been faint in color and easy to hide the next day.)

“There you are!”  Allura called, stepping forward as she spotted them through the crowd.  Lance turned his head, easily spying her and the rest of their group.  The two men navigated their way through the mass of people before drawing to a stop near their friends.

“What happened to you guys?”  Shiro asked, curiosity and concern written across his face.

Next to him, Pidge crossed their arms, leaning heavily onto one leg as they flashed a smug grin.  “Yeah, what took you so long?”

If it even could, Lance’s face became even redder as embarrassment rose in him.  Then came the anxiety, because holy crow, had they been found out already?  Had they—had--how was he even supposed to answer that question without giving something away?  Thoughts of: “was it really that obvious?”, “Did he not cover up as well as he thought?”, and “Crap, is Shiro going to kill him?” all flashed through his brain.  Lance could barely function right now.  He had no idea what to think of what just happened between him and Keith, let alone how to describe it to someone else.  Fuck, what was he supposed to do?

“This idiot got us lost.” Keith told them, gruffly.

Lance’s head whipped around so fast, he was sure he was going to break his neck.  He wasn’t sure what he was reacting to more: the fact that Keith had responded so easily, or the words he had actually spoken.  Keith seemed unbothered by Lance’s apparent annoyance though, shrugging it off as it seemed he did everything else.

“I knew it!”  Pidge whooped and now Lance didn’t know who he was more outraged with.  He chose to respond to Pidge first, feeling less intimidated by the idea of interacting with them than with Keith.

“Excuse you!” Lance guffawed, offended by the accusations being placed against him.  “What is that supposed to mean?  For all you know, Keith was the one who actually got us lost.”

“Except I wasn’t.”  Keith responded.  Pidge said nothing, simply smirking in response.

Lance whirled.  “Yes!  It was!”

“Nah, don’t think so.”

“What!”  Lance bellowed, not caring if he was garnering the attention of his fellow carnival-goers.  “I was the one leading us in the right direction!  It was your lousy navigation that got us lost in the first place!”

Keith said nothing, only smiling as the others laughed.  Lance’s eyes turned to daggers as he glared at the man.  He opened his mouth to offer up another retort, but was quickly interrupted.

“Alright you two, none of that.”  Allura chastised, though her voice was teasing.  “We don’t need a repeat of the Target incident.”

“Besides,” Matt interjected as he moved to match his sibling’s pose.  “We all know you both were fully capable of getting lost in a fun house meant for kids.”

The group laughed, this time earning glares from both Keith and Lance.

“Okay, come on.  You guys all know that mirror maze was a mess.  Not one of you is willing to admit that it was even the slightest bit confusing?”  Lance defended, crossing his arms as he admittedly grasped at straws.

“It’s a maze Lance, it’s supposed to be confusing.”  Romelle commented between giggles.  “But even I didn’t get lost.”

They all fell into laughter once more, causing Lance to groan.  He pauses in his protests though, recognizing nothing he could say would ever convince them.

Something nudged at his arm, drawing his attention.  Lance looked down, seeing where leather met cloth.  Moving back up, he noticed Keith’s mirthful eyes staring back at him, only a few inches away.  Lance pouted back at him, but it soon turned into a smile.  He shook his head, silently laughing at their antics.  Keith joined in before they settled and those violet eyes were drawing him back in.

They stared at each other for a moment, almost oblivious of the world around them.  It was a new sensation for Lance to experience, at least with Keith.  It was pleasant, but unusual, and slightly unsettling given their situation.  Eventually though, those eyes glanced away, leading Lance’s attention back to the group conversation.  Around them, their friends had been discussing the end of the evening.  Keith and Lance chimed in, voicing their own agreement with leaving for the night, before both fell silent once more.  Not long after, their herd was moving through the crowd, on their way out of the carnival. 

“You’re welcome by the way.”  Keith whispered to him.  Their voices remained hushed as they walked with their friends, ensuring that no one could overhear their conversation.

“And just what exactly should I be thankful for?”  Lance asked, eyebrow raised.

“Saving your ass.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”  Lance responded, with a huff.  Keith gave him a skeptical look.

“Back there.”  Keith explained unnecessarily.  Lance knew exactly what he was talking about.  “You were totally freaking out when Pidge asked you what happened to us.  So, I intervened and provided a distraction.  Hence, you’re welcome.”

As much as Lance hated to admit it, he wasn’t wrong.  There was no way Lance would have been able to offer Pidge a reply that didn’t come off even the least bit suspicious.  If it hadn’t been for Keith providing such a distraction for him, and therefore drawing Lance back into himself, he’s sure he would have spilled the beans right then and there.  And as much as Lance was thankful for that help, it was the fact that Keith had been the one to save him which bothered him so much.  Afterall, he was the reason Lance had any beans to spill in the first place.

“You know, I can’t tell if you’re being sarcastic or not.”  Lance told him, deadpanned.

Keith shrugged.  “Maybe both.”

Lance stared at him for a moment before rolling his eyes.  He couldn’t help but give a light chuckle.  “Whatever.”

Keith falls in step with him, walking alongside Lance easily.  They say nothing else to each other as they follow their friends out of the carnival, but it’s an easy silence between them.  Yet, Lance remains completely aware of his presence.  In all honesty, he isn’t sure if there will ever be a time when he isn’t aware of Keith’s presence in a room.

Eventually, their group comes to a stop just outside of the carnival.  They gather around in a circle, each of them saying their goodbyes.  Well, kind of.  Mostly, everyone was just chatting.  Shiro and Allura were discussing their classes, while Romelle joined in with a few comments here and there.  Matt and Pidge were, of course, too busy looking through all of their newfound parts to really get involved in any form of conversation.  All of this meant that, once again, Keith and Lance were left with each other for company.

“Hey.”  Keith said, gaining Lance’s attention.

“Yeah?”  Lanced responded, though he was distracted.  He was starting to feel tense and was desperate to escape back to his apartment where he could lay down and try to process everything that had occurred in the past hour. 

“Any chance I could borrow your phone?”

“Oh, um, sure.”  Lance muttered, fishing the device out of his back pocket.  Wordlessly he handed it over, still not meeting Keith’s eyes.  “Did something happen to yours?”

Keith took it nimbly into his hands, making quick work of whatever it was he needed it for.  Lance couldn’t help but feel slightly uncomfortable with him having what could be considered full access to his phone, but it was too late now.

“No.”  Keith finally responded, finishing up and handing Lance’s phone back to him.  Lance’s brow furrowed.  “I just wanted to give you my number.”

“Wait, what?”

Sure enough, when Lance looked down, his phone was open to a new contact.  It read “Keith K”, followed by a winky-face emoji and an eggplant emoji.  Lance blushed from Keith’s boldness, but elected not to change it.  Part of him felt strangely honored at having even earned those ten digits.  He briefly wondered what the ‘K’ stood for, but knew better than to ask, lest it start another argument between the pair.

Flustered, Lance quickly closed his phone and shoved it back into his pants pocket.  He muttered a small thanks to Keith before turning his attention back to the group.  Except, from the corner of his eye, he was still aware of the devilish smirk being sent his way.  The look of it sent shivers down Lance’s spine; he just wasn’t sure if they were from fear or excitement.

“Oh Lance, how are you getting home?”  Allura asked, calling for his attention.  He looked to his friend, the new interaction breaking whatever tension had gathered between him and Keith.  “You rode here with Hunk, right?”

“Yeah.”  Lance affirmed.  His face scrunched in mild concern. 

He, Hunk, and Shay had decided to carpool to the carnival, thinking it would be easier than driving separate cars, and certainly much cheaper than ordering an Uber this far out of town.  Now though, Lance wasn’t sure how he was going to get home since the couple had been forced to leave earlier than expected.  Hopefully, one of his friends would be willing to give him a ride.

Except, he wasn’t going home alone, was he?

“Mine.”

That had been Lance’s response.  If he were being perfectly honest, Lance had been trying to block out the portion of things.  How readily he had agree to continuing their fun…to keeping this going…to willingly cheat on Plaxum.  It was something he couldn’t believe he had done, yet Lance knew he had.  That particular experience would be staying with him for a long time, regardless of any future relationship.

But maybe he could find a way to get out if before anything else happened.  There had to be a way for him to backtrack his actions, erase it all so no one ever had to know.  All Lance had to do was get one of his other friends to agree to giving him a ride home and then—

“I can take you.”

Lance’s head turned faster than lightening itself.  Immediately his eyes caught the frame of the speaker, and there stood Keith.  He shrugged nonchalantly under Lance’s blue, questioning gaze.  It was as though he thought his words had no impact at all.  Which to him, they probably didn’t; but to Lance, they meant trouble.

“Keith, are you sure?”  Shiro asked him, worry seeping into his voice.  “It’s a little out of your way, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, Keith,” Lance followed, teeth grit as he turned to the boy.  His shoulders had tensed and he felt like a wild animal being cornered.  “Are you sure?”

Keith sent him a confused look, before ignoring him and turning back to his brother. 

“Relax Shiro, it’ll be fine.  I would have to drive my bike back anyway.  What’s the harm in a few extra minutes?”

Lance’s breath stuttered at the mention of Keith’s motorcycle.  His mind flashed briefly to when he had last ridden it, during their first night together.  He remembered how he had teased Keith the entire way home, and the way those lips had crashed into his, kissing the breath out of him, just outside of his apartment building.  The idea of getting back on that bike was both terrifying and thrilling, but Lance knew he had to be careful.  Because he knew if he wasn’t, if he didn’t control himself, he may soon repeat his actions from that night, and he wasn’t sure how much farther he could fall.

“Alright, alright.  Just be careful, and text me when you get there.”  Shiro acquiesced.

Keith nodded.  “Will do.”

With that, the group officially separated for the evening.  Each pairing went in their own direction, heading towards cars Lance could just barely pick out amongst the mix.  He waved at his friends as he watched them leave, growing more tense as he was slowly left alone with Keith.  Soon though, all his friends were gone, even Shiro, and it was truly just the two of them.

The Cuban nervously turned towards his driver for the evening, his body tense.  Keith said nothing though, only waving at him to follow.  Lance did so obediently, knowing it was either that or pay an outrageous amount of money, which he didn’t have, for an Uber. 

It was a short walk across the parking lot, neither of them saying a word or making any moves.  Keith only handed Lance his spare helmet when they reached his bike, nothing else.  The raven-haired man mounted the bike, Lance quickly following behind.  He was extra thankful for the helmet in that moment, as it hid the rising blush upon his cheeks at the mere touch of his body against Keith’s once more.  God, he felt like a teenager all over again, so quick to react to such sensations.

The drive wasn’t a long one, a mere thirty minutes to get back into town.  Lance made sure not to make any suggestion moves, and he dared not utter a word in case it be taken the wrong way.  Keith acted in much the same way, behaving as though he was barely aware of Lance’s presence against his back.

Yet that still didn’t stop the rising tension.  It rose like a tsunami, towering over them.  The two men seemed to be standing still, waiting for the inevitable flood.

Lance wasn’t sure how much of it was sexual though, as least for his part.  A large part of it was guilt, he knew, and the leftover shame from their time in the maze.  He knew what could happen when they reached his apartment building, but Lance was determined to avoid such an ending at all costs.  He refused to go back on his word, on his morals.  He didn’t want to do this to himself, to Plaxum.  He didn’t want this.

Only he did.  He wanted this so damn much.

Lance wanted Keith’s body pressed between his, the feeling of those thighs pulled taught across the motorcycle.  He wanted to feel the muscles he knew were underneath, the skin which he knew was surprisingly soft for someone with such a tough persona.  He wanted those fingers to explore him as they did before, so that his could do the same in turn.  He wanted those lips to touch his, to burn him with their impression.  He wanted those canines to nip at him like the predator he knew Keith to be, with Lance his willing prey.

He wanted it, he wanted it all. 

But he needed to remember Plaxum.  He had to remember her; she was his only lifeline for his morality right now.  She didn’t deserve to be hurt like this.  So, if he remembered her, and the pain all of this could cause her, then he could keep himself in line.  He just had to think of those brown curls, that soft face, and her beautiful eyes.  He only needed to keep her feelings for him in mind.  How well she treated him, how sweet she was, how they all got along.  As long as he remembered Plaxum, and her presence in his life, everything would be fine.

Yet, all it had taken was a simple look for Lance to forget her completely.

Keith had long stopped the bike, the machine parked just outside of his apartment building.  They sat there for a few minutes, the engine humming beneath them.  Neither of them moved as the tension between them build even higher than before.  Lance hadn’t even had the guts to remove his arms from around Keith’s waist, too afraid it may trigger him into doing something he shouldn’t.

In the end, it was Keith who moved first, removing his helmet.  He shook his head, tossing those black strands about in an attempt to loosen them where they had been pressed down during their ride.  Then, Lance watched as he cast those violet eyes over his shoulder and toward Lance’s own.  There was a fire there that Lance wanted to be consumed by.  It burned brighter than anything Lance had ever seen.

He wanted it.  He wanted all of him.

And so, they followed through with their earlier promises, entering in the first night of this affair.  They moved themselves upstairs to Lance’s bedroom, repeating their actions from the fun house, and then some.  They continued to do so well into the night.

It hadn’t been until Lance was barely awake, blissed out and exhausted, that he thought to check his phone for any messages.  There was one from Shay, letting him know they had made it back okay.  He sent a quick text back, saying he hoped they were feeling better, before moving on to his other notifications.

Only then, as he scrolled down his screen, did Lance realize he had missed another text message.  It was from Plaxum, her contact information bearing a glowing red heart next to her name.  She was following through on their promise, assuring him that she had made it home okay and asking if he had done the same.

Guilt overcame him once more, knowing the moral crime he had just committed.  He typed out his reply, more than aware of Keith’s naked body laying next to him.  Lance made a quick job of it, not wanting to be faced with his betrayal.  Once he was sure the message had been sent, he rested his phone back on the nightstand and fell back onto his pillow.  Then, his body had succumbed to the heavy draw of sleep, but Lance had known it was going to be anything but restful.

Next to him, Keith moved.  A pale elbow nudged at his arm, forcefully returning his mind to present day.

“Whatever you’re worrying about, stop.”  He muttered, voice still raspy and eyes still closed.  “You’re going to ruin my reputation if you keep your faced screwed up like that.”

At this, Lance’s face scrunched up even further. Opening his eyes, he turned to look at Keith, slightly confused, and therefore waiting for more words to follow in explanation.  However, the only response he received was Keith standing from the bed and moving to get dressed.

Lance felt his face heat up as the sight of Keith standing naked and unbothered in his bedroom, backside on full display.  He felt that familiar heat, his body warming despite having just been fucked into utter exhaustion.  Lance’s eyes trailed across pale skin and toned muscle, relishing in the knowledge that he had tapped that.  That Lance had been the one to cause Keith to break his vow of one-night stands and singular hook-ups.  That Lance had been the one to bring Keith back to him for a second, third, even a fifth time, where others before him had failed.

Lance smirked, unabashed, proud of himself and clearly enjoying the view.

The raven-haired man walked confidently across Lance’s bedroom, eventually stopping in front of Lance’s dresser.  There, he began to rummage through the drawers, paying no mind to Lance’s incredulous gasp.  Lance had half a mind to tell him off for feeling he had the right to go through his things.  In fact, the Cuban had opened his mouth to do so, but couldn’t get the words out of his mouth.

The sight of Keith donning his favorite pair of sweatpants had stopped him cold.  They were grey and loose, making them incredibly comfy.  At the same time, they always hung from just the right spot on his hips, in a way that Lance knew made him look good.  He had been told many times how amazing his butt looked in the fabric, and so they had become one of Lance’s most treasured pieces of clothing.

But if Lance thought he was alluring in them, Keith looked ten times better.  The fabric still hung low on his hips, just as it did Lance’s, and showed off that perfect v-shape the man had obtained from obvious sessions at the gym.  The sweatpants even clung to Keith’s thighs in a delectable way which Lance knew they never would on him, making him slightly jealous but all the more pleased knowing it was still his clothing his lover was wearing.  The sight sent Lance’s heart tumbling over and over again, that heat stirring even further.  If Keith wasn’t careful, Lance would soon be begging him for another round.

So he watched, entranced, as the Keith walked around his room with ease.  He was more comfortable in the bedroom than Lance thought he would be, and much more than Lance would have been if the roles were reversed.  Lance laid there, content to watch the show before him.

That is, until his entertainment began to move towards his bedroom door, dressed in nothing but his sweatpants.  Keith walked out of the room, unphased by Lance’s squeak of protest.

Oh no.

 Hastily, Lance scrambled out of his bedsheets and grabbed at the first pair of pants he could find.  He rushed out of the room, racing down the hall after Keith.  When he finally breached the confines of his bedroom, Lance discovered the mulleted man raiding his fridge.

Lance ignored the deep swoop of his stomach at the clear view he has of that ass in his sweatpants.  As pleasant as the sight was, he was much more concerned that someone else may see it.  Anxiety rolled through Lance, erasing all previous thoughts of continuing with another round.  Because what the fuck was Keith thinking?  Hunk could walk in at any second!  Lance couldn’t afford for them to be discovered, and Hunk had nearly found them out already! 

The incident had nearly caused Lance to have a heart attack.  His best friend had returned home earlier than expected, entering the apartment just as Keith left.  Lance was sure they had been caught, instead his friend had simply thrown Lance a confused look over the blackette’s shoulder.  The Cuban had managed to convince his friend that Keith was simply dropping off some leftover notes from his classes, the sharing spurred on my Shiro’s insistence.  The Samoan then spent the rest of the evening concerned over Lance’s feeling and fretting over his friend. 

After that, Lance had begged for them to move things to Keith’s place, but he refused.  He didn’t understand why either.  It would be much easier for them to meet there, and much less of a risk for Lance, considering the man lived alone.  Therefore, there would be no chance of them ever being caught, unlike right now!

“Keith!”  Lance yelled in a whisper, just to be extra safe.  “What the hell are you doing?!”

“Grabbing food.”  Keith replied, nonchalant as he retrieved a large Tupperware container from the fridge.

The plastic container held leftover lasagna from one of Hunk’s stress-bakes earlier this week.  He had been worried over what to get Shay for Christmas, and his class had been studying Italian inventors.  Hence, Lance’s refrigerator was filled with nothing but pasta at the moment.

In Lance’s opinion, it was one of his greatest creations, and the Cuban boy had been gorging himself on it throughout the week.  However, that didn’t mean he wanted to see Keith putting it into their microwave while he stood barely dressed in his kitchen, where anyone, especially Hunk, could walk in and find them.

“Obviously.”  Lance replied, sarcasm leaking into his voice.

He rounded the corner of the counter, joining Keith on the tiled flooring of the small kitchenette.  Lance moved to stand in front of him, attempting to block him from doing anything further.  Keith ignored him though, never straying on his path toward the microwave. 

Lance followed his movements, feeling himself being forced against the counter behind him.  The wood there pressed against his lower back as he leaned farther away from Keith’s continued approach.  A pale skinned hand rose, paying him no mind as he fiddled with the microwave behind Lance’s head.

Lance glowered at the man, his arms crossed.  “What I meant was why?”

“Because I’m hungry?”  Keith questioned, eyebrow raised. 

Behind him, Lance hears Keith press against the buttons of the microwave and soon the rumbling of the machine echoes throughout the otherwise silent apartment.  Only then did he glance down towards Lance, enjoying the brief position of height over the Cuban.

“No.”  Lance hissed, his teeth grinding.  “I mean, why are you walking around my apartment?”

“Would you rather I crawl?”

Keith’s voice had grown deep as he spoke those words.  The man had leaned into Lance’s space, nearly whispering the words against his ear.  Lance gulped, feeling that fatal swoop in his stomach once more.  He tried not to show how much it affected him, but he could tell by the glint in Keith’s eyes that he wasn’t successful.

“What are you doing Keith?  Hunk could walk in at any moment!”  Lance scolded, reminding the boy in front of him of the precarious position he had put them in.  He looked pointedly at Keith, and definitely didn’t ogle at all at the bare chest in front of him.

Lance had expected Keith to panic, for those gorgeous violet eyes to widen in realization and fear, and for the owner of them to spring into action and begin to cover his tracks.  Instead, he laughed!  Hell, he was practically giggling!  Lance couldn’t believe his eyes, or his ears.  Surely, Keith was worried about this too.  But no, he was acting as if what Lance had just proposed was preposterous.

“Calm down.  Hunk won’t be back until this afternoon; he has morning classes remember?”  Keith reminded him.  He reached behind Lance again, halting the microwave’s raucous noise.  On instinct, Lance stepped slightly to the right, allowing Keith to retrieve his food.

“Okay, one,” Lance said, following after Keith as he searched for a fork.  “How do you even know that?  And two, that doesn’t mean anything!  Schedules change!  He could still come back at any time!”

Keith ignored him for a moment, still too focused on finding a fork.  Eventually though, he managed to find the utensil drawer, sighing in relief before eagerly grabbing one for his meal.  Immediately he scooped a large bite of lasagna into his mouth, moaning at how delicious it tasted.

Keith relaxed against the counter, enjoying Hunk’s cooking.  He let out another soft moan, the affect of which Lance made sure to ignore.  Lance moved to lean against the counter next to Keith, silently waiting for an explanation.  Keith though, seemed content to all but ignore Lance as he continued to feed himself.

Finally, Keith swallowed.  “I know because he was complaining about having a full day today.  He has his classes and that project he’s working on with Pidge.  Meaning, he’ll be way too busy to stop by until later tonight and it’s barely noon right now.”

“I, well—”  Lance stuttered, unsure of how to respond.  “When did Hunk even say that anyway?”

At this, Keith smirked.  He took another quick bite of his food before resting the fork inside the Tupperware container.  He looked to Lance then, head lolling back.  Those eyes scanned him up and down, snagging on that particular area below the belt. 

“At the library yesterday.”

Oh.

Well…that explains it.

Lance blushed, going full frontal red.  The library yesterday, oh god.  That had been an event in and of itself.  Lance had been so distracted by everything going on, he had completely zoned out of whatever conversation had been happening at their table.

A group of them had met at the library to study.  It was one of the few ways they could get together at this time in the semester.  Nearing the end of November, everyone had a hectic schedule due to trying to maintain classes, pack for Thanksgiving break, and prepare for upcoming finals.

It was just a few of them, consisting of no more than Hunk, Allura, Plaxum, and himself.  Except, when they got there, the four of them discovered Shiro, Adam, and Keith, sitting at their own table not so far away from theirs.  Seeing them had been a surprise, and had immediately put Lance on edge.  They elected to join tables though, with Adam and Shiro sitting towards the end in order to make a quicker getaway for their next class.  That left the rest of them to fill out the seats how they pleased.

But Lance had hardly been worried about any of that.  It was Keith’s presence which had upset him, especially with Plaxum in attendance as well.  He wasn’t sure how Keith was going to react or behave, and that uncertainty made him nervous.  Would he play it off and pretend everything was normal?  Would he hint at their new relationship?  Or would he completely blow their cover and ruin Lance’s life?  He had no idea.

Lance was clueless as to how to even act around Keith right now.  Hell, he’d barely had any idea before.  There had always been tension between the two men whenever they were together, especially when in public.  But now it was worse, amplified by the knowledge Lance was now cheating on his girlfriend with the man.  It had made Lance paranoid, sure that every move he made, every word he spoke, could give him away at any moment.

So no, the seating arrangement had been the last thing on Lance’s mind, until it was Keith sliding in next to him.

He sat down easily next to Lance, as if the move provided no implications.  But to Lance, it was a clear sign that something more was happening between them.  He couldn’t exactly voice his displeasure though, so he was forced to accept it.  However, Lance did manage to send him a glare, before quickly covering it up by paying extra close attention to Plaxum.  After that, he made sure to ignore Keith as much as possible.

To make matters worse, he had Plaxum on the other side of him.  Lance wasn’t sure if that was his saving grace, or his curse.  On the one hand, it meant he had an excuse to purposefully ignore Keith and face away form him.  But on the other hand, it made him entirely uncomfortable to know that the two people he was struggling between, were literally on either side of him.  It made Lance pray for the day when he could finally have Keith out of his system, when he could end this and fully focus on his relationship with Plaxum.  Because that’s all this was between them, right?  Just a way to quit the drug that was Keith?

But Lance was still adjusting to their arrangement.  The two of them had only met twice since the night of the carnival.  He still had no idea how to act around the raven-haired man, in public or alone, and especially not with Plaxum.  It had left Lance scrambling for the right mask to put on, for the perfect way to behave so they all could come out unscathed.

Fortunately, the first hour of the study session had been fairly peaceful.  Adam and Shiro had left them, departing for their final class of the day with a promise to return later if the group was still there.  Lance and Keith had barely interacted, which he was incredibly grateful for.  He and Plaxum had even managed to finish all of their assignments, meaning they were now making a joint effort on his project from Iverson.  Lance was thankful for her help, and happy that it gave him something else to focus on.  Because, as suspected, Keith had proven himself to be distracting…

As time had passed, Lance had become more and more aware of how Keith was pressed up against them.  Of how their legs touched each other, their knees occasionally knocking.  Of how their elbows would bump, forearms running up against the other’s. 

But then there was the hand.  Pale-skinned and covered by biker gloves, it would occasionally fall against his thigh, running up a few inches before eventually disappearing again.  Lance had written it off as accidental touches, the result of sitting so close to each other in such a small environment.  But then they started happening more often, causing Lance’s heart rate to skyrocket as he became more and more nervous, and therefore distracted.

It only got worse when, at some point, it had been suggested that Keith could help him with the project.  Lance had been able to get his proposal approved, meaning he was now working on the research portion of the four-part assignment.  This and the resulting essay were proving to be more difficult than originally thought, and Plaxum could only offer so much assistance.  She had never done a project of this magnitude before, having been fortunate enough to pass her classes without any extra credit assignments.

Lance, however, was struggling.  And so, someone, probably Allura, had suggested that Keith could help him through this portion.  Lance knew exactly how to search for articles on marine biology, but was clueless in how to manage the same thing for chemistry, which was where Keith came in.  Apparently, the boy was a prodigy in the subject, despite an apparent infamous hatred between him and Professor Iverson.  Allura had mentioned this supposed ability, stating that perhaps Keith could offer him pointers on how to conduct his research and where best to look for resources.  Plaxum had readily agreed, wishing to support her boyfriend.  And well, Lance couldn’t exactly argue against that, now could he?

So, Lance switched positions.  He repositioned his laptop and books, turning his body to full face Keith under the pretense of receiving help.  Lance knew better though.  Whatever ‘help’ Keith would provide, it certainly wouldn’t be project related.  The boy had been more than reluctant in helping Lance with the assignment before, there was no need for him to change his stance now.  Meaning, Keith would likely take advantage of Lance’s full attention in a way that was bound to be inappropriate.  Which, of course, had Lance all the more worried.  It was of no surprise then, when that hand returned, and a became a more permanent resident of Lance’s jean-clad thigh.

Initially, Lance had tried to remove it, repeatedly pulling the hand away and placing it on Keith’s own thigh, only for it to return a moment later.  Lance had looked up to meet Keith’s eyes, silently both pleading and forcefully telling the man to stop.  They were in public, his friends were there.  Plaxum was there.  There was too much at risk for Lance in that moment for Keith to be playing around.  But the blackette didn’t care, the hand returning soon after, and traveling higher and higher up Lance’s leg.

Lance honestly wasn’t sure how he had managed to keep it hidden.  He thought for sure his friends would notice Keith’s movements, the slight angle his arm was at under the table, the repetitive motion it was sent in.  He definitely thought Plaxum would notice, but the girl was too focused on her books and brief moments of conversation with Hunk or Allura.  And Lance struggled so much to keep himself quiet.  The boy was admittedly obnoxious, known amongst his friend group as being the loud one. So staying quiet while an outrageously hot boy got handsy with him?  Extremely difficult.

That hand began to rub against him, raising him higher and higher until Lance was sporting a full-on erection in the middle of the library.  And don’t get Lance wrong, he was a kinky dude, but this kind of risk was a little out of his comfort zone.  But at the same time…almost pleasurable, which he found really fitting for this whole situation.

In the end, Lance had leaned closer to Keith, forehead nearly touching his shoulder, in an attempt to keep his noises between them.  Lance knew he was whimpering, letting out quiet noises that he couldn’t manage to hold back.  He pleaded with Keith under his breath, begging him to stop before it was too late.  But the boy seemed to derive pleasure form Lance’s sexual torment, a small smirk being the only sign he had heard him at all.

It only got worse when his noises did eventually attract the attention of his friends, causing them to question if he was okay.  It was during that instance when Keith’s hand finally retreated, allowing Lance a moment of reprieve.  He had responded to them as best as he could, attempting to make himself sound believable.  Lance tried to play the noises off as nothing other than him cursing Iverson out under his breath, something which his friends could actually believe was plausible. 

The amount of shame which had washed over him when each of their head nodded in understanding had been almost overwhelming.  It took everything in him not to collapse under the weight of the guilt when Plaxum laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.  When all the while, his erection pressed firm against the fabric of his jeans.

After this, Lance had practically begged Keith to stop, stating they had already gone too far and it was beginning to be too much.  Keith had simply looked at him, smiled, and muttered a simple ‘not yet loverboy’, before continuing with his assault.  Even that had Lance’s cock rising, feeling himself go delirious with need under such attention.

Every passing second, every new touch, had Lance clawing closer and closer to the edge.  It wasn’t until he was right on the verge that Lance decided he needed to leave.  He knew his fall wouldn’t be a quiet one. 

So he struggled, slightly frantic, to push himself away from the table and out of his seat.  Even then, it was almost like Keith refused to remove his hand, before he did eventually relent to Lance’s rushed movements.  His friends gave him curious and worried looks as he finally took off, but Lance paid them no mind.  He simply called out a “bathroom!” in the form of an explanation.

There, at least, in those little stalls, Lance would have some form of privacy, and be allowed to make noise without being caught.  He rushed to the last one, the farthest away from the door, and quickly unbuttoned his pants, seeking relief as his erection was finally allowed to spring free.  He hadn’t even bothered to lock the stall door behind him, the piece of metal swinging back and forth in clangs.  Lance paid it no mind though, already too busy pleasuring himself to really pay attention to his surroundings.

Which was why he was barely aware of the bathroom door opening, with footsteps following it inside.  They quietly walked to his stall, eventually opening the door and joining him.  Lance had been so caught up in seeking his own pleasure, he had completely forgotten the world around him.  He never even realized someone was there until he felt lips kissing his neck and a soft warm hand wrap around his member.  Lance let go as it began to echo his movement, allowing himself to be handled.  His head fell back with a heavy moan, resting upon the shoulder pressed behind him.

“Just like that pretty boy.”  Keith whispered huskily into his ear. 

Lance whimpered, the sensation having only added further to the build-up.  His knees were beginning to grow weak, all the strength being pulled from them by the hand between his legs.  He was completely leaning against Keith now, the boy practically supporting the entirety of his weight.

“Come for me.” 

Keith ordered, and Lance had obeyed.

Lance was sent tumbling over that edge, a deafening cry echoing from his lungs and across the concrete walls.  He didn’t care though, his orgasm racketing through his body like a ping pong ball, hitting him in every corner.  And when he was spent, all energy drained from him, Lance fell against Keith completely, exhausted beyond repair.

“Good boy.”  Keith told him, nibbling lightly at Lance’s earlobe.  The phrase caused him to blush despite already being spent.

It was another minute before Lance was fully able to stand on his own two feet again.  Afterwards, he hastily cleaned himself up.  He grew embarrassed though, when Keith began to help, wiping at his hands and stray pieces of his spray from the bathroom walls.  Once they were both sure that all evidence of their actions had been removed, the two washed their hands and left, returning to their table.

And while Lance now felt extremely satisfied, he was slightly nervous about going back to his friends.  That voice of paranoia in his mind kept whispering that his friends would be able to tell what had just occurred.  Even when he knew better, even when he knew they had no reason to suspect anything, it made him doubt.  He couldn’t help but to feel that all eyes were on him as he and Keith walked back to their seats, including his girlfriend’s. 

When they did return, Lance had been expecting a barrage of questions, asking him what happened and if he was okay.  Instead, he found that Keith had already offered up an explanation as to Lance’s sudden disappearance, claiming it was just a bad case of diarrhea induced by stress.  Lance had given the man a glare for that, along with a nice pinch to his thigh, but he supposed it was better than the truth, so he left it at that.

“Feeling better Lance?”  Plaxum asked.

“Oh, uh, yeah.”  Lance cleared his throat.  “Yeah, I’m good.”

Plaxum smiled up at him fondly, before returning her attention back to her books.  Hunk and Allura had done the same.

The rest of their time at the library had gone by relatively peacefully after that, with no more Keith-related distractions.

“Um, yeah.  I think I remember him saying that now.”  Lance replied, clearing his throat as he avoided Keith’s gaze.  Beside him, he heard the raven-haired man chuckle.

“Mhmm.  Sure you weren’t busy with something else?” Keith teased between bites of lasagna. 

Lance blushed and hit at the mans’ arm.  Despite this, he still moved to stand closer to him, soaking in the warmth projecting off his body.  “Whatever.”

They stand there silently for a few minutes, the only noise between them being the sound of Keith enjoying his meal.  Lance wasn’t sure how to continue the conversation, especially now that he had no real argument as for why Keith should leave the shared living space.  Keith though, seemed content with the silence, his face content.  In fact, he barely acknowledge Lance’s presence throughout the remainder of his meal, causing Lance to feel a little put-off.

When the blackette did finally finish, he placed the now empty container in the sink, fork and all.  Then, without a word, he glided past Lance and strode back down the hallway to where Lance’s bedroom awaited.  The blue-eyed boy raise an eyebrow in question, but followed along nonetheless.  He couldn’t help but wonder though…was Keith going back to bed?  Or was he going to leave as he had every other time?

The answer came when Lance stepped through the doorway of his room.  Keith stood across from him, already undressed and naked for the second time in Lance’s room that day.  He averted his gaze, despite already having seen everything there, and having it inside him.  Multiple times.

Damn it.  Lance, get your head together.

Lance shook his head, keeping his eyes turned, though he couldn’t help the spare glance from the corner of his eye.  So what if he’d seen it before, the beauty that was Keith’s physique was always amazing to behold and never ceased to start a fire within him.

Keith, unaware of Lance’s internal debate, or simply not caring, was already slipping on a pair of boxer briefs, his signature black skinny jeans following soon after.  It didn’t take much longer for him to finish getting dressed; soon he was all but ready to leave Lance once more.

Lance wasn’t sure what to do as he watched Keith slowly disappear from his apartment again.  Should he try and stop him?  Help him out the door?  Pretend he wasn’t even there?  He didn’t know.  So as a result, he ended up following Keith around his apartment like a sick little puppy begging its owner not to go.  And that really didn’t set well with him, but he didn’t know what else to do.

Besides that, Lance also had no idea what to say in this situation.  It was still so new and neither of them had set boundaries yet, or had even put a name to what to call this.  And Lance was still denying what this truly was…so he supposed a name wasn’t needed just yet.

Lance shook his head.  He needed to remember that this was just a way to get Keith out of his head, out of his body, and out of his system so Plaxum could finally be let in like she deserved to be.

Still, what was Lance supposed to say?  Goodbye?  See you soon?  Thanks for the good time?  We probably shouldn’t do this again?

All of which would have been true and applicable, yet Lance couldn’t bring himself to speak the words.  Hell, he could barely form the sentences within in his own brain.  If that was the case, then how was he ever supposed to speak them out loud?

He just, he needed to calm down, to put himself back together.  If he could gather his mind, and his courage, Lance could do this.  He could do this.  The thought had been plaguing him for days, he would follow through with it this time.

In the end Lance did speak.  It just took until Keith was walking out the door for him to finally gain the courage.

“Keith, wait.”  Lance called, halting the man in his tracks.

The raven-haired man paused in the doorway, jacket half on and his hair pulled back into a now familiar ponytail.  The sight of it sets another roll of heat through Lance’s skin, which he pointedly ignores.  Lance never thought he was one to find a mullet attractive, but damn if Keith didn’t look good with it.

Keith turns to stare at him, eyebrows scrunched in confusion.  He says nothing though, waiting patiently for Lance to finalize and speak his thoughts.  His hand still rests on the doorknob though, as if making sure he was prepared for a quick getaway if need be.

Lance stumbles under that gaze, those violet eyes much too intimidating for him.  But at the same time, they draw him in like a black hole.  They were inescapable.  Staring into them felt similar to willing walking towards one’s end.  Which, he supposed, is exactly what the Cuban had been doing all week.  Maybe even since the beginning of their relationship back in October.

“Listen, I—” Lance choked on his words.  He took a deep breath, attempting to steady himself.  God, why was he so nervous about this?  “I can’t meet up with you anymore.”

Keith’s brow pinched further.  He let go of the door though, in favor of crossing his arms.  His back pressed against the doorframe, appearing for all the world the image of someone at ease.  Lance could tell how tense he was beneath the surface though, like an animal preparing for the attack.  He simply wasn’t sure which was the prey or the predator in this situation.

Lance stared at him, assessing his features.  Despite the easy-going raise to his eyebrow, Keith’s smile was tense.  His arms were crossed in their usual fashion, but seemed to be held tighter than usual, which was something Lance found out.  Even Keith’s shoulders had stiffened, a reaction which Lance truly didn’t understand, until what he said had finally sunk in.

“Just for this week!”  Lance rushed out, anxious to relieve Keith’s apparent anxiety over.  Almost immediately the boys’ shoulders loosened and relaxed.  “Well, and the next.”

As much as he should, and as tempted as Lance had been, he couldn’t bring himself to end this thing with Keith.  At least, not yet.  The words had even left his mouth this time, but he couldn’t follow through on that particular meaning of them.  And god, that sent another stream of guilt running through him.  The desperation which had overcame him at the very thought of cutting Keith of…he caused Lance to shiver slightly with worry.  Was he really in that deep?  No, no.  This was just to rid himself of his craving for Keith.  Nothing more.  No feelings.  No emotions.  Just sex until it wasn’t.

“It’ll only be until the end of Thanksgiving break.  I just, I really need to spend some time focusing on that project from Iverson.  I’m almost done.  Or, well, halfway there.  There’s still the presentation part, which needs to be done in person, but the rest of it is almost finished.  This research is just such a pain, and I’m having so much trouble even trying to write about what it is that I’m finding within my research.  I think I really just need to stay here and focus on it.  No distractions, you know?

“And see, I’m not even going home for Thanksgiving!  Not that my family celebrates it much anyway.  But, it’s the first year I won’t be there, which is going to be tough.  But if it means that I’ll be able to finish these two portions of this project, and actually graduate next semester, than I’m all for it.  You know what I mean?

“Anyways, I just wanted you to know so you didn’t think I was ignoring you or anything next week.  And so you know I wasn’t making anything up or had some lame excuse to avoid you.  And I’m sorry, really.  I’m super sorry, but I just—”

“Is this project really freaking you out that much?”

If it hadn’t been for Keith shocking him out of his rambling, Lance wasn’t sure how much longer he would have kept going.  It seemed as though the words never stopped, an ironic twist considering his earlier failure to speak.

He looked up then, finally meeting Keith’s eyes again.  They were warmer than he had expected and Lance could feel himself slowly shed away his own tension.

“I, well yeah.  My grade and my graduation depend on it.”  Lance finally explained.

“But is it really that important for you to graduate on time?  There’s no shame in graduating later than the schedule four years you know.”

“I know that.”  Lance told him, teeth grit and feeling annoyed.

Of course, Lance knew that.  He was still proud of his friends who were graduating at a later date than what was considered ‘normal’.  Afterall, they were graduating right?  What did it matter if it took them an extra few months or years?  All that was important was that they did it.  They accomplished it in the end.

Yet, Lance couldn’t apply that same standard to himself.  For him, he needed to be perfect.  He needed to live up for his parents’ standards.  His siblings’.  His friends’.  He needed to fit in and follow the rest of the crowd.  To be ‘normal’.  He couldn’t be left behind again.  He refused to be.  So why couldn’t anyone listen?  Why couldn’t anyone understand?

Keith must have seen something in Lance’s expression, for the next moment, he’s stepping back into the apartment.  He moves forward, pushing past Lance slightly, causing the Cuban to step backward in order to avoid being hit.  A gloved covered hand reaches out for Lance’s jacket where it hangs on the wall, before tossing it towards its owner.  Lance hurries to catch, just doing so before it hits the ground. 

“Get dressed.  You’re coming with me.”  Keith orders.  The apartment door finally swings shut behind him.

“Wait, what—”

“I’ll explain when we get there.”  Keith said further.  He steps into Lance’s space, fingertips grazing against the skin of his waist.  “Now go get dressed.”

Lance gulped.  He took a deep, settling breath, before nodding quickly and stepping out of Keith’s slackened hold.  Already, he wanted to do nothing else but undress and for them to stay in bed all day.  It seemed like a much better option than dealing with those annoying clothes that concealed everything Lance was dying to get his hands on.

He took off down the hallway, bare feet slapping against the hardwood floors.  He’s barely aware of the footsteps following him, but so incredibly aware of those eyes on him as he gathers an outfit.  They watch him intently as he dresses, Lance’s skin flushing under such an intense stare.  He turns especially red when he finally removes the pajama pants he had donned, making him naked in Keith’s presence once again.  Even as he stumbled through pulling on a pair of boxer briefs, those eyes never stray. 

It was with a face of blazing red that Lance finally turned to face Keith.  Despite knowing he had seen everything and then some of Lance’s body, such apt attention on it was unusual for him.  It was flattering, and a bit of a turn-on, but a little unsettling in its newness.  Lance tugged on his jacket, happy to be done with that ordeal. 

“Are you ready?”  Keith asked.

Lance nodded as he moved to join Keith in the doorway, where the blackette had been lurking.  He grabbed at his keys and phone, pocketing them as he left the room.  Together, they exited the apartment.

“Where are you taking me?”  Lance questioned, nevertheless following Keith down the corridor.

Keith shrugged.  “Just somewhere I know.  It’s a good place to sit and talk.”

“Okay.”  Lance replied, dragging out the word.

He didn’t know what exactly it was Keith wanted to discuss, but Lance decided it was best not to question it.  If there was one thing Lance had learned over the past few days, hell, the past few weeks, it was that Keith would only reveal what he wanted to about himself.  Or, about anything really. 

If the raven-haired man found it unnecessary to share, then he simply wouldn’t.  It didn’t matter how much Lance, or anyone else for that matter, would push the issue.  The two had entered into more than one argument over the subjective via texts.  Yet whenever Lance had the chance to question Keith in person, he found himself hesitant.  It was hard enough knowing he’d made the man made over text, but to see that reaction in person, and to know it was directed towards him?  Well, that would have hurt more than Lance was willing to admit.

Which was why he remained silent on their trek down to the parking lot.  Lance didn’t want to pester Keith with questions and accidentally cause him to enter into a bad mood.  Lance had a small glimmer of hope as to what this conversation was pertaining to, but he didn’t want to ruin his chances.  Instead, he chose to simply follow Keith’s guidance, and pray that things would end well.

They approached Keith’s motorcycle, hopping onto the vehicle with their helmets intact.  Lance was starting to grow more and more comfortable on it with every passing ride.  Keith started the vehicle, leading them down a few side streets.  Lance found that he was familiar with most of them, a fact he found comforting. 

They drove and drove, never slowing down until they approached a familiar sign, belonging to a Chinese restaurant.  Hunk and Lance had often passed by it when going downtown for drinks.  The two had discussed trying it out one day, but had never gotten around to it. 

Which was mostly due to Lance.  When drunk, he craved nothing more than Hunk’s cooking, or a delicious chocolate shake and a large fry from McDonald’s.  Even his hangover cravings consisted of something other than Chinese food, despite the ease and proximity of it.

So to summarize, Lance wasn’t entirely sure what to expect on the other side of that door.  Keith, however, appeared to be a regular.  He spoke easily to the people at the register, the easiest conversation Lance had ever seen the boy have.  Keith threw a wave to the chef in the back, the white clad man responding in kind with a yell of ‘hello’.

The place was mostly empty, having just opened for the day.  Besides Keith and Lance, there was only two other customers, an elderly couple positioned up front in a booth near the windows.  In the window was a sign announcing the restaurant’s house.

“What are we doing here?”  Lance whispered, leaning into Keith’s side.

Were they really just going to eat?  That seemed so unlike Keith.  He was hardly ever willing to spend time with Lance outside of the bedroom, so this was more than a little confusing.  And more importantly, how was Keith even still hungry?  He had put away two slices of lasagna not even an hour ago!

“You’re getting something to eat.  I’m ordering a drink and a dessert.”  Keith told him.  “Then we’re going to grab a table and talk.”

Lance’s brows furrowed.  “Okay…but what exactly are we supposed to be talking about?”

But before Keith could answer, the boy working the cash register finally spoke, inquiring about their orders.  Keith responded first, easily ordering a soda and an order of…donuts?  What?  Lance didn’t have time to question it though, it now being his turn.

He decided on something simple, the boy nodding along as he typed everything into the register.  Once given his total, Lance reached for his credit card in order to pay.  But Keith was already sliding his across the counter.  He seemed completely unbothered by having to pay for them both.  It shocked Lance a little, but he was a college student, and therefore knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth.  His eyes did widen slightly at the possible implication of it all though, but he kept his mouth shut.

They waited off to the side for their food to be prepared, neither saying a word.  For Keith, it seemed to be a comfortable silence, but Lance couldn’t help but feel uneasy without the knowledge of what was to come.  Lance was tense, unsure of how to truly interact with Keith outside of the bedroom, let alone in a setting like this.  Hell, he could barely talk to Keith in the bedroom.  But almost every interaction they’d had outside of it had ended in an argument, so Lance really didn’t know how to act.  There were a lot of things he didn’t know right now, and they all had him on edge.

 Thankfully, their food didn’t take too much longer, allowing Lance a slight reprieve.  They each grabbed their respective meals before moving to steal a seat at a booth nearby.  The two sat down and began to arrange their food the way they wanted it, before eventually diving in.  Lance let out a soft moan of appreciation at how delicious it tasted, even better considering he had yet to eat anything that morning.

“Tell me about your project.”  Keith said, interrupting their silence.  He bit softly into one of the sugar covered donuts, bits of it sticking to the corners of his mouth.  Lance had to admit, the little clouds of dough looked surprisingly scrumptious.

“Um,” Lance stalled, covering his mouth as he finished his bite.  “Well, it’s designed in four parts.  So—”

Keith shook his head, waving his hand in order to stop Lance from going any further.  “No, I remember all of that from the dinner at Shiro’s.  Plus what was mentioned about it at the library yesterday.  What I mean, is how much do you have done?  What specifically has you worried about it?  What exactly is it that you need help with?”

“Okay.”  Lance swallowed his bite of chicken.  “Well, my subject was approved, so the first part is done and over with.  Right now, I’m trying to find all of the research I’ll need for the paper portion, which is a whole other monster.  I’m not too worried about the presentation part though, I’m usually great at those.”

“I guess I’m really just stressed about the research and the paper.  I have no clue what I’m doing or if I’m even finding the right information.  The mathematics and chemical involvement has me beyond confused and it’s making it nearly impossible to apply what I can find to an essay format.”

Keith nodded along to every word Lance spoke.  He said nothing, just ate his food as he listened to Lance describe his progress.  Lance felt a little awkward with not getting any response other than silent affirmations, but Lance he was beginning to realize it was just a Keith thing.

“Alright.  On a scale of one to ten, how stressed are you about it?  Do you think you’ll have it done before the semester ends?”

“Honestly?”  Lance began.  “Not really.  I’m working on it every chance I get, but I’m having so much trouble finding the research.  Then half the time I can’t even understand what it is I found.  So yeah, I’d say I’m definitely a 9.5 on the scale.  The only reason I’m not a perfect ten is because I still have hope of being able to catch up while everyone goes home next week.”

Keith grabbed another donut, chewing on it as he contemplated.  Lance shifted in his seat, watching the man in front of him.  When Keith said nothing else and asked no further questions, he sighed, giving in.  Lance raised his hand, prepared to take another bite of his chicken when Keith did say something.

“What if I helped you with it?”

“What?”  Lance asked.  His fork clattered down to his plate, causing the sauce to splatter all over the table and himself.  He grabs at a napkin, wiping at the droplets.  It was a good distraction; he was too scared to look Keith in the eyes right now.  “Are you—are you actually offering to help me with this?”

Keith nodded.  “Yeah.  I can come over and help you with the project, and we can have our fun afterwards.  I’m going to be over at your place anyway, might as well just get there an hour or two earlier in order to help out.  This way, if you finish early, we can play some more.”

Lance blushed but nodded nonetheless.  He cleared his throat, taking a much-needed sip of water before addressing Keith full on.  His expression turned serious, a rare thing for him.

“Are you serious about this?  You’re not going to ditch me at a bar or something?”  Lance questioned.

He tried to keep his tone light, make it joking, but he was sure some of his anxiety still rang true.  Lance really didn’t want to relive what happened the last time Keith had made such a promise.  That night, he had lost a lot of faith in Keith, something he wasn’t too eager to repeat.  How was he supposed to place that kind of trust in Keith again?  That kind of hope?

Keith winced, which Lance will admit brought a slight amount of satisfaction to him.  He cleared his throat, taking a breath before speaking his next words.  “Yeah, uh, none of that.  I promise.’

“You promise?”  Lance questioned.  He leaned forward in his chair, genuine hope beginning to dawn in his chest.  He’s starting to believe the man in front of him may be telling the truth.  “You promise you’re genuinely going to help me with this project, with real and true intentions, and not pull any stunts?  Or do anything rude?  You’re actually going to help me?”

“Yes, Lance.  I promise.  No more bar stunts.  No more ditching.  I promise not to screw you over on this.  I swear.”  Keith repeated, and it actually sounded like he meant it.

Lance took a moment, studying him, just to be sure.  Keith shifted, a little nervous, under his gaze, but he made sure to hold Lance’s eyes.  Those violet eyes never once looked away from his own blue.  They held firm, leading Lance to feel as though he had no choice but to believe him.

He sighed, releasing all of the tension from his shoulders.  Lance took a deep breath, closed his eyes, then released it.  He stayed that way for a moment before opening his eyes and looking back at Keith.  He could still see the nervousness there, and so Lance allowed a small smile to grace his lips.

“Fine then, yes.  Thank you; I would greatly appreciate all the help you could offer me.” Lance told him and found himself actually meaning it.  He offered Keith another smile then moved on to retrieve his fork, beginning to eat himself silly on the delicious food.

“Okay.”  Keith exhaled, returning the smile.  “Great.”

After that, the two men spent the rest of their meal simply talking and enjoying each other’s company.  They laughed at one another’s jokes and tried not to get too annoyed when one disagreed with the other.  Lance was surprised to admit he was actually having a good time and enjoying himself.

Even more surprising, was the fact that Keith seemed to be having fun as well.  The boy was actually joining in on the conversation, becoming a willing participant.  It was…refreshing.  With how turbulent their relationship had been so far, it was nice to see that they could actually get along.

And he hated to say it, but this was probably the first time the two of them were having a good time together outside of the bedroom.  Lance wasn’t sure what that meant for them, their relationship, or for his poor little heart.  He just had to keep reminding himself that it was just sex, nothing more.  It meant nothing.

…Right?

Chapter Text

“I’m worried about you man.”

It wasn’t the words themselves which caught Lance’s attention, but rather the serious tone behind them.  He looks up, eyes removing themselves from his phone, to stare across the room at his best friend.  While Lance lays sitting on the couch, Hunk is stationed in the kitchenette, his hands paused in the middle of mixing yet another batch of his infamous snickerdoodle cookies.  Which just so happened to be Lance’s favorite…

“Is that why you’ve been stress baking?” Lance asked, placing his phone in his lap in order to focus fully on their conversation.

Hunk shrugged in response, eyes reverting back to the dough in front of him.  He continued to mix it for another moment before pouring it onto the parchment paper and grabbing a rolling pin.  Metal cookie cutters sat to the right of his set up, on hand in case he decided to make more than a simple circular design. 

“Maybe…” Hunk muttered under his breath, his voice quiet and unusually shy.

Lance frowned, dropping his phone onto the couch cushion next to him as he stood.  He took quick steps over into their small kitchenette, moving to Hunk’s side.  He leaned against the counter next to his friend, careful to give him plenty of room to work.  Hunk glanced up at him as he approached, but he still had difficulty meeting Lance’s gaze.

“Why are you so worried about me?”  Lance questioned, nabbing a spare piece of the delicious cookie dough, enjoying its sweetness.  Hunk swatted at his hands.  “I don’t think I’ve done anything concerning lately.”

Hunk sighed.  “It’s…well it’s nothing all that specific.  You’ve just been acting strange lately, and I feel like I’ve barely seen you.  I think we’ve hung out once, maybe twice this week?  And we live together!  We used to do things together all the time, but now it’s like I’m lucky to catch a glimpse of you these days.  And it just, I don’t know, it has me concerned.”

“Awww, Hunk.”  Lance cooed.  He leans over to wrap a long arm across his friends’ shoulders, pulling him in for a tight side hug.  “I’ve just been busy with this project.  I swear, after this thing is over and done with, there will be no more reason to worry.”

“But see, that’s just it Lance, I’m not sure it will.  You’ve been spending so much time with Keith lately…it almost feels like you’re pushing me away.  Like you’re pushing all of us away.  Even Plaxum has had to text me to ask how you were doing and I couldn’t answer her because I didn’t know.  Because my best friend won’t even talk to me anymore.  I just want to know what’s going on Lance.”

Lance gulped.  In truth, he had been avoiding his best friend, too afraid of what he might notice.  Lance had always been an open book with Hunk, their years of friendship allowing for easy access to each other’s lives.  This privilege, of course, had extended over to include the sharing of their thoughts and feelings, sometimes without either of them speaking a word.

Lance had come to Hunk for more problems than he could count over the years, and had spent many a night crying with him on his bedroom floor.  Whether it was due to heartbreaks, family problems, or issues at school, Hunk had been there.  Lance had made sure to repay the favor of course, allowing him to stay over whenever things were tough at home, or he simply needed a break from the pressures of the family business.  It had made Lance feel good, being able to help his friend in this way, especially after all he had done for him.

Yet still, even despite this intimacy, Lance couldn’t bring himself to talk to Hunk about any of this, no matter how troubling it had become for his mind.  Don’t get him wrong, he wanted to, needed to, desperately.  Every time he looked at his friend, the words wanted to tumble out.  But every time, he choked them back, unable to force them into audible sound.  He was too scared of his friends’ reaction to dare utter a word; and so it took everything in him not to admit it all to Hunk every time the two were alone together.

Which was precisely why Lance had been avoiding him.  Lance knew if he spent too much time around Hunk, the Samoan would simply need to look into Lance’s eyes to figure out his deepest darkest secret.  He had always been able to read Lance so well; yet another reason why Lance could barely bring himself to look Hunk in the eyes these days.  Especially when he knew exactly what he would find there: disappointment.

And if there were two people Lance never wanted to disappoint in his life, it was his mom, and Hunk.  They were the two most important people in the world to him, so their opinions mattered greatly.  The last thing Lance wanted was for them to see him in a negative light, to lose that faith in him that they’d always had.  It was the fear of that loss which drove Lance towards lying by omission and avoiding his friend whenever possible.

But yes, Lance felt guilty for going to such extreme lengths to hide such a horrible secret.  Truly, he did.  Afterall, he wasn’t completely oblivious.  He had seen the looks of dejection whenever Lance had to cancel plans or rush out of the apartment in order to meet Keith, sans Hunk.  Even he had felt a spot of loneliness after spending so much time apart form his best friend, but it was all Lance could do to survive this and move on.

“Hunk, buddy, nothing is going on.”  Lance reassured.  “I promise.  Everything is fine.”

His friend sighed once more, dropping the rolling pin in replace of the cookie cutters.  Hunk cast him a spare glance before he began to cut out the first shape.  It was a simple sea shell design, which Lance knew was meant to further represent Hunk’s worry over him.  He smiled appreciatively at the gesture and found himself almost not wanting to eat the delicious cookies.

“If you say so buddy.”  Hunk replied, though his tone was doubtful.  “I guess I’m just worried about you spending so much time with Keith.”

Lance felt his heart rate quicken at even the suggestion.  “Why is that?”

“Maybe because the last time we had a conversation about him it was when you were crying your eyes out on the couch, brokenhearted about how he ditched you for something that was, and I quote, ‘not a date’.  Dude, ice cream and emergency chips were involved.”  Hunk said with a raised eyebrow.

“I wasn’t brokenhearted.”  Lance mumbled, but he knew the argument was weak.  He had definitely been treating an aching heart that night, as pitiful as it sounds.  Keith had most certainly caused him some pain.  But things had changed since then, hadn’t they?

Hunk said nothing though, his hand paused between cutting cookies.  He had an utter look of skepticism upon his face, causing Lance to sign and nod his head in shame, admitting his defeat.

“Okay, so maybe I was a little heartbroken.”

‘Which is exactly why I can’t figure out why you’ve been spending so much time with him lately.  It just doesn’t make any sense to me.”

“What part of it has to make sense?  He’s just helping me with this stupid project.”  Lance argued petulantly, crossing his arms.

Hunk looked up at him again, placing his hands gently on the counter.  Lance eyed the dough in front of him hungrily before leaning forward to steal another bite as repayment for the emotional torture he was currently existing through.  Plus, it gave Lance a chance to avoid Hunk’s gaze for at least another moment longer.

“Lance, I know you.  It has never just been about the project with Keith.  It’s just not how the two of you work.  Or at least, that’s not how you work.  And it has me worried that you’re falling back into old habits with him.  I don’t want you going back to how you guys were before Plaxum, who is also worried about you by the way.”   

“I know.”  Lance muttered, moaning out the words.

He had begun to avoid Plaxum in much the same way he had been avoiding Hunk.  The combination of his guilt and shame had caused him to seek any refuge from those feelings, which were always the strongest when in her presence.  The result was that Lance was spending less and less time with her over the past few days, going on fewer and fewer dates.  Lance couldn’t even list how many times he had turned down opportunities to grab coffee or join in on a study date, something that had quickly become a regularity in their brief relationship.

“I don’t meant to worry you guys.  I’ve just been trying to get this project complete before break so all that’s left is the presentation before finals begin.  And Keith has actually been a pretty big help in accomplishing that.”  Lance continued.

And in truth, he had.  Keith had been a tremendous help.  Somehow, he was able to help Lance understand the basic properties of his chemistry course in days what would have taken him weeks to understand normally, even with academic tutoring.  He had a way of explaining which just made sense to him, and so Lance had made an enormous amount of progress on the project.  Already, Lance had completed half of the research portion, with the paper halfway underway.

“I’m sure he has Lance.  I’m just worried that you’re allowing him to affect your relationships, especially your one with Plaxum.  You don’t have feelings for him do you?  You’re not still attracted to him?”

“I-Of course not!”  Lance squealed out.

Hunk stared at him, hard, for a moment, searching his eyes.  Lance returned the gaze, though he shifted nervously underneath it.  Even now, he couldn’t hold Hunk’s stare for too long without worrying that he would inadvertently give something away.  Thankfully though, Hunk turned his eyes back to the cookie dough in front of him, releasing a long sigh and shaking his head.

“Fine.  Maybe I’m reading too much into it.  I just miss you man.”

“I know buddy, I’m sorry.”  Lance apologized, pulling his friend in for another hug.  He felt truly guilty for having abandoned their friendship so much.  “Hey, why don’t we do another restaurant treasure hunt? Huh?  We haven’t done one of those in a while.  We can go tomorrow and it’ll be just like old times.  Sounds fun right?”

“Yeah, it does.”  Hunk agreed, though his voice was still low.  His smile was slight when he finally looked up into Lance’s eyes.  “You promise you wont’ cancel this time?  You’ll be there?”

Lance smiled brightly, happy to see his friend in better spirits. 

“I promise.”

That night the two best friend gorged themselves on cookies, cuddled up on the couch as they rewatched their favorite movies.  They had set their plans for the next night, having selected a restaurant for their little adventure.  Lance was excited, eager to rekindle his and Hunk’s friendship, even if it had never been truly lost.  Besides, it had been a long time since he and Hunk had gone treasure hunting.

Their version of ‘treasure hunting’ was an experiment which started their freshman year of college.  The two of them had been new to the area, despite having grown up only a few hours away.  As a result, neither of them had any idea of what attractions rested near their university, including local places to eat.

Hunk had been eager to try everything he could afford, and Lance was just excited to get out of their shared dorm room and to explore the city.  So, they compromised.  Together, they had created a bucket list of places in town they wanted to visit before their tenure at Altea University was completed.  In the end, it consisted mos45tly of bars and restaurants located all across town.  They had found so many places they wished to try that the two friends had made a pact.  Each month, they would go to at least one of these locations and try whatever was recommended to them by the staff there.  This way, they could find the best ‘treasures’ on the menu and therefore the best ‘treasure chest’, aka. restaurant, in town. 

The experiment had easily become a tradition over the years, allowing both boys to explore the city, and their taste buds.  It had also given Lance plenty of chances to flirt with girls, and guys, and places to take potential dates.  In fact, one of their favorites, a small, hole in the wall place located just off of Main Street, was where Hunk had taken Shay for their first date.  Lance had had the privilege of watching from afar in a separate booth with Pidge, the two of them teasing the couple from across the room throughout the entire meal.

With their plans having been made, Lance texted Keith, giving him a short warning that he wouldn’t be available tomorrow.  He did his best to explain the situation, that Hunk needed him and it was important he spent time with him.  Lance could see where he was overexplaining and rambling, but he just wanted to make it clear that he wasn’t blowing Keith off.  For some reason, the mere notion of that had sent a feeling of guilt and dread through him as well, the implications of which he tried not to think about.  So Lance apologized for the last minute change of plans, and promised to see him again later that week.

And in true Keith fashion, his only reply had been a short message consisting of nothing but the letter ‘k’ and a thumbs’ up emoji.  Lance had grown used to such brisk communication with the blackette, but he almost felt disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm behind his messages.  He always seemed to blasé over text, and it made Lance worry if he were saying the wrong thing, especially when they got into arguments.  Though, Lance supposed, blunt was just how Keith was, and he knew it was something he would have to grow used to.  Afterall, Keith wasn’t willing to change for anyone, let alone him.

But he did change for you, remember?  The voice in his head reminded him.  Lance tried to ignore it.

Sure, Keith had ‘changed his ways’.  But it seemed as though it were only to accommodate Lance into his life.  Since their talk earlier that week, Keith had become more open with him, allowing Lance a peak into his life.  It was never anything huge, nothing important.  But every now and then, while they were studying, Keith would let a little tidbit loose.  He would be explaining something about the research, and in doing so, a slip of personal information would also drip from those lips.  It was never intentional, and you could tell he always regretted it a moment later.

Lance appreciated it though.  He loved any chance he had to learn more about Keith, and memorized every piece of information he received.  Every fact that fell was filed away in the corners of his mind, for him to puzzle over late at night, as though trying to put the image of Keith himself together.  For instance, Lance had laid in bed for hours after learning Keith had been an astrophysics major, a total space nerd.  He had teased the boy about it at the time, but in truth, Lance had a hard time matching it up to the hard exterior the boy always presented.  Still, the way Keith’s eyes had lit up when discussing galaxies and stars and all the constellations…it was something Lance wanted to witness again and again and again. 

(Besides this, Lance had learned that Keith’s favorite color was red, though he was partial to blue, and he had an adorable German Shephard/Husky mix named Kosmo.  Further proof that he was a space nerd, in Lance’s opinion.)

But Keith and whatever changes he may or may not have made was not his problem right now.  No, Lance needed to focus on fixing his relationship with Hunk, and Plaxum.

After Hunk had called Lance out on his dismissive behavior towards his girlfriend, Lance had made a point to contact her later that night.  He sent her a message as he and Hunk had gone off to their bedrooms, apologizing for how he had been acting lately.  Lance tried to explain it as simply being busy with school and this project, that he hadn’t meant to avoid her as he had.  It was mostly true, but there was some definite lying involved.  Yet Plaxum believed him, and even accepted his apology.  She had assured him that she understood and would have probably been the same way in his position.  The shame that sunk into him after she told him that… 

Lance made sure to apologize to her again, although he wasn’t entirely sure which crime he was asking forgiveness for.  He promised to make it up to her and to take her out on a date soon.  Her response to that had surprised him though.  Instead of a date, she asked that he simply join her and her parents for lunch on Thanksgiving Day. 

The prospect of such an invitation had shocked him; he hadn’t realized they were at the ‘meet the parents’ stage of their relationship yet.  Normally Lance would be excited about such a thing, but the idea of sitting across from her girlfriend and her parents while knowing what he was doing with Keith…it sent a shiver down his spine.  Lance agreed to it though, anything to appease her and make up for his recent actions.

Needless to say, all of this had made Lance even more nervous for his night out with Hunk.  Where normally he would have been excited, now all he felt was a gentle sense of terror on the edge of his brain, crawling its way in until the nerves were all he could feel.  Lance could only hope that things would go well, or at least according to plan.

When Sunday morning rolled around, Lance made sure to go about his business as usual.  He knew if he acted too anxious then Hunk would become even more suspicious of Lance’s strange behavior; and sticking to his routine was sure to keep him grounded.  He woke up, gave Hunk a brief goodbye as he walked out the door to meet Shay, and set about making himself breakfast.

Lance spent most of the day either working on his assignments or relaxing on his phone.  Hunk was set to be out all day, between his plans with Shay and meeting up with Pidge later in the afternoon to work on their assignment, leaving Lance with the apartment all to himself.  Because of his busy schedule, the roommates had elected to meet at the restaurant instead of traveling there together. 

The place they had decided on was popular amongst the students at Altea University, a locally known Vietnamese place located a mere ten-minute walk away.  Which was perfect, because Lance still had twenty minutes before he was set to meet Hunk, giving him enough time to finish making himself look presentable and start the journey over. 

He stood there in the bathroom, adjusting his outfit until it was just right and he was pleased with his appearance.  Lance ran his hand through his hair one last time, setting the strands just right.  He took another moment to examine himself in the mirror.  Outfit?  On point.  Hair?  Perfect.  Skin?  Flawless.  He was officially ready to go.

Lance stepped out of his bathroom, closing the door as he went.  He checked his phone as he walked down the hallway, seeing he still had plenty of time before he needed to leave.  Lance shrugged, nevertheless grabbing his keys from where they rested on the counter.  He would be early, but Lance figured he owed it to Hunk to be early for their night out, not tardy.

Phone and keys in hand, Lance finally approached the apartment door, ready to leave.  But when he opened the door, he was shocked to find none other than Keith standing there, his hand posed as though ready to knock.  Lance stood there, blindsided by this sudden appearance, as he took Keith in.

He seemed agitated.  His posture bent over, his hands were turned into fists and he shifted from foot to foot as though ready for a fight.  And if all of that wasn’t obvious enough, any glance towards the man’s face would have given away his emotions.  For someone so closed off, Keith always wore his emotions on his sleeve. 

His mouth was downturned, brows furrowed, and there seemed to be a permanent crease to the corners of his mouth where a smile should be.  Those violet eyes had turned dark, glowering at anything in their path.  Lance could only guess what had caused him to don such an expression, but whatever it was, Lance certainly wasn’t looking forward to hearing the explanation, or experiencing the fall out.

“Uh, hey.”  Lance greeted, blinking dumbly as he stared at the man in front of him.  “Um, what are you doing here?”

Keith gave a grunt in response, before shoving his way inside the apartment.  He pushed Lance to the side, allowing himself to enter the threshold, and rushed down the hallway.  The door swung for a moment, now loose from Lance’s grip.  The Cuban stared after him for a moment, too shocked to move.  Eventually though, his brain caught up with his body and Lance kicked the door shut, charging after Keith.

“Keith!”  Lance called out, chasing after the man. 

He raced down the hallway to his bedroom, only belatedly noticing how Keith had been undressing himself along the way.  By the time Lance caught up to him, the pale-skinned man had already removed his jacket, shoes, and shirt.  Lance tried to pick up the items at first, carrying them so as to shove them back on the man himself if given the chance.  But when he finally followed Keith through his bedroom door, he was forced to drop them.

Keith had pushed him back, shoving Lance against the bedroom walls.  The action jostled the frames on the wall next to him, causing them to rattle.  Lance stood there for a moment, unmoving, with his lips and limbs frozen solid.  All of Keith’s clothing fell to the floor and were hastily kicked to the side, making room for the man himself.  He pressed in, forcing their bodies together as those lips began to assault his own.

Then, finally, Lance is released.  Keith’s hands relinquished their hold as they began to explore him further and further, touching every plane.  They push at his clothing, forcing Lance’s jacket to fall off his shoulders while those lips moved to his newly exposed neck.  A leg shifted and Lance soon found a knee fitting neatly between his own, sliding up to apply pressure to his own growing appendix.  He lets out a soft whimper, Keith’s actions affecting him rapidly, as per usual.

“Ahh, Keith.”  Lance moaned.

He tried to find more words, to tell Keith to stop, or the strength to push him away.  But the boy’s grip was too strong, and Lance was too weak willed against him to truly try again.  It left him conflicted.  He needed to honor his promise to Hunk.  He couldn’t keep breaking promises.

“Keith, ahh, what are you, you need to—"

But then, Keith found a particularly sensitive spot on his neck, making Lance mewl.  His head tilted back, another moan escaping his lips and those hands finally managed to slip their way under his shirt.  They caressed the skin there, as though it were something precious, before pressing in hard and firm.  Keith gripped him tight, pulling him forward so they were chest to chest.  The movement caused his knee to slip higher, forcing the air out of his lungs.  All words were lost to him then.

“I need you.”

But not to Keith it seemed, the statement slipping from his lips as easily as fine wine.  They were said forcefully, with an overtone of desperation.  Underneath it though, Lance could hear how vulnerable he was with the words.  How shy he was to say them out loud, as if he had no practice with them.

When Keith pulled back and Lance could finally look into his eyes, he could see how true they were.  He wasn’t sure why Keith needed him specifically, but Lance found himself willing to follow along.  To supply Keith with whatever he needed, and more. 

And Keith, he could see it.  He could see all of it in Lance’s eyes.  He was grateful for it too, because what he needed more than anything in that moment, was a distraction, and Lance had always been the best at those.

In his lifetime, Keith had grown to favor the distraction of sex over all others.  It provided him with pleasure, and pain, when he wanted it.  But most importantly, it always took him out of his thoughts.  He didn’t have to think for sex.  No anxiety coursing through him.  No misread social cues.  No second-guessing.  Just pure instinct.  It was a way for him to be in tune with nothing else but his body.  No problems existed when he was fucking someone.  Nothing but him and his partner took precedent.

And so far, sex with Lance had been the best, almost addicting.  While Keith had enjoyed countless partners before, Lance had a way of blinding him, making him lose all focus.  It was the exact sensation Keith had been craving after, and Lance seemed to supply it in the thousands.

It was exactly why he had gone to Lance’s apartment while in such a mood.  Keith knew the boy would be the perfect distraction, a place to seek solace.  He needed Lance, right now.  He needed his body.  He needed to not think.

He stared at Lance, violet eyes darker than the Cuban boy had ever seen them.  The pink flesh of his lips glistened, slightly swollen from their attack on Lance’s mouth and skin.  Lance breathed heavily, panting from his shocked loss of breath.  Keith was so close to him, their noses almost touching.  He couldn’t look away, despite something in the back of his mind nagging at him that there was something important he needed to remember.  Somewhere he needed to be…

But when he had the picture of sin standing in front of him, Lance was hardly able to focus on anything else, let alone a distant memory.  In that moment, he felt more than ready to sell his soul for even just a sip of him.

Keith only encouraged him, his fingers creeping higher and higher until all of Lance’s lower abdomen was fully exposed.  A thumb graced over one of his nipples, causing Lance to bite his lip so as not to release yet another moan.  Lance’s eyes closed on their own volition, too wrapped up in all the sensations.  When they opened again, Lance lifted his lidded gaze to Keith’s.  Inside, he weighed a decision Lance knew he had already made.

Finally, Lance’s hands moved.  They rose to caress at Keith’s face, smoothing out all the angry wrinkles until the boy looked visibly calmer.  The hunger was still there though, the desperation in those eyes never once faded.  However, something else had joined it, but it wasn’t anything Lance had ever seen in those violet orbs before.  He couldn’t make sense of it.

Not that he had time to.  For in the next moment, Keith’s lips were pressing against his own again.  Only now, Lance was returning the favor, the pair of them moving in delicious symphony.  Together, the two helped to rid Lance of the rest of his clothes, shucking off what remained of Keith’s along the way.  It wasn’t long before they were once again tangled in his sheets, limbs rubbing against each other and skin burning.  The air felt electric where it stood between them.

And Lance, he felt as though he were burning from the inside out, but in the best way.  Keith was ruining him, he could tell.  Corrupting him at his very core.  But the darkness of it, that mysterious magic Keith held within his fingertips, his very touch, had Lance begging for more.  He didn’t care as long as those hands were on him.  As long as he was the one captured by Keith’s touch.  As long as he was the one within that firm, unyielding hold.  Lance didn’t care about anything.  His friends.  His family.  Plaxum.  Even himself.  All that mattered in those moments were Keith, his touch, and nothing else.

His beautiful obsession.

His wonderful addiction.

His Keith.

Lance knew those words weren’t entirely true.  Keith had never been, and likely never would be, his.  But he allowed himself to believe it, for just a moment.  Because right then, it felt as though he were the only person in the world, as if they were the only two people in existence.  Keith, though his movements were rushed and hurried, seemed to praise his body as if it were a gift from the gods above.  When in reality, it was Keith who was the blessing.  He knew he could never have him for his own, but Keith was his all the same.  How could he not be?  With the way Keith caressed his thigh before drawing Lance’s leg up over his shoulder, before doing the same with his other.

His treatment of Lance was rough, with firm holds and so much push and pull between their bodies.  But his touches were never less than gentle.  His grip would leave no room for movement, not that Lance ever wanted to, but it would never tighten to a point past necessity and enjoyment.  It was as though he wanted to bend Lance, but not break him.  To use him for his own and make him well worn with a little roughness at the edges, just as Keith was himself.

It was as though he were taking care of something precious, but sturdy all the same.  Lance could only compare it to the actions of a small child.  The child would carry around and play with their favorite toy as if it were the most important thing in the world, but roughhouse with it all the same.  Because a child was clumsy and unsure of how to play with things carefully.  Too young to know how to take care of their toys without destroying them.

And Lance allowed it, relished it even.  Keith was brutal with his assault on Lance’s body.  He had absolute control over Lance’s movements, and the submission was thrilling.  Keith had been in charge every time they met in his bedroom, but Lance loved having Keith take the lead.  Although, it was definitely different.  Lance was not used to such a distance with his sexual partners.  It had never been this way with any of Lance’s former lovers.

This was why he took care to notice the simple touches, the moments where Keith hesitated to pull away.  As if he were enjoying the press of their skin just as much as Lance was.  As though he wanted to savor it too.  So what if Keith was more aggressive than usual tonight.  So what if their pace was rapid and reeling, with barely contained primal need and desperation.  Lance could see underneath it, and he treasured the small things hidden there.

Lance knew he should be worried about Keith’s behavior, the way he rushed to pleasure Lance in such a frenzied way.  But he also knew that whatever had brought Keith to him tonight, the boy would not talk about it.  Any mention of it, any questioning of how he was doing, would only cause him to stop and leave, which was the last thing Lance wanted.

He also knew it would lead to a fight, which would be equally unpleasant.  Because if Keith’s handling of Lance’s body was rough, Lance could only imagine how much care he would show Lance’s emotions.  He was well aware of how that boys’ tongue could match a vipers’, slinging words and insults without a care in the world.  Until they brought the person to their knees before him in surrender and heartache. 

Lance couldn’t go through that again, it had nearly broken him the first time.  He still felt haunted by that icy glare, though it had been so long since he’d last seen it pointed in his direction.  But Lance had grown more vulnerable with Keith since then, with both his mind and body.  Whether it had been a conscious decision or not, he had.  So he knew, another attack such as that would break him.

Yet, he continued to open up for him.

Keith leaned down, pressing his tongue against Lance’s entrance.  He gasped, not used to the sensation, and squirmed beneath the touch.  Keith tightened his grip on Lance’s thighs, a silent communication to stay still.  Lance nodded his head, breathing out a small confirmation.  Seconds later, Keith continued his assault.

He circled Lance, slickening him up, before gently poking the appendage through.  Keith’s tongue swirled inside of him, moving this way and that, until Lance was practically squealing.  It was new for him, rimming, Lance having never experienced it before.  None of his previous partners, male or female, had ever done such a thing, and Lance had never thought to ask.  But oh boy, was he going to from now on.

He was saddened then, when that tongue finally departed.  Lance let out a whimper at its disappearance, already missing its presence inside of him.  He soon stopped complaining though, that area of his body now being touched again by a lubed finger.  It pushed into him slowly, getting him used to the size.  Bit by bit, the digit stretched him open until another finger could glide in easily.  Keith thrust his fingers inside, one at a time until both could fit.  They pushed into him gently, exploring his insides and stretching him further and further, preparing Lance for what was to come.

It wasn’t enough though.  Those fingers, as amazing as they were, were only scraping the surface.  Lance was dying to be stretched open, and begging for Keith to finally find that place inside him they both knew would send him tumbling.  Every time he came close, Keith would retreat just before it was attained.  It was as though Keith were teasing him from the inside out.  But he needed more, he needed them to reach deeper, to find that perfect spot of bliss.

There.

Lance cried out. 

There, there, there!

Right there!

Keith’s fingers had finally found what they were looking for, pressing into it relentlessly.  The pressure sent Lance writhing atop his bedsheets, back arching clear off the bed.  Above him, Keith grinned wickedly.  It was a devilish smirk that donned his lips and Lance had never found him more handsome, more commanding.

Hands fisted into dark blue sheets, pulling at the material so that it strained beneath him.  Lance squirmed from the continued pressure, Keith’s fingers having never relented.  They pressed in, applying more pressure, before eventually retreating.  Keith drew himself out of Lance, only to return not a moment later.  His fingers thrust into him, spreading in order to stretch Lance even wider than before.  It wasn’t long until a third could fit inside him and all three were hitting that spot with impeccable accuracy.

He cried out once more, begging Keith to continue.  Instead, those fingers stalled, causing Lance to whine.  Then, all at once and much too quickly, Keith retreated yet again, fully removing himself from the Cuban.

He huffed.  At this point, Lance was starting to become frustrated.  As much fun as he was having, they weren’t ever going to get anywhere if Keith kept this up.  He had half a mind to do it himself if his partner didn’t hurry up.  Lance opened his mouth, fully prepared to complain that if Keith didn’t get back inside him right now—

“On your knees.”

The words came without question and left no room for dissent.  Lance blinked for a moment before hastily moving to obey.  He flipped himself over, Keith having stepped back so that Lance didn’t kick him in the head.  He soon rejoined him, waiting patiently as Lance himself got situated.

Lance adjusted himself onto all fours, hands and knees cushioned by the bedding.  It was a position he was familiar with, the only one they ever seemed to fuck in.  He had barely turned himself over before Keith was pressing back against him.  Only this time, with something much bigger and better than a finger could ever be.

It entered him slowly, Keith’s cock, ensuring that there was no pain on Lance’s part.  He appreciated the gesture, truly, and normally he would have been thankful for it.  But at this point, he just needed Keith to move.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to wait long.  It seemed Keith was just as impatient.  He thrusted himself into Lance, filling him completely.  Lance gasped, all semblance of air leaving his lungs.  Keith, paused there, allowing both of them to adjust.  As they stood still, Lance could feel those hands running across his skin.  Up his chest.  Down his thighs.  Eventually they settled on his hips, gripping him tight as Keith slowly pulled back and out.

Lance whined and twisted, pushing back against Keith so as not to lose that marvelous feeling so soon.  But then, Keith was moving forward, pressing into Lance once more.  He was slow at first, careful, before quickening his pace.  Then he repeated the action, retreating, advancing, until he built up a steady rhythm.  There were a few times that he thrusted so hard that Lance had nearly flown off the bed.

They continued at this pace for a few minutes, going hard but steady.  Lance was gasping out every breath, brain barely able to form a word to cry out.  He was a mess of moans and groans, Keith following suit behind him.

Eventually though, he began to lose control.  It wasn’t long before Keith was hammering into Lance, making the man a stuttering mess.  Lance could hardly catch his breath as Keith pushed him forward, over and over again.  He was gripping the headboard at this point, holding on for dear life as Keith railed into him.  He had never gone this hard before, but Lance wasn’t exactly complaining.

Lance grasped at the wood beneath his fingers, desperate to gain some sense of stability.  It was hard to accomplish though, with Keith driving into him as he was.  He cared less and less though as he began to reach his peak.  Behind him, Lance could tell Keith was approaching that point as well.  His speed would always pick up towards his end, the thrusts harder and deeper than ever before.

“Keith, I’m—” Lance tried.

His attempts to warn Keith were in vain though, barely a word able to make it past his lips.  All he received in response was a grunt, an acknowledgement of having been heard.

Keith shifted then, and oh.  He had found it again.

He had been brushing against it before, teasing Lance and drawing out his pleasure.  But now he was hitting it directly, never missing a beat as he rammed into Lance from behind.  It had Lance in a daze, a constant state of pleasure.  So close yet still needing more to be satisfied.

Lance reached down, grasping the base of his cock.  He ran his thumb across the shaft, whimpering slightly at the contact.  However, before he could even move an inch, another hand was slapping at his, forcing Lance to let go.  He groaned at the loss, and turned his head to look back at Keith, questioning. 

“You don’t get to come until I say you do.”

Keith had slowed his pace in order to get the words out, his voice hoarse with lust.  The command sent a thrill throughout Lance’s body, heightening his already overloaded senses.  He nodded in response, acknowledging that he would, indeed, listen to it. 

His partner leaned forward then, pausing slightly, in order to nibble at the flesh of Lance’s shoulder.  Keith sucked on the skin there and gave a playful bite, causing Lance to keen.  Then, he pulled back and was soon returning to his earlier activities, thrusting into Lance faster than even before.  And if Lance wasn’t close before, he sure as hell was now.

Keith continued with his charge and Lance could feel that tell-tale sensation running up his thigh.  The heat pooled in his lower abdomen, rising and rising.  His cock strained from where it was left untouched, begging to be stroked.  Unfortunately, the only friction it received was from Lance’s slight push and pull against the sheets, the motion matching with Keith’s thrusts.

“Keith.”  Lance whined, drawing out the boys’ name.

“I know, I know.”  Keith told him.  The blackette slowed down, leaning over Lance yet again to place a soft kiss against his back.  Lance smiled, enjoying such affection from a man who usually didn’t show any.  Keith thrust into him hard then, causing Lance to gasp and cry out. 

“Just a little longer.”  He grunted.

Lance nodded his head again, acquiescing.  Keith continued to plow into him, with more focus on strength than speed this time.  Each time, he kept hitting that most sensitive bundle of nerves inside of Lance, drawing him closer and closer to his edge.

By now, Lance was gasping for air, crying out with every push forward.  He was so close and yet not close enough to his climax.  At this rate, Lance was beginning to question whether he would be allowed to come at all.

But then, those blessed hands began to move, slipping around him.  They loosened where their grip had previously never wavered and fell to his front.  One hand stayed where it landed, resting comfortably on the lower portion of Lance’s chest.  But the other, it continued to travel.

It drifted down, tips ghosting over the skin of Lance’s cock before coming to rest against his balls.  Keith’s fingers fondled the flesh there, playing with it delicately and with practice precision.  It was obvious it wasn’t the first time Keith had pulled such a move.

Lance whined, pitching going higher the longer it carried out.  His legs were beginning to feel weak, shaking along with his arms.  He pitched forward, leaning all of his weight against his hand, pressing against the headboard for some relief.  All the while, Keith continued to push into him with slow, steady strokes.

Then, that pale-skinned hand stopped, and began to rise.  It wrapped itself around Lance’s member, the fingers gentle with their hold.  Keith gave him a light squeeze, causing Lance to let out a hefty moan and his legs to shake all over again.

He lifted upward, fingers grazing lightly against Lance in the most teasing and tantalizing way.  A thumb swept across the head, wetting itself in Lance’s fluid.  The boy in question gasped, back arching and hips thrusting up into the touch.  His head was thrown back, a guttural noise escaping his lungs.  So close. 

He needed more. 

More.

“Ke…Kei…” Lance stuttered.  God, he couldn’t even get his name out, he was so broken.

Keith gave a soft hum before he fortunately began to pick up his pace again.  This time, his hand matched the speed of his cock, the motions almost in tandem.  It was a near perfect echo of their first night together, and the notion had him feeling deliciously dizzy.  Lance’s grip on the headboard was growing tighter as his knees grew weaker.

Lance keened, no longer able to form words.  Keith seemed to understand him all the same though, going harder and faster as requested.  Now, the bed was shaking beneath both of them.  Lance could only imagine what his neighbors were hearing, with rattling walls and ceilings.  He would need to apologize, or simply accept the fact that he would never be able to look them in the eye again.

Right when Lance didn’t think he could take anymore, that he would come whether Keith wanted him to or not, he felt black strands brush his shoulder.  Keith leaned in, just a breath away from Lance’s ear and barely maintaining his previous ministrations.

“Now.”  Keith whispered to him.

And as in the library, Lance’s body obeyed, sending him into oblivion.

The release hit him hard.  It shuddered through him, wave after waver, as ecstasy overcame his body.  Lance emitted an uproarious moan, one that echoed slightly off his walls.  His cock pulsed in Keith’s hands as he spilt over himself and the sheets beneath him.  He would definition need to wash them later. 

Inside him, Lance could feel Keith follow suit, having reached his own climax.  He dispensed himself in Lance, the sensation causing the Cuban boy to exhale yet another moan.  They stayed like that for a few moments, as the two of them slowly came down from their high.

Eventually, Keith grunted and carefully removed himself from Lance’s backside.  All that had been deposited inside of Lance gushed out, leaking onto the fabric of his bedsheets.  He groaned as it left him, leaving him feeling empty from Keith’s departure.  Then his muscles began to relax and Lance found himself finally let go of the headboard.  He collapsed onto his bed, uncaring of how his own stains were now pressing against his skin, making him sticky.

Keith fell next to him, their limbs brushing against each other as he laid down.  He positioned himself next to Lance, every inch of them touching the other.  Lance twisted, shifting to lay on his side so as to face Keith, cuddling up next to the usually burly man.  Sex always seemed to make Keith softer in Lance’s opinion.  He sighed as his body relaxed further, a nice hum of warmth sweeping through him after such a thorough fucking.

Unfortunately, that warmth didn’t last long; Lance was steadily growing cold as his heart rate settled.  Groaning, Lance lifted himself from his bed, removing the top sheet along with him.  Keith grumbled at being forced to move after such vigorous activities but did so, albeit reluctantly, at Lance’s urging. 

With the dirty sheet officially in the hamper, Lance reached for his spare blanket.  He picked it up from the floor where it had fallen earlier that morning, dragging it around to hang by his shoulders.  The tan skinned boy kneeled back on top of the bed, gently crawling across until he was cuddled up at Keith’s side.  Lance scooted until he laid directly atop Keith, and cast the large blanket over both their bodies, warming up their naked skin.

The two rested there for a few minutes, allowing their bodies to recuperate.  The apartment had now fallen silent, the lone noise being that from the traffic below.  They dozed, drifting in and out of sleep.  Lance wasn’t sure how long they remained this way, but he was certainly grateful for it.  Both he and his body had definitely needed a reprieve.

Lance yawned, waking himself up fully.  He blinked his eyes a few times, assuming it had only been a few minutes since he had last closed them.  His head rested atop pale skin, black strands of hair brushing against his face and neck.  Lance shifted, his body moving into a more comfortable position, and looked up at Keith.

The boy’s eyes were closed and he breathed deeply, as though he too had fallen asleep.  The stress he had been carrying when he first showed up at Lance’s door had long disappeared, the anger along with it.  All emotions other than peace seemed to be erased from his face, giving Keith a rare essence of innocence.  Silently, Lance wondered what it could have been to upset the boy so much in the first place.

That anger…Lance had seen it on him before but Keith truly looked like he could have killed someone.  It wasn’t as startling a sight as he thought it should be, the Cuban having grown used to such aggression being present in the blackette.  But it was worrying.  Sure, Keith got angry.  He got annoyed, especially with Lance, but never to that extent.  He had never seen the boy so filled up with desperation and need.  It made Lance concerned over his welfare, but he still knew better than to ask what had happened to cause such a reaction.

Nevertheless, Lance could also tell when he had been used for someone else’s pleasure, even when his own was derived from it.  It was a feeling he had become startling familiar with over the years, being seen as nothing more than an object for other’s amusement.  It started as simply needing to be the joker of the family, the one to step up and help his mom, while also making sure everyone else was taken care of.  All with a ready smile.

But it had soon graduated into his other relationships, carrying over to his friends and romantic partners.  Lance would do anything to please them, keep them happy.  Whether that meant providing a distraction, or simply being there for emotional support, he was there and he was doing it.  Sometimes it seemed as though he were built for service.  As though his life’s purpose was to always please those around him.  And people just seemed to sense it in him, drawing it out whenever they could.  So it wasn’t entirely a surprise to realize Keith had done the same.

Yet, the realization didn’t stop the pain.  It didn’t stop the knowledge from seeping into Lance’s brain and telling him just what he was worth to this man.  That despite all tenderness, imagined or real, it had been nothing more than a manipulation.  Why else had he offered his help?  Why else had he been so kind to Lance over the past few days? 

He had been so helpful with the project, practically saving Lance and his grade.  He had come over every day since his offer to help him with it, assisting Lance wherever it was needed.  They had even gone to the aquarium together!  Sure, it had been for his project, but Lance’s point remained.  Why do all these things to make him question his relationship with Plaxum, to draw him in, if it wasn’t to use him for his skills?  If it wasn’t genuine, then it was cruel.

Except it wasn’t really cruel, was it?  Lance was more than aware of the nature of his and Keith’s relationship.  It was meant to be purely sexual.  They were allowed to use each other’s’ bodies for their own release.  They had agreed to it.  They were each other’s toys, things to play with to relieve stress, rid themselves of their troubles and woes.  Who cared how they got it, as long as they did and both parties were willing? 

That was how they worked.  They sought pleasure in order to avoid pain.  So how could Lance fault him for doing the very thing they had set out to do?  For doing the very thing Lance knew he would do, from the very beginning?

And Lance hated to end such a wonderful haze with such terrible thoughts, but Lance’s brain was straying from his control.  It was sinking under into that familiar place of darkness that he knew so well.  It didn’t happen often, but when it did, it drew him down.

Sighing, Lance attempted to clear his head.  Now was not the time for these thoughts.  He didn’t want to ruin such a peaceful mood.  He took deep breaths, forcing himself to think of other things. 

Of how Keith’s body pressed against his, soft and firm.  Of how the smell of sex lingered in the air.  Of how his sweat tasted when he licked at his upper lip.  Of how the traffic below them ran, with the occasional honk of a horn and a tweet of a bird.  Of the gorgeous boy next to him, resting peacefully in a way Lance had never seen before.  He focused on it all, so that he couldn’t focus on anything else.

It seemed to work, as Lance’s brain began to calm and that nervous energy disappeared.  The itch under his skin slowly came to a stop and Lance found himself relaxing once more.  His muscles returned to their languid state and Lance could finally exhale.  The stress was gone and he was beginning to doze again.

Fingers traced listless across pale skin, creating patterns and words, and really whatever came to Lance’s mind.  Keith twitched beneath them, causing Lance to pause for a moment, before settling.  Lance waited, making sure the man next to him was still asleep, before allowing his ministrations to continue.

But then, Lance heard a noise.  It came from down the hall, towards the front door.  The soft shaking of a doorknob.  He paused, his fingers stopping in their motion of dancing across Keith’s skin.  It sounded like someone was trying to get into the apartment.

Lance’s brows furrowed.  No, that couldn’t be right.  He laid his hand flat on Keith’s chest and rose to rest on his elbow, slightly leaning over Keith as he listened.  He strained his ears, keeping an ear out for any further noise.

There.  The jingling of keys, quickly followed by the sound of an undone latch.  Someone had just unlocked the front door to Lance’s apartment.

“Yeah Pidge, I just got in.  I’m going to check his room.”

Lance could feel his heart freeze, his body right along with it.  Oh no.

There’s no way.  It couldn’t be.

Footsteps traveled closer to his doorway and his heart began to panic, racing inside his chest.

“Oh, the light’s on.  Maybe he is here.”

It was.

“Shit.”  Lance cursed. 

He had completely forgotten.  (Had you too?)

Hastily, Lance glanced around his room, searching for some form of an escape.  When none was apparent, he instead turned to his partner, pushing at Keith’s side in an attempt to wake him up.  They needed to get moving, now. 

“Hide!  You need to hide!”  Lance yelled in a whisper, still shoving at Keith. 

He refused to budge though, the boy barely moving.  Lance groaned, dragging his hands down his face.  He smacked at Keith’s chest, admittedly rougher than he meant to, in one final attempt.  Finally, the blackette roused, gazing up at Lance with eyes full of annoyance.

“What the--”

“Hide!”  Lance interrupted.  His voice had risen in pitch, and his eyes kept moving frantically between him and his bedroom door.  “Get under the bed.  Get in the closet.  I don’t care!  But you need to hide!  Hunk cannot see you.”

They needed to hurry, they only had seconds until Hunk was at his door.  What was Lance even going to say?  How exactly could he cover for this one?  And more importantly, why wasn’t Keith moving!

“Hunk?”  Keith questioned, confusion now taking over.

“Yes, Hunk!  Here’s here and—”

“One second Pidge, I think I hear him.” 

Those words were the only warning they received before it was too late.  Before anything else could be done, the door to Lance’s bedroom swung open, revealing a worried Samoan.  Both boys turned with wide eyes to stare, frozen in place.  He and Keith were now on full display.  It was obvious what they had been doing, the two of them only being covered by Lance’s blanket and no visible clothes in sight.  That is, unless you counted those littering the floor.

By then, Keith’s eyes had fully widened, now understanding the true nature of their situation.  Both he and Keith grasped at the blanket, pulling it up to cover themselves as much as possible.  It was fruitless though, their chest still on full display in order to keep their lower halves fully covered.

Hunk paused in his steps, mouth still open and ready to reply to Pidge.  He took them in, eyes as wide as saucers.  The two of them laying in bed with nothing but a blanket to cover them.  They had literally been caught in the act, and there was no coming back from it.

He silently prayed that Hunk would simply back out of the room and pretend he had never seen them.  Or that he could travel back in time so that this never happened.  He begged Hunk with his eyes, pleading with him to close the door and back out of the room, never to enter again until all proof of Keith’s existence was gone.

Lance said nothing.  There was nothing he could say.  He could only watch, petrified, as Hunk examined them.  Those soft brown eyes shifted back and forth, moving between Keith and Lance as he tried to understand just what he was seeing.  Lance watched it sink into Hunk, the knowledge of what had happened here.  He could see the exact moment it settled and comprehension took over.

Hunk’s eyes hardened and his face turned grim.  It was rare, Hunk getting angry, and always a shock to those who saw it.  Lance himself had only witnessed it a handful of times throughout their childhood.  Yet even he could tell how terrifying it was to be on the receiving end of such ire.

But this, this was the first time had been the victim of that stare.  Lance found himself wilting beneath it, sinking deeper into the comfort of his sheets.

“Uh, Hunk…”  Lance paused, clearing his throat.  “Um, what are you doing here buddy?”

Hunk’s eyes narrowed and his phone was still pressed against his ear.  “You didn’t show up.  I waited over half an hour for you at the restaurant.  I tried calling and texting, but you never answered.  So, I came here to check on you.  I was worried something happened.”

Lance’s eyes widened.  Immediately, he began to search around his room, before his eyes finally caught on the sight of his jacket laying on the floor, right at Hunk’s feet.  The last time Lance had seen of his phone, it was in those pockets.  On vibrate.  And with how Keith had been distracting him…it was no wonder he hadn’t heard it go off.

Lance could only imagine how many missed calls and texts messages he would find later.  There would likely be some from Pidge too, considering Hunk had called them during his search.  Lance’s gut began to sink in guilt, knowing he had no proper excuse or explanation for what had happened.  He had, once again, ditched his friend and hurt their friendship.

“I-I’m so sorry Hunk.  I promise, I didn’t meant to skip out on you.  I—it’s just that—well Keith was upset and my phone was on vibrate so I didn’t hear—"

“Oh, I’m sure he was.”  Hunk said bitter. 

His eyes glanced over to the man in question before his gaze quickly returned to Lance.  But, before anything else could be said, Lance could hear a murmur come from Hunk’s phone.  Pidge was still on the line.

“Yeah, he’s here.”  Hunk told them. 

His voice was hard, teeth grinding against each other.  Pidge spoke again, though the words themselves were incomprehensible, and Hunk nodded.  Then, realizing they couldn’t see him, he cleared his throat and gave a verbal response instead.

“Yeah.  Listen Pidge, I’ll have to talk to you later.  I need to discuss some things with Lance right now.”  Lance could hear Pidge give a short response and Hunk was nodding once more. “Everything’s fine.  I’ll call you later, okay?  Okay, bye.”

With that, he ends the call.  Hunk lowers his hand and quickly shove his phone away, his full focus now on them.  He just looks at them for a moment, staring.  Hunk’s eyes jump between the two, contemplating what to say next.  Lance remained silent, unsure of what to say himself.

Then, “How long?”

“Uh, what do you mean?”  Lance questioned.  He knew perfectly well what Hunk as asking, he just didn’t want to answer.  The blue-eyed boy rubbed at his arms in an effort to self-soothe.

“I mean, how long has this been going on?  How long have you two been sleeping together?  Was this just a onetime thing?  Or since the beginning?  How long?”

“Whaa—Hunk, no!”  Lance quickly denies.  “No, no, no.  This has—we’ve only—it’s just—A week, okay.  Only a week.”

That was, apparently, the wrong thing to say.

“A week!  Lance!  I thought you were going to say once!  Maybe twice!”  Hunk shook his head in frustration.  “I mean, I could understand a moment of weakness, as shitty as it is, but a whole week’s worth of them?  What about Plaxum, man?”

Lance winced.  Yeah, he deserved that.  But he couldn’t offer any form of explanation.  Any excuse he gave would be pathetic and cause for more ire.

“I don’t even know who you are right now.  Certainly not my best friend.  I can’t believe you let him corrupt you like this.”

“Hey, he made his own decisions.  I never forced him to do anything.”  Keith argued.  He sat up straighter in bed, fully prepared to defend himself.

“I don’t doubt that Keith.  But I also know you weren’t completely innocent in all of this.  You’ve been bad for Lance since the start.  I just didn’t think you’d lead him this far down.”  Hunk told him, crossing his arms.

“Hunk, that’s not—” Lance started, attempting to defend them both.  It wasn’t Keith’s fault, it wasn’t.  It was his.  Hunk quickly interrupted him though.

“Am I wrong Lance?  Tell me, has he not been toxic for you this entire time?  From the very beginning.  Hell, you were crying on the couch because of him, not even a month ago!”

Lance’s skin flushed and he had no words.  Everything Hunk said was true, he couldn’t deny it.  It just hurt to hear.

“I know, but Hunk, it’s not his fault.  He’s right.  I made those decisions on my own.”  Lance admitted, pathetically.  He found himself unable to meet his friends’ gaze.

“Oh, I know.  You are very much at fault here.  Not only have you been ditching me and all of our friends, including your girlfriend, might I add.  But no, you’ve been doing it so you can play into some sick fantasy of an affair with someone you know is bad for you.  I…I thought you were better than this.”  Hunk’s voice broke and Lance could see tears beginning to form in his eyes.  His friend could hardly look at him, but Hunk made sure to, trying everything to get his point across.

And Lance, he felt gutted.  He knew he had let them down, but hearing how much pain filled Hunk’s voice…it hurt him to his very core.  Hunk was his best friend, his very best confidant.  He was someone Lance could always depend on and who he thought of as a brother.  To know he had betrayed him in this way, hurt them this deeply…well needless to say, it hurt Lance too.  In more ways than he could count.

“Hunk…”

“No.”  Hunk said, cutting him off.  The Samoan shook his head as he took a step back, backing himself out of the room.  “I can’t talk to you right now.  I can barely even look at you.”

He turned, his body fully facing down the hallway so that it was his back that addressed Lance.  He took a step, then paused, his hand resting on the doorframe.  Hunk turned his head but his eyes never looked up from the floor as he spoke his next words.

“I’m going to stay at Shay’s for a few days.  Have a good night Lance.”

With that, Hunk left them.  He charged out of Lance’s room and down the hallway as if his life depended on it.  There was barely a glance in Lance’s direction as his friend left him, exiting the apartment again within minutes.  The door slammed shut and the noise echoed throughout.  The vibration of it even shook a few of Lance’s decorations.

Lance sat there, frozen still.  His gaze was cast downward, unable to stare after his friend who just left him.  In his lap, his hands shook, unable to hold themselves steady.  He took a deep breath and reached for the blanket, seeking its comfort.  Lance wrung the material, pulling it taught within his grasp as he tried to get a handle on his emotions.  His brain couldn’t seem to process what had just occurred.

He’s only vaguely aware of movement beside him.  Lance feels it as Keith shifts, moving his legs to hang over the side of the bed, but he doesn’t truly pay attention to the movement.  He’s only shocked out of his stupor when the blanket lifts and is tossed over to join the rest of the material in his lap.  Keith emerges from beneath its layers, standing to full attention.

The blackette says nothing as he begins to dress, shoving on article after article of clothing.  His movements are fast, making him usually sloppy and clumsy in his steps.  Lance watches him, wanting to cry out for him to stop, to stay.  He wanted nothing more than to return to that wonderful, sleepy haze they had been nestled in not five minutes earlier.  Right now, Lance needed someone to hold him and tell him it would all be okay, and the only person left to do that was Keith.  He needed him to stay.

“Fuck!”  Keith cried out, cursing as he stubbed his toe on Lance’s dresser.  He was almost fully dressed now, clad in his t-shirt and boxer.  He had been in the middle of tugging on his jeans when he hit the furniture.

“Here, let me—” Lance began to offer.  He was halfway to standing when Keith interrupted him.

“No!”  Keith yelled back, causing Lance to pause in his steps.  He rose to his full height, wrapping his blanket around him, but didn’t move from his position next to the bed.  “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.  You’re clearly upset.  Just let me help.”  Lance pleaded, taking a brave step forward.  Keith flinched back and he stalled once more.

“I don’t need your help, Lance.”  Keith grunted as he finally pulled his jeans up to his waist.  He didn’t even bother to zip them up before he was already reaching for his boots.  “I just need to get out of here.”

“Hold on, Keith.”  Lance started, walking around the bed so that he now stood at blackette’s side.  “Shouldn’t we talk about this?”

“There’s nothing to talk about.”  Keith told him, sliding on his second boot.

“Are you serious?”  Lance asked, incredulous.  “Did we not just suffer through the past five minutes together?”

“Yes, Lance, we did.  I just don’t see the point in talking about it.”  Keith rolled his eyes.  He knelt down, tugging at his shoestrings.  One by one, he began to tighten the laces.

“What?  Why not!  We need to talk about how to handle this situation.”

“There’s nothing for us to handle here Lance.”  Keith told him.  “This is on you, your mess.”

Lance crossed his arms, shaking his head.  “Uh-uh, no way.  I may have made my own decisions in this, but Hunk’s right.  You’re a part of this now too.”

“No, I’m not.”  Keith insisted, finishing up a loop.  He pulled at it, ensuring the knot wouldn’t slip.

“Oh really?”  Lance asked sarcastically.  He raised an eyebrow at the man in front of him.  “So is it just my hand I’ve been fucking this entire time?”

Keith sighed.  With one shoe done, he began on the other, quickly following the same process as before.  “What do you want me to say Lance?  Nothing I say will change anything.”

“Maybe, maybe not.  We won’t know until we sit down and talk.”

He dropped the shoelaces and ran a hand down his face, groaning in frustration.  “Ugh, fine!  Talk!” 

Keith turned towards him then, eyes blazing.  “Or better yet, go call your girlfriend and get her involved in this conversation.”

Lance’s gaze hardened and he flexed his hands where they rested against his arms.  “That’s a low blow and you know it.”

“Not as low a blow it was when we were in the mirror maze last week.”

“Wow.”  Lance said, dragging out the word.  He shook his head; he was officially done.  “Okay, you need to go.”

Keith stalled, mid tie, before rolling his eyes.  Quickly, he finished lacing up his second boot.  “Oh, do I have permission now?  I wasn’t aware I needed it.”

“You didn’t.”  Lance confirmed.  “But clearly we’re not going to get anywhere while you have that stick up your ass.  So, you should go.  I need to talk to Hunk anyway, to try to fix this.  God, I can’t believe I let you drag me into something like this.”

“Excuse you!”  Keith yelled, moving to stand.  He pointed a finger at Lance, taking a threatening step forward.  Lance refused to back down.  “What happened to you making your own decisions?”

“Oh, I definitely did, but Hunk was right too.  You were the one who dragged me into this…this…”

“Affair, Lance!  It’s called an affair!”  Lance flinched, the words hitting home.  There they were, the truth Lance had been trying to avoid.

Keith stepped forward again and they were chest to chest now.  Black strands of hair hung in front of violet eyes, but Lance could see the anger living there.  Keith was absolutely livid and he was fully prepared to take his frustration out on Lance.

“You are cheating!  On your girlfriend!  With me!”  Keith emphasized every exclamation with a harsh poke to Lance’s chest, pushing him back slightly with every shove.  Lance did his best not to show how affected he was, trying to hold his ground.  “Okay!  Face it!  And besides, I didn’t make you do anything you weren’t already begging to do.”

“Just because I wanted to do it, Keith, didn’t mean I should have!”

“And whose fault is that?  Not mine!”

“Yes, it is!”  Lance roared, the sound echoing around them.  “None of this would have happened if it weren’t for you!  I wouldn’t have lost my mind, gone drinking every night, just to find you!  I wouldn’t have been ditched at that bar because of you!  I wouldn’t be cheating on my girlfriend, if it wasn’t for you!”

He took a breath.

“You are the one who keeps fucking me over, pushing me away before pulling me back in again.  I must have the worst fucking luck in the world to have run into you that night in October, because I have regretted it ever since.  I wish I never met you, because you are the one who is ruining my life!”

The room fell silent, the only noise being that of Lance’s panting.  Such an outrage had taken a lot of breath out of him.  Inside his chest, he could feel his heart beating to an uproarious tempo.  He was sure if it ran any faster then it would be beating outside of his body.

Neither of them saying anything, simply staring at each other in the silence.  Keith’s eyes had darkened, appearing almost black.  Lance watched as they lost all of their fire, dulling to a dreadful numb.  It was as though a piece of Keith had just died inside him and Lance could feel himself already regretting his words.  Oh shit, what had he done?

He opened his mouth to apologize, to take it all back, but was quickly cut off.  In front of him, Keith began to laugh, chuckling darkly.  The sound of it sent a shiver down Lance’s spine, a spike of fear running through him.

“I can’t believe this.”  Keith mumbled under his breath. 

The blackette turned away from Lance, tugging at his jeans along the way.  Lance could hear the tell-tale sound of a zipper being moved as Keith walked away from him.  The Cuban took a step to follow after him but quickly stopped himself.  He wasn’t sure what he would be facing right now.

“Keep telling yourself that Lance.  Keep fooling yourself into believing that this is everyone else’s fault but your own.  Sooner or later, you’re going to have to grow up and own up to your shit.”

Keith grabbed at his jacket, lifting it off the floor.  He shrugged it on roughly, checking his pockets to be sure everything was still there.  “But you know what?  Fine, you won’t have to worry about me anymore.  I’ll leave you alone from now on.”

He took off down the hallway, ignoring Lance’s attempts to stop him.  Combat boots slapped against wooden floors, to the point Lance was sure they would splinter.  He grabbed at his blanket, moving to race after him.

“Keith, wait!”  Lance called after him, but it was already too late.  For the second time that night, the walls echoed with the sound of the apartment door slamming shut. 

Lance roared, the noise thundering across the room.  He thrashed about, throwing whatever he could get his hands on across the room.  With his arm, he knocked everything off the shelves in a clean sweep, all of it falling to the floor.  He continued to wreck his room until all energy left him and he was left panting, gasping from exhaustion.

Lance falls back onto his bed, head cradled between his hands.  He sits there, sobbing, as he was slowly swallowed by his own shame and guilt.

Chapter Text

Two days. 

It’s been two days since the disaster that was Lance’s Sunday night, and nothing had changed.  Or, he supposed, everything had changed.  Hunk was still refusing to talk to him, or even look in his direction, and there had been no word from Keith either.  Where before Lance had been surrounded by both of their companies, seeing one or both every day, he was now left without either of them.  It was disorienting, and the longest period of time Lance had gone without seeing his best friend.  He wasn’t sure how much longer he could take it.

Emotionally, Lance was a mess.  Every minute of his day was now filled with an overwhelming sense of worry.  Worry that his best friend would never speak to him again.  Worry that Hunk would never forgive him.  Worry that their relationship would never recover.  Worry that he had revealed to everyone just what he had discovered.  Worry that his friends would reject him.  Worry that Plaxum would break up with him.  Worry that he would never hear from Keith again.  Worry that Lance’s life was about to take a huge turn for the worse, if that was even possible.

All these worries kept circling through his mind on a continuous cycle.  One thought would lead to another, then another, and another.  It was endless.  The result was that now Lance existed in a constant state of fear, turned into a physical formation of paranoia.

It had even followed him into his dreams, providing Lance with restless nights and fitful sleeps.  Falling asleep had become next to impossible, his insomnia kicking in at full force.  When he could sleep, his dreams consisted of faint images; flashbacks of Hunk’s disappointed face, Keith’s angry words, and even his own actions coming back to haunt him. 

Underneath all of that though, was the guilt.  It was…indescribable at this point.  Of course, he had felt it before, knew the feeling incredibly well at this point.  But this…it was a whole other level.  Now, it was more than the typical sense of guilt and shame.  Instead, it had morphed into a feeling of self-imposed condemnation. 

And while no one had yet to convict or condemn him, Lance was doing a pretty good job of that all by himself.  Knowing he had not only gone against his relationship with Plaxum, but that in doing so he had also completely betrayed Hunk’s trust in him…it was like shattering this perfect vision of himself that even Lance had held.  The realization was a large, heavy stone, resting in the pit of his stomach.  It was sinking deeper and deeper, with more and more joining it in its place.

It wasn’t for lack of trying though.  Lance had tried multiple times to rid himself of that feeling, thinking that if he could just talk to Hunk, explain things, then it would go away.  He couldn’t even count how many attempts he had made towards contacting his friend.  All of which had ended in failure.  Hunk had somehow perfected the art of avoiding Lance, and they lived together!

Lance had called, texted, even left a note on the kitchen counter!  No response back and all calls were sent to voicemail.  If Lance hadn’t known any better, he would have though that Hunk had blocked his number, but the text messages were still going through.  The note, he found the next morning, crumpled in the trashcan.

What’s more, Hunk was determined to spend as much time outside of the apartment as possible.  He had taken to arriving back late in the evening, if at all, and leaving so early in the morning that even Lance himself had yet to rise.  Whenever he was in the apartment, Hunk had made sure to barricade himself in his room, and no amount of pleading would convince him to come out and speak to Lance.  In fact, he outright refused.

As Hunk evaded him, Lance only grew more desperate.  He was finding more and more ways to pursue any form of interaction with his best friend, with no success.  Lance had even tried to corner Hunk in the hallway once, only to be met by yet another cold shoulder.  There had been so many attempts to apologize, to beg for forgiveness…but it just seemed hopeless at this point.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t just limited to their apartment.  Hunk had been avoiding him outside of their apartment as well.  Every pre-planned study date or event scheduled with their friends, Hunk was suddenly calling to cancel.  If he knew Lance would be there, then he would make sure he wasn’t.  There had been a few times when Lance had been able to catch Hunk in between classes, but he had been swiftly avoided.  Shay had been with him once, and had sent Lance a pitying look when his attempts were found to be in vain. 

Their friends were beginning to take notice, each of them growing more worried as another day passed.  The group had witnessed arguments between the two over the years, but never any this serious or that lasted this long.  And given the fact that it was Hunk who was dodging Lance, it really only left them with one possible conclusion:  Lance had seriously fucked up.  Fortunately though, it didn’t seem as if Hunk had spilled the beans, keeping Lance’s secret at least for the time being.  Apparently, the only explanation he had offered was that it wasn’t actually for him to explain.  When asked, he had simply said that it was Lance’s issue, and therefore his responsibility to disclose, not Hunk’s.  This, of course, had only made them more curious.

Pidge had been the first one to reach out, messaging Lance before the sun had even set on Sunday night.  While Hunk had stuck to his word, leaving to stay at Shay’s that evening, Pidge had been there for part of the chaos, even if their presence had only been over the phone.  Lance knew they hadn’t heard much, but that they were aware enough to know something serious had occurred, especially given Hunk’s recent behavior.

They were soft in their approach at first, electing to be gentle for the sake of both his and Hunk’s feelings.  They started off with smaller questions, just probing at different points until they managed to find the right one.  But with Lance’s continued refusal to speak on it, that tactic had been quickly abandoned.  Soon, they turned to begging and pleading, even outright threatening Lance to tell them the truth.  It had taken everything in him to not give in.

When that didn’t work, they began lecturing, deciding it was better to urge Lance to remedy the situation if they couldn’t convince him to reveal what happened.

“You need to figure it out.”  Pidge had told him.  “Talk to him.”

“I know Pidge, and I’ve tried.  But Hunk, he’s basically been avoiding me like the plague.  No matter what I do, I can barely get him to look at me, let alone engage in a conversation.”  Lance had complained, rubbing a hand down his face.  “How can I beg for forgiveness when he won’t even talk to me?”

He had been looking for a vote of sympathy, someone to at least tell him it would all be okay.  Even if he didn’t deserve the comfort, he desperately felt he needed it.  Pidge didn’t give it to him though, instead serving him another healthy dose of reality.  Their next words only served to reaffirm that what had happened between he and Hunk, was Lance’s fault, and therefore his responsibility.

“I don’t know, Lance, but you need to keep trying.  Hunk wouldn’t be this pissed off if he didn’t have a proper reason.  Whatever it is you broke, fix it.  Now, before it’s too late.”

 Out of everything that happened, it was Pidge’s warning which had truly sent a spike of fear in him.  The possibility of Lance losing Hunk as a friend forever…it terrified him and hurt more than he could bear.  He couldn’t, under any circumstances, allow that to happen.

And while their words may have been harsh, and clearly indicative of them siding with Hunk, Lance knew they didn’t mean to be so divisive.  He knew it was derived from worry and concern for his and Hunk’s friendship.  They weren’t trying to put the full amount of the blame on him, but Lance was aware they had enough information to come to the accurate conclusion that whatever had occurred, had in fact been Lance’s fault.  Even if they didn’t, the guilt in his blue eyes would have given him away.

In their own way, Pidge did try to support each of them.  They would move between the two friends, comforting one and then the other.  There wasn’t a moment they weren’t either pleading with Hunk or emboldening Lance.  Throughout all of it, Pidge maintained their efforts to encourage him to be courageous.  They pushed him, bolstering him to continue to approach Hunk.  At the same time, they also spoke to Hunk about the idea of talking things out with Lance, or to at least be willing to offer an explanation to the rest of their friends.

But no matter how many times they asked, Hunk would always displace that particular responsibility onto Lance, stating how it wasn’t his place to tell.  Once, on the other hand, persisted in his refusal.  Too embarrassed and guilt hidden to have the guts to explain just what his friend had caught him.  He could still barely admit it to himself; admitting it to the others would be too difficult.  He needed more time and a chance to fix things before he could ever think of doing that.

Their other friends hadn’t been so different in their approach, each of them attempting to understanding just what was going on.  It was more than a little worrying for their group when the two with the oldest and strongest bond were getting along in such a way.

Allura and Romelle had tried to tag team him, bribing Lance with a girl’s night full of self-care and their favorite wine.  He accepted, and the two came over while Hunk was out, yet again.  The three of them had spent the evening in the living room, moving back and forth from there to the bathroom with their facemasks, and to the kitchen for snacks.  And while his pores had looked better by the end of the night, Lance had made sure not to give anything away.

It was also the first time Lance received confirmation that hunk had yet to tell his secret.  With Pidge, he had never been sure, too nervous that they knew more than they had let on.  But no, Hunk remained a loyal friend despite his obvious disapproval and disappointment in Lance.

What had surprised Lance the most though, was how even Shay herself had attempted to mend things.  If there was one person Lance was sure would know the truth, the whole truth, it would have been her.  But no, it seemed Hunk had kept his lips sealed even with her.  And Shay, out of anyone, had all the reason to be completely on Hunk’s side, yet even she had reached out to him, asking how he was doing.  She checked-in on him, making sure he was okay despite the apparent tension between him and her boyfriend.

Lance appreciated it, the effort warming his heart.  But at the same time, it didn’t feel right to spill his guts to his best friends’ girlfriend, at least not while they were in the middle of a fight.  So, he lied, telling her he was fine and doing well.

Shay, of course, had called him out on it. 

He broke down then, crying and wailing as they spoke over the phone.  He admitted how he didn’t know what to do, and how he just felt so bad.  She calmed him down as best she could, assuring Lance that things would be okay in the end.  Shay insisted they just needed time to calm down and forgive each other; their friendship was simply too strong to break.  Given recent events, Lance wasn’t so sure, but he dared not utter those words out loud.

She was also the only one who never questioned him.  Not once did she ever ask him what happened.  In fact, Shay hardly brought it up except to reassure him it could be fixed.  Lance appreciated that.  She had been the one to care most about Lance’s side of things, despite having the most motivation to side with Hunk.  Still, Lance hated to think that things had grown to choosing sides in such a short length of time.

Plaxum was worried too.  Though she was farther out of the loop than the rest of their friends, even she could tell something was wrong.  As far as Lance knew, no one had spoken to her about what was going on, which was a slight relief.  He was only aware how Plaxum had noticed how he himself had been affected, having noticed his odd behavior.

He didn’t speak on it much, not wanting to broach that particular subject with her of all people.  Instead, he explained it as they had gotten into a fight, a bad one, and now Hunk was refusing to speak to him.  It wasn’t entirely true, but it was a close to the truth as he dared to get for now.

With that, Plaxum had taken to trying to comfort Lance.  Any chance she got, she had a comforting hand on his shoulder, arm, or leg, her fingers rubbing small circles across his skin.  She distracted him with movies, coffee, food.  All in all, Plaxum was being an amazing girlfriend, but it only served to make Lance feel worse.

That’s not to say she wasn’t curious though.  She had asked Lance what happened, but only once.  When he denied to speak on it, she had made sure to respect his boundaries.  It only furthered his feelings of shame because the only reason this was happening was because of his unfaithfulness to her.

How could he possibly explain that to her?  How could he explain that the reason Hunk could no longer even talk to him, was because Lance had done something truly terrible? That Hunk had stumbled upon Lance’s deepest, darkest secret, and had turned away from him because of it?  Hunk’s entire view of Lance as a person had been shattered that night, darkened until the man could barely stand to look at him. 

How was he supposed to explain that Lance had been too enraptured by a head of black hair and violet eyes, to care about how he was affecting his relationships?  His relationship with her, his friends, Hunk.  How could he possibly explain that?  How could he even stand to look her in the eyes?

He couldn’t, so he didn’t.  He played it off until he no longer could, and then avoided it all together.  Lance made sure not to ignore her though, following through with Hunk’s guidance on that at least.  He had been right, Lance owed it to her to put more effort into the relationship, even if such advice had been given before their falling out.  If nothing else, Lance thought he could earn forgiveness for that.  So he tried to make it up to Plaxum, making himself more available to her.  He was doing anything he could to earn some form of redemption, even if she was unaware what he was begging forgiveness for.

The couple had met up more over the past few days than they had all week.  Part of him felt guilty for that, but Lance was drawing too much comfort from her presence right now to truly care.  While his friends hadn’t actually abandoned him, Lance certainly felt the silence of their absence.  He had become lonely in the short of time he had spent without Hunk, though seemed to drag on forever.  This resulted in Lance clinging to Plaxum, until even she was asking for space.

He knew it wasn’t personal, she simply needed time to herself to focus on her classes and sorority needs.  She was her own person apart from him, just as he was from her.  But he couldn’t help but feel lost without her, having lost the anchor which had helped him weather the growing storm that was his life.

Now, without Plaxum there to provide a distraction, Lance was left feeling truly alone.  Hunk was avoiding him, Pidge was closed off, and Shay was busy comforting her boyfriend.  This left him with Allura and Romelle, who each had their own commitments, not to mention those as a couple.  Plus, after their last attempt, Lance wasn’t sure how eager he was to be left alone with them again.  He had briefly considered speaking to Shiro and Adam, but he had no way to contact them, and he felt it would be awkward considering the recent circumstances with Keith.  Besides, they were grad students, meaning their schedules would be even busier than this.

In fact, his schedule was the only thing keeping Lance sane right now, if you could call it that.  He had thrown himself full force into his studies over the past few days, finishing assignments and furthering his progress on the project.  Somehow, school had become his coping mechanism. 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to keep his mind off Keith.  Thoughts of the raven-haired man had plagued Lance almost as much as those of Hunk.  If he was not thinking of his best friend, Lance often found himself remembering his fight with Keith.  The frequency of such thoughts often left him feeling confused, unsure.

He had had his time with Keith.  He had experienced that pleasure and satisfaction plenty of times, the man should be out of his system by now.  Lance should be over this little obsession of his.  He was supposed to be fully focused on his relationship with Plaxum, finally able to feel all those feelings of attraction that he had convinced himself would come once he was satisfied.

But he still feels that familiar craving.  That need to be in Keith’s presence, to have his attention on him and only him, even when Lance knows he shouldn’t.  It leaves him wondering what exactly he was feeling, because isn’t this what he wanted?  For their affair to end and for Lance to finally be free to pursue his relationship with Plaxum?  If so, then why did he feel so empty now that he had obtained what he had always been wishing for?

Even more than that, he was only proving Hunk’s point: the man was a distraction and Lance had allowed him to take over his life.  His confusion was proof of how his attention was still focused on Keith and their tumultuous relationship, instead of what was actually important to him.  His friends.  Hunk.  Plaxum.  Lance’s feelings for Keith, while intoxicating, were born out of pure infatuation and had now become detrimental.  He knew he needed to shove them in a box as he had before, but the guilt he felt over their last argument…well it simply wasn’t allowing him to forget and forge ahead as he had in the past.

If anything, it left him circling the drain more.  Because Lance knew what he wanted, he wanted Keith.  He had finally come to accept that.  It had taken some time, and a lot of thinking, but he had finally come to accept that as fact.  Over the steady course of the past few days, Lance had done a lot of self-reflection.  After working on assignments, it was about the only thing he had left to himself while his friends were all off doing their own thing.  He had to dull the loneliness somehow, why not with some self-analyzation?

So, he looked at all his past behaviors, from this last week, to the past few months, even all the way back to the beginning of his college career.  He thought over every relationship he’d ever had, and how they ended.  He analyzed it all, putting the pieces of him together, just so he could finally understand how he came to be in this situation.

In the end, it helped him to finally accept the fact that, in the end, this was his fault.  He was the one who made these choices, whether with Keith’s influence or not.  He was the one who had followed through with them while knowing the possible consequences.  As Keith had told him to do, Lance was finally ready to own up to his shit.

He only hated that the realization came so late and had caused so much damage in its wake.  He also despised the fact that, even now, when he was fully able to recognize his faults and somewhat deal with them, he still craved Keith.  But, he supposed, part of that was likely due to Lance’s overwhelming need to apologize.  That need had been the final factor to convince him to seek Keith out, not for any naïve pursuit of feelings or a past infatuation.

Now was the time for him to own up to everything, and to make it better.  And, he had decided, he would start with Keith.  It may not be the best decision, but Lance thought it was easier to face him first, seeing as he was the one Lance needed to part from.  With any luck, their conversation would be short, brief, and to the point, just how Keith liked them.  Plus, Lance felt braver in facing Keith, knowing that the interaction would be anything but heavy with emotions, as was sure to occur when he finally addressed Hunk and Plaxum.  He needed to apologize, and officially end things, in order for him to be able to move on.  It was the only way he could start the process of closing these fissures. 

But alas, the blackette had been avoiding him in much the same way as his best friend: no contact and no response.  Keith had followed through with his promise to leave Lance alone, a little too well at this point.  Lance had tried, multiple times, to reach out and apologize for his harsh words.  He had grown to realize just how out of line he had been, speaking out of anger and sadness rather than truth and reality.  Lance had still been in denial, and having words thrown at him which contradicted that protective instinct had activated yet another defense mechanism of his: anger.  He had lashed out, and was now forced to face the reckoning of those actions by Hunk’s absence, as well as Keith’s.

While Lance could approach Hunk both virtually and in person, he had limited options with Keith.  He had never been to Keith’s apartment, and therefore had no idea where he lived.  He didn’t know what classes he was taking, or when they were, so it was no use trying to track him down on campus.  Lance had no way of contacting him outside of text messages and phone calls, which he hadn’t been responding to.  He must have sent hundreds of messages, going all the way from Sunday night to this morning.  Each of them was full of apologies and pleads for Keith to respond, just to know he was reading them.  At this point, he was searching for any kind of confirmation, and growing more and more desperate as none came his way.

In the end, it had been while delivery his latest text, a paragraph long message sent a little over an hour ago, when the idea had finally come to him.  It was a last-ditch effort, but it was all he was left with, and Lance owed it to Keith to make sure he at least heard out his apology.  What came next…well, that would depend.  Either he would be leaving Shiro’s with a black eye or tears running down his cheeks.  Or, and this was the most likely option, both.

He wasn’t sure why he hadn’t thought of it before.  Probably because Lance didn’t interact with Shiro on a regular basis, and had really only met the man a few times.  He barely knew him, and while he had been aware of his connection to Keith, he hadn’t considered it until he was out of all other options.  There he’d been, wallowing in bed, when the realization hit him.  He wasn’t sure if it would work, but Lance was willing to try just about anything at this point.

At first, he simply considered messaging Allura for Shiro’s number, but found that felt too invasive and would likely raise too many questions.  None of which was Lance prepared for right now.  He needed to handle this first, then he would explain things to his friends.  Thus, he couldn’t go to Allura.  The girl had a more inquisitive mind than Sherlock Holmes himself, and just as skilled at being a detective.  And if she spoke to Pidge about it…well it wouldn’t be long before the whole group knew and Lance would have lost his chance to get ahead of it.  So no, asking Allura for Shiro’s contact information was definitely not an option.

Which left him with one option: to visit Shiro himself and beg for Keith’s apartment address.  He knew this too could be considered invasive, probably more so, but at the time it had seemed the better options.  Lance was fortunate in that he remembered the way here, though he did make a few wrong turns along the way.  Eventually, he was able to find the right street and after that it had been easy finding Shiro’s house again.  He just prayed someone would be there to answer and that his efforts wouldn’t be going to waste.

Lance parked his car, slamming the door shut as he began his trek up to the front porch.  The house appeared much the same as it had the last time he’d been here: quaint and homey.  Looking back on it, the house did seem to fit the couple inside very well; the two men had always been very simplistic in their needs and more than welcoming to those around them.  Moving up the steps, Lance glanced around him, examining the neighborhood in greater detail than he had been allowed before.  It was a calm afternoon, the wind blowing peacefully, creating a slight chill in the air but nothing too extreme.  The breeze actually felt comforting running across his face and it reminded him to breathe.

Lance took a deep breath and pulled on the screen door.  Thankfully, it was unlocked, a good sign that someone was home.  He stepped forward, rapping his hand against the wooden door.  He waited there, shifting nervously upon his feet.  If Lance were being honest, he was terrified of what laid beyond that door.  His eyes glanced around, unable to face what stood before him.

It was just shy of sundown, the sky cast in varying shades of reds and blues.  As he waited there, that gentle breeze from before soon began to turn more frigid, freezing him to the core.  God, why was he doing this again?  He sighed.  Because he needed to.  And because it was for the best.

Beneath his feet, the wooden boards squeaked as he began to hop from food to foot.  Around him was the light sound of chirping birds and people walking their dogs, children playing and passing cars.  All in all, it was a peaceful scene.  A stark contrast to what was going on inside of Lance’s mind as he waited.

As the silence continued and his knocking remained unanswered, Lance checked the driveway.  Sure enough, a small black sedan rested there.  He assumed it was Shiro’s car, the personality of it seeming to match more to him than his fiancé.  But it was proof of someone being home, at least he assumed so.  He turned back to the door, bracing himself to another attempt.  Once again, his knuckles rapped against the hard wood and he silently prayed that someone would answer him.  Another minute went by with no response.

With a sigh, Lance accepted his defeat and turned to leave.  He was just out of range to allow the screen door to swing shut when he heard the tumbling of locks behind him.  His footsteps paused and his head whipped around, blue eyes meeting familiar black.

“Hello?  Oh, hey Lance.”  Shiro greeted him, brows furrowed in confusion but a smile upon his face.

His tone seemed nice enough, giving no apparent indication of annoyance or anger.  Nothing in his expression gave away that he knew what had occurred between Lance and Keith.  Instead, his eyes were as open and welcoming as they had always been, if not a little confused.  He was grateful for it, unsure of how he would have reacted if Shiro had greeted him less kindly.  The last thing Lance wanted to deal with was an angry and protective older brother.  Lance had stepped into that role himself more than once and did not wish to be on the receiving end of it.

“Uh, hey Shiro.”  Lance responded, doing a tiny awkward wave.  Internally, he cringed.

Shiro glanced around his front yard in confusion, before returning his gaze to the man standing in front of him.  He looked Lance up and down for some obvious reason as to his presence on his front porch.  Finding none, the older man quirked an eyebrow.  “Can I help you with something?”

“Um…maybe?  I-I really don’t know.  I hope so.”

“Alright…”  Shiro let his words drift, allowing Lance the chance to speak more on the subject.  When he didn’t, the graduate student continued.  “I’m going to need a little more than that Lance.  What is it you want my help with?”

“Oh!”  Lance exclaimed, realizing his mistake.  Boy, he was exhausted and his brain was obviously starting to lag.  “Right, uh, well I was hoping…I was hoping you might know how I could get in touch with Keith?  I’ve tried texting him but he hasn’t been responding and I don’t know how else to contact him so I came here, thinking you might be able to help or—”

“Whoa!  Whoa there, Lance.  Take a deep breath.”  Shiro guided him, reaching out to place a comforting hand on his shoulder.  “That’s it, just like that.”

Lance blew out a long stream of air, grateful that his rambling had been interrupted for once.  His anxiety had been running high since the start.  He took another breath before releasing it slowly.  Okay, he felt better now.

“Thanks.  I needed that.” 

“You’re welcome.”  Shiro gave him a small smile before that welcoming gaze hardened.  “But I’m afraid I can’t help you.”

Shit.  Lance thought.  He definitely knows.

Shiro’s gaze was hard set and the grip the man had on his doorknob had tightened.  Lance winced slightly at the sudden change in behavior.  He knew this was a bad idea, he knew it!  He sighed.  Still, he had to try.  Perhaps he could convince him. 

“But Shiro, I need—"

His words were halted though, by a raised hand.  Sunlight glinted off the metal limb and Lance’s throat suddenly felt very full.  He gulped.

“I’m sorry Lance, but no.  While Keith hasn’t told me exactly what happened between you two, it was obvious that it upset him.  To the point where he felt the need to come here.  And if you know anything about Keith, you know that means something.  So I’m sorry, but no.  I don’t think it would be good for him.”

“Wait, Keith is here?”  Lance asked, eyes wide.  Truth be told, those had been the only words his brain had picked up on.  Everything after that had been immediately forgotten. 

Shiro cursed, dragging a slow hand down his face. 

“Yes.”  He groaned out, obviously regretting his previous words.  “But Lance—"

He took an eager step forward, hands held as if for prayer.  “You have to let me speak to him.  Please Shiro, I’m begging you here.”

Shiro exhaled.  “Lance, you know I can’t do that.  If Keith wanted to talk to you, then he would.  Besides, with how upset he was the other night, I’m not sure if it’s best for you two to talk just yet.”

Lance hung his head.  “Yeah…things did not go well.”

“Can I…Keith didn’t say much.  Can you tell me what happened?”  Shiro asked.  His eyes were curious, but cautious and full of concern.  It was obvious he was worried about his brother, but Lance could tell where that worry had extended over to him as well.  He just wasn’t sure whether he deserved it.

Lance shook his head.

“No.  Sorry, I—” Lance swallowed, hoping to rid himself of the frog lodged in the back of his throat.  “I just…I said somethings I shouldn’t have and ended up hurting him as a result.”

Shiro nodded sagely, his arms now pulled across his chest.  His gaze held steady with Lance’s own as he took another breath.  “Listen.  Keith….Keith is complicated.  His childhood wasn’t the best, and it’s left him with some less than healthy ideas of how relationships, including friendships, are supposed to go.

He tends to push people away before he can get hurt and only more so afterwards.  Just give him some time to calm down, then apologize and prove that you mean it.  He needs time to see all the effort you’re putting in.  Otherwise, he won’t pay attention.  His life has taught him that words mean nothing.”

Lance’s heart broke as he listened, having had no previous inclination of how strenuous Keith’s childhood had apparently been.  He could only imagine what must have occurred for Keith to be shaped into the man he was now.  Still, Lance was appreciative of the small glimpse he had obtained into Keith’s past.  It explained more than he thought it would, even more so now that their own relationship had become so turbulent.

“I know, and you’re probably right, but I just need him to know that I’m sorry.  He doesn’t need to forgive me, or even talk to me.  I only want to make sure he hears my apology.  A text message can’t do that, and I can’t be sure he’s reading them anyway.”  Lance took a breath.  He was trying, and failing, to keep his emotions in check.  What could he say, Lance was desperate to seize this chance, unsure of how many others he was going to get.  Keith was owed a proper apology and damn it, he was going to give him one.  “Please Shiro.  I don’t even have to be in the same room as him, I just need him to hear me.  Please.”

“I…I don’t know Lance.”

“Please Shiro.  I promise, I’ll be in and out.”

“I…Lance, I know you’re trying to be a good friend and make up for your mistakes, but I really don’t think it’s for the best.”  Shiro said, denying him entry once more.

“Shiro—I—please!  I can’t walk away without knowing I’ve done everything in my power to make it up to him.  If he wants to ignore me afterwards, that’s fine.  I would completely understand.  But for both of our sakes, I need to do this.”

Shiro said nothing.  His eyes held Lance captive in their gaze, never wavering.  They watched as he attempted to regain control of himself.  Lance sniffled; a tad bit ashamed at showing so much emotion to someone he barely knew.  But in his defense, the pressure had been building.  It only made sense that he would eventually break down, even if the tears hadn’t fallen yet.  The stress of the past two days had definitely gotten to him.

Lance couldn’t explain the desperation he felt, only that it was there, raging through him.  It urged him forward, convincing Lance that this was something he needed to do, before he could ever let Keith go.  Only then would his conscious be clear, or as close as he could possibly get.

Shiro must have seen it in his eyes, understood the meaning of it.  Slow comprehension passed over him as he watched Lance, who had continued to hold his ground.  Despite his turbulent emotions, Lance had refused to look away or back down.  The older of the two recognized the determination behind Lance’s expression, the need to do this or else be driven mad.

“Fine.”  Shiro acquiesced.  Lance inhaled sharply.  “Just...make sure you fix this Lance.  Do not make it worse.”

Lance nodded eagerly, relief washing over him.  “I promise.  I won’t leave her until I know Keith has heard me out.”

Shiro nodded but there was a doubtful look in his eyes.  Nevertheless, he stepped back, allowing Lance to finally enter the home.  “If you say so.”

Lance sputtered, but followed him in.  Shiro guided him through the house, leading the two of them down the hallway and in the direction of their spare bedroom.  Apparently, it was also Keith’s unofficial living quarters for whenever he decided to stay over.  Along the way, they walk past the bathroom where Lance and Keith had kissed that faithful night.  He couldn’t help but blush at the sight of it, turning his gaze away to stare down the rest of the hall.  He makes sure to speed up his pace as he passes by.

Eventually, they came to the stop at the end.  They stood in front of a white wooden door, its only decoration being that of a rustic sign hanging from its doorknob, stating for people to ‘keep out’.  When asked, Shiro explained how it had been a gag gift at first, a joke amongst the family at Christmas due to Keith’s typical temperament.  Over time though, it had apparently turned into a necessary tool for the family to respect Keith’s boundaries and emotional needs while he was there.  They kept it in a spare drawer in the hallway, ready for whenever he came over.

Shiro reached out a hand, the non-metal one, and knocked softly against it.  He kept his voice low as he addressed the person living beyond the door.

“Keith?  There’s someone here to see you.”  Shiro called out to him.  Lance shifted, anxious and unsure of what was he come.  He took a deep breath, bracing himself.

“Tell Pidge I don’t want to speak to them.”  A voice yelled back, dulled by the distance and door between them.  There was no movement from the other side, causing Lance to assume he was laying n bed.  Keith’s voice had been faint, muffled likely by a pillow, and hoarse, as if he had been crying recently.  The idea had Lance gulping.

“It’s not Pidge.”  Shiro told Keith, glancing nervously over to Lance.  He offered a small, wry smile in return.

“Then tell whoever it is that I want to be left alone.”

Shiro sighed deeply.  He looked over at Lance, casting him a meaningful look.  Keith’s tone had been much more aggressive this time, agitation evident.  Shiro just shook his head as he reluctantly grasped at the door handle.  He tested it slowly, checking that it wasn’t locked, before gently pushing it forward.  With that, the door creeped open at his command.

“Keith?”

The room was dark, the only light being that shining through the cracks in the blinds.  The window rested on the back wall, just above the headboard, allowing enough light to provide them with a vague outline of the room.  The bed was positioned in the center of the room, dressed in plain white bedsheets.  A closed closet was built into the opposite wall, while a chest of drawers leaned against the one nearest Lance and Shiro.  Besides this, the only other furniture in the room was a small tv stand located across from the bed.  There were no decorations, the couple having elected to keep it a blank canvas for the time being.

The man in question laid upon the bed, his head nestled between the cushion of a bent pillow.  Lance couldn’t see his face, Keith’s body turned towards the opposite wall.  This left them with nothing but a view of his back, black strands sprawled over the bed next to him.  His arms were covered by the sleeves of an old red hoodie, hugging the pillow close to his chest.  He looked more like a boy than a man in that moment.  It was almost as if he were trying to make himself appear as small as possible, so as to hide from the dangers of the world.  The thought of it caused Lance’s heart to lurch.

Shiro reached over and flipped on the overhead light, shocking all three men with its brightness.  The lump on the bed hissed, immediately sitting up.

“Shiro, I said to leave me alone.”  Keith barked. 

He lifted his head from the pillow, turning to fully face them.  His eyes were wild and his hair untamed, sticking up at odd points all over.  Keith freezes though when his eyes catch on Lance, violet orbs meeting ocean blues and never straying.  Lance himself stills, body tensing while situated under that gaze.

“I know, but I figured this was important.”  Shiro urged, giving a pointed look towards Lance as though to emphasize his point.  Lance barely pays him any mind though, too focused on the man in front of him.  He watches as Keith’s gaze darkened and his eyebrows creased, angling up into pure, unadulterated anger.  He outright glares at Lance, uncaring of their company.

“No, it’s really not.”  Keith responds, his words biting.  Lance flinched instinctively, but knows it’s well deserved.

“Keith…”  Shiro begins, fully prepared to chastise his younger brother for such rude behavior.  But Lance raises his hand to the man’s shoulder, halting him in his tracks.

“It’s fine Shiro.  I kind of deserved it.”  Lance states, verbalizing his earlier thoughts.  His voice was low though, if not a little meek.  He tried not to let it show how much the comment had hurt him, but he didn’t think he was doing too well.  Shiro furrowed his brows, opening his mouth to question the validity of his statement but Keith beats him to it.

“Yeah, you did.”  Keith affirms for him, voice hard.

Shiro’s eyes bounced between the two of them, assessing just how well this interaction was likely to go.  He couldn’t decide whether it would be better to leave the room and allow them to talk things through, or to drag Lance out of the room by the hair of his ear so as to protect his little brother.  Afterall, Keith’s gaze was unwavering, glaring daggers at Lance.  Lance’s though, his eyes couldn’t stay in one place, shifting to various locations around the room, but always returning to Keith.  If nothing else, it proved he was willing to stay and talk, which was really all he could hope for at this point.  Shiro sighed, it may not be the best idea, but it was the only one he had.  Besides, if he was lucky, it might actually work.

“Talk.”  He ordered Lance.  He made sure to keep his expression serious, wanting to get his point across thoroughly.  The blue-eyed boy tensed before nodding his head in urgent agreeance.

Shiro took a step towards the bedroom door, pulling it wide as he stepped out of the room.  He paused, already halfway into the hall, the door open only a foot.  He turned around, chastising gaze immediately directed towards his brother.

“Listen.”  Shiro commanded, a finger raised to emphasize his point.  Then, the door is shut and only Keith and Lance remain.

Lance turns back to Keith, trying to gather the courage to face this next part.  He breathes in deep, bracing himself.  But before he can even speak a syllable, Keith does first.

“Get out.”  He ordered, voice like venom.  Lance winced, then gave a sigh.

He gazed down at the floor, thinking this over.  He had arrived here, so determined, but no he found himself questioning.  He’s being met with so much opposition and he’s beginning to wonder if it was all worth it.  But then he remembers his words from two nights ago, the dark look which had taken over Keith’s face when he said them.  That memory was enough to shock him out of his daze.  With a new determination, Lance brought his eyes up, staring Keith right in his eyes when he speaks.

“No.”  Lance tells him, voice firm.  “Not until you hear me out.”

“Whatever it is you have to say Lance,” Keith growled.  “I don’t want to hear it.”

Then, without another word, he moves again, falling back onto his side and returning to his previous position of facing the closet door.  Cautiously, Lance took a step forward.  When he’s met with no opposition, he continues.  He kept going until he stood right at the edge of the bed, a mere foot away from Keith.  Lance stood there, waiting, for what he didn’t know, before finally taking a seat.  The mattress gives way underneath him, allowing for his added weight.  Immediately, Keith moves over, shifting farther and farther away.  Lance sighed, having expected this, and remained still so that they both could adjust to the new distance.  They remained this way for a few minutes, neither having the courage to speak.  But Lance knew it was responsibility, so he gathered himself to tell Keith what it was he deserved to hear.

“I’m sorry.”  Lance muttered, the words loud despite their low volume.  “Fuck, Keith, I’m so sorry.”

The body next to him stills, freezing beneath his words.  Lance stared at him, unabashedly.  Silently, he pleaded for Keith to just turn around and look at him…but it was no use.  Keith made no notion to respond, or even give a sign that he was listening.  Regardless, Lance continued.

“I—I shouldn’t have said what I did.  Any of it.  It was wrong of me, and you were right.  I needed to own up for my shit.”

Lance looked down at his lap, where his hands fiddled with the hem of his oversized shirt.  He pulled at the fabric, rolling it between his fingers.  He knew his words weren’t much, that actions would mean more, but that would take time.  So for now, all he could offer were whispered apologies and promises to do better.  He exhaled long and slow.  He really wanted this to work.

“And have you?” 

Lance was almost startled by the response.  He had hoped for one but hadn’t been expecting it.  Lance had barely heard the words when they were spoken, Keith’s voice once again muffled by the pillow held against his chest.  His voice still held its edge though, cutting him like a blade.  Still, it was a relief to know Keith was at least listening to him.

“I-I’m trying.  This,” Lance told him, motioning his hand between the two of them.  “Is part of that process.”

“Well then good, mission accomplished.  You can leave now.”

Lance sighed.  “Keith, can we please talk about this?  I feel like there’s a lot left to say here.”

“No, Lance, there isn’t.  You said plenty the other night.  Besides, I’m ruining your life remember?  You should leave now before it gets any worse from just being in my presence.”  Keith bites out.  Lance’s heart gives a slight twinge and he tries not to wince.

“I was wrong, okay?  None of that was true.  None of it.  Sure, you may have seduced me,” Keith scoffed, causing Lance to glare though the affect of it was useless considering the man wasn’t looking at him.  “Don’t deny it.  I’m owning up to my part of this mess, you need to do the same.”

Lance took another breath.  He really did not want to start an argument.  “Look, at the end of the day, my actions were my own.  Nothing that’s going wrong in my life is your fault.  If anything, you were one of the few things going right.  Besides the whole affair thing, that is.”

Keith remained silent for a moment, then, “Whatever Lance, glad you’re finally owning up to your shit.  Now get out.”

Lance waited, watching him for a moment.  He tried to look for any sign of repentance, regret, anything to convince himself to stay and keep trying.  He had said his words, told Lance what he needed to say.  There was no reason for him to remain there any longer if Keith wanted him to go.

When Lance continued to see nothing but the tense nature of Keith’s back, he finally stood.  The mattress lifted to its original height, though still pressed under the weight of Keith’s body.  With one last look, Lance turned away.  He walked across the room, reaching the door in a few measly steps.  Gripping the handle, he pulled it open.

But, just before he exited, Lance turned back.  His head rotated around to face Keith, wanting to look at him for his next admission.

“You know…for what it’s worth…you are important to me.”

Though he spoke them quietly, he knew Keith had heard them.  His body had tensed once more under Lance’s watchful gaze.  He waited, just in case there would be a response.  When he was again met with silence, Lance’s head swiveled back into place.  He was ready to leave now.  To leave the bedroom, and Keith, behind.  He had accomplished what he came here to do.

Lance had barely taken another step when something went flying past his head.  It crashed into the wall next to him before dropping with a thump to the floor.  Lance jumped back, gasping as he went.  The door handle escaped his grasp and swung to hit the wall behind it.  With wide eyes he looked to the floor, curious as to what had almost collided with his head.

A pillow.

A fluffy white pillow, made of goose down.  Its case was white, the fabric rumpled from being handled so roughly.  There was a crease down the middle, indicating its recent use of being squished between two red clad arms.

“What the…”

Lance quickly turned his gaze to Keith, mouth open and ready to question just why he felt the need to send a flying projectile towards his head.  But the man in question was already gazing at him, his eyes full of fire and brimstone.  It made Lance pause, a little frightened by the anger held there.  This was not going to be good.

“Uh…”  Lance began, but his voice quickly trailed off.  He let the silence hang there for a moment, a little unsure of how to continue.  In the end, it was Keith who spoke first.

“Don’t you dare utter those words as if they have any piece of truth.  Don’t you dare lie to me like that.”  Keith growled out.  His teeth were bared as if he were a caged animal, practically ready to pounce.  Had they always looked like fangs?

Lance gulped.  “What?  Keith, I’m—”

“Don’t you care pretend that you care about me.”  Keith moved to stand, the sound of shuffling sheets pervading the room.  He stalked towards Lance and it took everything in him not to back away.  Unbothered, the raven-haired man held fast in his advance, not stopping until he rested mere inches from Lance’s face. “You used me for your own pleasure, just like everyone else.  It wasn’t anything more than that.”

“Me?”  Lance asked, incredulous.  He felt a spike of anger run through him; his wariness completely abandoned.  “What about you?  Keith, the only time you ever wanted to talk to me or even look at me, was when we were having sex.  Outside of the bedroom, you barely paid me any mind!”

Keith flinched and Lance couldn’t help but feel a little smug at garnering such a reaction.  Good, he thought, he deserves to know how it feels.  He couldn’t keep forcing Lance to face his demons, while continuing to avoid his own.

He quickly recovered though, shaking himself free of whatever pain Lance may have caused him.  Soon enough, his glare returned and he was lashing out.  “Oh yeah?  So much for owning your shit, huh?  See how fast that lasted.”

“No, that’s not what—okay, listen.  Just like it’s not entirely your fault, it’s not all of mine either.  We’ve got to stop passing the blame.”  Taking a deep breath, Lance settled himself.  “I may have used you as a distraction, but you used me too Keith.  And you can’t deny it.”

“All the more reason for you to leave.  Everyone else has, why not you?”

“Because I don’t want to leave you Keith!  I never did!”

Keith groaned loudly.  “Well, you should!  How do you not get that?”

“I understand it perfectly Keith.  Trust me, I understand exactly why I should want to leave you alone.  But the fact of the matter is, I don’t.”

“Lance,” Keith tells him, gaze narrowed in directly on his.  “I am toxic.  I have seduced you, ditched you, and screwed you over.  And to top it all off, I pulled you into an affair where you cheated on your girlfriend!  I have done so much to fuck up your life.  Yes, okay, your decisions were your own and you made your own mistakes, but I’m the one who lead you to them!  Which is worse!  You literally have no reason to give a shit about me.  So why the hell are you still here?  Why are you still pretending to care?”

“I’m not pretending!”  Lance yelled.  God, why was he so frustrating?  “I can’t fake emotions like that Keith!  Like it or not, I do care about you.”

“No, you don’t.  Not really.  You’re just infatuated with me.  I’m some shiny new toy that distracted you from something that’s much safer and far better for you.  Sooner or later you’ll get tired of me and throw me back in the bin.  So please, just leave me alone.”

“No!  Not until you believe me.  If you turn me away after that, then fine.  But I’m not stepping a foot out that door until I’m sure that you know what you meant to me.”

“Lance, don’t you get it!  I’m dangerous!  I’m a fucking homewrecker, a hundred times over.  And when the guys are all done having their fun, using me as something to explore their sexuality, they leave.  They use me, I use them, we part ways.  That’s how it goes!  That’s how it always goes!”

“You are not dangerous Keith!  And you’re way more important than how any of those guys treated you!  I don’t—I don’t know how else to prove it to you.” Lance’s hands flop to his sides.  He was starting to feel exasperated.  There seemed to be no end to this argument and Lance could tell he was losing, despite how honest his words were.  He sighed, feeling defeated and out of options.

“Will you please just go away?”  Keith asked, his voice unusually small.  “I know you want to.”

Lance watched as Keith’s arms circled his abdomen, as if they were the only things holding him together in that moment.  His heart ached to reach out and pull him into a hug, but Lance knew it wouldn’t be welcomed.  And as much as he wanted to end this, he just couldn’t seem to let the issue go.

“And how do you know what I want Keith?  Have you ever thought to ask?  Instead of just assuming?”  He asked, exhausted desperation clear in his voice.

Keith blew a whisp of air, annoyed but too tired to argue anymore.  His bangs floated in the air for a moment before lowering back down to cover his forehead.  Underneath the strands of hair, Lance witnessed how Keith rolled his eyes, sarcasm dripping from every pore of his being. “Fine, Lance.  What exactly do you want?”

“You.”

There was a sharp inhale of breath, the blackette having not expected such an honest answer.  Whether it was the tone of Lance’s voice, or the amount of emotion held there, Keith could tell he was serious.  That he meant every bit of that one word.  He had absolutely no idea what to do with that information.

And as for Lance, god it felt so good to finally admit it out loud.  The amount of relief which rolled off of Lance’s shoulders just then, it was indescribable.  He had been holding it in for so long…he didn’t know what to do now that it was out in the open.

“What?”  Keith croaked, voice breaking slightly on the word.  His cheeks were flushed, turning a beautiful shade of red.

“You, Keith.  All I want is you.”  Lance repeats.  Then, a laugh escapes him, bubbling up and out without his control.  It bursts forth unbidden and explodes out into the room, breaking the silence which had previously followed.  It was almost as if it had been waiting to come forward, and finally had now that the weight was lifted.  He felt almost giddy.

“God, I don’t even think I know why, because all you do is drive me insane.  I literally can’t get you out of my mind most days.  You’re like a fucking drug to me Keith, and I swear I’m addicted.  So all I want, all I need, is you.  And I’ll be happy.”

A tear slipped down Keith’s face and Lance ached to do nothing but wipe it away.  And just for this moment, he elected to give into his impulses.  Cautious, he took a step forward, raising his hand to graze the skin of Keith’s jaw.  Gingerly, his fingers slid across that beautiful face, his thumb coming up to wipe the offending tear away.

That, it seemed, was all it took.  Like an avalanche, Keith crumbled into him. 

Immediately, Lance’s arms went to wrap around the violet eyed boy, pulling him into his embrace.  Hoodie clad arms rose to do the same to Lance, holding him tightly.  And so they stood there, grasping at each other as watery tears began to flow from both their eyes.  Nothing else was said between them, entirely content with the silence.  They remain there, peacefully holding each other as they cry out their emotions, comforted by the other’s presence. 

Lance wasn’t sure how long they stayed this way, only that the next time either of them spoke, was when Shiro returned later that evening, asking if Lance was staying for dinner.

Chapter Text

Tan fingers ran across pale skin, lithely stroking the smooth texture up and down in fluid motions.  Up and over the pectorals, gliding softly and teasingly against the areola and the nipple it held in its small, superficial chamber.  Down and over well-formed abs, built from years of physical activity and exertion.  Lower then, to sweep across the waistline.  Then the hips.  Only to circle around to the other side and have the fingers make their way back up once more.  This time though, when they crossed the areola, they continued on their path.  The digits kept rising to caress the slight juncture that was the collar bone, hidden by pale white skin.

A soft hum came from the man lying next to him, and Lance smiled.  He knew exactly what that sound meant: satisfaction.  Pure and utter contentment.

“Are you done molesting me yet?”  Keith grumbled, voice husky.  One violet eye peaked open, turning its gaze towards Lance.  His head rested against one of Lance’s pillows, black strands splayed out around him.

They had been laying like this for over an hour, simply enjoying each other’s company after a long day of classes.  Keith had messaged him mid-day, already wanting to meet.  Apparently, all of his classes were in the morning, meaning he was finished with school long before Lance was.  Still, Lance had been tempted and had eventually decided to ditch his last two classes for the day, telling himself that he wouldn’t be missing much and he could always make up the work.  He had been eager to see his boyfriend…partner…significant other…whatever he was.  They hadn’t quite figured that out yet.  The point was, he had been anxious to see Keith again as well.  It had only been a few hours, but Lance had found himself missing Keith in his absence, however short it was.  Lance had been relieved to know the raven-haired man felt the same way while attending his own classes.

The two of them had returned to Lance’s the night before, after their heartfelt moment in Shiro’s guest bedroom.  It had been a night full of confessions and worries on both ends.  They had stayed for dinner, enjoying a nice stir-fry created by Adam; Shiro had apparently been banned from the kitchen for the week.  It was delicious, but both had decided it was best to leave once the meal was over.  The decision had been to return to Lance’s place and talk things out, to assess where they were and how they wanted to proceed.

Only, that hadn’t exactly happened…

Sure, they spoke.  They had a full on conversation.  But it was with their moans and whispers of pleasure.  Nothing in regards to their actual relationship and where it stood had been discussed.  The only communication which had occurred between them the night before, was one they were already achingly familiar with.  They had gone on for hours it felt like, causing both of them to be exhausted for their classes the next morning.

“Never.”  Lance whispered back, leaning up to press a soft kiss against his lover’s neck.  He knew without looking that Keith was smiling from the action.

“Maybe I should return the favor then…” Keith replied, his words filled with wonderful implications.

Toned arms moved to wrap around Lance’s waist, pulling the Cuban flush against him.  Then, swiftly, and in a movement so quick Lance barely caught it, Keith flipped them over.  Now, Lance laid on his back, head caged in by Keith’s forearms, the limbs pushing against the cushion of Lance’s mattress. 

Lance giggled.  He freaking giggled, like a school girl.  But why should he care when he was being treated so wonderfully?  He found himself feeling too content to be bothered by something so trivial.  Besides, how could he complain about anything while this man was stationed above him?  When he had practically claimed Lance as his?

His own fingers began to crawl up Keith’s sides, causing the blackette to smile devilishly.  Lance raised an eyebrow at him, though he enjoyed such a reaction.  His blue eyes finally rose to meet those of a beautiful violet, arms wrapping loosely around Keith’s neck.

“I think you did plenty of that last night.”  Lance told him.  He tilted his head to the side so as to expose his neck, proving his point.

Lining the skin there was a multitude of dotted bruises painting his skin.  Normally, Lance wasn’t a fan of being marked.  At least, not somewhere so conspicuous.  He typically thought of it as being a little immature, especially since he and his classmates were entering into adulthood.  It was an admittedly surprising view coming from him, but he was unashamed of it.  Plus, it was like…we get it.  You had sex last night.  Can you please cover that shit up?

But the knowledge that it was Keith who had committed such an act, biting and claiming him so prominently…well let’s just say Lance was now fully ridding himself of those beliefs.

Keith’s eyes glanced down to the marks, gaze turning heated.  Lance could feel how his arms flexed and knew Keith was just craving to lean down and create more.  A pink tongue poked out from behind thin lips, gliding smoothly across.  He looked, for all the world, the utter image of a wolf ready to devour its prey.  The mere thought caused Lance to shiver.

“I don’t know…I think you could use a few more.”  Keith muttered before lowering himself to place a slow kiss against Lance’s lips.  Then he trailed downwards, softly pecking at his skin.

He made no more marks though, leaving Lance feeling both relieved and disappointed.  But the sensation of those lips against such already tender skin caused him to release a whimper.  It more than made up whatever potential additions Keith had previously had in mind.  The Cuban boy was sure he heard a chuckle escape the wolf’s mouth, his amusement apparent.

Keith pulled back, smirking down to the boy beneath him.  It was as though he had won a battle Lance wasn’t even aware of, achieving some unspoken victory.  He wasn’t complaining though, not when it was Keith looking at him like that.

Lance moved to cradle Keith’s jaw, holding him gently between his hands.  His partner stiffened at first, immediately tensing from such an intimate gesture.  He had learned long ago that Keith was unused to being held gently, or at all for that matter.  He had more than enough experience with the rough furious pace that was his signature in the bedroom, but when it came to those more intimate moments…he struggled.

But he always seemed to recover.

In a way Lance was quickly growing used to, Keith relaxed beneath him.  Soon enough, he was leaning into Lance’s hold, pressing a gentle kiss against the skin of a tanned palm.  Lance smiled fondly, rubbing one thumb against the cheek there.  The skin underneath his hand was soft and supple, with a firm structure beneath it, giving way to Keith’s natural affinity for being beautiful.

Lance couldn’t help but to appreciate its beauty, and the stark contrast between them.  Like how Lance’s hands hid small freckles leftover from the summer, along with a small cut on his left hand from an accident in the fourth grade.  Keith’s however, bore scars.  Both emotional and physical.  Lance knew where they were even when his fingers weren’t tracing them, having long ago mapped out their course across Keith’s body.  Still, he appreciated them.  He appreciated their part in Keith’s story and how he came to be.  How they created the man here, lying next to him.

“I’m going to break up with Plaxum.”

The words slipped out, unbidden, but completely true.  It had already been part of the plan of course, but laying here, staring up at Keith as he was, it only solidified his plans.  It made him all the more sure.  He had no doubts now, other than how to best go about it, and when.  Hell, he was halfway eager to do it now, but he was too content in this moment to dare ruin it by moving away.

However, while Lance felt elated by the realization, Keith almost seemed to despise it.  His body tensed in Lance’s hold, and the Cuban was able to watch the moment fear entered Keith’s eyes and that lovely smile dropped from his face.  Lance’s own scrunched in concern, worried about such a visceral response.  He reached to smooth out the wrinkle of Keith’s forehead, telling himself to wait patiently for a reply before assuming anything.

Then, Keith grunts.  He rolls over, collapsing next to Lance on his bed.  A pale hand began to run through a deep sea of black, violet gaze set determinedly on the ceiling above them.  Below, Lance’s bedsheets rippled at their waists, barely keeping them covered.

“I…are you sure that’s a good idea?”  Keith questioned, still not meeting Lance’s wondering gaze.

Lance turned over to lay on his side, his brows angled in concern.  He shifted until he was positioned up, laying his head on the palm of his hand as he watched his partner worry.

“Well, yeah…why wouldn’t it be?”

Keith gave a casual shrug, seemingly nonchalant.  “I don’t know.  It just seems like a really big move.  I want you to be absolutely sure before you make any major decisions.”

“Yeah…it is a big decision.”  Lance agreed.  There was no denying that.  “But I can’t keep doing this,” He motioned between the two of them.  “Knowing how it hurts her.  If we’re trying this, and I mean really trying this, then I want us to start on a clean slate.  No past mistakes, no judgements, nothing hanging over our head.  I don’t want to cause any more pain.”

Keith shifts, still avoiding Lance’s gaze.  A tan hand reaches out, wanting to comfort him in some way.  But the action causes Keith to flinch, pushing him further away.  Lance frowns but his hand retreats, falling to the space on the bed between them.  He chose not to recognize the symbolism of the moment.  Instead, he took a deep breath, trying to assuage his fears.

“I get that, I do.  But are you positive that’s what you want to do?  Leave her?  For…whatever this is?” 

Lance adjusted his posture, moving to sit more steadily on the bed.  He was becoming more and more anxious as the conversation dragged on.  “What? Of course I do.  Do you not?”

Keith groaned, running a hand down his face in frustration.  “No, Lance, it’s not that.  I want you…I’m just questioning what’s best.  For everyone, but especially you.  I mean, it’s a huge step froward.  You need to be certain that you’re ready for it.”

“I’m ready for it Keith, I promise.”  Lance assured him, his smile turning soft.  “I have complete faith in us.  Besides, it’s the right thing to do.  It needs to be done.”

“If you say so.”

They fall quiet then, neither knowing what to say after such a final statement.  Heavy silence filled the air, both unsure on how best to break it.  Neither moved, both too afraid to break the fragile thing they were building here, and terrified that cracks were beginning to form already.  Lance laid there, contemplating his own side of things.  He wasn’t sure how to feel about Keith’s reluctance; it honestly left him feeling confused.  Wasn’t this something Keith was supposed to want?  Then again, he was new to all of this.  Perhaps things were just moving too fast?  If that was the case, then there was a lot more for Lance to be worried about than he originally thought.

“I’ll do it after Thanksgiving.”  Lance said, letting the words hang in the air.  He was thinking that, as horrible as it was, perhaps the extra time would allow Keith to adjust.  Lance shifted, turning his head to look at Keith once more.  “She wants to do this big dinner with her family on Thanksgiving, and I don’t want to let her down and embarrass her by doing it beforehand.  So, I’ll talk to her afterwards, this weekend or something.”

“Sounds good.”  Keith mumbled, the sentence barely a whisper.

Suddenly, the bed began to shift and a weight was lifted.  Lance watched as his boyfriend (that’s what he was now, right?) stood and began to dress.  He leaned up onto his elbows, silently observing as more and more clothes were added to Keith’s body.  The brunette couldn’t help but feel as though he had just done something wrong.

“Where are you going?”  Lance asked, more than a little cautious with the inquiry.  The last thing he wanted to do was push too hard and wind up in an argument.  It certainly wouldn’t be the start he wanted to things.

“Back to my apartment.  I have some errands I need to run.”

Lance raised an eyebrow at the brisk response, but he ignored it in favor of keeping the peace.  Instead, he made a move to join him, thinking perhaps that would calm the tension between them. 

“Oh, well why don’t I—’

“No.”

Lance halted in his movements, a little shocked by Keith’s abruptness.  His tone had been more than a little harsh in its deliverance.  Keith sighed, realizing this.  “Sorry.  I just…why don’t you stay here?  I’ll be fine on my own, and I think I need some time to myself right now.”

“Oh…okay.”

Keith paused, shirt halfway up his arms and ready to be flipped over his head.  He gazed down at the floor, his expression a little somber.  He didn’t want to end the conversation on such a sour note, but he had no idea what else to say.  So, he muttered a simple:  “Yeah…”

There was a moment of silence between them, no noise penetrating the room except for the slight rustling of clothes.  Keith stood there for a few seconds, both of them waiting for the other to make the next move.  Neither did.  So, the raven-hired man began moving once more, finishing the process of getting dressed.  It wasn’t until he was standing by Lance’s bedroom door, shoving on his jacket, that Lance finally spoke again.

“I’ll…will I see you later?”  Lance asked, still feeling unsure of where they stood.  There had been no argument, and no obvious disagreement, therefore Lance couldn’t pinpoint the cause of this weighted atmosphere between them.  He only knew that it left him feeling anxious, and more than a little wary of how to move forward.

“Mmmhmm…” Keith hummed mindlessly, distracted.  He stood there, adjusting the fit of his jacket.

Then, he was ready and fit to go.  Before he could though, Lance beckoned him forward, dragging him in for a kiss.  He recognized that Keith wasn’t the best with words, and therefore knew nothing he could say would comfort the obviously disturbed blackette.  No, addressing the situation in such a way, right now, would also cause the raven-haired boy to clam up and build his walls even higher.  Lance had worked too hard to gain what leverage he had, he wasn’t going to give it up so easily.

So no, Keith didn’t communicate with words.  He spoke in action.  And right then, Lance chose to do so as well.  He drew his boyfriend in, wanting to show him how wanted he still was, despite their obvious tension. 

Keith went willingly, though albeit a little reluctant.  He leaned over the mattress, reaching for Lance’s lips with his own.  The kiss was stiff and a little disjointed, and did absolutely nothing to bandage the strain they both felt.  Or to calm Lance’s fears.  When Keith pulled back, his face was stoic once more, completely shut off.  Lance was able to catch a brief glimpse of something though, some emotion in the irises of those gorgeous eyes.  Had it been distaste?  Disappointment?  He didn’t know, which only added to his worries.

“Okay…bye babe.”  Lance bid him farewell, staring as Keith exited his room and made his way down the hall.  He listened as the apartment door slammed shut behind him.

Lance sat there for a moment, before collapsing back on to his bed.  He raised an arm to rest behind his head, propping it up on top of his pillow, while the other came to settle across his chest, playing with his bedsheets where they rested along his hips.  He suddenly felt very lonely in the absence of Keith’s presence. It was a familiar sensation, but one he had steadily grown unfamiliar with over the past month.

Until last week, that is.

His friends were still talking to him, don’t get him wrong.  But now there was an unspoken awkwardness in the air, as if no one dared to talk about the elephant in the room.  And the few times where they did…well let’s just say no one ended up leaving that conversation satisfied and in a good mood.

Lance knew he could still depend on his friends, despite their added tension.  But their absence, however faint, was still felt, even when they were in the same room.  They would talk and act like they used to, but nothing seemed to flow as smoothly as it had before.  Discussions became arguments and comments became snide remarks, and always over the stupidest things.  One moment they would all be getting along, and the next, Lance was being berated over something stupid.  It was like both sides were just waiting for an excuse to go off on the other, equal explosions waiting to blow.

He knew how to calm the tension; it was simple.  They wanted answers, a simple explanation, as to what was going on between their friends.  Lance understood their reasons why, but he couldn’t help but feel as though sides would be taken, lines drawn, and he would be left abandoned.  And even if that wouldn’t be the case, wasn’t it his choice when to tell his side of the story?  If they could just wait a little longer, he would be willing to tell them everything, but they just kept pushing.  It felt like a storm was just off the horizon and the more he was interrogated, the closer it came.

It left him curious, wondering how well things would go with them in the end.  How would they react once they discovered the truth of his and Keith’s relationship?  As he suspected?  Worse?  Better?  There would be no hiding it, how he and Keith had been involved before his break-up with Plaxum.  His friends were geniuses, pure prodigies, they would easily be able to put the timeline together.  But they would want to know why, an explanation would be needed, and he wasn’t sure how well of one he could provide.

And then, when Hunk shared his side of the story…Lance could only imagine how bad things would go from there.  Because, once Lance revealed the reality of his and Keith’s relationship, Hunk would be free to tell the truth of what happened the night of their ‘treasure hunt.’  Lance knew their reaction to such news wouldn’t be pretty.  They would probably be outraged and shun him for a while, but he hoped his friends would be able to forgive him.  He prayed that Plaxum would too, and that everyone would be able to move on peacefully.  And then, hopefully, he and Keith could integrate into each other’s lives more in a more open and honest manner than before.

Lance breathed a sigh, dreaming of the potential relief from that weight falling off his shoulders.  But he was still worried, mind preoccupied with the day’s most recent events.  Keith had left him alone with this silent contemplation, and a feeling of loneliness sinking deeper into his bones. 

He laid there, wondering about his lover’s earlier behavior.  Had he done something wrong?  Said something to upset him?  Had the change in mood been due to the topic at hand?  But then, why would his breaking up with Plaxum upset Keith?  Isn’t that something he should be relieved by?  Eager for?  Wouldn’t he want Lance to finally able to pursue this thing between them instead of leaving it as it was before?

Lance didn’t know.  Sometimes he felt like he knew nothing about Keith, and had no real understanding of their relationship.  There were moments where he felt he knew everything he needed to know, but then things would shift as they had earlier, and Lance would be left wondering where they went wrong.  It was an up and down rollercoaster, but Lance knew it would be worth it in the end.  It had to be, afterall.

To his right, Lance heard the familiar buzz of his cell phone, the device rumbling loudly against the wood of his nightstand. He shook his head, the noise pulling him out of his reverie.  He looked over at it, debating whether he truly wanted to answer, but then decided it could be something important and so he probably should. 

So with a groan, Lance shuffled over.  He reached for the offending device, eager to end its annoying tantrum.  Once it was in his hands, Lance peered down at it, face scrunching in confusion as he stared at the screen.  The caller ID was up and running, alerting him to the fact that Allura was currently calling him.  Lance shifted back over to the middle of his bed so that he was sitting up properly and leaning against his headboard.  Then, he swiped his finger across the screen, answering the call.

“Hello?”  He greeted, speaking to whoever was on the other end of the phone.  Romelle had been known to steal her girlfriend’s phone on occasion.  Lance heard the light rustling of papers and voices in the background before the voice of his friend finally replied.

“Lance!”  Allura called out, the sound echoing through his speakers.  He winced slightly at the volume, quickly lowering it to a more manageable level.  “Where are you?  Are you on your way?”

Lance felt his eyes narrow.  What was she talking about?

“What do you mean Allura?  On my way where?”

There was a pause, and a grumbling on the other line.  Someone was apparently annoyed with what he just said.  Likely, it was Allura herself.

“To the library?  For our study session?  Me, you, Romelle, and Plaxum?”  Allura reminded him, sounding more and more bothered with every word.

Lance cursed, quickly rising to stand and gather his clothes.  He slipped on a clean of a boxers before ruffling through his drawers.  He rushed to get ready, moving at a speed he hadn’t gone since living in the same house as his siblings.

“Crap, I completely forgot.  I got so caught up with–“ Lance cut himself off, unable to think of a reasonable lie.  He shuffled into his jeans, glancing around his room for the rest of his outfit.  “Anyway, I must have lost track of time.  Be there in ten?”

Allura sighed but Lance knew he had won her over.  “Fine, but I’m not buying you coffee.”

“When were you going to buy me coffee?” Lance asked with furrowed brows.

“Well, I was going to buy the group some, along with cookies.  It was supposed to be a treat for everyone before we all leave for Thanksgiving break.  But now that you’ve completely forgotten about us, I don’t feel you deserve one.”  Allura joked.

“Aww, but Allura.”  He complained, dragging out her name.  Lance placed his phone down, putting it on speaker so he could better maneuver his room.  “Please?  I’ll do your hair for you when you get back.”

“Hmmm…that is rather tempting.”  She teased, and Lance knew they had an agreement.  “Alright, deal.  But you have to take pictures of me afterwards, and you have to do a good job.  No slacking off.”

“Come on, Allura.  Do I ever do anything less than perfect when it comes to your hair?”

On the other side, Allura laughed, causing Lance to smile in cheer.  “Alright, alright.  Fair point.  Now get over here, would you?  Your girlfriend is starting to look lonely without you.”

Lance paused in his motions, that familiar sense of guilt and shame taking him over again.  Anxiety rolled in his stomach, thinking of what was to come later that week.  He cleared his throat, praying Allura wouldn’t notice the change in his demeanor.

“Tell her that her lovely boyfriend will be there soon to keep all three of you company.”  Lance told her, hoping to sound charming rather than the anxious mess he actually was. 

For a moment he thought Allura might have caught on, but then he heard her laugh and say something to Romelle.  He stayed on the line, waiting as they finished their discussion.  Lance looked himself over in the mirror, wanting to assure that Keith’s love marks from this morning weren’t visible.  When he was positive that none of them were evident, he shoved on a pair of shoes.  Finally, Lance grabbed at his jacket and backpack.

“You can tell her yourself when you finally get here.”  He knew without seeing her that Allura was rolling her eyes.

“Will do, on my way there now.  See you soon.” 

With that, he ended the call.  Lance did a final look around his room, just to be sure he had everything he needed, before following in Keith’s footsteps and exiting the apartment.

The walk over to the library was a brief one, the fortunate side effect of living close to campus.  Lance trudged through the wet grass, the remnants of an earlier storm, with his eyes cast to the scenery around him.  Some students were lounging, somehow finding comfort in the chill of fall weather.  Most were waiting for their rides, pacing up and down the sidewalk as they eagerly awaited the chance to escape the campus grounds for the week.  A few were even pacing up and down the sidewalk as they watched the cars drive by, luggage in tow.

And there were plenty of vehicles making their way through the campus roads.  Multiple cars were driving up and down the street, weaving in and out of the small canals set up between the school’s buildings.  Now that classes had ended for the week, and there was no requirement to return until the following Monday, everyone was leaving for the upcoming break.

Lance wanted so badly to join them.  He knew that normally he would be, with excitement coursing through his veins as he prepared himself for a wonderful weekend at home with his family.  Hunk would even come over to visit since they only lived a few streets away from each other, bringing leftovers of his own before departing with some of theirs’. 

And while Thanksgiving had never been the most important holiday with his family, it still remained a great excuse to meet up and see everyone.  As Lance and his siblings had gotten older and move out of the house, beginning their own lives, they often didn’t have the chance to see each other as much as they wanted.  Especially their parents.  The McClain siblings had therefore made it a duty to see each other at holidays, whenever possible.  They each appreciated it as a chance to catch up and spend time together before turning to their busy lives.  Not to mention, his parents loved having all of them back at home, even if only for a few days.

In the end, the walk passed by quickly, just as Lance knew he would.  Soon enough, he was wading through a small crowd of students exiting the library, most of them having just finished their last few assignments before leaving for the holiday.  Once he entered the building, it took even less time to find his friends, seeing them immediately at one of the forward most tables, not far off from the library’s small café.

They had already stationed themselves into their small booth, their items set up accordingly.  Settled against their legs were their backpacks, their laptops and notebooks out and open on the table in front of them.  The rest of the table was littered with a varied amount of coffee cups and cookies, a study time tradition for them.  The treats served as a reward for diligently doing their work, though half the time they just munched on them while discussing the latest happenings in their lives.

His friends waved as he approached, calling out to him in greeting.  He returned the favor, smiling widely.  Lance moved to sit next to his girlfriend, the only remaining seat.  He dropped his backpack onto the floor next to his chair before officially joining the others at the table.  As soon as he was seated, Plaxum was leaning over, dropping a short and sweet kiss against his cheek.  Lance’s smile turned thin, but he made sure to return the favor.  He could feel the pit in his stomach growing larger, guilt creeping in once more.  He suddenly felt very uncomfortable, knowing what was to come.

Wordlessly, Allura slid a full iced coffee, his favorite kind, across the table along with two snickerdoodle cookies.  Lance grinned, thanking her, before immediately moving to take a large bite of one of the cookies.  It was shortly followed by a long gulp of his delicious coffee and Lance could feel all of the stress slip from his shoulders.  He grinned over at Allura, thanking her once more, then turned his attention to the rest of their little group.

“What assignments are you guys working on?”  Lance asked, already pulling out his laptop.

Across from him, Romelle was finishing up her most recent slurp of coffee, something frozen and topped with whipped cream.  The noise itself was uproarious, her having already finished the drink in such a short amount of time.  Lance shook his head at her, amused at her antics.  While he had an admitted sweet tooth, he found himself unable to drink anything even remotely related to a Frappuccino.  They were pure sugar and had very little caffeine, which was the whole point of coffee in his opinion.  What was the use of a drink, which was essentially nothing more than a milkshake, when trying to pull an all-nighter in college?

The girl in question shrugged, placing her now empty cup back on the table.  “I’m mostly just browsing Pinterest and Tumblr.  I finished my last assignment hours ago so I’m just waiting for Allura to finish up a few things before we head over to her Uncle’s for the weekend.”

Allura nodded along, though still barely paying attention to the conversation as she finished whatever essay she was typing up.  “I’m almost done, I swear.  This paper has been taking forever.  Just a few more pages and we’ll be good to go, I promise.”

“Are you guys heading up to Oriande for the weekend?”  Lance asked her.

It was a tradition amongst Allura’s family.  Her parents had started it, carrying it on from her father’s childhood.  After their passing, Coran had elected to continue it, providing a sense of connection to her parents.

Oriande itself was a nearby resort town.  It was relatively small, there was only so large a town could be when built around a lake.  Most of its population consisted of tourists, very few people living there year-round.  It had a small shopping center, built with all the basics along with a few locally owned places that were always a treat to try.  Most of them were higher-end but you could still find some boutiques along the lower-end of the price spectrum.  All in all, it was a cute and quaint town where those with money enjoyed spending their vacations.

Years ago, Allura’s parents had bought a large, white, mansion size house, lovingly nicknamed The Castleship (the origin of which apparently thanks to Allura) when she was just a child.  It had been made to be an escape of sorts from the regularities of life, a nice vacation home to visit whenever they got the chance.  Allura and the rest of their group had been there multiple times over the past few years, especially during the summer months.  It was a nice place to retreat to during a break from school, and to escape the pressure of school and society.  Lance had a lot of good memories out there.

Allura nodded once more.  “Yepp.  Coran is up there preparing the house now.  He left last night.  We were originally going to join him but Romelle and I realized we would probably get more work done by staying an extra day to finish up a few things.  I mean, I love Coran…but you know how he can be.”

“Pure distraction all rolled into one singular being.”  Lance joked, knowing exactly what Allura was talking about.  More than once, Lance had been the one to bring the man back from some random, off topic tangent during his classes.  He could only imagine how his other classes went where Lance wasn’t in attendance.

“Exactly.”  Allura agreed, nodding.  “And this paper is due Friday.  There was no way I was going to be able to complete it in time if we left with him yesterday.  I would have been too distracted and end up leaving Oriande with five more pages to write, not to mention editing.”

“How many pages do you have left?”  Plaxum inquired, joining the conversation.

“None, thankfully; I’m editing.  I was able to finish all but the conclusion paragraphs last night.  I would have kept going, but at that point it was past two in the morning and thought it was best to save the rest for today.  I have a few things left for Latin too, but those aren’t due until next Wednesday.  The main priority was this essay, which has been a real pain. 

“Sounds like you’re a lot farther ahead than me.”  Lance commented.

Plaxum raised her eyebrows at that.  “Really?  I thought you were making good progress on your project.  You’ve been meeting up with Keith a lot lately, right?”

Lance gulped, realizing his mistake, and looked away.  Instead of meeting her gaze, his eyes traveled over to the café behind her, blindly staring at the menu items as he formulated what to say next.

“Uh…yeah.”  Lance cleared his throat.  “We’ve gotten a lot of work done, but I still have assignments for my other classes that I need to complete.  I’m mostly going to spend the break catching up on work and trying to finish preparing for the paper portion of this project.”

Plaxum nodded in understanding, though she appeared a little skeptical.  But nevertheless, she dropped it, and everyone returned to their assignments.  They sat in silence while each of them worked on their own separate piles of homework.  It was comfortable though, and Lance found himself relishing in it.  And while he knew it hadn’t, it felt as if it had been an incredibly long time since he had simply relaxed in his friends presence as he was now.  He had missed this, and was thankful for the opportunity to experience it before he was left alone over break.

Once they left, Lance would be left alone for the rest of the week.  The only times he expected to see anyone was during the few pre-planned activities he had with Plaxum and Keith, separately of course.  It would be a new experience for him, his extroverted self unused to spending so much time without the company of others.  Plus, this would be the first holiday he spent without friends or family present.

Lance was thinking of all of this as he mindlessly wrote a short report on the hammer head shark.  It was a fun extra credit assignment from Coran, a way for some students to raise their grade if they felt they needed the extra boost.  And while Lance didn’t necessarily need the extra points, he figured it could still be useful.  Plus, it was something else to keep him busy over break so that his thoughts didn’t stray into unknown and unhealthy territories.  The focus of the assignment was to simply discuss their favorite marine life animal, and describe why it was meaningful to each of them.  Lance wiped his hands against his jeans, ridding his fingers of any remaining crumbs after typing up his final paragraph.  He had now officially devoured the two cookies and his coffee was halfway gone as well.

“Voila,” Plaxum started, breaking the serenity of their table.  She groaned, stretching as she closed her laptop and shut it down.  “I am officially done with school for the rest of Thanksgiving break.”

The rest of them raised their heads, turning their focus towards the newest addition to their group.  They each offered her a smile, congratulating her on being finished so early.  Lance leaned over to give a soft kiss on the corner of her lips as an added sentiment.  For some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to kiss her directly on the lips anymore.  Whenever they did, it was Plaxum who initiated it, and the pit in his stomach grew bigger with every one. 

Plaxum smiled and gave a quick peck in response before she began to pack up the rest of her things.  All four of them made idle conversation with each other as they bid her farewell and wished her a happy holida.

“Oh, speaking of which,” Plaxum began, adding her laptop to the mix of school supplies now situated in her backpack.  It was the final item left for her to pack, meaning she was now officially ready to leave and go meet her parents.  They were arriving in town that day and wanted to spend some time with their daughter before settling into their hotel room for the rest of the evening.  “I was thinking maybe we could do a friendsgiving?  My sorority does one every year as a way to make sure no one feels left out on the holiday.  And I know everyone has their own plans for tomorrow, most of you guys are out of town too, but I thought maybe once everyone gets back from break?  Hunk, Shay, and Pidge are invited too of course.  So are Shiro and his fiancé, and Keith.” 

Lance became more and more apprehensive as Plaxum went on, before his body had gone completely rigid towards the end of her suggestion.  Instinctually, he recognized the feeling of eyes being focused on him, his friends across the table glancing back between him and his girlfriend.  He took a moment, swallowed another sip of his drink in order to clear his throat, realizing he would need to be the one to address the situation.  He knew that, in light of recent events, the responsibility had automatically fallen upon him.

He cleared his throat once more before finally addressing Plaxum, who gazed at him with wide, hopeful eyes.  “Um, that sounds great.  I’m just not sure how likely it will happen.  I mean, I’m still really busy with my project right now…maybe after exams are over?”

In truth, Lance wasn’t even sure about that.  He had never been in this kind of situation with his best friend before, had never made him this angry.  There was no telling how long their ‘feud’ was going to continue for, or how long it would take for Hunk to be able to forgive him.  Already, Lance could feel the empty place in his life where Hunk once stood, especially now that the holidays were fast approaching.

Even with Thanksgiving, they had their own traditions.  He couldn’t believe that this would be his first year since he was ten years old that he spent without experience Hunk’s mom’s traditional keke pua’a.  And now he couldn’t even eat his mother’s famous ropa vieja!  It would be a truly disappointing Thanksgiving indeed, and the totality of it all left him feeling a little heartbroken.

But the fact of the matter was, Lance wasn’t sure if Hunk would want anything to do with him until all of this was over, and there was no telling how long that would take.

“Besides,” Lance continued, choking down another lump in his throat.  “Hunk and Pidge are probably going to be really busy preparing for exams.  The others too, most likely.  Especially since Shiro and Adam are graduate students.  I—uh—I’m not sure though, of course.”  Lance said, offering up what was probably the lamest excuse he could possibly think of.  He couldn’t exactly explain why his friends would be absent for the simple reason that Lance himself wouldn’t be.  Still, he hadn’t wanted to be too harsh with her.

A small pout had formed on Plaxum’s lips, disappointment taking over her expression.  Lance offered her a sympathetic smile, otherwise unsure of what else to say or do.  Thankfully, it was Plaxum who decided to take over the conversation, releasing a long sigh as she accepted Lance’s words. 

Her smile was sad when she looked at him.  “Oh well then.  We’ll just have to get together before everyone leaves for Christmas then.  Maybe on reading day?”

Lance’s lips felt tight at the edges as they were pulled taut into what he hoped was a reassuring grin.  “Yeah, maybe.”

Plaxum gave a grin before moving to stand, lifting her bag off the ground and up over one shoulder.  She turned her expression towards the rest of the group, offering them a small wave in farewell as she made her departure.  Lance couldn’t help the way his shoulders dropped in relief, the knots in his stomach already loosening.  However, he wasn’t able to relax for long, the knots clenching again as he watched Plaxum swivel around on her food, doing a full one-eighty.  She returned to their table with a look of remembrance and an urgent reminder on her tongue.

“Oh!  Before I forget.”  Plaxum called, targeting Lance with her gaze.  Immediately, his shoulders began to rise again.  “My parents were thinking of going to that really steak restaurant across town, the one with the cool bar?  Are you okay with eating there for dinner tomorrow?”

“Uh…yeah.”  Lance replied, a little warily.  “Sounds good.”

“Great!”  She exclaimed, skipping over to place a quick kiss against his lips.  “I’ll see you tomorrow night then.”

“Can’t wait.”

If his tone or demeanor appeared irregular, Plaxum never gave the impression she had noticed anything out of sorts.  Instead, his girlfriend smiled widely before scampering away and off to her sorority house.  He watched her walk away again, a slight skip to her step as she finally exited through the library doors.  A small sigh of relief escaped him then, body untightening once more.

After he lost sight of her, Lance turned his attention back to his report, intent on making a few small edits before submitting it for grading.  However, before his eyes could fully settle back on the screen of his laptop, they snagged on the curious and criticizing gazes of his friends.  The two girls stared at him with furrowed eyebrows and scrunched noses, eyes narrowed into slits as they scrutinized him.  Allura slowly placed her coffee down, her pointed stare never leaving Lance.

“So…you’re meeting her parents?”

Lance nodded cautiously but found himself unable to meet her gaze.  “Yeah.  They’re visiting this weekend and, since I’m staying behind to work on this project, she wants me to join them.  She said she didn’t want me to spend the holiday alone.”  He took a breath.  “Plus, she thought it would be a good chance for me to meet her parents.”

Romelle’s eyes widened.  “So soon?”

Lance shrugged, wanting to seem unbothered by this event which, in fact, bothered him very much.  “I guess so.”

“Wow.”  Allura began.  “Lance, that’s a pretty big move for your relationship.  I didn’t realize you guys were that serious.”

“Yeah…”  Lance sighed, knowing exactly what this meant for his relationship.  His mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of it all morning.  “I didn’t either if I’m being honest.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for this then?  It’s an awfully big step, for both of you.”

“Of course.”  Lance assured her, the response automatic.  He wasn’t sure how convincing he was though, considering his own doubts on the subject.  “At least, I think I am.  And if it turns out I’m not, I’m sure I can still handle it.”

“Okay…just remember that we’re always here for you, especially if you need someone to talk to.”  Allura relented.

Lance nodded.  “I know.”

With nothing left to say, everyone returned to their studies.  A new atmosphere had settled over them though, once much more tense than it had been previously.  Still, things were peaceful and time seemed to pass by quickly as more and more work was completed.  Soon enough, Allura was officially finished with editing her paper, and the couple was taking their leave.  Lance bid them farewell, wishing them a Happy Thanksgiving, and felt his heart sink as he found himself now stranded in the library.  Lately it seemed like he was constantly being left behind.

He stared down dumbly at his laptop, finding himself now uncapable of concentrating on his work.  As a result, his mind shifted onto other topics, following the natural flow of his thoughts.  Soon though, with nothing else to occupy him, Lance’s mind to what it always did: his problems.

First, he thought of Plaxum, allowing himself the chance to truly examine the implications of tomorrow’s dinner and how it would affect their relationship.  Of course, it also had him considering his own horrible plans for the weekend.  It was a lot, meeting someone’s parents; especially while being romantically involved with the person.  As Allura had stated earlier, it was a huge step.  It was also one Lance had never broached before.  Then there was the added pressure of meeting them during a holiday no less, with no one there to buffer their questions but their daughter and occasionally their waiter.

He would be lying if he said he wasn’t nervous.

And compounded onto that pressure, was the reminder that Lance was set on breaking up with Plaxum that weekend.  Almost immediately after passing a major milestone in their relationship.  It was daunting, and it almost had him questioning whether it was the right move.

It was a difficult scenario all around.  Lance wanted to be there, partially so as not to be alone on Thanksgiving, but also so he didn’t let Plaxum down when she was depending on him.  At the same time though, Lance didn’t want to lead her on.  He just didn’t know whether it would be worse to do it now, or to wait until later.  But by the time Lance would make that decision, he knew it would be too late.  By then, no matter what he chose, everyone would be upset.

So, in the end, Lance decided it would be better to go through with it after the holiday, especially with her parents now being involved.  Lance felt it would provide an unnecessary amount of embarrassment for the girl, and on such a last minute notice at that.  Hurting Plaxum more than he already had was the last thing he wanted to do.  At this point, doing anything other than waiting until after the holiday would just be considered cruel.  Therefore, Lance decided to stick to his original plan.  He would wait until the weekend, likely this Saturday or Sunday, before ending things.  He had no idea what explanation he was going to give for the sudden decision, but he figured one was better than none at all.

It’s just…Plaxum was so sure about them; so positive that they would even make it until Christmas break, and probably beyond.  She actually saw a future for their relationships, while Lance had barely been able to see past the first date.  But she was brave for putting her heart out there as she had.  He knew that, and deeply respected her for it.  It took a lot of strength to be able to do that, and Plaxum had put so much into their relationship in order to make it work and for them to be happy.  As for Lance, it seemed all he added to it was a perfected performance of pretending everything was fine.  He had somehow convinced Plaxum that her infatuation had been fully reciprocated, when the truth was the complete opposite.  But Lance didn’t want Plaxum to feel like all of that effort had been in vain, as though it were a complete waste of time.  Even if it had been.  If that happened, then Lance would just be adding insult to injury as far as he was concerned.

So, he would wait.  He would give her time to relish in the excitement of having her parents meet her ‘amazing boyfriend’.  Then, over the weekend, he would officially end their relationship.  Likely, Lance would tell her that things were just moving too fast for him, that he wasn’t ready for such hefty commitment.  It wasn’t far from the truth afterall.  He knew Plaxum would want to continue to pursue things, but Lance would be sure to let her down easy.  He could do this, he could.  They would end their romantic relationship but continue as friends.  Everything would be fine.  They would figure it out…somehow.

Besides all of this, Lance is extremely nervous over actually beginning something with Keith.  Because, that’s what they were doing right?  They hadn’t confirmed anything yet, but surely that’s where they were heading?  They just needed to have a simple conversation to confirm each other’s feelings where it concerned their relationship, and then everything would be hunky-dory.  And while Lance knew they had their issues when it came to communication, he had high hopes that they would be able to traverse all of the confusion.  Eventually, they would settle themselves into their relationships, fully and officially, the way they both wanted.  Lance had no doubt about it.

Okay, maybe a few doubts.  (Especially after this morning)

And even if he didn’t, was he fully prepared for that?  For what that would mean?  Ending his relationship with Plaxum was one thing, and already set to be a shock, but to suddenly bring up Keith and say ‘hey, here’s my boyfriend’?  That would be a whole other ball game, a complete shit show.  There would be so many questions and concerns, and Lance could just imagine the scolding he would receive from his friends.  Especially Allura and Pidge, they would rip him a new one.  But he knew, eventually, they could come around and see his side of things, hopefully understand where he was coming from.  His friends would accept this new reality and then everyone would move on with their lives…right?  Yeah, of course.

Not to mention the chaos it would bring Keith too.  Lance had no idea how the boy would react to being in a public relationship, it would be an entirely new experience for him.  Their entire fling had been private and, according to Keith, this would be his first relationship, of the romantic sort at least.  There was no telling how he would react to all of this, and Lance had no reassurance that Keith wasn’t going to run away again.  All he had was his word; it was the only thing he could put trust into, the promise that Keith was going to change.  Afterall, his past actions hadn’t proven him worthy of Lance’s trust, especially when it came to them.  The possibility of Keith flying off the handle, or doing something reckless which ended up hurting both of them was more likely than Lance wanted to admit.

Then there was Hunk.  How would he react to all of this?  Would he be stoic and remain quiet as he had for the past few days, almost a week?  Or would he let loose his righteous anger?  Lance liked to think his friend would be on the calmer end of the spectrum when it came to his contempt, but after this past week, he wasn’t too sure.  Lance was beginning to feel like he didn’t know himself, let alone predict how his best friend would react to such an admission.

Either way, he would have to own up to his friends.  Tell them the whole problematic story, from beginning to end.  Everyone would be disappointed, but hopefully accepting of it in the end.  Lance just prayed they would listen to him patiently and hear him out.  He wanted them to at least try to understand his point of view.  He was more than aware that he was in the wrong, especially when it came to Plaxum, so he wished for his friends to be able to recognize his feelings and respect them.  The guilt.  The shame.  Most importantly, the emotions he carried for Keith, and his want to explore them.

Lance knew their relationship had been rocky in the beginning, and more than a little toxic from the outside looking in.  Because of this, he really hoped they wouldn’t be too judgmental while hearing his side of things.  He also prayed that they would be lenient when hearing Keith’s version, should he choose to share it.  All in all, Lance just wanted things to go well and to not be left alone by the end of it.  Otherwise, he would have no idea what to do with himself.

With a sigh, Lance dropped his head into his hands.  He rubbed at his temples slowly, hoping he could somehow delay his developing headache.  He exhaled again, long and slow, before raising himself up from his hunched over position.  Yeah, he was officially done with schoolwork for the day.  Or at least for the next few hours.  Admitting defeat, Lance powered off his laptop and packed up his things, electing to return to his apartment.  At least there he could wallow in the comfort of his bed.  Better yet, distract himself from all the problems plaguing his mind.

He spent the rest of the night in his bedroom, swallowed whole by blankets and consuming large quantities of emergency chips.  All while binge watching trashy television.

The next morning came sooner than expected, time seeming to have passed by quickly while Lance had cocooned himself in his room.  He woke up, still covered by the soft fabric, and unfortunately more than a few chip crumbs, groggy from an emotional night and one full of restless sleep.  He groaned, realizing what today was, and what his schedule for the day entailed.  He stared at his ceiling for over an hour after the realization came to him, his mind running circles.  It kept creating countless scenarios and possibilities on how tonight was going to go, and ways he could handle it along with himself.  He also thought over his plans for later in the week, mulling over them as well.

Once he finally gained the energy to face the day, Lance moved to roll out of bed.  He grabbed his phone and scanned his notifications as he trudged out of his bedroom, eager for a coffee and some leftover pizza.  There were a few e-mails from his professors on his phone, along with some advertisements for upcoming school events.  His parents and siblings had sent him various messages, all wishing him a happy holiday and how they wished he could be there.  He responded in kind, his heart aching a little at the reminder of not being able to see them today as he usually would.

Plaxum had apparently texted him a sweet message earlier that morning, a brief greeting for the day and wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving, saying she couldn’t wait to see him later.  Lance grimaced slightly upon reading it, almost spilling the entire bag of sugar in the process.  He sent her a response though, lying and stating how he was just as excited.

Other than that, there was a brief text sent to the group chat.  It had mostly been abandoned since Hunk had gone radio silent, along with Pidge.  Even Lance had begun avoiding it, adding in only a few bits of conversation here and there.  Otherwise, it was mostly Allura, Romelle, and occasionally Shay who interacted in the slowly decaying thing. 

Lance responded to Allura’s message, wishing her and Romelle a Happy Thanksgiving as well, along with the rest of the group, before moving to another text thread.  He typed out a quick message to Keith, an echo of the one sent to his friends, followed by a few heart emojis.  It was sent in a matter of seconds.

He watched as the message status changed from delivered to read, with no response in sight.  The blue eyed boy frowned, but didn’t have time to think of a reply due to the coffee machine announcing its completion.  Underneath its drip sat a newly poured cup of hot, steaming coffee.  Lance shook his head, deciding to leave the issue alone for now.  It was possible he was simply busy, or just unable to respond right at that moment.  Besides, it was no big deal whether Keith did reply to his text or not.  While Lance didn’t know too much about Keith’s family experience, he was aware enough to realize that holidays weren’t exactly an easy topic for the man.  He wasn’t sure, but they seemed to not have been a common occurrence in his household, or at least not something considered worthy of celebration.

After his coffee was poured and prepared properly, and pizza heated in the microwave, Lance began to find ways to distract himself and keep himself busy throughout the rest of the day.  He didn’t have much to do before needing to meet Plaxum and her parents later that evening, leaving him with a full day of an open schedule. 

He spent the majority of that time working on his assignments, finishing up whatever was left.  The main focus, of course, being that of his project from Iverson.  Lance was able to get a vast majority of his work done, having decided earlier to finish the easiest ones first.  After which, he spent over two hours organizing the research both he and Keith had gathered for his project, and found himself with enough information to at least begin writing the paper.  By the time three o’clock rolled around and he needed to begin getting ready for dinner, Lance had successfully complete two pages of work on the paper.  He found himself feeling a little smug, or at the very least proud, of making such progress on the troublesome assignment.  The resulting grin wouldn’t be wiped from his face for the next few hours, at least.

As the day had gone on, Keith had eventually responded, which cheered Lance up a little bit.  His texts were brief and a little awkward, but Lance once again assumed it was due to the holiday or school stress.  Therefore, he tried to distract Keith from thinking of such things by rambling on about old family stories and jokes he had heard from his siblings.

At some point, Lance mentioned how he needed to get ready for the night, stating how the restaurant they were going to was supposed to be kind of fancy, or at least more expensive than a typical college student could afford.  Needless to say, Plaxum’s parents made a lot of money.  What surprised Lance though, was how the mentioning of the subject had prompted an hour long silence from Keith.  It was strange because they had previously been responding within minutes of each other. 

He tried to brush it off, telling himself it was likely nothing, but Lance couldn’t help but notice a developing pattern.  He told himself it would be okay though.  He would go on his date with Plaxum tonight and make it up to Keith tomorrow.  Then, Lance would end things with Plaxum later that weekend, and he and Keith could carry on how they wanted.  No distractions and no reasons to delay responses.

Now that the time had arrived for him to get ready, Lance gathered himself.  He put on a pair of khakis, the ones he only wore for his interviews and other such special occasions, along with a nice but casual button-down shirt.  It had a high enough collar that it would easily hide the hickeys Keith had given him, which Lance was thankful for.  He left it untucked, feeling that it looked better that way, before shoving his feet into a pair of boots.  Lastly, he grabbed one of his nicer jackets from his closet, finishing off the look.  He figured the least he could do was dress up and play the part so as to make a good impression, for Plaxum’s sake if nothing else.  Besides, if this restaurant was as nice as it sounded and looked in its Google review (Plaxum had sent him the information earlier that day), then he definitely wanted to look his best and not stand out like a sore thumb.

It had been decided that Lance would meet Plaxum and her family there.  Plaxum’s parents wanted to explore the city while they were in town visiting, electing their daughter as their tour guide.  So while Lance had been keeping himself busy inside the confines of his apartment, they were out exploring.  Apparently, due to their busy schedules, her parents weren’t able to visit often.  As a result, it had become a tradition for the trio to enjoy a nice day full of shopping and laughing before ending it with a family dinner.

It was while they were out shopping that Plaxum had sent him the information for the restaurant, along with its address and a general sense of its direction to make finding the place easier.  When Lance had searched for it online he had found that it was relatively close by.  However, he knew how bad traffic was like to be, not to mention the potential struggle to find decent parking.  With plans to meet them there at five, Lance wanted to leave as early as possible

Thankfully, the trip there didn’t take as long as he had expected.  Traffic had been busy but relatively calm.  Parking was where Lance had lucked out the most, fortunately finding a spot right at the front.  However, despite his luck, he still managed to arrive a few minutes late.

From what he could see, the place was packed to the brim.  There was hardly an empty table in sight; almost every chair filled.  The only areas which seemed to be abandoned were the locations where dirty dishes rested as leftover pieces of a delicious meal.

Cursing himself for his tardiness, he unbuckled and rushed inside.  Lance quickly approached the host stand, wanting to find the rest of his party as fast as possible.  Two teenagers stood behind the front desk, each of them appearing and odd combination of bored and frantic, all at the same time.  As someone with experience working holidays in the restaurant industry, Lance was sure they were go eager to leave and get home to their own families.  Or, at least, to not be at work.

“Hey.”  He greeted, smiling congenially.  “I’m here with a few others, possibly under the name Mer?”

The younger looking of the two, a girl with curly brown hair and braces, glanced down at their screen.  She tapped it a few times before nodding and glancing back up to Lance.  The hostess met his gaze with a small, tired grin.  “They’re here.  Right this way sir.”

The young girl grabbed a menu from under the stand and swiftly lead Lance through a maze of tables.  They walked down a long dim hallway before turning and entering the main dining room, the large expanse opening as they rounded the corner.

The center focus of the room was the bar, a small bit of a legend amongst the local community.  It was beautiful and unique, built of a gorgeous dark mahogany, and curved across an open space which equaled to almost half the room.  The shape of it actually provided a unique advantage to its patrons; the construction supplying everyone seated there with a large view of the remainder of the restaurant.  The only area left unseen being that directly behind you.

The rest of the floor plan was based upon an open landscape, with various tables stationed along the walls.  However, the ones closer to the back actually booths, providing a little more privacy to those who wanted it.  The hostess lead him past this array of seating areas and eventually Lance spied a familiar head of brunette hair.  Plaxum sat at the center isle of tables, her back facing Lance as she spoke to her parents, hands waving animatedly in the air.  Across from her were two unfamiliar faces, whose gazes seemed to latch onto him as he drew nearer.  Lance gulped, attempting to swallow back his nerves.

Immediately he steps into a smile, slipping into that familiar skin of being charming and friendly.  He grew more and more anxious as they approached, realizing that they were now in fact watching him.  Lance cleared his throat and pulled subconsciously at the collar of his shirt.  Though he logically knew it was loose, the fabric seemed to pull tightly at the base of his skin.  Lance adjusted it one last time before forcing his fingers to fall to his sides and relax.

The first thing Lance noticed upon his arrival to the table, was how similar Plaxum’s parents looked in regards to their daughter.  Or, he supposed, how similar Plaxum looked in comparison with her parents.  He could tell, even though they were sitting, that Plaxum had inherited her mother’s heigh, but her father’s face shape.  She also carried many of her mother’s facial features, but her hair was distinctly her fathers, texture and all.  It was a stark contrast to the straight blonde hair of her mother.

Their skin tones were fairly similar, both an equal state of pale, though Plaxum’s father seemed to have more of a tan to him.  The slight difference caused Lance to be curious as to whether he did a lot of work outdoors, or if his skin was naturally that tan.  Her father wore glasses, as did her mother.  Her pair, however, hung from a thin chain around her neck while her father’s rested gently on his nose.

Their smiles were warm as they greeted him though, but their eyes were equally as curious.  The hostess eventually lead him to his destination, waiting as he seated himself before handing over the menu.  Lance thanked her, eyes glancing over the items briefly before resting the laminated paper atop the white clothed table.  His would decide on his food later.  For now, it was time to meet the rest of his company for the evening.

Plaxum looked as gorgeous as ever, dressed up in a beautiful blue dress.  It was dark and plain, modest, but one which accentuated her hips and features in all the right ways.  She looked amazing.  Lance grinned her, telling her as such.

“Thank you.”  She replied, leaning over to plant a sweet kiss against the corner of his lips.  “You look pretty spiffy yourself.”

Lance quirked a brow, waving a hand down to his attire.  “Oh this?  Well, only the best for you and your parents.”

Not one but three voices busted out into laughter, causing Lance to blush.  He hadn’t realized her parents had been listening in on their conversation as well, though he supposed it should have been obvious.  Lance awkwardly joined in on their laughter before turning to fully face the rest of their dinner party.

“Hi.”  Lance said, officially addressing them.  He gave a small wave in greeting, feeling beyond nervous.  “I’m Lance, it’s really nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too Lance.”  Plaxum’s mom replied.  She sat directly across from him and Lance could see she actually meant those words.   So far so good then.

“Yes, I’m excited to finally meet the guy Plaxum has been telling us all about.”  Came Plaxum’s dad, causing his daughter’s eyes to roll.  “I feel like I already know you.”

“Dad, please.”  Plaxum begged, voice entering into a weak whine.  “You promised you wouldn’t embarrass me tonight.”

Her father chuckled, his shortcut waves jostling some as he shook his head.  He held his hands up in surrender as he looked his daughter in the eyes.  “Alright.  No more, I promise.”

Lance laughed kindheartedly.  Familial teasing he could deal with; it was familiar territory.  “No, by all means, fill me in.  I hope it was all good at least.”

“Oh, outstanding.”  Her mother commented, joining in on the conversation once more.  “She’s done nothing but sing your praises since the beginning of the semester.”

“Mom!”  Plaxum exclaimed, garnering more than a few eyes in their direction.

Her face was beat red and blushing, almost the same color as a tomato.  Lance could feel his own face flush, heat rising from both embarrassment and flattery.  They had only been together for a little over a month.  Had Plaxum really been speaking about him to her parents…a whole two months before they’d even begun dating?  The knowledge was…sweet.

Okay, no, it was terrifying.

The reason why being the implications it provided.  If she had liked him for that amount of time, long before they had even gone on their first date…it implied just how strong her feelings for him were.  A lot stronger than his, that was for sure.  And it broke his heart, because that was more time that Plaxum would come to regret after this weekend.  More pain she would endure while mourning their relationship.  It was all the more hurt he was going to inflict upon this poor girls’ heart.  Lance felt horrible just thinking about it.

“Oh hush,” Plaxum’s mom replied, tone teasing.  A large grin had written itself upon her face.  “I could be much worse and you know it.”

Plaxum groaned but Lance only smiled further, stepping into that familiar role of the charming boyfriend.  He may think less of himself later for it, but he could at least step up and play the part he was supposed to play all along.  His regret could wait until later.  Right now he needed to support Plaxum, which meant easing the tension between her and her mother.

“Are we talking baby pictures?  Because I would love to see those.”  Lance joked, hoping to lighten the mood. 

He wasn’t the only one who had noticed the change in atmosphere, Plaxum’s father having reached over to rub a calming hand against his wife’s shoulder.  Almost without thinking, she reached up to grab at it, holding it as if to ground herself on his hold.  Lance thought the move sincere and found himself grinning at the obvious affection between the two.  He only hoped he could one day experience something similar.

Plaxum’s mother smiled playfully, hand already reaching for her purse where he assumed her phone awaited.  “Oh really?  Well let me see…”

“Don’t you dare!”  Plaxum threatened, though it was immediately followed by laughter.

Her mother chuckled but acquiesced, dropping her phone back into her bag before taking a sip of her drink.  “You know I would never do that.  I was just replying to Stacy.”

Next to him, Plaxum breathed a sigh of relief, all previous signs of frustration and worry leaving her body.  He reached over to grab her hand underneath the table, rubbing calming circles across her skin.  It seemed he wasn’t the only one who was nervous for tonight.

“Stacy?”  Lance asked, confused by the mention of a new name.

“Stacy is an old friend of mine.”  Plaxum’s mother explained.  “We’ve known each other since high school.  She practically helped us raise Plaxum.”

Plaxum nodded in agreement, along with her father.  “Aunt Stacy was actually the first person to take me to an aquarium.  From there on, I was hooked.  Pun intended.”

Lance chuckled, admiring the story before delving into his own.  “For me, it was my older brother Marco.  We went swimming one day at Veradero, all the way out to the reefs.  Mamá was so mad when she found out, she banned us from going snorkeling without an adult present ever again.  I’ll never forget it though.  There were so many fish, each a different vibrant color.  I couldn’t stop thinking about them the entire walk home; I wanted to learn everything I could about their species, their colors...”

“Yeah, exactly.”  Plaxum smiled, warm and affectionate.  “As soon as I was able to pet the stingrays in the exhibit, I was a goner.  I just had to know more.”

Lance nodded, agreeing.  “Absolutely.”

There was a moment of silence as the two simply looked at each other, reveling in the connection they had made.  No matter what happened between them, Lance hoped they could always maintain this sort of friendship, one built upon a shared love of marine life.  He appreciated knowing someone who could understand him in such a way.

It wasn’t until someone cleared their throat that the two looked away from each other.

“It’s nice to see you two so passionate about your studies.  I had no idea what I was doing when I was your age.”  Commented Plaxum’s dad.

“Weren’t you a business major at our age?  And hadn’t you already been accepted into Harvard?”  Plaxum teased, raising an eyebrow.  Lance’s eyes widened, impressed by her father’s resume.

He waved her off though, as if his accomplishments meant nothing.  It was astonishing.  Her father was simply dismissing his experience at Harvard, while Lance sat there praying he could just make it to the next semester so he could walk across the stage with his friends.  He couldn’t understand the ease with which he disregarded such successes. 

“Yes, but that doesn’t mean I necessarily knew what I was doing with my life.  I was just…going with the flow and seeing where it took me.  Sure, I was earning degrees, but I had no idea what I wanted to do with them.”

“Well I certainly know what I want to do.” Plaxum replied, laughing lightly as she teased her father.

The rest of the table joined in, though Lance’s own laughter was hidden underneath, a little more disjointed than the others.  He was now beginning to realize just how far out of his depth he really was here.

In truth, Lance had no idea what he was doing with his life.  Right now, he was worried about through this dinner, the rest of the week, and surviving the rest of the semester.  He had too much going on to focus so far ahead, let alone think about where he wanted to be in the next couple of years, or the next twenty.  Every time he tried, it just caused Lance’s head to hurt and his heartbeat to race at an uncomfortable pace.

“Well, you’ve always been an overachiever honey.”  Plaxum’s mother joked.  The table fell into laughter once more, Plaxum nodding along to her mother’s statement.  Unfortunately, their amusement didn’t last as long as he hoped and soon Lance found himself on the receiving end of their questioning stares.

“How about you Lance, any plans for after graduation?  That’s next semester for you too, isn’t it?”  asked Plaxum’s father.

“Uh…yeah.  I mean, hopefully.  I’m struggling with my biochemistry class right now.  But, if all goes well, I’ll be set to graduate next semester with everyone else.”

He leaned forward to take a sip of his drink, stalling for more time.  Their attentive eyes never left him as he awkwardly avoided their gaze.  He cleared his throat before speaking.

“Um, as for after… I’m not sure.  Probably go for my Masters?  I know I want to go into research eventually, preferably on the marine life back in Havana or Florida.”

Her parents nodded along as he spoke, but you could see the slightest look of disappoint in their eyes.  As if they were wondering if this was all he could offer their daughter.  Lance then began to spiral a little, his anxiety taking control.  He was falling into that old trap of ‘what ifs’ and ‘I’m nots’, when Plaxum grabbed at his arm and pulled him into a hug.  It was a little awkward because it felt more like she was hugging his arm rather than him, but he wasn’t one to deny comforting touches.  It managed to drag him out of his thoughts, and back to the present.  She laid her head against his shoulder as she gazed at her parents.

“You guys should see how hard he’s working.  He was somehow able to convince the professor for the class, a real monster, to give him an extra credit project so he can pass the class.  Iverson has never, and I mean never, done that before.  But he did for Lance.  And Lance has been working on it non-stop.  I swear, I barely see him anymore because of how busy he’s been lately.  Isn’t that right?”  Plaxum asked, gazing up at him.  Her simple question allowed Lance the chance to properly defend himself, and she knew it.  He returned her smile, grateful.

“Yeah, I’ve been pretty busy, especially for the past month or so.  I couldn’t even tell you how many articles about the bioluminescence of jellyfish are sitting on my laptop right now.”

“Oh, that’s interesting.”  Plaxum’s father commented.  “I’m sure you have a bright future ahead of you then Lance.”

Lance blushed slightly, ducking his head.  “Thank you, Mr. Mer.”

“Please, call me Howard.”  The older man insisted, chuckling.  His wife echoed his sentiments, smiling in compliment.

“And me Renee.” 

Lance nodded and smiled politely.  “I’ll keep that in mind.”

Not long after, their waiter approached.  He wasted no time in taking their food orders and was soon scampering off, back towards the kitchen.  Plaxum’s parents continued to ask them questions, both about their relationship as well as their time spent on campus.  While the majority of the conversation centered around their daughter, which was to be expected, Lance still felt included.  He found that he could easily jump in with a comment or two of his own and everyone would listen attentively.  He was actually having a pleasant time as they waited, enjoying his time with Plaxum’s family more than he thought possible at the beginning of the evening.

Minutes later, their appetizer of mozzarella sticks arrived.  He and Plaxum had made a mess of themselves with the cheese, but were thankfully able to avoid getting any of the marinara sauce on themselves.  Her mother, however, hadn’t been so lucky.  More than a few drops of the delicious substance had landed all over her beautiful white shirt.

“Darn it.”  She complained, wiping furious at her shirt.  It only served to make things worse, spreading the stain with every swipe.  “I’m such a mess.”

“Honey, why don’t’ you go to the bathroom and try to clean up?”  Her husband suggested.

“Ugh, you’re right.  I’ll be right back you guys.”

She stood quickly and stepped away from the table, walking brusquely to the nearest restroom.  They watched for a moment, all three making sure she survived the crowd on the walk over.  In the brief time they had been there, the restaurant, and bar especially, had grown even more crowded than before.  If that was even possible.  There was no way an empty table existed within that moment, the flooding of people into the building being so great.  It wasn’t until his wife was fully out of sight that Mr. Mer spoke again.

“Alright you two, I think I’m going to step away for a moment myself.  I want to speak to the waiter about getting something sweet to go later.”  He told them conspiratorially.

“Dad, you know you can’t eat that stuff anymore.  Mom will kill you when she finds out.”  Plaxum told her father, concern lacing her voice.

“What she doesn’t know won’t kill her now, will it?”  He replied with a wink.

With those final words, he slid out of his chair, leaving the couple alone together for the first time in days.  Now that they were, it seemed all ease of interaction had disappeared between them.  Suddenly, things had become awkward and neither one could think of anything to say so as to keep the conversation going.  Without her parents being present, it seemed they had no way of entertaining themselves.

“So, what do you think so far?”  Plaxum asked, breaking their silence in the only way she knew how.  “As terrible as you expected?”

Lance chuckled.  “Oh definitely.”

The two of them fell into easy laughter but they could each still feel the distance between them.

Plaxum shook her head, smiling.  “I’m sorry for all of their craziness.  They promised me they wouldn’t try to embarrass me tonight.”

“It’s not problem.”  Lance assured her.  “Besides, that’s what parents are supposed to do, right?  Embarrass their kids?”

Plaxum laughed but nodded along.  “Yeah, I suppose.”

With nothing else to say, they fell back into silence.  Only this time it seemed to grow.  Lance couldn’t help but feel he was to blame for it too, his feelings of discomfort carrying over to their conversation as well.  Plus, it was technically his turn to initiate small talk wasn’t it?  But for all his might, he couldn’t think of anything for them to discuss, which surprised him more than anything else.  If there was nothing else Lance could do, it was talk for hours about nonsense.  His talent for rambling was legend amongst his siblings.

Determined to save them from this awkward atmosphere, Lance opened his mouth, ready to speak.  But before he could utter a word, his phone emitted a rather loud beep.  Normally, it wouldn’t have been so shocking, but with his nerves already frayed it caused him to jump in surprise.  Lance winced at the loud notification, his select ringtone for text messages, and immediately went to lower it.

“Sorry, I forgot to put it on vibrate before I came in.”

Plaxum waved her hand.  “No worries.  I’m just glad it happened while my parents were away.  Despite my mom’s teasing earlier, they’re sticklers for not having phones at the table.  Something about spending proper time together as a family.”

Lance laughed as he unlocked his phone, fingers tapping away as they reached for his phone’s volume controls.  Satisfied that his phone would no longer be interrupting them, he quickly checked the notification, ready to dismiss it if need be.  “Yeah, my mom—"

You look good

But I prefer you in blue 😉

Lance’s head snapped up, voice abruptly cutting off after reading the message.  His eyes scanned the area around him for any sign of its sender.  How on earth?  They had to be here, there was no other way for them to possibly know what he looked like right now.  But there was no sign of him.  He turned around, ignorant of (or perhaps just ignoring) Plaxum’s looks of concern and bewilderment.  Just as Lance turned to check to his right and towards the front of the restaurant, his eyeline was blocked by a sea of black.

Standing right by his chair, no more than two feet away, was Keith himself.  He was dressed head to toe in his familiar black getup, though the style was much more elevated than normal.  He wore his signature black jeans, though these lacked their typical holes meaning Lance could no longer catch sight of the pale skin underneath.  Keith had changed out of his normal t-shirt of black or gray, for a nicer burgundy button down.  It wasn’t overly fancy by any means, but certainly a step up from what he usually worse.  It was clear he had made an effort in his appearance, and Lance couldn’t help but feel that it was for him.  The notion made his heart warm.

Lance stared at him wordlessly, mouth agape.  He was too shocked to speak, let alone ask one of the many questions running through his mind.  Why was he here?  Did he do this on purpose?  Was this just coincidence?  And most importantly, what was he going to do now that he was here?

Keith only smirked down at him before moving to sit in the chair across from him, the seat previously occupied by Plaxum’s mother.  He did so easily, completely unbothered by the fact that Lance was obviously on a date with Plaxum and her parents, information he knew before hand, making this all the more confusion.

All too casually, pale fingers reached for one of the few remaining mozzarella sticks, dipping it swiftly into the leftover marinara sauce.  He munched on the delicious appetizer, his eyes never straying from Lance.  Keith acted as though he had been one of the originally invited members to this dinner party, as if he were part of it all along.  His smirk only grew wider the longer Lance remained silent, too shocked to speak.

“Keith!”  Plaxum called in excitement.  “What a surprise!  What are you doing here?”

“Just meeting up with a few friends.”  He explained after swallowing. 

Keith motioned over towards the bar as if to say that’s where the rest of his company waited for him.  Lance knew better than to look though, there would be no one there who Keith knew.  He was here alone, interrupting Lance’s date with Plaxum.  He just didn’t know why.

He kept his eyes trained on Lance, barely glimpsing at Plaxum though she was the only one speaking to him.  He chewed slowly on his food, swallowing before taking another bite.

“Oh, that’s nice.”  Plaxum replied, her smile now faltering and appearing much more forced than before.  Her voice trailed off as she looked between the two men, more than aware of the tension sitting between them.

Lance’s eyes slitted into a glare, fists clenching beneath the table.  He tired to silently urge Keith to leave with his eyes.  Unfortunately, such a reaction seemed to only amuse the pale skinned man more, spurring him on as he took yet another bite of his mozzarella stick.  What was he thinking?  He wasn’t sure what game Keith was playing at but he needed to leave.  Now.

His being here was too risky.  Keith knew the affect he had on Lance, and the Cuban didn’t want to risk him exploiting such an advantage in front of the girl who was supposed to be his girlfriend.  Keith was risking everything by being here right now, pulling Lance into his latest twisted game.  He knew it likely came from his own insecurities, but it did nothing but antagonize his own.  Every minute Keith remained in that chair, Lance could feel his heartbeat rising.

It didn’t help that Keith was acting weird, more bold than normal.  Usually Lance wouldn’t have minded, loving such obvious affection from his partner.  But this…it was different, and not exactly in a pleasant way.  Keith, normally, wouldn’t meet his eyes for this long.  Lance had always assumed it was because he found the prolonged eye contact intimidating, another result of a horrible childhood.  He didn’t mind it much, brushing it off as yet another ‘Keith’ quirk.

But he was also touching him, hooking his ankle around Lance’s and pulling it towards him.  Lance didn’t resist the movement, though he was shocked by it.  Keith had never been one for public displays of affection, sexual escapades not included.  No, this was more intimate touching, more loving than lustful.  Possessive.  Lance knew Keith had no issues showing off his body and sexual prowess while in public.  But small, intimate touches such as this were far and in between outside of the bedroom.

…Is he jealous?  Lance thought.  No, that can’t be it…  But what other possible explanation was there?

Lance examined him once more, scanning every inch of him.  He gazed into those amazing eyes, searching for some sort of explanation for this strange behavior.  In the end, he found nothing, leaving Lance to wonder just what was going on in that pretty head of his.

“So…how did you hear about this place?”  Plaxum asked, breaking the silence once more.

Why are you here?  Was the question Lance wanted to ask, but he knew better than to do so in front of Plaxum.

“I helped Shiro find it last year for Valentine’s Day.  He wanted to take Adam out for a night on the town, so they came here for dinner and then the movies.”  Keith told her, eyes finally moving to glance over at her.  He turned to face her but continued to look over at Lance from the corner of his eyes every few seconds.  A predator not wanting to lose sight of their prey.  “They’re visiting Adam’s family tonight for the holiday so I decided to treat myself to some good food for a change.”

Plaxum laughed, though a little awkwardly.  As if she didn’t really know how to respond.  “Yeah, the food in the dining hall does get a little boring.  And especially bad on occasion.”

Keith nodded absentmindedly, not really paying attention to what Plaxum said.  Instead, he reached for yet another mozzarella stick, taking a large bite and devouring half of it in one go.  Then, as he swallowed, he turned his gaze back to Lance, meeting his gaze directly now.

“So, are we still on for tomorrow Lance?”

Lance froze, wracking his brain for the memory.  When had they made plans?  He couldn’t recall them ever doing so.  Most of their relationship was built off of a spontaneous agreement to meet whenever their schedules allowed it.  The only time they had ever pre-planned an event together was when they went to the aquarium.  Otherwise, they never scheduled anything.  And they certainly hadn’t for this week.  Lance had just assumed Keith would show up whenever he wanted, just as he usually did.

“Oh, I was hoping we could spend the day with my parents tomorrow.”  Plaxum stated, pouting slightly as she looked at her boyfriend.  There was a small glimmer of hope in her eyes, as if she were begging Lance to cancel and join her and her family tomorrow.  As if she believed he had any will power to ever resist Keith.  Plaxum didn’t know how wrong she was if that was the case.

He cleared his throat, once again pulling at the collar of his shirt. 

“Sorry Plaxum.  I didn’t know.”  He lied, not meeting her eyes.  Lance reached over, taking another sip of his drink.

Her should fell, disappointed.  Then, with a hopeful tilt to her voice.  “No worries.  Maybe some other time?”

“Yeah.  Some other time.”  Lance assured her, smiling sadly. 

Keith’s eyes narrowed into a glare, though he hid it quickly with the slightest tilt of his head.  The new angle allowed for his bangs to fall over his eyes, giving him cover as he attempted to manage his emotions.  Behind a curtain of black hid a venomous look, harsher than any viper’s bite.  He took a breath, wanting to calm himself.  It was a moment more before he found himself able to disguise his want for murder with niceties.  Still, once glance at those beautiful blues and Keith couldn’t find himself regretting coming over.

“So, Keith,”  Plaxum began, reaching for a mozzarella stick of her own.  She didn’t take a bite out of it though, not yet.  Instead, she idly swiped it back and forth through the marinara sauce, thoroughly coating it on either side with its flavors.  “What are you up to for the rest of break?  I know you and Lance are meeting up to work on his project, but anything else?  Any fun plans for the holiday?”

Keith shrugged.  “Nothing really.  I do have a few plans, though.  I’m actually set to meet up with someone later this week.”

Lance tensed, curious and cautious all at the same time.

Plaxum’s eyes lit up.  “Oh?  Who?  A friend of yours?”

Keith stared Lance down now, all focus completely on him.  He wanted to make sure that his message got across, no matter whether Plaxum understood its subtleties.  All that matter is what Lance did.  The raven-haired man smiled, one side of his mouth tilting up and showing a flash of canine.  He reminded Lance of a wolf in that moment and he found himself shivering from the thought.  Whether from anticipation or fear, he didn’t know.

“Yeah,” Keith grinned, still wolf-like.  “Something like that.”

Nothing else was said for a while after that, no one knowing how to respond.  Lance, for once, had no words, too stunned by the subtle acknowledgement of their relationship.  He stared at Keith, wide-eyed and bewildered.  The man gaze back at him, seemingly more than pleased with himself for garnering such a reaction out of his lover.  Yes, he definitely counted that was a success.

Plaxum herself was confused, remaining quiet as she tried to decipher just what exactly was going on between her two table companions.  Watching them, it was clear that Keith wanted to say next, it wasn’t meant for Plaxum’s ears.  She was beginning to have a difficult time fighting off the ever-growing dread in her stomach, warning her of something horrible to come.  Her anxiety had been active all evening, but these nerves were something else entirely.

She gazed at the two men, one of them her supposed boyfriend, as they stared across the table at one another.  They were all but oblivious to her presence, neither one acknowledging her.  Plaxum felt her heart sink the longer she stared.  She prayed she was wrong, simply reading too much into nothing. 

Lance wouldn’t do that, he wasn’t that kind of guy.  No, there was absolutely nothing going on between Keith and Lance.  At least, not in that way.  No, it simply wasn’t possible.  Lance was a good guy, a great one.  He would never do such a thing, not to her.  He had always treated her so well, so kindly…though he had been growing distant lately.  No. Stop thinking like that, she berated herself.  You’re just being paranoid.

Plaxum brought her now marinara soaked mozzarella stick up to her mouth.  It wasn’t very appetizing, the crust of it now soggy in an unfavorable way due to her anxious actions.  Still though, it gave her something to do rather than focus on the scene happening on front of her.  Swallowing, Plaxum cleared her throat before reaching for her glass of water.  Internally, she wracked her brain for something else to say.  For anything that would break whatever spell Keith had Lance under and drag his eyes back to her, his attention.  That was all she had ever wanted, even before they were dating.  His attention and affection, so that she could give it back three-fold.

It was strange seeing him like this, having never witnessed such a phenomenon before.  It was confusing, worrying, and it caused a large pit of worry to grow in her stomach, increasing in size by every minute this continued.  It was to the point where Plaxum began to worry whether she would be able to eat her meal, if the food could even pass her lips without her throat closing up and her feeling sick.

Lance wasn’t fairing much better.  Inside, he was melting and boiling all at once.  Part of him was pleased by the implications Keith had just provided.  He loved how he was willing to acknowledge their involvement in public for once, even if the timing was horrible.  However the other half of him was scared out of his mind.  He didn’t dare glance at Plaxum, terrified that she would somehow figure it out, figure them out, from such a simple line.  He had no idea what to say, how to defend himself or even how to respond to the very obvious suggestion.  He didn’t think there was a way he could dig himself out of this one, and the silence was ever-growing.

Keith on the other hand, seemed more than pleased with his antics.  His amusement had only grown in the quiet which had surrounded the table.  His predatory grin had grown almost murderous with how fast it had Lance’s heart rate going.  Without speaking a word, Lance scolded him.  His blue eyes berated the dark-haired man for such risky behavior, especially at a time like this.  What the hell was he thinking?

They remained this way for a few moments more, each of them caught up within their own thoughts.  It wasn’t long though, before all three of them could hear the tell-tale click-and-clack of Mrs. Mer’s heels.  She was making her return, her husband voice not far behind her.  Plaxum turned her head, peaking over her shoulder to spy her mother’s familiar dress swaying as she walked back with her father. 

She swiveled back around, catching Keith’s eyes as she did.  His peculiar eyes stared at her for a moment, before glancing behind her to view her approaching parents.  His darkened eyes widened, and the boy was soon leaning back into his chair, ready and prepared to make his leave so as to avoid that particular confrontation.

Unfortunately, his departure was attempted too late and he was unable to escape.  Before he could fully slide out of his chair, Plaxum’s parents were already standing at the side of their table.  They appeared perplexed as they patiently waited for the opportunity to return to their seats.  The pale-skinned boy plastered on an awkward smile, attempting to appear as family friendly as possible and not like he had been having a secret affair with their daughter’s boyfriend.

“Oh, hello there.”  Came the voice of Plaxum’s mother, confusion obvious in her tone.  Her husband stood next to her, his facial expression an echo of his wife’s tone.

“Hi.”  Keith greeted, fully standing now.  Out of the corner of his eye Keith saw Lance quirk a brow at him, appearing amused by his change in demeanor.  Keith replied with a brief glare before turning back to his audience.  “I’m Keith.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Keith.”  Plaxum’s mother replied, a small grin appearing on her face.  There was still a look of befuddlement in her eyes as they watched him.  Neither made a move to retake their seats, seemingly waiting for their new companion to make his final departure before reclaiming their territory.

“You too, ma’am.”  He replied, all smiles.  It had been some time since Keith had been required to charm parents, but he found it was like stepping into an old skin.  Similar to the one he wore when seducing his lovers, with just a simple change of script.

Speaking of, Keith then turned his attention to his current lover.  Those beautiful blues were still locked on him, the sight of which being thrilling.  He gave a small smirk, deciding to have a little more fun before taking his final bow.  He enjoyed how the boy squirmed beneath his gaze and thought to continue his ploy of playing coy, one last time.  It had served him well so fall, providing him with many amusements in such a short amount of time.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, Lance.  You guys have a nice night.  I think I’m going to hit up the bathroom before grabbing a seat at the bar.”

The impact was almost instantaneous.  The words seemed to have the affect he wanted and he watched as the tan skinned boy locked up even further, a tense and anxious mess.  His skin had begun to flush a gorgeous ruby red, and his lips had parted slightly in the midst of his surprise.  Keith licked at his own, imagining all the things he wanted to do to him in that moment.

Ahh, so he did understand.  The knowledge of that pleased him.

Keith knew exactly which memories were running through his mind.  Satisfied that he had accomplished what he came here for, riling Lance up, Keith bid the rest of them farewell and made his exit, leaving nothing but chaos and destruction in his wake.  If his hips swung and swayed a little as he walked away, well that was on him.

Lance, however, felt far from steady.  Keith had just wiped his feet out from under him, a feat considering Lance had already been sitting.  Yes, he knew exactly what Keith had been alleging to, the events to which he made reference.  Lance also knew the reaction Keith had been looking to gain by such an innuendo, and was more than aware he had received it.  He had felt how that coarse heat ran through his body, making itself visible upon his cheeks.

As soon as the words had been spoken, the suggestion made, flashbacks to all of their…adventures, in various bathroom had come forth, unbidden and unwanted.  While not on purpose, it seemed to be their thing, making out in restrooms.  The first time had been at Shiro’s, then the bar during his first date with Plaxum.  Each interaction had left Lance wanting and craving for more, desperate for skin on skin touch from the man.  For those lips to be on his.

And now, those sensations haunted him once more, sending his heartbeat racing.  Lance cleared his throat and tried to distract himself from such thoughts.  Now was definitely not the time to get caught up in those sorts of memories.  He tugged at the collar of his shirt roughly, allowing his neck a moment to breathe.  Lance smiled shakily as he turned his eyes back to Plaxum’s parents, body still tense. 

Unfortunately, her parents were already watching him.  Plaxum’s mother gazed at Lance, eyes glancing down to where he was pulling at the collar of his shirt.  Her eyes widened slightly and Lance opened his mouth to question her surprise, but her expression quickly returned to normal before he could even mutter a word.

The couple returned to their chairs, rejoining the rest of their dinner party.  As they situated themselves, Lance readjusted his collar and took a much-needed sip of his water.  He gathered his wits and attempted to compose himself so that he could survive the rest of the evening.  He could get through this, he could.

“Who was that young man?”  Mrs. Mer asked, readjusting her napkin so that it rested smoothly in her lap.  The stain from earlier was near invisible now, nothing but a faint discoloration left upon her blouse which was sure to be washed out later.  Lance thought she might have appeared relieved by such a feat, but her mouth was pursed and she seemed agitated.

“That was Keith.”  Plaxum offered due to Lance’s continue silence.  He wasn’t sure how to explain Keith’s existence in his life anyway.  “He’s a classmate of ours and he’s been helping Lance with is project.”

“Is that so?” Questioned Plaxum’s mother.  Her father remained silent, too engrossed in his search for their water.  Apparently his time away from the table had caused his hunger to rise, making him eager for their main courses.

“Mhmmm.  I’m pretty sure Keith has been Lance more than I have this past week.”  Plaxum continued, adding laughter towards the end.  It was as if she were trying to make a joke out of something which was clearly not meant to be funny.  It caused Lance’s smile to become tense.

“Oh, um,” He swallowed harshly.  “I don’t know about that.  I hardly see him, honestly.” 

Plaxum’s brows furrowed.  “What?  But you tell me all the time how you two are making such progress.  You’ve been meeting up with Keith practically ever day since the carnival; for over a week now.”

Lance couldn’t look her in the eyes as he lied.  He was trying to downplay everything, not wanting any further suspicion to be placed upon the exact nature of his relationship with Keith.  The last thing he wanted was for the whole affair to be revealed over a nice plate of spaghetti and meatballs.

Instead, his eyes turned towards the bar, subconsciously seeking out a familiar head of black hair.  “I, uh, wouldn’t say that, exactly.”

His date for the evening opened her mouth to protest once again.  To argue that, yes, that was in fact what had been happening.  The brunette girl had been trying to spend time with Lance for over a week but he had been so avoidant it left her concerned over the remaining life of their relationship.  It was only within the last few days, ever since Hunk’s disappearance and seeming abandonment, that Lance had finally begun to treat her like his girlfriend again.  They had finally started spending time with each other again.  All the while though, he had continuously mentioned the frequent amount of time he spent with Keith, often missing dates with the excuse of needing to focus on his project.

So yes, she was more than aware of the man’s presence in her boyfriend’s life, had made herself so.  Something about Keith had struck Plaxum as odd from the very beginning.  She had dismissed it though, claiming it as simple paranoia or faulty instincts.  Afterall, Keith had done nothing to directly affect or wrong her, why should she be suspicious of him paying so much attention to her boyfriend?  It’s not like Lance would ever respond to any of it.

The girl was more than aware of her partner’s bisexuality, how he enjoyed the attention of both men and women, along with every other gender out there.  That was no indication that he would ever cheat on her though.  Sexuality never determined integrity or loyalty to a partner, she knew that.  So Lance’s bisexuality and Keith being a male meant nothing in regards to that.  Her fears were unfounded and irrational, she was sure.

Still…she though, her eyes casting a glance over to the man in question.  She couldn’t help but wonder what exactly was going on between the two.  Lance had been acting strange all evening, but his demeanor had quickly changed upon Keith’s arrival to their table.  And they had been spending so much time together lately…Had it simply been a coincidence that he was here tonight?

She shook her head, turning her attention away from Lance.  She gazed down at the stark white tablecloth, pulling lightly at a loose thread.  Plaxum allowed herself a moment longer to think upon the issue, before settling it away for now.  She would think about all of that later, once she was alone and had time to herself.  For now, she would enjoy the time she had with her parents and her boyfriend, and make light of the rest of the evening.

Plaxum gathered herself and put on a smile, grinning over at her parents as they started up a new topic of conversation.  She reached for the last mozzarella stick, nodding along to whatever it was they were discussing.  Later, she reaffirmed.  Later, she would think it over and question her boyfriend on his odd behavior.

The evening seemed to drag on after their small tiff.  If her parents noticed the tension between the loving couple, they said nothing.  Which was something both her and Lance were thankful for.  Instead, the older couple only needed to give a look in order to share their worries.  No, Plaxum’s parents were more than aware of the awkwardness between their daughter and her partner.  They were beginning to grow increasingly concerned as the evening went on and neither one could look the other in the eye.

Thankfully, the food arrived soon enough, providing plenty of distraction from their worries.  All of their attention was hastily turned to the warm, fresh food.  Lance was grateful for the small reprieve, using it as a chance to organize his thoughts before diving into his food.  The rest of his table joined in, trying the first bite of their own meals.  There were hums of pleasure all around, each of them enjoying their food and giving compliments to the chef.  Soon, another topic of conversation arose and one fortunately not focused upon him or Keith.

Plaxum and her parents actually became pretty engaged in an interesting debate over the possible existence of mermaid and whether it was scientifically possible.  Lance normally would have joined in, throwing in his own bits of information and arguing “Of course they exist!”  He was too distracted and having trouble focusing on anything at all.  He tried to pay attention, he really did, but his ADHD raddled brain simply wouldn’t let him.

Instead, it had found another topic to hyperfocus on, being that of Keith.  Lance kept thinking back to earlier, to the blackette’s sudden and surprise arrival.  How good he had looked and how Lance’s heart had raced at just the mere sight of him.  And the flirting, geez the flirting.  No matter how subtle it had been, it had nearly driven Lance mad with desire, not to mention torn him apart with anxiety.

He knew Plaxum wasn’t buying his act, no matter how well he thought he might have played off tonight’s strange events.  No, Lance was sure he had failed miserably in that aspect.  The blue-eyed boy was more than aware that explanations would be needed for his own odd behavior that night, not to mention Keith’s.  He just hoped the questions could be delayed until Lance had a fully developed plan on how he could end things without shattering her heart.

With his thoughts focused on the boy, it only made sense that his eyes were drawn to him as well.  Lance chewed silently on his food as his eyes danced around the restaurant, searching through its customers for any glimpse of that beautiful black hair and pale skin.  Did he actually stay?  Had he left?  Would he wait for Lance?  There was no telling with Keith, which was precisely why these were the questions running through his mind.  Lance knew he would keep looking until he had obtained an answer.  Was that him over at the table with two other men?  Or standing against the wall?  Walking down the isle?

The answer was no.

No, because when Lance did finally catch sight of Keith, he found him over at the bar.  He leaned against the bar top, stationed comfortably on a cushion stool with a whiskey in hand.  In front of him rested a plate of what appeared to be steak and some sort of green…thing.  (Lance was sure it was delicious despite its hideous appearance).  Lance looked at him, scanning him up and down for a moment, appreciating the sight of him once more.  He really did look good tonight.

When his gaze finally turned upward, he found that Keith’s eyes were already latched onto him.  The Cuban boy froze, stiffening.  He paused, mid-chew, hand and fork frozen mid-air as he caught his lover staring at him from across the room.  Keith smirked when their eyes finally met, motioning with his glass in a silent hello.  Lance blushed, but it was the action he needed to startle him back into motion.  He resumed his chewing, lowering his hand back onto the table, and gave a short nod in acknowledgement.

The entire time he was unaware of a brunette’s eyes staring after him, growing more and more suspicious.  But she chose to let things lay for now.  Afterall, sleeping dogs could be woken later, when there would be less casualties.

The rest of the meal continued in a similar fashion, with Lance’s eyes straying every so often to catch Keith’s from across the bar.  Every time they do, there’s a small smile playing on Keith’s lips, as though he was pleased with his handiwork.  Plaxum’s parents carried on with their conversation, apparently oblivious to how distracted their daughter’s boyfriend was from their discussion.  But the lack of focus didn’t go unnoticed by their daughter, though she never said anything.  The mood of the table stays jovial despite the undertone of tension in the air.

Eventually, their dinner comes to an end and Lance discovers he somehow managed to eat the entirety of his plate.  All while not looking at it even once.  Placing his silverware on the now empty plate, he pushed it away from himself.  Immediately, his eyes glanced over to Keith, before pointedly looking away.  Plaxum’s father called their waiter to the table, asking for the check and Lance felt relief at the visible end to this evening.  Therefore, with the end in sight, Lance tried his best to refocus on the rest of his company.  He paid special attention to Plaxum, laughing and joining along in her stories from their classes, so as to at least appear to be the attentive boyfriend.

Their waiter attends to them, gathering their empty plates and ensuring to have the bill ready for them shortly.  This leaves the four of them there to simply enjoy each other’s company as their food begins to settle, engaging in idle conversation.  It’s during this brief break that Lance finally looks back over to the bar.  He spots Keith immediately, eyes having formed an automatic motion of seeking him out.  Like a sniper in the sky, he was always able to find his target, deadlocking on that black hair almost instantly.

When Lance spies him, he sees that Keith too has finished his meal, the remnants of it pushed forward for the bar staff to collect when able.  All that remains is the last sip of his drink, which Keith swallows quickly.  The entire time he keeps Lance in his sights.  Then, never losing Lance’s gaze, Keith stood.  For a moment, Lance feels fear strike through him.  His blue eyes widened and he couldn’t help but wonder if it was Keith’s intention to return to their table.  Lance wasn’t sure whether he was thrilled or terrified by the idea.

But no, instead he turns, walking to the left and towards the back well.  Lance watches, Keith’s eyes still meeting his as he somehow navigates the crowd while barely looking at it.  He didn’t fully understand what was going on until he saw the sign above the doorway, signaling this was the direction for the bathrooms.  Lance gasped, low beneath his breath as it hits him.  Suddenly, he knew exactly what Keith was doing.

Hastily, Lance shook his head.  He signaled to Keith that no, he can’t.  That this was a horrible idea.  Keith only gave him a sly grin, flashing his canines, before disappearing down the darkened hallway and out of Lance’s sight.  The Cuban bit at his lips, worrying it between his teeth.  No, he couldn’t…could he?

Behind him, Plaxum’s parents were looking over the check, ensuring that everything was correct and in order.  Unfortunately, this meant bad news for Mr. Mer, as his wife had discovered his treachery in order a dessert to go.  They were far too focused on that particular conversation to be bothered by his potential absence.  He glanced between them before finally turning to his girlfriend.  She too was preoccupied with her parents’ conversation, tag teaming with her mother about her father’s health concerns.

Okay, so maybe he could get away with it without anyone catching on…probably.  He stood a good chance, at least.  That didn’t mean he should though.  Besides, wasn’t it risky to cheat on one’s girlfriend while she stood in the same building?  It was just ridiculous, ridiculous!  He shouldn’t.  No, he absolutely couldn’t do that to her.  That would just be tempting fate.

But it was tempting.

It was oh so tempting.  And every time he glanced back towards the restrooms, Lance became more and more enticed by the idea.  With every look, he could feel his willpower fading and his patience thinning, until all that remained was a thread.

But, he didn’t come to a decision until Plaxum’s parents were signing the check and stated they were ready to leave.  They made comments of how tired they felt after such a long day, and how they were eager to get back to their hotel room in order to rest up for tomorrow.  He and Plaxum had nodded in understanding and relief had seeped through his bones with his escape so near.  Their table stood to leave, each exiting from their respective seats.  Lance’s hormone idled brain saw this as his chance, and so he impulsively took it.

“I’ll meet you guys outside.” He told them, barely look them in the eye.  His gaze was already focused on that long, dark hallway.  “I’m going to run to the bathroom really fast.”

The three of them replied with a brief nod and Lance wasted no time in rushing towards the restrooms.  He barely paid them any mind as he quickened his steps and practically ran across the restaurant floor, scantily avoiding more than a few head on collisions with some of the other customers.  In his frantic mind, he was hardly aware of Plaxum calling after him. 

Unbeknownst to Lance, her mother had taken notice.  Her eyes, not dissimilar to her daughter’s, had hardened slightly as she stared after him, suspicion coursing through her.  She shook her head though, echoing her daughter’s earlier actions, and turned her attention back towards her husband.  However, as she spoke, Mrs. Mer reached out to rub a comforting hand along Plaxum’s arm, watching her from her periphery.  A soft hand laid over her own, a gesture of thanks for the proffered comfort.

No more than a step into that darkened hall, Lance was suddenly pulled forward, rough hands already tracing up his body.  He gasped as his back hit the wall, all sense of air escaping him.  Those hands roamed over him, already managing to untuck portions of his shirt.  Supple lips practically attacked his neck, tugging at the collar until he heard a pop and the soft clank of a button falling to the floor.  Lance knew part of him should be worried, have the slightest bit of concern around being caught, but his mind was too frayed to focus on anything more than having those hands touch him.

A soft moan escaped him as Keith’s lips hit just the right spot, teeth protruding just enough to give a gentle nibble.  A deep chuckled echoed in his ear in response, causing Lance to inhale deeply.  It was too much, yet not enough.  He wanted more.  Needed more.

Then, with a sudden burst of energy, he pounced.

Lance’s own hands rose to scan over Keith’s body, feeling the softness of his shirt beneath his fingers before finding the warm texture of the skin beneath.  He grabbed at Keith’s biceps, holding tight as he flipped them over.  Lance had changed their positions, forcing Keith up against the wall instead, corner him.  For once, he was taking charge.

The change in position seemed to shock Keith at first, his body momentarily stilling beneath his fingers.  Lance paused, beginning to retreat in concern, when he’s soon back at it.  Keith pulled at Lance, dragging him in roughly so that they were chest to chest.  Lance towered over him due to his slight advantage in height and he relished in the small sense of power it provided him.  Somehow though, despite this advantage, Keith maintained his control, his grip relentless where he held Lance in his arms.

Lance licked at Keith’s lips, asking for instance, for which he was readily invited in.  Their tongues explored each other, getting a feel for the now familiar mouths of their lovers.  All the while, their hands pulled at each other’s clothing, until both shirts were freed from the confines of their pants and skinw as brushing up against each other beneath the fabric.

All thoughts of Plaxum and her parents had escaped his mind, his body too focused on the feeling of Keith’s body against his own.  He allowed himself to be dragged into the heat and pulled away from his dreadful night, numbing his brain of his anxious thoughts.  Lance wanted Keith to consume him, and so he allowed him to.  He wanted everything else to disappear, and so it did.

To his left, he heard a gasp.

Harshly, Lance was thrown back into his body, the knowledge of his surroundings returning three-fold.  Instinctively, Lance began to retreat.  But he could only go so far before Keith’s grip halted his withdrawal.  Lance pushed back though, his own hands rising to lay against Keith’s chest so as to gain some much-needed distance between them.  He stood there for a moment, staring into Keith’s eyes as he panted for breath.

His pink lips were swollen from their kisses, red and slick from each other’s mouths.  Lance licked at his own subconsciously, sure that they looked the same.  Keith’s hands rested against his hips, grasping him firmly and pressing their lower waistlines together.  For a second, Lance was lost within those violet orbs, falling into them all over again.

Someone cleared their throat.

Lance swallowed, embarrassment overcoming him.  He turned, mouth open and ready to apologize to their unfortunate voyeur, but found he couldn’t utter a word.  His eyes widened and Lance felt his entire body go slack in Keith’s hold.  His hand unconsciously slipped lower along his lover’s chest, causing him to assume that Lance had changed his mind and was ready to continue.  Keith leaned in closer, eager to pick up where they left off.  Lance, however, stopped him, leaning back even further so as to halt his assent.

He pushes at Keith’s chest once again.  Thankfully, the boy listens and pulls back.  He gives a huff, frustrated with his partner’s mixed signals.  The paler of the two men looked up, noticing how the blue eyes he loved so much weren’t even looking at him, but were instead trained on something down the hallway.  Eyebrows furrowing, Keith turned to stare in that direction as well, curious as to what had him so distracted.

Only to see Plaxum.

Lance heard Keith curse under his breath and second those sentiments, though not verbally.  No, he was still a little too stunned to even think of what to say, let alone actually speak it.  A thousand emotions had run through at once when he initially had caught sight of her, the primary one being that of shock.  It had quickly been followed by that oh so lovely combination of guilt and shame though.  Lance could feel his own heart ache at the realization of what they had found themselves in.  He could only imagine how Plaxum felt after having viewed such a scene.

Afterall, she had just caught her (ex)boyfriend cheating on her.

His (ex?) girlfriend stood at the edge of the hallway, right at the juncture where it opened up to the outer restaurant.  The light from the large dining room lit her up from the side, providing her with a halo of sorts.  Oddly, Lance found it fitting that he was now hidden in the shadows with Keith.  It seemed the perfect metaphor of their relationship so far.

Plaxum’s mouth was opened his shock, likely still too stunned to speak herself.  Her eyes were wide as she took a step forward, stumbling.  One hand reached out to the wall next to her, searching for support.  Lance had almost stepped forward himself in order to help her but thought better of it.  Looking at him the way she was now, Lance was doubtful that Plaxum would accept his assistance.

She stayed, leaning there, just staring at the two of them.  Lance couldn’t look away, but he couldn’t say anything either.  All words had escaped him.  Her too, apparently.  They observed each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. 

Lance watched as various emotions took over Plaxum’s face.  Her expression passed from something in surprise, then understanding, and finally, anger.  Slowly but surely, her face morphed into something furious and Lance winced at just the sight of it.  He was beginning to fear the validity of the saying “hell hath no wrath like a woman scorned.”

His fear only grew worse as Plaxum stomped forward, approaching him.

“What the hell is going on here?”  She yelled in a whisper.  Despite her fury, Plaxum did not want to drag anymore attention towards their small group.  It was embarrassing enough for her to be the one to catch them in the act, but for someone else to become involved.  Or god, if her parents had seen…she shuddered just to imagine.

She continued her march, never slowing down until she stood right before him.  Lance tried to push himself away from Keith, to maintain some sort of decency, but the pale-skinned man refused.  Instead, he actually latched on to Lance harder, as if he were afraid to let him go.  It almost felt like he was staking a claim, being idiotic enough to brave the wrath of the woman he had help scorn in order to keep his lover close.  Lance would have been flattered if he wasn’t absolutely terrified of the woman standing in front of him, and the chaos which was about to ensue.  He was beginning to panic and was therefore desperate to flee.  For perhaps the first time ever, he wanted Keith to let him go.

“I said, what the hell is going on here?”  Plaxum repeated through grit teeth.  Her jaw was clenched and Lance could see the fists forming at her sides.  He flinched slightly at the gruffness of her tone, unused to hearing it from the girl.

“I—it—”

Plaxum gave him a scathing look.  “What?  Keith got your tongue?”

Lance flinched, visibly this time.  Okay, he definitely deserved that.

Plaxum looked away, finding herself unable to look at them.  She brought her hands together in front of her, wringing them with frenzied motions.  She broke them apart after a minute, lifting a hand to run it through her hair.  Her fingers brushed through the brunette strands, frustratedly pulling at knots in a menial attempt to alleviate some of her nervous energy.

“God, is this your way of breaking up with me?  Is this why you’ve been acting so distant lately?”  Plaxum took a breath, trying to calm herself.  Lance opened his mouth but found he had no explanation to offer.  But then, Plaxum’s eyes widened with a realization of some sorts, a sudden epiphany.

“Wait.” Her hand paused in its movements; fingers caught in the strands of her hair as she turned back to look at him.  That same hand left her hair, falling limp back to her side.  “How long has this been going on?”

Lance glanced away, not wanting to look her in the eyes when he revealed the truth.  It was a cowardly move, he knew, but he just couldn’t.  He could feel Keith run calming circles across the skin beneath his shirt and Lance was suddenly grateful for his continued hold.  It was the only thing grounding him at this point, provideding him with enough bravery to finally answer her question.

“A little over a week.”  He mumbled.

“A week!”  She exclaimed, though she still kept her voice low.  Plaxum waved her hands in the air, heated. “You’ve been cheating on me for over a fucking week?!”

Lance winced again, one eye shutting in the process.  He parted his lips, mouthing at words that would hopefully provide some sense of comfort.  “I—”

“No.”

His mouth immediately shut, obeying her without question.  Her tone had left no room for argument.

“No, you don’t get to talk.  You don’t get to explain why and with who, that much is obvious by the way.”  She told him, her voice never wavering as she berated him.  Lance could do nothing but listen, hear her out, and make sure he didn’t cross any further lines.  “You don’t get the chance to try and talk away everything.  To vent about your own reasons, your own worries, and your own concerns.  Or whatever it was that drove you to make such a horrible decision and to hurt me in this way.  No, you don’t get the chance to try and make yourself feel better while leaving me all the worse.  You do not get to defend yourself for something which is undefendable.”

“I thought you were better than this Lance.  You used to be better than this.”  She muttered underneath her breath.  Her eyes were cast downward, gaze catching on the pale hands still wrapped around her boyfriend’s body.  Or her ex-boyfriend’s she supposed.

Lance’s heart sank, recognizing the validity of her words.  He had changed a lot since the beginning of the semester, and not all of it for the better.  But what could he do about it now?  He had come too far, given up too much.  Could he say it was all worth it?  He didn’t know.  He just knew he couldn’t go back.  He would never be that version of himself again.

But hadn’t that been the point?  To finally remove himself from that ‘good guy’ pedestal which had always plagued him and his relationships?  Sure, he had been dragged down into the depths of darkness, but he had grown so tired of the light and it had never seemed to serve him well in the first place.  Wasn’t this what he wanted?  This new edge?  Had that not been the whole point of talking to Keith that night at the bar?

He tried to convince himself that this was indeed what he wanted.  He had Keith now, right?  But that reassurance didn’t stop the doubts from sinking in, the new fear that perhaps he had gone too far.  This act, this affair, was the worst thing he had ever done, and hopefully ever do.  He had willfully caused pain on another individual, knowing what it would do to her. 

While he had known the logic behind it, the emotions and need, he still couldn’t understand it.  He felt horrible, knowing he had done this to another person.  There was a lot for him to regret over the past few months, and they ate at him from the inside out.  So while he knew he could never go back to who he was before, he did want to be better.  He did want a taste of that light back, if only a little.

Could he ever be redeemed?  He didn’t know.

He tried to push the feeling away, it being too much for him right now.  As always, Plaxum had seen him straight to his truth, and had called him out on it.  But now wasn’t the time for him to address, not in front her and not so publicly.  That would definitely cause another scene.  So Lance pushed them away, buried them deep beneath as he had done so many times before.  He would face them later, or hopefully never.

Then, it hit him all at once.  Lance had always known that he was going to lose Plaxum as his girlfriend, that had been inevitable.  But it suddenly crossed his mind that he was now losing Plaxum as a friend as well, which had never been the goal.  He knew it had always been a risk, a possibility of ending a relationship.  Not all couples remained friends, he was aware of that.  But he had hoped they would make it past their end, at least in that way.  While the development of their romantic relationship had been difficult for him, their friendship had always been easy.  It was the absence of it which he would mourn, because of how deeply he had cherished it.  Lance would absolutely missing having her in his life.

Plaxum cleared her throat then, eyes rising to meet his once more.  She looked at him, gaze almost pitying.  But then, her attention turned towards Keith and her eyes settled into a glare.  She seemed completely unbothered by the intimidating presence of Keith at his side, which Lance admired her for.  Lance was sure he wouldn’t have reacted the same way had he been in her position.

Keith himself did nothing, not the least bit phased.  No, he simply adjusted his hold on Lance, pulling him even closer.  Plaxum’s eyes caught the movement, glancing down before jumping back up.  She stared up at Keith, meeting his violet-colored stare.  She said nothing for a moment, choosing to simply stand there and observe him.  Whether or not she was searching for something, he did not know.

“I hope you enjoy him before you’re finished ruining him.”  Plaxum hissed at Keith before turning her gaze back to Lance.  Her hand rose faster than Lance’s eyes could track, the palm of it impacting with the skin of his cheek before he could even think to react.

“Happy fucking Thanksgiving.”

With that, Plaxum marched off.  She was officially exiting the restaurant and their relationship, at the same time.  Lance could only stare after her, brain moving too slowly to fully process what had just happened.  The night’s events seemed to have left him feeling numb, or perhaps just too overwhelmed by everything to truly feel anything.  It was all just a little too surreal for him right now.  He didn’t know what to think.  He didn’t know what to do.

He and Keith stood there in silence as their new reality settled upon them.  Everything was still, just for a moment, as they both tried to process the news.

Keith was the first one to recover, moving to embrace Lance.  He hugged Lance to his chest, circling him with pale, muscular arms.  Lance went willingly, pliant under his touch.  He wasn’t sure if he had the energy to resist him in that moment anyway.  Besides, the comfort was welcome, decidedly warm where Lance could feel his body going cold.

He felt broken.  Not quite shattered, but there were definitely a few shards missing.  Another crack had just appeared.  Idly, Lance wondered how many there were now, and how many more there would be.

Keith leaned down, nuzzling into Lance’s neck.  It was a gentle gesture, more affectionate than he was used to, but who was he to complain at a time like this.  Lance could feel the smile on his lips though, tiny and proud as it pressed against his skin.  Keith whispered his next words into Lance’s ear, sending a spine-tingling shiver down his spine.

“So…your place?”

Chapter Text

That Saturday found Lance distracting himself from all his life’s problems.  More specifically, distracting himself with schoolwork.

Yeah, he was that desperate.

He had tried other methods of course: movies, tv shows, video games.  He had even invited Keith over, hoping that the raven-haired beauty could be his saving grace: the thing he needed to pull him away from his thoughts.  That…hadn’t gone so well.

Hence, Lance was now propped up on his living room couch, surrounded by a pile of textbooks and chips.

He had risen early that morning, too anxious to sleep and too restless to stay in bed and relax.  Thus, he had made himself some coffee and gone about getting some work done.  Lance had gathered all of the essentials: his laptop, his notebooks, and food.  All of this lead to the blue-eyed boy being covered by a combination of crumbs and the ink from his pens.  Multiple, and now empty, mugs of coffee laid abandoned all across the living room table, a caffeine graveyard.

It had been this way for the past few days, his body in a constant state of conflict.  At times, Lance would feel fueled and energetic, making it impossible to sleep or rest.  At other times, he would be too tired to do anything which required leaving the apartment, let alone his bed.  It was now late into the Saturday afternoon, and Lance hadn’t moved in over four hours.  The lone exceptions had been the occasional break to the bathroom or kitchen.  At moments, it felt like he was vibrating in place due to how much caffeine he had ingested.

Lance had long ago finished the remaining assignments required to be completed over the break.  Now, he was simply working on this increasingly annoying project as a way to avoid everything which was going wrong with his life.  In an odd way, his coping mechanism was working, at least to an extent.  Lance had now completely finished gathering all the information he needed for the remainder of his project.  However, he was finding it difficult to focus on the paper portion and had so far been unsuccessful in actually writing it.  The majority of the past few days had in fact been spent with Lance staring at his computer screen, a blank page and blinking cursor staring at him in retaliation.

Obviously, his distraction wasn’t working as well as he had hoped.

Lance had thought focusing on schoolwork would provide a way for his mind to escape the memories of that disastrous Thanksgiving night, and of the night before.  The events of the past two evenings had hit him hard, and Lance could feel himself fast approaching the end of his rope.  He had become so stressed over the past week that Lance had hardly changed out of his sweatpants.  It had taken everything in him to continue with his skincare routine, something which he normally found joy in doing.  He tried to deny it, but he could feel the tangles of depression dragging him down again, and Lance wasn’t sure if the familiar sensation was a comfort, or a source of great displeasure.  Either way, he was sure it was bad news.

His intervention with Plaxum on Thanksgiving had haunted him.  The look on her face, the emotion in her voice, it had shaken Lance to his core.  It made him wonder how she was doing, for he hadn’t heard from her since, and if her parents now knew what had occurred.  He was sure they did, and the thought only made him feel worse.

There were so many times Lance had reached for his phone in order to text her, call her, ask how she was doing.  But every time he picked up the phone, he couldn’t find the courage needed to send the message.

Lance was also aware that he was ruminating on the issue, and that this was, in fact, something he shouldn’t do.  Constantly going in cycles wasn’t healthy for him; he wasn’t actually processing anything like he needed to.  It was hard to swallow though, this new mistake.  Lance had never caused this kind of damage to a person before, and he didn’t now what it meant for the type of person he was becoming.

He was beginning to recognize the depth with which he had crawled into during his time with Keith.  He was finally starting to realize how tainted his soul had become.  The implications were worrying away at his nerves.  But surely, it was a one time thing and he could get better.  He would become a better friend and, now, a better boyfriend

If only Keith would confirm what they were.

Ever since that Thursday night, a whole two days ago, Keith had refused to engage in conversation regarding the status of their relationship.  Had up right refused and walked out the door during one attempt at bringing it up.  It was beginning to hurt Lance and harm their relationship, whatever it amy be.  The night before, they had actually gotten into an argument over it.

The evening had been going well before hand, the two of them enjoying themselves in Lance’s apartment.  They had been watching a movie, some random feature they had found on tv.  But they hardly paid it any attention in favor of focusing on each other.

At some point, Lance had managed to crawl himself into Keith’s lap, the two of them having grown progressively closer as the evening had worn on.  Eventually, Lance was sitting atop of Keith, one leg on either side of his hips.  He leaned over the man beneath him, shirts having already been removed.  Lance marveled at the chest in front of him, hands roaming over it and appreciating how often Keith went to the gym.  The man was fit, there was no denying it.

He ground down slowly, reveling in the noises which came from Keith’s mouth and loving how he was the one to bring them forth.  However, Keith gave as good as he got.  His pale fingers twisted and pulled at Lance’s nipple in a delightful way, calling forth his own sighs of pleasure.  Not long after, those same hands lowered themselves, brushing against tan skin as they went.  They grazed all of his most sensitive areas, before slipping past the waist bands of Lance’s boxers in order to grope at his ass beneath.  Keith pushed and pulled at the plump flesh, causing Lance’s hormones to go wild

The make out session was a great and much needed distraction, something to help him break out of the anxious thoughts which had been circling his mind all day.  It provided a relief of sorts, but the tactic didn’t work as well as he had wanted.  His worries still crept in, only now more focused on the lack of definition placed upon their relationship.  Then, they became too much, and Lance could no longer hold back his questions.

Lance pulled away, panting.  He leaned back and onto Keith’s thighs, still positioned comfortably in the man’s lap.  “What are we doing?”

Keith opened his eyes, allowing Lance a view of those gorgeous irises.  He quirked a brow, one side of his mouth lifting up into a slight smirk.  His breathing was erratic, as was his heartbeat where it rested beneath Lance’s palm.  The words he spoke came out husky, which Lance had overly enjoyed. 

“I thought that much was obvious.”

Lance shook his head, frowning slightly as he pulled back even further.  “No, that’s not what I meant.”

Keith sat up then, lips lowering into a frown.  They glistened in the low light of Lance’s living room.  A pleasurable sight, but not enough to take away from the obvious confusion and disappointment filling his eyes.  Pale hands removed themselves from the inside of Lance’s jeans, retreating to lay on the couch next to his legs.  Lance pretended not to feel the impact of their absence.  He was sitting up fully now, forearms having wrapped themselves around the back of Keith’s neck.  He did it to maintain a sense of connection between them, and to hopefully avoid any potential arguments thereby.  Lance played mindless with the hair there, finding it soothed both of them.

“What are you talking about?”  He asked.

“I mean,” Lance began, motioning between the two.  “What are we doing here?”

“Making out.”  Keith stated bluntly, though it came out more as a question.  He tilted his head to the side, staring up into Lance’s eyes.

“No,I—“ Lance took a breath, trying to gather his frantic thoughts.  “I mean, what are we?  What are we doing in terms of our relationship?”

“Lance…” Keith groaned.  He dragged a hand down his face, brows pinching.  “We’ve talked about this.”

“But have we?  Since that night at Shiro’s, have we really had a conversation about this?”

Keith scoffed.  “Is there a need to?”

“Yes!”  Lance exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air.  “Absolutely, there is.”

“Why though?  Why is it so important for you that we talk about this?”

“Because I would like to put a name to our relationship.  I want to know what to call us.  And not just to our friends and everyone else, but to ourselves as well.  I don’t even know what to call our relationship anymore.  Are we together?  Are we not?  Are we dating or are we still just fuck buddies?  Just what have I given up my relationship with Plaxum for?”

The mention of the girl caused them both to flinch.

Lance sighed and shuffled back even further, now sitting squarely against Keith’s thighs.  All previous notions of having a ‘good time’ were officially dropped due to the sour mood now filling the room.  Lance would have removed himself from Keith’s grasp completely if it weren’t for the fact that he knew Keith would see as an opportunity to leave before the conversation went any further.  No, Lance wanted to talk about this.  They needed to talk about this, to figure things out.  And if that meant squishing Keith against his couch cushions then so be it.  Lance had no qualms over holding the man hostage between his thighs until they could come to some kind of resolution.

The man in question simply tilted his head back, neck lolling over the side of the couch as he stared up at Lance’s ceiling.  He wore exhaustion clear on his face, as well as frustration.  Next to him, his hands stretched themselves out, widening to their full potential before hardening into fists and opening once more.  Clearly, he did not want to engage in this particular conversation.  Lance felt guilty for a moment, recognizing the impact this subject had on his partner.  But at the same time, it was necessary, and Lance was tired of waiting.

“I just don’t see why it’s necessary.  Why is a label so important anyway?”

Lance shook his head, growing more and more frustrated.  “Keith, it’s not about having a label.  Would I love one?  Yes, because that would make things so much easier.  But I don’t need one.”

“Then what is it that you want from me Lance?  Because you keep bringing this up, and the repetition is starting to get annoying.”

“I just want to know where we stand.”  Lance breathed, suddenly overwhelmed with emotions.  He blinked, trying to hold back tears.  “I just want to know where we are with each other.  I want to know if we’re exclusive.  If we’re public.  If I can hold your hand while we’re out with friends.  If I can finally tell them about us and stop feeling like I’m going insane or like I’m losing them.  I want to know what you want from this.  From me.  From us.  I want to know your boundaries, your likes, your dislikes.  I want you and I want to be with you.  And I want you to want to be with me.”

Keith leaned his head up then, and just stared at him.  He appeared mystified for a moment, as though what Lance said had shocked him.  Violet eyes gazed at Lance’s blue, flickering between the two.  Then, his mouth set into a frown, his face grim.  And suddenly, he was pushing Lance off of him.

With a loud “oof!” Lance collapsed onto the nearest couch cushion.  He blinked dumbly for a moment, a little thrown by the sudden change in location and needing to adjust after such a head rush.  When his eyes finally caught up, they laid witness to Keith standing from the couch.  He began to walk around, gathering his things.

“I’m not doing this right now.”  He told Lance, voice gruff.

Keith grabbed his shirt from where it had landed on the ground, and hastily threw it over his head.  He paused a moment, adjusting the fit, before continuing towards the door where the rest of his possessions rested.  Lance quickly sat up from his slouched position, turning and leaning over the back of the piece of furniture.  He sat there, watching as his partner shoved on his boots.  Keith didn’t even bother to lace them up before grabbing at his jacket and keys.

“What?  Keith, you can’t just walk away from this.  We need to talk about it!”  Lance called after him, scrambling to his feet as he rushed to prevent Keith from leaving.

Keith’s hand was already on the handle for the apartment door, posed to open it.  He paused though, turning back at Lance’s pleas.  Violet eyes glowered at him, eyes ablaze.  The anger he found there almost made him flinch.  Keith’s grip on the handle behind him was harsh, and Lance was sure the metal was digging into his skin.  Somehow though, despite his ferocity, he reminded Lance of a scared animal.

“Newsflash, I don’t want to talk about it Lance!”

“Yeah!  I got that!  You never do!”  Lance yelled back.  He approached Keith carefully, with slow, deliberate steps.  Whether he liked it or not, they needed to have this discussion.  “But why?  Don’t you want to know what the hell we’re doing here?”

“I know exactly what we’re doing.”  Keith replied petulantly.  He practically spit the words at him.

Lance waved his hands around in frustration before bellowing, “Well then could you please enlighten me then?  Because I have no fucking idea!”

“I—it’s…” Keith tried, but his lack of a proper response only further proved Lance’s point.  Neither one of them held the answer, and Lance seemed to be the only one to care enough to figure it out.

“See!”  Lance yelled.  “You don’t know either!  So how can you not want to talk about this?”

“Because I don’t want to know!”  Keith had screamed.  His answer had been quick and loud, shocking Lance into silence.  The Cuban felt a strike of fear run through him, sending his heartbeat racing. He took a shaky breath, trying to calm himself.  “I don’t want to know what we are!  I don’t want to put a label on it.  I don’t want all the things you want Lance.”

“You don’t’ mean that.  Not really.”  Lance said, voice soft at first.  Then, his own temper began to rise, Lance’s blood simmering beneath the surface as his anger grew, higher and higher.  “Otherwise, what was the point of it all?  Tell me Keith, has this all just been a waste of both our time?”

“No.”  The answer was immediate, as if he were offended by the very question.  And somehow, that alone managed to calm some of Lance’s ire.  “No, Lance.  It hasn’t.”

“Then are you trying to tell me that you don’t want more?  Is this really all you want our relationship to be?”  Lance asked, taking another step forward.  They stood only a few feet apart now, yet they had never felt more distant.

 “I—I don’t’ know.” Keith looked uncertain, gaze cast downward. 

Lance scoffed, he couldn’t help it.  “Keith, how can you not know?”

“Because I have other things to worry about right now!  I can’t keep worrying about your feelings all the damn time!”

Lance couldn’t lie, his words hurt.  They were more painful than anything else Keith had ever told him.  He winced as he heard them, an instinctual reaction that he couldn’t stop.  But, judging by Keith’s continued glare, he had yet to notice.  And somehow, that lack of acknowledgement for his pain was what brought the anger back.

“But that’s what a relationship is Keith!  That’s how they work!  You care for another person and worry about how they’re feeling and if they’re okay, and if they’re happy!”

“Well then I guess that answers your question!”  Keith snapped back.

It sent Lance fumbling.  “…what?”

Keith let go of the door and crossed his arms over his chest.  He glared at Lance before looking away and down the hall.   

“If I’m not doing all of those things, then I guess we’re not in a relationship are we?”  Keith muttered, the words tasting bitter on both their tongues.

Lance said nothing.  It was all he could do to even look at the man.  He slowly raised his arms, lifting them to wrap around himself, seeking comfort in his hold.  His blue-eyed gaze fell to the floor.

“I mean, if that’s what’s required to be in a relationship, then I don’t know if we ever will be.”  Keith continued, the anger slowly leaving his eyes as a more somber look took him over.

“Because that’s not want you want?”  Lance questioned, voice small and unsure.  He had been terrified to ask the question, afraid of the answer.  But it had slipped out before he could stop it, and now he was left waiting for a response.

“Because I can’t, Lance.  I’m physically incapable of it.”

Lance grit his teeth then, hands forming into fists. He looked up and glared as he caught Keith’s stare.  The paler of two had long dropped his arms, allowing them to fall back to his sides.  His hands were loose and open, as though he were giving up and letting Lance go.  Which only served to piss the Cuban off even more.

“That’s bullshit and you know it.  You can’t keep playing the victim card Keith.  I know you had a rough childhood and are some kind of fucked up in the head over it, but sooner or later you’re going to have to face the fact that someone actually wants you around.”

Violet eyes hardened and those loose hands stiffened up once more.  In retrospect, Lance had gone too far and was perhaps too harsh with his words.  He hadn’t meant to be, but as they say, the truth comes out in anger.  And he supposed that’s exactly what happened.  He had spoken the truth, or at least his feelings on it.  Keith did need to realize that people wanted him in their lives, despite any prior evidence to the opposite which existed in his past.  Lance knew it was an issue Keith needed to recognize and overcome; it was the only way they could be happy together.  More importantly, it was the only way Keith would be able to have and maintain healthy relationships in the future, whether one be with Lance or not.  And so, Lance only regretted the severeness of his words, the phrasing and the harsh tone he had used in their delivery, but not the meaning behind them.  But alas, it was too late now.  The damage had already been done.

“Oh, like how you wanted me around last night at the restaurant?  I saw how desperate you were for me to leave that table.” Keith took a step forward, head tilting to the side in a mocking sneer.  “Or do you only want me like how you had me in the hallway?”

That, that struck a nerve. 

The subject of Plaxum was still a sore subject for Lance, for both of them he had though.  As it turned out, this was yet another thing he was wrong about.  Lance stood there for a moment, contemplating.

Part of him couldn’t believe how Keith had been so willing to go that low below the belt.  But the other part of him knew he should have expected it.  Whenever the raven-haired man was pushed into a corner, he would lash out like a lion entrapped in a snare: desperate and violent.  No punches pulled.

He was so tired of arguing, of having this conversation and never getting anywhere.  Or really, he was tired of not having the conversation, as they could never seem to get past this point of it.  Lance would always bring it up, wanting answers, and Keith would always refuse to provide them.

But most of all, Lance was just tired.

The past twenty four hours had been rough on him and their situation was only adding to the amount of stress in his life.  Lance just wanted a break from it all.  But he knew that anything said in retaliation to Keith’s comment would only further their argument and there was no telling where they would go from there.  Keith had chosen those words with purpose, looking for an argument, a fight of some sorts so that he would have an excuse to leave other than his own need to flee.

Lance didn’t want that.  He didn’t want to keep doing this and going round and round in circles until one of them finally said something to break the other.  He realized that Keith would end up leaving anyway, no matter what response he gave.  There was no changing that at this point; it was the truth of the matter.  He didn’t want it to happen, and he could only hope that Keith didn’t either.  But at this point they both needed a chance to cool and clear their head.  Hopefully, they could make progress another day.

Lance stood there, making up his mind.  The best way to respond, he decided, was not to respond at all.

“…I think you need to go.”

Keith scoffed, already yanking on the door.  He pulled it open and stepped out into the hallway, but not without sending one final glare Lance’s way.  “Fine by me.”

With that, the door had slammed shut.

Recalling it was painful and caused a deep ache in Lance’s chest, right where his heart should be.  He was aware he had said some harsh words, but so had Keith.  Lance was prepared to apologize though, and to hopefully bring them back to friendlier terms.  He was nervous though, anxious beyond words as to how tonight would go.  Lance was unsure of whether or not it would be a repeat of the one prior.

He hoped not; Lance truly wanted things to get better between them.  He wanted them to be able to understand each other by the end of all of this.  Plus, Lance wasn’t sure if he had the energy in him to continue this fight.  It was leaving him wary and weary.  Every day Lance was growing closer and closer to his end, the rope thinning out into a simple thread.  The two of them, he and his thread, had all but given up due to all the strain placed upon them.

Hence, another reason why he couldn’t concentrate on his schoolwork; his eyes were too busy staring at the clock on the wall to wonder how to write the next sentence.  Thus, Lance had found himself sitting on his couch, covered in crumbs, and staring, desperate, at a computer screen which never changed and a clock where time seemed to stand still.

But then, the door to the apartment began to open.

Lance turned in an instant, eyes wide and a little afraid from the sudden intrusion.  Had he unknowingly left it unlocked from the night before?  No, he was sure he had turned the deadbolt after Keith’s departure, securing both the apartment and himself.  So then how the hell was someone entering it right now?  Or better yet, who?

He watched, cautious, with his hand slipping towards his phone in case he needed to call the police.  His body tensed, preparing to flee to his bedroom if need be.  Then, the door opened fully, revealing who stood there. 

Hunk was positioned in the doorway, keys in hand.  He entered the apartment, at first blind to Lance’s position on their couch.  He walked inside, Pidge and Shay not far behind him, all three engaged in conversation.

“But Hunk!  It’s obviously the better method!  You should double modulate everything!”  Pidge cried as they followed after him, hands thrown in the air.  Behind them, Shay giggled into her hand, amused by their antics.

“Are you crazy?  That’s a waste of a button press.  Single modulation is clearly--” Hunk paused mid-sentence, having finally taken notice of the extra person in the room.  The Samoan stared across the room at Lance, mouth agape from where his words had halted so suddenly.

Shay peered curiously at her boyfriend, confused as to why he wouldn’t finish that thought.  It was a familiar debate between the two friends, and Hunk had never been one to let the subject drop so quickly.  She gazed at him, before following his line of sight; a grim smile took over her face upon meeting Lance’s eyes.

Pidge, however, remained oblivious as they continued on their rampage.  They had assumed that Hunk’s lack of a proper had been meant as a surrendering.

“Aha!  See, you can’t even argue against it anymore!  You should just admit defeat, now while you still can.”  They exclaimed, pumping their arm in victory.  Pidge smiled, eyes wide with excitement due to putting the continuing argument to bed, and coming out the victor. 

Laughing, they approach Hunk, wanting to see the look of defeat upon his face.  However, once they gained a more direct view of Hunk’s face, their nose scrunched in confusion, glasses raising slightly with the movement.  They were startled by the anger in Hunk’s eyes and baffled by its abruptness. 

Just as Shay had, Pidge followed Hunk’s gaze, and now all three of them were staring at Lance.  Pidge’s eyes had immediately turned into a glare, Hunk’s just the same behind them.  It was only Shay who looked upon him with pity and Lance wasn’t sure whether that was better or worse.

The onslaught of attention caused the Cuban boy to shrink back into the couch, feeling incredibly intimidated and oddly scared of his own friends.

“Uh…hi guys.”  Lance greeted, one hand giving them a small wave.

Hunk gazed at him a moment longer before swiveling on his feet and marching off to his bedroom, pointedly ignoring Lance.  Lance’s heart twinged, staring after his best friend as he disappeared behind his bedroom door.  As the image of Hunk’s back disappeared behind the wooden structure, he turned his eyes back to Pidge and Shay.  The two of them watched him with a varying set of emotions.

It was Pidge who spoke first.  They crossed their arms and took two large steps forward, fully prepared to address him directly.  “What are you doing here?”

“Working on my project.”  Lance quirked an eyebrow.  “Also, I live here.”

Pidge scoffed, rolling their eyes.  “I know that.  What I meant, is why are you here during break?  You usually don’t get in until late Sunday evening.  Or whatever day before classes start back.”

Lance looked away again, eyes gazing off across the room towards where he knew a picture of he and his family rested, sitting proud upon the shelf of their small bookcase.  The emotions seemed to choke at him them, the homesickness suddenly overwhelming.  Lance cleared his throat, blinking back tears.

“Uh, yeah, um, I ended up not going home.  Decided to stay back and work on this project.”

“Oh.”  Pidge said, deflating as though they were disappointed with the answer.  Had they been expecting more of a fight?  A scandal?  Lance was sure they had their fair share of accusations.  “How is that going by the way?”

He shrugged.  “It’s going.  I have all of my research but I can’t seem to write a word.”

“Yeah, you never had the patience to sit down and properly write a paper.”  They teased, grinning.

Lance couldn’t help but to chuckle, recognizing the truth when he heard it.  “Apparently that particular ability never left.  At this rate, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to get it done.”

Pidge and Shay laughed lightly, if not a bit awkward.  Despite the new levity the room held, there was still a sense of tension amongst them.  It was the leftover anger, deposited amongst them after Hunk’s departure.  There was also their own anger and worries in regards to the situation, stilting the conversation if only just a tad.

Despite the lightness of the subject, and the new levity which the room held, there was still a sense of tension amongst them, likely leftover from Hunk’s departure and their own anger and worries in regards to the situation.

“I’m sure you’ll be able to get it done in time.”  Shay assured, stepping into the conversation.  She hid a soft smile behind the warm brown of her hand.  Down the hall, Lance could hear Hunk as he rustled around his room, in search for something.  “Have you asked Plaxum for help?  She may be able to offer some advice on how to get started.”

Lance winced a little at the mention of the girl and was quick to brush off the suggestion.  Pidge picked up on the behavior, eyes narrowing suspiciously behind their glasses.  Otherwise, they said nothing, choosing simply to observe.

“No, she’s busy with her parents this weekend.  Besides…I don’t want to bother her with it.”

“Oh, I’m sure she wouldn’t mind.”  Shay said with a wave of her hand.  “How is she anyway?  I haven’t seen her in a while.

“Oh, um, she’s okay.  At least, I think so.  I…I haven’t talked to her in a few days.”  Lance admitted, not looking Shay in the eyes as he spoke.  He turned his attention towards the living room window, gazing out at the building across the street with a blank stare.  Behind her, he heard Hunk’s bedroom door open as heavy footsteps made their way back down the hall.

“What?”  Shay questioned, now confused.  “How come?  Is everything okay?”

“Um, well…” Lance pulled at a loose string on the couch.  He made a mental note to cut it later, but right now it was serving a purpose: calming him down.  “We…we broke up.  On Thanksgiving.”

“Oh my.”  Came Shay in a hushed voice.  She was apparently stunned by the news.  Pidge, on the other hand, didn’t appear as surprised.  Still, there was concern in their eyes as they stared at him.  It was almost pitying, and Lance despised the look because of that.  “Lance, I’m so sorry.”

“It’s fine.”  Lance said, but his words were hurried.  He wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince more: himself or his friends.  Hunk had officially rejoined the group, listening in on their conversation.  He frowned as he took in the news but said nothing as Lance continued.  “It’s probably for the best anyway.

And Hunk couldn’t help it, he scoffed.

A itch of irritation ran through Lance, which he tried to ignore.  His eyes glanced over to his best friend, assuming he still wished to hold that position; Lance wasn’t so sure anymore.  Hunk’s dark eyes were narrowed in on him, regarding Lance in just the same way the Cuban was watching him.  They met each other’s gaze head on, either one daring the other.

Shay glanced over at her boyfriend, concerned over such a reaction.  It was a simple one, and not overly mean or rude by any standards; but for Hunk it was unusual.  He didn’t typically act this way and the peculiarity of it left her worried.  She knew things had been tense between him and Lance lately, but Shay hadn’t realized just how bad things had become.

Pidge, who stood on Hunk’s other side, still held their arms crossed over their chest.  They scrutinized the two boys, watching the drama unfolded before them and hoping for any hint as to what this was all about.  There was a glint of suspicion in their eyes, as though they had a theory but were not yet ready to confirm it.  Yes, Pidge was beginning to put it together now, and Lance was terrified of that fact.  He wasn’t ready to speak on his wrongdoings yet.

“Is there something you’d like to say, Hunk?”  Lance spit out, jaw clenched tight.

“No, Lance.  I don’t have anything to say.” Hunk replied through grit teeth.  The glare in his eyes was disheartening, along with the fists clenched in anger.  “Do you?”

Lance swallowed and tried to keep his own irritation from taking over. 

“No.”

Hunk took a step forward, crossing his arms.  “Are you sure about that?

“Yes, Hunk.  I’m sure.”  Lance replied, his words biting.  “I have nothing to say.

The two friends and roommates stared each other down, neither blinking or averting an eye.  They were both daring the other to speak first, to reveal the truth before anyone else could.  Lance sat there, patiently waiting for Hunk to cave, knowing he would be the first one to break the silence.  He waited, but the moment seemed to drag on until the only noise in the apartment was the hum of Lance’s laptop from where it sat on their coffee table.

“Why did you guys break up?”

It was Pidge who spoke, though Lance was unsure which relationship they were referencing.  He and Plaxum?  Or Lance and Hunk?  At this point, there was hardly a difference.

They slid their glasses back up to the bridge of the nose from where they had slipped.  Their brown eyes watched him, unblinking with their intensity.  All eyes had been drawn to them, with Pidge’s gaze now latched onto Lance.  He looked away, unable to meet their stare.

“No reason.”

“Obviously there was a reason Lance.  Plaxum isn’t the type to do something like that willy-nilly.  So, what happened?”  They grumbled, leaving no room for escape.  In an instant, the conversation had been turned into something more akin to an interrogation.

“I told you, it was nothing.” Lance spoke through gritted teeth.

Lance’s own hands were beginning to tighten at his sides.  He tried to reign in his emotions, but his mind was providing a vivid flashback to Thanksgiving night.  All memories of the evening were now running through his head.  Then there were those of last night, only adding to the pressure building inside him, all but ready to explode.

It wasn’t so much anger as it was panic.  His anxiety had reached new heights within the past month, and a new peak within the past few days.  He was not prepared for this conversation right now.  He needed time; he needed to figure things out.  He wanted to know what to tell them before they had this discussion.  All of it, it was becoming too much for him.  His break up with Plaxum.  His fight and lack of relationship definition with Keith.  The feeling he had lost his best friend.  Lance was nearing his breaking point; the end of that small thread from which he hung.  He gripped at it with all his might, unwilling to let it go, or for things to go that far.

Lance opened his mouth to explain thing, in as little detail as he could.  At the very least, he decided, he could satiate their innate curiosity by promising an explanation at a later date.  It wouldn’t last long, he knew.  No, Pidge was too inquisitive for that.  But it would at least by him a few days time, which would hopefully be long enough for Lance to formulate a plan and figure out what to say so that he didn’t lose everything, and everyone, that he loved.

However, before he could utter a single word, Hunk broke first.

Or rather, he yelled.

“No, Lance.  It’s not nothing!”  Hunk bellowed.  His voice carried throughout the apartment, rage echoing off its many walls.  Lance and the others flinched at the noise, unused to their usually soft spoken friend speaking so loudly.  “You can’t just sit there and act like you’ve done nothing wrong!”

“I’m not!”  Lance screamed back.  He stood from his seat, crumbs and earbuds falling to the floor at his feet.  “I’m not acting like I’m innocent here Hunk!  I know very well that what I did was wrong!”

“Then why haven’t you owned up to it!” 

Why haven’t you told them?

“Why haven’t you fixed it!” 

Why haven’t you fixed us?

The ‘I miss you’ behind Hunk’s questions was left unspoken.

Lance felt his heart crack at the break in Hunk’s voice.  It seemed he hadn’t been the only one waiting for the other to make it better.

“I have!  I’m trying to!”  Lance insisted.  He took a breath and stepped forward on wobbling legs.  “Hunk, I—"

“What the hell are you two even talking about?”  Pidge interrupted.  They tapped their food incessantly, impatience evident in every aspect of their being.  Their head swiveled like an owl, glancing between the two boys.  “I think it’s time we all knew the truth.  What happened between you two?”

Receiving nothing in response from Hunk other than a minor shake of his head, Pidge’s gaze then settled upon Lance.  “Lance, what did you do?  What is it that you’re supposed to fix?”

He merely shook his head.  “I promise, I’ll explain.  I will.  I just need more time to—”

“No.”  Pidge stated firmly, voice like ice.  They had had enough of this.  The two of them needed to figure their shit out, now.  “This has gone on long enough.  It’s time for you explain things.”

“And I will!  I will, I promise.  Just please—”

“Did you break something?  Is that what needs to be fixed?” 

“What?  No—”

“Does it have to deal with Plaxum then?  And why you guys split?”

“Yes, but listen—”

“Did you guys have an altercation?  Did you—” Pidge paused, eyes going wide.  “Wait, did she do something?  And you and Hunk got into an argument over it?  Oh my god, Lance did she cheat on you or something?  I mean, she doesn’t seem like the type but you never know—"

“No!”  Lance roared.  “No, because I was the one who cheated on her!”

He stood there, panting, the reality of what he had just said now sinking in.  Fear lit up his wide eyes and his palms began to sweat.  Lance felt like he had just finished running a marathon; his heart nearly leaping out of his chest.

Oh, fuck.

The room fell into a stunned silence, shocked faces all around.  It became so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.  Pidge seemed entirely astounded by the revelation, as though the mere suggestion of Lance being the one to cheat was so erroneous that her genius brain had never even considered it.  Their arms had fallen back to their sides, the tapping of their foot now ceased.

Hunk, on the other hand, seemed both surprised and pleased.  Lance reckoned his shock was mostly due to the volume with which he had revealed the truth, and less so the particulars of what he said.  In a way, Lance had not only spoken his truth, but Hunk’s as well.  They were both now free from that night in his bedroom, only a week back.  From here they could move forward.  Hunk seemed almost…relieved.

Behind all of this though, Lance could see the despair hidden within those deep brown eyes.  There was a sadness there, and it was meant for Lance.  It pained Hunk to watch his best friend admit to something so painful, the hurt on Lance’s face obvious.  The stress was obvious on him, visible to the point that even those who didn’t know him would recognize the signs.  He was finally able to see the toll this was taking on Lance, and the Samoan felt himself crumble with having no idea how to help him.  He didn’t know how to fix it other than to separate him from the very thing he had clung to for sanity, for survival: Keith.

But still, the Samoan couldn’t bring himself to walk across the room and comfort his friend.  There was still anger there, settled into the crevices of his heart and he carried that ire with him everywhere.  He was reluctant to hold a grudge, and had no intention of doing so, but Hunk himself was still too hurt by Lance’s actions to forgive him just yet.  No, he decided, that would take time.  Thus, he stayed where he was.

Shay herself seemed shocked by the revelation, but much less agitated by the news than her companions.  She held one hand up to her mouth, her parted and gaping lips just visible through the cracks between her fingers.  Her other hand gripped at her dress, pulling the fabric taught as she fiddled with it.  Her amber eyes were wide, holding a variety of emotions within them.  Shock.  Disappointment.  But most of all…worry.  Lance felt guilty at causing for seeing such concern on his friends face.  He never meant to worry anyone with his confession, especially he was the one in the wrong.

“What?” 

Pidge was, once again, the first to speak.  The words were a whisper and just barely audible.  Lance rubbed at his arm, hoping the motion would soothe him somehow. 

It didn’t.

“I said…” He gulped, swallowing back the harsh sting of tears.  “I said that I—that I was the one who cheated.  Not Plaxum.”

“Wha—I can’t—but why?”

Lance took a deep breath, though it was shaky.  He supposed it had been forced upon him now; the time had finally come.  He closed his eyes for a brief moment, focusing on the tension within his body.  He took another slow, deep breath, allowing his lungs to fill to their maximum before being released.  Bracing himself, Lance opened his eyes once more and forced himself to look directly into his friends eyes.  He steeled himself against their reaction, knowing they could be harsh.  But he reminded himself that no matter how bad it got, he was sure they would forgive him.  Eventually.

He hoped.

“I-I can’t exactly explain why?  I-it just started as a one night stand, before Plaxum and I ever met.  Then the night of the carnival happened and he kissed me and it all just kind of spiraled out of control after that.  He—we—I just—I couldn’t resist him.”

“Wait, he?”  Pidge asked, voice rising an octave.  “He who?”

Lance hung his head, shame overcoming him.  This response, he knew, would be hard for them especially.  Afterall, they were best friends before Lance had even known Keith.  There was no telling how Pidge would react to the news that it was Keith who had been having an affair with.

“Keith.” He admitted, muttering the answer beneath his breath.  “I had—the affair was with Keith.”

It was silent again as the three processes the news.  Hunk, who already knew, didn’t seem the least bit surprised.  Just disappointed.  He looked away when Lance caught his eyes, not wanting to witness the downfall of his friend.  Next to him, Shay was the second to accept the news, almost as though she had known it all along.  Lance surmised that she probably had; Shay had always been very intuitive when it came to people’s emotions.  It would be no surprise if she had recognized the attraction that had been between he and Keith.  She offered him a small, comforting smile though, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Pidge, on the other hand…

“What!”  They screeched, eyes almost as wide as their glasses.  “You cheated on Plaxum with Keith?  Are you out of your goddamn mind!”

Lance frowned, the grip on his arm growing tighter.  “Look, I know it wasn’t the best idea but—”

“No, Lance, it was a colossally bad idea.”  Pidge interrupted.  “Keith—Keith doesn’t do relationships.  He just, he uses people.  And as his best friend, I can say that.  Lance, I watched him tear person after person apart by leading them on.  He’s not someone who believes in permanency in relationships.  It took me years to even get him to try and maintain a friendship between us; convincing him to pursue anything more in a relationship would be like pulling teeth.  What were you thinking?!”

“I wasn’t obviously!  Which is the problem!”  Lance yelled back, growing frustrated.  He pulled at his hair as he began to pace back and forth.  “It wasn’t exactly my head that I was following here—do not make that joke—and believe me, I tried to stop it.  I tried so damn hard Pidge, you don’t understand.  But every time, and I mean every time, Keith just kept pulling me back in and I just didn’t know what to do!” 

Lance sighed before continuing.  “So, I gave in.  I think some part of me figured it would be easier that way.  And I shouldn’t have, I know, because all it did was hurt those around me.  But…I don’t regret it.  I can’t, not with the way Keith makes me feel.  There’s no way I can regret those feelings.  Never.”

He fell into a squat, overwhelmed with emotions.  Lance pulled at his hair, tugging at the brunette strands with harsh fingers.

“Lance…”  Came Shay’s voice but the man in question simply shook his head.  He didn’t want to hear the soft, kind words which were sure to come out of her mouth.  He knew they would be more than he deserved.

“I just didn’t know what to do and I’m so sorry.  I never meant to hurt anyone, I swear.  I didn’t want to cause anyone pain.”  He tells them before falling to the floor.  His shoulders shook, breath rattling through him as he weeped.  He wasn’t even sure when the tears had begun to fall.

“Lance,” Pidge began, their voice hard but full of sympathy.  They didn’t want to hurt him, but sometimes the truth was hard to hear.  And sometimes, helping a friend meant hurting them in the process.  “You need to break up with him.”

“They’re right, Lance.”  Shay echoed.  “We know you didn’t mean to hurt anyone.  You made a mistake, but you can fix it.  You’re so much better than this.  You’re a—”

“What?  A good guy?”  Lance laughed sardonically.  A familiar cold began to sink into him, smothering his heart with its hold.  He wiped at his cheeks, now feeling too numb to even shed a tear.  “Oh Shay, I haven’t been that in a long time.”

“But Lance you are—” 

“And a lot of good it’s done for me, huh?  One relationship after the next, partner after partner every single one of them telling me how I’m such a ‘great guy’ and how amazing I am.”  He mocked, rolling his eyes as he sat himself fully on the floor so as to rest his legs.  His whole body was tired, barely able to hold him up at this point.  “Well, if I was such a great guy, then why didn’t any of them stick around?  Huh?  Why is it that the only person who seems to want me as I am, is toxic for me?  Why is it that being me isn’t good enough for anyone else?”

“Lance, that’s not true…”

“But it is!  It’s always been true!  And this just fucking proves it!  My parents wanted me to be more like my older siblings.  My teachers wanted me to be a better student even though I was already making A’s.  Hell, even you guys want me to be someone else.  I know how much I get on everyone’s nerves.  I’m too annoying, I talk too much, I can’t keep up.  No matter how hard I try, no one in my life wants me for me.  Except for Keith. He’s the—he’s the only one.”

It was a heavy proclamation, but one he felt was true.  It was how he felt, how Lance had always felt.  How many times had he been told that he wasn’t good enough, even though he was trying his very best?  How many times had Lance questioned himself and his worth?  All because others couldn’t see the value in him.

Not everyone agreed with that though.

“That’s bullshit and you know it.”  Pidge told him, eyes ablaze.  “I can’t speak for your parents or those asshole teachers, but we have always been there to support you Lance.  And we still are.  But this, this thing with Keith has got to end.  It—he, is not healthy for you.”

“I know!”  Lance admitted, running his hands down his face as he hunched over.  He wiped at his cheeks once more, finding the damp skin there unfavorable to his senses.  “God, I know.”

He ran a hand through his hair again, feeling how oily it was.  He made a mental reminder to wash it later, with the silent prayer that a shower would help calm him down enough to fall asleep.

“Believe me, I know.  I’ve seen the signs; they’re all there.”  He reaffirmed.

“Then why haven’t you done anything about it?”

“Because I can’t let him go.  Not if there’s even the slightest chance that he feels the same way.  That he wants this too.”

Pidge pauses for a moment, faltering in their steps as they examined him.  Their brown eyes took him in, every inch of him, and found that they could only come to one, solid conclusion:

“You love him.”

The words ran through him like a lightning bolt, shocking him to his very core.  Goose bumps prickled along his skin and when he shivered it wasn’t from the cold.  He, he hadn’t considered that before.  Sure, Lance knew he had feelings for Keith…but love?  That was too far out, wasn’t it?  that was—it just wasn’t possible.  It was too soon in the relationship for that.  Lance barely knew what they were, let alone if they were in love.  Lance—he just—he didn’t know what to make of it.

His continued silence allowed the others to assume at the validity of Pidge’s statement.  And maybe they were right, Lance certainly know whether or not it was the truth.  And shouldn’t he know before them?  Wasn’t he supposed to be the one more in tune with his emotions?  Afterall, they were his emotions.  He didn’t know; it was too much to think about right now.  He would need to take time later to think it over and examine just how far he had already fallen for his mysterious lover.  So for now, Lance didn’t say anything to agree, but didn’t deny it either.  All he could offer them was his silence; anything else would be a lie.

“Lance,” Pidge began again, coming to sit in front of him.  Behind them, the others approached as well.  Shay held onto Hunk for support with one of the Samoan’s arms wrapped firmly around her as they too crouched down next to him.  Their reached to hands out to comfort him with their touch, but their skin never met his.  “Lance, you need to let him go.”

He shook his head, absolutely refusing.  His fingers dug tightly into the fabric of his sweatpants, hugging his knees up to his chest in a desperate attempt to make himself smaller.  He hid his face amongst his knees, trying to hide a new onslaught of tears, but he knew they were obvious at this point.

“I can’t.”  Lance whispered.

He hated how true the words were, and how weak he sounded saying them.  But there was no use in denying them.  Lance truly was past the point of being able to let Keith go.  He had become dependent upon the man over the course of their time together.  It wasn’t the healthiest emotional link, but it was there nonetheless.  Lance was far too attached to him now, in spite of all he had lost.  He was Lance’s safety net, the line to which he clung to in the raging storm; he was the only thing keeping him afloat.  If he were to let go, or Keith to release him, then what was left to keep him from drowning?

“Lance, please…”  Hunk begged, voice trailing off towards the end.  Lance knew what he meant, what he wanted.  What they all wanted. 

He shook his head once more, nose bumping up against the bones of his legs.

“I can’t Hunk.”  He told them once more, repeating his earlier sentiments.  “I’ve thought about it, so many times.  And I’ve tried, but I can’t.  I don’t want to.”

“And I don’t want to watch you be turned into something you’re not.  I can’t watch you ruin your life over him Lance; he’s not worth it.  No one is.”

Lance said nothing, too terrified to even look at his friend as he spoke.  Instead, his blue eyes were cast to the fabric of the rub beneath him, staring blankly at its design as if it held all the answers he searched for.  No such luck though, the pattern and colors told him nothing.  It seemed Lance would have to figure this out for himself.

“He’s right Lance.”  Shay reaffirmed.  She leaned forward.  “You don’t deserve this.  You deserve so much more.  So much better.”

She leaned forward, running a gentle hand across his forehead and wiping at his bangs.   The motion reminded him of his mother, causing Lance’s heart to lurch in pain.  What he wouldn’t give for one of her hugs right now.

“Let us help you, Lance.”  Pidge offered, drawing themselves closer as well.  “I can talk to Keith, get him to see sense and to leave you alone.  We can help you Lance, you just need to let us.”

He stared at them, and for a moment he considered it.  He thought about all the times he had almost ended this thing with Keith, had almost quit him completely.  He had been so close before, on his own, whose to say he couldn’t finish the act with his friends behind him?

But then it would have all been for naught, right?  He would have hurt Plaxum, broken her heart, for nothing.  He would have ruined his relationship with Hunk, for nothing.  He would have stayed home for Thanksgiving, for nothing.

And for some reason, Lance couldn’t let all of that go to waste.  Otherwise, what had been the point?

Plus, leaving Keith at this point would mean a yet another betrayal would be added to his book.  How many times had he promised the boy that he would never leave?  That he would stay, despite it all?  That Lance wanted him, no matter what?  To take all of that back now would be detrimental to the boy, he just knew it.  And Lance, he just wouldn’t do that to another person.  He couldn’t do that to Keith.

Slowly, Lance began to shake his head.

“You guys don’t understand,” Lance told them.  “I can’t do that to him.”

“Yes, you can.”  Hunk assured him, still trying.  He reached out as well, fingers warming the skin of Lance’s forearm.  “You can let him go.  You need to.”

Lance felt something inside him break then.  And from that crack, rose anger.  It was strong and new, and venomous.  He washed over him like a tidal wave, and dragged him under into its depths until he was swallowed by a sea of salty red.  When all other defenses had been broken, fury rose to make the last stand.

Why weren’t they listening?  Why couldn’t they understand?  He just wanted them to be supportive, to help him.  Didn’t they know that letting go of Keith would only hurt him?  Why couldn’t they do that?  Why couldn’t they accept him?

“I can’t!”  Lance cried.  He yanked himself back, removing his arm and body from his friends gentle grasps.  He snarled at them, feeling now like a wild animal.  He wondered how similar he looked to Keith right at this moment.  “What don’t you understand about that?!”

His friends stared at him, face grim and full of barely concealed worry and agitation.  Their hands fell back to their sides, Shay’s being the only one not to form back into a fist.

“Fine.”  Hunk said.  He was the first to stand, the rest of them following soon after.  “We can’t help you if you aren’t willing to help yourself, Lance.  Call us when you’re ready to recover from this.  Until then, I can’t be around to watch you fall.”

Reality began to sink into him then, what Hunk had meant by those words.  Lance felt his heartbreak even further, another crack added to the already failing structure.  Because no, he couldn’t mean what Lance think he meant.  He couldn’t.  Hunk wouldn’t do that to him.  His friends wouldn’t do that to him.  They wouldn’t—they wouldn’t leave him.  If they did, who would he have left?  Who would still be there for him?  No one, except for Keith.

He felt like he was drowning.

“No.”  He begged.  His voice broke as he spoke the word, barely discernable between his hiccups.  He was choking on his emotions now, held under as they raged.  Tears were brimming once more and pouring down his face.  “No, no you guys, please!”

They each shook their heads, solemn.  One by one they moved towards the apartment door.

“I’m sorry Lance.”

He wasn’t sure who said it; it was hard to hear him over his own pleas.  He didn’t care who it was, Lance just didn’t want them to leave.  He needed them to stay, just please stay.

They walked past him though, pity and worry held in their gaze.  Hunk was the one to open the door, allowing Pidge and Shay to exit first.  Before stepping through, Hunk turned back, the door held open behind him.  He wanted nothing more than to return to him, to Lance.  But Lance knew that doing so would be granting him permission to continue this toxic situation with Keith, and that was something he simply couldn’t approve of.

So, while his friend laid weeping on their apartment floor, Hunk left.  He hoped that one day things would be better, and that he and Lance could return to how they used to be.

All Lance hears is the door locking behind him.

The tears fall freely after that.

No.

The word is a whisper in his mind at first…

No! 

…before growing into a scream.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go!

No!  No!  No!

Not this

Please take it back

Please…

He bellows and wails, whimpers and weeps.  Curses and Cries.  It seemed like hours that he laid there, wallowing in his pain as it consumed him wholly.  His entire body ache as the emotional hurt became physical, spreading all over.  He was broken now, the crack turned into a crevice and was now a separate shard of himself.  It left him just as they had: abandoned on the floor.

It felt like hours, and perhaps it was, before Lance could finally gather himself enough to pick himself up off the floor.  It wasn’t much, but he could at least bring himself to a sitting position.  Tears were still making their way down his face, leaking from his eyes as if they were faucets.  He wasn’t sure what time it was, and wasn’t entirely sure what had just happened.  Lance just knew he needed someone there to comfort him, to assure him that all would be okay.

He needed Keith.

Slowly, Lance began to shake the stiffness from his limbs.  He stretched each one out as he removed himself from his frozen position.  Then, he began to reach across the floor to his phone.  It required him to crawl a little, moving on his hands and knees in order to draw closer to the coffee table where the device rested.  He had placed it there earlier while working on his assignments.

He grabbed at the device, fingers fumbling as he swipes across the screen.  It took multiple attempts before he was able to finally unlock it and have it open to his homescreen.  Quickly, Lance navigated through his conversation until he reached the thread which held Keith’s name.  He made sure not to focus on the others, lest even the simple view of their names cause him to spiral.

Lance opens the thread, pressing on the phone icon in the top right corner.  He held the device up to his ear then, waiting as the other line began to ring.  It rang…and rang…and rang…

No one answered.

Lance cursed, feeling desperation enter him.  He hung up before opening the text thread once again.  From there, he pressed on the phone icon again and waited as the line began to ring anew.

But it just kept ringing.

Lance tried three more times after that, even going so far as to text Keith about what happened.  He explained as best he could and begged him to come over.  He wasn’t sure when Keith had originally planned on arriving that evening, but Lance made it clear that he needed him there now.  He could only hope that Keith would understand and be willing to help him in this time of need, regardless of their issues.

“Please, please, please…”  Lance croaked, the word getting caught in his throat.

The line went dead again.

Lance tried again, growing increasingly familiar with the noise his ear.  Its repetition would have been comforting if not for the fact that it meant Keith wasn’t answering his calls.

It clicked off, the call avoided.

“Please.”

Lance made another, final attempt.  This time though, the line clicked almost immediately.  Someone had ended the call before it could even begin.

He stared for a moment, looking down at his phone screen before his reflection began to warp from fallen tears.  Lance clicked it off then, barely having enough strength to hold down the power button.  He keeled over then, phone falling to the floor next to him.  Lance curled in upon himself, wrapping his arms around his legs once more.  Tears fell down his cheeks silently; all energy for noise having left him.

That tiny little thread was now cut, leaving nothing but a nub in its wake.

Chapter Text

He’s only here for one thing…

Lance laid on his couch, comforted by the familiar texture of his blanket.  It was old, one he’d had since childhood; handcrafted by his abuela.  The fabric of it was soft, with a beautiful and intricate design that reminded him of his ancestral home in Cuba.  It had served him well throughout the years, an item which he always sought in times of great stress and sadness.  It seemed only appropriate that he had it with him now.  Absentmindedly, he pulled at one of its loose strands, eyes staring numbly across the room.

Above him, someone fiddled with his hair.

The motion was oddly comforting within itself.  He was not normally one to allow others to touch his hair, finding the action too intrusive into his personal space.  Plus, he was very particular over how his hair was styled; someone running their fingers through the strands would only ruin all of his hard work, not to mention be a waste of product.  But the sensation of those deft fingers pulling gently at his curls, scraping lightly at his scalp, it reminded him of home and helped to calm him.

It had only been one day since his friends had abandoned him.

He wasn’t faring well.

Lance had been trying to avoid thinking of the subject but, as often the case with avoidance, it seemed to be all he could think about it.  He kept replaying the events over and over again; images of their anger, pity, and judgement passed through his mind on repeat.  And the memories, the memories themselves lived on in his body.

His mind could remember how frantic it had been, thoughts incoherent and heart racing with a tear-streaked face.  His skin remembered the touch of Shay’s hand, how soft and gentle and welcoming it had felt as she comforted him.  His eyes remembered Pidge’s, how they had glared and turned hateful towards the end, regardless of their obvious worry and concern over his wellbeing. 

Most of all though, Lance remembered Hunk.

There wasn’t a singular piece of his best friends’ reaction which had stuck out to him; more accurately how all of it had.  He recalled how Hunk had ignored him at first, then glared and confronted him.  He remembered how Hunk had tried to help him though, despite this, to make him see reason.  He remembered how he, how they, weren’t able to comprehend that he couldn’t leave, even if it was to save himself.  He remembered how they didn’t understand.

In the end, the memories left him with more questions than answers.

Were they right?  Was he?  Could things have ended differently or had fate designed the interaction?  Made it infallible?  Could he have done anything differently?  Better?  Was there anything that could have been done to make them stay?  To keep his friends from leaving him behind?  To forgive him?  To somehow make them understand?

At least he still had Keith.

That in itself was a problem though, wasn’t it?  Lance had cried himself to sleep the night before, heartbroken and without his noirette there to comfort him.  Lance was unsure if even he could have been a comfort though, with how they had left things the previous evening.  And to think of last night, the unanswered calls and leftover voicemails.  Lance had left him countless text messages, begging for any sort of response.  Yet none had come until morning.

Keith had replied early that Sunday morning, around seven o’clock.  He was originally surprised by the early hour, thinking the raven-haired man would likely have been asleep.  Lance was even more surprised by his own consciousness, for he had hardly slept at all.  Still, Lance supposed that if he could be awake at such an ungodly hour, then there was no reason for Keith not to be as well.  It did leave him curious though, but Lance was more concerned with responding than questioning the curious happenings of the night before.

He had apologized, stating how he had been busy the night before and was previously unable to answer.  Lance felt more than a little bitter about it, viewing it as hardly a proper explanation, but brushed in off in favor of receiving the possibility of proffered comfort.  The events of last night had left Lance feeling raw, so he craved a gentle attention, one he hoped Keith could provide.  Afterall, the man himself had offered such a thing.  It had been done in his apology text, providing the offer of coming over later in the morning; Lance had readily agreed.  And so the two of them had been laying on his living room couch for over an hour now, neither of them having uttered a word other than their initial greetings.

However, something felt…off.

Keith had been acting weird ever since his arrival.  It hadn’t been too noticeable at first with Lance having been too wrapped up in his own mind to truly pay it any attention.  But he was right, something was wrong.  Keith seemed more tense than usual, distracted.  He felt more distant when they talked and what little conversation they had had felt stilted.  And while Keith had never been one to share his thoughts and feelings, it now felt as though he wasn’t willing to share in those truths at all.  His quiet wasn’t too unusual, unlike Lance’s own, but it was unsettling.

Part of it, he believed, was due to Keith’s constant attention towards his phone.  Lance had never seen the boy be so active on it, and found it strange given he had been ‘too busy’ the night before to even bother to answer any of Lance’s texts or phone calls.  The realization made his heart twinge, but he pushed it back to the far corners of his mind.  That was a conversation for another day, Lance wasn’t in the mood for another argument.

However, one thing Lance couldn’t ignore was the constant buzzing.  It was directly in his ear, making it impossible to block out.  With Lance’s head in Keith’s lap, he had a front row seat to all the noise the device was making, which only irritated him further.  While Keith had one hand playing loftily with Lance’s hair, the other was busy typing away on his touch screen, the sound seemingly endless.

Lance attempted to block out his nervousness, opting for naïve optimism.  Instead, he wanted to focus on how Keith had come through for him in the end; he found solace in that fact alone.  He knew Keith wasn’t much of a cuddler, making him thankful that the man had been willing to oblige in Lance’s need for it.  Keith hadn’t seemed too comfortable with it at first, which Lance had understood; the man had never been one for needless touching.  Eventually he had relented and relaxed, noticing how much Lance needed the physical contact.

“Hey,” Keith suddenly spoke, drawing Lance out of his reverie.  His hand stalled, fingers no longer combing through Lance’s strands.  Keith withdrew himself slowly, briefly catching on a few tangles before his hand became completely free.  “Get up for a second, I need to use the bathroom.”

Lance nodded and acquiesced his request.  He rose from Keith’s lap, feeling slightly disoriented from the change in position.  Keith stood, stretching his legs for a moment, and looked back at his phone.  He typed away once more before locking it and depositing the device onto the nearby arm of the couch.  With that he made his way down the hall and to the bathroom.  Lance watched as Keith disappeared into the darkened hallway, already missing his touch.  He sighed, moving to lay down once more.  Silently, he hoped the warm spot left in Keith’s wake would be filled with enough leftover heat to satisfy him until his partner’s return.

It was just as sleep began to edge at the corners of his mind that Lance found himself being jolted awake once more.  Above him, something seemed to shake and a deep rumbling sounded nearby.  Lance’s eyes peered open, intent on finding the source of such an annoying sound, only to find that the culprit was indeed Keith’s cellphone.  He rolled his eyes at the offending device, electing to ignore it in favor of his nap. 

Only, the buzzing continued.  It kept up until eventually Lance opened his eyes once more, only to find the phone falling squarely into them.  He groaned loudly when the metal fell against the hard cartilage of his nose, producing an unwelcome throbbing sensation.  Turning his head, Lance allowed the phone to fall to his side before immediately grabbing at it.  He held it above him as he began to gently rub at the growing ache in his nose in hope of ridding himself of the pain there.  Lance blinked, opening his eyes just enough to glare at the deceitful device.

But then his eyes widened, growing as big as saucers, as he took in what was on the screen.  It had been an accident; Lance had never intended to view such private things.  He had never wanted to go through Keith’s phone, and especially not without his permission.  Lance trusted Keith, enough that he thought Keith would tell if it were anything important.  This was why he had originally tried not to pay the cacophony of notifications any mind.

But here he was, eyes as wide as saucers, as he took them all in.  He couldn’t believe what he was seeing and he was unable to stop himself from scrolling further.  His finger slid across the screen, swiping down to view a countless amount of notifications, all from different apps.  There were a few e-mails, some text messages, and a miss phone call.  But then there were…others. 

It was just—he had to be wrong.

But he wasn’t, because there they were.  There was no mistaking the tone and insinuation of these messages.  There were no alternative meanings.  There was no chance of them being misunderstood for something else.  Lance had no doubt as to what these messages eluded to, and his heart broke more and more with every one of them.

Lance shook his head, feeling tears brim at the edges of his eyes.  No, this couldn’t be possible.  He couldn’t—Lance couldn’t lose someone else.  No.  It would destroy him.

Yet here was the proof, in small type font.  Here and obvious and completely undeniable.  And that somehow made it all worse, because now he couldn’t hide behind false truths and mental lies.  Now, he was forced to face it, head on.

Slowly, he rose into a sitting position, Keith’s phone still in his hand.  He didn’t know Keith’s password, but his settings allowed for Lance to swipe through the rest of his messages.  The list was now opened for him fully, the betrayal on fully display.  Lance’s eyes only grew larger the more he swiped.  He was surprised by the sheer amount of messages there, and all from different people.  He made sure to read every one.

BigDick19 said:

My place tonight?  I know something fun we could do 😉

Wonderboy01 said:

I like the way you think.  Wanna meet up?

GoodTimeGuy said:

Had fun last night, can’t wait to do it again

Lance paused, reading over that last one more time.

Had fun last night…

can’t wait to do it again…

Lance whimpered, the tears now leaking freely down his face.  There it was, further proof of Keith’s lies.  Oh yeah, he had definitely been busy last night, Lance thought bitterly.  Busy fucking someone else and leaving him a weeping mess on his living room floor.  That felt like the biggest betrayal of all.  He thought they were getting better, that they were going somewhere, and that all of it had been worth it.  That all of his pain, all of this emotional torture had been worth it.  Why, just why?

One hand rose to cover his mouth, smothering his cries.  He didn’t want Keith to him just yet.  He needed a moment to prepare, to compose himself.  Lance wanted to be more emotionally stable when he addressed the situation with Keith.  He didn’t want to lose himself in his emotions so much that he wouldn’t be able to talk, and they needed to talk.  There would be no refusals now, not anymore.

Down the hall, Lance heard the bathroom door close and the distant sound of approaching footsteps.  He hastily began to wipe at his face, ridding it of all traces of tears.  He knew his eyes would be red, there would be no helping that, but the cause could be easily played off as something else until he broached the subject of Keith’s infidelity.

Because that’s what it was, wasn’t it?  A scandal of infidelity. 

Went Lance’s heart.

But is it really cheating when they weren’t officially in a relationship?

Argued his head.

Lance closed his eyes for a brief moment, taking in a deep breath of air.  It felt good, the filling of his lungs calming him.  He slowly let the breath be released and when Lance reopened his eyes, he saw Keith standing before him.  He was positioned at the other end of the couch, his dark eyes narrowed.

“Hey…” Lance greeted, a weak and watery smile upon his face.  His grin quickly disappeared as he took in Keith’s agitated appearance.  “Is everything okay?”

“What are you doing with my phone?”

The question was blunt, to the point, and so much of a shock that Lance had to take a moment in order to catch up.  He blinked up at Keith, processing.  Then he looked down, finding that Keith’s phone indeed rested in his lap, still gripped tight in his hands.  Immediately, Lance let it go and watched as it fell softly onto the blanket beneath.  It laid there for only a second before he panicked and hurried to remove it.  In a rush, he practically threw the device onto the coffee table.

“It fell on me.”  Lance quickly explained.  His hands anxious pulled at his blanket.  “I didn’t mean to look at it, I swear.  I was laying down and it fell on my face”

Keith scowled, marching forward in order to grab at his phone.  “You still shouldn’t have looked.”

Lance frowned, flexing his hands against the fabric of his blanket.  While he knew Keith was technically right, Lance wasn’t the only one in the wrong here.  Keith needed to own up to his mistakes too.  He paid Lance no mind though, his attention now fully focused on responding to his multitude of messages.  It was as if they were more important than Lance’s feelings in this moment.

Lance thought over how to best address the issue.  He needed to confront Keith, but he was admittedly terrified to do so.  Lance was both scared of Keith’s reaction, but also of what Keith might say.  To witness the betrayal was one thing, but to hear it from the man himself…well then there would be no going back.

“Keith…” Lance began, gathering his courage.  He finally looked up.  “Keith, where were you last night?”

The man in question froze, but otherwise gave no reaction to the question.  He glanced up from his phone, meeting Lance’s eyes for a moment before glancing back down.

“I told you, I was busy.”

Lance took a breath, deciding to push the issue further.  “Busy with what?”

“Just some stuff I needed to do.”  Keith shrugged, as if Lance didn’t know any better.

Lance didn’t say anything for a moment, remaining quiet as he thought of how to respond.  As terrifying as it was, he needed to hear Keith say it.  They needed to talk, and Lance could only pray that Keith would deny it all, say it wasn’t true.  If only for Lance to choose to believe Keith’s words rather than his own eyes.

“Something…”  Lance said, nodding as he looked off into the distance.  “…or someone?”

Keith glared then, locking his phone in order to cross his arms.  Lance refused to look away though, to back down.  No, he wanted to look Keith in the eyes for this next part.  Hell, he needed to.  If Keith was going to lie, then he was going to do it while looking directly at him.  Maybe then the raven-haired man could finally understand the consequences of his actions.

“Is there something you’d like to say Lance?”

Lance clenched his jaw, gritting his teeth.  Still, he refused to look away.

“I saw the messages, Keith.”

His glare only intensified.  “I thought you say you didn’t look through my phone.”

“I saw the notifications when I picked it up.”  Lance explained.”

Keith groaned and began to turn and pace, running a frantic hand through his hair.  “What the fuck Lance?”  He yelled upon stopping, his trek coming to a halt at the other side of the room.  “How could you invade my privacy like that?”

“I didn’t!”  Lance cried.  “At least, I didn’t mean to.  It’s not exactly like I could close my eyes to it after it literally hit me in the face!”

“Besides,” Lance continued, takin a breath to calm his anger.  “Shouldn’t I be the one who’s upset right now?”

“You’re not seriously telling me not to be angry right now.  You went through my phone!”

“For the last time, it was an accident!  But thank God it happened because otherwise I wouldn’t have figured it out!  Or were you going to tell me how you cheated on me?”

“I didn’t cheat on you!” Keith screamed.  “How could I possibly cheat on you when we’re not even together!”

“Then what are we Keith?  Because what the fuck else would you call it?” Lance asked, moving to stand.  Keith stepped forward in respond, his anger pulling him towards its target: Lance.

“I don’t know what we are,” Keith responded, his voice quiet but still full of ire.  “And I don’t know what to call it, but not that!”

“Well, I call it cheating.”  Lance informed him, crossing his arms.  “I don’t get why you’re so terrified of relationships, but believe it or not, we are in one.  You may not like it, you may even hate it, but that’s what is going on here.  What the hell else would you call us?”

Keith opened his mouth to respond, but Lance spoke before he could get the chance.  “Don’t you dare say fuck buddies; we’re more than that and you know it.  You wouldn’t have stuck around this long and you wouldn’t have helped me with my project if that’s all this was.  There’s more here and I don’t know why you keep denying it.”

He remained silent, neither denying nor arguing against Lance’s points.  The Cuban took that as a win, finding the bravery to step forward.  It seemed they were finally making progress.

“Please, Keith, I just want answers.”  Lance spoke, in a much softer voice than before.  “I want to know what I am to you, what we are, and…and why you would cheat on me.”

Keith groaned, dragging his hands down his face once more.  “Oh, for the last time Lance, it wasn’t cheating!”

“But it was!  It was Keith!  There’s nothing else to it!”

Lance watched as Keith removed his hands, his face now on fully display.  The expression beneath was angry and full of frustration; Keith was growing weary of their conversation.  It seemed their argument was tiring even for him; Lance could only hope this meant they would soon find a resolution.

Keith screamed, letting out his anger and causing Lance to flinch.  He took a slight step back from the shock of the noise, but otherwise made sure to stay still.  The noirette’s hands turned into fists at his sides and for a moment Lance was afraid he may punch him.

“Fine!” Keith hollered, arms spread wide.  “Fine, alright!  It was cheating!  I cheated, is that what you want to hear?”

And though they were the words he wanted, they were not in fact what Lance had wished to hear.  Part of him had still been hoping for some denial on the subject; a proper reason to explain it all away so that he could continue living in his lies.  At the same time, Lance was grateful for the truth, even if it pained him.  In the end, the words hit harder than he expected because now it was truly undeniable: Keith had cheated.

There it was, the admission he had been looking for, but dreading all the same.  Keith had betrayed him, had broken a promise which had never been spoken but which Lance had felt was always there.  Had it not been an unspoken agreement between them when they began this affair?  To keep it between themselves?  To keep it solitary, or to at least let the other know if that part of their situation had changed?  And then, what about when they became closer?  When it had clearly become more than just a deal between the two of them?  What then?  And what now?  How could Keith do such a thing?  Lance thought they had come so far.

Yet another crack was added to his already broken heart.  Now only a single shard remained.

“Not exactly, no.”  Lance admitted.  “But I’d rather hear the truth than a lie.”

Keith chuckled darkly, shaking his head.  “Fine, Lance, you want the truth?”

Lance stared at him, thinking it over.  He knew the words Keith would speak next would be anything but kind.  But, if Keith was willing to share it all; his thoughts and feelings, his fears and doubts.  If he was finally ready to lay it all on the table, then who was Lance to stop him?  Why would he, when here stood the chance he had finally been waiting for?  Was this not what Lance had been asking for all along?  To discovery what it was Keith actually felt?  About him?  And about all of this?

He took a breath, then nodded.

Keith grinned at him wickedly before stalking forward.  He never paused, not even the slightest hint of hesitation in his movements as he did so.  The noirette stepped closer to him, only stopping when he stood mere inches from Lance.  Their body heat mixed in the space between them, creating an almost furnace-like atmosphere.  Lance could even feel Keith’s breath as it blew against his face, gently pushing at his bangs.

“I went out last night,” Keith began.  “And the night before; simply because I was so sick and tired of your bullshit.  I went to a bar, I got drunk, and I ignored your calls.  And while I was there, I met someone.  I took them home and fucked them like they’d never been before.  And then I left them there the next morning because they mean nothing and will never mean anything to me.”  Keith leaned closer as he spoke his final words.  “Just like I did with you.”

Lance felt all the air in his lungs leave him.  No, he must have misheard.  Surely, Keith couldn’t mean what he was implying.  There had to be some other explanation.

“You—you—” Lance choked on his breath, holding back his sobs.  Was this really all Keith thought of him?  “But what about—”

“Nothing.”  Keith told him, voice as cold as ice.  “None of it, all of it, it meant nothing.  Not to me.  You were nothing more than a good, convenient lay.  And to be honest, I’ve had better.”

Lance shoved at Keith then, pushing him and his words away.  He didn’t want to hear them.  No, he didn’t want to hear this at all.

He pushed against Keith’s chest until he was comfortable with their distance, a solid two feet apart.  Keith stood there watching him, seeming almost pleased with his handwork, while Lance stood shaking.  At first he thought it was the result of his anger, but soon found that not to be true.  No, it was despair which had its grip on him, crushing his heart in its hands.  He felt himself begin to shrink.

“…so you don’t feel guilty?”  Lance asked, his voice small.  “About any of it?”

Keith shook his head.  “No, not a single thing.”

Now, yes now was when the anger came.  It felt almost like a flip had been switched; suddenly finding himself thrown from despair and directly into righteous fury.  He felt as though he were being attacked, and in a way he had been.  Keith had been attacking him emotionally all semester, waring away at his walls until there was nothing but rubble.  Yes, Keith had been waging a full-fledge war against Lance, while he was none the wiser.  So Lance took that pain and that anger, and he turned it into a weapon; his last remaining defense.

“I just—I mean why?”  Lance cried, waving his hands through the air.  “Why do all of this then?  Why lead me on?”

Keith’s answer was perhaps the most heartbreaking thing of all.

He gave a simple shrug, looking away and off to the side of the room.  His answer came in the form of a mumble, just barely coherent. “I don’t know, thought it would be fun I guess.”

Lances’ heart stilled, then skipped a beat.  What?

The noirette took a breath, shoulders sagging slightly as his gaze turned back to Lance.  “I’m dangerous; I told you that.  I warned you that night at the bar.”

I don’t do second chances.  I don’t do do-overs.  I don’t do repeats.

And I definitely don’t do relationships.

Keith was right; he had warned Lance.  From the very beginning Keith had told him exactly to expect from their interactions. He just hadn’t listened.  Lance had somehow managed to convince himself that it had all been an act, that Keith had simply been playing up the tragedy he would bring to his life.  Lance had been looking for danger that night, so he had expected it to a certain amount.  He figured Keith’s words were meant as nothing more than an exaggeration of how badly things between them would turn.  He originally thought it to be part of Keith’s allure, a technique used to make himself appear even more mysterious and attractive.  But now…now he knew the truth.

So whatever you’re looking for here, with me, it’s a no.

He should have paid attention.

Looking back on it now, the signs were all there.  Keith’s dismissals, his reluctance to even speak to Lance under circumstances which didn’t require a bedroom, his absolute refusal to give what they were a definition.  They were all there, Lance had seen them all and had even called him out on it.  Still, it hadn’t sunk in.  Had he really been that blinded by Keith?  Had he truly been that desperate for some positive attention that he allowed himself to be brought to such depths of deprivation?  Lance knew better, he did, so how could he have been such a fool?

“You know what, you’re right Keith.”  Lance spat, feeling spiteful.  He took a step forward.  “You are dangerous.  You are down-right fucking toxic.  Poisonous.  You are nothing more than something ruining my blood stream.  And I’ve known it from the very start, I really have.  Hell, it was the whole reason I talked to you that night.”

“Then why stick around, huh?  Why keep trying to make this work?  You could have left at any time.”

Lance’s blood begin to boil, because how dare he try to turn this around on Lance?  Sure, he had made some mistakes along the way, more than a few.  He was willing to admit to that and own up to his part in this whole mess.  But Keith?  He had played a much larger part in bringing Lance down, and now he was blaming it all on him?  How fucking dare he?

Fine then.

“Because I was falling in love with you, you idiot!” Lance yelled, no longer afraid of admitting such a thing.  Keith froze underneath his words, each letter acting like a chain which held him in place.  His eyes had gone wide and his mouth now held open in utter shock.  And though his heart was pumping too loudly for him to have heard it, Lance was sure there had been a gasp of surprise as well.  He felt a certain amount of pride run through him at being able to earn such a visible response. 

“I stayed because I was falling in love with you, and I thought we could make this work.  That there was something here…”  Lance took a deep breath, hardening himself.  When he finally looked back up into Keith’s eyes, he made sure that violet gaze was met with a glare.  “But you don’t need to worry about that anymore.”

Keith shook his head, clearing it.  Beautiful black strands flew side to side as he forced himself to stand straighter.  “What is that supposed to mean?”

“It means,” Lance breathed.  “That I’m done.”

Lance paused for a moment, waiting to see if Keith had anything to say in response.  He prepared himself for a barrage of questions or perhaps even a verbal attack.  What he hadn’t expected, was silence.  It went on for what felt like forever, but was likely only a few seconds.  Lance waited, and waited, and waited, but no words were spoken.  The lack of a reply seemed to hurt him more, for it meant Keith truly didn’t care about the impact he had on Lance’s life.

“I’m done, I am so fucking done.”  Lance said, continuing with his rampage.  “I am so tired of putting in the effort to make this into something you clearly don’t want it to be, and apparently never did.  It never would have worked out anyway; you are so emotionally stunted as a person that any progress we made would have immediately been retrograded.  I mean, literally, your lack of emotional maturity is maddening.  So thanks, I’ve really enjoyed being used as nothing more than a sex toy and an emotional punching bag.  It’s been great; I’ll be sure to send you the therapy bill for all your hardwork.”

“You need to shut up.”  Keith ordered him, his straight-laced appearance now gone, the predator now back in its place.  He stalked forwards, eyes blazing, with his fists at his side.  “You need to stop talking, now.”

“And you need to get out of my apartment.”

Keith scoffed, rolling his eyes.  Nevertheless, he obeyed.  He turned away from Lance, already searching for his things.

“With pleasure.”

Lance made sure Keith retrieved every item which belonged to him, even the snacks which had been left there earlier that week.  When Keith stated he had all of his possessions, Lance lead their way towards the front door, the pale-skinned man following close behind.  Lance pulled on the doorknob, opening the door and holding it wide.  He stepped to the side, allowing the noirette to pass safely by while standing out of his reach.  He wanted there to be plenty of room between them as Keith left, enough so that the man could leave without needing to even cross pinkies with him.  Where he once cherished the idea of Keith’s skin brushing against his, now he couldn’t even stand the thought. 

Keith’s eyes sent daggers toward Lance’s own as he passed by, but Lance paid them no mind.  In fact, he returned the gesture with his own intense stare and, personally, he thought his to be more fierce.  Keith pale hands were full, carrying his jacket, shoes, and other various items.  He hadn’t even bothered to finish dressing before preparing for his rush out of Lance’s apartment.

“Oh, and Keith?  One last thing.”  Lance called after him, gathering what dignity he had left.  Keith paused from his spot in the hallway, still only a few feet away from Lance’s front door.  The raven-haired man looked back at him, glare peeking out from behind his bangs as he peered at Lance from over his shoulder.  His black hair was wild and unkempt, likely the result of his other lover running his fingers through it.  The thought of such a thing caused Lance to feel bitter.

“Fuck you for ruining me.”

With that, Lance shuts the door with a heavy slam and immediately moved to lock it.  He stood there, waiting, listening for the heavy footfalls of socked feet making their way down the hall.  All was silent for a moment, each of them standing still, until he heard it.  Lance stayed there for a moment more until he heard the tell-tale sound of the stair door slamming shut.

It was all he needed to finally break down; the confirmation that he was now well and truly alone.  Lance’s back fell against his door and he could feel himself sliding until he was seated promptly on the ground.  He sat there for a moment, just breathing, as he felt the day’s events sink into him.  Slowly, he pulled his legs to his chest, posturing himself so they were bent on either side of his waist, before resting his arms against his knees.  He dragged a hand down his face, wiping at the tears which he had unknowingly cried.  Lance looked up towards the ceiling, staring blindly as he felt that final piece of himself break.

The last shard of his heart had shattered, and with it, so had Lance.

…but so am I

The room was dim, a consequence of the time of day and the lack of windows.  Overhead track lights flashed from above, flooding the room with a variety of colors.  There was an undercurrent of electric blue, supplied by the long bars of light hidden all throughout the space.  The bass was thumping through the speakers, sending the crowd into a frenzy.  Somewhere, there was a fog machine providing whisps of smoke to float through the air.  There was an energy here which only a club could supply.  With half naked bodies covered in sweat and spilled drinks, a rush of hormones in the air, it was the kind of environment which spelled danger.

And danger was exactly what Lance had become.

He took a sip of his drink, it’s blue a match to the lights around him.  He stood at a table off to the side, hidden somewhere in the back.  Its position allowed him a perfect view of the entire room, while also providing enough shadows for him to hide and go unseen.  His blue eyes glanced around, bouncing from person to person as he picked out his prey. 

Tonight, he was the predator.

Lance scanned the dance floor but found on one enticing enough to entrap in his snare.  So, his gaze turned to the bar.  He looked over the patrons there, one by one.  He hadn’t expected to find much, until his eyes landed on someone towards the back.

It was a guy, roughly the same age as him, with tan skin only a few shades lighter than Lance’s own.  His dark brown hair was slicked back but a portion of it swooped down in a style Lance assumed was meant to be bangs.  He was in good shape, that much was obvious due to the fit of his shirt.  It clung to him, snug in all the right places in order to showcase his assets.  It had been done purposefully, Lance knew, as a tactic to draw attention.  Lance looked over the rest of him and he appreciated what he saw.

He’ll do, Lance thought.  His canines flashed in the blue light.

Lance gazed at him for a moment long before grabbing his drink.  Carefully, he made his across the bar, making sure not to spill a single sip of the alcohol in his hands.  He pushed through the crowd, ignoring the thump of their bodies against his.  He was aware of more than a few looks being cast his way, each of them heavy lidded and with lust in their eyes.  Lance paid no mind to them; they weren’t what he was after tonight.  Perhaps another.

Before long, Lance was standing at the bar.  He leaned against it casually, not wanting to draw too much attention to himself.  At least, not yet.  His lips lifted into a smirk, listening as his mystery man spoke to another patron, declining their offer of a drink.  All the while he was oblivious to Lance, having yet to notice his added presence.

As the bartender drew near, Lance motioned towards him.  He nodded in acknowledgement and the Cuban silently pointed to his neighbor’s drink; something brown in a small glass which was nearly empty.  The bartender grinned and gave a motion that said he understood his request.  A few moments later, an exact replica was slid across the bar in front of the man next to him.

Lance watched as his eyebrows furrowed, staring down at the drink in confusion.

“I didn’t order this.”  Mystery man told the bartender, already sliding it back.  His voice was deep with an edge too it, but Lance could sense the innocent there as well.  It spoke of insecurity and inexperience, two things Lance was very familiar with.

Lance reached out, fingers just barely grazing the skin of his wrist, and prevented the brunette from ridding himself of the drink.

“I did.”  Lance told him, one side of his mouth tilting into an uneven grin.  “It’s for you.”

He turned then, agitation clear on his face and his mouth open and ready to berate whoever had dared to make such an advance.  However, all opposition disappeared the moment hazel eyes landed on blue.  His eyes had widened slightly as he took Lance in, looking him over with an appreciation similar to that Lance had given him from his previous seat across the room.  Lance’s grin widened.

“Lance.” He greeted, offering his hand.  Mystery man took it, shaking it slowly.  He grinned, though he seemed unsure of what to make of Lance just yet.

“James.” He replied, cheeks warming to a soft pink. 

Lance’s grinned turned wolfish as he lifted James’ hand to his lips, placing a light kiss against his skin.  His eyes never once left James’ gaze, meaning he had a full view of that pretty pink turning into a beautiful red. Lance allowed his lips to linger for a moment, before slowly letting James’ hand drift back to his side.

“So, James,” Lance began, smirking like the devil himself.  His now empty hand went for his drink, finishing it off.  “What do you say to us getting out of here?”

James, though still a bit of a blushing mess, smiled at him, obviously pleased with the idea.  He downed the rest of his drinks and motioned towards the bartender.  They paid their tabs and before long were leaving the bar.  Sultry looks and flirtatious touches were passed between them as they made their way back to James’ apartment. It was there they spent the rest of the night, caught up in their rapture.

In the morning, with sunlight just barely peeking through the windows, Lance gathered his things.  Quietly he made his exit, not even bothering to leave a note.  The whole experience felt like a strange echo of his time with Keith, which pleased him all the more.

Yes, Lance thought, this is going to be fun.

don’t you know that you’re toxic…

to be continued...