Chapter Text
Soft sunlight wakes Keith. It filters in from the window next to his bed and through the curtains he forgot to close the previous night.
The clock across from his bed tells him that it’s nearly noon on the first day of the new year. Unfortunately, it means he slept away half the day, but he figures that he needed it after the night he had. He hadn’t actually gotten into bed until around—
Then, he remembers.
To his dismay, though, he’s alone in bed. Keith rolls over once, smooths the sheets next to him with a broad palm, searching for any warmth that Lance could have possibly left. There’s nothing. He’s just alone. It should surprise Keith more than it does, but he partially expected it. What happened last night was probably a mistake in Lance’s eyes, something stupid he did while intoxicated.
But, then again, Lance had told Keith that he loved him. How could that mean nothing? How could that possibly be some strange mistake?
Just because Lance isn’t in bed with him anymore doesn’t mean that everything will go back to normal between them. It isn’t the end. Keith just has to talk to him and find out what he’s thinking. Maybe Lance just panicked and needed some time to come to terms with things. That would be perfectly normal. Even Keith, who’s been in love for years, would need time to adjust if they were suddenly in a relationship. It was totally normal.
Keith convinces himself that when he leaves his bed and sees Lance, everything will be fine.
With hope churning his stomach, Keith slips out of his bed and leaves his bedroom. He debates brushing his teeth and taming his hair before he looks for Lance, but he decides against it. Lance has already seen him at his worst, thanks to being roommates for so long. Lance wouldn’t be fazed by some bedhead. It’s the least of his worries.
The hallway floor is cold on his feet as he walks. He can smell something cooking — eggs. It’s typical of Lance after a long night, especially when alcohol is involved.
Keith could really go for eggs right now — even scrambled, Lance’s preferred method. They smell good. It contributes to the morning warmth of their apartment, and Keith finds himself much more calm than he was when woke up, yet still nervous about how things are going to be when they see each other.
He doesn’t know what he expects when he walks into the kitchen, but what he gets is satisfying in every possible way. It’s a sight he’s woken up to for years: Lance, in just boxers, facing the stovetop as sunlight filters through his hair and illuminates him. His hips sway slightly to the song he’s humming happily. It’s a beautiful sight — to Keith, nothing compares. Something about it is admittedly different, though. Something has changed. Keith hopes it’s for the better. His breath catches in his throat as he waits for what might happen next.
Lance doesn’t hear him walk in. He just continues to work over the sizzling pan, oblivious to everything else.
“I’m going to call my mother tomorrow,” Keith declares out of nowhere, loud and abrupt. He doesn’t know where it comes from or why he says it, but it needed to be said. It has no relevance to anything they’d endured within the past twenty four hours, but yet for some reason, it seems like the right thing. Maybe that’s just Lance’s effect on Keith. Maybe Lance just makes him want to fix things. Maybe he’s moving toward a better place in his life, with the help of the person he’s loved most since the day they met.
There’s a brief pause of silence. Lance stops humming, swaying, cooking. And then, he turns. He’s grinning so widely, so brilliantly, so happily, that Keith is almost blinded by the sight of it.
He doesn’t say anything — doesn’t even have to. He just turns back around when Keith returns the smile with equal enthusiasm and continues cooking the eggs for another minute or two, while Keith wonders how in the world he got so goddamn lucky.
This is it. This is the good thing he’d spent so long waiting for.
That smile is his now. He never thought he’d see the day that Lance smiled at him like that, with the implication of pure love. It’s funny how things work out, Keith thinks. Everything turns around when you least expect it, when you feel like everything is falling apart. Keith doesn’t know who to thank for the luck he’s gained.
Keith always thought that with Lance in his corner, he could conquer the world, but with Lance loving him, he’s already on top of it. There’s nothing left for him to conquer.
He stands there, staring, for god knows how long. He’s just basking in the feeling of mutual love while Lance cooks. They don’t face each other. The eggs finish, and Lance reaches up to grab for two plates; his movements are painted with joy.
Keith watches him shut the stove off, place the pan in the sink, all without turning around to face Keith. It doesn’t matter. They both know nothing is ever going to come between them again, after all they’d been through to reach this point in their lives. Now, they’ve gotten over it all. Now, they can focus on the upsides and enjoy the time they have together. Now, they can be in love.
Finally, Lance turns around to face Keith, holding two plates of eggs. His signature grin is back, as unabashed and brilliant as ever. Keith can’t help but stare at his face and wonder how he got so lucky, but Lance interrupts his thoughts, holding out the two plates of eggs.
On one plate, the eggs are scrambled, and on the other — for the first time ever — the eggs are sunny-side up.