Chapter Text
“I’m Gay.”
Lance froze. “What?”
“I… Don’t really…” Keith cleared his throat. “I don’t like girls.”
“Yeah, I got that part.” Lance said hurriedly. “But… Why here? why now? Why me?”
They were currently standing in Lance’s room, after Keith knocked on his door, asking for some advice. After very quickly hiding all his discarded clothes under the bed, Lance had let him in. As you can imagine, a confession was not something Lance was expecting.
Keith shifted anxiously from foot to foot. “I know its… weird, and really out of the blue, but…” Keith let out a sigh. “I just, really needed to tell someone, you know? It’s been eating me up inside.” Keith paused, chewing on his lip. “You probably don’t, never mind…” Keith mumbled before turning towards the door, suddenly looking very vulnerable.
Lance very quickly started waving his hands. “Nono, Keith, uh…it’s ok, its, uh…” Lance was stumbling for words. He’s never been in a situation where someone who he didn’t know very well (or at all) confessed what could be his biggest secret. “I… Its fine, I get it, yeah.”
Keith look at him with warily. “You sure?”
“Yeah. Yeah, Keith don’t worry about it, hah” Lance suddenly felt very unsure of everything in the universe. Suddenly, he felt the need to clarify. “I mean… I’m not gay, so obviously I don’t understand it” Lance rushed with what he was going to say next after seeing Keith’s hurt expression.“But… you’re still my teammate, you know? that’s never gonna change. So I don’t… I don’t mind that you’re gay.”
After seeing Keith’s surprised face, he spoke up, feeling a little more confident. “And I don’t think anyone else on the crew has any problem with that.” Lance raised his fists up, feigning an attack. “If they do, I’ll punch them.”
Keith snorted at the earnest look on Lance’s face, raising his eyebrows. “Ok, Lance.” Lance smiled back.
It was quiet for a moment, reveling in the tense atmosphere in the room. Keith scratched the back of his neck— Something Lance was beginning to recognize though all the time spent together in the castle was Keith’s nervous tic.
“Also uh Lance?”
“Yeah?” Lance held his breath, heartbeat suddenly spiking. Was this all a prank?
“… Please don’t tell anyone, ok?” Keith asked, pleading look on his face.
Lance felt relief wash over him, before feeling immediately guilty about it.
“Oh, yeah of course. I wouldn’t even think of it.” Lance grinned at Keith.
“Your secret’s safe with me.”
Keith looked at lance for half a tick longer before slowly smiling back. “Thanks, Lance.” In a clearer voice, he said “Also uh, Sorry about this.”
Lance frowned. “Sorry for what?”
Keith hesitated, opened his mouth, then closed it, giving Lance an apologetic look. “Nothing I guess.” He grabbed his helmet on the way out. “Good night.” He said over his shoulder as he stepped away, door sliding shut beneath him.
Lance laid down on his soft, cushy mattress with a sigh. Fighting Galra fleets one day, Giant party the next— Life as a paladin is non stop and exciting. precious, peaceful times like this let him think about things. Especially like what happened with Keith just ticks before.
Lance grew up in a small home with a large family in Gurabo, Puerto Rico. It was always noisy, with the crying, screaming, fighting— and every Sunday mamá would force everyone into their Sunday best and march the 4 dusty blocks to church. Hardcore roman catholic is what is family identified as. So, no, he never got any LGBT influence. In fact, until just after coming to America to the Garrison, he thought being gay was bad. This belief was never enforced in his family, just no-one taught him that it was ok.
So Keith… Keith was really the first gay person Lance knew. And Keith chose to come out to him, of all people.
Why? I mean, Lance was honored that Keith would choose him to come out to, but the question begged to be asked.
I’ll ask him tomorrow. Lance thought as his eyes drifted shut. He was way too tired for thought process of any sort. Yawning, Lance curled up on his side.
That night he dreamt of purple eyes, whispered mumbles and smiling faces.
The next morning’s breakfast was awkward.
Ah, well, the only person who found it awkward was Lance.
Pidge, Hunk, Shiro, Allura and Coran were all acting normally; Even Keith was acting like nothing was wrong, as if their discussion last night never happened.
I mean, what did Lance expect? for Keith to be acting more “gay” just because he came out to someone? Well obviously not, but he was expecting something from Keith; A discrete smile, a wave, a “Hey Lance” but no.
Well, if Keith was going to be acting the same, Lance will too.
“Hey Keith!” Keith shot his head up, eyes wide. Pidge and Hunk didn’t even blink. “Mullet is terrible as ever, as I can see.” Lance winked Keith before sitting down next to Hunk and Pidge.
“Hey, Lance, can you stop with the mullet thing? It’s worse than your pick up lines, and i’ve heard all of them.” Pidge complained, head planted on the table.
Lance clicked his tongue. “Hey, Its not my fault your sense of humor sucks.” He shot back. Changing the subject, Lance turned to his best friend. “Morning, Hunk.”
“Hey Lance, I got you a plate of food goo.”
And the morning proceeded as normal.
Lance spotted Keith fighting a lance wielding training bot on his way to the training deck. He didn’t want to disturb him, so he instead quietly watched from outside the room. It’s not like he had anything better to do, he’s already read all the novels he can read in the Castle’s extensive library.
Keith’s moves were fluid, as if he was aware of every body part all the time. It was almost as if he were dancing; footsteps were light against the tiled floor, his arm swung up and around his body in a perfect circle, sword painting the shape in a red afterglow as he tried to slice the training robot. It dodged, then went in to stab him; He leaped to the side of the robot, landing lightly and avoiding the lance. He swung one leg behind the other to plant on the ground and twist his body, so he was facing the robot again— went in to attack the robot.
Keith maybe known for being impulsive and acting without thinking; but when he was fighting he was calculating every move. Lance was impressed; Obviously, he was always impressed. But he was also jealous. He wondered if his own fighting looked like that. Probably not— He didn’t even use a sword. But still…
Suddenly, Allura’s voice rang through the castle’s sound system, cutting Lance’s though process. [“Paladins! rendezvous at the bridge immediately! We need to brief you on your next mission.”]
“End training session!” Lance barely had any time to snap back to reality before Keith’s voice cut through the room. Lance turned his head, and accidentally met Keith’s eyes as Keith noticed Lance’s presence for the first time. His eyes widened and he froze for a few ticks before is usual (and more upset) scowl crossed his face. Keith angrily crossed the room over to Lance.
“What are you doing here?”
“I… was headed towards the library.” Lance lied. Keith narrowed his eyes. Lance gulped. “But I also wanted to talk to you.”
Shoot. That was not the plan.
Keith leaned back against the glass wall crossing his arms, more interested than angry. “What’s up? Hit me.”
“I…” Suddenly Lance was filled with a million questions he wanted to ask. What made you want to come out now? When did you first recognize that you were gay? Why didn’t you tell anyone else before? most importantly… why tell me?
“Are you ok?” Lance ended up stammering out. “I mean… You know.”
Keith raised his eyebrows, uncrossing his arms. He his mouth pinched upward. Just a tiny bit. “Yeah… yeah, I’m fine.” Keith sighed. “Thanks for asking. But… Why?”
“It’s a big deal, right? coming out to someone.” Lance admitted honestly. “I… Obviously, I don’t know what’s going through your head right now, but… I don’t know. If it were me, I’d be in some pretty major emotional turmoil.” Keith smirked, raising his eyebrows. Lance smiled back, before continuing, face growing serious again. “I don’t think you have anyone else to talk about this stuff to, so I’d thought I’d lend an ear.”
Keith deflated; He opened his mouth, about to say—
[“Keith! Lance! Pidge! come down to the bridge immediately! You’re wasting your and your fellow paladin’s time! Don’t make me ask again!]
Oh shit.
Lance snapped his head back to Keith, who had reflated, brows furrowed. “We should go.”
Damnit.
“Yeah, you’re right. Lets—”
“Wait.” Keith gabbed onto Lance’s arm before he dashed away. Keith’s eyes bore into Lance’s. He then said, more gratefully than Lance had ever heard, “Thank you. For not telling anyone at breakfast.”
Lance smiled. He was never going to tell anyone anyway. “No problem, buddy, I always keep my promises. I go that way you go that way?” Lance pointed to each side of a split in the hallway respectively— both leading to the Bridge.
Keith smiled. “Obviously.”