Chapter Text
Great. Yet another customer who comes by while Keith is trying to lock up. He is beyond exhausted from pulling a double shift, having taken on Hunk’s, who was at home taking care of Pidge, who’d come down with a pretty bad cold which Keith suspected he was getting as well. He’d been shivering on and off all day, unable to decide whether to keep his sweater on or not. Shiro had been shooting him withering looks all day, urging him to call Hunk and offer to go take care of Pidge since he was clearly ill himself, while Hunk could come cover both their shifts so Keith wouldn’t risk infecting their patients, many of whom were older and more susceptible to illness, but Keith refused. Now Shiro had gone home a bit early to see Matt, who’d come down with the same plague as his sibling apparently, and Keith was stuck. He couldn’t just turn away patients who needed their prescriptions. He sighed a bit, which turned into a small cough, and tried to smile as he turned to look at the man who was currently preventing him from going home and sleeping. The man was a twitching, nervous wreck. “How cand I help you todight, sir?”
Lance felt like he was walking through a haze. He could barely think, his limbs felt tingly—like he needed to move constantly—, and he would snap at others for random, seemingly harmless things. He really needed his medicine. He’d asked Hunk to pick it up for him while he was at work, but Hunk had taken the day off to take care of Pidge.
Man, he felt bad. Everything felt far away and he was dizzy. Ooh that guy’s hot! He’s talking to us! Play it cool, Lance.
“Oh! Um… I have a prescription here for McClain. Lance. It’s my anxiety stuff. I ran out yesterday and I think I’m having withdrawal symptoms…”
Nice one, McClain. Make yourself sound like a junkie. That’s super attractive. Oh man, this poor guy shouldn’t even be working. He looks like he has a fever.
Withdrawal. That would explain why he looks so stressed out.
Keith tried to get through the process of getting Lance’s birthdate and such quickly for the sake of both himself and Lance, dismayed when the screen told him that it would take 45 minutes to prepare.
“Umb… So we are godda have to wait 45 bidutes for this prescriptiod to be ready.” Lance looked shocked and guilty.
“Never mind then! I’ll just pop by and grab it tomorrow ha-ha. I should be fine tonight.” He bounced his leg, the uncomfortable feeling from not taking his meds was clearly affecting this guy more than he would like to admit.
“Bister BcClaid, you clearly deed this bedicide. I dod’t bide waitig for it.” Keith sniffled a little to clear his voice. “Besides, this prescription is highly addictive, and even though there is still some in your system you’re already experiencing withdrawal. I couldn’t in good conscience let you risk experiencing worse withdrawals than you are right now.”
“A-are you sure man? No offense, but you look super bad.”
“Yes, I’m sure. And I’m fine. Just a little tired. My coworker is home taking care of our friend who is really sick right now so I covered his shift and mine.”
“Oh my gosh you know Hunk and Pidge???”
Keith was taken aback by the taller man’s sudden excitement. Didn’t this guy realize how late it—oh right. Withdrawals can make you hyper.
“Yeah…Hunk and I met in pharmacy school and he introduced me to Pidge when we moved here. It’s funny how we edded up at the sabe place.” Keith said, a bit of congestion seeping back into his voice. He yawned, exhaustion once again taking hold of his body.
Lance seemed to notice Keith’s predicament, and invited him to sit down on one of the chairs next to him in the small waiting area.
“That’s so cool that you know Hunk. We’ve been best friends since elementary school. Has he ever mentioned me?”
“Umb, dot that I cad rebeber.”
“What? I’m sure he has, dude. It’s Lance. I’m kind of the greatest. He never mentioned his tall, handsome, Latino best friend? I work with Pidge at the bakery! Have they ever mentioned me?”
“Did you ever codsider the fact that sobe of us like to try to get work dode idstead of gossipig all the tibe?” Keith didn’t mean to snap, but this guy was really starting to tick him off.
“Pfft. Where is Shiro? He’s super hot and much nicer than you.”
“Two thigs. Ode, Shiro is taked—”
“Are you trying to tell me Shiro is going out with you? Gross dude. He is way out of your league!”
“What? Do! Shiro is by brother, you sicko!”
“What are you even saying? You two look nothing alike! Wait, you’re probably adopted. Makes sense. No biological parents would keep a kid with your attitude.” Keith’s expression darkened at this, and Lance had a sinking feeling that he’d messed up somehow. They sat in silence for the remaining twenty minutes until Keith stood up shakily and bagged Lance’s prescription, checking him out before quickly gathering his things and stalking out the door. Lance looked after him, feeling a little bad about what he’d said earlier, but didn’t really think too much of it. The guy would get over it.
Lance made his way to Hunk’s, where he happily downed his medication along with a bit of food. He immediately felt much better.
As he was munching, he talked to Hunk about the incident.
“Keith is sick?”
“Yeah. He seems pretty bad too. He was shivering and super grumpy, but I guess he was nice enough to wait 45 minutes with me while my prescription was being prepared.”
“Was Shiro there?”
“No dude. I said that already.”
“Lance I need to borrow your car right now. Can you stay here and take care of Pidge for a bit?”
“Wait why?”
“Keith doesn’t drive, Lance. His adoptive parents, Shiro’s mom and dad—”
“HA! I KNEW he was adopted!”
“Lance you’re such a jerk. They died in a car crash. Keith can barely stand to ride in a car, let alone drive one. If Shiro wasn’t there to drive him then that means Keith is walking home with a fever! It’s snowing, Lance!”
“Let me go, Hunk. You’re better at this whole caretaking thing than me. I’ll just drop him at his house then decide whether I want to go home or chill here with you guys for a little while longer.”
“Fine. But Lance? Please be nice to Keith.”