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Lance felt...numb to say the least. He had finally asked Allura out but it still didn't feel right. He couldn't stop thinking about a certain boy with a maybe not-so-annoying-mullet. But of course he had never admitted that.
And probably never would. Because that's something that Lance couldn't say because then he would have to admit that he liked other things about Keith.
Like his damn heroic attitude where he put others above himself. Even if he was brash and didn't always think things through. He was also an amazing fighter. He was fluid like water and Lance couldn't help but watch him in the training room, sweat gleaming on Keith's forehead as he slashed through each training bot. And god that body. That silky smooth skin with the occasional freckle on his chest and back made Lance want to slide his fingers along it just so he could memorize every curve. He had only seen Keith shirtless a few times but boy if he hadn't soaked in every detail he could.
But he couldn't be with Keith. Because he liked Allura. Not some annoying, thick-headed, cute, sexy... Oh shit he had it bad.
Lance found himself wandering the halls of the Garrison, instinctively looking for something. His mind wandered and focused on his inner turmoil until he felt his body jerk to a stop. He somehow had come to Shiro's door. He was a mixture of surprise and expectation at the same time. He knew what he needed.
"Here goes," Lance sighed as he rapped three times on the door with his knuckles. A moment later the white and orange door slid open to reveal a tired Shiro. His new leader role had been taking its toll and the dark circles under his eyes stuck out drastically. His whitish gray hair didn't help his look of exhaustion either. Especially when it stuck up haphazardly in random places like a cow licked his bedhead. But despite this, Shiro wore a small, genuine smile.
"Hey, Lance. What can I do for you?" Shiro asked as he leaned against his doorframe.
"I uh, well I wanted to ask you something. But you know what I shouldn't have bothered you I'm so sorry-"
"Lance," Shiro cut him off mid-ramble. Lance lifted his head up to look at Shiro in the eye.
"Come on in," Shiro stepped aside as he gestured Lance in with a hand. He stepped in tentatively as he rubbed his hands together.
Shiro's room had few possessions compared to Lance's. While Lance's desk was completely covered with facial products, Shiro just had the standard Garrison alarm clock. Where Lance had a wall practically concealed with pictures, Shiro just had three. One of the paladins plus Coran and Allura sitting around the dinner table with food goo in front of each of them. Another picture had a younger Shiro looking like he was laughing as he held a parked motorcycle steady with a little Keith on it. The helmet Keith wore was too big for his head and was a little lopsided but that didn't seem to have discouraged him in the slightest. And lastly, there was a picture of a younger Shiro with his arm slung over the shoulder of some man that Lance didn't know. Must be some old friend.
Lance dragged his eyes away from studying the photographs to look at his friend and mentor. How was he going to ask this? How do you even ask something like this? Something so life-changing in just a simple question?
He cleared his throat and simply asked, "How do you know?" Shiro's brows immediately furrowed.
"You're going to have to elaborate a bit more than that," Shiro replied with a slight chuckle.
"I mean," Lance paused, "how do you know, I mean really know that you are in love?" Lance began to bite his lip but immediately stopped and changed the fidgeting to twisting his hands, then bouncing his legs. Constantly moving. Constantly nervous and vulnerable. So Shiro knew this was important.
Shiro sighed, "Well you constantly want to be around and with that person. You miss them any second they're gone. No matter if you think you have feelings for someone else, you know its wrong. You can picture a life with them. You love talking with them. Watching them do the things they love. If you love someone, you know deep down that you do," Shiro finished and realized his eyes had been wandering to his third picture.
"But um," Lance bit the inside of his cheek, "what if you love someone that isn't like anyone you've ever liked before?"
Lance was extremely nervous but Shiro didn't see the underlying reason as Lance continued to be vague.
Shiro cracked a smile, "Well of course they will be different. Love is a special thing Lance."
"But what if they're, you know," Lance cleared his throat gruffly, "a.....boy?" Lance's fidgeting immediately ceased as he watched Shiro's expression carefully. Shiro's eyes widened slightly as he processed this information but that was too much for Lance.
He stood up and began his ramblings again as he headed towards the door.
"You know what? It's fine. I shouldn't have said anything. Besides you're straight so it doesn't matter. I'm gonna go. So sorry I bothered y-" Lance was cut off by Shiro yet again but not by his words. Shiro's arms enveloped Lance in a hug that he didn't realize he needed. His stiff form relaxed and sunk into it. The stress of everything weighing him down didn't disappear, but it seemed less daunting. Just the reminder that he wasn't alone.
Shiro grabbed Lance by the shoulders and moved him to arms length to look him right in the eyes.
"Lance, I'm gay. Not straight. I actually had a fiancé back home before he... well he didn't make it," Shiro said. Lance blinked.
"Really?? I didn't know. I always just assumed you were picky with girls," Lance said with a small chuckle at the end. His face fell once again. Concern was written all over it.
"So... I'm not straight. I like guys I guess. But I'm not gay? I like girls too. Is that weird? I don't think that's supposed to happen," Lance opened up. He cast his gaze downward.
"Lance it's okay! Hey, look at me." Lance looked back up with tears in his eyes.
"Oh, Lance. There is so much out there to help people identify with what they feel most comfortable with. You can identify as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, asexual, queer, and so much more. You can find something that fits you best or have no label at all! This is just something that you as an individual can explore."
Shiro continued, "So you're not weird. Not a freak of nature. Just someone who loves who they love. Someone who has family and friends to help him through this journey," Shiro finished. There was silence for a moment until Lance began to crack a smile.
"Well you just wanted to see me cry didn't you," Lance laughed a little hysterically through tears. He gratefully accepted the tissue Shiro handed him and then wiped his tears and blew his nose.
Shiro cleared his throat, "So Lance." Lance was suddenly at attention.
"You know I'm ok if you date my little bro." Lance began to choke on air as he coughed and spluttered.
"Well I uh don't know what you could be talking about," Lance said. Then he whispered, "Is it that obvious?"
Shiro chuckled wholeheartedly before saying, "I mean, it's not like he doesn't like you back." Lance froze. Keith liked him back? Damn, how? He only figured it out like ten minutes ago.
"Go get him."
"Um, what?"
"Go get him. You need each other, Lance. And besides, I'm sick of hearing him whine about you when he won't listen to my own guy problems," Shiro finished with a mixture of an understanding smile and a shit-eating grin. Lance grinned back and stood up. Once at the doorway it slid open but Lance turned around.
"Thanks for everything Shiro."