Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Lance P.O.V

My mamá always told me 'all good things come to an end.'

I guess she was right.

Here I am standing outside what used to be my apartment, backpack in hand. Being evicted sucks. 'I've got nowhere to go, no family here in America, and I don't think Shiro or Keith are ready for that yet. Sigh.'

Well at least I have movie night with my boyfriends to look forward to. My boyfriends are Takashi Shirogane and Keith Kogane. I love them with all my being, for they are all I have left. A little over a year ago Shiro and Keith, who had been in a relationship for years prior to our meeting, asked me if I would like to go out sometime. Of course I said yes! I had been crushing on them for months and they admitted they had feelings for me!

I finally walk away from my used to be home and start heading to their house. I look down and realize this will be the only outfit I wear for a while. 'I wonder if they'll let me borrow their washer and dryer while I'm there. Since I sold most of my clothes and stuff to buy food and pay bills.' All I currently have in my backpack is some socks, a tooth brush and a few books Hunk had bought me.

I look down at my outfit and realize I look like shit. I'm wearing my old navy blue NASA hoodie with my bleached ripped jeans and a dingy pair of sneakers. To top it all off I have my gross giant framed glasses and navy beanie on. 'Better get used to it.'

As I approach their apartment complex I find myself speeding up, excited to see the two boys. I race up the stairs and finally arrive at their floor. As I start walking down the hall I get this feeling of dread; something told me I should not walk in there. Ignoring it I walk up to their door and quietly jiggle the handle to find it unlocked. I slowly, careful not to make any noise, opened the door and crept into the cozy apartment, hoping to surprise my boyfriends.

'I'm a little early, I hope they don't mind too mu-'

I'm cut off mid sentence when I hear a moan come from the bedroom. I crept further into the house, arriving in the living room to see the door to the bedroom open with both boys in it. I freeze mid step at what I hear.

"Shiro come on just one quick round, Lance won't be here until later and I want you now," I hear Keith purr softly.

"Keith you know we can't, he could be here soon," Shiro protests weakly as Keith straddles him and takes his shirt off.

"Yeah why do you care? Ever since he joined our relationship it hasn't just been me and you. Come on, please?" Keith says as he starts kissing down Shiro's chest.

Shiro groans and playfully replies, "That's a little rude Keith."

"He is always demanding attention, whether it be in bed or when we are just hanging out," Keith spits out, hands rubbing down Shiro's arms, "come on babe, who knows. You might even like it better this way. Just you and me, like old times."

"I don't know..."

"Come on Shiro, pretty please?"

Shiro finally gives in to the request and flips them over massaging Keith's arms as he looks down at him, kissing him softly. A few seconds later he pulls back.

"You know, sometimes I miss when it was just me and you. I mean Lance is great and all but I don't know if I would say I love him romantically anymore... He just came with so much baggage and its a lot to handle."

"Yeah," Keith snorts, "and he never shuts up. Its so annoying how he always talks. Like can you just shut up sometimes?" Keith starts laughing and so does Shiro.

"Mhmm," Shiro mumbles out in agreement, staring lovingly into Keith's eyes. They are soon locked in a passionate kiss and I find myself unable to watch a moment longer.

I reach up and touch my face, finding that tears are pouring down my face.

'Huh, guess mamá was right all along....'

I slowly turn and walk sluggishly into their kitchen, heart in pieces. While attempting to muffle my sobs I write them a quick note and dash out of their house, careful to not make any noise. I am so blinded by my tears that I accidentally trip mid descent down the stairs, and proceed to fall down the flight of steps. When I finally reach the bottom I am sobbing full blown now, bruised and bleeding. Limping carefully out of the building I walk towards my new life on the streets, with nothing to love and live for.

Dear Shiro and Keith,
I am sorry I encroached on your relationship. Thank you for showing me what is like to love and be loved. For the first time I wanted to live for someone and that was you guys. I am sorry if I was nuisance, you won't have to worry about me anymore. This is goodbye, I wish you both well.
Love, Lance

Chapter Text

Time skip

Lance's P.O.V

No matter what anyone tells you, living on the streets of New York is not easy. It is a hellish nightmare.

I shivered as the winter time winds bit into my exposed skin. It's been almost 9 months since I was evicted from home, my 2 exes broke my heart, and I began living off the land. Literally.

'I don't think I am going to make it through winter....'

What was once a soft and warm NASA hoodie, is now a ripped dirty rag that holds no warmth. My jeans are thin and have holes everywhere. My shoes are worn and falling apart. Glasses gone, along with my backpack. Stolen and never to be seen again.

What I have learned over these last months is that no one cares for you so you should just give up.

For the first month I begged on the sides of the road, begging not for money, but a shred of decency; of humanity. But no one stopped. No one cared that I was sitting on the side of the road, without a home, without food or anyone. I was alone and I'm gonna die alone now.

I cough wetly into my frozen hands, lungs feeling like they are being shredded with each shuddering breath between the coughing fits.

'At this point I won't make it the week. It's been 3 days since I have eaten anything and my water bottle was empty yesterday. It was inevitable though, I don't even know why I am still fighting to live. There's nothing to live for anymore. I'm not even worth living for anymore.'

Time skip

For the rest of the day I wandered around central park, getting glares and disgusted looks for bystanders.

I am getting weaker. I can't stop shaking and walking is more of a drunk stumble and limp.

I make my way over to the alleyway I had been sleeping in for the past few weeks. 'You know, I think tonight is it. It's so cold, I can't feel my fingers anymore and I have stopped shaking so that's probably not a good sign either.'

I sleep by the entrance, in case someone tries to beat the living shit out of me again. I have learned my lesson from past experiences. As I curl up by the dumpster, using my arm for a pillow, I close my eyes for what seems like the last time. I cough weakly into the frigid air and begin thinking. Fond memories of life before the bad flitted idly through my head.

'Well, at least I'll die happy,' is my last thought before everything fades to black.

Lotor's P.O.V

You know, I was never expecting to discover a dirty, but adorable guy curled up in the alleyway on the way back from a date with my girlfriend Axca.

Me and Axca walk hand and hand out of our favorite restaurant. Axca got promoted to assistant manager at the company she works for. So I made dinner reservations at our favorite and we went out to celebrate.

While walking down the quiet sidewalk we chatted softly to each other. I was about to make another comment when I hear a harsh wet cough come from the alleyway we were walking by. I peer in curiously to find a sick looking boy curled in a ball.

"What the hell," I hear Axca mutter from beside me.

I immediately spring to action rushing over to the figure to find that he is freezing to the touch but not shivering.

"Shit, Axca he has hypothermia."

I hear her curse animatedly behind me. She comes over and crouches beside me putting a hand on the, surprisingly cute, boy's head, brushing his long hair out of his face.

"We have to bring him back to our condo Lotor," she says quietly, "he won't make it through the night if we leave him here.

I look down at his face. He can't be more than 19 maybe 20 years old. He's so young, and he is obviously homeless.

I immediately agree with Axca and scoop the boy into my arms gently.

"He's so light, and I can feel his ribs jutting out."

As we hurriedly walk back to our place, we can't help but think,

'Everything is about to change.'

Chapter Text

Shiro P.O.V

It's almost been a year since we last saw Lance. For the first 3 weeks we were excited about the space he was giving us until we found a note hidden under the refrigerator, seeming to had fallen from the counter and slid under.

It was addressed to me and Keith. After reading it guilt covered me like a wet blanket. I sadly looked over to Keith to see guilty tears streaming down his face. He looks up at me and whimpers. I quickly pull him to my chest as he starts sobbing and I breathe in a shuttering breath.

"It's all my f-fault." He sobs.

"No, no babe this isn't just your fault... It is mine too. He must have been here when we had that conversation."

He nuzzles deeper in my chest and cries silently from what he did.

I slide onto the floor, Keith still in my arms and rest against the cabinet.

'What have we done...'

Lance's P.O.V

Warmth.

Gosh I haven't felt this warm in forever. I could stay like this forever. I snuggle deeper into the plush pillow and pull the covers closer to my face.

'Gosh this smells really good. I wander wh-'

Wait.

Bed? Wait bed!

I bolt upright at my realization, head spinning from sitting up to fast.

"Shit," I mutter as I rip the covers off and slide of the extremely comfortable bed.

'Where the hell am I?' All I remember is dying in an alleyw-

"WAIT!" I yell interrupting my train of thought, "AM I DEAD."

I mean that would explain the luxurious room I am in.

I look around and find that I am in a giant bedroom. (I am too lazy to write description)

I spin around in circles and grip my long curly hair. I pull a little and yelp.

'Pain, wait. Pain. There's no pain when your dead right???'

Shit then where am I?

Suddenly the door to my left opens and a man with orange hair and a bushy mustache quietly glides in, unaware of my now awake presence. He is wearing a neat black tuxedo and seems to be carrying a tray with a bowl of water that has... herbs in it? Huh that's odd. Next to it is a rag and what looks to be a thermometer.

When he finally notices me he seems as shocked as I am about his presence.

"Oh your awake!" He says cheerily, bouncing over towards me.

I scramble back scared and confused, attempting to put as much distance as I can between this strange man and myself. My back, all to quickly hits on of the giant windows in the room. My hairs begin to stand on end, survival instincts kicking in. I am trapped.

The man seeing my ever growing panic, gently sets the tray on the floor and starts approaching me cautiously, hands up in the universal sign of peace.

I start hyperventilating the closer he gets. He seems to be talking but all I can hear is my heart beat in my ears. My vision is tunneling. He seems to notice my ever growing panic and stops. He looks worried but all I can think is 'Danger! Stranger! Get away! Protect yourself!' Years homeless on the streets of New York can do that to a guy.

He looks over his shoulder and looks to be calling for someone. I hunch into myself and begin looking around the room for a possible exit before his friend arrives.

My vision starts getting splotchy as I become for frantic for a way out and breathing becomes difficult.

I look back to the strange man to find a lot of people in the room staring at me. My panic spikes even further. My wide eyes scan the growing crowd. The guy to the left is in a chefs outfit looking at me concerned. He looks to be talking to the short girl in the middle who looks to be just a regular business woman. My eyes move to a woman next to the strange man from earlier. She had white hair up in a bun in an outfit similar to the mans.

After a few minutes they all seem come to a general agreement and start approaching me like a cornered animal. My instincts flew into overdrive and I made a split second decision and decide to make a run for it.

I run straight at the shorter girl with glasses and she flinches in surprise as I vault over her and start running towards the door. I hear yells of protest behind me but don't stop and just urge myself to run faster.

I turn the corner of the hallway I am in and run straight into someone and would've fallen if the person hadn't caught me. I look up to see my savior or potential threat to find a beautiful woman, with hard but gentle eyes.

Her eyes widen as she takes my form in.

"It's you," she mutters softly.

'Oh my god her voice is beautiful.'

I unconsciously began to relax in her hold until I hear shouts and rapidly approaching footsteps from behind me. I stiffen when I remember the situation I am. I start to struggle in her hold, wanting to get away.

'I don't want to be hurt again. Don't let this be like last time. Please don't let this be like last time. I can't do that again. No no no...'

I begin to struggle harder trying to get away from the comforting grip. Her hold doesn't loosen though, it just becomes tighter. I hear her growl and she tucks my into her chest and turns around so the people approaching can't see me.

"Why the fuck is our precious blue trembling in fear and trying to get away from you all?"

At first I could hear the voices frantically trying to explain what was going on but as I become more comfortable it finally clicks with me this feeling, that was long forgotten by me, I am feeling-

I feel protected.

I begin to sob in relief and find myself clinging to this stranger who is holding me. I nuzzle further into her embrace, attempting to get closer to the source of all the things I had be deprived of.

Safety

Warmth

Protection

And touch.

Fuck I am probably so touch starved, the only human closure being the frequent alley beatings I received.

I feel her grip tighten around me and hear her muttering something in my ear but I can't make out the words. All I can think is,

'I am home.'