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Keith has two sides to his life that normally do not intersect. There is the mechanical engineering part of himself that likes talking about motorcycles and is friends with frat boys. Then, there is the nerdy side, the side that has cosplayed and screeches on his secret twitter about cute anime boys.
Most of the people in his life know about both sides. Shiro indulges him with anime merch gifts, Adam is into the scene enough that they actually attend a con together one time. Hunk and Pidge are aware to varying degrees. But, generally, Keith thinks of them as two different sides of his life and most people fit on one side or the other.
So, he isn’t sure exactly how he finds himself driving with Lance beside him, going to see a Promare showing and unable to stop the crash course of both sides of his life colliding.
See, Lance is very firmly on the conventional side of Keith’s life.
A frat boy with a heart of gold and a smile that could kill poor gay hearts like Keith’s.
He is a great guy, but a normie. He likes the beach and plays guitar and is in a fraternity. He plays intramural sports and holds a position in the student government. He flirts with pretty girls who flirt back with him.
He also has Keith wrapped around his finger.
Lance has no idea about that though. Keith hasn’t revealed anything to Lance about this whole other self he has inside of him, the gay disaster, the anime nerd, the cosplayer, the boy who is willing to launch a thousand ships to see Lance smile.
It all started a few weeks ago when the Promare hysteria hit Keith’s social media. He’s seen the fan art. He’s watched his online friends freak out about it on twitter and tumblr. So, when a date for new showings pops up, he buys two tickets, impulsively, thinking surely someone will go with him.
That someone isn’t Lance though. He asks Adam first, who wants to go, but reveals that he and Shiro are going to be out of town for Adam’s cousin’s wedding that day.
Plan B is Pidge, who tells him that she and Hunk have a crazy final in some difficult course on the Monday after the showing and that neither would feel comfortable taking a day to drive into the city to see a movie.
Most of his other friends are in the “normie” realm, so Keith resigns himself to going alone and perhaps trying to resell the second ticket. However, Pidge had smirked at him with a look in her eyes that Keith doesn’t quite like, then grabs her phone, and then suddenly Lance is coming with him to the movie. Keith is barely able to get a word in edgewise before Pidge seals the deal and he gets an excited text from Lance saying he looks forward to it.
Lance.
Lance of all people.
Doesn’t Pidge know that Lance isn’t into this stuff?
Has he ever even seen anime before?
It’s easy to put in the back of his mind with the busy semester winding down until the actual day of the event, when he can’t deny reality anymore and here he sits, driving Lance to see Promare.
It’s a disaster right from the start.
They aren’t even out of Keith’s car before they start seeing people cosplaying, wrapped up in tight leather or revealing fireman outfits and wearing bright blonde/green and blue wigs.
“Oh…” Lance says, curiously. Keith screams silently to himself.
The others they pass on the way to the theater look like they missed a turn on the way to a con and ended up at the theater. Some people are wearing BDSM versions of the movie outfits. Those who aren’t cosplaying are wearing something between con wear and pride wear, rainbows suspenders and Pokemon trainer shirts. Everyone seems happy, excited.
Keith also sees multiple people who seem coupled off and not just men and women but also two teenage girls and, a few rows back, two guys holding hands.
See, Promare isn’t just nerdy. It’s also gay.
Keith watches Lance carefully. It is a test to a certain extent. These are Keith’s people. This is where he feels comfortable. This is who he is just as much as the engineering student who loves motorcycles. He thinks Lance will be cool, but a small part of him waits for the inevitable judgment or mockery to come from Lance’s mouth. It wouldn’t be the first time its happened to Keith, having to listen to people make fun of others for being too gay or weird or nerdy, not entirely realizing that Keith is also gay and weird and nerdy and, even if he wasn’t, who gives a shit if people are.
He is amping himself up to be defensive, but the moment doesn’t come though. Lance looks a little surprised at times, but otherwise just opens his box of candy and looks around, an open and easy look on his face.
Keith takes a deep, steady breath and mentally reminds himself not to think the worst of people.
The movie is just as good as Keith hopes it would be. Bright and fun and outrageous and over-the-top in all the ways he expects anime to be. The audience is boisterous as well, cheering at moments, waving light sticks, laughing loudly.
Keith gets into it as well, clapping along with the crowd as Lio and Galo come together to make one robot. Lance follows his lead, looking over before joining in with the reactions and cheers.
Keith is having a great time until the moment draws closer. The moment heard round the gay nerd world.
The CPR kiss.
Keith tenses so hard when the scene starts that he can feel Lance watching him instead of the movie at one point.
People cheer and Keith wants to cheer with them, but he freezes in a moment of fear.
He isn’t ashamed of who he is. But he does like Lance and he is afraid what coming out might mean for their friendship. That cheering during this kiss might be him coming out and that this day may end up with an awkward drive back. That Lance might suddenly be busy every time Keith wants to hang out from now on.
So he holds back and hates himself a bit for it.
Keith doesn’t relax, not even when they leave the theater and get in the car. The silence that stretches between them is unbearable. Lance looks at him quietly, thoughtfully.
“So,” Lance begins.
Keith tenses harder.
“Which one do you want to do?”
“What?”
“You know. Which character do you want to do the horizontal tango with?”
Keith coughs.
“Uh…”
The silence stretches for too long, Lance patiently waiting.
“Well…Uhh….”
“Dude, its not a serious question, relax,” Lance says, clearly trying to get the day back on track and break the weird mood Keith knows he introduced.
Keith clears his throat and shoots his shot.
“Probably…probably Galo.”
“Yeah?”
“Yeah. What about you?”
He moves quickly past his answer, heart racing, waiting to see if Lance understands the implication of his response.
“Hmmm. Kray’s assistant…the secretary type. She was hot.”
Keith blinks and nods. His heart drops a little even though he knew Lance was straight.
“but I prefer Lio’s personality. Hot,” Lance continues.
Keith swerves, jerking the steering wheel without even meaning to.
“Holy shit!?” Lance cries out.
“Sorry, thought I saw a squirrel...Lio’s personality?”
“Yeah, a little broody, a little angsty, emo, but in charge, you know? I like people who know what they are and what they want out of life.”
“Galo is like that too.”
“Yeah, but Galo is silly.”
“I like that…you know…” he looks at Lance who is grinning at him. “Yeah…well, not silly, but bright. Loves life and helping people. You know…a himbo, but in a good way.”
Lance laughs loudly. “So you like that? Nice idiots?”
Keith blushes furiously. “Uh….”
There is an awkward silence where Keith deliberately won’t, can’t look in Lance’s direction.
Maybe he should change the subject. But, instead, he just has to press his luck. “Do you…do you know Lio is a dude?” Keith figures maybe Lance doesn’t know and didn’t mean to say a dude’s personality is “hot.”
“Yeah…so?”
Keith’s mind is reeling.
They are talking about cartoons here and personalities though. Keith isn’t sure if this is translating to real life attraction. Does Lance know he admitted to liking guys? Did Lance mean he likes guys and girls? Keith sweats, trying to figure it out, when Lance interrupts him, voice surprisingly shaking a bit.
“So…if Galo was right here, right now, would you…date him?” His voice is prodding, but deliberately trying to sound casual.
Keith wonders if Lance is internally having the same freak out as him. Emboldened by the idea, he takes the plunge.
“I’m gay,” he blurts out, too loudly, then cringes. He looks over at Lance, who looks surprised.
There is a moment of silence before an answer. “That doesn’t answer my question, Keithy.”
Keith takes a deep breath, steadying himself, trying to act normal. “I would date him, except I like someone else.”
“Oh? Who?”
“I’m not telling you.”
“Shiro?”
“What! No! He’s married.”
“Hunk?”
“I mean, anyone would be lucky to have Hunk and Shay better appreciate him, but no.”
Lance taps a finger to his mouth and then suddenly a weird look crosses his face. “James. It’s James. You two are partners in class all the time.”
“No, not him.”
“You don’t have to lie to me!”
“I’m not!”
“Is this mystery crush your friend?”
“Yes.”
“Do I know him?”
“Yes.”
“What’s he like?”
“He’s…like Galo. Nice. Laughs a lot. Likes helping people. Bright and happy, like a ray of sunshine.” Keith swallows hard. “Always makes me feel better when I’m down. Always makes me laugh. Always there for me and for his friends. Always…just always there, making everything better. Making me better.”
Lance has a small smile curling on his lips. “Gross.”
Keith punches his arm.
“Hands on the wheel! Jesus, Keith.”
“Sorry.”
“You know…I like someone too.”
Keith’s heart drops. “Do I know…her?”
“He’s like Lio. Fierce, strong. Would give his life for his friends if it ever came down to it. Stubborn, but in a good way. Always keeping me grounded. Always pushing me to do better, always keeping me on my toes, always lighting a fire in me.”
“That’s corny as hell.”
“Ok Mr. I compared my crush to a ray of sunshine.”
There is another silence. They both seem to be thinking, processing. Keith can’t believe that Lance is so cool with him being gay and that Lance himself is bi or pan. He hasn’t even gotten to the third implication of their conversation until Lance reaches it first.
“Keith…am I…am I your Galo?”
Keith feels sick to his stomach. He isn’t prepared for a confession, now or ever. But, he senses that Lance will let him down easy.
“Yes.”
“Wow,” Lance responds.
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing? I wish you had told me sooner…”
“This doesn’t have to change anything. I won’t get in the way of you and your crush and I won’t like…make a move on you or make you uncomfortable...”
Lance barks with laughter. “Keith, are you sure you aren’t the himbo?”
“What??”
“Keith…you are my Lio.”
“I’m…I’m your Lio?”
“Always.”
Keith is quiet for a moment and then laughs, the bubbling laugh of someone who has been broken by the current conversation, swells of adrenaline and happiness poring through his body.
He finally reaches Lance’s dorm, pulling into a parking spot and turning toward Lance.
“Is this for real? I like you and you like me?”
Lance nods. “So what do we do now?” Lance asks, reaching over to touch Keith’s hand.
Keith takes his hand and smiles.
“Lance, will you go on a date with me? Tomorrow? I’ll pick you up at 6? I mean, if you want…”
“A date…wow. Never thought I would be going on a date with someone who has a mullet.”
The words sound affectionate more than anything else though.
“I’ll text you when I’m on my way.”
“Sounds good.” Lance leans over then and kisses Keith on the cheek before waving and exiting the car.
Inside Keith, a fire rages, one that will consume him in all the best ways.