Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

I.

The first time Lance saw him was when he was passing by the art room on the way to training. One moment he was laughing with his friends; they were joking about something 'funny' like politics or something. Then suddenly his eyes caught a pair that was so intense, so focused on him, he stopped breathing. They stared at each other, blue and… grey? Lance’s mind supplied. After what felt like an eternity, he flipped him off. Like the actual middle finger. Lance stumbled back in shock. This, however, didn’t go unnoticed by his friends.

"See a pretty girl in there?" one of his friends shouted. Someone even wolf-whistled. Immediately the whole team doubled back and started searching the room with avid interest. Anything for dirt on their fellow teammate.

"Nah guys, just a saw a beautiful piece of art." Lance cheerily replied, pointedly walking ahead of the group. He desperately hoped they wouldn’t see through his lie; it was the art room, after all. The last thing he needed was for them to find out he was bisexual. He forced a smile and changed the topic to their upcoming game.

II.

The next time Lance saw boy-beauty (with the lack of a better name, Lance thought this was most fitting) was during practice after school. After their previous game, he’d gotten a bit (a lot, too much) of recognition when he scored the winning goal in the last few minutes. Suddenly everyone wanted to know him, to be his friend, even to date him. He couldn’t help but feel all this attention was fake, and it would disappear as soon as it came. So he tried to act polite whenever someone he knew wouldn't be talking to him approached him.

Regardless, there’s someone else occupying his mind right now.

"McClain, heads up!" Someone yelled as they passed the ball to him. Looking up, he expertly maneuvered the ball away from the opponent marking him and started dribbling the ball towards the goal. Sticking his right hand out to block the other guy running with him, he drew back his left leg, preparing to shoot. He glanced up to aim, only to meet a familiar pair of eyes.

Well, Lance had only seen them once, twenty-two days ago. He was a romantic at heart, and this guy happened to be beautiful, alright? No, he does not have a crush. Okay, maybe just a teensy little crush. He only thinks about him like, once a day, he’s not that deep in.

He wavered a bit, but he still managed to strike the ball into the top right corner. It was a close call, the goalie’s gloves just grazing the ball, but his reflexes were not as quick as the ball was. A whistle blew, signaling a goal and the end of the match.

Lance looked around, his teammates trudging back to the coach, and made up his mind. He sprinted to the metal fencing where he was watching.

"Hey, wait for me!" Lance called out to him.

Halting mid-step, he turned around. He had been trying to sneak away, trying to pretend he wasn’t watching Lance.

Breathless, Lance stood opposite him with the metal fencing between them.

Crap! What do I say?! Honestly, Lance didn’t think he’d get this far. Luckily, he didn’t have to think any further.

"You’re really good at football, Lance," boy-beauty said, shyly.

"Hehe… thanks, man" Lance replied, sheepishly rubbing his sweaty neck. "Wait, how do you know my name?" He blurted, too curious to hold back.

"You are kind of really famous, you know?" He said dryly, rolling his eyes, but with a small smile nonetheless.

"Right… what’s your name then?" He needed something to replace 'boy-beauty'; it wasn't sufficient to describe him anymore.

"Keith."

III.

Lance was having a terrible day. Sighing, he checked his phone again, for what felt like the tenth time today.

8:17 AM.

Good God, this day could not pass any slower. He’d stayed up late last night finishing off a mind-numbing literature essay. He anticipated the day he could finally drop the subject, having thought 'it’s literally just writing about books, right? How hard could it be?' Boy, his naïvite was short-lived; every week the world proved his assumption wrong. Vigorously.

This morning Veronica scolded him for taking too long in the shower. He kind of sorta fell asleep under the warm water until she started banging on the door and screaming at him. Then Mami shouted at him for causing so much ruckus this early in the morning. Then he left his laptop at home and had to turn around to get it when he was halfway to school.

This morning was shit. It’s not even over yet.

The one thing he has going for him though is that he is super early to school. His first class was at 9, so at least he had some time to chill. He lived relatively close to the school, a nice 15-minute walking distance.

There was a lovely, hole-in-the-wall café just a little detour away. He loved this place, coming over almost every day with Hunk and Pidge before college started. It was approaching winter, and Lance was a summer boy, so he stumbled into the toasty warmth of the café eagerly.

"Hello, Lance!" Someone shouted from within. It was Allura, the co-owner of the café. And as to be expected, Shiro was close behind.

"How are you, Lance?" He greeted, just as he walked up to the counter.

"Allura, Shiro, you don’t know how good it is to see you. I’m having the worst day. College is exhausting, essays are hell, and the people… ugh!" he rambled, dramatically collapsing onto the counter, hands dangling on the other side.

Shiro chuckled and handed him a mug of hot cocoa. This was exactly what he needed, and he said as much. He grasped it in his hands, inhaling its heavenly aroma, but not before shoving some bucks into the tip jar. There weren’t any incoming customers, so Lance leaned on the pastries' display and sipped his drink.

"Well, that’s not what I’m hearing. A little birdie tells me you’re quite the popular one right now," Shiro smirked.

Brows furrowed, Lance looked up and lowered his drink. "How could you possibly know that?"

Behind him, the bell chimed, signaling a new customer. Lance scooted over to the side.

"Ah, speak of the devil," Allura said. Lanced whipped around and came face to face with Keith.

"Hi Lance," he gave him a small smile and a wave. Did I die and go to heaven? That smile will be the death of me.

Lance’s eyes widened, his heart suddenly going into overdrive. "Keith! Hey man! What are you doing here?" he was kind of shocked, he didn’t think anyone from his school knew about this place.

"We’re brothers," Keith and Shiro said in unison.

Lance looked back and forth between them. They looked nothing alike at all, but he won’t question it. He shrugged.

"That’s cool! So like, you get free drinks all the time?" Lance wiggled his eyebrows teasingly.

"Oh come on, Lance. We give you free drinks too!" Allura exclaimed, handing Keith a steaming mug of… something.

Lance, however, was too distracted by that… hideous concoction Keith was actually drinking to say something back.

"Keith, buddy, please. Please tell me that’s not what I think it is," he whined.

Keith, however, met his gaze fiercely and drank a huge gulp. Lance watched as he tipped his head back, watched his pale, exposed neck, saw his throat bob as he swallowed. When he resurfaced, Keith just smiled a shit-eating grin.

Lance swallowed and laughed nervously.

IV.

Lance was freezing. He left his coat in his locker before going for training. He’d forgotten about the school’s heating system (and lack of), and he'd forgotten about the fact that the showers aren’t connected to the main building.

And well… here he was, dressed in sweats and a t-shirt, trying to figure out what to do. He was rapidly losing whatever heat he got from the shower, standing in the freezing changing room. He had a few options:

1. He could make a run for it, the 200 meters back to the main building, in the freezing cold. And die of hypothermia.
2. He could call Veronica to come and bring him his coat, but he’d freeze before she gets here. If she even says yes.
3. He could get back into the shower and warm up. But he doesn’t want to strip in this cold.

Just before he reached his decision, someone walked in on him, curled up on himself in the corner.

A familiar voice called out, "Lance? Lance, are you in there?"

"Wh- Keith? Yeah, I’m in here!" He called back, infinitely relieved.

Keith rounded the corner and hesitantly crouched down in front of Lance.

It was quiet, but a comfortable kind of silence. He could hear the rustle of Keith’s coat as he repositioned himself, the sound of his hair sliding across his shoulders, the scruff of his shoes on the floor.

And of course Lance’s ragged breathing.

"How did you know I was here?"

"I mean- Well, I saw you go into the showers but then I didn’t see you come out. I thought that- maybe something bad happened." he trailed off, gaze dropping to the ground. Lance thought he could see the light dusting of pink on his cheeks, but it could be from the cold.

Lance couldn’t believe his ears. Keith was worried about him! Worried enough to come and rescue him. Internally, Lance was swooning, head even more over heels for the boy in front of him.

"Thank God you found me. I left my coat in my locker and I can feel myself turning into a popsicle," he said in a single breath.

Keith’s eyes sparkled in mirth, and he started laughing. Oh my god, his laugh. is. so. precious.

I would do anything to hear it again.

Suddenly Lance’s whole body shivered violently. All of his muscles contracted and he pitched forward. Collapsing right onto Keith.

"C-cold" he breathed out, shakily. Immediately he felt warm arms circle around him, and he couldn’t resist burrowing deeper into Keith’s warmth. Keith yelped as Lance’s frosty cold nose touched his neck.

"Lance, you’re freezing. Let’s get you back, alright?" he said softly. Feeling Lance nod against his neck, he gently coaxed him to stand up. Quickly taking off his coat, Keith wrapped it around Lance’s shoulders and zipped it up in one smooth motion.

"Ready?" he asked, and Lance thought he saw a fire in his eyes.

They both ran as quickly as they could, laughing and stumbling along the path that led to warmth.

V.

Lance knew Shiro and Allura for like, ever. He was there when they first opened the café as friends. He was there as their first customers, as their first friends in a foreign town. He was there when their café grew, as well as their relationship.

Now, he’s standing here, on Christmas eve, in a warm, brightly lit room, complete with Christmas decorations, full of family and friends. He’s witnessing yet another pivotal moment.

Shiro has lifted Allura high above the ground, spinning her round and round before finally pulling her tight against him. Happy tears sliding down their cheeks, glistening in the ambient lighting, though they don’t shine as brightly as the diamond ring on her finger.

The whole room has erupted into cheers and applause, congratulating and cheering for them. Lance has a big smile on his face, his heart full of joy for the new fiancés in front of him. He looks around the room at familiar faces all wearing similar expressions. His eyes snag on a familiar pair of greys. Flicking his eyes to a secluded corner and back, Keith got the message.

Warm drink in hand (eggnog, not black coffee), he approaches the other boy.

"I’m really happy for them," Lance says without prompt. Keith hums in agreement and takes another sip.

Lance leans back against the wall, tilting his head up and sighing contently. He feels Keith slide along the wall and stops next to him, just shy of touching. Eyes still closed, Lance bridges the gap.

"What are you thinking about?" Keith whispers, so only they can hear.

Lance listens to the buzz of conversation, clinking of silverware on plates, the soft melody of Christmas jingles.

He thinks about his family, his friends, and Shiro and Allura.

He thinks about how far they’ve come, how far he’s come, and how far he’ll go.

He thinks about love, happiness, and warmth.

He thinks about Keith.

He knows he was silent for a while. "Hmm… nothing much. Just listening," he replies, a half-truth. He drops his hand, and it brushes with Keith’s. He considers it for a moment, then decides to just leave it there.

"What are you thinking about, Keith?" he asks back, with a little amusement.

Lance feels Keith’s slender fingers intertwining with his own. Lance turns to the left, slowly peeking open his eyes, only to meet Keith’s steady, unwavering gaze. His eyes swirling with emotions, like a fire, always shifting in the grate.

"You." came his reply.

Keith’s face was so open, so vulnerable, a look Lance had never seen on him before. Here, in the warm lighting, he looked younger, less tired, happier. But he was waiting for a response to his confession.

So Lance did the only thing that made sense.

He captured Keith’s lips in a tender kiss.

Chapter Text

+1

After Shiro had come down from his happy high and kissed Allura multiple times, he thanked everyone in the room for their support and well wishes. There was one specific person, however, he wanted to look for personally. He scanned the room for Lance, even having to walk around to double-check where he’d looked. Finally, he saw him, but he was turned away.

Intrigued, Shiro took a step closer. What he saw really melted his heart. He saw Lance cradling Keith like he was the most precious thing in the world. He smiled and settled a hand on his heart.

It was one thing for him to find his own happiness today, but it was another altogether to see that Keith had found his, too.

He decided to give them a little privacy; he could speak to Lance another day, anyway. He’ll let Keith have his moment, and then he can tease him about it later tonight.

Just as he was about to turn around, he spotted something hanging from the ceiling high above them, swaying gently in the breeze:

A sprig of mistletoe.