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Keith stands with his suitcase in front of a cruiser. Lance stands across from him, straight and upright. Tense.
"So, I'm off, I suppose." Keith says.
"Yeah. Guess so." Lance tries not to be bitter, but he is. He is bitter.
"Lance..." Keith attempts to reach out.
"No, I know," Lance puts his hands up in defense. "I know." He sighs and looks at Keith.
"It's not... that I don't love you. I do. I love you. So much that it hurts. It's just..." Lance nods, hoping Keith will stop talking. "We weren't meant to be, Lance." Lance bites his lip. He feels it shake, he feels his eyes well up with tears, his vision gets cloudy.
"I know." It comes out as a whisper, barely audible. His throat is tight and he can't quite speak through the lump that's currently placed there. He laughs wetly, tries to ignore the burning in his chest.
"I mean, we never were, right? The bickering, and the trust issues, and Allura. It was never going to work, was it?" He runs his hands down his face.
"No, Lance, that's not-"
"I know." Lance sighs. "I know. We're just... on different paths. And that's okay. I mean, it's not, I'm losing you, and I feel like there's a fire in my chest, but it's going to have to be okay." Lance nods and stands impossibly straighter. "It's going to be okay."
And Keith smiles lightly, and tears fall on his cheeks, too.
"You were... good, Lance. I love you." Lance chokes on a sob, but tilts his head lightly and smiles anyway.
"I love you too. You're gonna make a great king, Keith. I know it." Lance's eyebrows furrow on the last line, the corner of his mouth tugs up. "And if you ever need another, I'm here. Always." He smiles.
"I'll always need you." Keith steps forward and cradles Lance's face. His lip quivers, and his voice drops down to a whisper.
"I'll always need you." He enunciates his words. He looks lance in the eyes for a second before throwing his arms around him, and Keith hugs him. He hugs him so, so tightly. He presses the palms of his hands to lances shoulder blades, feeling and memorizing, and knowing he will never get to do this with Lance again. Knows he won't get to hold him and love him, and have Lance love him back, the way that he does now. And Because of that, Keith buries his face in Lance's neck.
Lance hugs back with equally as much love and sorrow and grief as Keith is feeling.
Keith pulls back and takes a deep breath.
"Goodbye, Lance." Keith knew it was goodbye.
"See ya later, Keith." Lance didn't want it to be goodbye.