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True love had never come easily to Lance.
Obviously, he’s experienced many bouts of puppy love, his heart chasing for a fragment of time before the flame inevitably died out. But no one had hit him quite like Keith Kogane had. He entered Lance’s life in a flaming ball of wit, sarcasm, and a devotion to his true self. He challenges Lance in the best of ways; tongue sharp and sword sharper, forever willing to take Lance up on a duel. He’s fiesty, and he’s stolen Lance’s heart. He can’t get his fill of Keith; every interaction leaves him wanting more. Wanting to see the different sides of Keith, experience that softness he’s seen him only express a minimal amount of times, watch as someone else has to submit to his consuming anger.
Now, though, his person is silhouetted against the orange and purples of the evening sky, wild black hair tinted a soft brown. It brushes against his pale skin in the gentle breeze, his eyes obscured from Lance’s view.
He’s just so beautiful - Lance doesn’t think he’s seen a person quite like Keith before. His shirt - a flowing, dark material - stretches pleasantly over his back, muscles rippling as Keith huffs out another sigh. His hands run through his hair once again, impatience evident in the restlessness of his fingers and the tapping of his feet. The scene has an air of nervousness to it, and Lance can’t wait to figure out what exactly Keith’s been hiding from him in these past months.
He’s standing atop the incline at the bottom of the McClain family’s fields; exactly where he said he would be. The letter he had left had instructed him to arrive at the incline just before sundown. Lance had gotten here early, heart too occupied with the thought of seeing Keith to stay rooted at home. It would seem Keith was dealing with similar problems.
Lance takes a quiet step forward, moving closer to Keith. His long fingers move upwards to fiddle with his earrings, the smooth material soothing him. He doesn’t want to explicitly show his nervousness to Keith. During their time as friends, Keith had always proved himself to be a pillar of strength - Lance doesn’t think he’s ever seen him nervous. Lance was nothing like that - always worried about something, outwardly expressing his emotions in ways he’d been taught not to, talking himself in circles in an attempt to have those around him understand what he’s feeling. Surely this meeting was for Keith to tell him they’re no longer friends. He’s done having Lance in his life, and he’s warning him to stay away, to never contact him again. His fingers move over his earring once more before he shakes his head, dislodging the spiralling thoughts. Keith is one of his closest friends! He’s a gentleman, he would never just abandon Lance like that. Would he?
As he graces the top of the incline, Lance stops and stares at Keith once more. Maybe this meeting is about Lance’s obvious feelings for him - he’s seen the way Lance’s eyes follow him around the room while he’s begrudgingly dancing with another noblewoman, or the unsubtle way Lance touches him “casually”, fingers never far from the firm muscle Keith has built over the years. Lance is well and truly in love with Keith, and Keith has most definitely noticed. He begs the God above that Keith doesn’t expose him to the rest of their social circles, praying that Keith lets him off easy. He knows these feelings are deranged, forbidden, but that doesn’t stop the frantic beating of his heart when Keith’s hand brushes against his as they walk through his family’s gardens, or the ringing in his ears as Keith smirks above him, having bested him in a duel. Lance’s stomach churns at the thought of it, heat exploding throughout him.
As Lance takes another step forward, Keith whips around to face him, skin flushed a gorgeous red. He’s bathed fully in the golden glow of sunset. His eyes shine a magnificent purple.
His beauty is unmatched.
Keith is stood stiff a few paces away from Lance, fingers constantly moving over the thin material of his shirt. He looks delectable from all angles - his chest, something Lance had only caught glimpses of while they were changing around each other, is guarded loosely by his shirt, the v-section interrupted by ribbon tied in crosses down his chest, his pale skin just visible. His hip bone is stuck out to the side slightly, natural confidence oozing out of him despite the obvious nervousness. His pants cling tightly to his legs, defined muscles clearly on show. Lance is going to lose it.
A cough sounds from Keith.
“Ah, Leandro. Thank you for… accepting,” Keith’s voice raises towards the end of his sentence, sounding more like a question. The use of Lance’s full name is jarring - perhaps this meeting is worse than Lance thought. Lance shakes the thought away as he watches Keith move his hand, his pale fingers lifting to mess with his bangs. His hair is pulled back in its usual low ponytail, a style that Lance had always admired on him. He wants to see it loose. He wants to touch that hair, feel it’s shining quality beneath his finger tips, curl it around his own slender fingers, pull on it to see the reaction-
“Of course, it seemed urgent.” Lance clears his throat, finding it increasingly difficult to look Keith in the eyes. They’re a trap. A trap that Lance cannot afford to fall into at this very moment. He stares at the red flush on his ears, hair barely covering it. Keith nods in his periphery.
“Yes. Urgent.” He leaves an awkward gap in between his words causing sweat to build on Lance’s brow. They stand silently, facing one another, Keith’s eyes darting rapidly around Lance’s form. Lance begins to pinch nervously at his puffed white sleeves, eyes never trailing from Keith’s.
“…Keith?” Lance starts, desperate to hear what Keith had called him here for. The potential that it could be life ruining is too high, and Lance needs to hear it quick.
Lance drags his eyes away from Keith, instead focusing on the swaying grass beneath them. The quiet continues, the brush of grass against Keith’s legs the only noise between them. Heat travels throughout Lance’s body, the embarrassment and shame of his feelings hitting him full force.
He just needs to know.
“I just had something I needed to confess, and I fear it may cause a rift between us.” Keith sucks in a sharp breath, releasing it through his nose. Lance continues to watch the floor with rapt attention, pressure building in his ears. He doesn’t want to lose Keith, but this could be it. This could be the last time Lance is allowed to stare freely at the man, at the way his calloused hands grip his hips while he’s thinking, or the way his teeth chew continuously on his tattered bottom lip. He just wants to love Keith without consequence. But that’s not possible. “I’ve been pondering on whether I should or not, but I cannot hold it in any longer,” A whooshing breath.
“I am in love with you.”
…
Pardon?
Lance’s head snaps to the side in disbelief, facing Keith directly. He’s greeted with the familiar endless passion of Keith Kogane, love and dedication pouring out of him in droves. The furrow of his thick eyebrows frames his determination, nose scrunched in such a way that makes Lance forget that this isn’t what should be happening. They shouldn’t be happening.
Tears fill Lance’s eyes as he looks over Keith, over the man he’s in love with. And, apparently, is in love with him.
“I-“ Lance’s voice croaks, words caught under the lump in his throat. He swallows, a feeble attempt at releasing them. “I. What?” Lance wipes his eyes on his frilled cuff, the coarse material irritating them further.
Gods, in love with a man and incapable of controlling his emotions? His family would be ragingly disappointed in him if they were here right now.
Removing his sleeve from his face, Lance watches as Keith visibly swallows, steeling himself.
“I am in love with you,” Keith declares, his voice faltering for only a second. He curls his fingers into a fist, rings clinking together. His posture straightens, chest pushed out, ribbons straining against his pecs. Lord, save Lance from this torture. “I had to tell you, Leandro.” Keith takes a hesitant step forward before confidently striding across the incline and towards Lance. Lance lifts his hands subconsciously, afraid of the slim chance Keith could be baiting him. Keith grasps Lance’s wrist, warmth radiating from him. The callouses on his fingers scratch against the silk of Lance’s sleeves as he clenches, eyes boring into his.
“Leandro.” Keith breathes, hands slipping from his sleeves to cradle his hands. “Lance, please.” He presses his forehead onto Lance’s own, eyes fierce and unmoving. Lance lets out a surprised squeak, skin heating up at the contact. “I… I know you feel similar. I know it’s- wrong. But that doesn’t… halt these feelings I hold for you.” Keith moves back enough to place his hand on Lance’s jaw, cupping his flushed skin. “I needed you to know, before I left for Marmora,” Lance gulps. Marmora. Days of travel. Days of travel away from Lance.
“You’re leaving? For Marmora?” Lance feels the tell-tale burn of tears behind his eyes once more, sniffling in an attempt to stifle them. This is just… confusing. Keith nods solemnly.
“Yes- Takashi has requested my assistance up there. He and his- friend,” Keith trips over the word, an embarrassed flush gracing his cheeks. “they’re struggling to find work and sustain themselves, so I’ve told him I’d go stay for a while.” Lance grips Keith’s fingers in his own.
“Please-“ The broken syllables escape Lance’s mouth, voice quivering in light of this news. He couldn’t just let Keith go. “Don’t leave me.” The hand on Lance’s jaw moves away for a second, only to return with Keith’s thumb caressing his cheek. He tenses again, followed by a quick succession of words:
“Come with me, to Marmora. Please, Lance.”
Lance’s breath leaves him in an all-consuming whoosh, his tense body relaxing in wake of Keith’s words. Keith is in love with him. Keith wants him to run away with him, to Marmora. Lance’s heart swells in his chest, blood thundering through his body at a rapid pace. His fingertips tingle at the contact between him and Keith.
In a moment of bravery (and recklessness), Lance throws his arms around Keith’s neck, gripping that Goddamn ponytail and thrusting himself at Keith, capturing his lips in a passionate, consuming kiss. He knocks the ribbon free from Keith’s hair, dark locks cascading around them, shielding them from view. Lance grasps a section of his hair, threading his fingers through the silky texture just as he had been dreaming of. Keith’s hands return to the sides of his face, callouses pressing into the tender skin of his face.
Their lips break before Keith is pushing in again, tenderly, and Lance is gone. There is no universe in which Lance says no to this man. Lance brushes his nose against Keith’s, breathing out a sigh of relief.
“Of course,” Lance whispers in reply. He laughs wetly. “Of course I’ll come with you, Keith!” He sputters out a laugh, Keith’s eyebrows lifting in confusion. He’s just- this is the best possible outcome! He loves Keith, and Keith loves him back! Laughing once more, Lance smacks a loud kiss on Keith’s lips, speaking into them. “I’m in love with you, Mister Kogane. How could I not be?”
Keith is silent for a moment. His grip has slackened on his face, fingers just dusting his cheeks. Eyes wide, Keith looks down at Lance’s mouth, away towards the McClain family house, and back to Lance.
“You love me too?” Nervous Keith has returned; his palms have begun sweating. Lance just smiles easily.
“Keith. There is no life in which I haven’t fallen for you. You complete me in ways I have never seen before. You’ve made me believe in true love, made me believe that I deserve something more than quick looks and no devotion. You are my true love, and I have never been happier.” Lance breathes in deeply after finishing, eyes wide and expressive. He waits with bated breath, desperate to hear Keith’s response.
Instead of a verbal response, Keith whoops, gripping Lance around his middle before picking him up and twirling him around. He’s laughing in a way he’s rarely seen from the man - loud, open, unapologetic. They’re in love. They’re free to be themselves.
“You do not understand how happy you’ve made me today, Lance.” Keith’s face is flushed with elation, happiness evident in the large grin he’s offering to Lance.
Lance has been gifted a chance at true love. He’s almost certain he knows how happy he’s made Keith. It’s the same deep affection he’s feeling for the man in front of him. Keith has offered him a chance at being himself freely, with the man he loves.