Work Text:
Lance unlocked the door, stepping into his apartment. “Babe, I’m home!” He called, setting his backpack on the table. He headed into the kitchen, spotting his boyfriend with his head on the counter, a couple open beer bottles next to him.
Benson Boone blared from his phone, which Lance silenced.
“Drinking again? Come on Keith, this isn’t healthy.”
This was the second time this week, and the fifth time this month. He’d come home from work and Keith would be passed out on the couch or in the kitchen, beer bottles next to him.
“Hi babe. I missed you.” Keith slurred, sitting up.
“I missed you too.” Lance said, gathering the bottles and depositing them in the trash before going to his side. “Is something wrong? You're drinking an awful lot lately.”
In the almost two years they’d been together, Keith had never drank this much. If they went out he’d have one, maybe two, if any. But slurring his speech? That had never happened.
“Nothing. Just thinking about how much I love you. I love you, I love you.” Keith cooed, leaning into his chest.
“Really? How much do you love me?”
“To the moon and back!” Keith grinned, squinting in the bright kitchen lights. “I love your hair, your eyes, your smile, your laugh. How nerdy you get when you talk about your classes. How you look in your glasses.”
Lance’s heart dropped.
He’d never had glasses. But Keith’s best friend did. He’d mentioned him a few times.
“What’s my name, Keith?”
“You know your name, dumbass. But you’re my dumbass. And I love you.”
“But what's my name, Keith? Who do you love?”
Yes, Keith had said he loved him before, but only when it was late at night and his eyes were closed. He knew the answer. Who Keith was talking about now. It was so obvious. But he had to hear him say it. He had to hear Keith say the words before he could break things off.
“You, silly. I love you Jamie.”
Lance’s jaw tensed.
“I love you, I love you I love you. I think I wanna marry you. Cause I loveee youuu. Your purple eyes, your silly little leather jacket. We should get matching ones. They can say ‘Mr. and Mr. Kogane’ on them.”
Lance inhaled shakily, stepping away from him. “That’s not my name babe.”
Keith opened his eyes, looking at the man before him. “Shit, I mean- Lance. I’m sorry, I-”
“I’m going to bed. You can sleep on the couch.”
“Lance! Lance, baby, I’m sorry!”
Lance retreated to the bedroom, closing the door behind him.
Morning
Lance woke to the smell of pancakes and trudged into the kitchen, rubbing his eyes.
“Lance! Morning. I made your favorite. Blueberry pancakes, and coffee with three sugars.”
Lance eyed Keith suspiciously, sitting at the counter and sipping the coffee. Just how he liked it. He began eating the pancakes silently, refusing to look at Keith, who was leaning against the opposite counter, arms crossed.
Lance finished his breakfast in silence, slurping his coffee loudly. He then set the cup down, looking at the man before him. “Spit it out.”
Keith sighed, uncrossing his arms. “Lance, I haven't been honest with you. I’m kind of sorta completely in love with my best friend. Which I vaguely remember telling you last night.”
“You did. After drinking yourself into delirium for the second time this week. And it's only Thursday. And what-” Lance scoffed. “What's his name? Because ‘Jamie’ is not the name of a grown ass man.”
Keith inhaled deeply. “His name is James. Jamie is a nickname I gave him back when we were kids.”
“James? As in your best friend?”
Keith nodded.
“You said you guys lost touch when you went to college.”
“We did. Then he popped up on my Instagram, I followed him, then he followed me, and we started talking again.”
Keith handed Lance his phone.
They’d been texting for almost a year. Nonstop.
They talked about James's work in the Army. He was a doctor, of course he was a fucking doctor, and was working on new prosthetics for vets like Shiro, because of course he was.
They sent selfies back and forth, some of the same that Keith sent him, and James was undeniably gorgeous. Chestnut hair, sun kissed skin with the faintest freckles, purple eyes almost identical to Keith's. Strong, visible from the video of him and a few others playing soccer, shirtless obviously. Because with a body like that, why not show it off?
More talking about their different goals, dreams. How Keith wanted to design and build the next generation of fighter jets, maybe even a spaceship. How Keith desperately wanted a dog, James joking that he would adopt one for him.
Screen after screen of conversations just on the edge of flirting, never quite crossing the line. Dirty jokes just on the right side of friendly. Suggestion to meet, to get dinner at various restaurants.
Never once mentioning Lance.
The brunette slammed the phone down, rubbing a hand over his face.
“Why weren't you already together?” Lance asked.
“James was dating Ryan. They were happy, and then they weren't. Different careers, different lives, different goals. Things had been rocky for a little while. They broke up. James got deployed three months ago. They haven't spoken since.” Keith answered.
“But you and James have been talking since before then.” Lance pointed out.
“Not talking talking, just- he was my first everything, and after that my best friend. I missed him a lot the past couple years. And I didn't realize I still had feelings for him until he left.”
“So you knew you loved him three months ago?” Lance accused.
“Yes.” Keith answered, bowing his head.
“And you- wait! You never told me you dated. Why would you keep that from me?”
“I didn't want to upset you.”
“Well I'm plenty mad now! You're practically cheating on me with a hotass Army doctor!” Lance stood, shaking the phone.
“So this is why you're on the phone all the time? You're texting and calling him? You're flirting with James while dating me? This is why we haven't made love or gone on a date in weeks? Because you're in love with someone else?”
“We're not flirting, we're just- Lance, I am so sorry.”
“Oh, you're sorry? You're sorry?” Lance began pacing the apartment, back to Keith. “For being in love with someone else for months?! For talking to your ex boyfriend- who you told me was just a friend, who you lost contact with, and most certainly never mentioned a romantic past with- for the entirety of our relationship?”
“Hey, you and Allura talk all the time. We hangout with her all the time.” Keith protested.
Lance whipped around, glaring at Keith. “That's completely different! You've known about me and Allura's past the entire time we've dated, and she's fucking married. You- you lied to me! You've been lying to me for our entire relationship!”
“I-” Keith started, but stopped when Lance put his hands up.
“Don’t, just- don't.” Lance inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly. “I am going to work. You will be gone when I get back. Whatever you don't take today, you can get tomorrow when I'm gone. Anything left after that goes in the trash. I don't want to see or hear from you ever again. You see me in a store? You keep walking.”
“Lance, please, can we talk about this?”
“No. There's nothing to talk about. I deserve someone who loves me. Obviously, that's not you.” Lance threw Keith's phone on the counter and stormed out of the apartment, door slamming shut behind him.
And that was the end of Keith and Lance. He was gone when Lance came home, thankfully. He didn’t get to see what a mess he’d made of him. How Lance mourned their relationship.
Keith and James did get back together. Apparently, Keith found out when he was supposed to get back and met him at the airport. Lance saw a video on Shiro’s Instagram.
James had come through a pair of double doors in his dark green camo uniform, freezing and dropping his bags before running at a beaming Keith and jumping into his arms. Keith spun him around as the two clung to each other, laughing.
Keith set James down, saying something that made the other flush. James replied, cupping Keith's face and gazing at him lovingly before kissing him, hand weaving into his hair as Keith gripped his hips.
You could hear Shiro and Adam celebrating.
And Lance? He sighed and scrolled past the video. Why should he care about his ex? He obviously hadn’t cared about him. And he had moved on. They both had.
It didn’t hurt anymore. He didn't love Keith anymore.
Right?