Work Text:
Keith has a crush on Lance.
This realization comes during training one morning, on one of those rare days when Keith and Lance are working together, totally in sync. Sparring together against the gladiator bot, Keith crouches and swings his shield around to protect them both. Lance uses the top of the shield to balance his bayard-gun, takes aim, and fires. As Keith covers the two of them from enemy fire, he looks up at Lance’s face, his concentrated expression, the tension in his jaw, and simply thinks, “Oh.”
He doesn’t realize he’s been staring until Lance’s shot hits the droid square in the forehead, and the simulated voice says, “training sequence terminated.” Keith’s sword and shield retract to their original shape and he stands, sweaty and grinning. This is a personal best for the two of them. Lance straightens up as well, flashing Keith his signature smile that may or may not cause Keith’s stomach to do a 180.
“Not bad, dropout,” he says.
In the beginning, this might have caused Keith’s temper to flare, but now, it’s simply a part of their banter, their daily routine. Almost like a term of endearment.
“Not so bad yourself, cargo pilot.”
Lance, too, has mellowed out since they became a team, and he laughs shortly. “Fighter pilot!” he corrects, but he high fives Keith anyway.
They always high five after they beat the gladiator, so why is it that this time, Keith’s fingers stay there just a tick too long? It’s not long enough for Lance to notice, of course, and the moment is broken as the rest of the team joins in their celebrating. Shiro praises their improving teamwork, of course, and offers helpful suggestions for next time. Then, it’s Pidge and Hunk’s turn in the ring.
Lunchtime is more or less the same as always. Keith, however, is inside his own head, thinking furiously. He understands the slight nervousness he’s been feeling around Lance now. He understands why Lance seems to be in his head all the time--it’s not their “rivalry,” as Lance calls it, no, it’s something much worse. Out of everyone in the world (in the galaxy!) the one he has to have a crush on is Lance. Lance, who flirts obnoxiously with every girl he meets, who seems to hate Keith most of the time, who is oblivious and annoying and... and... somehow charming? He resists the urge to slam his face into his food goo. Why him?
He eyes Lance across the table as he talks animatedly with his mouth full of Altean food. He really should find this gross, he thinks, but instead he’s focused on Lance’s gesturing hands, the ever-present mischievous glint in his eyes. He stops talking for a moment as Pidge joins the conversation, and Keith’s eyes are drawn to Lance’s lips. He’s never really noticed Lance’s lips before this moment. Everyone has lips, they’re just part of a face, right?
He doesn’t realize Lance has started talking again until,
“Hey! Are you even listening to me?”
Keith blushes, stares, his brain unresponsive.
“Earth to Keeeeeith!” Lance continues.
“Sorry,” Keith finally says. “I was just... thinking. I uh, I’m gonna go... train.”
He gets up in a rush, his half-finished food forgotten in his embarrassment, and all but runs from the dining room as Lance, Shiro, Hunk, and Pidge stare.
He’s not quite sure how long he lays there, face down in his bed, wallowing in self-pity and embarrassment, but at some point he wakes up and realizes he’s fallen asleep.
This won’t do him any good. He needs to move in order to sort his thoughts, to figure out how to deal with this.
He tries the training room, but Shiro is already in there. He doesn’t want to face any questions about his weird behavior earlier, so he leaves before Shiro realizes he’s there.
Pidge is in the sitting area, on their computer. Keith doesn’t bother them.
Hunk is in the dining room with Coran, and Allura is in the control room.
Keith walks into the observatory, but is surprised to see that the hologram of the universe is displayed; someone seems to be in here already. Keith’s stomach turns when he realizes who it is sitting at the base of the hologram machine. Lance is there, his eyes slightly puffy, staring at the part of the hologram where he knows Earth is. Sensing that his is probably a bad moment, Keith turns to leave, but Lance has already heard his footsteps, and is scrabbling to stand up and wipe his eyes. Keith clears his throat awkwardly.
“Hey,” Lance starts, in an exaggeratedly nonchalant tone. He looks away, hiding his red eyes from Keith.
“Sorry,” Keith says, for the second time that day. “I was just looking for someplace to think... I’ll leave you.” His heart is beating far too fast. He wants to get out of there. He turns to go, but Lance speaks up again.
“No, no, it’s fine.” He seems to have let down his guard, and his voice is slightly raw. “I was just thinking.”
Keith shuffles his feet. “About Earth?”
“Yeah,” Lance gazes back at the hologram of the milky way galaxy. “My family... my home.”
Sensing it would be best to stay now, Keith steps closer.
Lance continues. “It’s hard, you know? Being so far from home. I miss surfing on the beach. I miss pizza, I miss my family. You know,” he laughs shortly, humorlessly, and looks at Keith, his expression curiously vulnerable, lacking its signature smirk. “The last time I saw my whole family was when I left for the Garrison. We had a big party, with all my siblings and cousins and aunts and uncles, and everyone from the neighborhood. Everyone was so happy for me... I wish they could see me now...” He trails off, returning his gaze to the hologram with a wistful expression on his face.
Keith doesn’t know how to respond. This is the most Lance has ever opened up to him, and it makes his heart hurt.
He settles for putting a supportive (if shaky) hand on Lance’s shoulder, and Lance doesn’t shake it off.
“I guess I should be grateful that they’re all safe for now, back on Earth. But I know I can’t come back until the Galra Empire is destroyed and... well, who knows how long that’ll take...” Tears shine in his eyes, and Keith knows he has to say something.
“I... don’t know much about family,” he starts. “I never knew mine; I was orphaned really young. But the way you talk about your family, I can tell they care a lot about you. And... I know they’re really proud of you. We’re gonna defeat Zarkon, and save the universe, and then you’ll see your family again. It’s hard now, but we’ll all make sure we get this done as quickly as possible.” He hopes this might cheer Lance up, because for some reason, the thought of Lance being sad makes him sad.
When a tear spills onto Lance’s cheek, Keith panics. He must have said something wrong, did he offend him? As he prepares to backpedal and repair the damage, something strange happens.
Lance looks at Keith like he’s surprised, eyes widened and mouth agape, and the shoulder that Keith’s hand is on moves toward him, and so does the other shoulder, and Lance’s whole body, and suddenly his head is leaning on Keith’s shoulder. His shoulders shake as he brings his arms somewhat awkwardly around Keith’s waist.
“Thanks,” he mumbles against Keith’s frozen body.
Keith’s internal thought process is something like ‘oh my god oh my god oh my god oh my god what do I do!?!?!?!?!?’ But he manages to mumble back, “no problem.” He awkwardly pats Lance on the back a couple of times, willing himself to not spontaneously combust, and all too quickly, Lance pulls away from the hug.
He wipes his eyes one more time, and a small smile finds its way to his lips. “You’re right.”
Keith must look pretty confused, because Lance feels the need to clarify. “We’ll defeat Zarkon soon. And then we’ll go home.”
Keith nods.
Lance turns to leave, walks a few steps, and turns back. “By the way, would you mind, uh, not telling the others about this?”
Maybe normally Keith would make a quip back, but all that comes out of his startled mouth is “wouldn’t dream of it.”
Lance smiles gratefully, and leaves.
Keith sinks to the floor. What the hell was he getting himself into?