Watching You, While You're Watching Us (Shklance)

Zombies Are Made From Exams

Lance was beginning to think zombies were real. But it wasn't a disease outbreak that created them, no, it was university final exams.

Lance had just barely made the acceptance list for Garrison University in the first place, but that had motivated him more than it had discouraged him at first. His had studies thankfully started improving from how they had been in high school upon his entrance as Lance realized he needed to ask for and accept help on the things he just couldn't figure out. Understanding one topic might lead to understanding an entire concept if he was lucky. Final exams were different. Everyone was talking them and barely had time to help others. Plus, they were simply just difficult for most studentsamd Lance had never been a good test taker. Final exams were held twice at Garrison; once in late fall, and once in late spring. The second set of exams were even more of a challenge, but Lance didn't want to think of the second round yet. He had made it through two years of them so far, but with his third year, a focus on his major was set and he had to be able to clearly show his understanding of it. So, he studied harder than ever.

Unfortunately, he already studied plenty, so adding more study time to that between assignments (thankfully less than usual this time of year) and work was draining Lance. He had only been changing through three slightly oversized hoodies and sweatpants that fit almost like leggings. 'Sweggings' he liked to call them. He barely remembered to eat, and was definitely losing sleep.

This led to him walking around campus like, well, a zombie. He was constantly thinking of twenty different things at once, even though he could barely keep himself upright. He was making his way back to the dorms thankfully, since on Tuesdays he only had classes until 2PM. Abruptly, his thoughts, and path, were cut short as he walked right into someone's back. Lance stumbled backwards as he tried to clear his head enough to shutter out a mortified apology.

"I'm so sorry. I wasn't paying attention, I wasn't looking where I was—Shiro?" Lance could have sworn in that moment that steam was actually starting to radate from his head, this was too much on top of everything. The back he had bumped into was the one he'd been watching these last couple of weeks. Lance's brain sped up into overdrive mode.

"Hey Lance," he smiled at him.

"Such a pretty smile," Lance couldn't help but think.

"Well thank you," Shiro chuckled.

Lance's eyes grew as wide as saucers as he realized that what he had meant to simply think, he had actually said. Out loud. To a very hot man. A very hot and very taken man.

"What had you thinking so hard?" Shiro thankfully moved past the comment smoothly.

"Oh! Umm, nothing important really. It's just another busy end of the semester is all. Again, I'm so sorry for bumping into you," Lance let out a chuckle with no real humor in it.

"To be completely fair, I am just waiting in the middle of the sidewalk, and Keith is always saying I take up more space than I think. I think its the most gentle way he can tell me that I've put on some old man weight," Shiro often made jokes at his own expense about being the oldest of their little group and usually Lance seemed to enjoy them. This time though, Lance only gave half of a laugh again and a strained smile.

Shiro grew concerned as he looked at Lance more closely. There were bags under his eyes, his body sagged, and his eyes weren't fully open. Lance could feel Shiro's eyes wondering over him for an awkward moment until he spoke up again.

"Lance, are you alright? I know we've only really talked at the study groups, so I might be a bit off base, but you don't loo like yourself."

"Hmm? Oh yeah, umm... I'm fine. I have just been having to put in some more work with final exams and a new part-time job," Lance tried to put at least some of his usual personality into the words to calm Shiro's concerns, but his body simply couldn't muster it.