Accidental Intentions

25 • Awkward

Keith kicked himself.

After Allura had sent him to bed he had tried to put Lance out of his head and get some sleep, but he couldn't. He had intended to stay there quietly, and head back to the training room when lunchtime rolled around to finish his mind-numbing routine. But then he had heard Lance next door. Laughing. At him. For not knowing what it's like to have a mom.

He yelled at him. So much for trying to be invisible.

And the worst thing was that he knew it was true. He didn't know what it was like to have a family. Back on Earth, Shiro had been the closest thing he had to family. But then he disappeared, leaving Keith alone. Again. Keith knew it wasn't his fault, but he was still hurt that Shiro chose to go to space without him. That's why he had been at the academy, so he could join Shiro someday. But then Shiro had disappeared. And Keith had dropped out.

He sighed. It was 10 minutes until lunch. He wanted at arrive late to avoid seeing that idiot's face. He watched the clock slowly tic off the minutes. Ugh, this was awful.

Finally, when it was time he sat up. His head was a little dizzy but Keith attributed that to missing breakfast. After all, he didn't get any sleep after Allura sent him to bed.

When he arrived at the dining hall everyone had already gone. With a heavy sigh, Keith sank into one of the chairs and forced himself to down some nutritious slime. He hasn't been a fan of it the first time he tried it. But after weeks of eating it, who was he kidding? He could barely keep the stuff down.

As soon as he was done he headed to the training hall, where he was met with an unfamiliar sight. Lance.

Instantly all the emotions he had been trying to push back rushed forward into his cheeks. He stood frozen to the spot, watching Lance cross blades with Shiro, until the Black Paladin noticed.

"Keith! Come join us!" he called out to him.

The way Lance stiffened before turning to look did not escape Keith's gaze. The Blue Paladin quickly looked down and fumbled for his bottle of water.

"Well, that is more than enough for today, I am still a little off, so I'm gonna go..." Lance moved to leave but Shiro stopped him.

"One more. You and Keith."

Shit.

Lance froze for a split second before protesting loudly. "What! No way! I can't fight Keith, he's too good! Besides -- ow! My head. You know I'm not feeling so great, so I'm gonna go lie down. Right now."

"Lance!" Shiro called. "Just one more. It's important to practice against a variety of opponents, not everyone you meet will fight like me. We need all the practice we can get."

Reluctantly, Lance turned, dropping his water canister and sweat towel.

Keith made his way to the area Shiro indicated and took up a fighting stance.

Shiro gave each of them a concerned glance before dropping his hand between them. "Hajime!"

Keith rushed forward, aiming for the head. Lance offered no resistance. Keith backed off, circling slowly, watching his opponent's feet.

"Head in the game! Watch their eyes," Shiro instructed. "You can read where they are going to strike next."

Keith dragged his eyes up to meet Lance's blue ones. Keith dropped them immediately upon seeing Lance's red-tinged expression. Damn. He couldn't do this.

"Stop!" Shiro commanded as Lance made a half-hearted pass.

Grateful, both boys turned their attention to the senior officer.

"What is going on between you two?"

Both looked at the floor, unwilling to talk and a slight blush across their cheeks the Keith hoped Shiro would attribute to exertion. He wanted to die. He was so uncomfortable.

"If you don't want to talk me fine, but whatever it is you have to work it out. We can't afford to have petty arguments in the team."

"There is no way I can reconcile with this..." Lance trailed off.

Freak, Keith finished in his head. It stung.

"Then tell me what's going on so I can understand."

Both Paladins pressed their lips together in awkward defiance.

Shiro threw his hands up and left, calling over his shoulder that they had better make up by dinner. Keith decided that he was most definitely not. When the Black Paladin's footsteps faded out of earshot, Lance turned to him, eyes on his shoes. "Um, about that — uh —"

"It was a mistake." Keith clarified, angry. He didn't want to have this conversation here. Actually he didn't want to have this conversation at all. Talking about it made it real, and if it was real then he would have to deal with it. But here he was, discussing with Lance about how they were going to proceed after their makeout session. "Humans are social beings, they crave touch. We were exhausted and emotional. It could have been with anyone."

Lance's eyes fluttered up to meet his before dropping it again. "Right. Exactly. So... it never happened?"

"Never." Relieved that it was over, Keith turned to go. Only he crashed into an invisible wall face first.

Fucking Shiro.