Spilled Milk

II

    “Why don’t you tell her now?” Lance asked as he and Keith sat in the basketball stadium, watching the roadies carefully pack up everything so they could hit the road sooner, rather than later.
    “Two reasons,” Keith sighed. “One, I don’t want her to try and be sappy with me the entire drive to Florida. Two, she’s working.”
    “That makes sense…” Lance supposed. “But when are you going to take her out?”
    “Probably during your show on Wednesday.”
    “Oh.” Lance murmured.
    “What’s wrong?” Keith looked up to him then.
    “It’s nothing. It’ll just be weird to not have you at my show.”
    “I won’t miss the whole thing. I’ll be back before it’s over.”
Keith smiled then. Lance, then, flushed a deep scarlet. He didn’t smile too often, but when he did— holy shit, it was beautiful.
    “W-What’s wrong now?” Keith stammered. “Are you getting sick? We can put off the next show if we need to.” He had been suddenly taken aback by Lance’s blush, and that with his hoarse voice made him worry that he was getting ill. It was normal for lead singers to get ill while touring. And then usually the rest of the band followed. It had happened once before for Spilled Milk, except Shiro. The bassist never got sick it seemed.
    “What? I’m not sick. I feel just fine, not including my voice.” Lance lightly chuckled, trying to make light of the situation. “I had a thought this morning.”
    “That’s a first.” Keith smirked.
    “Haha,” He smiled sarcastically. “But, uh, I was thinking maybe I’d ask a fan out. For publicity, maybe?”
    Keith’s heart sank a little. He didn’t want Lance to date anyone. Anyone but him. “Oh,” He said with a smile anyways. “Do you mean, like, during a show?”
    “Yeah, I was thinking that maybe I’d take her on one date.” Lance gave a nervous grin. “It wouldn’t be a real date though, not to me.”
    Still his heart felt heavy, like it was weighing down his entire chest. It would be a real date to the girl and the other fans that don’t get picked. It would be a real date to Keith.
    “I’m sure you’ll be put in the media quite a bit for it, but what will she do if you don’t keep dating her?” Keith said softly. “Won’t she get upset?”
    “Maybe, but if I explain to her that I can’t really have a girlfriend because of the tour I’m sure she’ll understand.” Lance had too much faith. And really it was just a ploy to see if Keith liked him, or would show any signs of liking him. He probably didn’t.
    But he totally fuckin’ did. Keith was jealous. Silent, but jealous. “Well, if we have time in the next city, I say do it.”
    “Alright then.” Lance said softly. The two sat then in a comfortable silence. Their arms shared an armrest as they watched Stevie and the others finish up. Keith’s sleeve was slightly pressed against the other man’s arm. He felt like he was on fire in that small space. Lance, on the other hand, felt like they were frozen. That he could just sit with Keith and watch the rest of the world move on without them. Their unknowingly shared moment of bliss was broken when a roadie came up to them to tell them they were all set.     Slowly Keith stood, Lance following close behind as they walked together out of the stadium. The roadie had gone back to the others so now they walked alone.
    “Are you doing the same set in Columbus?” Keith asked after a moment.
    “Maybe. I'll probably change a few, sing something by someone else too. They like it when I do that for some reason.”
    “What were you thinking? Cover wise?”
    “A song by Miniature Tigers.”
    “Any others?”
    “Not really…” Lance shrugged. “But you said you'll be there before it ends, right?”
    “Yeah,” He nodded. “I don't think you've ever really wanted me to be at a show this much.”
    “That’s not true. You've just never missed one before.”
    “Yes I have.”
    “When?” Lance asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.
    “One of your first shows, when Shiro was in the hospital and one of the roadies filled in for him.”
    “Oh. Right. When he got…” Lance trailed off. It was hard for everyone to talk about still.
    Keith just nodded. “I went with him.” He said softly.
    “I ended that show early. People were pissed.”
    “They still don't know about it, do they?”
    “No. Shiro didn't want anyone to know but us.”

    As they got outside and boarded the bus it began to rain. Shiro and Lance sat across from each other at the pull-out table, eating apples as they spoke.
    Keith sat on one of the beds, reading a book. Well, pretending to. He couldn't keep his eyes off of Lance. Stevie couldn't keep her eyes off of Keith. He didn't even notice her stare. He looked back down his book but right back up when Lance laughed at something Shiro said. Keith’s lips curled into a thin smile. Lance glanced over to him, immediately he looked back down to his book and ignored the blush burning his ears. Lance looked back to Shiro as they finished their conversation before moving over to Keith on the bed. He didn't look up at him but recognized his presence, his ears turned more red.
    “Hey.” Lance murmured.
    “Hey.” Keith said just as softly.
    “Where are you taking her on your date?” Lance asked softly.
    “No idea. Why?”
    “Just wondered.” He said softly, playing with the hem of his pants.
    “I'm sure there's somewhere in Columbus. Should it be somewhere nice?”
    “Kind of.” Lance said. “Not crazy nice. First dates are nice, second are casual, third is fancy.”
    “You know a lot about this sort of thing.” He said, marking his page and closing his book to finally look up at him. “How?”
    “I don't really know.” He grimaced.
    “Oh. Have you gone on a lot of dates?”
    “Not really. I mean, not to the point of getting a third date usually.”
    “That's surprising.” Keith weakly chuckled.
    “It is? Really? Why?”
    “I don't know. You kind of seem like a ladies’ man.”
    “Just because I'm technically famous.” He laughed.
    “That can't be the only reason girls like you.”
    “Why else would they?” Lance asked softly.
    Swallowing Keith looked him in the eye. Lance hesitantly set his hand on Keith’s that rested on his leather-bound book.
    “I-I’m sure there's lots of reasons, like—”

    The bus suddenly came to stop, Keith being thrown onto Lance. Shiro fell out of his seat. Hunk held onto the wall, as he had been walking. Pidge almost fell out of the top bunk.
    “What the hell—” Shiro asked and went up to the driver’s cabin. Two cars had wrecked right in front of their bus. Luckily they were able to stop before running into the wreckage as well. “Holy…”
    Hunk followed Shiro to see if they were alright when he moved to call 911 for the wreck in front of them.

    Keith looked down at Lance with wide eyes. Lance looked up at him with the same expression.
    “Are you okay?” Keith whispered.
    “Sí, are you?”
    “Yes.”
    Keith hesitantly leaned down before Stevie stepped closer to them. “Are you two alright?” She asked softly.
    That was when Keith sat up and so did Lance. “Yeah, we’re fine.” He said softly.
    “So, um, did you think about it?” Stevie smiled hopefully.
    “Um, yes. One date. When we get to Columbus, but only one. I'm not looking for a relationship.” Keith said calmly.
    Lance looked from Keith to Stevie. She looked hurt. “Oh. Alright.” She smiled anyways. “Should I dress up or—”
    “I don't think so.” He nodded and picked his book up from the floor to begin to read again. Hesitantly Stevie walked back to the other roadies.
    Lance looked back to him. “If you don't like her why are you trying?”
    “You said I should.”
    “Oh.” Lance looked down.
    “Do you not want me to go with her?”
    “It isn't up to me.”
    “I'm asking.”
    “Then no. I don't.”