Lance x Keith (College AU) When the Day Met the Night

Chapter Seven

Keith's POV:

Keith awoke to feel morning light dancing across his closed eyelids. The teen kept his eyes closed, valuing the warm and large hands on holding him close. He remained that way, breathing slowly, until he realized something. Light. Keith's eyelids flew open, observing the room quickly, his breathing suddenly accelerated.

The room, was bright. The white walls of his bedroom reflecting the light of the sun. It wasn't dark. It wasn't terrifying. The night had left, and the sun had come back, it had come back. It had returned, to help him, to make him feel safe again. But...suddenly, Keith hadn't needed the sun, it hadn't needed a night light. Lance was there. He was there for Keith, even though the he had been so horrible to the brown haired teen.

Keith didn't need the sun.

Keith didn't need the moon.

Keith didn't need a night light.

Keith needed Lance.

Lance.

Keith's starry eyes relocated, to meet the closed eyes of the boy next to him. The brown haired teen was sleeping, his cheek pressed against a pillow, his dark eyelashes fanning across his tanned eyelids. Lance was breathing gently, looking very peaceful, and composed. In general he seemed a lot more tranquil and quiet, it was startling, because in a way he also seemed less happy.

Keith didn't like that. He didn't like seeing such a happy person looking so harrowing. He seemed numb, like all the blood in his veins had spilled out onto the floor, leaving him cold and desolate. Keith didn't like that at all. He liked the Lance who rambled on and on until you wished he would just shut up, even though you could never truly want that. He liked the Lance that laughed loudly, his eyes lighting up when he smiled. Keith liked the Lance that was alive, the Lance that would ask you a million questions. The Lance that could make you feel happy, without even trying.

At some point, the brown haired male's eyes had opened. Staring dead ahead, meeting Keith's aubergine irises, with ultramarine globes. His eyes were bright, and very much alive. Glowing with hospitable emotions. He continued to look deep into Keith's eyes, seemingly able to read the teen's every feeling. Keith hadn't notice, still lost in thought, gazing deep into Lance's eyes. His mind still hadn't registered that the brown haired teen had opened his eyes. Until.

"Your eyes, are extremely pretty." Lance whispered, his own blue eyes glimmering.

Keith blinked, once, twice, three times. His lips parting in an attempt to say something, anything. Next to him, Lance smiled, his lips curved upwards, in a beautiful arch of emotion.

"Did you sleep well?" Lance had asked the question fourteen times, once every morning. And yet, this was the first time that Keith had actually taken the time to appreciate it. The black haired teen laughed, genuinely. His eyes squinting adorably, a loud happy laugh. Lance's eyes widened, staring straight ahead at Keith, their gaze amazed. His cheeks turning the lightest shade of red, his heart rate increasing.

"Yes." The reply was simple, one worded, yet more emotional than ever before.

They had slept in their clothes. One of them had cried. One of them had gotten angry. One of them had felt guilty. One of them had felt shame. One of them had been real. One of them had been fake. Both of them had been hurt. Both of them had healed. Together.

The two teens sat up slowly, the sheets rustling quietly. Keith's eyes were puffy and red, but expressive. The fear that he had felt last night, had disappeared. The tears had dried.

Lance came back to his senses, turning to Keith with a smile. "Do you want to have breakfast?"

Keith turned to meet Lance's eyes, his face looking a lot less haunted than before. "Don't we have class?"