Lance was the typical college boy that always flirted with every girl he met, sometimes the occasional guys. He was fully aware that he was a flirty person by nature. Despite his insecurities about not being good enough, he didn't mind getting rejected because he was never really trying to be good enough for all those people, but then things changed. Then he met Keith.
Keith was easily the most beautiful person he'd ever met. Not only in looks, but in personality too. He was awkward but kind, easily excitable and loyal. Keith devoted himself to whatever he set his mind to and wouldn't stop until he got it. He was passionate and driven. And he loved with everything he had.
Lance was in love with him. And Keith had fallen in love with Lance, but that didn't change the doubts both of them had. Keith was still unsure that Lance would take them seriously because of his usual flirty nature and Lance was afraid that Keith would realize he could do better and leave him. So they were at an impasse, too afraid to say anything because they liked what they had.
"I'm just scared he'll eventually lose interest in me. I mean, he's friends with Shiro." Lance confessed to Hunk and Pidge.
His two best friends shared an uneasy look and Lance immediately caught on, feeling the dread in his gut. "What?" he questioned them.
"I'm not sure about it but..." Pidge faded off, uncomfortably squirming. "Keith used to go out with Shiro. I overheard the two of them talking when they visited Matt and judging by what they said, I'm not sure they ever really... stopped." Pidge finished.
"Keith said he'd always love Shiro and Shiro said things would never change between them." Hunk further explained, not really wanting to hurt Lance by telling him. But if they were right, then Keith was playing Lance and he didn't want his best friend to be used like that.
Lance felt his heart wrench as he processed what his friends said. Keith wouldn't do that to him... right? Had he already decided he didn't want Lance? No, that couldn't be it. But what if it was?
"As I said, we're not sure." Pidge tried to make it better but Lance's doubts were already racing through his mind.
The next day when Lance saw Keith, he couldn't talk to him. He didn't know how to bring it up, or if he should at all. What if he was wrong? But what if he wasn't? The thoughts were plaguing his mind all day and Keith noticed.
"Are you okay?" Keith finally asked him once they were somewhere private.
"I'm fine." Lance replied, looking everywhere but Keith's eyes.
Keith looked at him in concern but decided to not push it. If it was something he should worry about, then Lance would've told him. At least, that's what he'd initially thought. But then as days passed, Lance started to withdraw from him. He smiled less, laughed less, talked less, until eventually the two only ever saw each other in the hallways as they made their way to their own class when Lance was with Hunk and he was with Shiro. He was constantly worrying about what was on his boyfriend's mind.
He decided that they couldn't keep doing this and made his way to Lance's dorm, his heart pounding the entire way across campus.
It hurt when he saw Lance talking to Allura talking right by his door, laughing with her and smiling. How long had it been since he'd smiled at Keith like that? He didn't know.
"Lance?" Keith called out to him as Allura left.
Lance immediately tensed up again when he heard Keith's voice, the latter trying to ignore the tug his heart felt at the action. When had things gotten this bad?
