The Space Between Us // Klance *UNDER REVISION*

Chapter 6: Keith

Lance left my bedroom shortly after the confrontation. Tears stained my shoulder, but I didn't mind. The guilt he carried and the pain in his black eye were reason enough for him to cry into my shirt.

I didn't expect my arrival back to be so hectic. Lance was shoved into his room. I was taken to the medic to have a therapeutic bath to tend to my bruises and they let my nose bleed subside. Lance; however, didn't have this treatment. It was strange for me to think that he wouldn't be cared for the same as Alteans were big on equality.

Lance went out of his way to leave his room. He broke through the Altean lock system, which was twice as advanced as anything on Earth. It outmatched those of major prison complexes. I knew if Allura really wanted to keep him there, the lock would have been a lot stronger.

I fell back onto my bed with an active imagination. I didn't understand what Lance felt for me though I knew, without a doubt, it wasn't hatred.

I was flustered at the memory of him hugging me, hell, I was red when I made the bold move to lay next to him while training with him on that one fateful day. We had both grown since then.

I considered that our forward interactions would be different. I wanted to get rid of our rivalry, but I didn't want to get rid of the friendly banter. Had he been flirting all this time? Was he playing hard to get?!

I couldn't sleep that night. I had a hard time readjusting to my room, but I had an even more difficult time getting Lance out of my head. I felt foolish about my dreams of him. A plus to working with the Blade of Marmora was that I was constantly busy. I didn't have the time to dwell on feelings.

He had implemented this ideology where I begun to think I wasn't good enough for him. He always played this persona of dominance. This act that he was superior. I knew that when he was ready to proclaim a desire to the world, he'd express it completely. I didn't know if he wanted me when I wanted him. I wanted him so badly.

Shiro knew two things well, that I liked boys and I liked Lance despite how hard I tried to not show it. Shiro was gay too, which surprised me at the beginning of the big brother program. After I had confessed my orientation, he proceeded to show me a picture of his boyfriend, Adam. To know that I wasn't alone was such a warm, loving sensation. He had given me nothing but support since I had meet him, but to have something like this in common encouraged me to let Shiro into my life as a significant figure.

Shiro was there for me to gab when I didn't have a notebook to aggressively scribble in. With having been gone with the Blade, I had learned to become more independent with the intensity of my affections.

There were instances I couldn't stand all the waiting; there had also been times where I couldn't stand to look at him without my emotions erupting like a volcano. I had it bad and I could acknowledge that. I was a lone wolf desiring to break away from solitude.

Back at the Garrison, all that I did was work. I didn't have friends to distract me from my studies. The authorities thought of me as a natural and my technique was considered flawless. I'd excel at every assignment thrown at me with the exception of peer projects and group assignments.

I was once assigned with Lance as my partner. He seemed so prideful, yet he was comfortable to be around. He'd nudge and pester me while we worked. We were the top students in our class.

"So, Keith, do you have a girlfriend?" I remember him casually asking.

"No. I'm not looking for one either," I closed myself off from him and his silly question.

"It's hard to sneak out and get a date. I'm sure you couldn't be bothered, not a lot of people are. I, on the other hand, am going to marry a beautiful girl. My buddy Hunk and I have been sneaking out trying to hook up with some ladies, you can join us sometime. I think I only want one kid, my family is pretty big as it is. We will have a quant, little house close to my parents and cousins. It'll be just by the outskirts. No. Maybe in the city! I don't have everything worked out yet. Do you ever wonder who you'll end up with?" He turned to look over at me with his pretty, blue eyes.

"Uhh, no?" I stumbled with a rosy tint invading my porcelain cheeks.

"You're not a man of many words," he laughed, "You'll find yourself someone who will do all the talking for you." He went back to work on our assignment, not uttering another word for the rest of the day. He was a focused beauty, bitting his tongue and furrowing his brows. I felt my chest tighten.

I had looked at boys my whole life in curiosity. I was confused as to why they were obsessed with females and if it wasn't for Shiro, I'd be lost forever.

My sexuality may have been a reason as to why I felt odd and disassociated with my peers. My mother leaving me didn't help either. I just felt like an awkward mess. I didn't believe I belonged in my own body. I'd look at boys in curiosity. I was curious and wanted to touch them. I wanted to kiss them.

Lance was the straightest boy I had ever met while I felt like a bent ruler. I did an exceptional job hiding my feelings from everyone, Shiro being an exception. It was a skill that I had developed from the neglect in my childhood.

My béguin with Lance had been heightened. I needed to confess before I inflated. I didn't want to be denied, but I was fully aware of that risk with confessions. I knew that now wasn't the right time no matter how much I wanted to burst.

When the morning came, I decided I wanted to make the most with my first full day back. Lance was still asleep and I didn't feel like bothering him. I hit him hard; training with the Blade had really helped increase my physique. Lance still threw a good punch. I didn't know what I'd do without that therapeutic bath.

While walking down the corner of the hallway, I ran into Pidge, "Oh, Keith, you're up," she said surprised.

I inquisitively tilted my head, "Why are you surprised?"

"I expected you to still be asleep. Lance is practically knocked out and in another comma." Neither of us laughed at her joke.

"I couldn't go to bed last night." I wanted to yawn.

She smirked, crossing her arms, "Huh, that honestly doesn't surprise me. Was anything keeping you up?"

I avoided eye contact to save myself from the embarrassment. It didn't work, "Yeah, actually."

"Let me guess, were you having gay thoughts about Lance again?" Her laidback speech sent me on edge.

I rolled my eyes, trying to push her out of the way, yet her slim frame managed to still barricade my path, "Pidge, you know I'm gay," I played it off as common knowledge, indirectly giving her the answer that she wanted.

She grinned devilishly, "Oh, I know," she smugly examined her chipped nails, "Moaning Lance's name in your sleep is a pretty intense indication that you are fostering homosexual tendencies."