swim with me? [klance au]

Hard Feelings

"No quiero amores, no vengas con tu traición~ Las penas yo las olvido con alcohol, solo yo la paso mejor!" Lance sang happily as he stood on the bed, holding a hairbrush as a microphone. The small UE roll speaker blasted the song, and the whole crew was sitting in the one hotel room, laughing and talking.

Ever since that afternoon, when Keith had helped Lance, held him, Lance was trying to reevaluate his feelings. He knew he was bi, he didn't need to be worried if he was starting to like Keith, but the idea was strange and unnatural. True, he'd initially been attracted to him that day when he saw Keith on the rock, but after Keith had seen his secret, then gave into agreeing to let Lance stay at the Holt's, everything had changed.

Originally, Lance didn't like Keith. At all. He was strange and quiet and moody and sensitive. And Lance was the opposite, loud and happy-go-lucky, or at least he tried to be. If he was really thinking about it, he was actually very guarded, and so it was just as hard for him to open up as it was for Keith, probably.

Lance hid his emotions behind a carefree, jokester facade while Keith suppressed them and pretended they didn't exist. Lance didn't know which method was worse. But whatever it was, he knew that after seeing the care in Keith's eyes today, Lance wanted to be someone Keith could open up to as well. To be honest, the situation had made him feel vulnerable to Keith, as the panic attack was a glimpse of Lance as his most hopeless, desperate self.

He'd been completely exposed, and Keith could've done anything else. He could've done nothing, called for someone else, or not even come at all. But instead, Keith had gathered Lance up in his arms and talked to him, comforting him the best he could.

Lance didn't know what that meant, he didn't know if Keith had any sort of feelings for him, but he was sure they could develop. After today, Lance wanted to see more of that side of Keith. His natural impulses. Lance wanted to open up more to Keith, and have Keith be able to lean on him too, and he'd be willing to work through whatever bad stigma he'd created for himself to show Keith that he was a good person, that he could support Keith. That he wouldn't judge.

Just as long as Keith was willing to as well.

The sounds of the party brought Lance back to reality and as a new song began, he starting singing again. A giant platter of cheese and crackers was on the other bed, and Allura and Hunk were devouring it. They didn't have stuff like this in the village, and it might be the last chance they'd be able to eat junk food in a while. Shiro had also presented them with Oreos.

Pidge and Matt were fidgeting around with a micro-drone, bumping it around the ceiling, and Keith was reclined the in the desk chair, occasionally mentioning things to Shiro, who sat on the floor next to him. He was studying some sort of plane diagram. Boring.

Keith looked up at Lance, frustrated. He needed to tell him, especially after what had happened today. After Lance had calmed down completely, they'd walked back to the group together, earning themselves a few confused looks but no questions.

Keith sighed, thinking over what he was going to say. "I just want to tell you. I don't know if you were thinking this, but I need to let you know. I'm not gay. And I'm not looking for a relationship. I just want to surf and draw and go to school. I'm not gay. I know today in the woods must have been misleading, I'm sorry. I'm not gay. And the night of the painting, that was my fault too. I shouldn't have been so forward. I'm not gay. Don't take it personally. I'm not gay."

Keith's jaw went slack. He noticed that he'd been staring at Lance. Lance was looking back at him. He looked away. And then he looked back at Lance, and as the mer was still staring, Keith stood. He motioned for Lance to follow him out onto the hotel room's balcony. Keith's heart was pounding but he didn't know why he was nervous. This was nothing to be nervous about. Lance just needed to know.