Bodysnatchers

9

Keith gets an 87% on his English paper.

It's not like that grade is particularly high or low for him, but it's definitely one of the higher marks he's gotten back in the last month. If anything, this grade proves to Matt and Pidge (and himself- though he'd never admit it) that Lance is more than just some guy he's fucking. He knows his shit, not just when it comes to drugs, and to people; he knows school. Knows how to get far not just outside of class but somehow also in class, and that changes a lot of Keith's perception of Lance.

"Keith!"

He turns around and spots Allura and Lance. An instant smile forms on his lips, and all previous internal monologue thoughts fly out the window, no longer mattering.

Once the two of them catch up to Keith, they exit into the school parking lot together.

"So, tomorrow's the last day of classes, huh?" Allura says, sounding a bit out of it.

"Yeah, after exams you only have a month right?"

And now Keith is confused. Why would Allura be leaving so soon? He gets that she's a senior and would be probably leaving for college, but he just finds it odd that she hasn't mentioned leaving up until now. Especially odd since you normally wouldn't leave until August or September

"Actually I convinced my father on leaving the last week of July instead of the first week. So I guess that's nice."

Then she goes silent.

Lance grabs Keith's hand then and squeezes it. He looks up at Lance, but he's just looking ahead and Keith realizes that gesture wasn't just out of habit, it was for Lance's own reassurance. Keith hasn't really seen this side of Lance yet, the torn apart about something so badly that he can't even speak side of him. There's something more happening between Allura and Lance that Keith can't quite place his finger on, so he wants to dig. He really wants to dig, and ask questions, and try to help, but he doesn't quite have the courage to ask either of them about it. Keith still walks on eggshells around them at times, and right now he feels almost less comfortable talking to them than he did that first time he and Lance hung out. He can also tell neither of them particularly want to talk about, so he doesn't even continue the conversation despite how many questions he has.

"Alright you two, I have to be at work for three-thirty today, so I have to go," Allura says stopping at a car. Keith stops with her, which forces Lance to follow suit as she rummages through her backpack, presumably looking for Keys. Keith grips tighter on Lance's hand, and he gets a light sigh in return.

Then as Allura waves goodbye to them, and clambers into the car, Keith pulls Lance closer to the curb and gathers up the courage to ask "What's wrong?"

Lance doesn't say anything at first. Keith isn't even sure if he had heard him ask, but as Lance and Keith watch Allura's car drive out of view he sighs.

"It's just weird to think that I won't see her everyday after July. We've just- we've been inseparable since we were freshman, you know?"

"Yeah," Keith answers, just trying to squeeze a bit more out of Lance.

Lance grips hold of Keiths hand tighter and pulls him up onto the sidewalk as they begin walking in the direction of Lance's.

"I don't know why I'm as upset over it as much as I am, though," says Lance. Keith watches as he takes a moment of thought. "I guess maybe it's because I'm taking a gap year next year."

"Are you regretting taking the year off?"

"Yeah, I think I do regret it. I should have just applied for college like I wanted but-" he cuts himself off with a long sigh.