The Gilmore Paladins - "They Shoot Paladins, Don't They?"

Chapter 18

Lance sat on the bridge that crossed Starship Hollow's lake. He looked down into the water, wiping the tears from his eyes. Soft footsteps approached.

"She's a jerk," said Keith, stopping a few feet away. "Yelling at you like that, breaking up in front of everybody. . .the girl's a total jerk."

"No, she's not," said Lance, quietly. "She's right. Everything she said. All those things about you and me, all those things about me lying to her, and messing with her head. She was right."

Keith was silent.

Lance finally looked at him. "Well, wasn't she?"

Keith had a hard time forming words. This bridge brought him back to the first time he was here with Lance. The town had held another dumb event where people bid on picnic baskets in order to win a picnic date with the person who packed the lunch. Keith had to beg, borrow, and steal, but he got enough money together to outbid Allura on Lance's basket. All so he could spend a few uninterrupted hours alone with Lance.

When Lance had gotten up to leave, Keith had found he'd dropped the bracelet Allura had made him on the bridge. He'd pocketed it, but when he found out weeks later how upset Lance had been over losing it, he'd slipped the bracelet into Lance's room. It was Lotor who had figured out Keith had taken it. Lotor accused him of trying to sabotage Lance's relationship with Allura. What he didn't tell Lotor was he'd never known Allura had made the bracelet. He'd only pocketed the bracelet because he wanted something of Lance's to hold on to...

"Fine, he was right about me, then," snapped Lance, assuming Keith's silence meant he didn't agree with Lance. "Now go away." Lance looked back at the water, pouting.

"He was right. . ." said Keith, finding his voice. "About all of it."

Lance felt a little stunned. It was just... out there now. "So, what now?"

"You're definitely broken up with Allura?"

"Yeah, I'm definitely broken up with Allura."

"Okay," said Keith quietly. "I have to go take care of something then."

Keith turned and walked away, taking a big bracing breath. Lance liked him... Lance was single... This was huge and he wished he could kiss Lance, but it wouldn't be right. Not when Lance was crying over Allura. Not when Keith needed to go break up with Rolo first. But this was okay because this was a beginning. Keith thought back to the first kiss he'd shared with Lance...

Keith had left town -been run out of town - and gone to spend time with the Blade of Marmora, but he just couldn't stay away. He came back and asked for Shiro to give him a second chance, promising to do better. Shiro had agreed to take him back in so Keith left to go find Lance at Ezor and Zethrid's wedding at the Warship Inn.

Keith remembered Lance's stunned look when he found Keith waiting by the lake for him. "What are you doing here?

"Hello to you too," said Keith.

"Is everything okay?"

"You look nice," said Keith, looking down at Lance's suit he'd worn to be Ezor's bridesmaid.

"Thank you. What are you doing here?" Lance repeated.

"I moved back."

"What?" asked Lance, stunned.

Keith shrugged. "I moved back."

"But...wh – why?" stuttered Lance.

"Just... wanted to," said Keith, wishing he could say out loud, 'to be with you.' Somehow though his eyes must've conveyed this because Lance literally lunged at Keith, slipping his arms around his back and kissing him.

Keith was stunned for a half a second then he was kissing Lance right back. Keith went to put his own arms around Lance, but Lance was already pulling away again.

"Oh my quiznak," said Lance, turning away from Keith. "Oh my quiznak..."

"Lance..." began Keith.

"Don't say a word," begged Lance, spinning back on Keith.

"Okay," said Keith. Of course, Lance had a girlfriend. They shouldn't have been kissing.

"I have to go," said Lance, already running off. "Oh, welcome home!" Lance called over his shoulder as he jogged away to join the wedding ceremony.

Home... That word had stuck with Keith just like the taste of Lance's kiss. Maybe for once in his life he'd feel at home. But then...

Nothing. Lance didn't immediately dump Allura and start dating Keith like he'd expected. In fact Lance had left town for the summer – sent to the capital for special Garrison training – the reason didn't matter. Keith had come back to town for Lance and Lance had immediately left. This hurt Keith in ways he hadn't known he could feel hurt. Keith put back up his 'don't give a quiznak' wall. He started seeing Rolo to pass the time. When Lance got home in time for school to start, he went right back to seeing Allura. But that was then...

... Keith wasn't proud of the resentment he'd be harbouring. Meeting Lance had made him want to be a better person, but the disappointment of that not winning Lance over had sent him spiralling back into the aspects of his personality that he hated. It had been wrong to be so antagonistic. He shouldn't have needed the promise of a relationship with Lance to motivate him to do better.

But now he would have both. He'd have Lance and we would try harder than he ever had to deserve him.