Citrus. Klance AU

Chapter 8

On Saturday, Lotor suggested going out to get coffee. I didn't really fancy it since I had already gone out for a drink twice that week but he didn't know that. I nodded, pulling my jacket over my shoulders as Lotor did the same. "Are we going to Starbucks?" I asked, my voice small. Lotor simply shrugged, holding the door open so I could walk out.

"We could go somewhere different if you want. Do you know anywhere?" Keith's coffee shop popped into mind but I shook it out immediately. There was no way I wanted to tell Lotor about it: he'd kill me if he found out I had been hanging out with another guy. I wasn't cheating (if you ignored the one night stand) but Lotor just didn't like me talking to other people in general. "I guess we could just walk and see where we end up?"

"Sounds good." Lotor slipped his hand into mine and we started to walk down the drive. My hand was tiny inside his but it added a sense of security. Almost like a warm blanket draped around my shoulders like some shield from the cold. "You know that panic attack you had yesterday?" I tensed up, not expecting him to bring it up again.

Bringing the hand that wasn't holding Lotor's through my hair, I murmured, "Yeah..."

"Are you feeling better? Any less anxious?"

"Yeah, a lot better actually. The movie night helped a lot. I kind of just want to spend more time with you, you know?"

"As if living with me isn't enough." He chuckled so I knew he was joking. Sometimes it was hard to tell. "You can always ask and I can take you out somewhere."

"I know but I feel annoying when I ask."

"You shouldn't." He squeezed my hand and sent me a small smile. I had almost forgotten how beautiful his smile was. "I think you deserve a treat today."

"I don't want anything." Lotor's hand fell from my grip and he froze on the spot. Staring as if he was trying to pick apart the puzzle that was me, his eyebrows deeply furrowed. A glint came across his eyes that almost looked like fury but I couldn't quite place my finger on it.

"Lance, I'm putting effort into taking you out. You need to have something or I won't take you out like this again."

"O-Okay." As if the anger had never been there, Lotor grabbed my hand and pulled me in the direction of the town.

-

"How about here?" Lotor asked. I knew exactly where we were and I wished I had told him to go to Starbucks instead.

"You know what, I think I fancy Starbucks." I was just about to walk in the other direction but Lotor grabbed my arm. To a passerby, it might have seemed gentle but it was much rougher than that. Considering the bruises that had already blossomed in that area, I was extra sensitive.

"Why not here? It looks perfectly nice."

"I don't know. I just-" Under that amount of pressure, I was unable to come up with a plausible excuse as to why I didn't want to enter the Lion Coffee shop. "I feel sick." It slipped out before I could even think about it, the fact that I was lying more obvious than anything. Lotor's grip on me tightened and I winced, my face scrunching up in pain.

"You were fine earlier. If you don't give me a proper reason, we're going in." I snapped my mouth shut and he pushed the door open. Secretly, I was relieved when I saw Shiro behind the counter and not Keith. It would have been horrendous for me if it was Keith.

"Oh, hi Lance!" He exclaimed, waving us over. I nervously sat down on the same chair that I always did. Lotor slid into the seat beside me, eyes narrow as he alternatively diverted his gaze between me and Shiro.

"You two know each other?"

"Yeah," I had to answer before Shiro could tell the truth and throw me under the bus. "I actually went to college with Shiro. It's been a while, hasn't it?" I sent Shiro a pleading look and, luckily, he played along. He flashed a large smile and nodded his head, holding out his hand. I shook it, replicating his smile as if we really were two old friends being reunited after a few years.

"It's nice seeing you again, dude. What can I get you?"

"Two hot chocolates, please." I kept my gaze fixed on my lap as Lotor handed over the money and Shiro turned to make the drinks. Lotor's hand snaked up to my thigh and he rubbed it gently.

"Would you like marshmallows and cream?"

"On one." Shiro nodded, spiralling the whipped cream and dropping a few marshmallows onto it. He then pushed the drinks towards us and Lotor thanked him for both of us. As soon as Shiro had turned away and set his attention elsewhere, Lotor picked out a marshmallow and threw it into his open mouth.

Going into the coffee shop was much less of a disaster than I had anticipated. We sipped at our drinks at a steady pace whilst chatting about little things. At one point, Lotor's lips were covered in whipped cream so I took it upon myself to lean forward and kiss it away. That had made him laugh softly; his laugh was like music to my ears. I thought it was a miracle when we walked back out into the cold air and didn't once bump into Keith.