Stone Cold

T h i r t y e i g h t

Lance walked out with narti as they closed up the shop but lance saw keith leaning against the wall on his phone as he was waiting for the Cuban.

Lance took a moment as he looked at keith, he looked the same but some signs of him being older, he was a little taller but just an inch shorter than lance. His arms had more muscle under the black tee he wore as his hair tickled around the base of his neck.

"Later narti, same time tomorrow," lance waved as she went to her car and left the boys alone.

"So your back in town," lance sighed looking at keith.

"Just for the summer, heading back to Texas for sophomore year," Keith nodded.

"What brings you to the north side?" Lance asked as they started to walk.

"Allura said you got a new job up here," Keith shrugged and lance smiled to himself.

"I'd say you look like your doing good but since I caught you getting your ass whooped," Keith raised an eye brow.

"They got me like a month or so ago, don't know why their asking me about George dean though, they were after Luis anyways," lance pursed his lips and Keith nodded.

"How's the family?" Keith asked softly.

Lance took a moment to reply as he looked at the ground with no emotion in his eyes.

"We're making it," he sighed again.

"Maria is back, another kid," he shrugged and Keith's eyes softened.

"You okay?" Keith whispered.

"I'll live," lance closed his eyes. Silence returned as they walked together.

"I got a boyfriend," lance said quickly to break the silence.

"Oh?" Keith gulped.

"Yea," lance turned dark red. He had to make it awkward.

"Does he make you happy?" Keith asked softer and lance felt like something just stabbed his heart.

"Y-yea, he's really sweet," lance looked away.

"I'm sorry for how we left things," Keith let out a long exhale running a hand through his hair.

"Lance just look at me!" Keith yelled as they stood in Lances room.

"I'm not choosing!" Lance shook his head as tears ran down his face.

"Lance please, I love you, I love you please don't do this," Keith held his  wrist as lance turned his head away.

"Keith Stop, your hurting me," lance whispered looking down at him as tears dropped down his chin.

"Then tell me, please lance I'm trying to be there for you so stop being selfish," Keith plead.

"Keith let go!"

"Yea me too," lance gulped as he reached for his cigarettes.

"Do you regret it?" Keith whispered.

"I'm not having this talk," lance groaned.

"Lance please," Keith grabbed his hand. "Let's just talk,"

"You don't just get to leave without saying good bye and act like it didn't break me," lance sneered in his face.

"You think I was happy with that?" Keith shot back.

"It was your choice Keith," lance ripped his hand back. "Happy or not it was your choice,"

"I'm tired, I'm going home," lance sighed as he walked the other direction.

"Lance that's the wrong way," Keith pursed his lips.

"I'll figure it out," lance called back.

———

Lance knocked on the door as he waited for someone to open up.

"Love?" He heard from the side as he saw Lotor exiting from the elevator with a bag over his shoulder, looking tired from work but surprised seeing lance.

"Hey," lance smiled softly at him.

"Sorry I didn't know if you were home or not," he blushed softly as Lotor walked over to unlock his door and let lance in.

"Everything okay?" Lotor asked as he closed the door behind him and lance turned to him.

"No secrets and no lying right?" Lance sighed. Lotor nodded slowly.

"My exe is back in town," he shrugged as Lotor leaned against his kitchen counter. Lotor studied his face, seeing the bruise on Lances cheek and cut on his nose.

"A-and there's just a lot of emotions I'm going through now and only thing I could think of when I was talking to him was getting away just to breath, but when I pictured where to go it wasn't my house... I just kept thinking of you," he ran a hand through his hair stressfully and Lotor nodded listening.

"Did he hurt you..?" Lotor said softly. Lance looked at him and remembered his injuries.

"No no just the Sanchez gang found me from the whole George dean thing and whatever," lance touched his cheek with a soft laugh.

"Do you mind if I spend the night?" Lance asked quietly. Lotor walked up to him and pressed his lips to his hair line.

"Your welcome any time," Lotor whispered and lance leaned against him as he wrapped his arms around his bigger boyfriend.

"Thank you," lance whispered against him as Lotor smiled back holding him tightly.

"No need to thank me love," Lotor whispered back. They walked to Lotors bed as lance took off his jeans as well as the flannel he had on as he was left in boxers and the tee shirt as Lotor helped him crawl in the bed.

"Thank you, really, for everything, for staying," lance held his hand as he looked up at Lotor from the bed. Lotor got on one knee as he kissed Lances knuckles gently.

"I'm always here for you," Lotor smiled.

"I'm sorry for not being more..." lance felt tears starting to form in his eyes. "I'm so fucked up,"

"Guess that must be why I love you," Lotor smiled at him and lance looked at him with wide eyes. 

"Don't change yourself love," He whispered getting up as lance watch him go back to the kitchen. Lance pulled the blanket up to his nose to muffle himself as tears ran down his face silently as he laid in the bed alone. Why did it hurt so much more when someone said they love you? It shouldn't have too.

Lance laid there not fighting himself anymore as he hoped for sleep to take him sooner than later.