The Monster in the Sky. Klance AU

Chapter 41: Being the Bigger Man

Once again I apologise for infrequent uploads but here, I present to you... a very sad chapter.

"Keith, I think it might be best if we break up," James murmured, gaze fixed on his knees to avoid all means of eye contact. It was almost like seeing Keith's face as he reacted to the bad news would make it all real. He heard Keith's breath hitch but James tried his hardest not to make his flinch noticeable. He had to be the bigger man. James couldn't let Keith drag him along anymore. He had had enough of being second best; the backup option.

"What, why?" Keith choked out, voice cracking on the two simple interrogatives. It contrasted his usual brave, unemotional self.

"Because you like Lance," Keith's mouth fell open but, before he could argue, James continued to speak. He knew arguing would only make the situation harder; it was already hard enough as it was. "I can tell. Don't deny it. You couldn't make it any more obvious."

"James, I-" Keith backed up so their bodies were no longer pressed against each other, tears puddling in his eyes. James's side, where Keith had been pressed into, seemed to turn ice cold as if he had been blasted with an ice attack from Todoroki from the My Hero Academia manga James loved to read. "I don't-" James made the mistake of glancing up to briefly meet eyes with Keith. As soon as his gaze laid upon the wet tears in his eyes, James felt like he was going to vomit up his lunch.

"You don't stop looking at him when you're in the same room as him, even if I'm there too. You've seemed distant for a while now. You and him have so many inside jokes that you don't even attempt to explain to me... you like him, not me. I get it. I should have known way back when we kissed for the first time because you were obsessed with him before you left for space. I guess..." James trailed off to allow himself a second to swallow the lump forming in his throat. "I guess I wanted to convince myself that you might love me back. I wanted you to so much."

"James, I- I do love you-"

"But not in the way that I love you. I bet you can only see yourself with Lance in the future. I bet he's the one you imagine when we kiss and when we-"

"I-"

"Don't lie to me, Keith. I know you. I've known you forever. You helped me through my hardest moments when I was being abused by my own dad and you helped me when I got myself addicted to adderall of all things. You helped me when I had to do my exams a month later than everyone else. You've helped me through so much and- and I can't thank you enough," A rogue sob escaped James's mouth, forcing him to hunch over and run his hands through his hair. "I really didn't want to lose you but I know I have to let you go. I love you and that means I want the best for you. I want you to be happy and I know you'll never be happy with me." Keith remained silent which only confirmed James's suspicions. "I'm breaking up with you so you can be with the one you truly love... Lance. Ask him out. You two are soulmates for fuck's sake. Anyone can see it."

Despite the pain inside Keith's chest from all the emotional turmoil, he forced a smile. He let his eyes track the streams of tears dripping from James's eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"No, it's okay. I get it. I just want you to be happy. That's all," James rubbed at his eyes with his fists before letting out a loud huff. "Go talk to him. Right now. You haven't stopped worrying about him since we left yesterday and I'm sorry if I'm being insensitive but it's a concussion. I'm sure you've experienced worse injuries when you were in space. There's no way a concussion is going to be what kills Lance."

"I know but... I can't help-"

James shook his head, clenching his hands into fists. "You need him. You don't need me. I think... I think you should leave. The only people who don't know you two love each other are you and Lance."