Little Steps Forward (Voltron Klance)

Chapter 2

Lance

Hanging out with Shiro for the rest of the day was awesome. He helped me get settled in, and got Keith to talk with me at least a little bit while we ate out at some sushi bar in the City. He also really liked meeting Hunk and Pidge, as much as it stung for me to learn neither of them knew who he was.

As the night went on, Keith seemed to pull away more and more. He was constantly looking at the time on his phone, even attempting to after his phone died on our way back to the dorms. He seemed to shut everyone out more as we walked, and when the time had come for Shiro to leave to get a hotel for the night, Keith only gave a cold goodbye and went to his room. Since Shiro said they were like brothers, I was a little worried at first, but the look on his face said it was a normal parting for them.

The next morning came too quickly. We had another two days before classes began, but I still had my alarm set up to wake me up in time for my first class. With an exhausted sigh I managed to haul myself up out of bed, moving out of the private room towards the sink in the main room. Keith was apparently already awake from the sounds of some music coming from his room. I do my best to get my facial cream wiped off without bothering him, getting dressed and ready for the day.

Keith

I had some music on to fill the emptiness as I doodled the pigeon sitting in its nest just outside my window. Music always helped me feel better when things seemed rough without any real reason behind it. But, like today, I couldn't quite find the right song. Some got close, but they never hit exactly the notes I needed to hear. It was always frustrating to have days like this, always putting an edge on the rest of the day and making me want to sit alone for the rest of my life.

But, as always, my body has its own needs outside of what I want to do. A few more minuets into drawing, my stomach growls loud enough it almost shakes the sketch book resting just above it on my chest. So, I set it aside for now to go grab some food from the cafeteria.

As I step out of my room, I see Lance there. Hunk is sitting on the couch with him, and they appear to be playing a video game on the television he brought with him. I wasn't even aware either of them were awake, let alone having fun only a few feet from me.

Lance smiles as he gives a quiet cheer, gently pushing Hunk, probably having won a game. Though he soon spots me outside my door, and the look on his face shows a combination of embarrassment and joy. 

"Oh! Hey, Keith. Sorry if we bothered you. I just got kinda lonely and Hunk's roommate has his girlfriend over." Lance quickly apologizes. He blushed ever so slightly at the comment he made about Hunk's roommate, though the eyebrow waggle that followed showed it wasn't out of misunderstanding it.

"I didn't even know you were awake yet." I say, I can hear the apprehension and confusion in my voice. However, everything still stays calm, the pressure remaining the same at seeing the two of them.

"That's good. Well, what brings you out here?"

"I was going to get some food from the cafeteria."

Hunk and Lance both beamed brighter. If smiles could blind someone, they could do it then and there. They looked at each other, as if asking each other the same question, before Hunk spoke up first.

"You should let us take you to a cafe nearby." His smile seemed genuine and true, elated to suggest it. "Both me and Lance work there part time. We can get you a discount on anything you want."

"We make sandwiches and soups as well as coffee and pastry!" Lance quickly jutted in, the edge of urgency in his voice saying it was meant to persuade me more.

Looking at the two of them was somewhat overwhelming. They both looked so happy and excited, and the pressure changed again. It tugged and pulled down on my chest, making the room seem so much darker around their bright, happy smiles of hope. It was a little hard to breathe for a moment, so I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, edging away the overwhelming expectation.

"Fine. Lead the way."

Hunk

Since Lance introduced us I felt like Keith pulled himself away from situations like this. So I had to test the waters. And seeing his reaction to us begging him to go to our coffee shop, it confirmed a few things. But still so much is confusing and in the open. However, I was going to leave it up to him to bring it up or not.

We made it to the coffee shop, and Keith finally got to see Lance and his ways of flirting with the girls that often showed up. As time went on hanging out, I made sure to take notice of how Keith was doing with everything. It seemed as though all the joking and smiling was making him relax. Whatever dark clouds hung in his head started to clear up. Though, while we were laughing at Lance getting rejected by a girl once again, I managed to catch a look at Keith through the corner of my vision. He seemed to go from happy to uncomfortable, his brows knotted together and changing his focus from the scene around us to his coffee. He almost seemed scared.