Little Steps Forward (Voltron Klance)

Chapter 3

Keith

A week into classes, our hall's RA decided to throw a party for us all. Despite how much I didn't want to go, Hunk and Lance promised me I could stay in the back and they would check on me occasionally. Lance even said that he got permission to invite Pidge to come, too. So, we eventually went to the common room. The "party" had just started when Hunk arrived with Pidge, and though I figured they would all stay together, Hunk went to the buffet laid out to see what he could give to make it better, Lance went off to talk with some of the other guys, and Pidge decided to sit near me.

We had sat in silence for a while, the beat of the music playing around me slowly starting to get to me. So to help against that, I placed a headphone in one ear, playing music that I wanted to listen to instead, and pulled out my sketch book again. Quite a few pages were already full with new sketches, as one of the assignments for my basics was to draw at least one thing every day.

Pidge eventually took notice of my sketch book, looking up from her laptop.

"If you need a model, I don't care if you draw me." She spoke out of almost nowhere, though her voice held caution and a slight smile. "I've noticed you like to draw living things most."

I couldn't help the smile that played at my lips. Not entirely happiness or joy, but a calm neutral consensus. I'm still okay.

"I appreciate it." I quickly respond, setting to drawing her now. This focus cleared away so much for me. Calm, ease, nothing around me mattered aside from the pencil on the paper.

Lance stopped by more often than Hunk, having taken an interest in watching me sketch and draw since he noticed me drawing one of the characters in his little games. He wasn't in any drawing type classes, as he was more of a dancer, but he still did his best to help me keep up with anything that looked off. Yet as time went on, he started to get a little different. It didn't take long for me to realize someone had managed to spike the drinks, so I moved from drinking from my cup Hunk occasionally refilled to sipping at it only once every few minuets. However, Lance didn't seem to catch on until too late. He was very obvious when he was drunk, or at the very least tipsy. His olive skin tinged a small orange shade on his cheeks, only really turning red on the paler skin of his ears. It was a little bit cute, but it was only a passing thought.

While time went on, I had drawn almost three pieces of Pidge at different stages of the night: on her laptop working on whatever she was doing, hanging out with Hunk at the bar where the buffet sat, and laying her head down to sleep on the table again. She clearly didn't handle alcohol well either, and it appeared to put her to sleep.

I didn't want to keep drawing the same sleeping face, so instead I focused on Lance. The RA had caught on by now, and had revoked everyone's drinks and gave them all bottles of water instead. However, those like Lance who likely hadn't drank before were already too far gone to be saved by a little water.

His eyes were struggling to stay open as he was talking to the others. But because of how tired he was feeling, he sat still long enough I could focus on him. Without meaning to, I started drawing again. Every line of his face meant so much, and I took so much more care drawing. He had been patient with me, letting me get comfortable at my own pace with him, so a little admiration for him was undeniable. But that was all I swore to let get through. However, here, the pressure in my chest shifted just slightly. Elating, lifting up a bit, making the world look more rose colored than before.

I was working so intently I didn't hear the steps coming up behind me. I only heard the snickers before the book was yanked out of my hand by a taller man, looking at the draws I had done through the night. The pressure returned faster than it left, and the blood rushed to my head quickly enough I felt dizzy. I couldn't help staring up at the man, glaring slightly. "You could have asked if you wanted to see what I've been doing."

"But then you'd hide the drawing of your little crush here."The guy teased, a snicker in his voice. He knew, clearly. I had let my guard down enough it became evident. The dizziness was not giving way to a struggle to breathe too. Invisible strings attached to my chest started tugging in every direction harshly. I felt the red flush to my cheeks at embarrassment, the harsh, stabbing sensation in my cheeks and ears pulling the strings taught again.

"Give me my book back." I said as sternly as I could, glaring at the boy. I shoved the sensations to the back of my mind as best as I could, though taking the stand to get my sketch book back was only going to mask them for so long. The blinding fuzz of rage was starting to flare up, one of the few things I had stopped fighting at this point in my life.

"I'm not done looking at it, though! You've got him down pat. Even down to his cute little button nose." His tone was mocking. The smile on his lips were showing a pleasure at the embarrassment I was feeling. The fuzz grew stronger, and I knew by now I had lost control.

The next thing I knew, I was standing over the boy on the ground. Pidge had been woken up and was somehow pulling me back as best as she could, Hunk's voice was in the background. The fuzz was only growing stronger and stronger in my head. My chest started aching, and my eyes felt hot now. The pressure was building and building again. The RA was getting the book back for me now, trying to calm the situation down, but it was too late. Something broke from how strong the pressure got now. I had to leave. I couldn't hide it anymore. So much was spilling over now, and I felt like I had to do something. I had to move. Just make it stop. Get away from them all, especially the ones who had started to try and be my friends. They couldn't see me like this.

So I ran.