***AN: (This is set around ep. 4 I believe, but I excluded the events leading directly afterward because it was easier to write the story that way. Hey, that means no spoilers! As a side note, this is getting super fluffy and sweet. Honestly, I confess that I just wanted to write a super cute Keith and Lance being completely vulnerable to each other, even though considering both of their egotistical/prideful personalities, it may seem a bit out of character; but whatever, it's so adorable it's completely worth it imo.)
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"Well, there's only one planet with Veradera Beach, pizza shack looking over the water and the garlic knots and my mom's hugs... I'm sorry. I think this Nunvill is getting to me. I gotta go."
It's not that Keith was necessarily eavesdropping on Lance and Hunk's conversation, but more that he couldn't help overhearing. He wish he hadn't. That's all he could think about lying in his bed after the gathering; how distressed Lance seemed, and he could have sworn he looked as if he was about to cry. He's never seen Lance like that, and it worried him. He never realized how sensitive Lance actually is, albeit his laid back and egotistical personality making it hard to see. He wondered how much of his behavior was a facade so that no one would see how..how fragile he really is. Along the lines of those thoughts, his mind wandered off and he drifted into a slumber.
Keith thought Lance would be back to his annoyingly energetic self after a night's sleep, but the next day Lance seemed to be even more depressed. It was obvious to Keith that Lance was trying to hide it from everyone around him, maybe as to not to worry everyone around him. Somehow, Keith didn't like how distant he was being. Although Lance seemed to open up to Hunk the previous night, he pushed even his closest friend away. This started to get onto Keith's nerves, so much so that he couldn't just stand back and watch anymore.
"Hey, why're you avoiding everyone? Sleep on the wrong side of the bed or something?"
"Huh? I'm not avoiding anyone; I don't want to deal with you right now, just leave me alone.."
Keith knew he shouldn't provoke Lance but his lack of skills for handling delicate situations as this and his temperamental instinct compelled him to do just that.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?! I was just trying to be nice for once!"
"Well, I'm saying that I don't want your superficial kindness, Keith! What part of 'leave me alone' don't you understand?!"
"Superficial?! Wha- are you serious? I'm actually worrying about you and you just shove me away like nothing? You're not the only one who misses Earth, yet you're the only one who's acting so childish about it! How do you expect to-"
"SHUT UP! What would you know?! You know nothing about me! You don't know shit about what I'm going through, or how I feel, or anything about my life! Who do you think you are?! Why do you even care? What do you want? Did you just come here to ridicule me?! I don't give a damn about what you have to say, just leave me alone!"
Keith was livid but Lance ran off before he could say anything else. It was for the better; had they kept it up, Keith might have turned to violence.
Finally having calmed down in the comfort of his own room, Keith's intense anger turned to immense regret.
Stupid, stupid, stupid, idiot! What am I doing?! Great, I ruined everything! Me and my dumb mouth! That probably made him feel more horrible, much less help him! Seriously, where's the kindness I was talking about, in the end I just made everything worse!
Now he felt awful, his concern for Lance was completely sincere, he really cared about him- much more than he'd like to admit. Hearing him say it was superficial was a slap to the face and it stung like a needle. And instead of being patient and try to comfort Lance, he takes out his anger and pain on him- that was the last thing Lance needed now.
Keith anxiously crept up to Lance's room down the hall, taking a deep breath before knocking.
No Answer.
He waited a few ticks, and heard a faint sob just before he was about to knock a second time. Without even thinking, he barged in to see Lance curled up in the corner of his dark room.
Surprised by the sudden intrusion, Lance looked up in dismay to find Keith in his room. Why was he here? What did he want? Why now?! Lance quickly tried to hide his face- Keith was the last person he wanted to see him cry.
"KETIH WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE, GET OUT!"
The tone of his voice was cutting and bitter, which took Keith aback because he has never heard Lance this angry and.. and heartbroken. He could hear the pain in his words and his breath hitched from holding back the tears.
Keith had no idea what to do, how was he suppose to calm him down? How was he supposed to comfort someone in this state? He just stood in the doorway clueless and blank, staring down at a broken Lance. Seeing him like this was agonizing- he felt like crying himself.
"Didn't you hear me?! GET OUT NOW!"
Keith winced at his words, but he couldn't just leave him alone like this. He was afraid to. Gathering his patience, he slowly walked toward Lance.
"Keith, please.."
Lance was surprised to feel a warmth wrap around him. A comforting warmth that made him feel secure, a warmth that he needed and has been longing for.
"Lance, I'm so, so sorry about earlier. I-I don't know what came over me, I was honestly just trying to help. I wasn't trying to make fun of you or blame you or anything, even though it may have seemed that way. I'm truly worried about you since you were acting weird. I really care about you, honest."
There was no answer from Lance, just a whimper.
"It's alright, you can cry. You put up a front, but you've been hurting by yourself all this time. I won't tell anyone, I promise. It's going to be ok."
Lance cried for a long time, finally weeping away tears that were suppressed until this moment. He no longer held back, completely opening himself to Keith. Crying in front of Keith felt like he was letting him see all of what was in his mind, and his heart. Strangely enough, Lance no longer felt ashamed and humiliated for letting Keith see him like this. Actually, he felt secure, and relieved that Keith was the one to find him. It was as though a heavy weight was washed away along with his tears.
Keith felt Lance's tense body relax with a heavy sigh, and he finally seemed to calm down.
"I don't know what you're going through, so I can't really say that I understand. I know I'm awkward, and I have a hard time dealing with people, but I'm not some cold, emotionless doll. I may come off like that, but trust me when I say this: it's so painful to see you this way. It's true what you said, I don't know anything about how you feel, about your life, or about you. So tell me. Tell me so I can understand, tell me so I can know and understand you, Lance. And I'll tell you about me, and-"
"Keith?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up, you're being so cheesy, it makes me want to puke. That's Hunk's thing, not mine."
"Haha, looks like you're just about back to your normal self. Just sleep it off for tonight."
Keith helped Lance into bed, and turned to go back to his own room. He was just about to walk away when he felt a tug on his shirt, stopping him.
In almost a whisper, Lance mumbled: "W-wait. Can you- do you think- d-do you think you can stay? Please?"
This was yet, another side of Lance that Keith hasn't seen before. Knowing Lance, he would usually be much to prideful to ask something like this, considering his ego. The way he said it was so cute, Keith couldn't help but blush.
He was surprised by the request, but he smiled and got into bed with Lance, wrapping his arms around his waist. Lance had to admit he felt comfortable in Keith's arms.
"Hey Keith."
"Hmm?"
"I guess I should say thanks."
"I thought you hated me?"
"I don't hate you.."
Keith heard him sigh, and in ticks, he was sleeping. His eyelashes glistened with what remained of his tears. Crying that much must have taken a toll on him. Keith smiled and patted his head, running his fingers through the soft brown hair. Much relieved that Lance was at least mentally stable again, sleep took him in warmly.