Another dip into the the lives of the space boys. This takes place at the end of season 7 but no spoilers really. Other than where it takes place, hopefully that won't be a spoiler. I own nothing except my obsession.

Keith Is What?!

Shiro was looking for Allura when he walked into the strategy room. He didn't find her there, neither was Coran present, instead he found Lance, just standing, staring at the various reports and maps. "Hey Lance, have you seen the Princess?"

The younger man jolted at the sudden voice in the otherwise silent room. Blue eyes turned slightly to glance at him before resuming his vigil. "Uh, no. Sorry."

That was a very un-Lance-like answer and it piqued the former paladin's curiosity. Now that he'd gotten a good look at him, Shiro could see Lance appeared on the edge of a nervous breakdown. The white-haired man was suddenly on alert. "Hey, are you alright?" he pitched his voice lower, softer.

Lance snorted like he'd just been told a joke he didn't quite find funny. He shifted foot to foot then paused for a breath, "Shiro, can I tell you something?"

There was trepidation and almost fear in the younger man's tone, Shiro was truly concerned now. "Sure, you can tell me anything. What's on your mind?"

"Uh, well..." Lance started pacing, a hand gripping tightly to his short brown locks. "You know how I've always liked girls?" Shiro nodded but Lance continued without really paying attention. "Lately, well, lately I've been noticing a guy. He makes me feel things I never really felt before and I can't stop thinking about him."

Shiro subtly let out the breath he hadn't been aware he'd been holding. He watched the tense younger man for a minute, thinking he'd continue, but he remained silent. "And," he prompted.

"I think I might be gay?" Lance blurted before he paused to eye the war hero for his reaction.

Shiro relaxed a little more, he wasn't sure what he'd been expecting but this wasn't the disaster it could've been. He crossed his arms and leaned his hip casually against the table. "Okay," he said slowly, "and is this a bad thing?"

Lance resumed his trek on the floor. "No, not really, I guess. But I'm confused, I still like girls too?" He didn't like that all of his statements were coming out questions.

"So you're more like bisexual, or possibly pan," Shiro nodded knowingly. Having seen the younger man flirt with every species they'd come across he leaned towards the latter.

Lance hadn't considered that in his panicked state. He'd always assumed that if you found boys attractive that meant you were gay. He forgot there was a spectrum, though he'd never taken the time to find out what all of them were. "What's pan?" he asked in a small voice, he hated not knowing.

Shiro smiled kindly. "It's when you find attractiveness in a person, no matter the gender. Not everyone would be attractive to you but when they are the gender doesn't really play a deciding vote."

Lance considered that, it was too soon to tell exactly what he was, he was still thrown by the fact he liked a boy in the first place! Not that said boy would ever reciprocate.

"Hey, if you need some better insights you could always talk to Keith," Shiro supplied helpfully.

"I can't talk to him! He's the prob – Hold up! Why would I talk to Keith for 'insights'?" Lance tensed up, his back going perfectly straight.

Shiro scratched the back of his head. "He's your age and gay so he'd understand. And did you just say he was the problem?" He pushed himself to standing. Things were beginning to make so much more sense now.

Lance waved a hand in front of himself to disregard that thought. "Never mind that. What did you say about Keith?"

Shiro frowned, "What? That he's gay? I thought you knew." It wasn't like they'd been hiding it. He supposed it'd just never come up in conversation.

Lance's brain-chain to reality had snapped.

Shiro was about to snap his fingers in front of the other paladin's face to see if he was still alive when the boy was a sudden flurry of motion.

Lance's seemed to become more uncoordinated than usual. "Whelp, thank you for the talk. I–" he choked, "I think we cleared that all up. I'm better now. Yep, better." As he was speaking his voice had gotten higher and louder. He hadn't even finished the last 'better' before he was out the door.

Shiro scratched his chin. Should he be worried about that whole thing? Should he warn Keith? He took a deep breath and let it out very slowly.

Nope.

(( ))

Lance ran blindly through the facility. At first he had no idea where he was headed until he realized his feet were taking him to the source of all his troubles. He knew where the guy was, he'd seen him only a half hour before. Once he knew where he was going the next problem was with what to say when he got there.

By the time he arrived he thought he'd devised exactly the right words. Lance paused as the door to the lounge opened, he was sure it was moving slower than normal. He only made it a step inside when he froze in place.

Keith was there sitting on one of the couches reading a patrol log he'd gotten from Pidge. He was reclined sideways with one leg propped up, his cadet jacket was off, laying across the back of the seat next to him.

Lance's loss of breath had nothing to do with recent dash through the corridors.

Keith glanced up to see who'd come in and saw the blue-eyed paladin. "Hey, man," he said distractedly.

Lance was stuck, he had to say something but all his pretty words were now gone. They'd flown right out of his head when he'd seen Keith.

Keith looked up again when Lance didn't respond. He still hadn't moved and he was looking at him weird. "What's up with you?" He stood, dropping the tablet he'd been reading onto the cushions, his patented frown made an appearance.

Lance stumbled forward to stand in front of the other teen. "You're gay," he blurted out instead of the finely crafted statement he'd been working on. He could've slapped a palm to his forehead if he wasn't so mortified.

Keith immediately shut down, he crossed his arms and his frown deepened to a scowl. "Yeah, so?" He'd heard all the jokes and taunts growing up, his life was his business, what should it matter to other people?

Lance blinked. Several times. "You're gay. As in you like boys. As in homosexual."

Keith gave him a strange look then pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off the headache that he knew was coming. "Oh, god. Is this like the Pidge thing, when you found out she was a girl?" He looked at the Cuban sternly. "Yes, I'm gay. Can we get on with our lives now?"

"But I... but I," he cut himself off there. This wasn't going like he'd hoped it would.

"But what?" Keith demanded, "You have to make fun of me? Is that it?"

Lance's eyes cleared at that. "No! No, man! I would never tease you about this," he said with sincerity.

The black haired boy scoffed. "Sure you won't."

Lance grabbed him by the shoulders. "I wouldn't! I just wouldn't. Besides..." he bit his lip, "I... kind of like you?" he trailed off softly.

Whatever Lance was expecting Keith's reaction to be it wasn't RAGE. "What? No!" he shouted, pushing the blue eye boy away from him. "Every day you say what you want about me, usually to mock, but I'm drawing the line here, Lance. You don't get to tease me about this. Not you, not about this," he stopped himself from continuing, "Just, no."

Before Lance could even form a word Keith had stormed out.

(( ))

It took a few minutes for Lance to pick through the words that had been hurled at him. When he did he felt like what comes out of Kaltenecker, and not the milk. As soon as he'd retrieved his jaw from the floor he sprinted out of the lounge.

This time he had no idea where to find the runaway paladin. He checked the most obvious spots, the lions, the training rooms, the cafeteria, all to no avail. Everyone he asked hadn't seen him. The boy was sneaky, if he didn't want to be found he wouldn't be.

Lance lamented that he'd really screwed the pooch this time. After several hours of fruitless searching he decided to call it a day. Maybe letting Keith cool off for the night was better anyway.

Lance was headed down the hallway which led to his room when he caught sight of a familiar mop of black hair. Keith was just entering his room at the other end of the hall. Lance was overcome with the desperate thought that this could be his last chance.

He dashed to catch him but got there just as the door closed. His palm slapped on the door's surface. "Keith!"

There was a pause from inside. "Go away, Lance. I don't want to talk to you."

"I know, I'm sorry, but I really need to talk to you." The blue eyed paladin hoped his sincerity came through in his voice and not just his desperation.

He waited a few more minutes, and when Keith didn't come out and decapitate him he took that as a green light. He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. "I wasn't teasing you, Keith. I was just shocked and I let it get the better of my mouth. I'd been talking to Shiro and he let it slip, honestly this doesn't change the way I think about you."

There was a slight noise from inside the room. "You think we're rivals, or whatever. You've been dogging me from day one."

Keith's voice was coming from lower and Lance realized he'd sat down to lean his back against the door. Lance crouched and rested his forehead against the same surface. "Okay, yes. I'm sorry, that's the way I saw it, I couldn't let you one-up me again."

"What are you talking about?" The half-Galra sounded frustrated.

"Even before the Garrison Takashi Shirogane had been my hero, but when I got to the academy and I finally got to spend any actual time with him I was just another fan, a face in a crowd. Then I saw you and him together and you seemed so close, I was jealous. I tried and tried to get close to either of you but I couldn't. I couldn't even make fighter pilot."

"Lance," Keith sounded strained but Lance thought it might be his imagination.

Lance continued, he had to get this out. "Then the Kurberos mission and we lost Shiro. I saw you spiral down but I didn't know what to say. Then the day came and they told me I made fighter pilot, I was so excited and the first thought I had was to come tell you, even though we really didn't know each other. Then I heard why I was given this chance and I felt kicked in the gut."

Lance paused to rub his face, this was harder than he thought it would be. "It got worse after you left. Commander Iverson never let me forget how I'd gotten my assignment. He told me I'd never even be half the pilot you were and that if I didn't shape up he was going to flunk me out."

Lance would've continued but the door he'd been resting against suddenly opened flinging him forward. "Ah!"

Keith caught him before his nose hit the floor and helped him to stand. "I'm sorry," Keith said with sincerity.

Lance shook his head. "Nah, it's my fault for leaning on the door like that. You don't have to –"

"No, not about that," the current black paladin said. "About school."

Lance blinked repeatedly. "No, no, no. You didn't do anything."

Keith looked at him like he'd just kicked a puppy. "I do remember you from school. I... I didn't know your name in the beginning, but you were always so loud. How could not notice you?"

Blue eyes looked down. "Sorry. I can be annoying."

"Who told you that?" Keith snapped making Lance look up at him again. "Never mind, that's not what I meant anyway. I meant that I've never been good with people, I always push them away, but you just seemed to make friends so easy." He didn't want to tell him he'd always been a bit star-struck looking at him. He just burned so brightly, friendly, and full of life. He was envious of that, he wanted to have a part in it, even if only a touch.

Lance huffed out a laugh. "Maybe it's my charismatic charm," he said, running his fingers through his slightly wavy hair.

Keith chuckled as he folded his arms across his chest and shook his head.

They were silent for a minute just enjoying the others presence.

Keith liked this side of Lance, always had. This part of him who could be sincere when he wasn't trying to impress.

Lance had never felt this close to the other paladin, he liked this. His face softened to a smile that was more genuine.

Keith scuffed his boot against the floor, his gaze lingering between their feet. Should he invite him in? Were they done talking? He really wasn't that good at these things. He had one question before he went. "So, what were you talking about with Shiro?"

Lance's heart picked up speed. "What? Um," he stumbled.

"Yeah, I mean, how did the topic of me being gay come up?" He was curious.

Lance looked anywhere but at Keith. He rubbed the back of his neck to stall for time. All that bravado left him and he struggled with what to say. He'd never had this problem with girls, he wondered why this was different. Okay, yeah, besides the obvious of it being a boy. Maybe because he liked him for real? That was a scary (wonderful) thought. "Oh, uh, you know," he tried to brush it off with a forced chuckle.

Keith frowned. "No, I really don't." He couldn't understand Lance's sudden reluctance to talk to him. Was he embarrassed about something?

Lance turned towards the hallway, ready to make his escape. "It was nothing, really. Forget about it."

Keith caught his arm and pulled him back as he tried to run. "I'll just ask Shiro later if you don't tell me." When he could tell that Lance wasn't going to leave he let go of his arm.

Lance deflated, no getting out of it now. "Well, you see, I discovered I was attracted to a guy. I guess I wanted someone to tell me that was okay."

Keith rested a hand on the other man's shoulder, a move he ironically picked up from Lance. "Of course it's okay. You don't ever have to be ashamed of who you are."

Lance nodded as he looked down. Keith's hand felt warm on his shoulder and it was sending tingles through him.

"It took me years to come to terms with myself that I liked boys. I always felt I was letting my dad down, you know? After he died I had this ridiculous notion that I now had to carry on the Kogane name. Shiro was actually the one who told me that my dad would've been happy if I were happy." Keith let his hand drop.

Lance had never heard him talk so personal before, he liked it – a lot. "Thanks, man," he almost whispered.

Keith nodded. "So, who is it?"

Lance's head snapped up. "What?!"

Keith smiled, "The guy you like. Who is it?" He folded his arms loosely.

Lance felt himself blushing no matter how much he wished he weren't. "Oh, um, it doesn't matter. I don't think he'd be interested. So... To be honest he's kinda out of my league."

Keith frowned. "Is it Hunk?"

Lance's eyes went wide and he laughed outright. "What? Your first thought was Hunk?! No, man! I mean, Hunk's great, but he's my bud. I don't think of him that way."

Keith punched the other paladin on the arm. "So, who is it? You can tell me."

Lance shook his head. "No! I'm not playing this game with you. I'm fine with pining my little bi heart out." He chuckled but it sounded forced even to his ears.

"Is it Shiro?" Keith's voice had gone quiet. He could see how Lance would fall for his brother-figure. He was his hero, he'd always idolized him. And Keith could admit Shiro was attractive, even he'd had a crush on him at one time.

Lance was silent as he thought. Shiro would've been the obvious choice, but his messed up heart wanted something different. He glanced sideways a Keith to see a pained expression on the other paladin. He was about to say something when Keith spoke instead.

"Oh, well, I'm not sure he'd return your feelings but you never know until you try." He tried to force a smile but it came out more like a grimace. "I – I could talk to him for you?"

Lance was speechless, this was spiraling out of control. "I don't need that, man," his voice barely squeaked out of his throat.

Keith nodded, he looked down sharply. "Of course, sorry." He sucked in a breath. "I'll just say goodnight, I guess." He couldn't muster a smile this time as he turned away.

Everything in Lance told him not to let the doors close on this conversation. He reached forward and grabbed a hold of Keith's bicep as he turned into his room. "Nah, man. Stop."

Keith looked at him with curiosity, not making any effort to remove the other teen's hand.

"I don't need help talking to Shiro because Shiro isn't who I'm crushing on." Lance felt his face heat up but he found the strength to maintain eye contact.

Keith turned fully back towards him. "Really?"

Lance couldn't read anything from that question. "Really." He took a deep breath. "It's you," the air left him in a woosh with the words, and his hand finally fell from his arm.

There was a distinct widening in Keith's eyes. "Me? Why?"

Lance made an exasperated noise and threw up his hands. "Because you're amazing, perfect, gorgeous. Need I go on?"

"I always thought you hated me." Keith looked up at him with uncertainty through the fringe of his bangs.

Lance shook his head vigorously. "No, not hate." There was silence for another long minute as Keith seemed to be processing this new information. Finally the blue-eyed paladin couldn't take it it any more. "Come on man, you're killing me. Say something."

Keith looked at him like he'd come to a decision. "Would you like to come in?"

Lance choked on his own spit. "Oh, uh, okay." The two of them walked a few steps into the space and let the door close behind them.

Lance looked around the room awkwardly, there was nothing there that made it look like it was occupied. Something in the paladin broke a little at the starkness. He realized it reflected Keith and his lack of attachments. His heart sank a little more.

"I've always known I liked boys."

Keith's words had Lance's eyes snapping back to the other. Keith's own eyes seemed to be focused far away and he was standing in a self-protective stance.

"Like I said, I kept it to myself for a long time. When I first asked a boy out, I got punched in the face for my troubles." He heard Lance suck in a breath but he had to continue. "I'm not good with this," he motioned between them, "but I'd like to try."

Lance could see uncertainty and hope fighting in the other paladin's eyes. "Quiznak," he breathed. "Really?" All he wanted to do was reach for him.

Keith nodded. "Really."

Lance couldn't restrain himself any more, he stepped the last few paces between them and wrapped Keith in his arms. "Is this okay?" he whispered as he nuzzled his hair.

Purple eyes fluttered in a slow blink and he nodded. "Yes." His arms came up to snake around Lance's torso to grip his shoulder blades. He took a deep inhale and could smell the other man's warm scent.

Lance kept moving, his lips grazed along the strong jawline and up to place a soft kiss to his temple. "Is this?"

"Yes," Keith whispered, he was rapidly losing the mental capacity for speech.

Lance nuzzled his nose into his cheek as those wide purple eyes fell shut. He pulled back enough to see the wrecked look on the other man's face. God, he looked so good. He just barely brushed their lips together then paused again. "Can I kiss you?"

Keith's eyes blinked open again but were hazy and dark. He huffed out a breath which Lance could taste on his tongue. "I – I've never..." He was positive Lance would tease him, but that wasn't the reaction he got.

A small smile tugged at his lips. "That's fine, I've never either."

The question Keith was going to ask next was swallowed by Lance's lips. Lance tried to start slow but once he tasted Keith he couldn't help himself. One of his hands came up to cradle the the raven head, positioning to maximize their contact. He felt like he was drowning, like he was flying. How could he be lost so fast?

Whereas Lance had dreamed, thought, and planned his first kiss, Keith had never given himself the luxury. Whenever the idea had come to him he'd quickly pushed it away, knowing he'd never find that person who'd stick around, so why torture himself?

Now that he was experiencing it Keith could see why everyone made such a big deal about kissing. He'd never felt this way before and he couldn't even come up with words to describe it. Lance smelled great, he'd noticed that before, but now he was so close it was like he was surrounded by him. He tasted even better and he hadn't even considered that was a thing.

Lance tightened his grip, pulling them into closer contact, and made a pleased noise when Keith responded likewise. If someone had told him a week ago that he'd be standing in Keith's room making out with him he'd have laughed in their face. Now he wondered why this had taken him so long.

Too soon for either of their liking they pulled back for a breath. "Lance." Keith's voice was destroyed.

Lance shivered at that smoky tone. "Yes?"

Purple eyes locked with blue. "How was that your first kiss?"

Lance burst out laughing at the randomness and the pent-up emotion. "We suck face and that's the first thing you want to know?"

Keith glared at the other male even through his blush.

Lance's chuckle died off. "Sorry, sorry," he sobered. "Yeah, that was my first kiss. Or is it kisses?" It was his turn to be embarrassed.

"But you are so... You always seem like you're..." he had trouble phrasing so he didn't make Lance sound like a hooker.

"Friendly?" Lance supplied helpfully.

Keith nodded. "You can talk to anyone and you're always flirting. I just thought... just thought you'd had some experience before now." He gave a one shoulder shrug.

Lance rubbed the back of his neck. "Sure, I flirt but that's mostly for fun. No one has ever taken me up on my offer to date."

Keith's eyes widened and then became soft. "I would."

Lance stopped working temporarily. "Um," he croaked. "You would?"

Keith nodded and cupped Lance's face in his hands. "I would," he confirmed. He pulled the other paladin in for another series of kisses.

End

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Bonus:

Shiro was talking to Krolia about Keith, when said young man entered the Garrison's cafeteria. They both stopped their conversation when they saw him. He looked – wistful. It was odd. Nice, but odd.

"Keith?" Shiro asked, as the corners of his mouth turned up in the start of a grin.

The current black paladin made no response as he sat down to eat, the look never left his face.

Krolia approached and sat next to him and Shiro followed to stand behind her. "Son? Are you well?"

Keith blinked into reality and looked at his parent. "Mom, yeah, I'm great considering."

Shiro chuckled drawing Keith's attention. "Are you sure? You looked a little out of it. Did something happen?"

Mild panic washed over the younger man, he and Lance hadn't discussed what to tell the others yet. "Um, maybe?"

Krolia narrowed her eyes but a smile was growing on her face. "Was it that Lance boy?"

Keith's eyes popped open and Shiro held his forehead as he laughed. "Mom!" Keith said, indignant and shocked.

Krolia chuckled. "Come now, son, we spent two years on that cosmic whale. I saw many visions, as did you. I saw Lance in several of your thoughts."

Keith buried his face in his hands. "Please, mom, never tell Lance about that."

"Tell me about what?" Lance entered the cafeteria with a lopsided grin.

"Nothing!" Keith stood kicking his chair back and narrowly missing Shiro with it.

"Aw, come on, man. Tell me!" Lance bounced on his toes.

Keith crossed his arms and glared, as much as he could at the sight of his adorable boyfriend.

Shiro placed a hand on Keith's shoulder. "Never mind, Lance. It's not important. But how about you? Did that question you had earlier get settled?" The former paladin knew what the Cuban's reaction to the question would be so he watched Keith instead.

Keith pinked and his heart-rate increased. He glanced up at Lance through the fringe of his bangs.

Lance met Keith's eyes, where they held. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess. Yeah, you could say that." He glanced at Shiro before looking back at Keith. "Yeah," he said in a more fond tone.

Suddenly Krolia was nose-to-nose with the blue eyed young man. "Lance," her tone was stern.

"Mom!" Keith said in alarm, he would've gotten between them but Shiro's hand on his shoulder restrained him.

"Yes, ma'am?" Lance gulped at the tall Galra's closeness. He was internally panicking that she must have found out about them.

"The Galra prize strength and a capable partner in battle." She let him sweat for a minute as he thought all the ways she could forbid their relationship. "In everything that I have seen you are a worthy man."

Lance's heart started again. "Really?"

Keith was equally shocked. "Really?"

Lance shot him a glare. "You don't have to say it like that. I have mad skills on the battlefield!"

"That's not what I meant," the hanf-Galra snapped.

"But," her voice went low, "if you hurt him I with tear you limb from limb."

Lance was about to respond until he felt a hand slip into his own. He glance to his side and there was a pair of purple eyes staring back at him. Lance's whole being softened. "I would let you," he said, never looking away from his boyfriend.

Unseen to either of them were the matching bright grins, sported on the faces of Krolia and Shiro.

~E