''apologize to him'' ''for what. I didn't say anything mean! I was just stating the obvious- ''-brutal, harsh truth that you should probably keep to yourself'' pidge finished for him.
''I..'' Keith started,desperately looking for the right phrasing. ''can I talk... um. It's. Oh god it's so embarassing'' he frowned. ''Spit it out mullet'' Lance said. ''How do you deal with a mom?'' Keith finally asked after a moment of silence.
The question took his friends by surprise. To be completely honest, they did not expect the red paladin to talk about such a thing. Keith was always so closed off and quiet, brooding in his corner : nobody expected him to talk about family just like that out of the blue. But the question had been burning his lips ever since he met the Galra. Albeit it took him a moment to connect the dots, he did eventually. And now that he was once again reunited with his team mates, he couldn't quite undertand what to do with the newly found information. But if there was anything he was enirely sure of at this particular moment, it had to be the fact that the other humans sitting in the living room area with him had families, and knew how to deal with it. It sure was a sad truth. Living alone in the desert with his dad, without a mother, without friends, or people nearby. Then losing his father along the way. Everything seemed like some sort of joke. He's been to space, learned he wasn't even human. And now that his mom is an alien? Sometimes things were a bit hard to swallow, but he didn't have the option to refuse reality.
As the paladins looked at him, he could detect a mix of confusion and surprise on their faces. It probably was an odd question to ask. Everybody has parents. Some people are less fortunate.. per se, and don't get that privilege. Sure they're still born out of someone but, it doesn't mean that special someone stays forever. ''What do you mean?'' Hunk asked. ''I mean.. how do you act around a mother. Are you supposed to be nice? Do you show some attitude of respect?'' keith asked shyly. ''wait.. how can you not know.. does that mean you don't have a mother?'' Pidge asked with worry. ''I wouldn't be asking if I had the answer now would I'' keith grumbled. ''Wait. You don't have a mom? How can you not have a mom?. You know what actually that makes a lot of sense. Might explain why you're.. you'' Lance tried to explain. ''and what exactly is 'me' huh?'' ''like..angry, detached, awkward, refusing to like others'' Lance continued, to which Keith only grumbled and looked away grumpily. ''wait wait, no. guys. Cease fire. Lance, Keith was serious here. Don't make fun of him or he'll stop opening up'' Hunk intervened. ''apologize to him'' ''for what. I didn't say anything mean! I was just stating the obvious- ''-brutal, harsh truth that you should probably keep to yourself'' pidge finished for him. ''whatever. Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. Whatever I said.'', Lance said reluctantly. ''it's fine'' Keith answered. ''anyways what were you talking about, you don't have a mom? Must be rough.. well. Let's see. I guess respect is mutual. If she's nice to you, be nice to her. If she respects you, respect her. Or something along these lines. It's never a one way deal, it's a whole package'' hunk tried to explain, smily nicely to reassure Keith. ''i'm not sure I entirely get it, but.. thanks for trying'' keith answered confused. ''woah. So you never had someone to give you warm hugs? Never had someone to comfort you when you were sad, or tell you how to deal with feelings? No motherly love whatsoever?! Must suck'' ''thank you, Lance. I was aware of that. And I had a father, just so you know. Fatherly love exists too for your information'' ''had?''. Keith stopped talking for a moment. ''oh great he's shutting up again. Hey mullet, we're a team, we're supposed to be like this'' he made a crossing fingers gesture lazily with his right hand. ''I'm not sure I wanna be like this'' keith mimicked the gesture ''with you, of all people'' ''Woah, where's that angst coming from. Don't attack me if I didn't do anything you jerk!'' ''remember what I said about mutual respect...?'' hunk tried to say. ''I kinda get your mom, I wouldn't wanna be with you either'' Lance taunted. Keith got up, fist clenched at his side, a hardened expression on his face. ''do you even think before you talk? Do I tell you that you're an absolute insensitive asshole? No? Exactly. Cause that would hurt your feelings. And i've got the littlest bit of decency to not say it to your face'' As he said that, he left the room claiming he'd hit the deck under his breath. ''yeesh, someones's mad'', Lance
grumbled. ''you know. You can't always treat Keith like some sort of entertainment, right? He has feelings too'' Pidge said quietly while Hunk just stared in a disapproving way. Pidge looked back down at her laptop, tapping rapidly before stopping. ''I can't make you apologize to Keith. But you should know what that right thing to do is, and probably do it quick before he decides to go back to the blades. He came here to talk to us, remember?, not to get shut out.''. Pidge shut down her laptop down and glared at Lance before leaving the room too to go talk to Keith. Lance knew Pidge cared deeply about Keith. The short girl adopted the orphan as some sort of second older brother. Of course she'd take his side of the fight. After a, rather long, telepathic conversation with Hunk, he decided to finally get up and go talk to Keith. He liked to make fun of Keith, but he had to admit he might have took it a couple notches too high this time.
As Pidge walked hurriedly to the training bay, she could hear the distinct sound of metal clashing against metal. Peeking in, she could see Keith taking his anger on a second training bot. She knew Lance didn't actually mean to be, well. Mean. But sometimes it was stronger than him. He should probably know better than to taunt a person about not having a family in their face. Keith might be a hothead, but he was right about being mad. Some things weren't meant to be said sometimes.
As she walked in, the door of the room cracked slightly. 'So much for subtlety', she thought. Keith whipped his head around, like a cat whenever some noise occurred. Before he could receive a spear in the chest for being distracted, Pidge yelled ''end training sequence!''. Keith looked at the bot, suddently remembering it's presence. ''What are you doing here'' He asked frowning. ''I just wanted to see if you were doing alright. I know Lance might have said some hurtful stuff, but i'm sure he didn't-'' ''-mean it?. Oh i'm sure he didn't'' Keith said sarcasticly. ''i'm sure everytime he acts like a complete.. urgh. How old are you?'' ''16'' ''-dickhead. He doesn't mean it. Oh sure, he's just pretending to be mean to me for fun or something''. Pidge found herself laughing slightly at the fact that Keith didn't want to curse around someone too young. But then she remembered his words. ''Sometimes people talk before thinking.. which, is what you just said so i'm sure you noticed, but I guess what i'm trying to say is that people mean well sometimes, but don't actually get how to get it across. Lance isn't the most... intelligent.. perhaps. Sure, but you can see he's genuinly nice with people he cares about, he never acts mean to people without a reason'' She finished, without quite knowing where she was going with that. ''exactly. People he cares about. Last time I checked I wasn't part of the V.I.P list''. ''Keith that's not what I meant''. ''Then what did you mean. No really. Enlighten me, cause I don't get this guy. He's been insulting me since day one. What's his deal.'' Pidge remained quiet for a short moment. ''why don't you confront him about it?'' ''hah! Me? Confront him? Hey Lance, although I just yelled at you for expressing your, oh so charming, point of view, I would really like to know why you're always such a bitch to me'' ''you want the short answer or the long answer?'' Lance said from the door. Keith stared at Pidge with a look that clearly meant ''help me''. She pat him on the shoulder:''I think you guys have some things to clear out''. She said making her way to the door.
Lance made his way lazily to the training bay, thinking about what he said. He'd probably never admit, at least publicly, that his rival thing is an act. He might not look like it but he's not entirely dumb. He knows the difference between being dumb and playing dumb. And even though he might have said some hurtful things on the spot to Keith without realising it, he was realising it now that he was on his own. Okay, so knowing the difference between being and playing didn't stop the fact that he can be dumb sometimes, but that didn't stop him from apologizing to his team mate. As he walked closer to the large room, he faintly heard Pidge and Keith argue. Well, it was more Keith arguing and Pidge reasoning. ''Then what did you mean. No really. Enlighten me, cause I don't get this guy. He's been insulting me since day one. What's his deal.''. Keith was talking about him. Well, complaining about him. Lance stopped at the door and slightly hid behind the wall. Of course eavesdropping isn't the solution but he couldn't stop himself at the moment. Keith isn't one to talk about his feelings, so this was pretty much his only way of getting information out of him. Pidge remained quiet for a short moment. ''why don't you confront him about it?'' ''hah! Me? Confront him?''. Keith looked tense, he laughed sarcastically: ''Hey Lance, although I just yelled at you for expressing your, oh so charming, point of view, I would really like to know why you're always such a bitch to me''. Lance took that moment as his cue to get out of his hiding place, stepping in the doorway. ''you want the short answer or the long answer?'', he said from his spot. He cought Keith staring at Pidge, but he couldn't quite see his expression with his back to him. She pat him on the shoulder:''I think you guys have some things to clear out''. She said making her way to the door.
''L-Lance?! What are you doing here'', Keith said alarmed. ''Hunk telepathically told me that I should apologize to you. So you think my point of view is charming, huh?'' he said joking lightheartedly to ease the tension. ''telepathically.. whatever. um. How much of that did you hear exactly..?'' ''just enough to answer the last question I believe'' Keith stared at him half-expectantly. ''I..'' ''spit it out sharpshooter'', Keith said mimicking what the younger paladin had said earlier. ''I'm sorry. Okay? I meant what I said earlier-'' ''thanks'', Keith said angrily. ''let me finish mullet. As I was saying. I meant what I said earlier. Was it meant to hurt you? Never. Keith, don't you ever think I hurt you on purpose. I do it as a joke alright? Cause you're fun to tease'', he said pinching the red paladin's cheeks playfully. Keith swatted his hand away and stopped to think for a moment, looking at the blue paladin's neck instead of looking him in the eyes. ''you swear you're not joking here? You're really not actually trying to be mean..?'' ''did I mention I don't hate you?'' ''...no you didn't..but. You always look like you hate my guts'' ''I.. um. Remember when we were at the garrison?'' Lance avoided Keith's eyes, even if they weren't looking directly as his, fiddling with the hem of his jacket. ''Well, I.. admired you''. Keith finally looked him in the eyes once he heard those words. ''you what?'' ''I admired you. You were this one person with the best grades, best piloting skills, always cool, p-pretty and mysterious.. I.. i'm sorry. I didn't know how to talk to you, so I made up a one-sided rivalry'' Lance said sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. When he finally looked back at keith, he looked surprised, a faint blush was pastered on his cheeks, purple eyes widening. ''you think i'm pretty?'' ''I.. yeah haha but no.. no homo or anything'' ''oh'', Keith looked disappointed. ''of course.. no homo'', he mumbled. ''I never said no bi..''. Keith gaped at him, as if he were about to say something but couldn't quite get the words out. ''alright, so thruce?'' Lance said holding out his hand. ''if you think it's gonna be that easy'' Keith answered with a bit of a bite in his words. As soon as the words reached the blue paladin's ears, the younger boy suddently felt stupid for thinking the other boy would forgive him so easily for giving him a hard time all year long. Then he heard a scoff. Before he could realise it came from the one right it front of him, Keith started to speak again: ''just kidding. Sure thruce'', Keith went to grab Lance's hand who had slightly fallen down due to disappointment. Still shocked about Keith's action, the cuban picked himself up. ''yeah.. uh.. so i'm gonna go...? seeya'' Lance said pointing backwards with his thumb awkwardly, feeling his cheeks burn and his heart pound. He turned heels and rushed out of the room. What was he thinking. Telling keith he thought he was pretty and cool and all. He didn't know if the guy was straight or what. He wasn't even sure if Keith was capable of loving anybody. He always looked so stoic and angry, probably hated the entire human race. At the same time he wasn't exactly trying to start a relationship or anything, he just meant to get it off his chest.