And so, this is another VLD AU. A big thank you to my co-writer, musicvenom, without whom this fic would not exist. She is amazing, and will definitely kill me when she finds out that I can't format the text scenes the same way we did on AO3. To see the format we intended, please hop over to AO3. We hope that you enjoy!

Disclaimer: We do not own VLD.

Chapter 1: I'm Not Sure, But I Bet It's Keith's Fault

The room had a silence about it. With the lecture hall thick and full of unparalleled student confusion, Lance McClain found himself the center of attention (his not-so-secret goal all along) and waited patiently for an answer. All eyes were on him, and Lance didn't seem to mind in the slightest. Hunk and Pidge, both of whom sat on either side of their friend, seemed to have mixed reactions. Hunk was shaking his head slowly as if slightly in awe that Lance had asked the question while an unaffected Pidge continued to type away on the computer.

"I beg your pardon?" asked Professor Coran after a sizable pause. Lance grinned and leaned onto the arm resting on his desk.

"If your soulmate dies before you meet them, do you get, like, a backup soulmate?"

A couple of rows back, Keith's ears began to tingle. It was as if that one word had burned itself into his skin ever since he first heard Lance grumble about his soulmate, or lack thereof for that matter. The question was why he always felt so uncomfortable every time those words escaped Lance's lips. It was a topic that garnered rather paradoxical thoughts within Keith's mind. On one hand, he was drawn to the concept of soulmates, but at the same time, the idea of being lucky enough to be paired with your "match made in heaven" seemed improbable.

Professor Coran looked more confused than ever. The TAs in the front row exchanged a look. "I meant questions about the midterm."

"I know, but I figured that this was an equally as important question."

The frown that worked its way onto the professor's face was all too familiar as he sighed, curtly turning his attention away from Lance and towards the rest of the class. "Are there any other questions? Preferably about the astronomy midterm that you will all be writing next Thursday."

Some of the other students shuffled in their seats, Keith included. A few keen girls at the front raised their hand and inquired about a star formation question while Keith checked the time on his phone. The numbers on the brightly lit screen indicated that class was almost over. From his perch, the two standard rows away from Lance he always chose to sit, he could see the boy turn and grin at Hunk who merely rolled his eyes.

"You should really chill with the soulmate questions, man," he was saying as Lance made a show of opening his water bottle. "I think you've asked that question in every single class we've had this week."

"I don't ask it in every class," Lance began, the water bottle inches from his mouth.

"Yes, you do," Keith mumbled under his breath at the same time that Pidge confirmed that very same fact. He glanced at his phone a second time. Two more minutes left. Could the seconds be ticking away any slower?

"It's kind of getting ridiculous," said Pidge. "I mean, we have midterms in less than a week. How can you possibly ignore the pressing exam stress and complain about how you haven't found a soulmate?"

"Hey hey, come on now. I'm not complaining," Lance huffed as he used his sleeve to wipe at the stray drop of water that had trickled outside the corner of his mouth. "I'm just curious, that's all."

Pidge scoffed and crossed her arms. "Ha, curious my ass. We all know you've been infatuated with the idea of having a soulmate ever since you found out they existed."

"I'm dedicated, Pidge," said Lance with dramatized pride, "there's a difference."

"I don't know," said Hunk, his pen still copying the sequence Professor Coran was detailing on the board. "Infatuated is the nice way of saying it. Obsessed is the other word."

"You guys are supposed to be helping me, not making me feel stupid," Lance playfully whined.

"I just want you to prioritize," said Pidge calmly.

"And I just want you to stop talking about it every time we hang out." Lance frowned at the undercurrent of annoyance in Hunk's voice. It was light but still telling. "It's bad enough that you mention it in classes. You're passionate about it, and that's great, but sometimes, when we get back to our apartment, I kind of just want to talk about video games or the latest episode of Master Chef ."

"Besides," added Pidge, "you always get the same answer."

That much was true. As much as Keith understood where Lance's friends were coming from (and he honestly was sick of the soulmate questions too), the answers to Lance's question never changed. It was either a curt "please stay on topic, Mr. McClain," or "I don't think that's an appropriate question".

Lance couldn't help but roll his eyes. Not this again. He mentally prepared himself for the earful he knew he was going to be getting.

"Listen, my amigos, my ride or dies," Lance started, "it's not my fault that I want to find my soulmate, okay? Doesn't the idea of a person who is literally your match made in heaven sound the least bit appealing to you? I'd just appreciate it if you guys didn't lecture me about it every single damn time I bring it up."

"It's not that we don't think it's appealing," began Hunk slowly, "it's just…"

"It's just that you bring it up every four seconds," Pidge said quickly, finishing Hunk's sentence. She closed her laptop with a snap and slipped it into her bag. "And as much as we would love to see you all lovey-dovey with someone who can actually stand your pick-up lines, we've got our own lives to live. We have to be a little bit more realistic."

Lance winced slightly at Pidge's comment. Wow, that was a total jab at him if he ever heard one.

"You'll find them, buddy," Hunk interjected as he clapped Lance on the shoulder once he noticed his friend's visibly dejected demeanour. "It's written in the books that everyone has that special someone, right? It's only a matter of when you find them."

Lance forced a small smile directed at Hunk. "Thanks, man."

Just at that moment, Professor Coran's announcement regarding the end of the class seemed to cut the tension mildly. "Alright, students, that is all for today. Just another reminder of the midterm that will take place next Thursday."

Lance could have sworn that Professor Coran was looking right at him as he ended the announcement that was so-called supposed to be for the entire class.

"You coming to lunch, Lance? I heard that the cafeteria finally changed that green gloopy mess that we've been eating for the past two months to something slightly more edible," Hunk asked, eagerly changing the subject.

"Oh my god, finally! I was starting to get so sick of eating whatever mystery concoction that was," Pidge chimed in with equal excitement. "Come on, Lance. Let's go!"

Lance sat there quietly, his eyes staring vacantly around the now empty classroom. Something was a little off, but he wasn't quite sure what.

"Helloooo. Earth to Lance," Pidge said, swiftly waving her hands mere inches from his face.

"Oh. Right. Yeah, sorry. I'll be there in a sec," Lance responded after a few long seconds of processing what Pidge had even said. "Save me a seat, okay?"

Hunk flashed him a wink, clicked his tongue, and motioned towards him with finger guns. "You got it, dude."

His two friends exited through the far door while Lance took his time packing the rest of his things up. Once finished, he hefted his bag onto his shoulders and quietly tapped down the stairs.

"Come on, shake it off. They're just trying to be helpful," Lance quietly whispered to himself as he walked towards the exit. Despite his best efforts, the words still stung and stubbornly lingered in his mind. That off feeling settled around him and had yet to dissipate.

Just as Lance was about to make his way to the doors located in the back of the lecture hall, he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the two people through the window in the door. Frowning, he started to turn around. Though his angle was bad, he could still catch the impression of something vaguely familiar, and the closer he got, the more familiar the image became. Lance grit his teeth. "I'd know that mullet anywhere. But who else..."

He approached the door carefully. Surely, Keith was talking with someone. But, who was the second person? He crept closer and instinctively brought his hand towards the classroom door with the intention to push it open but quickly stopped short when he heard Takashi Shirogane's voice, soft and compliant, from beyond the door. The words were slightly muffled and Lance hesitated on whether or not to interrupt or listen in. Would it be worth it? If he got caught eavesdropping, Shiro would undoubtedly fix him with the classic disappointed frown and a small lecture on the importance of privacy. The young TA had been a great help when Lance found questions particularly difficult and had always been willing to lend a helpful word of advice when needed. And yet…

Lance couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with Shiro and Keith talking privately. Possible topics of their conversations flitted through his mind and he felt his gut clench. He felt sick, but he couldn't possibly fathom why until he remembered that Keith was always doing better than him in classes. Never mind the other classes they may or may not have shared, astronomy was Lance's passion and Keith was leagues ahead in his grades. The idea came sneakily across his mind, one he had had only once before but only now reared its ugly head and made itself known.

Could Keith be cheating? The suggestion seemed impossible. Lance knew practically nothing about Keith with the exception of the fact that the boy was phenomenal at astronomy and had hair that was no bueno for the ladies, but something had to give. Was it possible for Keith to be convincing Shiro to mark his tests easier or, worse, to give him hints on the upcoming exam so as to beat out Lance once again?

Lance carded a hand through his short brown hair and let out an exhale of frustration. He was torn and suspicious and almost disappointed with himself for coming up with the suggestion, but the longer he thought about it, the more his mind took to the idea. Keith was cheating. It would explain the good grades and his frequent conversations with Shiro. Lance wasn't an idiot. He'd seen Shiro and Keith talk outside of class more than a few times. When Lance went to Shiro's office hours, Keith was almost always there already, talking away to Shiro about something astronomy related. His mind swirled with the theory and without the proof, it ballooned in his head, creeping into every half-formed thought he'd ever had about Keith.

What broke him out of his thoughts was what he thought to be his name. He pressed closer to the door and pulled it open just a fraction to try and hear what was being said. Lance caught the tail end of a line, Shiro's voice giving out a quick, "-not quite enough."

"I'm trying," Keith said from beyond the door, "besides, you said you would help me."

"And I'll continue to help you," said Shiro, "but knowledge is power. The more you know, the better. Just, here," he passed something to Keith that rustled like a thin stack of papers. "I printed these off a couple nights ago. I'd recommend giving them a look over."

"You make it sound like they'll help with a test or something."

"They'll help," said Shiro. "Let's just put it that way."

Lance pulled away from the door sharply. A thousand thoughts raced through his mind a mile a minute. Help? Test? Keith, with no doubt, was cheating and Shiro was aiding him. That had to be the answer. What else could Shiro possibly be trying to 'help' Keith with? What other topic could they possibly be discussing beside answers for the midterm? Keith was trying to cheat and Shiro, good guy that he was, was agreeing to help him and give him the answers? Were they hints to what would be on the test?

The phone buzzing in his pocket drew him away from the exit and he stumbled back. Lance scrambled for his phone as if Shiro and Keith would be able to hear the faint vibration of the cellphone on the other side of the door. There were two text messages from Hunk asking him what was taking him so long to return to them. Lance bit his lip and glanced between his cell phone and the door. If he left now, he might never know what exactly Keith and Shiro were discussing, but if he stayed, they would catch him and he would be in trouble. Fearing Shiro's disappointment and his frustration for Keith settling in his chest, Lance reluctantly turned away and headed for the doors at the top of the lecture hall. He pulled out his phone to shoot a quick text message to Hunk, letting him know that he'd meet them in a couple of minutes.

Maybe, if he slept on this knowledge, he'd be able to figure out what was going on. Maybe he'd be able to sort it out in his head, and possibly bounce some theories off of Hunk and Pidge and never think about it again. Maybe he was jumping to conclusions and that, with time, he'd be able to get over it.

Lance was unable to get over it. In the end, he had kept the knowledge to himself. The words played over and over in his head, ate away at him in between classes, during classes, and even when he tried to study. His genuine attempts to study in the library went sour after remembering Keith's words. He just couldn't shake them from his mind.You make it sound like they'll help with a test or something. Lance closed his textbook a little too loudly, which garnered a slew of people shushing him. This was more than frustrating. With his head in his hands, Lance's mind was reeling. He couldn't seem to stop thinking about the conversation that took place between Keith and Shiro right outside the lecture room doors. Was there even a point to studying anymore if Keith was always going to get a higher mark? Lance put so much energy and effort into ensuring that he always came up with top marks, only to be beat by Keith freaking Kogane. The anger started to boil in the pit of Lance's stomach. He had to confront the problem. He had to find Keith.

The legs of the chair screeched against the scuffed linoleum floor as he pushed away from the study cubicle. Lance winced as the piercing sound sent trickling shivers from his scalp to his spine. A number of students lifted their heads from their studies and shot Lance a disapproving look. Lance put up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, I'm leaving. Sheesh". He threw his backpack over his shoulder and set out to find his nemesis. Okay, maybe nemesis was a strong word, but it sure as heck sounded more menacing than academic rival. Pushing through the exit door of the library, Lance made a mental list of the possible locations Keith could be. Cafeteria? Maybe. The study room? Maybe. The student life centre? Maybe. Pulling out his phone, Lance quickly tapped away and shot out a group message to Hunk and Pidge.

Lance: - Started a Conversation in "It's Pasture Bedtime" -

Lance
yo guys, strange question, but do either of you know where Keith is right now?

Hunk
keith kogane?

Pidge
Isn't that the guy with the mullet who sits behind us?

Lance
haha, yeah, him. You seen him around?

Pidge
why the sudden interest in mullet boy?

Lance
it's nothing, I just need to take care of some business

Hunk
Oh god, dude. Lance, just cause he gets better marks than you, doesn't mean you have to kill the guy

Lance
gah, that's not what I meant. Just tell me. Have you seen him?

Pidge
I saw him walking in the hallway of the science TA's offices a couple of minutes ago, but I don't know if he's there anymore

Lance
thanks Pidge

Hunk
Don't do anything stupid!

Lance
no guarantees, my man

Slipping his phone back into his front pocket, Lance made a beeline for the planetary science building. Nothing was going to stop him from speed walking to the second floor offices. Approaching the hallway, Lance kept his eyes peeled for any sight of Keith. But, what were the chances that he would still be here? The empty hallway only proved as a disappointment to Lance. It wouldn't hurt to check each office though, right? As he made his way down the hallway of the offices of the space science department, he poked his head into every room in hopes of finding the menace who was jeopardizing his chances of being top of the class. Nearing the end of the hallway with no luck, Lance turned his heels and began to lithely stride back up the hall. The sudden outburst of laughter coming from the last office at the end of the hallway made Lance stop dead in his tracks. It was coming from Takashi Shirogane's office. Lance slowly tiptoed his way towards the TA's office, holding his breath in fear of being discovered. As he carefully peeked into the room through the slight crack in the door, his jaw almost hit the floor. There sat Keith and Shiro, laughing in each other's company. They were lounging on the couch that Shiro had somehow managed to cram into his already tiny office. At this point, Lance was seething and the temptation to call Keith out surged stronger than ever. Before he could expose his presence and expose himself in front of Shiro, Lance ran back to the atrium as quickly as his sneaker-clad feet could take him.

Bending down with his hands on his knees, Lance tried to regain his breath. He came all the way to confront Keith, but why couldn't he do it? He couldn't just back out now. He had to know what was going on. Lance decided he would wait for Keith to leave Shiro's office and catch him on his way out. Locating a small table near the entrance of the building, he slid into the accompanying chair and pulled out several textbooks in an attempt to blend in with the other students studying near him. With every passing minute, Lance constantly made quick glances to the doors, in hopes of catching Keith exiting the building.

An hour had passed and there was still no sign of Keith. The sun had climbed its way up into the sky and was now peeking over the top of the observatory connected to the Science building. The clouds seemed thicker than when he had gone in to see Shiro, but they seemed to steer clear of the sky. Lance stood and stretched while letting out a barely audible yawn. Perhaps he'd just meet Keith in class or something, he reasoned to himself. He moved over to the glass doors outside but stopped harshly when he caught sight of something familiar within. "Keith," he breathed, before pulling the door open and heading inside again.

He strode over, annoyance and frustration at the wait burning his way through his body. It only got worse when he arrived at the spot where Keith was sitting on his bench, laptop open on his lap with his earbuds in. Keith didn't seem to notice him at first, but soon he was taking out an earbud and looking up at him, face in a carefully calculated scowl.

"Do you have something to say to me?"

The moment Keith opened his mouth, Lance's annoyance instantly doubled.

"Actually, yeah, I do." Surprisingly, Lance didn't stutter.

When Lance didn't continue, Keith's frown became more pronounced. "...So? What is it?"

Lance was a little surprised he'd gotten this far, but the angry suspicion he was running on hadn't shorted out. "I know that we're rivals and all, but I don't think getting the answers to the midterm is a fair way to one-up me," he said, trying to sound casual.

"Excuse me ?"

Lance stood his ground, pushing his normal aversion of confrontation to the deep recesses of his mind. "I'm just saying that it isn't fair to the other kids in class who are working their asses off trying to study. You could have at least shared."

"What are you talking about?" Keith seemed to be getting more curiously annoyed than defensive, but Lance pressed on with more impatience than grace.

"Y'know. You. Shiro. Passing you the answers to the midterm. We all know he's been helping you out."

Keith stood up, tone sharp as he said, "If you think Shiro would allow any student to cheat, then you're even dumber than I thought."

"If you weren't cheating then what the hell have you been doing with Shiro? All your meetings with the guy are shady as hell, especially when he gave you all that research the other day." Lance's volume climbed.

"That research had nothing to do with the midterm," said Keith with an angry flush. "Also, it was none of your business. Have you been spying on me?"

"No, I just see you around," said Lance just as angrily. "What have you been doing then? Why can't you just tell me?"

"Not cheating, that's for sure." Keith's fists clenched tightly. "I can't believe you'd even think that I'd cheat on a test. You don't even know me."

"I know enough," Lance huffed.

"You know what? Just stop." Keith began packing up his things and Lance watched him do so, heart thundering in his chest. He'd been expecting an omission or vicious denial that seemed too telling, not indignation and anger. He expected a confirmation, not more questions. "I don't need to sit here and listen to you blame me for something I never did."

"Then what were you actually doing?"

"It's none of your damn business." Keith grit his teeth, threw his bag over his shoulders, and stalked off. "Leave me the fuck alone."

Lance watched Keith storm towards the doors and push them open with more force than what was probably necessary.

"Well, that went about as poorly as it could have," Lance whispered to himself as he let out an exasperated sigh. When he returned to his friends, they seemed to agree with him and gave him matching expressions that gleamed with disappointment.

"Lance," sighed Hunk, but Lance just waved him off. His confrontation probably hadn't been the wisest thing -he knew that- but his pride, his own damned pride, clung to the idea that he wasn't in the wrong and that Keith was the one at fault. Keith was the one that was cheating on the test. Keith and Keith alone.

The niggling thought that perhaps Lance had been wrong lingered no matter how hard he tried to banish it. It was as if the more he denied Keith's possible innocence, the more the doubt seeped into his mind. What if Lance had been wrong? What if Keith hadn't been cheating at all? No matter how ridiculous an idea, Hunk and Pidge were right in that it had to be considered. A good scientist considered all possibilities. But this particular possibility meant that Lance had been wrong and biased and accusatory towards some random kid who sat a couple rows behind him in astronomy class. How much of an asshole would that make him for calling out Keith, who may or may not have cheated at all?

Lance shook the thoughts out of his head and tried to snuggle under his covers. The test was in four days. That would be the moment of truth, he decided. If Keith did ridiculously well, then Lance would know he was cheating and he'd celebrate the confirmation of his suspicions. If he beat Keith, then he knew that he'd been wrong and that he probably ought to apologize, although he was trying not to entertain that possibility too much.

He slept with those thoughts in his head, his resolve carrying him all the way into the exam where he sat, determined and fixed away from Keith.

And when he got his test result back a few days later courtesy of a very prompt Shiro, his mark, sitting neatly underneath Keith's was all the confirmation he needed. He returned to his friends with the intention of celebrating, but somehow the knowledge that his suspicions were confirmed made him feel heavier than before.