Lance couldn't sleep.

He kept questioning whether this was the right approach. What if he was being overbearing to Keith? What if Keith didn't like it, but was too nice to say anything about it? What if Keith hates him?

With a sigh, Lance pulled himself off his bed and trudged out of his room, the edges his blanket dragging behind.

He made his way to the observatory, then wrapped himself better in his blankets and looked out at the vast emptiness glittering with the twinkle from the stars. No constellation was recognizable, but there was a beautiful galaxy with a red tint arching over the far horizon.

His hands touched the alien glass; he leaned forward, pressing a weary forehead on the icy surface. His thoughts wandered with his eyes, unfocused as he searched for any sign of familiarity in the constellations. A soft discouraged sigh clouded the glass, and for a moment, his view of the stars were gone.

"Lance?"

Lance jerked, shoulders tensing as he turned to the familiar voice.

Keith stood leaning against the doorway in a loose black shirt and sweatpants, hair mussed but dark eyes sharp with awareness.

Lance scoffed, pulling on the tiring mask of suavity, wracking his head for a good flirty line.

"Oh, look who's here, a contestant for the prettiest view -" Keith huffed, and Lance paused to simply stare. at Keith. Who was still dead gorgeous with mussed hair. Who still didn't like him back (...yet). Which was not doing good things to his heart.

"Lance," Keith had moved closer, standing right in front of him, leaning in to peer at his face. "What's wrong?"

"Oh... Just thinking." Lance glanced back at the stars, which restarted the waves of homesickness.

Keith didn't look convinced, but didn't push. He stepped up to the glass next to Lance and looked out at the view.

They stood silently, watching the twinkling lights, both tracing for constellations. The silence would have continued until who knows when, but they couldn't help but gasp when a shooting star streaked past right in front of their eyes.

"That was the longest shooting star I've ever seen!" Lance murmured with wonder. "Ah! Quick! Make a wish!"

Lance squinted his eyes shut and clasped his hands together, silently mouthing words to his wish.

Keith watched quietly, eyes tracing the earnest lines of his face.

"...Hey Lance." Keith murmured.

"Yeah?" Lance whispered back without opening his eyes.

"Why do you like me so much?"

Lance peered at the boy next to him, noting the tense shoulders.

"Well... Because."

When Keith raised an eyebrow at the familiar answer, Lance looked away, cheeks brightening even in the dark, muttering something indistinctly under his breath.

"Because...?" Keith repeated, curiously leaning in to hear the mutters.

"...You're always doing cool stuff."

"Cool stuff?"

"Like flying through an asteroid field and almost into black holes."

Keith's eyes widened, then frowned. "Are you being sarcastic?"

Lance laughed at Keith's expression and shook his head.

"Nah. Honest," He chuckled. "There's this... smirk that you make whenever you do something successfully, you know. It's crooked and looks arrogant as hell, but it does make you look..." Lance trailed off, noting Keith's steadfast gaze and cleared his throat, embarrassed. Looking away from the unwavering stare, he went on, subdued but determined to continue.

"And you have the weirdest colored eyes I've ever seen. Not that it's bad. It's pretty - reminds me of one of those tropical birds back home. Gray? Purple? I can't really describe it,"

Glancing quickly up at Keith's eyes, Lance shrugged. "Like, it turns really...agudo... er... sharp? All intense, you know?" Lance turned slowly and leaned down into Keith's face to see his eyes better. "Then they light up when you're all relaxed and happy."

Keith shivered at the intimate distance, freezing when warm fingers made a gentle contact on a cheek.

"See, right now I can't really tell because it's so dark," Lance mumbled, absentmindedly brushing and tucking away the strands of hair behind Keith's ears. His blue eyes turned hazy, thoughts galaxies away.

Keith gazed into Lance's memory-dulled eyes, seeing the blue of oceans, of bright summer skies and of the glowing Balmera crystal behind them.

"...expressive," Lance breathed softly, almost to himself. "...like a supernova."

"Um," Keith couldn't help the sudden blush. "...Lance?"

"Hmm?" Pulled out of his thoughts, Lance met Keith's flicking gaze.

"You're... a little..." Keith looked away, blushing.

Lance suddenly seemed to realize the position they were in and jerked his hand away as if burnt.

"Ay, Dios mio," Lance stepped away, hands gesturing flusteredly in front of himself. "Sorry! You should have said something!"

Keith shrugged, ducking his head to hide his own blush.

Lance didn't notice, hand sweeping through his hair. "You're so good at listening, I almost forgot you were here."

"That's okay," Keith said with a barely hidden squeak, shoving his hands in his pockets. "It's not like you did it on purpose." He muttered, trying to control the blush in his cheeks.

Lance smiled, and dared to and look back at the boy slouched next to him. Keith quickly turned away when their eyes met, feeling his cheeks flush again.

Lance noted Keith's huddled frame and examined him a little closer.

"Keith, are you okay? What's -" Lance asked worriedly, peering down at the shorter teen to discover the flushed face. "Huh. Are you - ?"

"Shut up, Lance." Keith grumbled.

Lance's surprised face slowly morphed into a full-on beaming smile.

"Keiiiiith," Lance's teased in a singsong voice, a finger poking Keith's cheek. "Is that a blush I see?"

Shoving away the poking finger grumpily, Keith turned around out of the observatory. "Go back to bed, Lance."

Lance hurriedly caught up to walk next to him, preening. "I knew you'd fall for my charms sooner or later, pretty boy."

"Shut up. I'm going to bed."

"Can I join you?" Lance asked with an eyebrow wiggle.

"No!"

"Aww," Lance moaned in disappointment. Keith blushed harder and walked faster. Unperterbed, Lance walked after Keith, throwing an arm around his jittery shoulders. He leaned down on Keith, slowing his brisk pace down to a labored walk.

Lance puckered his lips and whispered into Keith's ears. "What about a goodnight kiss?"

"Lance!" Keith's ears reddened as he shoved Lance off, practically running to his room in embarrassment.

He closed the door and leaned against it, the sound of Lance's laughter echoing in his ears.

Keith hid his face behind his hands, feeling the burn through his gloves.


That night Keith couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Heart-stoppingly blue eyes would peek at him behind his closed eyelids, forcing Keith to kick his blanket away and hide his face as he muffled a scream of embarrassment.

Why did I say that? 'That's okay'? I should have said 'Thanks' or like, shrugged? Or... Arg!

Keith turned over and threw the blanket back, muttering a mantra of forget forget forget -

Hazy blue eyes like the ocean, summer skies and unearthly alien crystal; a gentle warmth at his cheek and a barely-heard whisper of the words 'like a supernova' -

Keith pushed his face back into his pillow, screaming muffled curses as he kicked at the stifling blankets.