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1
Keith worked hard to remember that he was a Good Person.
The full title was A Good Person that was Patient and Kind to Others Even if They Didn’t Necessarily Deserve It, but Keith often abbreviated it for time’s sake.
Lance liked to say it in full, crooning it in Keith’s ear whenever he started to get a little fidgety and annoyed.
With almost two years of dating Keith under his belt, Lance had it down to a science.
He knew that Keith’s eyes narrowing and mouth tightening meant he needed a little space.
That his crossed arms and clenched jaw would be relaxed with a smooth slide of his thumb along Keith’s shoulders.
That his hands shoved in his pockets and back firmly against a wall meant any touching will resort with something probably not very nice leaving Keith’s mouth.
Lance had degrees in both Secondary Education and Dating Keith Kogane and spent most of his time being an angel and teaching at the local middle school. So he was probably a credible source.
So. TLDR: Keith is a Good Person.
So he’s not going to say anything mean to the girl across the counter.
He’s going to swallow it back.
She bounced a little more on her toes, gripping her phone a little too tight for Keith’s liking, and had definitely forgotten her order.
“It’s you, right?” She repeated after his stifled silence. “You’re Citizen?”
Keith’s fingers flexed and unflexed around the cash drawer.
It had been over two years since Keith had spent most of his senior year either being an asshole to cute boys in his Greek mythology class or bashing Galra University’s administration and inner workings anonymously on Tumblr. While it had exploded into a nationwide hit while Keith was in undergrad, flooding to news stations and hijacking Twitter and nearly getting both Lance and Keith expelled (Keith shuddered at the memory), it had now faded into a bit of a university urban legend.
Similar to most online phenomena, the reveal of Keith being Citizen caused everyone to lose their minds for about two weeks. Then, most moved on.
He was able to keep his job at The Lazy Bean and everyone promptly forgot that the grumpy barista with a notoriously absent name tag was actually the anonymous writer they wrote fanfiction about.
Keith didn’t mind. He was thrilled, actually. Very content to put it all behind him.
He needed to, if his therapist was to be believed.
So it always threw him off a little when he was a celebrity again.
The girl bounced on her toes.
Keith blinked.
He felt what must have been a coffee stirrer hit the back of his head. From the corner of his eye, he saw Allura watching the whole ordeal, hands on her hips.
“Um,” he jerked back to the present. “Yes.”
The girl looked thrilled and Keith realized she was definitely a freshman.
“Oh my god!” She squealed. “My sister texted me all about it last year, she’s graduating this spring, but I didn’t think that you would still be here!”
Keith shifted his weight awkwardly and she leaned closer.
“So is it true?” She asked, dropping her voice low. “It wasn’t actually your psych project?”
Keith felt a snap of annoyance.
Sure, telling Zarkon and the rest of the GU administration that the anonymous letters were actually part of his senior project had been a blatant lie. But he had pulled it off, slapping together a thesis in a particularly nasty all-nighter and it had been smooth sailing since.
There was a new administration. Keith’s own advisor, Alfor Atlea, was now the president of the university.
But Keith wasn’t particularly fond of the memory, sick with nerves in an uncomfortable chair surrounded by a bunch of adults discussing his future. Shiro and Adam fraught with worry on his right, Lance a stable warmth to his left.
It wasn’t fun to remember. He definitely wanted to be a little mean to her.
But Keith was a Good Person. And this girl was new and excited for college and was meeting an urban legend in the flesh.
So he smiled tightly instead. “Sorry to disappoint. It was actually my thesis.”
The girl frowned, but moved on rather quickly.
Keith tried to follow.
***
He came home, weary with coffee grounds stuck under his fingernails, to the sound of rattling pots and pans and the smell of something delicious.
“Sounds like my honey is home!” Lance bellowed from the kitchen as the door shut behind Keith.
Keith chuckled, kicking off his boots and nudging them into the crowded shoe cubby.
Ruby joined him as he walked into the kitchen, winding between his legs with excited chirps.
Lance was bopping his head to whatever inevitable commercial jingle was stuck in his head as he pushed vegetables around a sizzling pan.
He grinned at Keith, still wearing his dress shirt untucked and wrinkled over a pair of sweatpants.
“Good evening, sunshine,” he said, turning his attention back to the stove.
“Can I do anything?” He asked a little lamely.
Lance waved him off. “This is almost ready, tell me something about your day.”
Keith paused, his heart skipping just a little.
He never understood how Lance possibly had enough energy after dealing with teenagers all day long to still be excited and cheerful when Keith got home. Sure, there were days when Keith came home to Lance snoring on the couch or already lazily flipping through takeout menus. But for the most part, Lance greeted him happily from the stove.
Lance loved to cook, but Keith was hastily learning some basic skills in order to share the load.
“Well,” Keith leaned against the counter. “I was a good person today.”
Lance gasped excitedly. “Do tell. I bet it’s going to get me all hot and bothered.”
“Oh it’s going to get you so hot,” Keith snorted, pushing off the counter to wrap his arms around Lance. “A girl asked me if I was Citizen.”
Lance snickered, leaning into Keith’s chest.
“And I
wasn’t
an asshole about it.”
Lance swooned dramatically. “Talk dirty to me, babe.”
“I said ‘um, yes’.”
“Sexy.”
“And was polite when she asked me whether it was actually my senior project.”
Lance sighed happily. “Look at you. Productive and positive human interactions.”
Keith chuckled.
Lance carefully tucked the sizzling pan out of his way. “I actually think I may have to kiss you right now.”
Keith’s grin grew. “Oh really?”
“Yup,” Lance said, spinning in Keith’s arms and winding his hands in his hair. “Right this instant, actually.”
2
Lance had known Keith for two years, dated him for a year and a half, and could count on one finger the amount of times he had seen Keith drunk.
Sure, he had been privileged enough to see Keith glassy-eyed and tipsy, wobbly and a little intoxicated, but he had never again witnessed that wild happy drunk he met at that party all those months ago.
He supposed he couldn’t blame Keith. If the last time he got uproariously drunk he confessed his feelings about the guy he liked on his anonymous but viral Twitter, woke up in a bathtub in the lap of aforementioned guy he liked, and then later crashed in the same bed, he probably wouldn’t be all that eager to get wasted again either.
Lance had resigned himself to never getting that lucky to see Happy Drunk Keith again.
Until Adam texted him late on a Saturday night.
adam <3: PLEASE come get your boyfriend.
Lance raised an eyebrow. Keith had left over six hours ago to have a movie night with Shiro. Lance was already set up on the couch, very comfortable and ready to fall asleep during a Hallmark movie, when Keith kissed him goodbye and told him not to wait up.
I was told to not wait up. I believe he is still supposed to be in your care xx
adam <3: the fucking nerds made a drinking game for every time there’s gay subtext in Lord of the Rings. I cannot handle TWO impulsive drunk idiots by myself.
Lance let out a huff of disbelief until a video popped up under the text.
The video started with Adam’s sigh, sharp and staticy near the speaker. Shiro’s and Adam’s living room was dark except for the TV flickering with what looked like Aragorn looking worse for wear. Keith and Shiro were sitting on the couch opposite Adam, practically on top of each other as they chattered loudly over the movie.
Keith was saying something about the intricacies of elven relationships according to Tolkien but it was almost impossible to hear him over Shiro bellowing for him to look at the TV.
Legolas appeared on the screen, looking closely at Aragorn’s disheveled figure.
Lance felt his mouth drop open as the brothers shrieked in glee, taking a massive swig of whatever they were drinking. Despite all of his complaining, Lance could hear Adam chuckling as Shiro kicked at Keith’s thigh in excitement. Keith climbed on top of Shiro to reach for the remote, hollering about how they had to rewind.
The video ended with Adam groaning as Shiro’s drink sloshed onto the carpet.
Lance was grinning.
I’m so on my way
***
When Adam opened the door, he was trying hard not to grin.
“Someone saw your car pull up,” he said. “Someone’s excited.”
At his words, something ducked under Adam’s arm and Lance had only a second to brace his weight before Keith slammed into him.
“Lance!”
Lance wheezed as Keith scrabbled at his shoulders and back, desperate to find the perfect place to hold him. He smelled like Shiro’s candles and sweetened vodka, his hair disheveled and falling out from a messy bun.
“What are you doing here?”
“Adam called,” Lance laughed.
Keith paused, his hands stilling.
Lance leaned back to catch a glimpse of Keith’s face. His eyes were huge and searching, his bottom lip pulled firmly between his teeth as he stared hard at Lance’s chin. His fingers were fisted into Lance’s sweatshirt.
“Hi baby,” he tucked dark hair behind an ear full of dangling silver. “Have fun?”
Keith was still blinking at Lance’s chin, brows furrowed. “Sorry.”
Lance realized that Keith felt guilty . Something unpleasant twitched in Lance’s chest.
He smoothed back more of Keith’s hair, pressing a quick kiss to Keith’s lips. “Are you kidding? I wouldn’t miss this for the world!”
Keith tilted his head, mindlessly kissing Lance’s palm before turning to study Lance again. “Miss what?”
Lance’s grin felt impossibly wide. “You.”
Keith blinked once, twice, then the most brilliant smile Lance had ever seen spread across his face.
“Okay,” Keith said cheerfully. “Can we get fries?”
“Of
course
we are going to get fries.”
“ Fuck yes,” Keith interlocked their fingers and began to tug Lance towards the car.
Lance turned to see Adam still watching them, now with Shiro wrapped around him. He waved goodnight, earning a salute from Adam and kissy faces from Shiro.
Keith narrowly missed knocking his head against the car as he dropped into the passenger seat. He allowed Lance to buckle him in, sneaking a kiss as Lance bent over him.
Lance chuckled, placing his hands on Keith’s thighs.
“Think you’re gonna puke, babe?”
Keith looked insulted.
“Alright, then,” Lance snorted, shutting the door and jogging to his side.
As he slipped into the car and headed to the closest McDonalds, he could feel Keith’s gaze on him. He glanced over several times, Keith not moving from where he was draped against his seat, staring at Lance with a small smile.
“What are you looking at?”
Keith’s smile didn’t falter. “You.”
Lance chuckled, feeling his cheeks grow hot. “You’re sweet.”
“You’re really pretty,” Keith said, words sliding together.
“Oh my god.”
***
Keith smelled like salt and giggled like it was the funniest thing in the world as Lance hefted the two of them into their apartment.
“C’mon babe,” Lance snickered, looping Keith’s arms around his waist and walking them down the hall. “Time for bed.”
Keith’s grin turned evil as he slid his hands down, greedy fingers slipping under Lance’s waistband.
“Not that kind of bed time,” Lance laughed. “You are going to actually sleep.”
Keith pouted but allowed himself to be steered into their bedroom.
He plopped back onto their bed with a snicker, grinning at Lance with flushed cheeks.
“Have I mentioned,” Lance sat next to Keith on the bed, lifting his boot to his knee, “that you are adorable?”
Keith let out a huff, trying to fight his smile. “Stop.”
“Just as cute as can be,” Lance pulled one boot off and reached for the other leg. “How lucky am I that you thought of a gay drinking game for Lord of the Rings.”
“Oh, I can think of a gay drinking game for almost anything.”
“Then you are in charge of the next date night,” Lance pulled off the second boot, rubbing his thumbs over the sole of Keith’s socks.
He squirmed away, tucking his ticklish feet into the blanket.
After that, it was easy to wheedle off his pants and shirt. Keith clumsily tugged on one of Lance’s shirts, staggering to his feet to yank on a fresh pair of boxers and trudge to the bathroom.
His hair was sticking up to one side, mussed as he fumbled for his toothbrush. His eyes dropped in careful, slow blinks, as he focused.
Lance leaned against the doorframe, watching as Keith slowly squeezed toothpaste on his toothbrush.
“I can’t remember the last time I saw you drunk.”
Keith offered him an unimpressed look in the mirror, a prime Keith look if it weren’t for the glazed look in his eyes and toothbrush in his mouth.
“Please, of course you do. We woke up in a bathtub.”
Lance snickered. “You caught me.”
“That was so embarrassing,” Keith grumbled, glaring up at the lights above the mirror. “I nearly threw my phone into the toilet the next day.”
Lance pressed his lips together, trying to hide the smile.
“That is why I don’t get drunk,” Keith jabbed his toothbrush towards Lance. “I say stupid shit.”
Lance gasped dramatically. “But I love the shit you say, and it’s rarely stupid.”
“Even when it nearly gets me expelled?”
Lance smiled. “Even then.”
Keith washed out his mouth and then turned to stumble towards Lance, a rather dreamy smile on his lips. He leaned into Lance, tilting his head expectantly.
Lance chuckled, wrapping his arms around Keith and kissing him.
“I love your mouth,” Keith sighed into Lance’s lips.
Lance snorted and Keith grimaced.
“God,
ew
–”
“You’re sweet,” Lance cut Keith off with another kiss. “I love your mouth too.”
3
Keith knew something was up the moment he opened his eyes and saw the rather lovestruck look on Lance’s face.
“What?” His voice was hoarse as he blinked sleep out of his eyes.
“Good morning, beautiful.”
Keith frowned, immediately swiping his mouth to check for drool. “What?”
“What?” Lance mocked softly.
He leaned over and kissed Keith.
Keith leaned back, squinting and watching Lance closely. There was nothing particularly unusual about him. Lance always was particularly lovey-dovey on Saturdays, it was often the only day that they could sleep in together.
The longer they lived together and the more Keith got used to sleeping next to someone, the longer into the morning they could sleep. In the beginning, Keith would be up and out of bed before seven, wound with frantic energy and would busy himself with riling Ruby up and dropping her on Lance.
But eventually, Keith could chill out enough to lay in the bed with Lance until he woke up. Soon, he could stay in Lance’s arms long after they woke up.
And now–
Keith squinted and looked over Lance’s shoulder to the clock.
Now they were making it to nine before Keith woke up. A win was a win, but he still wasn’t entirely sure why Lance looked so awestruck.
“Is it my hair?”
Lance smiled, pillows lines imprinted on his cheek.
“No,” he kissed Keith again. “It’s just you.”
Keith frowned in confusion as Lance sighed happily and situated both of them so that Keith was wrapped around him.
“Okay?”
Lance seemed content to fall back asleep in the confused silence.
***
He had chalked it up as just a Saturday fluke.
But then it happened on Sunday. Keith blinked awake to see Lance dressed and back from his weekly brunch date with Hunk and Pidge. He was sitting in his hoodie and sweatpants, smelling like a pleasant mixture of coffee and cologne, unabashedly watching Keith sleep.
He grinned when he noticed Keith’s open eyes.
“Good morning.”
“Why are you watching me sleep?”
Lance shrugged, smile growing wider. “I just like looking at you.”
Keith frowned. “Am I forgetting an anniversary?”
Lance shook his head, still smiling that annoyingly charming smile.
“What am I missing?”
“Nothing,” Lance laughed. “Aren’t I just allowed to admire you?”
He was.
Keith didn’t mind it. It made him feel good. After the whole mess with Citizen finally got resolved, Keith spent several therapy sessions unpacking all his mushy feelings about Lance. What did he like, what didn’t he like, what was him placing down boundaries, what was him being scared.
It was tedious and painful, but Erin, Veronica’s hasty replacement once they realized her familial connection, was patient and they worked through it.
To an embarrassing conclusion that Keith was actually a huge fan of being admired.
It was probably a little obvious, considering his near-obsession of being Citizen, his constant need to look smart and aloof. He didn’t care if people liked him, he was used enough to it from his shoddy childhood.
But he had long since aligned being disliked to being invisible.
And to be revered was to be seen.
So, no, Keith didn’t mind it when he would catch Lance looking at him with that insanely fond smile. But he could typically understand where it was coming from.
Maybe Keith was having a good hair day, or had put in earrings Lance liked. Or he was adding extra creamer to Lance’s drink while at The Bean or was chewing on a pencil while studying or something that he could suppose was endearing.
But he knew he used to sleep like he was in a coffin, stiff and unmoving with a tight jaw. He used to thrash and kick and be generally obnoxious so he just didn’t get why Lance kept smiling like that.
Especially because it kept happening.
Almost a week passed and anytime Lance was up before Keith was, which was most mornings, he was curled up around Keith, either gently smoothing his hair back or sliding his thumb down Keith’s piercings.
And he would look so unfathomably endeared and Keith would ask him what was up and he would shrug it away and kiss him.
And Keith was probably going to go a little insane.
***
“I don’t get it,” Shiro slowly slid his mug along the counter, testing the control of his prosthesis. “He’s smiling at you? Lance is always smiling. Especially at you.”
“Not like this,” Keith fiddled nervously with the strings of his apron.
He hadn’t exactly planned to tell Shiro about this. But his brother had stopped by The Lazy Bean that morning and it was intolerably slow and Shiro looked like too good of a listener from where he sat at the counter and here they were.
“Keith,” Shiro looked like he was trying not to laugh. “I hate to be the one to break this to you, but you are in a relationship.”
Keith scowled. “I’m aware.”
“Where you two love each other. Very much.”
“Shut up.”
“And sometimes, people who love each other just smile at each other and get a little lovey-dovey. It happens. You should see the way
you
look at him.”
“I know, I know– wait,” Keith went still. “What?”
Shiro snickered as he cautiously slid his prosthetic fingers through the handle of the mug.
“You look at him like he hung the moon.”
“Oh,
gross.
”
“It’s not gross,” Shiro slowly lifted the mug to his lips. “It’s quite sweet, actually. If I bring it up, Adam just starts crying.”
Keith folded his arms over his chest. “So that’s it? He’s just in love with me?”
“Sure,” Shiro shrugged. “Or you’re doing something stupid, like talking in your sleep.”
Keith went still.
***
The next morning, Keith was ready.
The moment he opened his eyes, to see Lance smiling softly at him with eyes lidded with sleep, he sprung into action.
He lurched forward, sliding his thighs over Lance’s and straddling him in the bed. His fingers wrapped around Lance’s wrists.
“Oh!” Lance’s eyes blinked wide open. “Hello, good morning, kind sir–”
“What did I say?”
Lance tilted his head. “What?”
Keith opened his mouth, trying to remember his interrogation tactics.
But Lance’s eyes looked green in the light filtering in from their window and his hair was tousled and Keith’s shirt he was wearing was rucked up his stomach and– okay– Lance may have been onto something, Keith kinda wanted to stare at him forever too.
“What did I say?” Keith repeated a little dazedly.
“When?”
“Just now!”
“You asked what did I say .”
“No,” Keith huffed. “While I was asleep.”
Lance looked even more confused. “You sleep-talk?”
“Don’t I?”
Lance shook his head slowly. “Not that I’ve heard.”
Keith loosened his grip on Lance’s wrists, dumbfounded.
“Oh.”
“Babe,” Lance laughed. “Don’t get me wrong, I’d
love
to add this to my morning routine, but what is going on?”
“I’m trying to figure out why you are looking at me like that all morning.”
Lance blinked up at him slowly, but realization dawned and that soft grin peeked through.
“See?” Keith jabbed a finger at him. “That. What is that happening?”
Lance sucked his lips into his mouth. “Baby–”
“Oh god .”
Lance only called Keith baby when he was about to say something that would probably piss him off.
Lance smiled up at him as he smoothed his palms up and down Keith’s thighs.
“You’re cute.”
Keith frowned. “That’s it?”
Lance opened his mouth and paused, for a moment struggling with what to say.
“Haven’t you noticed?” Lance asked delicately. “How deeply you sleep now?”
Keith thought it over.
He supposed he could tell the obvious differences. He was sleeping longer and didn’t wake up as often in the night. He could stand having Lance next to him, even sometimes ended up practically on top of him, sprawled all over the bed–
Keith gasped. “Oh my god.”
“Baby–”
“I’m waking you up.”
Lance opened his mouth, and nothing came open.
Keith groaned, covering his face with his hands.
“Keith,” Lance sat up, gently trying to pull Keith’s hands from his face. “Listen, I think it’s adorable. You have the cutest snore–”
“I’m
snoring
?”
At that point, Keith made a frantic dive off the bed.
Lance, now not stopping a loud laugh, caught him. Keith could feel his giggling as Lance scooped him up and wedged him into his lap, pressing his chest against Keith’s back.
Keith glared at their legs. “I’ll look up how to stop it.”
“What?”
“I’ll make a pillow wall to stay off your side.”
“
What–
no! No pillow wall.”
Keith groaned, slumping into Lance’s hold.
“Babe, you are missing the fact that this only came up because of how adoringly I’m staring at you. I love it.”
Keith squirmed irritably. “You like being steamrolled off the bed and listening to me snore?”
“
Yes
.”
“You’re sick in the head.” Keith resorted to glaring at his socks, hating the heat rising to his face.
Lance hummed thoughtfully and Keith felt an apology rise up his throat.
“Do you remember how long it took for you to spend more than five hours sleeping next to me?”
“I wasn’t sleeping that long anywhere .”
Keith wasn’t sure why he was fighting to be right, to unwind Lance’s argument, but he could feel his haunches rising as Lance continued.
“You couldn’t be next to the wall,” Lance said pointedly. “You had to have a leg out of blankets and tossed and turned and when you finally were asleep, you were so still I wanted to check your pulse.”
Keith scowled.
“And then you would jerk awake and think I didn’t notice and stay super still to try to not wake me up. It was difficult and tedious for both of us.”
Keith scowled harder.
“And now, I wake up with your face shoved into my chest and your freezing hands up my shirt.”
Keith knew his face was beet red.
Lance slid his thumbnail down the row of silver earrings. “Baby, it means you feel safe.”
Keith glared harder.
“When I wake up because maybe your foot managed to find a snug spot between my ribs or possibly you are snoring just a
little
–”
“Jesus Christ–”
“It means that your body has shut off all the defenses,” Lance continued softly. “It means you finally loosened your jaw and relaxed your joints. You are allowing yourself to feel vulnerable so, yeah, I sometimes like to watch you sleep.”
Lance kissed his cheek.
“I would have never even told you. I’m sorry you figured it out.”
Keith wasn’t sure how to feel. Despite the wrenching embarrassment, there was that part of him that was a little pleased he was sleeping that deeply.
The fact that he was now apparently a menace to share a bed with, and how it seemed to make Lance only like him more, felt strangely freeing.
Keith crossed his arms, shifting back and forth in Lance’s arms.
“I’m getting nose strips.”
Lance snorted and turned his chin to kiss him.
***
They had been laying in their bed for all of twenty minutes before Lance groaned.
Keith blinked through the dark as Lance rolled over towards him. His eyes adjusted to see Lance watching him with a very unimpressed look.
“I knew this would happen,” Lance poked his forehead. “You’re overthinking.”
“I’m not!”
“Yes, you are,” Lance shifted until he was on top of Keith, determinedly wrapping his arms around Keith and rolling back with Keith with him.
Keith grumbled as Lance arranged the two of them, neatly making room for Keith’s knee to wedge into Lance’s hip and taking Keith’s hands before moving them under Lance’s shirt.
Keith’s fingers instinctively hooked around Lance’s shoulder blades.
“Comfy?” Lance asked, with the air of someone who knew exactly what they were talking about.
Keith was a little horrified to think that Lance had woken up with Keith in this exact position before.
“Yeah?”
“I bet,” Lance said wisely. “You love to backpack me in your sleep.”
Keith wanted to die. “
Backpack
you?”
“Sure, like a koala.”
Keith slammed his face into the pillow next to Lance’s head.
“This is humiliating.”
“Sleep well, my prince.”
And Keith, to his own horror, did just that.
4
“They’re onto me!” Lance announced loudly the moment he opened the door.
Keith barely spared a glance from his massive textbook, humming in acknowledgement around the pen in his mouth.
“Keith, Keithy, Keithykins, did you hear me?” Lance dropped his bag with a huff, kicking off his shoes and shoving them with the other pairs near the door. “Code Red, I repeat, Code Red.”
Keith gave a slow blink, registering and looking up to see that his boyfriend was finally home from a long, arduous day of teaching the youth. “What?”
“The kids are figuring it out,” Lance moaned, dropping into the chair next to Keith.
“Figuring out what?”
Lance dropped his head onto the table. “That I’m a
boy kisser
.”
There was a pause.
Keith snorted.
“Is that what they call it now?”
Lance sat up with an indignant gasp, kicking one of Keith’s chair legs.
“What?” Keith asked, grinning with eyes glinting from amusement. “I’m shocked it took them this long.”
“I wanted to be an enigma,” Lance sighed, slumping in his chair. “A mystery that no twelve-year-old could parse through.”
When Lance began his first year teaching that August, he had pulled out all the stops. He privated his social media, decorated his classroom with cheerfully aesthetic posters and what he considered a nondescript amount of string lights, and overall made Mr. McClain an elusive creature.
Partly to remain professional, mainly because he had money on it.
When he had been idly browsing classroom decoration ideas on Pinterest while at Pidge’s apartment, they had thrown out what should have been a casual remark.
“I give it two weeks before your students figure out you’re a bisexual disaster.”
Lance had been quite insulted, for he did on occasion somewhat have his life together, and Hunk had seemingly leapt to his defense.
“That’s hardly fair,” Hunk had said kindly. “Give him at least until November.”
Lance went home that night ready to have a very sympathetic boyfriend. Until Keith laughed hard enough to wake up Ruby at the idea of Lance managing to stay a NPC for that long.
“You’ll crack by October.”
So bets were made.
And now it was the end of September and Lance had accidentally started to hum Sweater Weather while his last period was cleaning up their lab tables and earned several curious looks.
“Well,” Keith said. “There’s always next year.”
His voice was a little too smug.
“No,” Lance sat up. “I can do this. I can be an NPC for another week.”
Keith arched an eyebrow. “Is this just to make sure I lose?”
“No!” Lance sputtered. “Is, however, Hunk the most deserving to win? Of course!”
Something passed over Keith’s face. Something a little mischievous and sneaky and probably the exact expression that Keith wore when he was Citizen two years ago.
But then Keith offered a charmingly innocent smile and kissed Lance and he (foolishly) forgot about it.
***
“Alright, second period!” Lance clapped his hands together, causing the excited chatter to quiet.
He grinned at his students, watching the wide eyes drop back and forth from him to the materials on their tables.
They were managing better than his first period, it was always difficult to keep their attention while explaining the lab. Especially once he dropped the words rock candy.
“Now,” he motioned towards the kettle he brought from home that Keith hopefully didn’t miss too much that morning. “We will need warm water for this. Since I love you all and am willing to be brave for you guys, I will handle the water.”
Titters swept through the seventh graders.
“Give me a thumbs up if you’ve been around really hot water before.”
He grinned at the indulgent thumbs up.
“Excellent, you are all familiar. Now, dear children, are we going to stick our fingers into the hot water?”
“No!” They chorused.
“Are you going to intentionally remove the water from the glass jar?”
“No!”
“Are you going to drink the water?”
“No!”
“Do I need to do another dramatic reading of the lab safety contract you all signed?”
“
No!
”
“Perfect,” Lance smiled easily. “You all have five minutes to tie your string to your stirrers and decide which food coloring you want for your crystals.”
Urgently, the students set to work. Lance walked around his classroom, approving or gently redirecting the experiments. It was a fairly simple lab, Lance would save the more complicated ones for much later in the year.
It was the last Friday in September and the weather was cooling and it just felt like a good day to make rock candy. Lance was arguably feeling a little too confident.
“Okay!” Lance clicked on his kettle. “Now in about three to four painstaking minutes, we will begin our weeklong journey of making crystals– Tony, please keep your string out of your mouth.”
Right when his kettle began steaming, his classroom phone began ringing.
“Uh, Rachel,” he said distractedly, lifting the kettle off its cradle. “Can you grab that?”
He walked over to the first glass jar and began pouring the water right as he heard Rachel’s soft this is Mr. McClain’s room.
She listened for a moment. Lance glanced over his shoulder to see that her brow had dipped slightly, confused.
Then, realization dawned.
“Oh– uh, okay,” she started to smile. “Yes ma’am, I’ll tell him.”
She slowly lowered the phone down.
“Out with it, Rachel,” Lance poured water carefully into the next jar. “Guys, start stirring in your sugar– am I in trouble?”
“No,” Rachel looked a little like she wanted to laugh. “There’s, um, someone here for you.”
Lance paused, turning to face her fully.
“Sorry? A someone for me?”
“Um,” Rachel bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to stop her smile. “Yes.”
There were only a couple of things that would make a thirteen-year-old girl that giddy.
Lance groaned and lowered the kettle.
“Was it a Keith, by any chance?”
Rachel looked like it was Christmas and the class devolved into chaos.
***
Once another teacher was free to watch his class, Lance made his walk of shame down to the front office.
He could hear the sound of the receptionist, Sally, giggling before he even walked inside.
Lance entered to see Sally fanning her flushed cheeks while a familiar black leather jacket leaned against the counter.
“Sally, you are shameless.”
The older woman grinned. “And you have been holding out on us.”
That left Lance with no choice but to look at the irritatingly sexy smirk on his boyfriend’s face.
“Hey,” with a casual nudge of his thumb, Keith lifted a familiar canvas tote bag. “You forgot your lunch.”
Lance’s eyes narrowed. “You suck.”
Keith let out a loud laugh as Sally swatted at Lance with a gasp.
“I suck?” Keith pointed at himself. “Me? The doting boyfriend that brought you your lunch when you forgot it?”
“I forget my lunch all the time,” Lance said. “I planned to pillage the vending machines. You just saw it and happened to look at a calendar.”
Keith sucked his lips into his mouth.
“Happy September 30th.”
Lance jabbed a finger at him. “You can’t interfere to make your bet win. That’s against the rules.”
“Really? That wasn’t in the paperwork.”
“I am no longer an elusive creature. I am now Mr. McClain who is in possession of a Keith.”
Keith’s smile softened, because he always looked particularly sweet and dreamy when Lance wanted to be annoyed. “Yeah, you are.”
Lance was stuck between strangling him or kissing him.
Before he could decide, a student, likely one in a free period and helping a teacher judging by the large stack of boxes they were holding, staggered into the office.
Lance clocked the tremble in the girl’s arms and the teetering of the boxes a second after Keith.
On the other side of the counter, Lance watched as Keith sprang into action, plucking the top two boxes out of the girl’s hold and narrowly avoiding five dozen highlighters all over the floor.
And revealing the student carrying the boxes was another one of Lance’s students.
Lance’s teeth clicked together into a strained smile as Sarah sighed with relief, blinking up at her savior as he steadied the boxes on the counter.
“Thank you–uh,” she trailed off, mouth dropping open.
Lance watched, with growing horror, as Sarah’s dark eyes darted up and down Keith. She was clearly a little stunned, two blots of red blooming in her cheeks as her gaze traveled down the whole dark hair, piercings, leather jacket, ripped jeans ensemble.
He could hear the universe laughing at him as her eyes stopped on the tote bag Keith was holding.
Her teacher’s tote bag.
“You’re welcome,” Keith offered.
Sarah’s surprise leveled into glee as she looked at Lance.
“Mr. McClain?” She asked. “Is this–”
“Yes,” he exhaled.
Sarah looked as if she won a bet.
Keith looked as if he knew the feeling.
5
Keith had the distinct feeling that he was falling.
He wasn’t necessarily sure where or why or how far, only aware of that drop in his stomach, the heave of his body floundering.
His other senses were eerily closed off, just that flip in his core and the feeling that something, everything was wrong.
His eyes were shut, trapping him in that open dark. He just needed to open them, to figure out what was wrong, because something was happening, someone was hurt–
“
Keith
.”
A voice stretched out to him, muggy and strained in the haze of panic.
Keith reached out, nails skidding against pavement as red and blue lights throbbed.
He blinked, unsure when his eyes opened.
“
Keith
.”
He smelled smoke, swallowing mouthfuls as he lifted his head. He stared blankly at the wreckage of a ruined car and realized his brother was in there.
“
Baby.
”
He opened his mouth to scream but the smoke smothered him, a wild howl shoved back into his chest. He swore he was burning, he would continue to burn, he was going die
to staring at his brother’s wreckage–
Keith ripped through the nightmare, gagging as he flew into a sitting position.
Something soft was caught in his clenched fist and rose with him, something murmuring words that couldn’t fit through the buzz in his ears.
His chest was slick with sweat, boxers clinging to too-warm skin, and he thought, with a rip of panic, that he couldn’t breathe.
He looked wildly around the dark room, eyes catching on Ruby perking up curiously from her bed.
He choked on his breathing as he stared at his cat, remembering something Veronica told him once.
Find five things.
He swallowed, ears ringing, as he stared hard at Ruby.
Then, he looked at the window, his books stacked on the windowsill and tucking back the heavy gray curtain.
He could feel his breathing steady more as he studied his nightstand, the glass of water, phone charger, glasses, medication, psychology notes.
He looked at his fist, balling up the bottom of a T-shirt with a familiar faded GU.
Then looked up and saw Lance.
Keith jerked, heat rising up to his face as he unclenched his fingers from Lance’s shirt. He must have grabbed him during the nightmare, dragging him along with him.
Lance smiled.
“Hey, baby,” Lance murmured. “You with me?”
“Sorry,” he muttered, voice raw.
Lance clicked his tongue softly, tucking a strand of Keith’s hair behind his ear. “Don’t be sorry.”
Keith frowned, shivering away from the residue of the nightmare.
Lance continued to smooth back Keith’s hair, looking annoyingly ethereal in the moonlight. His cheekbones cut shadows along his gentle smile, blue eyes watching Keith carefully.
“Seemed like a bad one.”
“Mm.”
“You haven’t had one like that in a while.”
“Mm.”
Keith wasn’t sure why he was fighting Lance. He begged his jaw to unclench and heart to slow down enough to let him in.
But Lance was right. It had been a while since a nightmare that bad, and Keith felt like a live wire. He was embarrassed and raw and could barely look at him.
Lance offered a considering hum.
“Let’s go on a walk.”
***
It took about three blocks for Keith to realize where Lance was leading them.
“Lance,” Keith exhaled tiredly.
Lance looked at him with a grin far too bright for three in the morning. “What?”
Keith raised an unimpressed eyebrow. “You’re ridiculous.”
“No, I’m nostalgic,” Lance said, interlocking their fingers together.
“For arguably the worst time of our lives?”
“No,” Lance offered him a bright smile he didn’t deserve. “For meeting you.”
Keith buttoned his lip and followed Lance through the gates of Galra University.
The campus hadn’t changed much over the past two years. At first look, it looked almost identical, the same clean-cut grass, flower beds, metal statues. But if you looked closer, you could see that some of the statues were different. Over the first few years as president of the college, Alfor had put a lot of time into distancing the university from the more problematic donors.
This, along with the funding towards different schools in the college, brought a way of new donors and, by proxy, new bronze faces around the grounds.
The campus was quiet, only giving off a dull hum of life from the dorm halls.
Together they walked down the lit path, watching the few students trailing past them.
Keith watched Lance, watched his fond looks towards the familiar pathways and buildings.
He leaned into Lance. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“I’m being a dick,” Keith sighed. “I’m going to stop.”
Lance chuckled, pressing his lips to Keith’s hair. “It’s okay. It’s one of your defense mechanisms. Probably one of the weird reasons I’m attracted to you.”
Keith winced. “Still, you don’t deserve–”
“Nope,” Lance cut him off cheerfully. “Don’t start that.”
“Start what?”
“Start saying how ‘I deserve more’ and ‘I shouldn’t have to deal with you’,” Lance said with an incredibly terrible impersonation of Keith’s voice. “I like dealing with you and you like dealing
with me. Case closed.”
Keith squeezed his eyes shut, hating the self-sabotaging path he was on.
He needed to calm down, needed to breathe and relax.
Lance tugged him towards a bench, sitting down and guiding him to follow.
“Do you remember what happened at this bench?”
Keith frowned. He looked around, a vague memory poking through. Lance looked amused as Keith arched an eyebrow.
It was only when Lance’s smile turned smug that Keith remembered.
A smile cracked through. “Oh my god.”
“I remember it like it was yesterday,” Lance began dramatically.
“Jesus Christ,” Keith snickered, blushing furiously.
“You were draped along this bench, too cool for any school, reading The Iliad at seven in the morning.”
“
Eight
in the morning.”
“Looking like you would kill anyone that would talk to you and I was like, you know what, I can fix him.”
Keith buried his face in Lance’s neck. “You’re ridiculous.”
“You were such a snobby little thing,” Lance sighed dreamily, winding his arms around Keith. “But you were hot, so you got away with it.”
“Don’t objectify me.”
“And then I stole your backpack and the rest is history,” Lance leaned back. “The poets will wax sonnets about us.”
“I’m sure.”
Lance gently hooked his finger around Keith’s chin, lifting his eyes to Lance.
“Now,” he said softly. “Think about you back then, all moody and angsty. And think about yourself now.”
Keith could see what Lance was trying to get at.
He remembered how he used to feel on the campus. So exhausted and worn and angry. He could barely think half the time, his brain too starved of reason and flooded with that constant rage.
After’s Shiro’s accident, everything had felt like a daze before becoming Citizen.
Before meeting Lance.
And now, he could think again. He could breathe and sleep and live.
Keith sheepishly met Lance’s gaze.
“I get your point.”
Lance beamed.
“I have no idea what you are talking about, I’m just here for the 24-hour ice cream machines.”
6
If it weren’t for Lance, Keith would have died from scurvy while publishing his psychological study.
Lance was thankful the final editing and publishing process didn’t even start until early June.
School was out and Lance had nothing better to do than make sure Keith got his vegetables and showered daily.
When Keith wasn’t at the university, tucked in the tiny office he was given as a TA, he was slowly taking over their kitchen table with his research.
Tucked into an expensive, waterproof file folder were the notes he took three years ago, hastily written as he studied with Lance and began his experiment on himself.
A Study of Emotions: The Impact of Human Connection on Fostered Adults.
Keith still wouldn’t let Lance read them. He would go pink and stubbornly shake his head whenever Lance asked.
So Lance was left to wonder and peek over his shoulder and pour orange juice down Keith’s throat.
It had been two weeks since Keith received notes from his superiors and he had been reworking his draft nonstop.
Lance walked into the kitchen, yawning with an armful of Ruby, to see Keith up, dressed, and typing away.
“Good morning, my sweet prince.”
Keith gave an answering hum, fingers not slowing.
Lance trudged past him, steadying a teetering stack of graphs. He lifted up the coffee pot, to find it empty. Lance threw a concerned look his boyfriend’s way before reaching for the water pitcher. It was completely full.
Another concerned glance.
Lance edged over to Keith, peering down into his empty coffee mug
“Babe,” Lance slid his thumb down Keith’s jaw. “You can’t have three cups of coffee and no water.”
“Can’t I?” Keith asked absentmindedly, eyes not moving from his computer screen as he typed feverishly.
“Not if you want me to kiss you,” Lance switched out the empty mug with a full glass of water.
Another hum in acknowledgement.
Lance leaned down to press a kiss to the top of Keith’s head. “You need to take a break soon.”
“I will,” Keith said a little too quickly.
Lance frowned. “That didn’t sound convincing at all.”
“I will.”
Lance checked the time. “I’ll give you one hour, then you are taking a break.”
To make his point even clearer, Lance turned on the oven’s timer. Keith shot him a dull look, clearly planning to blatantly refuse in an hour.
But Lance had a plan. Had a couple tricks up his sleeve.
He had a delightfully lazy hour. He made his breakfast, shoved some scrambled eggs down Keith’s throat, took a shower, shaved, and did his skin care.
Scrolled on social media for a bit.
Changed into Keith’s favorite sweatpants on him and his softest shirt.
By the time an hour passed, Lance was ready for war.
The timer went off, the sharp chirp causing Keith to jump. He blinked to attention, eyes unfocused as Lance clicked off the timer.
His gaze sharpened and landed on Lance, watching him closely.
Lance smiled innocently, slowly walking towards Keith.
Keith did nothing as Lance slid his laptop away from his fingers and slipped into his lap.
Keith tilted his head as Lance settled on top of him, eyes narrowing and mouth twitching as he silently dared him.
“You’re taking a break,” Lance said sweetly.
Keith arched an eyebrow. “Am I?”
Rather than responding, Lance slid his hands into Keith’s hair, guiding Keith to tilt his neck.
Keith followed, eyes darkening and chest rising quickly.
Lance ducked down, finding Keith’s pulse point with his mouth.
He felt Keith’s chest press against his, the chair creaking as Keith dug his fingers into the wood.
Lance fought back a smile as he dragged his lips up to Keith’s jaw, finding that spot that always made Keith–
Keith’s breathing stuttered in his chest and his hands wrapped firmly around Lance’s hips and Lance knew he won.
He allowed a smile then, teeth digging into Keith’s skin as one of Keith’s hands found his hair and tugged him closer.
“Fine,” Keith’s voice was a rasp. “Distract me then.”
Lance was more than happy to oblige.
***
After Keith’s presentation of his study, Lance truly couldn’t be blamed.
He couldn’t get enough of the confidence that rolled off Keith during the presentation, the way the entirety of the psychology department seemed to fawn over him as he waded through the crowd of fellow researchers.
His hair was tucked into a neat braid, pale skin gleaming under the dark purple dress shirt. Lance had convinced Keith to allow Allura to put some concealer and mascara on him and it caused him to look even more stunning than normal.
There was only so long the quickie in the bathroom could sate him for.
The moment they were through the front door, Lance had Keith pressed against it. He kissed him hungrily, hands smoothing down Keith’s chest and stomach.
Keith snickered into his mouth. “Insatiable.”
Lance nodded in agreement, making sure to shove his tongue into Keith’s mouth as he tugged his shirt out of his pants.
Just as Lance managed to sneak his fingers under Keith’s shirt and slid them up his warm skin, Keith tangled a hand in Lance’s hair.
His own fingers making quick work of Lance’s belt, Keith walked them further into the apartment.
Lance blindly threw his keys somewhere , the sound of them hitting the floor rather than the kitchen counter causing Keith to laugh.
His laugh sharpened into something else as Lance spun them, pressing Keith against the cool counter.
He could feel Keith’s pleased smile against his own, teeth clicking together as Keith ripped free Lance’s belt and busied himself with Lance’s shirt.
“This might be the sexiest you’ve ever been,” Lance exhaled into Keith’s mouth. “I didn’t know I could get more obsessed with you but here we are.”
Keith’s chuckle ended in a moan as Lance pushed them even closer, fingers dropping down to Keith’s zipper.
“If this gets you this turned on,” Keith was working hard to hide the breathiness in his voice, “I can’t wait to see what a doctorate will do.”
Lance wasn’t ashamed at all to immediately drop to his knees.
***
“Okay, so what do we think?” Lance fumbled through the few shirts he could wear to Adam and Shiro’s Fourth of July barbeque. “Should I go for a blatant refusal to acknowledge the holiday or a tentative ‘I’m willing to be patriotic for these four hours only’?”
At Keith’s lack of response, Lance turned with a handful of red, white, and blue shirts.
Keith was laying on their bed with Ruby, staring at his phone with a strange look on his face. His brows were furrowed, bottom lip pulled between his teeth as he peered down at the screen.
Lance lowered the shirts. “Babe?”
“Sorry, I–uh,” Keith looked up at Lance, then back down at his phone. “I’m– um, hold on.”
He scrolled up, smoothed back his hair, and read silently to himself, mouthing the words.
Lance dropped the shirts on the top of their dresser, walking towards their bed. Ruby chirped up at him and butted her head against his hands.
“Let me text Alfor,” Keith muttered, tucking his legs under him.
The curiosity was killing Lance, but he worked to stay quiet, anxiously petting Ruby.
Keith chewed on his lip, reading Alfor’s thankfully quick responses.
“Keith, you’re killing me here.”
Keith looked up at Lance, a tentative smile growing.
“I think I’m getting published.”
A moment passed as Lance struggled to comprehend.
“What?”
“I–,” Keith reread the email, dragging a hand through his hair. “This journal is interested, Alfor sent the study to them and they are asking to arrange a meeting to discuss their upcoming publication–”
Lance dove on top of Keith, his words scattering into laughter as they fell back onto the bed.
“No way!” Lance shrieked. “No fucking way!”
Keith giggled as Lance peppered kisses all over his face, ending with a long, scandalous one on his mouth.
“Holy shit,” Lance breathed. “Congratulations.”
“It’s not a done deal yet but,” Keith hesitated, excited, “but it’s close.”
“You’re amazing,” Lance kissed him again.
Keith grinned up at him, eyes sparkling and looking maybe the most beautiful Lance had ever seen him.
“You just got ten times sexier.”
Keith’s smile tilted into something dangerous.
“Oh really? Prove it.”
7
Lance wasn’t sure the last time he was this exhausted.
It had been a long day.
They had hosted a party celebrating Keith’s study getting published. The journal’s interest had only grown after Keith met with them and it had only been a matter of time before his study was printed in their latest publication.
The party had been simple. Shiro and Adam came, along with Pidge and Hunk and a handful of Keith’s fellow psychology students. Allura dipped in with Alfor at one point, the daughter and father giving Keith a framed print of his publication and words kind enough to make Keith hastily hide that he was tearing up.
Through the night, they plowed through six bottles of wine and several charcuterie boards. Keith had a permanent flush and easy smile on his face, leaning into Lance more and more after each glass of wine. Shiro and Hunk left especially giggly, carted away by their designated drivers, Adam and Pidge.
The party settled easily once Keith and Lance reassured their friends they didn’t have to stay and clean.
It felt beautifully domestic, the two of them quietly collecting empty plates and glasses.
They had been together for three years and had things down to a science.
Lance put the tablecloths and napkins in the washing machine while Keith swept, a little clumsily from all the wine.
They met at the sink, Lance cleaning the wine glasses while Keith filled the dishwasher.
Their arms brushed constantly, Keith seeming to try and touch Lance whenever he could.
Keith stared out the window, the kitchen light sharpening his cheekbones.
“Today was one of my favorite days.”
Lance smiled. “I’m glad.”
Keith looked at him, and there was something so desperate in his eyes that Lance paused.
Keith studied him as if he hung the moon. “I’m so in love with you.”
Lance felt a pleased smile grow along with a blush. “I love you too.”
He returned to cleaning the glasses. After a moment, Keith joined too.
But Lance could tell there was still something off with Keith. They finished cleaning up the party, Keith even more quiet than normal as they fed Ruby and clicked off the kitchen lights.
Lance was far from surprised to find Keith following him into the shower, automatically turning the water to be as hot as Keith liked.
“I wonder who will have the worst headache tomorrow,” Lance mused as he reached for his shampoo. “Hunk or Shiro.”
After a moment, Keith hummed. “Probably Adam. Shiro likes to sing when he’s drunk.”
Lance snickered, clicking open the cap of his shampoo.
“Can I do it?”
Lance froze, looking behind him towards Keith. Keith was watching him intently, his hair wet and combed back from his eyes. There was still something different, something new, in his expression.
They rarely washed each other, normally a little too preoccupied with other activities while in the shower.
Lance felt his heart do a little flip at the idea of it.
“Sure.”
Keith took the shampoo, looking pleased and a little shy as he poured it into his palm.
He carefully slid his hands into Lance’s hair, scrubbing at Lance’s scalp, fingers intently swiping through the strands.
Lance closed his eyes, feeling himself relaxed as Keith’s fingers moved in slow, mesmerizing circles.
Once Keith finished, Lance was all too eager to return the favor.
Keith’s hair was hypnotizing, long, dark strands sliding through Lance’s fingers.
They were quiet while they showered, steam rolling up in flowery waves. Lance could see the water drops on Keith’s eyelashes, could trace the color in his cheeks from the heat.
Keith leaned in but Lance was already there.
Lance kissed him desperately, smoothing his hands over slick muscles and skin. Keith was equally as frantic, a groan of frustration as his hands slid rather than staying on Lance’s soapy shoulders.
They kissed and kissed until Lance started to get lightheaded, a little dizzy from the all sorts of heat.
He pulled away to see that same strange look on Keith’s face.
“What?” He panted.
Keith blinked. “Nothing.”
“You sure?”
“Positive.”
Lance debated pushing the topic further, but held back.
He was the first to get into bed, sliding under the duvet as Keith finished in the bathroom.
The dark room and the sounds of the sink running lulled Lance to sleep almost immediately. He was drifting away as the bed creaked, Keith joining him.
They were quiet for a moment.
Lance could feel Keith’s forehead against his shoulder blades as he wrapped his arms around Lance’s stomach.
Lance drifted away.
“Marry me.”
…
Lance drifted back.
He opened his eyes, blinking into the dark room, wondering if he had heard that or if it was a dream. But then he felt the tense hold in Keith’s arms and remembered the look on Keith’s face.
The look he had when he was fighting the urge to do something a little impulsive.
“I’m sorry,” Keith whispered. “This isn’t the way I wanted to do it. I had a whole plan.”
Slowly, Lance turned in Keith’s arms. In the moonlight, he could see Keith watching him desperately.
“But I couldn’t wait any longer,” Keith breathed. “I couldn’t go another day of watching you love me like it’s the easiest thing in the world and
not
ensure you knew I planned to love you forever.”
“Keith,” Lance whispered.
“I’ll do the whole proposal,” Keith whispered. “With the flowers, family and photographer. But I couldn’t hold it back anymore. I needed you to know that you took the asshole in the back of your class and made him into a published researcher. I needed you to know that you changed me for the better, for the best , and I would not be half the man I am without you. I needed you to know that those drunken feelings I had at that party all those years ago never left, I never stop thinking about you. I need to know that I will spend the rest of my life with you.”
Lance kissed him. He kissed him like he was drowning and Keith was a lifeline.
“I love you,” he whispered. “I don’t need the flowers or family or photographer. This is perfect.”
Keith grinned into his mouth. “So, that’s a yes?”
“Oh, shit, yes!”
Keith laughed as Lance kissed him, winding himself around him so tight that for a moment they felt like one.
They felt infinite and forever and more than they ever thought they could be.