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“Do you just want to pull off here and get dinner?” Keith held back a yawn as he glanced at his husband in the driver’s seat. Keith was tired from a long day of filming and just wanted to have a nice relaxing dinner with the man he loved. The traffic lights illuminated the other’s face and sharpened his gorgeous features. “What do you think, Shiro?”
Shiro sent a gentle smile his way and hummed in agreement, turning the wheel and exiting the freeway. Keith pulled out his phone and began to look for decent restaurants in their area. They settled on a charming Asian bistro that had dimmed lights and allowed the men to sit quietly in the back to catch up. It almost reminded Keith of the scene he and Shiro shot in the movie where they first met. It had been in Paris and the café had been covered in candles to set the mood. This small LA Asian bistro was no Paris café, but it had a sweet waitress and a calm atmosphere.
Keith and Shiro were both actors, so it was a bit harder to see each other recently since they were working on different movies at the moment. They always made an effort to have a date night at least once a week to stay grounded. They had both been thrown into the life of stars, so they didn’t want to loose their touch with reality or loose each other. They both owed Allura, Shiro’s longtime friend, a favor for taking care of their daughter, Pidge, for tonight. Without her they would’ve had to bring her along and then it wouldn’t be much of a date at that point.
They finished their meals and Keith left a generous tip, remembering what it was like to struggle before becoming a star. The late nights spent writing and rehearsing for a dream. Bills going over due and shared showers to save water. Those memories were in the past and hadn’t been visited in a while. Keith shook the dusty thoughts from his mind and curled his fingers around Shiro’s . They held hands as they strolled back to their car, passing by closed storefronts and people enjoying the night air. Keith leaned up to place a chaste kiss upon Shiro’s smiling lips and turned towards their car.
A sweet tune filled the air and made Keith’s hand pause on the door handle. The melody caused his heart to flutter and he couldn’t place his finger on why. Strong arms wrapped around his waist and caused the flutter to settle warmly in his stomach and a smile to stretch his lips.
“You want to check out that music?” Shiro nuzzled against Keith’s neck and peppered his warm skin with gentle kisses. “I know you like to listen to jazz sometimes.” Shrio began to pull him towards a doorway that led to some stairs heading below the street level, the music growing louder with each step.
Keith felt his pulse speed up as the music grew closer, his heart matching the rich sounds of the trumpet as it sped through the song and took control of the beat. He let Shiro lead the way, content with following his husband down the dimly lit stairwell. At the bottom, a room bustling with people opened before them and Keith doubted their chances of finding a table.
The lights were tinted blue and drowned the people in cool tones. The placed was packed and full of life, people laughing and celebrating with drinks from the busy bar. The culprit of the music was up at the front on a small stage, playing their hearts out and obviously having a great time. Shiro had the biggest smile on his face and glanced at Keith.
“This place looks pretty popular. I’ll get us some drinks, okay? Go find us a place to sit, Darling.” Shiro moved forward into the room to grab the aforementioned drinks and missed the way Keith’s smile froze on his face.
The broad and well-muscled body of his husband had been blocking the club’s name and the sight of his chilled Keith to his bones.
The Blue Paladin’s.
It was impossible. He knew that name. Keith knew that name well and far too intimately. Keith felt sick as he felt his body move into the room in a daze. He began to view the room in a different light now. Everything practically screamed his name now that Keith looked closely. The stool on display, the paintings on the wall and the fact the Keith couldn’t escape the color blue. He felt like he was drowning. Memories began to flash before his eyes. A charming smirk, dancing with the stars, kisses by the piano, screaming of dying dreams in front of a library, and a hopeful embrace at the airport.
He found an empty table near the front and practically collapsed into the seat, a cold sweat breaking out under his professionally tailored suit as he was assaulted by these thoughts.
“Keith they had your favorite brand of wine! Isn’t that crazy?” Shiro placed a loving kiss to his forehead as he settled in the seat next to him. Shiro took a deep drink from his own glass of whiskey and undid the top button to his smooth shirt collar, getting comfortable in the captivating club.
Keith looked disbelievingly at the glass being held out to him and took it with a shaky hand. He hesitated on taking a sip, but brought it to his lips anyway. His eyes closed as the familiar wine traveled down his throat and settled heavily in his stomach. When he had been a struggling actor he had bought this wine to drown his sorrows from time to time. Even now, as a successful and rich man, he still buys this brand of wine, but Shiro always teases him about it. Keith remembers magical nights lit by a candle drinking this wine, singing of love to the piano being played by…him.
The person of Keith’s thoughts walked out laughing onto the stage at the end of the band’s song. He took the mic and flashed a smile so bright that it put the stars in the sky to shame. The man’s tall lithe frame was held attractively in a finely tailored blue suit and caused his azure eyes to sparkle alluringly with the stage lights. His darkly tanned skin looked smooth and healthy and Keith could remember long nights spent peppering it with kisses.
Keith couldn’t breathe.
“Good evening everyone! The name’s Lance and I’m the owner of this fine establishment. I’d like to thank my buddy Hunk for playing the piano tonight. If I’m not careful, he might be taking my job.” Lance laughed heartily along with the crowd and Keith remembered of summers spent driving through the streets and hearing that warm and loving laugh. Lance gestured to the band behind him and shot another dazzling smile at the crowd. “Wasn’t that amazing, guys? Let’s give them a round of applause!”
Keith felt numb as he sat there in the cheering crowd. He vaguely registered Shiro’s enthusiastic clapping as he tried to keep his dinner down. He needed to leave before-
Lance saw him.
Time stopped and the world dropped out from beneath him as he gazed into wide blue eyes. Keith could see how Lance’s hands began to grip the mic for dear life as they continued to look at a face they hadn’t seen in years and haunted their dreams.
An unreadable look settled on Lance’s face and he took a few steps back, steadying himself with the piano and whispering something to Hunk. His friend’s brows furrowed, but stood up and offered the now vacant chair to Lance, who basically collapsed in the seat much like Keith had earlier. Lance brought his hands to the keys and settled them there with a face deep in thought. His hands didn’t move a moment, but suddenly the soft (familiar) notes began to sound and the crowd hushed to listen to the lone melody.
Keith felt his heart shatter into a million pieces.
A City of Stars filled the room and Keith felt tears threaten to slip past his lashes. His heart ached with the song as Lance continued to play it. He didn’t sing the words, but Keith was thankful for that because he didn’t know if he could take it. Even know Keith could practically hear his beautiful voice singing the lyrics softly to him.
Look in somebody’s eyes
To light up the skies
To open the world and send it reeling
A voice that says “I’ll be here, and you’ll be alright”
Lance was his City of Stars. They had shined for each other and Keith had never wanted to leave his light. Keith closed his eyes because his heart was breaking and he could feel it trying to escape down his cheeks.
Lance hadn’t looked up once during the whole song and the crowd applauded happily as it came to a close. Keith didn’t want him to. He was afraid that he would see the same emotions he was feeling clearly in Lance’s eyes. He could barely handle his own heart breaking, he didn’t think he’d survive if he saw Lance’s shatter too. They both sat with an indescribable mix of feelings as the world continued to move around them. What a mess they’ve made.
“Are you feeling okay?”
Keith almost startled as he felt Shiro’s hand on his, grasping his clenched fist and rubbing the knuckles soothingly. A cold brick sat in Keith’s stomach and he began to stand up. “I’m fine. We should back home to our daughter.” His daughter. Their daughter. Keith and his husband, Shiro’s, child. Not Keith and Lance’s daughter. They never had one or ever would. A lost dream.
Keith followed Shiro, but stopped at the bottom of the stairs, his husband continued up without him. He knew he shouldn’t, but he had to. Keith’s violet eyes looked back at the stage. It took a few seconds, but soon a pair of somber blue eyes were looking back at the stairwell exit. Their gazes locked a minute, but to Keith it felt like an eternity. A lifetime spent with Lance.
Eventually a sad smile teased at Lance’s lips and Keith responded with a weak smile in return before he turned and walked up the stairs.
I felt it from the first embrace I shared with you
That now our dreams
They’ve finally come true