Chapter 3

"So…" Lance started, looking up at the sky, but stopped when he saw Keith's face, wet with silent tears. He shoved his hands in his pockets. He would wait. And he did. They found a bench in a park across the street from the school and sat down for a while. Keith finally let out a long breath and said, "you know what that little shit is saying right?"

Lance smiled sadly and nodded, "the kid's an evil genius,"

"More like a homophobic moron"

"Keith," Lance said slowly, "we didn't do anything, like at all,"

"I grabbed yo-"

"My sleeve, Mullet, you didn't even touch me, and you were having a bad day. I'm sure if we just exp-"Before Lance could finish his sentence, Keith interrupted saying not so quietly,

"But what if I didn't just want your sleeve!? What if I wanted- wanted.." he trailed off, his eyes pulled sharply to the ground, "what if I wanted to hold your hand?"

Lance almost laughed at the thought, "I never even thought that you were that good of friends with anyone. It's good to know that you know you can rely on me," his smile faltered for a few seconds before widening, "this is good progress."

When Lance went to school the next morning, he was still consumed by thoughts of the conversation they had. He wanted to hold my hand. Is the only thought that went through his head after he got home the night before, and has now mutated to I wanted to hold his too, and I brushed it off in front of him. His brain only paused after running into Pidge.

"Hey! Lance, watch where you're stepping. I know I might be a little shorter than you, but-" she stopped as she saw her words weren't registering. Lance's eyes were wide, and empty. She grabbed his shoulder,

"are you okay?"

He shook his head as if to clear his brain,

"Yeah, easy breezy third day of school," as he said this, he caught sight of a mullet, "I think I have to go now," and with that he took off running into the direction of Government 101.

"Pidge seemed to know exactly what was happening, because she grabbed the hoop of his backpack, saying quietly saying through gritted teeth,

"Do you really think that's a good idea right now?" He was confused until he noticed a certain black haired kid with a baggy jacket, "whatever it is, I'm sure you can deal with it after school,"

"Technically," he muttered, "school isn't even in session yet," She rolled her eyes.

"Everything okay?" She asked while pushing her glasses up her nose,

"Yeah, everything's great, actually," He gave her a giddy smile, a stark contrast to the frown he recently flashed Jack. His smile was infectious,

"What's happened? Why the smile?" Pidge asked, herself smiling with him.

"A certain college hood dream is about to come true, I think,"

Her eyes widened as she asked, "Wait. Keith?"

"Totally, at least half, gay," Lance nodded. Pidge rolled her eyes once more,

"How do you know? Gaydar?"

"He told me, more or less." Her mouth opened in an "oh" shape, and she pointed at Lance's face, about to start questioning, when the bell rang.

"You will fill me in at lunch!" she yelled as she started running to the office's I.T. closet. Lance shook his head,

"I believe I already have a lunch date!"

Keith stared at his lecture notes, not taking anything in, eyes glazing past every word. He knew his actual first lecture of the year. It never changed. He never needed notes. But he also never let his feelings loose towards a specific, annoyingly peppy, green thumbed biology teacher.

The year he fought for a greenhouse in order to keep kids into ecology and donate half the food to the homeless shelter, and the other half to the culinary building, they began building during the summer, and entire summer, almost always alone to their own conversations, he didn't let it slip then.

When they met in the first few years of college, the frat boy who wouldn't leave the choice of a mullet alone, the almost english teacher, because 'biology is too confusing.' The late night talks where Lance would be talking for hours on end, just laying there in Keith's dorm. He didn't let his feelings show when Lance started dating a gorgeous barkeeper, the first real relationship anyone in their group had. Keith had become more and more distant from Lance during the five year relationship, banking on going to their wedding, saying a speech, and leaving as soon as the ceremony would be done.

But then the semester started. He was there, the first lunch in years they'd shared together. Lance called off the wedding almost two months after the date was set. It was over the summer, before school started up. Facebook really was an amazing invention allowing hopes to be created, and the desperation boiled in Keith. The longing for someone he had known for the better part of his life. He was so close, so obtainable. He couldn't just let him slip through the cracks again. He wouldn't allow it. He started to get out of his chair, to find Lance before he lost his gut.

Then the bell rang.

A/N: Hey guys, I hope everyone is safe during this pandemic. I hope to get not only my mind off of it, but all ya'lls as well. If anyone needs an ear, I'm here for you :)