Find Me By The Seashore |Klance|

Chapter Seventeen |Wake Me Up With A Song|

Keith visits Lance the next few days while he sleeps. He smiles and tells him about his day. Sometimes, he brings Lance's family and lets them talk.

After a week, Keith came back with Hunk and Pidge. They were worried.

"Do you think his brain is functioning?"

"No. But I think he can still hear us. And maybe he can't do anything about it."

"Well then why don't you sing to him?"

"What?" Keith whirled to face Pidge. He hasn't sung since Lance was shot and taken to the hospital. He couldn't. Not without thinking of Lance.

"But...I'll think of how I failed him."

Keith sits down, Pidge and Hunk sitting on either side of him. Hunk puts a hand on his arm. "You didn't fail him. He got shot before you got there. You couldn't have done anything."

"Who knows. Maybe he'll wake up hearing you."

"I tried already. I spoke to him about everything."

"But you haven't sung to him."

Pidge says and Keith looks to his boyfriend. He's not pale anymore; each visit his melanin comes back. His lips were parted as if he were quietly snoring. His hand is upturned like it was last time, ready for Keith to grab it.

So he does.

He takes a deep breath.

"When your legs don't work like they used to before, and I can't sweep you off of your feet, will your mouth still remember the taste of my love?"

He sings softly, eyes closing as if he couldn't watch Lance lie there without opening his eyes.

"Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks? And darling, I will be loving you till we're seventy. And baby, my heart could still fall as hard at twenty-three."

And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways. Maybe just the touch of a hand. Well me, I fall in love with you every single day. I just wanna tell you I am." He opens his eyes. Lance isn't awake.

"So honey, now, take me into your loving arms. Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars. Place your head on my beating heart. I'm thinking out loud."

"And maybe we found love right where we are."

"When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades, and the crowds don't remember my name. When my hands don't play the strings the same way, I know you will still love me the same. 'Cause, honey, your soul could never grow old, it's evergreen."

"And baby, your smile's forever in my mind and memory and I'm thinking 'bout how, people fall in love in mysterious ways."

Hunk and Pidge start to sing too. Keith smiles at them. They put a hand on his back. They all look at Lance.

"And maybe it's all part of a plan. Well I'll just keep on making the same mistakes, hoping that you'll understand."

"That, baby, now, take me into your loving arms," Lance's fingers twitch. Keith looks at them, the hope in his heart starting to rise. "Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars. Place your head on my beating heart."

"I'm thinking out loud, and maybe we found love right where we are."

Keith goes off script and Hunk and Pidge leave him to do so. Alone. They watch him with proud smiles. He's come a long way.

"Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars. Place your head on my beating heart."

"I'm thinking out loud. Maybe we found love right where we are. Maybe," he sings softly, his other hand coming up to rest on top of Lance's hand. "We found love right where we are."

He stops, looking hopefully up at Lance.

Nothing. Keith frowns. His eyes grow wet.

Of course. It was stupid to think a song could-

Gasp.

Keith's eyes widen as Lance, a very awake Lance gasps in and out, looking around until his eyes land on Keith. He flexes his hand, finding his fingers numbly responding.

"Keith."

Lance whispers, still disoriented. Keith covers his mouth before he sobs. Pidge and Hunk at his sides are in similar situations.

"I'll go get the doctor and call everyone."

Hunk stands up to leave just as Keith launches himself into Lance's arms. He huffs out but holds him nonetheless. "H-Hey." He croaks. Keith smiles into him, hugging him tight.

"Don't hey me. You've been out for a week." Lance stiffens but then relaxes.

"I'm sorry. I tried. To wake up. But there was no way out. Then I heard singing." Keith pulled away. He smiles down at Lance who returns it.

"You finally sang for me."

"Of course. I'll do anything for you."

Lance pressed their foreheads together, holding his hand tightly.

"I missed you so much," Keith whispered as if he yelled Lance would be gone again. But he wasn't going anywhere.

"I missed you too. I'm not going anywhere. Not again."

"You better."