Street Racing- Klance

thirty eight

After whatever just happened between the boys in the kitchen, the awkwardness between them settled, but the tension was on the rise. They went about their morning, taking turns between resting in Keith's bedroom, or eating in the kitchen, or chilling in the living room, striking glances and exchanging a few short sentences whenever they passed.

The time was now just before 1pm, and as Lance walked into the living room, Keith paused the TV to turn around and look at him. "You alright?"

"Mhm. Just thought I'd come sit with you for a bit."

What.

"Oh, uh, okay." Keith said, scooting over to make more room for Lance, who still decided to sit next to Keith.

"What you watching?"

"Dunno, just some film that came up on my recommended. Do you want to pick something?"

"Back to the future?"

"Back to the- What? You want to watch Back to the future with me?" Keith's eyes lit up, they were practically glowing.

"No, I was joking."

Oh. Of course he was. Keith rolled his eyes, but was secretly kind of bummed.

"Of course I want to watch it with you. I mean, you're basically letting me live with you until whatever the police have going on dies down. It's the least I can do. Besides, it's about time I watch it."

"Really?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"Well yesterday you were making fun of me for it."

"That was yesterday. A lot has changed since then."

"Like the fact I know you're Blue." That just came out. Fuck. Why did Keith point that out.

Lance looked away shamefully. "Yeah. That."

"That just came out. I'm sorry. We don't have to talk about it."

"You know what, it's okay. We can talk about it."

"No Lance really, I'm sorry."

"I owe you it Keith, the years you spent not even knowing what dumb fuck was challenging you and picking fights over nothing."

"You don't owe me anything. I mean, I'm curious sure, but you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to tell me."

Lance thought for a moment before turning round to face Keith, putting his knees up to his chest. "Do you remember when you left VLD?"

"Of course I remember. Why?"

"Well, just before you announced to everyone that you're quitting, I was walking past the tire room when I heard you talking to someone on the phone. I didn't exactly intent to stay and listen, it just sort of happened. I heared you mention street racing and I got interested I guess. You were saying how auto racing isn't for you, and you want to join the Galra gang. I had no idea what the Galra gang was, but I looked it up while you were talking and I went down a very deep rabbit hole. For the next like month I would sit watching street racing videos and clips of the Galra gang and all the other ones, but then Alfor caught me and told me if he catches me looking at 'those monsters' again he'll cut my contract. So I made a seperate account, Blue, to follow a load of street racers without it getting traced back to me. And that's where it all started."

"So, what you're saying is I got you into street racing?"

"Indirectly, but yes. I don't know why, but at first when I found out you were leaving auto racing to join street, well I was mad. I felt as if you were disrespecting auto racing for choosing to do it illegally. But then the anger I felt turned into hate when videos of your races started to pop up on the Internet. I hated how good you were, and I hated that I never noticed how good you were when you were on our VLD team. I mean, I knew you must have been good since you were on the team, but I never paid enough attention to you to see it for myself."

Keith didn't say anything, he felt like there was more to the story, so he let Lance carry on.

"I guess, I would never admit this so this is the only time I'll ever mention it, but I guess I felt jealous."

"Jealous? Of what?"

"You."

"Lance, why on earth would you be jealous of me?"

"Because you're a better racer than I am. I used to have the spotlight, but when you started street racing you took it from me. And I wanted to take it back. I tried, for months, but you were the new talent. So I thought I would put my fake accounts to good use and make something of it. I told Allura about my plan, and she really didn't like it but I told her I would stop street racing after a while, so she agreed to help me. We made videos for my accounts after I made the mask and we got Altea'a attention. Do you remember the first time Blue showed up to the Voltron event?"

"I do. I don't know how anyone could forget. The second you drove in everyone had already forgotten about me, and every other racer there. Don't get me wrong, I was never one for attention anyway, but you sure did piss me off with that loud engine of yours."

Lance laughed. "I hated everything about the event. I thought the racers were all fucked up people who did nothing with their lives except drugs and getting drunk and being miserable. I hated that they all were so chill about doing something so illegal for a living. It was so hard for me to act like I wanted to be there. But then they put me in a race against you. And I completely fell in love."

"Fell in love with- with street racing, right?"

"Yes. With street racing. Obviously." Damn Lance should've made that clear from the beginning. But what else would he have meant? Not that he's in love with- Nuh uh. He can't even think it.

"How did Allura react?"

"We had a really, and I mean really, big argument. It took me weeks to convince her not to tell her father. She was worried I'd become like you."

"Oh."

"No, sorry, I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry. She just meant she didn't want me to become a criminal."

"So, like me."

"Keith, I'm sorry. I don't see you like that. Sure I don't agree with a lot of things you've done, but you're a good person."

"What makes you say that?"

"You've been kind to me. You've been putting up with my bullshit for years and then finally find out who I am and you still let me stay here and put up with more of my shit. I trust you not to tell anyone about me being Blue. I can tell when someone has a good heart. Having a secret identity has made me good at telling the difference between a shitty person and a troubled person. And you're not shitty."

"Street racing is full of shitty people Lance. Me included."

"It is full of them, but you're not one of them. I'm just pissed at myself for only figuring it out yesterday. Same thing happened with my team. I had no respect for them and absolutely no interest in being their friend, and I mean I guess I still wouldn't call them friends, but they're my team and I do value them as people. Well, most of them at least. They're just all people with troubled pasts or even their present lives who use street racing as an escape, and I can't argue with that."

"What are they like? The people on your team."

"Ha. You're asking for a lot there. I think it's my turn to ask some questions, don't you think?"

"I knew you were telling me all this for a reason."

Lance smiled. "So, why don't we start with what you said you'd answer last night?"

Keith sighed heavily. "Okay."

"You mean it this time? No fucking about?"

"Yes. No fucking about."

"Promise me."

"I promise you."