Our Brains Are So Weird: Klance FanFic

Unwanted Circus Clown

               The corridors of Garrison Tech University (GTU) buzzed with chatter and laughter as students prepared for the day ahead. In the midst of it all was Lance McClain, surrounded by an ever-enthusiastic group of classmates. Lance was a whirlwind of energy, an unstoppable force that brought life to every room he entered. His laughter was infectious, his presence commanding, and his charisma undeniable. Lance was the life of every party, the heart of every gathering, and the soul of every conversation. It seemed he managed to befriend the whole campus by the first semester and boned around 1/4 of that by the second. Lance was infamously known for his humor and creativity. Especially the fact that he managed to be valedictorian of his class while simultaneously hosting parties and living "that high school life." An experience so rare to the students of GTU they spent hours listening to his stories, wowing and aweing at the experiences they missed out on to study for a test. 

On the outskirts of the crowd was Keith Kogane, an introverted classmate who couldn't comprehend the fascination everyone had with Lance. He found the tales of wild parties and high school antics unimpressive. As Lance continued his storytelling, Keith's anxiety mounted, not because of the social interaction, but because their professor had yet to arrive. There was an exam scheduled for that day, and Keith had spent the entire previous night studying. 

It's been 15 minutes since class was supposed to start and he was beginning to get agitated. He had reviewed all the chapters, notes, and screencasts for the unit 3 exam and the professor wasn't even present. 

"Guys! The professor sent an email saying his sick! No class!" A student yelped. Keith was genuinely surprised someone was looking at something that wasn't Lance. 

"You have got to be joking." No they were not, the professor was indeed having a sick day. All of Keiths preparations had been for naught. He hurriedly packed his bag and marched out of class, typing away to complain to his brother. 

Lance liked having to look down at his fellow classmates. It brought him a sense of power and safety. In a swarm of girls and guys, Lances eyes always wandered to the same black haired boy who never batted an eye to his presence. Lance watched as Keith marched out of the classroom. Usually, people were drawn to him, not away. Keith intrigued Lance; he was about the one person who seemed immune to his charm. Lance decided then, he would seek him out, intrigued by the challenge Keith unknowingly presented, and get his attention. 

***

The day passed in a blur for Lance as he spent much of his time contemplating his next move. After lunch, he decided to approach Keith's usual spot, a quiet corner in the library. It was a stark contrast to the noisy corridors he usually inhabited. Here, amidst the musty smell of old books and the soft whispers of turning pages, Lance hoped to unravel the enigma that was Keith Kogane. He found Keith engrossed in a thick book about structural dynamics and aeroelasticity. Lance was no stranger to the subject, but the depth at which Keith seemed to be immersed in it was intriguing. He took a deep breath and approached Keith, his mind racing to find the right words. How...weird? Lance was always confident when it came to social interaction, a field in which he thrived in: so why was he nervous? 

"Hey Keith!," Lance started, his voice pitched with a touch of unnoticeable ambivalence. Keith looked up, his eyes betraying a hint of surprise. 

"I...uh...I just wanted to apologize for the class today. The professor's cancellation must have been a bummer for you." 

Keith was silent for a moment before responding, "It's not your fault the professor fell sick, Lance."

Lance. Keith had said his name. "His voice is slightly different up close" Lance thought. He felt a sensation, he couldn't tell what emotion this was. 

Returning to reality, Lance quickly nodded, grateful for the lack of hostility in Keith's tone. "I know, but I felt bad seeing you so upset. Can I make it up to you? Maybe we could study together for the rescheduled exam?" 

"Lance...? Why is someone like you in a library?"

Interrupted. Though it didn't surprise Lance, he was always a magnet for people. Turning away from Keith, he was greeted with a short pigtailed girl. 

"Katie!" joy of realization lit on Lance's face as he went in for a hug, yet stopped by her hand in front of his face. 

"We're in a library stupid." Katie whispered, bring her finger up to her lips.

"Oh, yeah my bad. Not used to such a quiet space." Lance lied.

Katie turned to Keith, "You're Keith, right? We have Structural Dynamics together. I'm Katie."

Keith nodded, "Nice to meet you, Katie."

Katie then turned her attention back to Lance, "So, what's this about studying together?"

Lance grinned at her, "Just trying to make up for the cancelled class today. Care to join us?"

Katie looked between the two of them, after a moment, she shrugged, "Nah, I'm good." winking to Lance as she turned to leave.