Behind the Mask // Klance AU

15

That moment when 20k+ people have viewed your fic and you have to keep an update schedule so they don't think you died or some shit... Anyways this chapter intro is pretty important, as you'll see in a second. The chapter itself however does have a warning. There is mild homophobic language and slurs used, and if that makes you uncomfortable just skip from the page break where I've put the warning to the next page break after that. 

School was finally back in session, and Keith couldn't be happier. He threw himself into his work, his smarter side finally showing. Lance, however, was a whole other story. 

"Keeeeeeeeeith," Lance whined one afternoon, as he and Keith were working on homework at Keith's apartment. 

"Yes, Lance?" Keith asked, not looking away from the advanced calculus he was working on. 

"Help me," Lance whined, spinning in his chair. Keith got up and walked over to look at the pre-calculus Lance was working on. He wrinkled his brow in confusion. 

"These are correct. What's the problem?" Keith asked. 

"Tell my teacher that," Lance huffed. "She always marks them wrong."

"I think I know why," Keith said after a moment. "You're erasing your work. You have to show your work so you prove you didn't cheat," Keith said. 

"Thanks, Keef," Lance said. Keith smiled and pressed a kiss to Lance's cheek before returning to his own work. 

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Keith and Lance discovered going back to school as boyfriends was harder than they thought. Not only was most of their school made up of jerks in general, but a fair amount of them were homophobic. Not to mention how popular Lance was. He had no problems hanging out with Keith, but the two decided it was better if they weren't seen together at school for Keith's sake. The school bullies were known to target anyone who decided to hang out with the 'cool kids' that wasn't 'cool' themselves. However, each time they passed in the hall, Keith's hand would automatically find Lance's, who would gently squeeze his hand before walking to his own class. 

__________________homophobic language warning 

Everything was good at school for about a week, before things began to go downhill. It all started at lunch. Someone had tripped Keith at lunch, which was not an uncommon thing. He'd been tripped many times; this was just another ordinary lunch thing for him. Except for this time, it wasn't. Lance was at his side almost instantly, Helping him off the floor. 

"Are you alright?!" Lance had asked, sounding more concerned than anyone ever had. 

"I'm alright. My food isn't though," Keith said, before sighing. "It's alright."

"No, it's not," Lance said, thinking for a moment, before grabbing Keith's wrist and walking off. 

"Where are we going?"

"My table, silly. You've gotta eat something. Just share with me," Lance said. 

"O-okay," Keith said, still surprised. Lance plopped Keith down beside him at his table, sharing everything he had with Keith. The stares Keith received, however, didn't go unnoticed. As lunch ended and everyone was in a frenzy, Lance pressed a quick kiss to Keith's temple before going to class. 

That's when a mere 32 seconds later, Keith found himself slammed against a wall. When he opened his eyes, slightly dizzy, two of the boys and one of the girls who had been giving Keith dirty looks at lunch stood before him. 

"So, Kogane," The girl said, saying his last name as if it were poison in her mouth. "You seemed pretty cuddly with Lance today," She sneered. 

"Your point?" Keith said, trying to keep his anger under control, and his fear buried deep. 

"My point is that someone like you," She said, jabbing a pointy fingernail into Keith's shoulder, pushing him up to the locker again. "Shouldn't be getting so close with someone like him."

"Why does it matter to you what I do or don't do?" Keith said, trying not to shout. A fist slammed into his gut, pain shooting through his stomach and back, which had gotten slammed into the lockers again. 

"Because, you fag, we saw the way you look at him. It's disgusting," One of the boys, the one who punched him, said. 

"Yeah. What are ya trying to do, fuck up, turn him into a gay?" The other said, before kicking Keith's leg's out from underneath him. Keith struggled to stay on his feet. 

"Besides, anyone who has a brain in their head knows Lance has a thing for me," The snobby girl said. "Even someone as brainless as you has to see how he flirts with me."

"Lance flirts with everything that breathes," Keith said. That earned him a punch in the jaw. That was it. Keith was fed up. "What's so wrong with liking someone of the same gender? And more importantly, how does my love life affect you?" Keith said. The trio in front of him exchanged glances, and Keith thought he was in the clear. 

Until all three of them were attacking him. The two boys pinned him to the lockers as the girl, who was surprisingly strong, threw every punch she could get. She laughed and was just about to throw the punch that would inevitably knock Keith, who already had more cuts and bruises than he could count, out cold. Keith closed his eyes, ready for the hit when suddenly the arms that had held him down were gone, and he slumped to the floor. When he opened his eyes, his blurry vision landed on Lance's tall figure. The three bullies scrambled away, and Lance turned his ocean blue eyes on Keith. 

"Keith... oh god, Keith, I-"

"Lance, this isn't your fault."

"Yes, it is!" Lance said. Keith could see he was crying as he crouched down in front of Keith. "This is all my fault. I shouldn't have let those homophobic jerks even look at you. I should have protected you better than that. I knew they were jerks, I just-"

"Lance," Keith said, his voice mildly sore. "It's alright," Keith said with a small smile. He was fighting for consciousness. 

"No, it's not," Lance said, before scooping Keith up in his arms. "But let's get you to the nurse," Lance said, pressing a kiss to Keith's nose before walking down the hall. 

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Keith was sent home early to rest, and Lance managed to get out early too once he explained Keith lived alone. Lance helped him walk back to his apartment, and (to Keith's weak protests) carried him up the stairs. Keith was almost asleep again by the time they got home, so Lance set Keith down on his bed and tucked him in. 

"Lance," Keith said quietly, almost asleep. 

"Hmm?" Lance hummed in recognition. A hand on the back of his neck pulled him down, and he found his lips pressed to Keith's for a brief second. 

"Thank you," Keith whispered after releasing Lance. He was then out like a light. Lance smiled and pressed another quick kiss to Keith's lips. 

"Anytime, love."

This chapter was incredibly hard to write. Especially the part in the middle. It hurt to write that. Anyways, I know this chapter was a little angsty. We're nearing the end of the story, so there's plenty of feels I have to cram in. 

Remember, tag all contest entries with #behindthemaskLTLM and tag either lancethelivingmeme (instagram) for me to see your entry! Love you all my beans!

-Lee