He Might Be Gay If... (Klance AU)

Chapter 4

When the movie ended and the theater began to empty, Lance made sure that he got out of there before Keith. He had no idea why he'd let Keith hold his hand like that. It wasn't that he didn't like it... He actually really liked it, and that scared him. His main concern wasn't even his feelings and his confusion. He didn't want to lead Keith on. He knew he already had in a way, but until this point, everything had been purely physical. They hadn't done any cutesy actual relationship shit like that. He didn't want to hurt Keith.
"Lance!" he heard Keith call from behind him. Oh no. "Lance! Let's go to dinner." Lance didn't know how to respond. He must have made a pretty horrible expression because Keith burst out laughing. "As friends! I promise!" he reassured him. Keith was in an insanely good mood tonight.
"Um, yeah, ok." Lance agreed. "But where? Won't we be noticed everywhere we go?"
"Don't worry about it. I know a place. Really small, but really good food. I used to know the guy who owns it back in Texas."
"Alright, I'm trusting you!" Lance said teasingly. Keith's good mood was rubbing off on him. Keith laughed the biggest laugh, as if Lance's joke was the funniest thing he'd ever heard. He looked so cute when he laughed.
"So do you wanna uber together or go separately, as to not cause suspicion?"
"I'm gonna go separately because I have a trusty New York cab driver who I always have take me everywhere when I'm in town, and I know he can beat whoever you drive with!"
"You're making a competition out of this?"
"You know I am, Mullet!"
"Oh, you are so childish! It's on!" Keith texted Lance the address and the two were off. Lance actually had made them ride separately because of the competition idea, but he also didn't really like the idea of paparazzi photos of them getting into a cab together.

They both got to the restaurant pretty quickly considering New York traffic. Lance got there only a few seconds earlier, but that was a victory he was not gonna let Keith forget. After Lance got most of the childish bragging out of his system, the two men sat down at a little table in the back. The restaurant really was small like Keith had said.  It was about ten o'clock and the only other people in there were a little old Hispanic couple who didn't seem to speak English or have any idea who Keith and Lance were. It took them almost an hour to finish their burgers cause they were so busy talking. Everything one guy said made the other laugh hysterically. They discussed everything from politics to plot holes in different children's films. If anyone had actually overheard them talking they probably would have assumed the two of them were high. Keith eventually came down from the artificial high because he knew now was a good time to tell Lance what he had been thinking in regards to them.
"Lance, I need you to know this. Don't say anything. I'm just gonna blurt it all out at once." Keith took a deep breath. "I like you. A lot. And I mean I like like you. I wanna be with you. I mean I love to think that if we keep doing stuff like this I'll trick you into falling for me, but I know that's not gonna happen. I understand that you don't feel that way, but I had to let you know that what we have isn't just a friends with benefits situation for me." Lance was silent.
"I- I don't really know how to respond to that."
"I didn't expect you to. I just want you to know that I'm more emotionally invested in this than I should be and-"
"I won't hurt you, Keith." Keith just smiled knowing there was no way that statement could be true. He was going to get his heart broken and he knew it. An uncomfortable silence filled every square inch of the restaurant.
"Do you wanna get going?" Keith asked in a casual yet slightly peppy tone hoping to change the mood.
"Yeah we probably should, it's late." When they left the restaurant, they were greeted by a sleazy looking paparazzi. God only knows how he managed to find them. "Lance! Lance! What's it like riding the coattails of various A-List costars like Keith here!?"
"Hey, screw you! He's not riding my coattails, he's a talented actor and he deserves all the success he's had!"
"Shut up, you faggöt! I'm not talking to you."
"What the fūck did you just call him?" Right then and there Lance punched the paparazzi square in jaw, knocking him out.
"You shouldn't have done that! What if he presses charges!?"
"No one is allowed to talk to you like that." The fire in Lance's eyes and the rasp in his dead serious voice sent shivers down Keith's spine. As stupid as it was, Lance punching that homophobic jerk was the hottest thing Keith had ever seen. Suddenly, Lance grabbed Keith by the waist and pulled him in for an insanely passionate kiss. "No one." Keith's eyes started to water.
"I love you" he whispered.
"I love you too" Lance whispered back.