hey there pretty boy (klance)

CHAPTER 11

Keith jogs back towards Lance through a misty drizzle, one that hasn't let up in the hours after the storm died out. He is half-expecting to find the god vanished once more, heart steadying with relief as he sees Lance's tall figure leaning against the corner of the building, chin turned up towards the grey sky. His brown hair is fluffy from the rain, eyes as miserable as the weather when he looks towards Keith.

"Everything go smoothly?" He asks, voice monotone.

Keith nods, "Hunk and Shay said they have no problem looking after the store. They...they wanted me to tell Shiro to get better soon." He grimaces, feeling another surge of guilt for lying about the situation. It's for the best. They don't need to be anymore worried than they already are. If Shiro doesn't come back, though...Keith shakes himself. He doesn't want to think like that.

Lance reaches out and takes Keith's pale hand in his tanned one, rubbing his thumb comforting over the skin. "I will bring him home, Keith."

"Why do you keep saying that?"

The god pauses, looking puzzled.

"You make it sound like you're going to do everything. I-I want to help," Keith stares at his feet. He feels numb, expended, but still standing. He's fairly certain that the only reason why he hasn't keeled over from the sleepless, stressful night is because Lance forced him to unwillingly go through the motions in the morning, after sitting up with him until dawn. A warm shower, dressing in fresh clothes that weren't crusted with ocean salt, a weak attempt to eat a dry slice of toast. It had recovered some of Keith's morale.

Lance's voice is gentle when he answers, yet still firm, getting his point across. "I've put you in enough danger as it is. This is my fault, anyways."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

He takes a deep breath, looking away before Keith can search his eyes. The sliver of pain that has been quietly piercing Keith's heart all this time is suddenly amplified once more. Rain begins to pick up, drenching them both in a cold shower as wind beats their clothing. It isn't just a storm anymore. It's a being. Emotions are bared in those raindrops. He can't decide if that is more or less frightening than before.

Physically bracing himself against the wall once more, Lance begins to talk in a low voice. He won't lift his eyes from the pavement. "A few months ago I took up a job. Very risky, but it needed to be done. There was a god - Zarkon - who turned against us. After he killed Allura's father...she asked me to destroy him."

Keith can feel the energy starting to roll from Lance's body in waves, accented by a low growl from the clouds overhead. The hairs on his arms stand on end. He wants to reach out and soothe the turmoil inside of Lance, but he's afraid.

"I did it. Lotor has been hunting me down for his revenge. I've been hiding here ever since and I was supposed to be lying low, but..." Lance smiles sadly to himself, "I saw you, and I couldn't resist. It was stupid. I convinced myself that everything would be fine. I'm sorry. It...was my mistake."

He isn't sure when the tears started, tracking lines down his cheeks, but he hopes that Lance will mistake them for raindrops. Maybe the red eyes give him away. The shaking hands. The quivering lip.

Lance moves so his face is only a few centimeters away. "Listen to me, Keith. I don't regret it, not any of it. You're the best mistake I've made in a long, long, long time - and believe me, I've made a lot of them. I'm just sorry that you have to deal with...the consequences."

There isn't much that he can say in response to that, so he retakes Lance's hand and gives it a squeeze. They both understand that time is already wasting. Lance leads the way to the beach, leaving Keith to stand on the road, leaning against the rail as the god waits at the edge of the water, turning to give him a classic smirk. It lacks the usual humour that Keith had come to expect. The prick in his heart burrows itself deeper. Is he losing Lance, or finally seeing his true self?

When the tiny god arrives, her glasses are flecked with raindrops. She grumbles, removing them to wipe the water on her clothing, giving Lance a glare. He seems as surprised as Keith is to only see half of the pair. They had seemed almost like one being on the first encounter - it hadn't even occurred to him that they could be separated.

"Where's Matt?" Lance asks, voice turning sharp as his defences go up. Keith knows that Lance is going back on his own advice by contacting these wily deities. There is no guarantee that they won't double-cross if a better opportunity arises. It has him gritting his teeth, realizing the desperation that Lance is struggling to mask under a cool expression. Maybe the gods of trickery will target that weakness.

The smaller one seems more on edge than usual without her counterpart. "I have no fucking idea," she jabs, "but I sure hope you're going to figure this out."

"Lotor..." he says. There is an icy edge to the name and Keith shivers, feeling a cool gust of wind over his damp clothing.

Pidge's face turns sour as well. "Yeah. Same as that one's brother," she jerks her head to where Keith is standing. "Allura won't be happy."

Allura. Keith wonders what she is like. From the way that Lance talks about her, it sounds as though he is fond of the girl, almost like siblings. Occasionally he gets a rueful look in his eyes when her name is brought up, guilty about one thing or another.

He bought her that ring. Said it was insurance. Which means that he was expecting to be caught right from the start, and made an attempt to lessen the blow.

"I'm going to fix this," Lance says rigidly, "but I need some help."