Love, Loss and Everything in Between. Klance AU

Chapter 13 - Since...

I was meant to update this before my hiatus but it looks like I forgot so here you go take this

It took about five minutes of mental pep talk for Keith to raise his hand and knock on Lance's bedroom door. Heavy silence escaped from the room. "Do you want to talk?" Keith asked, leaning up against the door. His arms were folded and his forehead was touching the cold material as he waited for Lance to reply. Keith was still dressed up in his armour as he hadn't bothered changing before sprinting after Lance. His hair was windswept, a mop on top of his head, but he didn't find himself caring.

"No." Lance replied after a long while. Keith let out a soft sigh, his arms unfolding so that he could knock on the door a second time.

"Please? I know this isn't easy for you and bottling things up won't help. I learnt that the hard way, didn't I?"

"Keith, I just want space. That okay?"

Keith listened to Lance as he sniffed: a sign that he had been crying. A sad smile spread across his face as he imagined the sheer state the blue paladin was in on the other side of the door. He seemed so close but, yet again, so far away. "Yes, that's okay. Just- Just stay safe, alright?"

"I'm not going to off myself, Keith."

"I know, I know... I'm just worried."

"Don't be. I'll be okay. I've just got a lot to think about."

Keith nodded even though he was aware that Lance couldn't see him. "Okay."

-

Lance didn't come to dinner. The two empty seats were the massive elephants in the room but no one dared to even look at them. Coran tried to start a loose conversation, mentioning something about how Hunk's cooking had seemed to improve since they first travelled to space. Hunk had flashed a wide smile, thanking him in between the bites of his food. Then the table had lapsed into silence all over again.

As another attempt of discussion, Pidge mentioned about how they were trying to figure out a way to wormhole without Allura's power but the mention of the princess was enough to thicken the tension. Keith had stabbed his food much harder than necessary, his lips pursed. Despite the nausea making a home in his chest, he pressed the goop to his lips and took a bite.

After a few awkward moments, Keith gave up trying to eat. He just grabbed a plate, piling the leftover food onto it so that he could take it to Lance. He walked down the halls at a rapid pace, his steps heavy as rage lingered. He rapped on Lance's door, waiting for a response.

"Is it Keith by any chance?" His voice wasn't as shaky: a good sign.

"Yep. I brought you some food."

"You didn't need to." The sound of something shuffling behind the door filled the air but the door didn't open.

"I don't want my friend to starve. You kind of need to open the door though..."

"I look like shit, Keith. I'm okay."

Keith smiled, shifting the plate from his right hand into his left as he stared at the wall. "I'm sure you don't look shit. Even if you do, it's totally understandable."

"I'm not opening the door. Sorry, Keith."

"I'll just leave it outside for you then. Make sure you eat it, okay?"

"Mhm." Lance pressed his ear against the door so he could make out the sound of Keith's footsteps as he walked away. He counted to thirty in his head before opening up the door and taking the food back into his room. His hair was a mess on his head and he hadn't changed from his pyjamas in a couple of days. Other than that, he didn't look too different.