Hidden Messages [Klance AU]

13: Stop Saying Sorry

"Keith!"

Keith could hear Lance shouting his name, but he ignored it. He could feel the ground get softer as he ran out of the house. Only when he got there did he realize where he had gone; the beach. He stopped just short of the ocean. The wet sand was cool beneath his feet.

Every time the waves grew close to touching him Keith flinched a bit. He sighed, looking out towards the horizon line, one hand behind his back. He tightened his grip on the bottle he held. The boy brought it out in front of him.

Will it work? If I get a response again... Keith pondered whether or not to throw the bottle holding his letter. There was a strange feeling in his chest, as if pulling him to do it. He felt as though he might be able to find some sense of... safety in the stranger.

"Here goes nothing," Keith whispered to himself as he threw the bottle into the ocean. He watched for a second as it fell beneath the waves, then turned around and headed home. He froze when he looked up.

Lance stood by the door, leaning against the frame with one foot resting on the wall. His arms were crossed, and his face wore a solemn expression. He looked up when he heard Keith's startled breath. The latter felt a pang in his heart when he saw Lance's face was filled with guilt. The two shared a few moments of awkward silence before one finally spoke.

"Sorry," Lance uttered. Keith blinked exaggeratedly.

"W-what?"

"I'm sorry," the mer repeated, "I made you upset. I shouldn't have tried to force you to talk about something you don't want to." Keith was silent, save for the quiet shuffling of his foot tapping the sand.

"Why... are you sorry?" He asked. "I'm the one who got angry for no reason."

"Well, I—"

"I should be the one who apologizes to you. But of course I didn't. I..." Keith trailed off, thoughts clouding his mind. You ran away. You ran away from your problems, like you always do. It doesn't take any effort; just push him away like you did with everyone else. Pidge, Matt, Prof. Wimbleton, your parents— It's easier that way. You won't have to worry about keeping them happy, about living up to their expectations...

N-no! Keith thought-shouted at himself. I have to stop living like this.

"Keith?" Lance jumped down the few steps to Keith. He turned his head to the side a bit to reach Keith's eye level. "You ok?"

Lance's voice brought Keith out of his thoughts. He froze when he saw the other boy's face close to him.

"Uh, yeah," Keith stepped away from Lance, "I'm fine." He began to shuffle inside, to be as far away from Lance as possible.

"Wait! I can help!"

Keith stepped off of the stairs and back onto the sand, turning to face Lance once again.

"What?"

"I can, I can help you. If you tell me what's causing them, I can help stop them. I've had my fair share of dealing with panic attacks, y'know." Lance smiled as if he was proud of that.

Keith cracked a smile at that, but only for a second. Wait— that line sounded familiar. From the— Keith paused. It couldn't be. It was just a coincidence. He looked at Lance, who took a step forward. He looked at Lance's blue eyes, the curve of his smile, his carefully graceful movements as he placed a hand on Keith's shoulder.

"Keith, please."

It was just too much. Lance's touch, the look in his eyes, his head inches away from Keith's—