Hidden Messages [Klance AU]

16: Missing the Pieces

Lance felt alone.

He walked through town, slow and lifeless. People around him conversed normally. It was unknown to them that he was a mer. To them, he was invisible, just another stranger passing by.

Somehow he found himself stumbling into Alfor's bar. He took a look at the white lion symbol that hung above the door, then entered with a ding. Alfor Altea was at the counter, along with a co-worker Lance hadn't talked much with yet. Romelle, he thought her name was. The girl spent most of her time with Allura, though so Lance didn't know her well.

"Lance, my boy, what brings you here? You aren't supposed to work today," Alfor greeted the mer cheerfully, as always. Lance grunted a response as he sat down on one of the stools at the bar.

"I'm not here to work," He replied sourly. Alfor raised an eyebrow at his employee's rude demeanor as he poured him a glass of cider. The man sighed.

"Okay, what's wrong?"

Lance hesitated for a moment, eyebrows knitted together in uncertainty. How could he explain what happened— without giving away what he was?

"Well I..." the mer stuttered, still putting his thoughts together, "I got into a, into a fight. With my.. roommate."

Alfor gave Lance a look that nudged him to continue, although he wasn't quite sure he wanted to. He was still shaken from what happened, what Keith had said, and what he had said in response. He prayed that Keith didn't know Spanish.

Alfor sighed when Lance stayed silent, the latter swirling his glass of cider in circles gently.

"What happened?"

Lance glanced up. He hadn't expected his boss to be so... understanding. Willing to listen. It was strange and unlike his personality.

"I guess.. I did something to break his trust. He got angry, which is understandable, but it still hurts." Lance looked to Alfor, hoping for some sort of outworldly-wise old man advice or something. But the only response he got was in a crooked smile through Alfor's white-haired beard.

"So he finally found out huh?"

Lance's face scrunched in confusion as he responded, "Found out what?"

Alfor's smirk remained, his eyes shining with excitement.

"That you're a mer."

Lance froze.

The glass fell from his hands.

"W-what?"

~ ♆ ~

Keith felt alone.

Not only that— Keith was alone.

He stared at the place where Lance had stood before he left. Before I made him leave. Broken glass was scattered in that spot, a carefully rolled piece of paper lay in the center.

Keith stared at it for a moment before crawling forward. He could feel the sting as pieces of glass dug into his legs. I deserve it, the Korean boy reasoned with himself.

You deserve it.

Keith picked up the letter, quickly shaking glass shards off of it. One pricked his finger, and a drop of blood soaked into the paper.

The boy slowly unraveled the paper; though he knew what was inside. It was his most recent letter. He prayed that Lance hadn't read it yet.

Keith grasped the paper when he saw the scraggly handwriting covering the page. He remembered writing it. Although he knew what was coming, Keith couldn't help but read it.

Dear Ocean, the letter read.

I still hate you.

I don't care what you say, I'll still hate the ocean. As long as I live I'll probably hate it. I'll probably be... afraid of it.

I hate that I'm afraid. Afraid of everything ever since he left. And I can't show that fear to anyone; they'll think of me differently if they know all that's happened. If they knew about everything... about the real reason he's gone.

Yeah, that's right, Shiro. I know that you didn't just disappear. You didn't just drown in the ocean as everyone says. That day replays in my head every night— so I've figured out that that isn't the reason you're gone. There was blood, and claw marks. The ocean doesn't leave claw marks when it swallows people. It doesn't leave blood. So please— whatever happened to you, whatever took you beneath the dark waves, please, please be alive. I know it's unlikely. I know that even if my prediction is true, there's a small chance you weren't... killed in the process. But I don't want to think that you're really gone forever. So if you are still alive... give me some sort of sign that you are. That I can still hope for it a little longer.

- Your brother

I miss you.

Keith was in tears as he clutched his letter. A hand was raised and held over his mouth as he tried to stop crying and calm his nerves.

He did it.

He managed to hit rock bottom— he'd fallen into a sinkhole after being trapped on the ocean floor.

He'd spilled all of his emotions— all there was to say, and yet he didn't feel any better. If anything, he just felt worse. And to top it all off— he'd just kicked out the only person who seemed to be able to help him. Who seemed to want to help him.

Keith gasped when he finally heard the vibrating of his phone. Then, footsteps over hollow wood. Could it be? L—

"Hey Keith, I just saw Lance in town and he looked upset, did something hap—" Pidge stopped their rambling when they saw Keith on the floor, eyes filled with tears. In front of him were ripped pieces of paper and broken glass. They jumped and moved to sit down next to him.

"Hey, hey," the brunette breathed, "It's ok." Pidge put an arm around their friend, who let himself fall onto their lap. He lay there, stunned, tears falling down his face.

"Keith?" He heard Pidge ask. He grunted a "mhm" in response.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Keith stayed silent. After a while he nodded sheepishly, preceding to not say anything. Pidge smiled.

"Okay," they whispered. It was silent for a while. Eventually Keith stopped crying.

Wiping a tear from his face, he sat up and smiled slightly to Pidge.

"I think..." Keith sighed, "I think I'm ready."

A/N:

Hey everyone! So sorry for not updating these past few weeks- school started and it was difficult to find time to write. Thanks for understanding, and I hope y'all enjoy this part, even though it's not too long! Love you all <3

I have half of the next chapter written, so hopefully I'll be able to get that one out soon, since you all had to wait so long for this one. (/◕ヮ◕)/

- Soni <3