Rivals (Klance)

Chapter 22

It was Thursday morning, around thee am. The week had been rough for the boys, Lance would have a nightmare and call Keith and after about a half hour of talking, they'd be able to get back to sleep. Tonight was different. Tonight the dream was worse.

Instead of only Marco being the one to die, Keith was with him. It was the same way when he had a panic attack and then a seizure.

He woke up with a gasp, blindly reaching for his phone. He dialed Keith's number, which he now had memorized because his parents had gone through and deleted most of his contacts. After a few rings, Keith picked up, his voice rough and laced with sleep.

"Hey." He said softly. Since there wasn't a whole lot Keith could do through the phone, most of the time Lance would just tell him about his dreams, leading Keith to find out about his brother.

When he just heard gasps and wheezes from the other line, Keith shot straight up. If Lance was having another panic attack, which he had been able to avoid over the course of the week, just being slightly shook up by the repetitive dreams, then he was at risk of another seizure. "Lance? Lance, are you okay? C'mon baby, talk to me." He said hurriedly through the phone. He was already out of bed throwing on a random hoodie and grabbing his keys. If Lance was having a panic attack, he was going to him. His parents could fuck off.

"Can't...breath...." Was all Lance could wheeze out as he tried desperately to get air into his lungs.

Keith cursed while he started his car and started the short drive to Lance's house. He whole heartedly blamed his parents. Not only did they fail to see how much their son was struggling, but they were subjecting him to oppressive bull shit that was doing anything but helping. Lance had been so stressed over the course of the week, Keith was just surprised it took him this long to snap.

He pulled up a little ways away from Lance's house, hoping that he wouldn't alert his parents. He didn't care if he woke Veronica, she was fully supportive, seeing as she was also hiding a girlfriend from their parents. Keith had a feeling she was close to snapping though.

"Lance, baby, I need you to unlock your window, okay? Can you do that?" Keith coaxed through the phone as he stood below Lance's window. Going through the front door was a death wish, he had to be a bit sneakier than that.

He didn't receive a verbal response, but the soft click from above him let Keith known that he had unlocked it. Lance had a back porch right below his window, so Keith just had to push himself onto that low hanging roof, and then he had easy excess to Lance's window.

"C'mere." Keith whispered as he noiselessly made it through Lance's window and walked into his small room. Lance was quick to jump into his arms, sobbing against his chest.

Keith led them over to the bed, laying down with Lance still on his chest. Over the two weeks he was living with Lance, he had quickly figured out how to get him to sleep after a nightmare. He just let him snuggle against his chest, running one hand through his hair and the other traced random shapes on his back, both moving slowly and calmly.

He had planned on getting Lance to sleep and then leaving back out his window. He didn't even notice when he, himself, drifted off into unconsciousness.

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A scream was what woke Keith and Lance the next morning. They were both disoriented and confused, until Keith saw Lance's mother standing in the door way and Lance saw that he was still laying on Keith's chest. Both boys quickly scrambled apart, watching in horror as Lance's father and sister ran to his room, thinking something happened to Lance.

"Why the hell are you in my house?!" His father's voice boomed.

Keith wasn't exactly sure what to so to that. He didn't know if he should be a little prick and fight with them, or if he should try and play innocent.