Who Needs Love Anyway?

Part 28

     "So what did you need to tell me?"

     Keith was stretching out on the gym floor where Romelle had joined bouncing on her toes slightly. She peeled around for the billionth time making sure they were alone.

     They should be. They had been doing a patrol getting a feel for the arena and such. Planning was also happening elsewhere but a lot of people were taking advantage of the break time to hit the showers or be with their families.

     Keith knew he had left Lance just outside his family's room with Veronica. He only had one close call with the flowers and Veronica. They had passed it off as dust from the Earth and him not being use to it after being gone for so long. All the whole Lance quickly stuffed the bloody flower in his pocket before Keith stole it safely tossing it before they moved on.

     "About Lance... I have an idea or a hint of something I'm not quiet sure how well it will work because I realized when I started thinking about it what all it could mean."

     Keith sighed looking up from the floor at Romelle's face. She still looked nervous and distracted basically focusing on all the workout equipment around them and not Keith.

     "Is it about how I can convince him to do the surgery because I'm all ears."

     "He's not going to do the surgery," She snorted

     "I don't think he will either. Shiro wants me to try and so does Hunk. I'm... trying to think of a way to convince him to give it a shot... I honestly think it will just end up with us yelling at each other and I don't want to do that," Keith laid fully out on the floor crossing his leg on the other side of him popping his back

     "What if... what if I think I know what the flowers are for?"

     Keith paused counting slightly in his brain before sitting up again and turning to Romelle. She hesitated but looked down at him from her spot. She glanced to the door then back at Keith as if  in a hurry. 

     "What?"

     "I think I know who the flowers are for... Right before that electrical wave hit us and tore you all apart from the lions. Literally the day before we got to Earth I noticed something. Lance didn't fully deny it at least at the time either."

     "Deny what? I thought it was some random alien girl he met on his travels. That's what he told me. That's what he told all of us."

     "Well... look I think I know why he didn't say anything before you get mad at him," Romelle whispered finally crouching down to look at Keith eye level, "Think about it. Unrequited love."

     "Yeah we know he loves someone and they don't love him back," Keith felt a new sense of annoyance run through him

     It was Allura wasn't it. After everything Lance lied saying it wasn't Allura but here Romelle is saying she knows who it may be.

     So it had to be Allura

     "Exactly... have we thought that the reason he didn't say anything about who exactly it was... is so they don't feel guilty?"

     Guilty?

     "Guilty? For what?"

     "For being the one slowly killing him over something they can't control. Over a love they can't fake or force."

     Oh

     "Think about it Keith, I haven't even know Lance that long but I can see, and I know how deeply he loves and cares for others. I can see him not saying it out of embarrassment for himself yes... but he's likely thinking of the other person too."

     "He doesn't want them blaming themselves if he dies over it," Keith concluding letting his body slide back to the floor string at the ceiling

     "Exactly," Romelle whispered

     "Well," Keith rubbed his hand over his face, "We just don't tell Allura."

     Romelle cocked her head and looked down at Keith again, "What?"

     "We don't tell her... but maybe we give them a chance. Set them up on dates. Send them out together all the time. Keep them together and maybe... maybe we get luck and she falls in love with him."

     "Keith it's not Allura," Romelle looked like she was about to hit Keith upside the head

     Keith sat up again with a frown, "Wait, I thought you said you knew who it was?"

     "I'm pretty sure I do yeah... but it's not Allura. It's not some strange girl..."

     "Then who the hell is it?" Keith growled

     Romelle twisted her hands and bite her lip. She looked over her shoulder several times at the door. Buying time or making sure they weren't interrupted Keith wasn't sure.

     "Keith... I really want to tell you... but it's not my place to say."

     Keith buried the palm of his hands into his eyes trying to force the pain growing in his brain to go to sleep as he laid back on the ground yet again in defeat. His brain running through everyone they had met on their travels.

     "Then what the hell is the point Romelle. I'm trying to help him but I can't if I don't know who. If we have a chance here let's take it and run. We can't risk loosing him!"

     "I know I know," She whispered, "Look... I promise keep doing what you are doing. Try to talk to him about the surgery... but maybe... start looking outside that box you have everything in Keith. See how he acts with everyone. Please. Keep doing what you are doing but don't forget to take care of yourself too. How would you feel if he was gone?"

     "Please Romelle," Keith was surprised to hear his voice crack he definitely couldn't lift his hands now

     He felt a small hand reach for his shoulder giving it a slight squeeze, "We will figure it out Keith. We will. We either get the person to realize they love him or we convince him to get the surgery."

     "What if they don't love him back? What the hell do we do?"

     He could hear Romelle chewing her lip again. She gave another slight squeeze to his shoulder before standing. He carefully pulled away his hands and sat up when he felt it was safe to reveal his face again.

     "I think... I think they almost do. I think they have been slowly falling in love. I think they are standing right at the edge of the cliff and we just need to find that tipping point. I will help find that tipping point ok. Just please Keith. Keep him alive till then."

     "I'll do my best."