Of Course

"You been watchin' me?" Lance quipped, smirking playfully, trying to avoid the question he knew he didn't have a proper answer to.

"I-I.... uh... just shut up." Keith scowled, his face flushing in embarrassment.

"I'm fine." Lance grinned deciding to just lie. It was the easiest option.

Keith looked at him dubiously, as if he didn't believe him. But before anymore words could be uttered, though, the bell rang and Lance was out of the classroom in a heart beat.

---

After that encounter, Keith and Lance had become some sort of friends. Months passed with them hanging out, Pidge and Hunk supporting the new development entirely.

Lance was beyond appreciative of the new close friend, he felt that he could finally go to someone with his problems. Before he could do anything about it, though, Lance had realized that he had fallen for his hotheaded, impetuous friend.

He didn't know what to do about his feelings. If anything, they made him feel worse about himself. He had unintentionally become clingy and protective when it came to Keith. It bothered himself more than anyone else, but he believed it was the other way around.

After befriending Lance, Keith had grown to be popular. He now had friends to turn to, and Lance despised his thoughts on that. He didn't want Keith to have friends, because then he would just leave Lance behind. Lance would become an afterthought-- again. It was unavoidable.

Keith showed no inkling of feelings for the taller teen. Lance had even ventured far enough to ask Pidge about the whole ordeal. From what he learned, Keith only thought of him as a friend.

---

The school year ended all too soon, and another one began. Lance was falling apart on the inside. Over the summer Keith had began to drift. Lance had expected it, though.

There was no way Keith could stay with someone who had so little to offer.

When the new year began, the friendship Keith and Lance had formed was all but ruble. Lance was devastated, and yet he still loved the other so dearly.

Lance's popularity had started to fall. He could no longer always pull a fake smile, and that didn't please the masses. His spirits were low and he tried to turn to his family for help.

All they did was smile and attempt to comfort him, but were distracted the second more pressing matters arose. No one could make time for him.

There came a time, near the end of the school year, that Lance's smile was gone. He couldn't bring himself to feel happy. No one cared. No one even noticed his slow disappearance. Everyone was too busy.

He decided one day, in the middle of class no less, that he was tired. Now, he had been tired for quite some time, but he couldn't take it anymore.

The pain was agonizing, he loved a person who had abandoned him, he was left by the people he trusted. He was betrayed.

He was done. His mind was made up. He wasn't going to go on.

---

Two days later and Lance sat at his desk, messily writing his goodbyes out onto paper. Tears fell from his eyes and stained the ink below him.