Arrest Me, Officer {Klance}

Chapter 10

mrc2 Note:
here's a pure moment of klance
because we all need that in our lives

there will be some more shallura in the following chapters so brace yourselves because they are one heck of a power couple

Keith kept a close eye on Lance throughout the rest of the time spent at the cafe. He didn't look as... perky as he usually did, his eyes lacking that playful glint that Keith had gotten used to in the amount of time he'd known Lance. Even when Lance met him through the Blue Paladin, with his eyes on show, it wasn't uncommon to see that mischievously irritating shine in those blue eyes. It wasn't hard to miss. So the fact Lance's usual bright eyes were dimmed felt like a punch to the gut. He was upset, Keith knew, he was grieving. He was hurting, he didn't like the fact his best friends were now added into the mix and there was a risk of losing them too. Keith knew it all. He had felt it.

There had been a time when a robbery went wrong. Shiro had gone after the robber while Keith had been left to make sure the victim - who had been shot - got into the ambulance and were taken to hospital in time. However, the ambulance had been only minutes late. The woman - the girl would be more appropriate, she had only been fifteen. She was walking home from a friend's house, an over-the-shoulder bag under her arm and a sparkly necklace around her pale neck. She came from a wealthy family, the robber must've known that. They had attacked her, tried to steal the necklace only to rip it, scattering many sparkling mini gems across the floor. He had gone from the bag, but when she managed to start running, he had resorted to weapons. The force were alerted to this by an onlooker. He had shot her just before Keith and Shiro had arrived.

The girl had been cradled in Keith's arms, bleeding out from that God-damned bullet hole in her chest. She had been so young. Her eyes were locked onto Keith's face, tears streaming steadily down her cheeks as she constantly apologised for everything, asking him if everything would be okay, begging for reassurance. She went from apologising about getting his uniform stained to telling him she wanted to see her parents. Keith had watched her slip away within minutes. She had been so young. That was the first time, and the last time, he had grieved for a lost life.

She had been so young.

He knew Lance probably felt that grief much more intensely than Keith. Keith could not compare his painful memory to Lance's but he could at least try and help Lance. He at least knew what it felt like to have those thoughts of: if I had just tried harder...

So, as they were all leaving to go their separate ways home, Keith had jogged to catch up with Lance. The Cuban had said his goodbyes to the others with his clearly practiced fake smile before turning on his heel and walking off down the street. Keith had shot them all a quick 'bye' before quickly following after him. The thief walked fast, head ducked and his hands shoved into his jacket pockets. For someone who was usually quick on his reflexes, he caught on to Keith approaching a little too slowly. Keith had managed to 'appear' beside him in his eyes causing him to jump with a squeak of surprise.

"Don't do that! Jeez..." Lance whined, pouting as he made a quick show of rolling his shoulders back and puffing his chest out. Probably to cover up the fact he looked upset not even a minute before. Keith didn't buy it.

"For a guy who's meant to be really observant, you're not very observant." Keith said, the ghost of a smile on his lips as he turned Lance's words from before against him. The first words Lance had said after revealing he was the Blue Paladin. Lance just huffed, shoulders hunching forward ever so slightly in a sulking posture while the pout on his face became more prominent. Keith's tiny smile vanished and his eyebrows furrowed in concern. Lance didn't notice the look on the policeman's face, too busy keeping his eyes averted. "Hey... I know you're upset." Lance's eyes flickered to him in alarm. "I mean... You just don't look as much of an annoying idiot as usual." Keith stopped walking to look up at Lance but the other kept walking. Immediately, Keith reached out and grabbed ahold of Lance's wrist effectively causing him to stop walking.