Room 1013

Repercussions

When Lance came back home, Keith didn't acknowledge him. Silence permeated the air as they went about their routines. Breakfast was eaten separately, Lance showered in the guest bathroom, and they avoided each other as much as possible.

Lance knew he fucked up. Last time he left, Keith thought he hated him. He almost died in a car accident and may not have seen him again. This time, he broke his heart. Not talking to Keith was the worst torture he had endured. All Lance wanted to do was hug him and beg for forgiveness, but it wasn't the time.

Lance didn't do any drugs. It's not like it mattered anyway-Keith would never believe him. All he wanted was to get out and be free for a night. He wasn't aware that the price of freedom was the stability of his marriage. If he could go back, he would have held Keith and told him he wasn't alone. He would have stayed.

But he didn't.

Keith walked into the kitchen with his boots and mask on. He stopped wearing his wig so often and sported his shorter hair. He held his clasped hands in front of him and locked reddened, sore eyes with Lance. "I'm going to eat dinner at Shiro's tonight. I'll be back around ten."

Lance's chest ached and his head was muddled. He hesitantly nodded, "Okay."

Keith stared at him for a few moments in silence, then turned to leave.

Lance quickly jumped after him. "Wait, Keith!"

Keith stopped and pivoted on his toe to turn around. His once bright crystal eyes had glazed over into a matte mauve with scarlet eyelids. "What?"

"Don't go," Lance's mouth felt dry and stuffed with cotton, "let's fix this."

Keith's expression didn't change. He just stared back for a few seconds before responding. "Why should I?" He clenched his fists. "I said the same thing to you, and you left me."

Lance's heart felt like solid concrete. It pushed on his ribs and suffocated his lungs. "Because I love you." He tried to calm his panicked breathing, "Don't you still love me?"

Keith let out the breath he was holding and averted his eyes. "Of course I do." He turned and grabbed the door handle, "That's why it hurt so much."

Lance quickly grabbed his hand, "Wait! Please!"

Keith whimpered and slapped his hand away. His eyes had filled with crystal tears that soaked into the rim of his mask. As soon as Lance jumped back, Keith threw his arms around his neck and pulled him into a frantic embrace. Lance used one arm to brace his back and the other to cradle his head. Keith's hands balled up his shirt as he cried into his shoulder. "Please don't leave me!" He desperately shook his head, "Never again!"

Lance held back his tears and held him tighter. "I won't leave. I'll stay." He lifted Keith off the ground and let his wrap his legs around his waist. "Even if you tell me to, I'll never leave."

Keith pulled away to yank his mask off and throw it on the couch. He quickly wiped his face and returned to the desperate hug. "You can't do that to me!" His slim fingers threaded into Lance's hair. "I love you too much."

Lance kissed his tear-stained cheek, "I love you, too." He sniffled and buried his face into Keith's neck. "I didn't do any drugs, I swear."

Keith adjusted his arms to squeeze him tighter, "I believe you." He finally pulled back to cup his cheeks and kiss his lips.

Their love was destructive. A full-blown war sprawled across Egyptian cotton. Every touch brought bombs of regret. Each kiss sealed their fate. If Lance had known Keith's skin could be so addictive, he would've gotten drunk on him instead of the drug of the day. If he had known that being tangled up with him was as maddening as standing in front of a firing line, he would've gotten his adrenaline rush from the bedroom instead of a few lines.

And maybe they could fix it. Maybe they could wake up next to each other and start again. Would that change anything or make it worse? Lance couldn't live without Keith, that much he knew for sure. He despised the drugs that kept him away. May they find someone else's life to fuck up.

May this neoteric form of love heal their broken hearts and dispel the addiction that tore them apart in the first place. Lance was ready to try again. He was ready to fight for the love he ruined. Even if he was destined to become just another body in no man's land.