Old Habits Die Hard

Bonding Moments

The team really doesn't leave him alone anymore. It's worse than when they found out about his... habits. They always make sure that he takes his medicine, and they won't let him have any sharp objects. They won't even let him have his bayard anymore which is... fair, but it's still annoying. Now, Lance really is useless to the team. He can't do anything to help them. He just sits there. He's an object to be pitied. Surely they only keep him around because it makes them feel better about themselves.

Lance still wishes that he'd just been successful in his attempt, but... he's got to have hope. He just has to. He promised that he would try, and he can't let the team down. He can't let Keith down.

Keith.

Keith is incredible. He doesn't seem to pity Lance like the others do. It probably has something to do with the fact that he's been through some of the same shit. He'd had bad habits too. He'd been through much more than Lance, though. So... much... more. Lance really shouldn't complain about his minuscule problems. He shouldn't be sad when so many other people had it worse than him.

Keith didn't agree when Lance said that.

"Lance..." He grabs Lance's hand and looks deep into his eyes. "You do know that it's okay to have problems? That you're allowed to be sad even if other people have problems too?"

"But, I shouldn't complain about it so much," Lance says quietly, averting his eyes. "I always complain. I never fucking stop. I complain when I know that there are whole alien races that are enslaved by the Galra... I know this... and I still don't stop complaining."

When Lance dares to look back at Keith's face, he sees that it's littered with concern. His eyebrows are upturned, and his mouth is twisted into a frown.

"Everyone complains, Lance," he says, trying to smile. "It's how they vent. It's healthy."

"But-"

"Don't," Keith cuts him off quickly, anger flashing on his face for a moment. "Lance, it's okay. I'll listen to you. No matter how much you want to complain."

Lance tries to give him a smile without letting the tears spill from his eyes. "Thanks, Keith. You're the best."

Keith chuckles softly. "Well, Lance, I think that you're pretty great too."

"Pfft, of course," Lance scoffs. "Now, come here, mullet."

Lance pulls Keith into a kiss, both of them laughing through the tender moment. Even when they give up on kissing, their hands are still intertwined as they smile at each other, sitting in a comfortable silence.

Keith was the one who eventually ended the moment. His face was flushed, and his hands had started to shake.

"Lance... can I... say something?"

Lance cocks his head but nods. Oh, God. Was Keith going to say that he didn't really like him? That he was finally tired of him? Shit. Lance should have seen this coming. It always did. But... Lance had really thought that Keith liked him. He'd thought that-

"I... I love you."

When Keith says this, Lance's jaw drops open, and he feels his face heat up.

Keith turns an even brighter shade of red and starts to stutter. "Oh, shit. Is it too soon? You don't have to say it back! I just thought that you should... Oh, God."

Lance laughs loudly. It's the best laugh he's had in a while. One where his eyes are squeezed shut and his head is thrown back.

"I love you too, mullet," he says through laughs.

Keith's face breaks into a smile, and he wraps his arms around Lance's neck, giving the most passionate kiss Lance had ever received. Lance practically melts into the wonderful bliss of Keith's lips on his own.