~:~ Barely Human ~:~

~:~ Chapter 9 - The truth sears ~:~

Keith blinks, his mouth opening and closing a few times. Lance doesn't let him speak.

"And for some reason or another I found it mind-blowingly difficult to even say the smallest; 'hey, don't worry I'm okay. I just need some time off!' So I'm really sorry for my inability to trust you when I need some time to recuperate myself. Please, oh please forgive me Lance! I'll never do it again!"

Keith stares at him with wide, dumb-struck eyes. He was speechless, I mean if he wasn't already was then he definitely is now. Lance raises a brown and folds his arms over.

"Well?"

"You... pretty much summed it up really." Keith shrugs and scratches the back of his neck, an embarrassed tinge blossoming on the skin of his cheeks. Lance narrows his eyes.

"So what are you?"

"...Sorry?"

"No, Keith. What are you?" For a second Keith was confused, like he had been before in Ms Haggar's office. There was no way Lance knew did he? About the fire? No, surely not. There was something he was missing.

And he finds it in the way Lance was looking at him, all kinds of degrading insults were playing in his head right now. He was calling Keith all of them. Every name in the book to pay him out. It makes him want to smile, but he knows now was not the right time to do so.

"I'm a crass, dim-witted, inconsiderate, dumbass who should've been more aware about your feelings and to trust you." Keith says, his voice is small. His eyes find his feet, he's pouting like a child but really, there was something that made him want to laugh about this whole ordeal. Lance was acting like a mother scolding their child for putting the cat in the washing machine. Or something along those lines.

But as quick as the feeling came did it fall away and Keith decided to be stern with himself. He straightens up and looks directly at Lance. The boy has his eyes closed as he listens, he opens his mouth and begins to speak-

"Good, I'm glad you came to your se-"

"But that isn't why I came." Keith interrupts. Lance's mouth clamps shut, there's a line between his brows.

"What?"

"Lance, we can't see each other anymore."

A pause. And then;

"What?" Lance says again. Keith only sighs.

"I already told you, I'm not someone you should hang around with." Keith tells him, he rests a hand on his hip and rubs the bridge of his nose as he tries to find the best way to say it. "Look, I can't tell you exactly why, but I just need you to understand that the longer you hang with me the more danger you're in."

Lance looks lost and confused yet still very, very mad. Keith's gaze falls away, he can't bring himself to look him dead in the eye.

"Why?" Is all Lance can ask. The way his voice nearly cracks has a small lump forming at the base of Keith's throat. He hated this, he didn't want to do this but at the same time wished he could get it over with. "Why can't I be around you? What makes you so dangerous Keith?"

Keith bites his lip, he wanted to tell him. About everything he was and everything he wish he weren't. But he just couldn't. Not if he wanted to protect this person before him.

He shakes his head.

"You can't tell me? You're pushing me away and you can't tell me why? That's a low blow." Lance bites and it has Keith wanting to crumble. He somehow holds his resolve however, his eyes meet the others.

"It's for your own good Lance."

"No, no don't do that, don't make it my fault. Tell me what's going on with you Keith, you've been acting weird all week. I want answers." Lance takes a step towards him. Keith nearly steps back, but he holds his own.