Take My Hand {A Klance Fic}

Chapter 8 - What Keith Saw

~ Keith ~

One step.

Two steps.

Three steps.

Four steps.

I could probably count all the way up to infinity and still not be tired. Insomnia sucks.

How many steps was I on now?

Oh, what was the point, it wasn't like counting was going to actually make me feel tired. Nothing could. Still, I fell asleep in the Bridge a few days ago. Maybe that might work again.

But then again...he'd been there...

I shook my head vigorously. No. No, no, no, no, that couldn't have been why. It was probably just the view from the Bridge that had me fall asleep. Not anything else.

I mean, I hadn't gone there since...the last time...and I hadn't slept properly in my room since so maybe that room was just special or something, I don't know. Trying to fall asleep in there was worth a shot.

I opened the door and stepped inside.

Only it wasn't empty.

Lance was there. Sitting at his station, hugging his knees to his chest. He didn't see me as his face was buried into them.

I was going to just walk away when this happened.

He raised his head and tipped his neck back and the light of the stars shone on the tears on his cheeks.

The tears that were rolling down his face.

Oh my god.

Ohmygodohmygodohmygodholyshitholyshitholshit...

Lance was...

Crying.

Crying.

Crying.

Like as in the verb, where you're all overcome with emotion so water comes out of your eyes and starts going down your face.

Lance.

Crying.

Oh my god.

I stumbled back away from the doorway, legs shaking with shock. I couldn't comprehend this, I couldn't bear to see this. My head was spinning, the world was spinning and I couldn't keep up.

Heart pounding, I turned around and ran away as fast as I could. I didn't stop until I reached my room and I raced inside, shutting the door behind me and then leaning against that, breathing heavily, eyes still wide and shocked. My world was still spinning and wouldn't stop. I slowly slid down to the floor and I held my head in my hands. Oh my god, oh my god...

What had I just witnessed? I was pretty sure Lance hadn't wanted me to see that.

But I had. And that awful, awful image of him crying wouldn't leave my mind.

***

~ Lance ~

"Good morning everyone, yes, I am here, I am blessing you all with my presence," I trilled as I entered the dining hall. Pidge rolled her eyes and Hunk shot me a grin.

"Look at who's finally up."

"You know I need my beauty sleep," I replied with a grin as I sat down at my seat next to Keith. "Perfection takes time. And I'm worth every second of it."

Pidge snorted and I then noticed that Keith was staring at me. Now, I'm not talking about that sly thing you do out of the corner of your eye when you don't want someone to stare at you. His head was fully turned and he was just staring at me with huge eyes and a blank face. It was kinda weird. Very weird.