Memories // Klance

7 Days

Keith's POV:

7 days.

It's been 7 days since I last saw Lance. 

7 days of silence, no boisterous, loud energy to fill the hall at breakfast. 7 days without terrible pick up lines, tasteless jokes and sarcastic, yet good natured comments. 7 days without his large grin which crinkled the edges of his eyes and brightened his whole face. 7 days without his small, sweet giggle which buzzed underneath my skin, running through my veins like a drug. 7 days without the pink, subtle flush that dusted his cheek and nose, and the wrinkle of his mouth as he tried to hide it before anyone noticed.

7 days is far too long.

Without him, it felt like a gaping hole was slowly closing in on us. A black hole which threatened to suck us in and leave us weak, debilitated. It was as though no one realised till now just how much we relied on Lance. He left an aura of euphoria everywhere he went, a positive, uplifting spirit which rubbed off on us, without us even realising it. The pranks and witty quips which we used to find annoying, seemed to be something we found ourselves yearning for, hoping for someone to lift our mood.

But there was only one person who could do that.

Lance.

However, Shiro told us to give him time, to leave him in his room until he was ready to come out. Not to force him to talk to us, but to wait, and be patient.
Hunk had visited him once, and had sat with him for hours before coming out. We all expected him to bring Lance with him, but that didn't seem to be the case. However, Hunk seemed happier, a bright smile spreading across his face every time he walked past me. Naturally, I'd tried to get him to tell me what Lance had said to him, but all he gave me was a knowing grin,  and a sly wink.

It'd been like that for the whole week.

I guess at first I was fine with it all. Well, I thought  that Lance hibernating in his room was a good thing. I wouldn't have to see him, or feel that spark of blazing anger and a tinge of disappointment rushing through me every time I thought about what he did. And I was actually able to survive (barely) the first couple of days.

But no one seemed to mind that he hadn't explained himself. Hadn't apologised, or even shown his face once. Was he a coward? Was he nervous? Pidge seemed more occupied with her computer, clicking away at the keyboard, and giving me small looks from above her rounded, thick rimmed glasses. Allura was content with smiling awkwardly at me, and Shiro acted as though he was completely indifferent to the whole situation, but I knew he was hoping that Lance and I could just get over it and forgive eachother.

But what did he have to forgive me for? I had nothing to feel sorry about. He was the one who lied to me, and everyone else. He played with my feelings. He had zero reason to be upset, or nervous. I was allowed to feel angry. I was allowed to feel like I hated him, and hurt, and pain.

So why did I feel the complete opposite? 

Don't get me wrong, I still thought he was a prick; anyone would. If I didn't, then there was clearly something wrong with me. But there was something holding me back from losing my shit. Something nagging at my brain, a small glimpse of something important that I should remember, but as soon as I took a hold of it, it slipped through my grasp like sand. I tried not to think about it, tried to act like I wasn't being torn to pieces on the inside, but it was hard enough with everyone sulking around the Castle. It got to the point where instead of going to the training deck before sleeping, I'd have to retire early, knowing that I didn't have the energy to run the simulator.

But when I went to sleep... that was when the thoughts plagued me.

The infuriating fact that I knew Lance was in the room next to me, but I couldn't go to him. That I hated him, but at the same time, a hidden part of me knew that wasn't true. That in this puzzle, there was something I was missing, but couldn't quite figure out what it was.
That there was more to what Lance was telling me.