Idol Love : After Hours

Chapter 12

"Anything, you say?"

"I'm gonna stop you there before you get any ideas."

"I'm messing with you!"

"Okay," Lance takes another peek at Keith, "But for real, can you please get those all set up soon?"

"Will do!" Hunk chirps, rustling around with something, "Now, is there anything else you'd like to talk about or schedule?"

Lance opens his mouth to explain the status of his relationship with Keith but stops. A ping of pain hitting him hard. He stares off into space for a moment debating whether or not to tell Hunk everything. After a long pause of silence, Hunk begins to worry.

"You okay buddy?" 

Lance snaps out of his trance and puts on the typical 'I'm okay' act, "Yeah, I'll talk to you later, man."

"Yeah," Hunk pauses, a bit of worry coming over him, "Lance."

"Yeah?"

"If you need to tell me something, I'm always here for you man. Y'know that right?"

"Yeah, of course!"

"Okay, good. I'll let you go now, bye."

"Bye."

Lance clicks the end call button and just shatters instantly. He leans against the dining room table and stifles the oncoming tears. The fact that Keith really broke up with him last night hits him hard. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the ring. He runs a thumb over the red jewel on it and bites his lip, holding in the waterworks. Rubbing his eyes he sighs, "Fuck.."

~~~

Keith could hear everything from where he was. He pushes his plate away, hunger gone. He hates hearing Lance in pain like that but he can't take the back and forth game anymore. It takes everything in him to stay put and not rush to Lance's side and comfort him. Keith cradles the side of his face in his hand and looks down at his phone, texts to Shiro open. Closing the tab he sets the device aside and stares at the breakfast set up. He thinks about how much effort Lance is putting into this. Even though they broke up, Lance is still trying his absolute hardest to make Keith comfortable and happy. And what is he doing? Shutting the other out.

Keith gets up and slowly creeps into the formal dining room. He finds Lance full-on sobbing, head buried in his arms on the table. A wave of guilt hits Keith. Feeling as if he caused this, the Korean feels a bit guilty. He reaches out but stops himself. He looks between his hand and Lance before turning and going back into the kitchen. Grabbing his phone he heads for the front door.

~~~

The sound of the loud front door opening and closing, causes Lance to jump. It takes a minute for him to register what noise that was before he could pull himself out of his pity party. He calls out for Keith and gets no response. He looks into the kitchen and sees that Keith left. Fear overcomes him again and he races to the front door. He tugs on a pair of shoes and huffs, "Not again."

Remembering the night Keith left the party and wandered around the hills for at least an hour that one time was enough to send Lance into panic. He grabs the keys near the door and flings the door open. Thankfully, he didn't have to go far. Keith sat on the front steps, phone in hand talking to someone. Letting out a sigh of relief, Lance steps down and sits next to Keith, causing him to jump.

"Jesus, you scared me!" Keith exclaims, gripping his shirt.

"I scared you?!" Lance yells, "You scared me! I thought we were gonna have a repeat of that time we were at my buddy's party!"

"I don't even have shoes on! Nor, do I know where I'm at!" Keith shouts back.

Lance shifts his attention to Keith's phone, "Who the hell are you even talking to?"

"No one," Keith hits the end call button and sets his phone in his lap, "Why do you care?"

"I- I don't know! I just do!"

Keith rolls his eyes and looks out onto the driveway. Lance groans and buries his face in his hands, "Oh my god, what are we doing..?"

"Arguing," Keith scoffs, shifting his attention to the shrubbery.

"Can we not?"

"I don't know, Lance. Can we?"

Lance looks up towards Keith with a 'really' expression, "Keith, I'm sorry for everything, okay. I'm sorry for playing with you. I'm sorry for not being able to make up my mind. I'm sorry for not thinking things through. I'm sorry."

Keith shakes his head and looks down, "I'm sorry for being a jerk and having too high of expectations for you."

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Did I though..?"

Keith shoves Lance over onto the step, "Shut up."