"Bottle it up til the bottle breaks."
.
NOTE: THIS ONE SHOT IS LESS ANGSTY AND MORE KLANCEY
Lance had Hanahaki for 3 weeks now. Not only did it suck coughing flowers up, but it sucked twice as much because he doesn't know who he had fallen in love with.
He groaned loudly in his room and kicked the wall like a child, "This is so stupid!" He shouted and pouted some more.
"What is?"
Lance jumped, "H-Hi there Hunk!" He waved slightly, before running behind the yellow Paladin and shutting the door.
"Hi, bud. What's wrong?"
Lance chuckled nervously, "There's a secret I've been keeping for three weeks.."
Hunk rose a brow, "Well, what is it?" He asked when Lance didn't say anything.
"Please don't tell anyone."
"Promise."
"I have Hanahaki."
There was a long pause, "You what?!"
"I have the Hanahaki disease.. and I don't even know who I fell in love with!" He wailed, crying out in sadness.
Hunk went quiet, "When do you cough out petals?"
"Whenever Keith makes fun-"
Lance's mouth formed an 'o'. Hunk visibly winced, "You're gay?"
"Bi."
"Ah."
Lance suddenly sighed, "Well, I guess I have to die now."
"W-What?!" Hunk asked, and tears sprung into his eyes. His best friend was just gonna throw his life out the window?!
Lance shrugged, "I must like him a lot to not even notice, and just be content with where we're at." He crossed his arms, "Hey, I'll get the surgery if I don't want to do this."
"B-But Lance-"
Lance placed a hand on Hunk's shoulder, "It'll be okay buddy." He gave him a smile, "It'll be okay."
"Promise?"
"..." Lance averted his gaze, which made Hunk want to cry, "Lance.."
Lance strutted into breakfast like the queen he was, "What's up guys?" He said happily, "What're we talking about?"
"None of your business." Pidge muttered, Keith nodding in agreement.
Hunk watched Lance's breath hitch slightly, "Oh.. my bad." Lance made eye contact with the yellow paladin, "Oh, hey Hunk-"
"Lance, he doesn't want to talk to you. Didn't we already tell you?" Keith snapped, crossing his arms as his brows furrowed angrily.
Hunk felt tears spring into his eyes as Lance coughed slightly, "Al..right."
Lance's beautiful blue eyes made eye contact with Hunk's brown eyes, and he gave him a thumbs up with a large smile.
"Lance.. what are you doing?" Shiro questioned Lance's silent antics.
Lance shrugged, "Nothing that matters to you." He said, which apparently seemed rude to everyone except for Hunk.
"Why are you talking to Shiro like that?" Pidge asked, a baffled expression on her face.
Lance sighed heavily, "Sorry, I meant," he plastered the fakest smile that didn't match Lance's regular personality, "Nothing important!" He turned to leave, "I'll leave before my rudeness ruins your day."
"Too late." Keith's comment sent Lance coughing as he exited.
Hunk suddenly stood up and ran after the boy.
"Hey, Hunk where are you-"
Blood.
It was getting everywhere as Lance hacked up the petals, which were now parts of flowers. They would look so beautiful if they weren't covered in blood.
"Hunk.." Lance whimpered, "My throat.."
Hunk passed Lance a glass of water sadly, "My throat.. it hurts."
"Get the surgery."
"..."
Hunk grabbed Lance's shoulders, "Lance, you gotta do this!"
"I.. I can't." Lance whispered, trembling slightly. "I can't because I love him, Hunk!"
Hunk scrubbed at his tears furiously, "But he's just a boy! What's so special-"
"Because he's literally my world!" Lance yelled out, "I figured out what I liked- no loved! About him, and I've fallen too deep. I love his eyes, the way he's so passionate about saving the universe, the ways his nose twitches when he gets mad, even at me. I love the way his eyes light up in excitement, and don't get me started on-"
Lance was cut off by harsh coughs, Hunk sadly handing him a cloth.
"I don't want... this feeling to go away.." Lance wailed out, "I love him too much to do that." He said, sighing heavily.
It's been 4 more weeks, which meant it had been almost 2 months of suffering. Lance's feelings for the red paladin only grew, and he's learned to love flowers despite the fact they're literally trying to kill him.
He was busy coughing up flowers in the kitchen, since everyone was supposed to be asleep. He went to take a glass of water from the kitchen, but he suddenly recalled all of the most hurtful things Keith has said to him.
"Lance are you ok..ay- oh my gosh you have Hanahaki!" Pidge's voice shrieked, but was cut off when Lance used his free, clean hand to cover her mouth.
His eyes seemed so.. dull. Lifeless. Pidge winced, wondering how long has it been since they last shined.
"Don't.. tell," he paused to cough, "anyone."
Pidge helped him clean some blood as Lance explained, without revealing who it was.
"So.. someone on the ship, huh?"
"Yeah."
"It's Allura right?"
"That's what I thought at first." Lance chuckled, shaking his head a bit, "But boy was I wrong."
There was a pause, "Who is it?"
Pidge looked up at Lance when he didn't answer, "Lance?"
"Keith."
A sharp intake of air came from Pidge. She winced, "But.. but he hates you!"
Lance started coughing harshly again, coughing up more flowers, "Yeah."
"Sorry.." Pidge muttered, feeling sorry because she brought it up.
He placed a hand on her head, ruffling it slightly, "It's alright, Pidgeon." He said, wiping his lips off with the back of his hand, "don't tell anyone about this.." he added.
Allura and Coran found out at the same time after checking the cameras, and Shiro found out on accident by walking into Lance's room and finding a bunch of bloody and death flowers in the trash.
The only person who didn't know was Keith.
The team decided to make Lance's remaining time worth while, seeing as he was too stubborn to let them do anything. He refused even confessing to Keith, the mention of surgery made Lance leave the room, and when they tried to set them up together, Lance would give them glares of pure death.
He has only two months left, and this could possibly be their last and only chance to save their blue paladin.
Two months left, and it seems that Keith had gotten meaner and ruder to Lance. It only made Lance's throat suffer more.
The team had scheduled a relax/sleep over type of night, and they were planning on pulling an all nighter together, or until they all blacked out.
"I've done some research, and I've discovered a game called 'Truth or Dare'." Allura said, Coran handing her a high tech notepad/sticky note.
Allura then said, "I'll go first!" She turned to her right, "Pidge, truth or dare?" She asked happily to the girl who was on her right.
"Uhh dare?"
"What do I do now?" Allura laughed sheepishly, Pidge chuckling herself.
"Alright, so if I chose truth, you'd have to ask me a question starting with 'is it true..'. But if I choose dare, you have to tell/dare me to do something."
"So I can say, 'Pidge I dare you to clean the castle for two movements?" Allura asked Pidge for permission.
Pidge sighed heavily, "Cleaning duty for 2 weeks?" She groaned, "And Yeah, you can do that."
Allura clapped her hands together, "I see, that seems fun!"
Pidge then smirked, and turned to Hunk, "Truth or dare?"
"Uh, truth?"
"Is it true that you like Shay?" She teased lightly, causing the boy to blush.
"I- uh.. I don't know," He blushed in embarrassment before turning to Shiro, who said he wasn't going to play.
Lance chuckled, though it hurt a ton, "Oh come on Shiro!"
"I'll pass." Shiro chuckled to the blue boy, and so Hunk faced Keith.
(Coran wasn't playing either)
"Uh... truth or dare?"
"Dare."
"I dare you to spend two entire days with Lance!" Hunk said, smirking. He and Pidge high fives discreetly, "And handcuffed, requested by Pidge." Hunk added after Pidge whispered something in his ear.
Keith groaned loudly, "Should've picked Truth!" He dragged a hand down his face, "At least after tonight?"
"Fine." Hunk said while expertly ignoring Lance's death filled glare.
Keith turned to Lance, "Alright, truth or dare?"
"Truth."
"..Is it true you have Hanahaki?" Keith asked after a moment.
Lance's eyes widened and he immediately made eye contact with Hunk before looking back at Keith, "..I.. I- Yeah." He said shortly, "Yeah, I do."
There was a short silence before Hunk stood up, dusting himself off, "Well that's over! Allura, what's next?"
After watching a movie together, Coran handcuffed the red and blue paladin together, twirling his mustache, "Good luck, Paladins!"
They all decided to go sleep in their rooms since it was 1 AM in Earth time.
Lance mock saluted bitterly, "Yeah, Yeah." He grumbled before turning to the red paladin, "Where are we sleeping?"
"My room." Keith said sharply, before turning on his heel and harshly tugging Lance along with him.
Lance felt his throat grow scratchy, but paid no mind to it. He followed Keith without a word, and noticed that they had five feet of freedom away from each other. He shrugged to himself mentally, and continued walking.
Keith placed a sleeping bag onto the ground, "Here you can sleep in this."
Lance slipped into his sleeping bag, and pulled his sheets on.
"Lance?" Keith called from the bed.
Lance glanced up briefly, "Yeah?"
"Can you tell the person that you like them? I don't want you to die and maybe they like you back."
Lance only shook his head softly, "Keith I can't." He said quietly, "I'll die instantly."
"You'll never know!" Keith suddenly yelled at the blue boy, making Lance chuckled sadly.
Lance looked up at the boy, eyes full of sadness and despair. Pain and agony, hopeless and the shine that were in his eyes were gone.
"I know that I'll die if I do."
Keith felt his eyes water, "Lance, you don't know that!"
Lance balled up his fists, "You know what? Fine. I'll do it. I have my dying note on me anyways." He snapped.
He stood up, and faced Keith, and Keith realized two things.
One, Lance was tired. He was so tired of living, and was willing to throw it all away without hesitation.
Two, Lance loved him. Him. Keith's c r u s h liked him back. His crush, Lance, had been suffering a horrible disease because of how awful he had been treating him.
Lance's eyes softened as Keith's eyes flashed in realization, "You get it now, huh?" Lance's eyes watered. He couldn't believe he was doing this.
"Yeah. I like you, Keith." Lance said nonchalantly, even though he was freaking out on the inside.
Keith didn't know what to say. His crush liked him back??
"I.. uh.. how long have you had Hanahaki?" Keith asked him quietly.
Lance began coughing and hacking up flowers, "Four months."
There was a silence, and Lance smiled softly, "Reject me already.."
"What?! No!" Keith yelled, "Why would I reject you?!"
Lance sighed, "You don't have to pretend to like me." He said quietly, "I was going to let myself die anyways."
"No, Lance I've liked you for a long time!" Keith cried out, "I've.. I've had Hanahaki too, but for three months.."
Lance froze in place, unmoving.
His tears hit the floor with soft drops, and he lunged forwards, hugging Keith, burying his face into the crook of his neck.
He was happy (tad bit sad) that he wasn't going to die.
"I didn't want to get the surgery." Lance whispered, "I.. I loved you too much for that."
Keith wrapped his arms around Lance, "Yeah.. everyone except for you knew I liked you."
"Is that why they've been trying to set us up?" Lance chuckled softly, "I love you, Keith."
"I love you too." Keith pressed a sweet kiss onto Lance's lips.
Lance felt the flowers within him wither and disappear, and he felt like he could breathe again.
They sat there for moments, just in each other's arms. At one point, they lied down, and fell asleep.
Lance was willing to die, just for Keith. But he was glad he didn't, because if he died, so would Keith.