a/n: oh yeah guess whose getting fancy with the authors notes! Lol but heads up the next few chapters will be a little short just cuz if I add them together into one they'll be way too long and I'm not gonna that to y'all so just saying next few are less than my usual amount. Enjoy!
Lance blinked at the sight of the message. Keith usually didn't text this late, but he also didn't have a specific time either.
7:01
Keith- hi
Lance- hey man how's it going
Keith- eh i hung out with coran and shiro today
Lance- oh dude cool
Keith- yea it was nice. U?
Lance- the meeting went well but between me and u...i think allura has the hots for this guy..
Keith- does his name happen to be..lotor?
Lance- :/ how'd u know
Keith- oh just shiro has to endure her talking about it and i have to endure him talking about her talking about it
Lance- oh well yea i knew it i knew something was going on
Keith- did u
Lance- yes! The whole damn meeting they were glancing at each other smiling, it wouldn't be more obvious if they started playing footsie!
Keith- hmm sounds cute to watch
Lance- except you forgot one factor
Keith- i didn't forget shiro but also between u and me? I'm pretty sure that he has moved on
Lance- from allura?? What
Keith- well he loves her of course just like as a friend..he has feelings for someone else
Lance- wha
Keith- heh yea no he..don't tell anyone i'm telling you this though we will all know sooner or later
Lance- of course man what is it
Keith- shiro is bi..and he has had a crush on matt for a while now
Lance- no way!! I think matt might like him too
Keith- yea yea he does but because of our dad..well..it's left me and shiro from holding back for a while
Lance- oh. Oh yeah
Lance stared at the top or his ceiling, the plastic glow in the dark stars pale, slowly losing their touch. Only one still glowed bright.
Keith- yea..about that. We talked to him today. Me and Shiro..because we needed to tell him...how we felt
Lance- oh did it go well?
Keith- yea he is shocked and of course it will be weird cuz he has to get used to speaking to me again..
Lance couldn't take it anymore. What the hell was Keith talking about?? This was insane. His dad was not talking to him? Even if they weren't were they were before he left for New York, Keith could still tell him about that. They were still friends.
Lance- okay i'm sorry but u need to tell me what's been going on between you and ur dad it's insane hiding this from me! Ik it's crushing u and u still insist on lying to me
Keith-...yea ik that's actually y i texted u..we do need to talk
Lance- oh ok.
Keith- can u..can u get away for a little?
Lance- i can prob leave the house if i let my Lita know
Keith- alright
Lance- where tho
Keith- um..the edge of the park
Lance- ok
Of course Lance was nervous, the park brought back memories. Good ones yes, but good memories reminded him of the pain and well, the park was one of the main sources of his aching nostalgia. He didn't even know if he could stand it. But Keith could, so he had to try.
He got there before Keith, having told Melissa he was going to talk to Keith about some things in private. She eyed him at first but at his worried look her eyes softened and she told him to just be back before midnight. He scoffed thinking about it, kicking grass with droplets of dew on it, like he would be out here that long.
Keith came up the road and caught Lance's eye. They held contact until he came to stand right in front of him and then he glanced down or anywhere but at Lance.
Lance stared at the sky, the stars starting to peek through the velvety violet sky. "Look Keith-"
"Yeah I know what you're going to say okay? And I'm sorry I didn't tell you..just so much has been going on and I couldn't bring myself to speak about it. Especially to you."
Lance knew that was supposed to be a reassurance but the last part kind of hurt. "I was just going to say it's okay that you couldn't tell me before. I understand."
Keith looked up now, and Lance caught a glimpse- just a ghost of the boy he used to know. The 7 year old boy he taught to swim. The boy he found hidden in a janitor's closet, the boy he missed and loved.
Keith blinked, and the boy was gone instead stood Keith, the boy with a fire in his eyes and pain i'm his heart.
Just like Lance.
Lance realized then that him and Keith were more similar now than they ever had been..and maybe that was a good thing. They could work through this together. But one foot at a time.
"Oh. I- I still need to apologize. I took advantage of you. We are both hurt, and vulnerable..and I took what he had in the past and I acted like we could just start back up again which is wrong. Especially because I didn't tell you anything I've gone through now.." Keith said.
"Yeah..but we need to take the change and how we are now and retake this. We can try again. We aren't like we were then but we can be, but more honest and open and mature about this okay?" Lance asked holding out his hand.
Keith hesitated and Lance saw the confliction in his eyes. Pain, sorrow confusion fear and then there was the fire. The fire that Lance knew he would and was already coming to love. God, was it this easy to fall for the same guy twice?
Keith shook Lance's hand smiling softly. Lance returned the gesture amd saw Keith open his mouth to speak before his eyes crinkled and he cleared his throat.
"I don't know how to explain this well but uh.." He blushed. "I mean you already know that I'm gay but I figured it out myself a little before you left for New York and it was because I had uh fallen for you." He coughed looking away.
Lance chuckled. "Heh so did I actually but I knew I was bi."
Keith couldn't hide his blush now under Lance's smile. He cleared his throat again and continued.
"Well I told my family and..well you know- knew my dad. He always hung out with me and Shiro..but after I told him he started to ignore me almost like he didn't know me. I was able to take it but he started to drift from my whole family and that hurt. A lot. He was never home and it was like he didnt live with us at all. For a little while, he still hung out with Shiro but then he stopped. Shiro was scared to come out when he realized he wa bi and likes Matt. He was the "golden boy" in Dad's eyes and he wanted to keep that. He didn't want to end up like me. But I knew the whole time. And it was killing Shiro hiding from his parents like that and Matt was hurting too so we decided to finish this tonight. And it did end well."
Lance didn't know what to say at first. Keith didn't meet his eyes, but Lance could sense the emotion radiating from him. "He did apologize right?" Lance breathed.
Keith nodded biting his lip. "It's weird though, he seemed so ashamed of himself and so guilty. And the thing is when I planned on telling him how I felt I was angry and wanted him to be I don't know- sad? Guilty yes, I wanted him to fall apart like ai had. I wanted him to feel the pain but tonight seeing him like that.." he looked at Lance from under his bangs.
Lance nodded. He was slightly surprised then when Keith leaned into Lance's chest. Lance breathed in the smell of Keith's hair instantly remembering the night on the beach in Tokyo..and then the night on Karin's doorstep. He sighed wrapping his arms around Keith's scrawny build.
"I understand why you didn't say anything Keith." Lance whispered.
He felt Keith shift and looked down to see Keith looking up at him. He had forgotten how amazing Keith's eyes were- the dark purple flecks in those impossibly dark eyes..he started to lose himself.
"Thank you Lance." Keith said bringing Lance back to the present. Lance nodded smiling and holding Keith tighter.
Somethings took time.
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"This is your chance Shiro!" Keith insisted trailing behind his older brother through the kitchen.
Shiro ran his fingers through his hair.
"But- I mean it's so sudden Keith and- and I mean Allura she- I, I'm still dating her.." He mumbled rambling under his breath.
"Not for long" Keith mumbled.
Shiro had woken up early waking Keith along with him because he had been thinking all night.
Basically, as he told Keith, he had been rethinking his friendship with. Matt and trying to see if he could remember Matt ever dropping hints of a slight crush. So far, he said he had nothing. But still wanted to do something. But at the same time was hesitant.
"I mean he never ever showed any sign of that..like did I? Maybe it's because I didn't.."
"Shiro. Even if he didn't show it doesn't mean it's not there. Also I know Matt he uh he..." Keith refrained from telling Shiro about Matt's feelings. Matt was just as hesitant as Shiro. That's what made this so difficult. "You should just go for it."
"Allura.." Shiro reminded.
"You don't have to start anything just I don't know talk to him? Tell him that it's alright with Dad now..I don't know maybe drop some hints?.."
Shiro glanced at him warily. "I'm just going to assume you mean drop hints that I want a relationship with him..which I do honestly but once again Allura.."
"I'm not saying-" Keith sighed rubbing a hand through his stiff bed head. "Just trust me okay?"
Shiro stood there looking out his window for a good five seconds, enough time to make Keith groan. "Fine." Shiro said looking at Keith calmly. "I trust you."
Keith smirked. "There's the old pal I know and love."
Shiro laughed shoving Keith as he passed. "I'm not old."
"Okay." Keith said. "Grandpa." he mumbled under his breath.
"Heard that." Shiro called from the doorway as he slipped on his shoes.
"Where are you going?" Keith asked.
"The Holt's." He said without glancing back, and with that he closed the door.
Keith looked up at a sound on the steps to see his mother walking towards him. "Good morning." She said heading to the door with her keys.
He frowned. He had assumed his parents were already at work..they usually left before be was up. "Why aren't you at work already."
Krolia stopped dead in her tracks before smiling. "So you noticed.." Her eyes crinkling, though there was something in her eyes that Keith almost didn't watch. "I uh had to talk to your father." She said plainly.
"Why? Wait he isn't at work either?"
"Um no..that's what I was talking to him about..you'll see. Where's Shiro?" She asked looking for the boy in question.
"Um he went to a friends house why?"
"Oh. Nevermind then..well I'm late. See you at six." She said closing the door before he could ask another question.
He sighed and went towards his room to be stopped by his dad at the top of the stairs. They locked eye contact and both held their breaths until James smiled.
"Good morning Keith." He said. The kindness, the plain simple kindness in his voice was surreal and Keith blinked. But he smiled back.
"Good morning." He said. "Why aren't you at work?" He asked since his question wasn't answered the first time.
James waved it off. "Decided to spend the day with my boys..." He didn't make eye contact. "Where's Shiro?"
"At a friend's." Keith said bluntly. He had to say it that way..otherwise he might let it slip what he was thinking or doing...which was panicking. 'Spending the day with my boys'? That was actually the weirdest thing ever and Keith couldn't compute. So he left it at that.
For a moment, James face fell before a bright smile took place. It almost knocked Keith off his feet. "Well then just me and you pal." He cringed and then walked over to Keith.
Keith had cringed too but shrugged it off as his father walked over to him and spoke softly. "Keith, I'm not going to lie and say i'm not uncomfortable or pretend that your not. This is new and awkward. But we have to start somewhere. So how about now?" He asked looking Keith in the eye. Keith held his gaze, his father looked..truly genuine and apologetic. And determined.
Keith smiled. "Sounds fine. So what are we up to?"
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Shiro sat in his car outside the white brick house for a good 10 minutes. Matt was his friend and nothing had really changed between them. Shiro felt the same and Matt most likely did because he didn't know of anything Shiro was going to walk inside and say. It wasn't how it was now..it was how this would end. Most likely well but Shiro had lived so long in fear and hesitation he didn't know if he could go with this new life. Being truthful and out there with his feelings. That scared him.
He sighed and got out of the car, walking up to the door. He knocked once before Colleen Holt opened the door. She smiled at the sight of him.
"Shiro! I was just leaving for work..what brings you here?" she asked sweetly.
Colleen was a sweet strong woman whose abrasive, head strong passion showed in her daughter, while Matt earned the self assured calmness from his father, both kids ending up with the intelligence.
"Oh I came to see- talk to Matt." He said.
"Oh good. He doesn't have a convention today so you came at a good day!" She said smiling at him before turning into the house and called Matt.
"He'll be right down. Make yourself at home but I gotta go, Sam's gone but Katie is sleeping so uh keep quiet. She gets..cranky." Colleen's eyes darkened before she smiled again heading to her car.
Shiro stepped inside the house and barely set a foot in the living room before Matt was there. He grinned and hugged Shiro.
"Bro I missed you. How was the trip?" He asked. Shiro controlled his emotions. Keep it cool..no one knows.
"It was alright. Nice and relaxing. Yours?"
Matt smiled again. "Amazing so many things I have to tell you." Matt went off about the multiple museums and shops they went to, beaches and parks, temples and shrines.
"That sounds amazing." Shiro said nodding along.
Matt soon stopped talking he peered up at Shiro. "There's uh..nothing you need to say? You look.." He glanced at Shiro, looking him up and down. "Tense."
Shiro sighed letting off the charade, "Actually, yeah..it's about my dad."
Matt's eyebrows got lost in his shaggy brown hair his eyes growing soft. "Is everything okay?" Shiro cringed at that, it was like he already knew what was to be said.
Shiro sat down and told Matt about the night before, Keith's honest to a fault speech, their dad falling apart in shame and then Shiro telling his father about his sexuality. He left out the part on his feelings for Matt.
Matt was silent the whole time, his eyes searching and wildly trying to understand everything at one time.
"That's harsh..are you okay Shiro?" he asked. Shiro nodded as Matt placed a hand on his shoulder.
Shiro smiled at Matt. "I will be."
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Lance sat on the armchair of the sofa in the living room, the twins sitting to the left of him and Maria on his lap. Rachel sat on the floor in front of Melissa who sat in the recliner chair. The whole family sat waiting for Rosa and Kevin's announcement.
"Better not be pregnant again.." Melissa mumbled.
"Mama!" Rosa cried.
"Just joking." Melissa chuckled. Lance laughed along with Victor.
"Actually it is still good news." Kevin said.
"We've been thinking and well.." Rosa glanced at her husband and in sync they stated.
"We are planning on staying in Malibu." They smiled.
It was silent. Everyone blinked and cocked their heads.
"Yes we know but we are looking for permanent jobs.." Kevin started.
"You guys can go back to school Lance you lived here for majority of your childhood this should be good for you.." Rosa said looking at Lance's appalled face.
"We will go see Veronica off to college of course but that's in a little while." Kevin said. He cracked his knuckles before wringing out his hands.
"Nothing?" Rosa asked quietly.
Melissa was the first to react, picking up Rosa and Kevin in a hug. "This is great! I can finally not be so lonely here.." Then she let them go. "But we are splitting rent."
"Of course Mama." Kevin said smiling.
"This is cool. I like the soccer team here.." Victor mumbled before smiling and hugging his parents too. Marco shrugged before joining in along with Rachel who had a huge smile on her face.
"Yay! I love hugs!!" she exclaimed as she cuddled under her mother's arm.
Lance walked stiffly over to the small group and joined in, but he was silent. Too many things were going through his head. He was happy yes, this meant more time with his friends and time to mend with Keith but...Romelle and his life in nEw York. Two years isn't long but it was long enough to build a life that he loved.
Lance was tired of moving around, maybe it was good to settle in Malibu but he didn't know if he was ready to leave behind that life. He was never good at letting go.