Chapter Text
1.
Keith would’ve loved to tune out Coach Kolivan’s speech about the team’s performance.
It wasn’t like he was lazy; he made sure to always be in the loop and take charge. After all, he was proud to wear the captain’s armband, and they wanted to start the new season with a bang.
But that afternoon, his mind had been drifting.
When Kolivan finally dismissed the team, everyone headed to the locker room.
The Practice session had been harsh. Keith’s muscles felt sore, and he really needed to wash all of the sweat off before changing back into regular clothes. He was going back to Lance’s room and wanted his friend to be satisfied with his appearance. Only because Lance had fussed over him the one time he’d felt too tired to shower after a workout.
Keith sighed under his breath when the stream of hot water ran down his skin.
As always, he used a simple 2-in-1 shower and hair product for athletes. Lance made a fuss over it before, but there was nothing wrong with the product. So what if it was supposedly bad for his hair? It had a fresh smell, was practical, and saved space.
Besides, Lance liked the scent on Keith. He thought he was sneaky when he nuzzled his nose into Keith’s hair or the collar of his varsity jacket at any opportunity. But Keith noticed; and felt his chest swell with an odd satisfaction.
Once he was done in the shower, he dried off and walked back to his locker to get dressed. He packed up his gym bag and grabbed his red and white varsity jacket. His hand made contact with the cold metal of the locker wall—the hook was empty.
“Where’s my jacket?” Keith voiced his confusion out loud.
Rolo said, “I don’t remember you wearing it before practice.”
“I wear it all the time.” Keith frowned. “Who stole it?”
“I doubt anyone did. Definitely none of us.”
“Yeah, you probably left it somewhere or didn’t even wear it today.”
Keith still found it strange, but there was no use trying to argue with the guys. None of them had a reason to steal it; everyone had their names on it, after all. And outsiders couldn’t get to the lockers just like that.
He shouldered his bag and left.
Outside, Lance was leaning against the wall, smiling at the soccer players walking out. Keith’s lips curled up as if on autopilot. Lance always had that effect on him with just his presence alone, and his smile had the power to brighten up any mood.
His posture was relaxed, hands in the pockets of his jacket. Stars in sky blue, pastel pink and white showed on a sliver of brown skin between red and white. He always wore this bracelet to show his pride, but something was different with the picture.
Lance stepped forward to meet him, and that was when it clicked. He was wearing a red and white varsity jacket. The jacket of the soccer team.
And there was only one player it could belong to.
“Oh,” Keith said lamely. “That’s where my jacket went.”
Of Course. Sitting back-to-back on Lance’s bed earlier, he’d lost track of time. Lance had to shoo him out because he was running late for training—and in his hurry, he’d only grabbed for his gym bag.
“Yeah. You left it on my bed earlier, so it’s only fair I get to wear it.” Lance grinned innocently. “Why? Want it back?”
“Nah. Keep it.”
Truth be told, sometimes, Keith had these thoughts flashing in his mind, what it would be like if Lance wore his jacket. Now it came true, and his heart performed somersaults in his chest. The excitement added to the warmth he felt whenever Lance came to the soccer field for him. Those were normal feelings you had for a close friend, right? Because that was all that they were. Friends.
“Awesome.” Lance grinned and fell into step right beside him.
Their hands brushed. It would’ve been so easy for Keith to link their fingers, to gently caress Lance’s knuckles with his thumb. But he didn’t make the move.
Lance continued chatting. “You know, I should snatch your clothes more often. Red looks better on me than I ever thought it would.”
“Yeah, it does,” Keith agreed without thinking. “It looks amazing on you.”
“Is that an invitation to borrow from your closet whenever I feel like?”
Glancing over, he found Lance looking at him with one eyebrow raised.
He shrugged. “Sure. Do what you gotta do.”
“Nice. I can totally pull off the edgy jock look.”
Keith chuckled. “Except everyone knows it’s mine because my name’s on it. And I’m not edgy.”
“Still looks great on me. And yes, you are. You’re the edgiest jock, ever.”
“I’m not edgy!” Keith huffed. “Can’t argue with the rest, though. You look great in anything.”
There was a cough behind them. Keith and Lance both turned around and found the other players looking at them in amusement.
One of the guys said, “Look, we’re happy for you, but you two are giving us diabetes.”
“Yeah, not everyone here is into PDA. Get a room.”
“What? What’re you talking about?” Keith asked.
“We know you’re dating, but there’s a time and place for everything.”
“We aren’t dating!” Keith and Lance both said at the same time.
The moment they realized they’d done it, they looked at each other, then hastily looked off in different directions.
The guys just gave them unimpressed stares.
Keith huffed. “Come on, let’s go.”
Without waiting for a reply, Keith grabbed Lance’s hand.
“That’s not very convincing, you know!”
“You aren’t helping your case!”
He tried to ignore the guys’ shouts as he and Lance left them behind, but he wasn’t succeeding. Their words hit him right to the core.
The idea of him and Lance dating—a light and fluttery sensation in his stomach. It only intensified when he felt the soft skin of Lance’s hand the entire way.
When he finally let go of Lance’s hand as they reached his room, his chest ached.
He tried to push the thoughts to the far back of his mind. For now, he had to focus on doing homework.
2.
Ever since that afternoon, Keith’s teammates would keep teasing him about Lance. That was all fine, he could shrug it off. He wasn’t bothered save for the confusion about his body’s sensations.
No one else assumed he and Lance were dating—or so Keith thought until he met up with his friends a few weeks later.
They wanted to hang out in a lounge room of the dorms with coffee and snacks. Lance had yet to join them. None of his friends asked about what to order for him; he didn’t point it out.
When it was Keith’s turn in line, he got a large iced coffee and two donuts. One of them was Lance’s favorite, and they both enjoyed the drink. He could share the extra.
Finally, the group sat down in armchairs around a table. Keith didn’t join the conversation right away, instead waiting for Lance to arrive. It was odd; he always made sure to send a notice if he couldn’t make it. There had been no text nor missed call.
But finally, Lance arrived—and squeezed himself right next to Keith.
He huffed out a breath but shifted immediately so they could be comfortable in the armchair. They often shared a seat; Keith liked how their thighs touched whenever they sat so close.
“Oh, you’re here,” Pidge said.
“Hello to you, too,” Lance said. He sounded just a little annoyed. “I got held up. Anyway, have anything for me?”
“Nope,” Allura replied. “You’re late, and we didn’t know what you wanted.”
“What? That’s not fair!” Lance whined.
“We actually thought you weren’t coming at all,” Hunk admitted.
“I can’t believe you’re so heartless. I thought we were friends.”
Lance’s tone was exaggerated and overdramatic for show as it often was. Still, Keith noticed his voice was just slightly off, felt the smallest tremble against his own body. He was mad at the others for not considering Lance and making him upset. Now, he was glad for his forethought to order double.
But he felt he couldn’t say it outright, that he had to be casual even though he bought the extras for him.
He slid the near-full iced coffee and one of the cream-filled donuts to the side. It was the vanilla one with the most sugary icing and sprinkles—Lance’s favorite.
Lance looked at him in surprise.
Keith held his gaze. “Here you go.”
“Are you sure?” Lance asked.
“Would I offer otherwise?” Keith countered. He went on to joke, “You already share my clothes, why not my food and coffee?”
“If you put it that way…”
Lance smiled and took a long sip from the iced coffee before taking a hearty bite from the donut. Keith took the cup back and drank from it like it was totally normal to share from the same straw.
“You know that’s like an indirect kiss, right?” Lance said nonchalantly.
“Really? Guess we also share kisses now.”
Lance giggled, and Keith smiled. Warmth spread all over his body, knowing that he had drawn this sweet sound from Lance. Making him laugh or smile was an awesome feeling.
“Anyway,” Lance said between subsiding giggles, “friendship ended with all of you. Except for Keith. Keith is now my best friend.”
Keith had been so drawn in by Lance’s presence he had nearly forgotten their friends were around. This happened with increasing frequency.
“Don’t you mean boyfriend?” Pidge deadpanned. “He already had the big upgrade.”
Lance’s voice was squeaky when he said, “What?! No! When I say best friend, I mean best friend!”
Allura and Hunk gave unimpressed looks.
Allura said, “You share armchairs—which not even Hunk and I do, I might add. Lance keeps taking Keith’s clothes, most of all his varsity jacket, the epitome of cliché boyfriend jacket. Now, you share food and talk about kisses.”
Hunk concluded, “Those are all pretty clear signs of dating each other. We would know; we went through most of these. The ones that apply, anyway. I’m not a jock, so I don’t have a varsity jacket for Allura.”
“We aren’t dating!” Keith and Lance exclaimed at the same time.
Like before, they met each other’s gaze, only to look anywhere but each other a second later. Keith took another sip of iced coffee. He thought he saw a faint blush on Lance’s face.
“Whatever you need to tell yourselves to sleep at night,” Pidge said with a shrug.
Keith didn’t know what everyone was on about so suddenly. All he knew was he felt warm and happy with Lance. His heart started beating faster, a fluttery feeling spread through his chest and stomach whenever he just thought about him. It was like the rush of adrenaline of a soccer match, but so much sweeter.
And Keith had a feeling that Lance felt the same way.
But that was the deep comfort they shared, right? Just because they were this close didn’t mean they were dating or thinking about it.
At least that’s what Keith needed to tell himself so he could sleep at night.
3.
One night with spring right around the corner, Keith was out late.
The soccer team had been scheduled for extra training sessions lasting well through the evening. It wasn’t uncommon; important games were coming up.
Coach Kolivan always drilled them to practice hard at all times. Keith had no issues adapting to his philosophies. After all, he’d worked out every day ever since his teens, hitting the gym and lifting weights even in his free time.
When he walked up to his bike, it was already dark.
“Hey, Keith, wanna join for a round of gaming?” Rolo asked.
Keith didn’t mind hanging out with the guys after training even on a school night, but he shook his head. “Nah, I’m off to pick Lance up from his evening class.”
“Ah, of course. That’s why you bring your bike on Thursdays nowadays.”
“Yeah. Just wanna make sure he gets home safe.”
Keith stowed his bag away and retrieved his helmet to put it on.
“You really go out of your way even though our campus is known for its safety,” Rolo observed.
“Yeah, that’s a lot of effort for allegedly not dating,” another voice chimed in.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Keith asked defensively.
“Oh, nothing. Say hi to your boyfriend for us!”
“He’s not my boyfriend!” Keith shouted at the retreating forms of his teammates.
He groaned when he heard them cackling.
After many weeks and well into the next semester, the soccer team, as well as Keith and Lance’s friends, remained convinced the two of them were dating. Keith wouldn’t be surprised if, by now, the entire campus thought they were an item.
But they weren’t!
Sure, Keith openly admitted now he would like it if they were dating, but they were just dear friends who were really touchy-feely with each other. Lance took his clothes nearly every day now. And Keith liked treating Lance to meals, readily gave his jacket to make sure he was warm, and was happy to pick him up from class at night.
He enjoyed going out of his way and doing little extra things for Lance. He loved spending any bit of time with him that he could. Making Lance happy and ensuring his comfort filled Keith with such warmth and satisfaction without compare.
Even if he tried to rationalize it in front of anyone else.
Finally, Keith revved up the engine.
When he reached the destination at the other end of campus, he stopped near the entrance. He got off the bike and leaned against it. The lecture wasn’t over yet; the soccer team was done sooner. He could be the knight on a shiny motorbike for Lance without making him wait.
This had been a thing since the semester started, but Keith pulled out his phone to text Lance. He did it every time just to let him know he was there. Lance always sent back a string of kissing cat-face emojis without a word. Keith smiled fondly at his screen, butterflies on the loose in his stomach.
The wait time wasn’t too long. Finally, Keith spotted Lance walking along with some classmates. His smile instinctively widened as Lance waved with a bright smile of his own.
The girl walking next to Lance lightly clapped his shoulder. Her voice carried over to where Keith stood.
“Your boyfriend’s picking you up again? Wow, he’s a keeper.”
“He’s not my boyfriend. And besides, he’s center-forward, not keeper.”
“I’m not talking about soccer positions, silly.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever.”
Lance picked up his pace and surprised Keith with a tight hug in greeting.
“Hey,” Lance breathed against his ear, causing a warm shiver down his spine. “Thanks for coming by bike. I’m tired.”
Keith chuckled. “I figured. Let’s go home.”
“Yeah.”
Lance stepped back so he could get the spare helmet.
Scanning Lance’s look more closely, Keith noticed he was only wearing a light shirt. The elegance of the sky blue garment coupled with one of Keith’s sweatpants was charming, but…
He frowned. “Why didn’t you bring a jacket?”
Lance shrugged. “It’s long-sleeved. It was warm when I headed out earlier.”
“That was in the afternoon.”
“I guess I forgot because the sunshine was nice and toasty.”
Keith wasted no time unbuttoning his jacket and shrugging out of it so he could hand it to Lance. “Here you go.”
“Oh, I’ll be fine, thank you.”
Keith’s lips quirked up. “You snatch it pretty much every day, and suddenly you don’t want it? I’ll remember that.”
“I didn’t say I don’t want it!” Lance huffed. “Fine, I’ll wear it. But don’t complain if you end up sick and unable to play soccer later.”
He took the jacket and put it on, buttons all the way up. As always, it made Keith’s heart perform somersaults.
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Besides, I have a warm turtleneck sweater. I don’t get sick that easily, but you are weak to the cold.”
“You aren’t immune forever, though, and I don’t want to hear complaints when I nurse you back to health.”
“Why would I complain? You already fuss over me all the time, just like I do over you.”
Loud giggles sounded from the nearby parking spaces. Keith ignored them and motioned for Lance to mount the bike with him.
“Ready?” he asked when they were both seated properly.
“Ready,” Lance replied, his arms wrapped tightly around Keith’s middle.
“Let’s go.”
Keith revved the engine up once more and took off.
He loved riding the bike with Lance. Sometimes, he indulged himself imagining Lance would lean his cheek against him if the helmet wasn’t in the way. He would love a nice cuddle session in a position like this while watching a movie on the bed.
When they arrived at the dorms and were about to part ways for their rooms, Lance started to unbutton the jacket. Keith stopped him.
“Keep it,” he said. “You can wear it again in the morning.”
“Okay.” Lance smiled. “Good night, Keith. Sweet dreams.”
Keith returned the smile. “You too, Lance. Sweet dreams.”
He stood and waited for a moment, watching Lance’s form retreat. His heart sped up when Lance turned his head and waved with a bright smile before stepping in. Keith waved back and finally entered his room, a bittersweet taste as he imagined going in together.
And he indeed had sweet dreams that night, as he did so often lately, of all the things he already had with Lance, and all the things he still could if they were dating.
Not that they would anytime soon.
4.
At last, it was time for the final match of the season: the game against Galra, Voltron’s rival team. This game would decide who won the cup. The whole school was excited, anticipation had swung around the week leading up to it.
Keith had always played well under this kind of pressure, and he would work his hardest to bring victory for their team. It was a home match, which always served to boost the spirit.
He was headed to the soccer field with the rest of the team when he heard a voice call, “Keith! Wait!”
Though he knew Lance’s voice right away, he turned around to see him jog toward them. Keith signaled for the others to keep going while he waited. He was curious to hear what was the matter this shortly before the match.
Lance finally caught up and came to a halt right in front of him.
“What’s up?” Keith asked.
“Your ponytail is a mess,” Lance said in the familiar, affectionately fussy tone. “Turn around and let me fix it.”
Keith huffed but did as he was told.
“Did you run all the way just to fuss over my hair like you always do?” he asked while Lance’s hands worked with his ponytail.
Something was off—different than the hair tie he was used to. When Lance was done, Keith carefully brought a hand up to his hair. He felt smooth, vaguely star-shaped material beneath his fingertips. Eyebrows creased, he turned around. His gaze flickered to the bracelet on Lance’s wrist before meeting his eyes.
As if reading his unspoken question, Lance explained, “Red and blue stars, because, you know. A hair tie for good luck.”
“Oh.” Keith smiled warmly and summoned every ounce of affection into his voice. “Thank you, Lance. I’m sure it’ll help me win.”
Lance shuffled one foot and fidgeted with his bracelet. “There’s something else. Another good luck charm.”
“What is it?” Keith asked, ever curious.
But Lance didn’t reply. He leaned forward—and kissed Keith on the lips.
For a good second, he was too surprised to react. His mind was reduced to static noise and running through a million thoughts all at once.
Lance was kissing him. His lips were softer than anything he’d ever felt, and Keith wanted to melt into him, pull him closer. He wanted this moment to last forever.
But just when he’d started to kiss back, Lance pulled away. Keith’s attempts to follow his lips were in vain, his arm hanging in the empty air. The person he was longing to hold, had held just a second ago, was now a step away.
Lance’s face looked flushed, and his voice was squeaky. “So, uh, yeah. I’m gonna be right at the front to cheer you on. You better win this for me!”
Without leaving a chance to reply, he ran off to the entrance for viewers.
Keith grinned from ear to ear. He was vibrating with excitement. A good luck kiss from Lance. The exact meaning was still in the air, but what did it matter right now?
“You bet I’m gonna win it for you,” he vowed even though Lance was out of earshot.
When he turned to join his teammates again, he saw that they weren’t too far from him—and everyone gave him amused, knowing grins. Not just the team, the trainer staff as well.
“A good luck kiss from the boyfriend, huh?” Shiro was the first to speak the words everyone must’ve been dying to say. His voice was teasing, but there was a glint of nostalgia in his eyes.
Keith sighed. “We aren’t dating.”
There was a chorus of, “Sounds fake, but okay.”
He picked up the pace to walk past everyone. “Come on, we have a game to win.”
“You sure are motivated, knowing that your boyfriend is watching.”
“Yeah, I want to win this for him.”
“How romantic.”
Keith just huffed as they all went to their lockers to get changed.
While warming up, he let his eyes wander the bleachers. Lance was right in the front row near one of the goals. In front of him, a hand-painted banner to cheer for Keith and his team.
Keith smiled even though he knew Lance couldn’t see it. In his heart, he hoped they would get to play the second half facing that side. Scoring a goal of victory right in front of Lance? Talk about the ideal scenario to impress his hopefully-boyfriend.
It was a beautiful day, sunny and warm, but not too hot; perfect conditions for the viewers. Keith could play in any weather, but it was picturesque: clear blue sky while Lance cheered him on with his bright smile. More than ever, he was pumped for the game.
Finally, it was time for kick-off. Everyone shook hands. Lotor, the Galra team captain, wore a smug smirk. Keith gave him a nod, though his face remained neutral. Their grip was firm; neither wanted to back down from the challenge, both wanted victory for their team.
By a stroke of luck, Keith was the one to pick sides. And so, his wish came true—they would start out defending the goal where their friends were, then play against it in the second half. Now, he just needed to score.
He knew that the Galra team, dressed in purple from head to toe, were a dangerous opponent. But Voltron’s red jerseys matched their passionate spirit.
And today, Keith had a reason to win beyond just the competition.
As expected, the match was tough. Lotor was the first to score for Galra and had many close chances. Keith equalized before the halftime whistle, but the tension in the locker room was high.
Before the second half was about to begin, Keith had to re-do his ponytail.
He held the hair tie of red and blue stars between his fingers. Was it handmade, like a match to Lance’s bracelet? His heart soared at the thought and because it was a gift from him.
Without thinking about what he was doing, Keith touched one of the blue stars to his lips before tying his hair back.
His eyes searched the crowds for Lance. He felt he could hear his voice over the noise: calling his name over and over, that he could do it. His resolve strengthened anew.
“That’s a lovely little accessory you have there,” Lotor called out to him from the other side of the halfway line. “Never thought you were the type to dress up all pretty.”
“I’m not,” Keith called back. “It’s a gift.”
“Oh? Girlfriend? Boyfriend?” Lotor asked, one eyebrow raised.
“My special person, and his good luck charms will bring about your defeat.”
“We’ll see about that when we get there!” Lotor yelled over the sound of the whistle.
The second half continued much like the first.
Galra were as aggressive as ever, but Voltron played with newfound energy. Keith, especially, played with a fire burning strong. Out of everyone on the field, he had the most chances now, even if the Galra’s defense managed to stop and disrupt. But he knew that he would make it, sooner or later.
He had to.
As the minutes ticked closer toward the end of playtime, the game got messier.
Keith was running close to the goal with the ball, ready to aim, when he was fouled. It wasn’t enough to injure him, but straightaway, the referee pointed at the penalty spot. Keith stepped up without hesitation.
He touched his hair tie with the tips of his fingers. Sought out Lance’s face in the crowd. Breathing in, he took a run-up—and hammered an unstoppable shot. The ball soared into the net, straight past the goalie.
The cheers were deafening. Keith’s teammates came running to celebrate his goal with hugs and a clap to the back. The remaining minutes passed like in a trance.
At last, the ref blew the final whistle. The opposing players shook hands over a good match.
But most of all, Team Voltron celebrated their victory. They walked along the bleachers to greet their cheering supporters.
When they reached the side where their friends and partners were, Lance was right there, leaning over the fence. Keith didn’t think about what he did next. He reached out, but not to take Lance’s hand. Instead, he cupped Lance’s face—and kissed him straight on the lips, right there, for the world to see.
The moment felt infinite to Keith. Every nerve in his body was attuned to the sensation of Lance’s soft lips moving in sync with his own, of Lance’s skin and hair against his fingers.
When they parted for breath, Lance looked dazed but smiled from ear to ear. Keith’s grin felt like it was permanently stuck on his face. Winning the match and kissing the boy he loved; life couldn’t have been more perfect.
Keith could’ve gazed at him forever, but a shout of his name brought him back to reality.
“You can kiss your boyfriend all you want later!” Kolivan reprimanded.
“We aren’t dating!” Keith said on reflex.
His chest ached the moment the words left his lips. It didn’t escape his notice that Lance only spoke at the end of the sentence, his voice low. Glancing back over his shoulder, he found Lance’s expression crestfallen. His heart sank.
He had caused this.
Their kiss had carried so much heart, everything they’d longed to express. Yet, the words had slipped out.
The denial was the wall of defending players, and he’d messed up his free kick. He needed to make up for it now.
He and Lance both needed to put their feelings out in the open when they could talk in private.
But an opportunity wouldn’t come for a while. The celebrations continued, and the team had to go shower.
Walking out of the locker room, Keith wore the circle of red and blue stars like a bracelet, on display above his fingerless gloves.
5.
To celebrate their victory, Rolo’s friends threw together a party. Everyone was excited to go.
Keith hated parties, at least the type that went to the extremes and with too many people. But as the captain and scorer of the decisive goal, he agreed to join when his teammate relayed everyone the details.
Even if he’d wish to celebrate with Lance, just the two of them in the quiet comfort of one of their bedrooms.
When Keith met up with his friends after finishing up in the lockers, he gave Lance a soft smile. Apologetic, reassuring, hopeful.
Lance smiled back, matching softness, and snatched Keith’s varsity jacket right from his arm. It was a relief; a sign that everything was alright despite the slip.
But the hope to spend the party close together dissolved when Lance slipped from his sight once they reached the location.
So instead, Keith leaned against the wall in the far back of the room, surrounded by other introverted jocks. Shiro was with them despite graduating long ago. He was a brother-figure to Keith and highly respected by everyone, both as a former player and part of the trainer staff. His presence helped keep the party tame.
Keith hadn’t bothered to get changed; if he was already going, he wanted to stay comfortable in his sweatpants and black v-neck. The special hair tie remained around his wrist.
The whole time, he tried to spot Lance, just to see him, to maybe join him. But there was no sight of him. Even if the party wasn’t dreaded as it could be, he was a little worried. He was easily protective when it came to Lance.
Then again, he was just yearning to resume where they’d left off with the kiss.
When he went to dispose of his single empty beer bottle, he overheard two guys talking nearby.
“That boy in the red jacket is a real cutie. Think I should go invite him for a drink?” the first guy asked.
“Dude, that’s the soccer captain’s boyfriend,” the other guy said. “See? Kogane’s name’s right there on his back.”
Keith looked around. Sure enough, he finally spotted his beloved: dancing solo in the middle of the room. His smile was brighter than the spotlights, and he rocked Keith’s varsity jacket like it was his own. As always, the sight made his heart beat wildly.
The first guy spoke again. “What, really? Wow, Kogane’s a lucky guy.”
“You never heard? They’ve been an item like, all year,” the other guy said. “They’re shy about it, though, from what I’ve heard.”
Part of Keith fancied the thought of joining Lance on the dancefloor. But before he could make up his mind, Lance slipped from his sight once more. Holding back a sigh, he decided to go back to his teammates.
When he turned around, he caught the first guy’s eye. Shooting a half-smile as he passed by, he said, “It’s true. I’m the luckiest guy.”
Neither confirming, nor denying; it wasn’t a lie. Even with his and Lance’s relationship status not yet being clear, he felt so lucky.
When he stood by the wall at the back of the room again, Keith fiddled with his hair tie. He tried to think of an excuse to take his leave, whether to find Lance or go back home alone.
There was no need to come up with anything.
Rolo joined the group and made a beeline for him. “Yo, Keith, your boyfriend’s asking for you.”
“Not my—” He huffed. “What’s wrong? Where’s he?”
“He’s on the sofa right by the window,” Rolo replied, pointing over his shoulder. “Nothing’s wrong, but he’s all tipsy and giggly. Wouldn’t stop asking for you, and he’s like, all pouty about it. Nyma’s with him while I went to get you.”
“Ah. Thanks for telling me, Rolo.” He turned to the others. “Sorry, guys. I’ll be off now, probably going home just to be sure he rests up if he needs to.”
“No problem,” replied his friends’ overlapping voices. “Take care of your boyfriend and have a good night.”
How they had decided to say the same thing like a hivemind, Keith had no idea. He just sighed without denying nor confirming and waved as he set off in the direction his teammate had pointed.
When he reached the sofa, he found the scene like Rolo had described: Lance pouting, Nyma patting his back. When she met his eyes, Keith nodded at her. She smiled and gave a thumbs-up before she left to find Rolo.
Now, it was just him and Lance.
Keith gently tapped his shoulder. “Hey, Lance.”
Lance’s head snapped up to look at Keith, and his face broke into a huge smile.
“Keith!” Unexpectedly, he wrapped his arms around him, nestling his face against his stomach. “Keith! I love you, Keith!”
A greeting made right out of daydream material.
Keith chuckled. “I know. Let’s go home, okay?”
“Will you carry me?”
The request was unexpected, but not unwelcome.
“Sure, I can do that.” Carefully, he picked Lance up, bridal style. “Like this?”
“Mmmm… my hero.” Lance smiled at him before he nuzzled his face into the crook of Keith’s neck. “This is like the bonding moment we had before, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. I cradled you in my arms just like this.”
Lance giggled. “I love it when you cradle me.”
“Oh, well, I like cradling you, too,” Keith said, voice soft. He made sure he had a secure hold on Lance before he started to walk. “Let’s go home.”
He navigated his way through the crowds, all too aware of Lance’s breath hot on his skin. His pace was quick but steady.
But once he made it to the right floor of their dorms, he hesitated. There were two options: Lance’s room, or his own.
Keith didn’t want to search for Lance’s keys while he was asleep without an expressed okay. If Lance wanted to spend the night alone after all or felt uncomfortable sleeping in Keith’s room, they could still move.
Unlocking the door with Lance in his arms was a challenge, but he made it. Once inside and with the door locked behind him, he walked over to the bed and gently sat Lance down.
That was when he noticed Lance was awake.
His eyes were wide in wonder, lips slightly parted. There was no trace of discomfort in his features nor tone. Even so, Keith wanted to reassure that his only intent, always, was to keep him safe and comforted.
With the softest voice he reserved for Lance, he said, “It’s my room. Is that alright for you?”
Lance hummed. “You took me home like you promised.”
“You’re comfortable sleeping here?”
“Mmm, I’m very comfortable sleeping with you. Honestly, I really hoped the night would go like this. You and me, just the two of us in our room.” Lance giggled. Suddenly, he gasped. His gaze had flickered to Keith’s wrist, and he smiled wide when their eyes met again. “You kept the hair tie!”
“Of course! It’s the good luck charm you gave me to win the match, after all.” Keith smiled. He couldn’t help it despite his thoughts racing from Lance’s words about his hopes for the night. Exactly like his own. “Let’s take off that jacket so you can sleep.”
“Can’t I keep it on?” Lance asked. “I love your jacket.”
“I know,” Keith said fondly. “But that’s gonna be uncomfortable. You’ll have it back tomorrow, okay?”
“Okay.” Lance held out his arms for Keith to help him out of the sleeves. “You’re sleeping with me, right? Just making sure.”
“Huh?”
“It’s your bed, but you said we’re going home.” Lance’s eyebrows creased. “No sleeping on the floor, right? We’re together.”
Keith’s instincts took over the reins because his brain was reduced to a tiny blob running in a circle. Lance babbled without a filter, and Keith’s thoughts were just a cartoon voice yelling.
“Of course not!” he said, holding Lance’s gaze. His voice cracked a little. “No one’s sleeping on the floor. We’re sleeping together. I really hoped we’d spend the night like this, too.”
“Will you cuddle me?”
“These arms are ready to hold you all night.”
“I can finally sleep on your chest! This is the best night, ever!” Lance giggled, and his smile was positively blissful.
Keith was increasingly close to combusting. Following an impulse, he started untying Lance’s shoes to slip them off his feet. One of Lance’s hands found its way into his hair to play with the locks.
“Are you gonna undress me?” Lance asked.
His tone was a perfect mix of innocent curiosity and flirty playfulness. It was reminiscent of the fateful afternoon when he wore Keith’s varsity jacket for the first time.
“I—” Keith cleared his throat. His voice had cracked again. “Maybe not right now.”
Lance nodded and smiled. “You’re right, you can undress me next time. I’ve been looking forward to that.”
Keith’s breath hitched. “Definitely.”
To help his mind back on track, he picked up his jacket and Lance’s shoes to put them away. He took off his sneakers, as well, to line them up neatly by the door.
“I can fetch you a glass of water. Do you need the bathroom?” When he turned around, he found Lance had started to strip down. “Do you want a shirt to sleep in?”
“Can I have a red one?”
“Yeah, of course.”
He turned for the dressers to find a shirt; red like Lance asked, a looser cut than his usual shirts. When he walked back to the bed, Lance had just taken off his binder. The display of trust and comfort was dizzying. Keith didn’t want to betray it. He would never, ever ogle, but he fixed his eyes on Lance’s face, seeking his gaze.
His gratitude, everything he wanted to give in return—Keith hoped his eyes held it all.
“Here you go. I’ll be right back with a glass, okay? The bathroom’s all yours.”
“Thank you, Keith. You’re so sweet.” Lance sighed and smiled up at him. He held onto Keith’s hand before taking the shirt. “I finally got to say it.”
During the brief moment of contact, Keith squeezed Lance’s hand reassuringly.
He grabbed the nearest clean cup he could find for Lance, who was now dressed merely in underwear and his shirt.
Lance took the cup from him and smiled before he walked to the bathroom. He left the door ajar. The blob inside Keith’s brain continued running around in a circle.
To keep himself occupied, he took off his gloves and the special hair tie. Lance’s bracelet was already on the nightstand; Keith smiled and put the hair tie right next to it.
He checked if anything else needed to be placed in order. Then, he grabbed an extra pillow just to be sure Lance would rest comfortably. He briefly debated if he should offer a second blanket, too, but decided against it.
Finally, he started to strip. He tossed his sweatpants to the side and took off his t-shirt. There was a gasp from the bathroom. He looked up to find Lance, one hand on the door, lips parted and fixing his eyes on Keith’s face.
Just like he had a moment ago.
“Everything okay?” Keith asked.
“Yes,” Lance breathed. “I’m sorry, your muscles kind of turn my brain to mush.” He covered his eyes, giggling. “Oh, I really am so lucky.”
“Really?” Keith smiled to himself as he grabbed a t-shirt to sleep in. “I thought today was my lucky day already.”
“Really?”
“I mean, you kissed me good luck, and my team won the cup.” He looked at Lance, who peeked at him from between his fingers. Smiling softly, he asked, “Are you done in the bathroom?”
“Yes.” Lance stepped forward. “I’m just gonna get comfy while you finish.”
“Okay. I’ll be with you in a minute.”
Keith went into the bathroom without closing the door—like Lance had a moment ago. When he was in front of the sink to brush his teeth, he stopped in his tracks.
There was another toothbrush in the glass. Blue next to red. An empty package was in the bin.
Lance had found his spare toothbrush and made it his own.
Keith couldn’t stop grinning at his reflection while brushing his teeth.
When he was done in the bath, he could finally join Lance. Seeing him already all snuggled in, resting against his pillow, looking up at him with a sleepy but beaming smile—Keith’s heart was pounding.
He slipped under the covers. Lance immediately snuggled up to him. Tentatively, he wrapped his arms around Lance’s middle.
“Is this okay?” he asked softly.
“Perfect.” Lance sighed against his chest. “You’re so warm. You smell so nice.”
“I was right not getting an extra blanket, huh? You ditched the extra pillow, too.”
“Was that bad?”
“Oh no, not at all,” Keith immediately reassured. “I just... thought I’d get it just in case.”
Lance hummed softly against him. “You promised you’ll hold me all night. I want to rest against your chest all night. So, no extra pillow needed.”
“Yeah, makes sense.” He breathed a laugh. After a pause, he murmured, “We aren’t dating, huh?”
“The biggest lie of the century and everyone knows it.” Lance sighed. “It’s about time we stop saying that. We’ve been dating this whole time.”
“Mmm, we have.”
“Boyfriends.” Lance’s voice was heavy with sleep, but the way he said it was sweet, marveling, full of love.
Keith wanted to say something in return, but Lance’s breathing evened, signaling he’d fallen asleep.
He breathed a silent sigh. His hands never straying from Lance’s middle, he gently pulled him closer. Lance sighed contentedly in his sleep.
Nuzzling his face into Lance’s hair, he breathed in slowly. In and out, to Lance’s even breathing, his sweet scent in his nose.
“Boyfriends,” he whispered before he finally drifted off as well.
His muscles were heavy with the soreness of the game, and the events of the day raced his mind, but he felt thoroughly content.
+1
Keith felt warm when he woke up the next morning. Lance was with him. In his arms and flush against him, barely an inch between them.
He didn’t want to move, so he just stayed like this, listening to Lance’s soft, even breathing. Noticing the way he held onto the fabric of Keith’s t-shirt over his chest, the way their bare legs were tangled underneath the blanket. The sensation of Lance’s soft skin against his.
Lance had his face nuzzled into the crook of Keith’s neck. Keith leaned in to nuzzle his nose into Lance’s hair, the way he’d fallen asleep.
It was so silky. Lance always smelled so sweetly of summer fruits and flower gardens and the ocean breeze. Falling asleep to his scent, he’d felt as content as never before. Now, he felt heavy with yearning, deep in his chest, spreading through all his muscles. Though it wasn’t as light as the butterflies, the feeling was warm and pleasant.
He wanted to fall asleep like this every night, wanted to wake up with Lance in his arms every morning. He wanted to explore everything new they could now—as boyfriends.
Eventually, Lance began to stir, and Keith reluctantly leaned away.
Lance let out a soft sound as he raised his head, blinking his eyes open.
“Good morning, sunshine,” Keith said with a grin.
He couldn’t help it; Lance looked so adorable waking up in the morning, with a case of curly bedhead and his nose scrunched up sleepily. He’d always adored Lance’s cute button nose.
“Good morning,” Lance mumbled, detaching one hand from Keith’s chest to rub the sleep from his eyes. “This really happened, huh? You held me all night long.”
“Like I promised,” Keith said.
“Mmm. And I got to sleep against your chest all night long.”
“You were pretty excited about that.”
“You have no idea. I’m still excited right now.”
“So, you’re all comfortable?”
“I’m so comfortable. Last night was amazing.” Lance laughed shyly, hiding his face by leaning right into Keith’s chest again. “That sounds weird since we didn’t, you know. But just... how you took me home and took care of me even though I was just very tipsy, that was so sweet. You’re so sweet.”
“It was pretty amazing. You really got my brain turn to mush. My soul went right to heaven.”
“Oh, yeah? You got me going to heaven. You’re my—”
“Boyfriend,” Keith said, right at the same time as Lance finished his sentence.
“Boyfriend,” Lance repeated. He giggled, and when he finally looked up to meet Keith’s eyes again, his whole face was bright like a sunflower field beneath the summer sky. “I love this word. I love saying it. I love when you say it. I love you.”
“The feeling is mutual, honey.” He laughed, leaning in to kiss Lance’s hair. “Boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend.”
“Gosh, all that unfiltered babbling would’ve been so embarrassing if you didn’t like me back all along.”
“And I’m lucky I’m so good at letting my instincts autopilot me.” Keith huffed. “You really did shortcircuit my brain a bit there.”
“Well, so did you with mine!” Lance stuck out his tongue briefly before he smiled again. “We’re gonna tell everyone now, right? We’ve really been idiots denying it all this time.”
“We’re definitely gonna tell everyone. And idiots sounds about right, I really could’ve smacked myself when I had to go back to the team after our kiss. When I kissed you, after the game. The words kind of slipped out without meaning to.” He sighed.
“I was a bit disappointed at first, but I could feel it was just the reflex.” Lance smiled up at him. “It all turned out well in the end. Even if I’d wanted to keep kissing you right there.”
“Yeah, same for me. That kiss was just amazing.” He smiled, then furrowed his eyebrows. “You didn’t mind that I kissed you without a word, right?”
“The kiss was so amazing. And I didn’t mind the surprise, not from you.” Lance laughed softly. “I mean, I didn’t announce my good luck kiss, either. I hope you didn’t mind.”
“I didn’t mind at all. That kiss was the best motivation boost ever. It just took me a hot second to kiss back because I never expected it.” Keith laughed as well. “That won’t happen again. You’re gonna give me more good luck kisses, right?”
“Mmm, good luck kisses for every match. And I’m very open for more victory kisses.” He grinned, then nuzzled ever closer with a sigh. “I could stay like this all morning.”
“Trust me, so do I. But we need breakfast.” Keith sighed as well. “And I have training this morning.”
“A breakfast date does sound nice. And we can continue our delayed celebrations after you’re done with practice.”
“Oh? You’ll have to tell me all about those celebration plans later.” He kissed every part of Lance’s face he could reach, save for his lips. “Let’s get up, then.”
“Aww, come on Keith, my lips are right here.” Lance pouted and laughed all at the same time. “Though I guess morning breath is a thing.”
“Oh, as if that would stop me if I really wanna kiss you, and if you really wanna kiss me.” Keith huffed a laugh. “Do you wanna kiss right now?”
“Mmm, a peck at least. We can save more kisses for later.” He kissed Keith’s cheek. “But I really wanna have good morning kisses when we spend the night together from now on. Whether I kiss you first or you kiss me first, both are good.”
“Big agreed. Doesn’t matter how we get there as long as we’re sharing those kisses.” He chuckled, and finally leaned in to peck his boyfriend’s lips so soft. The smile he felt against his skin made his heart flutter. He couldn’t wait for more. “Good morning, my sunshine.”
“Good morning, my darling.” Lance’s smile was so bright and beautiful. “Now we can get ready for breakfast. I need the bathroom before we go.”
“Sure. It’s all yours. My room is all yours. You did call it home last night.” He laughed softly. “If there’s anything you need, let me know.”
“And that goes right back to you with my room, okay?”
Keith smiled. “Yeah.”
They detangled underneath the blanket so they could get out of bed.
Lance went to the bathroom and left the door ajar—like the previous night. Keith’s heart ping-ponged in his chest as it did then. He walked up to the dresser to get an outfit to change into. Just in case, he picked an ensemble for Lance, as well. It was a combination he’d often snatched these past months.
He put the clothes for Lance aside, then changed into fresh boxer-briefs before putting on sweats. While he pulled the old t-shirt over his head, he heard the slight squeak of the door and pitter-patter of footsteps.
His boyfriend walked over to him, hands to his cheeks. His skin was flushed rosy. It was like the previous night when he seemed so in awe about his muscles.
Keith couldn’t stop himself from grinning. “You okay?”
“Yes,” Lance breathed. “I really like being so casual and domestic with you. Including when you see me get changed while we’re spending time alone. No need to avert your eyes, okay? You’re my boyfriend, and I’m so comfortable around you. Have been since forever.”
His voice was soft and assuring, not a trace of reproach for the averted gaze of last night.
“Okay,” Keith breathed. “I mean, I know, and I figured last night, and with how you left the bathroom open, too. But I just…”
“You always go the extra mile to make sure I’m comfortable. I know.” Lance’s voice remained soft with affection. He surprised Keith by hugging his torso from the side and kissing his cheek. “It always makes me feel so warm. Thank you, Keith.”
“I’m happy it can make you happy.” Keith sneaked a peck to the corner of his boyfriend’s lips before the hug was parted. “I prepared a set of clothes for you if you want to wear it. Your binder’s over there, too.”
“Oh, that’s one of my favorites from you!” Lance said when he saw the set. “It looks amazing on me.”
“It does.”
“Oh, I know. I studied your reactions to all the clothes I snatched from you, and this combo always got the most appreciative smile.” A laugh. “Makes me feel a bit torn because it’s such a great fit on you.”
“Oh? Maybe I’ll wear it more often again. Any other favorites to note?”
Lance started taking off the shirt he’d slept in, and Keith finally continued putting on his shirt. Getting dressed next to each other felt so warm and domestic. Keith loved this.
“I can make you a list, but the short version: your varsity jacket, your jersey, any of the slim-fit Nyadidas sweats. Like the rainbow stripes one. Oh, your hoodies, too.” Lance huffed a laugh. “But I also love wearing those, your jacket and hoodies especially, so that’s a dilemma.”
“You never had my jersey, though.”
“Oh, but I always dream about it.”
“Please wear it for my next game,” Keith blurted out before he even thought about the words.
“Gosh, yes. I’ll wear it for all your games!”
Keith grinned. “That’s the best announcement ever.”
While Lance put on his binder, Keith admired the freckles on his shoulders. He’d seen them before, but it was so different in an intimate moment like this. They not only trickled onto his upper arms, but also down his shoulder blades. That detail was news to Keith. He wanted to kiss each freckle on Lance’s body, every inch of smooth skin from head to toe.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Lance turned to him with eyes twinkling, arms already in the sleeves of the fresh t-shirt. “That was very no-filter.”
“I’m known for not having the best brain-to-mouth filter.” He reached out to tuck a curl behind Lance’s ear. “I’ll be right back, okay? Just a quick stop at the bathroom.”
His boyfriend pulled the shirt over his head, smile disappearing behind the fabric. “Okay.”
The bathroom was just as Keith had left it last night, blue toothbrush with his red one like crossed swords. He couldn’t help but imagine what a wholly shared bathroom would be like: Lance’s skincare products lined up neatly, both their body care products in the shower. New additions to the cabinet, others in the night table as well.
Moving together when graduation approached sounded like a sweet idea.
When he was at the sink to wash his hands, the hinges squeaked as Lance leaned into the half-open door. He was fully dressed now, varsity jacket included. Just like promised: Lance could have it back after they slept.
Keith met his eyes in the reflection. “Everything okay?”
Lance nodded. He stepped in, now leaning back against the doorframe.
“I just wanted to apologize for taking your spare toothbrush. I saw it in that basket last night, all sealed, and it was blue so I kind of…” A soft laugh. “I didn’t even think, I just took it.”
Keith walked over and leaned in—perfect kissing distance. As if reading his thoughts, his boyfriend closed the gap. Wow. A chaste kiss in the bathroom door. Keith’s heart was bound to leave his chest at the rate it kept jumping and racing.
“How convenient they had both red and blue when they had that buy two, pay one deal, huh?” Keith grinned. “There’s nothing to apologize for here, but you could buy me a new one, for your room. How does that sound?”
Lance laughed and hugged him. “I’ll buy it right this afternoon. Actually, we should go together. We could buy another thing or two.”
Keith saw the twinkle in his eye.
He huffed a laugh, his grin never faltering. “Definitely up for that.”
They stepped out of the bathroom so Keith could get his phone and wallet. He also took the special hair tie to wear it on his wrist. He wanted to have it with him all the time now.
Once he had everything and slipped into his shoes, he asked, “Ready to go?”
“Yep. Let’s go.”
They held hands the whole way to the dining hall, only letting go to load food onto their trays and carry them securely. They sat next to each other, knees bumping under the tabletop.
A moment after they started eating, Keith asked, “Wanna come watch us train?”
“Why do you even have practice right after winning the cup? This has been every year, hasn’t it?”
“Yeah. Kolivan doesn’t send us off for mid-season break nor close-season until a day or two later.” Keith shrugged. “That’s just how he rolls. Suits me just fine.”
“Makes sense since you train in your free time, too.”
“So, will you come?”
“You sure it’s okay if I watch?”
“He never said anything about closed training.” Keith shrugged again, then looked right in Lance’s eyes before he continued. “I’d be happy if my boyfriend is there to cheer for me.”
Lance smiled. “You know how much I adore watching my boyfriend on the soccer field.”
“Awesome.” Keith smiled back.
They finished eating in comfortable silence, just letting their knees bump every now and then.
When they were done, they both left for their own rooms, to wrap up getting ready. Keith didn’t need a long time, so once his gym bag was packed, he went to wait in front of Lance’s door. When he walked out, Keith took his hand—and leaned in to kiss his cheek. Lance beamed.
Once they reached the soccer field, they kissed before Keith entered the locker room. He was in high spirits when he put on his training kit, ignoring his teammates’ inquisitive eyebrows.
As always, everyone had to jog laps to warm up.
When Keith reached where Lance stood at the sideline, he went off track to kiss his boyfriend deeply. He only stopped when a whistle sounded.
“No kissing your boyfriend during training!” Kolivan yelled. “That’s one extra lap for you, Keith!”
“Sorry, Kolivan! I’ll be right back!” Keith yelled back over his shoulder.
But instead of jogging off, he pressed another kiss against Lance’s lips.
“Don’t get yourself into trouble because of me, you’re the captain,” Lance scolded. He tried to sound strict, but his bright smile betrayed him.
Keith grinned. “You’re worth it.”
To prove his point, he leaned right in for another peck. Finally, he jogged back off, still grinning, even as Kolivan announced sternly that he had to run a total of three extra laps now.
“What did we tell you about PDA?” one of the guys mock-scolded when Keith jogged past him.
“Sorry, guys, my boyfriend is just too irresistible. His kisses energize me better than coffee.”
“Oh? What’s this? No more denying?”
“Nope, we stopped being idiots.”
“It was about time,” came the chorus all around the field.
The practice session continued as it always did. Keith was more pumped up than usual, with his boyfriend as his audience and wearing the special hair tie. After all, Lance was his number one motivation and good luck charm, and everyone knew it.
He always had been the special person in Keith’s heart. And now, there was a title to it, an official announcement he could shout to the whole world.
No more denying.