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Keith sits with Lance on his bed, head resting on his shoulder as he halfway reads the end of the book he’s been assigned for summer English. The words are getting garbled in his brain as he rereads the same sentence over and over and over again. It’s too late for him to focus on anything other than the way Lance’s shoulders are rising and falling against his cheek. He feels good, calm, undeniably real right now.
“I don’t get it,” Lance says, looking up from his own book. “If he’s trying to run away from his life why does he go back to see his sister?”
“Maybe he’s trying to get closure? Either way, I don’t think it works out for him if this last page is anything to go by.”
“Google says he gets institutionalized and that’s just sad.”
“Well that’s the most accurate bitch about my life book I’ve ever been assigned for school.”
“You ready for school to start tomorrow? We’re gonna be seniors, Keith. We’re gonna become real people after this year.”
“I’m just ready to spend most of my day somewhere other than home for once. I’m ready to be out.”
“I hope the principal lets me do the announcements again this year. They can’t really control what I say now after the Lawsuit.”
“The Lawsuit?”
“Yeah there was this whole big thing about shutting down identities and shit like that so now he’s really nervous about what he can and can’t control.”
Keith hums at that. If Lance gets to say whatever he wants, the announcements would go on forever. Not that he’s complaining. Schoolwork comes to a complete stop during the announcements, and Keith can just focus on whatever he wants during them.
“Oh shit.”
He looks at Lance, who’s looking at his phone.
“What?”
“It’s almost eleven.”
Keith tenses. He knows Lance doesn’t want him to go, and he really doesn’t want to leave either, but he can’t stay the night. Not on the night before school starts. Lance’s parents may love him, but they can only handle so much.
“I’ll give you a ride home?”
“Can we take the long way?”
“Well duh, what other way is there?”
Keith snorts out a laugh as they walk out the front door. Lance stops to tell his mom that he’s taking Keith home and they climb into his car.
Keith’s rubbing his fingers together the whole time, nerves eating away at his stomach. What if this is the time they notice he’s not there? Reasonably he thinks that they wouldn’t care, because they don’t. They’re not his real parents, just another set that’s claimed him until he turns eighteen.
Lance keeps looking over at him with this worried look on his face like he wants to pull him close and never let him go.
As they near his house, he finally spills. “If you’re not good to go home, I’m sure I could explain something to my mom. She wouldn’t just let you go home like this. I think I could-”
“Lance it’s fine. Really. It’s only a few hours, I’ll be okay.”
He’s lying to himself. He doesn’t want back in that house at all and they both know it.
“Keith…”
“Just, stop a few-”
“Blocks ahead so they don’t see the car. I know. Believe me Keith, I know.”
There’s an anger in his voice that Keith knows isn’t directed at him. As he pulls off to the side, he grabs Lance’s hand in his own.
“It’s okay.”
Lance lets out a shaky breath and tries a smile. It only half works. “I’m still picking you up tomorrow, right?”
“I don’t know how I’d get to school if you didn’t.”
Lance lets out a soft laugh before turning to him. “Can I kiss you before you go?”
“Yeah.”
It’s soft and careful, like Lance thinks he’ll break him if he moves too fast. Keith grips at the short strands of his hair and deepens it.
Lance pulls back. “As much as I would love to, I have to-”
Keith cuts him off with a finger to his lips as he looks at his house. The light in his room is on. He knows he left it off.
“Fuck,” he mumbles.
“Do you need to stay at my house tonight? It really isn’t a problem. My mom isn’t going to say no to you.”
“Just, just go. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He pulls himself and his bag out of the car before Lance can say anything else.
He locks away his emotions yet again as he climbs back into the window of his room.
---
He doesn’t want to trust this teacher, but Pidge said he was good with names, so he’s going to try anyway.
He’s here well before the start of school, with Lance having been incredibly worried about him, and also having to get ready for the morning announcements. He made sure he had a free block first period so he could do them.
Keith knocks on the door and waits uncomfortably, arms crossed defensively over his chest.
The door opens, and he wasn’t expecting him to be this young. He’s a little taken aback by it and immediately his nerves start eating away at him again.
“Mr. Shirogane?”
“Oh, I’m still getting used to that. Mr. Shirogane. It’s so formal. But yes, that’s me. And you are?”
“That’s, uh, what I wanted to talk to you about, actually. I’m under a different name in your roster but, I don’t exactly… use that name. For myself.”
Mr. Shirogane seems to think for a second before opening the door wider.
“Do you want to come in?”
He digs his fingernails into his arms as he follows him inside. The room is almost homey. It looks comforting and yet Keith is still on edge.
He doesn’t sit when the teacher does, sifting through papers.
“If you’d like, you can call me Shiro. Mr. Shirogane is just, too formal for me. I can’t stand it.”
Keith nods a little and stares at him warily.
“What class are you in?”
“A7.”
“End of the day class. I hope you don’t get bored by history easily because I don’t really plan on my class being a nap session. What’s your last name?”
“Kogane.”
He takes a pen and scratches something out on the paper. “Alright, now what’s your name?”
He takes a breath and says “Keith,” as steadily as he can. Shiro writes it down on the paper and then looks up at him and smiles.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you use masculine pronouns, right?”
He nods silently. Anxiety’s still tripping in his chest and stomach, and he’s not sure he can speak properly.
Shiro eyes the bruise on his arm, and Keith thinks he might be dying.
“Keith, I’d like to let you know personally that if you ever need to talk about anything, and I mean anything, I’m here to listen.”
He focuses on focusing just enough to answer him with, “I’ll consider it.”
Shiro looks at him, really looks at him and smiles again.
“I guess I’ll be seeing you at the end of the day today. I’ll be looking forward to it!”
Keith mumbles his goodbye and leaves for his first class.
---
“Goooooooooood morning everyone! School is back in session, which means I, Lance McClain, your local announcement giver, is back on duty. Welcome to high school, freshman and new students. To everyone else, welcome back to school! I hope you all got your summer work done, at least halfway. I know I barely finished mine last night, thanks to the great help of my very, very good friend, Keith.”
He’s doodling on his paper in math class when he hears his name come from the speakers. A few people turn to look at him. Lance had okayed everything he was going to ay with him before he said it, so Keith knows what to expect.
“The two of us are very gay for each other and I’d just like the whole school to know that fact. If you see him in the hall, let him know that you know! In a good way, of course. I’m not condoning any homophobic actions here. We all remember how things went the last time that happened.”
Keith assumes he’s talking about the Lawsuit. He’d transferred in after that had happened. Hunk’s friend, Shay, leans over to him.
“I always knew he was cheesy, but this is a whole new level.”
“Yeah, he’s just like this all the time.”
“The important stuff on this script they’re trying to make me read from, is that lunch will be sloppy joes today and all freshmen are to report to the auditorium for a little bit of an introduction at the beginning of next block. Other than that, have y’all heard about Taylor Swift yet? That crap she pulled with Kanye has her certified as a Class A Snake.”
Keith lets himself relax in the familiar drone of Lance’s voice, closing his eyes and resting his head on his hand.
This will be okay.
---
He leans on Lance’s shoulder at lunch a few weeks later, idly taking bites of his food. The aura around the table is good, happy. Pidge is making science memes with Hunk while Lance keeps tying them back to things he saw on his tumblr. Keith is quiet through all of this, trying to enjoy the mood. He doesn’t even realize how zoned out he is.
“-eith, buddy, you still with us?” Lance has a joking tone to his voice, but his eyes show concern.
“Yeah, I’m fine dummy. Just tired. It’s been a long week.”
“Well hey tomorrows Friday, and you know what that means.”
“Squad movie night!” Pidge is a few decibels away from screaming it.
“What are we watching this time?” Hunk asks with a mouth full of food.
“The original Spongebob movie?”
“Lance,” Keith says very seriously. “That’s the best thing you could have suggested.”
Lance preens at the approval. The rest of the table nods in agreement.
“It’s a classic that I hope goes down in the list of masterpieces.”
“Honestly, such an iconic movie.”
It’s just as good as they all remember it being.
---
“Well, it’s that time again folks. Homecoming time! The smaller, less fun dance that’s way less formal than it should be. Tickets will be going on sale starting next Tuesday at the low price of f- what the hell? How is fifteen dollars low? No, no Deborah it’s fine. Mr. Adams said I get one or two a broadcast. Back to the tickets. The tickets are being sold at the ‘low price’ of fifteen dollars a pop. That of course, is a small price to pay for the loving memories you’re going to take from this weed filled, sorry, lit event. Do not be surprised if you see me and Keith slow dancing to Crazy in Love. This event has a funny sense of slow dance songs, but that’s what I’m gonna assume is the slowest song played. I expect to see all of you dancing to the Cupid Shuffle, and I will drag you out on the dance floor myself if I don’t. Oh! I almost forgot. This year’s theme if Masquerade. Remember that you can’t really wear any masks, sadly, because security will need to be able to identify your faces from out list. Also, a small shout out to my friend Hunk, who asked if I could mention him one of these times. Hunk, buddy, ask Shay to the dance. It’s not gonna backfire in your face. Trust me.”
---
Hunk doesn’t talk to Lance for the rest of the day. He does, however, ask Shay to the Homecoming dance and receives a very enthusiastic yes.
---
On days like these, when it’s unbearable to stay home, he’ll gladly take the hour walk to Lance’s house. It’s raining, and it’s cold, and he’s completely soaked through, but the burning feeling of fear and anger is still bubbling up inside him.
The bruises on his arms and stomach ache with every step, but it doesn’t matter. He just needed to leave.
When he finally reaches Lance’s house, it’s almost dark out. As much as he loves Lance’s family, he doesn’t want them to see him like this. He instead knocks directly on Lance’s bedroom window. Lance jumps up with a start until he sees Keith standing there.
He opens the window and Keith climbs through, trying not to get water everywhere and failing miserably.
“What are you- did you walk here? It’s pouring!”
The fight’s leaving him now, and all that’s left is that pitiful empty spot in his body. Lance takes a look at him and his expression darkens.
“You need dry clothes, hold on.”
He leaves the room and comes back with a towel. Then he pulls out pajamas bottoms and a sweater. Keith takes them gratefully. Lance leaves the room to give him privacy for changing, and it’s all so warm that he just sinks into everything he’s given. He pulls the blanket from his bed and wraps it around himself.
When he comes back in the room, he’s got something warm in a mug, and Keith takes it happily. The hot chocolate warms him inside and out where the clothes can’t. Lance sits next to him, and Keith wraps the blanket around the both of them.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
“Nothing new to really say.”
Lance presses a small kiss to his neck, and he snuggles in closer.
“Do you want to watch a movie?”
It’s a mutual agreement and they huddle close to Lance’s laptop, watching old Disney movies. And if Lance’s mother finds them asleep later that night, she doesn’t say anything in the morning.
---
Lance has been getting progressively more touchy as the year goes on, especially near some of the freshmen girls. They’re all relatively friendly, if a little annoying, so Keith doesn’t really see what his problem is.
Until he shows up at Keith’s house one day when his foster family is out of town.
He’s dressed head to toe in Hot Topic paraphernalia and Keith almost shuts the door in his face.
“Does this make you love me more?”
“Lance what the fuck?”
“I just spent like, my entire paycheck at Hot Topic so that those emo freshmen stop hitting on you.”
“Lance I, that’s the dumbest thing you’ve ever done, and you’ve done some pretty stupid things.”
“Hey!”
“I can’t even understand where the fuck you thought this would work? Honestly, why would this make me love you more? I’m actually kinda disgusted right now. We both know Hot Topic is a garbage store and I really can’t believe you just spent all your money there.”
Lance looks shocked. “I was just trying to impress you with my emo looks.”
“Lance, what emo looks?”
He looks entirely embarrassed now, so he just stammers for a minute before turning back to his car and leaving. Keith shuts the door, baffled.
---
“A PSA for any of you looking to impress your date mates. Spending your entire paycheck at Hot Topic is not the way to go about that. They’ll just ridicule you until you leave and get your money back on the things you hadn’t taken the tag off of. And then you’ll be stuck with a hundred dollars worth of bad band merch. It really doesn’t work out how you want it to.”
Pidge is trying not to laugh in English class. “Did he really do that?”
“He just showed up at my door yesterday in everything Hot Topic and I almost shut the door on him.”
Pidge busts out laughing and the whole class turns to look at them. Keith can’t keep down his smile.
“And to the freshmen scene girls that keep hitting on my boyfriend, You’re really not going to get anywhere! He’s the gayest thing that I’ve ever met, and you’ve all seen my friend group. I’m pretty sure I’m Bi because I brushed shoulders with him once. He’s too gay for even himself to handle. So unless you want to end up a lesbian, don’t touch Keith! Actually, just don’t touch Keith at all, and we won’t have a problem!”
Pidge and Keith can’t stop laughing.
---
It takes until January for Keith to take up Shiro’s offer of talking. He asks to stay after class for a little, already letting Lance know that he was walking home today. Shiro seems delighted to finally be able to help.
And then Keith freezes up, sitting in his desk, mouth half open, eyes downcast.
So Shiro starts instead.
“When I was younger, my family moved around a lot.” He snaps his eyes to Shiro’s face. “It was kind of rough, but also an adventure. Where would we go next? Who would I meet now? What new thing would we do together? When I got older, I realized it was for job offers and money purposes. I didn’t know that when I was really little, though. My parents did everything they could to make sure I was happy and that I thought we were doing this for family fun.”
Keith knows where he’s trying to take the conversation, and he really doesn’t want it to go there. Because he’s a teacher. You can never trust teachers. He’s obligated to tell administration by his contract if he hears of any sort of concern.
“I don’t want to move again,” he says honestly. It fits with his story at least. “I’m so close to eighteen that, that they wouldn’t even try to put me somewhere good I’d just end up in the first available house.”
“I’m not trying to uproot you, I just want to know that you’re okay.”
“I’m fine,” he says automatically, resting his chin on his arms.
“The bruises are enough for me to report to administration that I suspect things aren’t right at home, Keith.”
“Then what are you trying to do?”
“I’m trying to understand exactly why you want to stay in the situation you’re in.”
“You don’t get it,” Keith says darkly. He’s defensive, angry that Shiro’s trying to pull this.
“Then explain it to me.”
Keith falters for a second. He wasn’t expecting that. He’ll comply though.
“It’s never different. House after house, family after family, it’s all the same. They don’t actually care. If I try to tell them anything it’s ‘Oh Karen you couldn’t possibly think that,’ ‘Don’t even say that Karen, it’s not funny,’ ‘If you think we accept that you can get the hell out of our house.’ At least I get to keep my door closed here! Do you think I want to stay there? I know people here. I’m dating someone here. I’m not giving this up just to have a chance with another family that ‘might’ be a good one for the last three months of me being underage.”
He’s shaky, he needs to do something, but he can’t, so he settles on biting on his finger, until he remembers that Shiro is watching him and drops his hands.
“I’m,” he realizes he’s said too much this time, to an adult, an official, a teacher. “I’m sorry I shouldn’t have-”
He stands abruptly, grabbing his bag and trying for the door. Shiro puts a gentle hand on his shoulder to stop him and he flinches back from the touch. He’s regretting telling Lance to go home now. At least then he’d have someone to go to after this.
Shiro’s look is pained and guilty, hand back in the air before dropping down to his side.
“Keith I’m sorry. You were right and I’ll admit that. I still don’t fully understand, but I don’t want you to leave this school.”
Keith’s drawing a blank. He’s sorry? He’s admitting that he’s… wrong? Adults never do that, especially about this. Teachers always try to spin themselves into the right again. He’s confused and it must show on his face. His fingers are twitching against his legs.
“Do you want to stay in here for a while? Until you calm down? We don’t even have to talk, I’ll just work on some papers, alright?”
He nods numbly and sits back down. Shiro looks at him warily before turning back to his desk.
He stays until Shiro has to leave, and even then he doesn’t go home.
---
Ms. Allura, the astronomy teacher, has been dropping by their history class a lot recently, and everyone’s starting to notice the way Shiro loses his composure around her. He stammers and blushes and hands her papers without question. She smiles that smile at him and everyone knows exactly what’s happening between the two of them.
“Ladies, gentlemen, and everything in between, I have some news for you,” Lance starts one morning. “As you should all know, my best friend Hunk and his wonderful girlfriend Shay have been dating for four months now.” He pauses for effect. “My favorite straight pairing of the year. And yet, a little birdie has told me that a new male and female relationship has budded between two of our most favorite teachers. I won’t be naming any names, but if you’ve been paying attention, it’s not too hard to miss. Flirty smiles and blushes from handing over paper work are the best thing to see at the end of the day, if I do say so myself. Oh, and be sure not to skip Mr. Shirogane’s and Ms. Allura’s classes today! I know that I certainly won’t be.”
---
Lance and Keith aid for Coran, the art teacher, and really do a whole lot of nothing. What can they really do, teach a freshman how to hold a paint brush?
Keith usually draws in the corner while Lance listens to music. Sometimes, very rarely, Keith will let Lance watch him draw, but only on really, really good days, when he doesn’t want to burn his entire sketchbook if someone so much as sees a pencil mark.
Lance convinces him one day, somehow, to sneak off into the back closet and make out.
They’re surrounded by paint bottles and brushes and chalk and so many other things, but neither one is focusing on that right now. Lance has Keith pushed up against the wall and oh- that’s- good.
And then the door opens and Coran has his arms outstretched and this proud look on his face.
Keith and Lance freeze, faces an inch apart.
“Today, class, since they’ve offered themselves up so freely, we’ll be using my two aids, Keith and Lance, as our models. Try to really portray the emotions they’ve got going on here.”
He turns towards the two, smiling.
“Can you two keep the same pose you’ve got going here? Try to keep up the love emotion as well.”
“Coran what the hell,” Keith seethes out.
“Really, why’d you make us do this?”
“Did you think I was dumb? Two of my students, dating, sneaking of to the art closet, thinking they were slick. I can’t let that happen! And anyways, my kids needed some real life models, so what better way to introduce them!”
Lance groans and Keith tries to shut down his smile. Lance catches on.
“What’s got you all smiley?”
“That’s honestly the best idea Coran’s ever had.”
“Why thank you, Keith!”
Lance starts laughing and drops his forehead onto Keith’s, and yeah, he thinks they can keep up this pose.
---
“As you may have seen, there’s some lovely art of Keith and me floating around the school right now. You can thank Mr. Coran for that one. He imposes a cruel punishment, really. But, I digress. Kudos to the freshman art class that completely nailed that assignment. They all looked great when the two of us got to see them after class. I commend you all for the art skill I never seemed to get.”
Keith agrees with him. All the drawing had been good, uncomfortably good in some cases. Coran’s not really grading these, just giving them a few pointers next class and giving them back to the students if they want them. If they don’t, he’s giving them to Keith and Lance, and he’s not really sure how to feel about that.
“Also, I’d like you to join me in a very special day tomorrow!”
Oh no.
“As today’s a Friday, you won’t really get to join me, but tomorrow is someone’s, a very important someone I’ll add, birthday!”
Keith groans into his desk as Pidge elbows him from their desk. “He’s gonna do it,” they say, completely delighted with the situation.
“I’d like to ask everyone to please wish Keith an early happy eighteenth birthday today!”
He covers his face, feeling lucky he sits in the back of the room.
“I love you, babe! We’re gonna party hard tomorrow with the squad. I hope you’re looking forward to it!”
The intercom cuts out and Pidge looks excitedly at him. He mouths a small no, before they turn to the rest of the class.
“Alright everyone, you heard Lance, it’s time to join in and wish our dear Keith here a happy early birthday! All together now!”
About half the class participates in the loudest, worst sounding rendition of Happy Birthday he’s ever heard. And he’s so happy to have it directed at him.
---
Pidge, Hunk, and Lance pick him up early the next day, and promise to give him the best birthday of his life. Hunk made cupcakes, and his day is already made by that fact.
They take photo booth pictures and play arcade games and smash cake in each others faces and their claims of the best birthday ever did not disappoint.
Pidge gets him a shirt with the word “BOI” on it and Keith appreciate both the reality and the memeiness of it. Hunk gives him a bunch of cards with Free Food by Hunk Coupon written on it, and he’s incredibly excited to use these. Lance give him the stack of drawings that Coran’s kids didn’t want to keep, a burned cd, and a quiet question of whether or not he was planning on staying the night that night in his ear.
He answers yes a little breathlessly.
Lance takes Pidge and Hunk home, all of them screaming along to the radio. Keith is the happiest he’s felt in his entire life.
And then it’s just him and Lance.
He drives for a while, up to this hill, complete with picnic tables and campground fire grates. He asks if they’re camping, confused.
“We’re not camping, it’s just a really good place to stargaze. I know how much you love space.”
When he gets out of the car and looks up, he realizes Lance is right. He can see stars and constellations and the moon shining down. He feels awestruck.
“Good?” Lance asks him.
“Great,” he answers as he turns to face him. Lance is looking at him like he’s the most beautiful thing in the world and he honestly feels like it. Up here, surrounded by stars on this hill, he feels infinite. Lance comes and takes his hand, and he barely notices it, too focused on looking up.
They sit at one of the tables and Keith leans on Lance and everything’s so beautiful he could cry.
“This is the best birthday I’ve ever had,” he whispers to no one, and Lance pulls him close.
He kisses his forehead first, soft and gentle, and makes his way down to his mouth. It’s almost too sweet, the way he kisses him, but Keith enjoys himself none the less.
This is what he’s wanted all along. Something good and soft and something he can stop when he wants and he’s engulfed in stars and he’s so in love that it hurts.
“I love you so fucking much, Lance,” he says when they pull back for air. Lance’s face tinges red and Keith smiles with a smile that reaches his eyes and so does Lance.
“I love you too, idiot.”
He’ll take the name as it’s meant to be, a compliment.
---
“Juniors and seniors, it is that time of year again! Prom season is upon us. As you know, I am running for prom court, please vote for me, yadda yadda. What upsets me the most about this special time in all of our lives, however, is that if my wonderful, gay boyfriend Keith were to run, he’d be forced to run against me. If you would all be so kind to vote for both of us on prom court to be prom king and king, it would be greatly appreciated. If you don’t feel like voting for us, that’s fine too! Vote for the nice lesbian couple if you don’t want us to be king and king. A queen and a queen is just as good. Oh! I almost forgot. Keith, I know you’re here and listening because I drove you to school today, but if you would accept my proposal to prom it would mean the world to me. Let me know after the rest of the announcements!”
---
Of course Keith says yes. How could he not? He goes with their group of five; him and Lance, Shay and Hunk, and Pidge. He wears a rented suit and sneaks out of his house to go, Lance’s mom taking pictures of the two of them, and then their group.
Allura and Shiro, along with others, are acting as watch duty that night, making sure nothing inappropriate happens.
They dance all together and as couples.
He vaguely wonders if Pidge feels left out, and then Lance dips and kisses him. He blushes to the tips of his ears and starts laughing, and then the two of them are giggling together on the dancefloor.
Lance is, predictably, voted prom king. The entire school loves him. The other girl, the gay one that Lance was rooting for, wins prom queen. They both opt for the court dance to be with their significant others, and Keith feels entirely too isolated in the middle of the dancefloor, the entire upper classes watching them.
“Focus on me,” Lance says, startling him out of whatever anxiety rush he was in. He does just that, locking eyes with him as they dance, and it’s so romantically gay.
The music picks up, and the rest of the people swarm the dance floor, but Keith and Lance stay in their own little world, eyes locked, hands together, faces mere inches apart.
The kiss is deep and full of love and they wouldn’t trade this for the world.
---
Graduation creeps up quickly, and suddenly Keith is terrified of the future. It takes him by surprise one morning, curled around Lance in his bed, that everything he’s known to be true is about to change and he has to grow with that. He tries his best to hide it from Lance, but he knows, he always knows, and he spends the rest of the morning rubbing the anxiety out of him.
Graduation day he’s a bundle of nerves. So is Lance. So is everyone. They don’t sit next to each other at all, but that doesn’t stop Lance from screaming out a woop when Keith walks across the stage, and Keith from doing the same.
Shiro claps him on the back and gives him a card when he sees them after they’ve flipped their tassels. He smiles and tells him he knew he could make it, and Keith smiles a little brighter.
The four of them party at Pidge’s house, with movies and soda and every sort of thing imaginable. Keith and Lance sit together in the dark after the other two have fallen asleep, and Lance is rubbing his thumbs over his knuckles.
“Keith, are you ready to be a real life person?”
Keith considers it for a moment.
“Yeah,” he smiles. “I think I am.”