Gone and Mute

Chapter 10

Lance's voice was gone the next day, his throat too sore to try and talk again. He seemed thoroughly discouraged by this, as he poked at his food all throughout breakfast. Keith watched out of the corner of his eye, increasing worry gnawing at his stomach and spoiling his appetite as well.
    When the other four took off for a small team bonding lesson, Keith approached Lance while he was putting up his dishes. "Hey Lance," he greeted as he set his plate on top of the one Lance had just put in the sink. Lance waved back before shoving his hands in his pockets and turning to leave.
    Keith swallowed and moved forward again, following the taller boy. "You seemed a little down during breakfast... is something wrong?"
Lance paused in his walking and turned slightly towards Keith, which he took as a good sign. He pulled his hand out of his pocket and waved it back and forth, in a 'meh' motion.
Keith frowned and worked his jaw a moment. Lance stood there awhile before turning again to leave.
"Wait."
Pause.
"If I... if we go back to our lessons, would you consider telling me what's bothering you?"
Lance turned towards Keith fully this time and his head tilted to the side for a moment before he nodded. Keith's heart fluttered in his chest a moment before he nodded in return. "Okay. Then let's go back to the room."
Said room was just how they left it- other than the fact Coran had cleaned up the blood Lance had spat up onto the floor. Keith moved over to the table and pressed a couple buttons before the diagram was pulled up onto the surface of the table again, for Lance's reference. Lance sat back in his chair, glancing at the floor to see if there was blood before he moved closer to the table. Keith sat in his chair and turned so he was facing Lance, angled slightly towards the diagram in the table.
"So." Keith looked at Lance after glancing the diagram over. "How did you sleep?"
Lance didn't need to look at the diagram, which made Keith inexplicably happy.
W E L L, thank you. You?
Keith watched before looking up at Lance's eyes. They were really pretty, he realized, and he felt his face light up slightly when he had to look away again to figure out a response. "Well, thanks. Um... how did you enjoy breakfast?"
I D I D N T.
"Figures."
Lance snorted and Keith chuckled. The atmosphere felt relaxed, and the two boys seemed considerably less tense than they had ever been when put into a room together. That is, until Keith clasped his hands and jammed them between his thighs, looking down at the floor.
"U-um... Lance, I wanted to ask you some-"
The room lit up red and the alarm blared. Keith's blush was hidden under the flashing light, but his thudding heart was not calmed by putting off the conversation. If anything, it made him a bit sick.
He sighed and pushed himself to his feet. "We can continue later," he said before turning to hurry off to get dressed for the battle.
He stopped when he felt fingers wrapped around his wrist. He turned to look at Lance, pulling slightly on his hold. "Lance, I have to-"
Lance's other arm wrapped around Keith's waist and he pulled the Red Paladin close to him. Their chests pressed together, and the only place Keith could Look was into Lance's eyes. Those bright, ocean blue eyes. His breath picked up and Lance watched his cheeks get hot before pressing his cold, soft lips against Keith's chapped, nervous ones. Keith gasped and Lance held him tighter before releasing the dazed man. Keith stumbled back, staring at Lance wide eyed.
Go D O you job idiot.
Lance switched between letters and motions, not knowing everything there was to know, and for idiot he just pressed an L to his forehead. Keith's face was red, he could tell, and he stared at Lance before turning and running to get into his armor. Shiro was gonna chew him out for being late.
Lance watched Keith go before grinning to himself and pressing his fingers softly to his lips. Somehow, he was pretty sure he just fell even more in love with Keith.