#roy draws

“You won't ever lose me Keith.”

…

Lance’s eyes snapped open, nearly choking on the air he inhaled almost too quickly as he was shoved into consciousness.  He couldn’t help but whine, his eyes stinging from the light that bled into his room through his window. He was tempted to pull the sheets over his head, wanting nothing more than to just go back to sleep.  But he had things to do, and chances were, he wouldn’t have been able to go back to sleep anyway. With a defeated sigh, he rolled out of bed, letting out a loud and obnoxious yawn.  

He grabbed his phone from under his pillow, pulling the cord out before checking it.  He swiped away most of his notifications, either being one of his game apps or social media telling him to check out such-and-such.  He hummed a song he had been listening to the night before, walking around his room to start his morning routine. He chucked his work outfit onto the bed, opening his calendar to double check when his shift was. 

His eyes fell on the day highlighted in red, his humming cut short as a wave of emotions crashed into him.  It was the weekend before classes started, a weekend left before he was thrown into another year of projects and essays, assignments piling up with the stress that school gave him.  But he wasn’t thinking about school, wasn’t thinking about how it was his last year and if he was going to graduate or flunk.  

No... the only thing Lance could think about was… 

“Because I don’t want to lose you Lance…”

Lance’s jaw tightened as he let his phone drop onto his desk, sitting heavily in his chair as he tried everything to not think about it.  But that’s not how the mind works.  Everything he could think of somehow always related back to him .  He ran a hand through his hair, groaning as he let his head fall to the desk.  With a small ‘ow’ he huffed and rested on his chin, eyes closed as he began humming again.  

A familiar blue flower came into view when he opened his eyes, a sigh of defeat escaping him.  He sat up and scooted closer, picking up the fake flower from the pen holder and turning it slowly.  He brushed his fingers against the petals as if they were delicate, petting them into place as the song he had been humming changed.  He touched the necklace that laid over his chest, running his thumb over the crystal for comfort. He could feel the sadness welling behind his eyes again, but he smiled regardless, letting himself fall back into the memory.  

There were so many nice things to remember about Prom night.  His best friend Hunk had went with his new girlfriend at the time, both of them awkwardly talking when they had arrived.  After a while though, Shay had shyly asked him to dance, and the two seemed to relax, enjoying themselves as the first date nerves fluttered away.  Pidge had been working the lights and sound, not really one for dancing. They seemed to enjoy themselves though, helping out the DJ whenever he needed a break or talking to him as the students partied on.  Since Shiro and Allura had already graduated, hey hadn’t gone. But they were texting them every so often to check on them like worried parents. And Lance…  

Lance had gone with Keith.  

They were practically inseparable the entire night, never leaving each other’s side for long.  Initially they had just hung back from the main dance floor, finding themselves a table and talking about things he couldn’t remember.  Lance did most of the talking though, often cooing over an outfit, and Keith seemed content with just listening to him. But when he had made a comment about some of the couples dancing, humming along to the songs that he knew, Keith had suddenly got up.  

“Keith?” He asked, watching as his friend moved over to in front of him.  

“Wanna go dance?” Keith asked, holding his hand out for him.  He wasn’t sure if it was the lights or if he was just blind, but was pretty sure Keith was flustered, avoiding his gaze as he waited for Lance to respond.   

“I have never seen you dance before.” Lance commented, taking his hand and following him out to the dance floor.  

“That’s…  Uh…” Keith cleared his throat, looking at him only when they had found themselves a spot on the dance floor.   

“Well?” He asked, raising a brow, stifling a few giggles at the face his prom date made.  It was like he had eaten something sour.  

“I…  I don’t actually know how to dance.” He admitted, awkwardly holding his arms out before letting them fall to his sides, his shoulders tense.  

“That’s okay!  I’ll show you.” Lance assured, noting that Keith was putting himself in a very uncomfortable situation.  He was stepping out of his comfort zone… for him.   He wanted to make it as fun as possible.  

It was obviously awkward at first, Keith just watching Lance and trying to copy his movements.  But after a while, a few jokes and teases later, Keith was starting to loosen up, dancing along to the beat.  It didn’t matter if it was good or bad, it only mattered that they were having fun .  Even when the crowd grew, Keith only moved closer, Lance holding his hand to keep from losing him.  

When the music slowed and people started to walk off for their own reasons, Lance figured they would do the same.  But Keith didn’t move to leave, instead stepping closer and placing his free hand on his hip, smiling so warmly that Lance had lost any thought of stopping him.  He placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a quizzical look as they began swaying.  

His heart nearly stopped when Keith began leading him into a slow dance.  

“I thought you said you didn’t know how to dance?” He said quietly, trying to keep his composure.  

“It’s more accurate to say that I don’t know how to dance to the music you dance to.” He chuckled.  

Lance was pulled from his thoughts when his alarm went off, letting out a soft sigh out before gently sitting the flower back in its place.  He took his time as he went through his morning routine, continuing to hum the song that reminded him of Prom.  

Once he was fully dressed in his work clothes, he grabbed the bag that was hanging from his chair, deciding to take his jacket as well and headed towards the door.  He patted himself for a second before turning back, swiping his phone from the desk, before leaving his room and heading into his kitchen.  

Checking the time, he was pleased that he was leaving just on time, grabbing his keys and wallet he had left on the kitchen counter the night before.  He stuffed them into his bag, never once stopping as he grabbed his shoes from the hallway closet.  

“Three….  Two… One…” He whispered as he slipped his shoes on, looking down at his phone in time to see it light up with a call.  

“Hello?” He answered, already stepping out and locking the door behind him.  

“Good Morning Lance~!  I’m outside.” Hunk called through the phone, making him snicker a little.  

“On time as usual.  I’m on my way down now.” He hung up, pocketing his phone as he went down the stairs.  He passed by a few students as he did so, greeting them with a wave and a polite smile.  

As he exited the apartment complex, he couldn’t help but feel something off.  It was like there was some sort of shift in the air, like someone, or something had done something.  Or maybe… like something was going to happen.  It made him pause, his steps slowing as he took the chance to look around.  It seemed normal enough. Students were walking to and from his building, some choosing to hang out on the lawns that sat in front, others rushing off to class. 

A loud hon startled him though, making his heart pound in his chest.  A second one drew his attention to the source, spotting Hunk waving his arm out the car window with a large grin on his face.  

  “Hey Lance!  Come on! We don’t want to be late for work!” He called.  Lance gave himself a moment to relax, shaking his head as if he could shake the feeling out of his head.  

“Sorry!  I guess I got lost in thought!” He laughed as he ran up to the car.  

He’d worry about it later.  

…  

“Okay!  I’ve got a Beach Cheeseburger with a side of onion rings, the Onion Cheeseburger with the side of season fries, and an order of Dino Nuggets and a side of grapes for the Queen of Dinoland!  Can I get you anything else?” Lance declared, setting the plates down to their designated person, making sure to give a wink to the small girl who giggled over her food.  

“I think we’re all set for now?” The father said, looking to his daughter and son for confirmation before smiling back at him.

“Perfect!  I am off for the night, so, this lovely lady here will be helping you for the rest of your meal.” He said, winking to the waitress who stood beside him.   She laughed and rolled her eyes, bumping her shoulder with his.  

“Hello!  If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me over.” She said sweetly, the family giving their thanks.

“Have a wonderful night!” Lance said before leaving, trusting Nyma to care for his customers.  

He hummed along to the song that was playing overhead, heading towards the backroom.  As he passed by the other tables, he noticed that his friends had gathered at their usual table, raising a brow and quickly walking over.  

“I’m guessing we’re eating dinner here tonight?” He asked as he walked up, not bothering with greeting them.  

“You’d guess correctly.” Shiro chuckled.

“We figured it would be nice to eat dinner together before our Senior year begins.” Adam said, who was sitting beside him.  

“Ugh, don’t remind me.  We’re all going to die.” Pidge grumbled, looking up from their phone.   

Lance laughed a bit, reaching into his apron to grab his notebook.  

“Are you guys getting the usual?” He asked, ready to start writing when Allura placed a hand on his arm.  

“Oh don’t worry about that Lance.  Luxia stopped by and already took our orders.” She reassured.

 “Damn she’s good.” He huffed.  Hunk walked up then, already out of his work clothes and holding his bag.  

“Did you already switch Nyma over to your tables?” He asked, taking a seat besides Allura.  

“Yeah.  I just wanted to get everyone’s orders in, but it seems the Queen as already did so.” He snickered, Hunk snorting at the nickname Lance had given their boss. 

“Damn she’s good.” Hunk muttered.  

“That’s what I said!”

…

After dinner, they had all settled into a conversation about the upcoming year.  Schedules were exchanged in order to make future plans to hang out, or at the very least to study together.  It was crazy to think about really. They were only a year away from graduating, but it felt like they had only just started school.  But three years blurred by and here they were, with only two semesters left in their programs. Shiro and Allura had already graduated, and Lance had to admit that he was jealous.  They had barely seen the two graduates and when they did see them, they had both looked like they were dying. Lance wasn’t ready for all of that.  

“I’m not ready to be old like Shiro and Allura.” He huffed, pushing his empty plate so he could lean against the table.  

“We’re not even that old!” Allura argued.  

“Allura, we’re already graying.” Shiro joked, pointing to their hair.

“It’s okay Dad.  We’ll be sure to put you in a very gold old people’s home.” Lance said, patting him on the shoulder.

“We are not sending Dad into a group home!” Hunk argued.  

“Thank you!  I’m glad someone here loves me!” Shiro whined, reaching over to hug Hunk.  

“I love you.” Adam said casually, the group snickering as Shiro began sputtering, clearly flustered.  

“I’ll make sure you and Adam are-”

“Oh Lance!” The voice that cut Hunk  him made him tense. He looked away from his friends and spotted who had spoken, unconsciously scooting closer to Adam.  

“Lotor.” He managed to say politely, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grimacing.  The smile Lotor wore was too polite to be real, his eyes holding a look that made Lance nauseous.  

“How are you?  How was your summer?.” He hummed in question, Lance jumping when he felt Lotor place a hand on his shoulder.

“Um good.” He mumbled, gently shrugging the hand off.  Lotor didn’t seem very pleased by that, simply leaning in a little.  He could feel all eyes on them, noticing Hunk shifting a bit in the corner of his eye.  If he didn’t finish this quickly, he was pretty sure his friends would get involved, knowing full well that they didn’t have a problem defending him.  Before he could say anything else though, Lotor spoke.  

“That’s good to hear!  Did you see your family?  How are they?”

“I don’t mean to interrupt, but in case you weren’t aware, you’re asking a lot of questions for someone who’s only Lance’s classmate.”  Pidge said bluntly with a look that made Lance feel like he should call an ambulance.  

“I’ve just noticed that you tend to hang around school or work here during the summer and was just curious.  There’s a few rumors that go around you know, and I simply want to make sure you’re alright.” Lotor didn’t even acknowledge Pidge, continuing on as if there wasn’t five people glaring holes into him.  If Lance didn’t like him, he’d probably be impressed. But now he was curious too.

“Rumors?  What kind of rumors?” He asked.  

“That you haven’t gone home to see your family because you’re waiting for someone to come back who’s been gone for two years…?  The same person who left his own brother.” It was like he was being tested, his reaction being the answer to Lotor’s questions. He got what he wanted too, because Lance didn’t respond.  

“Oh dear…  Lance-” 

“I think you should leave.” Hunk had stood as he spoke, standing over him.  

Lance winced, trying to tell them that it was okay, but his mouth felt like it had been sealed shut, his tongue suddenly made of lead.  He gripped his necklace harshly, unable to move as his body seem to freeze in place. His breathing stuttered, Lance doing everything he can not to start hyperventilating.  Some part of him was still aware though, a voice sounding clear and muffled at the same time trying to talk to him. He couldn’t focus though, staring at them but not really seeing them.  Somehow though, when Lotor started talking, he heard him loud and clear. 

“I’m going to do you a favor and say what everyone’s too afraid to say-”

“Lotor don’t-”

“It’s been two years since he’s abandoned you all.  You have to face the truth.. Keith isn’t coming back.” 

Lance’s eyes widened, the words hitting him like a punch to his gut.  He grabbed the cup in front of him, completely forgetting what he had been drinking, and threw it in Lotor’s face, his body shaking as he glared at him.  He wasn’t sure what emotion to really feel, hurt or angry, but his body seemed to move on it’s own accord as he lifted the glass up. He was ready to go as far as hit Lotor, but someone grabbed his arm before he could, pulling him back into the booth and holding onto him.  Hunk had moved in front of him at some point, blocking his view of Lotor as he took over the situation.  

His chest hurt.  

“Leave.” Hunk practically growled, his fists clenched at his sides.

“Look, I’m only trying-”

“Excuse me, I believe that he has asked you to leave.” A voice said softly.  Lance looked to see their boss smiling sweetly, her hands clasped together in front of her as she stood on the other side of the booth.  

“And you are?” Lotor asked, the want to punch him flaring up again.  But Adam had a tight hold on him, and Hunk would have stopped him before he could even get up.  

“Luxia.  You are causing a disruption in my Diner and preventing my customers and my employees from having a peaceful meal.  If you can’t remove yourself independently, I will gladly find someone to escort you with no problem.” The way she spoke must have thrown him off because the other didn’t respond right away.  

“...Forgive me.  I’ll be on my way now.” Lotor said, his voice tight.  

“I’ll be sure to keep him from you all in the future.  If there’s anything else you need, please don’t hesitate to let me know.” Luxia said, her voice soft and genuine as she looked to them.  She was like a mother and Lance couldn’t help but smile at that. She followed after Lotor, probably making sure to keep her promise.  

Lance listened more than watch as Lotor walked away, relaxing when he heard the familiar jingle of their door.  He was let go then, the movements hesitant as if he was going to get up and chase after him. He’d be lying if the thought hadn’t crossed his mind now that he was free but he wasn’t going to win against Hunk who was still standing protectively in front of him.  

“Thanks for stopping me from doing something I probably would have regretted.” Lance said to Shiro, leaning into the other’s touch as he rubbed his back.  

“Any time.” He responded.

“God what an asshole.” Pidge sneered.  The group hummed in agreement.  

“Let’s head home for the night.” Hunk suggested, rubbing the back of his neck.  

“I believe that’s for the best.  I’m sure we could all use some rest after all of…  that.” Allura said, slipping out, Hunk helping her up.  

“If he’s out there still, I’m going to stab him.” Pidge warned, getting up.  Lance snorted.  

“Please don’t encourage them.” Shiro sighed.  

“Sorry Dad.”

… 

They all gathered in the parking lot after they were done paying, walking each other to their car per usual.  Allura had offered Pidge a ride home, the both of them getting into Allura’s car and driving off first, Allura having to work in the morning and Pidge being the closest one to her.  Adam and Shiro walked him and Hunk to Hunk’s car, an old habit they all had after hearing some bad stories on the news.  

“Lance, can I talk to you for a second?” Shiro asked.  Lance swallowed nervously, looking to Hunk and motioning him to get in without him.  

“What’s up?” He asked, waving to Adam who had gotten in their car.  

“What…  What Lotor said…  Do you believe him?” He asked, his question clearly hesitant.  But he kept his emotions in check, Lance unable to get a read on how Shiro was feeling. 

“No.  I don’t.  I don’t believe in an asshole who’s only been trying to harass me into giving him the time of day.  What I believe in is one of my best friends and your brother! I believe in Keith and he told both you and me that he was coming back!  And Keith doesn’t go back on his word. That idiot is too stubborn to go back on his word. And when he does come back, you and I are going to kick his ass for making us worry about him!  He’s going to come back! He has to! You can’t listen to Lotor! You can’t give up on him Shiro! You can’t!” He choked back sobs, wiping his tears away furiously.  

“Hey, hey breathe.  Breathe Lance.” Shiro said, quickly pulling him into a tight hug.  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you think that. I know he’s coming back.  Lotor’s wrong and I know that.” 

“Why won’t he come back Shiro?  Why?” He sobbed, holding onto the other tightly.  

“You got everything?” 

Lance took a second look into the trunk to make sure nothing fell out, grabbing his backpack and sitting them next to the suitcases on the sidewalk.  He went through a mental checklist then, checking off things he was positive he remembered grabbing.  He patted at his front pockets, worrying his lip before deciding to actually pull his phone and wallet out.  He then knelt down and opened the front pocket of his backpack, pulling his passport, place ticket, and keys out before placing them back in.  Satisfied, he stood back up and turned to his friend, letting out a huff.  

“I think so.  If I left anything, I’ll just have to bug you to mail it to me.” He smirked, snickering when Keith rolled his eyes.  

“Or I’ll just leave it in my apartment until you get back.” He chuckled, shutting the trunk of his brother’s car.  Lance knew it was coming, but the slam still made him jump, pouting when Keith smirked in amusement.

“Jerk.  I guess I’ll wait till the end of my very long summer vacation to get such important items back from you.” He sighed dramatically, closing his eyes and placing a hand on his chest for emphasis.  

“If it was that important, you wouldn’t have forgotten it.” Keith laughed, Lance’s act dropping as he watched the other.

Keith always seemed to laugh with his eyes closed, his nose scrunched up with lips parted to show off teeth.  It always seemed to melt into a smile that was so fond, so warm, that it made Lance’s heart stutter.  He could feel his chest swell with warmth, so pleased by the fact that he was the reason.  Familiar butterflies appeared in his stomach when Keith opened his eyes to look at him, so overwhelmingly fond that he couldn’t help but look away.  

“Lance.” Hearing his own name shouldn’t have made his cheeks warm, but it did.  He looked back in time to see a smile that almost seemed sad, the warmth he had been feeling quickly dissipating into a smoke of concern.   

“What’s wrong?” He asked, stepping closer to him.  The question seemed to surprise the other, but it settled back into the same look, a frown replacing the faint smile he had tried to hold.  It was the same face he made when they were talking in the forest, when he struggled to tell Lance what had been wrong.  

‘I don’t want to lose you’ He had said then, sounding so frustrated with a situation that Lance was blind to.  He hadn’t pushed Keith then, waiting patiently for the time when he was able to open up.  When Keith was ready, he would be there to listen.  

“I’m fine.  I just…” He looked hesitant, a hand coming up to run through his bangs.  He didn’t mean to, but he flinched when Keith suddenly stepped into Lance’s personal space, quickly looking between them to avoid embarrassing himself.  He was standing so close that he could smell the shampoo Keith had used.  It reminded him too much of when they would go hiking, the soothing sounds of the wind dancing through the trees as they ripped off leaves and left them to flutter down.  

He could feel his heartbeat pick up, feeling as if it would pop out of his chest at any second..  

“Hold your hand out.” He heard, looking up to see that Keith wasn’t even looking at him.  

He swallowed a bit before he did as he was told, holding a hand up as he watched the other pull something from his pocket. Keith didn’t place the object in his hand right away though, instead holding out a fist at a good distance above. Lance raised a brow before he felt his heart drop, quickly lifting his other hand as the object began to fall.  It never landed in his hands though, Lance blinking in confusion.  Before he could voice this, he spotted the crystal swaying in front of him, Lance quickly realizing that Keith was holding out a necklace by the chain.  He couldn’t help but stare at it, glancing up to Keith before looking back to it and lifting his hands up for it.

“It’s…  It’s beautiful.” He whispered.  A shiver ran up his spine as Keith laid it in his hands.  It was cold and smooth to the touch, Lance letting his fingers run over the surface for a moment.  He turned it over in his hand, loving the way the sun reflected off of it the way the light danced.  It looked almost clear, but he could see the blue tint in it, the way it almost glowed in his hands.  

“I can’t remember the name of the crystal, but it’s meant for protection.  I… I thought you’d like it.” Keith explained, a hand raising to rub at his neck awkwardly.  

“I love it.  Thank you.” He smiled wide, resisting the urge to lean over and kiss him in thanks.  Instead, he quickly put it on, feeling a jolt of warmth as it laid over his chest. He couldn’t stop touching it, brushing his fingers over the surface a few more times before eventually letting it be.  He wasn’t sure if it was because Keith had given it to him, or that there was something else, but the crystal actually made him feel safer. He couldn’t give it much thought though, an announcement cutting through their moment and reminding him that he still needed to check in and go through security. 

“You should probably get going before you miss your flight.” Keith said, clearing his throat a bit.

“Probably.  I don’t think my family or bank account would appreciate it if I missed my flight.” He grumbled.  

“I don’t think so either.  Come on.” 

He didn’t have to, and Lance was certainly not going to decline it, but Keith walked him inside, helping him bring his bags in and even staying in line with him.  They didn’t talk about anything in particular, talking about their classes that they were going to be taking or about the trips they were going to be going on. Lance managed to convince Keith into taking a selfie with him for snapchat, making sure to save the photo to his phone despite his promise not to.  All too quickly though, Lance had checked his bags in and was ready to go through security, Keith walking with him until they were standing a few feet away from the end of the line.  

“I’m going to miss you Lance.” Keith practically whispered, Lance nearly missing it over the noises of the airport.  It caught him off guard, the worry he had earlier coming back in full force. Normally, he’d tease Keith, remind him that he was only going to be gone for two months before he was back for their second year at school.  But there was a shift in the mood. The way Keith looked was screaming something that he couldn’t understand, something that made him want to go back to the front desk to cancel his flight. It made him want to get his bags back despite it being too late.  Just then, it didn’t feel like he was just leaving for the summer.  It felt like he was leaving for good, like he had no plan on returning or seeing Keith again.  But Lance wouldn’t do that.  He couldn’t.

He didn’t know why it felt that way...

“I’m going to miss you too.” He said softly, looping his arms around his neck and pulling him in close.  He relaxed into Keith’s hold, pressing his face into his shoulder in an effort to hide his own sadness.  He could feel Keith squeeze him, holding him as tight as Lance was holding onto him. It felt like… If they were to let go, the other would cease to exist.

It scared him. 

It felt like they were there for hours, but at the same time it felt like seconds, time seemingly warping around him. He could feel the burn in the back of his eyes grow as he pulled back, feeling the way Keith seemed to linger a bit longer before doing the same.

They shared one more smile before Lance got in line, something compelling him to look back every few minutes to see if Keith was still there.  And he was. He stayed.  When it started to look like he wouldn’t be able to see Keith anymore, he gave a small wave, not caring if the other could or couldn’t see him through the crowd.  But somehow he did, waving back before Lance lost sight of him.

He waited till he was near his gate, finding the closest bathroom before going in and shutting himself in one of the stalls.  As soon as he sat down, he felt the tears come, an uneasy feeling weighing on him as he thought about Keith, about the way he had just been.  He jumped when he felt his phone buzz, quickly pulling it out as he wiped furiously at his eyes, clearing his vision the best he could.  

Keef : Don’t cry

He swallowed, unable to hold the small laugh as he quickly typed a reply. 

LanceyLance: I don’t know what you’re talking about.  

Keef: Sure you don’t.  

Keef: Stay safe okay?  

LanceyLance : You too. 

LanceyLance : You better come back from your hiking trip safe or I’m gonna kick your ass 

Keef : I’ll be back  

Keef : I promise

...

“Keith…”

Lance opened his eyes only to find himself in his apartment, the roaring of a plane's engine nowhere to be heard and one of his best friends nowhere to be seen.  

He quickly sat himself up, the dream- no, the memory, throwing him off.  He knew that he had been sleeping more than usual, and that the memories were becoming more and more vivid.  He just didn’t know why, and the thought of the unknown was giving him anxiety.  He swallowed and blindly reached for the crystal, wanting to find comfort in the very item he had been dreaming about.  Something ugly twisted in his stomach when all he felt was his chest.  

A wave of panic washed over him when he looked down and saw only his shirt, quickly patting around his neck in hopes that it had turned around while he was sleeping.  When he felt nothing, he bit his lip and started patting the bed, quickly moving to get up.   He tried to kick his legs free from the blankets that tangled around his legs overnight, unable to keep his balance and landing on his shoulder.  He winced but didn’t waste much time, pushing himself up before grabbing his blanket and shaking it a bit. When nothing fell out he tossed it to the side, checking his bed again.  He was getting nauseous, the panic only growing when only his phone appeared after he had tossed his pillow next to his blanket.  

“No, no, no, no!  Fuck! Where is-shit, where the fuck is it?” He hissed, dropping down and looking under the bed.  He could tell that he was breathing too quickly, rushing around his room in hopes that maybe his necklace had fallen somewhere when he had gotten home from the Diner last night.  That maybe he hadn’t lost it on his way home. He kept wiping at his eyes, wanting to stop the tears from welling up so he could see clearly, cursing when he had accidentally knocked some stuff over and creating an even bigger mess.  

"Lance?  You okay bud?" Came a voice from the other side of his bedroom door, startling him as he tried to pick the books up.  He mentally cursed, completely forgetting that some of his friends had decided to come over and spent the night.

"I-I'm fine Adam!  Just tripped over my sheets and knocked some stuff over!  I'm getting dressed now so don't come in!" He called, hoping his voice wasn't as shaky as it felt.  

"Well… alright…  Hunk is making breakfast now so don't take too long or all the food will be gone." Adam joked, Lance responding with a quick, albeit forced, laugh.  He waited till he heard footsteps fading away before he scrambled around again.

Eventually, after practically cleaning his entire room, he checked his work bag, dumping it out and checking each article of clothing, tossing his pants, then apron into his basket before checking his shirt.  He nearly sobbed when he found his necklace wrapped around his shirt’s collar, Lance remembering that he tucked it under it so that he could still wear it during work. He let out a long sigh of relief, sinking to the floor and just laying in the middle of the chaos his emotions had created.  He’d have to re-organize his stuff later.

“Lance!” He heard and he immediately shot up to get dressed.  

“Coming!”

…

“Where’s Shiro?” Lance asked as he walked into the kitchen that also served as a dining room.  Hunk was seated at the table, finishing his breakfast as Adam stood by the counter. He was pouring a cup of coffee when he walked in, looking up and smiling a bit.  

“He left this morning.  He said he was sorry that he couldn’t stick around for breakfast, but he had a meeting to go to.” Adam explained, handing the cup to him when he was done.  Lance hummed happily as he inhaled the scent.  

“Thank you.” He sighed, grabbing the creamer and sugar that was left out to add to it.  

“How’d you sleep?” Hunk asked, and Lance could feel their eyes watching him as he moved.  He didn’t look at either of them though, knowing full well that if he did, he would see the concern in their eyes.  He appreciated that they worried over him, he did. He just hated it.  He didn’t like being the reason for concern. He took a sip of his coffee before turning towards them looking down into his mug.

“I…  I slept fine…” He trailed off, clenching his jaw.  He just needed to know it was okay. He needed to know it was okay to open up.  It was quiet for a moment.

“But..?” Adam encouraged, and that was all he needed.  

“But I keep having these dreams." He said, taking a seat next to Hunk, Adam joining them with his own cup of coffee.  

"Nightmares?" He asked after a sip.  

"No.  They're dreams, but not really.  They're more like memories, playing as my dreams." He explained to Adam, rubbing the crystal for comfort.  

"Hmm.  Well, do they have anything in common?  A pattern? Maybe a feeling?" Hunk asked, a frown forming. 

"They're memories… Memories of Keith, interactions I’ve had with him.  I don't know what it means though. Usually I could tell or at least have some sort of clue or idea, but there's nothing that stands out other than that." He huffed.

"Usually?  You mean this has happened before?" Adam looked confused, looking between the two of them like a lost puppy who wasn’t sure who to go to.  Lance laughed a bit.

“I’ve had this... thing, since I was a kid.  My gramps has it, but he’s the only other one in my family who does.  Basically, it’s an ability to somewhat guess the future. I get a week’s worth of memories that will hint at what’s going to happen at the end of the week.  They’re typically straightforward, but this time it’s kind of confusing.” He huffed.  

“For example, Lance predicted that our bus driver was going to have a heart attack once and basically saved all of us from an accident by letting the bus driver know that he should get his chest pains checked out.  Probably saved the bus driver’s life too.” Hunk said, and the pride he said it with made Lance flush with embarrassment.

“That’s… incredible!” Adam said in amazement, his eyes wide.  It only added to Lance’s embarrassment.  

“Th-thank you…” He didn’t comment on the fact that his ability was sometimes terrifying though, some memories he’d rather completely forget.  That particular incident, he had kept having dreams of his grandmother who had a heart attack while he was eating dinner with her.  He had been the only one home at the time and was luckily smart enough to call 9-1-1.

“How long have you been having these dreams?” Hunk asked.  

“Almost a week…  which means whatever’s going to happen is going to happen soon.” He grimaced at the thought.

They were all quiet for a moment, Lance taking a few more sips of his coffee as he ran the memories through his head.  A lot of them were rather significant in Lance’s mind, all from different times of his life. He wasn’t really sure what else they shared in common, but he was also desperately trying not to overthink it.  Did it mean something was going to happen to Keith? Something bad? Or did it mean he was finally coming back…? The hope in his chest flickered before he could shove it away, the flame only growing when he tried to smother it.

“I’m going to the forest.” He stated, looking to the two before continuing, “It’ll help me focus, which may be what I need to find out what’s going on.  Plus the two of you probably haven’t stretched out in a while, so you can come with. That way, I won’t be going alone, and you two can take care of yourselves.”

“How did you- nevermind that.” Hunk huffed.  

“I’ll go with you.  Mainly because you’d go without us even if we didn’t.” Adam chuckled, giving him a look that reminded Lance of his older brother.  

“I’d be lying if I said you were wrong.” He laughed, smiling sheepishly.  

…

It wasn’t easy being a supernatural creature in the modern world.  

Though, it wasn’t as bad as some might think.  He mused over the thought as he, Adam and Hunk climbed over a fallen tree, walking further into the forest that stretched behind their university as they talked about his memories.  They were still relatively close to the school, having had to wait a while for the campus security to move. They’d usually wait till it was dark before venturing in, one of the benefits of not being a human being that they could see in the dark.  It also meant they could hide easier and see without a light to give them away. But today was an exception.

They were heading to the thicker part of the forest, a small open field hidden amongst the trees.  They followed a path that only they saw, purely out of memory from the millions of times they’ve gone.  It had been difficult the first few times for sure, but each visit was worth it.  It was a safe space for the three of them to ‘let loose’, and he was confident they were the only ones who knew about the small clearing. 

When they finally got close enough to spot their area, Lance cut their conversation short with a small ‘whoo!’, throwing his hands up in victory before running the rest of the way in.  He could hear Hunk and Adam run after them, taking a glance over his shoulder to see that they were quickly gaining on him.

“Hey!  No fair!” He yelled after them as they ran past them, their own abilities benefiting them as they moved through the trees without tripping or slowing down.  Once they made it to the clearing, they stopped, waiting for him to join them. 

“Slow poke.” Hunk teased, nudging him as Lance playfully pushed him away.  He took a second to catch his breath, glaring at the two of them as they only laughed, clearly not being affected by their small run.  

“Whatever!  Not all of us are Shifters or a Were.” He huffed, only pouting when they laughed at him.  

It quickly eased into a smile as he looked over the opening, Lance appreciating the beauty of it all.  The sun bathed the field with warmth, the clouds casting a beautiful shade as they floated across the sky.  There wasn’t too much wind today, so he’d probably stick to the shade until the sun lowered a bit.  He let his eyes linger over to the pond that was towards the other side of the clearing, deciding he’d hang around there a bit later as well.  

“Is this a good spot, or did you want to move down to the pond?” Adam asked, probably noticing where he was looking.

“I’ll go to the pond later.  The sun is still high so I think I’ll stick by the trees for a bit.”

“I guess we’ll go around and check everything, make sure there isn’t anything or anyone around.” Hunk said, slipping his backpack and sitting it against a tree.  Adam did the same, rolling his shoulders a bit.

“I’ll join you.  It will go by quicker if we both take a look.”   

“I’ll hold down the fort while you two go frolic in the forest.” Lance joked, snickering when the two of them rolled their eyes.  He yelped when he suddenly felt his hair be ruffled, hearing Adam chuckle.

“Stay out of trouble.” Adam laughed, dodging a whack to the arm.

Lance grumbled as he fixed his hair, sticking his tongue out.  Adam only laughed more. Lance watched as he went towards the left of where they were, quickly disappearing into the trees as if he was a ghost.  

“Call us if you need us.” Hunk reminded him.

“Yes Mom!” He whined over-dramatically, looking at him with a smile.  Hunk laughed before going in the opposite direction of Adam, disappearing in almost the same manner as Adam.  It sent shivers up his spine.

Now that he was left alone, he made himself as comfortable as he could, grabbing a blanket from his bag and laying it out.  He used his backpack as a pillow, laying back to stare up at the leaves as fluttered around.  He took a deep breath, the scent of the forest filling his nose and he couldn’t help but smile a little. It always felt like the forest welcomed him, the wind almost pushing him to go further and explore. But he stayed where he was, relaxing and letting his mind wander for a moment.  

A song came to mind, one that always seemed to help him focus.  He began humming as he ran through the memories that had been played for him in the past week, going through each one in hopes that something would stand out.  He just couldn’t seem to pinpoint any other important details other than the obvious, and it was frustrating. His humming soon morphed into quiet singing, the words drifting into the forest with the wind, the leaves moving as if dancing along.  

It was lovely.

It was also distracting.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, a small yawn escaping as he fully relaxed into the grass.  His singing faded into humming again, feeling like something was dragging him into something again.  He felt safe though, knowing that his friends were around if anything were to happen. But there was something more that told him that he was safe at the moment, like something was either watching over him or protecting him.  It told him to let go.  That there wasn’t any need to worry.  

Before he knew it…  Lance drifted off.