Chapter Text
It had been a bright blue, cloudless day- sunlight streaming in from every window.
The first time Keith saw him, he’d been smiling. Even at that moment, he felt that what he was witnessing was rare, even before they’d said so much as a word to one another.
Lance had been watching the upper-years leave the tarmac for the fighter pilot formation drills; the ones that took you up to the outer border of the mesosphere, so high that you’d feel near weightless and detached from the Earth. At that moment, Keith didn’t yet fully understand what about that would make Lance look so serenely happy- but he would.
The panels of light reflected off of the window placed a yellow rectangle onto his face, so that the somewhat jagged shape of his cheekbones stood out. There were freckles across the bridge of his nose like sunspots, subtle but in high contrast with the help of the lighting. His hair was an interesting shade of orange made gold, trimmed rather unevenly to about ear-length. He’d heard rumours about that weird McClain guy, who never smiles and talks back to officers and has probably killed someone at some point- not that it meant a lot to Keith. He’d known enough people to know most aren’t worth trusting or believing the opinions of.
“You’re Lance, right?”
Keith could’ve sworn Lance had jumped slightly when he approached, considering reaching for something in his bag before turning to face him.
The change in his face, moving away from the light and back into the shadow, made Keith even more aware of the sharpness of his features. He nearly, but not quite, scowled in acknowledgement. That was… not the response Keith was used to.
“Why do you care?”
His arms were folded on his chest defensively and he looked over Keith with no insincere deference or desire to impress. Somehow his willingness to let Keith know he wasn’t interested in talking to him was refreshing, compared to how some classmates approached him almost expectantly, hoping to get something out of standing beside the Keith Kogane. Even when Keith could tell there was a sense of resentment or dislike, nobody else had shown hostility to him so openly until now. He couldn’t help but smile.
“I saw you in the flight sim class we had yesterday. You’re pretty good.”
He briefly considered extending a hand, even knowing full well that Lance wouldn’t shake, but decided that’d come across exactly the way he hated when it was done to himself; insincere, manipulative, empty. If Lance wanted space, he should give it to him. Keith stepped back a little, made a conscious effort to relax his posture a little from the soldier’s stance he found instinctual by now, and watched Lance’s shoulders fall slightly in turn.
“…Thanks.”
By the slight change in tone, it seemed Lance could tell Keith’s compliment had been honest. Something about him- maybe the way his eyes seemed to constantly be scanning him, or the way his lip twitched in response to his words like begrudging acceptance- told Keith he wasn’t the kind of person who could easily be lied to.
“I was thinking-“ Keith went on, suddenly feeling like time was running out before Lance would abruptly up and go, not needing a social cue of approval to leave the conversation. “-Maybe we could be a team, sometime. For the simulator, I mean.”
Dark eyes narrowed slightly, just for a fraction of a moment, giving Keith an unfamiliar shiver. It felt strange to be seeking out someone like this, being the one looking for something from them. It didn’t feel at all like he did when deferring to a superior or formulating his replies to his father in hopes of receiving some certain permission or word of approval- not nearly as empty, as false. Maybe that’s why he never felt anything reporting to people like that; he hadn’t really been all there, mentally but not emotionally invested in the outcome, not like now.
Finally, Lance produced a somewhat-positive-sounding huff, and Keith let go of his breath. Not quite a resounding yes, but not a no, either.
“I’ll think about it.”
Keith grinned, feeling like he’d won over something rare and precious. “Well, thanks. It’s, uh, nice meeting you.” Was normal, informal conversation supposed to be this difficult? Keith had never realized it before, but… that was a skill he certainly didn’t have.
Lance’s mouth curved in an almost-smile. “Yeah.” He picked up his book-bag from the floor and slung it over his shoulders, Keith catching a second-long glimpse into the contents- silver thermos, an ancient-looking book- and what Keith was pretty sure was a switchblade. Keith figured Lance must be pretty good at keeping secrets if that hadn’t been spotted and confiscated by now- either Lance had slipped up for just that second, or he’d decided that Keith wasn’t threat enough to rat him out. He’d hope it was the latter.
Lance turned towards him before walking off, his mannerisms still relatively cautious and guarded- why did that bother him so much?
“I’ll see you in class.”
Keith nodded with perhaps a bit too much eagerness. He watched Lance disappear around a corner, still trying to process the outcome of his first normal peer-to-peer conversation in… ever. Had that gone well or poorly? He almost wished an instructor would come out from behind a locker and give him a feedback report.
That unfamiliar buzzing in his chest was still there.