The last few weeks of September passed slowly, with the youth line runway practice progressing, along with Keith's gym visits.

He'd been going everyday for two weeks, working on his non-existent pudge, and running off the steam and frustration he had towards work.

He can see the progress on his newly born abs, but everyday he grows more and more frustrated with James and Lance's relationship at work.

Keith's been doing really well as Veve puts it, quickly learning his way around Balmera from the maps and directional courses she's given him. He has also been working on magazine issue layouts with her, just so the new Balmera Issue he creates will be perfectly executed.

On the other hand, everyday he has to watch Lance from afar. Walking the runway with James by his side, always a little too close. Keith hated the way James looked at Lance, with a slight tilt of his head, and the crook of his lips.

Lance was always grinning when work finished, babbling about the progress he'd made on poses, or control, or flaunting it. And Keith was happy for him, he was. It just made him furious that Lance always finished his spurts of excitement with a smirk at James.

Veve tried to keep Keith focused, continuously shooting down his jealousy with the same 'James is straight' speel. But the fire in his eyes would always return when he saw James touch Lance. Which was constant. They were too touchy.

Keith barely talked to Lance anymore. And maybe he had gotten too attached to his partner in their previous months of work together. But was that so wrong?

Keith hated feeling attached to people, relying on people. But for once, he admitted to himself, he needed Lace around. More than this, at least.

Despite that, he couldn't bring himself to tear Lance from James for his own personal reasons. He could see clearly how happy Lance was, working with James. And if that made Lance happy...

Keith could live with it. Even if it hurt.

It was only for about another month, then they could be reunited at the runway. Hopefully.

Which made Keith wonder, when or if, he would confess his feelings for Lance, because by now he admitted to himself it was definitely more than infatuation.

He had of course already told Shiro. Who apparently wasn't surprised, like Keith was obvious or something. Pfft.

October rolled around, and Keith found himself once again pissed off. Finished with his issue layouts test Veve had given him, he'd found himself in a trance of Lance's movements up and down the runway. Mesmerizing.

Until, of course, as always, James jumped into the picture. Gripping his hands onto Lance shoulders, a smirk and lidded eyes on his face. Lance lit up at whatever the man told him.

And Keith dropped his laptop, rage coursing through his fingertips, which had gone numb. The laptop skittered with a crash, Veve's head snapping up in confusion.

"What the hec-"

"I'm leaving." Keith said, abruptly. He snatched up his laptop, which luckily only adorned a scratch on the bottom. "Now."

"U-h wha-" Veve sputtered, picking up Keith's papers. "I still need you to take this test on relevant magazines and how they impact-"

"Look Veve," Keith growled, " I'll do it tomorrow. "

Her shocked face was the last thing he saw before he slammed the studio door behind him, practically running to his bike.

..

Half an hour later, he found himself poundingthe pavement on the rubber track of the gym down the street.

The same few thoughts kept running through his head. He was overwhelmed, and didn't need these extra feelings.

He ignored the burn in his stomach, instead running longer, investing in the pain of his legs and speeding up. Every step was on James' face.

Pound.

Pound.

Pound.

Why couldn't Lance look at Keith the way he looked at James?

Because you're an ass to him, stupid.

Pound.

Why did James have to come now, of all times? Why couldn't he have been here before Keith started feeling like this??

Because life isn't fair.

Pound.

Keith came to a stop, his phone buzzing with the familiar notification of an incoming text.

It was Hunk.

"Oh shit, right-" Keith muttered to himself, slowing to a walk as he checked the time.

He had been running for two hours approximately... Not even counting his miles.

He had left work around three, and now would be the time he would usually get off. Lance would be flirting with James right now...

His abs burned painfully, and his legs felt like noodles, tense with muscle. He was soaked in sweat.

He couldn't complain though, the work definitely paid off. He grinned at his toned stomach.

He took a quick shower, remembering the movie night he had to attend to in half an hour. With Hunk.

Hunk had dragged Keith along with the idea, feeding into the notion that they rarely hung out together, and needed some bonding.

Keith didn't mind, he loved Hunk like a brother, and it would be a nice time to just relax with someone judgment free, a good listener.

He pulled up at Hunk's apartment, his oversized Gorillaz hoodie fending off the crisp October air.

5:39 p.m
im here

Keith passed Hunk's small lawn, perfectly cut. A windowsill garden of tulips was growing, most likely Shay's doing.

"Keith!" Hunk exclaimed, throwing open the door, and enveloping Keith in a hug. Keith melted into it, not really realizing how much he had needed one.

"Come on in." Hunk said, letting Keith into the apartment. The smell of fries wafted down the hall. Past a staircase, the hallway's walls were covered with photos of Hunk's family and friends, all through the years.

High school graduate Keith in his cap and gown, grinning for the camera, eyes squeezed shut. He scoffed at it now, one of the happiest times of his life.

"I made curly fries, from scratch." Hunk said, leading Keith into the kitchen, where a living room branched off. As Hunk started fixing up his fries, Keith took a look around.

Everything had a plant mom x warm hearth aesthetic to it, with flower paintings and fairy lights strewn across the wall above Hunk's flatscreen. The walls were a warm cream, with yellow flower petals painted here and there. Clearly hand drawn.

"Nice place," Keith said, stuffing his hands into his pockets and kicking off his shoes by the coat rack.

" Heh, yeah. Shay decorated it. " Hunk called from the kitchen.

"She has good taste." Keith chuckled dryly, " How is she by the way? "

"Good! Visiting her brother right now."

" Cool. " Keith said. He slipped off his hoodie, Hunk's apartment already at least five degrees warmer than his own.

"Alrighty." Hunk said, stepping into the living room with a bowl of curly fries. He set them down on the coffee table with a pack of oreos.

"It's my first time making curly fries, so I hope they're good." Hunk said expectantly, sitting with Keith on the couch.

"Oh?" Keith asked. He grabbed for a fry, instantly burning his finger tip, dropping the fry on the carpet. " Ow-"

"Oh yeah, they're hot." Hunk warned.

" I figured... " Keith chuckled.

Keith cut the lights off as Hunk began searching for a movie.

"So, what do you wanna watch?" Hunk asked as Keith sat back down, curling his legs up to his body.

"To be honest, something funny."

" Yeah? " Hunk chuckled under his breathe, "Rom com? Or no? I'm not sure if you're that kind of guy..."

" But you are. " Keith shrugged. "I'm more of a horror, action kind of guy. But today, a rom com is fine."

Hunk grinned. "Awesome sauce. Don't worry, I won't choose anything too cheesy."

And that is how the two brought themselves to watch 50 first dates, eating homemade curly fries and oreos.

The movie revolves around a man named Henry, whose girlfriend Lucy, is in a terrible car accident that causes her memory to become impaired. Everyday, her memory rewinds to the morning of the day before the crash, and she forgets Henry, everyday. He loves her to such an extent, that everyday he tries to get her to go on a date with him, only for their progress to be practically deleted by the next morning.

It's a sad story, but totally hilarious, starring Adam Sandler as Henry, and Drew Barrymore as Lucy.

"Can you imagine," Hunk started, as the end credits began to roll a few hours later, " Someone loving you to such an extent that they would spend their entire life creating memories with someone just for it all to be gone the next day? " 

"Heh," Keith chuckled, standing up and cracking his back. " No. "

"Why not?" Hunk asked, picking up the fries that had dropped onto his carpet. "I'm sure someone would do it for you."

"Maybe." Keith said, ready to change the subject. " How's the restaurant? "

Hunk grinned. "Good, for now. Business is always slow during the holidays..."

" That's weird. "

"Yeah, but not many American families want to eat Samoan food for Thanksgiving." He shrugged with a dry chuckle.

" I'm sorry, Hunk. " Keith frowned.

"Nah, it's fine man. How's work for you?" He smiled.

Now's as good a time as ever... Keith thought to himself as he crossed his arms.

"Good, I guess. Lance and I, we uh, got a new studio."

" Oh yeah, he told me all about it! Runway strip and all that! You guys got some mentors too or something? "

"Yeah, Veve and uh... James." He couldn't even try to put respect on the guy's name. 

Hunk frowned. "Something wrong with James?"

"Yeah, he's fucking with my feelings right now."

" Oh? Is he uh... You guys together or something? "

Keith turned red. "Wha-what?!! He's straight, and no- God no-"

Hunk chuckled. "Eh, I'm confused..."

" He's Lance's modeling mentor. From Balmera. "

"Still not following..."

Keith ran a hand down his face, groaning. "He'stoofriendlywithLanceandIhateitcausethatshouldbemeandIhatefeelingjealousbutfuckit'snotfair-"

Hunk stared at him blankly. "Okayyy. Do you wanna watch another movie or...?"

" Sorry... It's just a lot for me, and I'm pissed off. "

"You don't have to tell me? Whatever it is..?"

" Actually, I really want to. That's why I came. "

"Sure," Hunk said. " Take your time then. "

"I don't need much." Keith sighed, sitting down. " I really don't like James because of how he acts around Lance. "

"How does he act?" Hunk asked, ready to fight.

" Not bad, don't worry. Well, kinda. He's just super flirtatious and suggestive...and I don't know, Lance is super clingy to him too. "

"I thought this guy was straight?"

"Well he is but-"

"So why does it matter?"

" Huh? He's flirting with Lance. That's the problem. "

"Ohhh, I see." Hunk smirked as he realized what Keith was trying to say. " Wow, I can't believe I didn't see that earlier." Hunk laughed, scratching his head.

"Yeah.."

" How long have you liked him? "

"Like... A few weeks? Maybe more? I dunno, I'm not good with feelings...especially my own."

" I get that. But if James is straight, I'm sure you don't need to worry, he's probably a good guy just wanting to get to know Lance. "

Keith nodded slowly. "Yeah, that makes sense."

" You should try to get to know him, maybe he'll understand how you feel for Lance, and step back. You guys could be friends even! "

"Heh, I wouldn't go that far." Keith chuckled, glancing at Hunk. " But I'll talk to him. "

"Great." Hunk smiled. " Anyways, you planning on confessing to Lance? "

"Nope." Keith said without hesitation. He had given the idea much thought, and decided neither him, nor Lance needed that extra baggage, especially preparing for the most important event of Lance's life.

"Why not? What if he-"

"Likes me back?" Keith asked suddenly. "It's not gonna happen Hunk, we're rivals, enemies, and that's how he sees me."

Hunk sighed. "I don't know..."

" It's fine. " Keith said, getting to his feet. "But thanks for listening. Seriously, I appreciate it." 

" Anytime, man. You gotta come over more often, this was fun! "

"Heh- I will." Keith said, grabbing his hoodie.

Hunk smiled. "Stay safe, man."

" You too. " Keith said, smirking. "Also, the fries were amazing."

Hunk grinned, holding up Keith's empty bowl. "I could tell."

Keith smiled. "Until next time."

" Next time. "

_____________________________________________________________________

hiyaaa !

hope you enjoyed :)) hunk is the only person who can bring out keith's soft spot for rom-coms 

except maybe lance 😏

anyways ! you guys need to watch adam sandler movies if you don't already! they're soooo good, and i absolutely love 50 first dates, its hilarious. tbh in math, I feel like ten second tom (if you've watched 50 first dates you'll get the joke lol)

no pressure if you don't wanna watch them though haha i just thought an adam sandler rom com would be perfect for hunk and keith to bond over 

qotd: favorite adam sandler movie if you've watched some of them?

qotd- if you haven't watched :) : favorite snack pair? [yes, like hunk's curly fries and oreos]

a: movie- the wedding singer !
    snack pair- hot cheetos and apple juice ((shout out to snapdragon_sunrise bc you bought me some ilyyyyy !!))

thanks for reading i love you all!! <33

what the microwave sees at 4:20 a.m ^^