"Come on, tell me there's more in stock. That's insane!" Lance pleaded, drooping over the store clerk's counter with mad theatrics and hands clasped.

The man shrugged. "Dude, it's not my problem. Makeup glitter is really popular this year? Especially this season." His skeleton themed earrings rattled.

" Tskkkk, seriously?? " Lance sighed dramatically. "I-" he grasped for his pockets. " What do you want, a bribe?" He started shoving money onto the counter. "Twenty? Thirty? Heh-"

The clerk glanced around the store at other concerned customers in awkward dread. "Uh, sir please- I'm telling you it's not here."

Lance pouted. "But- all the other stores are out too, and I really, really, want it. Please-"

The clerk shook his head. "Look man, I'm really tired. And really hungry. And you're making me annoyed, so I would enjoy it if you left quietly."

Lance turned pale.

"Now."

Lance sighed. "Whatever." He slumped off, under the heavy eye of disapproving customers.

Why was he so desperate for some glitter, you may ask? Sure, he could be dramatic sometimes, but this was definitely a stretch, even for him. 

It was Keith. All Keith's fault. Yeah.

Neither of them, (or Coran), had told the others what their Halloween costumes would be this year, for Keith's party.

And of course, around Keith, all of a sudden, Lance couldn't keep his mind on track. He blabbered. Got sidetracked. 

Keith wouldn't tell him what he would go as. No matter how much Lance begged.

So Lance changed tactics. High school rivalry, childish anctics, type tactic.

A competition. Of course.

Lance knew he had a way better costume in mind, he just didn't have it yet.

So he laid it on thick, declaring to Keith his costume was superior, and would put whatever Keith was going to slap together at the last minute to shame.

Keith, despite his holier than thou attitude that could care less about anyone else's claim, had to step up to the challenge. It was Lance.

So here Lance was, tripping over himself up the escalator of the mall, trying to find the finishing touch to his costume.

He needed it to be perfect, he wanted to beat Keith so bad. And he knew it was childish, a fucking costume battle. He hadn't rivaled Keith like this in years.

So why was he so fired up? 

Something told him it wasn't his competitiveness burning in his stomach, but something more... complicated.

The urge to be around Keith. He wanted the attention. He craved it. Keith's eyes on him.

No-

No, he just wanted to win. Yeah, that was it. He would be the most breathtaking greek god to grace this earth, and Keith would drool over him. 

The thought sent him tumbling down the escalator, the wrong step sending him flying. Eyes glazed over him, shrugging off the most likely intoxicated teen. He took out a few people before coming to a stop halfway down the escalator.

To be fair, he was intoxicated. But in a different way. And he hated feeling like this.

He also...loved it?

Fuck it, he would win this competition, be praised for his costume and charisma, dubbed as the most debonair, and this feeling would be gone. This fire. This... This-

"Glitter." Lance said, finally stepping off the escalator. Damn, those weren't as fun as they used to be.

He moped through the mall, looking for any stores that might lead him in the right direction. To be honest, he was ready to barge into an arts and crafts store, and go with that.

Why did he care so much? Before this modeling thing, sure he wanted to win, but it never felt so... critical. He felt like despite all this effort, he would still end up standing in front of Keith, breathe hot and skin tingling with electricity. It was inevitable.

Though, if that were to be sexual tension, or I'm gonna fuck you up tension, Lance couldn't figure out. His heart just hurt. 

So, he found himself sitting at the verge of his seat in the outskirts of the food court, blaring explicit music in his earbuds, and blowing the biggest bubble of gum he'd ever blown.

This feeling, to make his costume perfect, almost felt like shopping for suits with Keith. Like he needed to impress.

Did he?

Keith had always been so cool. And smooth. And-

And, yeah. He was awesome.

Is that why this felt so inevitable? Like he would never be enough? It would end the same? Keith being better?

Or did he feel like this because it was inevitable that Keith wouldn't care. That he didn't need to impress Keith? That Keith liked him no matter what...

What was scarier?

He wanted to fight Keith. That was their thing. He felt comfortable when they were at each other's throats, yelling things they didn't mean.

Just because they could. They could say those things, break each other down, to nose bleeds and tears. And still be friends. Or, whatever they were. Partners?

Just Keith and Lance.

They could make up. Maybe that was what Lance loved so much about Keith. They fight, they make up overnight.

That made him blush. Overnight? Where the hell are his thoughts going...

Lance couldn't figure out if he was more scared to always be second best to Keith, or more scared that in Keith's eyes, he was always number one.

His gum popped. Sticky, all over his nose. He peeled it off, and rolled it back onto his tongue. Why was he thinking these things?

It was supposed to feel good to get his thoughts in order. Instead he felt more overwhelmed.

One thing he knew though, was that he wanted to fight with Keith, and make him cry. That was who they were. They tore at each other, and that made them love each other more.

Why was it so fucked up?

That was the inevitable- the fights and arguments, competitions and scorn. The adrenaline, that would turn into heat, and touch, and whispers against Lance's-

Huh?

Lance stood up quickly. A little too quick, knocking over his chair. This wasn't supposed to be how he saw Keith. He didn't love Keith. He didn't care. They were rivals. That was it.

"I just wanted some glitter-" Lance sighed, lowering his music volume, and spitting out his gum.

He started out of the food court, hands deep in his pockets. It had been a while since him and Keith really fought. Did he really want to?

Did it have to inevitable? What if they didn't have to fight?

Was it comfortable to him? Or was it all he knew?

He was confusing himself now, but he didn't want to talk it aloud with anyone. He just pushed it aside.

"Sir? Sir??"

Lance turned to the voice, to see the store clerk running towards him, out of breathe, and face red.

"Here, dude." He held a packet of gold facial glitter in his heavily tattooed hand. " I overlooked-" he wheezed.

"And I feel bad, for rushing you off, so-" Wheeze. "It's free." Wheeze.

" Here. " He said again, shoving it at Lance's chest.

Lance smiled, taking it, "Oh- thanks."

"Yeah, sorry about all that."

" No. It's fine. " He smiled at the glitter. "It's perfect."

________________________________________________________________

hi, sorry this was short !!

sorry if it was confusing too, i always imagined lance's thoughts would be kinda chaotic and that was what this mainly was

if it was too confusing pls ask and ill explain!!

but im trying harder to write more vaguely cause better books leave the readers guessing and asking questions so idk i just wanna be a better writer leave me be lol

also i miss malls if you couldn't tell 😔 f corona yk

qotd: what do y'all want/guess keith's costume to be ?

a: i already know hehe so ill leave

UGH LANCE FINNA BE GORGEOUS Y'ALL

watch it pls hehe haha, it may or may not be giving me inspiration for this chapter and future ones 🙄😌

OH BEFORE I FORGET: LOVE YOU!