It was well known throughout the school that Keith and Lance... did not get along. They were rivals, anytime they'd even just accidentally bump into one another it would start something. It had become such a regular occurrence that the students would ignore their daily little spats.

What made things worse is everyday after school they left around the same time, and had to walk the same direction. Keith eventually just started staying behind a bit longer, so he wouldn't have to deal with seeing Lance's face.

In all reality though it didn't make much sense that they were rivals. Neither of them had many friends, and even though it wasn't exactly pleasant, the only people either of them talked to on a daily basis, was each other...

-&-

It was a rainy Friday and Keith was getting ready to leave school. He had stayed behind even later today because he had to make up a test, and now he was dreading going out in the pouring rain.

At least his mother reminded him to bring an umbrella. As protective as she could get he was glad she loved him enough to care about the little things.

He closed his bag, looping it around his shoulder, before grabbing the umbrella and walking toward the glass doors.

It was raining so hard that it looked like there was a water fall on the other side of the tall clear panes.

He sighed opening his umbrella, putting it above his head, before walking out. The rain pounded loud on the plastic above him. He held his bag close to make sure it also stayed under the protection and didn't get wet.

He was passing a small local gardens in his neighborhood when his feet stopped in their place. There, among the peopless streets, someone was sitting at a bench at the top of the stairs of the gardens, surrounded by its plant life.

"Lance..?" he muttered to himself automatically recognizing the boy.

He was sitting there looking down at the pavement, the tall dim lamppost slightly illuminating him as the rain poured down directly on his head. There was something strange about his demeanor. His shoulders were slack, and his head hung low.

Keith looked ahead debating if he should just continue his way home, but something inside him told him not to. So he turned and started his trudge up the concrete stairs. His feet splashed in the puddles that cover almost every part of the ground, and he had to be careful not to slip. His feet grew cold and damp, but he kept going.

When he reached the top he stood in front of his rival looking down at him. "What are you doing? You'll get sick out here without an umbrella."

Lance looked up at him, looking like he wanted to be surprised, but instead sadness overtook his expression. "Doesn't matter to me..."

Keith was surprised and he didn't know what to do. Even though he couldn't differentiate the tears with the rain water he could tell Lance had been crying. His eyes were red and puffy. "What are you doing out here all alone? You should go home."

He shook his head slightly in refusal. "No... I don't want to go back there."

Keith frowned at the words and then sat down not really caring if the bench was wet. He put the umbrella over both of their heads as he spoke. "Why? What's wrong?"

"Like you care..." lamce trailed off looking the opposite way of him. "You don't even like me. We fight all the time."

"Yeah, we do, but I want to know..." Keith trailed off. "Is it your parents?" He himself was surprised by how civil they were talking.

Lance let out a breath and shifted awkwardly. "Yeah..." the answer was hardly audible over the sound of the rain beating down on the leaves and pavement around them.

"What did they do?" Keith asked.

Lance looked over at him finally, but felt himself look away quickly when his cheeks heated up. In order for both of them to stay under the umbrella they were quite close. "Nothing."

Keith studied his face and noticed a bruise on his left cheek. He knew it couldn't be from him, they never physically fought. "That doesn't look like nothing..." he couldn't help but let his fingers gently glide against the bruise.

Lance pulled away from him his head dropping again.

There was a moment of silence before Keith noticed that Lance's shoulders had began to shake. He had started crying again.

"Lance..." Keith grabber the darker skinned boy's hand in comfort. It felt cold...

"I don't understand..." Lance choked out. He felt his fingers tighter around Keith's, the warmth feeling calming. "I-I didn't even do anything... I was just trying to protect my mother... I couldn't watch again...." He had to stop as he struggled to hold back his crying.

Keith moved closer leaning onto him in a somewhat hug. He put what Lance was saying together and figured what happened. He was always so mean to Lance, but never wanted to see him like this. So... broken and hurt...

"I just don't understand... why am I so alone?" Lance managed. "Nobody loves me."

Keith sat up feeling the umbrella slip from his fingers. He grabbed Lace's shoulders pulling him toward him and connecting their lips.

Lance widened his eyes in shock as he was suddenly kissed. The umbrella fell carelessly to the ground and the sound of the rain seemed to grow around him.

The kiss was long before Keith pulled away looking into the other's eyes. "That isn't true." He said breathlessly. The rain started to mat his hair down, but he ignored it. All he wanted to make the boy in front of him feel loved.

"Why... why did you do that?" Lamce asked still looking back at him with wide eyes.

Why..? Keith didn't know why exactly... he just did it naturally. He blinked having to think a bit. "Why..? Because I'm... in love with you." He knew he wasn't lying.

Lance felt his heartbeat speed up at the words. "I thought you hated me."

"No... not really." Keith replied. "I never really did I guess. You don't hate me now do you?"

"No..." Lance felt himself smile slightly as he leaned his forehead onto his partner's. "Not at all."

Keith smiled too. "Do you want to come to my house for dinner tonight?"

"I'd love that." Lance replied.

They then got up, Keith got the umbrella holding it above both of them as they walked the whole way hand in hand.

Hey guys, I hope you like this new oneshot. Tell me what you thought. Vote and comment, bye!
~Hannah😋