If you ever wanna find me when I'm having a bad day there's always one place you should look first. My roof. I know what you're probably thinking, 'That has to be the easiest place on Earth to get caught'. But I don't like sitting up there during the day, the only thing to look at is the blinding sun. No, for me it has to at midnight when everyone else has gone to sleep. I like to think the stars are brighter in between day and night.

The shingles feel comfortable beneath me, almost like my body's worn them down over the years-creating the perfect spot. The atmosphere up here is familiar in a way only I could understand. It's calming yet exhilarating staring up into the endless void that is space. It makes all my problems seem small in comparison.

I don't care about the cold nipping at my exposed skin, causing tingles to course through my body. The same tingles that feel like electricity flowing through my veins, telling me I'm alive and I'll be fine.

"Lance?" a low whisper draws my eyes away from tracing the Little Dipper.

Peeking out of my window is my younger brother Dante staring at me with pinched eyebrows. Guess I missed one.

"What're you doing up so late?" I asked watching him closely. If he began to slip I'd be there to catch him in a heartbeat.

"I could ask you the same thing," Dante grabs hold of the windowsill as he pulls himself out, landing sturdily on the roof with minimal slippage. He makes his way over to me, laying on my left side-farthest from the edge.

"Far enough," I readjust my arms to comfortably rest behind my head and turn to face him. "I just like coming out here when I need to clear my head. Now it's your turn mister."

"Oh, you know, I was just doing a paper for tomorrow. Nothing major," ah, the simple problems of a fourteen-year-old. The good old days when you really only focused on school work and your friends. Well, if you had any.

Then I glanced down to see him twiddling with his fingers as he rolled his ankles. A dead giveaway he was hiding something. I looked back towards his face to see him staring intently at the sky. The stars were reflected in his dark irises, making him look distant.

"What's the real reason you're still up," his head immediately rolled to the side, our gazes locking. He opened his mouth in an attempt to protest but I cut him off. "And don't lie to me, you have a tell"

His mouth clamped shut as his eyebrows furrowed, he almost looked in pain. His eyes darted between mine like he was having an inner battle with himself, deciding if he should fess up or not.

"How did you know you liked boys?"

The question hit me like a freight train straight to stomach. I'm suddenly at a loss for words as he stares at me expectantly, my mouth falling open. I can't think of any comprehensible words let alone sentences. How are you even supposed to answer that question when you've barely slept in two days, and you could just about fall off a roof at any moment.

His face drops after I don't reply after a few moments, "You know what this, this was a mistake, forget I asked."

He goes to sit up but I catch his arm before he can leave. His eyes trail up my arm landing on my face.

"Sorry, I was just a little shocked. You gotta gimme that," an awkward chuckle slips past my lips as I drop my hand. Dante joins in with a small giggle. "Why do you wanna know? Is there someone at school who's caught your eye?"

At the last comment, Dante's tan skin darkens immensely, and he avoids eye contact. He bites the inside of his cheek, a small smile ghosting on his lips.

"Oh, there is! Tell me!" I jumped up, swinging my legs underneath me. I latch onto his shoulders, shaking him roughly, his head bobbing. He pulls at my hands, forcing them off him as our laughter echoes in the air.

"His name is Austin-"

"-Wait, as in the Austin you won't shut up about, and the one that's coming over tomorrow?" I place my elbows on my knees, resting my head in my palms.

"Yeah, thaaat's the one," a lopsided smile makes a home on Dante's face as he looks off somewhere. "I dunno what happens to me when I see him, but my chest tightens and stomach ties itself in knots. And I kinda just wanna hug him, and cuddle. . . oh god, I sound like a chick." His eyes widen and he hides his face in his hands, his blush intensifying.

"No, no, no keep going! I like where this is going," I urged him on trying to pry his hands from his face.

"Okay, okay, stop," he laughs swatting at my hands. "And it's weird because this is the first time this has happened. I've never felt like this with a girl before, and like all my friends are girls. And then in walks Austin and the whole world turns into this fucking haze, and I can't breathe right anymore!" Dante falls back on the roof, his chest heaving as his eyes dart around the sky.

"Damn, this is intense for a couple 8th graders," I push myself up on the slanted roof, planting my feet firmly on the ground.

I offer a hand to Dante with my eyebrows raised. He takes it and I help pull him up and keep him from sliding off the roof and breaking a few bones. We make our way over to the window and safely plant our feet on my fuzzy blue carpet, drawing a content sigh from me.

"I got it bad, huh? I'm gonna go to bed. Thanks, Lance," he gives me a side hug before leaving my room.

My little brother likes boys. It feels beyond amazing to have another person in my family who I can relate to in a way.

Ever since I came out as bi it's been like World War III in this house, everyone's divided. Mom and dad haven't even been sleeping in the same bed over it. Mom is all for me being into guys, but dad just can't look at me the same way anymore. And after seeing mom and dad fight over it, my siblings even picked sides. Thankfully the only one who was really against it was Ivanna. The sad thing though is we used to be really close, and this just got in the way of that.

I push the thought aside and turn towards my desk. The change from carpet to cold hardwood pushes me to move faster. I take a seat on the black desk chair and hug one leg to my chest.

"Lance? You awake?" A deep voice sounds from my window. I roll my way over to it using one foot. Staring at me with his permanent scowl is none other than Keith mother fucking Kogane.

"What do you want so late mullet?" My head rolls onto my shoulder as I examine him with the best-bored stare I could muster. I'll never tell him but he actually strikes me as quite an interesting person.

His dark hair was pulled back in a ponytail, a few stray locks framing his face. His purplish eyes seemed to shine with more panic than when he usually comes to me at night. Sweat glistened on his forehead along with his exposed chest. Sadly my eyes seemed to linger there a little longer than necessary.

I don't know how it happened but ever since maybe, a month ago, he's been climbing into my room and sleeping in my bed. He always seems on edge whenever he asks to come over. It's kind of unnerving.

"Weird noises are coming from Shiro's room again and it's making me uncomfortable. Can I stay with you again?" and don't even get me started on his terrible excuses.

"Say no more," I move away from the window, giving him a clear shot inside.

He clears the three feet between our houses, landing face-down at the foot of my bed. He pushes himself off the floor before throwing himself onto my bed. After wrapping himself in the comforter he raises his eyebrows at me.

"Aren't you coming?" he vaguely gestures to the space next to him, pushing me to take it.

I sigh heavily before hopping onto my warm, cozy bed. On the downside, I'll be sleeping next to a guy who could easily kill me in his sleep.

I reach over Keith trying to grab my contact lenses container, hovering over his body. I'm practically smushed up against the guy, but I eventually grab it and flip back over to my side. I take them out and place them in the container with as much precision as I could muster while only seeing a white blob.

I shove my body under the covers and turn myself away from Keith, making sure we aren't touching. But this boy produces enough heat to be qualified as a portable heater, and hey I'm not complaining, but I always find myself scooting closer. It's the middle of winter and I could use all the heat I can get my hands on. Thankfully I have a double bed which leaves a fair amount of space between us, but just enough that he still warms me up. Yet somehow as the night goes on that space diminishes and Keith ends up with his arms wrapped around my waist, holding me securely to his chest.

Waking up in the mornings is always weird. On the weekends I could sleep till two in the afternoon, but Mr. I-Wake-Up-When-The-Sun-Does over there always disturbs me. I don't know about you but my brain doesn't really piece together information very fast when I'm half asleep. So me being the idiot I am will always latch my claws into him and prevent him from leaving. But that's not where it ends. Oh no. He'll start playing with my fucking hair.

My curly, untainted hobbit hair no less. I always spend at least an hour or two taming it with a straighter every day before school. But on weekends I could care less because I won't be seeing any of my peers. I also don't wear my contacts on the weekends. I'm always wearing my bulky square-ish glasses that I think make me look dweebish.

And he just so happens to see me in my most vulnerable state on a daily basis.

My thoughts are shattered when a pair of arms wrap around my chest and pull me backward. The wind is practically knocked from my lungs with the sheer force of contact with Keith's bare torso. Who would've ever thought Keith 'I don't fucking care' Kogane was such a cuddler.

There's no use in trying to escape his iron grip (he's tried many times) so I just stare blankly at the wall as his warmth seeps into me. I'll never admit it to anyone now but I was starting to become accustomed to this.

<><><>

I awoke to someone's fingers idly playing with my hair, gently tugging at it. I groaned, pushing my head into the sensation. My arms tightened around the warm thing I was snuggling and tensed under my grip before relaxing again.

I forced my eyes open and they settled on blurred pale skin. I almost fell back to sleep before realizing another person was in my bed. It only took a second for the memories to flood my mind. Keith had snuck over last night cause he accused Shiro of getting it on with Allura.

Then it really clicked.

I was cuddling with Keith while he played with my hair. Again. It only took a second to peel myself off his body and stare at him with widened eyes. I couldn't really make out his expression without my glasses, but I think he was surprised by my sudden reaction.

"Jeez, dude. What's got your panties in a twist?" his sassy tone caused my eyebrows to furrow.

"I should be asking you that," I slid out of bed and stumbled over to my bedside table trying to find my glasses. After fumbling around for a minute I found the bulky eyewear and put them on. The haze vanished and I could clearly see Keith staring at me with his permanent scowl. "I've over looked this for a month now without asking questions but it's starting to get weird now. Why do you keep coming into my room late at night and cuddle with me in bed? And Shiro has not been boning Allura every night, so don't use that excuse, mister."

I was now standing in front of the bed with a hand on my hip along with a finger held up accusingly towards him. He just continued to stare me down with his scowl until I conjured one to match.

"Why should I tell you?" he crossed his arms, leaning farther back into my pillows.

My faced warmed as my mind suddenly wandered to places it never should've with Keith in the picture. "Because I seem to a part of all this!" my voice came out high pitched and I cursed it.

"Whatever," he pushed the covers off himself before making his way toward the door. "I'm saying good morning to your mom before I leave."

And with that, he closed the door behind him. Leaving me alone with my surprisingly dirty thoughts. I inwardly shrieked before jumping into my bed and muffling a real shriek with my pillow.

It smelled like him.