You've shared other personal things with him

Lance sat at the edge of the sand on the shore, waiting for Keith to surface. It had been a withdrawal day, which they couldn't plan now because Keith's withdrawals had become random. After watching the stars and talking about everything and anything, Keith had fallen asleep on Lances shoulder, so Lance had taken him into the attic to sleep.

Only a few hours later, Keith was shaking him awake, coughing, his nose red and hair matted to his forehead in a cold sweat. Lance immediately rushed him down to the beach, worried but wearing a calm expression for Keith's sake. 

Keith's withdrawals were only getting worse, and more spread apart, so all Lance could do was watch him suffer. It broke his heart. 

Show him the stars.

Something was happening, quick and overwhelming. This feeling at the pit of Lances stomach, that consumed his thoughts, and drew his eyes away from his surroundings. A feeling that made his heart beat faster and his cheeks turn red.

And of course, it radiated from Keith. Keith's smile, and his rare laugh. The adorable way his eyes lit up when Lance said he had a surprise for him, his insanely deep eyes, and his soft hair. His sweet way of making Lance smile, how cuddly he was, and how fearless. 

All of it made Lance wonder if the feeling was just admiration or protectiveness. If it was something deeper. 

"I think I'm good now." Keith's hoarse voice tore Lance from his thoughts. Lance snapped his head up, searching for Keth, who was wading in the water.

"You okay?" Lance asked, which Keith nodded to.

Lance turned so Keith could change, but spun around quickly when he heard Keith yelp in pain. 

Keith lay in siren form, his illuminesct pulsing a violent purple, with red tints. His tail was split halfway, his small feet writhing. "Wh-what's going on?" Lance asked, crouching down next to him, his chill demeanor gone. 

"I-I don't know, I can't change, it's painful." Keith squeezed his eyes closed, grasping at his tail.

Lance carefully scooped him up, before walking waist deep into the water, letting Keith sink into it. The siren didn't move, and Lance watched Keith sink pitifully. The reddish light followed his pale body farther and farther down and away from Lance. Lance watched, waiting for Keith to pop up and smile, or to scare him, or even knock him over with his tail. 

Nothing happened.

Finally, a flicker of purple  caught Lances eye. He didn't waste time running through the tide to it, Keith's tail fully formed again, his face bright red and eyes darting around Lance. 

"Keith? Keith, is everything okay?" Lance asked. Keith hugged himself, shivering. 

"I- I don't know. I think I might need to go home." 

"We are going back to Florida tonight, you can stay in bed for a few days and-"

"No Lance, my home."

Lance didn't know why it hurt so bad. Why it felt like a stab to the chest. Why he could feel the tears coming before Keith saw them. 

He should've known this would happen, why had he expected Keith to stay forever? 

It would be alright, Keith was a siren, only wanting to see the world. Lance had shown him a lot, and that was enough. 

Yet, he felt empty and achy. 

He looked away, wiping his eyes. "A-alright." 

"I'm sorry Lance." Lance was already up and walking away, trying to hide the fat alligator tears rolling down his cheeks.

"No-it's okay, I should've suggested that. I'm sorry I kept you here so long." Lance kept walking, and he couldn't see the despair in Keith's face. 

~~~~~~~~~~

It took Keith almost ten minutes of pain to change back, and then a silent drive back to the beach house. Lance didn't make eye contact with with any of his family members as he ascended the stairs to the attic, leaving Keith alone in the living room to stare at the tangled carpet. 

"What happened?" Bryce asked, plopping next to Keith with a bag of chips in her hands. 

"Nothing." Keith mumbled. 

Bryce opened her mouth to say a snark comment, but in seeing the anguish in Keith's dark eyes, she stopped. 

" Cheeto?" She offered. Keith took it, the orange dust covering his fingers. 

Elaine watched in interest and then alarm as Lance came in with Keith, before climbing the stairs to his room. She could see the look in his face, a mix of terrible sadness and something else- 

She'd never seen it on his face before.

"Lance?" Elaine knocked on the wooden door to the attic. She could see the pale blue light under the door, and hear the bed creak. "Lance, it's me. Please open the door Amor." 

For a minute, there was silence, and then Lance opened the door a bit, standing in knee high fuzzy socks, his eyes puffy and red. He held his head low. "What is it Mama?" 

"Can I come in?" Elaine asked, placing a steady hand on her hip. "I'd like a proper entrance." 

Lances lips held the faint ghost of a smile as he held the door open for her. She walked in and looked around shaking her head. "Room needs work, you kept Keith in here when it looks like this?" 

To confirm her guess, Lance crumbled at Keith's name, falling into a heap on his bed, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his head. 

Elaine sat next to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders, letting him cry on her shoulder. "It'll be alright...it'll be okay.." She whispered into his ear as he cried. 

"What's wrong love?" Elaine asked, brushing back a strand of his hair with the back of her hand. 

"I fucked up so bad- again." Lance said in between tears and sniffles.

Elaine nodded, letting his profanity slide. "Tell me." She knew her son well, and knew with permission, he would let all of his deepest feelings out. Because beneath all those winks, she knew he was struggling. 

"I thought I could just keep him safe, and show him the world and be happy and keep him smiling. And it was working, and I didn't think about him having to leave and now he is having trouble changing back to a siren, and his tail keeps splitting, and he wants to go back under the sea, and I love his smile so much and when he looks at me I feel my heart like fucking swell and I don't know what this is but I don't want him to leave, I can't let him leave. Maybe I should find a way to become a siren and live with him, and meet his parents and I can always see his smile, and I want to brush his hair and kiss him and stare into those eyes without him questioning and I want to make him laugh and-"

Lance stopped, and his eyes widened. He turned to his mom slowly. "Uh- I mean, he isn't- I-"

"It's okay, it doesn't matter to me as long as he makes you happy." 

"But what is happening? He isn't even a real human, and now I feel my heart speeding up and I can't breathe, and-"

"Love, sweetie, that's love."

"No, no I can't fall in love. Maybe I love him like a brother or a close friend. Like Hunk. Yeah that's it, I love him like a close friend, he is one of my best friends-"

"Lance, deja de ser un idiota!" Elaine whacked him in the head with the comic book on his night stand. 

"Ow Mama! What in the world??" Lance rubbed his head.

Elaine grabbed his shoulders. "Look at me, look me in the eyes."

Lance cautiously did so, as she took a deep breath. "Anyone with eyes can see how much you love Keith. You can blame it on him not being human or whatever excuse you come up with but I told you if you were patience the one would come. Didn't I?" 

Lance blinked. "Y-you did." 

"Now can you admit you at least have a crush? Cause it's clear as day you have feelings." 

"I-" Lance looked down at his shoes by the door, Keith's red converses sitting peacefully next to them, their laces interlaced. Keith's shirt laying over Lances in another corner, and Keith's pillow overlapping Lances. 

"I do." Lance said quietly.

"Yeah, I know." She chuckled, 

"But he is leaving, I need to get over him, it's too painful." Another tear.

"You're already in too deep Lance. This is when you fight for him." Elaine smiled softly, but the fire in her eye was apparent. 

"You're right." Lance agreed, determination leaking into his expression. 

"Yup." Elaine said, standing up. 

"Thanks Mama." 

"Your welcome." She kissed his forehead before heading to the door. 

"Oh and Lance?" She asked at the door. Lance looked up. 

"Did he enjoy the stars?" 

Lance smiled. "Loved em." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hey hey

Sorry chapter was real sad and also sorry to tell you but

Angst is on its way next few chapters so prepare yourselves 

(Translations-

Amor- love~ <3

deja de ser un idiota- stop being an idiot)

Lmao Lance get ur self together

Anyways hope u enjoyed!!

Love ya!

SNS out