The moon was full and the party was in full swing. Of course, that's usually when Keith gracefully bows out. But not tonight. Tonight was special. Tonight, the crown prince of Altea was here. Now, normally Keith couldn't care less about the endless number of princesses and princes at the parties but there was something different about the Altean prince. Keith knew almost everything about him. From his looks (captivating, deep blue eyes, hair the colour of dirt and a smile that outshone the sun) to his deeds (single handedly defeating the Xuathan invaders, bringing peace to Altea). He was the total package. Keith couldn't tear his eyes off of him the entire night. Keith remembered how the Altean glided over to him and smoothly asked him for a dance.
'Please, call me Lance.' He had said when Keith referred to him by 'Crown Prince' in front of him. Keith had blushed and nodded.
Keith remembered how the cro- how Lance had swooped him off his feet. Quite literally. That dance did numbers on Keith's stamina.
Keith remembered all the laughs they had on the balcony when they both swapped crazy stories with each other.
Keith remembers the tingling sensation he felt when Lance kissed his hand goodbye and the shivers he got after Lance had winked at him.
Here they were, 2 months later on the same balcony, at a similar party with similar people and similar noise.
'No dancing tonight, Mr. Ladies Man?' Keith smirked. Lance usually cheerful expression wavered for a spilt second before he huffed.
'Not tonight, buddy.'
He seemed...more deflated. His smile had lost it's charm and his posture was like a wilting flower.
‘Something on your mind?’ Keith asked.
Lance gave him no answer. He simply stared off into space. Keith rolled his eyes and clapped twice right in front of Lance’s face. The Altean yelped in surprise and Keith burst out into fits of laughter as the blue eyed boy smiled sheepishly.
‘Sorry.’ Lance had a small smile on his face but even that was sad looking.
Keith felt his face twist in concern. ‘Lance, what’s wrong? You’re not yourself tonight.’
Lance looked at Keith in shock. Fake shock. Even a blind man could see through that facade. ‘W-what do you mean? I’m myself tonight! I’ve always been myself tonight.’
Keith gave him a look and Lance sighed in defeat.
‘Sorry, it’s just…’
Keith walked closer and put his hand on his best friends shoulder. ‘Please, tell me what’s going on. I hate seeing you like this.’
Lance looked at his feet and rubbed the back of his neck. ‘You remember Allura?’
Keith nodded. ’The princess from Oriande right?’
Lance nodded. ‘So you know how Oriande is one of the strongest allies we have next to Marmora? They want to make the bond even stronger.’
‘I don’t follow.’
Lance looked at him, his expressing twisted and pained. ‘Keith, they want me to marry Allura.’
------------------------------------------
Keith was taken aback. Marry Allura?
‘I’m guessing from that expression, you don’t want to.’
‘Keith, she’s one of my oldest friends and I love her but not like that.’
Keith frowned. ‘I feel like there’s something else.’
Lance looked straight into his eyes. Those striking blue eyes captured his own with no intention of letting go.
‘There’s someone else.’
Keith felt his jaw drop and his heart sink. ’S-someone else? You love someone else?’
Lance nodded and Keith tried his best not to scream. ‘Who is it?’
Lance laughed humourlessly. Keith got the message.
‘Oh! If you don’t wanna tell me that’s fine! If you want i’ll even help you!’
‘Help me? With what?’
‘Telling them!’
Lance’s lips broke into a grin, a snort, a giggle. Before long he was full on laughing. The melodious sound filled Keith’s ears as he tried not to swoon.
‘You? The Antisocial Prince? You will help me tell the love of my life that I love him?’ Lance laughed.
Between the laughter and the nickname, Keith was focus on a lot of things, but something Lance said struck him as off.
‘Him?’
The laughter stopped and Lance froze.
‘I… didn’t mean to say that.’
Keith smiled and looked at him. ‘Him, huh?’
Lance gulped loudly and nodded. ‘Yeah. Him.’
Lance straightened and cleared his throat.
‘Nice job.’ Keith winked. He actually winked. Lance’s face went bright red and he looked away.
‘But really, Lance. If you need any help. Just tell me. I’ll do my best.’
Lance looked back at him with bright eyes and his charming smile. ‘What do you think I should say?’
Keith hummed. ‘Maybe you can tell him how much he means to you. Then tell him that you like being around him. Then maybe tell him you love him and that’s when you go in for the-‘
He was abruptly cut off by a pair of soft lips crashing into his. His eyes widened and he let out a sound he thought was not possible to make.
As sudden as it’s arrival, the lips pulled away all too soon.
‘-kiss.’ Keith finished, dazed and giddy.
Blue eyes searched his for confirmation and when Keith didn’t give him any, the eyes widened.
‘Oh quiznak! Oh I shouldn’t have done that. I should not have done that. What was I thinking? I should’ve asked you first. I don’t even- Oh my Ancients, I don’t even know if you like guys or me or… oh no.’
Keith shook his head, snapping himself out of his daze and walked towards Lance. The Altean, still panicking to himself, had turned so that his back faced Keith. He grabbed his shoulder, spun Lance around, gripped onto his collar like a lifeline and kissed him.
He heard Lance squawk and Keith pushed back the laugh building in his throat. It wasn’t long before Lance kissed back and Keith did nothing short of melt. His hands slid up onto the taller boy’s neck and wrapped themselves around it tightly while Lance cupped Keith’s face.
Once the two pulled away from each other, reluctantly, they had giddy smiles and aching cheekbones.
‘So,’ Lance grabbed Keith’s waist and Keith jerked.
Lance’s eyes widened before his mouth curled up into a smirk. ‘Keith, are- are you ticklish?’
Shit. Was all Keith managed to think before he was on the ground, laughing as Lance tickled him all over.
The two of them panted once Lance stopped tickling Keith. Once Keith opened his eyes, he was blessed with the sight of Lance’s smiling face. However this smile was different. It wasn’t his charming smile, it wasn’t his sad smile either.
This was his smile. Lance’s true smile. And Keith felt proud to have been the cause of that smile.
‘Keith, you mean the world to me. When I’m with you, it’s like I’m a different person, better with you.’ Keith’s eyes widened as he realised Lance was taking his advice. ‘And I love you.’
If Keith was standing, he wouldn’t be because boy, did his knees feel weak!
Keith simply smiled and kissed him again. ‘I love you too.’
Lance laughed, that special smile widening to an even brighter smile.
‘What are we gonna do about Allura and the whole… Oriande situation?’
Keith bit his lips as he tried not to laugh. ‘Lance, I don’t think Allura will marry you.’
Lance tilted his head. ‘What? What do you mean?’
‘Let’s just say… you’re not her type.’ Keith winked. Again.
It took a few minutes for Lance to fully understand what Keith was talking about. ‘Holy quiznak.’ He breathed.
‘There we go.’
‘Wait, Romelle?!’ Lance all but screamed. Keith laughed and nodded.
Lance crawled off of Keith and looked around disbelievingly. ‘Woah.’
Keith sat up straight and giggled.
Lance looked at him lovingly. ‘You have a beautiful smile.’
Keith froze and looked him in the eye before pecking him on the cheek. ‘So do you.’
