Letters from Lance - Chapter 2
Hey guys! Thanks so much for your support with LETTERS FROM LANCE! I’m having a ton of fun writing it! I’ll also be posting this on AO3 and will have updates about it on Twitter! Feel free to follow me there too!
Many VLD characters show up in this chapter, like the Galra, etc., but since this is an AU feel free to picture them as humans too, or think of them as they are! This story can be viewed in many different ways because it’s really just Lance writing letters to you!
Be sure to also listen to Youth Lagoon while reading! And as always have an amazing day!
⬅ Read Chapter One
Summary: Lance gets a ton of text messages and some, oh no, were from Keith. Not bothering to answer him, he goes about his day, but as fate would have it ends up meeting the entire basketball team on the school rooftop.
Dear you,
Thank you for taking the time to read these letters. It makes me feel like someone out there actually gives a damn, without calling me a fool or idiot. Sure, I have weird puns and all, and yes, sometimes Pidge is right that I can get a bit ‘sexist’, but don’t ever think that I’m that kind of guy. Yeah, we all know what type of guy that is.
I slept through my alarm the next morning, waking up to a drooling Hunk. It was bad enough we had to share a bed because of his dream kicking and snoring. And he always complained about the crumbs I left hanging around after binge watching Netflix shows or some overly dramatic teen drama. Hey, can you blame me? Binge watching calls for an all-around snack fest.
“Hunk,” I mumbled, nudging him in the gut. “Dude, we overslept.”
Only one of Hunk’s eyes shot open. “Wha? Hm? Who’s there?”
I sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. I stretched and yawned. My breath tasted and smelt horrible. Last time I ever ate stale pizza rolls and coffee from the pot.
“When the heck are we going to ask the school prefects to get us another bed? I can’t live like this anymore.”
Hunk shot up from the bed, his hair all frizzed and curled. “No, no, no, no, NO!” he shouted. He grabbed his phone and looked at the time. 9:30 AM. He lunged over me and gathered his uniform and backpack. “I had an exam at 7:00!”
“Relaaax, dude.”
“Don’t DUDE me, Lance. NOT now!” He shoved his books into his bag and, believe it or not, still made everything look organized. He sighed. “Why didn’t you wake me up?”
I patted my stomach. “Damn I got a food baby.”
“LANCE!”
I shrugged and stood. “I dunno. You looked…peaceful.”
Hunk shook his head and threw on his uniform jacket.
“What?” I said teasingly, “No shower?”
“Ha, ha,” Hunk said, “Don’t use my tricks against me.” He looked at the clock on the wall. “You’re lucky I have a free period to make up this test.” He grabbed the doorknob. Stopped. “Oh, and Lance.”
“Hm?”
“Check your phone. You have about thirty new messages.”
I gasped. Hunk closed the door behind him leaving me alone with my phone. I turned on the phone and boy was he right. Bringing the phone closer to my eyes I read some of them. A chill ran down my spine when the name KEITH appeared. I skipped ahead.
SHIRO [6:00 AM]: Hey, Lance. It’s Shiro. I’ll be sending you daily links and little positive tidbits of advice on how to deal with your anxiety. It’s my job as the school counselor to make sure every student at the academy gets special attention. As Toy Story says, “You’ve got a friend in me”. Talk later. –Shiro
I laughed at his dad-like text messages. And I thought my puns were bad. I scrolled through the messages.
ALLURA [8:09 AM]: Lance, make sure you return my notes on Quantum Physics today and my collectors addition of The Hunger Games. And please, no more flirty pick-up lines. They aren’t amusing. Good day.
Under the stacks of clothes and papers were Allura’s books, but I didn’t have the motivation to find them. I typed.
LANCE [9:39 AM]: You must be a hell of a thief because you stole my heart from across the room.
ALLURA [9:40 AM]: Funny, Lance. Just please return them.
LANCE [9:40 AM]: No sweat, sweetie.
ALLURA [9:40 AM]: Don’t make me hit you.
A bunch of other messages were from my parents, spam, and even my naggy professors urging me to get my papers turned in on time. I read them all, taking about fifteen minutes, but then stopped. For five more minutes I just stared at KEITH’s name. Hands trembling, I opened it:
KEITH [Yesterday 11:12 PM]: Look I know u don’t want to talk to me or hell even see me but we can’t leave things like this. It’s awkward for both of us. I mean what r u just gonna ignore me in the halls? Or what about English Lit? What if we get paired up or something?
KEITH [Yesterday 11:20 PM]: I can’t do this Lance. Missing u is shit
KEITH [Yesterday 11:21 PM]: Don’t you even remember our bonding moments?
KEITH [Yesterday 11:21 PM]: Don’t answer that
KEITH [Yesterday 11:22 PM]: Whatever.
The period in the messages made my stomach churn. He was pissed. I turned off my phone, not even caring if he knew I read the messages and got ready for the day. This time, I took a shower.
___
Lunch was the usual cafeteria slop that they expected us to survive on for hours. I sat up on the school’s roof, staring down at all the students. On the track, Pidge was running with her classmates, beating them with her tactical pursuits. Shay, Hunk’s biggest fan and hopefully soon-to-be girlfriend, ran right behind Pidge, supporting her in whatever relay they were doing.
I leaned against the railing, sipping at an orange juice box and sighed. Wind whistled through my hair. The breeze was cool and nice. The roof’s door opened behind me. I chuckled. Must’ve been Hunk.
“’Aight big guy, I need to apologize for this─”
The wind blew again. I turned. Keith and his basketball team walked onto the roof, stacks and bags of food loaded up under their arms. Sendak, the team’s captain, shoved Keith forward. The other team members, Prorok, Morvok, Throk, Haxus, Thace and Myzax surrounded him, grinning.
I didn’t bother to hide like a little damsel this time. Instead I leaned against the railing and watched the team banter, groan and complain about Coach Zarkon’s training.
“Keith,” Sendak started.
Keith looked up, all raggedy and tired looking. “Hm?”
“Team Galra can’t afford to lose a game. We’re going to make it to nationals if it kills me.”
Keith pouted. “Don’t make me punch you.”
The team ‘oooohed’ at him, making mocking faces.
“All of you,” Keith mumbled.
Sendak grabbed Keith by the collar of his shirt and groaned. “Nothing will stop me from winning these games but victory or death."
Keith shoved away. “It’s just a game, SENDAK!”
Sendak whacked Keith across the face and spat. He smirked. “Coach Zarkon wouldn’t agree, now would he Keithy-boy.”
“Well hiya, fellas!” I shouted.
Sendak dropped Keith and raised a brow. “Who the fuck are you?”
Keith’s eyes widened, trembling.
“McClain,” I said, “Lance McClain.”
Prorok cracked his knuckles. I smirked.
“No need for a fight, boys,” I said, “You don’t want to tarnish your famed reputation now do you?”
Sendak laughed. “Like it would matter if we fucked up your face.”
I folded my arms. “Wanna go? I’ll take you on.”
Sendak pushed forward. Keith shot out his arm.
“Oh, you don’t want to get in between this Keithy-boy.”
Keith shook his head. Eyes on me. “No. Let me do it.”
“What?” the team gasped.
He looked up at Sendak. “If I get in trouble for this it wouldn’t matter. It’s expected from me to be some kind of badass ruffian anyway.”
Sendak folded his arms. “Well, looks like you’re actually looking out for me, kid.”
Keith shrugged. “As if. I’m just not risking the whole team because of your temper issues.”
Sendak scowled.
Keith cracked his neck and threw off his jacket. Rolling up his sleeves he approached me. Brows furrowed. “Let’s go, McClain.”
I pouted my lip. “We seriously going to do this right now?”
Keith got into a defensive positon and raised his fists. “NOW!”
I jumped and dropped my jacket to the ground. “Persistent bitch,” I mumbled.
Keith swung at me first, his fist socking against my chin. I fell back against the railing. Gasped.
“W…wait, you’re serious about this?”
Keith swung again. I dodged and screamed. Almost tripping I raised my fists. “C’mon idiot, you know I can’t fight!”
Keith shouted and lunged at me. He pinned me to the ground and kept pounding at my chest. I spat.
“Ah! Ouch, dude!”
Fist to face he kept pounding me.
“Hey!” someone shouted.
Keith didn’t stop. My cheeks bruised. I spat up some blood.
“HEY!”
Someone grabbed Keith’s wrists. Through my hazy eyes, I saw Shiro standing there, his hand clasped around Keith’s forearm.
“Enough! Both of you!” his voice was low and serious.
I sighed in relief and looked back up at Keith. His eyes were focused on me. His breath unsteady. I focused on my own breathing and closed my eyes.
___
“This is completely unacceptable!” Shiro shouted, pacing back and forth in his office.
Keith and I sat side by side, arms folded and backs slouched.
Shiro slammed his palms onto the table and stared at us, serious, but with a patient gaze. “You two can’t fight like that on public property. Especially at a school. Do you WANT to get expelled?”
I shrugged. “He started it.”
Keith almost fell out of his chair. “I started─ If I didn’t jump into that fight Sendak would have KILLED you. I fucking saved your life, you moron!”
“Saved my life, huh? You were just trying to show off to your captain!”
“I did it for YOU!”
“Exactly. You did it for you.”
Keith grabbed my collar.
“ENOUGH!” Shiro shouted.
We broke off of each other.
Shiro rubbed his nose bone, his scar standing out to us. “Now I don’t care what kind of angst you two have with each other, but please, enough with this bickering. Go back to class and don’t even think about starting another fight in the halls because I will expel the both of you myself.”
“Yes, sir,” we mumbled.
Shiro gave us both passes and we left the room. The halls flooded with the everyday faces of freshman, sophomores, juniors and seniors. And, of course, the occasional class pet. Keith looked at his pass and crumbled it up. He shoved his hands into his pockets and headed for the door.
“Where are you going?” I asked.
“I gotta get outta this hellhole.”
I grabbed his shoulder and turned him around. A chill ran up my spine. I tore away. He looked…nice without his mullet.
“What?” he groaned.
I blushed and scratched the back of my head. “Th…thanks, I guess.”
The bell rang. Keith walked closer to me. I felt…warm, kind of captured by his gaze.
“You really are weak,” he teased.
I tensed. “Oh stop patting yourself on the back, stupid! Next time I’ll beat your ass for sure.”
“Next time?” Keith asked.
My face heated. Throat choked up and palms sweating I gasped. “I…no. It’s not like I’m gonna see you again, ‘er anything.”
Keith took out his phone. Showed it to me. “You read the messages?”
I nodded and looked away. “So?”
A few students walked by, looked at us and giggled. I winked at a cute girl.
Keith sighed. “Hey, focus.”
I pouted. “Hm?”
He shoved the phone in my face.
“I can see, y’know?”
He sighed. “I wanted to say sorry.”
“For?”
“I was drunk.” He rubbed at his neck. A habit of his.
“What?”
“I went to some college party with Sendak and the guys and ended up drunk texting you. Sorry if it got weird.”
I looked at the phone. So he didn’t intentionally text me? My heart sunk to my toes. Wait. Why did I care? “Yeah, kinda weird.”
Keith facepalmed. “I’m such an idiot.”
“Yeah.”
He scowled at me. “Not helping the situation, Lance.”
Students rushed through the halls, hurrying to their next class. Shay, whose books and papers were falling all over the place rammed into Keith so hard that we both tripped. We fell behind a janitor’s rack of supplies. Keith hovered over me, his nose brushing against mine. We stared at one another for what felt like…forever. His eyes were wide, watching me.
I blushed even harder. His heat mixed with mine.
The bell RANG.
Keith sat up and looked at his watch. “S…so again, sorry about whatever the hell I sent you. Won’t happen again.”
I nodded, in a daze. “’Kay.”
When my thoughts came back to me, I noticed Keith was blushing too. It was so embarrassing. I wanted to curl up into a little ball and hide.
“Hey, uh, Lance.”
“Y…yes?” My voice cracked.
Keith helped me to my feet. He looked like he kept getting shorter every time I saw him.
“Always be prepared for a fight.”
I looked down at him. “Pfft, sheesh, you talk like I don’t know how to─”
“LANCE MCCLAIN!” someone shouted. Keith and I jumped. In front of the janitor’s rack was Allura, hands on her tips, lips scowling. She raised a finger and took a deep breath.
“Ack!” I shouted. “Your books.”
“Yes, sir, my books is right.” She went up to me and pulled my cheek. I squirmed. “I’m going to walk you back to your dorm and you BETTER get them ready for me.”
I nodded. “Yeah, yeah. I walked down the halls with Allura and looked back at Keith. Rubbing my pinched cheek I stopped.
“Lance?” Allura mumbled.
Keith, for the first time in forever, smiled.
“Earth to Lance,” Allura said.
“Hm?” I looked back at her. “Yes, babe?”
She whacked me over the head.
“Ow.”
I threw my hands behind my head and felt kinda happy. My phone rang. I picked it up.
SHIRO: Work things out with him, okay? – Shiro
Click.
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