[ there lance had been, minding his own business, trying to keep belore from eating all the buzzards again while simultaneously jamming out to some queen bey thanks to the fancy new music app on the magitek...
trust keith to go and do something sensible to ruin it.
of course he'd seen the boy coming up from about twenty feet away. noticed him out of his peripherals, despite being fully engrossed in lemonade and righteous fury at jay-z for even DARING to cheat on an actual goddess of our fair earth. the moment he does, his otherwise lackadaisical posture had stiffened, and he'd turned immediately on his heel to face his back to keith, who still decides to try talking to him even despite this very clear sign that dude he'd really rather not. getting that card together had been enough of a trial... it's not like lance has never apologized for being an idiot before — his best friend's hunk! of course he has — but somehow, like every other thing, it's. different. with keith.
and thanks to pidge's stupid little comment... lance is starting to really wonder why that is.
UGH but there's no real ignoring this guy is there? whatever WHATEVER..! ]
What's that supposed to mean?
[ yes, good, react defensively. that always works. ]
[How do you tell someone that you never thought that they would apologize, but here they are doing just that, and it seems weird? Actually, that's where his first question came from. Keith lifts up the card and looks at the front of it again, and then opens it. Every part of it is clearly handmade, which means that Lance put effort into this very odd thing. It's so weird.]
You never apologize. So, I figured Shiro must've put you up to it. [Shiro had made it clear to Keith that he had to take initiative to end the friction between him and Lance, but Keith still felt like that was a tall order. Standing here, he feels like it's a tall order. He doesn't even know why Lance did that at the fire. It's not like he was saying anything terribly original ... he just took Lance's words and used them against him.
Of course, those words had actually meant a lot to Keith in the first place, but whatever! It was still a joke!
[ lance actually flinches back when keith displays the card again, as if the very reminder of that effort (or, perhaps more accurately, the reason for all that effort) were something painful. when keith speaks, lance's metaphorical feathers are ruffled, and his knee-jerk response is the one he ends up latching onto first: ]
Shiro was most definitely left out of the decision-making process! [ much to his (and likely pidge's, too) regret.
he makes a face, half-turning away under the pretense of keeping an eye on belore, who continues to sniff and explore a couple of feet away from where they stand. ]
Hey, I'm not a total jerk, okay? [ a pause, and then in a slightly humbler tone: ] I mean. I guess I can be, sometimes. [ but it was only ever really to keith.
why was it always only ever really to keith?
rather hastily, he shoves his hands into his jacket's deep pockets (eliciting a sharp squeak of complaint from bud, who has nestled into one of them, as he does). his next few words come out as a murmur, almost petulant. ]
Look — I meant it, okay? [ he gives a little nod to the card in keith's hands. ] I'm working on it.
[Lance didn't go to Shiro for help with Keith? That's ... strange. But that's only in Keith's opinion. He doesn't feel like he's the most easily understood guy, and that's partly his fault. That said, Shiro seems to have a knack for things regardless. (Is he the best leader in all the universe? Keith certainly thinks so. He's the best at everything and it shows.)
After a stretch of uncertain silence, Keith crosses his arms loosely, tucking the card in the bend of his elbow in the process so that it's mostly out of sight. He doesn't look irritated right now like he does sometimes with his arms crossed. He just looks ... awkward. It's like addressing the elephant in the room, only Keith would normally mistake that phrase and ask where the heck the elephant was. (And he would, in fact, do just this. Sorry to everyone who knows him.)]
I don't know why you had a problem with me in the first place. I did talk to Shiro about it—[In a place where Lance could probably see. Well. Anyway.] He said that I have to put an end to it, too.
But every time I try, you act like it never happened in the first place. How am I supposed to trust that you won't just act like this didn't happen tomorrow, card and all? Who's to say you won't just say I made this card to make you look like you actually apologized? [Keith can, sadly enough, keep going. They're teammates. He'll never have the unifying presence that Shiro has, but still.]
[ it's complicated, lance wants to say. it's complicated because a large part of why he can't stand keith actually has nothing to do with keith himself.
or, rather, hadn't been instigated by keith, but rather everyone else around keith, back at the garrison, who wouldn't let lance forget the only reason he was around was because keith wasn't. it bred in him a lot of resentment, and while he knows it isn't very fair to keith, he also can't really do much about it.
or, rather, he hasn't.
he supposes now's as good a time as any to try. ]
No one'd believe you could make a card that funny anyway, [ he murmurs, first, because even when he's trying he still can't really stop his mouth, but at least none of his words here have any kind of malice or venom in them, so they're words just for words' sake, just something to fill in the silence left behind while he struggles to figure out better ones. ]
Anyway, I said I'd do better, didn't I? So — So I will. Just... give me a chance to prove it to you, I guess.
[Sorry, Lance, but the first thing Keith does in the middle of that is pull the card back out again to try to figure out exactly what's funny about it. He's not subtle, but he doesn't ask, so he saves both Lance and him the embarrassment of having to explain the joke.
When he doesn't come up with anything, he tucks it back away and pays attention to what Lance is saying. Or rather, has said, because he needs to process the words beyond hearing them while looking at a card.
No matter what joke he's missing (Keith actually does figure that he's missing a joke for once), he does understand those final words.]
All right. [Shiro said that Keith had to be a part of making things better. He can't point out how stupid Lance is. He can't pick at his tendency to treat girls like ... a major distraction that he has to chase. Or all those other stupid things he does. Because he does a lot of them, and those combined with his tendency to always start fights with Keith—well, they're difficult to ignore.]
[ there will definitely be a lot more trying on lance's part, considering he's to blame for all this nearly all the time... but it is nice to hear he won't be the only one making the effort. maybe that comfort is all he'll need to give him just a little bit more bravery in actually following through with it... it'll definitely be a lot easier to know that his attempts won't be met with derision or ridicule...
...
yikes that must have been how keith felt, huh? man, was he a real tool. ]
Sounds like a deal to me.
[ seems only right to seal it with a handshake, right? though the way he offers his hand might look familiar to keith. ]
[A handshake, huh? Keith really hopes this sticks. He recalls the embarrassing day after his previous bonding attempt, though "embarrassing" is really a synonym for "irritating as all heck" in this scenario.
He reaches out after a couple beats of thought to shake Lance's hand.]
Good. We are teammates, after all.
[His smile is probably familiar. Don't you want to see Keith smile like this all the time? Don't you?]
Well ... [In Keith's world, "worse" isn't what Lance has been doing. It's what happened in that future. He doesn't think that Lance is referring to himself or their spats; no, he thinks of that future, and how he abandoned everyone he cared about.]
Like I told you before, there was no chance of me ever becoming like that version of me in the future. So the "worst" isn't gonna happen. At least we got a preview of it.
[And Keith knew how badly Lance responded. ... Then again, isn't this what kind of put them on that path? Ugh, it's hard to say, but he's not going to give up so easily on making this work.]
[ neither is lance, which is hopefully much more obvious now.
he shrugs, withdrawing his hand to stuff it back into his pocket, careful not to disturb bud as he rests. not really looking to rehash the subject of galra keith and their possible terrible, horrible, no good, very bad future, he opts to direct the conversation to something else. ]
... Well, now that you've asked, I think I should keep it for a very, very long time. [Keith might be a socially awkward moron, but he definitely does know how to mess with Lance sometimes. His smile begins a wicked grin as he looks at Lance, waiting for his reply.]
Yeah? Well, we are gonna save the universe one day. You do have a point.
[Surprising lack of cynicism? Yes, but it's easier to fall into that. Keith has to believe they'll take down Zarkon even if he was the original black paladin.]
[ at this point, what other choice do they have? ]
Don't I always?
[ don't answer that.
anyway... he's cupping a hand around his mouth and calling back for belore, who's run off a good distance in taking advantage of her keeper's current distraction. ]
Probably best to head back, anyway... It's getting colder out here, yeesh.
[ lance just shakes his head, beginning to shuffle back towards the camp as belore trots up towards them both, seemingly unbothered by the fact her exploring had been cut short. she actually even trots a little ahead of them. ]
I guess it's gonna be baby steps both ways, [ he sighs. but there is a lighter sound to his voice that seems to imply that doesn't sound as terrible as he thought it would be. ]
I didn't ruin anything, [he says with a huff, crossing his arms. But it's clear that he doesn't intend to say much more from his slightly moody body language.]
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trust keith to go and do something sensible to ruin it.
of course he'd seen the boy coming up from about twenty feet away. noticed him out of his peripherals, despite being fully engrossed in lemonade and righteous fury at jay-z for even DARING to cheat on an actual goddess of our fair earth. the moment he does, his otherwise lackadaisical posture had stiffened, and he'd turned immediately on his heel to face his back to keith, who still decides to try talking to him even despite this very clear sign that dude he'd really rather not. getting that card together had been enough of a trial... it's not like lance has never apologized for being an idiot before — his best friend's hunk! of course he has — but somehow, like every other thing, it's. different. with keith.
and thanks to pidge's stupid little comment... lance is starting to really wonder why that is.
UGH but there's no real ignoring this guy is there? whatever WHATEVER..! ]
What's that supposed to mean?
[ yes, good, react defensively. that always works. ]
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You never apologize. So, I figured Shiro must've put you up to it. [Shiro had made it clear to Keith that he had to take initiative to end the friction between him and Lance, but Keith still felt like that was a tall order. Standing here, he feels like it's a tall order. He doesn't even know why Lance did that at the fire. It's not like he was saying anything terribly original ... he just took Lance's words and used them against him.
Of course, those words had actually meant a lot to Keith in the first place, but whatever! It was still a joke!
Ugh, whatever. He waits for Lance to respond.]
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Shiro was most definitely left out of the decision-making process! [ much to his (and likely pidge's, too) regret.
he makes a face, half-turning away under the pretense of keeping an eye on belore, who continues to sniff and explore a couple of feet away from where they stand. ]
Hey, I'm not a total jerk, okay? [ a pause, and then in a slightly humbler tone: ] I mean. I guess I can be, sometimes. [ but it was only ever really to keith.
why was it always only ever really to keith?
rather hastily, he shoves his hands into his jacket's deep pockets (eliciting a sharp squeak of complaint from bud, who has nestled into one of them, as he does). his next few words come out as a murmur, almost petulant. ]
Look — I meant it, okay? [ he gives a little nod to the card in keith's hands. ] I'm working on it.
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After a stretch of uncertain silence, Keith crosses his arms loosely, tucking the card in the bend of his elbow in the process so that it's mostly out of sight. He doesn't look irritated right now like he does sometimes with his arms crossed. He just looks ... awkward. It's like addressing the elephant in the room, only Keith would normally mistake that phrase and ask where the heck the elephant was. (And he would, in fact, do just this. Sorry to everyone who knows him.)]
I don't know why you had a problem with me in the first place. I did talk to Shiro about it—[In a place where Lance could probably see. Well. Anyway.] He said that I have to put an end to it, too.
But every time I try, you act like it never happened in the first place. How am I supposed to trust that you won't just act like this didn't happen tomorrow, card and all? Who's to say you won't just say I made this card to make you look like you actually apologized? [Keith can, sadly enough, keep going. They're teammates. He'll never have the unifying presence that Shiro has, but still.]
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or, rather, hadn't been instigated by keith, but rather everyone else around keith, back at the garrison, who wouldn't let lance forget the only reason he was around was because keith wasn't. it bred in him a lot of resentment, and while he knows it isn't very fair to keith, he also can't really do much about it.
or, rather, he hasn't.
he supposes now's as good a time as any to try. ]
No one'd believe you could make a card that funny anyway, [ he murmurs, first, because even when he's trying he still can't really stop his mouth, but at least none of his words here have any kind of malice or venom in them, so they're words just for words' sake, just something to fill in the silence left behind while he struggles to figure out better ones. ]
Anyway, I said I'd do better, didn't I? So — So I will. Just... give me a chance to prove it to you, I guess.
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When he doesn't come up with anything, he tucks it back away and pays attention to what Lance is saying. Or rather, has said, because he needs to process the words beyond hearing them while looking at a card.
No matter what joke he's missing (Keith actually does figure that he's missing a joke for once), he does understand those final words.]
All right. [Shiro said that Keith had to be a part of making things better. He can't point out how stupid Lance is. He can't pick at his tendency to treat girls like ... a major distraction that he has to chase. Or all those other stupid things he does. Because he does a lot of them, and those combined with his tendency to always start fights with Keith—well, they're difficult to ignore.]
All right, I'll try too, okay?
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...
yikes that must have been how keith felt, huh? man, was he a real tool. ]
Sounds like a deal to me.
[ seems only right to seal it with a handshake, right? though the way he offers his hand might look familiar to keith. ]
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He reaches out after a couple beats of thought to shake Lance's hand.]
Good. We are teammates, after all.
[His smile is probably familiar. Don't you want to see Keith smile like this all the time? Don't you?]
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but heck if he knows why! ]
For better or worse, [ he mumbles.
then gives a sheepish little grin. ]
But since we already did the "worse" part, guess it just makes sense to get to the better part.
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Like I told you before, there was no chance of me ever becoming like that version of me in the future. So the "worst" isn't gonna happen. At least we got a preview of it.
[And Keith knew how badly Lance responded. ... Then again, isn't this what kind of put them on that path? Ugh, it's hard to say, but he's not going to give up so easily on making this work.]
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he shrugs, withdrawing his hand to stuff it back into his pocket, careful not to disturb bud as he rests. not really looking to rehash the subject of galra keith and their possible terrible, horrible, no good, very bad future, he opts to direct the conversation to something else. ]
...You're not gonna keep that card, are you?
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god im so sorry for how crusty this tag is wails
Then I may as well put my real signature on it, cuz that baby's gonna be worth a whole lot some day!
[ but hey — he can play too, okay! ]
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[Surprising lack of cynicism? Yes, but it's easier to fall into that. Keith has to believe they'll take down Zarkon even if he was the original black paladin.]
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Don't I always?
[ don't answer that.
anyway... he's cupping a hand around his mouth and calling back for belore, who's run off a good distance in taking advantage of her keeper's current distraction. ]
Probably best to head back, anyway... It's getting colder out here, yeesh.
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[Like Keith would pass up the opportunity to point out how wrong Lance is! That would be a terrible error.]
Except ... right now. It's cold, and Belore should be inside. [Not Lance, but the cat.
But hey, he cares for something ...]
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oh wait that's right no one wonders that. ]
Yeah, I'm fine too, thanks.
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[Sorry, Shiro. They're going to get better, but they're still Keith and Lance.]
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I guess it's gonna be baby steps both ways, [ he sighs. but there is a lighter sound to his voice that seems to imply that doesn't sound as terrible as he thought it would be. ]
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[There's an odd lightness to his tone as he says this, even if he doesn't look light, exactly.
But Keith is Keith.
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[ keith you literally got upset with him for this very thing wth ]
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