Here is the final chapter. I'm uploading because I saw someone commenting on the story and felt bad for not updating lol.

After the interaction with Lotor, Keith refused to go to school. Keith’s dad was too out of it to notice- or care- so he got away with hiding in his room. The school didn’t even ask many questions when he called up sick, claiming he had been up all night throwing up and was bearing a fever. He spent most of the day with his headphones on, listening to sad music whilst he cried until his eyes had dried up.

Because he was blasting his music, he didn’t hear the knock on his front door. It was only once someone knocked on his bedroom door that he took off his headphones and looked up. “I’m busy!” He yelled out, assuming it was his dad- mainly because he was the only other person in the house.

“I just want to talk.” Keith hardened his grip on his phone when he heard Lance’s voice. 

“Get out of my house!” Of course, Lance wasn’t going to listen and that much was apparent when the door handle moved down and he stepped into the room.

“Your dad let me in.”

“I don’t care who let you in. Just leave. I don’t want to talk to you.”

“You have to hear me out!”

“There is no excuse for what you did. You hurt me, Lance!” Keith found himself raising his voice as fury ran through his veins. The sad tears became angrier and angrier until they were rushing down his cheeks like waterfalls. “I struggle to trust people so it was a miracle I trusted you and what did you do? You played with my feelings. I told you everything!”

“Just calm down, I-”

“Calm down? How am I supposed to calm down?!” Lance swallowed, eyes widening as he became overwhelmed. He opened his mouth to speak but Keith cut him off, not wanting to hear any more lies. “You know what? You are pathetic like your mum said. You make up stupid lies just so people would like you. It’s sad.”

“I didn’t lie!”

“Yeah, you did! Everything you said and did was a lie!”

“What’s going on here?” Both boys turned to face the owner of a third voice: Keith’s dad. He had deep bags under his eyes and his hair looked like it hadn’t seen a brush in years. Keith knew better than to argue as his dad’s folded arms suggested he wasn’t going to lose an argument. 

“Lance was just leaving,” He tried anyway but Lance shook his head and stood his ground.

“I made a mistake and Keith won’t let me explain.”

“He is a stubborn boy,” Keith clenched his jaw and shook his head (as if his dad knew anything about him. It had been years since they had properly hung out and talked). “What happened?”

“Keith opened up to me about some of his deepest secrets and I told some people…”

“Some people? More like the whole school!” Keith exclaimed, clenching his hands into fists. The fury was becoming familiar to him but, despite how much his brain was urging him to, his heart wouldn’t let him hit Lance.

“Lotor threatened me, okay?! He said he would hurt my family if I didn’t tell him your secrets. I wanted to protect them…”

“You what?” Keith slowly uncurled his hand again. He swallowed in an attempt to calm himself down and register what Lance had said. 

“Lotor came up to me whilst I walked into school and threatened me. I really didn’t want to tell him anything but I had to put my family first and-” Lance suddenly burst into tears after his sentences became faster and faster. “I made a mistake. I should have gone to a teacher or something. I’m so sorry, Keith...” Keith stayed silent as he thought about Lance’s excuse. He had no idea whether to trust Lance or not. “You mean the world to me… You’re the only person who truly accepts me for who I am, besides Hunk but we’ve been friends for years and years.”

“Could you give us some space?” Keith asked his dad. Despite hearing how wobbly his son’s voice was, he nodded and left the room. Once they were alone, Keith let further tears well up in his eyes. “I’m scared, Lance. No one has ever wanted to be my friend; let alone my boyfriend.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I showed you my drawings… They were so personal. You’re the only person I’ve ever let in.”

“You’re the first person I let in too…” Lance admitted, offering a shaky smile. “I mean, I told you about my poetry, didn’t I?”

“It’s going to take me a while to trust you; you know that, right?”

Lance nodded, though he pulled Keith into a strong, comforting hug. Keith found himself melting into the embrace and it well and truly felt like home. All of his anger towards Lance seemed to evaporate as he welcomed being protected and safe.

-

“Did you see?!” Lance exclaimed, practically jumping up and down in excitement. His whole face was bright red and, in all honesty, Keith was just confused. He furrowed his eyebrows and took a step back, shaking his head. “I made us even. I told everyone my secret.”

“You what?” Keith questioned and Lance must have been right because half the school was staring in their direction.

“I printed out a tonne of my poetry and stuck it up around the school. I signed it with my name so everyone would know it was me.”

“You didn’t need to do that…” 

“Yeah, yeah I did. I need you to know you can trust me.”

All of a sudden, tears welled up in Keith’s eyes. In the last week or so he had cried more than he had in his whole life and, you know what? It felt good. After being numb for so long, he welcomed the influx of emotions: love, anger, fear, sadness, happiness… he loved it all.

“I fucking love you, Lance. Is it too soon to say that? I don’t know; nor do I care. You’re amazing.”

Lance burst out into a wide grin as he responded, “I fucking love you too, Keith Kogane.”

The end :)