"Shit," Keith swore as his head jerked to the side, away from the hot iron. He took a deep breath and gave the frustrated hairdresser a look.

"Can you sit still for five seconds?" Shiro asked, his eyes were on his camera and he was flipping through the pictures he had taken.

"I would love to if I wasn't being burned every five fucking seconds." He took a deep breath and willed himself to go back to his original position.

"You're almost done anyway, this shoot should be quick. We can go eat after."

"What about keeping my figure?" Keith asked sarcastically, he took out his phone pulling up his messenger.

"You went on a run this morning, you'll be fine." Shiro sat on a chair near him and switched to his phone.

"Why did you take pictures of the scenery if I'm the model?" He clicked on Lance's number and sent him a message.

<Me: I'm tired, hungry, and if this damn hairdresser burns me one more time I'll throw a classic model tantrum and walk out.>

"I have a personal Instagram, I like scenery pictures. This place is great for that type of shit." Keith was mildly interested in Shiro's personal Instagram, he never actually took the time to check it.

<My Loser BF: What does a classic model tantrum include? Sorry I'm behind on my America's next top model>

Despite how irritated Keith felt he smiled and quickly replied.

<Me: It's just tears, demanding to be treated like a human, make everyone feel bad by comparing yourself to pin up doll, then stomping out. And you should watch ATM it's really good>

<Me: *ANTP>

<My Loser BF: Lmao I thought you wanted to watch ATM like the machine that gave out money, I was so confused>

<Me: Nope just the show, I like the recent seasons bc they have male models>

<My Loser BF: Why don't we watch it the first time I meet you irl>

"Why are you always on your phone lately?" Shiro asked he peeked up from his phone to look at Keith. Keith looked away from his phone and gave Shiro a deadpanned look.

"I'm a college student, why are you surprised?"

"Well, I'm used to you glaring into the mirror for the hour that it takes to get you ready. Now you're smiling, and frankly, I'm pretty concerned." Shiro had a half smile, Keith could see the smallest bits of pride.

"Leave me alone, I'm looking at...cat videos and shit." He mumbled and focused on texting Lance to keep a blush away.

<Me: I thought we were going to play all of Outlast, beginning to end?>

<My Loser BF: We're doing that too>

<Me: And then you said we were going to get me a hamster so that I could feel the love of an animal>

<My Loser BF: Don't worry we'll do that too>

<Me: We also have a ton of other shit to do. So what do you want to do first.>

<My Loser BF: Kiss you>

Keith's cheeks reddened, he took a moment to compose himself before replying.

<My Loser BF: I'm guessing that made you blush?>

<Me: Maybe...>

<My Loser BF: Lol we've talked about it before>

<Me: IK it's just intense knowing someone wants to kiss me>

<My Loser BF: Well get used to that feeling all that time bc I'm not going to do anything but steal kisses from you. Ya know why?>

<Me: Not really?>

<My Loser BF: Bc you>

<My Loser BF: Are so>

<My Loser BF: Fucking>

<My Loser BF: PRETTY>

<Me: Ugh, blocked leave me alone>

"Okay, lemme see what you're doing. You look way too happy," Shiro looked like he was teasing but Keith hugged his phone to his chest regardless.

"Let me be happy in peace, it's the least you can do after letting me get poked and prodded all day for a five-minute shoot." He grumbled, Shiro rolled his eyes and checked his watch.

"Let's give your hair five more minutes, meet me at the shoot sight." He stood up and grabbed his camera, he put the neck piece on and left the dressing room.

<Me: Shiro is so fucking annoying>

<My Loser BF: What did he do to my pretty boy?>

<Me: 1st, shut up. And he wanted to know why I'm on my phone more>

<My Loser BF: Did you tell him it's because you're talking to your super stud boyfriend?>

<Me: Um no, he doesn't know about you>

<My Loser BF: Ummm excuse me? Why doesn't everyone in your life know about me?>

<My Loser BF: Lol I'm kidding but you said Shiro isn't homophobic. I hope you're not too embarrassed to have an internet boyfriend?>

<Me: No! It's nothing like that it's pretty dumb why...I don't want to prove him right>

<My Loser BF: About what?>

<Me: That I'm gay>

<My Loser BF: ...>

<My Loser BF: But you are. What's the issue?>

<Me: Idk it's dumb, I'll tell him eventually>

"Okay Keith, you're all set. I swear every time I doll you up, you get more fidgety." The woman turned off the curling iron and set it on the table. She popped the bubble she had begun to blow smearing her lipstick.

"Funny feels like you care less and less about the safety about my scalp every time we see each other." He looked into the mirror, as usual, he was surprised how decent he looked. He moved his head his new curls moving with him, his complexion also looked clearer than usual. He was wearing makeup, but not enough to register as anything. Just enough to make image correcting easier on Shiro.

"Well..." She rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "I guess you complaining is better than before. You were so cute when we first met, you wouldn't have made a peep if I was scalping you. Now look, telling me off and everything."

"Glad to know you find my complaining cute."

<Me: My hair is done, I'm heading out for my shoot now>

<My Loser BF: Good luck, make sure you slay the camera ily>

<Me: Do you /really/ love me?>

<My Loser BF: Um yeah I do got an issue with that pretty boy?>

<Me: Hush, and nope. Just...>

<My Loser BF: Uh uh nope, no self-doubt before a shoot. You'll psyche your pretty head out. Now go before I start describing how utterly gorgeous you are.>

<My Loser BF: How I would move heaven and Earth just to sit next to you and hug you>

Keith shut off his phone before he could read any more of Lance's texts and blush any harder.

"Who's making you blush like that?" Keith's hairdresser drawled out her words making her Southern accent more pronounced.

"Just my boyfriend," Keith said carefully, letting the weighted words sit in his mouth. He looked up at Cathy trying not to look nervous. She looked slightly surprised but not much more of her mood changes.

"Uh, huh well tell him I said hi. Bring him around one of these days." She moved to the side so he could get out of his chair. He slipped his phone into his back pocket.

"What? So he can watch me suffer?" He smiled mischievously and slipped his hands into his suit pocket. He looked over his shoulder to see Cathy sticking her tongue out at him. He returned the gesture and walked out into the garden area outside.

He met Shiro, the female model, and her agent outside. Keith looked at them, he had an idea of what she looked like but hadn't seen her yet. She had deep purple hair, it was a strange contrast to the flowy yellow dress she wore. Keith's own suit was a shade of orange, he thought it looked ugly but Shiro insisted.

Her agent was much taller than even Shiro. He put his hand on her shoulder and eyed Keith carefully. Keith felt self-conscious about his outfit immediately. He reconciled himself by remembering that they had taken his measurements for this suit, and it hugged his body to perfection.

"Finally ready? You took longer than Tiffany took to get ready." He said gruffly, Keith narrowed his eyes but tried not to let too much of his annoyance show.

"It also helps that my hair didn't look like a rats nest when I walked in." Tiffney's once pretty face contorted as she laughed menacingly. Keith's stomach turned, he felt his body physically rejecting their presence. She extended her hand to him. "Tiffany Murphy, you're not too bad looking once you get cleaned up. Do well on this shoot and I'll let you take me out."

"Keith," He said plainly, he took away his hand making a show of wiping his hand on his pant leg. "Hopefully if I don't end up trying to drown myself by the end of this shoot, you'll let me leave." He turned away from her just as her pretty face turned into an ugly grimace. He kept a neutral look and walked by Shiro to the rock that was a few feet away from the small pond near him. He rested one on a smaller rock below him. "Coming?" He raised an eyebrow and gestured to the area around him.

She looked murderous for a moment, her agent's grip on her shoulder tightened. Like a spell had been cast, her face became serene and she looked like a professional once again.

****

The rest of the shoot seemed to flash by in a matter of seconds to Keith. He let his body do all the thinking. He understood that the shoot was supposed to be romantic and flirty, but he let himself build up the slight tension in the air. When he finished he knew the shoot looked more like a silent fight between lovers, more than a romance.

"And we got it, perfect. This looks really perfect guys." He smiled and flipped through his pictures. Keith let out a sigh of relief. If Shiro was happy that meant he'd never have to see Tiffney again. "I'll email these to the magazine, and hope they send us back a copy with a golden seal on it." Shiro stood up from his squat and looked at Tiffany's agent. He gave a thumbs up and slipped his hands back in the window. Keith found a hard time getting a read on the guy but he assumed he looked pleased.

Tiffney stood up from her spot on the ground and stood directly in front of Keith. She kept her hands behind back. Her face looked sweeter than it had when they first met. Keith almost complimented her on her versatility.

"Look, we're both adults. We can move past that ugly little meeting we had in the beginning. You're really cute and I want to get to know you, we'd make excellent...photo shoots." She smiled coyly, a question in her eyes. Keith's hairs stood on end, he just wanted to leave as quickly as possible.

He paused and decided that he could be versatile too. He stood up from his rock, they were relatively the same height. He thought of every sexy thing he knew of and smiled. He leaned in close to her, his hand fluttering just above her arm. He leaned in closer so he was facing the opposite way but his lips were by her ear.

"Just want to let you know, I don't offer this to many of the people I take photos with." She whispered quickly, he could already hear the triumph in her voice.

"Hm..." He hummed softly like he was thinking. "Too bad I'm gay." He said in a completely neutral tone, ruining the moment and the mood. He took two steps away from her to evaluate the damage. She looked shocked, red rising to her cheeks. Her fists clenched around her dressed.

"You fucking fa-"

"Well! It's been a pleasure working with the both of you, but we have many more shoots today. We better get a move on." Shiro put his hands on Keith's shoulders and began walking him away from the two of them. Keith blinked and didn't struggle. He figured she'd be pissed, but he didn't expect her to try and use homophobic slurs.

Once Shiro had walked them safely out of the garden area and back into the parking lot, Shiro let him go. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at him.

"What?" Keith crossed his arms, trying not to look as shaken as he felt

"You couldn't have just politely declined her."

"She was a bitch to me," Keith said in his defense.

"You know being gay isn't a weapon." Keith shrugged in response. "Quite a way to come out huh?"

"It wasn't really coming out, you claimed to know."

"I was speculating, you could have been anything else. I just figured you liked men more than women."

"Well, you figured right. Now are we getting pizza or not?"

"Photoshoot, come out as gay and eat pizza. Do you have an agenda or something?" Shiro was chuckling by the time Keith began walking to the car. He walked next to him and took out the keys from his pocket.

"Maybe," Keith walked to the passenger side of the car and paused before opening the door. "Hey, Shiro?"

"Yeah?" Shiro unlocked the driver's side door and looked at him from across the car.

"Can you get me a few more shoots with...guys or something. It's not like I want to come out to the people who follow me on Instagram, because why the hell should they care? But I just want to show...I don't know..."

"A little more personality?" Shiro offered, Keith nodded and opened his door. He climbed inside and took out his phone. Shiro climbed into his car and they shut their doors at the same time.

"Texting your mystery person again?" Shiro asked, he buckled himself in and started the car.

"Maybe, maybe it's just a professor." He said as aloofly as possible.

<Me: I told this bitchy model Tiffany off and came out to my brother>

<My Loser BF: Woah big news huh? I thought Shiro already knew about you being gay>

<Me: He knew I liked men but not much else>

<My Loser BF: By men, I think you mean /a/ man. As in singular, as in me your one and only Lance>

<Me: You're really lame you know that? But I'm kinda excited about this shoot. It's not going straight to my Instagram bc Shiro is mailing it to this magazine company. And if they like any of them they'll sponsor me and I'll be in their next issue.>

<My Loser BF: I'd like to say I'm surprised but why should I be? You're literally the greatest model of our time there's no way you wouldn't be in a magazine. I'll be the first to buy your magazine issue bby>

<Me: Maybe the magazine is for Playgirl, you sure you don't mind buying risque magazines like that?>

<My Loser BF: Even better, and it's not like I don't anyway. I just have cheaper sources of sexual deviance>

<Me: Ew weirdo, don't make me think of that stuff I'm going to get pizza>

<My Loser BF: I didn't know you were asexual too, I don't mind though>

<Me: I'm not, just a virgin>

<My Loser BF: I don't know why I'm surprised. Anyway Mr. Pretty Mullet Boy Virgin Playgirl Pants, where are you going for pizza?>

<Me: Oh you wouldn't know the place, and I can't remember the name. Something weird>

He waited for Lance's usual immediate replies but he didn't receive one. He pouted slightly and crossed his legs. He decided to actually use his Instagram app for once. He opened up the app and went to his profile. He clicked on his following button and pressed the one person that was under the category.

He spent a good portion of the ride to the pizza place browsing Shiro's profile. He took the pictures of the strangest things but they were all oddly beautiful.

<Me: Do you think I should get a personal Instagram?>

<My Loser BF: Yeah totally, sorry I just got into class ugh biology is lame>

<Me: Yeah it is, my teacher always gives so much homework it's annoying>

<My Loser BF: Mine doesn't really give us all that much. And maybe you think it's sooo much bc your homework is also your classwork>

<Me: True true, but what do you do with personal Instagrams?>

<My Loser BF: Watch funny videos, take pictures of dumb shit, take pictures with friends, follow random people, look over your stream, post dumb selfies>

<Me: Oh okay maybe I'll make one when I get home>

<My Loser BF: If you do, make sure you do 2 things>

<Me: What?>

<My Loser BF: Follow me and all my friends, and don't take any selfies. I want your first selfie on your account to be of us>

Keith bit his lip, the thought of meeting Lance sent excited shivers down his back. He didn't want to feel cynical and think that he would never meet Lance. He held out hope for once.

<Me: Deal, hey I should let you biology. I'll send you a few snaps of the pizza to make you hungry though>

<My Loser BF: You're a jerk, leaving me bored in Bio and making me hungry>

<Me: I'm the worst bf sorry not sorry>

<My Loser BF: Better make up for this in kisses when we meet>

<Me: Maybe, maybe not. Bye>

He paused before quickly texting three letters, his heart in his ears.

<Me: ILY>

<My Loser BF: ily2 pretty boy <3 >

Keith smiled stupidly wide as he shut off his phone. He didn't care that Shiro was looking at him weird, and he didn't care that Lance had called him pretty. He didn't even care that there was still a possibility Lance was fucking with him. He couldn't have felt happier if he tried.

****

Keith adjusted the camera so that his face was back in view of the laptop camera. He rested his chin on his pillow again and placed his phone next to his bowl.

"What took you so long, I missed the sounds of your breathing," Lance said from Keith's computer screen. Keith looked at the screen and slipped a chip into his mouth.

"I couldn't find where Shiro hid the banana chips. I thought I'd have to buy more." He watched Lance grimace and place his pencil down on top of his textbooks.

"If my brother was trying to eat weird things like banana chips I'd try to hide them too." Keith shot him a dirty look and slipped two more chips into his mouth.

"They're really good and healthy, I'll make you eat some when we meet."

"Make sure you add that to the list."

"I'll add that and eating a triple cheese, steak, and green pepper pizza together, onto the list," Keith said, he actually pulled up his notes app and added them to an ongoing list. Keith closed his notes app and went back to Instagram to continue making his new profile.

"So how's account making going?"

"Um, it's okay." He was having a hard time picking a none taken username, especially since Keith Kogane had been taken.

"That sounds fake, I don't know what step you're on but stop panicking. If you really don't like it you can always go back and change it." Lance assure him, he blew him a kiss through the screen. Keith looked just in time to see it and nodded.

"Okay, I think I'm almost done." There were three knocks, Keith groaned and put down his phone. "Don't come in I'm in my underwear." He looked at Lance and put his finger to his lips. Lance nodded and made a zipping motion with his fingers, he went back to his biology homework.

"I've seen you in worse." Shiro cracked open the door and peeked in just in case. Once he saw that Keith was in fact in Pajamas he stepped in. He was holding an opened package. He resting his back against the wall and looked at Keith seriously.

"Hey, I wanted to talk. You mind sparing me five minutes?" Keith glanced at his computer screen for a moment, he debated putting him on silent microphone.

"Sure..."

"Today was pretty good, but seeing you interact with that model made me realize something." He took a deep breath. "I know I'm not your legal guardian, you're older than 18. But I'm older than you and I still feel like I have the right to give you advice and push you into things. You're not too old to learn, and you're not too old to learn social skills."

"I mean I guess so..." Keith was unsure where this was going, but he already felt uncomfortable.

"I don't think you can interact with people your own age. I don't think you're very good with people in general, now it's okay to be an introvert but I feel like you're the type to shut himself away completely. I don't want that for you, I think you should be out there. Having fun, going to college, having coffee with friends, maybe even dating. You're wasting away in here, eating banana chips."

"Hey!" Keith grumbled, the banana chips didn't deserve the disrespect and neither did he.

"I mean I just want you to be eating banana chips with somebody, anybody. I'm afraid you know so little about people that you'll either push them away entirely or trust the wrong ones."

"I'm not an idiot Shiro," Keith's words were soft, he was unsure even of himself.

"I know you're not, but you're naive. It's okay if you have social anxiety, it's okay if you need to talk to a counselor or a therapist. I'll help you with that, but there's going to be a new rule in this house. For as long as you live here, hopefully, you'll carry on doing it even if you don't." Shiro cleared his throat, Keith couldn't help but notice how easily he gave out orders and decrees. "Starting next week, you're going to your college classes. For more than half of your classes, then a few weeks after that all of your classes. I also want you to go out once a week, do anything you want. Just go out, minimum two hours."

"But..." Keith didn't even know where to begin, the whole thing felt overwhelming. He understood Shiro's logic and hated it at the same time. What he said was true but how true it was, didn't matter to how pissed Keith felt.

"But?"

"But I have no friends, and I don't want to go to class with strangers. Don't you prefer me staying home then getting into hardcore drugs?" He couldn't think of any non-drug related retaliation, but he couldn't take the new rules lying down.

"You'll make friends, and just don't make bad ones. Drugs are bad for acne, enjoy the rest of your antisocial week. Starting Monday I want to see a new Keith." He walked closer to his bed and dropped a package on Keith's bed. "You also have a package, I checked and it's not a bomb. Maybe you have a secret admirer or something." He left the room before Keith could figure out anything to say back.

"Ugh freaking Shiro!" He pushed the package off his bed and smashed his face into his pillow.

"Damn, he really brought down the gavel huh?" Keith looked up at the computer screen and nodded at Lance.

"The worst part is I don't even have anything valid to say. I just...I don't have anyone to hang out with or talk to, except you. People are annoying and if I got close to anyone they wouldn't like me anyway. So what's the point? I'm the biggest loser to ever hit the modeling scene." Keith shifted so his face wasn't fully in the frame of the camera.

"Hey hey," Lance's voice was soft and concerned, there was a shuffling of the microphone. Like Lance had tried to touch his the screen. "You're not lame, you're amazing. Shiro is just trying to help you so everyone else gets to know that." Keith looked at him from the corner of his eyes not sure what to say. "Keith he wasn't insulting you okay? From what I can tell you just have a little social anxiety, if I was there I'd walk you to all your classes. I'd be there to pick you up, I'd whisk you away in the middle of a lecture if you were feeling anxious. And I'd hold your hand every lunch break."

"I wish you were here," Keith whispered, he hated that they were on video call. Lance could hear the cracks in his voice and see the redness in his eyes. "I wish you were real." He sniffled his voice was even shakier and he wiped away tears. He knew this was probably killing Lance. Lance had voiced on many occasions that he hated not being there to comfort him.

"Baby it'll be okay, take it slow. You're psyching yourself out before you even tried." Keith rubbed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, do you want to leave video chat?"

"No, I want to be able to hear your voice. You can make the camera one sided so you can still see me. But can you do me a quick favor before you do that?" Keith paused his mouse hovering over the button to cancel his camera.

"What?" He used the edges of his pillowcase to rub at his eyes.

"Can you open up the package Shiro gave you?" Keith gave him an odd look then looked the fallen packaged box on the floor.

"Um, okay." He reached to the floor and slid the box on the bed. He sniffled and sat up, his torso and the box the only thing in frame. He pulled back the flaps and looked and saw a bunched up ball. "Oh?" he took out the ball and pushed the empty box to the floor. He unzipped the bag it was in and pulled out a chubby brown cat stuffed animal holding an ice cream. His eyes widened and he moved it around until he found a tag on its neck.

From your tailor, hope this can keep you smiling until we meet for real. XOXOXOXO

-Your loverboy, Lance

Keith gasped, he almost began crying again. He felt his eyes become watery, he brought the cat to his chest and shifted the laptop camera so his face was back in view.

"Lance! You didn't!" He hugged the cat tighter his eyes squeezed shut. Lance chuckled, Keith opened his eyes and gave Lance the most genuine smile he could manage.

"Sorry, but I did. I was out at a fair and was trying to win it as a prize. I was failing super hard, I couldn't hit a single target. But I realized why I wasn't winning."

"Why?" Keith properly wiped the remaining tears from his cheeks, he didn't' want a single drop on his new cat.

"I wasn't trying to win it for anyone. So, of course, I started trying to win it for you and got it on my second try. The only problem was, it smelled like popcorn and the fair."

"I wouldn't have minded," Keith assured him.

"But I would have, in hindsight I could have just thrown it in the wash," He rubbed the back of his head. "Instead I began sleeping with it, so it would smell like me. So that's two weeks of Lance smell, hope you're not too grossed out." Keith felt another surge of excitement, he immediately brought the cat to his nose and inhaled deeply. It smelled wonderful, like junk food, sweet things, lavender soap, and general guy smells. It smelt amazing, it smelt real, it smelt like him. Keith's heart began to hurt with all the love he felt for this boy.

"Lance?"

"Keith?" Lance raised his eyebrow his cheeks were as red as Keith's.

"I love you, a lot. A ton, a million time over." Lance smiled wide and got close to the camera.

"I love you too Pretty Mullet Boy."

"I'll send you stuff too, I promise. I'll send you banana chips, and kale chips, polaroid pictures. Anything, everything, constantly." Keith promised the cat was still near his face, he couldn't stop inhaling.

"Well, I guess I'll just have to keep following up." Lance relaxed on his bed tilting the camera down so his face was on the screen. "Feeling better?" Keith got back on his stomach with the cat to rest on instead of the pillow.

"A lot better, but I think I'll need a pep talk before I go to school on Tuesday."

"Don't you mean Monday?"

"I don't have any Monday classes, eternal three day weekends."

"Huh, smart. But I'll call you before and after every class, if you need me to."

"Promise?" Keith asked quietly.

"I promise." Lance put a cross over his heart and blew a kiss. Keith pretended to catch it and blew one back. Nerves were still fluttering in his chest, but love was there too.