After their set is over, I excuse myself from the table. I didn't realize how quickly I'd jumped to my feet until I was already dizzily pushing my way past all the round tables full of people and trying hard not to fall into anyone's lap or across their table. There was only one person I really wanted to bump into, if I was honest.

"There's the man of the hour!" I say as I finally find him in the green room.

"Lance." He smiles, opening his arm for a side-hug. He hadn't fully removed the guitar from his body yet. He struggles to slip out from under the strap as I take up space in his personal bubble.

I pull him into a full embrace. "You guys are brilliant. Your sound is wonderful." Am I gushing?

"Thanks," Pidge says for Keith from her place on the couch. "What'd you think of the last number?"

"Just as great," I reply, pulling away to face her. "Why?"

"I wrote it," Keith says in my ear. He stands back, "the music, anyway. Hunk wrote the words, and Pidge did the music-theory hard parts."

"That's incredible," I say, and I mean it. "What's it called, by the way?"

"Forgotten Love," Hunk says, ducking into the room, holding an armful of snacks. "Anyone want anything? Cailida hooked me up." He flops on the couch beside Pidge, passing her a honey-cinnamon roll wrapped in a paper towel.

She must see my hungry gaze after it because she extends the offering to me. "You look pale, Lance," Pidge says, changing her tone slightly. "Feeling okay lately?"

I nod my head to indicate I'm fine, but I do also wordlessly accept the pastry. Keith is looking at me now.

"It would be good, I think, if you'd come to our rehearsals again. You could bring your textbooks and flashcards and everything. We miss your playing skills. I can only do power chords and easy-mode sets."

"Very true," Pidge agrees. "I've almost forgotten how it feels to play our more technically difficult sets."

Half of my face lifts into a smile, but the other half is distracted. I'm not jealous of their success, far from it. I'm worried though that I've lost my stamina. I'm worried because I want to go, and I want to be a part of this group again, but imagining the work it would require is daunting.

"I'm not ready to play with you again, yet," I admit, "but I guess it wouldn't hurt to tag along at rehearsals."

Hunk smiles, giving a brief nod of approval. Pidge is busy taking another honey-cinnamon roll from him. Keith, though, is busy studying my face. I find myself blushing under his scrutiny.

"What?" I ask, casting a sidelong gaze at Hunk and Pidge, who are paying us no attention.

"Come with me," Keith takes my hand and yanks me out of the green room.

Mercurially, he guides me through the cafe, out through the doors, all the way through the courtyard and up to his dorm. It occurs to me as he pulls out his student ID and leads me up the stairs that I've never been to his room.

"Where are we going?" I ask, just to be sure.

"A forgotten grotto," he replies, jocose.

I fight down a smile as I wonder what he means by that.

"Pardon me?" I ask.

"I think it would be good, if you and I were alone," Keith relinquishes some. "I'm trusting Hunk and Pidge to clean up after me, but they'll have to forgive me. I think this is urgent."

"What is?"

"Reminding you what it's like to be loved."

I want to kiss him or hug him, or maybe hide my face from him out of embarrassment. But I bite my lip and give him a sardonic look.

"Oh?" I can't help but let my disbelief bleed through. "What made you think I'd forgotten?"

Keith suddenly stops leading me, arriving at a door clearly shared by him and other roommates. I hope to god the other two roommates are gone as he pushes open the door. But now I am considering my own question. Had I forgotten?

"You didn't look yourself. And you've been withdrawn recently... I'd like to draw you out."

I looked around us as he shut the door. We were in a rather small room but with high ceilings. On one wall, the outward one with the window, is Keith's bed. On the opposite wall, with the door we'd entered through, an empty bed and oversized tapestry loom in the darkness. Keith hasn't switched on the light.

"Where's everyone?" I ask, indicating the empty bed across from us as Keith pushes me into his. "I assume the other roommate took the suite."

"Right, and this one in here, he's got a girlfriend he stays overnight with," Keith replies, unworried. "It's just you and me tonight."

I had forgotten what that's like. I do want to remember.

"Just you and me, then," I say fondly.