Archive of Our Own ^beta

“What’d you say your name was again?”

“I never said anything about my name.”

“My bad.”

The wayward feeling of guilt begins to weigh down on Keith’s mind as the silence stretches on, he knew Rolo was simply trying to start a conversation with him seeing as the others were now preparing a small fire, but he’d never been any good with strangers – especially strangers who made his insides flutter.

“Do you have any weapons?” the fact that he had to force his voice to work is probably what made it sound a little like an interrogational question. He knows Rolo is looking at him, but he doesn’t dare look.

“Afraid I’m gonna rob ya?”

“No.” he also doesn’t mean to sound offended, “Surely you have some sort of protection in case of hostiles.”

“Hostiles?” Rolo mimes; Keith can’t help but feel his cheeks flush with embarrassment, why had he said hostiles instead of enemies. Now he probably sounds like a complete tool. “Yeah, back in the ship.”

Keith’s brows knit, his embarrassment quickly forgotten in the face of such an absurdity as having a weapon and not actually having it, “Why is it in the ship?”

“I happen to be resourceful if push comes to shove.” Rolo chuckles, “Besides, you don’t stay free from Zarkon or his lackeys by relying solely on one weapon. Gotta think smart. But you seem like a smart kid, guy, human – I’m sure you don’t need me telling you things that you already know.”

Finally looking up from his one-sided staring match with the rocky ground, Keith finds himself staring into the eyes of Rolo which puts an immediate stop to his higher functions and makes his heart flutter and stomach churn. Rolo was lean, muscular, and tall; his skin was lilac with darker purple blotches set upon toned arms, fair white hair sticking out from underneath his goggled-cap, a golden ring piercing each ear, the scruff on his chin added to his roguish charm, and the clothes he wore just screamed vagabond. But despite this, he had a calming quality about him – Keith was so used to the rambunctious antics of his fellow Paladins, Shiro aside, so this calm and cool-headed stranger was like a refreshing glass of water.

Seeing one of Rolo’s brows crook upward, the Red Paladin realizes that he’s been staring at the man for who knows how long and quickly looks away, he shifts a little against the crate he’s been resting against.

“My name’s Keith – if you still want to know.”

“Keith, eh?” he remains silent before he chuckles softly, and normally the Paladin would have bristled but he knows, oddly enough, that Rolo isn’t belittling him in any way, “Suits ya.”

Rolo sends an easy smile his way, Keith promptly shuts his mouth and takes to staring, once more, wide-eyed at the man as he pushes off his own crate and begins walking towards his ship. Compelled to follow the alien, he hurries after the guy until he’s back at his side. He starts to feel the eyes of his teammates on him but pays no mind. It’s not like they were going to do anything, not like Lance, who was making a fool out of himself for Nyma.

Rolo’s companion.

Friend hopefully – Keith’s gait stutters and he immediately shuts down that train of thought, his face catching fire and forcing him to look away from his current company’s general direction. It wasn’t that he was freaked out by finding Rolo attractive, no he was comfortable with his sexual preferences, it was just the fact that he’d fallen for someone he literally met a handful of minutes ago. That just wasn’t him. But looking back to the taller male, he finds himself appraising the way the wrap hugs Rolo’s abdomen, and wow, his heart is fluttering. It isn’t supposed to do that. So lost in his own thoughts surrounding the lilac alien, Keith hadn’t noticed that Lance has been watching both him and Rolo, wearing an annoyed expression.

It was a few steps away from entering Rolo’s ship that Lance made a fairly loud announcement that stopped the taller male in place, causing him to turn and watch the spectacle along with Keith, except the Red Paladin did so with less confusion and more embarrassment on Lance’s behalf as the Blue Paladin was now trying to impress Nyma with how many push-ups he could do.

“Keith!” Shiro calls.

Turning his attention to aforementioned leader and seeing him waving him over, Keith resists the urge to slump his shoulders or ruin his perfect posture in any way, “I better see what they need.”

“’s cool.” Rolo jerks his thumb towards the entryway, “Was just gonna run some diagnostics anyhow.”

“Oh,” Keith mouths, why had he wanted to follow Rolo, “Um – talk later?”

“Sure.” Rolo grins, his lopsided grin doing things to Keith’s heart.

“Okay.” Keith begins backing off, “Cool.”

oOo

Rolo. Rolo. Rolo.

God. Keith felt like a fool for thinking about the guy so much despite only having left his side for only a handful of minutes ago, but there was something wonderful about it all that made him think of the rebel’s voice and easy-going attitude. All of it turned Keith’s insides to putty and he loved the ache. Beside him stood Lance with a fairly exaggerated pout. The Blue Paladin having been pulled away from Nyma by Shiro after the man had enough of Lance embarrassing himself.

With the others busy, Lance turns his attention to his rival who sits silent and staring at nothing in particular with a glazed look in his eyes and a content expression currently residing upon his face like a mask. The tanned boy couldn’t help the spike of annoyance that cracked across his mind – he’d seen the way Keith had looked at Rolo like he had personally put the stars in the skies, or the way he trailed after Rolo like a lovesick puppy to the ship. Walking side by side. Man, what was Keith thinking following Rolo to the ship? What were they going to do once inside? And did Lance even want to know?

Lance suddenly blurts, “What’s so special about him anyway?”

“Huh?” Keith looks up, meeting Lance’s gaze, “Who?”

“You know who.” Lance spits, gesturing towards Rolo’s ship, Keith’s brows knit in confusion and just stares at him like he doesn’t know who he’s talking about. Lance swears to God he’s going to scream, “Rolo.”

This kick-starts Keith’s brain and the second Rolo’s name is said, there’s a dusting of pink coating his cheeks that shouldn’t really annoy Lance as much as it does. Keith splutters, “Well what’s so special about Nyma?”

“Dude!” Lance stares at Keith wide-eyed, “Have you seen her!? She’s hot!”

“Well!” Keith’s blush darkens, “Maybe I feel the same about Rolo!”

“Wha - !? You know he’s a dude right?”

“Of course I know he’s a guy!” Keith snaps, “I’m not an idiot, Lance!”

“Wait, wait, wait!” Lance holds his hands out, “You’re – gay?!”

“Yeah.” Keith frowns, arms crossed over his chest and unimpressed, “So what?”

“I didn’t - ! The others - ! Does Shiro know!?”

“Of course he does.”

“He knows – wait!” Lance looks horrified, “He knows and that’s why he called you back! He knows you were gonna let Rolo have his nasty way with you!” Keith blushes to his neck, Lance squawks, “Oh my god!”

“No! No, no, no!” Keith shouts, covering Lance’s mouth with both hands, “It isn’t like that!”

“The fuck it isn’t!” Lance shouts, voice muffled behind Keith’s hands, “You guys were going to be alone!”

“Not everything has to be about sex.” Keith hisses, “Unlike you I like knowing the person before that.”

“Hey!” Lance snaps, throwing Keith’s hands off his mouth, “I like to know about potential lovers too! That’s just what flirting is! Seeing what they’re into and – what?!”

Keith had been staring at Lance with a deadpan expression; he scoffs and turns away, “Nothing.”

Silence.

“What do you see in him?”

“He’s tall.”

“Is that all?” Lance snorts, Keith shrugs, “Well, I’m tall, does that mean you love me too?”

“No.” Keith snorts at Lance’s jab, “Rolo is more than that – he’s just tall and strong and – calm. Everything about him is calm. But he’s fighting the Galra as best as he can with what he’s got. He’s – something else.”

Hearing the adoration and admiration in Keith’s voice grates on Lance’s nerves. It really shouldn’t bother him as much as it does. And when Rolo shows up again with an easy greeting tossed Keith’s way, Lance stands straighter and puffs his chest out.

God no. Blushing furiously enough to startle Rolo at the sudden change, Keith grabs the taller male by the lapels of his vest and drags him down to his level whilst he stands on the tips of his toes and smashes their lips awkwardly together, their teeth clacking noisily, and while the Paladin knows he shouldn’t be kissing Rolo like he is, he can’t help but revel in the feelings it ignites all over his body – a feeling that dies once he realizes that the other isn’t reciprocating. Embarrassed, Keith pulls away and takes to staring at the rocky ground.

“I – I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

“I – no it’s okay.” Rolo assures, Keith feels guilty for having pushed this onto the other man, “I just didn’t expect it is all. I mean, it’s kinda hard to get into it when neither party is in synch with each other.”

“I - ,” Keith looks up at Rolo from underneath his fringe, “Was it that bad?”

“No,” Rolo offers an impish grin, “Just inexperienced.”

Keith frowns, “So bad.”

“Here.” Rolo gently grabs Keith’s chin and tilts his face upward, “Let me show you.”

And Rolo’s kissing him ~ feeling his chest inflate with unnamed emotions; Keith shuts his eyes and melts into the kiss, awkwardly placing his hands upon Rolo’s sides. Their mouths moving and pushing against one another. The kiss is soft ~ kind.

Rolo breaks away from the kiss and smiles down at him, “You’re supposed to wrap your arms around me.”

Keith frowns and speaks before he can think, “You’re tall.”

Rolo laughs and Keith falls a little more. God yes. He wants to keep this guy.

oOo

First love, Shiro had said, Keith knew enough to know that the first was always the best or the worst, and in Keith’s particular case, it was both – Rolo had told him that he hadn’t planned on liking him, or vice versa. And it hurt to know that Rolo had been there to use them, but at the same time after they got Lance’s lion back Keith still wanted to ask Rolo to join them or have Rolo ask them.

It didn’t happen.

Closing his eyes, Keith listens to the suffocating silence before picking up on the sound of someone approaching. Looking over his shoulder, he spots Lance standing in the middle of the hall and staring at him with his face scrunched up in some mixed emotion that bordered closely to discomfort. Frowning, Keith turns to stare out the window once more. Eventually though, Lance makes up his mind and moves to sit beside him.

“Look, I know you had it bad for Rolo, I just – wanted to see if you were okay.”

“Lance I - !” Keith stops midsentence upon seeing the concern written across Lance’s face, instead, he turns back to vast space, his grip on the edge of the platform tightening, “I’m not okay. He – I’m confused is all.”

Silence.

“For what it’s worth,” Lance starts, “I think you’re too good for him.”

Blinking, Keith looks up at Lance as the taller teen gets to his feet and begins walking away, leaving Keith to rewind the sentence over and over in his head. Biting his lower lip, he stares at his lap for a second or two before smiling and getting to his feet. First love was a bitch, but he could get over it, with time.