"Ah Keith! Thank God you're here, the delivery guy showed up early and I feel like I'm drowning in roses." 

Kelli tip toed across the floor of the shop around boxes and packages of flowers carefully wrapped up in plastic sheets spilling out on every inch of the floor available. Keith tried his best to to find little spaces to step so not to crush anything. He finally made it to the back of the shop where is apron was hung. He especially noticed how that day the whole shop was swelling with the intoxicating smell of the dozens of roses, eucalyptus and peonies, it was almost sweet enough to go straight to his head and give him a headache. Further towards the front of the shop Kelli let out a little screech in terror. 

"You okay?" 

Keith's boss was clinging on for her life to the front desk circled by boxes. 

"Uhh yep, yep. Just tripped." She wiped her brow and stood in shock as she took in the chaotic look of the usually peaceful store. "Looks like we've got our work cut out for us." 

"Let's start taking stuff out and I'll tear down the boxes outside." 

"Sounds like a plan."

 Kelli took out her phone then music started playing from the two smaller speakers hidden in the shop. She hummed along to the tune while she tied up her hair. They didn't usually play music in the shop but today felt different.

"Veronica's coming in a bit past lunchtime--you should ask Lance to help out too! We can give him something easy to do." The flower shop owner grinned. 

Keith clicked on his phone and opened his messages to his most recent chat. 

8:07am:  Come help us out later. And good morning. 

After he shut off his phone he made the decision to start at the front of the shop and work his way backward. To his far right he caught sight of the small hibiscus tree vibrant under a stripe of sunlight. Suddenly under his fingers he could feel the soft tickling of Lance's hair and then he was in his kitchen with the cool glass pressing up against his back. He lost his breath thinking about it. 

"--Pass me that box cutter would ya?" 

"Oh! Um, yeah." 

                                                                                                ~*~ 

It used to be that Lance's favorite days were the ones when he didn't have any deliveries at all, but now they were the perfect excuse. After what had happened the day prior, there was nothing more that he could have wanted other than to speed across town to see the boy that he knew would be there. But still, it wasn't like the extra sleep was unwelcome. 

"Lance! Lance? Levantate! Los ninos are waiting!" 

Lance's mother's shrill voice could always be heard from anywhere in the house and there was no ignoring the power that he voice could hold over those who were sleeping. 

"Ma...what are you talking about--" he groaned in frustration yet his mother couldn't hear. He had woken up on his stomach which was something that almost never happened. He only slept like that during his most comfortable nights. Once he thought about it, he didn't remember waking up even once. 

"LANCE!" 

"Ay Maaaaaa! ¿¿Que??" This time he groaned a little bit louder. 

"Lance, just get on down here, you gotta keep up on your promise right?" 

The unfamiliar morning-time voice of his brother Luis called up the stairs. He was also never up this early. 

"Promise?" He asked himself. 

"The park Lance? Yesterday you said that you wanted to take the kids to the park?" 

Lance could hear Luis' grin behind his words. It was a set up. 

He lazily turned to his left where his clock read 9:03 am. "I'm up, I'm up." he called back. When he sat up he felt a slight rush to his head and tried to steady himself after feeling dizzy. His mouth felt dry and craved a drink of water. Lance ruffled his bedhead to then peer outside of the slits in his shades. The morning sun was showcasing itself proudly and had patrolled all of the clouds out of the sky. From his window he could see the crystalline blue of the ocean. For the first time in a long time he wanted to touch it. 

He checked his phone as usual. 

8:07am:  Come help us out later. And good morning. 

8:51am: I will be there at noon then. 

Reading Allura's text had hit him like those waves that had tried to drown him. He had completely forgotten he had texted her the previous evening. After he had cleared things up with Keith he had a hard time thinking about anything else. The night before he had hit his pillow feeling the greatest sense of relief in his life and greedily played the memory of the other boy's lips over and over again until he had fallen asleep. 

What am I going to say? 

Lance cradled is head in his hands as he mind buzzed with worry and words clambered together in his head trying to for sentences, a plan, anything. He considered how much of a miracle it was that he didn't blow it yesterday with Keith, and anxiously pondered all the ways in which he could mess it up with Allura. He had reached some resolve knowing that he was unhappy with her and that being with Keith made sense, but after he had disappeared for a little over a week, he hadn't set himself up for a successful conversation. 

She must be so confused. 

A guttural groan vibrated in Lance's throat. There were many things happening that day that he didn't want to face but knew that he had to. In his head he imagined that sad and disappointed look that would sometimes wash over Allura's face. It made his chest hurt thinking about receiving that same exact look. 

He stood up and stretched, entangling his foot around his phone charging cord bringing his phone smashing into his toes. 

"Ah shi--"

"LANCE!" 

"Coming!" he yelled and rubbed his foot. 

The McClain's sat around their larger wooden dinner table eating a particularly good smelling breakfast. As he sat Lance's eyes felt less fuzzy and he felt as if his brain had finally be rid of all traces of sleep. Outside in their backyard the swings on the swing-set gently swayed and the flowers in his mother's garden bounced up and down with the morning breeze. The warmth of the day seeped into the house but was met with the smooth cycles of the array of fans inside. Beside the table Lance's niece and nephew played with little figures of safari animals and made corresponding sounds to each one. The whole scene felt a little odd until Lance realized that he hadn't sat down for a meal with his family in a few weeks; this was something that his mother seemed to be stewing in. 

"Nice to see you at the table mijo." 

Lance returned with an anxious smile. 

His mother sighed. "I know your friends are important, but I would like to see you at home. It's...the last summer--" 

"--I know Ma, I'm sorry." Lance put down his fork. His mother's sad expression bore into his soul like it always did. "I'll try to be around more. I'm trying to spend some time with them as well--" 

"Lo se, lo se." she waved him off with her hand and took another bite. "They can come over too! I can cook--" 

"--That would be great...mom." 

Lance couldn't help but feel ashamed. He knew that he had been avoiding his home, but his mother was right, he couldn't forever, not when he didn't know when he would be back next. He scraped his fork on his plate with a metallic sound. Briefly he thought about having Keith over. He wanted him to come over but he knew that he couldn't say anything more. 

Next to him Veronica sipped at her tea. Lance could feel her judging gaze. She had taken that summer off for him and they had barely seen each other. 

"Finish up mijo. You can take my car. Go to the one by the escuela." 

Lance's eyes shot a furious glace at his brother across the table. 

"Sorry, the...what by the school?" 

"The park?" Luis answered, smugly smiling while he took a bite of bacon. 

"Right. The park." 

Under the table Lance kicked his brother in the shins as hard as he could but Luis was faster. The motion almost made him slide under the table. Their mother looked immediately concerned. 

"My uhhh napkin. My napkin slid under the table." the boy swiftly created the illusion of reaching down and picked up the paper that was already resting on his leg. 

I'm gonna kill you. He promised his brother silently. 

                                                                                              ~*~ 

Despite the fact that  his niece and nephew were being unbearable loud on the drive to the park, Lance still noticed how nice the day was. He had rolled the windows down to let in the warm air as it passed; it whipped inside the car windows with force and blew Lance's hair crazily over his forehead but he didn't seem to care. The July sky above them was cloudless and perfectly baby blue, only carrying the bright yellow orb that was the sun. As usual the Altea Bay seagulls could be found flying around in their irregular formations, cawing and talking to each other. As Lance drove up the hill and near Arus Woods the cicadas hidden in the trees could be heard making their calls. For a moment Lance painfully remembered how close they were to Allura's home. 

Once they had traveled a little bit further west, they came upon the familiar view of Lance's old high school. Now that Lance knew that he had no more connection to it he couldn't help but feel a bit down seeing it once again. He felt extremely lucky that most of his high school experience had been very normal and happy--and he owed it all to his friends. 

"Lance unlock the door!" Thomas whined. 

The sunny boy hadn't noticed that he had pulled in to the parking lot of the huge city playground across the street. 

"Alright alright!" he scolded. 

As soon as the door was opened the scuffle of four small feet came running out of the car and onto the gravel parking lot. Beside Lance his phone vibrated in the cup holder that held it. A profile picture of Pidge making a goofy face mocked him. 

"Wow you're up early," was the first thing that Pidge said. 

"Ha ha." Lance rolled his eyes. 

"Hunk and I are trying to catch a movie later...it has robots..." her voice turned sing-songy.

Lance's eyes wandered watchfully checking on his little cousins from afar then a stinging reminder echoed in his head of his plans for that day. 

"Wish I could, I've got some stuff going on today." 

"Stuff? What stuff?" Pidge groaned. "Is it Allura stuff?" 

"I'm meeting her at noon." 

"Well are you doing anything right now?" 

"I'm at the park with my niece and nephew right now. Luis screwed me over yesterday to make up for me being out late." 

"Park? What park?" Hunk's thrilled voice suddenly chimed. 

"Hello to you too Hunk." 

"Is it the park by the beach or by the high school?" 

"The one by the high school." 

Lance slipped out of the car and locked it with a chirp. 

"How about we come by?" Hunk said hopefully. "I haven't been there in ages." 

"I mean if you want to. I've gotta watch these kids." 

"Come on Lance, let's hang! At least if you can't later then now...we can help you watch them!" 

"Yeah Lance, Hunk's right. We'll be there in ten." 

Pidge hung up leaving Lance feeling the heat of the sun bearing down on him especially hard. Never had his friends really felt like they were burdening him, but now he found himself feeling like they were one more thing that he had to manage; and he hated it. He knew that he could confide in them for anything, but with something this big as...Keith, he felt more and more unsure. In some ways, it felt like he was still lying: they had known him to be one way for such a long time and he couldn't know what they would think of him now. 

Would they still trust me? 

"Ahhh I love days like this!" Hunk stepped out of Pidge's front seat with a stretch.  "Lance!" He waved vehemently at the group. 

"Hey Bud!" He called from the top of the jungle gym. He had been immersed in a game of "the floor is lava." 

"Hunk!" His niece Mia squeaked. 

"Hey Squirt!" Hunk beamed, then took off running with wood-chips spraying under his steps. 

Farther off, Pidge sat down cross legged on a bench. Lance could tell from her downward glance that something wasn't right. He joined her and winced a little when his bare legs met the hot plastic. 

He nudged his shoulder into hers. "What's up?" 

She sighed then during her feet around in the wood-chips making little circles. 

"Something feels different Lance, and I'm having a hard time figuring out what it is." 

Lance sighed too; he knew what she was talking about. She was talking about him. 

"Well, I know you Pidge. We keep saying that it's the last summer so let's just leave it at that! Let's not overthink it--" 

"You know what I mean Lance. In the past, me and you and Hunk, we would do everything together during the summer. We still hang out, but I feel like we don't see you as much..." 

Is that how it's been? 

"I get that you have a girlfriend now and that you have that responsibility but I just want you to make some time for us, okay?" 

Lance's knuckles turned white as he gripped the waxy feeling bench. 

"I'm sorry that you've been feeling that way--I mean, I'm sorry that I've been doing that."

"It's fine." 

A couple songbirds flew past them whistling. Hunk giggled as he chased around the two little kids who giggled back. 

"Hunk feels the same way you know. He's just too nice. He didn't want you to feel bad, but--" 

"--I do feel bad Pidge. There's no excuses. You guys are my best friends. I have a responsibility to you too...even more than I do to Allura." His tone turned grave. 

"You can bring Keith too." she quickly added. "Hunk and I think he's cool. Plus he's a good opponent to have in VLD." 

The two of them grinned together. 

"Yeah, he is." 

"I think it's  funny that the two of you are hanging out all of a sudden. You two have been spending a lot of time together too. I don't know how you haven't talked his ear off yet." She chuckled and Lance gave her a playful punch in response. 

"I'm not that bad!" 

"You're an acquired taste."Pidge joked. 

"...I don't think he cares." Lance said, feeling a blush rush to his cheeks. 

"Whatever." she punched him back. "I guess if you want you can bring Allura around too, neither of us have really officially met her." 

Instantly Lance's mood shifted and panic set in. The ease that he had felt before making jokes faded. 

"Uh--I don't know..." 

"Why not?! Hunk and I have to give our approval." She smirked, not sensing at all the anxiety set over her friend. 

"I don't think that would be the best ide--" 

"--Is there something wrong?" 

"What?" 

"If you know me then I know you Lance. Is there something going on with you two?" 

Lance felt himself give in. Pidge had a sort of presence about her that demanded compliance; not in a demeaning way, but in a way that made Lance feel like he was disappointing her if he didn't tell the truth. 

"There is something...I don't think that...we're working." 

Pidge turned to give the boy sitting next to her her full attention. 

"Why do you think that? If-If you don't mind me asking. It's just...every time that you talked to us about her I thought that you--" 

"Yeah I know, I just...it turned out differently than I thought it would." 

"Okay okay. I get it. I won't press you anymore." she went back to digging her feet in the wood-chips. "You know what's best for you, I won't question it."

"I-I'm breaking up with her. Today." 

Pidge gasped. "Wait for real?" 

Lance nodded somberly. Even though it hurt to talk about it, just saying it out loud started to ease that pain. 

"Wow." she simply remarked. "Well, after you do, you sure you don't wanna see a movie with Hunk and I? Should be a good distraction." 

Lance remembered Keith's text from earlier that morning. "When? I'm gonna go help out Keith with something." 

"We can go later! I kinda like going to movies that are at night." 

"Okay." Lance released a smile dipped in relief. 

"Sounds great!" She shot up and confidently placed her hands on her hips then pushed up her glasses. "Tag, you're It!" She squealed after tapping him and took off running.

"Hey!" 

"Lance is It!" she called to the others on the playground who immediately scrambled once Lance started jogging towards them. 

"I'm gonna get ya!" He playfully growled and reached out to snatch up his niece. 

                                                                                            ~*~ 

The midday sun's waves bore down relentlessly. As the day went on it heated up, scorching the ocean-side town below. The day had become so hot that few people could be seen walking around and were likely seeking the cooler water at the beach. Because of this the The Alley was partly empty save for a couple people walking out from restaurants. Lance found his girlfriend sitting at the bench that they usually did, right by the fountain; the same seat that he now took Keith too as well. The thought of the break-up happening here made him regret suggesting it: he didn't want a place as beautiful as this sullied by sad memories. 

As soon as he was close enough, Allura's glace caught his own and she cast him a sad smile. 

Don't make it worse. He silently commanded himself. Seeing how downcast the girl was hurt his chest. 

Allura stood and reached out with a hopeful hug. Lance allowed it but didn't hold on for longer than necessary. He didn't expect it, but Allura held his arms firmly by her hands. 

"Lance, is everything alright?" 

Her eyes have him their crystal blue attention that had once made him swoon, but now he couldn't find himself lost in their glass-like shine; he just wanted to look away. 

"You can tell me anything, if there's something wrong with me, please tell me, I never meant to upset you--" 

"No, Allura, that's...not it." 

Lance broke from her grasp and started walking away from the fountain. 

Anywhere but here. 

"Then, please tell me. Is there something that I can help you with? You've been so silent this past week; it's been so different from how it used to be." 

How it used to be? How I used to be? 

The sunny boy's steps quickened and his mind raced trying to find somewhere to lead his body away from that place and think up what to say at the same time. It was so dizzying it was nauseating. 

How I used to be? Was that even me? Am I me now or was I then? 

Lance cringed at the onslaught of existential questions that suddenly tackled him. He didn't plan to consider any of those things at all during the time when all he had to to was say that he wanted to leave. 

"Lance?" Allura grabbed his arm to keep up. It was a touch that he had felt so many times before. 

The two of them turned a corner to a side street of the main stretch of town. Lance's eyes searched the scene until he found a old metal bench under a young maple tree. He bee-lined to it and took a seat with Allura in tow. She sat next to him with her body turned towards him, looking confused and anxious. 

"Tell me what this is all about. I was patient and I waited for you Lance, I think the most that I deserve are some answers. I'm...scared. You're acting so differently." Betrayal spotted her voice. 

Lance took a deep breath in. For just a moment he only focused on the little sounds around him and closed his eyes. Birds chirping, car's slipping past, the ring of a bicycle bell. 

"Allura, I think that it would be best if we didn't see each other anymore." 

"Lance...what? Why?" the white-haired angel didn't cry, but Lance could tell from the quiver of her lip that she soon could. 

Lance recalled what little he had practiced the best that he could. "It's all about me Allura. Honestly. You have been so kind to me and all of time that we've spend together I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Ever since you saved me that day at the beach I was able to find something in you that was--is--so special and I'm so glad that we met but I don't think that I'm meant to be with you like this." 

"Lance you're confusing me--" Tears began to well in her eyes but she forcefully blinked them away. 

"--I'm trying to say that there is nothing wrong with you, you haven't done anything wrong to make me feel the way that I do...it's just, it has to do with me, I've been--"

"--Well if you feel this way about me then why are you doing this Lance? And what do you mean "meant to be with me?" " 

"Allura, it's hard to explain, I-I've been--there's been things that have been changing, with uh--me and...they've made me rethink a lot of things..." He paused, then quickly added, "--about myself."

 He took another deep breath, and thought of that other boy on the beach; and the hibiscus. Lance felt as if he was standing on the edge of the beach once more, standing on the precipice of something much bigger, holding the hand of the one who made him feel steady. 

"Who I was before and now is still me...I think...but I just realized...I'm made of so many different parts that make me up and I want to listen to them all. They've been telling me something that I didn't know, or, I didn't want to know at the time, but now I'm listening. I don't think that I can really be me if I stay with you. Allura..." He took a shaky breath in. "I've fallen in love with someone else, and...he makes me feel like I'm myself." 

"Lance, I-I--" The beautiful girl sitting next to him took in an uneven breath and let one sob escape from her lips before gaining her composure once more. "I think I understand what you are saying. And...I want what is best for you, even if that means that we can no longer be together...like this." her voice became smaller and smaller. 

A tremendous weight lifted off of Lance's shoulders, he could not have predicted it at all, then again, it still made sense. Allura, the genuinely kind and caring girl that he had been dating never once said word about wishing injustice against anyone. 

I don't deserve this. I don't deserve her. Not after everything that I've put her through. 

The girl wiped away tears that now became free flowing with her palms. Lance absolutely hated seeing her this way and felt that sickly feeling that he had predicted he would have. He wanted to comfort her in some way, but he knew that it wouldn't make sense. The two of them sat together there for a couple minutes, Allura gently sniffling and Lance with his eyes glued to the ground. 

"I just wish that you could have told me sooner." she wiped her eyes and stood up with finality. "Goodbye Lance." 

As soon as she left Lance swelled with emotion and let everything that he had been burying and holding deep down inside release. His sobs fell out unapologetic for all passerbys on the sidewalk to see. His body shook and quaked with his sobs as he tried to just pinpoint one thing to feel at a time but he couldn't. He closed his eyes and felt his limp body rising to the surface of the water and finally breathe. Lance took his hands and raked them through his hair and pulled until it hurt. He felt so relieved but at the same time it stung with aftershocks of guilt. 

Even though she didn't show it Lance knew that he had broken Allura's heart.  

                                                                                              ~*~ 

At 2pm Veronica proudly swung open the door to Altea Bay Flowers with a grocery bag full of snacks. 

"Help has arrived!" she announced, then promptly tripped over a small box of stem wrap tape. 

"Watch it!" Kelli rushed over to catch her friend from falling. "What would you do without me Ronnie? The two of them laughed together. 

"I could say the same! It looks like you guys are swamped in here." 

"Nothing I haven't done before." Kelli winked and placed a couple boxes of flowers and floral foam into Veronica's hands. "Oh, this is my summer helper: Keith Kogane, he went to the high school with Lance." 

"I've met him before." Veronica shot the boy sitting at the front desk a sly grin. "He's been over before." 

The two girls shared a knowing glance obvious to make Keith feel uncomfortable. He knew that Kelli probably knew about of the two of them but he prayed that she hadn't told Lance's sister anything but with that glance...

"I've heard a bit about you...Flower Crown." Veronica giggled. 

"How did you--" Keith stammered. 

Veronica held up finger up to her lips making the motion "shush." Hearing his nickname come out of the mouth of someone who wasn't Lance threw him for a loop. 

"You haven't come around recently...neither has my own brother honestly." She shrugged her shoulders innocently. 

"I'm sure he's just busy hanging out with his friends before they all go. Lance is going to the Garrison right?" 

"That he is." Veronica flipped her hair back with the whip of her hand proudly. "Takes after his brilliant sister." 

Kelli nudged her friend almost causing the boxes in her hand to topple out. "After you these years you haven't changed at all. You're still that girl victory dancing after her freestyle at the deep end of the pool." 

"I still beat you every time." 

The flower shop owner shook her head in playful disbelief. "Help me set out the extra table in the back. We're gonna need all the space that we can get to assemble." 

Keith was sitting in the back of the store surrounded by several large blocks of dark green floral foam when he heard the familiar chime of the shop door. 

"Lance! So you decided that you wanted to come help out too?" Kelli said. 

"Uh...Keith asked me--" 

"--Just waking up for the second time today?" 

"Shut up 'ronica." Lance snapped at his sister. "I had other stuff I had to take care of today, but thanks for the concern." 

"Geez! I was just joking!" 

"Is Keith here?" 

"Yeah he's in the back, he can give you something to do." Keith could hear the smile on Kelli's face. 

Lance's footsteps padded to the back of the store where he turned the corner of the back room past the little sink to an area where they had set up a couple folding tables to make a workshop area. The light in the back room was measly and tinted heavily green from the weak florescent lights; under them, Keith noticed who exhausted the other looked and how tired drained his normally sunny look had become. He instinctively shot up from his chair and it creaked against the floor. Keith let the other boy fall into his arms. The both of them remained like this for a short while.

"Did you do it?" Keith whispered in the ear of the other. 

"Yes." 

"And?" 

"It's over." 

'Are you okay?" 

"Not completely. But I will be." 

The two of them released and Keith ran his hand hand down Lance's arm trying to comfort him. 

"Thank you for coming." 

Lance shook his head. "It's not a problem." 

Keith lead to the two of them to sit at the table and passed the boy next to him a box cutter. 

"Here, cut it like this. We need to make the foam smaller for the urns and the vases." 

Lance nodded and quietly did as he was told. 

"Hey Keith, I forgot to tell you we gotta make a couple crowns for the flower girls, I'm thinking about using some waxflower and some of those smaller peach roses." 

Kelli walked in to the back room with a small plastic bundle in her hands. A white flower fell from the bundle to the ground. 

"Ah, oops." 

Keith rose and took the bundle wordlessly. "Are these for the arrangements?" 

"Yeah the centerpieces." 

"Alright. Sounds good." 

As soon as she left Keith went and scooped the flower laying alone on the floor. He took it to the boy sitting down and tucked it behind his ear. 

"Looks nice on you." Keith smiled and admired it against Lance's tan skin. 

"What is it?" 

"A Gardenia." 

"What does it mean Flower Crown? Don't you know all about that kinda stuff?" 

Keith gave him a small smile. "It means us." 

                                                                                              ~~~

For those of ya that don't know, Gardenia's symbolize secret love ;) 

This is a bit of a longer one, but I really wanted to get Lance's breakup scene right. I can totally relate to what he says about being himself.  Also I feel like Allura would be the kind of person to be very understanding, but that doesn't mean that she can't still feel sad :( 

I didn't plan this at all at first but I love Lance and Luis' dynamic haha 

On another note, thank you all so much for giving love to this fic! I appreciate it so much that my writing is something that other people can enjoy and how my idea for a fic many years ago has turned into this!! 

We've still got some more drama to come...and fluff hehe 

Next time: Our characters attend a wedding and Keith has an unexpected meeting! Keith and Lance share a ~special~ moment...