"I'll see you later, I got work after class," Allura grabbed her bag as lance was eating a bowl of cereal and Keith was on the couch sleeping.

"Alright I'll see you after, stay safe," lance smiled back at her as she waved at him as she left the apartment.

He let out a soft sigh rubbing his face checking his phone.

"I gotta head out soon," lance called to Keith who opened one eye and grunted in response before rolling over to go back to sleep.

"Dude when you leave at three in the morning be quieter next time," Keith huffed and lance looked at him with his stomach dropping a little.

"Uh sorry about that man, I'll be careful, didn't know you were on the couch," lance smiled back. Keith glared at him looking over his shoulder.

"If I catch you cheating on Allura I'm going to beat your ass and make sure you stay in a hospital for a week," Keith warned and lance gave a thumbs up walking to grab his hoodie and shoes.

"I expect no less, but I just went out for a smoke, couldn't sleep," lance snorted shaking his head as he grabbed his keys.

"Mmhmm," Keith rolled his eyes pulling the blanket up and over him while lance closed the door and locked it.

He walked down the flight of stairs grabbing his lighter and cigarettes when he got to the door and put a cigarette between his lips when he walked outside.

He lit it going to the side of the building waiting, he inhaled a deep breath feeling sick to his stomach checking his phone. He had a few hours before work.

A car pulled up and lance took one more inhale of his stress relief before throwing it to the ground and crushing it as he got in the cars passenger.

"Hey Luke, where we going for lunch?" Lance asked as he buckled up and the older man smiled at him.

"There's a new restaurant that just opened, it's japanese, maybe go shopping after?" Luke handed lance a bag with a different shirt inside. He started driving away as lance pulled his hoodie off to put the nicer shirt over his black tee shirt.

"Down for food but I can't go shopping," lance nodded buttoning the shirt up.

"How's Allura?" He asked gently and lance shrugged.

"Going to class, working part time, the usual," lance crossed his legs and leaned to the side to look out the window.

"How's work for you? Still at that salon?" Luke glanced at him and lance nodded a little.

"Yep, I'm good at it too, Shiro let me chose my own prices for some things," he told him quietly.

"Really? Sounds great, I'm proud of you Lance," Luke smiled brightly at him and lance blushed a little looking out the window.

"Veronica told me she'd pay for my ticket to go visit her for Christmas," lance changed the subject quickly trying to get rid of the blush on his face but Luke smiled seeing it.

"I'm surprised she didn't try taking you with her to California," he hummed and lance clenched his fists a little.

"It's temporary, she's not moving out to California permanently," lance sighed.

"It's a big change from Milwaukee to Southern California," Luke told him with a smirk.

"Well how could she live without our Midwest cheese curds?" Lance smiled back jokingly making the older man laugh a little.

"But in and out," Luke chuckled.

"But culvers," lance leaned towards him grinning.

"You got me there," Luke laughed nodding as he put his hand on the middle section between the two, his fingers brushing against lances hand.

"I got work in two hours so let's just make this quick," Lance gulped leaning back to let Luke drive.

"Don't worry buddy I'll get you to work in time," Luke touched his hand gently.

-

Lance had Luke park in the parking lot two buildings away from his work as he pulled the clean button up off and stayed in the black tee for work, he went to reach for the handle to get out but Luke locked the door.

"You didn't tell Allura did you?" He asked in a low tone.

"No," lance breathed.

"She's better now Luke, we both appreciate what you did for us as kids but she's grown up and has her life ahead of her, she thinks last time was the final good bye, let it stay that way," he looked at the older man calmly.

"I just wanted to take care of you two, you both could've turned out to be criminals if it wasn't for me," Luke grabbed lances arm gently to pull him back.

"I know," lance touched his hand gently.

"You still have me right?" He smiled brightly and Luke's grasp loosened a little.

"How much do you want for the two hours?" Luke slid his hand down to grasped lances hand.

"I'm hoping 500 for the month at least," lance squeezed his hand back.

"No problem, I like us being together once a week like this, keep it up and I'll bring it up to a grand a month, and occasional shopping," Luke nodded softly and lance smiled.

"I just like spending time with you," lance giggled before unlocking the door and getting out.

"See you later," lance waved as he walked backwards from the car.

Luke waved with a soft smile before driving away.

Lances smile of kindness dropped as his eyes were emotionless. He pulled out his cigarettes and turned around. He paused seeing Keith.

"K-Keith," lance dropped his lighter.

"So you do smoke," Keith raised a brow as lance picked it up and lit his cigarette.

"Course I smoke, I wasn't lying," lance scoffed as Keith patted the spot next to him as he sat on the curb.

"What are you doing behind a Walgreens?" He asked flatly as Keith leaned back a little.

"I work here, why are you getting out of strangers cars?" Keith asked now.

"I was getting lunch with my uncle," lance sighed sitting with him on the curb with the stick between his lips.

"If I ask Allura about your uncle is she going to be confused?" He raised a brow and lance glared.

"... it was one of my old foster parents," lance pursed his lips giving in a little.

"He helped Allura and I out a lot when we were kids, but since Allura moved she cut ties off with him and thinks I did too," he explained.

"That's not sketchy, I thought Allura lived in London before, light accent," Keith quirked a brow at him.

"She was, born there, came to America, her dad died, we both were in the system for most of middle school and high school but I.. dropped out and she went back to London before going to college," lance closed his eyes.

"Hm your parents are dead too?" Keith stole his cigarette for himself.

"Ha no," lance laughed shaking his head.

"Then why the fuck were you in the system? Shits and giggles?" Keith smirked up at him.

"Oh absolutely, it was the time of my life," the Cuban grinned reaching over him to steal it back.

"So the foster parent dude is cool?" The black haired boy looked at the entrance when he first saw the car.

"He's cool," lance forced to say.