#he's just a scrawny ball of JUSTICE and fierce compassion and he loves his friends so much???

[artswaps]

And @rigb0ner I read your other replies to this and ajskssj okay I have thoughts

Tbh I don't actually see Keith as being a violent kid at all; if someone pushes him then he'll push back, but I don't think he'd really be the kind to throw the first punch. Personally I get the impression that young Keith was a lot like Keith is now, aka he's not *subdued* per-se, but he is pretty quiet and totally cool w doing his own thing unless he's around people he's comfortable with.

Lance on the other hand draws a lot of attention to himself. He has no shame and he likes attention and like I said, has absolutely no boundaries lmao. I reckon when he was younger he didn't really get embarrassed about expressing himself the way current Lance sometimes does- he was a lot more upfront and earnest about how he felt with p much everything.

So like??? I actually reckon that if we're talking childhood friends!au then it'd actually be Keith holding Lance back from throwing punches eheheheh

For some reason, sometimes other kids are scared of Keith?? Maybe it's cos he's quiet? But not necessarily in a shy way, and he's always been pretty naturally independent to a certain degree- when he's not with Lance (or Hunk cos like you said they DO make a great trio aaw) and he's just doing his own thing, he almost comes across as a lil sullen or severe?? (His neutral face looks angry even at age 12. Truly he lives a cursed life.)

So bullies are?? Kinda scared of confronting him directly?? Maybe he gets kids talking about him behind his back but none of them really say anything to his face. Lance has no idea how anyone could be scared of Keith cos his friend is literally one of the sweetest people he knows, and he still remembers when they were in kindergarten and their teacher read them The Velveteen Rabbit and it made Keith cry his eyes out.

Lance though, Lance is very loud and excitable and has big, ambitious dreams and a very trusting nature. Unfortunately, that sometimes makes him an easy target, and he's had more than one bad run-in with bullies. And unlike Keith, Lance is totally ready to punch the lights out of someone who's openly making fun of him. (He's also ready to engage in fisticuffs with anyone he catches spreading rumours about or laughing at Keith, because Lance has always been very protective of his friends, and before he grows up and mellows out a lot, that protectiveness often manifests as impulsive anger)

Lucky for Lance, Keith has learnt already that people can be mean and bullies are cowards, and he's fully aware that other kids don't always like approaching him because of the impression he gives off. He has learnt to wield his power for good >:)

Please imagine 12 year old Lance and Keith as best friends facing off against a gang of kids who are making fun of Lance, laughing at him because 'there's no way he'll ever make it into the Garrison; they only let geniuses go there!'- Keith has one hand on the hood of Lance's jacket holding him back from starting a brawl with this gaggle of fellow preteens, and all he has to do is shoot his nastiest, firecest glare at these kids without Lance even noticing; that's all it takes to have them all nervously glancing at each other before scattering.

Lance just starts hollering after them like 'YEAH THAT'S RIGHT! NO ONE MESSES WITH ME OR MY FRIENDS!' thinking he's scared them all off, and Keith just smiles and lets Lance drag him away to get celebratory icecreams or something.

Anyway they're best friends and they'd do anything to keep each other safe ajsjdjkd

childhood friends Keith & lance: one day they’re fighting and Keith suddenly starts sniffling, so lance whimpers and grabs Keith’s cheeks like “NO DON’T CWY” and he’s getting worried so he just hugs him. And Keith doesn’t get hugged much by other kids but he just hugs lance back with a big pout on his face and the teacher in the class is about to cry bc it’s the sweetest image. Also them growing up together and lance still points out Keith’s dumb habits like pouring milk in before he cereal...

Tag yourself I’m the teacher

Maybe I’ll have more thoughts on a childhood friends au later but rn it’s 2am and i can’t sleep lmaoJust know that this is very sweet and also I’d put my money on Keith being a pretty quiet/reserved but really emotional kid, whereas Lance has 0 boundaries and is LOUD and tactile and rambunctious Anyway Lance walks up to Keith in the sandbox one day and boldly states “HEY, we’re gonna be friends now and go on adventures!” and Keith is just like “sure, why not?” cos his sandcastle wasn’t really going places anyway. And from that moment forward they’d both Kill A Man for each other.