[ even half-mad with worry, anxiety a swirling pool inside his head, a tide he can't escape — even like this, he's still not blind to the way Keith suddenly trails off, the way his voice seems to change.

the few people he truly cares about will always, always take priority, and right now this is enough to make him push away his own worries and focus on Keith, instead. ]

No, I'm not forgetting about it. Keith, what's wrong? How did Lance take it? If you were worried about saying that to me, it must've gone badly.