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This has been going on for weeks and Keith doesn't know if he can mind his own business anymore. It doesn't happen every night but it's still far too often for Keith to just forget about it. 'Why do I even care?' He thinks to himself, staring up at the dark castle ceiling. The ship is following its circadian system mimicking Earth’s own night/day cycle, the only sound to drown out Lances sobbing is the hum of the ship. 'It’s none of my business and I should just leave it be.' And he almost convinced himself of that and drifted off back to sleep. That is, until Lance’s wailing gets louder.
'Ugh, what’s his problem? He can't bother me enough during the day he has to do it when I’m trying to sleep to?' Keith rolls over in bed. sandwiching his face sideways in between the pillow. He feels he would suffocate himself right now if it meant he could sleep, but decides he didn't wanna wake up in the infirmary when the other paladins think he's died in his sleep.
The sobbing continues and doesn't seem like it will let up anytime soon, and looking to his bedside clock it's about two in the morning. Or at least, it is on the ship. Either way if Keith doesn't get some sleep soon he’s gonna lose his mind. 'Would it be mean to bang on the wall?' He doesn't know why he asked himself because he knows the answer. It absolutely would be. 'What am I supposed to do? Go in there and comfort him? Lance?' An image creeps up in his mind of him and Lance cuddled together on Lance’s bed, Keith holding Lance in his arms and stroking his hair as they fall back asleep. He pulls himself out of his incredibly embarrassing and self indulgent thoughts. 'Stupid,' he calls himself.
'I’m sure he’ll tire himself out eventually. I’ll just go on a short walk around the ship and I’m sure by the time I get back he’ll be asleep and I can sleep too.' So Keith steps out of bed, pulls on his sweatpants, and heads out the door into the hallway. The rest of the ship is of course following the same system as the bedrooms, the only light being the flickering of different technologies and equipment but it's just enough for Keith to walk without tripping over his feet. It is cold though. That's probably to be expected of a metal castle floating around in outer space, the simultaneously hottest and coldest possible place to be. 'Must be in one of the cold spots.' Keith chuckles at himself. It is also very quiet besides the humming of the ship the sound of his bare feet slapping against the tile, even softly, it cuts through the silence in a rhythm he finds himself subconsciously keeping to as he steps into the kitchen
Keith notices a dim light illuminating the room. 'Who the hell else is up at the hour?' He thinks and steps into the kitchen.
“Oh! Uh, hey Keith…” Hunk says surprised, and slightly ashamed to be caught digging through the fridge at two-twenty in the morning. “I just came for a midnight snack after my stomach woke me up.” He laughs, patting his belly. “What are you doing up?”
Keith doesn't feel like it's his place to tell Hunk that Lance’s loud sobbing woke him up, so he simply answers with. “Couldn't sleep.” and walks further into the kitchen. He sits down on a stool across the counter from where Hunk is standing in his yellow pajamas and stares down to where he’s tapping his fingers. “Hey… has Lance been acting strange lately?” Keith asks tentatively.
“Oh, yea.” Hunks faces saddens. “Says he’s homesick. I don't blame him, Earth food is way
better than this green space goo we have to eat.” Hunk pokes at the mass on his plate with his fork and scrunches his face in disgust as it jiggles.
'Homesick…'
“He told you that?” Keith asks, slight surprise in his voice. He stills his hands and meets Hunks gaze.
“Yeah! We’re best friends he tells me everything! One time he told me about when he stole from his neighbor when he was supposed to be house sitting for them! But apparently he was just taking back a Pokémon card that the kid living there stole from him. But of course the kids didn't believe Lance so they called the cops on a freakin nine-year-old-” Hunk was telling the story animatedly until Keith eventually cut him off, realizing this had nothing to do with anything.
“Thanks I got it…” He deadpans. “So... what do you think would help?” Keith asks. 'Only reason I care anyway is so I can get some goddamn sleep for once. Definitely not because the thought of Lance being that sad breaks my heart into a million pieces.' There’s a short silence before Keith looks up at the yellow paladin to see a knowing smirk plastered across his face.
“You wanna help Lance? Awww I knew you didn't really hate him! You care about him!” Hunk teases.
Keith's face must be beet red right now from how warm it feels. “I just don't want him to get distracted during a mission and get us all killed.” Keith attempts at defending himself but realizes he’s failed miserably when he looks to Hunk and sees that shit eating grin still painted across his face. Keith grumbles and looks back down at the counter.
Hunk puts his hands up in surrender and and chuckles nervously. “Honestly I think it really helps him to talk about it ya know? Just being there.”
'So the best option would be going into Lance’s room and comforting him after all. Great.'
“Thanks Hunk, I’m gonna get back to bed.” He gets up and begins to leave the kitchen, the fluorescent lighting of the fridge creating his shadow in front of him.
“Okay, night buddy!” Hunk calls out, far too loud for the time of night.
'I know Hunk said Lance just needs somebody to talk to but am I really the best person for that? And what would I even say? “Hey Lance I know you miss home and this whole ‘fighting an army of overpowered alien soldiers and protecting the universe’ thing is really stressful but don't worry I’m here.”? How in the hell would that help him?'
Keith sighs as he walks up to Lance’s door and hears the crying once again. The sigh isn't one of frustration or annoyance, it’s more worried and sympathetic. Though of course Keith isn't looking forward to having to go in there and...comfort Lance. That's something he’s never known how to do properly and has always ended in an uncomfortable hug or a misunderstanding.
“Keith?” He hears Lance’s weak voice call quietly through the metal door. Just realizing he’s been standing there sighing and mumbling to himself the whole time he curses himself. Surely Lance won't appreciate the thought of Keith just standing there in the dark listening to his sobbing like a creep.
“Lance? Uh sorry I was just…” Keith trails off and backs away from the door. How do you even explain yourself in a situationist this. “Are you okay?” Is all the can say to make himself seem more concerned and less like a stalker.
There’s a short silence during what Keith assumes is Lance slowly stepping up to the door. 'What am I even going to say when he opens the door? I can't tell him that his crying woke me up he’d be embarrassed. I want him to be comfortable. I...want him to be okay…' That last thought comes as a realization and again, an image of him sitting with Lance as he cries on Keith’s shoulder has forced itself into his brain. The scene of Keith lifting Lance’s weary head by the chin and kissing his forehead as Lance’s face softens, and a smile sweeps across his wet cheeks comes at a bad time when Lance finally opens the door, and Keith’s face is a light maroon for the third time that night
“What do you want?” Lance’s voice sounds miserable and looking at his face is even worse. Those usually bright, blue eyes Keith often finds himself staring into like he’s daydreaming, are strained, wet, and red. He sniffles and runs his sleeve across his nose and eyes, attempting to hide any signs of the obvious sobbing.
“I...are you okay?” Keith asks again, of course he expects Lance to tell him he’s okay even though it's obviously not true. “I couldn't sleep and I heard you through the wall…” He asks.
“I’m fine. Why don’t you go back to bed?” Lance is unconvincing in trying to hide the plea in his voice for Keith to ignore him and stay. “I’m sorry I woke you up just...go back to bed.” But the look on his saddened face is telling Keith he should stay. Keith takes a step towards Lance, asking permission to step inside, when Lance steps aside and allows him in, Keith sits on the bed. The blankets around him are damp in spots with tears as is the white pillow. The room is dimly lit by a blue night light built right into the wall across from the bed, just like Keith's room and just like the rest of the paladins rooms. Unlike keith's room however, clothes are piled up in a corner of the room and junk Lance has taken from other planets lines his shelves.
Lance sits down close next to Keith on his bed and Keith tries his hardest not to wrap his hand around the back of Lance’s head and play with his soft, bed-styled hair. “Why are you crying Lance? I’m not here to be mean...I wouldn't do that.” Keith attempts a reassuring look and when Lance begins to speak he thinks he may have succeeded. Lance turns his head down and stares at his feet on the floor. Apparently he’s not as comfortable sharing his feelings with everybody as he is with Hunk.
“It's nothing…” Lance looks as if he had something more to say but willed himself not too. Keith puts his hand on Lance's shoulder, grabbing Lance’s attention away from the floor and redirects it on him.
Keith gives a soft smile and jokes.“ And this whole time I thought you were a loudmouth with no self control.” Keith chuckles. Seeing Lance's face lighten up at the familiar banter fills Keith's chest and cheeks with a warm glow. “Look, I know you’re homesick. You know I’m not good with words but...I’m sorry.” He points his gaze down to the floor and mentally curses himself. 'This is going about as well as I thought it would. If he could just...feel what I mean without me having to explain it. If I could just show him…' Keith’s face comes back up and looks at Lance. 'The picture!' “I’ll be right back.” Keith says and hurriedly leaves the room, not closing the door behind him as he takes his quick, wide steps to his door.
'Okay now where was it? I remember seeing it…' Keith steps further in and scans the room with his eyes in the almost pitch dark, 'There!' He steps over to and reaches his hand behind a colorful pile of books in English as well as various alien languages, and grabs a picture loose from its frame. The image shows what he assumes was a previous paladins family of five: a mother, father, sister, and brother, with the assumed paladin standing taller behind them all. A wide Earth ocean shore pans behind them, It looks warm, sunny, and windy and the family looks happy with their company. 'He’ll love this.' Keith thinks, very proud of himself for knowing how to help with something like this for once.
When Keith enters back into Lance’s room, he sees Lance is sitting criss-cross in the middle of the bed, looking down at his hands as they run over the fabric in different patterns. His face goes up as Keith makes himself known and sits across from him on the bed. Lance still looks heartbroken and it's making Keith wish he could do anything to end it right now. “Hey…” Keith hides the picture under his hands for a moment, Lance waiting patiently for Keith to explain himself. “I found this in my room a while ago and I think It’s one of the former paladins...I don't think it’s Varadero but…” Keith hands Lance the photo and watches as his eyes squint and water over it. 'Is this… did I do something wrong?' Keith worries he just made everything worse by showing Lance somebody else's happy family at the beach while he can’t be with his own. “Lance I’m sorry I should have…” He trails off as he watches Lance’s face. Lance smiles brightly and giggles at the picture, running his fingers against it and smearing the dripping tears over the dry paper. He looks up at Keith and sobs again but this time...he seems happy.
“Keith…Thanks.” Lance smiles, jumps off his sitting position, and stands on his knees, hugging tightly around Keith's neck. Lance’s fingers around Keith’s neck makes his face go pink for what is surely a record at this point. The fantasies plaguing him tonight have their run of Keith's mind as he closes his eyes and holds him tight around the waist.
The hug is warm and strong between the both of them, breathing into each other's shoulders and gripping harder and harder with their fingers as though they could never be close enough. Keith pulls his face back and looks into Lance’s eyes, then to his lips, trying to control himself and not ruin this already fragile and intimate moment between them with his definitely unreturned feelings.
But he’s beginning to lose that fight as he takes one hand off Lance’s waist and slowly moves it up to his cheek, cupping it in his hand. Lance's skin is warm and smooth and feels electric underneath him, only weakening Keith's resolve in the struggle against kissing the boy almost straddling him. Hopefully, it’s too dark for Lance to see the fight on Keith's face as he unwillingly stalls his head he didn't realize was leaning into Lances lips. Lance meets Keith’s hand and rests their foreheads together, feeling the heat of they're quickened breath off each other. They way Lance is looking into Keith's eyes is like he's begging him to surrender and just kiss him.
“Keith…” Lance whispers as he moves his hand to cover Keith's on his cheek. And that’s what does him in. The look on Lance’s face, the way he’s sitting on top of him, and finally his hand over Keith's own. There is no more denying that they both want this and Keith gives in.
He leans forward, catching Lance's lips against his own and humming contently into them. The kiss is warm, and electric yet soft and comforting, it’s everything Keith has ever daydreamed about. Lance’s lips are soft and so perfect and they way they fit with Keith's is like they were made for each other. Everything feels fuzzy in the dark room around him, and all he can focus on is Lance, but he wouldn't wanna try and fight it if he could. Keith can smell the sweetness of the lotion he uses every night before bed, taste the salt of this tears on his lips, and hear every breath and gasp coming from the boy on top on him. But the best of all of this is the pulsing glow in his chest. It’s the relief he’s been waiting for since he first laid eyes on Lance and the way it emboldens him to pull Lance closer by the waist and feel more of him, to experience every piece of him that he can in this moment. Keith's lungs call for air and he has to force himself to pull away to catch his breath.
Keith looks up at Lance on top of him, who is smiling goofily and shaking with suppressed giggles. But Keith can't move, he realizes. He can't do anything but stare at Lance with an awestruck, wide-eyed expression.
“Uh, Keith? You okay buddy? Did I break you?” Lance leans up and presses a small kiss to Keith's forehead. This doesn't helps Keith's situation at all, of course. The cure for ‘mind blown by kisses’ is definitely not more kisses. A few more seconds of staring and Keith’s mouth slides into a goofy grin. He grabs Lance’s face in his hands and presses a much harder, more excited kiss to the other boys mouth. Keith wonders if you can even call smiling onto somebody else's lips a kiss though.
Lance’s giggling as he squeezes his arms tighter around Keith's neck is a sound Keith thinks he could listen to until the end of time. Keith disconnects from Lance’s mouth and pulls his head up, hoping to get a look at the boy before his giggling quiets.
“Why are you staring at me?” Lance’s face is warm and red under Keith's gaze. “Do I have something on my face?” He asks jokingly.
Keith presses his forehead against Lance’s and the warmth of the touch spreads through him. “You’re just….so fucking pretty.”
Lance chuckles and rests his hands on Keith's shoulders. “I know, it's a small fraction of all the amazing things that make the beautiful Lance McClain!” He flashes a prideful grin.
Keith chuckles at that.
“You feeling better?” Keith asks, his face softening. He moves one hand down Lance’s waist to rest on his thigh.
Lance laughs as if Keith's concerned question was a joke. “Obviously, Mullet...Thank you” Lance takes Keith's chin in between his thumb and pointer finger and guides his lips to his own. This kiss is different from the others. It's soft and slow and full of appreciation. The next thirty seconds of that kiss felt like simultaneously the longest and shortest thing Keith had ever experienced. They broke apart once again and Keith thinks back to the fantasy plaguing his mind before he stepped into Lance's room. 'Fuck this is so much better than I ever imagined.'
“Keith...uhm…” Lance looks to the side away from Keith's face, obviously nervous to say whatever it is he’s about to. “Do you maybe wanna stay? Like sleep in here tonight?” His face is even more red than before and he speaks quietly, like he’s afraid to scare Keith off.
Keith is silent for a moment as he thanks all the gods he can think of that this is actually fucking happening, and praying that he doesn't screw it up somehow.
Lance must've read Keith's silence as apprehension, he starts frantically and nervously, “I mean it's fine if you don't I’ll be okay by myself so it's not like you have to…” Lance continues his anxious rambling as that fond smile creeps across Keith's face for what seems like the thousandth time tonight.
“Lance, hey.” Keith holds a hand to Lance’s cheek and that shuts him up quick. “I’ll stay.”
Lance smiles thankfully and hugs Keith tight one mince more before they shuffle under the covers. “Thanks, mullet.” Keith holds Lance from behind and buries his face into the crook of Lance’s neck. He can't help himself but to press small kisses to it, making Lance hum in response.
"You don't need to be homesick Lance...here you are home. With us." Keith whispers into Lance’s neck and squeezes him tighter.
They fall asleep with arms and legs tangled into each other, and this is probably the best nights rest either of them have had in a long time.