Archive of Our Own

"Why in the name of Voltron do we have this much mistletoe?"

Curtis glanced over his shoulder to see Shiro staring at the greenery on the coffee table with bewildered horror. He snorted in amusement. "It's not that much," he countered.

"There's a dozen here!" Shiro protested. "Our house isn't big enough to justify this much mistletoe. And I doubt the others will appreciate us making out all over the house while they're visiting."

Curtis rolled his eyes. "It's not for us you drama queen."

Shiro tore his gaze from the mistletoe to eye Curtis suspiciously. "Who, then?"

Curtis gave him a deadpan look. "Wow. It's a good thing you're so hot."

Shiro pouted at the implication, but his darling husband was feeling sassy and not at all willing to disclose who the intended victims were.

Matt, Pidge and Hunk arrived first.

After resigning from the Garrison, Shiro and Curtis had moved to a lovely home in the mountains. They'd quickly made a tradition of hosting their friends for the holidays. It was a little crowded sometimes, but they appreciated the time together.

Pidge and Matt walked into the house confidently, without knocking. Hunk followed a lot more cautiously. He'd had the misfortune of walking in on Shiro and Curtis on their first Christmas together. Shiro and Hunk hadn't been able to make eye contact for three days.

"Make yourselves at home!" Curtis greeted them cheerily. "Give me a moment and I'll help you get your bags upstairs."

Shiro hurried into the room, a delighted smile lighting up his face. He edged around Curtis to hug his friends one at a time.

"Good to see you Space Dad," Pidge said with a cheeky grin.

Before Shiro could protest the nickname, Hunk gestured to the plants on the coffee table. "What's with all the mistletoe?"

Shiro pointed at Curtis with a huffy expression. Curtis just waved him off. "I got it for... reasons," he hedged, earning an eye roll from Shiro. Smirking, Curtis shrugged, gathered up all the mistletoe and left the room with it.

Lance arrived with his sister Veronica a short time later. His blue eyes were brighter than they'd been since before the war. Despite the season, his skin was beautifully sun kissed and clear. He swept into the room and embraced his friends warmly before stepping aside and allowing Veronica to do the same.

While the others exchanged pleasantries, Curtis gave Shiro a meaningful look before slipping up the stairs. He returned just moments later with a self-satisfied smile, Lance's voice reaching his ears.

"We're just waiting on Keith? He's still coming right? I heard he was injured," Lance said with a worried frown.

"He was instructed to take it easy for a while, which is why he's resting," Shiro explained.

"I woke him up," Curtis responded, shooting a sly look at their guests.

"You woke- He's here?" Lance blurted out in surprise.

"Right here."

The looked up to see Keith descending the stairs with a smile. He was dressed in a plain shirt and red sweatpants. It was unusual to see him so relaxed in the middle of the day.

Overcome with relief and happiness, Lance bounded forward and caught Keith in a hug. Keith's arms wrapped around his shoulders and squeezed a little, a happy sigh escaping his lips.

"I'm so glad you're alright," Lance said, pulling back to look his friend over. "We got word that your ship had been sabotaged."

Keith nodded solemnly. "My team survived, but that crash landing messed me up." He shook his head ruefully. "I'm mostly healed up, but I'm grounded for a bit."

"So we're holding him hostage for now," Curtis chimed in with grin.

Lance took a step back, giving the others a chance to hug Keith. They'd all been pretty worried, even though Keith's life was no longer in danger by the time they had found out. It had been unsettling to realize how rattled Shiro had been by the whole situation.

"No lasting damage?" Hunk asked, once he'd gotten his own hug.

"I'm still getting the headaches," Keith admitted with a sigh.

"It was a pretty bad concussion," Shiro told them. "Vomiting, seizures, slurred speech... For a little while, I was afraid we'd lose him. I'm so relieved I didn't have to call you all in to say goodbye," he added, his voice tight with emotion.

"So we're going to baby him for as long as we can get away with it," Curtis added, giving Shiro's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

Shiro smiled gratefully at his husband before turning to his pseudo brother. "You should sit down. I can tell you're still hurting," he added before Keith could protest.

Shiro had been distraught over Keith's injuries. The younger man had been badly wounded and clinging to life. He refused to leave Keith's bedside until he was sure his brother wasn't going to die.

Seeing Curtis's pleading look, Keith chose not to argue. Instead he turned to Lance. "Come sit with me?"

Lance nodded and followed the other man to the couch. The others followed Curtis up the stairs to put their luggage away in the guest rooms.

Lance wasn't sure what he had expected, but he was a little surprised when Keith leaned into him when they sat down together. Strong arms wrapped around Lance's waist while Keith rested his head against the Cuban's shoulder.

Keith and Lance's relationship had evolved over time. The pair talked as often as they could manage. When Keith was on earth, they spent a lot of time together. If asked, Keith would say that Shiro was his brother and that Lance was his best friend. They'd come a long way from the days of their bitter rivalry.

Cuddling wasn't completely new for them. The last time team Voltron got together and had a game night, Keith and Lance had ended up cuddling on the Holt's couch. Lance had nearly drifted to sleep with his nose pressed to Keith's neck, inhaling the scent of Keith's woodsy body wash. Those strong hands had rubbed Lance's back to soothe tired muscles. They'd gotten some weird looks from their friends, but they didn't care.

Lance pondered their friendship with a fond smile, stroking down Keith's back gently. It was nice sitting close and soaking up the affection of another person. And there was something so sweet about that affection coming from Keith Kogane. He'd be lying if he said that he hadn't thought of more between them.

"You okay?" Lance asked softly.

"I had a migraine this morning," the other mumbled in reply. "It's better, but my head still hurts some."

Lance hummed his acknowledgement, dragging his hand up to slide into Keith's hair and massage the back of his scalp. He could feel warm fingers creep under his shirt to caress the bare skin of his back.

Pidge walked into the room and rolled her eyes at the sight of them. "You two idiots are under the mistletoe," she informed them with a smirk.

Both of them blushed, pulling apart to look up. Sure enough, a sprig of mistletoe was hanging from a peg in the ceiling over their heads. Lance was prepared to laugh it off, but Keith had other ideas.

Warm hands cupped Lance's jaw just before soft lips pressed against his cheek. Keith lingered for a moment before pulling away. Offering another sweet smile, he tucked himself back into Lance's side and sighed with contentment.

Pidge snorted a laugh at Lance's expression of flustered surprise.

The others came into the living room, choosing seats or sprawling on the carpeted floor to watch a movie. Lance's cheeks remained pink as the others glanced his way from time to time.

"You're up early."

Lance nearly jumped out of his skin at the sound of Keith's voice. The sun was just beginning to peek over the mountain, the air cool and quiet. He hadn't really expected anyone else to be up so early. He turned to offer a smile. "Just making some coffee. I'm used to getting up early these days," he said lightly.

Keith nodded, moving close to where Lance stood at the counter. He pressed himself along Lance's back, looking over his shoulder at the coffee machine. "Will you make me a cup too?" he asked, slipping his arms around Lance's waist.

"I- Uh, yeah. S-sure thing buddy," Lance stammered, his heart hammering at the sudden close contact. He reached for a second coffee mug, feeling the other shift along with him. "What are you doing?" he asked hesitantly.

"I just wanted to be close to you," Keith answered quietly. "Is that okay?"

Lance swallowed hard, his face growing hot. He gently caressed the hands resting against his stomach. "I don't mind," he offered a bit shakily.

Keith hummed, relaxing against him a little more.

For a moment, Lance was at a loss. Then he decided to roll with it. If Keith wanted the attention, how could Lance deny him that? He stroked a thumb over Keith's wrist before preparing two cups of coffee. As Lance stirred some creamer into the coffee, he felt Keith shift again.

"Mistletoe," Keith murmured.

Lance looked up, his eyes wide with surprise. What an odd place to hang mistletoe. Before he could voice that thought, Keith pressed his lips to Lance's cheek while his fingers stroked Lance's stomach through his shirt. He lingered for just a moment before pulling back.

Lance drew in a slow breath, his stomach swirling with nervous excitement. He turned his head to glance at Keith, who had his mouth pressed to Lance's shoulder blade in a sudden strange fit of bashfulness. Utterly charmed, Lance kissed Keith's forehead and then turned to offer one of the prepared mugs.

Keith accepted his coffee though he seemed a bit reluctant to release his hold on Lance. That could have been Lance's active imagination, but he didn't think that was the case.

Now armed with caffeine, the two young men settled themselves at the dining room table. They sipped their drinks quietly, both still a little tired.

"There's a town not far from here," Keith mentioned. "Some of the shops have some great decorations up."

"That's cool," Lance responded.

"You want to go with me?" Keith asked, his pale fingers tracing the rim of his coffee mug. "We could check out the stores, look at the lights... Maybe find out who makes the best hot chocolate," he suggested, his eyes on the table.

Lance bit his lip, not want to come off as far too excited. Then again, Keith looked a little nervous so maybe some enthusiasm was needed. "I'd love that," he admitted, smiling at the surprised delight that lit up his friend's face. "We ditching the others for this?" he asked.

Keith sighed, pouting a little. "I guess we can't get away with going off by ourselves," he grumbled.

Lance's smile broadened. Keith really wanted some time alone with him. "So maybe we ride separately," he suggested. "We could head to town with the group, but make some time just for us while we're there."

Keith's face brightened immediately. "That would be great," he responded.

"What would?" Curtis asked, poking his head through the doorway to the dining room.

Keith blushed. "Oh, we just thought we could all go into town to look around," he explained, not quite able to meet Shiro's gaze.

Baffled by Keith's reddened cheeks, Curtis nodded slowly. "We could do that," he agreed.

"And maybe Lance and I can take a separate car," Keith went on hesitantly. "So we don't have to come back when the rest of you do."

Understanding flickered in Curtis's eyes. He shot Lance an amused look, pleased to see the flustered pleasure of the Cuban's face. "You know Shiro won't let you drive," Curtis reminded Keith, chuckling when the younger man scowled. "And he's not so keen on letting you out of his sight when you're still recuperating."

"But-"

"I'll drive," Lance offered hastily, cutting off Keith's complaint. "I'll be very careful. And I'll watch over Keith so he doesn't over do it."

Curtis expected for Keith to kick up a fuss and insist that he didn't need a babysitter. Instead, the half-galra looked quite pleased, giving Lance a shy but sweet smile. Curtis barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "I'll talk to Shiro," Curtis told them. "Wouldn't want your Space Dad to make a scene over protecting you. And you're sitting under mistletoe," he added with a chuckle.

Keith looked up and spotted the festive plant hanging, conveniently, right above his usual seat. He looked at Lance expectantly, one eyebrow raised.

Lance looked to be about ten seconds from short circuiting. After a moment he leaned close and pressed a little kiss to Keith's cheek.

Curtis shook his head and left the two blushing young men to their coffee.

The town had a lovely little shopping district that had tidy sidewalks and plentiful shop windows. Despite the snow on the ground, the weather was mild and so many people chose to park their cars and walk from store to store.

They'd all dressed warmly and felt that they wouldn't get too cold to walk between stores. Keith had even been coaxed into wearing a red beanie. He'd been on the verge of complaining when Lance put it on his head, gently tugging it to cover Keith's ears.

"Let's go in there," Keith said, pointing toward a store that sold lots of winter gear. It wouldn't hurt to have more winter items for their visit. He grabbed Lance's hand and pulled him toward the store. The others followed closely, grateful for the blast of warm air that hit them as they stepped inside.

"I'd like some thermals," Matt muttered, tugging his gloves off and tucking them into his pocket before plucking up a package of long john thermal underwear. "I was freezing my balls off this morning."

"Gross," Pidge grumbled, eyeing a pair of green, insulated snow pants.

Keith took off his own gloves and stuffed them into his coat pocket. He reached over and slipped his hand into Lance's newly bared hand, pressing their palms together lightly.

Lance gave Keith's hand a squeeze, leading the way to an array of snow boots and warm thermal socks. "How about these?" he asked lightly. "Wouldn't want your feet getting wet in the snow."

"My boots are probably fine," Keith said, glancing down at his boots with a shrug. Truthfully, his toes were cold, but it wasn't that bad.

Lance pursed his lips doubtfully. "We'll see about that," he muttered. "What size are you?"

Keith selected the appropriate size and allowed Lance to lead him to a bench nearby. He sat down a little bemusedly, watching as Lance knelt on the floor and yanked one of his boots off.

"These don't look very warm," Lance commented, turning Keith's boot over in his hands. He set the boot aside and placed one hand on a Keith's socked foot while reaching for the snow boots. He gasped, horrified to feel the chill in Keith's foot through the sock. "Holy crow! Your poor feet are freezing!"

"It's not that bad," Keith protested weakly. He winced when Shiro approached, his expression anxious and protective. "I'm alright Shiro."

"That's not good for you," Shiro said sternly.

"It's alright. I've got this man," Lance assured, waving Shiro away. "Go see if this place has sleds. And find the hot head some thermals," he added as Shiro reluctantly moved away.

"Really, Lance, I'm okay," Keith said quietly.

Lance gave him a flat look, using both hands to rub some warmth into Keith's foot. He left for just a moment to grab a warm new pair of socks, ripping the package open while assuring the kind woman at the counter that he'd pay for them.

Lance peeled off Keith's regular sock, pausing to admire the pale feet underneath. Keith's toenails were clean and neatly trimmed. His heels were hardened with callouses, but the top of his foot was surprisingly soft. He briefly wondered if Keith would allow for a pampering night.

A new thermal sock was pulled on to cover Keith's poor chilly foot. Lance gave that foot another vigorous rub before switching to the other foot to remove the boot and sock before rubbing a bit of warmth into the appendage. The second sock was pulled into place without a word.

"How do they feel?" Lance questioned.

Keith wiggled his toes a little. "Soft and warm," he admitted, before meeting Lance's gaze. "Thank you."

Lance nodded and reached for the new snow boots. He helped Keith put them on and then watched as Keith got up and walked around a bit to test them out. He had to admit that he enjoyed taking care of his hot-headed friend. It was clear that there was something building between them.

"Lookin' good!" Lance called out, aiming finger guns and prompting a blush from Keith.

"We could go tubing!" Pidge cried from the far right wall of the store. "They've got inner tubes, sleds, snow saucers..."

Lance set Keith's old boots in the box and carried it to the counter where the sales associate agreed to hold it for him. He laughed when Keith grabbed his hand again and pulled him over to where Pidge stood.

"That one looks like a doughnut," Hunk laughed, pointing at one inner tube on display.

"We could get a couple and take turns going down the hill at your house," Matt told Shiro, eyes bright with eagerness.

Shiro glanced at Keith anxiously. "I don't think Keith should be doing that," he said. "He could... you know, rattle his brain too much or something." Keith rolled his eyes at that. "We almost lost you!"

Keith looked away, hating to see the growing distress on his brothers face.

"Maybe we can find another hill," Lance suggested. "Something less steep so he won't build up as much speed. And I can take him home when he gets too cold or tired."

"That's a good plan Takashi," Curtis murmured, rubbing Shiro's back. "Keith will be fine."

Shiro cleared his throat and turned away from his friends. "Okay, grab a few," he said, his voice a little strained. "I'm grabbing more things for Keith." He walked back towards the collection of thermal underwear.

Keith watched him go with a heavy heart. It was going to be hard for Shiro for a while. He hated being the cause of so much fear and pain in someone so dear to him.

"He'll be okay Keith," Lance said softly while Curtis hurried to follow Shiro. "Give him some time. I think he's a little traumatized."

Keith's eyes burned a little. He really didn't want to cry and so he did the first thing he could think of.

Lance's breath caught in his throat when Keith pressed close and tucked his face into Lance's neck. They were chest to chest and Keith's fingers were curled into the front of Lance's coat. Shaking off his shock, Lance wrapped his arms around his friend, rubbing his back soothingly.

Veronica's mouth dropped open in surprise. She looked over at Hunk and Pidge, but they didn't seem as shocked. Hunk just shook his head with a fond smile before turning back to the doughnut inner tube. Pidge rolled her eyes, but her expression was amused.

"I feel like I missed something," Matt muttered quietly, glancing at Veronica. She nodded her agreement.

After a moment to gather himself, Keith pulled away and pulled Lance toward another shelf. While Keith was adorably chattering on about wanting to try skiing some time, Shiro approached them again with some clothing for Keith.

"These are your size and should be nice and warm," Shiro said hesitantly.

"Thanks," Keith said accepting the items with a smile. "We nearly done here?"

Shiro relaxed a little. "I think so. There are a few more shops that we'd all like to see if you feel up to it."

Keith nodded looking around until he spotted a sign for a changing room on the back wall. Lance was a little relieved to spotted the sign as well.

Once everyone had made their purchases, Lance nudged Keith toward the changing room. "Go put some warmer stuff on," he urged.

Keith grinned. "Don't you want to help me put it on?" he teased.

Thrilled to hear that flirty tone, Lance couldn't resist landing a solid smack against Keith's backside. "Get your cute little ass in there," he scolded playfully.

Shiro watched with wide eyes as Keith all but skipped through the doorway to change. He'd never seen Keith openly flirt before. He glanced at Lance only to see amused affection directed at Keith in those blue eyes.

Keith stepped out a few minutes later, properly bundled up. He seemed reluctant to pull his gloves on, but put them on anyway as he approached the group. He walked right over to Lance, taking his hand again.

They continued with their shopping trip and explored several stores that caught their interest. Hunk had found a cute little shop that had Christmas themed baking utensils and spent some time admiring them. It had taken several minutes to lure him back out of that store.

As the day grew later, Shiro declared that they should return to the house. Hunk planned to cook something delicious for dinner and wanted to get started.

Keith bit his lip, glancing at Lance in question. Dutifully taking the hint, Lance cleared his throat. "We'll meet you at the house a bit later," Lance said, making the others pause and look at him in surprise. Except for Curtis. He looked rather pleased, which was a little strange.

"What do you mean?" Veronica asked with a little frown.

Lance's cheeks went a little pink and he shifted in place. "I- Well, I want to take Keith to get some hot chocolate before we go back," he offered. "Plus I thought he could use a few things to relax. Spa night stuff," he added with a shrug.

"That's a great idea," Curtis said hastily before anyone else could comment or invite themselves along. Matt and Hunk had perked up at the mention of hot chocolate. Shiro looked ready to protest, but Curtis shot him a quelling look. "Lance will take care of Keith," he said softly. "He wouldn't let Keith hurt or strain himself."

Shiro nodded reluctantly. "Just don't stay out too late. It's getting dark and the temperature will drop even more," he warned. He gave Keith a stern look. "If your head starts hurting, you need to tell Lance."

Keith bit back a retort, electing to just nod his agreement. It made Shiro feel better to fuss over him, and the least Keith could do was allow it.

The pair watched their friends leave before turning toward the place Lance had in mind. It was a large bookstore that also had a cafe. The smells that drifted out when the door opened were heavenly.

Lance ordered hot chocolate and warm gingerbread for each of them. He joined Keith at one of the small tables in the cafe and a barista brought their order out just a few minutes later.

"I haven't had gingerbread since before my dad died," Keith hummed taking a bite of the warm cookie. It was just a little crisp on the outside and pleasantly soft on the inside.

"Oh," Lance said, a frown creasing his brow. "Should I have-"

"It's fine," Keith assured him with a smile, reaching out to place his hand on Lance's forearm. "These are good. Thank you."

Lance moved his arm to entwine his fingers with Keith's, prompting an adorable blush from the former black paladin. They made small talk as they ate their cookies, Lance's thumb rubbing gentle circles against the back of Keith's hand all the while.

Once the cookies were gone, the walked hand in hand through the bookstore sipping the hot chocolate. The chatted about the various titles they found interesting and even found a book that they decided to read together.

For an hour they wandered, talked and laughed. Lance's heart fluttered and the warmth of affection spread through him. Being with Keith felt so good, no matter what they were doing. He hadn't had a serious romantic relationship since Allura but now... Somehow, thinking of him and Keith in a relationship felt so natural that it was a little nerve-wracking.

Lance glanced over in time to see Keith's brow furrow as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Headache?"

Keith sighed heavily and nodded. "Yeah, a little," he admitted, his tone nearly pouting.

"Let's get back then," Lance said, steering them toward the register to purchase the books they'd picked out. "After dinner we can watch a movie or something. Or I could give you a head massage. That might help with the headache."

Keith smiled and leaned into Lance's side as the Cuban chattered to the sales associate. Once everything was paid for, they made their frigid journey back to the car.

After dinner, a Christmas movie was selected and everyone gathered in the living room to watch. Keith stubbornly hogged the couch until Lance made his over. Pidge complained about him playing favorites but let it go when she saw his pained expression.

"Still hurting?" Lance asked, sitting down and gathering Keith close. He made a sympathetic sound at Keith's nod, sliding one hand up into Keith's hair and gently massaging his scalp.

"Maybe you should go to bed," Shiro suggested worriedly from his place next to Curtis on the loveseat.

"I'm tired of being in bed all the time," Keith objected quietly, not lifting his aching head from Lance's shoulder.

To be fair, they'd spent a decent portion of the day in town shopping. But, Keith had never been the type to be idle for long. And Lance was clearly providing a measure of comfort. Shiro truly had no idea that Keith craved that sort of physical affection from their Cuban friend.

"I just don't want you to be in pain," Shiro said quietly.

"Maybe just one movie?" Lance offered helpfully, glancing at Shiro before looking back down at the man in his arms. "We'll watch this our friends and then you can have an early night."

Much to Lance's surprise, Keith agreed without a fuss. As a reward, Lance kept up the soothing scalp massage. He could feel Keith relax more fully against his chest. Keith fell asleep halfway through the movie.

Lance let him sleep until the movie ended and then gently shook him awake. Keith grumbled a little but let himself be ushered up the stairs after bidding his friends a good night.

Lance politely looked away while Keith shed his day clothes and pulled on a pair of flannel sleep pants and a soft black shirt. He turned back around when he heard Keith yawn.

Keith climbed into the bed and pulled the blankets up before looking back to Lance. "Are you staying up?"

"Depends," Lance shrugged. "Do you feel up to starting our book?" He chuckled at Keith's sudden grin. "I'll go get it."

Just a few minutes later, Lance's was propped up on Keith's bed with his legs stretched out. He read aloud from the fantasy book they'd selected earlier that day. Keith was all curled up and listening intently, his eyes fluttering whenever Lance reached down to stroke his hair.

Lance marked his page and set the book aside when Keith drifted off. He got up and gently tucked Keith in before shutting off the light and slipping out of the room.

The days passed in a flurry of activity. Keith and Lance found themselves under mistletoe over and over in a variety of places.

Nowhere was safe, it seemed. The wooden porch swing, the car and nearly every room that either of them ever had need of entering. What's was so odd about it was that it was rare for anyone else to be caught under the mistletoe.

It was silly, really. Kissing under the mistletoe was just a cute little holiday tradition. It hardly mattered and could be easily ignored. But they didn't. And Keith had stopped aiming for Lance's cheek.

The day they'd give snow tubing, Keith had participated with great enthusiasm. But after a few trips down the hill, his head started hurting. Lance had swiftly herded him toward the car and driven them back to Shiro and Curtis's home.

Back at the house, they had made themselves comfortable on the couch with some hot chocolate and a movie. A glance upward, revealed that the mistletoe from the first day was still there. Keith had looked a bit hesitant, but then he leaned closer and pressed their lips together gently.

As Christmas drew closer, those mistletoe kisses became more frequent. A few were even in front of the others.

The day before Christmas Eve, Shiro sent Keith to go lay down for a headache. Lance and Hunk took that time to bake cookies and rum cake while the others broke off to do other things.

"We'll just let these cool and they'll be ready to decorate later," Hunk said, setting the newest batch of cookies on the stove. He reset the temperature in the oven, intent on putting the cake in next. "So you and Keith are getting pretty cozy," he mentioned.

Lance blushed a bit, shaking his head with a laugh. "It's all that damn mistletoe," he chuckled.

Hunk rolled his eyes. "Sure it is," he muttered. "And it didn't explain the number of times I've caught you holding his hand." His eyes narrowed. "Spill."

Lance sighed. "There's not really anything to tell," he said quietly. "We haven't talked about it. At one point he admitted to wanting to be close to me, but we've said nothing else about it."

"I thought you were sort of seeing someone," Hunk said, leaning one hip against the counter.

"No, just a few dates."

"What about Tauren?"

"He's pretty cool," Lance allowed with a little shrug.

"You seemed pretty into him," Hunk noted.

"Don't get me wrong- He's hot," Lance replied with a smirk. "It was fun and... kinda intense. But, I'm just not that into him. It was never gonna go anywhere serious."

Hunk nodded thoughtfully, carefully sliding a batter filled cake pan into the oven. "And Keith?"

Lance paused, pursing his lips for a moment. "I think-" He licked his lips, his stomach tightening and his heart fluttering. "I want someone serious with him. Being with Keith feels better than I thought possible. Sometimes I almost forget that were not actually a couple. Might be time to change that," he added with a nervous little grin.

Hunk beamed, giving Lance's shoulder a squeeze of support and encouragement.

Lance's good mood faded quickly at dinner time. Keith had declined to join them and had locked himself in his room. He'd refused to allow anyone in, insisting that he was fine in a voice that sounded tight with pain.

"I don't get it," Pidge murmured, utterly bewildered. "He's been letting Lance, and sometimes Shiro, baby him all week. Now he's hiding in his room?"

"Must be a pretty bad headache," Shiro said anxiously.

The morning of Christmas Eve, Keith was the last person to come downstairs. His appearance immediately alarmed his friends. He was paler than usual, his eyes were a bit red-rimmed and puffy, and he somehow appeared small and withdrawn.

Even more surprising was the way Keith recoiled when Lance approached him. Confused and a bit hurt, Lance offered him a mug of coffee. "I made you some coffee," he said, trying to force cheerfulness into his voice.

"Uh, no thanks," Keith responded quietly, making no move to accept the beverage. "I'll just get some water." He skirted around Lance and grabbed water bottle from the refrigerator.

Breakfast was quiet and awkward. Keith and Lance sat next to each other, but there were no playful kisses and Keith didn't speak unless spoken to. Lance had realized just how often they touched and interacted until he was suddenly without Keith's affection. He'd been so sure that Keith was into him, but now he had no idea what to think.

"What happened?" Veronica asked quietly once they'd left the table.

"I don't know," Lance said, his stomach churning unpleasantly.

By lunch time, Shiro was worried sick and Curtis was fed up. They all listened as Curtis banged on Keith's door. "I swear to Voltron, if you make Takashi cry again Kogane-" The shouted threat cut off when the door opened. After a pause, they heard it close again, leaving them in silence downstairs.

After a few minutes, Curtis came back down the stairs, somber.

"Is he alright?"

"He'll be okay Takashi," Curtis relied, sitting down next to his husband. "Just- give him time."

Lance's heart ached. He had no idea what was wrong, but he couldn't shake the idea that Keith was upset with him. He just couldn't figure out what he'd done.

"I don't think I've ever seen him cry," Curtis said quietly, as he and Shiro tidied up the kitchen after lunch.

"Do you mean Keith?" Lance asked urgently, hurrying over to them.

Curtis's gaze hardened, and he seemed reluctant to answer. That told Lance plenty though. Determined, Lance turned away from them, only to be stopped by Shiro's hand on his shoulder.

"Maybe you should give him some time," Shiro suggested, his expression unreadable.

Lance considered the suggestion but remembering the way Keith pulled away broke his heart. It could be that letting the matter lie would cause more harm than good. Mind made up, he bolted up the stairs. He stopped outside of Keith's door and knocked.

After a long tense moment, the door was opened. Keith looked quite surprised to see him. He was unnaturally pale, a bit disheveled, and his beautiful eyes were glassy.

"What do you want?" Keith asked, voice rough.

"Tell me what's wrong," Lance begged, suddenly desperate to repair whatever had broken between them. "I know you're upset with me, but I don't know what I did. Please just talk to me." He was horrified to feel his eyes burn with unshed tears. He blinked them back stubbornly, keeping his gaze fixed on his friend.

Keith sighed heavily. "It's not you," he said quietly. "I just need some space."

"I don't understand," Lance murmured sadly.

Keith sniffled a little, looking away. "I overheard you talking to Hunk," he admitted. "I didn't mean to listen, but-" He shuffled awkwardly. "Clearly, I was mistaken about how you felt about me. We don't want the same things." He took a step back, grasping the back of the doorknob. "We'll still be friends, but I need some time and to keep my distance for a while."

"But I-" Lance frantically went over any conversations with Hunk that he could think of. "I don't know what you mean. What did I say?"

Keith swallowed hard, obviously fighting the urge to just shut the door in his face. "Something about it being 'fun and intense' but you're just not that into me. It's fine Lance. Maybe I should have been more clear with my own intentions," he muttered.

"Holy shit," Lance breathed, eyes wide with shock. "I didn't- Keith, that wasn't about you. I was talking about some dude that I had a brief... fling with. He was hot, but not I wanted long term."

Keith bit his lip, looking anxious but hopeful. "I- I'm sorry for making assumptions," he said quietly.

"I understand why you did," Lance replied, stepping closer and gently pushing the door open more. "We probably should have been communicating a little better. The truth is, I want us to be together."

"You do?"

"Of course," Lance replied with a sweet smile. "I love it when you kiss me. Or hold my hand. Or snuggle close. I could listen to your laugh all day. We're good together." He took Keith's hand and kissed the palm lightly. "I feel like I'm ready for a real relationship again. And I'd like for it to be with you," he said softly.

Keith smiled and pulled Lance further into the room before shutting the door. He made his way to the bed and stretched out, pleased that Lance followed his lead. In the next moment, Lance was nuzzling into Keith's neck.

"You alright?" Keith asked.

"I was afraid I lost you before I could even be with you," Lance admitted.

"You haven't. And I want to be with you too. I'm sorry I didn't just say something," Keith whispered.

"I mean, you did. In a way." Lance shrugged. "Since I got here, your body language has been loud and clear. I understood what you weren't saying. Until yesterday anyway."

Keith nodded, uncertainty flitting across his face. "So, the other guy... there's nothing there?"

"Nothing at all," Lance assured, pulling back to meet Keith's gaze. "I want to date you, and only you. How about it Samurai?" he said with a cheeky grin.

Keith nodded hastily, pulling Lance even closer for an eager kiss.

All of the previous kisses had been chaste and sweet. This kiss was full of mutual affection and passion, and Keith parted his lips to deepen it almost immediately.

Lance moaned softly, wrapping his arms around Keith's waist to keep him close. Everything felt hot. He could feel himself getting hard so he tried to angle himself away, but Keith wasn't having it.

"Can I touch you?" Keith asked breathlessly.

"If I can touch you too."

"After," Keith responded with a grin. "I want to focus on you first."

Lance's pants were unbuttoned and pulled off along with his boxers. His shirt was removed and tossed aside. Feeling weird about being clothed while Lance was bare, Keith swiftly shed his own garments before settling back against his boyfriend.

Keith admired Lance's beautiful brown skin while his hands drifted down Lance's stomach and then gently took hold of his erection. He gave it a stroke, smirking when he heard Lance take a shaky breath. He set up a moderate pace, delighting in Lance's moans and sighs. Not wanting to draw their friends toward the sound, he sealed their lips together.

Lance gasped and panted when he came, forced to break the kiss. He felt Keith release his grip in favor of kissing his neck. Lance tilted his head back to give him more room.

Keith snatched a shirt from the floor and wiped up the mess on his hand and Lance's stomach. He blindly dropped the soiled fabric when Lance began pushing him into his back to return the favor.

Lance stroked over Keith's torso reverently. All that pale skin over taut muscle was mouthwatering. "You're skin is so much softer than I imagined," he murmured, sliding his hand down to gently cup Keith's sack for a moment.

"I've been, mmm-" Keith closed his eyes with a quiet moan as Lance stroked his hard cock. "I might have started using the products you recommended. I thought... Well I hoped that you'd appreciate it if we ever, you know-"

Lance chuckled quietly. Keith was too adorable. "Bad ass former black paladin Keith Kogane has been using body scrubs and creams?"

"You like it?" Keith asked, his cheeks flushed with arousal and embarrassment.

"I love it. In fact, I'll show you how much," Lance promised, licking his palm before grasping Keith's cock again.

Lance spent the next few minutes, drinking in the pleasured symphony of sounds spilling from Keith's lips. This strong, amazing man was like putty in Lance's loving hands. It didn't take long to wring an orgasm from Keith, drawing a soft cry from his panting mouth.

"Wow," Keith wheezed, struggling to catch his breath. He turned his head to bury his face against Lance's neck. After a moment, he wrapped his arms around the Cuban. "Just us now, okay? No flings or dating other people."

"As if I could look at anyone else when I've got you," Lance retorted, kissing Keith's forehead. "But, if you need to hear it... We're exclusive and this is a serious, romantic relationship. I'm committed to being your partner, if you'll be mine."

Keith grinned and nodded, kissing Lance's lips tenderly. "We should get cleaned up," he offered, though reluctantly.

"In a moment," Lance sighed. "It feels so good to hold you." He giggled when Keith nuzzled even closer.

The new couple came down the stairs after a particularly steamy shower. Their friends were downstairs playing some bizarre board game at the dining room table, but they looked up and smiled brightly when Keith and Lance entered.

"Are you alright?" Shiro asked anxiously.

"I'm good now," Keith assured, leaning into Lance's side. "There was a... misunderstanding."

"But now he's my boyfriend," Lance told them proudly.

"What do you mean 'now'?" Pidge snorted. "You two have been super gross all week. It's hard to remember a moment when Keith didn't have his lips on you."

Keith blushed but otherwise appeared completely unapologetic. "I was getting some help from my wing man over there," he said gesturing at Curtis.

"You were in on it together?" Shiro asked, eyeing his husband.

Curtis shook his head, bewildered. "No, I-" He looked at Keith curiously. "You knew it was me putting up the mistletoe for you two. How?"

Keith rolled his eyes. "Who else would it be?" he laughed. "I told you how I felt and that I wanted to make a move. It had to be someone that lives here because they were always in my spot."

"You're such a creature of habit sometimes," Curtis chuckled. "You always pick the same place on the couch, the table, the front porch... I love that instead of changing your habits, you just made room for Lance."

"That's beautiful," Hunk noted, eyeing Keith and Lance with watery eyes.

"Once it was obvious that you were going to keep Lance close," Curtis went on smugly, "I just added mistletoe wherever I knew you'd be. The coffee pot was just too easy."

"And you resolved... whatever was wrong?" Shiro asked carefully.

Keith and Lance shared a look, leaning in for a sweet kiss. "We're good," Keith said, expression content.

"Great," Pidge uttered dryly. "Think we can enjoy Christmas tomorrow without you two slobbering all over each other?"

Lance smirked. "I doubt it."

Lance opened his eyes blearily, squinting at the sun peaking through the blinds. For a moment, he wasn't sure where he was. He relaxed when he felt a warm body press close with a soft sigh.

Lance looked down to see Keith dark hair partly obscuring his face. His head was resting against Lance's shoulder with one hand resting on Lance's bare stomach.

A flash of red drew Lance's gaze. He shifted and carefully pushed down the blanket to reveal Keith's hip.

Keith was wearing red lace boxer briefs. They hugged the curve of his hip and ass beautifully. Mesmerized, Lance reached out to stroke over the lace. He had no idea when Keith had put them on, since he was wearing flannel pants when they'd gone to bed.

"You like them?" Keith asked quietly, not bothering to unwrap himself from Lance's side.

"Holy quiznak," Lance breathed, giving in and grabbing a handful of one rounded cheek.

Keith hummed and pulled away to roll onto his back, revealing the rest of his body. The lace in the front was stretched over his half hard cock, but even more fascinating was the lacy bra. Keith's check was firm and pleasantly muscled. The lacy material did a poor job of hiding or supporting anything, but Lance supposed that was the appeal.

"When did you get this?" Lance asked, gently sliding one finger under the lace to caress Keith's nipple. "And why?"

"Curtis helped me pick it out for you," Keith admitted, arching his back a little. "I thought, if we got this far, that you'd appreciate it. You've always seemed to prefer girls so-"

"I don't need you wear something feminine for you to turn me on," Lance cut him off firmly. "Trust me, you do just fine on your own."

Keith smiled, pleased with that response. "Does that mean you don't like it?" he teased, rolling his hips to draw his boyfriend's attention lower.

"I like it a lot," Lance assured him. "I think I might like it better if I get to take it off of you."

Keith sighed. "Please do. It's a lot more itchy than I anticipated," he grumbled, squirming a little to relieve his itchy back. He had no idea how he'd managed to fall asleep after putting the lingerie on. It was far too uncomfortable to wear casually.

Lance laughed joyfully, eagerly unwrapping his first gift of the morning.

The pair came downstairs feeling blissful and sated. They'd taken a little longer than planned, but Keith had begged shamelessly and Lance had been too aroused to resist. They'd made a complete mess of Keith, inside and out, so they opted to take a quick shower before joining their friends. Of course, all that naked wet skin had rekindled their desire so they'd gone for round two in the shower. Keith was going to be sore.

"What took you so long?" Hunk asked as they stepped into the living room.

"You're kidding, right?" Pidge asked flatly.

"With all that racket they made?" Curtis laughed.

Keith blushed. "We didn't-"

"Yes you did," Shiro interrupted him with a smirk.

"Oh," Hunk said stupidly. His cheeks went pink. "Was it good at least?"

Pidge and Shiro made sounds of protest while Curtis, Veronica and Matt cackled in delight. Keith looked torn between embarrassment and amusement. Lance grinned, guiding Keith to the sofa and sitting down with him. He was well aware that Keith was moving a little gingerly.

"Hunk, it was amazing," Lance said sincerely. He turned his head to look at Keith fondly. "You're amazing."

Keith cupped his jaw and kissed him slowly.

"Boo," Pidge deadpanned, throwing a soft squishy present at them. "I want presents."

Keith laughed and cuddled into Lance's side. "Alright fine," he said lightly.

Presents were exchanged and wrapping paper littered the floor. Some gifts were practical, but most of them were silly and fun. After the war, they were eager to make as many fun memories as possible to overwhelm all that pain and horror.

Once all the gifts were unwrapped, they went to the kitchen to assist with breakfast. Hunk gave everyone a job and put them to work efficiently. Keith, being so recently wounded and still being coddled by everyone, was exempt and he chose to spend that time hugging Lance from behind while the Cuban made coffee and prepared a cup for each person.

"So, how will this work?" Veronica asked, glancing at her brother as the finished adding some milk to the eggs that she'd been stirring. "Are you trying the long distance thing?"

Lance paused in adding some creamer to the coffee mugs. "We haven't really talked it," he said hesitantly. He set the creamer down to rub the arm the Keith had wrapped around his stomach. "God, I hate when you're gone."

"So I'll stay," Keith responded softly. "I didn't want to ask you to be with me just to leave you behind. I'll be resigning my full time duties with the Blade. Maybe on the occasion I do need to go, you could just come with me."

"Keith-"

"I want to be here," Keith insisted firmly. "I put a lot of thought into it. This is my family and now I have a boyfriend that I-" Keith cut himself off, kissing Lance's shoulder with pink cheeks. "This is what I want."

"That's amazing Keith," Shiro said when it was clear that Lance was momentarily speechless. "You know you're welcome to live here as long as you like."

"Or-" Lance cleared his throat, swallowing down a surge of emotion. "We could just find a place together."

Keith grasped Lance's hips, turning him around. "Are you serious? You want to move in together?"

Lance draped his arms over Keith's shoulders. "Yeah, let's do it. We'll take our time and find the perfect place."

"I'll help you look," Veronica blurted out excitedly. "House hunting sounds fun. And you can't move too far away," she added.

"I'll help too," Matt said, setting glasses of orange juice on the table.

"We can all help," Pidge said, carrying a stack of plates to the table. "You need the perfect place for hosting since you know we'll be crashing there all the time."

"While we're at it," Curtis said, "we could look at wedding venues. There's this vineyard that-"

"Holy shit, what are you talking about?" Keith cried, looking alarmed. Sure, he was thrilled to be dating and moving in with Lance. And he was pretty sure that he was already in love, but marriage?

"Let's pump the brakes," Lance said calmly, not at all fooled by Curtis's supposedly innocent expression. "Let's give it at least a few months before we even consider that." He smiled when Keith relaxed and cuddled close. "We'll take our time."

Lance had never imagined that he'd be ending his Christmas vacation with a boyfriend. After so much time, it felt as if he and Keith had fallen together so perfectly. And he planned to spend their time building a solid, loving relationship that they both deserved.

The next year was hosted by Keith and Lance at their new home. Keith surprised everyone by proposing under a sprig of mistletoe in their kitchen.

Lance had laughed, but he said yes.