Today was a relatively quiet day for the paladins, so Allura decided to do yet another bonding activity one of the paladins had suggested. This time, it was a "movie night".
They all gathered in a room, taking their seats and some snacks they had separated, and others hunk had cooked for them.
They did a pool to see which movie they'd watch, deciding on some old movie both Shiro and Hunk liked, and Allura voted for, too. They all got comfortable on their seats, with a blanket on their legs and some pillows.
By the middle of the movie, Pidge and Lance were asleep already, leaning against each other. The movie continues, the ones who were awake enjoying the narrative.
About 40 minutes later, the movie ends. Pidge and Lance still asleep.
I think it's best if we put them to bed, let them relax - Shiro says, turning to Hunk - Can you get Pidge? I'll put Lance in his bed
Sure! - Hunk says, grabbing Pidge carefully, to not wake them up
Shiro moves towards Lance as soon as Hunk has grabbed Pidge, but Keith puts a hand on his shoulder
Can I... can I carry Lance to his bedroom? - Keith asks, kind of awkwardly
Yeah, I didn't expect that form you, but sure! - Shiro steps back a little, making room for Keith
He grabs Lance, bride style, and he expected the boy to be heavier, but he's not. He moves carefully to not wake up him. Getting to Lance's bedroom, putting him in bed and putting a blanket over the brown haired boy. As Keith walks out the door, he rests a hand on the wall, looking back at Lance, whispering a goodnight, and moving out of the room.
The next day, at breakfast, Lance goes to talk to Hunk
-Hey man, thanks for getting me to bed last night, was it you or Shiro that did it?
-Oh no, that was Keith, Shiro was gonna do it, but he asked if he could put you to be instead. I never expected him to do something like that, but I guess people change, huh?
And Lance, who is so so red, keeps imagining him in Keiths arms, and just blushes even more. Keith put him to bed? Keith? The one he banters with all day long? The Keith that almost never talks to him? That Keith had put him to bed? Hunk can’t be serious about this.
Meanwhile, Hunk had been calling Lance’s name, but to no answer, so he just left, and when Lance snapped back into reality, he had seen Hunk was not around anymore, so he goes searching for Shiro. He finds him in the kitchen, together with the others. He walks up to Shiro, asking if they could talk in private for a moment, and Shiro agrees.
-Was it really Keith who putted me to bed last night, after the movie? - Lance asks, bluntly but quietly, so the others wouldn’t hear it – Because I went to talk to Hunk, thanking for putting me to bed, and I asked if maybe he or you had done it, but he said it was Keith! I think he’s trying to mess with me.
And Shiro, who didn’t expect this to be the topic of the conversation, or even this to be Lance’s reaction, leaves out a laugh almost too loudly, but composing himself back.
-He’s not messing with you, no. Keith really did put you to bed. He asked me if he could do so, and I said yes. I didn’t expect that from him either, but I guess it happened, nonetheless.
Lance is shocked, and keeps imagining himself in Keith arms, bringing his hand to his chin without noticing, losing himself on the thought of that. He murmurs a “Thanks, Shiro” and moves away to sit with the paladins, now seeing Keith on the table. He takes his seat by Keith’s side, letting out a polite but quiet good morning.
After that day, he’d sleep on the living areas more oftenly, only so Keith would put him to bed again, and fortunately, Keith would do it every single time. Lance would wake up the other day in his bed as smile, loving the image of him in Keith’s arms each time more.
One day, they had done another movie night, and Lance has fallen asleep one more time. They had done some training earlier that day, so he was really tired and fell asleep. But this time, when Keith grabbed him, he woke up, spying a little, to check if that was who he thought it was, and upon seeing it really was Keith, he closed the little gap in his eyes, a little later feeling himself hit the bed, and followed by that, a tiny kiss on his forehead and a goodnight to his ears. When the doors close, he rolls over to the other side, facing the wall, and has a little panic, blushing and kicking his feet. Had Keith done that more times before? Was this the first time? Did Keith know he was awake? The questions just filled Lance’s brain, and almost couldn’t go back to sleep because of them, but eventually, with all the tiredness he was feeling from the day, he closes his eyes one more time, falling asleep completely.
And Keith, who after leaving the room still waited a little to move to his own bedroom, was blushing too, because he had never done that before, but this time he felt like it, and his heart was fluttering with joy. He went to sleep, happy too, and hoping one day he could just say to Lance how much he loved and cared for him, truly. But for now, he will do it in tiny acts like this.
