One night Keith couldnāt sleep, so he decides to take a thoughtful walk. He passes everyoneās room but stops at Lanceās, he doesnāt quite know why⦠He feels something, he hears something, coming from inside the room. Painful sounds, sorrowful sounds.
Is it Lance? Keith has never heard Lance being anything but the chill goofball he always is, so those sounds terrified him.
He hesitates, but after hearing a muffed (but loud enough) sob, he enters the room.
Lance is shaking and sweating, curled up on his blanket like itās the most important thing in the universe. Eyebrows tensed together in a vulnerable expression. Mumbling something, crying.
Keith shakes him until he wakes with a violent gasp, he freezes. Keith is desperate, still holding Lanceās shoulders. Looking straight at his small pupils trying to find Lance, because even though heās looking at Keith, it seems heās not seeing Keith.
A shiver goes up Lanceās spine and Keith can feel it. Lance closes his eyes tightly and when he opens them again heās back. What felt like an eternity to Keith was just a tic. With a confused look and a tired voice Lance asks
Keith suddenly realises the position they are in and lets go of Lanceās shoulders. Embarassed, though relieved, he tries to be as casual as possible, trying to avoid Lanceās eyes, when he answers
- I heard you crying⦠I thought you might be in dangerā¦
Lance takes in the situation, he was having a nightmare, now he remembersā¦
- It was just a nightmare - He tries to say it nonchalantly (and fails)
- It didnāt seem like ājustā a nightmare. - Keith searched for Lanceās eyes once again.
Speechless, Keithās stare draws him and they spend a moment in silence. Finally Lance speaks in a rather irritated tone
- Iām not this fragile ok? Itās just..
- Hey man, - Keith puts a hand on Lanceās shoulder - I have nightmares too. I wake up in tears more often than Iād like to admitā¦
Lance is surprised by Keithās tenderness. He places his hand on Keithās - During the day Iām either too caught up in the adrenaline or too exhausted to think about⦠to think.
- I never stop thinking to be honestā¦
- Is that why youāre always brooding? - Lance smirks - That canāt be healthy, buddy.
- Well, you always manage to distract me somehow - Keith smiles looking away
- With my good looks? - Lance shots him a Cheshire grin
- With your annoyance! - Keith rolls his eyes
At the same time they both realise that Keith still has his hand on Lanceās shoulder and Lance still has his hand on Keithās. Yet none of them moves.
- So⦠Are you ok? - Keith asks truly worried
- So⦠uhm⦠I guess Iāll just go back to..
Keith blinks at loss while Lance looks at him with suspicion.
- I just⦠couldnāt sleep.
Lance sighs. Of course Keith wonāt open up. Not even to him. And like Keith could read his thoughts, he said
- I just donāt know how to talk about⦠Stuff⦠- Lance could see that just these words were hard for him to let out.
- Itās fine. - He assures Keith.
Keith drops his hand and Lance grows uneasy. Keith shifts and it seems like heās going to get up, which is enough to make Lance feel lonesome. But Keith whispers anxiously
- Can I stay the night? - Looking down, with shrugged shoulders. His bangs charmingly shadowed his face but Lance can see him blushing. And he feels his insides warm up at the sight.
- Of course. - Keith waits for the ābuddyā but it didnāt come.
They share a moment of embarrassment where no one knows how to proceed. Lance bets a shot in the dark - My mom would nest me on her chest whenever I could not sleep.
It doesnāt seem that Keith got the indirect sugestion when he responds - Well, I grew up without a mom and my fatherās texan so he wasnāt the most sensible guy⦠I guess I kinda take it after himā¦
- Did you miss your mom growing up?
- I sure missed having someone to nest me when I couldnāt sleepā¦
- Do you still do? - Lance asked longing
Taken aback, Keith looked in his eyes. They confirmed that Lance in fact was implying what Keith thought he was. Trying to throw a bone, Lance asked
- Have you ever cuddled? - The shameless innocence in Lanceās tone never seized to astonish Keith.
- Well⦠- Keith felt lighter in Lanceās presence - I did craddle you that timeā¦
- I still donāt know what youāre talking about. - Lance faked an oblivious expression.
- Well⦠Since I totally donāt remember it⦠How was it?
Keith said nothing. He just lied beside Lance, never breaking their stare, and stretched his arm as an invitation. So Lance got comfortable next to him.
- That thing your mom would do⦠How was that?
Lance pushed Keith to his chest, placed a hand on Keithās free arm and with the other he stroke Keithās hair. They fitted each other easily.
It didnāt take long for them to fall asleep.
- Where are Keith and Lance? - Allura questioned once she sat down for breakfest and noticed they were the only ones missing.
- Yeah, no fair that they can sleep for longer just because theyāre the heads of Voltron now! - Hunk protested with his mouth full
- I donāt even know how they didnāt wake to the alarm siren, that thing almost gets me deaf every single morning⦠- Pidge said poking their ear.
- There is no such thing as āthe heads of Voltronā, everyone is equally valuable and therefore everyone must wake at the same time! Coran, - Allura urged
- Iāll go get our missing duo - Coran was already up his seat and headed for the dorms.
He went to Keith first and was taken by a little rush of panic when he saw the empty room. āAlright, he must be at the training room as always⦠Iāll get Lance and then Iāll go after him.ā He settled.
- Sir, it is unacceptable that I have to come here to wake you at least twice a weekā¦- He had entered Lanceās room with his disaprooving speech all ready, but the scene before him let Coran speechless.
There lied both of them. Lance had his head back, drooling, one hand on Keithās nape and the other dangling from the bed. Keith was on top of him, face burried in Lanceās shirt, taking deep breaths, and both arms enfolding him. The latter had his right leg over Keithās left one and the left one under Keithās right one. Blanket forgotten beside them.
Coran was frozen and seriously considered leaving them there, but the boys seemed to have sensed his presence for they began moving.
Keith woke first and let out a great yawn before noticing Coran. He yelped and fell on the floor
- THIS ISNāT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE - Was his imediate reaction. At his scream Lance began to slowly regain awareness
- Just ten more minutes Coran⦠- Lance mumbled and Keith looked at him in shock and then awkwardly faced Coran, who simply said
This was inspired by a headcanon that an anon sent to @lancemcclains :)