"I don't think of just food, you know."

They weren’t healthy.

And they were harmful. They were dark and dangerous. Lance could see that in the pain in the other’s eyes. But he knew he couldn’t let himself be angry about it. He had to be open and caring.

“Hunk,” Lance whispered, “The first step is to be honest with me. You know that I love you so much, and to see you in so much pain…God.”

The brunet swallowed his tears before he said, “Any time that you need me…I don’t care if I’m asleep. I don’t care if I haven’t slept in days myself. I don’t care if I’m busy…I want you to come to me. We’ll figure this out together. We’ll find you a healthy place together.”

Hunk shook, like an addict needing a fix, and his legs felt like they wanted to give out.

Lance was so... So god damned kind. So giving, in ways that Hunk didn’t deserve him to be. He should be angry, he should be yelling and demanding Hunk to throw away the cigarettes and to get help- but here he was, just telling him that he loved him and that he understood the need to have a coping mechanism.

Hunk crumpled, exhaustion slamming him all at once.

“Okay.” He breathed, tucking his face into Lance’s neck. “Okay. I’ll... I’ll try. I’ll try. You’re right- the first step was being honest. And... You know now. There’s- there’s no hiding it from you now. Just- just don’t tell anyone else. Please. Not- not yet.” He didn’t want to know what Keith would say- or Pidge. God- Shiro.

It took him time to compose himself, and by the time he had, the bruises under his eyes had deepened, and Hunk looked like a dead man walking. He looked down into Lance’s eyes, and his own honey-brown were murky, dark, like the light Hunk usually carried had been dampened. “If I work on the project now, I’m going to snap it in half in my hands.” He told his lover honestly, fingers flexing gently against Lance’s back. “I... I think I want a cup of Koko Samoa, and to go to bed. Or just to bed.”

The leather gloves over his chest were odd. Hunk’s skin tingled as Keith’s fingers trailed over his flesh, leaving goosebumps pebbled up behind his trailed fingertips. Hunk’s nipples stiffened in response to Keith’s breath unintentionally wafting over his skin. Keith was so hesitant- it was endearingly sweet.

“You think I’m handsome, hm? I didn’t know that, no.” Hunk smiled slightly. His palms splayed, and he ran his hands up Keith’s back, trailing over roping muscles and lingering scars. “Not many think I’m so handsome. I’m more personality than looks, so I’ve been told.” He grinned cheekily, thumbs massaging soft lines up his back as Keith’s hands explored down along his stomach and stroked along the soft curve of his stomach. “But that’s okay. A great personality can make up for a lot.”

Hunk fell silent as Keith lurched up and shoved his face into his neck. Hunk tilted his head up, and a breathy sort of sigh escaped him as he ran one hand up between Keith’s shoulders. Blunt fingernails gently teased over his skin, more for sensation than anything else as Hunk basked in the hands moving up and towards his hair.

He froze, however, as Keith’s fingers tangled in his hair and began to play with his headband. The muscles under Keith went taut, and Hunk seemed to double in size under Keith. Honey amber eyes darkened to molten-gold, and Hunk rolled them over abruptly.

He nudged himself gently between Keith’s thighs, and held himself aloft using his forearms, his body hovering above his. Hunk gave a rumbling sound deep in his chest, the noise almost a pleased growl, and his mouth dove down to kiss and nip along Keith’s neck. His tongue soothed over where his teeth nipped. “I’ll give you a hint.” Hunk rumbled. “Playing with my headband is one way to flip my switch, so to speak. Might not want to do that if you want to go slow.”

“Of course you’re handsome, Hunk.” Keith wanted to make sure he stressed that, that Hunk genuinely knew that. Sure, he might not be the ‘stereotypical attractive man’ - no, out of all of them, Shiro probably had that role down. The thick, bulging muscles. Really, though, beauty was in the eye of the beholder and it all depended on people’s personal preferences. Keith was starting to learn he didn’t really have preferences. He could find something attractive in everyone. “I might be biased because I’ve learned over time I like people who aren’t nearly as pale as me.” He laughed, shaking his head. 

“But, you have really gorgeous eyes. Seriously gorgeous. And your smile is contagious. And I think anyone would be lucky to be in this position, surrounded by such strong, secure arms and thick thighs.” He grinned, opening up a bit more. Keith was still awkward, still shy, but he could talk more so than act…in some situations. “Plus you look really cute with your hair in your face.” As he was speaking, Keith almost was going to pull that headband off. Only almost. Because as he had been playing with it, contemplating it, Hunk was suddenly flipping them both. 

Keith groaned, not expecting the other to have pinned him like that. He squirmed a bit, before he bit his lips to hold back a moan as the other started kissing and biting his neck. Keith didn’t really know what his own turn-ons were, never one to explore them, but that certainly felt good. More than likely because that was the first time he had been touched there. He was curious as to if Hunk was leaving a mark and how he would explain that away, blushing as the other spoke, holding his hands up in apology. 

Keith’s lips needed ravishing. The enthusiastic kiss brought their teeth clicking together just slightly, but it was easily remedied as Hunk leaned down further, the full shape of his lips cradling and massaging Keith’s as his tongue slid out, ghosting gently against the bottom of Keith’s lip in a tease before Hunk nipped it coyly.

Hunk didn’t have experience like Lance, but Hunk’s partners had taught him a lot- and Hunk wasn’t a stranger to leading in bed, when his partner was uncertain.

He drew back when he’d made sure Keith was nice and breathless, his pale skin beautifully flushed from the ravishing he’d given it.

Hunk gave a ponderous rumble, and nuzzled his nose along the side of Keith’s jaw, peppering his Adams apple with kisses and nibbles. “Mhhhmm... I do like my headband played with. So perhaps it’s more of a... Jump start to something more. It’s... a switch that flips to something that’s less than simple sex, I should say.”

Hunk shifted, all of his bulk sliding to one arm as he reached a hand up to slip his headband off. Like Keith said, there was definitely something alluring about the way his hair cascaded out of captivity, shadowing his honey-gold eyes and making them smoulder. The smoulder of his gaze was intense, heated, as Hunk set his headband to the side in case he needed it for something... Creative.

“You don’t have to be romantic, Keith.” Hunk said soothingly, molten amber eyes watching the way Keith flushed and bit into his lower lip. His gaze followed the motion, and his eyes settled at half mast. “I care about you too. We’ve both had a long couple of days, and we do have a stressful job. If you’d like… It could be more. We don’t have to date.” Relationships, Hunk knew, were messy and complicated enough when you were a normal person on a planet. Add in full time paladin duties, being an ambassador in space, and fighting for planets along with a relationship, and that made it all the more messier.

Plus- Hunk wasn’t really anyone’s ideal relationship material. Just as he wasn’t most peoples ideal sex partner, there were few and far between people who looked at him as more than just a friend.

“But,” He continued seamlessly, “there are these marvelous things called being ‘friends with benefits’. No obligations, no requirements- just two friends who care about each other and are there for each other when they need it. But… We can worry about that later, Keith. Lets live in the now, hm?” His thumb stroked over his pale cheek oh so gently, and he smiled as he watched the gloved hand rise to touch his hand.

Hunk withdrew his touch when Keith lifted his shirt up, and moved to straighten up as well. Keith and Hunk were like day and night- Keith was pale and toned, with even paler criss-crossing scars dotting his flesh. Hunk was dark, and mostly hairless, with tiny micro-scars here and there, but only the one big notable scar marring his side. And, unlike Keith, Hunk was thick with muscle covered in layers of cushioning. It made him a great melee tank- and the best body pillow.

Still, Hunk drank in the sight of Keith like a man at an oasis. He glanced from Keith to the bed, and then gave Keith a cheeky grin, his white teeth flashing against his dark lips. Hunk’s hands settled on Keith’s hips, and he lifted the black paladin with little effort, tucking him to his chest as he walked backwards to the bed. Hunk flopped back, leaving Keith draped against his chest, Hunk’s thick thighs cushioning Keith’s hips on either side as it left Keith pressed close to the end goal.

Hunk settled his hands against Keith’s back, and gave Keith a lopsided grin. His fingers trailed very soft, tender trails up the black paladin’s back. “Bed is a good place to start. So is getting comfortable with each other. So, go ahead and touch me. Lets learn what feels good, and what doesn’t, hm? I’m not really ticklish- well, okay.” He paused, and his cheeks darkened. “I actually have like, one really silly ticklish spot. I may kick you if you poke behind my knees.”

It was a super goofy spot to be ticklish- but Hunk couldn’t exactly tell his body not to be ticklish there.

That had never been an idea that Keith had considered. He knew that people talked about one-night stands and sexual relationships, rather than the level of romance, but that had never been a Keith thing. Granted, relationships in general had never been a Keith thing. He had never fallen in love, or done the romancing, and the seduction. This was all new to him. And adding the facet of being friends with benefits was just something new to him, something else to wrap his head around. 

Fortunately, Hunk knew him well, and the gentle touch to his face was enough to calm the racing thoughts. Keith’s mind was always racing, and trying to figure out the best plans, and solve the mission. There was no mission here, other than to let go of the stress. To just feel one another, and get lost in one another. That was something Keith was going to have to focus on. Fuck, focus, again. He shouldn’t be focusing at all. He should just be enjoying. Because what if Hunk didn’t like having sex with him, and this never happened again? Live in the moment. 

He doubted that would be the case though, at least with the way that Hunk looked at him. He flushed more under the gaze, shifting a bit with nerves, before he was yelping as the other was grabbing him. He was a bit embarassed at how easily Hunk could carry him, but that thought flew out the door as Hunk pulled him down onto his bed. It was that moment that made it that more real, especially as both their chests were pressed together, and Hunk pulled him in tighter with those thick thighs. 

“Right. What feels good and what doesn’t.” He mumbled, not sure of where to start. He was so overwhelmed with it all, wanting to touch everywhere and nothing. His own mind was trying to think of what he liked as well, not even acknowledging that the other was talking in the moment about being ticklish. He decided to start simple, his hands moving to Hunk’s chest, gloved leather gently gliding over his pectorals. “You’re really handsome, did you know that?” He mumbled, hand moving down over the other’s stomach gently, before moving over to the V that dipped into Hunk’s pants. He felt how fluffy Hunk was, but also definitely noticed that there was muscle there. 

“You think I’m handsome, hm? I didn’t know that, no.” Hunk smiled slightly. His palms splayed, and he ran his hands up Keith’s back, trailing over roping muscles and lingering scars. “Not many think I’m so handsome. I’m more personality than looks, so I’ve been told.” He grinned cheekily, thumbs massaging soft lines up his back as Keith’s hands explored down along his stomach and stroked along the soft curve of his stomach. “But that’s okay. A great personality can make up for a lot.”

Hunk fell silent as Keith lurched up and shoved his face into his neck. Hunk tilted his head up, and a breathy sort of sigh escaped him as he ran one hand up between Keith’s shoulders. Blunt fingernails gently teased over his skin, more for sensation than anything else as Hunk basked in the hands moving up and towards his hair.

He froze, however, as Keith’s fingers tangled in his hair and began to play with his headband. The muscles under Keith went taut, and Hunk seemed to double in size under Keith. Honey amber eyes darkened to molten-gold, and Hunk rolled them over abruptly.

panickypaladin‌:

Hunk leaned over and poked the older blue paladin on the head repeatedly for emphasis. “Don’t go headbutting sharp weaponry! I speak from both worry from the past and present. I mean it!”

Lance gave a mischievous laugh. Did he regret traumatizing his best friend’s younger doppelganger? Not in the slightest. Let young Hunk have all the nightmares- or good dreams- about Lance and his hormonal armor-boners.

“Trust me, there’s plenty more I didn’t tell you. Like, oodles. That was just the basis for it.” Lance wasn’t stupid- he literally just gave him the shorthand verbal rundown. If he’d have given him the full details, he’d have listed the species, the planet, the time, and why he hadn’t retreated when he should have- among a whole slew of other things.

Well… He probably could tell more detail, and it probably would be fine.

The Red Lion gave a rumble from across the hanger, and Lance turned his head briefly to look at her. He cocked his head slightly when she flashed her eyes at him in warning, and then rolled his eyes. Right, right. Behaving.

His attention turned back to Hunk right as the younger man poked him in the forehead, startling him and forcing a flush of light to the marks in his cheeks. Lance sheepishly sat through the pokes, and then gave the younger man a bemused look.

“You literally sound like my bestie, dude. Trust me, he’s already had this talk with me when I got sick from the whole ordeal. Big fever n’ everything. Was pretty messy. I gotta admit though-” Lance gave a soft, chipper laugh. “You made an adorable nurse.” He teased with a big, growing grin, and a gentle elbow nudge to the younger man’s side.

“Noooo!” Hunk protested and drawled out the word. He nudged Lance right back in his side. “I make a very strong and reliable and cool nurse!” He could see that that would happen. If his own timeline Lance go hurt badly then he would definitely try and do his best to make sure that he would be alright. They had already gone through the length of going to the balmera and get that crystal when Lance saved Coran from an explosion. That was just a start. “I am literally your bestie, dude. Then and now.” Hunk chuckled and looked out over the hangar.

And for good reason. Lance was not the best cook. Not the worst, but stuff did occasionally burn.

Guilt ate at him, and he felt his eyes burning before Lance even said anything more.

Hunk didn’t stop Lance from taking his cigarette. His brows furrowed guiltily and he swallowed, glancing down as he watched Lance take a puff. He didn’t ask for it back, and Lance hadn’t offered.

From the herbal smell in the air though, and the lingering smell of alien plants, this wasn’t Hunk’s first cigarette.The half empty pack on the table told tales.

“I’d honestly prefer you mad.” Hunk admitted in a quiet tone. “Anger is easier than... than disappointment.” The whole reason Hunk had hid it, was because he was ashamed he needed a crutch on the nights when his ghosts came back to haunt him. It was the whole reason he hid a lot of things. His shoulders hunched, and Hunk couldn’t meet Lance’s eye as he wilted into himself.

“If... if it helps any...” He whispered softly, rubbing his hand against his bicep. “I made sure these were safe. They’re not earth based. I... I make these myself- an alien blend. They’re just... just a sleep and calming aid basically. No tar or nicotine or anything that normal cigarettes have. Nothing that can cause cancer or shortness of breath.”

He exhaled, the remnants of smoke leaving him in a hard rush. Lance had heard Hunk’s breathing plenty of times- it was never labored or raspy, and he never had the dreaded ‘smokers cough’.

Hunk fell quiet though as Lance began to talk. And gods help him, Hunk listened. Hunk knew a good portion of it. The alcohol, definitely. He’d peeled Lance off the ground, cleaned him up, and gotten him to bed more times than he could remember. And that had been a lot of times, before Hunk had shipped back out to space and Lance had been on his own again.

Lance wanted to help him- help him, like Hunk had helped Lance. A lot of what Hunk had done had been inadvertent- Lance’s whole return had been initially planned right before the T’tka incident, and Lance had plenty of time to sober up while Hunk had been in a cryo coma, getting his insides healed back up.

Hunk wanted to have better coping mechanisms. He didn’t want to have the crutches he had- but in order to help with them, he knew that Lance had to know about them. And telling... Telling everything was the hardest part. Hunk was supposed to be the unwavering leg of Voltron, steady like the earth they’d grown up on. His lion was the guardian spirit of the land, stable, strong, trustworthy. Hunk didn’t want to admit that he wasn’t... worthy of being the paladin of such an unwavering Lion.

Something hot and warm streaked down his cheek as Lance wiped his own away, and Hunk felt his next breath tremble on it’s inhale. He pressed his lips into a tight, stressed line, which wavered just like his will. His fists trembled, fingers clenching and relaxing in time with the noxious mix of emotions bubbling in his middle.

“I...” His voice cracked- something it only did when he was well and truly upset. “I’m sorry I hid it. I’m... I’m ashamed of myself.” He admitted with something akin to a hiccup.

“I didn’t want to need to have to use a crutch. I didn’t- I swear. I don’t want to have unhealthy coping mechanisms either. And you’re right, I don’t have to explain them- but you deserve to know. I... I try not to have unhealthy ones. I try- I do. These,” He gestured a frantic hand at the package of cigarettes on his work table, with the colorful lighter a mocking cheery hue atop the pile, “these are a last resort. I don’t- I don’t use these unless my other methods don’t work. But we’re between supply stock ups, and Colleen’s last crop failed, so I can’t stress bake- and I couldn’t explain to you why I was coming home with bruises and cracked ribs if I went to the training room and used my personal program.”

It wasn’t unknown that Hunk was ‘working on’ a new training program on the side. What people didn’t know was that it was done- he was just reserving it for his own personal use. It did have some bugs he needed to work out, like the fact that anything past training level five guaranteed broken bones, or at least cracked ones.

His bastardized version of cage fighting was brutal though- and that kind of brutality gave him an edge in the battle field, just as much as it did to brutalize his flesh when he fought against it in the ten by ten electrified cube. There was a reason Hunk was devastating in close quarters combat.

“So since I couldn’t bake, and I couldn’t do cage fighting, I opted to work and... And when work wasn’t enough, I settled for these. I haven’t slept, no. It’s been two days- if I go any longer my performance will suffer and I become a liability.” Hunk’s teary gaze dropped to the table, where his failed project was, and he had the irrational urge to grab it and just smash it to bits. It wasn’t the machine’s fault- his emotions were all over from exhaustion. “I want to do better. I just... I don’t know how. I don’t know how, Lance.”

Yellow shifted, her entire body moving and making the metal under them shudder as she shifted to lay down. She never once touched the mass of tools settled between her forelegs, or the two humans there. As she settled onto her belly, her chest opened, and a ramp lowered down to the ground, showing her slightly cluttered but mostly organized insides.

“Well, mi casa es tu casa. Though, not sure if it counts with lions.” He laughs. “Please, come on up and take a peek. Sorry about the clutter- Yellow holds most of my projects so my workspace doesn’t spill out into the hanger and into the other designated ‘personal zones’.”

Hunk turns on his heel, his headband waving behind him as his heavy boots thud across the room and towards the Lion proper. One broad hand his tossed over his shoulder to wave Kinkade up after him.

Yellow tilts her head, one large eye regarding Kinkade- and then a metallic purr putters from the computer speakers.

     It was intimidating to say the least. He watched as the lion lowered herself  for the two to make their way up the given ramp. Olive hues looked up the  walkway, and he could see the small clutter of items. It was a messy organize. To this, he found himself smiling gently.

     Ryan noticed one of her yellow eyes look at him, and this energy that vibrated through him as that metallic purr boomed through the room. It was a small bit of comfort.

      The pilot slowly made his way up the ramp after the paladin. He was careful, walking up, but made it up nonetheless. His head was tilted so slightly as he  took in the inside of the lion. He felt a heaviness surround him, and he wasn’t  so sure what it was.

Inside of Yellow lit up with soft yellow lights, lines inside of her metallic walls blooming to life to give them something to see with. Around them, vibrating through the very walls and the soles of their shoes, a mechanical purr kicked up.

“Yeah, Yellow.” Hunk nodded. He moved further in, and motioned for Ryan to follow him as he headed for the cockpit. “She says thank you, by the way. All of the lions are impressive, but they’re all very different. Each lion has a different feel- and by feel, I mean... Hm.” How did one explain it? Not many people believed him when he said he was connected to her in what was almost like... a soul bond.

Hunk was quiet for a moment, contemplative as he stepped up into the cockpit. Her dash lit up for him immediately, a sparkling array of gold appearing in front of the pilots seat that swiveled for him to sit.

“Well, you know the basic concept that paladins are connected to their pilots, yes? Well, each paladin is chosen because they mesh well with their pilot, and usually it’s because of some similar traits. Yellow and I- we’re both stable, sturdy, kind of like the earth. Yellow is the guardian spirit of the land, actually.” He commented. “Anyway, occasionally, a lion will allow another paladin to pilot them- but, honestly, on some level we’re all interconnected.”

It was always fascinating to watch Keith interact with Kosmo. Initially, Keith wouldn’t have struck, well, anyone as someone who would like animals, let alone a possibly slightly sentient galactic wolf with mystical teleporting abilities. But, lo and behold, there he was, speaking to gently to Kosmo and helping to soothe his anxieties and making deals to get the two of them alone. Keith was surprisingly good with animals, and it definitely impressed Hunk.

As soon as the spots cleared from his eyes- because he’d done a dumb and not looked away from Kosmo when he’d teleported in his weird crackle of blue light- Hunk met Keith’s gaze and allowed a slow smile to ease up his face. Keith was clearly nervous- and not that Hunk wasn’t either. This wasn’t some random alien- this was Keith Kogane. His friend, his team mate- and Hunk really didn’t want to make Keith anxious.

The corners of Hunk’s honey-amber eyes softened, and he tugged his shirt off for the moment. Once he’d dropped his shirt- baring the long roping scar along his left hip that rolled up and around his side that he’d gotten from the T’tka incident- Hunk lifted a hand to gently cup Keith’s cheek.

Keith absolutely had probably the most amazing eyes Hunk had ever seen. “We’re alone, yes.” He agreed, voice dropping an octave as he stroked his thumb gently over his cheekbone. “How about we start off slow? Explore each other’s bodies a little, hm? Perhaps just shirts off for the moment. Take it one step at a time.”

A quick one and done worked too- but in Hunk’s slightly experienced opinion, sex felt best when the build up was slow, brought on with someone who didn’t mind exploring a body and drawing it out with copious amounts of tender care.

“Don’t look so shocked.” Keith teased, as if he could read Hunk’s mind. Despite people thinking Keith wasn’t that great with people, he could be incredibly intuitive. As someone who spent most of his life out of the spotlight, just watching other people, he could pick up on cues. His lips curled into a smile, shaking his head. “I love animals. I’m not as bitter as people make me out to be. People just…don’t take the time to really get to know the real me. Past the wall of….emo, or, whatever it is Lance calls me.” His eyebrows furrowed at this, shaking his head. 

Because before he knew it, Hunk was taking off his shirt. He knew that would have to happen - after all, there was no way to have sex with their clothes on. Well, there was, but that wasn’t exactly what they were aiming for. Still, his face heated up at this, his blue-violet eyes looking into the almost molten honey that made up Hunks. He gave a nod, biting into his lower lip. One step at a time. He could do that. Where as Keith would typically just impulsively dive into things, this was something that he didn’t really know how to tackle. 

“I’m….not exactly a romantic or anything but….I want to take this slow. I don’t want this to just be some…random….” He waved his hand, because he couldn’t make the word fuck come out of his mouth in this moment. It felt too weird to use with Hunk. Hunk seemed too sweet for that kind of word. “I mean, I care about you, you know? You aren’t someone I just want to bang, clean my hands of, and we….move along.” He wasn’t exactly implying that they should date, but it was more or less clear that he wasn’t exactly comfortable with just a one night stand with one of his best friends. 

Plus- Hunk wasn’t really anyone’s ideal relationship material. Just as he wasn’t most peoples ideal sex partner, there were few and far between people who looked at him as more than just a friend.

“But,” He continued seamlessly, “there are these marvelous things called being ‘friends with benefits’. No obligations, no requirements- just two friends who care about each other and are there for each other when they need it. But... We can worry about that later, Keith. Lets live in the now, hm?” His thumb stroked over his pale cheek oh so gently, and he smiled as he watched the gloved hand rise to touch his hand.

Hunk withdrew his touch when Keith lifted his shirt up, and moved to straighten up as well. Keith and Hunk were like day and night- Keith was pale and toned, with even paler criss-crossing scars dotting his flesh. Hunk was dark, and mostly hairless, with tiny micro-scars here and there, but only the one big notable scar marring his side. And, unlike Keith, Hunk was thick with muscle covered in layers of cushioning. It made him a great melee tank- and the best body pillow.

Still, Hunk drank in the sight of Keith like a man at an oasis. He glanced from Keith to the bed, and then gave Keith a cheeky grin, his white teeth flashing against his dark lips. Hunk’s hands settled on Keith’s hips, and he lifted the black paladin with little effort, tucking him to his chest as he walked backwards to the bed. Hunk flopped back, leaving Keith draped against his chest, Hunk’s thick thighs cushioning Keith’s hips on either side as it left Keith pressed close to the end goal.

Hunk settled his hands against Keith’s back, and gave Keith a lopsided grin. His fingers trailed very soft, tender trails up the black paladin’s back. “Bed is a good place to start. So is getting comfortable with each other. So, go ahead and touch me. Lets learn what feels good, and what doesn’t, hm? I’m not really ticklish- well, okay.” He paused, and his cheeks darkened. “I actually have like, one really silly ticklish spot. I may kick you if you poke behind my knees.”

@yellowfeverpaladin  “Hunk,” Lance mumbled in his sleep as he tossed over. He was still deep in his dreams, though they started to turn sour as he missed the warmth of his lover next to him. 

For Hunk however, this night marked forty eight hours with no sleep, and he was determined to get sleep. The night prior, he’d stayed up and simply held Lance until he’d gone to sleep. He’d done the same on this night, before slipping from the bed and heading down to the lions hangar to work and partake in what was usually his last straw for sleeping.

Usually, he had other methods- but extreme changes in behavior, or coming back to their room covered in bruises and cracked bones, would absolutely have Lance fussing over him. He didn’t want that. He just wanted Lance to be happy and healthy, not deal with the shame of Hunk’s issues.

When Lance reached the hangar, the doors were open, exposing night skies and a cold breeze coming from the alien planet. Inside the hangar itself was always fairly warm, however- it wasn’t uncommon for Hunk to open the doors when he was allowed to.

However, inside the hangar didn’t usually smell... odd. There was an almost herbal smell, definitely alien in origin, and it was quite clearly something burning in the same general vicinity to some highly volatile and explosive materials.

Hunk it turned out was the culprit.

The large Samoan was shirtless and facing the door, leaning over his work table and re-sketching the design for a projector to allow Allura to walk in a semi-corporeal form on the ship. It would, if he could reconfigure it right, work a lot like the one that King Alfor’s personality had been downloaded onto. It wouldn’t be solid, but she would be able to see, to talk, to experience from her own eyes and ears instead of only through the mechanical speakers of the lion.

Dark circles lined under his eyes, shadowed deeper by the irritated curve of his brow. He’d had to scrap another draft, and he was exhausted- frustration bloomed easy.

Clenched in the tight curve of his lips held a smoking stick- a cigarette of some kind, clearly creating the herbal smell permeating the lions hangar. Yellow above him was looking less than pleased, and her chirps rang through a set of wireless speakers on his work table.

Hunk’s lips parted to blow out a cloud of smoke from between clenched teeth.

“No, Yellow.” He mumbled, clearly having not spotted the fact he was no longer alone in the wee hours of the night. “If I re-do the entire model, but substitute the titanium wiring for Olkari nodules, it’ll be more durable, efficient, and should, in theory, survive if she’s hit by any blasts that muck with her wiring. Hopefully, this time, her systems should accept it. It’s not Altean cylinders, but... Maybe... mmhhmmm...”

He stooped over again, his broad shoulders flexing in frustration as he ran a hand through his unbound hair.

While Hunk hadn’t noticed Lance, however, Yellow most certainly had. Her head turned above Hunk, and her eyes lit. She gave a greeting chirp, that had Hunk stilling at his table.

He glanced up, and sucked in a harsh breath, filling his lungs with more smoke. It was probably the only thing that kept the sudden surge of anxiety in his stomach from overwhelming him. He had the sudden, urgent need to shove the whole cigarette in his mouth and pretend it was not there.

Instead, he clenched the filter between his teeth and gave Lance a guilty smile. He’d been caught- he’d have to own up to it.

“Two weeks. S’ a far cry shorter than my last stint.” Hunk mused, eyes closing as he blearily focused on himself. He made a soft tiny hum, and patted the bed next to him. “C’mere. Might as well sit down with me- I can steal your heat n’ you can relax.”

His double looked like he hadn’t really rested at all since the incident had happened. Which… as also someone who was a guilty and anxious man when shit went wrong that could be attributed to him in one way or another, he knew the other probably had not been eating or sleeping all that well.

He lifted one side of his blanket in welcome. “Well… I’m okay now. Just gotta rest to restore blood, but I’m all fixed. I can breathe okay, I can move okay… Nothin’ hurts.”

   He sat down next to his double. Running his hand through his hair out of stress, “I don’t think I want to know about your last stint. I’m sure it was a lot worse than this.” Thankfully, he is alive now; which made him content. Even if he didn’t show it. 

Hunk could use some good cup of joe right about now. Yet, it was one of the rare moments where he felt lazy. Not wanting to move. In addition, his doppleganger probably needed so much needed warmth after that incident. It was something he could at least provide. 

He slumped sleepily onto his double, and cuddled close. Hunk was cuddly- incredibly cuddly. Particularly when he was cold, and when he needed to warm up. Lance was usually his main victim of choice for cuddling- but his Lance was not here. So, the guilty feeling double would have to do.