One night Keith couldn’t sleep, so he decides to take a thoughtful walk. He passes everyone’s room but stops at Lance’s, he doesn’t 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 it’s 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 Lance’s shoulders. Looking straight at his small pupils trying to find Lance, because even though he’s looking at Keith, it seems he’s not seeing Keith.
A shiver goes up Lance’s spine and Keith can feel it. Lance closes his eyes tightly and when he opens them again he’s 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 Lance’s shoulders. Embarassed, though relieved, he tries to be as casual as possible, trying to avoid Lance’s eyes, when he answers
- I heard you crying… I thought you might be in danger…
Lance takes in the situation, he was having a nightmare, now he remembers…
- It was just a nightmare - He tries to say it nonchalantly (and fails)
- It didn’t seem like “just” a nightmare. - Keith searched for Lance’s eyes once again.
Speechless, Keith’s stare draws him and they spend a moment in silence. Finally Lance speaks in a rather irritated tone
- I’m not this fragile ok? It’s just..
- Hey man, - Keith puts a hand on Lance’s shoulder - I have nightmares too. I wake up in tears more often than I’d like to admit…
Lance is surprised by Keith’s tenderness. He places his hand on Keith’s - During the day I’m either too caught up in the adrenaline or too exhausted to think about… to think.
- I never stop thinking to be honest…
- Is that why you’re always brooding? - Lance smirks - That can’t 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 Lance’s shoulder and Lance still has his hand on Keith’s. Yet none of them moves.
- So… Are you ok? - Keith asks truly worried
- So… uhm… I guess I’ll just go back to..
Keith blinks at loss while Lance looks at him with suspicion.
- I just… couldn’t sleep.
Lance sighs. Of course Keith won’t open up. Not even to him. And like Keith could read his thoughts, he said
- I just don’t know how to talk about… Stuff… - Lance could see that just these words were hard for him to let out.
- It’s fine. - He assures Keith.
Keith drops his hand and Lance grows uneasy. Keith shifts and it seems like he’s 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 “buddy” but it didn’t 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 doesn’t seem that Keith got the indirect sugestion when he responds - Well, I grew up without a mom and my father’s texan so he wasn’t the most sensible guy… I guess I kinda take it after him…
- Did you miss your mom growing up?
- I sure missed having someone to nest me when I couldn’t sleep…
- 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 Lance’s tone never seized to astonish Keith.
- Well… - Keith felt lighter in Lance’s presence - I did craddle you that time…
- I still don’t know what you’re talking about. - Lance faked an oblivious expression.
- Well… Since I totally don’t 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 Keith’s free arm and with the other he stroke Keith’s hair. They fitted each other easily.
It didn’t 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 they’re the heads of Voltron now! - Hunk protested with his mouth full
- I don’t even know how they didn’t 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 “the heads of Voltron”, everyone is equally valuable and therefore everyone must wake at the same time! Coran, - Allura urged
- I’ll 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. “Alright, he must be at the training room as always… I’ll get Lance and then I’ll go after him.” He settled.
- Sir, it is unacceptable that I have to come here to wake you at least twice a week…- He had entered Lance’s 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 Keith’s nape and the other dangling from the bed. Keith was on top of him, face burried in Lance’s shirt, taking deep breaths, and both arms enfolding him. The latter had his right leg over Keith’s left one and the left one under Keith’s 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 ISN’T 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 :)