Keith wasn't sure if seven people constituted a party – six if Coran, who was busy running around playing server, didn't count. Keith really wasn't sure – he hadn't exactly been to many parties back on Earth. At all.

What he was sure about was that the space punch that Coran had whipped up tasted progressively better as the night went on. Especially the longer he watched Shiro and Allura interact from where he stood against the wall.

Keith stiffened slightly as he felt an arm sling over his shoulder. "Keeeith," Lance slurred. "Whatcha lookin' at?"

"Nothing," he said hotly, turning his gaze.

Lance looked over at where Shiro and Allura stood. A smirk spread across his face and he leaned a little closer. "Man, those two are totally into each other."

"No. No. They are not," Keith shook his head stubbornly.

"Keith, Keith, Keith. Deny it all you want, my man, but they are definitely flirting," Lance said, smirk stretching even wider across his face. He let out a dramatic sigh. "Guess there goes my chance at getting with Allura." Keith rolled his eyes.

The space punch affected all of them differently. Lance was just more. His gestures were exaggerated, he was more talkative, and it seemed like he was trying even harder than usual to get on Keith's nerves. The space punch seemed to animate Pidge and calm Hunk down, and the two were off having an apparently hilarious conversation about tech. Allura smiled and laughed more easily, and Shiro… A light flush dusted his cheeks and he stumbled a little bit every now and then, but he mostly seemed more at ease, bolder, more generous with his touches.

Allura giggled at something Shiro said, and he grinned that beautiful grin of his before tucking a stray tendril of hair behind her ear. Keith wanted to punch something.

"Whoa, man, calm down. You are tense," Lance said, feeling the way the muscles in Keith's shoulders had gone rigid as he clenched his fists.

"Am not!" Keith snapped.

"Uh huh," Lance rolled his eyes.

"W-whatever!"

"Just ignore them," Lance said, smoothly guiding him away from the wall and back to the punch table Coran had been diligently refilling. "Bet I can down one of these faster than you can."

Keith slipped a glance over at Shiro, his human hand now on Allura's arm. He frowned, then met Lance's eyes. "You're on."

"Best four out of six," Lance slurred as Keith slammed his empty cup down on the table. "I mean seven. Four out of seven. Don't correct me. Dropout."

"At least I'm not a… a sore loser," Keith retorted, tongue slow. "And yeah, fine. If you like… if you like losing so badly, then fine. I'll beat you again."

"I don't think that's advisable, paladins," Coran said, sliding into the picture. "I think you're, ah, as they say, 'cut off'."

"Nnh, fine," Keith said, stumbling. He crashed into a wall.

"Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Watch it," Lance said, fumbling over and crushing a lanky arm around Keith's back and shoulders, pressing him further into the wall.

"What are you doing," Keith mumbled.

"Helping you walk. Duh," Lance said, tugging on him, causing them to both fall to the ground, a tangle of limbs.

"Get off," Keith grunted.

"Make me."

Keith sighed, realizing the room was spinning a little too much for him to get back up anyway. "Whatever," he said, and decided here was as good a place as any for a nap.

"Hey, buddy," a familiar voice said, rousing him. It was a nice voice. He liked that voice. "C'mon. Let's get you to bed."

"Nnh?" Keith murmured, eloquent as ever. He shifted. Lance was gone.

"Come on. Up you go." A pair of strong arms – one colder than Keith felt it ought to be – lifted him up. He took a deep breath, Shiro's scent lingering. He sighed and leaned into him as he swayed.

He let Shiro guide him back to his room, leaning heavily against him the whole time. He liked his arm on him.

As Shiro deposited him on his bed, Keith tugged on his human hand, urging him to stay.

Shiro sat down beside him on the bed. "Did you have a good night?" Shiro's voice asked.

"Mm. No," he mumbled.

"No? You looked like you were having fun with Lance."

"Rather be having fun with you," Keith murmured. "But you were too busy flirting with… with Allura."

Shiro let out a soft chuckle. "What?" But the blush that spread across his face under his scar told Keith all he needed to know.

"'S fine," he mumbled. "Whatever."

"Keith…" Shiro looked at him with that concerned crease in his brow, the one that drove him crazy.

"Stay tonight?" Keith asked before he could regret it, clumsily grabbing Shiro's human arm.

"I… I dunno if that's a good idea," Shiro said hesitantly.

"Not like that," Keith said, frowning. His frown was petulant, but the hurt from his rejection was reflected in his puppy dog eyes.

"No, that's not it. It's just… I have nightmares sometimes, Keith," he admitted, his voice soft. "I'm not sure if it's a good idea for anyone to be around me when I'm sleeping. I don't want to end up hurting someone."

Keith's frown shifted from sullen to concerned. "Are they bad?"

"…Sometimes."

"Then- then you should have someone around. Whether that's me or… or Allura. Just… someone," he murmured.

Shiro gave him a soft smile. Keith recognized that smile; it was the one he usually gave before reassuring him he'd be fine. "Keith…"

"I don't want you to be alone," Keith blurted out. "It'll- it'll make me feel better, 'kay? I can handle myself. So-so can Allura." He grabbed his arm more tightly. "You won't hurt anyone. Don't need to be scared."

Shiro studied him. Keith felt a little nervous, those beautiful slate eyes fixed so intently on him, but he also felt emboldened. "Stay?" Keith asked again.

"…Alright," Shiro relented. He climbed to the other side of the bed so that his Galra arm was out of reach.

Keith smiled contentedly and snuggled closer. "Shiro?"

"Yeah, buddy?"

"I changed my mind," he said, words slurring together as sleep crept into his voice.

"Yeah?"

"It was a good night after all," he said. He felt the steady rise and fall of Shiro's chest as he breathed, and Keith fell asleep with a smile.