"Lie with me" Lance patted the empty spot on his bed
"In a minute" Keith dismissed, pacing with a frown
"You said that a varga ago"
"A what? Nevermind" Keith mumbled. Lance swung his legs off the bed and stood in front of Keith, grabbing his hand and spinnning him into his chest. Keith cried out in surprise before laughing as Lance forced him to slow dance. Lance lay his chin on Keith's head, his arms snaking around his lower back pulling him close
"I know you're stressed about being the Black Lion's Paladin, but we're a team. You may be the head and the leader but we all have the same responsibilies, the same fight, you're not alone in this" Lance said quietly. Keith remained silent as Lance guided him to bed, they lay side by side, Lance absentmindedly playing with his black curls
"I just wanted...I just... I feel like I'm replacing Shiro and I feel like I need to live up to him" Keith struggled to admit, sharing his thoughts was still so new to him
"I get it" Lance rolled onto his side "no one could replace Shiro, just be you, Keith"
"I miss him"
"We all do, I know he helped you a lot, I know he's been the only person in your life to care and I can't surpass that but I hope I can at least help you through this"
"Lance" Keith turned to the Blue Paladin with bleary eyes "why do you have to fuck with my feelings man" he choked a laugh
"Keeeeeefe" Lance crooned scooting close to Keith and enfolding him "I didn't mean to" he fretted. Comforted by Lance's embrace Keith dried his eyes and contiued to laugh
"You're such a goof"
"I'm cradling you in my arms, you could be a little more romantic"
"Oh you're cradling me? I'll be romantic when you remember that I made that move first"
"What? No way! This is MY move"
"Lance I REALLY did cradle you in my arms"
"Shhh you're ruining the moment" Lance hushed onto Keith's neck making him shiver
"Thanks, Lance" Keith smiled, and kissed him on the cheek
"You missed" Lance said, voice low
"You're the sharpshooter" Keith purred. Lance rolled onto Keith and planted a soft kiss on his lips
"Damn right I'm the sharpshooter, you hippo"
"How did you know I love hippos?"
"Wait what?"
"Well...I...Uh..." Keith faltered
"You like...hippos?" Lance questioned
"Oh just shut up already" Keith pulled Lance down onto him and they kissed
"For the record" Lance broke off "I like sharks" and Keith groaned as Lance proceeded to bite his lip.
(/divide/)
Lance and Keith cradled each other, fully clothed as they finally drifted off to sleep after a rough day, Lance's lanky figure curling around Keith's tight ball, one arm draped over him and the other still hidden within Keith's mass of black hair. Neither had slept so soundly since taking residence in the castle, except for the hours within the healing pods. No nightmares visited to the two Paladins, no depressing thoughts passed through. Instead a simple feeling on content warmed them, chasing away the worries that plagued them. There was no 'what ifs?' and 'buts', there was only silence in their minds, blissful and serene. There was only the heat of another body and the caress of smooth skin.
(/divide/)
"So...about hippos" Lance muffled into Keith's shoulder as the Red Paladin finally stirred
"Please don't" he moaned shrinking further into his high collar
"Why d'you like them? They're so...unappealing and uncool"
"Uncool? You're uncool"
"Ouch Keith, ouch" Lance propped himself up on his elbow "seriously though?"
"I guess they it's because they're so unassuming. They look slow, fat and stupid, pretty harmless right? But no, they can kill and they have huge to teeth and they can squash you with that body weight..."
"Wow you weren't kidding..."
"I grew up never seeing many animals in my life, a hippo was one of the first I ever saw in my earliest memories that wasn't through a tv screen, then I had one of those cringey childhood obsessions"
"Like posters,plushies and clothes?"
"Pretty much yeah"
"Damn Keith... that's too adorable for you" Keith blushed and threw his pillow at Lance
"Okay so what about you and Sharks?"
"I pretty much grew up with sharks back home in Cuba, I used to have a fear of water because of them but I would keep tempting fate, like the daredevil I am, and I would learn some defensive techniques and then take to the ocean with my family. I found out the sharks pretty much couldn't careless, they were pretty docile so my fear turned into my passion"
"That's... that's actually pretty cool, Lance"
"I know right! Who'd have thought I was once scared of the ocean- me scared of water?"
"No, I mean the whole swimming with sharks"
"What? Oh yeah, well I guess they have enough food to keep them away from our flesh, I mean I'm irresistable, but obviously attract a different kind of shark" Lance wiggled his eyebrows
"...You did NOT just try to call me a shark for kinks"
"Noooo..." Lance looked sheepish "of course I didn't"
"God, Lance no more weird kinks"
"Alright hippo boy"
"Holy quiznack" Keith almost howled rolling off the bed in an attempt to escape. Lance followed suit and pushed Keith up against the wall before pecking him on the cheek
"Well I'm glad you're in a better mood" He smiled earnestly, Keith blinked and faltered, not expecting Lance's change of attitiude
"I'm glad you're with me, to help us through this, Mr. Right Hand Man"
"OOh I like that" Lance crooned as they kissed again
"Okay we really need to meet the others" Keith slowly pulled himself away from Lance
"Fine" Lance slumped as Keith opened his door.
