Thump, thump, thump. The steps echo off the halls and in his head, so perfectly in sync he can't tell if there are two or a dozen. All he knows is he needs to count the steps. Memorize the patterns. If he's ever going to see home again, ever to get a chance to warn everyone what's coming, he has to do this perfectly. One mistake and he fails...But hasn't he already made that mistake? He feels like he has. In the wish wash of his thoughts and rising panics. He feels like he's already missed days of counting. He's been sleeping when he should have been awake. Drifting when he should have paid attention.
It's already too late. Yes, that's right, he's already failed. The Galra found Earth. Cut through her hopelessly primitive defenses and subjugated her people. The Garrison didn't stand a chance. Oh god, Keith. Is he here? He can't be here. No one he loved was ever supposed to see the insides of these cells. He needs to see. Needs to make sure. He stumbles down the hall. It's so hard to move. He walking, but he's so slow. Everything delayed and blurry. He can still hear the patrols behind him, though, thumping in unison. He isn't supposed to be in the halls. He needs to hide, before they find him, but he needs to find Keith.
Cell after cell, he's searching as hard as he can, but it's so hard to focus. Everything is so fuzzy. Impossible to really look at, but Keith is here somewhere. He knows that for certain. There is laughter up ahead. It's familiar in its cruelty. Guards, flesh and blood so much worse than robots, capable of boredom, willingly to break and bleed those who can't fight back for a moment of entertainment. He's found them. Keith is with them. Keith is at their feet. There's blood, and he can't see his face. Shiro needs to get to him.
"Shiro" Keith's calling his name as one of the Galra grabs his arm. They're trying to stop him. He tears at it, shoves, punches. Keith is still saying his name. He hits it. Gets it to finally let go. Keith is just over there he has to protect him. Take him away from this.
Something unseen slams into him. It hits him all at once face, elbows, and knees. Then just as suddenly he can see it large and flat. Alien? There is grey stretching across his vision. It doesn't make sense. He doesn't understand. "Shiro," the voice is to his left, away from where he was attacked. It's too quiet for the fight. He turns himself towards it, he can't let his guard down. He activates his arm, readies himself for the new threat, or is it old threat? One of the Galra guards ready to take advantage of his turned back, maybe? It's beside him, close, too close. It could gut him, but it doesn't move towards him. It sits still, just looking at him. It's not making sense. It's…It's…It's Keith.
Keith is sitting beside him in nothing but his boxers. He tears his eyes away from him. Looks to where Keith is supposed to be. Nothing. Searches the room for the Galra that attacked them, but no ones there. Keith and him are alone, and this isn't a cell. How? "Shiro," Keith's voice is so soft, soothing. Shiro focuses on him. "Are you with me baby?"
With him? It's hard to think. His breathing is too hard, heart rate too fast, arm still glowing ready to attack. Shiro swallows. Closes his eyes. Tries to calm just a bit. Just enough to think. Forces his breath to slow just a little.
His scattered thoughts start to come back together, and just like that he knows what happened. Nightmare. He reopens his eyes. He's alone with Keith in their bedroom on the Castle of the Lions. They're both on the floor. Why are they on the floor? Oh god, he didn't. "Keith," his voice shakes as he meets the others eyes, reaches out with his flesh and blood hand, "I didn't-I didn't hurt you? Please tell me, I didn't." He lashes out sometimes. It's the only reasonable answer for their current position.
Keith grasps his reaching hand squeezing it tight, "You didn't." Keith scoots closer to him, moving his free hand to cup Shiro's face. "I promise you didn't" He says. Shiro doesn't believe, but he doesn't resist when Keith pulls him forward, "Come here." Shiro's never been strong enough to deny himself this. He buries his head in Keith's neck and holds on tight. Letting the comfort of Keith's arms drain the last of the nightmare's fear away.
They stay like that for a long time. Until he can barely recall the details of the dream. Keith is the first to move, a slight shift of discomfort. The floor isn't carpeted, and their position isn't the most ideal for long periods of time. As much as he may never want to move, he can't keep Keith here all night. He takes one last deep breath, squeezes hard, then pulls away. "You should go back to sleep." He says, motioning for Keith to return to their bed.
"We should go back to sleep." Keith replies. He's kept Keith up too long. Instead of sleepy compliant Keith, who will do whatever he suggests. His Keith is wide awake, heels dug in and ready to fight. He's always been stubborn.
"I threw you out of bed." He says. Trying to reason with him. He's already attack Keith once tonight, he really couldn't deal with the guilt of doing it twice.
"You didn't throw me out of bed. I fell out bed." Keith says.
Shiro gives him a flat look in response. "That excuse is about as good as 'I ran into a door knob'."
Keith's expression reminds him of an unhappy cat. Offended, annoyed, and seriously considering clawing him. Shiro thankfully has enough self-preservation instinct not to smile at the thought. "It's the truth," Keith hisses, "I woke up because you were calling my name. I tried to shake you awake, but then you jerked. It surprised me and I fell backwards out of bed."
"Seriously? I surprised you and you fell out of bed." Shiro doesn't try to hide the disbelief in his voice.
"It's the truth." Keith said indignantly. He honestly looks mildly embarrassed. Shiro can't help the snort-laugh that comes out in response. "You fell out of bed too you know." Keith says. Shiro full on laughs at that. He can't help it.
Keith glances away, but he has a tiny smile. Shiro has to kiss him. Keith startles, but kisses him back hard nearly immediately afterwards. He ends up stealing two more kisses before their done.
Their still on the floor, foreheads pressed together, when Keith speaks, "We should go back to sleep."
Shiro sighs. He's not going to win this one, "Fine, we should go back to sleep." He gets another smile and a peck on the lips for his concession, before Keith drags him back up to the mattress. Arranging Shiro exactly how he wants him, like he's Keith's own personal teddy bear. As he drifts back to sleep, Keith passed back out in his arms, he's never been so happy to lose.