Just a little follow up vignette of sorts that comes after One Man's Nightmare. Apparently when I am super-stressed, Keith gets major insomnia issues...
Standard disclaimer: I don't own anything except the voices in my head, WEP owns all the characters.
Night cloaks the sleek Castle of Lions in murky shadows. Few lights glow from the windows adorning the large edifice while most of the building's inhabitants lie dreaming in their beds as the hours slip silently by.
Princess Allura finds herself awakened from a deep sleep by the insistent scraping of tiny claws on the exposed skin of her arm. Blinking in confusion, she lifts her head and notices the small blue mouse perched on the swell of her hip.
"What is it, Chitter? Is there something wrong?" Allura's blue eyes grow large in alarm. Fearing an attack by the forces of Doom, all traces of slumber disappear from her features instantly.
The rodent begins gesticulating wildly as he lets out a series of loud squeaks and chirps.
"Slow down, Chitter. What about Keith?"
The mouse stills momentarily, breathing heavily, before resuming his high pitched litany. He ends with an emphatic squawk and sweep of his paws, causing the princess's eyes to widen further with distress.
"Are you sure?"
The mouse nods his head violently in response.
"For that long?" Her voice rises in concern. "Does he know that you've been keeping tabs on him?" she asks, narrowing her eyes.
Chitter blushes, his pastel blue fur taking on a faint lavender hue. He shakes his head quickly from side to side.
Allura sighs. "Alright, I'll go talk to him, OK?" The mouse moves to follow her, but she turns back to face him. "Alone…" she utters commandingly, waggling a finger in his direction. "I have a feeling that he's not going to be happy when I show up as it is. I don't want to have to explain you being there too."
The princess quietly slips along the deserted corridors of the castle as she makes her way to the lounge that the team uses for a ready room. Seeing light seeping from beneath the door, she steels herself for what she might find on the other side. One delicate hand reaches out to trigger the door release and the princess waits for the portal to open fully before cautiously crossing the threshold. As she steps into the brightly lit room, she sees Keith already facing her with one dark eyebrow raised questioningly.
"Everything OK, Princess?" he asks quietly, concern coloring his voice. "What are you doing up? It's the middle of the night." His brows furrow as he frowns with worry.
"I could ask you the same thing, Keith. Is everything alright with you?" She crosses her arms tightly across her chest, attempting to keep the chill air of the room from slipping through the thin fabric of her nightgown.
"I'm fine," he answers brusquely, a hint of confusion in his tone. "Now, why are you out of bed this late?" He crosses the room, stopping only to grab a pink lap blanket from the arm of the couch. He gently drapes it across her shoulders, his hands lingering for a moment, before he drops his arms to his sides and takes a small step backwards.
"I… ummm… just woke up…" She stammers out, refusing to meet his gaze.
"And decided to wander the castle in your nightgown?" he asks in disbelief. "Well at least you aren't chasing a white lion into the woods this time." He sighs softly before regarding her tenderly. "You should go back to bed, Princess. You don't want to risk catching a cold wandering around dressed like that," he murmurs quietly. Stepping forward, he places a hand on the small of her back, intending to escort her to her room.
She takes a step, moving herself just out of his reach. "No, Keith," She shakes her head slowly. "I'm not going back to bed yet. You promised that you'd tell me if you were having trouble sleeping again. And since you're still dressed," she runs her eyes up and down his body before catching his eye, "I'd wager that you haven't even tried to go to sleep yet. Please, Keith, tell me what's wrong," she pleads as tears well up, blurring her vision.
"Nothing's wrong. I just wasn't tired yet. C'mon, I'll walk you back to your room and then I'll go to bed, OK?" He closes the distance and presses his hand gently against her back again, urging her towards the door.
Allura nods silently, her shoulders sagging in defeat. She allows the captain to lead her into the hallway. With his hand planted firmly against the small of her back, he guides her through the empty corridors until they reach her suite of rooms. Keith reaches out with his free hand and keys in the access code for the door. As it slides open, he draws her close for a brief, but tender, kiss and a hug that seems a little too tight for a mere good night gesture. "Night, Princess," he whispers softly into her ear before releasing his hold on her.
As he starts to pull back, she tightens her grip, refusing to let him go. He exhales softly as his eyes close. The captain replaces his arms around her and gently caresses her back. They just stand there, locked in their private moment, neither speaking as they simply cling to one another. Before long, Keith breaks the spell as he bends his head to murmur in her ear, "It's late, Allura, you really should go back to bed now."
She shivers slightly as his warm breath slides along her exposed skin, his lips a hair's breadth from her ear. The princess merely nods in response, not trusting her voice to obey her commands with him this close. She lifts her face from his shoulder and their lips meet for another soft, slow kiss. As they pull apart, she studies his face; notes the pallor of his skin, the dullness of his eyes, and the slight darkening of the skin beneath them. Reaching up, she gently strokes his cheek before allowing him to end their embrace. Turning, she steps into her room and closes the door. Leaning back against the panel, she slowly counts to five before opening it again. Quickly looking both ways along the hallway, she sees that the coast is clear, slips from her room, and heads back to the lounge.
Allura reaches her destination and sees light escaping beneath the closed door. A scowl forms on her face before she palms the door open and storms in. Keith whirls around in surprise at the telltale swish of the panel sliding open. His jaw drops as the princess enters, her posture that of a cat stalking her prey. Grimacing, he gulps loudly as she draws near, his hands rising defensively.
"Allura? Didn't I just leave you in your room? I thought you were going back to bed…"
"And I thought you were going to your room to get some sleep!" she snaps at him angrily, her eyes flashing furiously. "Looks like we were both wrong," she finishes quietly, her eyes narrowed.
His shoulders slump as he hears the pain and anger in her voice. "I'm sorry," he whispers, his eyes downcast. "Look, I knew I wasn't going to be able to sleep, so there was no point just lying there, staring at the ceiling above my bed, alright?" He sinks to the couch, his energy visibly dissipating.
Watching him sag, the princess feels her remaining anger fade and her concern for him grow. Slipping into the seat beside him, she takes one of his hands in hers.
"Please talk to me, Keith. What's keeping you up this time? You don't think Haggar tried her spell on you again do you?" Her eyes widen with worry as she gently strokes the back of his hand with her thumb.
He melts against her, clinging like a frightened child. "No, I don't think she's responsible for this bout of insomnia." His voice is think and muffled as he mumbles into her shoulder and allows himself to sink further into her embrace.
"Then what do you think it is?" She pulls back slightly, seeking an answer in his face.
He averts his eyes and screws up his lips before quietly muttering a single word, "Stress?" He looks at her and shrugs apologetically.
"Why don't you tell me what's causing the stress. Maybe I can help…"
"I don't think so, Princess," he says, shaking his head gently. "Just give me some time to work through it on my own ok?" He looks up at her with big watery eyes. Smirking, Keith begins to bat his eyelashes at her.
Unable to help herself, Allura lets out a small giggle before shaking her head in resignation and swatting his arm playfully. Shifting slightly, she burrows into Keith's arms and melts into his embrace. "Fine, have it your way," she murmurs against his chest. "But, you either get yourself sorted out within the next few days or you need to tell me what's going on and go see Doctor Gorma, understand?"
"I understand, Princess." He whispers into her hair as he closes his eyes and presses his lips against the silken strands. "Now, you really should get back to bed."
She sighs softly as his voice rumbles through his chest, vibrating like a kitten's purr beneath her ear.
"No, we're going to put you to bed first this time. I think I have an idea that might help you sleep."
Keith rolls his eyes, thankful that the princess can't see his face as she plucks at the white stripe on his sleeve. Exhaling deeply, he resigns himself to her decision, realizing that he has no other choice at this point.
Suddenly, Allura leaps from the sofa and pulls him to his feet behind her. Dragging the captain along by the hand, she quickly brings them to the door to his quarters. When he doesn't immediately reach out to key the door open, she turns to face him, one delicate eyebrow raised, a smirk on her lips. "So, should I guess your code or just use an override to open the door?"
The captain lets out a resigned sigh as he reaches out and reluctantly taps the proper sequence of keys in order to open the door. Without waiting for the panel to retract completely, Allura clasps his hand and tugs, causing him to stumble through the entryway in her wake. Once inside, she releases his hand and heads from the small living space into his bedroom. Stopping short, she turns back, facing Keith once more. "Ummm… I don't know where you keep your pajamas…" she utters sheepishly, a faint blush staining her cheeks.
Stunned, he simply stares at her and blinks, a bemused expression on his face. When he doesn't react after a minute or so, she takes a step toward the dresser that dominates one wall of the room. "If you don't tell me, I'll just have to go through every drawer until I find them." Allura reaches for the first drawer's handle, yanking it open and tossing the items she finds over her shoulder onto the floor of the room.
Keith suddenly snaps out of his trance, more concerned about the mess she's making than what she might find. "Stop! They're in that drawer, Princess." He points to the other side of the dresser as he speaks. Watching as Allura moves in the direction he indicated, he frowns as she reaches out again. "No, the bottom one."
The princess opens the drawer indicated and grabs a pair of pajamas from the pile within. She carries them back to the captain and lays them on the small table before the sofa. She then turns to Keith, a wicked gleam in her eye. He narrows his own eyes in response and slowly backs away from her as she approaches. "Allura…"
She giggles. "Keith, relax. I just wanted to give you a hug. You really are high strung tonight."
He manages to look contrite as he closes the distance between them, opening his arms to her. "I'm sorry, Princess," he murmurs into her hair as he wraps her in his embrace. He closes his eyes and breathes deeply as he feels her hands reach up to rub his back soothingly.
"Alright, Keith, let's see if we can't get you to sleep now, OK?" She pats his back gently as she slowly pulls back, disengaging herself from him.
He nods silently, scoops up the pajamas from the table, and makes his way to the bathroom.
While he changes his clothes and brushes his teeth, the princess turns down the comforter on his bed and then sits on the foot of the mattress waiting for Keith's return.
A few minutes later, he slowly pads from the bathroom and approaches Allura where she sits on the bed. He stops before her and studies her upturned face for a moment before reaching down to cup her head in his hands and lean in for a kiss. His lips caress hers softly and she can taste mint on his breath. When he releases her, she just sits there breathless for a minute before she can regain her composure. Standing slowly, she reaches out and begins undoing the buttons of his shirt. He grasps her hands, halting her progress before she can start on the third one.
"Allura…" his voice is a cross between a low moan and a warning, his chest heaving slightly beneath their clasped hands.
"Shhhh, just trust me, Keith," she whispers softly, slipping her hands from his and resuming her task. After making short work of the remaining buttons, she reaches inside to place her hands onto the firm planes of his abdomen. She feels his muscles tighten in response to her touch. Running her hands up his chest, she hears his breath catch and grow shallow. A smile crosses the princess's face as she feels the gentle thumping of her captain's heart speed up beneath her fingers. When she reaches his shoulders, she slides her hands towards his arms, coaxing the shirt from his trim frame. As the fabric falls into a heap on the floor, he leans forward, capturing her lips in another tender kiss.
When they part once more, she whispers quietly, "OK, Keith, into bed with you." Allura follows Keith around the bed, instructing him to lie on his stomach as he moves to settle onto the mattress. Once he stills, she climbs onto the bed and sits straddling his thighs. Leaning forward, she gently, but firmly, runs her hands along his back, gently probing the tight muscles beneath her fingers. She works slowly, teasing the knots from his shoulders, coaxing occasional contented moans from him in the process. As she switches between soft caresses and firm kneading strokes, Allura can feel the man beneath her begin to relax. Before long, his breathing evens out, growing slow and regular. The princess continues to work his muscles for a while longer, allowing herself to enjoy the feeling of his skin beneath her fingers.
Once she is confident that he is asleep, Allura slips from her perch on Keith's thighs and flips the blanket over his still form. She bends down, tenderly smooths the hair from his face, and places a gentle kiss on his temple. As she straightens, his hand snakes out from beneath the pillow and clasps her wrist. She lets out a soft gasp as he pulls her down and captures her mouth with his. When he finally releases her, she sighs quietly and takes a seat next to him on the bed. "I thought you were asleep," she murmurs gently.
He rolls over onto his side and leaning on his elbow, props his head on his hand. Keith studies her face, a wry twist to his lips. "I'm sorry, Princess. I tried to fall asleep, honest. If I wasn't so wide awake, that massage would definitely have done the trick." He catches one of her hands in his free one and brings it up to skim across his lips. "Thank you for trying."
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" She runs her fingers through the waves of hair sticking out at odd angles from his head, carefully trying to smooth them back into place.
"It's nothing, Allura, don't worry about it."
Her hand falls from his head, gently grazing his cheek before settling in her lap. "Keith, you have barely slept all week. That's not nothing, and don't tell me not to worry about you. It's in my job description."
He raises an eyebrow as she speaks, "So the job description of 'Princess of Arus' includes worrying about me? And how did you know how long I've been having trouble sleeping?" His eyes narrow as he finishes, his voice tight.
Allura blushes and looks away, swallowing hard. "Chitter's been keeping an eye on you again and he told me. And before you ask, no I didn't put him up to it; he worries about you too. That's why he felt the need to tell me," she turns back and catches his eye, "your girlfriend, not the Princess of Arus, that something was wrong with you." Tears well in her eyes as she reaches up with one hand, and using the pads of her fingers, smooths the frown from his eyebrows, caresses the line of his jaw, and traces the curves of his lips. "I can't help but worry about you, Keith. I love you." She whispers.
His expression softens as his dark eyes search her face. He reaches out, threading his fingers into her soft blonde hair, cupping her head and pulling her down until their foreheads meet. Keith rubs the tip of his nose against hers before touching his lips to hers. "I love you, too, Princess," he murmurs against her mouth before capturing it in a kiss. As they embrace, Keith feels something within him release; the anxiety he'd been feeling dissipating. In this moment, there is nothing but the two of them. They are merely two people in love. There are no differences in status to worry about. There is no war torn planet to defend. There are no threats to plan for. In this moment he realizes one thing with a sudden clarity. He is home. She is his home and that is all that matters.
Their lips part, leaving them both panting for air. "You," he breathes.
She looks at him, bewildered. "What about me, Keith?"
"You asked what was stressing me and keeping me awake at night."
She searches his eyes, "I don't understand."
He sighs deeply, sits up slowly. He gazes into her eyes, holding her attention. "I guess I was just worried that you would decide this was a mistake. Worried that I didn't have what it took to fit into your world. Worried that you'd wake up and realize how far from a prince I am."
She snorts, stifling a giggle. "Keith, don't you get it yet? You're more noble and worthy than any Prince I've met."
He smiles sheepishly, a faint blush on his cheeks. A small yawn escapes his lips.
"Think you will be able to sleep now?" Allura asks quietly, playfully running the tip of a finger down the length of his nose.
"I hope so." He catches her finger and kisses it gently before lying back and settling himself beneath the blanket.
"Good." Allura bends over and presses her lips against his forehead. "G'night, Keith." She stands and tucks him in more securely before grazing her lips against his once more.
"Night, Princess," he breathes sleepily, his eyes already sliding closed.
As she slips from the room, she catches a hint of pale blue fur dashing past her. Allura shakes her head and chuckles softly, a small smile on her lips. "Poor Keith. Chitter is never going to let him get away with anything now." Fighting back a yawn of her own, the princess makes her way to her room and her bed to resume her own interrupted night's sleep.