Drabble 4-Comfort

Lance felt an uncomfortable warmness inside of him as he trudged back to his room. That feeling of embarrassment from crying in front of the team...It didn't sit well with him. He was the goofball. He was the happy-go-lucky sharpshooter that flirted with everybody. He was the one that made everyone happy, that was his job! But with him getting carried away, talking about his family like that, well, he's pretty sure he got fired from his nonexistent job.

He had managed to pull himself together out there on the deck, surrounded by his friends-his family. His new family. Pidge's family. He was happy for her, really he was. But that didn't stop the knot of jealousy in the pit of his stomach as he watched her interact with her brother and father. He would kill to see his mom and siblings again.

Now that he was in his room, the tightness in his chest became unbearable. His emotions overtook his thoughts as heartache seeped into his being, wrapping him up like a cold blanket. He didn't bother holding back the tears he had been fighting back for so long. He just let himself go. He cried over his family back on earth. His cousins, his dog, his cousin's dog. Keith, too, because despite all their fighting it was all in good fun.

Loss was what he was crying for. He's lost his family. He's lost one of his best friends. He lost his hero. Or, maybe Shiro was never really interested in teaching him in the first place. Sometimes it was really hard to tell.

On top of all of that it was battle after battle, mission after mission, just nonstop. Lance was more than just a little tired. He was physically and emotionally exhausted. He just wanted to go to sleep, and maybe if he was lucky he wouldn't wake up.

A knocking at his door knocked him out of his thoughts, and he all too suddenly felt ashamed. Ashamed for crying and being so weak. Ashamed for not being able to be as strong as the others. He was sure Hunk and Shiro missed their families just as much as he missed his. There was no need for him to be a big baby about it. Right?

"Lance?" Someone said through the door. Was that...Was that Sam Holt?

Lance quickly wiped his tears away and stood up. He straightened out his jacket the best he could, and made sure his hair wasn't a complete mess before he let Sam in. He stood there, tired and prematurely graying, but despite everything that's happened to him he was giving Lance a warm, kindhearted smile.

"Hey, Sam, what's up?" He asked, trying his best to sound like he hadn't just been crying. He probably looked like he had been though, despite his minimal effort. He gave Sam a smile, though, because that's what he does. That's what he's always sort of done. Even back on Earth, he would give Hunk a smile after he got yelled at by Iverson.

But Sam was different. He had two kids, and could probably read them better than a science magazine. So in other words, he saw right through Lance and his smile.

"Can I come in?" He asked. Lance nodded and moved out of the way, letting the older man through. Sam didn't bother looking around the room. No, he was much more occupied with the person who lived in it.

"Is everything okay, Lance?" He asked as soon as the door shut. Lance just stared at him, unable to form the proper words. He wanted to say yes, but his heart told him no. Everything was most certainly not okay.

Sam seemed to understand Lance's internal struggle, because then he opened up his arms. Lance didn't register what had happened next until the tears came back, and Sam's strong arms wrapped around him comfortingly and protectively. He held Lance as he cried some more, rubbing his back and humming something quiet. Something that, even if they were back on the bridge, only Lance would be able to hear it. It was for him and him only, and somehow that made it both better and worse.

They stayed like that for a few more minutes before letting go. Lance sniffled and apologized for ruining Sam's clothes with his tears and snot, but Sam just waved it off.

"It's not like it can't be washed," he said. Lance could only nod. He let out a tired sigh and sat on his bed. Sam, without prompt, sat next to him.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sam asked.

"You know what?" Lance asked, thinking for a moment. "You're going back to Earth, right?"

"Yeah, that's the plan," Sam replied.

"Do you think you could do me a favor then? My family needs to know that I'm...I'm okay."

"I think I might be able to help with that," Sam smiled. Lance chuckled and leaned back a little, letting his tense muscles relax.

"Thank you."