Ch 26: Keith is Tired

Keith appreciated what everyone is doing, and a distraction is nice, but god he's tired. He knows he needs to get out, but couldn't they have just brought him to, like, the diner? His breakfast with Hunk was nice, a good break from wallowing.
Why does Lance always have to...be so….extra?
Now he's stuck in a fucking 'haunted' hotel, some foreign place he doesn't know where he will have to sleep in some foreign bed after wandering the halls like a damn idiot for god knows how long. Granted he isn't exactly sleeping these days anyways but fuck, why can't Lance just leave him be?
All he wants is to rest.
All he wants is to sit on his brother's couch and watch tv with him and possibly Matt and Pidge in peace and quiet and maybe share memories of their uncles. Is that so much to ask?
What fucking good is it to drag him here? If they think it's best he's not at Shiro's they they should just have fucking planned to go home tomorrow or something.
Actually scratch that, he doesn't wanna go home tomorrow.
He doesn't wanna go back to his apartment at all right now.
Maybe he should ask Shiro if he can live with them for a while.
No...no. He grew up and moved out, he needs to live on his own.
With Pidge.
Pidge definitely needs to stay.
Maybe they can look at houses when they get back? Does he want to live in that area forever? He's not really sure.
Maybe just a new apartment.
He does like his apartment, though.
Maybe nothing is going to make him happy right now and he just needs to accept that.
You know what would make him a little happier, though?
Not being around Lance right now.
He can't deal with Lance's…..Lanceness right now. It takes so much energy on a good day to keep up with him, let alone right now.
Here he is, though, at Shanley's hotel on their fandom's dime so he can't leave without being a massive piece of shit.
Lance and Hunk are getting things set up in the entry way of the hotel, and Keith quietly takes Pidge's hand, sneaking off to the Roosevelt room before throwing himself on the bed, soon joined by Pidge and Rover.
"Need a moment?" She asks and he lets out a noise, "Gottcha. I'll let them know we will come out when we are ready. They can record together for a while."
"This is...too much." Keith mumbles, burying his face into the large decorative pillow, "Why is Lance always so fucking much, Pidge?"
"If he wasn't he wouldn't be Lance," She points out, sighing heavily, "It's both his most endearing and most annoying trait."
"It's amazing how he manages that." Keith mumbles and she lets out a quiet laugh.
"It is." Pidge reaches a hand out to hold Keith's nearest to her, "Let's not waste precious quiet time on Lance."
Keith hums in agreement, letting out a heavy sigh and squeezing her hand and Rover curls up on his back. The three of them lay like this for god knows how long, Keith's pretty sure he dozed off at some point, but when he wakes up he turns his head to see Pidge exactly where she was, holding his hand with one of hers while playing something on her phone with the other. He doesn't know what he'd do without her.
Probably punch Lance, honestly.
He groans. Lance. How is it that when his mind starts back up it always goes to him?
Were crushes always this exhausting? He's pretty sure they weren't.
Lance is just an all around exhausting person, so of course having a crush on him would be exhausting too, he reasons.
Dark tired eyes meet curious and gentle green ones, "You up, buddy?" Pidge asks and he groans.
"I don't wanna be."
"We can stay in here longer." She offers, "They can do it without us. We didn't exactly ask what you wanted."
"I don't want anything." Keith mumbles, "Nothing said or done can make me feel better right now. Whether we are here, or Shiro and Matt's, or our place. None of it is what I want."
"You know what I think you want?"
"Hm?"
"A therapist," Pidge suggests, "I think when we get home you should look into one."
"Yeah. That sounds like a plan." Keith agrees before Pidge receives a text.
"Oh, good news, the guys said you don't have to come along. I do, though, because they are still babies. They only have a few more rooms to go through so you can just stay here if you want."
"No," Keith groans, sitting up, "Our fans gave us money to do this, I'm not gonna do that to them." He gets off the bed, turning back to it so Rover can jump into his arms, "But I'm definitely getting Hunk for the night. And this room."
Pidge groans, "Fine, I'll stay with Lance this time." She huffs, "He's gonna be the fucking worst tonight, I just know it. I'm gonna be bombarded with 'Is Keith ok? Did I mess up? Does Keith hate me? Keith this Keith that I'm obsessed with Keith right now and everyone has to suffer for it'. Fucking gag me."
Keith laughs a little, "Imagine being Keith."
Pidge laughs, "You got me there." She hops out of bed and walks ahead of him, leading him to where Lance and Hunk are.
"Hey, guys!" Lance gives the an empty smile, filled with aggravation, "You've missed a resounding zero paranormal interactions!" He exclaims and they both laugh.
"What? Nooo." Pidge and Keith say in unison and Lance crosses his arms.
"I don't think I like your tone."
Pidge passes him to go to the cameras and help Hunk out, giving Lance the chance to awkwardly pat Keith on the back.
"I'm sorry...about this. I should have asked you. Thank you for coming out and filming." He mutters sheepishly and Keith sighs.
"Nothing is going to make me happy right now," Keith admits before giving Lance a gentle smile, "But I appreciate you trying so hard." He says before his smile drops, "But please stop trying so hard."
"Got it! Middle of the road, Lance, at your service!" Lance salutes and Keith rolls his eyes.
"I'll believe it when I see it."
"Fucking believe it, bro. Da. Tte. Ba. Yo. My dude."
Keith huffs out a laugh, "Fucking weeb."
"Fucking Pocohontas fanboy." Lance counters.
"Fucking Lance." Keith retorts and Lance laughs a little.
"Fucking. Lance." He agrees.
"Awww, look at our boys getting along." Hunk coos.
"I'm so proud of them." Pidge agrees, "They can play so nicely sometimes."
"Yes, I'm afraid my little Lance is a bit much at times for your gentle little Keith, but he deals with it quite well."
Pidge nods, "Oh, yes, I made sure my boy could handle anything."
"You're younger than me, Pidge." Keith counters, crossing his arms, "You didn't teach me shit."
"I've taught you many things, boy. Don't start with me."
Keith rolls his eyes. Apparently they have three more places to look for apparent hauntings, three places that go by pretty fast with nothing to show for it. Lance and Keith sit down on the large bed in the Roosevelt room to close the episode out.
"Welp, that was it for this one." Lance sighs, "Sorry we didn't find anything, guys. I'll go over ti with a fine tooth comb when I get home, hopefully we just missed it and will find it in post, but if not, this place is still gorgeous and has an eerie air to it. Besides, just because we didn't find anything, doesn't mean you won't!" He smiles and Keith scoffs.
"Can't find something that isn't real, Lance. Don't know how many times we have to go over this. It is a nice hotel, though. If you're into history I'd recommend checking this place out. Or really any of the places we have been."
Lance nods, "Look at that, something we can agree on."
"Don't get used to it." Keith adds quickly and Lance laughs.
"I wouldn't' dream of it your highness."
"Good, now get out of my bedroom." He teases, using his foot to push Lance off the bed.
"Oof!" Lance rolls onto his back and smirks up at the foot hovering over him, "What a nice shot to start your feetwiki page."
Keith makes an admittedly undignified sound at that and quickly pulls his leg back to under him, "Fuck no, if people want feet they have to pay for feet."
Lance laughs, "Is this where you announce you're starting an OnlyFans? Because I can guarantee you would make many people happy with that news."
Keith goes about five shades of red and chucks half the pillows on the bed at Lance as he laughs obnoxiously from his spot on the floor.
"Video one: POV video of Keith kicking you off the bed and pelting you with pillows. Very sexy." Pidge offers, getting a pillow to her face as well.
"No I think she's onto something, we'll make a killing." Lance teases and Keith fumes.
"That's it! Everyone but Hunk and Rover are now banned from this room! Out!" He demands, tossing more of the insane amount of pillows on the bed at them until they are out.
"He is beauty, he is grace." Hunk teases and Keith huffs.
"You're on thin ice."
"You're out of pillows, so I'm pretty sure I'm safe."
Keith looks back at the head of the bed, "...Touche."

A/N:

I. Have. NOTHING for the Shanley Hotel we are fucking MOVING ON. Everyone be cool about it.