"It's going to be dangerous," Shiro was saying. "This might be the most dangerous mission we've ever been on."
The team was being briefed in the main bay. Shiro and Allura stood in front of the others, arms crossed as they wore matching frowns. Hunk, Pidge, Lance and Keith listened from a cluster a few feet away.
But Keith wasn't listening as closely as he should have been.
He was listening to everything Lance's expression silently screamed at him. The hunched shoulders, furrowed brows, tense eyes. The fake confidence and the shielded worry.
He knew that look.
"Hey," Keith whispered.
Lance's attention turned to him.
"It's...it's gonna be okay, Lance."
Lance tried for a smile. "Doesn't look like it," he whispered back.
Keith didn't know what to say. He knew he had to say something, but he didn't know what.
"We've done dangerous before," he ventured.
Shiro's eyes flicked to the them in Keith's peripheral vision. Surprisingly, he didn't say anything. He probably read Keith and saw that this just couldn't wait until after the briefing.
Lance started to smile.
But Keith wouldn't let him get there. To the place where he could hide behind fake smiles and fake jokes.
"Look at me," said Keith. His voice managed to stay soft. He took Lance's hand in his, wrapping their fingers together and squeezing. "I promise you this'll be okay." He didn't really believe what he was saying. But he had to believe it. For Lance's sake. "I promise."
Lance gave another smile. A real one this time.
He didn't say anything, but he squeezed back.
