"…Lance," Keith mumbled, almost to himself. "Hey."
Lance flashed him a genuine smile.
"Welcome back to the land of the living. How's your brain cage?"
"Uh." Keith's mind spun, trying to fit the pieces of this scenario together. He was clear-headed, now, and very much aware that he'd fallen asleep with Hunk laying partially on top of him-
"Don't worry," Lance told him, uncharacteristic softness in his tone. "I made sure he got back in bed. He's still asleep."
Oh.
"He's okay?"
"Yeah." Lance picked up a bowl from a nearby tray and offered it to him. "Hungry?"
Keith accepted it gratefully. "Starving. Thanks."
"They lifted our rations restrictions," Lance explained. "We've been getting supplies from our allies nonstop since Allura opened the gateways. I know you like noodles, so…" He shrugged.
Keith nodded with his mouth full, chewed, swallowed. "You didn't have to. I appreciate it."
"Don't give me too much credit. It was Hunk's idea. He was really worried about you."
Keith felt his cheeks flush while he finished chewing another mouthful.
"So… you…"
"Walked in on your cuddle fest, yeah. The medical officer would've thrown a fit if she found you like that. I wasn't sure if you were looking for that kind of attention, so… I figured it'd be better if I just got Hunk back in bed."
Keith chewed, processing. It had occurred to him that he might have to have this kind of conversation with Lance, but this was not at all how he'd expected it to go. He'd been expecting a confrontation, or at the very least, an interrogation. He couldn't tell how Lance was feeling right now, but neither of them were yelling – not yet, anyway – and he decided to take that as an encouraging sign.
"Did you talk to Hunk about it?" he probed.
"No. I wanted to talk to you before I decide what to say to him."
Keith nodded. That sounded reasonable, if not slightly more ominous. He finished the contents of the bowl and set it aside.
"Look, man," Lance said, sounding unsure, all of a sudden. "I'm really glad you're okay. I was worried about you, too. You're my friend, and I've been sitting here for the last hour wondering if I should just leave this alone, but… Hunk is my favorite person, and he looks out for me, so I have to do that, too. So if you could just tell me what's going on… it would really make me feel better."
A weight of nervous energy lodged itself in Keith's midsection. Lance was being painfully generous, and he felt woefully unequipped to move this conversation in a satisfying direction.
"I… we…"
Lance waited patiently for a moment for bailing him out. "Are you together?"
"We haven't gotten that far."
"Do you want to be?"
"I… I don't know."
Lance narrowed his eyes. Keith cringed internally.
Wrong answer.
"I mean, I don't know how to tell," he tried to clarify. "I don't know what it's supposed to be like."
"What? Dating someone?"
"Yeah. Liking someone like that. I've never… I mean, I haven't ever…"
Lance's expression softened. "You've never liked someone before?"
"No. I've never done anything like this, before."
"Oh." Lance ran a hand through his hair. "Wow. Okay. Uh… maybe we should talk about it?"
Keith nodded, relieved at this response.
"So… how did things start?"
"Um." Keith tried to cut-and-paste the epic space battle and the subsequent head injury into a temporary folder, so he could focus on what had happened prior. "He hugged me a couple times, and I noticed that I… didn't hate it." Lance raised his eyebrows. "I mean, I usually don't like it when people grab me, like that," Keith explained. "But it's different, with him."
"Okay… well, I really like hugging Hunk, too. He's, like, the best hugger in the universe. It doesn't mean I want to date him, though."
Keith took this in. He knew that some people routinely hugged and snuggled their friends.
He didn't, though, and he'd never wanted to, before.
"I'm pretty sure I only want to hug Hunk like that."
"Why?"
"Because I like him."
Lance stared at him for a second before he burst out laughing. Keith put on the deepest scowl he could muster.
"What?! What's funny about that?"
"It's… I mean… just like that, huh?" Lance waved his hands in apology, still giggling. "I'm sorry! You're just so intense! It's good, though, man, it's good…"
Keith rolled his eyes. "It's true, okay? I do."
"Okay, okay…" Lance took a calming breath, wiping at the corner of one eye. "Spill it, then. What do you like about him?"
Keith stared him down for a moment, resisting the urge to throw him out of the room. He knew Lance's intentions were noble, as obnoxious as he could sometimes be, and thus far, his insight had been helpful. The longer they talked, the more Keith felt that this was a conversation he really needed to have.
"I like everything about him," he eventually said, without a hint of irony. "He's funny, and he's insanely smart, and he's nice to everyone, and he's brave…"
Lance was looking at him seriously, now.
"Wow. Okay. Um… do you think he's cute?"
Keith considered this.
"I'm not sure. How do you tell?"
Lance stared.
"Uh. I think you just kinda… know? I mean, when I like someone, I like what they look like. Their face… certain things about their body…"
"Oh. Okay. I..."
Keith hesitated. He wasn't sure if the things he liked about Hunk were the same kinds of things Lance was describing. He liked the sturdiness of Hunk's frame, the warmth of his skin. He liked the weight and pressure of him. He liked the smoothness of his hair.
The list went on, and he didn't feel particularly inclined to share it with Lance, especially when he hadn't shared it with Hunk, yet.
"I like his hands," he finally said.
Lance raised an eyebrow. "In a sexy way?"
"Lance."
"Serious question. Does he turn you on?"
"Lance."
He raised his hands in submission.
"Okay, okay, you don't have to tell me. You should think about it, though, for whenever you guys decide to hash this out. It sounds like you really like him, and if you decide to give things a try… you should figure out what you want out of it. That's all I meant."
Keith considered the point. He thought about the way his body had started to wake up after the first time they'd gotten close, and the way he'd leaned into the pressure when Hunk had put his mouth on his neck…
He swallowed.
"You're right. I'll think about it." He refocused his attention on Lance, processing the entirety of his last statement. "Give things a try. What does that mean?"
"Uh… start a relationship? Be boyfriends or cuddle buddies or friends-with-benefits or whatever you decide you want to be?"
Boyfriends.
Keith turned the word over in his mind.
"What's the difference between boyfriends and friends-with-benefits?"
"Huh. I mean, people usually decide to be friends-with-benefits because they're focusing more on the physical stuff, and less on the feelings. Boyfriends is when you think you love someone, too. Like, when you think you want to be together for a long time. Or when you don't feel the same way about anyone else, and you only want to be with that one person."
Oh.
"Okay. That's… helpful."
They were both quiet for a moment, thinking.
"Keith?"
"Uh huh?"
"Can I ask you for a favor?"
"Yeah."
"Just… whatever you decide to say to him, or do with him… just make sure you mean it, okay? He's… special. He's the most loyal person I know. He was a wreck, waiting for you to wake up, and he snuck out of his room to come be with you, so he's probably halfway in love with you already, and… I'm gonna try really hard to trust you not to break his heart. Okay?"
Keith nodded slowly.
Halfway in love…
"I'll be careful. I promise."
"I believe you, and if you tell anyone I said this, I'll stab you in the eye, but… I'm kinda glad it's you."
Keith smirked. "Like you could ever stab me in the eye."
"Don't tempt me, mullet."
They laughed together. Keith enjoyed the way they fell into it with ease, feeling grateful that he and Lance had arrived at this place after traveling such a long road together.
"Lance? One more thing?"
"Yeah?"
"I think I have to do something really nice for Hunk. Any ideas?"
He looked thoughtful.
"He's pretty easy. He likes everything."
"I know. I want to make an impression, though."
"Hmm. I dunno, man. All he wanted was to get home and see his family, and they're all here-"
"Oh!" Keith nodded. "I have something. Hang on."
He reached for his own tablet and placed a video call to Shiro, who picked up right away.
"Keith? Everything okay?"
"Yeah. Everything's great. You have a minute?"
"Yeah. What's up?"
"So, you owe me about a million favors, right?"
Shiro laughed.
"Yeah, sounds about right."
"Okay." Keith grinned. "I need to call one in."
Keith was breathing deeply, trying to calm the nervous energy that was pumping through his veins and crawling over his skin.
He'd just finished changing into the orange, loose-fitting shirt and pants the medical officer had left in his room. The material was softer than he'd expected, and much more comfortable than the scratchy, shapeless hospital gown he'd been wearing before. The pain and dizziness were gone, now, too, and that was a relief. He didn't need any unnecessary distractions right now. He needed to stay regulated.
He took several calming breaths, grabbed the headset, receiver, and controller Shiro had brought for him, and headed next door to Hunk's room.
Hunk was sitting cross-legged on his bed, waiting for him, wearing a smile that could've lit up the whole desert in the dead of night.
"Hey! Come in!"
Keith stepped into the room, taking time to pull the door shut behind him. He approached the bed, hoping his expression was conveying all of the excitement he felt, and none of the nervousness.
"Hey. How are you feeling?"
He pulled a chair close to Hunk's side and sat down.
"Better," Hunk said. "Really good, actually. How are you?"
Keith nodded. "I'm really good, too."
"Okay. That's good. Uh… I have a confession to make, though."
Keith thought Hunk sounded a little bit nervous, too.
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah. I didn't text you as soon as I woke up, like you asked me to. I needed some time, first, because I have a surprise for you."
The excitement spilled over, washing some of the nervousness away.
"Really? What did you do?"
Hunk opened the drawer in his bedside table, pulled out a shiny, black device, and handed it to Keith.
It was a classic PlayStation controller.
Keith stared at it, then at the screen in the wall across from the bed, which Hunk had just turned on.
"Ratchet and Clank!" Hunk said, with barely contained excitement. "I mean, all of my games are here, so you can play whatever you want, but-"
"Holy shit," Keith exhaled. He looked at Hunk. "You're awesome."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. But… you're supposed to be on bed rest. How did you get this hooked up?"
"Lance helped me out. I can move everything over to your room tomorrow, if you want. I just… I thought you might want to hang out with me in here, for a while."
Keith nodded. "I really do."
"Okay. So… do you want to play? Or do you want to… talk?"
He felt a single, heartbeat-pulse at the back of his throat. Hunk knew they had things to talk about. He was ready to start the conversation. He was waiting patiently, his brown eyes wide, his huge hands fidgeting vaguely in his lap – the same hands that had just given him this gift, this extraordinary gesture of thoughtfulness…
"Both," he said, his nervousness dissipating. Whatever else happened tonight, he felt sure, now, that Hunk wanted him here. Hunk was his friend. Hunk was someone he could count on. "I have to show you something first, though. I have a surprise for you, too."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. Hang on."
Keith set the PlayStation controller down on the table and walked to the screen in the wall, so he could plug the tiny receiver into the port on the side of it. He put on the headset – a thin, curved piece of metal that rested on top of his ears and projected a holographic display in front of his eyes – and switched it on. The image on the viewscreen synched up with the image on his display, so that Hunk could see what he was looking at, without the navigation controls obscuring the image. He pulled the small controller out of his pocket, sat down next to Hunk, again, and focused his attention on the map on his display.
"Is that a drone?" Hunk asked, as the camera moved slowly away from the ground, revealing a sandy beach and the gently rolling waves of the ocean.
"Sure is."
Hunk looked confused.
"This isn't happening in real time, though, is it? It's dark out..."
"This is live. It's just really far away."
"Oh. That makes sense. Man, that's beautiful. It looks just like-"
He stopped.
Keith smiled to himself, following the path he'd mapped out earlier. He flew the drone high into the sky, away from the beach and over a series of residential streets until he found the one he was looking for.
"Keith."
Hunk's voice was thick. Keith took the drone down, close to the street, and hovered.
Hunk put both of his hands over his mouth and started to cry.
Keith set the drone to autopilot, set the headset and controller aside, and rested a hand on Hunk's shoulder.
"That's my house," Hunk choked out, along with a handful of sobs.
"It's still standing. You can go back, as soon as things settle-"
"Keith?" Hunk was looking at him now, wiping at his cheeks with the back of his hand. "Can you come up here?"
Yes. For you, I can.
Keith moved easily onto the bed. He settled onto his knees in front of Hunk, slid hid arms around his shoulders, and hugged him close. Hunk returned the pressure and then some, his arms secure and steady around the small of Keith's back.
"Too much?" he sniffed.
"Just right."
"Keith…" Hunk's voice was low, but he was starting to sound more composed, now. "I think this is the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me."
"I wanted to make you happy."
"You did. You do."
Keith touched the ends of Hunk's hair with his fingertips. It was soft, and sleek, and it smelled like home.
"Hunk."
"Mm?"
"It's not enough."
Hunk flattened his hands against Keith's lower back, pulled him closer. Keith nodded against his shoulder.
"More."
Hunk pressed his cheek against his neck. His skin was soft and smooth.
"More."
He pressed his mouth there, instead: just once, a proper kiss, firm pressure underneath his ear.
"Oh," Keith breathed. "Hunk… I've never kissed anyone, before."
Hunk did it again, letting the moment stretch, this time: warm lips on sensitive skin.
"Do you want to?"
"Yeah. But… just you, okay?"
Hunk shifted onto his knees so they were chest-to-chest, pressed flush together.
"Okay," he said. "Just you, too."
He loosened his hold, found Keith's eyes for a fleeting, heart-stopping moment, then pressed his lips to the corner of Keith's mouth.
Keith's eyes fell shut. He tried to concentrate, tried to focus on the specifics of what Hunk was doing, but it was no use. His heart must've been beating its way right out of his chest, and his skin must've been crackling with electricity. Hunk kissed him the same way again, and he gathered two handfuls of Hunk's shirt in his closed fists and held on tight.
"Keith?" He opened his eyes. Hunk was right there, less than an inch away. "Too much?"
He shook his head.
Hunk kissed his mouth.
He held himself still, memorizing the way Hunk was pressing, perfectly, against his lower lip.
He pressed back.
"Mh…"
Hunk hummed against his lips, smiled, made a small space between them.
"Hey! You did it!"
Keith let out a quiet laugh.
"Was it okay?"
"Yeah. It was just right."
"Can we try again?"
"Uh. Yes. As many times as you want."
Keith pressed his lips against Hunk's again, still smiling.
They held steady like that for a while, not moving, just feeling.
And then Hunk moved one of his hands to the back of Keith's neck, opened his mouth a little, and renewed the pressure on Keith's lower lip.
The rush of sensation washed over Keith like a wave.
He shivered.
He tried it, too, and Hunk made a low, rumbling sound that vibrated against his mouth and his chest.
"Shit," Hunk breathed, his cheeks flushed, his face still impossibly close. "Is this okay? I mean, I really, really like you-"
"I like you, too."
"And I don't want to kiss anyone else, either-"
"Okay."
"So… this is a thing? I mean, we're doing a thing? Together?"
Keith let out a quiet laugh. "Yeah. We're doing a thing together."
"And it's not just for tonight?"
"No. No way. It's definitely not just for tonight."
Hunk hugged him close, again. Keith closed his eyes and leaned against him, feeling the pulse of Hunk's heartbeat through his shirt.
"Hunk."
"Uh huh?"
"It's not enough."
Hunk pressed a slow kiss against his neck.
"More."
Hunk slipped a hand under his shirt, pressed his palm against his lower back: deep pressure, a firm and binding hold, erasing the distance between them-
"Mh… more."
Hunk found his eyes.
"How much more?"
Keith swallowed, breathing shallow, feeling his body waking up all over again.
"I don't know. Is that okay?"
Hunk nodded. He brought a hand to Keith's forehead, moved his hair away from his face, then flattened his palm against his cheek: warm, even pressure, strong fingers holding him, supporting him…
Keith let his mouth fall open. He leaned against Hunk's hand.
"Keith? You want to stay here with me tonight?"
Keith was helpless to stop the sound that fell out of his mouth.
Hunk held still, hesitating. "Too much?"
"No." Keith breathed in and out, and his whole body sang. "Just right."
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
This marks the unofficial ending of this fic! I'm considering doing one or two explicit chapters as a sequel. If you're interested in seeing more, please leave me a comment to let me know!