Chapter Text
Keith can count on one hand the number of significant relationships he's had before. Well, maybe two hands now, since joining Voltron. The point is, he's really not all that used to... Well, this. Him and Lance. Close. After saying some awkward things back on Ilac, they've been officially unofficially together.
There are times of course when he and Lance still compete against one another in some stupid shit. He thinks that that will never be something that'll fade away. And truthfully, he likes it. Lance makes him push himself harder, makes him better. Plus, now he kind of gets wanting to impress someone. There's this face that Lance makes whenever Keith does something particularly-
Anyway.
Before Voltron, his closest friendship was with Shiro, and they weren't exactly touchy feely. In fact, the closest they got was sparing. There has been hugs since his return, but even those are few and far between. It feels alien to reach out.
Which brings him back to Lance.
Lance easily drapes himself across Hunk, does Allura's hair, give Pidge some skin care tips... All so easily. As if touch is second nature. There's no personal space with him. Meanwhile, Keith struggles to stay put when their knees knock together on the couch.
It's not discomfort, per se. He's just not used to it. He'd like to try, at least. For Lance. When are the right moments to try? Should they like, hold hands or something? When? For how long? What if he gets sweaty? Lance is particular about getting grime on himself.
Ugh. Being alone for such a long time meant he didn't have to worry about social niceties like this.
As out of the loop as he is (which Lance still reminds him, though perhaps a little more gently now), he knows that in relationships, people touch. People... kiss. It should come as no surprise that he's never kissed anyone before.
Other cadets in the garrison would gush about their weekends. Dates that they've gone on. Of course there was talk of kissing. As well as... other. Activities. Keith never saw them as a big deal before. No opportunities sprung up, and he didn't care about that.
Then there was Voltron. It should've been easy to focus on the task at hand: save the universe. Then there was Lance. Lance was in his face, both in good ways and bad. And then he started to think about kissing.
So they're together now. Lance has probably kissed dozens of people before. Is he waiting? Impatient? In all likelihood, he'll realize that Keith isn't as cool as he thought. It wouldn't be the first time someone has decided to give up on him.
He groans, knowing that he's overthinking. Sitting here and letting these thoughts consume him won't do anyone any good. He should do something. Stagnation was never something Keith was able to do. Unlike all those other times where he could just act, there's no clear path here. No manual.
There are people he could talk to, but that- God. Shiro would get this look on his face, and Keith isn't sure he can handle that just yet. Pide is a no. Hunk and Allura are gossiping fucks.
Embarrassingly enough, he catches his thoughts drifting, wondering what it would be like to have an arm wrapped around Lance's waist. Would that be against some weird Voltron rule? Like, should paladins refrain from some PDA? It might expose a weakness to the Galra, but if it's just on some diplomatic mission, then he can't see a reason why not...
"Keith!"
Keith blinks and notices that Shiro has this weird look. How long has he been standing there, by the goo machine?
"Sorry, Shiro," He apologizes, stepping away from the spigit. Operating these things under duress have proved to be a terrible idea. Hunk has told him all about it once.
"Where's your head at?" Shiro asks. There's some concern in his expression. Keith hates that he's the one who put it there. Shiro has enough to deal with. Leading Voltron is not easy, so little squabbles and confused, new relationships shouldn't be something he has to hear about.
"Just got distracted," He shrugs. It's a shit excuse, but then again, Keith has never been very good at lying. Maybe there's a way to practice? Is there a training simulation for learning to lie better? He should ask Allura later...
"This isn't the first time," Shiro points out. Great, so he's noticed. Keith ducks his head, avoiding Shiro's questioning gaze. "I don't want to see you getting hurt just because there’s been something on your mind. Talk to me,"
Keith sighs. There's not even a subtle way to put this. If he says he's been seeing someone, it'll take seconds for Shiro to deduct who it's been. Sometimes he hates living on a ship with only six other people.
"Me 'n Lance are sort of... seeing each other," He grumbles. God, he can't even look Shiro in the eye.
"Really?" There's a smile in his voice. "I'm happy for you. The both of you,"
Despite the embarrassment, Keith looks at Shiro. He really does look happy. "It might not be the best idea," He argues. Not that he'll break up with Lance. The very thought of it makes him feel sick. They haven't even really started yet. "Neither of us knows what we're doing,"
Shiro's smile becomes sympathetic. "Well, no one really knows what they're doing when it comes to dating," Shiro says. It sounds like the default response. And while it's nice to imagine that everyone goes through some awkward phase where they stumble through this weird, barely defined feeling, Keith doesn't want to. There's got to be some basics that he's missing out on. "What are you worried about, exactly?"
It's harder to voice his concerns than he thought. All he can come up with is, "I just don't want to mess up. What if I'm not doing what he wants to do, or not going fast enough?"
Shiro hums. "Do you think Lance will break up with you just because you're not doing things 'fast enough'?" He asks.
Of course the answer is no, and the fact that it's so obvious kind of annoys him.
"Do you think maybe Lance is in a similar position?"
The annoyance grows a little more. He appreciates Shiro's advice, he does. But if he only thought of this stuff himself, he wouldn't have to tell Shiro in the first place. His business would remain his own. Keeping secrets isn't always in the team's best interest though, so if he had to tell someone, he's glad it's Shiro. He takes a deep breath and nods slowly.
"You're right," Of course he's right. His doubts are still there, however, they’re not quite as pervasive as they were before. And yet, he still has no clue on what he should be doing in his and Lance's relationship. If only he could train on people skills. People skills and lying.
-
Since Lance has been bugging him to stay out of the training room as often as he does, Keith instead spends some time with Red. Sitting on top of her is nice. Quiet. Moments of peace can be difficult to come by. Solitude is becoming just as rare.
He leans back against the cool metal, looking up at the high ceiling. He's tempted to take her out, find some planet so he can look back at the stars. Funny how even out in space, he hasn't gotten sick of them. There are still so many worlds out there left to explore. Other constellations to see.
"Oh, is this where you were hiding?" Lance suddenly appears, his arms crossed. He looks like he's dangling from the edge of Red. She won't let him fall. Once she saw how happy he's been, Red has warmed up to Lance. She likes them as a team. "Y'know it's almost time for dinner, right? Bet you'll never guess what we're gonna have," He slides up on top of Red and crawls over to Keith before laying down next to him. Though they aren't touching, Keith can feel how close he is.
"Hunk's experimenting again?" He asks, turning his head to look at Lance. Lance has got a smile that's so soft, Keith thinks his lips must feel the same.
Lance nods. "Yeah. He's going to make some tacos. The things that guy can do with goo," He sighs, a dreamy look taking over his features.
Keith wants to do something, to be part of the reason he's happy. That's probably why he reaches out so that the back of his hand is touching Lance's. While Lance's eyes widen, he doesn't pull away, so neither does he. His hand feels warm. This definitely counts as a victory. If all of this is instinctual, he might actually get away with not looking like a complete idiot.
Strangely, it's hard to keep looking at Lance while he's got that smile on his face, so he turn to look at the ceiling once more. But he's smiling too. It's weird how something so simple can make him feel so much. It seems that wasn't enough for Lance, since he's taking Keith's hand properly now.
He wonders what it would be like, them walking hand in hand together into the dining room. Keith seldom makes his feelings public. Well, he tries not to anyway. It would make Lance happy he’s sure, and that's reason enough to go through whatever humiliation that would await him. With Lance, he finds there's a lot he wouldn't mind doing, just to make him happy. The thought scares the shit out of him. It doesn't make him any less willing.
"So?" Lance says. Keith forces himself to look, even knowing that the butterflies will increase tenfold. "We gonna go to dinner, or what?"
“Yeah,” Keith says. He sits up, already feeling a little better about the whole relationship thing. Clearly, he’s been overthinking it. Instincts seem to have carried him pretty far, and it’s what he’s known for.
Just before they reach the dining room, Lance pulls his hand up to his mouth and kisses it like it's nothing. Keith thought he'd be used to Lance's flirtations by now, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't flustered. He tries to hide his smile by looking away. It only seems to make Lance smile wider. Then he punches Keith's shoulder lightly before heading into the dining room.
It might be his imagination but dinner tastes better than usual.
-
After that evening, things were easier for him. Little touches here and there were something that was easy to warm up to. Sometimes he's the one to brush his hand against Lance's, though it is still usually Lance to initiate.
But because of this new found freedom, he thinks that they're being more obvious. The looks that Lance shoots him are nice, yet sappy as fuck. He thinks the expressions he sends back are probably just as bad. Sometimes.
If that doesn't tip off the rest of the team, Shiro's constant teasing looks must. He'll smile into his mug while watching the two of them. At least he keeps his comments about this budding relationship between the two of them. Keith would die if he said 'you guys are cute together' in front of everyone.
Ugh, he's getting as dramatic as Lance is. He supposes there are worse things to be, so he just brushes this thought away.
They returned to planet Kor to discuss an upcoming coup against the Galra in the Crescent Quadrant. Lance also found the time to (reluctantly) apologize to Kreshen, the one Keith was chatting with before, for his behaviour the last time they were here. It was amusing to watch, but Keith was also impressed with how cool and mature Lance has proved himself to be lately.
He really wants to kiss Lance.
Odd how often that thought has infiltrated his mind. It's made a home there, a permanent residence. If Keith doesn't do something soon, that thought is going to start blaring music loudly. He smiles when Lance turns to look at him, and he gets one in return.
They're just about to wrap up here. The Korish are more than happy to stand with Voltron, even if it means going to war. Their knowledge and abilities to fight off planet will be a vital tool in making sure this plan is successful. Some even seem eager to return to their roots of being space vikings or whatever. In fact, they're so grateful, they present Voltron traditional hunting knives.
Instead of leaving right away, Shiro suggests they all take some time to explore the underground glacial city. Last time they only saw the surface castle and inside the monarch's war room. He shoots Keith a look.
At this point, Keith is getting a little tired of communicating solely through glances, but he thinks he understands what their fearless leader is trying to say.
He strides over to Lance, grabs his hand, and exits the room without a word.
Well, that definitely sent a message to the team. Good. He didn't want to have to make some official announcement type thing. Plus, the look on Lance's face is pretty priceless. Between the cold and his shock, his cheeks and the tip of his nose are pink.
"Where are we going?" Lance asks.
"No clue," Keith replies. It's not like he knows the city any better than anyone else on the team. It's been awhile since they've been let loose, allowed to explore. He really likes the Korish people. If it weren't for the persistent cold and thunderous parties, he might want to learn more about them.
Their little adventure is fun. The Voltron armor and obvious alien appearances make them recognizable, and they're offered some of the local cuisine not too far from the castle's entrance. It's a large, square, scaly looking creature on a stick, charred.
"Think this was cooked over a fire?" Lance asks, eyeing the snack.
Keith shrugs, then takes a bite. It's not too far off from a fish taste, and almost anything is better than goo anyway. Lance follows suit and smiles. He ends up asking the cook over the counter if they could get a recipe. Hunk would appreciate that.
Somehow, Keith manages to get food smeared all over his mouth. In all likelihood, it's because he hasn't had a proper meal in forever and thus forgot what manners were. Good food can do that to you. Except to Lance, who of course still looks impeccable. And because Lance is who he is, he somehow whips a napkin out of nowhere and uses it to whip something off the corner of Keith's mouth.
"You're such an animal sometimes," Lance says fondly.
Keith's face grows warm. All he can do in response is give Lance a gentle shove.
What an asshole.
After they are done with food, they go back to walking through the city. It's not really Keith's scene, but Lance looks like he's thriving in a city environment. This time, Lance is the one to reach for his hand. It feels like they're a normal couple, even though they're surrounded by aliens. The one thing he could do without are the Korish people staring at them. A hazard of being a legendary defender.
Though the ice above them is thick, he can tell that the dual suns are beginning to set, casting a purple like glow on the ice sculpted city around them. The ice already made it look like it was shining, but this is something else.
Not for the first time, he wishes he had a camera. He wants to remember this moment for as long as he can. Happy memories are few and far between with him. Voltron has unintentionally been this weird outlet of validation for him. Obviously, he's going to put his responsibilities first but... he's always going to be grateful for all the things that's come along with the terrifying weight of saving the universe. He wouldn't trade it for anything.
There's a slope at the edge of the city that Lance manages to drag him towards. It's a stupid thing to climb- there's really nothing up there, but he'll comply regardless.
"C'mon, trust me on this one," Lance says. He's not usually the one to suggest exercising for the sake of it.
"Trust you, huh?" Keith asks. "We're going to end up in a ditch."
"No, you'll end up in a ditch! I'll push you down this hill if you keep complaining," He sticks his tongue out.
Keith sighs, but doesn't make another comment, even it was just to tease his- to tease Lance.
Turns out, Lance had a good idea asking him to come up here. They have a pretty good view of the city. Furthermore, it's away from all the people. It's so quiet. He smiles a little, then squeezes Lance's hand.
"Pretty cool, right? I told you so." Lance turns his head to make another funny face at Keith, but this time he can't really bring himself to care. This is pretty awesome. He doesn't even know what to say. Then again, talking has never been his strong point. He knows that, Lance knows that.
Instead he finds himself turning to look at Lance a little more closely. He’s got this dumb grin on his face that Keith loves, and his cheeks are even pinker than before. It looks like he’s got a little sweat gathering on his forehead, probably from climbing the stupidly steep hill. All so they could find a bit of peace in the chaos that is their lives.
Keith leans in and kisses him. He’s not sure if he’s doing this right, but he doesn’t care. Lance smiles against him, and that’s all that matters right now. When he pulls away, he realizes that it was kind of chaste. For some reason that embarrasses him, and fuck, he can’t stop smiling about it either.
“You kissed me,” Lance says. He sounds kind of dazed.
“Yeah?” Keith, in turn, sounds breathless. Over a quick peck. God. “So?”
“I was supposed to kiss you.” He’s throwing his hands up in the air now.
“Oh, my god,” Keith groans. He places his head just under Lance’s chin. “If you don’t stop complaining I’m going to push you down the hill,” He would, too.
Lance snorts, then wraps his arms around Keith’s waist. “I’m not complaining. I just can’t believe you beat me to the punch. Again.”
Keith makes a disgusted noise. He can’t believe he likes this guy as much as he does. But he does, and he can’t bring himself to regret it, or wish that he didn’t. He peers up at Lance who is grinning. Yeah. This isn’t too bad. Especially now that Lance is leaning down to kiss him again.
They stay up on that hill for a while before they know it’s time to head back. The rest of the crew will be waiting and, God, now that they know, the teasing will commence full force. Shiro will have no reason to keep those little knowing smiles and cutesy comments to himself anymore.
As annoying at they are, Keith finds he really doesn’t mind all that much. He’s found his place in the universe, and it’s with the people that he’s grown to love.
Right now though, he’s walking hand in hand with Lance.
And that?
Feels just right.