Work Text:
Keith sighed as he watched the alarm clock next to him tick forward after another minute. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath then let it out as he opened his eyes to the ceiling. His limbs felt cold despite the warm blanket laid over him. He felt a little hollow, as if he wasn’t fully in his body. He closed his eyes and imagined looking at himself from the ceiling. His pulse increased as he saw himself lying there in his own bed, only he didn’t belong there. He was out of place. He saw the clock go for another minute, then another, followed by several more.
How long has he been out of his body? About an hour. It doesn’t feel that long.
Should your heart really beat that fast? Probably not.
Don’t you realize you’re crying? What?
Keith opened his eyes. He could feel the hot tears running down his cheek, felt them fall into his ears and hairline. He wiped at them uselessly as his mouth contorted into a quivering cracked line, his eyes crinkling as more tears collected, burning his eyes. He let the sounds throw themselves out of him, let them escape into the darkness of the room. His chest hurt, not helped by the sobs and short breaths, neither by his too quickly beating heart.
Do you feel better? No.
Do you need help? I don’t know.
Keith let the sobs die out before he gasped in a breath. Then another. His chest felt too full when he breathed in, and too empty when he breathed out. His hand went to his too hot face, wiping the molten drops from his skin.
He turned to look at the clock, groaned at the red numbers that told him he’d been crying for two hours. Despite his aching chest, he sat up, hand rubbing at the skin over his heart. He took in a deep breath, wincing as the pain flared in his chest. He threw the blankets away, swinging his legs over the edge. He teetered when he stood, using the nightstand to catch himself. He made his way to the door, thankful it opened on its own. As if on autopilot, he made his way down the hall, hand against the wall to keep himself upright. He stopped at the closest door and knocked softly.
Keith sighed as he stood there, placing his forehead against the wall beside the doorway. The cool metal soothing his hot flesh, cooling him down slightly. Easing the headache that was threatening to take him down.
The door whooshed open softly. Keith removed his head slowly, looking at the other who stood there.
“Bad night?” Lance asked softly, face open and understanding. Keith could feel the hot cloud behind his eyes stir up again and he nodded, which only made the heat worse. Lance took his arm gently and pulled him inside, the door closing behind them on its own. Lance climbed onto his own bed, sitting cross legged, letting Keith lay down with his head in Lance’s lap. Keith felt the tears start to slip despite trying to keep them at bay.
“It’s okay, cry if you need to, don’t worry about being loud,” Lance whispered. Keith couldn’t hold it in anymore as he turned his face into Lance’s thigh. He wrapped his arms around Lance’s waist as he sobbed into Lance’s leg. Lance simply smiled down at him, running a hand through Keith’s hair. He massaged the skin at the back of his head with his other hand. Keith soon relaxed into it, tears still in his eyes but the sobs stopping so that he was only sniffling. He turned his head to look up at Lance and saw the other smiling down at him. The hand that had been playing with his hair went and wiped the tears away. Keith closed his eyes and took a deep breath, savoring the feeling of cool fingers against his flaming skin.
“Do you like that?” Lance asked, curious. Keith nodded, eyes still closed. Lance smiled and started to trace Keith’s features and draw designs into his skin. Keith felt his shoulders slowly droop into a somewhat relaxed state. When his face was finally free from the previously overwhelming heat he offered Lance his hands. Lance happily took them, tracing and kissing them until his arms relaxed as well. After he deemed them well enough Lance shifted himself so that Keith was laying on the bed, head on the pillows, face up. He sat next to Keith. Keith opened his eyes to look at him, curious. Lance proceeded to lift Keith’s shirt up so that he could do the same to Keith’s stomach, tracing with his fingers and leaning down to place light kisses on his flesh. Keith sighed happily. Then Lance moved on to his legs, massaging them until Keith was completely relaxed.
“Do you feel better?” Lance asked after he finished and was laying beside Keith. Keith turned his head to look at him.
“Yes,” he whispered. His voice was rough from the vicious sobbing from before. Lance smiled and placed his hand on Keith’s cheek.
“Would you mind if I put a face mask on you?” Lance asked. Keith found himself chuckling at the question. He shook his head and a bright smile formed on Lance’s face. He placed a quick kiss on Keith’s forehead before going to his bathroom.
“Do you mind if I turn the light on? Would it hurt your eyes?” Lance questioned. Keith muttered, “I’ll be fine” and covered his eyes with his arm. He saw the lights come on in his peripheral and let his eyes slowly adjust. Soon he was able to uncover his eyes. Lance crawled onto the bed holding a jar, a giddy expression on his face.
“This is something my mama taught me how to make. It’s a charcoal face mask with rose oil,” Lance explained. Keith looked up at him in wonder.
“You make it yourself?”
“Of course, you can never trust companies. This way I can customize it to my skin and just have fun with it,” Lance said, acting as if this was common knowledge. Something warm blossomed in Keith’s chest as he smiled up at the other boy.
Lance made him sit up and face him as he used his hand to put the mixture onto his face. Keith sighed as it chilled against his skin. Lance blew on his face and Keith sighed even louder at the cold feeling. Lance smiled and kept blowing on it gently, finding Keith’s actions adorable.
“Can I put some on you?” Keith asked, blush covered by the face mask. Lance nodded and handed the jar over. Keith clumsily painted Lance’s face, laughing as he accidentally got some in Lance’s mouth. Lance sputtered but laughed, prompting Keith to laugh as well. Keith blew on Lance’s face and Lance smiled. Keith leaned forward and kissed Lance lightly on his lips, careful not to mess up the face mask. Lance sighed as Keith pulled away.
“Thank you,” Keith said. “For taking care of me. I haven’t always had someone to go to for help.” It normally took a lot of effort to admit that but Lance unknowingly pulled it out of him. Lance smiled and pulled Keith into a hug, careful of the face masks.
“I’ll always be here, don’t be scared to come to me for help,” he replied. Keith relaxed into him, wrapping his arms around Lance in return. They pulled away and Lance placed a kiss on Keith’s lips.
“The mask is getting stiff,” Keith muttered and Lance found himself unable to smile without cracking the mask.
“When it gets stiff enough, we’ll be able to peel it off,” Lance answered. They continued to talk about other things until Lance deemed the face masks ready and they both headed to the bathroom. Keith watched in amazement as he pulled his own mask away in small bits and felt the softer skin underneath.
“Amazing,” Keith whispered in awe. Lance laughed as he started to pull his own mask away.
“No wonder your skin is so beautiful,” Keith said as he turned to look at Lance. Lance felt a blush start to appear on his face.
“Thanks.”
“I mean it, you’re really beautiful,” Keith said, stepping closer to Lance. Lance’s face felt as if it were on fire, he wished he hadn’t taken the mask off. Keith was giving him a look that made Lance feel as if he was looking into his soul.
“Not just your skin or your face, I mean, you’re just as beautiful inside as you are on the outside. Everyone knows it, I just think they’re scared to say it to you because they think it’ll make you feel weird,” Keith blurted out. Lance stood there, looking dumbfounded.
“No one’s ever called me beautiful,” Lance whispered. “Except my family.” Keith took in a deep breath as a tear rolled down Lance’s cheek. He wiped it away.
“Then I’ll say it every chance I get,” Keith promised, then placed a kiss against Lance’s forehead. Lance pulled Keith into hug, blinking back the tears.
“And I’ll get everyone to say it too,” Keith said and Lance laughed. He pulled away to look at Keith’s face to see a childishly determined look on his face.
“You’re enough for now. Come on, I’m tired,” Lance said, tugging Keith along, back to the bed, flipping the lights off as they went. They slipped under the covers, facing each other.
“Night,” Lance whispered, hand finding Keith’s. Keith squeezed it.
“Night,” he replied. He closed his eyes, slipping off into a restful slumber.