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Of all the things that Shiro had anticipated in dating Lance, he hadn’t anticipated that Lance was surprisingly shy .
Lance had admitted to being a shy and quiet child growing up - a middle child and one that also had huge age gaps between his younger and elder siblings. It had left him somewhat isolated growing up and Lance had lived the at least ten years of his life as a bit of a wallflower before he and Hunk had become friends.
Whatever may be said for Lance and his boisterous and excitable personality, it was that sometimes it wasn’t as it seemed. It was equal parts Lance as much as it was a cover up. But that was an issue Shiro would work out with his boyfriend another day. When he could speak to the other paladins, their little found family, to Lance himself, and have them all feel comfortable enough to share their fears and be there to support one another like he knew they would.
Now, though, now all Shiro wanted to do was kiss the daylights out of his boyfriend like he’d been craving for for weeks.
Battle after battle spent mild-melding and sweating buckets through armor had made each and everyone one of them too tired to do anything more than sleep. Even as extroverted as Lance was, he had needed recharging before he’d want to socialize again.
So Shiro had been patient, and he had napped the second best he had in weeks. (The first best would be shortly after Lance had confessed to him and the two of them had tumbled into Shiro’s bed like giddy kids pressing butterfly kisses against each other, and sleeping wrapped in each other’s arms).
When Shiro had found Lance in the common area doing little more than snuggling up in a corner of the couch - Shiro’s black sweater no less - Shiro knew that he was done waiting.
It had taken no more than a few light caresses across his boyfriend’s cheek, a comment about how his hair had been growing out, and the breathy question of if Shiro could kiss Lance as he pressed their foreheads together. Lance’s hurried yes was all the permission Shiro needed as he pulled Lance against him and joined them together with a kiss.
The soft feel of Lance’s lips, the faint taste of flavored chapstick was all Shiro could pay attention to. Lance moved so gently against him; pressing with a quiet urgency, with genuine feeling, before pulling away to start all over again.
Shiro wasn’t sure he would be able to have enough now that he had Lance like this. Each kiss was just an invitation for another, then another. The alarms could begin blaring at any moment and Shiro was unsurprised to find that he wouldn’t care.
Shiro ran his thumb over the pulse point of Lance’s neck, feeling it flutter under his touch. Lance’s hands hovered over his shoulders, the tips of his fingers touching them but never once staying. Cupping one of Lance’s hands, Shiro rested it against his own neck, running his thumb over the back of Lance’s hands and encouraging him to keep going.
Tentatively, Lance did. His other hand touched down on his other shoulder. They skirted up slowly, hesitantly up and over the crest of Shiro’s shoulders before Lance loosely tangled his fingers together behind Shiro’s neck.
Shiro sighed happily. One of his hands cradled Lance’s lower back. They broke apart for a brief moment. Shiro glanced at Lance. His boyfriend kept his eyes closed a moment longer, lips still parted and pink. When Lance finally opened his eyes, they were halved, blue irises like magma barely contained by the inky wall of Lance’s lashes. His chest rose and fell with one big, contented breath, then he was smiling lazily at Shiro. Lance let his arms hang over Shiro’s shoulders, tilting his head in silent want for more.
Shiro breathed a little laugh, turning instead to bury his nose against Lance’s arm covered by his own sweater, the sleeves even too long for Lance until only the tips of his fingers were visible. It was Shiro’s favorite look on his boyfriend.
Shiro pressed a kiss at the junction of Lance’s shoulder and neck where brown skin peeked out from the neck hole. He made his way down Lance’s arm and over his wrist.Then he pulled one hand back from behind him and held it.
He watched those dark blue eyes suddenly fling open, a look of surprise and rising fluster greeting Shiro. He rested his cheek against Lance’s fingers, a shit-eating grin spreading on Shiro’s face.
Shiro kissed each finger, dark eyes traveling over to lock with Lance’s.Lance’s face exploded into a flurry of bright red, high and beautiful on his cheeks. Shiro grinned against Lance’s knuckles and made sure to kiss his palm. He turned Lance’s hand over and hovered at the inside of Lance’s wrist.
“Shiro - “ Lance started, voice soft and whiny.
Shiro could see the his blush spreading all along the bridge of his nose, highlighting those sparse little freckles like stars, and right to the tips of his ears.
Shiro pulled back Lance’s sleeve, humming.
“Unexplored territory, I better explore this,” Shiro said. “I hope I find friendly inhabitants.”
Lance made a half-hearted comment about Shiro being cheesy, if only to quickly cover his face with his free hand and turn away. His blush was spreading right down his neck, Shiro noted.
Shiro hummed a tune, one he had nearly forgotten until he had heard Lance singing it as he helped Coran clean the healing pods just the other day. Lance had been so excited, then, voice loud and clear and all together enchanting.
Lance was halfway into a deadpan glare before Shiro cut him off. He could already hear Lance's protests about Shiro being a little shit forming on his tongue.
When he got to Lance’s neck, Shiro grinned, pulling back to watch Lance shyly peeking from behind his fingers. The white of his teeth peeked out from where it was digging into his lower lip. How unfortunate it wasn’t Shiro that was doing that instead.
When Shiro’s lips pressed against Lance’s neck, he could feel his pulse fluttering wildly. Shiro smiled against his skin, eyes crinkling in amusement. Moving just a little higher, he felt Lance flinch. Shiro paused, considering. He kissed the spot again and Lance squirmed.
“Ticklish?” Shiro asked, humming.
Lance made a noise that might have been a “no”, but otherwise tilted his head for Shiro to continue. Lance’s fingers dug into the fabric of Shiro’s forearm, and along his back, drawing him closer. His face was open and wanting, craving only Shiro’s touch and loving every feel of skin to skin he received. Shiro was happy to oblige.
Shiro kissed around the spot that had made Lance squirm, the muscles of his stomach tightening in an effort not to shudder. Lance tried to fight a smile, nose scrunching as the corners of his mouth curled. Shiro nipped underneath his jaw and then dipped down to kiss his adam’s apple. Lance barely suppressed a snicker, nails lighting scratching through the fabric of Shiro’s shirt. Kissing more animatedly, Shiro slipped his hands under the sweater just as Lance was drawing his shoulders up to try and half-heartedly fight off Shiro’s attack.
Shiro’s galra hand crept along Lance’s ribs, cold metal making Lance yelp as he jutted a lip out with a brief narrowing of his eyes. Shiro poked a finger just under his ribs; Lance flew forward with a sharp inhale of breath. He thumped a fist against Shiro’s chest growling something cheeky only to be cut off as Shiro poked him again. Shiro laughed, petting the bare skin of his hip where it was glimpsed out from the waistband of his shorts.
It was amusing how easily flustered Lance could get. Shiro had spent so long caught between exasperation and, somewhere along the line, pining that he had truly believed that Lance would be as audacious in his playful flirting as he would be in a relationship.
Shiro wouldn’t have it any other way. Whether flirty and confident, or pressed against Shiro and flushed high with embarrassment, Shiro would take Lance any form and shape he was willing to share in Shiro’s presence. He would make sure Lance knew it too.
“I’m so glad to know you, Lance,” Shiro murmured, turning his head until his lips were touching the shell of his boyfriend’s ear. “You’re so strong, and beautiful, and hard-working. I admire you so much.”
Lance went boneless, body lax as he melted into Shiro like a horizon, ocean meeting sky.
“Shiro,” Lance whined. “You - You can’t just say stuff like that!”
“Why not?”
“I - it’s - it’s embarrassing,” Lance hiss-whispered.
“Even if they’re true?” Shiro teased. “I mean, I can’t help it if you make me a better person, or how you’re always so attentive to the team. Or how incredible you’ve improved these last few months, that last mission you were so impressive, Lance. Or what a good sharpshooter you -”
Lance’s hands flew up over. “That’s too much, oh my god,” Lance exclaimed.
Shiro grinned from beneath Lance’s hands, half tempted to lick his palms if only to hear Lance screech and curse at him about being gross. Shiro opted to rub at the insides of Lance’s wrists, throwing him the best puppy dog eyes he could muster just to make Lance cave.
Lance’s mouth worked into a large put-upon frown, lips pursed disapprovingly almost akin to Hunk or Allura when they wanted to say “I told you so”. Lance huffed through his nose, letting his hands rake down Shiro’s face until only his fingers were pressing to Shiro’s lips.
Lance leaned forward and rested their foreheads together. Shiro dipped his lashes down, eyeing the pretty flush on Lance’s cheeks, and the warm smile gracing his face.
Yes, Shiro decided, he wasn’t trading Lance for anything else.