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There was something about Keith that just bothered Lance. Something that bothers Lance to the point of anguish, but something none of the other paladins noticed.
Keith’s chapped lips. Keith’s chapped, chapped lips.
Every time Keith opened his mouth, Lance cringed at the skin pulling apart. Sometimes he couldn’t help but stare at the peeling skin on Keith’s lips. Oh, how would it feel? to touch? to Kiss? really scratchy, I bet. No wonder he never had a girlfriend.
Not that Lance thought about kissing Keith! No, god forbid. It was just theoretical. Theoretically, people wouldn’t want to kiss Keith because of his chapped lips. Also other reasons, like his mullet. God.
One day, Keith, Hunk, Lance, and Pidge were all sitting around the dining room, enjoying a meal of food goo after a particularly nasty Galra fight. Exhausted, Lance poked around at the goo, occasionally glancing up at something Pidge or Hunk said.
“…And the moment I get in the house, I start chowing down on the pie with my bare hands, trying to eat this thing before anyone knows I took it, right?” Hunk explained. Lance took a small bite of the goo. He had heard this story before. In fact, Lance’s heard all Hunk’s stories before. He was a reputable story teller, after all. “Well, since the pie crust was dry, I chugged a 2-liter bottle of soda whenever my throat would get dry and eventually, I really needed “to go.”’ Pidge leaned forward, totally immersed in what Hunk’s story while Keith chuckled, cracking a large smile. Lance’s eyes, for some reason, were drawn to Keith when he made that expression. Perhaps it was fate, for suddenly, Keith winced.
“Ah”.
He tenderly touched his lips, pained expression on his face. No one else seemed to notice as Lance watched Keith lick his lips, a trail of blood streaking across his bottom lip.
Oh no. This has to stop.
Lance stood up, appalled. Before he could control his thoughts, he said “Hey Keith, can I talk to you a moment?”
Hunk looked at Lance slack jawed while Pidge gave him dirty look. Keith’s brows furrowed, glancing at Hunk and Pidge before looking at Lance. “Uh, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Just… Lets talk outside ok?” Lance said. He studied Keith as Keith licked his lips again before glancing to Hunk and Ridge and nodding.
In the darkened hallway outside of the brightly lit cafeteria, Lance gently pulled Keith aside. “Lance, what’s this about?” Keith asked, perturbed.
“Do you use chapstick?” Lance blurted as if he didn’t hear Keith’s question.
“What?”
“I said -”
“I heard what you said, Lance.” Keith shook Lances hand off his arm. “And no, I don’t use chapstick. We’re kind of in deep space.”
“But - ” Lance protested. “Your lips are so chapped, dude.”
“So?” Keith answered, annoyed. “I’ve never even owned chapstick. Plus, I don’t need it.”
Keith licked his lips. “I use my saliva.”
Lance felt the floor fall out from underneath him. “Keith! Holy crow, No! that just makes it worse!”
“No, it makes my lips wet.” Keith argued.
“Dios - God. Thats not how it works!” Lance hissed. “Wait, give me a moment.” Lance dug around in his jacket pocket for half a tick before pulling out what looked like a tiny red and white cylindrical container. After a moment of staring at it and contemplating with a sullen look, Lance sighed and handed the object to Keith. “Here, use this.”
Keith took the object. “This is…?”
“Its Uh… chapstick. Cherry flavor. I got it from before we took off… You know, to Voltron? Its been sitting in my pocket for a while.” Lance scratched the back of his head. “Also its gently used.” He added.
“Oh.” Keith looked down at the chapstick. It was warm, most likely from sitting in Lance’s pocket for who knows how long. Ignoring the frog suddenly in his throat, Keith sighed. “Lance, I’m fine, I don’t need this.” Keith made an effort to pass it back to Lance, irritated, but Lance just shook his head, Pushing Keith’s hand back towards him.
“Keith, Just- You use it, Ok? You can cut off the part that I used.” Lance paused, sticking his hands back into his pocket. “Plus, you need it more than I do, because I actually know how to moisturize my lips without it.” Lance grimaced. “Using your spit is not only nasty, it probably causes chapped lips in the first place.”
“I…” Keith paused. “You didn’t need to do this.” Lance smirked, impish look on his face again. “No problemo, little mullet man. Besides, your lips were probably bothering the rest of us as much as they were bothering you.”
“Uh… Thanks. I guess.” Keith said. Lance just grinned and sauntered back into the kitchen.
Was it that bad? Keith graced his fingers over his lips. Keith didn’t notice, but he got chapped lips so rarely he didn’t consider that it might be a problem.
Keith’s lips look better now that they weren’t chapped anymore. Lance had to wonder if Keith had actually been using his chapstick.