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“Alright team, that last mission hit us pretty hard. Make sure to stay warm, keeping cold and damp from the planet’s weather conditions will make you sick.” Shiro said in his very leaderly voice. Lance shook his head with a small chuckle.
“As if anyone is stupid enough to not do that already,” Lance shivered rubbing his hands over his warms. “I have my nice warm fuzzies waiting for me.”
“Fuzzies?” Keith raised a brow. Lance shot him a look. “Yeah fuzzies, blankets, fluffy jammies-”
“His stuff animals…” Pidge added.
“Pidge!” Lance replied with his arms wide. “What the hell dude!”
“You still sleep with stuffed animals?” Shiro asked looking over his shoulder, removing some of his armor.
“What I- You know what, you know what- I’m going to bed.” Lance squeaked turning on his heels, moving towards the hallways. Peacefully snuggled up in a warm cocoon of fluff.
Each member went off to do their own thing to relax, that time passes enough for when Lance reawakes. Looking to find he had been asleep for almost 6 hours, into the hour most people would now be dead asleep. Instead of returning to bed, his stomach rumbles loudly to him that he was to embark on this mission before returning to his dreaming state of bliss.
Slipping into his slippers, and treading through the halls to the kitchen. Finding it hard there wasn’t much in the terms of ‘snacks’ let alone a microwave. “Stupid high tech alien castleship… can’t spy kids me up a McHappy Meal…” Lance grumbled boiling some water for tea and light ramen. Yawning as he cooked, he made too much of each. He didn’t bother with the extra for now. Lazily leaving it for Hunk to maybe come up with creative use for leftovers.
Making his way back, full warm stomach. Giving him a bit of energy, he decided to take the long way back to his room. Passing the beautiful glassed windows, seeing the stars and different colorful gases that space clustered together. In part of taking the long way, he needed to pass the training to the deck. He wasn’t sure to be surprised or not to see Keith training at such odd hours.
A few hours earlier, once watching Lance leave for his room. Keith sneezed, gaining enough repeated blows to bring tears to his eyes. Rubbing his nose. “Oh man…” Keith groaned. Shiro patted his shoulder. “I am not surprised, it’s about time you caught something.”
“But Shiro!” Keith groaned low. “When I get sick it’s bad, you know it!”
“Only because you refuse to take care of yourself, and drive yourself further into the ground. You’re not immune to even the common cold. So be like Lance, go get some rest and sleep.” Shiro said sternly, giving him the ‘dad mode activated’ look.
“Yeah… go join Lance, in bed.” Pidge rolled her head making fake kissing noises. Hunk joining in, making Keith’s eyes roll back. “Ughh I rather stay sick than be remotely in the same sleep quarters as him. For all I know his room is a total mess, or covered in stupid knick knacks. Useless things, like lights, or posters… or anything… homely..”
“Okay that is enough,” Shiro waved at the two, shaking his head. “That is an order Keith, go get some sleep.” Keith looked up at him, chewing his lip.
“You know how well I am with a given order, sir.” Keith huffed storming away. He didn’t need to sleep, he needed to sweat out whatever is inside him. Taking a beyond heated shower, sweating out a lot. He dressed in sweats, taking his motivation of getting better. Is to train.
Going for hours, unable to make it past level 4 without feeling so weak. Having to hold his bayard with both hands, because his arms were not able to hold much more. It must’ve been 6 hours at least, of switching between maneuvers. Calling it good for a moment, Lance walked in. The room spin when he looked at him. Unable to feel the pain as he fell to the side. Ringing in his ears drowning Lance’s foot steps and scared voice. He could only make out the fuzzy blue lion slippers face to face with him before going black.
“Hey man, burning that midnight oil too. I made some ramen-” Lance blinked looking at Keith’s frozen face, he wobbled side to side. Dropping his sword, within seconds collapsing. “KEITH!” Lance shreaked running to his side. Falling to his knees at the unconscious body, Lance pulled his head into his lap. Checking his pulse, and feeling his head. Keith was unbelievably hot and clammy. Worried of how bad this might be, not sure he had time to tell Shiro before taking action. He hoisted Keith into his arms, quickly slamming a call button on his way out. Signally danger to the rest of the team, making his way to the medic bay. “Come on, come on,” Lance heaved in his voice from carrying Keith’s weight.
He placed him in the cryo-pod, waiting with nerves. His foot tapping, chewing on fingernails. Shiro followed by Allura, Coran stormed inside. “Lance what’s wrong!” Shiro demanded, Lance gestured to the pod. “What happened?!”
“I don’t know!” Lance shook his head. “One minute he was training, then he just collapsed. I didn’t think, I just took him here. I don’t know what it could be, to make him… break like that.”
“It’s okay… you did the right thing. Keith, he does this a lot. Anytime he’s sick, almost to prove himself he doesn’t need to take care of himself. He’ll push and push, beyond coming back. Sometimes it works, fever breaks. Or it gets worse… when it’s bad, it’s bad.”
Coran looked to the monitor. “It looks like dehydration, the pod will be good towards speedy recovery. It does use lots of power, so we can’t go around on using it on things it doesn’t need to do. If he just drank some water and slept, it would’ve been fine.”
“I know Coran… Lance if you want to go back to bed, you can.” Shiro rubbed his eyes tiredly.
“No… I want to stay, I saw him collapse. Keith always seems so invincible, I’m really worried. So I want to be here when he wakes up.” Lance replied, holding back some of his nerves.
“Well if he wakes up, just let me and Coran know.” Shiro yawned, returning to his room. Lance continued to wait outside the pod. “Keith… why do you push yourself. Can’t you see that everyone thinks you are the best?” Lance hummed resting against the pod.
“That everyone loves you, wants you. You don’t have to worry about things, people will be more than happy to help. You maybe the alone wolf… but it doesn’t suit you. Being alone. I- we can’t imagine being without you. You’re so perfect… even to me.” He smiled fondly to himself, blush heating his cheeks.
“No… especially to me. I laugh cause sometimes I don’t know if I want to be you, or want to be on you. Pidge and Hunk tease me cause I have this stupid crush. On this guy so far out of all our leagues. He thinks it’s better to be alone, drive himself into a hole…. And that’s okay.”
“No matter how deep you dig, we’ll be there to pull you out. Just don’t hurt us, by hurting yourself. It’s not worth it. Being alone, is not a reward… so don’t strive. Take care of yourself… I need my Keith.” He felt the glass against his back. Barely able to move in time, scooting back as Keith fell into his lap. “Huh?” Keith rubbed his eyes. “Lance?’
“Ugh hey… How do you feel?” Lance asked.
“Tired.” Keith still half asleep nuzzled in the warmth of Lance’s robe. “And hungry.”
“Oh good, I made tea and ramen. Would you like?” Lance offered, gaining a sluggish nod. Keith was like a small kitten, like just fumbling around clueless but affectionate.
Slurping his bowl, sucking a noodle that the broth flicked onto his cheek. Lance leaned over to wipe it away, in a daze that Keith looked better. “What are you doing?” Keith said looking to the hand on his cheek. Lance squeaked shoving both his hands under the table, his face glowing pink. “Nothing… Sorry you just had a little.”
“Why are you being nice to me? I don’t need you thinking I’m dying, and finally decided to stop being a jerk- because I’m fine. Just a small fever.”
“I don’t know if it was small… I watched you collapse, I cradled you in my arms.”
“Excuse me, are you really going to use that on me?” Keith eyed him.
“What?”
“The in ‘...your arms’, so you are going to pretend you remember.” Keith crossed his arms, Lance bit his lip. “I… I don’t actually remember. For real… But I wish I did.”
“You what?”
“You holding me… I wish I remembered, I would’ve liked that. Sorry I’m tired! What am I even saying?” Lance chuckled loud and fake, his face blushed. Keith made a small laugh through his nose. Seeing well enough how much Lance was nervous. “Thank you for feeding me… do you mind walking me back, in case I fall apart again?”
“Ugh yeah we’re right next door to each other,” Lance jumped up. Keith weakley took his arm. Leaning on Lance as they walked, even in front of the door he didn’t want to pull apart. Keith pulled him closer, Lance can feel his lips just barely. There must be less than an inch apart. Lance sucked in air. “Goodnight, Lance” Keith pulled away. Lance left stunned as Keith opened his door also blushing, with a soft smile. “G- Goodnight!” Lance waved back, his other hand rubbing his neck. “Lance.. Were you talking outside my pod?” Keith looked over from his doorway.
“Ugh… maybe, did you hear?” Lance gulped. Keith looked stunned, before nodding. Quickly running back to Lance, kissing him. Tugging him by the blue lapels of the robe. Lance couldn’t stop kissing back once he realized what was happening. “I don’t want to be alone tonight…”
Lance sneezed from the table loudly, groaning after. A few snickers from the team. “That’s some sneeze, must’ve gotten sick… like Keith.” Pidge flashed her glasses.
“Getting extra cuddly?” Hunk added. Keith shrugged. “His room is very fuzzy, and I like his mouth… his other things…” Shiro and Lance choked hearing Keith speak casually. Flashing a smirk to Lance. “He likes to use his mouth, well you know… to do stuff.”
“Keith!!!” Lance shrieked, returning a roar of laughter from everyone else.