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Two knit sweaters lie flat on Lance's childhood bed, glow-in-the-dark constellation bedspread sits perfectly made.
He glances frantically between the two as he anxiously paces across the floor. The old floor boards creek under the pressure.
The red one is nice, and thematic. It is Christmas after all.
But the blue one? Classic Lance.
BANG.
BANG BANG BANG.
The continuous noise breaks Lance away from his thoughts. Rachel's voice may be muffled, but her shrill yelling carries up the stairs like old times.
"Lance, quit pacing! I can hear you through the damn floor!"
Screw Rachel. He has bigger problems to deal with at the moment.
It's not like his family hasn't met Keith, per say, but a quick introduction amidst the Galra invasion isn't quiiiiite enough time to get to know somebody.
They knew him, from afar, as the Black Paladin, the Fearless Leader of Voltron, and maybe, the guy who Lance went to school with. The one he was a tad obsessed with.
They just haven't met Keith as… well…
Lance's boyfriend.
Wow.
It's a new development, for sure. A very new, very unexpected, but very good, development in Lance's life.
Two months ago, Lance was spiraling, PTSD truly kicking his sorry ass.
(A ten thousand year old war mixed with reality crumbling at its seams will do that to an already insecure, death-fearing man.)
He doesn't remember much of it, really. He knows that he locked himself in his apartment. He knows that his phone kept ringing. The first calls came from family, then Hunk, Pidge, and even Shiro at one point.
Veronica eventually came to check on him, even bringing a gift basket along. He hated opening that door. He hated the idea of anyone seeing him in such a state.
After maybe the shortest conversation of his life (and against every fiber of his being), he told Veronica to go back home. She left in complete understanding, reminding him that she's always one phone call away.
He didn't remember when, but he must've sat on the floor at some point. The cold door felt like a brand on his back.
There was only one person he wanted to hear from that night, but said person was on a Blade mission light years away from Earth.
But in a spur of desperation and selfishness, he called Keith.
After the first ring, Lance nearly chickened out. The second, his finger hovered over the end call button. The third ring—
"Lance?"
Relief washed over him at the sound of his voice. He failed to choke back a sob.
"K-Keith."
"Are you okay?"
"Uh, n-no. I mean, I'm—I'm not hurt or anything." Lance remembers the way his body shook against the door. "I just—I didn't know who else to call."
Though it was over the phone, Keith's voiced carried through like a calming wave. "What do you need?"
"...You."
Over the next few hours, Keith listened as Lance voiced his deepest, darkest fears. Ones that have been subtly ruminating in his brain since the war ended. The fear of being alone. The fear of loving, being loved.
The fear of losing love.
Keith was so patient, offering comforting reassurance when necessary. His attention was completely devoted to Lance, not once faltering.
Lance couldn't tell how much time had passed before there was a pointed knock at his door. The vibration startled him.
"Hang on, Veronica must've come… back…."
There, Keith stood, sopping wet with his phone in hand. He didn't even bother to hang up before knocking.
He pressed the End Call button and sent Lance a soft smile.
"Hi."
Kosmo's tail whipped back and forth behind him, clearly proud of himself for bringing Keith so quickly.
Lance's voice shook. He couldn't believe it.
"W-What are you doing here?"
"I can't let you go another day without knowing how loved you are."
Keith stayed for an entire week.
He cooked, cleaned, binged shitty reality TV—Lance never felt so taken care of in his life. The energy between them teetered just in between platonic and romantic. Keith's feelings laid bare with actions instead of words, and Lance absorbed the affection like a dried out sponge under a faucet.
One night, after a particularly charged episode of Love is Blind, Lance found himself on the couch, cuddled into his savior, his solace. Keith's arm rested softly on his lower back, his thumb periodically caressing the exposed skin there.
He felt truly safe for the first time.
"Hey, Keith?
"Hm?"
"Would you…wanna go out to dinner tomorrow night? With me?" He probably should've stopped at that, but he soon awkwardly added, "We could. Talk. About…stuff."
Way to go, Lance.
The smirk on Keith's face was priceless. "Talking? Eating? Are you asking me out on a date?"
"…And what if I am?"
Keith wrapped his other arm around Lance's thigh and pulled it over his own, the two slotting together like they were made for it.
"Then I'm in. I do have one question, though…" Keith said. Lance raised an eyebrow, heart fluttering out of control. "Can I kiss you before, or after?"
And well. Here they are.
Or here Lance is, struggling to pick a sweater for the annual McClain Family Christmas.
The first McClain Family Christmas that Keith will be attending.
In the next fifteen minutes.
Oh boy.
"LANCE!"
Lance marches across the room and rips his door open. He yells back, "LET ME PACE IN PEACE!"
"Pace down the stairs, then! Luis is here!"
Lance looks back to his bed and the choices laid before him. After a very quick round of eenie meenie miney mo, he settles on the blue turtleneck, a worn brown leather jacket, slacks, and his classic Sunday shoes. He does a quick fit check in his vanity mirror, and man. He cleans up nice. It's easy to forget the simple, mundane joys of life while you're fighting for your own in an intergalactic war. But that's over now.
For the most part.
He reaches into his bedside drawer and grabs the fancy cologne he got for his 13th birthday. It somehow smells just as strong. The blue cypress and vetiver giving him a similar bout of confidence he desperately needed as a preteen.
When he finally heads downstairs, Luis spots him immediately.
"Well, well, if it isn't the pretty boy."
Lance smirks, "The prettiest."
"Come here."
Luis pulls him into a bear hug, ruffling up his well-groomed hair in the process.
Lance gasps, "Hey—!"
His brother laughs in his ear and claps his back.
"It's always good to see you home again."
People keep saying that as if it doesn't make him cry like a baby.
"Uncle Lance!"
Not in front of the kids, though.
He crouches down to the twins' height, quickly engulfing them in the biggest hug. They giggle when he squeezes them extra tight.
"You two are growing faster than a weblum eats planets! You're nearly as tall as me!"
Silvio leans further into him, "I'm gonna be bigger than a weblum!"
"Oh, yeah?" Lance chuckles. "What about you, Nadia? You're gonna grow big and strong too?"
She gives him a soft nod, burying her head in his jacket.
Lisa chuckles as her husband takes her coat, "They've been asking for you nonstop these last few days."
"Who can blame them, I am irresistible."
Rachel clears her throat from the living room doorway, shit-eating grin engulfing her face.
"Irresistible to your boyfriend maybe."
Lance abruptly stands, "HEY—!"
"Sorry! Gotta help Ma!" She laughs and runs into the kitchen, the kids make a break for it and follow after her.
Luis turns to Lance, eyebrow raised, "Boyfriend, huh?"
Lance responds, "Uhhhh," as eloquently as he can. He can only imagine what his face looks like right now. He's most definitely red, eyes wide as saucers. The former Red Paladin shifts his feet nervously, "He'll be here…? Later?"
"Wow, it's serious, then."
"Well—!"
"LUIS! The oven isn't working!" Their mother yells from the kitchen.
Luis groans and steps toward the kitchen, "Mamá, I just installed it. It works fine." To Lance he goes, "Look forward to meeting him."
His brother enters the kitchen, leaving Lance off the hook. For now.
Lance doesn't know why he's nervous, honestly. His family wants him to be happy, no matter who it's with. They obviously don't care if he's with a man.
Maybe 'cause he's Galra? No, Lance doesn't think so. That hurdle was jumped awhile ago. So, what the hell is it?
Perhaps, it's the idea of messing everything up. After years of hopeless romanticism, Lance finally has what he's always wanted—no, needed. Someone who truly understands. Someone who loves him for the Lance he is, not the one he tries to be.
The doorbell rings its ever-familiar chime.
Lance doesn't bother looking through the keyhole before opening the door. It's probably Marco, or Ronnie anyways, so….
Half a second later and finds himself flat on his ass, face under assault by something licking him.
"Oh my god, Kosmo! Down!"
The wolf stops licking Lance, but remains on top of him. His slacks are littered with hair now, huh.
Kosmo pants in Lance's face with an expectant look on his face.
Lance deadpans, "Kosmo."
He whines.
"I will give you one pet. One."
Kosmo whines again. Just one?
Lance makes a defeated noise in the back of his throat. What he wouldn't do for this stupid wolf…
"Fine, but you gotta quit jumping on people, mister."
Once he's satisfied with the scratches, Kosmo trots back over to Keith, tail wagging happily. With his field of vision clear, Lance gets a good look at his boyfriend and—wowza.
His hair is tied in a half-up, half down ponytail. He's wearing a broken-in black jacket with a red sweater peaking out from underneath. A sleek black backpack. Dress pants—has Keith ever worn dress pants for anything? And some dress shoes that are most definitely his brother's.
"Sorry about him," Keith reaches his hand out and helps Lance up from the floor, "Someone got into Shiro's fridge this morning and ate a whole ham."
"An entire ham?" Lance glances to Kosmo who sits there in glee. Not a thought behind those eyes.
Keith looks Lance up and down, "Did that fall hurt?"
"Nah, it's fine." He laughs, nerves melting away just with Keith's presence. "Won't be the last time I fall for you, though."
The smile on Keith's face should be hung in the Louvre. He's just so handsome. Lance can't stand it.
He feels Keith's hands rest on his cheeks, "C'mere."
Kissing Keith will never get old, Lance decides. Like flying, he's a complete natural. The way their lips slot together in a slow, tender dance. The way he holds Lance's face like it's something precious to him.
It might be Lance's favorite thing in the world.
After a moment of bliss, they pull apart. Lance smacks his lips dramatically, "Merry Christmas to you, too, handsome."
"Oh, yeah? Look who's talking."
Lance fakes a gasp, with a hand to his chest he says, "He thinks I'm handsome!"
"I think you're beautiful. Pretty, even," Keith says. Like it's nothing.
Lance can barely recover before a shrill scream bursts out of a tiny human behind him.
"PUPPY!"
The kids run down the hallway at lightening speed, prompting a loud, "Careful—!" from Lance.
Ignoring his Uncle, Silvio slides across the wood floor on his bright green Grinch socks with Nadia close behind. Kosmo jumps, happy to meet some new friends to play with.
He lets the kids pet him, even rolling over on his belly to give their hands better access.
Keith chuckles, crouching next to Silvio. "He loves when you scratch his ears," He says.
Upon realizing who's next to him, Silvio gasps, mind completely blown.
He leans in close, whispering, "Are—Are you the Black Paladin?"
Keith mirrors him, whispering back, "Yes."
Silvio lets out an earsplitting noise.
Nadia, in confusion, pauses petting Kosmo to watch the two. Her brother quickly explains in a hushed voice, "That's Mr. Keith! The guy who saved the universe!"
"Wow."
"'The guy'?! What am I, chopped liver?!"
Keith holds back a laugh, "Y'know, I couldn't of done it without—woah!"
He's pulled down the hallway in an instant. One kid on each arm, dragging him further into the house with a flustered Lance in tow.
The rest of the McClain's are huddled around the oven.
"It's on, Mamá."
"The light, nene. The light!"
Luis reaches up to the hood of the oven and flicks a switch. The oven light comes on instantly, illuminating a massive spread of food.
Rachel barks a laugh while her mother looks sheepish.
"See?" Luis says, unimpressed.
"PAPA! LOOK!"
The kids enter with Keith, letting go of his arms to point at him excitedly. "IT'S THE BLACK PALADIN OF VOLTRON!"
Keith stumbles at the sudden shift in momentum, Lance steadies him from behind.
It's not like Keith is… scared, per say, but meeting his significant other's family was an experience he easily thought he'd forego in his lifetime.
Listen, falling in love wasn't on his list of priorities until he met Lance. He figured he was never meant for a domestic life—and that was okay. Fine, even.
Then, Sendak attacked the Castle of Lions.
Then, he held Lance's hand.
Then, Lance smiled.
And yeah, Keith was a goner.
So, now, he's grateful to even stand in this kitchen, but the need to please surprisingly takes over his nervous system. He hasn't felt like this since the orphanage.
Sigh. Here goes.
"Uh. Hello."
Good job, Keith.
Across the room, Lance's sister whistles.
Lance's gaze goes rigid. "Rachel."
"You really weren't kidding. He's hot as hell."
Their mother lightly smacks her daughter with a kitchen towel. "Language!"
"Not to mention mine," Lance says, snaking his arm over Keith's shoulders. He soon clears his throat, ready to address the Black Paladin-shaped elephant in the room. "This is Keith. My boyfriend. We piloted Voltron together, saved the universe, yada yada yada." He sends a pointed look to his sister, "Please act normal."
Keith sends the room an awkward wave, steeling his nerves. "It's nice to meet you all. Thank you for having me."
He suddenly finds himself in Mrs. McClain's warm embrace. "You're always welcome, dear," She says, pulling back to cup his cheeks. "You know, a little birdie has told me a lot about you."
Keith laughs, "Good things, I hope."
"Nothing but," She says, sending a knowing look to her son.
Keith looks at his love, who's face brightens with a soft red hue. It's adorable.
"Why don't you drop your things in Leandro's room?" Mrs. McClain says, "Veronica and Marco will be here in a little while, we'll eat when they arrive."
Lance gasps, "House tour!"
"Can I come?"
"Rachel, I swear to God."
"Kidding, kidding."
A taller man stands at the other side of the room (Lance's brother?) with his arms crossed. Keith can feel his pointed stare. He shakes it off.
"Before I forget." Keith reaches into his backpack and pulls out a porcelain cookie jar. He places it on the counter. "These for you—well, everyone. I guess."
Inside are over a dozen handmade cookies—a mix of oatmeal, coconut, walnuts, and chocolate. They don't look the prettiest, but…
Mrs. McClain smiles wide. "Oh, Keith. That's so kind of you." She sniffs the batch. "They smell wonderful."
Rachel peeks her head over her mother's shoulder. "What kind of cookies are they? I haven't seen them before."
The idea came to him after visiting Dad's grave with Mom.
"Your Father wasn't the greatest cook."
"He could bake, though."
"Now, that's true," Krolia agreed. "What was it he made? The small flour cakes?"
"Cookies?"
"Yes. Those."
Keith remembered his Dad throwing almost everything from the pantry into a bowl, then the oven. Somehow, these delicious oatmeal cookies came out of it.
His Dad eyeballed the recipe every time, never wrote anything down. It's been so long that Keith could barely remember what they tasted like.
He told Lance about it, obviously, thinking nothing of it afterward.
At least until he was pulled into Lance's kitchen with a "I Cook As Good As I Look" apron shoved in the face and a plethora of ingredients spread across the counter.
"Lance, what is this?"
"Remember when you told me about those cookies your Dad made? I've been stewing on what you thought the ingredients were, and I think I found the recipe—or at least what I think is the recipe. Here." He hands Keith a sheet of paper with…
The Best Cowboy Cookies Recipe (of all time!)
At Keith's silence, Lance rambled.
"I figured we could do some good ol' fashioned trial and error until we get it right," He said. "Oh! I know you don't like pecans so I figured we could just swap them out for walnuts. I got a bag of both, just in case you suddenly got over your inadequate taste buds—Oh Keith…are you crying?"
After spending all night in the kitchen—talking, kissing, and laughing—they ended up making over three dozen cookies.
All were close, but no cigar.
It was 3AM when Lance pulled the final tray out of the oven. Keith sat on the counter beside him, legs dangling over the edge.
"Okay! These babies just have to cool. I have a good feeling about this one, I knew we added too much coconut last time."
Keith couldn't help himself.
"I love you," He muttered for the first time.
Lance almost dropped the pan. He quickly set it on the stove top before that happened.
"You do?"
Keith nodded, bangs falling in front of his face as he does. "Have for a long time."
Lance's face melted into something soft, something raw.
"I—I love you too."
Keith used his legs to pull his boyfriend into his space, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. Lance's hands found themselves across Keith's back, then to his hair.
Keith's hands, however, quickly fell to Lance's—
"Ah—Keith, baby," Lance softly interrupted.
"Yeah?"
"The cookies?"
Right. Right, right, right.
Keith licked his lips. "We'll continue that later."
He didn't miss the blush that took over Lance's face or the way he was suddenly more awake.
That final batch cookies was perfect, and Keith totally didn't cry. Absolutely not.
"They're called Cowboy Cookies. My Dad made them at Christmas before he passed," Keith says. "Lance helped with the recipe."
Lance bows toward his family. "You're looking at the newest duo on The Great British Bake-Off, folks."
"In your dreams," Rachel says.
Their mother smiles. "I can't wait to try them, Keith. Thank you."
Suddenly, Nadia pulls on his pant leg and he looks down, she quickly hides her face from him.
"What's up?" He asks softly, waiting patiently for her to summon the confidence to respond.
"Can we play with your puppy?" Her voice is adorably soft as she adds, "Please?"
"Of course." Keith whistles and Kosmo blinks into existence beside him. He looks up at the rest of the McClain's, whose expressions are a mix of surprise and horror.
"Oh, yeah. Uh, he can do that."
Nadia's excited giggles easily break the tension.
"Again! Again!"
Lance relishes in the in-depth tour of his own house.
First, he brought Keith to the living room, the space decorated to a perfectionists degree.
The tree was covered in decades worth of family ornaments with Lance having a long-winded story for each one.
"This one we got when Ronnie graduated from the Garrison, she picked it out herself. Oh, I remember this one! I got the lead in Beauty and the Beast in 7th Grade!"
"I'm assuming you were the Beauty?" Keith said, gaze meandering over Lance's figure. It doesn't go unnoticed.
"I see I caught myself a Beast."
"Oh, yeah? What's that supposed to mean?"
An ornament he skipped, however, was a photo of himself surrounded by candles. The small text at the bottom read, "In our hearts forever. Come home soon, Leandro."
He hoped Keith didn't see it.
(He did.)
Next, was the bathroom.
"Do not get me started on how five kids and their two adult parents shared this. Long story short, middle school was a nightmare."
Going against every law in the little brother code, Lance just pointed to his siblings' rooms instead of busting inside.
"Ronnie shared with Rachel until she moved out, meaning Rachel got the biggest bedroom all to herself for YEARS! I, understandably, jealous cause I shared with Marco and Luis."
When they finally arrive at Lance's door, he does a make-shift drum roll on his thighs.
"And now, the moment you've been waiting for… Casa de Lance."
He opens his door and immediately feels self conscious, he's never brought a date this far. They've been to dinner, sure, but Lance's room is sacred grounds.
Keith just smiles, "It's so you. It's cute."
He sighs in relief. Of course Keith finds it cute.
Lance walks further inside as Keith shuts the door behind him.
"You should've seen when my brothers finally moved out on their own. I felt like Martha Stewart picking out the curtains and everything." Behind him, Lance hears the quick flash of Keith's phone camera. He turns to find his boyfriend typing a quick text message. "What did you—?"
And there, hastily taped to the back of his bedroom door, plastered across fancy card stock, is Shiro's smiling face.
"Keith."
A smug grin. "What?"
"Delete that right now."
"What's that? I can't hear you."
Lance lunges toward him, Keith swiftly dodges. He holds his phone high above Lance's head.
"DELETE IT!"
"Sorry. Couldn't hear you over the sound of me sending this to my brother."
"WHAT?!"
Lance jumps (thank you track & field) and nabs the phone out of Keith's hand.
"Hey, give me that!"
Lance opens the messaging app and groans.
(16:32) Attachment (1)
(16:32) You have a fan.
(16:34) Does he want my autograph?
Lance glares, "I hate you."
"No, you don't. Give me back my phone."
Another message appears.
(16:35) Tell Lance that Curtis and I say hello.
Lance types a frantic:
(16:35) hi shiro. keith sucks i hate him.
(16:35) Sure, bud. 👍
Keith snatches his phone out of Lance's hands.
"You know for a fact that made his day."
"Ugh," Lance groans as he falls back on his bed, "Remind me why I love you?"
Keith crowds in between Lance's legs, prompting him to meet his lover's eyes.
Keith leans over, caging him in.
"…How much time do we have?"
Out on the back deck, Keith leans against the door frame, contently watching Lance play Cowboys with Silvio and Nadia.
Dinner was delicious. Probably the best meal Keith's had since they all came back to Earth.
Veronica arrived first, the two of them catching up on Garrison news (gossip) he's missed out on with his Blade missions.
Apparently, Griffin complimented him last week, said he was "one hell of a fighter."
Griffin would know, Keith supposes.
Next, he met Marco and his new girlfriend. It gave Keith some comfort that he wasn't the only partner being introduced that night. Though, the conversation didn't last long since the those two were all over each other.
(Unlike him and Lance, who definitely didn't make out in Lance's bedroom before they came downstairs for dinner. They would never. Perish the thought.)
Keith shakes his head. He focuses back to the scene in front of him.
Kosmo looks to be loving every second of playtime, if his jumps are anything to go by. He's currently being ridden like a horse, Nadia delighted to be on his back.
"Hehe! Giddy up!"
He should bring him next time the kids are here.
Though deep in thought, he notices Lance's oldest brother walk up beside him. Oddly, he hasn't said anything to Keith all night. There's just been so many people talking to him, getting to know him, that he forgot he was even there.
Bravely, Keith holds out his hand. "Luis, right?"
He hesitates before he nods, taking Keith's in a firm handshake.
Luis remains silent, turning his gaze to his children. They both stand there watching the innocent scene.
"This town ain't big enough for the two of us, Cowboy Awesome!" Lance yells across the backyard. He points a Nerf gun at Silvio. "It's either me, or you."
Silvio huffs and crosses his arms, "I'd like to see you try, Uncle Lance, er— Mr. Sharpshooter!"
"It was you, right?"
Luis' sudden question almost makes Keith jump. "Huh?"
"You killed Sendak?"
Oh.
He was not prepared for this line of questioning on this lovely Christmas evening.
No harm in being honest, he guesses.
"I did, yes."
Luis' brows furrow in… frustration?
"How did you do it?" He asks, "Fight the Galra, I mean."
A loaded question Keith doesn't know how to answer.
Luckily, Luis continues, "When I… became a father, I realized the lengths I would go to protect my children." He grimaces at himself, "But, during the invasion, I—I could barely move."
He pauses. Fighting himself.
"Did you know the kids were at summer camp when the Galra arrived?"
Oh god.
"Took us a week to find them," He adds, "Lance doesn't know, I swore to never tell him. He feels guilty enough as it is." The look in his eye reminds Keith of his own father.
"When we finally got to the Garrison we were helpless."
Keith wants to ask how. He doesn't.
"All I could do was pray that God would save us." His knuckles are stark white. "How did you manage to fight them?"
Keith is rendered almost speechless. There are probably a dozen sufficient answers.
He found his purpose through war. He had Voltron. He had the Blade. His Mom. Adam. Shiro.
None of those stand out.
What does, are strong, piercing blue eyes that ground him in the heat of battle. A calm but commanding voice telling him to keep going, no matter the odds.
What comes to mind is the person he fought for.
The person he loves more than breathing.
"I had Lance," Keith says.
Luis stares. "What?"
"I would've lasted a week without him. Honestly, I didn't think I was cut out for this whole… leadership thing until he knocked some sense into me," Keith says. "He challenged me in ways that pushed me to do better, to be better, even if I thought his methods were a bit dramatic."
"Is that Princess Nadia on her noble steed?! Whatever shall I do?" Lance is tackled to the ground by Nadia and Kosmo. "UGH! Mr. Sharpshooter will come back, I tell you! You can't get rid of me that easily!"
Silvio and Nadia laugh in glee.
"I'm not a father, but…"
Keith has never been more sure of anything in his life.
"I would do it all again if it meant he was safe."
There's a heavy silence from Luis. Suddenly, Keith hears a sniffle.
"Uh, are you—?"
"You're a good man, Keith." Luis wipes his eyes. "A good man. Thank you, for everything."
Keith has been thanked in over a hundred different ways, by over a hundred different people. This one means the most, by far.
"For the record," Keith adds gently. "You fought against the Galra in your own way. From what I've seen in my time up there, love is the greatest form of resistance there is."
Luis stands straight and pulls Keith into a hug. It's overbearing and tight, just like Shiro's. He finds himself getting a bit teary-eyed.
"Take care of my baby brother, alright?"
"Always," Keith nods with promise.
Lance, being dragged across the ground by Kosmo and the kids, screams:
"KEEEEEEEEITH! I NEED HELP!"
The scene is so outrageous that Keith busts out laughing, it explodes out of him like a shaken soda can.
Luis yells, "HEY! BE GENTLE WITH YOUR UNCLE."
Keith pushes himself off the door frame, but before he walks away, he turns to Luis.
"Guess I'll get started on that whole taking care of him thing," He says, turning on his heels to shout, "Don't worry, sharpshooter, I'm coming!"
That night, the two ex-paladins lie side-by side on Lance's bed. It's a tight fit, but it's perfect.
The McClain house is as quiet as a mouse, as calm as a clam, as…Lance can't think of anymore comparisons, but it's quiet. Alright?
Keith's rhythmic heartbeat nearly lulls Lance to sleep. Delaying the inevitable, Lance lifts his head from his beloved's chest.
"Did you have a good day today?" Lance whispers.
"Yeah, sweetheart, I did." Keith smiles as he says, "Had fun watching you get dragged around the yard."
Lance guffaws and lightly smacks his shoulder, "Meanie."
Keith laughs as he pulls Lance impossibly closer to him, "Sorry, sorry."
Their legs entangle in the sheets as they've done dozens of times, brushing softly against Kosmo, who's in Puppy Dream Land at the foot of the bed. He softly barks at whatever is antagonizing him in that little brain of his. Maybe a weird space squirrel? Do those exist? They have to, right?
Keith rests their foreheads together, pulling Lance out of his imaginative thoughts.
"Thank you for inviting me."
Lance melts into him, he smiles, "Of course, baby." After a long moment, he softly adds, "You're my family, too, y'know?"
"Yeah?"
Lance rests his hand against Keith's scarred cheek, gently rubbing his thumb up and down the mark.
"Yeah."
Keith nods against him, the darkness of the room almost obscures the tears gathering on his eye line, but Lance's marks illuminate his face just enough for him to notice.
Lance kisses Keith's forehead, his cheeks, his nose—anywhere he can reach, really. He kisses his boyfriend until he devolves into giggles.
"Lance!" Keith whisper-yells, he can't help the smile that appears on his face.
"As much as I'd love to keep kissing you into oblivion—oh!"
Keith interrupts him with a soft kiss on his lips, then another….then a few more, okay a lot more, KEITH.
He pulls away after God-knows how long, leaving Lance to flounder like a fish.
"What? Like that?"
This man will be the death of him.
"As much as I'd love to keep kissing you," Lance says quickly. "We should go to bed."
Keith nods, "Sounds good to me."
Lance settles back into Keith's side. He rests his arm against his boyfriend's broad chest. "Goodnight, baby. Merry Christmas."
Keith kisses his forehead.
"Merry Christmas, beautiful. Sweet dreams."
That night, Lance dreams of holiday lights and the love of his life.