[ action ]

[tempredmental]

Who: Keith, OPEN
Broadcast: No
Action: Huntress, Iskaulit, open to other ideas!
When: Kind of a system catch-all post-update, starting Nov 26

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[It took a moment for all his memories to mesh together again once he woke up, but Keith sat up slowly once they did. Okay, ha ha, Atroma... Garrison cadet uniforms sucked. He sighed and glanced back over his shoulder to see if Lance had made it back or stayed or just... whatever.

Judging by the uniform on him, too, Lance had gone back, too... or slept through it? Keith definitely felt like he'd slept through it.

And the graphitti on his face indicated-wait...

Keith's eyebrows went up... and he looked around the room. Pidge. Keith knew Lance was going to flip out when he woke up, but, for now, Keith wasn't going to leave Pidge just lying on the floor. He carefully picked her up and put her on the bed. There was a moment of concern at how passed out she was, especially when he noticed the signs of exhaustion in her features. What the heck happened?

Keith headed out to get some water only to notice his own new look in the bathroom mirror. Well then. He just hoped it wasn't permanent marker this time. He started washing, deciding that Pidge could get her own water when she woke up... or maybe just let her and Lance wake up together. That could be interesting...]

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[This is probably the only time Keith's come back from a trip home or a impromptu coma in a relatively good mood. Granted, he wasn't exactly bouncing around the Huntress or the Iskaulit like it was the BEST DAY EVER, but he didn't seem as 'emo' as usual.

He could be found at the gym, the obstacle course, getting food, in the Voltron team "Lion's Den", doing his turn at the helm on the Huntress... basically being himself, but less depressed and angsty.]

=====

[It took a few days to really catch on, but, eventually, Keith had to catch Lance and pull him aside. He'd been distant lately, and it was concerning. Ever since they got back, really. He knew it was hard on their relationship to keep getting new memories of them not being a couple back home, and Keith was a little worried that Lance might be considering that route for here in the Fleet, too.]

Hey... [He stopped Lance from leaving their room one morning.] Is everything okay? You seem kind of... distant.

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{OOC: Hit me up on plurk duches77 or PM my journal if you want to try something specific. I'm open! Also! This is now Keith post season 7, so poke me if you want me to avoid spoilers!}

Comments

[tempredmental]

[Keith bit his lip, hard enough to turn it white, and then nodded. For the moment, he couldn't actually say anything. There was too much running through his head, and he just needed to regain his focus. It showed in his face, his posture... he'd honestly been ready for a breakup. The fact that it didn't seem to be happening confounded him and frightened him.

And then some words came into focus, so he jumped on them, trying to get things out there before his voice failed again.]

I just want you to be happy. I was scared because I thought that was with Allura. And, if that's how it works out back home, I'm okay with that. I'm okay with that here, too... but... I just... [And it was gone again. He floundered.]

[the_tailor]

You're...okay with losing me? You'd give me up without a fight? That hurts, buddy. Because I'd sure as hell fight for you.

[He tries his hardest to let out a little laugh, even if his throat is tight.]

You were always my first choice since I saw your smug face and bad haircut for the first time. That never changed, even if I didn't fully realize it. I don't even know if I'll ever be a choice of any kind for you back home, but I want to be.

[He squeezes his hand.]

I don't want to be with Allura. I want to be with you.

[tempredmental]

[Keith looked confused and upset for a second.]

But... if you're happy...

[And that was honestly the biggest thing here. Fighting for them to be together or not, if Lance had chosen someone other than him, Keith was okay with that because it was Lance's choice to go that direction. He was used to that anyway, so the idea that someone would pick him first... he'd only had a few people do that in his life.]

I don't know if I'll ever figure myself out back home. You deserve better than that.

[Hell, he was still having a problem figuring himself out here sometimes, too. Sure, he was settled on some issues, but others were still a huge a mystery, and he was self-aware enough to know he still had a way to go.

He looked down at their hands when Lance squeezed his. Keith could feel his own trembling a little in the grip, and he just pushed himself forward, pulling on Lance's hand until they were in a hug.]

I don't want to lose you, either... but, if you're happier with someone else, then that's what's important. That you're happy. I can get by on my own if I have to, as long as I know you're okay and that you're with someone you're happy with.

..... [He pressed his face into the side of Lance's neck.]

But... it does make me glad to know you don't want to lose me, either.

[the_tailor]

I'd be happiest with you, if what's happened here tells me anything.

[He starts to stroke through Keith's hair with his free hand now, a familiar calming gesture. Insecure and still kind of hurt as he is, he knows it's more important to make sure Keith is alright. If Keith bolts, he doesn't know what he'd do.]

You're growing up back home, and not just physically. I can tell. And when you talk to me again, I'm going to realize I shouldn't give up on you after all, okay? And I'll woo the pants right off of you.

[tempredmental]

[The idea of running was still in the back of his mind. Facing stuff like this was hard... but he was determined. Part of him was also pretty sure he'd just had something akin to a panic attack, but he wasn't going to bring that up now.

Lance's comment, though... it managed to elicit a tiny chuckle.]

You sound pretty confident about that...

[After a moment, he straightened back up to meet Lance's gaze, sliding his hand down to rest on his chest, pinching the material of his shirt for a moment to rub it between his fingers.]

Do you want to know why? [Keith stumbled verbally a little bit.] You know... why I voted for you?

[the_tailor]

I managed to get you to fall for me here. I can do it back home.

[He has to believe it. Has to stay confident. That last part makes him pause-- Honestly, he's almost afraid of the answer.]

...Yeah. I would.

[tempredmental]

[Keith smiled a bit at Lance's confidence in being able to win him over back home, despite the mess they were dealing with.

He got serious again, though. He knew he could tell Lance this now.]

Because I know I can count on you. I knew that, no matter what, if you got out, you would have made the right decision. Whether that was to get us out right away, or just keep going to Earth first. I knew I could trust you to handle it.

[He let go of the front of Lance's shirt and took his hand again.]

I threw a lot at you to handle, and you just did it. I knew you could.

[the_tailor]

That...

[Well, wow. That's completely different from the response he actually got during that godforsaken show. There, all he understood was that Keith hated him.

But this...

Lance gives a little smile, because this--this is the Keith he knows now. The Keith he trusts to love him, the Keith who makes him feel like he's actually worth something.

This isn't going to fix everything. But it's a start, and he leans down to kiss the back of Keith's hand.]

You suck at words when you're on the spot, you know that?

[tempredmental]

Yeah... my drawing goes out the window, too.

[Communicating was hard enough, and then to be stuck there trying to get his team to guess the right answer without being able to just tell them? Ugh...

He squeezed Lance's hand a little in response.]

It's like... that Bob guy was pushing all our weaknesses on purpose.

[the_tailor]

It really did look like a chicken or some weird thing, so you all need to shut up.

[It's joking, but. Having everyone claim he was dumb and stupid and not a single person standing up for him? Not easy either. Lance has had bad issues for a long time about how his teammates thought of him, and having them literally tell him they wanted to kill him or him to kill himself because he couldn't remember Rolo's name...

Eh. Something to deal with some other time.]

Yeah... Yeah, that was that. Stupid stuff. But it's alright, I forgive your bad drawings.

[tempredmental]

I'm not even bad at it. I just... I don't know. It was a time limit. [He shook his head. He definitely had more questions, but the person who'd have most of those answers wasn't there. For once, Keith actually wanted Coran's weird tidbits of information. He could have told them more... maybe.] I'd like to see you do better.

[the_tailor]

Mmhmm. Excuses. I can draw so much better.

[...Not really. But Keith can't prove otherwise right now, so he just takes a deep breath and nuzzles into his shoulder.]

[tempredmental]

We could always put that to the test some time...

[Keith brought his hands up to hold Lance, one going up far enough to gently tease the ends of his hair on the back of his neck.]

[the_tailor]

I'd love to.

[He makes a little content sound, torn between leaning out into the touch and leaning into Keith himself. Lance decides ultimately to do both-- His head moves back against Keith's fingers, but his actual body presses a little further against his boyfriend's.]

I'm obviously gonna win.

[tempredmental]

Yeah, okay... I've seen your stick figures on my board. We'll see about that.

[Keith chuckled a little, and rubbed his cheek against Lance's, cuddling a bit.]

[the_tailor]

Mm. Those are just quick doodles. You haven't seen anything yet.

[Honestly, he's not that great of an artist, but Keith doesn't have to know that yet. He keeps leaning into the cuddling, soaking up all the physical comfort.]

[tempredmental]

Okay. Suuure.

[Keith sounded a little amused, but he turned serious again for a moment.]

I'm sorry for messing up.

[the_tailor]

It's okay. I... Things are tough. We knew this when we got into it. And things might not ever stop being tough, but we can make it through it. Power of love and all that, y'know?

[He gives him a squeeze.]

Look, we've gotten through our first crisis as a couple. If that ain't proof we can be strong, I don't know what is.

[tempredmental]

[Keith managed a dry chuckle at the power of love comment, and then nodded.]

Yeah. I guess it is proof. [He let out a deep breath, nuzzling his face against Lance's neck.

Was it really okay? Keith wasn't sure, and there was definitely a lingering doubt in the back of his mind, but he just held on to Lance tightly. It was all he could do right now, because they still had to go back home again at some point, right? Who knew what that would bring?

Keith wasn't sure if he wanted to know. In regards to this, what he had with Lance, he wanted to stay. But, Keith was the type to always put everything else before himself. As happy as he was, he knew he still had things to do back home... he needed to go back, even if he didn't want to.]

[the_tailor]

[Even without seeing Keith's face, he knows the other man is deep in thought. Lance isn't sure exactly what's running through his head right now, but he wants this to be right. He just wants to feel better for now and for Keith to feel better as well.]

Can we just focus on day by day? Worrying about the future, what may or may not happen... I think it's not going to be great for us living in the now. I want us to be just happy and sickeningly in love without anything weighing too hard on it. I know getting you to stop worrying is like trying to get you to use conditioner, but when you have your doubts, either come to me or just think about how happy you feel now.

[Pause.]

Because I really hope I do make you happy and content in the now. I think I do.

[tempredmental]

[Keith hesitated, but then nodded.]

I can try... You do make me happy. If I was better at this back home, it wouldn't be an issue anymore... at least, I'd like to think so.

[He pulled back, giving Lance a completely serious look, poking him lightly in the chest.]

And I don't need conditioner, so no point in wasting the water.

[There... he managed a small smile.]

[the_tailor]

It'll make your hair healthiiiieeeeer...

[He says it in a sing-song voice. It's about the millionth time he's said it, and he knows there's still no changing Keith's mind, but he'll still prod him about it anyway. It's familiar and it's them.]

[tempredmental]

There's a limited amount of water each day, Lance. I'm not wasting it on conditioner.

[He sighed. Yes... this was familiar, and definitely more lighthearted of an 'argument' than anything else today. Keith was more than willing to follow Lance along this route.]

[the_tailor]

It literally takes like five seconds to put it on, then you can rinse it off after you scrub your body down. Five extra seconds, Keith. Maybe five more if you comb the conditioner through if you really wanna get fancy with it.

[He'll never understand you, Keith.]

[tempredmental]

But then it rinses down where I already washed. Lance, that makes no sense. Why would you wash your body and then rinse something out of your hair after?

[Talk about not understanding. Shower efficiency 101!]