Shklance Week || 2016

Day 5 - Dream/Nightmare

Lance hadn't been the same since he was kidnapped several planets back. His mood was intensely dull, even Shiro couldn't figure out a way to keep his mood up, and it scared Keith. So much so he'd subconsciously started caring for the boy in tiny ways. From making sure he was eating to making sure he slept, Keith himself was becoming unknowingly paranoid.

And it wasn't like Lance didn't notice the nice behavior. Their bickering had dropped to an all-time low, the most of it happening during training. He also noticed Keith's constant mothering, and tried hard to keep up a façade capable of fooling the red paladin. No matter how he focused his mind always slipped elsewhere, depressing thoughts usually at the back of his mind now overwhelming.

Shiro sat on the sidelines, unsure as to what to do for the first time in his life. He was afraid to push Lance, the boy's sadness weighing over him like a storm cloud. And Keith's anxieties were even more apparent when he'd sneak into Shiro's room at night, eyes puffy from panic attacks, feet cold from standing outside Lance's room. But the problem didn't last long, rearing its ugly head quicker then Shiro expected.

"Shiro!" Keith whispered loudly into his ear, startling the larger man awake. And Shiro had assumed it'd be like any other night, but the panicked look on Keith's face said no. It wasn't going to be; especially when the red paladin was grabbing his hand and pulling him unwillingly from his comfy bed.

"Lance had a nightmare.. still is." Keith whispered, not even letting Shiro put his shirt on as he was pulled through the door. "I heard him screaming from a room over."

Now that made Shiro tense. He knew Lance had nightmares, almost as bad as his own, which replayed in his mind even while awake. But he'd never heard the boy scream. And Keith was right. As they grew closer, the sound became less muffled, and so did Shiro, now pulling Keith along behind him as he put his hand on the doors wall sensor.

The door opened in a whoosh, the sight that greeted them taking Shiro's breath away.

Lance had just awoken himself, his entire face ruined, tears streaking his cheeks, cracked lips and dark circles under his eyes. His blankets were on the floor, the bathrobe he usually wore ripped off in his screaming fit. He was staring at his hands, breathing heavily when he noticed them, a sad smile coming to his face.

"Hey.." Lance's voice was so broken from the crying, his hands clenched the air. Shiro's heart hurt for the first time in a while, resonating with the boy before him, sleepless nights and thoughts of night terrors coming to mind. He let go of Keith's hand, rushing forward to encase the blue paladin a hug, his own tears streaming down his face for the first time since they found Lance in Blue's wreckage.

And Keith bit his lip, his own tears threatening to spill over as he watched them, realizing he wasn't the only one struggling comforting in its own way. He moved forward, running a hand through Lance's hair, a comforting hand on Shiro's back. He was never good at comforting anyone, but for the first time, all he wanted, and he rarely wanted anything, was for the two of them to be okay.

The ships incessant buzzing was what woke the three up, red and blue tangled over a still sleeping black paladin. Keith silently took in Lance's disheveled appearance; the tan boy's blinking eyes staring at him sluggishly. His eyes were still red from hours of crying before, but he looked the most relaxed Keith had seen him in weeks.

"Morning, mullet." Lance whispered voice gravelly with sleep, a small smile spreading across his face. Keith smiled back, tears finally breaking his face, Lance's own colored in shock as the red paladin cried. The relief that flew through Keith's body made his mind soar, his hand grasping for Lance blindly. Knowing they'd be okay, knowing they'd be alright, finally put the red paladin at ease. And he knew he'd be alright too.