Katie Holt, I presume

Insomnia and Advice

Keith POV

He couldn't sleep. Which isn't abnormal for him but there was no where to go. He was stuck in the barn with the other guys who were all sleeping (snoring) and there was no training room here for him to escape to. He tried to sleep really but his brain just couldn't shut off. Shit. He was on the bottom bunk in a room off the barn staring at the cot above him. I guess this was for staff who used to live here but everything was clean so no biggie. Lance claimed the top bunk and Griffin had to sleep on the other top bunk because Kincade couldn't fit up on the top.

**roll over, smush pillow**

Dinner was...nice. Since little Percy (Jimmy) was so happy he felt good about their decision to find his family. They gathered some good intel, they know now to head over the ridge where they also saw strange lights. But more so, they were able to tell us a better path that would essentially give them more cover. Instead of following the river over they said we should cross the river and go up on the side because it is an easier climb and offers shade. Shade equals cover to that is a good thing, hopefully. Plus there is one additional town that was not on any of their maps so they should be safe.

Then there was Pidge in a dress. God, she looked so cute. It had to have been hand made and it was a little long on her because the mom was taller than her. But it has some kind of tie in the back so it did fit and really emphasized her size. But the worse/best part was the shoulder thing that kept falling down her shoulder onto her arm. Which was awful because while he managed to sit next to her, Griffin was across from her.

I just hated how his eyes were on her. And it was just him because no one else was turning red and staring. Lance wanted to make a joke out of it saying it was just a shoulder but I couldn't explain how annoyed I really was without looking stupid. Plus I didn't want anyone to over hear so I just kept quiet.

But the good part was, when I'd push the sleeve/strap thing up, she would look over to me and smile. I was worried that she'd get annoyed because sometimes with her you just don't know but she wasn't. Her skin felt so soft and she has these freckles that are sprinkled over her shoulder that I never noticed. And we were all lucky enough to bathe with warm water and she just smelled so good. Her hair is slightly longer now and it kinda curls or is wavy, and ...ugh. This is not helping me go to sleep. I toss over again and finally just give up on sleep right now. Fuck it.

I get up as quietly as possible and make my way outside. There are so many stars out it reminds me of being back in the desert. Pidge was showing Percy/Jimmy some constellations earlier and I just enjoyed listening to her tell the stories behind their names. I know he probably didn't understand much but like him I could listen to Pidge's voice all night. I thought about how she shivered and then I put my arm around her. She didn't jump or push me off and in the past I think she would have. Instead, she leaned in and rested her head on my chest.

With Percy/Jimmy in her arms, again I am hit with the feeling of being part of a unit. And I like it a lot more than I ever thought I would. I can hear a horse whinny and instantly feel tense. Someone is out here. My hand instantly is on my blade and I'm still.

I hear a crunch. I don't want to move and let them know that I'm aware I'm no longer alone. So I wait.

"Hullo there. Whatcha doing awake still?"

I relax and let go of my blade. I turn and nod. "Hi Mr. Montgomery. Sorry, I hope I didn't wake you. I just couldn't sleep."

"Now, now, I told you-you save my son you earned the right to call me by my God given name! Joe is fine."

"Of course. Joe."

"Now I see you have been admiring all the stars out tonight, with all the rain, it's a perfect night to gaze. You shoulda brought out your pretty girl without my boy hogging all her attention!"

Man, I can feel my face heating up. "Um, yeah, I think I told you, Joe, it's not like that. We are all just friends" before I can finish scrambling up an explanation he lets out a laugh and hits me on the back.

"Boy, I can tell ya, you got some eyes on a certain pretty girl. A word of advice from a married man, don't wait. Make your move! Don't play it safe. A good woman deserves a man who is willing to put himself out there and claim her. Now, now, I know it's not the thing to say, hell, my missus would have my head on a plate to hear me talk like this. But you gave me back my family and cleared the sadness from my wife. So I'm gonna tell ya, like my daddy told me."

"Um, no, really, I'm okay" I start to try and interrupt but Joe here is not having it.

He whistles low, and a horse come over to the rail we were standing at in the corral. I look up and am impressed by the size and beauty of this horse. It's huge and definitely strong. Joe puts his hand through the posts and offers a carrot. The horse gracefully bites and huffs.

Joe starts "A good woman is like a spirited filly. But, you see, mustangs that aren't bred but live free are even rarer find. Now there are men who'd capture one and think they can beat it into submission or even train one. But a real horse whisperer will tell ya, that you need to understand that horse, respect it, even love it. And you will never own it but rather will persuade that filly that they should give up their freedom to be with you. 'Cuz a true mustang has no owner, they stay cuz they wanna. Now, a your girl is a mustang. And you got some real competition there with that other fella. Now you are gonna have to risk getting bucked off or even bit if you want to get this one for forever. Now my pa told me, the finer the filly the bigger the risk and the more work it was gonna take to prove to that filly, you're the one. Get to it!"

He clapped me on the back again and said he was turning in. He started to walk back to the house and I was left at the fence watching the horse walk around the pen. Well. I heard his voice again but chose to pretend I didn't hear anything. I've got more than enough on my mind. Then I felt a new presence and when I turned my head, I looked down to see Pidge was standing next to me.

In the moonlight she looked beautiful and almost like a dream. She was smart enough to put her shoes on but she had on this long nightgown. It was white, with these little flowers along the neckline and came to right above her boots. It had long flowing sleeves and her hands were covered. Literally everything was covered. So I should not be thinking about what she had on under it. Or how I really wanted to get her out of it. She smiled and said, "Couldn't sleep either?"

I smiled and just nodded. Not trusting my voice after the thoughts I have been having and the conversation that just ended. I took a deep breath and quietly asked how she was.

Pidge replied, "Eh, I think it was too much excitement. What a beautiful horse!"

I laughed and agreed. My heart felt like it was beating to fast and I kept thinking, he's right. I need to make my move. I need to let her know that I was interested. Before Griffin could convince her to stay with him. I took a deep breath.

"So how are things with you and Griffin?"

"Um, okay. Um you have been around us so what do you mean?"

She made to push her imaginary glasses up and literally just pushed on her nose. Shit. I really didn't think this through. Shit. Think!

"Keith? You okay?"

"Yeah, so we have a good plan right?"

"Sure, we cross the river and head up the mountain until we get to the ridge with the lights. I think we do more reconnaissance on the way as well. Maybe by the time we get closer we could see if Hunk has found anything else with the programs that are currently running as well."

I nod. I'm not really paying attention. She kept going on about possibilities and all I could think was how can I tell her I want to be with her. I'd actually like to skip straight to dating exclusively and claiming her but I feel like that sounds too...primitive. I wonder absently if it's a Galra thing. Because once I focused on her, it's like I'm just hyper aware of everything about her, her scent especially. I could probably pick her out of a roomful of people with my eyes closed.

At some point I realize she stopped talking and we are just standing silently. She's close though and I can feel her head leaning against my arm. She's watching a different horse with their foal. And I realize that it's comfortable just being with her. It's like she calms me in a way I don't remember ever feeling before. What am I going to do???