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[marmoron]

[No one can say for sure what the future holds. After their fight with the Komar-Mecha, concepts like the future had all too quickly become something nebulous and intangible for all of the paladins. The explosion happened for Keith in slow motion, a searing white light coming towards him, the voices of friends ringing in his ears, last thoughts, last hopes that Earth at least would be safe...

And then nothing.

He had no idea if he'd ever see, hear, feel or touch anything ever again. But when he did finally open his eyes, gentle rays o sunlight were filtering in between the blinds and Krolia and Kolivan were there smiling... along with a headache that wasn't going away.

That had been a week ago, and now that he's finally been discharged from the Garrison's med bay, there are four people he really wants to see with his own eyes. He knows they all made it, it'd been the first thing he demanded to know when he had the presence of mind to demand anything, but there's nothing that can put him at ease better than being in their presence again.

As soon as he's able to leave, he heads straight back to Garrison barracks, heading directly to Allura's room. He figures Pidge, Hunk and Lance are likely with their families and doesn't want to intrude on any festivities. Festivities are... deeply awkward, you see.

Evidently he's not the only one who thought to come visit the princess though, and he stops short when he spots a familiar figure about to rap on the door.]

Lance?

[God help him, there's already a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.]

Comments

[spazzed]

( there had been a whole heck of a lot going through his mind at the very end of it — all of which boils down to please make sure everyone is okay, some silent prayer to a deity he's not entirely sure he believes in, but it never hurts to have your bases covered when it comes to the end of the world.

except it. wasn't. and he'd woken up surrounded by familiar faces looking down at him, no such thing as personal space when it comes to worrying about family, and as happy as he had been to have them all there fussing and fawning over him, he might just be counting himself lucky when the moment of discharge comes, because he. kind of needs a break from it all, if that makes any dang sense.

a week is a long time to be cooped up, okay. especially when you're an effective ball of restless energy that can't ever sit still to save your life. but it goes without saying that he had needed that week to recuperate, and maybe he won't be operating at full capacity for just a little while yet, but. baby steps. baby steps are a good thing to take.

and those baby steps are taking him directly to allura's room, a decision that had been equal parts conscious and unconscious as he raises a hand to knock on her door, though he doesn't get much further than that when he notices that he isn't alone in his thoughts.

that smile, it brings one to the line of his own mouth as he turns to greet the other, expression soft and just a little bit sheepish all at once. ) Hey. ( he says, and it sounds like a lot more than just that, but. we won't blow his cover just yet. he's doing well keeping all those emotions contained.

he's so glad you're okay.

instead, he jerks his thumb toward the door he'd just been about to knock on. ) Princess Checkup Brigade, party of two?

[marmoron]

[There aren't any words that can adequately describe how he feels seeing Lance there, smiling and cracking dumb jokes again. Relief is just too tepid a sentiment for the way warmth spreads out from his chest. Familiarity, nostalgia and perhaps just... fondness at seeing Lance alive and well has him relax for the first time in a week.]

Seems like it.

[He approaches Allura's door, still smiling, still looking at the other with an earnest smile.]

Thought you'd be with your family.

[Plainly from the tone of his voice: I'm glad you're not.]

[spazzed]

( yeah, there's … no real way of conveying just how glad he is that they had all come through that whole ridiculous ordeal, even as banged up as they had been. seeing keith there, real and tangible and whole and alive is something that makes his chest ache in a good way. a fond way.

and you know there would have been no other way to come back from a near-death experience than to hit the ground running with dumb jokes. that is the essence of lance. something that's surely never going to change. ) Oh, I was. ( and of course he offers it nonchalantly, with a small roll of one shoulder that equates an attempt at a shrug. ) But they can be … a lot. ( meant in the most loving way possible, of course! ) So, I thought I'd poke my head in here. Say hi, y'know.

( everyone needs a break from their family every once in a while, you know. it's just that simple. and he honestly can't be more glad that he'd chosen this precise moment to take that break. ) Thought you'd be with your mom? ( but, plainly, right back at you. glad you're not. )

[marmoron]

Yeah. I can only imagine it would be a lot.

[What he isn't saying is that it's hard to imagine being from such a large family that wants to hugpile and coddle at every turn. He'd been happy for Lance when he watched their reunion at the Garrison, but it'd seemed like an endless stream of people jumping out from every direction and the whole thing had seemed a little overwhelming. It must be nice to have that kind of welcome waiting for you back home though. Keith would've been bitterly jealous years ago while he was living at the group home, but that was a long time ago.

He grins, turning his attention towards the door.]

Guess if anyone would put me on a leash after getting discharged, it'd be Krolia.

MEANWHILE

[quintessent]

[From the beginning, Allura was prepared to give her life for the war, for her friends. Even at the beginning, when she watched the doors of the escape pod close around Shiro, not sure if it would be the last time she saw beyond Zarkon’s ship, she approached it with the same sort of grim determination, glad that her father’s legacy would still live on beyond her. In the same way, as their ships hurdled to the ground, her last thoughts were of her friends, praying through whatever powers she possesses that at least they make it through.

As it turns out, they all made it through. Allura’s stay in the hospital had been… lonely isn’t the right word — Her room was constantly full of chatter from Coran or Romelle, and she had regular visits from others (even Kolivan stopped by to check on her recovery) — but it was by far the longest stretch of time she’s spent away from the other paladins. That (combined with a longer recovery time than Allura was familiar with) made her positively restless, and multiple times she had to be persuaded to keep to her hospital room.

That’s why it took about two dobashes upon her return to her room at the Garrison before she was turning on heel and heading for the door. There was a moment of hesitation as she reached for the door handle, remembering that their recovery may have been slower than hers, and they were under strict orders to rest, even after discharge, but… she had to see them, if only for a moment.

I will be brief she reasoned with herself as she twisted the handle, opening her door to the sound of voices beyond. Very familiar voices.]

Keith…? Lance!

[And excuse her for standing, a little dumbfounded in her doorway. Why is Krolia putting Keith on a leash? She can't help but smile when she sees them — alive and well — a swell of emotion that she tempers (momentarily) with concern,] What are you doing here, you should both be resting!

[Just like she was definitely just doing, hauling out the door like that.]

[spazzed]

( it is overwhelming at times, to have such a large family that cares so much about every little thing that happens — and while what they've all just gone through can in no way be considered little, sometimes a guy just needs a breather. he won't stay away too long, he promises himself, but you know some things just happen and you run into one friend that could have almost died while thinking to check in on another that had almost done the same thing.

and you had better believe that comment about krolia has him chuckling. ) Why can I picture that so easily … ( because you, sir, are a goober, and we all must admit that it's a very amusing mental image to have. let's let that sink in for a moment.

consider this a moment.

it's in the middle of that that the door in front of them abruptly opens, and he counts himself more than a bit surprised — and it shows on his face, looking almost like the kid that constantly gets caught with his hand in the cookie jar — but he recovers quickly enough, smiling even though his eyebrows are stuck about halfway up his forehead. ) We were! ( a knee-jerk response, sorry to answer for you, too, keith. but it's kind of true? ) Well, I mean, I assume he was. I was, but then I thought to come check up on you. ( his grin is lopsided, and he rolls a shoulder in keith's direction. ) Great minds think alike.

[marmoron]

[That's perfect timing for an interruption. Now Keith doesn't have to explain that it's easy to imagine his mom doing this because she may or may not have threatened to do this exact thing when he tried cutting his stay at the med bay short. Krolia has her way of doing things, let's just leave it at that and return to this issue again never, shall we?

He blinks in surprise as the door opens without warning, but it isn't long before his expression melts into a warm smile at seeing the princess. It's only been a week of separation, but a week passes like eternity when you're forced to rest and relax in an environment that's conducive to neither. This moment right here, when he can look from Allura to Lance, and see that they're both safe and doing well has been better for him than any medicine he's been given.]

Allura, you're ... [He trails off, turning to look at Lance with a raised eyebrow. God, he babbles a lot. Keith never thought he'd see the day he would actually miss that a little. Or see the day when his gut instinct isn't to immediately call out the hypocrisy in Allura's question because it's all undeniable proof that they're ok -- more than okay.]

What he said. [Granted he'd have said it a far more linear fashion, but who cares? Keith certainly doesn't at the moment.] Besides... it's hard to rest when you're wondering how your friends are doing.

[quintessent]

[A warm feeling curls under her skin and the corner of her mouth turns up into a smile at their response, when she realizes that they were all of the same mind. And- excuse her when she suddenly pulls them both into a tight hug, one arm looping around each of them. She exhales a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding, comforted by their real and solid presence.

And maybe she's hiding the way her eyes were watering, just a little bit, burying her face into Keith's shoulder. She never doubted that her friends would be worried about her, but for them to still seek her out immediately, even when they were home for the first time in years. Because, whether they realized it or not, they were her whole world.]

I am so glad to see you both. [She pulls back once she's sure her emotions are in check, though her hands linger before dropping back to her sides. Her grin turns sheepish,] As it turns out, I was just on my way to see you as well.

[spazzed]

( well … thank goodness for interruptions, even though that would have been the most interesting story he's heard in a while — which includes something silvio had been in the middle of telling him when he'd decided to do his stopping-by in the first place — but, okay, it's hard to follow through with something like that when you're being pulled in close for a hug.

because that's nice. really nice. and finds a bit of tension he wasn't aware of harboring bleeding out of him as one of his own arms curls briefly around her back. his chin rests briefly on her shoulder, and then she's pulling away. ) Great minds really do think alike, huh. ( rhetorical question, don't worry about that. it doesn't even sound like a question! and he'll try to keep his babbling to a minimum this time. )

So uh, how are you?

( an honest question if there ever was one, because while he has no doubt that she has to be faring as well as either of them — better, probably, thanks to those altean healing powers — but it's something he has to ask, anyway, because hearing it is just as much confirmation as seeing it for himself.

he looks at keith, grins again. yeah … this is starting to feel normal again. almost. )

[marmoron]

Oh...

[Despite everything, Keith wasn't really expecting to get roped into a surprise hug, and ends up blinking back some minor surprise before finally bringing himself to wind his arm around the small of Allura's back, cheek brushing against her hair. This is fine, it's been a while and though there's still so much left hanging in the air that's uncertain, what's important is that they're all here to enjoy the moment they've fought so hard for.

It catches him in an unexpected spot. Being held and being able to hold onto Allura makes their victory on Earth all the more tangible, and he's almost reluctant to let go when she pulls back, but he catches himself and clears his throat. Catching Lance's grin, he ducks eye contact for a moment, half-smile briefly directed at the floor.]

Not that there's anything that could keep you down, Allura. [A beat.] Either of you.

[How many times have they all stood strong for each other in battle when it seemed all hope was lost? A few minor injuries are nothing in comparison.]

[quintessent]

[If you weren't expecting surprise hugs, then what did you come here for, Keith? But really, she could have made that hug about a full movement longer, basking in the warmth of her friends, but they unwind themselves, and she gives Keith a small smile for his great faith in her,]

I will say that I miss the sleep chambers on board the castleship.

[They are light years better than what earth considers a medical bay.] ...And that if Coran catches me out of bed again, I'm afraid I will never hear the end of it.

[Again, implying that maybe there were a few occurrences of trying to check on them earlier. That being said, she takes a step back, holding the door open. An invitation to get out of the hall, because she suspects that each of them might be being as delinquent as she is right now.

And it's a nice room, one of the larger ones in the garrison, by virtue of being visiting nobility. It's not fancy by any means, and largely impersonal to any personal touches by Allura (save for a pile of pillows on the bed that have been procured from somewhere), but still a step better than what is offered to the average cadet.]

[spazzed]

( welcome to the hug club, keith. lifetime membership. please get used to it.

( because heaven knows you're going to get more of them in future. best just come prepared. )

in this tiny moment, he looks at his friends — no, really looks at them — maybe feeling like the first time they'd all managed to work as a team, not just when voltron had come under new management ( here's lookin' at you, keet ) but when they'd first started at all, and. he knows they've come a long way and that he doesn't need to actually say it for it to be true, but he's going to think it.

he's proud of both of you. so flipping proud. and he's also proud to be a part of this team with you.

wow, that got emotional. good thing he didn't say any of that out loud. ) We wouldn't want to get you in trouble — ( even as he shifts just as much as he needs to gently nudge keith with an elbow the moment she steps back, inviting them in without saying as much; his head tilts to the side, as if he's asking a silent question of his own consisting of you wanna? even though he's pretty sure he knows the answer. still, sometimes it's nice to make sure …

but maybe it doesn't hurt to take the initiative himself, or at least be the first one to accept her offer? and he steps over the threshold, peering around just a little but not being too invasive. just. wanting to get a feel for her personal space, or is supposed to be, considering she'd pretty much left all of it with the castle. ) … This is so much nicer than the medbay. ( he had to say it, okay. )

[marmoron]

[Look, all he wanted from this was some visual confirmation that both of you were doing okay, maybe exchange a few nice words and then be on his merry way. He wasn't -- isn't -- here for anything else, but that's a nudge forward and a nudge out of his own headspace where he's starting to wonder if maybe he should go check on Hunk and Pidge before he gets roped into having more of these warm feelings about the two of you.

Though really... he isn't complaining at all. He follows Lance's lead inside her room, noting the difference in accommodations, but making no comment to that effect.]

Anything's nicer than the medbay, Lance. [It smells like antiseptic and sickness in there, alright? But there's still that faint smile on his lips that's still more directed at the floor.]

How many times has he caught you already?

[He leans against the wall by the door, arms loose by his sides.]

That's such a good icon of Keef

[quintessent]

It has been… a few times.

[And Allura sounds just a little embarrassed to admit. Her stubborn streak was well known to the paladins (and the entirety of the medical staff by now.) With the door closed behind them she crosses the room to sit on the edge of her bed — and it vaguely occurs to her that she doesn’t really have much in the way of seating to offer her friends, the barracks being the way they are.]

When our ships crashed, I was afraid- [Ah, she trails off, because surely her fears were shared, and because voicing her fears made her voice uneasy in a way she wasn’t expecting. Emotional. She folds her hands in her lap, looking down at them.] I wanted to see for myself that you were all okay.

all keef icons are good ones ... but no gotta agree

[spazzed]

( there is nothing wrong at all with wanting visual confirmation — he isn't about to deny that, not in the slightest — because he has to admit, if only to himself that seeing two of his friends in front of him like this, within arm's reach where he could touch them ( both ) if he wanted is especially reassuring. even if he knew, in his heart of hearts that there was nothing that could keep either of them down for too long.

they're too strong. they're always going to be stronger than whatever the universe tries to throw at them, and that's another comforting thought all on its own.

his grin turns up a little more at keith's comment about the medbay. ) Point. Still needed to be said. ( because it did? moving along.

allura sits at the edge of her bed and while he might not have thought to immediately follow ( that would be rude, right, to just sit right on someone's bed without their permission? there has to be a rule about that somewhere ), when her voice wavers a bit with her next words, he turns in an attempt to coax keith away from where he's leaning, perhaps a tug to his sleeve or whatever will get him to follow and he ends up sitting on her left side, expression earnest, eyes bright and a little wide. )

You're not the only one. ( he says honestly, not the only one who was afraid goes without saying, he thinks, or he hopes, because they all have to be thinking the same thing if they've managed to converge on the same space. ) But here we are, right? ( he looks up to keith for confirmation, expression incredibly soft, and also maybe a little encouraging in the hopes that maybe he'll take a seat on her other side. )

i will salvage whatever good thing from s8 i can :|

[marmoron]

[It's never really Keith's instinct to go sit next to someone up close, much less do so on their bed, but he feels awkward being the only one still standing. If there'd been a chair around, he'd have taken a seat on that instead, but as it is, he takes the cue to sit on Allura's right, brow furrowed as he sits.]

I didn't think any of us were gonna make it.

[Maybe that's something he shouldn't be admitting to as leader of Voltron. As leader you're meant to say inspiring things about having believed in everyone the whole time with unwavering faith. Not that anyone would be convinced by the platitude coming from him -- pretty words like those had always sounded better said by Allura or Shiro.

But Allura's not coming up with platitudes right now and there's a level of honesty and vulnerability there that Keith understands better than what would have been uplifting to hear. It's why he'd told them all it was an honor to fly with them -- a thank you and a goodbye rolled into one sentiment before the explosion sent them hurtling back to Earth at terminal velocity.]

But we made it. We saved Earth together and we're all alive.

[He breathes out, looking from Allura to Lance with a softer smile, voice quieter. Beyond pointing out the obvious, he finds he doesn't have words to express the rest of his feelings. He's never felt so connected to people in his life, so bonded together by all that they've accomplished. Like he really might be becoming an optimist because they're forcing him to become one through their combined strength.]

....thank you. Both of you. Can't imagine doing this without you.

same

[quintessent]

[Maybe words of platitude would be appropriate — she'd heard that the speech Shiro gave after the battle had been rousing. She could say that the bond they formed in the face of impossible odds was one forged in the strongest of steel, or that, in that moment, they really and truly were connected as paladins. Or even that they'd survived impossible odds before. But there was also comfort in vulnerability, and inspiration in the simple knowledge that they made it, despite all odds, despite all of their expectations.

And there's not really words she can find to fully express the mix of emotions she's feeling. A concoction of pride, joy, togetherness, and a dozen other warm feelings that she hasn't found the words for yet, but cause a distinct sort of ache behind her ribs. Like when she thought of home, and she realized that they are her home. Even on strange planet she's never been to, she could feel this way — warm and comforted and accepted and needed — the forms of her friends on either side of her as sturdy and lasting as any planet or ship alike.

She smiles, warm and blinking away that burning behind her eyes. Both of her hands find theirs on either side of her, pressing her palms into theirs. It was a physical reminder that they were there, and will be there. ]

Just the same, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you. Thank you Keith.

[She's sure she speaks for both her and Lance there. And... a little impulsively, she leans to her right, to brush a quick kiss over Keith's cheek (that lands somewhere a little close to the edge of his mouth, just because of the way they're sitting.)]

[spazzed]

( they're both saying all the things that he would have said for himself if he could find the right words for them in the first place; he babbles because he never knows what to say when it's important, when it really counts and he's always worried about sounding stupid in that respect, so. sometimes it's better to just keep his mouth shut when he realizes it's a thing he can actually do.

the way they're all looking at each other, though, it's the kind of softness that he would never have found himself expecting, somehow; keith has come such a long way from the closed-off boy he had been when this had all first started, finally opting to open himself up to the thought that they're more than just a team, more than just friends because they've been through so much that it has to be more than that, right? because found family is a thing, and the level of closeness they're still figuring out is bordering more on that than anything else.

… listen. he has a lot of emotions about you guys and they're all converging on him at once in this moment, and maybe he needs a second to stealthily compose himself before he ends up embarrassing himself without the safety net of being able to blame it on space dust. ) Yeah, man. ( he ends up murmuring, voice gone soft around the edges as he catches keith's gaze with his own. still ridiculously soft, even with that lopsided smile. ) Definitely wouldn't be here if not for you.

( allura takes their hands in both of hers, and he squeezes gently even as she's leaning in to press that kiss to keith's cheek, an action that is just as soft as everything else has been thus far but finds his lopsided smile turning into a bit of a pout. it's all just for show, really. ) Oh, we're giving out kisses now? Do I get one?

( lance you can't just ask that! )

[marmoron]

[..Ah.

Keith's a little taken aback by the kiss to his cheek, but even more taken aback by the words that preceded it. He knows he shouldn't hold on to the things that they all said to one another while they were frightened and going space crazy, but he had wondered if Lance and Allura still held it against him for leaving Voltron in the first place. The anger in their eyes was difficult to forget, even if he could never bring himself to ask directly. Perhaps because he knows from the bottom of his heart he isn't sorry for having left them when he did. He clasps Allura's hand tight in his, interlacing their fingers.]

Allura. I... [He trails off though as Lance interjects with something so utterly Lance-like, that he loses his train of thought. What a thing to just... say so plainly. He doesn't know why that just feels so stupidly right for the moment. Maybe because it just helps him to focus on something more frivolous.]

You want a kiss, Lance?

[He leans closer, the motions with his free hand.]

Come here.

[quintessent]

[Leave it to Lance to break some of the tension, and Allura can't help but laugh, feeling her posture loosen up a bit. How very Lance-like, and her without her mice. (Then again, she won't admit it yet, but the concept of kissing Lance isn't necessarily one she is shying away from these days).

She's just about to respond in the affirmative, when, to her surprise, Keith speaks up instead. Her eyes widen and she looks between the two, mouth quirking up into a grin, eyebrows hiking up, because she's not entirely certain if he is serious, or waiting for Lance too call his bluff. Either way, she looks between Keith, to Lance, and back again. And pardon her while she sweetens the deal a little, just to see.

With a laugh,] Perhaps you will be lucky and get two?

[One for each cheek?]

[spazzed]

( he doesn't mean to break the tension, but he'll take whatever he ends up getting because this venture has only ever been meant for something lighthearted; for all the words that have been given here, everything seems to fall into place without them trying too hard and he's grateful for it, because they've all been through so much that he knows they have to need a break. from all of it.

and. okay. of course he hadn't been expecting keith to be the one to answer his mostly-for-the-heck-of-it question but it yields him the smallest rise of his brows, an incredulous sort of look in the other's direction that finds him hesitating for the smallest moment because. are you? serious? is this an offer? a real one? or are you expecting him to shy away from it because he doesn't want to call your bluff?

he blinks a couple of times, maybe to try to find some sort of balance in the way his heart is picking up behind his ribs, teeth worrying briefly at his bottom lip before he schools his expression into something a bit more neutral, or. maybe a bit more ( pseudo ) confident as he leans forward, still close to allura but more in keith's direction, an acclimation to come here that the other is probably not expecting.

the fingers of his free hand curl into the fabric of his shirt, just because he needs something to do with that hand before he loses his nerve. ) You offering? ( and if he gets two?

holy. crow.

the boy might just die, but it won't be the worst way to go, all things considered. never mind that he's just short of shivering from allura's comment. that. is something that needs taking note of. )

[marmoron]

[Keith glances at Allura through his peripheral vision -- is she encouraging this? Why is she encouraging this? Then his focus snaps back to Lance, eyes widening slightly as he does as instructed. Suddenly, it's like he's stepped into some inverse universe where everything has ceased to make sense -- from the way his friends are acting to the way his heart's coming dangerously close to skipping beats.

Immediately, he feels the need to swallow and just as stubbornly refuses to do so because this clearly isn't a big deal. Maybe he shouldn't have offered, maybe he should've just kept his mouth shut instead of engaging Lance like that. He stares at Lance for a moment, not sure what to do with this now that this is happening, but the longer he looks at his face the more he feels heat threatening to burn his cheeks, and that--

Fuck that. ]

Yeah. That was an offer.

[Forget that he had no idea if he meant it or not; he means it now. Tense and likewise looking for something to take it out on, he grabs Lance's collar with his free hand and presses his lips against Lance's... and just lingers there for a moment longer than he should with his eyes closed so he can just try and block out the weirdness that is knowing that Allura's right there just watching this.

After a moment, he pulls away, heart racing in his chest and unable to make eye contact.]

Guess it's your lucky day.

[quintessent]

[Lewd

Honestly, Allura isn't quite sure what she was expecting when she started egging Lance on, she wasn't really expecting anything, just running with the moment, but then Lance is leaning forward, and so is Keith and — stars, she should not be watching this? Or should she? There's a warm crawl of something that starts low in her stomach but reaches up to her cheeks and ears, dusting them red and she's briefly thankful that both of the boys are occupied enough to maybe not notice that she is blushing up a storm already.

Suffice it to say, that is much better than the cheek kiss that she had in mind. By the time Keith pulls back, she's adverted her eyes downwards, biting gently on her bottom lip and suddenly feeling a little coy. Maybe they were joking around but at least as far as she's concerned, there's a whole flutter of butterflies in her stomach that weren't there before, and she peers at Lance through her lashes,]

Do you... still want one from me?

[spazzed]

( there has always been something about his interactions with keith, something that has almost always found him pushing boundaries and pushing buttons just to get some sort of reaction out of him and while this is just a liiiiittle bit different, it amounts to nearly the same as if they were in some mundane situation and it was bickering for the sake of it.

you offering?

yeah, that was an offer.

except maybe he hadn't been expecting the other to follow through, because before he can even think to come up with some sort of quip in response there are fingers at his collar and lips against his, lance's own fingers curling in on themselves at the hem of the other's shirt. and. okay.

okay.

… okay?

okay.

he's pretty sure his own heart is about to break through his ribs and flop right onto the floor at their feet with how hard it's hammering against them. can they hear it? he can hear it, thundering in his ears and it's almost distracting enough that he nearly misses allura's question. because he might be staring at keith's mouth. which he needs to stop doing.

he blinks a couple of times like that might actually help him regain his focus — it doesn't, but he doesn't miss the way allura is peering at him through the fringe of her lashes and he licks his lips unconsciously with a small nod. ) Absolutely? ( how is that even a question?

never mind that he still hasn't let go of keith's shirt yet. maybe he should do that.

but. he's not going to right this second. )

[marmoron]

[The next handful of seconds pass in a blur of something. Adrenaline? Uncertainty? Trepidation? Keith doesn't dare look up at Lance, but that leaves him staring at the fingers pulling at his shirt, and then when that becomes too much, down at his and Allura's joined hands.

He needs -- he needs a couple of seconds. Just enough time to process what all he just did and why.

He doesn't get a second because Allura speaks up and the conversation advances three steps before he's ready for it to do so. He looks up, suddenly no longer caring that he was avoiding eye contact like the plague just mere moments ago, glancing from Lance to Allura -- not certain if he's horrified or ... or something else. Maybe this whole thing was a giant mistake -- the way his heart's beating certainly makes him think so.

And yet he does nothing to get out of this. He could be letting go of Allura's hand. Could be snapping at Lance to let go of his shirt already. He manages only a weak question after swallowing dryly.]

Seriously?

[And as much as he fully intended on that being a judgmental question just to reinsert some sanity back into the equation of whatever's happening, he fails at that completely. His voice comes out whisper-low.]

[quintessent]

[She shoots a look at Keith, because she's not really sure what that seriously is in reference to— judgment, or something else. Honestly, there's a lot going on right now and she's caught between two fronts, both wanting to go through with it and suddenly questioning what it means to do so. The implications of wanting to. She'd kissed Keith on a whim, because it felt right and she wanted to. With Lance- the want was still there, but now there's the unfortunate pitfall of overthinking.

She purses her lips — more in thought than in preparation, and her eyes dart to where Lance's hand is still fisted in Keith's shirt. And she's back to considering Keith's whispered words and, maybe misinterpreting them a bit, because she's glancing between the two. Lance, still leaning forward, half dazed, and Keith determined to avoid eye contact with both of them,]

Unless... Are you- Is there something I should know about?

[Because there's a lot going on here and – Stars, she wants to kiss him. Both of them. But that in of itself was stirring up confused thoughts and there's a fine line between anticipation and anxiety.]

[spazzed]

( is there something —

well. maybe he needs to let go of keith's shirt, for one; he honestly hadn't realized he was still holding on before but now, he's pretty acutely aware that his fingers are still curled into the fabric and he wills them to loosen, just a little bit, but it seems almost like his body is choosing this precise moment to rebel.

he looks at keith, then at allura and back again and finally his fingers loosen, though instead of bringing his hand back into his own personal space bubble it ends up lingering somewhere near keith's knee, again like the damn thing has a will of its own. ) N— no? ( why does that question make him nervous? why is he thinking about it? something she should know about, between him and keith —

heat floods his cheeks and pools low in his stomach all at once, and he shakes his head in the smallest way. he holds on to her hand just a little bit tighter, and the fingers still somehow in contact with keith's knee fidget, just a little, like.

like he doesn't know, but he doesn't want to stop touching either of them. )

[marmoron]

[Present Keith would like to go back in time to go shake ten-seconds-ago Keith for being horrified because Allura's question just now is the face of true horror. His eyes snap back to her face, utterly dumbfounded. He doesn't even notice when Lance finally let go of his damn shirt because he's too busy putting out this fire.]

No? [He glances at Lance for a second, like he wants to confirm that they're in agreement on this, but seeing the guy's doing his best impression of a cherry, he abandons that approach immediately. It's time to steer this madness into something a little less confusing for all of them... which effectively means the following.]

Lance, quit blushing. [That's an order, dang it and it's punctuated with a casual wave of his hand to try and get him to snap out of his staring mode. Then he releases Allura's hand and breathes out.]

Look. I don't know what's gotten into him. [Says the person who kissed the guy to start with, but we're going to ignore that for now.] Maybe that doesn't matter. We don't know what else is coming or when it's coming, but it's safe for now and we should all be enjoying ourselves. You two kiss already. I.. [Glance down, casually sweeping Lance's hand off his knee.] ...don't know if you want me to stay for that.

[quintessent]

[Somehow the answer sets her at ease yet not at all. While Allura has never been particularly good at reading people, she's starting to get the sinking feeling that if she doesn't do something, Keith is well on his way to pulling back or shutting them out or disappearing or any combination of the three. And it seems like she's only made things worse because now Keith is ordering them around, and-

Well, she's had just about enough of that.

He's still talking when she pulls her other hand free from where she'd been holding Lance's hand. With both hands, she moves to cage Keith's face with both of hers and, without giving herself the chance to overthink it, she's leaning up and pressing her lips against his. It's a sudden, haphazard thing that has their noses bumping against each other awkwardly before she tilts her head into it.

Her heart is hammering away in her chest when she pulls away, dropping her hands back to her lap, but not breaking eye contact as she catches her breath,]

...What if we want to kiss you too?

[Really, she should have asked that first but hindsight is twenty-twenty.]

[spazzed]

( despite the notion that one cannot simply stop blushing on command, he does feel a little silly for reacting the way he had at such a simple question; it had been a simple no, of course, but he seriously can't help what his face does sometimes and that shouldn't be held against him. or, something.

anyway. this isn't about the fact that he's turned the shade of twenty-seven tomatoes all at once, it's that he and allura both are unsure of whether keith might end up trying to bolt because this all got kind of real kind of fast, but … honestly, if there's anyone that could potentially steer this away from the potential of disaster, it would be allura.

and maybe she's speaking for him, too, in this instance — but that might actually be better than him trying to speak for himself, because he's honestly actively trying to will the flush from his face like it might actually be some measure of mind over matter thing. is that a thing that would work here?

and is he … brave enough. to. oh, screw it. taking on a keith mentality here.

somehow, keith had made it work when he reached for him, and lance does the same for himself across allura's lap, but instead of grabbing for his shirt collar, long fingers curl around the back of his neck and coax him into another kiss. much like the one keith had given him previously, but. somehow not. but in a good way.

he sits back again with a little half-smirk curving one side of his mouth. ) Yeah. What if?

[marmoron]

[Well that's certainly one way of getting Keith to shut the hell up. He freezes in place as Allura's hands reach for his face. He's not sure why any of this is still surprising to him, but he tenses up at the kiss, all thoughts snuffed out and sent to some other reality as he becomes a visceral collection of skipped beats, held breath and warmth spreading from all the places they touch.

Allura's hands come away from his face, but the warmth stays in the form of a blush. The princess is beautiful -- anyone can see that plainly, but he's never held that thought for long, much less thought about it while she's close enough that he can see himself reflected in her eyes.

For better or for worse, he doesn't get the chance to clear his throat and question that "we" she's using there because there are fingers wrapped around his neck, and his energy goes towards trying not to think about the way his skin is tingling or how naturally his eyes just shut with Lance's kiss. Still unthinking, his hand brushes over Allura's knees, trailing up over Lance's collarbone just to hold him there a second longer.

Lance pulls back though, and Keith breathes out, looking from him to Allura then down to her bed. He still doesn't know what the hell's going on, but... maybe this isn't something he really needs to question at all.

They've won a hard fought battle together. And right now he wants to be together, whatever that entails. He breathes out, bringing his other hand to rest on Allura's side.]

...guess we're kissing then.

[And before that gets weird, Keith leans in to press a kiss to Allura's neck.]

[quintessent]

[Butterflies. She's familiar with the sort of excited infatuation that makes her feel giddy, a little more bold, a little more excited. Like the thrum of quintessence under her skin, filling her with energy and making her heart beat at an uneven pace as she watched Lance and Keith once again, when Keith's hand brushes past her knees. Things were unfolding between them in an unexpected ways, but it felt... safe. Welcomed. Whatever it is, she wanted to explore it with them.

For all of her bold proclamations earlier, her voice quiets into a soft "Oh." when Keith's hand curves around her side and his lips find the curve of her neck. Heat gathers at her face, up to her ears and she's quite certain he can feel the rapid pace of her pulse- Maybe both of them can at such a close proximity.

One hand finds Keith's cheek, gently holding him there and she closes her eyes, tilting her head to revel in the kiss for as long as he'll linger. After a moment her lashes flutter back open when she realizes that Lance is watching, and she catches his eye with hers, worrying at her bottom lip with her teeth as her free hand finds his once again, threading her fingers with his.]

[spazzed]

( he doesn't want to pull back, to his credit; but he honestly doesn't want to seem greedy when he's just proving a point and it's pretty rewarding, all things considered, to see the look on keith's face when he inevitably does. managing to convince him that they both want to kiss him is a feat in and of itself, and you know what? he's proud of them. they have done a good thing here.

it's something, he thinks, to watch them together. the way keith leans in to press lip to her throat and the way allura tips her head to the side to allow it, eyes sliding shut as though to let such a simple sensation wash over her without any other distractions, and they look so good that he doesn't realize he's staring until those pretty eyes are on him again and there are fingers threading through his.

his throat is already dry, but the way her teeth catch her bottom lip has his heart thudding a bit more prominently against his ribs and he gives in to the urge to lean in close, free hand brushing fingertips over the edge of her jaw, nose gently ( maybe both shyly and affectionately ) bumping hers as he finally presses a kiss to her mouth. soft and sweet but earnest in its own way, and if that free hand of his finds the curve of keith's neck again and settles there, well. these things just happen. yep. )

[marmoron]

[Keith stays as is for a good moment, simply taking in the warmth of being close to Allura. As she tips her head back, he slowly follows the motion upwards, leaving a trail of soft kisses up to the angle of her jaw. Then he briefly draws back, thumb tracing small circles on the small of her back.

They haven't always gotten along in the past, but seeing the color dusting her cheeks the feeling that they're on the same wavelength brings a small smile to his lips. He watches Lance lean in to kiss her mouth, somehow feeling proud of them for having come this far together. It's all such a far cry from the early days when they were still so disjointed and had deep seated misgivings about coming together as a team, let alone coming together as friends.

Or... well, are they still friends? Is this what friends do?

Lance's fingers brush his neck and in turn he reaches up to brush the other boy's cheek, grateful that they're no longer bickering the way they used to. That this all feels alright, even though it shouldn't. Gently he raises Allura's hand and presses a kiss to her fingers.]

[quintessent]

[It's a lot, her attention pulled between the sensation of Keith's kisses on her neck and jaw, a warm trail that lingers long after he pulls away, and just the anticipation as Lance leans in is nearly enough to make her a little dizzy. Their noses bump and she can't help a breathless laugh that bubbles up, quieted when he kisses her, and it's so soft and sweet — both of them are, Keith's gentle touches, and Lance's lips against hers — it makes her heart ache behind her ribs.

She's always been someone easily stirred by emotions, easily drawn into moments, and it was so easy to fall into this, the comforting touches, the way Keith pressed affection into one set of fingertips while the other set were caged in by Lance's slender digits. Both touches uniquely intimate, but uniform in their warmth. Just the same, the way she kissed Lance was slow and gently curious in a way different from how she'd kissed Keith moments before, yet equal in passion, stirring heat in her all the same.

From Keith's lips, her hand turns over to trace feather light touches up the curve of his cheek, lingering only to trace over the line of his scar up to the high part of his cheekbones, mapping him with her fingertips. And as she finally breaks the kiss with Lance, leaning back, a blush rises to her cheeks as she realizes that she's panting a little, as if she'd forgotten to breath (she had). And when she opens her eyes, it becomes more readily apparent how close they all are. With her back nearly leaning into Keith, and with Lance leaning forward, the space that was once her own was now occupied by the both of them. And more readily apparent how much she didn't mind it at all.]

You are both so beautiful.

[The thoughts had manifested as a sigh, slipped out before she could catch herself, and the heat rises to the peaks of her cheeks, just a little bit bashful because, while words felt appropriate, those ones felt oddly intimate, sighed out as they were.]

[spazzed]

( it's a lot to take in, all these new sensations, their closeness in a very general sense; if anyone had told him before he thought to come check up on allura in the first place that he would have found himself in this particular situation, he might have actually burst out laughing, just because it was the sort of dream that didn't have a chance in hell of coming true. at least. that's what he would have thought.

but he's already coming dangerously close to losing himself in all of this, in the way allura kisses him back and the way keith touches him, softly like they rarely ever have been, and it's more dizzying than he can think to put words to, because he never would have thought he deserved anything like this.

( maybe he still doesn't think he deserves it, but he's not about to put a voice to those thoughts presently, because that is definitely a one-way ticket to ruining everything they're building up here. )

so. he feels his face flush a little when those words come out of her mouth, and he distracts himself by reaching for keith's hand at his cheek, brings it to his mouth to nip playfully at the tips of his fingers, press a kiss to the pad of his thumb. ) Look who's talking. ( he finally ends up murmuring with the tiniest smile, something still warm but maybe just a little bit secretive as he keeps keith's hand in his, gaze passing back and forth between them. ) You two look really good together.

( just go right ahead and blurt out what you're thinking, why don't you.

but honestly. where's the lie. )

[marmoron]

[Keith closes his eyes as Allura's fingers trace his scar. Healed over as it may be, it's an unpleasant memory that's been permanently etched into his skin and he hasn't let anyone touch it, let alone with this degree of intimacy. His stomach twists a little, oddly nervous, yet soothed by the sweet caress. The playful nips at his fingers have him opening his eyes as if slowly coming out of a trance, and his gaze lands on the other boy's mouth again. It's a mistake by all accounts as his heart skips another beat.

He'd have been perfectly content to sit there, quietly appreciating Allura and Lance, taking in the gentle warmth that comes from sitting close to them, but there's a weird conversation going on and he feels pressured to say something. He doesn't know why it turned into compliments o'clock (or kissing time) but he feels inexplicably tongue tied. ]

...uh. Thanks....? You, too. Both of you.

[Is that... is that sufficient. Probably not, and his face is burning again on account of his own awkwardness.]

[quintessent]

[If this is the part where she is supposed to agree that the two of them look good together as well, she'll let it go in favor of a small laugh — a tittering, almost nervous thing born not so much from Keith's awkward comment as from the silent acknowledgment that this wellness visit has taken a few unexpected turns.]

Is this... okay? [Without realizing it, her thumb is running nervously over the backs of Lance's knuckles, her other hand drops to Keith's hip at first, before seeking out the hand he'd been holding hers with earlier. Never breaking contact between either of them, but fidgeting, as if she's worried that addressing the elephant in the room might be a good way to ruin whatever it is that is happening here.]

Rather, I enjoy this- [Vague this,] With both of you. A lot.

[Ah, It's her turn to make it awkward. She brings Keith's hand up to press a nervous kiss on the back of his hand, wondering if maybe she was getting a little too sentimental for the playful mood in the room.]

[spazzed]

( and here we thought lance would be the one to make things awkward; both of you are terrible at this but it's more than okay, because there is a sudden thought in the back of his mind that brings itself around to the forefront, and it's not one that he's going to find himself ignoring.

he breathes out a small note, something that might almost be a huff but doesn't quite manage it as he feels allura's thumb brush over the backs of his knuckles. any touch of hers is another that he won't find himself ignoring, and while it seems like both of them are hell-bent on talking when there's no real need for it, he can't exactly blame them because he might defer to that when he has no other idea of what to do.

except. in this instance? he knows exactly what he wants to do, and there's a scant few seconds in which he bolsters himself against the nerves that are steadily creeping their way to the surface. because now is no time to be nervous. and now is no time to hesitate — ) Everything's good, Allura —

( everything is great —

because as sentimental as she is, as much as her words shiver their way to the bottom of his heart and stay there — because he wants to know that everything is all right, that they're all on the same page, he still wants to move forward with everything in him — he pauses as long as he needs to press a fleeting kiss to the corner of her mouth, something that says something along the lines of i'll be back for more before fingers curl around the back of keith's neck again.

and he. seeks to return the kiss the other had given him previously, a sharp little thing with the press of teeth to his bottom lip as he sucks it into his mouth, just short of playful and every bit wanting, because he's been wanting to kiss him again for a while now, and.

well. maybe he's adopting some of those impulsive tendencies. )

[marmoron]

[keith had been about to answer allura's question, but for better or for worse, lance intercepts his response with a well timed kiss. whether he's meant to take it as a subtle cue to shut the hell up or it really was some unlikely coincidence of timing, keith isn't sure, but whatever miffed feelings he has last only as long as the brief sting of teeth on his lip.

is this okay?

there's a part of him that's uncertain about it still. he wants to keep allura and lance close, no matter what. up until about fifteen minutes ago, he'd always thought the war was the biggest obstacle to their continued friendship, but for whatever reason these kisses feel as though they have a similar potential for upheaval.

or maybe it doesn't. lance is alarmingly persuasive on that front. keith mumbles a soft mmm into his lips -- an attempt to answer the princess's questiion despite lance's best attempts to thwart him, before kissing back, fingers entangling themselves into locks of short curly hair. who taught lance how to kiss like that anyway? the mouse?

keith draws back, halfway tempted to laugh at nothing in particular, and turns to smile at allura. he sweeps long hair off her shoulders and leans forward to press his lips to her neck, sucking gently at warm skin.]

Guess we're converging.

[quintessent]

[She watches them kiss with no small degree of interest, heat burning straight up to her ears when she watches the pinch of Keith's lip where Lance is sucking on it, watches the flutter of both of their eyelashes and - stars, there's still part of her that feels like she should advert her eyes, but the sounds are enough to make her burn from her head down to her toes.

At least this seems to answer her question.

Then some of that attention is turned toward her, and her breath hitches as she feels her pulse beat a rapid pace under Keith's lips, tilting her head to expose more of her neck to him as her eyes slide shut and-]

Keith. [His name comes out in an exasperated breath, eyes opening to lock with Lance's, just to make sure she wasn't the only one who heard what passed for pillow talk around here. The way she's sitting up, nearly rising up to her feet might seem like she's had enough and is leaving, but she turns and places a knee on the bed where she'd been sitting, both hands on Keith's shoulders as she pushes him onto his back.]

I have made the executive decision that you are not allowed to talk. [To Lance,] Any objections?