[ remember when i said lance hadn't allowed himself to think that far ahead?
now he's thinking it.
which explains the sudden dumbfounded expression on his face when keith actually agrees to it. without even thinking, he takes the offered hand, but that's the only part of his body that really responds, the rest of him still rooted to that seat. ]
This is what guys ... like us do, right? Besides, the couch can't be that comfortable. [Keith doesn't want to say, "I want to see how it goes," or how he likes it, or whether he can cuddle at all. The thoughts are there, but he's hardly prone to vocalizing them.]
[ lance is tempted to clarify — it's what guys... like them do eventually. something something wait for the right time something make sure everyone is comfortable something.
but then he realizes this is keith, and if keith didn't want to do something, you knew it. so instead of tripping over his own tongue again, he just gets up to his feet instead. finally. ]
[ lance, meanwhile, is all about comfort and self-care, so a nice mattress is definitely ideal after weeks of sleeping on wrestling mats and futons. ]
That's not fair, I have longer limbs!
[ by, like. an inch or two. but the point remains.
he realizes this is also the first time he's ever been in keith's room. any of keith's rooms, a room that was his alone and not shared with the rest of them like in perdition's rest. he peeks in tentatively, eager to see what he could glean about the ofher boy from whatever he finds. ]
[The room itself is clean enough, but it's apparent from the tiny plastic trash can on the floor full of newspapers that he was trying to find leads to figure out where the infected might be starting out. He hadn't been the one to ultimately piece together the puzzle, but he figures that's okay.
Otherwise, there's the sense that Keith only sleeps in here and spends most of his waking hours elsewhere. A mission tends to keep all of the team busy, and Keith likes to use that excuse a lot.
That said, his bed isn't made ... and is never made, for that matter. That just slows a guy down.]
I didn't mean length-wise. I know how tall you are.
I know, I'm real striking. [ definitely not at all what keith meant, but when is lance never not gonna take an opportunity when it presents itself? it's all said pretty distractedly anyway, words for the sake of words, because almost all of his attention has gone to surveying the room anyway.
not that there is... much to survey. but that, too, seems pretty keith. he tilts his head at the unmade bed. that also reads as very keith. ]
The ... middle? [Keith peers down at his bed as if it's supposed to suddenly reveal the mysteries of life to him. The problem is that he doesn't entirely grasp what Lance is trying to ask.] Do you have a preference?
I never actually had a bed bigger than a twin size, [ he admits absently. in a big family that tended to stay pretty close together, space was a commodity. ] So I never really had to have a preference.
[ he lets go of keith's hand to walk further into the room, tentatively sitting himself down on the edge of the bed. he bounces a little, testing it. spring. what a luxury. ]
Since I'm the one with insomnia, I guess it makes more sense to take the open side. [ gently assumes his bed is pushed against a wall........ ]
Right. Makes sense. [For Keith's part, he's had to make do with whatever has been available to him. Twin beds were always the cheapest, and the dorm areas of the Garrison definitely wouldn't have anything bigger.]
And if I need to get up, I can always climb over you. No big deal.
Just don't jab me in the face. [ not that he thinks keith would take advantage of the excuse to do it...
but he also doesn't think keith wouldn't. points to eyes, points to you.
ANYWAY he toes his super fashionable high-tops off and settles down. fortunately keith's bed comes equipped with two pillows, so there will be no quibbling about that. ]
Ah, yeah ... I guess it's okay? We got lucky to have all new furniture when we moved in. [Getting everything set up from the beginning hadn't been as difficult as Keith would have feared. Part of that is that he wouldn't know the first thing about setting up a place with other people. While Shiro would've dealt with it, there's a good chance that Keith wouldn't have wanted to put all the burden on him.
He's really come to realize exactly how much burden is on Shiro already.]
[ lance quickly rolls onto his side, grabbing up the second pillow to curl around, eyes already falling shut. (entirely for show, of course. he knows he won't be sleeping any time soon.) but you snooze, you lose, keith!
or rather — you didn't snooze fast enough, so you lose... ]
It smells like you already, [ he comments idly. has it really been months they've been here? sometimes it feels shorter, sometimes it feels like the opposite. ] I was expecting it to be filled with crumbs.
No one likes to sleep on top of crumbs. [Agitation is there in his voice, but it's the kind of exasperated agitation that's there with Keith and most people. He's not really mad at Lance. He's just ... being himself. In that way, he is probably doing pretty good.]
Mmmmm, [ says lance in response, hamming it up as he does and burying his face in the pillow. ] Buttered Keith, a rare variety from the normally salt-flavored Keith! A delicacy across all the multiverses.
I don't taste like salt! [The reference and joke both fly so far over Keith's head that they're probably in the neighbor's apartment up above them.] Or butter. Though I'm not sure where butter would even come from here.
[Right. That. Sometimes Keith gets so caught up in talking that he forgets important stuff. He doesn't hesitate before sliding into the bed, though his typical position—flat on his back, that is—is immediately not going to work. He turns over to his side, specifically facing Lance's back. He's pretty sure that's what he's meant to be doing.]
No, that's gross. I may not be a foodie like Hunk, but I definitely eat better than just straight up butter.
[ anyway, lance is now very distinctly aware that they are both horizontal... on a bed... their knees almost touching. he shifts a little, just so he can hand the pillow back. ]
Yeah, probably. You aren't gonna try to steal it back, are you? [He tucks it under his head, and because he's Keith, he barely recognizes the difference between one pillow or two.]
[ it's kinda weird to talk to someone without facing them, though, so after a moment of deliberation, he rolls over onto his other side. their knees knock a little so he has to shift some more so he isn't quite so curled up. ]
How are you going to know when I want it the most? [He shoots back this reply just as Lance turns toward him, not yet thinking about the sleepy question. It occurs to him now that, as a light sleeper, this is going to be ... hard. But he doesn't want to put it out there. Not yet.
Having Lance nearby is definitely keeping him awake.]
And no ... not really. But we don't really have to be right now, right?
lance technically can't sleep anyway, but that's neither here nor there either, especially if keith isn't really feeling up for it himself. frankly, lance is a little relieved about it. sure, it's nice to get to spend more time with the guy, but lance in general is a very social person, and he'll almost always thrive better in company.
he's never quite had company this close though... ]
And I'll know, [ he says after a moment, swinging them back around to something lighter, inconsequential. even if it is to tease. ] I just have to wait for my "bother Keith" senses to tingle at a high frequency, and then I'll know when to act.
I'm not sure if you've noticed, but your "bother Keith" senses are a little broken. They always seem to be off the charts. [The good thing is that they still can needle at one another like this. If Keith hadn't invited Lance into his bed this way, it might be taken to be a bad thing. But no, Lance is here because Keith wanted him to be, so he figures he can still pester him in return.]
But maybe I should develop a system to know when you're gonna actually act on them. So I can ... prepare. Or something. [Okay. So the joke just fell apart on him.]
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now he's thinking it.
which explains the sudden dumbfounded expression on his face when keith actually agrees to it. without even thinking, he takes the offered hand, but that's the only part of his body that really responds, the rest of him still rooted to that seat. ]
Wait — seriously?
[ omg are they there now? ]
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but then he realizes this is keith, and if keith didn't want to do something, you knew it. so instead of tripping over his own tongue again, he just gets up to his feet instead. finally. ]
My back's definitely missing a mattress, yeah...
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Well, except for Zeta-12, but that was full of nature, so ...
It could be worse.]
But if you take up too much of it, I'm kicking you out again.
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That's not fair, I have longer limbs!
[ by, like. an inch or two. but the point remains.
he realizes this is also the first time he's ever been in keith's room. any of keith's rooms, a room that was his alone and not shared with the rest of them like in perdition's rest. he peeks in tentatively, eager to see what he could glean about the ofher boy from whatever he finds. ]
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Otherwise, there's the sense that Keith only sleeps in here and spends most of his waking hours elsewhere. A mission tends to keep all of the team busy, and Keith likes to use that excuse a lot.
That said, his bed isn't made ... and is never made, for that matter. That just slows a guy down.]
I didn't mean length-wise. I know how tall you are.
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not that there is... much to survey. but that, too, seems pretty keith. he tilts his head at the unmade bed. that also reads as very keith. ]
Do you have a side you prefer?
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[ he lets go of keith's hand to walk further into the room, tentatively sitting himself down on the edge of the bed. he bounces a little, testing it. spring. what a luxury. ]
Since I'm the one with insomnia, I guess it makes more sense to take the open side. [ gently assumes his bed is pushed against a wall........ ]
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And if I need to get up, I can always climb over you. No big deal.
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but he also doesn't think keith wouldn't. points to eyes, points to you.
ANYWAY he toes his super fashionable high-tops off and settles down. fortunately keith's bed comes equipped with two pillows, so there will be no quibbling about that. ]
Holy quiznak does that feel good...
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He's really come to realize exactly how much burden is on Shiro already.]
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or rather — you didn't snooze fast enough, so you lose... ]
It smells like you already, [ he comments idly. has it really been months they've been here? sometimes it feels shorter, sometimes it feels like the opposite. ] I was expecting it to be filled with crumbs.
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Otherwise, it'd smell like me and crackers.
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You probably do, since you're sweaty like 90% of the time. But have you really never tried butter crackers before? Oh man, you are missing out.
[ a pause. and then— ]
Are you gonna get in or what?
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I thought you meant butter ... like, butter.
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[ anyway, lance is now very distinctly aware that they are both horizontal... on a bed... their knees almost touching. he shifts a little, just so he can hand the pillow back. ]
Probably gonna want that.
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[ it's kinda weird to talk to someone without facing them, though, so after a moment of deliberation, he rolls over onto his other side. their knees knock a little so he has to shift some more so he isn't quite so curled up. ]
Sleepy?
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Having Lance nearby is definitely keeping him awake.]
And no ... not really. But we don't really have to be right now, right?
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[ (dirty joke? but that's for another thread.)
lance technically can't sleep anyway, but that's neither here nor there either, especially if keith isn't really feeling up for it himself. frankly, lance is a little relieved about it. sure, it's nice to get to spend more time with the guy, but lance in general is a very social person, and he'll almost always thrive better in company.
he's never quite had company this close though... ]
And I'll know, [ he says after a moment, swinging them back around to something lighter, inconsequential. even if it is to tease. ] I just have to wait for my "bother Keith" senses to tingle at a high frequency, and then I'll know when to act.
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But maybe I should develop a system to know when you're gonna actually act on them. So I can ... prepare. Or something. [Okay. So the joke just fell apart on him.]
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I'll strike!
[ and so he strikes! sort of. it's a little harder to do that whole psyche-out, lunging thing when you're horizontal, but lance tries...
and accidentally bumps heads with keith. oops. ]
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