Chapter Text
The night clung to his shoulder tops like a rude little brother wanting a ride and yanking on his eyelids. Lance must have yawned five times before they even reached the castle doors.
“How about we tell the universe to take a break? Like, give us at least two days off.” Hunk expressed as he practically carried both Lance and Pidge through the entrance.
“Yeah,” Lance agreed as he hung off his arm, “ding-dong galaxy,” he yawns, “knock it off, we’ll be losing our hair soon from the stress, and we all know Keith would look awful bold, mullet better than nothing.” He glances at Keith who makes a face at him.
“Noted.” Shiro says with a sigh to his voice, “but since Voltron doesn't take rain-checks I suggest you all get some rest, we're back to the first ring tomorrow. I am going to go talk to Allura about finishing rescuing the Hazmets.”
They nod in unison and Shiro leaves the ‘kids’ in the middle of the hall, drooping on each other as they feel the tug of exhaustion.
“Alright, I’m going to go get something to eat,” Hunk says as he turns to the goo room, “I collected some weird carrot-like things from the last planet, and I kind of want to see if they taste like carrots.”
“I would give a 90% certainty that they do not.” Pidge readjusted her glasses, missed the rims and threaded her hand through her hair instead.
“Maybe if I put them in a soup?” Hunk offered and Pidge shook her head in skepticism.
“Alright, have fun,” Lance detaches himself from the big man, he would never admit it, but every mission made his insides feel like decompressing jelly, looking at food didn’t help that.
“Whoa there,” Pidge steadies Lance as he wobbles, his side aching from an impact from a blaster on the last planet.
“I’m good, I’m good, good like Robin Hood in the royal bank.” Lance tries to reassure her and push the smaller paladin off.
“I’ll take him.” Keith speaks up and they glance at the moody boy.
“I don’t need to be babysat!” He sputters, his bottom lip sticking out, but Pidge was looking at Keith.
“K,” Pidge lets him go and they turn to wave at them.
“Be good buddy,” Hunk pats him on the back, and Keith swoops in to support his right side.
“Hey!” Lance glowers, “you’re tired too, don’t even act like a tough-drenched-cat with me.”
Keith sighs again, heavily, with the weight of a metal cloud on his brow, “come on. You’re falling asleep on your feet.”
Lance yawned in the middle of that sentence despite himself and doesn’t protest anymore as they stagger the rest of the hallways to the bedrooms.
“Is it this the one?” Lance was a little blurry, “all these hallways look the same to me, like some sort of spooky ghost-house, are there space ghosts?” He considers evil-twin aliens telling him to come play with them, play space-ball with him forever and ever.
“Don’t hurt yourself,” Keith huffs and turns to a door with a light dent on the side.
“Oh yeah,” Lance remembers it’s his. "Man, I could sleep for ages."
"Don't bet on it, Allura will make us do another emergency drill at 4."
"Don't even tempt her!" Lance crows and slaps Keith's shoulder, "and get some rest, those bags under your eyes are going to become full-blown suitcases."
Keith shakes his head, "Fine. But put some ice on your side..."
Lance shrugs and leans over Lance to get to the door, "I'm fine. Always fine."
“Goodnight Lance,” Keith mutters and cracks his neck.
"Yeah," he stretches, “night.” Keith smelled familiar and strangely of soap- sweaty soap that hinted at dusty mountains and weary bodies, Lance leaned in, rubbed at his eyes and kissed him on the cheek.
They both freeze and even a tired Lance-brain was awake enough to trill off warning sounds ‘error, error, this boy is not a mama or auntie or sister.’
“Uh,” Lance jerks backward and dances through the door on jerky knees, "right.”
“Uh,” Keith was a little red, and Lance wants to take a cloth and rub it off his high-cheekbones.
“Woo! I love sleep walking.” Lance jumps into the room and waves, Keith waves weakly back. It wasn’t his best defense.
The door closes and Lance collapses against it and groans, they really did need a day off.