A Series of Unfortunate Events - OC insert ❤

Hanging Lights

*Author's Note*

Betcha didn't think I'd have angst this soon! Good luck is all I have to say to y'all. Also, if anyone was reading this before this part was updated. I'm sorry I didn't upload for like, half a year. (Atl Least) Two of the most important people in my life died, and I moved and transferred schools three times. Also, a not-so-minor existential crisis but that's not the point. Anyways- enjoy

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     A whisper of a knock came from the door, and Lance covered his mouth with his hand, trying to stop the crying. 

     "Lance?" A voice, Keith's by the sound of it, spoke through the door. "Hey, buddy. Can I come in?" A muffled half sob came through the door, and he entered. 

     Keith found the blue paladin hidden in his closet, which was decorated with fairy lights adorned with pictures of his family. Notebooks with stickers all over them were scattered across the room. The walls were a calming but adventurous shade of ocean blue. A fluffy, pink rug lay across the floor and under the bed, which was now the one he had from earth. Chunky braided pillows were everywhere. He had heard that a few of his sisters made them. 'Veronica had finished them while the twins fell asleep.' The boy had said. These things, however, didn't make the room a mess. In fact, it made it pretty cozy.

    Keith sat down beside the lonely paladin, letting a breath of air out. The brunette paladin bit his lip and clasped his hands tighter over his mouth to stop the crying, but the tears still fell silently like rain on a window. Lance hiccupped, his shoulders shaking.

     "Get. Out." There was an unnatural mirth in his voice. He was choked up and curled into a ball, but he still held his emotions separate from what he was feeling. Thousands of thoughts were running through the sobbing paladin's head, all of them surely detrimental. 'It's better this way. 'This is my best chance' 'He's just pretending anyway'. He stopped himself. No, this wasn't Keith's fault, it was his and he is the reason for all of this. His parents were right, it was all just to get attention.

     Keith held his gaze on Lance, eyebrows upturned in a worried expression. Slowly he wrapped his arms around the other's back and slowly brought the two of their bodies closer together. 

     Lance nestled his head into the crook between Keith's head and shoulder. Keith grabbed Lance's hand from in front of his mouth, causing Lance to gasp. Their fingers became intertwined as Lance lowered his hand from his mouth and to his side, however his fingers were still clenched.

    A hushing sound came from Keith as he rubbed circles on the space right below his thumb. Both of them had no idea how long they had been there, just sitting there together in peace. Keith didn't really know what to do with the situation, he had just felt the need to comfort the time they were there.

      Lance wasn't feeling much of anything. He was filled with an emptiness that could only be described as lacking. Procrastination within the emotional aspect of phycology. It does clear your mind, and gets rid of emotional thoughts, clearing room for what you need project or do. The main mechanism Lance used.

     The door slid opened, Shiro standing in the doorway. The paladin's leader took one step in before gasping at the sight in front of him. Lance. The goofballiest, most immature paladin. Who makes fun of Keith all of the time. He was sitting up against Keith, leaning on him with his head in the crook of his neck. A tear streaked, resting face. Keith was also asleep but was awakened upon Shiro entering the space.

     Once Keith had caught his bearings his face turned shocked as his head swiveled around to look at Lance. After a quick mental debate with himself, he shook the other awake.

     Lance woke up groggily. Yawning, stretching and reconnecting the two's fingers. Keith nudged Lance, and gestured with his jaw to Shiro, who was still standing slightly farther away from them than previously. He quickly turned and exited the room, shutting the door behind him.

     The red paladin tried to pull away from the other, getting pulled back down quite roughly. He quickly gave up, accepting the phrase "Task Failed Successfully" and went back to sleep.

     He woke up to a cold floor beside him and a rush of emotions. Swirls of thoughts and anxiety came to him in one foul blow. As soon as his now fallen asleep leg worked, he shot through the door and to the common room.

      The lights were dimmed and jars with fireflies (courtesy of Hunk's mother) had lit up. It dawned on him that it was extremely late, and the rest of the team must be asleep. While walking to the training deck, he avoided the kitchen where Lance was sure to be, more likely than not with Hunk.

    The high-tech door slid shut. "Start simulation level 20." An easy level, to start. What would be even worse in this situation would be pulling something, causing him to not be able to defend the castle in case of a Galra attack. 

     Within just less than ten minutes, his shirt was soaked through with sweat, and had been used to wipe his face multiple times. He was slipping, the thought of the previous evening had come back like memories after a drunken night. Full of regret, thorny roses and dark rooms. Images plagued his mind, consuming his every though until he heard the emergency announcement. "SIMULATION HAS BEEN STOPPED, IF YOU ARE READY TO CONTINUE, PLEASE SAY "OK"."

     He sighed and got up from his position on the ground, most likely due to a blow to the chest. He existed the room and checked the time as his way to the shower. Everyone was due to wake up soon. He quickly hopped in the shower and afterward went to scrub off his lion.

     What even started yesterday? Why did I do that, comforting him. How did he even do it? What caused Lance to react like that? Does he have meltdowns like that a lot? And most importantly: Was he ok?

     Hunk came over the intercom, stating that breakfast was reading and that today they had a meal originally from Singapore. Keith huffed and got ready for a lot of explaining. 

*Author's Note*

Word count: 1008

Summary: Keith finds Lance in his room, curled up in his closet. Bonding moment 2.0. Shiro finds them and (obviously) jumps to conclusions. Keith sees this, but Lance does not. Keith falls back asleep; Lance isn't there and he goes to train. It ends with the paladins going to breakfast.