Prompts: Sunburn/Healing Salve
Despite himself, Keith had to admit the day had been pretty fun.
He just didn't know if it was worth it.
They had needed to land the castle, stock up on food and such. Coran suggested they take a day off training and enjoy the beach. It sounded like a good idea at the time, it had been ages since he had gotten a carefree day outside.
Shiro strung some seaweed from a few pieces of driftwood and made a sort of net that they played volleyball with until it was time to eat.
After lunch, Pidge and Hunk competed on who could build the tallest sandcastle. Keith watched, intrigued as they laid out the rules. But they would never know who won because Lance crashed in, knocking the structures over, insisting it was time to surf. He had found these large leaf-like things that floated. With Shiro's help, they were able to smooth down the edges into something that sort of resembled a surfboard.
Keith, never really going to the beach much, didn't know how to surf. Pidge didn't either. But they were both swept away by the promise that it was easy, and very fun.
It was not easy.
The saltwater stung his eyes and burned his lungs when the waves took him for a spin.
"How is this fun!" he yelled across the water as Lance giggled at him. At least Pidge was not doing much better. They looked like a wet kitten, what with their hair losing volume from the water.
"Relax," Shiro assured him. "I'm sure they've been surfing since they were kids, they don't remember how hard it is to learn."
It was true Hunk looked so natural walking up and down as he caught a wave, and Lance...
Lance was a mermaid in his previous life, Keith was sure of it. The way he took to the water. Perhaps it was more appropriate to say that the water took to him. Keith watched the way the muscles in his back moved as he paddled around on his board. He was in his element, and Keith could not help but look on, mesmerized.
"Why don't you take a break and put on some more sunscreen? You're looking a little red."
"R-right."
Keith made his way to the shore, but he did not put on sunscreen.
Later that night, after the sun had set, they had dug a small hole in the sand and built a fire in it, huddling around it for warmth. The wind was chilly and stung Keith's sunburned cheeks. Maybe the whole getting sunburned on purpose to hide his body's physical reaction to Lance was not one of his better ideas. But he had no regrets as Lance was pushed up against him, trying to get as close to the fire without getting singed.
Shiro was roasting some of the fish he had caught over the fire. It smelled amazing. Tasted amazing too, when the time came to eat, but the hot grease burned his lips and seared his skin as it trickled down his arms.
Hunk said something about s'mores. Keith had had those, they were alright. But according to Lance, not beach trip was complete without them.
He looked around, his body feeling like it was on fire. As much pain as he was in. This was fun. To forget about the cares of the universe for a day and just play with the others. As he sat there, surrounded by conversation and laughter, he wished he could live in this moment forever.
But all days must come to an end.
As they were packing up, Lance insisted that they leave some sort of memorial. Hunk rolled his eyes, but Pidge sighed and started tracing out in the sand:
Voltron was here ᓚ₍ ^. .^₎
"No! Something more lasting! What if I wanna come back after the war and build a resort!"
"Or," Pidge said, flicking sand off their glasses, "You can just treasure these memories in your heart like a regular person."
"You look really bad," Shiro remarked when he caught Keith wincing from the feel of his shirt shifting on his shoulders as he stood.
"I'm not built for the sun," Keith shrugged.
"Look after it properly. No hot showers, not until it's healed," Shiro said as Keith's heart sunk. He loved his hot showers.
"Sunburn?" Hunk asked, concerned.
"It's bad," Shiro confirmed. "Even in this low light I can tell."
"I got stuff for that!" Lance volunteered.
Of course he did. The guy was a walking department store of skincare.
They had all unpacked and cleaned up. Keith was getting ready for bed when he heard a knock at the door.
"I brought the stuff!" Lance said brightly, stepping into the room as soon as Keith opened the door. "Oh. Yeah, you're cooked."
He reached out and pressed two fingers to Keith's arm, watching the contrast of the skin turn white before returning to the angry pink shade that covered him.
Keith hissed from the pain, but Lance was already squeezing the product into one of his hands. He tossed Keith the tube of aloe vera before making a motion for him to turn around. "Take off your shirt. I'll help you get your back."
Keith's brain must have shut down because as Lance rubbed his hands together, he found himself turning, delicately peeling his shirt off.
"Ahh!" he cried out as Lance placed his hands on his bare shoulders. The gel was cold.
"Stop squirming!"
Keith bit his lip, before the pain made him think better of it.
Keith couldn't help it. Lance's hands were all over him and Keith was going insane.
"Can you, like, go slower? It's really sensitive."
"I'll bet. It's almost like you didn't even use sunscreen. You might need time in the pod," but Lance adjusted his touch all the same, moving slower, lightening his pressure.
That was almost worse.
But Keith didn't want him to stop. Regardless of the situation, Lance's cool hands covered in aloe vera rubbing into his pink skin felt so soothing against the burn.
It was doing things to him. Making him feel things. Imagining a fictional future. Like maybe someday he could tell Lance how he felt about him. Maybe Lance would feel the same. And maybe Lance would touch him like this all the time, not just when he had a sunburn.
