Dog Days // Sheith

Chapter Two: You Better Run

Keith woke up with Lance's foot in his face. It was dangling over the edge of the couch, his sock nearly falling off. Keith groaned, swatting at the foot before he rolled over onto his side. Lance shoved his toes against the back of Keith's head, apparently awake.

"Morning, princess."

Keith found it within himself to not retaliate, instead sitting up, undoubtedly sporting wicked bed head. His throat was so dry it turned his voice into a croak.

"I'm gonna make coffee."

The house was quiet because it was only just scraping past seven in the morning. Wherever there was a semi-comfortable place to crash, there was a pile of party-goers. Luckily, the kitchen wasn't one of those places, so Keith could shuffle around without having to look down. He stared out of kitchen window while the coffee maker gurgled to life.

He poured himself a soup mug's worth of coffee, cigarette already between his lips as he stepped out onto the back porch. For the most part, he just let the smoke burn away. Lance eventually joined him with his own soup mug of coffee. He grunted at Keith in greeting before sitting beside him on the porch steps.

"Dunno how you smoke those things." Lance mumbled into the rim of his mug, slurping noisily.

"You were smoking like a chimney last night."

"S'different."

Keith hummed, rather than picking a fight. Too early for that, the sun hadn't burned out Keith's self restraint just yet. Together, they stared out at the dead grass in front of them, and when they needed a change, they stared at the old swing set near the back fence. Keith was starting to feel more like a human by the time he had finished his cigarette. Sustenance.

Keith was picking at his eyetooth with his thumbnail when the other's came to join him, Pidge lounging herself over Keith's back, chin on the top of his head. He laced his fingers with her where they dangled over his shoulders, ignoring Lance's indignant squawk when Hunk man-handled him out of his spot on the stoop, pulling him down onto his knee before further complaint could be made. Shiro stepped between them to sit lengthwise on the bottom step, looking a little rough around the edges, his white bangs standing on end. Keith smiled at him crookedly, and he didn't miss the curl of his lip as he took the first sip of his coffee.

It was pleasant, calm, to have everyone present and accounted for, out in the sun before it got so hot it threatened to bake them.

Then Lance spoke.

"Hey, Shiro, what's it like killin' a Galra?"

Pidge buried her face in Keith's hair, barely suppressing a groan.

"Man, I'm so jealous! I wanna be out there already!" Lance continued, miming holding up a blaster, squinting like he was staring down a sight, even including the kickback in his display as he pretended to fire. "I can't wait to kick Galra ass. I'm gonna be a hero, like you!" He turned his imaginary gun on Shiro, and Keith smacked his hand away hard. "Whoa- what ?"

All eyes were on Lance for a tense moment, and then Shiro sipped his coffee and looked up at him.

"Keep both your eyes open, hero."

The tension sung for a moment, then Shiro laughed and everyone visibly relaxed.

Pidge eventually squeezed herself between Keith and Hunk. The group spoke casually about their upcoming semester and Shiro told them all about his new position as a Garrison tutor. No one mentioned the war in any way other than abstract and if Keith was particularly quiet, no one drew any attention to the fact.