Nightmares, angst, cuddles.
Shiro wakes up in a cold sweat, whimpering and crying. He remembers the screaming.
Matt rocking back in forth muttering to himself.
Children crying out for their parents.
He looks down at his shaking hands. His body covered in scars.
He lets out a scream of his own, tears flowing more heavily.
The screaming fills up his head.
"Imsorryimsorryimsorryimsorry" he keeps muttering to himself.
He holds his pillow close to him, chest heaving, eyes searching for something to focus on.
In-- hold-- out. Repeat.
He claws at his wrists, rocking his body back and forth.
"Im sorry." he whispers, keeps repeating it to himself.
Apologizing to all the people he couldn't save.
He gets visions of his arm being cut off. The druids holding him down.
He cries out.
"STOP IT!" he screams, he couldn't breathe.
Where was he?
He remembers the feeling of the blades slicing open his skin.
His scars ached.
His arm ached.
"Please." he whimpers.
He screams again, louder, heart racing, eyes still searching.
What was he looking for?
No one in the castle cared enough to go to his room.
It happened from time to time.
Most nights Shiro didn't sleep.
He'd stay up staring at the walls begging for the screaming to stop.
"Please." he whimpers again, curling into himself.
His door slides open, he flinches.
"Nonononono what are you doing here? Its not safe not safe here not safe-" Shiro scoots back, his bare back hitting the cold wall.
He jumps and curls in further.
"Its not real. He's not real. He's not here."
Lance stands at the door.
What was he going to do.
How was he going to help.
"Shiro." he mutters.
"Don't touch me please dont- stopstopstopstop-" Shiro cries, throat raw.
"Hey it's just Lance." Lance whispers, steps closer.
Shiro's hand activates.
"Stay away- please go away- don't- nonono-" his flesh hand curls into his hair.
Lance's mind reels.
Keith would know what to do.
Lance rushes out, running to Keith's room.
"Keith buddy my man, Shiro-" Lance rambles.
Keith hops out of bed and rushes to Shiro's room.
Lance follows, hands fiddling with his shirt.
Keith slowly takes Shiro into his arms. Cradling the larger male.
"Its okay, Shiro. I'm- we're here. Its Lance and Keith." Keith whispers, he unfurls Shiro's hand from his hair.
"Can you breathe with me?" Keith asks.
Shiro thrashes against Keith.
"Shiro." Keith whispers.
Its like Shiro was stuck.
He couldn't escape.
"Stoptouchingme pleasepleaseplease stop-"
"Shiro." Keith says a bit louder.
"K-keith- be careful."
"Lance I know how to deal with-"
Shiro's Galra arm wraps around Keith's wrist, activating and heating up.
Keith shrieks, hissing in pain, trying to pull away.
The smell of flesh burning caused Lance to start to freak out.
"TAKASHI!" Keith shouts, desperate for Shiro to let go of his wrist.
Shiro's eyes finally meet Keith, widening and pulling away.
He shoves Keith off of him and rushes out of his room.
"Go get Coran to start up a healing pod." Keith mumbles.
Lance stands there, frozen.
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE LANCE. DO SOMETHING USEFUL FOR ONCE YOU FUCKING IDIOT!" Keith shouts.
Lance snaps out of it, he runs to find Coran. Upon finding him he rambles, his voice shaking, words slurring.
"Slow down my boy, what happened?"
"Shiro was having night terrors and flashbacks and he burned Keith's wrist. His skin- it was bubbling and boiling- oh god-" Lance holds his hand over his mouth, runs to the bathroom and wretches. Heaving up his stomach contents.
He hears a small whimper.
"Shiro?"
"L-Lance." he cries.
"Hey, its okay."
"Its not- you saw what I did. You smelled it. You heard him scream- Lance its not okay. I hurt him- I hurt my brother. He's been through enough- how could I do that?" Shiro rocks.
Lance crouches down, he cups Shiro's face and stares him down.
"Shut up. Shiro, just shut up."
"Wha-"
"It's okay you fucking idiot." Lance growls
"He's gonna hate me-"
"He doesn't. Coran is getting him a healing pod, he's going to be fine."
Shiro nods, still shaking a bit.
"C'mon, lets get you a shower. That sound good?"
"I guess." Shiro mutters, he shakily removes his clothes.
Lance blushes, reaches out, running his hands over the scars on Shiro's back.
"Lance." Shiro mumbles.
"Shh. You're fine." Lance smiles.
"Im hideous." Shiro says bitterly.
"No- Takashi- those are your wounds. You use those and make yourself stronger. Here-"
Lance strips out of his jacket and long sleeve shirt, lifting his wrists to the older man.
"Take me for example. I take my problems out on myself. I'm going to take these scars and wounds and make myself stronger. One day I'll look back, I'll remember who I used to be. I'll see how far I've come and how much I've improved. You should too. Take your arm and yell fuck the Galra. They may have taken your real one, but at least they didn't take your life."
"I wish they would've." Shiro mutters.
"No- don't say that."
Shiro sighs, turns the water to hot and stands under it, water burning his skin.
"Can I help you relax?" Lance asks nervously.
"U-uh sure."
"Great! I'll be back don't go anywhere!" Lance rushes out of the bathroom and to his room. He grabs his box of things he uses for his nightly routine and rushes back.
He undresses the rest of the way and turns Shiro around.
"Crouch down a little."
"H-huh?"
"I'm gonna shampoo and condition your hair."
Shiro does as he's told, crouching slightly.
Lance squeezes some nice smelling shampoo on Shiro's hair, massaging it into Shiro's scalp with his fingertips.
Shiro hums and leans up into the touch.
"Feel good?"
"Mhm."
Lance smiles, pulls his hands away reluctantly and lets Shiro wash the shampoo out of his hair.
He repeats with conditioner and stands to the side, staring up at the ceiling.
I mean what was he supposed to do? He was naked in the shower with the guy he had admired for years.
"Hey, Lance?"
"Yea?"
"Get in here."
"H-huh?" Lance stutters, face flushing.
Shiro chuckles and pulls Lance in.
"You need to relax too." he smiles. He does the same for Lance as he had for him.
"Magic fingers." Lance mumbles, leaning back into the touch, eyes closed.
Shiro snorts and continues massaging at Lance's scalp.
When they get dressed, Lance grabs his things and pulls Shiro to his room.
"Stay with me." Lance mumbles, sleep apparent in his voice.
"Of course." Shiro smiles.
They curl up together.
Lance looks Shiro in the eyes and leans in.
"Is it okay if I-"
Shiro cuts Lance off, pushing his lips to the smaller males.
Lance melts, heart pounding, he kisses back, hands cupping Shiro's face.
They pull away, faces flushed.
"Goodnight!" Lance squeaks, hiding his face in Shiro's bare chest.
"Goodnight." Shiro chuckles, fingers massaging Lance's scalp.
Lance leans into the touch, eyelids heavy.
"I love you." he mutters before falling asleep
Shiro's face burns at the confession.
"If only you really did." he whispers.
Oooooooofffff
