Little Steps Forward (Voltron Klance)

Chapter 4

Lance

My head was so fuzzy, though I was still sober enough to join Hunk and Pidge in looking for where Keith went. I don't really know what happened, but out of nowhere he went from being comfortable in the back to standing over someone who had taken his sketchbook. I could have sworn he started crying as he left, but I never saw him cry or even get close to it.

Hunk had taken my phone to text Shiro for us all, since I couldn't type well enough right now. We had checked our dorm, but he wasn't there. Courtyards were empty as far as we could tell, too. All we had left for clues was Shiro.

Eventually, while standing outside, Hunk had gone to take a call from him. So I started to walk around as best I could. I felt a little sick from drinking so much without meaning to, especially since I hadn't eaten anything more than chips while at the party. Pidge was doing her best to get a hold of Keith on his phone, but I knew he usually kept it on vibrate so it wouldn't really being much help.

I just kept walking, occasionally calling Keith's name to try and find him. But one wrong step later, I found myself laying on the brick sidewalks face down. The pain took a good few seconds before it arrived, and I knew how bad I was. A few more minuets and I would be blacked out. Gotta find Keith fast.

However, no matter what I tried, I couldn't will myself to stand up again. So I called out again.

"Keith! Where are yoooouuu?" I called out, managing to at least look up from the pavement.

Somewhere nearby I heard a sniffled chuckle, and the warmth I felt suddenly grew brighter in my chest, looking towards the sound, seeing Keith crouched in the darkness of the corner of the building.

"I'm right here." He said weakly, rubbing at his face still. I could see his hands shaking as he went back to hugging his knees. "I needed to be alone for a little bit."

I managed to finally get myself sitting up, going over to him now. "Hunk 'nd Pidge are looking for you too..." I managed to get out. The more time passed the more I realized my accent was coming back more and more. It make him smile, and that's all I wanted to see right now. He still looked so bad right now, though.

"Sorry. I just got a little overwhelmed."

His voice was shaking, and I recognized the shaking sound now.

"Why have a panic attack over something like that? You were completely in the right..."

His look became distant, hugging his knees tighter to his chest. His smile was gone. It hurt to see.

The silence came creeping back in, and I just wanted it to stop. I wanna help him feel better.

"Can I hug you?" I ask gently, barely managing to speak it all in English. I don't know if he knows Cuban, so I take it slow enough to speak what I know he does.

He stiffens, but after a few moments he gives a nod and leans into me slightly. I can't help but lean into him too, wrapping my arms around him to try and comfort him, giving small shush sounds when he made any sound that was sad in any way. After a while my eyes were growing heavy, and my buzz was getting harder to ignore.

"Thanks, Lance. You don't know how much this means to me." He said it almost too quietly to hear.

"No es nada, amigo mío." I say gently, not even totally realizing what language I was in anymore. It earned a chuckle from him. That was all that mattered.

Hunk

It took a bit longer than we had hoped after Lance seemed to disappear to find both of them again. Pidge had called me over and made motions to stay quiet, so I did it as best I could while informing Shiro of what was happening. The sight of the two of them sleeping on each other now was almost too precious to ignore.

"It's okay now, Shiro. We found them both." I say, trying to stay somewhat quiet, glaring a bit at Pidge as she pulled out her phone to take a picture.

"That's good. I'm glad you found them." Shiro gave a heavy sigh of relief, and I could hear him sit down in a chair that squeaked some old springs as he did. "I'll let Lance know what to do in the morning. Keith is gonna be pretty exhausted for a few days now."

After ending our call, I made sure to help Pidge get the two up to their rooms. The RA was apologizing profusely for what happened, having Keith's sketch book to return now, wanting to apologize to Keith in person in the morning, so I left him a note. For now, though, they both need a good rest.