After the War (Klance)

Christmas Special

(It's late! (like super late) Sorry, I just really got into it and fell in love with the small story I had going, also I put in some bonus memes I made. I've just been really busy with work and school, but I'm making more time for my writing. My goal is to post at least one chapter a week.)

(This begins during their first year in space, they've only been in space for about four months, they left in September, and now it's December)

Keith POV

It was a rare day we got time to ourselves. I thought I'd take a nap. But all I could do was think about fighting and war. All the violence and death we'd seen. It was no use. I couldn't sleep.

When I was on my way to the kitchen for some unneeded food goo I saw Lance looking out into the vast universe. He looked sad. I stopped and stood next to him. "Something on your mind too?"

He looked over at me with his bright blue eyes. I'd always wondered how he got those eyes. The rest of him was brown, and yet he managed to have these bright eyes that captured me. "Yeah," he sighed and looked back out into the empty space before us.

"Want to uh, talk about it?" Usually we argued and made fun of each other with this so-called rivalry we had. But. I knew he was upset, and I figured we could drop it, even if just for a minute. Everything aside, we were teammates. And I was going to be there for my teammates.

"Do you know what today is?" He didn't call me mullet. Or make fun of me. No snide remarks. Instead, he asked a question.

"No..." he nodded, not seeming surprised. "Am I supposed to know..?" I gasped. "Oh my god, is it your birthday?!"

He shook his head and I sighed with relief. "So what could it be that's making you so upset?"

"It's Christmas Keith." He looked at me with sad eyes, they shimmered with the beginnings of tears. I was unphased because Christmas didn't really matter to me. But I could tell it mattered to him. "I've never spent Christmas without my family.." he looked down and back out the window.

I nodded. Not knowing how to respond. "It's only a holiday."

Lance looked appalled. "Just a holiday?! What are you? The grinch?" I shrugged. I didn't see what the big deal was. It was just another day of the year.

"It's just a day."

"It's not just a day keith!" He crossed his arms and looked away from me very offended.

"I'm sorry..." I reached out to touch him, but, I stopped before I did. It didn't seem like a good idea. He didn't like me enough as it was. "What does it mean to you?"

He didn't look at me, but for some reason. He opened up to me. "Christmas is hot winter days. Seeing Santa in the mall. Surfing at the beach. Dancing in the hot rain while listening to Christmas music. My mom's cookies," he started to sniffle. "And waking up early with my sister." I could tell he was about to cry. I wanted to do something. Anything.

"Wait wait wait. Beaches? Warm rain? That's not winter." I got him to laugh as he looked back at me.

"You know it's not cold everywhere right?" He laughed. I loved his laugh. At least when it wasn't at me. Or. He was laughing at me. But this was different. It was genuine, not mocking. "I'm from Cuba." Lance smiled. "There our winters are hot. And the sun shines Christmas morning."

I smiled back at him. "I'm sure we can find a warm beach and some rain." I looked out into the endless sea of stars. "There's a whole universe out there."

Something was different. He wasn't making fun of me. Or telling me to fuck off. He was being vulnerable, and I was beginning to see more and more of the real him. He was kind. And compassionate. Funny.