[Did it suddenly get warmer in here? Why is it so warm? It was cold when he was wandering around outside, and it's not like the stupid tent's insulated. His mind's racing, and just as the more rational side of his brain gains in edge -- maybe stepping outside wouldn't be such a bad idea, that animal seems to be gone, he's yanked back into the moment.]
..Sorry!
[Wait, no he isn't, is he? He draws his legs back anyway, bringing his knees to his chest. Mark that as the first, and last time Keith will ever apologize to Lance about anything ever.]
What are you talking about?! I didn't eat anything!
[Which, he probably ate a bit, and he's very aware that Lance is being dramatic and shitty on purpose, but it's...different. For some reason. Almost hurtful. Almost.]
[ granted there isn't that much space between them even now that keith's finally off of him, but even just that little bit of reprieve is enough to give lance a chance to breathe. he sucks in each breath as if it were his last, head still twisted to the side to pointedly not look at keith. he falls a little too eagerly to that back-and-forth banter of theirs, if only because of how familiar it is. unfortunately he's so eager for it, he doesn't listen to the tiny voice in the back of his head that suggests that, maybe, it isn't exactly like before... ]
Let's just — Let's just go to sleep, okay!
[ he rolls over onto his side in an alarmingly rigid manner for someone who tends to drape all over everything as a default position, but at least with his back to keith, it's easier again to clear his head.
who knows — maybe they'll feel just like their old selves again in the morning. ]
[Somehow, it is much easier to settle without Lance staring right at him. His hand drops, his legs aren't so taught against himself. He can breathe again.]
I would, if you weren't taking up the whole tent.
[It's a murmured echo as he shifts close -- a natural act without much thought input, and drops onto his side, stretching and bending his knees against the back of Lance's. His hand fumbles around blindly for the blanket because, while he's warm and in a tizzy, that...probably won't last the entire night.
That, and it's weird just spooning like this with no blanket.]
[ lance tenses when he feels keith come closer. he thinks to shout, i meant back to back! but the words kind of stutter and die in his throat, likely caught behind yet another lump he can't remember having been there before. by the time he works his jaw around it, keith's already drawn up that sorry excuse for a blanket, and it's like the definitive punctuation to the end of what was one a question but is now a statement. they've come too far at this point. there's no turning back now.
he tries to keep his breaths even, slow. maybe if he fools keith into thinking he's fallen asleep he will, eventually, fall asleep as well.
and not think quite so hard about how keith's breath on his neck makes his stomach feel. ]
[Once he's arranged the blanket over them, his hand awkwardly hovers between them. There's a weird inclination to..hug him? Just let it fall over his ribs and rest there. He does not give into temptation, however, and rests it somewhere between Lance's shoulder blades and his chest.
There's no help for the breath at his nape, though. He's left staring awkwardly at the back of Lance's head, unable to even truly consider sleeping after the...the rush of whatever this is that he's still enduring.
[ lance hadn't even gotten as far as closing his eyes by the time keith speaks up, but upon hearing his name his eyes snap shut as if getting caught doing the alternative would be some kind of grave offense. ]
Shh, [ he says after a full two seconds. ] People are sleeping...
[With confidence, although he didn't give Lance (or himself) much of an opportunity. He's propping himself onto an elbow, vague-glaring at the boy to his side.]
You're, you feel weird too, right? It's not just me.
[NOT LOOKING AT HIM WON'T MAKE HIM GO AWAY. HE'S NOT A MONSTER FROM UNDER THE BED.
Maybe Lance is right, and if he is right, not unlike a Smith's song, he doesn't actually mind dying if he gets to die here. Like this. Which is bogus and uncomfortable. Just as quickly as he propped himself up, he's deflating, dropping back onto his side without a word in edgewise. He probably should...just...try harder. To sleep. And not be the top bunk kid here.
He tucks his chin in, effectively ruffling the back of Lance's head with his forehead. At least he's not directly breathing on the back of his neck anymore...]
[ keith settles back behind him, and lance finally lets out the breath he'd been holding onto. this is fine. this is all fine. they just need to shake it off, sleep on it, and once morning hits everything will be a-okay, back to normal.
in the dark of the tent, he waits until he feels keith's breathing grow slower, steadier. only when he feels it safe to, whether or not keith has actually fallen asleep entirely, he lets his own head tip back slightly, tucking keith there against the crown of it.
[For how frazzled he'd been moments ago, actually putting some effort into settling ends up...working? He's calm and cozy, happy to let himself slip into unconsciousness--
Only for it to be disturbed. Slightly. There's some automatic shifting in turn, he's nestling closer, automatically attracted to the bodily warmth Lance is providing. He's not fully awake, though some distant part of his brain is aware of how odd the arrangement is. Keith's probably never had to share a mattress with anyone in his life before, while they're not on a mattress...
It's the same idea. And while it's an odd concept, it isn't as awful as it should be.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
i'll manage...i guess
..Sorry!
[Wait, no he isn't, is he? He draws his legs back anyway, bringing his knees to his chest. Mark that as the first, and last time Keith will ever apologize to Lance about anything ever.]
What are you talking about?! I didn't eat anything!
[Which, he probably ate a bit, and he's very aware that Lance is being dramatic and shitty on purpose, but it's...different. For some reason. Almost hurtful. Almost.]
You're the one taking up the whole tent-!
good luck...
Let's just — Let's just go to sleep, okay!
[ he rolls over onto his side in an alarmingly rigid manner for someone who tends to drape all over everything as a default position, but at least with his back to keith, it's easier again to clear his head.
who knows — maybe they'll feel just like their old selves again in the morning. ]
no subject
I would, if you weren't taking up the whole tent.
[It's a murmured echo as he shifts close -- a natural act without much thought input, and drops onto his side, stretching and bending his knees against the back of Lance's. His hand fumbles around blindly for the blanket because, while he's warm and in a tizzy, that...probably won't last the entire night.
That, and it's weird just spooning like this with no blanket.]
no subject
he tries to keep his breaths even, slow. maybe if he fools keith into thinking he's fallen asleep he will, eventually, fall asleep as well.
and not think quite so hard about how keith's breath on his neck makes his stomach feel. ]
no subject
There's no help for the breath at his nape, though. He's left staring awkwardly at the back of Lance's head, unable to even truly consider sleeping after the...the rush of whatever this is that he's still enduring.
He lasts about twenty seconds.]
Lance.
no subject
Shh, [ he says after a full two seconds. ] People are sleeping...
[ ????? who ]
no subject
Wh--no one's sleeping!
[With confidence, although he didn't give Lance (or himself) much of an opportunity. He's propping himself onto an elbow, vague-glaring at the boy to his side.]
You're, you feel weird too, right? It's not just me.
no subject
Yeah. [ though to his credit, he does answer honestly. ]
I'm pretty sure we're dying.
[ ...mostly. ]
no subject
Maybe Lance is right, and if he is right, not unlike a Smith's song, he doesn't actually mind dying if he gets to die here. Like this. Which is bogus and uncomfortable. Just as quickly as he propped himself up, he's deflating, dropping back onto his side without a word in edgewise. He probably should...just...try harder. To sleep. And not be the top bunk kid here.
He tucks his chin in, effectively ruffling the back of Lance's head with his forehead. At least he's not directly breathing on the back of his neck anymore...]
no subject
in the dark of the tent, he waits until he feels keith's breathing grow slower, steadier. only when he feels it safe to, whether or not keith has actually fallen asleep entirely, he lets his own head tip back slightly, tucking keith there against the crown of it.
this is fine. ]
no subject
Only for it to be disturbed. Slightly. There's some automatic shifting in turn, he's nestling closer, automatically attracted to the bodily warmth Lance is providing. He's not fully awake, though some distant part of his brain is aware of how odd the arrangement is. Keith's probably never had to share a mattress with anyone in his life before, while they're not on a mattress...
It's the same idea. And while it's an odd concept, it isn't as awful as it should be.]