kickitover | (no subject)

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[Being core members of the Voltron coalition meant that sometimes the team had to spread their forces thin in order to take care of everything that required their attention. Sure, they had other allies who could hold their own -the Blade of Mamora for example- but it had a little more impact if the paladins themselves saved a colony or planet, as opposed to more Galra.

In other words: politics.]

I mean, I understand what Coran was saying but I still think it's kinda dumb, right Keith? [Undeterred by Keith's noncommital 'uh huh's and 'yeah's, Hunk continues on as he follows Keith's lead and slows down his approach. They're going to have to try and sneak up on this installation or risk the Galra retaliating against the captured techs for calling for help.] They've been around way longer than we have, and fighting for way longer too! It kinda feels like we're shoving them out of the way to get all the glory. Not that that's what we're doing, but it sure feels like that's what we're doing. I guess in the end it doesn't really matter who gets the job done so long as the people are saved, but it still leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Right? Do you have a bad taste in your mouth too, Keith?

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[Hunk lifts his hand to press it against the glass too, and already his eyes are tearing up as it finally hits him:

We made it.

Maybe in the back of his mind he'd already accepted that they weren't going to leave that planet alive. Maybe as far back as when Yellow fell, he'd figured they would die together. He's not always a worst-case-scenario kind of guy, but he often is, even as they were scrambling to find out a way to survive.

And now Yellow is safely in the hangar, Keith is on the mend and...and they're really okay.]

Hey buddy...you- you gotta stay in there just a little while longer. Can uh, can you hear me?

[Seeing Hunk tear up has got him close to it; thankfully he's already in liquid so it never happens, but it's plain that he would with the way his eyebrows scrunch up. We made it. Not a thought he'd have when he was fighting off those droids. And Hunk is fine, they're okay.

He sees the lips moving but with the tank glass and the whatever-liquid, it's muffled. But he manages to make out "little longer". He looks confused for a minute, then it hits: he'll be in this a little longer.

His chest heaves like he's taking a breath before he rests his forehead against the glass, not quite a nod, but. Close.]

[Hunk blows out a breath and leans forward to do the same again, and about that time Shiro says, 'All right everybody out,' just as Pidge and Allura finally catch on with two very different reactions.

The room clears and Hunk can faintly hear Lance screeching, "WAIT, HUNK AND THAT GUY?" from the hallway, so he sinks down against Keith's tank and huddles up with the towel, chuckling. Keith might not be able to respond, but that doesn't mean Hunk can't talk to him, right?] I hope this doesn't make things weird. I'm sure it won't, but Lance might give you the stink eye for a while. Not that that's something you aren't used to, or can't handle, but...just. Yeah.

I'm kind of glad. I wanted them to know. I didn't want this to be a secret.

[He makes a noise in his throat when he realizes the others figured it out. He wasn't sure if he wanted them to know yet - but cat's out of the bag. Nothing for it then. They'll have to live with it and that's it.

Keith watches Hunk sit against the tank and hates that it's too small for him to do the same; he starts to but his knees bang the glass and ow ow. Okay, no doing that, he thinks rubbing at his knees. At least he's already in here so it'll heal up.

More than anything? He's glad Hunk's safe.]

Oh geez, don't hurt yourself. [Hunk straightens up a little bit to press his hands to the tank again, rubbing the glass as if that would help.] You'll be in there even longer. We still gotta kiss, don't we? [Even though kissing is like the furthest thing from his mind right now. ...okay not the furthest, but like...look it's like halfway down the list, aright]

[Okay he, he thinks he heard Hunk say 'kiss' but he's not sure? There isn't much else that Keith knows of that rhymes with 'kiss'. He looks up at him, a questioning expression on his face. God, he wants out of this tank.

How many more vargas does he have left? He could never get the hang of all that. He's too impatient, tapping his knuckle against the glass again incessantly. He wants out now that he's awake.]

[Lmfoasdf Hunk really shouldn't laugh about it but Keith looks so grumpy... It's cute. Is he allowed to think that now? That Keith is cute? Is that something that's permissible? Whatever, he's thinking it and nobody can stop him.] Look, I dunno what happens when you get out of these things early. Spontaneous human combustion, maybe.

[Keith taps a little more rapidly before shrugging. He honestly doesn't care what happens. He's never been in these things and he doesn't like being in one now. Not when he wants to ...he isn't sure, just yet, he just knows he doesn't want to be in it.

Come on, Hunk, get me out of here. How is it that everyone else who ends up in this thing stays asleep until it's time to come out and he wakes up before??]

Keith! I am not breaking you out, [Hunk whispers fiercely when he catches that look. He's gonna get in trouble! With Shiro, or worse- Allura. No way, you just have to float there for a while longer!]

[PLEASE. He's got both hands pressed up against the glass now looking even grumpier. Hunk, help your boyfriend out.]

[BABE........]

-Gahhh, staring at me like that, what am I supposed to do? [Hunk mutters to himself in annoyance as he hunches over the control panel to find the commands for early tank drain and release.] Not like he's gonna get blamed for this, not like I won't get into trouble, probably just hurt himself trying to force his way out, I bet his stupid leg is still stupid broken- There.

[Hunk snags the towel they'd brought for Keith and waits for the tank to drain and open, watching carefully just in case Keith's still in any pain.]

[He smiles a little when Hunk makes the move to get him out, readies himself once the water starts draining. His weight comes back to him fully and he feels a little uneasy on his feet, but it's too late when the tank opens.

Keith gets one unsteady foot in the ground, then reaches for Hunk's shoulder to get the other foot out.]

Thank you. [It's raspy and tired, but. Better than he sounded at the generator.]

[Shut up and let Hunk start drying you off- actually in fact he's going to just wrap Keith up in this towel and carry him over to the exam table, because you broke like half ur bones. ...okay fine, maybe just a couple bones, but that's a lot more than how many Hunk broke.] If anybody asks, the tank made a weird sound and started draining on its own.

Whoa- Hey! [Keith has his arms around Hunk's neck the minute he feels his feet off the floor when Hunk starts carrying him. He's fine with being dried off though; his hair is dripping on his shoulders, on Hunk. Keith sort of hunches over once he's on the exam table and lets Hunk start drying him off.]

It's not like anyone actually asks me anything to start with, so sure, that works.

Don't get all petulant, [Hunk says mildly, sinking down to a knee to take a better look at that leg of Keith's, testing where the break was in his ankle and checking the closed wound he'd had before.]

Fine, fine. [He huffs a little, under his breath:] Because it's you.

[But the muscles in his leg are mostly healed, just a little sore. All the extra time in the tank would've done was heal what was left of some bruising. With Hunk down though, Keith watches him and... hesitates lifting his hand, decides no.]

...Glad you're okay.

You can touch me, y'know. [Hunk aims for nonchalant and just, completely misses, by lightyears. His voice even shakes a little bit, even as he keeps his head down, examining Keith's leg long after he should've already determined that he's fine.

Maybe it's less that he's giving Keith permission, and more that he's asking for it.]

I.

[Shit.]

I know.

[He sort of knew, he's just bad at it. This whole intimacy thing with sincere feelings. But he's got to get over this mental hurdle of only letting himself touch Hunk if either Hunk initiates it or they're in danger. So he gently lifts his hand and, like preparing to dunk his hand in a pot of steaming coals, sort of reels it back with a deep breath, then places it on top of Hunk's hair, unsure and light before he lets it settle there.

See, self? Not so hard.]

[Okay well that was...just sad, but it was a genuine effort. And it's one that Hunk needed because after a second he just sinks down further on his knees, leaning forward until his head is rested on the inside of Keith's leg, his forehead to his calf.]

I was really, really scared, man.

[Once Hunk isn't fending him off or shoving his hand away, Keith relaxes. His fingers start petting through his hair soft and he quietly marvels at how soft it is.]

[That gets him quiet, thinking back over the last few conscious days.] Honestly? I was too. I dunno if I would've made it without you.

I didn't think we'd make it at all, [Hunk mumbles, turning his head into Keith's hand.] I thought I was all ready for it, like, if we died, but I'm kinda freaking out right now. You coulda died fighting those droids and I wouldn't have even known it until I turned around. That's really scary.

[The truth is, Keith had been ready for it too. There, at the end, when Hunk is talking about. He would've been fine if it meant Hunk got everything done and out safely with the others.

He has enough social experience to know not to say it, though. Instead, he focuses on stroking his hair, now more an idle action than conscious thought.]

We did make it though. And I'm not gonna let a situation like that happen again.

You're not gonna? [Hunk huffs out an exasperated laugh before picking his head up to look up at Keith.] I thought we made a pretty good team. Let's keep that going, okay?

We make a great team.

[They did great with the weblum. They worked together well in this. They'll keep making a good team together. He's glad it was Hunk there with him.]

[But now that they're out of the danger, out of the stress and fear... He has to ask.]

Are... I mean, are you sure you're okay?

With all this.

['Us']