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)[ lance gives kosmo an encouraging pat on the head instead of straight up telling him, because they're cool like that. a second later, the two of them appear in the small space lance and keith have cleared out as their little homebase... fortunately not on top of keith. ]
Because it'd be a shame to have to clean your guts off the floor if we crushed you, that's why.
[ hi. ]
Because it'd be a shame to have to clean your guts off the floor if we crushed you, that's why.
[ hi. ]
( oh. guess he should have expected that. but, he's busy in the far corner with the bed and trying to fit a blanket or two over it because, sure, why would they get sheets, too? because let's just say someone else pilfered some stuff from the orgy room. he glances over his shoulder when he hears that soft woosh of kosmo popping back up and lifts his hand in a greeting. )
Kosmo knows what he's doing.
( keith... has no idea how, but. he doesn't think that matters. if kosmo wanted keith to know, he'd tell him.
at any rate, near the wall by the bed there's a folded up blanket and a couple pillows for a makeshift pupper bed. due to the rickety nature of the bed the bots gave him, he doesn't think it'll manage to stay together if the three of them are on it. )
Well. ( he puts his hands on his hips as he turns and looks at their little slice of post-apoclyptic trash. ) This is nice.
( 😒 )
Kosmo knows what he's doing.
( keith... has no idea how, but. he doesn't think that matters. if kosmo wanted keith to know, he'd tell him.
at any rate, near the wall by the bed there's a folded up blanket and a couple pillows for a makeshift pupper bed. due to the rickety nature of the bed the bots gave him, he doesn't think it'll manage to stay together if the three of them are on it. )
Well. ( he puts his hands on his hips as he turns and looks at their little slice of post-apoclyptic trash. ) This is nice.
( 😒 )
[ fair enough. lance actually glances over at the space wolf to give him an apologetic look; he shouldn't have doubted you, buddy. but as he shakes off the post-teleportation rush, he finally gets a good look at the little space they've made for themselves. after that initial night, they'd shoved out all the old, beyond-repair desks and chairs which freed up enough room to allow for their new acquisitions. he watches kosmo pad over to the pile of pillows like he's long since claimed them and flops down on top of it. lance's mouth twists wryly. ]
I take it you've been to the party.
[ and that they apparently had the same idea. lance gestures towards his own pile of pillows that he'd stacked neatly on top of the loveseat he and kosmo had brought back. a part of him kind of wants to ask keith if he saw anything... but another part also very much doesn't. ]
I take it you've been to the party.
[ and that they apparently had the same idea. lance gestures towards his own pile of pillows that he'd stacked neatly on top of the loveseat he and kosmo had brought back. a part of him kind of wants to ask keith if he saw anything... but another part also very much doesn't. ]
( keith glances over when lance gestures and his lips twist into a smile, small but slightly devious. he goes to sit on the edge of the bed but suddenly slows down halfway there and gingerly sits; the bed creaks under him and he begins to wonder if he should just use the mattress and not worry about the frame.
whatever. )
I checked everything out first and took what I could carry before people really came in. ( he knows what went on in there, so he's glad it was still empty when he got there. ) Including the food and drinks.
( in the designated "kitchen" which is just an old desk that's been cleaned off there are a couple bottles of water and some containers of food that shouldn't perish too quickly. it should at least get them through the next day before they have to try and get something else. )
The water, bread, and fruit on the left side don't have any effect. Those cheesy things and the meat in the middle just make you tell the truth, which isn't so bad; they taste good. ( which, could be keith being blunt. or could be residual effects of having to tell the truth. ) The stuff on the right side makes you get rebellious. Those two seemed like the lesser of the evils.
( no hornies in their food this time. keith watched everyone who ate stuff and took notes. )
whatever. )
I checked everything out first and took what I could carry before people really came in. ( he knows what went on in there, so he's glad it was still empty when he got there. ) Including the food and drinks.
( in the designated "kitchen" which is just an old desk that's been cleaned off there are a couple bottles of water and some containers of food that shouldn't perish too quickly. it should at least get them through the next day before they have to try and get something else. )
The water, bread, and fruit on the left side don't have any effect. Those cheesy things and the meat in the middle just make you tell the truth, which isn't so bad; they taste good. ( which, could be keith being blunt. or could be residual effects of having to tell the truth. ) The stuff on the right side makes you get rebellious. Those two seemed like the lesser of the evils.
( no hornies in their food this time. keith watched everyone who ate stuff and took notes. )
Not bad... Nice reconnaissance, Team Leader.
[ he grins a little, falling back on an old nickname that he admits gives him more comfort than he's willing to admit to for the time being. which means he's making a mental note not to eat the stuff in the middle. he wanders over to inspect the stuff, plucking up a piece of melon to chew on from the untainted side. ]
Telling the truth and being rebellious? Sounds like a day that ends in 'y' for you.
[ he's joking a lot, which can only mean one of two things: 1) he's either in a good mood or 2) he's feeling awkward and stalling. one doesn't seem so plausible, given he's still a little frustrated over the situation, and he's not so quick to get over the whole "kidnapping" thing. which means.... ]
I did a little reconnaissance of my own, actually.
[ yeah, he's definitely stalling. ]
[ he grins a little, falling back on an old nickname that he admits gives him more comfort than he's willing to admit to for the time being. which means he's making a mental note not to eat the stuff in the middle. he wanders over to inspect the stuff, plucking up a piece of melon to chew on from the untainted side. ]
Telling the truth and being rebellious? Sounds like a day that ends in 'y' for you.
[ he's joking a lot, which can only mean one of two things: 1) he's either in a good mood or 2) he's feeling awkward and stalling. one doesn't seem so plausible, given he's still a little frustrated over the situation, and he's not so quick to get over the whole "kidnapping" thing. which means.... ]
I did a little reconnaissance of my own, actually.
[ yeah, he's definitely stalling. ]
( that nickname makes keith's lips twitch up into a little smile. he doesn't comment on it or the bratty remark about his person, just hums in response. don't be rude. he's brought home a bed and food to eat that won't give them the hornies. he could take it all back if he wanted!!!
but, anyway. that smile fades a little as lance brings up his own reconnaissance. it's likely not good news because what here is good news? so far keith hasn't found any. so, he's already assuming this is going to be horrible. so, that's fun. with a sigh his arms rest over his thighs and he looks at lance. )
Oh yeah? What'd you find out?
but, anyway. that smile fades a little as lance brings up his own reconnaissance. it's likely not good news because what here is good news? so far keith hasn't found any. so, he's already assuming this is going to be horrible. so, that's fun. with a sigh his arms rest over his thighs and he looks at lance. )
Oh yeah? What'd you find out?
[ as if sensing the shift in the other's mood, lance turns around to offer keith a somewhat reassuring smile. reassuring in the sense that, no, his news probably isn't the most ideal thing to hear right now, but his time mingling with the crowd and listening in on conversations has offered him a lot of perspective... and he thinks — he hopes — that someone as practical as keith would understand.
(or rather, that someone as practical as keith would help someone as sentimental as lance understand better.) ]
Sort of a "good news, bad news" kind of situation.
[ he shifts so he's seating himself on top of the pillows stacked on the couch. it looks a little ridiculous, but since keith is sitting too, he wants to keep level with him. ]
Good news is, those robots weren't completely full of baloney when they talked about the... magic or whatever, whatever it is that revitalizes this place. A couple of people I've talked to at the party said they'd, uh, experimented. And things seemed to be fixing up or appearing around them sometime later.
Bad news is, those robots weren't completely full of baloney. [ his tone flattens a little. ] Which means... those auspicious acts really are the way to get anything around here.
[ he gestures around them — the bed, the couch, the food. ]
This stuff, I dunno how often we're gonna get these kind of freebies. Seems like it's just because they were celebrating our arrival, you know? And even though I know we're gonna find a way out of here [ or the others come get them, whatever comes first ] I was thinking...
[ he sighs. out with it lance. just say what needs to be said. ]
It's silly to let a little bit of discomfort get in the way of survival. Our universe, our Earth, still needs us. I-I'm not saying we... you know... do everything. But maybe — just some things. To get by.
(or rather, that someone as practical as keith would help someone as sentimental as lance understand better.) ]
Sort of a "good news, bad news" kind of situation.
[ he shifts so he's seating himself on top of the pillows stacked on the couch. it looks a little ridiculous, but since keith is sitting too, he wants to keep level with him. ]
Good news is, those robots weren't completely full of baloney when they talked about the... magic or whatever, whatever it is that revitalizes this place. A couple of people I've talked to at the party said they'd, uh, experimented. And things seemed to be fixing up or appearing around them sometime later.
Bad news is, those robots weren't completely full of baloney. [ his tone flattens a little. ] Which means... those auspicious acts really are the way to get anything around here.
[ he gestures around them — the bed, the couch, the food. ]
This stuff, I dunno how often we're gonna get these kind of freebies. Seems like it's just because they were celebrating our arrival, you know? And even though I know we're gonna find a way out of here [ or the others come get them, whatever comes first ] I was thinking...
[ he sighs. out with it lance. just say what needs to be said. ]
It's silly to let a little bit of discomfort get in the way of survival. Our universe, our Earth, still needs us. I-I'm not saying we... you know... do everything. But maybe — just some things. To get by.
( in truth keith is kind of expecting the conversation to be about this. since that first night, they've kind of carefully avoided talking about that or the cards or whatever they're supposed to be doing or not doing to "revitalize" a planet they don't even care about. (harsh? maybe. but, this isn't keith's home and he doesn't see the point in making it ""nice"" for robots of all things.)
funny how the floor is suddenly super interesting.
when lance finishes talking keith is still staring at the floor, just sort of digesting everything. somehow it feels like a lot to take in, even though it's stuff he's already heard. maybe it's just because it doesn't get any easier hearing that in order to, basically, survive he has to bone down with someone. something about that just seems really skeevy.
he lifts a hand and tucks some hair behind his ear and this time his gaze shifts to stare a hole in the wall instead because somehow it's easier to talk to an inanimate object about this than it is to look at lance. )
It's fine if you want to do that stuff, but you don't have to tell me about it. You can make your own choices and I'm not going to... ( he rolls one shoulder in a shrug really trying his best not to think about this at all ) judge you or anything. If that's what you're worried about.
funny how the floor is suddenly super interesting.
when lance finishes talking keith is still staring at the floor, just sort of digesting everything. somehow it feels like a lot to take in, even though it's stuff he's already heard. maybe it's just because it doesn't get any easier hearing that in order to, basically, survive he has to bone down with someone. something about that just seems really skeevy.
he lifts a hand and tucks some hair behind his ear and this time his gaze shifts to stare a hole in the wall instead because somehow it's easier to talk to an inanimate object about this than it is to look at lance. )
It's fine if you want to do that stuff, but you don't have to tell me about it. You can make your own choices and I'm not going to... ( he rolls one shoulder in a shrug really trying his best not to think about this at all ) judge you or anything. If that's what you're worried about.
[ oh... okay. yeah. that's definitely not the turn he thought this conversation would take, but now that he replays what he's said in his mind, he can definitely see why keith would think that. god. okay. he thought it was awkward bringing it up before, but now...
N-No, that's not. I wasn't trying to say that.
[ oh lord. oh lord oh lord, how does he even say what he's trying to say. desperately, he looks to kosmo for guidance, but the space wolf just blinks at him. ]
I know I talk a big game, but the truth is I'm... I haven't...
[ k i l l h i m ]
I'm not like that. I can't just — do that kind of stuff with people if I don't...
[ he lets out another breath, hand rubbing that single spot in his neck so much he's pretty sure he's rubbed down beneath the skin layer. he needs to just, to just say it. ]
Connections may not matter to those robots when it comes to doing that kind of stuff, but it still matters to me, and I feel like we have a connection, you know? I mean we may not — feel that way about each other — but I trust you, and I figure if I'm going to do anything with anybody it should be with someone I trust and—
[ he's babbling now, isn't it? rambling like a lunatic. he forces himself to stop, to take a breath, deflate. ]
It was just a suggestion. We don't have to. I just figured — some of the stuff on my card'd be easier with another person, and— [ what is he even saying? ] Sorry. It was a dumb idea.
N-No, that's not. I wasn't trying to say that.
[ oh lord. oh lord oh lord, how does he even say what he's trying to say. desperately, he looks to kosmo for guidance, but the space wolf just blinks at him. ]
I know I talk a big game, but the truth is I'm... I haven't...
[ k i l l h i m ]
I'm not like that. I can't just — do that kind of stuff with people if I don't...
[ he lets out another breath, hand rubbing that single spot in his neck so much he's pretty sure he's rubbed down beneath the skin layer. he needs to just, to just say it. ]
Connections may not matter to those robots when it comes to doing that kind of stuff, but it still matters to me, and I feel like we have a connection, you know? I mean we may not — feel that way about each other — but I trust you, and I figure if I'm going to do anything with anybody it should be with someone I trust and—
[ he's babbling now, isn't it? rambling like a lunatic. he forces himself to stop, to take a breath, deflate. ]
It was just a suggestion. We don't have to. I just figured — some of the stuff on my card'd be easier with another person, and— [ what is he even saying? ] Sorry. It was a dumb idea.
( oh.
oh.
oh. )
Oh.
( keith doesn't really know what else to say at the moment. he wasn't expecting lance means this and he needs a second to think about it and process what's actually happening right now. so, okay. lance wants to... do stuff. with him? for some reason.
like, on the one hand he gets it, what he's saying in that rambly mess — that is terrifying that he gets, by the way — because keith prefers a connection, too. but, on the other it's lance. there's a whole host of other things that can get in the way and mess a lot of things up. what if they don't like it? what if it just makes things unbearable between them? keith's lips dip into a deep frown; what if it ruins their friendship?
it's taken effort to get here. and keith doesn't make friends easily. for a long time he had none, then just one, then none again, then the one again but this time he got five others along the way. and isn't that what people say? Doing Stuff messes up friendships?
keith lifts his gaze to settle on lance and stares at him silently. his lips are set in a straight line again, tight at the corners and the look in his eyes is kind of far away. so, on the other hand, it doesn't really thrill him to do any of this stuff with someone he doesn't know. like, it really, really doesn't. it would just be weird and awkward and then every time he looked at a tree or something stupid, he'd be reminded of the embarrassing thing he did with a stranger. but, if they tried some stuff...
well, keith knows lance isn't exactly quiet when he doesn't like something. so, if it was weird, at least they have the comfort of knowing each other so they could say that openly that it's not working out. that's fine, right? to try and see what happens? ugh. he doesn't know what the right answer is, so instead of wasting any further time thinking about it, he's just going to forge ahead and do the keith way of things: acting without thinking. it's rare he puts a filter on his brain to mouth feature, so 🤷♀️ just gonna go for it. )
Okay. ( he looks a little surprised for a second, but then he blinks and actually looks at lance. ) We can try. But, if it's too weird, we probably shouldn't.
( he shifts a little, rubs the back of his hand over his forehead. )
Your friendship means a lot to me. ( lance gave him the t-word, and it's making keith feel some kind of way. ) And I don't want to mess that up. So, if we try it and you feel weird about it, you can tell me.
oh.
oh. )
Oh.
( keith doesn't really know what else to say at the moment. he wasn't expecting lance means this and he needs a second to think about it and process what's actually happening right now. so, okay. lance wants to... do stuff. with him? for some reason.
like, on the one hand he gets it, what he's saying in that rambly mess — that is terrifying that he gets, by the way — because keith prefers a connection, too. but, on the other it's lance. there's a whole host of other things that can get in the way and mess a lot of things up. what if they don't like it? what if it just makes things unbearable between them? keith's lips dip into a deep frown; what if it ruins their friendship?
it's taken effort to get here. and keith doesn't make friends easily. for a long time he had none, then just one, then none again, then the one again but this time he got five others along the way. and isn't that what people say? Doing Stuff messes up friendships?
keith lifts his gaze to settle on lance and stares at him silently. his lips are set in a straight line again, tight at the corners and the look in his eyes is kind of far away. so, on the other hand, it doesn't really thrill him to do any of this stuff with someone he doesn't know. like, it really, really doesn't. it would just be weird and awkward and then every time he looked at a tree or something stupid, he'd be reminded of the embarrassing thing he did with a stranger. but, if they tried some stuff...
well, keith knows lance isn't exactly quiet when he doesn't like something. so, if it was weird, at least they have the comfort of knowing each other so they could say that openly that it's not working out. that's fine, right? to try and see what happens? ugh. he doesn't know what the right answer is, so instead of wasting any further time thinking about it, he's just going to forge ahead and do the keith way of things: acting without thinking. it's rare he puts a filter on his brain to mouth feature, so 🤷♀️ just gonna go for it. )
Okay. ( he looks a little surprised for a second, but then he blinks and actually looks at lance. ) We can try. But, if it's too weird, we probably shouldn't.
( he shifts a little, rubs the back of his hand over his forehead. )
Your friendship means a lot to me. ( lance gave him the t-word, and it's making keith feel some kind of way. ) And I don't want to mess that up. So, if we try it and you feel weird about it, you can tell me.
[ it's a long, loooong time before keith speaks up again. lance has already screwed his eyes shut, feeling like a total moron. he's embarrassed, sure, but more than that he fears he might have done something incredibly stupid and pushed keith away or something. does keith think he's a total pervert on top of being an actual idiot? who can blame him...
but when he speaks up again, lance lifts his head to watch the other quietly. he's holding his breath, not sure which way this is going to turn out, not sure which way he wants this to turn out... but keith's agreeing. lance didn't think it would happen, but he's agreeing.
but more than that, there's something he needs to address first. ]
Hey.
[ he gets up, crossing the distance between them till he's right in front of keith. he crouches down, making sure they're eye-level, because he wants keith to know he's 100% serious about this.
No matter what, we're always gonna be friends. I promise you that. You don't go through the kind of stuff we went through and not build something for life, you know?
I.. I know I said some things while we were out there floating around in space. I was mad, and I guess I never did get over you suddenly leaving me like that. [ me, not us. because at the end of the day, lance can't help but feel like he lost a friend more than the team had lost a leader. ] But I want you to know I didn't mean it. The last thing I want is to lose you again. So I promise, no matter what happens here... no matter what we end up having to do or choosing to do — we'll always be friends first.
[ he quiets a moment, and then chances a little smile. just a simple up-turn of the corner of his lips. ]
Scout's honor.
[ now you know he's good for it, keith. ]
but when he speaks up again, lance lifts his head to watch the other quietly. he's holding his breath, not sure which way this is going to turn out, not sure which way he wants this to turn out... but keith's agreeing. lance didn't think it would happen, but he's agreeing.
but more than that, there's something he needs to address first. ]
Hey.
[ he gets up, crossing the distance between them till he's right in front of keith. he crouches down, making sure they're eye-level, because he wants keith to know he's 100% serious about this.
No matter what, we're always gonna be friends. I promise you that. You don't go through the kind of stuff we went through and not build something for life, you know?
I.. I know I said some things while we were out there floating around in space. I was mad, and I guess I never did get over you suddenly leaving me like that. [ me, not us. because at the end of the day, lance can't help but feel like he lost a friend more than the team had lost a leader. ] But I want you to know I didn't mean it. The last thing I want is to lose you again. So I promise, no matter what happens here... no matter what we end up having to do or choosing to do — we'll always be friends first.
[ he quiets a moment, and then chances a little smile. just a simple up-turn of the corner of his lips. ]
Scout's honor.
[ now you know he's good for it, keith. ]
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