Langst - Klance oneshots

Nightmares

He was running. As fast as his legs could take him, but it felt like he was running on ice one moment, quicksand the next. 'Faster, faster, faster.' the eerie whispers came. 'Rush, rush, rush.'

Until he stopped.

There wasn't anywhere to go. Surrounded by the nothingness, he fell to his knees. The emptiness was suffocating and the unnatural silence was deafening. And he was terrified.

Suddenly, Lance felt a chill surround his ankles, wrists and neck. The chill solidified into cold hard metal chains and shackles. He tried to scream and thrash around, but his body was petrified. Then the chains violently tugged him into a position one would be in if they were spread on a torture bed. His throat was raw from the failed attempts to break the silence. Hot tears were streaming down Lance's face. He felt nothing but pure terror.

Then the whispers started their poisonous attacks.

The whispers had an underlying, haunting melody that made you listen. It made you believe. "Useless" one hissed in his ear. "Worthless" another said. " Such a burden" venom dripping from every word. "Pity Voltron has to deal with you, a fuck up." On and on they'd go. The whispers practically spitting acid and Lance screaming from the pain. Louder and louder they screamed at him, but still only existed as whispers. But their favorite one was "Kieth will never love someone like you." And he knew this.

Lance knew all of these as facts. They're nothing new. During the day Lance was hyper aware of these things and in the night, the whispers would remind him with force. The melody, painful and disturbing, sung to him like the song of a siren. Just as it has been for months. Slowly poisoning the boy's mind.

...

Little did Lance know that ,with a special device for looking into other's dreams, the team saw. They had noticed the dark bags under their blue paladins ice. They died a little every time Lance laughed his empty laugh and smiled sadly. They were terrified for their dear Lance.

But Keith. Oh, Kieth. He was the worst. He saw the blue ocean eyes he fell in love with lose its shine. Rather than its normal calm ocean look, it carried a terrible storm. The bags became so prominent that even with Lance's expert makeup skills, it was visible. Keith was dying as the boy who stole his heart slowly broke.

...48 Vargas earlier...

The team got together after Lance retired for the night after dinner. "I'm getting really worried about him." Allura stated. "I know, we all are." Shiro said calmly. Keith slammed a fist on the Altean dinner table and shouted" We have to do something!" Worried for her friend who became like a second brother, Pidge snarked "Yeah, no shit Sherlock." Then softening her tone,"but what?" Sliding back into his chair, Kieth said "I don't know. I don't know." He cradled his head while hiding his face in his arms. Everyone knew about Kieth's love for the blue paladin, except for Lance himself.

Then for the first time during the meeting Hunk spoke up. "Back on the Garrison, Lance and I fell asleep in his dorm while watching a movie. In the middle of the night, I woke up to Lance screaming in his sleep. I woke him up and held him as he cried. But when I questioned him about it he said he didn't want to talk about it." Hunk let out a long sigh. "In the morning, I asked again and he briefly explained that some nights he'd get nightmares, and it wasn't anything new that he woke up in cold sweat. He shrugged off any further talk about it." Lifting his gaze off the table, and looking each team member in the eye, he concluded, "My guess is that he never stopped having those dreams or they came back at full force after Voltron."

All of them were shocked to see their bubbly yellow paladin, the epitome of happiness, frowning and serious. But then again, this is a serious topic.

Hunk turned his head to where Pidge and Alteans were sitting, and commanded, "Find a way for all of us to see and experience Lance's dreams. Chances are that we'll find the problem there." The team nodded solemnly. "I'll get started as soon as I can. "Excellent. Let's all sleep on it." Shiro said. After exchanging tense "good nights" they all went to bed.

...

The team witnessed the entire thing. Hunk and Pidge had tears in their eyes, Shiro and Coran looked sadly at the boy. Allura had clamped her hands to her mouth, unbelieving that Lance has to listen to these lies every night. But when they saw Kieth... His reaction was the worst. The ever stoic, badass, tough guy, Keith Kogane,was sobbing on his knees.

Just then Lance woke up with a gasp. Upon seeing everyone, he asked "Guys...? What's wrong?" Kieth jumped on the bed and hugged Lance, burying his face in the crook of his neck. Shocked from the sudden hug, he hesitantly wrapped his arms around the boy and looked at the rest for an explanation.

Seeing Lance's lost expression, Shiro summarized their observations over the last couple months and their meeting. Pidge and Allura pitched in too. Hunk just stood there. "What made you think those lies? Why couldn't you tell us?" Hunk asked after an agonizing pause.

Sighing, Lance rested his head on Kieth's chest, who had moved into a position that made it comfortable for Lance to do so. "I'm sorry." He sniffled. "I tried to, I swear! But each time I...I just felt as if I would be disturbing you. So I kept it to myself." Taking comfort in Keith rubbing circles into his back, his warmth, soft hair, familiar smell, wait... no. "Focus Lanc" he chided himself. Taking a breath he told them. "Nightmares like this have been occurring for months. The stress and homesickness isn't really helping. Not to mention low self esteem, which you've already seen" he attempted to joke. "This was one of the better ones. This is the sort of thing I'd get in the Garrison, but it got a lot worse after Voltron.

"Hunk's gaze softened and he offered a hug, which Lance immediately took. "Never be afraid to talk to us. You will never be a burden. Promise you'll talk?" Lance's muffled reply came from Hunk's shoulder "Promise". Letting go of the boy, he gave Keith a knowing look and ushered everyone else out leaving the two boys.

Lance turned to his love and said, "I'm sorry you had to see me like that." Keith lifted Lance's chin to make him look at him in the eye. Lance saw the universe and so many emotions and mysteries waiting for him to unlock. He was addicted to Kieth's lilac eyes. Keith saw an ocean of blue who's beauty could rival the sea. Hundreds of secrets for him, but still filled with trust. "Don't be sorry. I'm honored that you trusted me to see that." Running completely on his heart, ignoring his brain he leaned closer to a blushing Lance. "When you're hurt, I'm hurt. It kills me to see you fake a smile. I love you so, so much."

Caught in the moment, Lance leaned in closer until their lips were only inches apart. "I love you too, Samurai. So if it isn't too much trouble, can I ki-!" Lance was interrupted by Keith's ips against his own. He kissed back just as passionately. They pulled away grinning like idiots.

...

It's been 3 weeks and Lance hasn't had a single nightmare. He wasn't afraid of sleep anymore, though it's probably because his boyfriend and he began sharing a room. Self esteem is a work in progress and so is his communication skills. His new favorite activity is making Kieth jealous by flirting with anyone who flirted with him and then teasing Keith about it. But he'd always make sure Keith knew that he loved him. He was happy now.

...

This was actually based off of a dream I had. I'm honestly just using this as a way to vent a little.