Lance couldn't sleep.
The makeshift bed in his lion was uncomfortable and stiff. It made finding a comfortable spot impossible, and sleeping even more so. He'd tried every sleeping position he could think of, to no prevail.
It was 2 am, or at least he thought it was. He couldn't tell on this planet. The nights were 13 hours of the 40 hour day. Was there even a 2 am here?
Damn it.
With an exasperated sigh, Lance propped himself up by his elbows. It was no use. Lance got to his feet. His eyes stung from the lack of sleep, and his chest ached. Maybe a bit of fresh air would help him settle.
The air on the moon was light and crisp, with only a slight chill hanging over the grass. As he stepped out of his lion, Lance filled his lungs wìth the cold air and shuddered. Every ounce of the anxiety and neck ache that kept him up was drifting away, small tears picking at the corners of his eyes.
He needed this.
There was a crunching beneath his feet with every step Lance took. Every one causing the stress in his shoulders to drop with his heart rate. He came to a halt a few feet away from his lion. Without a second thought, Lance dropped to his knees, hands pawing at the ground beneath him.
Lance could feel every cool blade of grass running between his fingers. Every movement of the wind that glided through it. He'd never felt so grounded. Lance ran his tongue across his bottom lip.
Inhale. Exhale.
A loud clunk to his right withdrew Lance from his thoughts, his head twisting to the source of the sound. To his surprise, Lance saw the head of the Green lion lowering to the ground, a small silhouette stood in it's gaping jaws.
Pidge?
Lance's pulse quickened as he watched the small figure take a few steps forward, and then fall to her knees, curling up into a ball. Instinct took a hold of Lance, forcing him to his feet and toward the small shape.
Curiosity was getting the better of him.
When his eyes focused in on her, Lance saw Pidge sat cross legged on the grass, her hands clawing at the back of her hair. With every passing second her chest stuttered, soft sobbing ringing in his ears.
Did she even know he was there?
"Can't sleep either?" Lance said calmly, taking a seat by her side. At the sound if his voice, Pidge's shoulders stiffened. She could feel his eyes on her, her skin crawling the more she thought about it. No one was meant to be awake. No one is meant to see her cry.
She sat silent, unmoving.
Pidge knew if she even so much as moved her lips she would snap. She didn't want to do that to Lance. She couldn't.
"Yeah, the lions aren't the most comfortable thing to sleep in." Lance continued, swinging his head up to look at the stars. Through the jet black sky ran a river of silver. A galaxy, not very dissimilar looking to their own. A sigh escaped from Lance's lungs.
"Want to talk about it?"
Even with the muffled utterance that it was, Lance could tell it was a firm no.
It's hard to be in love with someone who shuts you out... and yet, Lance wouldn't change a thing.
As unresponsive as Pidge was being, Lance couldn't just leave her, not in the state she was in. Lance's mind grasped at ideas, trying to think of what his sister would do to calm him down.
Small talk it is then.
"It's fascinating isn't it?" Lance said softly, his gaze focusing back to the sky. "How something so vast can be so relaxing."
Pidge's ears pricked up at his words, forcing her to mimic Lance and tilt her head back.
"I wouldn't call an ever expanding universe destined to collapse in on itself relaxing." Pidge said, a deadpan expression plastered on her face. Lance could only manage a small chuckle,
"I didn't mean like that." Lance shot a glance over at Pidge. The streams that ran down her cheeks twinkled in the starlight, illuminating her freckles with a cold glow.
Oh how he ached to just pick her up and kiss away her tears.
"How did you mean it then?" Pidge bit back, expressionless.
Lance pulled his knees up to his chest, leaning his head into his folded arms, "it reminds me of our galaxy. I know it's a long shot, but even that seems to be helping me cope with the distance right now."
Pidge shuffled a little, fiddling with hem of her shirt.
Lance's throat dried at the sound of a muffled whimper, followed by an indignant sniffle. Lance watched in horror as tears streamed down Pidge's face, dripping from her chin to leave wet droplets on her shirt.
"Hey," Lance whispered, ducking to her level to meet Pidge's gaze. Sure enough, her eyes were red and swollen, glistening with fresh tears that would soon fall down the trails on her cheeks. "Tears aren't a good look for you," Lance smiled, attempting to lighten the mood. If he didn't see her smile soon, he was sure his own heart would shatter.
Pidge lifted her head, her amber eyes hidden beneath her furrowed brows. With a tilt of his head, Lance smiled and outstretched his hand. He delicately used his thumb to brush away a single tear on her cheek, his heart fluttering at the sensation of her skin.
"That's better,"
Pidge's expression changed with a sigh, a small smile now occupying her lips. At the sight of this, Lance felt a little tension drop from his shoulders. That was definitely better. Pidge now sat staring up at him, wringing her hands slowly.
Even with tear stained eyes she was beautiful.
"Are you sure you don't want to talk?" Lance sat forward. He felt so guilty for probing her further, but remembering the way Veronica would sit with him and talk it out... well, that made him want to do the same for her.
Pidge rolled her shoulders, looking up at the blue paladin from under her furrowed brows. "I-I had a nightmare." She spat her words out, almost biting her tongue as she did so. "It was about Earth and Sendak-" She couldn't finish her sentence, a painful lump had risen in her throat. Lance winced at her words, sliding a little closer to her.
"Pretty sure I've had the exact same nightmare." Lance admitted, running a hand up his arm. "Not fun."
Lance felt something thud into his chest, knocking the air from his lungs. With wide blue eyes, Lance peered downwards. His gaze lay upon Pidge, head burried into his chest and arms clinging to back of his jacket.
Lance's thoughts were drowned by the thunderous beating of his heart. An undeniable blush spread right across Lance's face and burned the tip of his ears.
Pidge was hugging him.
Hesitantly, Lance wrapped his arms around Pidge's shoulders, feeling every shaking breath as she sobbed into his shirt.
All he could do was run his hands through her hair, whispering comforting words into her ear. Lance may not think he was that perfect at this sort of thing, but he was going to try.
For her.
He sat with her in his arms for around 20 doboshes, allowing her to cry and on the odd occasion, listening to her explain the contents of her nightmare through bubbling tear stained lips.
Pidge rubbed her cheeks, them now tinged red from her sleeve being used to wipe her tears. She sat in silence for a moment, her eyes scanning the face of the blue paladin, his eyes warm and welcoming.
"Do you still get upset Lance?"
Lance's chest tightened as he thought for a moment, her question catching him off guard. "Of course I do." He admitted. "Sometimes it keeps me awake at night, sometimes I cry... but that's only when nobody is watching." Lance tightened his arms around her, leaning in closer. "Much like you'd intended on doing tonight."
Pidge swallowed the sarcastic response that lingered on her tongue. Now was not the time. Now was the time for pure, honest gratitude.
"Thank you for staying with me Lance."
A wide smile broke on Lance's lips, perfectly in unison with his heart fluttering.
"Hey, it's what I'm here for. Thank you for letting me stay with you. I half expected you to tell me where to go," Lance chuckled to himself, trailing his left hand through Pidge's discoursed mop of hair. Pidge shifted her weight, raising a sympathetic eyebrow.
"I know I can be a bit 'standoffish' sometimes, but I'd never do that to yo-" Pidge clenched her jaw, determined to stop herself from spilling her words. She felt Lance's chest move backwards, indicating that he was looking down at her. She didn't want to meet his expression.
It wouldn't have been too presumptuous of Lance to guess the end of her sentence. His tongue glided against his teeth, his body fighting against the hope that was building at the back of his mind. Could she possibly-?
No. That's ludicrous.
Pidge's eyes lifted again, trying to read Lance's expression. He was smiling, but it was more of a nervous, broken smile. Nothing like his exuberant smile that usually decorated his lips.
Sitting up, Pidge settled further into Lance's grip, her fingers tracing circles on the edge of his jacket. Lance tried to ignore the deep blush he could feel creeping it's way across his cheeks. She was so close to him. He was almost close enough to just lean down an-
No. He couldn't.
"Maybe next time you're upset... I could return the favour and comfort you?" Pidge said slowly, her eyes flitting between Lance's and his jacket. For a second, Lance swore he felt his heart stop. Before he knew it, a sincere smile had cracked it's way onto his lips.
"I'd like that."