Chapter Text
Keith could sense it was morning for his eyes were still tiredly clamped shut, but he could still feel the warmth of the sun burning into his eyelids. Of course, it was a well tempered warmth, a lovely spring warmth that Keith could never get enough of. The warmth wasn't enough to force the boy awake though, Kosmo also knowing this as he was quick to jump all over him and lick his face in an attempt to wake him up. It, sadly, worked.
“Kosmo,” Keith groans, eyes still squeezed together, not wanting to clean out any dog saliva from his eyes. “It's a Saturday morning buddy, let me sleep.”
That didn't stop the space wolf.
“It’s called love, Keith,” a tired voice yawns, that tired voice being Lance who must have woken up because of the two. “Just accept it.”
After giving it some time, Keith groans once more before choosing to get up and provide Kosmo the affection he so much craved. He would have sworn with how happy his dog was, his tail was wagging quicker than it already was. Keith smiles at this, finding it endearing that Kosmo could get so worked up about such little things. “You’re a good boy.” He smiles at his dog, then craning his neck to look at his lover who was now chucking the bed covers off of himself as he stretched his arms, as he did each morning before giving Keith a gentle kiss on the cheek and a tired, ‘good morning.’
“Good morning,” Lance smiles and stretches all over Keith before drawing him in for a cheek kiss. “I was kind of hoping that I’d be the one to wake you up, Kosmo beat me to it though.” Hearing his name, it looks that Kosmo smiled and leapt into Lance's lap, now giving the brunette the spotlight. Lance smiles, petting the wolf's head.
“Don't be upset because you lost to a dog,” Keith shrugs, grinning from Kosmo to Lance. “You gotta be quicker.”
Lance rolls his eyes, giving Kosmo one last pet before letting him jump off of him and out of the room. Their initial reaction was that he was probably going to the kitchen to sit cutely in front of his bowl, waiting for some nasty dog food he called breakfast. Yet, Lance didn't give their dog much consideration for he was more eager to get a taste of Keith’s bad morning breath.
Keith quickly stops him, mumbling, “No, no, I've got gross morning breath, probably a bit of Kosmo’s as well–”
Keith was abruptly cut off, not even getting the chance to prepare himself for his kiss. “I don’t care.” Lance whispers between kisses, grinning into it which Keith could feel against his own lips. Lance had always loved morning kisses, albeit Keith had the exact opposite opinion. He would constantly try to win one for himself, but Keith was quick to astutely make sure Lance wouldn't taste his foul morning breath again. But Keith was okay to let it slide, at least for today. Lance kisses him, and Keith kisses him also, soft lips connecting with one another, both pushing away any concerns about bad breath to the back of their heads. It was lengthy, but not excessively so, and it was sweet as it has always been. Lance loved to think that one of Keith’s top three kisses was morning kisses; alternatively, he might be correct and Keith is simply unable to admit it.
After their not too long but sweet kiss, Lance pressed his forehead against Keiths. He remained in this position with closed eyes for a moment, appearing to be on the verge of dozing off again. Following these actions, Keith almost nodded off himself.
“Five years,” Keith smiles briefly at Lance’s whispered remark before the smile gradually fades, as he finds himself thinking his own bothersome thoughts. “It’s been five years.”
“Five years,” Keith repeated for Lance. “Five years..”
Today was their five year anniversary, as they had been dating for five years ever since they came back down to live on Earth after saving the universe. After Voltron was no longer required, everyone went about their own lives, including Lance and Keith, who discovered that their love for one another was all they really needed in their lives. Lance left his family and farm to begin a new life with Keith, finally letting go of his past with Allura, and Keith decides that being with Lance is more important than transitioning the Blade of Marmora. Although working with the blade meant a lot to him, he believed that in order to truly find happiness, he needed to let that aspect of him go. Five years with Lance, yet something just wasn't…
“Happy anniversary, Keith.”
Having been so absorbed in his own thoughts, Keith opens his eyes to see a smiling Lance staring in his direction, possibly waiting for a response or action as Keith had been so lost in his own thoughts. He remains silent, simply cracking a tiny smile before choosing to lean in for a second, much shorter kiss than their first. Lance knew he was right about his fondness for morning kisses. Then, Keith was the first to pull back and speak after their not-too-long-of-a kiss.
“I think Kosmo is waiting for his breakfast.” He says this just as Kosmo barks, most definitely for food.
“Well, I’m pretty hungry myself.”
“But you’re always hungry.”
“And Kosmo isn't?”
“Well I guess you guys are just the same in a way.” Keith grins, shoving Lance playfully when he begins to stretch all over him again.
“Y’know, we’re not just similar in hunger, but also in other ways you would have no idea about.”
“What, that you both have terrible breaths? Don’t worry, I’m aware of that.”
“You're really coming for my throat today,” Lance laughs. “And may I remind you, on our special day.”
Keith doesn’t respond, having turned to look away from Lance which he didn’t notice seeing as he was standing up. Normally, being reminded wasn’t an issue on their anniversary or any other special day of the year, but now that it had been five years, well, let’s just say he didn’t want to be reminded. Hearing Kosmo bark more than was necessary, Lance groans exiting their bedroom with a slightly frowning Keith watching from their messy, disorganised bed. Part of Keith felt bad about his own feelings towards himself and Lance, but then again, such feelings could not always be controlled.
Before getting up to meet Lance in the kitchen, Keith tidies up their bed and slides on a clean and regular black shirt so he would feel a bit more covered as that’s what he would do each morning he woke up. Unlike Lance who walked around the house with no shirt almost all day if he had nothing better to do.
Lance was preparing something when Keith walked into the kitchen; the aroma of bacon being thrown onto the pan led him to believe they were having bacon and eggs. He walks past Kosmo, who was now chowing down on his own revolting meal, pats him on the head in a cordial manner, and then joins Lance, who was quick to notice his presence without even having to glance up from the bacon.
“Up for bacon and eggs?” Lance inquires, looking at Keith to get his approval. Keith just nods, not replying with words. “Okay good, because that’s what I’m making, if that wasn’t already obvious.”
Keith smiles gently, having leaned back against the kitchen counter as Lance continues cooking the bacon. Keith wasn’t actually sure if bacon and eggs is what he really wanted, though it wasn’t a bother, it just made him think that Lance woke up craving bacon and eggs so that’s what he started making without having actually asked Keith what he wanted. Once more, it wasn’t a hassle; it was just one of Keith’s peculiar thoughts.
Being so lost in his odd thoughts, he only now just realised Lance was standing in front of him, barring any escape with his arms as his hands were holding the counter behind Keith.
Lance smiles, clearly just dazing at Keith. “You’re so quiet,” he says, quiet yet still audible enough for Keith to actually hear him over the sizzling of the bacon. “What’s on your mind?”
“Nothing,” he lies, wrapping his arms over Lance’s shoulders. “Still haven’t fully woken up yet, is all.”
“You didn’t have to get out of bed then, I could have just taken breakfast to you, like the romantic I am.” Lance grins, Keith catching a quick wink before he received a quick kiss on the lips. Keith smiles slightly, having grown accustomed to Lance’s random kisses over the past five years, as he leans in again, kissing his lips much more affectionately and sweetly, seemingly forgetting about the bacon he was cooking because he was too preoccupied with needing to show his boyfriend some affection. Drawing back once more, Lance didn’t leave much space between their lips as they both knew their lips would soon reconnect again. “You know what’s about to happen?” He asks in a whisper.
Keith shakes his head, indicating a ‘no.’ He didn’t have time to respond with actual words, though, because Lance was already kissing him again, this time with more passion and affection, as Keith could now see where this was going. Keith only responds with his arms loosening around Lance’s shoulders, as he slowly lets his hands wander their way into his brown hair while kissing him back. Soon their lips parted, for Lance found himself kissing his way from his face all the way to his neck, kissing his skin ever so gently.
Keith sighs, his hands entangled in Lance’s hair as he allows him to start wandering his neck, his eyes closed. What was I doing? Keith questions himself. Why was I doing this to myself…and to Lance.
Without any thought or consideration to what Keith was about to do next, he sighs, his hands tightening in Lance’s hair as he finally blurts out, “I’m not happy.”
Lance halts, immediately but ever so slowly pulling away from Keith, coming face to face with him, who’s presence frightened and alarmed Keith greatly. Lance looked into Keith’s eyes with either perplexity or surprise, probably both with a trace of disappointment, but Keith couldn’t even read his expression for he was unsure of the reaction he was receiving. He didn’t plan on actually talking about this today; all he knew was that the response he would get would worry him. Today of all days Keith just had to ruin it.
“What?” He finally says.
“Nothing,” Keith gulps. “Forget I said anything”
“You can’t just say something like that and expect me to forget it.”
Keith looks away as he feels the remorse he has been suppressing for so long wash over him. Now that he’s said it, now that Lance is aware of Keith’s unhappiness, he feels even more guilty to see his boyfriend's reaction.
“I’m so sorry..” he mumbles, the hint of guilt having been heard in his voice.
“You’re sorry you said it, or you’re sorry you’re not happy?”
Keith shakes his head, “Both?”
Lance remains in his position for a short while longer after giving Keith a silent stare before he steps back. “On our anniversary.” he scoffs, shaking his head till he was leaning on the counter opposite from the one Keith was leaning on.
“I know,” Keith sighs. “I wasn’t planning on saying anything today. It literally just came out. Like I physically couldn’t hold it in anymore. It was just like, word vomit, y’know?”
“This moment is when you want to do it?”
Seeing Lance’s disappointment, Keith sighs another time. “Look, you are such a good person, Lance, and I want to be happy with you. I really, really do, but–”
“We’ve been together for five years,” Lance cuts him off, again reminding him how many years it’s been. “You couldn’t just talk to me?”
Lance began walking around their kitchen, scoffing with crossed arms as Keith kept an eye on him. “Everytime I try and talk to you about my feelings, you get mad–”
“Correction, you don’t talk to me about your feelings, and that’s because your feelings are fucking bullshit.”
Keith shakes his head, his eyes finally leaving Lance’s pacing self.
“When you do talk to me about your feelings, which is extremely rare, you get a kick out of not being happy when everything’s fucking fine–” There was a loud bang, that being from the pan that collided with the floor as Lance bumped into it, causing a mess of bacon to fall in the kitchen. The pan’s loud noise startled Kosmo, causing him to bark his way around the house. “Are you fucking serious!” he yells, perhaps out of frustration over his and Keith’s circumstances rather than for accidentally making a mess and starting their dog off.
There was silence between the two males for a few seconds, till Keith sighs with a raised eyebrow. “Did that seem fine to you?”
After exchanging looks, Lance leans back against the counter across from Keith again and rubs the bridge of his nose. “Look,” he begins. “I’m not saying we’re perfect, okay? Nobody’s fucking perfect.”
“I know,” Keith agrees. “I just want imperfection in its most ideal form.”
It was quiet between them again, all that was being heard was the dog who barked around the house. Yet, during this period of stillness, Lance had a chance to collect himself and consider how to approach the situation in a straightforward and non-yelling manner. Even though the circumstance had made him upset, he didn’t want to start yelling at Keith because that would just make the already tense argument worse.
“Tell me what’s wrong.” Lance mumbles “What are you missing?”
Keith looks away, having difficulty looking into his boyfriend’s eyes. “All I know is that I miss the person I met back up in space.”
“You can’t do that,” Lance shakes his head. “You can’t compare me now to me back up in space. I mean, that guy was wooing you.”
“Well you should never stop wooing.”
“This bacon is fresh, right from Hunk’s amazingly new restaurant here on Earth. I just wooed your ass off.”
“What, the bacon on the floor?” Lance rolls his eyes as Keith nods towards their ‘breakfast.’ “Look, I’m guessing you woke up this morning craving bacon and eggs, and you knew you had to do something vaguely nice for our anniversary, so you asked Hunk for some fresh bacon, and now look at it.”
“At least I convinced Hunk to give me some.”
“When’s the last time you did something just for me? Because that’s what the guy back up in space would do.”
Lance turns his head away, both from Keith and the dejected-looking bacon on the ground. He hated that they were having this conversation about Lance, the younger and slightly more immature Lance. The one Keith apparently missed and loved so much, when Lance thought he was just a stupid version of himself which he pretty much was, just the younger version is all.
Keith sighs, “That guy was romantic.”