epidemiology | ( closed ) and running running and running running

[ it's... weird, to be honest, to hear that kind of rallying come from keith. not that it's entirely unexpected, as lance is well aware that keith is one of the more vocal supporters of the team (hunk being dead last, sorry hunk) but it's still kind of startling if only because lance is just reminded of how often and how easily he forgets this.

he makes a faint noise in the back of his throat as they walk, their steps quiet on the wood. ]

That's true — these Audentes people sure did luck out with us. I mean we're practically pros at this heroing thing.

Pros? [There's a great deal of doubt in his tone.] I wouldn't say we're pros, but we're more inclined than most.

[Rally all they want, but Keith will always find a way to balance it out.

It isn't long before they reach the door and the night air hits their faces. Keith breathes in deeply, recalling the late nights in his isolated cabin where he'd stay up with the door open while he tried to make sense of the information he found. Being out here tonight feels less urgent, even if they still have a job to do.]

Well I'm definitely a pro.

[ he sure as heck gets hurt enough to be one.

but he walks past keith without any hesitation, their shoulders and elbows bumping idly in the process. like keith he takes in a deep breath, but much louder, less subtle. arms akimbo, chest puffed out, he even rears his head back a little to drink it all in...

it doesn't smell like anything familiar, but it's something, he supposes, and if he squints enough the skies look almost similar.

he twists around a little, and peering up at the building they'd just walked out of. ]

Hey — you think we can scale this thing and get on the roof?

[In response to Lance's question, he turns swiftly, sizing up the building. Given his leaping around that he's done since he's arrived all to ensure he does do his part with patrols of the town, he already knows the answer to that question. Even without his armor on, he doesn't think that he's going to have much of a problem.

Keith glances back at Lance with a wry grin.]

I know that I can. I don't know about you. [Instincts give Keith exactly the right amount of footholds he'll need to make it up there. He's mentally preparing to head for the first and easiest set the moment he's sure that Lance has met his challenge.]

[ why are they like this. ]

You're on.

[ and there is exactly one second to let that settle in...

before he is suddenly taking off towards the building, because what is being fair and what is acting his age. ]

[Well, the good thing is that Keith can depend on being the fastest member of Voltron. He has some confidence in his approach here. After casting a wary glance toward Lance just ahead of him, he pushes himself, heading for the foothold he already noticed to begin to pry himself up the side of the multipurposed building.

Hopefully, none of the people inside are bound to notice what they're doing.

... Or, if they notice, hopefully none of them care.]

[ most people should be asleep, since that's what normal people would be doing at these hours... but they sure are making something of a racket. or lance is, anyway, because while he might have more upper body strength than keith, he's definitely not as agile, and therefore considering louder and clumsier than keith as he begins his own scaling of the building.

he also hasn't had a chance to scale or scope the building out before, so a lot of this is definitely trial and error, and before long he's got keith's butt wiggling several feet above him, very clearly winning. ]

What the heck! Are you a monkey?!

No. Unsurprisingly, you're just bad at this. [Odd things that are true: if this wasn't Lance, he might not be that much of a jerk here. It's now second nature (hah) for him to come up with these things all the time.

Thanks to his advantage, he pulls himself up on the roof the rest of the way.

And even with his rude remark, he does extend a hand over to Lance, since he can tell he's having a hard time with this.]

Edited (pg-13 language in my narrative) 2016-10-28 05:14 (UTC)

[ it is the sad truth that they, more often than not, tend to bring out the worst in each other... but sometimes it's a little worth it, too, when they get those rare moments when they do the opposite, and bring out the best.

though they'll both probably vehemently deny that. ]

I should — file a complaint — to the establishment... This building's not conducive at all for recreational climbing...!

[ he puffs for breath between his words, taking the proffered hand without any contest. frankly, without any acknowledgement as well, because that makes it easier to just accept without looking like he's losing much of anything in the process.

once he's situated firmly on the roof he dumps himself flat on his back, arms and legs splayed, breathing heavily. ]

[In contrast, Keith doesn't show any wear and tear from the climb up. His cheeks are a little flushed, but otherwise, he looks like the same guy as ever: a little brooding, with a terrible haircut and a stupid choice of stuff to wear. Then again, he's wearing something similar to Lance right now.

He shuffles back away from the edge to look down at Lance's face to make sure he's okay. Keith considers something about making him work out more, but something tells him that he should appreciate that Lance actually took his hand and acknowledged he needed the help.]

I dunno ... they might make you buy them drinks again. It doesn't sound like you'd get out of there alive. Or with money. [This is gentle ribbing. After observing Lance long enough and determining that he's fine, Keith shuffles slightly forward again so that he can lie down beside him, arms coming to press as a makeshift pillow underneath his head as he looks up toward the sky.]

[ his only response to that is to groan, low and almost whining. he definitely doesn't need to be reminded about the sorry state of his wallet, but he's quick to remind himself it had been for a good deed...! maybe. hopefully. these days he has trouble remembering.

anyway, he hasn't yet taken the chance to actually look at the starts yet, his eyes still closed as his breathing regulates. by the time it's evened out — and he dispels the last of that silly worry of his that what he'll find there is so alarmingly foreign, he'll be hit with the realization again of just how far they are — he lets his eyes open.

slowly, he expels a breath. ]

...it's kinda freaky, isn't it? Stars look like stars no matter where you are. [ his voice is low, a thoughtful, surprisingly melancholy murmur that may or may not be just him thinking out loud at this point. ]

I mean I guess that's just science in general, but. Still...

Nah ... it is weird. [He looks up at the stars. In the past few months, the two of them had to come to terms with the fact that there were aliens, robotic lions that can fly through space, and whatever else. They've had to accept that their home planet might be the next planet subjugated by an evil alien overlord by the name of Zarkon. All of it is so strange, especially factoring in the whole "ten thousand years" deal.

Keith huffs out a breath.]

What they know on Earth about space is really just ... limited. Even the Kerberos mission was nothing compared to what we experienced once we found Allura and Coran. [Keith remembers that mission, and remembers Shiro having to leave on it. He was going so far, and now—now it doesn't seem like anything.]

If we really are in a whole different universe, wouldn't you think things would get made differently? [That's what Keith thinks, but he knows it's hard to say.]

[ lance is quiet at first, mind lost in the overwhelming smallness one inevitably feels whenever one considers the universe(s) and one's place in it. he has to physically shake himself out of such a numbing thought, though to keith it might look like he's simply shuddering from the chilly winter air. ]

Even if it doesn't really make sense, I guess there's something comforting in it. [ in that strange sameness. it's familiar, at the very least. making everything a little easier to digest.

he shifts a little, lightly bumping keith on his side with an elbow. ]

Do you think they know about this universe? Allura and Coran...

Maybe. [It's a noncommittal answer to start with, and it's absolutely one that Keith decides not to stick with. The silence that stretches after the single word only hangs in the air because he's briefly overwhelmed by cynicism. But he bites it back, knowing that it's not fair. Besides, they don't know what Allura and Coran know, and they can't ask, either.]

Maybe they know, but our universe is so messed up that they can't even think of bringing Voltron to another one to help. Maybe if we go home from here, we can let them know that ALASTAIR needs our help.

[A beat, a quick one, as he closes his eyes.]

I've made friends here. I want to go back to Red and help, but I guess ... I wouldn't know how to tell them good-bye.

[ this is supposed to be the part where lance scoffs, maybe even bursts into full on laughter and asks him, friends? you made friends??

but somehow the desire isn't quite so strong, and instead he's left contemplating the distance between two of the brighter stars shining overhead. ]

So don't, [ is what he says instead. lance has made some friends too, but lance has always been able to make friends. not that they're interchangeable or anything, but he thinks he can imagine how poignant it might be for someone like keith... he's always heard about how great the guy was as a student. but he never did hear any of it from their actual peers.

there's not much for keith to return to back on earth. not like lance, who's got a whole family probably wondering where his weekly calls have gone. if he was given the choice to leave and head back home right this instant, would he take it...?

he holds an arm up towards the sky, folding his hand into a finger-gun gesture, aiming right for the space between those stars. ]

Just give them one of these and tell them — catch ya on the flip side, homies! [ slowly, his smile fades. ]

...See you soon.

[It is a big deal for Keith. Having the Voltron team bridges the gap of difficulty for him. The other students at the school could barely stand him. There are people on team Audentes who can also barely stand him, but they seem to be way more open to his ... behavior. It's nice.

Maybe it's because the team is less strict. Voltron is the same. It seems to embrace his temperamental nature instead of criticizing it.

But big deal or not, Lance's suggestion, by Keith's estimation, is stupid.]

I'm not doing that, [he says sharply, though not as sharply as if he was actually irritated.] And I'm not saying that, either.

Edited 2016-11-02 20:12 (UTC)

[ lance's expression flattens at that response, his finger-gun hand now dropping to press up against his temple instead. most times keith's denseness and inability to read the tone of a situation was funny, but then there were other times when it can get real tiring.

still, like keith's irritation, lance's own exasperation is close to, if not entirely nonexistent, for in the next second he is sighing it off and responding with a wry twist to his mouth, ]

You're right, what was I thinking. You don't have nearly enough of a coolness factor to pull it off.

Why does everything have to fall to coolness with you? [It's almost like Lance is constantly setting their conversations up for stupid ice puns. Keith might be dense sometimes, but he can see where this is going. The last conversation about pizza ovens or whatever got ... weird. Really weird.]

And before you even start, I know about Blue's water power. I know. [Keith is a good long-suffering sidekick, if nothing else.]

[ for once, lance actually hadn't been intending to lead this conversation into a pun, but he's glad keith decided to bite the bullet for him.

lil' peanut's learning. :') ]

Are you sure you know, Keith? [ another bump of his elbow to keith's side, and this time it's definitely on purpose. ] Are you sure? Because Blue is amazing, and I haven't talked about her enough to these people yet, so I'm falling behind on my quota.

I'm not these people. Telling me about her isn't going to help your quota. [That could be missing the point because of how irritated he sounds, but that's just ... Keith being himself.

Besides, Red is still way cooler, and doesn't need ice or water to overcompensate.

So there!]

[ no, red just uses magma instead. ]

Wow, you won't even offer to let me practice? That's cold...

...ice cold.

[Keith lets out a groan as he elbows him sharply. It's not so sharp that it's meant to really bruise, but he's clearly annoyed.]

Maybe we should just not talk.

[ where keith is annoyed, lance just laughs (perhaps not so quietly) to himself. it had been a pretty crappy night, all things considered... but all in all, it didn't turn out so bad.

he supposes he owes a large part of that to keith himself, but...

nah. he probably doesn't want to know something like that, right? right. ]

( closed ) and running running and running running

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

1/2

2/2

no subject

no subject