the mission changed like missions always do. complications arise and pidge is the one who does the math, who says that they're going to spend two years rezail-time righting the wrong of the galran empire on a this planet - clearing the troops, saving the people, getting control back in the power of the rezailians. in earth time? it'll be a month. one month, noctis will be missing him. it's not unusual, and it's even kind of gracious for how long they've spent away from each other before - keith supposes it's better than the other way, if it felt like a month to him and noctis was alone for two years, without word of contact. it's not like he can send a message during the attack, so he sends one out to noctis before the comms go dark to the outside world. i love you, i'll see you soon, and then he goes under.
two years is a long time. the battle itself eats up two thirds of the time, and the rest of it is just culturing the planet to house the people joining voltron's coalition. he thinks about noctis every day. every single day. the gemstone noctis had turned into a matching pair of necklaces for them finds a permanent home wrapped around keith's neck and becomes his religion, his nightly ritual - running his thumb against it, dreaming of what he hopes he has waiting for him on the other side of the mission. he won't hate noctis if he moved on. two years is a long time, and it feels like it's been forever since he's seen him, touched him, heard the sound of his laughter, or felt the burn of his blushes on the tips of his fingers. a rezailian woman offers to help keith ease the pain of distance, but keith rejects her. he knows who his heart belongs to, and recooperation has never been a factor in the way it leans. if he comes back and noctis is engaged, he will go to his wedding and find it in his heart to be happy for him. but.
it's only been a month, to him. keith has to keep reminding himself that. on cold nights when he's dreaming about arms wrapping around him, about those arms being wrapped around someone else - it's only been a month. noctis wouldn't replace him that fast.
he's always been like an anchor for keith, but now it's more than ever. when the mission finishes and the paladins of voltron find themselves back up in space, they separate for a needed time of refuge - none of them have seen anyone for years, and they have to go make their peace with the fact that the world has been left basically untouched since they left it. everyone goes to their family - allura to lance's. keith goes to noctis.
he's standing in his room, everything exactly the way he remembers it, all that time ago. keith is what sticks out like a sore thumb - taller now, thicker with muscle, more afflicted with scars that used to be concentrated to certain areas, now spread throughout his entire body. his hair is longer, swept into a braid that rests on top his shoulder, ending somewhere near his waist. his clothes are tight fitted and befitting that of a soldier, lean and accentuating his muscular, if slightly malnourished, form. he doesn't wear sleeves, and on one arm is the blade of marmora's symbol, tattooed into his flesh.
keith just waits, idly picking through noctis' dresser, touching softly all the things he remembers, every gift he ever gave noctis displayed like trophies on his window pane. despite everything, he's not really nervous. it's been a long two years, and there's nothing in this universe that would keep him one more day away from noctis. )
space time difference.
the mission changed like missions always do. complications arise and pidge is the one who does the math, who says that they're going to spend two years rezail-time righting the wrong of the galran empire on a this planet - clearing the troops, saving the people, getting control back in the power of the rezailians. in earth time? it'll be a month. one month, noctis will be missing him. it's not unusual, and it's even kind of gracious for how long they've spent away from each other before - keith supposes it's better than the other way, if it felt like a month to him and noctis was alone for two years, without word of contact. it's not like he can send a message during the attack, so he sends one out to noctis before the comms go dark to the outside world. i love you, i'll see you soon, and then he goes under.
two years is a long time. the battle itself eats up two thirds of the time, and the rest of it is just culturing the planet to house the people joining voltron's coalition. he thinks about noctis every day. every single day. the gemstone noctis had turned into a matching pair of necklaces for them finds a permanent home wrapped around keith's neck and becomes his religion, his nightly ritual - running his thumb against it, dreaming of what he hopes he has waiting for him on the other side of the mission. he won't hate noctis if he moved on. two years is a long time, and it feels like it's been forever since he's seen him, touched him, heard the sound of his laughter, or felt the burn of his blushes on the tips of his fingers. a rezailian woman offers to help keith ease the pain of distance, but keith rejects her. he knows who his heart belongs to, and recooperation has never been a factor in the way it leans. if he comes back and noctis is engaged, he will go to his wedding and find it in his heart to be happy for him. but.
it's only been a month, to him. keith has to keep reminding himself that. on cold nights when he's dreaming about arms wrapping around him, about those arms being wrapped around someone else - it's only been a month. noctis wouldn't replace him that fast.
he's always been like an anchor for keith, but now it's more than ever. when the mission finishes and the paladins of voltron find themselves back up in space, they separate for a needed time of refuge - none of them have seen anyone for years, and they have to go make their peace with the fact that the world has been left basically untouched since they left it. everyone goes to their family - allura to lance's. keith goes to noctis.
he's standing in his room, everything exactly the way he remembers it, all that time ago. keith is what sticks out like a sore thumb - taller now, thicker with muscle, more afflicted with scars that used to be concentrated to certain areas, now spread throughout his entire body. his hair is longer, swept into a braid that rests on top his shoulder, ending somewhere near his waist. his clothes are tight fitted and befitting that of a soldier, lean and accentuating his muscular, if slightly malnourished, form. he doesn't wear sleeves, and on one arm is the blade of marmora's symbol, tattooed into his flesh.
keith just waits, idly picking through noctis' dresser, touching softly all the things he remembers, every gift he ever gave noctis displayed like trophies on his window pane. despite everything, he's not really nervous. it's been a long two years, and there's nothing in this universe that would keep him one more day away from noctis. )